Boogie Down Icecream Man

Today we had lunch in Soulard with an old co-worker of mine. Afterwards, we drove by the Arch. I parked at the Old Cathedral lot and we walked over. Went down the steps and walked toward the riverfront. We started back to walk up the stairs and an icecream truck rode by with his music playing. Chase has no idea there's icecream on that truck or he would been running after it. Instead, he just stopped walking up the Arch stairs, turned around and started dancing to the ice cream music....I mean he was boogeying down!! The icecream lady yelled out the window, laughing and saying look at him just dancing. It was funny.

The changing of the beds

What a morning. Chase wouldn't sleep last night and got up at 4:30 this morning because he wanted breakfast. It was one of those mornings where he just wouldn't go back to sleep. The toddler bed has been going OK but like every other night he'll get up and ask for me and he'll want to sleep in our bed. So, this morning, I decided to convert his crib into the full size bed thinking 'maybe' he might sleep better. When I got it together, he was very excited (and so was I). And when it came to nap time, we did our routine for bedtime. I said, hunny, this is where you'll be sleeping now. He said, mommy, I not nap! Well, it took all of 5 minutes for him to fall asleep. I decided to video tape him with his first sleep in the big bed. I walked in his room and wouldn't you know it, he had fallen asleep on the floor. It took me all this morning to get the bed together. I've had little sleep, my back hurts and I'm sore but when I saw him sleeping on the floor, I just had to laugh. Ohhh.. the trials of motherhood (hee-hee)....

Dad

Today is the 1 year anniversary of dad's passing. I can't believe it's been a year already. It's still hard. I still cry for him a lot especially when I see things that remind me of him. Last week at Schnucks there was an older gentleman bagging our groceries. He was playing with Chase and joking around (dad was always a joker)...I thought it was so sweet and how it reminded me of dad. Then, when I saw his name tag, I held back my tears. His name was Glen. It was so real...even down to his hands...they looked like dads.

We're going to his gravesite this afternoon. Pete's taking off work early...he's so thoughtful. I just wanted to acknowledge this day, May 10...what a great father he was and how much I loved him.

Goodbye Crib

I just put Chase down for his nap in his CRIB and then I hear someone in the kitchen. I go upstairs and it's Chase!! He climbed out of his crib and thank goodness didn't hurt himself. I've been wanting to get him into a big boys bed but Pete felt we should wait. Well, now's the time I guess. My baby just keeps growing! The next morning... Chase made it....or should I say "mom & dad" did. I don't know what came over me but I was a wreck and Pete was a little stressed too ... I guess because we weren't prepared for this. Last night was the first night in the toddler bed. He did great. He was scared and a little out of sorts at first. He wanted me to stay with him until he fell asleep. I did. I also did more babyproofing in his room, took out the changing station (one less thing for him to climb) and put a gate at his door. I felt bad having the gate there but I knew it was for his safety. I don't know why this was such a big deal for me but it was. That afternoon's nap didn't go as well. He just refused. As with any new phase, I keep telling myself what someone told me... learning is painful. Eventually, he'll pick this up and hopefully soon.

Zachary

My nephew died in a car accident last night. I'm still in shock. He was 19 and driving the car and was driving at a high rate of speed and lost control going around a curve. He had a friend with him and his friend died too. It's been on the news. It was over here off Hwy. N. The coroners office is still conducting an investigation so we won't be sure when the funeral will take place but we're guessing midweek. I was in fuzzy haze most of the day yesterday until I saw his car on the news...and that's when it hit me. I last spoke to him about 2 weeks and we had always finished our calls with an 'I love you'. I'm so thankful I got to tell him I loved him. I always felt close to him and I felt like a protector of sorts. I know it was impossible to predict, but God, how I wish I could have protected him from this. It's just not natural losing your child. The funeral is this Wed./Thurs up here and then they'll head down to Festus where they'll bury him next to dad.

Favorite Summer Memory

With the weather changing, I'm starting to crave summer time and think about my favorite summer moments growing up. I used to love to go boating & skiing. We went every Sunday during the summer. My dad had a boat, my older brother, my brother-in-law, family friends, and we'd meet up, set up a canopy, have hotdogs & pork & beans on the grill - wow, I can still taste the sand on my plate :) and ski & ride the water all day. I hope to pass that tradition to our family. I showed Chase some boats in a magazine recently and now everytime he sees them, he wants to go "boat ride mommy". I think I might take him out this summer on one. Well that's my trip down memory lane (thanks). What's your favorite summer memory?

We've got a climber!

I'm in a pickle. Chase will not stop pushing the kitchen chairs to get around the kitchen. He's figured out there's more to explore with a kitchen chair. I'm constantly having to redirect him away but I'll leave the room and then hear the scrapes going across the floor...thank goodness for ceramic tile. I thought about hiding the chairs in a bedroom for a while but that would be a drag to have to do that every day. Someone suggested to tie the chairs together by rope. Not too crazy about that either. I found some of those plastic wrap ties...the long ones that slide through and lock. I used those yesterday and so far they work. As I was doing it, Chase was looking at me and said "what you doing mommy?" I said "tieing the chairs so we don't move them." I think I hurt his feelings. I felt bad but I just kept thinking...I'm keeping him safe.