Say what?!

Beau:  "No, you first." 

This morning Beau rushed to the door as we were about to leave, opened it for Billy and I and ushered us out the house like a little gentleman.  We are obviously doing something right. 

Feet don't fail me now!

Now that the jig is up, Charlie is a walking machine.  He's a maniac walking all over the house from room to room.  The video above was actually cut short as I had to be near him as he crawled up the stairs.  He's EVERYWHERE!

He's usually pretty noisy, often carrying a bat so that he can hit everything in his path.  (If you listen closely you can hear him saying, "Bam!  Bam!" in the video.)  But sometimes, he's pretty stealthy - sneaking up on you when you least expect it.  I love that he's walking now.  He loves that he is walking now.  All in all, the Brian residence is much happier these days. 

Odds and Ends

We are tired at the Brian residence...

It's summer time and we are just blowing and going.  Here's some highlights from the last month or so. 

Yep, this about sums up the trip.

The boys had off for Memorial Day (and the Friday before...weird, no?) and so did I. Since Billy was stuck in the office I called up good ole Paw Paw and asked if he wanted to tag along to the Aquarium.  He agreed and the trip went as expected. 

One thing Beau loved - BIRDIES.  He even fed them by himself without freaking out. 

Charlie was everywhere, wanting to see and touch - and if we would have let him - eat everything he saw.  Beau panicked and screamed and decided maybe he didn't care for fishes so much afterall. 

Yes, I do think I'll have a bite of that dressed cheeseburger.  This kid eats EVERYTHING.

But, hamburgers and ice cream cones make everything better.  And the day was a success. 

Birdie watching.

By the way, Beau is obessesed with birds.  He can name about five different species and can spot them from 100 yards away.  It's quite impressive.  The other morning I saw him standing by our window with his toy shotgun.  He yelled out, "Pale!  Pale!"  (Yes, I know.  Weird.  But that's his "gun" noise.  We've tried to teach him better to no avail.)  I asked what he was doing.  And he very calmly told me, shooting birdies.  Billy was so proud.  (PS - the below video may have been recorded over a month ago.  I'm admittedly a bit behind.) 

Charlie is a walking machine.  I am so relieved.  It's not that I thought he was developmentally delayed, it's just that...well, he's heavy. I was tired of carrying him around.

As some of you know, Beau called Cheerios reindeer food.  It's my fault really.  But now, he calls Honey Nut Cheerios "Daddios".  I don't know where that came from but it makes me smile everytime he says it. 

He's getting better at it - honest. 

Charlie now eats with a spoon.  He hasn't quite mastered the skill yet.  But he demands a spoon 100% of the time and he tries his darnedest...with much success...at every meal. 

In September we are taking Beau to Billy's cousin's wedding in Austin, Texas.  Actually, Beau is IN the wedding.  He's the ring bearer.  We'll be flying to the event and I've already started preparing him for the occasion.  Dee Dee bought Beau a toy airplane to make flying seem fun.  But as of now our conversations go like this: 

Mommy:  "Beau, do you want to fly in an airplane?" 

Beau:  "No.  I don't think so.  Thanks." 

Hmmm...we'll have to keep working on that one. 

Billy got a Big "Fake" Green Egg last month.  He loves it.  I swear he would leave me for the thing.  Honestly, this does not worry me except I don't think he'd be willing to take at least one of the boys with him.  I cannot be a single mom.  But still, I am enjoying his products...



Say What?!

A little conversation I had with Charlie's teacher just before we left for vacation...

Me:  "Ms. Terri!  Charlie walked about eight feet all by himself this morning!"

Ms. Terri:  Blank stare.

Me:  "He's been walking at school already, hasn't he?"

Ms. Terri:  "I'm sorry, honey.  He's been walking here for over a week.  We just assumed he was walking at home too." 

That little turkey, Charlie, apparently has been walking since late-May.  He only recently decided to walk at home.  Or maybe I should say, he only recently got caught walking at home. 

A family vacation (Lapoon style)

We recently took the boys to the beach for the first time.  We've been looking forward to this for quite some time.  Beau, quite frankly, has not stopped talking about the trip for months.  Usually his conversations went a little like this: 

Mommy:  "Beau, want to go to the beach?"

Beau:  "Yea!  We can feed the lions yogurt on the beach?"

Mommy:  "Uh, sure."

But of course, this is the Brian family.  Things cannot go smoothly as planned.  Let's just say running into a pride of lions on the beach would have been more pleasant than some of what we encountered. 

We left Thursday afternoon.  We loaded up the Suburban with all our junk then me, Billy, Beau, Charlie, Maw Maw, Paw Paw and Nan jumped in.  The ride was pretty smooth.  That is until we got about thirty miles out from our destination.  Riding along Highway 59 Charlie got sick.  Very sick.  Know what I learned?  As a mother your first instinct when your child throws up is to catch it.  Yep.  Charlie started yaking and I held my hands out to try and protect him (and the upholstery too).  Alas, I was unsuccessful.  He and I were covered in vomit.  Awesome.  (I did manage to protect the car and all the blankets and pillows surrounding us.  So there's that...) 

We stopped at the nearest gas station and took out the poor, confused baby.  After some serious cleaning with baby wipes and napkins and one costume change (yea, I couldn't get to my clothes so I wasn't so lucky) off we went. 

When we arrived to the beach the weather was just nasty.  We stayed in for dinner, called it an early night and hit the hay praying for better weather the next day. 

Charlie threw up in the middle of the night.  Awesome.

We awoke the next morning to only slightly better weather.  However, Charlie was a significantly happier baby.  Hooray!  Something is going right. 

After a large breakfast (because that's what you do right before you put on your bikini), we ventured downstairs for some fun in the sun (that is tongue in check as we had partly cloudy weather all day long).  But, in the end we had a great time.  It never got too hot and it never rained on us.  Beau LOVED playing in the sand, making sandcastles and destroying other people's creations.  Charlie would have dove headfirst into the Gulf if I would have let him.  A little time in the pool and then we retired upstairs to clean up and go to dinner to celebrate Nan's birthday. 

After a only mildly eventful dinner we got back to the condo and relaxed.  Outstanding.  No rain and no vomit.  It was a successful day.

And then we woke up. 

Torrential downpours had hit the panhandle of Florida and there was no end in sight.  We needed something indoors to do with the boys.  Our best option was the Chuck E Cheese thirty miles away in Pensacola.  No worries - let's go! 

Did I mention there were torrential downpours?  Oh, and fun tidbit of information - on Saturday, Pensacola saw it's largest rainfall since 1887.  1887.  And we were there.  In a car.  With screaming kids.  Awesome.  It took us two hours to get there because all the roads were flooded.  Cars were stranded everywhere.  It was pretty scary.  But, we finally made it to Chuck E Cheese. 

The boys had a blast.  Who cares if the pizza was less than stellar?  We were relatively dry and they were unmistakably happy. 

Then we drove home.  We decided not to even try the back roads and instead took interstate all the way back.  It took us about 30 miles out of the way, but there was no worry about washing away.  Driving down Highway 59 I smelled something...then I heard something.  Like clockwork, out went my hands and Beau delivered - throwing up all over me.  What is it with Highway 59?!  Beau got very sick and was so upset.  Between the vomiting and tears I tried desperately to clean him up.  We stopped at the nearest gas station and performed the same routine.  Once again, I did not get a costume change because I had only brought a change of clothes for the boys.  Awesome. 

Back at the condo the weather had cleared.  Beau had taken some medicine and felt much better.  It was around 6:00 p.m. and the beach was full of people (presumably because everyone had been cooped up all day).  We decided to go for a family walk on the beach.  It was probably the most fun we had the entire time.  We were soaking wet and covered in sand by the time it was all said and done, but we had a blast.  We came home, showered up and put the boys to bed.  It was a good day. 

And then I woke up...at 3:00 a.m...hugging the toilet. The stomach bug had struck.  That little devil! 

The next morning we packed up.  We looked for an alternate route to Highway 59, because REALLY?  Did we want to tempt fate?  Against our better judgment we took Highway 59.  While we stopped for breakfast, Beau got sick again.  But, hey, at least it wasn't in the car. 

We arrived safely in Mandeville in time for a late lunch and a long afternoon nap.  We're all still reeling a bit from the trip.  But I think the good memories will probably outlive the bad...I think. 

Say what?!

"I have skidmarks!  I have skidmarks!"

Thanks, Paw Paw for teaching Beau this new wonderful word.  Because, nothing is more adorable than a toddler screaming about poo.  Again, thanks. 

Odds and ends

It seems like we've been going a hundred miles a minute at the Brian residence and there really is no end is sight! 

All dressed up!

Billy and I just returned from our first extended adults only weekend.  Oh man, we needed that.  Although, I don't think the kids minded being at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's for the weekend either.  We all started Monday morning refreshed. 



Did I mention we had dinner with Bobby?  Ok, so maybe we didn't have dinner with him but we dined in the same restaurant.  Pretty close...

However, I think the boys both grew up so much in our absence.  Beau seems even more articulate than when we left.  Oh, and he learned a new word from Paw Paw...more on that to follow. 

And Charlie, I swear he grew an inch!  Not to mention he picked up some new words of his own - all of which can be repeated in polite company.  "Truck!"  "Stop it!"  "Bam, Bam!"  He may not be as articulate as Beau, but there is no denying what he is saying. 

Where did his fat baby face go???  We were only gone for three days!

Maw Maw and Paw Paw know how to tucker out the kiddos. 

We missed them and they missed us.  Although Beau put on a brave face when I picked him up.  Instead of running to me with tears of joy, he came up to me, hugged me and said, "Now can I have presents?"  Yes, Beau.  Now you can have your presents, turkey. 

Bubble gun?  Don't mind if I do. 

Oh Gosh!

Working 9 to 5

 Ok, so maybe Beau wasn't working 9 to 5 but after he expressed an interest in the hose and spraying everything in sight, Billy and I decided to take advantage of the situation give him a chance to have even more fun! 

First up - washing Mommy's car.  Then, it was on to the garden.  I don't get what the big deal is about child labor.  At least in the Brian family, it is awesome! 

And don't worry...Beau got a reward for his hard work.  I mean, we're not slavedrivers here! 

Say what?!

Mommy:  "Beau, do you have a boo boo on your leg?"

Beau:  "Mommy, do you have a boo boo on your face?" 

Thanks for kicking my ego down a notch, Beau.  I guess maybe I was getting a little smug about my appearance. 

Yesterday I discovered Beau naked in the back yard after he had been playing with his water table...

Mommy:  "Beau, why did you take off your swimsuit?" 

Beau:  "It got wet." 

Touche'.  I guess I will have to explain exactly how swim trunks work. 

Say what?!

"Good job, Mommy!" 

Beau wanted to let me know that I did an excellent job - wiping his butt. 

"Beau, please stop sucking on your toes." 

There are no words for how funky that was. 

The time I lost Charlie

I lost Charlie.  Don't worry.  I found him.  Obviously.  If I hadn't I surely wouldn't have time to blog about it.  I'd be scouring the community looking for him, posting his picture on all available light post real estate.  I'd be on the local news imploring the community to come to our aide and help find this child.  Or maybe I'd be in jail because CPS thought my laissez faire parenting attitude was a little too lai-ssez (see how I did that there?  I love puns.) 

Nevertheless, I lost Charlie.  It was only for about one minute, but man was it an intense minute.  Where did I lose him?  Nope, not in any of the usual places (eg, the grocery store, the mall, the zoo...)  No, I lost him in my bedroom, while I was in there, with the door shut.  I blame it on sleep deprivation.  Sleep deprivation and rather spirited children. 

It was a Saturday and Billy was in the garage escaping the madness working on some shelving.  Laundry was calling, as usual, and so I corralled the boys into our bedroom, turned on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and went about finishing up the folding and the putting way. 

The boys had been chirping away and then I realized, it was quite.  Very quiet.  Too quiet.  I looked over and there Beau sat enthralled by Mickey and Minnie and whatever crazy adventure they were up to that day (I believe it was "dogsitting" Clara Bell's doggie, but that's neither here nor there.)  And then I noticed...Charlie was missing.  I asked Beau, "Where's Charlie?"  He ignored me.  "Seriously, Beau, where's Charlie?"  Again, his selective hearing got the best of him.  I panicked. 

I ran to what I thought would be the most dangerous place in the master bedroom suite (yes, I said "suite" - our bathroom connects to the bedroom) - the water closet. Charlie has recently become quite the climber and I had this vision flash in my mind that I would find him, face first in the commode.  I dashed to the bathroom.  Whew.  No Charlie.  Crap.  No Charlie. 

"Beau, where is your brother!?"  Nothing.  Well, he might have whispered, "O' Toodles!" but that is simply not helpful. 

I checked the tub (yes, he can climb in the tub), the shower, the linen closet.  Nothing.  Then I heard Beau giggling.  And then I heard Charlie's belly laugh.  "BEAU!  WHERE IS CHARLIE!?"  Just giggles.

I turned back to look into the room and Beau was standing, dying laughing.  I'm talking doubled over, hands on his face, can't catch his breath laughing.  But he refused to tell me where his brother was.  Well, Charlie had laughed, so surely he hadn't broken a limb or wasn't bleeding out.  I was a little relieved.  A little. 

So where to check next?  My closet.  Nope.  Billy's closet.  Nope.  Back to the bedroom.  (I realize now that writing like this makes our "master bedroom suite" seem enormous - it's not.  There are just enumerable places for a sneaky little boy to hide.) 

And then I heard the belly laughs again.  "Well, at least he's enjoying this," I thought. 

Exasperated I walked into the bedroom.  "Beau, honey, please tell Mommy where Charlie is."  "Right there."  "Ok, where right there?"  And then finally Beau helped.  He got down on his hands and knees laughing and said, "Mommy, right there," as he pointed under our bed. 

Charlie had managed to "army crawl" his little self under the approximately six inch space beneath our bed boards.  He wasn't stuck by any means, but he apparently thought that his new hiding spot was just magical.  After some coaxing (because let's face it, I certainly couldn't fit under there to get him) he crawling back out, laughing and covered in cobwebs. 

I lost my kid.  And apparently I need to do a much better job at dusting. 

"I said a hip hop, the hippie the hippie, to hip hip hop...

...and you don't stop!"

So what if I'm squinting - we're ALL looking at the camera at the same time!

A little Rapper's Delight, appropriate for Easter, no?  No?  Ok, moving on.  (Sorry, churchs hymns just weren't as catchy for a title...)



Cousins

Well "you don't stop" indeed.  Less than twenty-four hours after we had Charlie's first birthday party the whole crew (minus Tio Luis and Nannny and the boys) was back at the house to celebrate the Risen Lord.  Or, as Beau called him, "My friend Jesus."  How stinkin cute is that?!  (Sidenote:  I often play the "name game" with the boys - you know, "Charlie, Charlie, Bo-Barlie, Banana, Fana, Fo-Farlie..." - well, after going through the rest of the family Beau now asks to, "Do Jesus, Mommy!  Do Jesus!"  You can't make that stuff up.) 

More cousins.  Please note the unbelievably adorable outfits the boys are in - custom made by Dee Dee.  Thanks Dee Dee!



Appropriate - Marc is contently sitting and my boys are about to leap off the sofa.  How I am not 100 lbs from all the running and catching and lifting and stooping I do, I do not know. 

 

GQ.  Go figure - Marc LOVES hats!  The only way I think my boys would wear hats is if I stapled them to their heads.  And no, I'm not planning on doing any stapling any time soon.  Ok, ever. 

Our celebration included excess in all forms...seven different roasts. Yes, SEVEN; and if you were wondering, two veggies... We had an Easter egg hunt with 138 eggs. I guess everyone was worried we wouldn't have enough and so they came equiped with their own loot. And no, they were not all accounted for after the hunt. I'm sure Billy and his lawnmower will be finding the rest over the next few months. And finally, we had enough candy to put any man into a permanent sugar coma. 

With a little assistance, even Charlie was able to participate in the egg hunt!

Marc didn't mind the grass and did a little hunting of his own...

...until he realized it was even cooler to hunt eggs in his sweet ride. 

Got it...oh and this one was full of coins!

It's the perfect egg to beat over Mommy's head.  Don't worry, her wine will dull the pain. 

Ok, so maybe we needed all 138 eggs. 

Why don't we do this everyday!?!

Leave it to Aunt Kelly to provide NO candy to the kids.  :)  Baskets full of goldfish "carrots" and sippy cups full of puffs. 

That's a pretty good bounty right there. 

After the hunt Charlie grilled up a few burgers on his new grill.  Oh, and a phone.* 

Look at the ridiculous amount of baskets and gifts in the background.  It was like Christmas...can we say spoiled? 

Alas, the day did come to an end and everyone went their separate ways.  The boys passed out around 6:30p.m. much to our delight.  And the only question left for Billy and I at the end of the day was, "Should we have had the maid come AFTER our celebration instead of before?"  Oh well.  Happy Easter y'all! 

* In an attempt to avoid any jealous fits of rage by big brother Dee Dee, after giving Charlie his grill, gave Beau a plastic picnic set and a set of veggies and fruits to grill.  These sets also came with knives.  The boys LOVE these knives.  They play with them all the time.  Now, there's something about a knife-wielding toddler...I can't decide if it is endearing (their like my little John Beshes) or terrifying.  Que cera!