Party at the Park

I took Joel & Grace to Bronson Park today for the Ready to Read "Party in the Park." The local library and Ready to Read program put on a fun day for the kids. Everyone gets a bag with a free book, juice box and pack of animal crackers. Then, various characters and members of the community come around and read stories to the kids. It's tons of fun. There were hundreds of kids there this morning. We met up with Niki & Layla, spread out our blanket and enjoyed some stories...

As you can see...Gracie really got into it too! Joel and Layla were more excited about the animal crackers at first, but they definitely got into it as they saw some fun characters...

I don't know who these people are, but Joel got sick of sitting on the ground. When he saw an open seat...he ran right over and made himself comfortable. I hope they didn't mind. He's clearly awed by what is going on in the story! How do you like the hands behind the head recline?? What a ham!We got to hear somebody read "Caps for Sale!" He had lots and lots of hats on his head. When he took his hats off, Joel took his hat off too...

This is the mayor of Kalamazoo reading to us...

And, of course, we had to get a picture with the man in the yellow hat! Joel loves Curious George. He was wondering where that monkey was...

We also saw Mother Goose, Madeline, a frog, a dog, a policeman, and a Dr. Seuss character (who is that yellow guy with the star on his belly?? I can't remember)

It was a beautiful day to be outside. We stayed for a picnic lunch and Curt came over to meet us. It's fun to think how much more Gracie will enjoy this event next year(...and baby Mejeur will be there to join us too)!

Joel & Layla are READY TO READ!

Blue Blankie...

So...Joel hasn't been feeling so hot the past few days. He's had lots of puking and diarrhea (sorry to be gross!) but the trauma of sickness and sore buns has paled in comparison to being temporarily separated from his one and only...Mr. Blue Blankie.

Mister Blue Blankie, you say?? Yes. Blue Blankie is not merely a 36"x36" piece of double-layered blue and white fleece...he is a member of the family.

After, well...let's just say a "messy" trip in the car with a sick toddler, there was no choice but to wash blue blankie. It was now my mission to gently remove blankie from said toddler and commence with cleaning.

The soaking, pre-washing, washing, and drying cycles (YES...all four steps were absolutely necessary!) meant that Joel was to be separated from blue blankie for approximately 36 hours.

No problem, right?

I did what any rational, clear-minded person would do. I got out Mr. Orange Blankie and tried to pull the old switcheroo. That substitution did not go unnoticed by my less rational, less clear-minded two-year-old son.

No problem.

I am in complete and total control of my mind and emotions. I am also covered in the residue of various bodily fluids of both my son and daughter as I simply explain that Blue Blankie was dirty and he needed a bath just like Joel and Gracie and Daddy and (on a good day) Mommy get to take baths. We walked to the washing machine and checked on Blankie before we headed to bed. Joel bid farewell to his friend and wished him the best as he headed for his travels through the vast sea of our Kenmore washer.

Morning arrives. Birds are chirping...the sun is shining...Joel is screaming "MOMMY! MOMMY!" from his bedroom. We get up and get ready for the day. "Where is Blue Blankie?" he asks.

Right.

Mom did NOT switch loads of laundry before going to bed last night. Blue Blankie is STILL in the washer. Queue meltdown.

Well...no need to make this an exhaustingly long story. Blue Blankie eventually made it through the dryer no worse for wear, and I got to watch my son scoop him up in an embrace one might see at the reunion of a soldier returning to his family after years in the war.

"Oh, Blankie!" he says..."You so soft."

Ahhhh...mission accomplished.

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Okay...I just have to add this. I actually posted this entry and walked out to my living room where Joel promptly (as in...within 2 minutes of my arrival) puked, once again, all over Blue Blankie. This is a 100% true story. How can one do anything BUT laugh at things like this. As I type, Blue Blankie is BACK in the washing machine! Oh my!

"Hewwo??"

Grace got her very first swimsuit! Now we are officially ready for summer! Uh oh...is that a two-piece? Pop Pop Evans would NOT approve. We are waiting for him to send a baby turtlenect to wear under the swimsuit!

Joel really loves "his Gracie"...but sometimes only for a little while.

Here is another picture of Joel at the wedding. As you can see, he was dangerous on the dance floor (and not at all intimidated by all the people snapping pictures around him...what a ham!).

So...Joel's new thing is that he LOVES to answer my phone. He now knows that if the cell phone is ringing and he opens it up, there will be a magical voice talking to him on the other end of the line. So if any of you happens to call, you might get me...or you might get a little boy saying, "hewwo??" It's now a race between the two of us any time the phone rings!

We were at the park this morning with my little daredevil and some friends. Joel is no longer interested in getting to the top of the slide via steps, stairs or any other "safe" means. He now wants to climb only chains, poles and ladders. I had three mini heart attacks in the 45 minutes we were there this morning! Once he gets to the top, he is only interested in the tallest twisty slide. He will have nothing to do with any of those other inferior slides!

At one point today, he had to wait behind a little girl who was hesitant to go down the big slide. I could hear him saying, "Go DOWN! Just GO!" and pointing down the slide. When she continued her hesitation, he let out a loud sigh of disbelief as if to say, "Someone get this girl on the kiddie slides. She's holding up traffic up here!"

The Shape-Master!!

Joel has been working on his shapes lately. He is doing a great job! We were playing with his shapes poster the other day, and I was shocked when he pointed out the trapezoid...but then he mixes up the circle and square! Oh well...he has plenty of time to get it all straightened out!

Now he's got it!

Gracie is getting so big! We love her! I can't believe how fast these first months have flown by. I better get all the snuggling in that I can. I've found that two-year-olds are a lot more particular about when they want hugs and kisses from mommy.

Fish Face!

I just had to post this one. Joel keeps making this crazy fish face at me, and I finally got him to do it on camera. Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa DeBoer for teaching him what a fish looks like!!! It cracks me up every time.

Miss Grace Elizabeth

Grace is eleven weeks old today. I can't believe how time is flying by already! She is growing and getting stronger every day. I am resigned to the fact that she got a lot of dad's genes (looks like blue eyes are here to stay and her hair is growing in lighter on the top of her head), but I am finding hope in the fact that someone told me she looked like me this week! Hey...I'll take what I can get.

She has been such a great baby. She is very happy and laid back. She doesn't cry or complain unless she is hungry or needs a diaper change. She does love to be held and cuddled, but we're loving that! She is a bit of a mommy's girl. She almost always calms down when I snuggle her and talk to her. I am constantly giving her kisses (look at that face...could you resist??)!!

It's definitely different with a girl. I thought I was ready for it, but I'm a total mush! She snuggles with me all the time, and never cries very long before I have to go get her. I guess the tough love is still down the road a little ways! I love getting her dressed up to go out in her little pink outfits and cute dresses. How can I resist when she is such a cutie?!?!

Joel is doing well as a big brother. He does get a little impatient at times, but his is only a two-year-old after all! Grandma & Grandpa DeBoer took Joel out for breakfast yesterday morning and to the fish hatchery to feed the fish. When they asked him if he wanted to go home to see mommy, he said YES. When they asked if he wanted to see Gracie...he said NO!

We are definitely getting adjusted to life with two kids. There are no more quick trips to the grocery store, Curt and I both constantly have a child hanging on us, going out for a family dinner is a bit of a spectacle and I need at least an hour notice to "spontaneously" go out for a lunch date or something fun (which happens once every couple of weeks!). Even so, we feel so blessed to have a healthy, happy family. We wouldn't trade it for the world.