First Dental Visit

We finally got Ethan in for his first dental check-up & I’m happy to say it went smoothly! I’m sure I’m not the only parent to worry about their kid freckin’ out about getting teeth cleaned, x-rays, etc. Ethan was a bit hesitant at first when they called his name to go back and I said I would wait in the waiting area. Until now all appointments have been with mom so the idea of leaving me behind took him a minute to digest. I have to admit it was a bit unnerving for me too … makes him seem so much more grown up to go in by himself. Luckily he came out smiling with a fun certificate, a gift bag and I was happy to hear NO cavities! A great experience for everyone. 

Green Mohawk for Ethan

When I told Ethan that his preschool was going to have a crazy hair day he immediately stated that he wanted a Mohawk. I didn’t realize this hairstyle was just hanging at the tip of his tongue just waiting for an opportunity to give it a try. We discussed other ideas but he was sold on the Mohawk and later added the desire for green. So, a green Mohawk is what he got and he was happy to wear it all day. I have to say that getting it to stick up was a pain. I should have googled what products regular Mohawk wearers’ use. 

January Snow

Snow in the Pacific Northwest can be very frustrating because it seems there is one snow plow for the entire region and they refuse to use salt or de-icer. So when it snows life comes to a screeching halt because it is so difficult to get around on the icy, snowy roads. While the rest of the country rushes to clear streets so that schools, commerce, and life in general can move forward as usual, we here in the greater Seattle area sit and wait for nature to take its course and take life a little slower for a bit. Over time I have come to appreciate this somewhat abnormal approach to snow as it allows us to stay home from work and school, hang out together, play in the snow, enjoy hot cocoa and take a few much needed afternoon naps!

This year Martin Luther King weekend welcomed in a huge snow fall. We started with some snow on Saturday and then woke Sunday to several inches and continued to get more throughout the week. We even had church canceled because of a power outage at the ward building. School ended up being canceled for the entire week for Ethan and Jairo. While Ava has seen snow before, this was the first time she really got to experience and play in it which was a low of fun to watch. I still made my way into work a few times and Jairo became the neighborhood driveway and sidewalk shovel man. We even made friends with some of our more “mature” neighbors who needed help with a few grocery runs. Sometimes it’s nice to have time to take life a little slower, help our neighbors and have fun playing!

Dad’s birthday

Jairo chose to have a family day for his birthday this year.  We decided to visit the zoo then have a late lunch at his favorite burger stop, Red Mill Burgers. They are delicious! Of course we didn’t leave out his/our favorite cupcakes and picked up a few Trophy Cupcakes on our way home. We had a wonderful, yet chilly day with scrumptious food (although not the best food for starting off the new year!).

Although it was a chilly January day it was sunny so there were lots of animals out, yet not too many visitors so we had great views of the animals. This was Ava’s first visit to the zoo so it was fun to see her get excited, and sometimes a bit afraid, to get close to see the animals.

At one of the monkey exhibits the monkey was captivated by Ethan’s hat. So much so that the monkey kept following Ethan around and would come sit right in front of him and touch the glass towards Ethan’s hat.  The kids had a blast having such an interactive visit with the monkeys. 

Towards the end of our visit we decided to take refuge from the cold and take a ride on the merry-go-round. Ava was not so excited about this, but it was hitting her nap time. In fact, after this visit she went into the baby carrier and was out in less than 2 minutes. 

Below are a few of the kids other favorite animals from our visit. 

 

The Drawer

Despite having plenty of toys and space to play, Ava has gravitated to our plastic lid drawer. On a daily basis (usually multiple times a day) she clears out the drawer, gets in, and then slides the drawer back and forth with herself inside. It kind of drives me crazy because the lids are getting multiple washes since she tends to grab a few and suck on them while she’s ‘playing.’ But when you’re trying to get something done giving her some ‘drawer time’ doesn’t seem like such a bad of an idea. At least she seems to enjoy herself.