Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Apple Picking!

Sunday ended up being a perfect day for heading out to the orchard. Overcast and cool, but not uncomfortably so. I was excited to see how the kids would like it. I don't think we ever ended up making it last year. We'd gone two years ago with my dad and stepmom. Jake and Liz were a little over a year old and not yet walking so they got to ride in the stroller. I remember Alexa going overboard and picking lots and lots and lots of apples!

This year I took the kids solo as Chris had to work the night before and hadn't gotten much sleep due to soccer and a wedding. Of course he ended up not being able to sleep anyways because the realtor woke him when she came to show the building.

Most of the orchards are 45 minutes from us, as is most anything (or it feels that way). I ended up going to one that was just about a half hour away that I've always driven past but never stopped at, called Country Fair Farm. And I'm glad I did! They had a wagon ride to/from the trees. While you waited there was a little playground area, pumpkins to check out, and baby animals (pigs, pygmy goat, and lambs) to pet or feed. Once we arrived at the trees I set them loose with their bags.

Alexa originally tried to hand everyone 1/2 bushel bags. I told her that I didn't really need that many apples. Instead we ended up with a 1/2 bushel bag and 3 pecks.
I think that I picked maybe a dozen apples myself, the rest were all the kids. There were lots at just the right height for them to get themselves, but it was also fun to lift them for higher ones, or watch Alexa try to pick them up. Or watch them try and jump for them.


We stopped at dad's on the way home to pick up some canning supplies and his treasured KitchenAid mixer. I set to work the next day making some applesauce. We've still got 3 pecks left, to eventually be turned into other yummy treats or just munched as is!

picking apples, and eating them is quite tiring I've been told
showing off their haul but not their lovely faces!

Monday, September 13, 2010

1st day of school - preschool style

waiting for the bus with big sis

Last Tuesday was the first day of preschool for Jake and Liz. I spent the entire summer going back and forth about whether or not to send them, and if I did where they would go. I finally decided to just keep them close to home. Being a one car family makes it hard to go very far. So they are at the same one Alexa went to when she was 4. It's a church-based program, which is fine with me.

They spent the few days before fussing about how they didn't want to go. Day of had some rumbling, mostly from Liz who was complaining about a tummy ache. Jake, as always, had impeccable timing and had to have a stinky diaper changed right as we were heading out the door.

first day of school! One is their usual foolish self, the other wracked with nerves.

We were the last set of parents to arrive. We also went unarmed. Every other mom there had cameras - video and still. We helped them find their name tags to hang up on the wall. Jake quickly found some buses to play with. I took Liz to the bathroom then encouraged her to play. She found her way to a farmhouse that another little girl was playing with. We said our goodbyes, gathered our hugs and kisses, Chris headed for work and I came home to enjoy 2 1/2 hours of no kids.

When I went to get them it took a few minutes for them to realize I was there. Both came running over with big hugs and shouts of "mommy". Liz was ready to go, Jake wanted to stay and play with the cars some more. It took some persuading to dry his tears so we could find his bag and go home.

Their second day was Thursday. Drop off was once again smooth, while pickup was a little rougher due to no one wanting to come home. But I don't really blame them, it was hard for me to drag myself up the street to get them as I was fully enjoying my free time!

Single parent update

Here I am a week later. Obviously we survived the final days without Chris at home. Having Alexa in school from 8-3 helped a lot with our sanity. Of course evenings were their usual hectic self. But I'm finding they can be that way even with two adults on hand.

The twins and I squeezed in a beach day with my sister and her little boy on Friday. It was perfect weather and the water was wonderful. We stopped at my dad's for lunch and to visit, making it home with about 10 minutes to spare for the bus.

Saturday, the last day we spent at my mom's. We'd planned to just be there for a few hours. But Chris called to let me know that he managed to book a Cape Air flight that would have him arriving in Rockland just after 8pm. So we hung out longer to save an extra long trip. Of course I was woefully unprepared and managed to not have enough diapers. Liz was fine in undies but Jake is better off in a pullup. The only option was one of Alexa's overnight ones, which came up to his armpits. Then the only jeans were Liz's. It made for an interesting outfit, snug jeans with a gigantic pullup.

We arrived to the airport just as Chris would have been arriving. I attempted to get there early but got a bit lost in the dark. I arrived to a very dark airport, turned out the flight had already arrived!

Jacob's milestones

  • weight/length @ 7: 55.6lbs, 48.75"
  • weight/length @ 5: 42lbs, 43.5"
  • weight/length @ 4: 36 lbs, 39+"
  • weight/length@ 3: 32lbs, 36.5 inches
  • weight/length @ 2 years: 26lbs, 33.5 inches
  • weight/length @ 1 year: 18lbs, 29 inches
  • walking: 11/17/08
  • standing: 3/31/08
  • crawling: army, 2/5/08
  • first time rolling: 9/30/07, belly to back
  • first smile: 9/7/07
  • birth date/time: 7/8/07, 12:49am
  • birth length: 19.5 inches
  • birth weight: 6lbs, 1oz

Elizabeth's milestones

  • weight/length @7: 53lbs, 47.75"
  • weight/length @ 5: 40 lbs, 42.25"
  • weight/length @ 4: 34lbs, 38"
  • weight/length 3 years: 28lbs, 35.5 inches
  • weight/length 2 years: 24lbs, 6oz 33 inches
  • weight/length 1 year: 18lbs, 1oz 27.5 inches
  • walking: 9/1/08
  • standing: 4/4/08
  • crawling: army 3/16/08
  • sitting alone: 2/29/08
  • first time rolling: 11/23/07, back to belly
  • first smile: 9/7/07
  • birth date/time: 7/8/07, 12:50am
  • birth length: 18.75 inches
  • birth weight: 5lbs, 8oz

Alexa's milestones

  • weight/height @ 10 (really 10.8): 186, 5'3"
  • weight/height @ 8.4 years: 113 lbs, 55.5 inches
  • weight/height @ 5 years: 61lbs, 4oz 45.25 inches
  • weight/length @ 4 years: 49lbs, 42 inches
  • weight/length @ 3 years: 38lbs, 38 inches
  • weight/length @ 2 years: 32lbs, 8oz 35.75 inches
  • weight/length @ 1 year: 22lbs, 3 oz 29.5 inches
  • 1st day of preschool: 9/3/08
  • solo somersault: 3/4/08
  • whistling: 3/2/08
  • potty training: 10/7/05
  • walking: 12/21/04
  • standing: 8/23/04
  • crawling: 8/21/04, only a week, then became a butt scoot
  • first wave: 7/27/04
  • rolling: 5/2/04, belly to back
  • sleeping thru the night: 3/1/04
  • first smile: 1/20/04
  • birth date/time: 12/4/03, 10:41pm
  • birth length: 20 inches
  • birth weight: 7lbs