Harmon picks a hat

We are big college football fans, and an interest in recruiting comes standard with your place in that fandom. While we were enjoying the 2010 season (well, as much as we could when you are part of a delusional fanbase intent on committing professional homicide on the coach), we were also making our final decision on where Harmon should attend Kindergarten next year (and grades 1-8, too).

Seems like a simple decision, right? Well, anyone who knows us well is aware that we are just a wee bit deliberate in our decision-making. But, just like the recruiting cycle through which top-flight high school football players select the best place to continue their athletic careers, finding the right school involves doing a lot of homework (declaring a top three), attening open houses (taking official visits), meeting with teachers and other school personnel (meeting coaches), and then finally choosing the right school (signing a Letter of Intent).

Today, we finally made that decision, and Harmon is all set for the fall. We knew we were making the right decision when we kept driving by the school and church on our way to work/preschool, and he would say, "That is where I am going to school next year."

Harmon is a November birthday, and he turned 5 during the current school year. We struggled briefly with the notion of sending him this year, but, while we are convinced he would do well (he is a fantastic reader and loves to learn), we also thought another year split between home and preschool would benefit him emotionally. It has, and he not only is ready to go next year, he is excited for it now, and we are, too.

So, with the decision now made, Harmon can enjoy his final few months in preschool (his senior year, so to speak), before taking the next step to big-boy status (joining his school's incoming recrutiing class) in the fall. It is possible that the school could change its mind after asking him to attend (making him an offer), but we aren't too concerned. This isn't Alabama, after all.

26 months

At 26 months, Simon is a pretty cool little dude. He's always on unless he's sleeping. If he's not talking incessantly (paragraphs just easily flow out of his mouth), he's screaming (always been a screamer) or playing with cars or reading or sparring with his brother. These two have a bond I don't understand - a love/hate relationship. One minute, they are playing together just fine. The next minute, they're hitting each other and screaming. I'm going to choose to believe this will get better. Another thing about Simon, he's a climber and he is into everything. It's not uncommon for him to end up on the kitchen counter or to have pushed his Little Tykes table over to Isabel's cage so he can climb on top of it and retrieve all the toys we've intentionally stored there out of his reach. He does things I don't think Harmon ever even considered. He'll be the kid that ends up in the school office for who knows what and we'll love him anyway!

Gator Bowl

Kevin and I were two of what seemed like very few Michigan fans that made the trip to the Gator Bowl (so much for all that bitching from M fans about "just wanting to go to a bowl game"). After Coach Rod got hired (we are still huge fans), we promised each other we would go to his first bowl game. Sadly, it took three years BUT the Gator Bowl happened within a month of our 10th anniversary so we made the trip.

It was the first time we were away from both boys so we made it a quick trip. We got into Jacksonville late on New Year's Eve afternoon and it was so nice to feel the warm Florida sun on our cold Michigan bodies. We headed straight to the Cheesecake Factory with all the windows down on our miniscule Chevy Aveo - we wanted to soak up EVERY bit of warm weather. At the Cheesecake Factory, we ate way too much. In fact, I can't remember a time when I was more physically uncomfortable after a meal! It was so worth it, though.

After our early dinner, we headed to our hotel. Rather than stay downtown, we really wanted to stay on the beach so we hit up One Ocean Resort in Atlantic Beach. This, however, was a surprise to me. Kevin had booked it and not told me so I was very excited as we pulled up. It was an awesome place and after getting settled in, we checked out the dark beach and took a long walk around the nearby town area.

We were so tired from traveling that it was so hard to stay awake to ring in the New Year. We managed, though, and as the clock struck midnight, we were on the beach listening to the tide roll in and out (and to fireworks off in the distance). It was, by far, our best New Year's Eve together! The next morning, we had breakfast by the beach and then played in the ocean and gathered a ton of sea shells for the boys. It was a perfect day and I almost didn't want to leave the ocean to go to the football game!

And, yeah, the game. It started out nicely and then went straight into the crapper. My expectations were low - I didn't think we would win - but it still sucked. It was nice to just sit in the sun for 3-4 hours and cheer on Coach Rod in what would be his last game with Michigan. Another bonus was our halftime visit with Mike and Nayla, whom we never get to see.

After the game, we headed straight for the airport to catch our flight home. After a bit of a delay, we made it back to cold Detroit around midnight. We went straight to my parents' house so we would be there when the boys woke up the next day. Overall, a great - yet exhausting - trip! We're so glad we took the time to do it, that we celebrated 10 years together. It was warm and sunny and we had a great time together, no matter WHO won the game!

Christmas 2010

Most years, Kevin and I take a lot of vacation time before Christmas to do fun things with the boys. We then join my family on the evenings of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and spend Dec. 26-30 with Kevin's family. This year, though, we had to switch it up as Kevin and I went to Florida for the Gator Bowl to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. We were in Peoria Dec. 19-23 and the boys got to open all their Bergquist family presents WAY earlier than usual. I'm hoping they won't get used to this! Aside from the presents, they had a great time in Peoria hanging out with their grandparents, aunts, cousins and uncle! More presents came from the Saling family on Christmas Eve and then we had our own time together - just the four of us - most of Christmas day. Since both boys have their birthdays in November, it's SO hard to come up with Christmas gifts for them but I think we did OK. Books are always a hit and they got plenty. They also got several ramps for their cars and the always unpopular CLOTHES. As with all kids, they had a great Christmas break!

There were two very melancholy things we had to deal with over this time, though. First, Will, our Elf on the Shelf, had to return to the North Pole. We all were VERY sad to see him go. And, on Dec. 26 when the Christmas music disappeared from all the local radio stations, we all were very sad. The boys love Christmas music and would listen to it all year long if they could. The thing I'll miss MOST about the boys and their Christmas music fascination this year is their mistaken lyrics from the Grinch song. Instead of a "dump heap," they think it says a "donkey" so they were often running around saying "you're a donkey, Mr. Grinch."

Ah, Christmas, you come and go SO fast!

Babo

Since Simon first learned to speak, he has referred to Harmon as "Babo" - short for "big brother." He can say Harmon and he says it very well but he much prefers to call his big brother "Babo." It's cute to hear this but we're starting to wonder if Harmon will forever be known as Babo Bergquist, much like Dabo Swinney, the head football coach at Clemson University. I always thought he had an odd name and then good ol' Wikipedia answered all my questions:

"Swinney's nickname was given to him as an infant by his parents when his then-15-month-old brother would try to enunciate "that boy" when referring to Swinney."

I'm sure Simon will start saying Harmon on a consistent basis sometime soon. If not, at least there's some alliteration in Babo Bergquist ...

Working the system

Simon learned very early on that kisses and hugs will get him EVERYWHERE.

And, now that he's two, he's really working the system. He knows that a big squeezy hug (both arms squeezed tight around our necks with a squeezy noise added for good measure) and a kiss (his version is a kiss on each cheek - are we French?!?!) will get him anything he wants. Simon has never been a big snuggler so we can't resist that affection when we get it. We're like putty in his hands.