Spring Break!

Grandpa Ellis came to visit last week.  He flew in on Monday, just in time to enjoy the gorgeous warm biking weather and play with the grandkids during their spring break.  Since Jonathan was working in Austin, the kids and I picked up grandpa.  They were excited!

Naturally he rode his bike every day he was here and Matthew went on a few short rides with him. Matthew and grandpa also played with an electronics set.  He taught and then quizzed Matthew about current, voltage, pressure, resistance, and Ohm's law.  I didn't learn about any of those things till high school!

Tuesday Jonathan took the car to be cleaned inside and out, and played with the kids in the park across the street.  He came home to a happy wife.  The grungy car was clean and the kids nice and tired. 

Wednesday Jonathan drove up to Austin for work, grandpa biked, and we picked up some friends and went to a new park a little off the beaten path.  The bigger boys discovered a small pond in the woods with tadpoles and the littler kids had fun running back and forth between the two playgrounds. 

On Thursday I made pistachio cupcakes and Melissa and I decked ourselves out in green.  Isaac wore his very favorite shirt, the one with the green crocodile that grandma gave him.  He gets excited whenever that shirt is fresh out of the wash.  To our dismay we discovered that Matthew had outgrown his green shirt, but he took it in good grace.  "Grandma said I have Irish ancestors, so I guess I don't have to wear green 'cause I'm green enough."  That night we took the kids to a playground and then a kiddie amusement park.  Matthew took Isaac all over the park and Isaac happily followed.  Anything Matthew wants to do is automatically cool.

Melissa stayed with grandpa and dad and just enjoyed the freedom to go where ever she wanted to go. 

 With grandpa on the carousal.

Friday we played in another park, listened to the baby during a prenatal checkup, and enjoyed the great outdoors with friends.

Saturday grandpa flew back to NJ.  We miss him.

See you later, Dad

See you later, Dad
Originally uploaded by jbellis

Isaac filled Matthew's backpack with treasures, then demanded to be let outside. Guess he's off to school.

One of those days II

Some days it seems I have everything together...other days I'm just happy my shoes are on the right feet, never mind whether they are matching.

Yesterday one of our children was invited to a birthday party of one of their classmates at Pump It Up.  Well and dandy!  Melissa picked out a birthday present a week ahead of time, wrapped it, we'd RSVP'd, and Jonathan dropped her off at the party place.  Matthew and Isaac played with their daddy in the meantime while I went shopping.

That evening I asked Melissa how the party went, "Great!  It was fun!"  Did Isabel like her present?  "Yes, but it wasn't the Isabel in my class, it was a different Isabel."  ???  Matthew interjected, "Yeah.  When I went inside to get Melissa a bunch of my friends were there.  I think the party was for the Isabel in my class."  Oops.  What kind of mother mixes up invitations for kid's birthday parties?  Oh dear.

Later I called the mom to explain what happened and apologize.  She laughed.  "Oh, no problem!  I have five kids. Once took them to Chuckie Cheese on a Saturday only to learn the party was on Sunday.  Of course when you take your kids to Chuckie Cheese you can't just leave,  so we had to stay and I ended up paying $60 more than I'd originally planned.  We then went back on Sunday too.  These things just happen."  She was just glad everyone had a good time.

That evening there was a baby shower for a friend of mine.  It was nice and I had a good time, but I was wearing pants that barely  really didn't fit.  I was very glad to get home.  Jonathan was playing a game on the computer when I got back.

I loudly announced to no one in particular "The pants come OFF!" and sighed happily.

"Rachel, I'm on speakerphone."

Oh crumb!

I don't even want to contemplate what the guy on the other end must have thought...

Isaac's fortune cookie

Isaac's fortune cookie
Originally uploaded by jbellis

One of those nights

One of those nights
Originally uploaded by jbellis

First Melissa dropped and broke a plate while setting the table. Then we upended a bowl of oatmeal (right) I was making for Isaac's picky water dinner. Then Isaac grabbed the oatmeal box and poured some on the floor out of solidarity (left).

First big boy haircut

I gave Isaac a big kid haircut on Thursday. He's had his hair trimmed in the past, but I've never used the electric clippers to buzz the back and sides before.

Getting bored toward the end.

I kept it longer on top so it would still curl. He was done before I finished, unfortunately.  Still it turned out pretty cute if not perfect.

See this noodle?

See this noodle?
Originally uploaded by jbellis

I just pulled it out of Isaac's nose. Seriously. I thought it was a booger hanging out, but no, he was stashing some dinner for later.

Power of Placebo

When our kids are running a high fever, have a headache, or congestion it is easy to figure out something from the medicine cabinet to give them. General complaints of my toe hurts, my knee feels funny, or my favorite, my tummy hurts, are more difficult. Matthew and Melissa expect us to DO something to alleviate their discomfort. Unfortunately there isn't anything really that we can do. Tummy aches can be caused by so many different things and it is unlikely anything serious. Yet they need something to help them feel better so we give them placebo (perhaps a little lotion on the tummy).

It works.

Matthew the Teacher

Matthew really likes origami, so much so that he volunteered to give a lesson to his cub scout pack. He was very excited for weeks in advance, and spent several hours planning his lesson and examples.

That night, he was ready.

When he came home I asked how it went. "It was great mom!" And that was about all he said. I received a call later from his scout master who was very, very impressed by how well he did. We were told that he was very well prepared. That he had 40 minutes and he filled the whole time with 2 projects, had his finished samples displayed, helped the boys who needed assistance, redirected those that got distracted, and was very patient. Apparently all the boys had a good time and each completed a folding eight point ninja star and a rabbit.

The primary president called Matthew a natural teacher. He certainly has had plenty of practice trying to teach his sister things; with varying amounts of patience and mixed results, I might add.

This took place back in January, but I was reminded of it during the Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet recently where he received recognition for his lesson. Good job, son!

Melissa helps

Matthew had to create a poster on the Smoky Mountains for school.

In the middle of his project he left the table briefly. While he was gone Melissa decided to "help."



Fortunately poster paper has two sides.



Matthew was initially pretty ticked with her, but was able to see the humor later. He even showed off his sister's work at the end of his presentation to the class.

Our little monkey!

Melissa asked if she could climb up the side of the swing set.

Skeptical, Jonathan responded, "Well, you can try."



This to the daughter who climbed out of her crib at 14 months.



When it comes to climbing, there is no try.

Dinner and a show

Dinner and a show
Originally uploaded by jbellis

Rachel cut Matthew's hair after dinner. Isaac was fascinated. He pushed a chair over so he could have a front row seat. A great show!

Workin' it

Matthew dotes on Isaac. Issac is his brother. It has at least as much to do with being far enough apart in age that Isaac isn't seen as a rival in the same way as Melissa, but in Matthew's mind, it all comes down to both being boys.

Isaac is figuring out how to take advantage of this.

Tonight, Matthew was setting up a game of Starcraft with me, but while he let it start up Isaac came over and banged on it a bunch. When Matthew came back it was restarting and giving him some kind of "Windows is running repair" message. I guess Isaac hit the power button; it glows seductively.

Matthew was pissed.

"Isaac!" he yelled, "I'm going to play a game with Dad! Now I have to wait for this to start up again!"

Isaac came over with a hangdog look and put his arms around Matthew.

Matthew was unable to stay angry at the two year old hugging him. "Isaac, just don't do that again, okay?"

(For the record, when we finally got to play, we won.)

Independence

Independence
Originally uploaded by jbellis

Isaac didn't want to eat dinner tonight until he took his fruit salad to his own table.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Isaac is eating a box of Cracklin' Oat Bran

Isaac is eating a box of Cracklin' Pat Bran
Originally uploaded by jbellis

No, not the cereal. The box.

Isaac needs to check out every rock on the trail

Isaac needs to check out every rock on the trail
Originally uploaded by jbellis

There are a lot of rocks.

Overheard

Melissa to one of her friends: "Take off your shoes; it's the LAW!"

Snow!

Last night we had an ice storm followed by a quarter inch of snow. Snow! In San Antonio? I got an automated call at 6:30 saying the schools were closed due to the weather. All of the freeways were shut down as well. They do NOT know how to drive in winter weather here, so just as well.

Matthew and Melissa were delighted. The first thing they wanted to do when they got up was go play in the "snow." I made them eat breakfast and get dressed first. Just before 8 AM a whole gang of kids came pounding on our door wanting to know if Matthew and Melissa wanted to play. Oh yes they did!

Matthew sledding down the driveway:

It was pretty icy so he had a nice slick ride.

The kids had a "snowball" fight, found lots of big icicles, and each made snowball to save in the freezer. Periodically they came in to change mittens before going outside again.

The snow all melted by mid-afternoon, but they had a ball while it lasted.

And to think it was 80 degrees on Monday...

Brothers

Isaac moved into Matthew's room earlier this week.

Matthew initially had quite a few reservations about the transition. Isaac, on the other hand, was thrilled.

Later that night I checked in on them and found them both in the bottom bunk, snuggled up next to each other.

Last night Isaac fell out of the bed and onto a mattress on the floor. He woke up unhurt, but very unhappy. I went into the room a few times to pat his back, but he was having none of that, so I left. Matthew helped settle him down and was so patient with him.

Big brother, little brother, they are good for each other.