Monday, March 31, 2008

Back to Routine

It's been awhile since I posted last. We have been busy and it took awhile to get back into routine and back onto Chicago time (who would have thought an hour would make such a big difference?!) Ben is back in school as of this morning. He is very excited about his classes (taking 3, auditing 2) and is ready to finish up his 3rd year! Can you believe so much time has gone by already?
It was nice to see family last week. Samuel loved seeing Mugga, Papa and Grandma! He spent the whole time driving around in Mugga's red car and playing with her Thomas the Train set. Needless to say, he has been Thomas OBSESSED since we got back! (even more than before..) I found two Thomas videos at Once Upon a Child (great store) and he wants to watch them all day, every day! He builds train tracks and drives Thomas and Friends back and forth. They come to lunch...They are NOT allowed to nap with him:)
So, we have been working more towards beginning potty training (yikes!) and we decided to work with the Thomas obsession and get a new train or two (Henry and Gordon for the Thomas buffs out there) as a prize for when he starts going potty. He saw them and we had to explain what they were for. Now all he can think about is how to get them! Yesterday, he was playing with his trains and he must've thought about his prizes so he ran to me and said "Mommy! I need to go potty!" I said, "okay!" and we rushed off to the bathroom where... he refused to take off his clothes or diaper, sat on his potty for about 20 seconds and jumped up and said, "okay! Let's go get a prize!" Hmmm...is he smart or what! I'm open for suggestions on potty training a smart child who doesn't like change.....
Zakkai is starting to turn toddler overnight! Not my sweet baby! He definitely has a little temper and likes to have his own way. He wanted to do something today and I wouldn't let him and he started hitting the air and the floor to show me that he was very frustrated. I got the message very clearly! He is also into everything and extremely persistent (how many times can a parent say no??!!) He loves to bug Samuel and tear up the train tracks and thinks it's hilarious when you try to redirect him 800 times. It's very hard not to laugh when he does because he's so cute! It could be those fangs he has...
Please pray for us as we start a new quarter. It's always hard to adjust to the busyness and the lack of family time. Samuel really misses daddy. He was getting into a routine of snuggling with daddy in the morning for a litte bit over this spring break so this morning when he woke up, the first thing he said was, "Can I go 'nuggle wif Daddy?" It make me so sad to tell him daddy was at school! I think Saturdays will be the official snuggle day! Enjoy the video! (press play twice) P.S. Pleast post comments!! I really want to hear from you! I fixed it so you should be able to comment without signing up for an account (which is free, by the way!)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Zoo and other stories..



We finally made it to the zoo on Tuesday! It was a yucky, sprinkly day but a promise is a promise! We got to see the lion (who was roaring), tiger, Hudson the polar bear,dolphins, sea lions, gorillas...It was funny because Samuel was so excited (really, he kept saying, "I so 'cited!!!") and then we got there and he wanted to hold my hand while he was in the stroller because he was scared of some of the animals. He wanted to make sure the hippos and bison weren't going to "get" him. But after a few minutes he was fine and raring to go!
The zoo has become a family get away retreat. We really enjoy going together and "getting away" from the city for a few hours. We get free passes so if anyone wants to come visit and go with us...(hint, hint!)
Samuel has been into giving everyone timeouts. The other day he gave Zakkai a timeout (not really sure why..) I just heard him saying, "Zakkai, you get a timeout. You stay there and get a timeout!" Then the next day he told daddy, "I not happy with you, daddy. You get a timeout and a 'panking." And to top it off, his toys have started getting timeouts, too! I guess he figures since he gets timeouts, everyone else should, too!
Zakkai is finally getting better, I pray! He has been sick for 3 weeks! He had a cold that kept getting worse and went into croup and another virus that caused a rash. Hopefully the poor baby can get healthy and stay healthy! Sick or not sick, he still loves to play. Lately he has been driving cars all over the house like his big brother:) He is getting closer to walking. He just looks like he wants to take those steps but still isn't quite ready. I'll be sure to post a video when he does!
Here is a picture of bathtime tonight! The boys love to splash and play. Tonight Samuel was giving his trash truck a bath because "it was dirty" and Zakkai was pulling up and down, up and down, as usual! Happy Easter to all of you!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was our 5th anniversary! We celebrated by getting a babysitter (we had a "get out of house free card") and spending the evening down on Michigan Avenue! What we forgot to take into account was the St Patrick's Day celebration and all the crazy drunk people with green hats and leprechaun ears...The river was green (it's a tradition to dye it green each year), it was cold, and there were a lot of people but we had fun being "childless" for a few hours!
It has been 5 wonderful and busy years together! We have a beautiful family and we believe we are where God wants us to be and we feel so blessed! Samuel woke up and asked for our friend "Miss Emily" who came to babsit. I told him that she and her husband had gone home but we would see them at church. Then I asked him if they read a story together and he said yes. I asked him if "Miss Emily prayed with him" and he said very seriously, "Uh, no, she didn't. She didn't pway wif me." I said she must've forgotten and he nodded very seriously and said, "yes, she forgot." Then he asked when she could come play again...:)
Zakkai is beginning the process to walk! In the past few days, he is standing more and more on his own and wants to take our hands and walk a lot. He'll be chasing after Samuel soon! He is picking up on more sign language and trying to talk more! He pushed the door to our room open today (with a bang!) and saw Ben and said, "DaDa!!" He says, "ma, ma" for "more" and today, copying off of Samuel and I, in a really high pitched voice said, "yea!" He also learned the "so big" game tonight! Everytime we would ask him, "How big is Zakkai?", he would throw his hands up in the air with a big smile and say in that high pitched voice, "Yea!"
I'll probably post more in a couple of days after our zoo trip that Samuel has been begging for! He has been asking every day to go still. Tonight as we ate dinner he said, "okay! Now it's time to go to the zoo!" Maybe I'll post some pictures from our outing!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Spring

I think spring is on it's way! I am so excited! There is something about the sunshine that lifts your spirits; something about a bright, warmer day that tells you that new life is on the way. It is so refreshing! The weather has been pretty nice here the past few days so I took the boys outside to the playground! Samuel was so excited that he was grinning ear to ear and racing back and forth! He went down everyslide at least twice (there are 3 of them), climbed through the tunnel (which he dubbed the "zoo tunnel", and dug in the dirt for bugs (he didn't find any, thankfully!) I put Zakkai in the swing, which he loved and also let him climb through the tunnel with Samuel. I got some cute pictures with my phone but next time I'll have to bring the camera out:)
For the past three days Samuel has been glued to the window watching some street work being done outside. The workers are using a bulldozer and he has followed it's EVERY move! He has a small bulldozer that he put to work on the window sill, copying the one outside:) He also has made sure that he has his helmet nearby, just like the workers. I guess there is one good thing about having a lot of construction going on around our neighborhood; it entertains little boys! My mom's group met today and each mom with a little boy who walked past the workers had to stop and watch...:)
I hope you enjoy these little stories! Thanks for being patient with me as I figure out how to "blog." It means a lot to me to feel like I am connecting with my family and friends. It's hard to be away from you and I know especially Mugga and Grandma miss watching these little boys grow up. I hope this gives you a smile! Next time I'll tell my "time-out" story....

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Random musings

I am finally better! Yea for drugs:) The boys are still trying to get over their colds but thank the Lord, no one else got my stomach flu! I am finally getting out of the house again. The boys and I were starting to feel a little cooped up..Winter here can be very isolating, since we normally walk EVERYWHERE and when it's so cold and windy outside, sometimes I just don't feel like pulling out those coats and gloves and hats and scarves....again... We have had over 47 inches of snow this winter so far and I'm sure there is more to come before spring finally shows itself! Of course, before we moved, someone told me, "There are pretty much only two seasons in Chicago. Summer and winter." They were right....but right now I could go for a nice 72 degree day, sunny with a slight breeze:)
I am really looking forward to going to the parks around here. Samuel has been begging me to go to the zoo and to build a sandcastle. He started asking me when I was so sick last week, so I told him, "When mommy feels better, then we'll go to the zoo." Famous last words...Yesterday morning when I went in to go get Samuel, he pops up and says, "Are you feel better, mommy?" and when I said "yes", he said, "Can we go to the zoo?" and proceeded to name off every animal he wants to see (except hippos because they're "cary")
I am treasuring up all of my little stories and moments with my precious boys because I know time goes too fast and before I know it, they'll be in school and won't want anything to do with mommy! For now though, I will enjoy each moment with my two blond headed, blue eyed angels and be so incredibly thankful that God gave them to us to love!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Beginning..

I have recently been introduced to the world of blogging...I know I'm a little behind the times! I have read so many incredible stories these past 2 months on the internet. My first blog, that I still check daily, is http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ Check it out! It's an amazing story...

Anyways, back to why I decided to enter this crazy cyber world! Ben and I live away from home and our families and friends back home miss out on the day to day of our life together, especially stories of our boys as they grow up. So I am creating this blog to keep you all updated on the crazy Thomas life! Check back as often as you like. I will update at least once a week, more often if I have something interesting to tell or a cute story:)

Here is my Samuel story of the week: I have been pretty sick this week. Tuesday I came down with a nasty stomach flu and was lying on the couch in misery ALL day. My wonderful husband stayed home all day because there was no way I could've made it! So, Samuel was a complete angel all day. He rode his bicycle around the house, he read books, played with playdoh...And then at one point, he came up to me as I was dozing and whispered, "Just rest, mommy." (which sounds like, "Jus res, mommy") He then went and got his special blanket that his Aunt made for him and covered me up and patted me. He walked away whispering, "Just rest," and then stopped in the doorway, turned around and blew me a kiss and smiled, saying, "I yuv you, mommy." Is he sweet or what??!! That is a story for his notebook I keep....

My Zakkai story: Well, what can I say? He's adorable! He's happy and spunky and a lot of fun! Zakkai is learning sign language and his latest new thing he likes to do is "read." He crawls over to the bookshelf and pulls down their books a few at a time and sits on the floor for 10 minutes at a time and looks at books. So cute! And tonight, he learned the sign for "book!" He was so proud of himself that he kept doing it over and over and giving me the biggest smile! Baby genius...

So, that's my first edition of the "busyboymom" blog! All I ask in reading this is be careful who you share it with. I will be careful with mentioning names and places for the most part for protection. I just want you all to enjoy!

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