Stats

Today, Pearson and I took both kids to the doctors. Mae for her 3 year checkup and Whitaker for his 15 month appointment (although he is already 16 months). Pearson and I are happy to report that our kids are healthy and presumably happy. Also, one of our kids [Mae] is a complete stud and ask for the flu vaccine in a shot form over the easier nasal spray. Isn't that ridiculous (or studly) that my 3 year old wanted a shot?!?

Here are the kids stats:

Whitaker Ian Cummings (15 months)

• Height 32" (63.25%)
• Weight 25 lb 3.2 (74.52%) 
• Head Circumference 48.8 cm (89.49%) - The kid has a huge head. 

Mae Rose Cummings (3 Years)

• Height 36"(18.57%)
• Weight 30 lb (40.63%)
• Blood Pressure 92/56

There you have it. Our kids are growing up. 

Updates

Today was a craptastic of a day. Well actually it wasn't all crappy. Just about the last hour, when Mae decided she wanted to have an hour long meltdown about I don't know what. Instead of dwelling on the bad, I thought I would give you some general updates of what has been going on. Along with school in full swing, we have been pretty busy. Three sets of our friends are moving out of Seattle, including Deanna my first ever friend in Seattle. We also have said goodbye to the Gimbels and the Rocknes. Friends that we met after having Mae. Saying goodbye is always hard but I am hoping that we might be able to see them again. 

Mae also has been taking a gymnastics class for the last few weeks. The reason why I signed her up was because every time I asked her what she wanted to do for the day she said "Go to Seattle Gymnastics Academy!" Teacher Jen leads her and five other kids in beginning acrobats. Here she is following Teacher Jen to their next station. 

Mae jumping with Teacher Jen. 

Whitaker so sad and upset that he doesn't get to being doing gymnastics. 

On the balance beam. 

Since I don't have to participate in the class with Mae that means I get to try to entertain Whitaker for 45 minutes, mainly I chase him around. Or trying to feed him till he can't eat anymore. There is a very small play area at the gym but that only keeps Whit occupied for about 3 minutes. The other time, I am trying to make sure he doesn't run out to the gym. 

Mae has stop napping with the removal of her paci. Cue very sad music for me. I have tried to look on the upside of it. Mae has been a really great napper for the last two years. (The first year of her life doesn't count because it was always hit or miss). For the first couple of weeks of her no napping, I tried to institute quiet time where I put on CD and tried to keep her in our room. Yeah, that didn't work. The first couple of weeks I put the TV on and let her burn her eyes out. I decided that probably wasn't the best thing so we have been doing some stuff, including the introduction of board games. Here are photos of us playing Candyland the other day. I wouldn't say she necessarily got it but she was entertained by it. Of course, all she cared about was trying to get the purple cards. 

Whitaker in his attempt to be a big kid now uses a spoon. As you can tell from his shirt and his face, he isn't that successful at it but you got to give the kid an A for trying.

Whit has started to do this face quite often. He squints his eyes and smiles. It is super funny. 

Tonight prior to the epic meltdown, I decided to throw glow sticks in the bath and let the kids have a bath in the dark. They LOVED it!

AND, in final news. Pearson got a new job. He is still at Microsoft but is moving over to corporate communications. This means a lot but what it means we aren't 100 percent certain so I won't report on that until...

Even though today with the kids ended on a really low note, sitting down and writing this post and recalling all my kids' happenings made it seem not so bad because I got to spend it with them.   

Sounds About Right

Last afternoon/night I went out with a bunch of girlfriends while Pearson headed to our Kate and Ash's house to do some kid and daddy bonding over dinner.  At 8 o'clock pm, I texted Pearson - not out of concern just more out of appreciation. This was our exchange.

Me: How did it go? 
Pearson: Whit=complete animal...picked up old dogshit, etc. 
Pearson: Mae picked all the flowers in one flower pot in the first 5 mins while I was changing whit
Pearson: Otherwise fine
Me: Sounds like our kids. 

Pearson Complains

I feel that I should start a weekly post on Pearson's complaints. I love my husband but does he ever have some things to gripe about. Tonight was one that he mutters often.

Pearson: We are running the dishwasher AGAIN.
Me: Yes, that is what happens when three people eat three meals here every single day.
Pearson: Unbelievable. 

Looks like I should start starving are children to limit dishwasher usage.

PS - I unload the dishwasher 99% of the time. 

Pretty Unbelievable (In the Good Way)

I know I have tanked the weather in Seattle many, many times but this hasn't been a complaint of mine since we returned from the East Coast over three weeks. The weather has been pretty unbelievably awesome! This September in Seattle we have had summer weather -- with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s and sun all day long I couldn't imagine anything better. Also, it cools off enough at night that the house cools down and it is easy to sleep.  Needless to say the kids and I have been soaking up this weather as much as we can.

These are photos from  the Farmer's Market on Friday and today. 

This is what one looks like after consuming an entire pint of raspberries. 

He really wants to get out, I don't want to touch him. 

Mae got a magnify glass yesterday for her birthday from her cousins.  She loves that purple thing. Here she is looking at a spider. 

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Whit was pretty upset all day today. It started with a paper cut on his hand and continued for most of the day. Here is upset about something. 

Not so upset after getting some loving from me. 

We have been even playing with the water table, which would probably be in storage by now. 

Mae also receives this little plastic jar where you can look at bug. We caught a few spiders in it. 

Telling Whitaker to cheese. 

Using all the water balloons left in the house. This made him smile. 

I know it isn't really appropriate to say I think the caption of this photo should be "wedge." 

This is how Whitaker breaks water balloons. This is a perfect case of why there is a huge warning label on balloons about them being a choking hazard. 

And he succeeded. And didn't choke (thank God!)

Mae the Cricket

Mae has this thing where she rubs one of her feet against your leg repeatedly. It is generally reserved for when she crawls into our bed in the morning but she will also do it if we are sitting on the couch watching tv. She will take her foot and push it between your legs (if they are closed) or push it between your leg and say the couch or bed. She then does it over and over again. I can only assume it is her "tick" that helps her sleep. What it is, is particularly annoying especially when we haven't cut her toe nails in awhile. I can only hope that she gets rid of this habit prior to getting married because I can't imagine anyone would be able to take this annoyance (other then her parents) everyday of their life. 

Whitaker Goes To (Coop Pre) School

Today, Whitaker started preschool at Madison Park Coop. Here he is walking to class. 

He will be going every Friday from 9 to 10:30 am and I will be attending with him every time. This is the same school that Mae went to last year. Here is Whitaker wondering what this is all about. 

He is in the Tots A Class, which is comprised of 17 other kids from the ages of 1 to 2. Needless to say, the class is a little nutty. I am forcing him to take his first ever school photo, he does not want to smile. 

Here is Whit checking out another one of his classmates that is on their way to class.  

We made it to the door.  

Whitaker and I ready to attend school. 

Whitaker's teacher is Teacher Anna. This is her first year teaching at the coop but we already know her. She was a nanny to one of Mae's classmate from last year and she has babysat Whit and Mae. We are excited to see her every week. 

Name tag placed on the back. I think is so they don't try to tear it off. 

Whitaker put everything in his mouth at school. Awesome. Here come germs. 

Whitaker's class is made up of a lot of boys that are second born. Needless to say there are very few shy ones and it is a free for all.  

Whitaker in the loft. 

Again, putting something in his mouth. Look at the bite marks on the toy. 

Face after putting playdoh in his mouth. 

He went back for more. 

Mae Goes To (Pre)School

Today, Mae started preschool. (This is different from last year because she goes all by herself two days a week from 9 am to noon).  Here she is walking to school. 

 We enrolled her in a really sweet school called The Secret Garden. Her teachers' names are Teacher Traci and Teacher Debbie. She is in the squirrel class. This is Mae standing in front of the gate to school. All smiles to go to her "new school." 

Here is Mae with her good friend Lucy who is also attending school with her. What I notice about this photo is how much taller Lucy is then Mae. 

Family photo (sans Pearson) of Mae's first day.  

The girls ready to go but us forcing them to take photos.  

Such sweetness. Can't believe how big she has gotten.  

Entering her classroom. 

Already engrossed in an art project. 

And I was out the door in 3 minutes, she really didn't even care that I left. Here is a picture I took of her from the window. 

I got a report from the teachers at the end of the day (they are so nice to let you know how they did). The report was that Mae did great, loved the dance instructor, and she listened really well (wish that would happen at home). I am looking forward to Mae growing this year and can't wait to hear all about her school adventures.