Joel Andrew, Teenage Girl & Other Things

Does your 4-almost 5 year old boy act like a teenage girl sometimes?  Mine does.  I wonder how he will react to this when he is older, but some recent examples:

1. Joel Andrew gives me play money to "buy" some "food" - I put the money on the counter while I cook.  He goes off and plays and then comes back to get the money.  I say, "No, it's my money, why do you want it back?" - His response: "I love you Mommy!" and gives me a big hug.  Where did he learn this?  Is it in his genes?
2. When the boys get upset at each other they like to say: "I'm not gonna be your best friend."  Its kinda cute and a not bad way to express emotion I think, they make up and hug usually and so it is good.  However, Joel Andrew was mad at his Dad last night - and this is not a good - Joel Andrew responded with: "I'm not going to love you anymore."  He spent the next 30 minutes loudly sobbing on his bed.  

Is this just a stage, or are we in for it for many years to come?

H- H- Lighthouse

For Easter this year we made the big drive down to Hilton Head Island to visit Nana and Pa. I prefer the drive rather than the drive to the airport, the waiting in the airport, the flight, the change of planes (though I guess that isn't happening anymore?), then more plane, then more drive.  We go all in one night, and get there late morning the next day.  The boys slept from 8pm - 7am; I pull the graveyard shift from 3-breakfast, and then breakfast - HHI, and then we are there.  No problem.

It is always fun to visit with Nana and Pa, and I think we are getting close to having it down to a science now.  Driving helps, as we can bring needed things like helmets and life jackets without too much trouble.  I tried really hard to contain the mess this year, but alas it is still crazy.  We have learned to make a gracious exit within a few days, rather than sticking around to make any permanent messes!  (though with 24 hours left to go I believe there was an epic issue with velcro on a carpet…  I owe Karen a depilling stone…)

We bike, we beach, we bike some more and there is eating and card playing too.  Joel Andrew's love for the cream cheese bagel reached new heights this trip.  James is getting better and better at following Pa and Joelly around, and made it almost the entire trip without a nap.  On the last full day though- with his wetsuit on, ready to go to the pool, the kid passed out.  He slept, sweat and all, in his wetsuit on Nana's bed for about four hours.  He was toast.

The Easter Bunny would not leave us alone.  He came to the house the first day, which was awesome for the kiddos.  Then, we saw him again at the Bunny Brunch at the Club - where James dominated the 1-3 year old egg hunt.  Joel Andrew did not triumph so well at the 4-7 year old egg hunt.  I guess the age separation thing really is a good idea.  On actual Easter Sunday we had an egg hunt at the house as well, joined by our friends the Witmans.  Joel Andrew has a new girlfriend, and so does James.  See below.  They were already taking their lady friends out for car rides.  What's next?

The beach was also a hit.  You could spend hours (and we did) at the beach with these kids, just plop some buckets and shovels down, sunscreen them up and then let them go.  They will dig tremendous holes and run back and forth with buckets of water, filling up the holes - while they are getting more water, the water melts into the sand.  Hours I tell you.  It was awesome, and is really having me look forward to this summer a ton.

In the end, the boys all flew home and Mommy made some work stops along the way.  I did some blog posts on my work adventures - for work - which I may not actually use for work and so I will end up posting them here I think.  It was a great trip, and although I was devastated to leave my boys (I terribly got the thought of - what happens if the plane crashes and I am the only one left? - that was a fun five hours in the car until they told me their plane landed in Boston) - once their plane had landed and I was in my hotel in DC, I was good.  I enjoyed seeing the sites, I like a road trip.  Now, if only I can come up with a job that is me and my guys all traveling around?  Hmm.  Wouldn't that be awesome?  Too bad this blog thing never really caught on!

Till next year, HHLighthouse!  We had a pang of panic when we realized next year we will be at the mercy of the school schedule, so no Easter at HHI for us.  That's ok..  we will share with Auntie Jennie and Uncle Jeremy...

Joel Andrew, Dancer

It was peek week at Dance School this week, and Joel Andrew rocked it (sort of).  He loves it, and that is all that matters.  He is certainly the ladies; man of the class and we are super psyched for his recital which will be coming up in about 6 weeks.  Can't wait to see my little guy on stage.  Not sure if he will be completely freaked out, or love it!

Brothers Fighting Over One Girl

Today we enjoyed the amazing spring day and made it out to the Stone Zoo. It was a great outing - capped by lots of cool photos of my dudes.  The Stone Zoo is a trek from us, but an easy trek.  Parking is easy, we are members so we get right in under our membership, and it is a perfect size for littles to walk around and see some cool sights.  We love this trip and go perhaps three times a year.

We pack a lunch, and shoot for an 11am arrival.  Then, by the time we get to the River Otters we are at the perfect spot to have lunch right in front of the monkeys.  The boys love the trip - and even with the renovations (we were sad to miss the bears and flamingos this time) we had a great day.

The river otters are the best, followed by the Yak, which we talked about a lot - and the wolves - who were all out and running around today.  At the wolf exhibit we met a girl.  I am pretty sure her name was Sydney, but Joel Andrew will argue with me that it is Cindy.  Anyway, the girl loved my boys (how could you not, look how cute they were dressed?) and the next thing you know, Cindy, her mom and her little sister were now going around with us.  It was cute to see the two boys with this girl, who was exactly right in the middle of the ages of my boys.

Joel Andrew immediately gets worried that James might try to steal the spotlight, so he says to Cindy: "Do you know what James did yesterday?  He pooped on the lawn!" Nice, Joel Andrew.  Way to one-up your brother.  There was some good playing on the playground between the three of them, and then we were off just as quickly to home (James still has to nap!).

Joel Andrew asked if we could go to Cindy's house, to which I replied, "Did you ask where she lived?"  So, that is a no.  In the car ride home Joel Andrew literally said: "This is the best day of my life because I met Cindy."  To which I laughed, and he yelled at me to stop laughing.  We have a Romeo on our hands ladies and gentleman.

James and Potty Etiquette

I feel the need to record these memories.  If you do not like potty talk, you may want to skip over - be warned…

Yesterday morning James sat backwards on the toilet when he knew he had to poop.  He sat on the toilet, pooped.  Only problem, his cheeks were hanging off the back of the toilet, so the poop went on the floor and not in. Nice.

Tonight.  A whole different story.  We were having a nice bonfire, relaxing outside, watching the guys play.  They were having an epic time on their swing set, we were having adult conversation.  Then, Joel Andrew has to pee and drops his pants and pees right on our lawn.  Ok, no one else is here.  What happens next…

James drops pants and poops on the lawn.  Seriously, Joel Husband and I were in shock.  James then pulls up his pants and continues playing.  Joel Andrew comes running: "James just pooped…  on the lawn!" and is a laughing with a mixture of terror and excitement.

James comes over and as I am saying: "No!  We don't poop outside!" - he replies: "Angus does it!"  Well, I guess he has us there?

There is a shower and some laundry happening at 84 Drinkwater right now.

No TV

Tonight I tried to not turn the TV on once, while I had the kids, for the second day in a row - by myself.  It was tough.  But I made it.  Unfortunately, my ideas on how to keep the kids entertained while not watching TV were pretty messy.  Like, let's use Mommy's tub to take a bath…  We may find bubbles for months dried up in the corners of the bathroom or on pictures across the room.  I guess it could be worse.

The good news is, that it was warmer out, and the snow is gone, so when we got home they actually played on their swing set the two of them alone - and very well - for a grand total of about 10 minutes. It is a start and I hope this trend expands, as it is perfect.  I can see them out the window right from the sink.  A highlight of this was when James had to go to the bathroom, he just pulled his pants down and peed in the yard.  This is actually a good thing for me, as one less time to clean the toilet tonight!  (we are still working on his aim).

Off to an even crazier week than normal for work.  Not looking forward to it!

Quote of the Week

Joel Andrew: "Mommy, when are we going to have dinner?"

Mommy: "After we fold and put away the laundry we can go downstairs and I will make dinner and you can watch an Octonauts."

Joel Andrew: "You mean you can HEAT UP dinner while we watch Octonauts."

Mommy: "What?"

Joel Andrew: "You don't have to make dinner, we bought dinner already made, you just have to heat up dinner."

Thanks, Joel.  Way to call me out.  Let's go watch Octonauts.

Ama and Grumpy Live Here Now

 Can you see the pictures above of my boys, running to their Ama and Grumpy?  They were so excited to get to spend the day with them, and I think Ama and Grumpy had fun too.  Even though Grumpy did wait 45 minutes so we could eat at the Bacon Food Truck - and they forgot his order…

We went to the aquarium, and I re-upped the membership there, which is not cheap.  But, it got all of us in, a discount in the shop and a discount on parking, so it was worth it.  The boys loved seeing everything, James is getting closer to touching the rays in the tank.  Now he will put his finger in the water, but he pulls it away excitedly if they get anywhere close to him.  James still loves the penguins and the jellies the best.

Joel Andrew was the opposite of James.  James just wanted to sit and stare at the penguins.  Joel was ready for the next thing.  I was surprised at how much he knew.  I started to tell him that was a school of fish, but I am not sure which kind of fish, and he responded - Sardines, Mommy!?  In a come on kinda voice.  He asked the lady where the leafy sea dragon was, and just as I was about to really freak out, it occurred to me that all of this knowledge is from Octonauts.  He loves Octonauts.

We had a great day, I enjoyed my bacon sandwich, and the boys enjoyed playing on the green in downtown Boston.  They love to go to Boston, but I think next time Joel Andrew wants to go back to see the Boston Bruins.

Wisdom?

My note to my friend who just had her first - who in no way needs any advice from me.  Who is super prepared and super excited to have her girl.  I am silly by putting my two cents in.  But it surprised me, what I wrote as "notes of encouragement" for those first few nights, without the help of a husband, with you and your baby who hardly sleeps - when I wrote it off in two quick seconds with a glass of wine (or two) in me:

"Love and hugs your way - enjoy and love.  That's what this time is about (and this is me saying this..!).  My oldest burped in my face tonight and my youngest peed all over the bathroom floor. I know you have a girl, so hopefully neither will happen to you - but it really does go by super fast.  Love & document is all I can say.  That being said, I am a terrible person because when my youngest peed all over the floor I cried and screamed at him (it was a long day at the Museum)…  I should have known better, James also peed all over the hospital room before we left, twice…  Point being, welcome to motherhood.  It is stressful…  but not so much if you take it grain by grain and see the light in all the challenges"

I actually had wisdom in there, briefly, after the crying bit…  but it was in there.  Who knew?