Fun Weekend, Broken Camera

As the title indicates, we had a fun weekend; and I have no pictures because the phone on my Blackberry is malfunctioning.   And I'm too lazy to take and upload photos with the "real" camera. Jason took some on his phone, so I'll have to get them emailed to me.

This week I took off Tuesday and Thursday as my Labor Day holidays (we had Friday and Monday of actual Labor Day weekend as holidays, but I had to work both days).  I enjoyed some retail therapy on Tuesday including a mani and pedi (ironically running into the woman I sit next to at work who was also enjoying her Labor Day holiday).  Thursday the only shopping I did was at a neighbor's for a Lightning McQueen bike for Will!  This is the same gal that I bought the tricycle from last year.  When I went over a few weeks ago to go through her boys' fall clothes pre-neighborhood garage sale, she told me about the bike.  She wasn't expecting her youngest to outgrow it until spring, but at 4 1/2 he's already riding his older brother's bike without training wheels!  $35 later and the Cars bike is ours!   Will rode it tonight for the first time.  He didn't "get" that if the pedals went backwards there were brakes.  The result was that he's try to coast, and would jerk to a stop. 

Yesterday our neighbors had their second annual (well, second year we were invited at least!) "Grape Stomp" which is a combination of games, potluck dinner, and wine tasting  For the second year in a row, the wine we brought won.  This year's winning entry was Josh cabernet sauvignon.  I'd never tried it before Saturday, and I agree it was the best on the table.  Jason said he's just got a knack for picking out good, cheap wine!

Today we ventured to the north suburbs for a cookout at a co-worker's house.  Will was very popular with the other 3 and 4 year olds in attendance, as he brought his Elmo backpack full of trains.  They played in the corner of the yard for quite awhile.  I never realized how close in age my peers' kids all are.  We had 9 little kids and five were 3 year olds. 

First Trip to the Dentist

Thanks to watching many, many episodes of Doc McStuffins, Will has a positive attitude about doctors these days.  So we spun his first trip to the dentist as a check up for his teeth.  He'll tell you all about the dentist - "the doctor that looks at your teeth and tells you how to brush them better."  

He actually did a fantastic job!  He was shy for a few moments when we first got there, but opened up right away to the dental hygienist.  Here he's all smiles as the chair gets reclined.  He did a great job opening wide and letting her count, scale and polish his teeth.  At the end when the dentist came in the do a quick peek, he got shy again with her.  He was confused, because he thought the appointment was already over, and he probably thought the woman he'd been dealing with all along was the dentist. 

Will went back to school, and then I had my appointment.  Ironically, the dentist ended up being my hygienist that day!  They had someone out sick, so she scaled and polished my teeth in addition to my exam.  I could tell she didn't do that every day; she didn't have the smooth touch that her hygienists do! Not too surprising.  I don't know how to do what my staff do anymore either!

William

I read an article the other day about baby names and how they change from generation to generation.  But one name has stood the test of time:  William.   It was #3 in 2011 and #2 in 1911.   I didn't know the exact placement, but did think it was probably a top 5 in American history.   We're not the unconventional type, and our baby name selection reflects that!

While we regularly call him both Will and William, when he introduces himself to people (yes, he does that, but not when prompted to do it), he says, "I'm William Shields."  In the past few weeks he has learned his middle name and now says his full name when he's speaking in third person about himself.  It's adorable.   

Zoo Day

Sunday was Shields Family Fun Day!  Mommy didn't work and we played all day.   In the morning Will played in his sandbox and with his batting tee. After lunch we loaded up for a trip to the zoo.   We got there just in time for a dolphin show, then checked out the lions, gorillas, penguins, bears and giraffes.   (That's a polar bear in the background above.)   We had an early dinner on the way home at a gourmet burger bar.   Fancy burgers and fries and adult drinks for the adults.  Grilled cheese and fries and a Starbucks strawberry smoothie for the kid.  We rounded out the day with a quick stop by the park.  A really, really fun day to wear out our bodies and energize our souls. 

Sandbox Fun

It was overcast and drizzling yesterday morning but warm, so it made perfect Building Sandcastles With Daddy While Wearing Pajamas weather.  The rain eventually came, so then it was time for lunch and Madagascar 2 movie viewing inside.