Greats

I've been horrible about updating this blog. I've waffled on whether I wanted to continue it or just give it up. I'm so anal about doing things in order that I've wondered if I can ever catch up. Earlier today, while thinking about this for the millionth time, I decided that I'm not ready to let it go, at least not yet.

This decision was reached as I was looking at Jonathan, listening to him talk about something. He seemed so OLD all of a sudden, leaving me to wonder where in the world the tiny infant son I once held in my arms had gone. Then I realized, with a bit of a shock, that he will be FIVE (5!!) this year and I started to internally panic over the fact that the infant days seem so long ago that I have trouble remembering them. That made the decision for me right there--I must continue to catalog these moments so that I can more clearly remember them.

I pretty much left off with our vacation to Florida in August. While there have been a few posts since then, chronologically in my photos is a trip that we took with my grandparents to Cass, West Virginia. Mama and Papa, as they are more commonly called, are my Dad's parents. They have a "camp" as they call their house in the mountains. As a child, I went there with them several times. Papa has, pretty much since Jonathan was born, talked about taking Jonathan there. This year seemed like the right time so we went for a couple of days over Labor Day weekend.

The feeling of visiting a place with the same people with whom I visited it before, but also with my husband and my son, was pretty amazing. It also was a bit eerie as things looked much the same as I recall from my last visit twenty-ish years earlier.

The case of characters for this trip were Mama and myself,



Papa and Bryan,



Jonathan and his new friend, Davis, acquired right before this photo from the gift shop.



This wooden train was one of a few changes since my last visit. Jonathan enjoyed it quite a bit while the men in the party went to get tickets for our train ride.




The train ride to Whittaker Station was just as I recalled, but for the fact that the train cars are now covered, which is a great improvement. I promise, I really was happy to be on the train.



This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip. I have no idea why. Jonathan wasn't scared by the train whistle but it was a lot louder than what his experience with his toy Thomas trains had lead him to believe.



After we left Cass, we headed back to the "camp" to eat dinner and spend the night. Just like Cass, the camp was just as I remembered it. Of note is the furniture, which looks like it came from a whore house from the 1970s.




Also worth mention is the stuffed and mounted squirrel that I killed on my first and only hunting trip with my Dad and my sister Laura; I think I was in fourth grade and she was in third. Bryan really enjoyed this part of the trip as well as the various other dead animals the living room contained, most if not all of which were "taken" by my father. I am super proud :)





We had an incredible visit. Jonathan is so lucky to have great grandparents who are still living and in good health; I feel lucky to have them as well. Sure, Papa is super political (unfortunately, not of the same persuasion as Bryan and myself) and it was a Saturday night spent much differently than we do things at home in Louisville, but memories like these cannot be taken for granted and I am certain that we will wish there were more of them.

On a lighter note, where else can you snap a photo of your precious four year old holding a plastic bear tongue obtained from a bear rug, the same plastic bear tongue that you yourself played with as a child?



Yeah, hanging out with the greats is good stuff.

Gym Etiquette, Part One

Dear Guy in Red Tank Top in Noon Spinning Today at the Downtown YMCA:

The beans or whatever you ate today for breakfast and/or morning snack were not a good choice. Further, the Y provides towels for a reason; please utilize them and do not splash your bodily fluids onto those sitting around you.

Thank you,

Chick in the blue dry-fit shirt sitting behind you on December 11

P.S. To the older man in the teensy blue biking shorts--I would say that your attire today was unacceptable but since your milk white legs are even whiter than my own, I welcome you to exercise beside me at any time. Deodorant would be a nice touch before the next class though. Or maybe a shower sometime in the last couple of days. But still, welcome. JRF

Movin' On Up

Jonathan finally outgrew his Little Tikes Roadster toddler bed. Bryan and I had been in discussions about whether to buy a new bed or just a frame or whatnot when my mother came to visit and suggested that we just cut the legs off the full-sized bed that was already in his room. Bryan busted out the saw and, voila, a "new" bed.

Jonathan and I immediately set to work finding new bedding. His initial suggestion was Spongebob. I know, shocking. I immediately nixed that idea and offered up my first pick, pirates. We eventually reached a compromise and chose this set.

I ordered everything this weekend and, thanks to Target and their super fast (and may I add FREE) shipping, it arrived today. Jonathan is thrilled with the new bedding and I am happy that it is not a licensed character. Life is all about compromise, right?

Why does he look like he's taking a poo rather than the pretend sleeping as I requested?



Oddly, this is much how I sleep at night. Seriously. I wonder if this sort of thing can be inherited?

Halloween

For the third year running, we trick-or-treated this year with our good friends, the Effingers. As always, our children had a blast hanging out and the weather was perfect for the festivities. As an added bonus, the Effingers' live in a neighborhood that strongly favors chocolate and as an even better bonus, Cindy took charge of the pictures so our photo memories are 110% better than they would have been had I been left to my measly point and shoot.

Before heading out, the kids decorated cupcakes. I found a great deal on a pirate themed set at Michaels, complete with edible images and watercolors to paint on the designs.



Despite the fact that endless whining typically occurs when I ask Jonathan to get dressed on a day to day basis, the prospect of putting on his Halloween costume magically cured him of his professed inability to dress himself:



My youngest sister, Melissa, sent Jonathan a huge box of Halloween-related gifts the week before Halloween. Included in the loot were multi-colored teeth. All three children LOVED them. Us parents did not so much love the immense amount of saliva that accompanied them. Ick.



My handsome fireman. If his career goal stays the same, he may actually dress like this for real one day:

Luckiest

Look at these two--how did I get so lucky?

Untraditional

I know we've not even had Halloween yet but when I saw this on Playmobil's site (we are a huge fan of Playmobil, BTW, and by we I mean all three of us. Their stuff is so cool!), I had Bryan stop at a locally owned toy store that carries pretty much the entire line so that he could purchase it. Jonathan's going to love it because, seriously, what doesn't say Christmas like police and putative defendants?



Day 23 is a toilet, I assume for the jail cell. Love it--the perfect holiday gift for the child of two attorneys! Combine this with our Elf on a Shelf and we are ready for the holiday season. Hopefully two bribe-able items per day will keep dear Jonathan in line!

First Day of Preschool

Even though preschool started the 24th of August, it was cool that morning, so Jonathan had to wear a jacket, therefore greatly diminishing the effect of his super cute Janie and Jack outfit. Not surprisingly, I am the only one in my household who cares about such things. While I know that there are WAY MORE important things to worry about, I wanted the boy to look nice for school. I'm taking full advantage of the fact that he will still pretty much let me dress him the way I want (so long as the Spongebob shirt is nowhere in site. Ugh.)

This is the face I got when I asked him to smile for me. He just wanted to go inside and told me (and anyone who passed us) that I was embarrassing him. Not exactly the look for which I was hoping:



And this is the look I received when I allowed him to go more "free-style." I just love the little booger and can't wait to share all of his fun preschool experiences with him this year: