TheThiers

Ok, this blog is really more about the pictures. Chuck’s work laptop has Photobooth, and we’ve been having way too much fun with it. It’s nice to get a break from the normal camera and just play around. Whoever thought of Photobooth was a genius! Anyhow, I’m gonna stop talking and show you what I mean…

[The one pic I managed to get Chance to sit still for...]

And the crowning achievement, made by Chuck:

Well, it’s finally here. The moment Chuck has looked forward to since the day we were married (and probably before)~ he has a son with which to play legos! Of course, there was a funny story there, which I’m sure he’ll mind that I share. A few months after we were married, Chuck asked if he could buy some legos. He already had a great collection, but I was not aware of how much these little plastic toys cost, so I said, “Sure, knock yourself out.” The next night I asked him, “Did you get your legos today?” He said he did. So I asked how much he spent…and he said “50 dollars.” “FIFTY DOLLARS?!?!?!” was my usual soft spoken reply (haha). Then the clincher… “Each.” He had bought two packages of these little toys that should be made of gold, or at least silver, in my opinion! Ahh, so his love affair with legos goes way back, as you can imagine. So I told him he’d have to wait until he had a son who wanted to play with them before he could buy more. Well, maybe I didn’t say that, but it seems that we somehow arrived at that agreement. Anyways…

Here we are, 7 years later, and the time has come. This tightwad will have to learn to embrace the lego culture. Charlie LOVES legos. He’s been playing with the megablocks since he was a year old, but now, it’s finally happened. He’s graduated to the little ones. The little expensive ones. And the fact that this is something he and Chuck totally bond doing, means it’s really time for me to accept that legos will be a part of our life…and budget.

And I don’t know if this is related to the lego bonding that’s been taking place, but Charlie has recently decided Daddy is way cooler than Mommy. Just a minute ago, as we asked him who he wanted to put him to bed, he said “Daddy is my first (choice).” There you have it. While Daddy has always been more fun, Charlie still always wanted Mommy’s attention…and Mommy to put him to bed. Chuck would always gloat because he’d get to relax while I had to put Charlie to bed night after night. So the tables have turned, maybe I should enjoy it. I knew it would happen, and I’m happy it has. But I do feel a bit dethroned. I guess it’s just the next little step in letting go…

Charlie missing Daddy while he’s at work.

Oh, and if you happen to be buying Charlie a birthday gift soon (he’ll be three next week), you know what could help out our budget.

In other news, since my last blog, we realized that Chance was sleeping a lot because he was sick. He ran a fever for two and a half days. At one point I took his temperature between ibuprofen doses and it was 104.5! (I got a different thermometer, so that’s in Fahrenheit. I still can’t fix my fancy one…) I called the dr, they said if he had no other symptoms, then don’t worry. Easy for them to say. Anyhow, his fever finally broke Sunday, and he seemed to be over it. The Sunday (last) night, he hardly slept, and kept waking up with a piercing, “I’m in pain,” cry. I nearly took him to the doctor, but as soon as I allowed him to stay awake, he was no longer fussy. No fever, no other symptoms, no idea why the crying. I would think ear infection, but he has tubes now, and he has no fever. Teething? He’s not fussy during the day…. I’m at a loss. So he was happy all day, but here we are again, and he’s already waking up, 3 hours into his night.

So, today, running on 4 hours of sleep, I backed the minivan out of our driveway on way to the grocery store, plumb over our rock wall enclosing our flower beds. So I messed up the body under the sliding door on one side. At least I got to get out some aggression hammering on the base of it, trying to get it to work again. Nearly every accident I’ve caused has been in reverse. I guess that should tell me something…

We were blessed with a beautiful day today, and went adventuring outside. Chance found an airplane in the sky (and was a little scared of it).

Charlie found a worm, much to his delight.

I realized today how strikingly like me Charlie really is. First, I pulled out some Chex Mix to snack on, and Charlie wanted to sample. He soon decided he only liked the chex, which were my favorite too. Finally I conceded the bag over to him, knowing I wouldn’t win this battle.

Later, as I was loading the dishwasher, Charlie told me he wanted to help. So I handed him some dirty silverware and showed him where to put them. He quickly decided he didn’t want to help, because “that get my hands dirty.” I had to laugh, because that’s why I’ve always hated doing dishes…and cooking!

Chance has been quite the sleeper lately. Remember how I said I can’t seem to get their schedules together? Well, now they both go to bed around 9:30 or 10, and wake up about 8:30. Except today, Chance slept from 9:30-10:45! So I let him skip his morning nap, and he took a 4 hour afternoon nap! Sheesh! I hope it’s just growing, not sickness…Either way, I’m gonna let the boy get all the sleep he needs!

I thought of a few more stories to record:

1. This morning Charlie told me, for no apparent reason, “You just a girl, Mommy.” Hmmm…

2. This morning as I put clothes in the dryer, usually Charlie notices and comes to help. I don’t know if it’s because of that or what, but this morning Chance came over and started putting them in the dryer with me. No instruction necessary, no helping on my part, he just knew what to do. He amazes me so much with how he picks up on things.

3. Yesterday, as soon as Charlie got in the car to come home (from Austin), as always he wanted to know when he could go to Alex and Zach’s house. Alex and Zach are brothers, who are his closest friends. In fact, he calls them, “Charlie’s dudes.” Anyhow, I told him that they might still be sick. He told me, “Yes (as opposed to “No”), they are all better now.” Then I tried to call and no one answered, so I told him they’re not home. “Yes, they home!” he replied. Later Charlie said, “Alex crying for me, Mommy.”

I thought that was funny, but then I called again, and Holly (Alex and Zach’s mom) told me Alex had just said “When we get home (from the store) Charlie will be waiting for me on our front porch.” Those boys are on the same wave length, I guess.

4. I told Charlie this morning that we’re going to Costco with Alex and Zach. He told me we couldn’t because Daddy is working there. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but Charlie thinks Daddy works at Costco because we meet Chuck there for lunch all the time.

I haven’t taken many pictures lately, so here’s one more from the ice storm.

Things have been great here, just nothing exciting enough to blog about. However, a few Charlie stories have been waiting in the wings. And Chance has learned a few more things…

~Charlie’s becoming more and more verbal. This makes me more and more afraid of what he’s going to say when we’re out in public… He recently spent a couple of days with Big Daddy and Nana (my dad and stepmom). They told me that he told Nana she needed to take her glasses off because it made her look like a grandma. Nana took that as looking “old,” and removed them immediately!

~Also while there, Charlie doesn’t get spoiled at all, really! So yesterday morning as he was lounging in their bed, watching his cartoons, and eating the breakfast Nana had cooked him (and brought him to eat in bed), my dad enters the room and turns on the light. Charlie got on to him, saying, “Big Daddy, you interrupt me!”

~Charlie’s latest clever scheme: As we’re eating lunch at a restaurant, of course he finds the gumball machines. I now know how people make money off those things…kids like Charlie beg the parents/grandparents. Anyways, as a reward for eating lunch he gets 2 quarters. So he gets gum and a ball. He then wants more…so he tells me, “I think Chance want a ball, Mommy.” Suddenly, Chance can communicate to Charlie in a way no one else can! He’s been using Chance as an excuse for a lot of things lately!

~Chance has picked up a few more new tricks. He points his pointer finger now, although not usually at anything. He truly understands waving, and just moves his fingers in the “gimme” gesture. He has learned how to get down from high places. He lays on his tummy and pushes himself backwards, although he usually aims the wrong way. It’s really fun to watch!

~This weekend Chance came into the room with a spoon in hand and yogurt all over himself. (He’s really wanting to master the spoon, although he’s a long ways off still). I tried to figure out how he got into the yogurt, then I realized, he’s just tall enough now, that if he stretches his little fingers on the counter tops, he can pull things down. The yogurt and spoon had been sitting out on the kitchen table. All that to say, my childproofing just went up a notch. He’s very curious and into everything!

~Today (also at the restaurant) Chance picked up a straw and tried to put it in my drink. I was impressed at how he understood to that. So I told him how I wished he knew how to drink through a straw so I could’ve shared my drink with him (I know, not sanitary…). Anyhow, I decided to let him give it a try, and whaddaya know?! The boy can drink through a straw now!

Both boys are at such a great stage right now. Charlie is less defiant, Chance is more independent. This is really getting fun! What a blessing they are to me!