How Time Flies

As she lay heavy on my chest tonight, I realized-one week until 5 months...FIVE months! (It's as if I knew that would happen when I wrote 4 posts back-to-back the week before Kennedy was born.) She wiggled slightly to get comfortable and let out a faint squeak. Then, I suddenly remembered, "Oh my gosh, she used to make those adorable squeaking noises all of the time, and I had almost forgotten! Man, I should write that down!" I must admit, there are fleeting moments I feel a pang of guilt, because I didn't write something down-nervous the memory would be lost if I didn't get it down on "paper." Truth is, memories are made in the moment, and I am trying to soak up every aspect of Kennedy's infant-hood: her kissable-squeezable-delicious thighs, her bright eyes, the way she laughs from the depths of her belly when we play peek-a-boo, the pure delight she gets when she spots the men in her life.  She tried her first solids last weekend, for heaven's sake! Man, how time flies.

The girl is a saint-seriously. You'd be hard-pressed to find a moment that she isn't cooing in delight at Preston's latest antics and sticking her tongue out at Stuart. Literally the only moments she cries, and I do mean literally, are when she is hungry. Otherwise, you'll find her singing, playing with her feet, rolling over to catch a glance of herself in the mirror, stuffing her entire fist into her mouth, and most often catching herself off-guard by her excited squeals that almost always end in uncontrollable hiccups. The girl. Is. A. Saint.

Now yesterday, the day before Easter, wasn't the easiest. Preston was having one of "those" days, which leaves Stuart and I constantly on the edge. We attended the egg hunt at Lakeway Church with my parents, Chad, Kathy, & their kiddos. Don't get me wrong, there were moments of bliss-a stage full of balloons, a bouncy castle, the egg hunt-clearly. But then Preston reminds us that he's been 2 since around 18 months-oh and by the way- 3 is the new 2, so we've got a lot to look forward to! Luckily, these days are few and far between.

Did I mention the overwhelming warmth I feel when I see Stuart with Kennedy? How special their bond is already. She's got him wrapped around her tiny little finger, and he will be the first to admit it. She is daddy's girl, and I'm okay with that, because I have a mama's boy.  On that same token, Preston is just as smitten. Just the other day we had the video monitor out and Kennedy started to fuss. Preston darted to her room, and I watched in wonderment as two not-as-tiny hands grasped the crib rail, and my sweet ginger peeked over the side shushing, "It's alright honey, it's alright." Folks, it doesn't get much better than that.

Meanwhile, my son dropped the F-Bomb in class today-3 times-in context. Parent. Of. The. Year.
Mama said there'd be days like this! When there are, remember this:

Pumpkin Patch

Fall definitely tops my favorite season list. My love of anything with pumpkin flavoring, the splashes of my absolute favorite color (orange) everywhere, sleeping with the windows open at night, apple cider in the mornings, the constant scent of camp fire in the air, and the sweet opportunity to bundle up in a soft sweater and snuggle my boys are only a few of the reasons why. 

Into the maze we go!

This morning we took our first trip to a pumpkin patch since we dragged sweet 8-week-old Preston to Sweetberry Farms in Marble Falls 2 years ago. At that point, we literally had to use the pumpkins to prop him up into a sitting position-this year, he was using the pumpkins as hurdles. (Slight exaggeration) No clue why we missed the boat last year, but I was sure not going to miss this opportunity to squeeze in some more memory-making as a family of 3 before it's too late!

Oh this isn't too "scawy" after all!

We were the first arrivals, surprise surprise, but that didn't seem to bother Preston. (We are still in the "mine" phase at the moment, you see.) It was just the right size, with a hay-bale maze, and as soon as we made it past the scare crows that were "too scawy," we had some fun! Thank you to my precious husband for humoring his wife and son.

"Happy Punkin"

"Uhwuh way"

Wait up, mommy!

Oh, how I love Fall.

Dear Preston

Sweet Preston,

When I think about how much I love you, my heart bursts, and my eyes are likely to well up. I can't possibly imagine life without you, and yet, you've only been in our lives for 2 short years. Stuart and I must be the luckiest parents on earth, and I am thankful for you beyond words. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you. In fact, I know I don't. That is why I want to give you every opportunity to thrive, explore, learn, love, and even make mistakes, that will shape who you are and who you will become.

Your favorite sayings right now are, "Try again," "Preston do it," and "One more time," which illustrate your growing independence. Almost every single day I get a report from your teachers telling me how much you warm their hearts when you exclaim, "Hey Monica! What's goin' on?" Or how impressed they are when you are laying on the changing table pointing out the letters, correctly, and in order, of the "Artist of the Month" displayed on the bulletin board. This month it is, "L-O-I-S,  E-H-L-E-R-T." Or how about when you announce the day of the week before Mr. Shippey even says it on the morning announcements? (Really? you can do that?) I am constantly amazed, and throughout even the "off" days, I can look into your baby blues or glance at your sweet profile and be content.

Lately, you've been much more attentive to my growing belly, your baby sister "Kenneny," and you even want to rub my back when I'm putting you down to sleep. I told your dad that as good as his back rubs are, nothing is as relaxing as your sweet touches on my arm at night or the gentle kisses you give my tummy. You are the best son for us and the best big brother for Kennedy. I can't thank you enough for the joy you have brought into our lives.

As long as I'm living my baby you'll be,

Mommy

34 Weeks and Counting....

As I -gasp- near the end of my second (and highly likely) my last pregnancy, I can't help but be excited and anxious to meet my sweet baby girl. Not to mention, two of my good friends and co-workers just delivered their baby girls within this last week! I'm at that point of pregnancy where it practically takes a fork-lift to roll over in bed, I'm popping Tums like it's an addiction, and my walk has transformed into a full-blown waddle. Did I mention I chase after 45, 9 and 10 year-olds all day in addition to my 2 year old?? So, to say I'm "sad" to be nearing the end of this pregnancy has not yet entered my vocabulary. Check back with me, though.

At my appointment last week, Kennedy's heart-rate was in the 150's as it has been practically my entire pregnancy, and my belly is measuring almost to-the-centimeter of what it "should" be. Only doctor's order? Make sure I am gaining my pound-a-week from here on out...not a problem! There are currently 3 types of ice cream in our freezer-Peaches & Cream, Cookies & Cream, and Dulce de Leche. Yummy.

I look forward to my appointment next week where we finally get to see Kennedy again to officially determine how she is measuring and if she's still breech.

This past weekend our family attended my cousin's wedding in Kyle at a beautiful ranch, and Stuart got some precious pictures of both Preston & Kennedy. Enjoy!

We finally captured a belly kiss on camera-my favorite!

This little guy cleans up nice, and his expressions are priceless!

 

Preston's 2nd Birthday Party?

Welcome to my party!

You've probably noticed that a lot of my post titles end in a question mark. Needless to say, it's because I can't quite believe how quickly time is passing. It seems like just yesterday we were having Preston's first birthday party-and to think he'll be a big brother in just about 6 weeks, it's hard to wrap my mind around it all. (Not to mention it's almost been a month since his party, and I'm just now getting around to posting about it!)

Hop on in, the water feels great!

This year, we opted to have his party at our place so people had the option of coming inside. Last year, we were at Lakeway City Park, and it reached 109 degrees-not okay! Especially for the 2 of us who are (were-sweet Lorelei Schelfhout was born yesterday) pregnant this year.  In my mind, having the party at our house would also simplify things-ha. On about the 20th page of pendant cut-outs Stuart so poignantly asked me, "So, all of these personalized decorations are for Preston to enjoy, right? Not just so your friends will be impressed?" Ummmmm. What can I say, Etsy has gotten the best of me.

We had the front yard set up with plenty of water activities: water table, a massive beach ball that sprayed streams of water, and of course the pool. Inside, the kids had their pick of anything of Preston's to play with. It was basically an over-sized play date, and the kids and parents alike enjoyed themselves!

Celebrating with all of his best buddies!

As far as the grub went, we took a cue from a friend's party and served brunch: breakfast tacos, fruit salad, mimosas, and clearly goldfish and pirate booty. What toddler party can go without those staples? My dear friend at school made the precious cupcakes again, and she once again outdid herself. They tasted as good as they looked!

LOVED his first set of Lincoln Logs-well, he loved filling the bucket up, just to empty it back out again!

It took us 2 full days to open up all of his presents-he didn't know where to begin!

 In the end, we had one happy, spoiled boy, who felt the love from friends and family. Unfortunately, he was a little under-the-weather, so after a breathing treatment, he conked out! Now....to start planning for the next birthday on our calendar!

Tuckered out!

Back to School!?

Yup, August 27, 2012: it was a great day!

Well, let's just suffice to say that it's been an eventful and exhausting 2 weeks. Like any good parent, I had my share of both relief and anxiety with the thought of sending my baby back to school and returning to work myself. I would be lying if I didn't say there was a mini-breakdown the weekend before we were scheduled to return, with the typical, "But these are the last few weeks Preston will be an only child, and I will have only a few precious hours with him in the evenings..." coupled with the realization that at this point in my pregnancy with Preston, I had an entire summer off to put my feet up and be pampered by my sweet husband until his much anticipated arrival. The anxiety was amplified when I arrived in my classroom for the first time after a summer of construction, only to realize many of my things were missing or broken. Oh, and did I mention that my principal was rushed to the ER because he was moving MY broken desk from my room which proceeded to fall over and slice his finger open (his middle finger)? Nice. Good start, Brooke.

However, much of that anxiety was quickly abated when arriving for our first work day. Preston was thrilled to be back at school and waved goodbye to Stuart and I with a huge smile on his face. I was so glad to see my friends and co-workers and have some true, adult conversations without a toddler or two interrupting, along with the excitement and energy that comes with a new school year, a fresh start.

Fast forward 3 hours later- Preston's teacher rushes into my classroom with a nervous look on her face, pulling blood-soaked latex gloves off of her hands. You can imagine the thoughts that went through my head-the thoughts that would go through any parents' head at that point. Turns out, Preston, my fearless Preston, was playing on the playground, tripped, and went teeth-first into the sand box frame. As I rushed into his classroom he ran into my arms, wailing, bleeding, clinging for dear life. It's hard to even write about it. Worst part about it is, we know already from experience, this was not the first or last time we will have these types of accidents.

Our school nurse was kind enough to set us up with an emergency dental appointment (Preston did not have a dentist at this point), and they were able to see us right away. After a very difficult check-up and x-rays, PHEW!, no permanent damage. Although if you saw his lips and gums you may think otherwise. His front teeth were a little loose but would tighten up eventually, and as his gums receded, we noticed his teeth weren't quite as jammed as we thought. It took a few days for the wounds to heal, and it was very difficult for him to eat, but he is such a trooper-much more so than I.

Fast forward 1 week later-the first day of school for everyone! It was an especially exciting day around our household because Preston turned 2! I absolutely cannot believe it. His wounds were almost healed, he had become fluent in words such as "birthday cake" and "party, " and I was so thrilled to welcome my new kiddos to room 307.

Yes, it was an exciting and exhausting 2 weeks, but all in all, we're glad to be back! Stay tuned for my next post on Preston's birthday party: didn't we just have one of these???

At this point, I'd like to send up some special thoughts to my sweet grandfather, Papa, who passed away on Wednesday. He was 95 years old and sharp-as-a-tack, and as the only grandfather I knew, he will always be dear to my heart. I love you, Papa, we'll keep a close watch on Nana for you-although I'm sure you're already doing that. ;-)

Summer Wrap-Up?

Beware-I was never good at summarizing.

Yes, it's true. Being a teacher, I get an incredible schedule, and I am blessed to have a lot of precious time at home with my family. I have never known what it's like to not have a summer break, and I don't intend to! For Preston, his summer has been book-ended (word?) with a wasp sting and stitches. What can I say, he's a rough and tumble boy, and that won't change! Oddly enough, the sting took over a month to heal. Luckily, there was no allergic reaction; our insanely fair skin just takes an obscene amount of time to heal. The stitches on the other hand were in and out within a week, and I doubt there will be a scar to show for it. You know what they say, no more monkeys jumping on the bed! 

(Since this incident his new coined phrase is, "Doctor, all bebber.") 

Here he is playing in my car-one of his favorite pastimes!

The time in between, however, has been as rich and sweet as the inside of the chocolate croissants in which I have a torrid love affair. Must. have. chocolate. This summer, in comparison with last, has been a world apart. Whereas last summer I was hovering around Preston's every move as he was learning to walk (stressful and exhausting!), this summer we have enjoyed outings to every park around Austin, play-dates with actual friends, lunch dates, splash pad fun, story time at the library, first swim lessons, spoiled time with the grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins, discovering the mecca that is Barnes & Noble, plenty of trips to the grocery store (this is fun for him, I assure you, as long as he can drive the "ret car"), and riding his new bicycle. It has been a whirlwind, for sure, but so incredible to watch him grow. In many ways, it's been easier as he's grown, because we are able to do so many more things together. On the other hand, his independence and stubbornness are starting to shine through, with which I have a love/hate relationship. Nevertheless, I'm so proud to call him my boy.

 Here he is riding his bike-He's gotten so good he can run and then glide while balancing.

What's more fun than playing chase with Brew through the sprinklers?

We got this water table especially for his birthday party-but we couldn't wait to try it out!

Mimi and Papa's back yard is a lot more shaded than ours! Great for the Texas heat and my fair-skinned boy.

A few more of Preston's "latests:" 

• Running up to me with no prompts, throwing his arms around me and proclaiming, "I love you mommy!"

• Showing his affection with an exaggerated kiss to pretty much every animate and inanimate object in our house-our animals, his stuffed animals, books, water bottles, and every once and a while, Stuart and I-the kid is incredibly affectionate and I love that about him. "Mmmmmaaaaaa"

(Today he saw a baby across the restaurant and said, "Hi baby!" Then proceeded to give her multiple air kisses. You could hear "Mmmmmmaaaa's" from across the room!)

• He can now not only recite the entire ABC's but also recognize the letters when you put them in front of him.

• He is still counting to 11, but has also added 16 and 18 to his repertoire. 16, because we happened to see that number on his "Thomas the Train" number flash cards, and 18 because it's the number on the flag of his golf set. It goes a little something like this, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 8, 16, 9." Haha, works for me! 

• Every time I turn around he has a new song memorized. Preston is incredibly music-minded (does that term exist?) which really excites me. For instance, he loves "Knick Knack Paddy-Wack," "Little Einstein's Theme Song"-add in enthusiastic YEA! at the very end, and "Pop! Goes the Weasel."

• Apparently everyone is playing a game of hide-and-seek with him because he'll often wake up going "Mommy Daddy, areeee youuu???" or while watching "Super Why?" he'll say "Supe Why, arreeee youuu???" And when he appears he'll say, "Oh, there is!"

• He has started to string together complex sentences that impresses me every time. Of course, it's a combination of what we have said in the past, but he can rearrange the phrases and put them in an appropriate order. For instance, "Garage door is loud. It's okay, mommy. Don't worry." 

• He's learned how to string together a list using "and." "Who's at the zoo, Preston?" "Giraffe and lion and zebra and elephant and monkey and Elmo." Perhaps I should bring him into my class when we are discussing Author's Craft? hmmm

• Speaking of loud noises-he's not a fan. Particularly the garage door opening and closing and the obnoxious BEEEPPPP our dryer sounds when it's finished. (His room is right next to the garage and laundry area-poor guy.)

•  He continues to adore our three animals. Brew (9, Jack Russell Terrier), Stella (5, Lab), and Thames (4, American Short-Hair Cat). He would smother those animals with tight hugs and a million kisses at all hours of the day if they'd let him-and he tries, believe me. To him, their names are lovingly, "Boo, Stuguh, and Nims."

•  Lessons we are learning and reinforcing constantly are using gentle touches (he's rowdy-especially with the animals), using our words (After all, why are you whining if you know exactly what you want and how to ask for it?), and saying "please" and "thank you." If nothing else, my boy will be respectful!

I have a feeling I'll have to stop posting about his newest and favorite phrases pretty soon. The boy is a talking machine and picks up on everything we say virtually the first time we say it. There is no way I'll be able to keep track!

Stuart and I have also had an amazing summer together. We got to celebrate our 5 year anniversary (time flew!). We finally got to attend the "Foster the People" show at the new Backyard with the tickets I gave him for Valentine's Day. I am testing his patience again, because I got him tickets for his birthday to see "Awolnation"....in October! Sorry, Stuart! And we got to celebrate each other and our newest bundle, Kennedy, in gorgeous Lake Tahoe, California.

Work has been picking up for Stuart which has kept him very busy. He's currently working on a beautiful home in Spanish Oaks that he designed for a sweet couple-she is an OB/GYN at the new hospital in our area. I'm pretty sure she saw his first spec home in The Hills and said, "I want you to build me that one." He's got an amazing eye for design and efficiency-I am so proud of him! Construction has also begun on his latest spec home in Lakeway Proper (another designed by him.) And, there are several other prospects on the horizon we are both looking forward to. Life, as they say, is good for the Alkires. Check out Stuart's incredible work on his website. Alkire Construction, LLC

I am a proud wife and mommy. Life is sometimes rough around the edges, but when I step back and reflect:  we have our health, we have our home, and we have each other. Can't get much better than that :)

He loves his cars and trucks. Here he is at his friend Jackson's first birthday party.

Just taking an afternoon ride.

THE Toddler Room

Original Inspiration Room

Well, it's finally "done." What I am most thankful for is that Preston LOVES his new room. In fact, we've been at Mimi and Papa's house for the past few days because of a busted A/C (lovely), and each night Preston will protest, "No, big boy bed!" It is not easy to get that boy to sleep in a pack 'n play now that he has so much freedom in his "big boy bed" back home, I'll tell you that much!

I'm so glad it was such a simple transition, and that we were able to move him with plenty of time before Kennedy arrives. As I was reading an article from Baby Center about "preparing your 2 year old for a new sibling," it specifically stated not to move your toddler out of their room right when the baby comes.  This way he won't feel displaced by a new baby in the house. Phew, did something right!

The color palette and general decor for his toddler room was inspired by a little boy's room I happened to see on, where else but, Pinterest. One of my favorite parts of the room was the headboard made out of wooden palettes. However, after one trip to Ikea, we decided on a twin bed that has not only a trundle underneath, but three generous drawers for storage. Of course, Stuart probably spent triple the time putting that dang thing together than he would have constructing the DIY version, but you live and you learn right?

The bedding is from one of my favorite establishments, Target, and the wall decor is comprised of items we already had around the house. My favorite wall hanging is of the Pearl Jam poster I had framed for Stuart. It was a gift to us from some friends who saw them perform at ACL Live a few years ago, and they knew what a huge fan Stuart was. It helped that I loved the burnt orange color, and the intials-"PJ" work perfectly for Preston! Another special piece in the room is the small wooden desk chair that my mom found at my grandmother's house after she passed a way. It will always be a special piece we hope to fully restore and keep forever.

Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I took these photos when Preston was fully distracted and nowhere near his room. Notice the bed-made up, the toys-put away, the books-in order? Ya, definitely not what his room actually looks like....ever. Perhaps one day soon I'll actually post some pictures of Preston enjoying his room, and you'll see the "truth." 

Another amazing paint job by Stuart!

The bulletin board was one I had in my room back home. I love getting to display Preston's masterpieces this way!

Yay! Enough room to get some toys out of the living room!

My Boy-22 months

Let's be honest, as thrilling as it is to anticipate my baby girl's arrival, it's hard to fathom the amount of love and fulfillment she will bring until she is actually here. Am I right, moms? With that said, I have a walking jumping, singing, and boisterous toddler I get to love on right in front of my very eyes, and he amazes me every single day. As I mentioned before, Preston's firsts and favorites are changing by the minute, so I wanted to document a few more today.

22 Months

Typical Phrases:

"Mommy/Daddy, hold you!"

 We hear this phrase frequently when he wants to be picked up or snuggled. It's derived from, "Want me to hold you, Preston?"

"We're here!" 

Almost every time I pull up to our house, these excited words emanate from the carseat behind me.

"Almost....almost....we MADE it!!" 

This is one of his favorites when he's climbing a ladder to a slide-or perhaps up the slide itself-or when he has conquered a once impossible feat.

"Ooohh, reeeee high!"

This one comes when Daddy is tossing him up in the air-or the time when I caught him sitting on TOP of his cozy coupe and not in it.

 "I sorry (insert name or inanimate object here)." 

This one breaks my heart but also makes me glad that my little one is so passionate and is also starting to show true empathy. However, sometimes he uses it backwards. For instance, he may say he's sorry when he gets hurt, when really I'm the one who should be saying it....sweet heart.

"Hi! Youuuuuuu?"

 Meant to be, "Hi, how are you?" This one we hear frequently over the monitor in the morning as he's greeting every one of his books and animals.

"Oooohh-dark in here!"

It's inevitable, whenever we walk into the dark garage, he must proclaim the lack of light. Hilarious.

Favorite Books (at This Very Moment):
"Quick as a Cricket" by Don & Audrey Wood

"Huckle's Opposites" & "Huckle's Good Manners" by Richard Scarry

Favorite Songs:

"If You're Happy and You Know It" -Mickey & Friends Version

Preston's absolute favorite part is throwing his hands in the air and shouting "HOORAY!" as if his life depended on it.

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

He's always liked this one, but as with "Baa Baa Black Sheep," he surprised us the other day by singing his very own version of the song without prompting. It went a little something like this:

"Twinkle, twinkle, little starrrrr, how I wonder what you arrreeee,

How I wonder what you arrrreeee,

How I wonder what you arrrreeee,

Twinkle, twinkle, little starrrr, how I wonder what you arrrreeeeeeeee!"

Close enough to me!

Exciting Firsts:

This morning, Preston woke up with a pretty yucky case of allergies. Let's just say I'd compare his nose to the faucet he won't let me turn off when he's taking a bath. Generally, he despises when I try to wipe his nose. Today, I tried something different: I simply put the tissue up to his nose and asked him to blow. To my complete surprise, he actually did it! I had no idea how exciting this milestone would be for all of us. I brought over the tissue box, and he proceeded to take out a tissue, and blow his nose-over, and over again. Stuart and I couldn't believe it, but we were so thrilled! We are still mastering the wiping after blowing concept, but hey, it's a start!

Well we daddy could not wait a whole other month to spoil Preston with one of his big ticket birthday presents-a balance bike! As soon as we walked into ATX Bikes, you would have thought Preston had died and gone to Heaven. "Ooohh, bi-ickle, bi-ickle!" he proclaimed. Of course, once we found one "just" his size, he wanted to ride on it backwards. Hmmmm, guess that's what happens when you have the Blevins gene and your feet don't quite touch the ground when sitting on the seat itself. Poor guy, we knew that would happen. After some clever rigging by Stuart this morning, the seat was removed, and an improvised cushion took its place slightly closer to the ground. Now our little man can touch the ground, and he is absolutely loving his new treasure. For those of you that don't know, a balance bike is just like a miniature bike, but with no pedals. The ultimate goal is that the child learns how to push himself forward, balance, and stop himself, so that training wheels can be completely bi-passed. Let's hope that's the case! (Thanks for the tip, Hatfield family!)

Preston cruising on his "Lil' Rock'It"

Daddy providing some encouragement and an extra push!

Struck a Chord

As Preston and I were standing in line to ride the Zilker Zephyr today, I realized something. I, of course, want to write this blog to chronicle some amazing memories our family will create. Nevertheless, I don't want to paint a false picture that our family is perfect, raising children is rainbows and gumdrops, and that it all comes naturally. That simply isn't the case. Although Preston will always be perfection in mine and Stuart's eyes, he doesn't always act perfect (none of us do). I am constantly learning/struggling to find the delicate balance between loving mother and loving teacher & disciplinarian for my son. That being said, I don't plan on harping on the negative, or focusing on the insane tantrums my dear-heart will and has thrown, but I wanted to make that point clear. Our family is definitely not perfect and motherhood is by far the hardest challenge I have had to face, but it is also the most rewarding blessing I could have. Afterall, even after said tantrum in line waiting for our turn on the train ride, this is what I got. So, so sweet.

I came across this quote on a friend's Pinterest page the other day, and it really struck a chord for me. I shared it on Facebook, but thought I'd share it again. Couldn't be any more true.

"The love a mother feels for her sons is a miracle. It is natural for a woman to love a girl baby with whom she shares a place in history, culture, and biology. But to love so much that you would be willing to die for beings so vastly different from yourself is nothing short of miraculous" ~Karin Kasin

The 4th

A bit of transparency: Stuart and I LOVE our sleep. Thank goodness our son does, too. We were blessed with a good sleeper right out of the womb, and I'm not sure we could have survived otherwise. (Fingers crossed for Kennedy!) That being said, it's the early bird who gets the worm, right? Right.

The City of Lakeway puts on a great day of events for the families of the neighborhood every year. This year, there was a parade at 8:30...8:30??? We are still in our pajamas and rolling out of bed at that time. Now, don't get me wrong, if Preston had woken up early, I would have loved to get him dressed in his patriotic attire, head down to the main drag, and watch the decorated golf carts and musicians stroll the streets, as well as the F18's impress in a flyover. That didn't happen, but when I started seeing my neighborhood friends post about the events, I felt so guilty we hadn't done the same with Preston! Let's be honest, he is just as cranky when he can't wake up on his own terms as Stuart and I are. So, we opted for a leisurely morning. I cooked a red, white, and blue breakfast, and we took our time getting out of the house.

Red, white, and blue fruit plate

 Besides, we had the Army helicopter on display to look forward to, right? Wrong! The events noted that it would be on display until noon. We arrived at 11 (I said we were being leisurely!), and the helicopter had gone! Not to mention the host at the activity center laughing at us and saying, "You came too late, hahah!" Wow, I felt like such a dud! But I wouldn't leave until getting some sweet pictures of Preston in his flag outfit.

Checking out the Lakeway Fiddlers

After that disappointment, we headed to where else, but Home Depot. Success! Preston found the tractors and was in hog heaven. Seriously, this boy could "drive" a tractor all day long.

Then, when we got home, it was time for us to set to work making our annual Flag Cake. And by "make" I mean decorate a store-bought angel food cake with Cool Whip, strawberries, and blueberries. Messy as it was, Preston had a great time helping to decorate-sneaking a few bites along the way. ;-)

He was so proud using that spatula!

Place one, eat one, place one, eat one

The final masterpiece!

The second half of the day continued to be successful. After nap time, we went straight over to Mimi & Papa's house to "hijack" the golf cart and ride to the neighborhood pool for some swimming fun. Let me tell you, if we had our own tractor and golf cart at home, we'd never leave! I WISH I had some pictures of Preston going down the frog slide, but that doesn't happen with mom and dad are both in the pool! Lastly, we got to dance to some classic rock, and PJ was loving it. He can't help but move when he hears any kind of "tukit (music)." My personal favorite part was getting up to dance together to the tune of "Pretty Woman." Ahhh, love my boy.

I love the post-hot dog ketchup-smeared look

 To top off the evening, we walked about 50 yards where one of my long-time friends, Lee Krassner, had his food trailer-Dock & Roll Diner-set up.  Stuart and I enjoyed some delicious sliders, while Preston had fun, once again, "driving" their burnt orange truck and laughing at himself in the rearview mirror. Afterwards, we hopped back in the golf cart and headed back to pick up our car, and I don't know who was more excited to see whom-Mimi or Preston? My parents had just arrived home from an excursion to Vail, and Preston and Mimi got their fix of each other.

Hammin' it up

Literally, just laughing at himself

Thanks for the meal, Lee!

Mimi's home from Vail!

At the end of the day, we were stuffed, exhausted, and satisfied-what an amazing Independence Day!