Day 11: Slides and Rides

Ezra and Makai going down the slide at the local Arctic Circle play area. Makai was like, "My brother is holding me and I have nothing to hold on to? I'm doomed!" At least that's what I'd be thinking if I was a baby put in Ezra's lap going down a slide.

James took me and the boys to Fat Cats (our local family fun zone- they have an arcade, movies, bowling, mini golf, and a shooting area). We went bowling and then played in the arcade. Ezra had a blast.

Makai had a lot of fun too. He loooved this ride! It was so cute. I was so excited to see a seat with a buckle so he could ride with big brother! If not I surely would have forced him to sit on one while I walked in a circle holding him. Silly, I know. He's 6 months, like he cares, right? But oh he did! We spent most of our tokens on this ride. It is so much fun to watch my kids on slides and rides. I just love watching them being kids and having fun. I'd go nuts taking them to Disney World. I get goosebumps thinking of how excited and giddy Ezra would be at a place like that. If you can't be two any more, at least you can enjoy that youthful excitement through your children! I think it's even better that way.

Day 9: Growing up & Day 10: Monsters

So, I'm behind for the second time during the 30 Day Photo Challenge. This time I blame a broken computer monitor. Let's add that, a washing machine and a toilet to our great list of broken things. I had to dust off James' laptop in order to catch up.

Day 9: Growing Up

Since we haven't used his computer in over a year there were several pictures on here that had been forgotten about. They brought me to tears. They were all of our little Ez. I miss his littleness. I know he's still little, but to me he just looks so big. He's not my baby any more and it makes me sad. His baby fat is thinning and he's got a "grown-up" little boy look. Why can't we click on a picture and go back in time just for a day? I'd probably live in pictures, so I guess it's good that we can't.

James was laughing at me tearing up and ooing and ahhing over how squishy he used to be. Then he came and joined me for a trip down memory lane and said, "aww, I see what you mean!"

Seriously, I could eat him. Stop growing Tressler Boy!!  Please please please!

Day 10: Monsters

Ezra and I have found our new favorite craft to do together. Monster puppets! We got them in the arts and crafts section at Wal-Mart and I almost didn't buy them. I'm so glad I did. It's the perfect travel craft, quiet time craft, boy craft, etc. I love it maybe more than Ezra.

He's got a fascination with monsters and scary creatures and well, just about anything else associated with boys. I told him there were monsters in the bathtub drain that try to steal all his toys when the water drains and he thought that was cool. I also told him there were monsters that live above his bed and he tried talking to them. Weird.

Ezra was so proud of all the monsters he created.

Day 8: Aim

"My aim is to keep this bathroom clean. Your aim will help." (source unknown)

So, remember THIS post on my "Mommy Blog"?

Well, we're just having some potty training set backs.

Today Ezra made it to the bathroom and even onto the toilet, but his "pee-er" didn't quite make it inside the toilet. Then I let him run around without his pull-up on after his bath because he's been going in his pull-up so much lately that I thought it would help to take a step back. Oh silly me. He pooped on my carpet. Then when I put his pull-up on, he filled that too. Ugh. I'm feeling the pressure with potty training patience now. Diapers were so much easier.

(this counts as a photo, right?)

Day 7: Daddy's Day Off

James had the day off today. We LOVE daddy's days off. We went shopping, out to dinner and to a movie. We went to Narnia and there was one particularly scary scene with a big sea creature. James quickly covered Ezra's eyes and told him not to look, but what did Ezra do? He moved daddy's hands and started air fighting the sea creature. He also growled at it a couple of times. Where does he get his bravery? Definitely not from his mommy who still suffers from nightmares a couple times a week.

It was so fun to spend the whole day doing whatever we wanted to do and we were all together.

Daddy was trying on shoes and Ezra always has to do whatever daddy is doing.

Betcha can't guess where we went to dinner... Makai was having so much fun with this balloon. It was so adorable.

I think our "Day 7" adventures wore him out:

Is it just me or is the sight of kids falling asleep and/or sleeping the sweetest thing?

Day 5: Mom & Day 6: Dad

(I'm already falling behind on the 30 day photo challenge! How embarrassing!)

Day 5: Mom

This is my mom. She's my biggest fan. She thinks I'm funny and that makes me even funnier. If you see me with my mom, you'll see what a goof I really am. We used to stay up late watching Rescue 911 together. She'd twist my hair around my ears and let me bite her hand as hard as I could. (Why did I enjoy that? No idea.) We also had some good times when I'd get home from kindergarten. She'd make us some mac-n-cheese and we'd talk for a bit. She's a crafty lady. She can make the coolest gingerbread houses and homemade Easter baskets. She can do just about anything she sets out to do. One thing I know about my mom, and knew even during my trying teenage anti-parent years, is that my mom would do anything for me. I could ask her to stay up all night to help me with a project and she'd do it. There's nothing that brings her more joy than being a mother and I love that. Love you mom.

Day 6: Dad

 I'm a daddy's girl. There's nothing like snuggling up to a comfy, loving daddy and watching movies that I don't understand while he strokes my hair and instantly begins to snore. He was always a fun dad. He would come out and play all the time. He was ready and willing to take me to any daddy daughter event. I especially loved our daddy daughter dates. He's a hard worker. He's always got some kind of project going on. He's also very smart. He's a computer guy. He likes to build computers and just about anything else. If he ever comes to a problem, he works and works until he can get through it; he never gives up. He is so supportive of me and trusts my instincts. He's also a bit of a softy. All it took was, "look at how cute this shirt is daddy" and it was mine. I really didn't abuse this, I just appreciate it in retrospect. He also has a great laugh. His jokes are sometimes over my head and very corny, but I just have to wait for him to laugh and then I can't help but join in because it's so contagious. I love talking with him and learning from his life experiences. Love you dad!

Day 4: Sad and Tired

Here's how everyone in the Tressler home seems to be feeling today:

(Ezra said, "No more pictures please mommy" while I snapped this shot.)

It started out rough and has so far continued through the day. At least Ezra isn't screaming any more. Though there is a very whiny child running through my house who greatly resembles my toddler. We're all just a little tired. 

James and I are kind of in limbo right now. We're just trying to make some big decisions. It's a little (a lottle) stressful. I don't usually talk about money. I don't stress about it. I just pay the bills and forget about it. But lately it's on my mind and the lack of it is starting to take its' toll on my focus.

 I'm really learning the truth to the expression, "When it rains, it pours." I just wish I was learning a positive take to that quote. It seems like everything we own is breaking all at the same time. Our fridge, oven, car, itouch, crockpot, TV. I don't like the constant pressure of living.

 It's just one of those days and I'm ready for bed.

Day 3: Meet Norbert

Name: Norbert Nemo Tressler

Gender: Male

Age: unknown

He's a fish. A beta fish to be precise. Come this April Norbert will have been in our family for a year and I still haven't even mentioned him. He was a gift to dear little Ez from my mother. We went to run some errands and spontaneously got Ezra his first pet. When we asked him what he wanted to name him, he said the only thing that probably made sense to him as a name for a fish: Nemo.

James didn't like the name Nemo. James had just finished reading Harry Potter and Eragon, so the name was either going to be Saphira (or whatever the name of that dragon is) or Norbert (Hagrid's dragon). Since the fish is a boy, Norbert won. We didn't tell Ezra that daddy was overruling his name choice for the fish, so if you ask Ezra, the fish is still Nemo.

I like to look at fish, but I don't like to eat them or touch them or swim with them. I feed him, but even that grosses me out because the food stinks. I do sometimes have to change his water though because James is busy. Well, that has stopped. I refuse to change the fish's water ever again!

Why? I almost killed it the last time I did! See, James scoops him out with his hands and gently puts him in another bowl while we clean his. I, on the other hand, use a metal spoon to scoop him out because I refuse to touch him. Well, I almost squished him with the spoon and then the second he was on the spoon I tried to basically throw him into the clean bowl. He fell. Lifeless on my counter. I started to scream and jump while making disgusted noises. Thankfully James was there at the time to scoop him up and get him into water. The next three days his color basically faded to white and we were waiting for him to die.

(you can't really tell, but this is Norbert nearing death.)

Every time I'd come around the corner I'd walk extra slow preparing to see a dead floating fish. I kept telling James that I felt so badly that he was dying. He would ask why since he didn't think I liked him and I'd say, "Because I feel like I killed him." His response? "Well, you did. I can't argue there." Thanks James, I'm feeling much better. However, Norbert survived. He's a fighter. His color came back over night. And he lives on. And I no longer change his water.

(Clearly his water needs to be changed now, but I just can't do it.)

Day 2: Boys and Toys

Ezra had his friends Paden and Bracken over to play while James and some of his buddies played racquetball. The boys had lots of fun together. My house was literally covered with boys and toys. Mostly we played trains, but we also ate goldfish and yogurt, Bracken and I did silly jumping dances throughout the house, drove almost all of Ezra's cars throught the water, splashed water all over my bathroom, threw the balloon back and forth, played with the flashlight in the dark and watched American Idol.

They were too into the trains to look up for a pic, so this was the best I got.

Happy March 2nd Peeps!

Day 1: Hats

30 Day Photo Challenge

Goal:

At least one photo a day for the next 30 Days!

You should join us!

Makai and I would like to know... how many people actually make their children wear those matching hats?

 I got this cute outift from my friend Kassie and I totally love it. I just don't know about the matching hat. Though I think it is adorable how his ears stick out when he wears it, so maybe it's not so bad.

Ezra likes to dress himself. It takes a lot longer to get out the door because of this, but I am patient while he puts his pants on backwards or tries to put both legs through the same whole and I can't help but laugh when he gets stuck in shirt by putting his arm through the same whole as his head. This style, however, was a new look.

Meet Makai

Makai is our little chunky chunk. I can't stop squishing his roly poly thighs and kissing his fluffy, soft cheeks. James calls him Big Mak. He actually isn't very big. He's much chunkier than Ezra was, but he's still a little guy. He's in the 10th percentile for weight. I know he's short too, but I can't remember his percentile for height. He's got blond hair and blue eyes. I'd be surprised if we have any babies that don't. He's got a dimple in each cheek. His eyes have a sort of sparkle to them when he smiles at you. No teeth yet. I'm not expecting any for awhile if he's anything like Ezra was. He has a big red birth mark on the back of his head. He also has the biggest soft spot I have ever seen. The doctor's say it's normal, but it has caused concern for me while I watch it pulse with his heartbeat or even sink in real deep some days. I did research and said lots of prayers that his head wouldn't cave in. He's fine. I'm ridiculous.

He's rolling over. He has been for awhile, but it seems like it took him forever to make the final flop and once he did it one time he couldn't stop. He likes being on his belly, but he grunts a lot on his belly. He's sitting up now too. I'm still not confident enough to walk away from him sitting up, but he's getting better.

He eats everything, but then again, what baby doesn't? He's been saying "mama" since the beginning of January though I have yet to get him to say it for James, so he doesn't believe me. Okay, so it's just a sound at this point, but Ezra can say "Despicable" and have no idea what it means, so I'm counting "mama" as Makai's first word.

He likes to twist his ankles over and over and over again. He loves when I sing to him. He gets the biggest smile and just watches me. He's a talker. He's always squealing and squeaking to tell me stories. He's sort of a binky fan, but only when he's tired and if his nose isn't too stuffy to suck on it. He likes to be held. His new favorite thing is splashing in the water. He gets really hyper and won't stop kicking. Last night he was getting so hyper when I was giving Ezra a bath that I just had to hold him in the water so he could kick a little bit. He was very content afterwards.

He's such a happy baby. He doesn't cry very often. When he does he's easy to console. He loves watching Ezra. He is constantly smiling at him and reaching out for him. Though he does get scared easily. Ezra just has to laugh a little too loud and it sends Makai into a frightened scream. It's quite sad to watch actually. It makes me want to hold him and never let him out of my arms to a scary brother who can bring about such fear.

(It's string, not boogers or whatever else it might look like to you. I was working on a project, he was doing tummy time on our bare carpet with a snotty nose and this is what I discovered when I picked him up. Awesome. I know.)

How's he sleeping? Better. Thanks for all of your words of advice. I have been trying just about anything that I can and it's slowly working. He has always been good at falling asleep on his own, it's just the staying asleep that we have trouble with. Now he wakes up about 3-4 times instead of the minimum of 6 times from 10pm-8am. One night he only woke up twice! James kept commenting on how I must have had a great night sleep because I was obnoxiously happy that day.

He's got issues with his adenoids which is part of his sleeping problems. He has been stuffy almost every night since he was born. Seriously. It goes through the day too, but gets worse at night. He snores and can't breathe a lot. He has also had a chronic cough and constant snot since we brought him home. We finally brought him to see an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist who confirmed my assumption that his adenoids are enlarged. He didn't give any exciting solutions though: surgery, steroids or nothing. We decided on the nothing for now, but he has trouble sleeping and nursing because of it, so we might have to take action sometime in the near future.

He's eating real food. Well, real mushy food. Though he did manage a big bite out of brother's banana the other day. Ezra was upset that Makai slobbered on his banana, but Makai was quite happy to be given such an exciting new treat. He loves bananas now. He's getting better at containing his messes. He would somehow manage to get his food everywhere when we first started. His favorite is carrots. He goes nuts. We had our friends Thomas and Caley babysit a couple of weeks ago. I brought carrots for Makai. When we got back he was crying. She said she just couldn't get them in fast enough. He just gets so excited that it makes him really sad when you take the spoon away to get another bite.

He's our little ray of sunshine. He's always there smiling at us. He's very patient with me and loves watching us. He's got a special smile just for his daddy. I love watching those two play. I never thought it was possible to love another baby as much as I love Ezra, but I have discovered that it is indeed. I adore Mr. Mak.

Makai, our little heavenly reminder to smile.