It’s a wrap on Griffin’s first session of indoor flag football. He really enjoyed it and his team ended the season with all wins, except for 1 – which quite honestly was in our eyes still a win as there were several questionable calls and the other team was in many cases playing tackle football – not flag! Griffin played well this season. He had time at QB, receiving, and defense. He got more aggressive and confident with his flag pulling too.
We’ve been enjoying lots of family time and snuggles on the weekend. Reid is in a “I want to nuggle you” phase and loves to come in our room in the morning and then go downstairs with one of us to feed the dogs and make my coffee. Haya has been doing fun art/craft projects with Reid while Finn is at school. He’s so proud to show me when I get home each day!
It was Dads and Donuts recently and Kevin was able to take Reid on a Friday (not a school day for him) and have a donut and see some art that he had made at school. They had a fun afternoon together and Reid was so tired he fell asleep in the car on the way home!
Griffifn had his best bud Colel over for a last minute sleep over one night. They had literally been playing together all day, from our house to Cole’s and back. Cole joined us for dinner at Roosters and then they asked if they could have a sleep over. They read books for such a long time before they fell asleep. Then they were up and at ’em early Sunday morning!
February is Book Fair time at Tyler Run and I’m on a committee that puts the fair on. While I enjoy helping, I’m by far the least involved. I liken it to being on the bus, in the very back seat! It involves helping with decorating, setup, working during fair week (an entire week of school), and then tear down. The kids in the school love this week each year and the hallway decorations add to the excitement as they walk past the library each day. Griffin was able to come to the library after school and help me for a couple days. He enjoyed getting a behind the scenes look at the bookfair and helping with delivery teacher books to their classrooms.
February has been rather dreary weather so I thought it would be nice to include this great photo of Mom and Dad enjoying sunshine in sunny Florida! They’ve been enjoying their time down south with daily walks on the beach, pool time, and fun with friends!
Big changes are ahead for our family, as Kevin has decided to make a career change after working over the last 10+ years as an Independent Contractor, with the State of Ohio as his client. Some people he works alongside organized a nice Farewell party at Pins Mechanical downtown at the end of his final day of work on February 27th. I was able to join in the celebration and it was great to finally meet so many people whose names I’ve heard for such a long time. So many people sang Kevin’s praises and spoke so highly of him. I was a proud wifey and enjoyed seeing him be celebrated by so many people. I was so busy talking to people I didn’t really snap many photos! We’re excited for this next phase for Kevin as he joins Base22 as a partner.
On leap day we had a neighborhood progressive dinner: “Breakfast for dinner” complete with everyone in PJ’s. It was a huge and awesome breakfast spread complete with mimosas! The kids loved playing together for hours. This time we stayed put at one house, the Duncans.
Millcreek’s inside building project is coming to a close and the finishing touches are going up in most ways. It will be put to use quickly!
I was fortunate to break away from work over the lunch hour to go surprise Griffin at pre-school for the Mom’s and Muffins mother’s day gathering. I hadn’t told him I’d be there as I like to surprise him – and I just love to see the expression on his face when he discovers I’m there. So fun! I was able to play with him in his classroom where he showed me so many of his toys. Then the kids were read a book by the teacher, showed us a dance they do to music, and each child was called to the front one at a time to get the painting they had made for their mom. While the child walked up to the front the teacher read one line off their “mom” worksheet which you can see below. Some of what the kids answers were to the questions were pretty hilarious! For mine, she read that “Griffin’s mom is 10 years old”. I could tell as he was walking back to me with his painting and the paper that he was a little embarrassed. He sat down and muttered “I didn’t know what to say for how old you were…..” like I would somehow be disappointed that it wasn’t correct. So I reassured him it was ok not to know how old I was and how much I loved the painting he made and all of the answers to the questions that his teachers asked him about me. Apparently we make and eat a lot of pancakes and waffles around here…..
On Thursday morning I had yet another weekly non-stress test which again went well and the baby’s heart rate looked great. This week I met with Dr. Costa afterwards. She thinks based on my current status and that I delivered Griffin 10 days late, that I will go after my due date. She actually mentioned that she saw my ultrasound results from last week and that I have above normal amniotic fluid (mine is 18, normal is 10-14), though it’s not cause for concern. But it does make it more difficult for the baby to move down to the cervix, which is what causes it to begin dilating. Even though I’ve been having regular braxton-hicks contractions, the additional fluid makes it difficult for the babies head to move down which is why I haven’t made much progress in the last couple of weeks. I’m ok with that since it has allowed me to get through spring at work! 
Over the weekend Kevin started working on the nursery closet. We are going to customize the shelving and add some built in drawers. So Kevin and Finn headed to Lowe’s to get the necessary supplies and then began working on the pieces parts. And, as always, Brutus inserted himself in the activities wanting to be in the garage during all the activity. 
On Mother’s Day Mom and Dad came down and the Bethune’s also joined us at Griffin’s flag football game. The league gave the kids flowers to give to their Mom’s and/or Grandma’s that were there – how cute! Afterwards we headed to Graeter’s (who doesn’t enjoy a sweet treat after a little flag football) and then on to the Bethune’s for a pizza dinner to celebrate Mother’s Day. Yummers! Griffin made the sweetest card for me with Miss Debbie. I really enjoy reading the sentiments that she captures when she asks him questions like that. 
While Griffin played outside one day he created this masterpiece which he called his “collage”. A unique and beautiful compilation made when he combined water and sidewalk chalk and then painted with his feet. He was so proud. There were several colors but you can’t quite see that in the photo here. 
Griffin loves to be outside and play sports as much as possible. Anytime he hears his neighbor pals Cole and Cooper outside he immediately wants to head outside and play with them. They get in games of driveway hockey and lawn baseball quite a bit. 
And from this weeks trip to the zoo:
Check out our handsome 4 year old Tiger’s spring school photo! Looking sharp!
My entire pregnancy it seems this baby has been off to the right side of my body! When I have braxton hicks contractions it is SO obvious that my belly is lopsided! I had yet another non-stress test this week. It went well but it took longer than it has been as he was sleeping. The nurse used a buzzer on my belly to wake him up, lol! There were a couple of “dips” in his heart rate so they did an ultrasound. Sometimes the dips are perfectly fine/normal for the baby and other times they can indicate low fluid. The ultrasound went well and my fluid level is just fine. And the technician said she checked and the cord isn’t around his neck (that’s a frequent concern of mine and most moms to be at this stage I guess!). 
Brutus went to the vet on Saturday as he can’t seem to kick this ear infection that he’s basically had on and off since we’ve had him. We got a new med that hopefully will do the trick. He now weighs 88 pounds!! A small pony, right? And speaking of Brutus, one night this week at bedtime we couldn’t find him anywhere. After looking everywhere up and down stairs Kevin went in to Finn’s room and discovered we had left him in there. He was actually behind the chair and Finn had taken a pillow and some lovies back there and was sleeping on him. Completely asleep. It was pretty cute. 
One night this week I had a lot of regular contractions and I got kind of nervous that it could be actual labor!! So, along with doing our first load of baby clothes in the washer I had Kevin take this photo of me and Finn to have before this baby arrives – just in case!
And how can it be that this was 3 years ago already. Whew. I wish life had a pause button. 