Snow Day, Part One

This has been quite the week. One week ago, they warned that snow was possible. This is always exciting for me because I love the snow. I usually don't have to be anywhere and I get to stay home with the boys.

While there have been some *discrepancies* with the forecasts over the last week, snow has pretty much been a constant. For days and days and days. Five days with only two hours of school. Yes, two hours. They closed at 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. And from Monday to Thursday, Travis was freezing at The Dalles Dam, so it was me and boys, in the house for the entire rest of the time. And, there appears to be no end in site. I know those of you in places where snow is more frequent laugh at the crazy northwesterners and the world is ending reaction to a little inclement weather. Of course, we laugh at your fear of the rain. That's just how it goes.

The excitement grew on Sunday as the snow started to fall. Once there was enough snow to play in, the boys were quite happy to venture outside.

It was pretty typical Portland snow: not too much work was required to find the pavement.
And there was just enough to have a little snowball fight with Daddy. Why yes, that is his new Carhart jacket.

Ry's implementing the sneak attack approach - if he can't see you, then you couldn't possibly see him.

Flu-Tats Two

In exchange for extreme bravery (no tears from either while getting their flu shots) the boys were rewarded with a nice selection of tattoos from their pediatrician. A gun show and running around the house shirtless followed.

Pearly Whites

Ry had his first trip to the dentist and was a total trooper. It helped that Ben had shown him the ropes a few weeks before.

Big Changes

We transitioned Ry into a big boy bed in September. He started in the trundle in Ben's room. We decided to have the boys share a room so we could turn the other room in a playroom/guest room. Hopefully, this will help us to reclaim the living room. And, hopefully, they will enjoy most of the time they spend together in their room. Thus far, I think it's a success. They both manage to stay in their room until Travis gets up at o'dark thirty for work. And aside from the one biting incident (Ry really wanted Ben to wake up), it's gone pretty well.

Here are some pictures of Ry's first night. He was pretty excited.

Note: when taking Ry's picture, don't tell him to smile. It just makes him close his eyes.

Going, Going, Gone!

It was a regular school day. Travis and I picked Ben up at the end of the day. Travis waited with Ry in the car. I reminded Ben to get his stuff. We got in the car and started home. I attempted to pry information out of him about his day. Usually the conversation goes something like this:

Mama: Ben, how was your day?
Ben: Good.
Mama: What did you do today?
Ben: Nothing.
Mama: What did you talk about today?
Ben: Nothing.

But on this day, it was a little different.

Mama: Ben, how was your day?
Ben: Good.
Mama: What did you do today?
Ben: Nothing. Oh, I lost my tooth.
Mama & Daddy: What?!

Of course we were almost to the freeway at this point. It had happened first thing in the morning, so no one remembered to mention it to me when I ran in to pick him up from school. We turned around and picked up the tooth, which had been safely stored in a paper napkin inside a paper cup.

Ben lost his first tooth at 9:15 in the morning on September 29th, 2008.

Loose Tooth B

As yet another sign of Ben's impending adulthood, he got his first loose tooth. While he was not to keen on the tie-a-string-around-it trick I suggested, he was quite content to wiggle it back and forth. Constantly.

Run, Run, Run!

Ben's school participated in the Run for the Arts fundraiser to raise funds for art projects and fundraisers. Ben and the rest of his class did a great job. Ben completed 15 laps - the most in his class. Go Ben!