Rain on our parade

We really wanted to see the Sturgis Falls parade this year. We’ve gone just about every year since Nick was born. But, Mother Nature once again had different plans. The weather channel said it was supposed to rain all morning. By 9 a.m. the sky was dark but not a drop had fallen. We decided to cross our fingers and hope for the best. The first drop fell before we reached the end of the street. We forged on, still holding out a sliver of hope. That sliver was washed down the drain during a torrential downpour about 10 minutes later. We were waiting it out in the car just a block or so from the parade route when the rain hit. Everyone was pretty upset when we decided against braving the elements. I figured with Zander’s cough and the amount of rain pouring from the sky it was probably in our best interest to just come on home.

This was taken just before we decided to pack it in.

More than a little cough

That little summer cough turned out to be bronchitis. After another sleepless night I decided to take Zander in to the weekend clinic. My plan was to have them tell me it was a cough, that they couldn’t do anything about it and then beg for a prescription cough medicine (it’s helped some in the past). I was admittedly quite surprised when the doc said he had bronchitis … and an ear infection. So it’s an antibiotic, oral prednisone and breathing treatments for this little cutie. His pediatrician keeps talking about the possibility of asthma (a diagnosis he won’t make until Zander is able to effectively complete the breathing test ~ likely about 7). The more times I hear bronchitis the more I think the diagnosis is inevitable. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to bother him much except when he gets these coughs. He just gets them quite a bit.

Sleep tight

Winter is not Zander’s friend. The poor kid is always sick with a stuffed nose and an atrocious cough. Summer is usually a little better for the guy, except this year. He’s been coughing for quite a few days and now the coughing is beginning to keep him awake at night. So, what happens when you go to bed too late, a cough keeps you up at night, you wake up too early and don’t take a nap (Are you seeing a pattern?) You fall asleep on the couch at 5:45. 

A hive of epic proportions

Last night was a great night. We were outside with the neighbors until way past bedtime. The kids played together nicely. The weather was perfect. It was the kind of night that makes it clear we are right where we are supposed to be. This morning was the kind of morning you wish never happened. I ran to the grocery store. No big deal. I got home, was carrying Ben around and noticed some bright red spots on his shoulders. Peeled off his shirt and found this.

What the …? I had no clue what it was. It was like no other hive I had ever seen. He had been inside all day so a heat rash was quite unlikely. I sent my sister the picture and even she was a bit curious. She thought it was too big for a hive, but figured it was probably was. Her recommendation … give him some benadryl and wait it out. The benadryl knocked him out, but I kept watching him all through his nap. Thankfully, that big spot on his back went away. Unfortunately, he had a bunch of smaller ones on his belly.

Kelsie said keep the benadryl flowing and just keep an eye on him. Reluctantly, I did. The spots kept coming and going throughout the day (and the next day), but then they just disappeared. I still have no idea what caused them but I hope whatever it is he doesn’t come in contact with again.

Little slugger

Nick played his first game of coach-pitch baseball tonight. I couldn’t be more proud. He listened to his coaches. He kept his eyes on the ball (not on the kid next to him). And he hit the ball. Hard. His first hit was a good hit. His second hit touched the fence before dropping to the ground. His third hit hopped once before touching the fence. Not bad kid, not bad at all.

Just last week at practice he had really struggled with hitting. He swung and missed a lot before finally connecting with the ball. Mike took him out to practice once or twice. I don’t know if that helped, if he is just finally getting the feel for hitting or if it was dumb luck. Whatever it was it gave him the confidence he needed so badly. And silly me, at dinner, as a joke, I had promised him $5 if he hit the ball out of the park. He remembered. He’s got his eyes set on that for next week. There is a small part of me concerned that I may have to pay up. There is another part of me that hopes I do. I could get used to watching baseball all summer long. I’d prefer something indoors with air conditioning, but if I have to be outside this isn’t so bad.

Nick also learned a valuable baseball lesson tonight. After one of his hits he slid into second base. He said he had to, but I don’t really remember if the ball was about to beat him or not. Then, after the kids finished playing they all ran the bases and he kind of slid into home plate (he’s seen the coaches’ son do it and thought it looked fun). Well, sliding might be. The aftermath isn’t. I thought he’d seen enough of Jamie’s burns to know that. Evidently not. As he limped out of the shower he said “I learned a good lesson tonight, a very painful lesson.” You sure did kid.

Three years and counting

Is it even possible that we have been doing the school’s summer reading program for three years now? That three years ago Nick was a super-shy almost-kindergartner. We were so thankful to learn about this wonderful opportunity sponsored by our new school’s PTA. And now, three year’s later, Zander is ready to head off to preschool, but there is nothing shy about this kid --- at least not around his favorite teacher librarian Miss Oppelt.

As a kid it would be hard not to love her. She has always remembered his name (and everyone else in the family’s). She has always treated him like one of the big boys. And she reads a mean Skippy Jon Jones and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Even I like to listen. So (almost) every Tuesday all summer long we load up the family for a night at the school library. We listen to books. This summer we do puzzles. We check out books. And we see all our friends (my favorite part of the night). Our (not-so-little) crew takes up a good chunk of the library when we all can make it.

Ben likes to hang out in the reading loft.

 

Nick doesn’t want to read so he does puzzles.

Zander spends a good portion of the time selecting his two books. It’s a very long and drawn out process every week.

And then every once in awhile I get a gem like this. Unfortunately I didn’t get the shot off quick enough before Ben saw me and had to ham it up for the camera. It’s still adorable though.

Take me out to the ball game

It’s back to the ball field for the Christensen crew – but this time it’s a whole new experience. Nick is in his first season of coach pitch baseball – and his coaches are amazing. All five of them live and breathe ball and one even has minor league experience. And there are five of them! Usually you get one dad and a teenager to help out. When they do throwing drills there is a coach for every pair. It’s great! Nick still needs some work on his attention span (he’s easily distracted) and his stance (he stands with his knees together while waiting to field a ball) but when he connects with the ball he can really send it flying. Speaking of flying – he’s even caught two pop flies! His throwing is getting better every game, though they can still go a little wild sometimes. It will be interesting to see what happens when they actually play a game – with outs and everything. I’ve never liked baseball before, but I’m thinking I might need to start. This could end up being his sport.

He was standing at the fence waiting to bat when I managed to get these next two shots. The dang red on his shirt is reflecting something crazy on his face, but I love that smile! I don’t see it nearly enough anymore.

And of course we have to keep the other two entertained as well. We bring toys and let them have some play time at the park.

He’s practicing his Power Rangers balancing skills. Whatever keeps him entertained!

Oh, and this is what happens when the spoiled baby gets sleepy after a night at the ball field.

Broke

That’s what we are going to be in just a few years. We already push the budgetary limits some months. It’s our own fault. We get lazy around dinner time (hence the McDonalds cup on the end table) way too often. But soon we won’t be able to make those quick stops. Nick can already eat more than I can. Zander is getting close some days. Ben, well he can eat quite a bit for a 2 year old when he wants to. I don’t want to think about what is going to happen when they are all teenagers. We are going to be BROKE.

We went to McDonalds for dinner. Usually I would feel guilty about this, but tonight we ran into my Mema and Papa their, bought their dinner and the boys got to sit with them while we ate. The older boys loved seeing them and Ben gave them both multiple hugs and kisses. It was good for everyone. I love seeing my boys love on them and they seemed to enjoy the extra excitement too.

So, Nick ate his six nuggets, a couple of mine and his apples. He’s not a fry guy so he didn’t eat those. Zander ate his four nuggets, his fries and his apples. Ben ate three nuggets, half his fries and half his apples. We got home and within 15 minutes Zander was asking for a snack. I held them off for awhile, but when they finally did eat it was like they were filling a hollow leg.

Nick started with a bowl of ice cream. Zander had a giant Scratch cupcake (a gift from our neighbor who had tons leftover from a shower earlier in the day) and Ben had fruit snacks. Yep, real nutritional. But no snack time is complete at our house without a piece of string cheese, so when they were done filling their bodies with pounds of sugar they added some dairy to the mix. That wasn’t enough. Zander was still complaining about how hungry he was so I caved and gave them each a bowl of grapes.

Three snacks each. That is just uncalled for. And they are only 7, 5 and 2. What am I going to do when they are 17, 15 and 12? My guess – get a second job. The only other option is to start playing the lottery now.

Excitement next door

A recent hail storm means everyone in the neighborhood is getting a new roof (including us). The crew showed up at the neighbors house this morning to drop of a dumpster and the boys flocked to the window to see the commotion. I couldn’t even pull them away with promises of donuts and pop-tarts. I can only imagine how geeked they will be when a crew starts working on our house. If it wasn’t for the fact that I have a new job and no vacation days just yet I probably would have taken the day off to let them watch the shingles fly from our roof. Maybe Mike can do it instead.

 

Spoiled rotten

It’s easy to see that Ben is our last baby. There was a time when I thought I spoiled Zander because he was little, and cute, and so dang lovey. Then Ben came along. And he’s littler, just as cute, and so dang lovey. And he’s got Mike (and me) wrapped around those chubby little baby fingers.

It started when I had to work a lot of nights because of school board meetings. Mike would get the older two to bed and then just let Ben cuddle on the couch with him until he fell asleep. Then he’d let him lay there until I got home. And I would think it was so sweet. And I would want to have that same cuddly time with him the next night (though Ben regularly ditches me for Mike when it comes to bedtime – I think it’s because I sometimes actually take him to bed). So I would let him stay up late and fall asleep on me. Next thing you know we’ve been doing it for a month and Ben really doesn’t like falling asleep in his own bed anymore. He will, but not without a little fight. So we gave in and let him keep falling asleep on the couch.

I figure we will end this about the same time we take away the pacifier and stop letting him come into our bed if he wakes up anytime after 4 in the morning. Until then, I’m going to keep spoiling him rotten. It’s kind of hard not to when he is this stinking cute.