Our Day, by the Numbers

Number of hours Logan watched Yo Gabba Gabba while sitting on the couch wrapped in his puppy blanket today: 7

Number of half-hour episodes we actually have DVR'd: 6 (yeah, do the math)

Pieces of waffle he ate before listlessly pushing away his plate: 2 (maximum: 4)

Minutes I entertained him in the doctor's office after deciding to heed my hunch that we're dealing with more than a regular cold: 45

Number of ear tubes that, sure enough, have fallen out and are no longer doing their job in Logan's ears: 2 (maximum)

Number of ear infections Logan has: 1 (a mild one, though, we caught it early)

Number of subsequent infections within a three month period we're willing to accommodate before considering a third set of tubes: 3

Time exhausted Mommy will be going to bed tonight: 9

From the "Garden"

First tomato of the season.

Class Act

Whenever I see the name of the boys' day care on my caller ID at work, my heart skips a little bit as I pick up. Generally speaking, they don't call just to say "Hi" or tell me my children are cute. At best, it's a benign request for a piece of paperwork. At worst...let's not go there.

Today Logan's teacher called at about 3 PM to tell me Logan had gotten a little wet during naptime (something about a pullup gone awry). Typically this doesn't warrant a phone call, as she would just put his shorts in a plastic bag for us and change him into fresh clothes. But today, she discovered that there were no extras in his bin. I seem to remember a month ago bringing home his extra sweats (too hot) and meaning to replace them with spare shorts for the summertime.

Logan's teacher looked around for some spare shorts or pants but she didn't have any that fit. So she wanted to let me know that Logan was spending the afternoon sans pants. She didn't want me to be appalled when I picked him up, which I appreciate. She assured me that he didn't seem traumatized (or all that interested) and that his shirt was actually covering his pullup, anyway.

I still felt a bit worried, so I e-mailed Larry, who replied "If he's like his Daddy, he'll find the lack of pants refreshing." I didn't pursue this.

Thus, for those parents at our day care wondering who the trashy mom is whose child did not even have pants today: C'est moi.

Tractor Pull

Today Fry's Farm (kind of a traveling petting zoo) came to day care. I was very excited to hear about the animals when I picked Logan up. What was the best animal? The pony? The cow? Chickens, goat, pig, bunnies?

The tractor.

I'm Just Not That Into It

Has anyone noticed that Outliers has been on our reading list (see right) while dozens of other books have come and gone? Why can't I get into this book? I loved Freakonomics (thanks, JT!) and I expected to have a similar reaction to Outliers. (No, I haven't read Blink.)

Outliers is sitting on my bedside table and, literally, gathering dust. Also, cat hair, drool and some drippings from the medicine that goes into Ollie's nebulizer. I read the first two chapters, put it down (in January) and can't seem to pick it up. Now I think I've built up some kind of psychological resistance. This also happend with The Red Tent. I wanted to like these books but I can't...seem...to like...them.

Does this happen to anyone else? Start a book, want to like it, put it down, let the spiders make a home in it? Do I force myself through it or continue to use it as a coaster?

Recipe for Evening Fun

1 emptied basket of laundry
2 sweet boys
1 silly mommy

Stir and giggle!

Daddy's Day

Logan gets ready to go swimming "in the blue water." Our Father's Day weekend also included a tip to Old Navy and an awesome cookout with the HPs. Next year, though, maybe we send Daddy to a spa as he is quite exhausted.

Happy Big 3, Willsie!

I love you my sweet neph-neph, and we all wish you a happy birthday!

And...as of today, the Aunt Kiss Tax goes up to 10!

Baby's First Swim

Ollie had his first trip to the pool today. He really liked it. He was clothed in board shorts, a swim shirt, a cap and a quart of sunscreen, poor little guy. Despite the extra weight he kicked around and giggled when we bounced him.

Hats, Paint and Popsicles

Well, it's been a fun week at day care. As in previous weeks, there are lots of activites on the calendar for the early preschool summer program.

For the other kids.

For Logan, it went like this:

Monday: "Conformity day." Wore summer program shirt like everyone else. Uneventful.

Tuesday: Crazy hat day. Although he has, in the past, insisted on wearing his sparkly blue bowler hat to school, on Tuesday he refused to accessorize in any way, insisting he "does not like hats."

Wednesday: Face painting day. Logan will not let anyone touch his face. Reports having "painted my feet."

Thursday: Kinderdance day. Logan does not admit to having participated in any kind of dance program. Talks incessantly all evening about green popsicles.

Tomorrow is Splash Day. Typically we all agree this is a fun day.

Oliver Cracks Up

There is nothing Oliver finds funnier than Logan. Logan making monkey noises. Logan pouring water over his ducky in the tub. Logan wringing out a washcloth. All hilarious.

Thanks a Lot, Buddy

We just celebrated Daddy's birthday and Cousin Wills' birthday and are looking forward to Ollie's next month, so we've been talking about birthdays around here.

Logan, how old is Ollie?

Ollie is...one!

How old are you?

I'm two...and three.

Right, two going on three. How old is Daddy?

Daddy is thirty-five!

How old is Mommy?

(Pause)

How old is Mommy?

.

.

.

No!

Playpen

I often try to capture photos of Logan and Ollie in scenarios similar to those I remember having with Aunt Emily (before she was Aunt Emily, of course). I have early memories of climbing into her crib with her. How did a two-year-old manage to unlatch a crib, crawl in and relatch it behind her? This we do not know.

Anyway, fast forward about 38 years.

Gimmee a Waffle or the Red Guy Gets It!

We Want, We Want, Gymbo!

Cousin Wills celebrated his upcoming third birthday today with a hootenanny at Gymboree. All guests had rollicking time and none will be eating a decent dinner tonight, as the enormous Costco cupcakes served at 5 p.m. have left us all a bit full and giddy. Really, Costco? The cupcakes are as big as Baby Ollie's head!

Above, the birthday boy considers the crawling tube. In the background on the right, note his cousin hoarding balloons.

Wills and cousin Logan enjoy the cupcakes.

Everybody cha-cha-chas!

Another successful event from Emily Mathews, CMP.

Baby's First Hailstorm

Olliepop slept peacefully this evening through his first hailstorm/tornado warning, opening one eye briefly as Larry settled him on pillows in our safe zone (our bedroom hallway). Logan has already been having rain issues for the past few weeks, so it was a little stressful for him to hear the hail pounding our roof for about 5 minutes. He kept it together, though, moaning a little and asking for reassurance that Daddy would "fix the rain," and didn't cry. He also randomly informed me mid-cower that the garage door remote "needs batteries." Not sure how he made the connection at that moment.

We can't really see the roof right now but there aren't many branches down in the yard, a good sign.

The Toddler View

Logan's day care has a pretty fun summer program for the early preschool class (his class) and up. At least, it looks great to me. I wouldn't mind seeing a fire engine, petting a pony and having my face painted.

We printed out the summer program calendar, and each morning we talk about the highlight coming up that day*. A week and a half into the program, I'm realizing that Logan's interpretation of the highlight rarely matches what's on the calendar.

Monday
Calendar indicates: Spirit day (they all wear their summer program T-shirt)
Also known as: Conformity Day (thanks, Larry)
Logan's interpretation of the highlight of the day: Daddy's car is broken.

Tuesday
Calendar indicates: Ice cream day
Logan's interpretation of the highlight of the day: Refuses to admit to having ice cream, evidence all over his shirt to the contrary. Finally concedes that he had "black ice cream." Claims at various points to have had or not had sprinkles.

Wednesday
Calendar indicates: Storyteller
Logan's interpretation of the highlight of the day: I had a green popsicle.

Thursday
Calendar indicates: Hawaiian shirt day
Logan's interpretation of the highlight of the day: Mommy I don't like this shirt. I like Spiderman.

Friday
Calendar indicates: Splash day
Logan's interpretation of the highlight of the day: Splash day.



*I talk and Logan says "no" or "make me a waffle."

My Double Helix Model Is Prettier Than Your Barbie Doll!

Get a load of this fun-looking project courtesy of the Austin Children's Museum. Edible art. Hello? Is there anything better? We WILL be doing this in the Bills hizzouse this weekend.

By the way, I recommend this blog for anyone that who has kids (or is just immature, you know who you are). They have some really fun ideas.

The grape/toothpick structure those kids are building, though, is giving me flashbacks to one of the many bizarre toys Aunt Emily and I were subjected to enjoyed as children: a set of plastic "molecules" that you could link up with plastic gray connectors. Only when I got to college and had friends taking organic chemistry et al did I realize those were not really meant to be toys. Then again, neither was Parafilm we chewed to pretend we had gum, the dry ice we dropped into buckets of water to make "smoke" or the pipettes we used as pick-up sticks.

Happy Birthday to Larry

Tomorrow is Larry's birthday. He already received his main gift but I am pretty sure there are others to come!

Many parties stepped forward for babysitting duties, so in addition to family time we will have an unprecedented two non-kid outing this weekend: Dinner tonight at Fogo de Chao (thanks, Brushes!) and a movie tomorrow (thanks, Aunt LeeLee, Uncle Bill, and Wills).

Worth Every Penny

We got a collections notice today for a $44 bill for Avery. Really, Austin Radiological Association? Collections for $44...when you already received the contractual payment in a timely fashion from our primary insurance carrier?

Just FYI, many other providers waived portions of Avery's fees. But you win, your $44 is in the mail. Don't spend it all in one place.