Snow Day

On Charlotte's birthday we got record snow for Charlottesville.  Schools and pretty much the entire town shut down for the weekend.  Although Charlotte hated the snow, Jack pretty much lived outside for three days.  I think Logan had just as much fun and even spent an extra hour outside in the dark building a snow fort.  He claims it was for the children... The kids had a picnic with hot chocolate and donuts in the cave the next day. I searched and searched for a sled but they were no where to be found in town so we used cookie sheets and a laundry basket.  The laundry basket worked quite well.  We also did some snow painting.

Snow painting

 

Our neighbor forcing her little girl Ellie to have fun.

A picnic of donuts and hot chocolate.

Char turns 2!

Our little Charlotte is two.  I tried to capture a few photos throughout the day of her birthday.  A giant snow storm was passing through and school was cancelled and everything was closed so we basically just spent the day playing at home.  She opened her presents which were pretty much all a hit.  And that night we had one of Char's favorite meals, noodles aka spaghetti.  Later in the week we had friends come over to celebrate and I will post that later.  Now a little about Charlotte Kate.  

She chatters all day long.  She can say any word and talks in phrases but still likes to babble her little Char language at us to fit into the conversation.  My favorite phrases she says right now:

"Wcha doin mom?" (what are you doing mom)

"I pusha da budden (I push the button)"

"I help!" (she has become quite the "helper" these days

"No changa the bum!" (no change the bum, she always protests getting her diaper changed)

"No night nights!" (she always protests going to bed)

"No no kitty kitty" (she loves to tell the kitty no no)

"Yay Yay!" (when she is excited)

And a few times a day Jack and Charlotte have this exchange:

"Hey sis." "Hi Jack."

I don't know why I love it so much but I love that they greet each other when they see each other in a room.

Charlotte also greets mom and dad a lot too.

She has gotten WAY into pink which is cute but can also be a problem.  Everything must be pink.  

She is so opinionated about what she is wearing.  From her bow to shirt, pants, sock and shoes, she wants to pick.  It's not fair that she has taken the privilege of me dressing her cute away from me so soon.

She loves to wear dresses and her swimsuit and would wear them everyday if she could.

She loves her sleep and is an awesome napper.  She still naps two hours a day and will sleep about three if I let her.  

She likes to help me when I cook food and insists on sitting on the counter to help.

Her favorite activity by far is playing in the kitchen sink.  She makes a giant mess but this will entertain her for an hour or two.

She loves play dishes and small baskets and buckets.

She knows her colors and is making great progress on her letters and counting.

We love our sweet Char.

Waking up on her birthday.  Sitting in her crib reading a book and babbling to herself.

Jack randomly ran in and gave her a strawberry.  Of course he was eating fruit already.

A pink poptart and strawberries with cool whip for a birthday breakfast.

And they got to watch PBS kids while they ate.  Her favorite show Super Why.

Opening presents that morning.  We saved her big gift for after her dinner.

Wooden dress up dolls.

Giving dad a taste with her new dishes.

We played in the snow that day.  Jack and Logan were out for at least three hours but Char hates the snow and lasted only 20 minutes or so.

Jack was feeling left out and wanted to be in the pictures too.

Don't ask me what he is wearing.

We stay busy

This has definitely been the coldest year we have experienced in Charlottesville.  Every now and then warm spells will pop up though and we have tried to take advantage of them.  From playing outside to trying to cross as much as we can on our bucket list, we seem to stay pretty busy.  

Playing in the stream.

I do Charlotte's hair and she does the cat's hair.

We went to Luray for the day, to cross this off our bucket list.  We went through the Luray Caverns.  They also had a toy history museum.  I was pleased to see most of my childhood toys in there like this little brown house.

The reflecting pool in the caverns.

Throwing pennies in the wishing pond.

Jack, Liam, and Charlotte at their friend Grayson's birthday party.

Grayson's party was at the fire station and they got to tour the trucks.  So many boys.

Riding bikes at the law school.

This is the reaction I got when I told the kids I accidentally forgot my wallet and couldn't buy them a sucker from the book store.  Jack wallowing in sadness and Char throwing a tantrum.

Char loves to pour.

Doing some mommy preschool.

Building letters.

We've had a few snow days.  This was the first one.  Wasn't too much but enough to play in.  

We didn't have a sled so Jack rode his bike down our giant hill instead. 

Char and Craigs.

Jack's gymnastics class.  The teacher is super nice and lets Char play before and at the end of class.  She is always so sad when she has to leave when class starts.  She is sitting with the class and waiting to show the parents their tricks.  Char gets to do a trick too.

Doing a trick.

This wedge has been such an impressive toy.  Two kitties drinking milk in their house.

Getting a sugar high at Jude's birthday party.

Another bucket list.  Eating at Doctor Ho's Humble Pie.  It really is some amazing pizza.

It was a busy night and we waited an hour.  They had a basket of suckers by the waiting area.  Pretty sure the kids ate about 12.

Charlotte drinking marina sauce.

Cute updo for church.  Lasted about ten minutes.