Team Darnell

A Bath Time Update

2012-01-15T22:25:00.001-05:00

In February 2009, we were able to give the boys a bath in the big tub at the same time. It was a fun experience and little did I know the amount of fun we would have in that bathroom. Over the past three years, we have experienced some of our greatest moments of laughter as well as our most intense moments of frustration. From about age 2.5 until they turned 3, the boys were maniacs in the tub! They would splash and splash and did I mention... splash? Well, we survived and with some maturity came a renewed calm in the bath tub. While the boys can still get a little splash crazy, they know that splashing will end their bath time for the night.

Since it had been a while since I took any pictures, I broke out the camera tonight. I fear that the days of all three boys bathing together may be coming to a close. You will see why in a moment. I know I say this all the time but, I swear it was yesterday when I took this picture....

And now, I see these big boy faces looking back at me in the tub...

This picture shows why I think their days of sharing one tub may be coming to a close...

However, they L-O-V-E bath time! They ask for a bath and now easily head to the bathroom after dinner for their bath.

They are such big boys, they are able to draw their own bath, with perfect temperature for the drawer. Andrew likes it a little warmer than Wes and Jared is right in the middle. If we attempt to skip a bath one night, we are bound to encounter at least one fit!

They are growing up so very, very fast...

Love, love, love these moments with them...

Take care,

A Classic Quote!

2012-01-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

At lunch today, the boys were all talking. Andrew wanted to sing a song and Wesley would not quiet down to allow Andrew to sing. Then came what will become a classic quote in our family. From Andrew to Wesley...

"Wessie, Wessie, Wessie, when my mouth starts to move, your mouth should stop moving! Ok? Ok."

This is made even more classic by understanding the dynamic between Andrew and Wes. For Andrew to say something like this to Wes, it's just perfect!!!

Take care,

Still Room for Wessie

2011-11-28T23:11:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, we left Grandma's house and headed home one Darnell lighter. Wes stayed at Grandma's house for his week of fun. All the boys were so strong and confident as they said good-bye to each other. Wes then stood with Grandma and waved as we all drove away. I was emotional but held it together for my strong boys!

Tonight, I was giving Jared and Andrew a bath. I told Andrew several times that he could move back and spread out. However, he wanted to stay close to Jared and leave room for Wessie.

We all miss Wessie but he is having fun with Grandma.

Take care,

Kellie

Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus - 2011

2011-11-25T21:42:00.003-05:00

It has become our tradition to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the day after Thanksgiving. Before we packed up and headed to Grandma's house, the boys created their first Christmas 'wish lists.' We gave each of the boys their own Toys R Us catalog and they selected their favorite items for their 'wish lists.' The put the items on a piece of paper and we planned to take these with us for our visit with Santa. As you can see from Jared's list and the Barbie items included, there was no parental influence into the content of the 'wish lists.'

When we arrived to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, there was no line! This meant we did not have to wait and we could spend as much time as we wanted with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The boys, armed with their lists, walked right up to Santa and Mrs. Claus to hand over their lists and point out their favorite items.

The excitement for Christmas has defiantly spread to the boys. While they started to understand the joy of Christmas last year, they REALLY get it this year. They were excited to see Santa and they are eager to get their presents. When you ask them what they want for Christmas, their responses are as follows:

Wesley - "Pirate Ship"

Jared - "Zombie Lab"

Andrew - "Everything"

Santa is still debating whether the Zombie Lab will find it's way under the tree but he really wants it. As a matter of fact, all of the boys have wanted this at some point. I love the innocence and truth in Andrew's response. He really does want everything! When watching TV, he asserts over and over, 'I want that' 'I want that' with every commercial that is shown. Actually, he ran out of room on the front of his 'wish list' and had to start attaching some of the luxury items to the back of his paper. When he was talking to Santa, he made sure he pointed out the items on the back of the paper (Two electric cars). I am pretty certain that these items will not find their way under the tree.

With the boys so focused on what they are going to get for Christmas, we will need to make sure we take them Christmas shopping for their gifts to give again this year. Last year, we took them to the Dollar Tree and they each purchased something to give everyone. We hope this helped them begin to understand that the joy of Christmas is also about giving and not just receiving.

After they visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus, it was time to take our picture....

Once we finished taking our picture, we spent a few extra minutes showing Santa and Mrs. Claus the pictures the boys took with them in 2008, 2009 and 2010. They seemed to really enjoy seeing the progression of the boys over the years. I can't believe how grown up the boys look in this years photo and that we have already taken four pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

With this visit, the 2011 Christmas season is officially underway!

Take care,

Happy Thanksgiving - 2011

2011-11-24T02:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Team Darnell!!

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house and were able to play with our favorite cousins. We missed Uncle Lance, Aunt Kim, Aunt Joan and Pooka. However, the house was still full, the food was wonderful and we had a day full of thanks.

After Thanksgiving was complete, Daddy and I headed out to partake in the Black Friday (actually Thursday) craziness. We had so much fun, again! We were also able to get everything we set out to obtain. It's going to be a fun Christmas this year as the boys actually have wish lists and a certain set of things that they actually hope Santa brings for them. We are taking those wish lists to Santa and Mrs. Claus tomorrow morning.

Take care,

Christmas Tree Shopping - 2011

2011-11-23T17:05:00.002-05:00

This morning, we headed out for our annual family adventure to find our Christmas tree. Yes, I know it is the day before Thanksgiving! However, we are going to Grandma's for Thanksgiving and then Wes is staying behind for his one on one week with Grandma. So, to shop as family, we needed to shop today.

When we were getting ready this morning, Wes asked if I knew where to find a Christmas tree. When I said 'no, where?' he replied with a commanding 'At Santa's workshop!' But, of course Wes. When we arrived at the tree lot, Wes was confused and asked over and over "where are the elves?"

Our trip was uneventful. I don't have a fun story to tell about the tree falling off on our drive home or fun video to post of the boys fighting the Christmas tree. The most interesting part of our adventure was the gentleman running the lot who struggled with math but excelled at sharing his personal life stories about hitchhiking from Maine to Florida three times and getting covered in fire ants.

Andrew wanted every four foot tall tree while Jared and Wed wanted the HUGE oak tree in the middle of the tree lot.

We got our tree home and placed in the tree stand before packing up to head off to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving. We will decorate when we get home.

Note - this is my first post using the new Blogger app for the phone. I am anxious to see how this turns out. If it works more, you may see more posts from Team Darnell!

I hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving.

Take care,

Kellie

Saturday Morning Bike Races

2011-11-05T16:35:00.005-04:00

On the boy's 2nd Birthday, they received their Little Tikes bikes (aka. their motorcycles). They have used them in our backyard for a while and over the past several months, the boys have really been riding faster and faster. Our backyard has a small patio and the boys ride end to end on the patio but do not have a lot of space to 'open her up.'

Daddy had a wonderful idea to take the boys over to the neighborhood pool's parking lot to ride. Now that fall is upon us, the pool is closed so we assumed the parking lot would be empty. Daddy was right!

Daddy parked the truck at the entrance of the parking lot, set up two chairs for us to sit back and the boys rode and rode! It was fun to watch them ride and as an added bonus, they really wore themselves out. The following video is a little longer than usual but it was such a fun morning, I wanted to have these memories. Enjoy...

In the video, the boys are riding and at one moment, Andrew returns on foot... huh? He had "parked" his bike. Once he gave Wes the idea, Wes parked his bike and started running. Before we moved away from the parking lot, Wes had run over a dozen laps; my Energizer Bunny!

Daddy even joined in on the racing fun and took a lap to race the boys...

After a while, we decided to move over to the gazebo area. The boys would race from one end of the area to the other and back. I was sitting up on a bar area while taking the video.

I sure hope Santa knows that the boys have just about out grown these toddler bikes and are ready for some 'big boy' bikes, with helmets! I know that they should have probably had on helmets for this morning's fun but we actually don't have them since they have only been riding in the back yard... yep, bad parents! Hopefully Santa knows better!

Another fun day for Team Darnell!

Take care,

Soccer - 2011

2011-10-29T22:49:00.007-04:00

Our soccer season has been a wonderful journey!

It was a true joy to experience Saturday soccer games. The soccer games for 3 and 4 year olds are entertaining and as equally stressful at the same time. As the season started, I was hopeful that we would score a goal. I quickly learned to reset my expectations for our 3 year olds. My goals transitioned to hoping we would play when called upon and maybe, just maybe we would

actually kick the ball!

I can also honestly say the most important objective was that the boys had F-U-N! I think we achieved this goal. Whether it was the playground at practice, the big fun hill at the game fields, hanging out with Cal, the half time snack or maybe even the actual soccer, the boys had fun! Mommy and Daddy were very proud of them for this wonderful season and experience. I look forward to many years of Saturday game days.

An important lesson I learned during this season is just how challenging it is to watch the game when you have three children on the team. It was very rare that all of the boys were on the field at the same time. So, I found myself trying to watch one playing

while one was wanting a drink and another was needing to potty or anything else equally distracting. We decided to call in reinforcements to help capture our soccer memories. We called upon Christy Baldwin of Christy Baldwin Photography to photograph the boys on one Saturday. The following pictures are from this game. Thank you Ms. Christy for doing such a wonderful job of making my little guys look like real athletes! Enjoy...

Jared -

Wes -

Andrew -

Andrew taking some pre-game kicks...

Andrew -

Wes warming up...

Jared tries to keep the ball away from Cal...

Andrew tries to steal the ball from Cal...

Cal loves his triplets and also loves to pass out big hugs...

The boys enjoying a pre-game run up and down the big hill...

My sweet Wessie...
Andrew warming up with the team... (PJ, Reva and Blair)
Jared warming up...
The pre-game circle. They bring the teams together before the game and remind them about sportsmanship and other rules of the game. They are to hold hands and recite the sportsman's creed...
It's game time! Wes in action...
High 5's for Jared from Coach Alexis...
Jared...
Wes...
Andrew...
Jared had no fear and was always very aggressive and right in the middle of all the action...
Go Jared, GO!!!
Very proud Mommy....
Half time = Snack time...
Mr. Jayson and Ms. Katrina, Cal's parents, are so wonderful to the boys. At the first game, Ms. Katrina shared animal crackers with the boys and every game after that they asked her for animal crackers. She is always willing to share whatever treat she has in her back with the boys. Thank you Goldmans for being so patient and kind to our guys...
Wes and Andrew resting before the start of the second half...
Andrew - "Is everyone ready?"
BIG kick to start the second half...
Jared takes the ball...
Wes...
Jared...
Wes - is that a intense yell or a yawn? Hmmm....
Wes...
Wes standing with Junior and MJ. Junior and MJ were, by far, the most talented players on our team and in the entire league. Junior turned 5 during our season and that 1.5 years really set him ahead of our crew. It was an honor to be on their team!
Wes...
Cal passes out some more hugs to Jared...
Andrew...
Post game celebration tunnel...

1-2-3...GO COUGARS!

We are #1!!!!
"The Guys!" They are enjoying their after game granola bar snack. What a wonderful group of young men...I was sad to see our season come to an end. However, I was over the moon proud of the boys for how wonderful they did during their first team sporting experience. The boys were also super excited when they were awarded their very first trophies...

Congratulations boys! We are so very proud of you! I also thank Christy Baldwin for capturing these moments so beautifully.

These are moments I will cherish forever!

Take care,

Southwood Fright Fest - Pirates

2011-10-29T13:48:00.000-04:00

The boys' best friend, Cal lives in the Southwood neighborhood. On the Friday before Halloween, the neighborhood has a 'Fright Fest' at their town center. Cal invited the boys to join him for the event and we were more than happy to accept.

The boys are going to be Storm Troopers for Halloween. We wanted to keep the Storm Trooper costumes Halloween ready so we decided to pull out our Pirate costumes. Daddy also got the boys swords, eye patches and an earring to round out the costume.

"Pirate Andrew"...
"Pirate Wessie"...
At the event, there were a lot of games and activities for children. This is the 'eye ball' and 'gooey ball' toss. Ms. Katrina is seen here wearing her super cool Good Witch hat and Daddy has on a scary skull shirt which is actually everyday wear for Daddy.

Jared making his toss...
Wes throwing an 'eye ball.' These were actually tennis balls covered in corn starch to make them oozy and gooey. Wes threw one and then wanted his hand cleaned!
Andrew's toss.... our lefty...
We then moved to a cookie decorating station. Ms. Katrina is helping Andrew, Mr. Jayson is helping Cal and Daddy is helping Jared.
I was helping Wes and check out our tasty and beautiful final product...
Cal the astronaut and Jared the pirate enjoying their cookies...
"The guys" This picture makes me laugh because it looks like Cal has capture a band of wild Pirates...
After we enjoyed all of the activities, we settled into the town center lawn to watch a showing of "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." The boys really enjoyed their evening and the movie. I remember enjoying movie as a child but watching it with your children is an entirely different experience. Let's just say that I never remembered the use of 'stupid' and 'blockhead' so much as a child.

All in all, we had a wonderful night! Thank you to the Goldmans for inviting us for the evening. The boys are really having a good time this Halloween season. They are very excited for the actual Halloween evening of Trick or Treating!

Take care,

Soccer - First Practice!

2011-09-16T22:48:00.007-04:00

The moment I found out I was pregnant with all boys, I started dreaming about practices and games for a variety of sports; football, baseball, basketball and well... yes, soccer too! I have never been a real soccer fan but it is the team sport that you can play at the age of 3 so, soccer it is. I have stalked the YMCA website for a over a year waiting for the time in which we were within the age limit to play and that time is here!!

We initially thought that practices would begin on September 17th but surprise, our first game is on September 17th. Last weekend, we waited to hear from our coach but heard nothing. We were getting worried but at last, we finally heard from her and learned that our first practice was September 16th with the first game the following morning.

We spent the last week gathering up our gear; soccer balls, soccer socks and our first pair of cleats...

Friday was finally here, our first practice for our first team sport... yay!! The boys were dressed and ready to go. Since we are new to soccer, it's not a surprise that we would wear baseball and basketball shirts to our first soccer practice...
Our practice was at 5:30pm. At about 3:45, I receive a distress message from home with a picture of Jared... asleep! Oh NOOOOOO!!! Our Jared is as sweet as they come until the moment comes when you have to wake him up from his peaceful slumber. When that moment comes, brace for impact because the sweet child that went to sleep wakes up as ANGRY J!!!

Well, all we could do at that point was wait and hope he would wake on his own. But, the time to get ready was upon us, Andrew was ready, Wes was ready and Jared was.... still asleep. We had no choice but to wake him. And, as predicted he was A-N-G-R-Y!

Daddy and I worked together to get him dressed and get everyone in the car to the sweet sounds of "I WANT TO GO HOME" begin repeated in the back seat. We made it to practice and Andrew and Wes were excited to see their buddy Cal and play with the other teammates. Jared, not so much.

Our coaches are Coach Alexis and Coach Hannah. When they arrived, they took a quick roll and then gathered their team together for the first team huddle (minus Jared).
Jared preferred to play in the playground while the introductions took place. Below are the boys with their buddy Cal listening to the Coaches.
How cute are these guys...
They ran a couple laps to warm up. Wes is in the lead...
More warm-up laps...
They boys with their buddy Cal...
Our buddy Cal...
Then it was time for dribbling practice. Wes concentrates and focuses on dribbling. Very good ball control Wessie!
Andrew's turn with his red dragon ball. Andrew was focused on precision over speed...
More dribbling from Andrew...
Oh wait, what is this? Yes, Jared finally woke up and Sweet J returned. At Jared's request, Daddy spun him in the playground and then he was ready to join the team for practice. Good footwork Jared!
Coach Alexis and Coach Hanna address the team; Jared, Wes, Andrew and Cal seen below...
The guys!
Now, let's practice scoring some goals! Jared takes on Coach Alexis...
Andrew's turn...
Now it's time to scrimmage! Gotta love the girl controlling the ball with all the boys following behind...
The little boys in yellow is our obvious star! He was always the one that would end up with the ball...
Here we are again, the pack following our star...
Alright, great practice! High 5's all around...
Hands in - 1 - 2 - 3............. GO COUGARS!!!!
Our cheesy boys with their over cheesy smiles....
Again with the 1-2-3.... .GO COUGARS!!! It was starting to rain at practice so you can see the rain drop on the lens here...
It was a great first practice!
After practice, we headed to CiCi's for Pizza with our good buddy Cal and his family. It was so much fun to dine out with our new little ball players. After we arrived home and had our bath, I walked out of the bathroom to find all of my boys cuddled up watching some YouTube videos. I love these boys, all 4 of them!
We had a great first practice and our first game is tomorrow morning at 10am. I hope we learned everything we need to know in one practice.

Take care,

We Needed Stitches - Take Two!

2011-08-21T00:02:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had a series of bad luck to the point that you do not want to get out of bed for fear of what else can go wrong? Well, the Darnell family is at that point.

Our string of bad luck started with the Bucs terrible performance on Thursday night, followed by the loss of our truck on Friday so what could happen on Saturday, right?

Saturday started off with heavy internet searching for new replacement vehicles. Mike and I quickly learned the prices of new cars and realized that even a 2008 is 10 years newer than what we were driving. This became our new definition of "new car." After breakfast, I headed outside to play with the boys and Mike got ready to hit the road and visit several car dealerships. As he was leaving, the boys were begging me to push them on the swings. As it was getting warmer, I wanted to change clothes first.

We said good-bye to Daddy and we were going to head back outside to play. I wanted to change clothes so I said to the boys, "I am going to head into the room for a couple minutes, can I trust you guys for a couple minutes? You need to be good so we can go outside and play on the swings." They agreed and I headed into the room.

I heard them laughing but they are usually always laughing. I was in the bedroom for maybe, maybe 3 minutes. All I did was change my clothes and put my hair in a clip. When I walked out, I sensed something was wrong as I opened the door. Oh my....

They had unlocked the water dispenser on the fridge and was using Daddy's water jug to dump water all over the kitchen tile floor. They were soaking wet and the floor was covered in a thin layer of water. They were giggling and splashing about with Wes, the ring leader, manning the water dispenser. He dumped a couple more small cups of water onto the floor before I removed it from his hands. Jared was demonstrating how they were slip sliding across the floor in the water. Come on guys, it was only a couple minutes!!! They were deep in laughter and soaking wet. I needed some time to clean the kitchen and the boys were soaking wet so I sent them outside to play while I cleaned.

I spent the next 20 minutes mopping up the water and drying the kitchen floor. During this time, the boys were playing outside. I was finally done cleaning the kitchen and now it was time to clean up the boys. I opened the back door and let them inside while giving instructions to take off their wet clothes in the bathroom. Wes said, "I can't, I have a boo boo." When I looked at his knee, he had quite the gash and some blood. I did not take the time to figure out what happen but whisked him to the sink to clean him up. I took off his wet clothes and let him use the sprayer to clean off his wound. This revealed a deep cut that I sensed needed stitches as it was separated and on the knee so it would keep separating with each bend.

Daddy had only started his day of car shopping about 30 minutes prior so I did not want to disrupt his day unless it was an emergency. I sent him a message with a picture and asked his opinion. We agreed to keep an eye on it for a little bit but agreed that he may need stitches. Daddy kept on car shopping.

As I did not have a vehicle, I wanted to get some additional opinions, so I took to facebook. I posted the following picture of his cut and asked if everyone thought he needed stitches...

The overwhelming facebook consensus was that stitches were needed for it to heal properly. With that support, I reached back out to Daddy and told him that he should come home after this dealership and I would take Wes for stitches. This is what the cut looked like if I held the skin together...

Yes, stitches were needed. I had cleaned up Wes and put two band aids on his wound. I then asked him how he got his boo boo, assuming he received it while outside. Nope! To my surprise, he said he slipped in the kitchen. Apparently, while they were giggling and playing in the water, he slipped. He received this gash and did not cry or skip a beat, just kept playing! He went outside and still did not complain. It was not until I started to change their clothes that he even mentioned the boo boo. I still can't believe that he received this deep gash without even shedding a tear. Wowza... BOYS!

Now remember, he did not have any clothes on and the other two were instructed to take off their clothes in the bathroom. After seeing Wes get a lot of attention, Andrew and Jared began to complain about their boo boos. So, I now had three naked children all needing 'urgent care' at the sink. I decided to indulge. Here is the line at the triage center... Andrew receiving care (actually applying his own band aid, you know 'I do it!') and Jared in the on deck position waiting for his turn... The greatest draw of the sink was being able to use the spray themselves to clean their wound, demonstrated by Jared in this picture...
It is important to note that the "injuries" decreased in severity with each patient. Here is Andrew's boo boo... (approximately 3-4 days old)
And the least severe injury on Jared, barely noticeable above the big toe...
While Jared had the least severe injury, he had the most severe limp while wearing his band aid, go figure. Once I had nursed all the injuries and cleaned up the triage area, I still had three naked boys. They were quiet and I turned around to find them like this...
They were huddled around their 'big boy phone.' In this picture, you may notice that Andrew's skin is splotchy. He struggles with sensitive skin and eczema. All of the swimming and sunscreen has really done a number on his skin but we have medicine and he is getting better.

I needed to dress the boys and after the days we had been having, I needed some extra strength. I grabbed our Owenge Warrior shirts so we could channel the strength and energy of a really strong Warrior. This also helped me keep our events in perspective. Really, we were dealing with some small things in comparison to some other families. Thank you for that reminder Owenge Warrior! For those of you that do not know, Owen is a triplet that died in May at 6 months old from SIDS. His story really hit home for us and many triplet families as he was completely healthy and part of a BBB triplet group. His color was orange and his family has claimed "Owenge" as his Warrior color. They are starting a movement to 'do good' in his honor as their way to find something positive in this. So, we dawned our Owenge shirts to find strength!

When Daddy arrived home, I woke Wes up from his nap and we headed off to urgent care. He did not want to go see a doctor but once we were in the car, he was a champ. He waited with patience and was in very good spirits...

The nurses agreed that it was a 'really good cut' and stitches were needed. The next step was to apply a jelly and 'magic sticker' so his skin would numb a little bit. He did not cry or complain at all during this phase of the process. Here is his wound under his 'magic sticker'...

My big brave boy, waiting patiently during the 20 minutes we had to wait for the jelly and magic sticker to numb his skin...

During his wait, he played with my phone and the game of choice was Poppit and new game Jared introduced to us on Pogo-stick (as Jared calls it). Jared learned this game at Grandma's and they have it for the phone. Wes played this all the way during his wait and during his stitches. Once the 20 minute wait was over, Wes was cool calm and collected while they pulled the magic sticker off. He then laid back and got ready for his stitches.

He was initially fine and then he felt the actual needle used to really numb the wound. It was at this point that he cried for the first time. He cried during the actual application of the stitches but remained still and did not fight the nurses at all. I was so proud of my big boy!!!

When it was all over, he immediately wanted to see his knee and he laughed when he saw his stitches....

He immediately calmed down and was excited to have a story to tell his brothers. He got his stickers and we were heading on our way! As he played the phone the entire time we were there, the battery died shortly after this picture. After we left the hospital, we headed over to Dairy Queen to split a Chocolate Fudge Brownie Waffle Bowl Sundae, Wes' choice. It was yummy! He kept saying, 'this is just for you and me.' I think he really enjoyed his one on one time.

Once we got home, he told his brothers all about his stitches. At dinner, we talked about how Jared also had stitches when we were at Nana's house. It was at this point that Andrew realized he was the only one of the boys that has not had stitches. Well, he did not want to be left out so he started crying over and over, 'I wanna go to the doctor, I wanna go to the doctor, I wanna go to the doctor.' This crying went on for well over 30 minutes and almost until we could get them in bed. He really wanted to go to the doctor.

He knew that I took a picture of Wes' boo-boo and shared it on fb so I told him I would also share his picture with the "doctor" and see if he needed to be seen. My lovely fb friends quickly concurred that he did not need stitches and just a band aid was needed. So, he accepted this treatment plan but still wanted to go to the doctor.

This is the face of a very upset Andrew after we applied the band aid...

After about 30 minutes of this, I really felt spent and wanted to scream "Calgon, take me away!" However, we made it through this day and the boys were in bed. Daddy and I finally exhaled for the day and settle in to watch a video game... oops, I mean movie; Battle Los Angelos - Daddy's choice :-)

I wanted to write this post quickly so I could share the full story of how Wes received his injury. I hope everyone was able to laugh from the story and I hope I will be able to laugh while reading it very soon.

The moral of the story, you can't turn your back for a second!!

Take care,

Our Trusted Stead

2011-08-19T23:11:00.001-04:00

In 2000, I welcomed my 1998 Ford Expedition into my life. She was a big and beautiful truck that initially caused me more problems than I care to list. While she had some problems that kept causing me to visit a mechanic, she kept on running and running and running!

I had her for several years and had payments for more years than I should have ever financed. There was a period of time in which I was a single woman driving a very large SUV when the gas prices began to rise. I still had my payment and the amount I owed exceeded the value of the truck. So, I was stuck with her and I kept driving her and she kept on running.

I always said that when I finally had her paid off, I would trade her in on something smaller and more fuel efficient. This was until that fateful day in 2007 when Mike and I learned we were going to fill her up... with babies! As we drove back from Jacksonville after that first ultrasound, I rubbed her dashboard and told her that I needed her and I hoped she would keep running for our family. Well, kept on running she did!

She ran and ran and ran until today when she could run no more. As Jared and I were driving back home from Grandmas, the oil pressure gauge started to flip out. It was spiking and dropping over and over again. I sent a text to Mike and he suggested I immediately add oil. I pulled off at the next exit and Jared and I added a quart of oil. Mike said, "that should get you home."

We got back onto I-75 and I quickly sensed that things were not going well. The oil gauge leveled out and then flat lined. I kept driving and hoping I could get home or close to home. It was not long before she started struggling to maintain her speed and the engine started sounding very rough. When I hit about 45mph, I moved into the emergency lane and kept going. I was so close to I-10 that I wanted to at least make it to that point. We got close and then she just gave out. I was able to start her one more time to get further off into the grass before calling Mike and then AAA.

AAA made us a priority but it still took about 40 minutes for the tow truck to get to us. Jared was content while playing an iPhone and we were lucky to still have water in the truck as it was starting to get hot. We were also lucky because it was about 5pm. So, it was late enough in the day so it was not too hot but still early enough so it was light out.

Our trusted stead also took care of us because she died right below a very clear marker so I could tell AAA exactly where we were and she died right inside the 100 mile radius covered by AAA. She was strong and caring until the very end!

While she died far from home, I can not be mad at a truck that drove safely for 285,363 miles. She did her job and did it well! The end of an era...

We died right under this major exit sign. It was so easy to tell the AAA agent where we were located. Thank you ole girl!

Jared and I got to finish our ride home in Tow Truck style! Jared was excited about riding in the truck but once he got inside of the tow truck, he was a little nervous and wanted to ride in our truck. So did I baby boy, so did I. But, we both calmed down and settled in for our ride home with Mr. James.

We made it home! I hope she enjoyed her relaxing ride home. You can hold your head up high, girl! You served us well...

She rolls into her current resting place in front of our house...

I know that this is 'just a truck' but when something has been a part of your life for 11 years, there is a special bond and connection. I was surprisingly emotional when I realized that this was finally the breakdown from which we could not recover.

Over the years, she drove me to amazing destinations and drove me away from some pretty ugly ones. She was with me for the years when I was single and also carried me home from the hospital with three new babies. If she could talk, she can tell many many great stories and has heard so many laughs! She hung in there with me when I drove in excess (significant excess) of the posted speed limit and always saved me when there were some close calls. She delivered gifts to Foster children and carried us (filled to max capacity) safely across the US for the past three years. She is the truck the boys will know as their first and she became a part of my identity. Lastly, she kept her head held high even when wearing a license plate that earned her the nickname of "A Big Pig", ABP1G.

Today, Wes and I drove up to the house and he was convinced that she was fixed. I told him that she was still broken and he said "no, she is fixed; look how clean and shiny she is." He was then convinced that if he pushed her, she would be fine. When he got out of the car, he walked behind the truck and pushed hard with both arms before conceding, she was still broken. Yes baby, she is broken.

I learned to love this truck and I will miss you big girl! I am not sure where your final resting place will be but I am confident we will find someone willing to support organ donation. I am sure you have some parts that will help other trucks benefit from your determination.

You were our trusted stead!

Love ya,

Two Peas in a Pod

2011-08-19T21:37:00.000-04:00

Jared spent the past week with Grandma and on Thursday, I drove to Tampa to attend the first Bucs pre-season game and bring him home. I arrived to hear all about their very fun and busy week.

On Monday, they spent the afternoon with a visit from Pooka, Aunt Joan and Rebecca. Once their visit was over, Grandma and Jared headed over to Lakeland to have dinner with Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim. As they had visitors, Jared did not get his nap so on the drive to Uncle Lance's house, he fell asleep. Grandma had to wake him up when they arrived and this put him in a bad mood.... as it always does :-( Grandma said that he spent the entire dinner pouting on the couch and did not want to socialize (Sorry, Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim!). However, after dinner, Uncle Lance found the way to Jared's heart when he turned on their Kinect, bowling to be exact. Apparently, Jared perked right up and was ready to party! Jared l-o-v-e-s to play 'games on the TV.' He is also an expert virtual bowler.

I was back at home on this night and also perked right up when I saw Aunt Kim post this picture on facebook. The is Jared bowling a strike...

Here is some video of Jared showing off his bowling skills...

On Tuesday, their adventures continued as they met-up with Aunt Joan and Rebecca to see The Smurfs movie. In addition, they also had fun running some errands, taking care of one of Grandma's friends cat, Yoda, and just getting to know each other.

Jared is the most sensitive and the quietest of our crew. When they boys are all together, Jared is usually not clamoring for attention and it is hard to really get to know him in the group. These individual weeks with Grandma are probably the most beneficial for developing a relationship with Jared.

When I arrived on Thursday, we had to immediately get ready to go to the Bucs game once Jared woke up from his nap. However, on Friday morning, I had the honor if sitting back and observing the bond that had developed between Grandma and Jared. It brought a tear to my eye to see Jared finally opening up around Grandma and they were getting along like 'Two peas in a pod.' They had their own routines established such as how they get in and out of the garage. Jared would open the garage and Grandma would close it. It attempted to change this routine and I was quickly corrected by both Jared and Grandma. Jared was helping Grandma with her make-up and helping her get breakfast ready.

Once we had lunch on Friday, it was time to leave. Jared was not happy about having to leave Grandma's house. He flat out said he was 'not leaving.' He even started to take his shoes off. We he was convinced that he was leaving, he ran to give Grandma a hug. This was not your average hug. This was a full on bear hug with both arms wrapped tightly around Grandma and his body relaxed completely into Grandma. He gripped her tight and did not want to let go. Wow, what a hug! Jared finally got into the truck and cried for a while when we waved our final good-byes to Grandma as we drove away. Apparently, he had a good time :-)

As I mentioned, I also drove to Tampa to attend the first Bucs pre-season game against the New England Patriots. Here are the 'two peas in a pod' all ready to head to the game...

Big smooch for Grandma...
My turn for a picture with Jared...
The game was disappointing, to say the least. I don't want to talk too much about the game but Jared's face in this picture really says it all...
Good thing it is just pre-season! While the stadium emptied out due to the poor display by the Bucs and the rain, we stayed until almost the bitter end. Jared and Grandma are seen here showing off their die-hard spirit even in the rain...
While I miss each of the boys so much when they are spending time with Grandma, I love that each of them are having an opportunity to spend one on one time with Grandma.

Stay tuned for the adventures that follow this post! The terrible Bucs game was the beginning of a string of bad luck for the Darnell family.

Take care,

Mr. Joe Cool

2011-08-18T21:19:00.001-04:00

I was strongly encouraging Andrew and Wesley to go outside and play this morning. I wanted them to have some outside time before it got too hot. Wes finally listened and headed outside to play. He was out there for about 10 minutes and I decided to reward him with a lollipop. I walked outside and gave him the lollipop and returned inside to help Andrew who was cleaning up the play room. A few moments later, I returned to the living room and looked outside to see Wesley enjoying his lollipop.... like this...

I mean, seriously?!? Wes can even make eating a lollipop look cool!

Mommies and Daddies, lock up your little girls, this one has a 'playa' quality hard coded in his DNA.

Take care,

Bye-bye Baby J!

2011-08-14T22:49:00.005-04:00

Last year, each of the boys spent a week alone with Grandma. It was a great time for each of boys, great for Grandma and even great for the four of us remaining back at base camp. With football season starting up, it was time to schedule the boys' visits to Grandma.

Grandma arrived on Friday to spend the weekend with us and to take one of the boys home with her to start their week of one on one attention from Grandma! The biggest challenge that we had was deciding who was going to make the first trip to Grandma's house. We made our decision based on who is doing the best with staying dry at night. Once we made that decision, determining the first to go was simple.... Jared! Jared is our champ at night and earned the right to go with Grandma. This was a great reward for Jared and a great incentive for Andrew and Wes.

This morning, Jared and Grandma were ready to hit the road. Wes and Andrew helped me pack his back for the trip. When I asked Wes to get his George stuffed animal, I returned to the suitcase to find that Wes had packed all three Georges in the suitcase. Once Jared was all packed it was time to pass out hugs and kisses....

Jared giving a hug to Wessie Kitty...

Jared says good-bye to Andrew...
Big kisses for Daddy....
Jared and Grandma wave good-bye and are ready for the road...
When we opened the van door, Jared saw his seat and said "there's only one seat." I think this is when it hit him that he was really going this alone. But, he was very happy... two thumbs up!
Drive safely Grandma, very precious cargo...
And there they go... waving and blowing kisses as they drive away...
I heard from Grandma after they arrived safely at their destination. They stopped for lunch and had a great trip.

Have a lot of fun Jared and Grandma! I can't wait to see you both on Thursday and hear all about your week of fun adventures.

Take care,

So We Think We Can Dance!

2011-08-07T00:21:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite shows is So You Think You Can Dance! I DVR each show and watch some of my favorite routines when there is nothing on TV. The boys have joined in my enjoyment of this show. However, the boys do not just watch the show.... they dance along! It's fun to watch them attempt contemporary, ball room and bollywood routines. However, their favorite routines are the hip hop routines. One favorite from this season is "The Yellow One." They request this one and ask to do it over and over again.

Here is the Team Darnell interpretation of "The Yellow One."

So clearly, we think we can dance!!

Take care,

We Have Swimmers!

2011-07-30T15:23:00.001-04:00

The boys completed 2 weeks of official swim lessons but were still not 'swimming.' We decided to continue their lessons with Coach Christian. For the past two weeks, he has been doing private lessons with the boys one on one. The first week, he worked with Wesley and then Andrew during the second week. During Andrew's week, there were two cancellations due to rain so there was a make-up class on Saturday. I was happy about this because I was finally able to see one of the private lessons and see how the boys were progressing on their swimming.

Coach Christian is so great with the boys. He is cool, calm, laid back but authoritative at the same time. They are all responding so well and really enjoy their time with Coach Christian. It's also important to note that Coach Christian also likes working with the boys and seems to enjoy his time with them as much as the boys do. This fun combination is working!

The following is a little video from Andrew's session today.

A little more of the same thing...

Here is what it looks like from underwater....

I was amazed to see Andrew's progress. While the boys are having their individual sessions, the other two are practicing their skills and they are growing more and more confident and are actually swimming longer and longer distances. Jared has not had an opportunity to work with Coach Christian but has the most natural comfort in the water. Jared has very peaceful movements around the water and enjoys the quiet that comes from being still under the water. His movements are smooth and he almost too calm at times. My heart stopped a few times when I look up to see Jared completely still and floating face down in the water.

Here is some video of Wes and Jared practicing their cannonballs and then swimming to the stairs. Jared has even started diving head first into the water without any instruction!

The boys really loved showing off their skills and swimming to me then to the stairs then to me and then to the stairs... over and over again. They are turning into little fish...

This has been such a fun summer spending time at the pool with the boys! I can't believe we are already approaching August and the time when the pool hours start to decrease because of school. This is also our last August when we are not thinking about school preparation. The boys are going to have a busy fall even without any school to worry about. We are doing Gymnastics, Musikgarten (drop-off class, yay!) and SOCCER!!! I am very excited about our first team sporting adventure. We dropped off our registration forms yesterday and are crossing our fingers that we are on the same team with our buddy Cal.

I think this brings the blog up to date on our swimming progress. I am so proud of my little swimmers and how far they have come over this summer! Great job boys!

Take care,

Loosing control?

2011-06-30T16:58:00.004-04:00

This morning, I was heading out of the door on my way to work when I realized my purse was in the bedroom. I headed back into the house to retrieve my purse from the bedroom. As I was walking into the room, I was followed by two little ducklings.... Andrew and Wesley. Andrew snuck into the room before I closed the door but Wes was trapped on the outside. I was only going to be in the room for a second to grab my purse.

While in the room, Wes began yelling through the door "Andrew, open the door." He said it multiple times.

I looked at Andrew and told him that we would be leaving in a second and he should not open the door.

Then again, Wes yelled from the other side "Andrew, open the door." Andrew began to move towards the door and I reiterated by saying, "I said do not open that door."

Andrew's reply, in his oh so sweet and innocent way was... "but, Wessie said open the door."

I then asked Andrew, "If I tell you something and Wes tells you something different, who do you listen to?"

Andrew paused for a few seconds and I could tell he was thinking hard about the right answer. Then, he provided his response .... "Wes?"

Oh no my darling, I told Andrew that he always listens to Mommy or Daddy over Wes. Wesley is not in control of this house.... or is he???? Sigh....

Take care,

Herding CATS

2011-06-14T08:32:00.002-04:00

On many days, it feels like we are doing our best to herd cats when trying to get all three boys to move in the same direction. This morning, during 'Brush teeth, wash hands and face' time, it REALLY felt like we were herding cats...

The boys' are frequently imitating animals and cat seems to be the favorite animal of choice. Gotta love how Jared continued to Meow while his mouth was wet. This was too funny not to share!

Take care,

Cracking the 'Water' code!

2011-06-13T22:37:00.002-04:00

At dinner, we have started allowing the boys to prepare their own cup of ice and water. This is allowed if they choose water over milk for dinner. Tonight, Jared wanted a second cup of water but the water dispenser on the fridge was already locked. There are many reasons why we did not unlock the water and permit the second cup. However, all three of the boys got into the act of helping Jared crack the code and get to his water. The team of safe crackers were unsuccessful tonight but, the do not seem far from stumbling upon the method to unlock the water and ice.

Andrew spent the most time trying to get the water working. In the video, you will actually hear him recognize the letters W-A-T-E-R and confirm the button he is touching is water. However, still no luck! Maybe the water is just sleeping? I love how their little minds work...

Jared also tried to gently coax the water out of the fridge. In addition to spelling and confirming the water button, Jared also recognizes I-C-E as the ice button.

Wes applied minimal effort to this activity. He didn't want more water anyway....

Things are sure going to get messy when they figure out the secret. I enjoyed watching them work at solving this problem and their ability to limit their frustration when their efforts were not successful.

The action of pointing out letters and then running their finger across the word as if they were reading is something that is happening more and more. In these videos, they actually spelled and then announced the right word. However, most of the time, they are spelling accurately but not getting the word correct. A few funny examples....

I have a Dell computer. Yesterday, Andrew pointed to the letters, D-E-L-L and then ran his finger across the word as if reading and said "Mommy's Computer." Also yesterday, Jared pointed to the letters on his shirt that read Pro. He said, P-R-O and then read the word as "Shirt." On their bathroom stool, we have our last name, Darnell. Andrew read the letters, D-A-R-N-E-L-L and then read this as "Stool."

It won't be long...

Take care,

Rock 'N Roll A-B-Cs

2011-06-12T21:22:00.002-04:00

The boys know the A-B-C song in sung in traditional style. However, they also know the A-B-Cs in Rock 'N Roll style. Thanks Daddy!

Here is Andrew singing his 'Rock 'N Roll' A-B-Cs! Note - We realized tonight he was saying 'X' instead of 'S' and we corrected. You have to appreciate his desire to self-correct, even if he slightly missed the mark with 'F.'

Watch to the end to see the 'Rock 'N Roll' punctuation mark on the end of the song....

The 'Dad's Rock Star' jammies were perfect for tonight! Thank you Daddy!

Take care,

Swimming Lessons - Day 4

2011-06-09T22:08:00.000-04:00

Swimming lessons on day 4 started off with the boys wondering where was Coach Kayla. As our start time came and went, Coach Kayla was no where to be found. As there are two swim classes (beginners and advanced), the other instructor told us that he was willing to take over our class after he finished his own class. Our new instructor is Coach Christian. He was really great with the boys and the boys responded really well to him. He was more authoritative and directive with the boys. Here is our progress on Day 4....

Let's start with some kicking.....

Jared's swimming progress....

Andrew and Wesley's swimming progress...

Jared, Andrew and Wesley's floating practice...

Coach Christian also included jumping from the side wall...

The boys had a really great class. We look forward to more of the same!

The boys are also still enjoying their swim rings.

I really enjoy how the boys are interacting and coordinating their play very. The new game they organized today was to line up on the stairs and jump into the water...

WES' BIG JUMP....

Andrew takes a leap...

Last but not least, go J go...

Loving their rings...

The pictures may give an idea of what they are doing but nothing compares to a little video. Here is some above water video and under water video of the boys playing their new game...

Above water...

Under water...

Grandma was with us during the first week of swimming lessons. We truly appreciated Grandma being there so Daddy could become familiar with the swimming lesson routine with another set of hands to help. The greatest assistance Grandma provided was making the bathroom runs when the boys have to go to the bathroom. Sometimes, this is everyone at once and other times it's one at a time. Here is Grandma returning from a bathroom break with her little ducklings (our new Coach in white towel at life guard stand)...

Week 1 of swimming lessons is complete. The boys have made great progress over this week. I look forward to next week to see the continue to transition into swimmers!

Take care,

Swimming Lessons - Day 3

2011-06-08T07:13:00.000-04:00

On Day 3 of swimming lessons, the boys practiced the skills already learned, moved onto floating on their backs, started to learn the back stroke and played a game to dive and grab a submerged ring.

Warming up...

Practicing swimming skills - Andrew...

Practicing swimming skills - Jared...

Practicing swimming skills - Wesley...

Now, it was time to try it on our backs!

Andrew...

Jared...

Wesley...

The last activity of the day is attempting to grab a ring that Coach Kayla drops on the stairs. Percy and Zoe, our classmates, both are able to go under the water to grab the ring. The Darnell boys are monkeys that prefer to just grab the ring with their toes...

After class, Andrew and Zoe continued to practice getting the ring. Andrew tried and, as you can see in the video, REALLY wanted to go under and get the ring. There were several video clips of Andrew trying to go under and Daddy encouraging him to do it. I watched last night and was trying to will him under the water but it didn't happen. Very soon, very soon...

Another great day at swimming lessons boys!!! Keep up the great work!! I look forward to going to the pool with you guys this weekend so you can show me your new skills in person.

Take care,

Swimming Lessons - Day 2

2011-06-07T06:47:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of swimming lessons looked a lot like Day 1 as Coach Kayla directed the boys through a practice of the skills learned on day 1, blowing bubbles, ice cream scoop hands and flutter kicks. I was not able to experience Day 2 of swimming lessons first hand but Daddy video taped much of the lesson. So, it was just like I was there!

Warm up...

Practicing flutter kicks on land....

Practicing flutter kicks in the pool...

Individual practice on the stairs - Wesley...

Putting it all together - Jared and Andrew....

Coach Kayla with her little class (L-R - Jared, Wes, Andrew, Zoe and Percy)....

Andrew gives Coach Kayla a hug after class...

After class, the boys stayed to enjoy the pool. The boys had been using two pink rings in the 'community toys' to float around the pool on our last few visits. As the boys did so well on Day 1 of swim lessons, we got the boys their very own swim rings - Diego, Nemo and Sponge Bob. The boys could not wait to float around in their own rings.

While the boys were enjoying the pool, Daddy handed over the camera to the boys and they actually captured some good pictures. Here is Daddy and Jared (photographer - Andrew)...

Jared, Daddy and Wes (photographer Andrew)....

Just chillin....

Way to go boys! Mommy is so very proud of you! You are all so open and eager to learn, keep up the great work! I look forward to hearing about Day 3 when Coach Kayla begins to teach... floating!

Take care,

Swimming Lessons - Day 1

2011-06-06T22:37:00.008-04:00

Today was an exciting day! Our community pool offers swimming lessons to the neighborhood children starting at the age of 3. We signed the boys up for the first class and today was day 1 of swimming lessons. Grandma is visiting this week to help out with the boys at the pool since I will not be able to make each of the classes. However, I was able to make it to day 1 of the class.

The class stared with some stretching! Wes immediately jumped to the front of the class and participated (dark shots in front of class). Andrew stood a little further back in the group and spent most of the stretching time watching the other students (dark shorts on right side of picture below)....
Jared was a little resistant to joining the class. He stood back a little ways but eventually joined in on the stretching...

Once the stretching was complete, all of the students were given a quick 'swim test' to determine their current level so the class could be split into beginners and advanced swimmers.

Wes seen here about to start his swim test with Coach Kayla...

Our guys are in the beginners group with Coach Kayla. With swimming tests complete, it was time to start instruction...

Coach Kayla taught the children to move their arms with 'ice cream scoop' hands...

Once Coach Kayla would teach something new, she would spend some time with each of the children to practice the new skill. The boys waiting their turn....

An important 'Day 1' skill is, of course, blowing bubbles in the water. Our little guys love to blow bubbles so the group quickly advanced past this skill. Here is Andrew showing Coach Kayla his bubble blowing skills...

Jared's turn...

Coach Kayla taught the group that 'power comes from kicking' and taught the group to do flutter kicks. This must be a very powerful group because they were not shy about showing off their kicking skills....

Watch out Coach Kayla....

Yep, we can even kick this way...

Now it's time to start putting it all together. Jared spends some time with Coach Kayla...

Here is a little video of Jared's turn...

Andrew practicing on his own...

Here is video of Andrew's turn with Coach Kayla....

We were all so proud of the way the boys performed today in their first swimming lesson. The boys have 7 more sessions in this class. I will miss being there during class but I am confident that Daddy and Grandma will give me a full report on how the boys are doing. I am also confident that Daddy will continue to take pictures and video of the boys progress.

Good luck on Day 2 boys!!

Take care,

What do you want to be?

2011-06-04T22:17:00.000-04:00

When the boys are resistant to doing something, we will ask them... 'do you want to do it or do you want me to do it?' This is usually enough to get our little control freaks to jump up and 'do it myself.'

A couple months ago, the question of 'do you want to walk to bed on your own or do you want me to carry you' resulted in an answer of 'carry me.' So, I began carrying to bed. I thought this would be short lived. I actually enjoyed it because I am starting to realize the days of actually carrying the boys are quickly coming to an end. They usually want to walk everywhere and they are also getting heavy.

This carrying started as simple carrying and then morphed into 'carry me like an angry bird.' I wish I could remember who asked for it first but I don't. This caught on quickly and I was carrying everyone like angry birds to bed. This involved, simulating a pulling motion and then launching them towards their bedroom and landing in their beds. If you do not know what I am referring to when I mention 'Angry Birds,' click here. The boys love this game on their iPod.

The bed time 'Angry Bird' action continued for a while and then we introduced some variety. This has evolved into us all having creativity with the way in which we get the boys to bed. When it is bed time, the boys get to the end of the hallway and we ask 'What do you want to be?" The responses to this question are sometimes easy to comply with but others require Mommy and Daddy to stay on their creative toes.

Here are a few fun responses the boys have provided:

Angry Birds - Yellow, Red, Blue and White. All have their own style!

Fighter Jet

Wiggly Fighter Jet

Big TV

Outer Space

Rocket Ship

Diamond

Vacuum Cleaner

BIG BIG Beach Ball

Little Bouncy Ball

Daddy tried to influence Andrew's choice tonight so when I returned from putting a Rocket Ship to bed, Andrew responded to the question by saying, "Chef Salad!" What?!? He quickly changed his answer back to what he wanted which was Rocket Ship. This involves a group countdown to the rocket launch, arms pointed above head like a nose cone, wiggling of booty at 6 seconds to represent main engine start and then a rapid launch upon 3-2-1- LIFT OFF!

We never know what to expect these days when we ask our favorite question of the day, "What do you want to be?" The boys are so creative and I love it! It's a fun way to get them to their bedroom each night.

I will be sure to update this post if some additional creative bedtime approaches are identified by the boys.

Take care,

Ending Memorial Day with McQueen!

2011-05-31T23:32:00.001-04:00

The boys have been fans of Lightning McQueen for a little over a year now. For tonight's movie selection, the boys requested Cars. The following video shows how they choose to watch the opening scene of the movie. It is hard to hear the music that is playing in the background. However, if you choose to watch, hang in there until 1:25 for the big payoff.

I am not sure our couch is going to survive another year! To gain a little perspective on how much these little people can grow in a year, click here to see the boys in a similar video from May 10, 2010. What a difference a year makes!

Take care,

It's Pool Time! - 2011

2011-05-29T16:00:00.008-04:00

The community pool has been open for a few weeks and we were quick to begin enjoying some time in the water. The first weekend the pool was open was Mothers' day weekend. We spent some time on Mother's day at the pool. While it was starting to warm up, the water was C-O-L-D. We still managed to enjoy our time at the pool. Over the past couple weeks, the water has been getting warmer and warmer.

Last weekend, we met up with the boys' good buddy Cal and his wonderful parents, Ms. Katrina and Mr. Jayson. The boys all had a good time splashing around on the stairs...

Today, we spent our morning at the pool again. The boys are getting more and more comfortable in the water. This is great because they do not 'fear' the water but this is also a bad thing because they still do not know how to swim. We have resisted putting them in water wings or any flotation device because we want the boys to 'know' they can not swim. So, the boys hang out mostly on the stairs unless Mommy or Daddy are guiding them around the pool.

Today, the boys brought their own water guns to the pool and we brought Daddy's water camera to the pool. We were able to get some really fun pictures in the water today.

Wes and Andrew face off in a gun battle...

Jared aims at Mommy! Good thing the camera is waterproof...

The best thing about the waterproof camera is being able to get some underwater pictures...

The feet below belong to (L-R) Andrew, Wes and Jared... size 11 feet...

As mentioned earlier, the boys do not 'fear' the water but still realize they can not swim. Today, the boys spent some time leaping to us from the side of the pool. Wes had the most confidence....

I was always there to catch him...

Andrew's jumps were a little more cautious...

Last year, we started teaching the boys to 'go under' the water. We would count to three and then dunk them under the water. This year, they are asking more and more to 'go under.' Today, Jared was our little fish and wanted to be under the water... a lot. Jared was going under and Wes was kind enough to run over to the bag and grab his goggles for him. Jared wore his goggles the rest of the morning. Here is our little fishy...

Here is Wes with a little underwater time...

Andrew is a pro at 'go under' and he was even giving instructions to Wesley before it was his turn. His instructions involved holding your breath and scrunching up your face when Mommy reaches 3. Here is Andrew showing off his 'go under' skills...

The boys are also getting taller and taller. Now that they are around 40 inches tall, they have discovered that they can touch the bottom of the pool below the bottom step. They touch with their tippy tippy toes and their face is barely above the water. Jared walked several laps today walking back and forth along the stair-line...

This is a picture of Jared's tippy tippy toes as he walks the pool...

A picture of our 'cool dudes' as we were leaving the pool today. Stay back ladies...

We all had a great time at the pool today. The boys start their swimming lessons on Monday June 6th. I hope the confidence they demonstrate while with us will allow them to quickly pick up the skills they need to become official swimmers. While I look forward to boys learning how to swim, I am sure I will miss the days of hanging out on the stairs.

I am sure this summer will involve a lot of time at the pool to practice!

Take care,

Dancin' Dancin'!

2011-05-17T00:15:00.007-04:00

After our big visit to the dentist today, we took the boys to the park to reward their wonderful behavior. The following is a little video from the park. They boys love this machine. Most of the time, they are pushing the buttons as they light up. However, this feature is just music for them to dance and dance they did.... well, at least Jared and Andrew were dancing.

Shake your booty boys....

I sure do love these boys!

Take care,

First Trip to the Dentist

2011-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Smile! It's time for our first smile inspection. Today was the day for our first trip to visit Dr. Shepherd, our dentist. I had tried to make an appointment after the boys turned 2. The dentist office recommended waiting until the boys were closer to 3. I was nervous about this first visit so I was happy to hear they requested a delay. Now that the boys are 3, we could wait no longer.

A co-worker of mine recommended Dr. Shepherd who is a pediatric dentist in town. She raved on how kind and warm both he and his staff are to children. She also told me how much fun his office was for children. So, while nervous about the actual time in the chair, I was encouraged that the trip would be fun for the boys.

We arrived at the dentist office and the boys immediately ran to start playing in the play area. The waiting room had a touch screen computer game, a two story playhouse and a large fish tank. It was no surprise that the boys loved playing the computer game...

They also enjoyed hanging out in the playhouse... "Hello, Andrew!"

Then, our play time came to an end when they called our name. We had talked a lot about our first trip to the dentist for a while. We had practiced 'counting teeth' many times which involved having the boys lay down, open their mouths and I would touch and count their teeth. For the several days preceding our visit, I also had the boys brush a little bit longer because they wanted to show off beautiful teeth when they went to the dentist. With all of this, the boys were actually excited about their visit... or at least I hoped they were.

When they called our name, the boys willingly walked back. Here we go...As soon as we walked back, Wes said he had to go potty. A clear delay tactic but I was not taking the risk. So while I took Wes to the potty, Andrew and Jared got settled in for their first cleaning.

The hygienists were wonderful with the boys. They gave them each an orientation to everything they were going to use during the cleaning and the exam. The boys were able to ask any questions and in general, get comfortable with what was about to happen.

Andrew's orientation...
Jared's orientation...
Once the questions were over, it was time to lay down. The boys were so mature and trusting. They each allowed the hygienist to clean, floss and check their teeth.

Andrew waiting for his exam to begin...

Andrew's cleaning...

Jared's cleaning. Jared was able to hold a mirror in his hand so he could watch what she was doing...
Then it was Wes' turn. His start was delayed due to the last minute potty stop. When we entered the room, Andrew and Jared were well into their exam. Wes' experience followed the same pattern. He received his orientation but did not want to sit in the chair. After learning about all of the equipment, he was willing to sit in the chair but did not want to lay back. We was not freaking out but when instructed to lay back, he would simply say "no." The following picture shows how far he was willing to lay back....

I started to think we may have success with 2 out of 3 Darnells. Since his brothers were doing so well, I took him over to the other side of the room to see them. Wes saw Jared's mirror and he said he wanted one. We returned to his chair and this time he was willing to sit back... if he had a mirror to watch. Ask and ye shall receive! Once he had his mirror (and the comfort from seeing his brothers), Wes was good to go...
I was so proud to see the boys doing so well at their first visit...
After the boys finished their cleanings, they each got stickers, a balloon and were able to play some more computer games...
After a few minutes of play, the boys had to climb back into their chairs for the official check-up with Dr. Shepherd.
All three boys were given a clean bill of dental health! No cavities! Yeah! Our first visit was a great success. The boys had fun and hopefully will always think of a trip to the dentist as an enjoyable experience. Dr. Shepherd was kind enough to take a picture with the boys...

I am so proud of our little guys! They are growing up so fast and growing into very nice little boys.

Take care,

Our Birthday Dome Climber!

2011-05-08T21:25:00.013-04:00

In early February, we selected the boys' 'big gift' for their birthday. We decided to get them a Dome Climber. We ordered it and after many delays, we finally received our Dome Climber!

The boys were excited to see all the pieces and were not quite sure what had arrived. They only knew it was their birthday gift and they were thankful. Most of all, they were anxious to see it all put together.

Daddy started putting together the dome climber one evening.
The boys were watching Daddy and continued chanting "Build it Daddy!" In this picture, you can see that Andrew (far right) was jumping up and down; caught in this picture in the air.
After evening #1, Daddy had the bottom level put together. The dome is starting to take shape!
On Day 2, Daddy enlisted the help of three little helpers to complete the dome. While they may have not been very helpful, Daddy was able to get the entire dome put together, except 8 missing nuts. At the end of the evening, Daddy had to run to the hardware store to get the missing nuts and the boys had to wait one more day before enjoying their present.

On Saturday morning, the time had come. After breakfast, the boys raced out of the door and quickly started climbing their new Dome Climber...
The were able to get up to the first level and then did not have the courage to climb much further.
All day, the boys were calling themselves 'Super Strong Andrew,' 'Super Strong Jared,' and 'Super Strong Wessie' as they were climbing. They were very proud of their ability to climb...
Since they only had the initial courage to climb one level, they challenged themselves by walking around the full circle on that first level....
Happy Birthday Boys!
Making their way around the circle...
After dinner, the boys again went outside to play and on this trip, they had a lot more courage. Wes was the first to climb all the way to the top. Andrew was quick to follow...
They also discovered the joy of climbing on the inside as seen with Andrew in this picture. Here is Andrew's concerned face...
Same position with Andrew's surprised face...
And now we have Andrew's cheese face...
Jared was most comfortable climbing around the lower level...
Once Wes got all the way to the top, he preferred to get down by pushing his body up on the bar...
And then dropping down...
Yep, my heart skipped a beat with the first few drops but then he consistently did this without any issues. He was so proud climbing all the way to the top...
Wes reaching the peak (5.5 feet high). The dome climber is also 12 feet in diameter.

Here is a little video of the boys enjoying their new dome climber. You can see Wes repeatedly climbing up and dropping, Jared hanging out on the bottom and Andrew in between the two approaches.

The boys enjoyed their first day with their new dome climber. I hope they continue to have fun with this for many years to come. They enjoy playing outside so much and we want to do everything possible to continue to encourage it!

Happy 3rd Birthday Andrew, Jared and Wes!

Take care,

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-10T22:31:00.006-04:00

We had a wonderful day with the boys today! We took the boys to see the movie Hop in preparation for our visit with the Easter Bunny. After the movie, we headed over to see the 'real' Easter Bunny. The boys were so excited and had already decided where they were going to sit well before we arrived at the bunny. Andrew was going to be on his lap, Wesley was going to sit on the side and Jared was going to sit on the 'other side' (just like last year).

As we arrived at the bunny, they were excited in line and then it was our turn. Andrew rushed over to the Easter Bunny, gave him a high five and willingly sat on his lap. Jared and Wes were no longer excited about seeing the Easter Bunny. We were lucky that there was no line behind us because it took the boys about 5-10 minutes to warm up to the Bunny. After some negotiations which resulted in Jared being promised that he could play with 'Mommy's phone' and Wes being promised cake (I don't know where I got that idea but it worked), they were willing to sit with the Bunny... and, we got a great photo! Andrew was so patient and he sat for the entire duration of the negotiations on the lap of the Easter Bunny. Then, he ends up having his tongue sticking out in the best photo, go figure.

After the Easter Bunny, we took the boys out to lunch at the Village Inn. After lunch, they were able to have some pie, which was Wes' cake reward. Once we returned home, it was too late for nap. We skipped nap and relaxed watching some TV. This lasted a short time before the boys could no longer resist the temptation of the backyard and the kiddie pool still filled with water from yesterday. So, with very little rest, we headed outside to splash about in the pool. The boys had a great day but were very tired by the end of the day. Andrew didn't eat his dinner and half way through dinner, he asked to go to bed. Daddy took him to bed and he stayed. The other guys watched some of Cars, the movie and then headed off to bed. It was a long day but a fun day!

We are looking forward to our 3rd birthday on Tuesday and our party on Saturday.

Take care,

Yo Ho Yo Ho a Pirates Life for Me!!

2010-12-31T23:10:00.002-05:00

The other day we were sitting at the table and the boys started singing. I had no idea what they were singing and then I realized what it was. They were signing "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me." The boys were not able to experience Pirates of the Caribbean when we were at Disney. So, the only place they have heard this song is at the Bucs games.

On this day, we were drawing on the chalkboard and I took some video to show their bouncing and drawing style. The impromptu song was a surprise but I love my little pirates. Aaarrrrgghh!

Take care,

Christmas Eve - 2010

2010-12-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

The longest day in recorded history is coming it's best part! It's Christmas Eve, it's Christmas Eve, it's Christmas Eve! In our family, Christmas Eve is a night to gather as a family, enjoy Chicken and Chili and complete our family gift exchange.

When we were putting the boys down for nap, we told them that they needed to go to sleep because when they woke up, we would be closer to opening up presents. Well, Wes took this to heart. When he woke he immediately let out a cry so we knew he was awake. I went into the room to get him so he would not wake his partners in crime. He came out of the room and was as happy as he could be. He stood up at the top of the stairs and immediately said "open, presents." As soon as I said that we had to wait until everyone arrived, he fell to his knees and cried.... more waiting?!?! Nooooooo........ I was able to convince him to hang out with Grandma for a little while. They watched some Oprah in her room and he laid down to get some more rest.

Once everyone was awake, it was time to get dressed and wait for the guests to arrive. Here is our best attempt at a family photo. Everyone is looking at the camera except Mommy. That's funny. I am also not sure why we stand in front of the tree since we almost completely cover the entire tree.
The best group picture of the boys. They were very excited. This excitement created two over cheesers and one upset fella. Jared did not get his full nap and remained a bit off balance the remainder of the evening.

Andrew was in love with the camera on Christmas Eve and the camera loved him.... "Where is everyone? I am ready to open these gifts!"....

Another great shot of Andrew that I could not resist posting. Note Wes in the background trying to break into some presents a bit early. He could not resist! It's almost time Wessie, hang in there!

As stated previously, Jared was a bit off balance because he did not get his full nap. Love this face...

Jared, taking after his father, has become our clean freak. He loves to clean things. He will insist that something be washed if it gets dirty by saying "wash it Mommy, wash it." In this picture, he had a diaper wipe and was cleaning the presents.,..

The boys love visiting Grandma because they usually get whatever they want. They particularly love drinking whatever Grandma is drinking; coffee, diet coke, water, it doesn't matter. They just want "drink, drink, drink." Grandma is always willing to oblige...

The boys love their Aunt Kim. Wes and Aunt Kim...

Aunt Kim and Andrew....

It's TIME, it's TIME, it's TIME!! The waiting is over, we can finally exchange gifts! Before the boys settle in to open the presents with their names on them, they needed to hand out all of the gifts they brought. I felt it was important for the boys to understand the joy of giving gifts in addition to receiving them. Prior to Christmas, Daddy and I took the boys to do their Christmas shopping. We took the boys to the Dollar Tree so they could shop with freedom and independence. We would tell the boys who to shop for, position them in an area that had items the recipient may like and told them to shop. Whatever they selected was what was selected... yep, whatever! The boys had fun and actually make some good selections. Some people ended up with duplicate items because two of the boys picked the same thing for someone but you can't have enough of a good thing!

Before the boys could open up their gifts, they had to hand out all of the gifts they brought for everyone. They had a really good time giving out the gifts. Andrew's gift for Grandma...

Wes' gift to Uncle Lance...

Jared's gift for Grandma...

I also need to take a moment and explain why Jared's shirt is untucked above. Before we started to open presents, Grandma said 'where's Jared.' I looked all over and started to panic because I could not find him. Then, I heard the water running. I opened the door to the bathroom to find Jared "washing hands" with the assistance of a cup from dinner. Let's just say he used plenty of water!

Back to giving out gifts! All the boys give Aunt Kim her gift from the Darnell family (gifts not purchased at the Dollar Tree)...

Well boys, you have waited all day and handed out your gifts, it is finally your turn. Let's go!

Andrew opens a SpongeBob Memory game...

The boys were so excited with pure innocence and amazement at each and every gift. No matter what they opened, they were over the moon with excitement. It was a true joy to experience. Wes opens a Stomp game from Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim...

Andrew opens a Mickey Mouse reader from Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim...

Wes meets his new Grinch. Each of the boys received a Grinch and the Grinch book from Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim (they sure know how to spoil the boys!)...

New remote control trucks...

BUZZ....

WOODY...

And while she is not pictured here, the boys also received Jessie to complete their trio! I was worried about whether they would like her so we kept pushing Jessie in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Andrew opens up our new Big Boy bedding from Nana and Pop-pi.... LOVE IT...

Even though the boys are growing up very very fast, they are not too old to enjoy the Christmas boxes...

Careful Wessie....

WOAH...

Jared hangs out with Aunt Jeanie...

And tests out Buzz Lightyear's karate chop action...

Wes playing with our new personalized stool from Grandma. It says "Darnell" and has cut-out puzzle pieces...

The boys, especially Andrew, loved watching Zack play with his new remote control car (from us). Zack took it outside and the boys were chasing it around the driveway. The boys had a blast! After all the presents were unwrapped and we played with them, the night was coming to an end. When everyone was preparing to leave, Andrew was very unhappy because he did not want anyone to leave....

We made out pretty well on Christmas Eve...

Grinches - Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim

Stomp Game - Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim

Mickey Mouse Reader - Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim

Tommy H Shirts - Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim

Soothing Lamb - Aunt Laurie

Pajamas - Aunt Pam & Zack

Stool - Grandma

Toy Story Backpacks - Grandma

Big Boy Bedding - Nana & Pop-pi

Monsters Inc Movie - Pooka

Memory Game & Chutes and Ladders - Mommy & Daddy

Remote Control Trucks - Mommy & Daddy

Blankets - Mommy & Daddy

Toy Story Toys - Mommy and Daddy

The boys did OK!!

After having such a great time and receiving so much on Christmas Eve, it was hard to focus the boys on settling down to go to sleep. Leading up to Christmas, they equated Santa with presents. Since they received so many presents already, they did not care very much about getting in bed so they could receive more. We involved the boys in hanging up their stockings above the fireplace so Santa would know where to find them. One last picture and then off to bed...

Once the boys were sound asleep, Santa was free to arrive and fill up those stockings...

And leave some additional presents for the Darnell boys...

Their names must have found their way to the "Nice" list!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with everyone. The boys enjoyed visiting with family, giving gifts and receiving. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Eve.

Take care,

Christmas Eve Day - 2010

2010-12-24T15:24:00.002-05:00

Christmas is finally here! This holiday season has been an exciting one with the boys. This is our third Christmas as a family but this is the first Christmas in which the boys joined in on the excitement that comes with the holiday season. The boys know about Santa Claus and were excited about Christmas coming. Their wish lists this year were short and I am confident we were able to fulfill every wish. When we ask the boys what they wanted for Christmas, their reply was either "presents" or "toys." I think we have that covered!

To help build the excitement, on Thanksgiving, our family was joined by our very own scout elf. A scout elf is works directly for Santa Claus and joins a family during the holiday season to keep an eye on all the girls and boys. The scout elf returns home to the North Pole each night and reports his observations directly to Santa. This helps Santa make a decision about who belongs on the "Naughty or Nice" list. Each night, the scout elf returns and finds a new spot in the house to 'observe' every one's behavior for the day.

When the elf first joins a family, the family is charged with naming the elf. After Thanksgiving, we met our elf for the first time. The boys' suggestions for our elf's name were either "Santa" or "Presents." Hmmmm, clearly they understand the 'true' meaning of Christmas already. Until we found the right name, we called him "Mr. Elf." On Thanksgiving, the Florida State Seminoles defeated the University of Florida Gators quite convincingly, yay! This inspired us to name our family elf, NOLIE! Pronounced - Semi-"NOLIE."

The boys enjoyed finding Nolie each morning and saying goodnight to Nolie. Nolie was able to discover a new spot in the house each night. It's a good thing that Nolie is not allergic to dust because some of the high shelves (top of cabinets, top of entertainment center, etc) do not get a lot of visitors or attention. Nolie also helped keep Santa informed about our Christmas destination. When we left for Grandma's house, we were worried that we would not see Nolie again. However, when we arrived, we noticed that Nolie had already arrived. Nolie was able to report our Christmas location to Santa so he would know where to deliver the gifts for the boys... if they ended up on the Nice list... hmmmmm?!?

Christmas Eve became the longest day ever recorded in Darnell boys history. We did not bring any toys with us as we knew they would be leaving with a couple (ha). Now that the boys understand they get presents on Christmas and they knew those beautifully wrapped packages were presents, in their little minds, every box under the tree was for them! Christmas Eve day was a day filled with temptations. They only unwrapped a few gifts and the gift bags were extremely vulnerable. We tried to keep the boys distracted with some activities.

First, we let the boys pick a movie from Grandma's movie collection. Their selection, The Jungle Book. This is the scene on Christmas Eve day of the boys watching their movie....

The movie distracted the boys for a little while but those gifts must have been screaming their names! They wanted to open those presents all day but we just kept telling them to be patient. Poor guys!

During the movie, Daddy made some cookies. After the movie, we all joined Daddy in the kitchen to decorate the cookies. We had some decorating supplies left over from my company Christmas party so we had plenty of icing and sprinkles to make some Christmas cookies for the Christmas Eve celebration.

The boys did a good job at decorating. Daddy and I would apply the primary icing and the boys would apply the details. We had a great time! Andrew...

Jared and Mommy...

The sprinkles.... oh, the sprinkles! We had about a 50% success rate at getting the sprinkles on the cookies. About 50% ended up on the cookies and 50% ended up on the floor....

Mommy and the boys...

Unlike the sprinkles, we were pretty good at getting the icing onto the cookies. However, we were not at 100%. Come on, you didn't really expect 2 year olds to decorate cookies without tasting the supplies...

Andrew approves! While, this behavior is expected from toddlers, you would think that an adult would be more responsible. Nope, the boys learn this behavior from their father; almost caught in the act...

Andrew was certainly not alone in his quality control activities. Jared also joined in on the act...

Silly Jared, sprinkles too???

Wes joins in on the fun...

I love this face! "Huh, what, no, not me, I didn't, I mean, Do you think I would... ok, I can explain?"

Grandma was at the store during our cookie decorating activity. This is a good thing because this was a MESSY activity! The sprinkles were everywhere. Near the end of our good time, the boys were not even trying to get the sprinkles on the cookies...

We thought the cookie supply would never end but we made it through all of the cookies. As you can see in these pictures, Andrew felt it was important to also taste test the final product...

Jared, our little perfectionist, tried to organize the cookies so we could fit at least one more on there...

Some of the finished products...

Some more...

Once we finished the final cookie, Daddy and I decided to divide and conquer. He took the boys straight to the bath tub and I went to work on cleaning the kitchen. My hopes of cleaning the kitchen (and the 1,000,000 sprinkles) before Grandma arrived home from the store where dashed when she arrived home. She remained calm but immediately stepped in to help me clean the kitchen. I hope Grandma remains in good spirits about the mess when she is still finding sprinkles in her kitchen next Thanksgiving.

We had a fun, exciting, frustrating but most importantly memorable time decorating cookies with the boys on Christmas Eve. We served these cookies to the Christmas Eve guests. We informed all of the guests that these were prepared by three 2 year olds; so, eat at your own risk! They were a big hit and there was only about three left at the end of the evening. Daddy said it best when he commented "there is not a cookie in the bunch that is not covered in the boys' DNA." I hope any of the guests that see the 'behind the scenes' photos in this post are still comfortable with their decision to eat these cookies.

After their baths, the boys went up to take their naps. It was finally time for a little relaxation before the real Christmas Eve celebration begins.

Take care,

Our Christmas Morning - 2010

2010-12-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

It must be Christmas morning because the Darnell family are wearing their matching pajamas...
In 2008, I was surprised when Daddy agreed to wear matching pajamas on Christmas morning. And now here we are in 2010! We have reached our third Christmas morning in Christmas pajamas, I actually think Daddy is starting to enjoy our tradition even though he may not admit it. Click here to see the 2008 photo. Click here to see the 2009 photo.

After we took our Christmas morning photo, the boys headed over to check out their stockings...

The boys were so excited to see everything. Wes discovered a book in his stocking was caught here saying "ooohhh, a booooook!" He was thrilled with everything...

This picture may have not captured his excitement, the boys were excited about their new socks (in Wes' hand) found in their stockings...

Santa must also think the boys are ready to graduate to Big Boy status because he left real big boy underwear for all of the boys...

"Right on Time" I guess this means we need to determine the 'right time' to actually give the new underwear a try. GULP...

Andrew loved his new Buzz Lightyear hat...

We can't forget the best part of the stockings.... the candy... The boys started opening their presents to find some new bath loofahs; Toy Story, Sponge Bob and Cars...

The boys then moved onto their other gifts from Santa.... Kung Zhu pets...

Along with the Kung Zhu pets, the boys also received the Battle Arena and some other accessories. Daddy and his helpers started putting everything together...

Wes - "Daddy do you need the instructions?"

The boys also received another 'Grandma book' on Christmas morning. Last Christmas, the boys received "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" that was narrated by Grandma. They love this book and went through a phase in which they demanded it every night for several months. The new book is "Frosty the Snowman." Jared seen below 'reading' Grandma's book...

Well, that's it! All of the excitement leading up to Christmas was amazing to experience with the boys. They were overwhelmed with all of the gifts from family and Santa. Apparently Wes wanted some more because he wanted to hang his stocking back up for some more presents...

Once we had opened all our presents, we started watching Monsters, Inc that Pooka gave to us. By the end of the Christmas weekend, we had watched Monsters, Inc probably 5 times. However, there is nothing better than cuddling up with the boys to watch a movie, even if we have already seen it 1,000 times. Seriously, can you beat this... Christmas morning is complete. The next event on the list is Christmas dinner with family at Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim's house.

Merry Christmas from the Darnell Family!

Take care,

Jingle Bells!

2010-12-22T22:50:00.002-05:00

The boys are really enjoying this holiday season. They have even embraced the Christmas spirit by singing Christmas carols. Their favorite song is Jingle Bells. If we listen to Christmas music they are constantly requesting Jingle Bells. They have even learned the words. Here are the Darnell boys with their 'bouncing' rendition of Jingle Bells. Listen closely and you may actually hear all the words...

Merry Christmas from our little family to yours!

Take care,

Jared's Car Detailing!

2010-12-21T22:56:00.001-05:00

Jared is getting ready to open his new business! The boys are always excited when they get their hands on one of the diaper wipes. They will grab it, run and wash windows, tables or the walls. On this morning, Jared focused his energy on cleaning his trucks. He spent about 20 minutes (if not more) cleaning these trucks. He was so focused and precise! He is such a perfectionist, more evidence that he is a carbon copy of his DADDY!!! It is important to note that Wes and Andrew were bouncing around behind the camera while I was filming this. Jared is usually the calm in our little storm!

Take care,

Our First Graduation Day!

2010-12-13T23:08:00.001-05:00

In January of this year, we took Jared for a communication evaluation that changed our world as the words "Autism Spectrum Disorder" were used to describe Jared's speech delay. A very close friend helped us connect to Mary Pellegrino. Ms. Mary confirmed that Jared had a significant delay in his expressive language but did not have any concerns regarding Autism. She recommended Jared begin speech sessions 2x per week. On February 1 of this year, Jared started his speech 'classes.'

Daddy has been feeling under the weather for a few days. On Monday, he called in sick! That means that Mommy gets to call in sick to work and stay home with the boys. Monday is a very busy day for the boys as Jared has speech in the morning and then the boys have Musikgarten class at 12:10pm. When Daddy told me that I needed to stay home, he asked me if he should call and cancel Jared's speech. Huh? I told Daddy, even though I am a substitute parent for the day, I was able to follow the curriculum.

Our first stop of the day was speech class. I managed to get everyone to the speech appointment on time. The boys have collectively enjoyed going to speech for some time. The sessions initially focused on Jared only. Once Jared began to blossom, his sessions included one of his brothers. This was to help build Jared's confidence and improve his ability to assert himself with his highly dominant and assertive brothers.

When we arrived, the boys saw Ms. Ashley, Jared's 'teacher' in the waiting room. Ms. Ashley informed me that she would not be with the boys today as I was going to meet with Ms. Mary to review Jared's recent testing. When Ms. Mary came out, she brought all of us back to her office. She immediately handed me his evaluation and told me that Jared has surpassed all of the goals they had for him and she was going to recommend a follow-up evaluation in 6 months. It took me a second to realize that she had just informed me that Jared was being discharged.

I had to catch my breath as my mind flashed back to just over 10 months ago when I sat with her in the same office thinking that my child was going to struggle with Autism. Now, I sit here with an evaluation in hand that shows his expressive language scoring at the age equivalent of 3 years and 3 months when he was evaluated at 2 years and 6 months. In January, is expressive language was 10 months when he was 21 months old. It is amazing at how far he has come in such a short period of time!

As this meeting came as a surprise, I am so happy that I was there with him on this day! It was GRADUATION DAY! After I regained my composure, we talked about all the boys and how wonderful they are.... I must agree! Ms. Mary gave all of the boys books before we left and I was able to take a picture of the boys with Ms. Mary.

Jared saw a few different 'teachers' at Ms. Mary's during his time with her. His primary 'teachers' were Ms. Cara and Ms. Ashley. Ms. Cara was his first teacher and the one that he initially warmed up too and started to talk. When she took another job, he transitioned to Ms. Ashley. As all the boys started participating in the sessions with Ms. Ashley, they all knew and enjoyed playing with Ms. Ashley. Here are the boys with Ms. Ashely...

After receiving such good news, I decided we needed to CELEBRATE! Daddy was home sick so I was on my own to celebrate. Instead of heading home for breakfast, I decided to take the boys out to breakfast..... in a restaurant.... by MYSELF!!
We had breakfast at the Village Inn. We attracted a lot of attention but had a very pleasant breakfast. The boys were on their best behavior and we enjoyed our time together. I am sure that Daddy also enjoyed resting at home with the house nice and quiet. The big treat for my graduate was a nice mug of Hot Chocolate!

I am so thankful that we were able to get Jared the help to find his words when he was very young. He enjoyed his speech 'classes' and had a lot of fun over the past 10 months. He never felt pressured and was so young that he enjoyed the one on one time without realizing what was really happening. We now have this phase of our life behind us. Jared is so smart and I am pleased that he is able to share his thoughts with us.

We love you Jared and are so very proud of you!

Happy Graduation!

Take care,

A Weekend of Christmas Fun!

2010-12-12T22:39:00.008-05:00

At work on Friday, a co-worker mentioned a Victorian Christmas event in Thomasville, GA. She mentioned some snow, Victoria Christmas Carolers, sidewalk vendors, street performers and horse drawn carriage rides. I immediately sent a message to Mike to see if he was up to taking the boys the 45 minute drive to Thomasville for this event. He has been feeling under the weather so I was not expecting a positive response. However, he responded 'sure.' So, it was on, we were going!

We loaded up the crew and started our 45 minute drive. It turned into 1.5 hour drive as we encountered rush hour traffic on the north side of town. However, we kept driving!

We arrived and the first thing we saw was the snow! The boys were in awe of the snow.... We stood and watched the kids play in the snow for a while. What sounded like a really neat idea did not turn out to be as wonderful as I thought. The snow was all packed into an ice mound, the 'kids' in the snow area were engaged in a really rough snowball fight and the kids in the snow area were getting all wet. Since it was in the low 40s, we decided getting wet was not a good idea. So, we watched! The boys enjoyed catching parts of snow (ice) balls and throwing back into the 'kiddie' area....

We ate dinner (at Subway) and then walked the street. It was crowded and there were not as many performers as I had expected. However, the evening was saved when we made it all the way to the horse drawn carriage rides. We had to wait a while for our turn but once we made it onto the carriage, it was all worth it.

The boys waited patiently for most of our wait. There were a few escape attempts by Wesley but we made it onto the carriage with all three of the boys. No boys were lost while waiting!
We all loaded up into our carriage and bundled up in our blankets. Jared did not initially want to be covered with the blanket but once we started moving, he wanted some blanket. Daddy and Andrew...

Mommy, Wes and Jared (over cheesing!)....

We rode around a saw Christmas lights, waved to people on the street and had a wonderful time. Annie, our horse, was a good horse! She carried us well and the boys would tell Annie when she encountered a red or green light, what to do. They would also yell, 'Go Annie Go' to keep her moving. It's a good thing we had the boys with us or we may have just sat still! Once the ride was over, all the boys were able to pet Annie, our trusted steed....

We made the trip without our stroller and there was a lot of walking because we parked several blocks away from the event. The boys kept up with out complaint and were great little troopers. On the ride home, Wes and Andrew were out almost immediately. Jared stayed awake on the drive home asking for his favorite Christmas carols, Jingle Bells and Reindeer (as in Rudolph the Red Nosed).

On Sunday, we loaded up the boys for another Christmas adventure. We headed out after dinner to see the Christmas lights display at Dorothy B. Oven park. On this night, it was 40 degrees when we left the house and the temp was dropping. So, it is safe to say we were out in 30 degree weather. To keep warm, the boys had hot chocolate on drive to the park. Jared (over cheesing again!) and Andrew on the ride to the park enjoying their hot chocolate...

The park was lovely and had so many lights! In addition, there was an area with a sleigh and train which was perfect for taking pictures.

After a few pictures, the boys were ready (more than ready) to explore and discover all the lights. We stumbled upon one more photo moment with this swing. The boys are finally getting the hang of taking group pictures. We can tell them we want a picture and they will (sometimes) gather up and even smile while yelling in unison.... CHEEEEEEESSSSEEEEE! It's great!

This is a full picture of the area with the swing....

The lights at the park were beautiful and very festive. They had music playing and it was much more than I could have expected. The boys were so excited to see the Christmas lights so close. I can not really find the right words to explain how excited they were so I took some video. This is some video of the boys exploring the park....

As we were able to walk around the lights display, we had to say 'don't touch' quite a bit. However, we left the park without destroying any display and only saying 'don't touch' about 500 times. As I expected to say it near 1,000 times, I will call this evening a success.

To use one of the boys' favorite phrases, it is 'awesome and amazing' to experience the holidays through the eyes of the boys. I do not think I will ever look at Christmas lights without thinking back to their excitement from this evening.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Take care,

Christmas Tree Shopping - 2010

2010-12-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas!! The time has finally come in which we head out as a family and select that perfect Christmas tree to become part of our family. It was actually cold this year so we bundled up the boys and headed out to our local tree farm (or Home Depot).

Wes tried to be stylish by pushing his hat up over his ears. Little did he know it really made him look like our very own little Christmas elf...
The boys were excited to participate in selecting our Christmas tree. They had their very own special style for 'testing' out the tree quality...

Andrew preferred to lasso a tree...

Actually, all the boys were more interested in playing with all of the excess rope laying around. I should also point out that even Daddy had his head covered. Yep, it was cold! Really cold, not just 'Florida cold.' It was probably in the low 40s on this day, in early December... very rare...

The most important test the tree had to endure was to survive a battle with the boys. Andrew started this and then the other boys joined in quickly. Only the strongest tree will survive and come home with us! I think we found the winner...

Yep, that is the one! Here are the boys with our 2010 Christmas tree that they helped pick...

The fun did not end there! The boys had to supervise the tree through the out processing. First a little clean up for the trunk...

Then a fresh cut... ooooooohhhhh, a chainsaw...

Then, the tree was 'bagged' up for the trip home. The boys applaud the success...

Of course this item said, "Do not ride" but that did not stop our boys from exploring the joys of this people mover. I think this may be a new triplet stroller, eh?

We are done! The tree is secured to the truck and we are ready for our trip home. Look Daddy even mustered up a smile... this must have been a fun outing. Every time I see a tree on top of the truck, I will reflect on Christmas 2008 when the tree fell off the truck in the middle of traffic. Great family story!

Our big 'cheesers' had a great time!

It is so much fun to experience Christmas with the boys as they are starting to understand and also get excited about Christmas. While the boys are getting older, this Christmas tree will still reside in an area of the house that is protected from little hands. The tree may have been the strongest in the lot but I don't think there is a tree out there that would survive long term exposure to three 2.5 year old boys. Don't worry Christmas tree, we will protect you!

Take care,

Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus - 2010

2010-11-26T16:35:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it is this time of year again; however, it is. We celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Today, we loaded up and headed over to the Brandon Town Center to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The boys are finally starting to understand who Santa is and they were excited about an opportunity to meet him. This worried me a little bit because I thought they may be a little resistant to meet the great Santa in person.

We arrived and there was one family in front of us in line. The boys waited patiently and when it was our turn, they were in awe but did NOT got to go near Santa. We were very lucky that there was no other family in line because the boys had time to warm up to Santa and Mrs. Claus. With the assistance of time, candy canes and Ms. Kristen (Santa's Elf), we were able to become friends with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Andrew was comfortable sitting with Mrs. Claus but was still not in the mood to smile. Jared did not want to sit on their laps but was willing to stand in front.

Once we had the picture and the boys climbed down, everyone returned willingly to give Santa and Mrs. Claus hugs. Wes even managed to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas... "toys." I love easy to meet expectations. Santa also loved the boys' shirts which say "Dear Santa, I can explain..." Another Santa photo experience success! Thank you boys!

Click here to see the picture from 2009 which also links to the photo from 2008.
We are officially ready for the Holiday season!!

Take care,

Holiday Family Photos - 2010

2010-11-23T15:40:00.000-05:00

It's the holiday season and time for some updated family pictures with a wonderful photographer, Terri Smith. She is so amazing with the boys and I love the moments she is able to catch on film. Many of these pictures are included in our holiday cards this year. So, if you are on our distribution list, stop looking now or it will ruin the surprise. However, I could not wait to post. Here they boys are at 2 1/2 year old...
Andrew...

Jared...

Wesley...

Our 'little' family...

I could not decide which one of the following two pictures I liked better. The first one has the little boys all smiling but they are looking every which way but at the camera. The second picture has everyone looking at the camera but no smiles from the little boys; however, we caught a smile on Daddy... WINNER!

In April of this year, we took the boys 2 year old pictures and we got a great shot on this bench. It is amazing to see how much they have grown. It will not be long before the boys will not fit on this bench together anymore...

Then Terri lined the boys up to get some playful shots of them. I am so happy that she did this because I really believe she captured the boys' personalities so well. Here we are lined up at the starting line... On your marks, get set.... GO...

And they are off! Wesley (as always) jumps out to a quick lead, Andrew is second out of the gate and Jared thinks before he leaps...

Wesley is several paces down the track when Jared finally decides to join in on the action...

Wes can't wait for his brothers any longer! He drops hands and takes off... the clear winner!

We did this race a few times and the results were always the same, Wesley was a serious racer! I love the following photo as it shows off the boys so well. Andrew and Jared are having a ball and Wes is proud of his position as leader of the pack...

It is getting harder and harder to get everyone on one lap but we were still able to find some room...

We changed the boys for a more casual look and had some more fun...

Wes wanted to be 'hood up' but Jared had another plan...

LOVE THIS one because Jared and Andrew are well in the lead on this race because Wes was playing with his hood! Ha ha Wes, they gotcha' this time...

I love this one for many reasons.... so sweet how they are reaching for each other...

At the end of our day, we took one more family shot for good measure. We had brought the boys favorite lovies to help bring smiles to their faces. Wes' had his beloved teddy bear that he caught at Mardi Gras. Teddy bear joined us for this shot. Wes may try to fool everyone by acting tough but he is a softy!

There were many other great shots but we tried to scale it down to only our favorites. It was hard to choose. Thank you again Terri Smith for capturing our family so well.

Happy holidays everyone!

Take care,

Happy Birthday Aunt Kim!!

2010-11-08T22:46:00.003-05:00

The boys wanted to send a very special birthday wish to Aunt Kim! I actually think there is at least one full "Happy Birthday" song in this video...

Take care,

Jared's Last Night With Grandma

2010-10-24T06:51:00.003-04:00

Jared had a wonderful week with Grandma! On his last night, we had dinner at Chilli's. The "Balloon Man" visited our table and Jared received a T-Rex.

Note - This is my first "test" post from my phone. I am hopeful that being able to blog from my phone may help keep the blog updates coming!

Take care, Kellie

Grandma & Andrew Cut a Rug!

2010-09-06T22:15:00.003-04:00

We had a great Labor Day weekend with Grandma! Today, the boys, Grandma and I watched some 'So You Think You Can Dance' episodes. As you will see, Grandma and her favorite dance partner, Andrew, definitely think they can dance...

Take care,

Mouka and Murray

2010-07-15T20:44:00.003-04:00

For the past week, we have been dog sitting our dog sitter's dog...huh? Mouka is an older mixed-breed dog, and he got along great with our Boxer, Murray, and the boys. Most of the time he would sleep in my chair or bark at people through the window. Every once in a while, Mouka and Murray would mix it up. This was Mouka's last day with us, and I took some video of the two dogs having some fun!

Nap Time Howling

2010-07-02T13:07:00.003-04:00

Right before nap time, the boys decided to cling to the sides of their cribs. They would throw their heads back, and were either howling or mooing. They sure are funny little creatures!

Wes' Backflipping Fun!

2010-06-27T23:20:00.002-04:00

We really need to find a gym that can take three fun loving boys into a class. The boys love to climb, jump, roll and as you will see in this video... flip. Here is Wes having some fun before bed tonight. He started flipping off the couch. Then, he saw some video of his flip on the camera. He immediately ran over to the loveseat to improve his technique. After each flip, he would run to the camera to watch his performance. Then, he would go do it again and again and again. As Daddy said, life as the Director and the Star of the movie is exhausting!

Ollie Wallie's Fun Center

2010-06-26T21:49:00.000-04:00

Last week we learned about a new place that opened up very close to our house. Ollie Wallie's Fun Center is a place for children that is full of inflatable areas for the children to jump and bounce! We heard about it on Thursday and we decided to load up the boys and experience Ollie Wallie's on Saturday. We all had a blast! The boys were adventurous, fearless and thrilled to jump and jump and jump! When I say boys, I mean all four boys... Daddy included.

Here are some pictures from our morning...

When we arrived, we took the boys into the 'toddler' area that had a huge Dora and Diego bounce area. The toddler area was a fenced in area that has the Dora and Diego bounce area and other toys. The boys knew exactly what to do, we are highly skilled jumpers. Wes was jumping even before entering the bounce area...
Going in...

In the bouncy area, there was an inflatable car, boat, slides and just a large area to jump. The boys all enjoyed the slide which ended up being a 'warm-up' slide for the big one we would concur later...

Jared LOVED sliding! I am not sure I can express how much he enjoyed it. It was hard to get him to move on from this area because he kept wanting to slide. Little did he know what was in store...

Wes - chillin' in the boat...

Jared jumping...

Daddy joined the boys in the bounce area and had just as much fun as the little guys. Here is Daddy jumping with Andrew...

Daddy even took on the tiny slide in the toddler area...

Jared even enjoyed sliding Daddy-style...

Andrew enjoyed jumping in the bounce area and enjoyed jumping out of the entry way....

Ready, set, go.....

He sticks the landing...

As I mentioned previously, the toddler area had other toys to play with. Wes enjoyed playing with the riding ponies. He did not quite understand how to ride the pony but we used them like swords to battle... en guard...

Andrew spent some time showing off his mastery of the baby toys...

We had a lot of fun in the toddler area but decided to venture out to explore some of the bigger bounce areas...

Again, ALL the Darnell boys were enjoying themselves...

The next activity was an inflatable maze. The boys climbed into the maze and started off like champs.... At first, we thought they were going to make their way through on their own....

However, the boys got to the end of the first row and turned around to come back to the entrance...

So, Daddy joined them in the maze. Yes, I had to twist his arm to get him into the maze. I was standing outside of the maze and got excited to see Andrew emerge at the top of the first slide...

After Andrew, I saw Jared emerge...

Then, I see Daddy....

Where is Wessie??? That is the exact thought that I had. Then, I heard him! I turned to my left to see Wesley walking towards me and he was upset. Apparently, he did not need any assistance to get through the maze. He made it all the way to the exit and then when we got out, he did not see anyone he knew so we was a bit spooked. Poor Wesley!! Andrew, Jared and Daddy had fun in the maze and emerged with big smiles. Wes and I were there to great them at the exit...

There was a large slide at the end of the maze (bigger than what is pictured above). Since the boys did well with this slide, we did not stop them as they ran for the BIG SLIDE!!! I was a little nervous but up the boys went. They were slow going as they moved up the ladder. This was the part that made me the most nervous because as they were climbing, the older kids in the traffic jam were jumping and even started pushing past the boys to climb ahead of them....

However, slow and steady worked for our guys because they made it all the way to the top...

Without any hesitation, the boys pushed off the top of the slide to take the big plunge...

They were giggling the entire way and even thought they would take flight near the end of the fall, they LOVED this slide...

Jared could not be stopped! Immediately after climbing down from the slide, he said "again" and headed right back to the entrance. Up he goes...

Wesley went down the slide once and that was enough for him. Andrew did not immediately slide again but eventually would take a few more rides down the slide. Here are the boys watching Jared slide...

Weeeeee.......

Since Jared was the only one enjoying the big slide, we moved onto a smaller bounce house that had a smaller slide. Jared takes a ride on the smaller slide...

Andrew sliding...

Andrew, so proud...

The next bounce area was designed for battles. The outside showed two figures boxing on the platform and battling with sticks. Maybe when the boys are older, we have them settle arguments here...

We tried to divert their attention but apparently, the big slide was calling their name. Andrew and Jared both headed back for a few more rides...

Jared...

Andrew...

The boys absolutely loved sliding down this slide, especially Jared. Here is a little video. In the video, Andrew is first and then Jared. You can hear Jared giggling during his slide... even the part when he is flying through the air. Grandma and Nana, please sit down before watching and know that no grandchildren were harmed in the making of this video....

All the boys decided to take on the maze one more time. Wes decided he preferred to hang out with Mommy during this trip through the maze. Jared emerged safely...

Then Andrew...

And last but not least, their fearless leader...

Ollie Wallie's also has arcade games. The joy of toddlers is that they are able to enjoy these games without having to put in any tokens. They loved the blinking lights!

More fun "playing" the games...

In addition to the bounce areas, slides, toys and arcade games, they also have a coloring center. We decided to make a stop in the coloring center before ending our morning...

The boys make their mark on the chalkboard wall...

Daddy uses the elecritcal outlets as inspration for his artwork...

We did not want to leave the instructions to "Put fingers here" so Daddy decided to provide commentary about the genious of the design that would have an outlet in the middle of the wall...

Team Darnell definately left their mark...

After Ollie Wallie's we stopped at Beef O' Bradys for lunch...

Another great family outing! We will probably spend a lot of time at Ollie Wallie's! Daddy did not take on the BIG SLIDE so he is already planning his next trip with the intent of riding the BIG SLIDE!

Take care,

2 Year Well Child Check-up

2010-06-25T22:54:00.007-04:00

(This activity occurred on April 15, 2010. I will leave this as a new post for a few days. After that, I will move it back in time to the date it originally occurred. Yep, I am trying to catch up... again.)

Another birthday is a milestone that is marked with a trip to our pediatrician! On one hand, trips to the doctor are getting easier but on the other hand, the trip is still challenging. It is much easier to get everyone in and out of the office but the boys are so curious that it is always a challenge to keep them tearing the office up while waiting for Dr. Bunnell. One would think the office would be baby proofed but nope, it is not!
Daddy breaks out an Elmo's World video on his phone to keep the boys attention for a few moments...

The boys were all given a clean bill of health. We were able to bring Dr. Bunnell up to speed with our activities with Jared over the past couple of months. He gave Jared a few instructions that he followed with ease and actually Wes and Andrew did not respond as well. Dr. Bunnell found that interesting... in a funny kind of way. He did not express any concerns for Jared and said that a recent study showed that a large percentage of the children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum when tested at the age of 4 were no longer testing on the spectrum. He said that this brings up the question as to whether treatment works OR if there are a percentage of children that just develop at a different pace and are just fine! With that, he also said that the First Words program is focused on identifying Autism. With all that said, he does not have concerns about Jared having Autism.

After Dr. Bunnell spent some time checking out all of the boys, it was time for their shots. Each of the boys received two shots. The boys did well and were quick to recover after their shots. Here is Jared after he received his shots (please note Daddy demonstrating great empathy for Baby J)...

Daddy was able to quickly distract Jared from what just happened and he was all smiles a few seconds later...

The fun of going to the pediatrician is getting our updated 'official' stats. I am always curious about how the boys are growing so I enjoy getting the updated data. Here we go...

Andrew:
Height - 36.25" - 91st Percentile
Weight - 29lbs 6oz - 65th Percentile

Jared:
Height - 36.25" - 91st Percentile
Weight - 30lb 6oz - 75th Percentile

Wes:
Height - 36.5" - 93rd Percentile
Weight - 26lb 12oz - 35th Percentile

No surprises that they are still on track to be tall. However, the weights were shocking. I could NOT believe that Jared weighs the most. Andrew is so very SOLID that I was confident he weighed the most. We had them weigh Jared twice to make sure. Apparently, milk weighs a lot and Jared drinks a lot of milk. It was not surprising that Wes was the skinny one of the bunch but the fact that there is now a 3.5lb difference between Jared and Wes was a bit of a surprise. Wes is the tallest and skinniest...serious bean pole!!

After our doctor's appointment, we had a little time before our Musik class. We took the boys to Chick-fil-a to play in the play area for a little while. After the boys played, we headed over to our music class. Here are a few pictures from this morning's musik class. We enjoy Musik class quite a bit...

We had a good morning and now the boys do not have to visit the doctor until their 3 year well child check. The only thing that would bring us to the Dr. before then would be an illness. So, let's hope we don't see Dr. Bunnell for another year!

Take care,

Happy Father's Day - Unedited Version

2010-06-21T22:01:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I posted a video of the boys saying 'I love you' and 'Thank you' to Daddy. Let me provide a little of the 'behind the scenes' story...

Daddy stays home with the boys during the week. The primary reason we made this move was to spend time together as a family on the weekend. Well, this leaves very little time for Mommy to do any 'secret' activities with the boys in preparation for Father's Day. The one window of opportunity I have is on Saturday when Daddy gets away for a little while to go grocery shopping and run errands... yes, he does the grocery shopping too! Seriously, he is MY hero!!

On this Saturday, we decided to go to the pool in the morning so Daddy planned to go out in the afternoon. This was my one shot. My window was further compressed because Daddy started is afternoon of shopping while the boys were asleep. Waking the boys was not an option as this would not make for cooperative characters. I estimated I had about an hour and a half to do all of the following activities:

1) Trace hands and feet on construction paper

2) Cut out hands and feet

3) Help boys color hands and feet

4) Dress in "Daddy is My Hero" shirt and take picture

5) Direct video of child saying 'I love you' and 'Thank you' to Daddy

6) Load photo onto computer, crop and print

7) Assemble card with hands, feet, picture and write message to Daddy

Needless to say, I did not think I was going to complete this activity in the time allotted. As such, I was racing around like a chicken with my head cut-off once the boys woke up. I should also mention that while doing all of this, I was trying to make sure the boys did not destroy the house! So, when I took each of them into the room to film their message, I was hoping for cooperative children. Andrew was first and did great! Then, it was Wes' turn... we were hitting it out of the park. Last but not least, Jared... oh sweet Jared. What can I say, well, you will see for yourself.

After Daddy watched his video gift from the boys, I showed him the unedited version. Typical Daddy, he enjoyed the outtakes and requested that I post the unedited version. So, without further adieu, here we go...

Because we were going to the beach, Daddy took extra time at the store to get all of our goodies. We were able to get everything completed and hidden away in the boys room for Daddy. However, I was about to pass out by the time Daddy got home. The next morning, the boys were able to deliver their cards to Daddy as they emerged from their room. He was surprised!

Mike, I hope you had a special Father's Day! You are very special to all of us so I hope we were able to make you feel as special. We love you!

Take care,

Daddy is Our Hero!

2010-06-20T22:19:00.005-04:00

Happy Father's Day!!

Daddy,

You are our HERO!!!

Last year, our Daddy took a big leap to leave his job and take on the hardest job on the face of the earth. He became a Stay at Home Dad for us. He could have approached this job as being the "babysitter" during the day. However, he has fully embraced his job and is an outstanding parent. He is a strong role model, an amazing caregiver, a terrific caretaker for the house, an wonderful teacher and an overall cool and outstanding Daddy!

We love the way Daddy teaches us the alphabet, the pictures he draws for us on our chalk board and all the interesting foods he makes for us. We love our Daddy so very much! We wanted to say I love you and thank you to Daddy in our own words....

Happy Father's Day Daddy! Everyday should be in honor of you!!

Love,

Andrew, Jared and Wesley

Team Darnell at the Beach!

2010-06-20T16:22:00.009-04:00

Today is Father's Day!! As we talked about the plan for the day, we were open to doing anything Daddy wanted to do. Daddy is usually content hanging out at home and Mommy is open for new adventures with the boys. Daddy did not have any ideas so Mommy mentioned, let's go to the beach. Imagine my surprise when he responded with "sure." I replied, "are you really sure?" He said, "yes." So, the beach planning began!

We had previously talked about going to be the beach with the boys. As the news reports of the great BP oil spill continue to monopolize our local broadcasts, we decided we needed to get to the beach before the closest Florida beaches were covered in oil. I asked around and found out there is a beach just 45 minutes from the house called Alligator Point. On Saturday, Daddy headed out to buy all the appropriate beach gear... buckets/shovels, umbrellas, chairs, etc. By Saturday night, we were all ready to go!
This morning, we woke up, had a quick breakfast and were out the door by 9:01am. We planned to depart at 9am so pulling out of the driveway at 9:01am is not too bad. Alligator Point is primarily a private beach but has two small public access points. They were hard to find but on the second pass, we managed to find an entrance to the beach.

We arrived at the beach around 10am and got the boys dressed once we got there. Once everyone was dressed and solidly covered in lotion, we headed out to the beach. Here is Daddy leading the troops down to the beach. Each of the boys carried their own bucket. I did not carry anything because of Daddy's cleaver use of our Triple Decker stroller that he is pushing...
While shopping on Saturday, Daddy looked for a cart to carry everything but was unable to find anything. Our Super Daddy put on his thinking cap, looked around the garage and realized the frame for the Triple Decker stroller was the perfect beach caddy. Using some rope, he also added a laundry basket to the front of the stroller to hold both of our coolers and some other items. The chairs and umbrellas folded up nicely for transport on the stroller. A couple bungee cords held everything on the stroller. She might not look classy but we were able to get everything to the beach in one trip....
The second we arrived on the beach, Daddy spotted a fiddler crab. The boys were very excited about all the sea life we saw on the beach....

While Daddy was setting up camp, the boys and I headed down to the beach. The boys knew exactly what to do with all their new toys...

The beach is a very calm beach with relatively no waves. When it was recommended to us, this was the feature that we liked. I was told it was perfect for the '5 and under' crowd and it definitely was! The majority of the shoreline is 2 feet deep or less. Daddy went out 50 feet at one point and it was still shallow. With these calm conditions, we were actually able to relax and enjoy our time at the beach. Here is Wes wading in the water followed by Daddy...

Andrew was taking advantage of one of the chairs Daddy set up in the shade back at base camp...

While Daddy was in the water with the boys, I was in charge of building Sand Castles. The boys and I would work together to fill the bucket with sand and then create the castle. Within second of getting it up, it was obliterated by the boys. They found great joy in smashing the castle. Daddy was quick to get at least one shot of one of our structures...

Jared, Wes and Andrew at the beach! The boys have fair skin so we applied sun screen multiple times at the beach. Mommy and Daddy should have taken the same precautions. Both of us returned home with sun burned backs. However, the boys are perfect...

Wes is enjoying the water and dumping the water on his belly...

Andrew...

Jared splashing around...

The boys enjoyed wading around in the water and checking out the sea life. We saw hermit crabs, tiny fish and a starfish. The boys were all comfortable in the water. Here is Jared sitting in the waves. We need to bring our surfboards next time...

Daddy, Wes and Jared...

The tide was in when we arrived and we would walk through the seaweed to get into the water. By the time we left, the tide was out and the seaweed was behind us...

Daddy and his boys...

Wes dragging another bucket full of water. It is low tide at this point...

Andrew splashing Daddy...

Daddy showing Andrew to float on his back. The boys are very comfortable (almost too comfortable) in the water...

Andrew...Wes enjoys a Juicy Juice...

All the boys...

The boys are heading back to our base camp...

Wes shows Jared where to find the Juicy Juice...

Andrew digging for shells....

While at the beach, we played, had lunch and played some more!! We were there for about three hours and it was time to make the trek home. We packed up everything on the stroller and the boys packed up their toys and we were ready to go. Apparently, Andrew was ready go because he started high tailing it to the truck. I took this picture while yelling, "ANDREW.. WAIT!!!" ....He was almost to the truck before he stopped. Check out Mr. Innocent...

I guess we were all ready to leave. Here is Wes running to the truck...

Jared, Mr. Cautious, was making his way slowly to the truck, staying close to Daddy and using the hand rail. I love their individual personalities...

Ready to go...

Once we were in the truck and on the way home, we stopped to get everyone a drink for the ride. The boys also ate another sandwich in the car. I guess the boys were thirsty after their eventful morning....

We had a great morning beach! The beach was beautiful, calm, relaxing and a whole lot of fun. Daddy maybe hesitant to take on new adventure but we both admitted as we drove away, that was a lot of fun. As the boys say, "fun beach, fun beach."

I am already looking forward to our next trip!!

Take care,

"Who Let the Dogs Out?"

2010-06-11T22:50:00.000-04:00

The boys have so much fun during the day. Here is a little video Daddy took of the boys enjoying some good music. They have so much fun!!

Daddy's caption from facebook:

"WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?? I admit, it was me. But I caught it on video!"

Take care,

Let's go Bowling!!

2010-06-06T21:45:00.002-04:00

It was Sunday morning and we were trying to decide what to do. The weather forecast was predicting rain so we needed an indoor activity. We are always up for a new adventure so we decided to head to the bowling alley! We called ahead to see if they could accommodate toddlers and they told us they have ramps and there were no problems. So, Capital Lanes... here we come!

When we arrived, we were prepared to have the boys bowl in their socks. However, we were so excited to learn that the "special shoes" came in the boys size! The boys were eager to put on their special shoes... These shoes looked so cute on the boys that I wanted to walk out with them. Aside from this being very inappropriate behavior, they would probably out grow them before I could blink. A bunch of pictures of the cute feet will do... for now! The boys were excited and very curious about this new activity. We had to continue to remind the boys to stay behind the silver line but they responded very well. We would stand behind the silver line and cheer for the bowler. 'Papa Bear' started off the game and showed the boys how to bowl. After 'Papa Bear's' bowl, it was 'Mama Bear's' turn and I showed the boys how to bowl well.. ha! The boys cheered us on...

Then the real fun started! 'Papa Bear' helped the boys and 'J-Bear' was the first to bowl...

Then it was 'Drew Bear's' turn...

Last, but certainly not least, it was 'Wessy Bear's' turn...

I was so proud! It was a similar feeling that I can compare with watching them take their first steps. The boys enjoyed their turn at bowling but the real excitement occurred when the ball return would spit their ball back at them. Jared was overcome with excitement to see the endless ball supply spit out another ball...

Andrew started off bowling very well and as you will see in a moment, he started off taking an early lead. However, after analyzing this picture closely, I think he was 'enhancing' his score a little bit. Kids these days learn how to use computers so fast!

Wes was patiently awaiting his next bowl...

Daddy and Andrew share a 'high-5' after a great shot...

Jared beaming with pride after a great bowl.... back to the ball return...

Wes tries to guide the ball with some body language. It works kid, don't give up!

The names were entered by 'Papa Bear.' He is so cute! In the 8th frame, 'Drew Bear' has the lead.

It was the 8th frame stretch so we paused to take a pop-pop break....

After our pop-pop break, we returned our focus back to the lane to finish our game. There are no additional pictures of bowling after this point as 'Mama Bear' needed to focus on her game! Seriously, I was not going to let a 2-year-old beat me. Pfft! Well, the results speak for themselves...

Go 'Mama Bear' Go!

The bowling alley was not crowded on a Sunday morning. There was a family a few lanes over that was also having their first bowling experience but their children were approximately 8 years old. I took a picture for them and they, in return, offered to take a 'Team Darnell' bowling picture...

When we were done bowling, each of the boys took their own 'special shoes' back up to the counter, handed them back and said 'thank you' to the staff.

We had a really great time! We always approach a new activity with caution and concern for how the boys will respond. They continue to surprise us by responding very well to new environments and new activities. It's also exciting that we can get out and about with the boys and they also respond well to redirection. They are listening better and can follow directions. It gives us the ability to relax and actually enjoy the activity.

Before I end this post, I want to include a brief video of Wesley's special bowling style...

We can't wait to go bowling again!

Take care,

The 'Joy' of Time Out!

2010-06-01T22:07:00.000-04:00

Time out has been a regular part of our disciplining arsenal for quite some time. When we first started it with the boys, they were still a little too young to get 'it.' So, we abandoned it for a little while. Then, we started to use it again when they were a little bit older (approximately 21 months). I have watched Super Nanny so I know the process well. Establish a time for the time out and if the child gets up, calmly return them to the time out area and start the time over. Continue the process until they have served their sentence. When it is over, give them a hug, tell them you love them and review the offense. In addition, have them issue appropriate apologies.

Alright, I am prepared with the knowledge to do this. When the boys would do a 'Time Out' offense, mainly hitting, we would escort them to our identified spot. In the beginning it would take 10-15 minutes to complete 1 full minute of a time out. However, the boys would eventually complete their, oh so long minute! After several focused time out efforts, the boys started to get 'it.' They now understand what time out is, where it takes place and that they have to stay their until Mommy or Daddy tell them they can get up. They also know they get a hug when it is over and that they have to pass out a sorry.

As we were starting to think that this time out thing is working, it got even better and even easier. Could that be possible? Yes, it is possible. For the boys 2nd birthday, Grandma gave them the My Tot Clock (http://www.mytotclock.com/). It's primary use is for sleep training but also has a function to provide visual cues for time out. We can set the time for the duration of time out. When a time out starts, we push the red button and the face turns red for the duration. At the end, the face turns back to yellow and the clock beeps. A few weeks after the boys birthday, we realized the minute sentence was very easy so we would mark our second year by adding a minute. Now, the duration of time out is 2 minutes. We were ready for some trouble again but hopefully the Tot Clock would help. Here is a photo of the clock from the My Tot Clock web page....
It shows a very calm child quietly serving his timeout while the face of the clock is red. Well, we were pleasantly surprised and the boys responded well to the increased time. They would watch the clock and would sit during the entire 'red face' time. Time out almost became too easy. However, it was still working! Until.......

Time out became the most fun game we have ever played... EVER!!! Andrew was this evening's offender. The offense, hitting Wesley, of course. Immediately after the blow was administered, I decide to be the Judge and Time Out warden. I verbally issue the judgement "Time Out" and begin to escort the accused to his punishment area. He responds with an innocent question "Time out?" As if he does not agree the sentence is just.

I bring the clock to the kitchen counter and anticipate spending the next 2 minutes hovering over the accused. Well, he had other plans. He stares back at me, giggles, then gets up and high tales it towards the back door. It was time to channel my inner Super Nanny and bring him calmly back to the spot and start the time over. I follow him, grab his hand and escort him back to the spot. He again sits for a few seconds, giggles and takes off!

This repeats itself several times. After one return, he make a move as if he is heading for the door so I make a move. HA HA... he faked me out and laid down. He knew he had tricked me and he found this quite amusing. I am trying to remain calm but inside I am laughing hysterically because he was so funny.

During this continuous exchange, Daddy, Wesley and Jared were also in the same room. Daddy decided the best way he could support this activity was to grab the camera. Huh? Ok, I am confident that I would have done the same thing. Here is Andrew on escape attempt number.... oh.... 25.....

And escape attempt number .... oh.... 30....

Ok Super Nanny, I am trying to stay strong! At this point, I am committed... I will win! Andrew was laughing like a wild child during this entire exchange. Jared saw how much fun Andrew and I were having playing the "Time Out Game" that he decided he wanted to join in on the fun. I am sure his little wheels were spinning trying to figure out how he could get placed into Time out and start playing with Mommy. What was his conclusion? Why hit Andrew of course!!! So, on one of Andrew's return to his starting spot, Jared pops him in the head and then immediately sits down and smiles back at me. Ohhhh you little stinker!! I can only handle one of you at a time.

I finally realize I need to change my approach. I decide that he can no longer serve his sentence in general population and needs a little solitary confinement. I take Andrew back into the guest room and place him on the floor against the wall. I turned on the clock timer, I opened the closet door and stood behind it. Yes, I am sure he knew I was still in the room but I did not want to have any interaction with me... .this was SOLITARY!!! He finished his time out in one attempt. Exhale....

As Andrew and I emerge from the guest room, he is able to reenter general population and to complete his sentence, he has to delivery his "I'm Sorry" to Wesley. Daddy, with camera still in hand, was able to catch their warm embrace. I am standing behind with clock in hand... and out of breath!

Jared did not receive any sentence for his offense. He was only trying to get into the mix of this, oh so fun, timeout! Who could blame him? I am sure from the bleacher seats, this looked like a blast.

In case you are keeping score, I think I get the point for one I may have resulted to modifying my approach but by the end (approx 30 minutes later), he served a full two minute time out!!

Take care,

Books, Books, Books

2010-05-29T22:30:00.000-04:00

Our bedtime routine has always included a story time. Up until a few months ago, we use to let the boys pick a book and then they would 'read' in their crib while we stood in front of the cribs and read. This was our approach because they boys would fight over the book or pull the pages. Ok, I admit, this was just an easier approach. Around February, we started sitting on the floor in the boys' room to read before bed. The boys were much better and we were able to get through the stories without too much fighting.

The boys would pick the book they wanted to read and bring it to the reader. They quickly found their 'favorite' books. There is a Blue's Clues book, a Thomas the Train book and a few Scooby Doo books that are in FREQUENT rotation. Even the boys were starting to memorize the words to these books, which made them even more fun (for the boys) to read.

Mommy started to get bored with our library of books. So, we decided to head off to Barnes and Nobles to pick out a few new books. The local store does a story time at 11:30am on Saturday morning so we took advantage of this activity to hit the store. The boys were more entertained by this reader than during our previously story time attempt at the library. However, the excitement of the train table and other stuff in the store would pull them away.

Here is Andrew listening to the story... Wesley also stopped by to check out the story...

The boys spent a lot of time playing in the interactive area where there was a Thomas the Train table set up and other books/toys for the kids to play with. They were allowed to play with this stuff, right??? (Note Wes standing on a book....)

Wes helped me pick out some books for the boys. There were two books for each of them or six for the group. Great, this should help keep Mommy entertained during story time! Wes picked out one Thomas the "Train book." He would not willingly put the "Train book" down long enough for the cashier to check us out. I had to pry it out of his hot little hand but gave it right back. I asked if he wanted to put it in the bag with the other books and he said, "no no." In addition to the "Train Book," there was the Angry Bunny book, Yo Gabba Gabba book, Wonder Pets book, another Thomas book and an Elmo book that plays the "Take me out to the ballgame" music.

When we got home, the boys were eager to read their new books...

Wes is showing off the "Angry Bunny" book. This book talks about the emotion of Anger and let's just say Mommy picked this one to help the boys understand that it is ok to get angry but it is not ok to hurt anyone because you are angry. Yep, the testosterone runs high here at times!

Wes and Jared sharing a few moments while checking out the books...

Jared interested in the ceiling fan that Andrew is turning on and off and on and off and ... well, you get the picture...

We had a wonderful morning out as a family and we have some new books to add to our library to show for it. As we headed into nap time, Mommy was excited to enjoy some of our new reads. While the boys would ask for the new books to be read, they also quickly returned to the 'old faithfuls!' Sigh...

I should also mention the Elmo baseball book that plays "Take me out to the ball game" is a fun book to read. It's a fun book to read and fun song to hear until it has been played about 100 times. Then, it gets a little annoying especially because I feel compelled to sing the song every time the song is played. How can you stop? It's a great song!! Well, as we approached the 200th time of playing the song (estimates related to number of times played), it became fun again when the boys start saying... 1, 2, 3 ... BALL GAME!!! Love hearing that from them.

All in all, another great morning with the fam!

Take care,

"Smile and Wave Boys, Smile and Wave!"

2010-05-17T23:27:00.003-04:00

The boys' favorite movie is Madagascar. We had the threat of rain on Sunday so we popped in our favorite movie. At the end of the movie, the boys enjoyed bouncing around to the rolling credits. As you will see, they 'like to move it move it.'

Please note that when Wes hears the "Oh, Oh, Oh" in the song, he applied this to his knowledge of the Tomahawk Chop for his team the FSU Seminoles. He then breaks into the chop with an "Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo."

It should also be pointed out that the boys are not allowed to jump on the furniture. Right?!?!?

Take care,

Annual Road Trip to Texas - 2010

2010-05-17T22:30:00.007-04:00

Here we go again!! It seems like yesterday when we were driving back from Tampa in 2008 and started talking about possibly taking a trip to Texas to visit Nana and Pop-pi. Now, here we are in 2010 having completed our second road trip to Texas!

We took a team approach at documenting our trip on the blog. It took us a while but we have finally completed a post per day for our trip. The following are links to each day of the trip. I hope you enjoy reading about our journey as much as we enjoyed living it.

Day 1 - Tallahassee to Houma

Day 2 - Relaxing in Houma

Day 3 - Mardi Gras!

Day 4 - Houma to Houston

Day 5 - Fun Day in Houston

Day 6 - Houston to Junction

Day 7 - Junction - Fish Fry

Day 8 - Junction - A Day at Home

Day 9 - Junction - Our Trip into Town

Day 10 - Junction - Let There Be Snow!

Day 11 - Junction - Dinner with Uncle Ricky & Aunt Debbie

Day 12 - Junction to Houston

Day 13 - Houston to Houma

Day 14 - Houma to Tallahassee

Every mark your calendars for 2011! Mardi Gras is March 8th which is also Daddy's big birthday.

Take care,