Mom and Nile Day

On Friday, I got to spend a whole day with Nile. Just him and me. (Tom had taken Nate up to Joliet to see the NASCAR qualifying runs and the Nationwide series race.) My goal was to let him direct what we did for the day, so even if I would usually say no, I was going to say yes (within reason, of course!)

So, although it was hard for Nile that morning to see Tom and Nate go (yes, there were a few tears), once I convinced him that he got to choose what we did that day, he really was okay with it. The only caveat for him was that I had to hit the gym first, I was feeling pretty lazy since I hadn't been all week.

So, after the gym, we ran one errand for me (I had to pick up flyers for a 5k race I'm working on next week), I let him pick the restaurant. And, my brilliant, amazing son picked Habaneros, a local Mexican restaurant. Can you tell I love Mexican food? :) He had a hot dog and rice, and I had veggie burritos and rice.

His next choice was to go to Bouncetown - I'm not sure whether he realized that on a beautiful summer day, not many kids are going to an indoor inflatable playground. So, we were the only people there. In fact, as we walked in, they had to go turn on all the blowers and inflate the toys for him. But, it was Nile's day, and that's what he wanted to do. He had a good time, but with nobody else there to play with, only made it about 40 minutes before he was done. Throughout he kept asking me, "Which one should I go on now?" - without Nate to follow around he was a little lost...poor kid.

After Bouncetown, I took him to Whitey's for ice cream. He had done a great job cleaning up his room all by himself that morning, so I had promised him ice cream. And he didn't want Dairy Queen, he wanted the good stuff! I couldn't argue (remember, I wasn't saying no)!

I even got him to take a nap at home, and we ran in to the library to drop off the aforementioned race flyers, and picked up a few DVD's. For dinner he requested pasta - what an easy meal! Then after dinner we snuggled on the couch and watched the Curious George DVD he'd picked out.

It was such a wonderful day, and honestly, almost made me feel like I'd had a day to myself. We had a great time, and I'm looking forward to doing this with Nate soon!

NASCAR Chicagoland

On July 9, Tom took Nate up to Joliet to see the qualifying runs for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race, and also to watch part of the Nationwide series race that evening. They met Tom's brother Dan and cousins Julian and Henry up there for the event. Nate absolutely loved it!

Here's the crew tailgating before the races.

Checking out a racing truck.

Nate outside the speedway.

In the stands.

And a few videos...

Star Wars in Concert

On Wednesday, July 7, we, along with our friends Matt and Emma, went to Star Wars in Concert. I was a little nervous to see how the boys would do with an evening concert. But when you combined amazing music (performed so well that we would often forget that the symphony was live on stage) with movie clips on a giant HD screen (synchronized with the music), it was an event that both boys loved.

Nate's favorite? "Darth Vader"

Nile's favorite? "Everything."

Now, I can't wait to share the actual movies with them.

Before the concert we ate outside in the beer garden at the BierStube in Moline.

Here are Nate and Emma, during the intermission.


And here is Nate with one of the many displays of props and costumes from the movies.

Matt's blog entries from the event are linked below.

• Emma Frozen in Carbonite
• Darth Emma
• Emma and C3P0
• Emma and Ewoks
• Emma and Queen Amadalla
• Emma and Anne
• Intermission
• Nate and Emma
• Star Wars in Concert

You're gonna love it at...

Sometimes it's nice to go back home. For the Fourth of July weekend, we did just that (for me at least). I was impressed by the things I did remember about how to get around Des Moines. I can't remember the last time I was downtown...

We had planned to go back for the I-Cubs game and fireworks on July 4, then stay downtown and hit Adventureland on the way home on Monday, July 5. Slight change of plans - it rained, and rained, and rained on July 4. So...no baseball game for us. The boys swam in the hotel pool and we went out to dinner.

But, we did hit Adventureland! These are a few of the better pictures I took, and I know Tom probably has some even better ones (probably some with me in them too), and some videos, which I may add later.

Of course we hit the teacups first, then the boys had to fly the planes.

Next it was the bumper cars. I don't have pictures of that. Of course, at 6 months pregnant I couldn't ride too many rides anyway. I do miss the roller coasters (not that I'd have been going on one with these two boys anyway!). The bumper cars were a stretch, but Nile needed someone to drive and steer. I just barely fit behind the bar with my belly. Then I spent a good part of the time in the bumper car worried that someone would hit me and it would hurt the baby. Fun times!

The boys enjoyed feeding the fish.

And riding the "kiddie boats."

Tom and Nile, waiting for the train to arrive.

The carousel. Nile was pretty proud of himself for riding the "biggest horse."

Faithful Feet

This morning the boys and I went to the Faithful Feet 5k in Geneseo. The race was hosted by the local Catholic church, and the proceeds from the race went to the food pantry. Since Tom was golfing, I didn't run, but I signed up the boys for the kids' race.

Nile decided that he didn't want to run, so Nate had to do the race solo. I was a little nervous, as it was a half-mile race, and it took him around the middle school so I wouldn't be able to see him. I had to stay back with Nile, so I was worried that Nate would tire out, fall, or something, and I wouldn't be there. Yeah, I know, I'm a paranoid parent.

Turns out he ran the whole thing in under 5 minutes, didn't have a single problem, and finished beaming. He also proudly told me "I passed like eight kids, Mom!"

I'm really proud of him.

After the race we went to the park and the farmers' market. It was a good morning.

Here are the boys before the race.

Here is Nile, a moment before this he was looking so pensive, but I didn't catch it.

Nate after the race - showing off his medal as he enjoys a bagel and some juice.