Sunny Days, Chasing the Clouds Away!

Mike wanted me to post a picture of our green lawn. I could claim that he’s not trying to rub it in but I’m pretty sure that’s the intent. He had to mow the lawn on Saturday, yet another weekend of 55+ temps and sunny skies. Needless to say, we’ve been spending a lot of time outside going for walks to the park, playing ball in the backyard and a new one for Greyson, worm hunting. (He uses a spoon to dig up the dirt. He found one living worm, though I think it was dying, as it was quite short and looked a bit maimed; perhaps the spoon had something to do with it)

02/20/2010

I don’t talk about it often, but it’s really tough being so far from home; particularly from friends and family. But enjoying the mild temperatures this winter, particularly the sunshine and outdoor activities, makes the pangs of homesickness a little less sharp.

Our boys continue to amaze and delight. Graham is drooling and chewing as if a tooth might be coming in and he's close to rolling over so we’re keeping a close watch.

He's more vocal than Greyson was at this age. Given the amount of chatter Greyson provides on any given day squashes any hope Mike might have had for some peace and quiet.

Greyson is working on perfecting his artistic side. Meet Baleedy & Crotchy:

Those cheeks!

Do you not want to just squeeze him?

GREY*isms*

"Wow, Dad. Mom sure doesn't like me eating jello"

What do YOU want to be?

I wanted to be a writer when I was little.  There was a time I would have given anything to be Mary Lou Retton but my gymnastics dreams died when the program moved from the balcony of my middle school gym to a town 100 miles away.  Gymnast vs novelist?  Hmmm…

Now that I’m “all grow’d up” and most definitely not a writer, I’m known for the next best thing…editing.  This is an award I received at our company Christmas party this year:

They got it right, I guess, since the first thing I want to do is destroy the wording in the award.  Anyway, I digress.

GREY*isms*

• Mom: Whatcha doin?
• G:  Mom, shhh. I’m in a meeting!

So, if Greyson grows up and follows in our footsteps, he will in fact be attending a lot of meetings.  The following photo montage tells a different story, though.

Paging Dr. Greyson…

Greyson, the one man band

Captain Stinkbutt!

Last month he wanted to be a truck driver, this month it’s Spiderman.  He’s still loving every instrument we put in front of him and swinging golf clubs in the backyard whenever he gets a chance.  We’ve discovered that he’s not a big fan of playing basketball(although why would anyone like the class- they don’t get to shoot baskets!!!) but he’s OK with soccer and baseball.  His best role is big brother and he’s really amazing at it.

What I know for sure is that I don’t care so much about what he turns out to be as much as who he becomes.  And I prefer not to think about any of that and just revel in my almost 4 year old Doctor Captain One Man Band.

Celebration(s)

Mike is 35 years old, Mike is 35 years old, Mike is 35 years old…

What are we up to these days?  The end of a year and beginning of another one is a crazy for time for anyone.  This year was especially eventful given the end of my maternity leave, our travels, Mike’s birthday last Wednesday and Valentine’s Day (today!).  Mike got his birthday wish once again- a low key night with take out pizza and an ice cream cake.  To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we took a cooking class at Sur La Table on Friday and loved the meal so much that we recreated it last night.  A romaine salad w/ pancetta and homemade croutons, linguine with fresh pesto, shrimp with citrus butter and lemon souffle.  It was excellent.  The best part about it was getting a text from Sara that said “boys are both sleeping, stay out as long as you want, have fun”.  We did.

Overheard:  Greyson singing Frosty the Snowman while sitting underneath the kitchen table playing a makeshift drum.

Graham is laughing.  Open-mouthed belly laughs.  There’s not a sweeter sound in the world.  He smiles all the time and is content to hang out on the floor kicking his legs and watching his crazy brother.

What did we learn today?  We do NOT put our gum wrappers in the refrigerator.

We’re missing our family and friends, but not the cold.  56 and sunny today.  We went for a walk to the park and the boys are now napping as I write.  I’m not rubbing it in, just trying to entice you to visit!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Big Ben…Parliament

I thought things were nutty when I went back to work in January?Throw in a trip to London for work a day after returning from Cancun and I’ll give you insanity!  

We had a load of help while traveling.  My parents flew to Seattle so that Mike & I could have some fun in Cancun (we did).  They had a blast and got to enjoy 50-degree weather while Wisconsin stayed nice and cold so I think we might have an annual reservation for them to come out and watch the boys.  While I was in London, Sara added an extra hand so that Mike could get some work done.  As Greyson was going to bed, she was getting ready to take a shower and Grey said “I want to see you naked”.  Mike thought it was hilarious.  I’m not so sure what to think!

Trafalgar Square

Big Ben

The UK Team

The boys keep getting bigger and bigger (and cuter and cuter).  I missed them like crazy.  How could you not?

So, an official ‘THANK YOU’ to my mom & dad for coming out.  From the Museum of Flight to the music store to the Meydenbauer Boat, I don’t think you could have packed more fun-filled action into a week! 

We’re all exhausted and will be taking it easy for the next few weeks.  We owe our friends and family some phone calls, Skype calls and emails so thanks for being patient!  Cheers!

Ode to Mike

I bought new bedding recently.

• Me:  How’d you sleep?
• Mike:  Good.  I had a crazy dream that we were hanging out with Jeremy Piven
• Me: …(how do you respond to that?)

Everyone who knows us knows that I got a good deal when I married Mike.  He puts up with my crap.  What kind of crap, you ask?  Well, I’m a bit of a control-freak and I get overwhelmed when there’s a lot going on and that’s all the time.  Mike knows this and handles it well.  He enjoys cooking and although he doesn’t necessarily enjoy doing laundry and dishes, he usually does them before I get the chance.  He won’t do toilets, though, and I’m OK with that.  He’s meticulous when it comes to mowing the lawn, he takes care of the dry-cleaning, does 99% of the grocery shopping and fills my car up with gas.  He dislikes clutter like I do which bodes well for a tidy house and he picks up after himself- always.  He’s an extraordinarily nice guy and he’s gorgeous.  Best of all, he made these children and he tops it off by being an unbelievable daddy.

Greyson continues to love Graham like only a big brother can.  His favorite is to “wrap him up like a burrito” (see below).

What did we learn today?  We do NOT flush our underwear down the toilet!

GREY*isms*

• Me: “Greyson, please don’t talk with your mouth full”
• G:  (chewing) “OK…I won’t talk…with my mouth full…I promise…see?…see?”
• Us:  (UGH)

Pearl Jam fan #3 in da house!!!!!

I’m back to work (enjoying it), excited for the delivery of our elliptical (desperately need it), leaving for Cancun in a week (can’t wait), trying not to think about how much I’m going to miss the boys when we’re gone (am I a bad mother for leaving?), praying that Graham sleeps through the night again (YES, he did it last night!), and stressing about how busy this week is going to be (refer to paragraph about ‘overwhelmed’).  Did I mention I got promoted?

Have a great week!

Merry New Year! 2010, Seriously?

Don’t judge me for what I’m about to tell you.

The Guenther family flew back to Seattle yesterday after an enjoyable, albeit a little nutty, visit with family in Wisconsin.  We celebrated Christmas Eve and the days leading up to it with my family in Plover and Christmas Day and the days following with Mike’s family in Minocqua. 

So, I confess.  I still have status with Northwest which means I get complimentary first class upgrades when they’re available.  So, yes, I left my husband and 3 year old son in coach while my baby and me sat in first.  I meant to send the fresh baked molasses cookie and a cocktail back to them, but I fell asleep.  I did send Mike a text before take-off:

• Me: “How’s your seat-mate?”
• Mike: “Shhh, she’s rubbing my leg”

When we landed, my own seat-mate made a point of saying “that’s the quietest baby I’ve ever sat next to”.  I promptly invited him home to prove otherwise.  He’s coming over tomorrow.  Hey, if Mike’s seat-mate can rub his leg…

Kidding aside, the boys were champion fliers.  On a flight a few months ago, Greyson’s request to the flight attendant for a glass of orange juice started like this, “Hey, lady”.  This time, he remembered to say “Hey lady please”.

Graham is smiling like crazy.  His eyes are still blue and HUGE. Exhibit A:

It was wonderful to see and spend time with our families and I want to go on record with a huge THANK YOU for putting up with my constant disheveled, sleep-deprived state, not to mention the baby ramblings (read, crying, wailing, whimpering) and little-boy tantrums.  Although it’s always hectic traveling with the kids, we still enjoyed our time with all of you!

Our 1st shipment of gifts arrived today.  The volume of extravagance our families spoiled upon our children required not one, not two, but three boxes to ship home!  Grey has spent the majority of the day riding his new scooter around the house, pounding the bongos, shaking his Polar Express bell and playing doctor.

GREY*isms*

• G:  “Don’t worry kid, I’m a pirate”

Happy New Year!  It’s freezing in WI and comparatively balmy out here (45 degrees @ 8:00pm).  We’re cooking up Dungeness crab tonight and will likely see the official start of 2010 sometime around 3:30am since we don’t plan to be awake at midnight.  Such is the life of us at the moment.  Perhaps next year.  Cheers!

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Oh, the weather outside is frightful…(and I LOVE it!)

I promised a post before Christmas.  Technically, I’m following through.  In the spirit of the season, I intend to keep my sarcasm to a minimum and just rejoice in all that is sharing, caring, family and relaxation.  OK, maybe not a whole lot of relaxation but what do I expect with a 3-year old nutball who’s wiping his Cheetos-laden hands on his clean shirt as I type and my 9-week old (today) baby boy who is blissfully sleeping but won’t be for long.

It’s nice to be back in Wisconsin where it’s snowy and cold and Christmas-like.  Clark Griswold, aka Tom Kofler, showed up again this year and the rest of the neighbors didn’t do too shabby either.  Greyson is loving the lights and the snow and he had fun sledding right up until my niece Alayna broke her leg (it’s a LONG story, but thank you for your prayers- she’s a little trooper).

I left Seattle too early to enjoy all of the cards we receive from friends and family.  It’ll be a little like an extended holiday when we get home and sort through them.  By now you’ve received our card and although I always appreciate the comments I get about how beautiful they are, I need to put on record that I cannot take credit for them aside from coming up with what I want it to say.  The photographer deserves the real credit.  I often get asked why I don’t send a Christmas letter and at the risk of offending my friends who do, I will tell you that I don’t do it because I grew up reading the letters of my parents’ friends and it was a family tradition to read them out loud in the kitchen and insert our own dialogue.  I’m sure this blog gets its share of ribbing and given that, I probably deserve it. 

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We wish all of you a very blessed, healthy, happy & safe holiday and a 2010 filled with new blessings, experiences and milestones (like Graham sleeping through the night, Greyson going to bed without a fight and me losing the rest of my baby weight).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

There’s Nothing Like a Packer Fan!

GREY*isms*

• G:  I can’t say ‘holy shit’
• Mike: No, you cannot!
• Me: Where did you learn that word?
• G: From Marty
• Me & Mike (in unison):  Who’s Marty?
• G: (exasperated) Marty, from Back to the Future!

Giggles, our pixie elf, is back in town.  He spends quite a bit of time in light fixtures and other high places so he has the best vantage point to keep an eye on Greyson who is having a tougher time staying off the naughty list this year.  (See above '*ism*)

If you follow the blog, you know that Greyson can tell Giggles all of his Christmas wishes.  This year, he has one simple wish.  Ask Greyson what he wants Santa to bring him for Christmas and you’ll get one answer…bongos.  I already know his wish will come true but I’m enjoying providing some mild torture when I, in the presence of Greyson, tell Giggles that he’d like some new underwear and maybe a new pair of socks.

• Me:  Grey, what should we get Uncle Nate for Christmas?
• G:  How about some bongos so we can play them together?
• (good grief!) 

Some other *isms* I don’t want to forget:  Greyson asking for a kiss but when I bend down to give him one he says “no, the kind you eat”.  Singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town, “he knows if you’ve been bad or good so too bad for goodness sake”.  Calling my name as I sat at the dining room table at my laptop.  “Mom…you seem focused”. At bedtime telling Mike to "please shut the door before you bug out". Pointing to the cat on the cover of the Shrek DVD and asking, "there's Puss, where's Boots"?

Graham had his 1 month doctor visit last week and she confirmed that he’s gaining weight like a champ (10lbs 3 oz and 21 inches) and by all appearances seems to be a normal, healthy baby boy. He definitely hit the “baby’s fussiness may peak between 6 and 8 weeks” so that can go away any day now, please. He’s stolen my heart, despite the fuss, and I can’t wait for everyone close to us to meet him!

I miss my family, friends and neighbors (a lot). We’re really looking forward to coming home for the holidays. I hope to post once more before Christmas and then I’m going to hang it up for a few weeks.  Until then, enjoy the faces of Graham.

On this day 10 years ago…

On December 3rd, 1999, NASA lost contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before it entered the Martian atmosphere and Mike & I exchanged wedding vows in a ceremony that was memorable both because it was a gorgeous December day in Lake Tahoe and because our officiator sounded exactly like Howard Cosell.

We were married in 1999, but we met and fell in love in 1993.  September 20, 1993, to be exact.  I was a Sophomore at Ripon College and he was a Freshman.  He claims he spotted me in the Commons but was too shy to say anything.  I watched him play football and wanted to meet him.  A friend introduced us at a fraternity party and we ended up talking until dawn.  The rest, as they say, is history.  He loved Snoop Dogg, I was obsessed with Ace of Base.  He was quiet, I was not.  We shared a love of football and family.  He owned 3 pairs of wind pants, the ugliest high-top sneakers, an infinite number of sweatshirts and dirty hats that were duct-taped to keep them together.  I wore boy’s jeans, oversized rugbys and Doc Martens.  We both tight-rolled our pants!  Oh, and his head was shaved bald- it was a football team thing.  Did you know that his head is not round?

How hot is this?

By December of that year, we were talking about our future together.  I’m not sure anyone would have predicted a wedding 6 years later, but that’s how it went down.

Not for one moment of the past 10 years have I looked back with regret, reservations, shoulda/woulda/couldas (well, aside from the terribly ugly wedding cake- I’d change that if I could).  We’ve survived the ups and downs, challenges and triumphs and we’re ready for the next decade and the decades beyond.

So, Happy Anniversary, my love.  You are my favorite person in the entire world.  I’m loving every memory; past, present & future.  I can’t wait for our album to expand.  And those duct-taped hats?  They’re really starting to smell up the closet!

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