April

Shhhh. I'm huntin' Carrots.
(somewhere between Cavit-Carrot-Camut is Calvin)

Calvin as a pillow (look on the couch... under Adrienne...)
Helping Greg shop the circulars in search of the best deals on Cheerios, jelly beans and chicken fingers. The staples of a healthy toddler diet.
Ahh, Saturday. The day of the annual April-Birthday-Bash outting. Good times ahead this eve await us at the local watering hole and a beautiful morning with the kids being absolute GEMS to start the day. What more can you ask for!?
The 3 of us headed over to the Choo-Choo Train Park. In the distance, we hear the first train approaching... SUCH anticipation!
But... ouch! Yikes... I ran this morning, had 2 big ol' cups o' joe and a massive bowl of packed-full-o'-fiber cereal. IIII BETTER get us packed up. I'll make a quick pitstop back at the house.

I have to admint, it's really hard for me to come up with commentary on Nick's pictures other than, "C'MON! How CUTE is this boy?!?"

OK, we stopped at home. I'm all good. (or so I think...)
Since it was lunchtime and the kids were being SO fabulous I treated them to some Mickey D's and we hit the Ice Cream Park (there's ALWAYS an ice cream truck at this one...) to enjoy our slabs of grease in the gazebo.
(gurgle... cramp.... OUCH!)
As we were sitting there I looked down and just SO completely enjoyed the moment that I had to take a picture from my perspective... They were being such a good little guy & little lady... and then. It struck.
"Get in the car. NOW."

I then started what can only be described as wrong. Simply WRONG for any one person to go through while attempting to watch 2 wee ones SOLO.
It was awful. I made Linda Blair and Harry Dunne look like amateurs. My body attempted to expel every ounce of muscle, tissue and bone that laid within my skin.

As I laid in bed like a limp sock for the next 20 hours life moved on without me (my own birthday celebration, included). That afternnon Keri took Adrienne out for her very FIRST professional mani-pedi (her birthday present) and then showered her with treats that only an aunt would buy... an Ariel beach towel, 40 Years of Sesame Street DVDs and CHOCOLATE BARS!
I asked Adrienne to pose so I could get a good shot of her nails. "C'mon Adrienne, a PRETTY face please....?"
And this is what I got.
OK, here they are! Her fingers are Molly Ringwald Pretty in Pink and her toes.... TOTAL Cha Cha DiGregorio.
Hef, you've met your match.
That's right. Bunny. As in Playboy.

Although if he were holding a 40 of Colt 45 right now that would look just about right too...
(No worries. You haven't seen the last of this outfit. More props to come and room to grow.)

Hef Jr. is out (Well, for the moment since he decided to wake up at 3:15am. That's right, I've now been awake for almost 7 hours. It's 10am.) and I'm in the bathroom trying to get the little miss to brush her teeth. I'm scrolling through the pictures of pimp daddy, cracking up, and out of the corner of my eye I catch her mugging it up - trying to get her own QT with the camera.

Unlike myself, she HATES wearing socks. ESPECIALLY at night. The trick.... Ariel socks. And why does she keep THESE on her feet even though all other socks are immediately ripped off...? Because Ariel is "Aunt Keri's FAV-rite!"

As it turns out, Nick is a singer. Not a good one but boy oh BOY does this child love to sing. One of our favorites, the end to the theme song "Jack's Big Muuuuuu-sic Showwwwwww".



Trying to get a video of the kids saying happy birthday to my dad turned into a blowing-kisses-eating-fists-fest.
And even though she's the 'big' sister, she always cuddles up to him. So cute.



See.... she nuzzles up next to him after a rousing session at the playground.... a little downtime watching Shrek. Awww, just awww...

Since we don't have an ACTUAL Barcalounger Nick came up with this own.
So I'm making my daily run to Lowes / Home Depot and I see this Elmo tomato plant kit. Comes with everything - just add water! Seriously.
Anyway, you would think that I would know better - these Martha Stewart projects never end up playing out like a Norman Rockwell picture.
This is how meltdowns are made at the Billows house. Even AFTER he gives her the pots back (WHICH was a minor miracle in & of itself because usually he bolts and we have to pry the highly-desired-item from his freakishly strong clutch) she's still going. WHY!?!? YOU'VE GOT THEM BACK!! STOP CRYING! This is Adrienne all day. About any/everything. ALL. DAY.



Pots decorated, peat pellets planted and tears away (Nick too, for that matter) she finally got to 'just add water'. Now we have to wait 3 months. THREE MONTHS. Try explaining THAT to a 3 year old. Already I hear daily, "Can we check my plants?"

Ladies at ChildTime.... you've been trumped. Look at these braids that Nick's teacher did!!! OMG! LOVE IT!!! My own little Swiss Miss!!!

The 'do went to her head (literally!) as she put her rainboots on (the wrong feet, of course) and ran around the house for about 20 minutes screaming like a lunatic.
Meanwhile Nick stepped up his usual throwing-himself-on-the-floor tantrum by latching on to Greg's leg. He has a grip like a King Cobra.
SO busted playing with the tv clicker. And Nick... "What?? I wasn't touching it..."
Saturday afternoon... getting ready to go to Gabriella's 1st birthday party... "You look SO pretty! Let me take your picture!"
She 'poses' by putting her hands on her hips & sticking out her tush.

"Turn around and look at me so I can take your picture. Just stand next to the chair."
*sigh*
I KNOW you're loving this, Keri....
The best 1st birthday party we didn't throw for either of our kids. They housed 3 plates of food (first they each had their own plate from the buffet, then shared and polished off an entire kid's meal), then Minnie showed up for what turned out to be almost a private session for Adrienne & Nick. After Minnie, the birthday girl's 2 older sisters (whom Adrienne ADORES) hung out with her for the rest of the party. Meanwhile, Nick spotted the elevator button in the back corner. He was just ITCHING to get back there. Minnie Mouse, elevator button. Tough choice.

Since no one would let him near the elevator button he went for Minnie's nose.
Oh, and in a stroke of sheer genius I tied a balloon to his pants. OK, mainly because he would NOT stop asking for one but as it turned out, it was a great antenna - all we had to do was look for the bobbing red balloon and we knew where he was!

The birthday girl, Gabriella, in the pink & chocolate polka dot dress, is not... so... sure about Minnie.
Touch me and I'll have you whacked sillier than Goofy.
Then the dancing started. And what a dance party it was.

First, they managed to edge out the competition to get front and center Minnie access.

And then Nick stole the show.







Yeah, Minnie! We'll tell Mickey not to trade you in for a younger model just yet. Even though you're 82 you still know how to whoop it up like a spring chicken.

Minnie came with her own mini parachutte thing which EVERY kid knew how to use - even Adrienne & Nick (not that I've EVER seen them do this...). After taking turns running under it each would hop on top and everyone else would flutter the sides. It was pretty cool, actually...

Tunnel vision.

Just as things were wrapping up, Adrienne caught the dance bug too.


Yet another manly-man-turn-mush for his littler girl.
For those of you who know Anthony, this picture needs no explanation.
For those of you who don't... I'll put it this way, Meadow Soprano is the birthday girl. Tony Soprano has his head shoved in the mesh tube playing peek-a-boo.

Happy 1st Birthday Gabriella!

Trying to pick me up which never fails to make me laugh... and one of my all time favorite word bungles puh-geez! (please)



"Oh how I love drama...I'm just like my nouno!"
Keri, these are for you...
I did a super cute side-pony & asked her to pose so I could take a picture to show you. This is what I get....
There are first steps.... first words.... and first SHADES!
But even though I bought size 2-4 (as in YEARS) his noggin is STILL too big and they keep popping off.
Aunt Jo came for a visit...

Yes, wrong season. But c'MON! Is there any bad season for such CUTENESS?!?

Headed out to the choo-choo-train park where they not only have train shaped jungle gyms but it's also...
front and center seating to the Allenhurst train station.
But finally this little engine ran out of steam...
Somehow the Easter Bunny must've gotten our new address because he left some goodies for the kids...



Priorities: Nick immediately hopped off the couch & snatched up Adrienne's juice. Why waste time looking for a stupid basket when food has been left unattended?!?

Didn't take long for Adrienne to find her basket...
And since Nick was still downing her drink she went to work finding his basket too.
(just a sidenote... next to the wine rack... behind the garbage can... one guess who did the hiding...)

As they tear into their baskets take note of their outfit. Yes, their PJs since it's first thing in the morning. But by the end of the day they'll have been in 4 different outfits & 5 outfit changes. Cher would be impressed.
Here's where I feel really, really bad. I put only 2 little chocolate eggs in each basket because they would be innundated with chocolate and candy throughout the day. Figured they would be THRILLED to get to eat TWO chocolates back to back first thing in the morning - which they WERE! Look at them going to work unwrapping those little gems!
But as it turned out, this was it for the treats.
Yiayia, fearful of the wrath of her daughters-in-law, put NO NADA ZERO candy in their baskets. My mom, uber-granola, doesn't give them anything sweeter than an apple. Joan, my cousin who always puts together the most fabulous party bags, went the toy route. In a day that supposed to be filled with rip your teeth out jelly beans, painfully sweet Peeps and more chocolate than the Wonka Factory these poor, deprived children had only 2 little chocolate eggs.
Adrienne proudly showing off her chocolate teeth & Nick not daring chew with his mouth open heaven forbid a morsel could escape.

Why the Easter Bunny shops at the $1 store.



First 'cousins' pictures of the day.... Billows side!
Adrienne may be a girly-girl but she needs to learn to sit like a lady. Thank you Tori, for trying to cover up Adrienne's indescretion!
(Oh, outfit #2 which is actually #2a because both of them had lost their respective sweater by the time this was taken.)
One of the best gifts EVER... a fairy crown!
I think I wanted it more than Adrienne.... Seriously.
Ho.....LY! This puzzle was in Adrienne's basket. I couldn't do it. Greg couldn't do it - although Nick showed him a few key moves. Finally Papou Nick stepped in & did it for us. We un-did it and were back to total confusion as neither Greg or I could put it back together again.
Their 'official' Easter outfits!
(and outfit #3)
Second 'Cousins' picture of the day - Burke side. These are only a few of the shots taken within a TWO MINUTE (yes, 2 - I checked the time stamps) period. Somewhere in here there's a great 'group' shot (yeah, if you're a wiz with Photoshop). But life with kids is just chaos which makes all the attempts to get a perfectly poised picture all the funnier.
(Why does Adrienne have a cracker in her hand for EVERY SINGLE group shot with the kids at EVERY holiday gathering!?!? Seriously!!! Her shoes didn't make it 3 feet past the front door... and her sweater - I'm not even sure if it even made it in to the house...)

This morning she was sat like a cat grooming itself. Now she's showing off her pits?!!?
Nick going for a VERY emphatic "CHHHEEEEEESE"

Ryan snagged her attention. Not that he actually has to do anything to get her attention. She's perpetually in awe of her big cousin...

Oh! Wait!! Could this be it!?
Nope.
Cute, cute and... pooing?!?!

Nick finding his very first Easter egg!
(And outfit #4)

Can't stop. Gotta hunt!

Wait, is this an egg or leprechaun poo?

... 8, 9, 10, 2-teen....
(that's ok... as per Adrienne, the number after 16 is 11-teen...)

Ryan tallying up his loot. Adrienne immediately going to work sticker-tatooing her leg. And Nick's just confused.

This is one of my favorite little kid things - when they sit like this. Neither of them do it that often but when they do.... just too cute!

Time for dying Easter eggs with Pop Pop. Such serious concentration...

Which quickly gave way to pure giddy delight...
Nick got a chance to dye an egg too. He threw the metal dipper aside & using his hand, swooshed the egg around in the green dye. We all laugh & chuckle. Ohhh, haha... green fingers... silly boy. But then, like lightening, he scooped it out of the cup & directly into his mouth. Four adults simultaneously screamed "NOOOOOOO!" He melted down and got thrown into directly into the sink. No longer green (and back in outfit #1 for the wardrobe to come full circle) he's back in the kitchen, now trying to eat his egg. Except he seems to think it's a lollipop. It's hard to hear, but listen for the lip-smacking & mmmmmm! at the end.