What side of the bed do you wake up on?

Nate practically leaps out of bed, smiling, every morning. He is always happy in the morning (even when he gets up at 5:45 am).

Nile, on the other hand, is not a morning person. He needs time to get ready to face the world.

This is what happens when Nile wakes up at 6:10 am. Actually, lately this is how he wakes up from naps, in the morning, any time. Nothing goes his way, and "his way" is pretty much a mystery. He doesn't even know what he wants. I'm starting to learn that if I don't absolutely need him to get up (for example so I can go to work), I should leave him in bed until he calls to us. Because even if he's talking in his room and seems to be awake, this can happen...these pictures were taken after he handed me his milk (saying he didn't want it) and then spent the next few minutes crying because I set it on the table. Such is life with a 2 year old.

In one week...

We will go from this...

To this!

Did I mention we're ready to move?

A fast learner

Have I mentioned Nile is technically inclined? This is Nate's Leapster. In the last few minutes, Nile has figured out how to turn it on, get into the drawing game, and draw pictures.

Luckily, today Nate actually gave him permission to use it, too!

racing the numbers

Yesterday we let both boys run in the kids' race at Tudi's Bark in the Park, a race that I helped organize. Since I was working, I didn't get any photos or videos of the race, but I know Tom did. I may share them later.

Anyway, they must have enjoyed it, because they spent a half hour this morning running races around the yard. Each race had a number. I kid you not. First, they ran the "number 2" race. Then they would start the "number 5" race, or the "number 7" race, or maybe the "number 11." I never did figure out the difference between any of them.

On your mark...get set...

Go!

I have to admit I really enjoyed watching them run.

froggy

Today the boys were playing outside and had emptied the toy box. They found a new friend inside.

well, at least it smells good...

You know that saying that you know there's a problem when the kids are too quiet?

Today I had to take a call from work, so I asked Nate and Nile to play quietly for a few minutes. 5 minutes later, I get off the phone and the two boys are quietly playing in Nate's room. I call out to Nate from the kitchen and tell him thank you for playing quietly.

A minute or so later I hear this tapping noise. Odd, but not unusual. Nate likes to "fix" things with his play hammer, so I assumed he was repairing a truck or something.

Next thing I know, Nate comes in to talk to me. "Mom, I have something to show you! All my toys are going to smell great!"

My first thought? "Oh, no...what did you do?"

We had moved an odor absorber into his room (because it smelled like a dead mouse - the joys of living in an old farmhouse). "No way," I thought, "No way did he get that stuff out."

"Nate, did you open the air freshener?"

"No..."

"Nate, are you sure? Show me what you did."

"I don't want to."

"Nate, you're not in trouble. Just show me."

"Okay."

Somehow he had turned the odor absorber upside down and gotten the gel inside to break into tiny pieces, then he had covered all his toys with the stuff. This stuff is the consistency of deodorant, so when trying to clean it off, it smashes down and smears all over. Luckily it does vacuum up fairly well...

Here is a small sampling of what his room looked like.

"See, Mom? Now they smell great!"

The source.

I'll give him credit for TRYING to clean...

nightswimming

This morning I went in to wake Nate. He was still asleep at 6:20, probably because he had been up until 9 pm the night before, not my choice, but I digress.

He woke up so happy, and so glad to see me. It was such a wonderful moment, as he realized I was sitting there and his face broke into a smile.

As I got his clothes out for him to wear today, he told me, "Mommy, did you know you can solve problems in your dreams?"

I said "Really? Did you solve a problem in your dreams last night?"

Nate: "Yep, I sure did!"

I couldn't get him to tell me what problem he had been working on all night.

We have had some issues with swimming the last few days. Nate has been terrified of the pool, crying and refusing to get in. Add to this that we started swim lessons this week, and so this crying and fighting has occurred in a very public setting. We have been very frustrated. Monday was the worst, then on Tuesday I was able to convince him to get in, but sat on the edge of the pool and basically worked alone with him (he would not interact with the teachers or his class). Since we had made progress, I was hoping that by the end of the week he'd be back playing in the pool like he had last year.

Today Tom took Nate to his friend Andrew's birthday party at a small pool in East Moline and worked with him, they had a great time. So I was optimistic for swim lessons, even though Nate was exhausted, hadn't eaten any dinner, and should have been a terror.

Skip forward to tonight's swim lessons. To my amazement, Nate got in the pool and did EVERYTHING the class did. He listened to the teachers, and I was able to sit several feet away in a pool chair and watch the class. He was a totally different child from the last two nights of swim lessons. I was so happy and excited for him.

Tom and I were both so proud of him, and how well he did. He was pretty proud of himself too, practically dancing out of the pool.

Nate: "My brain was telling me that swimming was scary, but now I decided that I am going to LIKE swimming! I solved the problem!"

Me (as a light goes off in my head): "Nate, was the problem you solved in your dreams about swimming?"

Nate: "Yep!"

This was the problem he solved in his sleep last night.

crazy morning silliness

Nile woke up incredibly happy this morning. Here's a glimpse of how most of the morning went. Thank goodness the farmhouse has a large open kitchen!

Solar System

When Tom and I were in Seattle, we found a solar system puzzle we had been wanting to get Nate. He's really interested in the solar system. Here he is just after putting it together for the first time, telling me what all the planets are.

artistic freedom

We gave Nate an easel for his birthday (actually it was a Christmas present for both boys that we never gave them). We've had the easel up for a week now, but today I got out the paints and let them try them out.



It's funny how different both boys' artwork is. Each of them made two paintings.

Nate's paintings both were a big blob of paint where he was mixing red and blue to make purple


Nile, on the other hand, used all four colors very abstractly, making a bunch of multicolored lines.

puddle watching

Today we had the first rain in the farmhouse. I came into the sunroom to find Nate staring intently out the window.


"Nate, what are you looking at?"

"Mom, you've got to see this puddle!"


He was entertained by this for a good 20 minutes...and luckily, the water stayed outside the house.

It's a Transformers Party!

I thought that I'd share a few of the photos from Nate's birthday party we had at the farmhouse yesterday. It was the perfect sort of party - laid back and very little work to set up!


Nate with his Transformers birthday cake.

Blowing out the candles (he did get all 4 out). Emma and Nile were very interested, notice the look on Scott and Andrew's faces - I didn't even notice at the time that Andrew was covering his ears (for what reason I do not know)...


Cake-eating kids...


And yes, he did love each and every Transformer he got! The look on his face with this one is priceless!

It's been a journey

Well, yesterday was the "big move part 1.". We are now waking up from our first night in the farmhouse. We have been so busy preparing for this, that I have not had any time to think, let alone blog.

Yesterday I spent the day figuring out which outlets are connected to which switches (answer - still not quite sure), unpacking, and getting the Internet and TV set up (for we can't live a night without either). Then we celebrated Nate's 4th birthday (I will add pictures later). Nate even slept in his bed last night without a bed rail! Lots of changes going on...

I'm sure there will be lots more stories that will come out of this 2 month "adventure," but right now I have to get off to work. :)