Summer Fun with Grams and Gramps

Charlie spent second session of summer with his grandparents.  No small task to watch a rambunctious, rather trying at times, 4 year old.  It's been such a blessing for him to have time with them and helps us out immensely.  I'm sure they will need a 12 day nap after he's finally back in school for the fall.  This is when they found a baby bunny in the yard.  Anyone recognize this giant child?? I sure don't...

Probably my favorite picture- helping grandpa plant the magnolia tree

Feeding the elk at Fleming- aren't they gorgeous?

Feeding the carp at Jocomo Marina

love

Zoo!  Many trips to the zoo this summer, he loves it there.  (what kid doesn't)

Many thanks to Matt's parents for all that they do.  We would have given up on this whole raisin' a kid thing without your help!

Toy Shelf for the Big Boy Room

The project I thought would take about 2-3 weekends and actually took about FOUR months of weekends.  Definitely a labor of love for our Charlie

I didn't take as many pictures as I should have, but really, this was a very labor intensive project. If you need a step by step, this may be above your DIY level.  I drew out the design and Matt, as always, magically made it happen.  My husband is the BEST

Added bonus?  All the wood on this shelf was free.  I get so mad that he hoards wood and fills our tiny garage with it, but then he goes and TOTALLY REDEEMS HIMSELF

The white is Martha Stewart's Picket Fence (best white out there ever), the lighter is the color of the walls in the bedroom, I have no idea what color it is (dang-it) and the darker was called Anonymous.  I just bought one of the $3 dollar samples and it was plenty for this project.

Almost done, but you can see how important feet and trim are...

My super skilled, architect-like professional sketch (look how perfect the middle board is!)

Trim was the only thing we bought, Matt sliced it down to veneer thickness and brad nailed it on.  This whole thing took enormous amounts of spackling and sanding - belt and handheld sanding.  Plus, I bought 'clear' poly that was NOT clear, it was yellow-ish, so I had to do more coats and sanding to cover that up.  If you look very close, you can still see some of it (dang-it again)  The feet are just scrap 4x4's that Matt drilled circles out of.  I literally just dunked the whole foot in the stain and wiped.  At that point I was looking for the easiest way to get it freaking DONE

Hooks aka 'Octopus'' for maximum storage- backpacks, hats, coats

Finally in the bedroom, you can see with the wall color, I promise it's grey, NOT lavender.  Grey plays tricks in weird light.

I'm sad the stuff covers up the design, but it's made to be functional and I'm ecstatic to have all those toys off the floor!

And now that this is complete, Charlie is officially moved into his big boy bedroom.  No more crib/toddler beds. Sigh.....

Home Run!

Are we sick of teeball pics yet?

Charlie naturally bats left and they always correct him to the right, infuriates me, but I keep my mouth shut (mostly)

rounding second

headed home!

disclaimer: it was the end of the 'inning', so they just let him run the whole way around....

I'll get a better picture from the organization, but this was me taking a picture behind the lady

'say baseball!'

Charlie learns to ride his bike

As I mentioned before, we bought Charlie a bike after his birthday party on Saturday.  We also got him his first helmet now that he's actually peddling.  He cried and whined for the training wheels, but between having a pedal trike and the Strider bike, we knew he could do it.

We tried 5 minutes off and on Saturday and hit it again Sunday.  Probably a total of  30 minutes and he had it. 

Our neighbor May just loves Charlie, I thought she was going to cry, she was so happy to witness his first time, she it too sweet.

Here is right after he did it for the first time, bad video, but a keeper!

Matt ran about 5 miles chasing him from end to end on our street.  I'm just SO happy we live on a quiet street to be able to do this!

4th of July

Our neighbors shoot off so many fireworks, we usually just plop a blanket in the front yard and watch them all blow stuff up. This year we decided to go sit out at the city fireworks.  Someone had the genius idea to get ice cream on the way there.  Charlie was so wound up on sugar, he spent the whole time literally running in circles around us yelling 'hi!!' every time he passed in front of us.  If he wasn't doing that, he was rolling on the ground.  We've had a very mild July for Kansas City and I was actually cold, I just wanted him on my lap to keep me warm, but he wouldn't sit still!  So glad we drove out so he could lay on the grass NOT watching fireworks. I think this picture was taken during the only 4 seconds he stood still.

ooooo-look at that great firework shot

meh.

4th Birthday Update

Age 4 2013-2014

I don’t even recognize my Charlie. I go into wake him in the mornings and his long legs hang out of his little toddler bed…he is such a big boy!  My toddler is almost gone and my baby is definitely gone.  

He’s still a really good, albeit slow, eater.  He eats salad, salmon, brats, pretty much anything you put in front of him.  As a super annoying picky eater myself growing up, I cringe at what I must have put my mother through.  Two of his favorite foods are strawberries and fish tacos.

I love the silly, happy little man he is becoming.  Charlie likes playing with anything that has wings, wheels or tracks.  He has a crazy, hilarious, imagination and I adore listening to him play out scenarios with all his toys.  He plays in some awesome world of zombies, ghosts, car crashes, robots, I wish I could visit! He has definitely come out of his shell and pretty much talks non-stop.  Although still a little shy around strangers, he warms up faster and if he’s comfortable with you, watch out, you’re going to get your ear talked off.

We bought him a bike with pedals for his 4^th birthday and he hopped right on and off he went!  All the neighbors’ jaws just drop when they little Charlie on two wheels.  He learned to ride without training wheels ONE day after getting his first pedal bike.  This is 99% due to his Strider bike but Charlie has always had pretty good physical abilities.  The kid barely talked until he was 3 years old, but he was crawling to the top of big kid playgrounds when he was barely 18 months.  It's so fun to watch him conquer whatever he tries.  

Despite my efforts to cultivate his good taste in music when we are at home and in the car...he goes to school and dances to Katy Perry's Roar and then that's all I hear "Roaar ohohohohoh". He loves, loves Katy Perry and Ellie Goulding's song Burn.  Can't you just like Leonard Cohen like a normal kid? haha

Charlie started teeball in June.  He is in his element with all those kids out there.   Half play teeball, half play in the dirt.  You have to remind yourself, they are only 4, they are only 4, ‘STOP THROWING DIRT’! Dad works on his skills with him in the backyard all the time. Charlie loves to hit the ball.

Watching him out with the kids, he is a leader, and kids follow him.  Not necessarily a good thing because he tends to be a little like his mom and a bit of a *ahem* trouble starter.  I hope I can steer that in a positive direction as he grows up.

I can’t wait to put him back in football this fall, he loved it and still talks about it from last year.  Plus, mamma enjoys the cooler weather a lot more than 97 degrees at 7 o’clock at night we get at baseball.  

He starts back at preschool mid-August.  I’m excited to see him move up in his class (and not be the youngest, littlest one there).

Love you Charlie, you make being a mom so amazing, hair-pulling, hilarious, and FUN

Charlie's 4th Birthday Party- Midland Train

HUGE post, lots of pictures.  We've gotten out of  having a birthday party for Charlie for the last 3 years, but he is completely in on the gig, so a birthday party was planned.  This is our instagram shot waiting for everyone to get there.

It was a small gathering of family and our closest friends.  This is Peyton, Missy's nephew, Charlie and him get along like peas and carrots

We took a train from Baldwin, KS to Ottawa- about 2 hours round trip.  It's a bit of a drive, almost to Lawrence, but totally worth it.

The train was an open platform, perfect for the sunny day

The Christian Biker chicks that were on the train.  They were very sweet

Missy's mom Gail and Eliza- Charlie's unofficial third Grandmother basically

Our turn around, about an hour out, they switch the engine and we head back to Baldwin

Watching the engine switch

whoa

Stretching our legs

The engineer being very sweet with Charlie

Seriously, does every picture need to have a QT cup in it?  How Kansas City....

My new favorite picture

Literally a town in Kansas

Through the gravel quarry

I promise he had a blast

Back where we started!

Party Time!  There was a shelter there with picnic tables- it was perfect

Blowing out the candle, trying to keep it lit in the wind

This present won

30 seconds after getting in the car