Blake's birthday and stuff

I hate titles.  For some reason I feel compelled to write them.

So, on this mother's day, I am grateful that I still have two boys.  Isaac gave us a big scare yesterday.  We were riding bikes and he went ahead and disappeared around a corner.  We didn't worry because he always waits for us.  Yesterday he didn't.  He was gone when we reached the corner.  We spent the next 10 minutes running frantically to opposite corners of our apartment complex trying to find him.  He had gone down a path we have never done together and a nice neighbor (that I've never talked to) saw me running and pointed to where he was, smashing ants by the clubhouse.  Oh, all the scenarios that ran through my mind that thankfully did not happen.

I love my boys!  We are still living outside, as usual.  We got out a tiny kiddie pool and sprinkler a week ago and had some friends over to escape the heat. 

 The kids didn't actually get in the water but had fun scooping it up with shovels and putting it in trucks and buckets and got the lawn nice and muddy.

This is a random picture of the box Isaac made with Daddy from a kit they gave us at Home Depot when we were there the other day.  It is a bed for his turtle now.

I surprised Blake for his birthday last Saturday.  In the morning he took the kids swimming.  The pool was sparkling clean and cold and they had a blast with a couple other families there.  I sweated while I followed James around, making sure he didn't dive in the pool and drown.  (The water was too cold for his taste.)  While we were there, the a family showed up with Little Ceasar's pizza.  I said to Blake, "We have to get Little Ceasar's today.  Wouldn't it be fun to take some to Forest Park?"  Blake agreed, committing unknowingly to his surprise party I had had planned for three weeks.  At 5 we all headed out to buy some pizza.  When I came out with five of them, Blake was like, "What's going on?  Are we still going to the park?"  Yes, still go to the park.  So we met some friends at the Forest Park Visitor's Center and Blake thought that was the surprise.  But then I said, "Eat fast, because you are going golfing with the guys!"  So we ate quick and somehow the boys made their 6 PM tee time.  We girls played at the playground for a little bit until I had to take the kids home to bed.  I really wanted to do something fun for Blake since he was turning a nice round, big number.  He loved it and had tons of fun so I was glad it all went off so well!

I made the boys some ties of this cute helicopter fabric.  They are so fun and easy, I must make more!  And I can't believe James fits this shirt already.  He is growing up so fast.  He started nursery a few weeks ago.  He's done pretty well with it.  It is a relief to me not to have to worry about entertaining him while I teach primary and Blake is inevitably at the hospital.

On Blake's actual birthday, I took him on a date for dinner and then we came home and did brownies and ice cream and he got the world's tiniest present that Isaac opened up for him.  I cannot write what his real present is because it has not yet arrived.

Isaac wrote some pretty random things in his card to Blake, like, "That spider we found in the train box, right down there?"

Happy Birthday Blake!  We love you tons and are proud of you for almost having intern year done and behind us!

James loved the brownies and he was so adorable I just kept taking his picture.

 Don't you love that face?

 He is such a rascal and into everything.  His goal in life is to get on top of the table.  I think he spends half his day up there, always climbing right back up after I explode with, "Stop it!  Off the table!"  and take him off.  He loves to use the markers and get them everywhere and steal Isaac's drink and look for school buses.

I tried to take some 18 month photos of James but it was Isaac who wanted to pose.

I love these ones.

Please, mom, let me go!
James is learning so many words and knows all the sounds that we hear outside.  He will narrate what we are hearing:  truck, bus, car, motorcycle, lawn mower, helicopter (which is the same as a plane), bird, duck (which is really geese), etc.  I love this stage of learning so much but also get weary of cleaning up my wallet after he's found it, cleaning up markers, changing his clothes sometimes three times a day from all the many messes he makes (dirt, food, etc.).

And one last thing about Isaac before I close:  he is very much a three year old and is really bossy about the way he wants things done and eggs James on in his indiscretions (such as running into the street) but also he's started being compassionate to James and will put his hand on his back and say, "What do you need, James?  Truck?  This guy?"  And sometimes out of the blue he will say to me, "I like your cool pants!"  Last week, I was having a rough day because it was the third day in a row Blake hadn't gotten home before 9.   When I was putting the kids to bed I got upset, as is common when I am alone all day.  I couldn't find some pieces to the quiet book Isaac had been playing with.  I was annoyed and said loudly several times he needed to find the pieces.  Then I got mad there were so many toys in his bedroom.  I overreacted a little.  Later, when I was laying in bed with Isaac for a few minutes I told him I was sorry for getting mad but that we would need to look for the flower piece tomorrow.  Isaac said, "Ok, mom, and maybe tomorrow you could say Isaac, we need to find the flower, just like that."  He is so sweet.  What a little lesson on being patient.