Bring Your Boys to Lunch Day

Reagan, Kiefer and I visited Donnie at work today. The boys had a pb&j picnic on the floor, while Donnie and I had some Asian take-out. 

Next came putting practice. 

And then making some trades and calling some clients. 

And watching the market closely. 

(Actually, Donnie YouTube'd the Backyardigans theme song, hence the concentration) 

More of the same here... I just love Reagan's face.

I want to eat him up.

Update

Ways I know I've been too busy:

+ I had a James Patterson Alex Cross book from the library and had to return it after two weeks without even cracking it open. 

+ I fall asleep anytime I try to read anything else. Even things I enjoy reading. 

+ I haven't updated this blog in 5 days. 

+ I haven't looked at friends'/cyber-friends' blogs in more than 5 days. 

+ My list of to-do's has become a pile of to-do lists. 

+ I haven't put my boys to bed since Friday night.  (and wouldn't have tonight if my Bible study hadn't been cancelled because of the ice) 

But things have slowed down a little, and I will be here all day tomorrow because of the weather. No school for any of us. 

Here are a few pictures of the last couple days. 

Reagan's block tower he built all by himself. 

Our awesome find at Border's on date night. 

A childhood favorite of mine.

Reagan showing his brother who is boss. Or at least

 who can be boss at least once in a while.. 

And proof that today was just one of those days. 

Dinner in our jammies. Or Pizza in our pjs. 

Wordless Wednesday (because quite frankly, I don't have much time for words today)

Choo Choo

It may have taken a week or two a little while, but I finally set up the Train Table Reagan and Kiefer got from Aunt Kim and Aunt Tricia for Christmas.  

If you look closely, you can see Kiefer's mouth formed in a constant "Choo-choo!" 

It also makes for a pretty good hiding place. I don't know which boy initiated it, but this is where we found them while playing hide and seek last night. 

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Also, as an update to this previous post.  Apparently, it was for real. The kid all of a sudden loves bananas. 

A laugh for Friday

Here's a classic clip, sure to make you laugh. Tom Hanks in The Money Pit. 

Cordless

I guess they thought their vacuums needed a cord, too. 

Yea, my boos.

My day started with some snow. Yea.

But then it stopped snowing after a light dusting. Boo.

And its really, really cold here. I know, not compared to where a lot of you live. But its cold here. -1 was the windchill when we woke up. 14 degrees actual temperature. It seemed like it was going to be miserable taking Reagan and Kiefer to school in those conditions. Today was the most they've ever been bundled. It was actually pretty cute. Until I had to shove them in their car seats because all the extra bundling didn't really fit. And it definitely wasn't cute when we got inside the church and I saw Reagan's runny nose was freezing to his face. Boo.

And I'm currently at work (taking a short break I guess) and just found out two more of my clients have transferred schools. That makes 7 since I started. I've only had 21 total, so that is a third of my kids. Hmmm. I have two more that have to move apartments and might transfer. And they are my favorites (yes I have favorites) so then I might cry. Boo.

And soon I have to go to lunch with some friends from church to plan a going away reception for our Pastor and his family (more on that in another post). Double boo.

And then the grocery store. Boo. OR coffee with Donnie. Yea

And then picking my boys up and squeezing them. Yea. And then bundling them up again.

And then a hair appointment. A couple hours of quiet and a really, really good shampoo. Yea.

And then home to relax and play with my 3 boys. Double yea.

And then bedtime. My favorite. Not because of the free time that means for me, but because Reagan and Kiefer are usually at their best at bedtime. They cuddle and sing songs and sit on our laps. And give each other kisses and hugs and squeeze their puppies. And they smell like bedtime lotion. Yea. Yea. Yea.

And hopefully tonight, a little Turbo Jam for me since I can't get to the Y. Undecided between boo or yea.

AND THEN. Dwight and Andy. oh. yeah.

Phew.

Who doesn't like bananas?

From the very first taste, Reagan has hated bananas. He has never eaten them, not swallowed a bite of them. Ever. I've hidden them under my Raisin Bran on the spoon when he asks for a bite of my cereal. He spits it out. I've mushed them up and put them in his pb & js. He spits it out.  He doesn't even like the Banana Nut flavored oatmeal.  But still, I give him some every time Kiefer eats a banana. Reagan will ask for some, I'll cut a couple pieces off, and they will sit on his plate or placemat, untouched.  Sometimes untouched means smashed into the plate with his finger or fork... but never eaten.  Ever.   (His dislike for them even made the sidebar description of his character.) 

Cut to yesterday morning. Breakfast. Donnie is eating a banana. Kiefer asks for a bite and chomps a huge chunk off the banana. So of course, Reagan wants a turn. I say, "Just give him a piece. He'll probably just play with it."  Donnie hands Reagan the banana and he, too, chomps a huge chunk. And starts chewing it. AND THEN SWALLOWS IT. Like its his favorite thing in the whole world. Like he hasn't spit the stupid things out since he was 6 months old!  Like they haven't hung out on his plate, untouched, at least twice a week for the last year. And then, of course, he wants another bite. 

So, this morning, I think, "It was a fluke."  I grab the last banana and Kiefer takes a bite. 

I look at Reagan, and he says "bite."  And now we have Reagan's favorite fruit. The banana. 

(We'll see how Day 3 goes. I'm still a skeptic.)

What New Year's diet?

At 15 months, when Kiefer was in the 7th percentile for weight, our pediatrician recommended we add extra fat to his diet.  I put butter on anything I could.  I never thought about just handing over the tub!

If only we had a metabolism like this kid. He eats handfuls of butter and still weighs only 27 pounds at 2 years and 4 months.  He can't even hold up size 18 month pants! 

Nothing to say about today

I have come to realize how much I depend on pictures for this blog. I haven't taken any in several days, so now I have nothing to say. Nothing to share.  Man, these boys better start doing something cute or funny or naughty so I can keep you all entertained. 

The boys were troopers today. We are hitting the regular routine... out with this celebrating holidays and laying around sick business. Back to work for Donnie, back to work for me, back to "school" for the boys. I thought this morning that Reagan would for sure have a meltdown when he was dropped off this morning. He was overly sensitive, getting upset over everything. Including a major meltdown at the breakfast table when I misunderstood him asking for more milk in his bowl as him asking for more cereal. I gave him more Cheerios, and he started crying. I took the Cheerios back out of the bowl, and he started screaming and pointing to his bowl like he wanted them back. Fun times.   

So anyway, Donnie took them to school and I picked them up to nothing but great reviews. "Got right back into the groove" and "jumped right in." (and this is even considering they are in new rooms due to construction)  They held hands and stayed right with me the entire way to the car, getting adoring glances from others, of course. 

So, I thought I'd push a little further and go to Sam's before heading home. Reagan sometimes doesn't participate in helping himself into the child seat in the cart, so I was basically shoving his legs in the holes against his will (gently, of course.) He started to cry. As I went to the other side of the car to get Kiefer, a lady stopped and asked Reagan, "why are you crying little guy?" I thought at first, "oh great." Let's be honest. I don't need an audience when my child is upset over something as little as having to sit in a cart. I greet her, and start to put Kiefer in his seat. Then I realize the belt is stuck and I have to lift Kiefer back out. So I hold him and try to get it. The lady says "Here, let me lift him up a little" while grabbing Reagan.  "Nope, I'm just going to have to take him out" she says while this time, taking Reagan out of the seat. He fully cooperates for the first time in his life, by helping move his legs. She holds Reagan and says, "That's better." So at this point, I am stuck somewhere in between "is this lady kidnapping my kid?" and "oh, I couldn't have done this without her help!" I get the belt, she places Reagan back in his seat, (again, with his new found cooperation) squeezes him a little, he smiles, and she says "There's your smile. I love your smile."  She tells me to have a nice day, pats me on the shoulder and goes on her way.  Hmmm. That was nice.

So we start walking into Sam's, and I kid you not, the cart is squeaking like a dying pig. So loud that people turn around and stare as I flash my membership card.  SO. I grab the nearest cart, do a "quick" switcheroo with the boys, and off we go. 

See, I told you I had nothing to say without pictures. 

A little catch up

Thursday: New Year's. Me, Donnie= sick. On the couch. In the chair. Not to get up for anything but the needs of the boys. And those were few. Thankfully they let us get away with snoozing on and off.  I was still in my robe while I napped during the boys' nap.  I only got out of my pajamas to make grilled cheese for dinner. 

Friday: Much of the same. Boys all better. No more coughing (maybe a few here and there).  Me, Donnie, still sick. Blowing noses all day. Headaches. No one got out of pajamas at all. The boys went to bed in the same pajamas they spent the whole day in. Neither complained.  Cancelled surprise date night. Instead, more couch time. Sick of tv. 

Saturday: On the mend. All four of us went to the Y. The boys played. Donnie cleared some sweetgum balls out of the driveway. I cleaned (oh there's lots more to do after doing nothing for 2 whole days) and went to WalMart.  And date night tonight. A little dinner (that Donnie really couldn't taste) and returning/exchanging some Christmas presents.