Birthday Weekend

For my birthday weekend we got to spend it as a family with my folks near DC.  Friday, my actual birthday, we headed to King's Dominion.  This is the first year we've gotten season tickets and they've been absolutely worth it.  I put down "King's Dominion" on the calendar for my birthday way back in April.  Tom took the day off and we got there nice and early.  Since the park has an attached water park we planned the morning for rides and the afternoon for the water.  It worked out perfectly.  We all got to spend some time on our favorite rides and then splash around in the water.

A few memorable moments from the day:

• Riding the Drop Zone tower with Tom and Erin
• Watching Erin rider her favorite roller coaster with Tom
• Chasing after Jeffrey around the lazy river when he decided to go around a 2nd time and we all got out.
• Double tube water slides with Erin
• Watching Jeffrey dance in the rain during an afternoon shower
• Taking Jeffrey to the top of their observation tower (the Eiffel tower) even though it's terrifying to me.
• Having Tom and the kids sing Happy Birthday to me out front of the park

Erin's Favorite Ride -- the Anaconda

Proof I went to the top and that he has no fear of it.

We left the park and headed to DC.  It was dusk and the sunset was just stunning.  The kids fell asleep in the car and Tom and I chatted together for the drive.  Once in DC we celebrated my birthday with my folks and Oma and then took our sleepy heads to bed.

That does NOT look comfortable

Erin's typical way of storing her clothes.

Saturday morning Tom and Jeff went on a walk and Noni took Erin shopping for clothes.  It was a big deal to Erin that just she and her Noni go shopping together.  I tagged along but busied myself with the women's sundresses (and purchased a completely superfluous cute little number that I have nowhere to wear).  Erin and Noni picked out dresses and outfits and came away with quite a little wardrobe.  And it was just the most adorable thing to watch.  Then when we got home, Erin put on a little show for everyone at the house.

That evening we celebrated birthday and father's day with dinner at Joe's Crab Shack.  Erin ordered her first crab legs and did a great job with them.  Tom, Noni and I enjoyed their steam pots.  After dinner we convinced Oma to take a slow walk with us around the "lake" in the shopping center.  We stumbled across a cupcake shop so had to grab dessert.

Sunday was a laid back day with hanging at the house.  Tom and I took the kids to the local park for a ride on the train and carousel.  Otherwise we played in the back yard.  Grandpa Donuts cooked dinner on the grill and just super yummy.

Big kids get to have fun too

It was just a wonderful weekend with wonderful family.

Fairy Houses

Yesterday, after watching a Tinkerbell movie, Erin came upstairs and announced that she was going to build a fairy house.  She was a little upset because apparently Jeffrey was making fun of her by saying "fairies aren't real."  I could tell it was really bothering her so I encouraged the construction of the fairy house.

She got an old box to start.  Then she decorated it with a bed made of sticks and a bedspread cut from some extra cloth.  Then a table and tablecloth of the same materials.  She drew a clock on the wall.  She very much wanted to put real food inside, but for fear of ants or other critters I encouraged her to use Poly Pocket food.  She made little pillows from cotton balls and sprayed them with body mist to make them smell just right.  Finally she put a bowl for water (but no real water) and some flowers inside the box.

She set the box outside, off the back deck.  She found a stick and drove it into the ground.  She asked me to write "Fairies Welcome" on a flag for the stick.  The fairy house was set.

Brother wasn't done making fun of her, but she didn't let it get to her.  Every 10 minutes she was checking to see if a fairy was there yet.  After an hour or so she switched out the food and flowers because "maybe a fairy would like this better."  She got more and more frustrated as the afternoon wore on.  Maybe a fairy was not going to arrive.  Maybe fairies aren't real.  Maybe the fairy is shy, I explained.  Maybe the fairies are waiting for it to cool off.

Finally she noticed that something had moved inside the house.  Something had shifted.  That was enough.  There was a fairy!!  She was just shy.  Throughout the evening Erin kept changing out the food and flowers.  Happily humming along.

How do I know that there wasn't a little fairy humming along with her.

Meet Emma

Emma the kitten is a wonderful addition to the family.  Erin received Emma as a birthday present.  She found it waiting for her bright and early the morning of her birthday.  She is both playful and snuggly.  And definitely loved.

Erin and Emma spend a lot of time playing and snuggling together.  Sometimes the kids forget that she's a kitten and treat her more like a rag doll, but overall she is treated very well.  She sleeps in Erin's room and it's working out great.  Emma curls up around Erin's head or face and sleeps with her every night.  For a while she was waking Erin very early in the morning, but that seems to be getting better.  And we've talked with Erin about just opening the door for Emma if Emma is really bothering her.

Emma and Drake are working on their relationship.  Emma loves to play and keeps trying to get Drake to play with her.  Not really his thing.  For the first week or so, any time Emma and her little bell arrived on the scene, Drake would run to another floor.  Then he graduated to just moving to another room.  Now the two of them can sometimes inhabit the same room.  Emma is still more playful than Drake would prefer.  So generally he ends up rather cornered and growling at her.  There have been a few rare moments where they have sat in a window together and looked out at the world.

So here are some wonderful pictures of Emma and all the love she receives. 

Hanging In There

Actually more than hanging in there.  Jeff's doing great with his arm.  He's not been in any pain at all and hasn't even complained of it itching him.  The cast allows him to have a little more use of his hand than the splint did so he can even do most everything on his own (get dressed, play his Star Wars Wii, suck his fingers).

He was very brave when getting the cast on. As we were walking in he got a little afraid.  He asked me if it was going to hurt and would he get his cast.  I didn't know any exact answers so I explained that it might hurt to get the cast on, but that would keep it from continuing to hurt.   The orthopedist is at the Children's Rehab center associated with the University Hospital so the building was pretty inviting and had a play area right near the registration desk.  We were quickly taken back for the cast.  The Dr. gave Jeff a choice of colors and used a water resistant (but not waterproof) under layer.  So he shouldn't get it soaked, but can get it a little wet.  That was great news with field day coming up.  Jeff chose a soccer ball pattern for his cast and sat super still while they put it on for him.  No fussing, no tears.  Just my big boy.

Splint off before cast put on

A Nice Clean Soccer Ball Cast

I brought a Sharpie so I could sign his cast as soon as it hardened.  He was very cute about letting me sign it.  The next day he brought the marker to school so all his friends could sign it.  It's not a very big cast and it came home absolutely covered in notes written in red marker.  Just too cute.  His teachers even signed it.

Lots of Love From His Friends

For the first day or so he was still not really willing to use the hand, but he's gotten very good with it now.  As far as activities go, the rule is "both feet on the ground".  We were given permission for rides at King's Dominion, but no water park yet.  He went on a field trip to a playground with all the Kindergarten classes.  I went along to make sure he played safely, and he did.

At The Playground With Owen

 

OK - yeah both feet are NOT on the ground but this was about as high as he got.

So my little guy is back to playing the Wii as usual (but holding his DS is still difficult), building his Leggo spaceships, and tormenting his sister.  We go back to the Ortho in about 2 weeks from now to get the cast off.  Until then it looks like we may be back to business as usual.