Birthday Week

Last week was my birthday week. We had unseasonably nice weather on Tuesday and Wednesday so I quickly planned some fun outings with the kids. 

Tuesday after picking the kids up from PDO, we headed up to a farm outside St. Joseph to pick blackberries. The kids were really excited to see such big berries all over the bushes. 

It really is the perfect venue to let little kids pick, since they can get the berries down low. The farm puts weed mats down which make it so easy to walk between the rows. In about an hour we picked 5 pounds of berries. 

Not including the ones we ate while picking, of course!

The next morning we headed to the zoo. Auntie T came with us, and we met the Colsons there too. 

We will be sad when Nikita the polar bear leaves for another zoo later this year. He is so fun to watch!

At least, the big kids think so. Jack has a rough night and slept through most of his first trip to the zoo. 

We hung around the main part of the zoo, checking out the sea lions, monkeys, goats, frogs, meerkats and penguins before taking a spin on the carousel. 

Maddie was in a really great mood so we stayed much longer than I had anticipated. But we had to take a trip on the zoo train, so we snuck that in before heading home. 

Thursday the kids went to PDO and Jack hung out at home with me. I pulled out the bumbo seat and let him try it out. Although he can't hold himself upright very well, he enjoyed it!

Saturday morning was the Win for KC women's triathlon. I had signed up back in February and used it as a means to start training again. I hasn't anticipated just how difficult training, traveling, having an infant and going back to work would be, so I just kept telling myself that I was just in it to finish. 

Brandy signed up too and did an awesome job at the race! My time was about 4 minutes slower this year than last, but I still placed well so I was happy. 

Ashley was in town so she came out to cheer me on and help Joe with the kids. they ended up setting up an informal high five station along the run course. 

So happy about this finish line picture someone snapped of me at the race! 

After race photo with all of my kiddos! So glad they were there to support me and to be able to set an example for them. 

While we were waiting for the transition area to open, we caught Joseph and Maddie hiding out under the stroller, eating my birthday donuts. Their expressions were too funny when they were caught!

I spent the rest of the day relaxing at home and even snuck in a nap while Joe took the big kids to one of Maddie's friends' birthday party. Ashley watched the kids so we could go out to dinner, but we didn't stay out too late. It's hard work turning 29 again! It was a great birthday and I was so glad to spend it with family and good friends. :)

Fourth of July fun

This year was out first in a while that we didn't celebrate The Fourth of July doing Olde Glory Days with Family. Luckily for our kids, Parkville had a very similar celebration, so we decided to make it a fun weekend and pretend like we were having fun in Clinton. 

Joseph was excited to see many of the same rides as he is used to, although the placement of them confused him. I think he thought we were in Clinton, even though we were missing Nana and Papa, cousins and the Clinton square! 

We opted to get the kids the unlimited ride wristbands, thinking we would stay for a while. It was a gorgeous night, so apparently everyone else in Parkville had the same plans. It got crowded very quickly, and became apparent we weren't going to be staying too long. 

Maddie and I went to do rides she wanted to do, while Joe took Joseph on "big kid" rides. 

We met back up at these spiny cars, then grabbed some cotton candy and headed home. 

Joseph realized this year how much fun the crazy rides can be-the Tilt a Whirl was definitely a favorite!

The next morning we headed out to the neighborhood entrance and watched the parade with lots of friends. And got candy. Lots of candy!

Joe and I had bought some carnival tickets thinking we would need them to go on the rides with the kids. Luckily, (or not) they didn't take any the night before. So when Maddie went down for her nap, I took Joseph back down to the Carnival to use up our tickets. 

He decided to mainly go on the adult rides again, and I was amazed at how brave he was! 

He got a little too over confident, though, when he decided he was old enough to tackle the rockets that swing back and forth, until they go upside down. He loved it while we were swinging forward, and them almost got sick when they switched and we were going around backward. Honestly, I didn't like it either. 

We got off and he immediately said he felt bad. Like this bad:

We only had one ticket left at that point, and he kept saying his tummy hurt. So we headed home, where he promptly threw up his lunch. Poor kid!

We discovered everyone else was resting up for that night's activities. 

But a few hours later we were back out with Tricia and Scott at a neighborhood block party. Maddie was freaked out by the fire crackers at first, but after raiding the food tables she calmed down and met a few new friends. We brought some leftover fireworks from last year, and Joe let Joseph help him shoot them off. 

Eventually Joseph got to do a few "himself" and had so much fun. Although we didn't know many people there, we had a great night and were pleasantly surprised at how long the kids lasted. It was well past bedtime when we headed home, watching fireworks being shot off all around. What a fun end to a long but great holiday!

The Daily Grind

It is so hard to get up in the morning when I can snuggle with this sweet boy!

But then I remember that he is usually all smiles as soon as he is awake, and that's fun too. 

Oh, and he is super talkative. I can't believe how many heart to heart conversations we have had over the past month ;)

Joseph and Maddie definitely love their brother. Joseph now realizes there is an unequal number of kids, and has started to ask when we will have another, or why he doesn't have two sisters. I think he would be happy if we had lots of kids!

More sweet sleeping baby. He now sleeps swaddled by himself in his crib, except last week when we were in St. Louis. He is so happy to have his hands free when I unswaddle him after nursing him, he frequently falls back asleep like this. 

On Sunday, Ashley's birthday, Jen took us to get our nails done. Since the timing didn't work out for Maddie to come with us before the wedding, we opted to let her come this time. 

She was so funny- she sat on my lap while I got a pedicure and asked pointed questions about what the technician was doing and why. When the massage chair started shaking both of us, she looked at me with a funny look, asking "mommy, is there another baby in your tummy?" I don't know if she would have been happy if the answer was yes or not. 

Eventually she decided that "she was ready" to have her nails painted. She changed her mind about initially picking purple and chose a hot pink. 

She was such an old pro! I was sitting in the chair in front of her, and kept giggling listening to her carrying on a conversation with her tech, as if she were 20 years old!

This week is giving me a glympse of what life may be like when school starts back up. Joseph has been going to VBS every morning, and since there isn't a PDO option for Maddie, she has been hanging out with Jack and me. 

Today we went to a playground like she wanted, although it didn't go as planned. We were the only ones there, and after a few minutes she decided she was done. I know she couldn't put her feelings into words, but she didn't know what to do without Joseph or any other kids. Later this afternoon, after we picked Joseph up, we went to another playground and she was much happier. 

Maddie has also been practicing being my best helper, including while shopping. She insisted on pushing the stroller, so I directed her to a little cart. She was so funny pushing it up and down the aisles like she owned the store!

And in an attempt to keep up with milestones, I've really made an emphasis on having jack do more tummy time. I realized he hardly ever does it, since he spends most of his day either asleep or in his car seat. Tonight, before his bath, we did some practice. 

I mean, he's only got one more month until we have to take his set of pictures on Jill's green blanket, just like Maddie and Joseph. So we've got some practicing to do!

In other news, Jack has definitely discovered his hands this week. He's been playing with them and chewing on them, when he can direct them into his mouth. And if a pacifier falls out and stays relatively close to his mouth, he can sometimes pop it back it. 

I hate how fast this summer is going. One month from now I will have a kindergartener!