Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails ... that's what little boys are made of!

What a fun time of year to explore all of the living creatures in our back yard! The boys are having an absolute blast finding and investigating all of the creepy crawlies. We've been having fun playing with all of the little toads for a couple of weeks now, but tonight we made a new discovery - a caterpillar!

Gage had no fear of the fuzzy little fella and even tried to eat it a couple of times -- we had to be quick to keep it out of his mouth. Luckily, he was very good about announcing his intentions first with a robust "Eeeeeeeeeeeaaaat!" So, we had fair warning and were ready to intercept the unsavory snack = )

On the flip side, Riley, for once, did not want to be so hands-on. For a boy who will hold a toad, pick up fresh dog doo doo with his bare hands, and mush around in the muckiest of mudholes, he would not hold the cute little catepillar for anything. Our neighbor girl, Sara, was so trying to show him how harmless and fun the litter critter was, but he wanted no part in it that involved him being anything other than a spectator. Go figure, that boy never ceases to amaze in his decisions. He is definitely one fickle pickle!

Speaking of being fickle, he was pretty excited to get some new tennis shoes the other day. However, we are now having the same arguement every morning when we go to put them on. It goes something like this: "Riley let's get your shoes on so we can go." "Okay, mom ... NOOOOOOOOO, want SANDALS!" From there I try to explain that we have to put the sandals away since his toes are now seriously in peril of hanging over the edge and scraping the ground. It is amazing how fast his little feet grow. I can't really blame the kid for his shoe choice, though. The cool Skechers sandals that his Aunt Tracy got him are pretty awesome and look really comfy. Plus, I'm still wearing my sandals and slides and Corey lives in his Tevas. However, I just can't justify buying a new pair of sandals at this time in the year. So, I'm just hoping he'll accept the idea that it is tennis shoe time for Riley and that they are the cool thing to wear right now. Wish me luck = )

Who knew Montana Mike's was so much fun?

Ok, so first off, we don't go out to eat a whole lot because A) I am a cheapskate and every penny counts at my house B) Trying to contain a rambunctious 2 1/2 year old and a 1 1/2 year old for the entire dining process is not my idea of a good time and C) Dining out should be enjoyable and less stressful than cooking and cleaning at home (see reason B.) On the rare occasion we do go out to eat, it is usually with family that is visiting or with another couple - - thus more people to help round up the rowdies = ) However, in light of all this, Corey and I decided to be brave and venture out for supper on Saturday evening after a full afternoon of errands - - with no backup help. I know, crazy right?

This all came about as we were driving along during our errands and saw the big sign that said "Juicy Steaks and $3.00 Margaritas!" Ok, really, how can you argue with that? So, we tentatively entered and after seeing where the hostess had planned on seating us (right smack dab in the middle of the restaurant,) we quickly, yet politely, asked to be moved to a booth in a back corner. She was young and obviously didn't have kids, because she kind of looked at us like we were crazy. We assured her it was for the good of the restaurant and our own sanity and she obliged our request.

So, we sit down and break out the cute little 4 color crayon boxes and kids menu they provided and let the kids exhibit their inner artist for a bit. When the waitress came over to get our drink order, we asked if she could please put in an order for French Fries right away as Gage was already starting to the eat the crayons. Yuck! That boy will eat anything - which is a blessing and a curse. Anyhow, she brought out the fries ASAP much to Riley and Gage's delight. They both dug right in with Gage saying "ry ry" - his version of French Fry - and Riley attesting that the fries were "Good Stuff." Ha! = )

Next our appetizer of fried mushrooms came out. The kids, of course, wanted to try them because they always want to eat whatever mommy and daddy are having. We figured they wouldn't like them at all, but instead, they LOVED them! Especially if they got to dip them in some Ranch dressing by themselves. Go figure, they both again love something that Grandma Soukup loves = )

Ok, so here came the time for our meals to be delivered. This is usually when the meltdowns start to happen because they are now bored and want/need to go run off some energy and neither Corey nor I really get to enjoy our meal. However, much to our pleasant surprise, when our meals came, both boys were far less interested in running around -- or their own grilled cheeses for that matter -- than they were in mommy and daddy's steak, catfish, sweet potato and baked potato. They wanted to eat all the grown-up food and they did quite well. Riley especially like the steak. The boy definitely has good taste! So we all got to enjoy a great meal and no fuss. We even got some great commentary along the way from Riley pointing out all of the fun items on the walls. He particularly liked the deer, no surprise there! Actually, as far as he was concerned, most of the animals were deer (antelope, elk, moose - yep, all deer.) Gage, on the other hand, really got a kick out of the racoon pelt that was on the wall next to our table. He kept saying "Hi kitty kitty" - that really made us laugh!

So, after having such a lovely evening, maybe we'll be daring enough to have some more of these fun family dinners out on the town. Not too many, though, as the pennypincher in me is still alive and well!

Gage's World of "No" + Riley sings ...

Oh my goodness, Gage is so totally in the "no" stage of speaking right now. Every question we ask him ends with this answer: a drawn-out nooooooo with his sweet little voice raising at the end of the word like he's asking a question back to us. Unless, of course, you ask him if he'd like a banana - -then you get "nana, nana, nana, nana..." until he finally has a mouthful of his beloved yellow fruit. The boy is definitely bananas about bananas (thanks Grandma Soukup!) But, if you ask, "Gage, do you like your banana?" The answer will most definitely be an unflappable, "noooooo?"

For more on the "no" front -- if he is doing something naughty, for example pulling all of mom's pyrex dishes and tupperware out of the lazy susan and is told "no-no," he will look right back at you, point both forefingers at you like a cowboy with two revolvers and - with emphasis - repeat the "no-no" back to you. Yep, I've been a party to the "no-no" showdown numerous times. The hard part is, he's so darn cute when he does this, it's all I can do not to smile and/or giggle. However, the cuteness quickly wears thin when Gage then calmly goes back to doing exactly what he is not supposed to. Aaarrggh! So, now you tell him a firm "NO" and give his little hand a disciplinary smack and he looks back at you square in the eyes and says "NOOOOOOO MOMMY!" You can't blame the little guy, but good grief, please just listen to mommy in the first place, ok dude? Anyhow, I know that all toddlers go through this phase and this too shall pass, yada, yada, yada ... but, I just had to vent a little bit. Because, Lord knows if I try to talk about this out loud, I'll be greeted with even more "no's" from my little redhead!

Riley, on the other hand, has a vocabulary that is just exploding! He still has some issues with the pronunciation of many words, but for the most part, he is doing so well. I am so proud of him! Last night, he let me know he was proud of me, too. Well, kind of. I redecorated the boys bathroom. It now has a shower curtain with bold, colorful circles with scribbles on the interior of them like a child would make if they were trying to trace the circle. A big improvement over the dated beige curtain with purple and violet flowers. Anyhow, when he went in there for the first time he said, "WOW MOM, COOL!" Just like that! It made me happy that he even noticed -- he is a guy after all. But, the fact that he was so excited about it, on top of noticing, was really awesome to me. I love it when my boys are happy =)

Another indication of his improving language skills was him singing Happy Birthday to Kari last night. He grabbed the phone and sang right into it. And, instead of the usual "Happy Happy You You" of his previous attempts, he has added a word so it is now "Happy Birfday You You!" Is it crazy that I get this stoked over even the littlest baby steps like this? Oh well, if it is, who cares ... I LOVE IT!. Aunt Kari did, too = )

In other news, those of you that live in the Lawrence area, please look for an article in the LJWorld on Saturday or Sunday and watch the Channel 6 news Sunday at 10:00. There will be pieces featuring Kristi and her husband Terry talking about their son Cooper and the charity Cooper's Cause. There's also a link on the left side of my blog that will give you more info about Cooper's situation and the upcoming fundraiser events. Check it out, please...

Well, that's all for now, we'll see what new joys my boys have waiting for me!

More fun than we can handle!

Wow, this weekend has been a whirlwind of activity! Friday we had tickets to go see Jack Johnson in concert at Sandstone. We knew it would be a late one, so we decided to finally cash in our Christmas present from Catherine and Gloria. This was for a free, over-night babysit for both of the boys. I was a little hesitant since this would be their first sleepover with someone other than Grandma & Pop Pop. However, I shouldn't have been -- the boys had a blast! They even slept in 'til 7:30 for them -- that never happens at our house! Thank you ladies = )

It has been forever since Corey and I have been to Sandstone. The best we could calculate was about 8 years ago for a Widespread Panic show. Wow. That sure makes me feel old ... going to concerts used to be one of our favorite things to do when we were first together! So, it was really awesome to get to have a fun night out as a couple and feel like not such old fogeys for a while = ) We went with our friends from down the street, Virginia and Tony. It was actually their idea and I am so glad they invited us ... thank you V & T!!! I must say, though, I think Virginia and I probably got the most out of the concert as Corey and Tony seemed to spend most of their time in line for cocktails. But, they are both very social guys and seem to bring the party with them wherever they go. They had a great time, too = )

The next morning, we got up bright and early to take the boys to Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park and meet my friend Haley and her boy Dane. My brain was a little foggy from all of the festivities the night before, so of course, once we picked up the boys clear across the other side of town I remembered several things I'd forgotton. Important stuff like camera, sippy cups, baby wipes. Yep, now I remember why I don't go to concerts all the time = ) Anyhow, luckily Haley is such a dear, she agreed to move our meet time back to 10:00 which helped things go much more smoothely.

The boys had so much fun petting and feeding all of the animals. Gage once again was telling the animals "hi" and was not shy at all about letting them eat out of his hand. Riley also got the giggles again whenever an animal would get close to him = ). Dane and Riley also got to ride the "ponies." I have ponies in quotes because these animals were not ponies, they were full grown horses. I was actually a little nervous that Riley might fall off (especially since we had fibbed and said the boys were 3 - the minimum riding age) but both he and Dane did awesome and really enjoyed their ride!

Gage, of course, was way too little, but he enjoyed riding every single play animal toy that was at the park ... 10 in total, I believe! He would just rock back and forth a few times then bounce his little self on over to the next one = )

While there, we ran into a couple of friends from Lawrence and got to say a quick hi to Kristi and Jill and their crew. That was close to lunch time and I think we had all had about as much fun as we could handle at that point = )

We went out to eat afterwards and met up with Haley's hubby, Rob. The very smart restaurant host, who mentioned he also has toddlers, sat us all in a corner pretty much all to ourselves. It couldn't have worked out better; the boys were able to have a great time without us parents feeling like we were bothering everyone else. I was so happy to see how well all the boys got along and interracted. With Riley & Dane being only a month apart, they are pretty much on the same page about most things. I'm sure if they got together more often this might change, but there were absolutely no fights or meltdowns - - even though they ate late and were well past naptime!

Next, we headed back to Lawrence and the boys caught a nap in the car. We tried to get them to nap some more at home, but that wasn't happening, they were too amped. So, we headed out to the airport for a surprise party for Corey's boss, Lloyd. He has been in business 25 years now. It was a great turnout and of course, everyone oohed and aahed about how cute the boys are. As their mom, I of course hate to hear that ; ) It was nice to visit everyone and the boys always love to see the airplanes. This time they even got to see one up close taxi down the runway and takeoff. I wish I'd had my camera for that ... the look of awe on their faces was amazing.

Now, finally, it's Sunday, and we are all just relaxing. We definitely need it! But, this has been a super enjoyable weekend and I can't wait to have more just like it!

Say hi to Patrick Henry Rath ...

Sunday I got the great pleasure of meeting Shawn and Kari's new baby boy, Patrick Henry Rath. He is just sweetness and perfection personified! He is so tiny (not quite back up to 6 lbs yet) and has very handsome petite features. His nose is so freakin' cute I couldn't help but kiss it several times = ) Here's a couple of pics so you can see what I'm talking about ...

Ok, so now you see what all the fuss was about! Gosh holding that sweet little baby brought back so many memories for me. Although, neither of my boys were ever this tiny. Patrick is a full 3 lbs smaller than Riley was and almost 3.5 lbs smaller than Gage. However, for being such a little tyke, he sure did make a huge impression on me. There's nothing better than snuggling with a sweet little bundle and feeling that soft breath on your neck. Babies are truely a blessing!

Congratulations again to Shawn and Kari. This little miracle was a long time coming, but he was totally worth the wait!

First night on our own ...

Well, things have gone pretty well so far. The evening started out with some major excitement for Riley. Since Gloria has moved out to the country, we get to see a variety of wildlife each day. This evening while we were leaving for home, we got to see 2 fawns playing and eating not 20 feet from us! They frolicked for about 2 minutes before Riley finally got his window down and yelled "DEER!" This managed to spook them, but it sure was fun to watch them in the meantime! Of course, the rest of the way, Riley saw like 30 other "deer" along the way. Pretty much anything that moved was labeled a deer, but I didn't correct him, he was too excited = ).

Gage is loving his soft diet. He got several of his faves for supper: mac'n'cheese, peas, canned pears and a popcicle. Aside from the peas, these are also some of Riley's favorites, so everyone was happy!

After bath time while I was getting the evening snacks ready, I noticed Riley had disappeared and was eerily quiet. This is typically a very bad sign. So, when I went to investigate this is what I found:

That's right - - he's CLEANING! AWESOME! What a lovely surprise = ) He was very proud, too and showed me all of the things he'd "cleaned" - - as well as the 9 baby wipes that were left strewn about. Anyhow, he cleaned the toyboxes, bed rails, and dressers in both his and Gage's room. What a sweetie! Is there any chance this cleanliness will continue into the teenage years? Please, don't answer that, let me keep the dream ...

After snack, while Riley was attempting to make some potty, I went to check on Gage and this is what I found:

Isn't he just the cutest? He sure loves his music and feels it with every bone in his body! Hopefully he'll gain some coordination along the way to match up with his dancing desire!

Well, that's all for tonight. We had lots of fun and no meltdowns -- mommy included! = ) But, I'm exhausted!

It's always something ...

Well, we went to the doctor this morning because Gage gave himself a big boo boo. At daycare yesterday he grabbed a metal curtain rod, stuck it in his mouth, and before Gloria could get to him, fell down jamming the rod into the side of his mouth. We weren't too worried about it yesterday as it didn't bleed much and he didn't really seem too bothered by it. However, as the evening went on, his cheek became more swollen. This morning it was so swollen he was having a hard time eating without biting his cheek. Ouch! Plus, a big red circular area had developed on the outside of cheek as well. So, I called for an appointment and the receptionist said they couldn't get us in until tomorrow. What?! Huh-uh. "I don't think so, let me talk to Nurse Debbie." We love Nurse Debbie. She said, "Can you get him in here in about 30 minutes from now?" "We'll be there," was my obvious response. Like I said, LOVE Nurse Debbie = )

So, anyhow, we are now at the doc's office. We get to meet our new doctor, Dr. Kumurri, for the first time. (Our regular doctor, Dr. Vaughn, moved to a new facility so she could spend more time with her kids - can't blame her, but we really miss her!) Anyhow, this is not really how I had envisioned our first meeting with the new doc, but that's how it worked out. Thankfully, she is awesome and Gage immediately fell in love with her and flirted almost during the entire appointment! Many smiles and "hi's" and even little love taps. He is gonna be such a romeo!

Ok, back to the ouchie. While Dr. Kumurri pushed, pulled, pressed and pinched on his cheek and the inside of his mouth, he stayed completely calm and just let her do her thing. I tell ya, he is one tough little guy. He even opened up and said "aaahhh" a couple of times to give a good look. I was amazed. Thankfully, she does not think the cut will need stitches. There are already white soft scabs forming, meaning his mouth is already trying to heal itself. There was a pocket of fluid that had developed that needed to be lanced and drained. This part did create a few tears from Gage, but that immediately stopped once she was done. Again, I was amazed. So, for now, he is on some anti-biotics and a soft diet to help ward off any infection and avoid getting food trapped in the open wound. We are to watch the area for any sign of an abcess and have a follow up appointment scheduled for next Wednesday.

As we left the doctor's office, Gage smiled, waved, and said "bye, bye" to Dr. Kumurri, Nurse Debbie, and the receptionists out front. Can you believe it? After what had to be a pretty uncomfortable experience to say the least, he is still just happy-go-lucky. This probably sounds bad, but if this had to happen to one of my kids, I am glad it was Gage. I can't imagine how difficult the appointment would have been with Riley. I love my Riley-boy, but he doesn't do anything like this without kicking and screaming and putting up a helluva fight. Definitely too much of his mother in him on that front. Luckily Gage is more laid back like his daddy. = )

Speaking of the boys' daddy, Corey is heading to Pratt today to help his brother put up a pole barn and/or a lean-to, depending upon weather and material delivery. So, it'll be just me and the kiddos this weekend. I'll let you know if I keep my sanity being a single parent for a couple of days!

In other news, Mr. Riley has really taken on a new independence lately and likes to try to tell mom how things are going to be around the house. This obviously leads to many battles of the wills. When he oversteps his bounds, I often tell him to stop being a sassafrass or suffer the consequences. Well, I've apparantly said the word sassafrass enough times now that he has started to mimic it and finds it very entertaining to say. However, when Riley says it, it comes out "sassy ass." Yep, I should've seen that one coming. One of these days I'll learn ...

Well, that's all for now. Wish us all luck this weekend!

OK, OK, here's the new 'do ...

OK, since I received several emails requesting a pic of the new haircut, here it is ...

Sorry for the cheesey self-portrait, but that's as good as it gets for now. Let me know what you think!

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That was a naughty little 2 yr old who snuck out of his bed to see what mommy was doing. Boy, that kid just has to get his 2 cents in no matter what. Hmmmm, wonder where he gets that? Anyhow, that's all for now. Gotta get Riley back to bed. Nigh-night = )

Sun & Fun & a Whole Lot More!

Well, where do I begin? I guess I'll start with Wednesday. I went to the hairdresser just to get a trim and while there decided to totally chop my hair on a whim. I think it turned out pretty cute - - it's an angled bob that ends right at my chinline (maybe pics on next post.) I knew Corey wouldn't be too stoked about it as he really wants me to grow my long hair back. I do too, but it's a process and I'm going to have fun with different styles in the meantime. Anyhow, when I walked in he was visibly shocked. He really, truly hates it! I'm glad that we have such an open relationship that we can honestly express our feelings about almost everything to each other. However, I was not prepared for just how strongly he would feel about this new look. Oh well, it's just hair and luckily mine grows fast = ). Over the last few days, the look has "grown" on Corey a bit, but he is also extremely happy to know that this is not a look that will be sticking around permanately!

Thursday we headed out to the fair after work. It was so much fun!!! We took the boys to the petting zoo first, which was adorable. Gage went up to every animal and with his sweet little raspy voice would lean in and say "hi." Too cute! Riley had the uncontrollable giggles any time one of the animals would pokes its head out of the bars. He really enjoyed feeding them snacks. I think the Alpacas were all our favortie ... they were super friendly. Riley also got to ride a pony at the fair. He was a little scared at first and wouldn't let go of mom, but after a couple of circles around the ring he cowboy'd up, held onto the saddle horn and thoroughly enjoyed the ride! Unfortunately, in all of the hustle to get the kids fed and out the door, I forgot the camera. It's too bad, because the experience really would have made for some great pictures. Oh well, there's always next year = )

Friday we got a call from Shawn letting us know that Kari was going into labor early! Due to possible complications from her gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, they decided to go ahead and induce labor for both her and the baby's health. Little Patrick Henry Rath made his joyous entry a little after 7:00 that evening. We are so happy for you guys ... babies truly are a blessing!!! We are so looking forward to watching him grow and see his little personality develop. Welcome to parenthood!

Saturday we discussed heading back out to the fair, but with temps reaching 100, decided that probably wasn't the best idea. Sooooo, this is what we did instead:

This was definitely the best way to spend the day! The boys LOVED the slip n slide - - and so did their daddy! Corey demonstrated numerous times the proper sliding technique for Riley and Gage (he's paying for it the day after!) They never quite got dad's technique down, but they did plenty of sliding in their own little styles = ) They also thought the little water spouts pretty much made up the coolest water fountain ever! They drank quite a bit this way, which was fine with me ... at least I know they were staying hydrated!

We finished out the weekend getting a tour of Gloria's new house and daycare. It is awesome!!! It is an old church out in the country that has been converted to a residence. Did I mention that it is huge?! There is a separate area for the daycare that has several rooms and it's own kitchen. The boys went nuts! They are going to have so much fun out there!!! Probably the cutest thing is one room is set up strictly as a play room and has a jungle gym/slide/tunnel toy in there. Riley has taken to calling this room "the park." Perfect = )

Well, that pretty much wraps up the last couple of days. We are so blessed to be able to have this much fun!