Some friends of ours from church, the A family, hosts an Oscar party every year, and this year we were able to attend the 14th Annual Party. So much fun! Art wore his tuxedo t-shirt for the festive occasion. They did a great job hosting with yummy foods out for grazing, and two viewing locations. The kids and brave adults were downstairs in the basement where a projector was used, and the others were crammed into the living room. I think Luke said there were 89 people that attended!! Wow! There were official ballets with the 35 or so categories & nominees. After the ballets were tallied, I'm embarrassed to say that I got only 9 right. Art only 8. Sad. We stayed much later than the boys bedtime and finally left when Wyatt spilled a nearly full glass of juice on himself and me. We had to borrow some pants from Rique just so Wyatt could go home. A fun evening! Sorry no pics!
Zach and Wyatt were invited to a birthday party, of one of Zach's preschool classmates, at the Kohl's Children's Museum. We've never been, and thought this would be a great opportunity to go w/out spending the $30 it would cost us. We LOVED it! It was such a cool place! I'm excited to go again with them. They had a blast. The party started at 2:45 (we put them both down for naps early early, and let them sleep from 12:15-2:20, not long enough for Wyatt, but enough to get him through the evening) and we stayed until the place closed at 5pm. Such fun fun interactive place, and we did not see 1/2 of it I don't think. The first major stop was the water room, which had tons of stuff to do with water, water pressure, etc. I did not take any pics there, and didn't even think about the camera until after we'd been a few places. Some of what I did capture:
Art and Wyatt in the percussion room
Zach playing with this very cool music board - you move the notes where you want them, then once your song is complete, it will play the song you "wrote".
A kid-size mock-up of a popular restaurant here - Potbelly's.
This place was VERY popular with the kids at the party...and with the parents who got to sit at the tables and just get served by the eager waitstaff. Sandwiches, drinks, chips, etc were brought to us all while we sat around and chatted with other adults. Does not get much better than this. They brought us menus, bills, change, whatever we asked for. This lasted at least 30 minutes! Plus it was so neat so see what kids have gleaned about the restaurant business, just from having eaten out, or whatever limited input they have had about this. They knew how to take orders from the payphone in the back, ring up orders, build sandwiches, etc. The whole process was pretty amazing! We even had some ambitious kids doing the mopping and sweeping....I need to get them at our house.
Waiter Wyatt bringing water
We all loved it, and are looking forward to going again sometime. The museum gave discount coupons to the party attenders, so we'll be sure to use those!
Art's brainchild, and source of great humor.
Shayna: Barefoot, Pregnant, in the kitchen.
This phrase makes the maniacal Artemis Prime giggle profusely.
Shayna barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen - SIGH!
It must be noted that this was a *bit* staged. At least the barefoot part. I was wearing slippers w/ no socks and Art asked rather nicely, with just a few giggles, if I would please take off my slipper so he could send "an awesome picture to Joel". He did indeed email it to Joel, who's response was "is she cleaning up after having fixed you a pot pie??". Boys. Can't believe I'm going to have a house full of them. Sigh.
Tonight was Chicago Counts Celebration Night. We had 2, nearly 3, things to celebrate. 1st - Zachary being an independent swimmer! 2nd - Art started his new job at QuesTek today!! The only reason this wasn't #1 is because, thanks to generous friends who have offered to babysit, we have gotten to go out twice in the last week to celebrate Art's new job - once to Merle's (I HAD to have the fried green beans), and once to a Vietnamese restaurant in Roger's Park (BEST spring rolls ever!!). The nearly 3rd thing was Wyatt's attempts at potty training, but they never worked out, so that's ok.
The decided location for this celebration night - Chuck E. Cheese (poor Art!). Thanks to the $30 we got from Opa and Oma to spend on a Valentine celebration, our evening cost us nothing...we profited a cool $0.03. :)
For Art's first day of work, we thought it would be best for me to drop him off instead of him riding his bike, until he got the lay of the land. Of course it was a heavy snow day. The plan was to pick him up on our way to Chuck E. Cheese, which we did, but since the boys and I were running late, Art had to wait outside, in the snow, with no hat for us to come get him. Why was he outside?? Because he did not want to be the last person out of the office and have to set the alarm, at 5:30! What glorious good news - that at 5:30pm Art was almost the last one out! Makes me feel much better about his new "industry job".
Shayna & Wyatt post dinner
Off we went to Chuck E. Cheese. We ordered pizza (which seems to have improved in quality over the past few months) and tokens. I parceled them out to the boys, 1/2 for before dinner and 1/2 for after. Zach had one goal in mind only: TICKETS. He only wanted to play games that gave tickets so he could get some awful cheap toy at the end of the night. Wyatt had more variety in his choices, but as usual, played a LOT of basketball. People came to watch him because he was surprisingly good. He made several baskets. Wyatt was not quite so skilled at skeeball, and ended up just walking up the ramp to dump his ball into a hole, and even then, it was a low-value hole! Food came, the boys ate a good amount, then we were off again until we ran out of tokens.
Happy Zachary & Art after dinner
I think we had about 50 tokens, and used them all. The boys then put all their tickets into the ticket muncher machine and ended up with about 60 ticket points each to spend. This got Zach a small frog and some stickers, and Wyatt some candy and stickers. What an awful waste, but they love it, so we're happy to do it every now and then.
Congrats Art on your new job!
Congrats Zachary on being an independent swimmer!
Almost congrats Wyatt for your attempts at potty training!
Zachary came home from preschool yesterday and told us that during swimming (he swims 2x/week w/ preschool) Ms. Lindsay took his floaty belt off (he was down to just 1 float pack) and he did the entire time w/ NO FLOATY BELT. This is HUGE news for us. So huge in fact that I did not know if I should believe him at first. He has come such a long way. When he started swimming with the Y, last year in preschool (1x/week), he wore a 3 float pack floaty belt and refused to put his face in the water or be put on his back. This year, he started out w/ 2 floaty pack belt, quickly moved to 1, and got moved to the highest proficiency swim group. Last year he was in the lowest proficiency swim group. Just amazing. He would do things for Ms. Michelle last year and Ms. Lindsey this year, in the water, that he refused to do with us when we went swimming on the weekends. Art and I were both shocked at this news, and wanted to see if for ourselves right away. So tonight we took advantage of Family Swim time at the Y, and went swimming. I expected Zach to start off w/ no swim belt, get tired, and ask for one, but he never did! Just amazing to see him jumping in the pool and swimming with no assistance. He is officially an independent swimmer. Shocking. Here's some of the proof:
Zachary swimming around w/ no assistance
Zach, in the middle, Art with Wyatt on the left
Zachary swimming, with no floats, to the side of the pool
Zachary jumping into the pool and then swimming over to DaU
More swimming with no assistance
Just an amazing thing for us to watch. We are grateful to the YMCA for all they have done in getting Zach to this point! He is now VERY excited to take the swim test (swimming the width of the deep end, then treading water for 1 minute) this summer that would allow him to jump off the diving board. I can't imagine he'll really jump off the diving board, but he's been talking about it for over a year. Very big deal!
A lovely Valentine's Day! We had a little family celebration this evening and opened all our cards and presents. Unfortunately, Zach left his envelope of Valentines, he got from the exchange at preschool, in his locker, so those will have to wait until tomorrow.
We had French toast and bacon for dinner. We ate by candlelight which was enjoyable for all 4 of us (we'll have to do this more often!). After dinner, our touche was for us to decorate some mini cupcakes that I'd made earlier. The boys love to do this, and we all enjoyed decorating and of course eating them!
Candles all over the table, and throughout the room
Boys w/ cupcakes by candlelight
Zachary w/ decorated cupcakes
Art (in dire need of a haircut!) w/ his 3 decorated cupcakes
Shayna w/ her 3 decorated cupcakes
Zachary getting some icing to glob onto a cupcake
Silly Zach w/ his decorated mini cupcakes
Wyatt putting some red hots onto his cupcakes
Icing-face Wyatt w/ his decorated cupcakes
Fun time had by all...us celebrating the day of loving one another.
Thanks to Groupon discounts, we bought 2 tickets to the Chicago Auto Show, not for retail of $11, or the Groupon discount rate of $6/ea, but thanks to referrals, for $0/ea! Can't pass up a deal like that for sure. After much deliberation, we decided to go after the boys naps (well, mine too!), because we'd have a longer time to spend there, knowing it would be easier to push them a bit past bedtime than a bit past nap time. We got down there around 4:30 or so, paid $19 to park, and headed to the show. So much walking! We spent about 4 hours there total. We brought dinner for us to eat while there and made an evening of it. My intent for the show was to sit in and check out every vehicle I could that has a pop-up 3rd row. Art's intention was to see as many concept cars as possible. Zach's intention was to sit in all car types, both in the front seats, and in the trunk space. Wyatt's intention was to just be wherever we are...and eat some french fries. Only Art was a bit thwarted...not many concept cars. We had a great time. The boys did so so well. We brought a stroller with us, but it ended up just housing our coats/etc until the very end when Wyatt was finally tired (it was after bedtime!). Here's some of what we did:
1st stop - Luxury cars - Zach in a Porsche
Some serious luxury
The boys liked to walk around the platform with the car
Off to the Mini Coopers
Wyatt in his favorite color - orange - Mini Cooper; He thought they were toys because they were so small!
Zachary checking out the trunk space
Checking out the Ford Mustang
And the Mustang pool table
One of the boys favorite attractions - a Ford robot that moved and talked
DINNER TIME - we brought sandwiches and side dishes and complimented it all w/ some french fries from McDs. Success!
Race car - pic taken to honor Aunt Joy; small letters say "is efficient", is dependable", is thrill seeker", etc. Fun for us!
Zach and Wyatt with Lightning McQueen and Mater!
More trunk space to check out
Wyatt driving the car simulator - we waited in line forever for the boys to be able to play this video game. Art and I took turns going off to look at cars until it was their turn.
Zachary driving off the road
Art and Zachary hanging out with the Wrangler
Finally, it's late and Wyatt's tired. He is not thrilled with sharing the stroller with all our stuff.
We headed back home and put the boys to bed. A great family outing!
28 weeks always seems like a milestone. It is the date that most babies can survive if they must be born this early. Plenty of issues and time in the NICU, but survival is good.
These pictures do not accurately show how big I feel. Looking at them makes me think that the camera actually subtracts 10 pounds, not adds it!
28 weeks
Knight Zachary (see the cape & telescope) reluctantly hugging his brother
After the blizzard, there was so much snow that Evanston had nowhere to put the snow they had shoveled away. One solution was the vacant lot at Main & Chicago. The snow piles, put there by dump trucks and bulldozers were 15 feet and higher. Art was desperate to go climb on them. Unfortunately, the city started shoveling the piles into a machine that melted the snow and sent it down the sewer before Art could get out there. The whole process was pretty crazy
The snow piles in the vacant lot. I should have gotten a better picture, but this will do.
After all that snow, we thought it would be a great idea to go sledding after visiting with Mr. Steffeck. Unfortunately, we also told the boys that after sledding we'd go to Steak & Shake for lunch. This was unfortunate b/c then all they wanted was to go to lunch, and they did not last very long at the sledding hill. Wyatt even got bored/tired, and elected to sit with me on a giant snow mound to watch. Art ended up going down a few times by himself after the boys were ready to go. Next time, the lunch outing will be a surprise.
Sledding:
Art and Wyatt taking a run down the hill
Zachary zooming down the hill
Last time, we suspected that the green sled was much faster than the red one, and so this time, scientist Art had to test it. Once Zach was done sledding, Art took a few runs on the green sled and went noticeably faster and further. Interesting! Also, the hill was a bit more dangerous this time, with all the new snow. there were craters and mini hills at the very top. Art and the boys had been starting lower down to avoid the "more advanced" portion, but as soon as the boys were done, Art tackled the hill from the very top. He nearly wiped out once, and definitely got some air on one run. Quite a bit more X-games.
Then off to Steak & Shake for lunch. I confirmed that the only reason the boys love this place was because of the free paper cars. Sigh. Still, it was good enough. Kids eat free on the weekend, so they each got their own kids meal - Zachary with mac & cheese, and Wyatt with - a first - chicken tenders, which he devoured. He was not allowed to have any fries until he ate his fruit. Unfortunately for him, the choices were applesauce, which he hates, and oranges. I went with oranges, but that was a disaster b/c it turned out to be mandarin oranges from a can, with the syrup and everything. Wyatt hates that too. So in the end we got him to eat 3 oranges, under much protest, and he was able to enjoy some fries. THEN, the best part, we ordered a seriously delish shake to split. Usually we get a kids shake and split that, but this time, I forgot to say JR size, and we got the full size! I thought "we'll never finish it", and of course we did. Wyatt started out w/ some milkshake poured on his plate that he ate with a spoon until he found out how great it was, then went full force into the glass w/ his spoon. Zach was a milkshake eating machine!
Wyatt enjoying his Steak n Shake
After that, it was getting late, and we headed home. Wyatt was starting to lose it (it was nearly 2pm), and even Zach was acting pretty tired. We got home and the boys went straight to bed. Shortly after, Joanna and Alex returned to pick up Joanna's car and drive back down to Champaign, so we chatted with them for awhile before they left (giving me a lift to the Jr. League thrift store on their way out).
The much hyped, much dramatized, blizzard of 2011 hit us this week. It was everything the weather people promised - high high winds and snowfall of 18-24 inches. It started around 2pm on Tuesday (this is after we got 2 or so inches Monday night), and stopped finally around noon on Wednesday. Some places the snow was only about 2 feet deep, but others, where the wind had blown so much, the drifts were up to 6 feet or higher. One family's minivan was 100% covered by snow (they live right by the lake) The sun came out, and so did all the people in the neighborhood to dig themselves out. Such a crazy experience!
Snow piled up on the window
Our front porch
The steps after neighbor Jesse cleared them
View from the open front door - could barely open the storm door b/c of the snow
Watching the neighbors dig out while our boys nap
Clearing paths, digging out cars, and helping a stuck van
After the boys (and my) nap, we got bundled up and braved the cold to 1) check out the carnage, 2) play in the snow, and 3) dig out the car. Here's what we found:
First checking it all out, and playing
Hard to tell, but Art and the boys are next to a snow drift that comes up to Art's elbow
Zach climbing a snow hill, Art attempting to, but sinking down to his knees
Wyatt helping out with the shovel, while Zach plays in the background. Art is trying to entice someone onto the sled
Wyatt fell down in the snow and started screaming "I'm STUCK!"
Now off to check out the car, which was parked about a block away.
Art digging a 2' trench around the car
Art digging out behind the car
Not too bad! Look, I remembered to raise the windshield wipers
Wyatt helping to get the snow off the car
Art contemplating the car before starting work
Zach playing on the snow hill made by Art shoveling
While Art was digging the car out, we saw our friends, the W. family heading down the street. They had been going to the nearby playground when they spotted us outside, and came over to chat and play. Two of their boys joined Zach in playing with the sleds and on the snow hills. Curtis took a turn helping to shovel out the snow, then his wife took the reins while the dads had sled races w/ the boys. To race, Art and Curtis had to pull the sleds while running, then release them for the boys to go flying.
Max helping his mom shovel out our car.
Jack & Caden discussing important things
Jack flying by
Zach and Caden racing - Curtis and Art doing all the work
A technical difficulty and Zach falls off the sled; Jack still happy with the win
Hard to see, but there are people out up and down Keeney St., chatting about the blizzard, and digging out. Such a fun community feeling!
Art and Curtis helped a single lady dig out her car, and by the time they were done, our boys were ready to go home. We said goodbye to the W family, happy to share our blizzard experience with them. At home, we all had some hot apple cider and played a bit before dinner. Surely the best Wednesday we've had in a long while!
