Rhead All About It

Summer Fun

2011-07-14T20:11:00.001-07:00

I notice with my last post, I'm bragging about summer like weather in February. Well, it's now 17 months later and now everybody's complaining about the cold. We whine when it's cold when it should be warm and cheer when it's warm when it should be cold. That's a Seattleite for you.

How's this for some climate change? We had on shorts for the sun at the Nisqually entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park, and wishing for coats and gloves once we got to Paradise.

The boys had a great time with their cousins exploring the woods, the soda springs at Longmire, and watching deer feed at the trough outside the cabin.

How's Your Summer?

2010-02-21T21:13:00.000-08:00

Apparently we've skipped right over winter here. When a man at the gas station asked me how my summer was going, I had to laugh. It seems true. We took advantage of the sunny weather with a family adventure to Deception Pass State Park.

February Lunch Al Fresco

2010-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

Everywhere we go, it seems everyone is marveling over the weather. It's been the mildest winter I can remember. The neighbor's tree down the street is starting to blossom and I noticed daffodils pushing up through the ground.

Here's another sign of the weather-- lunch on the deck. It's a rare February day when you can sip your soup and munch a sandwich outside in sunny comfort. It was a great day to play outside.

Hard Hat Area

2010-01-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

With RTR's discovery of Bob the Builder, the living room has turned into a hard hat area. Both R and CSR have been really into building with Lincoln Logs the past week or so. So much so, there aren't quite enough logs to go around. At least not enough of the longer two and three section logs. When making the LL kits, who decides the quantities of each size? While we have a gazillion of the tiniest logs, there aren't enough of the other sizes to finish whatever architectural designs these boys have. One time I was at a thrift shop and watched with a little envy as another shopper discovered a huge cache of LLs and quickly bought them. Of course the practical side of me was saying-- better them than me in having to pick up all those logs. Of course, now I wish I had scored the find. But I might change my story the next time I step on a stray log in my bare feet.

IKEA Know-how

2010-01-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

How's this for savvy-ness when it comes to putting together (or taking apart) IKEA furniture. As anyone who's ever had to assemble one of their bookcases or some other piece of furniture, the instructions can be a little challenging-- at least for those of us who can't quite decipher the picture-only instructions. Not only did the boys take apart the chair, they also put it back together.

Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus

2009-12-28T14:36:00.001-08:00

The welcome was warm but the pancakes were cold. Our local parks department put on its annual Santa breakfast a couple of weeks ago. CSR and RTR got to sit and visit with the couple of the hour and get their picture taken too. Better than some of our Santa experiences in past years.

Immature Behavior

2009-12-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

It seems RTR might be learning some immature behavior at an early age. After a little roughousing with dad and big brother in our bed, it was time for RTR to get into the bathtub. So, after taking off his clothes but before getting in the tub, he runs back into the bedroom, climbs up and puts his hiney next to dad's face and passes gas-- on purpose. Would this be considered immature behavior for a two year old? Is this what we can expect over the coming years as the boys get older? Yikes.

Pitiful

2009-12-28T14:27:00.001-08:00

Pitiful. That's how my commitment to updating this blog has been. It's not that I don't have things to add. Of course, most of the time, I come up with my ideas when I'm nowhere near the computer or have the time to sit down and log on. But I guess with the passing of another year, the milestone brings on feelings of trying to do better in the new year and that's what I am going to do. So for the few loyal readers here on this blog, here's to more frequent updates in 2010!

Merry Tape-mas

2009-11-28T21:07:00.001-08:00

There is just something about tape. For our boys, it's a must have item for all kinds of things. They're always asking for a piece of tape. Tonight it was the magic for CSR in his stringing up Christmas lights in the living room.

He used blue electrical tape (I kinda wish we had green). I hope the electrical tape is better for the lights than what would have been the other choice-- packaging tape. But we ran out of that this morning. We now have an official tape shortage-- there is no more packaging, masking, double-sided or Scotch tape left in the house.

Potty All The Time

2009-11-25T15:41:00.001-08:00

The adventures in RTR's potty training continue. On Sunday, he made it to the bathroom but not exactly on target with the toilet-- mostly going on the floor and step stool. On Monday, he did really well at preschool-- actually peeing in the potty chair two times. Although one of those times ended with a change of clothes due to some unfortunate aim-- which was my fault. The M&Ms are a pretty good incentive as long as I have some onhand. I need to get a bag of them since the supply from the Halloween candy has been used up. I ended up buying a handful from a candy machine at the Senior Center this morning. Now it's on to Whoppers-- from the Halloween stash-- just don't tell the boys.

Potty Training

2009-11-20T20:35:00.001-08:00

It's on to a new phase with RTR. He is doing away with the diaper. At least part of the time. After promising for weeks to find the big boy underwear (in the hand-me-down bins in the garage), I finally found them and pulled them out. So RTR had his first run in them today. As incentive I told him that every time he went pee in the toilet he could have an M&M. But I think I didn't make myself very clear. He ran into the bathroom, stepped up to the toilet-- on a stool-- pulled down his underwear, made a "sssss" sound with his mouth and then demanded his "M". I explained that he had to really go in the potty in order to get the candy. He wasn't so impressed with that idea. I never got him to pee in the toilet, but did hand out three M&Ms. I figure it's a first step. Of course, I also had to change his pants two times.

Aloha!

2009-11-17T21:26:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our recent trip to Maui. Nothing like sun, sand and surf. Mai Tais and banana pancakes don't hurt either (not together of course).

The Dog Ate My Home Work

2009-11-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, after more than a month of not posting anything, I'm trying to get back in the saddle. The absence isn't because of a lack of anything noteworthy to blog about. But here's a recent incident. CSR got the idea to build a candy house using some of his Halloween loot. So while I was off at a meeting TSR and CSR got out the graham crackers, frosting and candy. CSR might follow in his dad's and grandpa's engineering footsteps. He put together a pretty good house... a lollipop tree, a Kit Kat bench, gum drop berry bushes. But then disaster struck. While home alone, the dog, Abby, munched down the whole thing. The only things we found were the lollipop and the paper plate the house on which the house was built. CSR was crushed. I was quite shocked-- the house had made it through one night and much of the day with little attention from the dog. Apparently when you let your guard down, that's when this dog strikes.

Scouting A New Location

2009-09-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

Another sign our boy is growing up... he's joined a Tiger Cub Scout den. We're still learning the scouting lingo and such... including taking a trip to the Scout Trading Post (supply store) for a uniform shirt and lots of patches! CSR and Tyler went on their first Go See It on Sunday, going to a park for a little hike and checking out the local wildlife.

Fall Prevention

2009-09-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

Today's the first day of fall according to the calendar. But you wouldn't know it by the thermometer. Today it was up to 90 degrees-- unofficial temperature recorded by the car themometer-- warm enough to take a backyard dip. While CSR was lobbying for me to get out the kiddie pool, I didn't think that the wisest use of our water. So they got a little sprinkling instead. And of course after getting just wet enough to cool off, both boys promptly abandoned the sprinker and decided it was more fun playing in the dirt. Some muddy buddies.

I've Been Working on the Railroad

2009-09-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

This is how RTR and I spent our morning... working on the railroad. He found a train bridge in the garage and insisted (in his 2 year old way) that I needed to bring more train-related items outside. So out came the trains and tracks for some sidewalk engineering. He was quite caught up in making the pieces fit together and making the various engines and cars move along the tracks. He even took an interest in figuring out where to put power poles and signs. Definitely more fun than pulling weeds.

First Day of First Grade

2009-09-02T23:23:00.000-07:00

After days (weeks?) of anticipation (mine), the first day of school arrived for CSR. His expression in the first picture pretty much sums up how he felt about the whole thing. I can't believe I got such a lousy picture. Anyway, CSR wasn't too thrilled about returning to school. He started complaining yesterday of a headache and stomach ache and fell asleep before dinner. I figured it was just nerves. He still wasn't very perky this morning, again us assuming it was just the usual reluctance for new situations. There were some teary moments as we got him settled in his new classroom and said goodbye. Since it was a full day, we couldn't do our new tradition of having ice cream for lunch. But since CSR asked me to, I came back and had lunch with him. He has a great teacher! She seemed to really understand what was going on. At lunch, she reported that he had a great morning and is a hard worker. Not sure if she already knew this would be a good idea, but she put CSR next to one of his friends from his class last year, so that was a comfort. I should have known something was up though when we went to Molly Moon's for ice cream.

He wasn't all that excited and then didn't want the rest of his ice cream (lucky for me he ordered a flavor I like). So after a full day of school, we figure it out-- he's got a fever. A dose of Tylenol seemed to help. Not sure what this will mean for the second day of school though. Stay tuned...
P.S. RTR was quite happy about CSR's first day of school. As the picture shows.

Look Ma, I'm on Top of the World!

2009-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

We have a "little" construction project going on in our backyard. Tyler decided after months (years?) of debate to go ahead and build the boys a club house-- isn't that the right name for a boys' version of a playhouse. It now has a roof, with shingles waiting to be installed. CSR got to climb up to check out the view, and of course RTR had to do the same thing. They waved to a couple of neighbors driving down the lane too. The only risky business came when the boys got a little too close to the edge. Do 2 year olds have very good depth perception?

CSR got the idea last week to hold an open house when the club house is done. I hope he knows that it's not like a birthday party, where gifts are customary. Although we will probably make a cake. Also, CSR was telling Tyler the house number. Talk about down to the details. There are also some paint chips CSR picked up at Home Depot.

Cheap Ways to Entertain the Troops

2009-08-12T21:16:00.001-07:00

Here's a cheap way to entertain the troops... take Metro downtown and then catch the new Sound Transit light rail train. We rode it to the end of the line and back for just $3.25 price of our Metro fare. Not a bad deal. Of course the doughnuts we had before the journey were another story.

All (Green) Thumbs

2009-08-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

We've expanded our agricultural horizons by planting a bigger garden this year and thanks to the recent heat wave, it's going gang-busters. We harvested our first mess of beans and peas last night. Also started pulling up some carrots-- including some fascinating Rainbow ones. Our lettuce grew faster than we could eat it... and the last of it sadly went to seed. For lunch today we ate some of the peas and carrots. Sauteed green beans on the menu for tomorrow. Our pumpkin vines are crawling all over the yard, crowding out our sunflowers. Also, our three tomato plants look like tomato trees. Hopefully we'll be able to enjoy some good home-grown tomatoes very soon-- if I can keep the kids from eating them right out of the garden. Also, tried growing corn for the first time. Several ears will soon be ready for picking too.

At Your Service

2009-08-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

RTR and his visiting cousin have discovered the monetary benefits of setting up a lemonade stand. For the second time in a week they set one up in the front yard. Maybe it's because I made them spend their earnings from the first stand at the zoo. Yes, I made them pay for their own carousel rides and treats from the snack stand. Does that make me a mean mommy/aunt?

Beat the Heat

2009-08-01T21:14:00.001-07:00

Seattle set a record for the hottest day of all time on Wednesday-- 103 degrees. One way we beat the heat was by having dinner (Taco Bell tacos) at the beach. It was about ten degrees cooler at the Edmonds waterfront than at our non-waterfront home. CSR and his cousin hit it off with a couple of other girls also keeping cool at the beach. For some reason they found great fun in jumping from the sea wall onto the sand below.

RTR just liked playing in the sand. He kept handing me his buckets to refill at water's edge. While he was a big fan of having water to pour out, he wasn't too keen on getting IN the water for refills.

The black edges on this picture are because my camera lens cover doesn't always open all the way. Darn photographer!

The Queen of Nope

2009-07-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hello. I am the Queen of Nope. I ascended to this position thanks mostly to two six year olds who spend most of their day asking me questions that I am forced to answer, "Nope."

9:00 Them: Can we have a popsicle? Me: Nope.
9:30 Them: Can we go to the Space Needle today? Me: Nope.
10:45 Them: Can we have a popsicle? Me: Nope.
11:30 Them: Can we have a cookie? Me: Nope.

How I wish they would ask me questions I could say yes to:
Can we have more carrot sticks?
Can we play in the backyard and let you read a magazine/newspaper/Facebook in peace?
Can we use our own money to buy you a latte?

I guess all this give and take builds character-- for all of us.

A Little Bit of Dirt Never Hurt

2009-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

I had to keep reminding myself that a little bit of dirt never hurt as we were camping the last couple of days. While the site was in a beautiful spot next to the Cooper River, it was very dusty and rocky. Not the best terrain for a two year old and a six year old who's been known to stumble now and again. Down they would go, only to be picked up and needing dusting off.

It was also an adventure in camping with a dog. We've become foster parents to my sister's dog, Abby. She's already built a reputation of being a runner and inadvertently catching one of us off guard, giving me, CSR and RTR rope burns by getting tangled in her tether. But I digress.

RTR was the latest to get caught up in the rope. It was so scary. While TSR and I were setting up camp, the kids were playing. Abby's rope became looped around RTR and when she ran one way, he got pulled to the ground and dragged, with the rope around his neck. You never saw a mama move so fast. I picked RTR up and untangled him. He was crying and then his eyes rolled back into his head and he went limp-- just for a moment. Of course, running through my mind is that we're God knows how far from paramedics or being able to even call for help. After holding him and comforting him, he perked up and seemed like himself. After dinner, we put him to bed in the tent. Of course in my worst-case-scenario thoughts, I'm thinking about Natasha Richardson, the actress who died from bleeding in her brain several hours after a fall while skiing. It was nearly a sleepless night, always checking whether I could hear RTR breathing. He did wake up bright and early the next morning. And he's been fine ever since, although he doesn't really like to go near Abby when she's on her rope.

Calling The Tooth Fairy

2009-07-06T21:51:00.001-07:00

The tooth started to wiggle more than a week ago. Maybe even before school got out. Oh man, I should write these things down. At first, I thought maybe it was one of CSR's imaginary dental situations. But it turned out to be a real wiggler. So this afternoon, CSR's first tooth fell out. It turned out a little creepier than I expected (I am a person who has her wisdom teeth tucked away in a box). His new tooth has already broken the surface too. So tonight we hunted up something to put the tooth in so the Tooth Fairy can find it. A little organza drawstring bag complete with a sparkly old earring attached. CSR even included a note. What fairy wouldn't like that?

Ice Cream Anxiety

2009-06-26T15:26:00.001-07:00

Just trying to have a simple ice cream turns into high anxiety. This was the first time RTR was really possessive about his ice cream cone. It was a huge cone-- the girl who served it packed ice cream deep into the cone, so it was a lot of ice cream for one little boy.

Author's Night

2009-06-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

CSR surprised us by wanting to participate in his school's Author's Night, where the students get up on stage at a local bookstore and read something they've written-- in front of an audience of about 100. He was the only one from his kindergarten class to participate. And while what he chose to read was brief, we were so proud of him.

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In case you can't understand him, he says, "My name is ___. I like my new dog. Thank you."

Father's Day Camping Trip

2009-06-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a family adventure, camping for Father's Day. Despite a little rain and some vomit, things turned out pretty well. Friday night found us setting up camp in the rain. What kind of Western Washington residents would we be if we let a little rain stop us? We were able to get a fire going and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows (not at the same time). A few hours later, the barf hit the fan-- well, not the fan, but blankets and pajamas. RTR woke up around one AM blowing chunks. We had to use our glow sticks to clean up the mess as best we could. But we forgot about the second round rule when it comes to throwing up. Just when we're all ready to settle back in, here comes the second round. So now we're out of clean pajamas and warm bedding for RTR. I have to admit I didn't anticipate needing more than one set of pajamas for any of us. Thank goodness we know someone with laundry facilities nearby. Other than that, it was fun. South Whidbey State Park is a great place for families. Recommend campsites 15, 37 and 40. There's a fun beach for building dams in the sand (imagine CSR yelling "Dam it, dam it"), exploring the low tide and a patch of natural clay for getting all gooey messy.

Look Ma, No Training Wheels

2009-06-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just when we were wondering if CSR was EVER going to give up on using training wheels on his bike, he's off like a shot. TSR's hard work (a lot of coaxing and running up and down the street) paid off a few weeks ago. Now he wants to ride everywhere, well, except maybe up hill.

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First (Official) Haircut

2009-05-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

When someone referred to RTR as a cute little girl, I figured it must be time to get him his first official haircut. You'll have to look back at a February post for a reference to his first unofficial haircut. He was surprisingly cooperative for the stylist. Of course, my only frame of reference for this is CSR's first few haircuts, which were riddled with tears, frustration and hair-coated lollipops.

Two Years Ago Today

2009-05-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today our trio became a quartet with the arrival of RTR. It's hard to believe he's two years old. He's really blossomed in the past few weeks, adding more and more words to his vocabulary and doing more sign language too. He has so many ways of saying Mama, all communicating his mood and needs--there's the one calling out for me to get him out of his crib, the one that says he's being disappointed, and the tone that says, "Hey, you need to come here NOW." It reminds me of that old radio recording of a man and a woman just saying "Marsha" and "John" back and forth but with different emphasis and emotion.

He also likes showing us his funny side. He's developed quite the sense of humor, figuring out his timing and looking for our reactions. Along with that comes his games of pretend, especially pretending he's a puppy. He crawls on all fours, pants and sticks out his tongue. Pretty charming.

To celebrate his birthday, we had some preschool friends over to play this morning and then tonight went to the Old Spaghetti Factory. We could have gotten his $5 for free if I had signed him up for the OSF's birthday club. I also baked some cupcakes, but didn't get them frosted. I'm sure it will be just as fun to blow out the candles tomorrow. Happy Birthday RTR.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is my 6th Mother's Day. I remember the first clearly-- well as clearly as a woman who had just had a baby. I was less than a day into my official entry into motherhood. What nerve I had to ask my husband, who had been running around like a maniac taking care of me and our newborn, is this all I get? In my defense, I was thinking flowers or something like that.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Happy Birthday

2009-05-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

CSR Celebrates his 6th birthday with a few friends and a lake party... complete with a lake cake--his special request. Cheers to you baby boy.

No Way

2009-05-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

As each day passes, it seems RTR is speaking new words all the time. The other day he said what we believe to be his version of his brother's name. Now the new phrase sounds like "no way." As in, "R~, it's bed time." His response, "No way." He was also taking great pleasure in giving his brother the ol' run around. The video explains it.

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Easter Pictures

2009-04-29T21:33:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from when the Easter Bunny stopped by our house a couple of weeks ago.

When Tomorrow Comes

2009-04-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Tyler and I spent much of Saturday working on our son's preschool fundraising auction. That meant lots of errands and projects to work on. As we focused on what needed to be done, our children got a little lost in the shuffle. Loaded into the car, out of the car, into the store, out of the store, hurry up, hurry up, into the car seats, out of the car seats, hurry up, get into the car, no we don't have time to go to the park... and on and on it went. So when CSR got to the breaking point, he said, "You're going to owe me tomorrow for all the stuff we couldn't do today." Talk about putting it in perspective. So how many times can you shrug off your children's tug before they stop wanting you to be with them, to play with them, to talk to them?

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast...

2009-04-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

I thought I was pretty easy going, which also means not always being in a hurry. But leave it to a five year old to point out your flaws. After spending five days with Grandma and Grandpa, CSR got a glimpse of life (or at least the walk to school) in the slow lane. CSR told the grandparents that his mom is always in a rush and walks too fast to school. Hmmm. Maybe I am in a hurry. Having a deadline driven personality, I guess I like to be at school when the first bell rings. CSR and RTR couldn't care less. Today we were ready to go in enough time so we could slow down a bit. But of course, when we got to the street where the school is, we were greeted by "Road Closed" signs. Some sort of lines down in the road. Not wanting to chance our safety, this meant a detour around the block. So much for a leisurely walk to school.

April is the Cruelest Month

2009-04-09T22:53:00.001-07:00

Nothing like April to be a tease. Where else can you play in the snow one day and dig in the sand the next. Well, this wasn't exactly the next. But on Thursday CSR and T. headed for the mountains to catch some spring fun in the snow. Poor T. forgot his boots, arriving in the fresh powder wearing only Crocs. Didn't matter to CSR though.

On Sunday we headed out on a family adventure to Point No Point Lighthouse (and beach) on the Kitsap Peninsula. Of course it was a long trip home, since we didn't make the ferry we had hoped and didn't pack any snacks or beach gear beyond sand toys.

Ferry Princes

2009-04-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

One great thing about living so close to Puget Sound is that ferries are like buses, if you miss one, there's sure to be another one along any minute. The boys and I took a ferry ride last Sunday. Since we missed one just by a minute or so, we spent our wait playing on the beach. We had lunch on the boat and went for ice cream on the other side. Of course, shame on me for not fully checking the ferry schedule. There was a gap and it took a lot longer to get home than I expected. Oh well. A fun afternoon on the ferries with a couple of princes.

Permanent Record

2009-03-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a permanent marker to put me on edge. That would be a permanent marker in a 5 year old's hands. I even went to hiding them after CSR wrote on his bedroom wall, the counter and a slat in the living room blinds. Of course, it turns out I must not be very good at hiding things. I can't find a marker when I want one and CSR seems to have a stash he's willing to dip into to help me out. I stress "loan" because he hovers around until I give it back. We must have a hundred pens, markers and crayons for the kids to use whenever they want, so what is it with the Sharpie? Forbidden fruit?

Lucky Charms

2009-03-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

When you have children, apparently all holidays become a big deal. We don't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day, unless you count wearing something green as celebrating. So when talking to CSR about St. Patrick's Day, he floored us with what he thought we should do. First. we have to hang up our stocking so the St. Patrick's man can come and fill them up. Then we have to have Lucky Charms cereal. Hmmmm, not so sure about the stockings. But could probably pull off the cereal. Of course, though knowing CSR's sugar habit, I didn't want to suffer through the battle of dealing with an entire box of Lucky Charms (am I weak?). So on Monday night I remember about the cereal but realize that it's too late for me to go to the store. So I ask Tyler if he can remember to stop at the store after working late and get one of those multi-packs of cereal that have the mini-boxes. That I could deal with. So I take the mini-box of Lucky Charms, tie a silver (didn't have any gold) cord to it and string the cord from CSR's bedroom door knob to the living room and hide the cereal. I have to say, it seems like money well spent, considering how surprised CSR was and how much he seemed to enjoy the treat. Nothing like sugar for breakfast. How lucky am I?

Red Rubber Boots

2009-03-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

This is exactly what rubber boots were invented for... splashing in puddles. RTR wasn't quite ready to get in the car as we left our baby n' me music class this morning. So there he was wading through all the little puddles along the teacher's driveway and yard. And there were a lot of them. It was quite a study on his part. He would pause, mid-puddle and seemed to be giving the dynamics of water and rocks and leaves a lot of thought. Consider the depth of each puddle and what happens when a rock is dropped in. He even tried to peel the rocks out of the landscaping for more splashing action. Of course, one little slip, and he was done. He doesn't seem to like getting his hands muddy. Another lesson for me too that I should slow down and not always be in such a rush to load up and drive off to the next place.

Brothers

2009-03-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

We've hit a milestone... at least CSR and RTR seem to have. Playing in the backyard together. CSR headed out to the backyard to play Friday afternoon. RTR (aka Mr. Me Too) of course, couldn't be left inside. He put on his boots, pulled me over to the coat rack and pointed to his vest. This fleece vest that's almost too small. It's tight across RTR's middle, reminding me of a middle aged man with a spare tire. But I digress. So once zipped into his vest, he heads outside too. First I see him carefully scooping up water and dumping it back into the muddy soup that's developed in the sandbox. A little while later, RTR is following CSR along the back fence, carefully stepping along the rocks trying to keep up. Both wearing their rubber boots. Another glance out the window and I see the two of them and what looks like them having a conversation with RTR pointing at something and CSR saying something. And then it's all topped off with a soft knock at the door. I open the front (!) door to find both of them smiling, ready to come in.

Trying To Get Ahead

2009-03-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Why take all those digital photos if all you're going to do is let them either sit on the memory card or languish in some file on your computer? Although, even filing the prints in photo albums isn't necessarily rewarding either-- the only people who seem to look at them are CSR and maybe my mom and mother in-law when they come to visit. So I'm dusting off the picture files and sharing a few recent ones. The quality of some also make me think we need a new camera. What's the life span of a digital camera?

Carefree carousel days

Fun times at the aquarium

Treating Your First Child As If It's Your Second

2009-03-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

I got this title from a chapter in a book called "How to Raise Children at Home in Your Spare Time." While the book is a little outdated, I thought the chapter title made some sense. I wish I had treated our first born as if he was our second. It seems our second born is a little more independent-- figuring out how to put his shoes on, grabbing his coat when he's ready to go and trying to dress himself. At almost six years old, there are still times when I have to do all those things for CSR. Makes the 21 month old child look so much more advanced.

Snippets

2009-02-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

I've experienced my first really bad haircut. Last night, I was called into the bathroom to check out the mess that appeared there while I was simultaneously making dinner and on the phone (important conversations too!). The surprise was little snippets of blonde hair on the rug, counter and floor. Apparently CSR felt that RTR needed a trim, his first haircut. Using kitchen scissors he cut big hunks of hair off of the top of RTR's head. As I gathered up the little curls to save for the baby book, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. One friend pointed out how amazing it is that RTR didn't get cut or gouged. That's one thing to be grateful for. Now I'm wondering what to do about the bad haircut. The short patches are right on the top of his head. Turns out CSR used papa's razor for that part. Is RTR too young for hair mousse to keep his comb over in place? I'm just grateful he's blond so the baldness doens't show as much. The picture above is the best one I got showing one of the bald spots. The picture below is just cute.

Coffee Klatsch

2009-02-03T22:59:00.000-08:00

When you're a busy mom, having someone else make breakfast is a heavenly treat. It turns out CSR is pretty handy in the kitchen. His latest thing is to make me breakfast, which consists of toast in some form and coffee. The first day he made the coffee, he put water in the coffee maker and added the grounds to the pot after the water went through. I thought that was a pretty good first effort and explained how to use a filter and measure out the coffee. Next day, amazement as he brewed a pretty good cup of java. I guess he thought more would be a good thing. Yesterday, he doubled the amount of water but left the amount of coffee the same. Talk about weak. Yikes. But I think things maybe improving, today was better-- but he did add sugar to the grounds. Now if I could just get him to make the toast like I like.

Cornered

2009-01-27T19:39:00.000-08:00

When it comes to working in the kitchen, I have a little shadow. RTR thinks any time I am in the kitchen, it's his job to slide one of the kid-size chairs into the corner at the counter between the stove and sink and help in whatever way he can. It can make dinner prep a little crowded and challenging. Tonight I thought I would turn the tables on him-- moving to another part of the counter. At first at worked. But before I could get a salad made, there he was, sliding his chair over to where I was. Oh well. Nurturing this kind of kitchen help could come in handy in the future.

Park Party Pooper Update

2009-01-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

A quick update on the previous post. I got a phone message from the city park department yesterday thanking me for my call and that the poo was going to be cleaned up. I have to say that's some good customer service. The man even left his number if I wanted to call back with questions. I did call him back, just to thank him for returning my call.

S#*t Happens

2009-01-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

Aaarrrgh! I can't believe it. Today at the park, CSR litterally slid into some shit. Pardon the language on this family blog. But seriously, he went down the curly-cue slide at the park and slid into it. How does that get onto the slide? Of course, I didn't realize this until I had it on me. That's what I get for holding onto him while he grabbed onto a pole to slide down. And it being just a quick trip to the neighborhood park, I didn't bring ANYTHING to clean either of us up. So it was a speedy walk home, at least as speedy as it could be with CSR and one of his friends walking their five year old pace-- like a couple of distracted old ladies. Once I got home and peeled the shitty clothes off of us, I called the Parks Department to give them a piece of my mind. Apparently no one answers the phone after 4pm. Leaving a voice-mail not nearly as satisfying as being able to rant to a live person. Probably just as well.

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better...

2009-01-18T22:50:00.000-08:00

Lately RTR has become Mr. Me Too. Whatever his big brother is doing, he wants to do too. Or maybe anyone else for that matter. Ride a scooter? Sure, me too. Use the computer? Oh, yeah, me too. Use a sharp knife? Okay, count me in too. In this picture, RTR is helping me clean. He also pulled out the broom this afternoon to sweep the floor along with CSR. He's also pretty good at wiping up spills on the floor. I'm hoping to cultivate RTR's cleaning habits. Our house could really use it.

Back in the Blogging Game

2009-01-18T22:11:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get back into the blog. Between the snow days and all the activities surrounding Christmas, I got out of the habit. So now I'm trying to get caught up. Here are a some pictures from Christmas.

CSR and grandpa work on a construction project.

CSR got a bathrobe for Christmas. RTR apparently wanted one too. After seeing his brother's excitement over the robe, RTR got into the act, pulling the Christmas tree skirt out from under grandma's tree and wrapping himself in it.

Okay, so I need help in how to post pictures in a reasonable order on the blog.

Snow Days, Snow Days....

2008-12-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

Snow days, snow days, dear old golden rule days. Okay, so they're not exactly the right words. But thought it a catchy tune to modify for our snowy weather. Monday school was delayed by 1 1/2 hours.

Tuesday it was business as usual. Wednesday I didn't bother checking the school closure reports since there was no new snow. Boy, was I surprised when I pulled up to CSR's school to find it closed. What a waste of a perfectly good school day. So much for getting some Christmas shopping done. Of course, today was a different story. Snow, snow and more snow. I took the boys for a quick toboggan ride down the lane. They loved it. Until we got back in the yard and the toboggan tipped and RTR ended up doing a face plant. Then he was ready to go inside.

Counter Intelligence

2008-12-18T21:11:00.001-08:00

RTR is proving each day just how intelligent he is. His brain is always working, figuring things out. One of his latest tricks is pushing one of the kid size chairs to the corner of the kitchen counter, climbing up on the chair and then trying to reach whatever is there, preferably food or a sharp knife.

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

2008-12-14T22:54:00.000-08:00

We met up with Santa Claus this afternoon. Anyone looking at this picture might wonder, hmm... how come CSR is in it and not RTR. Well, RTR burst into tears when we placed him on Santa's lap. So that will be how the professional photograph will turn out. It will be ready in a week. I was able to snap these pictures of CSR and Santa. Before they looked at the camera, CSR was talking to Santa. Being too busy working my camera, I didn't have a chance to hear what they were chatting about. Hopefully, it wasn't ALL about what's on his Christmas list.

Medal-worthy Mothering Moments?

2008-12-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

This morning as RTR and I were leaving our co-op preschool class, I was in a bit of a hurry. I had a table to load in the car and it was raining. But RTR wasn't really that into hurrying to the car. So I took the time and decided that yes, I could slow down and let RTR go at his own pace. So he splashed through all the puddles on the sidewalk, despite not wearing the proper footwear. He became particularly interested in the deepest puddle which was being fed by the leaky rain gutter, dripping steadily. Of course splashing wasn't enough. He had to walk through the stream coming from the rain gutter--several times. I thought, okay... the table can wait. He's having fun. What's a little water? Of course, by the time RTR was finished, he was soaked and I didn't have a change of clothes for him. I rushed to load up the table and raced home in time to change RTR before we had to go pick up CSR. I thought, yea for me, mother of the day for letting RTR splash around.
Now it's an hour later and we're walking home from picking up CSR's school. The light rain turned into a cold drizzle. Not even before we left the school yard, RTR was mad and pulling to get out of the stroller. Foolish me for braving the rain. Halfway home, I had to take him out of the stroller and carry him. He had gotten cold and wet from the rain. Thankfully CSR was very cooperative and willingly pushed the stroller the rest of the way home. So now, I withdraw my nomination for mother of the day. RTR did bounce back after a grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup and some warm milk. But still not one of my smarter moves.

Oh Christmas Tree

2008-12-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

It took a little bit longer than I would have liked, but finally we have our tree up. Helping increase the Christmas spirit around here. We drove out to the same farm yesterday we went to last year. This year, only a cloudy sky. Last year, we trooped out to the farmer's field in the middle of a big snow storm. I'm sure if you look at last year's blog post, there are full details there.

CSR was really eager to get the tree decorated. He really got into looking at all the ornaments. Our collection of special ones grows each year. I think they're crowding out the "filler" ornaments, the basic glass bulbs. It was fun looking at them all and talking about them, where they came from, what they represent. One of my favorites is the snowman I made for Tyler back in 1999. I can't remember the significance exactly. But I thought my construction was pretty ingenious-- using a twig for the arms, making a tiny felt hat and the teeny carrot nose.

The little blue stocking for RTR's first Christmas.

The glittery pine cone marking the summer camping trip with just the boys.
It will be interesting to see how RTR reacts to the tree tomorrow. He was in bed by the time we broke out the decorations. Most of the ornaments within his reach aren't delicate or breakable. Nothing that a little glue couldn't fix. I have a few others that need some repair work.

Reading is Fundamental

2008-12-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my luck. We checked out a "Books to Grow On" theme kit on manners from the library. When it came due, I couldn't find one of the 12 books that came in the kit. I looked high and low, inside, outside, every possible place I could think of. I made CSR look for it too, even denying him a trip to the library when he couldn't find the book either. The librarian told me I could hold onto the kit a little longer in hopes the book would turn up. So I waited, accruing ten cent a day fines for nearly a month. And then having $200 for the kit billed to my overdue fines account. Last Monday, I decided to take one more look around, checking the kit case before returning it to the library and paying for the lost book. As I counted the books again, I noticed a small label on the inside lid of the case. It said "Missing 12/2007 No! David", the exact book I had been looking for for the past month! I couldn't believe it. Boy did I feel foolish. On the bright side, when I told my story to the librarian at the desk, she kindly knocked half the amount of the overdue amount for the kit.

Multi-tasking Mama

2008-11-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what a mother can get done when there aren't any children around! This afternoon CSR was at a friend's house and RTR was taking a nap. During that time I was able to bake some bread (in a bread machine), talk on the phone, bake a batch of cookies, have another conversation on the phone and assemble a lasagna (actually two, one for dinner and one for the freezer). Not too shabby. Just don't ask me about the condition of the rest of my house.

Our Little Ham-ster

2008-11-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

We're probably headed down a slippery slope when it comes to RTR and his eating habits. As I mentioned in an earlier post, he's a bit of a snacker and pretty much begs for food anytime anyone is in the kitchen, regardless of whether they're doing something food-related. Last night, grandpa was slicing up the ham for our dinner and all the while he worked there was RTR at his knee begging, saying "Ham, ham, ham." Of course, gramps couldn't refuse, giving our little "Ham-ster" bits and bites while we put the finishing touches on getting dinner on the table. I thought when it did come time to actually sit down and eat, RTR would be full. But he did eat some of the food on his plate and of course begged for more ham. Now if only I could get him to beg for veggies the same way. It also seems ham and hi are two of the words RTR says pretty clearly.

Football Fans

2008-11-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Seahawks may not be having their best season, but here are some of their fans watching yesterday's game against the Dolphins.

Hmmm, should I be appalled by the condition of the living room?

Halloween is the New Christmas

2008-11-02T11:06:00.001-08:00

The month of October culminated with the annual ritual of trick-or-treating. We headed out just as it got dark on Friday night. I think we were the first ones out in our neighborhood. Around the corner, we met up with one of CSR's classmates and her brother. Since they were coming from the other direction, they were wanting to trick-or-treat at houses we had already been. While we tried to get CSR to wait on the sidewalk, he wouldn't do it. He went ahead with his friend, but when it came time to get the treats, he told the people at the door, "No candy for me, I've already been here." What manners. Of course it didn't matter that he didn't "double dip" at those houses, he still came home with a sack overflowing with candy. And on Saturday morning, a neighbor who wasn't home Friday night, dropped off little treats for both boys.

I think Halloween may be becoming the new Christmas. It's turning into a month-long series of events-- from field trips to pumpkin patches and corn mazes to class parties and community events--everything from carnivals to "haunted" parks. Not to mention that we also hit Pumpkin Prowl, a goody-laden event at the Woodland Park Zoo. And it probably doesn't help that many stores have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas stuff. Last week, next to the Halloween candy, I noticed stacks of Christmas-themed candy at Bartell Drug. I know Costco gets an even earlier start-- maybe after Labor Day. CSR told me that after Halloween, Christmas starts. I tried to explain that Thanksgiving came in between and that we don't start our Christmas celebrating until AFTER Thanksgiving.

Pre-Natal Tests

2008-10-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with RTR two years ago, I remember feeling a little anxious when it came to a couple of those pre-natal tests... the ones used to determine whether more testing is needed for Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18. I read a little about what Trisomy 18 was, but didn't give it much thought. Tonight while watching Oprah (it's replayed at 9pm in our market), there was this bawl-your-eyes-out segment about a baby born with Trisomy 18. Elliott's parents ended up celebrating every day of his life-- and now a small part of it is on YouTube. Made me realize how important it is to slow down and celebrate (not in a cake and ice cream sort of way) each day we have with our children.
The top picture was taken tonight... moments after the cute part. I ran to get the camera as RTR sat down in the hallway next to CSR, both enjoying an after dinner cookie. I love that RTR grabbed the biggest cookie in the container. The second picture is of them in the yard this weekend, helping their dad. Start 'em early on those chores.

Snack-o-lantern

2008-10-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

I saw this t-shirt at Old Navy and couldn't resist-- it was like it was made for RTR. It's hard to read in the picture, but it says "Snack-o-lantern." He is our little snacker, always looking for something to eat. Maybe he's part cow, always grazing. His eating habits make me doubt sometimes that I'm feeding him enough at mealtimes.

Blue Cheese Boy

2008-10-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ah ha! After weeks of worrying about RTR consisting on a diet of mostly fruit and crackers, we think we've figured out an answer-- blue cheese salad dressing. The discovery came Sunday night at dinner... left on RTR's plate, papa's grilled chicken and some potatoes. When it didn't look like RTR was going to eat any more, Tyler suggested using a little blue cheese dressing for dip. And lo and behold, he ate it, he really ate it... both the chicken and potatoes. I figure if a little salad dressing gets you to eat your veggies (and entree), so be it!

It's My Birthday

2008-10-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

I love cake. But probably the best cake is the homemade one my mom and CSR made for me. CSR told me on the phone yesterday (as I was out enjoying my free day with my husband) he used chocolate chips to write "Happy Birthday Karen (my last name)." I also found $5 in the street. Plus have received good wishes and kind words from dear friends and family. So, what a great day.

Mmmmmm Brownies!

2008-10-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

We baked brownies from scratch the other day. CSR thought we should make a cake and as I looked through the recipes, I found I didn't have all the ingredients for the different cakes. But we did have everything for brownies. Nothing special, just your basic Hershey's brownies. But what makes these so delectable is what's in the freezer. Topping an average brownie with a scoop (or two) of Dreyer's Peppermint ice cream. Actually it's not ice cream, Dreyer's calls it a frozen dairy dessert, which basically means it's main ingredient is not cream (I didn't realize that until after I bought it).

Smiley on the Front Step

2008-10-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

Did I ever tell you that October is my favorite month? And that's not just because both my birthday and our anniversary are in October. I love the leaves changing colors, visits to the pumpkin patch, deciding on Halloween costumes, pumpkin pie and setting up our scarecrow. I guess he's not really a true scarecrow, sitting on our front porch in a folding lawn chair instead of hanging out in a corn field somewhere. But anyway, we set Smiley up last week. That's what CSR thought his name should be. We surrounded him with the fruits of our backyard pumpkin patch... seven pumpkins about as big as beach balls-- green beach balls. We had to take additional action to get them to start turning orange. Once they're carved, in the dark though, no one will be able to tell if they're orange or green.

We're Going on a Leaf Hunt

2008-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

While we're having plenty of chilly fall temperatures, the leaves are still in the early stages of changing. But that didn't stop us from going on a leaf hunt with some good friends to Washington Park Arboretum. Here are some pictures of our adventures. Next time remember to wear rubber boots.

I (heart) Farmer's Markets

2008-09-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

We're pretty fortunate to live in an area where farmer's markets are so plentiful. Pretty much on any given day of the week, you can find one. We've been to the Lake City Farmer's Market in the past couple of weeks. What better place for the boys to get the best kind of free samples-- peaches, berries, apples, cheese, fresh baked bread. RTR even ended up with an inadvertent sample-- grabbing an apple from a box while I shopped at one booth. I didn't realize he had the apple until after I had paid for my produce and was off to another booth. When I returned to where the apple had been lifted, the people running it were gracious and thought it was cute. They were also amazed RTR was enjoying such a tart apple. He ate practically the whole thing-- I retrieved the stem and seeds from his juicy hands and chin.

I've got a little food anxiety-- if you haven't noticed. I recently read (most of) Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food," where he talks about how most of the items in our grocery stores aren't really food-- but food-like substances and how it got to be that way. I like his call to eat food, mostly plants. Also, never eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize. Have you ever read the ingredients list on the food in your cupboard? I try not to buy anything with more than ten ingredients or with ingredients I can't easily identify. What is hydrolized food starch or dough conditioner? There was an article in today's paper about new food labeling rules that must state what country the food comes from. Not only a good idea for people trying to eat foods grown closer to home, but also for anyone wanting to avoid food from countries with suspect hygiene or poor quality control-- Chinese melamine anyone? Cadbury had to recall or pull candy made with Chinese milk products because of melamine.

Life at 15 Months

2008-09-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

RTR just had is 15 month check up. I guess not getting in to see the doctor until RTR is almost 16 months (as of tomorrow), shows what a great (popular) doctor we have.

Anyway, here are the statistics:
He weighs in at a lean 21 pounds, 14 ounces. That puts him in the 15th percentile.
He measures up to a tall 31-3/4 inches. He ranks in the 70th percentile for weight.

Tall and skinny. I can't even compare it to his one year visit because I can't find the info. sheet from that doctor visit. I was surprised he weighs only 21 pounds. I thought he was a little more hefty. The nurse also freaked me out when she asked how many words RTR says clearly... and I had to say none. But then the doctor came in and said, no, the count of 4-6 words at this age is sounds of intent, not actual words. Thank goodness! Our little willow of a boy has at least 4-6 distinct sounds that we recognize. Da is dog. Dree is drink (milk). Bah is ball. Ha is hi--usually into a telephone--either a play or real phone. Mom-mom-mom-mom seems to be his version of more. He also signs more, but more what is the bigger question.

As Seen on TV

2008-09-15T20:56:00.001-07:00

We've joined the 21st century... at least in one small way with our TV. We used our government coupon and got the HD converter box for our TV. Yes, we do not have cable or satellite TV. In addition to crystal clear reception, we have a few extra channels including a kid's channel called Qubo. At first glance it seemed an okay alternative to PBS, but now we're seeing the side effects of commercial TV. CSR has told me I should get the Pancake Puff pan. It also makes pizza puffs too. That was the first thing CSR pointed out. He also thought I could get a lot of use out of the Pasta N' More Microwave Pasta Cooker. The comical thing about all this is the way CSR pretty much quotes word for word the sales pitch with the same TV tone of voice. I should appreciate the fact that he thinks that I could use some help in the kitchen!

Fun in the Backyard

2008-09-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

We're having some beautiful weather. Now that it's September, summer is here. Here is a little video of the boys enjoying the warm weather. Before I went in and got the video camera, CSR was dancing around in the water and RTR was doing his own version. Of course, once I got the video going, they wouldn't really do it again.

It's Getting Better

2008-09-09T20:17:00.001-07:00

Day 4 of kindergarten went better. Not nearly as many tears or carrying on this morning. Our co-op preschool teacher (former kindergarten teacher and dear friend!) gave me great words of encouragement and advice. She said this week would still be hard for CSR, pointing out he only went to school two days last week. Among her gems, reminding me to encourage CSR during the difficult times that "tommorrow will be better"...something we can all use and learn from. She also advised ice cream for lunch. So yesterday, as we walked home from school, when I suggested that, his face lit up--like he couldn't believe that his vegetable-pushing mom was going to let him have ice cream FOR LUNCH. It was totally worth it. It also helped that as I got the ice cream ready, he asked for a turkey and cheese sandwich.

We also discovered that the girl CSR sits next to in class lives around the corner from us, so that should be fun to have a friend in the neighborhood.

Kindergarten. It's getting better.

The First Day of School

2008-09-04T20:34:00.001-07:00

Today was CSR's first day of kindergarten. Does he look like he's excited?

Tyler took the day off from work-- partly for this big day and also because he worked on the weekend. It was a beautiful day so we walked to school. CSR rode his tricycle. We took a couple of pictures outside the door and then went in the classroom.

The teacher had name tags on the tables so we helped CSR find his. Things seemed to be going pretty well. Then it came time to say goodbye. Oh boy, big emotions set in. He grabbed me and did that silent teary sob thing he does. Brought tears to my eyes too. What to do? My friend Suzanne (who's a teacher) had advised me a few days ago to make the goodbye quick and not linger. Okay, I could do that I thought. Easier said than done. I drew a heart on his hand and one on mine and said he should look at that during the day and think of me and I would do the same. That seemed to cheer him. So Tyler and I started to leave. He jumped up and grabbed me, in tears. Tyler got him back to his seat and talked to him for a few more minutes. I waited outside where we'd left RTR parked in his stroller. Watched other parents too and was glad to see we weren't the only ones with tears.

We Like to Camp, Camp, Camp

2008-08-27T22:46:00.001-07:00

We survived our first camping trip with RTR. The four of us spent two days at Lake Wenatchee State Park. It was a lot of fun, once we got past making do because of the things we forgot (pump for air mattress, coffee cups, dish cloths, garbage bags). And we are feeling pretty smug about camping in the rain. The water resistant canopy we bought at GI Joe's was one of the best camping investments we've made. I highly recommend getting one-- not only good for shade, but keeping the rain off your picnic table too. While the first night was pretty rainy, RTR fared really well, going to bed pretty easily and sleeping through the night. It probably helped that he didn't get a good nap on Sunday. Monday night was a different story. He woke up around 1AM crying. He didn't appreciate our efforts to warm him up, our thinking that he was cold. So we then tried some milk. A couple of sips, but then, no dice, more crying. One of us jumped up and grabbed a banana out of the cooler. Ahhh. Much better. RTR snuggled in to the nook of Tyler's arm and chowed down. He reminded me of a baby gorilla at the zoo, all content just eating a delicious banana. But an entire banana was not enough. So Tyler grabbed a granola bar (!) for RTR to gnaw on. We lived dangerously, with RTR using his nine or so teeth to power through a small chunk of granola bar. Yikes. So it goes with those second borns, doing things you'd have never done with the first baby. Sorry for the long line of pictures, I don't know how to group them together through the blogger software.

It Just Goes to Show You...

2008-08-27T22:42:00.001-07:00

When it comes to kindergarten, it's no cake walk. It turns out that thought I had about the kindergarten teacher (see previous post), was right. It's the same teacher, she just changed her name. And not just her last name, her first name as well. Strikes me as strange. According to the school office, the teacher got married a few years back and decided to now change her name. I understand changing the last name, but the first name too? Makes me think something else is up. I think Tonya Harding's ex-husband petitioned to change his name from Jeff Gilooly to Jeff Smith, to escape his criminal notariety. Of course, if memory serves, many of the Jeff Smiths of the world protested his name change. Ahhhh, what's a mother to do?

It All Started in Kindergarten

2008-08-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten has turned out to be stressful-- for me. We've spent months trying to figure out which school would be the best for CSR. Darn the school district for giving us choices! It all started when a parent (and former teacher) told me about her experiences with the kindergarten teacher at our neighborhood school. It was not positive. Next came two more parents (and teachers) who also added their knowledge of this person. Again, not positive-- one going to far as to say "that as a parent in good conscience, she could never put her child in that teacher's class."

I had already been looking at the school district's alternative school as another choice. But by the time I made up my mind, there was a waiting list. Applied anyway. In the end, maybe all this work and stress and talk didn't matter. Today a letter arrived from our neighborhood school for kindergartners... and it's signed by a completely different teacher than the one I had been worried about. Of course, in the back of my mind, I'm wondering, did that teacher get married or something and change her name? Here's to the first day of school...where ever we end up.

Photographer In Training?

2008-08-15T22:11:00.001-07:00

Another sign that we're raising an electronic generation-- CSR's obsession with the camera. He will take it, go off and in just a few minutes will have taken dozens of pictures. He's also somehow changed a setting on the camera that has reduced the number of pictures you can have on the memory stick. So usually before I can take any pictures, I have to go through and delete CSR's work. Thank goodness it is digital and not film. Some of the pictures are quite interesting, so I don't have the heart to delete all of them. Mostly the unflattering ones of myself or the blurriest ones. Here are some that he's taken.

Is Summer Over Yet?

2008-08-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

You know, sometimes with your spouse there are times you realize there is such a thing as too much togetherness. Well, I think the same goes for children. Since I couldn't convice CSR to sign up for a day camp or even a class, we've spent A LOT of time together this summer. I think it must be getting to me because this week, I haven't been the best parent I could be. It amazes (and frustrates) me that we meet up with preschool friends at the park and what does CSR do? He either hangs on me, insists I play with him or goes off by himself-- and doesn't play with the other kids, which was the main reason for us to go to the park. What is it with that? I figured he'd be going nuts to see his school friends and have some time away from me. Maybe I'm too popular for my own good? Of course if CSR isn't on my case, he's pestering RTR. I can't tell if CSR is purposely playing rough with the baby or is oblivious, although I suspect it's the former. We thought we were pretty lucky when RTR was born that CSR didn't really act out like some kids do when a baby arrives. But now, I think it was just delayed-- especially now that RTR is mobile and is demanding in his own way for attention. A year ago, you could put RTR in the Bjorn and go. Now, not so much. Maybe that's what CSR is realizing. Three can be a crowd when it comes to the freedoms of going and doing whenever where ever.

More on Grandma's Visit

2008-08-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

I just got home today from taking my 99 year old grandma to my aunt's house in Vancouver, WA. Grandma's visit was going great until last Friday. While finishing up her shower, she fell-- pretty much a free fall from standing to the hard ceramic tile floor. Oh my gosh, I don't think I've ever been so scared. I was standing right there too to help her with her shower. I had to call 911 and since I left the house phone outside, I used my cell phone, which was thankfully in my pocket. The dispatcher sent medics... but it seemed like they took forever, while my poor disoriented grandma just wanted to get up off the floor. I tried not to panic and remain calm for not only my sake but for grandma's and CSR's as well (the baby was napping). The paramedics came in and were able to get her up off the floor. They took her to the hospital to get checked out (they were so wonderful to grandma, CSR and me, I am DEFINITELY supporting the EMS levy). I was left to figure out what to do with the boys. I couldn't get a hold of Tyler. But my friend Suzanne called in the middle of the chaos and said she'd be right over to pick up the boys. But CSR refused to get in her car and was throwing a MAJOR tantrum. Mortifying. Fortunately, T. pulled up and took over with the kids. I rushed to the hospital. She was being x-rayed when I got there. A nurse wanted grandma's medical history-- which turns out to be very minimal-- I guess that's why she's made it to 99. Doctor said her CT scan showed no problems inside her noggin but she dislocated her shoulder and that he would reset it once the anesthesiologist got there. She had to be sedated with some funky drug that would essentially make her forget about the reset-- which is a good thing because it was quite something to watch. I had to turn away, it got to be too much. Doctor said it was a 1 in 50,000 case in difficulty in getting her arm back into its place. After another x-ray and getting fitted with a sling, they let us go home-- at 8:45pm, about five hours after the fall. Grandma kept asking me what happened to her. I am so grateful that it didn't turn out any more serious. As the week went on, grandma seemed more and more like herself. The fall left her with a black, swollen eye too but she wouldn't let me take a picture of it. I told her it looked like she got in a street fight. When she laughed at that, I relaxed-- just a little.

14 Months Old

2008-07-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

RTR is 14 months old today. Here are a few fun facts:

*I am edging closer to walking all by myself, in fact taking a few steps here and there this evening.

*Besides fruit (see previous Fruitetarian post), my new favorite food is Cheetos cheese puffs. My great-grandma, who is visiting us this week, is so kind to hand me a couple whenever I point to the bag.

*I am learning to appreciate the nuances of "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear," taking more time to enjoy ALL of the pages of the book.

*I'm getting use to taking baths in the big bathtub, so maybe my mom can try and sell the baby one on craigslist.

*I've been saying a few words, but since neither of my parents speaks my language, they don't know exactly what I'm saying. My mom thinks it might be French, since I'm really good at that ZH sound the Frenchies use for the J sound. Still not that into baby sign language, despite months of being shown "More," "Milk," and "All Done."

Hey Grams

2008-07-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

Another change of pace in our household-- my 99 year old grandma is visiting. She's been here only a couple of days but already it's been great. CSR has taking to calling her Grams, as in "Hey Grams, look out your window to see the fountain." We'd taken her for a little drive down to the ferry dock in Edmonds. I think it's a cute pet name he's come up with. He also calls her 'Cullough, a sort of abbreviated version of her last name.

She's hard of hearing so that means The Price is Right at top volume. When CSR realized she had dozed off, he turned off the tv. That made me smile, thinking that he DOES have a limit when it comes to tv-- since his parents limit screen time during the day. Last night, Grams said "CSR, you tickle me." He was being a cut-up, acting silly while playing restaurant and trying to take her order from the menu he had made. For some reason, he'd just burst into giggles whenever she read one of his drink items-- "Pooch juice," whatever that is.

He's very sweet to her, wanting to help her for the most part. Refilling her water glass, pulling her chair out for her at the dining room table. Here's to a few more days of fun times with Grams.

Smitty

2008-07-22T20:43:00.001-07:00

A sad day for me... my cat died. It wasn't sudden. Smitty was an old cat-- estimated to be around 16 or 17 years old. But still, we've been together a long time. I rescued him from the Idaho Humane Society back in 1995. He was "Pet of the Week" on the 5pm newscast I produced. On the set, he was such a mellow, docile cat...hiding his face in the anchor's arm, I thought what a sweet cat. That was on Friday. On Sunday I decided to see if he was still at the pound. My first clue should have been that the pound didn't have a very clear history on him... his kennel card only saying that he'd been adopted out but then returned after just a day. I brought him home to my apartment, where he promptly climbed to the top of the kitchen cabinets. When I tried to give him the medicine the shelter gave me, it was quite the battle. My neighbors scoffed at my fearfulness of the cat and the way he seemed to stalk me. They had three cats themselves. But they changed their minds after taking care of him when I had to go out of town.

Oh Smitty. He had quite the reputation. I could get friends to cat sit for him-- once. No one would do it a second time. When we made the journey from Boise to Seattle 11 years ago, he meowed (howled) nearly the whole way and that included going the long way through Portland.

He broke a lot of stuff-- pushing glasses, dishes, miscellaneous items off of tables and shelves. He liked being petted, but only for so long before lashing out to nip at you when he'd had enough. There was the time we suspect he ate the fish from the fish tank that Tyler had put in a bowl while he cleaned the tank. Smitty would go crazy for the water from tuna and canned chicken cans. Although when he got older he would promptly vomit up the water, making us impose a ban on that treat.

He wasn't fond of children, despite living with two of them. Like many children, ours were very intrigued and curious about this furry little creature who roamed about the house at will, could escape through a curious little door in the hall and would bite or nip with very little warning. CSR learned his cat manners early on, RTR was still learning. One sign that the end was near for Smitty was his lower tolerance for letting baby fingers "pat" him or give his fur a tug.

We knew the end was coming for several months-- changes in his activity level, weight, eating habits-- but it still catches you by surprise. On Sunday, we realized it was very close. I was alarmed when I came home to find him in the front yard, very still. Later on, he was among the ferns on the shady side of the house. I picked him up at one point and couldn't believe how light he was-- this one time nearly 20 pound cat, now so feathery light. He had stopped eating and drinking. By Monday, he just would move from place to place and meow softly, not in his usual "voice." I worried he was in pain and suffering. What to do? Let nature take its course? What would that look like? Would it be messy? Would it be alarming to me, to our five year old son?

I found it's a delicate balance between sensitivity and practicality. Euthanasia at our local vet's office would run $100-$200. Going to the county shelter involved driving to Kent and a much smaller fee. But still driving to Kent and back. I'm lucky to have such a terrific husband. Tyler said he would handle it, getting off work early and taking Smitty wherever I decided. As for how it would all end... I got off easy I guess. We came home from running errands this afternoon, and Smitty was gone. His body on the baby's bedroom floor. Since Tyler was home, he was able to take him without the kids knowing what was going on. I told CSR that Papa was going to help Smitty. That the cat was old and that his body didn't work very well, that he was dying and wouldn't be here anymore. CSR said he would miss Smitty and that Smitty would miss us. I told him that I was sad, that I had Smitty for a long time, even before I moved to Seattle. He also suggested we could get another cat or maybe a dog to cheer us up. He was a cat with a lot of character, known far and wide for his temperament and antics. While frustrated by the way he would relentlessly jump onto the table in search of tasty remnants of a meal, he was very special to me. I come to the end of this, with tears and a sloppy runny nose, saddened by the loss and surprised by it too.

Diaper Duty

2008-07-16T21:24:00.001-07:00

We're on a new kind of diaper duty in our house-- making the switch to cloth. Or at least trying to. Who knew you needed so much gear for cloth diapering-- the cloth diapers (at least 2 dozen), diaper covers, liner/wet bag for the diaper pail, stuffers/liners for the diapers, additional laundry supplies-- baking soda, white vinegar. I'm sure I'm forgetting at least one thing if not more. The first day went pretty smoothly. It's the ones following that made me realize that this may be a little harder than I thought. I also think I bought the wrong size prefolds. Who knew they came in different sizes? The ones I have don't quite reach all the way from front to back if I fold them according to the diagram I had to print out showing how to fold the dang things. The fleece liners also appear to irritate RTR's bum, so those are out of rotation. I also read somewhere you can't use regular diaper cream for irritation because it could ruin the diaper's absorbancy.

I checked out a web site called Diaper Swappers thinking I could find some of the gear we're lacking. Instead, it's overwhelming with a bunch of abbreviations I don't understand and don't have the patience to look up the meanings. Talk about a sub-culture. Also, RTR's mainly fruit diet (see the Fruitetarian post), makes for tricky diaper changes when it comes to that #2 business. Then there's the lame person on Craigslist who told me the diaper covers I was interested in were sold, but still appear on the repost. And when I took off on Sunday leaving the boys with their dad, some of my parting advice, if you get befuddled on the diapers, the disposables are in the bottom dresser drawer. Proudly, it looks like Papa was on the cloth bandwagon-- even doing some laundry while I was gone (even if he used too much bleach).

A Craigslist Kind of Weekend

2008-07-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Adding to the garage purge, putting a few items on craigslist. Out of the four baby things I listed on Thursday-- a backpack, bouncer seat, Bjorn and Boppy-- two of them were down the road by Sunday. Someone drove all the way from Auburn for the baby backpack and paid the asking price-- a little more than what I originally paid for it at a yard sale several years ago. Another person took the bouncer seat. So not too shabby. However, I did buy some cloth diapers from a craigslist ad on Friday night. But with my two sales, I came out nine dollars ahead.

The Big Garage Purge

2008-07-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Nothing can give you a sense of accomplishment like cleaning out the garage. Ours had gotten out of control, down to just one little path from the big door to the door into the house. But that changed on Sunday. We hauled all the clutter out into the driveway and started sorting and putting things in their place. It was gratifying to see the "Give Away" pile grow. To give you an idea just how much stuff we had piled up, while I was inside making lunch or something, a woman walking by came up and started going through our stuff. When T. asked her if he could help her, she said, "Oh... this isn't a yard sale?" We did have our cars parked in the driveway, so it wasn't like we were set up in yard sale style. By the afternoon, we had a car load--everything from baby toys and souvenir coffee mugs to the slip from my wedding dress-- to take to Goodwill. It felt really good to unload it and drive home to a clean, somewhat better organized garage. Now if only I can get at least one of the two non-running motorcycles out of there!

In A Jam

2008-07-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

This afternoon after we got home from a trip to the zoo, CSR wanted a snack. Since I didn't have the energy to cater to his whims, I suggested he could make a snack we'd just read about. We've been reading "Henry Huggins" by Beverly Cleary-- a big kids kind of chapter book. In one chapter, Henry comes home from school and makes himself a snack-- graham crackers with peanut butter, jam and pickle relish. CSR was up for it, getting out all the ingredients plus the bottle of maple syrup. Using a butter knife (a shiny knife as CSR calls it), he fixed up two graham cracker sandwiches. After refusing the bite he offered me, CSR promptly ate them all up. I'm sure the sugary syrup made it that much more delicious.

I didn't think much about the concoction until later-- when I got my own snack after dinner. I scooped up a bowl of Tillamook Vanilla Bean and added a couple dollups of the strawberry jam I had made yesterday. As I ate my strawberry sundae, I realized there was more to the topping than just strawberries. There were also flecks of pickle relish. I guess that's what I get for letting a 5 year old make his own snack. It was also my idea, so I only have myself to blame for the strawberry-pickle relish jam. Luckily it's a small jar and probably won't last long. Maybe it will be good on waffles in the morning.

These Boots Were Made for Walking

2008-07-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, they're not really boots, but still I thought a catchy line for the subject-- RTR's first real shoes (Robeez don't count). I put grandma's birthday shoe money in my pocket, loaded up the boys and headed to Nordstrom. My friend Julie says getting the first pair of real shoes at Nordy's is a tradition in her family. I figured I would see what they have and also scope out the Stride-Rite store in the mall. Got to the kids' shoe department and was overwhelmed by the selection. I didn't realize you could spend $70 on baby shoes-- but there was at least one pair at that price. Grandma didn't send THAT much money. Plus, anyone who knows me, knows my sensible (frugal?!?) ways would never let me spend that much on baby shoes. After telling the young salesman what we were after, he measured, or tried to measure RTR's feet. RTR isn't too keen on putting his feet on those cold metal foot scales. After a couple of tries, it was time to break out the plastic one. A size 3. The man went to the back and came back with all the size 3s in stock-- about six pairs. Funny thing about baby feet, or at least RTR's, they don't slide easily into shoes. With a couple of the pairs, his right foot was really hard to put in the shoe. I figured if the shoe was this hard to put on in the store, how would it be at home? After trying all the shoes, which were all cute-- or as cute as shoes for boys can be-- we ended up buying the first pair we tried on. The salesman was really nice. At first glance, he didn't seem to be the kids shoe salesperson type. But anyway, adding to our own little family milestone of the first shoes, Nordstrom also marks the event by taking a Polaroid picture (not the most flattering of pictures) and giving a "Nordy" doll (a plush little creature with a funny shape).

My bargain-hunting ways made me stop in the Stride-Rite store just to see if I got a good deal. And I'm happy to report, they didn't have anything better at a better price! Now, if only RTR would start walking. He's getting braver, standing up for longer and longer periods, but no great strides--YET!

Hello, I'm a Fruitetarian

2008-07-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

I think I'm inadvertently raising a fruitetarian (someone who subsists on a fruit based diet). If you want to make RTR happy at mealtime, throw some fruit on his high chair tray. He is especially partial to strawberries. While I'm putting groceries in the fridge, if he spots strawberries in there, he makes a serious bee-line for them. He figured out how to step up on the inside of the base of the refrigerator to reach the shelves to pull out the berry container. If he sees that I've got the berries out, he will make all these noises-- grunts, squeals, whatever it takes to get those berries in his belly! At a recent lunchtime picnic at the park, he was climbing all over me and the lunch stuff, clawing his way into the cooler to get at the bowl of strawberries inside. Of course, we're now contending with a bit of a problem as he doesn't seem to want to eat any veggies, pasta or meat. Or at least I haven't found the right combination to appeal to him lately. Unless of course, it's what the rest of us are having at the table after RTR has been cleaned up and taken out of the high chair (he seems to be ready to eat a half an hour before I've got dinner ready for everyone). RTR is also a fiend for yogurt (with fruit of course). The latest favorite snack is graham crackers dipped in yogurt. He cracks me up the way he'll point out in his own way that he's run out of crackers for the remaining yogurt. Again, probably my own fault for introducing this to him. So much for a balanced diet. I wonder if he'd go for chicken with strawberries on top? Maybe grilled peaches and steak?

Small Town 4th of July

2008-07-06T21:38:00.001-07:00

Nothing like spending the 4th of July in a small town. This is what the holiday looks like in Crouch, Idaho. (Click on pictures for a larger view)

People gather along the main street (Main Street?) with their personal fireworks arsenals to help celebrate Independence Day. In the crowd pictures, those tall things with the light posts are the gas pumps at the town store. Apparently, the red spray paint warning "No fireworks within 30 feet" on the concrete is just a suggestion.

20 Years Ago...

2008-07-06T20:46:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since high school graduation. The proof came last weekend when our fellow classmates from Borah High School gathered to mark the milestone. I have been tracking the event planning and classmates' whereabouts through the Class Reports web site. I was like a stalker, always checking to see who updated their profile, who was among the missing and what those listed as found were up to. I was excited to see old friends-- both those who've recently reconnected as well as those whom I haven't seen since leaving high school. No anxiety or nerves leading up to it all.

My high school years were good, but I feel like things are so great now-- I am so blessed with what I have and what I've accomplished. Not to mention, I am a size smaller that I was in high school. Anyway, Friday night, a bunch of us met up at a restaurant before the big event. It was a good time to catch up, see people and break the ice. BUT when it actually came time to walk in to the actual event, there was a little nervousness. I was glad to see I wasn't the only one who took a minute before heading in the door. Once inside, I saw some familiar faces instantly and felt better.

But I still felt like I jumped into the deep end of the pool or something. I wanted to find Ann, the only person I still know who I met in the 8th grade. On the phone, I joked saying we couldn't talk to each other at the reunion because we talk all the time. After treading water a bit and chatting with Ann, I felt better and got down to mingling. It was pretty amazing to see people and recognize them instantly-- some not changing too much over the years, while there were a few stumpers-- people I did not remember or recognize. There was the shock of seeing Julie, my best friend in junior high. After getting our driver's licenses at the tender age of 14, she and I spent two weeks terrorizing the small town of Shoshone cruising in her dad's old 1970's Lincoln. There was one guy who insisted he remembered me, saying how smart I was and how I was competing with this other guy to be valedictorian (definitely NOT me). There were a few people who worked with my mom and asked about her. There were a couple of guys I dated who definitely changed-- one of them spending the last four years meditating in India. A lot of bald heads-- by choice or because of nature? Anyway, glad I went, glad I got to talk to all the classmates I did and wish I had talked to a few more. Maybe in five more years?

Back to the Beginning

2008-07-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

I should have written about this last month... when CSR's preschool got out for the summer. It was the last day of school but the usual rush to get out the door and to school on time-- eat, get dressed, blah, blah, blah. As I got breakfast into RTR and both him and myself dressed, CSR (who's still wearing pajamas) announces he doesn't want to go to school. I tell him we're going and hand him clothes to put on. In my mind, I thought after all these months, we're back to square one... the first days (weeks actually) of school, where it was a daily battle to get CSR dressed and out the door. There were a few times where he even wore pajamas to school because I wasn't going to wait. But imagine my surprise when I come out of the baby's bedroom ready for CSR to still be in pj's and he's completely dressed. He's still saying that he doesn't want to go to school, but he walks out to the car, gets in and off we go. There was no big end of the year send off or preschool graduation ceremony, but CSR did get a chance to say goodbye to his teachers after class.

They're all special, but Teacher Donna will have a special place in our hearts. She was CSR's buddy at the beginning of the year when this drop off preschool was a big step.

The Great Outdoors

2008-06-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a father-son camping trip. Three days, two nights at South Whidbey Island State Park.

Spider dogs

A new pie iron

Building sand castles

Playing on the beach

Lunch on the ferry ride home

Please stop calling me Surly

2008-06-17T21:02:00.001-07:00

With the high price of gas, I am always trying to think of alternatives to using the car. Today's idea: Use the bike trailer and take the boys to the post office to mail a package. What fun this will be I thought, the outdoors, pedaling through the neighborhood, a quick stop at the post office and then off to a nearby playground. The reality: The boys are kind of surly. Every time I looked back to check on them, neither of them looked like they were having much fun and at one point, I got a "Could you please slow down?" In my defense, that was going downhill and there were a couple of bumpy spots. Of course, not until we were loading up for the trip home did I notice the top line on the warnings printed on the seat of the trailer: Not intended for infants under 18 months. That might explain why RTR wasn't having a good time... he doesn't have the physical ability to stop from slumping over in the canvas seat. Also, he's got a bad bike helmet. CSR's problem... he's probably too big for the trailer. Too big, too tiny, too surly. They were both glad when we got home.

Here Comes the Sun

2008-06-12T20:48:00.001-07:00

Finally, some sunshine! It feels like it's been months since we've had a warm, sunny day. We went to Carkeek Park for RTR's latest photo session with our favorite ace photographer Mimi. Here's a look at our boys playing at the beach afterward. These are my pictures, not Mimi's.

RTR did pretty well, only sampling the rocks and not eating any of the sand.

Happy 1st Birthday

2008-05-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

One year ago, my world changed. I returned to the land of diapers, middle of the night feedings, rear-facing carseats, the tiniest of onesies and the sweetest of experiences.

One year later, my world changed. The rear-facing carseat can now face forward, mealtime is no longer strictly liquid, the onesies are now a size "Large," but the experience remains sweet.

That seven pound, three ounce newborn is now a 20+ pound baby who's about to become a toddler. He's always on the move, crawling or cruising somewhere. While 5 o'clock is often the witching hour when it comes to trying to get dinner on the table, one of the newest developments is the peals of laughter coming from the hallway as RTR and CSR play... I think it's a game of chase that generates the most laughing... RTR "chasing" after CSR. Also getting big laughs, RTR at the cat door in the laundry room door reaching through and looking through the opening. For some reason, CSR finds this extremely hilarious. As long as neither of them is eating cat food or the sandy cat litter, whatever it takes to get dinner made.

Happy Birthday Baby!
Here are some pictures of RTR celebrating his first birthday with a cupcake. Not exactly a delicate eater, he pretty much tried to eat it all in one bite. We joked that it would be all fun and games until we had to call 911.

His Baby-ness is Floating Away

2008-05-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is RTR's first birthday. I can't believe it's been a year... as I've asked myself frequently in the past year, where did the time go? I have been feeling in the past few weeks his baby-ness floating away. It's this essence of baby... an emergence from this baby cocoon he's been in since he was born, maybe even before he was born. I was lucky it lasted as long as it did. He figured out the crawling thing just two weeks ago and it looks like walking is close at hand (or would that be close at foot?). I think if he would have crawled sooner, or got his first tooth sooner I would have felt that babyness floating away sooner. Even at one year old, he still looks more like a baby than CSR did. I think it's the hair--RTR doesn't have as much as his brother did at this age. I've tried to savor the joys (and frustrations) of the first year--since it's our last.

There's just something about turning one, marking the biggest of those "firsts"--the first birthday. I have probably set myself up with too high expectations, but I want to make sure I do RTR justice with celebrating his birthday (I know it's more for us than him). I can't make it the same as it was for the first-born, but I'm still planning. The first-born's first birthday fell on a Sunday, so a little celebration was easier than planning something for a Thursday. We even had a grandma in town visiting.

Is it sad that I ran to Fred Meyer tonight to get RTR a few gifts? I guess I should give myself some credit--I baked mini cupcakes to share at our baby class picnic on Tuesday. He seemed to like his. I also had enough foresight to get RTR a birthday balloon while grocery shopping today--so maybe I'm not doing too bad. I think my mom forgot my sister's birthday when she turned one.

Time to Pee

2008-05-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

As I was getting ready to give RTR a bath yesterday, he was waiting in his crib--standing up at the rail naked. Of course, the risk you take of letting someone stand naked in their crib while you rush around getting bath water ready is that there's going to be some pee somewhere, sometime. As I walked into RTR's room, out it came. A stream flowing perfectly between the slats arcing onto the floor (thank goodness for hardwood flooring). I was obviously caught off guard--and surprised by the amount and speed of the pee. I started laughing. I don't think RTR found it nearly as funny. He started crying. Maybe he was surprised by the pee too. More evidence that I find some of the strangest things funny.

The Giggle Boys

2008-05-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Our boys got the giggles this afternoon. It's amazing what will get them laughing. Never thought it would be the shrubbery.