Pinkalicious

Cate loves the book, "Pinkalicious," and I have been meaning to make pink cupcakes, just like the character in the book does, for months. I thought it would be fun to make the cupcakes and then dye the frosting pink and let her decorate a cupcake with sprinkles and candies. Every time I think about actually doing this project, I remember that Timmy will want in on this action and it will be a huge mess. Huge. And it was, but totally worth it.

This morning after breakfast, fort building and walking the dog (them in their snowsuits), we made the cupcakes so that they could cool during nap time. I think that they might have been happy just arranging cupcake papers in the pan.

With the cupcakes in the oven, Cate and Timmy each got a beater. I had to wrestle the bowl away from a howling Timmy who just kept yelling, "Cookie....cooooookie!"

After dinner it was time to frost and decorate the cookies. I gave C&T their own little ramekins of frosting and sprinkles.

Timmy just started eating his cupcake, wrapper and all.

Cate was a bit more meticulous.

I would have liked to have let Cate decorate more cupcakes after I frosted them, but it is just hard to do anything that takes that much time with Timmy on the scene. He is, after all, the boy we affectionately refer to as "pigpen." I had to get him away from the table and the mess so that I could clean up.
Maybe I'll let them decorate cupcakes as they eat them this week.

Baby Brothers

Sometimes it is hard to be the big sister. You just want to get your dollhouse out, set up all of the people and come back to find them the way that you left them.

When you live with Timmy, this is not always possible. Cate had all of her people arranged and when we came back to her room, we found Timmy like this.

He is the King Kong of the dollhouse world.

It's Just for the Girls

"It's just for the girls, T....no boys are coming to this party."

This is what Cate tried to explain to her brother before he was taken to the Y to play basketball with Tim. I don't think he cared.

Cate got a very special invitation to Carolyn's wedding shower and we thought that a shower for Carolyn was a good reason to skip nap time, get dressed up and party with the girls.

Cate kept asking when we were going to "her" party, so I had to explain that this occasion actually had nothing to do with her. What a concept.

When we arrived, Mimi was already there helping to set up.

Auntie Jenn was there too. When we first arrived, I thought that Tim was going to have to pick Cate up and take her home for a nap.

After her usual 30 minute warm up period, Cate came alive and had fun. She wanted to help with the cake.

And try on the wedding dress balloon.

Cate didn't demolish her cake quite like flower girl Lia did, but she did eat the candy meant for the Bingo boards.

We had a great time at Carolyn's shower and Cate took a four hour nap the following day to make up for the one she missed!

Cupcakes, Balloons and a Day with Daddy

We have been celebrating Valentines Day around here for two weeks. Anything to break up the seemingly structureless days with a one and two year old. We have colored hearts, made Valentine cards, made Valentine people and had a Valentine party at Cate's class.

I ended up being quite sick this weekend and even stayed at my parents' house on Saturday night and all day Sunday to try to recover. Tim hung out with Cate and T, took them to church, fed them and got them to bed just fine while I was gone.

I managed to pull myself together on Sunday afternoon to go out and get a few little gifts for Cate and TT.

We stopped at the grocery store and I thought that I would pick up a few balloons for them. I could have just stopped shopping there. They both loved the balloons and played like little maniacs with them for quite awhile. Timmy didn't stop moving for long enough for me to get a picture.

Cate was in serious need of some new pajamas (since that's about all she wears). Her beloved pinks are looking pretty pilled, so she got the red and pink pair below and another blue pair. Timmy got the red and grey skateboard jammies, but they just weren't that exciting to him after the balloon. Cate was very excited to find that her bag included her very first headband. She has been wearing it nonstop. Nana sent C&T some fun new books and they both dove right in. I love how there are four feet in this picture but only one sock.

Mimi and Pop gave them each a singing bear because they both love music but Timmy is a little bit afraid of his.

Mimi made some yummy chocolate pumpkin cupcakes which were a huge hit. After Cate ate her cupcake, she asked for another. I told her that she could share one more with Timmy, that she could have half. She said that she wanted a whole cupcake. As I went to get it, I told her that it was half or nothing. She said, "Ok, T has nothing." She settled for half.

Worn out in her Valentine pink bed! Happy Valentine's Day!

Long Winter Days

Today was a long day. We didn't have any classes or open gym and Tim had to use my car today so we were trapped. I tried to plan a few little activities to break up the morning. Timmy played with his cars in the bathtub, we colored and made Valentine hearts and finally, when I got desperate, I took out some muffin tins and a bunch of little spoons. I let them scoop dry beans into the muffin cups. I knew that it would be a mess, but I tried to just let it go and remind myself that I have to sweep after every meal anyway, so what's one more time? They were entertained by this novelty for a little while.

It is really difficult to have any structured playtime right now because Timmy is just wild. He eats crayons, rips paper and just generally messes with Cate. In the late afternoon Mimi and Pop came over to save us and Cate's imagination was on display as we rode the train (this time Timmy's tiny room), went to the beach and went out for lunch. Thank goodness for Mimi and Pop's afternoon "visits" and for a community center that we can walk to even with twenty inches of snow on the ground. We will be first in line for open gym tomorrow.

Letting Her Imagination Run Wild

Cate is all about imaginative play these days. Most of her scenarios involve getting on a train, stopping for snacks and then heading downtown to "get some lunch" with her friends. This little playhouse that we got them for Christmas is Cate's train. She sits in the window and beckons anyone she can to come in and get on the train with her. Timmy just runs around, goes and in out of the house and generally doesn't play out the plan the way that Cate had envisioned. He knows that something funny is going on, but he has no idea what it is.

Crib is the new Pack N' Play

I was never good about having Cate or Timmy play in a pack n' play. I should have trained them to do this for a few minutes (when they were smaller) so that I could clean up, shower or catch my breath.

Lately, Cate and Timmy have been retiring to his his crib after meals to read books...or boops as Timmy calls them. I know that the novelty will soon wear off and I do usually have to go in there to stop Timmy from somehow annoying Cate, but for now, it buys me enough time to clean up the dishes or throw my clothes on or drink just one more cup of coffee.