swimming lessons

today was our first swimming lesson for the boys.  I took z to mommy and me lessons when he was younger but this was the first real lesson on his own.

Swimming Lesson:0 Zach:1


My headstrong son refused to get into the water.  He isn't afraid of water, in fact ever since he first got into the pool at about 4 months old, he has LOVED water.  He does not however, like strangers sometimes.  We have talked about lessons since we signed up, boasting how some of his friends are swimming across the pool, also taking lessons, what fun things we could do after lessons and just generally pumping up swimming. But clearly that did not help.

There wasn't much I could do either as I was in the pool with Mark for his Mommy & Me lesson....so I watched from across the pool as Z sat pouting on the bench next to dad while all the other kids were swimming.  And other parents were looking on at the poor kiddo who wouldn't get in the water.  Ugh.  (Mark cried for a few minutes when we first got in but after he warmed up, he loved it and didn't want out!)

So....what do you do?  The lessons we signed up were for 4 weeks.  The plan is to go back next week and try again!  Hubs was frustrated sitting there for 30 minutes in the warm pool room.  Afterwards I was trying to stay positive and  reassure Z and talking up trying again next week.  I think learning to swim is really important as I want him to be able to be safe...but is sitting on a bench counterproductive with him possibly feeling our frustration with him not participating?  I am hoping that as he gets more familiar with the process/teacher/place....perhaps he will warm up to the idea?  My other thought is to finish the 4 weeks and then maybe sign up for some private lessons at our neighborhood pool as that would be more familiar?  Anyone else out there have issues with things like this?  Z is really outgoing and friendly once he "knows" people, but definitely can be very withdrawn and stubborn when he is not in the mood for things.  Any suggestions appreciated!

Update on the sleeping issue....it got better in the middle of the week.  I have started leaving the door open upon suggestion from several people and that has seemed to help. (Although it did allow him to be up and awake at 6 am this morning...YAWN! (I took it as an opportunity to get my hiney in gear and finished my workout before 8am! WOOHOO!)

monday fun

went exploring again today and had a great time!  since monday is my one day off with the boys, I try to make sure we do something fun and out of the house especially if its a day we don't have any doctors appointments or major errands to do.  after the hustle and bustle of the weekend, we decided to hit up a new park today!  if you have ever met my boys....they enjoy nothing more than being outside!!  last week we wandered over to a little park near the house and had such a nice time and picnic lunch.  today i pulled up the harris county park website and let zach pick which one he wanted to go to based on playground pictures.  He of course picked the one with the biggest and tallest slide!!  So off we went!

We headed to Collins park which is just off Cypresswood Drive and Steubner Airline.  It's been there for years and I had never been before.  We will definitely go back another time with daddy to do more exploring.  They have two big playgrounds, one with stuff for older kids although my boys didn't let that stop them and another for kids under 5.  The boys totally enjoyed them both.  The bigger one got my exercise in for the day as Mark needed a little more supervision so I was climbing the 2 flights of ladders for the giant slide over and over again too ;-)  I love exploring new parks and places as it keeps the boys and me entertained and always fun to find a new place to go!  Parks are always fun too because the boys seem to find little friends to play with and I love watching that.

yawn.....

took a bit of a bloggy break there, didn't I?  Sometimes that just happens when life gets busy!

this last week was full of preparing for Easter, book club, family, and a stint of BAD sleeping for Zach!  I tell ya, I totally do NOT understand his sleeping.  We haven't had issues like this in almost a year I would guess.  Talking about fussing about going to bed, whining/crying/screaming after leaving him when finished putting to bed, waking up in the middle of the night and getting up early in the morning.  No issues during the day, but nighttime has been a battle making for a very worn down daddy and mommy at the end of the night.  Anyone else ever go through phases like this?  I am hoping that is all that it is and we can be done with it soon.  It is one thing to be woken up in the middle of the night on the weekend, but during the week ain't gonna cut it for this working momma!   It makes me very irritable too because the reasonings are so irrational and i lose patience quickly.  I wish I knew what the real issue is so I could fix it!  Fingers crossed to better sleeping tonight...we all need it.

despite the bad sleeping of Z....we had a really nice long Easter weekend.  We spent a lot of time outdoors as usual and had fun dying eggs, making a bunny cake, and attending Church together and celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus and egg hunting!  Here are a few pics from our weekend.  I hope you had a great Easter weekend with your family/friends as well!  Be blessed, He is Risen, Hallelujah!

These were the best 2 I got of the boys together....they were WAY too interested in other things going on!  And I totally forgot to even get a picture of the 4 of us....oops!

(the Easter bunny brought the boys a pirate ship pool...needless to say, it was a big hit!) :-)

18 months

we survived another well visit today for mr. markey's 18 month check up.  the thing I found so funny today was Zach (the one who was TERRIFIED of the doc @ his 3yr check up) was ALL about Markey being a big boy, hugging and kissing him and telling him it would be okay.  It was very very sweet....but of course I was thinking, why weren't you like this 2 months ago at YOUR visit??  I think Mark may have remembered Z being so scared last time because he was actually shaking at one point!  Thankfully he mellows out very quickly and was barely a sniffle by the time we were out of our room.  So, in honor of Mark's 18 months on this earth today....here are 18 wonderful things about Mark! :)

1.  He now weighs almost 26lbs and is 2'10" tall.  50th percent for weight and 95th for height ;-)
2.  His vocabulary is great for his age.  I can't get over the difference between him and big brother at this age.  He says more words than I can even count, is already putting several words together, and can sing ABCs (although not always in order) and Rain, rain, go away!
3.  One of his fav things to do is bring or hand me things repeatdely and say "here Mama".  It makes me laugh every time!
4. I love his curly locks. They have come back after being chopped twice so maybe he will be a curly head.
5. He is so independent.  He is more than content to just sit and play with his cars on his own.
6. He is totally meat and potatoes kid.  Z is practically a vegetarian I think at times and Mark on the other hand will rarely eat his frutis and veggies.
7.  We finally got off the bottle.  He was fine....mommy hard the harder time.
8.  He is still a great sleeper.  Takes a 2-3 hour nap and sleeps 12-13 hrs at night.
9.  He is a bit of a momma's boy.  Which although is very sweet and endearing at times, can make things difficult to get accomplished.  It also makes for a very sad mommy when I drop him at nursery at church :(
10.  He is a cool dancer, I love his bounce and squat move!
11.  His fav thing is definitely CARS!!!  He lines them up, moves them back and forth, piles them up, whatever!!
12.  He loves his big brother, despite the fact that sometimes big brother loves to mess with him for no other reason than messing with him....Zach can make him laugh and smile like no one else!
14.  He has the best facial expressions....adorable!
15.  He is a big boy....people often cant believe he is only 18 months!
16.  His loveys are his next fav thing to cars....a must for getting a good sleep in.
17.  He is a reader.  He doesn't try to just grab and rip the pages, he actually likes to hear the story!!
18. He loves to snuggle still....making this mommy a very happy mommy!!

I love this little guy so much and am forever grateful that God brought him into this family!  He is such a joy and a big part of this family.  I cannot imagine life without him!  Funny to think if we were on the same track as before...I would be having another baby in 2 months!  Yowsers! :)

Happy 18 months sweet Markey, you will always be my baby boy!!

CANDY

We had a very busy day today starting with an Easter egg hunt at Zachary's school!  It was very well organized and there were a TON OF EGGS!  More than enough for all the kids to fill their baskets and then some!  I didn't realize just how much loot we had until I was emptying out all the candy from the eggs.  I swear, we have more candy than we did after trick or treating!  I think I will have to take it to work since we still have another Easter egg hunt at our church next week before the bunny comes on Sunday!  The boys had fun playing on the inflatables, riding the train, and Z even rode the little ferris wheel!

My friend Kerri and her daughter Madeline had met us up at church for the egg hunt and we all headed up to Lupe's for lunch.  The boys played some MORE in the sandbox while we ate and then Mark and Maddie did a lot of flirting ;-) Z was feeding her goldfish and then giving each other little kisses.  It was SO cute and sweet!!

After some naps, we headed over to the Bloch's for a crab leg dinner.  It was DELISH!!  I think Lilly and Dylan had fun with the wild boys that came over to play with them! :)  They just got a cool new swing set and I think the  boys helped them fully break it in.  The slide was definitely the highlight as they were flying off the end.  I wish I had gotten it on video!

All in all, a very good and busy day.  I hope everyone sleeps well tonight.  We have another busy day tomorrow with a carnival after church and then celebrating Popsie's birthday for dinner!  What a weekend!

For the "girls"

Since I assume not many men read this besides my husband....I feel okay to discuss "the girls".  The other day my underwire was poking me in the ribs from one of my regular bras....a few days later, the strap completely popped off another one.  I took it as a sign from the undergarment gods that it was clearly times for some new ones!

I decided to treat myself and headed to Nordstrom's one lunch hour.  I had tons of gift certificates to the spa there but since i haven't seem to make it there in like 2 years, this seemed like the better use of them.

Have you ever been properly fitted for a brassiere?  It is definitely not for the modest, but the woman I had helping me was very professional and made me not feel too uncomfortable about disrobing before some stranger!  And I was very glad I did it.  I was wearing the wrong size!  She brought me in about 20 different ones to try and I finally settled on 4 that were comfy yet pretty and feminie too.

I also got a lesson in bra handling.  ABSOLUTELY no tide or woolite or basically any of your regular detergents. Too harsh on the fibers.  Best is either Dreft or handwash with baby shampoo.  And if machine wash, use the bag. Also, you want to have about 4-5 to rotate between.  The daily wear of your favorites is what breaks them down and stretches them out faster.  Also, don't fold them by the cups either, if room permits, lay them out flat.  I can't recall the issue with that, but it does something not good to them ;-)

That was my lesson in bras.  I must say, not only do I feel better and more comfortable, but I think they  look better too! :)  So there, go get fitted for a new bra and doing something good for your "girls"! :)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today my dad turned 65!  I can't believe it, 65?

Unfortunately he had to head out of town for a job today so we will be doing all of the celebrations on Sunday at my parents' house.  He bought himself some new grill piece for his birthday so I think that means we will be the lucky recipients of a Popsie cooked meal....winning! ;-)

What to say about my dad besides, well, he is the best!!  I count my self as one of the lucky ones who grew up as daddy's girl.  He spoiled me but not in the way of being a brat and getting whatever I wanted, more of just doing things for me and taking care of me.  His Love Language must surely be Acts of Service!  If you ever need anything at all, my dad would be there to run an errand, help out with a chore, wait for a repairman, get my gas tank filled, you name it!  And all without a grumble.   All of my friends always loved my dad growing up cause he is just a sweet dad!

Now as a parent myself, I enjoy watching him with my children.  He is so good with the boys and they surely love their Popsie.  My dad still spoils me...coming to watch the boys if I have to work late, helping out with something for the house...and getting my oil changed and gas tank filled on occasion too ;-)

But not only is my dad a good dad...my parents are also a testament in of themselves, being married for over  40 years!  I grew up seeing what a good and healthy marriage is.  And when I was looking for someone to marry, I wanted someone that was as awesome as my dad.  And lucky for me I found him!

I am so thankful to have such a great relationship with my dad and also grateful the boys get to grow up with such a super cool Grandpa!

Happy Birthday, Dad!!  We love you!!

sneaking in

it's one of my fav things to do before I go to bed....go take a peek and re-cover my sleeping little M.  With Zach, I had to stop doing that at like a year old.  The boy has bat ears or something but just the tee tiniest screech of the door would wake him up.  He wasn't the best sleeper at that age and we ALL have learned the lesson....NEVER.WAKE.A.SLEEPING.BABY!! He just gets a kiss blown at his door now ;-)

Mark sleeps like a log so I have made sure to take the opportunity every night so go in for one last look.  He always amazes me because everything is totally disheveled and reorganized or even thrown out of the crib when I go back in.  Whenever I lay him down to sleep, he rolls onto his tummy and assumes the hiney in the air position (by FAR the cutest way babies sleep!) and  acts like he is going to sleep.  I never got one of the fancy video monitors so I truly have no clue what goes on in there after I leave but clearly it sometimes include ridding the crib of things that bother him  by throwing out of crib, playing with his stuffed animals, and reading books.  I would love to see what goes on....

So anyway, the whole point if this is, I love to go in, straighten him out, pull the book out from under his face, recover him up, stroke his hair and face, whisper my good nights....and marvel at the wonders and preciousness of a sleeping child.  No matter how much they may test you during the day, there is nothing more sweet than that sight.

Do you still do this with your little ones?  How long can it last before he starts waking up and telling old mom to get out of his room?  Not sure I want to be the old lady in the Love you forever book rocking my grown son....but I can see how I may want to! ;-)

Earth Day at the Arboretum

When pondering what to do today...Matt busted out with why not go to the arboretum?  We were a little curious if maybe there would be some bluebonnets on Memorial this year and figured if not, well then we had an alternative plan!  What a fun day it ended up being!  They were celebrating Earth Day today and had a whole circuit set up of activities for the kiddos to do.  We headed out on the trails, armed with our map and let the adventure begin!  I must say, I have lived in Houston forever and don't recall ever actually going before?  It was definitely fun!

At each station you had to complete a task and then you would get the coveted stamp!  Fill in all stamps...get a prize!  Woohoo!  Say prize and you have Zach's attention. We spotted squirrels, birds, butterflies, turtles and lots of friendly people walking dogs who let me dog lovin' boys love on their pups!

Here are a few pics of our fun day!  And on a side note....we got asked if the boys were twins no less than 5 or 6 times!  Guess they are starting to look alike!

 THIS is the face of one happy adventurer!

We topped off our fun afternoon in the city with a stop at the most delicious Greek place evah....Niko Niko's!!  YUM-O!!

What a great day exploring our fun city!!

Zoobilee 2011

Once a year in the spring, the Zoo has a members only event for families!  We packed up the crew Friday after work and headed out there.  Parking was terrible thanks to there being a show going on at the outdoor theatre but we finally made it in and had a great time!  We met up with some other friends who are also members and just let the kids have fun!!  They had a dj set up in the African Forest....and let me tell you, Zach has some moves!  He is a mix of Elaine from Seinfeld, martial arts, break dancing and just plain silliness! :)  He was a hoot to watch!  The kids all had such a good time with each other and we were sad it was closing and we couldn't play more.