SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!

Our typical Sunday often includes a bike ride up Mount Rose for Brian while I try to wrangle the boys into the tub and get everyone ready for church. This Sunday we decided to bypass the visit to church mainly because we are all just now feeling back to normal after a week of cold/allergy symptoms and have no desire to go through that all again. The parishioners at St. Patrick's (http://tahoeepiscopal.org/) are a very loving group and they flock to our kids during the greeting portion of the service. I can't say that this is how we all picked up the cold bug but it's certainly a possibility. Needless to say, we chose an alternate community activity for this Sunday...The Washoe County Sheriff's picnic and Lifesaver's Appreciation Day at the Village Green.

Several agencies were present to help the community understand the role they play in everyday emergencies and disaster preparedness. There were fire trucks, rescue boats, all terrain vehicles, bomb squad units, K-9 units, the fire department training tower, SWAT vehicles and gear, and HELICOPTERS!!!!! There was also a barbecue for everyone and a bouncy house for the kids in the Aspen Grove picnic area.

Ben had a great time climbing into and on lots of the vehicles and bouncing in the bouncy house. But above all he loved the helicopters. He politely asked the pilot of the medical emergency helicopter if he could sit inside and was thrilled with the positive response. Sam chose to nap for much of the excitement.

Following our barbecue lunch, Brian and Ben watched a demonstration with one of the K-9 units with a Sheriff's dog taking down a "perpetrator." They used a percussion grenade to signal the dog as they might in a real situation. Following that the bomb squad detonated a couple of things with a huge crowd looking on. We watched alongside Santa Claus, a local in Incline, fellow parishioner at St. Pat's, children's advocate, and Presidential write-in candidate (http://www.santaslink.net/). He also chose to miss the church service to be at the picnic (his reason was much more commendable as he was there as part of Incline's Community response team for disasters).

More Feats of Engineering

It seems like just the past few days that Ben and Sam have been playing together without getting into as many scuffles. Except for the occasional tower getting knocked down prematurely, we're all good.

It all adds up

Yesterday Ben and I accompanied Sam to his 9 month check-up at the pediatrician's office. Sam's latest stats are as follows:

Weight: 18 lbs. 6 oz. (he's the 25th percentile of the national average for babies his age)

Length: 27 1/8 inches (also 25th percentile)

Head circumference: 46 cm (70th percentile!)

The pediatrician said that he's not surprised about any of these stats as both Brian and I are shorties (not his exact words) and intelligent people (his words exactly!). He also said that Sam is ahead of lots of babies his age with his vocalization and his motor skills. He actually pushed the Radio Flyer wagon across the living room a few days ago! Super baby!

Bubbles!!! Blocks!!!

One of the boys' favorite past times this summer has been bubble blowing. Brian can keep them amused forever while I just end up feeling light-headed. Give me blocks to build towers any day.

BBQ with the Neighbors

We've lived here for a while now and see our neighbors regularly but seldom exchange more than a few words (other than Sylviane and I who are fellow book clubbers). Therefore, Brian took matters into his own hands and rallied the residents of our building for a barbecue offering up burgers and chicken. I set out to make burger patties for the group along with a broccoli salad and marinated chicken breasts. And I worried the entire time whether there would be enough food. I quickly realized that the two packages of ground beef I picked up at the market were more than adequate as eighteen burgers soon piled up in one of my largest pans and eight chicken breasts filled another. I am truly my mother's daughter when it comes to cooking for a crowd.....if anyone goes hungry it's their own fault. Unfortunately, only three out of the twelve units, including us, were able to attend. Let's just say that I have several packages of uncooked burgers in my freezer for future use.

But, on the bright side of things, the neighbors who did attend (Travis and Sylviane & Steve and Jackie) were great company and we all had fun. And, yes, they all brought a side dish or dessert so we definitely weren't going to starve.

Ben especially had fun playing with Jackie riding his tricycle.

Introducing....

After another playdate with Sam's playgroup we have decided on a name.....Lake Tahoe Little Twigs.
There were several options that reflected our area and the fact that our babies are simply adorable but it was tough to find just the right name. The biggest thing we had to keep in mind is that this is the name that will follow our little ones until they begin kindergarten. One of my friends with an older son in Ben's playgroup and a younger son in Sam's said if it were named after her kid the group would be "Big Head Cody and the Monsters." Hilarious. I said they could save that one for high school when they start up a garage band.
I suggested the name Little Twigs as it seemed appropriate that our kiddos are the smallest branches on their family trees and live here where big trees are abundant. Ben gave me the idea as he sat in the tub one evening with a toy watering can pouring water over his belly. He said, "I am watering me so I can grow up to be a big tree." Thanks, big brother!
It also helps that a friend of one of the moms in our group has a baby care line called Little Twig whose motto is "Nurturing Families Organically." The products are a big hit with the moms who have tried them too. Check them out at www.littletwig.com

Music Appreciation

Ben has always been all about music which thrills us, especially considering that he could be all about TV. A couple of weekends ago I had Sam with me putting laundry away while Brian and Ben were hanging out. Did I mention that the amount of laundry a family produces grows exponentially with each child? Anyway, Brian and Ben were in the den with the stereo on listening to Jethro Tull, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and others. Apparently they were trying to find songs/artists that have very clear instrumental parts so Ben could hear the flutes or the drums. You get the picture. The thing that set this listening session apart from all others to date was that they were both lying on their backs on the floor, just listening. Ben was smiling and Brian was singing along. It was a truly perfect father/son moment. Brian then said it reminded him of college...huh? While in his frat house at Stanford it seems that there were a group of guys who would hang out in one room occupied by Mike Funk, a true music lover with a huge sound system to boot. They would just chill with the music. This came to be known as "Music Appreciation."

Ben loves listening to music with Daddy but would rather just play along very loudly with Mommy....I guess I don't have the depth of music knowledge that he needs. He sets up his own drum set using a variety of instruments and goes to town. He even puts out a music book from a kids' music class we took months ago. His favorite artists/songs lately are The BoDeans/Good Things (known to Ben as the drumming song because it's a live version that wrapped up a show), and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers/Free Falling (first heard by Ben during the Super Bowl halftime show this year and a favorite ever since).

Sam on the other hand is mostly about standing up these days, using anything he can as a platform.....like the box for the music stuff.

I'll do it by myself!

Ben is becoming more and more independent each day. He used to always want assistance with things but now it's all about him taking care of himself. Does this take some work off the shoulders of Mommy and Daddy? Not so much.

For example, "My underwear are dry! I need to use the potty by myself." Fast forward two minutes....."Mommy, there's pee all over!"

And, "I want to put my socks on." For any of you not familiar with two year-olds and socks, this can be pretty humorous but often leads to major frustration. And it doesn't help that we haven't been wearing socks for about three months now since the weather dictates sandals or barefeet.

But, when it comes to helping with Sam's bottle, that's a different story. They both get a kick out of it.

While the cat's away

Sam takes every opportunity he can to play with Ben's toys. So, when Sam wakes from nap time earlier than Ben where does he go? Straight to Ben's hideout, of course! Sam is also the kid who laughs hysterically when I tell him "no" or "stop," especially when he pulls on the shades. Though he is a great little helper with the laundry :)

Casual Friday

Sam wore his Hawaiian shirt for his first playgroup at the park. You can see that he resembles me quite a bit.

Playgroups

One of the things I really love about living in Incline is the amazing support network for moms. Shortly after having Ben I joined a MOMS (Mothers Offering Mothers Support) group which puts together moms with little ones the same age, specifically little ones born between October 1st of one year and September 30th for the next year so the little ones will be with their future schoolmates. Ben's playgroup is quite large with about 20-25 kids. They are known as the Tahoe Tykes.

Just this last month the group including Sam was formed and we joined them for our first time this week at a local park for a get-together. This playgroup is very different from Ben's mainly because Sam's buddies are mostly second or third babies. As my sister, Beth, would put it they are the forgotten children since everything usually revolves around the activities of the older siblings. Honestly, we probably wouldn't have been able to attend Sam's playgroup if it had been held anywhere other than a park since it's not easy to find someone to take a rascally two year-old for an hour or two. Luckily, a couple of the moms from my original group were there with their two year-olds too so Ben had sidekicks for his time at the park.

Sam is one of the older babies in his group and got a kick out of climbing around through the woodchips and sharing his bunny crackers with his buddy, Michael (born 10 days after Sam). Soon the mommies will decide on a name for the group and keep getting together to watch the babies grow, commiserate on the lack of sleep we're all getting, and rejoice at every little accomplishment.

Tahoe babies

We've spent lots of time this summer at the pool but not all that much time at the beach. I guess this is probably because it's an awful lot of work for me to lug the kids and all their gear down to the lake's edge and deal with the sun, the gravely sand, and the fact that Sam wants to put everything in his mouth. And when Brian is available to go on the weekends we really don't want to deal with the extra people who come to vacation, thus making the beaches too crowded to really enjoy.

Thank goodness for Nan (Brian's mom)! This morning we loaded up the kids and all their gear and managed to enjoy the beach for a solid hour! It was awesome playing and splashing in the chilly waters, throwing rocks, and trying to catch the dozens of tiny trout around our toes with a sand bucket and toy watering can (with no luck). Lots of my friends refer to their kids as Tahoe babies as they are unaffected by the cold temperatures of the lake water. We can now count Ben and Sam in with them. The boys had so much fun and it was nice for me to enjoy myself without worrying so much. And when we were tired of the beach off to the pool we went where Ben showed off his swim skills while Sam napped in the stroller.

What a great morning!

Sam I am

We are quickly learning that Sam works on his own terms. Mommy thinks it's time to eat...Sam clamps his mouth shut. Mommy thinks it's time for a nap...Sam just keeps on playing. Mommy tries to get Sam to play in the little pool at Great Grammy and Grandpa's...Sam screams. But then...Sam eats, Sam rests, Sam plays!!!!! All on his own terms.

Ben's Top 10

The top 10 reasons it's great to be a kid at Great Grammy and Grandpa's house...

10. Riding on the big lawn mower with Grandpa

9. Digging dirt and picking "vegebals" in the garden

8. A big lawn for running and playing

7. Playing tee ball

6. Taking walks to the playground in the big wagon.

5. Playing in the little pool

4. Playing with the hose

3. Eating snacks outside

2. Doing it all naked

1. Being absolutely worn out at the end of the day

Over the river and through the woods

Last Tuesday evening we welcomed Brian's parents after a long day traveling from Virginia. They arrived safely and on time and were immediately showered with hugs, kisses and requests to play from the boys. So much for relaxing before bed and the long drive to Modesto on Wednesday morning. The plan was for the kids and I to travel down with Dave and Sarah (known to the grandkids as Teddy and Nan) to Modesto while Brian stayed here to work and catch up on rest (easier said than done).
We were able to get on the road right around 10:00 in the morning with Nan, Sam and I in our car and Ben and Teddy in the rental (that's the problem with two kids so close in age...two carseats and no room between them in the back seat). But taking two cars had it's advantages as well. Our car was filled with the usual kid gear but with suitcases spread between two cars there was actually room for our double stroller!!!! No sore back from the Baby Bjorn or the Kelty back pack on this trip!
Ben apparently stayed awake the entire way down the mountain and talked Teddy's ear off while Sam slept until we stopped for a not-so-quick lunch at our favorite fruit stand/grocery store/burger joint called Ikedas in Auburn. And after another couple of hours in the car we arrived at Great Grammy and Grandpa's only to find that Grandpa was out running errands. Ben stood on the outside step on the patio insisting that he was going to wait for Grandpa so he could go out in the garden. Did I mention that Ben didn't sleep at all the second part of the drive either and that Sam screamed for the last 45 minutes?
After a short wait for Grandpa the fun began....

The Snake Charmer

Ben is all about music and recently got two new whistles....Elton John, eat your heart out. Sam is happy with the serenade.

Spanglish

Now that swim lessons are finished for the summer we are looking forward to attending the Tahoe Children's Foundation (TCF) a few days a week again. Many of you have heard me talk about TCF before but for those who are not familiar with it here it goes...TCF is a local non-profit agency in Incline Village that focuses on education for parents of infants and toddlers and is also a developmental play center for infants and toddlers. I have been a board member for almost three years now. TCF has been invaluable to our family and many others here in Tahoe. This is where I've met some of my closest friends in the area and where Ben has played with his future schoolmates since infancy. In fact, there was a group of moms including myself who were all pregnant with our second babies at the same time and have been followed by the local newspaper during and after our pregnancies. http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20070921/NEWS01/109210051&parentprofile=search http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20080511/NEWS/280292565&parentprofile=search
I guess you could say that Sam has known his buddies since his days in utero. But, I digress...
One big thing that TCF has begun lately is a bilingual program. Every Monday and Wednesday the program is run in English and Spanish. This means songs and games are translated into both languages and parents and teachers use Spanish as much as possible during other play times. Many visitors to Incline aren't really aware of the large Latino population here. TCF has really wanted to reach across the socio-economic and cultural lines and help all the children in the community learn with and from each other before they reach kindergarten.
We began attending the bilingual days from the start and I was amazed at how quickly Ben began picking up on the Spanish words and phrases. He consisitently calls milk "leche", water "agua", and cheese "queso" and many more. He knows the phrases "thank you" -gracias and the all important "I'm handsome"- soy guapo (I didn't teach him this, I swear. It was the teacher of the Monday program who loves Ben and Sam so much). It seems that every time we attend Ben leaves singing a new song in Spanish or spouting out new words.
I often find myself saying, "Ben, what's ______ in Spanish?" One morning he suprised me when I asked him what he wanted for breakfast. A bagel? cereal? toast? His reply, "I want a panish muffin." What? A Spanish muffin? It took me a minute to get it...he wanted an English muffin.

Sam at 8 months

Sam was officially eight months old on August 8th. The day he was born he was given an official NFL football from his Uncle Pete since he was born during football season (Ben got a baseball glove and ball when he was born since it was baseball season). The football has become the object we use each month for a photo to show his growth. I know his eight month photo was taken over a week late but it's still pretty cute. You can see how much he's changed since receiving the football on December 8th.

I think we'll soon have our hands really full as Sam is getting closer and closer to standing unassisted each day and will walk soon after that. As for now, he's pretty fast crawling and can pull himself up to standing all over the house. Let's just say that nothing is out of reach these days.

It's all fun and games until....

This summer we have been taking advantage of the cool evenings to go outside as a family and run off just a little more energy before bedtime. This usually means Sam in a stroller or hiking backpack while Ben either rides his tricycle or walks. Sometimes both boys cruise in the double stroller. We walk, we ride, we climb rocks, we play Ben's version of golf/hockey, or we play frisbee. We always have a good time and the boys are always a little more ready for bed.

Last night I took the boys outside on my own as Brian had the chance to catch up with Marisa, a good friend from college, on the phone. Sam rode in the backpack as Ben rode his tricycle not once, but twice around the building. I know I was worn out at this point but Ben was ready for more. He decided frisbee was the game. He is still working on his throwing technique but can actually get the frisbee to me as long as I am not too far away. It is a little frightening when he runs full speed ahead ready to launch. After two tosses to Ben that he almost caught we were both feeling pretty confident...a little too confident. I tossed the frisbee right to his arms, it rose just a little and bonked him straight across the bridge of his nose. Poor peanut, he didn't know how to respond initially. His eyes widened, a giggle erupted, and then full blown tears and wails. What an awful mom! I scooped him up and carried him upstairs with Sam still chillin' in the backpack. Brian heard us coming before the door had even opened and quickly said goodbye to Marisa. Once I set Ben down and got Sam in the backpack off there was blood coming from Ben's right nostril. We wiped away the blood, sweat, and tears and convinced Ben that he did not need the Scooby Doo band-aids for a bloody nose. We have always told Ben when he gets bruises and scratches on his arms and legs that it means he plays hard. We will now add blood to the list.

Amazing Similarities

We've had a photo of Ben at 8 months framed in our living room since he learned to sit on his own. We couldn't help but notice the similarities between Sam at 6 months once he started sitting unassisited. It seems like Sam is about two months ahead on gross motor skills from where Ben was. We've been told this is common with second children especially since they have a bigger sibling to keep up with. Sam has been quick to learn crawling and pulling himself to standing. And Ben has been quick to learn to keep his most prized things up off the floor and away from the edges of the coffee tables.

Good reads

Almost three years ago a couple of girlfriends and I started a bookclub. Over the years we've read everything from mainstream fiction to obscure self-published novels. Our most current pick is a historical fiction novel by author Lisa See called "Snowflower and the Secret Fan." The novel takes place in 19th century China and follows two young girls from different villages who are thrust into each other's lives as "old sames". Though it seems their families are vastly different they experience similar events throughout their lives including footbinding, betrothals, weddings, and childbirth. And through it all they become friends. The story was engrossing from the start and actually led me to another book also by Lisa See called "Peony in Love." Also set in China but during the 17th century, this story delves into the lives of women in the inner chambers and the afterlife. Also a good read but not quite on par with Snowflower.

Swim Pics

This week is the end of the summer swim lessons at the outdoor pool. Ben has really improved on his kicks and floats. Next year we'll move up to Level 1 where the real magic begins.

What a fun experience with great friends and instructors!

Taking a Ride

About two and a half weeks ago we left the kids with my parents for a day. Upon our return Ben informed us that he was wearing "underwears." Thus the start of potty training. At 27 months old I knew he was old enough and most likely ready as well. Perhaps I was the reluctant learner? I guess the thought of dealing with a toddler in big boy pants was a little too much for me to wrap my head around while also trying to keep up with a very curious crawling infant. But now that it's started....yippee! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!
As the second full day in underwear began Ben informed me that he was going on a ride. Unsure of what I had promised the evening before while dealing with the usual bedtime chaos I asked him where. His reply, "I'm gonna go on a potty train." Too cute. What he doesn't realize is that it truly is a "ride."
As can be expected there are a few accidents each day but we're making progress. But of course our kid can't be like all the other little kids we know who gladly put their little hands up for an M&M upon completion of the pee, undies up, wash hands routine. Our kid likes cold hard cash. At least as far as he knows pennies and pickles (nickels) are the stuff. Maybe he knows if M&M's were the reward he'd never get any because his chocoholic mom would eat them all and leave him with nothing but clean hands.
So, for now we keep the coins ready and are thrilled every time we hear, "I made pee in the potty!"

The kids

Swim lessons

We spent this last week at the toddler pool at Burnt Cedar beach for Ben's last session of swim lessons. We took "Mommy and me" lessons last summer and figured this year would be the same. After two weeks of that it was clear that Ben was ready to move onward and upward to "Tiny Tunas". We are now in our second session of Tunas where Ben is learning independence in the water with an instructor and about 4 other kids. Apparently the class is designed for 3 year-olds but luckily they let Ben enter even though he's months away from his third birthday. He loves blowing bubbles and kicking his feet like mad. Several times Sam and I have been in the splash zone but luckily Sam doesn't seem to mind. On the few occasions I've taken Sam in the little pool for open swim he has loved it! I guess we have two water babies.

Hiking

Now that Ben is able to wander longer distances without having one of us carry him we have introduced him to hiking. Our first outing was to the meadows along the Mount Rose highway a couple of weeks ago. He loved wandering along the seasonal creek looking for little fish and finding big rocks to climb and jump from. And the entire time he had to have a stick in his hands for banging on stumps and the like.

Just this last weekend we took another outing to the gondola at the Northstar ski resort near Truckee. In the summer they run the gondola and chair lifts for serious mountain bikers (not us) and for hikers (definitely more our speed). It's free to hikers and a fun way to spend a few hours. Unfortunately, the visibility was pretty poor with forest fires burning in California but we enjoyed the time with my parents anyway. We plan on going again since they run through the month of October for bikers/hikers. Brian gave Ben his very own hiking pole for this hike.