Happy Birthday to Conor!!!

8 years ago today I was tired - really, really tired... but also ecstatic and beside myself with joy. Conor was born at 3:32am on October 30, 2000 after a long, long (like 36+ hours long) and tiring (did I mention that yet!?!) labor. From day one, he has been a gift. He is truly a happy kid. He is always smiling with those dimples and big brown eyes and truly enjoying life. I couldn't be a prouder mom. Conor was always amazing - he could walk and talk and do everything months before those darn baby books ever said he would. Life has come easy to Conor. He is so smart and curious and a voracious learner. He's a kind, polite person who cares about others and is thoughtful and loving. He excels at sports. He golfs, he plays baseball like it's nobody's business, he is good at most everything he tries. He's artistic, he's musical. He is just the all-american boy. And just to let you know I'm being fair here - he isn't perfect (close, but not quite)... you should see him dance. Yikes.

Conor's birthday - take 2

Wow - what a weekend. Friday after gymnastics, Riley had a "fall party" to go to, followed up with a trip to the movie theatre to see HSM3 and a sleepover at her friend's house. On Saturday, Conor had practice at the batting cages (his game was cancelled), an end of season baseball party, and his own birthday party/sleepover. Josh took the boys to Dave and Buster's for some fun (read: to wear them out!), and then they were back here for cake and ice cream, movies, late night doritos (which, I might add, were ALL over the playroom floor this morning), lots of guitar-hero and wii competitions, a HUGE breakfast this morning, and we are currently getting ready to head to Conor's make-up baseball game from yesterday.

I need a weekend to recover from my weekend...

Conor's birthday - take 1

Last weekend, with my mom and Josh's dad both visiting, we had an early birthday celebration for Conor, who turns 8 next week. We made a pokeball cake (this is pokemon speak for... well, I have no idea) and he got an ipod, an ipod stereo/docking station, and a bunch of new games for his nintendo ds. All in all not a bad birthday with a week still left to go! This weekend he's having a few friends over for some Dave and Buster's fun and a sleepover... God help us.

The real story

Yesterday was a BUSY day here. Tanglewood Farms in the morning and basketball tryouts (for Conor) after school, so I didn't have time to post the funny story that went along with the pictures yesterday... notice there were NO pictures of Quinn feeding the animals.

Well let me tell you what happens when there are ten or so two year olds holding buckets of bread among a gaggle baby goats. The goats GO CRAZY - leaping, jumping, frightening the poor two year olds into hysterics. Now let me tell you what happens when the moms scoop up the children and the buckets and try to get out and into the next pen... the goats follow, squeezing past moms and crying children, still trying to get the stinkin' bread. It was hilarious. Picture normally put-together (or so we like to think) stay at home moms trying to outsmart some rascally goats... it involved lifting some over the fence to each other (and I'm talking goats people, not kids), holding them back with our legs as we tried to get the rest of the moms and kids through the gate, lots of crying children climbing up legs. Oh my. Did I mention how tired I was when we got home!?!

Luckily the pigs, sheep, cows, horses, chickens, etc. were not so frisky. Only the goats. Beware of the goats.

Tanglewood Farm

Today we went to a little petting zoo with Quinn's playgroup. Here are some cute pics:

A reminder

The past few days have been tiring and trying. I'm working on potty-training Quinn - it's slow going but we've made some progress. Then yesterday, I went to put him down for a nap (generally a non-issue) and he had a full-blown tantrum. I thought he'd resign himself to the fact and lay down and go to sleep, but he didn't. To make it worse, his yells went from angry to afraid. I could just tell something was wrong. I opened the door to his room, and lo and behold he had one leg over the top of the crib and was stuck that way... trying to escape. Thankfully he is not small and agile, or he would have toppled right over the side and onto the floor. So I spent the rest of the afternoon looking for big boy beds online, on the phone, etc. I guess I am in denial that he is nearly 2 1/2.

So anyhoo... it was a long, difficult day... and I was feeling kind of mopey that my baby is not so much a baby anymore.

This morning was a little crazy as well. I had a pta meeting, some errands to run, and I had planned to go to Conor's book fair at school at 11am. I forgot to remind him as he left this morning that I would be there. So at 10:55, I went to the media center and waited for his class to come in. When I saw him walk in, I could tell that he had been crying - not red-faced, puffy, hysterical crying - but he was teary and just sad-looking. When he saw me, he ran over with a HUGE smile and threw his arms around my waist. Apparently, he thought I had forgotten about the book fair because I didn't mention it to him this morning and he was sad because he assumed I wouldn't be there.

Even though I hate that he was worried for even five minutes that I'd be a no-show, it was a nice reminder that even my nearly eight year old needs and wants his mom still...

It's a GIRL...

In light of the fact that Riley is the only girl (and will remain the only girl in our family), that she NEVER asks for anything (whereas Conor has lists for the next 15 years worth of Christmas and Birthday presents), that she loves animals and is so sweet and nurturing with anyone or anything smaller than herself, we broke down and got her a kitten. Here are some pictures of her and Isabella (or as she likes to call her "Izzy-girl")...

Autumn Fun

Some pictures of us at Berry Patch Farms with the Hasslers on Sunday.

Thankful Thursday... btw, completely stealing, I mean borrowing, this idea from others

Today I am thankful for...

* The beautiful fall weather - it's just perfect.
* Kellie calling to tell me how cute Quinn was walking into his classroom today and staying for a while to spy on him and give me the goods.
* Josh might be able to get on an earlier flight and make it home for a late dinner with us (or maybe I should be thankful that he WANTS to come home on an earlier flight just so he can be home for dinner).
* Having the Hasslers over Saturday night for chili and football and then pumpkin-picking on Sunday.
* Riley's curls with the attitude to match.
* Conor's baseball game being at 10:30am on Saturday so it doesn't interfere with Quinn's nap, so kow he will be in good humor and I can actually watch and cheer instead of keeping Quinn occupied and distracted the whole time.
* Learning Express gift wraps all presents for free - which made my birthday present shopping for R's friend that much easier today.
* That my oldest (in length of time not in age!) and dearest friend is having another BABY! :)


And of course, I'm thankful it's almost Friday.

A day in the life of Quinn

6:30am wake up... mommy comes running, picks me up from crib with hugs and kisses
8am... brother and sister leave for school; I pick out my own outfit - my favorite - Buckeyes jersey or as I call it "football shirt"
8:15am... carpet cleaner arrives; i put on my fireman hat and yell "hi" to him whenever i can peek and catch a glimpse
10am... playgroup day - we meet friends at Eagle Watch park - for two hours I enjoy the BEAUTIFUL fall day with my mom and my buddies
12pm... home for lunch with mom
1pm... almost forgot we have to bring snack to school tomorrow... quick trip to Kroger.... mom is a sucker because when we walk by the bakery and I yell "donut!", she buys one for me... I sit in the green car (my color choice for the day) cart and happily eat my donut while she picks up a few things
1:30pm... home again - time for a nap
currently 3:44... still napping

Truly if I could bottle Quinn up and keep him this age - this sweet, funny, great company, MOSTLY happy little guy - I would do it in a heartbeat. Every day with him is a gift.