Inner tubing

We decided to go tubing on our trip to NC. I knew Chris, me and Nick were going. Wasn't sure if my folks were up for it and if Peri was allowed. Turns out the water never gets deeper than your thighs and anyone can do it! Think that surprised Mom-Mom a bit, as she hadn't dressed for tubing. But she was a trooper and hopped right in with her clothes on. Nick and I got in next in our double tube, since he was a little small for the big tube and still had his cast on (wrapped in all sorts of plastic gadgets). Chris was next, but we heard some high pitched noises and turned to find him cringing and trying to get back out of the inner tube. Did I mention the water was VERY cold? Pop-Pop just stood there laughing and not helping Chris much. Pop-Pop was the end of our chain, but our chain never started, as PP lost his Terps flip flop after 3 minutes in the water. After a few minutes of searching C spotted the red flip and we were on our way.

Chris and Nick were not impressed with the tubing experience. Nick kept saying "I'm scared. I want to go back!" Chris was holding Peri in his tube and had looks of panic every time he saw any ripples of water ahead. I finally took Peri in my big tube and gave Nick a stick to "fight off snakes". Nick was finally enjoying it when we spotted our end spot on the bank. Next time...

12 Hours

These are the faces of a family very happy to be on vacation.

Best way to entertain a 5 1/2 yr old in the car for 12+ hours? DVD player? Maybe, but we didn't get one in time. Singing? Yep, that works for a while. Sugar? Well, that always works, but the crashes are hell. Scotch tape? Oh yes. Miracle of miracle toys. Hours of entertainment. Inexpensive and can be purchased at gas stations along the way. Apparently little boys LOVE to tape stuff. Next bday gift we have to buy for a kid, I'm going with a box of tape.

Best way to entertain an 11 month old in the car for 12+ hours? Have a baby Peri. Rockstar. The only time she gave us trouble was after lunch at Chik-fil-A (love the south!) when we tried to put her back in her carseat. But that's understandable after all that time!

Grandma's House

We took a road trip to Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's house in NC for a little visit last week. Perfect weather. Lots of good food. Plenty of laughs and fun.

Nick was in heaven with his bestest bud, Pop-Pop. They watched a lot of dinosaur movies and played in the jacuzzi. Can't remember if they made it to the golf cart this time.

Peri ate her weight in blueberries and enjoyed the fresh mountain air from the back porch.


Chris and I enjoyed a kids-free hike to the highest point east of the Mississippi - Mount Mitchell. We accidentally got off the trail at one point, got scared, made our way back to the trail to find some huge bear poop. Luckily we never met the bear.

Milkshake

How do you teach a baby to drink from a straw? Make sure it's connected to a strawberry milkshake. Nick thought it was cute and funny. Until he realized it was his shake she was learning on.

Game Ball

Poor Nicky can't run until he gets his cast off. Two more weeks! (and then they reasess and might give him a soft cast!) He's still been going to T-ball practice and games, bc that's just what you do when you're part of a team. On Saturday coach gave out two game balls - one to the best player and one to Nick for showing up to cheer his team on! (even if it was me threatening him to "get on that bench or else" at the beginning of practice)

Moving

Look who's crawling! It's been going on a week or so, but I finally got it on tape.




Riding her horse (mom's legs) brings such joy. Hard to tell here, but when I stop, she pauses and then jumps a little to let me know she's ready again.

Like the hair? A super hot night followed by a day of rain brought out some adorable curly hair.

Graduation

Poor Nick ended up being first in line for graduation because of his broken wrist. The singing numbers are heavy into the arm motions. So he was the first one on stage. And followed their directions to a tee. WALK SLOW. Wow. Wish he'd listen to us like that at home.



Here's one of the singing numbers. I have more for whoever wants them :)




I wish you could hear his speech. For anyone listening, I need a new flip video for Christmas. Unless you're name is Chris and then I want jewelry.

Another cute baby

Sweet baby face.

Graduation

Wanted to get a few photos of the new graduate online. They all walked out one by one. VERY slowly. The director of the school gave a speech about "we were with you when you learned to say your name and first learned to walk!". Made me cry.

They gave them papers to read their speeches from, even though most of them can't read- ha!

"Hi. My name is Nicholas N. I'm in room 5. I'm 5 yrs old. My favorite thing to play is Konnects. My favorite things to work on is writing. In the fall I'm going to Coonley School. When I grow up I want to be a race car driver"

Cute

Nothing to report today but a cute baby...almost 11 months old! How the time flies.

Bike the Drive

For Christmas this year, Chris bought me "Chicago Experiences". A membership to the Art Institute, tickets to the John Hancock observatory (live here 9 years and have never been!), a few I'm blanking on (but bet they were good and memorable!) and tickets to Bike the Drive!

Every year they shut down the 15 miles of Lake Shore Drive (road that runs along the lake) and let bikers have it as a bike trail for the morning. At the time, we thought it would just be the two of us biking like old times. But 5 months later found us the night before - unprepared and quickly trying to tune-up C's bike, find Nick's bike helmet, find who sells infant helmets, buy an infant helmet, buy Nick another helmet bc we can't find his, find a kiddie trailer and get biking!


We got out onto the drive and wow-freedom! It was awesome. Peri wasn't too happy about wearing her helmet. Even when we explained that daddy bought her the one with cupcakes on it! Nick was into it and was our photographer for the morning.


Looking forward to making it a Memorial Weekend tradition.

Broken Bones

My side of the story:

Peri and I were off to get groceries. I let C know I was taking his keys and mine because I needed the stroller out of his car and the recyclable bags out of mine. And was too lazy to bring the keys back inside once I was outside. I also couldn’t find my cell phone, so was heading out unreachable for a while. No biggie.

Get into the grocery store and have a basket loaded up with some yummy berries and yogurt. Hear a page of “Will Heather Nordwill, please come to Customer Service. Heather Nordwil”. Hmmm-is that me? “Heather? There’s a gentleman on line 1 who’d like to speak with you” Get the line to find Chris in a panic about the car keys. “I told you I was taking them all – what’s wrong?” “Nick – he broke his wrist. I have to get to the hospital. I’m taking a cab!” “No, no, calm down, put ice on it and I’ll be there in 10 minutes”. Yes, I did briefly wonder if I should buy the basket of groceries. BRIEFLY! I did not. Left it at a counter telling the man I was leaving it and was so sorry.

Me, flip flops, 90 degrees, stroller, RUNNING home. Running, then stopping to walk a bit. Running, then walking. Flip flops and a stroller are killer! Peri meanwhile is enjoying the wind ride and has her bowl of apple turned up so apples are flying on either side of the stroller as we run.

Get home to find Nick looking scared on the couch, Chris ready to roll and the contents of my purse strewn across the entry floor. Nope, the keys weren’t in there!. “Are you sure it’s broken?” was not answered until Nick finally piped up from the back seat “It’s all bendy”. Ugh.

Chris’ side of the story:

Finished watching the Blackhawks win. Had just put a load of laundry in when Nick said he wanted to go back outside in the pool. Was folding one more item when I heard “thump, thump, thump” down the basement stairs. Found Nick at the bottom crying. Not sure how he got up on the couch, but he was there while I ran around yelling “WHERE ARE THE KEYS? WHERE THE F&*(K ARE THEY KEYS. F&(*K F(&K F&(K!” Tried calling 911, but couldn’t dial straight. Tried 411 to find Heather. “TRADER JOES CHICAGO, IL!” “C H I C A G O , I L T R A D E R J O E S”. Found Heather. She’s on her way. Look outside “WHAT? Both cars are here? She walked?! She better be getting a cab here! F(*^K F(*&K”. Finally sat down with Nick on the couch since that's what he really needed.

Nick’s side of the story:

“I was climbing up the stairs and down the stairs and then I fell down the stairs”.

One trip to the ER and all is well. Bone is set. Found out it's the most commonly broken bone in the body - who knew? We got to see Nick on narcotics (street name Special K). He told us the tubes in his hand shot fire, ice and dinosaur acid. But that may have been before the drugs…He's in a cast for 6 weeks, is done with his t-ball, hockey and never-even-started-swimming-lessons for the season. Nick is fine. Only complaining he's done is about the itching.