Thanksgiving Snapshots

Frosty Morning

Cloudy Day Up North

The boys and I drove up north yesterday to spend the weekend at my parents' house. Max crashed a few minutes into the drive and slept all the way there. That means that the drive was perfection (that's for all of my fellow Friends fans)! Liam watched his new Jungle Book movie and behaved nicely as well. My dad was the only one home when we arrived, as it was Thursday and grandma was still at work. She's at work again today, so the boys and I are entertaining ourselves as best we can! We took a walk looking for "boomers and fishing poles" (sticks that can be either/or according to Liam's mood) and wheeled Max around the yard.

We wandered around for awhile, me stopping to take a picture every now and then and Liam poking things with sticks. I spent a few minutes trying to get the focus right on this one:

and Max saw this as his opportunity to jump out of the stroller, grab a twig and jump back in before I noticed. That is my only explanation for how he got this dead flower in his hand and then in his mouth without my knowledge...

He looks so innocent, too...

I'm on to you, buddy. Your "I'm an adorable little bear cub" routine won't work on me...

News

Well, the news wasn't positive for grandpa yesterday. He learned he has a very agressive form of cancer and will have to start chemo in Milwaukee as soon as he's recovered from this surgery. He'll have to stay in a dorm for the duration of the treatment, and my grandma will most likely not be able to be with him. She struggles with knee problems and leg pain and has a hard time getting around in places like hospitals. I'm hoping my dad will be able to stay with him for a good portion of the time, but even that's not ideal. We just want grandpa home and hunting...where he would definitely rather be as well. Hopefully soon!

The boys and I are heading up north today for a long weekend. Daddy has conferences tonight and tomorrow and will come up after that. Hunting on Saturday!

Yay!

Max rolled over for the first time today! We were lying on the floor and he rolled from his stomach to his back and just looked around like, "Yeah, I did that. What's it to ya?!" So cute. Liam and I cheered and clapped and he had the hugest smile on his face. Such a big kid.

It's seeing things like that that make me so glad to be home.

Max's Harp

My grandpa meets with a board of doctors (aka "the tumor board") in Milwaukee today to discuss the treatment options he has. They have the pathology report back on the tumor they removed last week and will be reviewing that with both him and my dad. Keep them in your thoughts today!

On a happier note, Liam was eating a snack in the kitchen today and heard my phone vibrate. He stopped eating and said, "Hey!"

"What, bud?" I asked.

"I think that's Max playing his harp!" he said.

Yes, because Max definitely has a harp. And harps definitely sound like cell phones on vibrate. I love kids.

Turkeydog

While in Vegas, Aaron and I played quite a few arcade games. Leave it to us to go somewhere without the kids and spend the majority of our time playing kids' games! It was a lot of fun, though, and I even won a prize! I won a giant dog that I brought home for Liam! I'm not quite sure how it fit in my luggage, but we managed to stuff it in there! Liam's eyes lit up when we showed it to him, and he spent the next ten minutes rolling around and hugging him.

We told him he could pick any name he wanted for his new dog.

"So, what are you going to name him, buddy?" I asked.

He thought for a minute before deciding on, "Turkey!"

On Health...

I'm playing catch-up this week after spending some time in Milwaukee last week with my family. My grandpa (my dad's dad) was diagnosed with a brain tumor recently, and he was transported to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee for surgery. They removed the tumor successfully last Wednesday and he was sent home on Friday! They'd anticipated he'd need some physical therapy post-surgery, but he was walking around unaided and had no need for any therapy at all! We are waiting to hear the results of the pathology tests on the tumor to see how his treatment will proceed.

Aside from the tumor (as if that's not enough to deal with on its own!), the doctors discovered that he has aortic stenosis and will need open heart surgery as soon as he recovers from this surgery. He meets with his cardiologist soon to discuss all of this.

Needless to say, we've all been pretty stressed out lately! I'm trying to arrange my class schedule so that I can be home with the boys for the entire week next week. I think I need it, and the kids always cheer everyone up!

So, posting may be a bit erratic, but I'll do my best!! Please keep my grandparents in your prayers! My grandma was diagnosed with H1N1 while my grandpa was still in the hospital...she's ok...but that's a whole other story...!

Happy Friday!

Artist in Training...

We have worked on quite a few projects in our first week at home! Liam loves art of any kind and is quite the creative kid! I remember my mom making giant crayons with us using tunafish cans, so I did the same thing with Liam! We peeled and broke the crayons and put them in the tuna can. Then we baked them in the oven for about 15 minutes until all the crayons were melted. Liam waited patiently for his giant crayon to cool and then went crazy coloring page after page of notebook paper:

He loves to draw, and usually just interprets whatever he's scribbled after he's scribbled it. Lately, though, he's started making representational drawings. I was in the shower the other morning while he colored in the living room. He called to me as soon as I shut the water off to come and see his drawing. He'd drawn a "bow and arrows" he said. I came out and glanced at his paper, and then did a double take! He had drawn a perfect bow and three very recognizable arrows:

Genius in the making.

He also tried watercolor painting for the first time. I guess most little kids probably start with watercolor, but Liam has been using my old oil paints and gouaches instead! He carefully painted coffee filters for a long time, and experimented with color mixing. He then looked into his water cup and asked me if it was coffee. I guess the making of coffee is a mystery to a three year old!!

I'm loving the extra time to just be with my kids. They're so much fun!

Live-in Help...

Liam's Party

A confetti cake Liam and Mommy made together!

Can he really be 3 already?!

The largest piece of cake served that day...

Liam and Grammy!

Max and Grandma Karen. Look, he'll be as tall as she is before we know it!

Amanda sure can make this kid smile!

And so can Uncle Grass...!

His gift from Uncle Bird. He was a little bit excited!

A new show! The Jungle Book!

A new jacket and snowpants from Grandpa Ron and Grandma Meg!

This kid said "you have to read the card first!" before opening each gift! He's the only child I've ever known who is genuinely excited to read each card!

A snuggly stuffed Bolt from Auntie Sarah!

Star Wars guys from Auntie Annie and Uncle Copter!

Playing with dinosaurs...his favorite!

I love Buzz Lightyear...

Max and Uncle Bird!

Dr. Renquin

Liam's party was so much fun! He was so excited to see everyone and had a great time! He and Amanda spent most of the afternoon doctoring his dinosaurs and his new stuffed animals! Most of those present also got "shots" from his new "shotter"! I can't believe I have a three year old! I really can't! It seems like he should still be just Max's size...but he's already 41 inches tall! A giant! And he's just so grown up.I'm proud of how compassionate he is, and how much he loves to learn. I love all the little phrases he comes up with, and how he loves to make us laugh. I'm so grateful that he loves his little brother and that his brother idolizes him already! Most of all I love that he still fits in my lap, and asks to sit and snuggle with me multiple times every day. He's such a sweet boy. Thanks for always making us smile, buddy! We love you!

I like feet

Chewing on his toes has just become a bit more painful...Max has two teeth!

I have yet to get a picture of them, but I will keep trying!

Pupcakes

Liam's birthday was November 2nd and we made cupcakes (or "pupcakes" as he likes to call them) to bring in for his class. He was super excited to help out with the baking, and poured most of the ingredients in all by himself!

He stirred and stirred....

And lined the cupcake pan...

He likes to watch the baking process, so I leave the oven light on and he goes over every few minutes to check on them. He was very patient as we waited for them to cool enough before frosting them. He put the sprinkles on top (mostly in large piles in the center of each one...!) and then got to test them to make sure they were good:

They passed!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Liam!