Can we have a pool, dad...can we have a pool, dad!??

Can we have a pool, dad Can we have a pool, dad Can we have a pool, dad Can we have a pool, dad???!!!
We've really been wanting a better pool at our house so that we can stay around here more. With Brody on two naps, it's hard to go anywhere for long. We had a blow up pool last year but keeping it clean was a large task even with a pool cover. So daddy saw in the Menards ad last week, a pool for only $16...it's the same one that had been advertised for $60 I think. So he went to get it as a surprise and when he got there, there were signs posted everywhere that said the ad was incorrect and it was like $40 instead. So he still got it, along with all the maintenance stuff, and pool cover. It was still a good deal. While we were all napping, he set up it for us as a suprise!! It's nothing huge but it will be perfect for us. Reece can stand in it and I can float on a raft and get some rays.

Here's Reece saying "Yea...pool!!"

Brody...chillin...

Some cool mom with her cute kids...


Happy Father's Day!!

Wednesday Playgroup - Sugar Creek Nature Preserve

We joined a playgroup that meets every Wednesday. Last Wednesday we met up at Sugar Creek Nature Preserve which is in Funks Grove. Surprisingly we hadn't heard much about this place and hadn't been there before. For more information on this place go to http://www.sugargrovenaturecenter.org/

In the woods off of a trail there was a cool horse swing made from tires that the kids loved...

This is an old log house where the kids could use their imaginations...

I thought this was a cool picture of the sun coming through the trees. Reece is attempting to climb a big ladder to the top of a tree house type thing. Don't worry...I followed close behind...but I had to take this picture first!

Park #7 - Savannah Green

Savannah Green is the newest park in the Bloomington/Normal area. It is located on Shelbourne between Beech and Henry St. It is 2.5 acres and is very clean (check) and new! It is totally fenced in (safety - check) which was one thing I totally loved. It didn't have a lot of shade because it was so new but it did have a pavillion (check) with a few picnic tables. It has big and small playground equipment including a few swings and a digger, and a circular basketball court. Currently it only has a port-a-potty as a bathroom (check). It had plenty to do for the 2 through 5 or so age group but I am hoping they add some things to this new and wide open area. We give this park 4 stars.

Bigger play area...

Smaller play area

More Monday Firsts!

You probably noticed that last week was the FIRST week that we didn't go on our park adventure. Reece has been a little under the weather having contracted her FIRST gingival illness. That being said, here she is...first time in the dentist chair. Not a happy camper...



Brody's first time sitting up in the tub. He absolutely loved being able to look all around and splash in the tub. He also got his FIRST tooth on the top over the weekend!

FIRST time in a swim cap...look out, Phelps!

First look at a toad...

Umm...then first time picking up a toad and banging it on the ground like a toy all the while looking at dad for approval. He sure is a boy, isn't he? I thought that poor toad was going to explode. Brody would giggle when it hopped. It was so cute.

FIRST time in the sand box...she LOVED it! This surprises me since she hates to be dirty. But she played 2 hours in the sandbox...I don't think Reece has done anything longer than 2 minutes!

Another Monday full of firsts from the weekend!

We have had a lot of firsts lately!!
Reecey got her first hair cut on Saturday. This was pretty much how excited she was the whole time. She loved it and I didn't even have to take her to one of those kiddy friendly places! All day long she kept pointing to her hair saying "cut, cut".


Brody had his first rejection from a girl...poor guy...he's so friendly.


First ride in the backseat with mommy and his new carseat...trying to keep him awake on the way home. He would smile real big at me, then shut his eyes.

As you can see...it didn't work...

First time twinkies with Tate...even have their hands in their mouths.

First push up...he's trying so hard to crawl...

Park #6 - Tipton Trails

Tipton Trails (north) is located at 2201 Stone Mountain Blvd (right in front of Four Seasons II). It has a basketball court, baseball field, playground, picnic shelter (with nice, clean restrooms), sprayground, and a trail. It's a fairly new park so the trees there are small so there isn't a lot of shade unless you go under the pavillion. It is close enough so that you can watch your children play from underneath it but if you have a baby you can't really sit them on the concrete floor. I brought a blanket and sat Brody in the grassy areas around the sprayground...but again, no shade. The play ground was nice and big with plenty to do. There were a couple of smaller slides and then a couple of big ones. It had some fun bridges and tunnels to cross too. It didn't seem too dangerous but there were no signs posted on age appropriateness...there was a smaller play area that looked like a tractor but there really wasn't much to it...no little slide or anything. There were 4 big swings and 2 baby swings. The sprayground was an excellent added plus. Reece loves running through the water and figuring all the spray things out. And the ground is a soft rubbery material that babies can sit and crawl on. Mine however was not so fond of it, but I am sure it was the cold water. I'd give this park a 4 and 1/2 stars.

Reece did kind of a cute, but somewhat scary thing at the park...she noticed a couple of young boys and pointed and said "boys, boys". I said "yep, those are boys...but we don't like boys right now or for a really LONG time". She smirked and said "I like boys, boys!"...I said "no boys" and so she kept saying "boys, boys" and laughing. GREAT! All the jr high kids were laughing. Nothing else too exciting or embarrasing happened at the park which is good for me, but not so much entertainment for you guys. I was trying to think of another funny story I could share and all I could think of is how last week at Target Reece started screaming "Boobs, Boobs" next to the bra aisle. When I corrected her to say "bra" then she screamed "Bras, Bras" instead. It was pretty funny.

Entrance to the park complete with a John Deere tractor...

Sprayground...All those little things on the ground and all the poles have water that squirt out of them but you have to push little buttons to make them get going.

The tractor little play area (front side)

Sprayground and then big playground in the back

Brody...not liking the water...

This is more his style...

Brody's Head Scans

I thought you might like to see the progress Brody has made while wearing his helmet. The picture on the left is one of the first scans we did on 4/2/09. The picture on the right is just 5 weeks later on 5/14/09. You can definitely see how it has become more symmetrical and rounded out in the back. On 4/2 his head's asymmetry was 8.9 and by 5/14 he was down to 5.8...I am guessing you want this number as close to 0 as possible meaning it would be symmetrical. If you don't remember from math class, symmetrical essentially means both sides are the same.


Tomorrow we have his 8 week appointment . I don't think they will be doing another scan at this point...just making adjustments as his head grows. Starting tomorrow, we are also going to be a little more flexible on the helmet wearing. Currently he has been wearing it 23 hours a day and we will be moving to him wearing it only in air conditioning and all night. This might continue another 2 months but we will continue to check progress every 3 weeks. I am anxious to see another head scan in a few weeks!

More firsts...

First time with 2 big piggie tails! She finally has enough hair...



First time cracking himself up and sitting up really well by himself (without falling over)....

First time with crazy piggies which match her personality...one of the first swim suits of the season...

First time in daddy's old truck...

First time in the bed of daddy's old truck...with crazy helmet hair too!

It's been a crazy week already...heading to the park on Thursday!