Vacation

Connor watched Alvin & the Chipmunks, Chipwrecked 2 nights ago. Yesterday morning while taking him to school (late because the roads were so icy) he told me me he wanted to go on a big boat with rooms. He wants to sleep on it too...I'm assuming he means a cruise ship.

While I was making dinner yesterday evening, he asked -- oh so politely, if we could go on vacation after dinner.

Oh, I wish it was that simple, kiddo.

He is anxious to go to the beach (because of several books: Berenstain Bears Go On Vacation and Just me and my Grandma (Little Critter...they go to the beach). So, perhaps our next family vacation will be a cruise to the beach. Maybe next fall or winter....not wise to go on such a trip during the summer in Michigan.

I want to go on vacation after dinner too!

Family Skiing Attempt

I bought a Groupon for lift tickets & ski rental before Christmas. I've been so anxious to get Connor on the slopes to see how he did.

Well, it was 1/3 fun and 2/3 frustrating. :)

We went to Cannonsburg which is just 12 miles north of Grand Rapids on Saturday. Although Connor didn't wake up super early, we had no idea how tired he was until after.

I skied with Declan in the Ergo. He didn't make a peep and was all bundled up. Saying he had "fun" may be a bit of an overstatement, but I do think he enjoyed the fresh, cold air. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in skis, but with a first-timer on our hands, Brian and I didn't even make it to the chair lift. Instead, we tried to make sure Connor didn't fall on the "magic carpet".

I do think Connor had fun a few times. Next time, we will definitely sign him up for at least a few hours of "ski school" first. Getting up from falling was perhaps his biggest challenge and he also couldn't consistently snap his boots in his skis. He skied between my legs once and that was probably the most fun he had...hanging on to my pole that I held horizontally. That was probably quite a site to onlookers...me with Declan strapped to my chest and Connor between my knees! HA! Brian was teaching him to go side to side and snow plow. He did better when we didn't let him hang on to us, but on the last big "run" of the afternoon, he ended up flying down the "mountain" super fast and when he fell to stop and ended up with a ski in his back. That was it. Tears.

To top it off, I asked a lady to take our family picture (essentially mid-meltdown) and my phone was set on video instead of camera, so we have an 18 second clip of us trying to take a family photograph, but no real picture. I was able to grab this still from the video, but that is all I've got of the whole crew. Sums things up quite nicely actually.

Oh, yeah...I also deserve the "mother of the year" award for somehow stabbing Connor in the cheek with my ski pole during an attempt to help him get up. Thank goodness the kid is tough. He didn't even cry about that one. I did accidentally whack him with my pole again as we were heading in to return our gear, and through tears, he said, "that's twice, mom!" oops. Bless his heart, he was so tired. He fell asleep in the car and proceeded to sleep for the next 3.5 hours.

Next year we WILL try again and Connor will go to at least a few hours of ski school first. Maybe we'll even go up to Boyne Mountain...further north and make it a weekend? It will be better for all of us if someone else teaches C how to ski! Do you think Declan will be able to hang? 17 months may be a bit premature...

Instagram photos

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything. :( Boo to me.

I've been really busy with 2 little boys and working a TON.

Here are some of my favorite Instagram photos from so far this year.

Before i forget

This morning, Connor was deliberately late for school. We learned last week, while Brian was out of town, that Declan does much better when he wakes up himself instead of being awakened to retake Connor to school before 8:30. This just means that he needs to eat breakfast at home. No big deal.

Declan usually wakes up on his own around 9:00.

As Declan began to stir, Connor was finishing his waffle and I was trying to get clothes on as quickly as possible. C called me for something and I walked into the kitchen without pants on.

His comment to me, "Mom, you are just wearing legs."

I've never thought about it like that before. Instead of an absence of pants...just legs. This should also be catalogued with "just feet"...not to be confused with "bear feet". Homophones are a b*tch for 4 year olds!!

"films"...

I can see my future flashing before my eyes....only different.

Fast-forward 12-13 years and I'll be watching highlight reels from Connor's games...football, baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey....whatever it may be.

I can tell this because he just got a first place trophy on MarioKart. He just chose to "view replay". I told him he pressed the wrong button if he wants to play again.

His reply, "No, I like to watch it again when I win."

He proceeded to give me a play-by-play of the race, what he did, and why. I guess that is the 4-year old version of "films".....oh boy. I'm in for it big time!

Poop

My kid wakes up from a 20 minute nap (it took walking around outside in 30 degree weather to get him asleep) so he can nurse to blow out a diaper.

Brutal.

He better go back to sleep after I change him!

I'll choose to be thankful that there isn't poop all over his bed...

haha—Saturday morning

Brian is drinking coffee out of a mug with a picture of Connor on it from when he was 6 weeks old.

Brian: Connor, who is this on my mug?

Connor: That's me!

Allison: Does it look like "baby boy" — what Connor calls Declan about 75% of the time.

Connor: It certainly does.

Seriously..."certainly"?! Coming out of the mouth of a 4 year old, it is too funny.

——

Just now, Brian and Connor are playing catch with a stuffed football.

Connor didn't catch the ball that Brian threw.

Connor: That was a bad throw dad. You are not going to get the Heisman.

oh my goodness... guess whose father is already campaigning? :)

——

Meanwhile, Declan is just chillin' in his vibrating seat (not vibrating) and his fingers are "pruny" from semi-sucking on them. He might just take to his index and middle finger of his right hand like his mommy did..... :)

BBE — best baby ever!

He cried for a while because he still wasn't ready to go to bed last night at 11:00, but once I finally got him down, he slept until after 7:00. Then he went right back to sleep until 10:30. He woke up all congested, but super happy. I had to pump for the first time since the beginning of December because I didn't want to explode. BBE — 3 months old, photo below taken yesterday.

The New Year disappointment..

Connor stayed up until midnight. However, he was extremely disappointed with the ball drop. We went to Outback for dinner and challenged him to stay awake until 2013 and watch the ball.

Once 2013 arrived he turned to me and said, "I thought we were going to go outside."

Why??

"So we can drop all of our balls."

Oops. Mom fail.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


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