Wild Rumpus!

This weekend we ventured to the Wild Rumpus bookstore. What a great place! I had heard about it long ago, but had never sought it out. Nana & Papa were in town, so they came with us & they bought Porter a great book. This unique store has all sorts of live animals throughout the store, which Porter loved...We saw several cats, a few pigeons, ferrets, chinchillas, rats & even a rooster! His favorite part was the door...Inside the normal front door was a smaller door, just his size! I can't wait to go back again when Porter can read & he can look forward to picking out his own books.



Front door was just his size!


Blueberries for Sal was the chosen book today.


Nana & Papa reading Porter his new book before bed!

Our Sweet, Sweet Boy.

Last night Porter woke suddenly in the night & was calling for me. When I went to his room, he said "I need to check something...Is Daddy in his bed?" I told him yes, Daddy was in his bed. He said, "He didn't go to the hospital?" I assured him that no, he didn't go to the hospital during the night & together we went in & saw that he was indeed sleeping in his bed. I thought it was so sweet that he was worried that Daddy went to the hospital during the night. (You can tell this has happened in the past, unfortunately.)

..........

This morning I woke up with a migraine & was doing my best to deal. Blair's aide who was there, suggested I get a washcloth & soak it with really hot water & put it over my head. A few minutes later, I couldn't find Porter. I called his name & heard him yell back, "I'm in the bathroom, Mom, getting you a washcloth." I went in there & found him on his stool in front of the sink, with a washcloth running under water. It doesn't get much sweeter than that.

Porter Speak.

"Stirsty" (Thirsty)
"Stoy Story" (Toy Story)
"Pasghetti" (Spaghetti)
"Bessert" (Dessert)

Daddy: "Porter, you're a stinker!"
Porter: "No, I amn't."

Row...row...your BOAT.

Gammy & Baba Robb took Porter for the day today & they treated him to a boat ride! He was so excited to go, I finally had to call them to find out what time they were planning to pick him up. He's gone out on their boat once before & Bapa let him "drive," so he knew the drill. This time, however, they stopped to swim in the lake, which was new. And...Porter jumped off the end of the boat into the water! Daddy & I couldn't believe it! We need to get this boy into swimming lessons! I guess Aunt Kendra talked him into it & PLOP! away they went! Luckily Aunt Tilly brought her camera & captured a lot of it for us. Maybe we have another Gruman swimmer on our hands.



1...2...3...JUMP!




"Bapa Robb, I did it! Did you see?"



Hmmm...Do I want to do it again?


Warming up in the sun with Aunt Kendra...




What a day. This time, he actually FELL ASLEEP while driving the boat!

Itching Spaghettios.

So we were outside this past weekend & the mosquitoes were out with a vengeance. We mentioned something to Porter about the nasty creatures biting & then making you itch. That night, he said "Mom, those spaghettios are itching." It took me a while to figure out what he meant...that he was trying to say mosquitoes.

To Iowa!

Porter & I headed down to Ames, Iowa this weekend to visit Nana & Papa. We had a great time! We went to a park near their home with the coolest art sculpture made entirely out of tree branches! It was like a big tunnel complete with doors & windows. Porter had a great time running around & around & through.





We also went to a Reiman Gardens near their home, where there was a butterfly house & also a dinosaur display amongst the flowers. It was fun to walk around & there was lots to look at.




Butterflies everywhere!






Someone's getting tired...





I think Porter had the most fun with a water fountain he found!



Nana & Papa also have the greatest park about a block from their house, so much time was spent there as well...Swing up high!

Bye-bye Nuk. He-l-l-lo bike!

As embarassed as I am to admit this, Porter has still been using a nuk at night to sleep. Yes, we are aware that he is three & a half! We've been debating for a long time what the best approach was...Should the Nuk Fairy come? Should he use the nuks to "buy" something he really wanted? Finally we decided on the obvious choice: Bribery.
He has been wanting a big boy bike for a few months now & talks about it. A lot.
So we kept telling him he had to successfully do "six sleeps" without using his nuk & we would go get a big boy bike. I knew we were going to have a van this weekend & thought how great it would be it we could all go together as a family to pick out the bike. So Monday night, we started. We joked that it truly was like he was going through nicotine-withdrawal the first two nights. He would ask about his nuk before bed & as soon as he got up in the morning. So...he did it; he made it; he finally earned his big boy bike.


So today, off to the bike store we went.
First bike we spotted in the store...Had to try it out!



He had to be measured for the right size...



Finally, Spiderman bike it was! Oh what fun! He was so excited he didn't stop talking the entire way home.






He did it...He went his six sleeps without using it, though I have to admit getting him to settle down & go to sleep was a challenge & as I type this, remains that way. I hope it will only get easier. God I hope.

Red, white & blue...Gruman style.

We enjoyed a 4th of July barbecue at Gammy & Bapa Robb's house with good friends & good food. We saw a few fireworks...






Porter had his first sparkler experience...or "sprinklers" as he called them.