Wow, the past 2+ months have flown by! 

Here are a few of the highlights of what's been keeping us busy:

Mid-February we had the first of many birthday celebrations.  This first one was with the Duvall family to celebrate Tracy, Jedd and Kyla's birthdays.  We went to Traxx and everyone (who wanted to), got to race around in go carts.  Maxx & Kyla even got to ride in little electric Lightning McQueen cars!

Early March, Kyla and I attended Ally's school production of Beauty and the Beast.  Kyla was on the edge of her seat!  She loved it!

Mid-March we had another birthday celebration.  This time in Chelan with the Perry clan, celebrating Lynn, Jedd and Kyla's birthdays.  Lynn planned a lovely tea party.  We all wore hats and pretended to act proper with our tea, scones & lemon curd and cucumber sandwiches.  It was a ton of fun and possibly the beginning of a new tradition, if Kyla has her way.

On Kyla's actual birthday, we went out for dinner at the restaurant of her choice, The Old Spaghetti Factory.  And we got to sit in the train car, which made it that much more festive!

Kyla's favorite is the Mizithra cheese spaghetti, with juice.

At the end of March,

• we had Kyla's "friends" party at the bouncy house place, here in town.  What a bunch of chaos!  But, much better there than at my house!  I think the kids all had a great time and they went home exhausted (just like me). 
• Jedd & I saw our first Sounders game of the season.  in the rain.  and we lost.  sad.  But then we saw another one, not in the rain, and we won!  Yay!
• Kyla finished up her swim lessons and progressed to the "Eel" level.

On Easter Sunday, we celebrated Easter and Maxx's birthday with both sides of the family (that were in town).  The final birthday celebration for a while!  The highlight of the party were the car cakes that the kids got to decorate with frosting and candy.

The Monday after, I decided it was time to start potty training Maxx.  Not off to a great start.  He is afraid of the toilet and laughs nervously, which causes a(n intentional) whole body shake, while immediately saying, "I cack (can't) do it!"

On Maxx's actual birthday, we went out to dinner to his choice, Red Robin.  The kids wanted to play the "claw" game.  The one that is rigged and that all kids want to play and no one ever wins.  Maxx won a hot pink bunny.  Jedd told Kyla she could try again after dinner.  She still didn't get the lamb that was partially buried under two other toys.  But Jedd did win some other crappy stuffed something or other.  Which then set off Kyla into a fit of tears.  End of celebration.

Sharing the birthday sundae.  Open wide!

The next morning, Maxx threw up 3 times and had a temp of 103.5.  I took him to the walk-in clinic, where they determined it was just a virus and to watch his temp.  While there, it was also suggested that we hold off on the whole potty training for a while.  Maxx, you've been given a stay of execution.

Meanwhile, Jedd was at work, feeling nauseous, too.  I think it was a flu bug and Maxx's vomiting could have just been from too much coughing.  Then a few days later, Kyla came down with it, too.  Over a week later, and they are all still trying to get over it.  The fevers have subsided, but the runny noses and coughs are still strong.  I am still marveling that I have not gotten it.  THANKFUL that I have not gotten it.  

Recently we had annual check-ups for the kids.  Looking good and recovering well.  Kyla is still high on the growth charts 80+ percentile for height and weight.  Maxx, less than 20th percentile, but he has moved up on the charts since last year!

I finished up my on-line photography class this month.  Since learning all this new stuff, I question whether or not my photos really have improved at all.  Actually, they have, but now I KNOW more and am much more critical of the pictures I take.  I've also learned that I need a bigger memory card; I want more lenses, I need a better mouse, because I am getting carpal tunnel from editing pictures; and this hobby is expensive! 

And since it may well be another 2 months until I update the blog again, here's what's on the horizon:
- Perry family trip to Troutdale to go fishing
- Indy 500 for Jedd, Maxx and Poppy
- Kyla wants to take hula lessons
- Going to try Splash Week at the Y, for both kids.  Will be Maxx's first swim lesson.  Could be insanity.  But for just $10, I'm willing to give it a go.

Here are a couple more pictures.  For more, check out my 365 Project on Flickr.

Decorating Easter eggs.

Maxx painting at school.

Like father, like son.