Rain, Rain

We had our Naperville Area Moms play date at the Splash Park on Wednesday until this storm rolled in. Luckily my kids were bone dry since they don't want to actually play IN the water so when 20+ moms made a mass exodus at the first thunder, we were back to our car before the first raindrops.

We drove home in the pouring rain and by the time we got home it was just a light drizzle.  Of course the kids decided it would be fun to get drenched in the rain.  Luckily our suits were still.

Charley's bike has been a huge hit and she's happy as can be just walking around with it like this.

But, big brother pushing her is way more fun!

Even Claire was out enjoying some new front yard scenery.

These days home with the kids have been so fun.  I was a little worried I would miss being with them and not want to go back to school!  So far it's been a fantastic balance.  Teaching really is the best job for moms!

Summer Days

We are loving our summer days together!  These kids exhaust me though.  It was a beautiful day on Friday so we made a short stop at a tiny zoo by us.

It's free to get in and takes about 20 minutes to walk through but it's a great little detour on the way to the grocery store.

The favorite for Jackson was this tortoise and the bald eagles.  "Look, mom!  He's coming close to me because he likes me!"

Charley loved the reptile house. She ran in circles the whole time and stopped to say hi to the turtles after each lap.

Then we found this.  Gross.

It's just so fun watching the kids play together.  It's a fun and tiring age.

What A Wild Weekend!

A couple weekends ago we had ourselves quite an adventure.  Saturday morning we did a lot of child corralling yard work.  I edged the big back beds and then Bryan and I cleaned up all the big dirt chunks.  That night we had some friends come over to grill. 

The next morning we had a babysitter come over so Bryan and I could run the Merrel Down And Dirty Mud Run. I wasn't at all excited about the idea after running a tough race a couple weeks before.  I actually hadn't run once in the three weeks between the two races.  But, the race was so fun!  We met another couple there and had a blast.  It was a 3 mile run with about 10 obstacles along the way.  The first obstacle was a giant mud pit so the fear of getting dirty wash addressed right from the beginning.  We climbed rope ladders, scaled wooden ladder walls, carried bags of sand, and all sorts of other fun!  The hills were intense.  I was huffing and puffing big time.  The photos of me don't make it look like I had fun.  I take the WORST exercising photos.  THE WORST!  Bryan looked good though.  Here are a couple bad ones of me but there are about 20 more that are worse.

When we got home from the race Jackson was acting kind of funny.  We weren't really sure what was going on.  Then he told me that he jumped off his changing table and hurt his arm.  He wasn't crying.  He was just really quiet and sat in front of the tv for two hours!  We thought maybe he was just mad at us for leaving him with a sitter or he was scared to go to the Chicago Fire game that we planned to go to later that day. 

We decided to try the game anyway and give him some time to see if there was really a problem.  He was scared as we went into the game because it's loud and he doesn't like sitting up high.  Overall he did great though.  And of course Charley went along for the ride.

It was pretty obvious something still wasn't right though.  He would cry when I asked him to reach up for something.  I was specifically asking him to do certain things to test it out.  As we left the stadium we decided we should take him to urgent care.  Bryan dropped us off and we got in right away.  The doctor could feel some asymmetry right away and ordered an x-ray.  Jackson was SO good for it all.  He was brave and patient and really cooperative.  What a sweet boy.

It took about .03 seconds to see that his clavicle was broken.  Luckily it was a midline fracture so it would heal nicely on its own.  We were sent home with a sling and orders to see an orthopedic doctor.  It took until Friday to get that appointment but that doctor said everything seemed fine and he just wants to get another x-ray in a few weeks to check the healing progress.

Overall, the whole process has been pretty easy.  The hardest part is keeping him from re-injuring it as he runs around like a crazy man!

 

Bryan and I got into bed on Sunday night and both let out a giant sigh.  It was such a long, crazy weekend!

Caroline Jane ~ Twenty Three Months

I'm late again.  Really late this time.  But at least there's only one more.  I can't believe I've been doing monthly updates for 47 months and in just one more I won't have a baby anymore.  Eeeeek! 

 

Caroline Jane, at twenty three months you:

• are still saying more and more words.  You repeat almost everything we say.  Your favorite thing to say is "yeah."  Mommy realizes she asks you way too many yes or no questions.
• love to be outside and riding bikes.  You ask for your "hat" and then you straddle your bike and walk it back and forth along the sidewalk.  Silly girl.
• rode your first carnival ride.  You were actually an inch too short but Mommy snuck you in to a super safe car and you LOVED it.
• love blowing bubbles.  You want to do it yourself but you stick the bubble wand in your mouth.
• can go up and down the stairs all by yourself.  You get really mad if anyone tries to touch you.
• had your first haircut.  You were such a good girl and sat so still.
• are still a great eater. You love fruits and some veggies and always ask for "muck" instead of milk. You won't drink chocolate milk or juice.  A complete opposite of your brother.
• are getting really interested in potty training.  You ask to sit on the potty but haven't done anything yet. 
• are slimming down and Mommy gets so many comments about how your face is changing and you don't look like a baby anymore.  Slow down, girlie!!

We love you so much!  One more month until you're two!!!