Preschool!!

"First day of school, first day of school, get up, get up" - cute line from Nemo and also our house last Monday. Except, of course, I would NEVER have to wake Nick up for anything since he's a crack-of-dawn type of a guy. The first day was "orientation" so it was nothing organized, a few activities set up for the kids and paperwork for mommies. Nick managed to christen the toilet and fall down the "loft" stairs and get a sweet foot long scrape down his back in the two hours we were there. Despite the injury, he kept asking, "when are the stories and the learning things going to start?" That's my boy. He was very excited when I told him that the next day he would start those things and then he kept saying, "Tomorrow is my real school." When one of the teachers brought him out to the car on the second day (such a great bonus of this school) she said, "He's like an old pro". They said the same thing on the third day. That's my boy. Ryan picked him up the third day so Nick was beside himself with excitement and pride when he ran in with his hands wrapped around something hanging around his neck. He told me to close my eyes and when I opened them....A FROOT LOOP NECKLACE!!!!! By the grin on his face you would have thought it was an Olympic gold medal. He was so stinkin proud of that thing. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture because it was consumed by him and Chelsea within about 30 seconds after the display ended. I did get some pics on the first day though...

Having a little trouble keeping the eyes open today. Must be the excitement. Let's try again...

Hmmmm. Not quite. Keep them nice and wide open this time...

A little too wide!!! Great job Chelsea though!

And "the day" came...a little bit earlier than I expected

There have lots of moments over the past 4 years when one child (or both) have been clingy and whiny and they only want to be near Mommy. They have both also had stretches when only the loving arms of Mommy can make everything better. Even when nothing is wrong, somehow, Mommy is the one who is picked to read the book, sit on the lap, play the game, etc. That's just how kids are with Moms. During especially clingy times when Mommy just needs a little break, I have looked to Ryan in vain and said, "can you please remind me of these days when they are teenagers and don't want to have anything to do with me?" Well, the day to remind me came yesterday, a lot earlier than I expected it. Nana and Papa came over for an impromptu dinner. After dinner we were all playing Wii and Papa mentioned something about, "someday when you sleep over my house Nick". Somehow Nick got it into his head that he was going home with them and sleeping over that night. He kept talking about it, "I can't forget my puppy when I sleep over your house tonight". Stuff like that. So, they decided that he seemed game so why not have him sleep over. We told them to call us to come get him if need be. We figured that we wouldn't be getting a call when Nick ran out our front door yelling, "Bye Mommy, I will miss you but I won't miss you that much!!!" My big boy. Sniff, sniff. At least I still have my Chelsea Cling-On.

Glug, glug, glug

Yesterday Nick had his second dentist appointment. I had brought Chelsea to his first appointment and while we were there the dentist told me that we should continue to bring Chelsea so that she can see what it's all about and maybe she would be more comfortable when it came time for her turn. So Ryan brought Chelsea yesterday. Oh man. Bad idea. I asked Nick for the full recap once they got home and the highlight for him was bubblegum toothpaste and his new Lightening McQueen toothbrush. Then I asked Ryan, "so anything that we need to do or watch out for?" His answer, "Yeah, Chelsea alone in the waiting room." Apparently, when the dentist came in to chat, Chelsea walked down the hallway into the waiting area. Ryan wasn't too concerned because it was 10 feet away and he could see into it (although he couldn't see her). Well, 3 minutes later when he went to check on her, he found her holding down the blue spout on the water cooler and water was EVERWHERE! Big, wet circle on the floor. He sheepishly asked for paper towels and they nicely told him to forget it because it happens all the time. Oh my word. I could not stop laughing. Tears streaming down the face laughing. Still bursting out laughing thinking about it. Granted I probably wouldn't have thought it was quite so funny had it been me making the discovery. Just can't get it out of my head...her standing there with a steady stream of water pouring down around her feet having the time of her life and then Ryan's look of horror. He was still wearing the look when he came home and that made it even funnier.

Birthday Date

4 years ago today, the 2nd love of my life came into my world and I keep falling more in love with him every day. He's loving, funny, smart, cute and can be the biggest "noodge" ever. We were reminiscing tonight about how just one year ago Nick was still wearing diapers and couldn't put on his own pajamas. He had a slight flip out session during teeth brushing and then 10 minutes later said, "I am sorry I was being naughty and was crying", totally unprompted. It's amazing what can happen over the course of a year. We can't wait to see what Nick's 5th year brings. We are so lucky to have you and love you so much Nicholas Ryan!

I took the day off today and basically let Nick do whatever he wanted all day:
Breakfast - Lucky Charms (aka "cheerio letter and rainbows" - this is a "special treat" cereal)
Wii marathon - probably played for a total of about 2 hours today (the usual daily limit is about half an hour)
Bowling - Nick is always asking us to go bowling since we took him this spring. We always tell him that you can only go bowling when it's raining or when it's winter time because in the summer it's too nice to do something inside.
Movies - I showed him the trailers from the 4 family movies that are out right now and he picked "Cats vs. Dogs - Revenge of Kitty Galore". It was pretty terrible but he liked it so that's all that matters.
Lunch - Popcorn and skittles during the movie.
Nap - 10 minutes in the car
Dinner - Chicken nuggets at Wendy's. Every time we drive by Wendy's he asks us if we can eat chicken nuggets there. Tonight we delivered.
Dessert - cookie dough. Homemade, Nestle Toll House cookie dough. Yum.
Bedtime - 7:25. A little earlier than usual but a 10 minute nap and a busy day = one tired birthday boy!!!

Not quite like Wii bowling!!

Nick 68, Mommy 59. And I was trying!!! So sad.

Who doesn't smile for movie theater popcorn and Skittles???!!!

Nick's 4th Birthday Party

Last weekend we celebrated Nick's 4th a little early with a jumpy house, a slip 'n' slide and a bubble machine. Lots of kids and lots of fun!!! The jumpy house was a Halloween theme...the pumpkin head bobbed out while it was being blown up and I was mortified. But the best thing about it was it was free!!! And of course the kids couldn't have cared less (neither did the adults who took a few jumps - Christen and I got in a few russians and hurkies). Some pics below...(I will save the emotional dedication to my favorite 4 year old for Monday).

My beautiful birthday boy

Mikey and Zoey

Ben and Ryan and the Slip 'n' Slide

Diggin' deep!

Jack, Megan, Golan and Eliza

Monster Pete

I was kind of disappointed that Nick requested "a giant chocolate chip cookie cake" this year. I was looking forward to making another "masterpiece"

Chocolate face Ryan

Chocolate Face Ben

Chocolate Face Mikey

Chocolate Face Eliza

Emma is too mature to have a chocolate face!

Chocolate Face Lee Lee

Totally astounded by the Wii we bought him. He didn't know what to say. Then finally, after 2 minutes, it dawned on him and in this picture the direct quote is, "after all these people go away can I play bowling?"

Mommy, Chelsea and Chris rockin' the jumpy house

Jellystone Park

We completed our first successful "camping" trip last week. A two night stay in one of Jellystone Park's "deluxe cabins". Not exactly roughing it but close enough! The Daley Clan had the cabin next to us and the kids had a blast. They played mini golf, splashed around in the kiddie pool, went for a boat ride on the river, played games in the arcade, rode around in the golf cart, went on a hayride with Boo Boo Bear, stayed up late, etc. Some day we will go back and sleep in a tent (maybe).

Watch out, these two are going to be trouble some day

Man down!!! Daddy was a trooper even though he blew out his knee a week and a half before the trip

Beautiful cabin #150 (it's still camping if you have AC right???)

The gang in various stages of saying "Yogi" for the camera

Quiet time until 8am at the campground = movies for these early risers

The girlie girls. Em is laughing hysterically because Chelsea insisted on walking around with her blankie wrapped around her neck/head

Posing with Yogi before a "real" Yogi came to raise the flag

Group shot (minus Uncle Pete who was picking up the golf cart)

Two dudes in a basket

There's Uncle Pete! Got the golf cart so we could cart around injured Daddy.

Hugs for the "real" Yogi

Crazy pool girl. She LOVES to go under water. Total maniac.

Nick getting douced by a bucket of water. This was an AWESOME kid's pool. I took a couple of videos but the kid in the black shirt kept getting in the way of Nick. I think he's a little too big for the kiddie pool!

Silly Papa Songs

These will bring back memories for some of you...

Warning!!! Don't let kids watch these if you are discouraging "potty talk"!!!