Two.

Do you see those big boys?! The ones in that picture? The big boys who I still refer to as my "babies"?! They're TWO! I have 3 TWO year olds. I can't believe it's been so long. I really can't. I will still call them my babies. And I will still check on them every night to make sure they're still breathing. But they're TWO! 

Here's how big we are now!

Mason: 25 lbs. 9 oz. 32 in. 

Logan: 22 lbs. 4 oz. 31 in.

James: 25 lns. 7 oz. 31 in.

So they're all short. As in barely on the growth chart short. So that's why they look a little chunky. Hopefully they'll grow up from here. Ha! I love their bellies though. :) 

This is where they started in case you don't remember. So tiny. 

It's actually hard to believe these big boys started off sooooo tiny. They've come so far! I'm so proud that I get to be their mommy. :) 

Ok back to now. When they're two! But before we turned 2, we had to make one last trip to the ER. You know, just because. This was our first non-sick visit. Our first trauma visit. Luckily everything is ok! Here's what happened - the boys are learning how to go up and down stairs so every morning when we leave for school the boys walk down the stairs holding one of our hands. Well . . . Thursday morning Mason tripped . . . and took Brian down with him. Mason got a pretty nasty black eye but otherwise he seemed fine . . . then he threw up. So we went to the ER just to be sure. And he's fine.

See he's even smiling. He flirted with the resident. Then the doctor asked if she could take Mason home with her. I said no. That was before he started putting trash and crackers in my purse.

But I kept him. And because he had a traumatic morning, I took him to lunch.

 And I got him a giant cookie that was the size of his face. He tried to pick the M&Ms out at first. Then he realized that was taking way too much time so he just ate it. All of it.

We took the boys out for their birthday dinner on Thursday, the night before their actual birthday. They love Mexican food (so do I! And they have margaritas) so that's what we got! Of course they love cheese dip.

Logan ate his entire bowl of cheese dip off of these 2 chips. Then he tried to feed one of said chips to Addison. Yuck! I'm just glad it wasn't me!

This guy also loves salsa. He takes after his Mommy!

And Mason? Well Mason loves all of it.

I gave them one present the night before their birthday. A Rody horse. Because these boys love to jump. Only Mason was brave enough to try it out. He LOVED it! As of today Logan has also tried it. James wants nothing to do with it.

Ok then the hard part. I had to put my 1 year olds to bed for the last time! Wah! They were not impressed with my picture.

Then they went to sleep and woke up as TWO year olds! I got pictures of each one on birthday morning and they showed their personalities for sure! First happy Mason

Logan with his thumb in his mouth 

And James said no. James always says no. Ha!

They did cooperate for group pictures! The one at the top is the best one. This was the last one. Again showing their true selves. Mason is hiding. James is eating a muffin (aka "fuffin"). And Otis snuck in there too.

After school I got them cake pops. They love cake pops! The guy at Starbucks said "here's your cake pops" when he handed them to me and the boys begged for cake pops the rest of the way home. I'd say it was worth the wait.

They opened a few gifts that night too. They were pretty happy with the first two so I held on to the rest. They still haven't opened their main gifts from us yet. But they are obsessed with the mini magnadoodles I got them. They were an add-on item on Amazon. My impulse buy. But if you are reading this and you have kids this age, you need one per kid! Best $12 I've spent in a while.

They also got Magnatiles. Mason loves them. So does Brian. But Mason is a magnatile hoarder.

Today we had a free day at home! First one in a LONG time! And bonus . . . the rain stopped and the sun came out. Nina and Pop brought over cupcakes and birthday presents too! The boys got mini cupcakes. But my MIL knows me well and brought me a regular sized cupcake. Chocolate. Yum! The boys loved their cupcakes. Well, except Mason. Mason just ate the icing. Logan's icing fell off but he still ate it. Just by itself and with his fingers. Exactly how I would do it buddy.

Nina and Pop got the boys a water table and picnic table so we played outside! And the boys wore their swim trunks. Too cute! They loved getting wet but they would not get in the baby pool. Ha!

Logan helped Daddy and Pop put the picnic table together. I'm sure he was an indispensable part of the picnic table building efforts.

The boys loved the picnic table too! They really look like big boys sitting at the big boy table! Again wah!!

Lolo loves squeezy pouches.

 And James brought one of his favorite toys to the table. A few bowls.

Ok so that's it. That's our 2nd birthday. But before I sign off, one more picture. James insisted on wearing this shirt tonight. It was still in the plastic but he found it while I was putting away clothes. And begged Brian to open it. Then he kept saying on until I put it on him. He's still wearing it as I write this. Over his pjs of course.

And in case you're wondering what exactly is happening in this picture, they're watching Mickey. The intro to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to be exact. James talks to Mickey during the song. Ha! He's too cute!

No One Is Turning 2 Over Here!

They can't be turning 2 right? I guess I'm in denial. And a little (ok a lot) sad. I'm not ready! I know I said it last year when it was almost time for them to turn 1. But I'm really serious for real this time! I'm so not ready! They're still babies! I mean, I still check to make sure they're all breathing every night before I go to bed! (Even if Brian has just checked on them I still have to check too!)

2 means so many things that I'm just not ready for.

2 means the terrible 2s. 

2 means they really aren't babies anymore 

2 means they are going to start talking. Like talking where people can understand them. People who aren't me. 
2 means they are going to develop attitudes and have their own opinions that may or may not be the same as mine (this may have already happened). 
2 means tantrums, meltdowns, tears. And that's just from them! What about me?! And Brian?!

2 means they are going to climb out of their beds and I'll have to put them in big boy beds then they'll never sleep again ever. Which means I'll never sleep again (I mean, I'll continue not sleeping). 

2 means they will start asking why and I'll have to start making up answers so I don't repeat "because I said so" over and over and over times 3. They say why now but they say it when they're being bad. As in "WHY are you throwing rice all over the floor?!" I guess I say why out of frustration. 

And of course 2 means that next year they'll be 3 and I really can't deal with that!

I'm not ready for 2. I'm definitely not ready for 3 2 year olds. They already have big bad attitudes and I'm just not ok with that getting any worse. I'm just not ready! Why can't they stay babies forever? Babies are sweet and cuddly and sometimes squishy (I say sometimes because mine were not squishy) and they don't say no when you want to pick them up and hug them. 

They have learned some fun things as 1 year olds. Like they now go up the stairs on their own. 

They stop half way to look out the front door. 

And James stops on the stairs and sits down, says cheese, then says no when I get my camera out to take his picture. I have lots of pictures like this:

They play with toys and blocks and trucks. They knock things over too. Just like all little boys do I guess.

They use spoons and forks. James must always have a fork (he doesn't quite say it right. The r is silent so I'm sure you can imagine what it sounds like). They also help clean up. Sometimes. Other times they dump the toys OUT and get in the basket. Mason is the worst about this. He's also the best at cleaning up so maybe it evens out.

They give hugs and blow kisses. They say and wave bye bye. They love Addison and say her name now. They jump in their beds. Logan LOVES jumping in the bed. They love to close doors. And they can spot a security breach a mile away. Especially when it's the pantry. These kids love to eat! They also love Addison's room. She really needs to keep her door locked! She has lots of fun things in her room!

And they get so excited when they see us it melts my heart. James gathers up his blankets every morning and waits to be picked up. :) 

They love books. And they're starting to learn the words to some of their favorites. I asked Mason to smile the other day. He moo'd instead. Ha!

They're starting to learn and observe things around them. James recognizes when we're close to school already. We went to the zoo a few weeks ago and they LOVED the animals. Their favorites were the zebras and flamingos.

They're also starting to talk. They babble nonstop and they always have (yes even Logan just not around strangers). But now they're starting to say words. Real actual words. Their favorite word at the moment is no. The answer to everything is no. From all 3!! "Can I have a hug?" "No!" "What's your name?" "No!" James has answered with "yes" once. That's it. 1 yes among 1 million "nos"!

And of course they are little boys so if one of them has something or gets to do something, they all want to have it or do it. So sometimes they get on each other's nerves. And sometimes they all cram into one chair.

They finally fit in the chairs that I've been dying to put them in the entire 1.5 years we've been going to high risk newborn clinic. So that's another plus I guess.

They look like such big boys sitting in the big boy chairs! Maybe I can do this. But I'm not ready. Logan's classic look as demonstrated in this picture explains my feelings on the boys turning 2.

I guess I have no choice but to let them turn 2. So I've been working on teaching them that they'll be 2. So far when I ask how old they are James says 8 and Mason and Logan just stare at me, like are you speaking English mom? Maybe someday they'll cooperate. For now it's a good thing they're cute. 

I'm sure 2 will bring fun things too. 

Lolo's First Haircut!

We almost made it 2 years before Logan needed his first haircut. In all honesty he probably could have waited. BUT we had 2 year old pictures scheduled AND we had a free Saturday morning so I decided it was time. Here's a before picture.

See not much difference. He had little wings on the side but that's about it.

 Logan showed absolutely NO emotion or expression whatsoever during his haircut. It was a very serious occasion. This is how he acted the entire time. Ha! I'm not surprised in the slightest. This is typical Logan behavior. He did cooperate though so I'm calling it a win.

And he got a sucker so I'm pretty sure it's a win in Logan's book too.

Mason and James got haircuts that day too. It was haircut number 3 for them though. They also cooperated. So all in all it was a great haircut experience.

Mason is a pro. He is always happy so of course I got a smile out of him. And he knew they had suckers AND cookies. So he started with a sucker then asked for cookies.

James does not usually allow strangers to even talk to him, much less touch him, so this was a major accomplishment. He did great!

We went to Guillermo's (a coffee place that Brian swore didn't exist for like a year until we finally went there together one time) before the haircuts. The boys shared a cinnamon roll and we got coffee. Win for everyone. And the boys didn't have to touch the germy toys at the haircut place. Double - no make that triple - win. And it was rainy so they got to wear their jackets ("gackets" in James speak). They love their jackets so more winning. Unfortunately they don't love taking pictures as much as they love their gackets.