Friday, May 17, 2013

Old Phone Video Purge: Part 5

Finally we're at the end of what was on my old phone (or rather, a selection of videos from probably about a hundred or so).  For this one, I think I'm probably a bit more enthusiastic than Gobbles about the sledding hill also known as our front lawn.  After this snowstorm I actually bough a sled big enough to hold me, but then it never snowed again this season.  Oh well, always next year: 

Another one of those why do we have toys (or teethers!) moments.  A promotional frosty mug can entertain your 12 month old for minutes!



This was technically when I started saying "Oh the Lobster is walking!" (taken at 12 mos, 2 weeks).  Hubs disagrees, calling it "falling with style" a la buzz lightyear.  It took me almost another 2 weeks to finally get a video of her really walking, so he was probably right.  13 months, whatever, I'll take it :)


I thought this would be an appropriate video to end my "old phone purge" series, with the Lobster Roll and her version of the Happy Cheerio Dance, considering the first video of the group I posted.  Just shy of 14 months, my little girl seems SO MUCH SMALLER than her brother, even though it's only a 6 week age difference between here and there.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Old Phone Video Purge: Part 4

 We'll start off part 4 of the videos with just some everyday kid-chatting with the same high pitched squeal between my almost 3 year old son and my 9 month old daughter.  Oh and some doggie torture as well: 
 
 
I felt the need to capture the Lobster Roll's enthusiastic lip smacking before she got too old:
 
 
There was a period of time when the Lobster was 10 months old that she was an extremely light napper.  This particular day, after less than an hour of sleep, she was woken up by a dog running down the steps.  When I tried to get her back down I plopped in the glider for a few minutes to see if she would go or if it was over.  Yep, nap was over for the day.
 
Did I ever mention that we love Bring it On?  Gobbles loves it too...

Friday, May 3, 2013

The weekend I got played

Last weekend our plans were to have no plans and go with the flow.  The result?  An incredibly fun family weekend.  Perhaps a little too much family time in Gobbles' case...

I'll back up.  On Friday, one of Gobbles' classmates' Mommas let us know about a special pajama night at a nearby Color Me Mine.  Hubs and I decided to be spontaneous (and I told him the crafts could be my mothers' day present) and go.   Gobbles was very serious about picking out his pottery - an angry birds bowl - and so proud to select the colors that he wanted paint it.  We chose a piece and some paint for the Lobster and the kids got to work. 

Gobbles refused any help with painting; however his problems seemed to stem from changing his mind and repainting the same spot over and over, ending up with a greyish brown tint all over.  I will still treasure it regardless.  Hubs and I helped the Lobster with her art, helping her hold the brush and trying (but failing) to keep her from sucking her paint covered thumb.  We ended up managing to get a hand print from each child onto the dish, which is perfect for me, because there's something I love about my kids' hand prints!

As the paint began to dry, Gobbles' friend from school came in with her family.  We chatted for a bit as they did their crafts, Gobbles hung out with his friend, and we mentioned we might check out a local funfair the next day.  My little guy must have said something right because the next day his friend wanted to meet up for a second time the same weekend.

Our plan for the carnival was simple - get Gobbles onto the rides without him freaking out in order to gauge how he will do at Disney three short weeks away.  I must say, in comparison to a year ago, our guy was a rock star.  He rode all the rides he could, some twice, preferring to go buy himself or with his lil gal pal.  There was one ride on which he seemed to out stomach me, but he got a little pale on the teacups.  All in all, the tantrum he threw when we ran out of tickets made me comfortable that he is going to have the time of his life when we go see that big mouse.

Sunday my mom begged for a few hours with her precious angels so we were happy to oblige.  Hubs did yard work (ahem, cut down 2 giant trees with a chainsaw) and I had a soccer game an hour away so it worked out nicely.  When my parents dropped the kids back home, my mom and I discussed the Lobster's little cough that she had, I mentioned that it sounded a little bit Croupy.

That night, the Lobster seemed to be up most of the night, coughing and crying, just in need of snuggles.  Finally, around 4am, she seemed to have calmed down for good and we thought we could sleep.  Oh we were wrong.  An hour later, Gobbles comes running into our room (usually with night terrors he kind of slinks into the hall whining).  I'm sick! I'm sick! I need to sleep with you guys!  We check his bed, no puke.  Feel his forehead, eh kinda warm.  So we let him cuddle up with us.

After multiple snoozes on our Monday morning alarm, hubs and I get up and start the morning routine.  The Lobster is miraculously up and fine, ready and happy to go to school.  Gobbles on the other hand, crying and whining that his belly hurts, he can't go to school, he doesn't want breakfast.  At that, I run to work to grab my computer so I could work from home with my poor sick Gobbles.  He made a home on the couch and we assumed he'd basically be there all day.  I get back, set up my workstation on the kitchen table, and hubs leaves for work, dropping the Lobster Roll off on his way.

What seems like 5 minutes into me settling into a working groove, Gobbles enters the kitchen
- Mommy, are you done work yet?  Let's play.
- Gobbles, you said you were sick?  You may lay on the couch and watch tv, take a nap, or play quietly by yourself.  Mommy told you she'd be working all day long.
- But I'm very hungry.
- Gobbles, do you feel fine?  If you feel ok I'm going to send you to school.
- I feel better now, but I cannot go to school because I have a croufy cough.

Yes - he took the "croupy cough" that he heard us describing his sister and made it his own the very next day.  As the morning turned to afternoon, it became more and more apparent that my lil guy was anything but sick.  He had played me.   And hubs.  He played us good.  At three years old, he was able to use real tears, resist a meal (if you know my child at all you know his priorities are always FOOD), and sweet talk his "no nonsense" skeptical parents.  God help us when he's a teenager.
Oh reLAX mom!  Sit back and have some juice...

Very precise, yet a bull in a china shop all at once

My little artist

I love the camera as much as the taste of the paint!

So that was Friday... How about Saturday?  Want some apple?

Running through the funhouse at lightning speed

Slowing down for the merry go round

The lobster LOVES her horsie

Waiting patiently, or mimicking Daddy?

A tentative smile down the hill on the raging coaster

Just happy to steer the rocket

whoo hoo! A friend!

Let me control both sides please!

That lady in the backseat doesn't look too happy that our hands have not come off the horn yet!
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
I suppose the kids are worth their trouble... Love my babies :)

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

The Birthday Party Circuit

Now that we've had a whole month without birthday parties, it's time to round up what Mr. Gobbles had been doing all winter!

I may have mentioned this before, but between October and March, Mr. Gobbles attended 13 birthday parties, including his own and his sister's.  That basically boiled down to one every other week.   Some were family friends, and some of them were classmates, kids he's spend 8 hours a day with since he was a wee baby.  We've jumped, bounced, done crafts, bowled, played pin the tail, played circle games, jumped some more, or just had a toy-time get together.

We've eaten pizza and cake and pizza and cake and pizza and chicken fingers and cake! 

The years of weddings and showers and bachelorette parties have made way to balloons and presents and meltdowns.  And I love it.  Watching my son play with his friends, watching all the kids sing happy birthday, watching the guest of honor beam as they blow out their candles, chatting with parents of kids my son plays with every day but I barely know (and realizing, hey, you'd be cool to have a drink with), all of it, I love it. 

I hope in the years to come, with sports leagues and dance recitals and all else that keeps life busy, that these parties don't become a chore, because I want Gobbles to continue to love and embrace every social event he attends.  Maybe it stems from my own issues of always needing to be included, accepted, and surrounded by everyone I love, but I just can't get enough of my little boy growing into his own with all of his little buddies.  Bring on the candles.

 
Whoo hooooo! My first ever schoolmate birthday party - what a blast! 
Wait - maybe this was the 3rd?  They were both in the same place :)

I hear there's pizza and cake at these things?  Forget jumping - I'm hungry!

All RIGHT!! Pizza and Cake! YAY!

YUM!

Blowers are always fun!

Yes - 3 year olds can bowl too!

We even got cool lil shoes!

Alrighty, let's just put this up on the track

forget that - i'll roll it all myself!

Mommy- you wrote an entire post about my own party - why more pics of me eating pizza there?

This was a fun one - at the Creative Clubhouse!

I LOVE to make music!

This house party had a fishing game, crafts, pin the tail, and a moonbounce!
Oh yea - and friends and pizza!


One of my school friends had moved away but came back for this
party 4 months later and 6 " taller - I miss her so much!

Another house party - with a FUN HOUSE to color!

And of course more pizza - and my girlfriend!

And my sister could come too!

And the birthday girl's brother a.k.a. my sister's long lost twin!

The Gobblesman just being Gobbles

Breakin hearts

Ah! Back to an old favorite - bouncey place!

And lil sis was able to come too again!

Hey Gobbles! I can speak for myself - 6 months of being dragged to your
parties and now I can finally play for myself - YEA!

Wheeeee!

I'm so happy to bounce!

My mommy is the best - helping me climb all the way up through the spider web structure -
I was the only kid that made it up there!

Aww Gobbles you were sick for this party - too bad!

Now it's time for LOBSTER fun!!!