Nap Time and Last Library Story Time

First day of the nap---or lack thereof. I had checked on them prior, the first thing they did was unzip each other's PJs. I put all their clothes away and told them to lay down. Jack came home from school and once I got him a snack, unloaded his backpack and went back upstairs and this is what we found:

Lizzy was airborne! (I guess I will mention none of them had diapers on, and there was poop on the floor...Lizzy stepped on it...blankets and sheets were washed)

Kate wearing multiple pairs of under-bunders

Anna had half a swimsuit on. After this trip, we are going to have to figure out what to do with the nap time/bedtime routine.

Today was the last library story time. The girls get so excited when we pull into the library parking lot. They love the music the best and afterwards we usually do the craft they have set up and also play in the Discovery Works area with the train table.

Kate dancing

Good-Bye Cribs!

Yesterday, the girls started climbing out of their cribs. They did this last summer and we "fixed" the problem by screwing new holes near the bottom of their cribs to drop the mattresses and extra few inches. This worked up until yesterday. I put them down for a nap and someone decided that they could pile up all their stuff in the corner of their cribs and then they could climb out. Smart little girls! So, I took everything out of their cribs and prayed that they could not get out without the extra few inches of height. No such luck! They had done it enough to realize they could get out with or without the the blankets and pillows in the cribs. Still in denial, I googled crib tents and called John for his opinion. At 2.5 years old, it makes sense to go to toddler beds which is what John suggested. Gone is the ability to contain them in one place---although, I did put a gate up at their door. I took down the cribs with the help from my neighbor, Stephanie, and last night they slept on their mattresses on the floor. I had a meeting at Jack's school, so John put them to bed and at 9 pm, when I came home, they were asleep in on their mattresses, covered up. I guess John should put them to bed every night! He said there was some playing around, jumping and hiding in the closet, but they did settle down and fall asleep. We heard the door open around 3am and I got up to see Anna at the gate. I led her back to bed, covered her up and she went to sleep. We didn't hear anything from them until around 7:30 this morning. Today, Stephanie again helped me and we put together their toddler beds. We are ready to tackle the naps this afternoon.

Here are few pictutes of their room. I would like to paint the walls pink at some point and fix the letters (they have been moved so much because the girls would hit at them from their cribs and I would find them all over their room in the morning).

Yesterday while I was taking down their cribs, Jack somehow got them all to lie down on one toddler mattress. The girls were super tired from "no naps" earlier.

Notice, nothing on the bookcase

I had to keep moving Elizabeth's name higher and higher up the wall. It looks funn now, especially since the crib is gone!

First time in over five years that we have not had at least one crib set up in our house!

Easter Pictures, Early

A Favorite

I have more to post, but I liked this one. Probably because the kids don't have to be looking at the camera! I took pictures today with my constant goal of all four kids LOOKING, (NOT SMILING--that is too ambitious). I have more to post. Here is one of my favorites.

Lake Erie at Miller Park

We had a picnic dinner with the O'Conners at Miller park and enjoyed Lake Erie while the kids rode their bikes/scooters today. It was a lot of fun! Can't wait until the summer.

Map Man and Tom Sawyer

Jack loves maps. I print him a different map a few times a week. Always a new place. He has one of the Yangtze River in China, United States, Peter Pan's Neverland, London, California, Mexico, Washington D.C., Michigan and Avon Lake, of course. These pages are all clipped together and carried around daily. We have discussions about each of these places (often I have to google them--Yangtze River?--to answer his questions). China became a hot topic lately because of a book we read about a duck named Ping who lived on the Yangtze River. We ate at P.F. Chang's yesterday and he was very interested in the chop sticks, Chinese people and Chinese food. He is constantly asking me what time it is in China.

Jack has never been a TV watcher, much to my dismay--as horrible as that sounds--when the girls were born. There were many days I wished I could plop him in front of the TV for an episode of whatever so I could have a break, or to keep him entertained when I needed to take care of the girls. But he never was interested in anything. I think he has seen two movies in the theatre, mainly because he doesn't like them and hates to sit for that length of time. His Papa took him to see Cars 2 before we moved and I think they left early--right around the time his popcorn ran out and I think he has been one other time. Within the last month or so, we have been pushing the Disney theme around here. I began to read books--The Lion King, Peter Pan, Cinderella, 101 Dalmatians, etc. Then we watched the movies. He became attached to Peter Pan and I find myself picking up hangers around my house every day (he pretends he is Capt. Hook). We stumbled across a newer TV series on Disney Jr., Jake and the Neverland Pirates which is a spin off of Peter Pan. He has become totally attached to the shows that I DVR'd and I also bought him last season on DVD. He makes pirate hats out of paper every day and spyglasses (rolled up paper, taped). These I find around the house, too, along with the hangers. His latest map request: a treasure map of Neverland. I have had a hard time finding that one. He asked us today if the "fountain of forever" is located in Disney World. At first I didn't get the question, but then he explained to me that is where there is an endless supply of pixie dust and he is hoping to get some so he can fly...

Having said all that about Disney, we are disapointed that as it stands now, John will not be able to go with us on our vacation. Sadly, his case did not settle and he will be in arbitration the week we had planned to go. The kids and I will be going with Mimi, Aunt Mary and Aunt Cindy and Aunt Susie. We have tried to prep the girls too, even at their ages. I bought the DVD, Sing Along Classics It's a Small World. The characters all sing as they walk through the Magic Kingdom. The girls love to sing along, dance and point out the characters, Mary Poppins, in particular, despite never seeing that movie. And of course, "Mickey's House" is what they call Mickey Mouse and it is so darn cute, I can't correct them so I call him "Mickey's House" too.

John recently bought Tom Sawyer at the bookstore and has been reading it to Jack. When I say Tom Sawyer, that is what I mean, the actual book. Not some kid version which I was pushing for when he bought the book originally. Jack is extremely into this. I asked John the other day if he enjoys the story, or just likes the experience of John reading it to him and he thinks the latter. But, honestly, does that make a difference? I love that he cherishes his time with his dad, even if the book is too far over-his-head enough to understand. And if he is understanding it, than all the better. This has become their thing and Jack only let me read from the book one night, just a paragraph until Dad got home.

He becomes a "full day-er" tomorrow and is very excited. This last quarter will fly by and summer will be here before we know it!

St. Patrick's Day Photos