Happy Birthday Jay!

I can't believe it's been a year - my, how time flies!  My baby is a whole year old!

He had a wonderful day and he was so much fun to watch :)  Here's to many many more birthdays to come!

Oh, and a birthday video - http://youtu.be/BKyv25aw7wA

Full Swing into Summer

Mid June and this summer party is well under way!

Lucy's first swim meet was Thursday at Eaton.  She had a wonderful time despite some rather chilly weather.  She loved watching the other kids racing too!  Curtis was able to take her, as I took Toby to tennis then had praise team practice at church.  She competed in both freestyle and backstroke, and I'm so proud of her - to swim a full length of the pool at 5!  And to go off the diving blocks!  Way to go Lucy!

Yesterday Curtis caught my miserable summer cold (my voice is still odd, which stinks because I'm supposed to sing at church tomorrow!) and stayed home - I took the kids out of the house so he could get some quiet rest and we ended up at Aullwood!  We started at the Farm and visited the animals, then made the hike to the Center and had fun there too!

This was Jay's first ride in the backpack and he seemed to enjoy the ride.

Jay is still taking 2 steps at a time, then lunging forward.  He is fascinated by the idea though and practices all the time - his favorite game is walking between me and Curtis :)

Curtis is working the grill today to make some yummy bbq pork for tomorrow's Father's Day dinner - I cant wait!  Every time the back door opens, my mouth starts watering. 

The verge of Toddlerhood

Today was a big day for Jay!  I figured it was time to clean up that hair - sniff, I'll miss it, but I don't think he looks too big boyish with it, so I'm okay :)

 

He did cry a little and give the stylist the stink eye, but all was good in the end!

And then he decided that if he had a big boy haircut, he should do something with it (keep in mind, he's never stood for more than 15-20 seconds at a time, and rarely at that!)

Garden Updates

I took these photos over the weekend.  I wanted to compose a post about the wonders that is my garden.

But then this evening, as I was putting some chives out, Curtis came out on the porch.

"Where is the broccoli?" he asks.

??

!

I had 5 broccoli plants, one maturing, and 4 freshly replaces after being eaten to the ground twice already.  I thought I had fixed this problem with the addition of fencing around the entire bed.

Nope.

4 fresh young broccoli plants eaten to the ground.  There is nothing left.

And my big, leafy, healthy broccoli?  It doesn't have much in the way of leaves anymore.

We figure at this point it has to be a deer.  We know there are rabbits around, but there is no way a rabbit is getting into the garden without a trace at this point.  He would have mangled the fence to do it.

I'm dreaming of venison.  Broccoli fattened up venison.

11 Months

Ok, another 2 weeks on the monthly picture, but it is up before his birthday, so all is good.   Only 2 weeks left until the Big Day, I am in a bit of denial that my baby will be One!  Eek!  Where has the last year gone?

 

I also needed more photographic proof of all this Hair, because it's going to have to be trimmed.  Sigh, I just love it and all it's baby-craziness, but it's becoming rather unruly.  But I know how much older he's going to look and it makes me sad to say goodbye to crazy baby hair!

We managed to clean out the garage yesterday, so we are prepared in case of a rain out on birthday party day (we are planning on outside fun)...I'd love to get the bike tires aired up today so the kids and I can go for rides (Jay is close enough to ea year now that I think he can ride in the bike trailer and Lucy's baby helmet fits him).  I'm fighting a nasty summer cold, but we still might take the bikes for a quick spin around the neighborhood today.  The weather is lovely.  So far, we couldn't ask for a nicer June!

Hello, Summer!

As I type, I hear the mower in the backyard, the perfect backdrop for this post!  As of Thursday, we are on summer break!

I was able to help with Toby's field day at school...as it rained, we only managed a half day, but it was fun while it lasted!  I was working the soccer bowling station, which was fun but exhausting!  I am still sore from it!  The kids watched a movie in the afternoon - which was controlled chaos at best.

On Friday (our first day of break) we managed errands, the library, and the park.  It was also our last day of evening practice for swim team, THANK GOODNESS.  Those 5:30 practices were killing dinner time - I had to have Lucy eating by 4:15 to get her done, and couldn't feed Jay that early or he would be up hungry at 6am the next morning.  We move to morning practices this week, and while they will interfere with nap, at least they don't interfere with food!

Lucy is loving swim though - it sure looks exhausting, but she has a great time!

Both kids have been busy reading for the library reading club - I don't think they will have any trouble finishing 30 hours at this rate.  This thing gets so much easier when the kids can read to themselves!

Jay is showing no interest in walking right now - I thought for sure he'd be walking before his birthday, but I don't think it has really occurred to him yet that he could walk - he's not trying, though I'm pretty sure with a little effort he would be able to.  While my back is looking forward to his walking, it's nice to see him happy to stay a baby for me!

Lucy and I had our hair cut this morning - will have to get a picture of her! 

10 Years

In honor of our 10th anniversary yesterday I thought I'd take a trip in the Delorian and revisit our wedding - it seems so long ago, and at the same time like it was yesterday. A lot has changed in 10 years - 2 houses, 3 cars, added 4 to our family (yes, Lex counts!), 3 job changes...10 years holds a lot of memories!

Can't wait to see where the next 10 years takes us!

Of Gardening and Graduations

Okay, this is our garden, um, last month.It is very full now, I ought to post an update picture!  Everything is planted, except the bunny ate our broccoli - bought new plants today and need to get them in.  But this gives you an idea of our raised beds.

We started the kids "Fairy gardens" today - we bought the pots for cheap at Meijer - it took a long time to find the right thing, but I think they are the perfect size!  Toby didn't want a fairy garden, but he loved the idea of a dinosaur garden!

Lucy's is a more traditional fairy garden, though there is lots more in the works (gotta leave something for this summer!)

A picture of Jay just because :)  He passed his 11 month birthday last week, but I, ahem, haven't taken the picture yet.  I will.  I promise.

Lucy's last day of preschool was this week, she is so excited to be a big kid at kindergarten next year!  I am still a bit sad that she is growing up so quickly!

We are enjoying the cooler weather - lots of running, planting, riding bikes (Toby's cast is off!), riding scooters, and just...doing! 

A happy mother's day!

Okay, Mother's Day has typically been a day where we do something I plan (I get to pick, but its pretty much my plan) and it's up to Curtis to execute.  But as the kids get older, and get to do projects at school, it's taking on a whole new meaning and I LOVE it.  Toby wrote an essay at school:

"My Mommy is the best Mom becus she makes clos for me and makes yarn for other pepl.  My Mom is the best beekus win I am hrt she sees if I am ok or hrt.  She givs brefskis, lunsh, snak and dinr.  On my mirthday she orders a cake.  My Mom is osum."

Seriously, how does it get any better than that?  It just doesn't.

Lucy made me a beautiful flower at school, and she was so excited to give it to me - it is really lovely, and her excitement was more a gift than the gift itself!

And Curtis did well too :)  He and the kids picked out two stopper beads for my charm bracelet so I can put it on without all the beads sliding right off!  And he made breakfast, and when we went to the yarn store that day he sat out with the kids in the car so I could think :D

It's also getting awfully close to a big birthday in this house.  This is the only big first birthday party I can  throw (we were too far away with the other kids), so I'm having a lot of fun planning, but it's scary too - it's the first big party I've thrown!

How about a little preview?

I'm still peeved the thunderbirds had to cancel their appearance at the air show (which coordinated with birthday weekend beautifully!), but we can still have an airplane theme and if we're lucky we'll get a few flyovers, anyway.  The Thunderbirds always put on such a good show over our house though!  Super bummer.

Lucy's last week of preschool is next week.  Dance and Martial Arts are done for the year, so that's one thing off the schedule.  Of course, next week swim starts every evening, but it's only 3 weeks. 
Only three weeks.  Just have to keep repeating that one to myself.

Toby has another 2 weeks after Lucy, but there will be a lot of "fun days" in there I think.  And the cast comes off Monday, HOORAY!  He can't wait! 

10 Months

Okay, ahem, he's been 10 months for, oh, 2 weeks now.  But he hasn't hit 3 months yet, so this post is still considered timely.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The little booger turned 10 months, and the pictures suck because he's learned that stickers are optional.

I love his grin!

Not to be outdone by recent firsts in the baby deparetment, Miss Lucy lost her first tooth this week!  Interestingly enough, she and Toby both lost their first tooth at 5 years, 5 months old.    Toby lost his 7th tooth on Thursday, so the tooth fairy has been quite busy around here this week!

Today was the dance recital - Toby's martial arts class is run through the dance studio, and the younger kids got to participate in the show as well - Toby was so excited to be a panda and show off all he's learned!  He did a great job, and did his best front flips ever!

Lucy's class was kangaroos, and she did an amazing job - she was right on the mark for the whole show, and did a beautiful job!

I love that their dance studio does a recital just for the little kids separate from the older kids' show - it meant their show was shorter and much less stressful for all involved!  It was a great day, and a nice intro into Mother's Day!

We're gearing up for the end of school = Lucy has 2 more weeks, Toby has 5.  Summer vacation will be here before we know it, and while I'm looking forward to a break from the schedule I know it's going to be busy from the start - Lucy will be doing swim team and Toby is looking forward to tennis.  I'm looking forward to slower paced mornings!

Happy Spring!

I am so happy that spring is finally here!

To be fair, the first picture is not spring related in the least (and in fact looks suspiciously winter-ish), but I had finished knitting this gorgeous new hat for myself (you can't see the sparkles in this picture, but I assure you, the yarn SPARKLES), but alas it is just a tad too small for myself.

Guess who it does fit?  She wears it all the time too, which makes her assuredly knitworthy.

Jay is loving being outside now that the weather is warming up!  He's not willing to crawl through the grass yet, but he likes sitting in it and pulling at it.  Crawling is a whole other venture though.

Lex is extrememly happy with the change in weather.  He's not much for cold winters.

We have a couple busy weeks coming up - Curtis and Toby will be camping one weekend, we have Pig weekend in Cincy coming up, dance recital weekend, and then before you know it school will be out for Lucy!  Hard to believe that the school years will be wrapping up so soon!  I'm ready for a break from the schedule though - however, with swim team this summer, there will be a whole new schedule to learn!