Bode at 4

Wow. The leaps and bounds you've made this year! You've done a lot of OT and it has helped immensely with your sensory processing issues. You've always been a happy child, but now we see that more frequently.

At age 4 you are:

• using the potty! Woo hoo! Woo hoo!! Maybe someday you'll poop in it, but we're taking what we can get right now

• riding a 2-wheeler with training wheels

• favorite foods are whole wheat waffles with jelly, any kind of treat, chicken nuggets, broccoli

• Phrases: "Oh Brudder!" "Yep! I sure did!" --"i'm cwuisin'!" That's' awesome! Cool! I'm smokin' ya!" One new phrase that is causing a problem is "Dat's not choosing da wight." You say this whenever you're admonished or disciplined (and you're not saying it about yourself/your choices, but about ME). You used it on your friend Mariann who is in the CTR5 class and she was quite offended and you ended up in a timeout for the fight that ensued!
  
• are doing this hilarious "thumbs-up" gesture that totally cracks us up

• favorite toys are the GeoTrax trains and trucks and the elliptical trainer in the basement (not meant to be a toy, but whatever keeps you happy...)
  
• imagination and pretend play is a huge thing lately. You've had pretend friends over for hours and admonished me for not cutting up one friend's "food" very well. Not enough effort on my part. Sorry kiddo. Today there was a lot of lava to be dealt with outside by the playset
  
• are awesome with Keegen. When you were still in nursery and he was crying you really tried to help him feel better and play. Last night, you were so patient with him as you showed him how to recharge and use the remote control cars.
  
  
• do well in your classes. Preschool is going great and you love Sunbeams, mostly (apparently) because you rock at Bingo
  
  
• love to read. You really enjoy storytime and discovering new books
  
  
• are starting to put letters together to make words
  
  
• do a bang-up job writing the alphabet and your name, "DAD" and "MOM"

• are very perceptive and notice lots of details i think most people wouldn't see

• are most willing to talk at bedtime. Not so much during the day. It's almost as though you need the hours of the day to process that day's events and then you have lots to say. So we have a nice little bedtime chat each night where you tell me what was good (or, as you said tonight, "I'm going to tell you everything that made me Super Happy today!") and things that bugged you; etc.
  
  
• are 40 pounds and 42" tall and wear a size 12-13 shoe

Oh and so much more. You are a sensitive, fun, persistent little guy. You are learning so much everyday and it's a beautiful thing to hear you say, "I'll do it myself...I want to try...I can do it...I want to help..."

Dried Up

As my sister informed me this morning, my "blog is dry." And she is right. I've hit a sort of blogging lull. It's not that i don't have anything to say (although there's not much going on in my life and what is going on would sound like a lot of complaining, soooo). I am just so incredibly TIRED. My doctor tells me it's just "because you're a mom." Really? I'm this completely drained by motherhood? Hmmmm.

I do have some things i'd like to post about, once i get over this hump and just make myself sit and think and write.

What my doctor doesn't know is that it's probably because all i've been eating lately are Girl Scout cookies and leftover Valentine's candy. But whatever.

Memberships Has Its Privileges

COSTCO OPENED TODAY IN COLORADO SPRINGS!!!!!! 15 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Phew. I am exhausted.

Today is the grand opening of the Colorado Springs East (a new one is being built on the westside as well). Apparently, CS is finally worthy and maybe even up-and-coming in the whole shopping arena?? I tell you what. All that i'm lacking here is a Trader Joe's...Well, and an IKEA. And a Sweetwater Tavern. OK. Reality check. COSTCO IS HERE!!!

I realize i must sound slightly pathetic, but having grown up with Costco and all my adult life having shopped at Costco, it's been sorely missed. The other stores like Costco just do not compare. So Angela and i got the big boys off to school and took the two little ones to check it out.

The place was PACKED. (Hello? Mr. Trader Joe?? You should have seen it! That will be the Trader Joe's in CS if you build it! PACKED! I promise!). Seriously. The parking lot had easily twice as much space as the Arundel Mills Costco and people were circling the lot again and again and stalking shoppers as they came out. I made my own spot on the diagonal white lines. People were waiting in a ridiculously long line outside to get their memberships (and per news reports, waited hours yesterday too). Luckily i still had an active membership. I was giddy when i got inside. Seriously better than Prozac. Did i mention it was packed, though? That part was annoying. I like a little room to move with my cart (or "buggy" as i hear so many people here call them!). They were selling Mammoth (AKA Fuzzy) Crocs. Holy cow. it was all i could do to contain myself. My boys do not need more Crocs at this point but i was thinking about stocking up for the future! Anyway. It was fun. Love the produce. They had quite a few environmentally-friendly things (paper towels, fragrance and dye-free detergents). They did NOT however have my Lucky jeans that i am so desperately in need of. There were employees going around with platters of their ice cream and smoothies and croissants. Man. Too much fun.

Angela made me proud and bought 4 pairs of Crocs for her kids and plans to take the older two back to get some as well. Being long time Sam's Club members, i think she was impressed with Costco (it's clean! it's bright! they have high-quality stuff!). I ran into a number of people i knew which was such a nice feeling after living here for almost 2 years. I've missed seeing familiar faces out and about.

OK. Anyway. It was a treat. i didn't get a chance to check out the books and music and clothing (other than asking if they had Lucky brand) so i must get back there soon! Keegen was covered from head to toe in ice cream (they just kept giving us more when he'd run out) so he was loving the place, too.

Evidently, it takes very little to make me happy.

Things That Turn Me On

Woo. Loooooooong weekend. I was on-call and figured it was a good weekend to have to stay close to home since my house is totally trashed. I'd be at home cleaning and laundering and all that good stuff. No such luck. I put 125 miles on my van going back and forth to the hospital taking care of emergency surgery recoveries. Yowza. The only good thing about this is that i'm paid time and a half (too bad they don't pay mileage on the car! Sheesh!). So today i went out and bought a new vacuum that i'm already in love with. It was $100 off it's usual price of $350. Consumer Reports rated it #1 upright (even over the Dyson!) so i figured it was worth a try! My carpet hasn't looked fluffy in the 2 years we've lived here. The vacuum tells me when the dirt is all up. Gotta love it.

I am so totally exhausted though. I guess it's age. I'm just not able to bounce back after being up all night. (I worked Friday 11a-8:30p, got home at 9p, fell asleep at 10p and was called back in at 11p. Stayed until 4a, went home and was called in again at 11a, and so it went ALL WEEKEND LONG!). But hey, i got a vacuum out of it. What more could a girl ask?

If you don't have the volume on, turn it up! This is one of my favorite songs and it seems very appropriate for this "getting rid of dirt" post...(the rest of my playlist is at the very bottom).

Valentine Meme

(I thought this was cute and appropriate for the day so i stole it from Kristen. Thanks!)

Not our engagement picture. Just a favorite of mine from 2001.

1. Where/How did you meet?
We met ice skating in college. His sister's roommate was my friend in nursing school and she invited me and Doug's sister invited him and the rest is history.

2. How long have you known each other?
11 years as of this past December

3. How long after you met did you start dating?
Gosh. He asked me out that night (via his roommate) and we went on a "group date" the following weekend. Then we all went home for Christmas break. He called at the end of the first week back at school after the break and we were dating from then on.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
A whopping 6 weeks (or 9 if you count the group date and the break)

5. How long was your engagement?
6 months

6. How long have you been married?
10 years

7. What is your anniversary?
August 19th, 1997

8. How many people came to your wedding reception?
No clue. I guess i have a guest book somewheres...I wanted to keep the wedding small and the reception was bigger (but still probably no more than 80-100 people?)

9. What kind of cake did you serve?

Chocolate with raspberry filling

10. Where was your wedding?
Washington DC LDS Temple in Kensington, Maryland. The reception was at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia.

11. What did you serve for your meal?
We had a lovely hotel catered buffet. I hear it was really good.

12. How many people were in your bridal party?
I decided to have just my sister and my sisters-in-law, so 3 for me and Doug just had his brother Randy as his best man.

13. Are you still friends with them all?
Sure thing.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony?
Absolutely.

15. Most special moment of your wedding day?
It was all so great. The wedding itself was beautiful. Loved the Navajo prayer. I really enjoyed the reception and that it was on the casual side (it was in a sort of "formal living room" in the Marriott and was more of an openhouse feel which works for me). People came and ate and mingled and it was a comfortable, easy sort of celebration. It was fun walking out of the reception through the multitude of bubbles being blown our way.

16. Any funny moments?

The whole "removing of the garter" episode. My mom made me this beautiful garter but it was a little too big, so to keep it on during the reception i'd hiked it all the way up my thigh. And forgot to put it down lower. So Doug just had to reach higher, and higher, and higher so my dress stayed down and there are no fun leggy pics for fear of really exposing me-self.

17. Any big disasters?
Not that i recall. I was pretty much blissfully unaware that day. Just showed up to a party in my honor.

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We spent a week in Oregon and split the time between the Columbia River Gorge and the coast.

19. How long were you gone?

One week then we skeedaddled back to Utah to start our final semesters of college

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change?
I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe i wouldn't have argued with my mom over so many things and let her take control from the beginning because it was really a treat and stress-free for me in the end.

21. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
I pretty much take the whole thing. For the most part though, the right side.

22. What size is your bed?
King. Not nearly big enough.

23. Greatest strength as a couple?
We really like each other and balance each other out pretty well. I used to joke that Doug's the one who makes sure we laugh and i'm the one who keeps the roof over our heads (i.e. pay the bills; etc.). But we've evened out over the years. He's still the one with the sense of humor.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple?
Parenthood (also our greatest blessing, but it sure is a challenge)

25. Who literally pays the bills?
I do.

26. What is your song?
Alison Krauss "When You Say Nothing At All"

27. What did you dance your first dance to?
Dancing?! At my wedding?! I think not.

28. Describe your wedding dress:
Short-sleeves with a beaded bodice (?), empire waist, buttons down the back and just a short manageable train. I loved it. Simple. Just right for me.

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
I wanted white tulips but since it was late August, tulips weren't much of an option. So i had a beautiful bouquet of all sorts of white and cream flowers.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved?
No. I've thought about doing that but haven't. I thought it would be fun to engrave something in Russian on Doug's. Mine is a simple white gold band with alternating diamonds and emeralds. I like the emerald accent and was excited to find a way to incorporate my birthstone into my ring. And i'm happy to report that even though i was just a child when i picked out our rings, i still love them!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Release date August 2, 2008! Need i say more??!

A Thoroughly Enjoyable Day/Long Rambly Post

I've prematurely scooched a post about a great giveaway on my friend's site. So scroll down to the next post to get to that link!

Except for the fact that the day began and ended with horribly poopy 4-year old underpants, today was a great day. After 3 weeks of being sick, we're all well. During these past weeks, B has been incredibly challenging. I've been chalking it up to being sick and completely out of our routine, but i'm watching him to see if he improves or if maybe we need to have a tuneup with our occupational therapist. He'd been doing awesome (and i need to post specifically about his improvements) but he's really had a hard time these past weeks. He's been extra stubborn and defiant, had really low frustration tolerance and just plain difficult. Sensory overload? Or what?

So what was so great about today? It was just a very normal day. B finally went back to school. He brought cupcakes for his class to celebrate his birthday since he missed it when he was sick. K and i went to the park while B was at school. Didn't last long since K is kind of wimpy when it comes to the cold. But i used to spend everyday at the park with B and i need to start doing more of that with K (and need to stop letting the weather dictate so much!). So we went home and we just played together. I haven't been doing that nearly enough. Once again, i used to play one-on-one with B all the time and K hasn't gotten as much of that kind of interaction with me. K also went off and played upstairs BY HIMSELF at one point which is utterly amazing. I think he's so used to having a built-in playmate in B that he hasn't learned to play by himself as well, so that was nice to see. We picked B up from school. He was happy and the cupcakes were a hit. We came home and the boys played really well. Like, shockingly well. For a long time. I could get used to that. Had a little lunch. Played some more. K went down for a nap. And B told me he'd rather take a nap with me than do quiet time in his room. I was skeptical and told him if he was just going to thrash and be obnoxious and not sleep that he'd have to leave and go finish quiet time in his room. He assured me he wouldn't do such things. And he was right. He fell asleep within about 15 minutes. I napped with him for about 30 more and then snuck off to read my book and let him sleep for TWO WHOLE HOURS. I got two whole hours to myself!!!! I got to watch Oprah for the first time in YEARS! K took a nice, long nap too. Beautiful.

Once both boys were up, it was 4:30. We took off to dinner at Ruby's (which was great) and then a fun shopping trip for B. The point of the shopping trip was for him to see the reward in his new potty chart. FOREVER i have offered things in reward for him using the potty and he's never been interested. But the other night, i had a talk with him before bed about having a sticker chart for it and he was actually interested and possibly even mildly excited. I fully realize that a sticker chart for potty usage is far from original or new. It just happens to be the first time he's actually responded positively about it. Anyway. Apart from still not pooping in the potty (ARGH!) he's done really well staying dry, which is HUGE since it felt like we were slipping back to day one (a whole year ago)(another problem since we've been sick). Anywho. He was very excited. He had FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS to blow and he knew exactly what he wanted. It ended up being $8 so i made up the difference for him this time and boy was he happy. We've done nothing but talk positively about his excellent potty usage (OK. I admit i wasn't very positive when he casually informed me he was poopy this evening but that's because that WASN'T potty usage!). And dare i hope/say he'll get it this time?

It ended up being a much later night than usual for the boys (which was fine since they both took long naps much later in the day than normal) which was weirdly a nice change of pace. I'm usually so past ready to get them in bed and instead when we got home we enjoyed his new toy for awhile and then did the bedtime routine; etc.

Part of what is helping me with my dear sweet B is the book i'm reading Raising Your Spirited Child. I've known about it for a long time and am so happy that i'm finally reading it. I'll have to do a separate post on that one soon.

And i have another long post in my head, but it's 1AM here and i really need to go (back) to bed!

SIGG Giveaway

Check out Kristen's site for a fantabulous giveaway! I love these bottles. Good luck!

Bode's Birthday Celebrations

This post is a little late. Obviously, the big gift for Bode was his new two-wheeler. I was glad in the end that i didn't plan a party because both boys ended up being sick (and remain sick but have finally been sick long enough that their doctor gave them antibiotics. Gotta love it). We ended up just doing a family-all-day-long-birthday-party. I thought about taking the boys to the zoo, but the weather ended up nixing that idea. i was trying to think of things we could do without possibly infecting other children...

For a late breakfast (late because two supremely cranky children wouldn't get with the program) we went to Ruby's. Doug was able to join us which was a rare treat. As always, Bode enjoyed the overhead toy trains and the cartoons. He and Keegen were each given a balloon and they got their penny gumball on the way out the door.

We went home, played, said "yes" to just about everything Bode asked for (candy, TV, computer games; etc.). After nap/quiet-time, the day was getting very long. So Keegen decided to go ahead and give Bode his birthday present from him (rather than wait for dad). He gave him Lincoln Logs, which were a huge hit and we immediately made one of the forts for Marshall Stone and his trusty steed...
Once Doug got home, we had yellow cake with chocolate frosting for dinner. Doug was a little confused by this but quickly got on board as i was totally burned out and happy to feed my children dessert for dinner once in their lives if this will save me some hassle. Happy children were they.
Then we went to our room (for some reason i decided we'd open presents on my bed. i think i was really really tired). There were just way too many gifts. Seriously. We got him one gift on top of his bike and the others were from very generous family. In fact, we opened two and stopped for awhile. Opened one more just to cover both sides of the family and saved the rest. He just finished opening the last one yesterday. So. I think we managed to stretch his birthday out fairly well. And i still think i'll have a large at-home playdate for him in honor of his big 4th. Cake, balloons and fun? Definitely. But no presents. My kids are spoiled enough as it is!

Gold Miner

Keegen's made a new discovery...

We've honestly never had a nose-picker before. I was presented with one of his treasures today, "Here Mommy." Much like a cat brings a headless mouse to the door. Lovely.

Meme

Kristen tagged me for this one...

In the Past year (I'm using 2007):
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Sadly, this one is SO easy. Some background: I was at work taking care of a few post-op patients. One of them was a 13-year old girl. She had just had a knee scope. The vast majority of our pediatric patients are ENT--tonsils and adenoids, ear tubes, cochlear implants, dental restoration. I have never had a peds patient with anything else. That being said, i went in, introduced myself, did my assessment on her (heart, lungs, vital signs, checked the extremity of her surgery). Then, continuing on in my efficient manner, i grabbed my handy-dandy flashlight and asked her to open her mouth so we could get a look at "where her tonsils used to be" and invited her mom to come take a look so she could know what it's supposed to look like. Her mom got up and played along until, just as i'm about to stick the tongue depressor in her mouth i have the terrible realization of what i've said and am doing. I laughed and certainly turned red and apologized and said something like, "Wow, do i inspire confidence or what?" The dad said he thought it was hysterical. The grandma said she thought i must have meant something about the tube they had down her throat for the anesthesia. The mom said nothing. MORTIFIED i tell you. All i can say is that i was on autopilot ("oh, a peds patient, i'll put my flashlight in the room she's coming back to so i'm ready for her assessment"), extremely tired, a little bit sick, had other post-tonsil patients that day and obviously not firing full neurons up there. Thankfully i can laugh at myself and shared it with my co-workers who got a laugh at my expense. And the dad was still laughing when they wheeled her out. Her mom? Not so much. I just can't believe i checked her knee and then continued on with the whole tonsils bit. Ok. Enough about that.

What are you proudest of achieving?
Hmmm. This is a hard one. This year has been a blur. I guess i'm proud of going ahead with my decision to go back to work part-time and all the things that involves--renewing my license, all the orientation, getting the kids to the sitter on the days i work and all of the organization it takes to do it all right (except the example above!).

What would you do differently with the benefit of hindsight?
I would have been the bigger person and gone and talked to my neighbor sooner and gotten over the issues.

What did you love about last year?
Bode's vast improvements and watching Keegen grow into himself.

In the Next year (I'm using 2008):
What do you want to say you accomplished next year on this day?
I really need to make exercise a part of my routine again. I used to love to run and spent lots of time at the gym. So specifically, I'd like to say i ran the Bolder Boulder. It's a 10K on Memorial Day. Here's hoping i won't be on-call for work!

What are you looking most forward to in the next year?
Traveling more. I've decided to go from part-time at work to per diem, meaning i will not have a set schedule and pick up time only if co-workers need unexpected time off, coverage for vacations and filling in on high-volume days. I made this decision long before Angela's "I'm moving" bombshell. I like having set days that i work, but being part-time has meant i have very little flexibility in my personal schedule. This way i say when i am and when i'm not available. So. I'm already planning a trip to SLC with the boys next month, with a friend a little later, the Boulder run, maybe a trip to Idaho to see family and friends, maybe a trip to DC this summer and we have a family reunion in August that i'll now be able to attend. I'm looking forward to having my life back a bit more. Working just two days a week ended up tying me down more than i'd expected (due to all of the unexpected on-call, but that's another story).

What goal of yours are you most tantalized by?
Hmmmm. Tantalized? Maybe i don't live life deeply enough. I'm gonna have to give this one some thought. Do i not have goals? Hmmm. I would really like to get a super-nice digital camera and get back to some of the creativity i used to have. But that's as far as i've gotten on that one.

If you knew you only had the next year to live, what would you make sure to do? What is stopping you?
I think if this scenario were the case, i'd stop sweating the little stuff so much! What's stopping me? My freaking Type A personality! (Thanks Dad!)

Boy Genius & Slang Kid

Tonight, Keegen was rooting around the pantry (as usual) and brought me a box of Cheerios, which i told him he couldn't have (since I was making dinner). So he pulled the bag out and spilled a few. Eventually he got bored with them and went off to play. Then Doug came home and played with the boys and he saw the mess of O's on the floor and told Keegen he needed to clean them up--"Get a bowl and pick them up." Keegen sat at my feet next to the mess. i looked down and watched as he held an O in his hand, studying it. To which i thought to myself, "it really is just a lot of little moments that make motherhood enjoyable" because it was really such an adorable sight, him and his O's.

After a bit, Keegen was up rooting around in the pantry again. Lots of noise and banging. The child pulled out our little handheld Shark Vac (like a Dustbuster) and went to work on the Cheerios! The child cracks me up! Those little cogs in his brain were just a problem-solving away!

On the Bode-front, he and i were playing a game and this is the trash talk i got from him...

• "This is awesome!"
• "I'm CWUISIN'!"
• "I'm smokin' ya!"

And he did. He is the Bingo Champion.

I'm off to make them BG and SK capes...(just kidding. i have zero sewing skills. but wouldn't that be funny?)...

Beside Myself

I haven't posted for however long because we have been SO sick. So sick. There seems to be no end in sight. Coughing and hacking and snotty noses etc., etc. I have actually yelled at the boys to "stop coughing, already!!!!" Nice, eh? I took them to the doctor for what was supposed to be a well-child appt. She looked down their throats and practically jumped back, stating it was so red and swollen and pussy (eeeeeeew). But it came back negative for strep, so we're just riding out this lovely virus.

We spent the weekend in Breckenridge. It was gorgeous. Loads of snow. Doug had a great day of skiing. But the boys just weren't up for much. They did literally minutes of sledding and seconds of skiing (our friends have these cute plastic skis we strapped onto their boots!). I loved watching the snow fall out the huge back window and enjoyed watching the skiiers and boarders come down the hill behind the condo. The boys seemed to perk up a bit on Sunday, so we took them to the town toy store with a lovely play area (i know, spreading our germs!) and we had a fun lunch at Bubba Gump's. Surprisingly yummy.

Now we're home and i decided to send Bode to school even though he is still coughing. He does seem a little better--acting more like himself and not much of a runny nose. He lasted a little over an hour before the school called me to pick him up. They knew he wasn't feeling well when he wouldn't join the kids on the playground. He is desperate to play with Zeke (his "best friend") but i told him no way. And suddenly after telling me how sick he is he told me he's not sick (so Zeke can come over).

I talked to Angela when i got home. She's my friend, Zeke's mom and our daycare on the days i work. She needed to talk to me and i could tell it wasn't going to be good. Since we haven't seen each other in a couple weeks because of sick kids, she wanted to tell me "before the sign goes up." Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! They are moving. To Utah. Soon. I cried and then pulled myself together to get the details. It's a great move for them. Better job for her hubby, close to all their family (which i guess is a good thing). Selfishly, she is my best friend here in Falcon. She is my main village (as i've posted about before). But i think the worst part is that Zeke will be another friend who is "far far away." Bode and Zeke are inseparable. Ugh. Not to mention the daycare issue. That's the least of my worries right now.

I'm starting to wonder if this is where we're supposed to be. Literally all of my close friends in Falcon have left. Another one bites the dust could be my post title. I'm going to go soothe myself with some chocolate chip pumpkin bread...