Can You Dig It?

 Zach's party was a huge success!! It has taken me this long to write about it as I had to go through the 224 pictures and videos my dad took of the party. Yes, 224. I was not kidding about how much his grandparents love this kid. My dad also got some cute shots of Zach's friends too that I need to email to them.

Anyway, the party! It was just what I had wanted and envisioned, not without pain, "discussions" between Alex and I and sheer exhaustion. Let me walk you through my vision:

First stop - the hard hats with all the children's names on them and their goodie bags hung underneath.

Then inside to put the gifts under the tree and who wants a drink? Beer, wine (my dad found deep in the pantry), iced tea and lemonade for the adults (do you see the yellow and brown theme continued there??) and juice boxes and mini-waters for the kiddos.

On to the main event, the sandbox in the flower box. This is where the kids spent most of their time, digging and digging in the sand. The weather held out and it was cool but not too cold to be outside.

Miles especially liked the sandpit.

The pizza finally arrived (turns out I should have paid a wee bit more attention to getting the food there than the decorations) and the kids ate and we sang to Zach. I have to give a huge thanks to my friends Jackie, Neha and Laura who were taking care of my child while I was running about. Or talking. Whatever, I was doing something that required these fabulous moms to step in for me.

They were two fun busy hours and I know for next year NOT to wear faux Uggs to stand up for 3 hours during a party. Noted aching feet.

I think everyone had fun, there was sand, pizza and icing everywhere which should be good indicators of a good time had by all. I know that Zach had fun. He seemed a bit in a daze that all of his friends were here! In his house! At the same time! And he too was covered in sand, pizza and icing.

Grandparents

Both my parents came to visit the past two weekends, in tandem, to help get us ready for Zach's 2nd birthday party. And all I can say is thank the good sweet Lord, I have no clue how I would have pulled off that party without them.  My mom came in first to help me finish the table runner and goodie bags and watch Zach while Alex and I went to his holiday party. Then my dad came in this weekend to help us with the actual party. He got to be privy to a few "discussions" between Alex and I getting ready for the party such as: Alex "Do you want my opinion or do you just want me to move the chair where you want it??" Me looking dumbfounded, "I just want you to move the chair, how was I not clear?" Luckily my parents have been married for 35 years so these types of "discussions" are nothing new to my dad.

Un-selfishly the best part about both weekends was that Zach got to spend time with his Granny Marsh and Papa Wayne. He just adores them both and the feeling is mutual. He even got to see his Aunt Vickie, whom he is still talking about. Selfishly the best part is watching him interact with them and seeing the wonderment on his face when his Granny Marsh can sooth him so well and he and his Papa Wayne make "music" with his new Saxoflutes (thanks KK....). He was amazed that his Papa Wayne could make all those sounds!

These are some pictures my dad took the last time Zach was visiting them in Denton. He is such a good photographer and I think really captured Zach as the little guy he is right now. Even if he is wearing his nightshirts in all of these pictures.



Sing a-little-along

This week Zach's school had its Christmas party and Christmas Sing A-Long for the kids and parents. I think the older kids might do a pageant, but I can't be sure. For Zach's age they ask the parents to come and sing Christmas songs with the kids. I clarify "songs" not "carols" as I had never heard any of the songs they sung, except for This Little Light of Mine. Since his school does Mother's Day out as well as every day daycare on either Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday/Friday we have 2 days that we have get to go.

Alex went on Tuesday and I went on Wednesday. I asked Alex how it was and he said he was glad he went as all the other parents were there, but that the kids only sang about every 5 words and our child at one point walked to the center of the circle and stuck his hands down his pants. I immediately glared at Alex and asked where, I wonder, does he get that from? Alex pretended to not hear me.

He also said that he was concerned about Ben's dad as he was pretty sure he is Jewish and they talked A LOT about Jesus being the son of God. I said that I am certain Ben's parents knew that some Jesus talk was a risk enrolling there kid in a Christian daycare. Alex remains skeptical.

I went today and was glad I was there. It is a giant mess no doubt. All the 2 year olds are walking around singing whatever song they want, clapping and alternately throwing themselves at their parents or other kids. Zach's favorite part was throwing the scarves in the air during This Little Light of Mine. He insisted on only singing Jesus Loves Me, which was not on the list of songs to be sung.

The PTA president kept sending these notes about not worrying about taking pictures but instead to use this time to "celebrate the joy of Christ's birth with your child". Ummm lady I have a blog to maintain. But since I am still pretty chicken (her not parking in the roundabout emails still haunt me) I just took my Blackberry in so the pictures are terrible. Thanks a lot Lisa. Next year I will not be so considerate.

 Zach and his girlfriend Abby

 Thinking about singing. Supposed to be singing Jingle Bells and shaking a bell.

Still not singing. Instead he is obsessed

with the tag on the side of his shirt.

What you don't see is me shaking my bell and

singing like a fool behind him.

Fast Friends

A few weeks back Alex and I offered to watch Zach's BFF Ben for the evening so his folks could have a night out. They had sweetly picked up our troublemaker from school one night when Alex had to work late and I was in Dallas with baby Chuck.

Ben is just the sweetest little boy ever. I love to call him his full name "Benjamin" in a sing-song voice and he just smiles and smiles. Well, not for the camera obviously. He was so happy to play and run around the backyard. Look who is NOT happy? Yes, the boy on the left who has to share the sandbox he hates. It made me so happy for Ben to get in the box and play with the sand, getting himself covered in it. Not the owner of said box, Zach remained perched on the edge supervising and continually falling backwards out of the box.

My Kind of Party

I am high into the planning for Zach's second birthday party. Last year the theme was A Year of Firsts. This year it is Construction. In early November, my friend Beth asked if I had even started planning his party. I was shocked at that accusation and said "Of course! I have a PowerPoint deck with links to all the ideas and items I need!" It just would have been totally weird to start doing stuff back in September when I created it. Not weird that I created it...just weird to start THAT early.

I am currently working on:

- The Happy Birthday Zach sign

- Goodie bags

- Construction tape table runner

- Construction signage for the event

I am BEYOND excited. This is what I live for. Crafts! For a reason! I fear my work is suffering as I google "construction truck images" and scour blogs for other ideas. 

Here is Zach trying on the personalized hard hats. I am not pleased with the name tag - put that on my list.

As an aside, this is not his shirt. He was sent home in it because 

he did not have a jacket and they "thought" it was his. 

Duly noted teachers; I am a bad mother.

I went out that day and got him 3 jackets just to be safe.

I had to bribe him with watching Barney to put the hat on.

Geeaus Loves Me

For Zach's baptism his great-grandmother Rowena gave him the book Jesus Loves Me which sings the song as you turn the pages. Though if you are Alex, somehow the music is too fast for you. Don't ask, I have no trouble keeping up.  Anyway, Zach has liked the book for a while, mainly because of the singing. The book made it into the car with him and is a perfect distraction for our car trips around town.

Cut to us driving every day by St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on our way to and from school. Each day I hold my breath to pray (maybe to St. Vincent) that he does not say "Fair over? Fair over?" in recognition of the fair we attended behind the church. We were there approximately 20 minutes until he melted down and we had to leave. In August.

Yesterday he noticed the statue in front of the church and I hear "GEEAUS! GEEAUS!" coming from the backseat. I personally had never really looked closely at the statue, but yes it is Jesus and now in addition to "fair over" he says "GEEAUS CHURCH" and of course, "Geeaus fair?"