Spring at Grandma's...

Champion

We have taken Zeke to a puppy training class for the last 8 wks. and it has been quite the adventure! First of all, Zeke is BY FAR the largest puppy in the class... It's a pretty funny sight.. and he also tends to be a very "friendly and excited" puppy on class days... I've gone through the whole humbling experience (that you usually get with your kids) of feeling like I must look like a complete failure as a parent!(or puppy owner) Anyway, on the last day of class there was a competition and a graduation ceremony (Complete with caps! It's hard to see, but he's got it on in the picture above!) The competition was to test the puppies in all of the skills that they had learned.. Zeke won 2 out of the 4 events!! He had the longest "down-stay" and the longest "leave it." (not eating a treat that is put inches from his nose when I say "leave it.") The kids alternated coming each week and this last week it was Caleb's turn, so he was in the "ring" with me. But since it was "Graduation day" the rest of the family came too and watched from the outside of the ring! I think we were all equally amazed that he won! Anyway, at the end of the class the trainer passed out sheets of paper and everyone in class was to vote for the "best in class" and "most improved." Caleb and I agreed that Rufio was definitely most improved and that Lucky was best... But, apparently, the other people in class thought that Zeke was the real champion because they voted him Best in Class!! We were shocked... In fact, I was kind of waiting for the "Ha! Ha! Just Kidding!! The REAL winner is..." But, I accepted our certificate and doogy treats graciously and praise our new champion puppy. It was all quite exciting!

30+ Pounds in 4 Months

No, I am not talking about my weight... heh heh. Our Zekie-boy (as Abigail likes to call him) has grown SO much SO fast! I thought you'd get a good laugh out of the before and after pics! And he is only 2/3 grown!! He's doing great and we are really enjoying having him.

Enthusiastic Mommyhood and Imaginary Home Intruders

Isaiah has lost his first two teeth... And the other two in the front are about to come out as well.. (I think he's going to be lisping for quite a while!) The first he lost about a week ago, and the second yesterday.. But apparently our tooth fairy is either a slacker or broke, because as of yet we've seen nada..... O.k, So really what's going on is that I AM a major slacker when it comes to Santa, reindeers, Easter egg hunts and now tooth fairies as well... I don't know what it is... I think I just have an abnormal lack of enthusiasm and imaginary play skills... But, the questions always come - "Sooooo, is Santa coming to your house this year?" and "When are you going to have your Easter egg hunt, kids?" And so, having entered the season of mom-with-kids-with-teeth- falling-out, the inevitable has happened... "How much did the Tooth Fairy leave for you?" and "WOW.. two teeth?? You must be making the big bucks.." And, as usual, my kids stare with blank faces, trying to figure out what in the world this person is talking about.. (O.k.- it's not really THAT bad.. They have learned to smile and laugh uncomfortably as they look to me to give the person an answer..) :)

All that said, in the past year or so, I have searched into the depths of my soul looking for some creative and childlike excitement to offer to my kids so that they too can have the thrill of random imaginary beings entering their homes while they sleep to leave money, candy and gifts... So, the plan WAS to do the whole Tooth Fairy thing and give the kid some money.. But I forgot! And then forgot again, and again and again! Finally, a week later when he lost his second tooth at Grandma and Grandpas, (during their "nap" where the kids were all "asleep" in the same room and Caleb starts calling "Isaiah's bleeding!" and upon entering the room I find out that somehow Abigail "made it come out." Yeah, not too sure how that all played out, but ANYWAY....) Grandma hands me some money to go put under his pillow. I fessed up to the fact that I still hadn't "paid" him for his first tooth and promised to do it for both teeth that night. We get home and I get the kids in bed and sure enough, I forget again.. So, pretty desperate at this point to be the fun, enthusiastic mommy, I try to wake Isaiah up to tell him that we have to put his teeth under his pillow. There I am, 11pm at night, in some Twister game-like pose trying to straddle four little kids' bodies sprawled out all over the boys' floor, (it's "Sleeping bag Friday") shaking, tapping, rolling, pulling, and talking (not quietly) to Isaiah, trying to wake him up! I keep saying (in my most enthusiastic-Mommy voice) "We need to put your teeth under your pillow... OK??... Isaiah, remember?? We forgot... OK?? Let's put them under your pillow.." the kid was in the deepest sleep I have ever seen.. There was no way he was waking up or even close to conscious enough to remember putting them under there. And that's half of the whole deal, right?? That's half of the fun - putting your tooth under there and falling asleep, anticipating some creepy guy with wings sneaking into your room, fumbling around under your pillow trying to find it, and then leaving some pocket change for you.... Right?? So, one more night has gone by and still no Tooth Fairy... Maybe tonight...

**update: Isaiah lost his 3rd tooth at breakfast the morning after I wrote this! The top right should be out by the end of the week! :)**

Feeding, Pulling, Testing, Stripping, and Splicing...

Prior to our week of puking, I got to help Grandpa pull some wire... 250 ft. of it to be precise... Out of the little opening pictured above... The three wires had been stuck in there for 50 years and the pipes that they ran through were corroding, so the wires were covered in rust slime. Grandpa kept telling me that it was very important that I know how to do these things... :) I even learned what a "come-along" was and how to use it to help get the wires started...

After ten days quarantined in our house we ventured back to Grandma and Grandpas again. Turns out, Grandpa had more to teach me... Back in the basement, the two of us had our heads stuck in between ceiling panels, feeding, pulling and rewiring some older wires.. We finally tracked the wire we were looking for and managed to get it up through the floor to the bedroom and then through the wall to the other bedroom.. And then came the stripping and splicing.. At one point Grandpa had me in the basement holding various wires together while he was upstairs testing them. He said, "Now, don't worry, it's not live, so it can't hurt you..." Followed by, "I guess we'll know if you come up and your hair is sticking straight out..." Great... So, with complete confidence I followed his instructions as he talked to me over our cell phones, "OK, first green to yellow, now red to green, now red to yellow..." Good, quality Grandpa time... :)