Catching up

Well, we've done a lot over the past week or so and just haven't kept up with blogging. I went to Idaho for a work trip last week (Sun-Wed AM) and actually had a relaxing time and got some work done. Except for waking up at 3:30AM to catch a 5:30AM flight on Wednesday, I got some decent sleep and had lots of opportunities to read, hike and enjoy myself between work-related activities. Jason managed the kids very well and I think I will have to take more trips in the future. He did mention that meals with the kids are a nightmare and you can't get anything done when Abby is awake, and the boys are crazy and uncontrollable together at times. Aside from that, though, he did a grand job as a full-time father (with some help from Ken and Cheri, I believe). The kids were bathed, happy, fed and the house was in relative order (about the same as when I'm home) when I returned. Jason and the kids picked me up at the airport and I sat in the back of the van next to Sam. Abby was a little fussy, but not as fussy as I would have thought, so I leaned forward and rubbed her leg and she calmed down. As I was leaning foward, my head was close to Sam so he spent the car ride home running his fingers through my hair.

 Then it was back to mothering. The rest of the week was uneventful, which I like, and on Saturday we went to Arden Hills' Day (our community's one-day festival) which was held at the lake/playground/park area just over a mile from our house. So we walked there and had a lot of fun climbing on the city trucks, petting animals at the petting zoo, playing carnival games and of course, stopping by the beach playground for some exercise.

 The boys got to climb in a snowplow, a four wheeler, and a fire truck. Sam was very excited about the trucks,while Matthew was a bit apprehensive and serious.

 Although Sam didn't want the opportunity to hold and spray water out of the fire hose, he did step up to the firefighter cutout for a picture.

Abby did pretty well at the festival, although she was rather distraught being held by Daddy when the mommy-option was available. She's kind of like that. She seems to be pretty fine (most of the time) when I'm not around, but when I am, she lets the whole world know that she'd rather exercise the mommy-option. Although I must say that she's getting much better these days. It's a little sad.

Anyway, the kiddo also has two definite words these days "Hi" and "Da da" and she's started taking some steps. She is very eager to walk, but also reserved somewhat. I believe she's taken maybe 2 or 3 steps thus far, so she's not up and running yet, but she's well on her way. This is about the time that Sam took his first steps too, so they appear to be on a similar path in that regard. Matthew began walking a little later (just after he turned 1), but he was a rather large kid, so that probably slowed him down a bit. Nevertheless, we have no worries about our kids' mobility these day. Well, I guess no worries that they're behind developmentally. Our worries about their mobility are of a different nature...where are they going? What are they getting into? What are they climbing on/jumping on...and on and on and on.