Lady and the Tramp

OK, so it wasn't dogs nor spaghetti, but I thought it was really cute when LT got out some juice and straws to share with Adler.

A first on a Friday

Kari mentioned in the last post that I was away on business for most of the week last week (not to miss an opportunity to shill my photos: check out some photos from that trip at Vancouver in June) so she was alone with the boys for a few nights.

The day after I got back from Vancouver it was my turn though. Kari did a triathlon in Loveland early on Saturday morning and went up the Friday night before. It would be my first full night alone with both of the boys (and the dogs).

They insisted they wanted to sleep with me but otherwise were great for me that night. LT was up early Saturday morning because that's what he does these days. He asked for pancakes for breakfast and even helped me make them.

After Adler got up and everyone had breakfast, we headed to the park. They are brothers and they do fight and annoy each other but, for the most part, they are best buddies and love hanging out together. Adler calls his brother "T" and LT calls him "Noodle" (because buttered noodles is one of his favorite meals).

The static from the slide did wonders for Adler's hair.

Just in case you missed the link to check out the Vancouver photos at the top of the post, here's another opportunity:

Jumbo Slice

My brother, Steve, went to law school in DC. While he was there, I was lucky enough to visit him. We went out one night while I was there and ended up at Jumbo Slice in the late night/early morning hours. We don't have anything quite like it in Colorado (at least I don't know of it), but it has pizza slices that are enormous. Brian was traveling in Canada last week and while he was gone, we went to Ernies Pizza with several other moms whose husbands were also traveling. I debated what size pizza to order, but ended up ordering a large for Adler, LT and I. I sure was glad I did so because the boys managed to finish almost the entire thing. Adler insisted on eating whole slices rather than me cutting it and I couldn't stop thinking of Jumbo Slice while he held an enormous piece of pizza up to his tiny face.
Adler finished 3 entire pieces himself and I think LT might have done the same. Yum!

Science Camp Fun

Today we went to another Camp Fun with LTs Steele buddies. The theme today was Science! There were four different activities set up with hands on activities.
The first experiment was magnets. The kids experimented with different things to see what attracts to magnets and what doesn't.
We were split into groups and our group included Zack, Isaac and Jonah.
Adler really loved playing with the magnets.

The next experiment was to see what sinks and what floats. As you can see Adler enjoyed science camp as much as the big boys!
Not long after this, Adler took a bite out of a seashell. I'm not sure if he thought it was a noodle since the only shells he has really seen are noodles.

The other two experiments were a blind juice taste test and a making bubbles area. After the experiments the kids had snack. They also made paper airplanes and even launched a rocket!

Spidermen

LT playing with his buddy Tino while both wearing their Spiderman costumes.

Swimmer

LT was terrified of swim lessons last summer, so terrified that we actually quit. This summer started the same, crying, saying he didn't want to go. However, I pushed through, as his teacher suggested, and he has really become quite a confident swimmer. I wouldn't leave him near a pool confidently yet, but he is making progress little by little. For example, 2 weeks ago his teacher got out a noodle and wanted him to balance on it. He grabbed her and cried saying he couldn't do it. The next time we went, he got on the noodle and was cruising around the pool balancing confidently on it. I took him swimming a few days later with his buddy Sofi and I was shocked to see how comfortable he felt in the water and how much he loved swimming and cruising around. He also does bunny hops around the pool, dunking his head each time. Last year it took everything I had in me to get him to do one of these and now he bops around like hes been doing them forever. Swimming is something that meant a lot to Brian and I and we want LT to enjoy the water, but not be scared. We want him to be safe around water. This is a hard balance, but I think this summer is the turning point with him.
Adler has already hit that turning point. He happily jumps off the side, whether you are there or not. I actually wanted him to know what would happen if I wasn't there, so I let him jump in and sink down. When he pushed off the bottom and bopped back up (with a little help from me), he asked for more. Water doesn't scare him. It will be interesting to watch his swimming develop over the next few years to see what path he follows.

Alder Chatter

Adler is constantly learning new words and how to string them together (its common to hear 2 words in a row, sometimes he gets three). I can't even keep up. He can now say most of the colors, and knows some of them. He will repeat anything we ask him to say and is notorious for practicing his new words as he falls asleep at night. Here are some of our favorite things Adler now says:

Boo Boo = blueberries
T= LT
Nack = snack
Bo bo = Bowen or Hailie (all other dogs are woofs)
waf = breakfast
bak = bike (which he goes to get anytime the word is mentioned)
Abua = swimming, water, bath, and going pee in the potty
ash = ice
ish = fish
pop = popping noises and catterpillar
apple= apple or pineapple
bubba = butter or bubbles
cook = cookie
waa waa = yellow
yea yea = train
det = top
yash = trash
duck = truck
da = duck

Who's Boss?

We live next to an 8 year old girl and a 9 year old girl. Not only is LT the only boy, but hes 5 years younger. This didn't stop him from bossing these girls (and their 9 year old guy friend) around the other day. The girls were having a lemonade stand in front and whenever this happens, they bring out their bright pink Barbie jeep. Often the stand is unattended and the girls are ripping laps around the block. This particular day was no different. Adler was napping, and LT and I were bored inside. We headed outside in the front to an unattended lemonade stand. LT decided he was going to start sweeping up the sidewalks and dumping the dirt into a little wagon. However, when the girls (and their buddy) rounded the corner in the jeep, LT pulled all three of them into his little game, with not an ounce of shyness. They are all really sweet kids and before long, the jeep was a trash truck and LT was telling all three of them what to do. I love that he is so confident around older kids and that the older kids he has contact with are so kind to him.

Once Adler woke up, LT and Adler drove the jeep around a bit, changing the radio stations from rap to salsa to country.

Similar

Brian read an article awhile ago about siblings. I didn't read it, so I am paraphrasing what he told me, but the gist was basically that as parents we tend to magnify the differences between our kids. We say how different they are, rather than noticing that siblings are actually more similar than different. At times it has been difficult for me to see that our kids are actually similar. Recently though, I have seen some similarities. Here is an example. LT had camp at the Nature and Science Museum this week. Adler and I spent an hour at the Discovery Zone in the museum while LT was at camp. He spent the majority of the time in the DZ putting magnets onto this pole and emptying it, then repeating. It was like deja vu. I distinctly remember LT doing the same thing, at about the same age, for a LONG time.

More 4th birthday stuff

A few more photos from Sofi's birthday party at Pferdesteller Park right by our old house.

Sofi and LT together on their 4th birthday. They were born in the same hospital, delivered by the same doctor, about an hour apart.

Very into their art projects.

LT trying to break the pinata.

Sofi hoarded the pinata candy like a true pro but then shared some candy with other kids who's pinata skills weren't as refined as her's.

Sofi and LT enjoying some cupcakes.

Adler enjoyed the party too.

Sophia also shares the June 5th birthday with LT.

A few random shots from Zack's 4th birthday

I'm sure my husband took many more and much better pictures at Zack's birthday party last week, but here are a few.
Adler snacking in a big guy chair.
Zack wanted a chocolate Thomas cake, of course!
Holden knows how to dig right into chocolate cake.

Joe and LT cruising in one of Zack's red jeeps.

Sleep

Sleeping arrangements don't seem to go as planned in the Campbell household. Before LT, we thought for sure that he would sleep with us. He wanted nothing to with sleeping in our bed. This turned out to be great and Brian and I learned to love the separation. Because of our experience with LT, we thought for sure Adler would be the same. While I was pregnant with him, we finished our basement so that each kid would have their own room and Bri and I would have our own room. However, Adler spent a little time in a crib in his room, but the majority for his first 20 months in our room. After many months of deliberating and discussing what to do with Adler, we finally concluded that we should bring a futon up from the basement and put it on the floor in Adler's room for him to sleep on. Our plan didn't go as planned. I shouldn't have been surprised that LT would want to sleep in the new bed with Adler. So, here we are, Adler and LT in the same bed in the tiniest room in our house. They are incredibly cute though sleeping together. At midnight a few nights ago, I woke up to Adler crying. I went in and by the time I got into the room, he was back asleep, with his brother sleeping across him. I wish I had been thinking, I would have taken a picture, but I was too tired.

This is their first night together.
I took this one today. LT doesn't nap anymore, but he reads stories with Adler and I before Adler naps. It gives him some down time. Today I asked LT to go choose some books. By the time he got back, Adler had curled up and gone to sleep without me realizing. I read to LT and kept reading only to realize, he too, had gone to sleep. I guess I really just wanted to read Katy Kangaroo to myself today.

The Whalen and Campbell boys went on a hike at Lair of the Bear. Ewan and LT were such strong hikers and hiked an entire loop. Holden did pretty well also, hiking a lot of the way. Adler wanted to be carried, but had a lot of fun looking at things along the way.
They did so well that they each earned a tootsie pop at the end :)

Steele Playdates

LTs little school has some amazing moms who organized "Camp Fun" for the summer. The moms each take one Tuesday morning to host with a fun activity for the kids. I was hesitant to sign up for Camp Fun because I didn't want our summer to be too crammed and I honestly wasn't sure it would work having Adler. But, we decided to try one and see how it went. It was really fun! The mom who hosted that week organized the kids tie dyeing t-shirts. Each week, the camp is held in a nearby park. This works out well because the little ones can play on the playground (and in this case, the big kids played as well waiting their turn to tie dye!) We won't be able to attend all of them, but we sure enjoyed the first one we went to.
Jonah and Adler hanging out at Camp Fun.

June 5th Buds

Sofi and LT share the same birthday. Her party was held on their birthday, but LT didn't mind a bit since he thinks he turned 4

Hailie and the boys

Hailie got her new brace! Its pretty serious, and takes a lot of work on our part doing PT, but I can already see improvements. The appointment was Wednesday morning, scheduled to be 2 plus hours. I was taking a friend out for her birthday the night before and so the boys went to my parents to spend the night.

After our Hailies appointment, I dropped her off at our house and went to pick up the boys. This is how I found Adler, sound asleep in his little pull out couch and personalized sleeping bag. So precious.

And LT was a little tired as well because when I went to get Adler after his nap, I came back to find LT sound asleep, upright.

Outdoor fun

Its farmers market season, which means bike rides down to Cherry Creek on Saturday mornings again.
LT on a hike.