Pieper 2 years 10 months

She loves to be outside or in the car going somewhere.
She helps me a lot, has been trying to clean lately which has been a little hard on the Windex but I applaud the attempt.
Loves bubbles.
Will always draw but not for very long on paper... mostly on herself.
Will go potty in the big girl potty when she feels like it and not at any other time, especially if I ask.
 Loves fruit first, then meat then vegetable.
If something is spicy she will say it is to saucy.
Can still be a little ruff with Pete at times but will sometimes sit and play nicely with him, I love these moments.
Has been getting into bed with us in the wee hours of the morning.
Loves to brush her teeth.
Always wants to help make the food.
Will give Pete random fly by hugs...
Loves to play with my IPad.
Will sometimes talk on the phone while walking around the house. I think she talked to Grandpa the other day for 15 minutes. Other times she runs away when you try to hand her the phone.
Throws silly tantrums.
Will get her own yogurt out of the fridge and open it, get the spoon and start to eat, even if I ask her not to...
Will let you know if you are not being polite or nice.
Likes to have tunnels made for her.
Will tell you she will be 3 in July and then rattle off Daddy, Mommy and Pete's birthday months as well.
Doesn't listen like I would like her to.... :)
Puppy is her go to friend. Sometimes it is a boy sometimes it is a girl and the name changes if it gets a name, mostly just Puppy.
Came running out of the bedroom the other day to the music from the Office... she went crazy for it when she was little and she still remembers!

Pete 14 Months

So last month somehow was deleted so I will try again...
Is trying to say words.  Will say Mama, Dada, bye bye and maybe ball but that last one may be pushing it.
Loves to eat anything crunchy.
Wants to play with Pieper all the time. She is not mind.
Is still doing battle with those molars.
Climbs on, over and into everything and anything.
Likes to run around the house when the rest of us do, and he is getting faster!
Will say Bye Bye and wave when he is getting out of bed in the morning.
His wave has changed from fingers to palm to side to side.
He likes to sit on the potty  and pretend he is going potty... can you tell there is a lot of potty talk in the house...?
He will look at you and lower his head to peek at you with his eyes, if he wants something or is getting into something he shouldn't
He loves to be upside down.
He puts everything in his mouth, dirt and rocks especially.
Loves loves loves to dance.
Likes to do the 'wheels on the bus' and 'tap tap tap'
Will sit down and lift his foot when you show him his shoes but as soon as you get one sock and shoe on he will get up and try to run away... this happens without fail.
Makes a bbbbbb noise with his mouth, not to sure how he does it sounds like bubbles....?
Loves to vacuum.  will make the hum noise as soon as you tell him you are going to vacuum and will do it if you leave the vacuum out where he can see it.
Is shy around things he doesn't know.  We were at a Parade yesterday and he put his head on my shoulder as the band went by and yes I did cover his ears...
Likes to stack blocks and knock them over(especially if they are Pieper's)
Putting things in something is still a favorite pastime.
Whispers.
Will fling himself all over you have to hold on tight.
Gets frustrated and will throw a tantrum... where did he learn that?

Few more from Grandma and Grandpa's visit.

 Pete woke up one morning and decided he was still tired, he laid on Dad for and hour.

 Then he was ready to play hide and seek from Grandma.

 We went to the point for a picnic, beautiful day, just a little windy.

 Who knew playing under picnic tables was so much fun.

 I just LOVE it when Grandma and Grandpa come for visits don't you Daddy?

 Peek a boo in the kitchen, this is his favorite spot to hide. Even without the door.

 Blocks are always a big hit.

 Block building blur.

 Crocodile "raar" He will chase you with the sock on his hand and growl.

 Thanks Husband. Can you tell the kids are almost ready to go down for a nap?

Ice Cream!

How to clean a ceiling fan.

So when your loving husband says he has found a nice quick easy way to clean the ceiling fan please don't believe him.
He turned the fan on full speed and those of you who clean them know just what happened... yep, flying dirty fuzz over every surface in my kitchen.  I think it took an hour to clean it all up and I still find random fuzz bits in funny places. ( Akin to sand in funny places when you are home from the beach!)
Now you may be asking why so much fuzz, I really don't know, I wipe the silly thing at least once a month if not more but no matter how often I do it there is still about a 1/2" of fuzz every time. How is that possible, I say the fuzz gods are against me?
If you are saying to yourself right now how come she only cleans it once a month or so... bite me... I mean that in the kindest way. :) Have a wonderful day!

Day Five DC

 I said I wouldn't get to "post cardy" but this is the view from the Old Post office.  Gorgeous.

 You can see all four directions unobstructed. 

Pete loves to share his food mostly with Daddy but he will share with just about anyone.  This is on the train.
Thanks DC for a great trip!

funnies

"Mom look, Pete is a woodpecker!" says Pieper as Pete is chewing on the wooden gate we put up to keep him out of the bathroom.

Day Four DC

 We went to the Castle and Museum of Natural History.

 In the Kids Discovery Room

Pete liked to pet the mink.

 Early man sharing food...

 In the hotel window.

 Our little Man, happy as always.

 What's up there Daddy?

 This is my favorite Monument. ( World War II)  I just think it was so very well done.  I haven't been here since it was opened which was 8 years ago, it was great to see it again.

 So many things to point at.

 Pieper and anther good picture, we wont tell her the monument's top was cut off. (or that it is coming out of Jeff's head! ) He He...

 Pieper was trying to run away... catch her anyway you can!  Don't worry the coat is buttoned two buttons down, it wasn't tight.

 Lincoln in the back, the reflection pool was being cleaned so we didn't go all the way down.

Good idea, no very good execution but you get the idea.

 Pieper thought it was fun to try!

 Pieper and Jeff ran from Pete and I ( stroller bound) the kids were having so much fun we ran all the way across the Mall.  I took about 20 pictures and most were blurry but this one gives you a good idea of how much fun Pieper was having. Pete was just giggling the whole time but I couldn't get a picture as I was pushing him.

 Old Post Office and Capital at sunset.  Can I just say the Old Post Office has some great views of the city as it was built before the law of now buildings can approach the height of the capital law was passed. If you go early in the morning there isn't a line.  We went on Saturday before we caught the train home.

Day Three DC

 We started out at the National Aquarium. We were able to see the octopus move (something they said doesn't happen a lot), after a group of school kids left, again, go early in the morning and you can have a lot of things to yourself.

 The kids and I went up to the White house.  I know it is hard to see but it is there.

 Renwick Gallery best staircase in DC partly because Pieper ran right up it and asked to have her picture taken.  Love this one.

 Pieper doing a great job again at Lafayette Park.

 White House from the Park

 This was a fountain.  I do not know why but this is what she did when we walked up to it, I think she was captivated by the water.

 The Old Post Office. There was a Theatre group preforming on the side to some great music. They were dancing all around the face of the tower, dancing on the ropes at sunset.  We watched before we went and found somewhere to eat.

Day Two DC

 Jefferson Memorial. We got up early and made it around the Tidal Basin before noon. This is where all of the Cherry Trees bloom and FDR , Martin Luther King, DC War, and the John Paul Jones Memorials are around. I don't know about anyone else but I didn't even know FDR had such a big monument, it is 7.5 acres of fountains and statues with quotes on the walls to walk through right along the Basin. Very cool.

 Pete often took a nap while on the go in the mornings.

 I hadn't been to the Jefferson Memorial before so it was on my must do list.  Jeff stayed with the sleeping Pete while Pieper and I walked up and this is the picture she took.... budding photographer on our hands like her mama... guess I will have all of the different kinds of cameras she will need!

                                                    

Yes, that is Jeff and Pete.

 Peeking under the bridge

View from across the Basin from Kutz Bridge

                                    

 Back at the hotel.  I think they both took a three hour nap that day.

 Later that day the kids and I went down to the National Portrait Museum.  A lot of things close at 5:30 ( the kids weren't always up until then or later) so we were able to see somethings one wouldn't normally as they were open a little later. No pictures as we were caught in the rain, thank goodness we had Jeff's gigantic umbrella and the wonderful stroller.