Lightening Doesn't Strike Twice?

It's official. Ian is not allowed to go to any sporting events with Matthew EVER again. It's not that Matthew is negligent. He doesn't let him run amuck, he does not overload him on junk food (much), and no one has ever had to make an announcement for Matthew to come pick up Ian at the Guest Services booth. He is attentive, vigilent, and nurturing. What I am about to tell you is out of his control. Ian has a target painted on the top of his head, and luckily, no one has hit the bullseye--yet!

Some of you may have heard this story but I have to tell them again simultaneoulsy for the WOW factor. Matthew and his boss took Ian and his son Max to a Ranger's baseball game a couple of months ago. While feasting on hot dogs and enjoying a well deserved boys trip, the unthinkable happened. Seated just slightly to the side of home plate, a foul ball came whizzing staight toward Matthew's unsuspecting charge(Matthew said it went so fast it sounded like a zipper). Before, he could even react the ball grazed Ian's ear, hit his chair, bounced off the man's stomach behind Ian (as the story goes on you will hear no more detail about said man -he was fine-Ian's ear and chair slowed the ball) and was caught by a fan in the next section over. If it can have that many things slowing it down and still make it the distance that it did, you can only image how fast that ball was going (or what it would have done to Ian's beautiful, albeit sturdy, head). This all happened in a split second. Needless to say it scared the corny dogs out of Ian, and he became hysterical. No one knew if he had been hit. The batter for the Seahawks (who shall remain nameless) stepped off the plate, the game paused, thousands of people sat silent, and the paramedics came rushing (I am NOT exaggerating). Oh, did I forget to mention that just a few days before this incident a person (I think it was an assistant coach) was KILLED by a foul ball. When it was confirmed that he was unscathed and his lovely face was still lovely, the crowd cheered, the batter came to check on Ian, and the person who had caught the ball

brought it to Ian. With all eyes on him, Ian threw the ball back on to the field. Did they really expect him to keep this weapon of his almost mass destruction? Everyone laughed and cheered and the batter retrieved the ball for Ian. Again he threw it back out. Seriously, what did they not understand? He eventually wound up with the ball, and Matthew hightailed it out of there to call me and assure me in case I had been watching. I had not. When I heard the story I cried, and immediately thanked God for reaching down into that baseball field and putting a helmet of protection on my son's little head.

Fast forward to December 5th. Matthew had some fabulous tickets to a Stars hockey game, and he decided to take Ian for some quality guy time. I tried sugggesting friends, family, my friends spouses, neighbors, the produce guy at Tom Thumb. Matthew would have nothing of it. He wanted his son to see a hockey game. Up close. Right before they left last night, I asked innocently, "So where are your seats?" Matthew looked at me, knowing what I was thinking, and swallowed hard.

"The third row," he said as he turned and pushed Ian out the door before I could object.

Stay calm, deep breaths. It won't happen twice right? RIGHT?

Matthew assured me. It's behind tall plexiglass. If it goes that far up, it won't fall in the third row right? WRONG!

The story is not that dramatic though. The puck did not hit his perfectly shaped head, it bounced off of the guy next to him, and into the next section. Who do you think they brought the puck to? That's right, Mr. Lucky, Ian Scott. Again, we thank God and his angels for Ian's little helmet! Unfortunately, Ian is going to think he gets to bring home the game ball (or puck) everytime he goes to a sporting event. One thing is for sure, Matthew is not taking him to any Nascar events anytime soon!

Advent Season

Reagan's looking for a little reassurance.

She's prefers Santa from a distance.

Although we were going for a family moment here, I think the sheer weight of the children was overwhelming Santa's lap. He asked me several times in disbelief to confirm their ages. Maybe we'll just have to go for the tree shot for a Christmas card.
Well, I won't waste anyone's time with lame explanations for my severe lapse in logging. That's life! Speaking of life, ours has been busy. We spent the majority of November trying to get everyone well at the same time. We were successful (barely), just in time for our trip to St. Louis to see my family. I drove with the kids and stayed for ten days. Matthew flew in the day before Thanksgiving and was able to stay until Saturday. We had some great time with family and friends. I was able to see my good friend Robyn and her beautiful little boy, Drew. We went to dinner with our friend Dan and met his girlfriend. I'm quite sure that Dan and I bored Matthew and Tina to death with memories and funny (according to us) stories of our memories from high school. At least he didn't bring the "Whiz Bang Book". For those of you who remeber that, you know it would have dragged the night out that much longer. I wonder if it's even still in existence.

We spent so much quality time with my mom, my Grandma, Kiki and Uncle Clay, Uncle Scott & Aunt April, and Shelby. It was really a great reunion for the McClain family!

Now we are ready to swing into the Christmas Season. I am trying to take some quality time every day in order to start new traditions, carry on some traditions from the past few years and instill in my children what was so sacred to me in my Christmas memories. I know it seems cliche, but this truly is a time of wonder for Ian, and I can tell it will be the best Christmas we have had thus far.

May everyone have a truly wonderful Advent season and take time to truly reflect on what we are celebrating.

Frequent Flyer

Matthew and I have a running joke about our kids and the pediatrician. Every time we take the kids in for an appointment we ask if they can punch our frequent flyer card. We are quite sure that they refer to us as "frequent flyers" because quite frankly we there a lot...A LOT. If only they knew that we also happen to be earning reward points at Care Now, or as Matthew calls it "Doc in a Box".
So how is that in an open room with plenty of space to roam a toddler can find the exact spot to trip that will land her chin directly on the side of the table? She couldn't hit the cushions, rubber balls, or fluffy quilts that can be found throughout the room. Of course, now that I think about it, maybe all of that stuff in one room is the reason that she tripped in the first place.
Let me tell you something about Reagan Marie. She is one tough cookie. After laying an inch long gash in her chin, she cried of course. Then she helped me find my keys to get to the doctor. Her brave attitude was all I needed to get my hands to stop shaking and take care of the matter at hand. It's pretty hard to be shaken up when the victim doesn't even seem to care. All she needed was a little liquid stitch (and four grown people to hold her down), and she was good to go. She is such a trooper, and everyday that I am around her she inspires me to be strong and not let the little things get to me.

my list

My friend, Jo posted this and it cracked me up. Please do yours on the replies if you have time.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)

Chancy Durango

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

Strawberry Snickerdoodle (I'd get shot on my first day)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)

D-sco (I like it, sounds kind of like disco which is super-fly)

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)

Pink Chimp (that would be so cool if I like panthers)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)

Leigh St. Louis

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)

Sco-Da

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)

The Red Coffee

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)

Johnny Floyd

9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)

Allure Reese's
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )

Joyce Eugene

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)

Harmon Hartford

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)

Autumn Hydrangea

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)

Peach Underpantsie (It is the funniest thing I have on, not all I have on)

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)

Omlette Oak

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)

The Shopping Snow Tour

Enjoy!

Where, oh where, did September go?

I'm baffled. What happened? Did someone slip something in my morning coffee? How did this whole month fly by without notice? I have strayed from my lofty plans to blog at least once a week. I'll have to reach into the recesses of my mind and try to remember all that has happened between September 3rd and now. I'd love to start with the most important first!

-Ian is five! With his birthday came all of his expectations of what it means to be five. Some are comical to say the least. Apparently, he was told by a boy at school that he could not play checkers with them because he wasn't five. This was about two weeks before his birthday. He woke up early on September 19th, gave me a half-awake smile and said, "Mommy, I'm five. I can play checkers now."


Seriously, is this the hope that he has been holding onto for the last few weeks? I hope he goes to school and shows that little boy who the checker king is! Sorry, not appropriate? Apparently, being five also means he needs me a little less. This is what I've waited for. I should be thrilled, right? Wrong! It's hard to hear him say, "Mommy, I'm five now. I'll do it myself." But I am so proud to see his confidence grow and watch him stretch his own limits just to see if he can do it. Five looks good on him...most of the time.

The down side of five? Just one little phrase which requires immediate attention and an inevitable showdown. "I'm five so I'll do what it is I want to do!". No tears, no screaming, just a matter of fact statement, like he got some memo that was negligently left out of my packet. Doesn't he realize that I'm twenty-nine and I still haven't gained that privilege.

Anyway, here are a few shots from his mini-party at Chuck E. Cheese. I know my limits. I can only handle an outing of such magnitude with a small amount of people, so we asked our good friends Andrew and Ryan to join us.



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-Next, Reagan is officially potty trained! WOO-HOO! There's not a lot of detail to add to this. All I did was put her in big girl pants and stay home for three days. We went every fifteen minutes, she had a couple of accidents, and then she grew tired of cleaning up! Enough said. I do, however, have to give my father-in-law some credit. We were at his house the day before we started all of this, and when I was changing her diaper, he said, "Are you a big girl, or are you a baby?" Next thing I know, she was asking me to where big girl pants! Thanks, Grandpa.

-My sister and I have been working on wedding plans! Kelley and Clay are getting married on May 23rd in Livermore, CA. Kelley asked me to be involved in the planning since this is a destination wedding and Matthew has extensive knowledge of both the area and the wineries in California. It has been so fun thus far, if not just a little bit stressful (for her, not me). She originally wanted to do her wedding in Napa, but it is so rare for wineries to have licenses to hold weddings, that we were running into ridiculous obstacles. So we found this beautiful Bay Area winery in Livermore called Murrieta's Well which is a part of Wente Vineyards. They will be married outside overlooking the beautiful vineyard. Then she will have a cocktail hour followed by a four course dinner with wine pairings! We are so excited!

- I know Matthew will be disappointed that this came last in my list, but football season is finally here. The Cowboys stand 4-0. Thank God! There is much Romo love going on in this house. There are equal fuzzy feelings for Wade Phillips. Goodbye, New Jersey con-man! We are definitely seeing Stars around this house!

We are definitely excited for the month to come. My mom, Granna, will be flying in on Friday night. Ian and Reagan will have uninterrupted Granna time for five days as Matthew and I head off to celebrate our sixth anniversary. We are headed to Napa (where we honeymooned). Here are some great pics from our original, unforgettable stay in Napa.

A Little Too Much Temptation

Being just days away from turning five, sometimes it is very hard to decipher if Ian's musings are sweet and innocent or if he has inherited his mother's (and father's) sarcasm. Yesterday, while visiting Matthew's dad (Papa), there was one very clear rule outlined for the children. Don't touch the glass table. It is a pedastal table with an extremely heavy glass top that is not anchored by anything but it's weight. If the kids lean on one end the "see-saw effect" takes over and the glass tilts toward them. If it were to continue on its slide downward (which has never happened) there would surely be a loss of digits or at least serious injury to said digits. We usually take the glass off, but there is a reverence for the table now, so it did not seem necessary. Enter Child Protective Services-stage left. But seriously...
So I left the room to chat with my family and I hear the dull thud of the right side of the glass returning to its rightful place on the pedastal. I sprinted to the next room with the speed of an Olympic athlete to find the tabletop slightly askew and Ian's face flush with a "That could have been really bad" expression on his face.
"What did I say was the # 1 rule?"
"Yes," he said, his voice shaking a little. "Now what's # 2?"
I think he was actully planning on breaking them one at a time.
Thankfully, it is almost time to go back to preschool. Reagan is going into her two year old class with all of her buddies from last year. They are absolutely adorable! And Ian is off to Pre-K! It is unbelievable to me.
And of course, I am back to teaching Music & Movement with my good friend and teaching partner, Alyssa. Here's an assignment for anyone who's ever been involved in a Mommy & Me Music class. We are offering a twenty minute Mommy & Me session each week to the mothers of our youngest group of kids (12 - 18 mo). This is the first time we have led a group like this, and we have a lot of basic ideas. If anyone has had a creative activity that sticks out in their mind, feel free to post it under comments. The majority of these kids are 12 months and barely walking just to give you an idea of their skill set (which includes what appears to be an attempt at inhebriated stumbling). Thanks in advance!

The joys of parenting

I think my brother-in-law, Brian, said it best when he said, "Parenting is moments of sheer joy interrupted by moments of sheer terror." It's so true! When we all came back from Florida we had this nagging cough, low-grade fever, chest cold thing. Reagan's fefver kept coming back every two or three days, so I took her to the doctor. She has pneumonia! What?!?!?!
She really is doing okay though. She has had two doses of her antibiotic and is already looking and feeling much better.
Her x-rays were a kick. I told her they were taking her picture, so every time the lady would get ready to take the x-ray, Reagan would scrunch her eyes shut, knod her head like I Dream of Jeanie and yell click. Thirty x-rays and a questionable amount of radiation later, we had our diagnosis. She really does crack me up.

Flash Cards & Cookies on the Lido Deck

I feel like I have fallen into a trap that I know is very common for stay at home moms. I am constantly scheduling activities that will either stimulate my childrens' brains to the fullest extent, expand their social skills with other kids, expose them to new and interesting forms of expression, or just trying to wear them out for a successful naptime. Unfortunately, I have created a monster. Every morning this summer my son lovingly looks up at me and inquires, "So, where are we going today?".
First of all, it's 150 degrees outside, so we can't go anywhere outdoors between the hours of 7am and 6pm. That leaves us with the rousing prospect of watching the sunrise or the sunset. Trust me, Reagan is not amused. So that brings me to look at my husband desperately as he leaves for work and beg, "Give me some ideas of where we could go. What can we do?"
Matthew, as always, puts it in perspective. "You are not their cruise director. You're the mom. No pressure."
Deep breath. That's right! I don't have to have something awe inspiring planned every day. Remember how we could play for hours as children with a large box, some sidewalk chalk or a hose? We were like the miniature McGuyver's of the 80's. I've realized that sometimes I am actually doing my children a disservice by not letting them rely on their imaginations and a day in the house as they learn to ENTERTAIN THEMSELVES.
I know it's not a new idea, but sometimes it just helps to hear that it's okay to just let them do their thing.
So when does preschool start back up again?