Squeakers

Steve has been full o' the gas all night, so I said to Wm, "Daddy constantly has the squeakers." And Wm said, "that's a Daddy Fun Fact."

Evil Willie

Wm has been chugging along nicely.  He is liking second grade, has made a new "best friend" who he is raising hell with, and loves his teacher.  Steve and I went to Curriculum Night and were really impressed with her as well!

Wm has also found some new game on the iPad with which he has a love/hate relationship.  He loves to play, but freaks out when he loses.  Then he cries and/or pouts around.  So the last time he was having one of his fits over a loss, I couldn't resist taping him. You can't hear the soft snuffling and weeping going on behind the pillow very well, but, trust me...it's there.

My favorite part is when he still wants to be totally evil, but doesn't have the guts to ignore my counting.  I only get to 1 before he jumps into action.  We have never gotten to 3 - I have no idea what would happen if we did.  Luckily, Wm is scared enough of the implied consequence that the counting still works.  God help us when he realizes we have nothing.

Sunday

We woke up this morning and it was gorgeous out, so we decided to spend the morning at Scioto park. They have the largest free climbing wall in the country.  Wm decided to take advantage of the kid sized one!

Almost to the summit!

Success!

You can also climb to the top of a lookout that has a really nice view of the park and downtown (and Steve's butt).

There are all kinds of weird swampy areas that are filled with aquatic creatures.  We saw a zillion frogs, a bunch of turtles, some creepy looking fish, a heron, and other cool stuff like butterflies, dragon flies, and caterpillars.  Wm insisted I photograph one of the frogs.

After we ate lunch, the neighbors asked if Wm could go run through the sprinkler.  Of course, he had the time of his life!  

Boots

Wm's second day of school also went great!  He really likes his teacher!! The only problem is that his class is HUGE.  Like, "I thought this was against state law" huge.  So Wm says he never really gets to talk to his teacher much.  I am definitely going to ask about that at Curriculum Night next week!  Ohio just released school report cards and Wm's school did get an A!!  The middle school Wm would go to got an F.  So, we are either moving or Wm will be attending alternative or private school.  The STEM alternative school we would like him to go to also got an A.  So we'll see what happens when he's done with elementary school!

I found really cute little half boots that Wm can wear this winter when it snows so he won't have to lug extra shoes to change into with his snow boots.  He can just wear the little boots all day.  There was only one pair left in Wm's size so I got them now.  We had to try them on to be sure they fit and Wm looked hilarious in his summer gear with fuzzy winter boots.  He goes, "can I take them off - my feet are sweating!"

School boots!

Wm also allowed me to cut his hair before school started.  I always prefer his hair short - but he and Steve like it longer.  So it's a battle to get him into the barber chair.  Meanwhile, I like Steve's hair longer, but he likes it shorter, so he's always demanding hair cuts when I don't want to give them (I guess I am always demanding that Steve cuts my hair too and he HATES it - so we're even).

School hair cut!

2nd Grade!

Today was the first day of school!  Wm looked super cute (as usual).  But it was pretty anti-climactic.  Last year, he was kind of needy and didn't want us to go and gave lots of hugs.  This year, we were totally ignored as he chatted with his friends and then when we told him we were leaving, he was like, "BYE." He didn't even turn around to wave!  I guess he's growing up!!  The one silver lining: he did give me a good hug without me having to whine too much!

Working Stiff

School starts tomorrow (for Wm and for me!) but summer camp ended Friday.  So Wm went to work with Steve yesterday and had an AMAZING time.  Daddy's work has a giant warehouse filled with inflatables that Wm has the run of. Steve texted me these pictures.

No way to compete with this

So much fun to be had

Then today, Wm came with me to work.  Wm was not having nearly as much fun.  All I have to offer are pens, highlights, tape, and unlimited paper.

Just drawing

Wm soon became bored so we built a fort for him to watch a movie in next door in my waiting room.

Even that grew old, so he made a store and tried to sell my student assistant an iPhone 6 made out of paper for $1,000.  At lunch, we ran to Target and I purchased him a small 3-in-1 Lego set that can be made into 3 different things.  I thought that would keep him busy all afternoon! 

It's now 1PM and he is about 5 minutes away from completing the last thing.  Luckily, we are leaving at 2PM to go to Meet the Teacher!  Wm says Daddy's work is more fun.  Can't say I blame him. He DID say that I work harder than Daddy.  Steve wasn't as pleased with that!

School Daze

We FINALLY got to go down and look to see who Wm has for second grade - and who is in his class.  Wm is a little bit bummed because all his besties are in the other class.  And the teacher he knows, who is super nice, is not the one he got.  There is a brand new teacher and that's who Wm got.  So it's not like we know anything bad about her, but we just know nothing at all (and no "word on the street" from other parents either!) We have been trying to think of ways to make all this sound amazingly positive to Wm (how exciting to have the opportunity to make NEW friends and have a NEW teacher who is clearly going to be so awesome that they hired her above all the other hundreds of teachers who wanted the job!) But he has still been kind of mopey all weekend.  I'm sure after a couple days, and some new amigos, he will be A-OK.  But, right now, I feel bad for him!

School starts Wednesday, so he goes to work with Steve Monday and with me on Tuesday.  He's pretty excited about that!  Trying to get him as pumped as can be for school, Steve made him chocolate chip pancakes for his breakfasts this week and I made him stromboli (a big fav!) for his lunches. We broke out the new backpack and filled it with stuff.  And Mimi is taking Wm for his annual back-to-school clothes shopping spree today. So it's all seeming real now!

They had a PTA work day at the school yesterday where they ask the parents to come and help landscape, clean, decorate, and basically ready the school.  We've never gone before, but this year we saw that they put a request out for anyone that could paint a kickball course.  Since Steve is the Boss of the All Things Field-Related, he has the equipment and know-how.  Steve went ALL out and the principal was SUPER impressed!  Apparently no one else knew what they were doing, so if it wasn't for Steve...there would be no kickball. The only thing Wm seems to be excited about it going to school and playing kickball at recess and telling all his friends that he helped his dad paint the field! Yay Steve!

King of Field Sports!

Awesome Boys

Mostly this post is a big, fat thank you to the Best Boys in the World.  Since I had a horrible, horrible flare up of the trigeminal neuralgia, which started Thursday night, Steve and Wm have been amazing.  I was left pretty much unable to eat, sleep, think, or function, so the entire workings of the household fell on them.  Wm helped carry the laundry, folded and put away his own clothes, washed the cars (both of them!), got his own snacks/drinks, pretty much entertained himself, brought me things I needed, and, sweetest of all, came over and said, "would it help relax you if I read the BFG to you, Mommy?" Then proceeded to read until his throat hurt, stopped for a bit to "rest it" and came back to continue reading - 4 times.  He was the King of Snuggles and was always careful to kiss my cheek very softly!

And poor Steve had to do just about everything.  From 100% of the cooking and cleaning, grocery shopping, and Wm care & maintenance to taking amazing care of me (when I wanted a croissant form Panera and a strawberry drink from Starbucks, Steve didn't even bat an eye!) Steve was a machine. There is not a better husband in all of the world.  I don't know what I did to get so lucky!

I started to feel a bit better yesterday evening and I think the pain is finally ebbing.  And, looking back, though I wouldn't wish that sort of pain on my worst enemy, I am thankful for the opportunity to appreciate what an amazing family I have.  My two boys are the best people in the whole world.  They are also the cutest...

Watching some fishing show - yeahhhhh.

And a super big thank you to everyone who called or checked in to see how I was doing or if I needed anything.  It meant so much to me to know that so many people care!!!  THANK YOU!!!

I go to the neurologist on Aug 22 and hopefully get some tactics to deal with this nasty business!

Deer

We woke up this morning and found two deer sleeping in our backyard! It was super cool!  They were all curled up out there.  We woke them up when we tried to creep up and see them, but I got close enough to get a decent picture of them still laying down back there (the second one is behind the branches of the apple tree).  Wm was totally thrilled with the deer. They were not as thrilled with Wm.

Then, while I was laying with Wm tonight, trying to coax him into going to sleep, he said two hilarious things...

Wm: Everyone copied me at camp today.

Me: Well, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Wm: I have no idea what any of those words mean.

Next, a commercial came on his radio and Wm groaned, "I hate this commercial, they play it every night. He says that he is a lawyer who 'helps good people in difficult situations such as unexpected job loss, divorce, or home foreclosure.'" Clearly Wm has heard it just a couple times!

I am very excited!  Wm got one of my favorite books of all time from the library yesterday and we started reading it today!!  The BFG by Raold Dahl.  I remember reading it in 3rd grade and being totally enthralled.  I hope it captures Wm in the same way!

Home.

We're home!!  It was a long day in the car, but Wm was really good on the way home.  He just quietly played on his iPad the entire way.  We hit rush hour traffic coming back into Columbus and we were so close...yet so far away.  We are all glad to be home and crash!

Our last night was really nice - we went and got ice cream and watched the sunset at the beach.  The perfect end to a great vacation!

The whole Sleeping Bear Dunes Vacation Gang!

Last Day!

Today is our last day of vacation.  How fast it flew by!!  It was also our best day!  This morning, we walked out dunes again now that it is actually warm and sunny - what a difference!!!  SO GORGEOUS.  It was unbelievable.  Then, we went to the beach and actually swam, swam, swam!  Then Grandma and Wm had their own date night while Steve and I had a date night.  For our last evening, we are planning to head down to the ice cream parlor and take our cones to the beach to watch the sunset over the lake.  

Then...back into the car for the loooooong day home!  It will be nice to sleep in my own bed!!!

The view down the dune.  The water is SO BLUE.

Wm at the overlook

View of more dunes behind Wm (LOTS more behind that!)

Daddy and Wm on the dune

I managed to also scale the dune. Wm took the pic!!

Daddy showing things to Tiny Evil

I stayed at the top while The Boys explored below

Me: VICTORY.

Grandma got Wm a Junior Ranger hat!