Category: Family & Friends

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Cole Family & Friends Health Household Ryan

Man Hair, Pictures, & Toy Organization

I was really hoping no one else in my house would get sick, but Cole fell victim to the latest stomach bug today.  Fortunately, it seemed like it was the kind Ryan had the other day- he only vomited once, and was a lot better.

My sister and I are going to take our kids on Sunday to get some winter / holiday / Christmas pictures taken together.  Ryan and Cole are the only cousins Maelin has, and we bought them all coordinating snowman and snow-woman sweaters from Children’s Place over the summer.  We have been looking forward to this for several months.  I am also going to have some pictures of the boys taken together and separately.  It will be Ryan’s four-year picture ( I can’t believe he is almost four!), and Cole’s 18-month picture.  I actually don’t have one picture of the boys together in a “formal picture,” so this is long over-due.   

To get ready for the pictures, we wanted to take Cole to get his hair cut today.  So after his nap when he woke up, Ryan was ready to go.  He went in the room to see if Cole was awake, and he started laughing.  He said, “Coley, your hair is all messed up.  You are going to get a hair cut.  You have man hair.”  I am not sure what “man hair” means, but Cole’s curls do get very matted, but hearing Ryan say that made me laugh.  Cole was a trooper during his haircut.  He sat in the chair all by himself, with a little pout on his face, but he sat still for the entire time, looking in the mirror at himself, and holding my hand. 

I finished up tonight a project that I had started working on earlier in the week, which was to organize the boys’ toys.  I got rid of a lot of stuff that was broken and just junk.  I actually didn’t need as many storage bins that I had bought, but maybe after Christmas, they will come in handy.  It is nice to finally have a handle on their toys. I am going to insist now with Ryan, when he takes one toy out, he puts it back before he gets another one out.  We’ll see how that goes. 

Tomorrow, Joe is going to put together all the train tracks the boys have, and nail them on a board like they do at the toy stores.  Then we will be able to lift the board off, if the boys want to play with the train table, but all their tracks won’t be all over the place.  I am going to work for a few hours, since I missed it the other day, and I am hoping Ryan will be able to help Joe with this, and get excited again about his trains. 

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Ryan Shopping

Weekend Review- Relatives, Party, Santa, & Shopping

We had very busy weekend!  My baby sister (well, she just turned 29, but she is still my baby sister), was visiting this weekend from out-of-state. 

On Saturday morning, we met her, my sister, my brother-their spouses, and of course my niece for breakfast.  Then we took the kids to the park for an hour.  Ryan had a great time playing with his aunts and uncles, and Cole, just loves slides.  He has no fear.  He climbed up the tallest slide at the park, which had to be about 30 feet, turns around and slides down, feet first.  He laughs, and just wants to do it again, and again.

On Saturday night, Ryan and I attended a house-warming party of a friend, who moved into a new house (they had it built), about two months ago.  Unfortunately, Cole has been teething, and the excitement of the park and with his teething, he was very cranky.  Joe stayed home with Cole, since he was not in a very good party mood. 

Ryan had fun at the party, playing with a new set of three-year-old boy toys, which included new Thomas toys, he doesn’t have, and a little airplane, which was the hit of the evening.  I had fun too, visiting with some friends, and meeting some new people.  My friend’s new house is beautiful.  One of the things I liked best about it, is it has the laundry room upstairs, right next to the bedrooms.  I have seen that in new home models, and it always seemed like it makes a lot of sense- saving you time from lugging the laundry downstairs, and then lugging it back again.  At any rate, we were both having such a nice time, we were one of the last people to leave, which doesn’t happen very often. 

On Sunday, we met Joe’s sister, her kids (the cousins), and her husband at a amusement park, about two hours from our house. It had lots of rides that were just right for Ryan and Cole, and Santa was there! When it was Ryan’s turn, he just hopped on Santa’s lap, and started to tell him the one gift he wants, and how hold he is. 

The rest of the day was spent riding rides with the cousins. We left about three, and then went to my dad’s house, who made a wonderful Mexican food meal for us.  We finally arrived back home at 7. The boys played for a while, took their baths, and were conked out, shortly after.  They slept wonderfully last night. 

Today Ryan, Cole, and I met my sisters at a mall for lunch, so we could see my sister one last time before she left tonight.  It was so nice to see her.  I hope we will be able to go visit her soon.  When Ryan saw her at the mall, he ran to her with his arms wide open for a hug.

After lunch, my sisters had to get to some shops, and get my sister to the airport, so the boys and I returned a shirt at a store, and then went to play at a Pottery Barn Kids.  They always have such neat toys there.  I was bummed to see a lot of the toys were made in China, though.  I just don’t feel confident right now, buying pained toys from China. 

I had been wondering what to get Cole for Christmas- for some reason I have been drawing a blank.  He always plays with what Ryan has, but I want him to have something just for him.  After spending an hour in PBK, I was at a loss, no more.  He absolutely LOVED their cash register.   I was going to get it for him, but it was $59, and the money was $9.  I think that is kind of expensive.  I think I’ll look around and see if I can find something that may be more reasonably priced first.  He really just liked putting the credit card in the slot, which beeped.  So, a cash register with a credit card slot that beeps, is now on my list. 

(***UPDATE*** As soon as I was done writing this, I Googled play cash registers, and this one from Target came up- I’ll be making a stop there tomorrow- it even has TWO credit cards!****)

I did end up buying this play-mat for their train table.  Ryan really likes lining up his cars, and pretending they are on the street, so this should be a big hit, come Christmas. 

I am really excited for Christmas this year.  I think because finally, at least Ryan is old enough to really be in to it.  In previous years, it seemed like a lot of work, when the boys really wouldn’t have cared one way or another.  Ryan is talking about the Christmas tree, the lights, and the decorations.  It makes it that much more exciting for me, to try to make this time special and memorable for them.  I want them to always remember Christmas time as being special, magical, and fun.

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Ryan

Trick-or-Treat

Our actual Halloween night went pretty much like I thought.  Joe and I both arrived home from work around 5:30, and we ate dinner at Joe’s parent’s house. 

Around 7, we left to go to a few friends homes to trick-or-treat.  Cole LOVED his costume this time.  On Saturday, he was fighting the hat (a.k.a. Big Bird’s head), but he kept it on, and even started flapping his arms like a bird for our friends.  Ryan decided he didn’t like his train overalls anymore, but he at least agreed to wear his hat and kerchief.

We got home about an hour later, and thought we had missed most of the trick-or-treater’s.  We had a huge bag of candy we wanted to get rid of, so when a few came by, I told them they could have two pieces.  The kids looked like they hit the jackpot!

Ryan and Cole got into handing out the candy very quickly.  Every time the doorbell would ring, they would scream, and run over to the door.  Cole would wave and smile at all the kids, and then try to walk out the door with them.  Ryan would hold the bowl with the candy, and watch as all the kids got their treats.

About half an hour later, we were almost out of candy, and we were getting another rush.  So the next time the bell rang, I told Ryan that we were only going to let the kids have one piece of candy, because we were running out.  Ryan held the bowl out, and as soon as I opened the door, he said just as seriously as he could, “You only get ONE piece of candy- not two- you only get ONE!”  The kids were all looking at him like he was a candy Scrooge, but I had to laugh.  Thanks to his candy “management,” we managed not run out of candy.

The boys had a great Halloween, and Ryan was asking me tonight if anymore trick-or-treater’s were coming by-he wanted to hand out more candy. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful and happy Halloween! Can you believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner?

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Health Parenting Ryan

Harvest Picnic & Sick Again!

Today we went to a Harvest picnic that Joe’s boss was having at a park.  It was a great day for a picnic- it was warm, so warm, I thought about wearing shorts, but in the end wore a pair of capri pants and a short sleeved shirt.  I actually got a little sunburn on my arm. 

There were about 40 of Joe’s colleagues and co-workers, who all work under his boss, and lots of kids.  The people who organized it, did a great job.  They had some really fun games for the kids, prizes, and pumpkins for all the kids.  One game, they were going to play musical chairs, but they had some orange pumpkin place-mats instead.  They wanted the kids to dance around, and when the music stopped, find a place-mat.  Well, the laptop that was supposed to play the music wasn’t working, so they improvised and started a huge game of duck, duck, goose instead.

There were about 10 adults and 15 kids in the huge circle, and Ryan loved the game!  He kept jumping up and running around in the circle, when anyone got up to run.  Finally, someone named him the goose, and he got up, ran around, cut through the circle, and threw himself at the feet of the man who he was chasing, and the guy nearly fell over.  It was a riot- it looked like Ryan was doing a football move or something.  🙂

Ryan was also delighted to find out one of Joe’s co-workers could sing all the songs to the Music Man.  His eyes lit up when she started singing the songs.  I think he found a friend for life there.

Cole did great as well.  He walked around, smiled at people, batted his eyes at everyone, and even got on the small kid playground equipment and climbed up and down. He is in this really cute phase when he gets shy he looks down at the ground, but then will lift his eyes up slightly, and give a little half smile.  It is adorable.  He had all the women, playing right into this.  I think we are going to have a little heart-breaker on our hands. 

When we got home, Cole took a nap and woke up with a fever and the terrible congestion, raspy voice that Ryan had earlier this week.  I thought Ryan had caught Cole’s cold, but it seems like Ryan had another cold (which he is still getting over), and now passed that to Cole.  Ryan had terrible hallucinations with this, when his fever was so high, so I am hoping we can keep Cole’s fever down tonight, so he doesn’t experience this, and so he can sleep.  Ryan was so delirious, he would sleep for 45 minutes and then wake up- it went on like that for two nights!

Our weather is supposed to turn cold tomorrow, with maybe some snow.  I hope Cole sleeps tonight, and Ryan keeps improving.  Joe and I are going to make some green chili stew, (recipe from my dad), and try to have a day where the boys just rest.  No activities. 

We did have a nice day- what a nice and fun way to welcome autumn.

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Cole Family & Friends Household Ryan

Long Week is Over

I didn’t blog much last week, because Joe was out of town the entire week, so the “single parenting” kept me busy!

I have said it before, but single parents have my complete and utter admiration.  The boys were really good, and the week went well, but it is still exhausting.  I don’t think three people were ever as happy to see Joe, than when he got home on Friday evening.

On Saturday, we decided to take it easy and relax.  We slept in, and then just lounged around and played with the boys.  In the afternoon, we decided to clean the Jeep out.  The boys played in the buckets of water, and had a great old time getting soaked.  It is nice to have a clean and organized car- inside and out.

That night we picked up a pizza, and went to Joe’s parents house to watch baseball playoffs.  Ryan also “performed” his Music Man routine, but he is a bit shy around other people and danced around more than he sang, but he was still cute!

Today Joe mowed the lawns, and cleaned up the yard, while Ryan and Cole “helped” and played outside.  When they came in for lunch, their feet were covered in grass, and Cole, who had taken his Crocs off, had green feet!  He looked like a little Frankenstein.  I should have taken a picture, but didn’t think of it in time.  I had to soak his feet for several minutes and then scrub them with a nail brush to get them clean.

I went grocery shopping, and then we went out for dinner at the boys’ favorite noodle restaurant.  It was a nice, low-keyed weekend.

Tomorrow I have a conference call in the morning for work, and then my sister and my niece are coming for a visit.  My niece just turned six-months, and that is my favorite age for babies.  I just love that stage.  I have pictures of Cole and Ryan at six months, and I just can’t believe how fast the time has gone, when I look back at those pictures.  I’m glad I’ll be able to get my baby fix in with my niece.