Papa's New Knee

A couple of weeks ago, my dad had his knee replaced.  After years of pain, it was time for that bad boy to come out and a brand spankin' new one to take it's place.  Lucky for us, his surgery took place at Central DuPage Hospital, only a few miles from our house.  To say that the kids were fascinated by "Papa's new knee" would be an understatement.  They couldn't wait to visit him in the hospital and see the knee in action.

 

Before we left, we had to make some pictures and a card. 

 

Since the hospital is so close and on the same train line as Glen Ellyn, we decided to ride the rails to visit.  The short, 11 minute, train ride was just long enough for us to make our way upstairs, sit down, and look out the window for about 2 minutes.  Giving us just enough time to get everyone back down the stairs.  I am sure we were a site to be seen. 

The Patagonia Brigade

Charlotte, along for the ride.

 



Ready to exit...

 



We have arrived!

 

When we walked into the hospital, Ethan, Ellie, and Henry were so confused as to why Papa was not in his bed, as he had been the night before when we visited.  They just kept staring at his bed until they realized he was hanging out in the chair, waiting to be released. 

"Papa, are you wearing a bracelet?"

 



My future's so bright!

The kids were enthralled with everything in the hospital room, especially the crutches.  And Papa's bandages.

A little too short still.

 



Trying out Auntie Kristi's rain boots.

 



Sandwich hug

(not sure where this came from, but they do it everytime they see each other)

 The 2 babies!

 

The kids had the best time visiting Papa in the hospital and the train ride made it all the more sweeter.  I hope we don't have to visit him in the hospital again for a very long time, but it was kind of fun.  My dad is doing great after his surgery and is hardly in pain.  He is walking around almost perfectly and feeling great.  Thanks Papa for letting us come visit you; we are so happy you are almost back to chasing us around the yard!

Flying

Flying...that is what our days seem to be doing lately.  I won't say I am sorry for the lack of posts because that would mean I am apologizing for spending time playing ball in the backyard, running around the park, setting up monster truck courses, or putting out pretend fires in the kitchen.  And I can't say I am sorry for any of those things because life is good...most days!  The boys have been keeping us on our toes, day and night, and we are exhausted by the time they go to bed.  Regardless, we have been enjoying the first couple weeks of summer and are looking forward to a very fun, but busy summer. 

I am going to try my hardest to update the blog on a more regular basis, but can't promise anything.  we have lots of fun things planned this summer.  Posts might consist more of pictures than words, but that is what people want anyway, right?  Oh, and I might start including some of my Pinterest and blog finds, just to mix things up a bit.  We have lots of things planned for the summer (parties, marathon training, home improvements, birthdays) so there should be plenty to share!

Peyton James

Our 2nd blessing arrived the day after Charlotte on April 8th.  At 5:27 p.m. Kelly, Jim, and Addy welcomed Peyton James Thomas.  Peyton weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 20 3/4 inches long.  He was delivered via c-section and arrived without a hiccup and is just perfect. 

 Such a sweet boy; looking just like his sister did when she was born!

Addy and Peyton, all ready to go home and start life as a family of 4!

Due to some serious miles separating all of us, we haven't been able to meet Peyton, but we can't wait to make a trip out to see the Thomas Family!  Kelly posted some more pictures of Peyton here and a little update about his birth!  Easter weekend turned out to be even more exciting than expected and we are so happy for Kelly, Jim, Addy and Peyton.  Peyton is one lucky boy to be joining "The Luckiest Family In The World."

Hello there!  It has been a long time, huh?  So many things to catch everyone up on and so little time.  I feel like that is the story of our lives lately.  Blogging has once again been put on the back burner so we can play with new toys, spend time outside (yes, even in the snow), read books and just enjoy life because it is passing by way too fast. 

The boys are getting way too big for me.  They are no longer babies and that brings tears to my eyes.  The rate at which they are growing and changing up brings forth so many emotions...it makes me sad, it scares me, but most importantly, it makes me happy!  It makes me happy because they are 2 thriving, curious, enjoyable, crazy, fun, happy little guys, learning new things, making us laugh and keeping us on our toes every.single.day.  I just wish I could slow time down, bottle each and every moment because these times are precious and much enjoyed! 

Even though Ethan is 3 1/2, he will always be my baby.  My first born, my sweet, sensitive, cautious, worry-wort perfectionist!  He is inquisitive, asking a million questions all day long!  Wanting to know everything about everything...what it is, how it works, why it was made, what do we do with it.  The curiosity also brings worry...worry about running out of gas, buildings falling down, people getting sick, Henry taking his toys when he is in another room.  Seriously, he might have a heart attach before his 6th birthday.

He wants to be a part of everything, all the time.  Like his daddy, he doesn't require (or doesn't want) much sleep, which means late bedtimes and early mornings.  Going to sleep is a battle on most nights, which doesn't make bedtime too fun, but nothing a couple of books and some tucking in "Snug As A Bug In A Rug" can't handle.

He absolutely loves school and his friends.  Cars 2 (the movie and characters), firetrucks, police cars (actually all emergency vehicles), tractors, and monster trucks all come in a close 2nd.  He is definitely a boy, but still so sensitive and sweet.  He can't resist a snuggle on the couch or a chance to sit on your lap, he just wants to be in the action and with the big kids!  School and sports seem to bring out the perfectionist side of him.  He gets frustrated easily when he can't write a letter or dribble a basketball.  A quality he definitely gets from yours truly!

Sure, we definitely experience the tantrums and whining that come with the life of a 3 year old, but those are easily forgotten with Ethan's happy energetic caring personality.  There are struggles, but we take those with a grain of salt and chalk them up to learning experiences for both Ethan and us.

Ahh, Mr. Henry...look at your sweet face!  That face prevents him from getting in trouble quite often, maybe a little too often.  To say that Henry is the exact opposite of Ethan would be an understatement.  They couldn't be more different, which makes life all the more fun.  Henry definitely keeps us on our toes; he is so sweet and so laid back, but at the same time IN.TO.EVERYTHING!  I am not sure how 20 pounds can destroy a house so fast!  Henry loves life and everything it has to offer.  He is crazy and I mean that in the kindest of ways!  He is happy pretty much all the time and doesn't let things bother him they way Ethan does.  Take a toy away from him, he just moves onto the next thing; leave him alone for a few minutes, he will find something to get into.  There are only a couple items you can't mess with; his pacis, his blankies, Elmo, and his milk.

Henry is finally starting to say a few words, which has always been my favorite part of development.  Not only do I get to hear his little voice, but he is also able to somewhat communicate to us what he wants without too much frustration.  I will get into more detail when I do his 15 month post in a couple of days.

Trains, cars and balls are some of Henry's favorite toys to play with.  He is already starting to show an interested in sports, which I think is partly because he sees Ethan kicking a soccer ball or throwing a baseball.  Basically he wants to keep up with his big brother all the time.  He thinks he can hang with the big kids and in all honesty, he probably could.  He is fearless, but oh so precious.  He just knows what he wants and how to get it.  He understands everything you say to him and seems to be more inquisitive and curious than Ethan was at this age.  The child loves to clean, do laundry, and help with the garbage.  A wife's dream someday!

Again, we have had our fair share of moments with Henry because he does get into everything.  All cabinets are child safety locked and most of the time the doors in the house have to be shut or Henry might just go missing!  You know that if the house is quiet, Henry is into something!

So, there you have it, folks!  A quick recap on the boys!  I promise to get back on the blogging band wagon.  After all, I love checking blogs and I know a few people love to check ours.  The purpose of this blog was to keep friends and family far away up to date on what has been going on in the Hunt household.  And also as a journal about the boys that I hope they will appreciate someday.  Unfortunately, this mama hasn't been too good at documenting life's little moments lately.  I like to think I have been enjoying them instead.  Until next time....

Morton Arboretum

Monday was absolutely a perfect fall day and what better place to spend the morning than at the Morton Arboretum.  I have only been a couple of times (once for a wedding and once for a race), but have always wanted to take the kids there.  Ben had the day off for Columbus Day so we packed up the kids, grabbed some Mickey D's, and headed to the Arboretum.  Well, everyone in the Western Suburbs had the same idea we did because the place was packed.  Probably not the best time to try and explore a new locale with 3 kids when masses of people are everywhere. 

We thought we would start with the children's garden and have some lunch.  We found our spot under a beautiful old tree and enjoyed a somewhat peaceful lunch!  The kids lasted long enough to fuel themselves, but then were ready to go, go, go!

After lunch, we tried out the playground, but it was a little too crowded and maybe a tad advanced for Ellie and Henry.  Ethan was having a ball, but I just kept imagining him getting lost among all the people and I started to freak a little bit.  So we moved onto the wading rock river.  All three kiddos were really enjoying themselves in the water and having a blast climbing on the rocks. 

After the wading, Ben and I needed a little break and some open space so we found a big grassy field and let the kids run free.  Ellie definitely didn't like the idea of staying on the grass; she was more interested in seeing the pond below! 

The boys were more interested in a snack!

We couldn't leave without checking out the "scarecrow" exhibit.  Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head were definitely our favorite!

Despite the crowds, the cousins had a great time and were definitely tired by the time we all got loaded back into the car.  I am hoping we can make it to the Arboretum one or two more times before the season is over.  Such a lovely place to spend the day...and oh so close to our house!

Carni's

A few weeks ago, Ben and Matt were out of town so my sister and I loaded the kids in the car and headed west to Kane County. It happened to be one of the hottest Fridays of the summer and what better way to spend a balmy summer evening than surrounded by carnis at the Kane County Fair. It took us a bit longer than expected to pack and load the 3 kiddos into the car, but soon enough we pulled into the gravel parking lot, not knowing what to expect.

We hit up the "stinky" rest rooms first and then made our way to some of the animals. First up...piggies! The visit to the pig pen only lasted about 5 minutes because Ethan was petrified of the noises and the up close and personal surrounds. The piggies were a little to close for comfort. We headed over to the cows, but decided it was best to view them from outside the barn only. Then we spotted the giant ice cream cone...a glimpse into our future...and a perfect photo op!

As we were walking toward the rides, we noticed a trailer with a small race course along the outside. Curiosity got the best of us so we moved closer to take a look. Low and behold we had showed up just in time for some piglet races. Yee haw! We hung around for a couple of races, which were quite amusing. Oh and the piglets were pretty cute, too!

Round the circle you must go!!

Then it was time for rides...the usual carnival rides that cost way too much money, but provide hours (if time and money allowed) of entertainment for a certain 3 year old.
Ellie and Henry had a good time watching Ethan, but quickly got bored and were ready to move on! Something to eat, perhaps!
Ahh, the best part of the night...ice cream! Even though it was getting late, we made one quick stop at the ice cream stand before we left. Thank goodness we did because the kids were in heaven...Kristi and I, too! All three were hot sticky messes by the time the ice cream was finished, but they thoroughly enjoyed every lick!

To me, this was the epitome of a summer night...hot humid air, fried food, loud music, sticky faces and late bedtimes! Is there anything better? Take a look at those faces...I think not!!!

Chop, Chop

On Friday, my mom and I took Ethan and Henry to get their hair cut. Although Ethan has had his hair cut several times; this was a big occasion for Henry, as it was his first time. We decided that it would be a good idea this time around not to let it grow and see how it looked long. Quite frankly, he was getting pretty shaggy and having a hard time seeing through his bangs. I am convinced he like the feeling of the shag against his forehead though because his head shaking for "no" has increased over the past week or so! I will admit I was a little nervous about his hair cut because I was afraid of losing his white hair!

Because I was in Crystal Lake with boys this weekend, we decided to take them to a local establishment that has been around for as long as I can remember...Clip Joint! A no appointments necessary type of place, but with a great kid snip area!

Here are the boys patiently waiting for their turn. Trucks, books and a television...they were in heaven!

A (bad) before shot of Henry...not too bad, but his bangs were getting a little out of control and the home haircuts were just not cutting it anymore.

Ethan, now impatiently waiting his turn. They did have race cars that you could sit in and have your haircut so we resorted to those as entertainment.

Here is my sweet baby getting his hair cut. He looks so grown up here; it almost brings a tear to my eye. He did a pretty good job, but that is relative! There was not crying or screaming, but we did have to hold him down and keep his head straight as time went on. He just does not want to sit still...at all!

And here is the after...so cute and so handsome and so grown up! Looking just like his daddy!

Brothers! Trying to capture a picture of them together is quite difficult these days...this is the best I could do!

Finally, it is Ethan's turn. He is an old pro at this, but he looks scared to death in this picture. Gripping the steering wheel so tightly. Just a quick trim for him!

Handsome Henry checking himself out!

One final attempt at a picture before we headed home! Not too bad...love how I captured the Crystal Lake on the bench...we shall never forget where Henry's first hair cut took place! Gotta love CL!

It was a fun little outing to a long standing Crystal Lake locale. I left with two very handsome little boys who were happy as clams with their suckers. The best part about getting a hair cut, for sure!