Thanks

We give many, many thanks. 

Thanks for swimming at the McCollums:

Splashing with Papa Bear

Thomas and Mama racing in the pool

Thanks for our family:

Thanks for the opportunity for Ryan to meet Papa Bear and Nana Honey:

Thanks for the opportunity to make a "turkey" of ham salad with pretzel feathers with Nana and Papa.

 Thanks for new golf clubs:

And thanks for everything else in between.

One

One is such a significant number for being, well...one.

Ryan teased me with sleeping through the night at a very young age, a little less than two months.  Then he got an ear infection which really upset the apple cart.  Once the ear infection was gone and we got the go-ahead from the pediatrician, we started sleep training him (let him cry until he fell asleep).  That was going ok until he got a little cold, the second of his short life.  Now I consider it a good night if he wakes just one time.

One is exactly the number of times I have seen Thomas play with our "tractor."  In one of my more creative moods on a rainy day, I asked Thomas to help me turn a Pampers box into a tractor.

I think I liked the tractor better than he did

This morning, with relative success, I put on my makeup with one hand while balancing Ryan on one knee and holding on with the other hand.  Not too shabby, if I do say so.

When Thomas is in the room, it is like there is only one person there for our little Ryan.  He loves his brother more than anyone or anything.  Ryan talks to him, watches him intently and gets excited by his mere presence.

Thomas telling Ryan how is it

"This is Sophie, k?"

 

Tolerant most of the time...

One is the beginning of the naptime window.  Depending on our day, what time various members of the family woke up in the morning and Mama's patience level, it could be closer to 1:00 or closer to 2:00.  Ryan's naptime usually coincides at least partially with Thomas', but there is often a period that we have alone.  Lately, I've tried to take more pictures during our times together.

Oh yes, and some of these times, too.

Is he crying because Army is 3-7 so far this season?

When I was in Japan, a saying that the Japanese had struck me and I brought it home.  Ichi-go, ichi-e translates into "One place, one time."  A sort of twist on carpe diem, the premise is that you won't ever get another chance to experience this thing that is going on at this one time in this one place.  Be it laughing, beckoning, crying, playing football or snuggling, this is the one and only chance we will get to do these things with these boys at this point in our lives.

Unreal

There are numerous things that lead me to say, "Unreal."  For example, I find it unreal that I could ever find the time to write multiple blog posts in a week.  Every time that the boys go to bed for the night, it is unreal how tired I am and unreal how badly I just want to go to bed at 8:30pm.  Hence, fewer posts.  Sorry.

Part of the problem that I have finding time to post is the nap schedule of our dear, sweet Ryan.  He prefers to catnap for 30 minutes instead of taking a full-on nap.  This means, at max, I get a 30 minute "break" while he and Thomas are both napping.  This is mostly a time to wash bottle nipples, clean up from playing in the cellar, start dinner, and clean out Thomas' potty. 

Unreal how hard it is to break him of the bad habit of sleeping in a swing

It is also unreal that both boys slept during their usual naptime with our roof being replaced.  That is one of the noisiest things I have encountered.

New roof!

Thomas decided he wanted to be a farmer for Halloween.  We all jumped on board with this easy idea.  Part of the reason I don't like Halloween is because I am not creative and hate dressing up.  Fortunately, we had most of the gear already.  Three farmers and their dog braved a drizzly night and went hunting for candy.  It was unreal how into it Thomas was.  A relatively shy guy came out of his shell and loved saying, "Trick or Treat!" and engaging with the candy givers.  He made us proud, using exemplary manners.

Ryan as a farmer too?

Nah, we'll dress him as our puppy

People talk about the renowned outdoor art museum in our town, the Storm King Art Museum.  The sculptures are mostly outdoors and massive, making it unreal.  It's a 500 acre wonderland.  Most of it was lost on Thomas; the modern art was a little too unreal for him (and most of the rest of our party).

Scoping it out

Imitation

Moving right along...

Even Thomas appreciated the beautiful view

Dad?  Can we run around yet?

Ryan, in the carrier,  gets an early art lesson

Mama even tried her hand at getting artsy.  I fooled around with different settings on the camera and found this one to be heart-warming.  Real picture-turned-painting.  Does that make the picture unreal?

It is unreal how these boys change nearly every day.  Thomas is not quite as patient as he once was with my picture taking.  He sometimes humors me and other times, doesn't.

Ryan appears to be unfazed by my picture taking...so far.

It is unreal that hanging with these two can be so fun...assuming we all sleep through the night!