June!

Excuse my too busy schedule this month! It's been crazy trying to finish up my dissertation (3 afternoons a week!) and play with the boys.  I try to get them out of the house twice a day which is exhausting for them and me - but I'm trying to guarantee a well-deserved nap.  In HUGE news, Hunter gave up his "dadu" or pacifier.  He has been asking for yellow roller skates for over a month.  I told him he could have them if he gives up his dadu.  I learned this technique from my very smart friend, Mackenzie.  So, I got him his skates and he gave me his dadu.  He hasn't stolen one from Landon and he only asked for it maybe 2-3 times! I'm so excited to not have to worry about it anymore.  He kind of gave up napping though, unless he is exhausted and I lay with him and snuggle and watch a movie.  We have to go with the no pressure technique. He has also been waking up in the 5 am hour, so I'm not sure it's worth it.  I've thought of throwing dadus in his room in the morning to get him to leave me alone.  But I haven't.  I get up and take him to the potty and we start our morning.  At 5:15.  It's good news though.  Really!

I love our schedule right now.  On monday mornings Hunter has swim lessons and then music class.  Then the sitter comes 11-3 so I can work.  In the afternoons we are free to play.  On Tuesdays, Brian takes Landon to My Gym and they bond in the morning.  This is amazing because I get one-on-one time with Hunter.  It means so much to me to be able to do this and I think it is a really special situation.  On Wednesday mornings we switch and Brian takes Hunter for a bike ride and then they go to My Gym.  I get to spend the morning with Landon - usually a park playdate with mommies from my mommy n me class.  It's really awesome.  On Thursday mornings Landon has swim class and then we are free to play. Fridays are a wild card since Hunter no longer has school.  So we always have Mon, Wed and Fri afternoons free which is so nice!  I feel so very blessed that Brian has this awesome schedule and can spend so much time with the boys. I love my one-on-one time and don't know how we will continue when Aspen gets here.

On that note: you probably already know this, but we have the best Daddy in the world.  For Father's day we sent him to the spa and got him a membership to the spa like he got me for Mother's Day.  He really needed some down time to relax and I was happy to give that to him....and to let him sleep in for the 5 am wake-ups.  We went out on Saturday night for a B'Nai Mitzvah/date night and that was super fun.  On Sunday we just went to church and hung out at home.  I made his favorite meal (shrimp alexander and chocolate souffle with fresh whipped cream) and he entertained the boys.  It was a great weekend, and one that was well-deserved by Brian. Thank you for being the best Daddy to our babies!

We have been taking a lot of date nights, which has been amazing.  I love getting out of the house with just Brian.  You take it for granted when you don't yet have kids, but the freedom of not having to worry about diaper bags, snacks, sippy cups, the park, etc is so....wonderful.  Not to mention that I actually get to TALK to Brian without being interrupted by "duse me! ah-duse me!!!" This is code for "excuse me" and you have to be fluent in Hunter to get it, but it happens every time we try to talk to one another.  Date nights are wonderful and we are excited to go to the Magic Castle this Friday!  Here we are on one of our date nights:

 We did get away to go visit Hunter's best friend and my close friend who moved so San Diego.  The whole way down Hunter was convinced we were going to "rescue Keagan".  When I explained that he moved because his family moved down there, Hunter didn't understand why Keagan had to move there too.  There's plenty of room in our house, he explained.  They had a lot of fun playing together and we're trying to get down there again soon! We really miss the Burke family but are so happy for them and their beautiful new house, community and happiness!

 Landon is going to be a soccer star (Landon Donovan, anyone)?

 Hunter picked up a hitch-hiker

 A loving hitch-hiker

 And then Hunter climbed on back so that Keagan could ride.  That reminds me! We took the training wheels off of Hunter's bike, so he is learning how to ride his bike now! Such a big boy!

 Bridget and Wyatt at the park - ~10 months old already!

 Landon and Wyatt.  Landon is 7 months older than Wyatt, so he stuck with the big kids (he thinks he is 3) but there were some cute moments of Landon with Wyatt.

 See what I mean about Landon thinking he is 3?! He does EVERYTHING Hunter does - including trying to climb this play structure.  Crazy baby!  I've had 3 people tell me recently that he is going to break something (a bone) soon.  I don't doubt it.  Brian and I are unbroken and Hunter, as of now, is unbroken, but Landon will be the first.  And I think it will be in the next 6 months.  He is just a wild, climbing, carefree child.

 Rolling down the hill! We used to call Hunter and Keagan "trouble 1 and trouble 2" I think Landon is "trouble 3"

 And Wyatt is on his way as "Trouble 4".  Really? He's so sweet though.

 Yet another reason that Brian is an amazing Daddy - he let me leave for 28 hours to see my brother.  My big brother is having a tough time right now so I needed to go see his face and make sure he is okay.  I was SO nervous to leave the boys (never been that far from them).  I went up to Portland all by myself.  I read a magazine on the plane and listened to music.  It wasn't all that bad ;-) When I got there, Jeff took me to a nice steak restaurant that had a view of the whole city! Beautiful!

 The next day he took me to his work at OHSU.  He's almost done with his second year of the Neurosurgery residency and it is the top program in the country.  To say I am proud of him would be an understatement.  I loved meeting the people he works with and seeing where he spends 95% of his life in Portland.  Then we went to Saturday Market which is like a big Farmer's market.  We had so much fun walking around, and I bought Aspen yet another tutu.  I don't know how many she needs, but I'm not there yet :-)

 The landing at OHSU where you can take little tram rides to the waterfront (where there are more doctor's offices)

 When I got home my boys were thrilled to see me.  Brian had entertained them with things like laundry basket rides.  I love that Hunter is holding onto Landon so he doesn't get hurt.  Such a sweetheart.

 Scooter's Jungle.  One of my favorite places to take the boys - separately. It's too big and scary to take them both by myself.  Hunter climbed to the top and was afraid to go down the slide.  I can't go down it because I'm pregnant, so my friend Liv climbed up and brought her son and Hunter down.  The expressions on their faces is priceless.

 This was taken tonight.  Landon curled up in our bed with his chocolate milk and his pillow.  This is about how we all feel lately - sleepy and snuggly.  Landon is just the definition of love and snuggles.  I adore this little man.  Actually, I feel so blessed to have all 3 of my boys - and my brother - the fourth boy.

Life is good.