Blueberries and Big Boy Beds

Today the boys had a blast.  We started bright and early and headed to a blueberry festival.  It was awesome!  Next year we will be back, but even earlier so we make sure we have prime picking of the blueberry bushes.  It was hot, dirty, and fun!  The boys had a blast.  They were quick to inhale the blueberries off the bush, and not too helpful with putting berries into our bags, but they still had fun.  The boys and I did some exploring of the grounds while Daddy picked for us.  The berries are so awesomely good!  The boys saw the bounce houses as we made our way to the field, and once we had our fill of fresh off the bush berries, we headed back to try the bounce houses out.  Amazingly, they were very brave, and tough, even amidst some really big kids.  Gus was the bravest.  He made it through all three of the different bounce houses/obstacle courses.  Once we finally caught back up with Daddy we had some blueberry shortcake, served by the local queens.  I don’t remember their exact titles, but the boys thought they were princesses.  It was cute to watch them interact with them and check them out! 
          
Later in the day, after naps, Nonnie was kind enough to pick the boys up and take them to a five year olds’ birthday party.  I have no idea how much fun they had, but I am sure it was a lot.  They came back wired up.  Matthew and I had spent the entire afternoon cleaning out the garage, so we were pretty wiped.  The fun part was that the boys came back to big boy beds.  Yup, Matthew pushed me to give in to the toddler bed conversion.  They were super excited to see them and were giddy with excitement.  Unfortunately, right was I was about to help Rals into his new bed, he started burping strangely, and then I heard and saw what was coming. Lots and lots of cake, on me, Rals, his blanket, his puppy dog, and the carpet. Ugh!  Well, at least it was just because of all the goodies from the party, maybe too many blueberries, and he was perfectly fine.  After a nice hot shower for both of us, he was ready for bed again.  Matthew, meanwhile, was busy steam cleaning their carpet and Gus got to watch some Backyardigans - a real treat!  Needless to say, they were up way past bedtime, but after a fifteen minute cry for mommy-fest, they were out.  So far, so good.  Here we go, again, they are growing up before our eyes!  We’ll report back to see how this newest adventure goes.

Future Busch Gardeners?

Today we headed to Busch Gardens.  I figure before it gets totally too humid and crowded, we should make as many trips as we can, even if I am not feeling 100% well.  I have been on antibiotics so at least I won’t infect anyone.  The boys still show no sign of sickness, and Matthew seems to be moving along just fine, and was definitely better today than yesterday.  We met up with some twin friends, including Miss A & J who turned one today.  How fun! I would say they had a great birthday!  We all had a great time and everyone was on their best behavior, so it made it a much more pleasant experience.  The only tears from my boys were when a fight almost erupted over landscaping equipment.  The boys stumbled upon a rake and a broom that someone left out and of course in true form, they started cleaning up the brush.  It was too cute.  These boys are such good helpers!  However, Gus decided it was his turn to rake, and the fighting began.  We just moved on, but all in all, they were on their best behavior.  Yay! 

We finally checked out the splash area in the new Sesame Street part of the park.  It was good fun, and even with all the various ages, no one seemed to be run over.  It will be interesting to see what happens when school is out and more older kids are out and about. 

The boys also went on the carousal and tried out the airplanes.  Raleigh was just under the 36 inch mark, so he had to ride with me, but Gus was able to fly solo.  These were different planes than our last adventure rides, but he was still able to get the plane up and down again, and boy, did he have fun! 

       

Yesterday we hit the pool and the boys were swimming like fish.  Raleigh is seriously the happiest child I have EVER seen in the pool.  He loves to go under water.  Here is a short video of him swimming in just about a foot and a half of water.  No matter where he is, he is under and trying to swim.  Love it!  Unfortunately for him, the water is still a bit cool, and that coupled with his low body fat, makes for quick swimming because he gets cold so easily. Good thing there is an awesome park at the pool to warm up at. 

Raleigh Swims

Happy Mother’s Day

We had a great day celebrating Mother’s Day 2010. I seriously cannot believe this is my third Mother’s Day as a mom.  Truly a blessing!  It started a bit early, yet again, as the boys are trying to start a new trend of getting up before 7, of course, we are not excited about this trend.  However, the boys, all three of them, quickly went downstairs and I was happy to fall back asleep.  About 10 am, Matthew worked up enough nerve to come upstairs and ask me if I was ready to get up.  Luckily, there was a fresh cup of coffee waiting for me when I finally made my way downstairs;) After a lazy morning just hanging with the boys, my mom and I went for a quick shopping trip and coffee break.  Then we headed to my parents house for dinner with the boys after their three and half hour nap – yes, the early start at least means they are sleeping long during naptime!

We enjoyed a great meal. Lobster for me, and steak and lobster for everyone else.  The boys liked the lobster, but we only gave them a bit as we did not want to see too much richness come out in their diapers tomorrow! My favorite part of the day, yes, even better than a rare sleep in, was hearing the boys say “Happy Mommy’s Day” over and over all day.  Most of the time they said “happy day” which was also cute, but when they said all of it together I just melted a little bit. 

YES, I AM SO HAPPY!     

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to enjoy a little pre-mother’s day tea party.  The tea house was in an awesome location, and was nicely decorated, but man, the service was awful and we are pretty sure all of the food was frozen, pre-made product!  It gives my mom a lot of hope though because the women who started the tea house have been in business four years, and are able to make it with appointment only high tea service, and the food/service was mediocre at best, so hopefully my mom and Crystal will have a lot more success.  Love you mom, and a big Happy Mother’s Day to Christine, my favorite mother-in-law too!  As usual…your pressie is in the mail.  XOXO

A look back at last year’s Mother’s Day is always fun too, click here.  Wow, the boys are really becoming little boys, but of course, they will always be my little babies!

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.