Birthday Fun.. someone is 2!!

Sat we went to the mall for my niece Mia's 2nd birthday. It was SO fun. Both of the boys rode the carousel. Afterward, my sister, her boyfriend, and my parents came back to our house to "play" (really, we all took about 2 hour naps!). Caleb fif coerece Jonathan, Beth's bf, to play air hockey with him, cars/trains, and showed off his SUV driving skills. That afternoon we went to my brother's house to celebrate his 29th birthday. We gave Mia a shopping cart for her birthday, and not to be outdone, Caleb wanted to bring his to the party, too. I'm sure if hed' known she was getting a guitar, he would have wanted his as well. We will have lots of great "concerts" to post here soon, I'm sure. Oh, I added the pic here because I am beginning to see a lot of my dad in Levi. Lindsay, my sister-in-law, saw it first and commented when he was a few days old that she thought he looked like my dad.

Levi's 8 month album

Random Thursday

I desperately need more "blue". (Blue is the "color" on the personality scale for compassion, sympathy, etc.) Yesterday, Joe pulled a muscle in his back. He thinks it was from carrying Levi funny in his car seat. I think it was from weight-lifting and then he tweaked it with the car seat. I wasn't trying to be uncaring or suspicious of his injury, but I know I was not conveying a deep concern. Last night, it finally occurred to me to see if I could do something to help him, but I guess my attempts were so awkward that I ended up making it worse by causing him to laugh too hard.

Caleb informed me yesterday in the car that his favorite song is "The Battle Belongs to the Lord", with "I'm in the Lord's Army". Such a boy... Oh, #3 favorite is "Heaven is a Wonderful Place", the way Mr. Parker at church leads it. I forgot, his other all-time favorite is "Our God is an Awesome God" (and yes, he knows all the verses, even though I'm quite sure he is not sure what he is always singing since he asked me what "the Ritz" is, and I'm pretty sure we haven't covered Sodom in Toddler bible class).

Today we had a little friend come over after school, and he and Caleb played SO hard. He has quite the agenda: air hockey, riding in his Jeep , "camping" in his Thomas tent, dinosaur hunting, flying airplanes, racing cars, and playing trains. Wait, that about sums up every day, with a little "Dino Dan" thrown in.

Oh, I nearly hyperventilated earlier. I decided to use Picassa for my photos and I did my first download from my camera. I told it to only delete pics that were copied, but after it was through, I looked at my camera and it was black... no pictures. I had a bunch of ADORABLE ones I will post soon of Levi with some blocks and a wagon. I kept turning it on/off... really, quite disturbed (crying, etc.). Only to realize that the batteries were low and when I unplugged it from the cord, they came up. Whew. Disaster averted for one day. And if you have ever tried taking good pics of your kids, you know what I mean.

Levi's pics from 2010

Obviously, these are pretty old, but I wanted them on here for my sake. In case anything happens to my files. And to remember how tiny he was not that long ago. I am pretty proud of these shots. Oh, I just want to squeeze him!

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Levi's Christmas pics with the Polar Express bell

So, I tried my hand at doing my own Christmas shots. I started with some other originally, which I may go back on and post, even though they are old. I think they turned out really well, for my second time. He kept rolling over or falling over, so it was harder than it seems!

Christmas pics

Merry Christmas to all, just a little late...

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Pics from camping trip

Best times ever... thanks for all the memories...more to come.

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Shoe search

Caleb's CARS shoes lasted 5 months. Way not long enough for my thinking, and apparently the shoe clerk's thinking, since she advised us to get 1 size bigger than he needed at the time and 5 months later we are buying the same size (Still 1 size bigger than his foot). I have had to accept that 4 year olds, given their choice, will ultimately choose the absolute most hideous footwear presented to them. Caleb's must-have list: lights, some sort of character, bright colors. I thought I could sneak one past him, and gave him a nice black and silver shoe to try on. He's stomping all over the place saying, "I like it, but where's the lights?" Sigh. After much searching and deliberation over whether or not Payless shoes are any worse/better than Shoe Dept/Penny's/Academy, we found what Caleb deemed "the perfect shoe". Black Hot Wheels, that light up, with red/orange/yellow flames...and white soles. Cause every 4 year old needs white soles so you can see just how dirty they will get them within 10 minutes of wearing them. At least he did want the Iron Man ones. Joe says, "This is what 4 year old boys want to wear." Guess I will just embrace it and know that one day, he won't be 4, and the shoes will be boring, expensive, nondescript things, and I will think about the days of light-up, hideous shoes, and how happy they made him.

Resurrection

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So, I will attempt to get back on the wagon again and resurrect my blog. Hey, at least it's only been a couple months this time. And those we very busy months. I feel the need to explain my "blogging" problem, even though it really matters little. So we upload pictures at our desktop, because it has an external hard drive. But that computer is way in the back and it's very cold... so I like to blog from here. My problem is, if you know me at all, if I'm going to do something, it has to be done "right". And a blog without a pic is...not right. So I just haven't blogged. I know, what I need to do is write a post, save it, then go add a pic to it back there and post... now, if I could only make that happen.

I guess if I "backpost", Caleb's party went great. We had a wonderful turnout and he was very pleased to have everyone. The "car" race was a huge hit and we could have just done that and not had any of the other games/decorations. In fact, Caleb wanted to "race" around the spray-painted race track in the backyard for weeks until it wore off. Racing and creating camping trips/dinosaur-hunting expeditions are what comprised the remainder of our warm days. Which were about through mid-Dec. Before we left town it was 70 degrees, I believe one day. Crazy.

Oh, Levi also loves the track. It must be born into them. How else do you explain a 5 month old cackling as he is carried, running, around in circles. Fun for all ages (if you are male), as Joe also had a huge grin and never minded to take a turn around the track.

October was the busiest month ever!! Start with The Texas State Fair, where Caleb competed in the Pee-Wee stampede he rode a buckin' bronco), but his favorite thing was the rides. He has NO FEAR. He would ride the largest roller coaster at 6 Flags if they would let him. We got passes to 6 Flags for Christmas and have already been 3 times. He rode Tony Hawke's skateboard max thrill ride, The Shockwave (upside down 2x), and La Vibora. His favorite ride is the Antique Cars, because he can steer and work the gas. Nothing like giving a 4 year old confidence that he can drive a car. The only ride he will not do is Yosimite Sam's cave ride. He doesn't like being shot at from both side, apparently. Fine by me... it's long wait for a boring ride. Then we had his party, went to Trucnk-or-Treat (and mom and dad had a leadership retreat for church, so Caleb stayed with Granna overnight!!!) For trunk-or-treat we did a Toy Story adventure. The kids had to pull a tiny wagon with Barbie in it to pick up Potato Head and drive to a hula hoop, where they "captured" evil Dr. Pork Chop (Hamm). Then they got to drive a remote control car with Woody strapped to it over to a box where they used a "claw" to rescue Buzz Lightyear. I was Jessie, Joe was Woody, Caleb was Buzz (with a shirt over his costume...sigh), and Levi was Bullseye. I spent FOREVER making my and Joe's costumes. Then we helped with a Halloween party, and Caleb had a fall festival. We visited a pumpkin patch where we did a tractor ride, played in a HUGE treehouse, rode pedal cars, completed several mazes, and played on a large bouncy thing. Caleb recently (Jan) asked me when we could go back there.

Highlight of the end of Oct's fun was, of course, the semi-annual camping trip. With a 5 month old. It was really fun though. Caleb rode his new bike (birthday present from Granna/Poppa) round the circle so many times, I can't believe he wasn't dizzy. Never had trouble finding him though... those plastic training wheels are LOUD. I have to say, I was pretty impressed on his birthday when he just hopped right on that bike like he had done it a million times before and took off; granted, with training wheels.

Thanksgiving and Christmas passed with tons of fun, a couple high fevers for the boys, Levi's first haircut (well, trim around the ears), Levi's first real vacation (traveled to AR, MS, TN), first visits with Santa, and too many presents. We won't talk about food ;)

I thoroughly enjoyed spending so much time with my boys. It was nice not to have to work around "work" every day. Some things that stand out the most: scrambling around Christmas Eve making sure everything was " in place" (CJ asked for a fire truck at the last minute, and since previously he had asked for a moon telescope - which isn't a very fun present to get Christmas morning, especially when the forecast is cloudy- well, you know what happened), searching in Grams/Gramps yard for a Pterasaur and sending it back to it's mommy, and making a Gingerbread train (notice, not "eating" it -- gross).

Levi notables: He started "kissing" us when he has been kissed (opens his mouth on your cheek, and if you are not close enough, he pulls you to him), eating all sorts of fruits/veggies from jar and REAL peas, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mastering the walker (forwards and backwards), sitting up, grabbing for objects in on the floor in front of him/searching when they fall, feeding himself with a spoon (if it's loaded), blowing air when he is finished eating, turns pages in a book, drinks from a sippy (can drink from a real cup too, in small amounts), sleeps in his big boy crib, already turns toward the floor when holding him as if he wants "down", goes to Bible class for the entire time every class (Wed/Sun night), ticklish all over/loves funny voices... oh, and he is a bouncin' fool in his jumper, especially when he can watch Caleb play.

CJ's favorite Christmas gifts: track/buildings/trains/etc. for Thomas Wooden Railway, a Jeep Hurricane Power Wheel (which we broke after him riding it all of 5 minutes... it is STILL at the Power Wheels repair shop to get a new gearbox...yuck we bought it used), fire trucks (plural...1 was not enough...he got 3!!), monster truck, digital camera (kiddie), new model airplanes (little ones), and the latest find... an air hockey table. Seriously, spoiled.

Levi's favs: a Santa bib, wrapping paper, bows, teething toys, tissue paper, a thing with popping balls, more paper, new books, and more paper... He did get the idea of opening things, but he just wanted the paper!

Caleb, a week after we are home: "Mom, when do we go back to Aunt Connie's?"

Caleb's party

It seems these days that I am constantly having to assert my authority with Caleb. Tonight it was whether he should be allowed to climb up and over the end of his bunk bed to enter it, rather than up the very cool ladder/staircase it came with. Something tells me I should just give up on things like that.. if he falls, I guess he will learn. When I told him that if he couldn't enter it the right way, he might have to sleep on the floor and we would get rid of his bed, he said, "What you are saying is making me mad." Who has be been listening to, Dr. Phil?? After that, I just tried to avoid talking about it!

I have been working non-stop (between nursing and SLP working) on his CARS party. I really hope he appreciates it and doesn't throw a fit about the house being decorated and people coming over the day it gets here (i.e. last year). He SAYS that he will be happy to have them here. I think if I have him help me decorate, it will go better. I have already let him help me paint one of the cars for the race and some tires, but since he has already broken 2 paintbrushes and I am down to the last one I have, painting is off-limits for him now.

UPDATE: Caleb's party was a blast. We had a Racing sign-in where the kids brought their pit pass and got a driver's license and racing number (for their back -- their favorite number). Then they went "Fishing with Mater", got a tatoo at "Ramone's body art shop", and colored pictures to put on a pennant at the Cozy cone (our living rooms with orange tablecloths hung all around in a circle to simulate th inside of a parking cone). Then we headed outside for a tire roll (really, they rolled a real tire down the track... -- it was very dirty!), threw bean bags through a large inflatable tire, and had the big race, which was the hit of the party. It took some doing explaining the tag-team effect of the race to a group of pre-schoolers, but I had a lot of adult helpers. While the first kid on each team (we had 3 teams) raced, the other 3 kids had a "job" to do on the pit crew. They changed tires (swapped them with others that velcroed on), filled the car with gas (using a watering can), or washed the windshield (with a dry sponge/bucket). Each child got a "Piston Cup" trophy at the end. We also had themed snacks: stacks of chocolate donuts (monster truck tires), Oreos (whitewall tires), pretzel sticks (axles), M&Ms (paint chips), grape juice (motor oil), green Gatorade (antifreeze), apple juice (Dinoco gasoline), and water (Fillmore's Organic Fuel).

Ordinary Tuesday

Took Caleb to school this morning. He was overjoyed, of course. Then Levi and I went to my work, where I supervised my girls for 2 hours. Then I dropped him off and went to make a visit. One of them cancelled so I got to work a little on a "car" for Caleb's party. Then off to get get him from school and back to feed Levi before a couple more visits. Levi had his first veggies tonight... sweet peas! He seemed to like them just fine. Caleb actually ate his beans and fajita steak tacos tonight, so everyone was healthy! Levi got a bath with Caleb tonight, mostly sitting supported in the tub, and got his tiny toenails clipped for the first time, too. It is so funny to me how he LOVES to lie naked on his changing table and coo at me. Just smiles and giggles and coos, until I go to put clothes on him, and immediately he starts fussing. Great, we'll have a streaker. He was giggling tonight at strawberries on his tummy, and it seems to me that he is more ticklish than he has been. I got at least 3 real belly laughs out of him tonight. I had no idea and am pleasantly surprised at how quickly we fell into a real routine of life with a new baby... it is really nice and wonderful.
P.S. this pic accidentally got posted with the one for cereal... I can't get it off. So go down a little to Caleb's comments to see the peas!

Pictures, pizza and the park!

We took Levi for his 4.5 month pics today (this is my attempt at the 3 month pics I missed). We got all of 5 pictures before he started getting fussy. The lady taking them asked if he could roll over yet and I said, "not well." And Levi decided to prove me so very wrong. He would hardly lay still for 1 second before he was trying to push off and roll over!! He was flipping right, left, all over. So that was an exciting milestone, but one I wish he'd waited a couple more days to master. I even walked him around Target to get a nap so we could try again when he was happy about 20 minutes later... nope. Still couldn't get a good smile on that tummy. But I must have worn him out good, because he took a 3 hour nap this afternoon and we had to wake him up! After that we got a hot and ready pizza and took it to the park to have a picnic. Caleb had a blast. It was actually quite chilly out as the sun was setting, so he was perfectly content to head home after about 15 minutes of playing. All in all, not bad for a Monday!