Another brief post, because I am just plain tired. It's been a rough past couple of days and I am still recovering. Let me explain.
Last Thursday night, we packed up the car and headed to Dallas for Brandon and Bethany's wedding. We were excited to be able to go, but the trip was long due to 35 being shut down for some VIP to be able to travel. When we finally got to the house, all we wanted to do was go to sleep. William was even tired enough to just lay down and pass out.
Friday we got up and Francis did some errands while the boys, my mother and I went shopping at Stonebriar mall. We rented a double fire engine stroller with a wheel for each boy. This is th first time Robert got to face forward in a stroller. He loved it!!! He loved spinning the wheel and looking around. He was one happy-sitting-up little guy. We got most everything done and headed back for nap time and to get changed for the rehearsal. Well, naps didn't end up happening and as a result we had two very impatient (but not entirely ill behaved) little boys who wanted to do everything but pay attention and rehearse for a wedding. William did his ring bearer job and then was all over the place. Robert kept making these high pitch noises that echoed through the chapel to his delight. I was so flustered by the end of it that I was more than happy to take them home before the rehearsal dinner. Brandon and Bethany, though, hardly seemed to notice anyone but each other, and Francis did his duty as a groomsmen to the best of his ability. It was a good rehearsal. Oh! And Francis's Aunt Andrea and Uncle Steve were at the rehearsal so they got to meet Robert. It's the first extended family on Francis's side (other than Nana Phillips) to meet the little guy. That was fun! After the rehearsal and subsequent dropping off of the boys at Sweetie and Papa's (my parents') House, Francis and I headed on to the rehearsal dinner. They had a wonderful slideshow and gorgeous decorations. The speeches were priceless and the couple was on cloud 9. Who could ask for more! Francis headed on with the boys to Brandon's bachelor party, and Aunt Andrea and Uncle Steve gave me a ride home (thanks guys!!!). I wish the story ended there, but alas, when I got home and climbed in bed, William threw up all over everything. At first I thought it was because he choked, but I was mistaken. It was a long night.
The next morning was wedding day. William seemed to be doing better and even held down IHOP for breakfast. We headed to the wedding. Brandon looked the picture of sophistication (as did my hubby) and Bethany had the wedding dress I always dreamed I wanted growing up (think Belle from Beauty and the Beast). They were so wonderful and the ceremony was so glorifying to God. Francis even read a verse in front of the congregation, something he would only do for his best friend! After the ceremony is when we discovered William was still sick, and without going into all the details, we had to leave the reception early and head home. I am so thankful Danielle and my parents were there to drive us home so Francis could stay with Brandon to the end.
Sunday morning my whole family (including my parents, Danielle, Christian and Chad all had breakfast together). William ate a lot and promptly threw it up all over Chad. I'm so sorry Chad!!! We headed home quickly and made it home in time for the sickness to hit Francis and Robert later that night. I developed a very horrible headache and nausea (but no vomiting) all the way through Monday. So needless to say, we all convalesced yesterday and healed, each taking our turn in the restroom. We have now made it 24 hours with no one vomiting, and I am so glad (Robert was the last one yesterday afternoon). Sorry to everyone we got sick! (Including but not limited to my ENTIRE family). Hopefully now we have all met our sickness quota for the year and can be healthy for the rest of it. For now, healing, rest, and tons of laundry are on the menu.
Till next time!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
March 19, 2014
I'm going to have to make this as brief as possible since I have a lot of things to do!
Last Friday, the boys and I cleaned downstairs of the house in the morning. William was so good and helpful! I did as much as I could and then we headed anywhere William wanted. He chose the aquarium. It was fun to see the new animals they have now. William got to pet one of their new lizards and he loved that. Well, as we were leaving it started to get really crowded. It wasn't bad when we arrived, but when we exited the door, the line was out the door and down the entire length of the strip mall. We had GREAT timing! We headed to the mall for lunch and I again let William and Robert play on the machines that require coins. Fun was had by all!
Saturday morning, Francis's parents came up for the day and we had a blast! We had lunch at Chick-fil-a (always a winner), then the boys played with Nana and Grandad at Safari Champ while I took a rest in an armchair. Francis did a little of both. After Safari Champ, we went to the outlet mall and bought Francis and Robert some shoes (Francis's tennis shoes were falling apart). We capped off the day with some kite flying and a dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse to celebrate Francis's promotion. Oh yeah, I may not have mentioned this on here. A couple of weeks ago Francis got promoted at work for his excellence on the job, but we've had to keep it under our hats till now. So, yes, I have the best most wonderful husband who works hard. And his boss and other notice and value his work. YAY. His official title is "E3" now, and he is one of the fastest people to ever get that rank. He's a keeper!!!!! Oh, and on a sadder note, we had to take back the cars bike back Saturday night because the chain wasn't working right (which is why William couldn't pedal). William now has an Iron Man bike with a button that makes a super cool sound. He couldn't be happier now, but it was hard at first for him to get what was happening.
Sunday was relaxing, and Monday was Gym day. Really not a lot to report.
Yesterday afternoon, I took Robert for his 6 month check up and he is growing! Everything was within normal range, and she was impressed at his head control and sitting abilities. She was also very interested in how observant he is. She said he was the first kid all day to notice her shiny tutle broach. This kid's got an eye for detail! He's healthy, and that's great! I told her about his issue with baby food (he cries now when I even get out a baby spoon) and she said to take a break and just start him on solid foods with a mesh spoon (one where you put real food inside and he gnaws on it so it comes through the mesh...hard to explain...) in a month or so. She thinks (as I do) that baby food is not his thing and he will most likely skip it for the real stuff. I'm relieved she didn't say to keep at it, because it is miserable. Haven't heard back on the allergy testing yet, so I don't know the results. Poor Robert has had a fever since last night from the vaccinations. He's finally resting after a not restful night. I'm hoping the fever breaks soon because I know he is not happy. He's been up on all fours more lately and rocking back and forth. It's been fun to watch!
This morning we went to MOPS and heard ladies speak on sibling issues and how to raise children in a Godly home. It was informative and touching. I hope to apply these principles in my daily life!
That's it for now. See? Short and Sweet.
Last Friday, the boys and I cleaned downstairs of the house in the morning. William was so good and helpful! I did as much as I could and then we headed anywhere William wanted. He chose the aquarium. It was fun to see the new animals they have now. William got to pet one of their new lizards and he loved that. Well, as we were leaving it started to get really crowded. It wasn't bad when we arrived, but when we exited the door, the line was out the door and down the entire length of the strip mall. We had GREAT timing! We headed to the mall for lunch and I again let William and Robert play on the machines that require coins. Fun was had by all!
Saturday morning, Francis's parents came up for the day and we had a blast! We had lunch at Chick-fil-a (always a winner), then the boys played with Nana and Grandad at Safari Champ while I took a rest in an armchair. Francis did a little of both. After Safari Champ, we went to the outlet mall and bought Francis and Robert some shoes (Francis's tennis shoes were falling apart). We capped off the day with some kite flying and a dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse to celebrate Francis's promotion. Oh yeah, I may not have mentioned this on here. A couple of weeks ago Francis got promoted at work for his excellence on the job, but we've had to keep it under our hats till now. So, yes, I have the best most wonderful husband who works hard. And his boss and other notice and value his work. YAY. His official title is "E3" now, and he is one of the fastest people to ever get that rank. He's a keeper!!!!! Oh, and on a sadder note, we had to take back the cars bike back Saturday night because the chain wasn't working right (which is why William couldn't pedal). William now has an Iron Man bike with a button that makes a super cool sound. He couldn't be happier now, but it was hard at first for him to get what was happening.
Sunday was relaxing, and Monday was Gym day. Really not a lot to report.
Yesterday afternoon, I took Robert for his 6 month check up and he is growing! Everything was within normal range, and she was impressed at his head control and sitting abilities. She was also very interested in how observant he is. She said he was the first kid all day to notice her shiny tutle broach. This kid's got an eye for detail! He's healthy, and that's great! I told her about his issue with baby food (he cries now when I even get out a baby spoon) and she said to take a break and just start him on solid foods with a mesh spoon (one where you put real food inside and he gnaws on it so it comes through the mesh...hard to explain...) in a month or so. She thinks (as I do) that baby food is not his thing and he will most likely skip it for the real stuff. I'm relieved she didn't say to keep at it, because it is miserable. Haven't heard back on the allergy testing yet, so I don't know the results. Poor Robert has had a fever since last night from the vaccinations. He's finally resting after a not restful night. I'm hoping the fever breaks soon because I know he is not happy. He's been up on all fours more lately and rocking back and forth. It's been fun to watch!
This morning we went to MOPS and heard ladies speak on sibling issues and how to raise children in a Godly home. It was informative and touching. I hope to apply these principles in my daily life!
That's it for now. See? Short and Sweet.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
March 13, 2014
Robert is 6 months old! I can't give his stats just yet because his dr. appointment is scheduled for next week (Dr. Enders is out this week on spring break). I can say that the little Mr. is sitting up like a champ, standing when is suits him, pulling on everything, and generally being a delight to all he surveys. He's a keeper and I can't believe his "half-birthday" has already come and gone!
Last Wednesday we had MOPS and I learned a lot about my children's personality types and how to love on each of them separately. William currently loves words of encouragement and seeks validation through what I say to him. Robert is currently a cuddle-r, and he just loves to be held and smiled on. Sweet Boys! Robert started sitting up really well last Wednesday and had only improved since then. He's so proud of himself and gets so excited he still falls over occasionally, but it's adorable. Wednesday William had his first "sleepover"... well almost. Angel called me from work and told me that they were transporting one of her employees to the emergency room and she had to go with her. Austin was heading to UT to take a test and Ranger's babysitter was heading to Ash Wednesday, so I gladly volunteered Francis to go pick Ranger up. Ranger and William had a blast and Francis and I had a turn at having three kids. It wasn't bad at all, but all three boys were on their best behavior. We fed them, bathed them, and even put them to bed (Ranger on an air mattress in William's room) before Angel was able to come pick him up. My favorite part was watching the boys on the monitor hold hands while in bed and saying, "You still there?" "Yes, you still there?" "wow it's dark." "But we're safe." ....and so on. They knew I could hear them but didn't care. these are such fun days.
Thursday we had Moms bible study and then came back for a late nap. I've moved both the boys' afternoon naps to 2 instead of 12:30 and it seems to be working out well and is by far much less stressful. Just before nap, William helped me make BBQ chicken for dinner in the crock pot. He is loving cooking and always asks what recipe we need and which ingredients we will use. He poured all the stuff in and turned it on. My goodness was it good when we had it for dinner. I might let William cook every night! Robert and William are playing together more and more each day which is a mixed blessing. Robert is much more intentional with the toys he wants, and sometimes William doesn't want to share. Robert really wanted to play with William's 'mike the knight' horse and little catapult. He'd wait until William was done and then reach and pick it up. William kept taking them away, and we finally had a conversation that unless it isn't safe for Robert, he can play with it if you aren't. William is not a fan of asking Robert for toys back, but he is getting much much better!
Last Friday the boys and I went to Lakeline Mall with Arlene and her daughter Caitlyn. We shopped and William and Caitlyn played on the playground. I actually got a lot of my shopping done and felt like I accomplished something. Arlene got new tennis shoes, so it was a win of a trip! Well, when I got home, I tried for an hour to get the boys to sleep but they weren't going to play ball... William kept telling me he needed a hair cut and that we should go. I finally gave in, and we packed up the car and headed to snip-its. The lady took pictures of William's hair to use in a seminar this week of "how to handle cow licks". My boy's a model! hehe. Well, traffic was horrible since it was the beginning of Spring break, so we hung around there until we had dinner with Francis, Seth, Arlene and Caitlyn at Longhorn Steakhouse. The company was wonderful and the food delicious. The streak continues though, my steak was very overcooked, and they had to take it back. One of these days I'll get to eat with everyone else. At least my food was free!
Saturday Francis, the boys and I spent the entirety of the morning and part of the afternoon picking out a bike for William. It will be his first bike and we wanted to get a good one. Well, we got it home and realized the back tire was not just deflated but blown out so we had to take it back Sunday after church. It feels like we wasted a day, but at least we were all together!
Sunday after church we did exchange the bike and got the only functioning bike in the store that was his size: a Lighting McQueen Cars bike. William loves it, but has not quite mastered the peddling. He'll get there! It rained all day so he only got to try it around the house.
Monday was Little Gym day, but more importantly, Robert turned 6 months!!!! After William's class, we decided to have a picnic and play at the Play for All Abilities Park nearby with Arlene, Morgan, Kara and their children. It was the most perfect weather, and except for an excessive amount of bees, I have no complaints. We made it back in time for Robert's class and skipped practice time in pursuit of some sunshine. Robert had a blast and I got to see him participate in gym like he hasn't before. So fun!!!
Tuesday, the boys and I met Kara and her twin 2 1/2 year old boys at Pfluger park for a little play date. I didn't even know the had a toddle playground (It's kind of hidden) so William got to explore the new playground with his friends. After a picnic lunch, the boys and I did some grocery shopping. We got everything done and still made it home for nap! The boy decided napping was not on their agenda and so after a while, I gave up and we played. At 6:15 after dinner William told me he was tired and went upstairs and put on his pajamas. Both boys were in bed asleep by 7:30! Will wonders never cease!?
Wednesday I cleaned the upstairs in my house while William played quietly and entertained Robert. William is really mature beyond his years and as a reward when I was done and we had had lunch, I let him pick where we would go. His choice? Well first he picked the park, but after 20 minutes of playing in the cold wind, we were done. So he picked the Mall! we went and just walked around and shopped. William got a cookie and then he played on the coin slot rides. And he was so happy!!! He didn't even want to go to the mall playground, he wanted to "walk around and look at things". I may have a shopping buddy after all! Robert loved the coin rides too and sat in a cat for the longest steering the wheel and pressing the buttons. it gave me a look into what 16-year-old Robert will look like and I am so not ready. He's a cutie though and I finally broke down and put coins in the car so both boys could ride. It was such a fun day!
Today was picture day. I carted the boys up to good old Portrait Innovations and we got out of there in record time. The guys was efficient and they cut out a lot of the trying to sell me stuff I don't want. Robert and William were better than I could have dreamed, and while we waited for the pictures to be printed, I took the boys to Cici's pizza for lunch. William ate a lot, but his favorite part was the dessert Pizza. It was a great trip and I now have a new favorite photo of William and Robert! Yay!
In closing I have to say something...my heart has been aching all week for the kids who's parents both work full time and can't be with them over spring break. I've been seeing them everywhere we go, left to the care of nannies, babysitters and day cares, being watched by people who will never love them like their parents. I see the kids in contrast who are having a day out with mom or dad and the difference is night and day. The joy on their face is immeasurable. I will never trade anything for the job I've chosen: Mom. The days go by so quickly and I can't get them back. I want my kids to know I raised them and loved them and valued them enough to invest in their lives. I'm not judging anyone. I know some parents have no choice in the matter. I just know I never want my kids to have the look of "I can't wait for mommy to get off work to come get me" that I've seen this week. It's heartbreaking. The worst was a kid who was being friendly with William and Robert in the elevator at the mall. The girl in the elevator with him smiled awkwardly and said, "He's 5. I'm his daycare worker. His mom's paying me extra to watch him this week. He's a handful." She said this in front of the kid. I wanted to remind her that he could hear her, but I don't know that it would have mattered. No amount of money or quality education is going to replace my love and time spent with them. I pray to never take it for granted. Thank you for letting me share my heart.
Until next time!
Last Wednesday we had MOPS and I learned a lot about my children's personality types and how to love on each of them separately. William currently loves words of encouragement and seeks validation through what I say to him. Robert is currently a cuddle-r, and he just loves to be held and smiled on. Sweet Boys! Robert started sitting up really well last Wednesday and had only improved since then. He's so proud of himself and gets so excited he still falls over occasionally, but it's adorable. Wednesday William had his first "sleepover"... well almost. Angel called me from work and told me that they were transporting one of her employees to the emergency room and she had to go with her. Austin was heading to UT to take a test and Ranger's babysitter was heading to Ash Wednesday, so I gladly volunteered Francis to go pick Ranger up. Ranger and William had a blast and Francis and I had a turn at having three kids. It wasn't bad at all, but all three boys were on their best behavior. We fed them, bathed them, and even put them to bed (Ranger on an air mattress in William's room) before Angel was able to come pick him up. My favorite part was watching the boys on the monitor hold hands while in bed and saying, "You still there?" "Yes, you still there?" "wow it's dark." "But we're safe." ....and so on. They knew I could hear them but didn't care. these are such fun days.
Thursday we had Moms bible study and then came back for a late nap. I've moved both the boys' afternoon naps to 2 instead of 12:30 and it seems to be working out well and is by far much less stressful. Just before nap, William helped me make BBQ chicken for dinner in the crock pot. He is loving cooking and always asks what recipe we need and which ingredients we will use. He poured all the stuff in and turned it on. My goodness was it good when we had it for dinner. I might let William cook every night! Robert and William are playing together more and more each day which is a mixed blessing. Robert is much more intentional with the toys he wants, and sometimes William doesn't want to share. Robert really wanted to play with William's 'mike the knight' horse and little catapult. He'd wait until William was done and then reach and pick it up. William kept taking them away, and we finally had a conversation that unless it isn't safe for Robert, he can play with it if you aren't. William is not a fan of asking Robert for toys back, but he is getting much much better!
Last Friday the boys and I went to Lakeline Mall with Arlene and her daughter Caitlyn. We shopped and William and Caitlyn played on the playground. I actually got a lot of my shopping done and felt like I accomplished something. Arlene got new tennis shoes, so it was a win of a trip! Well, when I got home, I tried for an hour to get the boys to sleep but they weren't going to play ball... William kept telling me he needed a hair cut and that we should go. I finally gave in, and we packed up the car and headed to snip-its. The lady took pictures of William's hair to use in a seminar this week of "how to handle cow licks". My boy's a model! hehe. Well, traffic was horrible since it was the beginning of Spring break, so we hung around there until we had dinner with Francis, Seth, Arlene and Caitlyn at Longhorn Steakhouse. The company was wonderful and the food delicious. The streak continues though, my steak was very overcooked, and they had to take it back. One of these days I'll get to eat with everyone else. At least my food was free!
Saturday Francis, the boys and I spent the entirety of the morning and part of the afternoon picking out a bike for William. It will be his first bike and we wanted to get a good one. Well, we got it home and realized the back tire was not just deflated but blown out so we had to take it back Sunday after church. It feels like we wasted a day, but at least we were all together!
Sunday after church we did exchange the bike and got the only functioning bike in the store that was his size: a Lighting McQueen Cars bike. William loves it, but has not quite mastered the peddling. He'll get there! It rained all day so he only got to try it around the house.
Monday was Little Gym day, but more importantly, Robert turned 6 months!!!! After William's class, we decided to have a picnic and play at the Play for All Abilities Park nearby with Arlene, Morgan, Kara and their children. It was the most perfect weather, and except for an excessive amount of bees, I have no complaints. We made it back in time for Robert's class and skipped practice time in pursuit of some sunshine. Robert had a blast and I got to see him participate in gym like he hasn't before. So fun!!!
Tuesday, the boys and I met Kara and her twin 2 1/2 year old boys at Pfluger park for a little play date. I didn't even know the had a toddle playground (It's kind of hidden) so William got to explore the new playground with his friends. After a picnic lunch, the boys and I did some grocery shopping. We got everything done and still made it home for nap! The boy decided napping was not on their agenda and so after a while, I gave up and we played. At 6:15 after dinner William told me he was tired and went upstairs and put on his pajamas. Both boys were in bed asleep by 7:30! Will wonders never cease!?
Wednesday I cleaned the upstairs in my house while William played quietly and entertained Robert. William is really mature beyond his years and as a reward when I was done and we had had lunch, I let him pick where we would go. His choice? Well first he picked the park, but after 20 minutes of playing in the cold wind, we were done. So he picked the Mall! we went and just walked around and shopped. William got a cookie and then he played on the coin slot rides. And he was so happy!!! He didn't even want to go to the mall playground, he wanted to "walk around and look at things". I may have a shopping buddy after all! Robert loved the coin rides too and sat in a cat for the longest steering the wheel and pressing the buttons. it gave me a look into what 16-year-old Robert will look like and I am so not ready. He's a cutie though and I finally broke down and put coins in the car so both boys could ride. It was such a fun day!
Today was picture day. I carted the boys up to good old Portrait Innovations and we got out of there in record time. The guys was efficient and they cut out a lot of the trying to sell me stuff I don't want. Robert and William were better than I could have dreamed, and while we waited for the pictures to be printed, I took the boys to Cici's pizza for lunch. William ate a lot, but his favorite part was the dessert Pizza. It was a great trip and I now have a new favorite photo of William and Robert! Yay!
In closing I have to say something...my heart has been aching all week for the kids who's parents both work full time and can't be with them over spring break. I've been seeing them everywhere we go, left to the care of nannies, babysitters and day cares, being watched by people who will never love them like their parents. I see the kids in contrast who are having a day out with mom or dad and the difference is night and day. The joy on their face is immeasurable. I will never trade anything for the job I've chosen: Mom. The days go by so quickly and I can't get them back. I want my kids to know I raised them and loved them and valued them enough to invest in their lives. I'm not judging anyone. I know some parents have no choice in the matter. I just know I never want my kids to have the look of "I can't wait for mommy to get off work to come get me" that I've seen this week. It's heartbreaking. The worst was a kid who was being friendly with William and Robert in the elevator at the mall. The girl in the elevator with him smiled awkwardly and said, "He's 5. I'm his daycare worker. His mom's paying me extra to watch him this week. He's a handful." She said this in front of the kid. I wanted to remind her that he could hear her, but I don't know that it would have mattered. No amount of money or quality education is going to replace my love and time spent with them. I pray to never take it for granted. Thank you for letting me share my heart.
Until next time!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
March 4, 2014
Well, since I wrote last on Thursday, life here has been pretty exciting.
Friday, I made a deliberate point to do "nothing": no cleaning, no errands, nothing but love on my children. And mostly I succeeded. I tried a new crock pot recipe which took over 10 hours to cook. So, first thing in the morning, William and I got up and made dinner. William was really excited at the prospect and kept asking me what each ingredient was before he poured it in. he wanted to know how each would taste and how they would all taste together. It was fun to talk about different tastes and textures while Robert slept in a little. I don't get a whole lot of uninterrupted one on one time with my big boy anymore, so this was a big treat. We also made brownies which made William (who was helping) and Robert (who was watching) very excited. William even got a few licks of the bowl. You can guess how happy that made him to eat the fruits of his labor! they turned out delicious and we took a pan to the lunch at church on Sunday. Well, we played trains, pirates, built things, colored with chalk, played with magnets, ate lunch, played cars, and did just about everything William wanted to do. He has so many ideas! After Robert's mid morning nap, we all packed up and I went to early vote. William thought I said "boat" and was so confused why we at the county tax-assessor collector's office. This happens every time so I shouldn't be surprised. I think he understood finally this time. He said, "Oh mommy, you gonna vote for people so we know who's in charge." Smart kid! Poor boy though, as soon as we entered, one of the little old ladies working the polling booth latched onto him and wouldn't stop asking him questions until after I was done voting and we were leaving. He held up like a trooper and answered politely, but I know he would have rather helped me cast my vote like he normally would. He didn't complain though, and as a reward for being good, we went to a nearby park! It's one we rarely go to, so William had fun running around with all his new "friends". I love how everyone in his mind is a friend. He just walks up to another kid and they start playing. It's so sweet! Robert got to swing for the first time in a baby swing (he's been in the flat saucer swings before). I put William in first and put his legs out two of the holes, and then I had him scoot forward and faced Robert the other way with his legs out the holds on the other side. It worked great! Robert had enough support to sit up, and William had a blast asking Robert if he was enjoying swinging. My heart may have actually melted from the cuteness of my two boys laughing together. They've started playing together more and more and it's such a joy to watch! Oh! A funny thing happened while William was running around the bike rack. Another kid (around 6 or 7) came up to him and pointed to the bike rack and said, "That's an alien space ship. You must be an alien." William's face was serious for a second as he contemplated and then answered, "Oh ok! I'm going to the rocket ship over there!" and ran toward the main playground. Well, the other boy, who was really getting into it now, said, "Ok, but I'm Captain Kirk." Without missing a beat, William responded, "Ok. I'll be Captain Hook!" hehehehehehe. Makes me giggle even now. He was on the right track, and at least he thought of a captain! I love how his little mind works. The crock pot dinner was delicious, by the way. My little chef even ate it (it was Chinese BBQ pork). He's developing quite the mature palate!
Saturday was a big day! Francis, the boys and I went to Sherwood Forest Faire Renaissance Festival. We got up and packed the car before the Davis' (Angel, Austin and Ranger) arrived and we caravanned out to Paige, Texas. It was so fun!!! We saw full contact jousting, a falconry show, some comedy, saw Robin Hood sword fight, did a petting zoo, had delicious (I mean amazing) food, and got genuinely creeped out by "baby stealing" fairies. So many people were in costume and that was both entertaining and occasionally scarring. The fairies painted from head to toe were very into character. We met up with Laura and James Martin, and one fairy kept following them to see their newborn, Stephen. It was funny...sort of. Ranger, William and Robert had a blast. There was a play wooden castle and the boys ran all over it looking out the windows and play fighting with their wooden swords (no one got hurt, thank goodness!). Angel and I even got flower headbands made of real dried flowers. It was fun to get into costume a bit, and the headpiece was very pretty. Francis liked the jousting the best. William kept yelling "Go Red!" (our team's color) and got very confused why everyone was calling his name (our knight was Sir William). We finished the day off by going to Southside Grill and having some seriously good BBQ. I wouldn't have traded Saturday for the world!
Sunday was also a good day. It was "All In" high attendance Sunday. Francis directed our class and after service, we all had lunch together as a church. People came around with trays of desserts and different people sang and played instruments. It was nice to get to hang out at church and just share each other's lives for an hour or two. We should do it more often!
Yesterday was The Little Gym day. In between William's class and Practice time/Robert's class, we had Chick-fil-a with a bunch of people for William's class. I got to talk to one of the children's nannies. It was a cold day and I'm so glad we had warm places to go and burn off the kid's energy!
Today is one of those "teaching" type days. I know learning goes on everyday, but I'm not always conscious of it. We got up and it had rained and frozen over last night. I showed William the icicles and let him go out and pull one off Francis's grill. He came back in and we watched as it melted in his hand. He was intrigued and went and got another one. Again it melted in his hand when he came back inside. We talked about water and how heat and cool affects it. He was so interested that after we got back from the grocery store, he watched the ice melt off the roof and repeated back to me that it was getting warm and the ice was turning back into water. I also bought some marbles at the store today to go with William's marble tunnel set. We spent a long time sorting the marbles by color and using the words more and less, then counting them and manipulating them every which way. We also set up the marble track and ran the marbles so he could see. His little wheels were turning so fast! I can't wait to see what he comes up with after nap. I even taught him how to play marbles. He enjoyed shooting the shooter at all the little marbles and watching them go every which way. Then he would count how many went out of the circle area. Robert loved the marble game too. I just had to keep him far enough away to not eat them!
speaking of Robert, he has been in 12 month clothing for the past couple of weeks. I can hardly believe it. In true family form, it's his torso that's so long. His legs are a bit short for the pants, but not by much. Sorry kid, you've got your momma's build! Solid food is still a no go. I also think it is upsetting his stomach. We will have to go and get him allergy tested at his 6 month appointment just to make sure he doesn't share his father's citrus allergy.
I hear a little voice in the next room, so I gotta go!
Friday, I made a deliberate point to do "nothing": no cleaning, no errands, nothing but love on my children. And mostly I succeeded. I tried a new crock pot recipe which took over 10 hours to cook. So, first thing in the morning, William and I got up and made dinner. William was really excited at the prospect and kept asking me what each ingredient was before he poured it in. he wanted to know how each would taste and how they would all taste together. It was fun to talk about different tastes and textures while Robert slept in a little. I don't get a whole lot of uninterrupted one on one time with my big boy anymore, so this was a big treat. We also made brownies which made William (who was helping) and Robert (who was watching) very excited. William even got a few licks of the bowl. You can guess how happy that made him to eat the fruits of his labor! they turned out delicious and we took a pan to the lunch at church on Sunday. Well, we played trains, pirates, built things, colored with chalk, played with magnets, ate lunch, played cars, and did just about everything William wanted to do. He has so many ideas! After Robert's mid morning nap, we all packed up and I went to early vote. William thought I said "boat" and was so confused why we at the county tax-assessor collector's office. This happens every time so I shouldn't be surprised. I think he understood finally this time. He said, "Oh mommy, you gonna vote for people so we know who's in charge." Smart kid! Poor boy though, as soon as we entered, one of the little old ladies working the polling booth latched onto him and wouldn't stop asking him questions until after I was done voting and we were leaving. He held up like a trooper and answered politely, but I know he would have rather helped me cast my vote like he normally would. He didn't complain though, and as a reward for being good, we went to a nearby park! It's one we rarely go to, so William had fun running around with all his new "friends". I love how everyone in his mind is a friend. He just walks up to another kid and they start playing. It's so sweet! Robert got to swing for the first time in a baby swing (he's been in the flat saucer swings before). I put William in first and put his legs out two of the holes, and then I had him scoot forward and faced Robert the other way with his legs out the holds on the other side. It worked great! Robert had enough support to sit up, and William had a blast asking Robert if he was enjoying swinging. My heart may have actually melted from the cuteness of my two boys laughing together. They've started playing together more and more and it's such a joy to watch! Oh! A funny thing happened while William was running around the bike rack. Another kid (around 6 or 7) came up to him and pointed to the bike rack and said, "That's an alien space ship. You must be an alien." William's face was serious for a second as he contemplated and then answered, "Oh ok! I'm going to the rocket ship over there!" and ran toward the main playground. Well, the other boy, who was really getting into it now, said, "Ok, but I'm Captain Kirk." Without missing a beat, William responded, "Ok. I'll be Captain Hook!" hehehehehehe. Makes me giggle even now. He was on the right track, and at least he thought of a captain! I love how his little mind works. The crock pot dinner was delicious, by the way. My little chef even ate it (it was Chinese BBQ pork). He's developing quite the mature palate!
Saturday was a big day! Francis, the boys and I went to Sherwood Forest Faire Renaissance Festival. We got up and packed the car before the Davis' (Angel, Austin and Ranger) arrived and we caravanned out to Paige, Texas. It was so fun!!! We saw full contact jousting, a falconry show, some comedy, saw Robin Hood sword fight, did a petting zoo, had delicious (I mean amazing) food, and got genuinely creeped out by "baby stealing" fairies. So many people were in costume and that was both entertaining and occasionally scarring. The fairies painted from head to toe were very into character. We met up with Laura and James Martin, and one fairy kept following them to see their newborn, Stephen. It was funny...sort of. Ranger, William and Robert had a blast. There was a play wooden castle and the boys ran all over it looking out the windows and play fighting with their wooden swords (no one got hurt, thank goodness!). Angel and I even got flower headbands made of real dried flowers. It was fun to get into costume a bit, and the headpiece was very pretty. Francis liked the jousting the best. William kept yelling "Go Red!" (our team's color) and got very confused why everyone was calling his name (our knight was Sir William). We finished the day off by going to Southside Grill and having some seriously good BBQ. I wouldn't have traded Saturday for the world!
Sunday was also a good day. It was "All In" high attendance Sunday. Francis directed our class and after service, we all had lunch together as a church. People came around with trays of desserts and different people sang and played instruments. It was nice to get to hang out at church and just share each other's lives for an hour or two. We should do it more often!
Yesterday was The Little Gym day. In between William's class and Practice time/Robert's class, we had Chick-fil-a with a bunch of people for William's class. I got to talk to one of the children's nannies. It was a cold day and I'm so glad we had warm places to go and burn off the kid's energy!
Today is one of those "teaching" type days. I know learning goes on everyday, but I'm not always conscious of it. We got up and it had rained and frozen over last night. I showed William the icicles and let him go out and pull one off Francis's grill. He came back in and we watched as it melted in his hand. He was intrigued and went and got another one. Again it melted in his hand when he came back inside. We talked about water and how heat and cool affects it. He was so interested that after we got back from the grocery store, he watched the ice melt off the roof and repeated back to me that it was getting warm and the ice was turning back into water. I also bought some marbles at the store today to go with William's marble tunnel set. We spent a long time sorting the marbles by color and using the words more and less, then counting them and manipulating them every which way. We also set up the marble track and ran the marbles so he could see. His little wheels were turning so fast! I can't wait to see what he comes up with after nap. I even taught him how to play marbles. He enjoyed shooting the shooter at all the little marbles and watching them go every which way. Then he would count how many went out of the circle area. Robert loved the marble game too. I just had to keep him far enough away to not eat them!
speaking of Robert, he has been in 12 month clothing for the past couple of weeks. I can hardly believe it. In true family form, it's his torso that's so long. His legs are a bit short for the pants, but not by much. Sorry kid, you've got your momma's build! Solid food is still a no go. I also think it is upsetting his stomach. We will have to go and get him allergy tested at his 6 month appointment just to make sure he doesn't share his father's citrus allergy.
I hear a little voice in the next room, so I gotta go!
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