Summer O' Fun

When Adam and I were considering the possibility of moving last spring, I was a little sad that G might miss out on some of the fun kid stuff Bartlesville has to offer in the summer. I know that sounds a little crazy, but there are a few things in this town that I truly, truly love and I wanted the G-man to enjoy them too.

I love the Pathfinder. It's beautiful; a slice of nature in the middle of town. I haven't taken any pictures this year, but last spring--oh my--it was my favorite place to be.

This spring, we've made a lot of trips to the Pathfinder too. It's the perfect place to take G-man for walks. He can run and explore and listen to the birds. Our neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks, so I feel so much better letting him have some freedom since there is no threat of cars. We don't usually go very far, but it's so much fun. We take turns yelling as we walk through the echo-y tunnel under the street. We take turns chasing each other. Graham feels the bark on the trees and stops to look at bugs on the path. We talk about the birds we hear and the squirrels we see. It's a perfect little outing. 

A couple weeks ago we ran into a couple ladies we knew who told us there were hundreds of butterflies at the bridge. 

What could be more fun for a toddler than hundreds of butterflies. BUT the bridge is a half mile from where we were starting our walk. That would mean a mile round trip and G's little legs certainly couldn't make it. I couldn't pass up this opportunity, though, so we made the trek. It was totally worth it. There were so many little butterflies that Graham just sat down on the path and watched them walk around. There were a bunch of them gathered around a damp spot, so we talked about how the butterflies were getting a drink. That prompted G-man to "share" some of his water by shaking his sippy cup upside down. It's was really cute. We stayed for quite a while just watching the butterflies. I tried to be brave when they flew all around us even though I was a little freaked out when they were swarming my head and landing on me. Graham really didn't like it when one landed on his leg, but he thought it was really neat when they landed on my feet. I secretly hoped that our long "rest" would mean that G-man would make the whole walk back. He didn't. I ended up carrying him most of the way. We were both sweaty by the time we got home, but it was just so much fun I wouldn't have traded it at all. 

At the very end of last summer we discovered the Splash Pad. It was OK, but since my little man didn't start walking until November, he didn't love it. Crawling on textured cement isn't very pleasant and getting sprayed in the face without hope of quick retreat just wasn't G's thing. But I knew this summer would be different. It's just starting to get hot, so when I heard the splash pad was open, I knew we needed to try it out again. 

Graham was thrilled to put on his swim suit and his sunglasses. He's such a cool kid. It definitely took him a while to warm up and the water was really cold, but pretty soon he was squealing with delight. He spent a lot of time standing on one of the ground spouts and letting the water spray out between his toes. I love what fascinates little kids.

I'm so thankful that Graham doesn't mind getting water in his face. That has made the splash pad a success the couple of times we've gone. What was not successful were the number of big kids running amok with no supervision or attention to the little guys trying to play too. They may steer clear once the pool opens, but we may just simulate the water sprays with our sprinkler at home instead. I was nervous most of the time that G would slip and fall or get run over by a 12 year old.

The crowning jewel of summer fun in Bartlesville is the Kiddie Park. Yep, that's what it's called. Kiddie Park. It's AWESOME! We've been lucky enough to have friends with kids as long as we've lived here, so we've made lots of trips to the Kiddie Park with them. In the 1950's, during the Baby Boom, lots of towns across America purchased Kiddie Park kits and built amusement parks for kids. There are only about 15 left in the country and one of them is in Bartlesville. It's geared for kids between ages one and five or six. The rides are small and slow and cheap. Since G didn't walk last summer, he didn't get to experience the wonder that is Kiddie Park. This year, though, he is at the perfect stage to have a taste of of the fun. It's open from 7-9pm and doesn't cost to get in. You buy tickets--25 cents each--to ride the rides and their catch phrase is "the last train ride is free." We didn't plan to stay that late, but since it's free to get in, you don't feel bad only riding a couple rides before heading home for bed.

We decided to go last night and Graham loved it. The evening was so pleasant. Kiddie Park was packed, but G waited in line patiently and wasn't scared at all. G-man only ended up doing three rides, which was the perfect amount, and we finished our trip with a family train ride. We spent less than $3 for the whole outing. Seriously, how great is that?

I know we would have found some gems no matter where we ended up living, but I'm glad we get to share Bartlesville's summer fun with Graham now that he's old enough. Let the summer o' fun begin!

Grown Ups

I can't believe we're about to be a family of four. How weird is that? I suddenly feel really grown up. And even though I'm way past the point of entering adulthood (I'm clinging to my status as a young person), somehow having two kids makes me feel like I need to be responsible. Ok, I would consider myself responsible, but not in the "oh those people are parents" kind of way. I guess when you work with kids, you see their parents as parents and yourself as just a mom to a little kid. I know, it makes no sense.

I had lunch today with one of the girls who was in my bible study as a high schooler. She's in college now and seems so grown up compared to how I remember her. Our conversations are no longer about prom and boyfriends and frustrations with friends. Today we talked about her semester abroad and what she wants to do as a career and how difficult it can be to make your own way in the world when it may look different than what your family expects. Real conversation. Adult conversation.

When she stopped by our house afterward it dawned on me that we are really adults. We own a home. We have a lawn guy who gives us advice on re-seeding the bare spots in our grass. I do LOTS of laundry. We just bought a dining room table that can seat up to 10 because we actually need to seat that many people sometimes. I host baby showers. We think about our retirement. We watch the news. We are about to have TWO carseats in the backseat of our car.

When did this happen?

When did we go from being a fun, young couple to being grown ups?

Is being a grown up really that bad?

The answer for me is two-fold. There are a lot of great things about being young and trendy and cool and carefree. But there are also a lot of great things about being a real adult. I'm more secure in who I am. I put down some roots, the horror!, but not in a way that limits change. I feel more grounded in my faith, which gives me a freedom that I didn't experience when I was young. My worldview is broader. As crazy as it may sound, I'm more likely to take certain risks. Granted, I can't just hop on a plane and fly across the world at the drop of a hat, but I'm not afraid to go where God leads even if it seems bizarre.

So as I continue to prepare for girly girl to arrive, I am struck with a sense of amazement that I'm going to be the mom of TWO. Our family is growing. Wait, I have a family. Wowza! This grown up thing takes some getting used to. But it's fun. It's scary and weighty and overwhelming sometimes, but it's fun. Life is an adventure and I'm thankful I get to live it!

Make Something Monday: Sports Fan Gear for Girls

OK, confession time. I made this a lllloooonnnnggg time ago and just never posted it. Of course, you didn't know that until I told you, but for the sake of being honest, I had to share.

A friend of mine is a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan. She has a little girl who unfortunately has spent most of her almost two years without much hair. It doesn't help that the hair she does have is white-blond, so most of her wisps went unnoticed for far too long. All this say, wearing sports fan gear didn't help her look any more girly. So, I wanted to help a girl out. Plus, it gave me an excuse to try a couple new crafty things.

First I freezer paper stenciled the Cowboys star onto the front of a onesie. I know it's not official sanctioned team clothing, but this wasn't for sale. It turned out really cute, so I made one for my boy too. I love freezer paper stenciling. It's really simple and fast (well, depending on how intricate my design is). It would be a lot easier if I had a fancy machine that cut everything out for me, but where's the challenge in that, right?

Next I attempted ruffles on the back. Since I had never made ruffles before, I was in new territory. I decided to use ribbon instead of fabric since I thought that might be easier. I followed some instructions I found online (sorry, I can't remember where) and it wasn't too difficult actually. They turned out pretty well. The hardest part was keeping the ribbon gathered as I stitched them onto the shirt. They certainly aren't perfect, but no one will notice since they'll be more focused on the cutie sporting the ruffles anyway. Don't look too closely, but now that I've done them once, I'm not so freaked out to try them again.

Sadly, I don't have a picture of Little Miss in her cute football watching outfit, but you can imagine how adorable she looked. Maybe I'll make another for our Baby Girl Miller. I know her daddy would love to see his little girl in Cowboys gear. I'll probably have to make her a Broncos one too, just to keep things even.

Preparing Myself

Sweet baby girl is coming soon. Summer seems far away, but when I stop and think about the number of weeks left until her arrival, all I can say is "EEEKKK!" I'm ready and not at the same time. On one hand I'm excited to meet her and kiss her soft skin. I am looking forward to the new baby smell and warm snuggles. Tiny clothes and gentle coos and wrinkly feet. Who can resist all the sweet, miniature newborn stuff?

On the other hand, though, I am not ready. I live in toddler-land now. Not just any toddler-land, but BOY toddler-land. We play "throw," "shoot," and "kick." We have dance parties that end in a dizzy collapse. We sometimes use our outside voices in the house. We periodically battle over meals (although I try really hard not to let him know I'm frustrated that he won't eat non-pureed veggies despite the fact that his mouth is full of teeth). We, and I use this term very lightly, play with noisy, battery-operated toys. We, which really just means he, sometimes throw blocks. There is wrestling and sports and the occasional angry tantrum at my house.

How do I bring a newborn into this environment? How do I switch gears from toddler-land to baby-land? How do I go from boy stuff to girl stuff?

I am so NOT prepared for my new life.

I have reached the point in pregnancy where things have become uncomfortable. Sleeping is a chore that involves moving pillows throughout the night. Heartburn has returned to haunt my post-meal hours. Giving baths, reaching into the crib, and picking up toys is more challenging than it has been up to now. I'm at the stage where I can't really remember what it's like not to be pregnant. My body is always going to look like this, right? I'll never wear normal clothes again, right?

It dawned on my this morning that I won't sleep fully through the night again for months. My heart sank. Is this really happening? It's true. All the wonderful, sweet, snuggly parts of having a newborn are balanced out by sleep deprivation, the postpartum emotional rollercoaster, feeling depleted after nursing again for what seems like the millionth time in a day (seriously, how do those tiny things eat all. the. time.), and the dread of inadequacy to meet the needs of this dependent life.

But really, how do you prepare? You can read books and blogs and articles. You can talk to other parents and ask millions of questions, but it doesn't prepare you fully. You just have to dive in and paddle for the surface.

I'm less scared than I was the last time. Round two is less intimidating. Sure I have forgotten the routine of late night feedings and spit-up and hating the car seat, but I survived it once and I know I can survive it again. I feel more empowered this time. I'm not a wide-eyed freshman; I'm a sophomore who knows her way around campus. I'm a veteran instead of a rookie. I like that. It gives me confidence that although I don't feel prepared, I am. I am a mother.

Of course, ask me that again when girly girl arrives and I may have a different story.

A Boy and His Hoop

My son loves sports.

Loves is actually an understatement. He is obsessed with sports. This was destined to happen. I had no say in the matter. And it all began in the hospital the day he was born. While I took a much needed nap, Adam and his little G watched an OU baseball game. But that's not the only sports little G got that day. The record breaking tennis match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut ended on the day Graham was born. It was the longest match in tennis history lasting more than 11 hours over the course of three days.

See, he was destined to love sports. And love them he does. With passion and zeal and vigor.

Since he's been seeing a lot of basketball lately with March Madness just wrapping up, G has been wanting to play a lot of "shoot." This game entails one of the parents (usually Dad) standing on his knees with his arms out to create the hoop while Graham shoots, dunks, and airballs to his heart's content. If the "hoop" gets tired and sits down, moves to the couch, etc., our bossy little boy says, "no, no, no" while pointing to the floor where the "hoop" must resume his/her position. Mom gets tired of this game much faster than Dad does, mainly because G's choice in balls is not always soft and Mom's "backboard" is a little more delicate. Plus, little sister doesn't like it when the ball hits her.

The game of "shoot" gets more tricky when we go outside. Our backyard came with a basketball goal that G is totally enthralled with. Gone are the days when he would wander around the yard picking up sticks and playing a game of chase with the puppy next door. Now, he just makes a bee-line for the hoop and tries his best to throw his ball high enough. When that doesn't work very well, he enlists a parent to hold him up so he can shoot. Lifting a 20+ pound kid above your head when you are seven months pregnant is not easy. Or recommended. It doesn't help that he likes to use your chest as a springboard to reach even higher. Really fun for the little boy; really unpleasant for the Mom.

We had decided to get the G-man a basketball goal that is his size. We desperately wanted to wait until his birthday, but we folded and got it for Easter. G doesn't really know about Easter baskets or presents, but we knew he would be thrilled.

And thrilled he was.

Beyond thrilled.

He woke up at 7:15 and we brought him into the living room to see his surprise. When he saw the hoop he was giddy and knew exactly what to do. We had a meltdown when it was time to eat breakfast. We had a meltdown when it was time to get dressed for church. We had a meltdown when we had to leave the house. For two hours straight, he did nothing but "shoot." When we pulled into the garage from church, G started talking about his "new hoop." Hoping to avoid yet another meltdown, we put him immediately into his highchair and bypassed even looking at the hoop. After just a couple bites he handed me his plate and said, "Done. Shoot. New hoop." He shot around for another hour until naptime.

Cue meltdown.

G has started talking in his bed for a while before he falls asleep. As he lay there in the dark, we heard him saying, "Ah meese (ah miss)," over and over.

We put the hoop away during naptime since we knew it might make heading to our friend's house for Easter dinner a challenge. Not surprisingly, Graham searched the house for the "new hoop" as soon as he woke up. Thankfully going to his buddy Jordan's house was exciting enough to get him in the car without any tears.

He asked about the hoop when he woke up this morning and looked everywhere for it, but I wanted him to actually eat, so we waited until after breakfast to bring it out of hiding. Suffice it to say, G was happy to see his hoop again.

I was kind of nervous about how day number two would go since we had three hoop related meltdowns before 10am on day number one, but G seems to have reached some balance with his basketball goal. Don't get me wrong, he's played "shoot" for a majority of the day, but he did take a 20 minute break to play in his room. He sat in my lap to read several books before he took a nap and hasn't had any hoop related meltdowns so far.

Yay for Mom and Dad picking out the perfect toy! It so much fun to see the joy on your kid's face when you give him a gift that you know he'll love. And as much as we wanted to wait until his birthday, hearing him say, "ah meese" or "bick (brick)" when he misses a shot, or "dunk" and "nice shot" when he makes one has been totally worth it. Plus, he's getting a little sister for his birthday. That's the present every little boy wants, right?

The Adventures of Horse and Cow

Papa picked out a set of farm animals for G's birthday last summer. There is Horse, Cow, Sheep, Pig, Goat, Rooster, and Duck (which I think is actually a goose, but we've been calling it a duck for almost a year now so that's what it's going to be). Lately G has been really interested in playing with his animals. He takes them out of the box and lines them up. Sometimes they tackle each other in a dog pile. Other times they take turns going down the slide.

The days can get long for a toddler when Mom is washing dishes and switching laundry and paying bills. What's a boy to do?

This is exactly the predicament the G-man found himself in yesterday. Enter Horse and Cow.

While Mom was busy getting things done, G took Horse and Cow for a walk, or in G's words, a "wok." Horse and Cow walked all around the living room. They took a little wrestle break before they got to the dining room. After their wrestling match complete with commentary provided by the G-man, they continued their walk. The hardwood floor in the dining room proved to be a difficult surface for Horse and Cow. Every now and then one of them would fall down and promptly be tackled by the other. Finally they made it to the kitchen. Horse was so exhausted, he lay right down and took a nap. Cow, on the other hand, was thirsty. G was kind enough to give Cow some drinks of his milk. He's so thoughtful. Apparently the kitchen was their final destination because the G-man left them there and moved on to something new.

After wiping the milk drips off the floor and returning Horse and Cow to their home with the other animals, Mom reflected on G's new found imagination. Then she chuckled to herself about G sharing his milk with Cow. Cow is a holstein. Holsteins are dairy cows. Somehow it seemed a little funny for a dairy cow to drink milk. Kind of like a chicken eating scrambled eggs. Or a goat snacking on some feta cheese.

BFF's

G has a buddy. They've been friends since the womb. They didn't know they were friends at that point, but their moms knew it. We've been pushing them to play together since they were born.

For a long time they just looked at each other and blinked. Then G, because he's a few months older, started poking J's blinking eyes.

It caused a little friction in their relationship, but they seemed to work through it. Especially since their mom's were more diligent to keep them more contained.

Eventually, J started poking back. That evened the playing field. 

At G's birthday party, J launched an escape. It's amazing how they communicated so well despite not being able to talk.

After a while they started playing beside each other. 

G's eye poking turned into ball throwing. Unfortunately for J, the G-man is pretty accurate throwing a ball and made a habit of hitting J in the head as many times as he could before one of the parents confiscated all the balls.

But J was about to have an advantage. Walking. 

G finally caught up and life started to get more and more fun for these two best friends. In fact, they transitioned from playing beside each other, to playing with each other. 

A world of fun unfolded for the two buddies when they discovered how to play together. But they don't just play together. Oh no. They look forward to it. G races to the front door when he hears that J is coming over. They squeal and run toward each other when they meet up at church or the park. 

These two boys sure have come a long way from this:

To this:

It's fun to have a best friend.

(On a sidenote, J's mom wrote a post about this special friendship too. We didn't plan to write about it at the same time, but I guess when your kiddos are this much fun together, you just can't help it. Visit her site for some more BFF cuteness from this week.)