I'm a Basketball Widow

During the NBA Playoffs I become a basketball widow. This, of course, leaves me plenty of time to take pictures and blog (aren't you lucky?). Today was beautiful, so it was a bummer to have to spend the first half of the day at the doctor's office. Bud came down with croup in the middle of the night last night-- caught, no doubt, at the doc's when we went there healthy on Monday. Then we proceeded to the radiology department at the neighboring hospital for some x-rays of Bud's right leg. It's time we finally figured out his recurring limp. I don't expect the x-rays to show anything as I think it is caused by something else. At least this time Bud made some attempt to explain why he was limping.  Once he told me that his foot was "just tired", and today he told me his leg was "tickle-y". Hopefully we can get it all figured out. 

Sweet Ginger:

Why is it that when you send two members of the male species to pick out some sunglasses they come back with these?!  Is this all that's available for little boys?  I feel that maybe I need to buzz Bud's hair, attach frogs to the stems of the glasses and, perhaps, get a small can of chew for his back pocket.  (Sorry if your kid has these glasses and you love them!)

 

Who is this unfortunate tourist, and where is he from?  I do love the eyeball sticker, though:

Much better:

Anxiously hoping that it's Daddy driving down the street:

Rophone doesn't have band practice tomorrow, so it looks like we're going to have fun as a family.  I can't wait!

The Toe Curse

I have been feeling kind of bad for Pen the past few months, what with the toe curse and all. About 3 or 4 months ago, Bud began to open the bathroom door while Pen was in residence. Strongly desiring her privacy, Pen slammed the door shut on Bud with no concern for the consequences.  Unfortunately, the door caught Bud's big toenail and lifted it from the nail bed (those of you who have heard Bud's high-pitched scream know what then ensued).  

Almost immediately after Bud's injury Pen started having trouble with her own toes.  It seemed she was stubbing them, getting them stepped on and dropping things on them left and right (Just this morning, in fact, she dropped a full water bottle on her toe and split the nail). Sadly, Rophone and I had to break the news to Pen that she had been afflicted with "The Toe Curse". We had to tell her that she will suffer from the curse until Bud's injured nail falls off.  Too bad for Pen that Bud's toenails grow so slowly.  Maybe next time she'll think twice before acting out in anger. 

I Can't Help Myself

Okay, okay, I know I've already written about a gazillion posts this month, and I really intended to take a couple of days off to give you readers a break so you don't get sick of me-- but then I went outside with the kids and took my camera along.  When I viewed some of the shots I was getting I knew I was going to have to blog again tonight.  I just can't help myself!

I love this picture because you can see the lines on his cheeks from the block bucket:

Usually the last kid is the least photographed...well, I don't think Big needs to worry about that.  Maybe I'll get good enough at photographing my own kids that I can offer my services to others someday.  I think I'd like that.

Just How Big is Big?

Today both Bud and Big had their well child visits.  Bud is really average in size-- he weighed 32 pounds (although he hadn't been #2 in 3 days) which is 50th percentile, and he is 37 3/4" tall (60%), and his BMI is in the 40th percentile.

The real question, though, has always been "How Big is Big?", and will he beat Pen?  Big was measured at 30 3/4" tall (I'm not sure about the accuracy of this measurement, however--he wouldn't hold still) which is 80%, and his weight is (insert drum roll here) 26 # 8 1/2 oz. (>90%)! For those of you who remember, Pen weighed in at 27 pounds at a year, although I'm not sure that her appointment was so immediately after her birthday.  She is proud to have held on to her title.

Even though Big didn't beat Pen, the fact remains that he is still big (as those of you who have held him lately can attest to).  He's awfully cute, too, so I think we'll keep him.

Mother's Day, Rescheduled

Rophone ended up getting sick in the middle of the night last night with food poisoning.  I ended up having to do pretty much everything while he recuperated.  He felt well enough by the time I returned from church that we made the trek to my parents' house for dinner. Rophone loves treating me like a queen on Mother's Day, so he was really bummed that he couldn't do what he wanted.  We're going to reschedule it for next Sunday instead.

I did get to open my gift, though.  Rophone got me a fantastic new tent that will fit all of us (we outgrew our old one years ago).  We can't wait to try it out.  He also got me a screened-in room to put over the picnic table so we can eat and play games without being eaten alive (since I am a mosquito magnet and all).  He knows me so well.

I hope all of you mothers had a fantastic day!  I can't wait until next week!

ONE!!!

I can't believe that Big turned one today.  He is getting so old.  I took the kids to Auntie Art's school this morning while Rophone was at band practice so we could glaze the things we made last month.  I let Big crawl around and explore while we were there and he had a blast pushing the stools around the room.  On the way to the school, Big fell asleep for 15 minutes (at 10:30 in the morning) and, unfortunately for us, he decided that his normal afternoon nap was no longer necessary. Not good. 

The people who came to Big's party were Grandpa Fish, Grandma P, Auntie and Uncle Art, Gigi M and Rophone's cousin PopPop (his wife is going to have twins!). Big was really frightened of Gigi M (101 1/2 years old, remember), so that added a bit to what took place today.  I served lasagna, salad, grapes and bread, with chocolate cupcakes frosted with chocolate pudding for dessert (and ice cream, of course!).  I took a bunch of pictures (with a little help from Auntie and Uncle Art) to tell the story of the afternoon.

I tied the balloons to the back of Big's highchair.  Here he is playing with the ribbons:

 

After playing with the ribbons he turned and licked the screen (see the dirt?):

Waiting patiently to open gifts:

Reading the card first like you're supposed to do:

Little known fact--the tongue helps with bow removal:

"Now that's what I'm talking about!":

"The light's rather pretty, but what's it got to do with me?":

"Mesmerizing, really.":

"This thing isn't nearly as cool without the light.  What's up with the feet?":

"Really, this thing is making me more than a little nervous (help?).":

"Auntie Art dabbed some pudding on my lips!  Aaaarrgh!":

"If you can't tell, I'm really not having that great of a time! (Seriously, help!!)":

"Balls always help calm my nerves.":

"Aaah.  Much better than that silly cupcake would have been!":

Hopefully next year will be little less traumatic.  All in all it was a great day. Hope the pictures made you feel like you were there.  I'm not sure if this made sense because I'm awfully tired.  Time for bed.

Apparently I've Been Tagged

This is what I've been instructed to do: post the following things on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 obsessions/collections and 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of the post by leaving their names and then let them know they've been tagged by commenting on their blog.

3 Joys:

1. My family

2. Photography 

3. The rain

3 Fears:

1. Something bad happening to my kids

2. West Nile Virus (I am a mosquito magnet, I tell you!)

3. Talking on the phone

3 Goals:

1. Be more patient with my kids

2. Begin exercising regularly (Does hauling around 27 pound Big count?)

3. Enjoy life more

3 Current Obsessions/Collections:

1. Photography

2. I collect cool rocks from the Oregon Coast

3. Blogging

3 Random Surprising Facts About Me:

1. I've been bitten by a snake

2. I walk in my sleep

3. I've had a peanut butter and dill pickle sandwich (and thought it was good!)

Now comes the tagging part, I guess. I tag janeannechovy, Barb, Peg, Allyson and Rebecca (I saw your blog--it's time to start it up again!)