Month: May 2015

We are moving – again. This story is longer than I am going to write. (Aren’t they always?) But this is good news – awesome news. Wade interviewed with several companies over the last several months. He is really excited to be able to return to the world of tools and will be working for Bosch in Chicago. That’s, right. We are heading back up north. We are a little unsure how quickly this will move and how everything will happen, but the goal is to be settled in Chicago by the time school starts in the fall for the boys. Hello roller coaster life.

Teague is a very slow eater. He’s so slow that if we aren’t all sitting down for a “real” meal then he’s often left at the kitchen island by himself. (I think he prefers it this way. No one to rush him.) Today I went back in to check on him and found him literally licking up every last drop of ice cream…

Kaitlyn gave up her pacifier about three weeks ago. Based on what we have learned of her personality so far and the attempt I made to take it away at 4 months of age (read here), I thought this was going to be a long, traumatic experience. I was wrong. Within two days Kaitlyn didn’t even seem to remember she’d ever had a pacifier. We’ve always put her in her crib awake and she went from fussing for a bit after being put down to fussing only until we walked out of the room. I can’t explain this part but I also think she became a happier baby. Her late afternoon fussiness – when I felt like she really wanted the pacifier but i refused to get it out of her bed for her – disappeared. Once again I personally feel like 10 months is my personal magic age to take away the pacifier! Win for us.

We figured we’d try something new on Gram’s last day. None of us had ever been to Sea Life and it seemed like the perfect adventure on a rainy day.

Alex had never been to the Crayola Cafe so we decided to try it for lunch. The food is only so so, but the atmosphere is fun and the boys got to practice their coloring.

I literally turned around this morning and Kaitlyn suddenly had marker on her face too! (We’re pretty sure she picked up a marker decorated balloon and it rubbed off.) Then it was life as normal around this house.

Alex got off the bus this afternoon and is officially a first grader. School is out for summer!!! We decided to celebrate with an ice cream cake.

I’m not sure what happens when Gram comes to visit, but my kids turn into unrecognizable munchkins. (This isn’t necessarily bad behavior, just untypical.) Teague wanted to wear his firefighter costume all day. No problem – but he doesn’t normally wear costumes out of the house. Teague also ended up drawing on his face with marker!?! This boy doesn’t even usually touch markers. Alex was more rambunctious than usual and then disappeared to write the sweetest note. (This one I think was at Gram’s urging after getting in a bit of trouble.)

Did anyone else have one of these growing up? I have always associated this trivia game with car trips. We had two of them growing up and they took many, many trips with us. Imagine my surprise when my Mom (who is traveling back to KC with us) pulled one out of her purse. Sadly it only made it about an hour into the trip before breaking for the third (and final) time.

We took today to unwind by the pool with my Dad and his family.

Later in the afternoon we found out that there had been a video clip of the races the night before that included the boys. We couldn’t find it anywhere online but one of Wade’s relatives happened to send it to us – thanks Jay!

We made the trip to Paducah for my Dad. He’s a race car driver (drag racing) on the weekends and this is the first time ever that he has raced in Paducah. (He’s actually taken a few years off from racing so my kids have never seen him race.) Paducah was the perfect first place for a first race because Kaitlyn could stay with my Mom. (Race tracks are hot, noisy, and generally not fun for babies.) But before the races began we spent all morning enjoying my Mom’s house and being lazy bums!

One a side note – my mom is one of the few people who is not intimidated by my big camera and will pick it up, without being asked, and snap a picture. Thanks Mom! (This is more impressive because she is not naturally a picture taker.)

We knew it would be a late night for the boys so we all took naps and then headed to the race track. The boys got to see my Dad make two passes down the track (both qualifying rounds), but in their minds they were wins! My Dad did win the event but it didn’t end till well into Sunday morning and the boys didn’t quite make it that late.

The closet is done!!!

Teague’s first handwritten “Thank You” note to his teachers at school.

I took a five minute phone call in my bedroom (for the quiet) and returned to this. Note that the boys had even created a front row seat for Kaitlyn to watch the show.

Alex had his school field trip to the zoo today. I hated not to be able to go, but there was no way (even if I’d had a sitter) to get Teague picked up from school. One of the other Mom’s was nice enough to send me pictures.

(First picture – Alex, William, Carter, Tucker, Henry, Zayden, and Xander in front)
(Second picture -Alex, William, Carter, Zayden)

Wade texted me this picture pretty early this morning. I loved knowing everyone was where they were supposed to be. I knew they were all in the car at the end of the driveway. I knew Alex was sitting up front because he was waiting for the bus. I knew as soon as he was on the bus that Wade would drive Teague to school and hope he made it back home before Kaitlyn fell asleep for her morning nap. (I had warned him that the only guarantee he had for his own morning nap was if she didn’t take hers in the car.)

I left Wade with minimal instructions and the request to please remember daily pictures. It was awesome to come home and see what he thought about running the house for three days.

(Mom note: Kaitlyn’s outfit is on backwards and her hair is in her eyes because she doesn’t have a bow. She also hates grass to touch her feet.)