Monday, May 31, 2010

House Trained?


Apparently, we have house-trained Banks - not potty trained! This morning while running around the house in the buff with two parents urging him to use the potty, the culprit ran onto the porch. Well, we didn't think much of it except that he was naked and we weren't sure how the neighbors would like that. A few minutes passed and Banks came back in and announced that he has "poopoo'd". And, sure enough, he was telling the truth. He popped right on our pea gravel patio. And then to top it off, he asked for a plastic bag so that he could clean it up just like we do Charlie!

Is this a step in the right direction? Can we count this as a success? Or should we all go to therapy because we have trained our little boy like a dog?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Water Taxi and the Aquarium


I would like to say it was all my idea - but it wasn't. So, I won't. I just got lucky and have some really great friends that are really motivated to do lots of cool adventures with their children. And I tag along!

Tuesday, we took the water taxi from Patriots Point Marina to the aquarium to mix it up a bit. It was $8/adult and kids 5 and under were free roundtrip. The boys had a great time on the water taxi and were thrilled that they were going on a boat. It wasn't crowded. Well, the water taxi wasn't crowded. The aquarium was a different story. One volunteer told me there were 400+ students on field trips to the aquarium that day - I swear they were all middle schoolers! Luckily, it cleared out soon after we arrived.

On our way - Banks, Charles & Hughes

Eloise, Hughes, Lucy, Frances, Banks, Charles & Mary Bec

Checking out the albino alligator - pretty cool if I do say so myself.

On the way back - Hughes and Lucy held hands for a little while. We had a great morning!

Slip 'n Slide Fun

Who needs bathing suits when you look like these studs?


The Holman and Berglind boys had an impromptu backyard water party! We had just gotten the Buzz Lightyear Slip 'n Slide from Big Lots for $10 and, of course, it already is broken. Not to worry though - nothing a little duct tape can't fix!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

End of T-Ball


This morning we had our last T-Ball game. Hughes has come a long way this season - from crying and having to be bribed with milkshakes to gladly running out on the field and listening to the coach. He has made us proud! His intensity level is definitely not comparable to some of the other teammates but he is still having a good time and has a smile on his face.

Before the game sitting on the bench with his team.

Banks has been a trooper. As much as he wanted to be out there playing, he was content playing with his daddy.

Hughes running home - check out that stride - maybe we have a track star!

Coach James and Hughes chatting on 3rd.

Trophy Ceremony - Coach Rod giving Hughes his t-ball trophy. Hughes was very excited and very impressed with his trophy. He keeps saying "I won".

A very proud player

Showing it off to Dad - it has his name on it along with a baseball that spins.

The team showing off their trophies!

Coach Rod and Hughes - This coach has made all the difference this t-ball season. Hughes follows him around wherever he is on the field and gladly listens to his directions. I can only hope that all his future coaches are like this.

Botany Bay


We went to the creekhouse for a few days this past week to stay with BecBec. The boys love it there and especially were thrilled with the outside work that is going on. The creekhouse is getting a new extended porch and there were tractors delivering supplies, tractors trying to dig up roots for support posts, and men digging. One morning, we went to the beach to hang out and the other morning we visited Botany Bay. Botany Bay is federally preserved land consisting of private beaches, salt marshes, freshwater marshes, many islands, and remnants of plantation houses, slave quarters, and an ice house. It is pretty amazing. We got out to explore the beach which is known for its shells. You no longer can take shells as souvenirs (if you do the fine is around $450) but the boys had a wonderful time exploring all the conch shells and everything else.


Hughes checking out the shells.

Banks loved it!

BecBec searching with the boys.

In front of a piece of drift wood that has been decorated with conch shells. The boys had a good time adding their shells to this piece of art.

Proof that I was there - Me, Baby Boy #3, Banks and Hughes

We had to walk a 1/2 mile to the beach and back and the boys walked the entire way. It was still early morning but it was hot and I was mighty proud that they walked/ran the whole way!


Nesting and News


Some friends have said that I'm nesting but I just think I'm getting things done! I've redone my backporch (painted the floor, recovered the throw pillows, painted the adirondack chairs, and painted the planters) and recovered the front rocking chair cushions, too. Now, I'm focused on my bathroom. I don't plan on doing anything to the nursery except exchanging the clothes out. It's non-gender (not that that matters) and I like it the way it is. I feel great and am definitely expanding. Banks likes to kiss the baby and look at the baby which requires me to lift my shirt up a lot - this is all done in the privacy of our home.

A funny thing Hughes said the other day - I had Baby William for a short time while Anna went to run some errands baby-free. Well, Hughes did not notice when Baby William arrived so when I walked into the kitchen holding William, Hughes said, " the baby come out already?" It just tickled me that he thought one day I'm just going to walk into the kitchen holding his new brother.

Banks continues to insist that he also has a baby in his tummy and he likes for me to kiss his tummy like he kisses mine.

I go to the doctor on Wednesday so expect an update then on Baby Boy #3!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Oh Good Grief!



It is only Wednesday. The beginning of the week was rough. Mother's Day was wonderful. In fact, my Saturday was filled with lunch with the girls, shopping alone, pedicure, and grilling out with great friends. Sunday was church, family lunch, quick shopping trip and Lucius' birthday party. The best thing, though, is that nowhere in there was David studying! Exams are over so I now have him for 3 months!

But, I digress, back to the "woe is me" post. Hughes has been quite a handful lately with Banks tagging right behind him.

*On Sunday while in the dressing room with me, Hughes told me that, "mama, your
baby tummy is getting so big". I agreed. Then, Hughes said, "your hiney so big, too".
I look forward to actually getting back into shape after this 3rd bambino is born! My
goal is to run the Cooper River Bridge Run next April and look good doing it!

*Hughes and Banks have become stealth-like snack thieves. Every time I go upstairs,
they immediately hit the kitchen. It's either the fridge for a yogurt or the snack
cabinet for cookies. On Tuesday, they each had a pack of Oreo cookies(6) at 9am. I
then quickly moved the rest of the cookies to the locked cabinet. In the afternoon,
they each had 3 drinkable yogurts. I, then, hid the yogurts in the bottom drawer
underneath the beer. They found those, too!

*I can no longer trust them in the backyard. They have been sneaking out the side
gate and playing in the front yard. Now, I would love to live in my "safe little world"
and think that nothing is ever going to happen to them, but I refused to play stupid. I
know the dangers and I prefer to keep my boys no matter how aggravating they can be
at times.

*Hughes lied directly to my face! The lie hurt me more than what he did. He cut his
hair! Luckily, he cut it on the crown of his head and he didn't go too short. He came
to me while I was on the computer with hair surrounding his mouth. He was trying to
spit it out. I asked him if he cut his hair and he said, "no m'am". Again, I was more
hurt by the lie. I asked him again and again he lied. I have since taken the scissors
away for a nice rest.

The last three events all happened on Tuesday. Let's just say it was not a good day and ended with this mom having a non-alcoholic beer!

Today has been better. The boys had school this morning and I bought the waterpark pass for the summer and signed Hughes up for his first day camp at the Children's Museum during O is for Oceans week.

What I'm looking forward to right now - dinner with a great friend tonight (girls only), lunch with my bible study tomorrow (girls only), and a kid-free weekend (thanks Mom and Dad). I'm in the redecorating mood and have painted my white adirondack chairs today a pool blue. I need some refreshing around here!


Sunday, May 2, 2010

T-Ball Update


Hughes is finally enjoying t-ball and I no longer have to bribe him with chicken nuggets and milkshakes. Now, he just asks when he can go home. But, at least he's on the field fielding balls and up at bat when it's his turn. We have found out that if Coach Rod is not there (rarely but sometimes schedules conflict) then Hughes refuses to play. He loves Coach Rod. For a while there, we thought it had to do with David being at the game. Since most of the games are during the week at 6, David has missed a lot of them. And at one particular game where David made it, Coach Rod was absent and Hughes refused to play. Well, I'm happy to report that it has nothing to do with David but all to do with Coach Rod.

Team Photo - I don't know all the kids' names but Hughes is on the front row with the white pants and then Conley and Wyatt are on the end of the same row. On the back row is Coach Rod, Wyatt's dad Jay, and Conley's dad James. These are not the coaches that Hughes has a tough time with. There are some other more intense dads that help out that just don't "get" Hughes.


Team Huddle


Conversing with Sasha

Check out my slugger

He may not be a professional baseball player when he grows up, but he has come a long way, baby!
Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers