memories

happy/sad Halloween

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest
Rooney Doodle from the Doodlebops

Pirate Parrot

The boys had a great time in their costumes and just loved going door to door.  Theo was excited last year but even more so this year.  Dexter just went along for the ride and had fun carrying his bucket.  It got really heavy but he would not let me hold it for him.  Too cute!
Ugh… now the not so great news.  I’m just sick about it and can’t stop thinking about it.  We went to our old neighborhood to go trick or treating.  We closed on our old house on May 31st and neither Ryan nor I had driven back by the old house.  It’s just been too sad … we’re homesick for that little house after everything we’ve been through.  Also, we didn’t want to confuse Theo by going by there before we moved in to our new place.  Oh, did I tell you?  WE MOVED INTO OUR NEW PLACE!  That’s another post.  
Anyway, we went to the old ‘hood and drove by our house (it looks lovely) and by our next door neighbor’s.  The lights were not on, but it was right at 6 so we thought maybe they just hadn’t turned on their light yet. We went up a couple of other streets. Theo really was so cute, saying over and over “isn’t this fun, Mom?  Getting candy is SO fun!”  His face lit up every time someone put more candy in his bucket.  By 7 we made our way back over there.  Kitchen light was on but not the porch light.  We went to see another neighbor across the street and learned that our dear neighbor, Roger, is terminally ill with liver cancer.  HE HELPED US MOVE at the end of May.  Needless to say, we went over there and visited.  He is about 50ish and has lived there with his mother, who is close to 90.  We thought if anything had happened, his mother would be the one to have fallen ill.  
Guys… Roger.  Oh my goodness.  He was lying there in his hospital bed.  His entire body swollen, his face gray.  He looked just awful. Let’s just say he looked bad enough that I’m checking a certain section of the paper every day. The boys just stared at him.  Theo talked to him.  Roger told us we were wonderful neighbors and that he loved us.  He said he’d tell his mom to make sure to call us when he died. Seriously?  A night of fun and merry-making turned into THAT.  That quick.  Just as quickly as his health deteriorated.  It’s a huge reality check and such a heart-breaker.  Anyway, sorry to be a party pooper. But that’s what I think about when I think about Halloween 2012.  
Linking up with Melissa at Growing Up Geeky! 
xo,
~C~ 

a new old toy, long hair, and decorations

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest
We’re still staying with Ryan’s parents, and they have a huge driveway with a long hill.  The boys love driving their riding toys up and down the hill.  Dexter was feeling pretty good about swooping in and calling dibs on Theo’s current favorite – the Radio Flyer tricycle.  
Theo didn’t care, he’d already called dibs on the Cozy Coupe police car.  He likes both the Radio Flyer trike and the Cozy Coupe because they both have a little “trunk” he can keep his collection in.  His collection changes from day to day.  On this day, it was Chuggington die cast trains.  Some days it’s screwdrivers.  Some days it’s coconuts.  And by coconuts, he means acorns.  
We’re enjoying mild weather, so as the boys played, I admired my mother-in-law’s new decorations. 
I remembered that we had yet to open one of Theo’s belated birthday gifts.  It was so hot all summer so I never bothered with it.  My sister got him a little bubble mower.  This thing is so cute and it does not require batteries (and can I get a HOLLA for tool-free assembly?). The boys LOVED it.  It didn’t take long before the dear ol’ Chuggington collection was tossed to the ground.  Sad situation. 
Dexter was watching Theo dart across the yard with the mower.  I was staring at Dexter’s curls, debating whether I should cut them off or not.  Guys – his hair is so long.  Ponytail long.  No lie. But it’s so cute and so curly and so blonde.
That’s Theo’s concentration face.
And that’s his “whatchu talkin’ about Willis?” face – the one he gave me when I told him to give Dexter a turn. 
It was a fun night.
xo,
~C~

the story of a little boy who’d had enough

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

Once upon a time there was an older brother.  He got to do things that the younger brother didn’t get to do.  Ever.  Like go on tractor rides with Pop Pop.

The younger brother put up with it and didn’t say much for many months until one day… one day he couldn’t take it anymore.  One day he decided he’d had enough of sitting on the sidelines, riding the baby toy, and watching his older brother have all the fun. 
So, he watched and he waited.  He waited until the time was right.  He sat still until the tractor came back around.  But he never let that tractor out of his sight. 
When the tractor went by, younger brother parked his baby toy car and ran after the tractor, as fast as his baby feet would take him.  But he was too slow. By the time he got to the shed, Pop Pop and older brother had already put the tractor away. 
The brothers’ mommy was there and asked Pop Pop if he would pleeeease take younger brother for a tractor ride, as it was clear that the little blonde boy’s heart was surely breaking.  Pop Pop obliged.
Younger brother took his new opportunity very seriously and made sure he drove the tractor just the way older brother did.  Pop Pop drove very slowly and younger brother looked all around, seeing the familiar surroundings from a whole new perspective. 
Older brother caught wind of what was going on and stared possessively at the tractor from across the yard. He began formulating a plan for younger brother’s downfall and snapped into action. He grabbed some tools out of the trunk of his car and knocked younger brother’s car over.  He quickly sabotaged the car in hopes of ruining younger brother’s day. 
Much to older brother’s disappointment, younger brother never got back on his car that day because the entire family went to Pizza Hut to celebrate the momentous occasion.  Older brother forgot all about it and mainly focused on breadsticks. 
Meanwhile, younger brother pooped at the table.  Because when you’re a baby, you can do that sh*t.  Pun intended.  
Everyone got their butts cleaned, ate pizza, felt better, and lived happily ever after. 
THE END
xo, 
~C~