Photo #26 AHHHHH!!! The day's almost over!!!!

I'm gonna make it!  I don't know what it has been about these past few days, but photo taking and blogging have been the last thing on my mind.  It could simply be the craziness of life.  Maybe it's thinking about buying our first house and looking at a million of them online.  Perhaps, when I had a titanium screw put in my head, the doctor screwed in a LITTLE too far and bumped my memory just enough to make me forget about my camera and blog.  Anyway you look at it, I seem to have hit that commitment wall.  I'm hoping to be over it soon.  Facebook friends, feel free to leave me little reminders throughout the day.

This evening was another bath night.  As Jason was washing up the kids I heard a, "Hunny!  Come look!" I could only imagine what was in store for me.  I walked in the bathroom, saw the following, and soon ran out to grab my camera.

Thanks, Hun, for providing me with my blog photo of the day!

Photo #25 A Stitch (or Knit) in time...

Since I apparently don't think I have enough to do already, I've taken up knitting.  I learned the basics as a child from my Grandma, but never really got into making anything useful.  Yesterday that all changed as I decided I am going to knit a hat for Molly.  It's a moderately simple hat but this is my first time knitting on a circle needle.  I am very excited for it and should have it complete tomorrow evening (I'm having a girls night out for coffee and knitting!)

Here is my work in progress!

Photo #24 You'd never know it but.....

You'd never know it by the photos here, but Jackson had a terrible time waking up from his nap this afternoon.  He had his first melt down in his room.  After Jason brought him downstairs, he continued to cry and whine even though his favorite show (3-2-1 Penguins) was on.  Molly kept trying to say "hi," wave and give him hugs.  This just made things worse.  So, back to his room he went.  He spent another 15-20 minutes standing in the middle of his room crying (even though Jason did tell him he could do whatever he wanted in his room).  Once Jackson came back downstairs, the crying and whining continued for about another 15 minutes.  I'm not really sure what snapped him out of it, but I sure am glad it's over.  I think I actually did pretty well at ignoring all of it.  I have learned that, when he gets in these moods, there isn't really anything I can do to snap him out of it.  It's just something that I have to ride through and hope I'm still sane at the other end.

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Photo #23 A Bloomin' Crazy Day

It finally happened.  Jackson and Molly are in bed and I didn't take a single photo of them today.  Not to worry.  I managed to come up with something.

When I came home from my surgery last Thursday, I had beautiful flowers waiting for me (thank you Neil, Erin, and Oliver!!!).  I took this opportunity to preserve them!  I think they look pretty fantastic for a week old!

Photo #22 "Once upon a time..."

In our home, most of our time spent reading books has been done just before nap time or bed time.  Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal.  This was until Grandma tried to have some quiet reading time with Jackson and Molly and Jackson freaked out because he thought it meant he was going to have to go to sleep.

Today, we are tackling this challenge head on.  It actually didn't go as badly as I assumed it would.  Both kids enjoyed picking out books and looking at them just as long as I didn't try to read to them.  We'll get there, but this is a start.

Photo #21 Rub-a-dub-dub two cuties in the tub!

The day ALMOST flew by before I realized I hadn't taken any photo's.  But not to worry, bath time was a success!  It will be a sad and difficult day when Jackson and Molly aren't able to bathe together anymore.  Until then, we're enjoying every splish-splash and bubble bath!

Visit www.picasaweb.google.com/themcginthys for many more photos of all our daily fun!

Photo #20 Oh, the things we'll do....

I (and I believe much of my family) like to pride myself on never really growing up.  This morning was a time of fun and creativity.  Couch cushions are amazing things.  Aside from simply sitting on them, they are also great for making forts, jumping on, sleeping on, and watching TV upside down.  I'm sure many of you parents know this.  Today, they became slides!  But, in our house, we just can't settle for a regular old couch cushion slide.  We make tube slides!!!  

Photo #19 Little Princess

While I am laying around the house feeling gross because I can't wash my hair, little Miss Molly continues to be the princess that she excels at being.  She likes to pick out her own clothes to wear but, every once in a while, I get lucky and am able to play a little dress up with her.  This morning was one of those lucky days.

Photo #18 Swim Lessons!!!

Since I'm not allowed to get in the water until cleared by my doctor, Jason had the pleasure of taking Jackson to his swim lesson.  I took advantage of Grandma's visit and went with them while she stayed home with Molly.  I was so excited to be able to take photos of my little fish!  Jackson really has no fear of the water (I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing), as you can see in the photos of him leaping into the pool.  Each time he got ready to jump, he would try to make Jason back up more and more.

He is currently working on his freestyle swim and his back stroke.  :)  Summer olympics, here we come!

Photo #17 Finally a chance to get outside!

Today had a blazing high of 44 degrees.  I was SOOOOO excited!  I just had to get the kids outside.  Since the grass was still wet, we just spent some time on bikes.  Jackson rode to the mailbox while Grandma pushed Molly on her tricycle.

We are looking forward to another blazing 47 degree high for tomorrow!  I can hardly wait!

Photo #16 Slumber Party!!!

Since Grandma is taking care of the kids while I am out of commission, we decided it would be good for her to be able to sleep upstairs to hear when the kids wake up.  Originally, I was going to move Molly's bed into Jackson's room and put an air mattress in Molly's room.

Eventually, I remembered how much Jackson loves to sleep in his blow-up sleeping bag.  So Jackson and Molly are having a slumber party in her room!  Molly sleeps in her bed while Jackson sleeps on the floor next to her.  They love being together.  Now, I just need to get Molly to stop talking to Jackson and Jackson to stop insisting he needs to go potty every ten minutes.

Photo #15 Story Time With Grandma!!!

Photo #14

I can hardly believe I have achieved two straight weeks of photo's!  My bigger challenge will come later this week when I'm all drugged up from my ear surgery.  But, as they say, "Where there's a will, there's a way."  I'll make it happen.

Yesterday, I purchased colored pencils for the kids, for the first time.  They are always excited to do any sort of craft.  It can be crayons, colored pencils, play-doh, or paint.

This afternoon, Jason took Jackson for a guys trip to Best Buy.  Being another busy Tuesday, I soon realized I had no photos for this blog, yet.  So, out came the color pencils for Molly!  Since I made the mistake of leaving "Olivia" on the television, the joy of coloring didn't really last long.  But I managed to get a couple cute shots.

Enjoy!!!

Best Friends (Photo #13)

Jackson never wants to talk to anyone on the phone, except one very special person!  His cousin, Oliver.  Oliver is only 2 months older than Jackson and they really are best buddies!  This morning, Jackson enjoyed some time conversing with Oliver on the phone.  Even Molly put in her two cents!!!

The Many Face of Molly (Photo #12)

Photo #11

When Jackson is able to get "bed head" we know it's time for a hair cut.  This morning, Jackson went to get his hair cut with Daddy.  This was the second time we paid to get his hair cut, but this was the first time I was able to take pictures since he insisted on sitting on my lap for the first one.  So here, I share with you Jackson's very SECOND professional hair cut.  He was amazing!  He has never even sat that well for Mommy.  Here is his before, during, and after!

I didn't know I had three kids....... (Photo #11)

Over this past Christmas, I may have made a mistake in buying my husband a rapid fire nerf gun.  I knew he wanted it and didn't really think it would be much of a problem.

As we drove to see family for the holidays, Jason asked if I had packed said gun.  I said I had not.  Once we got to his dad's house, he and his brother wasted no time in going out to purchase two new nerf guns.  I will spare the details of a very long week.  At the end of the visit, Uncle Matt decided he could not take his nerf gun back home since he was flying, so he was kind enough to give it to us.

A couple weeks after getting home from all the holiday visits, we were strolling through Target and came upon yet another nerf gun which we thought Jackson could use.  Yeah, super, right?

In the end, the forth nerf gun was not yet usable by Jackson and therefore my husband now owns four nerf guns (five if you count the fact that one of them is two guns in one). (Do they make nerf gun safes?)

Jackson and Molly have come up with a new and exciting activity to use said guns.  Our entertainment center has glass doors on either side of it.  Their activity consists of one of them standing on one side of the door, while Daddy (and sometimes Mommy) shoots darts at the other side.  See following photos for a visual aid.

Photo #10!!!

I have found that the best time to take photos of my kids is just before nap time.  Since they are playing upstairs, I have fooled myself into thinking it will be easier because they are in a bit more of a confined space.  I also like to think they are slowing down a bit so my camera just might be able to keep up with them.  (Those of you who know Jackson, know this is a challenge.)  :)  But I think today was a success!