St. Patrick's Day River Parade 2011

Fun day on the riverwalk. 

Yard Update #1 - March

The picture below is of a bed in the front of our house.  I was devastated that the freeze completely took my Nile of the Lillies.  I got them trimmed back, and look what's sprouting!!!!  I want to post this so that I can compare it in the next couple of months. 

The  new growth is so encouraging.  Still have quite a bit to clean out, but we're getting there!

The Monsters

Does anything melt a Momma's heart as much as this? 

Guess what I did today?  I emailed my boss.  Said I was leaving early to spend some time outside with the boys on this beautiful day.  So, I took both boys, by myself, to the park!!! 

We got home, ate an early dinner, and back outside we went!  Samuel is 16 months now!!! 

 Since I had my camera out, I thought it'd be cute to catch the two of them holding hands, and I'd snap them from behind.  Here's how it turned out....

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Ryan's "new home" is not sprinkler-system proof.  Nor, is it still with us.
2.  Mommy's "no", means Samuel's "yes".  And, this is loads of fun.  Yea Me!
3.  I just finished shopping for Ryan's summer clothes.  His last round was purchased almost two years ago.  (We just don't grow too quickly.)  He's set now... no more tiny 18 mos t-shirts being stretched in all directions to fit him. 
4.  Samuel had his second surgery of his life to replace his left tube.  For which he came out with two brand new, shiny tubes.  (one in each ear).  The Versed made him a crazy-monster after he woke up.  His crib was the safest place b/c he wanted to walk around, without assistance, while in his drunken state. 
5.  I think this is the Summer that swimming will "click" for Ryan!  And, Samuel will think it clicked for him.  We tested him with Mimi and Pop Pop's super cool pool.  He was willing to walk right in. 
6.  I have flowers in my yard!!!!!  I'm so excited.  Just a few, but I totally want to take credit for it!!!  Brooke, I'm still in the weeding, trimming, raking stage of this "gardening thing".  But, we can try to figure it out together!
7.  Sammy says "Mama" the CUTEST I've ever heard.  He shouts it. 
8.  I was recently in the "Working Mom Guilt-Gut Wrenching Anxiety" mode that I had to take control of.  Here's how I did it:
    a.  The obvious - prayer 
    b.  Became a sister with The Sister Project  (and the timing of this couldn't be more perfect
    c.  I now put my phone/emails/tv away while I'm home with the kids and they are awake.  (except   when the Bachelor is on)
    d.  Gardening   (so darn theraputic)
    e.  Giving myself a freakin' break. 
9.  I've gotten this question A LOT lately.  "So, what about a third?"  To that, I say "I'm 95% sure we're done."  Unless the Lord has other plans for us, and wants to shower our home with pink, we're out.  But, I do hang on to that 5%, and won't officially decide until Samuel is three. 
10.  Ryan watched Bambi for the first time last night.  (Working on my DVD Blu-ray Disney collection)  Didn't seem super excited about it.  Hmmmm. 

What Makes a Home, a Home?

For a three year old, not much.  My bar stools came in, and Ryan purchased his first home, all for the price of a whole lotta nada!  We had this box in our house for a few days with not a lot of interest.  Jenny came over for the weekend, and asked Ryan if the box was his fort.  His reply, "No, it's for the chairs."  See, the box isn't bright red, blue or yellow.  It doesn't flash, choo choo, or rock.  It doesn't go into a DVD player, and doesn't have the scent "chocolate" in it.  So, it was really of no interest to him.  Jenny was appauled. So...voila!  We have a window.

Ryan goes, "This is my new house."  Now, let's get real, you must have a friend, sister, or auntie that has the gift of decorating when you purchase a home.  So, as windows were made, and a door framed Ryan literally said, "We need to decorate it." 

Give Sammy a break.  He can't read yet. Samuel was just as excited as Ryan.  It was really cute.  I'll get real... He's just excited to be outside. 

It's all about who you know...

So, as Ryan got his PJs on, the adults (Mimi, Pop Pop, Jenny, Rod and I) thought it would be funny to say "night night" and start walking him outside to his "new house" for bed time.  We were all a little surprised when Ryan was completely agreeable, and sort of had the look of "Yep, that's right.  My new house."  So, we all headed out with him for his big night in his new home.  Ha.  I laugh b/c he looks terrified in the picture below. 

I think he's starting to question his enthusiasm. 

In we go.  Jenny told him a story, and it was "lights out" for his Thomas the Train flashlight, but Glowworm could stay on, as often as he hit the belly. (which was A LOT... every time it went out, he'd hit it again).  So, all the adults headed back inside after we fare-welled him to his new home.  Okay, so here is where my mommy-anxiety came in.  "Is he going to feel abandoned?  Will he sense we've left him for dead in the cold?  Will he remember this day as the day Mom thought it was a good idea for me to sleep in a box?"

He's pretty psyched, confused, cold....

But, I quickly went back inside to enjoy the warmth of my home.  And, to take a picture so you can see where his house is in relation to ours.  Mommy anxiety couldn't take it.  He wasn't crying, shouting, or anything.  I thought, could he actually fall asleep out t here, and we have to carry him in for the night???  Well, I couldn't take it, so I went out there.  How you see him in the pic above is how I found him.  Sucking his thumb. 

I knocked on the door to see if he wanted to come inside.  He had a HUGE smile on his face.  Not because he was getting to head inside.  It was a smile of pride that he "did it".  He "slept" outside.  It was so sweet.  He was loving his house.  The smile actually started at the point that Jenny broke ground on the front door. 

Next day, he continued unpacking and decorating his home. 

I love this picture below.  He and I set up for a puzzle and a bag of popcorn!  We were outside all weekend.  And, I LOVED it!!!! 



Side note:  I'm going to start taking pictures of our yard.  I'm now a full on gardening addict.  I don't feel like gardening is the right word though.  I'm full on pulling weeds, trimming bushes, branches, you name it.  I'm LOVING it.  It's soooo therapeutic for me.