Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What a Melon Ale, belts, ugly armpits and fishing for pennies

I began my weekend early by enjoying an evening out with friends last Thursday.  We met under the pretense that we were going to discuss our latest bookclub pick, Don't Breathe a Word, but we all know that it is really just a monthly excuse to get together to eat, drink and discuss other stuff.  I saw 'What a Melon Ale' on the menu, a seasonal offering (we were at a local brew pub afterall), so I tried it.  Oh. my. goodness.  If you can imagine summertime in a glass, complete with a watermelon wedge as a garnish, then that, my friends, is What a Melon Ale.  (A blonde ale, with fresh watermelon juice).  Yummy!

Friday was a pretty light day, just swim team and swimming lessons, and a playmate came over to spend the afternoon.  She brought her American Girls dolls, so Rylan was one happy little girl!



Colin looking on as Rylan and Owen have their lessons


Saturday morning was devoted to karate belt testing.  Rylan was moving up to purple, and Jordan was earning his orange.  Testing lasts about an hour for each of them, so it was a full morning.






Naomi and Jordan demonstrate behind-the-back wrist grabs  (the girl that Jordan likes...)



Saturday evening was a night out for Dean and I - we were off to a concert!!  A few years ago, Harley Davidson built a huge complex just off of the interstate, near Loveland.  They constructed a large amphitheatre as well, and put on about 5 concerts each summer.  Several weeks ago I saw that Kenny Wayne Shephard was performing there and I snatched up tickets faster than a biker can hop on his hog.  The concert was wonderful - he performed several of my favorites.  The lightning show all around us was fantastic, and we got rained on a little - but we were prepared.  It was entertaining to watch the ones who weren't.  KWS is a blues man, but the concert goers were a (ahem) rather colorful group of people.  I saw a lot of women in tank tops that were exposing a lot more than they probably realized.  I tried to just focus on the stage.  Dean also pointed out the sad fact that we always seem to get stuck behind a group of stupid drunk women who are still single for obvious reasons.  My Droid took terrible pictures, this is the only decent one I got..  That's Noah in the white, and Kenny in the black.




Kenny finished the concert with a ten minute long performance of Hendrix's Voodoo Child.  I remarked to Dean, "No wonder Woodstock went on for days.... the songs are never ending!!"

If you aren't familiar with KWS, I included this audio treat just for you - an instrumental number called 'While We Cry'...  Lean back, close your eyes, and just let the music transport you - think of it as a six minute mini-vacation!





On Sunday, Jordan and I participated in the Mother & Son Amazing Race, put on by our city's Parks & Rec. department.  We were one of seventy teams that attended the event.  We had to complete 10 different tasks, plus a couple of extra surprise ones.  It took us a little over an hour to finish.  We had a lot of fun! 

Here were our tasks:

(Extra) - Join up with the next team to arrive at station, and 'toss' a water balloon back and forth, using only a beach towel stretched between each team.

1. Fish around in a baby pool filled 8 inches deep with green oatmeal and locate 10 pennies.

2. Water bucket brigade - transport water from one bucket to another, using just a plastic cup.

3. Indoor obstacle course.

4. Choice between spoonful of 'mystery food' inside a can labeled 'Dog Food', or transport six dumbbells, one at a time, across a room and back.

5.  Keep a balloon up in the air, hitting it back and forth for 30 seconds, without using your hands.

(Extra) - shake two different step counters to a combined total of 200 'steps'as quickly as possible

6.  Lego building challenge (just assembling and then disassembling a small lego kit)

7. Newspaper leapfrog - get across a gym floor using only two pieces of newspaper.  BUT.  You both have to be on the same piece, at the same time.  So you stand on one (holding on to each other helps), and then scoot the piece you just stepped off of around from behind you and get it in front of you again.  Repeat.

8.  Scooter canoeing.  Kneel on a little square scooter and use a rubber-tipped stick to push yourself across the gym floor.

9. Toilet paper toss.  Toss a roll of TP through a target (much like a football)

10.  Remember each and every helper's name that operated each station (we were given the advice before hand to remember their names) and write them down in order - that was hard!

We each got a t-shirt and enjoyed some bbq afterwards.  It was a very hot afternoon, and we both sweated and panted as we raced back and forth, but we had a good time!  It was interesting (and a little sad) that we witnessed some mom and son teams blatantly cheating - what kind of role modeling is that??  You could also tell which moms were in it TO WIN, and dragged their sons along to do so.  Kudos to the teams where the moms made it fun and exciting.  This was the inaugural year for this event, but alas, Jordan was at the top of the age range, so he won't be able to participate again.  Hopefully the event will be bigger and better when Owen's turn comes around in a couple of years.  Boys K-5 can participate.




In the meantime, my dear husband worked and worked on the computer all weekend to get a project for work finished on time.  He had to man the little ones as well, while I ran back and forth to all of our events.  Thanks hon!  I am now making up for lost time on the computer.... can you tell?

Buckle up!





This morning as I was barreling down the road at 40mph...

Sweet Little Voice from way in the back seat:  Mommy!!

Me: Whatee??

SWL: Buckle me!!

Thank you Owen, for looking out for yourself today.  Your mommy obviously needs more coffee.

Wordless Wednesday


Alongside Cache LaPoudre River, near Rustic, CO.  April 9, 2010
When I spotted him, I shouted out so loud, Dean nearly drove us into the river.


Meet the Family: Colin

16 months, June 2011

Colin very nearly became the baby who wasn't to be.   I didn't trust that he was safe and sound until he was delivered and placed in my arms.  Such a sweet, sweet boy.  He was an easy-going infant - and thank goodness for that - it was a real struggle at times to manage every body's needs during that first year.  I wish that I had taken the time to document our days, but then again I am glad I didn't because I was really struggling with PPD, and the posts would have been angry and depressing. (it would seem that some days they still are!!  sorry 'bout that...)

The pregnancy was absolutely nerve-wracking.  After the initial horrific episode of what could only defined as a 'very large bloodclot', I still had unexplained bouts of profuse bleeding for the next 3-4 weeks.  It was awful.  I laid down a lot.  It is hard to parent from a couch.  We got through it, and from about week 24 onward it was smooth sailing.

Colin was born in early February, and I chose to breastfeed him.  He nursed like a champ in the beginning,  but by about the five month mark, his interest was waning.  It was August, it was hot, and my period had returned.  By September, he was getting very skinny.  I could feel his bones whenever I held him - yet (stupid me) alarm bells weren't going off for me.  When he had his six month appt. in late August, they didn't like what he weighed.  He was in the third percentile.  They wanted to weigh him again in a week.  By that next appointment, he had lost several more ounces.  Tests!!!  Let's do some tests!!  Lots of blood draws, finger pokes, urine and stool samples!!  Well, everything came back normal.  More ounces were lost.   He was now off the charts.  We had to get a baby scale and weigh him before and after every feeding.  Finally *I* figured it out that because my period had returned, my milk production had dramatically fallen off...  (doctors... *snort*)  It was time to introduce him to formula.  All this took place during the month of September, and we had planned to go on vacation in late Sept/early Oct.  We left on our trip and traveled though KS, OK, TX, LA, MS, GA, FL, TN, and AR...in ten days.  It was actually a very nice vacation that went very smoothly.  We made a lot of bottles along the way - it was actually more convenient than breastfeeding (gasp!  Did I just say that??).  Here is a photo of Colin, in Galveston, TX, at the beach.


8 months, Oct 2010
This photo was taken shortly after Colin started on the bottle.  He is so skinny!  It is hard for me to look at - but then I realize how far he has come in eight months.  Compare it to the picture above, taken about three weeks ago.  Whoo-hoo!  I can't help myself - I squeeze his meaty little thighs about a hundred times a day.  It must be a primal thing.

So now that Colin has been crisis-free for several months, he has really grown (no pun intended) into his own person.  He is the class clown of the family.  Thank goodness we homeschool because he would be the thorn in every teacher's side.  He loves to do something outlandish and then looks around to see who has been entertained by it.  So then he does it again.  and again.  and again.  Bowl of oatmeal or yogurt?  On top of the head it goes.  He will make faces, make noises, spin in circles, play peek-a-boo - anything to make you laugh.  He also likes to 'talk' with Abby and Kitty.  He will howl with along with Abby when she is excited about something, and he will make sweet little sounds as he toddles behind Kitty.  They both tolerate him pretty well - especially Abby, since he grabs big handfuls of her fur quite a bit.


Here is a sweet little photo of our baby boy - a joy that is long overdue in sharing!


Colin, 11 days old