Indian.

Honestly, it just started out as us painting ......



and ended up with me suggesting to Matteo that I make him an "Indian" (is that a non-politically correct term?).

I think I succeeded :-) - after all he is part American Indian...or some type of Indian (my grandmother was "adopted" by a family of indians as their friend...it counts).

Golfing anyone?

Today Daddy & Matteo went sledding at our local golf course - - and here I was thinking I was going to have to go to Grandmas house for a hill!!! I didn't have to look any further than our back (front?) yard!

And on the scale of innocence, this one ranks a 10: Matteo and I were sitting eating lunch today (Chloe May too of course!) when a black man (not sure if that is the correct term, but I view myself as a "white person" - so I'll just say the color of his skin) was walking down the road. (side note: like clockwork we see this man 4:05 PM daily) - - so I pointed him out to Matteo and asked Matteo how his man is different than us. Obvious answer: He is black. However to a 3 year old THE FOLLOWING is the obvious/Matteo answer: He's wearing a red shirt and red jacket. Oh to be 3 and so innocent. :-)

More snow!

Yesterday we were covered with 2" of rain and today 4 or 5 inches of freshly fallen snow, I must comment that I love this winter!

Yesteday, today and tomorrow

An unsuccessful birthday party yesterday, and a more than peaceful and fun play date today has me thinking tomorrow none of this will matter :-) Matteo is who he is and I love him every bit.

E Family

Just hanging around after dinner, I took a movie of Matteo - as it was very adorable that he put his own shoes on himself without being asked (this is a difficult pair to get on - tight) and he was super excited because he was running around with only a shirt, underwear and shoes on in the house (we don't wear shoes in the house). Well Matteo was super excited (you can probably tell from his voice) and the conversation that ensued was really heartwarming, but at the same time sad, for I am no longer the center of his universe :-)

New wardrobe

Thanks for the clothes loan Rory & Caleb - - Chloe loves her new wardrobe additions.....AND I discovered that Chloe May can sit up unassisted, most of the time without toppling over :-)

GRANDMA!!!

Why are we all smiles???

Well of course because Grandma's here :-)

Yum Yum

I want to gobble this little one :-)

Tooth

Sadly I cracked a tooth and spent an hour in the AM and an hour in the PM at the dentist office fixing same - - not fun - - thanks for the encouragement Daddy it means a lot. And remember, as I've said before, be true to your teeth or they will be false to you!!!!

I've made many mistakes in the past, however it helps me to keep my eyes wide opening going forward.

Frosty

Have not built one in awhile, but today Mommy & Daddy took to building a snowman.......



it was a really fun day. Thanks Daddy - - lets do it again soon :-)

Sending you our love

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Our Chloe bear!

She certainly is growing.......



(haven't I read somewhere that you don't take as many pictures of the second....well cleary they never met such cuteness). :-)

Good job Daddy!!

Daddy is so awesome - I was just thinking this morning how much I wished Matteo had a hill to slide down and Daddy - reading my mind haha - presto made a hill :-)

Look who came to play!

Look who woke up from her nap and came to play in the snow!

Chloe Scooting

Note to Matteo:

While you were out building your fort with Daddy today,

Chloe May was practicing her "get up and go" and pretty soon she is going to "get up and go" right to your toys!!!! Peace as we know it here on Tall Tree will be officially over I'm sure :-)



Nor'easter today - - love the shoveling :-) Really makes you feel alive.

Chloe May

I wanted to share this picture with you,



because she really is that awesome :-)

i wanted to tell you......

Matteo, I wanted to tell you, while you were napping today......
(yes, he really does nap like this apparently nowadays!)

Chloe May was playing with the King!

And also - I snuck in a photo of just her :-)

i've been meaning to tell you....

Jules, I've been meaning to tell you for about 5 months now....



it means the world to me when you heat up the bed for me at night :-) You turn on my electric blanket because you know I cannot sleep without it and when I snuggle in bed with Chloe May, it's so warm (though not overly as you only put it on low), but I really appreciate it :-)

Funny you keep talking about this "Valentine Day", what do I want, well Dear, you do it every day - - just the small common courtesies - - that shows you care.
Thank you I really appreciate it and have been meaning to tell you for months now.

!!!!!!!!! Next let's talk about NOT winding the children up before bedtime !!!!!!!!!!

Visiting Day

Matteo's other set of grandparents visited today and Matteo enjoyed some time playing with his Poppi Sal

My wardrobe

Have I ever told you I wear the same outfit every day? I kid you not.

This sweater (which I bought when I was 4 or 5 months pregnant from Kohls), and yoga pants...not warm, but they fit and when I pull my socks up to my knees, them i'm warm :-)



Not sure why I do this, but everything fits, is comfortable and i'm not spending time in my closet figuring out what to wear. Also since the last 7 lbs is harder to lose than Matteo..... beats buying new clothes :-) So if you see me around Town in this outfit and then see me the next day as well, thanks for not saying anything (oh and yes I do wash it).

snow!

This small snowstorm produced enough snow for Matteo and Daddy to have a snowball fight :-)

6 months!

Having her first taste of food today (6 months --boohoo), Chloe May was none too pleased...

hence Mommy just let her play with the spoon. :-)

Rollin' in the Rearview

Matteo rediscovered Cars, again. His latest addition is Wingo. And with that, the foursome he calls 'The Night-Night Cars" is finally complete. And inseparable! He wakes up with them, eats breakfast, takes them out, potty, bath, etc.

Over the past few days he's been jibber-jabbering while pushing these 4 hoopties down the hallway. One day I figured it out... there was a rhythm... he's rapping! It's his immitation of the Night-Night Cars song: Rollin' in the Rearview by Headbone featuring Jabu Jabu.

Notice how he blips the gas on the orange car, then releases the blow off valve on the green car. Too fun(ny).

So now we're left with a moral dilemma. Do we let him go on jibber jabbering nonsense... or actually teach a 3 year old to rap along with Headbone and Jabu Jabu??

Almost at the halfway point....

MY HOW YOU'VE GROWN........

Our Friendly trip out

As is customary after a yearly visit with the accountant, we went out to lunch today. And this being my second time to eat out after having our Darling Chloe, I am cured of going out to eat for quite some time. You see, when we get to our destination (which trust me is VERY kid friendly haha) - Daddy takes Chloe out of the car seat, hands her to me and I notice all up her back is an exploded diaper. So since there is no one really in the restaurant, we change her in the booth next to us - - of which there is now poop on Chloe's back, arms, neck and last of all, hair. I do an immaculate job cleaning her up with wipes, put her in Matteo's PJ's (so now she is transformed into our little brother) - - and we decided to stay after all we promised Matteo a balloon from the restaurant.

Ok so we order, and Matteo announces he has to go potty....Jules once again springs into action and takes him. However, when Matteo returns he looks at me and says (and I will not forget this for quite some time) "Mommy but why I am not wearing any underwear?" Obviously when Matteo put on his own pants that morning and took off his PJ's off went his underwear too. And Daddy having put his PJ's in the wash didn't question why there were underwear with them.

I just look at Jules and say it really is not meant for me to ever go out :-)

And yes, Chloe May finally did get that bath (after a trip to the library-- only with the second would I have waited so long).