Wrestling Alligators

Attempting to take a "brothers" picture ...

Step 1: #1 "walks the plank" while I wrangle #2. Summers at Teton Valley Ranch Camp and learning to rope come in handy.

Step 2: #1 waits patiently (Ha!) and gives his best - non-silly - smile while #2 gets into position.



Step 3: #1 makes silly smile - remember he already gave his good one - while #2 flashes "sheeeese!"


Step 4: "RUN! Run fast! Hurry, before they come after us for more!!!"

Meals = Playtime?

#2 is "exploring" ... boundaries, limits, his mother's patience (or lack thereof) and most importantly how many places he can put his food - other than in his belly. One of the joys of parenting - yes. Payback for me - the one who told her brother to put a pea in his nose - absolutely! We've had rice up the nose, about anything in the ear (I blame this on the weekly trips to the pediatrician and ENT from 6 to 18 months ... poor guy thinks things belong in the ears since someone is always looking through an instrument into his) and he's now moved on to rubbing food in his hair. Mac & Cheese for dinner? Cheesy fingers in the hair when he's done. Birthday cake for a friend's birthday at school? Frosting up his nose and in his hair for an extra special birthday wish. I made the mistake of giving him applesauce the other day. After taking a few bites, he decided that it was better to drop it on the floor and spoon it on top of his head.

And since I'm loving my Flip video(thanks Keeks & Ev), here it is.

#5 Arrives

It's official! The "four under five" club is now the "five under five" club. Uncle Mark and Aunt Emma welcome a baby boy (yes, that would be 4 grandsons and 1 granddaughter for G&GM ... we all hope their running shoes are well tuned). Family gatherings in a few years will be absolute chaos. I sense a family football or soccer or baseball or marathon tradition coming.

Budding photographer

I took #1 out to lunch after one of his school playdate/interviews a few weeks ago and he took this picture of me while we were waiting on our food.

He got a Mickey Mouse digital camera from Santa and is pretty trigger happy. Most pictures are of his toes as he runs through the house snapping as he travels at lightening speed. There is also a feature where you can insert cartoon characters into the picture - so we have a few of Tigger on a skateboard going through a mess on the playroom floor and over #1's toes. This is one of the first pictures he's taken that actually has a head (or at least most of one) and is somewhat focused ... I feel special. :)

My pictures are the screensaver on my computer and when he saw it pop up he said, "Mommy - that should go on the Internet for Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma and Pops to see!" Here you are, Grands.

Bubb-BAs!

I've read that if your child is having a rough day, sad, anything other than pure joy - put him in water. And if you really want a full blown - through the roof -kind of joy with the minis, add some bubbles! Both guys have been fighting some end of winter bugs that are combined with spring pollen. Their noses and lungs are raising a green boogered middle finger to mother nature ... thank goodness for Bubb-BAs!

Vacation is a Beautiful Thing

Winter break 2009 was needed by all members of this family. The boys stayed with Grandma and Pops while Mr. Right and I flew south to Grand Bahama. Thank you SunGard sales meeting for forcing the decision - do we go, do we not go, do we take the kids ... HECK NO ... go on vacation! We left just before the Northeast & Mid Atlantic got pummeled with snow. We did catch a little of the storm down south as we dropped off the boys - enough to be fun, cold, messy and wet. Better yet, enough for #1 to enjoy a snowball fight with his cousins and Uncle Scott.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLENU_ifBfE&feature=channel

We spent the snow day at Chuck E. Cheese's and #1 bounced from game to game like a pinball! City living at home offers no such fun ... I think he asked me at least 10 times, "Why don't we go to Chuck E. Cheese's at home?" We can put off the Disney Vacation for another year - #1 thinks heaven is a Chuck E. Cheese's.

Mr. Right and I left early in the morning with a little lump in my throat. As much as we needed the vacation (which was a little bit of work for him) those little stinkers said and did the sweetest things as we were packed and heading out the door. True evidence of the manipulative powers of my own DNA. However, once I was sitting by the pool with my first Bahama Mama and an airport purchased "thriller" I was quickly in vacation mode and life was good.

We returned home to 70 degree weather and daffodils everywhere along the park (never mind that we are back in the 40s today). #1 is getting used to rules again ... #2 is quickly approaching TERRIBLE two ... Mr. Right is back on the road and I am back to life as a mostly single during the week working Mom. Who's got Bahama Mamas?

AND ... before I sign off ... #1's sweet thoughts for me today ... "Mommy, you've got a lot of lines on your face. You're going to DIE soon."