Easter in St Louis

The eggs were dyed.

The Easter Bunny arrived and filled two baskets and hid the eggs.

And Granny came for Easter lunch - a wonderful holiday - before the sugar high and crash set in!

Easter Egg Hunt

Rhys and I braved a cold spring day to hunt for eggs at the local family Egg Hunt. Due to rain and chill, it was moved inside to more cramped quarters. Despite the crush, Rhys was a bit more aggresive this year and scored about 8 eggs before we decided that enough was enough. The kind organizers even provided a bag of candy to all the children -- ahem, yes, VERY kind.

Not very hard to find the eggs....

Proud egg-hunter!

Rhys enjoyed the animal zoo -- and petted the little calf, goats and camel -- and even fed the goats a bottle.

The full treatment

What a good brother...

Claudia and Rhys play more and more together...with some coaching help, the big bro is enjoying having a little playmate, most days.

Fishing ...or something like it. 

Dada

Claudia is loving Dom right now...she sees him and screeches, "DADA" and claps her hands and reaches up to him. She snuggles in with him for hugs and loves to play ball with Dada and Rhys.

Today she even went looking for him after he went to work in the shower..."Dada?"

Rhys is calling Dom Dada again -- so we have a bit more time before "Old Man" is used.

And so it begins...

Rhys likes to tell anyone who will listen that he plays sports. To prove that point, he likes to wear sports shorts and sports shirts -- no collars for him please. And after work - Dom gets to take him out for a full array of basketball, tennis and now baseball.

His first day at T-ball through the City of Clayton went well -- his bff Lucas and his twin brother Owen were there -- and Rhys and Lucas ran the bases together.

Look in the middle for the gray shirt and blue sports shorts.

After running the bases with a herd of 3 to 5 year olds, Rhys practiced throwing the ball. We had missed the part where he needed a mitt (all the experienced 4 and 5 year olds were ready), but Rhys still seemed to enjoy himself...kind of. Then came the batting, twice...we took a LONG video of that -- too long for Blogger it appears.

Ready for the minor leagues

This weekend -- not only do we have T ball, there is the Egg Hunt on Saturday, and a soccer party on Sunday morning and a BBQ birthday party for another set of twins in the afternoon. As our friends with older children like to tell us -- this won't end until the children are off to college.

Thank Goodness for Spring

I love celebrating all four seasons -- ah, the beauty of living in the Midwest. Just when you are over warm sweaters and cozy hats --- here come bonnets and skinned knees.

Claudia on the Trusty Tractor - she is really zooming around on it.

Rhys alternates from his scooter to his bike to his big wheel to his scooter...you get the idea.

One Year Doctor Visit

Claudia is in the 75th percentile for height, 40 percentile for weight, and 50th for head. 100 percent adorable.

My brother is getting married!

It already feels like Jeanine is my sister-in-law but it will be official on June 10 in Minneapolis! Dresses are bought (for me and C), Rhys has been convinced that a tie like dad is in order, plane tickets are purchased and a babysitter- fingers crossed - is arranged. 

I started to go through old pictures for the engaged couple to have for their slideshow - and it reminded me of just how much fun my brother and I have had together. I am so happy that he has chosen such a special gal for his bride who gave us our lovely, sweet nephew.  Or she chose him. Either way -- we are looking forward to the wedding circus in a few months and creating many new memories along the way.

Cliffs of Moher in 2004.