Happy Birthday Braxton and Dalton!
We celebrated their 3rd birthday by having the Greenes over. Mamaw and Papaw Beckman were still visiting, so the boys were able to celebrate with them as well! The kids all played on the new playset and we painted wooden frames and took pictures of the kids so they had a photo of themselves to put in it. I gave them all a bottle of bubbles, but most of the solution ended up on the deck with Dalton rolling around in it! Either way, it was entertainment! A few days later we had a hard rain come down. I looked out the window and the deck was covered in bubbles!!
The boys loved their many gifts. Dalton found it a little difficult to wait so he took it upon himself to sneak inside and start tearing through the presents (he climbed onto the kitchen counter and pushed them down onto the floor). We briefly saw him opening them as he ran with gifts in hand through the door to the patio to show us!
It was a good thing they had fun that night because the next week and a half proved to be a real bummer. First, they came down with a cold. Then pink eye and tonsillitis. We finished off with a nasty virus called Foot, Hand and Mouth Disease. The poor things had fevers and blisters in their mouths and all over their bodies. So far it has been rough being 3!

The Beckman Boys when they were one week old...
and on their third birthday!

Our babies are three!!! I am struggling with this one a little bit. I LOVE the stage they are in - they are so talkative and funny. We have so much fun together. But I do find myself thinking back and getting worried that time is moving way too fast. These three years have been wonderful, trying, exhilarating and exhausting - and yet we are savoring and loving every moment of it (well, almost every moment!). Happy Birthday Braxton and Dalton!!

Here are a few more from Easter morning...

Can you believe Home Depot is open on Easter?? I know this because I am on my way to find anti-tick spray. Both Mike and his dad have pulled a tick off of each other this weekend. Looks like the woods are home to some less-than-desirable neighbors. Mike and Mr. Beckman are quite amused that I am all worked up about this. I don't care - I am off to Home Depot to find some pesticide! Ugh!

The Easter Bunny visited last night and hid eggs and baskets for the boys. Plus, Mamaw and Papaw brought them a ton of goodies. One huge sugar high later, the boys are running around playing with all of their new toys!
Hope you are having a Blessed Easter!

Mamaw and Papaw Beckman are here visiting for the weekend, and the boys are having a blast! Yesterday, Mike and his dad worked all day on their new playset. They are hoping to have the swingset finished by Sunday afternoon. Needless to say, the boys are just a little bit anxious!

Happy Easter Everyone!
Love,
Mike, Dana, Braxton and Dalton
(The boys coloring Easter eggs with their triplet friends - Ashley, Mason and Austin and their mom Miss Chelle!)

Well, the 'Diego' room is *almost* done! A little more paint and a map to hang on the wall above the playset and we will finally be finished! A huge thanks to everyone who pitched in!!
The boys now have a very fun, very wild playroom - vines hang down from the ceiling, lizards are on their curtains, the kids can climb and jump off of a wooden tree fort, they can swing on the rope vine and they can color with chalk on the cave opening (made with chalkboard paint). They couldn't wait until their friends came over so they could play with them! We have a queen size mattress (with extra comforters added on top!) and two big bean bag pillows that sit under the fort that they jump onto. Mike also tied the rope down so that they can't move it very far - or more importantly, wrap it around themselves! We are hoping that this new room will help with their seemingly excessive amount of energy!!

Potty training is not fun. We went to the Olive Garden for dinner the other night. A special treat from Nana before she left to go home. We spent the ENTIRE time in the bathroom. They have been doing very well for awhile now, however, every once in awhile it becomes a game. A big game. Tonight was one of those nights. We ended up in the restroom EIGHT times. The last of which lasted for more than 10 minutes (with very little results if you know what I mean!). By the time we got back to the table, Mom had had everything wrapped up so we could eat it at home. Home, where the boys can go to the bathroom as many times as they would like!!
Our very serious waiter commented to mom, "I guess this wasn't a very enjoyable dinner, was it?" If they had only allowed us to move the table into the ladies restroom...
By the way, notice how one of Dalton's straps is hooked and one isn't? He threw a fit about having to wear shorts to the restaurant. The one strap deal was a compromise he reached with Nana! That child definitely has a mind of his own...

These are the coolest! Nana brought the boys a 'treasure hunt' game (as Braxton calls it). She used velcro to attach pictures of items the boys might see around the house and around the neighborhood. Then, they took a walk and every time one of the kids would find a match, they would stick it on the other side of their board. The boys LOVE this game!! Thanks, Nana!

Meet the designer...
This is my cousin Shannon, who decided that my SON Braxton would look adorable in a matching two-piece tank and skirt. And don't forget the matching handbag!
I must say, for a girl who is just learning to sew, she did a fabulous job!!

Rescue Packs???!!! For those of you who are fortunate enough to get to watch 'Diego' everyday, you will understand what I am referring to (Ryan - I know, I know...'to what I am referring). Anyway, Braxton found these file folders of mine and decided that they would make excellent 'rescue packs.' Moments later, he and Dalton were running around the house saving baby animals. And yes, I am aware that Dalton took his clothes off. Again. No shocker there...

We have been busy! Auntie Gayle (or Uncle Gayle as the kids insist on calling her), Shannon and Mom came to visit. I will write and post more later, but here are a couple of pictures...