Busy Morning

I'm still working on getting a routine down in the mornings. I realize that sleeping until Gerrit wakes up isn't going to work well. I am hoping to get up early enough to work out (hoping is the key) and then get ready before Gerrit wakes up. The days I tried to get ready when Gerrit was up were disastrous! I made it to school on time, but had to listen to a whiny, crying child while I got ready; not how I had hoped we would spend our extra time together. When I did get up earlier and at least had my shower in before Gerrit woke was a much happier time-for both of us.

Today was one of those happier times. I was able to clean up the kitchen because Gerrit made his way down stairs and started playing in the dark. When I went to check on him (and turn the lights on), he was busy stacking - his latest obsession:

When he wasn't stacking, he was practicing his bike mechanic skills in the kitchen (where Dad left the pump):

He 'pumped' nothing for quite a while this morning too. His papa would be proud! (As I write this, the boys are on their way to Rochester via bike.)

Side note: when I got Gerrit out of his crib today he was able to get his crock on - he was wearing a fleece sleeper! It didn't fit real well but I give him credit for getting it on - standing up! It was fun to watch him catch himself before he fell over from loosing his balance!

Rite of Passage and Smart Dr.

Gerrit joined the many other toddlers today - he fell down a few stairs. He usually goes down the stairs just fine so I didn't think much of it when I heard him coming. Adam was in the office and I was in the living room. Next thing I hear is a thud, thud, I turn around and see Gerrit sliding down the last few stairs. Don't worry, he didn't fall down many, and they are carpeted. With a few hugs/kisses all was well again. We did give him some yummy medicine in case he had a headache.

During bedtime Gerrit is starting to sit through reading a book - he must be like his mother who didn't like to read when she was young! Anyways, tonight I realized while reading a Dr. Suess book, that they make sense read forward AND backwards! Gerrit liked to back up pages that were already read and the storyline still made sense. That Dr. was really thinking when he wrote some of those books....

Dumpster Diver

My schedule this year allows me to be home with Gerrit in the morning. I don't teach 1st period so I don't have to leave real early and Gerrit can wake up on his own (which is earlier than I'd like!). Anyways, we have breakfast together and then get ready for our day casually. Today I was taking care of things in the kitchen and when I am in the kitchen, Gerrit usually is too. He likes to open the garbage can and see what he can reach and throw back out on the ground. Then we tell him to get out and pick up after him and he walks away from it for a few minutes and then he's back at it again. A nice little pattern that gets old real fast especially when he pulls something out that makes a huge mess!

I guess he was still hungry after eating a whole package of instant oatmeal and some melon. What he found in the garbage was his leftovers from dinner Sunday night (which he had some on Mon. for lunch). He found a french fry and started eating it! Nothing like a rubbery, cold, 2 day old french fry to finish your breakfast! It must have tasted good because he ate the whole thing!

Last Day of Summer

We've had quite a Labor Day! Adam golfed with a few biker guys and I played tennis with one of the biker guys who doesn't golf. (Gerrit went to Dahlen's for a bit during this time). After lunch we regrouped and headed to Lake City. What better way to end summer than swimming at the Lodge. The heater is still on in the pool so its perfect for little limbs.

Gerrit was in the pool a very long time. I was in the pool with him while Adam biked to the gathering w/ a few of the guys. Gerrit spent a lot of time putting his face in the water and even blowing bubbles (and drinking a bit as well). Here he is putting his face in the water after dinner when dad arrived to take over.

Where's Gerrit?

Here he is!

Its always fun at the pool because we tend to be the only ones that use it! Even though its a community pool for those that have condos there, we rarely see anyone else by the pool. Such a shame, but great for us. The kids love to raid the pool room and get all the fun toys out (look at the left corner of the picture) - Adam and Gerrit had fun with the blue whale for a while.

Following swimming and dinner, Gerrit got a quick wash in the tub.

Ya, Abby joined him. (I figured I'd get a picture of them in the tub to use at their high school graduations! Abby is a year older than Gerrit and has a sister now, so Gerrit will have his pick of the Rockne girls for prom!) We later thought we 'lost' the 2 of them as we couldn't find them for a few seconds, only to find them in a bedroom, with the door closed, hiding in the closet! We said we wouldn't worry about what went on in there until they are older!

We had a nice weekend, didn't get any 'work' done but we celebrated the end of summer in style! Its back to reality - at least for me as kiddies come tomorrow. How many days till June?

Shoes and Smarts

One of Gerrit's latest loves is shoes. He loves to wear his crocks in particular. He usually can get one shoe on and brings us the other shoe to put on for him. We normally take his shoes off when we get in the house because its easier for him to move on the hardwood barefoot (his sandals are slippery). When playing, if our shoes are laying around, he often carries them around and here he is putting my sandals on. I think most kids have a picture of them wearing shoes that are way too big so now Gerrit has his too - I should get a picture of him wearing Adam's shoes, I mean canoes!
I was at it again using my smarts! Gerrit has figured out his way through the barricades of chairs we've been using at the bottom of the basement steps. So I had to come up with another plan.

The chairs aren't necessary anymore, they just haven't been put away yet. Since using my smarts and outsmarting Gerrit yesterday, he has thrown a wrench into my great idea! He now likes to try and climb the gate. In fact today after church, he fell attempting to climb over the gate. We shall see if my 'smarts' are really smart enough for him!

Mac and Cheese Please!

With Adam not home for dinner (traveling for work), we had a casual dinner. I didn't feel like making much so tonight was Mac and Cheese, can you tell?

I made a single serving pack and if I told you he ate most of it, you'd say ya right - 1/2 is on his face! True, but he did eat most of it and left a few for a snack later tonight! If you look close you'll see a noodle stuck on his cheek. He does eat quite well and tries hard to use his fork. He realizes it is faster to use his hands so by the end of the meal, the fork is usually on the ground.

Following dinner we went to see Paul's football scrimmage with Luke and Anne. It gave us something to do seeing Adam wasn't due back till 8ish. (He put on 1400 miles this week! ) Gerrit didn't know what to think of the boys in their pads and helmets but enjoyed running on the field! I got him off before he could get tackled by the players, don't worry. It was fun to watch 6th grade boys play football with only a week of practice so far. It could be Gerrit out there someday... Personally, I'm hoping for soccer as his fall sport because it has a bit less contact but we shall see!

Shoe Mystery

I don't know about you but when I see a lonely shoe on the side of the road I always wonder how that can happen. Logic says that you would notice if one of the 2 shoes you were wearing would become missing but it seems like we often see only 1 shoe, not both. But after this morning I think I understand how this can happen. There must be 16 month old shoe fetish children that like to carry one shoe around and the drop it when something more interesting comes along. Case in point:

That was what I saw this morning when we came down for breakfast. Where are their mates you ask? The boot is on the step and tennis shoe in his bedroom!

The next photo explains what happens when you have become one of those people who have lost a shoe on the side of the road. (He's crying b/c I wouldn't pick him up - I had to get the photo!)