Odds and Ends

I have left a few open-ended posts and events “out there” the last few weeks, so here is a wrap up, on all those issues.

For our fifth year anniversary, Joe and I both had such a busy week; it kind of snuck up on us.  We realized we didn’t have a babysitter.  My dad tried to rearrange his work schedule so he could baby sit at the last minute for us, but it didn’t work out.  So we took the kids to the mall, where they got to play in the play area and at Pottery Barn Kids.  Then we got pizza at California Pizza Kitchen.  

So we had a nice night- it was kind of special to think back five years ago we were at our wedding and now we were sharing our special day with the two lil’ monkey’s we love the most- our little boys.  🙂   Ryan was interested in the wedding pictures I was putting on the blog, so I got to talk to him about our wedding. 

We also passed a Crocs vendor in the mall, which had every size Crocs in every color imaginable.  Cole loves trying on and walking around in Ryan’s Crocs, so we couldn’t resist any longer and picked him up his own pair in Peacock Blue- here is a picture of him the next day with his first pair of Crocs.

We also got the window repaired on my car.  Our mechanic is wonderful, and we have had some issues in the past, where I bought the car in when something wasn’t working and they have fixed it for free!  One time a vacuum hose was broken and the air conditioning was only blowing out of the defrost vent.  So I knew a broken window regulator was going to cost, but it was almost $500 after parts and labor.  Ouch.  I feel like the mechanic is honest though, and I am sure we would have been charged at least this much, if not more anyplace else.  Also, since they have fixed things free for us before, of course I wanted to give them the business.  What are you going to do?  I need a window, and the duct tape and hanger was giving out, after my drive to work.  🙂

Speaking of work, I absolutely love, love it.  I love the work- stimulating, but not over my head, with variety.  The other day while I was working, I thought how quiet it was in the office, and realized how much I was getting done, in a short amount of time.  It never is like that at home.  I can’t work on any project more than five minutes without a little voice asking me for something, or another little voice crying or making noises at me to get my attention.  So it has been lovely.  I am hoping I can start to work another half day for a few weeks in order to speed the training and learning curve along, so I’ll be able to work independently on Saturday’s.  Since no one else would be in the office that day, I’d have to be up to speed.  I am looking into some short-term childcare options.

Ryan adores his preschool.  I think Auntie Mara left a comment where she wondered how long it would be before Ryan wanted to go two days.  Well, it was exactly one time!  He asks all the time now when he gets to go to school.  This school runs in quarters, so after three months in November, we will have the option of continuing, and I am sure we will be adding another day- much to Ryan’s delight.  He also has fun playing with two of his friends, both boys, who are right around his age.  He said his friend, Leif, and him last week, pretended a train was a roller coaster.  I am glad he is making friends and learning how to play with other kids his age. 

Last week they took a “field trip” off the farm to an actual field (corn to be exact), where they picked an ear of corn, and then took it back to the farm and painted it.  Ryan was so proud of it, and now it is displayed on our fireplace mantle.  He also told me he got to walk in the mud!  Ah-the life of a three-year-old boy!

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know how we have struggled with getting Cole to sleep.  About a month ago, we finally moved his crib out of our room and into Ryan’s room.  Finally, he is sleeping so much better!  I nurse him to sleep (around 8:30), and now instead of waking up every two to three hours, he’ll only usually wake up once now.  Usually around 1am, sometimes 3am.  Last week he was teething, so he woke up a few more times, but I nurse him for about 10 minutes, and he goes right back to sleep.  I feel like a new woman, actually getting 5-7 hours of sleep now in a stretch instead of two.  

I just had to share the picture below.  It is good to keep your baby rear facing in their car seat as long as possible, even if they are over a year old and over 20 pounds, both of which Cole is.  He finally outgrew sitting rear facing, so a few weeks ago, Joe turned his car seat around, and so he is forward facing now.  He found these sunglasses while Joe was fitting the seat, and just had to wear them. 

He really likes sitting forward facing.  He takes his Crocs off, and rolls the window down with his toes.  He thinks that is the coolest thing ever.  He is just the sweetest little guy right now.  He smiles almost the entire day, and he has developed dimples.  Good thing he can’t talk, because if he asked me for anything with that smile, I know I wouldn’t be able to resist.