A Mommy Moment

The boys have had one of those summer colds the past few days. They have been needy and whiny and generally demanding. All of this is fine. It is part of the mommy job to give a little more when they need a little more. But, you know what, every now and then I get a super unexpected bonus that more than makes up for it all.

This morning both boys climbed up in my lap in our big rocking chair and let me rock and read to them for a good long while. We even sat and watched most of a Blue's Clues like that.

I cannot remember a time when both of them sat still long enough for us to have that kind of close cuddle time all together.

It was that perfect mommy moment where both of my little boys in my arms. Of course it never would have happened if they both weren't feeling a little bad and wanting to be held and still. But that little moment is locked in my memory, just for me. When they are all big grown men and wouldn't dream of being squished next to each other by their momma, I will still have that moment. It makes wiping noses all day more of a honor than a requirement.

Sunday Night Fun

Sunday afternoon I looked over at my overworked, busy husband and decided he needed a play break with the kids.

The zoo has extended its hours a few nights a week during the summer, so with our trusty yearly membership in hand (thanks Pops and Grandma Jayne) we made a quick escape to see some animals. From the time we made the decision to go to the time we arrived at the zoo only 40 minutes passed, definitely a new record.

I highly recommend using these extended hours. It was much cooler and there was hardly anyone there.

We started by showing Daddy the kangaroos.




We had quite a long conversation with some lemurs. Notice that the lemurs do not look to amused.


We ended our trip with a visit to the barn. It was feeding time and this made the animals very chatty. This was pretty exciting.














It was so wonderful to be able to squeeze this family time into a pretty full weekend. I'm so glad we did!

Visiting God's Country

It is incredible to me that Walker is 2 1/2 and we have never taken him to Auburn. Last week we corrected that problem. We headed down for the day and showed the boys The Loveliest Village on the Plains.

While the really hot temperatures did make me feel a little like I was at Camp War Eagle it was a blast. The boys enjoyed some local BBQ, played at Hickory Dickory Park and ran around on Samford Lawn. I can't wait to take them back!

The Best of Intentions...

We made every attempt to make to church this morning, but it just didn't quite happen. The boys had a little bug at the end of last week, but woke up this morning acting perfectly normal, so we made our plans to head to church.

We got everyone dressed and out the door (just a few minutes late). Jason commented on how quiet Walker was being and asked if he was okay. About 5 minutes later, he was completely asleep. This child never sleeps in the car. As in, we drove to Disney World and he didn't nap in the car.

We decided he must need the rest so we turned around and headed home. Five minutes after that, Eli slumped down in his car seat as well. They were quite the pitiful pair.

Super Toddler Strength

Tiny Eli at Home from jason.mccay on Vimeo.

Eli has always been a strong kid. From the very beginning...see the precious video (so, maybe I just wanted an excuse to use the video, enjoy it just the same).

He never fails to amaze when we think, "surely he can't pick that up?" and then he does. Followed by the quick scramble before the inevitable drop, and hopefully not on his foot.

In other news, since our return from Disney I have tried to limit his pacifier use to only nap and bed time. Now, stay with me, I'm not switching stories. I promise it will all come together.

When he is in his crib he has about 5 pacifiers with him at any given time. During the night some of them always get shoved out through the slats and end up behind the crib.

So, at some point in the day I move the crib to collect the tossed pacifiers. Of course, Eli has seen me do this several (hundred) times.

Earlier this week, I was doing something in his room. I don't know, I had probably just changed a diaper (just a guess). He is playing happily in the room. Then, I guess he decided he needed a pacifier.

So, he moved the crib! I am not even kidding. He moved furniture. My 27 pound toddler moved the crib.

Of course it is just slightly ironic that he would use his super big-kid strength to get his tiny baby pacifier.



Notice that his top lip hangs over the top of the pacifier. It doesn't even fit in his mouth anymore, but there is no way he is about to give it up.

Thanks Uncle Map!

Last weekend Jason's brother, Uncle Matt, gave us a family membership to McWane Center. I was so excited to use it. You know, fun summer excitement that is air conditioned and free! The boys and I headed there Tuesday morning and had a blast.

They played with the water table and giant blocks, which are favorites from when they have been before.




After that we headed upstairs to play in their new area, The Itty Bitty Magic City. Walker did not want to leave his favorites downstairs, but when he saw what they had upstairs, he was so excited.

It is like it was designed for my boys personally. There are all sorts of wonderful hands on activities for them to play with, all made in their size. They boys played with train tables, a pick-up truck, a excavator and even a grocery store complete with a moving conveyor belt.


Note the level of concentration. He spent a solid 30 minutes at this one train table before he even notice there were other things to play with.





There is a lot more stuff than that, but that is all Walker and Eli got to that day. The only way I could get Walker to calm down when it was time to go, was to promise him we would be back soon. And of course, I could do that because of our wonderful family membership!

Oh, and Walker has decided to call Uncle Matt, "Uncle Map." If I try to correct him, he corrects me. My brother is also a Matt, so I figure he is just trying to make things easier by renaming one of them.

Different Day, Same Laundry Situation...

This is how the boys decided to watch their morning cartoons earlier this week. Never mind that they both have very nice Pottery Barn chairs for this purpose. So, again I say, how am I supposed to do any laundry around here with these two adorable boys in the baskets?

To Daddy

I promise there are reasons beyond Mommy's control as to the recent laundry stoppage. I mean how is she supposed to transport the clean laundry. This is a perfectly valid excuse (wink, wink). -Walker

That's My Boy...

Walker is so much like his daddy, but every now and again he reminds me that he is mine also.

This afternoon Eli woke up from his nap first. He was playing with the firetruck in the kitchen (after the magical 3 o'clock hour had come and I let them play with toys that could wake the other).

Walker gets out of his bed. Comes around the corner. Tells Eli "Shhhhhh, I go nigh, nigh." And then returns to his room, closes the door and climbs back in bed. He had already been asleep for two hours, which is an hour longer than his brother.

Ahhh, my little sleepy boy! I just wish I could have crawled back in the bed also.

Toddler Observations

On two points today Walker has had me laughing. It is amazing to hear his take on life.

• On noticing the condensation puddle under the minivan from the air conditioner..."Oh, look right there the mommy bus go tee tee on the floor. You got some poops in there (question directed to the minivan)?" - Mommy thinks, "I certainly hope not."
• On noticing that we decorated with some candles on various surfaces in our house..."Oh, we blow them out, we grow up and blow out the candles." Then he proceeded to travel around the house and "blow out" all the unlit candles. He is still wondering where the cake is.
  

I love how these boys remind me to take a few minutes and really enjoy the world around me!

Tree Planting

There was a complication early on...How do you put a plant where an Eli is?


Close to the finish.


Jason loves to do landscaping work, but just hasn't had much of chance lately. He called me yesterday afternoon and told me that he needed to do something productive, that did not involve a computer. So, he came home and planted a tree and for the first time had the boys help.

Fearless

Eli has no fear. He constantly getting himself into situations that he has not thought all the way through. He and Walker are complete opposites in this area.

Our favorite park has a set of pretty high slides. Walker loves to walk the top and then walk back down. He has not dared to slide down the super slides.

Eli follows Walker all over the park and usually takes whatever limits Walker sets.

Not this week.

Shortly after we arrived on Tuesday, Eli marched up to the top of the slide (at which point I panicked), sat down on his bottom and slid down. Half way down he turned over on to his tummy and got upset for just a second, but was happy by the time reached the bottom.

This is the little one that will have us in the ER and give me gray hair.