Day 88 (3/29/11) - Potty Time

This morning as I was cleaning up from breakfast and Ryan and Daddy were having a huge pillow fight in the family room, I realized Gavin was missing.  As I started to look for him, I noticed the door to the downstairs bathroom was closed.  I slowly opened the door and could tell by the smell that he was "doing his business."  He must have been embarrassed because he fussed at me and forcefully closed the door, letting me know that I was not welcome.  After a few minutes, he opened the door and gave me a sheepish grin to signal that he was done.  It brought back memories of when Ryan would hide in a corner behind a chair whenever he had to go to the bathroom.  While I am amazed that Gavin is showing signs of potty training readiness at such a young age, it also reminded me that we need to install toilet locks before he flushes something down the toilet!

Day 87 (3/28/11) - Good, Clean Fun

After playing outside all afternoon, the boys desperately needed a bath.  We graciously offered to let them take a bubble bath in our tub.  They had a great time, especially when they discovered that they could make the water coming out of the faucet spray all over the bathroom.  I guess I should be grateful that they cleaned my bathroom for me.  It took all the towels in our linen closet to soak up the standing puddles of water on the floor!

Day 86 (3/27/11) - Family Fun

Since it was too cold to play outside, we took the boys to an indoor bounce place to play (not the icky one where they contracted the germs that lead to Ryan's weeks-long cold and Gavin's RSV).  Family time in our house is great fun, but also very active and very exhausting, especially since Gavin insists on doing everything that Ryan does which means either Mommy or Daddy has to carry him up all those super slides (which is no small feat, since it's like climbing a rock wall with one arm!).  And, somehow, jumping in the moon bounce becomes a contact sport among these guys!  I'm going to have to start working out and loading up on caffeine to keep up with these boys! 

Day 85 (3/26/11) - Peanut Gallery

The boys heckle me as I clean up from breakfast.  I guess I had it coming since I teased them that they eat like Cookie Monster ("Om nom nom nom"......as crumbs fall out of their overstuffed mouths!) 

Day 84 (3/25/11) - Dinner Date

Since both of our husbands regularly work late, my friend, Emily, and I decided to start getting together every once in awhile on nights when our husbands wouldn't be home for dinner.  Tonight was the first night that both of our husbands were away, so she invited us over to her house for dinner and playtime.  Emily's son, Josh, is Ryan's best friend from preschool and her daughter is only a couple of months older than Gavin.  We had a wonderful time and are looking forward to hosting them in the next couple of weeks. 

Day 83 (3/24/11) - Goofball Gavin

We are blessed to have two little boys who are so full of life and who have such distinct, yet equally vivacious, fun-loving personalities.  Gavin is at a really fun age, and is turning into quite the little ham.  Recent photos depict him as serious and brooding, but that couldn't be futher from the truth.  I think he just objects to all the pictures since they interfere with his playing!

This is the cheesy grin that he now flashes when you tell him to smile for the camera!

I'm not sure if he's imitating the sculpture of The Thinker or if he's pretending to be a chicken sitting on an egg.

While Ryan plays soccer, Gavin collects the plastic boundary markers from the adjacent field and wears them as a hat.

Ryan and Gavin like to get zebra rides from Mommy and Daddy.  I think, given his affinity for zebras, they are Ryan's version of the traditional horsey rides.

Day 82 (3/23/11) - Little Heroes

Daddy has had a really demanding work schedule for the past couple of weeks.  So, when he invited us to visit him at the fire house when he was working late shift as a paramedic, we jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with him.  The boys were excited to get a tour of the station and see the fire engine, pumper truck, and rescue squad up close.  They also enjoyed seeing the medic unit that Daddy rides when he responds to calls to help hurt or sick people.  The best part was when Daddy let them sit in the driver's and officer's seat.  Looks like these handsome little heroes may have a desire to serve, just like their Daddy!

Day 81 (3/22/11) - First Tee Ball Practice

I recently signed Ryan up for tee ball.  He has been drafted by (i.e., assigned to) the Oakland A's.  He's excited that the team colors are green and yellow, which, as he reminded us, are the same colors as the Green Bay Packers.  Tee ball season runs from March 22 until June 10, with games every Saturday morning starting on April 16.  From now until April 1, players from every team practice together on Tuesday and Friday evenings.  Teams then break out into individual practices the week of April 4.

Tonight Ryan had his first academy tee ball practice.  The academy practice includes members from all 10 tee ball teams.  The combined team practice format includes various skill stations that teach throwing, catching, fielding, hitting, and base running.  The kids were broken into groups of 4 and rotated through each station, spending 5-10 minutes at each station.  The practice was scheduled from 6 to 7 pm, but by 7:15 the coaches realized they would be unable to get all the kids through all of the stations.  Since the temperature had dropped considerably by that time, they decided to break for the night and reconvene next week to finish rotating kids through the different drills.  (Practice for this Friday night was cancelled in advance due to predicted temperatures in the low 40s).  Despite being "shivering cold" as Ryan described it, he did a great job and was such a little trouper considering he has been suffering from horrible seasonal allergies and was feeling the effects of the Benadryl he took prior to practice.  His performance also noticeably improved as he went through each successive skill station.  He didn't get as much practice batting as he would have liked since those were the drills that his group didn't have time to complete.  However, we have tee ball stands at home that he can use to perfect his hitting technique, and he'll always be a grand-slam player in Mommy's completely unbiased opinion!

Day 80 (3/21/11) - "Hey Dad, you wanna have a catch?"

Although on the surface, baseball is pretty boring, there is something special about the sport.  It evokes feelings of tradition, patriotism, and nostalgia.  It is also an important cornerstone in the foundation of father-son relationships.  Playing a game of catch with your dad is practically a rite of passage.  Sportswriter Chris Bellamy describes it best:  "There's a certain peace and contentment that comes from a game of catch, a certain connection, one that so many fathers and sons can't define but completely understand. It's kind of like saying 'I love you' without actually saying it." 

For these reasons, many say that getting their first baseball glove was a milestone moment in their childhood.  Baseball gloves are like a promise and a memory - of camaraderie and togetherness, heroics and victory.  A baseball glove can conjure up dreams of sliding into home plate and making the winning run, catching a fly ball for the final out, or pitching a no-hitter.  It can also bring back memories of little league, major league, and neighborhood pickup games as well as those all-important backyard games of catch.

Over the years, I would imagine that the simple back-and-forth game of catch between father and son evolves from instructional to relational - from teaching proper techniques to chasing errant throws to casually discussing problems with school, girls, and other important life lessons. 

There's nothing better or more timeless than a game of catch.  I guess that's why the baseball movie Field of Dreams resonates with so many people across so many generations.  And who can forget the final scene of the movie when Kevin Costner's character invites the ghost of his estranged father for a game of catch.  Armed with his first baseball glove and the promise of warmer days ahead, I can't wait to hear Ryan ask, "Hey Dad, you wanna have a catch?"     

One day, many years from now, I hope Ryan will find his first baseball glove in a box hidden in the corner of his attic, smell the leather, remember the sting of his palm when he caught a hard throw, and recall the many games of catch he shared with his Dad. 

Here are some photos from when Daddy and Ryan went to pick out his first baseball glove.  When they got home, Daddy showed Ryan how to wear the glove and gave him some tips on catching and throwing the ball.  Ryan was so proud of himself when he caught his first ball!  He is eager to start practicing his new skills and is very excited about his upcoming tee-ball season.  He's so attached to his glove, he sleeps with it right next to him!

Day 79 (3/20/11) - Rookie Drivers

This morning we went to a bounce party for the Ruffini's daughter's 5th birthday.  The boys had a lot of fun bouncing on the inflatables.  Mommy hauled Gavin up the super slides while Daddy spent some time catching up with Mr. Tom, his old college friend and fire house roommate, who he hadn't seen in awhile.  After the boys grew tired and bored with the inflatables, they had fun chasing each other in these Little Tikes cars.  They remind me of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble in their foot-powered cars!

Day 78 (3/19/11) - Matching PJs

The boys model their matching raccoon pajamas, while sitting in their coordinating chairs.  The image is blurry because at the last minute, they thought it would be funny to switch seats (the red chair is Ryan's and the navy one is Gavin's).  Don't they look completely tickled and pleased with themselves?!  They're already teaming up to tease me.  I can't imagine the trouble (and grey hair) they'll cause when they're teenagers!

Learning to Read

Ryan has started to read books on his own.  He relies on sight word recognition, context clues, and memory to help him read. 

Sight words are words that appear frequently in the literature that kids read, but can't be sounded out.  Since he currently knows about 70 sight words, he can easily identify most of the words in his favorite books.

In addition, a lot of the early reader books include detailed pictures to provide visual context for the story and help children fill in the gaps for words they are unable to read.

Finally, Ryan has a memory like an elephant.  It's amazing how much he retains after one reading of a book.  For example, a few months ago I read him a Batman book that he had gotten for Christmas.  Mike had only read the book to him once before.  The text used the word "goons" to refer to the Joker's henchmen.  Assuming that language was a little advanced for him, I substituted "bad guys" for "goons."  He immediately noticed and corrected me!

Regardless of what resources he uses to help him read, we're extremely proud of the progress he's made.  Here he reads a book about snails that his teacher sent home. 

I must admit, despite how excited I am about this development, I am a little sad, too.  I really enjoy the time we spend cuddled together reading books before nap and bed time.  It's another example of why the song, "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins that I referenced in a previous post is so meaningful and emotional for me.  I can remember those nights when we'd read Ryan 5 or more books before bed and he'd beg for "just one more book."  Naturally, after we gave in and read another book, he'd beg for another!  I didn't appreciate it at the time and now I'd do anything to have those days back.  All too soon, he'll be reading on his own completely and not need or want my help.  For now, the tables have turned and it's mommy pleading for "just one more book."

Day 77 (3/18/11) - Day at the Park

Today was too beautiful not to get outside and enjoy the spring-like temperature!  We picked Ryan up from preschool, ordered food from Burger King, and headed to a local park for a picnic.  After we finished lunch, the boys played, explored the playground, and practiced soccer for a couple of hours.  Then, we cooled off with ice cream from Dairy Queen.  When we got home, the boys begged to play outside for a little while longer.  Almost two hours later, I had to drag them inside for dinner and baths.  We had two tired, dirty boys at the end of the day!  That's the way every day should end for little boys - the dirtier and sleepier you are, the more fun you had, right?!

Ryan enjoys the view from the top of the jungle gym.

Gavin imitates Jack Nicholson in "The Shining."

Gavin points to his ear to let us know he hears an airplane flying overhead.

Ryan rests on the bleachers before challenging Daddy to another game of soccer.

Monkey see; monkey do.  Gavin will fearlessly follow Ryan anywhere. 

Mike briefly snuck away to get his hair cut.  He admitted the stylist looked at him strangely when he described the cut he was looking for.  Here he models the style that he was hoping to achieve when he had Ryan's hair cut several weeks ago.  Ryan is very upset and sensitive about his new hairstyle and refuses to wear it spiked up in the front.  Mike figured he'd get a similar style as a sign of solidarity and to encourage Ryan to embrace his new style.  Tell me that's not an awesome Dad!  Perhaps I should stop using my hair dryer and flat iron in an effort to match Gavin! 

Day 76 (3/17/11) - Little Leprechauns

Ryan and Gavin show their Saint Patrick's Day spirit (although in some of the pictures Gavin looks more like a rapper than a leprechaun)!  They did not, however, enjoy their dinner of corned beef and cabbage!  Mommy made the mistake of not wearing green today and was chased around the house by two little munchkins trying to pinch her!

Day 75 (3/16/11) - Daddy in Action

Late this afternoon, Mike called to tell us he'd been dispatched to a local high school for an injured lacrosse player.  He estimated he had a 15 minute flight time to the scene, and suggested I take the boys there to see him in action.  To say they were excited would be an understatement!  The members of the boys' lacrosse team, who had gathered to watch the helicopter transport their injured teammate, were surprised to see some crazy woman come peeling into the parking lot, unload two young boys, and then proceed to photograph the entire incident!

Ryan and Gavin watch as the helicopter comes in for a landing in a nearby soccer field.  If you look really closely at the "driver's side" window of the helicopter, you can see Mike's white helmet.

Mike makes his way to the waiting ambulance to assess the patient.

The boys are very excited to see Daddy in action.

Mike removes his helmet prior to entering the back of the ambulance.  A few minutes later he emerges from the ambulance and, with the help of a few firemen and EMTs, moves the patient to the back of the waiting helicopter.

As a safety precaution, prior to take-off, Mike walks around the aircraft to make sure all of the doors, compartments, and latches are secured.

The helicopter then takes off and heads to Shock Trauma.

Day 74 (3/15/11) - Storytime

This morning we attended storytime at the local library.  The theme of today's session was ducks, which absolutely thrilled Gavin.  The librarian read 5 books about ducks; each time she turned the page and Gavin saw a new duck he would gasp, point excitedly and quack loudly.  We attracted a lot of attention! 

Afterward, the boys played in the children's area.  Ryan spent most of his time on the kids' computer and Gavin played with foam blocks and puzzles.  It's only a matter of time before Ryan is teaching me how to use a computer and all the other latest technology! 

Before we left, we explored the aisles of children's books.  Ryan checked out a book about airplanes to give him an idea of what to expect when we fly to Jamaica next month.  He also got the football book, "Family Huddle," written by Peyton, Eli, and Archie Manning.  It's a cute story that describes basic football plays such as the button hook, quarterback sneak, fade, and hook and ladder.  I read both books to him at least 3 times today!  Gavin discovered the book, "Toot Toot Beep Beep,"which is written by the same author who wrote his favorite book, "Tip Tip Dig Dig."  He has carried it around everywhere with him, not letting it out of his sight for a minute.  In fact, at bedtime, after reading it to him, he insisted that I put it right next to his crib since I wouldn't let him sleep with it!   

Day 73 (3/14/11) - Preschool Parent Volunteer

Today I was the parent helper in Ryan's preschool class.  Daddy stayed home with Gavin so I could take Ryan out to a special "Donut Date" breakfast before school.  It was wonderful (and long overdue) to have some one-on-one time with him. 

Once we got to school, he immediately rushed off to join his friends.  However, during open play, he quietly snuck over to deliver a pretend box of chocolates to let me know he was thinking of me.  I LOVE this boy!

Ryan's teacher asked to do our parent/teacher conference today, while I was in the classroom for my scheduled volunteer day.  She raved about his performance in school and gave him the highest rating across all evaluative measures.  She was particularly impressed with how well he is doing with his sight words.  He has learned 70 sight words and should learn the remaining 30 before the end of the year.  His teacher and I both think he'll be reading soon.  In fact, she sent him home with his first book to read to Mommy and Daddy.  Finally, she praised his inquisitiveness, participation in class discussion, kindness toward his classmates, and willingness to follow direction.  We couldn't ask for better feedback than that!  We're so proud of him, particularly his developing character and his desire to learn.      

Day 72 (3/13/11) - Spring Ahead

Last night, on the eve of Daylight Savings Time, I dreaded the hour of sleep that I knew would be lost as we set our clocks forward.  The alarm clock in the master bedroom automatically resets the time to account for Daylight Savings Time.  But, all of the other clocks in the house have to be manually reset.  I tell you all this to set the stage for the unexpectedly beautiful start to my day.

When Ryan called out to me this morning, I groggily opened one eye and saw that it was 5:45 am.  As I stumbled down the hallway to his room, the fog in my brain began to clear, and I realized that his alarm clock still read 4:45.  Yay!!!  I leaned over, kissed his forehead, and happily (actually, giddily) reminded him that if the first number of his alarm clock is a 4 or 5, that means he has to go back to sleep.  Then I raced back to bed to see how much more sleep I could squeeze in before Gavin woke up! 

Now bedtime was a different story.  It was strange to start the boys' bedtime routine at 6:30 pm, while it still felt like 5:30.  And, Ryan refused to go to bed while it was still light out.  I guess I was being too optimistic to hope for an extra hour of sleep in the morning while still maintaining the same bedtime! 

Although it means that schedules will have to be adjusted, I have to admit the longer days signal the coming of Spring.  It's nice that it's still dark around the time the boys normally wake up.  Hopefully that will extend their wake-up time by encouraging them to roll over and go back to sleep.  And, the fact that it stays lighter later into the evening, reminds me of those long days of summer that are packed with so much fun.
 
In addition to Daylight Savings Time, popsicles are another sign that warmer days are ahead!  I think each of the boys ate at least 4 popsicles over the course of the day.  To justify it, I tell myself it's healthier than cookies, gummy snacks, and all that candy that Ryan collected at the St. Patrick's Day parade!

Day 71 (3/12/11) - St. Patrick's Day Parade

Luckily for us, Granddaddy's birthday weekend happened to coincide with Ocean City's annual St. Patrick's Day parade.  Granddaddy provided all of the "flair."  With flashing shamrock necklaces, beads, hats, green hair, and light-up sunglasses, I thought we looked particularly spirited and festive.  I was surprised to discover that we paled in comparison to some of the outfits and accessories we saw.  Apparently people go all out for this!  But, we trumped them all since we brought a stout Guinness with us to the parade (the dog not the brew!). 

On the way out of town, we stopped by Mommom's for a brief visit since she hadn't seen Mike since mid-January.  Plus, she's always eager to spend time with her grandsons, even if they look like leprechauns!

Day 70 (3/11/11) - Granddaddy's Birthday

This weekend we made a whirlwind 24-hour trip to Ocean Pines to help Granddaddy celebrate his 65th birthday.  When we arrived on Friday afternoon, Granddaddy suggested that we go to an indoor miniature golf course in Ocean City since we had a few hours to spare before the dinner party began.  Everything was going smoothly until the 8th or 9th hole, when Gavin accidentally fell into the water.  Thankfully, Granddaddy was close by and was able to grab him soon after his head went under.  Although Gavin was unfazed by the experience, the rest of us were pretty shaken.  It was certainly a "teachable moment."  It was an opportunity to remind Ryan of water safey rules and instruct him as to how to handle emergencies in the future (e.g., scream like a banshee until help arrives!).  More importantly, for us it was a wake-up call that although we think of Gavin as our little bruiser, he's still at a vulnerable age.  I admit, at times I've been somewhat complacent, especially compared to how overly vigilent I was with Ryan at this stage.  But no more.  Our independent little explorer is going to have to get used to being constantly shadowed by Mommy or Daddy from now on.  The good news is that he's safe and so far shows no signs of any infection or communicable disease from that nasty golf course water!    

When we returned to Granddaddy's house we bathed Gavin in the hottest water he could tolerate, dressed him in clean clothes, and did a quick load of laundry.  Shortly afterward, the rest of the party guests started to arrive.  Great-Grandmom, Aunt Susan (who was visitng from New Orleans), Uncle Matty, Uncle Brett, and Grami Shar's family all came to help make Grandaddy's birthday extra special, especially since this was the first birthday in years that he celebrated at home rather than at a Caribbean resort!

For his birthday, Ryan and Gavin presented Granddaddy with original paintings to hang in his office or at home.