connect with the colyers

The last pregnancy update...hopefully

2012-02-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm in the home stretch. All we can do now is wait. I'm over 39 weeks and I feel like this baby will be born in the next few days. I am having constant Braxton Hicks these days, I will be surprised if I make it to my due date of the 25th, but we will see!! I really wanted to get some nice maternity pictures taken since this will be my last pregnancy (unless God has other plans :). We met my sister, Claire, downtown yesterday (I know...nothing like the last minute) and she was able to borrow a really nice camera from one of her friends and got some great shots. She's always had a good eye for photography and I'm so happy with what she was able to capture. Here are my favorites (we tried to get some good family photos but Dawson was not having it):

Stay tuned....a bundle of love coming soon.

2012-02-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday afgternoon, we went to the Radisson waterpark hotel in Johnston to break up the winter blues. We totally surprised Bennett and I loved seeing his face as we pulled into the parking lot and he figured out where we were going. It was priceless :)

We only had one near drowning incident when Dawson jumped right into the deep end after Jon who was still a few steps away. And my 9 month pregnant self just couldn't grab him quick enough!

They swam for about 2 hours straight and then we took a dinner break. The livingsocial.com deal we got included a pizza and drinks and even breakfast. Here they are completely wiped out pre-pizza.

A little pick-me-up:

They got back in the pool after dinner for another hour and a half or so and by then we were all so wiped out we were more than ready to head home to our own beds. (Just sitting up and walking around all evening gave me some pretty intense contractions for a couple hours when we got home).

So as we were getting ready to leave, the boys were playing in the hotel room shower which was open at one end and just had a shallow lip. Suddenly Bennett yelled something and we went into the bathroom to find the shower wasn't draining at all and there was standing water in the entire bathroom! So as Jon was trying to mop some of it up while we waited for the maintenance guy, Dawson managed to poop on the floor. I know...totally disgusting. I seriously felt like we were some group of college kids trashing a hotel room in a matter of 20 minutes! It was crazy stressful and there was poop everywhere. A lovely way to end a lovely afternoon!! It was worth it though :)

I Surrender

2012-02-09T15:01:00.001-08:00

I give up on trying to keep up on mothering and housekeeping and everything in between. Today I declared, "I give up". So Dawson is currently watching Tangled for the third time, Bennett has been playing his Leapster and computer games since he got home from preschool and I'm ignoring my "pacifier stays in the bed" rule. And I refuse to feel guilty. I have two weeks to go and I have completely exhausted my energy and patience reserves. I can seriously barely make it up the stairs anymore, let alone try to handle a screaming and thrashing tantrum-throwing-two-year-old.

Two weeks is very short in the span of their childhood and a whole bunch of movies and pacifiers and snacks on demand probably won't affect them too much in the long run :)

And now for Dawson's ABC's: The Extended Cut.

(Remember Bennett's version??)

Baby Shower for the OTHER Colyer baby

2012-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Judie and I threw a small baby shower for Bria a couple weeks ago and I forgot to post some pictures. As you know, Judie is a wonder with decorating, especially for parties. We used a Beatrix Potter theme for the baby-boy-to-be and of course it was adorable.

The Momma-to-be:

Bria is 5 weeks behind me. I just love that all of my boys have cousins so close in age. They're all just best friends. And we can't wait to see what this brand new Colyer cousin is going to be like!

A little update on the boys...

2012-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

Boy #1: Still my sweet, sensitive, affectionate boy with a side of wild. I can't wait to see him with his new brother. He tries to hug and kiss Dawson constantly but usually gets a smack in exchange so I keep telling him he'll get to snuggle his new brother as much as he wants.
We've also been in the sneaking and lying phase for a little while now. He's constantly sneaking food and "hiding" the evidence (on at least 3 occasions I've found 4 or 5 granola bar wrappers stashed under the couch). Here he is on "job day" at school. His first choice was an astronaut so I had to suggest a couple other alternatives that were a little easier to pull off. Judie whipped up this chef's hat the night before (I know...no big deal, right?? She's wonderful):

Last week Bennett added a new antic to his arsenal- shoving something up his nose. This was a new experience for us, one I thought we'd avoided with this child. He and Dawson were playing in Dawson's crib together in the morning (one of their favorite spots to play) and suddenly I heard Dawson screaming and Bennett saying, "I'm sorry Daws! I'm sorry Daws!" I ran in to find blood running out of Dawson's nose and all over his sheet. I grabbed him out and asked Bennett what happened and he showed me a plastic medicine dropper with a tip about an inch and a quarter long that they had in the bed and he said "Dawson put it in his nose". After getting the blood to stop (and calling the Dr. to make sure I didn't need to bring him in) I asked Bennett why he was saying "Sorry, Dawson" if Dawson put it in his own nose. He admitted the truth so we of course had a long conversation about not EVER putting ANYthing in our noses or any other holes in our bodies because it could really hurt us.
Well, apparently he wanted to test this theory on himself. That SAME evening, he was playing with his cousins at John & Judie's house and came up from the basement to eat dessert. He started sniffing and making a face like he had to sneeze. I asked him if he needed to blow his nose and he said, "no, there's paper in there and its making me sneeze!" After about 20 minutes with tweezers and a flashlight, Jon removed a pea sized piece of blue foam. Wow. Needless to say there was a punishment this time around instead of a lecture!!

Boy #2 helping himself to a chocolate bar for "breakfast" (he's currently standing on the 2nd shelf):

There are still a lot of days that feel like he spends about 50% of it whining or crying but thankfully he's so hilarious and cute the rest of the time, it balances out. Judie watched him the other night during the Super Bowl, and right before bed he said to her, "Order a pizza, Nana".

And boy #3:

Not much to say about this little one other than, I am more than ready for him to make his appearance. Nobody wants to hear me grumbling and complaining about how uncomfortable I am so we'll just leave it at that!! I got out the hospital stuff we'll need and stocked up on Pampers Swaddlers and nursing essentials after panicking one night because I was having pretty painful contractions. So we are READY!

Life with Dawson: A Constant Costume Party

2012-01-26T11:53:00.001-08:00

Dawson has always loved wearing goofy stuff. He's constantly coming to me with things he wants me to put on him. This started very young, as evidenced by these photos:

For a long time, the first thing he would want to do when he got out of bed in the morning or after a nap was put shoes on; any shoes he found. He still loves shoes but has expanded into many different areas.

He loves wearing this batman mask when he goes to Nana's. This particular evening he wore it around her house for a good hour or so.

Then we went to IHOP for dinner and he left it on the entire time, including while he ate!

This was the getup he came upstairs in this morning. He needed help getting the trunks on over his jammies but the rest was all him:

The other night he wanted to put on Bennett's Tow Mater jammies (size 5...might help you envision it a little better) over his own. He wore the shirt all night (I had taken the pants off to change him) but as soon as he got up the next day he wanted the pants back on over his jammies again.
And every now and then Bennett will come up with a few inspired looks of his own (notice the one flip-flop Dawson wanted to wear):

And just for the pure sake of cuteness:

Tour of the Mid-South

2012-01-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Last week we took a trip down to Memphis and then over to Bentonville, AR where Jon's Aunt & Uncle just moved to. We actually had planned to go with John & Judie down to Georgia to bring Jon's Grandma to stay with her sister, Lucy, for a few weeks (still following??) but Aunt Lucy recently got sick and the trip sort of fell apart at the last minute. But rather than cancelling altogether, we decided to still take the trip to TN & AR just for the fun of it. Might as well break up the winter blues, eh? I wasn't at all worried about the stress of traveling with ~~the kids~~ Dawson (you barely even know Bennett's there!), since Nana and Pop would be in the car! I've never been so thankful for Dawson's carseat being able to turn 360 degrees! I love this pic:

Bennett was in absolute Heaven. He got the iPad all to himself for the 22 combined hours of the trip. He'd ask how many hours we'd be in the car that day and then cheer when I told him!

First we went down to Memphis and stayed for 3 nights with my parents. I kept thinking how lucky my boys were; all 4 of their grandparents under one roof for 3 days! We went back to Shelby Farms park so John & Judie could see the cool playground, we went to church with them on Sunday, the 3 women got to do a little shopping together (so many great shops around Memphis, including a Pottery Barn/West Elm outlet! My hubby's so glad about that, let me tell you. [major sarcasm intended]), and no visit with my parents would be complete without lots of yummy food involved.
We went to a fun restaurant called Humdinger's. My parents have a card from the manager that lets pastors in the area get 50% off their bill every time they go. Such an awesome idea.

Bennett loving his grilled shrimp kids meal:

Dawson watching Tangled at Nonny & Grandad's. The only 3 things he'll currently sit and watch: King Kong, Elmo and Tangled. (Notice his plastic King Kong watching with him):

A very rare sight--Dawson won't even nap on the 10 hour trip to TN. This was on the second leg-the 6 hours from Memphis to Bentonville after he was totally sleep deprived from the previous 3 nights of staying up late and getting up early.

Jon's Aunt & Uncle listed a couple things we could all do together while in Bentonville. One of them was a drive-through wildlife safari. We all thought that sounded like fun so we decided to give it a try. Boy were we all blown away. It was literally one of the coolest experiences of our entire lives. Big John said it was even better than a safari he'd been on in Africa!! It was $10 per adult and worth far more than that. There were so many different animals there and a lot of them came right up to the van (click on the pics to see them larger). There were bigger ones like lions and tigers and bears (ha!) in cages but you could still see them fine from the car and they were all way more active than the animals I've ever seen at a zoo.

Dawson was saying something hilarious in a high voice here. I think he wanted to feed them:

A cute little hippo just a few feet from our van:

The emus were by far the most curious and there were several of them there:

So amazing to be this close to a zebra!! There were also huge camels that came right up to the car but my camera was full and I didn't get a pic. We figured out that if you started to crack your window, they'd hear the noise and come right up to the car but it made Jon's Aunt Judy so nervous :)

A petting zoo area:

This was probably my favorite. I was just giddy being this close to the kangaroos. They were pretty skiddish and would hop away but if you moved really slowly, you could get close enough to pet them. They're as soft as a bunny.

This peacock was so beautiful-half regular, half albino:

Checking out the sloth:

This little monkey was the best part. He would stick his hands out of the cage and clap really fast to get your attention. And eventually we figured out that he'd grab onto your finger if you held it out to him!! I'm sad I didn't have room on the camera for video. I just kept saying the rest of the day, "I petted a kangaroo and held a monkey's hand today!!"

There was also a huge chimp outside and typing this out won't do it justice but it was so funny I have to try to describe it. We were watching him for a while. He had a water bowl outside the bars and would reach his hands through, lift his bowl up and take a drink through the bars. Then he'd climb up to the top and starting swinging, pushing off the bars with his feet for momentum. He was really going fast and all of a sudden on the forward swing (towards us), he spit a mouthful of water at us! We were behind a fence about 10 feet from his cage and he managed to hit Jon and Dawson! It was hilarious. We all screamed (or probably just me) and jumped back. He'd had the water in his mouth for at least a minute. Then we watched him repeat the whole thing again, drink water, climb up, start swinging and spit water at us. We were ready for it the second time but it was so funny. Ever since then Dawson keeps saying, "King Kong spit on us!" If you're ever traveling anywhere near there (or even within a few hours), it would be so worth going out of your way to stop. Seriously, way better than any zoo you'll ever go to. It was a great end to our trip! http://www.wildwildernessdrivethroughsafari.com/

Christmastime is here...and gone

2011-12-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

The ubiquitous Christmas post. I'll try to keep it short and sweet since these things really aren't that interesting unless you're part of the action :)

For the first time in 9 years of marriage this Christmas was different. And even though its definitely not a good thing that my parents aren't in Des Moines anymore, it was great to have our Christmas spread out over two days instead of all crammed into one. We had Christmas eve at our house--it's become a tradition for Jon & I to host and we all eat soup and appetizers together after church. And since Christmas was on Sunday and John & Judie had to be at church, we had such a relaxing quiet morning letting the boys open their stockings (as you can tell we went overboard with the stocking stuffers! They didn't nearly all fit inside. But that's all we get for the boys since they have so many aunts & uncles and grandparents buying for them). I can honestly say I understand now why some families are adamant about being in their own homes on Christmas morning. We've always rushed off to my parents house first thing. This year that time with just us was the highlight for me.

I didn't even bring my camera to the Colyer's that afternoon! Shame on me. And I didn't take photos of the Ottley Christmas we had on Monday. I don't know what got into me. Oh wait, yes I do. A baby (literally). Getting the camera out probably would have meant climbing up the stairs an extra time or something.
Bennett and Dawson are beyond thrilled to have all of our family at our house. Bennett took advantage of Uncle Graham & Aunt Sarah and played lots of his new games with them (and since they don't have kids yet, they always seem to have endless energy for ours. They're so great with them).

A favorite gift this year: Magna Tiles (below). They're super expensive so I asked Judie to just compile the boys' money together after a close friend highly recommended them (Thanks, Kim!). They both absolutely love them and I can tell they'll be worth the money.

All four kiddos with Aunt Sarah:

I'm sure there will be more pictures soon on my sis's blog, newly titled, The Daily Be. Ok, too many late nights this week. My pillow is calling my name.

The Big 3-0

2011-12-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

Nope, I'm not 30 years old yet. But I did reach 30 weeks in this pregnancy! Amazing, huh? Its crazy how much faster it goes with each pregnancy. I can't believe we'll have a real live baby in just 10 weeks! I really can't wait. Although I do get panicky whenever I'm groggily feeling my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, thinking about the nighttime feedings. But aside from that, I'm so excited to have a newborn again and for Bennett and Dawson to have a new little brother. I just need to start petitioning now to have my mother-in-law move in for the first 2 months ;) How does a mom of 3 do it for the first 8 weeks without live-in help?? That's beyond me at this point, but I guess we'll find out soon enough!

Woops...I sort of forgot to take a pic for 7 weeks!

About 3 or 4 weeks ago, I really started feeling pregnant--in that way where its just hard to do anything involving bending or climbing stairs or lifting or getting up from the couch or bed (yeah, that covers 90% of the day). I honestly do not know why women complain about being pregnant in the summer. I would take that any day over wearing super annoying maternity jeans that have to be pulled up any time you bend over or sit down. Not to mention having to tie shoes...oy vey. Maybe I'll start pretending I'm Japanese and just wear socks with flip-flops.

And other than intense heartburn and Braxton Hicks contractions all the time (some are already super strong), I suppose I'm feeling as good as possible at this point. No back pain, thanks to visits to my wonderful chiropractor every 3 weeks and a memory foam mattress! Boy am I thankful for that right now. Last pregnancy I pulled our air mattress onto our bedroom floor and slept on that for the last couple months!

A small bite of the Big Apple

2011-12-11T16:32:00.001-08:00

Jon decided it was time to part ways with his beloved BMW since it has passed 250,000 miles and with traveling every week, the constant repairs were getting too much. He needs something more reliable and could use something with much better gas mileage. So he started shopping around the US via Cars.com for his perfect match. He found his new lovely lady (an Audi A6) in NYC so lucky for us, we got to take an unexpected babymoon and spend a couple days together in the city. It was actually my first time there so we just hit the major highlights and then drove home over 2 days.

Jon was able to use his points from all his traveling to get a free hotel right in SoHo (yes, there are some benefits!). We had dinner at a great Italian place that friends recommended in Little Italy where everyone was named Anthony or Joey and brought dessert back to our tiny hotel room. It was so strange to walk out of our hotel the next morning into a city full of people. It really felt like a different world than little old Des Moines (and I noticed how out of place we were since I'm pretty sure we were the only ones in the city not wearing leggings or skinny jeans...or all black :)

We walked around Times Square and Rockefeller Center and then went to Chinatown for lunch.

We had Dim Sum (which we learned were "small bites" served in steamer trays that they just walk around offering to you one after another) at a very authentic Chinese restaurant. It was a fun experience. I enjoyed watching a four generation Chinese family at a table nearby with a little baby eating noodles off of her mom's chopsticks.

We went to the park near the statue of liberty that overlooks Ellis Island. It was amazing to think about Judie sailing into that exact spot on the Queen Mary when she was 7!

It was the perfect little short visit. We had so much fun together, like we always do when we have a little break from the rigors of parenting. It's always so refreshing to be able to focus only on each other and to still feel so in love with my adorable hubby! :)

Life, lately, according to my phone

2011-12-06T11:42:00.001-08:00

Not too much to blog about here lately, so I'll do a phone dump (sorry for the grainy photos).

Family Movie night and Christmas jammie trial run. Notice Dawson--he proceeded to scoop the entire batch of popcorn out of the bowl while I was distracted taking a picture:

Making cookies at Nana's. (Thank goodness for grandmas...I don't have enough patience to cook with these two!):

Dawson reached a huge milestone recently. He actually learned how to smile for the camera!

Love Dawson's face in this one:

"Back off GiGi. I think you're forgetting I'm 2 and I do NOT need help!":

Forget the cookies. Couldn't you just eat him up??:

One of the best parts about raising more than one child: seeing all their differences. Pretty sure we didn't own a single hot wheel before Dawson was born:

Better late than never??

2011-11-20T12:35:00.001-08:00

Here are my kids trying on their Thanksgiving outfits. Festive, huh? Just kidding. I'm really 3 weeks late on posting Halloween pics.

At a trunk-or-treat at their cousins' church:

This year was the first hard core trick-or-treating we've ever done. We went for the full 2 hours in our neighborhood with some friends. The kids were crying and wanted to go home after the first hour but I said, "I don't care if your feet hurt, your mom is pregnant! You will keep going and get me more chocolate!" I'm totally kidding. They loved it. Bennett literally ran from house to house for 2 hours and Dawson, although quite the slow poke, loved it too. Except he has some learning to do since his favorite thing right now are "baby-pops" (lollipops). I tried to teach him to go for the chocolate but he's a stubborn little thing.

The little monsters (don't let the sweet snow white getup fool you, Sylvie is a wild one too! They're two peas in a pod. They just growl and scream at each other when they play.):

Bennett & Colin (aka Thor):

And even though she's not my child, I had to share a picture of my best friend, Candy's, little girl, Ava, as a paper doll. I think this is the cutest little girl costume I've ever seen! (and yeah, costume's are always cuter when you don't have to have full winter gear on underneath!):

(pic stolen from Facebook without permission :)

A new low

2011-10-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

My boys reached a new level of destruction today, one that I hope they don't top for many many years (or ever). I picked Bennett up from preschool, ran inside and left the boys in the van (I turned the engine off, thinking I was avoiding the worst they could possibly do in 3 minutes) to grab the library DVD's so we could return them and came back out in the garage to find this:

There's some kind of carseat safety latch that's mounted on the ceiling by the back windshield. Bennett had grabbed it, pulled it all the way to Dawson in the opposite corner, who then let it go and sent the metal buckle ricocheting off the windshield. So what was that mess your kids made today that left you grumbling and complaining??? Not so bad anymore, huh?

Part 3

2011-10-31T12:16:00.001-07:00

The last 3 days we had on the island were really cold. So we got creative and found some fun things to do. There was a great children's museum so we spent a few hours there one morning. The boys had a lot of fun.

The many faces of Bennett:

And thankfully we had an indoor pool at our hotel so we spent a lot of time there, too:

This evening was cool and very windy but it was a pretty area with a really cool playground:

And even though it was really cold, we had to get our toes in the sand one last time:

It was a really great vacation and I'd highly recommend it for young families if you just want something low key and relatively relaxing. A couple weeks earlier in the year would have been perfect (and maybe having a grand-parent along to help with the monster man!).

Jon was a champion on the way home and drove the 20 hours straight through. We happened upon this random petting zoo right next to a gas station on the drive home--the perfect spot to stretch our legs.

Part 2

2011-10-25T11:42:00.001-07:00

The reason we chose Hilton Head was because I was reading a Parenting magazine article that listed the 10 most family friendly beaches (can't remember if it was US or worldwide) and a beach on Hilton Head came in at #2. I checked our timeshare book and told Jon to check into booking a resort that was just a couple miles away. The first 3 days there were gorgeous weather- mid to upper 70's. So we hit the beach on those days. And the article was definitely right. It was an awesome beach for the kids. You can see in the pictures where the waves are breaking way off the shore--that was a sand bar. So they could walk all the way out to that point and at low tide it wasn't even ankle deep on the sand bar. The ocean was cool at this point in the year but still tolerable.

Also, you can see in these next two pics that at low tide, there was a little river of ocean water that was left way up on the shore. So we set up our chairs near that because I knew Dawson would love playing in that shallow water. It was so fun. Plus the sand there was like powdered sugar. We've been to tons of beaches in the Caribbean that weren't nearly that nice.

The live sand dollar we found and Bennett's awesome ocean do:

We also spotted a few jelly fish, found a live star fish that was missing a few limbs and Jon saw a sting ray.
The other fun part about the island is that its very marshy with tons of little ponds everywhere. We had 3 alligator sightings that week! (and yes, I was just as excited as the boys. Ok...more excited). The first one was about 3 feet long. We watched it for a long time swim under a little bridge we were on and were all excited when it came and snapped up a dragon fly. Then the next day during a timeshare presentation (yes...a vacation with my husband is not complete without a couple of those! But we got $150 in cash at each one so we couldn't pass it up) we saw this guy!!! :

On the video, when you hear me scream, he chomped a big turtle down in one gulp:

He was literally 10 feet long. It was the coolest animal encounter we've experienced in the wild. The rest of the week, anytime we passed a pond, Dawson would say, "A-gator in there? Maybe!"

And then we found this little guy whom we named, "Big Eyes" for obvious reasons. We took him back to our hotel and got a bug cage for him but after a couple days he was near death so we released him.

More to come...

Part 1

2011-10-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Just so you don't give up on my blog altogether, I'll probably post our vacation in bits and pieces as I have time. We got back this past Saturday morning after 2 nights with my parents in TN and a week on Hilton Head Island, SC. So here's the first little bit--the full day we spent with my parents. It was such a strange feeling arriving at their house and piling out of the car, knowing we were there for a visit. We've lived in the same city my whole married life so this is taking some getting used to for all of us! I was most looking forward to my mom's cooking and she didn't disappoint :) Pumpkin pancakes and all the bacon I could eat for Breakfast 1 and then homemade biscuits with honey, scrambled eggs and fried ham for Breakfast 2. A couple days later at our hotel, Bennett says out of the blue, "That was a great breakfast". I was thinking, you mean that lumpy microwave oatmeal we all ate this morning?? And then I said, "oh, you mean at Nonny's house?" "Yeah. That was a lot of things."

We crammed in as much as we could. First, a nice long hike through the woods, then to their (current) favorite BBQ place for lunch. Naptime for Dawson and a brief ~~shopping~~ browsing trip for me & my mom while Bennett and Jon braved the chilly pool for a quick dip. Then we all went to the cool park near their house and back home for dinner.

It was so great to spend time with them again and Dawson did not want to leave my dad out of his sight! He says his name, Grandad, with the funniest inflection, I wish you could hear it on here. Whenever he wasn't around, he'd walk through their house calling for him.

Its hard thinking that we probably won't see them again until Christmas (we were considering meeting up with them in Georgia for Thanksgiving but the prospect of another 15 hr trip so soon does not sound appealing). Unless my mom can't stand another minute away and drives up here before then ;)

Baby Update

2011-10-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

Big news this week, on the baby front, in case you're not on Facebook. Apparently my plans were not God's plans because we found out #3 is indeed another boy. Shocking to take in but I'm slowly adjusting to the idea. I just never (ever ever ever) in a million years pictured myself as a mom of all boys (as this is going to be the last one). Honestly, I still can't believe it. But of course I'm thankful for a healthy baby and its nice to have the complete family picture in our heads. And to be very honest, I'm thankful for a time where I'm having to trust God completely with our future, like never before. I literally had to make a decision in my head and then say it out loud, "I trust you, God." It might sound dramatic, but for the last 20 or so years, when I imagined being a mom, I pictured a baby girl. So I had to grieve for that idea. Jon's probably thanking God for saving our bank account, because I guarantee Baby Gap would have known me on a first name basis, had it been a girl ;)

I'm still feeling great and have been blessed with very easy pregnancies. (My poor sister-in-law, Bria, who's pregnant with her first and due 4 or 5 weeks after me is still throwing up multiple times a day. So I'm always shocked and grateful I don't have to go through any of that!)

Really, the hardest part of this one is lugging 30lb Dawson around. It wipes me out if I have to hold him for very long.

Its flying by and I'm looking forward to holding a new baby in my arms again. I enjoyed that phase SO much with Dawson and I'm just trying to soak in every bit of this precious pregnancy (as I've been reminded so much lately by my friends' losses that a healthy pregnancy is not to be taken for granted!)

Book Reviews

2011-09-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've read a few books lately that didn't make it on to my official blog list but I thought they were worth sharing with those of you who read as much as I do. So if you've exhausted the list to the right and can afford a few "good" ones amidst the "great" ones, here are a few I give 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus. Its a fictional story set in the late 1800's about a group of white women who come to live with a tribe of Native Americans. I learned a lot about their culture. There's a lot of humor in it and the characters are very endearing. I was just disappointed in the ending. I would give it 4 out of 5.
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. Historical fiction about the deportation of a Lithuanian family during WWII, sent to labor camps in Siberia, similar to the Nazi concentration camps. Its a heart-breaking story written in the point-of-view of a teenage girl. For some reason the writing style just left a little to be desired, but still, a great book. I would give it 3.5 out of 5.
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. This is a modern day, fictional novel that chronicles the lives of two women who are best friends from their teens through adulthood. I would give much of the book a 3 out of 5 and found some of it to be a bit cliche but the ending was so emotional, I think I cried through the last 20 or 30 pages. I love a book that makes me "emote out loud" as I like to think of it, so I recommend this one because of that.
Please share any that I should add to my list!

Party post coming soon...just waiting on pics from my sister.

Boys and their guns

2011-09-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

From up on the cannon at Camp Dodge, Bennett asks me, "Mom, does Jesus live in the sun?" "Uh...no", I responded, wondering if I was going to have to explain where he does live.

"Good, then I can shoot it."

Terrific Two's

2011-09-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

I'm learning to speak positivity in my life, rather than negativity, so I'm going to focus on all the things that are wonderful about Dawson Graham Colyer, my tornado of a two-year-old. :) It's just mind-boggling that they go from this:

to this...in just two short years.

My absolutely favorite thing about this age is listening to their vocabulary grow every day and hearing their adorable little voices. He repeats everything anyone says and is speaking quite well and in full sentences (well...half sentences, I suppose :) He can count to about 15 (with a couple prompts) and still loves to be read to. And every time we all sit down at the table he holds his hands out and says, "Amen?". Boy loves to pray!

Its amazing how different two brothers can be. Its really fun going through it all again with such a different child than Bennett was because its still full of surprises and utter astonishment at the things he does. This one is ALL boy and is obsessed with sports and trucks of any kind. Bennett didn't care one iota for either of those things (and still doesn't). I'm continually in awe of how these things are ingrained in them from the start. He loves to sit with Jon and watch "bay-ball" or football and shouts out what sports field he sees as we drive past (he now knows the difference between a soccer field, baseball diamond and a golf course).

I'm so thankful that God is teaching me right now (through a great book) to prophesy blessings for our lives, rather than speak negativity, because Lord knows it is a CHALLENGE with this one! Kind of like the words sweet Aibileen spoke over Mae Mobley in The Help- I'm speaking over Dawson: "You are kind and sweet and gentle!" :)

But, despite that, he is his dad through and through and I know he'll inherit Jon's unbelievable work ethic and drive and not to mention his jack-of-all-trades, "there's nothing I suck at in this life" talents!! :) This boy is going to be an athlete, that's for sure. And how wonderful for him to be the younger brother of such a kind, gentle and sensitive boy. Surely some of that will rub off...eventually.

I guess most families have a strong-willed child and he is absolutely it. I'm being stretched much further as a mother but every challenge only makes us stronger, and more reliant on God. And for that I'm thankful for every moment with this adorable brown-eyed boy that brings so much joy and energy to our home!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Little D!

Bennett highlights

2011-09-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics of some highlights from Bennett's life lately:

This boy looooves to climb so we decided to give rock climbing a try at our local place, Climb Iowa. Its pretty expensive so we just paid for him to go up. He actually didn't like it as much as we thought he would. He went up a few times, but at about 8 feet he would get pretty scared and wouldn't go any higher. So we'll wait a while to try again and next time, one of us will climb up alongside him. It was fun to try though!

Bennett loves Disney's Cars now, so thanks to my friend Emily's post, we found Tow Mater downtown Des Moines (she explains where its located, if any of you locals want to check it out):

And the latest and greatest news in Bennett's life, he started preschool yesterday!! He's going 4 days a week in the afternoons. His new teachers are wonderful and I'm really excited for the year. He was already in the class with my good friend, Libby's, little boy, and then we showed up on the first day and another one of my very good friends, Julie V.'s, little boy is in his class too! I miss that girl so now we'll see each other almost every day :)

I used to absolutely dread fall because its just a precursor to our horrid winters, a foreshadowing of what's to come. But honestly the start of a school year makes it such an exciting time and so much easier to take! So I'm thankful that we have school now to look forward to and get us through the worst seasons in Iowa.

Dawson getting in on the picture action:

Finding his hook:

And the highlight of my life, I finished my very last day of work at America's Family Coaches last Friday and am officially a stay at home mom again. The best part about that--my wonderful mother-in-law will still be able to take the boys most Fridays so I'll have a day to get stuff done around the house! (So far I've spent my first afternoon in a quiet house blogging so this may be a regular occurrence as well :). But I've assured my husband that I will actually get some cleaning done so I better go make that happen!! ;)

Road Warrior

2011-08-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

I think I can officially claim that title after driving down to Tennessee this past week on my own, with the boys. It was 10 hrs of driving plus stops (it took about an hour for lunch and dinner stops with eating and bathroom breaks and diaper changes and letting them run around a bit. We only stopped twice on the way home!) I wanted to get down there before Bennett starts preschool since we most likely wouldn't see my Dad again until October. The drive actually wasn't horrible. I had a huge box of snacks on the passenger seat and would just pass stuff back to them. Dawson's need to look at a new book every 3 minutes definitely got old and annoying but we made it and I didn't regret doing it! I had a big bag of suckers and let Dawson eat probably 10 or 15 on the way home :) We had a lot of fun while we were there and fit in a lot of cool stuff. And the boys love being with their grandparents.

The Memphis Zoo:

These apes ended up completely terrifying Dawson. He was bawling and bawling. He'd never seen any in real life and their human like antics were just a little too weird for him to handle. The rest of the time at the zoo, any animal that got too close to the glass made him cry again.

Buddha bellies:

An amazing playground in the largest Urban park in the US (bigger than Central Park!)--it seemed very futuristic. These pictures won't do it justice. The metal caging you see in the background is a tunnel that winds between the 4 different playscapes (called "nests"). Eventually it'll be covered in vines, like an arbor:

Dawson stayed under this water feature half the time and ended up soaking wet and completely covered in sand:

This "spider web" went on forever and led up to a tree house in the middle:
The Children's Museum--so perfect for their age (sorry, these were all taken on my phone so the quality's not so hot):

Bennett on the weather channel:

Hopefully Bennett learns a new technique for working on his patients if he wants to be a dentist:

It was a fun trip and I was glad the drive wasn't torture! I could probably handle it a couple times a year alone with the boys and I'm sure we'll go down a couple times as a family. It was great getting a taste of my parent's new life down there and the church seems so wonderful. My dad's already fitting in great and loving it. Now I'm hoping for a girl's trip down there with my mother-in-law to help my mom decorate their new house!

Mommy Confessional

2011-08-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling guilty lately. Pretty sure my son's brain is slowly turning to mush (does that really happen??). Bennett watches way too much TV. I keep reading parenting articles about limiting screen time to no more than 2 hours a day. Eventually their boredom would propel them to use their imaginations. That sounds like a lot but we're far exceeding that number (gulp). I mean, sure, I could console myself with the fact that we're not nearly as bad as some families who never turn the TV off but the fact is, if we just judged our own success based on other people, I could pretty much slack off on all kinds of stuff and still feel good about my parenting skills.

Bennett, 17 mos:

So anyway, this is how our day goes: Bennett gets up between 7 and 7:30 and goes straight downstairs and knows how to start his own movie. Jon gets up for work and gets Bennett's breakfast before he leaves. I usually sleep til 8 or 8:30 (ideally I'd get up at 7:30 but I'm excusing myself right now due to pregnancy exhaustion) then I get up and take a shower and we're not ready to leave til at least 10 or 11. (Dawson doesn't get up til at least 9.) And the TV has pretty much stayed on the whole morning til we leave.

Then when Dawson goes down for his 3 hour nap, I let Bennett watch TV or play computer games so I can chill and have some me time. So realistically speaking, he was watching at least 6 hours a day!! That's a little sickening. I NEVER wanted to have kids who couldn't entertain themselves or didn't have any imagination.

So earlier this week I made a commitment to myself to turn the TV off in the morning by 10 at the latest (small steps :) and then let Bennett watch 1 movie or play 1 hour of video/computer games during Dawson's nap. The rest of the time will be up to him to entertain himself. The other day we were going to Nana and Poppy's for dinner and Bennett's obsessed with playing Angry Birds on Poppy's iPad so he had to forgo all of his afternoon screen time so he could play the iPad later. It went pretty well and he ended up playing with Lego's for quite a while.

I do realize that as soon as preschool starts, (he's going 4 days in the afternoons) he won't have any screen time besides the morning and also, as Dawson get older, they'll play together better and next year will actually be able to go outside together without me having to supervise Dawson's every move.

I just wanted to throw all this out there for A) some encouragement and accountability in this area and B) possibly for some ideas of some activities for Bennett to do all by himself. I think I should probably get over my hate for huge messes and let him do some painting at home because he does like that. He's never been interested in coloring. I did get a huge Kindergarten workbook (the Brainquest line) at Costco that he likes working through. So anyway...this has just been on my mind a lot lately and hopefully some of you can relate to my struggle!

Vegas

2011-08-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

This week Jon and I headed to Vegas for 3 days because of a free hotel voucher we had. Neither of us would necessarily choose to visit that city (its a bit overrated) but we've been dying to see Cirque du Soleil's "O" so we figured this would be a perfect opportunity. Well...turns out it was sold out the whole time we were there. Big bummer. But, to make up for that disappointment, Jon had a HUGE surprise for me. When Candy was here in Des Moines several weeks ago, we had suggested the idea of her meeting us in Vegas (since our resort had a separate bedroom and a pull out couch in the living room) but Candy told me it wouldn't work out. Turns out she and Jon were in cahoots the whole time. Jon left me in the middle of a time-share presentation (more on that) because he had a surprise. I was thinking he had somehow found "O" tickets. But about 30 minutes later, he walked in with Candy! I was shocked. She was there for a little more than 24 hours and we all had so much fun. It was the best surprise Jon has ever pulled off.

At the Venetian:

The slick "statue" who was winking at us and rubbing our hands the whole time we were taking the picture! AH! Totally gave me the creeps. We couldn't stop laughing about it:

High rollers. We bet $1. I got suckered back in and lost my $3.50. Candy quit while she was ahead:

At Red Rocks, only about 40 minutes away. SO refreshing to get out of the city and hike around here:

Jon's been a huge fan of Pawn Stars so of course we had to stop by. It was pretty fun but none of the TV cast was there:

So back to the time share deal. I know I've mentioned on here that we always do a couple on our vacations because the free stuff they offer you is too good to pass up for us penny-pinchers. So we did 3 during our three days there. Yep, 3. And they were just as annoying as you might imagine. But Jon knows now to hold out for a good deal, so from those 3 time share presentations we ended up with 1 extra night in our hotel (we only had 2 free nights to begin with), a $200 voucher for an Allegiant flight, $100 cash, $100 in gaming chips (which we quickly lost at the Roulette table. You couldn't just cash them in), another free 2 night stay at a different hotel in Vegas and 2 free Blue Man Group tickets. Seriously...wouldn't you do that too?? :) Ok, I know some of you wouldn't sit through 6 hours of timeshare presentations for all that and more but Jon will do anything for a buck. Ok, I will too. And really, without spending a lot of money, there wasn't a whole lot to do. We also paid to go see Cirque du Soleil's "Mystere" while Candy was with us and it was worth every penny. I will never get sick of that show and it was so fun for Candy to be able to experience it for the first time. Jon and I saw Blue Man Group the following night and although I laughed a lot and definitely enjoyed it, it was a bit disappointing. But for free, it was awesome and I felt so lucky to see two shows in one week!

It was a pretty good trip but not exactly relaxing. But it was so great to spend time with Candy again and to have some time away from the kiddos. Can't complain about that!

9.

2011-08-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

Celebrating 9 years of marriage to my hubby today. 9! That's a big number. The last of the single digits and then I think we're officially an old married couple. I remember waking up on our wedding day with a huge grin on my face...so eager to marry the man of my dreams. My favorite moment of that day was driving off in a borrowed yellow Corvette convertible, knowing it was just us now!

We've been through the good, the bad, and the ugly in 9 years. But the worst of it has fortified our commitment to each other, taught us to never stop working on our relationship and to constantly keep the other person's needs ahead of our own. Marriage is so hard. But this man, whom I love more than any human being on this earth, is worth every amount of sacrifice and bit of energy I have to give. My favorite moments of all with him are when we're able to travel together without the kids. Our trip to Mexico in March was so refreshing. Once you have kids, you lose a lot. Those carefree days with each other are gone, so that vacation just brought back that spark and reminded me how much fun we have together when two boys aren't zapping 99% of my energy before I see him at the end of the day. He's absolutely my best friend and it always amazes me that I never get sick of hanging out with him :)

Jon's not even home today. You know its been a while when you get really excited about a sweet card and $20 bucks to buy a Starbucks and Chick-fil-A for dinner ;) We're going on a brief little getaway to Las Vegas next week though, (thanks to a Rainbow Vacuum sales presentation :) and I can't wait to celebrate!

A Season of Change

2011-07-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

That sums up our life lately. A lot of big changes going on. I've had several things to blog about but haven't made time (sorry....I was reading a great book so any free time was being devoted to that. Check out the book list.) So here's a summary of what's been happening lately:

Firstly, our brother-in-law made it safely home from Afghanistan last week! We all got to go to the welcome home ceremony and I was so honored to be there. It was such an emotional day, you could physically feel it in your body. It hit me hard as we were on our way and the streets of the small town the ceremony was being held in were lined with people waving flags to greet the motorcade of soldiers as they passed. It felt like every American flag I saw that day was hanging in their honor. Such relief I felt for my sister. Even driving to their house for lunch with friends and family afterwards felt surreal. For the first time in a year I wasn't going over there to pick up her girls or keep her company.

And a change in scenery- Jon finished the landscaping in the back and it looks gorgeous. I had something like this in mind but honestly didn't think it would be affordable or would turn out this nice. Its perfect.

A biggie, which most of you probably know by now is my parents are moving this week....to Memphis. My dad got a job offer at Grace Evangelical Church that suited his gifts and talents to a T. Its an associate pastor position so he'll be teaching an adult Sunday School class, assisting/mentoring a younger pastor on staff in men's ministries and doing pastoral care (funerals, weddings, hospital visits, etc.). They sold their house her in Johnston in a week so that was a huge stress reliever. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm sad and the answer is...not yet. I know I will be (and shed the first tears about it last night during a slide show at a going-away party at their old church.) But I'm an optimist. Its my natural reaction to only focus on the positives. I love having an excuse to travel a lot and thankfully we'll have a warmer place to visit during the loooong winter months in Iowa. And I think in the long run it will bring us closer--a lot less "quantity time" but a lot more quality time.

And subsequent to the previous change, I'll be quitting my 2 day a week job at America's Family Coaches to stay home full time (since my mom provided one of those days of childcare). I'm thankful for this transition as I only went back to fill in the gap a bit financially, but Jon's job is going well and prayerfully will continue to get better with each passing month. I have to admit, I finally understand why moms look forward to the start of school every year as the days with two very active boys are long. So I'm excited for the routine of 4 day preschool to help a bit.

And perhaps the biggest change of all will be arriving around February 23, 2012. Hopefully of the female variety this time ;)

You can never have too much Candy...

2011-07-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

At least this kind. My best friend (for 10 years now!) came for a quick visit from Cali last weekend. She left her 2 kiddos at home so I made sure to have plenty of childcare lined up and we had all kinds of fun.

Day 1: Lunch downtown (my new favorite place--Proof. We didn't stop thinking about that lunch all weekend) and shopping in the East Village (also found my new favorite store--Porch Light. Tons of adorable vintage stuff). An afternoon coffee and dessert at Smokey Row, then we went out to dinner and to the Funny Bone comedy club that night with Jon.

Day 2: relaxing day at the pool. The Colyers had some family in town so they planned a day at the pool (seen here). Jon was so sweet and kept the boys that morning so we could go over by ourselves and have a couple of glorious quiet hours to read in the sun. The rest of the family joined after lunch.

Some neighbors had some puppies for sale. I'm a huge sucker for baby animals (but not at all a sucker for full grown animals so I'm totally fine with just cuddling them and letting somebody else take them home)

Day 3: Gateway Market for lunch (free kids meals all weekend! Have you had the french fries there?? Ummm, yeah. Pretty sure I dreamt about them that night) then Jon tagged along with the ladies to Jordan Creek mall for some more shopping.

There were a couple of movies in our theatre room and a pint of Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch in there somewhere. The next day we headed to Omaha for an early dinner at Twisted Fork in the Old Market (delicious- i definitely recommend it. And I loved the cowboy chic decor.) and then we said farewell at the airport, most likely until next year. It was a perfect weekend (and thanks to my moms for keeping the boys!). I'm so blessed to have a friend like her but always wish it didn't require a plane to see her. Maybe we'll be next door neighbors in heaven.

Phase 1 Complete

2011-07-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

After several delays due to the weeks of torrential downpours we had, Jon finally got the cement poured for the patio! It was a big job but he and a couple other guys got it finished in just a couple of hours. I was impressed (although I'm always impressed by my hubby!).

A couple of new chairs from Target and we're set! (Although someday I would love something like these, these cheapos will do just fine for now):

The view from the new chairs:

And the view from our living room...when it's just too hot to sit out there anymore, I can sit next to the window to supervise:

On to Phase 2: Landscaping...

It was inevitable...

2011-06-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

I've joked since Bennett started walking that that boy would walk a mile on his own without looking back to see if I was anywhere in sight. I've always been just slightly envious of the moms with kiddos who stay glued to their leg and wouldn't even let go if there was a piece of candy laying 2 feet from them. Ok, that's not really true. I love having brave boys who will go anywhere and try anything, but it sure would make parenting a lot more...relaxing. Not having to chase a child down or keep your eyes glued on them whenever you're in an area that's not fenced in!

So yesterday, Bethany and I, and the 4 kiddos went to the zoo on a gorgeous 75 degree day. And so did a whole lot of other people. It was packed. There's a petting zoo area with a HUGE playground in the middle that's kind of walled in and maze-like (ie: zero visibility). I was with Dawson showing him how to feed the goats with the food other kids dropped (yes, I'm that cheap. Why spend $.50 when its all over the ground? :) and he was cracking up and loving it. I seriously wasn't even keeping my eye on Bennett. I just assumed he was on the playground. So after about 20 minutes had passed without having seen Bennett, I mentioned it to Bethany. So we both were casually looking for him. After about 5 minutes of casually looking, we really started to search. He was nowhere to be found. I even left the petting zoo and wandered through part of the zoo but couldn't imagine where he would be. I finally alerted a staff member and they sent out the call on the walkie talkies. I wasn't that worried until a good 10 minutes went by with all the zoo staff looking for him. We ran into a couple friends of ours who were all looking for him too. By then I erupted into tears when staff kept asking me what he looked like and what he was wearing and hearing their walkie's signaling no one had found him. My mind didn't really go the whole kidnapping route (well, it did, but I pushed it away quick). I just knew he'd wandered off somewhere. But still, it was scary nonetheless. So about 15 minutes after the staff started searching they found him...playing in the gift shop. If you've been to the Des Moines zoo, you'll know how far away that is from the petting zoo. And if you haven't...well...its pretty far.

When they brought him back he said, "I forgot you were in the petting zoo!" and when I told him he should not have left without me, he slapped his forehead and said, "What was I thinking?". The good thing- we all survived although I was definitely shaken up. The bad thing- Bennett wasn't scared at all. I realized we've been to that zoo so many times and he's so familiar with it, it just wasn't a big deal for him to wander away and find the gift shop.

I remember a mom a little older than me who asked a strange man at the mall to grab her son and pretend to take him when he wandered off again. Just for a minute or two to scare him. A lot of people thought that was a little extreme. I'm starting to think that's not such a bad idea!!

I can't even imagine now how my mom felt when she lost Bethany at the beach when she was 2 or 3. The beach! No staff members everywhere with walkie talkies...and the ocean on one side. Man...one reason I should be glad we don't live by the ocean. (Ok, the only reason).

For the foodies...

2011-06-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote in Real Simple mag today and it made me laugh out loud. Thought the foodies in my life would equally appreciate it...

This past week...

2011-06-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Two weekends and two parades. We've never really taken the boys to a parade before so Bennett didn't know what it was all about. Lucky for him its all about people throwing candy. Before it started last weekend, Bennett saw a man selling cotton candy and yells, "Mom! Can I get some candy cotty??" Then, as the "floats" (just cars and trucks) started coming our way and they started throwing all kinds of candy, he says, "this is the best day of my life!" After it was over, he grabbed my water bottle, takes a swig and says, "Phew! I sure was thirsty from that parade!"

Free ice cream afterwards:

After the parade last weekend, we rescued a little lost duckling! It was the cutest animal I've ever held. He stayed overnight at our house (and half the night in my arms. I know, I'm a sucker but whenever I put him down, he'd cheap cheap cheap until I picked him up again and then he'd snuggle in and fall asleep!)

On the hunt for Momma Duck. We didn't find her until the next morning and their reunion was the cutest thing ever!

Patio construction is under way! Several weeks back I casually mentioned to my hubby, "someday I'd love a patio out back..." And that amazing man was on it. The main reasons for this are A) our deck is pretty small. Only room for our grill and a small table and chairs. B) Our backyard isn't level so we wanted a nice space for our big kiddie pool. Last year Jon ended up building a plywood platform just so we had a level spot to set it on. I'm super excited and can picture myself on a nice chaise, relaxing while the kids swim (and getting splashed relentlessly).

Playing in the sprinkler the other day turned into playing in the mud pit:

And on a sad and serious note, my mom's mom, our Nana, died on Wednesday. We spent a lot of time with her in Florida when were little, swimming in her pool, catching lizards, many many trips to Disney and trips to the beach for picnic dinners. She always told us the best stories about when she was little and I would listen as long as she would talk. One time she even took us to Toys R Us and told us we could pick anything we wanted. Bethany got a Cabbage Patch Doll. I picked a book :) Unfortunately as the years progressed, we spent less and less time together and I know she wanted to see her great-grandchildren one more time. As painful as that is to think about, we can all focus on the fact that we'll all be together in heaven one day and she'll have unlimited time with all of her family. I have a feeling God will arrange things so we're not a 24 drive from each other ;)

And last but not least, my very best friend, Candy, is visiting (kidless!) from Cali in a few weeks. I can't wait to hang out for a long weekend and catch up and watch movies and eat our favorite Ben&Jerry's together. I miss this girl like crazy all the time and it sucks we only get to see each other once a year but I'm just thankful we've been able to make a yearly visit for the last 10 years.

(PS. Please forgive my spacing issues. I don't know why I can't correct that anymore and it drives me nuts. If anyone has a tip, let me know! I'm thinking maybe I need to change layouts??)

A day in the life...

2011-06-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

[Way off to the] Side note: when we were little and were getting ready for a long road trip from, oh...Canada to Florida (I know, craziness. And not an electronic device to be seen)...my dad would stock up on a bunch of library books for us and would always get some from a series called A Day in the Life. They were these huge books with giant glossy pictures of some other culture from sun up to sun down and we loved them. Of course, part of the reason is because inevitably there'd be some picture of a tribal woman feeding a baby with her boobs exposed and we'd always flip through to those pages and gawk. But they were really great books. Admit it...you stared at those pictures a little longer in a National Geographic too, didn't you?? Thought so.

Sorry...onto the real post. This is not a day in the life of a half-naked tribal woman. Its a day in the life of my oldest son turning 4!! Four years of life with this sweet, sensitive, fearless and gifted boy. This year, more than ever, I have noticed how much this boy has my personality. He's definitely an introvert and is quite wary in new situations. Lately any time we do anything new he'll ask me a couple times if I'm staying with him. "The whole time?? You're not leaving?" he'll say. He's usually pretty quiet as he's taking everything in around him. Even his preschool teachers would say they didn't know if he was ever listening, let alone retaining anything but then they'd hear him later reciting an entire book they read to the class...once. The most precious moments in life right now are when he engages Dawson. He's always spoken to him as if they were on the exact same level (which was quite hilarious when Dawson was a newborn) but now its so cute, as Dawson babbles back to him. They're going to be great buddies (when Dawson's not beating him up). So on to his big day...

Breakfast smoothies for everyone:

Then off to the library to sign up for his first Summer Reading Program:

The self-checkout:

Next up-- first swimming lessons (he can already swim pretty well. these are more for my peace of mind so that when he decides to jump off a diving board when no one's watching, he can swim to the side):

Then off to lunch with Daddy. I asked Bennett what he wanted for his birthday dinner. He said, "Swordfish". Hmmm...ok. A close second- popcorn shrimp at Joe's Crap...ah hem...I mean Crab Shack.

Gilligan's first mate:

Home for Dawson's naptime and then testing out his new sprinkler in the backyard:

Can't get enough of this face right now:

No more pictures after that, because, let's face it, things usually go downhill between the hours of 5 and 8pm.

I still remember the night we left our house when I was in labor, just the two of us, to go the hospital (No mom ever forgets those moments). I remember sitting in the hospital room around 5:00am when we'd checked in and I'd changed into my gown. It was dark outside and still so quiet and calm. My husband blew me away that morning with his support and encouragement. And delivering that baby with him at my side forged us together like nothing before. Bennett came out not breathing. But God completely protected me from that moment. I couldn't see him on the little warming table...I didn't know anything was wrong. I couldn't see the nurses frantically pumping oxygen into his lungs. I laid there on the bed completely at peace that he was fine. Almost 2 full minutes they worked on him. But he was fine. Completely healthy after that. God's hand was on him in that moment. I looked into his chocolate colored eyes and I was in love. An instant overwhelming love for this baby whom I couldn't believe was mine!

And then the days after we brought him home...the hardest 8 weeks of my life. Post-partum depression (that I didn't recognize at the time) and a very, very difficult time nursing (I had the milk...it was everything else that wasn't working. And mixed with a s l o w eater (did I mention he has my personality?? :) it took 7 weeks until it felt painless and natural. I didn't think I'd emerge from the loneliness and pain and all around unsettledness (probably just made up that word-yep. spellcheck confirmed).

But boom - 8 weeks hit and everything turned around. He was happy and content and I was happy and content...(ok...probably everything turned around because he started sleeping 8 hours in a row!!). I settled into Motherhood and started soaking in all the amazing moments with my gorgeous little boy. He was the happiest baby- nothing would phase him, and still not much does. I'm so unbelievably proud God chose me to raise this amazing little boy.

So much life in 4 short years.

A Dino-Mite Party

2011-06-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

We had Bennett's 4th birthday party yesterday. It was really fun and he had a great time. We kept it pretty simple and low-key and it was a nice, relaxing day getting ready for it. I had fun with few cute little details that I copied from blogs.

The invitations (copied from The Shabby Nest):

Dino tracks leading up our sidewalk that Jon drew:

Banner (also copied from The Shabby Nest). If anyone else is doing a dino party for a 4yr old, let me know if you want this and I'll mail it to you! (update-- already claimed :) :

Dino chandelier:

Goodie bags, inspired by these, although once you look at the inspiration, it'll totally put mine to shame. I seriously need to get some graphic design skills as I obviously have NONE. If I can't do it in Microsoft Word, I don't know how to do it :( I still thought they were pretty cute though. I followed her advice and just got some Easter candy when it went on sale.

"Dino juice" with T-Rex bones for ice (kinda pointless since they started melting immediately. Piper asked for a head and I was like, "here's a green lump. Use your imagination"):

The adorable cake my mom made:

And some dino feet for the kids to wear, copied from here. The kids were running around wild the whole time (appopriate for a dino party) so I had to use Landon as my model since he was the most mellow kid there:

We had a collaborative meal of pulled pork sandwiches, homemade mac 'n cheese, Greek salad and watermelon. It was really yummy.

A little dino sticker craft for the kids with a big bucket of foam stickers from Michael's. They loved it (Mommy bonus- zero effort):

And storytime (again zero effort and they loved it. My dad's a great storyteller and would interject their names instead of what was written at different parts and they thought it was hilarious):

Present time lasted all of about 30 seconds with a couple of the kids opening the gift they brought for Bennett :) Its supposed to be a group effort at that age, isn't? He loved all of the gifts.

This was his expression the entire time we sang "Happy Birthday":

It was a ROAR-ing success ;)

The Ledges

2011-05-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Today we took the boys to The Ledges- a state park about 40 min from our house. This is one of those places that people who don't get out of the Midwest much make a big deal about. But that's the great thing about having little kids-experiencing everything through their eyes. This little rocky creek was absolute perfection for these little adventurers to explore on their own. At this age you certainly don't need roaring rapids and picturesque waterfalls to enjoy your surroundings. We brought a picnic lunch, enjoyed the perfect weather and made it back home for naptime--an ideal outing for this little family. We're already looking forward to bringing them back there soon. Its nice to start adventuring in Iowa- things can only get better from here :)

A little randomness...

2011-05-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Next week is Bennett's birthday week. I think at the age of 4, its time to start spending a whole week celebrating. First up on the agenda- Kung Fu Panda 2 tomorrow with his Mommy & Daddy. Secondly- a trip to the grocery store on Monday: I heard an idea from a friend a long time ago that they got to pick any cereal they wanted to eat during their birthday week. I loved that idea (since my kids get Kix as a treat) so Bennett will get his first exposure to all that freeze-dried marshmallow-ey goodness. I'll let you know what he picks.

I don't like planning birthday parties without my decorating-genius mother-in-law. (They're in England right now). So this semi-crafty, not-very-creative girl is trying to muster up every ounce of creative craftiness. Thank goodness for blogland. I'm a good copier.

I love clicking the "Hide all posts by fill-in-the-blank" on my facebook wall. Makes me feel like I'm getting rid of a bunch of junk mail :)

Jon's becoming a total rockstar mechanic. He's well past 200,000 miles on his X5 so inevitably quite a few things keep breaking or malfunctioning. Every time something goes wrong, he does a little research on the internet, watches a YouTube video, orders a part and fixes it himself. Today he's replacing the fuel pump. I'd love to know how many thousands of dollars he's saved us this year.

I'm so happy the Bachelorette started again and that my hubby watches (and enjoys it- or at least pretends to) with me. Its a cheap and romantic date night every week. (Hey, you take what you can get when you have kids!)

In book news: I added a new book to my blog book list-check it out. I never told you the results of my books from vacation. Edgar Sawtelle was enjoyable in parts but it had the worst ending of any book ever, I couldn't believe I'd wasted the whole week on it. Angela's Ashes and The Invisible Wall were both great and worth reading for sure but kind of similar so don't read them back to back. I just finished the Dragon Tattoo series. It was definitely great but there's so much super dull informative bits you have to wade through between all the great action scenes, you really have to stick with it. So don't read them unless you have a lot of patience-or you're a good skimmer. One book where the movie will likely be a lot better.

And scenes from an impromptu bonfire last night:

Jon built that big wood platform behind them last summer for our big kiddie pool since our backyard isn't level. I'm super excited-we're going to put in a big cement patio there soon.

Mmmm....s'mores

Yes, that's a birds nest burning in this picture. That's what boys do best- burn stuff. (no birds were harmed in the making of this fire)

Our first "summer break" has begun!

2011-05-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

My first born child has a whole year of school under his belt. He had his end of year preschool program today. And yes, I totally got teary eyed when they showed the photo slideshow of the year. I was holding Bennett in my arms and he had his head resting on my shoulder and I was savoring that moment- my sweet little baby (who's nearly half my body weight now!) who needs me less and less with each passing year. And yet he still needs me. For how much longer?? And my parents watching on, no doubt thinking about my first year of school in Miss Lovinggood's class (That was really her name and yes, she was loving and good!). Such a crazy thing watching your child growing up. I'm thankful he still has another year of preschool left. I can't imagine facing the whole Kindergarten thing just yet. I asked him this morning before we left if he was going to miss school and he said so sweetly, "Nope. Because now I get to stay home with you!" Good answer, son. Good answer. Think he'll feel that way after he graduates highschool??

His teachers, Miss Heidi and Miss Dawn (although you know we're not in the South because as much as I corrected him, he still always just said Heidi and Dawn):

(And one other side note- this was proof to me that he can smile normal on command- something I did not think he was capable of before this without me resorting to saying things like, "Guess what? Chicken Butt.")

This carpet square business is hard work:

We celebrated afterwards with two of the best things a 3 yr old can think of: McDonald's Happy Meal and a park.

There was a first grade class there on a field trip. At one point I looked for Dawson and saw he had this gaggle of girls following his every step:

This poor little girl never quite figured out that every time she would bend down to say Peekaboo, she'd inevitably get a whack in the face, which of course Dawson thought was hilarious. I finally had to tell her to stop bending down. Unfortunately much easier than getting Dawson to stop hitting her and laughing.

And every single one of them told me they had a baby brother or baby sister or baby cousin or their mom's friend's neighbor had a baby. Like they were convincing me they were well qualified to be taking care of my baby at the park. It was so funny.

Sorry...I'm slackin.

2011-05-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo dump from the last couple of weeks. I didn't get any pics with my kids on Mother's Day so I had to take matters into my own hands (yes, pretty much every picture I'm in with my kids was taken with the timer. Otherwise there would be no evidence that I was ever even there ;)

Our new IKEA swing in the basement. It only swings in one direction so it didn't have to hang in the middle of the room:

love this one:

The two patriarchs of the Colyer/Ottley fam surprised all of us on Mother's Day by getting one huge suite at the Waterpark Hotel a few minutes from our house. It was so much fun. There was a giant room for us all to eat and hang out in (since you couldn't have your own food by the pool) and 2 bedrooms so the napping situation was totally convenient. We all agreed it would have to be a tradition. Bennett had a sleepover there with his Nana, along with Bethany and Piper and Quinn. I brought Dawson back the next day for even more swimming.

my [temporary] angel baby

2011-05-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this picture. I'm posting it for Nana and Nonny, who I know also won't get enough of this angelic little face. Yep, he was sick as a dog today. Literally layed in my arms probably 75% of the time he was awake today. This was when he fell asleep in my arms. Every mom will admit they don't mind when their kids are sick here and there because you get moments like these!! Ugh. Melts my heart. And I had plenty of time for love and cuddles since my mom came to the rescue and took Bennett for the afternoon.

wedding weekend

2011-05-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were in Lake Geneva, WI at the wedding of a very dear friend of our family's. We go back over 20 years with the McKendricks (seriously?? I'm old enough to say that??) and they've always been like family to us. Their youngest daughter Amanda got married and I was very honored that she asked me to do her hair for the wedding. My camera batteries were dead so I didn't get great pics (sorry, Candy). But their wedding was fabulous and you can see several more pictures of all the cute details here. Poor Jon was a little bored all weekend, since, let's face it-- wedding details are only fun to women. He and Bennett (we left Dawson with Judie) had all kinds of adventures around Lake Geneva without me. But I had a ton of fun helping with the decorating and being part of the glam squad for the girls on the wedding day. It was one of the best weddings I've been to in a long time. (And not just because they had make-your-own root beer floats at the reception!) So very happy for you, Paul and Amanda!

2011-04-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

Please ignore my spacing issues. I can't fix it. :(

Easter Sunday

2011-04-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely Easter Sunday with the Colyer/Ottley clan (we need a combination name like the celebs. The Cottley's? Or the Ottyers? Mmm...not so much). Church with my parents and then all of us went to John & Judie's (minus John who's in Africa) for brunch and an Easter Egg hunt. My hubby got off really easy yesterday. I let him wear a t-shirt to church and I never asked him to pose for a family picture. I'll just console myself with the fact that we wouldn't have gotten a good one anway since a 19 month old boy is part of our family.

We tried pretty unsuccessfully to get one of the Colyer cousins:

Not interested:

Recognize those pants, manda? :)

So thankful that Easter means so much more than putting cute clothes on our kids and hunting for Easter Eggs. And I love that Bennett grasped that meaning a little more this year.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

From my little chicks.

B-E-N-N-E-T-T

2011-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Just have to share my proud mama moment of the day. Last Friday when we got to preschool, there was a big whiteboard outside their classroom and it said, "Please sign in". There were several other kids who had already written their names. I was shocked. Bennett has never been interested in coloring and writing and we don't encourage it much at home since any writing utensils inevitably end up marking on stuff besides paper (ex: walls, desks, chairs, couches, body parts...need I go on??) On Valentine's day, I had him "sign" all of his cards for his class with a little scribble. He couldn't write one letter, let alone his whole name. I figured we better start working on this at home since he was obviously behind a lot of kids in his class in this area. I told Jon we should have him practice at night before bed each night. So we did that. Twice.

We got to school today and my sweet boy did not need his mama to sign in for him this time!

Cancun

2011-04-07T12:46:00.001-07:00

Well, we're back to reality after a long and luxurious week to ourselves. It was beyond wonderful to have that whole week to reconnect and remember how much fun we have together when all the pressures of daily life are removed. Cancun was nice. It was insanely windy every day but that was nice when we were laying out because you never felt that hot. We hung out at our hotel and relaxed a couple days (Jon has recently discovered the joy of books on tape so he could actually stand to layout for more than 20 minutes at a time without going stir-crazy. It was awesome!!) and ventured out a few of the days. We were about 30 minutes away from the "Hotel Zone" and we didn't have a car so we didn't have many options for food. We refused to pay $39 per person for the hotel buffet (and that was the cheaper of the two restaurants!) so we ended up eating at this little shack of a restaurant that was in a parking lot next door. It was really good and really cheap so we went there about 6 times and hung out with the locals :) They had awesome guacamole so I was happy!

On Isla Mujeres (a small island, a 20 min ferry ride from Cancun):

At Xel-Ha (Shell-Ha), an all-inclusive place with snorkeling, cliff jumping and lazy river. We were excited to stuff ourselves silly this day since we were skimping on food the rest of the week but the food wasn't great. (Besides the Nutella pancakes for breakfast!). A bummer, but it was still a really fun day:

We found out about the Cenotes (Caverns) you can dive in in the Riviera Maya so we knew we wanted to do that for sure. We debated back and forth whether it would be worth the $150 per person it would cost us and decided it would be worth the splurge. We called to book it but they weren't going on the day we were hoping to go. The lady at the place gave us the name and number for one of the dive masters. We called and he was available so he rode the 2 hours down with us and took us on our own. Between the rental car, what he charged us and renting our tanks, we paid half of what the other tour cost. It worked out perfectly. The funny thing was, Jon got pulled over on the ride there for not wearing a seat belt. Thankfully the dive master (who was Mexican) was with us and he translated for us and told Jon he could just give the policeman $10 as a bribe and he'd let us go. Jon was cracking up when he got back in the car to tell me what had transpired. I thought he was joking. It was pretty hilarious. The dive master told us if it was a Federal Police, they won't take less than $100 as a bribe so we got off pretty cheap ;)

Here's the entrance to the caverns and where we started the dive:

There was a diver with a professional camera down there so we purchased the pictures he took since they were so amazing.

Second Dive- Jon couldn't go on this one. His nose was a little stuffed up and he couldn't clear his ears properly during the first dive and it was causing him a lot of pain so the dive master took me on a quicker route to see all the stalagmites and stalactites in the darker part of the cave. This was just on our camera:

We surfaced inside this completely concealed dome covered in stalactites, the size of a large room. It was so incredible. There was a small hole to the outside so the air inside was breathable but it was still pitch dark and eerily quiet.

These dives were one of the coolest things we've ever experienced in our life. It was fresh water and it was completely clear so it felt like you were just floating through air. It was just amazing.

It was convenient to have the rental car for two of the evenings, so we asked for a great authentic local place to eat. Someone told us about Las Palapas. This is a bad picture but you get the idea- kind of like an outdoor food court. We were the only Americans there and there were tons of families with little kids so it was really fun. We made the mistake the first night of dumping some toppings on to our tacos that we thought were just onions and cilantro and proceeded to set our mouths on fire. The next night we got empanadas for $1 a piece and they were muy delicioso.

We don't necessarily have a desire to back to Cancun (like we do with Aruba) but it was beautiful and made for a great week. We're glad to be back home to our sweet boys (who seem so much sweeter after a week apart! ;) They were totally fine the whole week we were gone. I was worried about the aftermath when we got back but they haven't really been out of sorts. Dawson's been a little more clingy but its been more sweet than difficult. He'll be across the room and say, "Ma ma!" and put his arms out and run to me. I think I was prepared for the worst so I was able to be extra patient and anticipate their melt-downs. So very very thankful for the week to reconnect with my hubby. And so thankful for both of our parents for taking on the childcare for a week! A huge job but they're wonderful at it- the boys truly are just as comfortable with them as they are at home. Such a blessing to not worry about them at all!

T minus 3 days!

2011-03-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

We head to Cancun this coming Saturday. Jon and I cannot wait to get away ~~from our kids~~! Its been a long time since we've had some time away together and it couldn't come at a better time. I'm a little apprehensive about leaving the kids since Bennett's still trying to adjust to Jon being gone so much these days. I'm more worried about the aftermath when we come back. Bennett's been acting out more these days (he pulled this one again, so yeah, I'm typing this on the little nubby remains of half the letters) so here's hoping he's not a terror for the few days after we come home. I guess he's just picking up the slack for his little brother who's been significantly sweeter these days.

As of today though, I'm officially ready to go...I got my books to read on vacation from the library! Its seriously hard to comprehend the fact that I'll have so much time to relax and read uninterrupted. And get to eat a whole week's worth of meals while they're still hot!! Oh man...pretty sure I'll have died and gone to heaven (so I guess that means there aren't any preschoolers in heaven?? kidding, kidding :)

Here's my list so far (for my fellow booknerds. I mean worms), although my mom put a couple more on hold for me:

Angela's Ashes,

The Invisible Wall

and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

You'll know if I loved them or not if they end up on my blog list but I hear they're all awesome.

See you all in a couple weeks, unless we have internet access in our room. Adios amigos!

Dude's got moves

2011-03-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

I love the guitar sounds he makes when it turns off. :)

A Walk in the Park

2011-03-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

I meant that literally...not figuratively. Nothing about parenting is a walk in the park. But it sure is a lot more lovely and enjoyable when we can actually go to a park! Amazing how warm 50 degrees feels in March. {Actually, it didn't really feel warm at all. But when you have two boys climbing the walls, anything above 40 with sunshine is bearable at this point.}

No, he didn't just eat an oreo:

Seriously, you'd think he'd get it by now. It cracks me up that it pretty much doesn't phase him. I mean, he doesn't even try to spit it out! This was yesterday and I did take him to the van and gave him some water and wiped his face off. But today he found a huge dirt clod in our backyard that looked too good to pass up and we were a ways from the house so I just let him be. He just kind of crunched the dirt in his teeth and kept right on going. He eats toilet paper too. I mean, just bites right into the roll (ok, that one he at least spits out). Is he going to end up on this show some day??

4 kids on a bench, take two:

Take six. Oh well. Close enough:

I tried, Mom!! :)

Must see!

2011-03-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd give a raving movie review for The Next Three Days, with Russel Crowe, in case you haven't seen it. Seriously- go rent it. Best action/suspense I've seen since Taken, with Liam Neesen. I literally hadn't heard a thing about it so I was shocked by how good it was--one of those movies you wake up the next morning thinking about. And just as a side note--very clean too. I love it when they can make a great movie without the need to fill it with cuss words or nudity. So great!

Totally random thoughts here, folks.

2011-03-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

I'm not totally over the top when it comes to "natural" stuff with my kiddos but definitely like to research and decide what our best options are. I was all about the epidural during my deliveries but used a midwife group (and loved them). I choose my own vaccination schedule for the boys and take the boys to the chiropractor before the pediatrician. So anyway, I'm always open to new ideas if it its more beneficial and potentially safer than "the norm". I read something tonight on this blog that I have absolutely never heard of before and am just so curious if any of you have ever heard about this: delayed cord clamping. So interesting and makes total sense! (And yes, if you're wondering...we are having another baby someday. Just don't ask Jon ;)
Anyway...Its just amazing to me the things that can be so beneficial (or harmful) that nobody ever talks about! We just don't think to question it! And why would we? I mean...they're the doctor for crying out loud. What do we know?? ;)

And just to prove me wrong...

2011-03-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Grouchy McGrouchers wasn't grouchy at all today (ok, aside from the hysterics during a diaper change and a 10 minute freakout waiting for his sweet potato to cool at dinner. And pretty much the entire evening was a loss. But I'll focus on the great morning we had! :). But getting out of the house for the entire morning definitely makes a world of difference for his demeanor. I was going to take them to Backyard Adventures (have I sung that place's praises on here before? I love that place as much as I love Chick-fil-A. Both places know how to cater to a mom and make it really easy to bring your kids. If only we could get a free-standing Chick-fil-A with a playplace around here, my life would be complete. Sorry...bunny trail.) Anyway, I thought of the zoo instead (What, the zoo isn't the first thing that comes to your mind on a 40 degree cloudy day?? :). I accomplished the amazing feat of leaving the house at 9:45 so we had plenty of time and we have a membership so it feels like its free (although the half hour drive probably cost me, what, $35 in gas??). Its fun to be there in the winter. There's plenty of stuff to look at inside and it just felt good to be out in the fresh air. Plus some of the animals are a lot more active than they are in the summer. Dawson was old enough to enjoy it this time, too. He growled at the lions and tigers.

And Emily Anderson, if you're out there, this next one's for you :)

How soon we forget...

2011-03-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

I took the boys over to John and Judie's on Sunday afternoon because Jon was working all day and we were getting over the Rotavirus hump and I was so sick of being stuck at home with my wild boys. Bennett had Rotavirus when he was about 21 months old and was perfectly content to lay on our bed and watch Wonder Pets all week. Dawson...not so much. He wasn't happy unless I was holding him, and with Jon traveling all week, I was pooped (no pun intended). Like always, the boys were content immediately upon leaving the house (I try not to take it personally :) and we had a relaxing afternoon.
My first "how soon we forget" moment came when I went to put in a VHS movie for Bennett. I couldn't figure out why it started in the middle. I pressed stop twice and play again (was it somehow resuming "Memory Play"?). Still wasn't at the beginning. Ejected it, put it in again, still not at the beginning. What the??.....Oh yeah. We used to have to REWIND movies! Sheesh...had me totally stumped there for a minute. :)
The second "how soon we forget" moment came from Judie's mom, Laura (aka GG), who lives with them. GG's favorite pastime is Scrabble. Jon usually plays with her (hence the reason she's not shy in telling anyone he's her favorite grandson) but since he wasn't there, we decided to oblige and play a game with her. Right about when we started, Jon showed up so we assigned him "baby duty" so we could play Scrabble uninterrupted (ie: get it over with quickly!). Jon went down to the playroom with them. GG pipes up in her British accent, "its such a shame you're away from your boys." "Pardon me??", I ask. Did I hear that correctly? Is she low on sugar again?? But clear as day she says, "Its a shame you came over here and your boys are whisked away from you. I'm sure you hate to be away from them." I tried to suppress my laughter and spewed out something like, "Uh, no, that's the point of coming here! To get a break! Don't you remember needing a break every now and then?". And she says something like, "Oh, I hated to be away from my children. They meant the world to me". Wow. Will we get to that point someday? Will we forget how hard it is most days? Will we forget that our favorite times of the day are naptime and bedtime? (Admit it...you know yours is too. And if it isn't...you haven't had a two-year old yet). I hope that's true of all of us. I hope at the end of my life I'm filled with memories of the joy and laughter and pride my children brought me in those early years instead of the difficulty, frustration and occasional tears. I hope the good far outweighs the bad.

I'll be totally honest, I'm being tested as a parent. Sure, my life changed drastically when Bennett was born and those first 8 weeks of his life were some of the very hardest of my life but other than that (and a handful of weeks around when he turned two), I've felt confidence, pride and joy in my roll as his mother. He's always taken discipline pretty easily, he's very sensitive and his reaction to most things is to get sad, not mad. He didn't purposefully hurt a child until he was at least 2 and he didn't even yell or scream until he stared mimicking other kids around 2 or 2 1/2. It was still hard- he's always been a boy, destroying everything in his path and hated being cooped up at home. But I'm realizing now more than ever, that he's just never been difficult. My easiest time as a parent was when he was between 12 and 20 months old. He was just happy all the time. I just couldn't sympathize very well with people who had strong-willed children (and was so grateful for that!).
I knew Dawson would be different from the womb. Seriously. That boy moved so much more than Bennett and with such ferocity. I was really nervous, thinking that Bennett was already so wild. But I'm an eternal optimist so I just kept telling myself, how different can they really be? Oh glory. I had no idea. If we don't leave the house all day, It honestly seems like he's crying or whining the majority of the time he's awake. I have so much more sympathy for parents who had colicky babies. That's seriously what it feels like I'm dealing with. This was the easiest phase of Bennett's life and right now this is the hardest phase of Dawson's. How much worse is it going to be when he's turning 2 and 3?? I just get these moments of anxiety, wondering how in the heck we'll make it through. And the other day, I was praying, saying to God, "I just don't want things to be difficult with him his whole life! I don't want it to always be a struggle with Dawson!" Maybe that's a little melodramatic but that's what I fear. So moms out there of strong willed boys, (especially ones who have gone through it recently and actually remember how hard it was :) I need your advice and encouragement! I also need to start reading some books. Parenting Bennett has always come very naturally but I feel like I'm floundering with my second born. Love & Logic is on my list...I just haven't gotten it yet.
And so this post isn't ~~too long~~ any longer I'll do a different post of our happy morning (you guessed it...we did not stay at home today!)

Truths

2011-03-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

This is a list floating around facebook right now, that my sister posted. I have no clue who originally wrote it but I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much just from reading something. It deserves a blog post. Enjoy :)

I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
There is great need for a sarcasm font.
How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
Was learning cursive really necessary?
Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
Bad decisions make good stories.
You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.
I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dang it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.*
I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever. **
Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?
There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from; this shouldn't be a problem....
While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say"
Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.
Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

*I must have been really naive or sheltered when I was little because this happens to me all the time. Hello, Gattica?? :)

**My husband proved this one once by wearing a pair of jeans for 65 days in a row. True story. What, that seems weird? You don't know my husband. :) He's also the only person on the continent of North America who's never been in an Old Navy.

shoo flu, don't bother me

2011-03-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I seriously thought we'd escaped this winter without the boys getting more than a couple of colds. No luck. The sickies hit our house this week--hard. And lucky for Jon, all the vomiting and diarrhea happened (so far) when he wasn't home! He lucked out with a business trip. Especially with our parental agreement- I deal with the poop and he gets the vomit. (Sure, my end of the deal happens multiple times a day and his is only a couple times a year...but seriously, I gladly wipe those bums knowing I won't have to go near the puke!) So...he owes me one. Or 5. And if we're talking mathematical ratios here, I guess he would technically owe me about a half a year's worth of poopy diaper changes. Honey, I'll accept alternate payment in the form of Starbucks gift cards. ;)

I'm kinda thinking Dawson might have Rotavirus since he's on day 5 of this and his food is going in and out the other end in a matter of minutes. But honestly I don't see much point in taking him in, because when Bennett had it, they finally tested him for Rotavirus around day 7 (because I had no clue any kid would have flu symptoms that long) and said, "Yep. Its rotavirus. Keep watching him for dehydration." So yeah, not much I can do about it but wait it out!

Here are my little boys in their respective barf proof areas.

The only baby I've seen who prefers his Nuk upside down :)

This morning before Bennett had any symptoms he came running to me and said, "Mom, I'm gonna throw up". So I thought, oh, here we go. We rushed to the bathroom and Bennett proceeds to stick his head in the toilet. He sat there for a minute and did some fake coughs and said, "Its not working!" I thought it was just in his head because we were talking about it so much. Unfortunately a little while later it started working. All over the kitchen floor.

In a fog

2011-02-26T13:01:00.001-08:00

I really don't have much to blog about right now but its been a little too long since my last post so I'm just going to throw one out there. Actually...that's not really true. Our life has been busy lately! But all the busyness has left me feeling like a fog has settled over my brain resulting in a lack of energy and creativity. Feel me?? Fogginess = bullet points. I don't have to think so hard to connect the dots.

I got a new position at work. I'm now head of the resource department. I used to just be an extra. A gopher. A fill-in. That meant I did all the work that the people with "real" jobs didn't have time for. This was fine with me. I didn't really have much responsibility and I really didn't have to use too many brain cells. Well, one gal quit recently so her job was divvied up between a few of us. I hadn't had any kind of job training since having kids and it was a much harder transition that I expected. "Mommy Brain" is a scientifically proven disability (no? surely there's some study proving this somewhere...) and it was hard to absorb so much new information. My brain fog was not doing me any favors. Mommies out there...have you had to turn your brain cells back on after letting them gather dust for so long? I mean, it really doesn't take that many brain cells to talk to a preschooler. Energy? Loads. Patience? An infinite amount. But brain cells? Be honest. Not that many. All those gears took a while to get moving again. But you know? It feels good.
God did a number on my heart at the conference my sister and I went to last weekend. Yes, the speakers were good. Yes, the music was good. But they didn't say anything life-changing. It was the voice of God that was life-changing. Its amazing how when our heart is open and ready to really hear what he has to say, we can hear him speak LOUD and CLEAR. And you know what he said to me? I LOVE YOU. It was all I needed to hear.
And on a much lighter and less spiritual note...our mom's group (the girls I walk through life with) had a sleepover last night! Need I say more?? It was a blast. Lots of junk food, the infamous bar in a box, the game Loaded Questions (not recommended for mixed company but hilarious with a group of girls) and staying up way too late giggling in the dark (really not helping the brain fog situation). We stayed at Bethany's in-law's B&B. So gorgeous and cozy and we ate the best breakfast since Christmas morning. Although I think I'm going to make my mom add Cheryl's stuffed french toast recipe to our Christmas morning form here on out. It was unbelievable. I'd stay at the B&B just for that!

I hate posts without pics, but there you have it. Hopefully the forecast says the fog will clear soon. (Yeah...obviously my sense of humor is being affected by the brain fog too). Vacation with my hubby in exactly one month. Pretty sure that'll be a cure-all. Wait, what? Mommy Brain has no cure? Shoot. Maybe someone should start a 5K fundraiser to start researching that one...

Post Vday Blues

2011-02-15T21:03:00.000-08:00

Ok...that title is completely over dramatic. In fact, its not even true at all. But I have to admit, looking at people's facebook posts and reading all kinds of cute blogs left me feeling a little guilty (and maybe a teeny bit sad) that we didn't really make Valentine's day particularly special in our house. I mean, Jon and I had a lovely day together (a lunch date at Mojo's since he had to work that night. And then he brought home Cold Stone to eat while watching the Bachelor. And [tmi alert mom & dad!] there was also a hot tub and candles involved). So I really have no complaints because my hubby definitely made me feel loved.

But when I saw this and this and this (she puts every mom to shame) and THESE! I dunno...just made me feel that, "I'm-a-boring-mommy-who-doesn't-do-cute-and-crafty-things-with-my-kids-because-I'm-lazy-and-hate-cleaning-up-extra-messes" guilt.

That's the dang problem with the internet. You think you have it pretty good until you start comparing yourself with others! That just reminded me of a great verse I mulled over and chewed on recently:
Galatians 6:4 -5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (The Message)

My creative best. Hmmm...not sure I'm coming close to that during this season of my life when I'm just focused on getting through the day without losing my patience. But the whole point here is to look at myself to determine whether or not I'm living up to my full potential as a mom; not to all those uber-talented bloggers out there. I'm pretty sure we were all better off without the internet. (Remember the days when you had to look something up in an Encyclopedia?? Weird. Sorry...tangent.)
Anyway, my sister and I get to go to this conference this Saturday in Minneapolis. We decided to go since we know everyone speaking there and half of them are close friends of ours. I'm pretty sure this is coming at the perfect time in my life. I just feel really open and ready for God to do a big remodel in my heart. I'm sure I'll have some thoughts to share when we get back.

Hope you all had a wonderful Vday--that lived up to your expectations! Off to bed...I don't know why in the heck I always stay up so late when my hubby's travelling!?

Life is Good

2011-02-07T13:25:00.000-08:00

We've had a really fun few days around here. I feel refreshed and happy. Here's the series of events that got me to my happy place:

Last week my Mom took the boys for an afternoon and Jon suggested we go catch a matinee. There's something so luxurious as a mostly-stay-at-home-mom to go on a date in the middle of the day. We saw 127 Hours. Great movie (although I did have to close my eyes during the last half of "the scene" for fear of fainting right there in the theatre.)
Friday evening I squeezed in a mini shopping trip after work with my sister and blew through the rest of my Christmas money. Being at the mall with NO KIDS is always a mood booster :)
Saturday my mother-in-law hosted a lunch for all the past and present ladies from America's Family Coaches (where I work). 90% of the reason I love my job is the women I work with. A lot of them are some of my closest friends and it was great to catch up with a few I hadn't seen in a really long time. My MIL had a gorgeous girlie lunch for all of us and again...a few hours with NO KIDS does wonders for a young mom's soul!
Then that night, Judie offered to watch the boys for us so we could go out on a date! Holy moly. My weekend just kept getting better. Jon and I met up with some friends and went to Des Moines' improv group, Comedy Xperiment. They put on a hilarious show that's well worth the $10 ticket. Plus Jon's gone to so many that the entire cast and crew know him by name and they all love him (and will probably be asking him to join their troupe any day now).
Afterwards we picked up some awesome barbecue at Smokey D's in Ankeny and brought it home to eat while we snuggled in for some SNL. SNL has been hit or miss these days. We're still devoted fans as long as Kristen Wiig's on the cast but this season's been a bit of a let-down with the four new cast mates. Well Saturday night, they made a huge comeback. Dana Carvey hosted and it was so stinkin' hilarious. It was the perfect end to our Saturday night (ok, and Sunday night too since we always fall asleep before its over and have to watch the rest the next day :)
And of course to finish off the weekend with a bang...we got to ~~watch the Super Bowl~~ eat awesome food and chit-chat all night with a great group of friends. (No, I couldn't care less about the game. But any excuse to eat good food, and I'm there. Hello guacamole and sangrias!!). And to sweeten an already super sweet deal, we got to leave Dawson with Judie. Which means I got to enjoy myself! (Oops, did I say that out loud?)
The temperature is going to be in the 40's next weekend!! WOO HOO!! That's giving me a perma-grin for the rest of this miserably cold week!

This weekend was enough to get me up and out of the winter blues that were starting to sink in. I'm so thankful for all the laughing Jon and I got to do together this weekend. Man, its just refreshing to have so much time together doing fun stuff. With two kids now, I often find myself thinking of how amazing our years together will be after our kids are out of the house. I know, I know, live for the moment, enjoy these years because they go so fast, yada yada. But you know what? My husband is my best friend and I just really look forward to those years when its just the two of us again. (If you have no kids, or just one kid...I'm sorry to sound so cruel. You'll understand too, someday ;)

BUT...to make sure you all know that I love my sweet boys to death, here are a few of their most recent adorable/lovable/smoochable/squeezable moments:

Trying to escape, Mission Impossible style:

This boy loves his blueberries:

Dawson wearing Bennett's monster slippers. This boy is obsessed with wearing shoes and wants me to put different pairs on him all day long.

Cheap entertainment in the wintertime (Its even funnier with the big Dyson vacuum because I can get both of them on at the same time!):

And more cheap entertainment:

One tough cookie

2011-01-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

The other day, I sent Bennett out to play in the snow. The only time he gets to go outside is when the neighbor kids are out so I don't have to go out there with him. I had no intentions of setting foot out in the snow for recreational purposes this entire winter. That's what dad's are for. And neighbor kids. I hate winter. Pretty sure I've said that a few (hundred) times on this blog. I particularly hate wearing my winter "uniform" for 4 months- jeans, sneakers, a hoodie and hopefully at least a cute/colorful t-shirt. I also hate the dry air that gives you static-y hair and flaky skin. And the lack of tan. (Although I've finally realized that bronzer isn't just for Snookie. I've fully jumped on the bronzer bandwagon.) And I don't even need to mention my hate for bundling babies up in coats and hats. Seriously sucky.

So anyway, back to the snow day. Dawson and I were watching Bennett attempt the big sledding hill out in our backyard by himself for the first time (its a really big hill). I watched as he gradually made his way up the hill, dragging the sled behind, slipping every few feet but continuing to climb. Then half way up, he slipped and I watched as he lost his grip on the sled rope and it went sliding all the way back down to the bottom as the bigger kids were sledding down all around him. My Momma Bear instincts kicked in so quick, I didn't think twice about my disdain for being out in the snow. I grabbed Dawson, ran downstairs and put on my coat and boots, shoved Dawson into his coat and hat and grabbed the sled from our garage. I then ran out to "save" Bennett. But by the time I dragged Dawson on the sled over to the hill, (laughing the whole way-- poor baby was so deprived staring out the window at all the big kids having fun while his party-pooper momma was keeping him holed up in the warm dry house) Bennett had already made it all the way to the top and sledded (slid?) down by himself.

That boy does not give up. He also doesn't whine or complain when facing tough obstacles. He honestly could have dropped that sled 5 more times but you wouldn't have seen his smile falter. My dad took him on a long walk through the woods near their house this past fall, and Bennett fell into a freezing cold creek while they were crossing a log. My dad recalled him saying something along the lines of, "whoops! I got wet!" and walked all the way back home with a soaking wet bottom half and didn't say another word about it. I'm so proud of his optimism and strong and resilient spirit. And to know that even when I'm not watching and can run to his rescue, he'll be ok.

Once I was out there, we made the most of it. Dawson loved it just as much as Bennett:

Daddy got home to join us for a couple runs. (You can see the sledding hill in the background, meetin up with the fence). When I ran back inside to grab the camera, they were already heading in. (Jon hates winter as much as I do.):

Cutest kid in the universe, you say? Why thank you. I couldn't agree more. ;)

Put a little boogy in it

2011-01-16T05:54:00.000-08:00

I had to share this post from one of my favorite Christian bloggers (thanks, Em!! ;)

On the search for some great, non-annoying Christian music for your kiddos??
http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2011/01/blessed-are-booty-hearts.html

I'll definitely be asking for some of these CD's for Bennett's birthday. I love that they sing the actual scripture. We all know the easiest way to memorize something is with a song!

(Moms, if you want some encouragement, read through some of her greatest posts here. She's absolutely hilarious): http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2005/04/greatest-hits.html

Suzie Homemaker

2011-01-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Jon's been at his new job a little over a week, and I have to say- I'm loving the change this has brought in our house. Its so funny, talking to a lot of women about the switch from having him home a lot without a predictable schedule, to having him out of the house most of the day, everyone's response is, "Its nice when my husband has a long vacation from work but I love getting back to 'normal'. I can't imagine having him home all the time!" Here I seriously thought I had the advantage with his schedule all these years. Of course there are a lot of pros and cons to both, but I feel so much more in control of my household these days.
Seriously, for the first time in several years, I just feel more calm, cool and collected. Today, for instance, I'm enjoying a cup of tea during Dawson's nap (and Bennett's movie hour. Yes I let him watch a movie the whole time Dawson's napping. And yes, its totally worth whatever brain cells are turning to mush). The kitchen is clean and I have dinner prepped and the chicken in the crock pot. I hardly ever cooked before because his schedule was so unpredictable, he was rarely home for dinner. I have so much more motivation to have the house clean for Jon when he gets home too. There was just something about him coming in and out of the house all day that threw me off and I didn't even realize it. I also love that he's much more engaged with the family when he comes home. The nightly wrestling matches are becoming quite intense.
And as far as Jon's concerned, he's liking the job. Its something that comes very easy and natural to him and I know he's going to excel at it.

Our new furry friend

2011-01-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

She lives in the garage. She has long legs and a sweet little face. Dawson and Bennett are quite attached. Unfortunately, she's not breathing. I'll spare you a picture. I'm talking about Jon's first kill. The lovely little doe strung up by her legs, hanging in our garage. I seriously was hoping that wouldn't be part of the deal. It completely disgusts me. I thought surely he could just hand her off to someone else to do all the nasty stuff. But no. There she is in all her gutted glory. On my side of the garage, no less! I had to climb through the van to get Dawson out from the other side. I wasn't getting near that thing.

So as I said, the boys are quite attached. When Bennett saw it (and touched it. Blech.), he said to Jon, "She's so soft and cuddly. I wish I had deer fur!" Dawson loves looking at it. As soon as we pull in he says, "dee, dee, dee!" Jon found him tonight trying to open the back door, saying, "dee, dee!" and he kept saying it while I carried him all the way up to bed with such desperation in his voice. I seriously almost gave in, he sounded so sad! Oh well. I mean, if we're going to have a pet, its about as low maintenance as they come ;)

Here are a few more antics from my boys:

Bennett with his new CD player:

Putting it to good use to keep Dawson still during a diaper change:

Dawson loves wearing the Mr. Potatohead glasses. He can put them on himself and wore them for an entire morning the other day:

Mullet be gone

2011-01-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

Big day for Little D today. His first haircut! He was growing quite the mullet so we definitely had to rectify that situation. I intended to take a good before pic, but of course I forgot. Bennett didn't get a haircut until he was over 2 1/2 and he sat frozen the whole time. I was quite curious how Dawson would do. He refused to wear the cape. He started flailing his arms around underneath trying to escape, so she just laid a towel over his shoulders. He was ok for about a minute (thankfully, while I could snap some pictures) and then he kept reaching up and trying to get her hands away from his head. So I ended up reading him a book in an over-enthusiastic voice and that worked pretty good. I tend to hate the first haircut on baby boys. They instantly grow up. But his is pretty subtle since she only had to trim around his ears and the back. He still looks like my baby.

No more mullet:

First Day

2011-01-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

Well, our lives are about to change. Jon started his first day of a new job today. It came up kind of out of the blue. Some friends we've known our whole Iowa lives (Randy Nesbit and Davey Bloom) offered Jon a job with them selling insurance wholesale to insurance companies (or something like that). They had a new zone/area/district (I can't think of the word) open up for sales and offered it to Jon so he'll actually be travelling to Kansas every week for a while, and then probably just once a month after he establishes contacts and relationships. He's trying it part time for the first two months while he contines with mortgages and if its a good fit, he'll start full time and close his mortgage business.
This is going to impact our lives a lot, since Jon's owned his own company almost our whole married lives. He's always only worked a handful of hours every day (if that). His schedule has always differed from day to day and he's usually in and out of the house all day. He's pretty good at staying busy with different projects but he's always had a lot of free time. I can't imagine having a husband work from 9 -5! I rely on him a lot for help with the boys and he also does the majority of the cleaning and half the laundry. I know--most of you moms are probably thinking, "Oh, boo hoo. Now you'll know how the rest of us do it!" And yeah, that's true. I've had it easy compared to a lot of moms. But its all I've ever known!
I'm excited for the change this will bring. I'm sure there will be a lot of positives--I like predictability so it'll be really nice to know his schedule from day to day. And when he's home, he'll be home. For the past 8 years he's had to take phone calls at any time during the day and evening and even on vacations. He never got a true "break" from work. But I do feel like I'll have to step it up around the house. I'm a terrible housekeeper and I've let him do most of it since I do more of the childcare. I'll keep you posted as we adjust to this new chapter of our lives.

I asked him if I could take a "first day" picture of him-posed by the front door with his back-pack or something, but he wouldn't let me :)

Christmas Part III

2010-12-30T16:45:00.001-08:00

This is the last of it, but I had a couple cute photos of my boys first thing on Christmas morning that I had to share:

*And no, they did not sleep in our bed! :)

And boy am I glad Jon's brother, Adam, married Kayla this year, because she brought these to Christmas dinner!:

Man, she's making us other daughter-in-laws look bad! How does she have the time for that? Oh wait, she doesn't have any ~~life-sucking, energy-zapping, curse-inducing, house-destroying little terrors~~ children!! Kayla--so glad you don't want kids so you can keep bringing cupcakes to everything! :)

We interrupt this Christmas series to bring you...

2010-12-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

SPRING! At least that's what Bennett thought when he looked out the window today. It was 59 degrees in Des Moines today and all the snow from Christmas weekend had melted. It was just so heart-breaking to have to tell him that no, winter is not over. We in fact have 3 more months of it. But if we could get a little reprieve like this every few weeks, I just might make it through!

Christmas Part II

2010-12-30T07:49:00.001-08:00

(I guess Dawson didn't get the memo that IT'S CHRISTMAS!)

The four little monkeys:

Sorry for the delay. I was waiting on my little sis to email me some photos she took on her camera. Since probably most of you read my sister's blog, I won't go into much detail. But we started Christmas morning with Bennett opening his stocking at home and Jon giving me some Christmas presents (which I was totally surprised to get, making it even better!). Then we went over to my parents where we always eat a big Christmas breakfast (my favorite part of the day, of course). Bennett asked the day before if he could have a Christmas picnic. Why not? :)

After everyone Skyped with Seth, my dad read the Christmas story and we trie to stretch present opening out as long as possible with two 3 1/2 year olds involved.

Bethany and I were so excited for the grand finale--this sign we made from scratch (hammering and nailing done by my hubby) for my mom which we copied from here. It turned out better than we anticipated and we were quite proud of ourselves. *Now taking custom orders. Wink. ;)

I'll take a better picture of our handiwork when she gets it hung since this one just doesn't do it justice. ;) Kidding, kidding.

Then we rushed off for Chrismas, Part III with the Colyers again.

Christmas Part I

2010-12-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

I'm laying in bed writing this, thankful to my hubby for letting me take it easy today. Last night around 11:30 (after sleeping for 2 hours already) the flu hit me and I spent the rest of the night throwing up. Not surprising considering I'm the 5th member of my family (both sides) to get it over the course of a week or so. I'm just so glad it held off until all the Christmas festivities were over and I still got to stuff my face with all the yummy food over the last couple of days. I'm really really crossing my fingers that my kiddos don't get it.

We started Christmas on the 24th with Jon's side and opened presents that afternoon with a couple of Jon's brothers who wouldn't be there on Christmas day.

Wearing their matching monster slippers from Uncle A&Aunt K. Smiles and open eyes?? That's way too much to ask for:

We went to the Christmas Eve service at my in-law's church that evening with my parents and Aaron and Bria. It was nice to be at church with a lot of our family.

Love this one of them singing. Especially since I know Bennett didn't know the song :)

We ended the night with delicious hors d'oeuvres at our house and a late night for the kiddos. More Christmas coming soon...

Please Pray

2010-12-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

for this sweet family:

This may very well be the hardest weekend of Seth's whole deployment. I'm praying that that's not so. I'm praying that God will fill Bethany to overflowing with joy and peace. I pray that this weekend is more sweet than sad. I pray that this Christmas can be a day to count our blessings and focus on all the good in our lives. I pray specifically that they'll get to Skype with Seth on Christmas day.

Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Get me outta here

2010-12-20T15:21:00.000-08:00

My boys are as wild as they come. Climbing, jumping, tackling, destroying boys. I pretty much try not to ever spend any extended time in the house with them. I mean, would you keep chimpanzee's in your house?? Since they've been tiny babies, they've been so much happier out of the house. I just laugh every time we're at Jon's parents house and his grandma says, "Dawson is just the sweetest boy! I never hear him cry!" Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde would be an appropriate description of his mood at home, vs. when we're out. The constant screaming (he's never been much of a crier, always a yeller and screamer) is enough to make me cuss in my head. And yesterday it was so bad it was enough to make me cuss out loud. This has been a really tough few months with him. I blame it partially on teething but I know its just his makeup. He's been more intense than Bennett from the womb.

Two nights ago Jon had to work from 5 - 9 so I knew we needed somewhere to go. I called up Nana and Poppy and asked if we could come hang out and go look at Christmas lights after dinner. It was a lovely, relaxing, fun evening.

Dinner at Panera:

Poppy reading Bennett his favorite book, The Blue Bottom Monkey (I'm certain its his favorite because it says the words bottom and poop in it):

Yesterday we should have just dumped them both off at Nana and Poppy's again. I worked until 1 and came home to two completely grumpy boys. Jon went off hunting (I don't blame him) and Dawson pretty much screamed all afternoon. I decided we would go play in the basement where Dawson would be more entertained. Bennett was wining because I told him no more computer games. I told him to go up to his room or come in the basement. He was up by himself for about 5 minutes and then joined us downstairs. Little did I know in those 5 minutes he got revenge on me for not letting him play computer games. I guess if he couldn't use it, he didn't want me using it either. I came up to find this:

Here you can see his weapon of choice:

Thankfully the Lord's mercies are new every morning. I was determined that today would be a good day and prayed for an extra dose of patience today! So far so good...but I'll keep praying ;)

decorations schmecorations

2010-12-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Can I say I've decorated for Christmas in my house if I pulled out the Little People Nativity Set for the boys?? I feel a bit like a scrooge or a grinch when it comes to Christmas decorations. I didn't used to be that way. All of our pre-kid years, we had a gorgeous tree...all coordinating silver and white ornaments that I'd picked out one by one during after Christmas sales. I loved it. But it usually hung around until close to Valentine's Day. Its such a pain to put all that stuff away. (Very similar to the way my suitcases sit on my bedroom floor two months after we've returned from vacation)

Then we had boys. The Christmas Bennett was 18 months old, I thought, there's no way I want him ruining my gorgeous ornaments. I don't want to spend the month of December (and January...and February...) trying to keep him away from it. So I put up other decorations, like my nativity set that I love.

Well, that year Joseph tragically lost a hand and a sheep lost an ear. Last year when Bennett was 2 1/2, I remember telling him he was never to touch the nativity set. I'd come downstairs and all the animals would be lined up in a row watching the wise men playing ring around the rosy with the Holy family. "Bennett, were you playing with the nativity set again?" "No!" Hmmm...he hadn't quite figured out how to cover his tracks. It did make me feel guilty when we went to a storytime at the library around Christmas and the librarian asked all the kids if they had a Christmas tree up yet. Ummm, nope. I was nursing a 3 month old 6 times a day. Not gonna happen.

This year we're keeping it simple (or scroogey??). I thought Bennett was a tornado as a toddler. Dawson is like every natural disaster rolled into one. I don't think there would be enough super glue and patience to save the nativity set after he was through with it. The problem is there's just no keeping him from something he has his mind set to. You haven't seen him climb. (And yes, I totally believe in disciplining my 1 year old. I'm pretty sure a spank on the hand just adds fuel to his fire.)

So another year with no tree and I really don't feel too bad about it. We spend so much time at our parents houses (who have tons of gorgeous decorations for me to try to keep my human wrecking ball away from) so Bennett's not completely deprived. Hopefully he doesn't experience ridicule at preschool for being the only kid without a tree.

Plus, you'll all be jealous of me in January (or February if you're like me...) when you have to put all that stuff away!

boring baby update ; )

2010-12-01T05:31:00.000-08:00

Since I know you're all dying to know, thought I'd let you know that Dawson finally took his first steps yesterday! He took two steps to me while I was getting adjusted at our chiropractor. He was standing in one spot for so long just staring at me and Dr. Hassel. He looked hilarious. I said, "He's stuck there. he won't go anywhere". And then he shocked me by walking right towards me! Then he took about 3 steps when we were in the waiting room later. Exciting moment for a parent. Boring blog for my readers. :)

Photo Update

2010-11-29T12:29:00.000-08:00

Just a few recent photos of my growing boys. Dawson's 14 1/2 mos. old now. Still not walking but he can climb up onto the dining room table among other things. He's one intense little boy. He's usually growling or yelling when we're at home. He can say several words now: uh-oh, more, ball, pappy (paci), bye-bye and says, "woof woof!" whenever he sees a dog.

He and Quinn reading books to each other:

Bennett's as wild as ever but still sweet and sensitive. We spend a few hours at the library every week (one of my favorite places to take him) and he's still loving preschool. He's really into making up words for everything right now and is really good at ~~pestering~~ playing with his brother. His current favorite game is to lock himself and brother in the front hall closet. Today when I opened the door, Bennett had climbed up to the top of the vaccuum (don't ask me).

I found Bennett and Piper laying at the bottom of the basement stairs the other day yelling out shapes they were seeing in the "clouds". It was so cute.

Nana, Bennett, Caleb and Kietlyn working on their turkey craft on Turkey Day:

The finished project with all the thankful feathers (Bennett's first item of thanks was for Piper :)

We had a great Thanksgiving. An amazing brunch that morning at my mom and dad's (breakfast meals are always my favorite since bacon is usually involved. There was plenty. I was in hog heaven--pun intended.) And then we all had dinner together at the Colyer's. The dynamic duo (my two moms) cooked a drool-worthy meal and we've been eating leftovers since. We also got to go to Kansas City on Friday and Saturday to hang out with some extended Colyer fam. It was fun (my highlight was eating all of their leftovers) and all the women got some shopping in sans kids (thanks to my hubby's sacrifice). Bennett got to swim at our hotel and sleep in a bed with Poppy! It was a nice little getaway.

Not sure if the video uploader is working, but here's a funny one of the boys dancing. Dawson loves dancing to music. Wish there was more of him on here:

Grateful

2010-11-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Top 10 Reasons I Love my Husband:

He's my best friend. I never get sick of being around him. Is there anyone else I could live with for 8 years without wanting to pull my hair out every once in a while?? I think not. (Really...he never makes me want to pull my hair out :)

He's funny. We laugh together constantly. He practices silly faces in the mirror--I used to think it was a little goofy but those face contortions are quite a handy tool to use on a grumpy 3 year old. (Although, they work just as well on his mom. Okay, okay, they work on me too.)

He cleans! (Ladies...you may not want to read this one, or you may end up in a jealous rage.) He does all of our laundry, most of the dishes and picks up around the house way more than I do. We'd live in a dump if it weren't for him.

The family that came with him. I love my in-laws as much as my own parents. Its so wonderful living close by because they're a huge help with the kiddos. I can't imagine raising kids without Nana and Poppy! It's so awesome to feel completely comfortable over there even when Jon's not with me.

He's such a great daddy. I love seeing him and Bennett wrestle together and now Dawson's getting in on the action. Its just hilarious. On Bennett's little Thanksgiving artwork at preschool he had to fill in the blank: "I'm thankful for..." and he said, "my Daddy".

We're a great team. I'm pretty sure the wife is supposed to be the "helpmate" but I feel like he's my "helpmate". I love how we tag-team putting the boys to bed at night. And whenever Dawson's screaming when I change his diaper (yes, he's 14 months and still fights with all his might when I change him), Jon runs in to help me hold him down so the poop doesn't go flying.

His character. I don't know any other man with so many talents (and good looks ;) but still is so humble. He's a servant through and through. He'll do anything for anybody. I love when we pass a stalled car, and he jumps out to help the stranger and how my sister can rely on him for anything while her husband's deployed.

He pushes me to be a better person. He loves me for who I am, tons of faults and all. He thinks I'm the most beautiful girl in the world and he helps me to love myself more. I'm braver, bolder and more confident by his side. I would crumble to pieces without him.

He's so wise with money. He works so hard for our family to earn his potential but he's not money hungry. He's quick to save and quick to give. He's taught me to be more frugal and content with what we have and I feel so confident with our future in his hands.

He's so stinkin handy! That man can do anything he puts his mind to and he never ceases to amaze me. Not to mention, when he sets his mind to something, he gets it done so quickly. There's no stopping him. He's built so many things for our house (uh, hello, our entire basement, including a two level fort for the kids I dreamed up in my head!) and he's saved us thousands of dollars on car repairs by just researching and figuring out how to do it himself. He is the ultimate DIY-er and should probably have his own HGTV show.

He's hot! Woops....that's 11. I won't get carried away...although I certainly could.

I love you, baby. Thank you for loving me and giving me so much to be thankful for. I look forward to the rest of our lives together...especially when we're 50 and can move to Aruba :)

Needs work....

2010-11-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

So Bennett's very first school photos didn't quite showcase his adorable-ness. I had to take a picture of his proofs to post because they were just hilarious. (I know, I know, this is probably illegal but I've never been much of a rule follower)

Take 1, not too bad:

Take 2, funnier:

Take 3, constipated??:

Vacation Part II

2010-11-19T18:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lag in posts...

Most of you have probably seen these on facebook already, but just in case:

Thanks to my uncle, an employee of Disney, we got to do two days of Disney free and he also gave us 1/2 price tickets to Sea World. That was a huge blessing. to say the least!

Disney, Day 1: Magic Kingdom. Bennett was so tired that day, every picture we have of him, he's half asleep.

Exhibit A (you might need to click on these pictures to see the close-up to get the full effect):

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

Until finally in the afternoon he took a long nap on the People Mover in Tomorrowland:

Sword in the Stone:

Day 2, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

On the Safari:

Bennett was tall enough to ride the Tower of Terror. I'm sure some moms are ready to call Child Protective Services on me for that one but I know how brave my son is and I knew he could handle it! He loved it, by the way, but when we asked him if he wanted to ride it again, he said, "No way!"

My cute little Paleontologists:

Sea World:

And our last day of vacation--back to Cocoa Beach. It was way too much fun to just go one day. The boys were even braver the second time around.

I highly recommend a Florida trip in October. The weather was perfect and I think the longest line we waited in at Disney was about 20 minutes. Most of them we just walked right on. It was a great introduction for Bennett! Hopefully my unce works there for a looong time :)

hello.....anybody there??

2010-11-13T13:20:00.001-08:00

I'm sure that's what some of you are asking my blog these days.

My blog may be suffering but my marriage is not. Sometimes life comes to a halt and the priorities in life re-emerge as priorities.

I'll be back soon....

The Beach Boys

2010-10-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than an afternoon at the beach? Not in my book. We went to Cocoa Beach today- about an hour drive from our hotel. Well worth it. After we got there and had lunch at Denny's (I know- blech. But we had a VERY unhappy baby again and were desperate! Actually wasn't too bad.) we spent about two hours playing in the sand and surf. It was perfect weather and there were big waves today so it was really fun. Bennett loved it. I couldn't get over how brave he was, walking right into waves that were literally knocking him over under the water and he'd come up laughing and keep going! This really shouldn't surprise me...it was just amazing to watch him out there, trying to keep up with his daddy. Dawson was happy too crawling around in the sand, although he couldn't resist grabbing handfuls of the wet sand and sticking it into his mouth. We thought after about the tenth time getting a mouthful of grit, he'd get the idea, but nope. I guess it looked like chocolate pudding or something to him and he couldn't resist it.

These two pictures crack me up. I love how in the first one, Jon just told him to point at the camera and they took the same stance and facial expression. So cute :)

Tomorrow: DISNEY!!! :)

2010-10-24T18:54:00.001-07:00

And the fun begins. It felt so amazing to get here yesterday and be able to change out of jeans and long sleeves and break out the shorts and tank tops again. We spent today listening to a timeshare presentation (Jon and I always try to go to one or two of these on vacation because the incentives they give you are well worth it!), a trip to the grocery store, a little time by the pool and then we rode the monorail around the hotels at Disney. A fun, free activity for Bennett --and Caitlin...she was giddy to be that close to Disneyworld! And during a quick stop at Target on the way home, we ran into a friend from Des Moines. Love those ironic moments that God seems to line up just to make us smile :)

Our hotel has an amazing pool area with water slides and fountains. Bennett loved it.

The hexapus:

Aaaah, bliss:

On the monorail:

Tomorrow: beach!!

The storm before the calm...

2010-10-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Vacation Day 1: Most of you know I enjoy roadtrips for two reasons- all the reading and sleeping I want to do in one day. Unfortunately I didn't get to do much of either on our way down to Orlando. Dawson's bottom molars chose this week to immerge so a happy camper he was not. He would let out screams every few seconds if he wasn't either being fed or talked directly to. I spent about 75% of the drive turned around backwards in my seat. Caitlin (our babysitter extraordinaire for the week) on the other hand spent 90% of the drive fast asleep in the back seat. She only woke for meals and a couple bathroom breaks. It blew our minds the screaming from Dawson she managed to sleep through...and made me jealous. Maybe I'll have to take the backseat on the way home.

Parenting tip: We saw a sign for Chick-fil-A we were going to stop at for lunch on day two but it was still 20 minutes away. Of course Bennett announced at that moment that he had to go to the bathroom- bad. We didn't want to stop then since we were going to stop again so soon. (And we weren't about to teach him the pee-in-a-bottle trick yet. I know my son...he would definitely try that any time he found an empty bottle). So, I grabbed a diaper, held it over him, and voila! Instant potty. It worked so brilliantly. I may just keep diapers stocked on car trips long after our kids are potty trained.

A few moments of quiet:

Updating...

2010-10-08T09:33:00.001-07:00

Since I can no longer deny the fact that we're in full fledged fall, my blog desperately needed a seasonal makeover. Dawson's sunny bum just wasn't cutting it anymore. Unfortunately I don't have any cute fall photos of my kiddos yet, so this oldie but goodie will have to do :) We'll be getting new family pics soon by Elizabeth!
And in vacation news, I just found out yesterday that we'll definitely get to go to Disney for a day when we're in Orlando at the end of the month. I have an uncle who works there and is able to get us in for free! I'm so excited. Also, we're bringing along our favorite babysitter, Caitlin, as a nanny for the week. So we're actually going to be able to ~~enjoy ourselves~~ have a little time away from the kids :) Plus, we won't have to take Dawson to Disney. We only have a one-day pass so we're going to cram in as much as we can! We'll probably try to hit Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom in the same day.
We're using our timeshare to stay here. I'm thrilled we get to stay at such a fun place. Any tips of other fun and cheap stuff to do while we're there would be greatly appreciated!

No Fear

2010-10-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking more and more about the differences in children and how unique they all are. My firstborn is fearless. He was obviously born this way, but I think we've parented him in a way to encourage it too. We were at an awesome Apple Orchard yesterday with our moms group and they had several fun activities for the kids- a huge jumping pillow, a slide and a huge corn pool. My son certainly didn't need any encouragement going down the huge slide on his own. I wasn't even at the top with him when he did! He just spread out his burlap sack and away he went, with the wind in his curls. There were several kids who were very apprehensive and took some persuading (or refused altogether).
Forgot my camera. Thankfully a few other moms took some for me. Check out my sister's blog for more cute orchard pics.

The jumping pillow (like a giant blob, buried half way underground):

Bennett laughed with delight when we were home and getting ready for a bath and we found a rogue corn kernel in his underwear :)

We could have done this all day (if there was a ski lift to take us back up the hill):

I've been thankful for this aspect of his personality lately, now that he's a little older and not so prone to wander. In particular at preschool; there certainly aren't any tears or clinginess at drop-off. I don't even get a good-bye. He runs in, finds his name and joins the group of three-year olds on their carpet squares around the teacher's feet without a glance back. It makes me grateful for that when I hear the same little boy crying (loudly) every time his mom drops him off, or even more heart-breaking, the little blond girl, whimpering to her mommy, "I don't want to be at preschool today."

But his fearlessness definitely has its disadvantages as well. I remember when he was about 22 months old, we were with a group of moms playing at a playground in our old neighborhood. Bennett found the one and only mud puddle around and sunk in it up to his little ankles. A mom, who's son was about 10 months older than Bennett, said, "Carter has never done that! He would be too scared to wander that far from me to get into that kind of mess!"

And oh, the wandering. Last summer, when he was two, was spent chasing him down every time we were in an open area. Of course he wouldn't just come back to his momma when called (or threatened). So I would have to chase after him. And it can be especially bad at church. Jon and I are usually both involved with setup and tear-down at church (or just generally distracted talking to people with absolutely no clue what shenanigans our child is getting into). Of course Bennett follows the big kids outside (or just wanders out there alone)...or into the bathroom, where he's not nearly old enough to make responsible choices. I can't tell you how many times an older child has come up to me at church, telling me "Bennett's playing in the toilet" (or the worst time..."Bennett stuck his head in the toilet!").

I love our brave boy, though. I'd much rather be trying to reign him in sometimes, than always pushing him out of the nest, telling him he could fly if he just tried. I'm grateful he inherited this part of my personality and thankful my parents encouraged it in me, as well. I'm sure my mom was cringing when she'd see me follow my brother to the tops of trees when I was still so tiny. I remember the cheers I got after I water-skied around Lake Geneva when I was only seven- because I wasn't afraid to try. And the laughs from my brother and his friend when they convinced me to go first jumping off the roof of our garage onto our trampoline.

I know there will be many injuries in our future and I'm sure I'll be fighting the urge to yell, "get down! That's too dangerous!" or "Stop that! You might get hurt". But hopefully in the moment I'll remember one of my dad's favorite sayings, "risks are for kids!" and encourage his inner Evil Kenevil. I can't wait for all the adventures he'll have. And I'm quite certain that his little brother will be right be his side.

Birthday week comes to a close...

2010-09-26T15:02:00.001-07:00

I had an awesome birthday week. I love birthdays. I look forward to a great date with my hubby and a to-die for meal from my mom. Both fulfilled my expectations. Jon took me out to Bravo Cucina Italiana- my favorite. Then Jon told me we were going to watch Survivor at our friends' house but he had to "stop by Scheel's for something real quick". So we went into the mall and amidst the hunting paraphernalia, he handed me some money and said, "phase two of your birthday: shopping". Oh, music to any woman's ears! No kids throwing temper tantrums as I hurriedly look through a store, pretending to ignore the annoyed glares of the employees. No searching under racks for the paci that Dawson launched out of the stroller at some unknown location. Just blissful shopping, at my own pace (ok....a slightly quicker pace with my hubby, knowing the sacrifice he was making on my behalf!!). He was such a good sport, pretending to be completely enamored with the clothes I was trying on. He even uttered the words, "that's super cute. You should try that on." (That would be the equivalent of me saying, "let's hurry home. The game's almost on!") He was a great shopping companion, even though it was all an act. I didn't mind. We stopped at Cold Stone on the way home (my new fave there- key lime pie with graham cracker crumbs) and watched Survivor together.
Birthday part two: lunch at my mom's today with most of our family. She made my all time favorite comfort meal- pot roast and mashed potatoes with gravy and Judie brought my favorite side- broccoli with cheese sauce. My birthday cake was a new recipe that I gave my mom to make: Tres Leches Cake. It was heavenly. Probably will be my yearly request now.
Thank you, family, for making me feel so loved and cherished on my birthday! I'm so blessed and thankful.

Two for Tea

2010-09-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've never posted a blog about stuff I would love to have but I suppose there's a first time for everything. I came across these teacups today as I was reading another blog and fell in love. I'm way more of a tea drinker than a coffee drinker (my fave is Good Earth, Original with a little milk and honey) and I would love to sip tea from this:

I was thinking it would be a perfect gift for my English mother-in-law until I saw the $48 pricetag when I went to the web site. No mug is worth that kind of money. Oh well. Maybe I'll buy a plain white one and use a Sharpie.

This one is even cuter. It comes with a special marker to write your own message. How sweet to write a note and send it to your faraway best friend?

Photo Obsession

2010-09-15T19:32:00.001-07:00

Completely self-indulgent, I know...but I'm just crazy about this photo my sister, Claire, took the other day. So rare to be in a picture with my kids!:

It's my party but my brother will cry when he wants to...

2010-09-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at Dawson's first birthday party. It was much simpler than Bennett's first, but that will probably be the story of his life. I've always done a full meal for Bennett's parties and it was really nice not to worry about that this time around. We just had cupcakes and snacks with all our family. It was very relaxing...save for Bennett's outrageous behavior followed by a meltdown that occurred every 20 minutes or so. Either he was sleep-deprived or he was throwing out all the stops to steal the spotlight from the birthday boy! He spent about half the party in time-outs.

But besides that, it was so much fun. These first birthdays are really more for me than for the baby anyway, so I love it! Happy-I-survived-the-first-year-of-your-life-day to me!!

And as usual, I recruited my ever creative MIL to create some adorable party decorations. She even made the hats!

The "circus tent":

Ready to dig in!:

He scarfed that thing down in about two minutes.

They turn one and think they can sit at the big kids table. Sorry kids...not til your feet touch the ground:

Where there's Aunt Kayla, there will be mustaches!!:

All the cousins:

The crime scene:

2010-09-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Possibly an ape trying to ration out our supply of bananas among his friends?

Nope. Just a three year old left to his own devices for too long.

Preschool update...

2010-09-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Bennett has now completed his first real week of preschool. Last week was meet the teacher day on Wednesday and a hour of free play on Friday while we had a parent's meeting. This week was the real deal. And it was also back to work for me. I'm working 3 days a week (2 half days and a full day) back at America's Family Coaches. Its fun to be back and remove my "mom" hat for a little while. That hat has felt heavier lately with my emotional three year old and my very mobile almost one year old.
Bennett loves preschool. I didn't even get the chance to kiss him goodbye when I dropped him off today! He just jumped in the circle with all the kids. It was fun to ask him about his first day and try to imagine him in there with all those kids. I can't wait til his assigned snack days when I get to be a helper and sit in the classroom!
So on Wednesday I was asking him all kinds of questions and he was answering all of them. Then he says, "and there's something with a kid I don't want to tell you." Oh dear...I got a little tense. I knew he meant he did something he knew he shouldn't have. I'd heard that phrase a couple times recently, as in, "Mom, there's something with Dawson I can't tell you." And then as any easily manipulated three-year old would, he confesses what he did. Usually involves hitting his brother with a toy.
Me: "what did you do?"
B: "I can't tell you"
Me: "Yes, you can, Bennett. You can tell Mommy anything."
B: "No, Mom. You'll be mad."
And then I pulled out the infamous parenting line: "You can tell me. I won't be mad at you."
B: "I was fighting."
Me: "Who were you fighting with?"
B: "A boy about a block"
Me: "Did you hit him??"
B: "NO, Mom!"

Phew....instant relief. A little fight over a block. He didn't deck the kid. Thank heavens I wasn't the mom of the child who hit a kid the first day of preschool. We talked about the appropriate way to handle the situation.

Day 2: His homework is late. He was supposed to bring back a page covered in pictures of things he likes and we didn't get it done. This is not good. I was the WORST procrastinator in school. Let's hope I didn't just set the standard for the rest of his life as a student. I better email his teacher and ask for an extension!! :)

PS. Upcoming blogworthy event...Dawson turns 1 next week!!

First Day

2010-09-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

I apologize ahead of time for all the details...I know our moms will love reading about it!

Today was meet the teacher day for Bennett's preschool. It was basically a walk-through of what their day will look like. I was so excited as we were getting ready to go. I was actually ready to go early so there was no rushing around. I seriously cannot remember the last time we had time to spare in the morning. I need to remember that 15 or 20 minutes of extra sleep are not worth it! It was wonderful. (It really helped that Bennett went to bed early last night so Jon and I had a good two hours together after the kids were asleep and went to bed early ourselves. The later our kids are up, the later I want to stay up)

I actually got a little choked up at one point during the walk-through, which surprised me. This has been one of the things I've looked forward to more than anything else since Bennett was born.
There are several parts to their day and they move to different rooms, which seems great to keep them focused and engaged. They have to wash their hands in the bathroom and go potty, then they go into a small classroom and find their hook with their name (Bennett found his all by himself!) to hang their bag up. They spend 10 - 15 minutes in there for focused learning. Then they have gym time. They get a full half hour to run around and play in a huge gym and work on gross motor skills like balancing and riding trikes. Then they go to the Choice Room (below) where they have some less structured learning time and then play time at the center of their choice.

His teacher, on the right, Miss Heidi, and the asst teacher, Miss Dawn:

The playdough table- this is what Bennett's looking forward to the most!

Man, I wish I could remember more of my preschool years. It looks so darn fun! All I remember is a boy named Sawyer or Samuel accusing me of wearing lipstick to school in K-4 because my lips were really red. I was so embarrassed.

My favorite

2010-08-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

I've read a couple of articles in parenting magazines talking about the hidden truth of parenting: that you'll probably have a favorite kid. But the good part is, your favorite child will be in constant rotation. I've found this to be so completely accurate in my short year of parenting two.
When Dawson was born, he was such an easy newborn. I LOVED his first 8 weeks (probably more so because of the hell I went through during Bennett's first 8 weeks). He pretty much never cried and nursed better and slept longer than Bennett did. At that time, it seemed so overwhelming to parent Bennett. I didn't want to be his mom at the moment. He was at the peak of terrible twos and would start bawling his eyes out if I looked at him wrong. Dawson was by far my favorite.
Then Bennett mellowed out...and Dawson UN-mellowed. He started teething at 5 months and turned into a very difficult baby. He cried constantly and wanted to be held constantly. And he would scream relentlessly if he had to wait in his chair for food. He was so not my favorite for at least 3 or 4 months.
Now the tables are turning again. After Dawson cut his first 6 teeth, he was back to his happy baby self. He loves to wrestle with Bennett and climb on furniture and feed himself and dance to music. And he gloriously naps for a combined 4 hours every day. Bennett however is in a funk. I don't know what his deal is these days but I find myself losing patience with him so quickly. He's driving me crazy. He's a terrible listener right now, and he's not a people-pleaser (aka: pushover) with his friends anymore. He hits and bites when somebody takes something from him. He desperately needs a nap during the day but if he sleeps for even 20 minutes, he'll take an extra hour or more to fall asleep at night and the cycle worsens. Needless to say, he's not my favorite at the moment.
I have no real point to all this ranting, but its nice to remind myself that childhood phases are SO short-lived. Before you know it, they've moved beyond whatever miserable phase they're in and morph back into the child you know and love (and secretly call your favorite).

But...despite not being my favorite at the moment, Bennett's finally entered the phase of hilarious one-liners. I've always loved hearing the goofy stuff other 3 and 4 year olds come up with but its so much funnier from the mouth of your own :)
A couple of his best ones lately:

When my mom was watching him one day, they were both going to eat a popsicle together. Bennett tells her, "You have to take your shirt off first, Nonny."
One day he had to do his business in the potty. I was in there with him and as he's sitting there he says, "Oh boy. This is gonna be a quick one!"
Then yesterday my mom calls me laughing because she took him potty the other day and he's sitting there and tells her, "This is gonna be a long one, Nonny." It cracked me up that he can tell that already. Maybe he'll learn to be prepared for the "long ones" and bring a book with him.

Ramblings

2010-08-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

A couple things I'm excited about lately:

Preschool!! Bennett starts preschool next week and I'm giddy as a school girl (pun intended). I just loved school (up until about 8th grade when I got my first F on a history test and realized I would actually have to study for stuff...blech) and I cannot wait for Bennett to experience it. I know he's going to love it. Every time I've gotten some school papers in the mail for him, I get all excited. I have this weird love for filling out forms (pretty sure that classifies me as a nerd) and the fact that they're forms for Bennett's preschool is like birthday cake on Christmas. Its strange that his school years are starting. He's only going 2 days a week for 2 hours, so it'll be a perfect introduction. Before your kids are in school, there's no official start and end to summer. I always stretched it out in my mind for as long as I could wear flip-flops. But no more. It will be dictated by the school year. I seriously think it'll make this winter more bearable though, with preschool to keep it rolling along and fun. (Here's hoping, anyway).
Vacations on the horizon. We haven't been anywhere since January of 2009 and for us that feels like a long stretch. I live to travel and I hate when we don't have something planned in the next 6 months. We're taking a family trip to Florida in October (possibly without Dawson, possibly with friends. We'll see how it pans out). We'll use our timeshare and drive. Then we'll use our remaining airline miles sometime this winter to go somewhere in the Caribbean, just the two of us. This makes me very happy.

And in normal life news...excited to check out the new Wal-Mart this afternoon thats only about 6 minutes from our house. Apparently its practically the Neiman Marcus of Wal Marts. That's what I hear anyway. I wonder if they have Valet service...

Piper's here for the afternoon after my sister split her head open and required 3 staples!! Sheesh. 3 year olds aren't so great on pounding headaches. So Bennett and Piper are going to have a sleepover. Here are the many moods of those two:

And this is how I just found them:

Nothing like a post-swim naked romp in a sandbox. That's what i always say.