i got 99 problems but {writing, legos, and swimming} ain't one!

Problems fixed: car (fixed-ish...continue reading), contacts arrived, fish are behaving themselves, and nothing has broken since Friday. Serious progress people.

Unfixed problems: I can NOT get the laundry done for longer than 2 minutes, the dishes are ALWAYS dirty it seems, and my sweet babies have yet to learn the value of sleeping in to noon nine am. First world problems, I suppose.

I'll give you our day in pictures!

Lilly asked repeatedly to do a craft this morning. Well I was right in the middle of cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry like a mad-woman (5 loads today alone)! So, I decided I'd interpret the word craft loosely and have her fill out her Valentines. Now I expected her to put her name on every one of them, but she asked to put her classmates' names on them as well! She sat there and did all 20 of them! Can you believe that?!?

Gabby did so as well! She did ask to take a break so she could do her homework (what a slacker)! Umm...can you say valedictorian and salutatorian?? Sorry, their my babies so of course I'm going to brag.  She plans to finish them up tomorrow morning. They are Monster High "Ghouls" rule vday cards...and pencils...and tattoos. I decided it was time they did their own, but then they asked to make some homeade ones too. So, if you are in G & L's class, expect 4 Valentines from the Erickson girls. We are nothing if not thorough!

Gabby and Lilly have a shadow all the time now. He sat with them for the entire time they worked. He was "witing" on his "paypoe." The nerd in me is super excited to see his Pincer grasp developing. I've been working with him on it. Hey, preschool's coming quick people! The mom in me who feels like writing is another form of oxygen, is so thankful my kids seem to find value in putting marks on paper. My little bitty-Hemmingways make my soul smile!

After writing, we moved on to "yegos!" Short story: When I picked the kids up from the childwatch at the YMCA this weekend, Parker ran to me and said, "Momma, I pay yegos!" It wasn't anything amazing in terms of him speaking because I'm used to full sentences, but it was incredible because it was the first time he's told me about his day or something he did while away from me. More soul smiling!

Look how tall his tower is!

These sweet hands sure do stay busy!

I'm about to breakdown and have sky lights installed in my livingroom and purchase hardcore lenses so that I can take non-grainy pics in my house. It is about to drive me nuts!



After school, going to the chiropractor, a quick trip back up to the dealership because my car was lighting up like a Christmas tree with problems again, and dinner, we went swimming! We LOVE our YMCA for many reasons, but one is their awesome indoor pool and splash pad. Well, we love the pool. The spray element, not so much.

Trust me. Lilly was miserable the whole time.



Gabby is a fish these days!



Parker was chasing them. I couldn't believe how comfortable he was in the water. It's only about 2 feet deep in the deepest end, but that still means if he falls, I better be close by to pulll him out of the water. You wouldn't have recognized him compared to the last time we were there just about 2 months ago. He was walking, crouching, trying to run, and all around super comfortable in the water!



My sweet water babies! I do love this picture!



And this one is like the posing evolution...Gabby goes tight, Lilly goes smirky, and Parker just tries to go!



Like I said. They were totally miserable!



Double-fist writing while at the dealership!



Double sleeping it while still at the dealership...



My little guy giving me a glimpse into the future...like I said on FB, with each passing day we are more convinced that he's going to be a leftie!



What we need no more convincing to know is that no matter whether this little guy is left or right handed, he is Trouble! Today while I was getting my clothes on at 12:30pm Gabby came in and told me Parker was in the sink. I though okay, he's standing on the chair and playing with the water like I allow him to do while I make dinner. No. She literally meant IN the sink. I guess he pushed a chair from the dining room table, over to the sink and crawled in. Crazy boy! He also frequently climbs up his booster seat (you can see it in the far left of this picture) and climbs across the cabinets if I don't watch him like a hawk!

I'm actually not exhausted at the end of day, but at the end of writing about all we did, I feel like I should be! I'm going to post a little video online in it's own post. It's not my kiddos, but I sure thought it was awesome!