Evil Knievel and Ryan Braun

I have mentioned before that Isaac really doesn't have any fear. Here's just another example. He LOVES driving C's battery powered 4-wheeler. Here he is driving it like he should be: Getting a little more brave and trying to stand up (remember that he is in motion as he's doing this.) "Hmmm. Maybe I could even stand on the seat!!" "I am amazing!!" (I was surprised that he could stand like this, balance, and push the button, while he was moving!) Of course I only let him do it long enough for me to snap these pics, and then made him sit down. He got so mad at me that he threw himself off the 4-wheeler and had a tantrum on the ground. Well, until he realized that he was laying in the grass, which he hates. So he got up and went on his merry way as though nothing had happened.
Here's a video of him going down the slide. Caleb still won't go down without me "catching" him.

(And yes, he's wearing 2 different shoes. He insisted that he wear his brown ones, but we could only find one....he usually won't wear those! When I tried taking it off to put on his white ones, he threw a fit. And don't even ask why he's not wearing a shirt....and I thought Caleb was drama!)

Here's the real reason I had my camera outside. I wanted to record our "mini Ryan Braun" in action. He would seriously do this all day long if we'd keep pitching to him:

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Buddies

Eavesdropping

Every day after lunch, the boys run into Caleb's room to see who can climb into his bed first for nap time. (Isaac doesn't sleep in there, but I let him lay in Caleb's bed for a little bit while I clean up lunch. Not sure why he loves doing this, but he does!) Every day, Caleb has a fit about Isaac being in his bed. Even though he knows that I will take Isaac into his own room and he will sleep in his crib.

Today, however, as I was walking towards C's room I heard him talking, and not screaming at Isaac as he normally is. As I got closer, I realized he was talking to Isaac. It was SO cute. I stood outside his door and tried not to giggle.

Caleb: You wike (like) watermelon, I? (He calls Isaac, "I" a lot now)
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: You wike pickles?
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: You wike onions?
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: Wemons? (lemons)
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: Hot dogs?
Isaac must not have been paying attention at this point...
Caleb: I sayed you wike hot dogs, I?
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: You wike watermelon?
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: You wike Stwaw-bewees? (strawberries)
Isaac: Yah
Caleb: Gwapes? (grapes)
Isaac: Yah

When I went into C's room, they were laying next to each other with their heads on separate pillows. So stinkin adorable! I wonder what it will be like when they share a room with bunk beds....

Happy Fathers Day, Daddy!

I don't have any recent pics of Joel with the boys, but these are a couple of my favorites from the past.



A message to Daddy from Caleb:

lllllluuuuyyyyyyrtttddcccccdzzzxxxxxzzzzzcvcvvvvvvvbm,jyuhjuiuo[ppjkjmnnbbbbbcvccvccccvvvvvvcccvccn;lkjkiion,k

"It says I wuv you!"

We finally get to hang out as a family today. Isaac and Joel are still sleeping and Caleb is dying to give his daddy his new baseball shoes and "Bwa-nee" (Ryan Braun) shirt that he picked out for him. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day and I am looking forward to spending it with all my boys!

Foto Friday, By Caleb

"Big Bwudder"

Before Isaac was born, I bought Caleb a "I'm the big brother" T-shirt. In my mind, I pictured Caleb coming to visit me and Isaac in the hospital, wearing his shirt, and getting a picture of him holding his new baby brother. Well, that didn't happen. He refused to wear it to the hospital when he came to visit us (And he wouldn't even look at Isaac, let alone get his picture taken with him!) And he wouldn't wear it once we were home either.

Well, 16 months to the day after Isaac's birth, Caleb came out of his room and told me, "I got idea!" After I asked him what his idea was, he showed me his shirt and said, "I wear my big bwudder sirt!!" (I didn't even know it was still in his drawer because it's size 12-18 months, and I thought I had taken all of those shirts out...he's wearing 24 month tops now and 12-18 month shorts) Then he let me take a picture of him wearing it! He's so not into me taking his pics lately...

And then he suggested that I take a picture of him and "Wittle cweecher" (Little creature...which is what he's calling Isaac these days. I have no idea where he heard the word, creature!) Not exactly the picture I had in mind 16 months ago, but it's pretty funny since Isaac is so big! And even funnier that C wrapped his legs around Isaac to try and hold him down!


To celebrate Isaac's 16 month birthday, I took him to get his 12 month shots that he missed due to his ear infections. Lucky guy, huh?! He ONLY weighed 28 pounds, 4 oz on their scale, so now I am not paranoid that he's too big! HA!

Just for the record...

Blueberry boy weighed 28.5 pounds (with his clothes on) today at the doctor's office....



....and he doesn't need tubes put in his ears right now...YEAH!!

Zoo Bums

Maddy, Caleb, Dominick and Isaac

Dominick, Caleb, Isaac, Maddy, Kenny, and Sydney

I finally caved...

After showing two more people pictures of the boys and them asking me how old my little girl was, I decided it was time for Isaac to get his hair cut.

Before:


The first thing Isaac did when we got into the salon was walk up to a display with hairspray and mouse bottles on it and swiped them all to the floor. Of course they were all metal, so they made a huge crash as they landed. I guess he wanted to announce that he had arrived! (Our kids salon is closed for renovations, but "our" lady is working at a not-so-kid-friendly salon in the mean time) Then he refused to sit in the chair, so I had to pull out my "tricks" right away. We put a movie on and he chowed on Oreo's and then a sucker (which he's never had before).


Good thing she was quick! I think she did a great job, especially since he was moving around the whole time! I only got a pic of the back that day since he was really throwing a fit towards the end.


But here's a couple more. Doesn't he look so grown up? Now I have a toddler and a preschooler! My babies are growing up fast! (And yes, his nose has healed nicely. I was obsessed with neosporin for a few days! He just a little scar that's hardly noticeable! But, he almost broke his neck today...he was half way UP the slide and fell over the side!)

THANK YOU Caring Voice Coalition!!

Look what came in the mail today!

Caring Voice Coalition, a non-profit organization, has given Caleb a grant so that his injections will be paid for 100% for the REST OF THE YEAR! 100%!! We will not have to pay a penny for it. I knew this month's supply was supposed to come today, but I am still in shock that it actually arrived. And even more in shock that the payment has already been taken care of by CVC, and I don't have to write out a check for $1836.36. I am humbled that they are so eager to help us. I have been on the phone with them for the past few weeks and everyone I spoke with was so friendly and willing to help us. They dealt with our insurance company and pharmacy, instead of putting it back on me to get things figured out (like everyone else has through this whole ordeal). And believe me, the drug company and our insurance company didn't make it easy for CVC either! They also researched support groups for us, which is something they didn't HAVE to do. I know they won't be reading this, but I do intend on writing them a letter to thank them. Even though words cannot describe how thankful we are and or how much of a weight is lifted off my shoulders today.

If you are the giving type, and would like to donate to this organization so that they can continue to help people (who have insurance) with chronic illnesses pay for their out-of-control-copay for medication, please click here.

3.5 Years Old!

Since Caleb's birthday is in Dec (flu/cold season) and we are so popular have so many people we want to include to help us celebrate our miracle boy's birthday, we decided to have 2 parties for him. One on is real birthday, and then one this weekend when he was officially 3.5 years old. We planned to have his bigger party in June, so everyone could be outside. Well, the weather was beautiful the entire week, until Saturday. It was 50 degrees and rainy! It worked out okay though because the guys (and some of the kids) hung out in the garage with the heater on.

He had a great day. I don't think he stopped smiling the whole time. He didn't have any melt downs, he shared his toys, and was in a good mood the whole day. He actually "gets" birthdays now and couldn't wait to blow out his candles while we sang happy birthday. He kept telling me he was so "gick-sited" (excited) The cookie cake and cheese cakes were a hit as well as the "John Deere" ice cream that C picked out (mint chip), which is apparently "Da best ice cweam eber" according to Caleb. He didn't eat his supper, but he did eat 2 helpings of ice cream.

I do have to share one story from the party, just so you can see once again how nothing can ever be dull in my life. Caleb's five-year-old cousin, Sam (who is an older version of Isaac....a free spirit, slightly stubborn...okay really stubborn!!, and an I-can-do-everything-myself kind of kid) decided that HE could help Caleb use the bathroom. None of the adults were aware of this, of course. And it probably would have been fine if Caleb didn't have to poop.

I was cleaning up the kitchen and Caleb came in with just his undies on announced that Sam helped him go potty. I immediately went into the bathroom, and there was Sam proudly showing the other small guests Caleb's poop (which was not only in the potty chair, but also on the floor.) Sam apparently had tried to wipe Caleb and it was all over the floor, C's legs, back, butt, etc. As I looked closer, I noticed that all of the little people in the bathroom had also stepped in the poop and by then were tracking it down my hallway!!!! UGHHHH! At least they all had socks on (which were quickly removed), but our two little gems who refuse to wear socks had it all over their feet. Lovely.

Anyway, after everyone had left and I was getting Caleb ready for bed, I asked him if he had a good party. He looked at me and said "I woved my party. Fanks for party, Momma." (I loved my party, thanks for the party). Of course that brought tears to my eyes. Our little man who wasn't supposed to make it...look at him now!

Jake, Caleb and Sam:

Bruiser

Isaac took quite the fall this weekend while I was at work. Joel had the boys at his parents house for the morning and Isaac decided it would be a good idea to drive his bike off the deck. So when the front end of the ride-on car hit the pavement, Isaac flew over the top of it and landed on his sweet little nose. He also has a scrape on his forehead that isn't as noticable. (And a bruise on the side of his head from running into their patio table the same day....)

This is the first major wipe out he's ever had, which really surprises me. (Although now that he's wearing shorts more often, his knees are pretty scraped up since he has "perfected" his falling. For some reason, he never puts his hands down when he falls, he somehow just goes down to his knees....he's an oddball, I know!) He's just so busy all the time that this was bound to happen sometime! I am just thankful that he didn't break anything, although I am betting that too will happen at some point with this kid. He just doesn't have any fear!

And to add to it, when I told him he couldn't have juice this morning, he flopped himself onto the kitchen floor, while throwing a tantrum, and smacked his head. So now he has a fat, bloody lip to go with it.

3 going on 13, part two

We are having Caleb's 3.5 birthday party this weekend and since he won't eat cake, we are getting a big cookie "cake" from Mrs Fields. I asked him today what color frosting he wanted on his cake, and he replied "Firty times I tell you GWEEN!!" (I think he was trying to say, I told you 30 times, green!") I guess I must have already asked him!!

Today when I was helping him in the bathroom while he was going #2, he told me "Dis one is terwible, cover your nose!"