nk and nate :: time for a family update

(You guys.  I've been trying to write this post for freaking ever.  Everytime I re-read my draft, the kids are doing something new and I have to re-write.  Pathetic.)

We'll start with the littlest one since she is the easiest to talk about.

Nora Kate:  Hater of school and food.   Lover of mama and her owl blankie.  Recently fiesty. 

Both of her hates?  With the passion of a thousand burning suns.  Seriously child, EAT SOMETHING and stop crying when I drop you off!  We basically skipped baby foods entirely and are now working on coaxing any sort of table food at all in her mouth.  So far, basically, she's on the white diet.  (Pasta, crackers, potatoes.)  I get it.  I like carbs and starchy things too.  She comes by it honestly.  She's not withering away but I'd love for her to eat more.  Pretty much the only other foods she'll eat are broccoli and watermelon (so HIGH in CALORIES!).  We're making progress.  She won't eat a single bite at school.  Honestly, I'm not too worried about it.    She's still nursing when she feels like it (usually just the morning) and taking bottles the rest of the day.

She is drunk baby Frankenstein walking like a champ. She is also (I shouldn't type this) sleeping!  Hooray!  It only took her 10 months but considering she wasn't even put into her crib until about 6 months, I'd say that's pretty good!  (To be honest, the first six months when she was in our bed I didn't feel that sleep deprived.  Moving her to the crib and having to actually get up?  That's when I felt the most ti ti.)

(Y'all know if it was up to me I'd just have one ENORMOUS family bedroom...mattress on the floor style, right?) 

(And, I've come so far as a parent and person that I'd even blog about it and let you all judge me as you like!)

With her recent walking has come some fiestiness.  I'm starting to doubt my doctor's "if she's a mellow baby that'll be her personality" theory.   Her recent bite marks in Nate's arm and my shoulder  tell a DIFFERENT story.   She's also loving her daddy lately.    FINALLY.

Unsure about the Razorbacks.  Us too, sweetie.




Nate:   Lover of school and his best friend Ryan.  Hater of sitting still and being inside.

He has discovered farting is a funny word (Like whispering "Mommy I have a secret" and then "I farted!"  THANK YOU NATE.) He also said butthole for the first time.  Sigh.  SERIOUS milestone moments going around here.  Why are bodily functions SO FUNNY to four year olds?  I already KNOW THAT POOP COMES OUT OF YOUR BUTT.   Yesterday, at the grocery store, he spent no less than five minutes shaking his booty at the overhead camera (one where you can see yourself on screen) in the cheese aisle.  

He still has his imaginary friends Boppy (the troublemaker) and Tu-Tu (MODEL FREAKING KID) though they rarely come out to play these days.  He's continues to adore school and any and every type of sport known to man.  (Seriously.  His capacity for making up games combining homeruns, touchdowns and goals knows no end.)   His video game obsession abated (we went weeks without playing) and has (just this week) returned with a vengeance.  Thankfully, the weather is insanely gorgeous so we mostly spend our free time together in the front yard or at the park. 

October is bringing us visits from both my parents and my sister and her boyfriend.    There will be pumpkins.  Oh, yes, there will be pumpkins. 

take THAT s.a.d.

It's a new season and, normally, you know me, I'm all SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER and I hate everyone and so on and so forth.  (What?  You know it's true.  Like clock work every year I struggle as I'm ripped from my flip flops and tank tops and have to actually WEAR CLOTHES.  What?  It's a rough life.)  But this year feels a little different.  I don't know what it is.  (I really don't.)  I definitely can feel myself changing.   I feel, for the most part, MORE patient with the kids (which is a bonus) and MORE patient with life in general.  (I'm sure my parents are laughing hysterically - slowness and patience.. hardy har har KATHLEEN.) 

I think if I look closely I'd say a lot of it is TOTAL DENIAL about how old my kids (ha - 4 and nearly 1...so, basically, college) are getting and how fast life is changing.  I want to enjoy it and I want to enjoy it with people I love and trust.  (Not that I didn't want these things before but when time and energy become more precious commodities choosing what you do and who you do it with seems more critical.)

We've lost several close local friends in the past couple of years to new jobs in new cities (and some, let's face it, to simply drifting apart because our lifestyles are different or whatever else.)   Our little church that we've been a part of for the last few years also recently closed its doors (last week) so that chapter is also closing.  We've (obviously) added another person to our family and, though she's a happy girl, she is still demanding and getting more so.  (And, FTR, we are still contemplating if the child chapter is closed for us.  Don't ask me about how I burst into tears last week and decided I needed another baby.  We are NOT talking about it.  The baby is NOT turning 1.) 

Anyway, all I'm really trying to say is:  All of these things have made me contemplate how life and relationships and friendships change and how important our choice to be happy really is.  With that being said, I'm trying to focus on the people and the activities that I love (discovering new things - HELLO SOCCER COACHING!)  and letting go of some old (GOODBYE TEEN MOM 2 MARATHONS!).   I also will continue this blog because I love it.  

That is all. 

Run along. 

Nora Kate, how are you almost one!?

It's like I've been hiding her from you.

I'm sorry.

Today she pretended to drink coffee in one of Nate's old tshirts.

Clearly, a moment to RECORD.  (And share.  You're welcome.)

I will now pretend to speak 11-month.  (The things I do for you people.  I mean really.)  

Back up off my cup: 
This is hilarious, right? I'm finding it amusing.

Ahhhhhh. Hits the spoooooot. (Wobbles drunkenly.)

passive aggressive much?

The only qualm Nate has about school?  Not getting to do carpool line every day.    

Nora Kate is not old enough for carpool line so, on the days she goes to school, we all walk in together.

THE EMBARRASMENT. 

We argued about (discussed? AHEM) it just this morning.   (Clearly, I would NEVER argue with my child.  EVER.  He's so rational and logical.  What could there be to argue about?) 

After school, he came home with a list of what each kid likes to do with their families.  

Nate's?

Sit in carpool line with Mom. 

I think my four year old is MESSING WITH ME.  

so there was this one time i signed up to be a soccer coach...

So.  Let's discuss children and ACTIVITIES, yes?  Thus far in his short 4 years, 2 months and 5 days, Nate has taken a six-week soccer lesson session (total bust) and a spring t-ball league (he loved it; most of his teammates lost interest).  

I've been a little concerned about over-scheduling the kids and ourselves (especially with dragging the baby along) but listen: my kid has SO much energy.  And he likes to play sports.  All of them.  He asks me to sign him up for things all the time.  Baseball, football, basketball, soccer. (The low point was one day we were using some colored tape for an art project and he asked, "Mommy, can you sign me up for tape?")  He's energetic and overly social so, seriously, activities are good for him.  School is fantastic for him.  (Karl and I were both excessively shy as children so it's funny to have this extroverted 4 year old boy child living among us,  popping out of the car eagerly at school every single day and talking to basically anyone and everyone in public.)  

As of right now, we're sort of testing things out one activity at a time... trying not to get too crazy and tentatively trying to discover what he's interested in. And, honestly (LET THE RECORD SHOW), if he asked repetitively for some strangish activity (Is 4 too young for larping?) we would let him try whatever.  (Maybe they really do have 'tape' lessons?)

But that's not what you want to hear about now is it?  You want to hear the crazy part about how all my soccer mom dreams are coming true!  (Apparently, I take the whole soccer mom title VERRRRY literally.)  Well, to be honest, it's really not that crazy at all.  I like kids.  I like soccer.  I have a REALLY loud yelling voice.  I played recreational and competitive soccer (school and club) through high school.  I am by no means a good player but I'm not the worst either.   I have babies in bathrooms - surely I can handle a gaggle of four year olds on a soccer field, right? 

So I signed up.  

I went to an informational (and required) coaches meeting.  I didn't realize it would be for the whole club (they go to U18) and I didn't realize it would be so official.  (Read: I showed up in jeans and a tank top (SHOCKING) with the baby on my hip (ALSO SHOCKING) and the rest of the room was filled with older dudes in work clothes.  Oops.)  I almost left.  They gave our age group a Master List of all the Under-5 players and we were supposed to pick our teams.  They play 3 versus 3 at this age so I only needed 6 kids.  I stared at the list uncomprehendingly while the other coaches MADE LISTS.  I finally just picked all the kids from Nate's school and all the kid's from his friend Harrison's school.  When I turned it in, the other coach was all "Are any of them really good?"  I DON'T KNOW DUDE.  THEY'RE FOUR.  (I did not say that, but, really, if I can keep them on the field the whole game, that's an accomplishment, right?)  

Regardless, we had our first practice this week. 

Verdict? 

SO FUN.  

I have a team full of boys! (though, for the record, there are many girls in the league).   Karl helped me coach.  (Go team.) 

Here's what I've learned so far: 

• When you don't know what to do next Option 1: RUN!  (They possibly loved the running more than the soccer.) 
• When you don't know what to do next Option 2: DRINK BREAK!  (Drinks  = Very Important.) 

So far, so good.

DRINK BREAK.  (You can have wine.)   

7 times 7 times 7...does anybody have a calculator

I so thought it was our 8th anniversary.   Wrong.   Just the 7th.  "JUST" THE SEVENTH.  (How?!)

At midnight I tweeted this: 

I'll let you figure out the hashtag.  First one to guess it gets some boobie tassles.  (All in reference to an old Adam Sandler movie - Big Daddy anyone?) 

It was also the kids first day of school. 

Everyone was a little exhausted from the excitement of the day but we dropped them off with Gigi anyway.  We talked about going out a different night.  We really did.  But we knew we wouldn't. 

Must.  Capture.  The.  Moment.  


We were going to go to some nice, tame old people restaurant.  It was raining.  And also just a little past 5:30.  That screams salads and crab cakes with a small glass of wine, right? 

NO IT DOES NOT.

It screams damnit-wakeup-new-fancy-asian-fusion-restaurant that is still in soft opening phase.  (We're so cool.) (Also there was LITERALLY no one but us and some happy hour folks in the whole place.)

Miraculously, they didn't laugh at us and, instead, tucked us away in one of these funky, glowing booths and brought us copious amounts of wine and beef.  (Who doesn't want to eat dinner basking in the glow of small asian figurines?)  (Hi horsey!) 

This was my meal.  It came with a salt block to cook my steak.  (WHO DOESN'T WANT A BURNING HOT SALT BLOCK ON THEIR PLATE?) (For the record, it was actually an outstanding meal; though the last few pieces were a bit salty since the block had cooled quite a bit.)  (Thankfully I'm all MMMMM salt.)   


What do you do after half a bottle of wine on a Monday night?  Make your waiter take a photo of you in front of a ridiculous glowing statue.  DRUNK HAIR!  CRAB CAKE AND SALAD CLOTHES!

(Then transfer your sleeping children to their beds and proceed to have one more beer on the front porch while you talk to your sweet 16 year old neighbor (who, by the way, came over to borrow a TI-83; See?  What?  What?  We still have hip calculators!) about how awesome college is and how he should go.  HA.    

That's how YOU do an anniversary, right?  RIGHT!?

(All joking aside, it was a lovely evening.) 

update of the general variety, there will be bullets

• It took 10 months, 2 weeks and 1 day but Nate asked me what it would be like if Nora wasn't alive and just he was alive.  Ahem. 
• Nora is stepping.  With her feet.  In the direction of humans and toys.  Sigh.  
• Both kids start their fall school schedule next Monday which is fantastic (we love our school) but unfortunate because THE WHOLE REST OF THE WORLD STARTED school this week.  (So many cute back to school photos just staring me in the face!)  
• Karl was gone all last week (Park City, UT from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning) for a conference.  That's a whole lot of bedtimes and wakeup and meal times all alone with two small children.  It started off SUPER rough - I picked up the world's scariest looking case of pink eye and both the kids were running low-grade fevers Sunday night.   Monday was not my best day.  All in all, it was intense but not quite as terrifying as I thought it was going to be. 
• I am currently repainting Karl and my bedroom a GLORIOUS shade of white.  Project White Out began last night at 9 p.m.  The walls in our bedroom are textured (read: we painted textured paint over classy wood paneling several years back).  We sort of forgot how that texture sucks up paint so we ran out of our meager one gallon around 11 p.m., not an opportune time to procure more paint as the paint store = closed.   We both forgot to get more today so, uh, two walls are 'Frost' and two remain 'Atmospheric.'  (Maybe if I confess this it means it will get done tomorrow?!  Must. Not. Stop.)  
• The dogs were definitely more difficult than the children while Karl was out of town, escaping multiple times and breaking the fence in the same spot we keep fixing.  Fortunately, I have fantastic neighbors who open their gates, lock them in and call me.  Then I have EVEN MORE fantastic neighbors who come sit with my sleeping baby while I round them up.  (Not that they go far; if Arlo escapes alone he just walks around to the front and sits at the carport door.) Also, Arlo and storms do NOT get along.  It hasn't rained in months, there is a drought in Arkansas but, HOW MANY TIMES DID IT STORM while Karl was gone?  Three.  (Clearly all in the middle of the night.)  
• I am hosting book club this month - Book Club #34.  We're going to have a party for #50.  What should we do? 
• I am also (sshhhhhush your mouths) coaching Nate's soccer team.  Don't tell anyone.  Full post to follow on THIS SUBJECT.  Ahem. 
• My friend Jaime and I recently took a photography class.  It was fantastic and I was all amped a and practicing and, well, then my camera broke.  (d40).  And I took it to The Camera Place and they said I should let it die and go to camera heaven.  (Did you know cameras - in general - have a shutter life?  I did not.  Shutter Life Expectancy.  Apparently, it's a real thing.)  So now I am unsure of what to buy.  
• My eldest child is obsessed with salmon.  
• My youngest child is obsessed with, um, no food.  She hates real food (pureed or of the table variety).  Except broccoli.  She likes that.  And rice cakes.   And crayon tips.  Surely she can exist on these alone, yes?  
• I am off work all week!  (See above bullet about school starting a whole week after everyone else!)  

Wait?  What?  No pictures?!!?  Scandalous.

Fine.

The two photos, though drastically different, have the same caption:  Business in the front, party in the back!

I should just give her a little trim, right? 


   

mama mama mama

speaking of moms... 

i have one.

she turned 60 this year.

way back in may.

in my effort to support the post office, i gathered sixty (60!) cards from her family and friends and mailed her one a day starting in mid march.

we received the cards here in arkansas (mostly via the mail) and then nate and i decorated 60 envelopes and re-mailed them to her.  (Post office support yo!)  Nate drew special pictures and words and used a lot of star wars stickers on the numbered envelopes which added additional giggles to the project. 

she saved them on this key ring. 

it.  was.  awesome. 

(and worth all the time and effort.)

quick nerd post :: five things

So, clearly, I love all things nerdy and archivey.  Let's make it a sport: EXTREME ARCHIVING.  (Mostly photographic and blog-like in nature.)  I haven't written a nerd-post about apps and the internet and the whatnot in a while, so, uh, here you go.  Also, this post is going to have a lot of links.  Deal with it.  (Good intro paragraph, right?  Sigh.  I promise I'll try harder.)  

Here are some things I'm into lately: 

1. Instagram.  I still love it.  You can find me - kat22stl.  To see some of my recent IG's go here.   I promise you don't want to miss such hilariousness as this 'Thug Life' photo. (I mean, if you recall, we did accidentally name our first child after a rapper.  He's just, apparently, living out that dream.) 

damn it feels good to be a gangsta. danjahandz hills.

Anyway, most of you are probably pretty familiar with Instagram (especially since it is now on both iPhone and Android devices), but last week I decided to make my IG's come to life.  With some help.   (I also REALLY like to make my internet-nerdiness print-nerdiness.) I found this site: www.stickygram.com and they helped make my dream come true.  (Just don't tell Karl I spent $45 on magnets, k?) 

They came today (when recieved, I CLEARLY took a photo of them on the fridge and Instagrammed it.  I know, sick.) The magnets are about the size the photos look on your phone and definitely worth every penny.  Thus far, they have made me smile each time I pass the fridge.  Also, if you care, they shipped lightning quick.  I will possibly be spending another $45 in magnets someday soon.  Don't tell Karl.  (Wait, did I say that already?) (Surely your magnet budget is upward of $90/year, no?)  

You ARE welcome. 

2. Viddy.  It's an app and a website (viddy.com).  It's like Instagram.  But with 15-second videos (you can add filters and music).  I made this one of NK.  I'm not that into it yet.  But, perhaps, I could be?  I do take random iPhone videos.  Mostly, I think maybe I need more friends to join?  Ahem. 

3. my365. Also an app and a website (http://my365.in/).  Ya'll know I tried Project365 thing - somewhat successfully - and this makes it easier.  There are several of these apps out there; I just happened to stumble on this one.  Which happens to be made by a Japanese company.  Which happens to make me REAL happy.  (I am addicted to looking at the newly posted photos from my, uh, friends.  See look?  Photos of CATS!  FOOD!  and, uh, 1988 wristbands?!?  (Read: random ass things we photograph.)  Honestly, I didn't want to tell you about this app b/c I didn't want a bunch of your American photos clogging up my feed.  K teases me endlessly about my photo friends but it really makes me smile when hanachan0121 and daikinikki 'heart' my photos.  I have NO IDEA what to do with these photos or if there is a point to uploading one per day but I keep doing it.  (Honestly, I do the whole week or so in one night from my iPhone photo library). 

4. Path (iPhone app).  This is verging into super-geeky territory BUT I do love Path.  It's sort of a beautifully-designed combination of several things - location-based, photos, status, music.... but more intimate than the bookface.  I'm not going to delve into it too deeply (if you are interested, find it.) 

5.  Blog makeover/cleanup.  This IS happening.  This place is out of control.  (And if I'm going to declutter every other space in my life, then I must declutter here as well.) 

Honestly, I feel a little bit like this post makes me look like I stare at my little screen all day and night but I promise I don't.  Mostly, I save it for pre-bed bedtime.  I even have some serious rules when I'm home with the little people - the phone (as a general rule) goes in the other room.  Except, of course, when I need to TAKE A PHOTO.  Hmmmmm perhaps I am in need of an intervention. 

a tale of two moms

These came with Nate's bristle block set.  I'm pretty sure the company intended this to be a mom and a dad (a boy child, a girl child and a dog also came with the set.  clearly.)  but, in Nate's world, they are two mommies (one family) when we play.

Which is awesome and a great time to talk to him about judgement and loving everyone, right?

Except I don't.

I just play with him like it is a normal, everyday thing in some people's worlds. 

Because it is. 

(This post in response to "Chick-Fil-a Day" which I am SO, SO confused about - free speech?! anti-gay?! appreciation?!  jesus?!  NO ONE EVEN KNOWS.)

Edited to add: I do love my friend John's comments suggesting that it's a rather trivial and convenient way for 'Chick-fil-A Christians' (HA!) to express their, uh, super unclear cause.  Though, maybe in some people's worlds, Jesus, perhaps, really does just want an 8-count with fries and a Coke (ahem).

my background was a sunset and i rocked a side pony

I have a list of The Serious to blog about (including - but not limited to - are we going to have more babies? what do I  think of aurora, colorado? what are some of my favorite apps right now? AND is being a soccer mom fantastic or no?)  (I know.  You can hardly wait to hear them ALL, right?  Right?!)  Unfortunately, instead of writing any thing other than a 'blogging topics list', I've been wasting time (where else?) on Pinterest.  

And, sometimes, I find a funny on the internet and I keep on going back to it to giggle over and over and over again.  And, occasionally, I find it SO entertaining that I can't resist the blog-share.  

Like so:   

Raise your hand if your school provided such AMAZING backgrounds for picture day.   

#boymom

Me:  "Nate, I have a secret to tell you."
Leans in, whispers: "I love you."

Nate: "Mommy, I have a secret to tell YOU."
Leans in, whispers: "You have poop in your hair."

(FTR, no, uh, excrement in the vicinity.  THESE are the things he pretends?!? Sick.)

i'm on a boat (for 8 hours with a 4yo and 9mo). help?

When Karl asked me if I wanted to rent a boat and take the kids to the lake (all day) I said (as you all can imagine) 'Hell no.  Absolutely not.'  And then HE WORE MY RESISTANCE DOWN (file this under/see also: the enormous, mounted TV in our bedroom after an EXPLICIT NO TV IN THE BEDROOM RULE from me.) (See also: convincing me my four year old child (then 3) is 'ready' to ride something called 'The Cyclone' at our local water park.  FTR, Nate loves waterslides.  THANKS KARL.) 

He's subtle in his persistence.   See, in our relationship, he's the spender and the, uhhhh, non scardey cat (I wouldn't go as far to call him a daredevil; he's just has more drive to get out and try new activities than I do.  Particularly with kids in tow.). It's no wonder the kids love him best.   He takes them to New Activities! AND buys them ice cream after. 

(Don't worry, it's in our marriage contract that he 'gets' to teach both the kids to drive. They'll be lucky if I get in the car with them.  Ever.) 

ANYWAY (veered way off there) I reluctantly agreed to boat.   

Mostly, I was worried about NK's naptimes but she was a trooper.  

Her first nap looked like this:  (Sad, right?) 

 

And her 2nd was like this:  

Ladies of Luxury. 

Neither were fantastic but it is what it is.  Keeping that life jacket on for 8 hours was NOT an option.  (We were with some friends and stopped often to eat and swim.)

Additionally, we did a little tubing.  Clearly.

BIG THRILLER.  WOW.

I want to point out here that I adore tubing and was only a LITTLE (read: ohmygodithurts) sore after flying off this thing into the lake.   (But oh so fun; next time we ski!)

Nate was pretty unsure of swimming in the lake and WAY less sure about tubing in it.  But someone (ME! ME! ME!) convinced him he could try it and he did. 

All in all, not a bad little adventure.

you can't handle the cute

CAN YOU? 

CAN YOU!? 

i'm in my room, it's a typical tuesday night

Yes I just titled my post with Taylor Swift lyrics.  It's one of Nate's favorite songs.  He sings the "she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts" part with abandon.

Anyway, I was attempting to do an hour-by-hour with photos of a typical day, but, of course, the day I picked was NOT that typical and prior to a holiday (read: a little crazy).   Also, my photography skills for this post = sub-par even for iPhone standards.  But, still, I managed to actually TAKE a photo every hour so I'm going with it.

I present to you:  TUESDAY.

6:30.  Ugh.  Before 7 children, REALLY?  Here, play on the floor by the side of my bed while I try to prop my eyes open.   Nate, make sure Nora doesn't eat my shoes.

Get in my closet. 

7:30.  An attempt at Breakfast.  NK hates food.  Also, she has my gag reflex.  So it makes most meal times with her, um, interesting.  She REALLY hates baby food so, mostly, anything pureed is a no-go. There is one oatmeal she deems worthy of her time and that's what I'm attempting here.

She looks a little blonde and a little boyish, no? 

8:30 Loading kids up in the car.  Neighbor (who rents his house from other neighbor, we'll call other neighbor Stan) pulls in screaming to neighbor's lawn guys.   It went something like this:  WHERE THE F (insert full word there) IS STAN?  WHY IS STAN USING MY GD (again with the real words) TRASH CANS?  Proceeds to open his trash can and throw full bags of trash in the street.  Like a good nosy neighbor, I loaded the kids up REAL SLOW to hear the full altercation.    I tried REAL HARD to get a photo but chickened out and just took a picture of the bins.  (The lawn guys picked up the trash.)

Neighborhood DRAMA

9:30  I've made it to the office!  Hooray!  We just moved in and don't have file cabinets yet so excuse my mess.  Also, neither of those phones work.   THANK GOD.

10:30  Appointment at the Apple store to learn how to set up a VPN on our Mac-Mini for the office.  Yea, I'm still trying to figure out what that means too.

What the fuck does this screen mean!?!  

11:30.  SUBS SO FAST YOU'LL FREAK!  (Does no one else remember that Jimmy John's tagline?) 

Veggie sandwich on wheat w/ regular chips and a Coke.

12:30 Attempting to connect ALL THE MACS to the mac-mini back at the office.  Failing.  BUT THEY LOOK COOL right?  

Pile ON!

2:30 Summer time school pickup!  No carpool line in summer - boo hoo.  Nate took this picture but it really doesn't do justice the amount of bags I was carrying.

That's a 4th of July flag.  

 3:30 NORA KATE HAS HAD ENOUGH WITH THIS DAY.  (Did I just make a dead baby joke?)

Not funny. 

3:30 Double-eye patch pirate.  Special.  Ah-mazing.  

Super funny. 

4:30 Hanging out with Pepper, our neighbors sweet little one-eyed doggie.  I think it was literally 103 so we didn't stay out too long.

6:30 Despite our professed happiness in our house, we DID see a house we were interested in and went to take a peek.  It was way too fancy and expensive for us but this master bathroom was fantastic - tub in middle of the room with multiple-faucet shower behind (sinks on each side of tub).   I've always wanted a shower that blasted me from multiple locations (am I even saying that right?).  Dual heads?  But there were three here?  My inner 13 year old boy is snickering.  

7:30 Drinks with Karl's dad (who went with us to see the house and offer his Professional Opinion).  While they were drinking I dressed both kids for bed and put Nora Kate down for the night.  (Well, down until her next wakeup anyhow.  TEETH.) (I usually don't cry 'teeth' but she legitimately is getting one more - bringing her total to SEVEN which, in my opinion, is way too many teeth for an 8 month old.)   

Please excuse my mess.  

8:30 AHHH Karl is putting Nate to bed... sit down on couch and flip open my laptop for some harmless internet roaming and BAM.  Text message from the other room.  Karl had a server go down with a few websites (Web Emergency!) our internet at the house has been having modem-related problems.  He wanted to work on it after Nate went to bed.  

SCREEN SHOT! 

9:30 After heaving myself off the couch, decide late-night is a fantastic time to run some errands.  Get the modem from Best Buy, hit the bank to deposit some checks and grocery store for (what else?) milk.  Get gas at this classy little establishment - The Big Red Fina with attached McDonald's.  Fantastic late night crowd here.  Only a little scary pants.  

Great picture, right?  The blur gives it a little something I think... 

10:30 While out and about, talked to friends who were hanging out and, since Karl is working, decided to stop by briefly.  I told Karl it was to bring Jaime this yellow Bumbo for her consignment sale but mostly it was to drink some of this beer.

Beer tastes better from a Bumbo. 

 11:30 Oh those girls so glamorous.  Snuggling in for a chit chat.

12:30 Home sweet home.  (Yes, the baby is sleeping in our room again.  Once she started consistently waking Nate, we decided to park her in here a little longer before trying room-sharing again.)  

Like I said, day before a holiday.... so a little atypical.   (As in, I usually don't stay out past midnight on a week night... well... other than book club which is only once a month.)

On a plus note, the 6:30 a.m. picture took place at 7:00 a.m. this morning!   Hooray!  I'll take it where I can get it!

welp. it's official.

I have a four year old.  (Wait.  What?)  

I posted this Official Birthday Photo on facebook today and many responded  - I'm glad I'm not the only one who found this hi-lariously amazing.  

We had a small party for him on Saturday - emphasis on the small... mostly because I procrastinated SO LONG on planning - do I have just family?  do I invite his school friends?  I'M SO CONFUSED WITH HOW THIS WHOLE BIRTHDAY PARTY thing works when they start having school friends!  Throw in the fact that he's a summer birthday and half the kids from his class are attending different pre-k programs next fall and, well, I panicked and did nothing.   

We finally decided (three days prior to Saturday) to have something small at the house and it worked out perfectly.   A real slip and slide made an appearance as well as our grill!  (Hot dog, Hot dogs!)  Perfect.  Well, other than the part where we started lighting the candles to Nate's birthday ice cream and he announced his tummy hurt and he needed (ahem) a bathroom break that could not wait.  ::Cue super-awkward 15 minute poop break:: 

He refuses cake and cupcakes so I let him pick out four different ice creams and various toppings.  His selection?  Raspberry sorbet with mint m&ms.  

how much would you pay for this art?

A rabbit, dressed like Batman with a HUGE cape. 

Clearly. 

four is my favorite

Ok, you're right.  He's not quite four.  Close enough.  (Have I started planning a birthday party?  The answer would be: no)  Anyway, this post will be dedicated to recent hilariousness from the imagination of my first born.  

In his spaceship, ready for BLAST OFF: 

With Nora's doll that he named Big Kid Baby and repeatedly threw at the ceiling (over and over and over again): 

Skiing the slopes:

Leading the band:

Making a feast from a bucket of rainwater spooned into cups:

Aaaand.... driving me bananas by climbing all over me when I'm trying to feed the baby her dinner: 

Aaaand scene.