Life goes on! And Happy Birthday Grandaddy!

There has been a lot going on in the Parham household in the past few weeks - Kylie is potty training!  She's been showing a lot of interest and has been doing really well with #1 (for the most part) but we are having some major trouble with #2.  I know we'll get there eventually, but it's tough right now.  

On top of that, we've also been wanting to get rid of the paci and have been talking a lot about how 'big girls don't use pacis', etc etc etc.  Two nights ago, I just kind of 'forgot' to give it to her at bedtime.  I was fully expecting her to call out for it (and was planning to give it to her if she did) but she never did and hasn't had it back since.  We haven't had any trouble except today when she couldn't get relaxed for nap so she just didn't nap!  So, it looks like we officially have a big girl!

Speaking of big kids - Noah is enjoying sounding out words and starting to read.  He gets so proud when he figures out a word, it's so cool!  Kindergarten registration is in just one week so I'm kind of freaking out about that!!  :-)

Now the 'real' update....

Going back to two Fridays ago.... we had a much needed playdate with the Fleegles.  It had been a while since we had seen Elizabeth, Jacob and Jacque.  The kids had fun playing in the playroom downstairs, the playroom upstairs, Noah's room, and the garage (riding bikes).  We just kept moving locations when they got too antsy.  :-)  A quick lunch and a show and then time to say goodbye.  It's hard to catch pictures unless they are sitting still!!  :-)

So sweet

A show before saying goodbye

That afternoon, I took the kids out for a quick walk around the neighborhood to collect leaves for a craft project (thanks for the idea, Andrea!).  It was quite chilly so we had to get bundled up.  Kylie insisted on wearing Noah's hat (really Daddy's but Noah has been using it too) and she also insisted on wearing his 'globes'.  :-)

Noah really liked picking out pretty leaves

Making Leaf placemats - I didn't get an 'after' picture of the project.  I'll try to get one soon...

We've also been riding a lot of bikes in the garage.  They really love doing this!

We've also been raising butterflies in the past few weeks.  Grammy and Papa got Noah a 'butterfly kit' for his birthday and we've finally been home long enough to do it.  We had caterpillars sent to us in the mail and when they made cocoons, we transferred them to their butterfly house and eventually, we had butterflies!  Noah was SOO excited when we came home to find that they had hatched.  We even got to see one 'unfolding' after it had just come out of it's cocoon.

The empty cocoons with three butterflies, including the one 'unfolding' at the top.

Sunday morning, Waylon took Kylie to the grocery store and Noah and I hung out at home for a while and then went to the mall together.  While I was taking a shower, Noah did his yoga DVD that Aunt Leah got for him for Christmas last year.  He loved it so much and afterwards, we were talking about how Aunt Leah teaches yoga and he said, "I wish Aunt Leah was my..." and then he said, 'Nevermind'!  I pressed him to tell me what he was going to say and he didn't want to so I asked if he wished she was his teacher and he said no.  Then I asked if he wished she was his mommy and he said, 'Yeah'.  :-)  It was pretty funny.  We were laughing about it and later he said, 'Well, a yoga mom would be much cooler.... but I still love you!!'  He's too funny.

On Sunday afternoon, Waylon decided to take Noah to the NCSU basketball game so Kylie and I took off to Savannah's house for a girls playdate.  They had fun together and we went to North Hills for dinner where Uncle Royal met us!  We were so excited to see him!

Uncle Royal!

Noah and Waylon had a BLAST at the game.  Noah came home with a new basketball and was excited about playing in the garage with Waylon when he got home from work on Monday.  So cute.

Wednesday morning before school, we decide to let our butterflies go.  The kids were so excited to watch them fly away.

This little guy decided that he liked Noah too much and he didn't want to fly away so we decided to put him back and let Noah take him to show and share (not sure why I didn't think about that before!).  Noah LOVED showing him off to all of his friends at school and told them all about the metamorphosis.

I was planning to keep the kids home with me on Friday but I found out on Thursday that Noah had a Native American party on Friday afternoon and he really wanted to go so I took the opportunity to get a jump on Christmas shopping.

So excited!!

Noah's class

Yesterday was the NC State/Clemson football game.  We all went out to tailgate but then Kylie and I came home for a late nap and Noah stayed with Waylon,  They (again) had a blast at the game.

Now this is tailgating - watching a movie in the back of the car!  :-)

Kylie really has quite the personality these days.  She loves her new-found freedom of wearing underwear and really enjoys taking her clothes off and saying 'I'm NEKKID!'  It's so funny.  It's all we can do to keep her underwear on (but with all these accidents recently, it's necessary - yes, we've been there....).

One of those moments - I know she's going to kill me for this one day.  Sorry honey!  :-)

Crazy girl!!!

This afternoon, we had the Parham/Sharpe clan over for dinner and to celebrate Grandaddy's birthday.  Again, such a crazy time so I hardly took any pictures.  But here is a good one of the grandkids singing to Grandaddy.  I couldn't find our birthday candles so he got a decorative candle instead!  :-)

Next up, Thanksgiving with the Parham/Sharpe AND Palmatier clan!  We are ALL going to the lake house to celebrate and we are so excited!  Then we'll be up in MD the following weekend so Noah is going to go back to MD with Grammy and Papa for the week.  So fun!!