The Lundy's

DISNEY WORLD 2011

2011-12-09T13:06:00.001-05:00

We were very blessed to once again spend Thanksgiving week in the most magical place on earth! This year our family of four made the LONG drive from Kentucky to Florida but this time the ride went much smoother. So smooth in fact, that we made in down in one day! We added an extra night on Saturday so we could wake up in our resort. The Beach Club Resort at Disney World is by far the BEST place our family has ever stayed! We were lucky to be upgraded to the club level floor so we took full advantage of the free breakfast and snacks. The resort also has the most amazing pool, complete with a sand-bottom and a beach (with sand that doesn't stick to you!), a pirate ship and two water slides. Kevin and Brendan did lots of swimming that week while Ryan and I snuck in a few naps. This vacation really felt relaxing...our first day spent at the pool was paradise! The resort was also within walking distance to EPCOT so we spent lots of time there. We had two wonderful dinners in Italy and Mexico! Nice to see the world without leaving the U.S. :) Monday we made it to park opening at Magic Kingdom which is something we've never seen before. Mickey and friends open the park by arriving on the Disney Railroad at Main Street station! Which was actually Ryan's favorite ride in the park. While big brother rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Splash Mountain with Mom or Dad (3x on each!) Ryan was content to ride the railroad all around the park. He also was a big fan of Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride!Brendan's favorite ride this year was Star Tours at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Since he has started kindergarten most of the boys are into Star Wars and he is obsessed with Darth Vadar! He also rode this ride 3 times in one day. What a lucky kid! The Osborne Family's Dancing Lights at Studios also did not disappoint and really got us into the Christmas spirit!This year we finally made it to Animal Kingdom on Thanksgiving morning. The safari ride really makes you feel like you are in Africa on the Savannah! We saw giraffes, ostriches, a lion and lionness and many more animals. The Lion King stage show was also great - just like Broadway! Our wonderful friends the Duffs were also in Disney that week with their 3 boys and we spent the morning with them. It was great to meet up with friends on Thanksgiving! The boys are still talking about what a great week it was for our family. I feel so blessed to be able to make wonderful Disney memories with my boys. I always tear up on the first day at Magic Kingdom, feeling lucky to see the magic through their eyes! We are counting the days until we go again. Next year the new Fantasyland opens - can't wait to see it!As Mickey says, See You Real Soon!

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-11-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

Phew, we made it through the Halloween season! Between trick or treating at the zoo, class parties, and finally Halloween night in our neighborhood these kids have lots of Halloween events! Once again our neighborhood was filled with lots of superheroes - B was Captain America and R was Robin again this year. They had a blast collecting candy and for my boys it is more about the process than actually eating the candy. They are happiest with the pretzels! Now that the fall craziness is over we are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving week in Orlando just the four of us. Only 12 more days and we'll be in Disney World! After that, we begin a whole new level of craziness with the holiday season...but we wouldn't change the chaos for anything!!!

Happy Birthday Meredith

2011-10-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

Wishing a Very Happy Birthday to our wonderful Wife and Mommy! Hope your day is Special!Love,-Kevin, Brendan and Ryan!

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!

2011-10-14T14:18:00.002-04:00

Love this post title - I got my Mom a fake pumpkin with this saying a few years back in Ohio, and I just think it is adorable. Fall is always my favorite time of year - I love pumpkins, Halloween, and of course my birthday! October has always been a special month in our family. So I am spending October with my boys and husband celebrating the wonder of fall! We went last weekend to the train museum in Ohio. It has become one of our favorite places, just a quick 90 minute drive up 71 North to Cincinnati and the boys LOVE seeing the trains. They are obsessed. Their Halloween decorations were wonderful and very kid-friendly. Brendan does scare easily and their trick or treat lane was right up his alley! The kids had a blast.

This week we also made our yearly trek to the Louisville Zoo for the "World's Largest Halloween Party." Once again it was awesome, and not very crowded due to some rain! We stayed mostly dry until the end so it was definitely worth it. I spent today at Gallrein Farms with my little guy and some friends going on a hayride, picking pumpkins, and feeding goats. It is a gorgeous farm in Shelby County and reminds me of our very favorite pumpkin patch back in Ohio! I will return next week as a chaperone with Brendan's kindergarten class and am sure we will have just as much fun. Am hoping for the same clear, crisp weather! Looking forward to the next few weeks as Nana Cindy comes for a visit and our neighborhood has trick-or-treat - heard there will be quite a few superheroes! We are going to enjoy fall weather while we can.

Soccer Saturdays

2011-09-12T21:57:00.001-04:00

We are in full-swing soccer mode on Saturdays this fall. Ryan is taking a parent-child soccer class at 4Kicks4Kidz, the indoor soccer facility where Brendan has taken soccer classes the past two years. We think he loves that it is finally "his turn" after watching his big brother for so many years! Brendan is also on one of three kindergarten teams for his school, Saint Mary Academy. Brendan already knew three other kids from his class on his team, and they are playing other Catholic school kindergarten teams for the next 6 weeks. The first game was last Saturday and Brendan seemed to have a good time! This is the big leagues, he even has a shirt number - #4. Hopefully he will enjoy the games enough to also play for school in the spring. Go SMA Monarchs!!

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-12T21:44:00.000-04:00

Today Ryan started his second year at KidZone at Northeast Christian Church, the church down the street from our house where both boys attended last year. We LOVE this program, all the teachers are so warm and welcoming. His teacher, Miss Becky, also taught the kids music last year so he is very familiar with her. There are also two assistant teachers, one whom is the Mom of a boy from Brendan's class last year. Luckily we had no tears from Ryan this year! He was so happy seeing his friends again and playing with new friends. Although he never seems to eat much lunch at school (we never have that problem at home!) all in all it was a great day. And now I have my 8 glorious kid-free hours a week back! I even had lunch with just Kevin today - can't remember the last time that happened! We are looking forward to another wonderful year for Ryan at KidZone.

First Day of Kindergarten!

2011-08-19T13:52:00.004-04:00

Our "baby" boy is almost done with his first week of kindergarten (picking him up in an hour) and so far things seem to be going pretty well. He enjoys recess and lunch in the cafeteria, yesterday he liked music class and has Spanish today. He has a wonderful sub named Mrs. Bird who is motherly, kind, and patient. You need patience dealing with 21 kindergartners! So far he says he is friends with a boy named Colin at his table but mentioned sitting near a few girls at lunch time. Today he brought in his "All About Me" bag to show-and-tell. He packed a T-ball picture of himself, a Smurfette, a train, and a Derek Jeter baseball card. He was hoping once he told his classmates about these things that they'd clap for him :) Next week Mommy and Daddy are encouraged to drop him off in the carpool lane versus walking him in, which I think he will be fine with. I just miss being with him all day, every day! Having alone time with Ryan is also nice for a change. Both boys are wiped out by the new early schedule but hoping in a few weeks they will adjust.

Here's our BIG kindergartner!

T-BALL!

2011-08-02T14:54:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday Brendan had his last T-Ball game of the summer. Despite the heat this year, Brendan had a blast with his all-boy team (not sure why we didn't get any little girls?!?) and he adored his coaches. It was wonderful that the coaches said something personal about each kid before handing them a trophy. Brendan was very proud of his trophy and really enjoyed T-Ball! We definitely will play next summer, and even Ryan will get to play "Wee Ball" since he will be 3.

All the summer camps are now over so we are enjoying our last few weeks before school starts. I am amazed that in just 2 weeks I will be the mother to a kindergartener! Although I am going to miss Brendan terribly, I think he will really enjoy his new school and being a big kid. It seems what he is most excited about is recess and eating in the cafeteria. Where did this summer go, it really seemed to fly by! But after this terrible heat wave I am looking forward to fall, cool weather, and sweaters :)

Brendan's 5-year well check

2011-07-13T14:15:00.002-04:00

Brendan did great at his 5-year check-up today. He is 40 inches (10th percentile) and 35 pounds (25th percentile) so he is growing, slowly but surely! He also was lucky to have NO shots this year, only a finger prick. They tested his ears as well. We got all his medical forms signed for kindergarten so he is ready to go! We will have to schedule a follow-up with the allergist but the doctor agrees he most likely has outgrown his dairy allergy. Though he has lived so long without dairy he does not even want to try it! He is happy and healthy, which is all that matters.

Happy Birthday Kevin!

2011-07-13T14:01:00.004-04:00

After the craziness of the weekend, it was nice to have a quiet celebration for Kevin's 34th birthday yesterday. As per tradition, we had dinner at Olive Garden. Ever since Brendan was born we have OG on Kev's birthday starting with our first night at home with Brendan when we got Olive Garden take-out. Plus I had a coupon this year :) We also got cupcakes from our fave place The Cupcake Shoppe. They have a key lime cupcake that Kevin loves. He got some nice gifts as well, including lots of iTunes cards to redeem. Another year older for Kevin - and I am still younger (at least until October)!

Happy 5th Birthday Brendan!

2011-07-11T15:22:00.004-04:00

Brendan and his BFF Carson

My sweet little boy is 5 years old today. He has been waiting for this day for MONTHS, since his best friend at school turned 5 in January. He seems to think the world will open up to him when he is 5. We've heard "So I can do that when I am 5?" for ages. We had a wonderful bowling birthday party on Saturday with 21 of his closest friends and neighbors and it was a blast! Brendan was so happy to see his school buddy Carson whom he hadn't seen since school got out in May.

Today he had a swimming lesson at the Y and then lunch with some friends. Tonight we will hit Chuck E Cheese for some play time! In only 5 short weeks our baby will be headed to kindergarten and it seems like we have a million things to do before then: 5-year physical, eye exam, uniform shopping, and school supply shopping. "Meet the Teacher" day is August 14th and we will be ready! Not sure how 5 years flew by so quickly, but I am sure the next 5 will be even faster. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENDAN!!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

2011-07-10T14:19:00.007-04:00

It seems our summer has been filled with baseball, baseball, and MORE baseball. We spent Memorial Day weekend at a Louisville Bats game where they played the Scranton Yankees - and I think they may have been more Yankees fans at that game than Reds fans. There was a great fireworks show after that game too, set to music. The boys LOVE going to our local minor league games because they have a playground, carousel, and cotton candy. We love the cheap ticket prices and a fun family night out!

Next Brendan started his T-ball games with the Northeast YMCA. He is loving t-ball and is lucky to have two good coaches and a good team, all boys of course! Practices are on Wednesday nights and games are on Saturdays. He is very enthusiastic and loves fielding the ball.

Father's Day weekend we headed to Cincinnati for a long weekend. We stayed at the Embassy Suites, swam in the hotel pool, and visited a train museum in Ohio. The kids loved the train museum, and we have never seen so many Thomas trains in the gift shop! Brendan was in train heaven. That Monday we were lucky to see the Yankees play the Reds in a sold-out game. The tickets were Kevin's Father's Day present, and it was Ryan's first Major League game! The boys had a blast and luckily lasted all nine innings which was amazing. Kevin got to see Mariano Riveria pitch for the save, and though the Yankees did win since it was a home game for the Reds no fireworks for Ryan to see (or as he says "boom booms")

Nana and Papa Hampson were just here in Louisville for the July 4th weekend. Although it was hot, we enjoyed some time playing outside and in our new neighborhood playground. Kev and I even got to sneak away for a tennis game, dinner, and a night in a hotel. So relaxing not to have little ones waking us up! We also visited the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and spent July 4th watching the Louisville Bats again play the Columbus Clippers. Although the game went into extra innings, we were able to see a fantastic fireworks show on the river. Another wonderful holiday!

Catching up

2011-06-09T22:53:00.003-04:00

Phew, it has been two months since I have last updated this blog and I seriously have no idea where the time went! The last few months have been crazy busy, mainly because the boys got out of preschool May 12 and I was racing to get everything done that I could before I had them home with me full-time for 3 months. Since April, we went to Texas for Luke's baptism, celebrated Easter, went to Oaks, celebrated Mother's Day with Lillian, had a visit from Grandpa and Janet, celebrated Memorial Day, and visited with Thomas the Train when he came to town!

The boys have been out of school for a month now and we are in a nice little summer routine. The first few weeks it was nice not to have to rush anywhere in the mornings, and once it got super hot it is great that the Y water park is now open every day at 11am. Brendan had his first soccer camp this week. He was a little hesitant at first which was odd for him, but I think he'd been home with me for 3 weeks straight that it took him a bit to adjust being away from us again. Today was the last day and he had a blast with the kids and coaches and they had a fun water fight! He has another week of soccer camp next week. Ryan seemed to enjoy his time with just me although he did miss his brother. It gave him a taste of what life will be like next year when Brendan is in kindergarten full-time! Next up is a Father's Day trip to Cincinnati to see the Yankees, more Y camps for Brendan, a July 4th visit from Nana and Papa, and of course the BIG 5th birthday for Brendan and the 34th for Kevin. Oh yeah, and throw our 6th wedding anniversary somewhere in there. I am just trying to enjoy this summer with my boys since the first day of school will be right around the corner!!! Bring on the lazy, hazy days of summer!

The Terrible Twos

2011-04-04T21:52:00.005-04:00

Raising another two-year old boy has definitely been a different experience for us. Brendan's twos weren't so bad (his threes were another story) but these brothers' personalities are like night and day, since Ryan's twos have been a different story. His move to a big boy bed came with its challenges - after repeatedly climbing out of the crib and many, many, MANY return trips to bed Ryan has finally gotten back into a good sleeping groove. Unlike Brendan who until age 3 1/2 would wait in bed in the morning for me to get him. Ryan was also much harder to leave at Parents Day Out, with babysitters, and the Y child watch - I think that part of his terrible twos started at 18 months!

But lately we've gotten into a great groove with Ryan. His teachers say he is doing very well and he LOVES singing and music time, doing all the movements. He can count to 10 and sing all his ABCs. He has no problem playing with sitters now or at the Y for an hour when brother is in swim lessons. He is sweet and cuddly, and his attention span is increasing since he spent the beginning of story time on Saturday listening and singing along. I was amazed at how far he has come in just a few months. I've included a video of our sweet Ryan singing and being silly - he is such a joy right now!

Meeting Baby Luke!

2011-03-21T13:53:00.005-04:00

Brendan and I were very lucky to spend a quick weekend in Dallas getting to know the new Baby Luke Edward Kubin, Lauren and Matt's baby boy. After a 2 hour delay in Houston, we finally arrived in Texas. Brendan was super excited about seeing Nana and Papa that he didn't fall asleep until 11pm Central Time! Saturday he was even up early to meet Baby Luke. We spent the morning shopping at Firewheel in Garland before meeting the new expanded Kubin family for lunch. Brendan was all smiles meeting Baby Luke, loving to hold him and kiss him. At 4 1/2 he was much more interested in his baby cousin than he was with his own brother at 2 1/2! What a difference a few years makes. Luke is adorable and sweet, and since the weather was 80 degrees and gorgeous we all took him to the park for a nice stroller ride. The visit was quick but luckily we get to return in a month for Luke's baptism! We miss him already :) Love you Luke!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T14:39:00.003-04:00

One of our fave holidays! We hosted a MOMS Club play date yesterday complete with snacks, Irish music, shamrock necklaces, musical chairs, and Irish tattoos. Too bad the kids don't like corned beef - more for Kev and me! Here are pics of my two favorite Irish boys:

Class of 2020!

2011-02-23T13:11:00.003-05:00

This fall we starting looking ahead to kindergarten for Brendan in the school year 2011-2012. Here in Louisville our public school system is very large and confusing (we have 90 elementary schools in the Metro) so we were hoping for a Catholic education for Brendan. The Archdiocese here is great and there were lots of schools in our area to choose from. One being our favorite, Saint Mary Academy, about 5 minutes from our house and close to a new housing, shopping, dining area called Norton Commons. We LOVED the school but knew competition was tough since siblings always have priority and we have not been parishioners of the parish for very long. Luckily we got the great news over the weekend that Brendan got in! I swear I was more nervous about Brendan's future school than my own college application process. Saint Mary's will be a great place for him and they also have a preschool for Ryan (when I am ready to send him 5 days a week!) I am just thankful it worked out the way we wanted and am looking forward the next 8 years at SMA!

My "big" little boy

2011-02-01T13:52:00.003-05:00

I had a lovely morning with just Ryan while Brendan went to school today (Ry played hooky) ;) so we could do his 2-year well-check at the doctors. My big boy got to step on the scale for the first time (no more baby scale!) and weighed in at 29.3 pounds which is the 65th percentile. His height is 35 inches which is the 60th percentile. So he is still bigger than Brendan at this age - B was 25.6 pounds and 32.75 inches - which were both the 15th percentile. But Ryan has definitely evened out in terms of growth and is slowing down - he grew just an inch in 6 months. After a trip to Toys R Us to spend the gift card from Aunt Lauren and Uncle Matt, we had a nice lunch at Bob Evans. It was a great idea to just take one kid to the doctors! I should schedule it that way more often :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Ryan!!

2011-01-29T15:20:00.007-05:00

I really can't believe we are already here at Ryan's 2ND birthday today. Sometimes it literally feels like yesterday when we brought him home from Ohio State into a whirlwind of house closing, moving, and setting up in a new state. But here we are, two years later and my beautiful baby boy did in fact turn blond (I called that one), enjoys his days at Parents Day Out, can count to 10, sing ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle, mimics his brother's every move to no end, and generally brighten our moods every day. He is really coming into his own, using the word "NO" and "MINE" very liberally. Unlike his brother who would share a new toy with any kid, Ryan is more territorial about sharing. Of course I believe this is the the luck of a draw with the second kid - take what you can, when you can! I am really looking forward to spending time with just him next school year when Brendan is in kindergarten, doing more play dates and classes with just Ryan. He hasn't really had any just Mommy-time like Brendan had for 2 1/2 years before he came along. I am ready for it!

Today Ryan woke up and immediately started on his presents, the favorite being a garbage truck and his new Laugh and Learn house. We also had a chance to see Curious George at Barnes and Noble story time and had a great lunch at his fave place Red Robin. He just light up when they sang happy birthday to him! And then he started to eat his sundae with his hands. Tonight some neighbors are coming over for a "PEESA PARTEE" and cake, according to Ryan. We expect him to go to bed very full and happy tonight. Next week I am playing hooky with one of his school days to take him to his 2-year well check, to lunch, and get a new toy with the gift card from Aunt Lauren and Uncle Matt (and to make up for those shots he'll be getting).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!!!

From this....

To this!

Jets, Jersey Boys and a Baptism

2011-01-23T15:41:00.005-05:00

Martin Luther King weekend we had a great trip to New Jersey to see family, friends, and witness new Baby Colin Leone's baptism, where Kevin was his godfather. The flights went pretty smoothly, though why we have to travel with so much stuff I will never understand. New Jersey had a lot of snow and was super cold! We thought Kentucky was cold right now but the East coast really has nothing on us. We were so lucky to spend time with our dear friends The Laterzas and Leones on Saturday night, and between all of us we had 6 boys playing under the age of 4! Luckily all the boys got along well and the adults were able to catch up. Sunday was Colin's big day, and although I spent much of it chasing Ryan (note my lack of pictures) it was a wonderful service and Kevin felt extremely honored to be godfather. Of course we watched the big playoff game (Jets v. Pats) and even with my lucky Pats shirt on we lost! It may have something to do with the new Jets gear Uncle Charlie got the boys...maybe. It was a great visit and we miss our friends and family in Jersey, but was good to get home :)

A Very Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T21:03:00.004-05:00

We enjoyed another wonderful Christmas this year. Brendan and Ryan were bouncing off the walls on Christmas Eve with antipication for Santa, it took some very strong convincing that he wouldn't come if they didn't go to bed! Christmas morning was so fun since they are at a great age - Brendan claimed every present was JUST what he wanted. Ryan fell in love with his new Mickey Mouse ride-on airplane and pretty much ignored everything else. It is amazing to experience Christmas through their eyes, so full of excitment and happiness. After all that fun, we are headed to Texas for another Christmas celebration with my family. Every year it just gets more fun to be with these precious boys on Christmas!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas...

2010-12-19T21:01:00.010-05:00

Our family is having a wonderful holiday season so far, despite the frigid temperatures, ice and snow that have plagued us these past few weeks. It has been SO cold and a winter storm canceled school here on Thursday and Friday, which means we missed Brendan's preschool Christmas program this year. No word if it is rescheduled yet and Brendan has sang a little bit for us anyway. Luckily his teachers were aware of the bad weather coming so both Brendan and Ryan got to see Santa at school on Tuesday. So far Brendan is asking Santa for a Tonka truck and Ryan is just happy to see the big guy - unlike his big brother who at 2 years old was deathly afraid!

We also were lucky this weekend to see Santa, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph at the North Pole Express train at the Kentucky Railway Museum . This train took us to the "north pole" and we ate cookies and drank hot cocoa while Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by our car to visit with the kids. Ryan almost tackled Santa he was so excited and they both loved Brendan's Rudolph toy he made at Build-a-Bear. Halfway through we turned back and this is when Ryan had about had it with the train. He kept wanting to get off and get his milk, which I forgot in the car. Next year we would love to do it again but I will be sure to bring Ry a drink!

Grandma Lundy arrives here on Tuesday to celebrate Christmas and the week after we are headed to Texas for some post-Christmas fun. We are crossing our fingers for warmer weather in Dallas!

DISNEY WORLD 2010

2010-11-30T13:58:00.004-05:00

There is so much to write about our first trip as a family to Disney World in Orlando, Florida but it would take days! To make it short, we had an amazing, magical, wonderful vacation to Disney with the boys, Kevin's Mom, Dad, and his wife Janet. To see the wonder of Disney through their eyes was truly a gift and I think the boys are still in awe of what they experienced - Ryan is having a rough time getting back to the routine asking why Daddy isn't home (they really bonded this week!) and Brendan already told his teachers today that Splash Mountain was his favorite ride. The boys loved Magic Kingdom - Brendan went on Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - and met tons of Disney characters at various character meals and throughout the park. They also had a great time at Disney Hollywood Studios riding Toy Story Mania, meeting Woody and Buzz, seeing a Disney Playhouse show, and the Osborne Family Christmas Lights display. We skipped Animal Kingdom in lieu of a cabana by the pool (Thanks Paul!) and I think the boys could take or leave Epcot, but they loved Figment. Friday night was the Mickey's Backyard Barbecue - a fun hoedown with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip & Dale and some great BBQ food! Saturday was our 16-hour venture drive home (due to the traffic in Atlanta) and now Kevin and I are getting over strep throat, but it was all worth it seeing how happy our boys were. We'll be back Mickey - look for us! :)

Trick or Treat!

2010-11-03T14:42:00.003-04:00

All About Ryan!

2010-10-25T13:26:00.003-04:00

Thought I'd update you on my Ryan, who is almost 21 months! Wow he is growing up too fast. He says more words every day and is completely obsessed with football right now. Whenever he sees sports on TV he screams "football!" and loves to wear his T-shirts with footballs on them. He loves watching Brendan's soccer class and enjoys getting a chance to play between classes. When he turns 2 we think he'll love taking a class himself. He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and is excited when we ask him if he wants to see Mickey at Disney World, who he calls "hot dog." He is also totally into trucks and loves these new picture books we have about trucks - he "reads" them all the time. Ryan will do anything big brother does, following his every move. And he is doing great at Parent's Day Out, only whining a little at drop-off. His teachers say he loves music time and does all the movements, and enjoys play time and when they go on walks. He keeps us busy and we can see the "terrible two's" coming but he is a loving, adorable, fun little boy! He is a joy to all of us.

Extreme Home Makeover: Louisville

2010-10-25T13:18:00.005-04:00

Right now they are filming an episode of Extreme Home Makeover here in Louisville. Yesterday Kevin took Brendan to see the action. It is about 30 minutes from our house and they were running buses from a local Kmart parking lot. Brendan wore his Handy Manny hard hat and brought his Pat the Hammer, apparently he was ready if anyone needed his help. Kev said Brendan charmed everyone, as usual, and enjoyed seeing the "big construction job." The episode is supposed to air in January, so stay tuned!

Happy Birthday Mommy

2010-10-18T11:40:00.003-04:00

We want to wish our mommy a Very Happy Birthday today. You do so much for us (and Whiskers too) and we want you to know how much we love you. Enjoy your day today!

Love, Brendan & Ryan

Fall Fun!

2010-10-17T14:28:00.006-04:00

We have been enjoying some GORGEOUS fall weather - sunny, leaves changing, cool but not too cold. Friday night we attended our annual Zoo trip for the World's Largest Halloween Party. The boys had a blast dressing up and Ryan was very interested in the candy getting this year! Brendan did not want to talk to many of the characters but did like the Mad Hatter, Harry Potter, and the princesses. Ryan accosted an Elmo cut-out and had to be pulled off so another child could play with him. That kid loves Elmo! They also had a great ride on the Haunted merry-go-round. We arrived a couple hours earlier than we did last year, and the crowds were much better. When we left at 7:30 it was starting to get crazy!

Saturday we made our first trip to the Bernheim Arboretum and Forest, about 25 miles south of Louisville. They were hosting the annual Colorfest festival and we saw animals, painted a pumpkin, played music, had a great lunch and Brendan even did a ropes course and had his face painted. It was a beautiful day and we ran into some of our playgroup friends there as well. We will definitely visit again - we hear they do a balloon festival in the spring!

Visit to Texas

2010-10-17T14:19:00.004-04:00

I was very lucky to spend last weekend in Dallas visiting my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. Kevin managed the home front in Kentucky, and I got to have a nice getaway! Lauren and I indulged in a birthday spa day, complete with pedicures, facials and massages. Then Mom and Dad took us to an amazing dinner at Hibiscus in Dallas. The restaurant was very trendy and the food was delicious - especially the side of mac and cheese, that Lauren and Matt raved about. It was a quick trip but much needed to recharge my batteries! I am a lucky girl :)

Dinner with Elmo

2010-09-21T09:24:00.006-04:00

When I saw that our local science museum, the Louisville Science Center, was having a dinner with Elmo to coincide with their Elmo the Body exhibit I knew we had to go! Ryan LOVES Sesame Street, especially Elmo who he calls "ball" - since he has a ball with Elmo on it. The event was on a Saturday from 4-7:30 and started with a "Picture with Elmo." We had to wait in line for a few minutes which drove Ryan crazy, but eventually got to meet the big red furry guy. The workers mentioned that Ryan was the first baby that didn't cry! Both the boys loved meeting him. Then we played in the museum, in the Kid Zone area that we love and the Elmo exhibit. Then dinner was served on the top floor of the museum which had a great view of the Ohio River. Dinner was served buffet style and the food was great! The only problem was it set for a nice dinner, with glasses and silverware that should not be in reach of a toddler. So by this point Ryan had kind of had it with the dinner. I brought Ryan downstairs to play in the museum while Kevin and Brendan stayed to watch the Science show. Apparently Elmo made a return visit to the group and both boys took home a nice goody bag! This was our first nighttime event at the science center but it won't be our last. It was a great time!

Superstar Student

2010-09-14T14:23:00.007-04:00

Brendan is only in his second week of school and is doing great! Today he received a sticker for being a "Superstar Student." His teacher said he initiated picking up a mess that wasn't his - funny, I can't get him to pick up his own mess at home, and at school he even helps others! We are so proud and are getting good reports back from school from both the boys. The kids get to pick out a "treasure" on Thursdays if they have a good week so I am sure this is motivation for Brendan. Here is our superstar!

First Day of School

2010-09-08T21:34:00.008-04:00

Well, the boys survived their first day back at school at Northeast Christian Church down the street from our house. This year Ryan is also going on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I have 8 glorious hours of alone time each week. I knew Brendan would do great since he is used to being in the school routine, but was worried about Ryan since he always tends to cry when we leave. The first day though he ran to the toys without a look back. Of course when I picked him up at 1pm, most of the babies were crying and in need of a nap. We'll see how he does tomorrow now that he realizes I leave him! Although I have a feeling he still may prefer playing with the trucks and trains than running to the grocery with me...

Brendan had a great day, as always. He joined many of the boys in playtime while the girls preferred to do a craft on the first day - as I would expect! He did tell me he "didn't like" his friends, but I think he is just missing his good friend Michael who moved away and another boy Peyton that is now at a different school. He seemed very excited for the "treasure box" the teacher is introducing on Thursdays. Am sure he will have another great year!

I am glad to be getting back into a preschool routine since the summer was SO hot and long this year. But part of me felt a little lost yesterday...I've been with them 24-7 for 3 months, and now to be alone 2 mornings feels strange. But I am hoping to be very productive with my time and get lots of errands done without them (like their Christmas shopping!) Hopefully missing them will make me appreciate the time we do have together, and cherish it - they'll both be in full-time school before I know it.

Visit to New Jersey

2010-08-29T22:12:00.005-04:00

Well, our summer is coming to an end here in Louisville. Even though we kept busy with camps, playdates, trips to the pool, and staying indoors in the extreme heat of this summer, we didn't really have a proper vacation. So our family packed up last week and boarded a flight to Newark to visit Kevin's family in New Jersey. We quickly learned that Ryan is not the world's best traveler. I should have know this, since he likes being at home and is always the first to grab his shoes and say "bye bye" and head to the door when we are at a playdate. But I guess it always could have been worse....and at least the flight arrived early!

We first headed to Kevin's Mom's house in Hopatcong and spent time eating at some of Kevin's favorite restaurants (Frank's Pizza, Stewart's Root Beer), playing at the park, and visiting the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange. The boys LOVED the zoo, especially the train ride (which we went on twice) and the merry-go-round, which Ryan rode for the first time. Despite some challenges with Ryan's sleeping, we had a great visit.

After a few days in North Jersey, we headed south to visit Kevin's Dad Paul and his wife Janet in Somerville. Again the boys went on a train ride, this time on the Black River Railroad. These boys LOVE trains! Brendan and Kevin also spent time playing a fun game of fishing and cow racing on Grandpa's Wii. Another great visit to New Jersey - it had been awhile for us as a family. And we survived the flight home with Ryan - just barely!

Ryan's 18 month well check

2010-07-30T21:05:00.003-04:00

We took little Ryan for his 1 1/2 month check up today, and it turns out he is not so little! He is 25.7 pounds which is the 40th percentile and I think the nurse grossly overestimated his height, which I wrote down as 37 inches* - which means he would be just an inch shorter than Brendan. I measured him at home and I got 33 inches so we'll have to possibly get that re-checked before he is 2. He also had one more shot, and afterwards kept pointing at the door and saying "bye-bye" - he clearly had enough. But he is healthy as a horse and we are hoping to have a healthy fall with both kids and avoid going back anytime soon!

*UPDATE: I called the doc and he was actually 34 1/4 inches - in the 93rd percentile. So I wrote it down wrong (this is what happens when you have two kids in the doctor's office). So he is still super tall, but not freakishly tall! And he is already taller than Brendan was at two years old!

Nana and Papa Come to Visit!

2010-07-29T21:26:00.006-04:00

We were lucky to have my Mom and Dad come for a visit from Texas last weekend, so Kevin and I could get a much needed night away. It was also great timing since we had tickets to see Bon Jovi at the HullabaLOU music festival at Churchill Downs. Kevin and I had a great time and a fun night away, while Nana and Papa played with Brendan and Ryan at the house. Apparently Brendan's new game was playing Santa Claus (Christmas in July anyone?) while Nana and Papa helped deliver "presents" to the children of the world. That boy has such an imagination right now!

Sunday we all went to the Louisville Science Center since the Elmo the Body exhibit is in town. We visited this exhibit ages ago with Brendan (pre-Ryan) in Columbus so we know it is a huge hit. Ryan loves Sesame Street too, so he had a blast! Sunday a conference started for Kevin in town so he was very busy all week, and Monday we went to play at a bounce house place and have Chick-fil-A for lunch. All in all, it was a fun weekend with my parents, the kids had a blast, and Kevin and I were lucky to have some time alone which does not happen often! We miss Nana and Papa already :)

Vacation Bible School

2010-07-16T21:39:00.005-04:00

I had a great week teaching the preschoolers at Vacation Bible School. They were so much fun to watch their thought and learning process, and just adorable to boot! They did a great job at the end of school sing-a-long. Check out the video - you can hear Ryan say Mama while I was up front with the kiddos. Ry was a trooper in the nursery all week, but by Friday he kind of had had it! We can't wait for next year's VBS.

Brendan's 4 Year Check-Up

2010-07-14T21:06:00.004-04:00

Today we took Brendan to a pretty big doctor's appointment - his 4-year well visit. I was dreading it because of the shots that were coming, but he did a great job and was very brave. Brendan at 4 is still a small fry - he is 33 pounds (25th percentile) and is 38 inches (15th percentile). He grew 4 pounds and 2 inches in a year - slow but steady! He also peed in a cup for the first time (that was fun), have his hearing tested, and a finger prick. Although he kept saying how much he did not like shots, it was a good visit. We even let him pick out a treat at Target afterwards. I am just glad it is over, and we don't have to go back until he is 5!

Brendan's Birthday Party

2010-07-11T14:11:00.005-04:00

We had a great time yesterday at Brendan's 4th birthday party at Locker Soccer. We had about 11 kids join us - neighbors, schoolmates, and playgroup friends - for a soccer lesson, cake and snacks, and playtime. Luckily Aunt Lauren and Uncle Matt are in town from Texas since they took over "Ryan-duty" and made sure he kept out of trouble. Brendan had a blast playing with his friends and being the guest-of-honor, as all the kids were fighting for the birthday boy's attention. For his first "real" birthday party, it was a success!

Happy 4th Birthday Brendan!

2010-07-11T14:05:00.003-04:00

Dear Brendan,

Wow, you are 4 years old today! I cannot believe that four years ago I became a mother - it has flown by in the blink of an eye. This past year you really came into your own and are definitely a little boy - no more baby in you! This year you gave up diapers, a binky, can dress yourself, swim, play soccer, get into your car seat yourself - and just about anything YOURSELF since you want no help with anything! I love your sweet and independent spirit and how all the Moms in our playgroups say their daughters love you because you are such a sweet and kind boy. You will definitely be a heart breaker in the future! I am having so much fun with you right now and love how your imagination soars when you dress up like a handyman or a cowboy or Buzz Lightyear. I'm looking forward to a great year with you - your last year of preschool - and cannot believe that this time next year we'll be getting ready for kindergarten. I love you big boy!

Love,
Mommy

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-07-04T20:45:00.001-04:00

Brendan Goes to Work

2010-07-03T21:30:00.003-04:00

Last Friday Brendan went with Kevin on "bring kid to work day." His work had an official program that you had to be 6 for, so Kevin did a little program of his own. They got ready for work in their "business casual" attire and Kevin had Brendan answer the phone "Daddy's office" when I called. Ryan and I ran errands then visited the working boys for lunch. Brendan seemed to have charmed everybody in the office and even got some little squeeze toys from the ladies. He had a great time being such a big boy and seeing what Daddy did all day and helping out. Hopefully Kevin will take him into work again - since he's such a big help!

Happy 5 Years to Us!

2010-06-25T18:38:00.008-04:00

Five years ago we braved the heat, humidity, and a passing thunderstorm to have a beautiful wedding and reception in Ohio. It was one of the best days of my life and five years later I still remember leaving all our friends and family in a town car, and looking back saying "that was just perfect." It was everything I ever imagined my wedding day to be like. Five years and two states, two jobs, two homes, and two children later I still feel like the luckiest girl alive. Here's to a lifetime more Kev!

Father's Day

2010-06-22T12:47:00.003-04:00

We were very lucky to have Grandpa Paul Lundy and his wife Janet come visit us for Father's Day weekend from New Jersey. Besides the 90+ degree heat and humidity and a few moments where we felt we were melting, we had a blast! They got in Thursday just in time for a dinner at Martini's and the free concert at our local shopping center The Summit. Friday Brendan was off to his last day at Y summer camp while the rest of us hung around the house with Ryan. Friday night they braved the heat to visit me at our church carnival while I ran the sand art table. It was a fun time, just hot! Saturday was the BIG day Brendan had been waiting for - TOY STORY 3! He was all dressed up as Woody and ready to go. Of course he had a wonderful time. The grown ups watched Alice in Wonderland that evening which was better than I expected. Sunday we celebrated the Fathers, with a nice breakfast and a drive out to Shelbyville to the original Claudia Sanders dinner house. The Colonel was even walking around but as usual Brendan shys away from a picture with him (he is terrified of the one at Kev's office). Monday Kevin was back to work and the Lundys headed home. A wonderful weekend visit!

Day Out With Thomas 2010

2010-06-14T10:21:00.004-04:00

We were lucky to visit the Kentucky Railway Museum yesterday for our third year in a row taking a ride on that little blue engine from Sodor. We thought Brendan might be over it since he is SO into Toy Story right now but he still had a blast playing with trains, riding on Thomas and meeting Sir Topham Hatt. Ryan on the other hand had a rough time on the car ride down...crying, screaming, and generally tired and cranky. He did finally smile once we were on the train and ended up actually enjoying himself. But after 2 hours in the 90+ degree heat with awful humidity, he had enough. Both kids took a nap on the hour drive home which was nice and quiet. Am sure we will keep doing this every year until the kids say no! And we would love to come back in December for Santa's Express. Our boys love trains!

Back to Columbus

2010-06-02T13:13:00.004-04:00

Our family spent Memorial Day weekend driving north for a visit to Columbus, Ohio. We hadn't driven back up to Ohio as a family since we moved, so I was a little emotional about making the journey. Luckily it was a great weekend, full of lots of fun and friends and I didn't get sad one bit. Well, a little bit when we went by our old house and Brendan said "whose house is that?" but mostly I had felt happy thinking of all our wonderful memories in our 5 years there, and not super sad that we left anymore.

We stopped for lunch and some outlet shopping on the way up, then checked into our hotel. The hotel also was host to an Indian wedding, a soccer tournament, and a baseball tournament so it was always busy and packed. We then went to visit the Sharp family, who were gracious at feeding us dinner and letting the kids run through the sprinkler. It was great to hold Baby Patrick and I got to feed him 2 bottles! He is an adorable baby. Despite a short power outage, we had a wonderful time! Sunday we went to the Columbus Zoo and saw lots of animals including the new polar bear exhibit. Brendan went on the pony ride which we had never done, and of course we rode the train and did the boat ride. It was fun but also a really hot day! After the zoo we went swimming at the hotel which really wore Brendan out. He slept through dinner that night! After dinner we stopped by our friend's house for more playtime and Popsicles. Monday we went to the mall for some playtime before we headed home, and ran into the Sharp family again. What luck! All in all, a great weekend visit. We definitely plan to make more trips north to visit Ohio!

Almost summer!

2010-05-26T21:18:00.003-04:00

It has been very hot, steamy, and in the 90s here in Louisville. Not my favorite weather, but it has given us a chance to get the little pool and sprinkler out. Ryan never really got into the water play last summer so it's fun to see him enjoy it now. We had the neighbors over earlier this week and they all had a blast. Tomorrow is also Brendan's last day of school before summer break and his last class with his bff, Michael. Michael's family is moving to Lexington this summer and I am very sad since he was Brendan's first friend at school when we moved here and they've been close ever since. I know it's only an hour away and they both have birthday parties this summer, but I'll miss seeing them be so excited to play together at school every day. Brendan doesn't seem too concerned but I know he'll have some questions this fall when school starts again and there is a new teacher, new room, and new friends. Sometimes I wish I could freeze time because he is having such a blast right now but I know this changing, moving, and growing are all a part of my little boy growing up...sigh. Oh well, we have this summer to enjoy some lazy days, no running around, and long days at pool!

Kevin, the Colonel

2010-05-19T12:49:00.003-04:00

This is my time to brag on my husband a bit (instead of the kids like I usually do). Kevin has been involved all year long in a program called Leadership Louisville, a group of local executives that spend a year working together on team building, leadership skills, and learning about their community. They went to local schools, visited the capitol in Frankfort, and went to a local TV station, among other things. Yesterday he graduated from the program and was awarded a Kentucky Colonel designation from the Governor. It is an honorary title and is bestowed on people who are active civic leaders, politicians, celebrities, and others (think Colonel Sanders). It is a huge honor for him, and we are really proud! Without his new job, he would not have been able to participate in a program like this so again it reinforces what a great professional move this has been for Kevin. We plan to get his "Colonel certificate" framed to put in his office. Congrats Kev!

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T21:08:00.002-04:00

We had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday with my favorite weather: sunny but cool. I was slated to teach Sunday School yesterday (must really check the calendar better when I sign up at the beginning of the school year!) but luckily we had a small class show up. So after a french toast breakfast, being showered with cards and a new bracelet, Brendan and I went to church. Kevin stayed with Ryan who was very croupy the night before and didn't sleep well. The kids were great in Sunday school, we talked about mothers and made the Moms a nice flower pot then had time to play outside. This was my last time teaching this year and I felt old hat at it by now. I am looking forward to teaching next school year!

After church we headed north to Cracker Barrel for a late lunch and a nice drive around Oldham County, which is more rural than where we are. Ryan and I took a nice nap after lunch and we all had a steak cook-out for dinner. All in all, a relaxing day with my 3 favorite boys. Brendan was extra nice to me yesterday, although that seems to be short-lived when he called me a "mean Mommy" today. Oh well - that's why Mother's Day is once a year! Back to reality...

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T06:40:00.000-04:00

Dear Mommy:

Happy Mother's Day and thank you for always caring for us and taking care of us! We hope you have a good day of fun and rest today. We promise to try and take care of you today!

Love,
Brendan & Ryan

Kentucky Oaks/Derby 2010

2010-05-05T20:27:00.003-04:00

Well we survived another Derby weekend here in Louisville. It really does transform the city, with 100,000+ people descending on Churchill Downs the first weekend in May. We were very lucky to have tickets to the Oaks race this year and went with our good friends Matt and Jen. It was a beautiful day here with sun, clear skies, and in the 80s. Our seats were on the Skye Terrace so we have a great view of the track. We were also excited to see some celebrities on our floor including Reuben Studdard from American Idol, Jamie Pressly, Warren Moon, and Fred Williard. We didn't win as much money as we did last year on Brendan's 50-1 pick but we did pick up a few bucks on our picks for the Oaks race. Another great day at the track!

We spent the rainy Derby Day being thankful we weren't at the track (it poured all day) and doing some shopping at the mall. After a nap for Ryan, we went to a Derby party at our neighbor's house. Although our horses didn't win again (lesson learned: always bet on Calvin Borel at Derby!) we did have some great Derby food and drinks. Now things are back to normal around Louisville and we'll be ready for this fun weekend again next year!

These Crazy Boys

2010-04-16T15:06:00.004-04:00

Spring break trip to the zoo

We are just really enjoying our boys these days and love watching them grow up together. Brendan says things that crack us up on a daily basis. My favorite was the other day we were shopping and I stopped to look at a make-up set that I told Brendan I liked. He then said "Well Mommy, maybe you'll get it for your birthday!" He also told me to "calm down" at the dinner table last night. Hmm...they really do repeat everything you say!

Ryan is in a really fun stage because he understands everything we say but isn't really talking back to us yet. He ADORES his brother and his daddy right now. He knows when daddy comes home and rushes to the garage door. It is his favorite time of day. And he follows his brother everywhere, including now playing with all of his toys which can lead to a few fights. Ryan can definitely stand up to his brother though! And he is doing much better at the Y child care only crying at drop-off. We are looking forward to spending more time at the Y this summer at the pool and water park, trips to the zoo, and lazy days playing at the park. This weather already feels like summer! Brendan only has 5 weeks of school left. Spring is flying by!

Opening Day

2010-04-13T21:46:00.004-04:00

We are back to spring soccer at the Y, with Kevin again as Brendan's coach. Our first game was fun and the weather was gorgeous - but now I have a very small soccer player to keep up with as Ryan tries to get some action in the game as well. We were very proud Brendan scored a goal at his first game! He has come a long way from last year.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2010-04-06T21:20:00.003-04:00

We enjoyed another lovely holiday with our two little boys - or as Brendan would say a baby boy and a BIG boy. Grandma Lillian arrived on Good Friday just in time for Brendan's swim lesson at the Y. Brendan showed off his swim skills for Grandma and then we all went to lunch. Friday night we ate dinner at home and relaxed. Saturday we planned to go to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Y, but the weather had other plans. Luckily they moved the Easter Egg Hunt inside due to the morning rain so we still got to see the Bunny and played games for candy instead of actually hunting the eggs. Ryan had a blast and surprisingly was very taken with the Bunny. I expected him to be scared due to his intense dislike of Santa Claus but apparently a giant bunny is more exciting to him than an old man in a red suit. Saturday night we ordered in and watched the Final Four on tv. Sunday morning the Bunny came! The boys had a blast opening their baskets and hunting for eggs. We went to the 10am Mass and both kids did great. After nap we enjoyed the great weather outside and cooked a wonderful Easter ham dinner. Yum! It was a great holiday, great visit, and the best Easter weather we've had in years. We are really feeling into the swing of spring here in Kentucky!

St. Pat's Day and a Week of Chaos

2010-03-21T20:18:00.004-04:00

Irish "twins"

Kiss Brendan, he's Irish!

Nana and Brendan

Brotherly love

We were lucky to have Nana Cindy here for the second year in a row on Saint Patrick's Day. Who needs to drink Guinness in an Irish pub when you can drink milk with your two grandsons? :) Anyways, her visit was great timing because a) Ryan had a stomach bug that started on Wednesday b) I had to pick up Brendan from school on Thursday due to a sore throat/fever and c) our washing machine broke Thursday afternoon. Right now Ryan has made a recovery, Brendan is on antibiotics for his tonsillitis, and Sears is coming to repair our washer on Tuesday. Luckily we were able to drop off our laundry yesterday at the coin wash and they washed, dried, and folded our clothes for a good price. In all this madness I was able to get a doctor's and dentist appointment in, a hair cut, massage, and facial and Kevin and I even made our date night on Saturday for dinner and to see 39 Steps, even though now I have a sore throat and cold. When it rains around here, it certainly pours! I am just lucky that I had both my Mom and Kevin here during the sickness because there is nothing worse than taking care of two sick kids when you also feel bad (as all you Moms know!). We are still taking it easy around here since I want to make sure Brendan can go to school this week, and Mom heads back to Texas tomorrow. Thanks for coming Mom - we'll pencil you in for next year! I know you love my corned beef :)

March Madness

2010-03-07T13:42:00.005-05:00

Kevin and I always fill out our NCAA brackets each year and see which one wins more games, then have a silly bet like the loser changes all the diapers in a weekend. So we love college basketball but in our year here have never gone to a game at the University of Louisville. We were MORE than excited to be offered two tickets to yesterday's last game at Freedom Hall, the Louisville Cardinals versus the Syracuse Orange. I wasn't expecting a win due to Syracuse being number one, despite the Cards win over them before. But the game ended up being AMAZING - lots of 3-point baskets, a comeback from behind after halftime, and tons of emotion from the fans being that it was the last game in an arena where they played for 54 years. Even if you don't like basketball, the atmosphere was contagious. We feel lucky to have been there and we'll be sure to plan more game nights at the new arena downtown next season! For now, here's hoping U of L clinched their bid to the "Big Dance" - and that my bracket beats Kevin this year! I need a weekend off! :)

A Year Later...

2010-02-26T15:41:00.003-05:00

We had a rough day yesterday with Brendan out of preschool for weather and Kevin out of town for work all week, which meant I had to drag both kids to my doctor's appointment. Later that day I realized it was the one-year anniversary of our move to Louisville and I realized how far we've come in a year! This crappy day didn't compare to those early days here. A year ago I had never been alone by myself with both boys and once my Mom was gone back to Texas and Kevin was back at work, I had to explore our new city myself with a cranky newborn and an energetic toddler - while still being up all night and barely out of maternity clothes!

It was very hard to leave Columbus, the place where we started on our own, got married, bought our new house, and had two babies. I still haven't been back to visit since it was so emotional for me. I will this spring though! Have to meet the new Sharp baby :) But looking back it really has been a great move for us. Brendan LOVES his school and it is minutes from the house - plus Ryan can start there this fall. And we are happy with our home and neighbors. Even though Kevin had no idea when he picked this house, there are tons of kids Brendan's age - mostly boys too! We've found a great MOMS Club group and are SO happy with our parish - we are even considering the Catholic school for Brendan. Kevin is happy with work and believe it or not I feel like he is traveling less overall. So we are surviving here - even thriving! Hope we can stay here for a long time. Even though I used to love moving and living in new cities, once you have kids it is a challenge to rebuild your social network in a new city. Hope we don't have to again!

Happy Valentines and Visit from Friends

2010-02-16T20:35:00.005-05:00

We had a great visit from Kevin's college friend Mark and his wife Brigid this past weekend. Brendan ADORED Mr. Mark and on several times requested Mark to put him to bed or give him a bath instead of Mommy or Daddy. We spend Saturday going east to the Wild Turkey Distillery which was an experience - cool to see how bourbon is made, but not the greatest tour for kids. Lucky the boys were troopers and Ryan only had a meltdown at the very end. After the tour we had lunch at the Claudia Sanders Dinner House which I had been very excited to visit. The food was excellent! We'd love to take other guests back there so come visit us anytime.

Sunday my wonderful husband made us heart-shaped French toast and we exchanged Valentines. Thanks for the spa day honey! Everyone headed to the Louisville Slugger museum after lunch while I stayed home with Ryan who took a nap. For some reason, I never got a picture of the boys in their Valentine shirts - just Brendan. Oh well, maybe next year. Sunday night I made our traditional Valentine dinner of penne with vodka sauce, salad, and chocolate covered strawberries. It was a great weekend, followed by a big snow storm on Monday that dumped about 8 inches of snow. So...school was canceled again on Tuesday. We are crossing our fingers that the big storms are over and Brendan can get back to a regular school schedule on Thursday! PLEASE!! :)

Valentines breakfast - YUM!

My crazy Valentine

Ryan's one-year stats

2010-02-16T20:25:00.002-05:00

This is very very delayed, but at Ryan's 12 month appointment 2 weeks ago (oops) he weighed in at 21 pounds, 1 ounce (25th percentile) was 30 3/4 inches (80th percentile), and had a head circumference of 45 cm (25th percentile). So he is still long but getting closer to big brother weight-wise (B was 20 pounds at a year). We could turn his car seat around at this time but he seems happy where he is so I am keeping it that way. We'll check him again at 15 months - he is growing like crazy!

SNOW DAY!

2010-02-10T13:39:00.004-05:00

We had a small snow storm here that dropped about 7 inches of snow and ice - which I know is small potatoes for DC or New England - but here it resulted in 2 days off for the public schools and one day off of preschool for us. We should be able to return to normal tomorrow so Brendan can attend his preschool Valentines party! It was lots of fun and Kevin and Brendan made this nice snowman, who is a bit skinny. Brendan is very upset that he didn't come to life, but I am trying to explain that there is only one real Frosty and he lives at the North Pole with Santa and Rudolph. We'll be glad to get back into a routine tomorrow. And are ready for this snow to melt and spring to come!

Ryan's First Birthday Pictures

2010-02-07T11:08:00.003-05:00

We took Ryan for his first birthday photos yesterday at a studio in town. They turned out well, it was just a crazy busy Saturday! Plus the early snow we had made a little trouble on the roads. Brendan was much more of a picture "ham" than Ryan but he did great. And Brendan was sure to tell everyone we saw that "This is my brother Ryan, he is walking now." Here's a sample of the best poses.

Ryan Is Walking!

2010-02-03T20:10:00.005-05:00

Ryan's First Birthday and Visit from Nana and Papa

2010-02-02T10:28:00.005-05:00

I think Ryan had a great first birthday weekend! Besides being a little under the weather with a cold, he opened up his birthday presents Friday morning (with lots of help from big brother) and ate french toast cooked by Daddy, who took the day off. Ryan was much more interested in the boxes and paper than gifts but he got clothes, books, a musical snail, Tickle Me Elmo, and a chair just like Brendan's. After swimming lessons we came home and waited for Nana and Papa to get here from Texas. We had lunch and a nap then got ready for Ryan's first pizza dinner and birthday cake. Since he was a little sick, I think the cake and singing were overwhelming but overall he had a good time. Can't believe it was one year ago that he was born - his first year REALLY flew by!!! We awoke to a nice fluffy snowfall on Saturday morning. Brendan, Nana, and Papa did a great job shoveling and after lunch Brendan was able to break in his new sled from Nana and Papa. Kevin and I snuck away to do our taxes (fun times) and have dinner at The Melting Pot. The best part is that we cashed in some points and stayed the night in a hotel - we needed the good night's sleep!!! Sunday we relaxed and Monday the grandparents headed home for Texas. It was a great fun winter weekend!!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY RYAN!!!

2010-01-29T07:34:00.001-05:00

SNOW DAY!

2010-01-09T21:10:00.002-05:00

Ready for snow!

"Mom, I REALLY hate snow!"

My little shoveler

We had our first significant snowfall of the season on Thursday. Although 4 inches isn't a huge amount, it seemed to shut down the city and our preschool was closed. So after nap time the boys and I tried to clear up some of the snow. Brendan had a blast and Ryan was REALLY not fond of the white stuff so we came in early and once Kevin came home he and Brendan finished up the shoveling. Luckily our neighbor Mr. Paul also used his snow blower on our driveway which was a huge help. This snow doesn't seem to be going anywhere since it is still FREEZING and we are continuing to have snow showers off and on. Guess winter is finally here! I am sure this isn't the last snow day we'll have in 2010.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-09T20:52:00.006-05:00

3 elves at the science museum

At Lynn's

Happy New Year!

Grandpa Lundy and Janet made the trek to Louisville for the latter half of our winter vacation. Poor Paul and Jan thought they were coming "south" for some warmer weather but surprise! We seem to be just as cold as New Jersey right now. It was great to visit with them and we went to the Science Center one day to have some play time and to see the Titanic artifact exhibit. After some fun, we had lunch at Lynn's Paradise Cafe, a quirky local restaurant. Wish we checked before we went though, since they were having a pajama party! You got special New Year's noisemakers if you wore your pj's - but of course the kids got their own anyways just for being cute. The rest of the visit was spent relaxing and playing, and everyone saw "Alvin and the Chipmunks" at the movies minus Ryan and Meredith who stayed home to nap. We brought in the New Year at home eating appetizers, drinking wine, and playing Wii golf. We even stayed up to see the ball drop on tv! A great time had by all. All the best in 2010!

Ryan is 11 months!

2010-01-09T20:45:00.003-05:00

Ryan at 11 months

Poor, poor Ryan - we are completely missing his monthly milestones. But we do take pictures - honest! Ryan was 11 months on December 29th and now has about 7 teeth (think more are coming), still is eating everything in sight, is crawling like crazy, and starting to get more steady on his feet. Hopefully he'll be walking by his birthday! He is still a happy baby and has these words: mama, dada, ba-ba, brotha, ca (cat), hi, and ball. Nana and Papa Hampson will be here his birthday weekend so we'll probably have some pizza and cake. Can't believe Ryan is almost one - this year has flown by!

Brendan and the new tool bench

2009-12-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

This video is for Nana and Papa to see! He loves playing with the tools :)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-29T20:15:00.003-05:00

Our family

With Grandma

The Lundy boys

Ryan's favorite toy :)

Santa came!

We were blessed with another wonderful Christmas with our family, and Ryan's first Christmas ever! Kevin's mom Lillian arrived from New Jersey on Wednesday and we settled in, doing some last minute shopping and getting ready for the holidays. On Christmas Eve we put together our traditional baked ziti and put it in the oven to bake while we went to the 5pm Children's Mass. Brendan loved seeing the manger at church and sang lots of the Christmas carols. The boys did pretty well at church considering Brendan was wired for Santa coming and Ryan was tired. After church, we put Ryan to bed and ate our dinner. Brendan got into his pj's and put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, then we read the Night Before Christmas. He went to bed like a dream - of course - and both kids slept well. We were up around 7:30 a.m. and Brendan was so excited to see if Santa came! The boys started opening their gifts and were blessed with lots of fun toys and gifts from family. In fact, we had so many gifts from all the grandparents as well as Santa that Christmas spilled over into the basement! Brendan's favorite toys were his trains from Santa and the Mickey Choo Choo Express from Grandpa and Janet. Ryan really loved the boxes and paper, and his new puppy and Sesame Street ball from Grandma. They really are lucky boys to have so many people love and spoil them! I made a prime rib for Christmas dinner which was delicious and Brendan spent the day playing in his pj's and hardly stopping to eat. What a wonderful day! Grandma stayed a few extra days and we also went to visit the Louisville Slugger museum which had a Charlie Brown exhibit. Grandpa and Janet arrive tomorrow from New Jersey as well so we'll celebrate the New Year with them and Kevin and I have a date night on Saturday to see White Christmas at the Kentucky Center. Kevin is off work all week so we are enjoying our time with him!

Brendan's Preschool Christmas Program

2009-12-17T14:09:00.005-05:00

Brendan and Michael

Kevin, Ryan, and I all attended Brendan's preschool Christmas program today. Brendan's been practicing for weeks, so it was wonderful to finally see the whole thing together. They also did a "behind the scenes" video for the parents beforehand which included asking the kids questions like "What do we celebrate at Christmas?" and "What does Mommy want for Christmas?" The director asked Brendan "What is your favorite part of school?" and of course Brendan answered "eating lunch." He is definitely his father's son! After the program, the kids got to see Santa and eat cookies. Brendan took a picture with his best friend Michael whom he just adores and always likes to see on school days. Enjoy the video - he had a great time!

Boys at Play

2009-12-16T09:23:00.002-05:00

With the temperatures dropping, we are staying in a lot more. It can get a little boring, so we look for things to do. One of them is making Ryan laugh. Enjoy!

Santa Claus Came to Town

2009-12-14T14:49:00.006-05:00

This year we decided to meet Santa at the zoo. Louisville Zoo was doing a Santa Safari for the first time this year so we went to a room at the zoo where we made an ornament, colored pictures, had some of Mrs. Claus's yummy cookies, and got a picture with the big guy himself. Of course they built up Santa's arrival and when he came in Brendan was in AWE! I've never seen him so excited - this year Christmas is just so much fun with him. After waiting in line since we were at the last table, Ryan had kind of had it with the event. Ry lasted all of 3 seconds on Santa's lap (see picture) but Brendan quietly told him the 4 Thomas trains he wanted: Hiro of the Rails, Spencer, Victor and Kevin. He actually got quite shy. We also saw a reindeer at the zoo - Mistletoe, cousin of Rudolph. It was a fun event and we'd definitely go again! Much better than waiting in line at the mall...

Deck the Halls

2009-12-08T14:30:00.004-05:00

Last weekend our whole family was finally in town together so we put up our Christmas tree and decorated for the holidays. Brendan is VERY into Christmas this year - he loves to sing Christmas carols and tried to put every ornament on the tree. He just cracks us up, especially when opening ornaments he said "I remember this one!" like he really remembers from last year when he was two. He also found a Santa "costume" on clearance at Babies R Us so he loves dressing up like Santa. Ryan has been great with the tree, and both kids are enjoying their Little People nativity set. Brendan is very into the Christmas story this year, except he keeps trying to put Baby Jesus on top of the manger where the angel should go. We are very much looking forward to Christmas Day, and I think Brendan may burst from the waiting!

We also had our first snowfall on Monday. It was nice and light, and hardly stuck on the ground for more than a few hours but made everything a nice shade of winter white. My kind of snow!

Ryan is 10 months

2009-12-03T20:46:00.003-05:00

Poor Ryan - he turned 10 months old on the day we left Texas and I kind of forgot about it (oops). But now is he only 8 short weeks away from being ONE! He is so much fun right now and is truly a very happy baby. Brendan took his first steps at 10.5 months and I have a feeling Ry won't be too far behind. He is cruising like crazy and always pulling himself to stand, but just can't stand on his own yet. He'll get there soon though. He has a few words, the newest of which is "brota" which we think is brother. He also says mama, dada, "ca" for cat, and bubba for bottle. He is impossible to stop for a picture but I tried :)

The North Pole Express

2009-11-30T21:06:00.009-05:00

As many of you know, Brendan is OBSESSED with trains. Big, small, medium-sized - it doesn't matter, he loves them all. So when we knew there was going to be a North Pole Express event at the Grapevine Railway Museum we got tickets far in advance. The event was great - a sing-a-long to start, "snow" falling outside, Frosty and Rudolph were walking around (and the Grinch, which B was not fond of). He couldn't wait to get to the North Pole and meet Santa. When Santa boarded the train, Brendan was mesmerized! The music and ambiance were wonderful, and it really got us all into the holiday spirit. We hope to take this train ride every year!

Thanksgiving Re-cap

2009-11-30T20:38:00.004-05:00

We just got back from a wonderful week visiting my family in Dallas. Although we had a rough flight down there - we found out the hard way that Ryan now will NOT sleep on an airplane - we were able to spend lots of quality time with the Hampsons. We arrived on Monday and on Tuesday we met Lauren and my Dad at their office for lunch. I think they loved showing the boys to their co-workers! After lunch we headed to Whole Foods to pick up our "Tom the Turkey" as Brendan would say. Even though it was still a few days until Thanksgiving, the grocery store was crazy! Tuesday night Kevin and I met one of his old coworkers and his wife for a dinner out - it was great. Visit Mi Piaci if you are ever in Dallas!

Wednesday Mom and I took the boys to the North Park mall to see a great train display. Brendan was in heaven. Later that afternoon, Lauren and I had a spa day and lunch while Dad and Kevin played golf. Finally it was Turkey Day! We enjoyed a relaxing day at home eating turkey, visiting with family, and watching football. A typical holiday. Kev and I also were able to see A Christmas Carol with Lauren and Matt that night (our first movie night since August!)

Friday we went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the flowers and some holiday decorations. Brendan loved the pirate ship and hay maze. Saturday was our BIG day out at the Grapevine Railway Museum (separate post) to ride on the North Pole Express. This was definitely our highlight of the trip. We were able to visit with Kevin's cousin and his wife as well in Grapevine. Sunday we headed home! The flight home was quick, and it is nice to be back in our house and routines. What a great holiday - now we can't wait to celebrate Christmas!

"Mommy and Ryan" Time

2009-11-15T13:08:00.003-05:00

Ryan stands up to root for Tom Brady!

This weekend Kevin and Brendan went to visit Grandma for her birthday in New Jersey, so I had some quality time at home with my second born. Ryan and I spent our time together playing, doing some Christmas shopping, and going to church. We also donned our Pats gear for the big football game tonight! It was lots of fun having just time with Ryan - Brendan and I had 2 1/2 years of one-on-one time and Ryan will only know having a sibling, so it was nice giving him lots of attention. Although we miss the big kid and Daddy and can't wait to see them tonight!

Trick or Treat!

2009-10-31T21:18:00.002-04:00

Ryan is 9 months/Halloween Fun

2009-10-29T18:28:00.004-04:00

Ryan is 9 months old!

The 3-year old class

Eating a snack

Brendan the "right" Buzz

Ryan turned 9 months old today! He is a ton of fun right now: starting finger foods, pulling up to stand on everything, tormenting the kitty, and playing with his brother. He also has learned to stand at the train table which is not making Brendan too happy! Sometimes he'll share trains, other times he throws a fit. Guess it had to happen sometime! We went to the doctor today and Ryan weighs 19 pounds (40th percentile) and is 29.5 inches (90th percentile). So he is still really long, but not gaining weight as fast - mostly from all the moving around he does! He also got two shots and a finger prick to check for iron levels - and he was NOT happy with the doctor and nurse today. His stranger anxiety was in full swing and he did not like either of them touching him. Luckily he is still in good spirits and sleeping well. We'll take him back again in 3 months for the big one-year check-up!

After lunch, we all went to Brendan's school for the costume parade. There were several Buzz's but of course Brendan was the "right Buzz" and everyone else was the wrong Buzz (if you've seen Toy Story 2, you'll get this). We went back to his classroom for treats and at first we felt like Brendan was ignoring us - is he embarrassed of us already?? Then he warmed up and was excited to show us around his classroom and his friend's costumes. Looking forward to trick-or-treat this year - especially since he REALLY knows what candy is this year!!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-20T12:26:00.005-04:00

On my birthday, we drove east to Gallrein Farms in Shelbyville, KY. Since Brendan was 15 months old (by the way, Ryan really looks like him in this old post) we've been making a yearly pilgrimage to a pumpkin farm to pick a pumpkin, a few gourds, and enjoy family time in the hay. I was really missing our Ohio farm, Leeds, but our trip to Gallrein was very similar. This one even had pony rides and I was very surprised that Brendan wanted to ride one! Normally he'd shy away from something like that. We even ran into one family from church and one from Moms Club, so I am really beginning to feel settled here once I see people I know. Another wonderful fall birthday and a great trip to the pumpkin farm!

Happy Birthday Meredith!!

2009-10-18T00:07:00.002-04:00

Meredith turns 32 today! The kids are hoping to take her to the pumpkin patch and to lunch, before relaxing at home with a steak dinner. Hopefully Mommy enjoys her special day and the kids give her a bit of a break!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-10-13T10:03:00.006-04:00

Ahhh...fall. It is my favorite time of the year: pumpkins, apple picking, wearing cozy sweaters on sunny, cool days and of course the celebrations - my birthday, Lauren's birthday and Mom and Dad's anniversary! We've been celebrating this wonderful season here in Louisville. A few weeks ago, Kevin's work had a "Family Fun Day" with lots of activities, a pumpkin patch, and a cowboy-costume contest. Brendan had a blast hanging with his friends Austin and Grace and bouncing in the bounce houses. He is also very busy with Y soccer - and even scored his first goal last game! Go Brendan!

Nana and Papa Hampson came to visit us from Texas last weekend. This allowed Kevin and I to sneak away for a much-needed night away at the Seelbach Hilton and we enjoyed a wondeful dinner at the Oakroom and watched the musical A Chorus Line at the Kentucky Center. Nana and Papa took the boys on many neighborhood wagon rides and Papa played golf with Brendan in the backyard. When we returned refreshed on Sunday we got ready to go to the Halloween Party at the Louisville Zoo. This zoo really goes all out with props, costumes, and Brendan's favorite part - getting candy! He kept chanting "more candy!" and running towards the trick or treat stations. I think he was more interested in the "getting" than the actual eating which was fine by us. Nana and Papa returned to Texas yesterday, but we will be making the trip south for Thanksgiving. Tomorrow we have another trip to a pumpkin patch and hope to take a nice drive to see the foliage this weekend. Because as nice as this fall weather is, we hear it will be a cold winter - which means the snow and ice are just around the corner.

Happy 8 Months Ryan! (a few days late)

2009-10-01T20:57:00.005-04:00

Ryan turned 8 months old on Tuesday. He continues to be such a wonderfully good and happy baby! Seriously, I don't know what we did to get such a good kid. He is having fun crawling on his belly and sometimes can get up on all fours, but really can get around with his army crawl. He FINALLY has a little tooth coming in on the bottom and you can see the tiniest bit of white but it is there. Poor guy does seem a little miserable with the teething though. He loves his brother, and has a newly discovered love for the cat. Now when he sees her he makes a "k" sound and I'm sure in a few months he'll be saying kitty. For now it is just "mama," "dada," and "baba." We can't wait to watch him these next few months and look for those first steps! He is so much fun!

Two Peas in a Pod

2009-09-26T12:16:00.004-04:00

Brendan has been such a Daddy's boy lately! We've been lucky to have Kevin home a lot lately, and Brendan is loving it. Yesterday Kevin came home from a quick trip to Nashville and Brendan was so excited! At dinner, Brendan had to have a big soup spoon like Daddy and wanted to dip his bread into the broth just like Daddy does. Kevin also dressed them alike for the Yankee game last night (of course he was in charge of getting him ready!) and they like to play hide and seek, and Brendan always goes to hide exactly where Daddy hid last. It is exciting to watch, and also gives me a little break since Ryan is SUCH a Mommy's boy right now. Since Ryan and I are fighting colds, Kevin and Brendan went to Y soccer this morning and are having a "special time" at Chuck-e-Cheese's for lunch. These two are so alike it is scary!

Soccer Season

2009-09-22T09:25:00.005-04:00

Planning team strategy

Brendan at play

Go team!

Ryan, cold and bored in the stroller

We started YMCA soccer last Saturday at the ungodly hour of 8am (yikes!). Luckily this was our only 8am game of the season, due to the UK vs. UofL football game at noon that day. Kevin is our coach and our team name is the Royal Knights. Despite being down 3 players and playing a team of almost 4-year olds versus our young 3 team I think they mostly had a fun time. Brendan quickly became distracted by a Thomas the Train toy another boy had on the sidelines so after that he pretty much was done with the game. Hopefully next week will go better! Go Royal Knights!

A Visit from Nana

2009-09-14T13:51:00.006-04:00

Nana Cindy came into town last week from Texas. Kevin was supposed to have a work trip, but luckily he stayed home so we actually had a little alone time together. Nana watched the kids so I could go to the dentist, have a massage, and do some grocery shopping alone. She also came with us to a fun, free event where the Christmas Carol train made a stop at Louisville Union Station. This movie comes out in November, and we were able to walk on the train, see the costumes, how the movie was made, and watch a free preview in 3D. But Brendan did NOT want to watch the movie, and kept telling Nana "we go out!" of the movie tent. I did get to see the preview with Ryan, who was fascinated with the movie screen. Friday night Kevin and I went to dinner and to the mall alone, which was very nice. And he was happy to hear Derek Jeter's record-breaking hit on the radio on the way home. We miss Nana already - but she'll be back in October! She'll be bringing Papa Barry next time.

We also had our soccer picture day on Saturday so Coach Kevin and Brendan were wearing their uniforms. The first game is next week, and we can't wait! We also started Ryan on a few finger foods and using a sippy cup. He loves the puffs and right now loves to throw his cup off his high chair. Brendan also really loves Ryan's new "cheerios" which he gave up eating about 2 years ago, but whatever. Can't wait to give Ryan some more finger foods!

The End of Summer

2009-09-08T09:53:00.004-04:00

We had a wonderful, relaxing 3-day weekend in Kentucky. Saturday morning the bear Corduroy (Brendan calls him Cordur-boy) visited our local Barnes and Noble for story time. So we packed up to meet him, and Brendan was very excited! He's at a stage where he LOVES big, costumed characters. After meeting the bear, we had a nice lunch at Five Guys next door (yum). All this is only 1 mile from our house here, so we feel lucky! Saturday night we stayed in, watched a Scooby Doo marathon, and went to bed early. Sunday we went to church and afterwards I had Brendan help me "bake" cupcakes. He hasn't been too interested in cooking except in his "play" kitchen and grill, but it was nice to have some help - plus he was interested in the finished product. On Monday, Mommy completely forgot we still had soccer class until it was too late (oops) so Daddy took Brendan to our local indoor bounce house play center. Brendan loves this place so he had a great time. All in all, it was a nice weekend where we didn't have to rush around - those weekends will be coming up soon enough with YMCA soccer on Saturdays and Sunday school on Sundays. Too bad summer is over, it went by too quickly! But my favorite season of fall will be here before we know it.

Big Changes

2009-09-01T11:24:00.005-04:00

Ready to go!

Outside school

Brendan in his new class

Ryan is 7 months!

Brendan started preschool this morning, at the same school he's been going to since we moved here. Now he's going two mornings a week, 9-1pm and will eat lunch there too. He moved into a new room but some of the same kids are with him, especially his friend Michael who he adores. Kevin took the day off to help with the drop off but Brendan did great and was so excited to get back to school. Mommy was very excited too! Those mornings with only one kid are wonderful.

And Ryan turned 7 months last week! Where is the time going? He is sooo close to fully crawling but right now can move around pretty well with his little army crawl/scoot. And he can get into all of Brendan's toys, so Brendan will say "No Ryan!" and immediately give him a "baby" toy which he is just not interested in. Hopefully one day Brendan will be willing to share some of his toys with Ry.

Our new schedule now that fall is here is crazy busy: Locker Soccer on Mondays, school Tuesday and Thursday, playgroup on Wednesday, Y Soccer on Saturday, and now Sunday school at church. Phew! At least we have Fridays free :)

Soccer Star

2009-08-24T14:49:00.003-04:00

Brendan started soccer again at the Locker Soccer indoor facility here in Louisville. Since he turned 3, this is his first time going to class by himself. I started out with him while a very nice grandma watched Ryan in the car seat, and then told Brendan I had to go check on Ry after a few minutes. When I tried to go back in, he yelled at me "Mommy I do it by MYSELF!" So after that he was fine doing class with the other kids. Hmmm...good for him, but sad to be not needed by my 3-year old! He also will start Y soccer on Saturdays soon - with Daddy as his coach.

We also are battling colds here, which I guess is to be expected with the change in temperatures - it was in the 50s last night. Ry seems to be on the mend, and Brendan has a fever and cough right now. Hope we all get well soon - preschool starts next week!

Another Typical Day

2009-08-20T14:52:00.004-04:00

We brought Brendan in this morning to visit with a new allergist and get retested for milk. Still pretty much the same prognosis - he has a fairly high reaction and continue to avoid all milk products. We got a new prescription for an epi-pen should we need it and they said we don't have to come back until he's 5. But they are confident he'll outgrow a milk allergy as most kids do (and I did) but they aren't going to speculate as to when. Since Brendan was such a good boy at the doctor's office, I took the kids to the mall to pick out a new toy at the Disney store. Our intent to buy a Woody doll from Toy Story ended up being a Woody, Buzz, and Bullseye the horse - all on sale! But he's very happy and napping with them all right now.

And Mr. Ryan is moving like crazy! I found him here when I was cleaning the kitchen up after lunch.

Just another crazy, busy, and typical day for us!

Ryan's Firsts

2009-08-16T09:19:00.006-04:00

Handsome guy

Ryan has been a busy little guy lately. Yesterday we had to take him for his first haircut since his baby comb-over was really getting into his eyes. Right on schedule too, since Brendan also had his first haircut at 6 months. Ryan also has been scooting around like crazy and we think he is close to crawling. He really can move when he wants something, especially if it is one of big brother's trains or cars! Ryan also has said "Mama" last week but we haven't heard it lately. But Kevin did witness it so we are counting it! And the times he has said "Mama" Brendan goes "Mommy, he said you!" But according to Brendan, Ryan can also say "Five Guys" so he isn't too reliable. Our baby boy is growing up way too fast this time around!

Staycation of sorts

2009-08-11T17:52:00.005-04:00

Brendan on the train

Ryan's first train ride

Brendan NOT excited for the dolphins

Brendan and Mommy

Boys "sleeping" at the hotel

Last weekend we drove the 2 hours north to Indianapolis for a nearby "staycation." Even though we've traveled to New York and Atlanta this summer, we really haven't had a real "vacation" where we have nothing to do but have some family fun. So we checked into the Embassy Suites (free breakfast- yum!) and enjoyed some of the sights of Indy. I took the kids to the Children's Museum back in April and wanted to go back with Kevin, so we went straight there after our drive up on Friday. It is the largest children's museum in the world, and the kids had a blast exploring. Once again Brendan loved the trains, and we also got the carousel ride in this time. After lunch and playtime, we checked into our hotel. Then of course headed straight to the pool! Brendan had so much fun and was really trying to swim "by himself." I made him wear a life jacket but he was really doing well kicking and swimming. I can't wait to sign him up for swimming this winter! He also really enjoyed the hot tub :)

After an eventful dinner at the local Outback (Ryan was sleeping well during dinner but woke up screaming and cut our evening short) we headed back to the hotel to watch movies and hang out. Saturday we visited the Indianapolis Zoo which I was really pleasantly surprised with. The Columbus Zoo is still my favorite, but Indy had a great Dolphin Show (we got soaked!), a fun train ride, and lots of cool animals. After the zoo, we once again went swimming for hours and this time had a dinner with minimal tears. Sunday I drove the boys home and Kevin headed out to the airport for a work trip. We had such a great time that we'll definitely go back! But now we are just enjoying the last few weeks of summer until Brendan starts preschool September 1st. It really flew by this year!

Happy Half-Birthday Ryan!

2009-07-29T20:43:00.002-04:00

Ryan turned 6 months old today! He is growing up SO fast. We took Ry for a check-up today where he weighed in at 17 lbs, 7 ounces (50th percentile) and is now 28 inches long (90th percentile). It looks like he inherited the Hampson height gene! Maybe he'll be 6'1'' like Papa Hampson. The doctor also gave us the go-ahead on fruits and veggies so today Ryan had sweet potatoes for lunch and dinner. He loved them! We're excited to see what other foods he likes, but he is definitely a good eater. Ryan also had 2 more shots and was NOT a big fan. He's needed some extra cuddle time today which is fine by Mommy. Now we are set for another three months when we go back for another well-check.

Family Photos

2009-07-28T10:03:00.004-04:00

Last weekend we finally took a professional family photo at our local Portrait Innovations studio. Brendan loved it of course - he is a big fan of the camera. Ryan did well despite the fact he usually clams up as soon as you point a camera at him. Hopefully all the grandparents will be happy with their new prints! And we are done with these time-consuming shoots until Christmas.

A Visit to Atlanta

2009-07-19T20:59:00.003-04:00

Brendan and Deepo the fish (who looks like Nemo)

Brendan, Austin and Grace

Ryan at World of Coke

We joined Kevin for his annual ALEC conference in Atlanta this week. His coworker Matt and his wife and two kids also went, so Brendan had some playmates around. The drive down was long, especially when Ryan would scream and wail before finally falling asleep. But we went to Atlanta mainly because of the great aquarium right near the hotel. We visited the aquarium on Thursday and Brendan had a blast. But with the summer school groups, the baby crying, and the older kids running all over the place by lunch time we were done! Luckily the husbands were able to meet us at Corner Bakery for lunch.

After a failed nap attempt, we had a great time in the pool and then met Kevin's college friend Justin for dinner at a BBQ place. The food was great, and Brendan was happy to be near the commuter trains running by. Friday Brendan went to the on-site daycare "Kids Congress" and Ryan and I visited the World of Coke. Coke was a great time, especially tasting all the sodas from around the world. Most tasted like cough syrup! Ryan and I took a nap then picked up Brendan for dinner. And Saturday we left - our stay in Atlanta seemed too short! We started on the road and made a detour in Alabama so Kevin could visit his 49th state (only Hawaii to go!). The kids were mainly good, but like all our travels they seem to unravel in the last hour. Guess they have their breaking point too!

Brendan's Three Year Stats

2009-07-19T20:52:00.004-04:00

With all the hubbub last week, I forgot to let everyone know how big Brendan is! He was 29 pounds and 36 inches at his well check-up. Both are the 25th percentile which is a big improvement over last year's 15th. So he is still a little guy, but getting bigger! We need to get him to a dentist for an appointment and do follow-up allergy testing, both in the next few months.

Two Birthdays and a Baptism

2009-07-14T14:36:00.004-04:00

Brendan is 3 today!

Brendan and his new "car"

Ryan at his baptism

Ryan and Mom and Dad

Kevin is 32 today :)

Well, we survived a busy weekend with two birthdays and Ryan's baptism here in Louisville. We were lucky to have our immediate family and some friends join us for a fun-filled weekend that included a Louisville Bats baseball game, a baptism ceremony, and lots of food - including birthday cake AND cupcakes! Now we'll move on to planning next year's birthdays. With Kevin and Brendan one day apart - it is never dull this time of year!

Brendan is THREE!

2009-07-11T07:39:00.002-04:00

Dear Brendan,

I cannot believe you are three years old today! It seems like just yesterday you came into this world – in the wee hours of the morning, 16 hours after my water broke. You certainly took your time! You showed your independent spirit from the beginning, and it is one of your most admirable traits. You made your father and me parents that day, and we couldn’t have been happier. Although we had an awkward first year trying to learn everything as we went along – from no sleep to solid foods to crawling then walking then running! Then of course your terrible two’s when you REALLY started to show your independent side and where you wanted to do everything “myself!” (still do). Now you have grown into a real little boy with lots of curiosity and questions. I love that you are so trusting and friendly and will be the first to make a friend at the playground and share your toys with anyone who asks. This year you became a big brother and I see how much Ryan looks up to you and adores you. Although you can be a little too “loving” sometimes, I imagine in the future you’ll defend your brother to anyone since you’ll be the only one that can pick on him.

We love your more than anything, Brendan and wish you a wonderful third birthday! Finally all your family can be here to share this day with you. Enjoy it!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy and Ryan

Happy July 4th!

2009-07-04T20:25:00.006-04:00

Independence Day is one of our favorite holidays. Since Kevin and I love American history and we usually go somewhere historical in the U.S. once a year on Memorial Day (we seemed to have forgotten this year) we were excited to celebrate the 4th in our new city. Now I did really miss our Orange Township parade, especially since we could just pile the kids in the wagon and walk, but we did find a nice "Old Fashioned" July 4th festival in the Crescent Hill section of Louisville. Brendan loved the kids area at the festival and went in the bounce houses and down the slide. He also LOVED the parade with the old cars - he even found a "Doc Hudson" just like on his favorite movie Cars. And he saw lots of Model T's which he affectionately calls "Nana cars." He didn't seem to understand that even Nana is not that old!! (just kidding, Mom). It was disappointing when it started to drizzle, but by that point Ryan was ready for a nap and it was a good time to go. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at home and cooking "in" due to the rain. But now both kids are in bed early and Kev and I plan to watch the fireworks on TV from our two favorite (and historic) cities - New York and Boston! Hope everyone enjoyed their July 4th celebrations!

Brendan going down the slide

Brendan and his "Doc" car

Happy July 4th boys

Hanging at the festival

Ryan is 5 Months

2009-06-29T21:02:00.003-04:00

Baby Ryan is growing like crazy! He is 5 months old today and eating well, sleeping well (knock on wood), and really moving around. He is "practicing" sitting up by himself with some help and loves to lay on his belly and do that swimmy thing. He'll probably be crawling before we know it! Fun for him, scary for me. But he continues to be a great baby, and we are excited for his baptism in a few weeks - which will actually also be on Kevin's birthday :) We love you Ry Ry!

Happy 4th Anniversary!

2009-06-29T20:51:00.003-04:00

Four years ago

Even though Kevin was out of town on our actual anniversary date (for the first time ever) we had a lovely date night out at our fave place, The Melting Pot on Saturday night. The first surprise was that Kevin's Dad and Janet called the restaurant and left us a nice bottle of red wine at our table. The second was a surprise gift from Kevin - a 5 show package from Broadway Across America at the Kentucky Center in Louisville. Since I always complain that I always plan date nights (pick the date, find a sitter, make a reservation, etc.) he's now planned 5 date nights - until July 2010! I was very impressed. We'll be seeing A Chorus Line, 39 Steps, White Christmas, Legally Blonde, and Jersey Boys. I am very excited!! I don't think we've been to a musical since we lived in D.C. What a great husband I have!