Liam's Birthday Bash

Well, in the interest of equal press, I figured I better get some pictures up of Liam's birthday party.

We didn't manage to get both families together this time, so this is the Chamberlain version -- the Torkelson edition will be held at a date yet to be determined. (I'm a little afraid it won't happen until Thanksgiving weekend, but whatever -- he's one, give him cake and he'll be happy!)

It was an absolutely beautiful day and we were so excited to able to eat out on the deck (something we've never been able to do for Drew's birthday as it's inevitably the hottest day of July).



Our excitement was somewhat short-lived-- midway through our meal we were swarmed by bees and had to move inside.

Nevertheless, a great time was had by all!


Liam got lots of "help" opening his presents...and playing with his presents, too, actually! Such is the fate of the deuce.

He didn't have to share his cake, though!

Cherishing that Childish Chatter

I've been doing a little surfing in the blogosphere lately and have come across several new fun/interesting blogs. Today, I was checking out the archives at BooMama and came across this post. Except for the first part about not wanting to have kids, I could relate to the entire thing--from thinking of those four days in the hospital as the sweetest of my life, to having a pretty easygoing baby, to wanting to pull my hair out when he was two and a half and talking non-stop--and why is it always worse in the car?

For Drew, it was the questions--or, more precisely, the questions with no answers--that drove me crazy:

Him: "Where is that guy going?" (referring to a man seen walking on the sidewalk as we drive down main street)
Me: "I don't know."
Him: "What's his name? (still referring to said man)
Me: "I don't know."
Him: "But where's he going?"
Me: (we've been here already!) "I don't know."
Him: "Do you think he's going to the toy store?"
Me: (I highly doubt it.) "Maybe."
Him: "Can WE go to the toy store?
Me: (at last, one I can answer!) "No, not today."
Him: "But why?"
Me: "We need to go to Fareway."
Him: "Maybe he's going to Fareway."
Me: (big sigh) "Maybe, Drew...maybe."

Drew, at four, is still a talker and, being a very curious child, is still an asker of many questions. But now, for the most part I can answer them. Or refer him to his father. We do still get caught up in some doozies though. About a month ago this was our cartime conversation:

Him: "Mom, why is the furniture store not there anymore?"
Me: "Because it moved to a new building."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "Because they needed more space."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "Because they wanted to be able to have more furniture."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "So they can sell more furniture."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "So they can make more money."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "I guess so they can buy more stuff."
Him: "Why?"
Me: "Well, that's a good question."

Still somewhat exhausting,yes, but at least a little more thought-provoking.

And more often than not, our conversations now are funny, interesting and engaging. This week our car talks have ranged from a discussion of sin and why Jesus had to die on the cross to Drew's plan for what kind of house he'll live in when he's an adult, how many kids he'll have and what their names will be (wood house when he has babies, then a brick house when they get older; two kids; a girl named Britta and a boy named Naomi--"not Naomi Elizabeth, that's a girl's name, just Naomi"). Now that's good stuff.

And if he's this interesting at four, I can't imagine the great dialogue we'll have at 8 and 12 and 18. Kind of makes all that obnoxious chattering worth it, doesn't it?!

"I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing!"

We took Liam out for a little birthday (pan)cake this morning. He definitely knows how to celebrate!

Happy Birthday!

William George Chamberlain
9am on September 20, 2006











William George Chamberlain
9am on September 20, 2007









Happy Birthday, Bean!

Eeeek!

So, we have mice.

Brad woke up around 3am last night and decided to check the basement for water (it was raining). No water, but he found two mice desperately trying to get out of our laundry sink. He killed them (I love that he's the guy and I'm not!) and went back to bed. This morning he went back down to check out the situation and found TWO more. And then, just moments later, as he bravely ironed his shirt in our now apparently mouse-infested basement (I have not been down there since 3am this morning!), a mouse FELL from the rafters in front of his face. Ok, I'm shuddering even as I type.

I realize I'm kind of a wimp about such things, but it kind of freaks me out that we've never seen a mouse in our basement in three years and then 5 different mice show up in a matter of 4 hours! I'm thinking we have a problem.

Brad thinks so, too. Two trips to Wal-mart and one trip to Ace Hardware later, he was fully equipped for mouse battle: poison, glue traps, some sort of voodoo ultrasound repellers that you plug into the wall (their purpose is to drive the mice out of the walls: I'm not a fan. If we're going to have mice, I prefer them in the walls, rather than out.) So far the score is Brad the Exterminator 3, Mice 2. We're winning!

So why do we feel like sleeping with the lights on tonight?

Kiss it and Make it Better?

So, Drew got himself in a little trouble on Saturday and had to have a spanking. He was overly tired and very upset, and just sat in my lap on the floor and cried. And cried. Liam heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. Seeing his brother so distraught clearly upset him, and he began just kind of pacing around us, not sure what to do. Finally he came up real close, leaned in, and gave his big brother a tender kiss on the cheek.

Talk about breaking mom's heart.

Catching Up

Hi, my name is Julie and it's been over a month since my last post. Oh wait. That's what you say at AA meetings...or is it confession?

Well, anyway, due to a great 10 day vacation up north, and then a not-so great two weeks of sickness (first Drew, then me) and then the ensuing aftermath--including 9 loads of laundry in one weekend--it has been a very long time since I've blogged.

Ok, so the fact that we got real cable (hello, HGTV!) factored in there somewhere, too.

I refuse, however, to make this blog a source of guilt--I have enough of those in my life--so this is the last time I'm going to make excuses for time between posts. It is what it is.

So...a few things that have happened since last I blogged. Here are the highlights:

1. Liam started walking. Really walking. And, man, is he fast!

2. Drew started back to preschool. He was so excited--and he's grown up so much even since last spring. He is having a great time reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

3. We found out my brother and his wife are expecting! Hooray -- I'm going to be an aunt! Now I get to be the one that says, "Oh, just let him stay up a little later -- and give him another cookie while you're at it!!"

That's all for now...stay tuned for a cute kid story tomorrow!