Counting down to summer

Last I left off, Trey had just transitioned to a regular "big boy" bed.  It's been almost a month now, and we are very impressed with the outcome.  Trey was up a bunch the first night, rolled out the second and third nights, but has been great ever since (knock on wood).  We didn't have the experience of him popping out of bed several times at bedtime like I thought we would.  The only challenge we have had is his finding his way into our room some time between 3-5am and wanting to climb into bed with us.  This morning it wasn't until 6:15 which is a late wake up no matter what, so we were pretty pleased.  While Randy and I both don't want him sleeping in our bed, there is something sweet and special about having him next to me in the early hours of the morning.  One morning it was about 3am (yikes) and Trey said in his cute little voice, "Mama, can we snuggle now?"  Melted my heart.

Trey is doing really well in preschool.  I still really miss our old daycare and daycare providers, and I don't feel the same level of comfort when I leave him at his new place as I did before, but, all in all, it has been a good transition.  The teachers are really nice, the owner/director is awesome, and the kids seem okay.  It just isn't as warm and fuzzy as his old place.  Mind you, his old place was a home with a husband and wife taking care of him, and it really was like leaving him at home.  This is much more business-like (even though it's in a house) and not nearly as nurturing.  Nevertheless, Trey has been learning a lot there and he shocked me the other night with his knowledge of letters and sounds.

Here he is practicing his letters.  Now, I want to make the disclaimer that I only made these posters because he wanted me to and likes to play teacher.  I bought the real letter one because the drawings I made on my ABC poster are terrible, but he still likes it better.

We have had a fun run of weekends over the past month.  In the middle of April I went away for the night with two of my best friends, Sarah and Sarah, for a girls' weekend.  We went wine tasting and then stayed at a bed and breakfast outside of Dundee.  

Alexana Vineyards: delicious wine, expensive tasting fee 

 At a private tasting at Sokol Blosser

Friends since 1992 

On our tour of Sokol Blosser 

The view out the front porch from our B&B 

Pre-dinner cocktails at Thistle in McMinnville 

The cows saying good morning 

Breakfast served to us like queens.   We could get used to this.

I came home that afternoon and got ready to host Julie's birthday party.  I made goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped with bacon as my appetizer and we had a wine tasting party (my dates were gone in just a few minutes - a total hit!).  My poor sister was feeling really sick that day, so she didn't get to have as much fun as she should have, but it was still nice to get people together.  I promised her I wouldn't publish the picture I took of her at the end of the night with Case in her arms, but believe me when I say she looked terrible.

Trey and Grandpa Gerts

Trey was too busy eating strawberries to smile. 

Grandma Teresa and Case 

The kids' table 

Grandpa Gerts playing farm with his grandsons 

Grandpa Jim and Bailey getting to know each other

Remember when Randy wouldn't hold a baby?

Now he's as happy as ever to hold a baby, 

and the baby's as happy as ever to be held by Randy... 

Well, it got better. 

Keeping Grady happy is a little bit easier.  

Just pull out your smart phone and he's set.

A few weekends ago we met Kris and John for brunch after music class and then I took Randy to Base Camp Brewery.  It is one of my new favorite places where I have been going with Kerry before class on Thursdays.  They have a great outdoor seating area, fire pits, and delicious beer.  I highly recommend.

Trey filling his pockets with rocks. 

He was happy as a clam running around in the gravel, lining his rocks up, and counting them. 

Taster tray by a fire on a Saturday afternoon?

Doesn't get much better than that!

Sunday morning I took Trey to sports class since Randy was fishing.  They were playing soccer and doing some "drills" during class.  The whole reason we signed Trey up for this class was to build his motor skills since they aren't his strongest suit.  Going to class and realizing all the things he can't do (hop, skip, balance, not to mention the assortment of soccer type things the other kids were doing) made me glad we signed him up.  On the flip side, watching all the things he can't do doesn't really motivate me to take him tomorrow when it's supposed to be really nice out and we could go to the zoo instead.

Future athlete?  

Or maybe a musician?

Later that weekend Trey and I went to Mindy's house for dinner with her, Bill, and Camille.  It is so much fun to see the kids playing together.  And the chicken wasn't bad either!

I wonder if this is where Trey got the idea that picking a bunch of 

my parsley off the plant was a good idea. 

I love how they watch each other. 

Sweet kids...they just melt us.

I took off the morning from work one day to stay home with Julie.   Maternity leave with two kids under two has kind of been kicking her ass, and when you throw in a baby who won't sleep out of your arms and a toddler who is going through the whiny stage, it's a miracle that she functions at all.  I got to sit and hold Case for three hours while Julie slept upstairs.  I'll take that kind of break from work any time!  (Especially when I can give the baby back and go home to my almost-3-year-old!)

Case at almost 3 months 

I don't know what Julie is talking about when she says this kid never sleeps.

(Just kidding, Julie) 

To be honest, I forgot how boring this stage of motherhood is.  

But he sure is cute!

There are many things I like about our new house and our move, but at the top of the list right now is our backyard.  It is way more kid friendly and so much better for Trey than our old backyard.  We have been having a lot of fun outside and eating on the deck.  The garden is growing, Trey loves playing basketball (well....watching Randy play basketball), and Bailey spends most of his time outside.  It's awesome.

Last weekend,  Randy was at my disposal on Saturday because he was getting ready to leave for two nights.  I dragged him to music class in the morning (which he loooooooooovvvvves), then we went to the park, and then we met Adam and Jenny for lunch.  Later that day we went to Dave's mom's house for a dinner to see him, his mom, and the ladies who we traveled with in China in 2008.  Dave was gearing up to go to Seattle to throw out the first pitch for the Mariners' game (Randy's boys' weekend).  It was so fun to see everyone and have them meet Trey for the almost first time (meeting him at 6 weeks old doesn't really count because he's just a little different now).

Randy and Trey at music class 

Me with DJ Lance Rock at the park 

Throwing pine cones in the pond 

again and again and again...

Trey, Randy, Dave's coach John, and Dave partying in the street 

Practicing his first pitch

Here's the official footage of Dave's First Pitch.  So cool!

On a book note, I am reading a really good book called The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (I know, I know, I'm often drawn to mothers-dying-of-cancer books.  I can't help it.).  What I really love about this book is the discussions of the books they are having and how it makes me want to read a whole list of books I've never even heard of before.  One part I really liked is when he talks about why he doesn't like e-books.  

This is what he says:

One of the many things I love about bound books is their sheer physicality.  Electronic books live out of sight and out of mind.  But printed books have body, presence.  Sure, sometimes they'll elude you by hiding in improbable places: in a box full of old picture frames, say, or in the laundry basket wrapped in a sweatshirt.  But at other times they'll confront you, and you'll literally stumble over some tomes you hadn't thought about in weeks or years.  I often seek electronic books, but they never come after me.  They may make me feel, but I can't feel them.  They are all soul with no flesh, no texture, and no weight.  They can get in your head but can't whack you upside it.  

So, so true.  I know a lot of people love their e-readers and I honestly don't judge for that.  I just know that I am not ready for one and I can't see myself being ready for a long, long time.   I am also listening to the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson.  I find it fascinating.  Right now I'm in the section where Apple is just getting started in the mid-70's.  So amazing to think about time pre-computer, pre-internet, pre-smartphone.  Our kids are growing up in a different world, that's for certain.  

Today was Sesame Street Live and Trey was so excited.  He's really into these live performances after going to Yo Gabba Live and he watches Yo Gabba live, Sesame live, Mickey Mouse live, and Max and Ruby live on YouTube on the iPad.  He also loves to perform as DJ Lance Rock doing the intro to Yo Gabba Live and runs all around the room doing his routine.  Every time I try to get video of him, he stops.  I'll get him some day.  

Today has been a great Saturday.  Trey slept until 6:15, Randy made breakfast, he went to music class with us AGAIN, we went to Sesame Street Live, and now we are getting ready for Adam and his girls to come over for dinner.  I love sunny Saturdays.  

The school year is winding down, although it doesn't feel that way with my current workload and my class at PSU.  The weeks are going by way too quickly, but that means summer is just around the corner. I can't wait to spend summer with my boy who is going to turn THREE next month.  I can hardly believe it.   

Spring Fever!

What a great month we have had in the Clark house! St. Patrick's Day, Spring Break, Easter, starting our new garden, and switching Trey from the crib to a big boy bed.  It's been a busy time, and it's been fabulous!

My boy has got him some personality.

I drive a lot for my job, and I have been listening to audio books.  I can't believe I didn't do this when I commuted to Woodburn for nine years.  I would be so well read!  Some of my favorite audiobooks I have listened to include Ruth Reichl's memoirs, David Sedaris, and, most of all, Cheryl Strayed's Wild. I just finished listening to the 20 disc biography of Julia Child.  What an amazing woman who had such an impact on society and cooking.  I had no idea.

Our book club seems to be breaking up which is really disappointing after meeting for over 10 years, but I do have to say it has given me an opportunity to choose what I read and that has been refreshing.  Over spring break I read Kent Haruf's new book Benediction (liked, didn't love), the fourth book in the Maisie Dobbs series (really like those), and Night Circus (a book I've had my eye on for a while).   Also on my stack is Mind in the Making (loaned to me by my boss's boss which required a move to the top of my stack, but I have to say it's really good) and the Whole Brain Child (recommendation from one of the psychologists I work with and I can't wait to read past the intro).  Getting in bed at the end of the day to read my book is definitely one of my favorite times of the day.

Randy and I have always enjoyed going out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but with the boy it makes things a little more difficult.  This year we decided to have a small get together and Stout/Porter tasting at our house.

Trey keeping busy while Dad shops for beer 

Some of the choices 

Ted, Kris, John, and Randy 

(I don't think Randy left that spot all night.)

Ashlyn and Madi 

Trey playing some tunes 

Spring Break 2013 may have been the best break I've had with Trey yet.  I think it may have had something to do with the naps and me not caring about them. Or maybe it had to do with naps and me timing our playdates and drives so that Trey would fall asleep on the way home and I wouldn't (conveniently) have to worry about them.

We spent the first weekend of spring break at Camp Sherman on the Metolius River.  One thing I didn't think through on this plan was how cold it would be. I thought we'd get a lot of outside time, but I wasn't anticipating the snow.  Trey and I spent a lot of time in the cabin playing Yo Gabba Gabba .

Sunday Trey and I drove to Bend so that we could see Michele (friend from ESD who left us a few years ago and I'm still sad about it) and her new baby Skye.  I was a little bummed because Randy didn't come to Bend with us for the day on Sunday as planned because the extra drive time didn't sound appealing to him come Sunday morning.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do on our own because the friend we were staying with was busy.

Luckily, thanks to Facebook, my friends Kristina and Dan (old boss from Woodburn) were in town for spring break, so Trey and I met them out for dinner.  Between an afternoon with Ann (who we were staying with), dinner with Kristina and Dan, and a night to ourselves at Ann's house, Trey and I weren't lonely or bored at all.   Monday morning we went to Westside Bakery (an old favorite from my time hanging out in Bend) for breakfast, and then we went to Michele's.  It was so good to catch up with Michele and meet Skye.  I left feeling so lucky that I have so many good friends from different parts of my life who are such solid awesome people.

Trey and Skye

Michele, Skye, and Trey at the park

We spent the rest of the week in town and had a really great time.  Trey spent two days in daycare which allowed me to do chores, run errands, and have a little alone time.  I also got to spend some time with Julie and Case.  Overall, it was a really fun week and probably one of the best breaks I've had in a long time.

Playdate with Madi and Ashlyn

Dyeing Easter eggs with Mindy and Camille

(something about cooking these eggs on the day 

they came over made me feel very grown up.  weird, I know.)

Camille, Mindy, and Trey

Managing the splash factor was a little stressful.

Cowgirl Camille on "Blackie"

Camille and Trey eating dinner with hopeful Bailey waiting for some spills

Friday night Randy, Trey and I went to the spring brewfest at the Convention Center.  This is one of our favorite brewfests because it's not as crowded and the beer is good.  We took the MAX down which Trey loved and had a good time at the brewfest.

Crazy boy running around in the corner of the beer hall.  

A family who plays together stays together.

Easter was on Sunday and we had some friends over for brunch.  First Trey woke up to his Easter basket and was thrilled to find the DJ Lance Rock hat from Yo Gabba Gabba. He has been doing DJ Lance's intro routine to Yo Gabba Live since we went to see the show.  It may be one of the cutest things I've ever seen, but every time I try to record it on video he stops.  

DJ Lance pondering important things

Our friends came to brunch and then we had an Easter egg hunt.  It was so fun to watch Trey with all of the boys going around the yard looking for eggs.  Randy and I just keep saying, "I can't believe what a little boy he is."

Trey gathering eggs

The Kopplins looking for eggs

Kathleen, Sarah, Bruin, Randy, Trey, and Neil

The boys: Garland, Trey, Maclyn, Kai, and Zander

Later that day Trey actually fell asleep in our bed for a nap.  MIRACLE!!! I think it's the first time he has napped at home in probably over 9 months.  It gave Randy and I a chance to get our garden started at our new house.  Randy planted his hops, we planted new blueberry plants, and I got my lettuce starts, pea seeds, and spinach seeds in pots.  Later in the spring we will build a new raised bed to get our summer plants started.

Spring break ended and it was back to reality.  Randy and I are both really busy at work, and Trey is of course busy at preschool.  They are studying clouds (Trey proudly told me in the car that the three kinds of clouds were "cumulous, strattus, f#$k."  It took some serious brainpower to figure out that the third kind is "fog."  Poor kid has been a performing monkey every since), volcanoes, and planting seeds.  We have since talked about the clouds in the sky, watched youtube videos of volcanoes erupting, and growing seeds.  He makes me a proud mama when I ask him, "What letter does volcano start with?" and he says, excitedly, "V!!!"

Trey and Randy in Trey's first fort

Sunday we took the plunge and decided to set up Trey's "big boy bed."  I have heard horror stories about the adjustment and kids popping out of bed a million times a night.  So far (only four nights in, mind you), Trey has done well and has just woken a few times in the middle of the night.  It is so fun to see him in a big bed, and I love being able to lie down next to him rather than leaning over the side of the crib.

Trey "helping" Daddy

His new set-up

I just love this picture of Randy and Trey saying good night.

Lately, I feel like the days/weeks are filled with morning routine, work, pick up Trey, make dinner, clean up, play for a bit, bedtime routine, clean up some more, read my book, go to sleep (maybe - such a shitty sleeper I am), and then start all over.   While the days can be monotonous, I am lucky to enjoy my job, enjoy meal planning and cooking, and enjoy my books.  I am blessed to have a solid family - both in my home and in my sister and dad - and such an amazing little boy.  It feels like there can be a lot of crap going on in the periphery (sickness, stress, angst), and while those things do keep me up at night, I never cease to feel grateful that on this day I am one lucky lady.