Easter!

Thank goodness for grandma- she saved Easter! I was not on the ball this year and had done nothing in preparation. Why? I can't figure it out either. I love doing art projects such as painting eggs (as you can see in the above shot of our non traditional 2011 collection) but I just could not remember to pick up the eggs, paints, candies, peeps, whatever else you need for this day. Grandma came, she brought the stuff, and I don't have to pretend Easter is some time next week.


We went over to our friends' house for Easter lunch and it was just lovely. Ezra loves these two girlies as well as their mama who is a rolly derby girl. The derby girls have derby names and Ezra always calls her by her derby name (Rock 'em Sock 'em Ria). The three kiddos did the Easter egg hunt so we can check one more Easter tradition off the list.



During the hunt Ezra found the least amount of eggs. It took him a really long time to find this one even standing in this close proximity. (Can you find it?)


Next up came a little game of catch with some huge baseball mitts.


They were unsure of how to proceed.


But they finally figured out the catching and throwing, albeit with one over sized ham hand.


Luckily Ezra isn't quite ready to climb trees yet. Amira scooted right up this one in her fancy red boots.


Guess who fell asleep on the ride home?

Sleep, Eat, Make Mess

Isn't he so extra adorable when he is sleeping? I am collecting sleeping shots right now for a mega Ezra caught sleeping post. This here's a preview. Since I started working at the middle school I get out of work at 2:45 meaning that even after bumbling around I usually end up going to pick up Ezra and finding him in snoozeland. So I sit there and watch him sleep for a little while, and naturally take some pictures. So angelic while sleeping, so unable to complain or pester.

The above picture was taken when Ezra fell asleep in the car last weekend. I thought I would be clever and skip his nap so he would go to bed earlier than 9:30. I planned to take him to a movie not far from our house. Yep, he fell asleep within minutes of the short trip. I might want to skip his nap, but I never want to wake him up.

I am pleased to present: Ezra Eats an Apple






This is currently Ezra's preferred state of the living room and he doesn't understand why I take issue. He's simply playing with his toys, he tells me when I ask him why he's dumped out all of his everything.

Dirt! Dinos! Puffer!

We hung out, outside, for the first time in a long time. We didn't wear coats, hats, mittens or boots. We were outside for a good hour and still had sensation in our toes, fingers, and noses. I know it's technically spring here in MN, but it still amazes me to be able to exit the house so casually. We had a ball.



Ezra was eating grass he was so excited. No, more so he was experimenting how the plant eating dinosaurs lived. He spit out that grass pretty quick!





Do you know what I mean by a puffer? Those little shriveled things that you find in the woods that puff out a little smoke when you squeeze them? Well, I found one for Ezra, and he was delighted. Glad to pass on a passion for the puffers.

Super Ezra!

Portland friends Jason & Kirsten get major props for the cape, mask & wristies that they sent for Ezra's third birthday!



Watch out bad guys!



Lightening bolt wrist detail.

Ezra's 3rd Birthday Adventure

For Ezra's actual birthday we headed down to St. Paul for 2.5 days FULL of fun. Our first stop was Como Zoo. I bought Ezra this iguana snapper head which we gave a Spanish accent and delighted in including in our day.



He got a little thirsty from all his chit chatting with his amigo.



These are the only photos I took at the zoo (the animals are too depressing to take pictures of), but this is our birthday picnic lunch, cashews, a turkey sandwich, an orange, rice crackers, grapes and a juice box. The iguana enjoyed the grapes as you might imagine.



Next we hit up the Science Museum where Ezra was amazed by the dinosaur skeletons as you might have imagined. Here he experiments with a giant T-Rex head that can open and shut.



Posing with the Stegasaurus, nice nice.



Next up was the Children's Museum the following day. There was a whole child-size town where Ezra enjoyed delivering the mail,



and shopping at the local grocery.



The check-out lady was very polite and efficient, although other shoppers immediately put Ezra's purchases in their own carts causing some conflict.



It took a little coaxing but Ezra finally got into painting his own face. Other kids in the museum had painted their faces super crazy, but Ezra was quite content with a few well-placed markings. He even drew a blue circle around his belly button because he claimed "There's no more room on my face."



He slept the whole way home, I'm sure you can understand why. Best birthday ever!

Ezra's 3rd Birthday Party

I'm pretty sure he had fun...



Singin' to the Birthday Boy!



He did much better blowing out his candles this year than last year, although that was partially my fault because last year I put about 10 candles on his cake and it overwhelmed him. He liked to blow out candles so I thought he would like it, but not the case. This year there were three candles and he got 'em!



Close-up of the cake, complete with volcano (constructed from three peanut butter cups) and dinosaur nest with eggs.



Ezra and his friends sisters Esme and Amira gathered their tools for the next activity...



... a real dinosaur dig! Ezra and his friends uncovered the bones of a T-Rex. The man in the funny hat then assembled the bones. Fun!



Ezra's friend Finn in a party hat looking adorable with his rosy cheeks, dino tee and belly.



Uncle Nate hung out with Ezra quite a bit during the party, as well as the dinosaurs.



Finn helps Ezra open presents.



Special guest cousin Merritt offers a hand as well. This one turns out to be a Buzz Lightyear action figure (I resisted the temptation to say 'doll') who talks. Thanks Grandpa!

I can update my blog at work!!

I didn't know until today that I can access my blog at work. Many, many things are blocked on this computer (gmail, youtube, facebook, streaming music, etc) but apparently not blogger! Woo hoo. Now I'll just have to see about putting pictures on here...

By the way I am currently working at the Bemidji Middle School as a paraprofessional! I work with a young man with Asbergers. It's pretty low key, the pay is good, and I am looking forward to summer already! Although everyone in Minnesota has been looking forward to summer since fall if not before.

Ezra is doing well. I found a good day care that he seems to like and there are lots of other kids (boys mostly) for him to play with. The gal who runs it is really awesome, and the only cons so far have been two illnesses within two weeks of him attending the day care (first strep throat and now cold/flu) and he has learned the trick of turning anything into a gun and pretending to hunt things. Previously he had been deathly afraid of hunting and guns, but now with his new influences he's getting over that fear. I had personally liked that fear of his, but the gun play isn't very frequent and he knows I don't like to play that way.

The sicknesses have been a pain for sure. Grandpa has been helping out immensely to watch Ezra while I'm working during his bouts with illness. What would we do without him?? Miss work I guess.

I guess I should go teach my student now, but I will be posting more frequently now that I have this outlet! Woo hoo!

Good day everyone.