August pics

I use our fabulous photographer, Nikki, of Doubletakes Photography twice a year to capture the boys on their birthdays. Here are some of my favorites from this past session at City Park in New Orleans. It was 1000 degrees so we cut the session short but Nikki still managed to get some priceless shots.

Mimi visits Jack at school!

I usually volunteer in Jack's classroom on Wednesdays but this week Mimi took my place and got to start an art activity with the kids that I'll be finishing next week. Here are the pictures she took while there. She even stayed to eat lunch with Jack. He felt so special :) Mrs. Waldrip is a great teacher and Jack is loving Kindergarten so far. I'm co-room mom this year with one other mom. That probably means I'll be in the classroom a lot :)

Theo's superhero party!

We had our third party at Mandeville Sports Complex today for Theo's 3rd birthday. It was a superhero theme, just like his big brother had for his 4th birthday :) We have so many costumes to choose from around here that he made the last minute decision to be Batman. He originally chose Superman but Jack ended up wearing that instead.

Theo and his guests had a GREAT time and wore themselves out. Mimi made his cupcakes with the help of some of her friends (for the fondant) and brought them over just for him! She even decorated the cupcake tower with his invitation picture.

Happy 3rd birthday sweet Theo. We love you so much and hope you enjoyed your party!!

Class party

I love how my kids' birthdays turn into week long celebrations! Today we celebrated Theo's birthday with his class friends. We didn't invite any of them to his class party since school just really started last week and that would just be too much to organize. It's tough having the first birthday (since his birthday is the cut off for advancing to the next age)!

I made rice crispie treats mixed with a pack of kool aid for flavor and color. Way too sweet for me, Dave loved them, some kids devoured them and others just picked at it. So take it or leave it :) But I painted faces for his class as our activity and the kids were just too cute. I only offered balloons or hearts. Gotta keep the choices simple at this age!

Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Marv sent Theo some birthday money and he picked out this ice cream set (big surprise). I've been "eating" ice cream all afternoon! Even Jabba the Hut had some too ;)

Birthday morning

Theo was so excited for his birthday this year and we've been talking a lot about it for weeks it seems. He opened up Jabba the Hut yesterday from Mimi and Papa and then woke up this morning and opened presents from Aunt Jen & Uncle Brian, Jack and us. Then we took him to a local donut shop that lets kids have free donuts on their birthdays! He got to go behind the counter and fill up a bag of any donuts he wanted. So he selected donut holes and chocolate glazed with and without sprinkles. We took to school afterwards and did carline for the first time :) So far Theo is having a great birthday!

Poo Poo and presents

Gigi and Dada returned Jack this evening and brought along Theo's birthday present. It was so nice to be able to solely focus on Theo and potty training for 2 days vs. shuffling both kids and all the pottying we did with Theo. He went through 10 Roaring Water Caprisuns yesterday..... practice makes perfect, right? Anyway, today he totally surprised us and pooped on the potty, all by himself. Dave and I weren't even in the room, just came in to find him on the potty doing his thing. Talk about proud. So he got his long-awaited Iron Man potty prize.

Theo and Jack both love Theo's big wheel from Gigi and Dada. They've taken turns riding it around the house :) Tuesday is the big day for Theo........ until then, the next big step is going to school in underwear :)

Big boy Theo

On the cusp of his 3rd birthday and one full week into the Three Year Old program at preschool, we decided to make one last attempt at potty training. We've spent many a weekend prior to this one cleaning up pee and hounding Theo to sit on the potty. We never got anywhere and feared our wood floors would be warped from the amount of pee leaked on them...... sigh. We switched our approach this time and Dave and I traded off shifts with Theo so we were constantly vigilant. And by vigilant, I mean we were staring at his underwear and at the first sight of a dribble, we immediately helped him on to the little potty. It went from puddles with no reaction to puddles with reaction, then dribbles and finishing on the potty, to grabbing himself with a dribble and then pottying (with us asking him if he had to potty) and finally to him initiating and asking to go potty!!! Success!!!!

We seriously went through about 15-20 pair of undies today (some were just dribbles but we needed dry undies) but the end is near! I feel confident to send him in underwear with several changes of clothes to school on Monday and know that he'll transition there :) Now let the celebration of his birthday begin!!!!