Brentism

Sometimes I think Brent must be one of those people who have an old soul, he often has little bits of wisdom for me. Earlier today I was getting frustrated with Wyatt for not listening...especially about climbing on things. It is hard to balance patience with keeping him from hurting himself. At one point I guess I yelled a little to loud at him to stop climbing up on the desk because Brent came over to me and said...

"Mommy, don't be mean to Wyatt because remember, he came out of your tummy."

Call Me A Slacker

I've been a pitiful blogger lately, but I'll do my best to recap the highlights of the last 11 days.

T-ball is underway! We've been to the parents meeting and one practice--the next practice is tonight. Brent's team is the Sand Gnats. Now who comes up with something like that? Sand Gnats??? Some of the other teams in his league are the River Dawgs, the Raptors, the Express and we get called the Sand Gnats. Anyway....... Last Friday, Enterprise hosted a shindig for Michael's work at Main Event. We got to eat and drink and bowl. Brent was in heaven, of course. Wyatt had a blast of his own since there was plenty of loud dance music playing. He really has some moves! We had our annual neighborhood cookout that our street does every September. We had a busy day so just went late with a dessert and spent a little time visiting. Our other big happening of late is our dishwasher died, so we have been shopping for a new one. Michael is off this Thursday and Friday and I switched Kayla's schedule so we can all enjoy a four day weekend together. I can't wait!

To Brent: You are doing so well with speech class. The second day I took you was a little hard and you teared up about me leaving you, but that is the only time there has been an issue. You love going and ask almost daily when you get to go again. I am so pleased with your speech therapist and am so happy this is turning out to be a positive experience for you. You continue to be very obsessed with your XBox 360 game--Kameo. It's pretty much all you can think about and talk about. Daddy and I were so proud of you at your first T-ball practice. You did a great job listening and participating in everything. We weren't sure how it would go being a new situation with all new people, but you took right to it. All of a sudden you have a life with a schedule! Speech class on Mondays, T-ball practice on Tuesdays, speech AND T-ball on Thursdays, and games on Saturdays. It is just great to see you doing well and having so much fun. We have been having a few battles with you behavior wise lately and it is so hard to know how to handle those times. The littlest things will make you "flip out". One night we were getting ready to eat dinner and I had laid all our forks out on the counter and you started bawling because you wanted to get your own fork out. Another time you got upset because we got Taco Bell to eat and you insisted you didn't want anything until we got home and suddenly you did want Taco Bell. We had bought an extra burrito to be prepared for this and Daddy offered to share his nachos with you, but you bawled over not having your own cheese to dip in. All these little things leave me ??????????. I am torn between hugging you because it seems like you are just very emotional and popping your butt and telling you to quit being a big brat. Most of the time we end up just sending you to calm down in your bed and it seems to be working ok. I can only guess this is a hard age and with a lot of new changes in your life you are just more prone to meltdowns. Hopefully things will balance back out soon!

To Wyatt: You are really having your ups and downs lately. Our pediatrician told us at your 15mo appt to expect your two year molars to show up around 18 months and it appears they are on their way. You walk around with you entire hand shoved in your mouth and drool running everywhere. You also have many moments of grumpiness in between being cute and silly. You have some new words...right now Daddy! is hands down the most wonderful word ever invented, you say it a lot and with such excitement. You've also been saying hot, hot, hot!, balloon--not real clear, but I can tell it's what you are saying, and I've heard cracker and duck a time or two. Last night in the bathtub you really cracked me up. You started leaning forward and dipping your forehead down in the water and then sitting up and letting the water run down your face. After you had tried this a few times and gotten it down, you stood up in tub, looked towards the door and yelled "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!". It was quite obvious you were calling him to come check out your newest trick which I am sure you picked up from me calling for him to come see what you are up to. As soon as he appeared you sat back down and showed him what you were doing. You are a stinker!

Here are a few pictures...

Just posting this one because I think it is too darn cute! His expression is just soooo HIM.

16 month olds can play T-ball, too!

Hard to get a good picture of a moving target

Wyatt shakin' his booty

Batting practice

Brent's New Speech Adventure

Seven-thirty came bright and early for Brent this morning. To his credit, he was pretty chipper. It might have helped that I let him have leftover birthday cake from last night for breakfast. Yes, I am running for Mommy of the Year. For the record, he did drink a nutritious glass of milk with it.

We made it to the school just fine and on time--something of a miracle for us. He chose to take his Spiderman backpack with Cookie Monster (aka Cheedin Monner) with him. We waited by the office until Mrs W. came to get him. She told him they were going to stop off at a class and get another child to join them and he turned to me and said "Come on Momma and Wyatt and Kayla!". I reminded him we couldn't go with him and that we would be back soon to pick him up when he was done. He didn't act thrilled, but he walked away with Mrs W. Phew! When I picked him up he was as happy as could be. Mrs W. said he even asked her if he could come back to school again tomorrow. For now there is just one other child in the sessions with him...a six year old named Zach. Mrs W. said Zach has the same articulation issues that Brent has so it is a great match. Today was just a get acclimated day so they made a "circle map", read a book, and toured the school. On Monday they will get down to business.

The other big news of the day is today is the start of the NFL football season. It's pretty much Michael's Christmas. Brent and I picked up pizza for dinner while Wyatt and Michael hung out at the house. Wyatt was not overly thrilled at being left behind and I had mommy guilt, but it was nice having one less child to load and unload out of the car. After dinner we went to our beloved Sno Hut for snocones. Tonight Brent got Spongebob--it was GOOD!!! Half pineapple, half ocean. I had my usual and Michael got blackberry. Wyatt enjoyed the sampler--a little bit of everyone's. When we were getting ready to leave the house I noticed Wyatt only had shorts on and said to him "we need to get you a shirt so we can go". A few minutes later he came down the hallway with a shirt he got out of his room draped over his shoulders. He is so cute and funny.

Here is a picture of Brent in front of his school. The sun was bright and this was the best I could get...

An Evening at Uncle Julio's

Today was Aunt Norma's 53rd birthday. Aunt Kathy arranged for a get together at Uncle Julio's mexican restaurant in Grapevine. Going to Grapevine is always a sentimental experience for me. That is my "home". That is where I first lived on my own. That is where I most feel my grandma. That is where I hope to live again some day.

Dinner was ok. The food wasn't fabulous, but it was nice seeing everyone. We had to wait FOREVER to get a table and by that point Wyatt was done. He wasn't real keen on then having to sit in a highchair and wait patiently for some food. It worked out ok, I just had to constantly stay on top of keeping him entertained and distracted. Brent enjoyed having an evening out and talked and talked and talked about all the characters from the XBox game he is so crazy about. Lately that game is the first thing he talks about when he gets up in the morning and the last thing he talks about when we are tucking him in at night.

Tomorrow is the big day...Brent's first speech session at school. My first time leaving him at a strange place. He has to get up early, that may be the toughest part.

Here is a picture of the boys with their aunts from tonight...

Eight Years!

Today marks eight years since Michael and I met/had our first date. For several years we were good about going and doing the same thing--dinner at the same El Fenix followed by a movie--to celebrate the anniversary. We need to get back to doing things like that, but it is tough to make arrangements for the boys, especially during the week. Having moved so often my whole life and never really knowing anyone for more than a few years it is still a weird concept to me to have people in my life I have known for so long. Eight years, EIGHT YEARS!...on one hand it doesn't seem possible that so much time has passed, but then when I think about everything we have experienced together it seems like a long time. A long time in a good way for the most part, thankfully.

Brent's new speech teacher called today and he will be going on Monday and Thursday mornings. I am anxious and excited to see how it goes. He acts excited about it. I referred to it as "speech class" and he quickly reminded me it is SCHOOL. Shame on me!

Wyatt is great, but he is such a stinker. I am trying to go ahead and prepare myself for stitches or an ER visit because he is such a wild one. It is a constant battle to stay a step ahead of him to keep him from hurting himself with all he climbs on and gets into. He is so happy and having fun, though.

I hope the next eight years seem to go slower than the first eight, I don't want to be looking 42 in the face anytime soon. I will be 42 someday??? Me?? That doesn't even seem right.

Labor Day Weekend

Here is a recap of the weekend...

Friday evening: We went to dinner at Nelda's, which we have officially declared as the hands down best mexican food restaurant in town. It was sooooooo good, Brent and Wyatt were very well behaved, there was live music, we just had a great time. We still had the extra carseat in the car from Kayla and when Michael put the boys in the car he put Wyatt in that one so he rode forward facing to the restaurant. He was in heaven! Looking all around and kicking his legs excitedly.

Saturday: Michael had to work. The boys and I went up there to have lunch with him and so he and Brent could get the car all sparkly clean. We ended up hanging out up there the rest of the afternoon. Brent had a good time playing with all the office supplies as usual. We got our favorite SnoHut snocones on the way home. Wyatt screamed and thrashed and acted like he was dying everytime he had to get in his carseat today. I guess his little forward facing ride made quite and impression. I am torn on what to do about that. On the drive home I heard a new Kenny Chesney song...Don't Blink. It made me cry.

Sunday: Not much to report, it was just a sit and do nothing day. Actually, Michael did get some yardwork done before the rain moved in. Then we just watched TV/movies and hung out. Michael grilled hamburgers for dinner. We let Brent take the dreaded evening nap so he was up late playing his beloved XBOX 360 game.

Monday: Michael had one of his monster headaches today so it ended up being another sit and do nothing day. I got some laundry done and cleaned up A LOT of toys. Brent and I worked on his room and got his train stuff reorganized. Michael did rebound this evening and took the boys to the park. I stayed home to get my long awaited shower, but heard that Wyatt was quite the daredevil out there, going down the big slide by himself and everything.

Sorry that wasn't more exciting. I had envisioned us having more of an eventful holiday weekend, but it just didn't work out that way. I try to remember to enjoy quiet, calm, and restful times like these.

Party of Five

Michael was off from work today and we had a list of things we needed and wanted to do. Since Kayla was here we decided to be brave and load up the whole gang and head out. On the need list was getting a copy of Brent's shot record for the school district since he is starting speech services next week, going to the school to fill out paperwork and give them a multitude of items they need copies of to register him, and getting lunch somewhere. On the want list was a little shopping and the getting lunch part.

First off, we had to figure out how to configure all three car seats in the backseat so they would all fit and we could shut the car door. The kids were very excited about our outing and Kayla even told Brent that he could be her brother. They kept singing from the back that they were going on an adventure. The shot record pick up was easy, then Michael suggested going to Pizza Hut for lunch. I pointed out that it might be a bit much trying to keep all three kids entertained at the table while waiting for them to cook the pizza--this particular PH doesn't have a buffet--so I suggested we try Cici's. This is not somewhere we typically eat, but it was convenient and kids 3 and under eat free so Cici's it was. It went well, everyone ate and behaved and had a good time. Then it was off to the school which took more time than I expected, but we got it all done and the kids enjoyed our stop there as well. We even got to meet the speech therapist and she have the kids a little tour of the school and showed Brent the room where he will be working with her. Hopefully he will start going next week.

With the needs list done and over with, we headed off to Academy Sports store to look at getting some T-ball related things for Brent. Michael also got some shorts for $1.67 and I found some Nike sandals on clearance for $8 for Brent. Wyatt is more in need of sandals as his have gotten tight, but they didn't have any more toddler sizes. At this point Kayla and Wyatt were getting tired of the big outing so we headed back to the house. Wyatt snoozed on the way home and was ready to roll once again, though his mood said otherwise.

I think the day went as smoothly as possible. Michael made a few comments about why would anyone want three kids and this has proven to him he doesn't want anymore kids etc... I tried to point out that if we had more they would not all be so close in age--Brent is 19 months older than Kayla and she is 19 months older than Wyatt--but he wasn't having it. Time will tell, I guess.

Hey Batter Batter

Tonight we went to the Ranger game...Wyatt's first baseball game. Overall we had a good time, though we had to leave after the 5th inning because Wyatt was squirmy and Brent was getting bored. We lucked out because it happened to be dollar hot dog night. i managed to find some willpower and only ate two. The darn cotton candy man sold out right as he got to our section. We waited and waited and kept seeing him in other sections, but he would not come back to ours so Brent could buy the treat he was so excited about. We finally gave up and went and found a concession stand selling it. After all that, Wyatt refused to try any and Brent ate about three bites and said he was done. We brought it home and before going to bed Brent informed me he planned to eat some more of it after he eats a Pop Tart for breakfast in the morning. I told him a Pop Tart and cotton candy sounded like a great breakfast to me.

Here our some pictures from our night out at the ballpark...

These were not our actual seats, I made the boys sit in an empty section since I knew I would have to take at least 20 shots to get just one with both of them looking the same direction. I didn't think the people sitting near us would appreciate that too much. Brent insisted on using his too cool for school pose.

Brent with his cotton candy he waited so long for.

Make no mistake, that is Wyatt's Gatorade and Wyatt's only. Don't even think about asking him to share a sip.

The Weekend

This was one of the most uneventful, unproductive weekends we have had in a while. Saturday started out nice...Michael got up earlier than normal and made a nice breakfast, but later started up with a monster headache and ended up going back to bed until 5pm. I guess Sunday was my turn because I laid down to watch TV and get Wyatt to sleep and ended up taking my own nap from 2-5pm. I really think I needed it so I tried not to be too mad at myself for wasting the day away. Other than some laundry, we really did NOTHING. No outside work, no organizing the many things that need to be organized, nothing.

Some highlights...

~Starz had a free preview weekend and we DVR'd all kinds of good stuff, especially for Brent...including Cars (which was especially good since our DVD is scratched and skips), Chicken Little, Monster House, and Doogal.

~Michael and I watched Click, Taladega Nights, The Last Kiss, and I watched The Night Whisperer while he was incapacitated...The Click was the best by far, very funny.

~both the boys got a haircut and look exceptionally cute

~Michael cleaned off a part of the air conditioner that I don't know the name of, the important part is the a/c seems to be blowing cooler air

~last night we got snocones from Sno-Hut...peach for Michael, orange for Brent (a big change since he is a big fan of the Spiderman one), and strawberry cheesecake for me--I get the "plunge", which is a scoop of icecream thrown in

On the way home from the Sno-Hut we looked in the backseat and saw Brent sharing his with Wyatt. We were praising him for what a good brother he is and I told him I wish that when I was a little girl I had had a brother like him. As we were getting out of the car Brent says to Michael "When I grow big enough to be the dad, we won't need you anymore." That was probably my favorite moment of the weekend.

What This Is About

I'm joining the blog bandwagon! I don't know that I'll make a point to share this with others because I am really doing it for the boys and for me to have to reflect on. When Brent was a baby I kept a first year calendar and on each day I jotted down milestones or things we did that day. The boys are growing so fast and the days just run together in one big blur. It is really nice to have that calendar of his first year to look back on. I regret not keeping it going each year and that I haven't kept up with one for Wyatt. I'm sure I will always remember the day they were born, special days like holidays, birthdays, first this and first that, but there are so many little moments that I treasure in my heart that I know will fade from my memory with time.

Last night I was cleaning up in the kitchen and Brent and Wyatt were running laps around the living room...one pushing the popper and one pushing the "motorcycle on a stick". I stood there watching them and thinking how this was all I ever wanted from life. It was just heartwarming to watch them running around squealing and enjoying each other so much. I actually watch them and think to myself "Wow! These are my little boys. How did I get so lucky?" They just mean the world to me. The other night I was laying in bed and thought I don't care if I never get anything else good in life, I don't care if we never have more money and more materialistic things, I'll gladly give all that up if I could just know that our little family will always be together and that we will always be safe. I always knew being a mom would change my heart in unbelievable ways, but nothing could have prepared for me for the love I carry for these guys.