"I'm TWO!!"

I tried all day to get Grayson to answer me with "I'm TWO!" when I'd ask him how old he was, but it never happened. Oh well. Here's our day:

It's our birthday tradition to have a pile of gifts waiting for you at the breakfast table. So, almost immediately after Grayson came out of his room and saw the gifts, he began opening. First it was his new tow truck. He was pretty excited. Moses was too.

He was also pretty excited about his new movie. Ilana was too.

 

He was too busy opening his gifts to eat breakfast (we've got to have our priorities!), and the excitement couldn't be contained, so he immediately went to playing.

With August being as crazy as it was, and Paul being gone so often, it was the best gift to have him home to celebrate with us.

At some point in the morning the family's gifts began to arrive. Gray was busy with his new dump truck all day, and I do mean ALL day. (This picture was, of course, taken with my phone. I SO wish it was in focus, it is completely "him" these days. Oh well.)

After nap we watched The Lorax and ate dinner on the couch. Then, we went outside to roar at play with our neighbors for a bit before cupcakes.

One little girl asked to "go on a bear hunt" (a new favorite game of hers). I think she found the bear.

We had a great time outside.

Then we sang to Grayson. He was not a fan. Really. It was hilarious!

He did enjoy looking at the candles.

But they "refused" to be blown out. (He just isn't experienced enough yet, but his reaction after a few tries was priceless.)

So big sis had to help.

They were pretty good, despite being a little burned on the bottoms.

We enjoyed some family time outside.

Most of our neighbors were there too, but none of those pictures turned out well - sorry y'all. Really, our neighbors have become our "family" out here as well.

Grayson, we are so in love with you and who you are becoming. Thanks for lighting up our hearts!

 
...we must've partied pretty hard because this morning I found this on our dining room table. It's just a sticker, but still...

Serenade

One night I was making dinner and the kids gave me a little musical serenade...for about 20 minutes straight...

(Ignore the fact that Grayson's just in a diaper - you never know what you're gonna get after nap time.) I love that these two are becoming such good friends!

the soon-to-be middle one

This summer Grayson has stolen my heart. I love the baby phase, but there's nothing like that personality that starts to come out at 15 months or so and boy, this little man has been all personality this summer!

We are most certainly into the terrible 2's with him. He kicks, he screams, he has tantrums, he throws, he hits. But when he wants to be sweet...watch out.

He has become a chatter box and says everything Ilana does, but in a 2-year-old kind of way. I understand him about 95% of the time and, for a 2 year old, he has quite the vocabulary.

He cries and screams every time I change his diaper. I explain to him that I wouldn't have to change his diaper if he went to the potty. His reply: "NO!" So, we're waiting on that.

He is ALL BOY. Grayson LOVES to dig, build with blocks, play with his choo choo trains, cars, trucks or any vehicle. He knows more varieties of trucks than I do and can identify them all.

He'll make anything into a weapon, especially anything stick-like in shape. He loves to climb, run, wrestle and jump.

We changed his crib into a toddler bed (one less transition after the baby's born), and he crawls into bed with Ilana when he wakes up in the morning and at nap time. He likes it, even though it infuriates her.

He most certainly knows how to push Ilana's buttons. We're still working on sharing - I have a feeling we will be for the next 20 years. My one sibling (brother) is 6 years older than me, so I didn't have the typical "close sibling issues" that mine do. Wow, they are for real! Definitely a love-hate relationship. He is into whatever she is. She is in a "Lyle the crocodile" phase right now and so, of course, he is too. They speak in "crocodile" to each other and love tromping around, which inevitably turns into a wrestling match. It's precious and enraging all at the same time.

His emotional outbursts, although fierce, are not nearly as long-lasting as Ilana's. He'll have a tantrum, and fully express how upset he is, but then he's over it. Same with boo-boos. The one emotional incident he fully remembers, though, is when he hit me, from 2 feet away, in the head with a golf ball. My neighbor (who witnessed the throw) and I are convinced he'll be a pitcher or quarterback someday. He's got quite the arm. I had a nice welt and few-day headache to prove it. He was sorry. I couldn't understand how I could be so mad and so in love with someone at the same time.

I am fully aware this time around that my relationship with this sweet little man will change when his baby sister is born. I will change. He will change. I am doing my best to soak up all that he is these days. They are fleeting. Soon, not only will he be the only boy, but he will also be "the middle child." Oh boy!

I had a nurse-midwife appointment last week. Everything looks great. Despite the "any day now?" comments, I'm measuring right on time. This baby girl is a mover. The kids have both been able to feel her move and kick. Paul feels her all the time.

Nesting is fully underway (yes, we got a new living room rug - pictured above). The 0-3 month clothes are already out and the rest are completely organized and ready to go. The list of possible names is constantly changing. The hospital bag list is saved on my phone. My mom was here last week and we changed up our living room and dining room window treatments. The playroom is coming along. This apartment is starting to really feel like home and I love it! We've been fully soaking up this summer!

the newest one

These pictures are so much better in person, but here are a few of our newest little one.

The day before Paul and I left for our vacation, we had our 20-week ultrasound (even though I was technically, according to their records, 19 weeks and 6 days along). The kids were napping during our appointment, so my mom got to go with us. It was a super special time.

And yes, she's a girl. She has all 10 fingers and all 10 toes. We could count them all, although I'm sure when she's out I'll be recounting them, multiple times, just to make sure.

The 3-D images still amaze me. By the end, this was her expression. She was done with us taking her picture - modest already.

Oh little girl - we're already beyond excited to meet you! But just keep growing well in there. You've got the rest of your life to be out and about. And I'm sure you will be, with 2 older siblings to follow around. We love you already, and your sweet Polk nose. :)

a true vacation

Paul and I went on an actual (kid-free) vacation last week. We've been home a week, but it feels like a year - lots of "grandparent detoxing" going on these days. But still, I'd go back to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore almost any day (except maybe in the winter).

Paul took all these pictures. He didn't want to carry a camera, so these are all taken on his iPhone (yes, he has an iPhone now - watch out!). We had 4G internet the whole time, even on the islands. He was pretty pumped. Sorry the videos are blurry, they're perfectly clear on our computer. :(

On our way around Lake Michigan we stopped at Gary, Indiana's Great Lakes Cafe. Wow! This place was a gem. The food is great, the owner is awesome (yes, Paul got a picture with her), and you couldn't beat the feel. We had only been in the car about an hour and a half or so, but we were already having the time of our lives.

Our first two nights we camped on the mainland. After dinner the first night we walked out to the lakefront to watch the sun set.

The belly is in full swing these days, and I got a lot of "you're crazy!" looks from fellow campers. Honestly, I hadn't felt as good as I did since before I was pregnant. Most, if not all, of that was thanks to Paul's insistence on hydration and eating well. We had the best back country meals I've ever had and was stuffed after every one.

On Saturday we day-tripped to South Manitou Island. We hiked 8 miles in 4 and a half hours, even with a 45-60 minute break for lunch (I didn't have a pack this day). This picture was in the giant old growth cedar forest. It was beautiful.

On Sunday, we took the ferry over to North Manitou Island. We hiked 7 miles around the south side and found an amazing camp site. The video does not do it justice. That is me at the end, sitting under our tarp in the next small field over, through a path between the trees.

This was the view from under the tarp. The picture's a bit deceiving in that you had to go down a sand dune to get to the lakefront, but it was not bad at all to get back up. You can see South Manitou Island on the horizon.

Sunset our first night...I could've stayed there a long time.

We took Monday "off." Meaning I went down to the beach. Paul went on his own adventure to find one of the lakes on the island. I was happy to stay back, especially when he got back and told me about his day (he ended up hiking about 10 miles, found the lake, but not by the map of "trails" he had). As far as I could see in both directions, I had the beach to myself. It was beautiful. It felt like the Caribbean. I took the day to do yoga, stretch, intentionally breath, read, journal, and simply be. It was just perfect.

We had a deer visit our campsite. The first evening she just walked through, but the second evening she hung out for about 2 and a half hours - walking around, eating, meandering through the huge field on the other side of the trees, going down the dunes to the lakefront for a drink, then back up through our campsite... It was amazing. We named her Rebecca.

On Tuesday we hiked another 7 miles back, through the center, to the east side of the island so we could catch the ferry back to the mainland on Wednesday.  Our campsite wasn't nearly as gorgeous, but we were thankful to not have a major hike the next morning.

My parents came out and watched the kids so Paul and I could get away. My goodness, we were so incredibly thankful. When they got home we were texting back and forth and they mentioned something about making this an annual event. We'd be happy to oblige!

We're home

For real, safety first y'all...even when reading your bedtime stories!

(Sorry it's blurry, I couldn't get the better pic to upload correctly...technology!)

 

Paul and I are back from our kid-free true vacation. We had way too much fun. We're in the process of "grandparent detoxing" the kiddos. They were thoroughly spoiled and enjoyed every single minute.

The day before we left we found out we're having a GIRL. It was the first pregnancy that I didn't honestly have a preference so it was just pure excitement to dream about our "little boy sandwich with girl bread." We have a real reason to keep all our little girl clothes now. She is doing well, growing and moving tons. Paul was able to feel her move for the first time on our trip, which was just awesome for both of us. She apparently really enjoys camping, and was ready for another 7-mile hike yesterday. She wouldn't let me take a nap she was moving around so much (taking a hike of her own, apparently)!

Summer time is well underway and our Chicago temps are in the low 90's almost every day. It's hot for us. I've most definitely become a wimp with the heat - although it might just be being pregnant in the midst of it. Here's to July and August!

Peek-a-boo

Grayson, although your "terrible 2's" have fully begun and you're much more of a handful than you've ever been - we are thoroughly enjoying your love of simple pleasures, like peek-a-boo!