March 2018

We started out the month with an experience of a lifetime, visiting 5 Asian elephants and learning all about them. We pet, brushed, filed toenails, cleaned, learned about, watched a performance, had one create a painting for us, fed, rode and even got picked up (or trunk-hugged) by the elephants. It was an amazing day!

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Brooklyn was up for everything EXCEPT for being picked up, which one of the elephants tried to do. Landon was more reserved in his participation. He was, perhaps, equally interested in the elephants, the dogs and climbing on the retaining wall. He was also coming down with a virus that day. The virus turned into very, very low oxygen levels and possibly Landon's first bout of asthma. We spent the week at the doctor's office, getting x-rays, picking up prescriptions and doing breathing treatments. (And he missed spending much time with Babcia, who was visiting, as well as his first ever baseball game.) It came back again about a week and a half later. He can do the inhaler (with the children's chamber) on his own.

 

 

 

Brooklyn is so sweet with animals. I love that about her!

 

Murrieta Ranch Preschool celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday, so Landon wanted to dress as 'Thing 1'...as did 2 of his best buddies, Addie and Emma.

 

They have a great time climbing trees. Landon is more cautious and less confident in climbing than Brooklyn, but they both enjoy it and do so well.

We registered Landon for Kindergarten, to start in the fall. Class of 2031, yikes!!!

The kids and I had a great time at Get Air, the local trampoline park. We jumped, played dodgeball, chase & soccer, climbed, did the ninja course, rested and jumped more. It was exhausting (mostly for me)!

 

  

 

 

Grammie and Uncle Matt Matt came to visit for a few days. They read a book or two (or a few dozen), watched Brooklyn & Zoe at gymnastics, decorated & baked cookies and planned to attend Landon's baseball game (but it was cancelled). 

 

 

Our leprechaun came back again this year and left us with a very green bathroom!

 

 

 

Before Grammie and Uncle Matt Matt headed home on St. Patrick's Day, we all met Uncle Peter, Auntie Amber and the cousins at Luv 2 Play. 

 

Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, we have one little boy who is OBSESSED with holiday decorations. Most nights at dinner he toasts "to decorations" or "to St. Patrick's Day!" or to "Easter!" because every day that the decorations are up is pretty much a holiday for him. Babcia gave Landon some money, and I asked him what toy he was going to buy with it. He went into a big story about a glass Easter egg that he would buy at "the Easter store" to hang from the hooks on the mantle (that our Christmas stockings hang from)...obsessed!

Daniel and Landon had a fun time teaching/learning how to fold and throw the best paper airplane.

 

Landon has gotten to play 2 baseball games so far, and he's done great! In this league they get 4 chances to hit off the machine pitch then hit off the tee. Landon is 3 for 4 hitting off the pitch. He was so excited to get his first hit that he ran straight to the coach instead of first base. He almost got a double on one, but we need to work on running at full speed to the bases. We think he's just so excited that he takes it all in. He even got the game ball at his second game for "focus [the coach] has ever seen at his age, hitting 2 for 2 off the machine and following the coach's instructions even though it got him out." 

 

 

We had a lot of playdates, celebrations & fun activities this month - Uncle Matt Matt's birthday, Uncle Peter's birthday, a visit from Babcia & Papou, a day at the Fenwick house, a night out for Amber and me for a fundraiser, Daniel going to March Madness basketball games in San Diego, a day for me visiting Erin, Erin and the girls visiting us, Amber taking the kids with Luke to a Music & Movement class, a new baby visit, days at the Duck Pond, "the fountain," frozen yogurt, movie nights, etc..

 

 

 

 

We made colorful glitter volcanoes with Briella one day!

 

Briella left her tap shoes in case Brooklyn decides to take tap classes. They fit Landon perfectly, and he knew just what to do when he put them on!

Amber and I took Landon, Jacob and Zoe to see the performance of Beauty and the Beast at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater. We had great seats, front row, right behind the orchestra, and the kids loved it. We even got to meet Belle! And Landon got to test out a booster seat instead of a car seat - big boy!

 

 

 

Brooklyn is such a good sport when it comes to being dragged along on errands and to Landon's & my activities!

 

 

 

Landon has improved so much on his reading over the past month. It's unbelievable! He's also begun writing/spelling a bunch. He spends some portion (sometimes all) of his quiet time making cards, writing notes and drawing. His phonetic spelling is so sweet!

"Belle, from the Beast. Never open this glass again."

Kaylee was our first sleepover guest on Brooklyn's trundle bed (aside from Landon). The 3 of them slept in the room together, but it took a while to get them to sleep, of course! When I asked the next day who was the noisiest, Kaylee quietly pointed to Brooklyn. I asked Brooklyn if she was, and she smiled and confirmed. We all had a great time playing with her!

 

 

We've started working on improving the house, and the kids are excited to help. Landon spent several hours measuring things around the house and writing down the measurements. He helped me prep the bathroom with tape for painting and found great responsibility in holding the tape. Brooklyn had a great time painting a sample patch on the wall in the bathroom. I really hope she understood our chat about not painting on walls unless an adult tells her to!

 

Landon's preschool Easter performance was something he was really looking forward to. He even told me that he wanted to wear his "most pastel-ish" shirt for it. 

 

 

Following the performance, we headed home to start painting the bathroom, then to Mission Viejo for Easter Weekend (next blog)!

March Bloopers:

Who wore it best?

The elephant rides were not super stable.

The elephant tried to pick Brooklyn up (like she had done with the rest of us). This was the only thing Brooklyn didn't go for that day. "I don't want it to pick me up!" Poor thing...it must have been really scary.