Happy Birthday Sam

Happy 1st birthday to our baby Sam.

Wow, how time flies. It has been an amazing year and we've all enjoyed having you in our lives soooo much. Your brothers adore you and already you want to be doing what they are doing. When Dad comes home, your eyes brighten and you always insist on a little bit of daddy time. Of course, you love your mama too - chasing me around all day, reminding me to take a few minutes to snuggle.

We love you.

My Disaster aka My House

Ok, so our house is especially messy, dirty, cluttered and unorganized right now. It has been for some time now - not sure at what point it went so far south but it is definitely time for an overhaul. I decided that it needs to be done before school starts in order to make things go more smoothly around here. Jake is easily distracted by all of it and it makes me irritable - neither of which we need once school starts.

So, I began today. I started with the entryway. Cleaned out the coats, cleaned all the junk off the benches, gave everything a good scrub and wall-la - a fine looking place to be (now the other areas of the house are even more cluttered because I had to do something with all the stuff!).

When Ben got up from his nap he noticed I had been working in there. We soon headed out the door to visit with Grandma. When we came back home and Ben walked in the door, this is what he said, "Mama, it's fancy in here!" Wow, it is time to get the rest of the house looking 'fancy'!

Ben's Potty Trained - almost

The time has come where Ben is interested in potty training. It kind of happened quickly (thank goodness). I had been trying to encourage him for the last couple of weeks but he wasn't showing much interest at all. He was great if I let him run around in his nothingness, but didn't want anything to do with 'knickers' (daycare called underwear knickers and it stuck with Ben).

Then, suddenly, he wanted them on all the time. Last week Thursday was the day. He did great at Grandma Linda's and great at home. Friday morning we went to the dentist, to Target and to Best Buy and he stayed dry the whole time. He had to pee but had stage fright at Target but finally gave in at the gas station on the way out of town! Friday night we went to the truck pull in Willmar and he stayed dry the whole time there too! Of course he wouldn't use the bathrooms so when we were about to head home at 11p, I convinced him he needed a diaper on. As soon as I put it on.... "Mom, can I pee now?" He's done that a few times but for the most part, as long as we are home or somewhere that he is comfortable, he takes care of himself.

He accomplished the last big obstacle today - he pooped in his potty chair. Until today it was kind of an issue. He ran upstairs announced to me that he had to go and off he went - making sure I did NOT help him. He was very proud. Oh he's had an accident here and there but really probably only 3 in the last 4 days and every time he came running using the excuse, "Hummm.... I thought I had a diaper on!"

The tooth

Jake's tooth fell out last night. It really pretty much just 'fell' out. He told me when he discovered that it was loose that he was going to leave it until it just fell out. Of course, the smart mother I am, assured him that wouldn't happen and eventually he'd have to pull it out. Wrong again! Darn kids. :)

We spent the night in the camper and Jake and Ben were wrestling on our bed before bedtime. I let them go, they were creating quite the ruckus but they were having a blast. Then there is Jake, "Mom, we were being so rowdy that my tooth just fell out!". I'm pretty sure that Ben's foot or fist or some body part might have helped out the cause. Needless to say they were both pretty surprised and excited about it.

Tonight is Tooth Fairy night since Jake really didn't want to have her come while we were in the camper. I was supposed to write a note by the tooth but I assured him she wouldn't take it if he didn't put it under his pillow! Kids are funny.

Itasca State Park

We spent 4 days camping at Itasca State Park. It was lots of fun. As a kid we camped there quite a few times but I hadn't been back in probably almost 20 years. It was Curt's first time there and he loved it too. Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Ken camped with us (in their own camper!) which made the trip even better.

After set up the first night we just hung around the campsites, bike a little on the trails, ate supper and had an early bedtime. We planned it so the boys would all sleep on the way up since it is a little bit of a long drive but of course, they didn't, so everyone was ready for bed early.

The second day Curt, Jake and I biked to the headwaters and Grandpa and Grandma drove with Ben and Sam. It worked out great. The boys played at the headwaters for a long time while Sam napped with Grandpa in the truck. We had lunch, some naps, some more biking and a campfire to finish up the night.

On Tuesday we rented a canoe and the 4 of us canoed to the headwaters. It was pretty fun after Ben got used to the canoe and I could quit worrying that he was going to tip us over. They played some more at the headwaters while Sam napped back at the camper with G & G. After lunch everyone needed a nap again. Then there was more biking, eating, and campfire.

See a pattern here? It was like a person's ideal life. Wake up, bike, eat, swim, eat, nap, bike, eat, campfire, sleep. Who wouldn't love it?

The only real differences from when I was a kid were that the bathrooms and the trails were much improved and the raccoons were less obvious. As kids they would come right into our campsite to visit us. This time we say the evidence that they had been there but never really got to see them. Ok by me, but as kids it really was fun to feed them popcorn out of our hands!

Jake ready to go out on the trails.

Ben catching a ride. He did this a lot while we were there both when walking and when we were biking. We brought along our bike trailer and he made good use of it. His 12 inch tires just don't keep up.

Grandma Marilyn and Jake reading about some turtles.

Family photo op - kind of. We were on our way to the headwaters.

Jake going across the rocks at the headwaters. The water was pretty high this year so many of the rocks were pretty wet and really slippery.

Ben getting a little help across. I remember years while I was growing up that people would go across with their shoes on and never get wet. It wasn't like that this year, we watched a few people biff it too.

Enjoying the water. They played and played.

Jake being Jake? He's always checking stuff out.

The headwaters sign. This looks exactly the same as I remember it.

Finally getting to make a campfire. One night we even did it boyscout style. The boys and Curt went out picking sticks, cut kindling, used a fire starter and just one match!

Heading out. By looking at the pictures you might think that Sam and Grandpa Ken really weren't along but they were. Actually the two of them spent a lot of time together, must be why I don't have pictures of them!