Basketball!

Zach started basketball last night. Thankfully, it is with Special Olympics... Zach was adorable! As soon as we showed up in the gym, he started jumping, clapping and hooting-n-hollering. Most of the other people there were older and Zach was by far, the youngest. I saw a friend from work and we both just looked at each other in shock - not many kids!!

As the practice started, they quickly separated the kids by skills and ability. Zach went in the beginner's group and was just having a blast. Clueless, but having a good time. He ended up with a one-on-one "tutor" who is teaching him how to throw and catch a basketball. I guess Mark and I should have been on that more - but if you ever tried to play catch with Zach, you'll understand...

The beauty of the evening was, Zach was adored had plenty of attention, and is learning how to play basketball. It's a safe environment and the coaches aren't expecting the next NBA all-stars. I wanted to jump in and rescue the coach - not so much my kid, just the coach. (How awful is that??) All in all though, I'm glad we are getting involved. I met some great parents and I know this is the start of some wonderful things to come!

Not me, Tuesday?

I did not forget to do a Not Me Monday - as started by McMamma and her amazing blog. You can see the link on the left and see for yourselves...

Since it is not Tuesday, I am not a slacker. I did not have our amazing babysitter get the kids off the bus on Monday so I could stay for a meeting at work. I did not then go to Goodwill Bargin Barn to find things I would not sell on eBay. I did not meet up with my good friend there. I did not try to out do her on the shoes to resell (because I would never buy shoes to resell). I did not try to convince her that a skirt is not her style simply because I wanted it. I did not scheme up my next little project. I am not going to buy designer clothes at Goodwill and then take them to a consignment shop. I did not get that idea from my friend I saw.

I was not worn out after two hours with my own children on Monday night. My children are not heathens that run around like crazy. They do not spill juice on the floor. Ryan does not cry and whine for hours on end (ok, ok, it only feels like hours). I was not totally glad that Mark came home. I did not check out and go to bed at some ridiculous hour. I did not tell my husband that I was too worn out to chat. I do not act like a freak-a-zoid when my kitchen floor is messy. I do not use that as a barometer of my life.

I did not jump for joy when my brother suggested a present we could go in together for my dad for Christmas. My dad is not the hardest guy in the world to shop for. I am not thankful that Carla (my brother's wife) sent me some easy things I could do for her kids' Christmas. I don't like using ideas for shopping. (Wow my fingers are hurting from all this finger crossing as I tell my not-me's)

I am not on lunch break at work doing my blog! Finally, I am not excited about not having school Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. I am not thankful for Thanksgiving. I am not wishing that my kids had school on Wednesday...

Well, I better get productive... I would love to hear what you are not doing!
Kristin

Party Pictures

I wimped out and didn't throw a party for Ryan's birthday. In fact, I've mentioned before how cheap I was and didn't buy him any presents. If you look at these pictures, I think you will come to the same conclusion I do... Ryan doesn't mind! He had a blast with the hand me down toys and the ones from Grandma. I have to take advantage of this while I can!



After he opened the first present, he wanted to play and not bother with the others. Eventually, Zach opened Ryan's third present. Andria, our babysitter stuck around for cake and presents. You will notice how clean the house is - that's because Andria blessed me by picking up after us. I love that girl!!

Mark made the cake and Ryan really enjoyed it. He didn't exactly know what to do with the flames in his face. Zach was, of course, eager to help. The rest of the evening, Zach walked around singing Happy Birthday. He kept telling us Ryan was 5.



Just so Zach doesn't feel left out, here is the Zach story du jour... After care, he gets there pretty early. So it has become his routine to set out the coloring pages for the kindergartners, get them crayons, and then pull up his brother's chair. Zach only goes to aftercare a few times a month, but getting ready for the kindergartners has become his thing. He feels it is important for the little kids to have their papers ready before they arrive.

Happy Birthday baby Ryan! (and Not me...)

I am going to start with my Not Me Monday's - see www.mycharmingkids.net for the entire rules and the chance to read a whole bunch of imperfect people report on their week! I don't have very many Not me's to tell you...

First of all, I would never give my children hand me down toys for his birthday presents. I would never not give a birthday part for him. It doesn't matter that it's always the same kids having to buy presents. Besides, why would Ryan want new presents anyway?? Furthermore, I would never go out on a date with my husband on my child's birthday.

I am never seriously considering running a marathon in April. But if I were considering it, I would look into the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. Who in their right mind runs 26 miles in one day? Not me. And if I were to run a marathon, I wouldn't start another blog to keep track of my training. And it would certainly not be called mommamikartsontherun.blogspot.com

So now onto my mostly sweet baby Ryan. He is FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY! Can you believe it? My baby is 4. I will admit that on somedays, I think, you're only 4? Surely you are older than that...

For those of you who don't know my Ryan, I thought I would tell you the things I love about him.
1. He has a devilish smile that just lights up his whole face. His smile makes his eyes squinty and his cheeks all squeezable.
2. He has the best belly laugh. He loves to lay on the floor and just laugh. Especially when it is bed time and he thinks if he doesn't go to his room, he won't have to go to bed. He just lays on the floor and laughs as you bend over to pick him up.
3. He is mischevious. He especially loves to get his brother in trouble. He has figured out what to do to get Zach in trouble. Ryan also loves to climb the furniture and take his shoes off in the car, hand them to Zach and have Zach throw them to the front seat.
4. When Ryan is supposed to be napping, he likes to sneak in his brother's room and play toys. Ryan also wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to get his brother up!
5. Ryan loves to play kitchen, trucks, and Rescue Heroes. Ryan has taught Zach how to play. Ryan also loves the playground and hanging out in openings. He scares me to death - and then just belly laughs.
6. Ryan is a charmer. I can't tell you how many girls he has wrapped around his finger. At his school, I hear aides, therapists, and older kids talk about how much they adore him.
7. When Ryan is excited, he walks really fast and pumps his arms in the air. It is sooo cute!!
8. Ryan is a snuggler when he just wakes up or is really tired. He melts into your body and rests his cheek on your shoulder.
9. If Ryan could have any toy possible, it would be a pantry full of cans and boxes to rearrange, a refrigerator to do the same, and a door to open and shut. At school, he likes to stack chairs and rearrange furniture.
10. Ryan has a girlfriend, Emma. She is in his class and is in a wheelchair. Ryan can not leave without saying good bye to Emma. He also likes to sit by her and get her books and toys. This weekend in the car, he was crying for Emma! She is the cutest thing - and she looks like a cherub. She has blonde curly hair and a round face.
11. Ryan loves to be helpful and take part in the sorting of laundry and putting things away.

I'll get some pictures of my peanut later. So come back to this post if there aren't enough pictures.

Not me Monday

It's that time again... Time for Not me Monday. The blogging game started by McMamma. You can see her link to the side and learn all the rules. This is free therapy and you can go to her website and see what other people are not doing!

I will start with the most current. I am not going to put Dora on TV so my kids will leave me alone to blog. I do not use the TV as a babysitter.

I did not buy my son a drum. That would be crazy and loud. Besides I don't have rhythm, neither does their dad, so it would sound horrible. But if I did buy them a drum, the joy would be all over my boys' faces like this...

I would never get involved in other people's dating life. I would not encourage one friend to marry some guy I've never met and I would not encourage another friend's little brother to run as far as he can from his current girlfriend. I mean, working on my own relationship should matter - not someone else's!

I did not forget my towel this morning at the Y. I go there in the mornings to exercise and I was pretty stinky and sweaty because I just finished 8 miles doing jog/walk intervals. I did not have to dry off with the extra tshirt in my work out bag. This is not the first time I've done this. I am not that disorganized!

First of all, my children would never climb on the furniture. But if they did and if I were blogging, I would not just yell at them to get down. I would actually get off the computer and put them in time out. I am not lazy.

I would not force my children to go to baseball so that they would be worn out and take a nap on Saturday. I do not need to wear my children out because they are angels (just like your kids) and they fall asleep on command. (I am not sarcastic! I do not believe that is an appropriate form of humor.)

I am not going to leave exercise class early tomorrow to go and buy apple fritters. Even if it is for someone's birthday at work. It doesn't matter to me that he is six foot six and weighs at least 350 lbs, is black as night, and is scary looking if you don't know him! He doesn't need birthday treats, even if it is my turn to provide.

I am not excited that my babysitter can now drive and we don't have to pick her up anymore. I am not disappointed that she wants to finish high school and doesn't want to drop out to take care of my children.

I would never laugh at my husband because he thought a co-worker just turned 80. CarolAnn, if you ever read this - you don't have to give Mark a hard time, I would never suggest that!

I would not consider giving my child hand me down toys for his 4th birthday. How cheap do you think I am? Don't answer that, please!!

I think this might be it for now, I might add to it if I can come up with some random things. I was a "good girl" last week and had no major gaffs!

Feel free to let me know what you "did not" do last week!
K

The little things in life...

I must be simple minded because it's the simple things in life that amuse me. I know there are milestones in all Mom's lives that are worthy of celebrating. I am hitting most of those milestones - albeit four to five years behind the curve. Here are some of the simple things we are celebrating:


This picture relates to a major potty-training milestone... Zach pooped in the potty all by himself at school. He is averaging about 75% accident-free. I know, TMI, but to us, this is HUGE! I haven't bought Pull-Ups since August.

Zach also learned how to tattle. Zach is now at the stage where he wants to show me everything! I hear a chorus of "Look at me, look at me!" While tattling and showing off are annoying - they are stages all kids go through [ok, so Zach is 7...] This morning, he was carrying a toy catalog around and circling what he wants for Christmas. He has never cared about this stuff before and the fact that he understood what I was asking and he could draw circles! Plus he was able to find toys that he truly wanted! I was impressed... Oh - and early, he got a picture of Grandma, brings it to me and says, "I want to see firetrucks." (Because everytime we go to Grandma's Uncle Doug shows Zach his firetrucks.) Then he hands me the phone and wants me to call her. How cute is that - I think that's definitely worth a few extra Christmas presents from Grandma...

Ryan is learning to run. I will be the first to admit that this is scary and to the novice, it does not even closely resemble running. But it's the cutest thing! He gets excited about something, starts laughing and then takes off in an awkward toes pointing out fast walk. Meanwhile, he is pumping his arms in the air like he is doing some aerobics routine. I will try to get a picture... Ryan counted to four this morning and I'm not sure if he said two or shoe, but he definitely got three and four. Ok, so he's almost four - and to most this is no big deal. But to the Mikarts family, Ryan's a genius!!

The other little thing in life was the Checker's kids meal toy we got. It's called a wall walker and you stick this bug to the wall and he climbs down. The great part was how excited Zach was. He kept running to me and saying, "Look at me, look at me!"

The other day at a meeting, I was so excited that my fingers have gotten thinner and I could shake my hand and the wedding rings jingled. I didn't realize how annoying I was until the guy next to me asked what was up! The little things...

So this weekend at the Mikart's compound, we are celebrating the little things.

Not me Monday!

I'm back to this game started by McMamma (you can click on the icon on the side and go to her blog and see the rules. Her blog is pretty impressive, so no blog-etition!!) Krystal W., if you read this, you need to join in on the fun! I have a had a happening 2 weeks, but I don't know that it will translate into not me's though. Here I go...

* I did not deny my children all of the halloween fun by not going trick or treating or even taking them to a church festival. I did not use the excuse that I didn't want my house egged by neighborhood children if I wasn't home to give out candy.

* I did not suggest that my high school babysitter drop out of high school so she could be our nanny. She loves the morning routine with the boys, so why would I suggest such a terrible thing - especially since I'm an educator.

* I did not cancel my Monday night date because I wanted to save babysitter fees. I would never use the excuse that since she wasn't feeling well, we should ditch the date this week. It's not like we didn't go out on Saturday night.

* I did not rejoice that the Haitians were not at Goodwill taking all the "good shoes". I mean, they send them to their families or sell the shoes to supply ships to bring to Haiti. It would be so selfish of me to want to resell the designer shoes on eBay.

* I did not secretly get excited when I found out the boys' bus is running 10 minutes late this afternoon. I do not need that extra time to blog. I am not that addicted to this silly game.

* I am not addicted to fried eggs (is that what they're called when you crack the egg in the skillet and then just let it cook so the white is cooked but the yellow is a bit runny?). I do not want to feed that to my family for dinner tonight...

I would love to hear what you guys have not done this week...
k

Oh - check out this link about one of my closest friends, Missy. http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081101/ARTICLE/811010309

In case you were worried... we survived Halloween

I think I'm the biggest slacker parent in the world. We survived Halloween because we didn't participate. Maybe that's not true - but we were minimalists. Ryan had a party at school and I sent in little tiny pumpkins and sugar cookies. He dressed as a cow - thanks to Cindy T. [As a side note, everyone needs friends like her! She saves my bacon daily...] He wasn't too happy about the head piece, but he kept it on for the school parade. I didn't go to the parade, but I heard some of the costumes were phenomenal. I know Ryan's was, but only because I borrowed it! One kid was a tomato - and the rest of his family completed the bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwich. Ok, that's just too much for me... Ryan's girl friend, Emma, went as Nurse Mary (the school nurse).

Zach must have had a party too because he came home loaded with candy and trinkets. The bus driver and aide took his candy away because they noticed too late that he had been sitting there quietly eating chocolate and sugar. He was HYPER when he got home. I have never seen him on a sugar high - but boy was he running around the house.

That was it for the Halloween celebrations! I did dress Ryan up in his costume so I could get pictures. Zach wore the cow several years ago and so I thought it would be cute to have comprable pictures of Ryan. Later in the evening, we handed out candy and had a whooping 2 sets of trick-or-treaters!

On Saturday, the boys went to Buddy Break and continued the Halloween theme. Zach got a tatoo of a firetruck. I just put it on his arm and he is freaking out! I guess "stickers" aren't meant to be permanent. And "they" say he isn't autistic... I will spare you the pictures of Zach freaking out - it looks very similar to the halloween pictures from last year, just a different cause.