This morning at our co-op playschool, Abby & her friends "painted" snowflakes (glue, glitter & shaving cream) with toilet paper tubes. Abby called her hands, "kitty hands" (Gochee has white paws).
They were all messy, but they had FUN!
The finished product. 
We finally got some snow yesterday so we took advantage of the warmer weather and played in the snow this afternoon. Jude enjoyed being pulled in the sled.
Abby enjoyed making snow angels!
We were going to have a little celebration on Sunday night after we returned from Duluth, but the kids were overtired and very ready for bed by the time we got home. So, we moved the celebrations to last night instead. Jon helped Abby make a chocolate cake in her easy-bake oven. She drew me a beautiful birthday picture while the cake was cooling & then sang "Happy Birthday" & helped me blow out the candles. What could be better?
Jude is absent again... he was too tired to stay up for the baking & eating of the cake.
We went to Duluth with our great newish friends, Tom, Angela & Asher. Asher is 12 days older than Jude. It's so much fun watching them together. Jude is still pretty stationary, whereas Asher is on the move. Thus, most of the pictures of them together are when they are belted into seats! This was Jude's first time at the Olive Garden, Mummy's favourite restaurant. He shared Mummy's capelletti pomodoro, tomatoes from the salad and of course the breadsticks!
Yeah for finger foods... the boys feed themselves while we enjoyed our supper.
Paper plates to entertain while we finished our supper.
It's great to be friends!
We bought a bathing suit for Abby last summer for this coming summer. It was a little big for her, but she enjoyed wearing it just the same. She looked like such a big girl!
Sleepy girl watching movies to wind down before bed.
Jude in his funky new bathing trunks, ready for swimming in the motel pool in Duluth.
Practicing some stokes...
We weren't sure how much he would like the water given his past aversion to the bath, so we gave him "Nuk" for comfort.
Soon, he no longer needed Nuk and was spashing, kicking, and doing froggy kicks (at least that's what they looked like). He LOVED the water and stayed in with us for at least 40 minutes.
This was the look on Abby's face whenever we went into a tunnel. She LOVED going through them & showing us the way out :-)
We went to Cold Stone Creamery in Duluth for some yummy birthday ice-cream (we thought of you Lin!) Abby had cotton candy ice-cream with m&ms. I had "coffee lovers only", no big surprise there!
Jude slept through ice-cream, but did hold Abby's while she went to the bathroom. What a nice little brother. He didn't even try to sneak any for himself.
Our friends Tom, Angela & Asher (the little unconscious guy on Angela's hip) very much enjoying their yummy dessert. Ice-cream was definately a trip highlight!
Jude eats pretty much on his own now. This is usually the result... this meal involved pasta, spinach, cheese & sauce. His eyebrows look orange!
Jude is taking his time getting more mobile. He is VERY content to just sit and play with his toys. We have been trying to put him on his tummy to play a bit more often (he usually revolts & INSISTS that we help him sit up again). Last night was the first time that he really moved anywhere, it just happened to be backwards (Abby did that too).
Today when I put him on his tummy with a toy in front of him, just out of his reach, this is what happened...
"Oh well, too far away.... I might as well just rest for a bit..."
Okay Mummy... I thought we chatted about this. I DON'T LIKE BATHS!!
"Well, maybe if you give me a few more friends to play with..."
"I'm not so sure about this thing though..."
"Yup, I've forgotton that I'm in the bath... just playing with my cups, my friends...
Jon unexpectedly needed the car yesterday afternoon so I wasn't able to go out to get his cake (McCain's cake is a tradition... I've offered to make a cake, but he actually prefers McCains!) until after supper. Ideally this picture would have included Jude, but he goes to bed at 6. I didn't get out until after Jude was already sleeping peacefully.
Abby singing Happy Birthday to Daddy. They are wearing their "party hats"... silly Mummy forgot to get party hats for Daddy's party!!! We had to improvise.
Abby had to help Daddy with the candles... there were A LOT (well, 32 looks like a lot on a little McCain's cake)... it was blinding!
Abby is really starting to enjoy playing with Jude now that he can actually play with cool toys now. He's very much enjoying his workbench that we found for him at the Mother's Market in the fall. Abby's trying to convince him to talk on the phone, but he's too busy...
"Still too busy, Sis... take a message for me please..."
