Visit with Mamama and Pop

My mom and stepdad came to visit over the weekend and now have gone back to Maryland. It was so great to see them but the time seemed to just fly by! They arrived Friday afternoon and Joe went running down the driveway to hug them. I think my mom almost started crying right then and there! It seems crazy that it has been a month since we left Maryland but sure enough, it had been! Joe got to have a second birthday party since Mamama and Pop brought his gifts to open! CHOO CHOO! Thomas the Train was a hit!

We spent Saturday afternoon at Ray's Splash Planet enjoying some pool fun and then later on went to Aunt Ann's for a nice summer dinner party. The food was delicious and the conversation entertaining. These days we have to head home early though with two kids in tow so by 930 we called it a night. The next day, my mom and I headed off for some "girls time" and went shopping at the Concord Mills Shopping Mall where we bought some needed jammies for Joe and some clothes for me! Too soon it was Monday and Mamama and Pop spent the morning with the boys and then left after lunch. After his nap, Joe kept asking for "Mama" and "Pop" which just about broke my heart. We will miss them and are counting the days till their next visit.

Joe opening his presents while Thomas watches attentively

Our little Thomas is growing up too fast!

Daddy and the boys set up Thomas the Train

I love you Mamama and Pop!

Mamama and Thomas before we head out to the pool

Rhinoceros Tap

If you have not heard of this CD, it is a hilarious (and I really mean hilarious) CD by Sandra Boynton. Joe and Thomas received it as a gift from Aunt Ann I think for Christmas. A couple of months ago, Joe really started getting into it. Now, I take song requests in the car from Joe as he likes to hear his favorite ones over and over. Luckily for us, they are really catchy and fun to sing so Ken and I belt out the tunes as loud as Joe does. The current faves are "Rhinoceros Tap," "Bad Babies," and "The Crabby Song" which is a sailer's song in which at one point you sing "SWAB! Swab, swab, swab, swab...." You get the picture. Funny stuff. I find it quite amusing that I am taking song requests from a 2 year old and in fact, there are songs he makes me skip over "No, Mommy! No Peas! " (the second song on the CD "O Lonely Peas") Ah, the many joys of being a parent. No more CSPAN news radio while I drive!

This is the CD cover for anyone who is interested. There is a songbook that comes with it too.

Visit with the Beattys

Last week, we were fortunate enough to be able to see my college friends Scott and Amy and their kids while they were visiting Amy's folks in Charlotte! It was so much fun to see them and hang out for a while. We went to Amy's parents' house for a cookout last Sunday and then met up with Amy, Ryan, Jillian and Amy's dad at "Discovery Place" in downtown Charlotte the following Tuesday. It is being renovated so a lot of the exhibits and play areas are not up and running but we all still had a blast. Joe really loved the trains and Ryan was able to enjoy the "Shipwrecked" exhibit on pirates as it was geared towards bigger kids. Thomas loved playing with Jillian and was very excited to see her. Hopefully, we'll see our Terp friends again while we reside here in North Carolina!

Amy and baby Jillian (Ryan is hiding)

Me and my boys

I'm not so sure about you Thomas!

C'mere and let me pat your head!

Trip to Doctor

Tom has been really fussy the last week and Thursday night he was up off and on all night so we decided that it was better to take him into the pediatrician. Of course, we did not have one yet, but luckily, Ken had scrubbed in with one of the Ortho docs the day prior whose wife was a pediatrician. SCORE! I called up the office and by some miracle she was able to squeeze us in. After a few wrong turns, we made it there in time. As usual, lots of forms to fill out and then sit and wait to be seen. Joe was very well behaved and Tom was too. Turns out, Thomas has a right otitis media infection. Hopefully, the antibiotics will take effect soon and he will feel better!

VROOM!

Joe loves to ride his new Lightning McQueen tricycle (he is the main character from the Disney Pixar movie "Cars", a great movie if you haven't seen it) and now Tom wants to join in the fun too! The two of them were riding around in the kitchen and we just had to take some shots!

Joe takes his baby brother for a ride

Now its Tom's turn!

Look at me!

Thomas the Tank!

Our cute little Thomas is growing by leaps and bounds and already sits up by himself fairly well. There are still some topples and falls though! He can roll over but does not like lying on his stomach at all. His favorite thing is practicing standing while he holds our fingers. He loves to play in his exersaucer (aka 'the office'), take baths with Joe and pretty much any toy that Joe has, he desperately wants too!

Looking cool

Mommy and me

I love playing in my office!

Binky me Daddy!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Believe it or not (we can't!), Joe turned 2 years old today! We had his favorite food for dinner, RAVIOLI!, and he and I baked birthday cupcakes for the occasion for dessert. Aunt Ann came over to share in the festivities. He had already opened up one of his presents the day before from Nonni and Pap---dinosaurs and a John Deere tractor/trailer combo which he loved.

Ooooo, DINOSAURS!

Look at that decorating technique! Watch out Emeril!

Gotta make sure the sprinkles are ok to eat!

Yummy sprinkles!

Finger lickin' good

My awesome new Lightning McQueen tricycle

Fun at Ray's Splash Planet

Since we just moved, we decided to celebrate Joe's birthday by going to a fun indoor splash pool called Ray's Splash Planet. The boys had a blast playing in the shallow water, bubbles and even going down the slide (although there was a wipe out at the end and "No slide Mommy" was the verdict!) We plan on coming back and having more fun here in the future!

Wheeeeeee!

Love my boys!

A good view of part of the play area

This is AWESOME!!!