Max at 1.8 years, Rylan at 3.5 years

Aaaaack! So, the boys came home from Kansas 2 weeks ago with bronchitis. A few days later I developed laryngitis, then Max's became a sinus infection, then mine became a sinus infection. Fast forward two weeks and Max has developed stomach death. Like a 12 icky diaper a day kind of stomach death. For 5 days. He's been tested for a fun array of illness (salmonella, campylobactor). So much fun!!!!

My boys. Minus the bronchitis, pooping, whining, hitting,  love of putting all things (toothbrushes) in the toilet, my boys are at a really really fun age right now. Rob and I have actually felt the cloud of crazy that came with having babies so close together (especially boys that we have shitty ears and lungs too) lifting every day.

Rylan is 3.5. He is a sweetie-poo, especially right after waking and right before sleeping. I love those times of the day, when he wants to come sit by you and snuggle. He always whisper talks and tells us about his dreams (somehow, Humpty Dumpty is in 99% of his dreams).  At night, he loves to get in our bed and watch a "moodie". When we come to check on him, we get "I love you so much!" and other sweet nothings from him.

Lately he has MAD playdough love. He also loves all his "guys" which are a funny collection of action figures donated to him by his cousin, Anthony and his Grammy's mad garage sale skills, and many many McDonald's toys from our travels. Right now, Batman is playing a heavy role in the "guy" time. After watching Toy Story 9.5 million times, like I have, my first thought is to be happy for the guys when they get their time with their kid, like Andy and Jessie were. But when your kid is Rylan, it might not be such a coo. They are often drowned, buried, slept on, thrown in a fit of rage, sent down the slide, given playdough hair (and shoes and gloves), and sent off the porch like a canon shooter.

Max? Max is 20 months old. He weighs EXACTLY what he did on his 12 month check up. I'd maintain/lose weight if I ran EVERYWHERE too. Max is a happy, silly little kiddo. He loves his mommy and daddy, his dog Lola, and his brother soooo much. Guess what he loves more? His pacey. We are working on weaning, trying to make him take it out when he leaves his bed and only get it back when he naps or in the car. This is a blessing and a curse. It makes for better travel and the kid literally says "pacey night night!!!!" and hops in his bed. The curse is, Rob and I might be more hooked on that pacey then the baby is. And after this latest "poopsuation" he may never give that sucker up.

Max is so good at playing. Because he gets into lots of shinanigans (previously mentioned toothbrushes in the toilet, also eating playdough,we get a little nervous at any quiet time in the house. He is on his way to talking up a storm. Right now he does the most random and adorable thing: he adds "na na" to almost every word. Or uses "na na" as a catch all for words (or people) he can't say the name to.

Going through the book Brown Bear sounds like this
"bear na na"
"dog na na"
"horse na na"

Arriving at my parents house sounds like this
me "say hi to Grammy"
Max "hi Na Na"

A couple months ago, my boss talked to me about the possiblity of working Mondays or Fridays instead of my yearlong Thursday on stints. These are now their busy days, and being a girl that likes to feel needed, I checked into Tiny Town letting the kids move days. It was looking like that wouldn't happen. At the same time, we were getting sooooo sick of all the testing required to get Rylan free speech therapy from the state. Its been 4 months and he has just now got accepted, just in time for them to go on summer break! Yeah them!!!

So, we started looking at other school options. Rylan's bestie, Harper, goes to an awesome school and they just happened to have an opening for Monday/Friday for both kids. I was planning on just working Monday OR Friday, but the school wouldn't just do one day. After seeing the school and their curriculum including teaching sign language and Spanish, imaginary trips to the zoo, and a really awesome outside play area, we were sold. PLUS they contract with a therapy place that can come and provide Rylan speech therapy. DOUBLE SOLD! So, the boys have moved to real, big boy preschool. And, I have started working two days a week. If we could shake the illnesses and stop traveling so much, I think the switch will be awesome. At present time we are a little stressed. It'll work out.

My past year as a mother....in pictures

Halloween 2011. Loved this costume

 One of his very fave places to be

 Preciousness

 Asleep at the wheel

 oh my gosh, I can't look at this pic enough.

 serious travelers

 my favorite oldest son

 my favorite youngest son (with his dinner rubbed in his hair)

 they love their food

 Really really love their food

 They love their mama

And I love them. 

Bye bye Grandpa Gene

This is the last picture I took of my Grandpa Gene. Yeah, the lighting isn't awesome and Rylan has his hand in his mouth and Max looks like he's trying to bolt from Grandma's lap, but I love this pic. It is from Max's birthday that we spent in Kansas last October. Grandpa was in the best health he had been in a while and is up, smiling and wrastling with my kiddos.

He has been battling heart disease and emphysema for years. Our Grandma's excellent care for him has kept him here with us many years longer than anyone could have predicted. Partially because she was such a good nurse and wife to him and partially because he loved her so much, he tried so hard to stay. This past month, my Grandpa's health deteriorated and it became apparent that God was calling him home. After such a long battle, everyone was ready for Grandpa to have some peace. Last Saturday he died. We left for Kansas and have been mourning him since.

He was a spitfire, never afraid to tell you how he really felt. At his wake, many stories came out of my Grandpa's sense of humor, ability to cuss even while laughing, and his very sassy spirit. My favorite story is when I took Rob to Kansas for the first time. We were there for a big fat German Catholic wedding and I thought it was time to introduce Rob to my family. My Grandpa came in the room and I stood up and hugged him and said "Grandpa, my boyfriend, Rob, came with me" and my Grandpa looks at Rob and says "well, what the hell did you do that for?" I hadn't prepared Rob for Grandpa's zanniness and Rob was standing there ready to shake Grandpa's hand with his eyes open wide. Grandpa busted out laughing shook Rob's friend and spent the night making sure Rob was having a good time.  Under his cussing, rough exterior was one of the sweetest, kindest, most loving, and Godly men I've ever known or ever will know.

My memories of my Grandpa range from being a small child and helping him pick blackberries in his yard, playing cards, making us stiff drinks (even if we weren't of age), watching him fight back from a terrible heart attack, hearing him congratulate me when I called to say I was engaged, watching my kids gravitate to him as soon as they met him, and finally watching him sit in his cozy chair, praying rosary after rosary and trusting his life to God. I love that man.

If you have a minute, pray for my Grandma, as she is starting a new chapter of her life after being my Grandpa's wife for nearly 64 years and being his most amazing caretaker. She has exhibited more grace and courage in the last month than I will have in my life.  Love her.

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog, I will do better. Other than the passing of my Grandpa, our life has been great, just really busy. Been busy keeping Max's hand out of the toilet and the dog food bowl, I guess. I was posting all my to-do's but my to-do list became too long for a blog, and doing all my to-do's took time from blogging. However, I have a slightly cleaner house, and a super de-dustmited life for my allergy/asthma ridden kiddos. I have also taken on an extra day of work, and the kids have left their daycare (sigh) Tiny Town and are in real big boy preschool. sigh sigh sigh. Life is moving so frackin fast!