Vala's Pumpkin Patch!

Thanks to LivingSocial we returned to Vala's for a 2nd year.  I was going to to create a "fall festivities" entry and lump all fall outings into one BUT this one seems to deserve its own entry if for no other reason than the boys rode a pony/horse/whatever you want to call it - it was 4-legged and had a saddle.  We ran across the "ponies" about 1/2 way through the visit.  I am not sure what Grandpa said to Henry but he was all for it.  Ralph opted to wait for the end of our visit.  They both rode on "Flash".  I'm curious to see if this new found enthusiasm holds until our next visit to the Children's Zoo since these horses were a little more restrained that the ones at the zoo.

Other than the horse rides, train ride (broke at last year's visit), and a few other new experiences, our visit was similar to last year's and included the corn box, duck derby, 'family country crusin', and the storybook barn, along with various photo ops at cutouts and areas with slides.  Ralph was a little brave with some of the slides throughout the property and found a new area that had Plasma cars.  It was fun to see Ralph pedal the tractors with more ease than last year.  Henry was a little unsure of some areas and wanted held more than necessary.  He was game to try about anything but held on a little more tighter as we walked through some of the barns that had displays set to recordings.  As many activities as we ran across Henry was more than content to play on a little play area made of  wooden railroad cars that were near the real train station.  We spent nearly 3.5 hours at Vala's and there was so much we did not do.   There's always next year . . . .

Ralph: Celebrating 4 1/2 years!!

(photo taken this evening, after supper - try to ignore the sausage in his mouth he insisted on showing.  He is in his "Captain America" pose.)

It struck me this morning, as I realized the date, that Ralph is 4½ years!  Once again, how did that happen?  Just in the past couple of weeks I’ve thought to myself a few times how much he is growing.  He is becoming more brave on the "big" playground at school and he loosing up a little with his dance "moves".  He is also tolerating no one laying on his floor or in the hallway at bedtime.

Ask him any weekday what he did at ‘school’ and he will tell you he raced cars.  Somedays it is hard to get any more information about his day.  He did tell me he likes the alphabet and the fun center in Ms. Jill's room.  He gets practice everyday writing his name as he puts his name on worksheets.  The other day he did tell me who he was going to marry, and also told me who one of his friends was going to marry. 

Friendships are beginning to be more important as he likes to leave ‘school’ the same time his friends leave . . . and give them hugs in the parking lot.  He also often asks to go to so-so's house to play although we have not had the chance to do so. 

He is into the superheros - mostly Iron Man, Superman, and Captain America.  This interest, I'm sure, is heavily influenced by his peers.  We do have a short Spiderman book but the only time we've run across anything else superhero related at home is an Iron Man cartoon during one of Henry's breathing treatments a few weeks ago.  He also likes to say "nah, nah, nah, nah Batman."

  

He likes treats (licorice, fruit snacks, and jelly beans) but also likes to save them.  He saved a piece of licorice in the car for a few days even after I tried to convince him it would just get hard.  He can be generous with sharing treats also.

He likes TV and all the distractions it brings.  Unfortunately for him that only comes during Henry's breathing treatments and a few other rare occasions.  Most mornings he is left with the task of getting dressed during this time and he has to be reminded multiple times to keep getting dressed, and sometimes moved around the corner so he can not see what is on the scene.

He tries to test the boundaries and see if he can be in charge.  If I ask him to get his clothes on he may reply "I'll put my clothes on if you give me fruit snacks."

He is getting a competitive spirit and is starting to have a fit if he is not first . . .first in the tub, first to get out, first up the stairs, first to be dropped off at school.

He is really great at being a big brother.  He tries to feed Henry once in awhile and sometimes he needs to bribe Henry - he'll tell Henry "if you take a bite (of whatever), I'll give you a chip"  I know he picked it up from us but still fun to watch.  There are still days I believe Ralph thinks Henry is here to be his playmate.  There are days those two are inseparable (and there are times those two need to be separated).

He has quite the imagination.  The past few weeks he makes ice cream at Grandma & Grandpa's utilizing an old smokers stand they have.  The stories behind the pictures he draws are pretty creative.  One picture the other night started out with a football and two football players and soon included glow in the dark baseballs and some other light up things.

He still has a thing against dogs, or animals in general.  If he is having a great day he will not freak out when a dog is near.   He will not directly feed the goats at the zoo nor has he rode a pony.   I did ask him a few weeks ago when he'd ride a pony and he said he would when Henry would. . . I have not asked Henry to ride a pony yet so maybe next year.

Ralph: Itty Bitty Sports

Ralph is taking another session of Itty Bitty Sports.  This time the focus is "Sports Development" - just a general introduction to the fundamentals of basic sporting skills - throwing, rolling, catching, batting, kicking, etc.  Ralph says he likes catching the best.

This session has a few differences over the baseball session he took over the summer.  The station leaders are different but the main coordinator is the same.  It is located on East Campus versus City Campus so a little more convenient.  The biggest difference is that three other boys from his room at 'school' are also participating.  There was a little concern they'd be distracted by each other but since they are split into groups they aren't always together which helps.

Ralph enjoys the stations and the group activities.  A favorite group activity that was played in the baseball session is "Mr. Fox, Mr. Fox what time is it?" (last photo) 

Ralph: 1st Husker Football Game!

What was that I mentioned about Ralph waiting until he was 5 to go to his first Husker football game?? Sometimes, just sometimes, an opportunity comes along that cannot be passed up as was the case last weekend so the unofficial ‘rule’ was broke.  Between the nice (bordering on hot) weather and earlier kick-off it did end being a great day for Ralph to experience his first game.   

There really is no preparing for the “Sea of Red” and I think Ralph was a little overwhelmed by the crowd.  He spent his time on the bleachers sitting on Mike’s lap.    They watched the first quarter, grabbed a bite to eat in the 2^nd quarter, back to the seats for halftime and the 3^rd quarter, and left a minute into the 4^th quarter. 

Ralph's favorite part about the football game?  Cheering for the Huskers, he says.

Mike carried Ralph some of the way back to the car.  Mike asked Ralph "What happens when you get to big and I can't carry you?"  Ralph's reply?  "Well, I guess daddy you will have to make me walk."


Today in the newspaper there is a photo of a high school football player holding a football.  I told Ralph I didn't know what position he played - quarterback, receiver, etc.  Ralph said he is not a quarterback.  Quarterbacks are #7.  I guess he did learn something the other day.

Henry: Celebrating 33 months!

(A still shot of Henry "dancing")

Henry is officially wearing briefs 100% of the time.  Even though we had more diapers on hand it didn't seem it was worth it to keep using them when he woke up dry so we made the switch a few weeks ago.  Not to jinx us, he has woke up dry every morning so far (though he is forced to go potty when he wakes up in the middle of the night which helps increase the odds of waking up dry.)

He likes to take his shoes off, velcro shoes that he believes can only be taken off if the straps are completely removed.  He can put his own briefs and pants/shorts on if motivated.  We have not really pushed him to do more yet as we are usually in a hurry to get dressed. 

We have quit worrying if Henry is colorblind.  It crossed our mind a time or two as he would announce the wrong color when asked about a color.  He would say it so convincingly as though he was just so sure.  The last couple of times in the bath, while playing with the bathtub letters and numbers, he has been sorting and stacking similar colors.

"I need to tell you someting" is one of the last phrases out of Henry's mouth in the evenings at bedtime.  He also has many questions like "why is that a headboard?", "why is that a fan?", "why is Jesus on the cross?", "can you kiss my owies?"  All of these stalling techniques are coming about because we have stopped laying in the hallway.  Like most things, Henry is not one for change and changes must be extreme like when "rocky" was taken away.  I debated the sticker or other reward method but opted to go cold turkey.  It still takes awhile but is better than laying in the hallway and I'm getting some additional exercise running up and down the stairs humoring Henry with his requests.

Unfortunately we have had to start breathing treatments again.  I was stalling and hoping we could hold out until Henry saw the asthma/allergy doctor in a few weeks but it was not meant to be.  He got a cold around August 22 and we couldn't outsmart it . . .even with all the nasal rinses we did.  A cough followed that didn't want to leave without a little help from a strong steroid (orapred).  It was the 2nd time Henry has been on it since the first of the year.  Within 24 hours of taking the first dose Henry turned into an ultra sensitive, super indecisive 2-year-old, I'm sure his lack of sleep didn't help but wow, it was incredible to see such a change in his personality.  Luckily Henry was mostly back to his old self a few days after the prescription ended. 

Henry still is not interested in sitting at the table to eat for meal.  He'll take a few bites, get bored, and then declare he is done.  He will sit a bit longer if he has something interesting to look at (ie. photos in paper or magazine).  Sometimes he finds a challenge in taking a "big bite" or two but most of time HE IS the challenge. 

Henry's language is coming right along.  He likes to repeat words and phrases (both at the time he hears it and later in conversation which may or may not be appropriate) but also has his own thoughts and is pretty clear when speaking for a 33 month old. . . such a change from when I thought he was close to being speech delayed.

In counting Henry's teeth the other week I noticed he is still missing one of his 1st year molars and all of his 2nd year molars.

Henry had a bad dropoff at daycare last week (mostly due to being overly tired) and started crying when Ralph & I left.  Ralph volunteered to go back to Henry's room to play with Henry for a bit since his teacher wasn't there yet which helped Henry . .but also started a 'bad' habit.  Henry has requested Ralph play with him the last couple of mornings and, luckily, Henry's teacher is willing to play along.

There is No Place Like Nebraska!

I may have found my favorite game day tradition.  There is something about "sneaking" into Memorial Stadium before the football game and watching the band practice.  Okay, we aren't really sneaking in as a gate is wide open and an usher welcomes the public but it is a little surreal to be allowed entry on a game day without a second look, wagon and all.  It's also a little fun to watch all the pregame preparations.

The band begins practice 5.5 hours before kickoff, so depending on what game time is it may or may not work in terms of naps and what not.  With a 2:30 kickoff today and band practice starting at 9 am, it worked out great.  (the next home game begins at 11 am - I DO NOT think we'll be at band practice.)  We arrived about 30-45 minutes after practice started.  Henry had his moments but did clap to the music at times.  Ralph did a good job of watching.

We also stopped by the two bronze just north of the stadium to get the yearly photos.

This may be our last practice this year as Ralph asked where the football players were and let us know he wanted to wait for them.   I have thought about watching the team arrive but know it will be just a tad busier than watching the band practice and I don't think it will satisfy his quest to see the football players.

The spring game next April may be the boys' first "game."  While I think they might enjoy watching parts of the game, and did great at the baseball games, I am still not sure it is worth the price of admission - 2 tickets to one game is more than I paid for season tickets as a UNL student . . . Maybe we'll make the 1st game experience something you receive after your 5th birthday.