Water Fountain Fun

Jack and I spent yesterday afternoon at a local fountain - in Warren, MI. Brooke and Christina discovered this fountain while I was still working, so Jack and I wanted to check it out, too! It's a free, public fountain where kids can run through water that shoots up from the ground. Jack LOVED it! And, much to my disapproval, he also had some interest in the older (4-5yrs old) ladies. What a flirt!

We will definitely be going back soon!

Calbert's Back

I'm sure our IU fan followers have heard the good news...Calbert Cheaney is a Hoosier again! He joined Tom Crean's staff as the Director of Basketball Operations. When I heard this news - I was VERY excited.

Back in the day, I loved Calbert SO much - I named my horse after him! Cheaney was a dear member of our extended mammal family until my junior year of high school when my mother told me I needed to make a choice: the boyfriend or the horse. I'm sure you can guess which one I chose. In the words of Cher, "If I could turn back time..."

Guest Vlogger

Definition:
Vlog: a video blog

Baby #2 - 16 Weeks

Yesterday Uncle Devin babysat for Jack while I went to my 16 week appointment. The baby is doing well and had a strong heart rate of 150bpm. S/He also stayed in one place - which was nearly impossible for Jack to do while in the womb. (I'm seeing similarities of that behavior in his toddlerhood.) I looked back to August 2009 to see what was going on during my 16th week with Jack...click HERE to see that post. I think my "bump" looks about the same as it did back then.

The "Anatomy Scan" is scheduled for July 19th. We are still very undecided about whether to find out the sex. Vote and help us decide!

PS: For the record - the dogs' feelings haven't changed. Just add the word "another" to Tucker's thought bubble. They went from being our "babies" to being our "dogs." Rough life...

Jack's Loose in the Zoo

Jack and I took an afternoon stroll through the zoo. It was a beautiful day - but I forgot how hard it is to navigate the zoo when we aren't the only people there. Lots of crazy kids and even crazier parents.   Regardless, Jack and I enjoyed ourselves and Jack is REALLY starting to love seeing all of the animals!

 Here he is pointing to the hippo who was taking a dip in her pool. Lucky!

 Trying to convince this chimp that it's not good to eat sticks. Or so he's been told...

 Taking a "fruit snack" and "wawa" break. What a BIG boy!

And NOW - our first edition of Jack vs. Mom:
My Dad recently mailed me a picture of a tantrum I threw while leaving the Fort Wayne Zoo as a toddler. He thinks it's funny, especially when he sees (or hears) Jack throwing tantrums. Apparently, grandparents enjoy knowing that their grandchildren are giving their parents "what they have coming to them."

So - you take a look...who had a better Zoo Departure Tantrum?

 Fit-throwing Jack

Fit-throwing Kady (spring '84)

Book Suggestions?

I'm looking for book suggestions. Since getting my iPhone I have been on a "Reading Bender." And I'd like for it to continue throughout the summer. I recently finished The Help and I LOVED it. Highly recommended!

If you have any suggestions - send them my way. And if you're around me and I look like I'm obsessed with my phone (I am) - I'm probably just reading a really good book!

Weekend Wrap-up

We had a nice weekend in Royal Oak (a rarity in the summer). Jack got to spend some time flirting with his neighbor, Sydney. That's a stud finder in his hand. Very sauve! 

This morning Jack and I left the house early to get some donuts from our favorite donut shop - The Donut Cutter! You know Kady's pregnant when...she consumes her weight in donuts. When we got home Tyson was rearing to get to work on the backyard and landscaping. I won't lie - our yard leaves a lot to be desired. But Tyson worked hard ALL weekend and it's coming around nicely! Jack and I snuck away for a bit to allow "dada" to take a nap. We went to the park where Jack enjoyed the slide AND digging in dirt. He's 100% boy!

Stick Collection

Jack and I took a walk yesterday afternoon and fortunately for me, Jack was more interested in collecting sticks than he was darting into traffic. I'm never sure what kind of walk it will be... Our walk around the block took a half hour and ended with Jack stripped down to his diaper. Why? Oh, because he decided to "swim" in a puddle of standing water. Being a stay-at-home-mom is WAY harder when you're child is extremely active & has a mind of his own... or in other words, is a miniature version of his parents.

Cornfed "Hoosier"

Jack threw an absolute fit during dinner last night. It took awhile for Tyson and I to realize that he wanted us to share an ear of corn with him. Once he had his own corn - he was a happy boy!

Happy Friday!

Uncle Devin and AUNT KRISTIN!!

Jack is excited to announce that his Uncle Devin is getting MARRIED! Aunt Kristin will officially join the family...sometime in the near future. No date has been set and plans haven't been made... But we are all VERY excited for the happy couple! Welcome to the family, Kristin!

Fun with Friends

Jack and I are getting back into the swing of staying at home.  We met up with our buddies Brooke & Molly and Christina & Lucas at a local Community Center.

Being a good Hoosier - Jack was obsessed with playing basketball.  However, the hoop was a bit higher than he is used to at home. He tried anyway.

 Chilling with a "quack, quack."

And Jack thought he'd gone to heaven when he found this baby Dirt Devil!  He vacuumed the entire floor. Now he's down for a nap and he was WORN OUT! Thanks for the fun morning, friends!

One more post for Uncle Devin

Jack doesn't get to spend as much time with his Uncle Devin as he would like. Idaho is pretty far away. They spent the long weekend getting in plenty of uncle - nephew time. Here they are enjoying a magazine together.

Then I got caught taking their picture. Neither of them look too happy with me, huh? Devin will be swinging through Detroit on his way back to Idaho early next week.

Shot of Jack

Uncle Devin teaching Jack how to drive the boat AND honk the horn. 

Molly's Cousin

Have you heard? Molly has a new cousin! Baby Tristan was born last week and Molly has already traveled out east to meet him. Congrats to Brooke's sister, her husband, and their entire family!

Shot of Jack

Having fun with Uncle Devin...

Happy BIRTHDAY and Father's Day...

Today is not only Father's Day, but it is also Tyson's 30th birthday! Jack loves his "dada" so much and I'm glad they got to spend the afternoon together. Tyson is a great husband and a wonderful father...our children are (will be) blessed to have him in their lives.

We spent yesterday celebrating the marriage of Caitlin & Robert. Despite some rain, it was a beautiful wedding and we enjoyed seeing the Netherland/Swihart side of the family.  Jack stayed in Warsaw with my parents...and had a visit from his Gigi and Grandpa Gigi. I got lots of updates and it seems Jack was quite the "entertainer" during dinner. He gnawed on an ear of corn, which officially makes him a "Clevenger boy."  After the wedding, I surprised Tyson by taking him to a bar where four of his best friends (from childhood, HS, and college) were waiting. I'd been planning for weeks and it really paid off. They all had a great time together. Tyson needed a night out with his best friends (and his brother, of course)!

So - Happy TYSON Day! And Happy Father's day to my dad, Denny, both of my Grandpa's... and all of the father's out there! 

Kayaking at the Lake

 On Friday night, Jack enjoyed a kayak ride with his Uncle Devin and Kristin! He especially loved dipping his hands in the water and then sucking the lake water off his fingers...delicious.

"I think I see a fish, Uncle Devin!"

Finally, Tyson took Jack on a kayak ride through the yard. Equally as fun, but definitely not as tasty.

Good Day...

It was a good day for two reasons...

1. I saw this beauty in a parking lot on my way home. By far, the best Aztec I've seen yet.

2. Greta Norton got to go home from the hospital today!!! She is in Bloomington with her parents and her fur-sisters. So happy for the Norton Family!

Shot of Jack

Jack woke me up at 1:15am and I discovered he was running a 103.4 temp! Yikes. When I crawled back in bed, I informed Tyson that he would need to stay home with our buddy. Today was my last full day and there was NO WAY I could miss. Tyson took Jack to the doctor and discovered he has another double ear infection (or an old one that never got better). Then they went to CVS to pick up Jack's antibiotic and they left with a big blue ball, an Elmo balloon, and (fortunately) the antibiotic!

Jack, can you say, "Dada is a pushover?"

I have TWO half days left. Yes, TWO. I have to come back from Indiana on Sunday night to go to a half day of school on Monday. Bogus.

Shots of Jack

 Classic case of Sippy Cup Fail.

Baby #2 Facts

Tyson and I are excited to be welcoming Baby Becker #2 in December! For our non-math-oriented friends, Jack will be almost exactly 23 months older than his sibling.

Here are five random facts about this pregnancy so far:

1. I took a pregnancy test on April Fool's day. It was negative. Fooled me!

2. I took another test a week later. I'd lost the pamphlet for the test, so I didn't even know what a positive test would look like. I brought it downstairs with me and plopped it down next to Tyson at the computer. "Can you google this?" I asked him.  Tyson compared the Google image to the test and confirmed it was positive. He wasn't confident in his ability to read a pregnancy test and suggested I follow up with a digital.

3. I was SO sick from week 7-11...and not just nausea-sick. It was the actual head-over-the-toilet sick. In Shirlee and Nancy's world this means I MUST be having a girl. I'm pretty sure they have already invested in pink outfits.

4. I've had a crazy obsession with the smell of Pine Sol. I have no idea why.

5. We are undecided about whether or not we will find out the sex of this baby. We have until mid-July to decide.

An Announcement from Jack

(YouTube isn't letting me upload...I will fix it when it decides to cooperate)

Britney Spears, stay away from my son.

I tend to have some seriously bizarre dreams. So much so, in fact, that when I ask Tyson, "Want to hear about my dream? It was SO weird." He usually replies, "NO." or "I don't know, do I?" He's heard some REAL creepy things from my dreamworld.

Last night I had a dream that Britney Spears insisted that she was going to cut Jack's hair.  Her words exactly were, "He looks like a girl and the curls need to go." (anyone who has seen pictures of HER two boys, would find this funny...they have long, shaggy hair) So, in my dream, I beg and plead with her to NOT cut his hair. And eventually I wake myself up crying...real tears!

Apparently, those "awww, isn't she cute" comments from strangers out in public are starting to get to me. And it's pretty obvious, I love Jack's curly blonde locks. They will stay, at least for a little while longer.

A Post About Steak

This is a post about steak. Which I am aware, has nothing to do with Jack. Tonight, Tyson insisted on grilling out (no argument from me). So he headed off to our local market and returned with two juicy steaks. He has been "a student of grilling" for quite some time, but has only recently perfected his skills.  He has the odds against him. Our grill, despite being free (thanks, Mosi!), leaves a lot to be desired. It seems to have very uneven heat distribution - which makes Tyson's job, as the griller, much more difficult.

Long story short, Tyson's grilling skills have improved SO much. Everything came full circle tonight... Look at the beautiful, juicy steak. I should note - I like mine medium rare. It was perfect! (also - I was very impressed by the grill lines - thus why I took a picture of my food)

Sidenote: The Mosi handed off their grill (now our grill) when they moved to NYC. I believe they have upgraded, since buying their new home in Miami. (true?)

Walk to the Park

Jack's Daddy was home early from work today - which left plenty of time for a family walk to the park. Jack discovered that he can go down the slides all by himself (start to finish). What a big boy! Then Jack and Daddy took a ride on a dinosaur. Happy Monday (or in my world - happy last 4 days of school!)

Little Red Wagon

Grandma and Grandpa Becker stopped by today, as they waited for Uncle Devin and Kristin to arrive at the Detroit airport. We had a nice day and ended their visit with a walk downtown Royal Oak. Jack rolled in style in his new red Radio Flyer wagon. Let's just say, the grandparents agreed, they don't make wagons like they used to...they make them better! Jack's new wagon comes equipped with two seats (with seatbelts), 4 cupholders, and a foot well. (an umbrella can be purchased separately) 

 Walking and snacking.

 Double-fisted - toddler style.

I'm not sure if Tyson was taking a picture of his son (enjoying the ride) or the black Camaro in the background...

Shot of Jack

I usually keep a board book at the bottom of Jack's crib...because every once in a while - I walk in after his nap and find him like this...

Baby Greta Norton

On Wednesday, my good friend, Carrie, and her husband, Dave, welcomed a baby girl! Margaret (Greta) Elizabeth was born at 11:43am. She weighed 7lbs 3oz and she was 19 inches long. She is absolutely gorgeous, but she has been facing some complications due to a difficult and traumatic delivery. I hope all of you will join us in keeping Greta in your thoughts and prayers.

Cupcakes...Mmmm.

Last weekend we tried out a new cupcake shop downtown Royal Oak. We made the mistake of going for chocolate...when we had heard the red velvet and the sweet potato (interesting) were their "specialties." We learned our lesson. Regardless, Jack thought it was delicious...as evidenced above.

Thanks!

Jack received a special gift from my good friend, Carrie. Apparently she was doing some serious nesting (baby Margaret was born TODAY!!!) and she sewed "Jackages" (as she calls him) a new taggie blanket. He is a big fan of the taggies! We love the nautical theme!

We are keeping Carrie and Baby Margaret in our thoughts tonight. Can't wait to meet the newest Hoosier (with a Michiganian heart).

Lansing

Today, I took 22 fourth graders to the capital of Michigan - Lansing! It was my first visit and, despite the heat, we had fun. This is the beautiful capitol building. There was a biker rally going on. They are protesting a law that requires motorcyclists to wear helmets. (aka: an Insurance Agent's nightmare)
 It was a great "teachable moment" - the freedom of speech AND the freedom protest peacefully.

The students looking up from the glass floor...

They were looking up at this...the rotunda. Isn't it gorgeous?

The Mitten State...

And the highlight of our trip - we met the Governor, Rick Snyder.  He was returning to his office for a meeting and we had "inside info" that he would be coming soon...so we had our tour guide procrastinate. It was actually hilarious to see the students' reactions. They had NO IDEA who he was, until I said, "Boys and Girls, this is Governor Snyder." They all jumped up and cameras flashed like crazy. Poor man. I just wish I could have had a moment to pull him aside and give him my opinion on the serious lack of teaching jobs in Michigan. Maybe next time...