First Day of School

How how did we get to this point?  Not only is Hayden in pre-K, but Piercey J has officially started his first year of pre-school.  It's amazing to me that I have two little boys in backpacks!

As you may recall from my posts at this time last year, Hayden had a difficult time adjusting to school.  And just when he started enjoying the drop-off, Ruthie was born, and he reverted back to tears.  So naturally I was expecting the first day to be hard on him, especially since his beloved teachers were no more.  Thank God, his two best friends, Tatum and Kailey, are both in his class again, and after meeting his teachers at an open house, he declared that he liked them.  Pierce has one of Hayden's teachers from last year, Miss Melissa, and she immediately was drawn to him since she was close to Hayden, and I think that is helping him feel comfortable.  He gets spoiled just a bit!

So the drop-off on the first day of school was rough, as expected, for Hayden.  But I was extremely proud of him for putting on a happy face, and acting enthusiastic, even though he was nervous.  He was trying so hard to fight back the tears, and even mentioned to his teacher that he was trying to keep his eyes dry, but the tears just kept falling.  Eh break my heart a little :(  But he is always smiling and happy when I pick him up, and telling me he had a great day, so I know I'm doing the right thing.

Pierce was thrilled to run into his classroom with all it's fun news toys, and he never looked back on that first day!  He even fell asleep on his nap mat without his blanky or plapi (pacifier), which was a major surprise.  He must have felt very comfortable.  Unfortunately, each day has gotten harder since that first drop-off, but I think that is because literally EVERY child in that 2 year old class cries their heads off when mommy drops them off.  I think Pierce would be ok if he didn't look around and see a bunch of crying kiddos!  But the teacher assures me that this is normal in the 2 year old class and once they get past the 3rd week, things will calm down. 

So overall, it's been a good transition back to school, and I'm looking forward to all the fun things the school year will bring for both boys.  Hayden is required to take on a lot of his own responsibilities this year, like carrying his back-pack in, and remembering his homework tasks, in preparation for kindergarten, so we'll see how he gets along.  And I can't wait to see little Pierce in the Christmas and Easter programs with his brother!  Adorable.  It's sweet to see them in it together.

And I can't forget to mention that Hayden is now attending one extra day of pre-K at a wonderful little school geared around animals and farming.  The director's labrador is one of his classmates (Bella), which absolutely THRILLS him, and after the classroom portion of the day is over, he gets to go outside to feed the fish in the pond, and the animals in the barn (a donkey, some pigs, and chickens right now).  Now there were NO tears on his first day there!  It's a lovely little school, and I'm considering sending Pierce there as well....stay tuned for that!

Texas Beach House

Hey all!  I am so behind that I am only now blogging about our beach vacation, even though it took place over a month ago!  I'm terrible, but it's been one of the busiest months on record!  And here is my dirty little secret - the only time I have to blog is once the kids go to bed, and Nate and I have recently discovered a little show called "Mad Men", which is currently streaming on Netflix, and we are sort of obsessed!  Which means blogging has taken a backseat haha.  I aim to get back in the action.  There have been so many fabulous and fun things occurring, it's a shame to let them fall victim to a(n) (incredibly addicting) television show :)

Anyway, last month we took the last of our family summer vacations.  We had taken trips with friends in the past, but this was on a whole different scale.  Nine families under one roof!  This translates to 16 toddlers, 2 infants, and 18 adults. 

I know this would intimidate even the most saavy traveler, but honestly, it was great!  We had the best time celebrating Hayden's 4th birthday, along with 3 of his best friends, and the kids did wonderfully at the beach.  Pierce was a bit timid, but Hayden was wading out as far as his little legs would take him, and Ruthie was delighted with the sand and surf at the shore.

 

Birthday time!  What little boys don't like pirates?  It was the perfect setting, and everyone had a blast.  All the moms really pulled out all the stops and we had the cutest decorations and food.  Love these boys!

I couldn't help but post this one below.  We wanted a shot of all 4 birthday boys on the deck in their pirate gear, but Jack, for some reason, just was not into the situation haha.  Perhaps a little tired, who knows!  But I love the faces of the boys!  I took these shots in quick succession, and it captures Jack crying, and the other 3 boys looking on in confusion and consternation.  I'm sorry, but it's just funny.  I can just read their thoughts - "why is my buddy crying and it's our birthday party?!?"  Luckily he recovered quickly and I think had a pretty good time :)

And of course the adults had an amazing time once the kids went to bed (which was remarkably early considering the circumstances).  There was only one door out of the house, onto a deck, and we always had it covered by at least 2 adults, so everyone else could enjoy the beach at night, without fear of any children sneaking out or getting in harm's way.  Nate's family has come up with a game called "glow stick golf", which is pretty self-explanatory, and which we shared with our group of friends.  I sat the game out while I waited for our kids to fall asleep, and got some fun shots of the glow sticks flying through the air as they played.  We also enjoyed some night-time surf fishing, and just all in all had a great time with our best friends.  Can't wait to do it again, and I hope we make it an annual tradition!

Six Months Old!



My little beauty is officially 6 months old.  To celebrate her newfound status, she woke up with her first tooth on August 16th!  How fitting for my big girl.  The second bottom tooth is not far behind, and is giving her some trouble, so I hope it pops through soon.  Aside from getting new teeth, Ruthie is starting to gather speed with all of her milestones!  After our vacation to the beach house with her 8 month old friend Nolan, she picked up his habit of clapping (which is my FAV milestone ever), and she is also starting to really sit up on her own with ease.  She is a little rolly polly and I constantly find her in places other than where I put her down, however she is not yet pushing up onto her knees, so I expect we still have a few months before she officially takes off crawling (no complaints there).  Although we have slowly started to introduce some "real" foods to her, she just thinks it's hysterical and blows bubbles and ends up spitting half her meal onto me.  So I am taking a little hiatus from table foods, and sticking with nursing for now haha.  We'll try again in a few weeks.  And verbally...well...she's taking after her brothers.  She is NOT a quiet baby, and frequently squeals (usually with delight) at the top of her lungs.  Clearly she does not want to be outdone by Pierce.  But all in all, she is a smiley, happy, perfect little thing!  I'm so thankful to have a daughter who is growing so healthy and big.
Here is a photo college of all three of my little ones right around their 6 month mark.  I think they look incredibly similar, and Ruthie definitely shares traits with both of her brothers.  They are all so cute!

Branson Family Reunion

Hey all!  We just got back from a week long trip with my dad's side of the family to Branson, MO, and I'm trying to fit in a post about the trip before we leave for our NEXT vacay - a beach outing with our friends on the Texas coast.  Whew - talk about a whirlwind!  A lucky, fun whirlwind, but we are busy nonetheless :)

My grandparents own a timeshare in Branson, MO, and since my parents didn't use their Breckenridge timeshare this year, they decided to trade it to get a week with my grandparents in the Ozarks.  For the first time in a VERY long time, we were able to vacation with all my aunts and uncles, my grandparents, and a couple of my cousins.  Having never been to Branson before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew that no matter what I'd have a blast hanging out with my Wisconsin fam.

Well Branson exceeded my expectations honestly, mainly because it is an awesome family destination.  It reminded me a lot of the Wisconsin Dells, and had a lot of the same attractions that appeal to kids - go-karts, miniature golf, bumper boats, water parks, the Ducks, and lots and lots of theater and shows.  Hayden was absolutely addicated to go-karting, and my sweet cousins and poppy happily took him so that he was able to quench his need for speed on a daily basis haha.  It was a huge wooden track with tons of hills and levels, and he was hysterical, screaming and shouting "wooo" whenever we went down a hill.  Veyr dramatic and cute.  Riding the Ducks was another highlight, as it took me back to my own youth on the Ducks in the Dells.  Although it was a steamy 105 degrees the afternoon that we went, and we were literally pouring bottled water over our heads, it was still thrilling to go speeding into the lake and sending up a giant splash.  The kids were THRILLED!  They even got the drive the boat and get their captain licenses.  Pierce lost steam near the end of the trip and fell asleep, but all in all it was a good time :)

While all of that was fun for the kids, what really made it fun for me was beautiful Table Rock Lake.  It was our only saving grace in the 100+ degree heat, and we definitely took advantage.  The waters were deep, clean and clear, and even surprisingly cool and refreshing (a far stretch from COLD, but still nice!).  My all time favorite activity of the trip (and perhaps the entire summer) was renting a brand new pontoon with a waterslide on it.  All 15 of us piled on at 7 am (to beat the heat) for a 4 hour jaunt on the lake.  The pontoon had a powerful enough motor to haul a tube, so we all took turns tubing, and then we'd take swim breaks to cool off and go off the slide.  My boys were so brave and just jumped right in, despite never having swam in a lake before.  Hayden even went on the tube with me.  It was a perfect vacation activity and I just loved hanging out on the lake with my family.

We were also able to spend a day at the beach (Hayden's actual birthday), and it turned out to be somewhat rainy and relatively cooler, which was a blessing.  Hayden brought along his snorkel gear that had been a gift, and we built some sand castles, buried Hayden in the sand, and just swam and enjoyed a morning together. 

We spent the morning of Hayden's birthday on the beach, but what birthday is complete without a party and cake?  Per Hayden's request, I created a pretty cool little volcano cake made of confetti cake and rice krispie treats.  I regretted not having my hubby there for his creative genius, but we managed to pull it off, and Hayden was thrilled.  He got all sorts of great gifts from the family, and it was fun to celebrate with them this year.  It's hard having them far away in Wisconsin, and I'll always remember this birthday party as being very very special for us for that reason!

While all the activities were super fun, the best part of the trip was laughing with my cousins, watching my kids bond with my own aunts and uncles, seeing my dad with his parents and all of his siblings, and just enjoying this lovely family that I have.  I'm very very lucky and count my blessings each day!!



The Birthday Boy

One of the most special things about Hayden's birthday each year, is that I remember that he is the only person in the whole world who made me a mother for the first time.  He gave my first insatiable ice cream cravings when newly pregnant, his were the first tiny baby feet and fists that I felt in my belly, his flickering heartbeat, and beautiful profile were the first that I saw on the ultrasound monitor, and that appointment was the first time I heard the words, "it's a boy".  He was the first child that was born into the world as my own, and first little baby that I held and nursed myself.  The first child whose eyes my husband stared into with awe, as he became a father.  He was the first smile, the first giggle, the first step, and the first word.  I didn't know what kind of love a parent felt for a child until he came.  Unconditional, forgiving, all encompassing, at times overwhelming, "love you to the moon and back" kind of love.  So every year when he turns a year older, I become ever more thankful that he made me a mother, and especially that he became my little boy.

Happy Birthday to the most beautiful little 4 year old in the world.  I love you my sweet sweet boy.  You are perfect, and precious, and the absolute light of my life.

Co-Designer

Well Hayden is one VERY lucky boy this year.  On his actual birthday, August 4th, we will be in Branson, MO, with my entire extended family, and he has decided he will have a Volcano themed party!  This is, of course, because "his studies" when he grows up will be volcanology (although his job, he informs me, will be building houses).  He picked out a volcano cake that we saw online (don't ask me how I can pull that off without Nathan's help, but here's hoping), and he helped me design a birthday invitation in photoshop.  It turned out simply lovely, if I do say so myself (wink wink).  He even personally addressed and stuffed the envelopes (although he addressed them to all of his preschool friends who unfortunately will not be attending since it's out of the state lol - he said he just wanted them all to have one to put on their bulletin boards in their rooms - like he has - how sweet!).  Anyway, I had to post it because it's such a funny mixture of cute and ridiculous.

However, since our Volcano celebration will be out of town, we still needed to find a way to celebrate with our local friends.  We had already planned a little beach getaway with 8 other families for the beginning of August, and since all of Hayden's best buddies will be there, and three of them have birthdays in July/August, we decided to throw them a big pirate themed beach party.  Since we were on a roll designing the volcano invite, we just pushed on, and he helped me create a pirate one as well!  I personally find it pretty funny, but aren't those 4 faces just the cutest little faces you've ever seen!?  It's going to be a fabulously fun 4 year old party, mateys :)  Stay tuned for pictures next month.

The Pierce Monster

Ok I have to dedicate a post to Pierce.  Why?  Because he might be the funniest, most adorable, undoubtedly most frustrating and LOUD little two year old on the planet.  When it comes to personality, he was giving a giant heeping spoonful, that's for sure.  Usually, when people meet Pierce they fall in love.  He has this little cherubic face with big blue eyes, and curling blond hair, and rosy chubby cheeks, and he can say the most sweet and endearing things.  He is spunky, bright, and fun, and his charismatic personality definitely draws admirers.  And it's this side of him that I love and adore - the one that will crawl into my lap and say, "snuggle me", that will yell "mommy, watch this!" as he twirls with glee around the living room, and that will regularly count down to blast-off with the phrase, "nine, eight, seven, gascoff!".  He loves to sing and dance, and will do the full moves to his favorite songs, "Dinosaurs Marching", and "I'm Gonna Catch You" by the Laurie Berkner Band.  He still loves his blanky and will frequently refer to the "icky corner", which he then proceeds to stick between his toes and into his ear - it is well loved and used! 

He adores his baby sister, and will often "help" me push her swing, or will lay on her activity mat with her and "show her how to use it".  His brother is both his best friend and his worst enemy, but let me tell you, it's heartwarming to watch him play with Hayden (before it turns into a wrestling match over not sharing, or whatever).   He does, however, love to share his snacks and toys (on his terms), and I'll often overhear him saying, "Here bradoo" and handing him a cracker, or a special car.  "Thank you's" and "pleases" come easily to him, and kisses and hugs are given more freely lately.  And he so sweet and squishy that a hug from him is a total pleasure.  If I say, "love you Pierce", he'll immediately come back with the cutest little "wuv you". Melt my heart.

However, there is a less gentle and sweet side to Pierce, that is coming out more and more often as we get into the terrible twos.  It's hard to put up with, but also super super funny!  He is so naughty and rude that it would almost be comical, if I wasn't afraid he'd stay this way for life.  So for one thing, he expects to do EVERYTHING himself, with no help, unless he gets too frustrated and asks for help, and then you are expected to jump to his aide immediately.  This is how it always goes.  God forbid I attempt to strap him into his seatbelt.  He will just turn bright red and yell, "No touch me mommy, MY TURN".  Then 3 minutes later he'll be in tears and frustrated and yelling, "mommy, need help!".  Well yeah, duh!  For situations like this, I try to work out compromises where he can do the top strap (which he can usually manage), and mommy gets to do the bottom straps, and it's a race!  I have to come up with these creative strategies that make it fun, otherwise he gets so mad and angry.  I use the same tactics when getting dressed - he can pick the shorts and I pick the shirt, or vice versa.  Left up to his own devices he would wear only various pairs of Thomas the Train pajamas.....lovely.  Life is hard I tell ya!

He also expects to be the absolute center of the universe, and if he wants my attention and I am talking to someone else, say in the car, he'll yell, "mommy, no talking daddy, talking ME!".  And he generally does it in this low growl of a voice that sounds so odd coming out of cute little him.  Or if I'm hugging Hayden, "no mommy, snuggle Piercey!".  There is just no room to wait his turn, or to join the group.  It's all or nothing!  He is just very demanding, and will order me around like it's no ones business.  The other day he was yelling at me from the kitchen to tell me he was all done with breakfast, so like a good mom, I went in there to help him get down from his chair.  And the response I got was a resounding, "Mommy, out of Wubby's kitchen!".  And he does it all with this horrible pouty face, with his nose and mouth all scrunched up into this horrid grimace.  Another favorite word he has is "STOP", except it sounds like "SCHTOP", and he widens his stance and holds his hand up baring my way.  Today I was holding Ruthie on my hip and swaying to quiet her down, and for some reason Pierce didn't like it, so he marched up to me and yelled, "Mommy, SCHTOP dancing!", and when I ignored him he yelled, "Moooooomy, SCHTOP dancing AGAIN!" lol. 

Obviously these are not behaviors or responses we condone, and we are working on helping him with his patience and manners, but I cannot lie and say that sometimes it is hard to keep a straight face!  Your angelic little two year old yelling "SCHTOP, Outta Wubby's Kitchen" is pretty hysterical.  Who says that??  So while I'm not proud to report on his mischievious ways, I really wanted to get it down so that someday, when he is a smart, successful, polite adult, I will remember all of his little boy antics :)

I'll leave you with a video of him stealing "nacks" from the pantry - still up to his old tricks!