Ryan's 1/2 Birthday!

Today is Ryan's 1/2 birthday..Glamma is very big into the 1/2's. I personally can hardly stay on top of the birthdays yearly, so it's a good thing the kids have her! =) She was going to take Ry out to celebrate this afternoon, but we decided to tag along and take a break from the packing and chaos at home!And inside...a tractor! "WOW!" he said as he opened it.

Julia chillin' with a chicken nugget at the celebration...

Tyler ate almost a whole cheeseburger himself!

Aunt Krista and Ry pose for "my 1/2 birthday at Donald's!"

Ty and Julia in playland heaven.

Our Train-loving Night Owl

I think Ry has outgrown naptime. (ARPH!!). If we put him down for a nap (even when he seems to need one), he doesn't want to go to sleep until LATE, LATE, LATE!
Last night we went to bed at 11 and he was still up. Then about 30 minutes later we hear him jumping around in his room and so Jeff goes in, lays down with him until he's almost asleep, and we think all is well. At 1:20 AM (not even kidding) this little guy walks up next to me and tells me he needs to go potty. I asked him if he had gone to sleep or if he was up playing, and he told me he was reading books and looking at his train photos with his cars. EEK!!!

How To Get The Neighbors Talking

Jeff caulked around our bedroom window today. He was able to reach to the top with the caulking gun, but wanted a broom to reach up to the top to smooth down the caulk. So I brought him out this and he asked for a condom for the top so he didn't ruin the handle! What an inventive, creative husband I have! Jeff thought this might REALLY be a way to get the neighbors talking though. Hehe.

And on that subject..right before this, I was hanging out this same window checking out his caulk job, and our neighbors the Linkis' drove by, rolled down the window and said "It's not that bad, don't jump!!" For some reason that TOTALLY cracked me up!

Dad's Surprise 59 1/2 Birthday Party

This afternoon we had a SURPRISE 59 1/2 BIRTHDAY PARTY for dad at Sunset. This was to ensure he was surprised, which he seemed to be! Here is Jeff, Julia and Ry coming to the celebration!

And our cake, complete with 59 1/2 sparkling, relighting candles!

And the guest of honor enters, surprised! Uncle Mat stands to the left, with his new "matthew mcconaughey" hair look. You would have thought Aunt Amy would have been crazy over the look, but she instead hassled him, and told him he needed a good wash! His response: "I have been in the pool this last week!" Hehe.

Ry shows some affection for Aunt Amy!

Aunt Krista, Glamma, Aunt Amy and RyRy celebrating!

Uncle Jeff Larner, Uncle Dan Conway, Birthday Boy Steve, and Uncle Jim.
(Dan, Steve and Jim are all brothers.)

Uncle Jeff, Aunt Beth and Uncle Mat

Toy Store

Jeff is playing in a golf tournament this afternoon, so he took the day off work. He had promised Ryan all week if he listened and obeyed "the boss" that we would bring him to the "train store" to spend his gift certificate from Uncle Brian and Aunt Krista. (Once Upon A Toy, but Ryan calls this store HIS train store. hehe). Then we went to lunch at one of our favorites, Arby's. Ryan says "I like Arby's, Daddy. I like Donalds too!"
Here are some pics of the kids playing this morning. Julia had fun with all the dolls, and of course, Ryan didn't want to leave the train area! While we were there playing a family with SIX kids came in and Ry had fun playing with some of their kids too. (Can you even imagine!?!)
We ended up leaving with a construction set. We're hoping it's a "hit" enough to keep him busy on the plane ride to NY next week.
Since Jeff had to take off almost as soon as we got home from lunch, yours truly was in charge of putting his new toy together. Well, 1 hour and 20 minutes later I think we are set. It slightly worries me that we have a few "'extra" parts that I can't figure out where they should go, and that is after even reviewing the directions about a zillion times. THAT is why daddy is in charge of these things!! We'll see if this toy is a keeper or not...it has 4 small balls and he's already lost them a handful of times without even leaving the kitchen table.

We just heard Ryry saying "Silly Ryry" in the other room. When we went to look he had put on Daddy's boxers. It was very funny, so I wanted to get a picture. When I asked him to put them back on, he said, "Nope". I guess he believes in the George Kastanza comedy rule, "Always leavem wanting more."

Hanging with the Cousins

This morning we met Tyler and Lucas at the park for some playtime. After that we walked to the library and let the kids wreck some havoc in a quiet place. =)

Julia, Ryan and Tyler hanging out in the tunnel.

Aunt Krista went to the car to get some crackers, and when she was walking back to the play area, Ryan ran up to her and said "Aunt Krista, I missed you!!!" Very sweet.

I think if Ty went with the buzz cut he and Ry could really pass for brothers.

Uncle Brian and Baby Lucas enjoying the park trip.

Julia and Tyler: both content because they are being fed crackers. =) Uncle Brian noticed today that our Julia can "palm" the ball...something only a dad would notice. So, hey, she's not walking too much yet, but she is going to be a GREAT ball player! We already know she's aggressive by the way she attacks Ryan!!

Wednesday

This morning we FINALLY made it out to do some much needed errands! One of our errands was at "To Do's" the party store, where Ry and Julia got kazoo's! "Let me try that out, Mommy!"

I can do it too, maybe!

Ry practices a new technique. =)

Ok, this made me laugh. Julia and I were cleaning up in the playroom and I had just filled this bin with cars. I had my back turned to her and was filling up another bin with trains. When I turned back around, she'd thrown out ALL the cars and climbed in this bin herself. I felt the need to snap the photo because I can't even REMEMBER Ry being small enough to fit into something like this, so I wanted to always be able to remember as I see that bin when she is older about today when she was small enough to climb in there and fit! She thought she was pretty cool for doing this, I might add!

We had our small group tonight and afterwards Jeff and Josh were standing outside with Jake and Ryan looking up at a little bird in it's nest we have in our yard. Note, they are twinkies - they wore the same outfit w/out planning to do so! =)

On another note, about the mold, we are feeling MUCH better about all this. I talked to an inspector today who felt like what Jeff did for treatment last night was good, and he recommended we watch to see if we see any new growth - if so, this means it is in the wall. If not, it means we are free and clear! Also, talked to our pediatrician today and she was confident we need not worry about the kids and any respiratory issues related to this. Also, one of our friends from small group who has dealt with this before checked it out and seemed pretty confident as well that we are good that it is all contained to this small area and that made me feel SO MUCH BETTER! So, goal for tonight is to move forward with fixing the window, and let the stress go over worse case scenario!

Our Tuesday

Tidbits from our day!
8:30am: Julia woke up before Ry by about an hour. After playing downstairs with me for a bit, she climbed up the stairs, said "Ry Ry" as she crawled towards his room (Guess I am not nearly as exciting of a playmate!). She sat down outside his closed door, pointing up at it and said "Ry Ry" again as if she wanted me to wake up her playmate. =)

10 am: Aunt Krista brought baby Lucas over so we could have a photo shoot. Tyler spent the morning with Glamma because he's sick and she didn't want to bring those germs over here.
Julia is VERY excited about her new cousin. Ryan said "Baby Lucas has small toes."

12pm: Aunt Amy came over for lunch. Ry actually did a little happy dance when she arrived. It was sweet. He wasn't so interested in lunch, he just wanted her to play trains with him. Surprise, surprise!! =) We bribed him to eat his hot dog with a cheesy potato chip.

3pm: I think we might have figured out why we have all been having headaches around here (minus Jeff, who doesn't have as severe of symptoms, but doesn't spend as much time here!) MOLD. We have had a leaking window and I actually talked to a lady yesterday about coming and evaluating the air quality in the house (I knew there had to be some reason that we are always sick!) and checking for that. Well, today when I walked in the living room I actually SAW the mold growing. Y-I-K-E-S! Scared of what this might mean, but a bit relieved to learn that we probably have an answer to the "mystery" illness that has been with us this year!!! Wish we could have learned this BEFORE we have spent so much time at the Doc office, Children's hospital running special blood tests, etc.! I even had the house tested for Radon last week!

Toothbrushing: America's Great Pastime?!?

The kids LOVE to brush their teeth. Imagine the mess this makes...you should see the mirror after just a few days. AGGG! =) However, who knew toothbrushing could be such fun! Grandpa Conway would be super proud...they go WAY longer than the ADA recommended 2 minutes!
Doesn't this look like an accident waiting to happen? By a miracle, perhaps, Julia hasn't YET toppled off...and there have been "fights" up on this step bench!

Sweet little tootsies!

Yes, this is Ryan with THREE toothbrushes...
he was getting a bit silly (imagine that!) and
baby sister thinks he's SO cool.

A Fashion Moment

I somehow feel like this is worthy of recording...this morning Julia DEMANDED to wear this pair of red shoes. She pulled them out of her shoe bin and was trying to put them on herself and wasn't having too much luck and so she literally SCREAMED until I put them on her. Then I took them off as I was getting her dressed for the morning minutes later and she grabbed them, gave me a "how dare you!?" look and held them up and said "YA." (She doesn't seem to mind a bit that they don't at all match.)

We have our parent educator coming this morning and then we were planning on maybe going to the pool for a bit...wonder if she'll insist on wearing these there too!?

So, I guess our little Jugi got some of the Glamma genes...perhaps she will live up to what the grandparents nicknamed her as an infant: "High Maintenance." Watch out, Daddy...this could get very expensive!!!

Jeff and I found these shoes for her in Mexico this past March while on our mission trip...
On another note: This is the FIRST day I have woken up w/out a headache in WEEKS. Of course, last night I finally told Jeff I was just going to call the Doc this week about that CT scan afterall. Go figure. HORRAY!! Maybe this sinus thing has finally finally left!

On an additional note, a "Ry-ism": Ryan just told me that his fingers were getting long. I asked him what made him think that and he said "I'm getting big too. All of me. But not baby. She is only growing a little bit."

Glen Carbon Parade

Patiently (just look at Ry's face. hehe) waiting for the parade to start.

Daddy, Julia, Ry, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Amy waiting for the parade to begin. Julia can't wait for the candy, so she munches on the lemon from Daddy's lemonade. =)

St. Louis Zoo

Today we brought the kids to the zoo with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Amy. A very fun day!!Awwww...

Mommy and Julia practice walking while
Ry rides the train YET AGAIN with Uncle Jeff and Aunt Amy.

Lions and tigers and BEARS, OH MY!! =)

Julia thought the penguin was pretty cool. She enjoyed barking at it. =)

Aunt Amy, Uncle Jeff, Ry and Daddy on the train...Ry's favorite part of the zoo! Big surprise..

Ry dances to the music at the Sea Lion Show...shake that bootie!
We were cracking up at his moves!

Daddy and Julia dance during the Sea Lion Show...now we know where Ry gets his moves from. Hehe.

Glen Carbon Homecoming

This weekend is the Glen Carbon Homecoming. Ryan has been SO EXCITED all day to get to go to "the carnival" tonight. When we pulled up he said "Oh, I remember this one!!!

We saw Ryan's friend Nicolas at the Homecoming, and the boys rode the swings together.

The bounce house -- always a favorite! =)

Messy Park Day

This morning our Mom&Me group had a "Messy Park Day" organized for the kids.

This is my cousin Jessica's son Devin playing with a shaving cream/food coloring mix.

This is my cousin Jenn's son Connor playing with a messy mix!

Here is my cousin Jenn and her sweet 6 mth old Jaden. I had to laugh, because it looks like they are both observing a moment of silence or something, and this morning was ANYTHING but silent! =)

For some reason, Ryan preferred to splash around in the puddles instead of the messy games!

Here is some of our group making red slime!

Ryan and Julia enjoying a little snack out at the park.

Ryan wasn't obeying this morning, so we had to leave messy park day early. I was totally bummed to head home with the kids instead of staying out at the park to chat with the other moms! I literally had to carry him to the car kicking and screaming. Good times. But as Jeff said just the other night, "There is a NEW sheriff in town!" With all the sick going around here, we've been kinda lax on the discipline, and it is catching up with us!!!
By the time we got home, Ry was "over" his tantrum of leaving his friends and then he had ANOTHER one when I told him we weren't having Cheez-its for lunch. After serving a very sad time-out, he changed his attitude and helped me make some mac n'cheese/hot dog lunch. Yumm.