Let's Eat

Thanksgiving weekend was a weekend full of firsts for our second born. First Thanksgiving, first swim, first solid food. If you can call the thin rice cereal solid food. Of course, we had to document the first feeding. Here's my attempt at trying to add video from my Flip Camera to the blog.

Okay, so I couldn't upload the video. Will have to consult the manual or something. Instead, here are a few pictures of the whole thing. He looks thrilled doesn't he? Bon appetit!

Give Thanks

A few things to be thankful for:
A wonderful husband
Two healthy, beautiful children
My mom
My in-laws
Brothers, sisters, neices, nephews, aunts, grandma
Generous friends
A roof over our heads

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rainy Days and Mondays...

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down. It might sound cliche, but today it certainly seems true (and it's a rainy Monday to boot). It's all quiet at our house, the only sounds--this typing, the fridge running and the snap and ping of the clothes in the dryer. Both boys are asleep... it took me what seemed like forever to get RTR down for a nap. CSR fell asleep in a pile of blankets in the chair in the living room while I was waging my nap battle against the baby.

We all probably need a nap. It has been a full and busy weekend--which pretty much started on Thursday night when Grandma and Grandpa arrived for an early Thanksgiving visit. CSR has been nearly electric with enthusiasm during the visit. He loves them so much. He kept asking/telling them they needed to stay for eleven days to do all the things they needed to do. When grandma dropped him off at preschool this morning, he told her to be sure and bring grandpa when it was time to be picked up. I'm sure it made it that much harder for g'ma and g'pa to get ready to go home. When I arrived to pick him up at school, such tender feelings (I'm not trying to make you weepy, if you're reading this grandma). I could see it in his eyes, this sort of hurt, disappointed look and then when he spoke, the break in his voice, wanting to know where they were. Amid all the hub-bub of the classroom, he cuddled up and let me hold him. On the way home, he wanted to know how many days it had been since Thursday, when they arrived. When I counted out four days on my fingers, he said they were suppose to stay for five more days. Not quite eleven days total, but still pretty good math skills for a four and a half year old. Of course, all this emotion made coming home and getting lunch ready a whiny mess.

We're lucky to have such doting grandparents. They generously watched the boys while I went and had a massage (delicious!) and took them to the park on Friday. CSR loves having them read books and tuck him in at night. He got grandpa to pull him in the wagon almost to the park on Saturday, but then he got too chilly and wanted to come home. Yesterday he was lobbying hard after lunch at Ruby's Diner to stop at Tree Top Toys so he could show grandma some toys. CSR and grandma watched the second half of the Seahawks game (papa and grandpa were at the game) and then made some cinnamon ornaments. Lots of togetherness.



My blogging was interrupted by a crying baby. It took me more than 45 minutes to get RTR to fall asleep for what turned out to be about a twenty minute nap. Poor return on my investment. I'm trying to wean both of us off of having to use the car seat for naps. But so far, it's not working. I tried the whole swaying, shushing and singing routine and even a little cry it out, until I gave in and got the car seat. I can usually get him to nap easily by strapping him in his car seat and then swinging the car seat. I wasn't sure if I was getting a workout or wrecking my arms or back. Turns out, it was the latter. I'm the victim of my own popularity, at least when it comes to RTR's popularity index.

The Long Walk Home

This post is more about me than the boys. Today I made quite a journey. I was babysitting two dear little ones-- Evan who is 3 1/2 and his 14 month old sister Lily-- this morning while CSR was at preschool. Since I don't own a minivan, when it came time to go get CSR at school, I had to hoof it--Lily in the stroller, RTR in the Bjorn and Evan speed walking alongside me. I am quite proud of him-- he walked almost the whole way (and back), except when I thought I was going to be late and made him hop on the stroller so I could speed walk the rest of the way. Poor RTR probably got the worst of the long walk, being jostled in the Bjorn. Once we got there (did I mention it was uphill?), I got to rest--C and Evan ran around playing on the school playground. I'm sure we were quite the site walking home too--Lily and CSR in the Sit-n-Stand, RTR back in the Bjorn and Evan hoofin' it along side me. His only request: "Could you walk a little slower?" Is it possible for babies to give looks of disdain? I swear RTR on the way home had a little look like that. The roundtrip took an hour and a half. Hopefully none of the kiddos are any worse for the wear. When we got home, my friend Leah (E & L's mom) was waiting for us, even walking down the block to meet us. I think I earned a dish of ice cream or something tonight.

Boys & Toys

RTR makes his maiden voyage in the Johnny Jumper. It's adorable to watch him dance his little feet around. Sometimes when he's laying on his back, he'll get to kicking just his legs. It's kinda funny. A friend said he was doing his Riverdance. And it does look a little like that--the legs are the only part of his body that's moving. Other than sort of having problems maintaining his balance in the jumper, RTR seemed to like it the first time around. At least enough for me to make some lunch and sit down and eat it. The next day he wasn't so into it, but maybe because he was tired.



Who knew toys could make a parent nervous? Besides recent toy recalls, it seems like some companies have taken the fun and play out of toys. When CSR was a baby, I bought him one of these "busy boxes"--a toy with little dials, doors and spinner things because he really liked the ones at our baby class. I ended up returning it because all it required was one push of one button to make it light up and play (lame) electronic music. The ones at school were "old school" from years ago. Why did the toy makers change such a simple thing? That's why the Fisher Price Roly Poly Chime Ball is one of my favorite garage sale finds. It was only fifty cents, made in the USA and is a simple and entertaining baby toy. Of course, with its age I should probably be concerned about some weird environmental thing from how old the plastic is. Good, simple toys are another reason to support independent toy stores!

Muddy Buddy

I'm happy to say our boys do NOT suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder. CSR spent his afternoon in the front yard, digging with his garden tools, filling in his "pool" with the hose and getting muddy. He was so content watching the pool fill and drain down the waterfall. It was pretty amazing how long he was into that project. He could probably spend the whole day playing in the front yard if we let him. He even took his lunch outside, setting up a makeshift picnic table on a cooler and sitting on the brass powder room stool that's been banished to the garage. On weekends, he's out front quite a bit thanks to papa working in the yard and garage. But during the week, I'm not a big fan of hanging out in the front yard as much and it's a family rule of no playing in the front yard alone. For some reason, our fully fenced backyard doesn't have the same appeal. But I am glad that he will play out there too.


Took RTR this afternoon to visit the newsroom where I used to work. It was great to see my old friends-- it has been about six months since I quit. Time flies! Miss the people, not the work so much.