Zach and Alex discover the power of the Fours

In a galaxy far, far away, two young Jedi knights reached a new milestone on this day, celebrating their 4th birthday.  Master Zach and Master Alex honored this momentous occasion by celebrating all week, with a family party on Sunday, a special "sharing" day at school for each Jedi, cupcakes for their class, and on the anniversary of their birth, a day of fun at the Nickelodeon park at the Mall of America and even more presents.  As you may have guessed, Star Wars was a common theme for this birthday, as the boys continue to love all things Star Wars.  Check out all the fun in the 4th Birthday photo album.

Alex and Zach watch as
Daddy finishes the beds

Another big milestone the boys reached this month: bunk beds!  Just one quick year after graduating to toddler beds, Zach and Alex were beginning to outgrow them, so we decided it was time for big boy beds.  The boys are quite proud of their bunk beds with all its drawers and special staircase.  Alex chose the top bunk, while Zach wanted the bottom because that's where Brother from the Berenstain Bears sleeps.  Photos of the new bed are in the Jan - Feb 2010 album.

The boys had their checkup this week as well, and they're doing great - although as skinny as always.  Alex is about 31 lbs (10th percentile) and is 38.5 inches tall (14th percentile), while Zach is about 30 lbs (5th percentile) and is also 38.5 inches tall.  They weren't too happy about their shots this year, but it does save them from getting them all at once next year as they prepare for kindergarten.

While I have been adding lots of pictures, it's been forever since I last posted to the site, so for those who didn't get a chance to see the pics yet, here's a recap...

The Nov - Dec 2009 album was updated with pictures from a performance Cole had at Barnes and Noble where he did a couple solos in a fundraiser for his band, as well as photos from Z&A's visit to Santa and some other odds and ends.
Christmas 2009 was a lot of fun for us this year because the boys were filled with anticipation for Santa's visit.  We left cookies for Santa (he likes oatmeal raisin at our house) and treats for the reindeer, and the boys were in awe when they were gone the next morning and replaced with presents.  Santa didn't disappoint with the gift they asked for the most - a Transformer known as Bumblebee.  Later that day, Grandma Pat and Grandpa Bob came down with Cole, and we had a wonderful Christmas Day.
The week after Christmas, we went down to Chicago for a few days to celebrate the holidays with friends and family.  We visited with the Chmuras (Uncle and Auntie "Chooch"), watched the Vikings-Bears game with the Belousek side of the family, and spent a day with GG.  We also spent a little free time playing at the nearby DuPage Children's Museum; for those who live in the area, we HIGHLY recommend it - it's a great place!

More summer fun photos added

As with any sports program, the BP Preschool Sports program has individual and team photos taken.  The boys' pictures came out really cute, so I scanned them in to share.  They're on the last page of the May - June 2009 photo album. The expressions on their faces are just too cute. :)

In the new July - Aug 2009 album (seriously, how is it that July is almost over already???), there are some pictures and video clips from the tee-ball part of Preschool Sports.  The videos are pretty funny - it's complete chaos (I think even more than soccer was, if that's possible) and it's obvious we need to teach Zach and Alex about how the bases work in the sport.

Zach, Daddy and Alex

Also in the album are pictures from shooting "booms" on the 4th with Robert and Kwo Ue, a mini-golf and go-cart outing with Grandma Pat and Papa Bob, and a parade and carnival at BBQ Days, the town festival.

Summer fun

We've had a lot of fun so far this summer playing outside and enjoying some great weather.  One of our highlights was the night we camped out in our new tent in the backyard.   We had a lot of fun reading stories (all camping or sleeping related :) ), checking out the stars and just hanging out.  We even managed to get some sleep - although I've realized my body just can't handle the hard ground like I did when I was a Girl Scout oh so many years ago!

Zach and Alex were really excited to play sports this summer, joining a Preschool Sports program where they get to play a little bit of soccer and a little bit of tee-ball.  They had soccer the first couple weeks and just loved it.  They both looked really good and had a blast doing it.  They were just non-stop all over the place (not a huge surprise, knowing them).  The tee-ball portion started this week, and again, they had a ton of fun.   I think they're especially proud to be out playing baseball just like their big brother.

Speaking of big brother and baseball, Cole's baseball team had a great regular season, finishing first in their league!  The playoffs are this week, and they won their first playoff game tonight!  Yeah, Cole!

In totally separate news, both Zach and Alex are finally potty trained.  Yeah! No more diapers!!  Zach was finally motivated to do it once he realized that he had to use the potty if he wanted to go to preschool in the fall.  It's funny what motivates kids sometimes, but hey, whatever works! :)

New photos on the site include pictures from our camping trip, all three boys playing their sports, a fun afternoon playing with squirt guns at Grandma Pat and Papa Bob's, and more.  Check them out in the May - June 2009 photo album.

Happy 14th Birthday, Cole!

Cole is one more year closer to getting a driver's license, turning 14 yesterday. :shock: He got all sorts of great birthday wishes from what we heard, with a singing voice mail from Grandma Pat and phone calls from (among others, I'm sure) Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Dan, Grandpa Bob, and of course us.  Zach and Alex even sang "Happy Birthday" to their big brother, which made Cole giggle.  Cole's got a pretty fun weekend lined up to celebrate, with a birthday party with his friends on Friday night and a party with our side of the family on Sunday.

The Terrific Twosome turned three!

Alex, Cole & Zach at the concert

Zach and Alex turned 3 on January 29th, so we all helped them celebrate the big day.  The Sunday before their birthday, Grandma Pat, Papa Bob, Debbie and her boyfriend, Ben, came over for a little party.  The boys had a ton of fun opening their presents, although they were a little confused as to why no one else had presents like at Christmas.  They got a bunch of great games, cars and other toys and even got a set of their very own tractors! After opening the presents, the boys went downstairs to try out the tractors and some of the games. To cap off the day, we had a chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting that was decorated with Star Wars figures, which they thought was pretty darn cool.

Their checkup was on the 28th, and they are doing great, although they are of course still skinny.  Zach measured in at 25 lb 15 oz (under 5th percentile) and 36.75 inches tall (30th percentile).  Alex was 26 lb 8 oz (under 5th percentile) and 37 inches tall (30th percentile).  Both of those marks are pretty consistent for them so far.  They are doing great in development too - they exceeded most of the development marks expected at their age, esp with speech and reading, and the only thing on the list they couldn't do yet was pedal a trike, which they are close to doing.

On the day of their birthday, Debbie surprised them with a breakfast treat of donuts and then Joe took them to the Children's Museum.  They wore little "Birthday Boy" buttons that they had picked out at the store - they were SOOOO excited to wear them (their "ties" as they called them).  They've been working really hard at holding up just three fingers and telling people how old they are.

We of course have a ton of pictures that we took, and they've all been posted in the Zach and Alex's 3rd Birthday album.  There are also a number of pictures in the new Jan - Feb 2009 album, including photos from Cole's recent band concert.  Cole's band did a fantastic job - we were all so proud of him!

Also, I never posted the link to it, so if you're interested, you can check out the Christmas 2008 album to get a peek at our celebration.

Oh my, they're getting so big!

Zach and Alex crossed another milestone today, when we took the crib tents out and changed the cribs over to "big boy" beds this morning.  They were SO excited - they even helped Daddy by using their own tools on the bed and hanging on to the screws.  The last time we tried this at 18 months old when they started climbing out of the cribs, it did not go well - hence the crib tents that, to me, are easily one of the all-time greatest inventions.  Now, 18 months later, the tents are falling apart and the boys seemed ready for the transition now that they are almost 3.

Right now, at nearly 10:30 PM, I'd say it's going fairly well even though we went in to shush them about 15 minutes ago. I think that had more to do with the excitement of birthday presents and cake from their party today than it did the bed.  Besides, they've stayed in their beds the whole time even though they were still talking. That's a huge win in my book, esp compared to last time!

The other big recent milestones? We now have them in booster seats instead of high chairs at their meals.  They've done so well that we've cleaned up the high chairs in preparation to give them to someone else.  They're also wearing Pull-ups a lot now, which they are quite proud of, although they still don't use the potty real consistently.

All this and they turn 3 in a couple days - my little babies are turning into big boys so quickly!

Three Handy Mannys and a Roman Soldier

Our Handy Mannys

Cole the Roman Soldier

This year for Halloween, Zach and Alex dressed up as their favorite character, Handy Manny, complete with their own tools. They were so excited! To celebrate, we went down to Joe's office to join their Halloween party and then stopped by Grandma Pat's office to say hello before we picked up Cole on our way home.  After dinner, we went to visit Dar and Gary, Debbie's parents and two people that Z & A love to visit, for some Halloween treats.  Then Joe and Cole, who wore his Roman soldier costume from a couple years ago, took them out trick-or-treating for the first time; they didn't go to a lot of houses, but they had a lot of fun!

Check out all the great pics from when Z & A got their new toolboxes and from Halloween itself starting on page 4 of the Sept-Oct 2008 album.

In addition to those pictures, a ton of others from the past few months have been added, pictures that Debbie took with her own camera.  In the July-Aug 2008 album, you'll find a few trips that Debbie, Cole, Zach and Alex took to the pool, a trip they took to the Children's Museum, and a visit to a fire station with one of Debbie's sisters and nephews, as well as some just general playing-around pics.  In the Sept-Oct 2008 album, there are a couple trips to some parks, including a set that Debbie took as a photo shoot to make special Autumn/Halloween present for the boys' grandparents.  Those pictures are just adorable (OK, so I'm a little biased on the subject matter).

"Mommy, I'm a big boy!!"

Our little strong-willed Zach has had no interest in using the potty.  We'd occasionally get him to sit on it, but he usually finds bathtime much more interesting and wants to go straight in.  Alex uses it every night before or after the bath and occasionally makes attempts during the day, but if you ask Zach if he wants to go, he replies with a resounding "No!"

Well, today he decided he needed to go #2, so I got him on the potty - and he actually went both #1 and #2!  We made such a big deal about it that I think Zach might actually be motivated to try that again. Here's hoping! :)

Yep, it's official - I'm a sappy mom who gets excited about poop - and the idea of not needing to buy diapers in bulk at Costco.

Fun times with friends

The Vandermarks recently got some opportunities to get out and have some fun with some friends - Alex and Zach with neighbors Brooke and Stella, and Karen and Joe with friends (and Joe's co-worker) Phil and Heather.

Last weekend, Zach and Alex attended the birthday party of sisters Brooke (5) and Stella (3), and they had an absolute blast.  The birthday girls celebrated with pony rides and a little petting zoo complete with chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, rabbits, and a hedgehog.  The animals where huge hits with the kids, although Alex preferred to look from the outside and spent most of his time playing with the girls' toys.  Check out the pictures in Brooke and Stella's B-Day photo album.

Karen and Joe actually got a little playtime too recently when they joined friends Phil and Heather Rodemann on a trip out to Treasure Island to eat, drink, and laugh our booties off with comedian Ron White.  We spent a couple hours playing the tables (blackjack can be a mean, mean game...) and then went on the casino's dinner cruise for a nice relaxing dinner on the Mississippi River (check out our pictures).  To cap off the evening, we saw Ron White perform. He is one incredibly funny person, but I think the funniest parts where when he screwed up his jokes and then just went with it.   We all had a great time!

Water and go-carts and trains, oh my!

A couple weeks ago, the 5 of us spent a week relaxing and playing at the Wisconsin Dells with Grandma Pat and Papa Bob. This year we stayed in a condo at the Chula Vista resort, which is located just a little north of downtown Dells right on the WI River. It was so nice to get away and spend time together as a family!

We had a fantastic time playing at the resort's indoor and outdoor waterparks, where they had all sorts of cool water slides for big and little kids. Unlike last year, Z&A were thrilled to play in the water - especially Alex, who seems to be a natural in the water (he was trying to swim on his own by walking on his hands). This made our time in the water a whole lot more fun. Cole really had a good time too - his favorite slide was the 8-story tall straight-drop body slide; he went on that over and over.

This year we also went on a tour with the Wis. Ducks, which takes you on a land and water tour in an old army vehicle called a Duck, drove go-carts at Riverview park, got in a little mini golf, and of course visited the Riverside & Great Northern Railway, where we got to visit with longtime family friends and train buffs, the Chmuras.

Check out the pictures from the trip in the Dells 2008 album in the Vacation gallery.

In unrelated news, check out the photos from a recent golf outing Joe went on for work. He and a couple co-workers decided to have some fun as a foursome and dressed up in costume. You can tell they had a great time. :-)

Congrats to Cole and the Hopkins Co-op Dairy Cubs!

After finishing their regular season in second place with a great 11-5-2 record, Cole and the Cubs went undefeated in the playoffs, winning their season tournament. For the final game, they beat a tough Yankees team, the regular season winners. Great job, boys!! (Here's hoping that's an omen that the Major League Cubs will win their World Series too!)

Pictures from the trophy awards, as well as some general pictures of Cole and his little brothers, are in the new July - Aug 2008 photo album.

We have our own park!

Over the 4th of July weekend, Joe put up a playground for the boys with the tremendous help of Papa Bob and Uncle Bobby. Zach and Alex had so much fun watching their daddy, grandpa and godfather build (or rather, slave in the sticky heat) their new playground, and they are thrilled to have a "park" in their own backyard. It's an awesome playground with a tower fort, a slide, swings, monkey bars, a climbing wall and tunnel, and a sandbox. It even has a telescope and a steering wheel. The guys did a fantastic job! Check out the progress pictures in the July 4th Weekend photo album.

As you can see from some of the pictures, it wasn't all work that weekend. We had a great time on the evening of the 4th with Bobby and Kwo Ue, who came over for dinner and some boom booms. We shot a few of them off early so Z & A could see them - they totally loved it, especially Alex!

Hooray Alex!

In a move that thrilled Mommy and Daddy beyond belief, Alex used the potty for the very first time today. We've been encouraging the boys to sit on the potty before bathtime, and for the first time, Alex actually went potty in it. He sure was proud of himself, especially when he got high-fives from Mommy, Daddy, and Cole. This was after asking to go to the potty during his bath yesterday and sitting there for long time to "work on poop"; Zach has done this a couple times too so he might be getting close too.

We know we've got a long way to go through this process, but we're thrilled that we're getting started on it with them. I wanted to get a picture, but Joe wouldn't let me embarrass him with that (he's no fun).

Part of me really feels silly for getting so excited about poop and going potty (ah, the simple joys of parenthood), but in addition to being excited about a new milestone in the boys' lives, it sure is nice to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel through the mounds and mounds of diapers! :-)

Uh oh - Cole is a teenager!

In a move that freaked Joe out quite a bit, Cole turned 13 on February 17th. While Joe is still trying to figure out how his first son could possibly be that old, we celebrated the milestone birthday that day with Grandma Pat and Papa Bob.

The highlight of the day was a surprise for Cole that had him laughing so hard he cried. You see, a few weeks earlier while we celebrated Z & A's birthday, we asked Cole what kind of cake he wanted. He didn't have much of an opinion, so a Barbie cake was suggested. Cole said yes, never dreaming we'd actually get one. He now knows that he must be careful about what he wishes for - he just might get it!

Check out the great pics in the "Cole Turns 13" photo album.

On separate note, new pics have also been added to the Jan - Feb 2008 album, including a couple craft projects, fun at a local pool, and making brownies with Daddy.

Zach and Alex are Two!

I still can't believe it, but on Jan 29, Zach and Alex turned 2! They did really well at their two-year check-up. They're still skinny, of course - Zach almost made it on the charts at 23 lb, but is still in the 0 percentile, while Alex at a "beefy" 23 lb 10 oz is actually in the 6th percentile for the first time. For height, Zach was measured at 34" (44th percentile) and Alex was measured at 34.5" (60th percentile). The great news is, they are very healthy and are developing quite well. They were so excited to see the doctor, having seen some in books and TV, and went running down the hall looking for her: "Doctor! Doctor!"

For their birthday, we had a little celebration on the actual day with some special treats and some fun, but we really celebrated that weekend with the help of Cole, Grandma Pat and Papa Bob, opening presents and enjoying a special cake. Check out the pictures in the Z & A Birthday album.

There are also lots of new pictures in the Jan-Feb 2008 family album, including a peak at Cole after his band concert, a day at the Children's Museum, and a glimpse at Zach and Alex as they play and explore.

Back to the crib

After about a week of letting the boys run like manics and a week of sitting in the room for up to an hour at a time to get them to fall asleep, we decided the boys just aren't ready for beds yet and put the crib fronts back on. Now we're having fun playing the "put the baby back in the bed" game, complete with the "let's hide from Mommy to see if she can find us" bonus game. It's taken as much as 2+ hours to get them to go to sleep, but I think in the long run, this is the right thing. We sure can't wait until they get the idea that they're supposed to stay in though!

Some new pics in the Sept-Oct 2007 album include another example of the mess the boys made when they should have been napping, a special breakfast made by Debbie and Cole, and dressing up as Pooh (Zach) and Eeyore (Alex, of course!) for Halloween.

Yikes, that didn't take long...

Just four days after Zach started to figure out how to get out of the crib, we had to take the front of the cribs off to turn them into toddler beds. We just couldn't get Zach to stay in, and Alex was quickly catching on too.

With that, all of their good sleeping habits seem to have gone right out the window. They've been having a blast running around (and running into things until we put their nightlight back on), climbing, and pulling everything out of every drawer possible. After they broke a dresser drawer and pulled down a radio and some books from the top of the dresser, we've put locks on the drawers and moved a bunch of things out of the room.

When they finally do fall asleep, it tends to be on the floor where they happen to pass out from exhaustion from all the fun.

Pictures of the toddler bed milestone and the following day's naptime have been added to the Sept - Oct 2007 album. Enjoy! :-)

They're having a ton of fun, but we can't wait until the novelty wears off and they start to actually sleep again...

Uh oh, we're in trouble now!

Zach has figured out how to climb out of his crib. Debbie heard some noise in the boys' room at the end of naptime, when suddenly the door opened! He did it again yesterday evening with a big thump on the floor when I was trying to get Alex back down at bedtime and this morning with a really controlled climb out of the crib once I went it to get them. So much for having a place where we know they can be contained. :-)

18 month checkup

OK, so I'm posting this just a bit late, but Zach and Alex had their 18 month checkup on 8/1. They are healthy and doing well, although they have apparently inherited their father's body type since they grew in height but not much in weight. Alex measured at 32.5 inches tall (60th percentile) and 20 lb 11 oz (0 percentile). Zach is also 32.5 inches tall but is a little lighter at 20 lb 2.6 oz. The doctor was OK with the weight because their height and development are doing so well (in fact, they demonstrated their climbing abilities for her right in the room).

They are learning new words and new things almost every day. Both can walk halfway up the stairs with the help of the balusters before they crawl the rest of the way. I'll have a pic up on the site soon that shows Zach nearly climbing into his crib. They have learned to say "all done" when done with a bath and can imitate many farm animals. They've become big fans of watching bee-ball (baseball) and wheel (Wheel of Fortune). They still love to read and can often grab a certain book that you ask them to get. They are now starting to figure out how to open doors (uh oh!) It's truly amazing how quickly they learn.

Check out the latest photos in the July-Aug 2007 Family album.

A great birthday present

Alex gave his mama a great birthday present today - he took his first steps!  He's been walking really well with assistance for a while, but today was the first day he really had the courage to take a few steps without hanging on to anything.  That's enough to make a mama cry tears of pride.