Towers of Flowers

Since the weather man only promised one beautiful spring day this whole week T and I decided to live it up with a trip to Macy's Flower Show. This year it was called "Towers of Flowers" and after seeing the show they put on at Christmas, I just knew it was going to be good. I thought the flower arrangements were beautiful, funky and super creative. I could have spent hours looking at all of them and taking in the amazingness... ...but since Santa wasn't anywhere in sight and they weren't handing out free candy canes T pretty much thought it was the worst event ever! I had planned on being there for a few hours, but instead we only stayed a few minutes. Oh well, maybe next year?

Me and T exploring DC

While Daddy was busy preparing, studying and mooting, T and I spent our time exploring the sites of DC. It was super cold outside, so we mostly spent our days in the incredible and FREE Smithsonian museums. But we did enjoy the gorgeous cherry blossoms that were just beginning to bloom around the city.

Mr. T decided he'd like to be the next president if it meant he could have access to all of that grass! He kept trying to break through the fence telling me he wanted to play!

We spent a whole day in the Air and Space Museum by Dulles Airport. Talmage was more than impressed. I think the only words that left his mouth the whole time were cool, awesome, sweet and wow! Well, and he wanted to know where Buzz was when we saw the space shuttle! Our dear friend Andrew found this gem for us, and was our personal tour guide the whole time we were there. We couldn't have done any of this without him.

T's favorite parts of the Natural History Museum were Insect World and the fish tank (although he liked the African Safari area as well). Luckily the tank was full of Nemo and Dory so he was super entertained (and interuppted the worker at the tank everytime a new person came up to tell them all about the Nemo and Dory fish!)

The American History Museum was just as amazing. T loved the trains and cars, I loved the first ladies dresses and ruby slippers! Talmage ran right up to that ridiculously pregnant statue and started saying, "Is Mommy! Is Mommy!" It's nice to know that I look big to someone!

T ended up watching old car movies with the old men in the museum. He eventually went and sat by them, telling them, "I am Tommersh. I two." I was just impressed he didn't scream at them (we're trying to work through that stage!) I loved seeing the ruby slippers, although they've lost their glitz.

And look at that stud! We only saw him once or twice all week and we missed him like crazy! We were so excited when we were all able to go out to dinner together.

The trip would've been impossible without our awesome friends. The Morgan family let T and I stay in their beautiful home and they gave both of us lots of love (and gave T lots of attention!) And again, Andrew took so much time out of his schedule to pick us up, take us around the city, and plan fun events he knew we'd love (for example, he took us to a parking lot at Reagan Airport where you can watch airplanes take off right over your head. T was in HEAVEN and kept yelling, "AWESOME!") Thank you!

Congrats to my very own Jimmer

I admit it, I have some major Jimmer-mania of my own. But instead of cheering for lay-ups and free throws on the court, T and I have pulled out our pom-poms for well-written legal memorials and fierce question-answering abilities in moot court competitions! This week has been amazing for our Jimmer, and we COULD NOT be more proud! James is on Columbia's international moot court (called Jessup) and his team has been diligently working since, well, since I can remember. My Jimmer is the only first-year law student on the team, and a few weeks ago they dominated in the regional competition in New York City, winning first place and the opportunity to compete in the National and International rounds in Washington DC. Their winning streak continued in Washington, where they took first place in the National competition. They worked so hard and we were all so excited. The International Round was the most intense thing I have ever experienced, and I'm not kidding. There were three distinguished judges throwing questions at both teams that were meant to trick, mislead, and distract from the argument. Columbia performed SO WELL, but in the end, the first place trophy went down under with the Aussies, and Jimmer's team won second. SECOND IN THE WORLD...yep, we'll take it!!! Team huddle before the competition...and do you see all the people waiting to watch the competition? The hotel's ball room sat 600 people and there were at least 50-100 people standing in the back. The team with the incredible judges--I wish I could give you bios on all of them. But believe me, their resumes were impressive and I felt like I was in the presence of celebrities! Lucky for me, Jim's Aunt Nancy volunteered to watch Talmage while I enjoyed the competition. It was the biggest treat she could have given me! We grabbed him after the competition for a few family pictures, but he was more interested in wearing Daddy's name tag and knocking down the flags set up for the countries of the world (true and sad story!) But we did manage to quickly get a couple! And if that wasn't exciting enough, this week James was also offered a great job with an amazing international firm for the summer. Now if that doesn't give you Jimmer Fever, I don't know what would! Looks like we're heading back to California for the warm weather...woo-hoo! Heavenly Father has blessed us so much, and we couldn't be more grateful.

Brooklyn Children's Museum

A few days ago our friends asked us to go with them to the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Melissa is such a fun mom, and has season tickets for EVERYTHING...and luckily we are often the recipients of their guest passes. Lucky us (to have such great friends, and to go to such fun places!)

Miss Eisley in "Chinatown" being a dragon. What a brave girl...T wouldn't even go near it!

But T did enjoy playing on the drums,

checking out the fish (who are ALL called Nemo ps),

playing in the AWESOME waterworks area, and much more.

We got home well past naptime so I decided to just turn on a movie and let him relax...he had other ideas! Since this has literally never happened, I know he must have been super tired from all the fun he had!

We're both getting bigger

T and I are both getting bigger...albeit in different ways!

Talmage had his 2 year check-up, and he's definitely getting big!

Height: 36 inches (90th percentile)

Weight: 32 pounds (85th percentile)

I LOVE the picture above because it proves what a super-cute copycat our little man is. Jim has been working super hard on his oral presentation for moot court, and one of the recommendations he received was to speak with a pen in his mouth so that he'd better annunciate his words. A few days later, I found T with a pen in his mouth saying, "blah, blah, blah!" It was hilarious and so cute!

I'm getting bigger also!

Me at 6 months (24 weeks pregnant).

I really think these pictures are awkward, but I took like two pictures my whole pregnancy with T and I wish I had taken more...so here it is! I'm finally starting to pop out and I look a little more pregnant, although most people still don't believe it. I told a woman at church on Sunday that I was pregnant and she asked me how far along I was. When I told her I was 6 months pregnant, she said, "What? Six months? I look like that after eating dinner!" It was pretty funny.

SPRING will bring...

...bike rides...

...fun daytrips with fun friends and eating fun food...

...airplane spotting from our back patio...

...the hybernation of footy-pajamas and the introduction of shorty-pajamas...

...lots and lots of pictures with chalk, and so much more.

*****

Oh Spring, we are so happy you are finally here.

And we're so happy you've decided to show your lovely face in our direction these last few days.

We've really enjoyed your awesomeness.

We have just one small request:

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE US!

Thanks.
Love, T and the 'rents

Big Boy Bed

A few days after T's second birthday I caught him cuddling with Paddington while checking on him at night and decided to document the moment, and I'm so glad I did. Little did I know (and little did he know) that this would be his last night in a crib.

The next night he went to bed in his crib, as normal...but he decided not to go to sleep. Instead, he completely undressed himself, diaper and all, and peed ALL over the place. Then started yelling, "Uh-oh. Mommy." To say I was shocked when I walked in the room is an understatement. This was his first time undressing himself...I didn't even know he knew how! He kept shrugging his shoulders and saying, "Take diaper off. Take jama's off." I cleaned him up, stripped the crib mattress, and then decided that instead of re-making his bed I would just put him in the big-boy toddler bed (which has been set-up for weeks now). He LOVED/LOVES it.

It's been a few days in the big boy bed and the transition has luckily been a breeze (so far, knock on wood). He loves to tell people he sleeps in a big boy bed, and he reminds me every night that he's a big boy in a big boy bed. What a stud!

Now the big boy bed is all T's and the crib can be prepared for sweet baby #2. Now if only we could make potty-training that easy!

Patty, FAO & Dylan's

We were SO glad that Daddy was home from his Cali trip that we barely let him rest before we ran out the door for some St. Patty's Day family fun in the city. We caught the end of the St. Patrick's Day parade, which impressed Talmage (see wide open mouth above for evidence) but was a little sketchy in the parental's eyes...mostly because the crowd was filled exclusively with drunk people.

We quickly (read: immediately) decided to move to a safer location, FAO Schwarz. This toy store was AMAZING and the prices were OUTRAGEOUS. But it was a lot of fun to look around, and T had a ball!

There is a GIANT piano that people can play with their feet. You want to take one of these babies home? It'll only cost you $250,000. That's no joke. Crazy, huh?

Talmage loved taking all the toy boxes off of the shelves and surrounding himself with them--especially when the boxes housed cars, trucks, trains or anything with wheels!

After playtime at FAO was over, we decided to visit Dylan's Candy Bar--a high end sweets store owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter. It was beautiful, delicious-looking and really entertaining. All three of us were like kids in a candy store!

Now that's my kind of bath...instead of bubbles, it's filled with bubble gum. Yummo!

Of course we didn't leave empty-handed, but luckily a two-year-old doesn't want for much. A green sucker was his treat for the day and we headed home (before the streets became even more insane). What a great St. Patty's Day.