weekend fun

Yay for weekends!  This past weekend was a wonderful and much needed break.  Coleson was out of town two weekends ago and then missed most of last weekend for meetings in Atlanta, Ryan was sick all last week so we couldn't leave this house, and basically this mom was just tired and ready for some family time and relaxing!  Fortunately the weather was beautiful so we were able to have lots of outside time and lots of fun.  Ryan played tennis most all weekend, we'd throw the ball until we went crazy and he'd hit it back.  He's pretty good as long as we throw the ball pretty good :)  Saturday we met up with Auntie Sarah, Uncle Christian, and Maxim at the Road Atlanta track and enjoyed watching the racecars.  Even though Al wasn't racing and thus we didn't get up close to any cars, it was still a huge rush to watch them race.  They were averaging 100 mph!  And of course it was also fun to watch the ones that weren't quite so good get lapped!  This weekend also included Abby's 11month birthday so there's a few cute photos celebrating the day.  Hard to believe she's almost one!  And really hard to believe that Ryan's almost three and a half - doesn't seem like that long ago that we were planning his big day & party. 

 

It's Always Something

Well, we made it probably two weeks without somebody going to the doctor ... this week it's been Ryan's turn.  Poor little guy has a case of croup and is quite pitiful.  He's been coughing since Sunday night, although the seal-like bark is gone now.  He's also had fevers off and on.  So we've missed preschool and speech all week and are going a little stir-crazy.  This afternoon we went to Target just because Mommy had to go somewhere and it seemed like the least likely place for a lot of close interaction & germ-passing.  Plus it's been raining & yucky all week, so the playgrounds aren't a good option anyways.  Oh well!  We've enjoyed lots of time at home and lying on the couch watching tv.  And it's been good for Abby, she's gotten all her meals & bottles on time and two good naps a day! 

Abby has been doing great, knock on wood she's stayed healthy through this.  As fun as croup is not with a three year old, I can't imagine how it would be in an almost-11-month old.  She's soo close to walking, but just hasn't let go yet.  She can stand for a few seconds at a time and is now doing it on her own.  Earlier in the week, I'd have to hold her up and let go when she wasn't paying attention, but now she's actually pulling up to standing and letting go by herself.  She can stand, oh I don't know, maybe five seconds.  She walks with just a finger or two, more for balance & confidence I think.  I have a feeling she'll let go any day now.  I'm actually kind of looking forward to it.  I know walking has its drawbacks, but she's such a fast crawler anyways.  And with the warm weather coming, she needs to be up and walking before we get outside too much.  She already tore holes in the knees of a pair of jeans by crawling around outside last week.  So it's walking or skinned knees this spring! 

It takes a village

You know that old saying, it takes a village to raise a child?  Well I just wanted to take a minute and thank our village, so ....  Thank you!  I know I take my support system for granted far too often, and I'm not very good at this sort of thing, but I want to take a moment to let ya'll know how awesome you are.  Thanks to our extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles for all you do!  All the loving, babysitting, spoiling, supporting, playing, dinners, gifts.  And I'm blessed with a some good friends too, friends that I know I can call on in a pinch, friends that are there for us anytime.  I love my little family and I love that I have such a wonderful big family to share it with.  Love you guys!

Sugar & Spice

Have I mentioned recently how much I love having one boy, one girl, and being the perfect little family?  Well I do :)  I get to do all the boy things, and now I'm learning all the girl things too.  Bows & headbands are a fun, new adventure for us.  Unfortunately the headbands haven't worked too well for sweet Abby - her head is so big the headbands usually leave a red indention.  And now she can grab them and pull them down around her neck.  But the bows are great, especially since that she's starting to get some real hair.  Yesterday I found some amazing bows that I'd never seen before.  This lady makes all sorts of unique bows with animals and flowers and strawberries and fun stuff.  I'm not sure how practical it will be, but I just couldn't resist this adorable little Easter bunny hair bow.



Dr. Ryan, Anatomy 101

Wanted to post this before I forget; Ryan says so many cute & random things that I can't keep up with them all!  But I especially liked this morning's Ryan-ism. 

I was giving Abby her morning bottle with more than a little help from Ryan (he tends to have some j-e-a-l-o-u-s-y issues and likes to sit in my lap while Abby is sitting in my lap drinking).  He was helping me hold the bottle for her and he was actually doing a really good job of being gentle and sweet.  He starts talking about how much milk is in the bottle and we talk about how she is going to drink it all gone.  He then says that it will "go down in her tummy, down into diaper!"  Pretty perceptive if you ask me! 

On a similiar, too-much-information note, he also talks all the time now about the cows' poo-poo.  "LOTS of poo-poo in cows' field!!" everytime we go pass.  Then he wants to know who is going to clean it up.  Certainly not me!  Ahh, yes three year old boys, not that I'm assuming it will get any better as he ages!

Sneak Peak - Daffodils

I've been looking forward to the daffodils blooming for a long time now.  Not only do they mean spring is close, but they are a great photo taking opportunity and I sure loving taking photos :)  My poor children are relatively good sports, especially when M&M's are involved.  I'm fairly certain one of these photos will be used for Abby's birthday invitation and maybe a fun welcome spring design, so be sure to act surprised if/when you see them again!



Cousin Extravaganza!

So as if six snow days weren't enough, we've been on Winter Break all week.  And since Ryan's preschool & speech follow the school calendar, we packed up for Maxim's house and partook in 48 hours of cousinly fun. 

We met them for good food & good playing at Chickfila on the way in to town, gotta love Chickfila no matter where you are! The boys had fun in the playplace and eventually even warmed up to the Cow long enough to give high-fives. 

The boys shared lots of snacktimes, playtimes, outside times, etc.  They were very good together most of the time and I really think they are starting to play together instead of just near each other.  Highlights for Ryan included riding Maxim's bike on walks and going to playgrounds and Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Highlights for Auntie Sarah & I were watching them play together on the slide & basketball hoop.  They worked together very well to put all sorts of things through the hoop and were focused entirely on each other & their project.

Rub a Dub dub three kids in a tub!

 

The coolest adventure of the trip was the airport!  We met Mary & Layla and all the kids had a blast watching the planes take off & land.  We ate lunch at the Runway Cafe which was yummy.  And yes, I don't that it's an intentional and it didn't last long enough for us to even notice in real time, but Maxim & Abby are holding hands in this picture, love it!

We also were able to hang out with Uncle Tyler and Aunt Jennifer one night.  The boys had a great time playing with them and climbing all over Tyler and eating pizza.  And we enjoyed lots of good food while there including a turkey sandwich on a sun dried tomato bagel from a real Jewish bagel bakery, I wish we had things like there here in Canton :)  Thanks Maxim & Auntie Sarah & Uncle Christian for having us and letting me bring my craziness into your lives for a little while.  We had a really fun time and look forward to seeing you guys again soon!

A Grand Adventure

Ryan and Grandma spent the day together at the Yellow River Game Ranch today.  From what I hear, they had a great time!  Ryan was so excited to talk about all the animals and feeding them and petting them.  Apparently you can get up close to several animals and hand feed them.  But you can't do that with the bear and buffalo and what not, so there is a chute that you put the food in and it comes out in their cage - Ryan talked about the chute a lot tonight :)  He also mentioned eating lunch at "welcome to Moe's" (yes, it all runs together and Ryan has no idea it's only Moe's).  Anyways, thanks Grandma for spending the day with my little man, looks like you both had fun!!

 

Ryan started taking pictures too. This is Grandma in front of General Lee's house. Yes, the groundhog, how fun!

 

My Cousin & Me

I love these crazy kids!  I love watching them grow up together.  I love watching them interact a little more each time we are all together.  I love that they have built-in best friends and I love knowing that they will grow up & grow old together.  Best friends are a wonderful blessing for sure, but best friends that are family & thus have to love you forever are a special type of blessing for sure!



He'll hate me for this in ten years

A few memorable Ryan moments ...

On Monday morning Ryan decides he wants to walk on his head.  Picture a downward dog type of thing with his forehead on the carpet.  I'm thinking to myself this is kind of ridiculous, but hey pick your battles and this ain't worth it.  He didn't go that far, maybe ten feet, but all the while rubbing his head on the carpet.  When he gets to me and stands up his head is red and raw and totally rug-burnt.  Oops!  So I decide to be a good mom and use this as a learning moment.  I explain that maybe we shouldn't do that again, it hurts your head and now you've got a boo-boo.  Not a good move, he'd be fine up until now, but at the mention of boo-boo he burst into tears and cried for probably fifteen minutes.  Two days later his head is still a mess!  Poor little guy and yet at the same time you just gotta laugh a little :)

But despite the boo-boo he is still quite the lady's man.  Valentine's Day we had one of his best friends over to decorate cookies and play and let her parents have some quality time.  They had a great time as always and as Madeleine was leaving they gave their usual hugs except this time Madeleine gave him a big ole' kiss right on the lips.  Happy Valentine's Day my little stud, your first kiss!  So cute!  (of course when they get older and understand what kissing is really all about, I don't think it will be quite as cute!).