Funny boys in the Dells

We were in the Dells last weekend with our friends the Roses.  To those of you not from this region, the Wisconsin Dells is a town/area in Wisconsin created around beautiful natural bluffs, lakes, and rivers that has become a tourist destination filled with waterparks and cheese - literally and figuratively.  It was just a quick weekend getaway, but we managed to pack a lot of fun into the time we had.  I, of course, have loads of pictures to share, but wanted to start with these, which just crack me up.

The many faces of Zach playing ping-pong:

Charlie - the littlest kayaker:

Doesn't he look like he knows what he's doing??

It's T-ball time!!!

I think it's well-documented in this blog that I tend to take too many pictures.  Believe it or not, I think it's about to get worse!  Zach just started his first "real" sport (a term I use VERY loosely), and I came home from his first game with 72 pictures.  Yikes.  But occasions like these are the very reason I bought myself a nice camera; now I just need to learn how to really use it.  In the meantime, here are some of my favorites:

These two were actually taken last Saturday, before we headed off to picture day.  We'll get an official team picture as well as an individual one of Zach in his full uniform.  The first of many, I suppose!

I think it's so cute they get their names on their shirts - they look like little men.  Zach's team decided their name would be the "Little Monsters."  Interesting choice, I know.  And I don't know what Zach is hollering in the second picture, but at one point I did hear him going "swing batta-batta-batta swing!"

Look at that kid round third!  The way the game works at this level, we learned, is that each team bats half their team each inning; regardless of the outcomes of the hits.  Which is a good thing, since I think in the entire game, a total of three outs were achieved.  Total.  Both teams combined.

So Zach got the lucky "home run hitter" slot - the last guy to bat in the inning, which means he automatically gets to run all the way around the bases (with the great big helmet bouncing around on his head).  Otherwise the batters have to hold up at first, no matter what is happening with the defense... which is generally something comical.  The little boy who played first base for the other team was not the least bit interested in the game, so every time his teammates wanted to throw him the ball (which is standard procedure, regardless of whether the play should be at another base) he'd be gazing off at passing cars, a bird, anything but the action around him.  I laughed out loud when one of his teammates kindly rolled him the ball instead of throwing it at him and risking hitting him since he wasn't looking!

Charlie is apparently ready to join the team.  Perhaps they need a mascot?

After the game and a post-game team snack, Charlie and Zach (and Scott) had a little fun on the field.

All jokes aside, Scott and I are amazed Zach is already starting with real sports.  Practice once a week, a game once a week... and we know it's only just beginning!  Here we go!

Celebrating Charlie

Celebrating Charlie's birthday was an activity spread over several days... that seems to be a trend at our house!  He opened a few gifts from us and friends on his actual birthday, and ate the cupcake you saw in previous posts.

The soundtrack to this picture would be
"Zach, let him do it, he can open it himself!"

Running for a touchdown with his new football
- thanks Neudecks!

Then my parents arrived for the weekend, and a few more gifts were opened... this boy can never have too many cars or cars-related toys!

And then Sunday was his official party.  The trampoline was put to good use first:

I know, I know, it looks terrible, doesn't it?
But he LOVES it more than you can imagine!

I have no idea, but it's cute.

Back inside, Charlie showed off some of his toys to little Violet, and posed quite charmingly in his new custom-made Lightning McQueen shirt (thanks Grandpa!).

 Sylvia enjoyed a rousing game of Sorry (sort of...),

And then we tried a few party games - including "try to get the inflated balloon to un-inflate itself into a hula-hoop (not too successful, but kids always have fun with balloons!), and pin the 95 on Lightning McQueen.

 And then it was cake time!!

You gotta love blue frosting.

We like to utilize technology at our parties so
long-distance grandparents can participate too!

 I can't decide which of these two pictures I like better... the closed mouth sorta-smile or the grimace-like smile that resembles his brother's???

The birthday boy closed his party with some good-bye hugs.

Whew - turning two takes a lot of energy!

We also visited the doctor for his two-year check-up.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover there weren't any shots - I was expecting the worst.  Apparently no more shots until he turns 5!!!  (I had to go back and look at Zach's... I could have sworn he got shots at just about every doctor's appointment.  But no, just my faulty memory again).  We had a good visit; the doctor told me Charlie made her day.  Always nice to hear.  :)

The official stats:
Height:  33.25 inches - 20th percentile!  Whoo hoo!  He was always closer to the 5th - 10th!
Weight:  24.6 lbs - 15th percentile
Head:  19.75 inches - 85th percentile.  Dude has a big head.
BMI: 15.6 - 25th percentile

A trio of birthdays

We had a fun birthday celebration with our friends the Herrmanns a couple weeks ago - celebrating THREE birthdays at one time!  We hadn't gotten all the kids together since Christmas, so we had Zach's 5th birthday, Caitlin's 7th birthday, and Charlie's 2nd birthday to commemorate.  Gifts, ice cream cake, and bubbles - whooeee!