Nick is 3!!!

HIGHLIGHTS OF NICK'S BIRTHDAY:

-When we went out for dinner tonight I told Nick to tell his dad about his day. Instead of telling him about all the fun things that had happened (since it was his birthday and all) Nick said........."I pooped, dad, it was a big one and a little one." Yes, we were in a restaurant once again and Yes, Nick never seems to use his inside voice.

-He sang "Old McDonald" the entire drive to the restaurant. It reminded me that even though my baby is another year older, he's still young enough to belt out "Old McDonald."

-Mike and I got him a toy chainsaw and goggles. First off, Nick has a "thing" for googles. He went to bed in them and his chainsaw was right beside him.

-My mom called him this morning to wish him "Happy Birthday." Nick told her he had his "birthday boy" shirt on. At the end of the conversation he told her in his little 3 year old voice that he loved her. Mom said that she always wanted to remember that little voice because when she is 80 Nick will celebrate his golden birthday and hopefully still be telling her he loves her.

Making Mommy Smile

I was greeted with a running hug from Jay tonight when I got home from work. It was so nice! Then Nick popped his head around the corner and gave me a big hug too, along with his usual cuddle....which is him rubbing his cheek against mine. After dinner, Jay and I took a walk/run. He is faster than the wind. We have plans to run a 5K this summer and I don't know if either of us will be ready for it but I like the one on one time I've been able to spend with him. Jay appears to me to be more of a sprinter than a long distance runner. He beats me every time. As usual I was running behind him tonight and it was like staring at a little Brad Bushman. I sware his form is just like my dad's. Crazy!
I'm looking forward to Nick's 3rd birthday tomorrow. Nick is the second child that might not have happened. When Mike and I married, he only wanted one child and made that very clear and I was 100% fine with that. When Jay was about 12-months old I told Mike that I simply couldn't do it just one time around. I was prepared to "make my case" but Mike said he was fine with having another child, we just needed a bigger house. So, the rest is history. Nick was born at 10:01 a.m. on April 30, 2006 and he certainly completed our family, the constant ring in our ears can prove it!

Summer time hair cuts

Nick recently got his secondbuzz cut. I actually like the cut on him now, since he's older and has more of a big boy look. However, Jay has always had buzz cuts but recently we've grown his hair longer on top. His hair is like shearing a sheep. Last night, Mike gave him a complete buzz cut and he hates it. I have to admit that I do like his hair a bit longer....gives him more of a grown up look. But I still think both the boys are pretty darn cute!!

10 Things I Love About Mike

In honor of my 11 year wedding anniversary on April 25 I decided to "dedicate" this blog to my dear husband

-His dry sense of humor. He makes me laugh daily
-His work ethic
-His dedication to the boys and I
-He is the glue that holds this family together
-He has never given me any reason to doubt him in 15 years
-His patience
-His encouragement he gives me
-His willingness to always help my family out
-The fact that he took over all the grocery shopping 3 years ago when Nick was born
-The strong father that he is

On a side note.......Two things that drive me nuts about Mike: The fact that he can inhale 6 or 7 chocolate chip cookies with a big glass of milk late at night and never gain a freakin pound. And as anyone who knows Mike can confirm...He's over the top with cleaniness. He is the only person I know who vacuums his garage.....drives me crazy!

Spring has sprung

Jay helped me plant tulips in the fall. He discovered tonight that some of them are starting to bud. We were very excited!

Parenthood

Being a parent is hands down the hardest job in the world. I work way harder at home than I do at work and that is not to say I don't work at work because I do but I have so much invested and care so deeply about my children. Tonight, the minute I got home from work I realized Nick had pooped his pants (AGAIN). I put him on the potty while I started dinner. When Mike went to check on him there was poop all over Nick, the toliet, his clothes, need I go on? It was a dirty situation! Mike took Nick for a bath while I finished dinner. Mike is very calm and patient with the boys but when daddy "takes charge" they know he means business. Mike and Nick did not come back downstairs for quite awhile. Nick had to get himself changed and ready to come down for dinner which took awhile. In the meantime, I realized that Jay got a "red note" from school which is not good. He immediately started to cry over it, big crocodile tears too. Jay has a big fear of failure and cannot stand it when he disappoints anyone of an authority figure. The bottom line is parenting is hard work, there are constant fires that need to be put out and even once they are out you question if you put them out the right way or if there was another way of putting them out. And sometimes just when you think you put that fire out for good, it re-kindles itself.

Jay's Fishing Derby

Jay did not catch anything at his Cub Scouts Fishing Derby over the weekend but he had a good time. Nick entertained all the older boys by yelling.........."HOLY MOLY," everytime they caught a fish!

Nick's obsession with the "P" word continues

Tonight, after Nick's bath I was getting him dressed when he informed me (very loudly, I might ad) that he did not want a big penis, he wanted to have a little penis forever.
Seriously, I don't even know what to write after a statement like that so I'll just leave it alone and shake my head.

My New Job

I'm officially 1 1/2 weeks through my new job and I LOVE it! I feel like it focuses on my strengths and now I'm just fine tuning them. The hardest part has been getting to know a new group of people. My new co-workers are nice and I'm starting to feel more at "home" but I developed solid and lasting friendships with my co-workers in comp. I miss them everyday. Thankfully we are still in the same building so I'm able to see them frequently.
I have started writing and will see my first article(s) run in the June edition of our digest at work. It's been really good for me to be exposed to another part of the company and see how things operate.

10 Things I Love About Nick

-His big blue eyes
-His obnxious laugh
-His ability to make everyone laugh
-His love of music
-The fact that he needs/wants his "animals" and his blankie when he sleeps
-His goodnight verse everynight....."Good night, mom, I'll wake up later."
-His imagination
-His love of pancakes
-His constant chatter
-His grin

10 Things I Love About Jay

-His big brown eyes
-His love for his cousin, Lauren
-His kindness to his turtle, Kitty
-His willingness to keep trying hard at school, even though it's hard for him
-His quiet runs/walks that he takes with me
-His curiousity
-His athletic ability
-His smile
-His sense of adventure
-His fascination with farming and his great grandpa

Happy Easter

Nick and his sleeping buddies

15 years and counting!

Fifteen years ago today was the night my good friend, Mary Fox, called me on the phone to see if I wanted to go out with her and her boyfriend, Mark, and his friend, Mike. My response was, "Mike who and is he ugly?" Turns out he wasn't ugly! And when he picked me up that night, the first thing he did was crack a joke with me (for those of you who know Mike this was and is a really big deal). I was hooked! Honestly, I really was smitten and so was Mike. We've been together ever since. Sure, we've had our bad days but never once have either of us thought about not being together.
On nights like tonight when we took both boys dinner, which is always challenging, I think of those early days when we "were young and in love." Doesn't every couple remember the "good ole days?" But, here we are 15 years later with two beautiful and very different boys. So, our dinners out in public may be a challenge but I wouldn't trade any of my boys and I certainly wouldn't change anything during the last 15 years.

MUD

After dinner tonight I took the boys outside to play. First of all, I make the mistake of talking to my mom on the phone. This sends a message to the boys that they can do anything they want because I'm on the phone. They proceeded to jump into every mud puddle they could find and trust me, there are a lot to pick from out here. My poor mother is then subjected to me yelling into the phone..........."BOYS, CUT THAT OUT, GET OUT OF THE MUD NOW." I think that most boys simply can't help themselves when it comes to mud and puddles. I witnessed that first hand last week during Jay's Cub Scout hike. It actually validated that Jay and Nick are just like other boys when it comes to their obsession to mud. My mom and I have always joked that if I could home school Jay in the mud he would be one happy boy!

Bath Time "Joys"

It is always a bad idea to give Jay & Nick a bath together. I know this but yet my boys seem to sucker me into it almost every night. Tonight was no exception. I had both boys in the tub when I walked away for a minute to put something away (yet another bad idea). I came back to find the boys yelling & carrying on at each other. They were hitting each other in the you know what with their plastic canoes. I have lost count how many times during a bath incident I have had to yell....."Boys, keep your hands to yourself." All the while Nick or Jay is crying that the other hit him in the bad spot (as they like to call it). Ugh. It's exhausting. After I get the canoe incident under control I help Jay wash his hair and he got soap in his eyes. While I'm trying to get Jay calmed down, Nick is dumping water out of the tub all over Mike's new oak doors that he put in. I'm frantically trying to get that cleaned up before I have yet another boy (Mike) to contend with. It's just all in a days work in the Siebert house.
On a positive note, I started my new job today and I really like it. Only time will tell but I'm in this job for 8 months so we'll see. I have the feeling I won't want to go back to my old job in November.

Easter Bunny With Nick

Nick and I went to see the Easter Bunny today with Kim and Lauren. State Farm sponsored the "Breakfast With The Bunny" event. Jay decided he was too old this year. It was bittersweet to me because Jay is getting too grown up right before my eyes but it was nice to have the one on one time with Nickel Pickel.

A Three Ring Circus

Some nights around my house are INSANE! Tonight was one of those nights. Mike was working late so I was trying to make dinner which is always the biggest joke of all. Nick is usually right under my feet begging for food and Jay is usually doing something to annoy Nick. Right in the middle of trying to make dinner Nick gets into his "I have to poop position." I put him on the toliet which made him furious. He cried that he wanted my help to "help him push his big log out." Geez. Finally, he went potty but it was after he had already messed his pants. Somehow I get dinner on the table and both boys complain that the fish I made was too spicy but we ate. Mike gets home right as I'm cleaning up from dinner. He starts to complain about all the crumbs all over the floor (big surprise there). I'd had a full glass of wine and really didn't care about all the crumbs. About that time, Nick decided to poop his pants yet again. While Mike was taking care of that issue I was sitting down with Jay trying to do homework while Mike decided he was going to get the vacuum out and start vacuuming (all the crumbs). Anyone that knows Nick knows he is LOUD. Watching Jay trying to do homework over the sound of the vacuum and his loud younger brother was more than I could take. I have officially given up for the night! Here's to FRIDAY!

Jay's Glasses

Here is my handsome 7 year old boy in his glasses!