The need to scream

When preschool ended last year I was kinda glad not to have to go pick up Adam every day at 10:45am. But more than that I was excited that we would be able to go on more outings since we wouldn't have to wait till then to leave. We didn't do as many outings as I would have liked over the summer. First J lost his job which meant no money for anything we don't have passes to. So we were kinda limited to a few fun places. Second, where as I can take the three kids out and we have fun it can be difficult if even 1 child is cranky even the tiniest bit. I have a double umbrella stroller, but depending on where we are going it can be more hassle than it's worth. A good example would be the Museum of Nature and Science. Some exhibits actually have stairs to get from one section to the next and the elevator lines can be ridiculous!! So anyway, yesterday we met a friend and her family at the zoo. I had all three kids and decided that since girls always want to walk anyway I would just bring a regular stroller, mostly so it could hold our lunch, drinks, and such. A(my nanny girl) does have a wagon but it has zero storage if 2 kiddos want to ride at the same time. I think normally this plan may have been fine, but yesterday there were two things that just ruined it. 1. I had to give Noelle Benadryl about 9am because she was complaining a lot about her mouth being itchy (she had a cereal bar for breakfast that was processed on machines that also process peanuts, but I didn't know that until I got home and looked at the package that night). The medicine made her just drowsy enough, since she was already a little tired, that she mostly just wanted to ride in the stroller once we got to the zoo. 2. A was NOT listening very well and kept walking off without us. She usually does SOOO well when we are out. At one point we were watching the polar bear swim and I looked up and A was gone. She was way in front of us at the river otters. Now it's one thing to lose your own child, but to lose someone elses is NOT a good feeling. It was kinda scary, but I had fortunately dressed her in fairly bright clothing and is was probably only 30 seconds or less before we found her. Well, like I said, we had fun and I am glad we went, but it was kinda exhausting in the end.

Adam was very well behaved at the zoo. I think it helped that he and my friend's daughter were fast friends and attached at the hip the whole time we were there. It was very cute! Unfortunately that has not been the theme this summer. Over the last month Adam's behavior and attitude has become very babyish and disrespectful. He has essentially begun acting like a one or two year old constantly. It is driving me insane and I hate to say it, but I am relieved that school starts in two days for him. Don't get me wrong, I am a little sad that he will be starting full day school and be away every weekday for so long, but he and I are just not doing to well right now. It was this same way right after he turned 3 a couple Aprils ago. By the time preschool was starting the following August we were done with each other and I couldn't have been happier that he would be gone during the day. He and I just do better when we don't have to spend 24/7 with each other. I can't wait for a few weeks to go by so I can be done being annoyed with him and be ready to spend fun time with him again.

He is such an amazing and sweet little boy. Right now I am just beyond the point of being able to appreciate it.

Sometimes Simple is Better

Conversation with Adam on the way to work this morning:

Adam: How many people are there?
Me: Lots and lots!
A: Do some people not have children?
Me: Yup, some people don't want any or can't have any.
A: Why can some not have babies?
Me: Sometimes a mommy's body is sick or a Daddy's body is sick so they can't have babies.
A: Mommy, Daddies can't grow babies, only Mommies can.
Me: Oops, you're right, silly mommy.
BIG SILENCE and fortunately he dropped it.

Well, I am happy to say my 5 year old is completely clueless about the birds and the bees! Now if I keep my mouth shut maybe we can keep it that way a little longer.

100% Peanut Oil

I had one of those bad mommy moments yesterday that I hope to never experience again. We went to Chick-fil-a for lunch as a special treat after Adam's end of season festivities for t-ball. (Not to count the fact that there was zero food to be found in the house!) The kids had been given a couple coupons for FREE chicken strips so that made our meal very inexpensive. So we were sitting eating and I glanced at Noelle's box her chicken strips came in and started reading it. It very clearly states that their chicken is made in 100% Peanut Oil. That's great, unless your child is allergic to peanuts, as Noelle is. I really didn't know what to do, she has only had 1 reaction previously and it was minor, just red cheeks. She ate peanut products for a good 18 months before she developed the allergy. Should I have taken away her food, which she had already eaten some of, and bought her some fresh fruit for lunch?? We decided to just watch and see what happened. Her cheeks got a tiny bit red, her lips were chapped and itchy, but that was all thank goodness. I felt so awful giving her something that could hurt her so seriously! The whole rest of the meal I was terrified I would be running her across the shopping complex to the urgent care clinic. It took hours(!) for me to stop worrying she would have a delayed reaction. I even gave her benadryl when we got home because I was afraid her throat would swell up while she was napping.

Should have gone with our original choice for lunch, Tokyo Joes. We have checked their website ingredient list very carefully and know that she is safe eating there as long as we avoid a few specific entrees (all of which neither J or I would order to start with).

First thing Monday morning I will be calling the doctor so Noelle can be seen and hopefully get a Rx for an epi pen. One of those things we will never again leave home without.

John Deer

We met a couple of Adam's buddies from preschool for a play date last Thursday. L's house backs to the park and he always has cool stuff to share, including his John Deer Tractor. The kids LOVED it!!

I had a battery operated car when I was little and thought it was the best. Adam doesn't remember it, but he actually had a miniature Jeep when he was a baby. He used it from about 7 months maybe till at least a year and a half. We got rid of it later on and before Noelle got the chance to use it, but we sure had fun with it back then.

It's not the best quality video, but it gets the point across. I am not pushing him, I am just holding down the button on the handle to make it go. He is about 11 months old here.

The end of summer vacation and the start of something new

Summer vacation has really gotten away from us!! I feel like we didn't do anything different than we normally do. We did go swimming and camping, once each. We have been to The Denver Zoo, Children's museum, and had too many picnic lunches at area parks to count. The kids played in the sprinkler and with the sand table. We managed a few story times and just a couple play dates with friends. Fourth of July was all about running around, watching fireworks, and holding sparklers late into the night. They spent most late afternoon and evenings outside with the other neighborhood kids. They would ride bikes and scooters, sword fight, draw with chalk, and have squirt gun and water balloon fights. It's been so much fun and has been great to become friends with our neighbors. And what would summer be without baseball, I am very sad that's over so soon too. I know that the start of the school year in no way means we will no longer do these things, but at the same time I worry it will be harder to fit in all the fun things we enjoy doing. And as ready as I am for Adam to go back to school, I am a little sad that he will be away from us from about 7-4:30 every weekday.

We have already begun preparing for the school year. His supplies will be on his desk his first day and he is signed up for Kindi enrichment as well as before and after school care on the days I work. I've been trying to figure out lunches and snacks to send him off with each day and worrying about how easily he will make friends at his new school. I'm curious if we will like all of his teachers and how long it will take to learn everybodies name. We have walked to the school several times already, but I don't know if he actually knows where to go to find his classes. I am already sad that neither J or I can be there to drop him off on his first day of elementary school. I constantly wonder how he will manage to do simple things that we are usually there to either do for him or help him to figure out. Will he be able to get the lid off the container I send his fruit in, will there be someone to show him where to eat and what to do when he is done?

We have 5 more days to enjoy the summer freely, then it will be time for us all to move on to something new and exciting. And even though I am sure everything will work out for him at school, that doesn't stop a Mommy's worries from coming in the first place.

A great hit!

Water Baby

We have gone swimming only once this summer and Noelle LOVED it!!

We went during her normal nap time so she was a tuckered out little girl afterwards!

Jumping Jacks

Independence Day

We had a wonderful 4th of July!

We started the day at the Cordova house with a BBQ lunch. The kids had a great time playing baseball, lighting fireworks, and (during a short break in the cloudy weather) running through the sprinkler!

Right about the time we left to come back home it started raining and continued till about 6:30pm or so. As soon as it stopped though I got us all changed into warmer clothes and we headed outside for the block party. We all had a really great time meeting the neighbors and watching the fireworks. These neighbors of ours really know how to put on a show! The kids ran around till about 10:30pm with 4 other young kids. They played swords with glow in the dark necklaces, drew with chalk, shared food, and of course did sparklers!!

And Speaking of T-ball...

Adam is really enjoying playing. He has all the stances down and is very good, as long as he is concentrating. He gets to move around to play all the positions and really liked 1st base last Monday.

Noelle is not very fond of going to Adam's games, she gets bored very quickly since we are just sitting there for 2 hours. This particular Saturday morning she had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. She was a pill all morning and ended up in the car for time-out at the game. When we went back to the field she fell asleep fairly quickly. The noise and heat didn't bother her nap at all!

I was a little warm in the crotch and my leg was asleep by the time the game was over and it was time to leave!

Yeah For Summer!

One of Noelle's (very rare) happy moments at Adam's t-ball games.

This is pretty much how the kids have spent their mornings the last 2 weeks at A's house. Adam and Noelle both love the sprinkler and playing with the water table.

I guess her belly was too hot!

My First Strawberry

It was only the size of a penny, but I was very excited. I got my 3 strawberry plants for Mother's Day and knew not to expect much from them this year. I have not only managed to keep them alive, but they are growing like crazy. I can't really take credit though, it's all this rain. (I barely ever water them.) They have even withstood several hail storms, I thought the first hail killed them off for sure, but they bounced right back. We have gotten a second strawberry and are waiting for a third to ripen. Adam ate the first and Noelle the second. If we are really lucky Justin AND I might each get to try one! LOL