Preschool Book Club

I am listening to Isaac and his friend "KD" discuss the book "Mars Needs Moms".

"but there were BAD guys in there"
"I didn't like that music"
"but the mom gave him her mask, that was good, right?"
"that wasn't real, right? it's just a story"

It was a pretty lengthy discussion, I wish I had started paying attention sooner!

Weekend in Flint and belated Shamrocks Post!

Only in my life does one go to a beach party in a basement (complete with sand for Isaac to play in covering the floor), listen to at least 4 different languages being spoken at once, while people dance with my baby and my son eats about a pound of strawberries. All on a March night. Yes, that's a party at my Uncle John's house. ;)

We are in Flint this weekend. Friday night, I went to see Les Miserables at Flushing High School with some old high school classmates. Some of them, which I have not seen in 17 years!!! It was fun to see the "new" auditorium and get a back stage tour. What a difference from the cafetorium that we used to put our productions on in. Although, there was something fun of a challenge that the cafetorium presented which these kids would know nothing about!! (for the record - spell check on cafetorium comes up with cafeteria and crematorium - creepy).

On Saturday, we went to my Uncle John's birthday party. Uncle John's wife is from the Ukraine, so they have a diverse community of friends here in Flint. There was fabulous food, foreign music all in a tiki-bar setting (complete with sand floor) that is his basement. We had a great time and wow, how entertaining the sand floor was for Isaac!!!

A few weekends ago we headed to our annual visit to Ann Arbor for the Shamrocks and Shenanigans! Who can resist a day full of St. Patty's fun, little irish dancers and irish music - and great friends!? Isaac had a ton of fun doing the kids run and dancing up a storm with Raquel. Visiting M&R&E&R is always a good time! Fun was had by all!

Give me that camera!

We went to the new "Java Play" a few days ago and while Isaac ran amok - Izzy and I spent some time in the baby area. She decided she wanted to play with the camera....

Day out with Uncle Michael

Isaac got to spend an afternoon with Uncle Michael in January while Isobel and I helped throw a baby shower for cousin Kayla. They had some lunch and then went to see Tangled. Isaac hasn't stopped talking about it since!

Isobel - 6 month stats!

Just a quick message as I have to clean up because Brian comes home today and we have friends coming to visit tomorrow....

As of Feb. 15, 2011, Isobel's stats:

Weight: 16lbs 8 oz (55%)
Height: 25.75" (60%)
Head: 16" (40%)

She still is refusing to take a bottle AND cereal, but obviously that isn't effecting her weight! She mastered sitting up and is starting to scooch backwards...and of course, EVERYTHING goes right in the mouth right now. And, aside from photo shoots **shakes head** - she is normally a pretty laid back gal!

Pretty nice day so far...

I have been feeling bad for not blogging more often. It just seems with all of Brian's travel for work, 2 kids, winter, etc...it just goes on the back burner.

So, I am sitting at Mom's house - and thought, I should drop a few lines...at least it's something.

So - today, we (Isaac, Isobel and I) went to Witherbee's for lunch with Michael and Dad - then Michael and I took the kids to the Children's Museum. It was NUTS in there today - three birthday parties, a boy scout troup....and we ran into a friend of mine from high school! (Shout out to Matt & Emily!!) It was nice to see them...but wow, kinda hard to "catch up" in the midst of such chaos! (Maybe next time, right?)

Michael got some shots of Isaac and Isobel as "Rosa Parks" and "Martin Luther King". It was pretty darn funny.

Then, to cap off some fun time, we swung by the Deco Deli for a smoothie (Michael), a coffee (moi) and a cupcake (Isaac). Isobel napped.

And tonight...leaving the tykes with the parent units and heading to check out the new Cork On Saginaw for a few hours with Michael, "the pen pal", and whoever else ends up poppin' up. Hopefully Iz does well with Mom!

Mother's Mantra

I scammed this from another blog I read today. I thought it would make a few moms (and dads!) smle.

Babies Don't Keep
by Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread.
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo)
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

The stairs are clear....

Tonight I had to shovel the driveway. We didn't get the 8-12" that they were predicting (perhaps it will come tomorrow?) - so it was actually sort of peaceful and relaxing. I wore my headphones and just roamed back and forth, up and down the drive.

After finishing, I stood back and looked at the house. I realized I wasn't done yet.

I creeped though house and out the sliding door to the deck. There I repeated the pattern, back and forth, up and down. Sending the bulk of the snow down the staircase.

Then, slowly, step by step - I cleared them. We always cleared them for Blue, especially in the later years when he walked a little more slowly and with caution.

It's been 8 months....but somehow - shoveling isn't complete until the stairs are clear.

Big milestones!!!

Don't have much time to write, I just returned home from a trip to Flint and I need to prep my slider and front window for replacement in the morning!

Isobel is about 4.5 months. At her appt last week, she was:

24.5" long (50%)
14lbs 7oz (75%)

Today she did two huge things!!! She sat on her own for a few minutes AND she ALMOST rolled over from back to front!!! Seems an ear infection doesn't stop her from charging forward, does it!!!

Other things she is up to:
- She is experiencing some "stranger anxiety" to some degree with just about everyone except myself and Isaac...tho, we are working on that, and she played and smiled more with Mom this weekend than the last time we were home.
- She is moving into 6-9 month clothes already (she's really a chunky lil monkey!).
- Isaac makes her laugh louder than ANYONE. She adores him.
- Most nights she sleeps almost 12 hours straight. What a difference from Isaac (even now!)
- Aside from the stranger thing - she really is very easy going!

Just a little bit of cutsie.

Isobel adores her brother. Any time he pays attention to her, you will hear her loudest laughs, sweetest coos and see her biggest smiles.

This isn't the biggest or best smiles/giggles - but it's cute all the same.

Privacy or Wha?

In October, I had my wallet stolen while at Walmart. Yes...I said Walmart. I never go there - Brian and I have had a "unless without other option" standpoint of the place (sometimes in Tawas, it's our only option, but that is rare). Anyways, I went there for one thing I knew they had - because I didn't want to drive all over town...and wouldn't you know - someone enjoyed using our credit cards/debit cards for the next few hours while I was blissfully unaware. I didn't even hear the credit card companies calling the house because I was enjoying the sunshine outside with a friend. So, the rest of the day was filled with calling all the companies, reissuing cards, changing accounts, etc. I even went and got a new driver's license...only to discover a few days later that my license was actually at the bottom of my diaper bag. (figures!)

OK - that wasn't great. I felt a bit of comfort knowing the "perp" (that's for Dawn) didn't have my license. So, aside from my name and my fuzzy photo on my Costco card, he/she/it didn't know anything about me. [Darn, I just realized there were a few photos of Isaac in there]

The police officer said, chances are, the "perp" was watching out for someone, just like me. A distracted mom with 2 kids. It made me feel so naive....but he was right. I was a TOTALLY distracted mom with 2 kids. Anyone who has been shopping with Isaac can understand how that would happen!!!

Fast forward to Nov 15th. I get a call from the bank asking me to verify a check coming through one of our accounts. Instantly, my heart sank. This particular account isn't one we use much - so I am pretty much the only one who ever writes checks from it...and most certainly not checks that clear all except 9.17 from the account. And it wasn't 100 bucks, I'll tell you that.

Now I am creeped out.

See....ok - I can accept that account numbers get taken. It doesn't take more than a real routing number and some lucky guessing to hit on a real account - I am sure. But..what bothered me was - this forged check was written out to someone in GR...AND the fact that it literally cleared our account. I am surprised the teller even cashed the check - since it didn't take a rocket scientist to know the issuing bank has changed names (at least 5 years ago!) - but cash it, they did. Did they somehow gain access to our account to know? Was that just a lucky guess too? I am going to say probably not. Now, do they know where I live? My husband's name? And, just out of curiosity - I type the name of the person that was on the check into google? Where does he show up? Same address as on the forged check. Has facebook account. Right there. All sorts of information. It dawned on me, finding info about me probably isn't that hard either. Granted, this person may not be the person who actually did it - but well....if they aren't smart enough...possibly it is.

Thankfully, through the whole process, all the banks/companies have been really great - we now have credit alerts our credit reports, all the money is back where it should be....but the fact still remains...that person knew too much about us. That person gained access to our account - somehow.

So - I went and tightened up my facebook account. If it's the same person, I didn't want him knowing details of my distracted daily life. I've debated making this more private too - but I am not sure I put much on here that is going to tell anyone something about me - especially since I post so far past events, it's not like they are going to know when I am home or not...but...egh.... just bothersome. The whole ordeal.

So....not that it's Walmart's fault...but I think I will pass on going there next time.

Update on life...

Well, we have just been busy, what can I say?

I feel bad, not updating, or sharing, mostly for Isobel's sake. She has been doing so much lately. In the last few weeks, she has started "talking", she grabs at things and "laughs". She has also started to try to pull herself up when sitting in the bouncy or swing, so she really likes when we help her sit upright. She is also on the verge of rolling over - I anticipate it to happy any day now.

She is such a laid back baby most of the time, so much, that I feel like a bad parent! Isaac required so much rocking, cuddles, etc - and she is happy to be laid down without a fuss. We wake up to coos and "chatting" instead of shrieks! She has been sleeping all night, as in 8pm-almost 8am until I wake her the next morning because I am so full of milk!

On Isaac's front: He is very much enjoying school. He can write his name now and loves to tell me stories about what they did in school. We've been saving all his projects, which I know I can't keep forever, but I am just so tickled by all of them. He is taking a sports sampler, which he is really getting into - and he has gone a great job of listening and picking up all the concepts. You know Isaac, 'have feet, will run'.

At the end of October, I had their photos taken, and although we didn't get many great shots of Isobel, some of the photos of Isaac show such a grown up side of him.

I never thought I would be in awe of these little creatures of ours. Even in the most challenging moments, I look at how they seem to grow and change each day - and I am so amazed. I try to soak it all up, knowing that holding on to those little moments, when our heads are full of schedules, lists and tasks is hard....but at night, when Isaac is crashed out in bed with "Bear" or when Isobel is smiling up at me from the changing table, it's the most amazing feeling in the world.

Click here to view these pictures larger

A serious observation

As we drove past downtown Chicago:

"Isaac, look - there is the Sears Tower!"

"Mom, that's not just one serious tower, there are two serious towers"

"Sears Tower, Isaac"

"No Mom, Serious Tower. It's Serious."

Well then...I guess it is!

New dining room table!

We bought a new dining room table last May - and we finally have the new chairs to go with it!

We found the table in an antique shop (Back Room Antiques) in Tawas and loved it instantly. It wasn't until we heard that it was going to be shipped to a store in Kzoo that we became serious about buying it.

The nifty thing about it is that it is handmade by a retired gentleman out of reclaimed barn wood. It just so happens the wood for this table is from an 1890's milking barn located in Frankenmuth (we even have a picture of the barn!). We had to order the chairs for the guy to finish, and we just got them last week.

We LOVE this table!! Not only is is unique and beautiful, but it's nice to be able to seat more than 4 people comfortably!

Implant Day

So - today I went to have the first step of my dental implant done. I was terrified, more than I was to go into labor. Seriously!!! However, it was not so horrific (certainly was not pleasant tho)...and, now I sit here thinking..."huh, shouldn't I have a little pain?". I mean, I can feel that something has happened to my mouth - but pain isn't a word I would use to define it.

[crunches on cheez-its]

For those of you who do not know, last spring, while pregnant, my front tooth fell out. I had already had a crown and a root canal done on this tooth - so when I wrestled with Isaac one day, and he hit me in the jaw, I should have known trouble was brewing. However, I did not - and a few weeks later, while eating cereal at my Mom's house....just like that - it fell out. Obviously, because I was pregnant, they didn't want to do the implant until after Isobel was born. Therefore, I have been walking around for months with a "flipper" (which is a polite way of saying denture).

[pauses for more cheez-its]

So, back to the pain thing - I pretty much think I am some bizarro who doesn't experience pain like other people. Back when I had my first foot surgery, I took the Vicodin like they said to, to keep the "pain manageable". All that did was make me sick to my stomach for 3 days. For the second foot surgery, I didn't take anything. I waited for the pain. Um....yeah...didn't happen. Not saying I was ready to dance a jig, but I certainly didn't need to take anything. Fast forward past 2 drug free labor & deliveries....(I'll admit, I popped a motrin the night after having Isobel because the cramping was a distracting feeling)...and now this. It's not that I am opposed to taking anything....I just don't feel enough discomfort to justify it. I don't get it...am I just some pain-tolerant freak, or is it just not there?

So...back to the implant, I go back in a few weeks, then after 3 months to assure all is going as planned...then I get to go to my dentist for the "tooth" portion....and I can be done with this ridiculous and embarrassing saga in my life.

Isaac - Quote of the Day

"Here Dad, I will put my helium on you."

(said in reference to putting his hand on Brian's injured calf muscle, apparently he meant "healing")

Isobel - 2 month stats

October 8, 2010

Weight: 11lbs 12 oz (75%)
Height: 22" (50%)
Head: 15" (50%)

Happy 4th Birthday Isaac!

Since our family birthday party was scheduled for the 19th, we decided to invite a couple local friends over to celebrate Isaac's 4th birthday. As it turns out - lots of friends were free that day - so it turned into a big party!!! Thankfully, the rain passed and we were able to have a spidey-riffic time!

A big thanks to our friend Katie for doing the face paints, they were the hit of the party!!!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Long overdue posts

Do we see a theme here? So far, having 2 kids has been pretty good...however, my screen time has definitely been impacted. I can barely get a chance to reply to emails (and when I do, it's one handed typing because I am nursing!) much less updating our blog!

Anyways, here are some posts I updated recently...

Visit to Dutch Village
http://spratke.blogspot.com/2010/08/dutch-village.html

End of the Summer at the Cabin
http://spratke.blogspot.com/2010/09/end-of-summer-at-cabin.html

Dawn and Sam meet Isobel
http://spratke.blogspot.com/2010/08/dawn-and-sam-meet-isobel.html

Crim Weekend and Thomas the Train
http://spratke.blogspot.com/2010/09/crim-weekend-and-thomas-train.html

Isaac starts preschool
http://spratke.blogspot.com/2010/09/isaacs-first-day-of-preschool.html

Isaac's first day of preschool

Isaac started preschool at Meadowbrook Elementary. He was very excited to go to school! He gets excited to put things in his locker every morning and comes running to me at the end of the day with a huge smile on his face. It exhausts him!!! Now..if only it could be 5 mornings a week, instead of 3....

Isaac tells Bear after his first day "it was pretty good, I will go again and again".