18 months...

This out of focus picture sums up Drew at 18 months.
He is all.over.the.place.
Drew can crack a smile that will make hearts melt.

He can go from all smiles to down in the floor in a matter of seconds... a sign that we are 1/2 way to the terrible twos (insert sigh).
He is a boy of few words (he says bomma for momma, dadda for kyle, poppa for my dad, bobba for any bottle/container, nope, and oh no) but understands a lot (clean up, put the remote back, outside, put in the dirty clothes, go get ____.)

Big sister Addie showed him the ropes for his 18 month checkup.
It is always fun taking kids to the doctor... insert sarcasm.
Don't get me wrong. I have been very blessed when it comes to children and sickness. We have only gone to the doctor on well checks. This is thanks to healthy children and a great nurse friend:) But sitting in a "cell" of an exam room for 30 minutes with two children, your kind hubby who came for reinforcement, and very little entertainment is just enough to get your blood pressure up.

Addie and Drew created "art" while we waited.
This was great until Drew started extending his artistic expression to the walls and on himself.

Look at these cutie pies of mine...
Drew was not to sure of Dr. Smeltzer but warmed up when he pulled out the stickers and put them on his belly. This trick gets them every time.
Drew's 18 month stats:
He weighs 27 pounds and 6 ounces which places him in the 70th percentile.
He is 32.5 inches tall which places him in the 50th percentile.

After all the fun and games of the checkup came the shots.
I will let Drew tell you about them...

This boy of few words let the nurse have some after the three shots. We were not sure what they were but I am sure they were not nice because he was mad.

So here is the 18 things you might not know about Drew:
1. He likes candy especially candy corn and suckers.
2. Likes to eat eggs and sausage for breakfast.
3. Likes to wave good bye and blow kisses to anybody. Drew knows no strangers.
4. Drinks about 50 oz of milk a day.
5. Loves the purple monster known as Barney.
6. Can dance to Barney.
7. Loves to go outside to play.
8. Likes to drive around in the pink cozy coupe car.
(Probably thinks "Why did they get a pink car when they knew a boy would be coming?"
The joys of having a big sister.)
9. Likes to take showers with Addie.
That statement will be blackmail in years to come.
10. He can stack 9 blocks.
11. Can make a mean scribble drawing with markers.
12. Can eat 3 hot dogs at a meal.
Watch out he might be the next Nathan's Hot Dog Competition winner in Coney Island.
13. Can sleep about 10 hours straight at night.
14. Likes to sleep while holding on to bottles (think little sample bottles of lotion or makeup)
15. Walks around with baby wipes in his hands... who knew?
16. Likes to wrestle and "knock" people down.
17. Cannot stand to hear people cry. If he hears people crying he will start.
18. Likes to pull the heads off Polly Pockets... I guess if a boy is going to play with Polly Pockets this is the way to go.

The fair and Sally the Fish...

Well the fair was in town and Ninny and Poppy had to share the fun with two special little people that they love and adore.
Now normally I am not a fair going person. In our home town, the fair is usually a muddy mess, hot, stinky, filled with germs,
dirty looking people, and expensive.
In Dickson County, you have to pay to park.
Pay to get in. Pay to play.
Pay to ride. Pay to eat.
But the Henderson County Fair is a little different. They have a nice fair grounds. They have a clean kid-friendly section.
And most importantly it is a free fair (no parking and admission costs)
So we went Friday night. The grandparents were going to meet us there. Kyle and I were going to walk around for a while and then go to the high school football game while they spent time with the kids.

Addie was ready to play and Poppy was ready to pay.
Kyle and I witnessed this man drop about $20 in 20 minutes on this sweet talking, con-artist little girl named Addie Reese Sanders.

Drew just taking it all in... as usual.

Addie with her first prize.
Meet Rainbow Dash the Unicorn.

Addie picking a duck to "win" her 2nd prize... Boots the Monkey.

Addie with her three prizes in less than 30 minutes.

So after winning these wonderful prizes, Kyle and I bid adieu to the kids and the grandparents and headed to the football game. The kids played in the bouncy house and we enjoyed a football game with Kristen and Clint. When we met back up with the fair goers, Addie was so excited and told us she had won two more prizes. She came running with... you guessed it... two goldfish. She had named them Sally 1 and Sally 2. She was smiling ear to ear. Addie had already planned where the fish bowl was going to go in our home. She held on to the bags all the way home. (well until she fell asleep and I had to place them in the floor board of the car. It was 11pm after all)

Team Sally stayed in a flower vase until we could get to the store to buy the fish starter kit. When I went to the store to buy the fish bowl and goodies there was another mommy in the aisle. We looked at each other... spoke about how this was our first pet fish... asked where we got our fish... we both stated "at the fair"... just thought that was funny.

So we are doing great with the Sallies. Addie is feeding them everyday and never seems to forget. She talks to them and helps me clean the water. Everything happy until...
Saturday morning when Sally 1 is at the bottom of the bowl. Not happy times. Addie cried for about 20 minutes when Kyle finally got up the courage to tell her.
Addie was sad for Sally 2 that she would be lonely.
Addie was sad that Ninny and Poppy would be mad at her
because they said, "Take care of you fish."
Addie took that to heart.
So Sally 1 went to "sea" and Addie got a life lesson at 4...
but Sally 2 is keeping her gills up and is still with us.

Poppa @ 62...

And what did this handsome daddy of mine ask for?
Not ties... because he hates them.
Not a new DVD... because he gets them when he wants them.
Not even a dinner out at a fancy restaurant.... because he never lets us treat.

Nope. Just a day with all of us yahoos.
So we went to Jason and Kelli's home in Franklin.
Played a little while.
Had a few melt downs
(because what would a Sunday afternoon @ 4:30 be without them)
Had a wonderful dinner.
And CAKE!!!!!

Look closely and you can see Addie stealing some icing.
She is just like her Uncle Jason when it comes to birthday cake.

Happy Birthday To You....

Make a wish...

Happy Birthday Dad!
We hope it was a good one.

reading, hiding and coloring.... all just part of being a kid!

Little boy Drew has turned into a little reader lately. Well I guess if you call his love for books that have buttons that make loud noises and sing songs READING.
What is at the top of Drew's best sellers list you ask?
1.) Baby Einstein's Discover the Day (featured below in pics)
2.) A Dollar Store find from Ninny Humpty Dumpty.
3.) Where's Spot from the Imagination Library.

Can you tell this book was also a fave of Addie's?

Love, love, love toddler fingers!

Another fun past time with the Sanders kids is the forever popular Hide 'n Seek.
If you do not remember Addie's first adventures in this game let me remind you.

Drew is a little bit better on the concept of hiding than his older sister who still gives you hints on where she is... gotta love that girl.

We have been doing a little art in the high chair these days as well.
Drew loves taking the caps off of the markers and doing a little scribble here and there.

I think Addie believes she is Drew's teacher.
Heaven help this little brother.

Addie Reese....

This little girl who stole my heart 4 1/2 years ago ( she is very quick to point out that she IS 4 AND 1/2) is changing and growing into... can I say it... a big school aged girl. Addie is just to simply state it FUN. The sweetness is at an all time high and the fits and tempertatums are at an all time low. Sometimes I really have to think about when her last "outburst" was.

She loves going to school and is learning a lot. Addie has two good friends at preschool camp, English and Makayla. She looks forward to seeing them every Monday and Wednesday. She loves to work in her workbooks and draw pictures of her family and friends. She also has adjusted to Aubree leaving Mrs. Carlene's to go to Kindergarten leaving her to be the "big older girl". Addie now gets to be the big girl at Mrs. Carlene's with "little Sarah"... Addie's name for her and Laken. She can write almost all of her letters and her name (which makes this teacher mother very happy). She can color very well and can write her name. The only problem with her name it sometimes she writes her d's backwards which makes her name Abbison. When I point this out by calling her said name, she gets really mad and says, "I AM NOT ABBISON."

So here are some fun facts about my sweetie pie little girl
so we will not forget about her @ 4 1/2:

1. She weighs about 34 pounds.
2. She is about 43 inches tall.
3. She can still wear her size 2t snowman pjs although they look like capris.
4. She loves princesses and Little Mermaid and Rapunzel are here favorites.
5. When we ask where she lives she says, "Dickson, Tennessee Halloween" and I do not know why.
6. Her favorite shows are Phineas and Ferb, Little Bear, Tom and Jerry, and Olivia.
7. Her favorite colors are red, pink, and blue. Don't even try to get her to wear yellow, green, or orange because those are "too boyish".
   
8. She knows that anything orange is "Tennessee Vols"
   
9. When she grows up she wants to be an artist and a candy maker.
10. She has developed a love for running with her daddy.
11. She is still a picky eater but loves her 15 food rotation.
12. She is quite the ballerina but is asking to do gymnastics.
13. Loves her baby "bother" Drew and loves to chase him around the house.

It's Football Time In Tennessee!!!

Over the Labor Day weekend, Kyle and I made a kid-less trip to Knoxville for the home opener for the VOLS. This trip has become an annual trip for the two of us. Last year we had a blast taking Addie and Drew. This year we decided it would just be too much to take Drew and we could take Addie later in the season.

We had a wonderful weekend doing all of the things we did 12 years ago in Knoxville.
We went to eat at our favorite spots. Went to the mall and to the strip.
Got to visit with my dear friends Casie and Ryon who were down in Pigeon Forge with their family for the weekend. And watched a pretty good game.

Our annual self made picture in the stadium...

The weather was absolutely crazy for this game day. The high at kickoff was suppose to be around 98 degrees. The whole day was just hot! People were lining the UC and every other place trying to find some AC. Since our seats were in the shade, we decided to head on into the stadium to watch the pregame show. This is what we got to see...
the clouds rolling in and the band marching for cover.

A 10% chance of rain in the Knoxville area turned into a 100% chance.

After an hour and a half rain delay and no band pre-game show (only the 2nd time ever the Vols have not run through the T) we were ready to watch football.

Coach sporting some good lookin' pants this season.

Just a little wet and smelly but having a great time as always with my hubby.

On the way back home we stopped to meet this little guy and check up on his mommy and daddy. What a great trip filled with fun, memories, and great friends.