Finally... the weather is cooling off, we're back into a school routine, and FOOTBALL has started :D This is by far my most favoritest (yeah, I know it's not a word) season.
Aiden is back to school...he's in kindergarten this year. He is already on his 3rd 'full' week. The first day he informed me that he got to ride the bus twice, had THREE recesses, they had cheeseburgers (his favorite) for lunch, and snack was a really yummy yellow thing with white frosting (honestly I think it was a Twinky). After all, those ARE the most important parts of kindergarten!
After the first or second day of school grandma Sullivan came down to ask how Aiden's day went, but he was busy watching TV. (I think his brain was fried) I finally shut the TV off and he talked for about 5 minutes, got up and turned the TV back on, and said, "Ok, you can leave now" I think the big kid attitude has struck!! Luckily for his teacher the attitude only seems to happen at home. They get 3 pennies at the beginning of each day, and their goal is to make good decisions so they can keep their pennies. Aiden has only lost one penny so far, although I have not been informed how he lost it.
Oh yeah, he also has 2 loose teeth...yeah, loose teeth already. I told him to just keep wiggling them, which is kinda freaking Brian out. Apparently he prefers the yank 'em out approach :S Well whenever they fall out, Aiden is very excited for the tooth fairy, who will be delivering a surprise to the kitchen counter, NOT under the pillow!!
Connor is adjusting pretty well to having mom and most of the house to himself all day. He's not always too happy that he has to go back in the house after Aiden gets on the bus, but I think its more because he loves to play outside than wanting his brother to come back. By the end of the day, however, he is VERY excited when big brother walks in the house.
Connor has definitely given up on the crawling thing. He walks everywhere and even carries things with him, which is great news for my floors! He doesn't really talk yet, but there are recognizable sounds such as uh-oh, and buh (book), bah (bath) and who dah? (whats that?) He is also starting to learn that words mean different things. I can tell him to go get something like a book or a toy and he can go find it and give it to me. He is a goofball pretty much all the time, and loves to play with Brian before he has to go to bed at night.
For as little effort as we put into the garden (after we planted it) we got a pretty decent crop this year. The rabbits took care of the peas, beans, lettuce, and most broccoli, but we got a few ears of corn before the coons took over, and lots of carrots. We even have a few peppers, which I forgot were even still buried in all the weeds. Next year I think we will skip the corn (the coons are impossible to keep out) but at least attempt to keep the rabbits out so we can have a little larger variety.
Well this got a little longer than anticipated...I guess I will do a part 2 for anyone who cares what I have been up to lately (oh, and Brian, can't forget about him!!)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
three weeks
I just finished reading a novel about 3 women who were given the chance to go back in time and relive any three weeks of their life they chose. At the end of the 3 weeks they were brought back to present time, and given the choice to continue their lives the way it played out originally, or to choose the new life created by changing three weeks. (Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux) Of course to make the story interesting the women chose to go back and change encounters they had with men and choices they made in the past that they felt were making them miserable now.
Not that I am anywhere near being miserable, but my mind wandered off into "What if's", and I started wondering which three weeks I would choose if I was given the choice. A few years ago, I may have chosen a path that would let me pursue my "career" as an engineer with no worry of day cares and school systems, or how often we would be able to visit grandparents. Maybe I would have used my foresight to convince Brian to choose a position where he wasn't going to get laid off after a couple years, or where I would certainly have an engineering job available to me even if he didn't. I could have chosen a life that provided a more substantial income, more vacations, a bigger house with a bigger TV, more shopping trips just because.
But then I came out of 'what if' land and looked around me. At a house that I had helped design every detail of and had a hand in almost every step of building. A view that is gorgeous even on a day that makes you want to curl up and hide inside. Two adorable blonde boys that I wouldn't trade for the world (even when they are driving me and each other mad). An amazing husband who helped make most of those things possible, and even puts up with me when I can barely put up with myself.
Of course there are things that would be nice if they could be changed... a few less months waiting for paper work and excavators so we could start building our house, being able to spend more time with Aiden while the house was being built and Connor was turning his life as he knew it upside down, and having a larger budget to work with so we could have done all the "we can add that later" stuff right away.
Then there are the things that I would like to have changed that I'm currently working on... a few less baby pounds around the middle, a few more dollars in our savings account, and of course a little (or a lot) less guilt about staying home with the boys when our budget is tighter than we would like.
So which three weeks would I choose?
Honestly, I love what I do, and when I actually have the courage and the discipline to do it right it, my Mary Kay business makes life so much less stressful. I feel successful, Brian can relax and enjoy the time he has alone with the boys, and everyone is happy. So I would go back to July 10, 2009, the day after I started my Mary Kay business, and I would take all the knowledge I have gained in the last 2 years and I would take off running and never stop!! I wouldn't let the small things discourage me, I would force myself to learn the discipline to work this business as a business. I would ignore the voices in my head that convinced me not to pick up the phone to ask SO many times. I wouldn't let it take me 2 years to figure out that the only way to fail is to quit. (and of course I would choose to remember what I know now so the house would get started in May, not August, and who knows what else)
But of course, there is no magic time machine that could send me back. So I will have to accept that the house got built (no matter how stressful it was), that we will always have more projects on the to do list, no matter how many we cross off, and that right now the best things in life had better be free, cause otherwise they're probably not in the budget.
As for taking off running and never quitting... I am FINALLY at a point in my business that I feel the work I have done in the past starting to pay off, and I just have to keep myself working to keep it that way. I may not have gotten where I want to be yet, and I may not have gotten to this point as quickly as I wanted, but I'm here now, and I know HOW to get where I want. I have to keep working. Working smart, working consistently, and NEVER quitting.
And whenever I get to where I want to be now, I hope that I want to do more and be more, and that if given the chance, that I would have nothing to go back and change.
Not that I am anywhere near being miserable, but my mind wandered off into "What if's", and I started wondering which three weeks I would choose if I was given the choice. A few years ago, I may have chosen a path that would let me pursue my "career" as an engineer with no worry of day cares and school systems, or how often we would be able to visit grandparents. Maybe I would have used my foresight to convince Brian to choose a position where he wasn't going to get laid off after a couple years, or where I would certainly have an engineering job available to me even if he didn't. I could have chosen a life that provided a more substantial income, more vacations, a bigger house with a bigger TV, more shopping trips just because.
But then I came out of 'what if' land and looked around me. At a house that I had helped design every detail of and had a hand in almost every step of building. A view that is gorgeous even on a day that makes you want to curl up and hide inside. Two adorable blonde boys that I wouldn't trade for the world (even when they are driving me and each other mad). An amazing husband who helped make most of those things possible, and even puts up with me when I can barely put up with myself.
Of course there are things that would be nice if they could be changed... a few less months waiting for paper work and excavators so we could start building our house, being able to spend more time with Aiden while the house was being built and Connor was turning his life as he knew it upside down, and having a larger budget to work with so we could have done all the "we can add that later" stuff right away.
Then there are the things that I would like to have changed that I'm currently working on... a few less baby pounds around the middle, a few more dollars in our savings account, and of course a little (or a lot) less guilt about staying home with the boys when our budget is tighter than we would like.
So which three weeks would I choose?
Honestly, I love what I do, and when I actually have the courage and the discipline to do it right it, my Mary Kay business makes life so much less stressful. I feel successful, Brian can relax and enjoy the time he has alone with the boys, and everyone is happy. So I would go back to July 10, 2009, the day after I started my Mary Kay business, and I would take all the knowledge I have gained in the last 2 years and I would take off running and never stop!! I wouldn't let the small things discourage me, I would force myself to learn the discipline to work this business as a business. I would ignore the voices in my head that convinced me not to pick up the phone to ask SO many times. I wouldn't let it take me 2 years to figure out that the only way to fail is to quit. (and of course I would choose to remember what I know now so the house would get started in May, not August, and who knows what else)
But of course, there is no magic time machine that could send me back. So I will have to accept that the house got built (no matter how stressful it was), that we will always have more projects on the to do list, no matter how many we cross off, and that right now the best things in life had better be free, cause otherwise they're probably not in the budget.
As for taking off running and never quitting... I am FINALLY at a point in my business that I feel the work I have done in the past starting to pay off, and I just have to keep myself working to keep it that way. I may not have gotten where I want to be yet, and I may not have gotten to this point as quickly as I wanted, but I'm here now, and I know HOW to get where I want. I have to keep working. Working smart, working consistently, and NEVER quitting.
And whenever I get to where I want to be now, I hope that I want to do more and be more, and that if given the chance, that I would have nothing to go back and change.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Boys will be boys...
I am soooo glad the weather is finally nice out, and so are the boys!! Aiden has been spending as much time outside as we will let him. Riding his bike (he is getting really good, now he just needs a slightly larger bike), driving his dump truck and Tonka crane around the yard, and a lot of the time... picking up rocks! At the age of "more than 4 and three quarters, almost 5" Aiden is still thrilled to get to help pick up rocks, put them in his trucks, and drive them to the next pile (or dump them in the pond).
Today after lunch we decided to head outside and get some fresh air (and burn off a little energy) before the boys' naps. I didn't really feel like picking up rocks, but Aiden was all for it, so I picked up a few here and there as we walked around the pond. As we got most of the way around the pond, Aiden decided he needed to go potty. Only he didn't tell me he needed to go, he just pulled down his pants and peed. With his pants around his ankles. Facing the ditch. 20 feet from a state highway. (and from what I saw, I think he was trying to write his name in the dirt, or water most of the ditch)
I have 2 sisters, raising boys is filled with new experiences, and this was one of them. It took everything I had not to burst out laughing as I told him to pull up his pants and explained that he couldn't go pee just anywhere, even if he was out by the pond. He said "Oh, so if I have to go potty outside, I should go over there by the woods, 'cause its OK to pee in the woods" Again trying really hard not to laugh (not sure it worked that time) I just nodded and said, "Sure"
Today after lunch we decided to head outside and get some fresh air (and burn off a little energy) before the boys' naps. I didn't really feel like picking up rocks, but Aiden was all for it, so I picked up a few here and there as we walked around the pond. As we got most of the way around the pond, Aiden decided he needed to go potty. Only he didn't tell me he needed to go, he just pulled down his pants and peed. With his pants around his ankles. Facing the ditch. 20 feet from a state highway. (and from what I saw, I think he was trying to write his name in the dirt, or water most of the ditch)
I have 2 sisters, raising boys is filled with new experiences, and this was one of them. It took everything I had not to burst out laughing as I told him to pull up his pants and explained that he couldn't go pee just anywhere, even if he was out by the pond. He said "Oh, so if I have to go potty outside, I should go over there by the woods, 'cause its OK to pee in the woods" Again trying really hard not to laugh (not sure it worked that time) I just nodded and said, "Sure"
- T-Ball -
So t-ball started yesterday for Aiden, (and about 25 other 3-5 year olds). Aiden has been looking forward to t-ball for weeks. Sunday night, Aiden asked at least 4 times if he needed to get up early for t-ball? Would there be time to play before t-ball? Did we have his glove to take along? At 9pm, I was still trying to assure him that there was no need to be up early to go to t-ball at 9:30am.... so of course he bounced out of bed at 6:15 AM. And by 6:30, we had reached 20 questions about t-ball practice. By the time we left the house at 9 I was about ready to have an anxiety attack from all the what-if's and why's and what about's... and I just had to go drop him off and pick him up!!
I was pretty sure there wouldn't actually be a t-ball game occurring during the first 45 minute t-ball practice, especially when I found out there were 25 kids and 2 adults! Aiden, however, seemed thoroughly disappointed that they ONLY got to practice throwing, getting the ball into their gloves, catching, running bases, and batting. "We didn't actually play t-ball" was his response to anyone asking how the first day of t-ball went.
-Thing 2 -
Connor is now 11 months, has 10 teeth, and is still using anything that will move as a walker.
He has cut 2 new teeth in the last 2 week, one 12month molar, and one tooth on the bottom between the teeth he has and the large lump where yet another molar is trying to come through. He is still working on the other 3 molars, and probably the other bottom tooth. Needless to say, he's had some very grumpy evenings, and lots of sleepy days.
Remembering how difficult it was to get Aiden to take whole milk instead of formula, I decided to buy a small carton of milk and start getting Connor used to it. I gave him about an ounce with his lunch, and he sucked it right down!! He won't drink straight water, but milk he seems to love. At first I was a little confused as to how switching Connor could be so easy, when Aiden had fussed about it for weeks! Then I remembered, Connor was already used to the sippy cup and he was used to drinking his formula cold... 2 changes we tried to make at the same time as switching Aiden from formula to milk.
I just kind of smiled and thought, "oh the things you learn from the first child that makes the second one easier". Then Connor looked at Aiden, stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at him, and Aiden did it right back. And I thought... "oh the things the second one learns from the first one that will make this so much more difficult!!"
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Lessons from a four (and three quarters) year old
Yesterday I was out on the driveway with Aiden. He had mastered riding his bike without training wheels, but only after getting a push to get going. We have a long, gravel, not-so-level driveway... it was time for him to figure out how to get himself going. So I gave him a few pointers, and a few more good pushes to get him going, then stood back and watched.
What did I observe? It's REALLY hard to keep your balance on a bike when you're leaned over the side staring at your feet!! He would put one foot up, and watch it as he pushed off a little and put the other foot up. The pedals would make it almost one rotation, then he would tip over and try again with the other foot. I watched this process a few times, then yelled "watch where you're going and quit staring at your feet!!"
Off he went!! He made it all of 10 feet and stopped... then proceeded to stare at his feet and go 2 feet at a time. Again, I watched for a few minutes, then yelled "Stop staring at your feet"...off he went!! That time it seemed to sink in.
And what did I learn? Life goes a lot more smoothly when you keep your focus on where you are headed, and don't get quite so caught up in what your feet are doing.
Focus on what you want to accomplish and who you want to be, and just know that as long as you are doing the things that need to be done, you will get there. As soon as you start getting caught up in the processes that make up your life (waking up early, the to-do list, the house work, the screaming kids) instead of focusing on the big picture and appreciating your life and accomplishing your goals, you lose your balance and the bike stops moving forward.
So look up, decide where you're going, and start pedaling!!
What did I observe? It's REALLY hard to keep your balance on a bike when you're leaned over the side staring at your feet!! He would put one foot up, and watch it as he pushed off a little and put the other foot up. The pedals would make it almost one rotation, then he would tip over and try again with the other foot. I watched this process a few times, then yelled "watch where you're going and quit staring at your feet!!"
Off he went!! He made it all of 10 feet and stopped... then proceeded to stare at his feet and go 2 feet at a time. Again, I watched for a few minutes, then yelled "Stop staring at your feet"...off he went!! That time it seemed to sink in.
And what did I learn? Life goes a lot more smoothly when you keep your focus on where you are headed, and don't get quite so caught up in what your feet are doing.
Focus on what you want to accomplish and who you want to be, and just know that as long as you are doing the things that need to be done, you will get there. As soon as you start getting caught up in the processes that make up your life (waking up early, the to-do list, the house work, the screaming kids) instead of focusing on the big picture and appreciating your life and accomplishing your goals, you lose your balance and the bike stops moving forward.
So look up, decide where you're going, and start pedaling!!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Its May!?!
Mother nature must have been celebrating Mother's Day because I was actually able to take Aiden outside to play and work on projects AND we have grass growing in our yard!!
Last week was a surprisingly good week around here. Normally I'm the one running out of the house after Brian gets home from work. But last week Brian was gone 2 nights after work and half of Saturday, leaving me alone with both boys for most of the week. I say last week was surprisingly good because I managed to keep my sanity for MOST of the week. The nice weather helped that a lot. Aiden and I were able to go out and work on picking the yard up a little...moving rocks, picking up sticks, admiring the pond, etc.
Thursday night Brian and I were both supposed to go to a contractor's appreciation dinner with his parents, but of course that would have required finding a babysitter. Aiden has been less than willing to listen (to me or anyone) at bedtime, and Connor has suddenly decided that mom probably shouldn't leave the room...ever. Of course finding a sitter was also put off til the last minute after being gone all weekend for a wedding and focusing on going to Mason City Monday night for a Mary Kay event.
Thursday arrived, and we had no sitter, so I stayed home and spent half the evening giving the boys a bath. Well, watching the boys give each other a bath. Connor loves to splash in the bathtub, so he usually ends up getting everyone wet. And Aiden is ALWAYS wanting to help, so he gives Connor a bath.
After a long week of lots of time with the boys, Brian still had some work to get done Saturday morning, so I took the boys with me to run errands. We took back cans and bottles, went to the library, made a few Mary Kay stops, then came home and put Connor down for a nap. Aiden and I finished cleaning up the garage and waited for Brian to get home for lunch. Aiden actually took a nap, at the same time as Connor, so Brian turned on golf and I retreated to our room with the first book I got to read in months.
The boys woke up, both pretty happy, and Brian asked Aiden if he wanted to help him take back the movie we had rented and do some shopping. I suggested he take Connor (a MUCH better shopper)with him and Aiden and I would go explore the woods and meet them at grandma & grandpa's when they got done shopping. (Of course I reminded him to get something for his mom & grandma, and not to get me anything) Aiden loved walking up the 4-wheeler path and was immediately "put to work" checking out the new trailer and filling bird feeders.
Brian mostly listened, he had flowers and cards for grandma & great-grandma, and he couldn't resist getting me a card that read...
This week will hopefully be a busy one. I've got meetings Monday & Tuesday, aplay date Tuesday, a party scheduled for Thursday, Aiden has Pre-K graduation Friday, and I've got another party Sunday. I also have 8 more parties to book for Mary Kay's birthday, and I would LOVE to get my garden started this weekend.
Last week was a surprisingly good week around here. Normally I'm the one running out of the house after Brian gets home from work. But last week Brian was gone 2 nights after work and half of Saturday, leaving me alone with both boys for most of the week. I say last week was surprisingly good because I managed to keep my sanity for MOST of the week. The nice weather helped that a lot. Aiden and I were able to go out and work on picking the yard up a little...moving rocks, picking up sticks, admiring the pond, etc.
Thursday night Brian and I were both supposed to go to a contractor's appreciation dinner with his parents, but of course that would have required finding a babysitter. Aiden has been less than willing to listen (to me or anyone) at bedtime, and Connor has suddenly decided that mom probably shouldn't leave the room...ever. Of course finding a sitter was also put off til the last minute after being gone all weekend for a wedding and focusing on going to Mason City Monday night for a Mary Kay event.
Thursday arrived, and we had no sitter, so I stayed home and spent half the evening giving the boys a bath. Well, watching the boys give each other a bath. Connor loves to splash in the bathtub, so he usually ends up getting everyone wet. And Aiden is ALWAYS wanting to help, so he gives Connor a bath.
After a long week of lots of time with the boys, Brian still had some work to get done Saturday morning, so I took the boys with me to run errands. We took back cans and bottles, went to the library, made a few Mary Kay stops, then came home and put Connor down for a nap. Aiden and I finished cleaning up the garage and waited for Brian to get home for lunch. Aiden actually took a nap, at the same time as Connor, so Brian turned on golf and I retreated to our room with the first book I got to read in months.
The boys woke up, both pretty happy, and Brian asked Aiden if he wanted to help him take back the movie we had rented and do some shopping. I suggested he take Connor (a MUCH better shopper)with him and Aiden and I would go explore the woods and meet them at grandma & grandpa's when they got done shopping. (Of course I reminded him to get something for his mom & grandma, and not to get me anything) Aiden loved walking up the 4-wheeler path and was immediately "put to work" checking out the new trailer and filling bird feeders.
Brian mostly listened, he had flowers and cards for grandma & great-grandma, and he couldn't resist getting me a card that read...
Good moms let their kids lick the beaters....GREAT moms turn the mixer off first!
It also came with a mint plant and a bag of limes (both of which were on my shopping list)
After dinner Aiden decided he was staying to help grandpa make pancakes for grandma on Mother's day, and Brian and I put Connor to bed and I read a few more chapters while Brian got the fire pit and mojitos (limes, mint, rum & sprite) ready.
Sunday morning I woke up to only one screaming child, drug Brian & Connor to church, made sure Aiden was at Sunday school, and came home and read, and read, and read some more. The book was pretty good, but being able to sit and read and ignore pretty much everything else was amazing! I finished the book Sunday night before going to bed... an entire novel in a day and a half, I hadn't done that since high school. Happy Mother's Day to me :D
This week will hopefully be a busy one. I've got meetings Monday & Tuesday, aplay date Tuesday, a party scheduled for Thursday, Aiden has Pre-K graduation Friday, and I've got another party Sunday. I also have 8 more parties to book for Mary Kay's birthday, and I would LOVE to get my garden started this weekend.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
on a little more serious note...
This entry is going to be a little more somber than most, sorry. And please, no political remarks... I am merely expressing my thoughts.
I woke up Monday morning and after getting 2 boys breakfast and the kitchen somewhat clean, I finally had a chance to check to see what was going on in the world outside of Camp Swampy. I turned the computer on, checked my emails, and logged in to Facebook. It took me about 30 seconds of reading status updates to figure out what the biggest story of the weekend was.
I still haven't quite figured out how to react to the news of bin Laden's death. Yes, he was beyond a terrible person who is responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people. Yes, he needed to be stopped before he could kill thousands more. If I had the choice of putting a bullet through his head or letting him go free, I probably would have pulled the trigger.
But I'm not ready to dance and sing about the fact that we killed a man for killing people. The message doesn't seem quite right. How do we tell our children that violence is not the answer when we celebrate assassinating an enemy? Its like spanking a toddler while scolding them for hitting someone, they're not going to get the message we are trying to send.
And now what... more violence? higher oil prices? more countries wanting us to come fight their wars and assassinate their tyrannous dictators?
Yes, the man that is responsible for killing thousands of innocent people is dead... but what has changed? Another reason for our children to accept violence as a part of their lives, and another step from a world of peace and understanding.
I woke up Monday morning and after getting 2 boys breakfast and the kitchen somewhat clean, I finally had a chance to check to see what was going on in the world outside of Camp Swampy. I turned the computer on, checked my emails, and logged in to Facebook. It took me about 30 seconds of reading status updates to figure out what the biggest story of the weekend was.
I still haven't quite figured out how to react to the news of bin Laden's death. Yes, he was beyond a terrible person who is responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people. Yes, he needed to be stopped before he could kill thousands more. If I had the choice of putting a bullet through his head or letting him go free, I probably would have pulled the trigger.
But I'm not ready to dance and sing about the fact that we killed a man for killing people. The message doesn't seem quite right. How do we tell our children that violence is not the answer when we celebrate assassinating an enemy? Its like spanking a toddler while scolding them for hitting someone, they're not going to get the message we are trying to send.
And now what... more violence? higher oil prices? more countries wanting us to come fight their wars and assassinate their tyrannous dictators?
Yes, the man that is responsible for killing thousands of innocent people is dead... but what has changed? Another reason for our children to accept violence as a part of their lives, and another step from a world of peace and understanding.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
This one's for Aunt Wisha
Somehow my sister giving up FB for Lent requires more blogging effort on my part...
Connor Updates:
Nothing is safe anymore! He as learned to open doors, drawers, ovens, everything. And he remembers that he knew how to open a cupboard door, and does not like it when I baby proof the tupperware cupboard in the middle of him digging out his favorite toys.
He also knows how to crawl, but he still chooses not to until he is within a few feet of his target, then he gets up on all fours knowing it gets him a little closer to standing up on whatever is in front of him. Walking isn't too far off. He is constantly grabbing my fingers to hold him up so he can lead me to whatever he thinks he needs, so he already knows walking is faster than crawling.
He took his first bath in the big bathtub last week. Aiden thought it was pretty cool that he got to help give Connor a bath, but insisted on adding more water as soon as his little brother was out of the tub. Connor has no fear, he was splashing around on his tummy and crawling all over in the tub (something it took Aiden almost 4 years to attempt) Apparently seeing the first one survive everything he's done has given me more faith that the second one won't break either!
Aiden Updates:
Aiden's pre-K class is already working on the letter X, which means I need to start figuring out how to keep him occupied all summer! He has been riding the bus to and from school everyday except Tuesday when I drop him off. I think coloring is his favorite activity, both at home and at school. I can give him a bucket of crayons and a coloring book and keep him busy for at least an hour at a time. He has finished a few coloring contest pictures too, and they were VERY impressive and VERY colorful!
We bought some seeds to start our vegetable garden, and last week we started some of the seeds inside. We planted lettuce, broccoli, watermelons, and pumpkins on Monday. The package said we would see plants in 7-14 days. We were both amazed to see lettuce and broccoli already on Thursday, pumpkins on Saturday, and watermelons on Sunday! (I will post a few pics here, and will probably have a separate blog post about the garden, since we have also been keeping a journal to keep track of what we see and learn.)
We had a busy week last week. Brian's grandma came home from being in Texas for the winter, so we were there Thursday evening and Friday afternoon helping her get settled back in and taking care of her technology. Saturday we headed to western Iowa for Great Grandma Clancy's Tapestry of Tables luncheon followed by church, a grill out at Great Grandma Buelt's, then a bowling party to celebrate spring birthdays. On Sunday Aiden gave grandpa a tour of the farm, cuz I'm sure grandpa hadn't been all the places Aiden found at any point in the last 21 years.
Connor Updates:
Nothing is safe anymore! He as learned to open doors, drawers, ovens, everything. And he remembers that he knew how to open a cupboard door, and does not like it when I baby proof the tupperware cupboard in the middle of him digging out his favorite toys.
He also knows how to crawl, but he still chooses not to until he is within a few feet of his target, then he gets up on all fours knowing it gets him a little closer to standing up on whatever is in front of him. Walking isn't too far off. He is constantly grabbing my fingers to hold him up so he can lead me to whatever he thinks he needs, so he already knows walking is faster than crawling.
He took his first bath in the big bathtub last week. Aiden thought it was pretty cool that he got to help give Connor a bath, but insisted on adding more water as soon as his little brother was out of the tub. Connor has no fear, he was splashing around on his tummy and crawling all over in the tub (something it took Aiden almost 4 years to attempt) Apparently seeing the first one survive everything he's done has given me more faith that the second one won't break either!
Aiden Updates:
Aiden's pre-K class is already working on the letter X, which means I need to start figuring out how to keep him occupied all summer! He has been riding the bus to and from school everyday except Tuesday when I drop him off. I think coloring is his favorite activity, both at home and at school. I can give him a bucket of crayons and a coloring book and keep him busy for at least an hour at a time. He has finished a few coloring contest pictures too, and they were VERY impressive and VERY colorful!
We bought some seeds to start our vegetable garden, and last week we started some of the seeds inside. We planted lettuce, broccoli, watermelons, and pumpkins on Monday. The package said we would see plants in 7-14 days. We were both amazed to see lettuce and broccoli already on Thursday, pumpkins on Saturday, and watermelons on Sunday! (I will post a few pics here, and will probably have a separate blog post about the garden, since we have also been keeping a journal to keep track of what we see and learn.)
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| Putting dirt in the garden |
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| These are all the seeds we bought... we won't have to buy veggies all summer! |
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| Pumpkins 5 days after they were planted... and they said it would take 7-14 days to germinate |
We had a busy week last week. Brian's grandma came home from being in Texas for the winter, so we were there Thursday evening and Friday afternoon helping her get settled back in and taking care of her technology. Saturday we headed to western Iowa for Great Grandma Clancy's Tapestry of Tables luncheon followed by church, a grill out at Great Grandma Buelt's, then a bowling party to celebrate spring birthdays. On Sunday Aiden gave grandpa a tour of the farm, cuz I'm sure grandpa hadn't been all the places Aiden found at any point in the last 21 years.
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