Myrtle Beach 2009

We just got back from a long weekend at Myrtle Beach. We stayed at Dunes Village, at Pam's recommendation. The hotel is located in two separate towers, with each having an indoor waterpark on the main level, as well as outdoor pools and beach access. Our room was more like a condo, with two separate bedrooms and a kitchen. We were closer to the road than the beach (it was the end of Bike Week, so there was a lot of motorcycle noise)...
...but we still had a nice view. The weather forecast wasn't fantastic, but most of the storms stayed more inland, so we got more beach time in than we expected.

Seth wasn't a huge fan of the waterslides, but both kids really liked the lazy river. We spent a lot of time floating around...and around...and around...

Friday morning we went to Ripley's Aquarium. They currently have a new babies exhibit that was really neat, and even had some very interesting info about the early use of incubators and the development of the field of neonatology.The aquarium has a moving sidewalk, where the fish (and sharks) can swim right over your head. It was a big hit with both kids.

It's baby season at Broadway at the Beach! Two momma ducks were escorting around this brood of babies. We really enjoyed feeding them the fish food! Sunday we ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Seth thought it was really cool that we were eating lunch inside a pyramid. He ate sooooo much. I know this isn't the greatest picture, but hey, it's got all four of us in it, and it was worth it to commemorate Seth's big meal!

Baby crack: Found!

Amelia has never really been into TV. I guess she just sees it as background noise. She has started showing interest in Baby Einstein DVDs, better known as "baby crack" to the parents whose kids watch them. We had four DVDs for Seth, and I remember him watching them while I pumped, so obviously, he became an addict at a younger age. Lately, I've only been able to find one of our DVDs. Everybody but Amelia was getting tired of water water everywhere. I had even started to hit up friends whose kids were getting a little bit older, seeing if I could take their copies off their hands. Amelia hasn't been very patient on car trips recently, and we relied heavily on Baby Neptune this past weekend. While driving back, Nathan had an idea. Last night he lifted up the flat screen TV, and lo and behold, there were all three Einstein videos, as well as Finding Nemo and three other of Seth's faves. To celebrate, we sat down and watched Baby Macdonald as a family. Amelia learned the words "cow", "moo", "baa", and "mole" (as in the one on Nathan's cheek...she's been into body parts lately).

Daddy's in hog heaven

He finally has his blond pigtails. Add that she started sing-songing "Dad-dy!" every time she saw him this weekend, and I'm pretty sure he would have bought her a Ferrari if she asked for one. (Luckily, she's not talking that well yet.)
They were pretty darn cute, and they sure are a lot cheaper than the hairbows I successfully hunted down on a walk, at the grocery store, and in JCPenneys last week.

Then Uncle Bryan came over for the night, and she quickly had him under her spell, too (although she did share her Uncle B with Seth, who would have sat and watched Uncle Bryan play Wii all day if we let him).

Last week Seth ate four to five meals every day, plus snacks. He's growing like a weed! (He tells us that when he sleeps, he's growing big like Ginormica...we're still on a Monsters vs. Aliens kick here.)

Baby steps

Yesterday Amelia FINALLY took the initiative and started doing some walking on her own. She walked from that stool over and over and over again for about half an hour yesterday afternoon, and went back and forth between the couches all evening.

Seth's first swimming lesson

Today was Seth's first swim lesson. Now why would one pay for swim lessons when there is a state champ swimmer who used to teach swim lessons in the house? Several reasons. 1: Nine-to-fivers don't really get to go to the pool during non-peak hours. 2: When outside of the house, Seth learns better when someone else teaches him. 3: Seth hasn't been napping, and this seemed like a great way to wear him out. This month he will take a beginner's swim course at our local YMCA twice a week. Daddy told him what to expect, and mommy tied the swimsuit on as tight as she could (first time swimming without a swim diaper!)

I love this picture...here he is showing off his muscles before class started:

There are five kids in the class, and they are all very close in age and swimming ability. His teacher probably almost has a decade on his grandparents, but she is very, very good with them. Today they started working on treading water, kicking, and jumping in (they all wore float belts the whole time). Playing kicking "red light, green light":

In classic Seth fashion, he was ready to be done halfway through the class. He told the teacher he was cold, and she let him play on the stairs so he could be in the water rather than sitting on the edge. He had the shivers the rest of the class, but he stuck it out. Bless his heart, he's got no meat on his bones!

I had promised him five minutes on the playground after his swim lesson. One of his classmates was there, so five minutes turned into thirty. It gave Amelia a chance to stretch out after almost an hour in the stroller. She didn't mind watching today, but I wonder how she will do after we go to the beach and she realizes how much fun the pool is?

May Day! Mayday!

I guess I shouldn't really be sending out distress signals here. We're fine. Amelia is mad that her fourteen-month birthday went by without a blog post, but I looked back, and Seth didn't have one either (his started at 15 months). She does want the world to know that she finally cut her fourth top tooth sometime this morning. (I didn't tell you guys she got a molar and the other top one within four days of each other around Easter.) Her hair is growing a lot, and we've started playing with pigtails when we're home for the day. I'm pretty sure she is saying almost as many words now as Seth was saying at his second birthday. This week's current favorites are "nose", "belly butt(on)", and "cookie". Any child younger than Seth she calls a baby. When we go for walks, she points out "birds", "dogs"(which are dogs and cats), and "ducks" (the geese). She also signs more, milk, and please. She is still toddling. And by toddling, I mean she will walk like Frankenstein between pieces of furniture if you force her to, but given the choice, she will choose to crawl every single time. We have almost cut out the morning nap completely, but some days she needs some quiet time alone in her crib, which is cute listening to her talk to her glo-worm the whole time. She drives Seth crazy because she is in "unload drawers" mode, and he is going through a neatnik phase. It's quite humorous!

what's new at school

I guess I'd forgotten how much fun they cram into the end of the school year. Seth has had a great week! Tuesday, the fire truck came to school. I asked if the fireman taught them anything, and Seth said, "Don't touch any buttons inside the fire truck." Maybe they get the "don't play with matches" talk next year. This is my new favorite on the fridge...it's even prettier in person!

Today the school had a hat parade. Each class made their own hats. Here is Ms. Edna, the preschool director/grand marshal:

Here come the Wiggle Worms! (Seth is the dark blue speck way in the back...he was the caboose again today.)

Up close:

There were rumors at the parade that the preschool was going to be relocated in the fall. A letter in Seth's backpack confirmed that the church is going to begin their expansion this summer, and in the fall, the preschool will be held at another location. Bummer! I drove past the host church on the way home, and it took me the same amount of time to get home, plus there are no stoplights/Clemmons traffic (don't laugh) to deal with. Seth seems thrilled to be going to a "new" 4-year-old school AND we get to drive past a horse pasture. I don't think the change will impact us that much, but I'm sure it will be less convenient for some families. And it sounds like Amelia will have a shiny new building when it's her turn!

Dave date!

Friday night we had a REAL date. I think our last three dates have been to sporting events. Now don't get me wrong, I like sports, too, but it was really great to spend the evening on the lawn with some old friends at a Dave Matthews concert. We dropped the kids off in Kings Mountain and they had a sleepover with Granddad and Grandma Sarah. At GMS's suggestion, we opted to spend the night in Charlotte, which I think allowed us almost two hours of extra sleep, since the kids got up a little before 6am! The weather was fantastic, my margarita tasted great, and we all think that was the best playlist we've ever heard (I remember saying that once before in about 1998, ha!). Those are some talented musicians...the new guy can play a mean trumpet. Nathan and Tony's night was made when the longest jam was to 41. We didn't suffer from any self-induced illnesses (read: hangovers) yesterday, although we both needed a nap. Amelia tried to be mad at us for being gone overnight, but you could tell she had too much fun. Seth helped Granddad plant tomatoes and watermelon. Dave has a new album coming out June 2nd...so you know we will be headed to Best Buy that day to purchase it!

Field trip to the Children's Museum

Last Thursday, Seth's class took a field trip to the Children's Museum. We quasi-carpooled to the museum, and the kids were herded into the library, where they were told the rules, the last of which was "you must stay with the mommy you rode with". So basically Seth, Amelia, and I played alone, occasionally bumping into classmates, until snacktime.

Here are the wiggle worms climbing up the beanstalk (Seth is in the blue shirt): Currently there is an Arthur exhibit. It's better than the last travelling exhibit, but I think Seth liked the old ABCs better. (If you click on this pic, you can probably see the big scratch on his cheek he got from falling out of his bed during naptime Wednesday.)

Seth did a very good job of letting Amelia play with him (which was great, because now that I have to pay for HER and ME, she'd better do more than just sit in the stroller...)

Class picture at snacktime...

There are now only nine days of school left this year. It's hard to believe it's almost done. Luckily the pool will be open by the time school is out. Seth starts swimming lessons next week. Stay tuned!

life-sized reminders

Last summer our nursery expanded, and the intermediate nursery was moved down the hall. When questioned about decor, the parents thought they would like to see pictures of NICU grads, a source of inspiration/hope, if you will. I honestly didn't like the idea at first. Then Ruth Anne posted the girls' proofs. It made my day. Two weeks ago while working in PICU, I got an email saying the pictures were up. On my way back out that evening, I swung through intermediate, and the very first thing I saw were practically life-sized pictures of my girls:

The quality isn't fantastic, you know, hospital lighting and very shiny glass and all, and due to the width of the hallway, I couldn't get all three pictures in one shot. (And I post these with their mom's blessing.) The photographer did an awesome job catching personalities, and included with each picture is the child's name, gestational age, birth weight, current age, and the child's favorite things. As I walked the hallway, I recognized 16 of the twenty grads; the other four were before my time. Amazingly, most of these kids have faced greater challenges than the average NICU grad, but the camera caught a picture of a success story. Without a doubt, these parents have done an incredible job with the precious bundle they took home from the NICU. So yes, I've been frustrated with work lately, and yes, I grumble when it's my turn to work in intermediate, but I know I'm still doing the right thing with my life. And getting to see Annie and Mary Jo's smiling faces as I walk down the hall will make me happier than any ol' Anne Geddes print or nursery rhyme sketch.

Evan is 6!

Holy moly, we're getting old. Evan, our oldest nephew, now needs two hands to show how old he is. Saturday evening he had a Scooby Doo themed birthday party. The kids had a blast! (that's Ryan on the left, and the birthday boy in the striped polo)Nathan after 54 wholes of golf in the previous 36 hours, and a little girl who was happy to find her daddy's lap at her disposal:

For some reason, Will is scowling in every picture I took, but it looks like he enjoyed the cake!

As the party wound down, Auntie Marie authorized a water gun fight, which was a smashing success. Before we got soaked, Nathan, Amelia, and I made our exit. Seth stayed for a sleepover with his cousins.

Evan is an amazing kid. When he was two, he was fascinated with cranes, and remembered where he had seen them (like at Forsyth Hospital, "where baby Seth was born.") When he was four, he started memorizing states and interstates, and can tell you how to get to all of our houses. Lately, he has learned how to tell time, and really likes the Boomerang channel. When I went to pick up Seth Sunday morning, this is what Evan had been working on. The first is a picture of Tom & Jerry, complete with episode guide. He's in kindergarten and is writing as he sounds things out. The second is a drawing of the TV guide...way to go, Evan! You always amaze us!

Introducing Oswald, Colette's newest cousin. He is so sweet. He didn't mind Amelia trying to get to know him one bit!

March for Babies 2009--mission accomplished

Saturday was a beautiful day to March for Babies. Before the walk, we met up with my coworkers at our newly updated ambulance. Seth is so smart, the first words out of his mouth were "Look! It's a match to your shirt!" Very observant. I have one hoodie and one t-shirt with a small tic-tac-toe on the chest. I wear scrubs to work, so it's not like he sees the logo all the time. Seth enjoyed checking out the ambulance. Amelia prefered to play with Cooper:

Spiderman was there to greet us at the end of the walk. The local newspaper also got a picture of Seth giving Spiderman a high-five, and he may be featured next week.

It was the highlight of the morning for Seth. We had to buy Spiderman underoos Monday, and I'm pretty sure he's going to wear the heck out of them!

Easter 2009

He is risen, indeed! I'm a little slow to post here, but we hope everyone had a nice Easter. Our yard is starting to bloom...look at our neat double-tulip: Nathan has done an amazing job with the flowerbeds, which had started to take on a life of their own.

We had an action-packed week of festivities. Last Thursday was the preschool Easter party, and it was my turn to help out (the classroom is very small so they don't encourage parents to come to every party). We did two craft projects. One was basically putting foam stickers on a paper egg (because did you know that before kindergarten you have to be able to peel stickers on your own, so they do a lot of practicing towards the end of 3s?), and the other was making this cute little chick:
We then headed outside for our egg hunt. They were so cute walking in a line. Seth was the caboose that day:
They were each supposed to find seven eggs, so the egg hunt lasted about 3.2 seconds. But they all had fun, and I was amazed that there was no fighting over eggs!
Friday we met my girls at Mi Pueblo for a surprise housewarming party for a coworker. Amazingly, Seth ate! (We're actually going to a Mexican restaurant for lunch today, to see if there will be a repeat performance.) The kids love my coworkers and vice versa, we had a great time. It's been way too long since our last get-together, in my book (especially since I'm getting pulled and cancelled so much and rarely get to work with them!). You know Amelia loves her Lonnie, but she really took to Jamie, probably because she was mad at Lonnie and Mommy for holding another baby:The restaurant staff thought we were having a birthday party for Patience and sang to her and made her wear a big sombrero...Seth was more than happy to take it off her head:Nathan was off on Friday, and that afternoon my guys went to see Monsters & Aliens. It was Seth's first movie at the theater, and he loved it! Saturday morning, Seth and I got our eggs ready. It was a lot less stressful than last year. He did a great job!Our local YMCA was hosting a helicopter egg drop...it was too windy for the helicopter, but there were 12,000 eggs on the soccer fields, split into three age groups. Kids lined up on both sides of the field. Seth is in the yellow shirt (I highly recommend that color in a crowd...he was easy to spot and I caught up with him when he made it to midfield).
With that many kids, the egg hunt didn't last more than a couple minutes, but Seth was happy with his takings:
The Easter Bunny hid every plastic egg we had in the house, and left the kids goodies on the kitchen table Sunday morning:
Amelia checking out her loot:
Seth was WAY excited, the Easter Bunny may have been cooler than Santa Claus!

Why you shouldn't reference pop culture around a preschooler

Or should I say high school pop culture. Heard in my backseat today:

Seth: I need Benadryl. I have a cough. Let me clear my throat. *cough cough cough co-cough.*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lBsZj1mhw8