7 Slow Takes

Yeah I know, it's supposed to be 7 quick takes but I have so much to catch up on since the last post! Just being honest with myself that this won't be quick.

1. Miles is Mr. Entertainer lately with all the witty things he's been saying.
Patrick changing...
"Daddy is naked baby!"

Me: Miles, what is daddy watching?
Miles: something weird...

Pottying in the toilet...
"I make bubbles!!!!"

Grant acting like a 1 1/2 year old...
"Gant! SO ANNOYING!!"

Miles: Big cock!
Me: Miles, you need to learn to say your "L"'s, they make a big difference sometimes.

Miles: I have apple pine?
Me: do you mean pineapple?

*Singing* "Bob builder, yes we can! Scoop, dizzy, Rollie. Bob Builder, yes we can!"

2. Our big camping trip this summer was at Lake Pearrygin again. It was great! It was a lot of everything, a lot of fun, a lot of extra-super-duper whiney/clingy Grant, a lot of beach time, a lot of family time, a lot of relax time, a lot of "cat-herding" AKA keeping Miles and Grant wrangled.

We all slept in the tent together for the first time and it went 100% better than expected. Maybe having no expectations adds into that percentage. The boys absolutely loved playing with their cousins, eating every meal outside, being dirty, swimming, and of course candy school. I thought they'd go nuts over the sand at the beach but they were surprisingly not very into it. Grant acted like it was shards of glass and basically didn't want to play in it until the last day, but he'll sit in his tiny sandbox at home that has a half a bucket of sand left in it and play for an hour. Weirdo.

Miles shimmied his way to the tent floor between the side and Grant's bed.

Par for the course, Grant.

Miles in the great outdoor's corner for time out.

3. We went to the Hands On Children's Museum for the first time. I had no idea how awesome it could be. My favorite part was knowing the boys could touch anything the wanted without breaking it and I didn't have to clean up afterwards. We spent 1 1/2 hours and could have spent 4. Grant's favorite thing (which isn't specifically for museums) was the train set. You know, those wood trains with all the wooden tracks. He grabbed a little train and started laugh-barking. He couldn't contain the excitement that it came out in the form of dog noises.

Miles LOOOOOOVED the farm/playhouse/bakery area. He's enjoying playing pretend so this was his game. When it was time to go he was the kid scream-crying as I pried the chicken and egg basket out of his hand, but not before he ran down the hallway with it, tripping and spilling eggs everywhere. 

4. We spent our Labor Day weekend visiting Patrick's family in Everett. It was wonderful to catch up with some of his Canadian relatives who hadn't met Grant yet. David and Rhonda have two new kittens which were super cute and the highlight of the weekend to the boys. Grant would scream-bark at the cats, thinking it was a meow, everytime he saw them. It was cute at first but made us all deaf by the end of the weekend.

 

 

 

5. Miles and Grant get to stay with David and Rhonda for a couple days this week *angels singing* It's really weird being home without them but very nice. Although I already miss them, well, only the cute parts right now, I know I'll be beyond ready for them to come home in a few days. It's not l;ike I'm doing anything fun or exciting unless carpet clean and vent dusting tickles your fancy.

 

6. September already! I'm ready for fall to commence. I'm pretty sure I say that every year at the end of summer, but I'm really excited for layered clothes, bundled babies with red noses, hot cocoa, and a schedule to our week again as we get back in the swing of Confirmation and a 9 week course of Financial Peace University by yours truely Dave Ramsey.

 

7. Anyone else out there as captivated by Breaking Bad as Patrick and I are? This season has us slack jawwed after every episode and pining for the next one. We're bummed it's the last season of the show but glad to see such a good show go out on a high note.

Summer Routine

Ha, summer routine. As if it's any different than our fall, winter, or spring routine. Okay, I guess it's a tad different because we don't hermit-up in the house because it's raining cats and dogs. Now that we're getting some real sun and heat we've settled into a sort of lax routine that basically consists of being outside as much as possible sprinkled with a Curious George episode for recess and naps. Since the boys are older it is much easier to get out and go instead of thinking about the million things I need to pack and plan for with a toddler and nursing baby like I had to last summer. I mean, Grant couldn't even sit up until the end of summer!

It's beginning to be fun being a mom. Not that it wasn't fun before but there was much more work and exhaustion involved. Trying to figure out what Miles was whining about has been resolved by real words and waking up to nurse Grant and trying to keep the boys constantly entertained was hard! There are still things that are difficult now and as the boys grow and we add to our family the difficulties won't go away completely, they will only change.

I'm enjoying the stage we're in right now. I'll still be in the "trenches" of motherhood for a while but I'll go ahead and soak up this new toddler independence, non-pregnant, non-nursing, potty-training time while I still can. Things are easier. I feel like I can really enjoy the boys rather than anticipating and planning for the next thing they need and trying to just get through the day. This "break" is nice and very much needed. I feel a foreshadowing effect coming on as I type those last sentences...

All this to say we went to the farm today! It was awesome.

Awesome in the fact that the boys could run around and poke the animals (no stroller! Gasp!) and would actually listen when I told them not to go too far (Que flashback to last summer where I was wearing Grant and chasing Miles yelling for him to stop and come back. So not fun).

Miles loved feeding the goats but the novelty wore off quickly when he couldn't figure out how to throw more than two oats at them.





This peacock was huge and loud. It kept shrieking and Miles got really scared.





I'm pretty sure we'll be coming back here to enjoy another picnic lunch with their apple cider and maybe a fresh doughnut for desert!

From the Mouth of Miles

Miles feeling my leg's 5 o'clock shadow:

Miles: What's this?

Me: Prickles. Can you say prickles?

Miles: Pickles. Sharp!

Miles is obsessed with the mailman:

Miles: Maymail!

Me: Mail Man.

Miles: Maymail!

Me: Say mail...

Miles: Mail.

Me: Say man...

Miles: Man.

Me: Now say Mail Man.

Miles: Maymail!!

Close enough. 

Don't worry, he's just puddle jumping in the street.

While looking at Nemo on his swim diapers:
Miles: What's this?
Me: Nemo from Finding Nemo. Remember that movie with the fish?
Miles: Elmo Nemo!

Miles always calls his drink coffee no matter what liquid is in it.
Me: Are you thirsty? Here's your water cup.
Miles: Oh! My coffee!!
...
Me: Here's you milk to go with dinner.
Miles: Oh! My coffee!!
I must drink too much coffee?

Grant is touching something he shouldn't be touching:

Miles: Gant! Ton't touch! Ton't touch Gant!

Thanks big brother for keeping an eye on Grant, then proceeding to join him in the forbidden activity.

7 Quick Takes

1. SUN!!! This week's weather outlook gets warmer every day ending with the low 80's on Sunday. So excited for this warm sun and hopefully get a little color, other than red, going on my skin. Also, sidewalk Chalk! I totally forgot about sidewalk chalk.

Miles and I were pushing this car back and forth and he kept calling it Hockey.

Miles loves to belly flop. Why? Biggest splash of course!

2. I started Basil from seeds a couple weeks ago and they sprouted. I was skeptical that anything would happen and I guess we'll see how green my thumb is when I go to transplant them outside. I love basil and hopefully I can stop spending our mortgage on a couple leaves at the grocery store.

3. Miles was doing something stinkerish and I told him to stop. He turned around and looked in the direction of the crucifix and said "Hi, Jesus!" Wow, what a great way to change the subject when you're getting in trouble!

4. Grant has started saying Momma and Dadda. It's super cute to hear his voice using real words instead of animal grunts.

5. I've been really into reading "mom blogs" lately not only because they're usually hilarious or have good household/child rearing ideas but because it's very affirming. It's wonderful to see all the hard work, craziness, joy, and fun that goes into raising kids put into words in a clever blog post. It's so relatable and makes me feel good knowing that it's totally normal that Miles does "machine gun whining" or Grant makes grunting noises that "grates against God's ears." (thanks for coining those phrases Camp Patton!)

6. Grant is becoming more of a Daddy's boy and I love it!! He won't hold my hand, only Dad's.

7. Now that it's been sunny and warm for more than a day I've had Lake Pearrygin on my mind. I'm SO excited to go this year! It's hard not to get too excited since it's still 2 1/2 months away but I can't help but think how much easier it'll be this year now that the boys are older. I won't have to nurse Grant every 2 seconds and put him down for three naps. Miles listens so much better and will have a blast. I. Can't. Wait.

Little Gem of a Bonus: One of my favorite faces Grant makes, his Pooping Face.

<-- POOP

Ah, much better -->