Appletrice

As some of you already know, Jonathan started his first "school" when he was ten weeks old. It was a very difficult thing for me as a new mother to leave my tiny infant son with people I did not know. The ladies in the infant room were fantastic, however, and the adjustment ended up being a relatively easy one for me to make.

One of those ladies was Patrice Williams. She worked in the infant rooms on an "as needed" basis. She was full of love for those babies as well as for the parents. She was one of those people who always made you smile because she was always smiling. As Jonathan got older and we moved out of the infant room, she always stopped to talk to us in the hallway. Jonathan called her "Appletrice" because sometimes she would come into the one and, later, two year old rooms and do what he called "The Apple Dance."

I ran into two other parents at our new school this afternoon (all of us left the old program at the same time). One of them asked me if I knew Patrice. I said yes and was thinking he was going to tell me that she was going to be a teacher at our new school. Unfortunately, the news wasn't happy at all. I knew Patrice had health issues in the past as she'd taken at least one leave of absence during the time we were there. What I did not know is that she had serious heart problems. She suffered a heart attack two weeks ago and, on June 12, she died. She was only 41 years old and she left a 21 year old daughter and a 13 year old son.

The news broke my heart. Patrice was a wonderful person. She had so much love to give that she chose child care as her profession so she would have an outlet for it. She contributed in very positive ways to Jonathan's early months in the world, as I am sure she did for many other children as well. She stands out as one of the most positive experiences I had with daycare as a new mother. For that I am thankful and for that, at least for me, she will be sorely missed.

Camp Out--Lewis Style

As my friend Kara posted much more contemporaneously with the actual event, we went camping with her and her husband, Todd, a few weekends ago. Todd is an actual Eagle Scout so he's obviously out-doorsy. And for Kara, I think camping was more of an acquired taste but now she's got it down to a science now and it's definitely something they both enjoy. And they are so darn cute while doing it!

We were lucky enough to score ourselves an invite to camp out with them in Jefferson Memorial Forest. As it was Jonathan's first camping out experience, we thought it would be best to plan on just one night. Kara and Todd went for the whole weekend, though, so when we got there, everything was already set up. Sort of like a hotel but outside and stuff.



Todd knew the way to a three year old's heart--a hammock:



Jonathan asked approximately 1,457,652 times when we could do "fireplace" so we finally gave in. This was Jonathan's favorite part of the experience.





Well, favorite after this. I think he had to go a thousand times after I told him he could use a tree rather than the port-a-potty down the road.



Of course, we had to make s'mores. Jonathan LOVED being able to put actual food in the fire. And when he finished eating marshmallows, he just used the stick. Good times.



It got a bit colder that night than we'd thought it would, but besides that, it was a perfect trip. Jonathan and I cuddled up in our sleeping bags and slept like babies. Bryan decided to stay up and chat with Todd for a bit. When he finally decided to go to bed, we'd taken up the entire air mattress, leaving him with the ground. Which was covered with pebbles. I suspect that was not the best night's sleep he's ever had.

Thanks for letting us tag along, Kara and Todd! PLEASE let us come with you again!

Outdone

I didn't think it was possible for this picture to be topped:



However, I was wrong as my child has totally outdone himself this time. We just got this picture back last night.

Happiness is...

...a rainbow-y batch of mini cupcakes.



Oh, and the fact that today is the start of a three day weekend AND the kiddo comes home tomorrow. Can't wait!

Hope you all have a great weekend, too!

Soccer Success

After last fall's soccer fiasco (remember our, shall we say, reluctant player?), I was less than excited about soccer this spring. Luckily, I listened to Bryan and signed Jonathan up again; after one game that was peppered with whining, I am proud to report that things have turned around. I don't know if it's the coach or the fact that he's a bit older or what, but I am super pumped. Not only has Jonathan been happy about playing, but he's run around, kicked the ball and actually SCORED GOALS. I am so proud!

Last season, I think I took all of two pictures. Now that it's going better, the need to take pictures and document everything has returned. It is actually enjoyable to go to the games this season. Oh, and the fact that the coach is nice looking doesn't hurt either :)

A pictorial:

















Unfortunately, like all good things, Spring 2009 soccer season will soon come to an end. Next up: Wee Ball. Will it be as entertaining? Stay tuned...

Wine + Cheese + Fabulous Weather = Happy Mother's Day

Bryan and I normally have his family over on Mother's Day, but this year it just sounded like too much work, so we scrapped that idea and decided to go to Huber's Orchard and Winery this afternoon. First, however, I got to sleep in this morning and then, while Bryan took Jonathan to church with my MIL, I went to Panera Bread where I enjoyed the most delicious asiago cheese bagel with sun-dried tomato cream cheese along and a latte. Delish! I rounded out the morning with a solo trip to Wallyworld (the solitude of it being a luxury in and of itself).

My MIL joined us for the trip to Huber's. When else but Mother's day do you eat dinner at 4:00 p.m., the same consisting of cheese, crackers and apple slices accompanied by Sauvignon Blanc, followed by homemade ice cream? I feel happy; puffy, but happy.

Bryan was in charge of the pictures and did such a super great job that I have tons to post here! First, Jonathan with my MIL. He loves some Nana, which is great because I love her, too. Oh, and I guess it's good for Bryan, seeing as how he also thinks she's pretty awesome seeing as how she's his mother and all:



Me and the reason I am a mother. This kid is the greatest! Well, except for when he screams for thirty minutes solid like he did yesterday. Not so great then; luckily those times are few and far between.



For some reason, Jonathan enjoys running with his tongue stuck out like this. I have no idea why but he did it for the whole first quarter of his soccer game yesterday, too. Super weird.



Thank goodness, no more tongue. Maybe he's not a freak after all.



Jonathan packed a bag of things to entertain himself. He included in his bag the ear muffs I got him so he could attend a monster truck show with my parents this past February. When he wears them, he talks really loud and asks repeatedly if you can hear him.



Perhaps stranger than the ear muffs were these glasses, left over from last Halloween:


Sidebar--they have this pond at Huber's, stocked with a bunch of fish you can feed at $0.25 a pop. While part of me thinks they are really cool, a larger part of me is totally creeped out. I think it's because there are so many of them!



The last time we went to Huber's, it was to pick a pumpkin. Jonathan was not happy that it wasn't pumpkin season now, but he was placated (at least to some extent) by the fact that the tractors were still there.



My MIL and me. I am so happy that she was able to join us. Warning: try not to be blinded by my legs.


And here are my two favorite guys, who worked so hard to make sure I had a great Mother's Day. Hope all of you had a great day as well!

Preschool Parade

I honestly do not know where the time went between my last post and today, but I am finally getting around to posting some pictures from the preschool Derby parade. Jonathan was horribly whiny that morning, such that I thought that his participation in the parade would be a disaster. Fortunately, I was wrong as his mood took a turn for the better while I squeezed in an hour of work before the parade started. Here he is waiting relatively patiently for the director to let his class leave the room to line up:



Jonathan and his friend Hudson waiting for the line to start moving:



A couple of action shots:




This cracked me up for some reason--caffeine is definitely NOT something that this kid needs:



I love this picture of Clover. She and Jonathan have been in the same class for the entire time he's been in school. She is an adorable little girl but her mother tells me that she is a handful! I'm loving the Hawaiian lei themed flowers:



The preschool shares property with a local business; the parade ends inside their building where three stories of people clap and cheer for the kids. Some of the children get really excited about the attention. Jonathan and his friend Aiden, not so much:



The parade has been so much fun each year. It's definitely of the of the things I will miss with our change to the new school!