The Graduate(s)

Wow, I am having a hard time with this. My big boy graduated from Kindergarten and my baby graduated from preschool. WTH? I don't get how they got so big, so fast. While I love every minute of their growing and learning, I still feel a bit sad and wistful for the babies they were. Nicholas is so smart, much too smart for an almost 7 year old and he has now entered the "cool boy" stage. This is where he starts to wonder if some of the things he does is "cool" or babyish. And he is always do busy. Whether it is with sports, or school or just play, he always has to be doing something. I love how his mind works, he is always planning or building. He is never as happy as when he is plotting his next move or constructing something. So much fun to watch and listen, but would it kill him to snuggle on the couch with me for more than a couple of minutes? Greyson is...ahhhh....he is Greyson, his very own person and so very different from his brother. He is still preschool cuddly, loving when he wants to be and likes nothing better than to curl up in my lap while I read a book to him or watch a movie with him. But I know these days are numbered so I am taking my snuggles as often and as long as I can get them.

Greyson received his diploma. He was very proud of his cap. That is Grey in the green plaid shorts and white vest.

Greyson with Miss Jessica. He is sad to leave her but really looking forward to having Mrs. Braswell as his teacher (shhhh, don't tell anyone)

Nicholas before his graduation. He is so handsome.


Well, here she is...Mrs. Braswell (aka the other woman). Nicholas is so sad to leave her, he is completely crazy about her and cannot imagine how he could ever love a teacher as much. I am sure he will manage somehow. He did mention that he will need to walk Greyson to class every morning so he can give Mrs. Braswell a hug. That boy.

I'll update again soon with some really cute pics from their last soccer games and trophy presentation.

Hamster-ical

There is rarely a dull moment around here. This past week, on Tuesday afternoon to be exact, we welcomed the newest member of our family, Thor the Hamster. Nicholas has been asking for a pet for quite a while now, but Bryant and I had long ago decided that we would be petless until the boys were old enough to contribute to the care of any pets. We now feel like Nicholas at least, is old enough to care for one and we let him choose what type of pet. I was kinda hoping for a fish and Bryant spent a good deal of time extolling the virtues of becoming the parent of a house plant. I am not kidding, he tried his best to convince Nicholas that a plant was the way to go, sigh. I honestly figured he would choose a dog but instead he picked a hamster. Yes, a rodent. So on Tuesday, we went to get a pet and this is where the detour begins...

I am not proud to admit that I had pretty much rather have any pet other than a hamster, excepting mice and snakes. I am however, ashamed to admit that I resorted to bribery and pleading all the way from pulling into the pet store parking lot right up until we checked out. I even offered a pony for Nicholas to reconsier the whole hamster in the family thing. Nicholas could not be budged. So we loaded up on hamster necessities, a really cool habitat, and a bunch of hamster toys and snacks. Nicholas was so excited, carried his little hamster out in a cardboard box. I was rather creeped out watching the box squirm and both boys had trouble remembering not to swing the box, so we decided to put our new pet safely in the floor behind the third row of seats in my car for the ride home. We spent almost the entire 20 minute ride home trying out names. With help from Greyson, Nicholas settled on Thor.

We got home, the boys hurried to the back of the car to open the door and take Thor into his new home... only to discover an empty box with a big ol' whole chewed through the side of it. yes, while we were happily naming our new pet, he was quickly gnawing his way to freedom...In. My. Car. We looked and looked for him but had to stop after about an hour or so because we were due at the ball field for a Tuesday night T Ball game. After the game, we spent another hour or so trying to find him, but could only assume that he must have gotten out of the car while we were looking for him with all the doors open. Nicholas was very upset and I have to admit that I suffered some serious guilt and slept like crap that night (also keeping my awake was the thought of a hamster loose in my car). But back to the guilt, I felt terrible because my son was sad that his first pet did not even make it home from the store. And worse than that, Bryant and I had done all we could to ruin the experience for him by trying to talk him out of the hamster. Seriously, could we be worse parents? Nicholas woke up in the middle of the night, really upset over Thor and I promised to find him the next day or get him a new Thor.

The next morning, both Bryant and I looked for Thor before the crack of dawn. Seriously, both of us felt so bad and were so worried we had scarred him for life that we woke up before the sun and were digging around in my car. No luck. After listing the help of our employess and some of our friends all day, we could not find the rat...errr...hamster, so I left the restaurant early and bought a new hamster. Bryant was all for lying and telling Nicholas that we found Thor, but I felt honesty was the best route. So I gave Nick his new hamster and told him how we thought Thor had escaped from my car (really we figured he was still in there and one day the smell would lead us to him). Nicholas was fine, he fell in love with his new hamster and named him Thor 2. Clearly I have let him watch one too many sequals.

This story has gotten really long, longer than I anticipated, so I will try to just hit the highlights now. Thursday morning, Nick and I get in the car for school, he sees Thor 1 running around the car. He is all happy, I am totally freaked. I had to drive with a loose hamster in my car and I was making some odd noise between crying, moaning and humming the whole time. Nicholas was trying to soothe me from the back seat and I am ashamed to admit that I kept praying that Thor 1 was still in the back with my kid, rather than up front with me. Yes, I admit it, if the only thing standing between me and Thor 1 was Nicholas, I would have pushed him forward. Sad, I know.

So for 4 days I rode around in a constant state of panic with a hamster loose in my car. Bryant decided to set a trap, a humane trap for Thor 1. It was straight out of Scooby Doo, seriously Fred would have been so proud. I wont go into detail, but it consisted of levels, hamster treats, and a trash can. Two days later, it worked. Saturday morning, I opened the back door to get Grey's soccer ball and there was Thor 1, all nice and comfy, staring up at me from the bottom of a trash can. of course, I very quickly shut the door and called Bryant.

Now we have two hamsters, two cages (one is male and the other is possible female), tons of little rodent toys, a big bag of hamster food, a bigger bag of bedding and two very happy little boys. And one seriously creeped out Mommy.

I do not have any pictures but plan to take some tomorrow to add to this post. Cant wait to see some super sized beedy red eyes up close, ewwwwww.

Major League Cuties

I cannot think of a single thing that I do not love about these two guys! Ok, well maybe the way their feet smell after Keen removal, but that may be it. Sorry for lack of updates, the spring sports season is well under way and between that and the restaurant, I don't have time to come up for air very often, and no time at all for blogging. All is well here, both boys are playing soccer and T-Ball right now. Different soccer teams but we were lucky enough to get them both on the same T Ball team. Nicholas is not totally thrilled with playing T Ball, he was hoping to move up to Coach Pitch, but no way could we handle 4 teams this season, 3 is almost too much. Our schedule is so hectic, with 3 soccer practices, 2 soccer games, and now 3 T Ball games each week. It goes something like this: Monday-Nick's soccer practice, Tuesday-T Ball game, Wednesday-Nick's soccer practice, Thursday-Greyson's soccer practice, Friday-T Ball game, Saturday morning-2 soccer games and 1 T Ball game. This coming Saturday we have G's soccer game at 8:30, Nick's soccer game at 9:30. and the T Ball game is at 11:00. We are going to have to shed soccer gear and replace with T Ball gear in the car, no time to go home and change. Like I said, hectic, but oh so fun!

here are a few T Ball picks. I just realized that I haven't taken very many soccer pics this year, so I will do that and post soon.

Waiting for Superman

Probably not politically correct to use that title but we are. Waiting for Superman that is...and batman and a few more Spiderman things.

Finally we moved Greyson from the twin bed into a full sized bed. We have put it off and put if off for several reasons. One, I liked the idea of my baby sleeping in the same bed his Daddy slept in when he was not much older than Grey. Two, it could be pushed up against the wall so I didn't have to worry about Greyson rolling out of it. Three, I spent a ton of money and time on the perfect train decor for his room. But I originally picked it out and decorated it for Nicholas, and when I moved Nicholas up to a Queen sized bed, this became Greyson's room. Although he did and does like trains well enough, he does not get as excited about transportation as Nicholas does. His passion is Super Heroes!

So in keeping with that theme, we have moved him into a full sized bed and turned his room into the Super Hero cave. He is so proud of it. It is not quite finished, we are waiting on the arrival of a Superman shield and a Batman mural, both should arrive this coming week, and his Spiderman duvet and shams should be in sometime during the first week or so of April. I will try my best over the next few weeks to find some really cool, but somewhat tasteful, Superhero stuff to add to his room. Some of it is so cheesy, especially the Batman stuff. the Batman mural we are doing is more of a Dark Knight type suit, as opposed to the original ugly blue and gray. So even though it is not finished, he loves it and every person that walks in the front door is treated to a tour of his room by the sweetest superhero tour guide in the world.

And after laying on a healthy dose of Mommy guilt about being left out, Nicholas was able to score some new sheets for his bed.

This Little Light of Mine

the light of my life (well half of it anyway)

Sorry if it makes you motion sick, I was driving while he was singing and could only focus it in the mirror, so I could keep my eyes on the road in front of me. He sang this song the entire way from school to the restaurant. He cant carry a tune in a bucket, but I love that sweet little voice.

Batman and Sparkly Robin

Greyson and I spent the morning playing in the Bat Cave (one of his Imaginext toys) and waiting for the GE repairman. I thought we were having lots of fun until Greyson told me I was not playing right and then he took his toys and went home. Well, into another room anyway. At first, I got to be Batman to his Joker. But they were both on the same "team" according to Grey.

This is when we were making a getaway after a highly profitable bank robbery of money and suckers. We then went back to our secret lair, aka the Bat Cave, located behind Chuck E Cheese. Greyson loves to talk about Chuck E Cheese, even though he has never been there and as long as I am living, he will never go there.

"I'm King of the World" or at least the Bat Cave.

Alas, Greyson thought I was having too much fun with Batman, so he took him from me and gave me Robin, but he still let me be on his "team". Only he could not find Robin, so he gave me this dude with the shaved head and goatee. You cant tell from this picture, but "Robin's" suit is a very sparkly bluish silver. I don't know for sure, but I think "Robin" here may be playing on a different team entirely.
The reason I spent over an hour playing Batman and Sparkly Robin.

Couldn't you just eat him up?

Only for my precious Greyson would I sit in the floor for hours on end and let both Batman and the Joker kick the sh*t out of my Sparkly non Robin dude.

Exciting Day

Sorry for the lack of updates, but we have been busy lately. Nicholas has had a loose tooth, his first, since November. Finally, over the past week, it has been loose enough to come out. Actually, he has been nagging his Daddy to pull it for over 2 weeks, but today Bryant decided it was loose enough to pull without causing any drama. For those of you familiar with Nicholas, you know that this is no small chore. We deal with major hysteria over a small splinter. I was having a hard time believing that he would actually allow his Daddy to pull a tooth. I figured it would go something like this "Daddy, I want this tooth to come out, but I don't want you to touch it or me or get within 3 feet of it or even look at it or I will totally freak and run around the house screaming that you are going to kill me and that I will never forgive you for this". But that is not how it went at all. We were at the restaurant after closing and Nicholas was once again nagging for him to pull it, so he sat down with him, worked on it for about 3 minutes and out it came. No drama, no tears, not even an "I am mad at the both of you" like we got the last time he had a splinter and we tried to get it out. Just a tiny bit of blood and it didn't phase him. Again, unusual because the last time he had a nose bleed, he screamed bloody (no pun intended) murder for a full 10 minutes after it stopped.

So my big boy is getting bigger and while I will miss those perfect little baby teeth, I couldn't be happier for him. Congrats sweet Nicholas, Mommy and Daddy are as proud as you are. Love you to the moon and back and back again.