I'm BAAAAACK!

So I haven't posted in almost a month. My bad, Amanda, my bad. I bin bizzy. My MIL Paula (Mother-in-law, for the uninitiated) and SIL Jennie and GIL Hazel (Grandmother-in-law...I just make this stuff up as I go along) and Noah's cousin, Bradley, have all been visting us for about 2 weeks, right after Adrianne left. Yay for me! When I was younger and living with a bunch of other people I used to imagine that I was a real 'loner', that I loved to be alone. NOT SO MUCH. I just liked to be alone because I knew that there was always going to be someone there when I wanted them...it was a "safe" alone. I love company, and I need to be around people.
ANNYYWAY.....they came and it was fun. We did all the usual things, eating out, movie rentals, etc. We went to the water park and Western Playland again. FUN! We also went to the zoo and got rained out. Kinda cozy, actually, since we sat it out in their cafeteria and ate junk food.

Water park story, part II: I went down a new water slide this time around, the closed Tubular Slide of Death. This is not to be confused with the open Tubular Slide of Death. The closed slide is just that, closed, so it's dark and you feel like you're going to break the sound barrier with how fast you get going since you have no way to gauge how fast you're really going. FUN! I made Jennie ride it with me. I literally made her. I used all the bossiness at my command and forced her up the rickety, rusting stairs that looked like they were going to collapse at any moment, and we went down together, screaming all the way. Good times.
You notice that I write these accounts of, like, the one ride I went on at a given park. That's because when you have 2 kids, you may only get to do one or two fun things for yourself...the other fun stuff is with the kids. It's alright, though, cuz you end up REALLY enjoying the one thing you do. Like Amber says, we take our fun where we can find it.

Noah had a birthday while they were here, too. Turned 3. We went completely overboard, as usual, and had a Dinosaur-themed party for him at the house. He got all sorts of presents from family and friends. I'll tell you, that kid has more toys by himself than all six of us had all our lives put together. Sigh. Mixed feelings on that. But he really enjoyed himself. We chose an unfortunate time to sing "Happy Birthday" to him, tho. We're bringing out the cake, it's his big moment, everyone's singing, and he is curled up in a fetal position on his chair, hiding his face. I couldn't figure it out. I kept encouraging him to sit up...no avail. Then someone let me in on the secret...he had been sitting there pooping in his diaper the whole time. (Older kids that still "go" in their diapers often hide when they do it. I guess their version of closing the bathroom door.) Perhaps it's time to revisit the potty training.

Now everyone's gone & it's just me and the boys at home. Come visit us, somebody! I've been spoiled with company for a month and it's a let down when they all go, let me tell you. We love you, Grandma and Jennie & Bradley and Gi Gi, thanks for coming to see us! Pix to follow in the next post.