Five on Friday v9

[one] Our boys are becoming the best of little friends and it is seriously magical! They can sometimes be found playing kitchen and making each other food or running wild through the house pretending to be race cars. Basically anything Mark says we hear repeated a few seconds later by Pat. And then of course there are a fair number of brother fights over wanting the same toy or being hit in the head by something with wheels. All in the name of siblings I suppose. 

[two] I have a much needed three day weekend coming up, no call shift Saturday or Sunday and took a personal day on Monday, and I seriously can. not. wait! I have been saving up my personal days since I have two littles at home who could need me to be home at any time but as the year is nearing the end, I wanted to make sure I didn't lose them in the process. So we will be celebrating all weekend long!

[three] And speaking of celebration, J's birthday is on Monday and we're hosting a little get together after a round of golf on Sunday. Two foursomes for 18 holes while the boys and I party prep at home for more celebration afterwards. On the menu is a delicious Taco Bar complete with queso and guac. And margaritas, obviously! Now to get all the details together! 

[four] J and I have recently spruced up our basement with workout equipment. We have had our weight set/bench for a while that is mostly J's arena but I occasionally use the weights too. Recently however we added a dip/pull up rack and a new treadmill with a whole new area of mats and a TV set up.  To hold myself accountable, I'm trying to run 30 miles during the month of May in an effort of being healthier and losing some weight. Meals are hard for me as I'm often running through the hospital and grabbing whatever I can get ahold of so figured increasing my exercise, specifically my cardio, was a reasonable change I could implement. Wish me luck! 

[five] J and I have a vacation planned for this summer to the Windy City of Chicago. And by planned I mean we have flights and a hotel room and zero plans otherwise. I'm pretty Type-A and usually have our trips booked to the minute but I'm actually thinking I don't want any specific plans for this trip. Just a fly by the seat of our pants, do whatever feels right and sporadic type of trip. Especially since the boys aren't coming with us. Must haves are views of the lake, pizza and tasty drinks and a museum or two. Any thing we definitely can't miss? 

Thankful v27

Lately I've been thankful... 

[+] for my patients and the care I'm able to provide them, sometimes in their darkest hours

[+] for extra time with my gang even if it means sacrificing hours of sleep

[+] for sweet conversations between brothers who are proving that 18mo age gaps really are worth it

[+] for neighbors who love our kiddos like their own and the community that creates

[+] for a brown eyed boy who kisses me on the lips "always three times"

[+] for a blue eyed boy who snuggles and loves and pats your back in a hug

[+] for coffee; fresh brewed, iced, lattes, Americanos and any other form

[+] for the opportunity to miss my boys making me grateful for all the little things

[+] for slow mornings, hot showers and sneaking in extra naps even at work

[+] for glimpses of summer time and the feeling of warm sun on our skin

[+] for the upcoming end to intern year and all the ease and change it will bring

[+] for boys who yell "love you, have a good day!!" at the top of their lungs as I'm driving away

[+] for feeling like myself, not caring what other people think and not wearing makeup ;-)

Happy May!

Patrick Turns Two

Another year, another two year old! How is it even possible?

He...
[+] weighs 28#3oz (53rd%) and is 36" tall (88th%) according to his well child check just the other day. I have a feeling they over measured him because he doesn't seem that tall to us but I haven't gotten around to remeasuring him at home.

[+] wears all things 2T and it's been so fun to see him wearing hand-me-down items that Mark used to wear. Granted we are conscious about buying him his own things, plus we just don't have enough right now, but seeing pictures of the two of them in the same outfit, two years apart, sure is sweet. He's in size 4 diapers and size 8 shoes. He's obsessed with socks and never wants to take his jammers off in the morning.

[+] is starting to have quite the attitude lately. I think part of it is possible new teeth and a yucky cold most recently, but overall he's starting to figure out the best way of getting his way. Ha. Sometimes the two boys will be playing together and Pat will just start screaming, for no reason at all. It's like he's used to us "running to his side" when Mark was previously just mean to him and that he'd get what he wanted. We've had to start consciously going into one of their feuds without instantly blaming Mark because now Pat's often equally to blame!

[+] is seriously talking up a storm! He strings together 5-7 word sentences and uses the silliest phrases sometimes. He willingly answers our questions and the best part has been his conversations with Mark. It seriously makes me well up with tears when I hear their little conversations in the other room as they're playing so nicely together.

[+] is starting to sing familiar songs, speaking of word growth, and it's so fun. I forgot how sweet it is to start hearing that little voice. His favorite songs are Hello by Adele, Cruise and Get Your Shine On by FGL, Happy by Pharrell and Red Ragtop by Tim McGraw. He constantly wants to "pick" the song off my phone and knows the album pictures for his favorites.

[+] goes to bed around 7:30pm (previously closer to 8pm but we noticed he wouldn't sleep as long in the AM) and wakes between 6&7am. The best part though is that we never have to get him before 7 because he's content talking and singing and rolling around in his crib until then. He takes a nap at the same time as Mark at 12:30 and sleeps 2-3hrs most days. He sleeps in a sleep sac still with his minky blanket, his silk blanket, his "baby" which is an elephant head on a mini blanket. His duck is also always in his crib and most of the time his panda too. Our boys sure love their lovies!

[+] still battles with constipation issues and is still getting daily Miralax to help fight it. This kid just does not like to drink anything so I have a feeling hydration is a huge part of it. Plus that makes it hard to know if he's really getting his full dose of medicine or not. Recently I've started giving him dried prunes as a "treat" and he already knows "them make Pat poop!".

[+] is totally into imaginative play and it's the cutest! He holds his hand or some rectangle shaped item to his head and says "Hew-oo, hew-oo momma!". He's constantly pretending to eat and drink and offering the same to Mark, us, his stuffed animals, etc. He makes the silliest chomping and slurping sounds to go with it. Any time he rides on a truck or bike he's always saying "beep beep, honk honk" if something's in his way.

[+] absolutely loves his brother Mark and is still the biggest momma's boy around. He's always wanting to be with Mark, looking for Mark when they're not together, telling Mark night night and love you. He throws the biggest fits when Daddy tries to take him to bed yelling "momma take you" which I know is devastating to J but I love it at the same time. He "nuggles" when we're watching movies and refuses to walk down the stairs himself if I'm there to carry him.

Things Pat says...
- What color is it... "green, no purple, no blue, black!"
- Everything is double. "Chippy chip. Drinky drink. Snacky snack."
- "I do it mine self"
- "Hurry up Ma-key! Eat it all up!"
- Unprompted sometimes as he's eating a meal "tank you cookin, momma/daddy."
- When he doesn't want a diaper change "still more poop is coming."
- "Give it to me right now"

Winter @ the Condo

My boy gang and I all headed to the mountains for a long weekend getaway at one of our favorite (starting to be tradition) places. Having this mountain condo in Winter Park is proving to be a very special place for our boys to adventure, to experience a place their momma and daddy love and have celebrated at, to make memories and watch way too many movies and drink honey from a jar instead of on our pizza crust. 

J and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary in this condo. We baby-mooned here when Mark was in my belly. We brought 8 month old Mark here and enjoyed the sunshine. And then last year we came again when Pat wasn't even walking and Mark was scared of the sled. 

This year we ate at our favorite pizza restaurant complete with beer and chocolate milk. We tromped around in our boots and drug the sleds up and down the hill. We splashed at the rec center and all took excellent naps. We tried new movies and new sleep arrangements and fully enjoyed the dis-connected lifestyle for the weekend. Minus the locked-out of the condo snafu, it was just what we all needed! 

Celebrating our baby moon & 1st year anniversary 

Thankful v26

Lately I've been thankful...

[+] for our own "teacher gram" and her creative activities

[+] for one boy who's food driven and one who's rule driven (most of the time)

[+] for dark nails and dark chocolate mochas as a mini celebration 

[+] for the second half of intern year and the freedom and fear that includes 

[+] for amazing neighbors who lean on us and who do the same for us

[+] for delivering babies and then kissing mine 

[+] visits from my guy gang on endless weekend shifts

[+] for my smarty pants biggest even if he outwits me more than I'd like

[+] for my littlest love who's always down for 'nuggles with momma

[+] for language explosions even if it means attitudes that go with it 

[+] for reasons to see family both big and small 

[+] for brother naps that overlap for moments of peace for all through the day

[+] for the smell of sweet toddlers clean from a "splashin' bath"

Happy [almost] spring!