Birthday celebrations

Today, Ty woke up and ran into our bedroom and shouted "Hey, wake up! It's my birthday!"

We had such a fun day with him today! We started the day out at Hobee's with his birthday twin Jaimi (Ty's possible future mother in law) where he was thrilled to be able to order pancakes with chocolate chips. We headed straight to "The Jungle" in San Jose which is just a piece of heaven for two little boys. It is a huge play area...with nets, and tubes to crawl around in, a few ball pits, slides, etc. We set them loose into the play area and would go searching for them if it ever went too long without seeing them surface. It is so much fun! We made it home just in time for naps (and even the birthday boy took a nap after all that playing). After naps, we opened presents (and then Ty rode his new bike around for a bit) and then started watching his new movie "Beauty and the Beast".
We took a little break from the movie to go in and have Ty's dinner of choice: beef stroganoff, watermelon, and corn on the cob. Ty ate his own corn on the cob, begged for Scott's (which Scott ended up giving him since he wanted it so bad and, after all, it was his birthday) and even finished up Cam's. This kid LOVES corn on the cob.
Back to the movie to let the food settle.
Then paused the movie again to go in for cake. Ty asked for a strawberry cake with strawberries on top this year. Honestly, I let him pick any cake he wanted and thought he would totally go for the chocolate amazing looking ones. He really wanted the strawberry cake. Then we walked to the candy aisle where I told him he could pick whatever he wanted to put on top of the cake. After looking a minute he simply said "I think I'd like strawberries on top". I will take it!! Halfway through the week he said he wanted me to make the cake look like the Iron Giant. So I did my best and felt glad that when I asked him to come look at the finished product he could at least tell what it was :)

Man, I love that kid. He is so good. While we were at the restaurant this morning, a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said "Your kids are so wonderful. You should be very proud."
She couldn't have picked a better day to remind me what truly obedient, kind and just genuinely good kids I have. Especially that Tyler. He sets such a good example for Cam and he wants so deeply to do the right thing. We are so blessed to have him in our family!

Checklist for today

Stay in my pajamas all day long....check.

Feel miserable from the cold I have had for a week now and realize that I probably have a sinus infection...check.

Watch a little five month old for over eight hours. One that is teething and has a double ear infection....check.

Have two completely rambunctious boys who need to get their energy out but can't because it is cold and drizzling all day...check.

Get a massive migraine in the middle of the day that comes on so suddenly that I can't prepare or take medicine and have it wipe me out for the rest of the day...check.

Have cheerios for dinner...check.

Immediately start crying when I talk to Scott on the phone (who is out of town for a few days)...check.

Let the boys play in the bathtub for ALMOST AN HOUR...check.

Go to bed at 8pm...soon to be check.

Questions, comments, and concerns

Ty has had the following questions over the past few days....

"Mom, how do you REALLY make babies?" I guess he hasn't been satisfied with my glossing over the subject the past few times he has brought it up.

(partially in tears) "Why can't we have another baby in our family? Can I help you and dad get a baby?" This was as a follow up to the previous question.

"How does a fish live under the water all the time and not have to come up?"

"How does a cow make milk from just eating hay?"

"What is fat? What does it do to our blood?"

"Mom, here are your choices. You can either let me watch a movie or play a game on your phone. What do you choose?"

"What does it mean to zorse around?" To which I answered that I have no idea...but I then explained that I usually say "horsing around". He still thinks that is a weird phrase. It kind of is.

Yesterday, Scott walked into the family room and turned on the light. Ty followed him back into the bedroom and said "Dad, you broke something of mine." After further questioning about what Scott had broken Ty finally said "You turned on the light...and it broke my spookiness."

Yesterday we decided to go to the park and the boys rode their bikes. We passed a man who looked a little bit homeless...he had the torn clothes, dirt all over, unshaven, etc. He even had on a big hat and it was pretty ragged as well. He smiled at Cam as he passed and Cam stopped and got off his bike and ran over to him and said "Hey, are you a scarecrow?" I didn't know how to explain my child and the man just laughed and kept walking. Cam came running to me and said "Mom!! Look, a scarecrow!!!"

A few other happenings...on Monday, Ty and Cam were playing "bad guys and good guys" and Ty ran right into the mirrored sliding closet door. It immediately cracked in that spider web way all the way up the mirror. Luckily, Ty go further back before all the pieces started falling. We have told the boys so many times that they may not run into that mirror because it could break. So as soon as it did, Ty was crying and apologizing and sat down right by the wall before I even had time to process what had happened.

Later that night, for a valentines date, Scott and I went to Costco with the kids. So romantic.
In the line to check out, a little girl from the line next to us wandered over and the boys both waved him. Then, without warning, Cam walked right up and wrapped his arm around her and gave her a big hug. People around smiled. Then Cam pulled back and kissed her right on the lips. People around gasped and said "Aaaahhh". The mother of the little girl was still on her cell phone and just kind of smiled and pulled the daughter away. Costco really is romantic.

Beach

Yes, you read that right. We went to the beach on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous and the kids even braved the water (just up to their knees). We spent most of the morning just hanging around, cleaning, fixing random things. Then after naps, Scott just said "Everyone put your shoes on! We are going to Santa Cruz!" We quickly packed some snacks and popped in the car. We made it to the beach just in time to see the most beautiful sunset and still feel the warm sand on our feet. Seriously...it was heaven! Here are some pics...


Cam running in the waves. The water was freezing..but they didn't seem to mind. You can see Ty WAY out there too. They both ended up getting their pants all went and it made for a sad walk back to the car.


Pretty background! And such a handsome boy!


Oh us.


Family pic


The brothers...Cam is getting pretty tall. Ty keeps reminding him that he is still older though.


Love this picture. Especially because they boys aren't looking. Doesn't it always seem to happen this way...

I also had to include fun family memories like these ones...




Of course, they had to take their shirts off when fighting. Ty said it is because he looks stronger that way. Cam did it because Ty did it. Oh my...thinking about the future makes me need some strong medication :)