Picnic

We had a very fun Sunday! We had absolutely nothing to do and we completely enjoyed it. Matt, Brode and I played all morning then had a picnic lunch outside.

Yes, I made his lunch into a smiley face to make it that much more fun.

Brode went down for a quick nap and we kept on with the playing.

EAA began today in Oshkosh so we drove down to see the planes coming in and to get some ice cream. Brode at an entire cone himself, then bounced off the walls with excitement at all the planes. We headed home and went for a bike ride, had a good dinner and called it a night. It was nice to have a day of nice weather and fun, we've been missing those with all this rain!

Lately

We've just been hanging around lately. We've had just about enough rain! Brode is ready to get outside and run!

Brode in his ladybug hat - last week was All About Bugs at day care. I asked if I could take his picture and he said "cheese" but I don't think he understands that word is to make you smile.

I've been swamped with homework and we've been working and day care all day therefore we have no fun pictures from anything. We've just been trying to spend some time together inside between the storms, homework, baby showers, dress shopping, work, etc.

Friday we did get a chance to get outside and get some things done, is this considered child labor?(Excuse the unclear pictures it was SO humid everything just kept fogging up)


I'm just kidding - For me it was a chore, Brode quickly turned it into fun. Our stroller desperately needed a scrub down. It's never really been washed down well and between snacks, dinners, drinks, etc. it was a MESS. It needs to come with us to Milwaukee next week and it would have been an embarrassment in the clean hospital. I got the bucket of water and of course little guy wanted to help. For some reason - like always - he was automatically drawn to wash the part of the stroller that didn't need washing: the padded seat. Need I remind you a 22 month old does not know how to wring out a rag. It was soaked so we pulled out the tractor and told him to wash his own vehicle. Brode LOVED it. Every inch of that tractor was clean by the time he was done. Brode was also SOAKED.

Fell Behind - Two Posts in One

I was going to post the last two days because I had a few pictures from things we've been doing as short updates. That didn't happen - I fell behind. I love updating and posting pictures but I think my parents would appreciate to see me doing my homework instead.

I started a new class - Literature and Film - on Monday. It's my last Gen ed, it's completely online, but it's hard. It's very in depth, based completely off of discussions and interpretations of different novels and films. I'm trying to get ahead because the last two weeks of the class (it's only 4 weeks long) are when Brode has surgery and the week after when he'll be home with staples. I'd rather read ahead and watch the movies, write down my thoughts then answer the questions when they come up and can submit them on time. This plan = stress and confusion.

So anyways, here are our updates! Monday we went to Milwaukee. Yet again, another Milwaukee Monday. Brode had a CT scan scheduled for 8:00 AM which meant leaving the house by 6:00. I'll just remind you again that Brode slept until 10:00 AM the day before so 5:45 wasn't looking like it was going to be easy. I scooped him right out of his crib and put him directly in the car and we were on our way before he could fully get his eyes open. The scan went well, he did need sedation but he recovered very quickly and was more than ready for breakfast and some juice. The surgeon showed us his scans right away and was very happy with how things looked. They didn't need to change their plan and said the plates look like they'll come right out. All good news. We headed out for lunch afterwards, came home to do some errands and play and by that time it was dinner!

Brode still trying to wake up from the sedation.

He was extremely hungry for breakfast afterwards.

Brode kept throwing his toys and things on the floor on the drive where we couldn't reach them so I told him he needed to hold on tight. This is what I got:

Tuesday wasn't anything exciting - until 10 minutes before bed. Brode was begging for the sidewalk chalk out of the bottom of the garage toybox. We traced our feet, drew circles, wrote our names, and then drew balloons. The balloons got large and colorful. Brode then found it more fun than ever to slide through the colorful balloons and rub the chalk all over himself.

A bath came quickly after!

Scratch the Routine

Well Brode's schedule is officially completely messed up! Saturday we went to our neighbors graduation party and Brode played, ran, blew bubbles and jumped for a long four hours until he finally fell asleep at 8:00. I was hoping he was going to sleep in, but when 10 AM rolled around I was shocked he was still sleeping! His schedule then got sidetracked because there was no way he was going to take his normal nap at 11:00. Today was a great day for him to wake up late because we had a family reunion at 11:00 so Brode was able to go when he was all rested up. He did great with no nap and headed to bed an hour early tonight.

He played with all of his (2nd) cousins. Unfortunately all the ones that live in town are the girls so he was a bit confused.

Brode LOVED baby Jonah. He hasn't seen many babies but he was very content watching baby Jonah sleep.

He also loved playing baseball with Grandpa. Brode is going to be the kid in t-ball that picks the weeds in outfield.

On the way home we made a little stop at DQ. Brode loves to share our ice cream, but he got ahold of my cone and wouldn't give it up.

'merica

Brode learned all about America and celebrating independence day at day care (Well, as much as you can teach a 1 year old). They made fireworks with glitter, flew flags in a parade around the room, made a collage and a red white and blue windsock to fly. Every flag he has seen since Monday has been a "merica!". As well as doing all these activities they dressed in red white and blue all week. Brode had no troubles finding these colors in his extensive wardrobe:

Two weeks ago at day care they wore pink and did Commotion In The Ocean so they dressed like sea creatures - not the type of clothes Brode has so we were happy to have him participate in this weeks!

Saturday we spent the day at home in the scorching heat. We played around the house and outside. After Brodes bedtime the neighbors lit off some fireworks so we sat outside and watched them and the little man slept right through them!

Sunday morning we packed up and headed up to the cottage. Unfortunetaly we picked the wrong days and should have switched them. It rained all the while we were there. We had fun playing anyways. Brodes favorite toy in the 'toy drawer' up there is the mini Cozy Coupe (thankfully he didn't try and climb in it like his own!).

We did get outside for a bit on the dock and Brode's favorite activity was to throw all the rocks. Great. He refused to stand in the shallow on the sand so Matt and I fished out the rocks and he threw them over to the other side. Back and forth we went.

The afternoon started to look gloomy so we had a large - family affair - cribbage game going on. Brode wanted to learn how to play.

He wasn't much of a help and was seconds away from giving daddy's cards away so grandma tracked down some little guy cards for him and he gathered and dropped, gathered and dropped them all over the kitchen.

Finally, after dinner we got out the snaps for Brode to have his own firework fun. He loved yelling "merica" or "bang!" when he threw them.

Two boxes later there was paper all over the ground - this little boy wasn't much into the cleaning it all up once all the "bangs" were gone.

Monday we spent another rainy day inside playing games and getting things done. That night we headed out to dinner then home to unpack and get the little guy in bed on time. Although it wasn't a bright sunny 4th of July it was a good long weekend to play!

Own Set

You know it has to be good with a face like that! Can you hear the "OOOooooo" coming out of his mouth in amazement?

Brode, the sports fanatic, somehow gets to everyones house and finds a football or basketball, etc that he loves and they let him take it home. It was finally time for his first set of sports equipment - basketballs he can actually hold on to and baseball gloves that fit his hand.

First there was a football:

Then the basketball:

He started catching on, "more? more?" Then there was the soccer ball:

And finally the baseball glove:

He loves them. They go everywhere. All four of them. Inside, outside, to the cottage and yes, he did nap with the basketball last weekend.

There is just one tiny problem.....

He doesn't know which one he loves the most and can't figure out how to play with them all at the same time!