Molbaks

Who doesn't love Molbaks?  It's the perfect adventure for kids on a rainy Woodinville day.  The raccoons each can pick out a flower, we stroll the aisles looking at plants, play in the water fountains, make a stop at the kid and pet sections for some free time, and head home.  I'm all for an 8 minute car ride to fun! Last week, we met the Krekow boys: Carter & Eli, and their momma, Sarah for some Spring fun.

 Betcha can't find one prettier than this!

 Hey Mom, how 'bout a Heuchera?

Some lovely dance moves below.

 Just a little volunteer pruning.

 Miss Sarah and her sweet boys.

We love the Krekoww.  So much, we bought the house her husband basically grew up in.  To boot, she'll brave going out in public with my rugrats.

Me & my Spring chicken

Signs of Spring-at least at the nursery.

Us Momma's decided to take a wrong turn that put us directly on the pathway to the water fountains.  We both took a deep breath, shouted a few directions, and then held our breath as the (2) 3 year olds and two year old squealed with delight a they pass this sign:

"Parents: thank you for NOT allowing your children to play in the fountains"

 Not sure who the character is in the background. Can't blame him for wanting to hang with the "fun crew".

 On to the kid's garden corner and pet sectio
n with 6 wet sleeves.

 Accessorize. A yellow rake that pairs nicely with my yellow pants!

 "Let's see.  How do I replant that tulip bulb I just dug up before Mom spies it?"

" Seems to be well constructed"

 All that fountain water is making my tummy hurt.

"Look out.  Momma let me out!"

 Yep, we had all of them running loose at one point!  No they didn't know these were dog toys they were playing with.

 We should be leaving now.  "Sir, I'm not a Girl Scout yet so I can't say for sure that I left the place better than I found it."

 A happy customer.

After Molbaks, we headed through the car wash.  It actually does a lousy job but I thought the kids would enjoy it.  It was William's first time.

 Snacks. AKA: distraction tool

Scrub-a-dub-dub

 William...are you lovin' this?

Not so much.

Volunteer Park

A couple of weekends ago, we loaded the troops and headed to one of our favorite parks, Volunteer Park in Seattle.  It has the playground, koi pond, view of the Space Needle, the gorgeous conservatory filled with exotic and beautiful plants, and our favorite neighborhood cafe: The Volunteer Park Cafe.  It's a great budget friendly outing.

 The playground dad

 You know they are both trying to "rid themselves of the other one".

Top of the slide

 Through the tunnel

 I'll tear this place up next year

 Grace spotted the "elephant tree"

 India is too far away, so I'll take a ride on this elephant

 Me too!

 Two of my favorite boys

(Notice the raincoat...it has labs on it too!!)

 Checking out the fish

 A good dose of Vitamin D caused a growth surge in Graham

 The conservatory.  Great place to feel the humid air, see the tropical plants, and feel the warm temperatures. If you close your eyes, it just might feel like a tropical vacation.

Great place for kids to practice their gardening skills on the rare and expensive plants.  They really enjoy that sort of thing here.  Ummm...not so much.  Let's just say we left a "larger than normal" donation.

 Good ol' needle

 Sandwiches at the Volunteer Park Cafe

 Ok, and a cookie too

 Double fisting the cookies

 I guess if you're going to be buried, you might as well listen to children laughing at the playground. Right?

Deciding on the perfect dismount

Boo-dee-ful

Beautiful, is what he means.  I spent 15 minutes in the car this evening listening to William talk about the sky.  He would look out the sunroof and say, "Mom, see the sky up there.  It's blue. See. See?".  He would then look out another window and exclaim, "Mom! The sky is orange there!".  This continued the entire ride in the car.  We covered every window and every possible color the sky could be.  His eyes were enormous and his voice was assertive, loud, and exuberant.  I love his innocent appreciation for the small things I take for granted.  I'm pretty sure this is what they mean when they say, "through a child's eyes".   William, thank you for allowing me to see the different colors in the sky tonight as the storms passed overhead.

We were on our way to Nana & Papa's house.  William had his overnight bag packed with the esssentials: the beloved bunny, the beloved giraffe, his blankie, clothes, and diapers.  As I was leaving, he was drooling on Papa's knee and begging for popcorn.  He is going to love his evening but I think handy husband and I will enjoy it more.  You see, we were up most of last night with a sick kid.  Gracie had a terrible cough- you know the kind that makes a 3 year gag and then throw-up?  None of our remedies worked-not honey, not a hot, steamy shower, not a cough suppresant.  It was a long night trying to keep her calm while not waking William in the same room, then trying to get her to sleep on the couch, and all the while, shuffling baby Graham around as our "sleeping" arrangements changed as much as the moon's position overhead. 

Note: the pictures were taken November 2010.  We have been without a computer for a week as ours quit.  (A little piece of advice:  continually back-up your pictures.)

I'm off to bed and feel excited that we only have two kids.  If the night goes awry, we are on "man on man defense" as opposed to "zone defense".  This, we can handle. 

I'm hoping we see this tonight: a little girl all cozy in bed.

Dear Graham

Dear Graham,

Today, we celebrate you.  Six months ago today, at 8:36 a.m., we were granted our first look at you as you took your first breath.  It's hard to imagine it has been 6 months.  Where does the time go?  I remember holding your tiny self as you slept as if it were yesterday.  I remember your wrinkled fingers and toes, your matted hair from the amniotic fluid, and I remember the way your feet turned inward and your legs crossed as they did when you were still in my belly.  You were 9 pounds at birth, quite large for a newborn, but oh, so tiny.  We were so excited to meet you.  Your dad and I discussed names on the way to the hospital, we wondered if you would be a boy or a girl, how big you would be, if you would cry as you emerged into our world.  We now have all of those answers and more.

I was at the hospital this morning for an appointment.  I have to admit, I visited the gift shop and looked at the newborn clothes, I stood and admired a mother loading her newborn into the car for the first time, and I walked the hallway of the maternity center.  Yes, it's all a bit sappy, but I just couldn't help myself.  Each day, I grow closer to my "normal" self and farther from my "pregnant self".  The dark line down my belly and a softer midsection are the only physical reminders of your time in my belly. 

You have grown so much.  I find myself holding your head from time to time as if you were still a newborn.  I thought that you might be the baby that had to learn to "fend for himself" because you are the third, with a 2 and a 3 year old to divert my attention.  However, it seems to be the opposite.  I know I hold you more than I did your brother and sister, rock you to sleep almost every evening, and answer to your cry more than I probably should.  I've become wiser and more privy to the passage of time and to just how precious you are at this young age. You can blame me that you can't quite sit up on your own yet, that you aren't sleeping through the night, and that you are just so content on my hip as I go about the house keeping things in order.  It's our little secret. You have plenty of time to learn grow up.  

 Our first photo together

 Welcome baby Graham

 Holding your hand for the first time

 A proud brother and sister

You are the happiest baby I have ever known.  Your entire body smiles when you are happy.  If someone just looks at you and speaks your name, you nestle your head into my shoulder and scrunch your arms and legs and you smile.  I have so many wishes for you.  I hope you live each day with the same enthusiasm and joy that you have now.  I hope you have a fantastic golf swing.  I hope you enjoy hunting with Papa. I hope you know you've taught me to be patient with your older brother and sister because I see them in your eyes-they were once as quiet as you. I hope you speed home from college on Friday nights to see your momma and to eat her home cooked meals.  I hope you sleep each night with peace and love in your heart.  I hope you enjoy fixing fences and learning to drive a tractor with your daddy.  I hope you know just how much I love you because I can't possibly find the words.  I know I will do my best to show you everyday.  Happy six months my sweet son.

Love, 

Mom