Favorite Things

From gorgeous to goofball in two seconds flat!       

Wow, the boys continue to amaze us.  I am trying to remember all our favorite things they are doing right now, and I know I cannot remember them all!

Still love all the little sayings each boy has.  Raleigh loves to say “Okay” all the time.  Even if you are telling him to do something he really does not want to do, he will say “oooooooooo-kay.”  Gus is continuing to put thoughts together into sentences; while Raleigh will parrot anything and everything and still come up with the funniest sayings all on his own, too.

Augustus still wants to play with someone all the time.  He will grab his friends’ hands and guide them to where he wants them, especially his girlfriend Miss Bell.  Oh, and Mommy and Daddy, too, of course.  While saying “play me, please.” 

Augustus is also also is really in tune with Matthew leaving for work.  He gets very sad when Dad is in his tie, particularly when they are just waking up.  He will say “Daddy buh-bye” in the saddest voice.  The weekends are so cute when he knows Daddy will “stay home.” He just runs around yelling “stay home, stay home.” 

OCD – totally hereditary blessing or curse, depending on the moment.  Augustus will straighten out any towel that we put down at the beach or pool, and any toy that is put in the “wrong” place has to be put in it’s right place.  So, for example, if you add an extra block under the driver seat of our Mega-block fire truck, he will insist that the blocks go in the back and move it so the “man” can go in the seat properly. 

Hello Lady, Hello Man.  Both boys will welcome anyone to a restaurant, park, etc.  They are so friendly and always have been.  I love that they are so excited to tell everyone what they are doing and in particular, what they are eating, like ice cream! 

 

My current favorite non-boy related things include my new Keurig my K-cup reusable coffee filter. 

I am a little slow in how to use it so it did blow up one morning when I forgot to put the cap on.  Hello!  The Keurig uses serious pressure to go through the cup so coffee grounds were everywhere!  However, still a great product so I can custom blend my favorite coffee on cup at a time.  Highland Grogg from Door County Coffee is my absolute favorite coffee of all time, so now I can enjoy one hot cup at a time!  A mommy-saver if I ever saw one!

 

My awesome high school friend’s blog. Here is my favorite blog update that is seriously genius.  http://ajscd.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/save-the-snacks/ So simple and makes me wonder how I did not think to do this with the boys’ snack cups earlier!  Oh, and you moms who think you don’t have time to blog and are amazed at how I keep up…check her out, she really keeps up!!!

The Good Home Co. cleaning products.  In particular their Beach Days fabric softener.  It smells like pure heaven to me. Plus, their products are biodegradable, paraben, phosphate, sulfate, phthalate and cruelty-free, and 100% vegan, so even better!!! Another fave is their Lavender glass and surface cleaner.  Also all the good stuff, and an amazing smell.  The bathroom smells like a fresh field of lavender for days after each cleaning. I am telling you, if you are ever lucky enough to find their products at a discount store like Home Goods, Marshalls or TJ Maxx buy it all, you will not be sorry!

Here is our week in review via pictures!  Enjoy!      

   

Rals, roaring like a tiger as the tiger got to snack on some meatballs!

Tools, Tools, and More Tools

The boys have always had a fascination with tools.  They love Nonnie’s pint sized real electric screwdriver in particular.  We have been on the lookout for some tools that look like they will not turn into weaponry…if that is possible.  I hit the jackpot this week at Target by buying their Circo brand tool table set.  It includes a circular saw, a drill, clamp press-thingy, a hammer and a screwdriver (or coo-coo driver as Raleigh pronounces it).  It was half price and makes super cute noises, not those really annoying toy noises, and of course, it also lights up.  I give it a grade of A-, only because if it was a bit bigger I think they may use it longer. However, if it was bigger, I don’t think I would have got it for $11 new. The bonus is that we picked up some swanky sunglasses that have yellow tint that pass as safety goggles.  These were in the dollar section, and I grade them an A++.  Awesome.  The boys love it and the toy has turned into a great way to get the boys to clean up on the double.  When they are done with it, I put it on our breakfast bar, so they can see it, and then when they want it back, they have to pick up their other toys first.  Awe, clean toy room bliss. It really is the small things in life that make me happy.  Of course, I am not in denial, I know this bliss will likely be short lived and I will have to find something else to bribe create an incentive with.  

 

I have not posted recently because I spent last weekend with my BFF, Kristy.  We have been friends since we were two and now we only see each other once or twice a year, sniff, sniff.  This trip was to meet her new baby, Jane.  She is just three months old and super, duper squeezable.  Of course the beautiful Annie was also there, and she is now a whopping 19 months old already. Although, I did not get any sleep in time – seriously, what is with the sun being at high noon at 6:45 am in the Midwest…I don’t remember that growing up…it was a great trip with friends and two of the most beautiful, laid back little girls, and their stunning mom – who seriously does NOT look like she just gave birth. Awesome!

 

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In other news, the boys are doing well.  They continue to amaze us everyday. Raleigh continues to expand his language and Augustus is getting there, he is just a little less verbal.  Nonetheless, he is not behind with other forms of communication.  He is such a comedian and is hilarious to watch all the time, but one of my favorite things to watch him do is when he watches TV. He finds humor in all the right spots and is quick to repeat what he sees, especially the “Max-like” behaviors.  Of Ruby & Max, of course.  If you have never seen it, don’t.  It is thoroughly screwed up.  It centers around a sister and brother who are never parented, only a Grandmother makes an occasional appearance, and it is quite disturbing to see what they come up with.  However, the boys love it.  Gus has a serious Max look.  This short video is one example of him trying to roll his eyes, something he does quite well already. 

Rals continues to cry at bedtime.  I truly don’t remember them ever doing this before; however, I know most of their first months have been blocked from my memory, so maybe they did.  Now, it is just a way to get more cuddles and delay bedtime. I feel bad because Gus is ready to go to sleep but generally just talks to Raleigh.  He’ll say “here” and “okay” to try to soothe him, awe, so cute.  He doesn’t cry long, but it is hard to hear.  While I was away he vomited twice during naptime, and really, I think it was just his way to get out of napping.  When I got home, the next time he went down for nap he stood in his crib and made fake puke sound effects and laughed…wicked little man.  He also started laughing this diabolical laugh at all the right moments too.  He is seriously so funny and too smart for his own good.  He knows how to get Gus going and tries to drive us crazy at times and then starts this laugh that makes me want to pee my pants, but you know if you laugh you are done for!!!  During one of his naptime fiascos my mom was at the house and she went to lay down with him on his bean bag to try to calm him back down.  She had her eyes closed and he said “wake up, Nonnie.”  When she wouldn’t open her eyes, he pinched her cheeks upward and said “cheese.”  When that did not rouse her, he said “Nonnie pretty.”  OMG, really? What a man!

 

I know I am missing seven hundred other little stories to tell, but I cannot remember them all now.  I have been sick with another sinus infection, and now Matthew has it.  So far, so good, for the boys.  Fingers crossed, knock wood, and all that jazz.  The multivitamins we started them on after their two-year checkup seems to have minimized their colds recently.  Again, knock wood.  I just got a message today that Raleigh is due for a cardiologist appointment.  Ugh!  I hate those.  I like living in denial that there is anything wrong with our perfect little angels.  Nonetheless, it is always good to hear the good news that everything is going well. 

We Survived Birthday Weekend!!

The party was great, naps this weekend, not so much.  Today, we planned on staying some and laying low so the boys could be in bed early.  Well, that worked, although it still took Raleigh 45 minutes to fall asleep.  I hope this is just a byproduct of Daylights Saving, sugar, and added excitement, and not a trend for turning two years old!
On Sunday the boys opened up their birthday presents.  Well, the ones from their party at least.  The books the boys got were all amazing. Additionally, one of our friends actually made the boys some t-shirts and bags.  Both had their names on them. The shirts have trains and the bags have a kangaroo on Raleigh’s and Augustus’ has a koala.  How cute!!!  if you are on Facebook, check out her stuff on Sugar Magnolia.

Today, the boys actually wanted to come inside to play with their new books; the Usborne Wind-Up Train and Airplane books in particular.  Wow, how cool are those!?!?!?  Thanks Christian and Zachary for picking these amazing books out!!!  There is a train and airplane that winds up, thus the name, clever, huh?  The toy then fits into a track within the book and goes around all over the page.  There are so many things for the boys to look for – their favorite thing to do while “reading.”

We are holding off on our presents until Thursday, their actual birthday.  Matthew could not hold off giving the boys one present though. The basketball hoop.  Raleigh enjoys it. Augustus would rather mow the grass! 


We know Nonnie gave the boys their presents early since she had planned to go by Uncle Buck, aka, my brother, for a while.  We also have plans to open Nannie and Poppy’s birthday presents for the boys Thursday morning via Skype with them.  After a marathon of present opening we headed to the Airfest with friends, including one in the military, so we had no lines!  Yay!  Plus, the boys got to hand with their BFF Conner.  It was great to see the boys check out the planes and all the crazy military toys.  I think Matthew was the biggest kid in the candy store though! Then the rain came and we headed home.  Which was a good thing because the boys were tired.  Of course, Raleigh fell asleep for all of five minutes in the car, so that was the end of his naptime!  Oy.

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We did take the boys to Publix yesterday, despite their tiredness, and I found the coolest plastic plates to try out with the boys.   Here is another fun product review;)  The boys are really great at eating out of bowls and cups, but plates are a challenge.  They constantly want to pick it up, go figure.  So, I saw these cafeteria type plates and had to get one for each
of the boys. I was uber-excited to try them out at lunch today. I am happy to report we did much better than the usual plate attempts.  Plus they were only $1.50 or something like that.  The boys even managed to eat a bit of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich…something they usually reserve only for Grandpa Pickles.  I love the compartments, and as you can see by the clap from Gus, they liked it too!

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