Pumpkin Patch

Today we met up with Miss Peyton to take our first trip of the season to the pumpkin patch!  It was Mr. Wyatt Bear's and Miss P's first trip period...I am so excited they are both having their first Halloween in just 30 short days!  Miss P was of course dressed to impress in her Halloween gear and my two sweet bears were sporting matching fall flannels, it was preciousness all around.  Little Guy was in heaven with all the jump houses and the baby pumpkins...I probably should have bought about 10 pumpkins as he was really into picking them up and setting them back down in a not so gentle manner, but we ended up with just two, one for Mr. Wyatt Bear and one for Little Guy.  Auntie even went down the GIANT tiger slide with Little Guy- she ended up with a friction burn on her elbow but we didn't say anything since there were GIANT signs everywhere saying "12  years old and under only".  We tried to capture a cute photo, but these three like to make that task next to impossible...

Baby Elmo and Baby Cookie

I thought Little Guy was outgrowing Sesame Street since he is SO INTO TRAINS these days, but then he discovered the baby Cookie Monster in my party decor and he's been attached ever since...I think the eyes feel good on his molars, he has them in his mouth CONSTANTLY.  I think stuffed animals are super gross, and my thoughts were confirmed when I watched Little Guy drag baby Elmo along an outdoor window sill (which was FILTHY!) and then snuggle him against his chest...GROSS!!!  But when I look in my rear view mirror and see this preciousness, my heart melts at how little he is and how tender and loving he is to his "baby" stuff animals ( he insists on calling them baby Elmo and baby Cookie).

Piggy bank

Little Guy was so excited, he found a quarter in the garage (we're going to have to clean up our act with change as soon as Mr. Wyatt Bear is mobile and capable of choking on these exciting coins!), and promptly called me out to see it. I asked if he wanted to put it in his piggy bank and he said yes....by the time I came back downstairs with his piggy bank, he was playing trains (shocker, right???). I asked where the quarter was and he said, "All done quarter". I asked where it was all done and he brought me into the office, and showed me where he put the quarter.....into the paper shredder, along with some other quarters....apparently this was his new piggy bank. It's a good thing he showed me before I ran the shredder, or I think we would have been raiding the piggy bank for a new shredder otherwise.

Fashion Forward

Here's how Little Guy's day went fashion wise:

1. Wake up and instantly decide you're going to hate wearing pants or shorts of any kind...it's been his breaking point as of late, anything on below the waist results in a total meltdown.

2. Allow Mommy to finally wrestle you into skinny jeans and a white shirt with the intention to wear a plaid flannel over it.

3.  Decide you now hate shirts that cover your arms....

4.  Decide the boots Mommy picked out can't be worn and you MUST wear your new, perhaps slightly still too big, rain boots

4. While shopping in OshGosh, decide the dorky red train sweater Mommy is secretly so glad you don't own is something you have to try on...and pull the tags off...and bring home...and it's decided if you're going to look darling in the dorky sweater, then Wyatt Bear needs one too.

5. Continue rocking the new sweater, skinnies, and rain boots, while trying on beanies and preferring the NEON orange one...Mommy doesn't buy the beanie.

6. Insist on napping in your diaper and new sweater....you sweat, ALOT.

7. Mommy swaps out the pants for shorts so now it's khaki shorts, rain boots, and a train sweater....

8. Wrap up yourday after a bath and decide you must sleep in just your new dinosaur robe, and nothing else (except a diaper)!

Little Guy, you are truly a strong spirited fashionista, and Mommy LOVES your crazy style!

Mama Scare???

Today we celebrated Grandma Patty's birthday with a family dinner at our house.  Her birthday fell on Tuesday and she was in Oregon with all her "boys" so we waited to have dinner.  It was nice to have the family over and Little Guy was VERY excited to show Uncle Luke his room and see if he was scared.  Ever since we went to the Halloween store together and I told him "Mama is scared!", he uses a very cautious voice and says "Mama scare" whenever we see ANYTHING Halloween related.  Well Little Guy has spider lights, a Mickey Mouse pumpkin, and a led glitter pumpkin in his room, so it's really "scary".  All day he said "Uncle Luke scare???" and he couldn't wait to show everyone.  He was quite proud at the end of the night when everyone went up to see his scary room, he laughed and giggled when everyone came in.  I can't wait to see him Trick or Treat this year, Mr. Wyatt Bear will have a very good trick or treater teacher for next Halloween.

Little Guy with two of his "scary" pumpkins. He loves them so much he requested "cheese" (photos) with them.

Single Parents are No Joke

Daddy's been gone for three days and boy, let me just say that being a single mommy, even just for three days, is no joke!  I am lucky I have the two sweetest bears (I might be a little biased!) to play with all day, but when Daddy's away, there's no rest for the weary and some days I am just as ready for bed at 7:00 as my little babes are!  Daddy is coming home today and we couldn't be more excited...Little Guy has been asking for him and today I told him Daddy would be home to play choo-choos before he went to bed, that resulted in a loud "yessssss!" (complete with a fist pump Home Along style)!  I agree Little Guy, YESSSSSSSSSSS Daddy is coming home!

A boy and his trains

I wish I had a picture of how I found Little Guy tonight when I went in to bed.  He was asleep again in my bed since Daddy is gone and I found him sound asleep in the middle of the bed, head on his Elmo pillow, and all 15 trains scattered around his body.  If he would have rolled any direction, he would have landed on a train, it was like he had laid them all out around himself and then fallen asleep...I decided to QUIETLY clean them up before laying down, I didn't feel like rolling over Toby in the middle of the night!

Movie Date

Daddy left for Oregon today, and while we are going to miss him a lot, I am pretty jazzed at what Little Guy and I did...our first ever movie night!!!  We put Wyatt Bear to bed (he was sleeping right next to our bed, so he kind of got to participate too!) and then we snuggled up in Mama's bed with a giant bowl of popcorn, two sippy cups of water, and Toy Story 3 on TV...I am not sure who loved it more, but my heart literally melted over and over as he cheers me during previews, held my hand when it got a little loud, and constantly looked at me with sheer joy in his eyes whenever Woody came onto the screen.  It was the best way I could have imagined spending a Monday night with Daddy away.  I was just as impressed with Little Guy when the movie was over- I told him it was time to lay our head down and go to sleep and he "Night Night Mama" and that was that.  We snuggled in bed all night and both my boys slept right through until the morning...this single mama is ready to tackle her Tuesday!

MOMMY!!

Little Guy has decided he'll call me Mommeeee now...there's a big emphasis on the "eeee" part at the end.  And if Mommeeee isn't cutting it for him that day, he's picked up on when Daddy and I call each other by name- Little Guy's been heard yelling "Gabriel" and "Tiffy" on occasion (I am not encouraging this, although Daddy thinks it's hilarious!).

Sky High

We are spending the weekend in Pleasant Hill so Mommy can enjoy a little "staycation" (anything is vacation if I don't have my own household chores to haunt me after bedtime!) and the boys can get some playing in with Gigi and Papa while Daddy is working.  We had planned on participating in the annual wine harvest with the Pereras, but the downpour left us all huddled under the overhang and without a whole lot to do....that's where Mommy's brilliant idea came in...Sky High.  I had always heard my sixth graders talking about a trampoline park in Concord and my sister had recently taken trampoline aerobics there, so I googled it and decided we HAD to try it out.  Little Guy was in heaven!  I jumped right along side him and truth be told, I had to keep myself under control, I was tempted to leave Little Guy with Gigi and hit up the big kid jump area, but I didn't.  Little Guy kept requesting "Mama HIGH!" and he hated the bracelet they made you wear, that was until we were finished and then he wouldn't let me take the bracelet off until the next morning.  He was hoping if he kept it on he could go back the next day!  Anyways, it was a great way to spend a very rainy Saturday, we can't wait to bring our friends back!!!

First Fall is the Hardest

It breaks my heart to write this post, but it was a big deal, so I am documenting it.  Today Mr. Wyatt sustained his first big injury, scrapes on the forehead!  We won't get into detail on how it happened, I just assume burst into tears again even thinking about writing the whole ordeal down, but I will say that Dr. Walker assured me there's nothing to worry about as long as he continues eating and doesn't start to vomit....and since the boy can still latch on like the best of them and certainly hasn't missed a meal since it happened, I'd say we're in the clear!  Mr. Wyatt Bear, Mommy promises even more snuggles than usual to help speed up the healing process (for both baby and mommy!)

You Are A Very Useful Engine

Little Guy is OBSESSED with Thomas the Train...he's going to be Sir Toppemhat for Halloween.  If you are fortunate enough to watch Thomas and Friends EVERY morning when you wake up and on occasion after a long nap, you are probably also fortunate enough to know most, if not all, of the words...and if you're lucky enough to quote Thomas, you're probably spending all your other free time playing trains...we live and breath trains over here.  So it wasn't odd, just a little funny, when I overheard Daddy quoting Sir Toppemhat tonight during train time before dinner- "That's right Wesley, you are a very useful engine indeed"- and this was of course done in a deep English accent.  All I can say is our Daddy rocks, and he IS very useful!

The Sweetest Little Bear

At 11 weeks and 6 days old, Wyatt Bear has already got his mama wrapped around his precious little finger.  He HATES to be put down, and will scream his little heart out in protest if you even think about not holding him.  Then the second, literally the second, you pick him up, he flashes the biggest grin and if you're lucky gives a little coo to let you know he's happy now.  I can't get enough of these smiles, and he knows it.  Is it possible for a 12 week old baby to have figured out exactly what it takes to get his way???  I think so and for all it's worth, I'll do just about anything to see this smile!

A boy and his boots

Auntie has nicknamed Little Guy- "fashionisto", stemming from his love/obsession with boots. This kid is crazy for boots- he has two pairs of rain boots, red cowboy boots, and now new brown cowboy boots...it's not the number of pairs that is the obsession, it's how he wants to wear boots every.single.day....regardless of the weather or activity at hand.  I've got a handle on the boot wearing recently, but clearly he was too excited about his new birthday boots from Grandma to even consider taking them off for bed...you're too crazy Little Guy and we love it!

Captain Jack

Our buddy Jack is captain of his traveling baseball team....he also happens to be the role model I want both my boys to take after, both on and off the field!  This weekend his traveling team played in Vacaville so we went to cheer him on first on Saturday and then for the championship game on Sunday!  Little Guy can only handle so much baseball when he's not allowed to throw or catch the ball, so he found other ways to entertain himself...yes, this is a dust angel.  I chuckle whenever I hear people ask when we do bath night- ummmm, isn't every night bath night in your house???  No, just ours???

My Baby No More

I finally gave in...after weeks, no months, of fending him off, I let Daddy talk me into cutting Little Guy's hair.  Uncle Mark says I am a week late, but I think the curls looked precious in the wedding photos!  We went in to Kids' Cuts today and with VERY detailed directions, let the stylist cut my baby's hair.  I was very clear that I did NOT want to lose the curls, and while the place was a little sketchy, the stylist did a great job listening and not only kept his curls, but managed a straight hair cut on a constantly moving target.  Little Guy could have cared less, he sat in the car chair, ate his sucker, and watched the Princess and the Frog...he was a perfect client, minus his meddling mother who probably took 20 more pictures than what would be considered normal for a first hair cut...my sweet little bear looks like a big boy...I think I need a tissue!

Where'd the Turtle Go

Daddy came home early from work today...with a turtle...yep, a turtle.  He saved it from what was sure to be a gruesome death since it was none too quickly trying to cross a country road.  Little Guy was intrigued by the animal in Daddy's pick up, especially since Daddy had to wear gloves to wrangle it from under his toolbox.  This turtle had quite a snap on him and when he wanted to, could be quite fast (why he wasn't fast when crossing the road we'll never know).  Anyways, we gave him a bucket with some water and a fresh tomato to chew on and then went over to see our neighbor's new kitchen....Daddy joked the turtle might run away, but it turns out the joke was on us because when we came back home, he was gone!  We're hoping he didn't crawl into our open garage, we'll smell that soon enough if he did.  We searched the bushes, but there was no sign of our new pet.  Now Little Guy just walks around saying "All gone turtle, where'd turtle go?, Bye bye turtle"...Daddy's pretty beat up about it too, he was hoping to have him take up residency in Little Guy's water table...I think it's probably best for everyone that the turtle wised up and moved on.

Sleep Super Star

You know how I feel about talking about sleep...it seems like the second you talk about it, your sweet baby decides to make you a liar...I am going to go out on a limb anyways and talk about our amazing weekend of sleep.  Little Guy was sicker than a dog so Mr. Wyatt Bear must have known his mommy needed a break, so he went down at bedtime and never woke up until the morning...and he did it on Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday!  Monday night he only woke twice, but I am chalking that up to the mild cold he got from his brother...let's keep our fingers crossed and see if maybe, just maybe, we're in for an incredibly sweet treat with a two month old baby who sleeps through the night....am I cursed for even just typing about this dream???  And am I double cursed if I dare say that a small, VERY small, part of me misses the waking every two hours...there was something special about being up at 2 am with my new baby that I may have looked forward too.  I am sure I'll be writing in a week about the seemingly endless state of insomnia one of my boys will have me living in, but until then, sweet dreams!

Big Man On Campus

Mr. Wyatt Bear is growing stronger each day!  He can now lift his head while he's laying on his belly and even scoots himself from the center of his bassinet to the corners and then lifts his head left and right to see where his mama is :)  Today he got in on the shopping cart action at Costco and rode next to Little Guy....he only lasted a few minutes before he decided he would rather spend his time in Costco crying in the Ergo, but it was still cute while it lasted and reminded me once again just how big he is getting and how fast it's happening...slow down Wyatt Bear, there's plenty of time for growing up later!

#MirchWedding

Auntie Katie and Mark tied the knot this weekend!!!  We headed to Half Moon Bay Thursday morning so Daddy could get in a round of golf at the Ritz Carlton before the wedding madness began!  It was the nicest weekend on record all year, which meant beautiful weather but temperatures that didn't really agree with the sweaters and pants I had packed for all of us to wear.  I enjoyed a little spa pampering with the bride to be on Friday and a very successful rehearsal before meeting everyone for dinner on the beach.  Little Guy could not be kept from the ocean, and who could blame him with the temperatures in the mid 70s at sunset, so Papa took him in and slowly he went from pants rolled up, to no pants at all, to no sweater, to just a diaper, and then using our spare play clothes for the rest of night!  Little Guy also found a friend to play with and wouldn't you know it, she was SICK!  I was sure that Little Guy would get the cold (who says toddlers aren't good at sharing?) but I didn't think it would happen until Sunday...well, let's just say he didn't sleep a wink all night and woke up on the wedding day with swollen eyes, a snotty nose, a congested chest, and a miserable cry...it was heart breaking!  Daddy spent the wedding morning hanging with Little Guy, doing naps in the car and then in the hotel, but Little Guy rallied after his nap, looked amazingly darling in his suit, and rocked all night long...after all, his Auntie only gets married once.  Aside from my sweet boy being so sick, it was a perfect weekend, complete with the wedding of their dreams including food trucks, doughnuts, mini golf, and the most amazingly styled decor thanks to Miss Heather, friends and family in from near and far, and ample time to hang with my boys!  I can't wait to see pictures from the photographer!  I never took my camera out at the wedding (I had just a few other things to attend to!), but I grabbed a few shots of the rehearsal dinner!

Two Month Check Up

We had Mr. Wyatt Bear's 2 month check up yesterday.  Daddy was conveniently not able to make the appointment that included shots so I rounded up both boys on my own.  This would, of course, be the only day they nap past 3, requiring me to wake them both up and deal with very cranky babies on the way to the doctor's office.  Little Guy didn't love being there, but that's nothing a little iPhone video can't cure (it's always a great demonstration of parenting when your pediatrician walks in to see your two year old glued to Mickey Mouse Club on the iPhone)...I am happy to report that our littlest peanut now weighs 12.3 pounds and is doing perfect, the doctor's word, not mine!  Dr. Walker said there was nothing he could say or see that needed to be addressed and he was very pleased with his development...another GATE identified baby :)  Mr. Wyatt Bear had his first rounds of shots as well and while he didn't like it, he rallied as soon as they were done and didn't have any problems.  Mr. Wyatt Bear, you are growing so fast, we love you!

Wyatt Bear

Our sweet Little Wyatt Bear is growing up WAY TOO FAST! This baby boy is smiling, focusing on faces, and lifting his head all over the place!  It seems like yesterday we were all still adjusting to the idea of life as a family of four and now he is two months old and I can't imagine our lives without him.  Little Guy cannot get enough of his "Wy Ber" as he calls him, or "brother" or "baby", depending on his mood.  I say it over and over, but my most favorite thing about having two little boys to love is to see them love each other.  Wyatt Bear, in the short nine weeks since you were born you have been to your uncle's wedding, a family trip to Tahoe, a bachelorette party for Auntie, an Elmo party for Brother, and countless play dates...you love time in your swing, in fact you laugh at yourself in the mirror while you're in it, and you are a little fish just like your brother.  You do not like to be laid down but are VERY happy when carried or held in a wrap.  You are a champion nurser just like your big brother and you are also very good at burping and passing gas (poor mommy in a house of three boys!).  We love you so much Wyatt Bear, thank you for giving us another little miracle to love!

88 and 2 makes 90!!!

Today we celebrated Grandpa's 88th birthday and Wesley's 2nd birthday, making it a 90th birthday combined!  Little Guy had so much fun with Brayden and Averie and Mr. Wyatt Bear was a sweet angel, just hanging out in his family's arms.  It's crazy to come to a family party now, there are toddlers and babies everywhere...a sight we've been missing for a while since our youngest cousin is already more than a decade old!  I love hearing the baby giggles and cries while we're all together, it makes my heart happy.  Here are some shots from the fun party-

                     

Great Grandma Jean and her youngest great grandson Wyatt Bear.

                                 

My boys in matching outfits, LOVE!

                                 

The two birthday boys and Papa

                                 

Little Guy, Daddy, and Pey Pey

                                 

Averie, Brayden, and Little Guy