The Coles Family

Summer Recap

2010-09-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

For the first time in six years Tony and I slept in to 7 o'clock before the sound of little pitter patter woke us this morning! And along with said pitter patter we woke to thunder storms and rain...ahh, fall. Of course that second part reminded me that I hadn't posted anything about our summer to the blog...so much for sleeping in.

This summer was a bit of a scheduling nightmare for me. We had Jayden playing T-ball, trips for vacations, playdates, and museum visits all scheduled into a very short 13 weeks. Admittedly, before school had let out I was a bit fearful of those 13 weeks...how was I going to manage to keep my sanity with two kids under foot for that length of time. As summer wound down, I couldn't believe 13 weeks flew by so quickly and I still felt like we had more to accomplish. Well, here are the highlights.

Jayden played T-ball on a Naperville Parks team. He loved every minute. We still can't catch and our throwing accuracy needs a little work but, we can sure hit a stationary ball. Now a days we don't keep score, nobody loses...therefore, nobody wins and at the end of the season every player gets there own trophy, certificate for good sportsmanship and a team photo. He liked it so much he wants to play coach pitch next year!

We now have our "Chicago House" summer traditions. We did our annual trip into the city for a weekend stay. The weekend we were in the city it was 95 degrees and mild humidity. Landon had a fever all weekend so he and I stayed at the hotel during the day while Tony and Jayden went out to Navy Pier and to take in Michigan Avenue. In the evening, Tony stayed with Landon while Jayden and I went to the movies. I think Jayden enjoyed this better because he got one on one time with both of us. And, we also took our annual trip up to Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin...95 degrees with high humidity, thank god for the water slides. We also did a little family round of miniature golf...I think Landon actually won! Says a lot for the rest of us, doesn't it.

I kept Landon in "school" through the summer which gave Jayden and I time to do some fun "Jayden" things. We went into the city once a month on the train to have lunch with Tony. We took in a museum each week (which usually included a ride into the city). We went to lunch at some of Jayden's favorite places. And, overall just had two days of Jayden/Mom time each week.

For trips: We finally made it back out to Seattle for a long weekend (85 and high humidity...noticing a theme this year?). Although we had a great time, it wasn't enough time because we didn't get to see all of our friends on this trip. I guess we'll just have to head back out next summer :) Tony took a trip out to Martha's Vineyard for a Radio Boys Weekend (as some of us have compared it; think Star Trek convention without Star Trek...just geeky). He also took a quick trip down to Miami for a friends birthday celebration. And next week, Jayden and I will be heading out for a Mommy/Jayden trip back to Portland to visit Jayden's best friend.

So now Jayden is finishing up his first month as a First Grader. School starting wasn't a big deal this year, he just fell right back into his routine. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Ose, and he has about half of his friends from his Kindergarten class in his class this year.

You know, as I was walking to school to pick Jayden up the other day, I was thinking we should purchase a new bigger bike for him and then I realized...we will only be walking to/from school for another four weeks before winter hits, snow starts falling and the temperature plummets...which means...Christmas is right around the corner...Wooohoooo!

Birthdays

2010-05-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

This year I decided I would do one post about the busy Birthday Season in our house, March through May. I know I'm a little late...but better late than never.

First up, Landon. Landon turned 2 at the end of March. He has embraced all there is to being two, especially those Terrible Twos Tantrums! He's learned a few things in the tantrum department from his big brother and he's putting it all to good use. His little vocabulary is expanding by the day but my favorite words are J.J. (it sounds more like Shay-Shay) and cracker (he breaks it up and it comes out Crack-Car). He's definately become more animated when talking and he loves to giggle and get you laughing as well. We celebrated his birthday very low key with an at home party with the four of us and a Mickey Mouse cake.

In between the boys was my birthday. Yay, 33! It was a good birthday. Jayden handmade me a coffee mug (with a little help from Daddy). Landon did the typical male thing, he added his name to the card and just went with whatever his Dad had picked out. I decided that part of my present was going to be a few days "off" so two days during my birthday week I didn't clean or cook; surprisingly, I nearly broke out in hives...it's hard allowing the house to be torn apart without following along and picking up.

And finally, Jayden. Jay turned 6 in May! He celebrated his birthday with a bowling party with 9 of his close friends from school. He was very excited to get his special birthday crown from school and have his class sing to him in Music class. Jayden is the typical 6 year old; loving outside and hanging with some his friends whenever he gets the chance. He is really looking forward to losing his first tooth sometime this year (nearly all of his classmates had lost at least one before the end of Kindergarten) and returning to school to start 1st Grade. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that he's a first grader now. Time flies.

That's all for birthdays until October when Mr. Coles turns...42!

Wait for it...wait for it...

2010-03-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

The last 5 (or so) seconds Landon transforms...

A Long Winter

2010-03-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

Winter #2 down. Oh my has it been a long winter. With that said, I have to admit this winter was a far cry from the severity of last winter. Yes, it was cold and yes, it snowed but not like last year. What was more severe, cabin fever.

I feel as though I have been in a cave for a year. Running to the grocery store is a chore when you have coats, mittens, hats and kids in tow. Heading to the mall, worthless...you spend ten minutes undressing from the outdoor elements only to have to carry all those extra layers through the mall with you. No midday walks. No getting out to run around the yard or play on the swings. I haven't sat in the sun in so long, my mom is probably darker than I am (and that says a lot)!

The kids are now accustomed to the weather and the Chicago past times. Landon doesn't like to leave the house without his little winter hat on. Jayden is excited to be going out to recess in 5 degree weather (and no, I'm not kidding there) while I mumble profanities under my breath every time I have to get out of the car during drop off. The whole family went out to ice skate...Jayden and I made it on the ice, Tony and Landon watched from the side. Jayden thinks he likes hockey but after watching the Olympics and seeing the agressive behavior, he's not so sure. He was very excited to be from the same city as Evan Lysacek, Olympic Gold Medalist in Men's Figure Skating.

Lately though, the days are lighter longer. The sun is shining. The snow is melting. It's almost warm enough to walk to school to pick up Jayden. I can feel hibernation season drawing to close. Thank god.

18 Years of Life

2010-01-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

Today, my beloved Tiger Kitty passed away. She lived a great long life of 18 years, 9 with us. She brought peace and love to our home. She was a loyal and loving friend and big kitty sister. She will be eternally missed.

Tiger Kitty Coles

5/5/91-1/29/10

Thankful

2009-12-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

I can hear the crowds beginning to gather in Times Square already...the end of a year and the start of a new one is upon us. This year has given us a lot to be thankful for and a few reminders of what is most important. It seems hard to believe that with the Christmas decorations and lights, we are also packing up '09 and the first decade of the 21st century...but, I'm getting ahead of myself...let's talk Christmas!

Jayden wrote his own letter to Santa this year. Of course it was like pulling teeth with that kid. One would think if you threaten a child with absolutely NO presents from Santa unless a letter is written and delivered, a fire would be lit under them and the letter would be finished and sealed before you complete the previous sentence...not Jayden. Jayden delivered his letter to Macy's Santa's Letter Mailbox on...December 21st! (Which in case you missing it, meant I had to go to a mall THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS!) The good news is that Santa recieved his letter in time for gifts to arrive on Christmas morning and I didn't have to hurt anyone to get a parking spot :)

Landon wanted absolutely nothing to do with Santa and the whole Santa thing. He didn't want to talk to, walk near, see or acknowledge anyone with a white beard, red suit or goes by the name of Santa. He did however fall in love with The Night Before Christmas book at the last minute...and Santa rewarded him, handsomely.

We want to thank everyone who gave so generously to Jayden and Landon this Christmas; I wish you all could have seen the excitement in their eyes on Christmas morning.

So the kids have been home for one week of their two week break. Landon usually only heads off to "school" twice a week but he too is staying home for a break. I have to say, it's a much easier day when they don't have to go off to school...they are on my routine and all is quiet...very little fighting, shouting or crying, no tantrums, lots of sharing and the occassional kiss on Landon's forehead from his big brother. I'm really going to miss my time with them once school resumes next week...until Monday afternoon when all hell breaks loose and they begin yelling and screaming at each other (which isn't really fair for Landon because he...nevermind, he makes up for a small vocabulary by trying to scratch his brother's eyes out...yep, all's fair again) and I will be counting the hours until the next school day begins.

And with the Winter Break comes milestones...Landon has left babyhood behind, he is now a big boy in a big boy bed. Okay, so really he just moved out of the crib and into a toddler bed but it's a big milestone...for us all. It means that he's no longer a "baby" and now our house is "babyless"...forever. We are done with cribs, bottles, formula and baby food for good...no going back...finished. I'm not that sentimental about potty training...the sooner the better on that one, I will gladly say goodbye to that last phase without a tear.

Oh yeah, and one more bit of good news...the cat made it to see another Christmas. I'm really starting to question her mortality. What other cat do you know is 17 with heart condition, asthma (that has gone dormant), diabetes (that is no longer detectable), a year long upper respitory infection (that is now cleared up), a case of "bulimia" that turned out to be an ulcer that dropped her weight down to 4 pounds but is now rebounding nicely and putting the weight back on. In the words of Grey's Anatomy...Seriously?

So to all, I wish you a wonderfully happy, healthy, and safe New Year...see you all in 2010.

P.S. As I was finishing up this post Tony informed me that Tiger is in kitty confinement because...she threw up. Great.

Fall & Halloween

2009-11-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

Each passing years seems faster and shorter than the last. We've already celebrated a year in Illinois. Landon is now attending "school" twice a week. Jayden just received his first report card (with solid "Secure" marks across the board...Secure is the Kindergardener's equivalent to an "A"). And, Halloween is now behind us with Thanksgiving and Christmas fresh on the horizon. Time needs to slow down a bit, just enough to allow us time to stop and enjoy the days going by.

Jay is really enjoying school. There is the occasional "bad" day, the days when the girls are being, well, girls and mean (really there seems to be just one mean girl who "knows" everything and proceeds to tell all the other kids that they don't measure up to her). Of course, as in years past, Jay seems to be one of the big men on campus; all the little girls surrounding him. I've always been very supportive and happy with this, Jay has never been the rough and tumble type boy so girl friends seem great...however, I'm starting to notice a little bit of a change. First, there are more girls. Second, some of them are "older" as in 1st and 2nd grade. And third, as we witnessed on Halloween...they squeal when they're around him. Yeah, I need this this early like a hole in the head.

Landon is...Landon. He is talking more now; "bus", "mouse", "meow", "doggie", "train", "choo choo", etc. He really enjoys going to school to visit with his friends, and like Jayden, has a thing for the ladies...especially cutie patootie Mary. He apparently plays "home living" with her a lot (they don't call it "house" any longer?). He's still very shy but seems to enjoy blowing kisses to anyone that talks to him. Presently, as I'm writing this, he is manhandling his brother, pushing him down because he didn't get his way! Ah, brothers.

Halloween came and went pretty fast this year. We decorated a little more outside but with storms and wind, most of my "web" was pulled down well before the holiday. Last year the weather was far wamer all month and leaves were still on trees. This year, the weather turned cold early, the leaves all fell and we froze as we went house to house (Jayden looked like a relative of Rudolph by the time walked back to the house). Raking leaves is not fun in 40 degree weather, even when both boys enjoy it and "help out".

With the weather cold and the leaves all fallen, it seems that fall has zoomed right past. The temps will continue to fall and snows will soon begin. The men will be here next week to put up the outdoor Christmas lights and then we're well on our way toward the winter season and holidays. Preparations are under way for the Winter Party in Jayden's class. My Christmas shopping is done! Now just let the days slow down a little and let's enjoy and appreciate these next few months, the last two months of 2009!

Vacation...Part 3...Chicago

2009-09-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

While we enjoyed out little "journeys" this summer, we were ready for a little stay-cation in downtown Chicago. This was the first opportunity for me and Landon to really spend time downtown; Jayden and Tony had done a few trips in for a boys weekend.

After picking Jayden up from his first full day of Kindergarten, me and the boys drove into the city and were meeting Tony at the hotel. Tony's commute was literary a walk across the street and down a set of stairs; we could see his building from our room.

Saturday...a lesson in fears. Jayden has been very interested in the Sears Tower and will quickly correct you if you call it the Sears Tower, it's name change took place a few weeks ago and it is now The Willis Tower. This summer they added an 'attraction' to the observation deck, Sky Ledge. They basically removed three windows and built glass boxes that stick out the side of the building so when you stand in them you are standing 103 stories above the streets of Chicago. So up we went, PACKED into a large elevator with about 50 people. The computer display shows you the various tall landmarks you pass on your ride to the observation deck. The heart started pounding. We arrive at Sky Ledge and I volunteer to take Jayden to the ledge so I can get some pictures...only I can't do it. I got to the ledge and stopped. Jayden walked out there like nothing, looking down and out along the horizon...I, was paralyzed. My heart was furiously beating, I was sweating and there was no way I was going out there...so I quickly took pictures of my little dare devil standing in the ledge...leaning against the outside glass...heart is leaping out of the chest now. Then, I quickly grabbed him and ushered him back to normal building material. So, Tony takes Jayden and Landon back out on the ledge for a second look. I swear I was near passing out.

After Willis Tower we headed back to the hotel for a little nap for Landon, everyone took advantage of nap time...including Jayden! Then we were off to Navy Pier.

We walked along Navy Pier taking it all in. Jayden found a little Thomas the Tank Engine ride and took a few turns on that. We also rode the carousel, and drove little remote control boats. Jayden had been asking for weeks about riding the giant Ferris wheel but the line was too long so we decided we would make a return visit in the morning.

Sunday...fears revisited. 10 am...Navy Pier and the Ferris wheel opens. We first stopped to ride Thomas...again, but this time we let Landon take a turn too. He cried when the operator had to pick him up to put him on the ride but Jayden quickly worked his big brother magic and calmed him down. Then is was off for the Ferris wheel. We were first in line...goody. The heart is starting to speed up. This Ferris wheel is huge...I mean HUGE. It stands 150 feet tall, is in constant motion (no stop for letting people on or off, you do all that while it moves) and it takes 7.5 minutes to do one revolution (translation: 7.5 minutes of hell). We're on, we're moving and as we are moving up...heart is pounding, palms are sweating and I have a death grip on Jayden, who by the way, is busy looking all around and pointing various interesting things out. Landon is good for about the first 2.5-3 minutes and then proceeds to spend the remaining time squirming about in Tony's arms...of course he waits until we are high in the air. When you get to the top it feels as though the wheel is slowing to a near stop and then finally we are on our way down. Heart is still about to leap from the chest and Jayden has tried numerous times to pry my hand from him waist. We finally unload from the Ferris wheel and my heart rhythm is beginning to regulate.

After all our exciting time at the pier we quickly drive down Michigan Avenue, there was no parking so we didn't even stop and shop, and headed for home.

So the lesson of my little weekend in the city; not for someone with a fear of heights.

He's a Kindergartner!!!

2009-08-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Today was Jayden's first day of Kindergarten! I can't believe this day has come. He on the other hand, had a great time. I can't believe I put as a special note on his enrollment forms that he is very shy and probably wouldn't talk much in the first few weeks...he talked to everyone and just jumped into playing with the other children. He makes me very proud.

Last night he helped pack his backpack with his school supplies.

And then today, he was off for his first day...

Tomorrow, his first full day!

Vacation...Part 2...Coles Family Farm

2009-08-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

Every summer we usually make the journey to the Coles Family Farm. This tradition has only been interupted twice...the summers that Jayden and Landon were born. So for Jayden, this is something he looks to and for Landon, it was a whole new adventure.

Unlike past summers, we made this trip by car...8 hours of car, each way. I was given a shortcut cheat sheet by a friend so we made much better time on the way in, I can't say as much for the return trip. However, our little travels weathered very well in both directions with Landon needing the most entertaining but that was to be expected. And, we only had two...ummm, I need to go potty...moments in a total of 18.5 hours of travel time!

It was the usual yearly family visit. We caught up on the family happenings. Saw people we hadn't seen in the last two years (remember we didn't visit last year because of Landon's birth). Melted in the intense humidity. And all in all, had a great visit. Tony and I even got a few minutes of kid free time, one on one time with Jayden and one on one time with Landon. Like I said, a great visit.

Jayden spent most of his time with his cousins Olivia and Cheyenne. Olivia and Jay rode bikes (Olivia rode her bike and Jay played on a "big wheels", however, it wasn't so big) in the front yard of the house. They even went up visit cousin Camelyn and her dozen of chickens, miniature goat, gaggle of cats and kittens, and throw in a few dogs for good measure...they may cover all the animals...I'm not entirely sure though.

Landon spent his entire trip avoiding people. All Grandma Coles wanted to do was hold that boy...but boy he did not want to be held. We thought he would surely come around by Saturday...we were leaving on Sunday...but low and behold, not a chance. He would come to people if they had food of course but he would only grab and run. I think Cheyenne and maybe Olivia were able to get close enough to hold him.

As Tony and I think back to this past week we have some great memories from this summer trip. Tony pulled Jayden and Landon around the front yard in HIS Radio Flyer Wagon...for the last time...Mama and Papa Coles sent the wagon home with us this year. Tony and I trying to check email on our iphones at the "communication tower" (standing IN the garden at the top of little hill in the yard next to house) every morning, and we each had to face different directions in order to get the best signal for each of our phones. Tony and I sitting in lawn chairs under the shade tree in the front yard trying to cool off...we were Mama and Papa Coles...the younger years. Aunt Mary arranged a private tour of the Zanesville Model Train Club Headquarters where they have over 1/4 mile model train layout, and seeing the excitement in Jayden's eyes. And, our final stop on the way home was the Hesston Steam Museum in Hesston, IN where Jayden got to see and ride some of his favorite steam locomotives from the video All About Trains for Kids.

We can't wait to do it again...

Vacation..Part 1...Great Wolf

2009-08-10T06:46:00.001-07:00

This year we decided to break our vacation up into little stays through out the month. After talking with one of our friends about their recent stay at a Great Wolf Lodge in Washington, we decided to book ourselves a little stay in a lodge near us. So stop number one, Great Wolf Lodge in the Wisconsin Dells.

The Great Wolf Lodge is a hotel really designed for total family enjoyment. Our room had a Wolf Den in it, a cave built into the room with bunk beds and a tv for the kiddos (Jayden loved it, Landon was stuck in the pack n' play). The hotel also has three indoor waterparks and one outdoor park as well. They have a breakfast buffet, grille and bar, starbucks, spa and childs spa to keep everyone happy and relaxed.

Day one; we rode a 15 gauge steam train. Of course we are always looking for train experiences for our little engineer Jayden. He loved this one. Not only do you ride the little train but at the end of the track while they are turning the engine around on the turntable, they tell you the history of the train you are riding. Couldn't have found a better way to start the vacation. Downside, the soot from the steam engine go all over our clothes.

Day two; rain, rain and more rain. Thank goodness we were staying somewhere that could entertain you all day. We started the morning with some breakfast at the Camp Critters Buffet and then it was off to the waterpark. Jayden was a little tenative, he hadn't been on waterslides before and had only just completed his first go round of swimming lessons. We stuck to the little kiddie slides for Jayden and Landon had fun "swimming" in the landing pool as we waited for Jayden to come out. After an hour and half of water fun it was time for a nap for Landon and Arcade time for Jay. After naps and playing in the room for a while we had dinner and then Tony and Jayden headed back down for round two in the waterpark. This time, Jayden was ready for one of the big slides...and he was loving it. This time Tony and Jay discovered the wave pool in another of the waterparks and spent quite some time there. Jayden took a little water to face once but didn't seem phased a bit.

Day three; more waterslides please. Just like the previous day, we had breakfast followed by waterslides. However, this trip was a little more eventful. Apparently, life vests only keep the child's head above water if the child doesn't come shooting down a waterslide or just fall over backwards...I missed Jayden as he came off a midsized slide and and then completely missed the grab on Landon as he decided to fall over backwards in the little kiddie pool with a depth of 1 foot, but enough to dunk the baby. Neither was phased as Landon came up signing for more and after Jayden was done coughing, he jumped up and down saying "I'm doing that one again". So after naps and arcades, we went out to ride the Wisconsin Ducks. Landon and I were just sweating through the one hour tour and Jayden and Tony were listening and taking in the sights. Jayden, Tony and I loved it...Landon enjoyed his Cheerios. Then it was back to lodge, and out of the humidity, for dinner and more waterslides. This time, my turn with Jayden in the evening. I only nearly drown him twice this time...missed the catch as he came shooting down a waterslide (in my defense, I didn't think he was going to get up and down as fast as he did and I didn't have enough time to get into the landing pool and into place...from that point on we said I would count to 40 and then he would start to go down the slide), and then in the wave pool he told me to let go of the innertube so he could really ride the waves...one wave just grabbed him and just out of my reach he flipped! After a little coughing, more please. I was very impressed by his courage.

Day four; heading home. We were sad to see it come to an end. We were up early for some breakfast and then on the road for the 3 and half hour drive home. As we were leaving Jayden yelled, "Bye Great Wolf Lodge, see you next summer". I guess we have next summer's vacation plans established.

Now we are home, for 48 hours. Time to unpack, wash clothes and then repack for Part 2...Coles Family Farm, Blue Rock, Ohio.

He's 5!!!

2009-06-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

I remember the day he was born, the first thing the nurse said was, "He's got the cutest dimple on his right cheek". That memory is etched into my mind and it doesn't seem possible that the moment is already a five year old memory. You hear people ask the question day after day...Where has the time gone? Really?

You look into your child's eyes and you think you can figure them out, predict their personality, their likes and dislikes, their interests and their habits but each day is a new surprise, another opportunity to explore who they really are.

Over the last five years, we watched in amazement as our little buddy morphed into a look-a-like for his daddy. We watched him learn how to communicate through some simple signs and then slowly add words to the mix. His personality truly began to emerge; not a fan of sarcasm, loves to giggle and smile, and of course, most are familiar with his love for a "Shake the Booty" dance. But as the years have zoomed by, we have watched those first traits give way into the little person he is today.

Today, our little guy is still "little" (finally hitting 30lbs but still in the 10-15% for height) but his personality is bigger than life. He's very intelligent (lots of people reminded me of this fact during our trip to California in March; apparently his non-stop chattering about plane facts, directional position and any other general interest he could he lend is voice to was noticed and thankfully positively received by those around). He loves...ok, LOVES anything Fire/Rescue oriented. His trademark shy and reserved self has given way to a still somewhat shy guy but I don't think the kid stops talking until his little head hits the pillow and his eyes give way to sleep. The giggles keep on coming (I hope they never stop, even in the hardest times he will face, I hope he can still laugh). He's compassionate. He's the caretaker (when Mommy had to say goodbye to her grandma, he was there to tell me "it's okay and so is Grandma"). And, he's an amazing big brother.

I thought I would be soooo ready for his 5th birthday. Ready to celebrate his milestone. Ready to say "so along babyhood". Ready to see him off to Kindergarten. Ready for him to be a big kid. Nope, I'm a mess of sadness and anxiety. He's going to be in Kindergarten, KINDERGARTEN! How did this happen to me? Five years were supposed to be a long time, forever when you first hold your newborn baby but that's not the reality. It took only a nano second for him to reach this milestone and I for one am not ready for it. I may need to start therapy now so that on August 20th, I will be able to peel myself off the floor as I let go of my little man's hand and he walks into that school on his own, beginning a new chapter in all of our lives.

In the meantime, he is ready to kick off his summer. He is busy discovering his new surroundings and all the new bugs, birds and firestations that come with it. He's looking forward to running through the spinklers, eating popcicles on the deck, and catching those little lightning bugs. And, so am I. There is that one great thing parents realize as they play and interact with their children...if he's 5, I get to be 5 this year too.

Clip, Clip, Clip

2009-05-16T16:11:00.001-07:00

Landon is "blessed" with curls. I have curls and some days they are the most frustrating thing I will deal with. Tony has curls and he has his days as well. Jayden however, landed the highly sought after straight hair.

When the L-man was 4 months old I trimmed his hair. He was born with a full head of hair and instead of it all falling out, he only lost the sides which gave him a nice mohawk of curls. By the time he was 4 months, it looked a bit ridiculous and I took the scissors to it. Since that time, I have been letting it grow out, telling myself that I wouldn't touch it until his first birthday. The birthday came and went and I just couldn't bring myself to cut his crazy soft curls...but eventually, the curls needed some disciplinary action.

Landon was a trooper. He sat in the little car and quitely watched a movie while the stylist began cutting his curls away. I was not about to let her crop him too short so I requested he be left with at least 1 inch of curl. When it was all said and done, my little man looked like just that, a little man.

Happy Birthday, Take 2

2009-04-13T09:35:00.001-07:00

Landon is 1 year old!

His actual birthday fell on a very sad day (see previous post) so we decided to try celebrating his birthday one more time. He didn't mind getting another round of cupcakes. Unfortunately, he's been watching his dad a little too closely because he actually tried to shove the entire mini cupcake into his mouth all at once. He's was very upset that it didn't fit as he had intended.

Officially, his numbers are: 21 pounds, 10 ounces and 29.5 inches long. He is walking, he started that about mid March. He didn't crawl (and still doesn't) which has presented its own set of problems; he doesn't know how to get from sitting to standing, if he isn't near something to pull up with he can't move, and he has no idea how to properly crash. Usually kids will begin to lose their balance and land on their knees or bottom but with Landon he literally just falls over, usually onto his face! He has figured out how to get from laying down to sitting and he's working on sitting to standing but once he's in the "bear crawl" or "downward dog" position, he's stuck. Horrible predicament for him but it allows me to sit him in the middle of a room so I can tend to something quickly and know that he'll still be sitting right where I left him.

Jayden is learning that Landon is a force to be reconded with. The other day Jay was eating Mac n' Cheese at the coffee table and Landon walked over, grabbed a handful and shoved it in his mouth. Jay was not pleased. If Jay has a toy, Landon will take it. If Jay leaves "B" laying around, Landon will claim him as his. In regards to "B" (Jayden's blanket), Landon received his own "B" as a birthday gift from his brother...Landon still wants Jay's "B".

Landon now "says" a few words. He has "wow", "Yea", "Oh", "HayHay" (JayJay in Landon speak), and "cock-a-doodle-doo".

With Landon's one year milestone came another, he is turned around to face forward in the car. This also lead me to discover that Jayden had outgrown his carseat and so he is now in a booster (with a five point harness) and Landon will inherit the old carseat for use in dad's car.

The transition from baby food and formula is going a little slower than anticipated. Landon is not a fan of cold milk. He only wants food that he can feed himself. And, drinking from a cup with a straw, not on his agenda...he prefers the bottle. It will be the first match of wits between me and him, and I will prevail.

So, as we see it...only 12 months until the terrible twos are upon us. Yipee.

Doris Donais

2009-04-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

In the early morning of March 31st (also Landon's 1st Birthday) my Grandma Doris passed away. Her 82 years of life was filled with love and laughter from her husband, four children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren (with one more on the way, the little girl she had been waiting for). Although our family is deaply saddened by her passing, we are comforted in knowing that she is eternally in the arms of her husband Orville.

The family gathered around her as she began her journey home. All of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren had visited her within weeks of her passing. We all had our opportunity to tell her we loved her.

Our trip home was not as smooth and expeditious as I had intended. I got the call she was very ill early Sunday morning and within minutes was searching for same day flights. We had a hard time getting a flight out of Chicago with enough seats for the four of us. Once we did, it wasn’t a direct…we had to fly first to San Diego to catch a connector to Sacramento, arriving at 11:55pm. Our luggage however, didn’t make the connection! Of course it never happens at a “good” time, but I must say that Southwest did their very best in the situation. They put us up in a hotel for the night so that we could come back to the airport to greet the first flight of the morning which would have our luggage on it (this was the most time effective solution for us all).

With the luggage delay, we didn’t get to my mom’s house until early afternoon on Monday (this due in large part to Neverlost which always seems to get me lost). One would think I would know how to get from the airport to my mom’s house by now but in my defense, we usually only head home once a year.

After getting unloaded and changing clothes, we headed to the nursing home to be by her side. Tony, Jayden and Landon all joined me and the other family members around her bed. Our efforts to get home gave me three hours with her; time to tell her we loved her, time to see her once more, and time for her to be near my babies. Although she wasn’t responding much to most of us, she opened her eyes when she heard Jayden giggle and again when she heard Landon babbling. By the time we left the nursing home, it was evident she didn’t have much time left.

In the early morning hours of March 31st, she passed.

My uncle’s family had begun the drive from Vancouver, BC and were scheduled to arrive around noon on Tuesday, March 31st. It’s approximately a 16 hour drive, and my aunt and cousin were switching off driving. With only an hour or so to go, they were hit by a semi truck switching lanes. Although the car was totaled, everyone walked away with only bumps and bruises!

Friday, April 3rd, our family gathered to say goodbye. She will be placed in a mausoleum next to her husband. Ironically, my paternal grandparents are placed across the walkpath so all four of my grandparents are together, facing one another.

I struggle with the reality that she is no longer physically here to participate in my life. I have lost someone so very special to me. However, in a time where we have just moved and feel a little alone, her passing has reminded me through emails/cards of support and sympathy, that we are never truly alone and we are very blessed with the friendships and relationships we have made. Each message has helped lift me up and comfort me, Thank you.

Jayden

2009-03-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

Kids really do say the darnest things...Jayden has recently been memorizing advertising slogans. The other day I was helping him into his pjs when he looked at me and said, "Mom, did you know that you could save 15% in 15 minutes with Geico?" A few days later I walk into the family room where the three boys were playing and he points to the TV and says, "Do you see that laundry, that's the power of Oxy Clean." But, my all time favorite of the month had to be his response when I told him he ate his Twizzlers super fast (of course the candy goes down fast), he simply replied, "That's because I have a big mouth".

Growing pains have also set in for Jay. He had been complaining about leg pain for a few weeks but I wasn't sure if he was being serious. As I was putting lotion on his legs he started complaining again so I decided to measure him in order to figure out if he needed a doctor visit or just growing pains...he grew 1/2 inch in four weeks! He was relieved to hear he didn't have to go the doctor again. He was last in the office about four weeks ago for Strep Throat and Scarlet Fever (yes, people still get scarlet fever). He's all better now and apparently growing like a weed.

Jay has also begun the transition to Kindergarten. Can you believe my little man is heading off to real school in the fall. He will be 1 of 70 kindergarteners in our school that serves only two communities. He seems pretty excited. I had to attend a parent orientation this week to introduce us to the cirriculm and kind of get all of us moms ready to let go of our precious cargo. I have to admit, I did get a little nervous when they told us we can't walk them into their classrooms after the first day. Jayden did not seem phased by this rule what so ever. He just wanted to know if his classroom will have blocks because he really like to play with them.

For the most part Jay is doing exactly what he should be doing, being a curious little boy, getting to know a few of the neighbor kids, helping out whenever and wherever he can in the house and being a great big brother to Landon.

From Three to Four

2009-02-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

This one is quick because right now I'm supposed to be writing a paper on the Earth's multitude of environmental perils and how overpopulation is the cause...I should really get a grade for my creative ways to procrastinate. I re-organized kitchen cupboards last night!

My last post was about my cute little Landon and his teeth. He had three little baby teeth and his smile was a little lopsided. Well, the fourth finally came in and now he resembles a Guinea Pig with the large teeth in front. Great. On the bright side, who doesn't love a cute little Guinea Pig?

Teeth

2009-01-21T09:34:00.001-08:00

You know those little cartoon drawings of baby faces (they have a name but it's escaping me right now) that have three teeth, two on bottom and one on top? That's what our little Landon looks like right now. I've never actually seen a baby with this look. It does look a little funny and odd. Today his fourth tooth cut through the gums so this look will be short lived.

Landon is apparently in no hurry to become mobile. He has absolutely no interest in crawling; put him on his tummy and he rolls over immediately. He does have some interest in walking but he doesn't have his balance well enough yet to get moving. Nor does he have any fear of falling on his face. When he does try to take a few steps he usually ends up falling forward and seems to be quite fine with the prospect of knocking his now "four" teeth out as he take the header...thank god I've caught him or the waist of his pants in the knick of time.

Looking back (and ahead)

2009-01-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

When I was younger I would hear so many adults talk about how quickly time flies. I really couldn't believe that time could pass by as quickly as they made it seem. I believe it now.

The holiday season has passed by...and when I say holiday season I mean Halloween through New Years. The holidays are different in the Midwest than they are on the West Coast.

First off, Pumpkin Hunting. In the Pacific Northwest, when you go pumpkin hunting you end up in rubber boots standing in inch deep mud in the middle of a pumpkin patch. You get to the pumpkin patch via a hay ride which is really just a flat bed trailer attached to a tracker with hay bails to sit on, no rails, nothing. Midwest stlye, you go to what's labeled as the "best pumpkin patch" which is really just a petting zoo with two large pop up tents that cover the mounds of pumpkins you can choose from. No mud, no rain, and a hay ride that required you sit on nicely spread out hay on the clean, side railed flat bed trailer that was driven around a half acre corn field!

Thanksgiving was the same as always...Tony in the kitchen cooking until he is ready to drop while the kids and I play and watch TV. Something tells me Tony will not be pleased that I mentioned this role reversal that occurs in our house...but then again you all know us well enough to know this is the way it has always has been. But, in my defense, I am much more interested in cooking these days and do around 75% of it!

Christmas. We looked up "tree farm" and were surprised to find one pretty close to home! It should have been labeled "plot of land between two subdivisions yet to be developed". Really. Driving in the navigation is saying ".2 miles on the left" and I'm thinking it's in someone's yard and then there is a 5 acre clearing with trees growing! You turn off the main road onto a dirt one and hand a guy $5 which rents you the nice tree saw he hands you and then you are on your own. You literally park on the side of the dirt road, walk out to the trees, find one, cut down, drag back to your car, throw that puppy on top and tie down with rope (if you need some, they do provide that). No guy with a mule and trailer to haul the thing back up to the shack where you can get a little cup of cocoa and watch a train travel around the village. No guy to stick that tree on a shaker thing to get all the spiders and dead needles off. No guy willing to carry that thing to the car and tie it down for you. Nope, all you and the spiders are an extra gift.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we experienced our first taste of the Midwest weather. We got inches upon inches of snow. Sub zero temps are something completely new to me and I'm not a big fan of hearing the words "we got up to -2 today". Jayden doesn't understand frostbite and that's not one I can let him "figure out" so each day he begs to go outside and play in the snow drift. The "snow drift" is actually the huge pile of snow that is nicely pushed up in front of our house by the snow plows (we live in a cul du sac). Tony seems to be at work when the heart of each storm dumping 4 or more inches of snow hits which means Jayden and I are out shoveling and shoveling. Jayden loves it now and he'll hate it once he's old enough to actually do it for us. And the kicker, we haven't even really hit the cold and snowy season! Great.

The best has been watching our boys over the last few months. Jayden loves it here. He's been having a great time at school, writing now and starting to spell. He seems to have grown up so much lately, leaving my heart aching that he's becoming a boy and no longer a baby. Landon has left the gummy smile behind and welcomed 3 teeth! It looks a little odd because he has two bottom and only one top. He waves and seems to say Hi if you say it to him first, that's in addition to the word Mama. No crawling yet but that's because I think he may just walk instead. Tonight was the first time I saw the brother bond. Landon was in his walker at the top of the basement stairs (get your breath back, I had the gate up so no one was going to go flying down the stairs) and he kept saying "ah ah"...he was calling to Jayden in the basement. When Jayden came up Landon got so excited and giggled. He spent the next half hour following Jayden around the kitchen as he set the table for dinner...which of course Jayden hated and told Landon "I can't get this table set with you dilleydalling around me all of the time". So much for my special moment.

All the single ladies...

2008-11-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

Way back, like when Jayden was four months old, we noticed his affection for scantly clad women. It all began during a stroller ride through Washington Square Mall.... Tony and I were just strolling through with our four month old little Jayden sitting up facing forward in his stroller. As we approached Victoria Secret I noticed that Jayden's attention was fixed on one area and as we got closer his little head continued to turn toward the store. As we passed directly in front of the store, he was turned sideways in his stroller...and...as we passed, he turned himself all the way around to continue looking at the sexy mannequin ladies. This little ritual continued for many months and maybe even into his second or third year!

Fast forward...American Music Awards last Sunday night...

We had just returned from dinner at a friends house and decided to turn the TV on for the last few minutes before Jayden's bed time. Moments after tuning in Beyonce was introduced to sing her new single Put a Ring On It. I am not kidding, Jayden sits straight up as Beyonce comes on stage with her two backup dancers, all three wearing nothing more than a bustier type outfit. Jayden says, "I want to see this and then I'll go to bed". As she and her dancers shake and bounce Jayden starts commenting on their moves..."I like when they turn around and shake their butt." He was mesmerized for the entire performance. At the end of it all he said they did a great job and he hoped we recorded it on Tivo...oh, so sorry...we didn't.

Boys!

Get out and VOTE!

2008-11-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

The latest message, approved by Jayden...and Landon...

Regardless of who you are supporting, please be a participant in history today, VOTE.

Halloween Fun

2008-11-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

This year marked Jayden's 5th Halloween and Landon's 1st. I had purchased a Superman costume for Jay but at the last minute he decided he wanted to be the UPS man. Apparently my moment of brilliance paid off as everyone thought his "package" was the best part (it doubled as his candy bin).

Technically this only Jayden's second time trick-or-treating. He's had an ear infection every year before last year. He only visited about 7 houses on our new block here before telling Tony he was done and wanted to go home to hand out candy to the other kids.

These mid-west people confuse me. You would think they would be able to tell the difference between a cow and a dalmation, right? Apparently not because my little Landon was a cute little dalmation and yet he kept getting compliments on his cow costume.

Day 5, The Final Day, Wednesday, October 1, 2008

2008-10-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

We love Omaha. The city is beautiful, the people diverse and we just fell in love with it. Not that I ever want to live there.

We are heading 'home' on this leg, 440 miles to go.

In our typical exit, we planned on getting into a Starbucks. In our typical experience thus far, not so fast. There are no Starbucks between Omaha and Des Moines!!!!!!!! Seattle has a Starbucks on nearly all four corners of an intersection and here there is no Starbucks for over 107 miles. What the "F" man. So we starve way to Des Moines to find there are only TWO starbucks in this city!! I would have to move.

I have to hand it to the boys. Jayden hasn't had one outburst in the car the entire trip. Landon has been fine looking at himself in the mirror for five days now. Tony is permantely twisted from sitting sideways between the boys. I think they inherited my gene for car travel.

Each day as we passed into a new state I asked Tony to get a picture of the welcome sign. We have a picture of 'Welcome to Illinois'. I guess that's the most important one anyway.

We pulled into our new driveway around 6:30opm, said hello to one of our new neighbors and took the boys inside to 'meet' their new home. Tiger climbed out of her krate and proceeded to find a warm spot to lay down for a long nap...wow long transition for her. Jayden ran through the house saying 'Oh yeah, I like this guys'. He examined each room upstairs and settled on a room that is closer to Mommy and Daddy than Landon's room and Landon received the bigger of the options! Jayden will one day realize his error. Until our furniture arrives (a full week away) we are 'camping out' on air mattresses in the living room.

In some ways I'm glad the journey is over and at the same time I'm sad the journey is over. We had a lot of fun and good memories over the last five days and 2100 miles. There was not one argument, no raised voices, and endless laughter. Moving is not always fun and I don't want to do it again for some time but, when the time comes I hope we do it just the same as we did this time.

Day 4, Tuesday, September 30, 2008

2008-09-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

Jayden and Landon seemed to be the only ones that slept last night.

Today we are heading from Cheyenne to Omaha, NE...500 miles. This is our longest day of driving. My only salvation is that we are booked at the Hilton tonight. Jayden's only salvation is the DVD system.

Poor Tony, the man puts up with a lot. Throughout this trip Tony has been subjected to quite a bit. He usually starts the leg off in the front seat, holding whatever won't fit in the backseat. We usually set out just after feeding the Landon so he'll nap for the first few hours. We stop to refuel, the car and ourselves, and musical chairs begins. Jayden and Landon both like to have someone in the back with them so Tony moves everything from between their seats into the front seat and proceeds to wedge himself into the seat sideways. Jayden usually watches a DVD during this time and although Tony can watch along he can't use the headphones because he wouldn't hear Landon. His only break is at the rest stops to check the cat and feed Landon.

Day 3, Monday, September 29, 2008

2008-09-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

We slept in a bit this morning. Who could blame us after the previous hotel stay. Everyone was in good spirits as we set out on our half way trek. After shipping one suitcase 'home' we were more comfortable in the car but it still took three rolling cart loads to load everything in.

Utah has some very beautiful landscape to look at. We drove by Parley's Summit which is the namesake of one friend's dog. We stopped in at Starbucks in Park City. And the rest is pretty much a blur as we passed by at 85 miles an hour. We are heading to Cheyenne, Wy just 440 miles.

At this point in the trip things are starting to become funnier and funnier. Tony laughes every time I get into a yelling match with the navigation hussy. She can't just let me take an exit for a fill-up or Starbucks with out quickly telling me "follow the current road until a safe u-turn can be made". Woman, I can see that damn freeway from the gas station...I think I can find my way back without guidance. I'm also noticing a very 'scary' trend as we progress east...the number of warning signs at rest stops and along the freeway about natural hazards, like weather, animals and more weather. Tony and I have had a disagreement regarding the difference between 'hearing loss' and 'damaged hearing'. Tony says there is no difference, I say there is.

In Cheyenne we were staying at the La Quinta Inn. Tony explained to me that in spanish it translates out to 'hotel conveniently located between well traveled railroad tracks'. Every 30 minutes like clockwork. Once we got into the hotel and unloaded (three rolling cart loads) we were hungry. My navigation said there was a Sonic nearby however when we pulled into the 'parking lot' we were staring at an empty lot and the the side of a brick building...apparently Sonic moved. We were able to find the new location and Tony sucked down his lime aid before we were out of the parking lot. We got back to the hotel, and the four of us climbed into the one King size bed...now I know what sardines feel like.

Day 2, Sunday, September 28, 2008

2008-09-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

After a very restless night at the 'Bates', I was up at 5am. I showered, repacked everthing and got the boys up. Tony showered. Landon took a bottle. Jayden whined because he wanted pancakes. Once we were all up and dressed, Jayden and I made the three trips down to the car with the rolling luggage cart (yep, it took three trips). By 7:30am we were ready to check out of the hotel from hell and head down the road, way ahead of schedule.

Tony, Jayden and I had planned on grabbing something to eat at Starbucks but as I explained in the previous post, that plan went out the window. We settled for McDonalds and headed East toward Salt Lake City, 340 miles. My plan was to drive approximately 10 over the speed limit. With the standard speed limit 75, we did 85 for the remainder of the drive.

We were doing very well today. The cat realized that this rollercoaster ride was not going to end if she just continually threw up and she finally calmed down. She even enjoyed the stops with a little fresh air as she sat at the door of her krate with our hatch up. The kids seemed settled into our routine and were doing great.

We decided to stop at an Albertsons in Rock Springs (I think we were in Utah at this point). "Thelma" at the Deli counter must have lost her mind on the way to work that day because hes lipstick looked as if she had put it on while riding a freight train and she obviously never had someone order a half a sandwich. She made us a sandwich on half a loaf of bread?! I tried to correct her twice and she kept telling me she knew what I was asking for...apparently not. But, as Tony pointed out, it only cost us $2.49.

We pulled into Salt Lake City around 3pm. Thank the lord we were staying at a Hilton with clean rooms and room service. Tiger only tried to escape once. My bigger bit of business today was in finding an Office Depot so we could ship one suitcase with dirty clothes to ourselves in Illinois. Shipping one suitcase helped greatly with the spacial issues in the car. We returned to our room, ordered room service and watched Amazing Race. I love the Hiltons.

Day 1, Saturday, September 27th

2008-09-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

We woke up early with the intention that we would be on the road out of the city by 10am. We still had to pick up the cat from boarding, stop by the house for a final goodbye and clean out the freezer. I forgot the freezer the day before. I can't remember everything.

As I cleaned out the freezer Tony and Jayden were gathering the baby gate hinges off the staircase. I was nearly done when I suddenly heard whailing from Jayden upstairs. I run up asking what happened and there in a heap are the Tony and Jayden with tears flowing. No one is talking they're just staring at me as if I spoke to them in some foreign monkey language. Finally, Tony gets out that Jayden was standing in his now empty room and just lost it. He didn't want to move and leave his room. He liked his Hillsboro, Oregon house. So we all sat at the top of the stairs crying...Landon was downstairs playing in his car seat. I dried Jayden's tears and took him outside for one last picture on the walk path to the front door. Within minutes he was fine.

By now the car was at it's capacity and we still had to get the cat. With the cat and all her medications, bags of food, litter pans, water bottle, food bowl, water bowl and comfy bedding thing, my car was about to burst. But, we were on the road and ahead of schedule...which allows for a quick stop at Starbucks.

Day one was one the job trainning. We had to stop about every 30-45 minutes to clean up cat puke. Then Landon was hungry. Now Jayden. Tony needed to stretch the legs. See, with all the extra stuff we ended up with in the car Tony had to actually hold stuff on his lap! Gas time and the last time someone else will pump it for me...wooohooo. Everyone but the cat was in high spirits and loving the car ride. We were traveling 440 miles today. It should have taken about 8 hours, instead it took a little over 10. We pulled into Boise, ID a little after 7pm. Tony wasn't done unloading the car until almost 8pm.

Let's talk about Boise. Don't go there unless you have to. They only have a few Starbucks, and the one we stopped at didn't serve breakfast foods, so we try McDonalds. The McDonalds didn't serve anything on biscuits, only the McMuffin versions. Our hotel was as scary as they come. I wouldn't let Jayden walk in the hotel room without shoes on, it was just a little scummy. Unfortunately only a few hotels take pets and in Boise, this was only one. To top it off, I had already reserved rooms in all our other stop points with the same chain of hotels but Tony was about to rescue us.

Tony had grabbed a brochure from the Lakespur, which showed it was a Hilton hotel. The night before I had noticed it was a pet friendly hotel! On the phone I was and within 15 minutes of checking into the 'Bates Motel' I had cancelled our other reservations and found Hiltons in all but one city.

Time to Go

2008-09-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Thursday and Friday, September 25th & 26th, 2008.

At 8am I took Jayden to Pre-K as usual and headed home to meet the men that were going to pack all our belongings into boxes. It wasn't until the ride home that I realized we had just spent the last night in our Oregon home. Over the next week would be living out of suitcases and hotel rooms.

When we moved from Seattle to Portland the moving company sent two men and mid way through the day we had five people feverishly packing so the job would be completed in one day. Imagine my surprise when I greeted only two men when I arrived back from dropping Jayden. I asked if they were it and they assured me they would be done and out by 2pm. Ha. By 11am they added another guy and while out picking up Jayden from Pre-K the fourth man arrived. Even with all that man power they still weren't out of our house until a little after 5pm. But, the packing was done and I did none of it.

The boys and I checked into our hotel room at Lakespur Inn, just north of the Nike plane hanger at the Hillsboro Airport. It had become our routine each morning on the way to school to try to peer into the windows as we passed to see if the Nike planes were "eating breakfast" before heading out to play in the sky. I figured this would score some points with my Jayden on his big adventure.

Friday morning was the usual. Up, shower and dress. Boys up. Jayden fed. Usually he gets pancakes however I didn't have those but I felt pretty good that I had gotten some of those sample packs of cereal, except that I forgot to get a little thing of milk and our hotel didn't have room service. At least he ate something and who doesn't love crunching on dry cereal. Landon fed. Wrestle both boys into some clothing. Pack a diaper bag for Landon and out the door. Today was Jayden's last day at Knowledge Beginnings, Hillsboro but he didn't seemed phased at all. Drop Jayden and meet the men that were loading our boxes onto the truck.

Landon and I sat on the floor of our house as the men loaded every one of our belongings onto the truck. We sat just watching and grabbing those little things I thought we might need on the trip. During the loading process I loaded our things into the car making sure everything would fit nicely...and it did! Until Tony got home.

Tony had left his suitcases in Oregon and had planned on getting a little duffle bag on the other side of security at the Chicago O'hare Airport. "Not so fast" said the security woman as she waved her finger in Tony's face. Apparently you can't go through security with CVS shopping bags as suitcases and she made Tony buy a suitcase before going through the security check. Tony also forgot to mention that he was bring his backpack too.

Tony arrived in Oregon as the men were finishing up and I was heading out to pick up Jayden from school. Jayden had to go say goodbye to all his favorite teachers, that would be everyone in the school. Then he was off to a final playdate with his best friend and future wife, Kira (Kira told Jayden they were getting married and he agreed). We grabbed Jay just after he had dinner with Kira and headed back to the hotel.

The next day would begin the big adventure, and Jayden would finally realize what it meant to move away.

Are we there yet?

2008-09-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

My word, moving is stressful. We are still a few weeks away from loading the family in the car and driving 2100 miles across the country to our new home in Illinois, and all I want is to be done already. Jayden is a little excited about a new room. Landon is a little excited about his next bottle, it is Landon after all. Tony and I are excited it's almost over.

Our house in Hillsboro is still on the market. Boy did this move come at a wonderful time. Really it's a double edged sword...the selling market sucks but the buyers market is delightful. And, when you have a barracuda for a purchasing agent, it's even better.

Of course no housing purchase would be without chaos and nerves. Those Illinois lawmakers worked overtime in the realty department. There are so many laws, rules, hoops and bridges to cross just for one little home. Once we got through the inspection, big sigh of relief...and then the radon test came back...failed. The sellers have to put in a mitigation system. Fine. Then our mortgage broker was told she couldn't finance our house for us because she didn't have a special license for Illinois (she has helped us purchase every one of our homes thus far). Luckily, she was working with someone from Illinois and he took over the process and she's out her commission. Everything is moving smoothly and then Ike came ashore. Chicago was hit with the remnants and flooded...including our lending company offices! Good that our lender had sent our paperwork to the bank Friday. Big sigh of relief. Just let us get through this week and we should be the official owners of a home in Naperville and the real moving can begin.

If all that housing drama wasn't enough...we still have the cat. Remember our beloved Tiger. The 16 year old financial investment, I mean kitty. She's the reason we're driving to Illinois, all 2100 miles of driving. See, we can't fly with her because she's a nervous traveler (throwing up and excessive meowing the whole way). Most people would just mildly sedate their pet and fly em, but Tiger is Asthmatic, Diabetic and has a heart condition which restricts our ability to sedate. Moving is stressful for everyone, and apparently very stressful for a furry little creature that lays in sunny spots all day. She has come down with a stress induced upper respiratory infection that requires medication. In order to keep the infection from coming back she was also put on anti-anxiety medication! I swear if this cat dies within three weeks of arriving in Illinois I will resuscitate her just so I can murder her myself. (I'm kidding (mildly) so don't send animal activists after me because I don't need any more on the plate).

Honestly it has been a fun experience, however, I don't necessarily want to repeat it in the very near future. Jayden has been super great and really the man of house while Tony's away. Landon is just happy. Tony and I take everything as it comes and laugh. Soon it will all be over and we'll find ourselves saying things we never thought we would..."remember when we did this in Oregon, oh we miss it..."

Pulling Up the Tent Stakes

2008-09-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Well, as most know by now, we are moving again! This move will take us to parts unknown...the midwest, Chicago to be exact. It's parts unknown for me and the boys but for Tony it's like returning home. Our Portland house is currently on the market and we are frantically searching for a new house in the Chicago suburbs; a house with enough room to wait out the winters without killing one another.

The last few weeks have been spent in a paniced attempt to visit our favorite sights and sounds one last time...

We took a day trip to the Oregon Coast. Our favorite is Cannon Beach but the parking there was non existent so we settled for sand play and kite flying in Seaside instead.

We've visited the Oregon Zoo. A new baby elephant was born just 1.5 weeks ago so we headed out to view the little guy. We were there at the same time as the Roloffs (check out Little People Big World on TLC to find out about them). It's fitting since I see Amy around Hillsboro quite often but Tony had only seen them once.

And finally, we did a quick day trip to Seattle to take Jayden (and Landon) to his first MLB game; the Mariners v. Oakland A's. What made this even more special is that my first MLB game came when I was about 5 to see the Oakland A's in Oakland, it was almost like a full circle moment. (I need to lay off that Oprah.) Jayden loved every minute; seeing the mens on the field, the roar of the crowd, eating hotdogs and dip n' dots with Dad, and of course, the giant play structure in the Center Field stands. Landon, not so much to like about the whole experience. He especially hated the roar of the crowd.

While we never fully envisioned ourselves living in Oregon long, it is still a very hard transition. We will be truly leaving our Seattle friends behind now, no more day trips up to visit. We've made a few wonderful friends here in Portland too and they will be greatly missed. Jayden's best friend whom he has known since he was 3 months, she will be hard for him to let go of.

But hey, we have a lot to look forward to...like hot and humid summers and frigidly cold/snowy winters! As we see it, Tony will be miserable for the six cold winter months out of the year and Tony will be miserable while I am miserable for those six hot and humid months of the year. This will truly be one of the funnest and most educational experiences of our lives, we just have to remain optomistic. Stay tunned...

Getting Big

2008-08-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Landon had his 4 month checkup this week. He's a big one, weighing in at 16.2 lbs. He's in the 75th percentile for both height and weight. Tony and I marvel at how big his thighs are so for fun I measured them...they are just 1 inch smaller than my upper arms!

I don't know if it's the added attention Landon gets about his weight or seeing Landon eat often but something seems to have triggered Jayden's appetite. He is constantly eating these days. In fact, at Landon's visit I asked to have Jayden weighed as well and he's shot up almost two full pounds to 27!

Now there are two new developments that could also be contributing to this eating and weight gain.

First, Jayden is growing taller and taller by the day so he's convinced that he's about to outgrow his carseat and needs a booster instead. I did find a booster for kids 30lbs and over however most recommend 40lbs and over. Jayden has a goal in mind and is working hard on achieving it.

I think this next thing is the major reason...Jayden says that we are having a new baby! Actually, the new baby is in Jayden's tummy and his name is Krypto the Super Puppy. We happened upon a cartoon on Boomerang called Krypto the Super Dog (he was Superman's dog when Superman was a boy). Jayden fell in love with this show from day one and can't get enough. So, he got a new brother because one grew in Mommy's tummy, thus, Jayden will get a puppy because one is growing in his tummy. The best was when I asked him how and when he was going to get out of his tummy (I was fully expecting to have a very interesting conversation a little early in someone's life). He told me that when Landon got a little bigger Krypto was going to come out through his mouth! Phew! He already wants to go to the pet store to get doggy food and treats for him and obviously has a name picked out . The best is at night when I tuck him in, I also have to give Krypto kisses on Jayden's tummy...and last night he said Hot Dog was also in there...apparently he's having a litter of puppies.

We'll keep you updated as to how Jayden's journey with Krypto goes. We may even give in and let him win this one!

Summertime

2008-07-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

Finally, Summer has arrived! After eight long months of rain and clouds, we are finally able to feel the sun's warm rays and enjoy some warm weather. Not kidding, eight months.

Jayden finished up his year in pre-school. He still attends summer camp at his school but he's altered his schedule a bit. He wanted a bit of break; attends every other week and, he wanted to be able to do show-and-tell; now attends all five days of his weeks on. I love that he's completely unphased about getting up in front of his class to speak. The first week of September will bring his first day of Pre-K!

Landon is working on his beefcake physique. He's already up to 15 pounds! 10 more and he's caught up to Jayden! Landon's eating habits have led both Tony and I to come up with the nicknames Baby Cujo and Chunky Monkey for him. Landon now holds his head quite well, figured out the use of his right arm (mainly to get into the mouth to chew on) and is beginning to sit up (with assistance of course). I got out the excersaucer and Landon loves it...not for the toys but to sit and watch his brother play around. The other day it entertained both, while Landon sat in it trying to figure out what he was supposed to do Jayden was underneath with a screwdriver trying to take the scews out in an effort to change the bouncy springs. I'll be keeping an eye out.

We took our first summer trip up to Seattle to dip the Landon (baptism). The weather was great, we got to catch up with friends and just enjoy the long weekend. I will definately be taking Jayden up I-5 for a Mariner game and train ride later this summer.

4th of July gave Jayden and Landon their first experience at a parade. Landon slept most of time. Jayden had a great time waiting for the firetrucks and ambulence to come down the parade route. I think he loved collecting the candy that was thrown best, oh, and the pepperoni sticks that one float was throwing. A great parade experience and it only rained on us for the last 15 minutes of the parade (welcome to summer activities Pacific Northwest style).

My Brother, My Hero

2008-06-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Although Jayden has had a few rough moments dealing with shared attention, he loves his baby brother from his head to his "little piggies". He can't wait to help get him up in the morning, climbing up the side of the crib to say "hello Landon". The squeals of delight come when Landon looks right at him and smiles. He is very protective, kitty can not get too close or she gets pushed to the ground. And, he is right there to offer a "blinkey" to a crying Landon or help get his bottle ready at each feeding.

My favorite moment was yesterday as I was leaving to run errands. Jayden says bye to me, Tony does too and then Jayden yells after me, "I will take care of Landon while you are away." He's even said to me that he is big enough to watch Landon. He just can't get enough.

However, all this mushy lovey stuff stops cold turkey when we put Landon in the car. He hates car rides. Jayden has always loved them. So now, if we talk about getting in the car to head out Jayden will quickly say, "Nope, Landon will scream, we need to stay home". The other day he told me to take Landon home and he and Daddy would go out together to the toy store. Sure, I get the screaming one.

This morning as Landon was getting his weekly weigh in (this kid will literally pass Jayden's weight by the time he turns 1, hell, before then if he keeps going like he has) and Jayden said, "soon Landon will be big enough to share my clothes. And then, when he's big enough to be in my clothes, he can sleep in my bed with me because he will be too big for his baby room".

I love watching my boys together and taking in the memories. I just hope these memories hold me together during those years when they are pushing each other to the ground threatening the other's life. I think that's what got my mom through.

Picture Day

2008-05-28T20:39:00.000-07:00

We got Jayden's 4year pictures taken. He even invited Landon to join him in one.

He's Four!

2008-05-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last week we celebrated Jayden's 4th birthday. It's so hard to believe that he is four already. Given the big changes in his life in recent months we decided to do it up big time this year so we celebrated for over a week!

The weekend before his birthday we celebrated with some of his friends from school at My Gym. The kids got an hour and half of fun filled play time and birthday cake. A fireman cake. The next day, Sunday, we took Jayden to Bike n' Hike in downtown Hillsboro to pick out his very own big boy bike with training wheels. We also got the professionally fitted helmet, and if they sold them I would have also purchased elbow, knee and body pads. Apparently they make riding a bike a little more difficult and they are not necessary until the training wheels come off. The guy told us that this bike, if keep out of the elements, will last 20-25 years. Who needs a bike to last that long?

Monday through Wednesday we kept reminding Jayden that he was only a few days away from his birthday and there was a big surprise on that day. Late Wednesday night Momma and Poppa Coles FLEW into Portland from Ohio. This was a huge deal. They are in their mid 70's and mid 80's and that was their first and, if Momma Coles has it her way, last flight. They flew in especially for Jayden's birthday and spent the rest of the weekend with us.

Come Thursday, Jayden had his grandparents, a new Playmobil Firehouse and yet another cake. This time it was a chocolate/vanilla ice cream cake that had firetrucks on top. (Note to self, plan ahead next time so you aren't scouring a store for little firetrucks to put on top of a cake that you ended up buying at the last minute.)

All in all, he was a very happy little guy. He had a wonderful time celebrating and celebrating and celebrating his fourth birthday. I just hope he doesn't remember this very well and expect something simular next year. Although, turning 5 is a great excuse to do it up big again.

Election Day in Oregon

2008-05-20T10:34:00.001-07:00

The Games We Play

2008-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Most everyone we know is well aware of our struggle with Jayden's weight. He's only two weeks from turning 4 (Yes, can you believe he'll be four) and he still weighs that of a one/two year old, 25.5 pounds.

Now, we've tried everything to get this kid to eat and pack on the pounds. I have watched or read every story about what parents do that makes their kids obese and how to avoid it, then I go and impliment those same habits in hopes of seeing some weight gain. Don't let your kids eat/drink too much sugar...Jayden got juice several times a day in hopes it would prompt eating. That failed. Don't let you child snack through out the day...Jayden has his own snack bin in the pantry that he has free access to. Failed. Don't let them watch tv while eating because it distracts them and they eat more than they realize, usually empty calorie stuff...Jayden watched tv during meals. That one failed miserably because he was too distracted by Thomas the Tank Engine to think about eating and he ate less.

Recently we had him checked by his pediatrician and an Endocrinologist. Jayden had what's called a Wrist Age X-ray, normal. Then we went through, or should I say Tony went through a blood draw to have all his levels checked. That ordeal lasted one long hour with four separate pokes and two lab locations. All to find out that everything about Jayden is normal and on track. The peace of mind was well worth the tears.

So, leave it to Tony. He and Jayden worked out a reward system where if Jayden ate at least half if not all of each meal he would receive a smiley face on his "Cranky the Crane Meal Plan" chart. Once he had two smiley faces in each chart square, there were 21, he would have earned his Cranky the Crane. Each day had an opportunity for two or three smiley faces. This started out with such a bang. At first he was eating like a champ and then it happened. He asked us what he would "have" to eat of the meal in front of him and once we explained half, that's exactly what he ate and from then on that's all he would eat. What should have taken no more than 11 days took over a month but he finally earned Cranky.

The story should end there but, Jayden is too smart. He has a tricycle that he's had since he turned one. He has never, never pedaled that damn thing. He insists on pushing it along with his feet. I tell him he needs to pedal, he won't do it. I was convinced he just didn't know how. Then, Tony took him to a sporting goods store where he saw a big boy bike with training wheels. He promptly came home to tell me all about it and how he wanted it for his birthday. I told him he couldn't have it because he didn't pedal. I'm not kidding, he looked at me and said he wanted to go for a walk with me but that he would ride his tricycle. That kid pedaled all the way around the block without a bit of trouble! When we got home he told me that his birthday would be a good day to get his big boy bike.

What's My Name?

2008-04-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Anyone that has more than one sibling in their family knows about what I like to call the "combo-name". My family is plagued by them. There is the ever popular Ro-Jon (the combo of Roger and Jon), Jon-Mondo (that one is pretty self explanitory) and the most used, De-Annmarie (the combo of Deana and Annmarie). My poor cousin, I'm surprised she even knew her name was Annmarie rather than DeAnnmarie.

Now that we have two little guys in the house Tony is having a hard time keeping them straight. Of course I have had a time or two (or three) of confusion but Tony seems to have most of the blunders. He tries so hard to play it off. While talking to Landon, he'll call him Jayden and then he'll say something like "and Landon...". I can understand the confusion. In the moment you're trying to get someone, anyone's name out and we've been saying Jayden for just about 4 years now. However, what I don't understand is when he calls one of our boys Tiger, as in the cat?

A month into Landon's life now and doing well. He's gained over two pounds since coming home from the hospital. At this rate he'll pass Jayden's current weight before he hits 1! He's a wonderful little sleeper, just like his mom. He's obviously a great eater, something so new for us. And, just an all around great little guy with a very happy and content disposition which equates to very little crying...only when hungry.

Jayden is a wonderful big brother that is so in love with his little brother. He asked if Landon can sleep in his room with him that way he can get up in the night to feed him or offer the "blinkey" (I don't know where the "l" came from in the word binkey). If Landon cries you'll hear Jayden saying, "It's okay little buddy, no need to cry, I am here". I think they are just the cutest.

I for one am very happy we spaced our boys out. Jayden is aware and understanding and Landon comes at a time where with Jayden being so self reliant allows me time with him just as I had with Jayden. Life is good.

By the way, the two black and white photos just above...Top is Landon and Bottom is Jayden.

Happy Birthday Landon

2008-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 31, 2008 Michelle gave birth to Landon Beckett Coles. He weighs in at 8 pounds 1 ounce and measures 20.5 inches. Both Landon and mom are healthy and doing well.

His big brother Jayden got to hold Landon for the first time tonight. He loves Landon's "tiny piggies." Mom loves his little nose. Dad loves that he arrived on opening day for the Yankees (even though the game was rained out)....and I also love that he has his mom's cheeks.

We're posting just a few photos from today. Hopefully after a little sleep we'll be able to post some additional pictures. As you can imagine, we're all a little sleepy at the moment.

The Year Mommy Messed Up Easter

2008-03-26T10:01:00.001-07:00

For months we had been planning on spending Easter with our friends Laurie, Mike and Kira. We had done this last year and the kids had a blast so we figured why mess with a good thing. Well, then I got sick...again! Yep, 10 days to go until the big delivery and I come down with another whammy of a cold.

Although Jayden sounded very disappointed with the announcement that we would be spending the day just the three of us, he seemed to have a good time. He and Tony hid the eggs (in the exact same spot the Easter Bunny had hid them) five or six times. The game came to end once Jayden had cracked four of the egss...then the game wasn't as much fun with just eight to find, in the exact same places over and over.

And a side note to the Easter Bunny (aka Mom) Jayden was none to happy to see that the Easter Bunny did not take the time to "urganize" the candy in his basket. Next year candy must be together by category.

So in the final week I am home "taking it easy" in an all out effort to get over this cold before the big day. Oh yeah and, since my doctor is out of town on vacation this week, trying to stay pregnant until Monday.

For Your Enjoyment...Death Metal ABCs

2008-03-12T13:03:00.001-07:00

All Good on the Baby Front

2008-02-25T09:55:00.001-08:00

Jayden accompanied Tony and I to my Ultrasound appointment on Monday to take a peek at his baby brother. They did the normal check on all the organs, good there. Checked to make sure he's still a boy, all good there. Heart looks and sounds good. They estimate his weight to be about 5.5 lbs which puts him the 60th percentile (that's the first time we've had a child above the 25th percentile!) The baby was practicing breathing which also might help explain the increase of hiccups he's been experiencing as he works out the kinks of learning to breath and coordinate with his diaphram. He even took a moment to "wave" at his big brother.

I had a check up with my doctor this morning. She is very happy with my progression and says everything is good. Now we just hope this baby cooperates with all the planning and doesn't come early.

We spent this weekend working on a few of those "nesting" projects I have on the never ending To-Do List. Jayden helped Tony fill a few nail holes and re-paint the wall in the baby's room. He also helped me paint the letters for his baby brother's name which are going up on the wall, just like we did for Jayden. Jay helped move our bedroom furniture around so we can bettter accomodate the extra furniture while the baby is in our room. And, we did all this while I battled the cold that Tony had last week which originated two weeks ago with Jayden. Nothing like doing it all.

Other than that, Spring has begun to arrive in the great Pacific Northwest. The crocuses that Jayden and I planted in November have come up and are in full bloom. The daffodils are working their way up. The birds have begun to return and on some mornings I wake up to the sounds of little chirps outside the windows (of course this was before I caught this cold and could actually hear things).

All in all, it's quiet on the Coles' front...some would call it the calm before the storm.

The Countdown Continues

2008-02-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

With only two months left before the big arrival, we are trying to spend as much one on one time with Jayden as we can. Jayden seems to be very excited with the impending arrival so that's a bonus. In fact, he's been talking about his baby "brudder" quite a bit at school these last few weeks even announcing what his name will be.

Although Tony swears he was dying (Jayden had brought home a nasty cold bug and spent last weekend coughing and sneezing, even begging for more medicine and this weekend was Tony's turn), we all got to the zoo on Sunday when the temperature finally reached 60! Jayden finally got to ride the zoo train for the first time since Thanksgiving and he was smiles from ear to ear the entire 25 minute ride. He was able to watch the "super huge" elephant eat her cheerios and hay and even get a few drinks of water from her water tub. His other highlight was visiting the Lorikeet Landing to feed the birds and search for his favorite red lorikeet, which was no where to be found on this day. All in all, it was a good day for us all (even if Tony couldn't breathe).

The week is off to a good start. Tony is feeling a little better. Jayden has kicked into hyper helper mode and has been helping with everything from laundry to cooking dinners (without being asked). He even gave Tiger Kitty a bath today, if only someone was around to photograph that one (I'm sure Tiger is happy that didn't happen).

I'll be sure to post an update next weekend as I have a few doctors appointments including an ultrasound scheduled.

Enough with the snow already!!

2008-02-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

Things have been very quiet in the Coles household lately. We can't really do a whole lot given the current weather situation. Each night we go to bed with rain and in the morning we awaken to snow. This is not the typical weather pattern in this area. We've lived here four years now and have had more snowy mornings in the past two and half weeks than in all the previous years combined. To make matters worse, it's only a slight dusting of snow so not enough to play in but just enough to make driving a little difficult.

Jayden has developed a very cute little habit each night with the weather. He watches the weather report on the evening news and when the man says "rain and wind, with a chance of low snow" Jayden spins around and sighs in disgust while telling me, "He just said more rain and wind...for the whole day and week". The poor little guy has been asking to go to the zoo and, more importantly, the beach for weeks now and there doesn't seem to be chance of either trip soon.

We are in the "initial approach" to the end of pregnancy with only 8 weeks left until delivery. With all the movement this baby has, I think he wants out of there as soon as possible. Just the other night as Jayden lay on my belly, he was recooperating from whacking his chin on the coffee table, his "baby brudder" let him have it right in the head. Jayden looked back a little stunned but more amused that he could feel his kicks.

The Great Escape

2008-01-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend marked another milestone for Jayden...he volunteered to bring home the class pet, Pumpkin the Guinea Pig. I figured this was a harmless little adventure but then again, I've never had a Guinea Pig.

Pumpkin spent the entire ride home trying to escape the confines of her little cage by biting the metal and pulling it. Luckily for me, we made it home without incident.

Friday night she was on her best behavior even though she was banished to the spare bedroom because she was keeping Jayden awake.

Saturday Jayden and Tony took Pumpkin out for a little affection time and fed her a few extra carrots. Jayden was loving every second of his "play date" with Pumpkin.

Sunday morning I was heading downstairs for a drink of water when I decided I should check in on the little fuzzy thing. Just as I get close enough to focus on the cage (I didn't have contacts or glasses on) I realize she's succeeded in her attempt at escape, the front cage door was wide open! I yell for Tony to come help me find her before the cat does. I actually don't know why I worried about our cat, we put a gate up at the door that she surely can't jump without a trip to the vet for a cortisone shot and this is the same cat that if her toy gets batted outside the reach of her paws, she would rather curl up and take a nap than move the two inches to reclaim the toy. After only a few seconds of searching we find Pumpkin in the closet trying to chew her way through our carpet. Only later would I discover that she had actually chewed her way through a few things in the closet.

Today Jayden and I returned Pumpkin to the class and told the teachers about our very fun filled weekend. Without missing a beat, Jayden volunteered to take her home again whenever Miss Shauna needed someone to do so. At least we didn't kill her.

Catching Up!!

2008-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

2008 is happily upon us and it's left me asking, "Where did 2007 go?". We haven't updated our blog in six months! I guess we'll start 2008 off with the speed readers recap of the 2nd half of 2007...

Summer was great, although it didn't really feel like we got much summer here in the Pacific Northwest. On one of the few nice days we took a day trip to the coast with our friends Laurie and Kira for a little digging in the sand and playing in the ocean.

Summer also brought one big milestone for Jayden, Potty Training. He mastered it just two weeks before his first day of Preschool. (Nothing like making mom sweat whether or not he was going to be able to start preschool.)

Toward the end of summer Tony and I celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary and earlier in August we also discovered that we were expecting our second child!

Fall brought all the usual celebrations, Halloween and pumpking "hunting". A Thanksgiving spent at home, nice and peaceful.

We paid extra attention to celebrate our last Christmas as the three of us. We made a trip to the zoo for Zoo Lights (in 30 degree weather!), Christmas Tree "hunting" (Tony actually managed to cut the tree all the way down this year), baking cookies and assembling gingerbread trains.

Don't even ask about New Years. Whatever happened after 9:30pm is a mystery to us.

So now the New Year has begun and we've begun a new year of excitement and joy. Our little boy is due the first week of April, although he will more than likely be born before April Fools Day. Big Brother Jayden has already attended Big Brother class, and loved every minute of it. He's very excited about the new addition and askes each week "Why my baby "brudder" taking so long to be born?" I can't wait to see the two of them together and all the adventures that will surely follow.

We will be sure to keep this blog updated now that we've rounded the crazy holiday season and have an upcoming new addition to celebrate.

Jayden's Birthday

2007-06-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

If you can believe it, our baby Jayden just turned 3!! Where did all the time go? It seems like just yesterday we were emailing everyone announcing he had arrived, and now we are celebrating his third birthday. Gone are those endless days of snuggles and coos. Now it's "I do it all by myself" and tantrums. The best are those in public, "when we get home you are going to get it" tantrums. Yeah, how long until we grow out of this stage.

He walks, talks and does just about anything else you can think of (except jump with two feet, I think he get his coordination, or lack of, from his daddy). He's all about trains, planes, and any other mode of transporation. Like I said before, he wants to do everything all by himself and if you try to offer a little assistance, he pulls his arms done and very sternly says "no". He scolds the cat, no touching his trains, no getting out of the house, no sniffing his food and definately no coming in his room. We got him a teepee for his birthday. Now that he will gladly share with the cat, but only so he can close the little cloth doors and tie them shut to lock her in. (And the cat thought the tail pulling stage was the worst.) Yep, he's definately a little person with his own words, likes, dislikes, rules, ideas and ways. Before he was born I was aked what I wanted for him and I answered, "I want him to be stubborn and independent." well, God gave it to me.

He may be growing up faster than we can believe but there are days when he's still my baby. Those days when instead of napping in his room, he would rather "nuggle mommy" on the couch. He walks outside and lets out an "ooohhh noooo" because some of my flowers fell off the plant and onto the ground. When he gets scared and comes up to be held close just long enough to forget what scared him in the first place...and then it's off again, growing up. Three years down, fifteen to go...but, he'll always be my baby.

Birthday Celebrations

2007-05-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

April/May is birthday central in the Coles' house.

We celebrated Michelle's 30th birthday in Cannon Beach, Oregon. The three of us spent the day exploring the quaint shops and trying out various restuarants. We stayed one night at a hotel just South of Haystack Rock (Goonies fans will know the rock). We headed back home after enjoying a late breakfast near the beach and one last walk along the water so Jayden could help mommy find sand dollars.

Today is Cinco de Mayo and Tiger Kitty's 14th Birthday! She has decided to celebrate her birthday with a long spring nap in the sun. She is requesting a very special birthday dinner, Tuna. I think we can make that happen, afterall, she does put up with a very energetic little boy that likes to wake her up each morning by jumping on the bed.

Now we're gearing up for a Happy 3rd Birthday celebration for Jayden at the end of the month. This usually includes us trying to figure out how to work even more toys into this house without the house looking like we're running an in-home daycare. We'll let you know how that goes. Does anyone have any ideas for the best placement of an indoor teepee?

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T14:14:00.001-07:00

While our friends and family back east have been digging out of the snow, spring has arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Michelle and Jayden took advantage of the warmer weather to go to the zoo, where Jayden got to see his favorite thing - trains. The weather also gave J a chance to break in the sandbox for the first time this year, and Tony got to make sure the grill still works. (It does....mmmmmmm, carne asada...)

The Easter Bunny arrived early and Jayden was ready for him. We spent part of the day with our friends Laurie and Michael, and their daughter Kara (aka: Jayden's girlfriend), and Laurie's parents. We probably should have taken more pictures, but you can tell from the shots we did manage to take that it was a great weekend.

Jayden Shakes His Booty

2007-03-30T22:33:00.001-07:00

We're not exactly sure how or when it happened, but Jayden has found a new favorite phrase...."Shake a Booty." Not only does he love to say this over and over, he loves to do a little dance at the same time. Last night we had a chance to catch the last few seconds of a Shake A Booty performance on video. Enjoy...

2007-03-24T11:23:00.001-07:00

It is so hard to believe how quickly Jayden is growing up. Every day he becomes more and more independent. Last weekend we took him out to fly kites for the very first time. He has a great time. We had an even better time watching him.