Water Play

 Our little guy sure likes playing with water - he has a water and sand table at Grandma's that he enjoys, for the most part he likes bath time, and he really liked walking around at the low water creek crossing on Sunday afternoon with three fun girls and a Bailey.  

At Grandma's, I put him in the tub so that I could get something done and I let him play with the cold water faucet.  He had a blast turning it off and on, getting his fingers wet.

He's wearing a shirt that was C's when C was little.

 It's really life's simple pleasures.

The Most Beautiful Boy of Them All

Mirror, mirror, on the floor . . .
How can you not love me to the core?





- Posted from my mobile phone

Is This the Night?

While Ivan is the sweetest little guy to ever be born and when he sleeps, his sweetness and cuddle factor grows exponentially, his sleeplessness is a form of terrorism. "Sleep terrorism," as C so delicately phrases it. To take it one step further, my Ivan is a sleep terrorist.

I feel bad complaining at all, because Ivan does, in fact, sleep. You know, sometimes. Less than a dozen times "sleeping through the night" since he's been born. But I'm okay getting up once or twice in the night to pat him, rock him, nurse him, or generally comfort him. It makes me feel needed. I even like snuggling with Ivan in our big bed for the last hour of sleep in the early mornings.

But these infrequent, occasional things aren't happening right now. Little guy has been sick ever since starting daycare at the end of March. Which has led to a handful of nights spent screaming (four ear infections), a dozen nights of fitful and sporadic sleeping with/on us, and more nights than I care to remember where anything went just so we all could get some sleep. I'll be honest that I'll indulge a sick Ivan quite a bit if he's clingy - he doesn't feel good.

For tonight, Ivan and I are spending it at AM's home and he is in his packNplay asleep (after 20+ minutes of crying) in the other room. This may be the first time he's been in a separate room from me. We'll have to see how well he sleeps in the fresh air (windows open) and without all the little creaks and people noises he usually hears from sharing a room with C and me.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Parade Time

C and his dear friend N (yes, of N&A+C) decided to put the old Dodge Power Wagon in the pararde in McPherson, KS, on May 10th.  It was the first time C has done much with trucks since we have moved and been in such an upheaval.  The boys had so much fun!

 N is such a good prom king!

Fun times!

Cabinets & Little Boys

Ivan climbed into the cabinet at GmaR's house all by himself.



I think he's a talented little boy! There was lots to play with in there!



And certainly, right after I took these pictures, Ivan dives out head first into the floor. He's fine. It's definitely not going to stop him from getting in there again!


- Posted from my mobile phone

Bath Time Fun with GmaR!

Too sweet! GmaR has a sink big enough that Ivan still fits in nicely. He has enjoyed his nightly baths for weeks now & I knew that Ivan & GmaR would have a ball doing bath time together.

A game of peek-a-boo, I think.


I know it's a dark picture, but I love this one of the two of them!


Tigger & Piglet are bath time fun every time. I bet Ivan can't wait to take more baths in GmaR's sink!


Standard cup-on-my-head pose from GmaR's camera:


- Posted from my mobile phone

Talking at the Farm

Ivan talking to Bailey.


Ivan talking to the space where Bailey used to be.


C, L, & Ivan talking to G off camera.


The Bella. Just listening.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

Let me try your bill. After all, we are in a bar on St. Patrick's Day and I hear anything goes!



At the parade in Aggieville. Nana, my mom, joined us!





It was really really cold, thus the grimace.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Thirty-seven Weeks: Awesome Friday

The beginning. A good day because our KSU onesie fits and our shoes taste good!


Stroller walk around City Park. Someone fell asleep.


Out at our land we're building the house on! Ivan was happy - promise.


Long day.


Long long day. Emphasis: very long day. Sleepy boy.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Tired Baby & Mom

Ivan's comforts: Mom & a wet washcloth.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Crawling Man

He's fast, people.



Then he's right there in your face!



Mom is the best jungle gym.






Part of Ivan's cardboard house. And monkey-bottomed pants!


- Posted from my mobile phone

Eating Dog Food

I thought I was the bad mom for turning around for a second and letting Ivan get into the dog food. Then C revealed that Ivan got into the dog food last week on his watch (also tipped the water bowl over). So, Ivan has a well rounded diet, complete with organic, three fish dog food. Nothing but the best for Abby!




Look how sweet Abby is to share with Ivan. She never growled or even looked at him as he was picking up pieces of her food.









I had to fish a piece of dog food out of Ivan's mouth - he was thrilled.


- Posted from my mobile phone

Another Chipotle Thursday

I think Ivan knows Chipotle now. We've sure been there enough. I've about given up on his carseat that you can carry him in - almost 20lbs of baby + carseat + lifting it into the backseat of a Jeep with large tires & a lift kit = no thank you anymore. So this is all to say that the little guy needs more wrangling now that he's not strapped in somewhere - so glad we moved back to be closer to family!

These are from Nana's turn. I'd also like to say that Ivan enjoyed the black beans in a little guacamole from my burrito. He's growing up so fast!









- Posted from my mobile phone

First & Second Family Photos Post-Ivan

Because I'm sorting photos today, in case you can't tell.  I've been collecting photos from when Ivan was born from multiple sources: all of our phones (mine, C's, the moms) and cameras (ours, Mom's, each of C's parents').  I've been so touched by what I've come across.

Right after Ivan was popped out:

The day after Ivan was born:

M & C & W from Christmas

We were able to see my friend M over Christmas, along with her daughter, C, and son, W, who is only a little older than Ivan.  You might remember I made a colorful pink/aqua quilt for little C and that she is the amazing little girl who was born at 29 weeks and is doing great!

Pool lesson? C, Ivan, little W, and M.

Trying to get a photo: M, W, little C in the middle, Ivan, and me.

Better.

Best!

If You're in the Market for a House

So we've moved (obviously), but our house has been on the market since October.  We could really use our mortgage payment back.  And we'd like to move into our little special temporary house sometime in the next few months.  So here are a few photos of the house neither of us wanted to leave (not our ideal location, aka M town, but definitely an ideal house - perhaps there have even been unrealistic conversations about moving this house to M town, but alas).

Huge shop. Fenced backyard.

Almost 500sq ft in porch space and new stairs.

Updated kitchen. Messy due to moving.

Living room with eery baby toy we owned.

Second bedroom, good sized.

Messy bedroom, quite large as well.

Third bedroom, also houses the washer & dryer, as well as packaged men's underwear.

 These are various photos from the listing and the day we moved (messy).

This house also makes a beautiful "Christmas" house: