Spring Fling

 Spring is in full swing and I'm loving it.  It is fantastic to be able to take the kids outside multiple times a day, no worrying about jackets or even socks.  We've been having such a blast.  When we're not playing at one of the handful of parks within walking distance, you can usually find us near our garage playing on the streets in our complex.  Hazel and Jack have spent hours already riding bikes, drawing with sidewalk chalk, chasing bubbles, and playing our usual make-believe plot (bad guy captures good guy) with the sand toy dinosaurs.

 

 Last week the kids went crazy for water painting (water in a sand bucket with big paint brushes).

We bought a membership to Happy Hollow (a local amusement park for the 2-5 year olds) and have been going a lot.  One time I did a swap with my friend Natalie.  She watched Jack at her house and I took her son Jefferson with us.  It was a blast!  The kids were in heaven.  It was so much easier having two kids the same age to entertain each other.  We dressed them in matching clothes quite accidentally and everyone thought I was trucking around twins.  

 Jefferson didn't want to go on the roller coaster, so Hazel went on her own again while I stayed with him.  She had to stand reeeeaaaal straight to show the ride worker she was tall enough.  She just reaches the 40" mark.  I was pretty surprised when she chose the front row, but I shouldn't have been.  She was up for the challenge.  Arms up, huge grin, and theatrical screams throughout the entire ride.  The roller coaster is Hazel's favorite part of Happy Hollow. 

 Around the house, the J-bird is developing more personality every day.  He's a total jokester - he loves making me laugh.

Such style, right? 

 He's figured out how to throw some pretty massive tantrums as well.  Not sure where he picked that up.  Surely not from his older sister...

He's figured out how to hum the next line of "Slippery Fish."  Before he could do just the first three notes:

Slippery fish, slippery fish

But now he's added:

Swimming in the water.  

He adores the dustbuster and will push it all over the house until the battery runs down. 

 He's figured out there's a whole new level of exploration if he just stands on something.  The child chairs and bathroom step stool have become his new favorite tools for mischief. 

 And we are spending more and more time in the halls during church.  Last Sunday I stood in the hall trying desperately to still hear the Relief Society lesson while Jack had a party at the water fountains.  Two more months til he's officially in nursery.  We will probably be in there a lot before then.