March Instagram

Below is the only photo that I posted to my Instagram account that I haven't previously posted about (http://instagram.com/tanyajolaf#) during the month of March 2014:

 

1. She finally feel asleep! Put Claire to bed at 8:15pm last night and she was awake in her room until 11:45pm. What's a mom to do? #latergram #bedtimetrouble #clairebear

Catching up with Claire - March

The weather has gotten warmer and Claire always wants to play outside. She loves to ride her four-wheeler around the sidewalk and even took Khloe for a special ride one day. She's gotten very good at her balance bike and loves to try and put her feet in the air when going down small hills.

Claire is very particular about her clothes, but sometimes surprises us when we find her in bed with a very odd combination of clothes. This time she was wearing a pajama top, zip-up sweatshirt, furry vest, and my eye mask. She is always bugging me to let her put makeup on and loves to take "selfies" with me. One of her favorite things to do is have Mommy-Claire time. One day, we went to Costco without Ethan and she was ecstatic. Of course, we got a "fun" cart. I'm so glad I documented that moment with her, because I have very fond memories of going to Costco with my Mom and doing the exact same thing.

Erik loves to drag us all to the driving range when the weather gets nice. Claire enjoys being with her Daddy and hits as many balls as she can. She surprised us all during this outing when she hit some completely straight. That's our girl!

Our Little Guy - 1 yr. 1 mo.

Ethan was an active little boy throughout March 2014. He loved to ride Claire's old y-bike, play on the wooden rocking horse, and push anything he was able to. He learned how to say 'baby', imitate what a fish says, and was obsessed with playing in the refrigerator when it was open.

He was a smiley little boy at this age, but definitely knew how to throw a temper tantrum like I've never seen before. He would scream as loud as he could, flail himself onto the ground and kick his feet. The worst part was that nothing could be done to stop it once it began. So, I learned to plug my ears, walk away, and wait for him to calm down. Usually, that was quite a long period of time.

He loves to go down slides. This fearless boy will go down the tallest slide at the park with absolutely no hesitation. He thinks it's hilarious to be chased by someone and his raspy laugh is so freakin' cute!

Ethan doesn't really like to eat meat, he says "book a book a book a" to himself while wandering around the house, rocks against the pack 'n play while in his bed (which for me has sometimes created a fear of him being autistic), and puts his arms in the air when asked "how big is Ethan?". He has become very clingy (to me), loves to find ducks in all of his books, and during reading time (with me) he insists on sitting on my lap while I sit Indian style. Every day he brings us so much joy (and stress) and is becoming such a funny little guy. Love you Dude!

Fun at the Park

Every year around this time, we get so excited when the weather gets warmer so we can frequent our favorite parks. One that we go to a lot is Draper Park. I love that the kids can play in different areas and I can still see them since they aren't too far apart. I also like the toddler area that is below the main ground level, although I know it won't be long until Ethan can climb out.

Claire's favorite thing to do is swing on the swing set. She could do this forever if I kept pushing her. Ethan likes it a lot too, but I think his favorite would have to be going down the slide.

If I remember correctly, it was during this second outing to the park that Ethan got his very first bee sting. He was sitting at the top of the baby slide and all of the sudden he started swatting at the back of his neck a little bit. In a whisper voice, he kept saying "ow, ow, ow". I suddenly realized that it seemed like he was hurt. I looked at the back of his head and noticed the bee sting. It had already become red and splotchy, but thankfully, there was no stinger. Poor guy! But boy, did he handle it like a champ. He didn't shed a single tear! 

Tubing at Gorgoza Park

On March 12th, we drove to Gorgoza Park, which is a snow tubing area in Park City. We were there for a birthday party for Claire's friend, Olive. The kids had so much fun in the small children's area. There was a tubing carousel with a small hill nearby. The kids had a blast!

Erik's 34th Birthday

Erik turned 34 years old on March 11th. He doesn't really like his birthday so I always try my best to make it enjoyable for him. This year, life was a little hectic, so we didn't do much of anything. We did have a delicious cake at his parent's house made by his sister (Liv put the wrong number on the cake to be funny).

Picking out a gift for Erik is extremely hard. He always ends up returning what I buy him, so I try to give him an "experience" that he won't forget and he can't return.

This year, I gave him a gift certificate to go hang gliding. I thought he would love it as it is something he has never done before. When I presented it to him, I could tell he was a little nervous to do it. For some reason, I didn't even think of the danger part of it and figured it would be completely safe. He said he was excited.

I'm writing this post 10 months later and he has still not gone.

February Instagram

Here are some of my favorite images that I captured on my phone and posted to my Instagram account (http://instagram.com/tanyajolaf#) during the month of February:
 

I just noticed there are no pictures of Claire. Oops! I did quite a few posts about her, but I had already included them in other blog posts so I took them out. Below are the written remarks that were included with each picture (beginning with the top left image):

1. All smiles in this house. #birthdayboy #goseahawks
2. Ethan at zero and twelve months. Crazy how much they change in such a short time. #monthlybearpictures
3. This little girl is wishing for spring. #tiredofbeinginside #shorkie #nomoresnow
4. Finally finished blogging about Halloween. Ugh! #alwaysbehind #hateblogging #lovehavingtheresult #myfamilyjournal
5. Got a climber on my hands. #heissoproudofhimself #onthecoffeetable
6. Still fits 14 years later. Can't go wrong with a wrap dress. #bestpurchase #boughtinhighschool #expressfashion
7. Spring fever! #familygolf #60degrees #lovingit
8. Bittersweet day. Sold my car. #sadtoseeitgo #nextchapter #wantedsomethingbigger
9. This little guy is really testing my patience. Started a new phase of crying/whining constantly even if I'm holding him. #imgonnaloseit 

Catching up with Claire - February

Throughout the month of February, Claire seemed to grow up immensely. Here are some things she was up to this month:

• She worked really hard all week to complete her chores so that she could buy something at the dollar store. The smile on her face when she gave the cashier her money was adorable!
• Had quickly become a pro at her balance bike and loved riding it.
• Constantly wanting to dress up like Mommy.
• Playing games on my cell phone (fast forward ten years and she'll be stealing my phone to talk to her friends)
• Her first dance class, which included ballet and tap. Of course, she piled the lipstick on for a photo in her outfit. I bought it without her (thinking it would make things a lot easier), but minutes after she tried it on, she said she didn't like the color. We later went back, tried on every leotard/tights/shoes in the store, and bought her an all black dance outfit. She is extremely particular with her appearance.
• Improved a lot with her drawing skills. She handed me this picture of Abraham Lincoln in the car after school and I could not believe how well she did.
• Like always, she loves to put on my makeup and play in the "makeup box".
• Loves to be silly. After walking into an athletic apparel store (Athleta), she immediately ran up to the manikin and said "look Mom! I can do it too!" She was so proud of herself.

Winter Golf

If the cold, winter weather turns the least bit warm, our family heads to the nearest putting green to work the rust off of our short game. I don't really get the chance to practice as I'm typically on Ethan duty. This little rascal runs all over the green picking up golf balls and running away with the flags. Erik works with Claire on her putting and every time we go, she gets better and better. It ends up being fun for all of us.

 

Fatcats

These pictures make me laugh. Over the weekend, we spent an evening at Fatcats, a bowling/arcade venue. The kids had never been before and they loved every second of it. First, we played miniature golf and then we explored the arcade area. I ran around chasing Ethan while Erik helped Claire play some games. The two kids had so much fun and Erik and I loved watching the joy exude from their little faces. Claire couldn't believe how many tickets she got and that she was able to pick out a prize and take it home with her. It was definitely a successful night out.

Enjoying the Winter Sun

In mid-February, I took the kids to Mountview Park to enjoy the warmer winter weather. The kids love playing outside and they are thrilled when it's finally warm enough to head to the park. Ethan gravitates towards the slides and Claire likes to do "older sister" things and makes sure she helps Ethan navigate the toys. Once they were bored with the toys, we walked Khloe around the path to give her some exercise. Ethan loved having the freedom to practice his walking as well. With both arms held high in the air and a big smile on his face, he went as far as he could before tripping (usually over his shoes), which he did a lot. It was such a simple and pleasant way to spend a few hours with the kids. 
 

Valentine's Day

This year, Valentine's Day was extra special. This was the first year where Claire could prepare her own valentine's to take to school. Of course, they had to be Dora the Explorer themed. A couple of days before, she very carefully wrote her name on each and every one of them. I knew she was going to have a fun time at school that day.

Later, my Mom came over to deliver a darling valentine's day card that played music. The kids loved it. She also helped me take this amazing shot of the kids. I had a very clear image in my head of what I wanted to create for this photo and we nailed it. 

Oh, and Claire couldn't believe that she actually got to wear lipstick in the photo.

Goodbye To My Favorite Car

Shortly after Christmas, Erik and I decided it would be best to sell my Porsche Cayenne and find me a new car. We had always planned on selling it before the miles got too high, because at that point, the depreciation would significantly increase (the downside of owning a foreign luxury car) and with two kids, it was feeling a little bit small. It was a day I was not looking forward to.

The day eventually came for me to say goodbye. Despite knowing it was the right decision, I was very sad. This was the first car that I was proud to own. It's totally cliché, but I felt "cool" driving around in a car with that name. I took great care of the Cayenne and was kind of a freak about keeping it clean and polished (not typical for a girl I think). I guess that's what happens when you own something really nice.

The only upside to giving it up was that I was in the market for something slightly bigger that would be easier to fit with the kids and their necessary cargo. Well, we looked and looked and looked. After weeks of searching, we couldn't find anything that I wanted. At that point, we switched gears. We were anticipating a new business venture that would require Erik to drive to and from Park City every day so we figured it would be best for him to drive a sedan that got better gas mileage than his current car, a Toyota 4 Runner. I would then drive the 4 Runner for a short period of time until we found a different car for me. That was the deal anyway. I'm writing this almost a year later and I'm still driving the 4 Runner. I keep telling Erik it was supposed to be a short term thing and that I want a new car. :) We'll see what happens.

"The Funny Guys Playing Basketball"

On February 10th, Erik and I took the kids downtown to attend a Globetrotters game. Neither of us had been to one before and we thought the kids would really enjoy it.

As soon as we walked into the arena, Ethan was in awe. He loved all of the loud commotion. Claire thought the silly moves the players did were hilarious and danced nonstop to the music they would turn on in between plays. It was definitely a fun and atypical family night.

Superbowl I

Since Ethan was born on super bowl Sunday last year, I thought it was only fitting to have his first birthday party be held in conjunction with the super bowl. I was thrilled to find out that my hometown Seattle Seahawks would be playing in it that year as well.

"Super Bowl I" was under way.

Once I had my theme, I wanted to take a cute photo of Ethan for the invitation. I gathered all of the football clothes I could find and then sat him on top of our artificial grass that is used for our putting green. The photo concept turned out perfect. Then I found this adorable invitation on Etsy that I had customized to look just like a ticket you would get if you were going to the super bowl. Pretty creative I think. :)

 

I loved how the invitation turned out and my initial thoughts of how dreadful it is planning a birthday party instantly morphed into excitement. My small little gathering instantly turned into a lot bigger party than I had planned. Thankfully, it's easy to find decorations, games, and food ideas for a super bowl party. Two of the items that I made for his special day were a goal post made out of PVC pipe and a "look at me grow" hanging display with all of Ethan's bear pictures.

 

I used our ping pong table for the main display and also created a kid area called the Hawks Nest, which is what they call an area of seating at the Seahawk games. The little kids ate grilled cheese sandwiches and grapes while the adults had "football food" like meatballs, wings, chips and veggies. Target made Ethan's adorable football smash cake and Erik's family all helped out with the food and other desserts.
 
The Hawks Nest kept the kids busy for a while. They played "get the football in the goal post", did a small super bowl coloring activity, and practiced their fine motor skills by stringing lace around a cardboard football. By the end of the night, the Hawks Nest was a total disaster, but it was to be expected.
 

 

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves during the game. The kids played, the adults chatted and ate, and I relished in the fact that the game was a total blowout by Seattle. (They ended up winning the game 43-8.)

 

At halftime, we paused the football game (that was recorded on our DVR) to do cake and presents. Ethan looked adorable in his birthday hat.

 

 
Claire was so excited to give the cake to Ethan. He immediately stuck his little fingers into the frosting and loved what he tasted. Before long, he had devoured most of the cake. No forcing the baby to eat their birthday cake at this one year old's party.


Next, it was time to open presents. Of course, he had no idea what was going on and didn't even care too much about the unwrapping part. He got lots of fun toys (trains, books, stacking blocks, etc.). Our family gave him an animal puzzle, a football colors book, and his very own abc's book that I made just like I had done with Claire when she was his age. 

Ethan's first birthday turned out to be a great success. The only disappointment in my eyes was that since the party had to be inside (because it's too cold in February) and at night, all of the pictures with people in them turned out ugly and gross. Pictures just don't look good inside. Oh well.

We love Ethan so much and look forward to celebrating many, many more birthdays with our loveable little monster.

Ethan Turns 1 Year Old

Ethan's first birthday on February 3, 2014 came faster than I could have ever imagined. In a blink of an eye he became a crazy little toddler. He has been much more of a handful than his sister ever was, but we couldn't love him more. My absolute favorite things about him are his laugh and smile. It melts my heart when he walks to me with arms wide open after I ask him for a hug. And when he flaps his hand up and down to wave 'hi' and 'bye'...nothing could be cuter. He definitely keeps me on my toes and there is no time for relaxation with Ethan running around. I have a feeling he is going to test every ounce of patience in the years to come. Happy birthday little guy! We love you so much!

1 year portrait taken by Mommy

 

 

Ethan's 12 month bear picture

January Instagram

Here are some of my favorite images that I captured on my phone and posted to my Instagram account (http://instagram.com/tanyajolaf#) during the month of January:

 

Below are the written remarks that were included with each picture (beginning with the top left image):

1. Wanted her hair cut like mommy. #firstofficialhaircut #shelovesit
2. My boys can't wait till golf season. #needwarmweathernow
3. Finally eating breakfast. Mom always eats last, right? #steelcutoats #blueberries #stevia #cinnamon
4. My sick little cuddle bug. #onlycuddleswhensick #maybefirstyearmolars #lovethecuddles #hatethecrying
5.  1st birthday party preparations under way. #toomuchwork
6. Claire put her tiara on Ethan. Erik immediately said take it off. #boysmustbeboys #sofunny
7. Way to go Hawks! #12thman #seahawksbaby
8. Braved the cold and the smog for our first walk of the year. #wishingforspring
9. Squirmy boy wiggles out of the regular shopping cart. #thankyou5pointharness #target

Catching up with Claire - January

It's so sad that I am so far behind on blogging. I try to remember all of the fun and exciting things that goes on in our children's lives and unfortunately, I have no idea what new/interesting experiences Claire had in January 2014. Thankfully, I do have these pictures to help jog my memory. From what I can gather from these images, Claire: 

1. got her first hair cut
2. loved sleeping with her baby blanket in her new Dora the Explorer bed
3. enjoyed wearing necklaces, playing dress up, and doing her chores so she could buy something at the dollar store (like this tiara)
4. liked smiling silly for the camera after putting on Mommy's lipgloss
5. expressing her creativity with coloring on her new easel that she got for Christmas
6. sprawling out on her bed her very loved "Baby O'Murria"

Claire's 1st Official Haircut

After 3 1/2 years, it was finally time for Claire to get her first official hair cut. I gave her a few trims here and there in years past and she was so excited to finally get her hair cut at a "salon". "Salon" is used very loosely here. We actually took her to a place in downtown Salt Lake where they give hair cuts for $5. It was more like a barbershop than a salon. I think she was the only girl customer in there. I was a little nervous about how it would turn out, but figured it would be okay. How hard is it to cut a straight line?

We sat down in the chairs and waited for Claire's turn. She could not contain her excitement for what was about to happen. It's so funny how the littlest things are so fun to young kids.

 

Eventually, she climbed up onto the chair and patiently waited while I told the woman what I wanted her to do. Claire thought it was so interesting and watched very intently as the woman snipped away. 

After a few short minutes, Claire's hair was transformed into a shoulder length bob with slight layers. She was over the moon and loved her new look. Before we left, we went across the street to Banbury Donuts to get a special treat.

When we got home, Claire asked that I curl her hair so that it looked like mine. She loved it! And we loved how happy she was with her first official hair cut.