May 2014 – Our Family Adventure

Memorial weekend 2014

Memorial weekend was marked with wonderful warm weather. I was able to get out of work around 2 pm and went and got the kids early from school. We did some quick grocery shopping before heading home. On Saturday we all worked outside – Dave cut the grass and put up the fence around the garden and Ajax, Noomi and I got all our plants into the garden. Noomi threw a lot of dirt around, but Ajax was a big help. On Sunday we did some housework and then the kids and I headed into Dearborn to visit my grandpa Nader and then attend my cousin Nicole’s wedding shower. The kids had fun visiting (of course) and enjoyed the shower. For some time now Ajax has been asking to attend a shower with me, so now was his chance. It was held over my aunt Lisa’s house, so luckily all the guys were there hanging in the basement, so Ajax thought that was cool (I guess that means he still doesn’t really know what a shower is). Noomi had fun running from the backyard into the house and vice versa. She just seemed to find this hilarious. My aunt’s house also has a long hallway with a full wall mirror that Noomi found fascinating. She kept skipping up and down the hallway watching herself.

On Monday we went to a parade in Williamston. It was quite nice and not very long (only about 20 minutes or so), which was the perfect amount of time small children will watch a parade without tractors. After the parade we walked to the park and played for an hour and then headed home for lunch. While Noomi laid down for a nap Ajax and I went on an expedition for a pool. Somehow I got it into my head that we needed one of those above-ground pools. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was because I want to teach Ajax how to swim this summer, or maybe it was because the neighbors have a pool… whatever it was, I was determined to have a pool. When we returned home, triumphant, with a pool in a box, David and my dad put it up. The kids were so excited they kept running in circles screaming. Noomi had a blast with the hose (note: she would have been happy with a sprinkler) and Ajax could barely contain himself. My mom and grandma Flo also drove up to visit and we all watched the kids play in the water.

After the pool was filled up and sitting in our backyard I had a sense of dread wash over me as it never occurred to me that I was buying a pool. Sure it was a plastic thing to hold water, but when I started realizing all the work, the chemicals, the filters, etc. that the thing would require I started to have second thoughts. There’s no turning back however as Ajax is obsessed with the pool and loves Dave and I about 45% more than he did pre-pool. He was worried last night that deer would get into it and this morning he flipped out of bed to check on the pool. I therefore went to the store tonight with Noomi while Ajax was at T Ball (he did great by the way) and bought almost $100 worth of chemicals to keep our pool blue and hopefully not turn it green.

First T Ball Game

Well, Ajax had his first T Ball game tonight. I was able to leave work a bit early so that we weren’t rushed. We swung by the house and picked up Dave and then headed to the fields. Ajax looked pretty cool in his uniform and was very excited but reserved for his first game. Noomi was very excited about the game and kept pointing to all the kids and so wanted to run after the ball every time it zipped by. Luckily Noomi was content eating all the various snacks we brought and playing with the water bottle.

Watching five year olds play T Ball is pretty entertaining. Everyone is yelling instructions and encouragement and the kids are totally oblivious to what they should be doing. At one point Ajax was playing first base and the ball landed on his foot, so he just stared at it. The coach kept yelling pick it up Ajax, pick it up! When he picked it up he just looked at, like, now what? Mid way through the game Ajax had to use the restroom, which was a long hike across the fields (about the length of a football field). After he peed and we were 1/2 way back to the game, he announced he had to use the bathroom again, number 2. Needless to say he was out of the game for a while and by the time we got back he had to hustle out onto the field to take up the short stop position.

This past weekend we also went to a graduation party up north for one of my cousin’s daughters. The kids had so much fun running all over the place. My grandpa Nader was also there, which was wonderful!

Odds/Ends

A few updates – Noomi is now in the phase where she’ll announce what she’s doing. For example she’ll yell that she’s – EATIN! or POOPIN! It’s pretty darn cute. She’s still not talking a ton or in complete sentences, but she understands everything you say and can follow multi-step instructions. She also still loves shoes and seems to be collecting more pairs each day. She’s very opinionated about which shoes she wants to wear in the morning and honestly I think she’d wear a tutu everyday if she could. Other than that she is an extremely easy going kid, when she does have a bit of a meltdown they are usually short lived and she then moves onto other more pressing matters rather quickly. We had friends over for dinner this past Saturday and they have a two year old son. It took Noomi close to one hour before she would play with him, though she kept watching him and wanted to play. She’s still a bit shy.

Ajax is doing well, though he’s been in a bit of a rambunctious phase. He is still loving T ball, though his first game was cancelled due to rain. We have also decided to send him to the summer camp offered through the Williamston schools (starting in June). It will be the same program where he will go after school until Dave or I get him after work and it’s located at his elementary school. We think this will be good for him, getting him used to his new school, introducing him to some of the teachers and meeting new kids his age. The camp also offers fun activities throughout the summer, such as- a trip to the zoo, Hawk Island park, a train ride to DeWitt, and a magic show at the high school. Overall, we think it’ll be very good for him as he is still very shy about meeting new people and it takes him a while to warm up to change.

Even though Ajax’s game was cancelled we still did a dress rehearsal!

Mother’s Day 2014

This past weekend was mother’s day and we were lucky enough to have some wonderful weather.

On Saturday Dave put the finishing touches on the planter boxes he made for me. We’re having dirt delivered this weekend and then we’ll be set for a big planting session over Memorial day weekend. I cannot wait to have a garden, it’s been too long! While Dave finished the boxes, I ran Ajax up to the store to get some new tennis shoes and by the time we got home Grandpa Gordy and Nana were down to pick him up. Then they set off for Big Rapids where Grandma Mary was attending a horse show. Apparently Ajax didn’t make it to bed until midnight due to some heavy traffic on the way home and a way overtired nino. Noomi seemed unphased by the lack of her brother and enjoyed her evening home with Dave and I.

On Sunday we had breakfast and then loaded Noomi into the car and headed to Brooklyn. My aunt Liz and her two boys came out and we all helped plant flowers by the barn and around the house. It was a lovely day and topped off with a steak dinner. Ajax and Noomi had a blast playing in the dirt and running around the farm. They also enjoyed chasing the dogs and carrying around the new barn kitten who didn’t seem to mind their little hands. When we got on the road home, both kids passed out within 10 minutes flat.

T Ball

Tonight Ajax had his second T Ball practice. He was so excited and did much better this time around. He did not cling to my leg and willingly went with the coach to play with the other kids. Dave met us at the field, and Noomi and I stayed for about a 1/2 hour before heading home to have dinner. Dave said that Ajax continued to do well after we left, though he and another little boy started goofing around and getting a little rambunctious. Noomi enjoyed watching the other kids practice and was quite happy to sit on my lap watching them and eating the apple slices I had brought for Ajax’s after-practice snack.

Family week review

The weather is finally starting to turn around… wait I believe I’ve already said that and then we were hit with rain/snow. Oh well, here’s to wishing for nice weather and summer and sun.

This past week was a bit busy. Ajax started T ball on Tuesday. He will have practice two days a week, usually beginning at 6 pm and ending at 7. Grandpa Gordy came up and met us at our house and then he and I took Ajax to his first practice, while Noomi and Mr. Dave stayed home. Though Ajax was so excited to attend his first practice, by the time we got there he became shy, incredibly shy and clung to my leg and pushed his face into my back. There were about 12-15 kids on the team (boys and girls) and two coaches. It took Ajax almost 20 minutes before he would really participate in practice and allow me to retire to the benches with the other parents. On the up side, I got to practice my throwing.

On Thursday practice was cancelled due to rain and the ice cream social at the elementary school. We decided to check it out, as we figured it would be about 40 parents and kids with sundaes. We were way off, as the ice cream social was really the annual fund raiser for the PTSA and included food, raffles, an auction, and a variety of games. We bought tickets and the kids each got a bag of popcorn and then we played some games. Ajax was again pretty shy and refused to play many games. Noomi was just happy to eat popcorn and hold her balloon. There were hundreds of people present so I can’t really blame the kids for being overwhelmed.

This past weekend we did yard work. As Dave’s leg is still recovering, though he’s no longer in the boot, I offered to cut the grass. I also cut back some of the yard and removed a section of sod (about 5 ‘ x 3’) for Ajax to dig and play in. We also went to Home Depot and picked up lumber for two raised garden beds we’ll be building next weekend. Apparently the residents of this neighborhood are always at war with the critters that eat their garden. The kids spent all of Sunday outside and were in bed early. Noomi’s vocabulary is expanding like crazy and she will finally repeat words back to you. She talks a ton, but as soon as a stranger comes by she buttons up and stares at them. Our neighbor brought us a tray of cookies and Noomi refused to say hi or bye to her, even with a treat! She is getting more coordinated and we’ve been working on riding the tricycle; she’s slowly getting it. Noomi only wants to follow Ajax around and do whatever he’s doing.