The Farewell Tour

We're back. And (sort of) ready for action. We have spent the last month visiting family and friends in Texas and Seattle before our big move. (More about the move in a later post) I didn't mention the trip because I'm not into advertising to the world that we are not at home and COME ROB US. Not that the world reads this blog, but you never know.

So 3 plane rides, 3 houses, 2 time zones, 2 children and 1 month is a little overwhelming. But what can you do? Really, we had a great time, the kids did pretty spectacular for all the crazy and we are safely back home.

Obviously I cannot write about the entire trip (especially Texas, our Texas) in one post. So here is a little teaser and I'll be back soon. (Once I claw my way out from under piles of laundry)

The Woo-Woo

Somebody has a new nickname. And it's Joshua.

Joshua's looks definitely favor Joe's Mom's (aka Donnette, aka Ami D) side of the family. They are the Wootans. So my mom (aka Carolyn, aka Gran) has taken to calling him her little Woo-Woo. And it's kind of cute.

But besides all that, our littlest boy is FOUR MONTHS OLD. Oh dear, he might as well be off to high school. That is how fast this is going.

A little bit about the Woo:

-weighs 15 lbs 2 oz (50%) and is 25 in long (75%!)

-favorite word is "a-goo"

-prefers Mommy to Daddy (right now)

-loves watching big brother

-starting to giggle

-sleeps 7-8 hours at night

-3 naps during the day

-loves to eat! hip, hip, hooray!

-has long AND curly eyelashes

-generally very easy-going

-smiles with his whole being

-loves loves LOVES to be held

-big time drooler (this was never an issue with G so this is a new thing for us. May take after cousin Ben in this way)

Sweet Joshua-

We are thrilled you are ours! You are such a good boy and bring us so much joy. Your little face lights up when we come into view and this melts us every time. You make everyone's day with that smile- you have an equal opportunity grin. At 4 months you are desperate to sit up on your own, talk, and do everything you see Grayson doing. Just a little longer! Whereas Grayson was always content to sit and play and "figure" things out, we have a feeling you are going to be a "get up and go" boy. Oh dear! Love you so, so much!

The Road Back

Well. At church the other day my friend Ania suddenly exclaimed, "Have you done the Ironman?" (As in the ultra crazy triathalon) Me: "What would give you that idea?" (not my current body) Ania: "You have the watch! My husband wears the watch too- he did the Ironman in Australia." Well, of course he did. But let me tell you, if that was the requirement for wearing the Timex Ironman watch, most of my college friends and I would be watch-less. I should mention that Ania is recently from Poland and is way too trendy and cute to sport a bulky black watch at church. Unless she was doing it to show off that she completed a race. Like me. Except not. You should also know that Ania has given birth 4 times in 5 years. Her youngest is 6 months and I'm pretty sure she wears a double zero. Not just a zero. A double zero. I would swear she smokes, except she doesn't. And of course she is one of the sweetest, most down to earth people I know. And when she asked me about the watch, she was genuinely excited for me.

All of that to segue into the topic of this post: running! (and body after baby) When it is time to get back into shape my natural inclination has always been to hit the road. I had a really hard time running after Grayson and didn't get back into it until a month before I got pregnant with Joshua. So that lasted a while. Right. Six weeks after J's birth I started run/walking again. It was rough and the first few times my heart and lungs were like,"Oh sweet mercy! What is happening?!!" But 2 months later I am running for 30 minutes straight every other day. And I have to say I am running better than I ever have in my life. Even more so than when I ran a half-marathon. I don't think I've ever enjoyed it this much or been so motivated:

1. I usually run right when Joe gets home- in the middle of the fussiest time of the day for my little friends. They are ready to see Daddy and play outside and I am thrilled to have a break!

2. I use the W&OD trail in my backyard- not sure I could do without it.

3. Got me some Nike Free running shoes. Changing my life.

4. Soundtrack. Real quality, insightful music. (read Usher, Lady Gaga, etc)

Running at age 30 is very different than running in college. The trail is a busy place with lots of cute young girls in skin tight clothes, spray tans and long ponytails swishing back and forth. But the thing that gets me is this little missy running in front of me earlier this evening. She is somehow running and SHAKING HER BOTTOM from side to side at the same time. (I can see this clearly because of the above-mentioned skin tight clothes) I have never seen anything like it. AND (men, avert your eyes) she is either not wearing underwear or wearing a thong, both of which are unacceptable to an old-schooler like me. (Yes, I'm looking. How can I not? She is shakin' that thing all over the place). Tonight I wore a shirt that has at least 7 holes in it and a pair of shorts that I swiped from storage at summer camp back in 2001. Except the shorts are circa 1979. (Of course I also have on my hip and cool Nikes)

I can't really think of anything brilliant to wrap up this post. Except I am so thrilled and thankful to be running again. And proud of myself for sticking with it. The End.

Except!

I also have to give a shout out this evening to my sweet friend Melissa. When I was pregnant with Grayson we lived next door to each other, taught Kindergarten next door to each other and completed grad school together. So she was pretty much forced to endure every moment of my pregnancy. Good times for her! Anyhow, right now the doctor that delivered my babies is delivering Melissa's own sweet baby boy. And I am just tickled pink. I love you, Melissa, and I already love that baby too!

And for my mother, whom I will surely hear from if I don't post at least one picture of a grandchild:

Where is...

Look! There's Joshua!

Where are Joshua's eyes?

Where is Joshua's elbow?

Where is Joshua's knee?

Where is Joshua's mouth?

Where is Grayson?

Can you give Joshua a kiss?

So proud!

Murr-land

For some reason, Joe and I think it is wildly hilarious to pronounce Maryland "Murr-land".

Yesterday after church we made the long, arduous drive to Maryland to visit our friends the Wiles. Jason had outpatient-ish surgery on the back of his knee Tuesday and we went to help* with the recovery. (*by bringing Pioneer Woman's meatloaf, mashed taters, a bottle of Jack, a toddler, and a newborn) And oh dear, we had fun.

We went to the pool for the first time this summer, gorged ourselves on good food, watched Friday Night Lights (whoop!), played with toys, went strawberry pickin', ran through the sprinkler, and washed cars. I should mention that not all members present participated in all of the above-mentioned activities.

It should be noted that these days when we travel it doesn't matter if we are leaving for one night or one month- we take the same amount of stuff. Just fair warning to those of you who will be welcoming us and all of our glory into your homes this summer.

Anyway.

Because Jason was semi out of commission, he was the designated baby holder for much of the weekend


This is the post-pool, before-bedtime viewing of Mickey. A little scandalous because it appears G is naked under the blanket.


The first time Taylor has ever held a baby. This picture illustrates how big Joshua is. At 2, T is in the 75th percentile (I think). It is hilarious how "in to" the baby she is compared to G. And don't those pigtails just slay you?

On to the picking of the strawberries. We should have known the strawberry picking was over before it started when Grayson discovered this:




"Taylor! Look at Mommy! Taylor! Say 'holiday'!" "ha-ye-day!"
While everyone else picked berries,


Grayson somehow talked gimpy Jason into pulling him around in the wagon. While his wound OOZED. Not acceptable for either of them.
One of the many times we tried to trick Grayson into tasting the strawberries

He also did some aimless wandering while I followed behind. Until we got into the asparagus that was weedy, which made me think SNAKES, and then I grabbed him and hightailed it out of there despite the tantrum.

99 degrees outside

Those Dickersons

Those Wileses


Love them. Thanks for showing us a great time!
Happy beginning of summer to everyone- hope we see YOU in the next few months!

What Up?

"What up?" has always been my lame attempt to put my own original spin on "What's up?"

End of post.

Just kidding.

So it has now been roughly a month since I last posted. Because my free time has been drastically reduced since our new little friend arrive on the scene, I am finding it more difficult to sit down at the computer long enough to write a post. The fact that my computer is not just on its last leg, but its last toe has not been helping matters. The screen is all pixelated (word? not sure), it is ridiculously slow, and I have to physically hold the power cord into the battery slot in just the right place and with the right amount of pressure for the computer to stay on. HOWEVER, husband bought me an iPad for Mother's Day that should be arriving any day. Ahem, Apple. Very excited about that.

Most of our time now is spent taking care of little boys. Which is a joy and always an adventure. I know we've had some extra fun times in the last few weeks, but my memory is gone and I am now literally sitting here looking back at my calendar to see what we've done. Must have been some crazy stuff.

Since we last spoke Hope and Billy came for a weekend visit (I think I may do a separate post about this if I can ever get my act together), had the Wiles for a weekend visit, gone to various Dr. appts (always), and started mentoring a newly engaged couple. Joy of joys, this past weekend I had an all-day shopping trip with DeSalvo (Michelle, not Daniel). I wasn't wildly successful on the clothes front, but the company was great. And nobody was pulling on my leg or spitting up, so extra points there. We had date night out with our boyfriends later that evening, and since our high school age neighbor backed out on the babysitting his father, Robert, came instead! Bless his heart. His excuse was that we had HD for him to watch the Mavericks game, and the boys slept the whole time so it was a little better than being at home. Before we left we pointed out where a few things were just in case, where to reach us, etc. and he just chuckled and kept shaking his head, reminding us that he had four. Many of you have met Robert and I'm sure you'll get a laugh thinking of him sitting on our couch watching the game holding Joshua in his swaddle blanket.

Here's a recent pic of that boy-growing up too quickly.


We have finally joined a church up here after 5 shameful years of church hopping. It's a part of the Southern Baptist Convention, but there is no "transferring your letter" here. Oh no, there is a class with the pastor, an interview with an elder and then the congregation has to vote you in. (We made it in by the skin of our teeth). Those that are being baptized are required to give their testimony during a church service and then afterward everyone gathers around the baptismal tub in the parking lot. Joe and I have been baptized so that wasn't us, but I thought I would throw that part in there for my Worldwide friends-holler! Of course we turned our backs for a second and Grayson was halfway into the tub- anything for water. I believe! So here's lookin' at you Guilford Baptist Church. Oh, and I don't think anyone has ever not been voted in. But it all sounds very dramatic.

The other exciting thing that comes to mind is this evening when Joe walked past my nightstand.

"Are you reading a romance novel??" (incredulously)

"Um, no dear"

"Then why is this book called Pillar of Indulgence?"

"Well, it's actually an Anne of Green Gables book that I am re-reading. And the title is Rilla of Ingleside"

And that, my friends, is the danger of making assumptions when you have taken out your contacts and haven't yet made it across the room to your glasses.

Thank you, and goodnight.

The (Big) Little Boy is 2!

Grayson has actually been 2 for 2 months now, but hey, who's counting?

It has been an eventful year for our little boy. He started walking, talking, following directions (yay!), helping out, endured a bunch of medical stuff, took a solo trip to Texas, got a new little brother and brought his parents a ridiculous amount of joy. This kid is so unbelievably cute we can hardly stand it. From the way he swings his right arm when he walks to leaning his head over to his shoulder and smiling shyly to his sweet little voice to his tender heart- it just gets better every day! And Grayson still loves to cuddle. We are trying to enjoy every moment of it along with all the sweet kisses; the time is flying by so quickly and I'm not ready to completely surrender him to boyhood.

On a different note, Grayson was sick a lot in his second year. Nothing major, just a lot of infections that led to ear and lung stuff and eventually led us to question if something was going on with his immune system. As it turns out his antibody levels were low, and the doctors wondered if a healthy antibody boost would not only help lessen infections, but help Grayson eat better and catch up on some growth. In December we started Grayson on antibody replacement therapy (IgG) and we give him a subcutaneous infusion of a healthy plasma product once a week. He is a champ and the process has been easier than we thought. We have seen a huge change in Grayson since we started the medicine-he feels better, is generally happier, eats MUCH better, hasn't gotten sick and has grown a few inches! The best thing about this course of treatment is the lack of side effects. We'll continue the therapy for a few months at a time until his own immune system can take over. For now we are so thankful that he is a healthier and happier boy!

At 2, Grayson's favorite things are bath time or really anything that involves playing with water, books, cars, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, macaroni and cheese, Daddy, and the outdoors. Oh, the outdoors. If we would let him spend his entire day outside (which we practically do when the weather is nice) he would be thrilled. At this point he loves to just walk around outside. Preferably pushing his (pink) stroller. The entire neighborhood knows him by his stroller. Joe just loves that. Anyway, what I mean to say is that he doesn't even need a playground. Just a place to roam is fine with him. But, heaven forbid you should turn back towards the house. Katie bar the door, it is not pretty.

Grayson, we are trying to soak up every minute with you right now. You are in such a fun stage of learning, full of wonder and trying new things. You definitely have your moments, you are two, after all, but oh, the joy you bring! You are incredibly smart and still love to study every little thing. You are very social and love people, like your Mama, and will just walk around saying hi to every body and thing. Last week I caught you hugging and kissing a tree trunk. You are laid back and thoughtful like your Daddy. Yesterday Joshua started crying and you kept telling me, "Baba, Baba" (bottle). You are incredibly sweet and loving to your little brother and we are so proud of you.



Happy 2 years to our little boy!