Category: Ryan

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.

Activities Family & Friends Pregnancy & Birth Ryan

Why I Don’t Go Out at Night

Post author By A Mama's Blog
Post date September 11, 2007
2 Comments on Why I Don’t Go Out at Night

Tonight Joe and I met up with one of his friends he has known from his high school days, T. She is in town for a few days for work. I drove the boys and I to Joe’s work, and then we went to pick up T from at her hotel. We took two cars, since there isn’t enough room in my car for another passenger with the two car seats in the back.

Let me back up for a moment and say, this almost didn’t happen, because as I was pulling into the driveway from picking up Ryan from preschool this afternoon, I heard this crunch noise as I was rolling the windows up. I looked at the passenger-driver side window, as it came out of whatever holds it up, and slipped all the way down into the door. How weird is that? I didn’t want to be driving at night with no window- and I have to work tomorrow, and was worried about parking my car all day, with the window gone.

I crammed my fingers in there, and was able to retrieve the window, but could not get it back on track. So Joe told me to duct tape it after I called him at work. I couldn’t just duct tape it, so I had to prop it up with a wire hanger and then duct tape it. Ghetto for sure, but fortunately it works, it holds the window in place, and our mechanic can fix it on Thursday.

So after “fixing” the window, we meet up with his friend who told us she is 12 weeks pregnant with her and her husband’s first baby! We are so excited. She is due in March, just a few days after another one of my friends, E., is due with her first baby, and a few days before yet another friend, N., is due with her third baby. March must be a good months for babies!

We had a nice dinner, and the boys and I left at eight. We were in a town about 30 minutes from home- nothing major. In fact, I used to live on the outskirts of this town. But that was 10 years ago, and it has been built up so much, I hardly recognize it anymore. As I was driving, I saw the road I wanted to get back on, and took it. As I was driving, I thought nothing looked familiar at all, and then I realized the sign had said east, and I wanted west. I was totally going in the wrong direction.

Well no big deal- I saw the sign coming up for the major Interstate, and even though it was a few miles longer, I knew I could head north on the Interstate, and get back home. So I follow the signs, for the lane going to the north. Evidently they are doing construction on this road and the lanes don’t match up anymore with the road signs!

After seeing the bridge I was supposed to be on, heading north, I was still heading east. Oy! Next exit was 3 miles. Now I let out a few choice cuss words, with Ryan asking me in the back what was wrong. I was frustrated, but still knew where I was going, so I told him I had missed the turn. I get to the next exit where I can turn around, and have never in my life been on this road, but it made a nice loop, and I was back on another Interstate, heading west, that would hook up with the main Interstate that would take me north. I saw the sign telling me the lane to get in to merge up with the northbound Interstate.

More ******* construction. Once again, I was NOT in the northbound lane, I was still heading west. Now I was really upset, and fired off a few more cuss words, with Ryan getting more worried.

It is bad enough when you are flustered, but with kids, you can’t even vent, because they get stressed too. I saw a turn off for the southbound direction of the main Interstate, and hallelujah- the lane actually lined up with what the sign said. So, now I was going south, and needed to turn around so I would finally be going north.

I exited at the first exit. I called Joe, because I was so flustered. He told me to just relax and he said I was right where I needed to be. I had to wait for two lights and then I was finally going northbound. Thirty minutes after I had left the restaurant. Twenty minutes after that, we were finally home! A trip that should have taken 30 minutes at the most had turned into almost an hour. Ryan told Dad that we had a problem getting home- I’ll say.

I am just thankful the window stayed put and didn’t fall back down, or fall out on the highway. That would have been lovely. It is not fun to be turned around, and flustered driving at night with two little kids. Now I know why I don’t like to drive at night!

Cole Family & Friends Mothering Parenting Ryan

Happy Grandparent’s Day!

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. ~Alex Haley

Today is Grandparent’s Day, so I wanted to devote a post to grandparents!

First off, even though I didn’t know my only grandmother, Mimi, when I was growing up, we have gotten acquainted over the years, and she is terrific! She is so smart, loves to read, and lets all of her family descend on her beautiful beach house every summer. She lovingly provides a place, where all of us stressed out, sleep deprived, visitors can come each year to relax, just be, and take a step back.

After having five of her own children, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, there isn’t anything she doesn’t know about babies. She helped put a piece of the puzzle together for me on Cole’s constant waking at night this summer- she told me he was hungry and I needed to give him a protein snack before bed, and don’t forget to do it! I usually did forget, but have been remembering and he DOES sleep so much better now. Sometimes it is just the simple things grandparents can remind us of that make all the difference. So thank you, Mimi, for everything you do for ALL of us. We love you!

I also didn’t know my only grandpa growing up. He has taken more and more trips out to our state to visit, and we have gotten to know him better as well. He is wickedly funny, and witty. I am so glad that I have these memories of him, and he has been able to at least meet his oldest great-grand son!

Second, I can’t thank Ryan and Cole’s grandparents enough- all five of them, for the incredible love, help, and support they give to our entire family. I honestly don’t know how we would have made it this far without their help.

It seems like just when Joe and I, are at the end of our ropes, whoo-la- a grandparent calls and offers to have Ryan over for the day (Joe’s parents), or offers to come up and baby-sit for a few hours (my dad and step-mom), or stops by for a short visit, playing with the boys for half an hour, to give me a break (my dad), or listens to me rant and rave, and vent (my mom) never judging me, but giving me practical and loving advice, so I can keep going.

In those early days after having Cole, who demanded I was with him at all times, the grandparents were lifesavers, in helping me with Ryan, so he still felt special, and also helping me with Cole- holding him, so I could take a shower, or just get a break.

Whenever my well is dry, these incredible people are waiting in the wings to help re-nourish my supply. I gain a lot of comfort in knowing we have such a wonderful support system, but at the same time, allowing me to find my path as a mother.

I am not naïve to think I am a great mother, or even a good mother- I am just trying to do the best I can, but any good things I do as a mother is because of the love, and extra support my mother, Joe’s parents, and my parents offer to me. I would not be half the mother I try to be without their love, support, and guidance.

Becoming a mother involves so many changes and unexpected twists and turns. I didn’t grow up with grandparents, so I didn’t understand that special relationship-not only between the grandparents and grandchildren, but a new dimension to my relationships with my parents and in-laws. I never expected to need or have these relationships- and now I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

My boys love their grandparents so much, who light up every time they are around you. They have a special sparkle in their eyes that they have only for you, which I hope one day I’ll be able to see in my grandchildren’s eyes as well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Grandparents, for everything you do for us every day. It means more than you could possibly ever know. I love all of you!

Here are some special quotes regarding grandparents that I like. The quote at the top of this post by Alex Haley, is my favorite. Happy Grandparents Day to all!

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace. ~Christopher Morley

Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old. ~Mary H. Waldrip

The best baby-sitters, of course, are the baby’s grandparents. You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida. ~Dave Barry

A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do. ~Lois Wyse

Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven’t thought of yet. ~Gene Perret

It’s amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one. ~Author Unknown

Grandchildren: the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS. ~Gene Perret

If your baby is “beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,” you’re the grandma. ~Teresa Bloomingdale

What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I’d like to say that grandparents are God’s gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate. ~Bill Cosby

No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet. ~Author Unknown

A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween. ~Erma Bombeck

Cole Family & Friends Household Me Mothering Parenting Ryan

Five Years Ago Today

Five years ago today, Joe and I were married. All of my wedding pictures are in storage right now, so I took a picture of the two pictures we have in the house of our wedding. Interestingly, the photographer told us our wedding was the last wedding he was shooting with traditional 35mm film- after our wedding he was upgrading to digital. I remember thinking that sounded so technologically advanced, and never thought I would have a digital camera- how things can change in only five years.

Yes, how things can change in five years. Looking back at our wedding day, it almost seems like it was another lifetime ago! At times it seems like that our lives five years ago was the “calm before the storm,” and the “storm” being the wonderful two children we are blessed to have. Some of the obvious big differences between our lives in September 2002 and September 2007-

2002: I was a compulsive neat freak.

2007: Now if there is a teeny, tiny path, through my house, which I can walk through without stepping on a toy, I think my house is clean enough.

2002: Three loads of laundry a week was a lot.

2007: If I don’t have three loads of laundry a day, it has been a “light” day- (no one threw up, or covered themselves in jelly, dirt, mud, etc.)

2002: I thought tired meant not getting 8 hours of sleep. I actually have a degree in floral design (a new fact about me!), and I did the flowers for our wedding. I stayed up until 4am the Thursday night into Friday morning doing them. I got up around 9 or 10 the next morning- the day before the wedding, and I was just dragging all day.

2007: Getting five or six hours of sleep at a time is a GOOD, FULL night of sleep. I don’t plan on getting 8 hours of sleep in a row until the boys move out.

2002: Joe and I go out every weekend- usually starting around 8pm on Friday night for dinner, and a movie. Who cares if it was the late movie? We could sleep in as late as we wanted on Saturday.

2007: At 8pm Joe is usually giving the boys a bath, while I am doing the bedtime prep for Ryan and Cole. We have eaten hours ago; in fact when we go out to dinner now, we are usually eating with the senior citizens at the early bird special, because our kids like their dinner at 5.

Sleeping in on Saturday means 7am IF Ryan decides to sleep that late. Otherwise he wakes us up at 6:30, telling Dad especially he needs to get up and make him waffles.

2002: Joe and I had time for dates and quiet dinners at our favorite restaurants, sometimes with family and or friends.

2007: A date now is dinner with the kids at Noodles, and the only time we see friends is if I run into another Mom I know at Noodles, while she is trying to juggle her kids and food! Quiet dinner- yea right! I guess if neither boy is talking, screaming, laughing, crying, or banging their silverware against the table for more than 10 seconds that would count.

2002: I thought my life was complete- children would only add to it.

2007: My children are my life- I could not have imagined how much I love them- not only do they add so much each and every day, they are the best of Joe and I.

2002: I didn’t think I could love my husband more than on our wedding day.

2007: I love my husband more than on our wedding day. He is the best father I could have hoped and dreamed of for my children. I never considered my love would grow for him, when he became a father.

2002: I thought I was so fortunate to be marrying Joe, who I loved with all my heart. I thought I was pretty lucky!

2007: I am so fortunate to be married to a man, who I still love. Even when we are stressed, sleep deprived, and argue, we always manage to make-up, and get back to where we are “okay.”

Happy Anniversary!

Activities Cole Little Pumpkin Sweet Pea Designs Ryan School Work

Our Week of “Firsts”

We have had three big “firsts” around here this week.

The first, first was Ryan’s first day of preschool on Tuesday. He woke up early with Joe, and when I got downstairs to him, I told him today was the day he got to go to school! He smiled and said, “Oh yes, and I’m ready to go!” How’s that for enthusiasm? Here is a picture of him ready to go, right before we left. (He loves his blue lunch box- and he is smiling not crying) 🙂

He was very excited as I dropped him off. We were pleased to find out that another little friend that he has in his music class, was also in Ryan’s class. As the parents were leaving, Ryan realized that I would be leaving too. I asked him if he was ready for me to leave, and he said yes.

Then he got his little stressed out look on his face, and came up to me, and gave me a long hug. I knew my little guy was trying so hard to be a big boy! I asked him again if he was ready for me to leave. He nodded again, and said yes. So Cole and I left. Surprisingly, I was fine- I know he was going to have fun, and be well taken care of.

Cole and I ran errands, and had a productive morning. We picked Ryan up at 12:30, and his class was eating lunch outside. Ryan saw me and said, “Hi Mom! We’re just eating some lunch here!” I asked him if he had fun and he said, “Yes, and I didn’t even cry!” That got a laugh from his teachers. As we were leaving, Ryan gave one of his teachers a hug, so I figured he bonded well with her.

It was kind of weird driving home, and asking Ryan what he did. For the first time in his life, I do not know what he did for a large period of time, and have to rely on his version of what he did. He told me the teachers played a game with him, and he got to play in the sandbox. He also made a name tag with farm stickers on the front, and his hand-print, with the date of his first day of school on the back. Here is a picture of his first art project from school:

Later in the day, he started citing a rhyme that I have never heard before. He told me he learned it at preschool. He also started walking like a duck, which he has never done before, so it will be interesting to see these next few weeks what new and exciting things he does. I have to say, that his first day, couldn’t have gone better. He wants to go back next week. Yea!

Our second first, was my baby, got his first haircut! I have been hesitant to cut it, because for some reason, it seems like once he gets his first haircut, that will make him into a little boy, not a baby anymore. I also love the fact that he had curls in the back of his head. He looked so cute.

Tuesday morning though, his hair was matted and it was hard to comb through, even though his hair had just been washed last night. Plus, there was hair in his ears. It was just getting to dang long. He was starting to look like a little dog that needed to be groomed, instead of a cute baby boy. 🙂 So here are the “before” pictures I took of his hair Tuesday morning: (the little cut on his chin, is the result of a fall on the cement last night at the park)

After Joe got home from work, we took him to get his first haircut:

He fussed and had a few tears, but no major screaming fest (unlike his older brother, who until recently, would rather give up Mac & Cheese -his favorite food-, then have his hair cut). It went well, and his stylist even gave some of his locks in an envelope. Here is the finished result!

I am very happy with how his hair turned out: he still looks somewhat like a baby (to me, anyway,) and the stylist kept some curl in the back. I tried to get a picture of the back of his head, but he would not cooperate!

Now for my shameless plug: if you like Cole’s shirt that he is wearing in the “after” pictures, it says, “What Happens At Grandma’s Stays At Grandma’s,” it is available in my on-line store, Little Pumpkin Sweet Pea Designs.

Cole even let Ryan play barber last night and comb his hair in the tub, and as it was drying. Ryan was combing it, and pretending to cut it. Cole was laughing, so maybe he’ll actually like getting his hair cut. I can hope at least!

Finally, the third first, is I started my first day at my new job on Wednesday. As I wrote in a previous post, I was offered a part time job, one day a week for now. It is at an accounting firm and I am doing bookkeeping and business management.

My first day went great, after I got over my nerves. It has been almost seven years since I started a “formal” job! The owner is really nice, and I will be working directly with her. I think I am really going to learn a lot from her. The other women in the office were really nice and helpful as well, and I know I’ll enjoy working there a lot.

Joe’s parents have graciously offered to watch Ryan and and Cole, while I am at work, and Grandma said everything went well there too. She said Cole only cried once, when she was trying to get him to sleep. When I arrived to pick them up, Cole smiled at me from the door, and then turned around to go back and play!

This was the longest we have ever been away from each other since he was born, and he just trotted off, like he had important things to get to. I nursed him for a few minutes, and then he slid off my lap, and immediately went back to sit on Grandma’s lap. I guess my ‘baby’ is becoming a little boy. I am very happy though, he did so well, had fun, and obviously bonded with Grandma. 🙂

Today, Ryan said he wanted to go back to Grandma’s “all day,” so he enjoyed himself too.

All and all, our “firsts” involved change and some nerves, but we all got through them, and are looking forward as these new changes, mesh into our lives in the upcoming months.