Project 365 - Day 60

So I totally forgot about this being a leap year when I started my Project 365. In reality this should be called project 366! Oops! I debated calling today "bonus day" in my count, but I think I'll just stick with the numbers in order and have a bonus day at the end!

Evan & Daddy having a conversation at the top of the stairs.

Project 365 - Day 59

Evan loves his stall shower. We haven't really used it, but the boys bathtub is getting too crowded so we started splitting them up. The look on his face just made me laugh.

Project 365 - Day 58

This month in Shaun's preschool class they are learning about pets, different types of pets, and how to care for different animals. They even have a "vet office" area set up in the classroom. A couple weeks ago in class they made doctor bags. I had put it aside and came across it today while organizing the kitchen. Shaun showed him his doctor bag and pointed out the stethoscope. That is when Charlie got out his stethoscope and the boys got a little lesson on the heart this morning!

Here is David checking out Daddy's heart.

Project 365 - Day 57

Yesterday my niece turned 5! Being the only girl in the family means I get to spoil her with lots of cute outfits that I don't get to buy otherwise being a mother of boys!

First Ever Trip to the ER

Considering I have been a mother for 5 1/2 years now, I feel pretty lucky that today was my first trip to the ER. But I knew it was only a matter of time before it happened and that day came today when a very excited Evan ran face first into a skee ball machine. He knocked his front teeth a little out of place and split his lip pretty bad. Charlie was on call at his hospital and I was in MA with my mom and sister watching my nephew bowl.

I called Charlie right away and tried to get his opinion over the phone on whether he thought we needed to take him to the hospital. We knew the ER wouldn't be able to do anything for his teeth but I was still a little concerned about his lip. We tried to call the dentist but couldn't get a hold of anyone. I finally got Evan calm and took him out to the van and put on a movie. I was able to get a good picture of his lip and sent it to Charlie (thank you smart phones and technology!)

The picture we sent to Daddy

At this point it was starting to look better and the last thing I wanted to do was take him to a busy ER loaded with sick people unless it was absolutely necessary.

Charlie called me back and said it looked worse than he thought and since he was working at the hospital today he said he would go down to his ER and talk to one of the doctors to get an opinion. Once we got the confirmation that his lip probably should be stitched we headed over to Exeter Hospital (since it was closer than driving all the way to Concord and that way my mom and sister could stay with me and help with David & Shaun.

When we arrived there was no one there and we didn't have to wait long. Evan was in good spirits checking out his surroundings and enjoying the kids area of the waiting room.

Hanging out in the waiting room

Angry Birds to take the edge off!

We got called into the triage area and then fairly soon after that they came to take him to a room. They gave him a coloring book and some crayons and we waited for the doctor to come in and take a look.

Following the nurse to his room

Waiting to be seen and being such a great sport!

Checking out the TV

Coloring to kill time

The doctor confirmed what the doctor at Concord had said about the stitches and confirmed what Charlie had said about the teeth. He gave me a couple options on how to go about the procedure. The pain free option sounded the best but it would have required us to wait at least 30 minutes before starting and he was already so tired and so ready to just leave. So I opted to have him get a quick shot of lidocaine which would hurt a little but would have him numbed up for the procedure in 30 seconds as opposed to 30 minutes. He was restrained using a papoose board so that he wouldn't move around and once the lidocaine was administered the doctor was done in about 10 minutes. He ended up getting seven stitches and orders to see a dentist on Monday and to limit all active play and running around to NONE!  Oh boy, that should be interesting!

In any case, we were signing the discharge papers in less time than it would have taken to do the numbing gel, so I was very happy with my decision to not sit around and wait or try and put him under.  Evan was a champ, he did so good and he was very ready to see his brothers and head home!

The shirt says it all!  What a champ!

Project 365 - Day 56

I consider myself a lucky Mommy because today was my first trip to the ER since becoming a mother 5 1/2 years ago. Evan got into a fight with a skee ball machine and the skee ball machine won. Here is my little champ after getting 7 stitches.

Project 365 - Day 55

I bought this basket at Target today and Evan decided it was a nice place to chill out.

Project 365 - Day 54

This morning I dropped David off at school and it was raining. About an hour later, with the trees still dripping from rain, the sun decided to make an appearance. It's one of the coolest effects of nature. I absolutely love the way the sun glistens off the raindrops and I couldn't grab my camera fast enough to capture it. Of course it's not as stunning as it is in real life, but you can still get the sense of the clouds in the background and the sun shinning through.

Project 365 - Day 53

Shaun enjoying his dinner, and me having a little fun in the digital dark room with a neat 1970 preset that I fine tuned.

Project 365 - Day 52

Shaun swam a little all by himself today and went all the way under water!!

Project 365 - Day 51

Evan's first time bowling! He lasted 8 frames before he was done and said "buh, byes" his way of telling me it's time to go home.

Project 365 - Day 50

Our swamp. When we bought the house we didn't know were were also buying a swamp. It was March but the yard was buried deep in a foot of snow so we didn't see the swamp. But there it is in all it's mosquito haven, buggy, mucky glory. You don't get the sense from this image, but it's a pretty good sized swamp.

Since we're now pretty sure that we're stuck with the swamp, our plan is to start working on landscaping it in the hopes that we can make it less swampy and more pond like with a possible fountain to keep the water moving, preventing it from being a mosquito breeding ground. And maybe, turn it into something the boys will be able to skate on! Now all we needs is the warmer weather and we can start figuring out our plans!

Project 365 - Day 49

Nothing but net!

Project 365 - Day 48

Another unseasonably warm day and the ice sheets are melting so we took advantage by stopping over at the playground behind the building where David's music class is. Here is David drawing in the dirt.

Project 365 - Day 47

This is a classic Evan face and it cracks me up every time I see him make it!

Project 365 - Day 46

David's school makes it a point to not celebrate specific holidays by name so instead of a Valentine's Day party they will be having a Friendship Party on Friday! David hard a work, writing out his Friendship Cards! He worked really hard to hand-write all the names of his classmates just as his teacher asked.

Project 365 - Day 45

All You Need is Love & Lollipops! Happy Valentines Day!

I Heart Faces ~ Hearts (day 44)

There is nothing like a heart shaped lollipop to make everything all better!

Click on the button below to see all the wonderful entries in this weeks I Heart Faces Hearts challenge!!

Project 365 - Day 43

Today we took the boys to get haircuts! Surprisingly the love to go but I think it has more to do with the lollipop they get after than the actual haircut! Today's picture is the before and after!

Project 365 - Day 42

Valentine's Day celebration #1 ~ This morning (bright and early!) the boys and I headed south to our old stomping grounds for a Valentine's Day brunch in our jammies! We had a blast, as always, Miss Sally put together a wonderful celebration! The boys were really excited to give and receive Valentine cards and treats as well as being able to see their old friends!

Project 365 - Day 41

One of the boys household responsibilities is to bring in the recycling bins and the trash barrel from outside after school on Fridays. Today Evan wanted to help too! When David ran over to assist him, he looked at him and said "No! Me do!" I wonder if I can get him to start doing his own laundry now too!

Project 365 - Day 40

David has been begging me all year to ride the bus to school, but I still have to drive Shaun in three days a week. I thought about letting the bus pick him up on Mondays and Thursdays when Shaun doesn't have school until I found out that he'd have to be at the bus stop by 6:55am! NO THANKS! I'm lucky I can get them all out the door by 7:30 (the absolute latest I can leave my house to make it on time) most days! And since I am at the school on days that Shaun's not in class at the Family Center playgroup, he doesn't get the opportunity to ride the bus home either.

So this is the next best thing! On Monday & Thursday I just drop him off and let him walk in all by himself. I wave goodbye from the car and watch him head off to school. So independent! I think he's happy with the compromise, though he does ask me all the time how soon until he's in first grade because he knows then at the very least he'll be able to ride the bus HOME!

Project 365 - Day 39

Shaun was very excited this morning when David helped Shaun beat the level he was stuck on.

Project 365 - Day 38

Where is Evan? Tuesday afternoons is swimming lessons for the older two, so Evan and I will read books and play silly games while cheering on David & Shaun while they swim. Today we played peek-a-boo with his hat.

Project 365 - Day 37

The bonds of friendship! David and Maddie have known each other since birth, and even though they only get to see each other a few times a year, they always pick up right where they left off.

Project 365 - Day 36

SUPERBOWL BABY! GO PATRIOTS!

Project 365 - Day 35

He shoots, he scores! David is having a blast right now learning how to play basketball. He needs to work on dribbling and the concept of playing defense, but he's a great shooter! Here he is making a great shot!

Report Cards!

Early last week David & Shaun came home with their very first report cards, and I am happy to say they are both doing outstanding! Shaun is exactly where he should be for his age level and David is as well, receiving scores at or above level in each area! Yesterday I went in for their teacher conferences and both their teachers confirmed that they are both doing extremely well in school this year! They were so proud of themselves and we are proud of them too!

Working on his homework journal for February

Answering the questions

Beginning writing for Shaun, sill not sure if he will be a "righty" or a "lefty".  

We're going to start working on his name at afternoon Homework Time!

Finished tracing!  Practice makes perfect!

Project 365 - Day 34

These days, unless it's around the Holidays, checking the mail is not very much fun. Our mailbox is just filled every day with junk, credit card pre-approvals, various fliers for various businesses, and on occasion mail for the two previous occupants of this address. Except that 10 times a year I get a special treat in my mail box - my Food Network Magazine!

I have a slight addiction to food magazines, but The Food Network magazine is by far my favorite! Before the move I was forced to downsize my collection, but I still have most (if not all) of my Food Network Magazines since the first issue came out! It's nice to have a spot where I can keep them so the Doc doesn't have to call in the specialists from Hoarders to save me.

Project 365 - Day 33

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Project 365 - Day 32

It only reached about 45 here today but the sun was out and it was warm enough to melt some snow and make some puddles to play in. After splashing around in the puddle at the end of the walk way for a while and trudging through the crunchy snow the boys asked to go for a walk down to the cul-de-sac behind our house. They ran around the circle a few times and had fun kicking snow down into the water drain. And then it was time to walk back home!