DIY Letters

I am slowly but surely getting around to decorating the kids' bedrooms. Ryder's room especially has a lot of blank wall space, and I have a few ideas about what I'd like to do to remedy that. We will probably be transitioning Harper into a "big girl bed" in the next few months, so I don't want to do too much in there until the crib comes out and I decide how to arrange the space. I decided that some wall art using their first initials would be a safe place to start. I looked online for some ideas and then headed to Hobby Lobby to get the supplies: 2 art canvases, fabric, and buttons. Easy! I covered each canvas with fabric, and since I already had the "R" and orange spray paint at home, Ryder's was especially easy.

I wanted Harper's to look more feminine, so instead of using a wooden letter, I hot-glued various purple buttons onto the canvas to create the letter H. This was super easy, but it was a LOT more time-consuming for someone with a Type-A personality. :) I wanted the buttons to fit just right, so I probably  definitely put way too much thought and time into it before actually gluing them down. To hang it, I glued a loop of sheer purple ribbon to the back and then tied a bow using a smaller, frillier ribbon that will hopefully hide the nail. Harper is napping as I type this, so I haven't hung her canvas in her room yet; I plan on centering it over her bed just like Ryder's. I'm happy with how they both turned out!

Harper: 18 months

It amazes me how much both of my kids changed between 15 and 18 months. There are so many things Harper can do or say now that she couldn't just over a month ago, and it seems like it changes daily! I take her back to the doctor for a well-visit next Monday, but here are some of her other developments.

Some new vocabulary:
-baaa, for a sheep
-lamb (lammy)
-quack quack (sounds like waa waa)
-bubble
-purple
-pool
-noodle
-blocks
-boo boo
-jelly
-baby
-star
-turtle
-door
-hi
-bye
-no
-stop
-mine (pronounced "mines")
-pee and poo (sound like "bee" and "boop")
-Pops
-Nana
-Mammy
-Grandpa ("Bah Bah")
-brother (now pronounced "bubbee")

Other developments:
She loves to wrestle and horseplay on our bed, flopping back onto the pillows.

Harper is quite the instigator! She will pick up one of Ryder's toys and say, "Mines!" Occasionally this will start a "mine" war, but usually this is what happens:
H: Mines!
R: Sure, you can play with that one.
H: Mines!
R: You can play with it.
H: (complete silence and a blank stare, because this is NOT what she was expecting)

Anything that belongs to Ryder is so much cooler than her own stuff. She loves to put on Ryder's shoes and clomp around the house or drink out of his cups.

She's been practicing her jumping skills. It is adorable to watch because no matter how hard she tries, she can't quite get her feet off the ground.

The second Harper spots a camera, she says, "Cheeeeeese!"

Sometimes she'll get right next to me and say, "Mommy?" When I turn to her and say, "Yes Harper?", she says, "Hi!"

In the bathtub the other night, Harper was splashing water EVERYWHERE, and Ryder was getting annoyed. He finally yelled, "Harper, stop!" while holding his hand out in front of him like a crossing guard trying to stop traffic. Harper quit splashing in order to mimic him over and over again. "Top! Top!" I couldn't help but laugh at the little copycat.

her first pigtails!

She had to be bribed with my phone in order to sit still, but it was worth it. :)

wearing her new tie-dye sundress that Daddy made for her

LOVE this one!

Enjoying some play-doh time with Ryder...

saying "cheese" with Kix in her mouth

This is very serious business.

A party for Nana

We had a little birthday party for Nana this weekend to celebrate her turning 102 later this week. Wow! The weather was beautiful, so we enjoyed visiting outside while the kids ran around and played on the putting green. Thanks, Pops, for taking all of the pictures!

Ryder gave Nana a picture he painted for her, complete with some of his favorite car and truck stickers.  

Harper had a great time pulling the "flag" out of each hole.

ready to golf!

Maybe we need to work on his form a little--ha! 

He made a couple hole-in-ones from a pretty good distance that had us cheering, despite the fact that he looked like a hockey/pool player. :)

Was he aiming for hole #3? I'm not sure what prompted this one.

When Harper hears a bird chirping, she'll start flapping her arms like wings.

wiped out

Happy birthday, Nana!

And some more beach pictures...

Ryder filled this little cup with seashells he found.

This one had a tiny hole that he could see through.

sandy fruit snacks--yum!

enjoying an ice cream cone after lunch

By the time she was finished, her face and stomach were covered with ice cream and sprinkles.

I don't think Ryder spilled a drop!

"The great plate debate"

Thanks to Jen for capturing this "quarrel" between Ryder and Kendall regarding the color of their plates at breakfast one morning. And how did my son get such a Southern accent?? (pink = pank)

Full House

We were thrilled that Mike, Jen, and the kids chose to spend their spring break with us this year. It was close quarters since we don't have an extra bedroom, but everyone adjusted well to the "musical beds" sleeping arrangements. Although it had been 8 months since we saw each other on our summer beach trip, the kids were instant friends once again. As soon as they got here, Ryder gave Kendall a hug and then asked, "You want to come play in my room?" She said, "Ok!", and they were off. It was a week filled with multiple trips to the beach as well as the playground, Mote Aquarium, the fountains, the jetty, and Sharky's. We grown-ups even got to enjoy some kid-free afternoons in the pool since we wore the kids out enough each morning that all four of them napped after lunch. :) It was a wonderful week that went by way too fast!

trying out the new bubble machine from Grandma

Ryder and Kendall colored and decorated Easter eggs one evening after their bath.

The Easter bunny hid eggs with coins in them all over the yard for the kids to find.

team effort!

Ryder took his coins and headed straight to his room to put them in his piggy bank.

Ryder was really into petting the stingrays at the aquarium.

waiting for a stingray to swim by

Look at those long legs!

lounging in the tidal pool again

Zach and Harper discovered the ice cubes in the cooler. 

Throughout the week they could often be found together, even though they didn't talk a whole lot. They would just point and follow each other, like they had their own silent form of communication.

Harper saw Jen and Kendall stretched out on the blanket and went to lie down beside them.

sandy face

beach bum