Where Did Our Week Go?

It's been a little longer than normal since I've last checked in, so I thought I'd better go ahead and do a quick recap of our week -- you know, before certain unnamed grandparents start to suffer from serious withdrawal after not seeing their grandsons' faces in five days. :)

Monday was Daddy's birthday, and while he was working hard at the hospital, the boys and I did a few things to get ready for our simple family celebration that night. During Porter's morning nap, I enlisted Kaiser's help in making a birthday "cake". 

My pot-stirrer.

 Sampling some of the sweetness.

Now, you may be wondering what kind of "cake" involves melting marshmallows. Several weeks ago, Brett and I were having a conversation about Rice Krispies treats, and he said he wanted to try them made with Fruity Pebbles instead. You got it, Birthday Boy!

Our colorful creation!

We didn't go crazy by any means, but we thought Daddy's 30th at least warranted some balloons, streamers, and signs.

 He's full of hot air.

 Balloon = Half an hour of entertainment for this one.

 We might have gotten a bit distracted.

 Simple setup.

Oh, and we also practiced our "birthday rap". As you can see, Kaiser was a little more interested in eating his lunch than rapping along with me. :)

After a long day of operating, Daddy finally called to say that he was on his way home. He was greeted by a sign, more streamers, and most importantly, a son shouting, "HEY DADDY, WE GOT A BUWT-DAY CAKE FOE YOU!" (The "Go Daddy, it's your birthday" business was forgotten in light of the fact that treats were to be had!) After eating dinner and opening his cards and present from us (a special golf contraption to help him practice his putting), it was, at long last, time!

 A big hit for both of these kids.

Some family playtime before baths and bed.

Tuesday we were excited to start up our fall session of Music Together! It had been several weeks since we'd seen Ms. Karen, and boy, had we missed her! Because of Kaiser's school schedule, we had to switch to a different location north of us in order to keep her as our teacher. Well worth it! We're very much looking forward to the next ten weeks. (One of these times I'm going to have to finally get a pic of Karen with the boys, seeing as she's been such a big part of our lives for the past two years!) After music class, the boys and I did some serious errand-running, none of which was really picture-worthy. That evening the weather was lovely, so we ventured out on another family walk around the neighborhood. Kaiser had high hopes of seeing Stormy the Horse up close again; unfortunately, he was busy hanging out on the far side of his field, so we had to be satisfied with waving hello from a distance.

Porter in his chariot.

Wednesday morning meant Day #3 of school for Kaiser! Before we went downstairs for breakfast, he asked for help climbing into Baby Brother's bed so they could play together. Of course, I had no trouble fulfilling that request.

 Teaching him to clap his hands.

 All dressed and ready to see his teacher and friends!

While Kaiser was at school, I called our pediatrician's nurse line to ask for their advice about Porter. He has been battling a nasty cough and congestion for going on three weeks, and I just couldn't keep saying, "He'll eventually beat it" any longer. When I described his situation to the nurse, she thought we should come on in that day. She had a 1:45 appointment available, and I booked it. It just so happened that Brett had an early day at work, so he was able to come home to stay with Kaiser during naptime while I took in the sickling. One good thing about our visit was that it doubled as a weight check. (I had one scheduled for next week, anyway). I was excited to learn that Porter now weighs in at 19 pounds (7th %ile) and is 28 inches long (10th %ile)!

Drinking to the good news!

 The snottiness and cough can't crush his spirit.

Reading his dino book while we wait to be seen.

I knew there was a chance that Kathy might say there was nothing we could do for him besides wait it out, but felt that it was worth seeing if it was anything more serious. She checked his lungs (clear) and ears (perfect). But ultimately, she agreed that his symptoms had persisted too long, and she prescribed him amoxicillin. Needless to say, I was pleased to have an answer and hopefully a weapon to kick this yuckiness for good -- especially because our trip to Oklahoma is right around the corner!

Thursday we didn't have any pressing daytime plans. That morning while Porter was resting, Kaiser and I worked together to make up a snack for his class, which he was responsible for bringing in on Friday. He enjoyed measuring out the Teddy Grahams, Cheerios, raisins, and peanuts (and of course testing to make sure everything tasted good).

 He makes a mean trail mix.

The three of us ended up heading to Waterworks to make a return at Old Navy and to look for a step stool at TJ Maxx. Of course, Mommy found a couple of other items to try on while we were there.

 Workin' some way-too-big jeans in the dressing room.

 Lately he's been asking if he can ride Berkeley like a horse.
She won't go for it, but this dog didn't seem to mind.

Clothes shopping can be super boring. Chewing on a straw can help.

No pictures from last night, but Brett and I were excited to host our small group since the Melders are out of town. Kaiser was in full form entertaining "his fwiends", and threw a hissy fit when the clock struck bedtime. A reminder that waking Baby Harlow, who was sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room next door, would result in "big trouble" was enough to quiet him down and help him fall asleep. We had a great time visiting with everyone, and look forward to holding group at our place again next Thursday.

Thank goodness it's Friday! This big boy was all smiles when I suggested that he wear his brand new "excagator" shirt to school this morning. (Thank you, Kohl's, for regularly sending me $10 off any purchase coupons!)

 "Day #4: Let's do this!"

"Check out dis sweet twuck."

 Now that's a smile.

It's a crummy day here in the Burgh, so after picking Kaiser up from school I decided we'd just head home to eat lunch and play. I am pretty sure that Porter is one of the most animated (and messiest) eaters in the history of Babeland. Here are a couple of his many mealtime faces:

 These random outbursts are the norm.

Stinkbug.

Raise the roof!

Tonight Miss Megan is coming over once again to babysit the boys while Brett and I go out to dinner and to the Foo Fighters concert. Hooray for another date night! Kaiser and Porter are looking forward to fun with a fresh face, and Mommy and Daddy are looking forward to good food, music, and conversation that doesn't have to do with trucks, trains, or bodily functions. (Well, hopefully at least most of our conversation won't be about that.) We're ready to get this weekend started off right!

Welcome to the Club, Hubs!

Today the hottie I call husband joins me in the land of THIRTY! I am at a complete loss for words to explain how blessed I am to live my life with this man. Seriously, y'all. So often I think about how crazy I can be (I sure as heck wouldn't want to be married to me!) and yet Brett's love for me is steadfast, strong, and sacrificial, looking past so many of my frustrating qualities. His relationship with our sons is a joy and privilege to witness, and makes me lose my heart to him even more with each passing day. They have such an incredible nurturer, playmate, provider, cheerleader, and role model in their father.

In honor of my honey's third decade coming to a close, I dug up a few pics of Brett the Babe and Brett the Boy. It goes without saying that I'll have no problem at all if Kaiser and Porter continue to take after adorable Daddy-o... 

Ain't it the truth?

Reminds me of another towheaded guy of mine!

Future's so bright...

Punkin.

"No, you're the man!"

Teacher's dream.

Young Gun.

Child of the 80's.

Brett Alan, I couldn't be happier to be by your side as you celebrate this year, and every year to come. It is the greatest honor to be your wife, the mother of your children, and your best friend. Thank you for being the man you are -- the man who our God created you to be. 

I love you. I love you. I love you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

"Wicked Awesome" Weekend

Our little family had a lovely weekend; I'm sad to see it come to a close. Here's a brief (well, as brief as it gets, considering who's writing) recap of the past few days:

Friday Kaiser was all geared up for another day at school. That morning the weather took a sudden turn for the cooler, so we had to swap out the boy's original outfit of a t-shirt and shorts for a more appropriate long-sleeved shirt, jacket, and jeans.

Ready to get his learn (and play) on!

Funny kid.

Judging from the grin on Kaiser's face and what he had to tell me when we picked him up a couple of hours later, Day #2 was as successful as Day #1. :) Upon leaving the school parking lot, the next few hours were jam-packed with a trip to Aldi, a quick stop at home to drop off groceries, a trip to Target (where the boys ate lunch on-the-go in the shopping cart), and finally an appointment for Porter at the orthotist so we could have his helmet adjusted. 

"How much longer do I have to wear that thing again?"

Kaiser's latest thing: Laying down on the floor, looking helpless, and announcing, "Mommy, I need to be rescued!"

The rest of our afternoon/evening was a quiet one; Daddy had to work late at a football game, so I flew solo with the boys and tried to be as productive as possible around the casa after they were tucked in. 

Saturday morning after he went in to round, Brett took Kaiser on a "special mission" to renew Daddy's driver's license. Of course, this ended up taking quite a while, and afterward they stopped at Mad Mex to grab some lunch and watch some of ESPN College GameDay (which was in Tallahassee this weekend for the Oklahoma/Florida State game). While they were doing some father-son bonding, I got so spend some sweet one-on-one time with my Porter Boy. That evening after their naps, the kiddos were excited to see Megan, who was coming over to watch them while Mommy and Daddy went out on a hot date.

 Buzz Lightyear can't wait to greet Miss Megan!

 Well, maybe this one wasn't as thrilled to hear we were leaving.

All dressed up!

Snuck out while the boys were eating.

The hubby and I drove downtown to the Original Fish Market, where we enjoyed delicious sushi dinner. Any guesses as to where we headed next? 

YES!!!

We've talked about seeing Wicked forever, and when we found out it was coming to Pittsburgh, we decided to buy tickets as an anniversary gift to ourselves. So many people I know have had nothing but glowing things to say about this show, so I had very high expectations -- and ohmyword, it did not disappoint! Brett and I agreed that it was phenomenal. P-H-E-N-O-M-E-N-A-L. Loved the music, the story, the actors, the set...loved it. Quite possibly my new favorite! Photography wasn't allowed during the performance, so this was the only shot I got of the stage, right before the magic started:

Welcome to the Land of Oz.

After the show, we stopped at the Sharp Edge, where we sat at the bar to catch the last few minutes of the OU/FSU game. Brett got to watch his team pull out a win, which was a fantastic way to finish the night. Then we headed back home to relieve Megan, who told us that the munchkins were fun and well-behaved for her and went to bed without any trouble. We said goodnight, and that we would look forward to seeing her next Friday, as she'll be babysitting while these parents go out on another date! (Two in one week? Completely unheard of!)

Sunday morning we went to church...and on the way, you'd better bet that my man popped Glee: Volume 1 into the CD player so that we could belt out "Defying Gravity". :) Today was a special Sunday because two of our favorite friends were there: the Edwards Men! Mark is back from Houston for work, and he decided to bring Austin along. Kaiser was in heaven getting to play with beloved best bud in the nursery during service, and then afterwards the six of us walked down to Chipotle for lunch. 

The Three Musketeers, reunited!

 My favorite boys (2 and under) in the whole. wide. world.

 I miss this crazy kid!

 Trying his friend's hat on for size.

 There goes "Mistah Mawk" setting a bad example. Tsk tsk.

 Austin's version of his daddy's "tortilla mask".

Little artist stopped to draw a pic of "Kinnow" before we parted ways.

This evening, once the boys woke up from their naps, we got the chance to Skype with YaYa. It had been way too long!

 Experienced some technical difficulties at first, but we eventually got the kinks worked out!

Blowing YaYa a kiss goodbye.

We thought that this beautiful evening was a perfect one for a family stroll around the neighborhood, so after eating dinner and cleaning up we loaded the boys into their wagon and hit the road.

 Sweet ride ya got there.

While on our walk, we ran into a nurse who Brett works with. She, her husband, and their 3-year-old daughter were stopped by a fence, feeding apples and carrots to a miniature horse, Stormy, that belongs to the family who lives there. I don't know if it was Stormy's small stature or the fact that Kaiser's a tad older, but any reservations he once felt around horses at Jefe's ranch were gone, and he was all about going up to pet his nose and feed him. Fortunately, the nurse's little girl was very generous and more than willing to share the food she'd brought along with Kaiser.

 "Would you like a apple, Stowmy?"

After the unexpected animal fun, the Bralys headed back home for baths and bedtime.

Seeing that horse made his night!

Once the boys were down, Brett made an ice cream run, and we settled in to watch 500 Days of Summer -- a super cute, quirky romantic comedy that we thoroughly enjoyed. Now, finally, it's off to bed; we've got a big week ahead, with the start of a new Music Together session on Tuesday, school for Kaiser on Wednesday and Friday, hosting our small group on Thursday, and Mommy's and Daddy's concert date on Friday. Tomorrow is an extra-special day, too....more on that soon!

Kaiser's First Day of Escuela!

Well, today was a BIG day -- for Kaiser and for Mommy. It was my firstborn's very first day of preschool! We've been talking about this in some capacity for months, and then much more seriously over the last several weeks and days. For a while, whenever I mentioned school, Kaiser would say, "And Mommy can come wit you!" I've been clear about explaining that Porter and I would drop him off and pick him up, but going to school was something he got to do all by himself because he was such a big boy. Fortunately, the kiddo seemed to like this idea. He was excited, and I was perhaps even more excited for him!

Adding to our sense of anticipation was the fact that Kaiser's "special backpack" arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon. (Way to go on waiting til the very last minute to order it, Mom!) My boy was super pumped to see it when he woke up from nap, and couldn't wait to show it off to Daddy when he got home from work that night. I filled it with a change of clothes and small gifts for his teachers, strapped his school tag on it, and we were ready to go!

We both woke up this morning in high spirits, partially because it was such an eventful day, and partially because Kaiser had stayed dry all night! (He's got potty training during waketime hours down pat, but nighttime is a work in progress...) He and I talked all about what he would do that morning as the three of us sat down and ate a healthy breakfast. 

I thought we were golden on time, but of course things like going potty, brushing teeth, changing a poopy diaper, etc. took a bit longer than expected, and soon I was rushing to grab my camera and take pictures before we left to get him to school by 9:00. First up, a shot of Kaiser and Baby Brother (whom Mommy won't be ready to send off for quite a while)!

Then we let Porter stand at the storm door and watch Kaiser pose for a few more than a few obligatory "First Day" photos in the front yard. Truth be told, one of the primary reasons I got the following pictures was because I offered to let him take a small bowl of grapes to eat on the ride to school. Totally worth it.

And, of course, what would a photo shoot be without the outtakes?

We quickly wrapped up, loaded in the car, and were off! Carpool runs from 8:55-9:05; we pulled in at 8:58 and waited in line for a few minutes. At parent orientation, they had said it was helpful for the students to be unbuckled, so I put the car in park, turned around to do that, and snapped a final pic of the kidlet before saying goodbye. 

Before we knew it, it was our turn! A nice parent volunteer came up, opened Kaiser's door, and helped him out of the car and inside. I wish I could have taken a picture of his sweet face --which was slightly confused despite my explanation about what would happen -- as he was lifted into her arms. He did so great! I didn't think I'd cry, but as I watched him take the hand of the preschool director and walk in those doors, I couldn't help but shed a few huge Mommy tears and mourn the loss of my baaaaby. (Who am I kidding? School or no school...underpants or diapers...he'll always be that!)

It was eerily quiet on the drive home. As soon as we got back to the house, I put Porter down late for his morning nap, and while he rested I got just a few things done -- all the while, of course, wondering how things were going for Kaiser. It actually wasn't too long before I got to find out; during the month of September, they release the 2-year-old classes a half hour early, so dismissal was at 11:00. I woke Porter and fed him some of his bottle, and then we happily turned around to go pick Big Brother up!

Kaiser had a huge grin on his face as his teacher walked him out to our car. When I asked him if he'd had fun, he said, "Yes I sure did!" Mrs. S said that he'd done great, was very complaint, and was going to be her little helper this year. She also told me that he'd gone to the bathroom twice and only needed a little bit of help with using the potty. Hooray! As I got him buckled in and we drove away, I asked Kaiser some more about school. It didn't surprise me one bit when he informed me that they'd eaten a snack: "I had some cwackers and juice and some mowe cwackers and some mowe juice!" He also said they'd read a book about the first day of school and a book about animals (not sure about those titles). He told me he'd held the hands of "two grails" on the way out to the playground, where he'd played in the sand. When I asked him about going potty, he said he hadn't known how to turn on the water to wash his hands, so he'd asked, "May I have turn on da water peese?" I don't know about you, but to me it sounded like a good time!

Since it was such a special day, I tossed out the idea that we go to the Waterfront to stop at a store, and then eat at Chick-fil-a for lunch. It didn't take much arm-twisting to get Kaiser to agree to that. :) I had brought along food for Porter, but my boy and I each enjoyed chicken nugget kids meals.

After we finished eating, I took the kiddos into the play area for some fun, and fun they had. Most of the time, we had the space to ourselves. They both had a ball pressing the buttons on the wall that played different noises, and climbing around and inside the little treehouse they have there. Kaiser was feeling particularly imaginative and kept asking if I wanted to take a train to Oklahoma and to Denver, then handing me my tickets to get on board. Porter was on cloud nine cruising around, climbing up the ramp that led into the treehouse, and just feeding off of his brother's energy.

In the handful of times that we've been there before, Kaiser has never felt adventurous enough to climb up into the equipment that is high overhead. Today when I first suggested that he try, he shot me down. Then, he climbed up part of the way, but came back down. Once another boy came in and showed interest in it, he finally decided to go for it, and soon enough was in the tunnel above us, looking down on Mommy and Porter! He had fun playing with the musical toy and spinning gears that are up there in one section, but opted to climb back down rather than brave the twisty slide. There's always next time...

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and soon it was time to say goodbye to Chick-fil-a and head home for naptime. Kaiser was so worn out from his big morning that he didn't mind one bit, and has been solidly sleeping for the past three hours. :) 

All in all, I don't think we could have asked for a better "First Day" experience. I'm not naive enough to think that every day will be easy, but I'd say we're off to a great start! Looking forward to Friday already!