A sweet treat

Ben got to taste his first ice cream cone last night. I have to qualify this because it was not the first time he’s had ice cream. I do believe Mike gave him a few bites of ice cream during one of our lunch trips to Pizza Ranch. But, it was his first ice cream on a cone (read: not controlled bites on a spoon). His first impression was questionable.

But, when Mike put the cone in front of him for a second bite he went back for another taste.

With only slightly better results.

After that it was pretty much smooth sailing, unless he got too big of a bite, then he gave a pretty sour look. Yet he always went back for more.

And these are just because he’s so cute I couldn’t not share them with the five people who read my blog world.

You say it’s your birthday

We celebrated Zander’s fourth birthday this weekend but I couldn’t let the special day go by without some kind of treat. Unfortunately, my work schedule is still as crazy as ever and I did not get home until pretty late again tonight. So, instead of a special dinner or homemade treat we hit up our favorite ice cream shop. Actually, it’s the only one we can visit because of Nick’s allergy and even then I am probably pushing it. Anywho … I’m just happy for our abnormally warm spring which allowed for an outside ice cream treat as we learned very quickly that the kids are no better at eating cones than they were last summer.

The kids were super excited for the treat even though they had no idea where we were going. All they knew is I promised them they would enjoy it and they got to go in their pajamas (they’d already had baths and I didn’t feel like changing them again, besides, it made it a little more fun).

Nick guessed we were getting ice cream about a block from the shop. Thankfully, that was a good enough surprise to keep them excited. See, Zander was happy.

 

And then this happened.

That’s Zander’s cone, well, part of it anyway. He was messing around on the bike racks near our table, fell and dropped his cone. He was fine but his cone did not survive. Thankfully, I was able to save the day. Instead of buying another cone I just passed him mine.

All better. Nick was enjoying his cone, too. One would think by six he would be able to eat a cone without losing half of it down his chin and shirt but that just wasn’t happening.

Zander is not any better. I think he had more ice cream on his shirt and the ground than in his belly.

This is technically one of the worst pictures of the night, but I still love it!

And these too.

Look at Benny’s face. He’s cracking me up.

He got to try his first cone, too. I think he liked it, but more on that later.

Then tragedy struck again. Zander lost his second cone of the night.

Then Nick stepped in to save the day. He played the role of the awesome big brother (it doesn’t happen often) and gave the last of his cone to Zander. Why can’t he always be this sweet?

So thankfully the night ended on a high note and we all went home happy!

Happy {early} birthday Zander!

We celebrated Zander’s fourth birthday this weekend the same way we’ve celebrated every one of my boys’ birthdays --- with a very small gathering of family. This year Zander choses a Thomas/Chuggington train “theme.” I use the word theme lightly because the only thing I ever do for these parties is decorate a cake, buy some wrapping paper, get a balloon bouquet and hang a banner from the window. And even that is pushing it some most years.

But, Zander doesn’t seem to mind. We started with a few snacks and then got to the presents. Zander, the one who should have been most excited to open gifts, was slowly snacking away while Nick was chomping at the bit to see what Zander got that he could steal. There were a lot of great things, but it was this inconspicuous blue bag that got the biggest reaction.

Nick knows there is something good inside. You can see it in his smile. There was a paper organizer (the blue folder on top there). There were envelopes. Yes, envelopes. And that look on Nick’s face --- it’s one of disappointment, not because it was only envelopes, but because it was envelopes.

But the piece de resistance was the three rolls of tape. Yes, tape. The boys have almost used all of their Christmas tape so Zander was really excited to replenish the supply. Nick can only hope that he will share. That’s Zander screaming “TAPE.” I’m not joking. It’s on video and if I had more time I would upload it because I doubt those who weren’t at my house that day would believe me.

And this is him jumping up and down about the tape.

Oh, and there were other presents, too. But nothing could compare to the tape, scissors, envelopes and index cards from Mema. Just ask Zander, he’ll tell ya.

After he opens his presents he went around and gave everyone hugs. They were all cute, but I especially liked this one with his Grandpa and Ben squished in the middle.

Then it was time for cake brownies. My kids don’t really like cake and since I have to make it I don’t mind. I’d rather eat brownies anyway. So, Zander chose Thomas at the party store, but I think it was only because they didn’t have any Chuggington, so when I went to decorate his cake I bought some Chuggington trains for the top (his favorites are on top – Frostini and Action Chugger).

Then we hung out for a few minutes.

Doesn’t he look excited to get his picture taken?

And headed outside so Zander could try out his new rollerblades. 

I also learned (after 32 years) just how redneck my family really is. Apparently my family finds amusement in casting a fishing pole into a bucket.

And then tossing cans into one, too.

The scary part is that it has already rubbed off on Nick. He’s the one that asked to toss the cans into a bucket. They did it one time at my parents’ house or the river or something and he just thought it was such fun. Thankfully they switched to hockey after just a few minutes. I didn’t want the neighbors to start wondering.

Ten months

How can it be that in two months my baby will be 1? And, really, he’s not even my baby anymore. He is officially a toddler. Why is it that the child I most wanted to stay a baby the longest is the first to walk? It just doesn’t seem fair. Thankfully, he is still a wonderful cuddler (at least when he is tired) so I still get to enjoy some baby-bonding time. But, that’s not all that has happened in the last month.

Since February Ben

• Started eating 100 percent table food. He loves sweet potatoes, mandarin oranges, green beans, yogurt and just about anything else I put in front of him. Come to think of it I can’t think of a single food he has rejected as of yet. I just wish we had more varied tastes so he would grow up eating more than meat and potatoes.
• Cut his bottles back to about 4 a day with 6 oz. in each one. But, sometimes even getting that in is a struggle. I can usually get him to drink about 4 to 5 oz. before he tires of it.
• Started drinking from a sippy cup at meal time. He doesn’t seem to have any problems with it, though I am still trying to find ones I like. I had forgotten just how much I  hate those leaking things.
• Continued with his on-again, off-again sleeping style. We will have a couple of really good nights followed by a few really bad nights. Thankfully Mike is helping (and by helping I mean taking Ben to the couch to sleep for the rest of the night) so it isn’t all falling on me.
• I believe the restless nights have to do with him cutting teeth and this cold that won’t go away. He has three teeth (the top left one has come in) and the top right is just about ready to pop, at least that’s the way it looks.
• Almost outgrown some of his 12 month clothes. The shirts are getting a little snug around the belly and the jeans (well, the Old Navy 6-12 months) are getting a little short, but he still swims in the 18-month stuff.
• Has a love/hate relationship with his brothers. He loves to annoy play with them and they love to  hate him. Except when they love him. And even that is questionable. Their idea of love usually involved him crying. He wants to do everything his brothers are doing and they aren’t always down with that idea. I see a lot of this in my future.
• Loves playing in the cupboards and with the lazy Susan. His favorite “toy” is a jug of vinegar.

Have a drink

Now that Ben is on table food I am trying to do a better job of remembering to give him something to drink with his meals. I know I don’t like to eat a meal without a beverage and I’m beginning to think he feels the same way. After just a couple of tries Ben is drinking from a sippy cup like a champ. Unfortunately, I have yet to find one that doesn’t leak either because the spouts are too big or the seals come loose when he throws them to the ground again and again and again and again. He has most definitely learned about cause and effect.

When Dad’s away …

Mom gets lazy. These last few weeks have been brutal with work. I am swamped. Mike is swamped. And now he is gone. So, since I am still doing a lot of work from home every night the house is a disaster and the boys are watching way more TV than I care to admit. Nick has been glued to the iPad and Netflix since we broke down and got it last month. He loves so many episodes of iCarly at his fingertips (though I noticed he watches a lot of the same ones over and over again).

And dinner is whatever they will eat, which means bread and yogurt and cheese for Zander (he puts the yogurt on the bread) and tortillas with cheese for Nick. At least I give them fruit with it!