Movie In The Park

I think I'm going to try to do weekly updates on my blog.  I appreciate my little following of readers (family and friends) but I mostly do this for myself.  It's a great way to keep a little diary of what we are up to and looking back always helps me remember forgotten moments.  The memory part of my brain was sucked out when I became a mom.  Since I'm always running late, this update is about the first weekend of June.  We just got back from a wedding in Nebraska but I'll have to write that post a little later this week.

We are really enjoying the nice spring weather.  Louis has been dying to use his rain gear and had the opportunity one morning.  He was only able to take a quick stroll because the lightning moved in.

When it's dry, Louis is a big help with his new lawn mower.  That mulch was getting really high.

Saturday, June 1, our neighborhood hosted a movie in the park and had the Zoo Mobile stop by.  I have to say the mobile was a little disappointing.  They brought a snake, millipede, frog and armadillo.  Louis was expecting a giraffe which I knew wasn't happening but I was hoping for a furry animal of some sort.  The only fur was the display of pelts the kids could feel.

     
Here is the snake.

Louis was being a little shy.

And then showing off his belly waiting in line for the armadillo.

This is the armadillo which was super cute.

He was proud of himself for touching it.

We moved to the park.  I thought it was supposed to be a picnic but apparently read the memo wrong.  We looked like we were camping out for the long haul.

I experienced my first moment of heart-break for Louis.  He was being a little rowdy around Nola so Joe told him to chase some boys that were running by.  These boys were around 4-5 years old and Louis immediately ran after them.

They weren't mean to him but they were NOT playing with Louis at all.  Louis ran as fast as he could to keep up and was shrieking with delight.

It turned out they were in a game of hide-and-seek with their dad.  Louis gave away all of their hiding places on accident.  

He tried to climb in the bamboo with them but just couldn't quite hide as well as the big boys.  Look at the excitement on his face!

He didn't know he wasn't included.  Oh!  It killed me!  I seriously almost cried and I hung back as far as I could.  Of course, Joe was laughing at Louis and then at me the whole time.  He also kept little Nola laughing.

Finally, it was time for the movie.  They showed old Tom and Jerry cartoons early on for the little kids.  We left for the feature film since it started at bedtime.  You can see in these pictures that our park is hidden between a block of houses.  We access it through a driveway so it's private and one of the things I like about our neighborhood.

I enjoyed Tom and Jerry more now than I had as a kid.  It was Louis' first time to see it and he liked it too.

More people showed up for the late (8:30) feature film.

We made it home and played with the globe a little before bed.  It was a nice family night.

Sunday night we had our friends Kim and Bill over for dinner to talk baby gear as they are expecting their first in the fall.  It was a nice night to be outside & in the company of great friends.  I've given up my hopes of hosting a magazine-like backyard dinner.  This is what it looks like instead.  If you could see the vision in my head, you'd understand.  There should at least be fresh flowers or candles on the table.  Oh, well.

Nola's 11th week marked another milestone.  This time she rolled from back to tummy!  I can't believe how early she is on this.  I thought Louis was super strong and she beat him by a month.  When she is in the mood she will roll both ways now.  A video would be better but I only have pictures as proof.

I still am super worried about her getting a flat head so I am keeping up with lots of tummy time and got the bumpo out.  I always need something to obsess and worry over.  Here are some pics of morning work-out and play-time.

Of course, Louis lets me know he can sit in the bumpo too.

I'm doing a garden again this year but have scaled way back on the variety of veggies.  Last year I got in over my head and my yield wasn't that great.  Maybe this year will be better.  I do think having Louis help in the garden makes him want to eat healthy foods.  If it comes from the garden, he eats it.  He loves helping gather stuff for dinner.

We had another asparagus which he was excited about.  It was about the fourth one we were able to pick this year.  They should be established next year and I'm hoping we can get enough for at least one dinner.  They take up too much room to give me nothing!

And here I am breaking my rules and giving Louis a Popsicle.  After reading the ingredients I will be making some myself for the rest of the summer.  I'll check back in if I really accomplish it.

Such a big boy taking the compost out by himself!  Did I mention he is in a super hero phase right now?

So that's the update for now.  Hopefully I can catch up and do this on a weekly basis.  Or maybe bi-monthly???  We shall see.  Have a great week!  I can't resist posting two more adorable pics of my loves.  

Louis & Nola

As I've said before, bringing home a 2nd baby rocked Louis' world along with mine.  I'll never be able to give Louis the attention he had before Nola.  And I'll never be able to give Nola as much as Louis had before her.  I think there are lots of factors that determine how another kid will change things.   Age difference, gender, etc. will all make a different experience.  When I feel bad about the attention thing, I remind myself of the great things siblings provided me and how great it is to have a brother as an adult.  

Things have been getting a lot better but just when I think I've got it all figured out, Louis does something naughty.  For example, we got him this mower since he likes to help daddy.  He was so excited about it so we got it out the next morning.  I explained it had to wait until later in the day and then left him alone to go up and change Nola.  I came back down to find the bubbles completely empty.  He had poured ALL of them into the mower on the rug.  I have to give him credit because he got most of them in the mower.  I didn't know he could get a bottle of bubbles open yet.   

He has figured out all kinds of things with the alone time he gets during diaper changes, etc.  He learned how to text message people.  He even knew he sent a pic to someone.  This lead me to put a code on my phone but then I caught him making an emergency call.  The number wasn't good but it started with 9 and 1.  Gone are the days when I could go upstairs without worry.

He watches a lot more TV now which makes me feel like a terrible parent.  We had been making a calendar each month to learn something new but May is almost over and we never worked on it.  Look at the joy TV brings him.  Ugh.

The good news is Louis has decided he likes Nola now.  In these newborn pics, we bribed him with ice cream just to sit by her. 

But now he likes helping as a big brother.  He might have to be told over and over again not to squeeze the bottle.  

And not to poke her eyes, stick his fingers in her mouth or head butt her.  

He insists on attention.  Nola is rolling over in this pic but Louis rolls over too to remind me he knows how!

But he likes it when she wakes him up from his naps.

He helps us put her toys together. 

And he asks to hold and kiss her.

When he starts acting up there are a few things I have to do.  Getting outside for a walk helps but this is easier said than done with nursing and diaper changes.  We try to go to the park most days but the main thing I've realized is I have to make one-on-one time for Louis.   This has made me super paranoid that Nola will get a flat head from lying down too much.  I've gotta have something to worry about, right?

Having two kids has brought some feelings of guilt, a messier house and more laundry.  It also gives me a feeling of being complete and joy in watching Louis learn how to be a big brother, share attention and forces me to play trains sometimes.  I look forward to Nola having a brother to look up to just as I did and to see them play (and I'm sure fight) together soon.

May Update

May is a fun month for us because Joe and I both have birthdays & Mother's Day happens.  Louis knows birthdays mean cake so he really loves celebrating!  Since I turned 30, I really have no idea how old I am anymore.  We don't do huge celebrations on our birthdays but this year we managed small celebrations at home and then a dinner date for the two of us.  It was so nice to get away from the kids but I still don't feel like the old me.

I can't eat dairy while nursing Nola, so these are vegan deserts.  They were delicious!  Best ones I've ever had & I really didn't believe they were vegan.

Best gift was getting to have a glass of wine in the backyard while Louis napped and Nola got a bottle. My friend Molly stopped by too!

The Brookside Art Annual was this month too so we decided to walk the mile to Brookside with our kids in the baby carriers.  I'm VERY out of shape so by the time we got there I wasn't sure if my legs would keep working.

We finally made it for coffee with our friends the Runquists.  Their little guy Landon is getting so big and walking now!

I also threw back a beer which I must say was delicious!

We were going to catch the bus on the way home but missed it.  It's called "The Max" but Louis drops "the" and leaves it at "Max".  I'm pretty sure he thinks it talks like McQueen.

My nephew, Zerano, had a soccer tournament in KC so we were able to see him for a short visit.  Luckily I made it to the 7 am game in time to see his goal!

We also took our first big road trip to Omaha for my nephew, Jonah's, high school graduation.  Louis loved the pool at the hotel and we took my niece, Aysha, to the zoo.  Man, I forgot how great that zoo is.  Nola did ok in the car.  We had to stop once for her but she really cries when she wants to eat and can't get out of her seat.  I'm not sure how our upcoming trip to Wisconsin will go.  I'm sure it will take much longer than expected.

Nola loved the aquarium exhibit.  I took most of our pictures in here.  I was too hot outside. 

Louis immediately asked where Dory was when he saw the jellyfish.  

And at the end he FINALLY found Nemo & Dory.  He was so excited about it!

Getting some shade with Nola before lunch.

My brother has a little boat so we met at a campsite.  This kid loves dirt and rocks.

Here is Louis playing in the hotel.  The first night I was frantically searching for signs of bed bugs.  I need one of those lights.  Joe was so annoyed.

Here we are with Jonah.  I can't believe he is all grown up!  Louis told me he has to go back to Jonah's because he had lots of chips there.

Mother's Day was great because Joe let me leave and get a mani/pedi ALL ALONE.

Nola is getting so big!  She will be 10 weeks Friday and is getting too big for some of her 3 month outfits.  We are having lots of fun as she is getting more interactive.  She really smiles a lot but the only pics I can get are of her serious face.

Louis is getting super tall.  He stays about the same weight so he is tall & skinny.

I'll leave you with a pic of my dad when he visited in April.