So much to catch up on so I'll just dive right in.  First, was Rick's birthday.  I try a new strawberry cake recipe every year trying to find "the one" that just thrills him. No, this year was not it.  Every year I think, "YES! This sounds awesome!"  But it never quite turns out how I think.  But the kids enjoyed blowing out the candles and licking off all the icing. Cole doesn't like us to actually cut him a piece of cake. He just want to like the icing off the entire thing.  Good thing he at least likes to use a candle or a spoon instead of his fingers!

For my birthday Rick treated me to a weekend in Dallas.  Kylene was kind enough to watch the kids for us as my mother dealt with some health issues at the time.  The kids really loved their time with her and now Lyla loves to randomly call out for "Kaka!" and of course they want her little doggie too.

About a week before Cole's third birthday he started having a hard time falling asleep for naps. So I would let him stay up and he was surprisingly delightful!  I actually enjoy our time alone and he is so loving, cuddly and quiet during that time that I think he loves it too.  Some days we "play school" and work through a preschool workbook and sometimes we play games together or trains. Since the time change he has needed a little nap on some days and I've found him to easily take that nap without any frustrations if he lays down with mommy in her bed. I have loved this too. Sometimes we sleep; sometimes he sleeps and then I get up and do some chores; and it seems this past week, I slept and Cole would get up and go play. haha!  Sweetest moment ever...I was falling asleep and Cole cuddled really close to me, kissed me on the forehead and said "Sleep Tight!" and then jumped off the bed to go play. Awww...

I always dreaded the days when Cole wouldn't nap, but it has really been a refreshing change. He cleaned windows with me last week.  He helps me pick up the house. I think he just enjoys the one on one time too since, more often than not, he turns into a teasing monster when Lyla wakes up.  (Obviously, not wanting to share mommy anymore.) I have been trying to think of more ways to give him some individuality rather than doing things with Lyla.  I've noticed him pull away in Kindermusik, not wanting to participate and the instructor noticed it too.  She said it could be he is ready for the next class (where you go without a parent) or that we just need to put him in a class without Lyla. So we are going to try taking him to a different class this week. We will see how it goes.  We just finished Hot Shots Soccer which he also did without his sister.  So now I'm trying to think of something else.  Any ideas???

We have been working with Cole on brushing his teeth. Some days he is excited and ready to go all out. Others, not so much.  I even bought that blue rinse he has to brush off hoping to get him excited.  That worked for two days.

But the big 3rd birthday was SO MUCH FUN!  It seemed to go on and on which made it all that more exciting for Cole. We celebrated at home the day of with a cake I put his new Thomas train on.  My parents were able to come for that.

He opened Grandpa and Grandma Poling's gifts that night too.

His birthday party for he and his little friends was the following Monday. I made a tiny green cake for Cole and green cupcakes for everyone else.

We had tables set up for the kids to color train pictures with crayons or watercolor.  We played pin the Face on Percy and had all of Cole's trains out for the kids to play with.  Oddly enough, Cole was playing with his oldest set here. He still loves this little $10 or $15 train and track we got at Walgreens.  He is the sentimental type. :-)

Lyla loved all the kids there and especially their little siblings.  She is a baby fanatic. She always wants to give them a pacifier and she even wraps them in HER blankie! WHOA!  I about died the first time I saw her give a baby her blanket to make them feel better.  Soooooo precious.  That's our Lyla! Oh yea, and she loved the cupcakes.

 

Some gifts didn't come by his party, but that was awesome to Cole because he kept getting gifts in the mail. He still is a little excited there might be a present for him when we get the mail. haha!

 

Now onto HALLOWEEN!

The kids had a blast. They had been prepped to dress up as characters for "SuperWhy" all month.  Cole was Wyatt (SuperWhy) and Lyla was Princess Pea (Princess Presto).  Their wands light up and play messages from the show.  Lyla's costume came with a crown too but it wouldn't stay on.   We went to a Trunk or Treat at our church Saturday night.  We didn't go out again on Halloween night, but instead gave away the candy they got on Saturday. Is that awful?  I didn't think so since they were actually thrilled to give it to others coming to our door. They thought it was great fun!

This guy was so happy to be fully dressed up and was prepping all night to say "Trick or Treat", but kind of chickened out at the actual Trunk or Treat. They both were kind of bewildered why people were giving them all this candy, but more so as to why everyone looked so funny!

 

Cole Saying Trick or Treat!

And Lyla's attempt...

The weather has cooled off and the kids love it. We started going to a new park a little further down from our house. Cole calls it the pink park because it has a pink slide. The tennis courts are right next to it and he has a real fascination with tennis. I've never seen him attempt to hit a ball and throw a ball longer than when he tries tennis. However he thinks he is supposed to hit the ball down, not out and across, so he gets a bit frustrated. I have a love-hate relationship with this particular park. We have lots of fun and the kids play really well there. The hate? Well, they also tend to get really dirty there. I don't know why. I think they just think that is what they should do at this park. So, so dirty. Cole picks up the rocks and dirt and puts it on Lyla and she does the same back to him. I tried to stop it and then I thought, "Really? That probably IS fun. Big deal, we take a bath."

Lyla is our little freedom child as well. She always takes her shoes off and loves to be without clothes too.  I think I solved the shoe problem by buying her lace-up keds that were big to give her growing room. (I think her other shoes were too small and they were velcro - WAY too simple for this girl to get off.)  But here she is in her glory....

And doing her balance beam routine....

They used to play a balance beam game at Music Makers (a free program mom's get together and do at our church on Friday mornings).  I'm guessing that's where she got the idea.

And lastly, the carnival was back in town this past week.  They brought some kiddie rides this time around so we took Cole and Lyla on Monday.  They had a little train that they rode a couple of times.

And Lyla wanted to ride the horses on the carousel. 

They both went down the tallest slide I have ever seen and BOTH loved it. 

Here is Lyla's reaction after the ride.  Her face looks scared but she is pointing to the slide and asking ot go again.  haha! She is totally going to be a thrill seeker.  Scared, but wants more!

So how is that for a month and a half update? I'm positive I missed so much of the cute little stuff they do. My apologies to all.  But here is a final video of Cole making a video before we closed our eyes for a nap.