Happy Easter!

This is seriously the best picture they would give me. And William has discovered "dead eyes." Nevertheless, it was a wonderful day. Hope yours was as happy as ours!

Nana & Papa

Steve's parents, Nana and Papa, are here for a long Easter weekend. The girls have been playing mermaid and the boys built a really cool train track. The weather is gorgeous, there's been lots of bike riding, and I've got lots of yummy food planned. Life is good. :)

The Birthday

William had a really nice birthday. I think 2 is just about the perfect year for birthdays - he had absolutely no expectations, but was utterly delighted by each little thing all day long.

When he woke up, we came downstairs and he had an ENORMOUS pile of presents on the table; his new bike and car garage were all set up for him. William kept saying "oh, wow!" and "William's new bike!" Caroline couldn't wait for him to tear into all those presents, but he was pretty content just to play with what was already available.

The day passed in a busy blur. After a couple of presents, we went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. William looooves donuts, and since they are a rare treat around here (except when Grandma comes to visit) he couldn't believe his good luck. Since all he had talked about for weeks was "blowing candles" we made sure to light one at every meal. Caroline had two other parties that day, so we were on the go.

Finally after nap - except he didn't take his usual 3-hour nap and just jumped in his crib instead - it was party time! We had his party at our local Y. A huge group of the kids' friends came, and it was a blast. William was so excited to have all of his buddies in one room! Steve and I were reminded yet again how lucky we are to have such a wonderful circle of friends here in MA. :)

William adored the Thomas decorations. I had picked up his cake on Saturday, and after I showed it to him he kept taking me over to the box and saying "see it again?" All that practice made him a candle blowing expert!

Two

I just cannot believe my baby is two. Everybody tells you it goes fast and yet it still surprises me. So what's William like at two years old?

- He's talking in 3-4 word phrases. Popular ones include "I did it!," "I hold it," and "I no want to."

- He loves all things Thomas. He is also obsessed with pointing out every single digger and dump truck we pass, and has just discovered the "digger driver." I think it's safe to say he knows what he wants to be when he grows up.

- He loves to be outside. He is Mr. Independent at the park, running around with the kids, playing in the sandbox, kicking a ball. He loves to be in the middle of all the action.

- I'm afraid to say it and jinx myself, but he is remarkably sweet, happy, and easy to please. We all genuinely enjoy having him around. I love having him all to myself the three mornings a week that Caroline is at preschool. He is truly such a joy in our lives.

- On the other hand, he has thrown some MAJOR inexplicable fits lately. Boy is it frustrating.

- He hates circle time at his little gym class. Unlike his big sister who breathlessly watched every move her teacher made at this age, William wants nothing to do with participating. He just wants to run and play.

- Also unlike the Big Sister, he wants absolutely nothing to do with the potty. All Caroline wanted for her 2nd birthday was big girl underwear; William will not even tolerate the thought of sitting on the potty. Fine by me - I have no desire to potty train any time soon. :)

- He loves his friends. Particularly the kids his age or the big boys a year or so older. And he follows "Sissy" around like a little puppy and will do just about anything she tells him to.

- He hasn't seen much tv, but he loves Curious George and the Thomas show. His favorite songs (this week) are Itsy Bitsy Spider and 5 Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. He adores Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and any book about trucks.

- He is a total mama's boy, but absolutely adores his Daddy. He is very snugly, but has already started telling me "no kissies." Sniff.

-He is our sweet baby boy, and I'm not letting him grow up no matter what the calendar says. I love you with all of my heart, little man.

Happy Birthday To William!

Yep, he's two. We had a wonderful day. More details to come, but for now, just a few pictures.

The Thomas cake...


I just like this one for some reason...



William's new bike! Every time he sees it he screams, "William's bike!" like he just can't believe it belongs to him...

10 On Tuesday

Hello??? Is anybody still checking this blog? Wow, it's been a long time. I guess we've been busy this last month - here's my list of excuses. . . .

1. We visited Steve's parents at their beautiful home in South Carolina. I had grand plans for taking lots of pictures, but instead spent most of my time drinking tea and reading by the fire in a cozy chair. Does it count if I post some pictures from other visits?

2.

3.

4.

5. I served on the committee that ran a large fundraiser for Caroline's preschool. It was a huge success, and we raised more than $10,000! It did, however, use up most of my computer time for about 3 weeks since I was in charge of coordinating all of the volunteers.

6. Caroline has officially discovered boys. She has two boyfriends and has been to play dates at their homes. And these are not just friends who happen to be boys. She spends a lot of time trying to decide which one to marry and commenting about how handsome they are. Both are equally enamored with my daughter. Sigh. Double sigh.

7. William will turn TWO in 5 days. I can.not.believe.it.

8. My mom came for a visit! As usual, we ate too much, shopped too much, and my kids acted like I didn't exist. And, as usual, I'm missing her like crazy now that she's gone.

9. I had a birthday. I didn't feel very well that day, but I did get a new lens for my camera. Here's the one (I know, sad) picture I've taken with it so far (unedited - I've been reeaallly unmotivated in the photography department lately).

10. We have turned the corner from winter to spring in Massachusetts. The grass is turning green, we're starting to see flowers, and green buds are just forming on the trees. The Clark kids are spending their days at the park with friends, and that's just the way we like it!

She's Got The Olympic Spirit...

Here's the future of US Skiing - Moguls gold medal champion, 2026?