It's a Zoo!!

Sam and I planned a vacation day for this past Friday and months ago decided that since William's favorite book is Goodnight Gorilla that we should spend the day at the zoo.  We were originally going to go to the Atlanta zoo - but did you know that tickets are $18!!  Plus the gas up, plus you can't bring in your own food, etc etc - so we went to the Montgomery zoo instead.  Half the cost, same drive, we could bring a picnic - win win win.  So off we went at 8:30am, car packed, baby all set with toys and snacks, and plenty of time to drive through Alabama.

Hey Kitty Kitty!!

And the drive was pretty easy.  I forgot to eat breakfast - I know - how can a pregnant lady forget to eat?! Well, inbetween getting William ready, myself ready, and keeping him off of table tops, there is plenty of time to forget to eat.  So I made Sam stop in Opelika or maybe it was Auburn...for butter biscuits and a sprite.  Yum yum.  But we still made it to the zoo in 1 hour and 45 minutes, right on schedule.  15 minutes after they opened.

These were the best monkeys - so fun and playful - and there was even a baby monkey!!

And perfect timing to realize that a kindergarten was also taking a field trip.  yay....not so much.  Suddenly all of my teachers and chaperones look like saints.  Turns out I have very little patience for children who are not mine. And all these kids were just big enough to run over William but too small to care or look out.  Very frustrating.  I'm pretty sure Sam told me to keep my comments to myself (or atleast for them to be truly "under my breath") more than once.  oops...

Posing with the pigmy hippo

Anyhow.  William loved the zoo.  We started left and went to Australia and he knew what the kangaroos were!  I have no idea how - they are not in Goodnight Gorilla - but he was talking to them and pointing saying 'roo... ?! He may not have a very large vocabulary, but he is brilliant.  (atleast we think so...)  There were also lots of birds in that same exhibit and he had a great time.  Plus, the choo choo train came by very close and he thought that was great too.  (he had no idea he would get to actually ride it later!!!)

If only he was smiling - this would be my new favorite picture of all-time...

Next up was one of my favorites of the day - Tigers in Asia.  One tiger especially was putting on a show walking back and forth not 12 inches from the glass and William loved it.  He can't say tiger but he can say Kitty!!  So he told the big kitty Hi a couple of times, banged on the glass, and had a generally wonderful time.

Taking a picture with the cut out monkey just seemed appropriate for some reason

We saw a bison? next - it was a very large looking cow animal and he mooed at it.  And there were deer in the same enclosure that fascinated William - it took a very long time to get him to look at the bison/cow/animal.  It was so much fun getting down on his level with the video camera peeking through the wood fence to see what he was seeing as he talked to them.

We were absolutely terrified he was going to drop that blue car over the edge and the humongous meltdown that would inevitably follow.

The cutest pat was when we got to the lions.  Sam snagged a spot right by the glass and the lion was showing off walking back and forth (just like the tiger - they must have a complex).  William just roared and roared at the "big kitty" and it was perfectly adorable.  Of course, I wasn't able to get a video of it because of the hoards of kindergarteners and their rude grandparents.  We even went back to get a video but the lions were taking a mid-afternoon nap and weren't inspiring William to roar very much.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.

So tired waiting on the train to move.

We ate lunch at the playground, William gorged himself on some lunchable turkey circles and goldfish, we finished out the North America section, and then we went to the car to take apart the bike trailer turned cadillac stroller so we could....wait for it...............ride the choo choo train!!!!

One of the few train pictures with his face in the frame - most of the time he was glued to the front of the train taking it all in.

Poor guy hadn't taken a nap, except for 30 minutes in the car on the way down, so he was more than a little worn out.  He wanted to sit all by himself though.  Wanted nothing to do with mommy & daddy.  Fine.  I like to snuggle with the hubs without a little person inbetween anyway.   It was the perfect end to a great day.  We even saw some ponies that apparently live in the woods by the lake - quite a surprise!

Just to prove that all three of us were there at the same time we took a family picture right before we left

So then we headed home and I'm pretty sure that William was asleep before we had been on the road five minutes and he slept nearly all the way back.  Easy cheesey.  I might've tried to squeeze in a catnap myself but  found it more than a little difficult to get comfortable.  I may not look very pregnant just yet, but this chubby belly of mine was causing some serious car sleeping issues.

Oh!  And because I think I forgot to mention it, and this blog is how I keep track of things like this, William was 26.2 lbs and 34 inches tall at his 18 month well check, which I think was in February.  February 12th maybe?  Hmm...gonna have to look that one up I suppose.  Anyhow.  He grew a whole 2 inches since his 15 month well check - which we probably already knew since I had to let the hem out on many of his pants.  And we were being dorks and watching old videos of him last night - and he has grown a nice little belly in the past 1-2 months.  Definitely not a "big" kid by any means, but a little less of a squirt now.

Loves!

A "quiet" Sunday morning

William slept in until 8:00am Sunday morning!!  Totally unheard of.  That kid is usually up at 'em by 7:00 at the latest...  And it's more awesome because Sundays are "mommy morning" days - so I didn't have to get up until 8am either.  Gotta love him.

I completely forgot that Sunday is cinnamon roll breakfast day - how I forgot when it's been that day for well over a year now - but I did and gave the munchkin vanilla yogurt.  He loves it.  He gets to use a spoon like a big boy and he didn't ask for cheese for once in his life.  I'm going to blame the whole thing on him sleeping late - I was pretty sure none of it was even real.

Usually Sam would get to sleep an extra hour after me and the baby get up but at 8:30 I told Sam he better get up soon or he was going to feel like he missed his whole day.  And that's true.  If I'd let him sleep until 9 he would've been ticked off and wondering what happened all day long.  He got up, made a bagel, and then we were off to the park.  The idea being that it wouldn't be hot, William wouldn't need sunscreen and a hat, and there wouldn't be gobs of people not watching their children stomp all over my little kid.  Just saying.

We got there a little after 9am I think and it was great.  Except for the massive amount of trash everywhere.  Seriously.  It was disgusting.  We were constantly saying "No" "Trash"  "Yuck Yuck".  I guess the city doesn't want to work on Saturday, but you would think with such a high profile park/playground - they would make a little effort.  Whatever.  Maybe I'll start a Sunday morning clean up group.  Moving on.  William went down a slide, cleaning up pollen and dew with his navy pants (second pair of the day already - the yogurt mysteriously got on his previous gray ones...).  So, we gently pointed him to the swings.

In the past couple weeks he hasn't been able to get a turn on the good baby blue swing - he always has to go to the red one.  So, of course, he made a bee-line for the red one even though there was no one else to take his turn and Sam had to pick him up and carry him back to the good swing.  And all is wonderful.  He's kicking and laughing - we're taking pictures (with Sam's parents' camera) and it's turning into a really fun morning.

And then this kid (who I thought was 19 or 20) walks in to the park.  I thought it was a little strange that he would even be awake, and Sam was afraid we were about to be robbed because we had the camera out, but he just crossed in front of us like he was taking a short cut to the other side or something.  But then he knocks over the trash that was piled way high on the trash can that was about 20 feet from where we were swinging.  I said "Seriously?!" because the park was already trashed and now there is even more on the ground - kids are going to start showing up and it's disgusting and there was no reason for it.

He looks back at us, and I swear I could barely understand/hear a word that came out of his mouth, but I heard him say "Man, I'm so jacked up" blah blah blah.  I know he said more - but that's all I could get.  Sam and I talk and watch him because it's so very strange and I'm pissed that now when we are done swinging there is going to be more "no" "trash" "yuck yuck"... Kid walks away towards the tress/tennis courts and I'm just thinking thank goodness.  Keep moving.  But no.

Humongous man child picks up a humongous stick by the trees and begins smacking the tree with it as he decides to come back around.  He circles the tree and comes back up the other path by other playground equipment, messes with another trashcan and grabs a bottle out of it.  Crosses in front of us the same way as before.  At this point, I'm honestly a little more than concerned and feeling very threatened.  He was no less than 6 feet tall and somewhere in the 250 kinda range.  Huge.  And he's mumbling.  And looking at us.  And I don't like it.  At all.

So awesome.  He's back to standing at the original trashcan (let me remind you 20 FEET AWAY!!) and he's pushing more trash on the ground and mumbling something and staring us down.  Which, we're staring him down pretty seriously too - so I guess that was warranted... ?  Sam and I both took turns telling him to just Move On.  We're just trying to play with our kid, this is a place for children, please just go somewhere else.

Well, he really has no intention of  going anywhere.  All through our "conversation", I'm also telling Sam just to call the police.  I feel threatened, this is not good, just call 911.  I move from behind William pushing him to in front - so I would be between scary humongo boy and William.  Just felt like the smart thing to do.  And I guess at about the same time, Sam decided he should call the police and puts his phone to his ear.

Humongo spooky kid didn't like that and threw the bottle he was holding at Sam.  I just heard the thud from Sam swatting it away and it hitting the ground.  Next thing I know - Sam has charged humongo spooky kid and is yelling bloody murder at him while chasing him towards Cherokee Ave.  He made quite the scene, and thank goodness people (everyone!!) paid attention.  The newspaper lady had seen the whole thing, one of her customers in a car followed around the corner, and apparently a whole slew of other people were actual witnesses.

I was more than a little stunned at the whole thing.  I quickly picked up William out of the swing and held him close as we watched his Daddy chase the bad man.  Not ashamed to say, I really was pretty scared at this point.  Started crying - I was so startled by all of it.  Never seen my husband act like that, but so thankful at the same time.  I really wasn't sure where any of it was going and even more happy I had the forethought to put myself between bad man and the baby.

Spooky kid stayed on the walking path and stopped running at some point - so Sam could slow down and call 911.  He used the words "Lakebottom Park" and "assaulting people" and the cops showed up pretty quickly.  Also  good.  Apparently the kid was only 15 years old and both the cops who showed up had arrested him on two separate occasions and liked him for other crimes.  Awesome.

Maybe about 20 minutes later, not sure - time kinda stands still or moves insanely fast at the park chasing a busy boy, he walks back.  He won't let me go give a statement.  Says the cops are finishing up, and that the kid will probably be released to his mother since the chances of getting him in YDC are pretty slim...  Boo - I think they should've taken him to real jail then, but I guess there are rules against that.  Apparently Sam will get a call when a court date is set and I'm kinda looking forward to going in all of my pregnant glory and show that thug of a kid what a disgusting piece of scum he is to get into it with a family trying to have a nice Sunday morning.

I am incredibly proud of my husband and how he handled the whole thing.  And I kinda love that in "fight or flight" - he has FIGHT.  And spooky boy better be glad he was flight and kinda fast - because Sam would've probably killed him while protecting his family.  You just don't mess with someone's pregnant wife and son.  We joked that Sam is cleaning up the park one thug at a time... :)  Now if we could just repeat it without the assault and scariness to get the park cleaned up - but that's another story (rant) for another day.

So, yeah, what was supposed to be a sweet family morning turned into a thug getting chased out of the park and charged with littering, disorderly conduct, and assault.

Serves him right.  Thug.

We couldn't be more excited!!

Loves!!

Where oh where did my sweet Nikon go?

Our camera is broken.  I have no idea what has happened but it will no longer autofocus and with a kid as busy as William - we might as well throw the camera against a wall then try and manually focus a picture.  Just saying. So there will be no more cute pictures of a silly boy until we figure out where/how to get it fixed.  I could cry.. but then I realize that it's silly and there are literally tens of thousands of pictures of William... Still.

I was smart this week - I wrote down a list of cute things to blog about.  Now if I can remember what my random short hand notes me - I'll really be in business.

Last Sunday we finally found ourselves having to put William in timeout.  He just wouldn't listen or follow instructions and he had the devilish grin like he knew what we were saying - he just didn't care.  So after the gazillionith time of telling not to climb on something (I actually can't remember what his first offense was - but there is a 70% chance that he was climbing on a table) - I had had enough of saying No No and off he went to timeout.  Which is really just the spot on the floor in the dining room underneath the window.  Yeah, we're real official over here... ha!  If we had a chair - he would just move it - so then it would become a play chair and not the timeout chair and he'd be sitting on the floor anyhow.  Ok - back to the point.  He actually accepted that he was in timeout and sat there until we said.  I was really impressed.   I don't think they do time out at school, so I don't know where he learned it, but I accept all kudos anyway.  Then after about 30 -60 seconds - I told him he could get up, go tell Daddy he was sorry and give him a hug.  And he did.  Well, I don't think he said "sorry" but I'm sure he jabbered something while hugging Sam's leg.  There were timeouts every night for a couple of days and then I'm hoping that he stopped behaving badly and not that we are inconsistent... I can't remember that either.  Oops.

In other big news - the kid who eats nothing but fruit - not only ate his dinner all week, but also ate broccoli and zucchini!  I don't remember the last time I was so proud.  Seriously.  I must have very low standards because I was grinning ear to ear.  It's funny though, because William only likes the fuzzy ends of the broccoli and when I was a kid, I only liked the stems... Maybe it's only funny to me... But who cares - it was green AND a vegetable AND he swallowed it.  Repeatedly.  So exciting!!  We still "cheese" and "more" way too often before dinner, but he can have whatever he wants if he'll eat his dinner.  With utensils.  Yep - he's getting to be very accomplished with a fork and spoon.  Sweet little boy thinks he's a big boy.  He might be already - maybe I haven't noticed... ?

I found out on Monday that my husband, who I have known for almost 8 years now, does not like cherry filled pastries.  It's his least favorite flavor.  How in the world did I not know this?!!  Of course, I found out when I brought home cherry turn overs after the Junior League meeting.  I mean, they weren't so terrible that he didn't eat his half, but I was more than willing to eat his too if he was going to flat refuse.. haha.  Food doesn't go wasted in this house.  Especially if it's sweet.

This week marked William's first full week in the Toddler Room.  And, I have to say, he did pretty well.  He must've slept extra late on Monday, because I ended up taking him to school.  And that was an adventure.  It's not exactly our routine that I have to get ready alongside William - so that was a miracle that we were both clean and dressed just in time to get him to school and me to work and no one would be late.  That is, until, I pick him up and he's got stinky pants.  Only my kids poops at exactly 8am every morning.  (I truly have no idea if he is that clockwork, but whatever)  I put everything back down, take his shoes off, take his pants off, change his lovely smelling diaper, put everything back on.... and he is refusing to go anywhere without his Penguin pillow pet (I still haven't figured out a good name - I like Pogo - but my in-laws have a possum named pogo...anyhow)  I give in - he can take it in the car.  And he has a paci in his mouth.  I cede that one too.  Figure we will leave both of them in the car when we get to school.  William had other ideas.  I was able to get the paci out of his mouth relatively easily, but the Penguin was going with him.  He walked in like a big boy.  A big boy carrying a very large Penguin.  And then, when we got to his classroom he wouldn't let me put it in his cubby.  The kid is seriously attached.  I ended up getting him to sit at the table to eat  breakfast by letting his Penguin sit right next to him.  That's not actually too strange, because he's been wanting to eat meals with Bobo or Hilbert sitting with him, but those are much smaller animals.  Much smaller.  They fit in the chair with William smaller... just saying.  The teacher let it go though - so I guess she was afraid of seeing a true meltdown if she didn't give in as well.  Either way - I left and he was happy.  And then I there was no more crying the rest of the week in the morning.  I think he cried once or twice when he saw Ms. Pat, but that stopped by the end of the week too.  I think it helps that his best friend is in the class.

OH!!  He had pink eye this week.  And I had no idea - but it's not really that big of a deal.  Atleast if it's the viral kind... it's basically just a runny nose coming out of your eye.  Strange.  Paid $25 to learn that from Pediatric Acute Care, but I was happy for the note that said he could go back to school.  And he had a double ear infection too.  William doesn't tell us anymore if his ears hurt - so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to know... we just always end up at the doctor's anyhow.  Snotty eyes will do that.  And thankfully the pink eye didn't really stick around.  He was crusty in the morning when he woke up and we had a 'great' time getting dried boogers out of his eyelashes but then he did have any more ooze the rest of the day.  Because I'm sure I would've gotten a phone call if he had.  Gotta love it when schools freak out.

The rest of the week was pretty calm.  And this weekend was lovely.  I had William all to myself Saturday morning because Sam had a conversion and then had to do some work at his Dad's office.  Then, at 3 (actually 3:30....) BeBe picked up William to go stay the night at their house.  So - I sewed and sewed.  I made William's Easter outfit during his nap - still has to get monogrammed - and then I sewed another john john out of blue seersucker/ticking/super lightweight cotton whatever it is fabric with a blue whale appliqued on the front.  A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.  Seriously - I'm in love.  Then I went super crazy and made one today (since it was Sam's turn to watch the kid for hours on end by himself) out of yellow corduroy with a car appliqued on the front AND it has car buttons on the shoulders.  I die it's so cute.  Too bad the camera's broken... :(  And the best part is that they are fully lined too.  So no stringys.  Love it.  Now if the gingham seersucker would just go on sale at Hancock's I would be elated.  Kid is going to be super well-dressed this spring/summer.

On a pregnancy front, I'm still getting sick.  But I think it is officially related to icecream.  So - bye bye icecream.  Still trying to figure out what to replace it with though.  Chocolate chip cookies did a pretty good job yesterday, and cheesecake is making a run for the spot today, but the jury is still out.  I need something that comes in a gallon container for $5... Any ideas? ha!  And I swear I'm getting huge.  Though I think it might be mostly in my head.  But, I thought it enough to have the fleeting idea to go running tonight, but then I started writing this blog, and just kept going... I think my brain doesn't want to go running so it's making you listen to a bunch of my random thoughts... I don't know.  Just a guess.  And it probably wouldn't be such a hot idea to run since I get seriously winded walking up steps.  I did learn today, off of Sam's Baby App on his iPhone, that I am winded so easily because of the increase in blood volume or flow or something.  Whatever. Seems strange that more blood makes it harder to breathe - but that's what the app says - and apps don't lie. And the baby is the size of a lemon.  But they also think that a lemon is bigger than a peach.  I guess only when lemons are grown with steroids in the ground.... Just saying.  I think peaches are bigger - but maybe Georgia DOES put peach 'roids in the soil so we'll have the biggest and best peaches.  Can't have the Peach State putting out tiny peaches.  That's bad for business.

Officially moving on.  Sorry there aren't any pictures - but you're just going to have to get used to that because fixing cameras takes money and my kid drinks a lot of apple juice.  Sorry...

Loves.

I've been keeping mum...

Every time I sit down at the computer to write a blog post, I can never remember anything even remotely interesting that happened the past week.  Every. Single. Time.   I should really start keeping a mini-notebook to jot things in so this isn't so painful.

Hmmm... This week must've been lowkey.  Nothing major and exciting - which is nice too.  This entire post is going to be much too boring unless I go ahead and break the big news.  Most of you already know anyway, all of my two readers, but

William is going to be a 

BIG BROTHER!!!!

We found out about the newest Rumer surprise about a week into January - just in time to not be able to make any changes to our healthcare plan of course.. .awesome. ha!  And the new baby is due September 8.  Weird - this time around we will  be picking the birthday - strange.  I only have two requirements on that front - the day must be in September and it must be an odd number.  Not limiting at all right?! ha!  Hopefully, the OB/GYN will let me have my way when we schedule the C-Section this month...

12 weeks pregnant and I have entirely too much hair - where in the world did my neck go?!

Ok - yeah.  So I'm 13.5 weeks pregnant.  Yay!!  I can't remember if I mentioned that we switched rooms with William...that was a purely nursery based decision.  Our bedroom was the only one with two walls to put the beds on - don't want new Baby freezing under a window - plus, I bet that's not such a good idea security wise either...  I'd like to say we've been hard at work making the room toddler/baby friendly - but, honestly, not so much.  It's still burnt orange (and our new room is still gray).  We aren't exciting about painting.  My Daddy did build some uber-fabulous toy bins though - that is certainly helping with the one tornado we have.  And he's said that he is bringing two custom built bookcases to go on either side sometime this month!  Be still my heart - so excited!  Hopefully that will fully reign in the tornado.

I will say that so far this pregnancy has been much different than with William.  Mainly - I've been sick.  Throwing up sick.  I never once vomitted with William.  I was just kinda queasy most of the day - but this has been no fun at all.  This time around - I was super nauseous during the day for weeks and then I started throwing up every other night atleast.  Granted, it didn't show up until 9 or 10 weeks along, and it was only in the evenings, but ick.  Though, just in case you wanted to know, vomitting icecream isn't terribly unpleasant....in relative terms of course.  (sorry - that was really just documented for posterity's sake.. teehee)  Oh - and the bloating was out of control.  I was out of normal pants by 7 weeks.  I know it's my second baby, and it wasn't THAT long ago that I was pregnant, so my body probably does remember what to do REALLY well - but 7 weeks seemed a little ridiculous.  But seriously, I couldn't take sucking in and suffering through work in my pretty pants one day longer.  Just saying.  So I've been sporting maternity pants for about 6 weeks now.  It's been pretty awesome.

Ok - back to the regularly scheduled program - the cute pint sized red head...

Such a serious athlete... ha!!

Last weekend we played outside in the yard since the weather was so pretty.  I think Sam was helping his Dad prune trees at the Law Office.  Oh - that was fun - we got called to bring some big "yard scissors" down there - and the office is right across from a fire station.  William immediately started saying "truck truck truck" and since Bill is now a Judge - we let him lead and get us in so William could see the big trucks up close and personal.  And he made himself right at home.  He wasn't scared or shy around the firemen, who were absolutely wonderful and so sweet to let us barge in, and just wandered around looking at the different trucks and the big wheels.  He wasn't so sure about sitting in the front seat of the fire truck though.  He did get a little scared, even with Grandaddy R up there with him.  The firemen invited us back to bring a camera and you better believe we will.  As soon as the weather is good again - it has rained ALL this weekend.  And it got cold today... so much for making the executive decision that it was Spring.  Glad I'm lazy and haven't packed my sweaters up yet!

He decided that a great game was throwing the football over the edge and making Momma go crawl in the bushes to get it.  Such a sweet boy...

Who wouldn't love this face?!

Cute story of the day - Sam likes to make up songs with made up words and make me dance with him.  As long as he keeps the volume under control - it's really really cute and sweet - I just can't take it when he sings REALLY loudly... (I hope you are taking note honey - Love you!)  Today's song was about "loving Sam" and he grabbed me in the hallway to dance.  William was in his room just staring at us and then all of sudden he jumped up and ran over, made both of us hold his hands and we had a wonderful little dance party in the hall.  And Pepito has got some serious wiggle moves.  Gonna have to steal the knee bounce I think... ;)

Loves.

Sick Days

I think I mentioned it earlier, but William was sick four out of five days last week.  10am on Tuesday I got the always fun phone call from Infant 5 that William had a fever.  Surprise.  I think he might always have one...but I left work anyway and picked him up.  We went to Wal-Mart to get meds (how we ran out of Children's Tylenol I'll never know...), Pedialyte, and then I always remembered how my mom made treats when we were sick.  Usually it was red knox blox - but I don't know how to make those - so I got muffin and brownie mix.

Then, just to make 100% sure that I was the super cool mom, I let William help make the brownies after his nap.  That pretty much goes against my pretend need to keep things clean but I thought he'd have fun.  And he did.  A lot of fun.  And then he threw a tantrum when I had to take the bowl away to put the mix into the mini-muffin pans.  (Two bite brownies...yum yum)

We thought he'd got back to school at lunch on Wednesday.  He was acting super pitiful all morning, but wasn't running a fever, and I ended up letting him go down for a nap around 10:30.  (After I completed my weekly 10am conference call with the client with him on laying on my shoulder while I stood at the computer with the cell phone to my ear - yep - still supermom over here... teehee)  Anyhow - he slept until about 12:30ish - and I guess I had already decided that he needed to stay home the afternoon too and I would just work from home.  I know I wasn't in work clothes at this point - so I'm going to stick to that story.  Well, at 1:00 - he threw up.  All over the kitchen.  Over and over.  It was so pitiful.  And there was nothing I could do but rub his back and try to aim him mostly to the floor and not on his clothes/shoes.  (all of which were immediately stripped and put in the washer)

He went immediately to the bathtub and I'm not sure he even realized he was sick.  Silly monkey.  And that's how the rest of the week went.  Just when we thought he was getting better he would throw up or have diarrhea.  We kept him home Friday for that specific reason - I was sure that the minute he walked into school he would throw up on one of the little girls in his class - and we'd be THOSE terrible parents....

So - I think we're all caught up.  The weekend was pretty low key.  I took a nap, William took a nap, and Sam slept in Sunday morning because he took Nyquil at 6am.  My hubs is brilliant.  But he did a lot of yardwork so I'll forgive him.

Loves.