Pre-Birthday Celebration

In our house, it seems like it's not just a birth-day, it's more like a birth-week or longer!

So, Biggest Brother's birth-week began this past weekend. He had been asking to go to the driving range. He inherited some golf clubs from a family friend and wanted to put them to good use. So, we went...

After a couple of buckets of balls and (me) going cRaZy chasing the littlest one around, they headed to the putting green for some practice. This is where my middle guy yells- "Mommy, I just got a hole in 10!!!" We had a lot of talks about golf etiquette and how golf is a quiet sport. Then, it was just time to go. Next time, it might be best to leave this for the older crowd only!

And just because they are cute...

 Lastly, this has nothing to do with birthdays! My neighbor called me over the other day and wanted to let me know that he thought my boys were sneaking food and leaving the wrappers in my window sill. Well, this is what he was noticing...

These are actually full and not from the big boys at all. Each day, the Littlest Guy empties my pantry through the slats in our blinds. Applesauce, granola bars, etc- all basking in the sun!

Baby Update, Vegas, and More

Being forever behind on the things I have to do and leaving no time for the things I want to do? I hope this isn't my new normal. Ever since I got pregnant I rarely pick up the camera. If I do, the pictures just sit there until I (rarely) get a second wind once the boys are in bed. Then, I download them. Every so often, I actually edit them and even fewer make it to the blog these days!

Today is just one of those days when I got the second wind and a few minutes of quiet to post a quick update.

On Leap Day (Feb 29) we found out we are going to be the proud parents of Baby BOY #3! We had a full room and a grouchy ultrasound tech, so there weren't any photos of the moment. However, I still want to remember the day. Kevin, my mom, and the boys were all there. We were so excited to find out whether this was Littlest Brother or Little Sister. The grouchy tech didn't even make it fun and just passed over it like it was a kidney! In fact, the boys didn't even hear her, so I had to repeat it. That's when Little Brother exclaimed, "It's like all my wishes have come true!" I didn't even know he was hoping so strongly for a Littler Brother!

Everything checked out well- he's growing well, got all the parts, and has a cute profile and feet!

The next day, Kevin and I headed to Las Vegas for a little getaway. My mom graciously stayed with the boys, spoiled them, tired them out and loved on them for 4 days, while we whooped it up in Vegas (as much as you can when you are 5 months pregnant!) And, just like I explained in the intro to this blog, I didn't take pictures of our trip. Kevin took one on his iPhone of me and an old teaching buddy I was able to reconnect with. So, here's my 5 month belly shot in front of Caesar's Palace!

Vegas was a fun time. We stayed at the Cosmopolitan. Ate at some great places: Hash House A Go Go (mmmm!), Cabo Wabo Cantina, Earl of Sandwich, Taqueira Canonita, and much more! Eating was somewhat of a hobby for us! We saw the Cirque du Soleil "O" show. It was absolutely amazing: every act got better and more amazing. Those people are seriously talented! We even sat just a few rows behind Owen Wilson and his date. My kids were rather impressed since they love the Cars Movies! Had some nice weather to lay out by the pool. I'm glad there were no cameras for that!!! I also gambled for the first time ever. We made $2 at the Roulette table after an hour. Then, Kevin talked me into trying BlackJack. I was terrified. I started with $60 and made $65 in less than 15 minutes. I had amazing luck, getting 20 and 21 on almost every hand. I figured my luck would run out soon and the rude drunk guys blowing smoke at me was enough- so I walked away with my winnings. Kevin says I didn't play BlackJack. He says they paid me to sit at the table. Nonetheless, it was fun!

And for the last update: I'm now a little over 24 weeks pregnant. Tonight the boys came down with pillows in their shirts pretending to have babies in there. It was a good reminder that I have very few belly photos so far, so we got out the camera to document the growth! The baby is kicking a lot. Most nights when I read to the boys he really gets crazy. The boys love to feel him kick and I think it makes it a little more real to them. They like to come up with names for him too. Let's just say I hope they let their future wives name their children some day!

As for me, I am feeling really good at this point. I am working hard to "recollect" all the baby gear I got rid of this summer. I have been hitting up Craigslist, Goodwill, and garage sales like crazy. It's fun to see what kind of bargains I can find. I have also finally succumbed to wearing maternity clothes. I had it in my crazy mind that I could just get away with my own stuff for the whole 9 months! I made it 6 months, but now I am opting for the comfy stuff! (Who was I kidding anyways?!)

Ben Franklin

Big Brother's class just finished a very long unit and project on Famous American's. He was assigned Benjamin Franklin. He had to fill out a research paper, make a poster, write a report, make a timeline in technology, and participate in a Museum Day at the school. Yesterday was the Museum Day. Parents and friends crowded the gym to be a part of their special day. The students had to stand in costume by their poster (like a wax statue) and when someone pushed a button they made, the students would "come to life" and present their report. It was a big project and big learning opportunity and a lot of fun for him.

At home before school. The suit and pants were from Goodwill. The "wig" was an idea from internet-land - we glued cotton balls to an old had. The glasses were borrowed from a neighbor friend.

Standing with his poster. He took the day very seriously and made us push his button to come to life for the photos!

Little Brother was off school and went with us. He always has to ham it up for the camera! Here's a shot of my belly- I'm 23 weeks as of yesterday....

Sunday Suit

Last Sunday was Daddy's birthday and we started our day at church. Big Brother has a project going on at school which includes dressing up like Benjamin Franklin. We've been slowly gathering items for this costume from Goodwill and friends. We were rather surprised when he came out of his room wearing his Sunday Suit, complete with a non-matching shirt and clip on tie. We tried not to chuckle, told him how nice he looked and headed out the door. However, that's when we all realized he has no shoes other than Sketchers and Crocs. So, Sketchers it was! He got so many compliments from his Sunday School teachers. I think he was feeling pretty proud of his outfit that day!

(The first photo includes glasses for his costume. Those were not worn to church. Don't you love how Little Brother has to be a part of everything around here? I love how Big Brother is trying to keep him out of the photo, but still smile for me!)

After church, we got a quick lunch and ate a picnic outside and did a little shopping at the outlet stores. Despite it being Daddy's birthday, only the boys' scored some new pants on that trip. Isn't that the way it is once you become a parent? We headed home and the boys were excited to finally decorate the cake they'd been planning for quite some time ---  a Lego Ninja Birthday cake- just what every 38 year old wants!

Introducing Baby #3

The real reason my blog has been neglected since November is due to this little surprise.....

This was an ultrasound 10 weeks ago. I am now 18 weeks and counting. So, this little one has grown. Let's' be honest, I've grown too. I haven't been courageous enough to get any tummy pics. But, I don't think this belly will be getting much smaller any time soon! As you can see on the picture, my due date is July 19, but who's counting?

Funny story, I was at the gym working out last week (I try to go a few times a week just because I can this time. My pregnancies with the boys were much more complicated.) I was laying flat on one of those skinny little benches, when I realized I wouldn't be able to get up very graciously. So, I dropped my weights, and grunted my way up, while telling my friend, "I had better move to the inclined bench from now on." Some random guy next to me blurts out, "It's called working on your core. It would help you get up easier." To which I replied, "It's called being 5 months pregnant. I have no core left...." He stammered his way through a very lame apology and shut up. It was quite amazing that he would have the gall to say something like that to someone. My friend and I got a good laugh out of that!

We find out the sex in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait. I'm kind of a planner. If you know me at all, you probably knew that. So, considering this was a surprise addition to our family, I can't wait to find out boy or girl. At least it will help me to have some sort of picture of what our newly extended family will look like! 

It's not just my blog that's neglected. It's my house, my friends, my laundry, my everything else! I have just enough energy to buy some groceries, sometimes make meals, and take care of my boys. Outside of that, not much else is happening! First trimester, I was crazy nauseous most of the time and super tired. Luckily, the nausea is intermittent now, but the exhaustion is still there. I've just had to let go of my normal expectations of what I can do and accept what I do get done. 

So, now you know why it's past Valentine's Day and I still haven't uploaded my Christmas photos. 

Did he get dressed by himself?

That was the question all the Moms up at school asked me about Little Brother this morning!

Besides church and a couple extra days each year, our boys pick out their clothes and get dressed on their own every day. Most of the time things go pretty well. They don't always match, but it's doable. Every once in a while, my kids are the talk of the "drop-off Moms" at school. This happened to be one of those days! He was so proud of wearing his cowboy boots and told me, "I look really special today!" 

How can you fight that?

Around our house

I've been busy posting about special days and special visitors, but I felt it was time to share a little of the day to day stuff that is happening around our house these days.

1. A Random Conversation:

LB(lil bro): Do you think we'll trick-or-treat or just hand out candy?
Me: Which do you want to do?
LB: Trick-or-treat because I love candy. It's so yummy.
BB (Big Bro): Yah, but candy isn't really the healthiest.
LB: Yah, I know, protein is the most healthy.
BB: What is the most healthiest food on earth?
Me: I don't know, I think blueberries are one of the Super Foods.
LB: Probably cherries. I love those cherries on top of ice cream! I think they are the healthiest.

2. Lots of Angry Birds on the iPad. (Not just them, I'm addicted too!)

3. The reason Chocolate Cupcakes are banned from our house.

4. A note left for his little brother. 

(I write a note each day on Big Brother's napkin in his lunch. Today, Little Brother was home sick with a double ear infection and a sinus infection. This was the note Big Brother left for him.

And just in case you thought he was all grown up and mature from that note above, here he is doing his homework. (And yes, Curious George is on in our house every day!)

 5.  Lots of progress on Little Brother's Speech.

These are words he's able to say correctly in isolation. He has a hard time with them in conversation, but he's encouraged by how much the list grows every day. We've got a great Speech Therapist coming to the house every other week and he's making great progress. 

Dentistry Skills

Before I was a Mom, I had no idea the different jobs I'd have as a mom. During a typical day I find myself as

• a chef, 
• a waitress, 
• a laundromat specialist, 
• a taxi driver, 
• a nurse, 
• a comforter, 
• a judge, 
• a teacher,
• a disciplinarian, 
• a chair,
• a maid,

Well, the list goes on. However, this weekend I found myself in a new role.... A dentist! (and torturer)

Big Brother has had a loose tooth FOR.... EVER.....

So long in fact, that the tooth behind it was in and growing. This was tightening the loose tooth and the dentist said we needed to get it out. Days of wiggling it didn't work, so Saturday night we took action!

Since the tooth was in behind it, we couldn't grab it to pull it our or twist it. So, after a few failed attempts with tweezers and fingers, I pulled out the needle nose pliers. Daddy held his hand and after a little yank, it was out!

Daddy, being the kind and generous guy he is, offered to pay the difference for the Nintendo DS that Big Brother was saving up for. So, he surprised him and had it all set up for him the next morning. Here is his surprise...

I guess he figured the money we saved from a real dentist visit was really owed to the brave kid who trusted his crazy mom with pliers!

Jackpot

We had only one car for a couple of weeks. (Long story- boring story- but a necessary detail to the following story!) Kevin would get up at 5 and go into work with our only car. The kids and I would lounge around and he'd bring us the car around 9am. We'd then take him back to work and keep the car until dinner. Not ideal, but it worked (and I finally got a new (used) Honda Pilot last week).

Okay- my point. On one of those such days, we were on our way home from taking Kevin back to work so we could have a car and I noticed a garage sale sign on a Thursday. I decided to drive by and go check it out. The boys objected- they were in their pj's and no shoes. I went and looked around and found a TON of Legos.....

The boys forgot about their pj's and no shoes and had to check them out. There were 10 gallon-sized baggies in all - filled with miscellaneous treasures from a little boys' collection. We bought them all.

 At first it seemed reasonable to me, until we got home and dumped them out and my obsessive organizing disorder started up again. It took days- almost a week until we had them organized by color and had all the little Lego Men sorted out and put back together. Since then, we've figured out that we inherited an airport, airplane, a pirate ship, race cars, and several Star Wars ships - most missing critical pieces. In addition, they pieced together more than 40 little Lego Men. Combined with the original ones we had, they now inhabit EVERY room in our house, including our bathroom where each night they row in their little Lego Boats through the crocodile infested waters that are in my bathtub.

10 bags of unorganized Lego Pieces ----- $25
Days of organizing and searching through Lego Pieces ------ 7
2 boys with unending Indoor Summer Fun---- Priceless!

I even inherited the first ever girl lego we've had in this house. I feel honored! (I think she's Princess Leia)

Got this printer's tray idea from the internet, checked our craigslist and found one cheap just up the road. A little white spray paint and now she's ready to hang on the wall in the toy room. Ahhhh! My obsessive  organizing disorder is subsiding just looking at this photo!

The worst time of his life

The other day Little Brother had his first PlayDate EVER! Don't get me wrong, he plays with Big Brother and his friends all the time, but this was the first friend he's had and his first friend to play at our house just for him. They had the attention span of mice and played just about every activity and with every toy we had in the short span.

Later that day, Little Brother said to me, "Do you know what the worst time of my life is?" I was a bit surprised at such a statement from a 3 year old, but he proceeded to tell me anyways. 

He explained, "The worst time of my life was playing the Wii with ------- (insert friend's name)!"

What a kid!

Have you ever?

had a day like this?

After a particularly long day with no nap, I couldn't find this little guy anywhere. Finally, I went up to his room and found him sprawled on the floor, next to his bed, fast asleep!

Bass-kah-ball

Part of Big Brother's nightly homework is to write a sentence. It can be anything he wants. Almost always, he starts it with "I like to ..." This day, I was challenging him to try some new words. He didn't "like to" so I left him to write a sentence. When I came back, he had written "a surprise" for me! He doesn't just "like" baskbol, he "loves" it.

When I said, there is an "E-T" in Basketball. He replied, "No, there is not. Listen.... BASS  KAH  BALL." 

Case closed!

What's for lunch?

As strange as it looks, this is the only sandwich Big Brother will eat - turkey and strawberries. He'll substitute halved grapes too. No PB&J for this kid! 

When he was a toddler he used to dip bananas into ketchup. So, I guess his taste buds have evolved a little.

Prayers

Every night we pray with the kids before they go to bed. They each take turns praying too. Big Brother prays quietly and privately, but Little Brother lets us hear his prayers. And it's a good thing, because quite often he gives us a laugh before bed. This night his prayer was...

"Thank you God for keeping me safe and for helping me eat my proteins."

Overheard

While riding to the doctor yesterday in the car this conversation was overheard...

B: "I love Laser Tag. We played it at my friends birthday party."

N: "Yah, me too. (doesn't even know what it is) Will you laser me?"

B: "I am going to have laser tag at my 7 year old party"

N: "Can I be on your team?"

B: "Yes. We'll be the green team."

N: "We'll be the GreenBay Packers"

B: "Yah, the other team will be the Red Bay Packers."

This is for Grandma Sheryl...

Grandma Sheryl loves buffalo. Big Brother brought this home from school. When I asked him why he wouldn't want 100 buffalo, he responded, "Didn't you see how big their patties are?"

Dear Lego Genius Man

I assume you are a man. Women wouldn't do this to other women.

Thank you for creating little pieces of plastic to get embedded in my feet when I'm racing around trying to make dinner.

Thank you for creating little pieces of plastic that little brothers can put down into the heating vents and couch cushions never to be seen again.

Thank you for creating new sets every season so my son forgets about the ones he HAD TO HAVE and now obsesses asks for the new ones incessantly!

Thank you for creating new sets so that he is already planning his September birthday party and his Halloween costume. (It's February)

Thank you for creating new sets so that he is asking for a Ninjago bedroom instead of the Star Wars Room we just completed less than 6 months ago.

Thank you for giving us hours of pleasure building an awesome race car, airplane, or spaceship only to be ruined within 5 minutes of playing with it after completion.


Thank you for constantly advertising them so we can't forget about them!

Thank you for putting the only Lego store in Denver 30 miles away on a very snowy afternoon.

Thank you for charging us as if they were made of semi-precious metals.

(I say this tongue and cheek- they are really an awesome toy. This past weekend was full of Legos. Big Brother had leftover money from his birthday and fell in love with the new Ninjago lego sets. I promised to take them to the Lego store, only to find that it started to dump snow when we were ready to go. Soon, we'll be getting one much closer to home. Not sure if that's a good thing or not! The Lego store has buckets where they can create their own guys. They each did 3. They are above. Little Brother named his "Nick", "Kevin" and "Your Favorite Blue Guy". Not sure if that last name will stick very long- kind of hard to remember!)