and we had cake...

thank you to all for celebrating...near and far.

 good times, lotsa laughs...

 and the gifts. thank you.

 i am certain will have future sports stars. soccer or golf or basketball or baseball....too much fun.

thank you for celebrating with us!

happy happy birthday

two whirlwind years.

 this pretty much sums up how i will remember these guys their second year.

 i hope i always remember jack's sweet baby face.

and how he is usually flashing his gorgeous smile, sticking his tongue out or perfecting his pout. and how i had to cut the feet off all our blanket sleepers because boy knows what he wants. and how he still cries when he sees them until i show him there are no feet.

and how he wants to chase matt and his friends all over. and when matt is not around, he plays just like him: rolls cars around on his belly, yells "awesome!" or "mama, look!" at all the trucks we see and is usually clutching a matchbox in each hand.
i hope he knows how darling i think he is.

my sweet sleeper. who sleeps through the night every night. with three loveys. all blue dogs. 

and naps anywhere.

(just do not try to take his photo while sleeping.)

happy birthday sweet boy.

 and my little stubborn determined ben. 

who manages to find mischief anywhere. and everywhere.

and who loves his "pops."

big ben. who does not like getting dressed, or changed, or put to sleep, or fed, or washed, or taking turns...who especially does not care for puffy vests.

ben who does his own thing, which usually ends with tears or frustration, who just started jumping down the stairs--step by step, who says "no, jd has poopy" when he smells, who loves to cling to his mama, and is curious about everything. seriously, every little, tiny thing.
 sweet ben. i wish you did more of this...

..especially after such a show of pulling on your hair and calling for your bear, "beer." but i secretly love our alone time at 5am. every. single. day. happy birthday sweeite!

we spent a gorgeous birthday playing in the sun. it was definitely bubble weather.

and tank tops and shorts and crocs weather. life is much easier this way.

and a bit more fun.

 



this guy -- and his two best pals -- are all swimming. well almost really swimming. they go under and use strokes and don't cry anymore. it is great and he thinks it is all because of the magic goggles...

 matt was giving his brothers rides at the playground last week. we did not even promise him a treat, he just loved the "awesome dover playground".

 big guy, little car, mama's sore back...

 and again...back in our old 'hood.

 these two did not understand why they we locked in. this hour ended with the great scooter tug of war. lots of tears and screaming and flinging of little body onto the pavement. but guess what they are getting for birthday??

 i am too lazy to dig out the old picture of matt doing the same. in the same place.

 the sweetest little guy ever. except when he bites ben. which is only very occassionally these days.

 he keeps a matchbox car in his pocket. like a mini-matty with the cars.

 ben however like sticks and stones and will definitely break a bone this summer. he is fearless.

 and food. seriously, the boy snacks all day long. he's whining? give him a pretzel...crying? popcorn...screaming? lollipop.

 hard to look at these winter gear pictures considering is was in the high 80's today. if you don't have facebook, you will see what we are dealing with next post. loving the exhausted, sweaty, dirty meltdowns because they all three sleep early and long.

hmmm...

who is who? i keep calling this guy matty...

...now i see why (look at the last picture):

http://mattywatcher.blogspot.com/2008/08/im-back.html

this blog is so boring..

..but as i have not started baby books, we will plow on. this may be why ben wakes up screaming.

 matty has finally (finally, finally, finally) learned to swim. after an entire winter of lessons last year with no progress, he just took the plunge a few weeks back. now he goes under and jumps in and dives down and loves it. now i am only a little terrified of joining a pool club this summer!

even ina, the best instructor ever, was shocked!

 jack is still the sweetest little guy. except at the shoe store this week. he would not even try on the blue sneakers. i swear...a true tantrum.

 so got the lime green ones.

whatever. they work. these guys pulled a jump rope around for an hour or so one afternoon.

all was peaceful until matt and his buddy saw it. we left shortly after this photo...

 this weekend it was back to snow boots. six of them.

 and six mittens.

 and three hats.

 and then the mittens keep coming off. and then ben hates his hat. and then jack sticks a bare hand in the snow and then it's time to go inside...note the tears 

 the littles are doing this right now so i better go jammy them and throw them in their cribs before they get all rowled up again.

PS--matty thought this was the real stanley cup and insisted i take a picture.

 and can you tell why these guys are so happy?

no, not the toothbrush, they brush their teeth 10 times a day

their first solo baths. no one was cooperating with the schedule and i didn't feel like chasing anyone so i bathed one at a time. even times three it was a bit more relaxing than the ruckus we usually refer to as bath time.