Fall....

Sadly it's upon us.... don't get me wrong- I LOVE fall. I love the crisp air, the falling leaves, the cooler weather. It's definitely Crockpot soup season and snuggling under a blanket at the end of the day. I'm just not READY for fall. Perhaps it's because we haven't really HAD a summer up here this summer. And wouldn't you know it- just as I'm ready to get into fall, the weather decides to climb back up into the upper 70's, possibly hitting 80 this weekend. Nevertheless, I did a fall project with Sawyer this afternoon. I went to Target with the thought that I would get a roll of brown packing paper to make a tree, double sided sticky tape to tape it to the front window, and then make leaves, etc to have them 'fall'ing off the tree. Brown packing paper- $4.99.... turn the corner and found a pack of manila colored construction paper- on clearance- 49 cents! :) Guess which one I got?! We also found gel leaf clings to add to the window. Then I got coffee filters for Sawyer to color so we could make more leaves. I put the tree up on the window this afternoon (in the direct sunshine and it was HOT!), then let Sawyer begin applying the gel leaves and the 'watercolor' leaves he made at school.

Our coffee filter leaves are still drying and will be added tomorrow. But here are some pictures of his trees- he's so proud of them and clapped happily when we had to leave the house and he could see the tree from the outside. :)

"Sawyer"-isms

This post will be dedicated to the "Sawyer"-isms: the funny things he says and does.

July 23rd:

Tonight as we are watching America's Funniest Home Videos, there was a video of triplets. He was watching it and turned to me and said "I don't want THAT many babies."

While reading our nighttime book, he turns to me, puts his hand over my mouth and says "mom- stop talking. I have to bless you." HUH?????? OH!!! Sneeze!

At Sweet Tomatoes last week, I told him he could have either an ice cream cone there or popcorn once we got to Target. He told me he wanted popcorn. We continued our lunch.... then he says "mom, I changed my mind. I want ice cream." "are you sure?" I responded. "Yes." So we get our ice cream and go about our errands. We pull into the Target parking lot and he says: "Mom, I changed my mind again. I want popcorn." "Um, Soy? You can't change your mind AFTER you consume your decision!"

On wanting something at the store and me informing him we're not buying it: "It's okay, Mom- Dad has money."

Recently on a trip down to Wilsonville, I bumped into the median (while looking for the place I was going to) and knocked one of my hubcaps off. Sawyer gets out, looks at it and says "It's ok. Dad can fix it."

He wants to see 'his' baby.... he, however, doesn't understand that he cannot see his baby by looking down my shirt. :)

Sawyer and Ivan are roughhousing on the floor tonight.... "Dad- why your boobs coming out of your shirt?" (he was wearing a tank top....) we couldn't stop laughing... "Dad, Mom- why you laughing? What's so funny?"

Ivan and Sawyer went upstairs so Sawyer could get money out of his piggy bank to buy a new police car. Sawyer went into our room and tucked 'Blue' in. Ivan said "Oh, is Blue tired?" Sawyer: "No- Blue needs a rest. He gave me attitude yesterday." :)

AH.... the blissful sound of....

Sawyer is at a point in his life where naps are optional.... or so he believes. Thing is- if he doesn't take a nap, a meltdown ensues at 5 pm and it doesn't get any easier as the night drags on. By bedtime, he's so exhausted that his whiny, overtired voice grates on everything- and the procrastination! OMG! Those are the nights that Ivan and I come downstairs and don't talk to each other for about 30 mins to decompress. The days that we are active and he's needing a nap, I put him down and he screams for an hour easy.... then finally wears out and falls asleep. It's hit or miss if he wakes up happy too.... I wish there was an easier way to figure this out. It's wearing on all of us. Mommy and Daddy would really like to take naps too at some point....

Proud Mommy Moment :)

So tonight at bedtime, it was just Sawyer and I- Ivan was working out. I decided that more than our usual 2 book limit was fine (cause I love books and will do anything to instill a love of books in my son). He picked out "No, David!" and "Llama llama red pajama." We began with "No, David"- where my son takes the book from me and says "no, mom- I read." So I let him- and he did AWESOME! He "read" the book to ME. (yes, he has memorized it.... but STILL!) Then I read Llama llama red pajama to him. We then grabbed "Wake Up Night"- and again, he grabbed it from me, got cozy in his Elmo chair and read it to me (with just a smidgen of help from mom). I'm so excited that he is "reading"- or wanting to read to me. It was just a proud mommy moment for me and I needed to share. :)

My Children

Yes, you read that correctly. My first "child" was given to me for my 13th birthday. I named him Snickelfritz. He was black with white stripes built into his fur- there was white down-like fur at the root and black on the tips and the longest tail I'd ever seen on a cat. We found out quick that he LOVED water. I would have to race him to the bathroom in order to shut the door before he could get in the shower with me. He was an adventurous child. One morning we all awoke to the sound of something being dropped on the piano. Turns out Fritz was tightrope walking on the outside of the landing and fell onto the piano. We went out to see him look up at us, shake his head, and jump down. He loved pizza. There were many times when I would be sitting on the couch eating pizza watching TV and all of a sudden see this black paw coming in to swipe my pizza. He'd always cause trouble and magically not be there when we went in to yell at him. :) He also loved red licorice. My mom used to keep it in her nightstand... until she caught him trying to get in to the drawer to get it out. :) As a kitten, he slept on my head, with his claws in my hair to keep me from moving around. He graduated to sleeping on my chest and I began falling asleep while petting him as his loud purr rumbled against my chest

.

He was there when I broke up with my high school boyfriend and spent hours crying- he kept head-butting me and coming in to snuggle. He was my child and I was his. When Sawyer was born, the dynamics changed a bit. I no longer had one child, I had two. They avoided each other for a while, but eventually Fritz came around to the fact he wasn't going anywhere. It seemed that I no longer had two children, but another parent to help me with Sawyer. He started sleeping with Sawyer at nap time and every time Sawyer would move, Fritz would move along with him.

He'd follow Sawyer around and vice versa. When Sawyer got old enough to begin "helping" around the house- he chose to feed the 'mimi's'- (cats). Last night Fritz wasn't doing so well healthwise and I sat with him 2 hours yesterday evening. Sawyer would play for a while, then come over, pet Fritz, kiss him, kiss me, then leave to go play. We informed him that Fritz was sick and very old. I ended up sleeping on the family room floor with Fritz and Bailey last night- Bailey and I wrapping Fritz in our love. Fritz passed away early this morning. He'd been my baby for 18 years. I picked Sawyer up from preschool this afternoon and he was telling his teacher about his pets. He said "I have a doggy. His name is Bosco. I have 2 cats- Frizzy and Bailey." I got down to his level and said "Sweetie. We only have one kitty now. Remember? Fritzy was really old and very sick. He's in heaven now." Sawyer turned back and said "Yes. Fritzy no sick no more." I lost it- huge alligator tears and God-bumps all over. We had never mentioned what heaven was. Amazing.

Fritz has passed on his stubbornness to my child. His spirit will live on in all of us.

Bedtime Chart

We started a bedtime chart for Sawyer about 2 weeks ago. We started it after an especially hard night getting him ready for bed- much yelling and screaming and obstinacy. We came downstairs and, while listing to the screaming upstairs, mentioned that there HAD to be an easier way that what we were experiencing each night. I jumped online and started googling bedtime + toddler and came across a couple of ideas. This was the combination of a couple.

The chart I already had- it was an alphabet chart leftover and not used from work. The cards I found online at Nick Jr and the backs were coloring sheets online (oh yeah, and I laminated them too). The premise was- we had 6 cards, 5 things he had to do before bed and 1 that mommy and daddy turn over based on how he actually goes to sleep. The 5 he had are: put ice in his water bottle (a nightly procrastination- we figured we'd just take care of it BEFORE it became a problem!), use the potty, brush teeth, pajamas, and read a book. The 6th one is the 'Lights Out' one- the one mommy and daddy turn over. We decided that if we go in once to his calls, it's ok. If we go in more than one time or end up screaming, the last card doesn't get turned over.

Once he does one card, he turns it over (except the 6th one, of course!). In the morning, if all the cards are turned over, then he gets a sticker to put on a letter in his name. Once all the letters are covered, he gets a dollar and gets to take mom or dad to Dollar Tree and pick out something special. Tonight he decided to take daddy and he got Gummy Bears. There are nights that he doesn't get the last card turned over, and there are nights that he has decided he doesn't want to go potty or brush his teeth and so those cards don't get turned over. The first night it didn't happen, he threw a small fit. But after reminding him that it was his choice to go to bed quietly and since he didn't, it didn't get turned over, all was well and the next night went better. I like the chart because he learns what he needs to do in order to go to bed. It's a routine, which is helpful, but he gets to decide which order we do things. So it's a win-win situation.

Pilot In Training

My dad has his private pilot's license and enjoys flying on the weekends. Sawyer has been infatuated with planes forever! In fact, when he was just about a year- he saw a plane in the air and said "Papa." We had only told him once that Papa flies airplanes! Papa and Soy have really bonded over the airplanes, even reading the AOPA magazines. Papa bought an airplane book recently that has over 300 different airplanes in it. The same day they looked at it for the first time, Sawyer could flip through the book and find the plane that Papa flies. So Papa decided to take him down to the airport he flies out of and show him around the plane, let him sit in it, etc. We've already decided that Sawyer has to be 5 before going up with Papa- it's a maturity thing. 3's just too early. So Papa, Ama, and Soy went to the Aurora Airport. They began inside the building looking at the topography maps. One of the flight instructors was there and of course, Papa had to show Soy off:
Papa: Sawyer- where are the wings on the airplane Papa flies?
Sawyer: On the top!
Papa: Sawyer- how many engines does it have?
Sawyer: ONE! (proudly showing one finger)
Flight Instructor to Papa: Start saving your money now- he's going to be a fly boy!

So Papa and Sawyer went out to the plane. Papa showed Soy all around the plane and sat him inside. Sawyer got to play with the buttons and the steering.

He kept asking Papa to take him up. :) Then Papa needed to take off, so Sawyer and Ama watched Papa take off- and Sawyer kept wanting to watch Papa (even when he was out of sight).

So now we're going to have a fireman who will be flying on the weekend.... adrenaline junkie in training? Perhaps instead of saving money for flying lessons, we should save money for hospital bills..... :)

Oh The Thinks You Can Think!

Did you ever a feeling there's a nink in the sink?
Or a wocket in your pocket?
Perhaps we should Hop On Pop?
Yes, it was Dr. Seuss' birthday March 2nd.
Celebrations ensued all day long-
I made deviled Green Eggs for my teachers
and you got to wear your pajamas to playschool
and watched Horton Hears A Who.
For dinner I made you: green eggs and ham and
Cat In The Hat striped pancakes.

Did you like green eggs and ham?
Yes you did like green eggs and ham!
You ate them here and there.
Sawyer- you ate them everywhere! :)
I also made Cat In The Hat striped
graham crackers for dessert.
"Dr. Seuss" called you too!
It's just too bad daddy was in the bathroom at the time-
he missed the whole phone call!!!
But you and daddy read 2 Dr. Seuss books after dinner :)

Oh The Places You'll Go! :)

Author's Note: Yes, I know I did a lot tonight for dinner. But it's a cool thing to celebrate and we got to have fun with it. Yes, I know I'll have to do this every year. Yes, I'm okay with it. In fact... I think there's a "Green Eggs and Ham" cookbook......

Soy's Birthday Party

Today began with bagels.... followed my a stressed-out mom with 100 things to do before the party and less time to do them in! Three hours of cleaning and last minute grocery stop and daddy pitching in to do whatever I threw at him.... and we're ready to party! When we asked Sawyer what he wanted to do for his birthday, he said "go see the we-ooo, we-ooo" (fire truck). So I scheduled the tour (which they didn't know about even though they had plenty of notice... anyways...) and we began the party at the fire station. The kids loved climbing in the trucks and seeing the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms. They saw the computers, but really just wanted to see the trucks and the ambulance. So us adults (parents and firemen) hung out and let the kids run around the garage for a while. Then it was back to the house. We started with the fire truck pinata... too much fun.... although the broom handle that was twice as long as the child was tall and swinging it too close to the Jeep brought up thoughts of auto repair, but no accidents ensued. :) Then for the major surprise....... the most major of all surprises.... the thing he will remember ALL of his life.... (I hope!)
Oh YES we did! Thanks to a friend of a friend, we got a REAL fire truck to come to the house! Lights, sirens, the whole NINE yards! :) Doug was awesome! He gave Soy a little matchbox fire truck and Soy got to wear a hat and coat.Then we all got to ride on the fire truck. Thought we were going to go around the neighborhood, but since there is an elementary school right around the corner, we decided to go there and unleash the hose. :) So- me, Soy, Liam, Ben and Ivan climbed on up. (really, is there any other time in your life that you will ever get to ride on a fire truck!? How could we say no??!) So- not only did the kids get to do the hose, but the "big kids" did too- after Doug turned the pressure up a little more. :)
After saying a reluctant goodbye to Doug back at the house.... (although Soy got to flip the siren on when we turned onto our street!), we went inside for a couple of fire truck themed games, then a yummy dinner of pizza, lasagna, salad. Presents followed and no party would be complete without CAKE! My friend Christy made the cake for Soy and did an amazing job!
Everyone left around 8 and Soy went to bed shortly after. No nap today meant constant talks about "attitude adjustment" - so it was no surprise that he fell asleep in 5 mins :)

I'm glad we did this for his party. Was it over the top? Most definitely. Will he remember this forever? Most likely. Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! We won't do this every year, but it was a fun party and I'm sure I'll be planning more in my future :)

A Birthday Letter to Sawyer

Well my little man- you are 3 today. There were days when I wondered if we all were going to make it through unscathed and days that I wish could have gone on forever. The good days, the bad days, and the in between days are what makes you the wonderful, stubborn, amazing you. You have learned SO much this past year! You stopped using your booster seat shortly after turning 2, saying you were a big boy now and didn't need it. :) You potty trained in one day- looking at me like it was no big deal when I was loudly cheering you on. :) You started Noah's Preschool and a little bit of my heart crushed as I watched my baby walk in to school on his own with his backpack on. You started Play to Learn Preschool too and more mornings than not, I left in tears and called your teacher to make sure you were okay. I love the fact that you have grown even the last few months, especially with school. You happily go into school, sometimes forgetting to give me a goodbye hug and kiss! You spell your name and count to 20. You spell "S-T-O-P", know all your shapes, colors, and letters, and use scissors very well. You know the traffic light colors and their meanings (sometimes to my dismay!) You are working on spelling 'Mom', 'Dad' and reading small words like 'yes' and 'no.' I am amazed at how much you have learned this year. You love a challenge- be it intellectually or behaviorally! You've outgrown your trike in one year and have learned you can now bike faster than mom and dad can run. You are extremely polite when you hold the door open for us. You are extremely compassionate and kind to animals. You love doing your chores and are great at them- feeding the cats and dog, taking the recycling out, and letting the dog outside. You love to sing and do so.... often.... loudly :) I wouldn't change it for anything in the world! Your favorite song is "The Wheels On The Bus" and often put new words into the tune to make up your own song. You are an amazing person, inside and out and even though there are really bad days, I wouldn't change anything about you. I love you when you are happy and laughing; and when you are sad and crying. I love you when you are stubborn and pouting; and when you are asking "Why" all the time. I love you because you are you. Happy Birthday Sawyer. May this year be filled with even more wonder and amazement. - Love Mommy

Ah, the Children's Museum.... where you can:
1)splash random children in the water area
2) throw recycled rubber chips in the construction area because other children are doing it and not getting yelled at
3) forget to go to the bathroom (accident ensued.... daddy found a pair of pants in the car- but he ended up going commando and wearing his dry sock on the other foot because his other foot, sock, and shoe were... um... wet. But we didn't just spend $8 per person to leave after 20 mins....)
4) Paint your face with as much face paint as you want (mom controlled this one REAL quick!)
5) Have a fun afternoon (even though a nap was severely needed...by parents and said toddler) :)

Working Out

So Ivan and I have been working out pretty regularly this past year.... ok, Ivan much more than me. Anyways, it's almost always one of us staying home with Soy and one goes to work out. Last Thursday, Sawyer and I were on the way home from work/school and Sawyer asked if daddy was home now. I said "Yes he is. He didn't have to work today. But he was going to go out and go running." Reply from Soy: "Running where mommy?" Me: "Running to Albertsons I think." Response from toddler..... "SILLY DADDY! No RUN to store! Take CAR!" *sigh* All our healthy intentions just flew out the window......

Bad Doggy

After coercing Sawyer to eat one freaking bite of chicken and a piece of broccoli (lovingly called 'Dinosaur Trees') we decided to go have TCBY for dessert. I love TCBY- they always have a sugar-free option for me and 'blue' ice cream for Soy. Ivan usually gets his White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. So we left. We also left Bosco at home, which isn't unusual. I ran in to TCBY and got the ice creams and since we were going to eat them in the car on the way home- Sawyer got vanilla with sprinkles (images of blue, pink, and yellow ice cream on the car seat prompted this!), I got sugar-free chocolate, and Ivan, of course his usual. None of this is really important to the story, just thought you should have the background information (and possibly make you want ice cream....) We get home and walk in..... scraps of dog cookie and cat cookie packaging.... all over the floor.... everywhere.... Apparently Bosco, feeling left out about going to get ice cream, decided to help himself to the pantry and get out his cookies as well as the cat's and eat them. Soy walked him, took one look at the floor, looked at Bosco and said "BAD BAD BOSCO! NO MESS MY HOUSE!!!!" Ivan and I had to try so hard not to laugh out loud! Sawyer then proceeded to tell Bosco that again while picking up the cookie packaging remains. Ironic when the toddler (who makes most of the mess in the house) is telling the dog not to mess his house. :)