Catching up. . .

See, I told you people I wouldn't be able to keep up with this blog! And I don't even have work to blame for my hiatus. 


That said, we've been incredibly busy. And sick. Not an awesome combination but it could always be worse. Poor Odin's had a cough for weeks on end that just won't quit. Of course he's shared it with Taran who is waking up at night, keeping us all from our beauty rest. We'll sleep again one day, right? Taran took his first nap in his crib today which seemed like a victory especially considering he could actually sleep through Odin's running down the hall, dribbling a ball, and shouting. Not a quiet household around here. 


Travis has been coaching track and field, training for the Rock-n-Roll half marathon which takes place in June, and doing work around the house. I'm very fortunate to have such an involved spouse that spends most of his time off with me and his sons. 


I enjoyed the Pilates class I took at the Burien Community Center the past 6 weeks. I only missed one class due to the cold that wouldn't die around here. Let's just say it was a good workout and I need to keep up if I ever hope to be wearing pants that don't have an elastic waist. I've also managed to get back into reading, one of my favorite things to do in my down-time. I've read a few good books lately, so find me on Good Reads if you're interested. My favorite in the last few months was To-Do List: From Buying Milk to Finding a Soul Mate: What Our Lists Say About Us. 


I return to work May 23rd. I don't really want to write about my job on this blog for a variety of reasons but I am so thankful my mother-in-law will be the one to watch my boys while I am gone. I'm also happy to be working part-time which means more time at home with my family. I will be working 5 weeks before our summer vacation begins. 


Odin's been cracking us up pretty much constantly. He's still loving books and to hear him "read" pages of his favorites has to be one of the best things about being a parent. The most hilarious so far to hear him say is "But, luckily, he kept his wits and his purple crayon!"from Harold and the Purple Crayon. Another favorite right now is The Little Engine That Could. Odin begs us to play baseball with him (if only I could get the video to load on here!!) and soccer too. He's amazingly coordinated and I have the feeling I'll be watching him from the sidelines in a few short years. I want to be honest though too and say there are trying times as well, including epic tantrums (2+ hours of freaking out = strong-willed little boy) that tire all of us out. Luckily we still love him, even when we don't like his particular choices. Patience, patience, patience. 


Taran's smiling lots, giggling some, and working on reaching out to grab toys. Most items go directly to his mouth. Big drooler and bubble-blower this guy. We've reached the stage of almost-constant bib wearing. He's a pretty decent napper (we had pretty low standards in the nap department after Odin's infancy in which he didn't nap longer than 45 minutes for. . . a year or more??) but with Odin's activities and playdates, Taran doesn't quite have a set schedule. We'll see how that changes in the coming weeks and months. Night sleep has been nothing to write home about the past few weeks (dang congestion from his cold? coughing keeping him up? 4-month old sleep regression? developmental leap? WHO KNOWS?) but we will get through it. 


We're looking forward to summer vacation and Odin's already started a list of things he wants to do as a family. On the list? Camping, the beach, the zoo, and bowling. He tells me, "Mommy, bowling is when the ball knocks down all the pins." On my list? All of the above, except maybe camping. I think that might be a special father-oldest son outing for now. 


We'll see if I can work on posting more often. . . no promises though! You should see the PILE of dishes sitting in/next to my sink right now. Evenings can still be hectic around here with meltdowns, staggered bedtimes, and frequent wake-ups. But tonight I said, forget it, I'm going to sit and relax on the couch. And that's just what I did.