Its For the Baby...

Expecting company is a great incentive to clean things up but - 

Cleaning with the kid is hit or miss. 

Sometimes he loves to help and we get a lot done. 

He gathers his own dust rag and spray bottle.

Other times? not so much... 

He unfolds, drags out, and disassembles. 

After putting him down for a nap, I ventured in to clean up the guest room disaster on my own.

My mom was coming for a long weekend and she needed to be able to at least enter the room. 

When the kids new furniture arrived, we simply shifted all the baby room stuff into the guest room for sake of time and ease. 

The baby stuff overflowed. Furniture, blankets, clothes, shoes, toys, the list goes on. 

I swore Abram out of there often, telling him its his old baby stuff. 

He's a big boy now. (He loves this:)) 

The kids room came together and the guest room stayed a wreck. 

As I cleaned, I put away and stashed away and donated. 

Time passed. The kid woke. 

"See how clean and nice? Mommy cleaned the - " 

Abram: GASP! "WHAT Happened?!?" 

"I cleaned it out honey. Mamaws comin'. It's Mamaws room." 

"But... But... But... that was for the baby...!"

"What was?" 

"The room. The Baby's Room." 

"What baby???" 

"The baby!" 

"We don't have a baby honey." 

"Not yet..." 

Oh My. 

Goin' Fishin'

I WANNA GO FISHIN' !! 

Its a line we'd been hearing for over a week. 

Ever since the kid waded into the brandywine creek and saw some fishies. 

He had fishin' on the brain. heavy on his mind. 

To reward his awesome behavior at the dentist on Friday (fourth appt, don't get me started), we waltzed into Walmart to buy a fishin' pole and bate. 

bait or bate? bait looks right...

Dad forked out the cash for a fishin' license. (who ever knew you need a license to fish?!?)

Saturday, after a few disappointing fishing locations, we settled at Hibernia State Park. 

With creek options and lake options, we hiked out to the creek first. 

Beautiful day and a beautiful spot! 

The creek was moving but not too quickly. 

The boys didn't have to constantly cast but could let it drift for a bit. 

Five minutes in - "UH! I'm not catchin' anything!"

Try to explaining the patience of fishin' to a 3 year old. 

Especially when you don't even know much about fishin' anyhow! 

He enjoyed reeling it in, helping Dad cast it, and picking different bait to try. 

About 15 minutes in this spot.... 

The fish aren't bitin! Let's try the lake! 

The lake was stocked with fish and somehow, despite their focus... 

We still came home fishless...  we could SEE them, but couldn't catch 'em! 

The kid stomped and whined the whole walk back to the car. 

"Whats wrong?" we inquired. 

"I neeeeedd a fish... i wanna catch one.....!" 

"I didn't get a fish...!!" 

"Honey, I'm sorry. We'll just have to try again another day. They aren't biting." 

"I nneeeeeeeddd a fish...!" 

The fix? Take him to the grocery to see the live lobsters. It worked like a charm:) 

Next time? Mom needs to take a book and - the boys need live bait?

Fathers Day celebrations

Fathers Day just plum wore us out this year. 

I tried to plan something low key but fun. and different. 

Last year we hit up a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives location - which rocked btw. 

So this year, I thought hey, why not repeat at a new DDD spot:) 

Sounded fun. and We love the show (Hi Guy!). 

This year. not so fun. or rocking. 

See my boys? The day just wore 'em flat out. 

They started the day in matching outfits. So cute i tell ya. and pink to top it off!

but after a 1 hr 45 min wait to get into Honey's Sit N Eat, the day ended with them slumped onto the sofa in wrinkles shirts and boxer shorts... 

The wait was hot. and L O N G. and L O N G E R. and hot. 

And the food? Well, it was good. probably better than average. 

but for that long of a wait, I needed to be blown away. we weren't. 

We finally returned home to relax. 

I wish I made a picture of dad's gift bag that he opened that morning. 

It contained: a framed picture of Abrams footprint as of the day before (so cute!), an Eddie Vedder CD, a fake mini tree courtesy of Abram, a rock from the yard, and a homemade fathers day card with a front cover of courtesy of artist abram and his new finger paints. 

The interior of the card, I wrote out my latest interview with the kid about Daddy.

It sums up the kid at age 3 pretty well... 

It Reads: 

Mom: Hey Abram, do you love Daddy? 

Abram: Yes! I do. umm.... No. 

Mom: Yes you do! Why? Why do you love him? 

Abram: because I really do! 

Mom: Ohhh, hey, where does Daddy work? 

Abram: At to the store. No. At to the hotel. 

Mom: Right. Why do you like Daddy's work? 

Abram: because I really do!

Mom: What does Daddy like to eat? 

Abram: Uh, Tacos! No, hotdogs! nothing else. Rice! No, I eat rice. 

Mom: What's Daddy's favorite animal? 

Abram: Dogs. 

Mom: Why does he like dogs? 

Abram: because he really do! 

And Now He's 3...

For his very first birthday, we took him to the Zoo. 

Second Birthday was a party at the park with lots of his little 2 year old friends!

This year, we sort of combined both. 

A day trip to the Zoo with our friends and their little boy.

And 3 little local friends over that night just for cake and ice cream.

He had all sorts of fun - All. Day. Long. 

He got to ride a camel. Score!

See ducks. 

Tell people he is now "3, like this". 

Brush goats with goat brushes with one of his best buds Cameron. 

Look at other (don't remember what) fun stuff with Mom. 

The Giraffes with Dad. 

We did have to say our goodbyes to the Smiths, some of our good friends! 

They're moving back to Pittsburgh:( Boo. 

It has been such fun seeing the boys grow up at the same time. 

Abram and Cameron said their goodbyes... 

As did the moms... 

 And the dads refused to have their picture made!

Abram napped the whole way home and rested up for his mini party that night.

He woke up just in time to snag a little dinner before his friends arrived.

And to pee himself as the first folks walked in.

Good Times! 

No photos of that, sorry!

But luckily we got a quick one of him blowing the candles, those 3 candles I promised him:) 

He handled the attention a bit better this round... 

And handled having his buddies here just silly fine... 

Loved catching all 3 boys shoving cake in their mouths!

And Miss Ava, our lone girl,  held her own so well with these silly boys!

And I think She used her Fork...

It was a big day. big fun. and big memories;) 

School time celebration

It was a school time celebration for the kid today. 

He's hitting the big 3. 

What better way to ring it in than with cupcakes with his best buds at preschool?

He moves up to the 3's class next week! 

And we're all adoring his new teacher Miss Linda!

He's there at the middle table, far right looking like he's in a trance. 

I couldn't even get silly boy to look at me. 

He was acting all sorts of funny! 

And not a ha-ha funny but a weirdo funny! 

He seemed suspicious?

And it didn't help matters that he was having a very bad hair day. 

Its a side-parted mohawk of sorts... not planned. at all. 

He didn't know how to handle all the attention! 

But he sure knew how to handle that CupCake:) 

And he got to come home early with Mommy. 

"Did you have fun Abram? at your party?"

"yeah (soft quiet voice). but you didn't light my candle."

"Well, i couldn't sweetheart. No open flame allowed at school!"

"but you didn't light it...." (insert sad face here)

"Well, on Saturday, your real birthday, i'll definitely light those candles!" 

"(grinning) Okay! a lotta lotta lotta of em!"

Happy Mothers Day

Mothers day morning, husband had plans for the kid and I... 

To go out gardening first thing in the morning is... well, not my thang. 

Gardening really isn't my thing. I so wish it was. I really do. 

But I kill things. I forget to water things. I just don't seem to do well with plants. 

Perhaps my luck will be better with trees. 

Not just any tree. But Our Tree. 

Mommy and Abram's Tree. 

Sugar Maple: Planted May 8, 2011 by Mommy & Abram

We planted that morning and that night, I opened by gift. 

A framed picture, dated, with a picture of us and our tree.  

The card from husband, explaining the significance of the tree, made me cry a little. 

I loved the frame. The Memory Made. The Love in my heart for this boy. and Our Tree:) 

10 years baby!

The blog is usually rambles about the kid. 

but today. 

the anniversary. 

mom and dad. 

10 years. 

yes. 

10!!!

We spent the day here. 

and i took 3 lousy pictures. well actually i took 2. the waitress took 1. 

 picture of us - the waitress (i don't like it but must post it!)

my handiwork, is the blurred photo above of NYC. 

and then this - 

No standing ANY time. Except authorized vehicles. 

I just couldn't get over this sign. 

Yes, those are my 3 pictures. 

None of the awesome stores or my awesome purchases. 

or of the incredible food. incredible. 

and none of the kid. he wasn't with us! 

but it was a great day. just the two of us.

we hardly knew how to handle ourselves.

we felt so - free? unattached? lightweight? 

we shopped and thrifted all day. 

we ate vegan food at lunch. 

and more vegan food at dinner. 

Thank you Candle 79 for an awesome anniversary dinner!

The best anniversary gift of all? experiencing parenthood together:)