Silly Boys

Kyle is really starting to love having Ryan around to play with.  He tells me all the time, "Mom, I think Ryan needs to get up from his nap."  When we go in to get Ryan, Kyle will say things like, "Hello, my brother.  How was your nap?  Time to play!" 

They love running around, chasing each other, climbing and jumping, crawling under tables, and laughing.  {Kyle also has picked up the bad habit of setting Ryan up to get in trouble by leading into places they both know they shouldn't be....}

After a good time playing, it's also good to have a little rest.
Kyle "naps" on the stairs. 

And Ryan relaxes with a good movie.

Zoo Day

It's be SOOOOO hot that we hardly planned any outdoor activities that didn't involve water for the entire summer.  Thinking that it's officially fall and that it's almost OCTOBER, for crying out loud, we decided to break the indoor streak and plan a trip to the zoo for today.  Man, the weather is still fierce, but we managed to have a great time! 

The boys loved climbing on stuff, and Ryan was SO happy to be out of his stroller for any moment he could get.   

The children's zoo was a hit.  The boys enjoyed the goats--Ryan petting them and getting right up in their business while they were eating and Kyle brushing every goats' hair.

Then, the boys played at the playground for a while.  This was one of their favorite parts of the whole day.  I'm sure they would've been content to stay here and let everyone else go check out the animals.

McKinley and Grandma rested a little.

Then McKinley joined the boys on a slide.

Once I FINALLY pulled the boys away from the playground--it wasn't easy--we were able to head straight for another favorite--the carousel.

Kyle chose to ride a caterpillar and Ryan sat beside him on a koala.

I love this picture of the two boys looking right at each other during the ride.  {And that Ryan thinks he doesn't need to hold onto anything while the carousel is moving!}

After that, we did a quick fly-by to see a few favorite animals--the giraffes, rhinos, big cats, chimps, and reptiles.

Then, it was time to head out, grab a seat on the train, and end our trip.

Kyle said his favorite part of the day was the train ride because he got to take along Merry Monkey, his class pet.  It's his weekend to watch the monkey, and he LOVES it! 

Ryan fell asleep on the train ride and took a little cat nap until he smelled food.  We were all hot, sweaty, tired, and hungry after a busy morning of outdoor activity, but I think we all had a great time!

Mini Cooper #3 Update

We had what will probably be our last ultrasound on Monday. Kyle got to go to this one, and was excited to see our baby.  He told the tech that his brother was almost grown.  Our baby boy is growing right on schedule, and is somewhere around 4 1/2 pounds.  Dr. Schmidt was surprised that he wasn't small and said, "you hide this baby well because you look small to me."  When she measured my belly, I'm measuring about 2 weeks behind schedule, but the baby is right where he should be.  I think he's growing into my back and spreading all around instead of out.  Everything seems to be right on track, and I'm on the calendar to be induced on 11/11/11 if, as Dr. Schmidt said, "I make it that long." 

Here's a photo of the little guy, holding his fists up to his face:

Payback's a B

 B for BOO-BOO, that is!


We've been warning and warning Kyle that someday Ryan was going to be big enough to fight back.  Someday came sooner than I thought, though!  The other night, Po had enough of being pushed and shoved around, grabbed the nearest toy--a shape sorter--and smashed it down on Kyle's nose.  It left a pretty good mark, but I have a feeling that it won't be enough to make Kyle quit picking on his little brother.   

Karma does have a way of coming back to bite you, though.  Last night, one night after he smashed his brother's nose, Ryan had an accident of his own doing.  He was getting a little too crazy and collided right into Grandpa's new iPad.  The corner smashed his into the corner of his eye, giving him a cut and a nasty bruise. 

I'm going to have to stay indoors for the next few days, or people will start to think I beat my children! 

Family Poster

We spent last Monday evening making this poster for Kyle's school project.  Since we needed a Family Home Evening activity, anyway, it was nice to go ahead and kill two birds with one stone--much better than me staying up doing it mostly by myself.  The instructions said to write our family name on the poster and decorate it.  The teacher gave us several options: trace each family member's hand, decorate with paint/glitter/buttons/ribbon, add words or pictures to tell about your family, OR whatever you want.  We did a combination of all of the above.  {I'm sure the Baptists are going to just LOVE that picture of the LDS Salt Lake Temple.}

Sunday Best

We've missed out on church for the past few weeks between sickness, teething, pregnancy woes, and the like, but we finally were all healthy and feeling better today!  I really am not a fan of church from 12:30-3:30, but it was nice to get to be there.  I'm also SO grateful that the boys were well behaved.  Kyle is finally enjoying coloring and can sit still long enough for sacrament meeting.  He also got several compliments today on his behavior, and I was told he is still being consistently good.  That makes me SO happy!  

Ryan will also be officially old enough to go to nursery the next time we go to church, but I stayed in there with him for the most part today.  I am not at all worried about his transition because he plays well with other kids, is used to sharing {whether by choice or force} thanks to Kyle, and is so easy-going and happy.  That makes me so happy, especially after the weeks and weeks of worry from Kyle's crazy/wild highly-active behavior when he was that age.

It's so nice that we're finally starting to feel like things are going well and we have this parenting thing down.  It's not like anything is coming up in 6-or-so weeks that will totally upset the delicate balance!!!!! 

 

Lost Boys

With all the craziness going on lately, I forgot to write down a few stories about these two handfuls I call sons.

First, Kyle tried to run away on my birthday.  Or maybe I lost him.  Either way, Kyle got lost at the mall on my birthday, and I had my first real heart attack moment as a parent.  Kyle LOVES escalators and begs to ride them anytime he is near one.  We ran to the mall on my birthday to return a few items and to check out some major deals, and Kyle saw the escalators.  Since I had Ryan in the stroller, we rode the elevator up to the second floor.  Since Kyle was so well behaved while during the shopping, I told him that he could ride the escalators down and back up while Ryan and I waited at the top for him.  Ecstatic,  he started down the moving steps, smiling and waving.  I waited with Ryan in the stroller on the other side, waiting for Kyle to meet us back on the second floor........and waited....and waited.  He never came back around and I couldn't see him.  But, I had a baby in the stroller and couldn't just run down to check things out.  Timee was shopping somewhere in dresses, so I ran off to find her and leave Ryan.  That took a few minutes, which seemed like eternity in missing child time.  Then, I went straight downstairs and looked all around without any sight of Kyle.  I asked some ladies at the cosmetic counters, and they hadn't seen him.  They called security, who immediately started looking through the video surveillance.  In the mean time, I started running back and forth through the store, calling Kyle's name.  Nothing.  I was trying really hard to keep it together, but was freaking out at the same time, trying not to think the worst.  I went back to the cosmetic ladies, who still had no luck through security.  All I could do was keep searching and calling for Kyle.  FINALLY, at the VERY back of the store, completely far away from the escalators and right by the outside doors, I heard a woman call back, "Kyle is over here."  He'd gone all the way back there and was making friends in the kids shoe department!  Thankfully, this story had a happy ending, even though Kyle was banned from the escalators for awhile.  I really didn't want to have to remember my birthday as the day my oldest child went missing!

Fast forward to a few days ago.  I had a $20 coupon in The Children's Place that expired this week, so Ryan and I went one day while Kyle was at school.  I was searching for the right size of something and put the boy down.  In two seconds, he was off!  I thought I saw or heard him run to the side of the store and double-back behind a couple of racks.  When I followed in the direction I thought he went, there was no little man there.  So, again, I found myself pacing through a store, calling my son's name.  Nothing.  Thankfully, the store is small and there weren't very many other shoppers, so I finally just asked the one other customer if she'd seen a little boy.  She had, but thought he'd gone back to the fitting rooms with his mom.  It turned out that Ryan was not in the fitting rooms after all.  He had sneaked into "the back," went all the way into the far corner, and had climbed up almost all the way to the top of a ladder that was leaning on some shelves of stock!  When I found him, he just grinned and waved like nothing was out of the ordinary at all.  I can see why people only go shopping with children strapped into strollers of on leashes.

P.S.  The next day, I ran up to change Kyle's sheets and came downstairs to find Ryan sitting on the kitchen island, eating a box of chocolate covered peanuts!  He pulled out the bar stools and monkeyed his way up there!  After getting him down and cleaned up, I made sure the downstairs bathroom door was closed so he couldn't get in the toilet or the dog's food while I took a shower.  In that few short moments, I realized Ryan was gone.  I found him upstairs, in the bathroom, sitting IN the sink, brushing his own teeth and playing with the soap.  I swear I can't take my EYE off this little man for one second!  And, I'm about to be majorly outnumbered.....

76 Weeks

My Friday child has reached his 76th Friday.  This week he also had his 18 month-ish appointment.  {We got a little off track since his 12 month and 15 month appointments/immunizations were combined, and they wanted to see him about 3 months after that.  17 1/2 months~18 months?  Potaytoes~Potahtoes, right?}  Anyway, Dr. Muzumdar just loved little Rhino and kept saying how cute and smart and BUSY he is.  He's definitely a boy!  I laughed at many of the developmental questions that were asked: "Is he running? climbing stairs?"  {For MANY moons now!}  "Does he respond/smile/laugh appropriately?"  {Yes, complete with knee/table slaps for emphasis!} "Does he attempt to mimic/copycat you?"  {And his brother, sometimes to my dismay....} 

Many of the activity-related questions he was WAY above on, but he's nowhere near where he should be on many verbal/expressive tasks.  "Does he have a vocabulary of 10-20 words?"  {Nope.  He says, "Buttons."  That's it.  No ma-ma/da-da or much of anything else, but he says, "buttons, buttons, buttons...." and wants to push buttons on phones, DVD players, the light switch, etc.   He also attempts to say "drink," but only manages the beginning sound.}  "Can he identify at least 5 body parts?"  {Not really.  If you tell him to brush his teeth, clap his hands, or wash his hair, he's all over it.  But just flat out ask Ryan, "where are your ears?" or "point to your hair." or even "where are your hands/teeth, etc?" he doesn't make the connection.  Except for belly button.  It's a "button, button, button..."} 

The doctor isn't concerned about Ryan, and I'm not either.  Kyle was very much in the same boat, and look where he is now.  Plus, Ryan communicates and blabs and follows directions.  He won't speak, but ask him to play chase or to DANCE, and you'll never see the end of his talents.  I was happy to hear that Ryan didn't have to have any shots this time, and that the doctor thinks I'm doing a great job with this little man.  Ryan doesn't have to go back until his 2-year check-up.  When I told the doctor, "We'll see you then," she quickly reminded me, "No.  I'll see you in November."  Oh, yeah.  I'm having another one.....

Ryan's Stats:

Height: 30 1/2 inches {~12th percentile}
Weight: 22 lbs. 9 oz. {~10th percentile}
Head: 18.5 cm  {~25th percentile}

Ryan is growing right along his little growth curve, is very proportionate, and is such a happy little guy! 

Picture Day

 Kyle has been asking everyday for about a week if it's picture day at school yet.  Today was finally that special day!  After he got all dressed and ready to go, he decided to color a picture.  I wonder if he'll be disappointed that picture day is about him having to smile for the camera and not about coloring pictures! 

Future Career?

I wonder if Ryan has a future in cosmetology....

Saturday is a Special Day

 We've been sick around here, so we had a lazy Saturday planned--swimming, college football, easy meals, and not much else. Then--miracle of miracles--it rained!!!!  What better way to mesh all of our Saturday plans than by building a fort in the living room?

A fort, Angry Birds, and Toy Story on DVD--they're really roughing it, huh?

We hope your Saturday was as fun as ours! 

Nice Cowboy

After the super ugly Cowboys we saw this weekend, I think it's time we see a Cowboy that can make us smile! 

Yee-haw!

17 Months Old

Our Baby Ryan isn't so much of a baby anymore.  Only one more month and he'll be old enough to go to nursery!  That will be a happy, happy day--almost as happy as I caught Ryan the other night, enjoying a bubble bath ALL TO HIMSELF!!!!  Kyle was busy playing, and Ryan was ready for a bath, so this little brother actually got to stretch out, lay back and play with ALL the toys and take up ALL the tub ALONE!  It was a happy day for him, and he just laughed and sung to himself the entire time.  It was a perfect time for a photo!  

At 17 months, Ryan is starting to get feisty.  He's starting to not take no crap from nobody...especially Kyle.  He still LOVES to dance, do actions to songs while I sing, laugh and "knee/table slap" when we all laugh, play chase, climb on anything and everything, swim, play with cars, stack things, watch movies--and home videos on the blog, eat and eat more, and try to use that adorable face to get away with murder.  He's started to get in trouble, but seems to be much more willing to obey and not walk the line than Kyle.  Instead of having to count to 3 AND go ahead and spank anyway, I usually only have to count to 1 or 2 with Rhino.

Ryan is about 22 1/2 lbs and still a little short-legged baby monster. 

He's also getting another tooth, which helps to explain some of his recent crankiness.

We sure do love this Pollito!

McKinley's Birthday Party

Happy Birthday, McKinley!!!

We had a fun, little party for her the other night--a great dinner, some fabulous cake, and a truck load of presents to open.  Kyle, as usual, was very much in on the planning and execution of a perfect party.  {I think event planner may be on his list of future  careers!} 

The tradition singing of the Birthday Song--I also love how Kyle calls McKinley "McQuinee!" 

This girl can EAT some cake, people!  She LOVES IT!

 Then, Kyle got to be the official present opening helper.  He loved that!

Happy big ONE, girl!

After a Long Day.......

Kyle had a long day at school, but also a good day!  He got a smiley face on his behavior chart instead of a number of what he needed to work on.  That deserves being able to kick back and enjoy a good movie.