May Monkeys!

Many moments from my May Monkeys!



Evan does some tricks on his balance bike - "Did you see that?  Pretty impressive."


Water balloons


Evan's whistling is getting better and better everyday

Memorial Day Weekend

Today we attended a small Memorial Day remembrance ceremony and parade in Millbury.  We wanted to do something as a family to give the boys a little idea of what Memorial Day is all about.  No, its' not just the unofficial kick off of summer, filled with beach parties and BBQ's.  It was a small parade but the ceremonies were nice, one at the WWII memorial at town hall and one in Central Cemetery.
In the afternoon, we went to Chelo's Waterfront to hear Sweet Tooth and the Sugar Babies.  We met Gramma & Papa, Jen & Mike and Nicole.  It wasn't a spectacular day weather wise but we still had a great time singing and dancing with friends and family!

Fourth Birthday Party for my Little Sport

When I asked Evan what type of birthday party he wanted, I thought for sure that he would say superheros.  Much to my surprise, he didn't!  He instead wanted to have a sports party.  Not a baseball, basketball or soccer party but ALL sports.  He was quite insistent on that.  So today we had a party to celebrate his 4th birthday with friends and family and played sports...You name it, we played it...Soccer, baseball, golf, ladder golf, cornhole, biking, ring toss, jai lai, paddle ball, lacrosse, and football!  What a great day for our little sport!  Happy birthday, Evan!

Evan had some fun after his guests had gone home

Stowe Farm

Today Evan's preschool had a field trip to Stowe Farm.  It is right here in Millbury and yet we have never been.  The weather looked a bit iffy but the rain held off and the kids had a great time.  There were horses, goats, pigs, chickens, a bounce house, a playground, among other things.  The kids all planted their own seeds in cups to bring home; Evan chose a sunflower.  I hate that I wasn't able to attend because I was with Logan and siblings weren't allowed.  I'll have to remember to see about getting someone to stay with Logan next year so that I can go on a field trip with Evan.

Happy Mother's Day!

We've had a couple of crazy weeks with Bruce resuming his campaign so it was nice to have a relatively quiet, relaxing day, just the four of us today for Mother's day.  It started with french toast and bacon (and bloody mary's for me!) made by Evan and Bruce.  Not quite as fancy as the omelettes we have had in years past but I could taste a little extra "love" from Evan's helping hands.  After breakfast, the boys played outside for a while and then we went to lunch.  We wanted somewhere to eat outside and enjoy this beautiful day and we ended up at Vintage Grill on Shrewsbury Street.  A great lunch on an absolutely gorgeous day!  After lunch, we went to Home Depot to pick up some plants for the yard.
Logan fell asleep in the car on the way home so I brought him in, changed his diaper and put him down to nap around 4 pm.  We didn't see him again (aside from me checking on him before I went to bed) until 6:30 the next morning.  I guess my little guy was tired!!
Bruce and Evan spent the early part of the evening working in the yard while I relaxed a bit and then worked on some music for boot camp.  A very special "nothing special" kind of mother's day!

Naked Belly Dance Party

Evan requested to have a dance party tonight, then for some reason Logan started taking his shirt off...The result...A naked belly dance party.  Only the boys participated!

These two have the moves like Jagger

 Taking a break from dancing.  Seriously, kid, you need to learn to relax a little!

Evan's 4th Birthday Letter

Dear Evan,
Happy fourth birthday, my sweet boy!  With each year that passes, I am more and more amazed by you.  You are wise beyond your years, sweet and caring like no other and so, so smart.  You continue to grow and learn with each new day.  In just a few short weeks, you will be completing your first year of pre-school.  You learned so much this year and made your first friends that are truly your own.  It was a wonderful experience for you and also for Dad and I to watch you grow.
As we celebrate your fourth birthday, things are a bit stressful and uncertain at home.  I am seeing first hand just how this is affecting you and I am sorry for that.  I wish I could shelter you from the stress filled situations and arguing that you have heard but please know that Dad and I both love you more than you will ever know and will do what is best for you always.  We are both trying to do our best to give you everything you deserve!
While you are growing up quickly, part of you remains young at heart, perfectly content to watch Curious George or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV, even though Wild Kratts is a bit more your speed these days.  You are still my little guy who loves to read all sorts of books and snuggle before nap time (if you actually take one) or bedtime.  Superheros are super cool, especially Spiderman and Batman but you still enjoy Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  You are getting better and better at riding your balance bike and I have no doubt you will be hitting homeruns off of your new baseball tee in no time.
Your fierce independence amazes me.  You are confident and capable of doing most anything you set your mind to.  You get easily frustrated at times when things don't go your way but we are working with you to stay calm and when you do, you are able to accomplish awesome things.  Your emotions get the best of you sometimes but mine do too.  I promise to do my best to remain steady and collected in order that you may learn by my example.  
I can not wait to see the growth that this year will bring for you.  That big brain of yours is a sponge and I hope it never stops soaking up "life"!  I have no doubt that you will have another amazing year at pre-school and will likely be reading before your next birthday.  My wish for you is that you never loose your zest for life and that you always remain caring and empathetic.  You are a special gift to all who know you and I am so proud to call you my son.
I love you, buddy!
Love always,
Mom.

My little birthday buddy!

Happy 4th Birthday, Evan!

Four years old?!?!  What?!?!  Already!?!?! Yup, it's true.  Today we celebrated Evan's fourth birthday!  It was a beautiful day.  The perfect day to play outside with his new baseball tee.  He opened his gifts from us in the morning and was truly excited about EVERYTHING...even the clothes!  After playing with his new "big boy Legos, just like Danny" for a while, we headed outside to try out his new baseball tee.  I have been wanting to get him one for a while now and it is just the perfect size for him.  With every swing, Evan kept saying, "Step and swing".  After a little bit, we packed up, stopped at the Queen's cups to pick up some birthday cupcakes and then went to RI to meet Gramma and Papa for lunch at Evan''s favorite place, the 99!  After lunch, we went back to their house to play so that Evan could show them his new gifts.  We had fun playing other games too.  Evan kept saying "This birthday is awesome!" so much so that by the end of the night Logan was saying "Awesome, awesome!"  Happy birthday, big guy!  We all love you so much!

HWG Birthday Celebration

Today Evan celebrated his birthday with his friends at Here We Grow Preschool.  It is so nice to see how far he has come this year and how much he has learned.  I love that he has made his first friends, well ones that aren't his cousins or children of our friends.  He was prince for the day and brought in a special snack of trail mix "but this time with fruit loops!" to share with his friends.  Hard to believe that my little guy will be 4 tomorrow!  I love to watch him grow and learn but also wish I could slow things down.  Can't wait to see what the next year will bring!