First Day of School

Greyson is a morning kindergartener and Madelyn is a third grader. I wasn't sad this morning dropping off my kids for school.  It seems Greyson has been ready for months now and Madelyn is all gung-ho about learning.  They are confident and ready to start school.  I, however, am missing them and conflicted about this starting school thing.  Hmmmm... I guess I should focus a little on the 3 hours I have to do ***whatever I want*** (you should read - do some housework, go to the gym, and grocery shop).  That should cheer me up a little, right?

Another way to enjoy the rain

This picture was actually taken a few weeks ago now. It was the day that was about 100* and then the temp dropped about 30 degrees and the bottom fell out of the clouds. On that particular evening, we were bbq-ing at a neighbors house and our kids were in their swimsuits for swimming off the heat. Next thing we know they are wallowing in the rain's runoff. I love this picture...

Blue Bear's Makeover (updated)

If you know Greyson, you've at least heard about Blue Bear. He is a staple around here. He is Hobbes to Greyson's Calvin. Greyson would love to take him everywhere (and we could probably let that happen now) but we've always been too afraid of what would happen if he was left somewhere or accidentally pitched out a window or ... the possibilities are endless. So that is why you've only met Blue Bear if you've been to our house or we've seen you on vacation. Sadly, Blue Bear has been a forced hermit and doesn't get out much.

Blue Bear has a rich history. Greyson received him on his first Christmas from a church teenage friend named Lauren-Elaine. She bought gifts for both of my children and we thought it was very sweet. Blue Bear also came with a blanket (that reminds us of the colors he used to be since it hasn't gotten nearly as much wear).  (Oh, and to be fair, Madelyn's gift was a Curious George stuffed animal and book.)  Not too long after Greyson's birth, he started this nasty habit of spitting out his pacifier out in the middle of the night and losing it.  Of course, when the time came to find it, that was the mama's job and there was no telling where it would be.  Behind or under the crib, stuck in the crib slats, wrapped up in his swaddling blanket.... it became a problem to find it and soothe the boy without completely waking him up.  So, we attached the pacifier to Blue Bear with a safety pin for easy finding.  It did the trick!  It also made Blue Bear the most sought-after thing in Greyson's young life and a friend like no other! 

As you can see in this picture, Blue Bear used to be plush and clean, bright pastel blue and pristine white.



As you can see from this picture, although not super clearly, Blue Bear is... ummmm.... well loved.  The most loved part of him is his hat.  It's the satin part that is rubbed against Greyson's face while sleeping and awake.  It is also the part that Blue Bear gets swung and slung by much too often.  






So, after putting it off for a LONG, LONG time, I finally decided to replace Blue Bear's hat.  (I also decided NOT to restuff him since his stitching is awesome and I'm afraid to mess with it.) Greyson and I went to the fabric store and we picked out the fabric together, spent the $1.86 to buy it, and then I started crafting his new hat.  Blue Bear got a long bath and went without his hat for two days in the process.  Today, when I told Greyson I needed Blue Bear to sew his hat on, Greyson could bearly stand to wait long enough for it to happen. 





Greyson is super happy now and Blue Bear has new life in this new hat of his.



It makes this mama's heart melt to see this - my little boy loving on his oldest friend.  Blue Bear, you have been a blessing to all of us.



I wish I had gotten a before picture... alas, I did not.  You'll just have to trust me that this looks SO MUCH BETTER!



UPDATE: I found these two pictures... this one shows the old hat material next to the new hat.


This one was taken last night of my sweet boy and his old friend.

Enjoying the rain

The paper towel was the trick

Greyson has had a wiggly tooth FOREVER! Okay, maybe it's only been 3 weeks or so... but, man it's been FOREVER! He isn't much of an active wiggler. I guess you could call him a passive wiggler. Pretty much didn't care when or if it came out.  I, on the other hand, was anxious to see it come out! I know, I should just let it go but I couldn't... his tooth was bending all the way around and he just wouldn't take it the last little bit to make it come out! It was driving me crazy. So, I bribed him. Yes, I did. I told him if it came out on the appointed day, I would give him a foam soccer ball (that we already had stored away for him). He wants the foam soccer ball. It served its purpose. His tooth is out. All the thanks goes to Madelyn and her brilliant idea to use a paper towel.  And guess what!  It worked like a charm!  So, let that be a lesson to you.  When you need to extricate a super loose tooth from a resistant mouth, use a paper towel.

So, when the tooth fairy came, she(he?) brought our boy some Big League Chew. (Bubble gum has been the request of choice for each tooth lost in our house.) He was super excited about it and I couldn't quite understand why SUCH an excitement. He asked what it was and wondered a lot about his new bubble gum. Then he pulls out one of his acquired comic books (I think it is a Justice League comic book) and shows me this picture. And says, "Look, it's right here in this picture!" Oh! Now I get why he's so excited and I marvel, yet again, at his memory. The boy has a steel trap for a memory.
An additional sidenote: Big League Chew is worth the money. My kids are ones to chew gum until it loses flavor and then spit it out, usually less than five minutes of chewing. Greyson came up to me a good 30 minutes into chewing and exclaimed, "Mom, this is the best gum! It's still in flavor!"

Stitches Episode #8

Disclaimer: Gaping holes and stitched skin ahead

So, yet again, we have another episode of stitches.  I almost forgot to blog about it... they have become so common place in our house that I think they are no biggie anymore.  About a month ago (6/3/12), we were at a friend's house and Greyson was running and fell... while trying to get his pants down to urinate.... not a good mix of things to have happen at the same time.  He and everything else near him ended up sprayed down and he was hurt - physically and emotionally - by the whole ordeal.  I think it is going to provide for great comic relief later on down the road though.  I'm thinking about the times we want to humble and mortify him.... girlfriends, graduation, wedding.  I can hear Ben now... "be nice, Melissa"



Greyson is also comfortable with the whole stitches idea.... I guess when you've been here two other times for the same EXACT thing (3rd set in his chin), you start to know what to expect.



And Thor had his back anyway.



BEFORE:
We have a medical friend that when told about our stitches count mentioned her remedy for large cuts - medical adhesive.  I quickly told her that the "cuts" we have aren't cuts, they are gaping holes.



AFTER STITCHES:
All stitched up.  Two days later, the one on the far right fell out and we put a steri-strip on it. 



THIS MORNING (7/12/12):  See the three different scars?  I'm just glad that they are under his chin!