Christmas Fun

Here is the crew on Christmas morning

                              Here are my "twin" boys (very much concentrating on their games!)

                                           Tom and Zac got a Wii along with Guitar Hero!

Zac got Cars Laptop computer from Santa
Needless to say, all of my boys were spoiled this Christmas.  We were lucky enough to have my mom here for Christmas morning and then my dad, brother, sister in law and two nieces arrived the day after Christmas.  Although it is crazy at times here, it's nice to have our first Christmas at home and family to share it with!

Christmas trip to Urgent Care

Tyler has been sick on and off for the last few weeks and had even seen his Pediatrician two weeks ago.  Everything was fine then - just a virus.  Finally today though, he really seemed like he was getting worse instead of better.  He's been up all night, couldn't nap this morning and just wanted to be held non stop.  He was so worn out this morning that he fell asleep on me in the middle of the kitchen.  He hasn't done that since he was little.  I put him in his high chair to see if he would eat some lunch and he fell asleep again!

We took him into Acute Kids and sure enough, he had two ear infections and Bronciolitis or RSV.  He has to have treatments with a nebulizer and antibiotics for his ears.  Hopefully he'll be feeling better for Christmas and hopefully this will count as our annual trip to the ER for Christmas!

Grapevine, TX "Ice"

This first picture illustrates how much of monkey Tyler is!  He spends pretty much all of his awake time, trying to decide what to climb on next and then attempting it.  Only to get right down and climb back up again!  He however, is not that graceful.  He gave himself a nasty black eye when trying to climb up on the windowsills and slipping!  This one (no, this is not his first) really scared me because his eye was bleeding!

The rest are pictures taken at the "Ice" exhibit at the Gaylord Texan (a huge hotel) in Grapevine.  It was 9 degrees inside and you had to wear these special jackets that they provided.  It was all Christmas themed and there were lighted tunnels, bridges, a gingerbread house, an entire nativity scene and at the end there were ice slides which Zac really enjoyed!  Poor Tyler was cold and pretty much cried through the whole thing.

I got a kick out of Zac in the jacket!  It was HUGE on him and it almost touched the ground.  He couldn't get his hand out of the sleeves and it was so funny to watch him walking around!  He really reminded me of the little boy from "A Christmas Story"!

Photo With Santa

I can't believe it but BOTH boys sat with Santa AND smiled for the camera!  What are the chances???  I knew that Zac would do well.  He's been looking forward to it for oh, months now!  I wasn't sure about Tyler though.  As it turns out, he walked right over to Santa all by himself because he was following his big brother as usual!

FINALLY!

After waiting for what feels like FOREVER, Zac FINALLY started swinging by himself!  We've been trying to get him to do it for probably over a year now and he just decided he was ready to give it a good try!

Yes, it is really December and we are out swinging with no jackets on and it's actually been on the cold side here lately!  It was nice to finally get outside again.  Tyler HATES being stuck inside!

When Dad's Watch the Kids

I had Bunco last night so Tom was alone with the boys from bath until bed time.  That's usually the easiest time because they are in a routine and starting to wind down by then.  When I got home from Bunco last night, Tom had some stories for me!

Usually we get Tyler out of the bath first because Zac can sit and play while we put Tyler's PJ's on beside the tub.  Last night, Zac decided that he wanted to get out first so that he could watch a Christmas special on tv.  Once Tom had him dried off, he wanted to go out to the living room and snuggle with Daddy.  Tom told him that he couldn't do that until Tyler was out of the tub and Zac wanted to know why not.  At that exact moment, Tyler fell backwards and although he was able to keep his face above the water, he was struggling to try and sit back up.  Tom explained to Zac that that was why he couldn't leave Tyler alone.  (Not that Zac really cared very much)  This happened a second time while Tom was distracted by Zac.  

Finally, Tom got Tyler out of the tub and began drying him off.  Tom told Zac that he would have to wait a minute for help getting his PJ's on and just hang out naked for a minute.  Tom was putting some diaper rash cream on Tyler's bottom (he's had diarrhea) and Zac said "I'll just take care of my itchies".  Tom didn't think anything of the comment until he looked up and saw Zac holding Tom's electric toothbrush head in his hand.  Tom said "What did you just do with that?" and Zac showed him that he used it to itch his butt!!!!!!!!!!!  Tom horrified but I found it hysterical!  Maybe Daddy's think they know how hard it is to watch multiple children at once but I'm not sure they have any idea of how often things like happen if you're not watching them like a hawk!

The boys talents

Tyler's new talent is getting into things - ALL things, especially those that he is not supposed to!  His newest fascination is the Christmas tree which I knew would be a problem.  He seems transfixed by it.  Almost as if a tiny voice inside his head is saying to him "Touch it, touch it touch it"  Here are some pictures taken last night of him trying with all of his might NOT to touch it!

We discovered today that Zac can recite the Pledge of Allegiance so I had to document this on video.  More so that I don't forget these things when I get senile! 

He Just Keeps Going

It's Saturday after Thanksgiving so we're doing what most others are doing - we're putting up our Christmas decorations on the only long weekend before the actual holiday.  We were busy all morning and I was SO looking forward to nap time!  Well, I look forward to it every day anyway!  Once the boys were in bed, I made myself a cocktail and sat down on the couch to relax a little bit.  (No, I really don't know what that means anymore).  Tom is training for a marathon so he went running instead.  

I was enjoying my peace and quiet for about, oh, 3 minutes or so when I heard the toilet upstairs.  Zac sometimes still needs a little help with getting his pants up so I went up to check on him.  He comes out of the bathroom with his pants around his ankles so I motion for him to go back into his bedroom since Tyler is sleeping in the next room as well.  We get in there and he is whispering about how he had to go pee.  I squat down on my knees to help him pull his pants up and I asked him something (I don't even know what it was)!  He whispers to me "You smell like adult beverage".  Like always in my very mature manor, I burst out laughing.  I mean come on, my 3 year is whispering that I smell like an adult beverage because he is supposed to be sleeping while Mommy relaxes!!!

Needless to say, he found his comedy far too entertaining to actually sleep and there goes yet another chance for Mommy to relax!

Focus

Andrea, Isabel and Alivia drove in from Mississippi on Saturday and the cousins were all very happy to be together again.  They all wanted to go outside to play so we were working on getting their jackets and shoes on in the living room.  Zac was so excited that he couldn't hold still enough for me to even think about getting his shoes on.  I finally turned his face to look at me and said "Zac, you gotta focus here!"  

In the meantime, Andrea was talking to me and Isabel was shouting to Zac from across the room.  All of sudden, Zac says, "Hold on Isabel, I'm getting focused" and I lost it!  I was laughing so hard and he was just looking at me with bewildered eyes trying to figure out what was so funny about what he'd said.  He probably now thinks that getting his shoes on is "getting focused"!

Sick - or run over by a truck?

I will start off with the bad news - the kids and I were sick with a cold for a few days.  Then Tom thought he might be getting it but he was feeling nausea's instead.  Just when I thought I was getting over my illness, a got clobbered by another one!  All of a sudden last night, I began the very unpleasant process of throwing up all night long!  Needless to say, by morning I felt like what I would imagine being hit by a truck would be like!  VERY thankfully Tom stayed home from work until the afternoon.  There is no way I could have taken care of the boys the way I felt!  Feeling a little better now at least.  I sure hope the kids don't get this one!

Tom's sister Melissa came in from NY last weekend and the kids enjoyed have her here as did Tom and I!

I got away without the whole climbing thing with Zac.  He just never tried it and I'm thankful!  No such luck with Tyler however!  If he get a foot or leg up on it, he will!  You can't take your eyes off of him for one second!

Future Actor...

Zac does a lot of things with A LOT of expression/drama....So I'm convinced that he is going to be an actor of some sort or another.  Here is a photo example of why...

He wanted to wear his apron (which he actually calls his "april") to help make fondue (which he told us he wanted to eat tonight)!  Mommy dreams of him becoming the filthy rich, undeniably gorgeous actor that must be cast in every good romance movie!:)  But isn't that every mother's dream?

Ramblings

We celebrated Tyler's official birthday with lasanga and cookies and ice-cream.  Then Tom's 30th birthday the day afterward, quickly followed by Halloween.  Tyler is off the bottle already!  I didn't think it was going to be possible because he had come to love it so much but after a couple of crying spells, he seems just fine with a sippy or straw cup now!  Yeah!

Jake is doing well.  He is a puppy and LOVES to chew on everything!  His favorite things seems to be the kids and our feet and legs!  This gets a little annoying after a while but he'll get there!  The boys really seem to like him.  I love that he cleans up the high chair and surrounding area after each meal and Tyler loves to "hug" him while he's doing it!  Very cute!

We had our family pictures taken yesterday by my friend and awesome photographer Kym Jackson (check out Portraits by Kym)  I will figure out how to show you how they turned out later this week!

Too Funny!

My brother David has been in town this weekend and Zac loves to hang out with Uncle David (he's still a kid himself)!  Last night David was messing around with Zac and kept telling him "Sweep the leg" and he would grab Zac's legs and take him down.  Zac loved this as any boy would.  This morning Zac comes up to David and says "Can you do the Chick Fil A?"  We all exchanged confused glances and Zac said "You know, the one on the floor" and Mommy figured out that he meant "Sweep the leg"!  I guess the two sound alike!  Anyway, they were wrestling and all of a sudden Zac says "David, you have mommy boobies!"  I lost it!  I spent years picking on my little brother and now my son is taking over!!!

Happy Halloween!

We had great weather here for Halloween last night.  I remember many Halloweens in NY having to walk through rain (alot) and even snow a couple of times!

Grandma and Grandpa Caswell were lucky enough to be here and Uncle David was even able to drive up from training in San Antonio this weekend!

Zac was Lightning McQueen AGAIN and Tyler was a little Devil.  Even Jake got festive and dressed up as a Sheriff!

I actually think Zac liked handing candy out to the other kids once he got tired of walking house to house more than gathering his own candy!

Tyler was completely content in the wagon watching everyone and devouring his very first sucker!

Our pumpkins were carved by Tom and our niece Laura.  They were Blue and Scooby Doo and Tom created a silly faced pumpkin that was eating a small gourd!

Tyler's Birthday Party - Part I

We had a party in celebration of Tyler's first birthday as well as a surprise 30th for Tom on Saturday night.  Everyone dressed in football attire in honor of Tom's love for the game and it was a great time!

Jake was exhausted by the end!


Tyler LOVED his cupcake!

He played his first game of "Pin the nose on the lion"

Part II of his first birthday celebration will take place on the actual day, Oct. 29th with his family and grandparents!

Jake arrives!

We are SO excited!  Our new puppy Jake arrived on a flight from MO yesterday afternoon!  He is SO beautiful and such a sweetie!  He just LOVES to cuddle and play with Zac - they have the same energy level! 

Pumpkin Patch

We took our 3rd annual trip to the Big Orange Pumpkin Patch before my sister in law and the girls headed out of town.  The kids got to feed some animals, go on a hay ride, have a picnic lunch and of course get some pumpkins!

Farewell Caswells!

For two months my sister in law Andrea and her two girls Isabel and Alivia have been living with us.  It has been so much fun for the kids to spend so much time together and for us to watch them interact/play/fight etc... as well as for me to have another mom around to commiserate with!  

Tomorrow night my brother will help them drive on to their new home in Columbus, Mississippi.  We will surely miss having them here!  Hopefully each family will be able to make the 9 hour trip much  more often than we could to England!

Still summer in Texas!

While it is cooling off all over the country, we're still creeping close to the 90's here 

in Texas!  I love and miss the fall but I love the fact that we can still get out and do things that 

the kids love.  We went to the Dallas zoo last weekend and it was still a little warm for us Yankees!

Yesterday, Andrea and I took the four kids to Aviator Park here in McKinney and they had a

 blast!  We packed a picnic lunch to eat under the canopy.  The playground is nice and Tyler is already climbing all the way to the top by himself!  They also have a splash pad there so the kids stripped down and had played in the water too!

Future "Jared"

Yesterday I went to the gym and took the boys to the Kidz Klub there while I worked out.  Afterward it was lunch time and I decided to stop by Subway.  Zac all of a sudden loves to get a kids pack from there, I love their subs and it means two less lunches for me to make!  Boy do meals get tiring with little kids!!!  So I'm in line ordering our sandwiches and Zac is sitting in one of the booths.  He all of a sudden bursts into song with "Subway, eat fresh"!  I just laughed and everybody around was smiling.  He apparently pays scary close attention to commercials!  I thought somebody might offer him a commercial gig!

And Tyler's favorite thing to say right now is "Uh oh".  He LOVES to drop everything and sometimes even says "uh oh" before he drops an object!  It's very cute but very tiring just the same!

Enjoying Hurrican Ike

We were predicted to be right in the path of Hurricane Ike last week but all we got here in McKinney was some much needed rain!  We were lucky unlike many along the coast and throughout the country.  The kids definitely made the best of it and stripped down after dinner to go out and play in the rain!  I'm sure they'll love these photos at their High School Graduation parties!