Chatter Boxes

John arrived home yesterday after being out of the country for a little over a week. The boys and I did great while he was gone but we are so happy to have him home.

Daddy surprised the boys by picking them up from daycare (usually mommy does it) and we all went out for half-price burgers.

This little boy couldn't be happier...

Welcome home daddy!

So far he's just commenced to playing upon his exit. I guess we know what we're doing over Labor Day weekend...bed shopping!!

It's actually a good thing. I'm tired of looking at that missing crib skirt. My entire male audience is asking themselves, "Cribs wear skirts?" Yes gentlemen. At least ours did.

Several months before the boys came home, my mom and I carried fabric swatches (little scraps of fabric) around looking for just the right coordinating pattern. We toiled over measurements and made a beautiful crib skirt making it appear as if we bought matching bedding for the nursery.

It took about a month for the boys to rip it down while playing hide and seek. It's become one of their favorite hiding places (second only to hiding behind the door). I've put it back up more times than I care to admit. I've given up.

And just in time too - big boy bed - here we come!

A few weekends ago the boys and I spent the day with our friend Heather. We went to see Clifford. It's a favorite show around here and going to see Clifford was a big treat for Seth (he could go if he rested during nap time for one full week).

Here are a few pictures of the event.





Colin gave this little girl a flower.



Then he smacked Emily Elizabeth in the face.







Thanks Heather for the pictures and for spending the day with us while daddy was away.

John has a couple trips planned this month. One for fun and one for work. I needed a break from being a mommy for a bit. It took 14 emails and 3 babysitters to get one night to ourselves. It was well worth it.

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Robinson, Aunt Kelly, and our pastor's daughter for watching the boys. They had fun playing, swimming, and watching movies.

John and I hung out in a quaint little town nearby. We ate at restraunt that required a reservation, slept in the next morning and went to the WWI museum (something John's wanted to do for a long time). My dad let us borrow his cute little convertible.

A view of our fair city from the top of the liberty memorial.

Every day when we pick the boys up from daycare, we get a "day sheet" with useful information like what subject they're learning, how much of their lunch they ate, etc.

Seth's teachers mentioned in passing conversation that they've been having "a little trouble" at nap time lately. I didn't know how much trouble until I picked up today's day sheet.

Apparently, he likes to take his shoes and socks off and jump on the cot like a trampoline. I may not have given this boy life but we share this common trait. I also got in trouble as a preschooler for causing a rucus during nap time. I don't think I did any trampoline tricks but I did twist the arm of the boy laying next to me because he wouldn't participate in my nap time antics.

Seth is so full of energy (not a trait he shares with me) that the transition between awake and asleep can be a challenge...for everyone.

Oh and just for the record, his "level of participation" is always "3-active"...always!

I found a toy wheel barrel at a thrift store and just knew the boys would put it to good use. Today they used it to collect the apples that have fallen off our tree. Pardon the play clothes - it was Colin's 5th outfit of the day and I lost motivation to match. And I don't know why Seth insists on sticking his tongue out whenever I ask him to smile for the camera.

Before the boys came home, I would try to picture them as part of our family. What would it be like to have two little people running around our house? Or how would they look sitting on my dad's lap at a baseball game?

The picture below is one of the images I pictured in my head...almost exactly.


Here are a few more pictures from our trip. A big thank you to Aunt Kelly who came along for the ride. I wouldn't have survived without her help and I wouldn't have any pictures to share with you.

...all of us!

Thanks to everyone who made this trip a special one for...well, me mostly. It was important to me that great grandma could meet the boys. And she, in true form, made the trip a memorable one for them. It will take me weeks to undo the spoiling that took place. It's okay though...that's what I remember most about her house. We got to do things and eat things we couldn't do anywhere else. She has a gift of making her family feel special and loved.