A Very Merry Unbirthday!

On Monday, we celebrated Alexander's birthday with his grandparents, who winter in Arizona every year (sorry for the delay in this post, Umma and Big Papa!)

It was a very merry unbirthday for our soon-to-be three year old! Although, we could have celebrated in February when we visit them...oh well. Much more fun to celebrate now!

Alexander doesn't like cake. But he does like cookie. So, we thought a cookie cake would be the perfect solution.
We were right.

The big highlight is that Big Papa and Umma gave Alexander a truck and fifth wheel just like theirs! Now, Alexander has one of his own to "pull" and "beep, beep" at home.

Believe it or not, I resisted giving him the GeoTrax Train set. It helped that I found this super fun remote control car to give instead.

A winning combination!

Happy Unbirthday, sweet boy. We love you!

Clorox Wipes

I'm obsessed. With wiping EVERYTHING down with Clorox Wipes. H1N1 has entered my school and kids are dropping like flies. Not literally "dropping" but in my three classes today, at least 25 kids were missing, due to a cold or flu. So, the numbers are growing and I feel it is time to go on the attack.

My new rules for this winter:

~Ask kids use hand sanitizer on their way out of the gym. Yes, I stand there and make them use it. Yes, they hate it. Yes, I still make them do it. I'm mean like that.

~Ask my TA's to wipe down all the equipment with the wipes, before class begins.

~Ask my TA's to use the wrestling mat solution to wipe down the folding mats that are used for my fitness classes.

~Ask my TA's to wipe down all the sink handles and water faucet handles in between classes with wipes (I have a feeling I won't have as many students asking to be my TA next year).

~Avoid the weight room. At all costs.

~No high-fives or "knucks".

~If you use a phone, a pen or any other item in my office, you must wipe it down with a wipe. They usually think I'm kidding about this rule. I'm not.

After all, I have to make sure I'm doing my best to take care of my boys.

They are worth the obsession, don't you think?

Right Now

~Right now, Alexander is watching Happy Feet, with the same expression on his face that his father has when he watches a movie.

~Right now, the three of us are hanging out. Doing nothing important. Just being together.

~Right now, Alexander is babbling. I love hearing his voice as his vocabulary expands on a daily basis.

~Right now, Alexander is not using his binky, unless it is naptime or bedtime.

~Right now, Eric just found Bon Jovi:When We Were Beautiful for me on Dish Network (yes, that means no Happy Feet - sorry, kid. Mama wins when JBJ in in the house).

~Right now, life is good.

Live in the moment.

Ready for winter!

Almost makes me wish for snow.

Almost.

Mouth. Tum. Butt.

Potty training. I just don't understand why Alexander hasn't figured it out.

Or has he?

Just the other night, he had Ho-Ho Papa and Grrma laughing hysterically as he, quite seriously explained while eating, that food goes in his "Mouth. Tum. Butt". Keep in mind, Alexander doesn't quite string sentences together. But you can bet we clearly understood what he was explaining to us, as he gestured to each body part, in the exact order that it occurs in the digestive system process.

Upon asking who taught him that, Alexander proudly explained, "Big Papa. Dadda."

Sometimes, he is so much like his father, it frightens me.

The Game

Objective: To catch your opponent

Materials needed: 1 Oven mitt, 1 toddler, 1 adult (willing to run)

How game is played: Toddler runs into kitchen, puts on oven mitt, and yells "CLAW" at the top of his lungs. *In this photo version, our toddler is carrying the phone in order to include Big Papa and Umma in the game. Playing over the phone is allowed.*

Toddler will run to nearest adult, who must start running throughout the house, trying to avoid being tickled by The Claw. When adult can no longer breathe due to high levels of physical activity, a second adult may be substituted.

Variation: Adult can go into kitchen, put on oven mitt, and yell "CLAW" and begin chasing toddler. Pets may also be incorporate d into the game.

Game is over when toddler says "Stop Mama" or "Stop Dada". Or when toddler lays down.

Role Reversal

Eric and I switched roles today. Eric went hunting to work this weekend so that gave me the great opportunity to revisit life as a stay at home mom! We sure had a busy day. It is no wonder Eric is tired and needs a break when I arrive home!

~we woke up at 6:30, kissed Daddy goodbye at 7, and had a load of laundry and dishes running by 8. Which reminds me...I need to move the clothes into the dryer and unload the dishwasher tonight.

~showered and headed to Little Gym, where we spent an hour walking forward AND backward on the balance beam, playing chase, and babbling with Addie.

~snack at home

~doctor appt to receive the much dreaded flu shot. Pleased to report that Alexander did not cry, responded like a champ, and one of Mommy's former student was the nurse who gave the shot. Small world, eh?

~from the doctor appt, we headed to "mama's work" to visit with Umma in the library, attend the Homecoming kick off assembly to show our Patriot pride, and danced in the aisles.

~Next, a trip to give Ho-Ho Papa a hug and kiss. At first, Alexander was a bit hesitant because Ho-Ho Papa has an owie in his tummy and we weren't really sure how to be gentle with the big bear who plays with us. But play we did and within minutes, we realized Ho-Ho Papa is fine.

~Now, we're home and cuddled on the couch.

While I'm convinced that I could do this on a daily basis, I'm very appreciative all that my husband does for us...especially, now that it is dinner time and I have to cook for myself.
Didn't quite think that part through...pizza, anyone??

Surprise birthday visit

This weekend we visited our good friends who live a few hours away. Before I begin, let me back track a bit and give you the history...

Eric and all of his buddies from high school attended Western Washington University. One of the boys, "J" moved back to that college town with his wife and family a few years ago. We went to surprise J for his birthday and to see the home they built out in the county. J and K moved into their new home last January and we are bad friends who hadn't seen it, other than in pictures. So, we packed a mini van with four adults and three kids and headed on our northern trek.

I can't say at what exact point on the drive it occurred, but there was a literal transformation that fell over the men in the car as they entered their college town. The years faded and we were sitting with college boys (albeit with two toddlers and a five year old and two wives crammed in the back seat). And they stayed that way for the next 12 hours. I met Eric when we were 20 and I was the first wife to enter the boys group. I love watching these men together. It is such a joy to remember the boys they were and meld that with the amazing husbands and fathers they have become.

Watching kids play in the driveway

Exploring the great outdoors together

View from their driveway, with the boys pulling a wagon full of kiddos

The weather was pretty chilly up north so we spent quite a bit of time indoors. As we know, Alexander is Train Boy. The Geotrax Train set came out and Alexander fell in love.

Zoe helps Alexander set it up.


Addie and Alexander playing

Future engineer?

After a full day of running around in the crisp fall air, the excitement of trains, and WAY too much good food, we piled everyone into the mini van to head home.

Long past bedtime for these two

And stuck the boys in the very back.

Happy Happy Birthday, J! Hope you enjoyed your surprise!

Pull Big Truck

A Virus

No, the new laptop does not have a virus. Mommy does. She woke to a sore throat when Alexander started his morning babble at the God-awful hour of 4:00AM. Yes, I said AM. The babble really is adorable, as he recites his A, B, C's, counts his animals, and says hello to "Big Papa, Umma, Ho-Ho Papa and Umma". Over and over and over again. We would prefer him to start it a few hours later, that's all. From there, the sore throat progressed to a sinus headache, scratchy voice, a cough, and the chills. To top it off, Mommy received a flu shot on her lunch break...in anticipation of keeping the flu from rolling in, don'tcha know.

Theraflu Warming Relief. Check. Nyquil. Check. Cough Drops. Check. Kleenex. Check. Orange juice. Check.

Let the battle begin.

P.S. As soon as the pictures finish copying from the external hard drive, I will post the latest of the little man with his favorite toy.

To my Faithful Readers:

Hello to all!
Mommy asked me to tell you that the blog is taking a brief hiatus. The hiatus is for a very good reason. Mommy's school district is updating her laptop this week. She is really excited about receiving a new laptop FOR FREE!! However, this means that all my childhood photos/movies needed to be moved to the external hard drive. Daddy is taking care of this for us. This also means that the super cute pictures Mommy took of me tonight can't be uploaded until the new computer arrives. She says they are worth the wait so check in this weekend. Duh, Mommy...of course they are!

So, once she and Daddy put everything back in order on the new laptop, the blog will be back in business. In the meantime, why not post a comment for her to read? I'll give you a topic...let's see...post a comment suggesting a Christmas gift for an almost three year old toddler...I will make sure Santa/Mommy/Daddy/my grandparents hear all your suggestions!

Hope all of you are enjoying the fall weather. Apparently, Mommy enjoyed her first Pumpkin Spice Latte this morning. She says it was delicious but something I can't have until I'm older. She says that about driving, too. What a party-pooper. Good thing she doesn't know that Daddy sometimes lets me sip his beer...that's a secret between us boys, ya know.

Love you!
Alexander

38 for 38

Mommy turned 38 this weekend. She had a great time celebrating with friends and family, but to be honest, she isn't a big fan of 38. She wasn't a big fan of 28, either (it must be the number eight, even if eight and eighteen were fun birthday milestones). 38 officially means no more babies. 38 officially means she is in her late-thirties. 38 means she has fifteen years of teaching behind her and fifteen years to go. 38 officially means she is closer to 40.

Remember the movie When Harry Met Sally?

Sally: AND, I'm gonna be forty.
Harry: When?
Sally: Someday.
Harry: In eight years.
Sally: But it's there. It's just sitting there, like some big dead end. And it's not the same for men. Charlie Chaplin had kids when he was 73.
Harry: Yeah, but he was too old to pick them up.

This scene used to make me laugh hysterically. Now that 40 is looming...I feel Sally's pain.

However, as with anything, there is a silver lining to this birthday stuff.

38 also brings the loss of the 38 pounds she put on with her pregnancy with Alexander. And being 38 brings wisdom and intelligence and patience to her parenting. 38 also means eighteen happy years with Daddy and that really works out for all of us.

Like a dear friend told her on Sunday, if she wasn't 38, she wouldn't have Alexander.

Or Eric.

As it turns out, Mommy is 38 for 38.
Maybe it wasn't such a bad birthday, after all.

Draw Me

All Done Me!