Vacation and Father's Day all wrapped up into one

    What a week! We had a great time.  Lets rewind and take a look at it.  It started on Saturday June 18th.  We packed up the car and headed to the beach.  O was so excited and so was his Daddy.  We headed out a little later than planned just because I had so much to do to get ready.  But we got there with not problems.

   As soon as we got into our condo the boys ran right for the balcony to check out the beach.  They loved watching the action from up high.  This is where they spent a lot of their time when we were at the condo.

  We settled in and all the boys sat down to relax and take in the sights!  Hubby was in heaven.  He loves the beach and having his boys hanging with him just made his day.

Sunday was father's day.  It rained but we hit the beach anyway.

Hubby still got to take his boys to the beach and even got into the ocean.  He seemed to enjoy himself as well as the boys.  It was a good start to a vacation that included:

There were castles to be built:



 Juice boxes to be drank:

Rides to ride:

 and a first roller coaster to ride!

There were kites to fly:

and cloth diapered babies playing in the sand

 We made new friends:

 tried new things:

Played in the surf:

  and had a few bumps along the way.  On Monday we came back to our condo after a great time on the boardwalk to find our condo flooded.  A pipe had burst some time while we were gone and flooded the condo.  After many phone calls to the rental company and many hours standing in a flooded condo we were moved, at 11:15 pm, to a new condo in the same building.  Not as nice as they first one but it worked. 
    On Saturday morning we were waken by cries from O, who had rolled over and bumped his head on the nightstand.  Not only did he bump his head but he cut the corner of his eye which required a trip to the E.R.  Since it was our day to come home anyway, we packed it up and made the trip to the E.R. then home.  O is all patched up and we are home!

The last night we were there some bad storms moved through.  But they left behind one great rainbow:

   So this is the picture I like to end our vacation with.  A rainbow across the beach.  This is what will stick in my mind, no bumps no bruises just rainbows!

The last game

     Today was O's last T-ball game.  As I sat and cheered him on I found myself surprised at the mixed emotions that  I had.  I was proud, excited and sad all at the same time. 

  He has really come to enjoy the game.  I think that he really likes the team aspect of it and it has helped him grow and mature so much over these last 3 months.   He has also really gotten good at the physical aspect of the game and he has gotten such a sense of pride in himself.

  Here he is hitting the ball that the coach pitched to him.  He did it twice this game! He was so excited that he did it you could see it on his face.

  Look at that face, he is smiling from ear to ear!  I love it and will miss it this summer.  It was fun to watch him learn, grown and love a sport that keeps him active.

   Now O did not just get this excitement from playing the game.  It was his coach that taught him it.  Coach Tim was great.  He loved the game and loved working with the kids and you could tell.  It is just like seeing that teacher that just loves what they do.  Their students then love what they are doing too. 

  Coach Tim was excited to be at every practice and game, which is what made O excited to be there too.  Don't get me wrong there were days, every game day to be up front with you, that O did not want to go; but  once we got there Coach Tim came through and got O on that field and having a great time.  He ran the bases with the kids and cheered them on when they did a good job.  He would real them in when they were lost in the out field and pump them up keeping them in the game.  He taught them what it was like to be on a team and to be a good team player.  We will miss Coach Tim and all that he has done for O.

    So today was the end of T - ball and I am not sure that O understands that.  I am proud of how much he has learn, excited to see him having so much fun and sad to know that for the time being it is going away.  Lets just hope that O gets another good coach next year.  The bar has been set high by Coach Tim.

 

   Go Mudcats!!!! 

  Here is to a great new season next year.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

My new stroller came!!!!

Yes, it is true!  It is finally here!

I am the first to admit it.  I am a stroller snob.  I have to many, and yes I use them all.  I have always had a lot of strollers so it is not surprising that I just got another one.  

Since I have been staying home one of the things I wanted to do is to loss the weight, keep it off and get fit.  I got my phil and teds dash with the doubles's seat right before Little B was born to use as my day to day stroller.  Works great still use it.  I had my single BOB for my exercise and walks but I always did it with one child.  Well now that O is staying home for the summer and will be going to afternoon prek I will be going to my Stroller Strides class and doing my morning walks/jogs with both kids.  This is why I needed a jogging stroller that fit 2.

I love it!  The boys seem to like it!  It took a while to get it, but it is here.  So I have added another stroller to my collection of strollers.  Yes I am a stroller snob.

Walking

Yes, he has taken his first steps.  It was just the other day and both Rob and I were lucky enough to be there when he did it.  It was cool. 

  Now he has not really tried since.  Well until today, so I thought it was a fluke.

He would much rather crawl from place to place.  He does like to stick with what he knows.

   He has taken those first few steps just before he turns 14 months.  Now O was walking at 9 months so Little B felt like he has taken forever.  I have not rushed him, because I know that my life is about to change as he gets better at walking.

But what can a momma say when her baby takes his first steps.  I am so excited for him.  He is getting so big, and look how cute he is.  Who can't love a face like this?  He is my big boy learning to walk.

Yeah Little B!!!  Mommy loves you.

A new chapter in our lives.

     When my baby boy was born 13 1/2 months ago, his first meal was my breast milk. Now 13 1/2 months latter he has moved on to rice milk and solid foods.  Yes I made it 13 1/2 months!  I can't believe it.  That is a lot for me.  I nursed O for a year, but buy his first birthday he was weaned so this extra 6 weeks was a big deal for me.

     I am not one to push nursing, it works for our family and is what is best for my boys.  But I don't really like it or enjoy it.  I don't hate it, otherwise I would not have made it 13 1/2 months, but I don't love it either.  So I am happy to say that I am getting my body back.  It will finally be mine again and I will not have to support any other living soles with it, well unless baby number 3 comes.  I can now eat what ever I want.  I only have to worry about my own food allergies when feeding myself and not the food allergies of another living soul. 

This has also started a new chapter in our lives.  This means that my baby is getting bigger and is now old enough to not need mommy quit as much.  He is becoming a toddler.  I was completely surprised at how easily he weaned and when I cut that last feeding out he did not seem to mind.  He is getting to be such a big boy.  I am going to have to learn to say that I am a mother of a preschooler and a toddler.  Where has the time gone?

  Just look at my "baby" pushing his firetruck.  He is no little baby anymore.  What is this momma going to do?  This is to the start of the new chapter in our lives!

A thankful mother

    My Mother's Day was great.  I enjoyed myself, the day and my family.  But Mother's Day always gets me thinking, now that I am a mother, of how lucky I am to be a mother.  This year it really hit home.  One of my college roommates has recently lost her unborn child and I was not sure how she was taking this day.  It just made me stop to think that I am so grateful of my boys.

I am grateful that they have been given to me.  That I get to raise them and care for them and meet their needs.  I am the one that the turn to in need and look for encouragement from.  It is me that they hug and kiss and call for in the night.

I am grateful for their health.  For the most part they are healthy happy boys.  There are some food allergies and a little unknown issues with their digestive track, but this is all  minor.  They are healthy, growing boys.  No big problems!

I love that you both seem to love each other.  Now there are the little fights and screaming fits, but for the most part you both love each other.  I know by the look on Little B's face when O is the first one to open the door in the morning.  I you love each other when O runs up and gives you a hug.  I know you love each other when you both are playing together in your power wheels.  I am grateful for the opportunity to teach you to love each other.

I am grateful that O has become a team player and is enjoying playing Tball.  The fact that he is learning how to work with others and really seems to enjoy it make me happy.  I also want to instill fitness into his life and make it a way of life.  I am grateful that it seems to be working.

I am grateful to be blessed with two wonderful little boys.  There are so many women in the world that long to be mothers and can not, and there are those who have lost their little ones and making this day a hard one.  I am grateful to have my babies with me and I don't want to take any minute for granted.  I love them!