Two days in one post

Well, last night I was banned from the downstairs while Kevin steamed the carpets, so I apologize for the late post!  We'll just get yesterday and today all settled right now.

The boys were quite whiny yesterday, so we determined that we should leave the house before all four of us got whiny, lol.  We headed out to a car and arts festival that fell a little short of expectations (organizers blamed the early morning rain storm).  After a quick stroller ride through the booths, it was lunch time!, so off to Chick fil a we went not even knowing that they were handing out free shakes to dad's yesterday; bonus.  After some play time and a ride home where the van we've been driving, but that isn't really ours, almost ran out of gas, we put Micah down for his one nap per day and relaxed.

After Micah woke up, it was time to rearrange some furniture because we are expecting company tomorrow!  Then an early dinner and off to the thrift store for their 5 year birthday celebration where I won $10 in gift cards!  

Kevin spent the evening (or should I say night since he didn't come to bed until midnight), cleaning our carpets and we all desperately wanted to sleep in, but woke up to make it to early church service.  Micah once again didn't stay in the nursery, which makes me want to LOOK FOR A NEW CHURCH AGAIN, because man that's annoying.  However, Kyle does really well in his class and actually learns something about God, which doesn't happen everywhere, let me tell ya.  After church we had a few options for Father's Day lunch, but ended up with more chicken.

The rest of today will be spent together, cleaning and packing, as Kevin takes off for a work retreat in Huntsville, Alabama and the boys and I pick up Nana at the airport tomorrow!  Additionally, Kyle will be starting another week of VBS at a different church in the morning.  

Fun filled Friday

I wasn't real sure what we would do today, but the boys are always up for being outside, so off to Radnor Lake we went for the 2nd time this week to go on a nature walk.  This time I put Micah in the pack and Kyle walked, with his binoculars around his neck.  We saw lots of birds, cardinals and wood peckers to name a few, some incredible spiders that I had never seen before in my entire life, squirrels, and a deer eating THIS CLOSE to us on the side of the trail.  Kyle made a funny face as we walked by the deer and I asked him what he was doing and he said he was making sure the deer couldn't see him, LOL.  

Home again for lunch, playtime, and a much too short nap for Micah.  After Micah woke up, we headed out to Centennial Park for the arts festival, even though it was close to 100 degrees outside.  I piled the boys in to the stroller and away we went.  Kyle was interested in several pieces of art, and if we hadn't been pouring down sweat, I think he would have enjoyed me going a little slower so we could look and talk about the pieces more.  We tried a sample of Amish fudge, and the icing on the cake for the boys was balloons, fans and a stuffed animal dog named Sparkle, courtesy of Gilda's Club Nashville.  Those items kept us entertained until Kevin arrived home this evening!  We were only there an hour, but it was still fun and Kyle asked if we could come back again this weekend, so we'll see how the weather goes.  

Micah climbed out of his high chair harness and on to the table this afternoon during our snack; can't keep that boy down!  He tries to climb in to and out of his playpen, just the way he sees Kyle do it.  He also wants to walk around and jump on our bed just like he sees Kyle do it.  We gave him a little milk in his sippy cup tonight and he would take a big gulp, then dribble it out on his mouth and down his shirt while we laughed.  I have no idea when he'll be weaned.  

Yawn

Kevin scanned from 8 to 8 today and didn't walk through our front door until 10 pm tonight!  The boys and I ran some errands this morning, only to get caught in a rain storm on the way home.  After lunch and some playtime, Micah took a two hour nap in our king size bed (I recently bought side rails for it), and Kyle had some quiet time of his own.  We actually had to wake Micah up to head to Kyle's last swim class this afternoon.  I took some video of the class so Kevin could get an idea of what Kyle had learned over the past two weeks.  Micah loved watching the kids splash around.  I'm hopeful we can continue swim lessons on a once a week, year round, basis once the school year starts up again.  We'll see with everything else I'd love to sign Kyle up for this year (gymnastics, AWANA, soccer, basketball, music, theater, etc...).  

Micah was a little more clingy than usual today, but I think maybe he is just interested in everything I'm doing.  By the end of the day, I would ask him if he wanted to come with me to do laundry, make dinner, clean up, etc... and he would nod yes or no.  During bathtime tonight, Micah would stand up in the tub, look at me until I asked him to sit down, then splash down with great laughter.  He also loves to have the water running.  He would stand up, touch the faucet knob, and make a high pitched lilting sound as if he was asking if we could turn it on again.  It's so much fun to decipher his "language" right now.  Another cool thing happened today; for the first time ever, Micah fell asleep next to me in bed for his nap!  Usually, I walk him in our soft structured carrier.  And talking about sleep, I am playing with the idea of selling the boys bunkbeds and putting a full or queen size bed in their room for them to share.  They both love sleeping next to someone; they sleep better and longer when they sleep with someone else.  

And on that note, I should get some sleep myself.  Kevin will be headed in early for some more scanning!

In the family news today...

Playdate with fomer neighbor Jonas (19 months old), went great.  Lots of splashing, snack time, and trains.  Kyle and I talked about how much TV mommy was allowed to watch when she was a little girl and defined the word: homework.  Kevin and I realized tonight that we should get a discount at Kyle's current preschool for all the people we've referred recently!  Kyle's swim lesson went well again and I'm sad that tomorrow afternoon is his last lesson :(.  Micah received a racquetball from a retiree waiting to play in the hallway where we walk during Kyle's swim lessons.  It was like a little piece of blue heaven that required a full on body meltdown when I slipped it in to my pocket so we could leave the recreation center.  Tonight we all went to an adult birthday party and Kyle almost got eaten by Dash, a hybrid wolf dog.  Note to self, the boys may not play outside with Dash alone.  The boys both fell asleep in the "fancy van that we actually don't like very much thank goodness it's not ours" on our way home from the party.  

I should go to bed; 7:30 a.m. dentist appts. just make me that much more tired.  Even after an accidental afternoon nap with Micah!

Another day

I'm renewing my efforts to start blogging on a regular basis again, even if it is just our daily stuff we're doing.  Today we had Micah's 1 year old appt. and he is 22lbs and 31 1/2 inches tall!  About average in the weight department and above average in height.  

Our "new to us" van headed to our auto broker's mechanic today to have a check engine light taken care of that showed up after he bought the van for us, so we are cruising in a super nice Nissan Quest for a few days.  I love all the room and happily drive a minivan around; I'm not ashamed of my mom mobile, because, well, that's what I am, a mom, and it seems to be one of the most efficient vehicles to do the job of toting kids, car seats, and any other additional baby, sports, or  activity gear!

I'm preferring TN in the summer, as opposed to the winter.  It still doesn't feel like home to me, but when asked where he'd like to move next or if he'd just like to stay in TN, Kyle replied that he wants to stay here!  Crazy after this year to hear him say that.  

Kyle is finishing up a session of swim lessons and wow! has he made some great progress!  I know he's been a little nervous and/or scared at times, but he has done everything his swim coach has asked of him and she has been great, not giving an inch when he balks.  He is so proud of himself every night after lessons!

Today we swung by Costco after Micah's appt., then came home for lunch, naps/quiet time, and headed out again for swim lessons.  Tuesday nights we meet a couple other families for dinner at Chik fil a, so that was our next stop after swim.  

Micah talked and walked the day away!  I have been keeping him up until 1:00 p.m. to take just one long nap a day the past week or so.  He can still do two naps, but they are sooo short and sometimes it takes forever to put him down when he does two naps a day.  I'm sure those of you who have little ones remember the change over from one to two naps.  

Well, the boys are asleep, Kevin has been playing his guitar this evening and I am about to dive in to some leftover birthday cake!  

Happy 1st Birthday Micah!

Dear Micah,

I can't believe you are 1 year old today; the time has gone so fast.  A year ago I was cuddling, swaddling, and nursing an  8lb 10oz, 20 1/4 inch little baby boy and tomorrow we will find out how big and tall you are now!  You are incredibly happy, all the time; smiling, squealing, talking, laughing.  

You love to sleep with daddy at night, and in the morning you crawl in to "your" room that you share with Kyle, looking for me and your brother.  You nod your head yes and no when we ask questions, walk, crawl, and climb to get whatever you need or want if it's not immediately in reach.  You love animals and the zoo has become very interesting to you in the past month or so.  You eat everything, you always have, and I don't know that there is anything we've offered you that you haven't tried.  Water is another favorite thing of yours; you are truly offended if one of us doesn't pull you in to the shower in the mornings and lately you ask to wash your hands at the downstairs bathroom sink whenever you notice someone else is about to wash up.  You've pretty much refused to use sign language, even though we started signing to you the week you were born!  You insist on "talking" and "making your own signs" or gesturing/pointing to get your ideas across to us.  You love to wrestle with your dad and brother in the evenings after dinner and "play" Super Mario Bros. on the WII with your "controller", aka the VCR remote control.

A few of your other favorite things include music (on the stereo or if daddy sings, but never mommy singing!), talking on the phone (and unlocking my phone to play with it), and driving our cars. 

This house here in TN is effectively the only home you've ever known, even though you were born in Tucson, and we lived in an apartment in Nashville for three months.  A lot happened when we moved in to this house; you stopped sleeping and started getting ear infection upon ear infection.  It was awful.  We were finally able to get tubes put in your ears at 6 months old, and wow! what a difference.  Not only were you no longer sick all the time, but you were vocal, like we'd never heard you before (probably because you could hear now, whereas before they said it was like you were hearing everything underwater).  

Your birthday party was amazing.  We had it yesterday and I was so worried because it was the first big event we have had since moving to TN, and the first time your father and I had anyone over to our place since moving in (besides family).  I was so blessed by the friends that attended the party and I enjoyed watching you, watch the big kids play and the way you ate your smash cake was picture perfect!  You collapsed for a nap after everyone left and I could smell the frosting in your hair as I kissed the top of your head before laying you down in bed.  

Today, I took you and your brother on a hike at Radnor Lake.  You received lots of birthday calls today and birthday wishes via video chat tonight. 

I'm sorry I haven't written about your first year the way I did your brother's, but I can assure you, that we have taken many, many pictures and your photo book is on it's way!  You adore looking at pictures of all of us, so your father and I are giving you a photo book for your present this year.

I love you Mister!

Love, Mama