Sunday, July 31, 2016

Pacis and a staple

It was an eventful week at our house. 

Ainsley had "wee-camp" at her preschool this week. Sort of like VBS but in the mornings. So she has loved going to that, and it has given me a few hours to be productive and spend time with just Parker. 
Friday morning I went for a run, came home, Parker and I had lunch and I put him in the playroom while I did dishes. Somehow, in the matter of maybe a minute, he somehow got on top of Ainsley's little wooden table (which has has never done before) , then fell backwards onto the corner of the bookshelf. He cried for a bit but not like crazy upset. And when I pulled his head in to kiss his forehead, I felt something on my palm. I pulled my hand back and saw it was covered in blood. I mean he wasn't even crying anymore at this point. I looked at the cut and decided I should wake Philip up and have him look at it. He glanced at it but was pretty out of it. I brought P back upstairs and it was still bleeding. I was able to hold him still long enough to see it was pretty deep and needed a staple. I had to go back downstairs and wake Philip up. He came up, cleaned his head up while I held him and then he popped one little staple in his head :( I was very mad at myself but am thankful after some Tylenol Parker doesn't seem to know it's even there. 

 We also decided it was time for Ainsley to say goodbye to her paci. Well, and the dentist said get rid of it. Yes, I know she's 3.5 years old. And I know she could have easily gotten rid of it a long time ago. But it is the last "baby thing" she does and I haven't wanted to take it away from her. She loves it and I am weak. Don't judge me
Anyway, we told her we were going to send her pacis to heaven. We've actually been telling her that for several months and finally bit the bullet. Philip got a huge (I mean biggest balloon I've ever seen) Frozen balloon and we tied her pacis to the bottom of it. we went to the back yard and she sent her pacis to heaven. She waved and said bye them to them until the balloon was a little speck in the clouds. the video could be the sweetest thing you'll ever see. 
She didn't realize what she did until last night when she didn't get to sleep with her paci. It was heartbreaking. She asked if she could have one of Parkers pacis. She asked me to pray her pacis came back. She said she didn't want to be a big girl and she really wanted her pacis back. Then, she remembered she had a coral paci she didn't send up on the balloons (I kept one just in case!). She's a smart one. But she made it through the night and we are so proud of her. But also very sad. 
Oh and Parker rode in the front of the grocery cart for the first time. 
And he had his first pickle. 
Oh, and he's walking all over the place.i can't even y'all. They are growing up too fast! 

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Road America

Last week we loaded up the truck (and trailer) and headed to Wisconsin! There is a race track there called Road America that is on Philip's bucket list of tracks. So we started off on our 9 hour trek. We were amazed at how well the drive went. Parker napped on his usual schedule and we were shocked to look back and see Ainsley asleep with him. she never sleeps in the car! 
we drove 5 hours the first day and stayed just outside of Chicago. The kids were so happy to be out of the car. and that we let them play with things they normally aren't allowed to. 
The next day we only had about 3 hours left to drive so we had lots of time to check out the resort before our room was ready. It was a very nice place- I would love to go back! 
The next day kim and I plus kids met Philip and Ryan at the track to cheer Daddy on and hang out. The kids loved the trailer and I must *begrudgingly* admit that it was a very nice addition. 
The second session of the first day, me, Kim and the kids were watching Philip drive with Ryan riding. We headed back to the trailer when the kids got hungry. After a bit we noticed that no cars had been around the track in awhile. and come to think of it, they guys should have been back by now. So I went out and asked the guys set up next to us if they knew of anything going on on track. They told me there had been an announcement for "no passing on turn 10" which was a turn on the opposite side of where we were. He told me to find someone with a radio/headset to ask if there had been a wreck. So I chased someone down and she told me someones motor had blown up. I ran back, told Kim, but we didn't really know what that meant. I went back out just to see a tow truck pulling Philip's car. I literally almost puked. I grabbed the closest person to me and told them that was my husbands car and I needed to find my husband. he sort of looked at me like I was crazy and pointed to the cab of the tow truck. where philip and ryan were sitting. I wanted to smack and hug him all at once. I was shaking all over and it took me over an hour to calm down. Turns out his engine blew and part of his car caught fire. His car was done for and he wouldn't get to race anymore that weekend. He was upset and I was really bummed for him. 
He took some time to be sad but then decided to make the best of the awesome resort and beautiful weather. We walked to a cafe called "Off the Rail" that had amazing breakfast by the train tracks. We spent the next two mornings at the lake and everyone had so much fun. There was a beach cafe that we ate lunch at. And when it rained for a few hours we all went to the indoor pool and whirlpool. We walked around the quaint little town and stopped at a concert where Ainsley and Jack (and Barbie) danced and danced. 
ainsley eating her apple in the water. parker on his blanket. 
my little cuddle worm
Ainsley and Jack had such a good time playing in the lake. They built sand castles, buried their feet, picked up beetles, and ran amuck. We also visited the pools there (two outdoor and one indoor) but I don't have pictures of us there. Parker is taking after his Uncle Bubby and Aunt Rachel- he did NOT like the sand. He would step on it then pick his foot up and look at us like 'gross'. 

At night we threw all the kids in a big bath tub and Philip scrubbed them down. Ainsley got a king sized bed all to herself and LOVED it. (we are now in the process of turning her bed into a full sized real bed- I can't handle it). 
Sunday Philip booked massages for Kim and I at the resorts' spa. It was wonderful and very relaxing. and since the kids were still napping when we were done- we got to go lay at the pool kid free for a little bit! 

The nine hour drive home on Monday was a long day- but the kids did great. We made it home in right at 9 hours. Philips car is at the car hospital and we are hoping it might be an easy fix. 

The weekend didn't go quite as planned, and while Philip is pretty bummed he didn't get to race his car more- at least we enjoyed a fun family vacation with great friends. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

11 months


I can not believe my baby boy has been with us 11 months. next month he will be ONE. i seriously can not handle it- i will probably cry at his party. 
These pictures sum him up: always on the move and wanting to walk everywhere! 

Height/ weight/ size:  he hasn't been for an official check up since 9 months. But he is in 12-18 month clothes. Size 4 diapers. 
Eating: whoa. This kid is serious about some food. He eats steak faster than his daddy. He still takes 4 8oz bottles a day. He has moved up to the "pouches" of food and lots of table food. Pretty much everything but dairy:) although he did get a taste of his sisters ice cream when I wasn't looking. I came back and his face was covered in pink. she was so proud she shared, I couldn't get mad. 
He is a champ at drinking from a straw and uses his sippy cup with water when he eats now. 
his first slushy! 
Sleeping: He is *finally* consistently sleeping through the night. He wakes up 630-730 (although 2 nights ago he slept until 830!). He still takes a short morning nap (15-30 min) and then takes a big afternoon nap around 1-330/415 when his sissy does. 
Physical: he still has blue eyes. His hair is blonde and curly! He looks like a little surfer boy - and I am in love. He has a little mark on his left shin- a tiny birthmark? 
he looks a lot like his daddy:) 
He still only has two bottom teeth

New things
He can wave (mostly backwards) 
Say da da and some other babbling 
He loves to clap 
He is starting to walk! He has walked about 10 feet so far on his own. His balance gets better every day:) 
He is obsessed with his gray knitted blanket. He sleeps with it, carries it around, lays on it, he even ate with it yesterday. 
He is a waller-bug and climbs and lays all over you
he is starting to try to point at things
inconsistently signs "more"
just wants to play with sissy and her toys, and she is still not having it (aka going to time out) 
Philip couldnt handle him riding around in a pink car 


Summa summa time

Let's be honest. at the start of summer I was anxious and apprehensive about having so much FREE TIME with just me and the kids. no school for ainsley, no BSF for all of us, no more working for me. The thought was daunting and I was not sure how I would handle keeping two little ones occupied all summer. And while summer is definitely not over yet- I am happy to report that so far- it has been such a sweet and fun time for our family. 

We have loved taking walks. to the park and to the "beaver" (we live by a walking path that takes you to the local elementary school playground. but also to under a overpass where we have spotted a beaver/groundhog and see him hiding a lot. 

We have taken weekly trips to the library where A gets to go the computer and pick out a princess book, then go find it on the shelf. 

We have been to our neighborhood pool (mostly just when Philip is home to go with us) and Ainsley is quite the water bug. 

we had made countless obstacles courses 
ainsley has been taking gymnastics monday mornings and seems to be enjoying it 

we set up the sprinkler and let the kids and jackson run amuck in the back yard 

its just been nice having no schedule and just enjoying them. well, not always enjoying them. I mean some days are hard and some days I call my mom and tell her to come rescue her grandchildren. but thats normal right? :) 
some mornings on his way home, Philip brings me coffee. and on rare occasions, Ainsley gets hot chocolate:)
she wore her anna dress to target. she was a hit. 
Monday night we went to the Bluegrass County Fair. and had a BLAST. ainsley was not scared to ride anything and on the rides she was allowed to, insisted she ride by herself. philip and I got to take her up on the ferris wheel (thanks for watching parker erin!) and she loved being up that high. 
she seriously had so much fun and the pure joy on her face was priceless. Parker rode around just taking it all in. and wanting all the fair food he could have. Ainsley's dinner consisted of a snow cone, ice cream, and a slushy. I want to remember it all so here are lots of pics from our night. 
On to our next adventure today- Road America, Wisconsin!