St. Patrick's Day

Now I remember why I don't scrapbook anymore.... I have been blogging for about three years and it starts to feel a bit like groundhogs day... the same vacations, places, birthday's and holidays.... all the pages and writing starts to sound the same...  At least with a blog I do have the option to copy and paste so it's not as much work!  You know- copy the story, just add the new pictures.  Hmmmmm although very tempting (pretty sure I did it last year) I guess there are usually a few differences from year to year.  I am not going to re-write (or paste and copy) all the details of our St, Patty's Day traditions so if you need a refresher click HERE

The boys painted and decorated treasure boxes for the leprechauns.  It was a bit last minute and Glen had to scrounge up whatever boxes we had in the garage.  I was at the temple.  He had all the boys painting as he was feeding them dinner and also doing last minute fix-up's for the pinewood derby... I told you he is amazing!  anyway, here are their creations.

and here they are placing the treasure boxes out in the moonlight...

Gabe was very curious about all the happenings and talk of  leprechauns... so we explained what leprechauns are and that they like to play tricks while we are sleeping at night etc...Well he has the typical imagination of a two year old and he started to get nervous thinking about little men in green sneaking into our house... We all did our best to reassure him but as I tucked him into bed he asked thoughtfully "mom... do leprechauns bite?"  Poor kid!  Needless to say he had a hard time getting to bed. 

The morning of St. Patrick's Day the boys woke up to find that indeed the leprechauns had come.  the little rascals had played a few tricks on us like turning our milk green, hiding our shoes, turning our pictures upside down etc...  They also left a few treasures for the boys in their boxes, brought green donuts for breakfast and left trails of gold and chocolate everywhere they went...

It was beautiful day... a little on the HOT side so I loaded up the little ones and we grabbed their daddy for a quick picnic at the park

Oliver LOVED being outside and was just taking it all in.  He is a very curious boy, always thinking.  He LOVED the swings and cried when he had to get out.  curious and a bit strong willed... and oh, I love his eyes... always full of expression and twinkling. beautiful baby.

It was Gabe's first swing of the season and he was a little resistant to "going high".....at first.

Gabe and Oliver have become the best of friends...people told me in the beginning that someday they would be... sorry people but I wasn't so sure.  It was a rough start, their friendship.  But now it is solid and I love to see the love between them.  little buddies.

Ollie crawls a million miles a minute.  He is fast.  He loves to climb the stairs and he loves to pull up to things and walk along them.  He really enjoyed the freedom at the park and so many new things.  He does not like it when we try to hold his hands so that he can walk... I think it's a little too slow for him but  mostly he likes to be in control.  He starts to sit down and cry until we let him go and then he's off... crawling to his next adventure.  Oliver gets frustrated quite easily and lets us all know exactly what he wants... and that he wants it NOW yet in the same instant he is the sweetest baby and totally irresistible.  He loves to play and tease and often pulls my hair or sinks his teeth half way in to my arm... just trying to start something.  His favorite game is to make a sound and have everyone copy him. he is pretty proud when he's the boss... and this St. Patrick's Day post had turned into an update on Oliver.  Great!  I can check that one off my list now.  While I'm going I might as well add that Oliver knows a few signs he can sign "all done" and "eat"  we are working on a few others, and it is so fun that he can do it!  he waves bye bye and blows kisses.  He plays I'm a little teapot and pattty cake and is learning to "roll it."  Some guy at the park asked me how old Oliver is and I sat there for a minute, not wanting to answer, I haven't had to think about it and no one has asked me his age for awhile.  I know how old he is everyday but I push it to the back of my mind because I don't want it to be real.  I finally answered "He's ten months old"  and I got a big lump in my throat.  Pathetic, I know. 

Ok one last Oliver tid bit... He is a ham...  fourth boy has got to do something to get some attention right?  Well he steals the show from his dramatic wide mouth fake cry to his scrunched up nose grin... showing all his teeth.  I can't get enough of him!

Actually I can't get enough of ALL of them...

My little leprchauns.  I am so LUCKY to have them!