We're Busy!

I keep setting goals to update this blog more frequently and time keeps slipping away from me. 

Spring season kept us busy - both kids played soccer with Capital Soccer Association, an awesome club that I am so happy came up first in google search when we moved to town. The coaches care as much about the kids as we did for the kids we coached in track. They really focus on technical skills and the kids have come a long way. Gavin is getting to an age where the soccer games are so intense - they are really fun to watch! Sam had a one hour a week session where they spend most of the time focusing on drills, and then 15-20 minutes scrimmage time. He has one more year (fall and spring) before he moves to a one practice / one game a week format. 



Gavin had one last tournament during Memorial Day weekend. All he needed to do was get through the weekend uninjured before turning our focus to peaking his training for track nationals at the end of July. In his second to last game, he went down funny on his knee trying to keep a ball in bounds. It instantly swelled up so off we went to the urgent care clinic. Fortunately it was just a sprain and he was only down for a week.





In running news, both boys participated in the Mayor's run where Gavin ran the mile twice, breaking 6 minutes for the first time in a road mile. Sam did an awesome job running his second mile race of the year in 11:24.

Gavin has been rocking his track meets. The last one he attended in Omaha he was the clear winner in the 800m (2:38.83) and 1500m (5:19.23). No one close to him. He is starting to get quite the fan club, a little girl came up to me after the 800m and said "was that your boy in front? He's really fast!"

He even got some good words from little brother "wow, Gav is pretty much the boss at running!"







Sam and I had a special project one weekend planting a container garden of veggies and herbs on the back deck. He had fun posing for the camera.



And last weekend Chad and Gavin ran a rainy hometown race. Check out Chad's race recap here. 







Next up - Sam starts t-ball this weekend and it's state track meet time!!

The Baby-er Baby and Other News

November is always an emotional time for me, somehow most of the best and worst moments of my adult life are all wrapped up in November. It's the month we grieve losing Ella, wistfully wonder what life would have been had Gav been born on his 11/27 due date, remember his scary surgery, celebrate marriage, Chad's birthday and Gav's homecoming from the NICU. I can't believe it's been ten years that I have been on this journey - I feel like life as I know it started ten years ago at my wedding, when everything changed so suddenly just days after. Time doesn't heal all wounds, but it does make them less fresh. November used to have me on the brink of tears for a whole month, and now it's (almost) just another month. It is also prematurity awareness month. While I would never choose for things to go the way they did, I have to be grateful for the journey and how it has shaped me. I find myself oddly thankful for prematurity.

So there is my November thankful moment, since let's be honest this is likely the only post you'll get from me this month!

Life continues to be good for us here in Lincoln.

Outdoor soccer has wrapped and Gavin has been tearing it up on the local road racing scene, he even won a 5k in Beatrice a few weeks ago, as in was the first runner to cross the finish line, not just age group. His first youth cross country race was this last weekend where he took 3rd out of 8 kids in his division. We just got his report card and I am excited to start seeing 4's pop up - they use a 1-4 scale with 3 being on track for expectations and 4 being above. 2's need some work and you don't want to see a 1. He's been a solid 3 student, so seeing those 4's is a great accomplishment!

Sam is doing indoor soccer and continues to do well at pre-school. This kid's brain amazes me. His vocabulary is out of control, and he is getting into math, choosing to play flash card addition problems on his Kindle. He is also a major SASS.

Last night he told me "Mom, Gavin was a baby-er baby because he had a binky and I didn't, right?"

I said "yes, but you are definitely way naughtier"

In a reflective tone, he simply replied "yeah..."

Sam cracks me up on a daily basis, he is witty and smart and he knows it. Gavin is working hard at school and sport and becoming more and more responsible all the time. Weird how they have to grow up? I tried to pick him up this morning (just to see if I could) and it was not easy. One of these days I'll look down at him and realize he's no longer smaller than me!

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Mexico, in case I never get around to recapping it. Who wants to take bets on that?

Gav enjoying a bubble bath at the hotel

Beach bum

The parasail

The boys

The fam

 And a few pictures from our trip to the nearby Roca Berry Farms - pumpkin patch. This place had tons of things for the kids to do!

He's the King of the World Haypile

Sam's First Soccer Game

Both boys are playing soccer with Capital Soccer Association here in Lincoln. From what I can tell, it appears to be a pretty serious soccer league with well trained coaches. Gavin is about a month into his season while Sam just started.

The little guys just meet once a week on Sundays and practice for 45 minutes followed by a little scrimmage. Aren't their uniforms so cute??

It was 99 degrees out at the start of practice. His cheeks were red before they even started playing!

Gavin had a game in Omaha, so Chad took him there and I took Sam to his practice / game. Afterwards we each took the boys out 1:1 for dinner. It's really nice to spend that one on one time with them.

Sam handled practice and the heat like a champ and said he had a lot of fun, especially when he scored a goal. I was squirting water on his head during water breaks but by the end of practice the water was very warm! We stopped by the gas station to grab a cold drink and then headed to Red Robin for dinner.

Where he showed off his karate moves

And acted like a total goofball himself

I have to say, I love Red Robin! They have a salad I am obsessed with, plus it was way cheap to eat there. We started off with a little plate of fries, I had a salad, Sam had a corn dog kids meal with fruit and a drink, and we shared a dessert. All for $18! My budget loves it. 

And it wouldn't be a day with Sam without a hilarious tidbit coming out of his mouth.

Sam: Mom, what are you?
Me: ummm......a momma?
{shakes head}
Me: a girl?
{shakes head}
Me: well, what am I?
Sam: you are a WOMAN!!

Hey Mom....

I hear this from Sam at least 20 times a day.....more if we are in the car for any extended period of time.

Hey Mom.....(random fact)

Hey Mom, did you see (random thing out the window)

Hey Mom.....(random question)

Hey Mom.....(joke only funny to him)

Last week he had a pretty good one.

Hey Mom, Kelsey said she wants to be a police girl when she grows up. But I told her she has to be a policewoman. BECAUSE that doesn't make sense. It's a policeMAN, there is no policeBOY. Policegirl doesn't make sense, does it? Nope, she has to be a policewoman.

Pretty smart for a 4 yr old...

I'll Love You For A Million and 71 Days

~ quote by Samson Sellers

Sam, as many 4 yr olds are, is a complete split personality.

On one hand, he is loving, sweet, sensitive and attentive.

The other side is devious, trouble making, mouthy, and temper tantrum-y.

Both happen in the extreme.

When he is in a loving mood, I get showered with lots of "I love you's" and smooches. He'll usually say something like "I love you for the WHOLE weekend, mama!"

A weekend seems like a pretty long time for a little kid after all! As we went back and forth with how long we'd love each other, he topped out at a million and seventy one days. Good enough for this mama.

Another great example of his caring spirit - my fellow preemie mom friend's daughter Daphne just had a kidney transplant last week. She's four, and recovery has been tough. She needs to start moving around more to aid in recovery, so I thought making some video of Sam dancing around would inspire her to move, shimmy and shake a bit, if nothing else, it might cheer her up. We made one Saturday and the next day he woke up and asked how "Daph-a-nee" was doing and if she was still in the hospital. When I told her that she was, he wanted to record another video for her. I have linked them below if you want to check out his moves!

Sam Has Big Goals

Saturday morning, Sam bounced out of the bathroom and announced:

"I'm going to wear my skeleton underwear ALL weekend!"

Shoot for the stars, kid  :)

Gavinisms & Samversations

Hello friends, long time, no post. It's been a crazy month - traveling to NM for Cross Country Nationals, a re-org at work (resulting in more work for me, a new boss, and no more compensation), the Sandy Hook shootings, and the holidays - well, it's been a seriously emotionally draining month for me. It's hard for me to put words on a page when I get in a funk like this. My life is good. I have nothing to complain about, especially not at a time when so many are mourning the loss of their sweet children. It's doesn't seem appropriate to talk about how national tragedies affect me - even though it affects us all, it doesn't come close to how it affects those directly impacted.

And you certainly don't need another post about how lucky and grateful I am - I've written plenty of those, and I still feel lucky and grateful. So, it's hard to write.


I'll finish recapping NM and the holidays another time, instead I'll leave you with the latest funny from the kids.

Gavin was at my office yesterday morning. We've replaced paper coffee cups with re-usable mugs, and there are red mugs in the break room for guests. Employees have green mugs that we are responsible for keeping track of. I gave Gav a mug of hot chocolate, and as we were standing around with our coffee mugs, chatting with my (former) boss, Gavin said:

"I feel like a real businessperson with this mug!"

Sam woke up Christmas morning with a story on his mind. As soon as he woke up he said:

"Mom, you know about the Angels that have to guard the garden?? There was a sneaky snake that poisoned the apple. And they weren't supposed to eat it, but Eve gave it to Adam, and he ate it - and that's how they got in trouble with God! And now the Angels have to watch over the garden."

I posted this on FB tagging his teacher, who was so proud that he pays attention at "Jesus time"!

Sitting on the couch, right next to me, playing on his new Kindle Fire:

"Mom, I just feel alone right now. I feel really, really alone."

Heartbroken to hear this, I prod him on how he could possibly feel alone when I was right next to him. He felt alone that I wasn't playing his game with him!

Telling me about his day yesterday:

"Mom, it was a bad day for the Avengers today. There were so many bad guys, and not many good guys at school today!"

He and his buddies play Avengers all the time at school. They all are a character and from the stories I hear, these are very elaborate games that they come up with. Hopefully good will prevail.

"Avengers - assemble!!"

Sam's Freakin' Bucket List

Sam Sellers, as always, is precocious and keeps our hands very very full. His latest joy is the very liberal use of the word "freakin'".

As in "I don't want you to go to your stupid, freakin' job today".

Or when he is mad, he simply just yells "freakin'!!".

He apparently told Chad a couple weeks ago about his bucket list.

He wants to:

Go Fishing
Ride a Train (and he wants to sleep on it)
Fly in a Helicopter

We are planning our trip to New Mexico for USATF Cross Country Junior Olympic Nationals and there is a train we can ride there. Chad told me that we could fulfill one of the things on Sam's bucket list. I hadn't heard them yet, so Sam jumped up and rattled them off for me.

Oh, that freakin' kid.

Sam is Outraged: all Gavin's sports

You may have noticed a new theme posting here. Sam likes to be outraged about things. I'm sharing the rants that have captured my attention lately.

The other night we were talking about Sam's upcoming first soccer game (post will be up in a couple days - and this time I promise, I have written up a bunch of posts and scheduled them to post every couple days for your viewing pleasure).

And instead of focusing on his excitement of his game, he went off:

"I always have to watch Gavin play sports! I have to watch Gavin play baseball, and Gavin play soccer, and Gavin play track!! And nobody every gets to watch me play ANYTHING!"

#secondchildproblems

Sam is Outraged that Busses Don't Have Seatbelts

Have you met Sam? He doesn't stop talking. Ever.

No idea where he gets that

Conversation in the van Friday night driving home from an evening at a friend's house. This is a typical example of how one question just leads to another - but I was surprised by the passionate opinion he had at the end!

S: Why do policemen get bad guys?
M: Because that is their job.
S: But we don't have any bad guys around here.
he is obsessed with asking questions about policemen, our neighbor is one, and I find it hard to answer because I don't want to freak him out by telling him there are criminals around
M: Well, they don't just get bad guys, they watch out for people that are breaking other rules, like people that are driving too fast, or people that aren't wearing their seat belt.
S: But busses don't have seat belts!!!
M: I know, I think it's silly. Busses should have seat belts.
S: But busses are big! And they drive fast! They could be going really fast, and something could happen, and they are going fast and everyone would fall out of their seats. Busses should have seatbelts!

He was quite adament that busses should have seat belts. I couldn't agree more.

Samversations

Not cute, Gavin....NOT.....CUTE admonishing Gavin for silly behavior

I'm going to punch you in the banana maker! one night after handing him a banana

Can I touch his fore-noggin? on meeting new cousin Thatcher for the first time and wanting to touch every.single body part

after coming in from playing outside, I gave him the run down: wash hands, play while mommy makes dinner, etc Mommy, you're mean! You always have to tell me everything and you're MEAN!! That's it. End of story.

Mommy, mommy! Can I tell you a question? this is constant. The kid doesn't stop asking questions....

Why do cats have ears on the tops of their heads, and we have ears on the side of our heads? good question, Sam. Unfortunately, "I don't know" never works. Neither does "that's just how it is".

As the questions continue and I say "ok, Sam, enough with the questions!"

Mommy! Just one word ok? ok, Sam......which leads right into one more question which he doesn't let me answer with "just one word"

Love him. But he is exhausting!

Realities of a 3 yr Old

Sam cracks me up. For all the not so desirable behaviors that come with this age, I love his imagination and story telling right now. I don't really remember much of this with Gavin, but Gavin was not as developed in speech at this age, nor has he really engaged much in imaginative play.

The funny thing about Sam's stories is how he believes they really happened - or at least I think he does. Either that, or he's a terrific liar and we are screwed. I'm hoping for the first one.

Recent realities, according to Sam:

A curtain rod cracked and fell down in our room, oh, about a year ago. It's still on the floor and there is a pink towel hanging in the window to keep out the light
Sam and I were sitting in my bedroom and he started telling me how the curtain broke. How he broke it, and pulled it down (he didn't). He went into great detail about this. Then he went on to tell me how he didn't want to have the light shining in Dad's face, so he hung a towel up. A green towel.
We were sitting right in front of the window. With a pink towel hanging in it.
"Sam, don't you mean a pink towel - that towel is pink?"
"No, mommy! A green towel. I hung up a green towel. That towel is green!"

We got home and Chad wasn't home
Sam: "I just dropped him off at Merle Hay. I drove him there"

The kids are going to our old nanny's house Saturday so I can go on a long run with a friend
Sam: "Another KK is going to be there"
"No, Sam, KK doesn't live with Trisha. KK lives with her mommy and daddy"
"Not THAT KK! There are two KK's! One lives with her mommy and daddy, and the other KK lives with Trisha!!!! In her basement."

Oh, my......!

Sam, on the verge of turning 3, never ceases to crack us up with the things he says.

A couple weeks ago, he and Gavin were engaged in the nightly Battle. (Click here if you missed the post about this new activity in our house).

Gavin hit him in the fave with the Nerf weapon (no worries, softly and painlessly).

It was kind of his lower cheek.

Upon impact, Sam grasped his face and yelled:

OH, my NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!

This phrase is used all too frequently by the little monsters. But usually it's used in context appropriately.

It was a moment that you didn't want to encourage, but couldn't help but laugh.

Monsters. Moments.

Sam's a Big Brother

No! Before you get all worked up, we are NOT having another baby. Unless Sam knows something we don't. Ha! No, he doesn't. I repeat, we are NOT having a baby.

However

This weekend Sam informed me, "I'm going to be a big brother!"

I said, "Really - YOU are going to be a big brother?"

Sam, "Yes, I AM!!!"

When I told Chad he said "just wait until he tells everyone at day care"

So in case Sam shares this tidbit of information with you, it is all fiction. He later told me that his friend Calvin at school was a big brother, so I think he just decided that he was going to be one too.

He's still pretty flippin' cute, even if he is spreading lies

Samversations

Conversations with a two year old are just hilarious....

Sam: Mommy, what do you call me?
Monkey
And...?
Punkie-Pie
And......?
Monkey-moo
And....?
Sam
And...?
Sammy
And....?
Samson
And?.....And?......Aaaaaand?
(At this point I'm out of nicknames)Babycakes! You called me babycakes last night!

He's right....I guess I do call him babycakes, I totally forgot!

                                                                                                                                

And the night before that, we were talking about who everyone's mommy was

Sam: Who's your mommy?
Grandma Janet
Who's Daddy's mommy?
Grandma Betsy
Who's Gavin's mommy?
Me!
No, you're MY mommy!
Yes, I'm your mommy too. I'm mommy to both of you
No mommy, I want ALL of you

                                                                                                                                

His other frequent expression these days is "Moooooommmmmmy! What did you do that for?" (very accusing tone)

                                                                                                                                

"Sam, I love you!"
to which he replied "Thanks!"
it's obviously a guy thing!

                                                                                                                                

Last week, I dropped him off at home after his playdate at his new pre school. He didn't want me to leave, it was so cute. To stall me he said:

"mommy, mommy come here! I'm going to tell you a question!"
What is it?
"ummmm....ummmm....what's your name?"
I answer and get up to leave

"hey mommy, MOMMY! I've got to tell you nother question?"
What now Sam?
"ummmm....ummmm....did you feed Meatball?"
Answer, start to leave

"MOMMMMMYYYY!!!! I'm going to tell you nother question!"
Ok Sam, last one
"ummmm.....ummmmmmmmmm......ummmmmmmm"

This went on for a while. I indulged it because it was so stinking cute!

Samversation

Verbatim (in the car):

Me: Sam, when we get home, I really want you to lay down and take a nap, otherwise you are going to be grumpy for your play date this afternoon.

Sam: I will not! I will not be grumpy. I will talk - I will talk to my new friend.

Samsonism's

I kid you not, Sam had this conversation with me the other day. The kid can put together a logical thought and articulate it well!

Mommy, I need a TV in my room.

I need a little TV!

I can buy it.

I can get money out of my piggy bank!

Samsonisms

Since we are working on numbers with Sam, we frequently talk about how old we all are. Sam is also right now telling us he is a big boy, but also that he is Mommy's baby (and Daddy's baby too!)

Sam: I'm 2 and Bubby is 6
Yes
Sam: And Daddy is......
32
Sam: Daddy's 32. How old Mommy is?
31
Sam: Oh, Mommy's 31! Mommy's old!
(Laughing)
Sam: Mommy's an old girl! You're an old girl Mommy!
(Laughing harder....even if the truth stings a little)

"You're Not Gonna Stop Me Wind!"

"I'm going to keep on walking, wind!" ~ Sam Sellers

Yesterday evening we went on a walk and it was still super windy. Sam got a little panicked....it would literally stop him in his tracks it was so strong. Since I was already carrying his scooter, I really didn't want to carry him too.

I have started using phrases and mantra's as I run when I am going up a hill, or just getting tired. I figured it might as well work for him as well. So we started shouting at the wind.

For two blocks, his cute little voice:

"You're not gonna stop me wind! I'm going to keep on walking, wind!"

Samsonisms

Frequent phrases from Sam:

"Come on dude - do it dude!"

"I want my baby ba-ba please mommy"

"that's annoying!"

"I want salmon and green beans"

"more candy"

"NO bubby!"

"kk/uncle chris/baby eisley/kids/babies pushed me DOWN!" he tells me this almost daily that someone pushed him down - usually someone we haven't seen that day

"MEAN!!!"

"give me a real kiss" meaning on the lips

"where did grandpa rui/dan go?" he's been asking about my dad ever since he left, and he is obsessed with my stepdad

"I want to watch yo gabba-gabba"

"snuggle mommy a minute" i hear this when i am trying to get out the door for work in the morning

"i want a cold lunch too!" when Gavin asks to take cold lunch to school

"here Mommy, hold my purse" his "purse" being an old Cars lunchbox of Gavin's that Sam loads up with snacks and juice boxes and takes everywhere with us