One fine day

Yesterday was a pretty good day.  Even though Lainey refused to eat breakfast and lunch and no amount of sweet talking or bribery worked. Even though Beau only took one, short nap and was cranky the rest of the day. Even though I got the scare of my life with five racoons looking at us, making me fear for the life of my dog and you kids.  Even though bathtime was a disaster with Beau trying to get into the bathtub fully clothed, then each of you trying to escape.  Beau succeeding and then fell on his tush on the wet floor, then tried to get back into the tub after I had his pj's on.

But in between all of that, Lainey, you sang three songs to me: You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Jesus Loves Me.  You have memorized two Thomas the Tank Engine books and read them to me at bedtime. You gave me more hugs and kisses than I can count.  You said Please and Thank You without me reminding you.  When I stubbed my toes you asked me if I was ok and offered to kiss my owies. You showed me what a sweet soul you have.  When you asked me to play with you and to watch your Mrs. Frizzle show, you made me feel so special.

Yep, yesterday was one fine day. There's no photos to document it. I don't think a photo could do it justice anyway.  And really, nothing extraordinary happened yet at the end of it, I felt like a million bucks.  And it's all because of one special little girl.  MY girl.  Thank you very much sweetie.  If today holds just a fraction of the good stuff from yesterday, it will be another great one.

As you like to tell me, I like you so much!

Love always,

Mommy

I caught her laying on the floor singing different songs. We'd just came in from outside and were waiting for the bathtub to fill up.  Such a sweet moment.

17 months

My sweet baby (emphasis on baby) Beau, you are 17 months old today.  I don't think you realize or accept that you're young.  From what I can tell, you are in a major hurry to grow up.  You are an endless source of laughter, sweetness, trouble-making, cuteness, and joy.  The way you watch others and imitate what they say and do amazes us.  You are clearly a very bright child and I am so excited to watch you grow.  I didn't know what to expect when I was told I was getting a son and you definitely keep me on my toys.  But I love having a son more than you will ever know.  God knew I needed you in my life and I will be forever grateful that He chose me to be your mother. 

Some of the things about you like:

~Daddy and Grandpa are your two favorite people

~Bunnz and Bear are your favorite bedtime pals

~Your binky is a major addiction at this point. If I ask if you want to go to bed, you reply, "Binky?" in hopes that you'll get it.

~You love to dance, particularly Ring Around the Rosey, anything by Fergie and Forever by Chris Brown

~You love to spin around and get spun around by Daddy or anyone willing to twirl you

~We think you're going to be an adrenaline junkie. You love to climb up anything you can get a grip on: the table and chairs, the rocks and retaining walls outside, the tv console. Once you get to the top, you love to launch yourself off, giving me a good scare.

~You love your sister like crazy and want to do everything she does and more. You love to chase each other.  Even when she pushes you down and lands on top of you, you're giggling like crazy. 

~You love to walk. Unlike your sister who insists on being carried or riding in the stroller, you would much rather walk. And you walk fast too! I can hardly keep up when I'm holding your hand!

~You like ice cream but not in a cone. You prefer yours in a cup with a spoon.

~You love to eat but aren't a big meat fan. The only meat I've seen you eat is rotisserie chicken from Costco.  You love fruit and veggies and will try just about anything we give you, except meat. Some of your favorites: bananas, apricots, berries, the baby food that now comes in pouches (love those!) and crackers

~You like to sneak into the snack cabinet and bring me something and say, "bite" or "crackers?" 

~When you eat you insist on having a spoon with whatever you eat, even if it doesn't require a spoon.

~You have a great sense of humor and love to make us laugh.  You also have a mischievous side and like to test us.

~You give the sweetest hugs and kisses but don't give them out too freely. 

~I don't even know how many words you can say because every time I say a word, you repeat it! One of my favorite things you say is, "Alright" instead of ok.  

~You like the cake part of a cupcake while your sister likes the frosting. Together, you make the perfect cupcake!

~You love to sleep with your blanket with the monkeys on it that Grammy made for you. 

~And last but not least, playing peekaboo

Some things you aren't that fond of:

-The cold. You like splashing in the pool but only if it's warm water. You get cold pretty easily. The other day you threw all your balls into the pool and then ran around it trying to figure out how to get them out without getting wet.

-eating meat, although you like chicken nuggets and hamburgers from Dick's or Red Mill. You've got great taste there at least!

-sour things, like nectarines or peaches unless they are really ripe

-having your nose wiped or your face washed

-having socks on. I find them all over the house and laying on the floor by your crib.

~Sippy cups. You would still be drinking from a bottle if I hadn't pushed you to switch. But you are not a fan of sippy cups either. It's a daily battle to get fluids into your little body. You are so busy exploring and causing trouble that you don't drink enough. You do like juice boxes though and I just might buy the ones that have water and milk just so I can keep you healthy!

I love you madly little man. My hope is that you and your sister always know you are so very loved.  You are my world.

Happy 17 month Smurf Day sweet boy.

All my love,

Mommy

Skills

I have come to accept that the cooking gene that is so prevalent in my family, in particular, my grandmother, skipped me. I just don't have the patience or passion for cooking.  The other thing she was really good at, was sewing.  I have always wanted to learn to sew but haven't yet.  So creative juices seem to flow in my family, that I know I have.  I would love to be able to make my own clothes. How cool would it be to be able to make a shirt out of any fabric, any color, you wanted?  Almost as good as a new handbag or new shoes!  That's why I love following this blog. I'll probably never be good enough to create my own patterns as well as my own clothes, but a girl can dream right?

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=791

Cancer Prevention Tips | Environmental Working Group

There's some really good information here.

Cancer Prevention Tips | Environmental Working Group

I love Sunday mornings

Not as much as I love Saturdays, but they are still pretty awesome

On second thought....

I've been thinking about how much better a new fence would look in our backyard lately.  The current fence was never stained and is now faded to that lovely grey with a touch of moss/mold/mildew that is so common in Seattle.  It's not high on my list of priorities by any means but was something that popped into my head for later. Until today.  On another blog I fell in love with this rug that looks like an old floor.  You can hang it to look like a backdrop in photos or leave it as a rug.  And just a few minutes ago, the kids were playing next to the fence so I grabbed the camera to see what the fence would look like as a background.  I think I like it! I may even keep a section of the fence when we ever do get around to replacing it.  

Adding to my amazement, when I told Beau to stand up against the fence, he DID! Holy Moley Batman! I got a kid that likes having his picture taken and I LOVE that about him!  If only I had planned a little better and put a clean shirt on him.  But I guess that's why I'm not a pro yet.

uhhhh, yeah. LOVING that fence and backyard!

September 23

I read today that the last time Seattle hit 75 degrees or warmer was last September 21st. It's now June 22nd, a full 9 MONTHS later.  As someone who didn't grow up here, this is about the time I lose my mind from not seeing the sun for months.  Even Alaska has seen 75 degrees already this year!!! We've gotten a nice day here and there, but never more than two days in a row and only one day of sun from dawn til dusk.  Feeling sorry for me yet?  It's supposed to 71 today and I have no idea if we've hit that mark or not.  I do know that our backyard gets lots of sun (when it's available for use) and it always feels warmer than the actual temp.  So after filling the pool with what felt like 103 gallons of hot water from the house, it's now bearable.

Wherever he goes, the bat goes.  Daddy is hoping for a lefty. I'm thinking a green pool isn't the best for photos since I know for a fact Beau's skin is not remotely green.

This one hates having her picture taken. 

Beau seems to enjoy it still. I guess that's fair.

I'll take what I can get.

Think they spent much time playing in the pool? Of course not!

And a random photo just for fun. Maybe he thinks he'll catch Cinderella with the other shoe?  He just likes to 1) do whatever his sister is doing, and 2) bug her by doing it.

It's been a beautiful day and I hope it's not the last we'll see this week. These two were desperate to get outside this morning. Lainey skipped breakfast and put on her shoes before she even got out of her pajamas.  We all go stir crazy when we're stuck inside for too long.

**Update from komotv.com******
75!!!!!!!

Yes, Seattle has finally joined the 75 degree club (actually, our high so far today is 77). Only took us 273 days, and we're a full month behind Alaska, but better late than never, most sun fans would say. (Rain fans and statistical fans, of which I am in both groups, kind of wish it had missed today because otherwise the streak had potential to stretch into July.)

And now that we've reached it... say goodbye to it as we won't be back here for another while.

An approaching low pressure system -- which helped drive the warmth today by pulling up some warm air from the south -- will keep increasing clouds tonight. Lows will be in the low-mid 50s.

More than one way to read a book

I imagined the book Dr. Suess could write while I watched Beau "read" his book. 

Happy Father's Day

Tomorrow is Father's Day and as usual, we don't have anything special planned.  Every year I stress about how to make this day special for Robert and every year I fail. He's the most unselfish person I've ever met and never wants anything so gift buying is ridiculously hard.  After working all day he comes home to kids that pounce on him the minute he walks in the door and a stressed out wife and handles it all in stride. He's made us his life and we are so blessed to have him as a husband and father.  I couldn't have chosen a better father for my children.   I  love him with all my heart, Lainey adores being Daddy's Girl and he's Beau can't get enough of him.  

The Best Man I Ever Knew

When we married, I saw you as perfect,
The ideal husband and more;
I thought I knew all about you,
All the things to love and adore

But when you became a father,
I saw new qualities to treasure.
You enrich all our lives in fresh ways;
As a dad, you bring so much pleasure.

Our children are forever blessed
To have a father like you,
And I love you more than ever,
You’re the best man I ever knew.

By Joanna Fuchs

I'm sure we'll spend the day much like we do every Sunday-as a family. Nothing special or extraordinary, yet my hope is by the end of the day, it will have been a special day. There really isn't a gift that I could buy that could come close to showing how much he means to this family.  He is the glue that holds this family together and we are so lucky to call him ours.  I just hope he knows how much we love and cherish him.  

Happy Father's Day!

Bubbles any way we can get em

Bubbles of any kind are big favorites around here lately. We've already gone through a huge jug of bubbles outside and summer hasn't even begun in Seattle.  I'm thinking of making homemade bubbles to see if they last longer or make bigger bubbles.  Last night I made sure they got a lot of bubbles in the bathtub.  They weren't quite sure what to do with them so Lainey did what she always does-give it a taste, while Beau splashed them around.

Hey, that's my FOOT! Cool!

Last Day of Preschool

Today was Lainey's last day of her first year of preschool.  For the past month or so we've been learning the songs I've Been Working on the Railroad, She'll be Coming Round the Mountain and Down By the Station.  We all know the songs we've sang them so much.  Today her whole class sang them for the parents and guests.  Lainey must have been struck by stage fright because she never opened her mouth.  At least she looked cute in her dress!  She has a cooking camp for three weeks this summer that she has no idea about. I think she's going to really love that!

It's been a fun exciting year for her. When she started school she wasn't potty trained and now she goes the potty all by herself and is learning to put her clothes back on.  She was so scared to leave us in the beginning and now when I drop her off she takes her shoes off and bolts without giving me a kiss or even saying goodbye.  She's blossoming into such a sweet beautiful little girl.  The joy she brings to my life with her smiles, kisses and hugs hurts in the most wonderful way.  She's growing up way too fast but I love soaking up her sweetness every chance I get.  I love you so much sweetheart!

Mommy and Daddy's Getaway

Awhile back, we booked a trip to Scottsdale to celebrate the sale of our old house.  If you know the drama that enfolded during that time, you know why we needed to get away.  I purposely didn't take my "big girl camera" and instead, just took my p & s.  I think I took a total of 4 pictures.  All of which were the food we ate at Frank & Lupe's, a mexican restaurant in Scottsdale that we have decided has hands down the best mexican food we've ever had, including what we've eaten IN Mexico!  In four days, we ate there twice and Scottsdale is not short on good restaurants.  We stayed at the Firesky Resort and Spa and would recommend it as well.  All in all, it was a lovely getaway for this Mommy and Daddy and we never did get around to celebrating.

Summer hits Seattle....at least for a day

We got home from Scottsdale on Saturday, the nicest day of the year weatherwise, in Seattle.  We finally hit 70 degrees, the longest it's taken to hit that mark ever.  Sunday we blew up the pool for the kids.  Lainey didn't miss a beat and jumped right in. Beau on the other hand, was skeptical.  It took the water warming up and Daddy getting in with him, for him to decide it was worth it. 

Hopefully we'll see lots more days like this weekend and more pool time.

One of those moments

I've been remiss on documenting all of Beau's little quirks that make him the unique little man that he is.  For example, I documented the first 100 words Lainey said. I tried to do the same with Beau but he's got such a large vocabulary, it's impossible! If I say a word, he repeats it!  Today, he wanted his blanket wrapped around him.  After a few unsuccessful attempts of holding it himself, I offered to tie it around him. He it up like a Christmas tree and walked around saying, "happy, happy happy."  Too cute to not blog!

Luckily, he walked outside, allowing me to get a clear shot in decent light, unlike the photo below.

And yes, that is Lainey's legs in the background. This feels like one of those classic childhood photos. 

This is what you get

when you get a "date night" once a year

And before you think it was just Robert enjoying the day, notice the blurred photos.  Yes sirreee, I enjoyed a whole whopping glass or two (I forget) myself.   Enough to give me a headache on the drive home and wonder why in the world I drank in the first place.  I am such a lightweight it's embarrassing.

Mental Pictures

My favorite moments the last couple of days have been when I can't take a photo.   Whenever we go somewhere, I've learned to let Beau walk from the car to the door.  He's not a fan of being strapped down and going from carseat to shopping cart straight back to the car makes for one very cranky boy.  Lainey on the other hand, would be thrilled if I carried her everywhere.  So in trying to kill two birds with one stone, I've started having both of them walk more.  Yesterday when we dropped Lainey off at school, they each held one of my hands.  As I looked down at each of them, I got warm fuzzies in my stomach.  I forgot about how hard it was to get them ready and loaded in the car and just   savored the moment. Then today, we went to buy more bubbles and as we walked into the store, Beau held my hand and Lainey held Beau's.  It was for me, one of those tender moments of motherhood that make you stop dead in your tracks and thank your lucky stars for these sweet souls that have been entrusted to me. 

Joe Cool

I don't know how, but he knows he's cute.

Ok, it could be because we're always telling him how cute he is.

But he also seems to have been born an entertainer.

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a great weekend. Well, I did anyway, and isn't that all that matters?  It started off with Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes Saturday morning and ended with a nice surprise appearance by the sun late Sunday afternoon.  In between, we spent some great family time together not only at home but also a trip to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, where Lainey and Daddy rode a camel of all things and we got to see some animals we've never seen before.

This peacock was greeting everyone just inside the entrance. 

Lainey telling the reindeer her Christmas list already

Beau loved looking at the fish and sharks in the aquarium. 

I think it was mainly because he got to escape the stroller. 

My favorite parts of any day: naptime and pigging out on popcorn!

We also spent quite a bit of time assembling a much needed table and wall unit in the play room.  It's finally starting to look like our house.  Well, the play room is anyway!

When the sun appeared, we bolted for outside, digging out the tee-ball set and bubbles. Lainey of course found herself a "cute little guy" to play with.

You know you had a great weekend when you're still feeling the afterglow, days later.