The Milkstache

While on a recent trip to Ikea Atticus enjoyed sharing an icecream with Daddy. The result was a lovely "Milkstache". We pulled out the camera and asked him to smile...

This is the smile he gave:

It sure puts a smile on our faces!

Love,

-The Clog Crew

Random Pregnancy Thoughts

Last night we finished packing what we could of our birth bags. There is a very neatly organized list located next to our bags so that we know what else to add when the moment comes.

Yes, we are planners. Or rather, I am a planner and Jason has wisely learned to jump on board.

We had an appointment with our midwife yesterday and as we approach May (our estimated birth month) our appointments get closer and closer together and I have realized how mentally unprepared I am to progress from this pregnancy. 

In the final month of pregnancy it is so easy to get caught up in the constant heart burn and swollen ankles or the new found difficulty of every day tasks, but I love this experience. I love the connection I get to have with the little life inside of me; it's incredible. For the last 9 months I have been able to provide a safe refuge for a child of God as they have learned the very basics of life - muscle control, breathing, sucking. I have been blessed to play a roll in the creation of a life. I love seeing the look of amazement on Jason and Atticus' faces when they get to see/feel the baby move or hear the heartbeat. I love that my body knows what to do to adjust for all the changes happening inside of me. Being able to carry this child is a tremendous blessing and I get to experience it firsthand and see all the incredible ways that it brings our family closer together. It's a beautiful thing.

With all that in mind, I know there are plenty of blessings to look forward to beyond pregnancy and that pregnancy is a preparatory step for all the wonderful adventures ahead. 

It is time for me to prepare mentally for the transition and prepare to let go of this part of the journey when the time comes. That means it is time to give up control and accept the time line and plan that Heavenly Father has for our growing family. Whenever that time comes, I know that our love will grow and expand as we welcome another member to our family.

Love,

-Laura (and the rest of the Clog Crew)

Where's Atticus...?

Atticus loves to play hide-n-seek. After dinner, when his teeth have been brushed and he is in his pajamas, he gets to play a round of hide-n-seek with Mommy AND Daddy (which he seems to think is pretty spectacular). His favorite place to hide lately is behind the curtains in the living room.

We aren't sure what gives him away the most; is it the giggling? is it the feet sticking out the bottom? or is it the incredibly cute silhouette we can see of a little boy as the sun sets outside our balcony window?

Whatever it may be we all break into laughter when Atticus gets caught and begins to giggle uncontrollably.

Love that smile!

It's a lovely way to round off the evening.

Love,

-The Clog Crew

Piece of Cake

Another year for Jason. Hip, hip HOORAY!!!

The weekend before his birthday we went out to the restaurant of his choice, which was an Asian-fusion buffet. The day of his birthday it was a birthday breakfast, lunch and dinner. Is it any surprise that he loves food?

In the afternoon Atticus eagerly helped put up some decorations.

Trying to blow up a balloon.

birthday banner

The birthday boy's pick for dinner was homemade pizza, with extra olives, and carrot cake with cream cheese icing for dessert. 

The cake ready for some birthday singing.

The birthday boy was pretty excited to bite into all that sugary icing and cake!

Blowing out the candles

Atticus was pretty excited when he realized that he got a piece of cake too. He also couldn't wait to show Jason the card that he helped Mommy make for Daddy, he even "helped" sign his name on the card!

A day full of sweets and treats. The evening wrapped up with Jason opting for more cake and an old Jimmy Stewart movie. Jason enjoyed receiving so many thoughtful birthday wishes from family and friends. Thanks for the love!

Love,

-The Clog Crew

Painting...

It took a lot of courage but we finally did it, we let Atticus try out painting. 

And wouldn't you know it - he loves it. The colors, the textures, the messes, he loves it all. He is pretty serious about it too; he wants to turn page after page into a masterpiece. And we learned very quickly that paint time needs to be scheduled right before bath time.

Atticus hard at work

The artwork for the day

The artist's hands

Atticus will definitely be getting more time to paint, we just need to work on coming up with some creative and fun ways for him to experiment.

Love,

-The Clog Crew

St Patrick's Day

Our St. Patrick's Day was pretty low key. The day before, Atticus and I did a color-sorting activity that involved putting together a special treat for Daddy. It was the first "official" color-sorting that we have really tried to have Atticus do and we couldn't believe how much he enjoyed it.

We started with Skittles; one bag of fun packs. Yes, skittles. And no, Atticus did not eat any. Pretty sure he had no idea that they were even edible (although, them being edible is slightly subjective). Atticus helped me open up all the packages and pour them into one container.

I put out five small paper plates on the table (one for each Skittle color) and placed a few Skittles of the same color on each plate. Then, I showed Atticus how to pick one Skittle out of the container and place it on the plate with the corresponding color. Then away he went. He was focused and very determined.

Atticus went through the whole container of Skittles and then wanted to start over again! 

sorting away

Then Atticus layered each color into a little jar. We closed it up and tied on a little rainbow card with a message for Daddy about how lucky we are to have him as our "pot of gold". Yes, it was cheesy but we like cheese. Not to mention, we are pretty lucky.

All ready for Daddy! It was layered by color, but a couple quick shakes from Atticus remedied that.

Atticus surprised Daddy on St. Patrick's Day after breakfast by giving him a jar of rainbow candy for him to keep on his desk at work. And Daddy loved it. Although, Daddy would love anything that came from Mommy and Atticus - especially when it's edible.

The boys looking pretty good for 6am. Daddy reading the card.

Of course we did have some Irish Colcannon for dinner, to get our fill of green food. 

A delicious day.

Love,

-The Clog Crew

Under the Sea

We made a trip to the North Sea last weekend. While it may not have been very far away and exotic, it was definitely a fun morning road trip for us. And with the sun shining and only a light breeze, it was the perfect day for a walk along the promenade.

We began by going to Sea-Life in Scheveningen. We were unsure how much Atticus would enjoy it, but figured it was worth a shot. Well, he loved it. It was so exciting to see his face light up every time he saw a new fish. He would eagerly point out his discoveries to us to make sure that we didn't miss seeing it as well. When we went through the sea-tunnel, his jaw dropped as he watched a turtle swim over his head. The facilities are not quite as large as some similar places we have been, but with a small child it was the perfect length of time and we all enjoyed the outing. The only downside to our visit was Atticus' wipeout that resulted in a carpet burn on the right side of his face - poor Little Man. It was nothing some hugs, kisses and banana couldn't fix though (not to mention the new book and ball that he came home with).

(Side Note:::For those who live nearby and have thought of checking out Sea-life, our advice is to leave the stroller in the car. Yes, the facilities are stroller accessible, but the strollers are just a pain to maneuver around the narrow hallways and the other strollers. Use a carrier if your child is still very young, or just let the child walk on their own. Our visit took about one hour in length, but could have taken longer if we opted to catch some of the hourly feedings. It is also currently under renovation, but all the exhibits were still open.)

About to head in.

Helping Atticus get a better view.

Jason trying to keep up with Atticus.

Atticus off to the next fish tank. (Good thing those mittens have strings...)

Then we ate a healthy snack on the beach before we indulged in deliciously sweet treats on the promenade (churros and gelato - yum!). We were able to walk the promenade and the pier at our leisure and enjoy the sunshine. The morning was a real pleasure!

Walking along the promenade.

Blue skies, light breeze. Beautiful.

Love,

-The Clog Crew