Andrew telling the good news

Andrew reciting Mark 16:15

Happy 3rd Birthday Andrew!

It is hard for me to believe that Andrew is turning 3 today but he is acting every bit of his 3 years. He is an affectionate child. He loves to cuddle up in my lap with a cup of milk in the mornings while we watch his favorite "show" which is currently Curious George. He eats waffles most mornings off his dad's plate sitting in his dad's lap. Andrew plays hard - crashes cars, likes to race, splashes in the sprinkler, plays robots - and has even become a big "helper" - helping with the dishes, getting diapers for me when Lila needs to be changed, wiping down the table, and cleaning up spills. He often asks me, "wanna play cars mommy?" Andrew is still taking great afternoon naps (in his toddler bed for a few more days) and wakes up ready to play outside. He loves school - mostly art and the playground - and comes home talking about whatever he has learned that day (weather, earth, dinosaurs). He is interested in space and wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. He is still very tender hearted. He is fairly shy when he enters a new place but warms up rather quickly. He loves his friends and is even beginning to engage Lila in play. I have no doubt they will be best buds in another year. He likes bath time and doesn't like shampoo mohawks ("keep it flat mommy"). Every night we read a book, say prayers then we must sing Jesus Loves Me and Twinkle Little Star before falling to sleep with his Lamb.

Hours after Andrew was born.

Me and Andrew at his 1st birthday party.

Andrew at 2.

Drew and Andrew last week at Kate's wedding.

Our sweet boy stole my heart 3 years ago. Each day is a challenge. The good and fun almost always outweigh the "challenges". But each night before I go to bed I have to walk back upstairs and give him one more kiss goodnight.

Stats: Height 38 3/4 inches, Weight 38 pounds

Congrats Kate & Eric!

Last night Andrew made his debut as ring bearer in Kate's wedding. Kate & Eric were stunning. The wedding was at Briscoe Manor in Richmond and it was beautiful. We had a blast.

The biggest challenge of the night was keeping the boys clean and bright for the 2 hours they were dressed for pictures...but they made it (bribed with tons of suckers and the promise of cake) and were adorable walking down the aisle. Luke and Andrew were as cute as could be. Ainsley and Emma looked like pros as flower girls. Here are a few shots of the kids playing and dancing and Andrew taking a breather at the reception.

Catching Up

It's been a busy Spring and I have just not been able to keep up! Here are some fun moments we've had late March/early April. Lila playing in the rain one afternoon while Andrew was at preschool. She had a blast.

We travelled to MS/LA to visit family and friends. This is a picture of Drew and me at ATO Crawfish Boil in Hattiesburg.
We had a fabulous time with the kids celebrating Christ's resurrection. They loved getting the candy from their eggs.

A few days after Easter still eating candy.

Lila at her very first swim lesson.
She liked the water but was not crazy about getting dunked.

Andrew cried during most of his time with Mrs. Nancy. Otherwise, he did very well.
When the lesson was over, Andrew said, "I like to swim." Hopefully he will grow out of the protesting soon.

In case you were wondering, Lila still spends much of her days at the table. She is a little parrot repeating just about anything we ask her to (& many things we do not ask her to). She has mastered the temper tantrum. Right now she gets distracted pretty easily so it is just kind of funny to see her fit routine.

Lila (17 mos) enjoying an afternoon in the sun and sand(box).

Andrew got his first "real" haircut in MANY months this weekend. It went over MUCH better than our last attempt. He looks so grown to me with short hair. I can't believe he is about to turn 3! Andrew is still going strong with his potty training. He is very motivated by prizes. We are hoping he will not still need prizes for pee peeing when he is a teenager.

Lunch at Home

A sweet friend of mine from junior high asked me what I feed my kiddos for lunch. While we do get Chick Fil A or McDonalds occasionally, we eat at home much more. Andrew has always been a very good eater. Now that he is almost 3, we are able to negotiate his intake a little better than when he was younger. I try to put a meat, a fruit, a veggie and a carb on his plate. Some days he eats alot. Some days he barely takes two bites. Lila is much pickier. I never know what she will actually eat. But I try to fix them one plate - take it or leave it. I give them fruit snacks or some other sweet if they eat a good meal. I try to hold off on snacks so they don't get the idea that if they don't eat what mommy fixes, they can just have snacks to fill their tummies.

The key for me is to have things available in the fridge that are quick and easy to serve. Anything that actually needs to be cooked(*), I do so in the evenings or plan time in the morning so that I am not scrambling when everyone is tired and ready to eat. I would love for you to share some of your kids' favorite (easy) lunch ideas!

Meat
Turkey hot dogs

Fully cooked ham cubes
Mini (or not) corndogs
Sandwiches cut w/ cookie cutters
Chicken Nuggets
Chicken Fries
Mini cheeseburgers
Meatballs
Leftovers*

Sides

Canned fruit - mandarin oranges, peaches, pears
Fresh fruit - blueberries, bananas, peeled apples, grapes, strawberries
Apple Sauce
Yogurt

Broccoli w/ cheese (microwave)
Canned green beans (a little softer than the frozen variety)

Matchstick carrots w/ ranch

Corn (Kernel or on the cob)

Baby peas (steam in bag)

Lima beans (frozen)*
Steamed carrots*
Baked sweet potatoes*

Mac & Cheese*
Pasta Roni*
Cheetos

Pretzels

Snacks

Cheese crackers w/ peanut butter

Yogurt raisins

Fruit snacks
Flavored rice cakes
Reduced fat Vanilla Wafers