Holy Crappers

I have been gone for ever!! Did ANYONE miss me??

Mikes gone back to school, hes 1/2 way done with his degree!! Co-op time is rapidly approching, but with the economy the way it is, we're not entirely sure whats going to happen with that.He's definately got a busier work load as his classes go on, I cant even tell you what hes doing b/c its all just jibberish to me, but I'm super proud of how well he's been doing, his grades & that he's gotten this far. I mean.. you couldny pay me to want to go back to school!!

So, for now, hes gone like he would be with a normal job, wakes up, heads out & comes home at a late dinner time. At first I thought it was great! The house stayed cleaner, the boys got back into regular nap time routines, I was exercising during nap time. I got alot more done, you name it.

Thheennn we got sick. Both boys had temps up to 103, and luckily, they both got over it in about 2-3 days, but I am just starting the road to mend. When you dont get a break, your body doesnt get a rest & its pretty hard to kick a virus that way.

Luckily, Mike was really sweet last night & when Ryan decided he wanted to stay up late & play with Andy, Mike sent me to bed at 9:30 and put both boys to sleep when they were done playing. I definately feel better today & I think if we can do that again one more night, I'll be able to fully kick this by the weekend.

Andy is just peachy. Or.. cheeky, as he prefers to call his new pal, Percy. Oh, that Percy is so cheeky, is often his new line. Or "go fast go fast, Hurry Hurry!" or another line from his new favorite show, Thomas the Train. Now that his fever is gone, he's doing alot better, his vocab never fails to amaze me. He's really just blossomed the last few months. He asks for specific things, he tells me "I looveee it" in regard to whatever he just got ( water, juice, etc) He always tells me he loves me SO much, or asks for a kiss, or if he runs a toy into my foot, he will run to kiss it. He's really really sweet & for the most part, I am really proud of his manners!! Of course, he IS 2, so he has his moments, but he's a good natured, sweet buddy! We've been doing alot of pretend play lately.. He nags me over & over "You Hungry? Hungry mama??" ( I ask him over & over b/c he often says no in the AM, lol) and then will tell me he is going to make me french toast. Go into his kitchen & he cooks for me. Then he brings he coffee, he puts a cup on the table & goes "bbuuurrrrrrr" (the noise the expresso machine makes) and brings it to me & says "Here hot mama" ( what dad says in the morning) and then we drink our coffee, he says "Its good, want more?" and makes me more. Its A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. I am just loving the level of pretend he's been getting to lately. The best is when he cooks in his chef outfit!

And on to Ryan.. Ahh Ryan.. He's not quite 10 months old yet, but boy... He amazes me. He's been walking for 2 months now-

He is obsessed with food, until he goes to his well check next week & I discuss my worries with his tummy troubles yet again, he's still on a limited diet, but the poor guy, he sees food & runs at it like an untrained puppy!! He's managed to try pizza and chocolate chip cookies in the last week.. Both of which went over well, of course.

He's also learned how to remove a diaper, ahh the first true sign of being related to Andy!! He'd been playing alot more too, he runs cars or trains up & down to mimic Andy & is really into putting things inside of other things.He was playing with a bucket of cookie cutters the other day whilew I cooked & was carrying arounf the bucket, putting them all in & taking them all out. He likes to take his pacifier out ( or cookie, or whatever is in his mouth, or hand) and *feed* it to you.. aka, cram it in your face. He's a blankie boy. Yay!! His lovey blankies are Aden & Anais muslin swaddler blankies. They are by far the best blanket eithjer child has had so far & the top of my "must have" list for anyone having a baby! He sees his blankie, grabs it, puts it in his mouth & just rolls forward happily with it.. then trails it around behind him asa he walks away, often, still in his mouth. He even steals MY blankie in the morning, pushes it to his face, breathes deep & then giggles at me. (Yes, I still have MY baby blanket.. you gotta problem with it????)

Andy is learning to share with him..sometimes... They are loving playing with eachother. Andy got some new train toys a week ago & sat in the kitchen ALL night playing with them & Ryan just sat outside the gate staring at him & fussing. If Ryan came near the train, he'd pull at the tracks & Andy would get very cross! I asked Andy if he would play with his broither a bit since he was sad & missed him, Andy said "I share Gordon with Ryne" he handed him the Gordon train & Ryan just lit up! The played & giggled & were in the best of moods. I LOVE those moments, they ALMOST make me forget the moments when Andy places a little hand on Ryans chest & pushes him down, then burys his face in Ryans and growls at him..... Almost.. Not quite..

And then there is me.. Ahhh me. Well... I've lost 11.5 lbs in the last 30 days. Which is good... I havent exercised since Jan 16th.. I've learned Miller 64 is my new best friend, although, I havent wanted to visit with her as much lately.. I basically need to get better & get back to exercise. If I can lose 11 pounds in a month with out exercising half time time, and half assing my diet, then I'd love to see what I can do in 2 months of actually making an effort! But, I'm just un motivated, tired & well.. lazy. I like chocolate, it tastes good. Ya know?? But, once I kick this flu, I'm goin got get back on it. I'm finding myself really anxious for Spring. All this SNOW.. we're all stuck in the house, I want to get out, get some air, take some walks with the kids & get fit outside instead of with some peppy lady on On Demand!

Every year when the stores flower department starts carrying one of my favorite flowers

I just start getting the spring time itch!!! I've been findin gmyself wanting to re do our living room in something lighter.. but.. that isnt a realistic idea b/c you know me.. I cant just re do curtains.. I'd need the picture frames, the carpet & the candles to all match too!!! But, I've been trying to work some new art onto our walls...

I searched the web for ( non copy righted, of course) images of my favorite flowers, or just anything that really stuck out to me. Printed them from Walgreens and put them in gallery frames that I got for $1 a pop at Pat Catans. I've gotten a few up so far, but I'm starting by working them into the bedroom. I have a "family only" rule about photos in the bedroom. Lets be honest.. as much as anyone loves their mother/ in law/father/ in law/siblings/etc.. The bedroom is a personal place, and I really prefer not to wake up & see their faces staring right at me, or at any other bedroom moments. So, we only do pictures of the 4 of us in the bedroom. Extended family is pictured through out the rest of the house, but the bedroom is off limits, so its been fun to work them into the array of photos in the bedroom this week. I'll post a pic when they're all done.

Well, I think thats about it for an update on everyone. I need to try to get back into posting more once we're att at 100% and things get back to normal. However, I've been tossing around the idea of branching out, and this blog JUST being for family/kid stuff.. I dont know who reads this, but I need a place that I can feel free to really be myself, say what I want & to be honest? If I offend someone, then I dont need to apologize for it b/c its MY place. And this isnt the place for that. Unapologetic me needs a place to be just that, unapologetic.If I want to bitch about my mom, I can, if I want to bitch about my sister, I can. ( Not that I would of course, they ARE related to me, so they ARE perfect, duh) But If I WANTED to, I could, and they would know, hey..I might read something that might upset me..

This way, If I offend someone, or upset someone, or am crass or rude, then my reader can only be mad at themself for choosing to read my writings, because the warning was there. With this blog, it was started for family, and I think it needs to go back to that. I wont be posting a link to my new blog on here, I've had my personal thoughts, private postings, etc violated by people before so, for those of you who will want to read along into MY world.. you'll know how to find me when the time comes. Dont you worry ;-)

And for the rest of you.. I hope you'll still read along with my family updates, events & keep up with pictures of the boys. I'll be accessable other ways, and I'll be easy to find, but you have to *know* me, to know how to find me ;-)

See those of you there, and the rest of you, Cheers.

Claire