Catching up...

I haven't been so great about updating the blog lately. I have two excuses - 1) I use facebook so much that I feel like people probably already know what I'm doing and 2) I have been terrible at taking pictures of the kids lately, so I didn't have many to share... So, now I have had the camera out all week. Poor kids.

Everyone is doing great! We've managed to stay relatively healthy this winter, which we continue to be grateful for. Henry is fully a toddler and is excercising all tantrum rights that go along with it. He only wants to play the toy/item that Madeline wants, and he's willing to throw his head back in a tearful rage if he is denied. Yesterday, I sent Madeline to the corner for being naughty, and Henry was pushing her away so he could get in the corner instead. So you know we're in a mess here when tantrums are thrown over who gets disciplined more! He's really big into reading books and feeding himself, too. It's cute to see him figure things out on his own.

Madeline is really changing a lot, too. ... Almost like she's wrapping up her own extended toddler stage (which I'm convinced is 15 months to 3.5 years!). She is all about turning 4 now. She talks about her birthday on June 9th nearly every day now. And it's "I want 4 crackers because I'm going to be 4." Or into school today, it was "I don't want it to be winter. I want it to be spring so it's my birthday." Besides all of the birthday talk, she is working hard on her letters and numbers. And she is so patient and sweet to her temperamental brother - and I'm so proud of her for that!

Wanting in on the Wii action....

When the pudding is gone....

A note from Henry.

Hi!
Teething sucks. Especially my molars. And especially because they are coming in one at a time. Motrin is my friend.

Love,
Henry

Valentine's Day

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day! Nathan and I actually had Monday off of work, so we took advantage of the 3-day weekend. We had a bunch of house projects piling up, so we asked my dad and step-mom to watch the kids on Saturday and Sunday. I painted our banister (see picture of Henry - it wasn't white before), and Nathan worked on a long list of miscellaneous projects (including patching up his new surround sound install holes and a desk for my crafts!) We even got a date out of the deal, and had a yummy sushi dinner for Valentine's Day. After dinner, we went to Best Buy and bought a Wii system, so we're having fun getting that set up. We have gotten so much done in February already, and it is so exciting to actually make some progress around here! I was pointing out to Nathan that his motivation around the house seems rather high lately. Is it a coincidence that football just ended? I think he doesn't know what else to do with himself!

Special thanks to Lizzie and Pete for the fun Valentine's Day balloons. The kids have been playing with them for 3 days straight! We miss you guys and hope you are doing well in Ohio....

February

Well, we're only a week into February, but I think you'll agree that it doesn't get any busier than this. (ha!) Just check out everything we've been doing....

1. We gave Daddy a much-needed haircut.

2. Daddy and Madeline have taken playdough to a whole new level. (dog, Lightning McQueen, an elephant, and a shark.) Henry loves to play, too, but his time always gets cut shorter than he wants because he eats it. Yuck.

3. Henry had his first Twinkie, which of course is a huge milestone to keep track of. (Nathan thinks it was Madeline's first twinkie, too, but I don't see how that is possible.)

4.

Henry was completely weened from the bottle. He's only been on 1 nighttime bottle for the past few months, but we finally cut that one out, too, on Friday. He still has negotiated slightly "bobble, bobble" these past few nights, but we've been able to calm him down easily with a few books (which he is starting to love) and his blue blankies. I suppose I should start thinking of him as a toddler now instead of my little baby boy!

Winter Carnival in St. Paul

We met up with college friends Kelly and Jack and their two kids Stella and Charlie for our first time at the Winter Carnival in St. Paul. We started off the morning going to the Landmark Center, where they had Radio Disney employees leading the kids in dancing and games. Charlie won 3rd place in a dance contest and Stella won a head-to-head clothespin race, so the Bartshs cleaned up on prizes.

Then we went outside to Rice Park to go down a giant inflatable slide and to see the ice sculptures. Although most were barracaded off, Madeline did find one that she was able to run up to and start shaking. In front of a huge crowd. Yes, I'm a mom without any control. And where was Nathan? He was off trying to find mini-donuts. What else would he be doing? He's at a carnival for God's sake!!! Then we took over a little pizza cafe and scarfed down 2 pizzas. It was a perfect morning!