Little Trooper

Both boys had runny noses and coughs over the weekend, but Grayson has had the more severe symptoms. Though Gordy seems to be on the mend, he was bummed to have his first "sick day" from preschool today.

This morning I noticed Grayson's breathing was getting more labored and wheezy, so I called the pediatrician. We were advised to bring him in, and I'm glad I did. The doctor who saw him (our pediatrician was all booked) diagnosed him with a cold virus that's gotten into his respiratory system. She prescribed a nebulizer and levalbuterol to help open up his airways and improve his breathing.

Here's a photo of (not so happy) Grayson during his second dose this evening. The clinic provided a little "Bubbles the fish" breathing mask for him, which only made the whole ordeal slightly more appealing to Grayson. The worst part is that, much like the vacuum cleaner, the noise of the nebulizer scares him. His first dose was in the exam room at the clinic, and was he ever mad! The nurses helped me with the process there, and when they came at Grayson with the mask, big brother Gordon became Brother Bear! He furrowed his brow at them, pointed his little finger, and said, "Hey!" The noise, all the tubes, and Grayson's crying brought out the protective bodyguard in him -- which melted my heart; especially since they don't always get along so swimmingly. We all assured Gordy that no one would hurt Grayson; he just needed some medicine to make him better.... Gordy then settled into the corner behind my chair with a book and watched curiously.

Long story short -- we'll have to tackle this 5-10 minute nebulizer ritual with Grayson 3 to 4 times each day for at least the next 3 to 4 days. Argh. Hopefully it will all clear up by the weekend. We've already noticed that Grayson's breathing improves a lot after each dose, so that is reassuring. It's also helped to see that Grayson has not lost his appetite in the slightest. He polished off a big bowl of homemade chicken soup (and then had seconds) for lunch...and ate an entire plate full of Daddy's yummy spaghetti tonight. Aside from when he's hooked up to the nebulizer, his spirits are high as well -- so that's promising too.

God bless our little trooper.

Peace & Quiet

I must admit, after any given day, filled with non-stop activities and surprise turns around every bend with our sweet little boys, these are some of my favorite moments....

Our busy little boys, resting up for another adventurous day of growing, learning, playing....

This quiet time gives me the chance to stop and reflect on how grateful I am to be their Mommy.

Dirt at Dusk

Yesterday evening, while I was getting dinner started, I was so pleased to look out our kitchen window and see the boys playing together, seemingly peaceful play on "Chocolate Chip Mountain." Well, my serenity only lasted a few moments; shortly thereafter, I heard Grayson's familiar screams of frustration. And this is what I saw when I went out to check on things.... (Cell phone pictures, so not the sharpest photos, but did capture the moment at hand).

Grayson's face was covered in dirt. Gordy soon rounded the corner, laughing and saying, "Grayson looks like a monkey."

Poor little monkey! I had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't something Grayson did himself. Gordy was a little too amused; I was sure he played a role in Grayson's dirt-covered face.

Here is Gordy trying to explain what happened. Yep. Gordy did have something to do with Grayson's dirt issue.

This smiling face shows Gordy, keeping the whole situation light. Grayson wasn't terribly upset anymore, and I was able to get a good start on making chicken soup, so you'll be glad to know that no one "got in trouble" here. :) This is just one of the countless character-building moments for Mommy. Keeping my sense of humor is key. These sweet little faces sure help with that.

Construction Field Trip

Boy, did we have a fun morning! Grandpa Dave & Grandma Myra invited us up to their house today to see construction work being done in their neighborhood. Gordy & Grayson were mesmerized by a backhoe/front loader, big red dumptruck, and a skidloader!

The very kind construction crew welcomed our curious little boys as their audience, and even let them sit on the skidloader....

What an exciting adventure!

Grayson got to sit on the tire....

We all enjoyed some delicious pear crisp, good company, a bag full of pears from the backyard and a jar of freshly canned fruit cocktail to take home with us.

Thank you so much, Dave & Myra!!

What a fun morning!

1st Helper Day @ Preschool

Yesterday was my first "helper day" at Gordon's preschool. Gordy was very excited to have some special time with Mommy, while Grayson was home with Grandma Myra. I enjoyed having quality time with my big boy, and seeing Gordy enjoy his new school experience firsthand, with his teacher and new friends.


Gordy asks me on the way to preschool, "Mommy, would you like to hear a story from me?" Telling and hearing verbal stories (without books and pictures) has become one of Gordy's favorite activities.

Gordy knows how to go directly to his cubby and find his nametag. What a big boy!

After circle time -- with songs, stories, and discussion about shapes -- where do you suppose Gordy heads first for free play? Yep, his first stop is the digging table.

We had a wonderful time at school, Gordy & Mommy together! And Grayson had a lot of fun with Grandma Myra too!

Fishing & Hunting (Real Estate Style)

Selling our house is like fishing. We've got our line out, baited and ready to go, and now we're just waiting...waiting...waiting for a bite.

We had a showing this morning, first thing. So the boys and I packed up and headed over to the Burger King drive-thru for breakfast (to avoid a messy kitchen) and spent a good hour picnicking and playing at the park. *See photo below* All the while, I was hoping and praying that the strangers meandering through our home would see all the charm and appeal in it that we do, and fall in love with it. It's a cute little house, just not quite big enough for a family of four.

Hopefully, fishing season will be short and we can begin house-hunting soon!

Photos for Auntie Nenny

We will miss our monthly visit from Auntie Nenny in September. She has been so consistent, flying over from Portland nearly every month to see the boys. But she's unable to make the trip this month -- for good reason. She is in Ghana, Africa, volunteering with a program called "Women In Progress." We look forward to seeing her next month and hearing all about her travels....

In the meantime, Jen -- these are a few photos for you, so far away. We miss you and are so proud of what you're doing! I know how much you cherish updates, stories, and photos of the boys, so here are a few quiet moments with Gordy and Grayson from today.

Gordon, a very avid reader, was elated when our new phone book arrived today!

Seriously, this kept him busy and entertained for a good half hour, plus....

The evening sunlight through the windows just lit up Grayson's blue eyes tonight.

What a beautiful baby, huh?! (If I do say so myself).

Grayson has such a sweet personality...you can see it in his precious little face. He loves to hug!

So this post is for anyone to enjoy...but dedicated especially to Auntie Nenny. We are all thinking of you and praying that your experience is magnificent and meaningful.... We love you, Nenny!

Zoo!

The boys and I had such a great time at Zoo Boise yesterday! The weather was absolutely perfect, and both Gordy and Grayson were in "good boy mode" the entire visit ~ staying nearby, happy, sharing, no tantrums.... Good times were had by all.

Fun on the carousel, though Mommy got a little dizzy --

Riding the pretend Komodo Dragon--

Looking at the boa constrictor, shedding his skin --

Sharing a snack --

Enjoying the penguins --

Animal Sounds

(Press the 'pause' button on Music Box so you can hear this; it's so cute!

Here is the best staged 'performance' I've been able to capture with Grayson, doing his animal sounds--snake, kitty, and sheep. He also sings a little Ol' MacDonald for you at the end. So Grammy, Papa, Aunties and Uncles, this is especially for you from Grayson.... Enjoy! :)

Autumn Drive North

Just a brief departure from photos of the boys here: On Sunday, we took a quick day trip to our cabins in the mountains (storing boxes there so we can show our house). The signs of fall are subtly showing, especially when we drive north -- aspen trees are sporting a few yellow leaves, the sumac are crimson, the fresh air from our open windows was cool and crisp, and we spotted several bright red kokanee salmon, spawning in Mores Creek. There are bound to be more and more of them, as we travel into the mountains in the coming weeks. They are such an amazing, brilliant red splash of color!

Sixteen Months (& Two Days) Old

Grayson is becoming more and more fun each day! He loves cars, rocks, dirt, trucks, kitties, doggies, airplanes, singing, swinging, climbing, sliding, running, jumping, giggling, and reading books -- just to name a few things. One of my favorite Mommy perks right now is that Grayson's started calling out, "Mama...!" in the mornings when he's ready to get up. Another happy tidbit that just melts my heart: when Grayson smiles really big -- he crinkles up his nose, squints his eyes -- and there it is! He inherited my crooked smile! :) It looks so much cuter on him, and I love it! He is an absolute cuddle bug ~ lovey dove ~ hug-a-bug!! He loves to hug and kiss. Oh, and he enjoys toddling over to people, crouching down, turning his head, and looking directly into their faces. What a little comic. 16 months; where has the time gone??!

E-I-E-I-O!

You may want to press 'pause' on the Music Box for a moment to hear the sound on this video clip.... Grayson has starting singing along with Old MacDonald, and it is just too cute! In this clip, you'll hear him talking about rocks and then chime in on the song with "E-I-O...." I've had a few requests for clips of Grayson showing his animal sounds, namely the snake--where he sticks his tongue out and says, "ssssss," so stay tuned and I'll try to post one soon.

Starting Preschool

Grayson at the park while Gordy was in preschool

Grayson sniffs flowers and says, "Ahhh!"

Gordy's smile at the end of his 1st day at preschool.

Gordy's 2nd day at preschool -- He's the little guy in the yellow shirt. It's going to be a great year!

Flashback to the 70's

Thanks to Auntie Lassa, Gordy and I have been perusing some vintage Sesame Street clips on YouTube. Here's Gordy's favorite as of late:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG-0_p_yefg

Gordon's 1st Day of Preschool

This is how the day started...cuddling in Mommy & Daddy's bed with brother and giant Pooh Bear.

Here he is -- all ready for his 1st day of preschool!

Grayson wasn't going to last through the whole 2 hours, so he and I ducked out and walked to the parks. Here's a peek through the window at what Gordy was busy doing just before we left. (He loves the digging table!)

And here's where we found him on our return -- digging in the sandbox outside, of course. He had a nice 1st day, and I think it will only get better as he adjusts to the newness of it all. Gordy's class made collages, read a story, sang songs, and enjoyed crackers and juice for snack time. We are so proud of our little Gordon!!