3/31 Spread the Word to End the Word

Have you seen these yet?  I hadn't, until Jen posted them this morning.  

She used the word ballsy to describe the Special Olympics' campaign against the R-word.  I couldn't agree m0re.  And I love it.

Basically, I agree with everything that she says, and at this hour in the morning, she states it more eloquently than I can...so you should read her post here.

I posted a while ago about the 3/31 Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, when John C. McGinley talked about it on the Bonnie Hunt Show.  Well, people, today is the day.

And I'm not being condescending...goodness knows I used the word, frequently, before I stopped to think about what I was really saying.  If you use it, chances are you're not saying it to purposefully offend or degrade anyone.  You might have even said to yourself (or to your audience) that everyone 'knows what you mean'-- that retarded just means stupid or ridiculous...not that you are referring to a person.

But guess what?  You are.  No matter how you say it.  No matter what disclaimer you put on it, no matter how flippant the comment.

And not only that, you are teaching others that it's ok to use it.  And it's just not.

I'm not going to stop you mid-conversation to give you a lecture.  But you will probably see me wince.  Because that word is connected to Chase.  And to a lot of other really amazing people.  

Spread the word.

Shout Out to My Favorite Brother!

I'm taking a time-out from my usual whininess and fun-filled Ian and Chase stories to bring you this awesome news:

My little brother, Scott, just got a teaching assistantship for grad school in the meteorology program at FSU (did I get all that right, S?)!!!  

I could not be more proud of him, and I'm going to say that out loud, in typing, even though it's going to embarrass him to death.

Chase Update

Breakthrough weekend!!!

2 quick things:

1.  Chase wanted to walk everywhere we went.  From the parking lot into church, down the hallways, around Bojangles (touching everyone's knees as he went), down the aisles at Sam's.  He is finally treating walking as a way to get to places, not just a novelty act.

2.  Bryan gave him a fork at dinner last night- well, actually, I think Chase wanted the fork- and he used it to stab pieces of strawberry and scrambled eggs, and most of the time was successful, even getting the bites to his mouth!  On his own!!  No hand over hand or anything!!  AND when he was done, instead of chucking the fork to the floor or at someone's head, he laid it down on the table!  Oh miracles of miracles.

Chase sledding and crawling in the snow!

Bryan played around with YouTube yesterday...and now I have my first video post!  This is from our next to last snow this year- Chase's first sledding adventure.

#1 Husband!

Do you remember that orange sherbet/vanilla swirl ice cream from your childhood?  

Yeah.  Bryan went out to get it for me last night, in the rain, after dark.  

He is so very awesome.

Ian's 4 Year Well Visit

I almost forgot in the whirlwind that followed it, Ian had a check up this morning.

Today he was 40 1/4 inches (50%ile), 39.6 pounds (75%ile).  

I had to fill out that checklist about what he does or doesn't do.  Can I tell you how nice it was to just go down the list checking YES to everything?  I hope this doesn't come off as insenstive or anything, but I appreciate so much more how easy everything comes to Ian now that I watch Chase fighting for every milestone.

And Ian was sooo well behaved at the doctor's office and the hospital (he came with me to the imaging center today).  We played Go Fish and just talked and he asked a hundred questions (some of which were totally funny).  It was just nice.  He really is a good boy.

The best comment from him today was when the tech was doing my sono and she turned on the sound.  There was a kind of roaring/whooshing of blood, and Ian's face got really big and moony, and he turned to me and said, "Mom, that was the baby blowing a raspberry on the inside of your tummy!!!!"

Oh, he makes me laugh.

A Day

So, I've been avoiding the pain in my calf for almost 3 days now, and finally called my OB who told me to go immediately to the imaging center this morning for a sono...

Don't worry.  It ended up being a superficial clot, which I guess is a lot less dangerous than the deep vein thrombosis that I had 11 years ago.  So I have orders to elevate with heat (darn, I guess I'll have to sit in the LazyBoy for a while today...) and wear some cool new compression stockings.  Fab.

I mean, seriously, they can't find any clotting disorder in me, but even while I'm already injecting myself DAILY with a blood thinner, it happens!?!  Maybe someday they will find out what is, and then name it after me.

Oh, and a good thing:  the imaging center at the hospital now has an awesome new coffee machine that brews lattes and cappucinos by the cup, and it's complimentary for patients!  I helped myself to a vanilla latte for my trouble this morning.

In other news, I got the boys'  proofs back today from the black and white photography they did at school, and they are super adorable.  Another bonus to putting the kids in preschool.

Holy *!?!?**!

I realized today that I am in my third trimester.

Well, that one just kind of snuck up on me.

Holy...wow!

Make Your Own Yogurt

Chase and Ian both go through an obscene amount of yogurt.  Which is great.  I guess it's healhty for the most part (except for that nasty nasty Trix neon-colored stuff).  But it's expensive!!

So, my friend Ruby (Hi Ruby!) found this recipe to make yogurt with the crockpot on another blog and I finally tried it out.  

And it's totally awesome!!  Ian snarfed a whole bowl of it this morning with just a drizzle of honey.  There are only two ingredients: 1/2 gallon of whole milk and 4 oz of already prepared yogurt.  Also, it's almost completely hassle free, because the crockpot does all the work.  I'm telling you, super easy.  Easier than going to the store and putting 20 little containers of it in your cart, then stacking them neatly in the fridge.

From 1/2 gallon of milk (I guess less than $2 about, right?)  and $.50 of yogurt, I made 72oz of yogurt.  And you just have to add a little fruit or preserves or honey or granola or whatever you want to make it a little sweeter to eat.  So, compared to the store brand of yogurt, at 6oz for $.50, that would be $36...right?  I'm not a math person, so someone check me on that.  It sounds really really high...

Anyway.  Thought I'd share!

The Significance Corner

Here's a new blog that you all should check out.  It's called The Significance Corner, and it's written by my Uncle Bill.  I'm hoping that if I plug him here, he will be more inclined to write more :)

It's good stuff.  Thinking stuff.  Balance your life stuff.  Figure things out stuff.

He's great with words, and he plays a mean board game...so go read him.

Rosemary Peach Lemonade Recipe

This isn't the official one from Tupelo Honey Cafe, but it sounds like it could be just as good...

YUM.

Ahhhhhh. Back.

We had such a good weekend away!  Ohmygoodness, it was relaxing and wonderful.

We made it to Asheville by dinnertime and went to Tupelo Honey Cafe to eat.  It was quaint, crowded, smelled yummy (southern comfort meets modern food), and tasted delish.  My only complaint was that they were out of their signature rosemary peach lemonade.  How dare they?!

We spent the evening explorng a little of downtown Asheville, where they had a bunch of Bohemian-like college kids and locals playing drums and guitars and anything else that would make a noise all gathered around Prichard Park.  It was way cool and a little weird :)  After that, Bryan kicked my butt at Rummy 500 several times, we sat in front of the fireplace, and I almost flooded the jacuzzi tub by putting too much bubble bath in.  Oops.

Saturday we slept in until ALMOST 10AM!!  The only downside was that someone upstairs from us did a lot of pacing or something and we kept hearing their footsteps above.  It was easier to ignore than a baby monitor, though.

We went back to Tupelo Honey Cafe for breakfast because a.) I wanted that darn lemonade and b.) the breakfast menu had looked yummy when we were there the night before.  We weren't disappointed-- another awesome meal and fun atmosphere.  And the lemonade was worth it.

After another quick game of Rummy (lost again), we went to the Biltmore Estate and toured the gigantic home for a couple hours.  If you've never been there, I would highly recommend it if you are in the mood to feel small and unimpressive.  We tasted some wines from their winery, and shopped some in the very breakable gift shop.

Since I dragged Bryan all around for cultural things that day, he got to choose the evening activity:  driving to the Cherokee reservation to the Harrah's casino.  We had fun losing money (well, I was up on the nickel and penny slots, but someone lost 60 bucks on a bad run on the pennies.)  They didn't have any craps, and there was a waiting list for the poker tables, so Bryan didn't get to lose money on any of the stuff that he really likes.  Oh, well.  We will just have to go back to Vegas sometime...

Sunday we slept in again (yay!) and went back to our favorite restuarant ever for brunch (and more lemonade) and sat outside afterwards to watch some fun freaks in Prichard Park doing some sort of circus-thing.  Then we took a drastic turn to the conservative and went back to the Biltmore to check out their farm.

And then we came home, to two happy boys (well, Chase was a little sick, but cuddly, and Ian couldn't have cared less that we were home, he was having so much fun playing hockey outside when we pulled in) and two tired grandparents (it's ok- we sent them home with a bottle of wine!).

We are well rested and refreshed.  And it was nice to be away, but strange, too- so I'm glad to be back.  Those kids kind of just burrow themselves right into your heart when you aren't looking :)

Alien.

I was sitting here writing that last post and noticing that No-Name Baby #3 is doing some sort of interpretive dance in my uterus.  

I can actually see him kicking now, which, even though this is the third time around, still is the most bizarre, alien feeling/sight in the world.  

Wonderful and miraculous, too- and I love it- but mostly strange.

Especially now, because for 3 weeks now, this baby could technically live outside of me (in a very tiny NICU way, but still) but is actually in there...seriously weird.  

R&R

I just want to give a shout-out to my parents who are THE BEST.  They are taking the kids tonight through Sunday, and Bryan and I are driving up to Asheville for a weekend alone.

Things on my list to do for the next 2 days:

*Sleep in

*Go to bed without a monitor by my head.

*Order room service breakfast.

*Hike a trail somewhere.

*Read a paper and drink a cup of coffee without any interruptions.

*Wipe nobody's nose.

*Wipe nobody's butt.

*Have a conversation (or two) with Bryan.

*Ride in a car without kids' music or Monsters, Inc. in the background.

*Play a card game without anyone messing up the piles.

*Eat dinner at a restaurant that doesn't accomodate children.

*Meander through a cute shop without worrying that someone is going to break anything (I'm leaving Bryan in the hotel room for this one.)

*Not pack diapers, wipes, snacks, sippy cups, toys, a pack-n-play, a booster seat, Blue Dog or Green Frog.

I love my kids.  And I love being with them.  But I am sooooo looking forward to some time to just be Laurie instead of "Moooooom!!"  or "Dada" (yeah, Chase is still stonewalling me on the Mama thing.)  I want to make it a point to take a weekend once a year just to be Laurie and Bryan.  I think it's important.  Otherwise I will be a lunatic before I am 35.  Bryan will get there sooner.

So, thanks again, Papa and Gaga!!  You ROCK!

A Chairy Dilemma

Chase, like his brother, loves to climb.  Which is great, really.  I know I spent a lot of time wishing that he would climb...or crawl...or walk...many many things.  I love that he's strong and inquisitive.

...it's just that it's becoming kind of a pain in the butt.  I can't keep anything on any surface that can be accessed by a kitchen chair.  So, my solution right now is to push the kitchen table up against the wall, pinning two chairs against it, and stacking the other two on top.  And for every other chair that we have, I've had to start turning them on their sides.  Lord help me when he figures out a way to turn them right-side up!

So, my kitchen kind of looks like a hurricane just blew through, and that's even when the dishes are done!  

Short of getting rid of all places to sit, does anyone have any better ideas?  This is driving me a little bit nuts.

**And yes, I have told him NO.  Forcefully.  Many times.  And I've moved him away from the kitchen.  Several times.  And I've drawn his attention to something else.  He's either really stubborn or just doesn't understand the concept of no climbing.  Or no clearing off every surface that has stuff on it.  Or that sitting on the edge of a kitchen table is dangerous.**

Yes, I sent him to school like this today.

Gymnast With 47 :)

Mel Baeton found this article about this amazing gymnast who happens to sport a little extra.  Check it out.

No Gold This Year...

Well, Ian woke up this morning (um, at 3am!) with a big shamrock sticker on his head and realized that someone had put Chase's Green Frog in his bed, and Chase had Ian's Blue Dog!!  Those pesky leprechauns!  

We ventured downstairs at a more humane hour later on to check the trap.  But guess what?  No leprechaun.  :(  He had somehow magicked the ladder that was on the outside into the trap to get out.  He left some green M&M crumbs around, but otherwise seemed to enjoy the treats without any consequence.

He also left us this note:

...along with 4 gold-wrapped Rolos.

Upon further inspection the house, Ian discovered that he had peed green in our toilet (and used a kitchen chair to reach, apparently).  Ian flushed for him.

He moved Chase's door onto the treadmill, and stopped to have a drink of green water and build a cup tower on the table.  He even had to stack a bunch of books on the chair to get that high.

There was also a pile of pillows under the landing upstairs...perhaps he was jumping from the second floor onto them...?  

Also, Lucky put our box of Apple Jacks into the fridge, put pillows at the end of the slide, and moved the roll-around dinsaur in front of the stairs.  He also left little shamrock stickers everywhere; on the door (where he snuck in, I suppose), and on the boys' booster seats at the table!  

Ian was so freaking funny hunting for everything.  He even attributed things to leprechaun mischief that were just evidence of us not cleaning up very well, ever.  

Oh, and I sent Chase to school with his shamrock sticker still on his forehead.  Was that bad?  I should have taken a picture, but he was out the door for school so fast this morning that I didn't have time.  Maybe it will still be there when I pick him up...

Also, I have to admit that I am really not this creative.  Family Fun magazine has a lot of really cute ideas!!!

Leprechaun Trap...The Making Of.

Ian is all excited about the pot of gold we are going to get once we catch our leprechaun tomorrow and he has to tell us where he hid it.  

I made the top of the trap, while Ian painstakingly colored an entire paper plate with green marker (his idea) for the bottom.

The finished product!  You see, the leprechaun will see the trap, and be intrigued by the green color and the shamrock stickers.  Upon further investigation, he will see the sign at the top for Free Leprechaun Treats, and he will climb up the ladder (made with straws and toothpicks!) and step onto the top to get the green M&Ms.  Unfortunately for the little guy, the top is made of a flimsy piece of construction paper, and he will fall right in with no way to escape!!  

I really liked this goofy picture, until I realized that the inside of Ian's right nostril is green.  Wonder how that happened, Crusty McBoogerpicker?

Getting Better

...at this couponing thing.  Today I actually cut coupons, matched them to my list, and went shopping with both boys without too much hassle.

AND I only spent $15 dollars on groceries this week.  Plus a little extra for St. Paddy's Day corned beef and cabbage meal :)

BTW- look for photos of our leprechaun trap soon.  It is sure to snag us one.

Sleepless in Charlotte

Chase has decided not to sleep the last 2 nights.  I don't know if it's the 2 year molars that are popping through on top (seriously...he can't get more than 4 teeth on the bottom but he has 2 sets of molars?!?!) or if it's the cough that he developed this weekend...I gave him meds for both.

Nothing worked.  I'm exhausted.

Weekend Update

This will not be as funny as Amy Pohler...

Anyway.  We had a busy weekend.  Good busy.  But for those of you who are interested, this is what we did:

*Saturday morning:  I went to a big consignment sale and didn't buy anything.  But I vowed to go back at 12:30 for the 1/2 price sale, crossing my fingers that the totally adorable kids table and chairs was still there when I came back.

*Saturday later morning, we took Gaga and Papa out to breakfast at a little teeny breakfast place for Gaga's birthday.  Chase was tired, but for Gaga's birthday present, we let her entertain him the whole time.

*Saturday afternoon, Papa watched the boys as Bryan slept off more painkillers.  My mom and I went thrift store shopping (maternity cords for 2 bucks!!) and then hit the consignment sale again...and my cute table was still there!!  I'll have to take a photo tomorrow, but I got it!!!  So excited!!  (it really is all about the thrill of the hunt!)

*Saturday evening, we had a fun game night with some new couples that we met through church.  Best idea ever:  hiring a babysitter to play with the kids upstairs while the grownups had dinner and played games.

*Sunday morning, church.  Great message, starting a new series about the Essential James.

*Sunday afternoon, lunch at Bojangles (who, by the way, has some awesome breakfast biscuits.  I have been having crazy cravings for egg and cheese sandwiches!) and then a quick trip to Sam's to get wipes...I got desperate and bought some store brand crappy ones last week because I ran out, and I've been regretting it ever since.  Tip:  Harris Teeter baby wipes do NOT get the job done.  Suck it up and spend the money for Huggies.

*Sunday evening, DSAC fundraiser with the Charlotte Checkers...hockey for all you not in the know.  My parents met us there and we got to go on a Behind the Scenes tour before the game.  It was kind of cool, to see the locker rooms and the sports medicine area and things.  Although I felt a little like a stalker, because all the team's street clothes were hanging up, and the dirty laundry bins were out.  Do any of you remember that commercial- I can't remember what it was for, but the guy would hide in the dirty laundry buckets in the locker room to get team merchandise or something?  That's all I could think about.  I could probably convince Ian to hide in there to get something good...

Now Bryan and I are winding down in front of CSI, trying to figure out why the weekends go by so quickly...

The Lot

My parents have 10 acres of forest that they are clearing for a future log home.  We love going out there for cookouts, sitting around a fire, and just generally getting dirty.  Ian loves helping Papa cut down trees and burn the sticks, and exploring with Gaga through the brush and the creeks.

I remembered to bring the camera along on this trip this past weekend.

I love Ian's face as he watches Papa use the chainsaw.

Chase and Bryan patiently wait for the tree to come down.

Papa wonders which way it will go...?

Starting the fire the old boyscout way...with lots of fuel.

Ian uses the clippers to break down the brush for kindling.

If you ever wondered...this is what happens when you mix an inquisitive little boy with Cheetos and dirt.

A Walking Brother

When Chase was taking his first steps, Ian kept saying excitedly, "I'm going to have a walking brother!!"

Here are some not so good photos of Chase up on his feet.  He's still pretty wobbly.

What To Wear

This morning Ian got up as I was getting dressed for the day; black yoga pants and a black shirt.  The height of fashion, as I am every day.

He looks at me very seriously, and says, "Those are very nice clothes, Mom."

He is going to make some girl very, very happy one day.

Shower Monster

My cousins Frank and Grant sent these cool tub crayons to the boys for Christmas.  They are awesome for drawing monsters on the shower walls :)

This one has been there for weeks and weeks and weeks, and will probably leave a permanent stain.  But it is so adorable that neither Bryan or I can stand to wipe it clean.  I love me some Ian Art.

John C. McGinley on Bonnie Hunt

John C. McGinley was on Bonnie Hunt's show a couple weeks ago, and Melanie from the Baeten Family so graciously posted the video and I stole it.  Thanks, Mel!!

During the interview he talks about a special date comign up: 3/31/09...Spread the Word to End the Word; a campaign to end the use of the R-word.  I've talked about it before, but it deserves mention again.  There is absolutely no way you can use this word without being degrading, and everyone needs to realize that, not just parents of kids with intellectual disabilities.

Anyway.  I like John C. Mcginley, and I like Scrubs.  So you should watch this.

Ian, the Artiste...

I've been working on the baby's room, which involved tracing plates all over the place and painting the circles.

I was trying to paint a few dots this morning while the kids were asleep, and I came across a small square, drawn in pencil on the wall, about Ian-height.  Who do you think did that?

I can't blame him, though.  He's been watching me draw all over the walls for weeks now.   Didn't I tell you that his artistic ability and interest has been blooming?  Apparently it's blooming all over my walls.  I wonder where else I will find little surprises...?

GI Again

I took Chase in for another follow up with the GI yesterday...just to monitor his acid reflux meds, his uktimate poops, and so on.

I kind of went in with the expectation that we'd have to switch him back to the Previcid since the every other day omeprozole wasn't working as well, but after going into lots of detail about his entire digestive tract, the dr decided that we should just stop the antacids and see if we really see a difference with him off as compared to him on them...because, why medicate if it doesn't really help anything?  He said the spitting up (which is definitely not as bad as it was before, but still happens every couple days) could just be attributed to low tone, and something that he'll just have to grow out of.  As long as he is healthy, happy, gaining weight, and playing...then he's alright in his book.

He also suggested lowering the amount of Immodium that we give him (he's on 3 tsp a day to slow him down...seriously.  Runny McRunnypoo here.)  because he thinks that, well, judging on consistency, maybe it's slowing him down too much.

So the answer is...unmedicate.  Which, ok.  I'm kind of torn about.  Yay- less things to worry about every day...Boo- are we taking a step backwards?  Now is it going to get worse and we're going to have to go through all the steps again?  I guess we'll see.

Good news, he is up 2lbs from the last visit (um, 3 ish months ago, I think...?).  I thought he was getting harder to carry up the stairs.  

Crappy Day, But No One Has A Brain Injury.

I knew it was going to be busy, but seriously, this sucked.

My mom came over early this morning so that she could watch the kids for me while I went to the dermatologist to make sure I'm still cancer-free (thanks, Mom, for watching the kids, and also passing on that awesome skin cancer risk!!).  

Bryan was home this morning because he's had a killer headache for 2 days straight and could hardly sit upright without beign in extreme pain.  I was planning on taking him in for another medical thing this afternoon, but he made an appointment with his regular doctor to check out this headache thing.

While I was waiting in the dermatologist's office, I read an article about symptoms you shouldn't ignore, and right there at the top of the list was 'persistant headache.'  Then it went on to describe brain bleeds and people dying in their sleep from undetected brain aneurysms.  OMG!  

After I got home, Bryan's doctor had already sent him to the ER for a CT Scan, and to make a long story short, it turns out that his head is fine, but his sinuses are most definitely not.  So he spent the whole rest of the day pumped up with fluids and narcotics and super duper antibiotics.  

I finally drove him home after 6, where wonderful wonderful Gaga had already fed the boys dinner and put Chase in his pajamas.  

A little before 8, after Chase was in bed, I ran out with Ian to fill Bryan's new prescriptions...only:

a.) I forgot to bring the prescription with me and had to turn around halfway there to go back home and get it,

b.) Once we got to Target, I found out the pharmacy closes at 8,

c.) We went to CVS, which was open, but insanely busy and had to wait 20 minutes just to drop off the scrip,

d.) Ian had to go to the bathroom, but it was one of the locking bathrooms so we had to wait in line to ask the only cashier in the store to unlock it,

e.) After we waited for 25 minutes to get the meds, they tell me that my prescription benefits with our insurance company are not working and we can call HR about it tomorrow, but for now we will have to pay full price for the drugs...and it is OVER $600!!!!  Yes, six hundred dollars of pills for a sinus infection!!!

f.) I painfully pay for the drugs, while Ian starts doing another potty dance and decides that he can't wait ten minutes to get home...he has to go poopy NOW...so we have to wait in line again for the cashier to walk us to the back of the store to unlock the bathroom, where we spend a good 15 minutes together in a stall while he works stuff out (and narrates it).

g.) Did I mention it is almost 9:30 at this point and we still had to pick up the car that we left at the hospital???

I am so, so thankful that everything medically turned out ok.  An acute sinus infection is a much better diagnosis than a your-head-is-exploding diagnosis.  I am counting my blessings on that.  And I know that even though I am exhausted, I'm not the one who is sick...Bryan still feels terrible even though he has some fairly hard painkillers now.  

But still.  I am exhausted.  And here I am, sitting in front of blogger instead of going to bed.  That's my cue.

Name My Baby

I put up a new poll on the sidebar.  Here is my disclaimer:

I want your input, but I won't necessarily use it :)  So, thoughts on names for this little guy? These are the top three:

Ty Elijah

Gavin Elijah

Jack Elijah

Elijah is a definite middle name, so you can't sway my opinion on that (unless you have REALLY REALLY good cause).  

Ty is a front runner for Ian and Bryan.  They have already started calling my belly Ty.  And someone has even addressed a postcard to him and signed a Valentine's Day card with it.  I like it, I really do.  It was high on our list when we were naming Ian.  But here is the problem:

Our friends (Hi Rhi!) have a Ty.  He is 3 (and adorable-- so no issues not naming him Ty because we know someone who is a little twerp).  Technically, they stole the name from us (why can't you lick a name like you can a Volkswagon or a soda to claim it?!?).  That's fine, though.  They also live several states away from us, so it's not like they will grow up together or go to school together or have the same friends or anything.

So, my question is:  will we be committing some horrid social faux pas by naming him Ty?  What are the rules governing this situation?  And maybe Ty is just not a good name anyway and the others are better...?  

Oh, the pressure...the pressure of finding a name... (movie quote, anyone?)

Skipping a Season

Last weekend it was freezing rain and snow.   Today it was almost 80 degrees out.

We were outside so much, we're all sunburned.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I had to dig through boxes in order to find shorts and t-shirts for the boys!  We ate lunch outside, had some bike riding time, some swinging and sliding time, some walking barefoot in the grass time, some popsicle eating time, and some rocket shooting time.  

Everyone had to wear sunglasses and hats.

We even wore sandals!!

It's like summer arrived and we didn't even get a spring.  This week is supposed to be all 70s, so maybe we'll get a little spring-ish weather.  Even though I enjoyed today's break from the cold, I will admit that I will be disappointed if we just jump right into 80s and 90s...

Photos to come...right now I'm going to do more baby room painting before I crash for the evening.

Random Updates

I haven't been a very diligent blogger lately.  I don't really know why.  Nothing is really keeping me away.  I've just been sort of eh lately.

But life goes on in our household:

Ian has been very much into creating art projects.  He doesn't want direction.  He doesn't want little step by step instructions.  He wants to make it up as he goes along.  So far, he has 

1.  colored stripes on computer paper, cut them out, and used massive amounts of tape to adhere them to the kitchen table.  

2.  stuck a million stickers, overlapping over and over again, to a giant Sam's Club empty tub of cheesey poofs.

3.  painted empty advil and tylenol bottles with tempera paint.  

4.  drawn pictures of monsters in the shower to 'scare' whoever goes in there next.

I love this, because it's an interest that hasn't really surfaced before.  He was never into art or music really...or even sitting in one place for any length of time.  Which reminds me, he's even started to show an interest in learning letters and sounds.  He's always loved books, but never paid much attention to the alphabet or letter sounds or whatnot.  But the last couple weeks he has sat with me and we've done some pre-k workbook pages and he is really picking up the phonics ideas quickly.  Yay! :)

Chase is now taking 12-ish steps on his own!  He stands unassisted for longer periods of time, and thinks he's really awesome for doing so (I think he is, too!).  Still, all this gross motor stuff is on his own agenda, so it's often very hard to convince him that he wants to practice walking.  This week, though, he has actually started to take steps on his own...I looked up one time, and watched him pick up a toy, get to his feet, and walk about 6 steps- all on his own volition!  

Chase is talking a little more, now, too.  Well, I say talking, but it's really not words just yet, but distinct vocalizations that he uses in conjunction with his signs (mostly for milk, more, and bye).  Also, there is lots of "dada" "Hi"...but still no Mama.  He'll sign Mama...but refuses to say it.  Is this how he repays me for 2 years of meeting his every want and need?!?!  

Baby #3 (still haven't agreed on a name, but Ian has his favorites...) is apparently doing well as far as anyone can see...:)  He is measuring right on target, his heartbeat was at 143 on Tuesday when I went in for my appointment, and he likes sweets.  I've started painting his room, and it's coming along pretty well...now to figure out exactly what we are going to do about the crib situation.  I kind of feel like Chase would be content to stay in his crib for another year, but he'll be ok switching to a twin bed (low to the ground, siderails up!) if we give him a chance.  Eh, we'll see when it gets closer.

That's kind of it, as far as the boys are concerned.  Nothing earth shattering or ground breaking going on, but I felt like I've been neglecting to post just everyday sort of things...

The White Out of 2009

Seriously.  I've lived in upstate NY and have seen lake effect storms.  I understand those snow days.  But we just got maybe 2 inches and they called off the whole day of school.  And I'll concede that the ice was pretty bad due to the 2 straight days of rain we just had.  Still.  The whole day off?

Anyway.  We made the best of it :)  Bryan had to go to work, but I promised Ian that I would take him outside.  

Note to self:  playing outside in the snow is much more fun when you have actual snow gear.  Poor Ian's hands and feet were freezing when we came back inside- I only had those itty bitty stretchy gloves and rainboots for him.  Bad mom!!  It wasn't like I was all bundled up, though, either.  Rainboots  and my mom's gloves that are at least 20 years old didn't help all that much.

So my new mission for next snow season is to hit the thrift stores when I get to NY this fall and stock up on snow gear for everyone.  I don't care if we look like The Christmas Story...we will be warm!