Eight years ago...

I said "I do" to a super-cute guy with Clark Kent glasses and a philosophy degree.  I had no idea where our lives would lead.  I only knew that this man, in twelve short months, had become home for me.

… and now here we are … i had no idea our path would lead us to engineering and upstate New York and two precious little boys of our own.

Thank you for eight wonderful years … may God bless us with many more!

The anniversary French silk pie, whose decoration, much like life,
turned out a little more wonky than I had planned! :)

A Welcome Back Party

All of my posts lately have been on an approximate two-week delay … its just the way life goes right now.

So, two weeks ago, we enjoyed unseasonably warm temps here in upstate New York … we're talking 80 degrees in March!  unheard of!  record-setting even!  So, we got together with some friends for a walk, picnic, play-date combination at our favorite park.

It was a Welcome Back Party for Spring!  We've missed her so much!  And alas, she was not to stay.  Below-freezing temps every night this week.  Oh well.  Glad we took advantage while we could!

And it gave us a chance to take the new double-stroller out for its maiden voyage!  

An awesome Craigs List find and it worked great!

You can always count on Benjamin to find some sticks somewhere.

and the swings.

This is Joshua's thinking face.  He actually did have lots of fun, I just didn't get any pictures of that :)

Our Current Favorite Pronunciations...

just a glimpse into the hilarity that is daily life around here :)

gra-grebbi … spaghetti
meninit … medicine
ben-man-dryl … Benadryl
hanga-burger … hamburger
dina-duns … dinosaur
ger-zher … squirrel
werd-erd … world (As in, "Momma!  What in da werd-erd?!?!)
manna-moaner … lawnmower
Miss Sauce … massage (and refers to it like a person … "Mommy went to see Miss Sauce")
chack-up … chap-stick
base-ump … basement
ter-tert … turtle
We-wams … Wegmans, our grocery store

Sick again...

I knew I shouldn't have written that post about 6 weeks ill, maybe getting better, because - yup - Benjamin is sick again.  A cold turned into wheezing and difficulty breathing that took us to the pediatrician yet again.  this recent illness has inspired a couple of memorable quotes that I wanted to get down before I forgot them.

Waiting for the doctor in the exam room on Saturday morning, Benjamin's wandering around in his diaper and turned and said to me, "Mom, I'm tryin' hard to get better.  I'm really sorry."

Oh my word at the pitiful!

He commented a couple of times on the wheezing noise (he's slightly obsessed with sounds and constantly asks, "Mom, what that makin' so noise?") Anyway, he would ask things like, "Am I makin' a funny noise?"  But the most memorable moment was at dinner the other night … and I quote …

"Mom! Benjamin wants some grapes!"  …pausing, as if thinking that wasn't quite right, then … "Mom! that funny noise wants some grapes!"

Yeah, i got him some grapes right after i stopped laughing!  poor thing!

He's once again bouncing back after this cold, so hopefully we're all done being sick!!!

ROTFL, Part 2

Daddy, looking at Benjamin's feet: "Benjamin, I think you're getting some callouses on your toes!"
Benjamin, looking at Mommy, quite concerned, "Mommy, I have cows and sheep on my toes!"

…

"Shh, Mommy!  There's a noise hiding in the bushes!  Be qui-wit!"

…

Mommy: "No, no, buddy. Don't play with the rug like that."
Benjamin: "OK!  I NOT play with the rug! NEVER EVER!"

Wow - a simple "Yes, Mommy" would have been fine, but i have no problem with enthusiasm for obedience!

…

I've been keeping my eye out for preschool supplies, and recently I purchased a set of sequencing cards … sets of 3-4 cards with pictures that tell a little story (i.e. boy eats breakfast, puts on shoes, goes outside).  I knew Benjamin was a little young for them, but they were on sale, so why not?  And during our "seclusion" the past 2 weeks, we played with anything I could think of.  So, after using the cards to tell the stories to Benjamin several times, I thought I might just see what he could do with them.

I gave him a set of cards and said, "Benjamin, do you think you can put those in the right order?"
"Yup!" he returned quickly.
I was surprised at his confidence and sat back interested to see what he would do.

He promptly picked up the cards, ran, and stuck them back in their box!

So, perhaps before we get the hang of sequencing, we should learn that "the right order" is not the same thing as "the right place."

Look who found his toes...

Going on 6 weeks...

(Note: I wrote this post last week, then ran out of time before i could publish it.  Thankfully, we are doing better now.  I think.  Benjamin's nose did start running again yesterday…)

I'm trying not to count - its kinda depressing - but we are going on 6 weeks of one or both of the boys being sick.  I'm starting to get a little paranoid … what is going on???  we are normally a pretty healthy family!  It all started at the beginning of February with at ER visit with Joshua for croup … yeah, that created quite a few gray hairs.

Since then, its been a constant stream of ear infections, pneumonia, stomach bugs, and just for the cherry on top … an allergic reaction to the Zofran they gave Benjamin because he had been throwing up for 24 hours straight.  Yes, thank you, we are actually that pitiful.

At this point, Joshua is well, but teething.  Benjamin is battling a double ear infection, and I'm seriously considering not taking them anywhere for the next two weeks just to try to give our immune systems time to bounce back!

So, i've been brainstorming things to do in the house to keep us all occupied  … and keep from going insane!

I remembered a box of toys and books i had packed up back in November … mostly things that Benjamin had outgrown being interested in and Joshua wouldn't be ready for yet, but some good stuff too (A robot puzzle! yay!).  So i saw the box and thought, "For such a time as this!"

"This is my teething face." :(

I was impressed with how much
Benjamin's motor skills have improved.

It was only a matter of time till the whole thing got dumped out.

Benjamin felt it necessary to school Joshua in how "Trucks Go"
and Joshua was a very willing student :)

Huh? What?

This last one is my very favorite picture … cracks me up every time.  That book is missing a page so the words say, "Fire Truck says Wee-oo Wee-oo" but the picture is of a cement truck.  Benjamin just loves the book, but nothing gets past that Joshua!  Wait, Momma, that's not right!