Yes I can keep myself, 2 children and a houseplant alive

Hannah Claire, age 3 months, 1 week and 3 days

Oops, it's been awhile, hasn't it? We've been busy over here at the Davis household - the weekend after Easter we look a last minute trip to Berchtesgaden (German/Austrian border Alpine town) and then Brian prepared for his luxury fun-filled vacation to paradise, I mean, his work trip, to Hawaii.  Everyone has been asking me how I've been doing with Brian gone, after all, I do have TWO kids - GEEZ! People, I have been perfectly fine! The kids are great. Hannah eats, sleeps, smiles, plays and throws in an occasional squeal of delight. Luke eats, sleeps, smiles, plays and throws in an occasional whine or defiant "NO, I don't WANT to!" but is, on the whole, remarkably well behaved.  Shall I knock on wood right now just in case?  He's going to preschool 3 days a week (if anyone at the CLEOS office reads this blog, can you PLEASE get him in the 5 day a week program? Every Tuesday and Thursday he asks me to go to preschool and I have to disappoint him and tell him he is stuck home with boring old mom.), is obsessed with Madagascar (for the first time in his life he actually sits through an entire movie - shocking!), and wants to do everything himself.  He requests popcorn at 9 in the morning because he wants to press the microwave buttons, he wants to bathe at 2 in the afternoon because he wants to turn the water on and plug up the tub and he tells me throughout that Hannah is hungry because he wants to turn on the bottle warmer (note: Hannah drinks 1 bottle a day, at night, once Luke is already in bed. He hasn't seen her drink a bottle in over a month yet he is determined to turn on that bottle warmer at least 1 more time.) the requests are always followed by a "I do it all by yourself!" 

On a happy note (well, kind of happy, it does involve tantrums), I have figured out how to nip Luke's tantrum (not a traditional tantrum...there is no throwing of oneself on the floor or kicking or screaming, it is more of an obsessed whining, in a kind of a frantic way.....I digress....) - the child has to be REMOVED from the situation. Not just pulled aside, I mean, physically lead him by the hand inside and make sure he CAN NOT SEE whatever it is that he is upset about and then recite the rules.  Ahem. "You are a big boy! You do NOT whine! xxxxx is your FRIEND and you need to SHARE. (or) You do NOT need to (oh, i dunno, turn on the grill, push the lawnmower, start the weedwhacker, use the scissors, pour the gasoline, drive the car...) you are not an ADULT and that is DANGEROUS! Now we can go back outside and you will BEHAVE and be NICE or we WILL come back inside, okay? Okay?" And at this point Luke mumbles okay and I look at him and he starts reciting all the rules back to me and we happily go back to whatever it is that we were doing.  It is quite nice actually that he responds so well to this but I have a feeling once daddy returns we might fall back into more whining - you know, there are now two adults to try to play, if one says no I shall whine until the other intervenes.  Ack.  

Anyways, my days are remarkably smooth, I can handle 2 kids and a house just fine. I am looking forward to Brian coming home because I enjoy his company and he is a fantastic playmate for little man.  I am growing weary of Luke saying to me every day, "Mommy! Come outside and play with me! And put your shoes on!" LOL

Here are some pics from our latest jaunt and some recent ones of the kiddos in case you were going through withdrawal.

Our trip to Berchtesgaden

The Eagle's Nest - Hilter's Summer Getaway

The view from our hotel room

New pics of the kids...okay, of Hannah and 1 picture of Luke passed out with his blankets. Have I mentioned how difficult it is to take a picture of a 3 year old? He's like a wild animal and I can only catch a shot of him when he sleeps. LOL