Grammy's Visit
It was so wonderful to have Grammy visit us. God had her come just when we needed her the most (when Rylie was fully walking with the drunken sailor look and needed someone to follow her around, when I was sick and needed to sleep, when both kids were sick and I didn't have the strength to watch them, and when Matt and I had planned to go away for 2 nights). We are so thankful for her. The kids had a blast playing with her and we were all sad to see her leave. 

Grammy helped me set up the sewing machine I got from my Grammy (Ruth). 

I even completed my first project of mending a pair of Matt's shorts.

 Rylie and Derek LOVE books and Grammy read a lot!

Once everyone was feeling better, we took a trip to the Zoo. 

Waving at the elephants

Komodo Dragon

 getting up close and personal with the orangutan

 checking out the horses

 the wagon is our new way to travel at the zoo

 Grammy chased Rylie around a lot

Sedona Kid-Free Getaway
Matt and I had been looking forward to getting away together for a while. We had booked 2 nights at a Bed and Breakfast in Sedona and were eagerly planning hikes and places to eat. Its funny how you can do all the planning that you want, but God always has the perfect plan for you!! Such was this trip. On Monday, two days before Matt and I were supposed to get away, Rylie got sick and threw up (the first time any of our children had thrown up). Poor girl was miserable and just wanted to be held. Thankfully, Rylie slept through the night, but I did not sleep much as I had terrible flu symptoms all night. Thankfully Grammy arrived late Monday night and watched the kids as I did not feel good the following day. On Tuesday, Rylie was feeling better and Derek also seemed to be fine. Wednesday morning we took the kids to Tot Town. About 10 minutes into playing I looked up and just knew that Derek didn't look right. So we quickly packed up and headed home. No sooner had we walked into the house than Derek started throwing up. Poor boy was miserable...he layed on the couch all day watching Curious George. Originally the plan was for Matt and I to leave for Sedona Wednesday afternoon, but with Rylie just getting over being sick and Derek getting sick that morning I was so hesitant to leave them. After much thought and Derek feeling better by the evening, Matt and I left for Sedona after both kids were asleep. We arrived late Wednesday night and enjoyed 2 amazing nights away in snowy Sedona. Its funny how God works in strange ways. I was not feeling 100% and God knew that if it was snowing (and there was snow on the ground) that we would not hike and I would not feel guilty about lying around and resting, which is what we did. It was so awesome to rest, sleep, watch movies, talk, take some long drives and really soak in the beauty of Sedona. I am so thankful for the time to re-connect with Matt and take a break from our everyday life! I cannot wait for our week away this summer to celebrate 10 amazing years of marriage. Thanks Matt for clearing your schedule to get away with me and thank you Grammy for watching the kids!

First Visit to the Dentist
I was so impressed with how Derek handled his first visit to the dentist. For a few weeks prior to his visit we had "played" dentist taking turns counting, cleaning, and checking our teeth. He was prepared and excited to meet the dentist. I am so glad we took him to a pediatric dentist...this place was so perfect for kids (TVs on the ceilings so you can watch while getting teeth cleaned) and they took great care of Derek. First, he had x-rays taken. He thought it was neat to see the pictures of his teeth show up on the screen. Next, he climbed into the dentist chair and the hygienist brushed and flossed his teeth. Finally, the dentist counted his teeth, checked them for cavities and put fluoride on them. Thankfully Derek is cavity free! He was so excited to be given a Lightning McQueen electric toothbrush! All day he kept asking if he could go back to the dentist! I'd say the visit was success!!

Derek (2 years 8 months)

I LOVE to watch Derek learn. He continues to be into space ships and jets. We have been reading books, Daddy has been showing him videos of rocket launches and airplane take offs and landings. He is memorizing facts (and books) and asking all sorts of questions. The creative teacher in me is having a blast!

Derek LOVES to read books. We will read and re-read books to him and he will memorize them. He even corrects us when we read a word wrong. For a while his favorite book was "I Stink!" by Kate and Jim McMullan. (Derek LOVES the whole series). Its about all the tasks of a garbage truck. The authors creatively tied in the alphabet with things the garbage truck "ate" that day. Derek memorized the list and would recite it often. Cool way to learn the alphabet without even trying to teach it to him!! "A-apple cores, B-banana peels, C-candy wrappers, etc...

Derek LOVES to be tickled. Every night, after reading to Derek at bedtime and just as I am about to close the door he says, "Mommy, I'd like a hug! I'd like a tickle hug." I respond, "I'd LOVE to give you a hug buddy!!" and he says, "I love you, Mommy."

celebratory donut for floating on his back by himself

 Derek LOVES sleeping in his Thomas the Train tent! 

A few quotes from Derek:

• "Mommy, let's clean up. We don't want a messy room" - He must be my child!! He cleans up all on his own. Everything has its place and he makes sure it ends up where is should be. I am so grateful that he enjoys cleaning up.

• "I'm so happy Mommy."

• "I am getting bigger Mommy. Can I drive now?" (standing there with keys in one hand, cell phone in other and backpack on his back). He walks towards the garage door and says, "I will text you on my way."

• After reading a Richard Scarry book about Huckle and Lowly Worm being best friends, Derek says, "Mommy, we're best friends!" AHHH. Melt my heart dude!!

• At breakfast we were talking about our family. Derek says our family is made up of "Princess Rylie, King Daddy, Lightning Mommy, and Chick Hicks Derek!" I love that I am not Queen Mommy, but McQueen Mommy. You sure are creative Derek.

• We were pretending to be riving somewhere using our couch as a car. Derek was driving and I was pretending to be Derek. I kept asking for a snack, just like he does. Specifically, I was asking for a squeeze pouch, his favorite snack! Derek says, "Mommy, grownups don't drink squeeze pouches they drink beer." Where did you get that one dude? I can't even drink beer (as I have Celiacs Disease) and Daddy drinks it every once in a while....Hmmm. Hilarious.

• I overheard Derek disciplining Mater. "Mommy, I am putting shakey Mater in a time out. He said mean things to me and the dump truck." Derek has never been put in a time out for saying something mean so I am not sure where that came from but it was so cute to watch him talk to Mater. 

• Rylie was crying in her crib after I put her down for a nap and Derek says to me, "She is saying Mommy get me! Mommy get me!"

Valentine's Day

Derek and I made and decorated Rice Krispy Treats

Derek passed out these valentines (thanks Pinterest)... with a Lightning McQueen fruit snack attached

 Valentine's Day rocket ship!!

 Sibling LOVE

Rylie is Walking!!!
For the past few weeks Rylie has not been sleeping well (waking up multiple times throughout the night and crying herself back to sleep), waking up earlier than usual and not napping well. The past 3 days she has NOT napped well (maybe a total of 1 hour the whole day), was overtired, was waking up really early in the morning and not sleeping well at night. I kept thinking maybe she was sick or fighting a cold, but she never had a fever and such was a happy (but tired) girl. Then yesterday Rylie decided to start the day at 4:30 am (after a rough night). I was so tired and felt like a zombie, but by the afternoon I had an answer to the no-sleeping madness...RYLIE started walking!!! She literally stood up on her own took 3-4 steps. Fell down. Stood up again and took 7-9 steps!! She was so happy and proud of herself. The whole afternoon she was practicing. It was so exciting and such a relief to have an answer to the crazy no-sleeping madness. We are so excited for her! Derek was so cute encouraging Rylie and wanted her to walk to him. My life is about to change again as Derek can't wait to really race with her now that she is walking. It was hard to get a video of her, as I was by myself and so excited, but this is the first one I took. More to come.

Jet Planes
For the past 2 months Derek has been REALLY into airplanes and space shuttles. We have checked out tons of books from the library, watched many YouTube videos, built models of jets and drawn pictures of space shuttles. I have learned a lot! Most of our conversations somehow involve these topics as well. With all this excitement we took Derek to the Phoenix International Airport to watch the jets take off and land. This was a HUGE hit. Derek kept saying "Look at those jets! There's one jet. There's another jet!" He was SO excited!

This was the sunset on the way home!