Grandma Camp, Water Slide

Saturday was the Sensory Friendly Movie, they played Zootopia. What a great movie! Nico had already seen it at the last Grandma Camp but was really excited to see it again. And then again on Wednesday he watched it downstairs with Evie while Avery and Ivy were napping upstairs. We went to the theater for the sensory friendly movie with Tiffanie, Aadam, and Sam.

Monday was a holiday and our crew spent 2 hours at Quarry View Park and it was magical. All the kids got along really well, including Avery. They played and then we fed them a snack and then they played some more.

Tuesday was another magical day, we went to the Natatorium behind Nico's school for the very first time. It has a swimming pool, diving boards, and a smaller wading pool for the little ones. It also has a water slide, which you can pay extra to experience. I bought a pack of 10 rides on the slide, and split them up between the kids, whoever wanted to go. Before we went down the slide, I took Nico and Sam and Aadam to where the slide ends and it dumps you in a pool 4 ft deep so they could see what happens at the end of the slide. They still wanted to try it so I took Nico first. He sat on my lap. I was more nervous than he was I think. Splash! Sammy, Adam, and then Avery all wanted to go. I took Avery on my lap and it took some coaxing once we got to the top of the slide, but we finally got in the water and pushed off. When we got to the end of the slide, I lifted him up while I went almost under, so that he wouldn't get too wet. It was so fun to be able to walk to the pool. We ate snacks on the way home.

The wading pool

Nico has had a loose tooth for the past few weeks, but it hasn't been going anywhere. On Sunday Guy told me that the permanent tooth was starting to come in, in the wrong spot! Inside Nico's mouth, poking in toward his tongue. So we really tried hard to get his tooth to come out over the weekend (see video). But, it didn't work, so I called the dentist on Tuesday and made an appointment on Wednesday. But then, when we came back from swimming on Tuesday I looked in Nico's mouth again and his loose tooth was GONE! Mystery! Nico searched for it everywhere and told us he probably accidentally ate it while he was eating his sandwich at lunch. The dentist said that since the baby tooth is gone there's really nothing they can do now for the crooked tooth, so there was no need to come in.

The tooth before it fell out (see the new one coming in behind it)

On Wednesday started the 2nd Grandma Camp of the summer!!! We packed everything up and I dropped him off at the cabin at 5 PM. This is Grandma Camp - Treasure Hunter! My mom has the best treasure hunts. When we were little she would do a treasure hunt for all of us and neighbor kids on the last day of summer vacation. I am inspired this year to do the same for Nico and his neighbor friends. He has built himself quite a little community of friends here and I know they would all enjoy doing an epic treasure hunt. I decided this last night and have already commissioned the invitations to be made by my friend Brianna. Thanks for the inspiration Mom ;)

Here are some pictures Mom sent me today.

Nico told us Wednesday morning that he wanted to either be a cop or a construction site worker when he grows up. Guy then told him that Grandpa Russell used to be a construction site worker and Nico looked at me and said "Tell Daddy what I'm going to be when I grow up. I already know." he whispered it into my ear that he wanted to be a construction site worker for sure.

Driving in the car later that day he told me he was singing loud so that Grandma and Grandpa [Russell] could hear him! (see video)

Wednesday we also hit up the Library where we picked up another free book and several other prizes because Nico has been reading for 20+ minutes every day.

VIDEO TIME!
Check out Aleesh the Beast in her first ever Roller Derby game!

May and June 2016 Snippets

Snippet - Nico singing in the car

Back to School!

Gma Salisbury and Nico had a blast hanging out on Friday morning while I was at my doctor's appointment. They apparently played this particular game for quite some time. You can see them play it in the video I posted below.

Nico's cousins, Kai and Lily, came over that morning, too, and they all had a blast listening to animal sounds on Gma's iPhone. Nico was getting a kick out of it, and was imitating whatever Gma would say and do. 

Nico's Aunt Bambi and other cousin Karli came over soon after, and I made everyone a Full English Breakfast. 

Fried eggs, sausage, bacon, fried mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, fried bread, baked beans, and english breakfast tea with milk. Traditionally it also has black pudding (blood sausage) but I wasn't able to find any. I made the same thing for Guy the next day. Guy asked specifically for this meal, as we are soon embarking on a food elimination diet for him (once we run out of all the old food), and he put in a couple requests for meals he wanted before the diet begins. French toast, Monte Cristo, lots of sandwiches with various cheeses and meats (sausages mostly), and a Full English Breakfast. 

Evie's birthday party was on Saturday at "Just Kiddin' Around", a play place for kids. I had never been there before but I think that Nico and Guy both have. Nico spent most of the time at the train table, which was really cool! The place has a bunch of comfy couches for parents to lounge on while watching their kids. We sang Happy Birthday, ate some raisins, and came home with a cool butterfly mask as a party favor.

Nico went back to school on Tuesday after 2 weeks off. He was very very excited. This week they are learning about winter clothing and snowmen. And the letter "K".

On Wednesday morning I drove Nico to school instead of him taking the bus. There was so much snow on the ground that his bus got stuck somewhere (which they told me later). I called up and told them I would just take him in.

He is getting to be such a talker. He has been trying to talk along with the cartoons that he has memorized. And a new cartoon he has found - Pinky Dinky Doo. It's a girl who makes up stories for her little brother, the animation style is different and it's a lot of fun. Guy said he's really impressed with it.

Now for a VIDEO! This is a snippet video for Fall/Winter but it does NOT include Christmas. I will do a separate video of Gpa and Gma Russell's Christmas visit. As of right now there are 10 more minutes of processing before the video is available, so if it says the video is unavailable, that is why!

Thanksgiving

On Friday Nico's stuffy nose turned into a slight fever. It didn't go much further than that and he seemed all better by Saturday morning. On Saturday we had a fun FaceTime with the Grandparents Russell. While we were talking to them on the iPad, Nico took the iPad and put it into the cooler. They then had a fun game of peekaboo. He would close the lid on them and then open it. And then close it. And open it. Whenever they would talk when the lid was closed, Nico would look at us very excited and then open the lid. Finger puppets were also a great hit!

We picked up our turkey on Saturday night (in that same cooler). 

On Monday Nico and I went up to the cabin and Nico got to see his cousins Bruce, Rory, and Lexie. They had so much fun! I also got to see some of MY cousins - we did a Christmas craft, making Christmas trees with fabric-wrapped cotton balls, pinned to Styrofoam cones. 

We had our little-family Thanksgiving on Wednesday, and then Thursday (today!) we went up to the cabin for the real deal. Guy got only 3-4 hours of sleep but was quite the trooper. Great food, and Nico got to see a lot of his cousins. Lily and Lexie and Nico had their own little table set up with a samsuta on each of their plates and a little name tag on each of their napkins. The big table had name tags too, my Mom really did a great job of planning and putting this all together. After dinner and before Guy had to head to work, we did the "Lego Challenge". Each of the younger couples (Me and Guy, Jonny and Alanna, Jeremy and Bambi) put together a lego at the same time and whoever finishes first, wins. The couples work together. Guy and I split it so that I am putting the lego together and he finds all the pieces for me. There were 3 challenges and the first 2 were based on time. Guy and I won both of those! The last challenge was a curve ball - we had to use the pieces from the first two challenges to make a turkey, without directions, just being creative. Guy took the reigns on this one and did a bang up job. I wish I had a picture of the turkey he did! Not sure where it is at the moment (still at the cabin here). Jeremy and Bambi won this one, they turned their scorpion from the 2nd challenge into a turkey and it turned out reeeally good!

Guy and I with our BEAVER

Then we sang some Christmas carols, drew some names for some prizes, and did an ornament exchange. Nico and I are staying the night at the cabin tonight. And wouldn't you know it, the one thing we forgot to bring - his binky. This will be the first night in his life that he will sleep without his binky. But I'm thinking that this might be opening the door to remove it from his life permanently. I told him that he was a big boy and would be able to sleep just fine without it. He didn't put up much of a fuss. Because he didn't have a nap today, he went to sleep quickly and is doing just that downstairs on a cot and inside a snuggly sleeping bag. I will go downstairs here soon and join him.

Alanna brought some photo props to do a kind of Christmas photo booth for all of us. What fun that was! We got a lot of good pictures that I will be sure to post as soon as we get them. So excited for those.

After everyone but Aunt Ellen left, and after Nico was in bed, me and my Mom and Aunt Ellen all had a snack and then went upstairs to relax. I have really enjoyed this day and am feeling very thankful.

One last picture from earlier this week - Nico squeezed in behind our printer, playing with cars. He likes to turn around while he's back there and stare at and touch the puzzle.