14 months and February

This past month, the weather was absolutely exquisite! I know some of you on the coasts were a bit cold, but here? nothing but blue skies. I think we spent like 80% of February in the backyard...all 4 of us.

outside. In the mornings, it was a bit chilly

Ethan loves outside. As soon as he wakes up, he comes and gets me to help him open the backyard door. I let him out and he LOVES to just roam around. He likes to just sit and observe. He's so much like his daddy. He likes to just embrace whatever is happening around him. He'll try the wagon....then he'll move to the garden box (empty for now) and play with dirt. Then he'll move to the balls....he will spend at least 30 min all by himself out there. Once Dom goes out, he likes to come back in. It's no longer quiet when Dom comes out.

He really loves my garden box....he likes to eat the dirt.

He has learned to say "dada". What a booger....I"m the one that clothes him, feeds him, and changes his diaper. But I do understand how Dada is the most fun out of us two. Ethan finally slowed down in the eating phase- but I found out a couple of days ago, that he was sprouting a couple of molars....what happened to the canines? He's gonna look weird. He still tries and eats everything though- just smaller portions. He sure loves those cuties...He can easily eat three in one sitting. He sleeps thru the night- 8pm all the way to 5am. I give him milk so he can let me sleep another couple of hours...what are we gonna do at 5am????

totally ruined my Vday decorations

He loves to sleep by himself. He likes his quiet room with the fan, and the hymns that play every time he goes to bed. He is recently taking longer naps, probably stretching. Most of the time he will go down from 10 am or 11 am all the way to 1 pm or 2 pm....and that's the only nap I will let him take. Sometimes, Dom is too loud and he wakes up after an hour....then I will let him sleep another hour around 3pm.  He plays so well and loves to tease Dominic. He will grab that toy and run like the wind....too bad Dom is too fast for him. Dom hasn't really learned how to hit yet, or maybe he won't do it to Ethan....he does chase him though and Ethan loves it. Ethan won't play with baby toys, only whatever Dom plays with....so I think we will get rid of them and stop cluttering up the toy room. The only thing these kids play with are cars, robots, transformers, mega blocks, kitchen play food, and little people.
Ethan got eye surgery and glasses and he's doing great. Wears them all the time....doesn't bother him, unless he's wrestling with Dominic, and little booger takes them off on purpose...probably to get ready for battle....but then he can't see.

He is suffering from a yeast infection....UGH....he's my girl haha. Poor guy, he battled thrush for like 3 months right out of the womb....and now this- plus the molars and the eye problem. He can't catch a break. But most days he is happy. He is happiest when Dom is at school, because he can touch EVERY toy he pleases, and no one to tell him "no, that's mine". But he's pretty cool...he doesn't really complain. He'll whine for like a second, and then go find another toy. I keep telling Dom to share...but he won't, so we resort to taking turns.

The hubs is working hard, taking advantage of those extra shifts he can still pick up. But mostly works 8 hr shifts...which is nice....because I'm used to 12 hour shifts.
Spencer has spent every day this month, pretty much digging around the yard trying to find a good fit for his mulch and grass. His plan is to kill EVERYTHING, and put in a special grass that is softer...and he has a design for his landscape. he also made me a garden box, that will eventually hold a lot of dirt and herbs and a few fruit/veggie plants.
He is so excited to get this going...he wants a fire pit and also a slide for the tree house. we will see how this turns out.

Since Valentines Day was on a Sunday, we decided to spend it as a family. I bought some cupcakes from a place that was recommended nearby. They were okay, not sure they were worth what I paid for them...but they were good. Everyone got one on Sunday morning- Dada got the salted caramel, I got the carrot cake, Dom got the Oreo, and Ethan got the red velvet.
I  made cute little mailboxes and tried to do 14 days of Vday treats, but Dom has been eating so terrible and was only eating the candy (in the mailbox) that it only lasted a few days. Maybe next year, when he actually eats something other than mac and cheese.

Happy V day

Yummy cupcakes

Opening his goody bag

Eating his treat. 

Dominic had a blast this month. He learned all about V day....he kept saying everything was so "lovely". In school, he learned about feelings this month, and he put it to practice here at home. He would constantly tell me how Ethan made him mad...or how mean I was today. He also got to exchange candy valentines with classmates....he really enjoyed that. He helped me decorate the house with hearts and kept calling them "lovely hearts" and is super excited for the next holiday...Easter. He already is talking about the Easter egg hunt...what a great memory on this kid. He keeps telling me about a certain egg he found in Guelita's park and the chocolate had melted (it was hot that day)....so impressive....I never told him that story....but he remembers.
Dom also had his first talk in Primary- I got to help him with it- all three sentences. He walked in there like a boss, and sat in the front. Ethan and I stood in the sidelines, until it was his turn. Then, he walked up there and like a little gentleman...opened his scriptures....and then he had no idea what to do....haha. I told him what to say (it was not in the scriptures...haha...but it was cool) and said "amen" and sat down. He says he does not want to do it again.

I also decided to help Dominic with his night time potty training. Mijo pees so much during the night, but he finally completed his challenge of no accidents at night for 3 nights and got a cool toy for it- a hot wheels wall track. I told him if he could do it for 7 days straight ( just to clarify...it had to be 7 days in a row, and the 3 before did not count), we would do something much bigger. I don't consider him potty trained at all at night, because I have to watch him and I have to wake him up at least once so we can dump whatever he has in his bladder. If he wants another cup of milk, he has to go pee first. So, since I have to tell him what to do and when to go, I don't consider it potty trained. But I am glad that he stopped using pull ups. It's sad...his diapers were starting to smell like old man in the morning....that's when you know...it's over. And yes, we've had MANY MANY accidents....yesterday he had the most in one night...two. But I was so tired, and I didn't wake up to wake him up...so that was my fault. But I guess we'll get there. I didn't want to pressure him but since I had stopped using pull ups on him, I didn't want to go backwards either. Either way, he finished his 7 day challenge...so we have a big surprise for him...stay tuned for that. 

sitting like a boss...or waiting for his turn.
I've never seen him sit like that...

I finished several projects this month. I finally got to finish the guest bathroom...thank goodness. Then my husband was suppose to help me start our bathroom, but gets distracted so easily, he got the backyard started. Then one day, he started sanding our dining room table because I had complained about how ugly it looked. The paint was chiping (it's been with us for 3 moves!) and it had all kinds of memories of the kids stuck to the chairs....so he decided to be proactive and do something about it. What he didn't realize was...that it's a pain in the butt to sand anything. So, he only got the table top done. Since it was already started, I decided to do the chairs and table legs as well....I did it for three days straight. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN MORE PAIN IN MY LIFE. I have gone to gym classes for the last 7 months, and I had NEVER been this sore. I mean, walking made me cry- everything from my butt to my calf, thighs, knees, and then my forearms....was so tired and sore. I must have been sanding in a weird position.  The first day I was just tired. I would walk to the bathroom and I would have to sit down fast cause my muscles were exhausted. THEN, the second and third day kept getting worse. I refused to wear high heels to church for fear I may actually trip carrying a child. It was that bad. My husband took pity on me, and did the very last chair. We primed it and this is what it is now...eventually, we think, it will match our future kitchen...which is also on the "to do "list.

started sanding

Ugliest dining room set in america

slightly primed...so you can still see the grain.

Also this month, we got hit HARD with allergies. I seriously thought we had pneumonia...and Spencer thought we had whopping cough. I still have a nasty cough after like 3 weeks...it's horrendous. I took Ethan to the dr to check out his yeast infection and since he was already there, she checked out his cough- turned out it was just allergies. Truth be told, Ethan only had it for like 4 days- this kid recovers so fast!
 The Redbud eastern tree is a witch in these parts- covers more than half of our state and it hit hard this month....it was on "dangerous" levels according to the news....it was actually on the news. So, we are severely allergic to this stuff. Dom got it first...then I did....and Ethan had a small touch of it. Ethan recuperated the fastest....then Dom...and I'm still here....I'm the old lady, I suck. I ended up getting a sore throat from coughing so much, and I may have bruised a rib, AND I had an earache for like 3 days, AND I still cannot hear from that ear. No amount of oils, advil, or massages could help me. Nobody lets me rest, and on top of it, I think all the sanding aggravated my throat issues...ugh.

Mantel decorations

hearts everywhere...windows and walls

Mailboxes

And, that was our February....it did not end well....let's see how much better March is.