A Day for Trey

Yesterday, we celebrated such a special day. Trey turned 2. Two. Wait, 2??? I vividly remember the day we had him. I taught class Saturday morning, enjoyed a "last meal" Saturday evening, got induced Saturday night and viola! He was here Sunday morning. He was such an easy delivery. And such an easy baby in the coming months. Heck, who am I kidding, Trey has always been easy. Until he started figuring out that Drake had the cooler toys. And got to do cooler things. Big kid things. Then all of a sudden, he wanted to skip being a baby- a toddler- and jump right into the big kid things. I love that they love playing together and being together and fighting together (wink wink), but for purely selfish reasons, it saddens me that he skipped that baby stage. He never relished in Elmo or Mickey. He never wanted to crawl. Just walk. The only trace of  baby left is his dang bottle. And even that has been cut back to bedtime. And oh yeah- that not talking thing. We are working on that too. He sure knows what he wants, and knows what everything is, but all-be-darned if he's gonna say it. Oh well. In due time. 


A few notes to remember about you on this special day:
You love chocolate milk. In fact, you insist that your white milk get a dash of chocolate before you'll touch it. 
You'll try just about any food- except if Drake is around. Then you are much too busy to be bothered. 
You call Drake Buddy. Or Bubby. Each equally cute, considering Daddy's grandpa was called Bubby. 
You love naps. Hate bedtime. You've resorted to sleeping with Mommy. Which is going to have to change here in a month or two. 
You're a crappy bed-mate. I'm often awoken by a slung arm or kicked leg. And it hurts. 
You want everything your brother has or gets. Right down to the color. And there's no fooling you about it. 
You get REALLY mad at the dogs when they are in your spot on the couch or in the bed. I hear you yelling at them often.
You love to feed the dogs. Although I'm never quite sure how much or how little you actually give them. 


I'm sure there are a hundred other things I should jot down...but you're calling me to play Woody B (Toy Story)...and I can't resist that smile =) Love you Trey Bird. Happy Birthday.  

Things I learned from a 7 week vacation...

So as most of you know, we spent the summer in Iowa. 7 1/2 weeks to be exact. I had all of these wonderful plans to get so so so many things done. Guess what? None of it happened. Blog every week? Fail. Find new fun music for my classes. Fail. Find and cut all of my competition music. Fail. The list goes on and on. But after reviewing what we actually did in those 50-some days, I look back fondly on the time we got to spend with family and friends. There was never a dull moment. And I'm actually glad that I put away the to-do list for once and just enjoyed the here and now. It gave me time to ponder. And observe. And I took some notes.


1. After 24 hours in a car, no one likes each other very much.
2. Parades are waaayyyy more fun when EVERY single float throws candy. Wowza!
3. Milk poured out of the window of a moving car will dry into a cement-like substance and will be near impossible to remove days later.
4. A moving RV's air conditioner cannot keep up with 90 degree heat. You WILL feel like you're in a tin can that is in a microwave. Motion sickness is inevitable and BBQ is not suggested for lunch. 
5. It is not recommended to live in your in-laws house while you are pregnant. Your nesting instincts will kick in and you will have an incredible urge to clean (and purge) everything in the house (for this Gail, I apologize). 
6. Grandpa's get grumpy too. 
7. There's nothing like the first taste of Iowa sweet corn on a summer night. 
8. There's nothing like an Iowa summer night. 
9. Floridians truly miss out on how fun catching fireflies is. Just ask Trey. He loves them so much, he squeezes JUST a little too hard. 
10. Iowans, I hate to break it to you, but you don't know what hot is. 
11. If you are going to unplug your refrigerator for 7 1/2 weeks, be sure to bleach it first or leave the doors open. Black mold is not fun to come home to. 
12. The Midwest has the best antique/junk shops. Next year I'm taking a trailer just so I can bring home all of my treasures. 
13. Climbing a tree is something every little boy must learn to do. 
14. The circus still comes to town. No seriously. We went. And have I no words...
15. I want to own a lake-home someday. And a farm. With animals. 
16. Small town people are good people. 
17. After 33 years, Matt learned how to mow a lawn. Now if I could only get him to do ours. 
18. Raising kids is a lot easier with 4 people. Maybe those multi-wife families are onto something...
19. Grandpas don't like changing diapers. Or listening to crying. I'll hand it to our generation- we've learned patience somewhere along the way. 
20. Make your husband live with his dad as an adult. Then he'll apologize for all of his awful learned behaviors (this was a HUGE plus for me!!)
21. There are still movie theaters that show NEW movies (albeit one at a time) for only $1. 
22. I loved hearing, "Mom! I'm going outside to play!" I wish we lived in a neighborhood where my kids could do this (see #15).
23. When it gets light at 5:30 am and doesn't get dark until 9:30 pm, kids get really confused about when to wake up and when to go to bed. Window covers are a necessity. 
24. Small town grocery stores are highway robbery. Like even more expensive than Naples' grocery stores. But your only other option is to drive 20 minutes to the next closest store.
25. Grandpa's bus is the most fun bus to ride =)

 So all in all, we had a wonderful time. Garner, thank you for your hospitality. We'd love to come stay again....if you'll have us =)

Is summer here yet??

I have been more than a little slacking when it comes to this blog. But I have an excuse. A good one. Promise. Up until about 5 days ago, I didn't have the energy to clean my house (ask Matt his thoughts on that), much less open this dang laptop and write a blog. And we can give credit to the little peapod growing inside of me for the lack of said energy. I can't believe we are going to have another little person running around this house. Like- I really can't believe it. It hasn't totally sunk in yet. In the rare moments that I do think about it, I start having heart palpitations and small panic attacks. What are we going to do with 3 kids?? Oh no. Here they come again...deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. In.....Out.
Lol. Ahh...the joys in life.

Anyway, besides that, we've just been doing day to day stuff. Trey trying to play. Drake taking anything that Trey touches away. Trey crying. And so it goes. In fact, it's happening right now. Fun stuff. But now that the pool is warm again, we've been happy to break up the day with hours in the pool. Trey is a crazy man. He doesn't seem to understand that he sinks. It's pretty funny...he literally just walks off the steps like he's magically going to float. Sinks straight to the bottom. Drake is becoming more brave every day. Hopefully we will be done with the "floaties" by summer's end.

Drake had his last day of school this week....so bittersweet. Drake's time at school was nice for everyone. He got to play with kids his own age and Trey got to play with me- or alone even. Which he loves, because no one steals anything away from him. I guess it will make him tough in the long run. Right? The thing I won't miss is the alarm clock. No one should have to wake up to those things. How awful.
Some big things on Matt's plate lately....his senior hurdler won the State title for the 110m hurdles this month. He will soon be off to play football and run track for the University of Iowa (which we all know Matt is over the moon about). Matt is also making the move to the school I coach for! He couldn't stand being away from me any longer (ha!). We think it will be a good move for him professionally and are looking forward to the doors it may open for him. He will be the head Cross Country and Track Coach for boys and girls and will be in charge of all of the Middle School PE classes. It's a small private school here in Naples with a family oriented feel. I'm very excited for him.

In a couple of weeks we will embark on what is sure to be the biggest thing this family has done. We are DRIVING to Iowa with a toddler and preschooler. Any tips on how to all get there without killing each other are greatly appreciated. If we aren't divorced or haven't given the children up for adoption by the time we get there, we are looking forward to 6 weeks of Iowa weather and tons of family time. Sweet corn. Lake boating. Cabin living. Craft fairing. Thunderstorms. Cool evenings. Grandparents. We. Can't. Wait. The way I see it, with all of the extra hands around, I'll be able to blog every day! Okay...who am I kidding. I'll shoot for once a week.

 

Long Overdue

As we are all vegging on the couch today due to the crud that is traveling around this town, I decided that my blogging has been neglected to say the least. So here we are...embarking on another post to fill you all in on the goings-on around here. 
We've been doing a bit of renovating around here. For those of you that were privileged enough to experience the infamous "Hawkeye" room, I'm afraid to tell you that the room is no longer. In a fit of rage over how awful the room was and how little it functioned for my and the kids' needs, I tore out the awful wood paneling, thinking that surely, the previous owners (the owners that put the god-awful paneling in the room to begin with...I mean seriously. Who puts wood-grain paneling in a room? The person that created it needs to be shot...) put drywall behind the paneling. But of course, that wasn't the case. There was just the concrete garage walls. Nice. So anyway, new drywall is up, paint is on the walls, and all that is left is the organizational aspect of the room. Almost there. I will post pics of the progress when it's all done.

Beyond home demo, we've finished up a soccer season, enjoyed a spring break filled with the waterpark and the beach and endured a week of swim safety classes. Drake did awesome. They got to play in a boat...fall out of the boat (gasp) and climb back into the boat; save each other from the side of the pool with a noodle; and jump off of the diving board. That was definitely his favorite thing. Like, his most favorite thing ever. He also experienced a traumatic event involving a toilet seat and his Bo-Bo. You do the math. Definitely a first and sad to say, it probably won't be the last. 

Trey is always along for the ride. He's up for anything and everything his brother is doing or wanting to do. Which for the most part is awesome. But we are quickly figuring out that we need to purchase two of everything so that everyone is happy. This, we are also figuring out, is going to start getting expensive. And a bit nerve-grinding. Because, not only does Trey want what Drake has, but Drake wants what Trey has.  Literally, as I'm writing this, I just watched a lollipop debacle go down. They each had one. One red. One green. Drake wanted to try Trey's. So Trey, being the loyal brother that he is, traded whole heartedly with his older brother. Drake decided that he didn't like the trade- so tried to trade back. But Trey no longer wanted to trade back, because while he doesn't talk (he sure does roar a lot), he's uber-smart. He knew that his brother wanted the green one back for a reason. Which ensued a screaming chase around the house that ultimately ended in tears. And the lollipops in the trash. Sorry kids. Mommy ain't having it today. 

The Next Pele?

Most of you know that this has been Drake's inaugural year for Mighty Mites soccer. I, of course, have big dreams for my son. Being a former soccer player myself, I can picture him making goals long into his high school years. Matt on the other hand was mortified that I signed him up for such a communist sport (his words- not mine). We are moving into week four...here's some pics of his season so far. 

Game #1 They didn't have enough shirts...he really had no clue what team he was on. 

This kid kept rubbing Drake's head. For good luck maybe??

Not sure what's going on here..but Drake looks happy with the result. 

Look at that form! Dad's getting excited...could Drake be a soccer superstar?

Still Game #1. Drake was playing forward all game! All of a sudden Dad didn't think soccer was so stupid after all!

Go Drake Go! Make that goal! (He did...no one cared that it was on the wrong goal)

Is it my turn now??

Game #2 Drake was super sick. We made him go anyway.  I can only imagine what the conversation is about right now!

The poor kid felt awful, but it was a good day. He got my old soccer number.

Game #3. Interest in actually playing soccer has waned....

A little more....

Drake! The ball is RIGHT there! GOOOO!!!

And yet he stood. I'm pretty sure he didn't touch the ball once this game. But man, look at those cleats =)

Moral of the story. Remember that they are only 3...and soccer is only a game =)

I need a clone...

For anyone that knows me, they know that I tend to take on too much. I like to be the one that does everything and helps everyone. And as I'm scrolling through all of my friends' blogs, I realize that there are more things that I want to do! More things with the kids. More things for the kids. More things to the house. More things for my business. More things with my husband. So. It's decided. I either need to be cloned so that I can get everything I want done...or I need to take a time management class. Because to be honest, 24 hours in a day just isn't enough and since cloning is out of the question for the time being...looks like time management it is. I truly wish I could blog every day, because my kids are hilarious and cute and fun and I have a thousand stories to share (doesn't every mom?) but I'm too much of a perfectionist and control freak (although- I've gotten better about it. Really. I think anyway) to just post a funny story. I have to post the story and a picture. Which means I have to upload the picture from my camera (do you KNOW how long this takes??) and organize the pics into which month it is, etc., etc. Then I need to edit and perfect the picture. THEN I can insert it into said blog. Huh. That's exhausting just to think about. So now you see the problem. Maybe it's not that I'm an unorganized, time management failure. Maybe it's that I'm a control freak. But I'm trying. Trying to let go. Trying to not sweat the little things. So here I go. I'm going to post my first blog WITHOUT a picture. Ugh. My pulse is starting to race...is it getting hot in here???

Why the Worry?

I often wonder if it's pre-programmed in us. To worry. Like if it's a sleeping gene that is with us all through life, but doesn't actually start kicking in until the moment we become pregnant. Think about it. Before you found out you were pregnant, you didn't worry nearly as much (or let's be honest-- at all) as you immediately began to, the second that plus sign turned up on that pee stick. All at once, all of these worries popped into your head: I wonder how far along I am? When is the last time I had a drink? Did it hurt the baby? Sushi. Did we have sushi this month? Wait! I had a headache the other night...did I take ibuprofen? Tell me I didn't take ibuprofen.... 

Growing up, I always told my mother not to worry about me. Always. Mom! Don't worry. I'll be fine. Often, she'd remind how hurt I could have gotten had something I was doing had gone terribly wrong. I'd always tell her, "But it didn't. I'm fine." Then I would always hear a "But it could have" under her breath. And until I became a mother, I couldn't figure out what all of the fuss was about. Now I'm a mother of two incredibly fearless little boys and I worry. All. Of. The. Time. And "But it could have" is the way that a daily conversation is ended in this house.

I worry that my 3 y.o. will try to climb out of his top bunk in the middle of the night and if he doesn't hit his head on the ceiling fan, then surely he'll miss a rung on the ladder and fall. Breaking at least an arm. I play the whole scene out in my head. Often. Would I change out of my pajamas to rush him to the ER? Would my husband insist on coming? Or stay behind with the little one, as to not wake him? Would he think his cast was cool or never want to climb up to that new bunk again? I can usually talk myself down after the cast. Little boys think casts are cool right?

Then there's Bird. He's 16 months going on 4. He wants to do (and usually does) every little thing his big brother is doing. Bunk bed ladder? Check. Jumping on top bunk. Check. Climb up the slide at the playground? Check. The physical stuff he's got down. I've almost (repeat: almost) stopped worrying about him in this regard. What I can't stop worrying about is why he won't talk. We are talking (no pun intended) not even a peep. Sure, he'll babble once in awhile. Point and fuss when he wants something. He's even resorted to a few signs if he really wants something. Otherwise he's quiet as a mouse. Everyone tells me not to worry...that the poor kid doesn't get a chance to get a word in edge wise with his older brother around. And sometimes, I believe that (his brother started talking at 10 months and truly hasn't stopped since. I mean really. Sometimes we have to encourage quiet time just so we don't lose our minds). But other times, my extra only-for-mommies-worry-gene kicks into overdrive and I see a future for our Bird that no mother wants to imagine. I could go into more depth here, but if I start, I may not stop. And that's just not healthy for anyone.

So why do we do this to ourselves? Why can't we give ourselves a break and trust that we have taught our kids right from wrong or that God wouldn't give us lemons knowing that we didn't have the recipe for lemonade? As if we have nothing else to do but sit and jump into the deep end of the "What-If" pool? I wish I had an answer here, but I don't. I guess it's just because, from the moment we saw the little flutter of his heartbeat on the screen or saw the first glimpse of that slimy alien like creature (come on- you have to agree that they come out a little alien-esque!) we immediately went into protector mode and vowed - either silently or out loud- that we would never let anything happen to something so perfect. The problem with that is, if you never let anything happen to them...well, nothing will ever happen to them. So for now, I'm going to let go (if only a little)....and let God.

Pause Button Please

As we are recovering from our holiday hangover, I am finding myself reminiscent of the year that has passed. If I look back at where we were a year ago, I am shocked, proud and a little saddened at how fast my boys have grown in the short twelve months. My babies, yet still young in age, aren't necessarily babies anymore. So I'm pushing the pause button yet again to remember a few moments that I never want to forget.

Drake,

We are so proud of you. You are turning into this little boy that I always hoped you would be. You are polite. Saying "No Franks" and "Please" often. You are social. We walk into a store and you say "hello" to everyone and wonder why some people don't say "hello" back. I usually tell you that they just didn't hear you so that your feelings don't get hurt. You are inquisitive. You ask at least a hundred questions a day. Always ending the question with "huh?" before I even have a chance to answer you. If I don't answer you promptly, you will ask the question again and again. You love dinosaurs. You know ten times more dinosaurs that I've ever wanted to know. Sometimes I think that you've made up a name, then sure enough, we'll look it up- and there it is. I thank Dino Dan for your dino knowledge. You still love Transformers. And Batman. And Bakugan. Actually, anything that transforms. I'm just happy that you're old enough to transform them yourself. I love ya, but my gosh. I can only transform those things so many times before I want to throw it against a wall. You don't like when I go to work. Unless I give you a lollipop before I leave. Then for whatever reason, your heart doesn't hurt so badly when I leave. Must be the sugar high. You still love chocolate milk more than anything. Although hot chocolate is now a close second. Or maybe it's Bar Beer. That's what you call Root Beer and we have no idea why. Skibbles is another word I love of yours. That what you call Skittles. It gets me every time. You're learning that curse words get our attention. Yesterday you asked- "what in the hell is with all of this traffic?" It's obvious we need to start censoring A LOT more. When Daddy is picking on you, you often tell him to stop being a bully. I love that you stand up for yourself. Never lose that. You make up songs. It usually starts with a song you've learned in school and ends with a verse or two of your own making. A lot of song composing is done while you're on the toilet. When we ask you to sing the song again so we can hear it you politely let us know that you can't- it's a secret. I just hope you know that you can always trust your secrets with us...

Trey Bird,

We still call you Trey Bird. You still are so quiet. You point at everything. It might be something you want or something you just want us to look at. Sometimes you call things "Dat". We can't figure out what it means. Maybe "That"? Whatever it is. It's cute. If you're cranky or really want something, then a "Mama" will come out. That makes my heart smile. You smile all of the time. You just had major surgery on your little man parts, and you still came out smiling. Although quiet, you are incredibly smart. You understand everything we say to you. You love to snuggle. You like warm milk at bedtime. You hate the dark and often have nightmares. You hate your shoes, but love to wear Drake's. You love, love, love lollipops. A ball is your favorite toy. A ball that is thrown is even better. Drake often waits until you're napping or asleep for the night to play games or with his favorite toys so that you don't bug him. While playing, you often make a "roar" sound. Kind of like a little lion. It's super cute. You treat your friend Hazel, like Drake treats you. Anything she has in her hands, you swipe away from her and make her cry. But then you make up for it by planting big open mouth kisses on her and patting her on the head. Katie and I already have your wedding planned. You adore Cougar and love on him often. He tolerates you. Then escapes at the earliest opportunity. You're not a big fan of eating right now, but I blame the six teeth you have coming in at the same time right now.When Daddy wrestles me or Drake you get very protective and cry and push him away. It's super sweet. I hope that you always feel protective of your loved ones...

Boys,

You are our whole world. Please be patient with us as we are learning right along with you. We will do better in this new year to be more patient with you and understanding of your needs. We will always expect the most out of you as we know that your potential is great. We will never allow you to be less than we know you can be. And most of all, we will always love you. Even when you're naughty =)

It's Been Awhile

I have no idea where the days have gone...each day seems busier than the last.

In my last post (yes, I KNOW it was a month ago. I'm trying here people!) I mentioned going on a Girls Weekend to Dallas. It was a blast. It was just enough time to get away and not miss everyone too terribly. The kids did great. Matt too. He actually left the house with both of them. I was pleasantly surprised. Drake had a hard time at bedtime and would call to tell me that he was "trying so hard not to cry" (enter sob). That broke my heart...as it would any other mother. But I knew he'd be fine after a good night's sleep. As an added bonus, I came home to a full head of hair on the Bird. Gail and I had a great time. We shopped till we dropped and then some. Lots of eating and great hospitality (thanks Kay and Dale!). I very much plan on doing it again next year. And the year after.  

The family took a trip to the Midwest for Thanksgiving. Matt got to go to 2...count them...2 Iowa games. Even if one of them was in 9 degree weather, he had a great time watching the Hawks in action. The boys got to experience their first trip to the Mall of America and thanks to Grandma Gail buying tickets to every ride there, they had a great time. The boys didn't mind the cold at all. In fact, Drake was very sad to leave. Makes me rethink this whole living away from family thing. Don't get me wrong. We love the life we've made for our family here, but every time we go back to visit, we are reminded of all of the benefits of living close to family.  Maybe someday we will all be in the same area...so start packing! Head south! =)

So the big news of the moment is Trey's upcoming surgery. Wednesday is the big day. We pray that all goes smoothly...hoping for the best. A mother worries about her children on a day to day basis. No one should have to go through the stress of worrying about a child's surgery. The doctor seems confident that all will go well. He says that the worst case scenario we'll see is that Trey will have a catheter for four or five days. What?! Have you met my child? My monster child that destroys everything? I can't even fathom trying to keep him away from a catheter. I imagine duct tape. Lots of it. Ugh. So we're hoping for his best case scenario...a cranky kid for a day or two. Please God. If you've ever heard a prayer...
We'll keep you posted =)

The Happenings Lately

Today, something happened that hasn't happened since...well. I have no idea when it happened last. Sad. But true. Anyway...drumroll please....Drake ate three whole meals. In one day! We started with pancakes, moved onto macaroni and finished with spaghetti and garlic bread. Maybe this means he's growing? Or was just starving from a year of not eating? Who knows. I just hope it's the start of a whole new tradition for Drake. It will be the trifecta year...brushing teeth (don't judge), potty training AND eating three meals a day.

Things have been crazy busy lately. With the start of my new job, I've had to do something I haven't had to do in years...wake up early. Like really early. But it's okay. It's kinda nice to be up before everyone else. I get to work in bed and drink coffee in the quiet. Peace and quiet. It's my new little piece of heaven everyday.

I got to help with Drake's Halloween party at school. They started the day with a parade of costumes.....Then they sang us some spooky songs (blogger isn't cooperating with my videos- so if you want to see them, check them out on YouTube).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkSNwysswyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQLZIKhcyyA

I was shocked that they sang us songs. Everyday when I pick Drake up from school it's the same conversation:

Me: Drake! How was school?

Drake: Good

Me: What did you do?

Drake: Played and remembered stuff.

Me: That's it? What was for snack?

Drake: A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HE HAD FOR SNACK AND WHETHER OR NOT HE LIKED IT =)

Never once did he mention learning Halloween songs. I now know what my parents went through when asking me about school. Sorry guys! Anyway. It was cute. We then had spiderweb cookies, orange colored water (out of a open cup!) and made glittery bats with handprints for the wings. I had a lot of fun watching him interact with the other kids. I hope to go back on a day that's not so crazy. I did discover that Drake may have his first playground crush. On a girl named Ocean. She's a little tomboy. Cute. I was much more smitten with a girl named Lily. I now see what mothers of boys go through. And I'm not going to go there right now.

We had a great time Trick or Treating with friends. Batman and Robin made their way around with their buddy Woody. We hit 10 or so houses and then back to hand out candy. I think the kids had more fun handing it out than getting it. They would get so excited seeing the kids walk up to them with their costumes on...they would yell out who everyone was and give out the occasional compliment to the really fun costumes. While our costumes were homeade, I must say, they were comfortable, (parents- you really put your kids in some of those plastic-y materials? ugh. you wear that for a couple of hours and let me know how you feel.) I didn't have to worry about them getting ruined (because let's face it, they cost MAYBE $5 in materials) and I had a fun time making them. I think it will make the holiday more memorable for all of us (or at least that's what I'm telling myself =)).

So that's that for the past couple of weeks. I'm headed to a "Girls Weekend" in Dallas next weekend with my MIL. I'm very much looking forward to it. It will be another first in my life. Never ever ever have I left both of my children alone overnight with Matt. This whole thing was his idea and now he's trying to recant on the whole thing. His latest protest? If I don't take Trey with me, he's going to shave his head. Trey's head- not his own. Can you believe that he would threaten such a thing? Just another chapter in my book =) But in all honesty. It probably wouldn't hurt if you all called and checked in a few times that weekend. Listen for the clippers.