Grand Finale-Rockin' out the Summer

Ralph's World Concert

(Grayson's shirt says, "I'm in the Band" )

Over 3 yrs ago a students' mom gave me a copy of some Ralphs' World CDs. I had heard a few tunes in my own students' music class thanks to our music teacher but these CDs got me hooked. Such cute tunes that I started to incorporate them in my classroom and eventually here at home. Right after T was born we started playing the music in the background (along w/ Jim Gill tunes). One of the most catchy tunes for me back then was "Happy Lemons". I still remember dancing in front of T's bedroom mirror with him in my arms. It became our own little routine every morning before I went to work. As you can probably imagine, it was hard for me to leave him and that tune just happened to be on when I walked in the room to kiss him goodbye. I scooped him up and danced our little jig and we did it again and again for months on out. Well, the past yr T has really been into his own music, "Mommy, is it my turn to listen to my music?", is usually the request from the back of the car. He has memorized several CDs and I have even enjoyed singing along with him. It has continued to be our thing and I adore it. I really think G has become familiar with some of the songs, too. I hear him babbling and laughing at T during particular songs. Cute!

Eating the cheese sandwich he made himself for the "picnic"
Went w/ daddy to get a drink and T came back with the jackpot! Cotton Candy. The first time he indulged in this delightful fluff was at 1.5 yrs at his first Disney on Ice show-Nemo. It has been our special treat (in moderation of course...shhhh, don't tell our dentist) ever since.

Even Grayson got a taste. You should have seen how fast he devoured his cheese sandwich before attacking that bucket of cotton candy! The little guy has speed.

Well, imagine my excitement when I took a look at the Ravinia schedule months ago and saw Ralph himself would be performing AND lawn seats were only $5 a person!! I bought the tickets and wrote it on T's calendar. Days before the concert I kept thinking how wonderful the timing was. End of summer (8/29), family concert, rockin' it out to what have become our family tunes all summer long! I even prepared myself for the possibility of tears during T's fav song "Surfing in my Imagination" ( and yes, I cried but not as much as I did when " Happy Lemons" started up. I remembered my 'baby boy' when he was a baby and it tugged at me so hard).

On his surfboard

The concert was great! T , G and mommy n daddy danced our booties off! It was quite the moment to step back and see T pretending to surf on his surfboard (again, his all-time fav song!) and G swaying back and forth clapping. What a fabulous family day! Thanks, Ralph for a rock and roll moment I will not forget (and neither will Triston)! And I have plenty of videos of T dancing and singing to show off to him when he has his girlfriends over.

On Sunday, we continued the family festivities with a bike ride in Gallery Park. This park is gorgeous (it's Glenview, of course it is). They have paved pathways for walkers, bikers, bladers, whatever your sport of the day. We were first introduced to this park (cannot remember if I have told this story already) years ago when we attended Maria's (very dear childhood friend) little sister , Rosalba's, (little meaning 23 now) Light the Night Walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma. The whole night was endearing and memorable thus the park has always stood out in our minds. Well, this park ride allowed us to explore every nook and cranny of the fields. Charito and I figured it was the easiest next-step-up bike ride for T beyond the usual neighborhood jaunts (which are can seem tedious at times bc we stop at every intersection for "our bike safety rules". BTW-I am so proud of T and his awareness of these rules. It is hard not to laugh at how much independence he takes on, even when he has to remind daddy to follow the rules himself, like walk your bike across the street. Hee hee.) This way we can just keep on riding ( noticed this-I put 'just' in alot of my sentences, don't I? Moving on...) It was the perfect setup. Hills, ponds, turtles, some stork-like bird, grassland areas. It was as if we were nowhere near The Glen with busy streets on all sides of us. We even got the Kellers to go with us and that helped T push right along with Eileen and Aidan to follow (still mad at myself for not getting a pic of all the kiddos on their bikes). It was really a lot of fun and we kept telling T how proud we were of him while he rode ( at times you could see the burnin' and churnin' in his legs as he plowed up a hill only to sail his way down on the other end. He screamed, "Weeeee!" as he coasted down the hills. We were quite impressed at how long he rode, even though he told me by the end of it all, it was "the longest bike ride ever". Yup, it was for you, buddy. But check out the finish line-a park and ice cream truck. Playing w/ his shadow @ Gallery Park

What better way to end the day Triston style-one of his favorites-calamari!

The finish line for Charito and I-a great dinner at Mitchell's Fish Market in The Glen. I had a fantastic salmon with egglpant, zucchini, sun-dried tomato relish, ginger sauce and goat cheese. Charito had a Hoison Tuna. Dessert was the best carrot cake I have ever had! And I am not a huge fan of carrot cake bc I do not like nuts in my cakes. But this....ohhhh...this had no nuts, with seven layers and a spread of caramel and cream cheese between each layer. I am still munching on this stuff the slice was so huge.

There you have it. A fabulous family-style ending to our summer. Family-that's the way I like it! Now, let's see what Fall has to offer us. In my books Autumn is here as soon as school starts. The first family Fall event is Kiddie Land on Saturday. Let you know how that turns out next week (that's if going back to work doesn't cramp my blogging style).

Blahs

School shopping for his new backpack and shoes. He really wanted a GREEN backpack!

The back-to-school blahs are creeping up in my belly and nervous mind.

Yeah, I feel better knowing I went in last Thursday and Friday to get little stuff done (not to mention my fantastic classroom assistant) but it doesn't make it all go away. Now I am going in on Tuesday for a bit which may not last too long bc I will have the kids. Wednesday is my first official payday. I KNOW what I am really stressing about is the change. I hate knowing a change in routine is about to happen and I don't know how it is gonna play out. I told myself the past two mornings I was gonna wake up at 5:30 am and practice and well, that just didn't happen. I COULD NOT drag my ass out of bed. So, here I am enjoying a lazy Sunday, the last of my summer Sundays. AHHHHH!

The only thing making it slightly easier (or postponing my emotional breakdown) is the anticipation and excitement I share with Triston for his first day of school and all that goes with it. He is beyond excited! Charito and I decided to have a picnic the day before his first day of school on the school grounds. This way we can soak in the moment together as a family, show him the grounds (he has seen them before but this is all on his terms and an intro to HIS new world), door he will enter and exit, etc. We will let it all be about HIM. He deserves it! THANK YOU for the idea, Alysa!!!

I may be inducing unnecessary stress on myself and find that this new morning routine will go smooth. I mean, it's not like my kids aren't up early anyway. It is the anticipation of it all that is getting to me. How will I get it all done? Now we are right back to errands after school instead of the summer days when we were done by 10 am. I will miss that. I will miss the days of not having any plans and being okay with that. I will miss our walks, bike rides and NAPS. Those won't be happening anymore and will have to be saved for weekends. I am right back to writing out weekday menus and prepping breakfast and lunch food for the boys. Those tedious little things I do to keep my life and brain organized and sane. I cannot help it.

So, goodbye easy-peasey summer days with virtually no agendas and fly-by-seat-of-our-pants kind of days. Back to the well oiled machinery called SCHOOL YEAR.

Birthday Wish

I have already told Charito I want NOTHING for my bday or anniversary. I really mean this!!!!! Money is tight. My $100 traffic light camera ticket does not help either. All I want is healthy, happy times with my family. A surprise visit from my mom and dad wouldn't hurt.

BUT, if money grew on trees it would be sooooo sooooo awesome to get on a plane with my boys, mom and dad and meet in New York. I have never been and it is still on my list of many places to visit. What would I do there? Ha, let me tell you. I WANT to see The Little Mermaid on Broadway. This is by far my fav Disney movie ( and T loves it, too. I remember he and I couldn't wait to meet Ariel in Disney World last yr) for so many reasons but mostly bc of the daddy-daughter element that I gravitate to (being my own daddy's girl).Even though it may come to Chicago one day I want the whole NY experience. Hotel, shopping, walks in Central Park. Just like the teeny boppy gals on Gossip Girl (yes, I am too old to watch this show but I think it is my way of holding onto youthful grandeur. Babe, shush your mouth and don't roll those eyes. I know what you are thinking!). I think T would be so excited to see NY. He thinks downtown Chicago is awesome. I would love for all of us to take part in this first time adventure and all the while capture the awe in our childrens' faces as we turn every corner of mystery and unknown. Ahh, that is why they call them wishes.

One day Ariel, I will be "part of your world"!

Muscles, calling all muscles!

Who needs a stinking play push walker when you've got the handy dandy coffee table?! Seriously! You gotta laugh right along with Triston on this one! Bonka would be so proud of his little one.

The Filipino in him

Several weeks ago MamaC mentioned to me she had tons of eggplant in her backyard. I was a little confused by this bc in past years her garden has consisted of bitter melon, hot peppers and green beans. I asked what type and she said, " Japanese eggplant". SOLD! That is my favorite. So, she brought me a stash (along with homemade longaneesa sausage which she only makes twice a year when she receives enormous orders from friends and family). I have been going eggplant crazy in our house. How you want yours? Deep fried w breading, eggplant parmigiano, fried with garlic? I fell in love with eggplant when I had one of the best dishes at Ben Pao-Dragon noodles and the sauteed eggplant dish. I love how spicy it is!

After I ran out of my first supply of eggplant I went over to dear mother-in-law's for more. I couldn't believe the abundance of eggplant plants all over the place. She wasn't kidding when she told me she had tons! I was in heaven. And as Triston helped her pick eggplant to place into a To Go bag for us I thought to myself " he better enjoy this garden experience because he will not see anything like this in his own backyard". We are not green thumb-ers by any means.

Grayson and Lula Mel observing the harvest

Mamac pointed out this is the national flower of the Philippines. Even I learned something that day!

It turned out to be a double whammy kinda visit-Triston saw his first homemade garden (others have been at Botanic or Morton Arboretum) and he had fun harvesting with Lula. It was a cute grandmotherly moment to observe. Bring on the eggplant, Lula!

Long hard day of PLAY (what a rough life)

On Monday we had some mommy friends over. With that came the bonus of a playdate for Triston and Grayson with Becky's kids, Jack and Alice. The day was full of food, sun and water. It lasted several hours which resulted in no nap for T. Fine with me! We ate dinner early (and by early I mean 4:30pm) and as I washed up the dishes I remember thinking, "boy it's really quiet in the living room...why?!" Seeing as it was only 5:15...I popped my head in and saw this:

T had totally passed out at "his dining room table" after reading a book and I figured if G is gonna curl up in Bryley's bed then he, too must be ready for night-night. Needless to say, it was a nice quiet night at the Carpers. Thanks for the wear-out-effect, Jack and Alice!

Winding down

The boys at the zoo-one of my favs

As the summer ends (one week left for me, two weeks for T and don't forget the few days I go in without pay to setup the room that occupy my last few days-NO FAIR) I have been reflecting on our last few outings. The true highlights of my summer were the opportunities to share time with my fellow moms that I don't give enough time to during the working year.
I have especially enjoyed my time with my gal Katie and her daughter Addie. Katie and I lived together in college and then again in Chicago for a short time but my fantastic roomie abilities could not keep her in the city. She is a true suburbanite. Hence, her big ol' house in cornfieldville Plainfield. That is what makes it hard for she and I to see each other. Summertime and our memberships to Brookfield solved that for us! We have had some great times to catch up as moms and laugh along with our kids.

I love my KT girl. She is a fantastic mommy. Her baby girl, Addie turned 1 this past weekend and she is absolutly beautiful! And walking!! The cutest tall girl ( we don't got TALL in our household so to me and the kids Addie is wobble I have ever seen.

Here she is in her bday dress. Too cute!

We also got alot of time in with our dear friends the Dave, Najette and their kids Eileen and Aidan. Zoo trips, Morton Arboretum (so in love with that place now) and Kohl Childrens Museum. Even though they live blocks from us we struggle getting together during school year (mostly my doing). Thank you, Najette! We had some great times this summer.

Grayson trying to get in on the action at the waterworks-sorry shorty!

Aidan n T

I wish the summer could last forever. Maybe next summer we could really WOW it and repeat these many field trips on top of a trip to Walt Disney World or Sesame Street Place or wherever! Summer 2009, I will miss you...

Please continue to dazzle me, boys...

WARNING-this is a long one. I have been working on it for several weeks due to distractions and inspiration. I finally finished it on Aug 25!

The boys have swamped me this summer with all their efforts and accomplishments that my head is spinning!

Triston, I adore...

• seeing your "interests" change every few months. After trains and the like for a while you have returned to your love of books and puzzles. Brings me back to those days you were completing 25+ piece puzzles before your 2 nd bday except now you are tackling 100 piecers! May I remind you puzzles are really not my thing yet you seem to be tutoring me through the madness.
• finding you buried in a pile of books just like when you were 1 and had to look through each book off your shelf. It was the quietest hour and half we could get out of our day
• your recent obsession with "homework" and anything school-oriented (even though I haven't told you yet that school is actually gonna happen in a month). I know it's bc you observe me tutor each week (quickie-One day I was working w/ M on short vowel sounds and final consonant sounds. I was trying to get him to spell and sound out the words dog and log. When M appeared stuck T , who was quietly doing a puzzle in the living room bc he knows he is not supposed to interrupt, approached me and whispered if he could "tell M it's a G for the words". It was sooooo hard for me not to laugh aloud and embarrass M and yet I teared up for my lil guy's assistance).You have really gotten into worksheets and anything with letters and numbers. Your favorites are patterning, mazes, dot to dots and writing the alphabet and words. Your drawings are fantastic and I treasure your imagination and hope it carries you beyond your wildest dreams.
• the mannerisms, care, and big bro britches you have donned on your own with Grayson. Your daddy I discussed a long time ago that we didn't want you to ever feel like you are responsible for him and we were passing the buck to you. We do not want to pressure a relationship before you are ready. We wanted you to define your role in his life and understand that family is who we care for and look out for bc of love and commitment. I love watching you bring him his toys, show him how yours work, feed him, and hold him. You have taken on such an interest in him and I truly believe you are fueled by your own curiosity about how he reacts and what makes him tick. G really thinks you are THE best entertainment in his world and I think it's safe to say you enjoy being his comedian! I even joke that G has his very own Conan O' Brien at his beckon call. It's thanks to you his laugh has increased in volume (which we have all been waiting for). You should know that your lil' bro thinks you are absolutely amazing. Anyone can and will tell you that the gaze he has set on you daily is heart-melting. And you are starting to realize it a bit. Like whenever he brushes against you, reaches out to you or shrieks to get your attention you tell me, "Oh, look mom. Grayson loves me!" Yes, he does Mr. Magoo. More than you know!
• your endless questions and even more so...your solutions! I do not bore of them. You surprise me with that thinker of yours always churning away. I often find myself not so quick with responses bc your questions come from far away, a place I didn't think we'd be visiting for another year or two ( your Auntie KT teasing me about my responses and where they come from and how I plan them out. I don't most of the time. But I have to be cautious of my answers bc sometimes I want them to lead you to another question or halt you in your tracks to leave you to ponder in deliberation. There is a method to my madness). Keep 'em coming my inquisitive lil' one.
• knowing that I have forced myself to let go of you a bit this summer, in preparation for school in a few weeks. And I survived! I have not let myself even talk about school in fear that your program would be shut down and I would be faced with the explanation of why you have no school to attend. I knew well enough that you would not have forgotten your visit for registration and the pics you insisted on taking with your teachers months ago. I could not bear to see the disappointment in your eyes. Not only were you excited but oh so ready. A part of me realizing that it was time for someone else to add onto your foundation of education as if I was almost not enough anymore ( a foundation your dad and I and Lula played a great part in and I am damn proud of, considering that whole first time mom thing). You participated in a gym class in which I had to drop you off. No mommy by your side business there. And I'll admit. I was not nervous. I, too ,was ready. And even though it made more sense for me with the short hour at hand to just wait in the foyer for you, it gave me alone time with Grayson that I needed. It then became a routine moment for you to return from your upper level antics ( yeah, I didn't even have anything to peep at through the windows bc your class took place on the second floor) and coming running to me to declare, "Mommy! I had fun. I followed the teacher's rules!" and then to observe the giddy reaction in G as soon as he saw you. Just priceless. The long returned brother (okay long one hour for Grayson, but you could tell T was missed!). We also participated in an art class. Even though I was supposed to work with you, it was like watching your fine motor skills in hyper-drive. You watched the teacher construct her project and then you put it all into place. If you were stuck you asked for my help and we figured it out together. Often all you needed was another (by another I mean appropriate demonstration bc that teacher was whacked out old and hard for me to observe and not jump up and scream at. I know it was bc it wasn't being done my way but for goodness sakes break it down for this little ones, woman! Even the mother across from me, also a teacher, had to prevent herself from laughing just like me) sample demonstration and you were golden. I enjoyed sitting back and watching your artistic side go to town. Art continues to be one of your fav things after all these years (okay, 3.5 yrs). You also swam like a dolphin in swim class, a class I thought I was going to be a part of, but turned out to be for the better that i was 86ed on ( mommy's fault for not reading the class description). Just another chalk up on the board for no more mommy. You really took a liking to your swim instructor, Matt. And you joined several sleepovers that only deepened the reality for me that you are growing up way too fast. Those were wierd nights for daddy and I bc it felt as if someone rewound time to when it was just us 2 adults and baby T. Like it was early 2006 and no big boy was running around, like G played the role of baby T in 2006. Odd. The quiet, and your not even a loudmouth kinda kid. And Grayson's reactions when you weren't home? Just picture the cackle of a villian from your fav Disney movie. This monstrous aura that belted out, " Yes, it's all mine! Every inch of this place and every toy is all mine!" It was cute. But, you were missed that's for sure. In terms of independence ( on mommy's terms) you grew up and so did I. Mommy needed it more than you, I think.
• your take on our various happenings this summer. A reminder to me that although, in my adult mind, I may have envisioned the perfect weekend getaway, zoo trip, garden visit, Ark adventure, beach bash or bike excursion it was the glimpse of these voyages through your eyes and your story recall that made them perfect (even when things didn't go as I had intended). That is what I will take from this summer, a mommy lesson from her big boy, her almost school boy. Your treasured memories and out takes of Summer '09 is exactly what I needed. You keep me going, egg roll!

Now, it's finally your turn Grayson (next dissertation mommy writes, you get to go first)...

Grayson, I adore...

• Your smirks. Like your planning something.
• Your endless curiosity and the way you study your brother's every move. I know you are taking it all in and saving it up for when YOU are ready.
• how happy you are. You seem to have this aura about you that constantly reminds me "life is good" , "roll with the punches". Something I need to remind myself of often.
• the pace you have conquered the milestones of the summer. Although I was on worry alert so many times bc of comparison to your brother, I needed remind myself to cool it. Your bro moved at a pretty advanced rate and I expected the same from you ( you did come from the same genes was my logic). But when I think back to the month between your 6 and 7 months and my waiting everyday for you to sit up and then BAM you did it on 7 mos exactly. That was my wake up call to relax and that you were gonna move at your pace. "I am not my brother". That "waiting" state I put myself in was tiring and so now I just kick back and wait for you. This summer you have been nonstop. Pulling up, army crawling in hyper speed, cruising all around the furniture, climbing and as the summer ends using coffee tables and tall toys as push walkers. You definitely seem to devise a plan and go for it at your own moments in time. Mommy needed that. A little guy to slow me down and pay attention to both sides of my boys' personalities and interests.
• your laugh. It starts out like quiet little breathes and blasts into girlie squeals.
• your interests increase with age this summer. I watched you observe the zoo, arboretum, museums and bike rides and wondered what you were thinking all along. Everything in life seems to make you happy so it is hard for me to tell what makes you ecstatic? The only thing I have noticed so far-Triston and Bryley. In fact, I swear I heard you say "Bryley" this morning like 'iiiieeee'. You did it twice. So can I count it with 'dada' and 'mama'?
• your recent cuddling approach. Other than when you were a newborn and cuddling is what newborns do best, you are not the cuddlin' kinda kid. Only since your stomach virus a few weeks ago did you actually want to be held and would sleep on my chest to sick boy comfort. It saddened me this is why you were cuddling FINALLY but I loved it. And now every once in awhile you reach for me and choose to cuddle. Not all the time but the few times you want to I scoop you up and endulge in the moment.
• watching you suck your thumb. You only do it when you are tired and that is the universal sign for "get me to bed NOW". You are very serious about your sleep. Always have been. A great sleeper. I appreciate that, sushi! With this great sleep you have pushed me to develop a bad habit. In relation to the " I am not a cuddler" personality trait you own, this also goes for drinking your milk. For months now you do not like to be held while you drink your bottles. You fight to get out of anyone's arms. You would much rather be sitting on the floor, in your high chair or (here's the bad habit) lying in your bed. Yes, you are so determined to do it on your own ( and with trying to keep up with your brother and anything else at my toes that needs to be accomplished in that particular moment) that I gave in and let you lie in your bed with your bottle. Something I NEVER would have done with your bro (that first-time mom freak in me). So, I compromised with myself by deciding I would make it OK by brushing your teeth MORE often than T's. Silly but I had to make it alright somehow in my mind. And even now you are upstairs in your crib with your sippy cup of milk about to pass out. Yay, sippy cup! Another check mark for your list of accomplishments this summer ( even though I think teething had a huge part in this. I saw you were gnawing on harder and harder objects and I tried yet another type of cup and you were sold!). But now I have hope. I thought you would have a very difficult time with the transition to cup due to this drinking in bed thing. You proved me wrong. And since sleep is much more a priority to you than getting that last sip in, I have a feeling this habit will not be much of a habit for long. We shall see.
• how with all the toy options you have you choose animals. Any kind! It is cute. That is why we are going to have an animal theme for your bday. Now to decide circus, zoo, jungle or farm? Hhmm
• Your smile and facial expressions crack me up. There are even a few expressions you make that look like me. Finally a baby boy that looks like me at times. Your brother has morphed into a mini daddy and there you are with some feminine features that are so adorable. You are my sunshine!

Well, I think that is it for now, boys. Thank you for a great summer with great 'mommy n her boys' adventures. I guess we will have to save more for afterschool and weekends with daddy til next summer. But you TWO made my summer. It may not have been full of out of this world excursions but it sure made me realize what I love most about summer-the two of you!

( tried uploading a video of the boys but it wasnt working)