Ro Had a Birthday, Shout Hooray!

Roosevelt also had a birthday in August.  He turned three.  What the heck?!  I'm still evaluating my life and wondering how I have a three-year-old.  I am not kidding!  The majority of my life I feel like I am still in elementary school.  Like I could easily be best buds with our eight-year-old neighbor.  I don't feel like I've grown up.  And I definitely don't feel like I should be responsible for a three-year-old.  Poor Ro, has a incompetent school-aged girl for a parent.  Anyway...

Wyatt had to work on Ro's actual birthday (which was a Tuesday), so we celebrated the Saturday before.  Ro woke to a bunch of presents and unwrapped each one with great excitement.  He raked in a bunch of loot too.  A Hot Wheels race track, which he loves.  More darts for his Nerf Guns (200 so there's no worry about keeping tack of them), How to Train Your Dragon movie, a book about the solar system, a toy motorcycle, and...

a REAL motorcycle!!!  Which is actually on loan from Wyatt's dad, Grandy.  However, seeing that there aren't very many grand kids living close to Grandy, the competition to use it isn't too bad.  Not to mention it was not running and it is Wyatt who returned it to working order.  

Ro was pretty excited about the motorcycle at first.  But then something happened and he got a little spooked.  Nothing serious.  I think it was just that it would wobble side-to-side as he rode because the training wheels don't touch the ground at the same time.  Ro loves to ride it with Wyatt, though.  Ro in the front, Wyatt (barely) in the back.  Ro gets to control the throttle while Wyatt helps steer.  It's pretty cute.  

(matching "garage shirts" I made.  With the help of Ro and Pippa's footprints.)

We went to the Hand's On Children's Museum in Olympia for Ro's birthday party.  (A family party for four.)  This is the best children's museum I have ever been to.  It is so cool!  It has a good layout and interesting exhibits.  And not too crowded...even on a "pick your price" Saturday.  The temporary exhibit during our visit was about China.  Of course, they had a little exhibit about pandas.  Which Ro, ahem, I loved.  Ro did too in his own way (not just saying that).  They had a video about feeding the baby pandas, so I gave a go at it.  And then Ro did.  He needs a little practice before we head to China to feed the real baby pandas.  

Ro requested a chocolate cake.  I was happy to oblige and even put a little extra love into it and decorate it as a giant donut!  We love donuts over here, so it was very fitting.  

Ro loved the cake!  Especially the frosting, he was constantly sneaking a dip with his finger.  I allowed it since it was his cake and his birthday.  Pippa got a taste of the cake, as well as a taste of what her birthday celebration will be like in a few months.  She was pretty happy about it.  

(An appearance from Ryan C.!)

I felt bad that we celebrated Ro's birthday three-days early, so I decided that we'd sing happy birthday to him every night through his birthday.  By the time his birthday arrived, he wasn't very interested in the cake.  In fact, I was left to eat it alone.  That explained the weight gain that week.  Though, Ro still loved to sample the frosting.  And he loved blowing the candles out every night.  

Ma' G coincidentally had a layover on Ro's birthday.  So we picked her up from her hotel in the morning and bought actual birthday donuts.  And of course, added candles and sang Happy Birthday again.  Ro is actually still regularly singing happy birthday, to himself, over a month later.  Sans candles.  Except for the pretend candles on his sand birthday cakes.  

After we dropped Ma' G off at her hotel, we headed to the local splash pad for a little fun.  Ro loves playing in the water!  And he hates people is super shy.  So he was delighted when he had nearly the whole park to himself!  

I love this kid so much!  He brings so much joy to my little heart that I often think it's going to burst! And sometimes he makes me so crazy I want to scream.  And do sometimes.  He is definitely treading into independent territory.  Defiant territory.  Testing the water, pushing buttons territory.  It can be trying.  But, it can also be very rewarding to watch him take on new challenges and succeed.  Even if the success comes after some discipline on my part.  

Ro is very observant.  He is very much like Wyatt in this way.  I am amazed at how much he remembers, even after a brief exposure.  He's in tune with what others are doing and often offers his commentary...or asks me to offer mine.  He's like this with people, animals, and things.  For example, he has a shelf in his room FULL of pandas.  Grandy, Goombaw, and Aunt Tanya stopped by for a quick visit on the way home from the San Juan Islands.  While here, Grandy snuck into Ro's room and planted an impostor killer whale among the many pandas.  That night when we sat on his bed to read books, he looked up and said, "what's that?"  And pulled the whale out.  I was dumbfounded!  Deductive reasoning told me it had been planted that night...and Ro spotted it within seconds of looking at his pandas.  Everyone else was floored too.  They thought it'd be days...weeks before we/Ro found it.  

Along with being very observant, Ro is a thinker.  He often pauses to think...  You can nearly see the wheels turning in his head as he processes information.  Of course I think he's super smart but I have a biased opinion.  Though, we've had a few comment along the way that they also think he's very smart.  

Ro is very shy.  Also very much like Wyatt in this way.  I think this will be a challenge for him for the rest of his life.  There is nothing wrong with being shy.  I have, however, observed how people have confused his bashfulness with incompetence.  A few times in nursery the leaders have mistakenly thought Ro couldn't do something when in reality he could.  He just didn't because he was too shy.  I'm hoping Ro has many mindful teachers in his future that can recognize this and work with him to reach his potential.  

Ro is a sweet kid.  He's often sensitive to other's feelings.  And he's not your typical "rough n' tough" boy.  He doesn't really roughhouse or wrestle or show much aggression in general.  He can but it's not typical behavior.  Sometimes he hits us but that's usually when he's tired or hungry.  If all of Ro's needs are met, he is a really really good boy.  Ro often pays his compliments to others, "I like your shoes...hair...shirt..."  And he often asks us how we're doing, "How was your run?"  "How was work?"  "How was your nap?"  It is very cute.

Ro is really good at exceeding my expectations.  Like the time we did potty training and he was fully potty trained before my goal.  And he stayed dried at night, even though I only expected him to be trained during the day.  And every time we fly to Colorado.  Traveling is hard and exhausting.  Yet, every time he is happy to accept the challenge.  He always walks through the airport (no strollers or me carrying him), he often pulls his own little luggage/backpack, he is always very well behaved on the plane (he has never cried or thrown a fit)...even when the entertainment is not a screen.  And the most recent trip, Ro pushed Pippa in the stroller while I carried/pushed the luggage.  We were stopped by more than one person paying their compliments...and amazed to learn that Ro was only three and was being such a HUGE help.  That is who Ro is.  He is amazing.

I love that kid so much!  I could go on and on about his positive attributes.  I feel extremely blessed that I get to be his mom.  Ro is a very special kid!  

Eight is Great!

I feel like I'm still drowning over here.  This post has been on my "list" for weeks and I'm just now getting to it.  I seriously don't know how people have more than two kids.  I can't seem to get anything done with two!  Poor Philippa, my mind is shot and I can't seem to remember the significant details of her eighth month of life.  I more fully understand now why my baby book is so empty.  I'm the youngest of six...there was no way my mom was going to get to that!

Pippa grew three more teeth this month.  I think?  At least they started coming in.  Three on the top, missing the right (Pippa's right) middle tooth.  She's gonna look mighty cute when they fully come in and there's a gap there!  Pippa enjoys open mouth kissing a lot of things.  Though, one would normally say she likes to put things in her mouth.  It just feels like open mouth kissing when she's sucking on your nose.  Eh, Nupur?

We've been into Photobooth over here.  Ro is usually the one that initiates but we're all happy to oblige.  I just want to point out to all those "Team Wyatt's" out there, that my son does actually look like me!  Just take a look at the above photos.  It especially surfaces when we make the same goofy faces.  

Pippa actually does look a lot like her dad.  More accurately, she looks a lot like the Wilson side.  And look at the strawberry blonde hair!!!  That's a Wilson trait - red hair.  Though, I believe she is the first descendant of Grandpa Goat (Beasley) that has any hint of red hair.  Well, and Wyatt with his red beard.  I really really hope it stays.  It is so pretty!

We decided to journey to Mercer Island to watch the Blue Angels practice for Sea Fair.   It was the perfect day for spectating!  Though, Ro and Pippa...and eventually Wyatt didn't share my enthusiasm and we left early.  I still get to see my commercial planes everyday.  They can't take that away from me...yet.  

What is going on here?!!!  The pictures I find on Wyatt's camera...

I ran a marathon.  It was the "Marathon For One."  Solely designed and raced by yours truly.  I was training all summer to run a race in Bend, Oregon.  But a few family changes came up and I decided that it would be best to stay closer to home.  Except there was no race closer to home on the weekend I'd planned to run.  So my sweet, sweet husband took on the responsibility to create a 26.2-mile route I could run by my lonesome.  I am not exaggerating about the "sweet" part.  I was seriously feeling overwhelmed by the task and was soooooo relieved when he did the job.  Without me asking, even!  

The route followed the Snoqualmie Valley Trail from Rattlesnake Lake to just south of Duvall.  And I had the best spectators along the way!  Wyatt, Ro, Pippa and my dear MIL, Katharine.  Spectating a marathon is not fun, so I really appreciate their willingness to endure the race with me.  And ensure that I was well hydrated and all my needs were met.  Wyatt rode his bike along side me a few times.  And once he even sprinted from behind to give me a full water bottle!  

My final time was 4:05:20.  Not too shabby.  I was hoping closer to an exact four-hours.  Though, I have a few disclaimers.  One, I actually ran a half-mile further than the 26.2-mile marathon distance.  Which I'm estimating added an extra five-minutes to my time.  And two, I had to make two pit stops in the beginning.  One of the pit stops was a significant deviation off the trail, deep into the woods.  I'm estimating that was at least another seven-minutes.  But alas, you can't stop the clock in a race.  So no matter my "excuses" my time is what it is.  Truly, I'm just proud that I ran the distance!  I ran my third marathon nine-months postpartum after Roosevelt was born.  I ran this race seven-months postpartum after Philippa's birth.  Not too shabby.  

Even though Pippa is more "Wilson" she still inherited my fat bottom lip.  Lucky for her she's got a beautiful big mouth!  So it's fitting on her face.  Compared to my fat bottom lip on my small mouth.  Pippa also inherited my double crown cowlick.  It's very cute with her current short locks since it gives her a bit of a mohawk.  If her hair is anything like mine, it'll create two bumps in the back of her head once her hair is longer.  But maybe not.

Wyatt's been having fun too...despite selling his FOURTH motorcycle a couple of months ago.  In spite of owning only three motorcycles, he still gets out for a ride fairly regularly.  Ro has followed suit and is a big fan of the sport too.  Though Ro's exposure is limited to repeat circles around our driveway.  As a passenger.  

I've been letting Ro dress himself lately.  He does a good job for the most part.  It cracks me up when he chooses to wear his rain boots with shorts.  One time he wanted to wear his Easter socks with the boots.  O-kay!

Pippa walks!  With the aid of her new walker.  She lava loves her walker!  And she's quite good at maneuvering it around our house.   I am seriously impressed at how fast she can walk in it and how well she can turn around and turn at corners.  I don't think I could do the same if I had a giant bubble around me.  And our little girl is an "In-de-pen-dent Wo-man!" (queue Destiny's Child).  She has zero reservations about exploring all by her lonesome.  Sometimes we'll all be in one room, i.e. the kitchen, and Pippa will just take-off for the family room by herself.  

Ro looooooves Pippa's walker too.  He likes to "run and slide" in it.  And sometimes he'll pick it up around his hips, like he's holding up a dress, and walk around the house.  It's a pretty ridiculous sight.  Big boy in a little walker.  He also loves playing with Pippa while she's in the walker.  He'll push and pull her around.  And Pippa almost always loves it when he does.

Pippa is our eater.   Sometimes I call her my hungry hungry caterpillar.  She eats everything I give her.  Only a few times has she protested by not opening her mouth for a second bite.  Most of the time I have to cut her off otherwise she would keep going and going and going.  She truly likes to eat.  This makes me sooooo happy!  Ro does not like to eat and is VERY picky.  Sometimes Pippa will stare down the food another is eating - sometimes with her mouth open hoping for a bite.  And if she's in close range, she'll reach for it with her hand - inside our mouths if needs be!  

Enjoying the kiddie pool at Green Lake.  Perfect for a little boy!

I posted the whole series of these pictures because they crack me up.  A nice little window into the world of Roosevelt Wilson.  Totally oblivious while exploring his imagination.  And then Pippa, just gnawing away at whatever.  

I had a birthday in August.  Remember when I used to announce it weeks before?  I guess kids make you humble.  Or rather, help you to focus outwardly.  We were going to ride our bikes around Green Lake but a certain nearly-three-year-old lasted two whole minutes before he declared he was spent.  So we spent some time at the swim part and more time at the kiddie pool.  It was still a good day.  I just like to be outside for the festivities.  That was on Saturday the day before my birthday.

On my actual birthday, I was greeted with balloons and banners and presents!  Cookie sheets from Wyatt...AND from my friend Jen.  I kept both since I desperately needed new ones!  Pippa fell asleep in my arms at church - which never happens!  And our neighbors brought over a cake.  (They didn't know that I had already made my own coconut lime cake.)  It was a good day.

Sitting-up in the tub without the help of a bath chair.

Keeping cool in the heat with water balloons.  Yeah, we're model parents letting our baby chew on a balloon.  Luckily she never popped it.  She just loved playing with it.  

Ro hanging with his best buds, Mickey and Selam.  I offered to snap a picture of them in their finery, since they were going to a wedding.  Ro popped in the picture too.  He was dressed for church.

Pippa usually greets us with a smile when she wakes.  Super cute!

Just wanted to share the picture of this very REAL spider!  I wish I had something next to it so you could see how GIANT it is.  I'd say half-dollar.  And the scary part is, this isn't the first big one we've seen.  And the even scarier part is, this one got away!!!!!  So it is somewhere inside our house.  Wyatt left for Oregon that night, so I was left alone with two kids in a house with a giant spider.  I was actually quite terrified.  Spiders normally don't bother me.  Normal spiders don't bother me.  This guy was not normal.  

I love watching Ro and Pippa play.  Pippa gets mauled quite a bit, so I think she'll grow up with a nice layer of thick skin.  She really doesn't seem to mind too much when Ro wrestles with her or pokes her or bumps her...or steals her toys (all the time).  Lots of times she laughs.  Good girl.  Now to work on teaching Ro how to share.  And how to be a little more gentle...for those times Pippa does mind.  

Our little family on our back deck with Mount Rainier peeking in the back.  These guys are my favorites!