Snowflake musing: one of a kind

The last few months more than one person has commented about Nate having a lot of energy, but it's always said as an insult rather than a compliment.

Immediately,

I feel a rush of embarrassment.

For what? What should I be embarrassed about?

I have a bright, energetic, interactive, curious 4 year old! He's wonderful!

and

He loves his brother fiercely. I am so proud of him for this.

I often joke I only have to parent one of them

Because Andy follows his every lead.

Yes, he's taught him to climb on the counter and where mom hides candy.

Yes, he's taught him how to grunt when he's angry.

And beg and whine when he doesn't get what he wants.

But

BUT

He's also taught him to love books

and Legos

and "scooby dooby"

and to say things like "isn't that crazy?"

or "let's go 'sploring" and "shoooweee go on a 'venture?"

and to say "thank you for my family" in prayer

and to collect rocks

and sticks

and seedpods

and leaves

and... well you get the idea

and that dad is the coolest and you always have to give him 10 kisses before he leaves for work and run the the door when you hear his key unlocking it each night and then jump up and down screaming "daddy!daddy!daddy!" over and over, and sit next to him (or on his lap) at any given opportunity

and to be curious.

Sure, I could have taught Andy all of that.

But I love that Nate did.

This reminds me of the end of the book Clifford:The Big Red Dog

"I don't care.

You can keep all your small dogs.

You can Keep all your black,

white, brown and spotted dogs.

I'll keep Clifford. Wouldn't you?"

Yes, my son is Clifford.

He is larger than life.

sometimes his energy and excitement makes a mess of things

but he has a (great big huge!) good heart.

And he's one of a kind.

And he's all mine.

My little Elf

Recently we were joking with my parents that Nate lives pretty much like Buddy the Elf and "tries to stick to the four main food groups: Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corn, and Syrup. "

We all had a good laugh and I looked over at Nate who was quiet....

for a brief second I thought I had hurt his feelings by teasing.

Then he looked at me and said,

" You forgot FROSTING!"

Right.

So I guess our little elf stick to the FIVE main food groups.

By small and simple things are great things brought to pass

Alma 37:6

Anniversary #7

In case we aren't FB friends and you haven't already seen this picture plastered everywhere on my profile. It's my anniversary! I (obvi) have known this was coming up but for some reason this morning when I woke up I was just in mom routine: fixing breakfast, making beds. Chris woke up and immediately came to find me - which he never does- he always gets right in the shower- and said, "Happy Anniversary!" Wow! No, offense sweetie, but that is def. the first time EVER in our marriage that you have said it first! Chris is super swamped with work right now so we made plans to meet for lunch and do something the boys have been wanting to do for a long time- get ice cream at the Milwaukee Public Market (no challenger of Seattle's) and walk along the Riverwalk. Yes, the water is brown and nasty, but they loved it. Chris was so nervous the boys were going to defy physics and fall through the small gap between the boardwalk and the fence and fall in to the water. I had a great time; despite the fact that I didn't even get to hold Chris's hand bc they were both taken

Every time I see these three boys together I can't help but just sit back and laugh/smile/ feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Post more pics tonight. My camera died while uploading. And no, Chris did not get ice cream in his hair- can you believe it?! I would have put money on it.... (top picture)

May Cont., and June

May cont.
My dad flew out of Milwaukee to New York to pick up a tour bike (aka long distance motorcycle) for a trip he is on right now (ottcrewbucketlist.blogspot.com). Mom and Caden drove him up. One benefit of living in a large city is airfare is cheap, and so I see my family a lot when they are passing through (aka brian every time he flies home)

They were only here for a weekend.yes, this is me. I am aware that I am dreadfully under represented on this blog, but as I am the one taking the pictures (unless mom comes to visit) it's not likely to change.

This is the beach closest to our house.
It's our favorite spot to collect sea glass.
It's rocky. (although this is the same beach, but last summer- less rocks)
Nate doesn't mind.
Andy does.



The mall here has a pavilion ( I just searched my old blogs to see if I have blogged about it because we come here all the time- I haven't. Man, I am a terrible blogger)
Anyway.
They do lots of cool crafts and animal touch and feel shows, etc. music, dancing, but when they aren't entertaining...

it's a fountain.
and they let you use free towels.
and they are clean towels. as in they wash them.
every day.

Anda Panda Bear.
He doesn't like to wear clothes.
Ever.
He loves water.
but hates wet clothes.
This reusable swim diaper is our compromise. I call it his speedo.
Speaking of diapers, have you seen this?



cracks Nate up.
and me too.









June

They redoing the water and sewer pipes in the whole village.
No, seriously.
The whole village.
Every other street is closed.
But since we walk everywhere/ stroller it everywhere it doesn't inconvenience us.

Most mornings start with the boys watching the construction out my window as I check my email.
Well, I guess this is one good reason that I have not bought a headboard or curtains.
Okay, it's a stretch.
but I'll take it.
Then we go for a run, stop and watch more construction (one guy even offered to let the boys ride with him in the excavator! eeerr No, thanks.
They were just so shocked that boys in WFB want to be construction workers.
Duh.
You get to drive tractors for a living.
And play in the dirt.
All day.



We celebrated Chris's birthday.
We had started P90X right before this.
We agreed that cake on birthdays is okay (the nutrition aspects of it are more demanding than the exercise aspects)

I knew that Chris would rather "cheat" on our nutrition plan with pizza and cinnasticks rather than cake (which he doesn't actually like)

I was right. (he's so good lookin')

The day after his birthday, I went to Iowa (3rd trip in a month). This time I met my dad's mom in the little town she was born in. Luxembourg, IA
This was the church she was blessed in.
The house on the right was where her family's house was. Beautiful rolling hills.
I will never be one to say that people shouldn't wear make up.
It helps.
A lot.
Obvi I was not wearing any here. But look how adorable my dad's mom is. She's.... 87? I think? I should probably know this since the whole purpose of this trip was to learn more about her. This town spoke only German when she lived there. All the signs on the buildings, everything was in German.
Not so, anymore.
disappointing.

Nate loves Legos.
Alright, maybe obsessed is a better word for it.
For months before his birthday he would tell me EXACTLY which Lego sets he wanted.
And which ones he most definitely did not.
We had a lot of talks about having "a case of the gimmies"
But this was the first birthday that he actually got it.
That this is his day.
And on Christmas Eve he asked if he could stay up all night.
Chris said, "no, you only get to do that on your birthday."
Hello! Have you met our son?! the one who doesn't forget ANYTHING!
Needless to say, the weeks leading to his birthday he would ask,
"and I get to stay up all night, right?"
Since Chris got himself in to this mess, he dug himself out.
He took work of the next day so that he could stay up all night with Nate.
It was his idea.
I know.
I am lucky.
not because I didn't have to stay up, but because he's the best dad/husband ever.
My neighbors are 3 siblings from Saudi Arabia studying undergrad at UWM. One of the sisters loves to make cakes.
She had a Lego mini figure mold.
Score.
She offered to make a board to put the cake on.
Score.
It was edible.
Score.
She made Nate's name out of edible Lego shaped blocks.
Okay you get it. It was awesomely edible and delicious.

I gave my self the creative genius award for decorating the mini figure like a Power Miner, Nate's favorite series on Legos. They carry dynamite, so I stuck the candles in his hands like dynamite. I told you, genius.

Nate couldn't sleep the night before (think of Christmas Eve), so by afternoon he was pretty wiped. Dad came home over his lunch to have cake and ice cream with two friends we invited for a Lego part. Guess who?

Win, Nate, Carolyn

Andy cleaned up the rest of the cake for us.

and then magically had a burst of energy

(you can't be surprised by Andy's regular nakedness now that I have told you how much he hates clothes)

We had the neighbors over to play after Nate's school mates left.
I know.
She's adorable.

I was exhausted. I had stayed up all night.
Decorating.
Wrapping.
Cake-baking.
Chris came home and took Nate to Toy Story 3 at our local theater in the Bay (they have a full service restaurant in the theater so they ate dinner there.
I went to bed.
Oh, Andy did too.
And the big boys stayed up.
All night.

p.s. decorating bookshelves as giant lego blocks- best idea i've ever had! even better than the dynamite cake idea, although that was pretty genius. I'm just sayin'