2022 :: week 10

March 6

We were finally able to celebrate Miles Sunday evening. Memaw got him a cookie cake and we sang to him after dinner. Unlike last year, Miles loved the attention and when we sang the birthday song for him. Miles received a lot of great presents--a basketball hoop, boogie board, dinosaur cars, play doh, Darth Vader vest and mask, and stormtrooper action figure. Miles is a growing into a fun kid! He is resourceful and clever, with an impressive memory, fun sense of humor and very strong will. In his mind, his older siblings are absolutely his peers. He wants to be involved in everything anyone is the family is doing, and he is always the first to demand a "John Hug!" or "CAMEL-W" after we say our family prayers. (Sidenote: CAMEL-W is what we call family hugs, it was the best "word" we could come up with the letters of our first names.) Miles loves to go to the park and is great at climbing, though he rarely goes down slides. Miles' hero is Elliott and he wants to do everything Elliott does, though he will fight him for a seat in my lap. Miles likes to eat whatever is on someone else's plate, but frequently requests hot dogs with ketchup. If dinner isn't up to snuff he usually manages to scavenge something. Miles likes Star Wars and Pokemon and Elmo. He likes Miles has a fun personality and makes us laugh everyday (when he isn't making us want to pull our hair out!). 

 

March 7

Miles dragged various items from the house into the front room so he could dunk on his new basketball hoop from Memaw and Pepaw. When I said Miles was resourceful, this is what I was talking about. He was so pleased for me to see what he had come up with. 

March 8

Tuesday morning Miles had his three year well child check up. He clocked in at just shy of three feet (2' 11 5/8") and 30 pounds (29.4 pounds), which seems apropos for a three year old. This was his first well child check up where they took his blood pressure and he didn't have to strip down to his diaper. He's a big boy now, and this random milestone made me feel a little sad. Our family is growing up! After his appointment we stopped at IKEA to pick up a shelf and I found myself much more patient with Miles and his wanting to do everything by himself. I can feel his babyhood slipping through my fingers, and though I know it is time, it makes me a little nostalgic for my babies. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to glamorize babies, they are relentlessly exhausting. But babyhood only lasts for such a small slice of our existence, 

March 9

Wednesday morning Miles and I were able to head up to the OPC playground to witness the 6th grade hot air balloon launch. Will worked on his project with Knox and Peter. Their balloon suffered a rip during the launch from the strong winds, but it still took flight and traveled a short distance. Miles was upset I wouldn't let him join the kindergarteners playing on the playground (it was their recess), but Elliott came over and said hi and that eased his frustration. Lauren's class was outside too, and it was fun to see her and say hi!

March 10

Thursday the kids and Anthony had a snow day. The day started off cold, but the roads weren't bad, so I went to the gym and ran errands in the morning. Lauren spent most of the day with a friend and the boys spent a lot of time playing video games and playing on Miles' new hoop. Anthony had to go up to the church and he took the boys with him so they could play basketball. Miles had fun trying out his new birthday presents this week. He liked to "scare" people with his new Darth Vader mask and vest. Initially I thought it was stupid they cancelled school, but when I went to pick Lauren up from her friend's house I slid three times in my less than a mile drive.

March 11

Friday was the first official day of Spring Break. Lauren went to another friend's house to build with Harry Potter Legos and play Harry Potter Clue--they have bonded over their mutual love of Harry Potter. That evening my parents watched the local grandkids (thank you!) and Jill & Jake and Emily & Matt came to our house and we solved a Cold Case mystery. It was a lot of fun and I'm already looking forward to doing it again. 

March 12

Lauren's girl scout troop walked in the Overland Park St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday. I was hoping to go, but woke up with a bad headache and decided standing outside in 20 degree weather wasn't in the cards for me. I stayed home with Miles while Anthony took Will and Elliott the the parade. They got gobs of candy and St. Patrick's beads. Anthony treated the kids to Buffalo State pizza in downtown OP. In the afternoon Stevie came over and helped us hang up shelves and blinds. It was a fun Saturday.