He Lost His First Tooth

We have had a "wiggley tooth" since the visit to the dentist in June. We have heard on and off about his wiggley tooth and that the dentist said he would loose it around Christmas. There have been random times since then that he wiggles it, that he cries and says he will never loose a tooth because another friend lost one. The list goes on and on.

Tonight, my first baby, lost his FIRST tooth!! I had no idea how emotional it would be. Noah was in brushing his teeth before bed and I heard all of these muffled noises coming from their bathroom, so I went to see what was the issue now. As you know, 5-year-olds, tend to have issues every once in a while. I got there and the smile on his face was HUGE and the spit from his mouth was not it's usually color of toothpaste, and there was something in his hand, and he kept telling me over and over that he lost his tooth, trying to smile with a mouthful of toothpaste and smiling from ear to ear!!!! We cleaned up, rinsed his mouth, I put a cold/wet washrag in his mouth to make the bleeding had stopped and there it was. His FIRST tooth, gone. AMAZING!!! I told him to tell me how it happened. He said that he was brushing his teeth, and felt something in his mouth, and thought it was a nut, and he looked in his hand and there it was. His FIRST tooth! Sitting there in the palm of his hand. I can't even describe the excitement level!!! He said "Mrs. Radloff will be so surprised". We called Dad and told him to come to our house right away, we called people to spread the good news! Dad arrived and the conversation was all around what the tooth fairy might bring, is she real, is she invisible, will he see her, will she leave me a quarter, will she leave me candy. We finally got him in his room, discussion then revolved around where to put the special case that his tooth was in, the book shelf was it's final resting place. More tomorrow!

Tonight Was A Good Night!!!!

How Sweet It Is.

Jack Jensen Unkenholz

Is the son of my dear friends Eric and Tasha and the brother to Elise and Collin. Tasha's sister called tonight to tell me the Jack passed away today at Noon. He died in his mother's arms with his entire family, Mom, Dad,Ssiblings, Gparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, everyone with him. Jack was born with a disability. But his biggest ability was the joy he brought to everyone around him. Jack could smile and light up a room. His eyes were full of light, life, love, happiness, wonder, and they told you everything. Jack's laugh was contagious. Jack taught his family how to love, how to have faith, how to believe, how to trust, how to slow down, how to accept, how to live every day, how to savor every little thing. Jack I will miss you. I love you Eric, Tasha, Elise and Collin.

How Sweet He Was!!!

Shit In My Shoes...It Really Happened...

I haven't blogged for some time now because I promised myself that I would keep my blogging about my kids and I, not my other issues....well my other issues got the best of me and have permitted me from slowing down enough to enjoy the rest. Well I am slowly pulling myself up by my flip flops and getting back to life!

Tonight something really funny happened!

After dinner, that might have been my first mistake, fill him up, take off his diaper, and let him walk around naked. Maybe this wasn't my brightest idea?!!?!? So after dinner I decided that Peter would get to take a leisurely soak in the tub since Noah was playing at a friends house, I got him undressed and took off his diaper. A little "air time", "naked dance", is always good for the cute little butt right?!?!!? So he takes off running and goes down the stairs to the entryway. I walk into the bathroom to check on the water temp. I walk out and go into the kitchen and then see Peter in the entryway...sitting there...with my shoes. Now he has developed a fetish for my shoes/slippers/boots whatever foot apparel he sees he must make sure that I have it. So if it is not put out of his sight and reach, he will undoubtedly bring it to me, wear it, or scream at me until I realize what he wants me to do with it. But there he sat. Quiet and playing with them. Then the realization came to me, his hands looked dirty. I know the week has been busy but I don't have piles of mud in my house do I? Then it hits....it is shit. He has it in my shoe, on his hands, legs, butt, he is sitting in it, and just smiling. The smiling ended when I ran past him, he thought I was going to rescue him, no I ran past to get my camera! The picture doesn't show the 1/2 of it, I have no idea how to add pictures to my post, so I can't share here (but will post on my facebook page when I do my October photo album), but the image was CLASSIC! So I had to rinse of Peter, empty the tub, refill the tub, bath him, wash my shoes (after Peter) and then clean the rug.

How Sweet It Is!!! BUTT NOT SWEET SMELLING!!! :)

Getting Ready With a 5-Year-Old

This morning was like every other morning. I am getting ready and Noah wanders in and out of the bathroom, talking, getting ready, watching some morning TV (nothing educational in the morning mind you! pure trash). I was doing my hair. My hair is short, I tuck it behind the ears, nothing fancy, I never look at the back. So I tell Noah that I am going to have a plain hair do day. He asks me what that means. I tell him that I am not going to do anything to the front of it, just tuck it (sometimes I do something with some molding good or whatever it may be called). He then proceeds to tell me this. Mom the back of your hair looks like fire and the front like fresh mowed grass. Now my hair is not red, yellow or orange and it is not hot, so how it resembles fire, I have no idea. The front is not a shade of green, so NO idea how it resembles freshly mowed grass. However, I thought for a few seconds and realized that because the back will sometimes stick out a bit that it must look like flames, and the front, parted, flat, and tucked, naturally that resembles mowed grass. Noah then tells me I look pretty.

How Sweet It Is!!!

"Mom, Guess What?"

Noah, Dad and Gpa Tom are on their annual (2nd annual) camping trip. They are at a State Park southwest of here. Noah asked me to call him every morning and every night. This AM the conversation went something like this.

Noah "Guess what Mom?"

Me "What Noah"

Noah "There was a lot of rain, lightening, and wind last night"

Me "really!"

Noah "Guess what Mom"

Me "What"

Noah "The pole for the awning fell down and Dad and Gpa went out to fix it. Dad was in his underware and so was I"

Me "The camper was full of Tague boys in their underware"

Noah "No Gpa wears pajama's. Guess what Mom"

Me "What Noah"

Noah "My bike got all covered in dirt and Dad cleaned it off"

Me "Good Noah"

There were several more "Guess what Mom's" and then Noah says "I am going to go now".

Guess what Noah. I am GLAD you are having TOO MUCH FUN!!

How Sweet It Is!

The Whacky Things Kids Do...

So Noah is 5. Noah has started T-ball and he is VERY excited about the prospect of playing T-ball because then that leads to baseball and his "bigger" friends all play baseball. His preference would be to zoom ahead and just get into baseball but he has SO much to learn.

Tuesday we had T-ball. Only the 2nd time. It was HOT HOT HOT. Noah goes out on the field with his team and they do some warm ups and practice some BASIC skills. It is will be obvious as you read this that Noah needs the practice!

The "game" starts. Each team was able to bat 2 times and be in the outfield 2 times. Noah was the only kid that was having issues with the time and the heat. T-ball starts at 5:15. I gave him 1/2 a donut, a cheese stick and about a dozen grapes, plus all the water he could drink. That should hold him over to dinner right? Oh no. Throughout the ENTIRE practice/game his coach would randomly shout out "we are missing an outfielder". That would be my outfielder. He would just wander off the field, no care in the world. He would come and find me and tell me his latest complaint. How hungry he was. I would remind him that he had a sufficient snack, offer more grapes, and that dinner would happen when the game was over, now get back on the field. How thirsty he was. I would remind and walk him over to his water bottle, encourage him to drink, now get back on the field. How hot it was. Yes it is hot Noah, now get back on the field. How he had to go to the bathroom. I understand Noah. We can go to the bathroom but then we would miss the rest of the game because of the amount of time it would take to do all of that, his call. O.K. Mom. Now get back on the field. Seriously?!?!!?

The BEST part. Noah is in the infield (I think that is what it is called, anyways, in the dirt part), he (as all the players are supposed to) is crouched down low to the ground so that the ball can roll into their gloves. So picture Noah crouched down, playing in the dirt, not really paying attention. All of a sudden the light bulb appears over his head. He notices the ball is right there. Does he hear the coach yelling for him to throw the ball? I don't think so. He looks at the ball, picks up the ball, and then whacks himself in the head repeatedly. I shit you not. Then he stops. Looks at the ball again and repeats the head whacking! I couldn't make this up if I tried. Eventually he stops the whacking and the ball does make it to the coach. I did not bring this up to him, afterall it was HOT HOT HOT.

I blame it on the heat. All though I do not foresee a professional baseball career in his future?!?!?! Maybe. I think he has fun and that is what is most important right?

How Sweet It Is!!!

I Hate And Love Sick Kids

So the day started off just like any other. Get up. Never on time mind you. You would think that since getting 2 kids ready by yourself, plus yourself, and then deciding to do 3-5 random things around the house requires TIME this Mom would get up...but I don't. I just wake up when the body decides it is time and it is usually PAST the time. That said. We all got up, ready, off to daycare, off to work, and I was only 4 minutes late! That is a good day.

I work for a bit. Was on my way to being very productive. I walk away from my desk and get back and there are 3 phone calls from Judy. Noah is sick, crying, and just wants his Mommy. I fly out of work, drive the 20 minutes to home and get my boy. He is lying on her couch, under a blanket, looking very lethargic, looking very sad, tears in his eyes. All is not good in his world.

So we go home and get him settled on the couch. I feed Peter lunch and get him down for a nap. 4 hours later he wakes up. So he either has it or is fighting it off.

Noah is at the age where he knows to listen to Mom and so I made him stay in bed all day. That means in order to do this I had to stay there as well. Too bad. I know, someone had to do it. Rainy day. GREAT day to have a sick kid who wanted nothing more than to hang with his Mommy. So he was SO hot that he had to lay in his underware, rarely does that, but it is SO cute!!! We sat in bed all day together, watching quality TV programming. I read 4 magazines, 2 local papers, clipped some coupons. All in all. It was a good day with my Noah.

Put him to bed and his fever spiked shortly before then...thinking tomorrow might be another day with him.

How Sweet It Is! :)

There are PILES everywhere!!

I love a clean house, really I do. But. I try not to inflict my OCD type tendencies on my children too much and so I let the basement go to hell and every once in a while I venture to that part of the basement and will clean it up. Noah does help but I really let it goes days and sometimes weeks and it is overwhelming for me at times and it would be more work to ask him to help and then listen to the screaming that would follow because there is just too much to pick up. So after doing some laundry last night and a few other things on one end of the basement I decided to hit the toy area.

First. Hard to tell there was floor.
Second. PILES of toys everywhere.
Third. Where the hell did all these toys come from?
Fourth. Does anyone want toys. You can just come and take them!

Picture this. Unfinished basement that has wholes in the insulation because Noah is a worker and had to hammer/poke/dig in the stuff as it is this hard foam shit and it looked really cool to do. We had never said otherwise. We didn't know we had to. Lesson learned. No carpet, concrete floor, a few rugs, a desk area, a living room room area, the toy area in the corner. Bookshelf with bins, a toy box, an easle, a barn and 2 boxes full of farms tuff, and then a train table that is converted to a lego table. Legos everywhere!

Noah loves wheels. I have mentioned this before. Favorite toy? Not sure. But. The floor was COVERED with all things wheels!!! Fire trucks, airplanes, garbage trucks, construction vehicles and stuff, race cars, matchbox cars, wooden trucks/trains/planes, farm toys. They are sporadically, strategically, just dumped, I don't know, but they are one of those things in various places on the floor. He LOVES to haul one group of toys with some type of thing that can haul. Recently we had to get the garbage trucks back out because we are again fascinated with them!! So he will haul whatever and make a pile. Sometimes a solo pile and sometimes a big ole shit pile of a variety of things. The piles are small to big. They are in random spots, in my opinion, but according to him he was doing some work. So there is a rhyme and a reason to what he has done. In addition to piles he will make lines of things too. Lines of planes, trains, cars, farm stuff etc. He will sort by color, size, shape, make, model, year, Dad's toy, his toy, Gpa's toy. He knows them all.

I have often wondered WHY he plays this way. But it is what he does. I love it. I hate it.

The basement is all cleaned up!!

How Sweet It Is!

There Was A Baseball Game???

So I had this GREAT idea. Well, I thought it was great. Overall, it wasn't terrible but I was asked this question twice this evening. How was the game?

I decided to take the boys to the Twins game today. It was a day game. We had nothing going on. I called my brother and his family and they agreed to join us. So there we were, 3 adults, 5 kids. Outnumbered! I am surprised the craziness that we made was not worthy of the big screen at the dome. So add to the people count....3 dome dogs and chips, one brat, 2 pretzels with cheese, one coke, one diet coke, one sprite, one water, one slushy thing, 2 sippy cups, fishy crackers, granola bars, baby food, cereal bar, crying baby, sleeping baby (first time he has slept in my arms since he was just a tiny baby, I LOVE PETER), and so on and so forth.

Noah really likes baseball right now (has to be cheaper than hockey) and I felt bad that I could not give him my undivided attention. He wanted to know all that was going on. I answered when I could. He couldn't find Joe Mauer and was distraught. He was so upset he didn't get a souvenir. How could we dare go to the dome without leaving with one?!!?! Seriously, what kind of Mom am I anyways?!??!?!?! I LOVE NOAH!

That is why I say "there was a baseball game?"

But...the boys will remember, well at least Noah will. The boys looked GREAT in their outfits. They enjoyed seeing their cousins and uncle/aunt. They also got to see their Gpa Tom. He works the parking lot at the dome. He parked us. He let Noah drive the golf cart (and we survived!). He got us a food coupon. He is always SO generous!!!! He always wants us to go in and then just sit in general admission without a ticket. I always tell him I can't handle that amount of stress in my life.

So yes there was a baseball game. And I am SO glad I was there with my boys! I LOVE YOU muchly, tons, forever, foralways...

How Sweet It Is!!!

Unconditional Love!

When I think of how I love, no matter who it is, how I met you, how we are now, how we will be tomorrow, I often think of this song. I first heard it at the end of a movie that I saw with Laura. It makes me cry every time I hear it. Whether I think of Laura. Whether I am hanging with Noah and Peter. Whether I am thinking of others that my heart desires.......I love this song.

What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong-George Weiss-Bob Thiele)

I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you, And I think to myself, what a Wonderful World. I see skies of blue and clouds of white, the dark sacred night, and I think to myself, what a Wonderful World. The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces of people going by, I see friends shakin' hands, saying "how do you do?", They're really saying, "I Love You". I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow. They'll learn much more than I'll ever know. And I think to myself, what a Wonderful World. Yeah, I think to myself, what a Wonderful World.

What a Wonderful World! Thank You God!

How Sweet It Is!!!

Peace....

Who knew that the two little lives that regularly cause you stress can you bring you so much peace at the same time?

On a daily basis you can find me running around our house playing with 5-year-old toys, playing with 9-month-old toys, bottles, diapers, working with Noah to get him up and ready for the day and then down for the night, laundry, cleaning, yard work, bike riding, having friends over, running errands.

On a daily basis you can find me re-directing, doesn't that sound better than yelling? So actually I am sure there are a few occassions that I yell. Actually, a friend today laughed when I yelled at Noah to not yell. I am laughing as I write that. But what Mom (or any parent for that matter) not yell at their kids once in a while. I try really hard to not make it a daily occurence. Life is too short for that. But daily it happens.

Today. Well actually this evening. The baby did not want to go to sleep. I tried to lay him down and he just talked and his talking just turned into crying. The friends had all walked home for the night. Noah needed to wind down. So I grabbed the baby and Noah and we just layed down in the grass by the "camp fire". I was on my side, facing them, and we just layed there. Noah talked to Peter. Peter talked to Noah. I talked to the both of them. I just watched them as the sun was setting to our West. It was pure Peace. Just us. Just putting it all aside. Just enjoying each other and I am so thankful that I slowed down and did what really mattered.

I need to remember to do this more often.

How Sweet It Is!!!

GREAT Clips!

So I had the pleasure of observing my son, Noah, get his hairs cut tonight. We get them done at Great Clips. I am cheap. My hair is short, and really anyone could cut it. Noah's hair is short, cute, and seriously, anyone could cut his hair too. So we go to there. They do a great job. The like us and we have 2-3 people that we feel comfortable going to.

So as I sat in the chair getting my hairs cut I got to watch Noah in the mirrors.

First of all he is ADORABLE! He is 5. He is getting SO big!! Did I say he was adorable?!!?!? Oops! :) He has blonde hair. Light brown eyes. Beautiful skin. And he is just damn cute!

The wonderful thing about Noah is that he talks and talks and talks. Still NO idea where he gets this from but he does! I LOVE that he talks and talks and talks. Most people enjoy conversations with him because, like with most kids, you just never know where he is going to take you. So he sat in the chair, acting all big and looking as adorable as ever. He tries so hard to have a big kid conversation with the hair stylist. He is often confused and concerned when he sees other kids cry while getting their hair cut. He really enjoys haircuts! So he went on about his tattoo on his arm and proudly showed it to her and then told her about his Dad's. Then he went on to tell her about the story his Auntie Bekka told him tonight (she was with for the haircuts) which was about her seeing a man pulled over by police and that when he got out of the car he was only wearing his underware.

The part I loved the most was when Noah realized that I was watching him through the mirror. He then kept checking the mirror to see what I was doing and would get a HUGE grin!

Did I say he is ADORABLE?!!?

How Sweet It Is!

I Am So THAT Mom!!!

It is picture day at the Tague's. I have been a FREAK about pictures since the beginning of time and then decided that the lives of our boys needed to be documented as much as possible as neither of their parents have (my definition) of a ton of pictures.



The FREAK part of all of this...



For the most part, the boys' pictures are taken "on the day", so if it is their 1 year photo by God it corresponds with their actual birth date. I know. And...they have been taken at birth, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 18 months, and then just annually from there. We have done pictures with Gparents, parents, brothers, Dad's football stuff, favorite bears, Birthday Party Themed Outfits, you name it, and I have done it! I LOVE PICTURES!!!



So today Peter is 9 months old!!! I have NO idea how this happened. But it did. WOW! So pictures are scheduled for 4:00 today. Noah turned 5 (a few weeks back) and I did not want to drag them to Target twice so decided that Noah would have to deal with his picture taken 18 days late. So today we did photos of each of the boys and then threw in Gpa Tom and Dad. They were all sporting whatever Vikings attire they had. Peter was wearing the exact outfit Noah did at 6 months and had Dad's helmet and football from High School! Seriously the photos are AWESOME!!!!

I love that I am THAT FREAKY MOM!!

How Sweet It Is!!!

Just Mom and Peter!!!

So Noah left at 5:30 or so with Gma CMO!! They are doing an overnight at her house. First though it will include a visit to Jeffs place (Noah is VERY curious about where he lives and why he DOES NOT live with his Gma!), dinner at their favorite bar (somewhere in Hopkins I believe), playing lego guys, watching the Twins and finally sleep! Tomorow AM will be breakfast, gardening and then going to see Dora Live. Home by 3:30.

So what does Mom do with just PT?

The house is VERY quiet. Almost scarry. My ears are ringing.....maybe because they are adjusting to this new sound. QUIET.

So PT ate dinner and for dessert got an Oreo Cakester!! He thought it was yummy and tried to jam the whole thing in his mouth! If i could figure out how to put a picture in the post I would. It was that cute! Then we both went in the tub! I threw on a suit (SHIT summer is almost here!) and climbed in. PT just stared. Not quite sure what to think about Mom in the tub. Let me tell you I am better than POOPIN IN THE TUB and I was SO glad that did not happen! We splashed and blew bubbles and just hung out. Then PJ time, books, and he went to bed early.

I LOVE MY BABY SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

God Bless You PT!

How Sweet You Are!!!!!

Merry-Go-Round!!!

So tonight Noah wanted to walk to the park. Not ride his bike. Not scooter. Not go in the stroller with his brother. Just walk. At first it was the "ECFE" park and then we agreed on the "river" park. In my head it was closer.

Explanation...all parks in Hutchinson have a name "Elks Park, VFW, Roberts" etc. Not sure who/what/where/when/why/how but we started naming them other things. I know more parks in Hutchinson by the names we gave them.

Here are a few:

The Orange Park (Noahs ALL TIME fav!). I have NEVER been able to figure out why he LOVES this park but he does. He wants to go there ALL THE TIME! Maybe I will ask him what he likes about it. Good thought to have.

The Blue Park

The New Blue Park

The Pink Park

The ECFE Park

The River Park

The Purple Dinosaur Park

The Park where Neal played baseball

The Park by the campground

We could go on and on. We have a lot of parks here. That is why I LOVE here!

So most parks are named by the group that raised money to build them or after someone, maybe the location etc. We have mostly named them by the color of the play equipment and others by location. Sometimes the color is only one piece of play equipment and others are the whole thing. Either way, I LOVE the names we have come up with. When someone asks to meet at a park, they will use the names, and I will have to describe what they look like to make sure that we will show up at the same one!

Back to tonight. I usually do not like Roberts park. In theory it shouldn't be a "bad" park. But it is near the river, it is by the softball fields, and it is set back from the road so kids "use" the park (if you know what I mean), we DO NOT dig in the sand at this park. We stick to the equipment and then sanitize!!!! I have found things in the sand. GROSS!!!!!!

The River Park (Roberts Park) has a Merry-G0-Round!! Noah LOVES them. He goes round and round and round and round and round. Tonight we put Peter on the Merry-G0-Round and he liked it. Noah wanted to go faster so informed me that Peter no longer liked it and I needed to take him off.

So we walked to and from the River/Roberts park. The night was warm. No wind. We can all enjoy our time outside, even Peter!

Life is like a Merry-Go-Round. It goes round and round and round. Sometimes slow and sometimes fast. But it keeps going whether we want it to or not.

How Sweet It Is!!!

A Night Of Crawling And Marching

Peter CRAWLED and I mean made it from the TV in the living room to the kitchen! It is a lot of working lugging that cute little bod around so he took a few breaks but he MADE it!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Had to call Dad and share the news, Noah crawled while Dad was at work one day too....sucks. Either way, exciting! He has been moving a little bit over the last few days but this was some distance!! Way To Go PT!

The MARCHING BAND is back in our neighborhood. They practice here. Noah LOVES it! Seriously the kid is a FREAK about Tuba's. We have no idea why Tuba's but he just plane loves them!!!! LOVES the Tuba! Last year the band director spoke to him, pulled a tuba player out of formation so Noah could touch it (the tuba, let's keep it clean!). Huge impact on the kid as he recalled the event today and wondered if the director would remember him etc. etc. Seriously. The tuba? What does one do with the tuba?!!?!?!? Some day I am sure I will know and so I will be getting back to you on that one!

Oh yeah, more on Marching Bands. So their practice includes the neighborhood kids (and their freakishly weird parents) following them around as they practice. This has been done in van, on foot, by bike, by stroller etc. etc.

We LOVE marching band season but NOT nearly as much as combine season!! What happened to the lable of Spring and Fall?!?!?!!?

How Sweet It Is!!!!!!

I Had A Bad Day....

Isn't that a song from Alvin and the Chipmunks?!?! I should know, Noah LOVES that movie! Noah says "Alvin toots on Dave" he he he ha ha ha ho ho ho.........

If I knew the lyrics to the song I would just write them. But that would require that I learn how to navigate the internet more and find the song lyrics and I just plain don't want to learn that much. I know, I should, I will have to teach the boys some day.......but for now, no thanks. I like that I can't do much on the internet!

Was the bad day one particular thing? NO. Was it everything? YES. Poor kids. They got the worst of Mom today. SORRY guys!!!!! I gave you what I had. It sucked. I have had better days and some day I will again. For now, just bear with me. I can't promise much but I can promise that I will try and not repeat my bad day.

We do anticipate tomorrow. It is Noah's LAST and I mean LAST ECFE class. He is SO excited! Mom will make a come back and do something special to acknowledge that he has been doing this for almost 5 years and now that he is 5 and heading off to Kindergarten he can no longer go, although I think he would go forever if he could! Now he says "I can only go to the sibling room" because Peter will go to "school" for several more years!!

So tonight I need to plan for the speical tomorrow.....

How Sweet It Is!!!

Mom's "Special" Day!!!

Mom. That's me at our house. So I have been asked several times today if I had a "special" day. I laugh outloud as I write that because "special" took on a whole new meaning today. Sure it was special in the up at 4:30 AM, 2 1/2 hour drive, diarrhea from baby, baby has a fever all day, more diarrhea, 5-year-old rocks sort of way. Read on......or opt out now.

So we got up this AM and left CMO's (That would be bio Mom's nickname given to her by I am not sure who, but I like it and have started to use it) house after a fun-filled evening of eating, drinking, fire, etc. Didn't sleep well at all. Stress, anxiety, too much wine, didn't take my meds because of the wine, or the fact that the baby slept in the room, not sure which, but either way, did not sleep well. So just got up between 4:00 and 4:30 and started loading the van, CMO got up and helped (THANKS), fed baby and loaded kids in the van. Do we call the day "Special". Not yet.

A very uneventful 2 1/2 hours later (THANK GOD) we arrive at Gma Daun and Bampas FARM. We LOVE the farm. Afterall Noah is a farmer and on the way home he informed me "farming is my most important job, well after firefighting, and being a big brother". So the farm it is. Back up. I am remembering that the drive might not have been so uneventful. 30 minutes from arriving Noah and I noticed a smell but since it is farming season and there is poop spreading we thought it was that. Forward. Back at the farm and my Mom says (after we had been there 20 minutes) "Heidi I think we should change the baby". First episode of the diaper I wish I hadn't found!!! The day is good. We talk, we eat, I took 2 naps, the kids behaved, Peter ran a fever but did o.k., Noah rode the 4-wheeler with Bampa, we went to the park. You could say it was a good day. Not sure I would define it as "special". Yet.

We leave the farm about 10 hours later. I am tired, Noah is tired, and Peter has decided to be crabby. I think, GREAT, sleep will happen. Noah falls asleep before we hit town. Peter not so much. 50 minutes into the drive he starts to fuss, cry, complain. So next time I realize that I will listen to Noah when he says "Mom Peter is poopin". So I used to think that "poopin in the tub" was bad, "poopin in the van" worse. I take him out of his seat, thinking I will foolishly just feed him a bottle. Oh hell no. Poop all over the front of him. Soaked through only PJ's I have (the others had been puked on the night before and were still at CMO's). Noah is dead asleep and during the 40 minutes it took me to change Peter, clean up Peter (and myself), and then feed Peter, he somehow managed to stay asleep. Thank GOD! Still not sure it is "special". Yet.

We manage to get ourselves home and get Peter to bed. By this time another 3 1/2 hours has passed. Peter was crying. I was almost crying. Noah was crying because he was EXHAUSTED!

It is 9:30 and Noah has decided that we need to do something "special". You guessed it. This is where the "special" part of my day comes. He and CMO (his Gma Cathy) and Auntie Bekka (she has paid him big bucks to call he that forever and I will make sure that he does!) did a surprise a few weeks back. Noah was instructed to hide surprise in the house, and he did. We took it out this evening. SPECIAL took on a whole new meaning tonight. I proceeded to open my Mother's Day gift (2nd set of gifts, first Dad helped with and I got outside flowers, card, and a Paula Dean magazine!!!!! :) ). I got lotion for my feet (they are UGLY). Lip gloss for my lips (not sure if they are ugly but Noah thought they were very pretty when I put it on). Chocolate (we each took a Mommy size bite). A card that Noah recorded "Happy Mother's Day" on. He then proceeded to tell me he did not want to say that and would have rather sang....hmmmm. A shower spongey thing. He pointed out that part of it is "rough" and part is "smoothe", he preferred the smoothe part. The reddist (not sure that is even a word) polish for my toes!

Then there was a tiny bag. I opened it and there was a tiny heart that simply says "Mom", on a tiny chain. The saying attached to it says "In my heart I remember every hug you game me", I believe the small letters on the back of the heart say the same thing.

"Special"? You better believe it. Tears? Like Niagara Falls! Noah looks at me, he had started crying as well and asks why I was crying. And I said because this is the best little heart I have ever been given and I can't wait to wear it. Can I wear it now Noah? Yeah but don't choke in your sleep Mom.

Need I say more?

SPECIAL day? Finally!

How Sweet It Is!!!

....now it got even better. The furnace is not working. I realize it is not really cold, but it is only 62 in the house. SHIT! Diarrhea! Whatever. I will just try not to choke on my heart and try and remember how special today is and deal with the SHIT tomorrow.

Mom Can I Have A Hug And A Kiss?

Blogging was not going to occur today, I am in a funk, was just going to hide in the blankets and be miserable......but this happened.

So it is almost 9:45. Noah went to bed at 8:30 or so and about 20 minutes ago he walks into the room and says "Mom can I have a hug and a kiss"? How does one pass that up? Of course you can Noah. Hug and kiss occur. Then I tell him that I will come in his room and crawl into bed with him once he is asleep and give him more hugs and he says "not if I do it first". It is moments like this that make it possible to get through each day and they give you the ability to get up and do it again. It wipes out all the crap that happened earlier and it makes all that crap worth it.

Side Note: Peter has pink eye and it is so sad. His little eyes are all puffy, red, and goopy. Mom does not like this and just wants to hold him all night but he is "contagious" and then I would have to wash myself a thousand times so will refrain. Wait for the drops to kick in and then I can do the holding.

I can still say...........

How Sweet It Is!!!

A List Of Questions From ECFE

So writing early. We just got back from ECFE. Noah's class. Peter is wiped out as he has been up since 10:30 and Noah just wanted to play in the basement and I really just wanted a nap. Well those of you who know me know I RARELY will nap but laying here is my version of one.

At ECFE Cindy (our parent teacher) shared with us a list of questions that her daughter asked her on the phone last night. She shared them with us as Mother's Day is approaching. She reminded us today that we are the most important people in the lives of our children and that our heart strings are so entangled that they will never come a part. She made some of us tear up. I plan to ask my Mom these questions on the phone tonight. But I thought I would answer them for Noah and Peter to the best of my ability today.

What's the one thing you would have done differently as a Mom?
Not perfect. But the Mom gig is still new to me, been doin it for 5 years. Is there one thing that stands out in my head as the one thing I would have done differently, or should have done differently? Not yet. Is there a list of a million little things, OMG YES!!!!

Why did you choose to be with my father?
That is easy to answer. I have always told you that Daddy is the first love of my life and because of the love I have for him I was able to have the two of you. Noah is the 2nd love of my life and Peter the third, the order is irrelevant, because the love for all three of you is overwhelming to me. So now the why part. First of all I noticed how handsome your Dad was back in 1996. His eyes, his smile, his build. I found him very attractive. And in 2009 I still see him that way. Then I got to know your Dad and built a friendship with him. I felt safe with him. I felt like I could tell him anything and everything. I have so much fun with your Dad. He makes me laugh. Your Dad is caring, considerate, compassionate, smart like no one else I know, dedicated, loving. Your Dad had surprises. Your Dad always encouraged me and believed in me. Your Dad was the balance in my life. Your Dad took care of me. Supportive. People like him. Your Dad loved me like I never thought I would be loved. I knew your Dad would make a good Dad, whenever that happened and he did!!!

In what ways do you think I'm like you?
Noah you have my intuition, my sensitivity, my emotions, my inquisitiveness, my enthusiasm, my heart, my compassion, my I don't want to miss a thing attitude about life, my interest in people, you are my extrovert!

Peter you are small but I can see you have my energy, my eyes, my playfulness, my I don't want to miss a thing attitude about life, my ability to genuinely love someone (especially your brother).

Which one of us kids did/do you like best?
You are both my favorites! I love you, like you, cherish you, love love love you both with every ounce of my being. So I could honestly never like you the same. I like you for different reasons. Noah you are my first and will always have a little something special because of that. I went through a lot of things with you first, I learned a lot from you on how I wanted to be a Mom, you taught me a lot and you taught me well! Noah I held/hold you a lot and kiss/kissed you a lot because you were my first. Peter you will benefit from what I learned from Noah. You are my last and will always have a little something special because of that. I hold you a little longer and kisss you a little more because you are my last baby.

You truly are both my favorites!!! I LOVE having boys!!!

Is there anything you have always wanted to tell me but never have?
THANKS!!! I thank God for the gift of being your Mom and I thank you two too! Thanks Thanks Thanks! Regardless of where you go in life, how hard it is along the way, the choices you make that I don't agree with, you are always my boys, my loves, my life, and I will always always always love love love you. I will always say THANKS for letting me be your Mom!

Do you think it's easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family?
I will get back to you on that one! Call me some day when you are boys are grown up and if you go down this wonderful path we will talk!

Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents?
Not that I am aware of because I am the type of person that will ask the question. My Mom always taught me to ask for what you want and if you don't get it you are no worse off than where you are currently at. So if I want to know something I tend to ask.

What's the best thing I can do for you right now?
Stay little. Seriously, I never want you to grow up. I know you will. I know I have no control of that. I know that you are both in a hurry to get there. But stay little. Slow down. Enjoy now. Life is wonderful and hard and all worth it but I just want you to stay little. So, I know you won't, but at least I asked!

Is there anything that you wish had been different between us-or that you would still like to change?
Not yet. So call me in 15 years and I am sure there will be something!

When did you realize that you were no longer a child?
I am not a child? I hope to always have part of me be a child. I suppose though it happened gradually. When I got married. When I bought our first house with your Dad. When at most holidays I no longer was at the kid table. When I had you and your brother. When my sister admires the person I have become and for some reason she hopes to have some of the same characteristics that I do. When my own children ask me questions and I realize that I am responsible for shaping their minds.

I am going to hang on to this list of questions and maybe some day one of you will call me or use whatever technology is out there and you will ask me these questions. I can't wait to see what the answers are. You are amazing people already!

How Sweet It Is!!!

Poppie, Bampa, Grandpa this and that, Grandma this, that, the other and the other, GG, Great Grandma....

You name it and the boys have it. A LONG list of who's who under the term GRANDPARENT. Partly my fault. Well if we really want to put the blame somehwere it goes back to who birthed me, who tried to raise me, and then who finished raising me, and then who came back into my life, and then who I was fortunate enough to meet along the way. What does this say about me? Am I really too much to handle that God decided I needed this many PARENTS in my life?? Geez, sorry guys! Or was it because He knew that I could draw strength from each of them at different times in my life and that I would seriously NEED all of them at this time in my life. Did He really think that my kids needed this many? Yes He did and I think Noah, Peter and I LOVE that we have them all!

Short explanation:

The birthing part-Cathy and Greg-well really we all know Cathy did the hard part! (Yeah for how I got here and THANKS!!!!)-AKA-Gma Cathy (the sucker bringer Gma) and Gpa Greg

The first part of raising -Bob and Daun-and my brother Al who is 5 years older (Way to go and THANKS for picking me, my Mom said we were meant to be!)-AKA-Popppie (not sure who gave him that name but someone did along the way and we like it!) and Gma Daun (sometimes pronounced Gamma and she is the cookie/canning etc. Gma-always a treat!)

The second part of raising and a continuation for the first part-I got Shirley (Married my Dad-Bob and brought along her 4 kids who are fantastic and Mike married my Mom-Daun and he brought along his 2 kids which I add to my pile of Luck!)-Luck-luck-lucky to have them!!!!!-AKA-Bampa (I think our little cousin Allen gave him that name) and Gma Shirley (she is the stuff Gma, always always always has something for you when she comes!)

We meet again-jump ahead 20 years and those birthers-well I decided what the hell, let's meet up again and how AMAZING that has been! They also brought along these two things called siblings-biological-the jury is still out on how we feel about them!! :) You know I am KIDDING!

1996 I meet who would some day be the in-laws-they are just as GREAT as all the rest. Gma Carol is lovingly known as the brownie Gma and makes the BEST ones out there and Gpa Tom well he is Gpa Tom and TOO much fun!!!! At 70 he went down rocket him with Noah this Winter!!!! Need we say more?!?!?

2004-2006ish we meet "the Jeffs" as we so lovingly call them. They belong to two of the Grandma's and are pretty darn GOOD people if you ask me (and my kids). One Jeff belongs to Gma Carol (he has stuffed animals at his house, brings apples, and makes good dinners!) and the other Jeff belongs to Gma Cathy (he helps nurutre the 25 year old brain trapped inside the 5 year old head)

There are two Grandma's of mine left-Grandma Sparks (my Mom's Mom) and Grandma Mary (Cathy's Mom)-AKA-Great Gma Doris (Noah refers to her as the Gma who lives in AZ and that place where cactus grows) and GG (stole that nickname from a friend and it stuck for our family).

So how does my whacked out family tree have anything to do with my kids? I am supposed to blog about my kids right?!?!? Well tonight we are aniticpating a visit from Poppie and Gma Shirley. The kids LOVE Gparent visits and it doesn't matter if they have seen you every day or once a year, they love you all just the same. I find that AMAZING! My kids have never shyed away from any of them. They get what a Gparent is and does and they LOVE LOVE LOVE them ALL!!!!!!!!! You don't have to bring said treats that are referenced, but it does help, but really, just show up, listen, hangout, and you are in in in! Now if only my job was that easy?!!?!? The lives of my boys are better because you all take the time to be with them in your own special way, whether it is teaching them to fish, plant, cook, build, play, going to parks, sports, going to the Zoo, camping, deer watching, sledding, overnights, playing the piano, having them feed the dog, special toys at your houses just for them, the list is ENDLESS. THANKS!!!!

So I told Noah that Gma Shirley and Poppie would be coming on Tuesday and his first words were "Don't they have a birthday present for me"? Spoken like a TRUE 5-year-old!!

I hear that being a Gparent is in some ways better/different/ amazing/more wonderful then when you had your own babies. I find that hard to believe but in 30 years when I am there I will get back to you. For now I just sit back and truly enjoy watching my boys love and be loved by all the Gparents in their lives, no matter who you are, how you got here, how often you see them, you are all loved, appreciated, needed, and just really great!

How Sweet It Is!!!

Things That Only He Does...

There are things at our house that I am just not good at. Only He is good at them. Dad-Daddy-Da-Da...

*Rip cord
*Underdogs
*Explaining baseball
*Reading stories in the silliest of voices
*Making body part noises
*Making the boys laugh at said noises
*Cuddling
*Throwing the flying disc frisbee thing onto the roof
*Staying longer at bed time
*Pretending to be a baby
*Wearing a used pinata on his head
*Cracking open the pinata
*Being silly while catching a football
*Making a walk an adventure
*Sneaking up on a boy on the slide at our house


This is why my boys LOVE LOVE LOVE their Dad, Daddy, Da-Da. This is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dad, Daddy, Da-Da. This is why our house would not be the same without him.

It is good that there are things that only he does. It is how we balance things. It is how we bring different things to our family and raising our children. The boys need the things that only he does and the Mom sure enjoys watching her boys, all of them, really enjoying each other, truly enjoying each other.

How Sweet It Is!!!

Sundays R Fundays!

At 6:15 Noah says "looks like morning to me Mom", I all but threatened his 5-year-old life and every toy in the house if he didn't go back to sleep....somehow it worked and I didn't see the whites of his eyes until 7. that is sleeping in to me! Thank God!

At 8:30 we were outside and ready to mow the lawn. Poor Peter has no idea what lawn mowing season is like. It means that he has to be patient with his Mom, because I LOVE and I mean really LOVE to mow the lawn. I hate to interrupted although given that there are two kids and a neighborhood full of people it is bound to happen. Eventually the task is finished. Then there was cleaning of the landscape, playing with Noah, napping for Peter, raking, more playing, trimming around sandbox etc.

At Noon Peter was up, we had lunch and biked to the store. Noah had a GREAT time biking and was very proud of himself for keeping up with me and not stopping unless we had to at corners (his line not mine). He loved biking. I had no idea. Now I really get why you see thousands of little boys and girls out there riding their bikes, they just love it, and they have more energy than 10 adults combined! Home for snack, playing and then a trip to the hardware store.

At 2:30 Peter was down for another nap. This time until 5!!! :) We loved it! We planted, played on the swing set, went to the neighbors, a neighbor thatched our yard (seriously, how did we luck out?!!?!?!? but THANKS!).

At 5:00 I talked to a dear dear friend and then we ate dinner.

At 6:00 we went for a walk because Noah wanted to pick up garbage. "I want to keep the earth clean and healthy Mom". He has been bugging me to do this for quite some time. I think he got the idea from something on TV, seeing the crews on the side of the road and because I have been known to pick up a thing or two on a walk. Again, sorry Noah, you get this weird shit from Mom! So I wouldn't let him do this without gloves on so he got out said "special gloves" and had to put on his blaze orange hat that Dad got him for $1. The hat was so "people could see me when I am bending over and I will stay safe". So we collected a bag of garbage. Noah wondered if we made God happy and I said I bet we did!

At 6:45 we, well I shoudl say Noah and Peter were, in the tub and there was NO POOPIN!! Poopin happened right before, Noah was thankful, but still enjoyed teasing me with one too many "code browns" shouted at the top of his lungs! Where does he get that from you ask? DAD!!!!

At 7:00 the weekly tradition of watching "House Building", really, Extreme Makeover Home Edition. He LOVES this. Not sure when we started this tradition but it seems like we have been watching this for a long time now.

At 8:00 we put together our Flat Stanley to send back to Max in Hudson. We had a lot of fun with Flat Stanley! Thanks Max!!! Hope he arrives at your school safe and sound. Noah wondered if he was "scared in the dark envelope" he then decided that the pictures we sent along would keep him from not being scared. I LOVE U Noah!!!

At 8:15 my ass was worn out from all the FunSunday.

How Sweet It Is!!!

Party At The Tague's...!!!!

I want my house to be that house! Where the boys and their friends gather. I don't care how many of them, I just want them all at my house. We can be the "fun house"! Whether it is to kick off a big game, or celebrate a birthday or just because. I want the boys to be able to have their friends want to be at our house. I imagine hoards of kids some day gathered in the basement. Watching movies (or whatever they are called then and hopefully we will have the latest technology), playing video games, just talking, playing board games (if they are still around), just hanging out. I imagine bowls of popcorn, other snacks, pop, and whatever else they drink that is not illegal for their current age. If the weather is good I imagine bonfires and other games in the yard, kids everywhere! I want kids to come to our house after school and do homework, have something to eat, come for dinner (I am sure we could always set the table for one or two more). I want to be carting them around from event to event (until they are at least 25!). I want that house.



So today starts our first of these "Party's". Now the laughing ensues as I realize today's party is for the 5-year-old. But hey, at least it's a start! Today we are starting with 8 4-to-5 year-olds. We will have snacks, games, juice, treat bags, cake/ice cream. But at least it's a start!!!

So I will finish this post, 24 hours later. I started writing on Saturday and then decided my computer was having technological difficulties when it was actually just me. Surprise Surprise! The wireless connection in the basement somehow was unplugged, either someone thought it was a funny trick or all the 4-5 years olds running around down there were the culprits?!!?!? I will never know. So Sunday night it is and I am finally finishing what I started writing yesterday.

The party was a success!!! Probably could have cut out 1/2 hour or so. Did not enjoy the birthday boy being upset that he didn't throw the football the farthest (thanks Dad for fixing that meltdown!) and then that led to him not wanting to do the race etc. etc. He is SO emotional (sorry Noah, you must get that from your Mom, I am REALLY sorry!!). But overall it was a success. We had impromptu games, playing inside and outside, snacks, cake, ice cream, presents, and movie watching.

4:00. Nap. Now I could write an entire post on the nap but I promised myself that I would really keep my blogging about the kids.........if I went to the nap then all of my emotional baggage would be out there on the WWW and I DO NOT want that! :)

I thought I would dread the kid birthday party gig, but not that bad and I could see doing it again. If we do it once does that mean we have to do it again? I should have answered that before the first party huh?!?!? I have so much to learn!

Happy Birthday Party Day Noah!

How Sweet It Is!

Friday Night Fun!

35. Friday nights are not what they were when I was 25. My memory has started to fail me at this young age so I am not sure I even remember what it was that I was doing at 25 but I know it was not nearly as much fun as tonight, or maybe it was, but it was just different fun.

I am sure at 25 it involved friends or family, fun, drinking, conversation.

Tonight had those elements. There were 11 adults, all friends, 13 kids, they belonged to the adults so that is the family component, we were all having fun, there were a few drinks, and a lot of conversation!

The 13 kids rode bikes, scooters, played in the sandbox, played on the swingset, ran through the yard, rode tricycles, pretended to be a gas station, golfed, played t-ball, had s'mores, roasted marshmallows, drank juice, shoes were off and on, helmets off and on, screaming, laughing, talking, pretending, they ran and ran, said "Mom I need you" "Mom can I..." "Dad...", the Mom's and Dad's all answered while still trying to have their adult conversation. All in all they all got along well, shared toys, picked up when asked, and just had pure fun.

The adults enjoyed some s'mores or marshmallows, a beer, a vodka cranberry, or other beverages. Someone broke a chair and then they fixed it, we tried to stay warm by huddling around the fire, we all had smoke in our eyes, we all laughed, shared stories, went through a lot of wood, reminisced about what it would be like when the kids are older and we can be a little more carefree and not pay such close attention, and just had pure fun.

Amazing how the two go together so well.

I love our neighborhood. I love our friends. I love the 13 kids that were just free to be (you and me.....isn't that a song...again the memory fails me). It is fun to watch them when they don't realize that you are and to see how their little minds work and what they come up with to do with each other. It is fun to watch how the different age groups all get along and when they are all together they stick together, they play together, and they can all do some of the same things.

I love Friday Night Fun!!!

How Sweet It Is!

Then And Now-Paradise

Paradise Then Was...Camping trips. Long walks. Long conversation filled dinners. Wine. Laying in bed with no little ones waking you up. 2 person showers. Get up and go whenever you wanted to or never. Leisure. Beach vacations where they rake the sand each night, and organize the chairs each morning, drinks are free flowing, quiet all around. Surprise getaways. Working late and not feeling too guilty. Carefree. Reading books front to cover whenever you wanted. Spending endless amounts of time with friends and family. Holding big hands. Staying up late because we want to. Getting up early because we want to. Hobbies and endless hours to enjoy them.

Paradise Now Is......Having a little one crawl into bed and want nothing more to snuggle with you. I love you's just because you walked into a room. Baby food covered smiling faces. Mommy I did something for you and you didn't even ask. A 5 year old that listens. A baby that is content. Food in bellies. Warm clothes on backs. Fresh air to breath. Grass to play in. Dirt to get covered in. Wonders to explore. Little hands to hold. Watching them when they don't know it. Listening to them fall asleep, one babbles and the other sings. Sand in your hair. Food on your clothes. Galloping through the Zoo. Your legs being hugged. Being jumped on. Playing roll the ball. Teaching someone to clap. A smile because they finally get who you are. A smile because they get who you are and they still think you are cool.

Paradise Now is.... Something new every day. Something wonderous every day. Something fun every day. Something crazy every day. Something stressful every day. Something that takes your breath away every day. Something messy and loud every day. Something overhwhelming every day. Something exhausting every day.

Paradise Now is...Mowing the lawn. Cleaning your own house. Working that "9-5" (and for others a hell of a lot more than that!). Paying bills. Running errands. Preparing meals. Trying to remember who you have to call back and what function we must go to next? What playdate to schedule? Who is coming to visit the kids this weekend? Who are we going to visit? What needs fixing around the house and do we really want to do it or should we just pay an obnoxious amount of money for someone else to fix it? Shoveling the driveway. Do we finish the basement or never because it certainly is functional?

Paradise Now is.......Thinking I am 35, and "really this is what I do now.......?" or "REALLY this is what I do now!!!!!!!". It is that place we all journey to at some point in our lives. We all think we are ready for it. We all think it will be the best years of our lives. In many ways it is and in many ways it is not. We all think it but some of choose not to say it. Well I am saying it!

You can tell from my previous posts that I truly LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids. Wouldn't trade them in for anything (but could easily trade in the Van, the house, upgrade the lawn mower, maybe a bigger camper some day just because we can). But the kids, never in a million years. Keepin them! Keepin them close and their wives/partners/whatever will hate me some day because, yes, I will be (or already am) one of those Mom's (and some day Mom-in-laws). I am CRAZY in LOVE with my boys (all 3 of them) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

But I can say, guilt free, hands down, that there are days I would go back to Paradise Then in a heartbeat! I hear that once the kids are a little more grown up you slowly get a little Paradise Then back. You can take a walk without them and not have your neighbor call social services because you left your kids home alone. You can take longer vacations because when they are older they are easier to pawn off on family because they are less work! You can drink more wine because when you are hung over in the morning they are self-sufficient!! :) You can sleep in on Saturdays because they will be sleeping in too, or maybe they won't be home! You can take a family vacation to some place with a beach and ocean and take a hand holding walk and gross them out and they will leave you alone but yet you can still boast that you took them on a great vacation!

How did we go from Paradise Then to Paradise Now? Oh yeah. I vaguely remember graduating from high school and going off to college so I could get that damn job I thought I wanted. I went to college so I could get that house, the car(s), the yard, the camper. I wanted it all (I still do)!! I thinks it's called "Living The American Dream"?

So today I am thankful that I have Paradise Now. I find it to be a blessing. All the good. All the bad. All the stress. All of it. Wouldn't give it up for anything. Because all too soon Paradise Now ends and we go back to Paradise Then. We enjoy Paradise Then. We do all those things again and while doing them we miss Paradise Now. The viscious cycle. Either way we are screwed. We should just sit back and enjoy where we are. Enjoy each stage of our life for what it is. We should be thankful we have all that we have. We should find it a blessing! It's called Life!

How Sweet It Is!!

BIRTHday!!

We are fast approaching the time of his actual arrival into the world and our lives. Noah Henry was born at 11:45, April 29, 2004. WOW!!!! All was perfect in the world and his arrival made it only better. Still today, he has this same affect on my life. Even on the not-so-fun days, he makes each and everyone of my days better!

So I did a little reflection last night and tonight the emotions are running high, for several reasons, so will share the day and my thoughts for his future.

Noah wakes up and tells me about the balloons in his room, the BIG #5 in the kitchen, and how did you get those things to hang from my door Mom?!?!!? Yes, I went all out. BIG # balloon is done every year, and they are BIG, and some years they don't really look like their number, I think the 4 looked more like a fish of sorts! But the 5 looks like the 5 (way to go 5 maker!). So BIG helium balloon, presents, breakfast pastry, #5 candle, You Are Special Plate, streamers and more balloons, pictures, the hoopla! Then off to preschool for a morning of fun with Mom and friends and birthday treats!

So back-up 4 years. Tradition. We decide that the BIRTHday will always be a Special Day! Taking the day off of work, just being with the kid(s), special sugar filled breakfast/candles/BIG balloon at home, an activity, lunch/dinner, treats galore etc.

Previous paragraph.....after preschool it is off to the Zoo. We had the MOST WONDERFUL time! Just the three of us. Laughing, talking, horsing around (although no horses at the zoo but cameling around, takin around, lynxin around just doesn't sound as good as the traditional "horsin"). We got ice cream for Noah, coffee for Dad, my ass is big enough so I skipped a treat. Then off to the monorail, the Minnesota Trail (no rhyming intended but that is a FUN activity for Noah these days so maybe it was intended), the Tropics Trail. A drive through AV to show Noah where Dad grew up. Then shopping for party supplies, dinner at LeeAnn Chin, ice cream at Coldstone, and airplane watching on that infamous road, in that infamous parking lot, on Post Rd. Noah LOVES to go there and seriously could sit for HOURS!!!!!! He and his Dad identify airplanes and I swear Noah really does know them all! His favorite is the Double Decker and is insistent that he rides on one some day.

All in all I would say turning 5 went well!!!

Not predicting his future by any means. I actually have NO idea what he will grow up to be. I am sure there are parents out there that have this insane connection to their kids and just know what he/she will be one day. Well I have the insane connection. But I have NO idea what he will grow up to be and I am not going to pretend that I do! So I say to him (I got this metaphor from an e-mail that a dear friend forwarded to me, so I can not take the credit but I am going to use it and fulfill it!) live the DASH (the line between the BIRTHdate and the end date), live it Noah! You fill that dash with what makes your heart and soul happy. Always be true to yourself. Always be kind. Always laugh. Always love, love, love. Always have faith, never walk a day without God by your side. Have fun! Be smart. Be spontaneous. Be caring, considerate, thoughtful of yourself and others. Be generous. Be You!!!

I love you. I love you. I love you. I loved you when you were just a dream. I loved you when you were in my belly. And I have loved you every day since. I have always loved you and no matter what I will always love you buddy! You are the "little man" in my life!

Enjoy 5!!!
How Sweet It Is!

A Mom's Thoughts The Night Before A 5th Birthday

It is the Eve of Noah Henry's 5th Birthday. How did this happen? I know it is so cliche to say "it seems like only yesterday" but I am going to use it. It only seems like yesterday that the 2nd best day of my life occurred (for those of you who know me well you all know what first best day was, Peter wasn't here yet so not that, he was the 3rd best day of my life)! Noah was born. What an amazing time in my life that was!!! How amazing my life has become because of him!!


I decided to do a little reflection on his life. So here it goes.......

0-12 Months:
*Happy Birthday Noah
*Summer of 2004 Noah camps several times and LOVES it!
*Noah learns to roll over
*Noah goes to daycare
*Noah learns to sit up
*First of several ear infections
*Noah starts getting teeth
*Noah has his first Holidays-4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve
*Noah learns to crawl
*Noah takes his first ECFE class
*Noah takes a bottle
*Noah starts swimming lessons
*Noah is the smiliest baby in the world
*Noah learns to walk
*Noah has an AWESOME first year!

12-24 Months:

*Happy First Birthday Noah-Frogs were the theme
*BIG Birthday Bash and a day at the Minnesota Zoo
*Noah sits forward facing in the carseat
*Noah loves his backyard sandbox and going to the park
*Noah has many playdays with Elise, Jack and Mallory!
*Noah et. al. buy a camper and enjoy camping in a whole new way!!
*Noah goes on his first train ride!
*Noah starts to enjoy the library
*Noah takes his first airplane ride to Maryland and Washington DC!
*Noah enjoys Music In the Park in smalltown USA
*Noah starts to talk in full sentences and never turns back.....
*Noah learns to run, climb, and just be damn busy
*Noah is still SMILEY!!!!
*Noah says "ight, nuit nacks, and many other funny words!
*Noah flies to Arizona with Mom and Gma Daun

24-36 Months:

*Happy 2nd Birthday Noah-Elmo was the theme
*Big Birthday Bash and trip to the Zoo
*Moves to new house
*Noah goes to Disney World, Sea World and plays in the Ocean!
*Noah gets his first bike
*Noah loves parades
*Noah loves to watch trucks on Main Street and all the traffic
*Noah LOVES the park and we start naming them by the color of their play equipment!
*Noah learns to love hiking and the North Shore
*Noah loves to play outside-any season-any weather
*Noah et. al. move to new house (when do we stop calling it that?)
*Noah LOVES new house!

36-48 Months:

*Happy 3rd Birthday Noah-Bob the Builder was the Theme
*This was Noah's BEST Birthday Party EVER-when we sang to him he just stood up on his chair and grinned like you wouldn't believe and held his hands together, looking out at his family and friends and was truly filled with so much joy, the pictures do not even capture how he felt and how we felt.....amazing!
*Noah decides "I want to wear big boy underware and no more pull-ups" the prize was a blue telescope and an excavator!
*Noah goes to South Carolina and Georgia-BEST vacation EVER!
*Noah starst pre-school
*Noah has fascination, well more of an obsession, maybe a love for Fire Trucks and Tractors!
*Noah meets Bob the Builder at the Children's Museum!

48-60 Months:

*Happy 4th Birthday Noah-Fire Trucks was the theme
*Noah learns to ride his bike without training wheels
*Noah learns to scooter on a razor scooter
*Noah goes to preschool again!
*Noah becomes a big brother (and LOVES it!)
*Noah learns to ice skate and now really wants to play hockey!
*Noah prepares for kindergarten!!!

So just some of teh high lights!!! Noah is the BEST!!! He rocks!

Read More Tomorrow...he will officially be 5!!! The house is decorated and waiting for him to wake up in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



How Sweet It Is!!!!!!!!

Could The Day Have Been Any Worse? (4/27)

It was a "normal" Monday. The boys and I woke up. Peter took a bottle, I got him dressed, we came in and woke up Noah, Noah amazingly got ready without too much prompting/yelling/asking whatever we are calling it today. I got ready and for the most part they let me. Then we moved on to breakfast and I had to rush it a little as our plan was to go to the store and order birthday cake for Saturday. Well said plan went SOUTH!!!! And I mean seriously south! Noah did not want to eat his cereal fast or drink his juice in any manner related to "fast". I redirect/yelled/calmly asked him to eat/set the timer, pulled out all the stops. Well all they did was stop him from rushing and he moved into turtle speed. Eventually he finished and we made our way to the entrway. I now wish there was another room in our house that we could all get ready to exit the house from. I HATE, and I mean hate, the entryway. All bad things happen here!!!

What happened here. Well Noah was about as good as could be expected for a 4 year and 363 day year old! He eventually got his coat on, gloves on, and shoes. Then I come down the stairs and get Peter's coat on and then bring 2 things to the van and then it happened. The "worse" part. He pukes. He pukes on my pants, shoes, himself, the floor, the bench, it goes evrywhere. I ask WHY?!?!!!!!!!?!!?!? What have I done today to deserve this?!!?!?!?!? I would say that I have done nothing, but I am sure others would have a little something more to say. So I have the tantrum this AM, not Noah, and Peter, well his tummy felt much better so he was all smiles. I instantly start to cry and just sit there not knowing what to do. We were to leave early and go order Noah's birthday cake, balloons and pick out birthday treats and now this is not going to happen! Clean up mess.

Finally we leave and I bring them to daycare. Some reprieve right?

Peter has been sick so all day I think about him. Daycare had mentioned other kids having this "bacterial junk" including her so it is on my mind all day at work. Finally I call the Dr. and they call me back at 1:40 saying I should bring him in and they had a 2:30 cancellation. I work 20 minutes away from where we live, getting kids out of daycare in a timely fashion could be and should be considered an award winning achievement (but it is not) and so the race is on. I leave and I get there and we get to the Dr.

At the Dr. we run into Noah's friend and his Mom, nice to visit with another adult and a Mom no less! We get in and Peter weighs 18.8 (good job PT!). Oxygen saturation in blood is 98% (not a medical mind at all but I am told this is good), check lungs, good, check throat, good, check left ear, not so good, check right ear, really not so good. Notes made in computer and I am off to pick up Peter's first anitibiotic as he has a double ear infection. YIKES! This whole experience is only made better by Noah who is all over the place today and usually is not. On things, under things, pushing things, talking back, you name it and he tried it!

Off to Target to pick up the prescription. All hell broke loose on the way there and the crying/screaming/no Mommy/you suck ass Mommy etc. etc. ensued for the next 25 minutes. On the way there, in the bathroom, walking to the pharmacy, stopping in a back aisle on the way to pharmacy, at the pharmacy and on the way out. Noah has NEVER done this and I did not know what to do nor did I have one of my finer parenting moments. I bet the judges would have given -10 on my reaction to described behavior. I know what I should have done but I threw all skills out the window, everything I have read or even been told, yep, was not going to listen, maybe Noah gets this from me!?!?!?!?!?!? I was so glad to get the hell out of Target!

THANKFULLY home was better. Noah and I made our apologies. Medication given to Peter, nap for him, fun-filled evening for Noah (b-day celebration starts) and here we are.

Hoping today is just a little better. Setting the bar low so my expectations are not squashed!

How Sweet It Is! :)

Brotherly LOVE!!!!!

So who would have thought that Noah and Peter would LOVE, I mean truly LOVE each other as much as they do? Noah was just shy of 4 1/2 and when Peter was born and he has been smitten with him ever since. Actually his "smittenness" happened long before his birth. About one month prior to knowing I was pregnant I walked into Noah's room and he told me he had been "talkin to God" and " he said we are getting our baby", lo and behold, pregnant the next month. Then on August 16 when Noah came to the hospital to meet his brother he said "Mommy we never had a baby before, this is the best day ever"! Seriously!!!!

Sometimes I just watch them, in amazement, because they are just so happy being together. Rarely is Noah annoyed or bothered by Peter, he just wants to be with him and hug him, kiss him, love him, wrestly with him, help him do anything. And Noah is SUCH a trooper, if I ask him to do anything related to his brother, he will. His favorite activity is launching the dirty diapers down the stairs and then hauling it out to the trash! I think it is the whole idea of throwing something in the house that got him sucked into this "job". He gets really excited about "poopin in the tub", because yes, it happened again (this kid is unbelievable!). Noah doesn't freak out as much anymore about the poop in the tub, so maybe that is good?!!?!?!?!?

Sometimes they just smile at each other. Other times they play. Noah said that "this age is the best because Peter can play with me Mom"!! Noah is LOVING all the new toys at our house, since Peter is bigger and can sit up there are a few new things around (Noahs old toys) and he just LOVES to play with them!! Noah is also very excited whenever Peter does anything "new" or for the "first time". So sweet!

Sometimes just watching them be together as made every second of this all worth while. I hope to nurture and help maintain what it is that they have. I hope it NEVER ends!!! Probably changes, but never ends.

How Sweet It Is!!!

Why R They So Messy?

Whether they are big or small they are just plain messy! They are born messy and probably leave messy. I am talking about boys! I don't care if they are just sitting in the car, playing, reading, and by God they are even dirty in the tub!!

Take today. I send Noah into the bathroom after eating. Eating was a mess. Milk, cheese stick, angel hair pasta (the pasta roni version), and a hot dog (no ketchup, mustard or bun). We decide the cheese stick should be strung into pieces and then slide it in and out of our mouth until it becomes soft and ishy, then eat it. The hot dog has to have its skin tore off as we must each part separately. The angel hair must be slurped and the milk spilled. This is just from Noah. Dinner for Peter was baby cereal mixed with baby green beans and some small pieces of hot dog (have to try meat, if that is what u can call it, at some point, the boy needs his protein!). The bean/cereal mixture goes in and part comes out, mostly in, but still messy, the hot dog pieces did make it down the throat but a huge sneeze brought some back up along with snot. Not sure if that was on his menu but he didn't seem to mind!

Then on to dessert for Noah. Must eat the cookie while spinning around on the stool at the island in the kitchen (I often tell him to face the table and I am reminded often that "it is not a table Mom"). Crumbs and chocolate everywhere. Done with the cookies as we sent 6 across the street so I no longer have to deal with their mess (at least not until we make another batch).

Then Noah's version of "washing up". The dirt, food, etc. for sure comes off of him but I am never quite sure how the hell it ends up on the counter, the faucet, inside the sink, the mirror, everywhere but down the drain.

Then Peter. He is such a beautiful baby. But he is so urpy!!! So his cute outfit and cute self became covered in the half digested version of his dinner. Was not appealing the first time and is DEFINITELY not appealing the second time. In all seriousness he is just rank. But I still love him, and kiss him, and hug him, and gag! :)

We end the dirty day in the tub. One would think this is the clean zone. Oh no. Wash dirty boys and then the cute little sweet innocent one does the whole "poopin in the tub" AGAIN. Why I ask?!!?!?!? Noah never did it this much. Maybe cold baths would harden the shit and therefore it would not exit in the tub!

Now they are all clean. Dry. Lotioned. PJ'ed and tucked into bed and preparing for another messy day ahead!

How Sweet It Is!!!

All Things Wheels!!

Boys absolutely LOVE them!!!

Who would have known that Noah would learn to rollerblade at only 4 1/2 years of age? It was a surprise. He was at a friends house and I picked him up and saw that he had rollerblades on his feet and that he could stand up and actually move with them on his feet. All winter he practiced in the basement and this Spring he got a new pair from Gma Cathy and Jeff and he is FANTASTIC on those wheels!!!!

Last summer he mastered the bike without training wheels. I was the WORST teacher and realized that threatening his little life and the life of his bike was NOT effective and that another approach would work better. Now he can start on his own (almost every time) and has mastered the art of breaking while going down a big hill! I LOVE to bike with him!!!!!

Then there is the scooter. When he turned there was the 3 wheeled scooter, not so much his favorite, tried a 2 wheeled one that belonged to someone else and by his 4th birthday had his own. This Spring he learned that there is a break on the back wheel and now can zip around (with helmet on) and apply the break as needed, he is AMAZING!

We then could go on to all the toys that have wheels. It is just all about wheels!

Peter enjoys all things wheels as well. He LOVES to ride in the "burley" (couldn't really afford a "real" one so we have a fake) and now loves riding in his little stroller/car, he loves to stare at the wheels!!! Seriously who knew.

So this Spring and Summer I better get my butt in gear and enjoy riding my bike, pulling the burley, and getting back into rollerblades!!!!

The Wheels Go Round and Round!!!

How sweet it is!

"Peter, PT, Petes"

He is my baby. He is perfect. He is beautiful. He is sweet. He is well tempered. He is my baby.

Most of the funny things in my house happen with the just shy of 5 year old (7 days but no one is counting). However, I thought Peter deserved a little of the attention as well.

Today he waved. Indescribable feeling to have your baby wave at you. He was as amazed as I was. He looked at his hand with as much disbelief as I did. So I waved at him and said "Hi Peter" (about a hundred times) until he waved again and we both smiled from here to the next town (that would be Cosmos, yes I live near a place called Cosmos and also to the East is a place called Plato, but since I am only blogging about my kids I can't say anything else). His little arms are finally getting pudgy so when he waved there was a little crease left behind.

Today he also stood on his own two feet for about a minute. Then he proceeded to fall against the swingset and cry.

Yesterday he rolled off the changing table because I walked away. I heard a loud thunk and ran the short distance to his room and found him flat on his back, no blood, no swelling, no obvious injuries. I felt terrible and cried. Noah says "it was Peters fault he rolled and shouldn't have" then I said it was my fault and he said no "i should have stood by him", I again said it was my fault and now he will tell everyone that Peter rolled off his changing table and it was all mommy's fault! Isn't that nice of him?!!?!?!?

Peter is also very fascinated by shadows. He sees one and nothing else around him matters. he would probably stare at one for hours.

He can rock a rocking chair and he finds this very funny!

He loves to swing and bounce and wriggle and squirm and maybe I should call him houdini?!?!!?

Peter also LOVES, I mean, REALLY LOVES his brother. If there were 100 people in a room he would look and look until he found his Big Brother Noah and then he gives him the BIGGEST most genuine smile that says "I love you and only you bro", I had NO idea the connection they would have. I am not certain whether or not I had anything to do with their bond. I truly believe it is something beyond me and I hope it NEVER ends!!! I am sure it will have it's ups and downs but in the end it will be true!

Peter is perfect. He is filling out, a little pudgy, but not too pudgy, he has a beautiful complexion, the biggest brown eyes, and the softest brown hair I have ever felt. His cheeks. HIs cheeks are just big enough that you could squeeze but since he is sitll so small I refrain. He is already funny, has a great little laugh, perfect little feet, and the best dameanor. He is so relaxed, busy, but not much gets to him. I hope he stays this way. That older brother is a GREAT kid as well but he has my dameanor, we wear our emotions on our sleeve, it is good, you always know what we are thinking, but it is exhausting as well.

So overall. I love my Peter, PT, Petes!!! I really really love him. I love all of him!

How sweet it is!!

"Poopin in the tub"

We had to take baths tonight. I took the boys to McD's to fill them up and wear them out so I could then take them on a Target run and get in and out of Target without being noticed. The playland at McD's requires a bath. I am no germaphobic, by all means, some germs are good for the little ones but the playland, not so good. So we had to take a bath.

I realize "it" happens. However, it only happened one time with Noah. The poop was hard, floated to the surface, easy to clean up, and he was alone in the tub and already bathed.

Now enters 2nd child, Peter. He and his brother LOVE to take baths together and now "poopin in the tub" has happened two times.

The first time, not so much a big deal, fairly easy to clean up, they were already clean and I just yanked them out, dried them off and cleaned the tub and toys.

Now tonight, it was not a floater. Infact it quickly dissolved in the water and made Noah want to run for the hills. It was multi colored, mushy, all over everything and they were not bathed yet. So I yanked them out of the tub, sat them there, pulled out the toys, washed the toys, washed the tub and then had to fill it again and start over. This time though there was NO playing, I just got down to business and got them out!

Why does this happen? I don't really like baths so only take them if I have to and I don't often find a time I "have to". So what is it? Do baths relax the lower region to the point where "poopin" then occurs? I find it gross. One more reason I don't like taking baths, why take the risk?

Now I assume they will still bath together and since Peter is only 8 months there is no telling how many times he will poop in a day and one can not plan a bath around that level of inconsistency. What is a Mom to do? Right before he went in the tub he had already taken care of the "poopin", I foolishly thought the coast was clear and it was safe to take a bath, I guess Noah will NEVER be safe!!!

How sweet it is!!! :)

"Noah did you hear what Mom said?"

I wonder how many times I will say this in my life time. Yesterday alone I believe I said it about 50 and I am not kidding. It usually starts in the morning with getting our pajamas off, clothes on, using the bathroom, brushing our teeth, eating breakfast. Then it progresses to the entryway of our home where shoe, jacket, hat, glove placement occurs and seriously I believe we have spent half of Noah's life time in that small space alone (should have had that made bigger!). Then to the van, then the same shit happens whether we are going to daycare, preschool or ECFE. "Noah, what did Mom ask you to do", "Noah put on your clothes, Mom doesn't need to see your buttwhole so please put on your underwear" "Noah put on your shoes" (imagine this repeated abotu 15 times in under 5 minutes, wouldn't you think he would just put the damn things on? I mean seriously. I know he loves me but he probably can't stand to hear my voice repeat the same thing over and over and over and over?!?!?!!?!? I remind him that in the preceeding 12 months we had his hearing checked 3 times (2 doctor appointments and an early childhood screening), the kid could hear a pin drop in Africa (I don't say this because then he would make me tell him all I don't know about Africa and when I say I don't know he will tell me to google it Mom "google knows everything"!). I then try to stay calm and just say that I know he can hear, I know he can do said task and to just do it!!

Is this a game they play on purpose? Is it meant to drive me nuts or is it building some character trait that will get him far in life? I guess I don't really care what the answer to this question is I just want him to do what I ask the first time. I use my please, thank you, I try and stay calm, I try not to yell (although one time I was thankful it was Winter and no windows were open!).

Then there is Peter, 8 months old, and he just watches in pure amazement with a smile on his face. I wonder what he thinks of the daily interactions between his Mom and Brother? To pry open that sweet little brain..........

Another daily event in My Life As Mom. How sweet it is and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

I was inspired to blog.....

So it is a Sunday night and I am taking the plunge. I think that I can be witty, entertaining, maybe have a few fun things to say, so why not put it out here? I reconnected, only via the WWW, with a woman I went to High School with and she blogs. Her blogs CRACK me up and I really wish I knew her in person again. I bet we would be better friends than we were 17 years ago. She is funny, smart, lives in the burbs, seems to have her shit together, overall I just like her. So I read her blog and there are times it makes me laugh. Most times I realize that I should have on my depends because I laugh so hard!!

So begins My Life As Mom....Just this weekend alone I got "Mom I accidentally peed in your garbage can", seriously this is what my son said to me. Now said son is 2 weeks from turning 5, he is smart as a whip, funny, very energetic, very emotional, and I am learning there is a sneaky side! So I asked him how this incident "accidentally" happened, you would have had to take off the lid of the garbage can that sits next to the toilet and his response was "no I just pushed in the little door", I proceeded to tell him that did not count as "accidentally", he proceeded to cry, and then I laughed my ass off after I sent him to his room. The emotional side of him then snuck its way out and remorse set in which I quickly diverted with something he is interested in. Then that night I made a notation in his baby book as this is one I did not want to forget!!!!