Playing Possum

Katie D.

While sitting in the living room just after putting the boys down Tom and I always keep an ear out for the boys.  They usually go down well and we only hear them stir a bit but, on the occasional night, we hear Lincoln. If Lincoln doesn’t feel the need to go right to sleep he will jump, thrash, kick and squeal to his delight.  He is happy but makes a terrible noise.  The hilarious part to this is when you walk down the hall and open the door to his room to tell him to go to sleep he collapses, freezes and closes his eyes much like an Opossum when he senses an enemy nearby.  Even if I go to the crib to lay his blanket over him again he remains frozen until I leave the room!  After he hears the click of the door closing he is back at it again unless he realizes in his Opossum state that he actually is tired and then falls asleep.  There is no way to capture this on film because in his “playing possum” state he just looks like an adorable little boy sleeping! (the little stinker!!)

Joe Was Right, But....

Katie R.

So I was wrong and Joe was right.  This was typed on the computer that Joe fixed and even fixed it in under an hour which he said he could.  So I’ll say it again, I was wrong and Joe was right.

I should probably leave it at that but really can I let Joe have all the glory?  No of course not.  So, many of you know that we have 3 vehicles, a CRV, a mini-van and an accord.  Now you’re probably thinking 3 cars for 2 drivers is a bit excessive... wait for it… yep today we bought a truck.  And by we I mean Joe bought a truck as I doubt I’ll be driving it much.

So now we have 2 cars we need to sell, but Joe really wanted it and I was cool and even agreed to go tonight so he could buy the truck which was an 1 ½ hours from here.  On the phone today I told Joe that I felt like taking the boys down to buy the truck was a bad idea and maybe we should quickly get a sitter.  He said they'd be fine and this time I was 100% right.  It was pretty much the worst idea ever.

So we drive 1 ½ hours to get the truck and Wes took a short nap and Andrew stayed awake.  We got to Wal-Mart because it was close to the seller and our credit union had a branch in the store.  What was supposed to be a 30 minute transaction, from test drive to hitting the road, ended up being 2 hours.  Yes I was trapped in a Wal-Mart with my 2 kids for 2 hours.  It was horrible.  We bought toys, food, dvds, clothes (yes clothes don’t judge), Christmas decorations and more toys.  Finally I let them crawl around the van and watch a movie while we waited. 

Then I was fortunate enough, because I didn’t want to drive a truck without legal plates, to drive both boys back to our house.   They were hungry (so we hit McDonalds), tired and restless from sitting so long.  Even a movie didn't make the drive go quick enough for anyone.

But we made it and now our driveway looks like a used car lot.  I’m sure our neighbors are very pleased.  So although Joe was right with the computer I’m pretty sure I’m the winner in the spouse department.

The newest addition

Countdown to Halloween

Katie D.

Halloween equals candy. Yes, there are the joys of deciding what to wear, figuring out plans for the big trick or treat and decorating the house for Halloween but as any kid will tell you it’s about the haul at the end of the night.  Years past Tom and I have been able to redistribute the boys candy so they don’t eat so much but I have a feeling those days are soon behind us.

I’m not a parent that tries to make every moment a teachable moment but when the opportunity falls into my lap I can’t help it.  My step-mother gave the boys a beautiful countdown to Halloween calendar last year. I’m guessing you could put candy in every pocket but like the boys Gram, I put coins in it.  Every day Colby drags a kitchen chair to it and we count the days we have already done and then he opens the day and pulls out the coins.  And the sweetheart that he is, Colby shares them with his brother and we yell, “To the piggybank” and run into his room. I help take the piggybank off of the shelf and put it on the floor so both Colby and Lincoln can put the coins in.  It gives us 2 counting opportunities in a matter of minutes and I can see the confidence in Colby build every time we do it (and we are not eating candy instead).

 

This will be a wonderful Halloween! The boys have fabulous costumes picked out and we get to go trick or treating in our neighborhood this year. But until then we will continue to run to the piggybank!

Pumpkin Festival 2012.. Another Mother of the Year Award

So Katie D. sent out an email earlier in the week asking if anyone was interested in going to a semi-local pumpkin festival.  We had already been considering going so of course we said “we’re in”

This is how I imagined the day to be.  We would be in all our fall jackets, scarves, hats and get some great photos looking like the perfect autumn family.  I even suggested Katie D. and I get an updated photo for the blog.  I thought the boys would look at the thousands of pumpkins and we would eat pumpkin treats.  Wes would sit with Lincoln in the stroller and they would eat snacks and enjoy the perfect fall day.

Here is what actually happened.  We all met at our house and Ohio State was losing the football game to Purdue (where Joe went to college).  We  They figured out the mini-van arrangements as I was to stuck in the game.  We then headed to the festival where I was glued to my cell trying to figure out the score of the game.

We get out and start getting organized and I realize it is hot out.  So I now have on a t-shirt and jeans and boots which are making my legs sweat.  Wes doesn’t want to sit in the stroller and there are way more people there then I thought.  We move forward and things are ok… for about 5 minutes.  Wes wants out of the stroller so bad and EVERY time he sees us he cries.  Katie D. was great to push he and Lincoln around even though neither one of them wants to be in the stroller.  Oh and at this point Ohio State is 3 minutes from losing and I’m grumpy. 

We make it to the fire truck and the kids get out.  They are all loving it, well I think they are because I’m chasing Wes all around the festival.  He runs in front of people and the minute I pick him up he screams at the top of his lungs. 

We then make our way around the festival and Wes is still fussy but we’re hanging in there.  Ohio State manages to pull off a victory and the kids are loving the pumpkins.  We let them run around, and go get something to eat and Wes is totally off his rocker at this point.  The food is great and I bribe him with anything… I mean he ate a pumpkin whoopie pie for dinner, but nothing is really working and the other kids are starting to get tired.  We look at some more pumpkins and head to the vans.

The kids do fine on the way home, even Wes for the most part, and then for our sanity the adults had a couple beers and let the kids stay up way past their bedtime.  The kids had a good time, although our lower level is still a mess and I’m just ignoring it, and the kids passed out quickly.

Joe and I get some food because Wes didn’t really allow for eating at all and we are just getting ready to put the food in my mouth when Wes starts screaming.  Now Wes has been sleeping through the night for months so this is a bit unusual.  We let him cry for a bit but he’s really crying so I go in and check on him.  I then hold him, rock him, pat him and nothing is working.  I finally say screw it and tell Joe to make him a bottle and I go to change his diaper thinking maybe that is the problem.  As I change his diaper he starts gnawing on his fingers.  Hmmm… any good mother would have probably already thought maybe he was teething.  Not this mom, so I jam my finger in his mouth and touch the spot where the next tooth should be coming in.  Sure enough I feel it and by his scream I now know what his problem has been all day.  A small bottle and a good dose of Tylenol and he went right to sleep without a peep.

Wow how different the day would have been for poor Wes if his parents would have just given him some Tylenol.  Yep pretty sure I deserve another mother of the year award.

The good news is that the other kids and parents had a great day and the festival and pumpkins were pretty cool.

I think the total count of pumpkins throughout the festival was over 20,000

The older boys are sitting by the pumpkins we brought

Birthdays, Visitors, Overnights and Near Concussions

Suprise, suprise we still don't have a computer in this house.  Why you may ask?  Well as shocking as it may be my husband has not even ordered the parts to the computer that he "is sure he can fix".  I'm "borrowing" one now and I will be $100 I will be emailing from a new computer by November 1st!

So what have we been up to this October.  Well just your basic 1st birthday, family visiting, snotty noses, over night shifts and near concussions.

Guess who is 1?  Yep this guy.  We are so fortunate to have family members who are willing to fly from Ohio/Indiana for the kids' birthdays.  This time my parents stayed for about a week, then we had Wesley's party with his friends and then Joe's family came to visit.  It was a great time, although we had to have a week of grandparent detox, but the kids had so much fun.

Most mom's would probably blog about how fast the year has gone and how sad they are about their baby growing up.  Well of course he was an adorable baby and was pretty amazing to be around; but really who wants to read all that gush.  And also I can't remember a time that I wasn't chasing that kid around.  He's been walking for months and now can run. 

So a child that can run like a 2 year old but has the mind of a 1 year old is a recipe for disaster.  Which nearly happened last week when he fell off of the box he was standing on and hit his head so hard it instantly turned black and blue and swelled to the size of a baseball.  I had to wake up Joe (who was working nights and sleeping) to see if I should take him to the hospital.  As you can imagine it was not the easiest to hold him down to put ice on his head but eventually the swelling went down and he no longer looks like a unicorn.

Other than that Joe worked overnights which throws our schedule off a bit (and makes him really cranky) and we're finally getting back into the swing of things. 

Hopefully I'll be able to use this computer this week and update the other few posts I've started but haven't finished...kind of like the renovations on our house but that is for another day!  Have to get some sleep for the big pumpkin festival tomorrow which Katie D and I (plus another good friend) will be attending with our families.  Pictures and stories to follow I'm sure.

Here are some photos of Wesley's birthday party

Sugar High

Katie D.

When I was a kid the excitement of seeing grandparents was increased by the fact that I would soon be on a high! Not just on the pure happiness of seeing them it was that I could go into the pantry and raid the shelves and get an epic sugar high. My Pepere and Memere's house always had Nestle Crunch Bars and Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and  I took advantage of it every time!

The sugar high has morphed into the next generation....

With Nana in town (my mom) for the past week the boys have had a great time visiting with her and showing her all the great things they have to offer her.  In return, like any proper grandparent, she adores them and gives into every request.  Instead of candy and the sugar high, the high comes from something much more addicting!



And Colby is rocking his new boots from Nana too!

Yes, nothing says love from a grandparent then control of the i touch!

"Weszilla" strikes again

Katie R.

So I was getting ready to finish the post about Wes's birthday and went to turn on the computer.  Seems Joe's laughing comment "Wes is going break the computer" isn't going to seem so funny to him when he wakes up. 

Weszilla strikes again.

I can't write very well on the iPad so hopefully we will get the computer fixed or be buying a new one.  Or I will just have to go to Katie D's house each night to write.

A Whole New World

Katie D.

Every mom knows that any privacy or time in the bathroom diminishes to near zero when the kids are home.  Trying to get a shower in can become a chess match; do I get up early before they wake, squeeze it in during nap time, when the husband comes home from work or just say “screw it” I don’t smell that bad!  This is a game that I have played faithfully for the last three and a half years but recently I have crossed over to a new world.  The boys are now old enough and I trust them just enough that with toys and cartoons I can take a shower (including washing my hair and shaving my legs)! It’s a wonderful new world yet I realize it will only be a matter of time before one of the boys brings me something sharp or something from way too high but I’ll enjoy my shower in the meantime!

See, they didn't even notice I was gone!

 

My Boy's Got Gumption

Katie D.

Everyday lately we have played outside enjoying the beautiful Fall we are experiencing.  The other day it was raining and Colby was pissed. He wanted to play and he didn't want to take no for an answer.  As he played inside you could see he was thinking of his next move.  Finally he went and got the phone, brought it to me and said "who do I need to call to make the rain stop?" I loved his determination and thought behind it and was sad to explain to him that this was nature and we had no one to call to change it.

I love that he hates taking no for an answer, reminds me of someone.............me:)

Our No Waitress Policy

Katie R.

Those who spend time with me have heard of my No Waitress Policy.  What this means is that I refuse to take my family to a restaurant that has waiters or waitresses.  You may think I’m  crazy or consider this a bit extreme… well let yesterday’s experience proves why we will continue to have a No Waitress Policy.

We picked my in-laws up from the airport which means we spent over an hour driving to airport, an hour in the mall, an hour in the airport and drove another hour before stopping for dinner.   

We stopped at one of our favorite restaurants and assumed that it would be pretty empty as it was early; however, we seemed to forget it was leaf peeper season so of course it was crowded.  My gut said run like the wind and order pizza but everyone else said “it’s not that crowded” so into the parking lot we go.

Poor little Wes had a belly ache so I waited in the van with him for a few seconds to see if he could work it out plus it gave Joe a chance to get seated with the crew.  We finally make it in, with Wes still not 100%, and sit down.  That lasts about 5 minutes, enough to get a beer ordered, and Wes is super antsy.  I decide to take him outside to let him run around because he had been forced to sit for so long.  We run around for awhile and I go back inside. I sit down and Wes is cool for another 5 mintues before banging on the table so loud everyone looks at us.  My father-in-law graciously takes him outside so I can enjoy my beer and watch Andrew play the iPad. 

Amazing our food arrives quickly.  Both boys are eating and everything seems ok. Then Wes pushes his feet against the table and nearly tips over his highchair.  I move him close to me and am feeding him when I hear a crash beside me and I'm not even sure what happns next but in seconds I am COVERED in salsa.  By covered I mean it’s on my jeans (1 of 2 pair of jeans I own and of course the more expensive of the 2), my shirt, my face, my hair and Andrew’s shirt. 

At this point I’m done.  I take Andrew to get cleaned up, everyone has finished, Wes is crying about his stomach and we still had a ½ hour to drive.  So for the next ½ hour Wes fussed and I smelled like freakin' salsa.

No Waitress Policy is back in full effect.  It may be years before we try again.

Apple Picking

Katie D.

So I've already made it clear that I love fall! Besides sweaters, boots, fall foliage and pumpkins the heart of fall is apple picking.  Really it's apple picking with good friends year after year.  I have made some fabulous friends here in the Upper Valley and we have made the effort to have our families get together at a local orchard pick a few apples then spend the rest of the day relaxing, eating and enjoying each others company.  It's amazing to look back at past years to see the growth of the boys; it's a great ruler to measure them up to every year!

This was the first year we went; Colby was around 8 months old. It's amazing to think he was ever small enough to fit on my back! I remember the year I was very pregnant with Lincoln, I was huge and it was very chilly but we all went out for pizza after and let our kids run around and get crazy in the restaurant.

 This year Colby, Lincoln and some of their closest pals were able to cut loose and run around the orchard.  Tom and I invited the group back to our house after apple picking. The kids continued to run around while the adults got to relax, enjoy something off the tap and smell the pie in the oven.

Most of the kids had stayed up well past their naps and started to melt down so by the time the pie came out of the oven everyone was gone. As good as it made the house smell it was just as delicious to eat.  Maybe next year I will get my act together to get it in the oven sooner so I can share it....or....on second thought maybe not!

Linc catching a ride on Tom



self portrait of Colby and I on the tractor ride

  

I can't wait until next year!

85 Days to Go!

Katie D.

This past weekend my oldest sister flew in for a quick visit. She got some great quality time in with her nephews and we got a chance to reconnect the best way we know how......

A Christmas movie with some pretty cute boys!  And it is never to early for Christmas movies or planning for christmas! We only have 85 days to go.