Sweet Dreams Little Men

Dragon Tales and the water is wide.
Pirates sail and lost boys fly.
Fish bite moonbeams every night
and I love you.

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet dreams, little man.
Oh my love will fly to you
each night on angels wings.

Godspeed, sweet dreams.
The rocket racer's all tuckered out.
Superman's in pajamas on the couch.
Goodnight Moon will find the mouse
and I love you.

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet dreams, little man.
Oh my love will fly to you
each night on angels wings.

Godspeed, sweet dreams.
God bless Mommy and Matchbox cars.
God bless Dad and thanks for the stars.
God hears Amen wherever we are
and I love you.

Godspeed, little man.
Sweet dreams, little man.
My love will fly to you
each night on angels wings.
Godspeed, Godspeed, Godspeed,
Sweet dreams.
I wanted to take a picture of the boys together tonight. It's been a while. It was bedtime, so I decided pajamas it was. I love them in pajamas, so why not? With Dog and Kace's blanket. Kace was impatient, anxiously awaiting his bottle of milk (and I'm not quite ready to let go of that bottle at night, but I'm cutting myself off this week). As I was taking the picture, Russ was trying to make them smile. Kace is going back and forth from laughing to tears. He is laughing in the above photos, but does have tears from the second before when he was crying for that bottle! As I was taking these photos, this Dixie Chicks song popped into my head, for obvious reasons. As I typed the lyrics, my eyes filled with tears. They're so precious at bedtime...definitely one of the highlights of my day. The bath--the way they smell like Johnson and Johnson's original soap...and sometimes the pink lotion on top of it (and I'm not letting go of that one for a while...maybe until they move out!). Add that to the Dreft & Downy of their clean pajamas. The pajamas that turn those rough and tumble little boys into my babies again. The routine--calm (most of the time), quiet conversations reviewing the day...our "favorite parts." The books--Kace gets 1--and I usually read it at least twice. Riley gets 3. I get to hold them, we snuggle up close. Yup, I'm certain this IS the highlight of my every day. Sweet Dreams Little Men.

I'm Just a Squirrel Tryin' to Get a Nut

Kace and I were outside enjoying the weather recently when we saw our neighborhood squirrel teasing our XL cat, Corky. We watched them for at least 15 minutes. Of course, I ran in to grab my camera.

We loved watching him dart around and twitch his tail at Corky. Corky would hunker down to play, then, very cat-like, become uninterested. So fun!!

Cheery-O

Kace loves Cheerios, as do most children his age. It's the independence of feeding yourself at your own pace, and a little bit of trying to stuff as many in your mouth as possible!

My Valentines

Valetine's Day started the weekend before, with Riley making his first Valentine box for his party at school. We started with a shoebox, he drew his idea on paper, and Daddy helped him bring it to life. It was perfect!

He chose Scooby Doo Valentines with pencils this year, so we filled them out--he wrote his name AND his friend's names on every single one!

Started the morning with our tradition, heart shaped muffins...and my tradition, coffee!

I was able to attend Riley's Valentine party because my class party was the Friday before and Riley's party just happened to be during my lunch time and conference period. What an unusual treat. I was so happy to be able to attend.

Before Russ and Riley ran off to baseball practice, my boys happily agreed to an impromptu photo shoot (yeah, right). Riley didn't get Valentines for family this year, so we emailed them pictures. Can you see the love in our eyes? Or the frustrationand irritation?

While they were out, there was this amazing sunset! After baseball practice, I surprised the boys with a Valentine dessert. Cupcakes from Cupprimo. They were beautiful and delicious! One for each of us. Cherry. Chocolate covered strawberry. Hot fudge sundae.

And coincidentally, my Valentine's surprised me with a cupcake charm for my charm bracelet and a beautiful wooden jewelry box! Thank you!

Kace loved his cupcake! He stuffed it into his mouth and then there was this little episode as we tried to clean him up...

And when we finally got the tray away, this...

Goodnight, my littlest Valentine.

Love

Love me some baby toes.

Love me some baby toes in jeans.

Love me some curled up, round, soft, squishy, fat, perfect little baby toes.

Love love love!

Exactly!

The morning after...the snow day. There are remnants on the roofs and in the flowerbeds in the backyard and it's still really cold. Kace is happily eating banana pieces in his high chair, Riley is coloring Toy Story pictures at the table, and I'm cleaning up the kitchen (for the first time today).

Riley says, "Mommy, when Kace is 4, I'll be 8. And when Kace is 8, I'll be 10?"
"No, you'll be," and we count it out on my fingers "12!"
"And when Kace is 12, I"ll be.....16!"
"And when Kace is 16, I'll be....20! Just like you, Mommy."
"YES! Just like me."
"How old are you, Mommy?"
"I'm 20, Riley!"

I did confess the truth a few moments later. Think he'll remember?

It's a Great Day to Be a Five (year old)

Riley's 5th birthday. I can't believe my baby's 5. I remember his "birth" day like it was yesterday. It wasn't, was it?

We kicked the morning off getting dressed for school. I woke him up singing "Happy Birthday to You." As we were putting on his socks, he says, "Mommy, my chest hurts." "Why?" I wonder. "From when that 5 came into me while I was sleeping, " he says...so serious I couldn't laugh...but my heart did melt a little bit. How cute is that? Where on earth do they get this stuff?

A chocolate cupcake with 5 candles for breakfast. Mommy would NEVER do this if it wasn't a birthday without eating lots of vegetables first!


We grabbed the chocolate cupcakes we made to take to school and as he climbed into the car, he was excited because I'd blown up several small balloons and threw them in the backseat (an idea I stole from my friend Ashley). A great day at school, complete with birthday crown, birthday hugs from friends, and there were so many kids out sick that day...they had cupcakes twice!
After school, our plans were to go to Tokyo Steak House. He'd never been there before, but I thought that because he loves to cook with me in the kitchen, he'd love it. I think everyone thought I was nuts for choosing that place, but I felt pretty good about it. Hoping he would too.


Before the chef even started cooking, he said, "Daddy, am I dreaming, or is this really happening to me?" He enjoyed the experience so much, ate his entire meal with chopsticks, and we all had a great time.

Some of the highlights were:

Daddy catching a shrimp in his mouth,
Riley catching a shrimp in his mouth,
(I actually caught a shrimp too, for the first time--but I had the camera!)

the volcano,

and the chopsticks.

Kace didn't feel the same way, at first. The moment the untinsils at the next stable started banging and clanging, he freaked out and tried to climb out of his high chair. "This is going to be a looooong night, " I thought, "what will he do when the fire starts up?" I imagined myself in the car with Kace while everyone else enjoyed Riley's birthday dinner. Not good. He did get better, as long as he was held. Mom held him through dinner and he did okay. He was VERY much aware of every flame that flared up in the entire restaurant. He would whip his head around like an owl. In the end, it turned out to be humorous....thank goodness!

For a split second, I regretted taking him there. Every kitchen rule I've ever taught him went out the window during this meal. No onions! Don't play with knives. Don't throw food. Don't touch fire, it will burn you...and hurt. I told him that these chefs had to go to school to learn how to do do these triks while cooking and he said, "When can I go to that school?" Oh dear...

Our chef in training! No knives, no fire!

Happy Birthday, Son. It's going to be an amazing year, I just know it. Especially because you told us the morning of your birthday, "That 5-year-olds listen."