Kid Moments

I wish I had more brain power and energy to share witty observations of my life these past few weeks, but I've just been too tired lately, or getting the boys out to enjoy the fabulous weather, going to doctor appts, figuring out health bills/reimbursements (seriously a part-time job lately!), or enjoying a good book to sit down and blog. There's more boring details that could go into that list, but that'll do for now. A couple cute things happened these past two days and as I was telling my sister Brooks about them, my guilt over the blog and having a few tidbits to share met with a burst of energy so here goes!

In anticipation of a meeting before church today, I made up some divinely delicious and insanely easy cinnamon caramel rolls. They came out of the oven just minutes before I had to leave for the meeting but Ryan and Easton had been lured to the kitchen by the smell, hoping to be selected as quality controllers. They each had one and Easton keeps calling them big donuts.

After church, Easton found me and asked if there were any big donuts left and if he could have one. I had another meeting to go to and in the craziness of the hallway, I stammered out something about us eating them at home. He went off happily to find dad and I lost him as I headed for my meeting. Me and my rolls got me home at least an hour after Ryan and the boys had gotten home.

Upon my entrance, Easton's first words to me were, "Mom, you lied." I was shocked! This concept is something we have only discussed a few times and I didn't know if it had ever sunk in. He continued, "You said we had big donuts at home and you lied." I told him that I did have some more rolls but that I had had a meeting after church so the rolls weren't home until now. He told me dad said I'd lied too, but the truth of that is Ryan had told him simply that there were no rolls in the house. Once Easton was happily eating a roll, he conceded that I hadn't really lied, but I should have brought them home earlier. There are only two sacred things in Easton's life - sweets and video games. If you are the cause of him not getting either of these when he wants them, prepare for multiple lengthy discussions of how he feels on the subject! That pretty much sums up most of my chats with him throughout the daytime! That's why I love being able to get out in the cool fall weather before the cold of winter shuts us inside! DISTRACTIONS from his usual requests!!!

A few hours later . . . Easton loves cereal and if he doesn't like the meal being prepared he whines for cereal. He came upstairs just before I got up from reading a book to start fixing dinner and said he was hungry. I told him I was just about to make up some spaghetti and he had a melt down asking for cereal. McKay was overjoyed although I don't know if he even knew what he was talking about - just having me get up and say I'm making food is good enough for him.

McKay followed me into the kitchen, ready to oversee my efforts, while Easton continued a consistent low moan in the living room, enough to not drive me completely bonkers, but to keep me aware of his displeasure. At one point, I came into the living room to get my slippers and Easton looked up and said, "Mom, it breaks my heart. Spaghetti breaks my heart." Sorry kid, I couldn't help but laugh at how cute that was! Despsite giving me a real good laugh, he never got the cereal but actually ate two sizeable helpings of that spaghetti which is COMPLETELY unlike Easton. A typical dinner with Easton involves a detailed accounting of how many bites he has to take, how many bites he's taken, and how many he has left. A truly tiring daily routine which is just one more reason dinner time is my least favorite time of the day. So tonight was an unexpected victory! YEAH for me!

We took the boys to the Bluemont Fair yesterday to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. It's quite a bit of walking for the boys without a stroller, but we had a great time. Their children's area was perfect for our kids. They LOVED the hay stacks all piled up where they could tunnel under them and hang out together in the shade. The boys also got to participate in their first cake walk and gunny sack races. They both won "cakes" (Costco muffins) and it was so funny to see McKay going around the circle at his own pace or in his own direction! He just loved being a part of the big kid game. Easton really enjoyed it too and I was impressed at how long he hung in there for all those gunny sack races! McKay tried the sack out but it was too many things to keep track of - holding up the sack, trying to bounce in a big sack and being woefully behind all the others - just not his cup of tea.

By the time we were heading back to the car which was a good 1/3 mile walk w/o a stroller for the day, McKay set his own slow and steady pace with a big tired downbrow scowl. When nice strangers tried to say hi to him, he'd keep his face and pace while emitting an audible grunt in their general direction. He was pooped! This kid is usually ready for a nap by 10am and it was 3pm with no nap, lots of sun and walking the mile stretch of Bluemont up and down plus playing the games and in the hay. I still can't believe we didn't have any meltdowns! Easton on the walk to the car was the picture of happiness. He'd gotten a balloon on the way out of the children's fair and was just plain giddy. In the car, he was laughing his head off as he kept saying the balloon was dancing. We had the radio music blaring and the windows down, loving the fresh air and country scenery. I've never seen him so giggly for so long over something so silly! McKay finally came out of his tired coma and got into the game too. I love hearing them laugh together at things!

A quick note to McKay's latest - he's not a baby anymore! He's running around, talking lots, and playing imaginative games while asking to snuggle much less. HUMPH! Perhaps that last thing is actually more due to the fact that I have no lap for him to fit on anymore and this big hard belly just isn't as comfy as my usual flab. That's what I've been telling myself for a few weeks now, but I think he's just growing up and would rather play than snuggle now. His favorite two games are sword fighting bad robots and shooting this plastic burst of water out of a fireman's pack that belongs to the Toy Story Woody doll. When we fight the 'obots with the light sabers, he directs you to where the bad robots are and then tells you "Good Job, Mom!" after you get them. It's very funny and even better are all his sound effects! With the fireman pack, he demonstrates how to use it and then gives you a turn, although you often have to be told where he wants you to shoot it. He's a real charmer and works it when he's trying to get out of trouble. He's my instigator of most teasing and contention. When he's real tired, he will either be sucking his thumb or incessently teasing Easton and taking great joy in it. He is the king of "I do it myself" especially if you take him out of his seat at the dinner table. He'll climb back in and then climb back out just to do it himself. When I call him to me and he doesn't come and he can tell I'm starting to get a little frustrated, he'll holler "I coming, I coming" like an exasperated teenager while not budging. Little devil! But still so adorable with that squinty eye grin!

Alright, time for bed! Here's hoping the leg cramps, steroids, baby girl and what not take a night off!

Best and Worst of Pregnancy

Thursday 2am. Wish I had been sleeping that night. That was not to be til 7am. Each time I drifted off to sleep, I was sharply woken up by leg cramps that necessitated walking the floor til they subsided and I was wide awake. I'd settle back into bed and the baby would take a half hour or so to get comfortable or try out her latest acrobatics - my favorite being using my bladder as her trampoline or my belly button as a punching bag! Thus began the cycles of the entire night. Doc says I'm not getting enough calcium, potassium, magnesium or water. I knew I was good on those so the only explanation is she's GROWING and taking what she needs, leaving me with nothin!

So at 2am after trying other things to fall asleep, I started writing the ramblings of my brain.

THINGS TO LOVE
- McKay snuggling my baby belly
- Easton wanting to feel the baby move and hear about when he was a baby
- The odd sensation of the baby getting the hiccups!
- Courteous strangers opening and holding doors asking personal questions that you're actually happy to overshare answers with because a stay-at-home mom often relishes anyone being kind and adult conversations that utilize grammar and full sentences
- Excuses to indulge in cravings!!! While in Maine on a shopping spree, we all indulged in our favorite candies. Most loved their Lindt chocolates but I was overjoyed with the Harry & David next door! Ahhh, sweet Moose Munch and chocolate toffee-covered almonds! I'm scared to admit how much I've eaten in the last two weeks, but proud to say there's still some left!

I can't wait for our baby girl's arrival, but til then I'll tolerate the heartburn, cumbersomeness of clothing, doing dishes and walking away with a soaked belly not even knowing it, and trying to hug tall Ryan with too short of arms and a big ol' belly in the way!

Summer Wrap-up, Part I

I swear we haven't been hiding! We've just returned from a month of vacationing and I've got so many fun pictures I don't know where to start. My first attempts to organize all the photos had disasterous results and I deleted everything from my sister's wedding! AARGH!!! The ones you see are copied from the photographer's site as you'll see.

In late July we did a day at Greenbrier Lake and were joined by Chris and his wife Tricia as well as some friends. My boys love piggyback rides in any shape or form which Chris soon learned. You offer one ride and you've become their slave! Ryan also buried the boys in the sand. Easton tolerated it, McKay LOVED it! Last week at the beach in Maine, McKay had me bury him and his cousin Lizzie over and over - probably because they were tired of all their time in the water and it felt so good to lay there!

My good friend Debra invited us over for a day of slip'n'slide with her granddaughter Page. The water was pretty cold so Easton didn't really let himself enjoy it, but McKay thought it was great fun! Ya just never know how your kids will behave at a fun activity designed for them!

August flew by because we spent Aug 6-30 on vacation. The boys and I spent two and a half weeks visiting my family in Washington state to be there for my sister Brooks's wedding. My brother Ben got married the weekend before we got there but he and Brooks actually held a joint wedding reception. It was the first time we had EVERYONE in my family home - grandkids and spouses - and boy did it make for a fun, full house! Staggered arrivals let me get to know some of my newer family and it was just cool to see how everyone just jumps right in to the Bare clan! Being "old", pregnant and worn out from each day, I missed out on most of the fun game nights the younger crowd did. They almost pulled an all-nighter before their white water rafting trip. Ahhhh, the good ol' days! Hopefully next time I'll be able to join in more because they're one fun crowd!

Now 6 of the 10 Bare kids are married, three having gotten married this year so far. We're still teasing Nick that he could slip in before the end of the year but I think Mom would have a heart attack if she had to do one more wedding this year! Why she wants to go back and figure out what she spent on each one baffles me - let it lie! I'd be too scared! For the receptions, my family did so many home improvement projects in the yard, it was really amazing and looked beautiful!

Ryan joined us just in time for Brooks and John's temple wedding, a speeding ticket and all. Brooks was such a cute bride chirping "I'm getting married!", "It's my wedding day!", and thoroughly enjoying being fussed over the morning of by friends and family. Everyone melted all day long in 104 degree weather with outdoor pictures and afternoon reception. Note to self: When 6+ mos pregnant and family pictures are being taken - INSIST on being in the inside back row so largeness is minimized for posterity! OIY!!! Mom remembers drinking so much water and slush that she felt waterlogged. I stuck closer to the water and the frozen cake to survive the heat. Easton cooled off in the pond and McKay thoroughly enjoyed when I poured my ice water on his head and got mad when I stopped so I soaked him repeatedly (just before the departure of the brides and grooms). I couldn't believe how much my ankles swelled that week and was a bit freaked out!

My favorite memories are of seeing my boys hollering for this aunt, uncle, or cousin to come play and actually remembering their names this time! I wish I'd taken my camera out more often to capture these moments. Easton and my youngest brother Luke were glued to the video games at every opportunity such that Easton would even help Luke do his chores so they could play sooner! Once his cousin William arrived, the two were sucked in for good. McKay would just manipulate whoever was closest to be entertained - usually Abby, Luke, or Nick although Matt and the grandparents caved pretty quick too!

Another favorite memory that stands out is a tender moment with Easton just days before Ryan arrived. I was folding laundry and Easton was getting dressed for the day. I told him how many days until Ryan would get there and said how much I missed him. Easton paused and said all teary-eyed, "I miss Daddy too." He just stood there all sad and it broke my heart it was so adorable. We had a good long hug over it, but how sweet is that?! I love that boy!