Shoe Shopping

Cal is really hard on shoes-- REALLY hard on them. Here's a little tip for you moms out there-- buy your kids shoes from Nordstrom- they will take back anything! If you save your box you can return shoes (I think it has to be within 6 months...?). 

Anyway, Cal was due for new shoes and Andy's shoes were wearing out a little, but I didn't think he needed new ones.  They measured Cal for his new shoes and while he was getting measured, Andy picked out some horrendously ugly shoes (no offense, shoes).  Cal came over and pointed to another pair and Andy said he liked them.  The lady asked if I wanted Andy's feet measured while we were there and Andy said "uh-huh, I do!!!" so we did! And of course, his feet were almost a full size larger than the shoes he was currently wearing. 

Turns out, with Cal's new show size, he had to get ties on his nikes-- no more velcro for him! The boys picked out matching shoes-- Cal's with ties and Andy's with velcro! They thought it was SO SO SO amazing to have matching shoes- ha!

I didn't care what they got (as long as it wasn't the super ugly pair....). They were being SO good at the mall.  Andy has been rather challenging lately, so the fact that he was being good was a relief nothing short of amazing.

I bribed them with a cookie and a ride on the escalator for their good behavior.  They held hands on the way-- staring at their shoes the whole time.

On our way out, we passed these tobagans (how do you spell that? Why is it showing up with a red line? whatever-- you get my point).  I put them on the boys for fun and I thought they were too cute... 

They just scream "THUG LIFE" don't they??

And this last one is SO Andy... I have written it on here before-- this kid has more personality than he knows what to do with.  The lady helping us with shoes said "that blonde kid of yours is the cutest kid I've ever seen. He looks naughty though." That sums up Andy!

These new shoes do, in fact, make them run faster and jump higher.  Pretty amazing, Nike.  Pretty amazing. 

I was incredibly thankful for this positive experience with the boys-- because we got home and chaos hit like you wouldn't believe.... I needed a sweet morning like this!

 

Beach Trip

We got home from NYC on Thursday night and headed to the beach after school on Friday. My brother's wife was heading out of town and my mom offered to help Chris keep the kids and it was decided the beach house was the best place for her to help.  It was also decided that it would be immensely easier if we went too-- the cousins all love each other so much and they provide entertainment for each other!

So, Friday morning, Mr. Andy feeling much better, headed off to school, as did CalBoy.  

While they were gone, I quick finished UNpacking from NYC and then repacked for the weekend! We loaded the car and then it was time to pick up Andy-- we went straight from his school to Cal's school for an early pick up for him.  We were on the road at 1. 

Hank is so funny-- if he hears the word BEACH, he is glued to me.  GLUED.  He is terrified of being left behind (not that he has ever been left behind!).  He paces right next to me, so worried that I might sneak out...

He was thrilled to be in the car.  He climbed up on the bench in between the boys-- soon he was Cal's seat belt. 

And then he was Cal's pillow:

It is safe to say Andy was feeling so so much better at the beach.  He had his appetite back and couldn't wait to help grandma make things in the kitchen.  

Friday night was a BIG deal in the house-- we finally let Cal and Jackson sleep in the same room.  We have tried it before and it was an epic fail.  Lots of giggling, lots of talking, lots of not sleeping! We talked to the boys before and they were so excited to try again-- and they were both exhausted-- so it worked out really well!  I stuck my head in and took a quick pic of them out cold:

It was also a BIG deal because we let Andy sleep in a BIG BOY BED for the first time! I had to take a picture to document:

uhhhh.....sorta a success, right?! He has been having such issues sleeping lately that I was hoping a big boy bed might help.  I think the problem too is he is so potty trained that he doesn't like to pee in a diaper.  So he wakes up and has to go.  It is exhausting, y'all.  He has not slept through the night since the middle of October- it's like having a new born...without the sweet smell and snuggly little body... annnnnnyyyyywwwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyyy.....

Speaking of babies, Cal is just obsessed with Margaret-- he loves her! His buddy Brad has a baby sister also and Cal talks about "Baby Jane" all the time.  He sees Brad hold his sister and he was anxious to hold Margaret too.  He wanted to touch her constantly! It was so sweet...

We got all the cousins on the couch for a PJ pic.  I sent this to my dad-- he was out of town so missed out on all of the chaos fun.  

I enjoyed getting my Margaret fix-- this is a beautiful little girl, if I do say so myself... and she is soooooo good!

I strapped on the bjorn for a little walk around the hood to feed some duckies-- I love a baby in a bjorn!

We spent the morning outside: riding bikes, finding ducks to feed, running around, riding more bikes and just enjoying the weather! I packed ALL wrong.  After a cold few days in NYC, my mindset was geared towards chilly-- it was gorgeous at the beach! I packed sweatshirts and scarves and hats-- not needed! I had to borrow a short sleeved shirt from my mom to wear-- it was that warm!

All that fresh air wore Andy out and he took a great nap in the big boy bed on Saturday-- I was nervous about nap time in the bed, but he did okay.  

While Andy napped, we sat on the porch watching college football.  The boys watched too:

Catherine needed some help doing her hair-- she requested a braid like mine-- she got two.  

The sisters hung out in the stroller while the boys rode bikes up and down the drive way.  

We walked over to a gazebo that over looks the sound-- it was like glass out there!

Grandma and Cal, Andy and Catherine looking for fishies!

 It was a fun weekend at the beach and the kids had just the best time together! I love the cousin love for each other....