Sleep. Will they ever learn?

The kids are still fighting bed time. They've been sleeping in the same room for about six months, but just a few weeks ago Vaughn learned to climb OUT of his crib but not back IN. Now what? Instead of going in his room every five minutes to put him back in bed, we decided to put him through early graduation to a real toddler bed! This is early compared to Reina, who didn't switch until she was almost three. The change ended up being good timing as Reina kept sneaking into Vaughns crib to sleep with him. I think that she secretly misses her crib, and she has never really adjusted to sleeping in a bed. Who knows?

Vaughn is doing very, very well. He loves his "bear" bed, and actually anything bear. He carries around Winnie the Pooh, and another stuffed animal my sister bought him for Christmas, and sleeps with them at night. The only problem is that now he can get out of bed. We had to start shutting the door again, which made Reina flip out. We decided to let her fall asleep in our room until Vaughn adjusted. After a few weeks we put Reina back in her room, and convinced her to let us shut the door.

It's going all right, if you count Reina yelling everything that Vaughn does, "mom, Vaughn keeps gettig out of bed!" "Mom, Vaughn is getting in MY bed again!" "Mom, Vaughn is knocking on the door." "Mom, Vaughn isn't going to sleep." The other day I thought things were going really well. At least it was quiet. I walked by the room and noticed the light was on. I peeked in and Reina was up on the changing table, the room was covered with all their toys, and Vaughn was handing Reina any thing she wanted from the floor.

Here are some sleeping pictures. As well as one with Reina and her friends playing her favorite, Noah's Ark, on Vaughn's bear bed.




This picture was taken after one of Reina's escapes into our room. We didn't realize she was there until we went to bed. It doesn't look very comfortable. But definitely preferable to her own bed, of course.






Vaughn still loves Reina's bed best, as a car racer. He drops the cars and yells hoping someone picks them up for him. If no one comes after a while he'll climb down and get them himself. And do it all again.

This is a pictures of Vaughn's favorite things. His bear, his binkie, an extra binkie that he presses against his eye when he's tired, as the next picture shows, and his daddy's shoe.

Wellness Fair

The kids and I went to a wellness fair. We saw the Easter Bunny, fire trucks, ambulences and a police car inside and out. We also went to lots of booths where we learned about safety and eating healthy. The kids got lots of stickers, buttons, stamps, bubbles, crayons...etc. Vaughn and Reina were both really excited to see the Easter Bunny. Vaughn kept saying, "Hi!" and waving. We also found out that Reina has a cavity. Uh, oh. No more letting Reina brush her teeth herself.




Vaughn was really scared of the big teddy bear in the streatcher. He wouldn't even walk by it for a picture.

I have been trying to get a picure of Vaughn with a baby for a long time. He loves babies so much. A little too much sometimes. My friend's baby, Henry, was so patient and happy, while Vaughn got in his face and crawled over him, and patted his head. Henry was a good sport.

What would I do without them?

Reina likes to do funny things and then tells me to take her picture.

Here is another one. Reina emptied her bookshelf and then asked for a picture.




Vaughn likes to carry socks around. I can't do laundry while he is awake. He'll toss them around like scarves, and shake them in front of our faces, and then lose them.


He is still such a small guy in a big world.

Easter

We had a big wonderful breakfast followed by easter egg hunting at the church. It was so fun, the only sad part was Ben couldn't come, as he was working. Vaughn couldn't quite figure it out. And Reina was able to do all her finding all by herself this year. Needless to say, the kids didn't get a lot of candy, they weren't agressive or quick enough. But it was perfect! After we got the easter eggs we went back into the gym where the kids ate most of their candy, and I tossed the rest.

OMSI

There is a neat museum that the kids like to visit. They have fun activities for the kids to do, but mostly they like to play with the play dough.

Vaughn is very involved.

I couldn't even get Reina to look up.


Afterward we went out to Pizza, yum. Vaughn liked the food so much he kept stealing my slices of pizza. See that rascaly grin? My eye looks a little funny beucase I got pink eye. It only lasted a few days, and thankfully the kids didn't get it.

Free Weekend

The weekend before I went to Georgia for Steve's wedding, Ben's parents watched the kids! It was really wonderful. We played, hiked, cooked, went out to eat, went to a movie...and just laughed together. It was so nice. Here are some pictures from our hike behind Multnomah Falls.

Ben, or squirrel?

I am not as brave as I used to be. A few years ago I would have walked all the way across.

One of our many, many self portraits. You're just lucky we're not kissing!

Haircut first, then fun

Vaughn got a haircut and then while I was cleaning up he decided that he'd entertain himself. I didn't notice until he was covered in dirt.