Wednesdays at Nana and Papa's house

This past year, mostly in anticipation of kindergarten on the horizon, Kevin has been meeting my parents halfway and letting them take the boys to their house. It's maybe once a month but it's a nice break for everyone.

When it was still cold, they would sometimes go see a movie or go to an indoor play area. Once it got warm, though, they were all about the kiddie pool. Unlike our backyard, which is small and, um, slanted (understatement), my parents have a huge backyard with plush green grass. In short, a yard that is awesome for a kiddie pool and the boys will play out there for hours. Before they come in, though, my Mom will give them yard showers. These are showers outside in the yard with the hose. Soap is involved, as are cushy wash clothes and towels. The boys love these, even though the water from the hose is cold.

After a nice yard shower, they usually come in for dinner and, if they're good, they'll stop by Dairy Queen on the way to meet me and Kevin. I hope, as they get older, they'll remember the fun Wednesdays they spent at Nana and Papa's house.

33-month update

This past month, we've seen great strides on the potty. So much so that his teachers have requested he try wearing underwear at school. We're giving it a try at home too. Not every day but almost every day. When he's not in his little Disney underwear, we're just fine to let him hang out in a pull-up. We're not one to push when it comes to the potty.

One place he doesn't wear a pull-up OR underwear is the lake or the pool. When he's in these places, he wears his FWIMMING trunks. Yes, FWIMMING trunks. Ask him to say something that starts with a "S," no problem. Ask him to say something that starts with a "W," no problem. Ask him to COMBINE those and it comes out in a F-W combo. So, when we were in Traverse City, all he wanted to do was put on his FWIMMING trunks and go FWIMMING. It's the cutest thing ever!

Aside from the potty and anything related to FWIMMING, he and his brother have discovered the mini basketball hoop that we've had in the garage. They played with one at school and were surprised that we had one at home and, since seeing it, they've been outside playing with it every night (until the mosquitos carry them away). He loves to play anything with his brother and, lately, they've been getting along much better. Maybe there's hope.

Traverse City

On Thursday, Aug. 18, we headed north to Traverse City for one last bit of summer. We stayed for a long weekend at a resort on the eastern bay (snaps to Kevin for finding the place). It was right on the beach so the boys got to swim twice each day. In fact, they were in the water within a half hour of arriving! Kids and water!

We love Traverse City and this is the third time we've been there as a family. We have some favorites and we hit one up - the Blue Tractor - for dinner the very first night. There IS one in Ann Arbor too but the Traverse City spot is so much better simply because of the Tractor Twists - OMG!

On Friday, we headed west to Glen Arbor (Cherry Republic - ah yes), the Dune Climb and the Lake Michigan overlook. The boys had fun in the sand and Kevin and I had fun just looking at Lake Michigan - so beautiful! On the way back to town, we hit up the Underground Cheesecake Company just before closing. In addition to getting some great cheesecake and yummy cookies for the boys, I bonded with the guy manning the store - he was working his last few days before heading back to Ann Arbor to the greatest University in the land. The boys shoveled down some dinner back at the hotel before hitting the beach for an evening swim.

On Saturday, we made our way to the Old Mission Point Lighthouse and the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. In between those lighthouses, we stopped at another restaurant favorite, the Jolly Pumpkin. Again, Ann Arbor has one but, again, the Old Mission one is better. It was so good that me and the boys rocked some t-shirts. Another long day ended with some very dusky swimming and a lot of sadness as this was our last night at the resort.

We hit the road out of town early Sunday afternoon and we all were very sad. Harmon was a bit teary-eyed and Simon couldn't stop saying that he wanted to stay. I think part of the sadness was that we knew what we were returning to - an end of summer and the start of kindergarten. I just wish we could make these long summer days last even longer ...

VTech USA Explore & Learn Map

For Harmon's 5th birthday, my parents got him the VTech USA Explore & Learn Map. He played with it for a while and then in went away, into the dark corners of his closet. This summer, though, probably prompted by his classmates talking about their various vacations, the map has made a comeback. Harmon can't put it down and, because Harmon loves it, so does Simon. Since they couldn't possibly, you know, SHARE A TOY, we decided to get Simon his OWN map and things have been a lot more peaceful. It's amazing for us to witness Simon actually knowing where various states are. He learns so much from his brother, whether Harmon wants that to happen or not. The way I see it, coming second isn't all that bad. He's got better parents and a third teacher. Sounds like a good deal to me!

The elusive L

Simon speaks very well, probably better than Harmon did at the same age. He hears us talking all the time and just soaks it all up and spits it back out. Rare is it that we don't understand what he is saying. However, there is one letter, one elusive letter, that gives him trouble: L.

I have no idea why but he has trouble with Ls. The perfect example of this was a recent trip for ice cream. I asked him what he wanted and he said he couldn't decide between vaniwa or chocowit. I died. I love you is I wuv you. Legs are wegs. The lead teacher in his class is Ms. Felona but, to him, she's Ms. Fewama. It's kind of hilarious and I hope I remember how cute it is when, in no time at all, he's saying his Ls the right way.

iMac love!

When Kevin and I met, all those years ago in the U-M Athletic Department, we worked on Macs. We could argue that our best work has been done on Macs! But, when we left sports and entered the more "corporate" world, it was all-PC, all the time. So, having PCs at work impacted our choice for a home computer as well. Not to mention, my uncles could pretty much fix any PC problem we had (and provide us with pirated software). So, we buried our love for Macs and did the PC thing for years. Our most recent computer, which we got in early 2005, worked just fine BUT it had crapped out three different times. The first time, no big deal. The second time, we lost baby videos of Simon and I was devastated. So, we got an external drive and kept EVERYTHING stored on it. The third time, well, that was it! We didn't lose anything but we were done, so done. Right after the second crash, we started talking about getting a Mac and, when the third crash happened, we really weren't that broken up about it. In fact, the day after my uncle called and said it could not be resuscitated, we were at the U-M Computer Showcase getting the computer of our dreams - the iMac! Of course, later that night, we both were like kids on Christmas day playing with our new toy. I think we stayed up past midnight just to play. And, it's just so fast and so simple and so easy. We take a ton of photos and using iPhoto has shaved HOURS off the time I typically spend on this task. We're still getting to know it but we're already in love. iMac love! Our computer dreams have come true!

Ah, McDonald's!

So, either McDonald's advertising is very effective for two-year-olds or we go get $1 drinks way too often ... or both!

Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, I'm loving it!

Random Statistical Update

The boys had a very fast doctor's appointment on Aug. 4 just to check on a few things (tonsils for Harmon and ears for Simon). Everything was just fine so the highlight of the appointment was the statistical update. Three months from being 6 and 3, here is where the Bergquist boys rate:

Harmon - 51.37 pounds and 47.6 inches

Simon - 35.49 pounds and 39.13 inches

Let me just say, giving horsey rides through the house is kind of painful these days.

Hershey's

I love chocolate (or "sockowit," as Simon would say) and that's no secret, even to my boys. While I like all kinds of things with (or covered in) chocolate, my favorite chocolate thing to eat is a simple Hershey's bar. This is well-engrained in Harmon's mind and, anywhere he goes, he gets me a Hershey's bar. I have them stashed all over the house mostly because I can't eat them at the rate he gets them for me - at least not without weighing 300 pounds! I'm not complaining because it's actually a very sweet thing and I hope he still remembers this when he comes home from college to visit. If he comes in the door and gives me a hug and a Hershey's bar, I know I'll melt (no pun intended).

Hanukkah Birthday

This year, we celebrated my birthday over the course of a couple of weeks. Kevin dubbed it my Hanukkah birthday.

We did the baseball game (and I got my awesome new sweatshirt) on July 16 and then, the day before my birthday, he got me a Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake and the boys picked out these awesome orange flowers (they know I love orange). Cards and well wishes rolled in daily and then, on Saturday, July 30, we went to my parents' house to do the usual family birthday celebration. I got awesome stuff from my sisters and my parents.

I'm thinking celebrating this way takes the sting out of that whole "getting older" thing. I might have to do it this way from now on!