Peter Turns 2!

There is something slightly painful about having your baby not be a baby anymore. (He's still a toddler - but not a baby.) Peter, though was so excited that it was finally his turn to wear the birthday hat and have presents.He was posing so proudly.


Unfortunately, we had a very busy day and there wasn't much time for celebrating. I took him in for his 2 year old pictures but didn't even have time to choose them before we had to go rushing home to slice a bunch of apples for Jonas' banquet at school and get Duffy's backpack. Then it was off to preschool and setting up the banquet. Then home to meet Grandma Judy who stayed with Peter so he could take a nap while I went back to the school for the festivities. When that was done, I grabbed Duffy and took Jonas home a little early so he could tend while I went to pick Amelia up and take her to a doctor's appointment -as seen below. (At least that wasn't painful because she absolutely adores Dr. Murray - as do I. We lucked out on finding her.) By the time we got home it was 5:15 and fortunately Samantha had gotten a ride to the play because I would have been late. Peter had about 15 minutes to spend opening his presents. (The poor kid had been walking past them all day saying "open it?" and I had to keep saying, "not yet." But at 5:15 I finally called Shawn and asked if it was OK for Peter to go ahead and open his presents because we needed to be at Samantha's school play by 6 and Shawn wasn't going to make it home before then. So, it was quick:
He was so happy to have presents and he wanted to stop and play with each one, but the older kids kept pushing the others in front of him because they didn't want to wait anymore either.


Yep, he even got a pillow pet. For the last several months, anytime we have gone to a store where he sees one, he insists on carrying it around and cuddling with it until it is time to put it back and leave. It was kind of pathetic, really.
We then rushed off to watch Samantha in her school play (Seussical, Jr.) which was lots of fun and very well done. Sorry, no pictures. I think I was so harried by that point in the day that it just slipped my mind. Finally, at about 8:30 - well past the usual bedtime, we stuck a candle in a scoop of ice cream for Peter to blow out. (How sad is that? No special birthday cake and Shawn and I both ran out of time to pick up cupcakes which was the adjusted plan. I guess it's good that he's only 2 and won't remember this.) In reality, I think he was just as happy with the candle in the ice cream since it's really about blowing out the flame.

Happy Birthday Peter!

Peter's 2 year old stats:

27. 4 pounds (43%)

33.0 inches (16%)

Still not a very big kid. He has short little legs and it makes me laugh to watch him run. It will be interesting to see if he will always be small.

Finally a Knight

At Jonas' school for the past several weeks, the 6th graders have been studying the medieval period. He has had to work hard and complete assignments to become a page, then a squire, and finally a knight. (Kind of nice for us at home because he had to practice chivalry - pulling out chairs, holding doors open, plus he had to essentially complete any tasks he was asked to do by the Master and Mistress of the house - otherwise we didn't have to sign off his papers. I'm trying to figure out how to keep this going now that the assignment is over.)

Here he is in his knightly armor.
At school, they had a big banquet complete with chicken legs and trenchers. The floor was covered with brown butcher paper to be like the dirt floors from that time period, so that they could just throw their finished or unwanted food on the ground. That was kind of gross, really. Especially since there were no dogs roaming around to help clean it up.
I loved seeing all of the helmets, shields, fancy hats and costumes. (Some of the kids - especially the girls, dressed up quite a bit.)
Of course, you can't hand a bunch of boys swords and expect there to be no sword fights.
Apparently, over the course of this medieval unit, there were constant references by the kids to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, as seen below with the knights who say "Ni" and the coconuts used to make the "clip-clop" sound of the horses. It made me laugh.
There were also several activities that required the boys and girls to pair up - which the majority of them moaned about. They weren't very happy about it. There were a handful of them, though that seemed to like the idea. Jonas was not in that group. (Thank goodness, I say.)
Here is Jonas pulling a lovely maiden in an attempt to get her back before the other knights return with their maidens.
I think everyone had fun, of course, anything that takes Jonas away from math is fun. At the very least, I was entertained.

I Want My Kids to Stay Kids as Long as Possible

Perhaps the birthdays around here have got me thinking about this, but I came across this blog post that really hit home for me as a mother to 3 daughters, so I thought I would share it.

SEVEN!!!

Birthday week continues. Despite my begging, my kids all keep deciding to have birthdays and get older. Amelia turned 7 today. It makes me sad, but it is also fun to see the person that she is becoming. Unlike others of my children (say, Samantha for instance,) who provide me with an ongoing list of things they would like to have for their birthdays (or other relevant holidays), when I asked Amelia what she wanted, she said, "You pick, Mom." Well, that makes it easy.

Usually on their birthdays, the kids wake up to find all their presents wrapped, but poor Amelia thought she didn't have any because I had gone to bed with a terrible migraine and didn't get it done. So I locked her out of my room and wrapped them quickly this morning. The birthday girl:
And finally, some presents.
She chose to unwrap 2 before school because she just couldn't wait.

As always, there are siblings close by to "help" out and monitor the unwrapping.

After school, Amelia and I went to Barnes and Noble for a cupcake. (Free for the birthday child when you sign up for the kids club - which is also free. Good stuff to know.)
Then we went to the library to get her her very own library card. (She has been begging for one for a couple of years.)
She was thrilled to get to check out books all by herself with her very own card. (All of the kids cards live in my wallet - otherwise we'd never be able to find them when we need them.)
Then it was home for dinner and more present opening. Peter got to open one, too, since Grandma stopped by tonight but won't be back on Thursday.
Once again, intense interest from the siblings.


Amelia chose a ladybug cake this year.

Happy birthday to a sweet girl!
Do you think Peter will notice if he doesn't get a birthday cake? All this cake making gets a little time intensive.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It is birthday week at our house. (Plus you add in the fact that I had a nephew born 2 days ago, and Ben Jacobsen's birthday celebration yesterday - that's birthdays on the 25th, 26th, 27th with Amelia's still to come on the 29th and Peter's on the 31st.) Whew! Anyway, the girls went outside this morning and came running back in the house yelling that there was a toilet in our front yard. I immediately responded with "Oh, Rob!! Seriously?!" They wanted to know how I knew it was Uncle Rob. I just said, "I just know it was."
He will claim that it is because I didn't wish him a Happy birthday on his birthday last year, but see, it's like this. We kind of make it a point to call each other on our birthdays every year. (We gave up on gift giving between siblings several years ago because it got kind of overwhelming and expensive.) It's a big deal to make sure that we get the phone call in before the end of the day, otherwise we are deemed uncaring and rude and so on. Bright and early on the morning of July 28, 2010, I called Rob's house to wish him a Happy Birthday but when Michelle tried to hand him the phone, he literally went running out of the house and refused to talk to me. I spent the ENTIRE day calling and recalling. I tried his home phone and his cell phone (which he just turned off after a few calls) and he refused to answer my phone calls all. day. long. Believe me I called and called and left several messages. I even tried calling from different phones so my name wouldn't show up on caller ID. He purposely refused to take my calls just so he could say that I didn't wish him a Happy Birthday. (He really is that stubborn - and mean - let's just say it like it is.) So, I haven't heard the end of it since that day. And he's been promising something special for me ever since because he wants to drive home the point that he has never missed my birthday. So here it is in all it's glory. My "pot" of flowers. (At least he was considerate enough to add the dirt and tulips. I guess he could have just dumped it on my lawn and called it good.) I snapped a quick shot of it before heading off to church this morning.
The kids all thing it is fabulous and funny. (I'm not so sure that my neighbors will agree.)
So, Happy Birthday to me. Thanks, Rob for the lovely, um tulips. And of course, you know this means it's on. Two of my cuties.
This is the lovely birthday cake,
that was made especially for me by Samantha. (Really, all by herself! She had a plan and asked Shawn to pick up what she would need at the store.) I love it.
Immediately after church, we headed downtown to my parents new place for a birthday dinner. (Nothing nicer than not having to cook or clean on your birthday!) Here's part of the crew at the table.
If you look just past Jake's head, you can see what a nice view they have.
If you're in the right spot, this is what you see while you eat. You can't complain about a view like that.
The birthday dinner was not just for me, but also for Peter and Amelia, so we all got to blow out candles. Grandma Judy helping Peter:
Amelia and her cupcake:

She also helped me blow out my candles. (We don't actually have to discuss my age here, right?)
Peter didn't really want to wait for a plate or ice cream. He was ready to dig right in.

From dinner, we rushed home to open presents. I got lots of help. The kids could hardly stand it that I hadn't opened any presents yet. We always have to start by putting on the birthday hat.


I am now the proud owner of my very own petroglyph, courtesy of Samantha.

Mostly these photos are here because all of the facial expressions make me laugh.







These are some of my favorite presents of all. (At least most days.)
From present opening, we were off to Samantha's harp recital. Always a joy to listen to harp music. (No explanation for why all of the pictures are blurry, but Samantha's on the right.)
And then, just to finish things off right, back home to blow out the candles on my other cake.

It was a busy, happy birthday. Yep, right now I do feel a little older, but then again, it's way past my bedtime, so good night!