What Step??

I live in a one-level house.  Meaning, the only stairs are the basement stairs, and this one step that goes from our family room to our kitchen.  This step was a challenge for Will, and took a couple of days for him to master once he started crawling.  (Above)  Once he got over it, it was a huge accomplishment and he was very proud of himself!!

Sean, on the other hand, took a while to crawl.  He had the idea down but kind of stayed "parked" and rocked his back legs and rear end and then would flop like a stalled car.  But once he got going, he got going!  The second picture is the first time Sean tried to get over the step, and he cleared it too!

It never ceases to amaze me, two boys that look very much the same, but are very different babies. 

Go get 'em, boys!

Stand Up and Smile if you Like Bananas!

Sean's not even nine months yet, and he's already pulling himself up to stand.  Think we've got an early walker here!  Here he is, with a trademark grin and his "birdie soother."  I got this for Will as a shower present and it's the ONLY way we got him to sleep at night!  Sean thinks of it more as a toy, and loves to bang on it and make it turn on and off. 

Sean's also a little tired of the same old, same old in the baby food department.  He had his first piece of soft pasta over the weekend, cut into little pieces.  Last night he got to have some sliced banana, which he loved!  He doesn't quite have a hang of picking up thin slices of banana, but he sure did keep asking for more.  And to think this is the kid that didn't like solids at first.

Little Man is growing up!  Soon he'll be running and trying to keep up with his big brother.

Standing Tall

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Happy Birthday to You, Mom

This past Sunday was a special birthday for my mother.  We celebrated it kind of low-key, because she wanted it that way.  We had a fantastic dinner at Chateau, which is a funny French name for an Italian restaurant.  Then we were off to my house for gifts and chocolate caramel cannoli cake!

Will was kind of bummed that he didn't have a present for his Nana.  He insisted on picking out one of his toys and wrapping it up for her.  I talked him out of wrapping up his buddy Buzz Lightyear, so he chose a purple stegasaurus instead.

Speaking of purple, that appeared to be the theme.  Above, she's wearing a silk and bamboo lace scarf that I knitted.  The yarn is so soft, and reminds me of a grape jolly rancher.

Happy Birthday and Many More, Mom! 

Apple Season

This is how you can tell it's really fall-- Apple picking! We went out on saturday afternoon to a local farm to get our fair share of crisp juicy goodness. The weather wasn't exactly fall-like, so we made the best of it and only stayed a couple of hours. Will remembered going last year, and immediately wanted to eat an apple. Sean thought the entire experience was a bit boring.

After We got our apples, We of course had to make a pit stop To get some cider donuts. I love this time of year!

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Weekends

Know what the best part of the weekend is, according to Will?

We get to eat our breakfast in our pajamas.  He asks me almost every morning, "Mommy?  Is it the weekend?  I want breakfast in pajamas."  It's a strict rule during the week that Will get dressed upon getting up, otherwise I'd never get out the door.  But on weekends, that rule is out the door and we lounge happily, like this morning over fresh blueberry pancakes and crispy bacon.  Of course, I got a call about work towards the tail end of breakfast and had to break that relaxation by taking a trip to work.  However, that's over with and now I'm ready for some Halloween Costume shopping and apples!! 

Someone should have a frank discussion with Mother Nature, though.  I'd gladly take a 50-degree morning today than this heatwave she deemed necessary!

Busy Autumn Already

It's coming to a close...another week gone.  Fall is the busiest season in our house, with (almost) all of the family birthdays, plus other stuff that we all like to do.    Will had his two days of school this week and so far he really likes it.  He came home with an art project today, a little "Will" that he made out of paper.  He was a tad chagrined though, that the paper "Will" had green eyes and he doesn't.  He's already learning new things and I'm pretty proud.  For example, tonight when I picked him up he was attempting to drink a glass of water.  No, not a sippy cup.  A plastic cup!  Sure, he was wearing some of it but he was getting some!  Yeah yeah....my kid's almost four and we're working on cups.  We've been a little lax in that department, opting to concentrate on potty-training instead. 

This weekend is shaping up to be an exciting one.  First, we're shopping for Halloween costumes because we're going to a friend's house next weekend for an autumn get-together.  She's a photography enthusiast (and takes GORGEOUS pictures) and has invited friends to come over for pictures, pumpkins and autumn snacks.  What a neat idea!  Depending on weather on Saturday, we may go apple picking.  And on Sunday, my mom is celebrating a special birthday, so we're all going to a great Italian place to celebrate. 

So busy...but loving it.  But right now, home with the boys and hubby in school, the house is very quiet.  So that means it's time to log off this thing and go enjoy it!

The Big Sendoff

I did it.  I dropped Will off today for his first day of preschool.  AND I managed to hold off on the teary goodbye, though I lost it in the car on the way to work. 

Little Man was SO excited for school this morning!  I packed up his things that he needed and put his name on his lunchbox last night.  The lunchbox may have been the most exciting thing for him, actually.  This morning he was all about it, wanting to see his sandwich and apple slices, and insisting that I bring the same exact lunch to work.  I took pictures (coming soon) of him posing with it back at the house.  He was so lost in the thrill of going to school, he forgot his old friend Brown Doggie on the coffee table.  The kids are allowed to have a "lovey" at naptime, so Good Ol' Mommy stuffed him deep-down in the tote bag just in case he missed his buddy when it came time to rest this afternoon.  I think that's when the desire to cry started on my part, seeing Brown Dog and knowing that an era has passed. 

Upon getting in the car, I explained to him that we had to drop off his brother first.  "And then you're bringing me to school?  How far away is my school?"  He enthusiastically informed me that babies weren't allowed at school, and if he saw a baby there he was going to put it in his lunchbox.  (this kid is too much)

Drop-off went seamlessly.  Almost TOO seamlessly.  As soon as we got into the building and said hello to his teacher "Miss Sandy" he was tearing off to play with some kids.  One thing that can be said about Will, he certainly is a social butterfly.  Nope, not a shy bone in his body.  And with that...."Bye Mom!  See you later, I'm gonna go play now!"

So.  I'm the mom of a preschooler.  Happy for his adventures and happy for him to have kids his own age to interact with.  But still teary. 

The Road to Success

Ok, so this is a little tough for me to talk about.  I've told my family and a couple of friends, but for some reason I get tongue-tied because I'm a little bit embarassed.  However, success is more likely if you're more open about things and look for friends and family to support your efforts.

I have signed up for a weight loss outpatient program through the local hospital.   I was originally going to start next week, but there was a bump in the road and now I won't be starting until December.  (December!  So close yet so far away.)

How did I come across this?  Well, I have been on blood pressure medication for about six months now, and although I have a family history of blood pressure issues, my weight is a factor.  I've been trying (sometimes half-heartedly) to lose weight on my own for a few years now.  And like many others out there, I do well for a while and then get bored, busy or otherwise unmotivated.  So when I saw a pamphlet at my doctor's office for this, I thought "hmm, this may be just the push I need" and agreed to attend an orientation meeting.

Their program is broken into two categories:  behavioral and surgical.  I wasn't really interested in the surgical track, it really scares me.  And I don't qualify, though I was shocked to find out that I wasn't too far from qualifying BMI-wise.  I decided that the fifteen week program on their behavioral track was for me, and when they called the next day, I scheduled an intake before I could lose my nerve.

The intake was really hard.  Not the weigh-in, or the exam.  The hard part was when the doctor asks "how did you come to gain weight?"  The honest answer?  Being blissfully unaware.  In high school, I was thin.  But upon going to college, it was like a free-for all.  Dessert with dinner?  Sure.  Snack while studying?  Absolutely.  Midnight pizza or a run to Dunkin Donuts?  Bring it on!!  I wish sometimes I could tap my older self  on the shoulder and shriek "What are you doing to yourself!!!  Put down that slice of pizza and take a walk!"  Or discovered knitting sooner, instead of stress-eating.  After college I tried diet pills and although they worked, they made me feel crappy.  And the second you stop taking them, the weight creeps back on slowly while your back is turned and your guard is down.  Add a sedentary job and two children, and it's not tough to see how this happened. 

But I'm not concerned anymore about how it happened.  I want to right a wrong.  I've done myself wrong, and I want to make it up to me.  I want to be healthier for my two boys, I want to be able to run around with them all day and keep up.  I don't want to be the Mama who never goes anywhere because she's embarrassed about how she looks.  I want to make sure I NEVER get diabetes.  (Gestational was enough!)  I want to cut up my Lane Bryant card and be able to shop anywhere I want.  I want choices.  I want it all!  This is my gift to MYself.  In short, I want to "add years to my life, and life to my years." 

So...December may be a ways away but I've already started making changes for the better.  I gave up drinking regular soda two weeks ago and surprisingly, I don't miss it.  I've started taking the stairs more often.  I park the car further away from the store.  And when Will wants a "Lady Gaga Dance Party," I join in, even if I can only do a couple minutes before my legs hurt and I'm breathing hard. 

Why the embarrassment?  At first, I felt a bit like a failure.  Like "look at me, I'm going to the hospital to learn to lose weight because I've failed to do it on my own."  I'm starting to not see it so much that way.  It sounds like a really good program, one that really covers the bases.  I am going to meet with a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist, and a psychologist.  These three aspects...all of them are important in their own way and create "the big picture." 

So, with the support of my friends and family, I am ready for this journey.  I CAN DO THIS!!

Big Brother Duties

Will's not the only one going to school this fall....Hubby is back in school and taking two more classes for his Master's, so two nights a week it's just me and my boys.  For some reason, Hubby seems to get housework done on nights that it's him and the boys, but I haven't mastered that tricky task just yet!

Tonight Will has taken it upon himself to entertain his little brother.  He's been dancing, making faces, yelling peek-a-boo and assigning animal noises to me and Joey in order to keep Sean in stitches.  Sean's loving the attention!  Joey also likes when Will is the ringleader, as Will's heavy-handed with the treats.  Lately he asks to give Joey his cookies "all by himself."  This consists of carrying around a stepstool and climbing up to the dresser in our room to get a canister of dog cookies.  While I was fetching Sean's teething tablets, Will came running and said he "helped" by giving Joey cookies because he deserved them.  That's when I noticed the cookie canister was looking a little light.  I discovered half the canister arranged in circles in my bedroom, with Will working furtively to make them faster before getting caught. 

Where's the camera when you need one?  Will was pretty disappointed when I told him he had to put the cookies back except one.  But I don't think anyone was more disappointed than Good Ol' Joe-Joe. 

School Bells and Toy Story Lunchboxes

I guess it's time....Will is headed to preschool!  We've hemmed and hawed through this decision...this year or next year?  Well, he really needs some socialization with kids his own age.  So after some research, we found a nice school to send him two days per week.  We opted for the full-day program, so Mommy doesn't have to leave work multiple times in a day to ferry the boys back and forth.  (Which makes for a happier Mommy, honestly.) Last week I got him his very own Toy Story lunchbox, and a Toy Story sleeping bag to boot.  He's very excited about these things, and about school in general. 

I just cannot believe it's time for him to go to school.  It seems like yesterday he was a baby:

and now he's not really a toddler anymore, as he approaches four years old.  He is a little boy.

In the end, this is bittersweet:  My "Baby" is growing up.  But think of the new adventures in this chapter of his life, and the stories that he'll have for me every day when I pick him up.  "Mommy, guess what we did in school today?"

Happy Birthday!

My husband is a bit of a "shy" guy who barely notices his birthday.  However, with me being ME, I couldn't let it go by without a blog post dedicated to my wonderful, silly, sweet, Brian, who is such a wonderful husband and father.  And with that....I'll just let the pictures illustrate what I've said.  Happy Birthday, Darling.  :)

With love from Ginny, Will and Sean.

Labor Day, Indeed...

Sigh....the end of Summer is here.  It still, ten-ish years after completing school, feels like September is the true beginning of the year.  And I suppose in a few more years, that will be further cemented with both boys going to school.  (Ack!!!)

So with Brian and I both home today with a grumbly Sean, we're tackling some nagging projects.  Like finally switching Sean into his 6-9 month clothing, and making all the boxes in the nursery go away.  It was starting to look like a warehouse in there!  Brian's taken on the little "patch and paint" jobs around the house.  I know, we're absolutely mesmerizing in our Labor Day partying.

We did spend Saturday and Sunday with Nana and Papa, playing down at the cottage.  Joey was pretty bummed that his "vacation" was over, and he came home with us yesterday after spending a week with them.  Will had a blast, eating roasted marshmallow, making sand mountains complete with leaf "flags" and of course, sleeping in a tent for the first time!  Yep, Will and Daddy shared a tent in the backyard and he absolutely loved it!  Kudos and thanks to Daddy for sleeping out there on some porch cushions and comforting him/finding flashlights and Brown Doggies in the middle of the night.  :)

So it's been a pretty good Holiday weekend! 

Teething Bites. Pun Intended.

Brian pointed out to me last night that Sean is getting his first tooth!

It's kind of been like that scrape you get on your knee that you don't notice at first.  But as soon as you notice it, it starts to hurt.  Sean was pretty happy-go-lucky, until we informed him of his impending tooth.  He's been screaming, crying and carrying on all morning.  Hyland's teething tablets are great, but I think what we need is some tylenol.  Oh, and a margarita for Mommy. 

I hope the lake air at the cottage will chill him out a bit.  Oy!

Wordless Wednesday: Playing Nice