Face Painting Pajama Party!

Maggie and I got the kids together on Sunday morning for a little finger painting in their jammies!! We all ended up with paint on us, and the driveway became a canvas for their little artwork, as well as their faces and clothes! Kate had a great time and decided to paint her face, as well as Andrew's. Andrew was scared of her with the paint on her cheeks....I guess he didn't know what was wrong with her?? The funniest part was that he had no idea he looked the same way!

What a Spectacle!!

Andrew thinks he's so funny when he pulls my glasses off of my face and won't give them back. He loves to wear them, but I'm afraid it will hurt his vision to be in my strong coke bottles! He looks so cute in them....like a little Harry Potter!

Tish and Odder AKA Fish and Water

Marissa and I took the kids to the Aquarium on Tuesday. We went through it pretty fast because Andrew wouldn't sit in a stroller and ran through all of the exhibits, but we still had a good time. We took them to lunch afterwards, so everyone was worn out and ready for a good nap when we got home! They have a cage that was actually used in a movie underwater to film sharks. The bars are bent where sharks attacked it!!!! Andrew likes jumping up and down in it because it made a loud sound on the bottom plastic in the "cage", loud enough to make everyone stare at us until I took him out! Does the shark look real to you? Chad asked me if that was a real shark behind him (behind glass of course), and I thought it was funny! They do have sharks at the Aquarium, but they don't look like Jaws!

                 Petting the sting rays, Andrews favorite part of the Aquarium!
                                     In the butterfly exhibit




                                        Ella rubbing Andrew's leg!!

Testing the Limits

I love how Andrew is constantly testing the limits with Chad and I . We told him No when he tried to push buttons on the fax machine and the sequence of faces that he makes says it all. You may have to click on the pics to enlarge them to see his face better.

"No, Andrew"                  Come on, just once

                         I'm gonna touch it!!!!
                      I'm pushing the button, and you aren't doing anything about it!!
                       Yep, I pushed it!!!! What are you gonna do about it??

Chattanooga Zoo

Chad and I decided to make this Charapata Family Fun Weekend! Not really, but it just sounds appropriate for all of the things we did. We took Andrew to Lake Winnie and the Zoo, and still found time for a date night! The zoo was a huge improvement from last summer, they did lots of improvements, so I was very impressed. Andrew wasn't a huge fan of the animals, he wasn't impressed I should say, but had just as much fun playing with rocks, dirt, water and pushing his stroller!! There was a petting zoo area with barn animals but the camera went dead right before that part. Andrew got to pet his first goat, as did I, and Chad just sat back nervously, wishing I wouldn't let Andrew so close to animals that we know nothing about!!

Diaper Duty

Somehow this little stinker reached up under his "dress" as Chad likes to call it, and took his diaper off. I was getting ready and I heard him saying "yucky poop", then I look down and there's a diaper on the floor. I thought to myself, how did a diaper get in here, but then I realized that he had somehow gotten it off, but thank the Lord, hadn't pooped in it! On another note, we have had a 2 word breakthrough this weekend. Andrew had put 2 words together a few times before, but now he does it all the time..... Daddy's shoes, Daddy's car, Yucky poop, Mommy's car, More juice, More Cars, etc. (you get the picture). We are so proud of how much he's doing and saying. He's also doing great in his big bed, and hasn't fallen out (yet)!!

Lake Winnie

Chad and I took Andrew to Lake Winnie, here in Chattanooga. For those of you who don't know, it's an amusement park, in the middle of nowhere, what we now call Chattanooga's best kept secret for getting a kid to take a good nap!! We went at 10, so we were pushing into naptime and didn't stay too long. It was hot, but Andrew had a blast, and wasn't scared of any of the rides we went on. Chad, on the other hand, lost his stomach on the whale ride, so Mommy had to do all of the rides with Andrew. Anyone who wants to go back with me without kids, let me know, I would love to ride the adult roller coasters sometime! They also had an awesome (clean and safe) playground that Andrew loved more than anything!

                     Proving he's still got it!!!



Andrew thought he was so big "driving" the antique cars! Chad had his foot on the pedal, but Andrew had no idea. This reminded me of the good ole days when we would go to Opryland and my sister and I would fight over who got to drive the Tin Lizzies (she always got to drive)

Big Boy Bed!

We have redone Andrew's room and gotten rid of all the baby things :( He now officially has a big bed, and he looks so LITTLE in it. Tonight is his first night in it, and we are both nervous. I forgot to buy rails, so I ran out all the way to Toys R Us tonight like a crazy stressed Momma to buy them. When I was driving to our house, I ran into a neighbor who said she never used them and just put pillows under the sheets, so that's what we're doing. By the time we got home it was so late, Andrew hadn't had a nap all day, and he still needed a bath. I think the rails would have taken a while to put on, so we're seeing how he does without them. I am having a mural and some other things painted in the room next week, so I'll put pictures of the entire room after it's all done. 

Happy 4th of July!

Andrew and I went to Nashville for the weekend, to be with my family for the 4th! Chad stayed back home and reminisced on how peaceful life was before a wife and kid!! We stayed with my sister so the cousins had a big time playing together! Andrew slept in McKenzie's big girl princess bed, and it was so funny to see him in there....wish I had a picture! McKenzie wanted to be a baby like Andrew, and started using his extra paci and lovy! They all played so well together this trip and Merrick was the loving big brother-cousin, as always! It was a pretty stressful trip for me (no naps, lots of whining, busy days, etc), but Andrew had a blast and it was great to see my family! Thanks for everything you guys 


                                            4th of July party at Mimi's house

                               The little ones abuse Merrick, and he loves it!!

                                  Aunt Adrienne says I would make a pretty girl!
                Why is everything he loves playing with, pink?
                                   Attempting to walk with 3 kids


                            Please don't hurt me!!
Andrew wanted to wear "Tinsies sues" the whole trip