Tahoe Baby!

For the New Year, we were fortunate enough to have Matt and Megan include us, yet again, on a wonderful adventure to Northstar ski mountain. Their family has an amazing home in the area and the ski conditions were great. We had absolutely no fun whatsoever...

 

Last day on the mountain

MOUSTACHE!

Massive hot tub for all

Dinner with my honey

This one pretty much sums it up.

Little detail

Tonight Max came up from the basement to pronounce that Leo was hitting his brothers their friend Mateo. So I had the 4 year old come up to talk to me.

Me: Leo, raise your hand.
Leo: I didn't DO any thing.
Me: I didn't ask you if you did anything. I asked you to raise your hand
(repeat the last two sentences ~3-4 times)
Me: Repeat after me. I will not...
Leo: I will not...
Me: ...hit my brother or Mateo
Leo:... hit my brothers with Mateo.

One little word. Big difference.

What the hell happened?

I thought I was the mother of young boys. The fact that I am not yet completely Pull-up free would support this world view. But today, I looked around and realized that I am thoroughly delusional.

The boys want to listen to KDWB (top 40!??!). Max has taken to making us omelets any morning we ask. We pay a quarter for emptying the dishwasher and making coffee, and most mornings I don't have to touch either appliance. Max can just head into the study and knock out his homework and reading solo. I tell the kids it's 10 minutes to bus time, and everyone is piling out the door 4 minutes later (+/- homework or adequate outerwear....). I can announce bedtime and everyone is actually in PJ's with teeth brushed while I stay firmly rooted to the couch watching Monday Night Football.

Last weekend, one of Max's friends came over and ALL the boys (including the 4 year old) played outside for FOUR HOURS. I went for a run, and they were still doing the same thing when I returned that they were doing when I left. (Now granted, Omar was home. We aren't to THAT stage yet. Oh, that would be just TOO crazy...).

It is remarkable how many baby-soaked years you yearn to have children able to wipe themselves, brush their own teeth, eat breakfast without assistance, dress independently (weather appropriate and in the right orientation), stop whining, stop pulling on your clothes, stop asking for uppies, and just GROW UP.

And then they do. And you didn't really see it happen.

Weekend of fun

This past weekend was one that everyone is going to remember. Some more than others, but certainly there were memories made that will last these kids a lifetime, literally.

For Christmas last year, Omar's gift to his mom was a trip to New York with him and Max. It took this long to get that trip accomplished, but accomplish it they did! They did Central Park, Empire State building, Statue of Liberty, Natural History Museum, the subway (including a ~1hr lost adventure underground), and they saw Wicked. Max is now professing that he want to be an actor when he grows up. At least it's more attainable that his previous dream of playing in the NFL.

At the top of the Empire State Building

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was here in MN with the other 3 goofballs. I was trying to figure out what we were going to do with our time when a friend tweeted about going to a pumpkin patch. And with that idea, our Sunday was set. We hit an orchard in Minnetrista (half hour drive) that had a corn maze, haunted graveyard, pumpking picking, hay rides, apple picking, a huge hay pile (simple is the favorite), face painting, balloon art (SWORDS!), and lots of yummy candy, caramel apples, donuts and other completely sugar charged goodness.  It was a gorgeous day, and it was one of the best times I have had with the boys in a while. This came after the day of hanging out at the Science Museum with Spencer's best bud. All in all, a great weekend.

I'm just sayin...

I hate spelling tests. Really. I hate them. That is all

A week in illness

Poor Max. The boy has spent the last week trying on every size of illness a little boy could have. It started with fever. Rip roaring. He would wilt, get tylenol, feel great and then wilt 4 hours later. Repeat.

By day 4, the fever died down to just 99-100, but the next day we started in with the vomiting. That lasted a day.

Now we are into full blown asthma exacerbation. He hasn't needed his inhaler in over a year. In fact, the most recent one we could find in the back corner of a drawer expired in 10/10. I had started to think he had outgrown the diagnosis. That would be incorrect.

I got his prescriptions filled on Sunday, and last night he was sucking on that inhaler every 4 hours to quell the wracking coughing fits that woke him up. It would turn them off immediately, and he'd sleep for another 4 hours before we were at it again.

I just feel so bad for the kid. He hasn't felt "good" in over 8 days. He's missed 5 days of school and a week of football. Of all people, I should be able to "fix" him, right? Wrong.

Sex Ed, ages 4-9

This post is not for the faint of heart. Husband, you have been warned.

We have all learned some new things today. Leo asked the good ol' Where Do Babies Come From question this evening after school. Since I was alone with the kids, we dove right into it.

Now, I have never been squeamish about this discussion. As Max says "That's because you are a doctor." Maybe. But I am happy to talk about the nitty-gritty any time they have questions. Today, I have learned that even with this history, we could have had a very fun True/False quiz based on their questions/comments.

1) Spencer: "All your half-babies (eggs) were already in your body when you were in grandma."

True. Not sure where he picked this up, but it is absolutely correct. We talked about how they get to make their half-babies later.

2) Calvin: "That's called sperm"

True. Well done

3) Mom: "Do you know how the half-babies end up together so they can start to grow a baby?" Leo: "You put the penis in the 'gina."

True. Soon we will work on getting the front half of that word.

4) Spencer: "Yeah. That's when the daddy pees in the mommy."

False. Very very false. Discussion of the difference ensued.

5) When Leo asked about how the penis gets in there, we talked about erections. An unnamed 7 year old stated: "Oh yeah, we get those ALL THE TIME. Like every time I am nervous."

True, I guess. I really wouldn't know.

6) Leo: "And on a pig, the penis is the butt."

Uhm.... no. No. The penis is not the butt. It is never the butt. He insisted I was wrong, but I really know I am right  on this one. I am, after all, a doctor.

You will noticed there isn't a single statement from the 9 year old. He sat quietly doing his homework. After all was said, he piped up "Guys, you learn a lot more about this is third grade..." Then he put his head back down into his math.