So far today Talan has run smack dab into 4 walls.....and 1 person. What is the reasoning for my super-clumsy-high-maintenance-opinionated-boy? He insists on wearing his brothers new T-Bird wrestling hat so low it covers his eyes. I asked him several times if he would like me to fix his hat so he can see, but his response every time has been a violent head shake and a very loud NO! 

This is what it looks like when I ask Talan to look at me...

And this is going to be the reason for Tal's next injury....

One year older and wiser too, happy birthday, to you!

Well, actually it is happy birthday to me! That's right, today I turned 26. I don't feel like I should be that old, but alas birthdays usually make you stare reality in the face, and reality told me I was in fact 26.  Reality has no bed side manner. 

It was a good day. Talan was being a jerk this morning, but then he sat on my lap and we listed to music (Tal of course requested T.I), played Farm Town on Facebook, and watched a couple free TV episodes I downloaded on Itunes. He's never sat so well cuddling on my lap. That's probably why it took me an hour and a half to get him to take a nap. This evening my father in law took us to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Brick Oven. I was stoked to have free dessert. I always look forward to that. 

I always miss Brad when he's gone, but I try to keep busy so I don't have time to sit around and think about him being far away. What good does it do anyway. But, when there are holidays, there's always something missing without him, and I'm usually a little sad on those days. Plus now my dad is gone, and it is that time of year when I would be waiting to see if he was going to call on the right day.  I'm thankful I have my excellent family to keep me laughing. 

Ashton worked very hard for 2 days to make me a garden to put on the wall. It's my favorite present! 

Time to be jealous....this beauty will be showing up on my doorstep soon!  Thanks Love!!

In addition, I will be having a shopping spree at Michael's for all my card making needs (stay away from the Cricut Rebecca! Don't even look at it), as well as an hour long massage (not at Michael's! That would be weird.), I will be able to wear a different pair of flip flops everyday for the rest of the summer (thanks to my totally awesome sister cheez-it!), and...I have a new dress to wear out for my (much needed) date night in October. 

Thanks everyone!

Its started

Isn't it cute when all you want a little kid to do is sit down so they don't fall and crack their head on the ground, and they stare you down and shout NO! Well, I think it is adorable, and I'm so glad Talan has hit the terrible two's so he can make me laugh with his whitty debating skills. (insert sarcasm)

We should have named him Brad Jr.

I'm coming to realize that while Ashton does like to try out different sports, they are not going to be anything he is going to excel at. He's a thinker, and most of the time in sports you just don't have time to sit and think about what to do next. Plus he's just not a really aggressive kid. There is one sport though that I'm finding Ashton takes after his dad. Running. 

Since the weather is warming up there are starting to be more races. This evening Ashton ran in the 1/4 mile run, then later the 1/2 mile run. We are working our way up on the distance slowly. On the 1/4 mile run he was in the first handful of kids, but I'm not sure exactly where because there were a lot of parents blocking my view. However, in the half mile run, he was in 6th place out of around 50 kids. Not too bad for a 6 year old. If he would have sprinted, or not stopped when he saw me right before the finish because he assumed I was the finish line, he would have done even better.

So, this summer Ashton will be learning how to ride a bike without training wheels, as well as learning to swim.  The end result of this? His first Triathlon on August 1st. (100m swim, 1.5 mile bike ride, 3/4 mile run)

Talan's review of the Topeka Zoo

My zoo pass has arrived, and since I have to go to the zoo 5 times for it to pay for itself, we decided to check it out today. This is Talan's first real trip to the zoo. He's been to the DC zoo in his stroller, and a couple times in my tummy, but this is his first trip where he is interested in the animals. 

Upon arriving at the zoo he tried to take his clothes off. Can you blame him? The animals don't have to wear clothes.

Here are Tal's favorite things about the zoo:

Ducks and Geese!

Feeding the goats...

The goat did not catch the piece of food whizzing by his head at 90 mph, but Talan still thought it was amazing and clapped for himself. Note to mom: bring more quarters next time. 

We could have stayed all day at the tigers. 

I think Talan wanted to ride the hippo...

And quite possibly his most favorite of all. The giraffes!

But, there were also some things in the zoo that were absolutely terrifying to Tal. 

Like this line of trees. I had to carry him past them, and he buried his head in my neck. 

This was the closest he would get to the Weeping Willow on the right. 

Although he is standing next to this wood carved bear, it took about 10 minutes of me reassuring him it was fine. 

He would accept no assurance when it came to the tulips. Those things were going to eat him for sure!

I pretty much followed Tal at the zoo. He really wanted to go in the Rainforest, much to my dismay. Its smells horrible in there. Everything is good though because as soon as I opened the door and he saw all the plants he screamed, turned around and ran out. 

This was the first terrifying tree. He wouldn't walk under it. We had to go all the way around. 

He would not touch this metal gorilla sculpture with a 10 foot pole! He was even freaking out when I went near it. 

He was not thrilled about sitting so close to this monkey, but I don't care because they have the same haircut and they needed a picture.

Overall Talan gives the Topeka Zoo 3.5 out of 5 stars. The zoo will get a higher rating as soon as they dig up all the tulips, replace the trees and sculptures with playground equipment, and make the food for the animals free. Better get on that Topeka!

Meet your worst nightmare!

Easter 2009 Recap

The kids finally get to dye eggs the night before the big day. 

Uncle Clint helped Tal not have dye fingers. Talan thought there couldn't be anything more fun that throwing an "ball" into the colored "water", thus sloshing it all about. That's what newspaper is for, right?

The easter bunny brought Talan a basketball hoop since he loves shooting hoops. His favorite thing is to dunk. He is barely tall enough.

Tal's basket:

Ashton's basket

All the baskets lined up and ready for kids. There are 6 baskets for the freakish number of kids inhabiting this house.

The Easter Bunny got these punching balls at Michael's and while they looked great in the package are really freaky when blown up. That bunny is now regretting hitting the dollar isle that day!

Talan's favorite thing in his easter basket. An Elmo dvd!!!

The easter bunny knows Ashton really well and brought him the most perfect present from all the hospital trips this year. What more could a 6 year old boy want than an oxygen tube? Absolutely nothing!

Except maybe starwars bobbleheads!

No, the oxygen tubes are way cooler. Especially when you blow through the end of the tube and air shoots up your nose. 

This is what Ashton looked like when he was hunting easter eggs. Hooked up to his own carbon dioxide. 

Overall, it was a fantastic, yet tiring Easter. I'm sad to be missing the White House Easter Egg Roll this year, but happy both boys had a great Easter!

Not only was Ashton the best and only male toddler sequin vest wearing dancer at the Beverly Bernardi Post Conservatory of Dance, but he was also the best karaoke singer. YMCA, or YCOA according to small Ashton, was his addiction. He loved any chance he was able to entertain with a song, even if he was just in his underwear. Ashton, of course, remembers nothing of this.