Zero

It's no secret that I have had a love/dislike relationship with Zero over the years.  He has chewed up his fair share of our stuff over the years.  I love how he waits until I'm indisposed (nursing Simon) to go into the kitchen and look for things to chew/eat.  I must say "go see what Zero is chewing up" at least five times a day!  Anyway- over the past year and a half, he has had this growing lump on his left side.  At his vet appointment last year we were told that it was just a fatty tumor and nothing to worry about- unless it started to interfere with his range of motion.  So- since that vet appointment, his lump continued to grow.  Then we started to worry that maybe it was something more than just a fatty deposit.  He was also losing hair on his tail and nose.  I kept putting off making another vet appointment, but finally did it.  The vet still believed that the lump was a fatty deposit and wanted to remove it the day of his appointment.  He also suspected that the reason he was losing his hair on his tail was due to a thyroid problem- which a blood test confirmed- so now Zero has to take thyroid medicine for the rest of his life.  Anyway- even though he annoys me and chews up our stuff- I'm glad that he is going to be okay.  

"Who, me?"

Oh- here's a picture of the fatty deposits the vet took out of Zero.  They asked me if I wanted to see them- of course!  I brought them home thinking Jim would want to see them too (I was wrong).  The kids thought they were pretty cool- Lucia asked if I was going to "cook them up so we can eat them."  They did resemble raw chicken breast!

Late March

I took Lucia for her first hair cut around mid-March.  It has been about a year since Ethan cut her hair and it has finally grown out.  I was debating bangs- but decided on just a trim to even out the bottom.  She was pretty excited to go get it cut!

However, during the actual cut- she was very serious.  She would hardly answer the hairdressers questions and had a very grumpy look on her face the entire time!

She was much happier when it was over!

Lucia having fun with Simon by putting buckets on his head- but sisters sure are fun!

Auntie Cecca and Uncle Jarrod showing the kids how grapes can transform ones face into super, creepy faces

Bree and Ethan giving it a try . . 

what a handsome guy!

Mr. Merrick started crawling the last few days of March- he's a baby on the go now!

Early March

We enjoyed a nice visit with Grandma Ginny . . . 

Ethan and Lucia had a lot of fun helping Grandma Ginny made cookies and ice cream!

Lucia and I went to Nick and Sunny's on Fat Tuesday for paczkis.  Nick went to Sandy's Donuts at 6am to get an assortment of paczkis- they were good!  Ivana sure did love them :-)

Oma spending some time with baby Arlo

Auntie Cecca reading a story to her nieces- so cute!

Around mid-March a nasty bug his our house.  Ethan was the first to get it and was wiped out for 3 days or so!  I got it next, but was only out of commission for one day- thankfully Jim stayed home from work that day to take care of the kids since I wasn't able to!  Lucia and Simon also got the bug- poor Simon had diarrhea for about 5 days.  Jim was the last one to get it- after working all week it hit him early Saturday morning- not the best timing!

One last time . . .

In the beginning of March we took the kids sledding one more time before the snow melted.  Lucia is quite fearless when it comes to sledding- she had a blast!

Ethan is a little more on the cautious side, but he had a great time too!

Uncle Danny built an ice hill in their backyard- we took the kids over to check it out.

Emily going down the ice hill

Lucia taking a ride down the hill!

February

Lucia playing outside in the snow, looking too cool in her sun glasses!

In the maze at Meijer Gardens.  This trip ended with me carrying Lucia out of MG screaming and crying- that was fun!  She also left her super cute sun glasses at MG- not sure if it was this trip, or a different trip.  When we went back a few weeks later, I asked if they were turned into the lost and found.  The employee came back with about 6 pairs of pink sunglasses, but not hers!  

Valentine's day picture of Ethan . . . 

and Lucia . . . 

and Simon!

Lucia and Simon sharing a moment

In mid-February we went out to Lake Michigan because there was record ice cover on the lake.  I wanted to see for myself what all the fuss was about.  It was pretty impressive!  I've never seen Lake Michigan like this before!

Family shot on top of an ice wave!

This one made me a little nervous

All three- too bad Ethan is the only one that looks at the camera!

On February 25th, my nephew Arlo joined the world.  Congratulations Nick and Sunny!

Simon looking super cute in the tub.  He sure does love taking baths in the big tub now!  He even loves it when I lay him down to wash his hair. 

We received a membership to the Children's Museum for Christmas- we sure have put it to good use over this never ending winter!  Here's Lucia at the bubble table. 

January

I started taking Lucia to a "story time and dance" class this winter.  It's geared towards kids Lucia's age and younger.  The dance teacher reads a little story- usually pertaining to dance in some way, then she has the kids do a few fun dances, and finally she pulls out a bunch of toys/gymnastic equipment for the kids to play on.  Lucia loves these classes!

She's turning into such a little lady!

Here is Mr. Merrick at 7 months old (he is almost 10 months old as I write this!)

Lucia having fun painting

Ethan jumping off the huge snow mound in our back yard (today it's completely melted- yay for spring!)

This is what I get when I ask to take a picture of the two of them together- oh well!

Ethan's 6!!

Ethan turned 6 in January!  We celebrated at Jesters Court.  The kids had a blast!

Bree and Lucia- Lucia was a mad woman- running all over the place!

Ethan and some of his party guests!

Cousin Emily going down one of the slides!

Getting ready to blow out his birthday candles

Such a lady!

The kids had a blast, a lot of Ethan's classmates were able to attend, which was fun!  There were a lot of sweaty, red faces at the end of the party!  Two days later, Ethan got a diarrhea bug that lasted a whole week!  The price you pay for an awesome time a Jesters Court I guess!  

Legos!

Ethan got quite a few lego sets for Christmas and his birthday.  He did a great job of following the directions and putting the sets together!

Jim loves that Ethan is getting into Lego's now

Some of the cars and Star Wars things he put together

Jim insists that creating your own masterpieces is better than following the directions.  (I think you should put the set together at least once before losing all the pieces!).  Anyway, he (Jim) wanted to be sure I got a picture of his "space station"!