Monday, January 16, 2012

Play Time

Ryan cracks me up with his imagination these days.  Today we were spending some time playing together while Dylan was napping.   First of all, he asked very sweetly if I would play with him.  He followed it with a giant hug and said, "Mommy, I LOVE playing with you!" 

My heart melted.  Of course I love playing with him too!

He has rediscovered our toy doctor kit since his appointment on Friday.  So we were taking turns playing doctor.  I went first (to provide a good model of course).  I took his blood pressure, looked in his ears and listened to his heart.  I told him he was very sick and would need some medicine.  Then I spied the one thing I had forgotten to use--the toy "shot." As an after thought I said "Oh and you need a shot."  Then I jabbed him in his leg lightly (incidently the same leg he had recieved his ACTUAL shot on just a few days ago.)

He. BAWLED.  I sat there stunned.  Between sobs he turned his tear streaked face to me and cried, "you MEAN." And then it registered what I had just done!  That the poor kid had just received his first memorable shot in the same leg two days ago!  I felt pretty mean.  And apologized profusely. 

When had had  calmed down enough, he still wanted to play doctor.  And it was his turn to be the doctor.  Let me tell you, he was a bit vindictive in the shot department.  His poor mother received a LOT of shots. 

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Doctor Visit

Yesterday before our slumber party started, both Ryan and Dylan had their well-checks at the doctor.  While driving there in blowing snow I had only one thing on my mind: SHOTS.  I could see in my minds eye two sad, crying, sore little ones on the way home and I was dreading it! 

Ryan only qualified for the flu shot.  The "kind" nurses came in while Ryan  read a Thomas the Train book in a chair.  They asked him if he wanted to read his book up on the big table.  Without looking up he responded, "No thanks." So nonchalant.  But they were persistent and got him up on the table and propped his head up with a pillow like a little raja.  He was loving all the attention.  They chatted with him about the characters in the  book as he reclined, so innocent and unsuspecting.  

He was kindof surprised when they pulled his pants down to expose his thighs but returned to his book.  Then they stuck him.  He yelled, "OWWWW," and looked at them like they had grown two heads.  Then he looked down.  But that nurse was so fast she had already put a bright toy story band-aid on the spot.  He was quite proud of his band-aid.  He didn't want to pull his pants back up because he was admiring it.  He took me completely by surprise at how well he handled this shot! He did not cry even once.

Dylan was unfortunately just as I suspected. I was a little behind on his immunizations because I missed the memo that babies are seen at 4 months.  So the poor little guy had four immunizations all at once yesterday.  Just like I thought, he cried and cried and cried.  Poor little guy! Last night he had a small reaction to his shots and he ran a low grade fever all day today and was fussy.  

He did not feel like doing the plank, or playing or cooing.  All I did most of the day was hold him and rock him.  But it was a perfectly wonderful thing to do on a snowy cold Saturday!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Slumber party!

What is it like to have a slumber party consisting of a four year old, a three year old, a two year old and a 7 month old? 

It's a little bit like running your own daycare and definitely more challenging than just preparing for a sixty minute therapy session.   Ryan had some friends spend the night for the weekend. Yes, that's right the weekend....while their parents are taking an important trip to Oklahoma.  We are blessed to have them.

We still have two more days to go but we've already: played with the train set, watched four movies, colored, played candy land, played in the tent, read books, put puzzles together and did a special night-time activity.

This evening our special activity used my new black-light.  I really like it!  The kids enjoyed it too.  They watched each other glow in the light.  Then we played with some pipecleaners.  Ryan's little friend really loves all things weapon related (like knights and swords) and he made a ton of swords out of his pipecleaners.  Of course the younger two wanted to be JUST like him and so they made a bunch of soft fluffy glowey weapons out of pipecleaner too.




I found a cute idea at Play at Home Mom using waterbeads.  That was the biggest hit of the evening.  The kids literally sat mushing their hands in the beads squishing and running them through their fingers, pouring them from one side of the box to the one below and rolling them between their fingers. 

 It was also pretty neat how the beads would change color based on the light I put them under.  The beads themselves were deep blue.  When I put them under yellow light they turned green! Remember when I made that ice fishing game for Ryan?  Well, tonight it became a platform to view water beads with.  Under blue light, the blue beads became more of a clear white color than blue which was interesting. 


The evening was completed by going upstairs to sleep in the tent in Ryan's room.  We read bedtime stories, prayed and turned the star turtle on.   Not a bad way to end a slumber party....they are actually slumbering.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The creeper at our house

We have a creeper at our house.
Don't look so surprised! It's true!

He leaves no stone unturned....
 No area unexplored.
 Nothing is safe with him around!
It's a good thing this creeper is so stinkin' cute!

 Not to mention pretty thrilled with himself. 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Christmas in Review

Ho ho ho! Merry late Christmas!  I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year!
We sure did!  

After letting Ryan open his presents early last week, we packed up our clown car, I mean, our two door luxury vehicle with our children, gifts for family, ourselves, two dogs, the diaper bag, and three suitcases.  We had just enough room to move our feet a few inches when it got uncomfortable on the twelve hour drive to Nashville, TN. 

We had so much fun!  Grandma Kangas was up to more cute festive activities for the kids.  All the cousins got together and decorated Christmas sugar cookies and made placemats for the holiday dinner. 




Ryan LOVED playing with all his cousins.  

Josh and I were able to sneak away for a date on his birthday.  Thank you Papa Kangas and Grandma Kangas for watching the kids! That was a special treat!

We celebrated both his and Ryan's birthday together this year with family and chocolate cake.  Ryan finally with all the practice he's had started to catch on to birthdays.  He may be overgeneralizing now though, since every day he now asks if it's his birthday, sings to himself, and asks for a present. 
While we were in the area, we took a day to visit Emily, our good friend from college, in Alabama.  She showed us the space-center.  Ryan really liked the rockets!



Thank you Blair and Emily for your hospitality and generosity!
Dylan had a great first Christmas.  While we were in Nashville, he started creeping and scooting.  It won't be long before I have a rug rat! He also cut another tooth. 

It was so good to be with family this Christmas.   Have a wonderful new year everyone!