Almost THREE

Where did the past 3 years go????

It is hard to believe boys will be celebrating their 3rd Birthday in April. Yet in some way it all makes sense to us. They are amazing us everyday with their knowledge and vocabulary. Life is very busy these days but all so very funny and filled with ALOT of love.

Latest and Greatest:

• Potty Training has started and they have done really well. Noah surprised us both at how ready he really was to start. We knew Parker was more than ready but Noah yeah! We are very proud of them. Day 5 in underwear. (Update: 4-14-2013 Boys are BOTH potty trained. Diaper only a night time and nap but nap time diapers are dry 50% of the time. Wow what a big change this part is...funny thing now is boys think nature is a potty.)
• Favorite shows these days - Dora, Diego, Little Bear and finally 2 new shows - Fireman Sam and Classic Curious George.
• They are both talking non-stop. Their vocabulary is very rich. Sentences all day.
• They can both sing the "ABC" song, "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Issy bitsy Spider" all the way though - so cute. Love their voices.
• Parker is also reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as well.
• Counting - Parker is up to 19. Noah up to 11.
• Not reading books themselves but love to have books read to them. They get the concept that words on the page are a story. We have started reading Step 1 books.
• Noah 36" and 31 lbs. Parker 37" and 35 lbs. Noah size 8.5 shoe, Parker 9.5 shoe. Size 2-4T clothing.
• Love school. It was a very smart decision. 2 days wk is great. There last day is May 21st. They will start again in September 2 days a week again.

Mama in the photo

I read this great article recently and even though I'm only 2.11 yrs into motherhood, it resonated with me. I only have a dozen or so picture of myself with Noah and Parker of the million I've taken of them. Usually because I'm the one behind the lens, but also because I don't think to get in the photo or I'm not 'photo ready' at that moment.

from the article:

"I hesitated. I avoid photographic evidence of my existence these days. To be honest, I avoid even mirrors. When I see myself in pictures, it makes me wince. I know I am far from alone; I know that many of my friends also avoid the camera. It seems logical. We're sporting mama bodies and we're not as young as we used to be. We don't always have time to blow dry our hair, apply make-up, perhaps even bathe. The kids are so much cuter than we are; better to just take their pictures, we think...
...I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them. Someday I won't be here -- and I don't know if that someday is tomorrow or thirty or forty or fifty years from now -- but I want them to have pictures of me. I want them to see the way I looked at them, see how much I loved them. I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother...
...When I look at pictures of my own mother, I don't look at cellulite or hair debacles. I just see her -- her kind eyes, her open-mouthed, joyful smile, her familiar clothes. That's the mother I remember. My mother's body is the vessel that carries all the memories of my childhood. I always loved that her stomach was soft, her skin freckled, her fingers long. I didn't care that she didn't look like a model. She was my mama...
...So when all is said and done, if I can't do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are."