Now THAT is Dirty!

We went to Joe's Crab Shack last night to say goodbye to our friends and neighbors. They are leaving on Monday to go to NYC to plant a church. We have enjoyed getting together with them over the past year and their boys have been great friends and playmates to Ewan and Isaac. We decided that Joe's would be a good place because they have a playground and we figured we could have some adult conversation while the boys played. Ahhhhhhh...uninterrupted adult conversation!

Well, the playground has all those little pebbles for a ground. You know, the kind we had when we were kids? And along with pebbles comes dirt. And lots of it. Joe's has big shovels and dump trucks to move all the little pebbles around and of course when you roll around in the dirt it kind of rubs off onto you.

Well, after the boys ate their dinner they went to town in the playground. And this is what they looked like when it was time to go:

Jon gave them a bath while I put Graham to bed and he said you couldn't even see the bottom of the bathtub it was so murky. Their legs and arms were as dirty as their faces!

Oh No! Not That!

I was on the upstairs phone with a friend yesterday while Graham was crawling from room to room and playing with toys and other random objects. He went into the bathroom where he likes to open the drawers and knock over the shampoo and toys into the bathtub. I heard the doors opening and closing and recognized familiar sounds of him playing.

Then, I heard something a little different. It sounded like splashing. And clinking. I set the phone down and hurried off to the bathroom. I found Graham standing in front of the toilet with my hairbrush in his hand. He was dipping my brush into the toilet water and pulling it out so he could drizzle the water all over the floor. Oh, and did I mention the toilet had pee in it?

Ugh! Gross! That is the brush I use to blow dry my hair!

He just looked up at me with a big grin and then started wondering why I was saying "ewwwww, gross, yucky!" And "we don't play in the potty". Since Ewan and Isaac never feigned any interest in the toilet I am now the queen of making all the rookie mistakes with a child who is fascinated by splashing in the water, toilet included.

So what do I do with my hairbrush? (Insert body shudder here)

Mommy the Hut

About two months ago Jon was going to sit on the couch and he sat in the wrong spot. My spot. MY spot. You see, I had practically become one with the right side of the couch. It is the side closest to the window where I can put my drink on the sill. It is the side more directly in front of the tv. And it is the side most comfortable to me. You see, I spent many, many hours nursing and holding a sleeping or non-mobile awake baby on the couch in THAT spot. MY spot.

I ruled all from that spot on the couch: Nursing the baby and watching the other two play. Breaking up fights. Giving directions on what to get started for dinner while I finished feeding the baby. Changing diapers. I slept in that spot on the couch holding Graham while he slept for the first few months--while the other two napped of course. I stayed up late at night watching movies with Jon and nursing the baby in THAT spot on the couch.

And of course I perfected the art of waiting for Jon to get up from the couch or his recliner before asking in a sweet voice, "honey, would you mind getting me some water? some ice cream? my magazine I forgot on the table? the phone? some coffee?" I have to admit that it is hard to get out of that habit. (Insert sheepish grin) But, when I am strapped to the couch holding or nursing a baby it usually goes in my favor.

So, when Jon sat in MY spot on the couch a few months ago I felt very protective of the spot and asked him why he was sitting there. I felt out of place sitting on the other side of the couch. Uncomfortable. And I did not like it one bit. It was then he made a joke about how I am no longer Mommy the Hut. (Imagine Jabba the Hut language here): "Da Wo Ee Hoo A O Way, hahaha" Translation: Bring me a glass of water, hahaha. As soon as he said it he thought I would take the joke the wrong way and think he was calling me a big, fat slug. I knew he didn't mean it that way at all and I laughed hysterically. Sitting on the couch feeding the baby all the time did make me feel sort of like a big, fat slug--especially before Graham was sleeping for any long stretches at night. But he was joking that I can't rule from that spot on the couch anymore and it is time to share the spot since I don't need it as much. It is just that now that Graham is mobile, and nurses only a few times during the day--and only for a few minutes at a time at that--I don't have any excuses to make MY spot on the couch my command post. In fact, I barely sit down at all during the day and I enjoy the time when Graham nurses because it is a break for me to not have to do anything else but sit and enjoy him.

I felt a little mourning moment as I said goodbye to the Mommy the Hut command post and the advantages of having water brought to me when I wanted. If you ever come to my house, you are welcome to sit anywhere you like, except in my spot.

Graham's Dance Moves

Graham has recently discovered that music makes you boogie. So, I thought I'd capture a little video of it for you to enjoy as well. We are, of course, listening to some Johnny Cash, but his bootie knows no limits to musical bouncing.

I also discovered that apparently I have been taping over video footage from about 6 months ago. [Put expletive in here] Rookie mistake.

Maybe I should make this count for Graham's 11 month update. He is just a hair under 25# and cute as ever. He makes the puppy sign as you see in the video and just signed "more" a few days ago. Sure beats the loud, obnoxious grunting when he wants more food RIGHT NOW. He isn't consistent in using it yet but we know he can do it. He is a cruising machine and loves walking up and down the couch or holding onto anything he can get his hands on. Other than that he does all the typical baby stuff...babbling, getting into EVERYTHING--including the toilet water! His big brothers were never interested in the toilet so now I have to make sure the lids are closed all the time to prevent temptation. However, yesterday I discovered that he figured out how to open the lid and splash away. EWWWWWWWWW! I've never been that much into baby proofing but now that images of Graham figuring out how to climb (because he likes to climb) into the toilet and drowning keep flashing in my mind, it is a little more appealing.

And yes, I know he needs a hair cut but have you ever tried cutting a very hairy-headed 11 month old's hair? It is tricky to say the least. It will involve snackage of some kind after a nap but I'm not that good at cutting hair so I am a little nervous how it will turn out with a squirmy, curious at-what-I-am-doing-to-his-head boy.

Enjoy!

Cool Breezes

What in the world is going on?

It is 68 degrees outside with a lovely breeze. It hasn't been over75 in the past 3 days. And it is AUGUST!

Last summer I was sweltering in the heat and on top of being ginormously pregnant. Our room couldn't cool off below 85. Now it is open windows and no air conditioner. I would have loved me some of this weather while I was pregnant!

It has been getting into the 50s at night!

I live in a strange alternate universe. Would any of you from the South like to come visit?

Ewan's Party

This year's theme was water. We invited his friends to bring their swim suits to play water games and eat shark themed cupcakes. It was a blast! We played water limbo, splash ball tag, target practice against the fence with splash balls, squirt guns, a water balloon toss and splash around in the kiddie blow up pool. They played in the sandbox and ate some yummy watermelon, grapes, and goldfish. Ewan got some really cool presents and has been playing with them non-stop. I think he felt celebrated and even a little overwhelmed at times. He was actually quiet at the end of the party which is unusual for him. Maybe he was tired from all the fun.

Here are some picture highlights:

Snack time.

Opening presents.

Shark attack cupcake time.

Mommy and Graham.

Water limbo.