Mama & Son Day Out

When I went on maternity leave stopped working (don't even get me started on the distinction there!!) in December, I was lucky to be able to spend several weeks with Kai before Ryder joined us on Feb. 1.  Those weeks, spent together with Kai were amazing.  I had been working part time up until then, but the early mornings (which is when I was at work) was almost when he was in the 'bestest' of moods and would always crave that parental bonding time.  I missed out on that for so long, but for those few weeks up to Ryder's arrival were beautiful weeks - weeks in which Kai and I grew so much closer and had so much fun.

Now that he is a big brother, he not only has a new play mate, but he also has to share.  Share toys, share time and most challenging: share attention.  So, I decided that it was time that Kai and I were going to have some Mama & Kai time.  And yesterday was that day.

A few days ago, he overheard me talking to my best friend when I said "we'll either go to the zoo or the beach, I'll let him decide".  From that moment on, he was all about "Kai and Mama go to zoo and see wild animals!"  For 2 days straight.  Every chance he had.  I guess we were going to the zoo.

We had such a fun time.  It was warm, but it was fun.  We started out at the petting zoo.  For the first few minutes, he was so excited about petting and brushing the goats and the sheep that all he did was run in circles and jump up and down.  When he finally calmed down, the petting and brushing started.

We covered the entire zoo, but the zebras and the giraffes were the big favorites. 

We had lunch and no, it wasn't healthy, but it sure was fun as Kai thoroughly enjoyed double dipping his fries in first the mayonnaise, followed by ketchup, followed by (my favorite) the mayo-ketchup combination. 

And then...[drum roll]: his first soft ice cream cone.

He loved the ice cream.  The cone not so much, but oh well, Mama was happy to help with that.

He even shared this ice cream:

Other than that, we strolled around, played on the play ground, stood under the mist-dispensing-showery-thingies to then cover ourselves with dirt and wood snips, ensuring Mama had some laundry to do upon our return home.

And when we did come home, we were so jacked up on sugar and overflowing with energy that the word 'nap' was momentarily erased from our memory.  We Kai had no clue what it meant, what it stood for or what he was supposed to do with it.  Mama, on the contrary, did have a clue, however, didn't have a chance to execute it.  Oh well.  It was a great day.  Absolutely worth it.

Baby Babblings

I don't remember much these days without writing it down, but I do remember one day last week at dinner, when I said to David (or at least I think I said it, maybe I thought it...oh well, doesn't matter) that we're well into July, but that the temps aren't near as high as they usually are at this time of year.  I think the warm-weather-Gods heard me and thought something along the lines of "We'll teach her a lesson!"  The forecast for today was warm, but not too warm to keep me from going to the zoo with my best friend and the kids.  Nice morning outing, wouldn't ya say?  Not.So.Much.  Hot people!!  Already at 10am when the gates opened!  As in HOT!!  And there I was, with my Flagship (the double stroller) and roughly 60 lbs. in kids' weight.  Hey, no big deal that we had to give up our gym membership.  Momma got her work out pushing the Bulldozer with kids up one hill and up another.  Yes, I said "up" and "up".  There was no down hill in the cards for me.  The only one we encountered was the one when my friend was pushing my stroller.  She wanted to check out how it felt (she's 25 weeks preggers with baby girl #2).

By the time we got to the playground we were all drenched.  And tell me, what is it with the zoo that whenever I go there, I crave an ice-cold Coca Cola?  I don't do soda's.  I do water.  That's it.  Oh oops, I do water and cocktails (5pm my friends!).  Guess what?!?!  The zoo doesn't do Coca Cola!  They only do Pepsi!  I don't want to fall into the Coca Cola vs. Pepsi debate, but I am not a Pepsi person.  I just am not.  Don't like it, won't drink it. Period.  No Coca Cola to be found.  Darn those random cravings!

Long story short: Zoo. Too. Hot. Uncomfortable. Home early.

Over the past 3 days Kai hasn't eaten (much).  He usually eats well and it started to worry me a bit.  But this morning: all the worries were flushed away with the tooth brush water when I realized he was about to cut his 2nd 2-year molar.  That explained everything from the lack of eating, to the fussiness, to the random wakings.  Mommy's mind has been put to ease.

Yesterday marked the day that Ryder started 'talking'.  Not in any language that anyone but him can understand, but it is friggin' funny.  He is so excited about his new-found ability that he won't shut up!  Seriously people, I can easily put him forward to the Speech and Debate Team at my work.  He'll talk everyone under the table. I will leave you with a little clip taken during dinner last night: