Category: Ryan

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Activities Cole Household Mothering Ryan

Alzheimer’s of the Mommy Kind

My sister got Cole and Ryan some amazing art supplies for Christmas.  Basically, the entire kiddie art section at Target, twice- one of everything for BOTH boys.  Ryan has already painted once a few weeks ago, and while I was cleaning and organizing their gifts, I put these supplies (nice, thick, painting paper too) away, where I’d remember where they were (yeah, right).  So today, it is only 10 degrees out, and the boys are going stir crazy.  This was a perfect time to pull out the art supplies and start painting, coloring, and using the cool glitter pens.

After getting every square inch of the table and floor covered with newspaper, it was time to get the supplies out.  But where oh where, did I put them?  I found Ryan’s paint box on top of the refrigerator, but where is everything else?  You wouldn’t think an entire big box of art supplies, and a giant pad of paper would be so hard to find.   What is worse, is I KNOW I saw the pad of paper just a few days ago, when I was putting something else away.  But alas, I can’t find them for the life of me, and it is driving me nuts!  I have checked every place that I normally stash stuff like that, twice.  This is from someone who everyone used to tell (before I had kids) that I had a memory like an elephant.  Meanwhile, I have Ryan not whining, but constantly asking, “When can we paint, Mommy?” and Cole getting more and more frustrated as he sees his older brother with his paint, but none for him.

I think it is official- I have Alzheimer’s.  Note to self (and any other mommy’s out there, who may be facing the same thing): make sure you find the art supplies, or toys, or books, BEFORE you tell your 4 year-old and 19 month-old that they get to do the activity.  It is hard enough not being able to find the item, but at least you won’t have to deal with the disappointment, and the 4 year-old’s round of twenty questions like, “Why can’t you find them Mommy?  Where did the paint go?  Now what are we going to do? Did you lose them? Are they gone for good?  Did someone come in and take them, Mommy?”

Yes, sweetie, someone did- and they took my memory too! 

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Activities Ryan

The Chipmonkeys

Joe took Ryan to his first ever movie on Friday afternoon.  I guess the only kiddie movie that playing was “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” 

Joe said Ryan was glued to the screen for the first 45 minutes, and he really liked it.  When he got home, I asked him what movie he saw and he said, “The Chipmonkeys.”  I thought that was so cute.  🙂  Today he told his grandmother the same thing- he saw the chipmonkeys. 

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Mothering Ryan Shopping Work

Happy Friday

This has been a busy week, so I am glad it is Friday!  We have been having very cold temperatures but fortunately, we were able to get out and go for some nice long walks, before it got too cold.  I wanted to go this morning after our music class, but it is just too cold out for Cole. 

 My in-laws got sick on Wednesday, so I had some last minute shuffling for child care.  Our wonderful child care provider J, who the boys go to for the mornings on Thursday, was able to take them for a half day on Wednesday, so I went to work in the morning, and then had the afternoon “off.”  I played with the boys, read them lots of stories, and then indulged myself with a 2 hour nap, while the boys took their nap too!  It was wonderful.  After the boys went to bed, I worked for a few more hours. 

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to leave work, my boss asked to speak to me.  Without getting in too much detail, her biggest client, and the one who she has had the longest (18 years) needed some help preparing their 2008 budget reports for their board meeting in two weeks.  She is absolutely swamped with work, and she asked me if I wanted to take a shot at preparing these budget reports.  She explained it to me briefly, and I told her I would try.  Fortunately, I can do all the work from home.  I wasn’t really sure, if I had bitten off more than I could chew, so last night I reviewed exactly what I was supposed to do.  It is fairly complex, but I think and hope I can manage it.  Of course, my boss said to let her know if I have any questions, but I am really hoping I can get it done in the coming week.  I am really happy and surprised, frankly, she asked me to take this on, since this is her most important client, but it also feels good to have a mental challenge, and be able to put my skills to the test. 

Tomorrow we have some dinner plans “in the big city” with my brother and sister-in-law, and my dad and step-mom are going to babysit the boys, while we go.  The boys are already super excited.  Joe has another busy work week ahead of him, and at the end of next week, my youngest sister, who lives out of state, is coming for a long weekend visit.  She will be staying with me for a night, so I am very excited to see her.  It has been over a year, since she has been able to stay with me, when she comes to town. I think we will go shopping- we always love to do that.  Sisters make the best shopping partners too, because they can be honest and don’t worry about hurting your feelings. 

Ryan has just turned into a little chatter-box.  He just goes on and on about everything, and he comes up with the funniest things.  The other night he told me he was going to go to dinner with some friends, and he’d be back, when he got back.  (say, that doesn’t sound like something his mother would say, does it?)  When I asked him who his friends are, he just said, that was his business! 

He has also learned somehow, somewhere how to pee standing up.  Neither Joe nor myself had taught him this, and to tell the truth, I like him sitting down- let’s just say it is less of a clean-up for Mommy.  Anyway, when I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “At my work.”  OK then!

Ryan always asks Joe and I how our days at work go.  Last week, he was whining and he said he was tired.  This was after my work day, and I told him I was tired too, and that I had to sit in a hard chair all day (not really, but my regular chair was broken, and the chair I was using, just wasn’t as comfortable).  The next day he was very concerned and asked me if I was tired after work.  I told him no, and he said, “Oh good- you didn’t have to sit in the hard chair then?”  It is just amazing how much they process.

Cole is blooming into his own little person- very determined, but also very sweet.  When something happens that he doesn’t like, he sticks his bottom lip out in a major pout, and then crunches up his forehead, and looks down at the ground.  He is saying “mama” a lot, and says “da” for yes.  Funny, how he has his own language, and funny too, we know what he means.

 Those are all the updates for now- I hope everyone has a great (and warm) weekend.

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Family & Friends Household Me Mothering Ryan

Mommy Day

I got a lot accomplished today!  Joe took the boys this morning out to his parents house, while he changed the oil in my car.  While I had the house to myself, I cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned. 

I did three loads of laundry, cleaned both bathrooms, mopped both bathrooms, mopped the kitchen floor, cleaned the kitchen, and dusted upstairs.  All of this in less than three hours!  It is amazing what you can accomplish without two little monkeys (a.k.a. Ryan and Cole) underfoot. 

I was bummed though that I didn’t get the upstairs vacuumed; I was just turning on the vacuum when Joe and the boys came home, and the boys were tired, and needed their naps.  Then I made myself think of everything that I did get done, and felt pretty good.  I can finish vacuuming tomorrow.

Tonight I had girls night out at a Mexican restaurant.  It was really nice to have a kid-free dinner and catch up with some of my friends that I haven’t seen for a while. 

I wasn’t planning on being home for the boys’ bedtime, but when I arrived home, they were just going off to sleep.   Cole was out like a light, so I snuggled with Ryan.  He asked me if I had missed him, and told me he loved me so much, and Dad made him the best dinner ever.

Of course I asked him what this wonderful dinner consisted of, and he told me, cheese, tortillas, carrots that were cut up, and strawberries.  Guess I don’t need to make him his own gourmet pizza anymore- evidently Dad has the culinary touch.

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Activities Cole Family & Friends Ryan

Ryan’s Birthday Bash

The indoor amusement park party, was a bit hit!  There were lots of fun rides, for kids of all ages including a suspension bridge ending in a slide, a carousal, a giant ball pit, a tea cup ride (think of the tea cups at Disneyland), and an enclosed Ferris wheel to name a few.  Even my 9-month old niece had fun on the rides.  But by far, Ryan and Cole’s favorite ride was the train, that went around on a real track.  I think we ended up riding it no less than twenty times.

We arrived at the building and saw Joe’s sister, with her three kids, getting out of their car.  Cole had fallen asleep on the ride down, so Joe opted to stay in the car with him for a while and let him sleep. My sister-in-law helped me bring some of the food in, and as soon as we checked in, she took Ryan off with her kids to start playing.  My brother and sister-in-law, arrived, and my brother helped me carry in the rest of the items.  My brother’s wife told me that she used to come to this place when she was a child, and loved it!  She took my brother around to show him all the fun! 

It seems like everyone started arriving pretty much around the same time.  There were other families, and parties there obviously, and everyone was off with their kids, enjoying the rides.  I would catch a glimpse of  a friend or family member, and try to get over to them to say hello.  At 12:15 it was time to eat. We had some pizzas, vegetable and fruit trays.  After the kids were done eating, they wanted cake!  So we obliged.  Ryan loved his Thomas cake.  Joe was filming the singing and blowing out of the candles, but told me on the way home, the camera wasn’t on!  Fortunately, some of my family at least got some good pictures of Ryan blowing out his candles, so I’ll have to get those pictures from them. 

After lunch, most of my family left- they had another party to go to, but it was nice that most of our friends were able to stay and play longer.  It seemed like everyone was having a fun time.  We had to drag Ryan and Cole out, around 2:45- they were both so tired, but didn’t want to leave.  They wanted to ride the train one more time.  🙂  We are so fortunate to have such wonderful family and friends who helped us make Ryan’s day so special!

Ryan kept saying on the way home, what a fun party that was.  At one point he said, “Man, that was fun!”  He sounded so grown up.  After some naps (Mom and Dad included), we headed out for some dinner, and then dropped by Joe’s parents house, to finish off the birthday cake with them.

This morning at 8:04 (Ryan’s birth time), I hugged him and told him, “Happy Birthday.”  He hugged me back, and said,”Happy Birthday Mom- I love you so much.”  I got tears in my eyes.  That was the sweetest thing, I think I have ever heard. 

Ryan wanted to play with his gifts the rest of the morning, and Joe and I did some serious cleaning of the house, re-organization, and put all the Christmas stuff away.  It was sunny, but a bit cold, but we decided to take the boys to the park anyway.  We lasted about half and hour, before the wind was just too cold.

We had a pretty low-keyed evening and I gave Ryan his toy trumpet, which he just loved!  Unfortunately, Cole loved it too, and wants one.  He followed Ryan around crying, trying to grab it from him.  I may have to have a relative get another one from the toy store “in the big city” for Cole.  But Ryan could blow into it, and make notes.  He was even marching in time to his little songs. 

Before the boys’ bath, they had some ice cream, and we put a candle in Ryan’s, and sang to him one last time.  Before bed, I curled up with Ryan and read him one of his new gifts, Farmer Boy Birthday, from Little House on the Prairie.  He loved the story, and wanted Joe to read it to him again.

Now that his fourth birthday is over, I can’t wait to see how my little guy changes over the course in this next year.  One thing is for sure…I’m sure it won’t be boring.