Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Happy 4th Birthday, Andrew!

4 months old

7 months old

1 year

2 years

3 years

3 years


Today my baby boy turned 4...unless you ask him. He will tell you that he is still 3, because he wants to be 3. His words. Not mine. I can't make stuff like this up!

We had a little mini-party on Sunday with grandma and grandpa, Chad, Sondra and Luke. He was very excited about their presents. (pictures to come soon) But he did NOT like candles on his cake. And ever since then he's been a little off. We've mentioned his birthday a couple of times and tried to get him excited, but every time we mention his it, he freaks out a little. He insists he's not having a birthday, however, he's all over cake and presents. Go figure. A birthday with terms.

Sondra believes he has inherited the Nisly-fear-of-change gene. God help him! And us.

So, this is sort of become his birthday month. We are easing him into being 4 and giving him time to adjust to growing older.

Oh, Andrew we love you so much! Happy (4th) Birthday sweet boy!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Harvest Time


Andrew watching Matt unload the wheat into the wheat truck.
We timed our visit just right and got to ride to the Co-op in the big, loud, un-air-conditioned truck. Andrew said the truck was too loud, but he thought it was really cool to watch the dump truck action and the wheat dumping down the grate. And Jonathan didn't move or make a sound the whole two miles there and back. So, I guess he liked it too.

Now this is what it's all about! A little shade, a little cold water and ice cream bars!

Andrew getting a ride in the combine with Grandpa. He wasn't sure he wanted to at first, thanks to the movie "Cars." When he saw the combine, he said, "Oh, Mommy! That's the machine that tried to eat Lightning." Leave it to Disney to ruin Harvest for my 3-year-old. But he quickly recovered after a ride in the wheat truck and the tractor.

The wheat was rusty and dusty thanks to all the rain we've had lately and so the inside of the combine was very dirty. Andrew was very worried about his dirty hands after he touched the windows. But Grandpa told him he could wipe them on his pants, and all was right with the world again. And he discovered the CB. He was in HEAVEN! He could talk to Matt and I in the tractor and Grandpa all at the same time, and he was riding in a giant machine that was eating wheat! He told Grandpa that he was "going to stay here forever!" (in the combine) But alas, all good things must come to an end and Jonathan desperately needed a nap and I needed air-conditioning!

Jonathan and Matt waiting for me to deliver Andrew to Grandpa in the combine.

Andrew and Matt
Matt let Andrew steer when we were all in the tractor. Can I just tell you how scary that was to watch my 3-year-old drive and then ask which way he should turn? I kept trying to help him turn away from the large grove of trees, but at 3.5 mph, we were never in any danger, and he was having the time of his life!

"What are you trying to do to me? Don't you know it's a 110 out here, and I'm hot and tired? I will not cooperate and stand in this field for you! Are you crazy?"

Our one attempt at taking a picture with the wheat. The kids were all done for the day and Buster wanted some love, which we did not want to give in the oppressive heat.


On Tuesday, we went to "help" with harvest. I told Andrew that we were going to the field, forgetting he is a city boy and that he didn't understand farming lingo. He was very confused by the idea of going into a field. And on the 40-minute drive to grandpa's house, as we passed many fields and farms, I was asked if this was the field we were going. *sigh* Next time I will be more specific.

We have been experiencing a tremendous heat wave this week. Every day we top 100 degrees with a heat index that I don't even want to talk about. And did I mention the humidity?! Oh, it has been awful. No outside playtime. No outside anything! But it is harvest time, and all the excitement it brings still happened, and we couldn't miss it even if it was ridiculously hot!

Andrew loved every minute of it, and declared it, "The Best Day Ever!" Jonathan wasn't too sure what to think. It was his nap time and it was hot, but he soaked it all up and I'm sure next year is going to be fighting his brother for combine-driving time!

books, books and more books


I Spy sticker book


Thursday, June 25, 2009

Happy Father's Day!

This is obviously not a recent photo, but one of my favorites.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to take any pictures on Father's Day. Cranky children, strawberry-stained clothes and eventually cranky parents were involved. We'll try to get a picture this Sunday without crankiness and strawberries!

Happy Father's Day Keith! I couldn't imagine a better daddy to these wild and crazy boys!

And Happy Father's Day to my Dad and Grandpa!
(This is a 4-generation picture taken many, many years ago.)

Happy early Birthday


Grandma reading the road map to Andrew.

Reading the birthday card with Ashley. And did I mention it plays music, loudly? He loves it a lot more than we do!


And it also doubles as a wrestling mat when Jonathan gets to close!

Andrew's 4th birthday is in less than a week, which is soooo hard to believe! This past weekend, Ashley and Marilyn made Andrew this cool road map, personalized to his little world, and gave it to him as an early birthday gift. The roads are the perfect size for his cars. It's going to be hard to top this gift this year! Thank you so much Ashley and Marilyn for such a great map!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Fountains





Last week, we met some friends at Riverside Park. They have these cool fountains that kids and adults can run in. Jonathan was the only brave one from our house to even remotely check out the fountains. Andrew zeroed in a huge playground and could only focus on that. And he has a weird fear of water right now. Not baths, just outdoor water, so he wouldn't get near the fountains. I hope it ends soon, or it is going to be a very long, hot summer!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Blue Hat, Green Hat


Jonathan took a little break from listening to ham it up for the camera!


Andrew reading one of our favorite books, "Blue Hat, Green Hat", by Sandra Boynton.