Meet my nephew.

The kiddos are feeling much better today, which I could attribute to my incredible Mommy skills, but is most likely due to the surge of nice weather we're having (it's seventy degrees already!).

So let's get on with those California pictures.

Why did we go to California? Was it for the palm trees and sunshine? No, let's be honest, we just wanted to meet our nephew. It was lovely to see my brother and sister in law, and my mom and stepdad and have all of us together, la la la. But we really went to California to meet Ashton :)

My brother John and his first-born -
Ashton and his gorgeous Mommy, Jenn. Here's an interesting tidbit for those of you who've known me for many years: Jenn is, of course, Jennifer, and now her married name is Jennifer Fagan, which is my maiden name:) Ashton and his Aunt J.J. - Ashton and his Uncle Ron - Ashton and his Nana - What is the problem here? Going through these photos I realize I have a shot of Ashton with almost everyone, but none of Ashton with both of his parents. So I guess I'll be keeping the pre-wedding photo of them up on our wall for sometime.

Back soon with another batch of warm, sunshine-y pictures!

California on hold.

I have dozens of photos from our recent (ok, we've been back for almost two weeks now) trip to California, but the kiddos woke up with yucky colds this morning, so California is on hold for now. For now I'll share this one, a gem because it will always remind me of late afternoon California sunshine, and also because I didn't realize how much I took that happy smile for granted until this morning when it wasn't there. I'll be staring at this picture until her smile comes back from the depths of this wragged cold. Until then...

Ten on Tuesday: Birthday recap!

1. Birthdays are for surprises. For two year olds, who really don't even know what a birthday is, the whole entire day is awesome to plan because everything is special.

2. I left this gift outside his room so that when he woke up he'd find it, and as I'm looking at these I think I might be more happy looking at my daughter who is genuinely overjoyed to discover what this first gift is for her brother.3. His very own Mighty Machines DVD to watch on his birthday!4. The day before his birthday it was like 61 so they got to have marshmallows on the deck after lunch, which he then expected would happen on his birthday. Not so, with it being thirty degrees cooler. They settled for marshmallows anywhere.5. Birthday detritus.

6. The good thing about birthdays is that no matter who the gifts are for, both kids get to enjoy them.

7. Insert 5:46 pm official time of birth shot here. Mama didn't remember until six thirty-six. So I took this one.

8. And this one.

9. So I'll just choose one and put "5:46" on it, call it a day. Mama guilt sorta-over.

10. The next morning, Fisher opened the rest of his presents. Not sure if it's Fisher or Daddy enjoying the remote control recycling truck more?

We had a lovely birthday with you, Fisher Bisher:)

Joining the fun.

Guess who's just enjoyed his first Muffin Tin Monday?

And guess who gave him the muffin tin, as a special gift for his birthday? One little girl, one sweet sister, who wanted to share these special Mondays with her best friend.

My son is two.

Luckily I had this picture from our trip last week, saving me from uploading photos at the end of an exhausting, celebratory day.

Back to it, though, my son is two today. Two years old.

He's so very two. Feisty. Wants what he wants, when he wants it, lives in the moment. Says 'no' about a hundred and fifty million times a day. Awesome.

He stopped in the middle of playing with new birthday toys today, because on his birthday playlist I had put 'That's Not My Name,' and he just had to dance.

I just love this kid. He will smack you on purpose one minute, and the next he's giving you a tight squeeze with his arms and legs wrapped around you cause he can't stand to be away from you. (I like those moments better than the ones where I get smacked on purpose.)

He has favorite songs and books and toys and likes. I did not expect this. I know, I have a four year old so I've been through this ages and stages things, but I just expected him to be a bigger baby at this point. He is so much more, and I'm so amazed and surprised by him every day. I can't wait to see him each morning, to snuggle him and feel how warm he is and keep him close as long as he'll lay, until he's too ready to go go go on with his day.

I know what he'll go straight to in the morning: the new trash truck, which he's filled with tiny pieces of paper and a quarter. And then we'll eat breakfast, and then he'll want to watch Wall-E cause it's the weekend and that's when kids get to watch movies around here. But he won't watch the whole thing, cause he's two and he's never made it through a whole movie before.

I love the little bits of him.

I'm not so jazzed that he's two instead of one, but if my son has to be two years old, then I'm happy to say I've got the best two year old son.

Yesterday, today, tomorrow.

Yesterday: got to be the special reader in Alla's class. I read two of her favorite books: That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown and Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem.Yesterday our family went out to dinner for the first time as a family since September 2008. Yes, you read that right - 2008! This momentous occasion probably deserves a post all its own. At 5:30 pm I had a salmon in the oven and brown rice in the rice cooker, when suddenly the power went out. At 5:50 it was still off, so we called our friends to see if they wanted to go to Red Robin. Ten minutes later we were in the car, without really thinking about it.

What's to think about, you say? LOTS: what will Fisher eat that is allergen-free? Will they make french fries in a separate fryer, because once he sees the other kids with them, he'll want them, too. How will I be able to figure out how many carbs are in his meal?

Fisher, for all intents and purposes, had never been to a restaurant. Last time, in September 2008, he was not yet eating solid food. I don't think he even knew what to expect - that they BRING YOU FOOD!

To answer the questions: yes, they cook french fries in a dedicated allergen-free fryer. The manager brought them out herself. The hamburger was just plain meat, no fillers. The manager brought us a print-out of their gluten-free menu, as well as a carb count for the french fries. It was completely enjoyable!

Today: I sauteed red onion and spinach and placed this in corn tortillas with a triangle of babybel cheese for lunch. No, not for the kids - for ME:)

Today: I dug through my stash of gift bags and packed us each a "junkful" (as Alla would say) of food (Fisher's all carb-counted and labeled) because...

Tomorrow: we get to meet Ashton, my nephew!

See you next [birthday] week!

Excuse me, sir.

Fisher loves this game, one Daddy invented a long time ago. It goes something like this - Fisher says, "Call Fisher," and we do it like this...

Excuse me, sir, have you seen my son? He has brown hair, brown eyes...

...two dimples...

...he's about this tall...

...and he has the silliest laugh. Do you want to hear his laugh? (Then we tickle him. He laughs.)

There's my Fisher!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Maybe this will just be a Ten on Tuesday blog?

2. The thermometer officially says forty degrees. Although our snowman is still hangin' on out there in the front yard, Alla told me yesterday that 'his buns-hons melted.' So sad.

3. So, the problem with forty degrees, if you can see a problem with it being a balmy forty degrees on March 2nd, is that at five o'clock I'm outside watching my children delight in the joys of puddles and riding a bike for the first time in four months, instead of making dinner.

4. I need someone to make dinner every afternoon at five o'clock, so I can be outside with my kids.

5. Fisher came into bed with me yesterday morning and when I asked him if he was my Snugga-Bugga, he told me, Bess mommy. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

6. Meet my handsome husband.

7. Doesn't he have a great smile?8. Both kids fell asleep at random times on Sunday. Fisher in my lap while reading a book to Alla.9. It was like when he was a newborn and so asleep that nothing could wake him and I could lift him up and watch his head fall to one side, while he slept on undisturbed.10. After Fisher's nap he gets to watch Mighty Machines, which is usually equally compelling for Alla. Not this one, I guess. I don't remember the last time she napped.