Fridays Are Fun!

While Bennett napped this morning, I got out a new art project for Logan and I to work on.  Usually, if B takes a morning nap, Logan and I do something special together.  Today was rainy so it was perfect for painting!  These dot art projects are awesome!  Logan literally has done twenty pictures already.  They are all hanging up in the play area.  He's really taken  to coloring and painting in the last few weeks which is so fun because I love it, too!

Dot art

The first of many!  I started by saying how beautiful the pictures were and hanging them up.  By the fourth picture, Logan caught on saying, "Mommy, isn't this beautiful?! Can you hang it up?!".  Well, how can I say no to that??

Just as B was waking up, our friends Carter and Brynna arrived with their mom, Leah.  Logan and Carter usually see each other every week at playgroup but it was fun to have Carter at our, house to play! The boys are very similar and both so sweet - they play really well together.  Carter is about 6 months younger than Logan, so I think they will be good buddies!  

The boys also worked a lot with the tools - they both know how to fix lots of things!

Bennett (post blow-out) was busy keeping up!  At point, while Leah and I finished lunch, the three big kids were playing in Logan's room and before I knew it, B had crawled to Logan's room and joined right in.  It was so cute!  He doesn't want to miss a thing!

My Cuties

We had a week at home this week while John was away for a regional meeting in Milwaukee.  I did pretty well for being alone and have finally proven to myself that I can do it by myself when necessary.  We tried to keep busy and thankfully we had great weather, too.  On Wednesday we even got a special visit from my Mom and Amy so that was fun for everyone!  Thursday we got to go play at William's house and try out his awesome new basement!  I'm not sure what got into me, but I got everyone into cute outfits by 9 am and out the door.  I think we just needed a fun outing after a couple days of mostly being home.

The boys looked so cute, I had to get a few photos.  Luckily they cooperated (sort of).  Bennett is holding his little teething tablets: his "toy" of choice these days!

Logan's cute shoes!  Vans!  My mom got them for him at Nordstrom's....they are super bright and so adorable.  They are non-play shoes...for outings only! (we'll see if we can stick to that!)

William's new play area - the basement is so beautiful!

Logan and William playing cars!

Priceless

There was just something so special about tonight!  The boys were in rare form - just loving every minute of every activity, even though we were past bedtime.  Logan was a gem today - helping Bennett and cheering him on as he cruised from the couch to the chair.  He even shared his toys a little more than usual. Bennett is finally feeling much better and it shows!  He was his happy little self and he loved playing with his big brother, as usual.

We should have been getting ready for bed, but it was just too cute to watch them together.

Bennett's turn!

The giggles were just so cute!  They were both cracking up and I really have no idea why...I should have gotten video of this.

It didn't take long before both boys were only wearing diapers...

Logan looks so huge next to Bennett (yes, Bennett is standing!).

Bennett went to sleep and then Logan got to have some popcorn with me and watch a little tv.  It was a special treat because he was such a great big brother, helper, and nice boy today.  I love these days...

Missing Logan

Last weekend Logan spent time at Baggie and Bop Bop's house (Gma anad Gpa Eiselt).  He has been looking forward to it all week and couldn't wait to see "Zoey the puppy" and "Chance the cat".  Logan sure is lucky to have such special time with all his grandparents lately.  They got to visit the baby animals at the zoo, which Logan is just wild about!  Fun!  Logan even picked out a little stuffed tiger at the gift shop for Bennett.  How cute.

Bennett got to stay home with us and it was all pretty good timing.  Last week was a bit of a nightmare...lots going on.  Bennett came down with a fever that ran for four days.  With Logan at B & B's, Bennett got the extra snuggles he really needed and the fever finally broke early Saturday morning.  We just spent a lot of time playing, all together, on the floor.  I didn't take any photos, but I did get this one...

This is the reason for the title of this post to be "Missing Logan":

Bennett was obsessed all weekend with his reflection in the dishwasher, stove, and sliding door.  I think he was just missing Logan, feeling lonely, and wanted another little body to play with.  Isn't that so sweet?

Run, Logan, Run!

We had a great time at William's 2nd birthday party on Sunday night at the Sports Center is Eau Claire!  What a great birthday idea - rent the field for playtime!  Logan loved it so much!  When we've been at the Sports Center for open gym, he is not very adventurous, but tonight was different.  With only a few kids in attendance there was plenty of space to run and climb and jump and play.  Plus, I could tell that Logan was just soaking up the time with John.  Bennett slept for the first half of the party, so I sat with him.

Even Iggy and Lily made the trip from the Twin Cities with my friend Shannon!  We haven't seen them for so long!  It was great spending time together again!

Rolling the big ball with Iggy.

Riding trikes with the birthday boy, William.  His actual birthday was about a month ago, but they waited to celebrate until today.  William is going to have a little sister at his house in September and we are already to excited to meet her!  You might remember William's party last year...take a look back by clicking here.  What a difference a year makes.  I was quite pregnant and Logan seems like such a "baby".

This was Logan's favorite activity (besides running).

Loving it!

So much fun with Dad

Mommy and Benny

After playtime, we had pizza and cake!

Logan loved the cookie pops (let's be honest....so did I)!  Thanks to the Nordstroms for such a fun evening!

Music Night

Music class has been one of Logan's favorite activities this year.  It took him a while to warm up last year, but this year, he has really loved it!  He would talk about music class all week, looking forward to seeing his friends and Mrs. Anderson, our teacher.  With preschool on the horizon for the fall, I am not sure if we will be participating next year or not.  Our classes just ended for the spring and Logan has already been asking to go to music class.  Luckily, we had Family Music Night tonight!

Logan and Mommy: "Clap, clap, clap your hands, clap your hands together!"

Nana and Bennett - he loves his instruments!

Dancing: Logan's favorite!

Break it down, buddy!

Nana and Logan

Thanks to my mom for joining us!  John was away at a track meet and then a YL meeting after that, so it was nice to have an extra set of helpful hands at Family Music Night!

While Logan naps...

Today Bennett had a hay-day with the toys while Logan napped!  On most days, I am lucky that the boys sleep at the same time in the afternoon.  Sometimes, the timing is a little off.  Today, after Logan went to sleep, Bennett got a little playtime and boy, was he happy!

Special time with Bennett is so precious.  I love the moments when we get to connect and I'm not so divided among both boys.  This afternoon was one of those times and it was so special!

Saturday Schmater-day

Who says weekends are free, fun-loving family time?!  Not for us!  Not these days!  I can't complain because we've been doing a great job of making the most of the days John is able to be home, but lately, those are few and far between.  Today, John worked all day so the kids and I just tried to keep busy!

We started out by visiting John and our YL friends at the golf registration event, then went to a friend's garage sale (just for fun - no purchases!), then came home for lunch, naps, and lots more playtime!  We had a really great day and the boys were in the best moods.  I am so lucky to have such sweet boys to love...

This is B's new favorite - the mini workbench.

This is so "classic Bennett" - biting his lower lip.

There it is again!  So cute!

Brothers crawling together...

Here they come!

Bennett loves eating cheese...

Oh my goodness...could his smile be any bigger?!

Of course, Logan needed some photos taken as well!

Cheese!

Bennett's First Haircut!

Well, I couldn't wait any longer to get Bennett a little haircut!  His hair was in his eyes, over his ears, and he had a mean ducktail along his neck in the back!  Since Logan needed a trim as well, I decided we would do both the boys at Wildchild at the same time.  We went in on a quiet Monday morning, so we were the only ones there.  Logan has adapted to getting his haircut and likes to watch the video and get a sucker after.  He used to cry the whole time, but its been better lately.  Bennett - our "easy" baby - had no problem!  After a while in the chair, he got a little sad, but he just sat there and let her finish.  It was so cute.  We just got a little bit of a trim for him - I made sure she didn't take too much off...I don't want him to look like too much of a little boy...he's still my baby!

So calm for a first timer!

In fact, Logan looks a little more unsure than Bennett, I think!

Before...

Before...

After.  Just a little shorter along the front, sides and back.  Still so soft and cute...

Fun at Papa and Nana's

We got to spend several days at Papa and Nana's while John was in Chicago for a couple different training conferences.  It was a welcome change of pace for us.  The weather was really nice, which made it even more fun!  We did a lot of playing, running outside, special trips, seeing Aunts and Uncles, and just relaxing!

Logan helping Papa make pancakes.  Papa was home just for the start of our visit before he went to Malaysia for work.  Then he got stranded for a couple extra days because of the volcanic eruption in Iceland.  We're glad he made it home safe, now!

Bennett was Papa's special boy.  There is some bond between them because Bennett got so excited to see Papa and then wouldn't let go.  He wouldn't even come back to me when Papa was holding him!  I couldn't believe it!  Its pretty special, I think, since Logan has always had an extra special bond with my mom.

Playing together...

sort of.  I think Logan must be telling Bennett "No Benny, that's not yours!"  I hear that a lot lately.  Bennett is pretty quick getting around these days and always wants to be doing what Logan is doing.  We're still working on understanding the whole sharing thing!

Flying high on the swing!

Logan loves to swing.  Bennett, not so much.  By the time Logan was Bennett's age, he loved to swing, so I am not sure what the difference is.  Hopefully this spring as we spend more time at the park, Bennett will start to love to swing just as much as his big brother!

Logan likes to walk out in the paths around the trees and in the long grass.  He calls is "The Zoo".  We do get to see some animals sometimes: deer, pheasant, lots of birds...Logan sure loves that.

Logan and Nana coming back through the zoo!

Thanks for letting us come to stay - it was great!