A Team Week 106: [The Crazy] Life Goes On

I thought that once I got through Avery's birthday party life would slow down a bit.  I thought I'd have a little more free time and thus more time to blog.  That hasn't happened.  I feel like the weeks since Avery's birthday have flashed by and my blogs are really behind.  Therefore, I've decided to skip past Avery's birthday blog instead of staying in chronological order to help me catch up a bit.  Eventually I will get to it, but since it takes significantly longer to write and sort the photos for those posts, it might be a little while still.

Life has been busy since Avery's birthday, but I don't think it has been any busier than normal.  What has been different though is that I've been seeing a chiropractor and getting some physical therapy for my back.  It isn't anything major, mostly just annoyances, but the annoyances affect my sleep and with the craziness of life that just isn't ok.  I've had several appointments every week, which means that there is some a-typical running around added to the typical busyness of life.  In addition to that, I also woke up the day after Avery's party with a very sore throat, which progressed into a terrible cough as the week progressed.  My poor coworkers were pretty sure that I was going to keel over and die right there in my office!

So, that is a little backstory to life since Avery turned 2.  Here is A Team Week 106...the week immediately following this event. 

For the boys, this week was fun because there were tons of new toys lying around just waiting to be played with...which also made life a little easier on sick Mommy (& Daddy).

Playing with his new Duplos Tuesday night.

For Avery's birthday, Eric and I got him the Dinoblock book.  By Tuesday night we had only read it once or twice so we were not really familiar with it yet.  That night for bed when I asked Asher what he wanted to read he responded, "the one where the dinosaurs' bodies fall off."  I was surprised by his response and had no idea what he was talking about.  He went and grabbed Avery's new book and when we got to the last page, I understood what he meant.

The book where the dinosaurs' bodies fall off on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday we had a pretty busy morning followed by a slow afternoon.  That morning Avery had his 2 year check-up, which we followed up by one of my chiropractic/PT appointments.  I usually don't take the boys to my appointments but since the pediatrician is close to the chiropractic clinic I go to I took them along.  They were really good, sitting quietly and playing on the iPad I brought.  Then as I was doing my PT, the therapist asked if they wanted to play with the yoga balls.  I know she was just trying to be nice and I appreciate that, but it definitely made my appointment much more stressful as they went from quietly sitting on the floor to running around like crazies with balls as big as they are in a fairly small room.  Rather than trying to focus on my muscles/core/breathing, I was focusing on my little monsters and praying they didn't break anything!  At one point, I was laying on a yoga mat on the floor and was supposed to be focusing on deep core breathing when a yoga ball literally rolled over my face as two little feet went running past! 

Watching Mulan and eating caramel apples during the rainy Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday night just before bedtime we realized that there was a package for Avery on the porch.  We let him open it up to find a Dalmatian Vet Kit from Auntie Julie, Uncle Dave, Emmett & Olive.  He loved it (& Allison M. if you're reading this, I thought of Etta as he was playing with it!) and immediately got to work caring for his "do" (aka doggie)!

 

After letting the boys play with the new toy for a few minutes we headed upstairs for bedtime.  Avery wasn't ready to say goodnight to his new pup though.  As I was getting him ready for bed he kept asking me for "wa-er, wa-er", so I filled his bathroom cup with water and gave him a drink.  He was NOT impressed and began yelling at me and stomping on the floor.  Then he pulled something out from behind his back and handed me a little bowl that came with the dog kit.  He wanted me to fill it up to give puppy a drink!  :)  Then, when it was time to get into his bed he said "na-ni" to his puppy and then put him into its crate.  I picked up the crate and placed it on the floor next to his bed but again he began to yell at me.  I asked him if he wanted to sleep with the puppy and he said "uh-huh".  I pulled the puppy out of the crate and handed it to him to snuggle with for the night but again he began to yell at me.  He grabbed the puppy and placed it in the crate.  Then he closed the door, picked up the crate, placed it on his bed, and then lay down next to it with his arm over the crate.  Funny guy.

On Thursday night I drove home through the rain with a gorgeous sunset on the horizon.  My attempts to photograph at a stoplight aren't great, but it was quite a sight!

When Asher turned three he was given a Jurassic Park velociraptor hand puppet.  He thought it was pretty cool, but it was Avery who really embraced it and it is the reason we threw Avery a dinosaur party last year.  He fell in love with everything dinosaurs and even as a crawling baby would attempt to chase us around the house with it!  Over a year later, his love for dinosaurs hasn't changed, but the velociraptor is not in great shape.  At this point in time he only has about three teeth and when you try to wear him your hand will go directly through his tongue if you are not careful.  This does not stop Avery from playing with it though, so Eric and I decided that he needed a new one for his birthday.  We got him the Jurassic Park TRex head this time and now instead of the new head replacing he old, Avery runs around the house with both of them on his hands chasing us and roaring at as all the while!  Roarrrrr!!! 

(2) Videos: Avery Attacks on Friday night

On Friday night we enjoyed a nice family dinner at Olive Garden.  Since it had been a cool very dreary/rainy week, I was craving some warm fall type food.  The thoughts of stews, meats and potatoes lingered through my head all day but when evening came I wasn't sure where I could get that.  Instead I "settled" for OG's Stuffed Chicken Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes.  It didn't disappoint!  

While we were at the Olive Garden, Asher had our waitress wrapped around his fingers (side note: we mentioned this out loud to each other as we ate and Asher was sitting at the table looking at all of his fingers).  Anything he wanted he got.  Want more cheese...sure.  Want some stickers...no problem.  Want an entire bowl full of olives...you don't even have to ask.  Want more salad just so you can have some more tomatoes...she'll bring you a bowl full of tomato slices.  He was treated so well during that dinner and I am positive that he was completely aware.  When the meal was finished and the waitress came to clear our plates and drop off our check, Asher looked at her and said, "candy now?"...she hooked him up!  :)  Needless to say, she received a nice tip that evening!  

All the boys on one side of the table with the girls (me) on the other.

On Friday night before bed, I attempted to take Avery's last Toddler Tales pictures.  I got out his calendar, the camera and our owl blanket to take his 2 year photos, and Avery basically showed me that he is two in mind, body and spirit!  He refused to take pictures with me and I found that the best picture I took to describe Avery at this age is the one that he is absent in.

I'm Two.  I WILL NOT cooperate!

I don't remember all the details, but know this picture was very difficult to get and required some trickery on my part.

 

 

 

Late Friday night, my parents arrived in Kenosha to attend my cousin's wedding in Chicago the next day.  Asher and Avery were not able to see them that night, but were very excited to have a few hours on Saturday morning to spend with them.  After a bit of play time, we all headed over to Frank's Diner for a yummy breakfast together. 

After breakfast, we all headed back home to get ready for the wedding (more on that to come).  Soon after, Eric's parents arrived at our house as well so that my parents, Eric and I could head to the wedding while they stayed home with the boys for the day.  We had a fun day at the wedding and Avery and Asher had a fun day home with Grammy and Gramps.  On Sunday, we were all pretty tuckered out and Avery had gotten my cold, so rather than going to church we enjoyed a lazy morning at home followed by lunch at Potbelly before seeing Eric's parents off.

My mom had brought down a mouse costume that I wore for Halloween when I was Avery's age.  We tried it on Avery Sunday morning and although he looked totally adorable, and was very interested in the costume, he had NO desire to wear the mouse hood, making him look like he just had a strange gray jumpsuit on with a long gray tail. 

Me wearing the same costume in 1982. 

 

Grammy, Asher & Avery at Potbelly.

Video: Avery's Slip 'N Slide

Before saying goodbye to Eric's parents, we went to R'Noggin Brewery (owned & run by Eric's coworker) to get them a new growler to take home.  Avery enjoyed sliding on the wet floor while we were there.

 

The rest of the day was spent in typical Sunday fashion; finishing the week well with naps, snuggles and playtime.