Mother's Day

Up until Trey was born, Randy and I had a tradition of going to Camp Sherman for Mother's Day weekend.  On Mother's Day, Randy would spend some time fishing and I would walk along the river and listen to a tape of my mom talking.  (When I was studying in Paris in 1994, my mom would make mini cassette tapes and send them to me.  We joked that it was her dream come true to be able to talk for an hour straight and not be interrupted.  Unfortunately, I recorded over most of them when I would make a tape to send back, and I only have one tape left.) It is pretty awesome to listen to her voice talking to me about Christmas preparations and regular daily life.  However, last year instead of listening to her tape, I went to our local coffee shop and wrote our birth story in my pregnancy journal and then spent the day with Randy and Trey.  This year, I went to Julie and Tim's for brunch and then spent the day with my boys in the gorge.  It definitely feels like Mother's Day has shifted from celebrating my mom to celebrating being a mom.  I guess that's the way it probably should be.

There are so many things about my mother that I want to remember and so many characteristics that I want to emulate.  I mostly want to be the kind of mother to Trey that mine was to Julie and me.  I want to build his sense of trust in me as a parent, respect to me as a woman, and self-confidence in himself so he can be a strong man.  I also want to be a good wife in a strong marriage as my parents were so Trey can be raised in a happy home filled with love.  I want to value and nurture my friends so that Trey sees how important it is to have good people in your life and what friendship adds to his life.  I want to practice kindness to others and do good deeds so that Trey learns you respect other people and treat others as you wish to be treated.

Trey and I have had a pretty awesome weekend together.  So awesome that we are both pretty exhausted.  On Saturday we hit the park and went to swimming lessons.  We came home and he discovered the water table that Randy had set up for him in the side yard.  He was in seventh heaven playing with this, and I was able to weed my strawberry patch.

Trey could play with this table for hours.

That, in fact, is my plan for the summer days. 

Naptime didn't go well, so I decided to take him to the store to buy a birthday present.  Of course, he promptly fell asleep and I didn't get to go to the store.  We came back and sat in front of the house parked in the shade, and I read in the front seat while he slept.  After naptime we went to Garland's 4th birthday party at the park.  Trey wasn't really interested in the party and just wanted to walk around the park, play on the play structure, and get in the fountain.  Sort of a bummer for me because I didn't get to visit with anyone at the party.

Lemonade!  Trey was in heaven! 

Trey could have done without me for the majority of the party. 

Happy Birthday, Garland! 

I can't believe he is four already!!! 

Cupcakes! 

First lemonade and now cupcakes??  Best day ever!!

After the party, Randy came home from fishing and we went to Adam and Jenny's for dinner.  We had a great meal with great drinks and great friends.  We are super lucky to have them back in Portland.

Trey hanging out in Adam and Jenny's backyard. 

For some reason his shorts and tennies make him look like such a little boy to me. 

Today, Mother's Day, Randy, Trey and I went to Julie and Tim's for brunch.  We enjoyed mimosas and delicious french toast and played outside in the nice weather.  After brunch, Randy, Trey and I drove out to the gorge for the day.  We went to Solstice in Bingen thanks to a recommendation from Kerry and had a great lunch.  After lunch, we went to Hood River and played in a park before stopping by Full Sail.  On the way back to Portland, we stopped at Multnomah Falls which was fun for Trey.  Overall, it was a full day with lots of sun, and I'm lucky that Trey went down without a fuss.   Below are some pictures from our fun day:

Trey has learned to say "cheese".  

He also holds the camera up to his face and says "cheese" which is pretty cute.  

My sister and our boys.  

I am so excited to raise our boys together, 

and I hope that Trey and Grady become best friends.  

Trey and Randy saying "cheers"

Lunch at Solstice

Playing in the park

Showing Trey Multnomah Falls for the first time 

I know this is out of order, but here are some other pictures from the last few weeks:

This might be my favorite Trey thing right now.  Randy has taught him how to growl when he makes a basket, and it might be the sweetest thing ever.  Love him SO MUCH.

Trey loves his swimming lessons.  We go every Saturday and he is happy as a clam the entire time he is in the pool.  He has already improved his ability to kick and jump in the water.  He is trying to figure out how to blow bubbles, but I don't think he knows exactly how to put his mouth in the water without getting his nose in too.  He practices some of these things in the bathtub which is pretty cute.

Last Saturday we took Trey to Sesame Street Live.  This was an early birthday gift to him from my dad and Sandy.  Watching him watch the characters up on stage was pretty cool.  I hope we can go again next year (if he still likes Sesame Street) because I think it will be even more fun for him.  

Happy boy!  

Bert getting down in his white suit 

Abby got really close to us as did some of the other characters.  

Sunday Trey and I met Mindy and Camille at the park.  It was a nice day out, and we enjoyed some park time before going out to lunch.  I don't know if Trey realizes he and Camille are friends yet, but after four weeks of swimming lessons together this summer and hopefully countless playdates, he soon will.

My dad and Sandy were in town on Sunday, so we went to Julie and Tim's to hang out for a while.  It's fun to see my dad with both the boys, and I can't wait for them to grow a little more so they can start doing some fun grandpa-grandson activities.

I am such a lucky mama.  Happy Mother's Day to all of my mama friends out there.  I couldn't make it through this journey we call motherhood without you!

Happy Birthday, Tango!

Tango turns 14 this month!  Randy commented this morning that Tango has been with him for over one third of Randy's life.  Randy got Tango when he was a puppy, and Tango has been his partner in crime ever since.  Tango is a great dog to have around.  In his old age, he has lost most of his hearing and isn't quite as active, but he still loves to be near wherever we are.  He especially loves us when we are eating food. 

Tango and his favorite frisbee

Tango is a dog who loves the outdoors...just like his master. 

Taking Tango on our fishing expeditions is great for me because he keeps me company while Randy fishes.  People ask all the time if Randy takes Trey fishing, but he can't because Tango jumps in the water and scares all the fish away. 

We were unsure of how Tango would do with Trey as a baby, but Tango has loved on him ever since he was born. Tango has especially loved Trey since Trey has started to eat real food. 

Tango loves running up the trail as fast as he can,

but he always turns around to make sure Randy is still in his line of vision.

In the good ol' days when we used to go hiking

Enjoying the snow...

not so much when it gets stuck in his paws

Lately, Tango has lost most of his appetite and doesn't seem to have as much energy. He's had a long life, and we are in denial about what this next year might bring.  Until then we are trying to be more patient with him and love on him more than usual.  We are lucky to have such a kind and sweet dog as Tango.  Happy Birthday, Tango!

Feeling grateful

So I was talking to someone last week about the woes of being a working mother...you know, seeing your child for only a few hours a day, feeling trapped in your situation because of money, having little time to do the things you want to do...(and don't worry, if you're reading this and think I'm talking about you, I'm probably not because the person I was talking to doesn't read my blog) and I got off the phone feeling really grateful.

I know that being a working mom is super hard.  I'm "on" from 5am until 8pm with only about 60 minutes of "me time" before I go to bed.  I feel broke most of the time.  The hours between getting home from work and putting Trey to bed are enough to make me go straight to the bottle due to the tantrums, whining, and clinginess.  But after having this conversation, I realized how lucky I am.  

I actually don't mind going to my job.  In fact, on Sunday nights I'm sort of looking forward to going to work the next morning.  I have really great friendships that I work on cultivating and get a lot from.  (Is that a dangling preposition?  I hate those.)  Just this weekend I was able to see SEVEN friends and that was in FIVE different social engagements.  Between email, texting, and Facebook, I am in pretty constant contact with a lot of my friends, and I think that is what makes me feel so fulfilled.  I have a happy home. My child delights me on a daily basis, and my husband and I made it out to two date nights in the past week (granted those are the first two in a very long time, but we are focusing on the positives here, right?).  

When I was talking to this person and they said, "When I retire in 30 years, I'm going to look back and think 'What did I do with my life?'"  I thought to myself, "Wow, I don't feel that way at all.  I am really lucky."  

Trey has been a lot of fun the past few weeks.  We still get the foot stomping and crying when we don't meet his demands in 2 seconds or less, but we also get the giggles and the smiles.  The level of energy is high around the house, so you will see a lot of capital letters.   They are meant to capture Trey's LOVE of these things in his life.  

Trey LOVES playing in the car.  He can be passenger or driver; it doesn't really matter to him.  He loves having his seatbelt on, but I have to have mine on too.  He loves putting the keys in the ignition and is getting close to being able to turn them (makes his mama nervous).  He loves turning the windshield wipers on and off, and he LOVES playing with the cd player and having control over the music.  Playing in the car is our new post-daycare activity that could last hours if it was up to Trey.  

Trey LOVES his sidewalk chalk.  He loves using it in the driveway, loves sitting at his table drawing on paper, and LOVES walking around the deck writing all over the banister and posts.  

Trey LOVES going to the park.  He likes going on the swings, climbing the play structures, and most recently throwing barkdust.  He also has his new favorite word ("mine!") which he has been using at the playground getting close to pushing kids and making his mama slightly embarrassed.  

 Aiden (Dan and Kristina's son who we babysat on Saturday)

 and Trey at Woodlawn Park

 Trey on the big boy swing for the first time

 Having a ball at Washington Park

The last time we were there all he could do was swing.  

This time I was chasing him around everywhere. 

Sitting with Kai and Zander, Sarah's boys

Trey LOVES swimming.  We are taking swimming lessons right now at the Mt Scott pool (super warm which Mama loves) and he is pretty much giddy the whole time we are in the pool.   Last weekend Randy came with us, so I got to sit on the side and drink coffee and read my book.  Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me.  I'm hoping to talk Randy into taking him by himself next week so I can go to the farmer's market, but don't tell Randy.  

Trey LOVES being outside.   I am starting to think about summer and activities Trey and I can do that don't involve wandering around the driveway and the yard.  Yesterday we were headed to Washington Park and driving through this really fancy neighborhood.  This basketball hoop was sitting on the edge of a driveway with a sign that said "FREE".  Seriously???  Randy and I were JUST talking about getting one of these for him.  Perfect timing!  We also just got him a water table off of Craigslist that he will LOVE (he has one at daycare, so I know he already loves it).  

Trey also LOVES running around the house naked.  I took some cute pictures, but I'm not too keen on putting naked pictures of my boy on the internet.  Randy is paranoid that Trey will pee every time he's naked (which Trey used to do), but I think Trey's getting used to the feel of being naked so the risk is diminishing.  

Next weekend we are taking Trey to Sesame Street Live (early birthday gift from my dad and Sandy) and I am so hopeful that Trey is in a good mood when we go because he is going to FREAK OUT.  I am loving this nice weather and the seeds in my garden have just started to sprout.  I really hope my carrots grow this time because I can't wait to pull one out and show it to Trey.   Good times, people.  Good times.

Spring time fun

Longer days, sunshine, and blossoming trees and flowers are signs that spring is here and summer is just around the corner.  Okay, maybe a really long corner, but it's getting closer!  Trey is currently obsessed with being outside and wants to be outside all of the time.  The moments we won't/don't take him outside are when we have started to see his tantrums come out.

Easter was a few weeks ago, and, amazingly enough, we had really great weather.  Trey got some sidewalk chalk, a bubble maker, and some magnets from the Easter Bunny, and he was as happy as a clam.  Later that night I was regretting not getting him any chocolate, but that was more for my own selfish desires.  

Trey on Easter morning with his basket.  Those with a discerning eye may see that it is quite similar to  last year.

My friend Ardis gave us these magnets a month or so ago.  I was saving them for a time when he needed some new toys, and I thought Easter was the perfect opportunity.  Trey loves his new magnets!

 Trey enjoying some rare April sunshine

 Trey also loves his new sidewalk chalk! 

On Easter we went to the Kopplins for Easter Brunch.  We had a great meal made by Sarah and Randy as well as some delicious mimosas.  Thanks to the sunshine we were able to play outside and even have an Easter egg hunt. 

Trey in disbelief that eggs just happen to be sitting in the dirt

My sweet boy 

For some reason Trey likes to blow on flowers.  I thought this might be because he has learned to blow on those white dandelions at daycare, but they say no.  Maybe blowing is reverse smelling?

Melts my heart every day 

More blowing 

Dad and Trey 

"An egg! An egg" 

Finding hidden eggs is just the coolest thing. 

Trey loves being in the driveway. 

Blowing bubbles with Dad 

Kicking back on a sunny day 

Doug and Carmen came by for a short visit on their way to the airport from a weekend in Walla Walla.  It was so great to have Easter dinner with them.  Trey had a lot of fun on the deck with Grandma and Grandpa too.  

This is my blanket from when I was a little girl.  I asked Carmen to put new batting in it for me. She was able to do that and put a new edge around it.  I love it!  The navy blue heart is velvet and was my favorite as a little girl because it was so soft against my face.

I feel like the past few weeks as a working mother have sort of kicked my ass.  I get up at 5am and the day doesn't really end until Trey goes to bed at 8pm.  It is so hard to get dinner prepared after we get home from daycare when Trey is so needy and whiny.  I've been a slacker on my meal planning and it makes getting dinner ready even more difficult.  I am usually ready to crash by 9pm which means little time for anything but parenting.  I thought it would get easier as Trey gets older, but right now I feel like it's just getting harder.

I found these at Target last week and felt like it was my dream come true.  Single servings of champagne for mimosas.

The rest of the pictures are some random shots from the last few weeks.  Our weekends are full and we have a lot of fun.  Despite being tired and overwhelmed at times, I am a lucky woman with a great family and good friends.

 Trey and Silas collaborating on some tunes.

Hanging out at the Spring Brewfest.  

I posted this on Facebook and said it was Trey's 45th brewfest.  

I was exaggerating because we take him to a lot of brewfests, 

but I had several people think I meant it.   

I wanted this to look like the Reservoir Dogs shot, but by the time I got my cell phone camera working it was too late.

Trey blowing on some more flowers 

Again, thanks to my slow cell phone camera I missed the shot where Tango and Trey were both lying on their backs on the grass.  It was pretty cute.

Saturday was Julie's birthday, and we went to Cooper Mountain Winery to celebrate.  Here I am with sweet Grady, 6 months old, at the winery.  Little did we know that Grady was on the way to getting a double ear infection and bad cold.  Poor boy...daycare is really getting the best of him.   We did have a really fun day wine tasting and having dinner at Julie and Tim's house with my dad and Sandy and some of Julie's friends.

We have a really fun weekend coming up.  I have book club tomorrow with my girlfriends, Saturday is swimming lessons, and on Saturday night Randy and I are going to see Storm Large at the symphony.  It is supposed to be a sunny weekend, so we are hoping to get some yardwork done and I want to get more put in my garden.  I am loving these longer days and warmer temperatures.  Yay for sunshine!