"Spring-time" in Wisconsin

We are officially one week into spring on the calendar, and this was our Sunday afternoon activity today. Hopefully, this will be our last snow of the season, but we were pleased that the snow was finally wet and packable enough to build a good sized snowman! When given lemons, they say...

I'm am not very sure that this WILL be our last snow of the season. I could celebrate this snow much more if it was the last! It is hard to believe that last week I was just starting to think about flowers, short sleeves, and days at the pool...I obviously thought too soon.

It is fun to watch my boys enjoy whatever season we are in, though. Winter is definitely not my favorite, but I am learning to embrace whatever comes because God created it all. (Now, please, God, melt this snow and bring me SPRING in the truest sense!)

A tiny little bit of heart-failure

Most of you already know that R does weekly hippo-therapy (PT/OT on a horse!) through the "warmer" months of March through December each year. He absolutely loves it, and it is by far the most effective type of therapy we do for his core strength, motor planning, and self-confidence. He's been doing this type of therapy since just before he turned three years old, and he has done some crazy things on a horse thus far. He has ridden his horse, Gola, backwards, sideways, kneeling, laying down, and even standing up! R has done all of this therapeutic riding on the horse bareback while someone walks beside R as a bodyguard of sorts and someone else leads the horse from the front.

Well, today, all that changed...

I came into the barn this afternoon to see R steering the horse himself, with no volunteer bodyguards to make sure he didn't fall off. My little newly-turned 5 year old is using reins and steering the horse, all by himself, through a series of obstacles. He has been learning little things about starting, stopping, turning, and trotting in the last few months, and TODAY, without warning, Steph (his wonderful OT) had him put it all together. (Hence, the tiny little bit of heart-failure today.)

I couldn't have been more proud (or petrified) to see him doing it all with relative ease, without panic, and practically flawlessly. I plan to take a picture next week...a better picture taker would have had a camera today. But, for your viewing pleasure, I included a picture (for proof, because I wouldn't believe it, either) of R standing up on a horse last summer. I realize the picture is dark; the barn is a tough place to take good pictures because of the lighting. Yes, the horse is walking. Hopefully, I'll get a good picture next week while he shows off his new skill. Who knew my little R would actually be a budding horseman! I wonder if he will be bit by the riding bug?

Rob Says...

Time for more facebook fun! This was a survey sent to me that I did with Rob this morning. (I, of course, did it at a time he was in a great mood! I'm not an idiot!) I decided to also put it here so that I would remember this. So sweet.

Ask your child(ren) to answer the questions and type their answers in.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you

2. What makes mom happy?
when I smile at her

3. What makes mom sad?
when I am sick

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
by saying cookie (silly) words and things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
she was little

6. How old is your mom?
I think you are 34 (I am 36)

7. How tall is your mom?
this tall (reaching up high)

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
cooking shows (true, in part; it is the only "mommy show" I'll watch while he is awake!)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
work

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
for giving me hugs

11. What is your mom really good at?
giving me hugs and kisses

12. What is your mom not very good at?
wrestling (so true, because wrestling is a daddy job!)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
helps patients with their insulin pumps (he's good...that is true!)

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
strawberries (ummm...I think that is HIS favorite food!)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
when you come help in my preschool room

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Hmmm.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
color, read books

18. How are you and your mom the same?
we both have alot of hair

19. How are you and your mom different?
well, I have short hair and she has long hair

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because she snuggles with me

Budding Streaker?

So, today, I'm helping R get dressed after swimming lessons. He has his bathing suit off, and his t-shirt and his undeware on. (That's it! Got the visual?) Out of the blue, R says...

"I've got to run!"

And, before I can say anything, he takes off! He runs at top speed out of the locker room, down the hall, through the parent observation area, and to the front door of Swimtastic Swim School.

What in the world was he thinking?? I had to gather myself and stop belly laughing before I could go corrale him back into the locker room to finish dressing. He didn't seem to understand that running around in his underware just wan't a good idea. He insisted that all of these people had just seen him in his bathing suit and without his shirt on, so "why was this not okay?"

He does have a point!

Just wanted to share my today with you; I wish I had my camera in my purse.

Firefighter Forever?

My little one LOVES being a firefighter. If you ask him, he's not playing firefighter...he IS a firefighter. Truly. I think he has done more studying on the subject than most employed firefighters. We have watched every kids video I can find at the library; we have read every book I can find at the library (dozens of times). We have even bought books on the subject of firefighting. He varies his costume (er...uniform) depending on which book he is in that day. He can recite the fire safety rules better than I have ever been able to. He'll tell you if you need to "Stop, Drop, and Roll" or "Stay low and go" or "Get out and Stay Out!" I will have to remember this stage because he is just too cute, in my opinion! "Stage" is a word used loosely because we have been in this "stage" for a full year now. R received his uniform for his birthday last year, and we are two weeks away from his birthday THIS year. Best money ever spent on a birthday present, I'd say. I've needed a laugh this week, and Firefighter Frank, or Bob, or Smoky, or Small, or, or, or... whoever he is...has provided just that.



This picture represents a typical day at work for my little guy. He's fighting a fire in the foyer because, for some reason, our foyer catches on fire ALOT, using his rope as his fire hose attached to the fire hydrant (i.e. piano bench) behind him. Note his air tanks on his back (thanks, daddy, for making these!) and his air mask made from a pirate's eye patch. He is wearing the pants from a lion costume, I believe, and house shoes represent his fire boots. He has tried to immulate every detail of a real fireman's uniform to the best of his ability with the resources we have here. The imagination and creativity he has put into the accessories of his uniform just amaze me.


Thank you, God, for the innocence, imagination, and joy of childhood! May I not rush him to grow up too fast!!