sad day at pickford

Here are all of the kiddos just waiting to jump in. Too bad they never got the chance. Apparently there was something wrong with the pool chemicals and everybody got sent home. Extremely tragic. Luckily we have our own little pool here at our apartments. It isn't as exciting as the mushroom pool- but it's still water and everybody still had fun.

RAIN RAIN RAIN! It's been rainy all week long. We've made it outside for spurts of dryness- and we've spent plenty of time getting wet this week- but we've also tried to do fun stuff inside.

We spent the morning at the family center at the museum of art. It's one of Zeb's favorite places. Since Kent worked all night- he had the day off and got to come! He came home and put in a few hours of sleep beforehand- and took a short nap later this afternoon.

Today at the museum zeb had an especially great time painting. He'd paint each stroke and call out the color as he did it. He wanted to paint the entire time we were there.

Luckily there are a few more toys that will distract him from the art room. He could play with this contraption forever. Too bad the place was packed and we could only find one ball. We have our good sharing days- and some bad. Today was not his best.


As we were going to leave I went to grab his drying painting and it had been stolen. It was that good. Luckily I got a picture of it. And check him out in his little apron with his tongue sticking out. So cute.

I love the rain.

Today was such a pleasant day.

This morning while I was getting Ike ready for our run, Zeb decided he wanted to go out and enjoy the rain on our deck. I'd opened the sliding door to let cool air in and Zeb escaped while I was turned around. I heard some jabbering from outside and when I went to take I look I found this:
Zeb had tried to put down his blanket (presumably to protect himself from the sopping wet deck) and lie down so that he could watch the rain. I asked him what he was doing and he replied "look mama, it's raining". I told him he was getting wet and he responded "yep. my blanket's wet". He ended up sopping wet as well. Luckily he was still in his pajamas. He is so funny- and really loves the rain.

Kent got to be home today for the afternoon. He had a call shift (6am-6am), but due to morning meetings and trainings he ended up missing half of his hospital day and so his resident let him take the other half (until 6pm) off as well. He got to come grocery shopping with us- and do lunch. He even snuck in a nap with Ike. These two always seem to be exhausted.

for sure zeb's dying (it's all in my head).

Kent's hours on pediatric surgery haven't been nearly as bad as I'd imagined. His opinions on them may differ from mine considering most of the worst hours he's putting in don't phase me a bit since I'm still sleeping (5-7 am and his all night call shifts).

The part of his rotation that's killing me is the stories he comes home with.

Zeb has been more accident prone since Kent started surgery than he has in a long long time. Just yesterday he ran SMACK into a large concrete pole. The thud was audible from quite a distance and the hit left bruises on his little noggin. Today he took a swan dive from the top of the TALL jungle gym at Swan Creek Park. I didn't happen to see the fall- but plenty others did. The poor kid landed face first and on his chest. It knocked the wind out of him so hard that he didn't take his first gasp until I'd run all the way over from where I was sitting.

All I can think about is how poor little zebby now has subdural hematomas and a lacerated liver or a torn apart spleen. he would not let me get any bruise pictures.

Summer days.

I told Kent this evening that it does not AT ALL feel like July. It seems more like September or April or May. The weather has a lot to do with it- but having Kent back to work- and not doing regular summer stuff (picnics/bbqs/fireworks/etc) with moms and dads and sisters and cousins is contributing too.

Luckily for us- kent's resident was feeling extra friendly (and also a little sick of work) today and decided to finish the day early- and let Kent do the same! Kent was home by four and we decided to celebrate and make a trip over to Lickity-split, a local ice cream shop. Zeb was lucky enough to have a playmate all day (his mom had a baby and so we took him off her hands) so he came a long as well.The two thoroughly enjoyed an ice cream sandwich together.

We also spent a great morning at the library for story time. Zeb likes to run around the chidren's area and play with friends so I'm usually chasing him all over- but today he was preoccupied by a book. I hadn't seen (or heard from him) for a few minutes and when I went to look for him I found him perched on this little bird house trying desperately to read this book. Every time he got up high enough to sit on the edge- he'd try to open the book, lose his balance, and fall off again. Luckily he's a problem solver and found an alternative.






We've been working on word recognition lately- and we have a list of words he can read. Yesterday while going through his words- we got to "go". I asked him to spell it out and tell me what it said. He read " 'g-o' spells... green light!". He is so funny and really really loves to learn.

And finally- here's #2. All of his pictures for the next little while are going to look rather similar. He loves being in his trashy old swing. I think he just loves to be upright- and high enough to watch what's going on. He also LOVES sitting up and playing with toys and it's much easier in the swing than on the floor.

He finally ate solids today without spitting them back out at me. It must have been the green beans or something (takes after his nannie annie). He gobbled up his carrots and cereal today like a ravenous baby shark.

Today was Kent's first weekend call- and he doesn't get home until tomorrow sometime. It's been a long Saturday but we've been playing with friends to try and make ourselves busy! I'm sure the day has been longer for Kent since it started at six this morning and goes until tomorrow.

Luckily Zeb and Ike have been all smiles today and tonight I've been watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Storm Chasers". Hooray for cable. It makes me feel so much less lonely.

I told Ike that I needed him to smile for me and this is what I got. I'm not sure what this smile is all about but he's a natural and has already learned to smile as soon as he sees the camera. Really, I think he's mostly excited about my fab yard sale find. 50 cents for this great toy. I can even attach it to the stroller on runs. He LOVES it. It crinkles and has all sorts of cool things to chew on (yes, I washed it first).

And here's my zebby. He seems so grown up to me lately. He's so much fun. Every night when Kent gets home, the two of them laugh and laugh and laugh about the most ridiculous things. He is DEFINITELY a daddy's boy. Whenever I get frustrated with him or he goes to timeout- he pleads for Kent.

I am in LOVE with this weather. I couldn't be happier that it's July and I need a jacket. If Toledo could promise me this kind of weather every summer- I'd stay forever and be happy as a clam. We still have hot enough days to swim (80-89) but humidity is low. Today the high was 76. Tomorrow it's 70! I know that I shouldn't speak so soon- we've still got August coming and it can still get really bad- but right now I am happy.

My runs are fantastic. This morning the kids wore jeans and needed their blankets! oh- and my bridge is up again. The trail is still bumpy and they haven't rebuilt the boardwalk in places- but it's at least runnable now. Zeb searches for Nemo in the water every time we cross the bridge.

This kid hates to eat. Really. He doesn't do solids at all. Every bit of rice cereal or veggies that go into his little mouth come right back out with a big goofy grin. I guess I'll just keep trying until he starts swallowing. Zeb was eating like CRAZY at this point. He had lots of teeth and was chomping on cheerios. Come on Ike, get on it.




















and speaking of Zeb, here are some of his other 2 year pictures. He's so dang cute- and the photographer is fabulous. I could post every single one but the post would be ridiculously long. I'll post the rest on facebook if anybody wants to see them all!

This is one of my favorites. It is so indicative of our evening. He was done with the night before we even began. He was so sick of my antics and attempts to try and make him smile.
We took the pictures at a park right near our house (sidecut) and there were so many great places! we only had one near catastrophe. Zeb chucked percy into the river in one spot and I had to jump in after him.And I just like this one because he's hot and sweaty and tired.

And here's my favorite little rugrat, happy Zeb. I love his natural smiley face.

more water pics.

I'm always finding something new and fabulous here in Toledo. Today we went (thanks to a bunch of guest passes) to the JCC/YMCA outdoor pool for playgroup. It was PERFECT. They have the most wonderful little kiddie pool that's all fenced in and separate from the regular pool. it was so nice. The water is waist level for all of the kiddos- and there are buckets of water toys to play with. Plus- the kiddie pool has it's own lifeguard to keep watch on our rugrats.

We stayed for almost three hours and Zeb was in heaven. He had soooo many friends to play with- and lots of space for when he didn't want to play with anyone at all :)

We don't have a Y pass- but once winter rolls around and I can't run outside anymore I may be getting one. You can't beat the cheap student price (17ish/mo) that includes FREE childcare!

oh- if only.

If there were ever a time I wish we had family here in Toledo- it's now. We need a babysitter from 12-3 AM. There is nothing I want more than to be going to the midnight showing of Harry Potter tonight with Kent. Yeah, we're nerds- big deal. We don't do movies at the theater almost ever- but this is HARRY POTTER and worth every last cent of the ten plus dollars the tickets cost. We'll see it soon I'm sure- but it's just not the same as seeing it opening night at midnight. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

When we say the word "stinky"- Ike breaks into fit of laughter. It's one of the few things that makes him really laugh!

he may be crawling soon!

Rugrat #2 LOVES to be on his stomach. He likes to scoot and squirm and try to steal his brother's trains too. He's on track to be an army crawler just like rugrat #1. I hope he learns to regular crawl instead, though. Zeb's clothes got SOOOOOOOOO dirty from being dragged all over the place. At least with crawling- the dirt and muck is localized to knees and hands.




He is also getting so big so fast. I think he looks like a monster baby in this picture. It took him awhile to chunk up but he's been packing on the pounds lately. He woke up this week and seemed to have totally outgrown all of his clothes and diapers. Looks like we're moving up in the baby world.