Pictures with the Easter Bunny

Thanks to our local Bass Pro Shop we get to have the kids picture taken with the Easter Bunny for free! Never mind the "proof" across the picture ;)  Grant was super excited when I told him we were going to go see the Easter Bunny.  Once we got there and it was his turn, his mood changed.  He was fine sitting on the weird bunny's lap, but he was no way smiling!  Elizabeth had asked me if it was the real Easter Bunny or just someone dressed up.  We decided it was probably a helper dressed up, but once she got up there she was in awe.  She said goodbye the the bunny, but I don't think he could hear her (I don't think those big ears helped).  The next kids went up for their turn and she stood there watching and asked again if she could go tell the bunny goodbye.  She told Brandon the other night at dinner that when you go to Disney the princesses are real and they can talk to you.  She said it with such conviction, "but Daddy the princesses are reeeeaaaaal!"  I want to just bottle up her innocence!

Jon Bon Jovi

I fully admit and proudly that I am a Bon Jovi fan (I am a child of the 80's after all).   His music is spanning generations - our family in particular!  We are lucky enough to have XM radio and I was thrilled to learn that Bon Jovi was getting his very own radio station (limited time special engagement).  We were discussing this is the car one day on the way to pre-school.  En route I say "Hey I think Bon Jovi radio starts today."  Unfortunately, I was a few days off.  Elizabeth remarks, "I want my Bon Jovi now!"  Of course we talked about not using the word "now" and I explained to Miss Laura (her preschool teacher) if Elizabeth seemed a little off it could be due to receiving the bad news that Bon Jovi wouldn't be singing to us 24/7 until Friday!

At last, Friday came we had channel 142 as a preset.  We had been enjoying his tunes while running errands on Saturday and Elizabeth mentioned something about going to Sunday school.  Brandon remarked "You could just listen to Bon Jovi radio, according to your mother that is some kind of religious experience."  Haha, very funny.  Yes, we will go to Sunday School tomorrow.

So we have been listening to Bon Jovi radio for over a week (enjoying every moment) and Elizabeth says, "Is this Bon Jovi singing?"  Well, the essence of Bon Jovi radio is they only play his songs.  Next question, "Isn't he tired of singing yet?"  I almost fell over laughing!  Some things seem to simple to explain, but try explaining how a radio works and what an album and recording studio are to a 4 year old!  How sweet, she really thought he was singing just for us, every time we got in the car! Needless to say there is more than one female Bon Jovi fan in the Pauli house now! Brandon and I went to a concert a few years back and Brandon enjoyed it as much as I did, he just doesn't like to admit to being a "fan!"

No Training Wheels!

In the midwest when it is officially spring (March 21) but only 41 degrees outside we all flock outside like we might never see the sun again.  In this particular case it is a good thing we did, because the next day (Palm Sunday) we had 6 inches of snow! Last week when we had a warmish day the neighbor kids were out playing and riding their bikes.  A few days later Elizabeth asked if she could try again without training wheels.  We had tried late last fall, but were not successful and she asked to have them put back on.  This time around she was a bit more determined..."none of my friends have training wheels on" she said.  So on this warm ~40 degree day I got out the wrench and took the training wheels off.  I volunteered to work with her because it is a long way for Brandon to bend over and run beside her (obviously I am a little tougher ;) After five minutes I really didn't think we were going to have much success.  There was a lot of gawking and not a lot of pedaling or concentration.  Then a few kids came out and once she had an audience she got a little more motivated.  I held onto her seat and ran with her and she took off.  She got her balance and she pedaled her little heart out.  She couldn't get started by herself so we kept giving her a little push.  Brandon got in the game too and helped her get started.  The problem is we only have so much room to ride and she hadn't mastered turning yet, so we loaded up and went to my parent's house so she had plenty of room with no traffic.  After about 20 minutes she was practicing turns and able to ride in a circle.  We were very proud of her.  We actually had to drag her inside because it was so cold, but she would have stayed outside forever!  The other thing about being so bundled up is she was well protected from any falls, which were only minor.  Her legs are long enough that she was able to catch herself before hitting the pavement.  My favorite part is when she would say "don't let go until I say ready" and she would say "ready" 5 seconds after we had already let go!  In one of the videos she even looks back to see if we are still holding onto her.  Her smile when she stopped and knew she had nailed it was priceless!  Then again I am a little partial to her smile :)

The next day we really did have 6 inches of snow.  It was so cold and windy we didn't even let the kids play outside.  The next day we went out to play and we tried to build a snowman but the snow wasn't wet enough.  The next day it gotten warm enough that it had started to melt and the snow would pack.  Instead of a snowman we made a snow bunny.  

The next day there was still snow on the ground, but it was melting.  The snow bunny looks like the leaning Tower of Pisa!  It won't be long before it falls! Again it was above 40, apparently that is our threshold for playing outside.  Elizabeth really wanted to ride her bike again.  It is true, "once you learn to ride a bike, you don't forget!"  Today we worked on her starting by herself.  The neighbor came out to cheer her on and reminded me that when her daughter started to pedal by herself she had started at the top of our slightly sloped driveway.  Sure enough she glided down the driveway and starting pedaling on her own!  She even got started a few times on the flat street, but it is easier at the top of the drive.  She is going to have a lot of fun this summer!  Maybe this year I will be able to start running again and she can pedal alongside (or way in front!) of me!

Here is the link for the video:

http://youtu.be/LWij9n5ZG3I

Presidents

A few weeks ago Elizabeth's class learned about Presidents.  She brought home the following project.

"If I were president of the United States I would ... make sure people stayed safe."  I was pretty impressed with that answer!  Although I liked her answer, someone might have suggested tackling the issue of taxes ;)  The drawing is quite interesting.  When she brought it home it had no arms, just the head and the legs sticking down.  I asked her about it and told her to look at our bodies and notice that our legs and arms are attached to our core/middle.  Well since the legs were already in place there was really only one place to add the arms - coming out of the sides of the head.  This by the way is a self portrait.  Being the perfectionist that she is, she insisted on adding the arms.  So I got the crayons out for her and we had arms and hands and fingers added.  Great!  Then she tells me the blue circle (under the head) is the underwear and is just giggling.  I am in the midst of preparing lunch so I am in the kitchen but not sitting next her.  I come back to admire the work and she has added this blue line coming out the underwear.  She then informs me with even more giggling that this is the bottom (which is a term we use in general for our private area).  So yes, I am quite certain that my little girl drew a penis on her presidential self portrait!  Perhaps she is having an identity crisis with having no female presidents??? No, I am sure I am  reading way too much into that.  I think it is much more likely that she just thought it was funny to draw private body parts, given the laughing and smirks on her face. I am just really thankful she choose to make her artistic additions at home and not at school!

When we watched the inauguration ceremonies I wasn't sure she was really understanding who the President was or what he is responsible for, but perhaps she is begining to grasp the concept.  Today when we were getting into the car there was a coin laying on the floor board.  She asked who was on it and I told her it was George Washington.  She said, "Is he kind of dead?"  "Yep, he is dead, he was a president." She then proceeded to tell me that she knew all about him and that she had learned that in school, but then asked "Did I go to school on President's Day?" I think she may be confusing the actual holiday with the day that they talked about presidents at school.  Apparently she took away that dead presidents get to be on money!  Oh my the inner workings of a 4 year old brain!

The Big Boy Room

Daddy in his classic painting clothes.  His jeans have every wall color in our house on them! The new color is "Timbermine" (gray)

When I was prepping the room to paint I realized we really need to wait for the paint to dry before hanging things.  So no pictures on the wall yet!

I just ordered the picture to put in the frame!

Green is his favorite color

We didn't let him take a nap the day that he came home, thinking that it would be easier to put him to bed if he was good and tired.  Grant likes his naps, but doesn't turn into a complete animal if he doesn't get one (for the most part).  Our plan worked pretty good. He tried to fall asleep at dinner, well actually he did.  He was sitting on my lap and in the middle of reaching for a chip his head slumped forward.  Luckily, Brandon had been watching and had said he was falling asleep otherwise I probably would have panicked and thought he was having another episode.  I am also glad he crawled into my lap and didn't fall off his own chair!  We all piled in and read books in his new bed.  Elizabeth had angled to sleep with him.  He agreed.  It lasted less than ten minutes and she jumped ship to her own bed.  He actually did a pretty good job staying in bed.  We did put a gate up at his door so he knew we meant business.  We had pillows on each side of the bed so he wouldn't "fall out!" - which he didn't.  He yelled for me at about 2:45 am because he had to go potty and then it took a little while to settle back in but he eventually fell back asleep on his own.

First night in the big bed

The second night he threw a major fit about having his hair washed in the tub so he lost book privileges (bed time stories).  After he calmed down and got into bed, he decided to read books to himself and this is the way we found him!

Second night in the big bed 

As I suspected, nap time would be a lot tougher with the big boy bed.  Monday I laid him down, he was all snuggled in and I thought maybe this would be easier than I anticipated.  Elizabeth was having quiet time in her room.  All was good.  I laid down on the couch and enjoyed the peace.  Twenty minutes later I hear noises.  I creep upstairs to find Elizabeth in Grant's room with all 80 matchbox cars spread across the floor, but organized by color.  They had obviously spent some time on this!  Ok, you don't want to take a nap today...tomorrow you are taking a nap!

Well tomorrow is now and they aren't taking a nap!  They managed to each stay in their room quietly for about an hour.  I set Grant's special clock for one and half hours.  After an hour they were begging to play with each other.  I allowed it, as long as they got along.  Of course they are being angels!  We will see how ugly it gets tonight.  I can't make my kids sleep, but quiet time will be strongly enforced for the sake of my sanity! Our new slogan may be "Be quiet until you see the green light!" (on the special clock!)

Closing a chapter

This past weekend the kids went to Mimi and Pops so Brandon and I could paint Grant's room.  We are very grateful for them for entertaining the kids so we could work.  I think the highlights were fishing at Bass Pro and sledding.  So it was time for the room that has been a nursery for the last four plus years to be transformed into Grant's big boy room.  Somethings are little more bitter sweet than others.  Throwing away the diaper genie and little potty wasn't so hard. Taking the crib down and carrying the rocking chair to the basement was a little tougher.  I still remember moving Elizabeth to her big girl room.  It was on Mother's Day 2010.  I cried and cried that night (I was 7 months pregnant with Grant!).  I didn't have a lot of waterworks this time, just a lot of reminiscing.  It just always gets me how fast time goes by, but Brandon always reminds me that it is a good thing and that we have a lot more memories to make.  I couldn't tear the nursery apart without taking pictures first. Apparently I failed to get an overview picture!

"Ima Dot" blanket - that what Grant calls it, because Ima has the same one!

Daddy's rocking horse that Grandpa Ray made

He actually never climbed out of his crib

A quilt that a dear friend of the Pauli family made.  Elizabeth has one and so does Daddy!

Growth chart - this will make it into the new room somewhere!

As I put Grant to bed for the last time in his crib I asked if he was ready for his big boy bed.  Hs response was "No! Fall out!"  Great, he isn't even excited about it, but afraid he is going to fall out of bed.  Oh this should be fun...

Is there anything sweeter than your baby sleeping?

So as we close a chapter on all things baby, we start a new one of "get back in bed!"

Snow Day!

We missed one snow day while we were in Arizona, but we had another one!  Two snow days, two tuesdays in a row...what are the chances?! Elizabeth didn't have school, although she did have dance.  The kids love playing in the snow.  

As long as it isn't yellow snow!

Arizona Top 10 Explained

I took the kids to visit their beloved cousins Stella and Briggs this past week.  We made some great memories!  Here they are...

Pre-flight - so excited!!

10) Our flight was at noon so I decided we would pick up food and eat at the gate.  The kids are always game for McDonalds, but I was sure it would be cold by the time we got checked in and through security.  We compromised with yogurt parfaits from McD's and Subway sandwiches.  Parking was a nightmare at the airport.  I was actually beginning to think I was not going to find a spot.  A very smart husband reminded me of a secondary lot - thanks honey!! We get checked in and proceed to security.  "Do you have any food in your bag?"  Um yes, that big sandwich in the side.  "Any liquids?" Um no, I threw my water away, I have flown a few times before.  He begins searching my bag.  He pulls out the yogurt.  I had totally forgotten about that.  "Oh, do you consider yogurt a liquid?"  Apparently, the TSA guidelines for defining a liquid is if it holds its shape outside of its container.   Now I could have argued that perhaps McD's yogurt would hold it's shape, but I didn't.  He runs it through the scanner again and does the acid test and decides since it is for the kids and we would eat it before getting on the plane he would allow it.  Thank you!  The funny thing is that Elizabeth questioned the purchase at the drive-thru.  "Are you sure that isn't a liquid mommy?"  Ok, 2 points for you sweetie - mommy was wrong.

On the plane

Grant's cheesy smile!

I don't really know how to describe it, but sometimes my kid's personalities are just so them. Every time an announcement was made in the airport she would say "are we missing our flight?"  I finally  had to say "are you even listening to what they are saying?!" We board the plane and we had already decided that Elizabeth would have the aisle seat - she wanted to make sure Grant couldn't get out.  We get to our row and Grant crawls in and immediately starts pulling the window shade up and down.  Then he begins checking out the crumbs in the seat left from previous passengers.  Elizabeth sits down and immediately puts her seat belt on and instructs all of us to quickly do the same.  Oh and she wanted me to tighten it for her.

9) Overall the kids did excellent on the plane.  The last 45 minutes were a little rough.   At one point Grant decided he would like to take his shoes off.  No problem buddy.  Then he promptly launched them.  He was sitting by the window and they both landed in the aisle - luckily not hitting anyone in the head!  As we were getting ready to land he started saying really loud "falling down!  falling down!" I was a little nervous how the bathroom trips would be on the plane.  Elizabeth didn't have to go, but Grant did once.  I felt comfortable leaving her in our seats while I took him.  We weren't so lucky on the way home.  We had just staring taxiing and he starts in with "potty...potty...potty!!"  OK, honey just hold it a little bit longer.  They had announced use of electronics and even though the seatbelt light was still on I made a dash with him down the aisle only to face a very angry flight attendant.  We ended up sitting in the back row with our seat belts on, until she was worried he would have an accident and the told us to go.  He ended up having to go 3 times on the flight home.  Luckily the 2nd and 3rd were while the light was off.  Elizabeth had to join us on the 2nd trip and I am living proof that I with my two children do fit into a bathroom on a plane...not well...but we managed!

The classic cousin bath!

8) We took advantage of the warm weather and tried to be outside soaking up our vitamin D as much as possible.  The kids were playing with a ball and it went into the pool.  Elizabeth decided she could reach it, but lost her balance and went for a very brief swim.  The water was pretty chilly!  I told her that's why we take swim lessons! Aunt Amber told her to come back when it was warmer so she could swim for real!! We piled all of the kids in the tub.  Elizabeth needed to warm up and Briggs needed his dinner washed off.  Who doesn't have a picture of a big ole cousin bath?!

Dipping their toes in the pool, in their undies! The sun was really bright!!

7) The girls decided to play with make-up.
Stella: Elizabeth says we are putting make-up on before we go to the bar
Me: Elizabeth, why would you tell Stella to put make-up on before going to a bar?
Elizabeth: A ball mommy!
(Phew!)

EB with make-up on!

10 minutes later, the make-up is on and they are in dress up clothes. Grant decides he wants to be involved. Elizabeth decides he can marry her and Stella. Five minutes later Grant is crying, apparently he doesn't want to play preacher. I inform EB that unless he signed a waiver he doesn't have to play by her pretend rules. "But mommy he did sign his name."  She then sticks her tongue put at me. As we are having a tete a tete about that she rolls her eyes.  A lot of really bad choices being made here.  I tell her to make herself comfortable she is going to be in time-out for a while. When I go back and ask if she would like to apologize she says "sorry for lying". What?!  Do you not remember what you were in time-out for or did you actually lie somewhere along the line too? Good grief. (Insert my eye roll.... I know where she gets in)

6) "Elizabeth never stops talking"
Really no further explanation is needed here.  Enough said, the girl never stops talking!!

5) I knew Stella enjoyed playing with her baby dolls, but I got a real life lesson in how seriously she pretends with her babies.  We were at the park and one of her baby dolls were swinging.  She asks me to hand it to her.  I must have picked it up by one arm.  This did not make Stella happy.  How could I treat her baby like this?!  I should have known when Amber told me that she makes her baby dolls meals that we weren't messing around here!  Her stuffed black and white dog also gets fed dog food.  I have to share that Elizabeth and Grant fed their stuffed dogs food today and were very disappointed when they didn't eat it.  "Why don't our dogs eat the food like Stella's dog?"  (Well honey, because Stella's real dog eats faster than what Jack does!)

4) We had an awesome day the zoo.  We feed the giraffes, the kids rode a camel and the merry go round.  They have a great petting/children's zoo where you can brush the goats.  Elizabeth and Grant were brushing a goat and another little girl comes up.  I hear Elizabeth say something, but I can't make it out.  A moment later I hear the dad say, "We can find another goat, here come over here."  I quickly put the pieces together.  "Elizabeth, did you just tell that little girl to find another goat?"  Yep!  Perfect...and we are done with goats.  Seriously, why would she say that? I was so disappointed.

Waiting to feed the giraffes.

Elizabeth's turn

Elizabeth requested a picture here

Grant feeding the giraffe lettuce

The camel ride on Issac

Come to find out the giraffe didn't go up and down, so she switched to an elephant!

Later that same day...
3) Amber tells me that while I was packing Grant put Stella's toothbrush in the toilet.  What? Are my kids just on a mean streak or what? I have no idea what possessed him to do this.  I am just really glad that Stella took it to Amber.  She told her that it needed to be cleaned!  No it needed to be thrown away!  Luckily, it is dental month and we scored new toothbrushes earlier in the week at our visit to the Phoenix Children's Museum.  The kids had just finished dinner and Amber and I were just sitting down to eat when I hear Grant crying.  I find him in the bathroom with the door closed and the light off.  I turn to the girls and tell them a little story....

2) "Someday Grant and Briggs are going to be bigger than you and they are going to whomp on you"  Amber inserts "And we are going to sit back and watch!"  Honestly, we couldn't even keep a straight face.  Since we are both older sisters, we know all too well what happens when the little brother gets bigger than you!  All in all the kids played really well together.

1) Elizabeth and Stella had gone to bed together each night.  They always found their way to their respective parent's bed, but they fell asleep together.  Wednesday night Uncle Brian was able to come home early and he put the tent up in the basement for them to sleep in.  Grant crawled in for a picture, but quickly retreated to my bed.  On the last night I think the girls were worn out and they wanted their own beds.  So this was the first night for Grant and Elizabeth to sleep together.  They did really well.  They were both so tired it didn't take long for them to collapse.  In the midst of tired emotions Elizabeth started crying because she did not want to leave Stella.  These girls really do love each other and I hate they don't live closer, but in a way I think their distance makes their relationship that much more special.

 Pictures from the children's museum:

Names in sand on the light table

Grant's favorite way to ride a tricycle - as a passenger!

Grant and Stella weighing the lentils!

Grant loved the green pickle car!

 Random cousin cuteness:

The boys in their stripes!

Fun at the park!

Fun at the park on another day!

This is Stella's princess castle - Elizabeth loved it!  Grant however took a princess base bat and starting beating on it!  Priceless!

Briggs- you were supposed to be napping!!

This is what happens when you ask for a blanket at an Iowa fan's house!  

The kids crashed! I didn't sleep between them that night - I slid in next to Grant!

The week went way too fast, as I had feared it would.  We didn't even accomplish any Pinterest projects.  Four kids kept us pretty busy!  Little Briggs didn't make the top ten list, but he gets the biggest gold star for just being the best, easy going, adorable, cute baby that he is!! Thanks for all of the memories!  We hope to do it again soon!

Dream Lite in the tent was pretty cool!