Just us - there’s a little of the before, but mostly it’s the after...: April 2012

Day Out With Thomas

The Train, not our cat.

The planets were somewhat out of alignment.

I could feel it as soon as I woke up.

Chunk wasn't herself, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was.

When we arrived at the train station, Chunkus wasn't remarkably impressed with what her little eyes beheld despite her incredible love of trains.

We had time to walk around before the first train ride - because I decided to buy the all day ticket - heaven help us.

We were the first ones into the magic, spider infested play tent.

Chunk didn't know where to begin

and when she decided to move a train - or two - from one track to another, I was just happy that she wasn't crying and attached to me.

Even Julien couldn't help himself.

After I killed the monstrous train attacking spider, Chunk proceeded to destroy the train cars.

THEN, the tattoo station opened up.

She doesn't appear to be concerned - at all.

Addie finally relaxed a little and even tried to show off her duck tattoo from earlier in the week.

4/15/2012

Courtesy of Addie's Special Education teacher:

"Addie was very polite in her refusal of work today. Lots of holding her hand up, shaking her head and saying “no ma’am”. She did her work, when I let her know it was “time to work”. She is such a stinker!"

Picture of the Day

April 15, 2012

My Little Ahr-teest

It was one of those days where we spent the entire day working around the house, getting our chores done because... it was date night - all thanks to our generous and very unselfish friends.

I figured there was no better time to unwrap all the chalk from Easter and do some front porch decorating.

My little Ahr-teest was thrilled!

She colored everything she could get her little mismatched hands on!

She was covered from head to toe in chalk.

She colored and colored and colored until she just couldn't take it anymore

and when it became evident that she had colored every ounce of energy out of her little body, we called it a day.

April 15, 2012

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

The Little Chunky Monkey was so excited about the egg hunt!

She did a very good job finding the eggs!

Chris stepped in to help

and Carli continued to lend a helping paw.

Addie had no problem wandering around the entire yard at the direction of whoever was the closest to her at the time.

She was especially tickled to find the eggs that we brought with us!

Showing off her find to everyone

and her bucket of eggs for the camera!

Thoroughly inspecting it before deciding to claim it as her own.

Each egg was worthy of showmanship!

...and when people didn't look quickly enough, she just kept saying, "look"...until they did!

Despite the heat, the day was beautiful and it was so nice to catch up with family!

It was such a busy day - between the activities of the day and trying to watch every single second of The Masters.

Julien didn't get home until late, so we didn't even get around to letting Julien and Addie see their Easter goodies until the next night!

The Hello Kitty Pez Dispensers were the biggest hit, along with the cheap bunny toy and the finger puppets -courtesy of Ikea.

It doesn't take much to make these two happy.

Run Carli Run!

It didn't take much to get this little doggy up and moving!

She even lost her Easter dress in all the excitement.

My Mother's yard boy, who has to be approaching 85, didn't get to her house before the Easter weekend.

It made for perfect egg hunting conditions.

The Little Monkey's eggs were hidden especially for her and everyone stepped in to help along the way.

Carli even stopped running so she could watch Addie egg hunt.

Walking The Dog

Remember Easter?

It's just now making it to the blog.

We went to my Mother's house for Easter seeing as how it was just a couple of days after she was paroled from the local hospital.

She was still very much on house arrest and trying desperately to recover from surgery.

While the adults were hiding the Easter Eggs, my brother decided to take Carli and Addie for a walk.

Sounds simple enough...

to those who have never tried to take these two for a walk.

It took a bit of modification

and by that time, Carli was ready for a nap.

and the eggs were ready for the hunt.

I Am Very Aware

Of what it means to "move at a snails pace".

Addie was very concerned about her gloves.

She was not only concerned about getting them dirty, but also

about having them on just perfectly.

]

So, she had to take them off.

Straighten them.

Put them back on.

Take them off again...

and so on.

The big flower bed is still without all new mulch...three weeks later ...we'll just pretend that it's partly because of Addie's annoyance

with her non-compliant gloves

and

the dirt.

It's no wonder why I'm just a tad behind - on everything.

Yard Helper

We are way behind on getting new mulch out this year.

We've been...just a little busy.

When the bugs are at their lowest, but yet it's not the hottest part of the day, I love to take Addie out so she can help.

If the conditions are not just right, we (that would be Chunky Monkey AND Me) hit meltdown well before one task is complete.

On this day, the conditions were perfect and Addie was thrilled to be helping out!

I grabbed her work gloves out of the laundry room and her sand shovel off the deck

and pointed her in the right direction!

We filled her wagon with mulch and the hard, hard work began.

I was looking at this picture and remembering how very long it took us to teach Addie to squat

and then it took so long for her to have enough balance to stand from a squatting position.

I suppose I see her accomplishments in every single thing she does.

I'm not entirely sure if that makes me just really proud or halfway crazy.

Don't Ask Why, Just Slowly Back Away

The little Monkey is going through a phase right now where she "demands" to have a sweater with her everywhere we go.

It's Alabama.

It's 1027 degrees outside with 185% humidity.

We always have a sweater with us.

Chris gets a little annoyed at the situation.

The other day he suggested that I take her sweater off as we were walking across a parking lot.

I told him that if he was brave enough to try it, to go right ahead.

He tried.

After he almost had his jugular ripped open, he retreated and allowed our sweet, angelic, little Monkey to keep her sweater.

So, if you see us out and about - or pictures on the blog - and my precious, mild-mannered baby girl has on her sweater - just go with it.

We certainly are.

"Why"

The little Monkey has a new word,

"Why?"

She recently started saying it for just about any given situation.

She isn't asking it in a challenging way, but more of an inquisitive way.

I'm not entirely sure that she is expecting an answer each time she asks the question, but I always give her an answer.

Sometimes my answers result in a blank stare (kind of like the ones I receive from my other child from time to time) and other times, Addie seems to really understand what I'm telling her.

It is actually quite entertaining.

More than anything, it is just another new word and I love to hear the sound of her sweet little voice!