Tulsa Tough

The big event of our weekend was the Tulsa Tough bike races. We watched the pros race Friday night and then John raced both Saturday and Sunday mornings. I might mention he did awesome... 2nd and 6th place!! Of course, I'm not surprised as I'm sure none of you are who know John since he is an excepetional athlete in just about any sport and he is so competitive! Mark and I had a great time cheering on daddy..even though I think my cheering may have scared him a little (I get a little too excited!) Unfortunately I don't have the greatest pics from the races but here is one-

That is John and Bryan riding up this horrific hill on Sunday mornings race. They are both really strong at racing on hills. Some of my other pics, like the race to the finish didn't turn out too well because they were looking directly into the sun. So that one will have to do. Anyway, good job John! We are proud of you!

Here is Mark and his Opa cheering on the riders-

It was a pretty busy weekend all in all. Friday night was a graduation party for the senior ER residents that I was in charge of planning. I think it turned out pretty good and everyone had fun. We had a lot of food anyway! Then the Tulsa tough business all mixed in with a garage sale my dad and I had. Luckily dad didn't mind manning the garage sale alone while I ran around watching bike races too. The garage sale was great because we made some cash and other people hauled off our junk for us. John and I are going to use our garage sale money on a trip we're taking later this summer to Jackson Hole. Rental car money I guess.

One thing I must say about garage sales (and I learned this several years ago when Lisa and I had one) is how jaw-dropping it is when you are selling say a picture frame for a quarter and someone says, "Will you take a dime for it?" Its a QUARTER! Are you kidding me? Why don't you just take it then. Its called a garage SALE not a garage giveaway! Geez. But of course you take the freakin' dime. I mean after all if they don't buy it then you're just going to trash it or donate it right. But still. I mean really. A quarter. Amazing.

Anyway, probably the most fun thing we did this weekend (for Mark anyway) was play at a new splash park on riverside drive. It was sooooo hot on Saturday afternoon and the park was packed but Mark LOVED it.





John and I had a great time watching him play too. He likes to pat other kids on the head! Its so cute. Its not in a condescending way either, its more like, "Hi buddy!" Pat, pat, pat.

He also took a snack break for goldfish and then went off to fill up his sippy cup. He would hold it under the water (with the lid on) and then take a big swig, and then repeat that over and over.

I will say that apparently he really is my child. I know he is just like John with the blond hair and blue eyes and all, but he is tanning really well so maybe he got just a little of my cherokee heritage! I'd like to think at least one thing about him is like me!! =)

And I just have to throw this last one in. Mark loves his Mobley Falls!

The faces of Mark

John and Mark had some fun last night while I was at bible study....they played golf in the closet! Recently Mark has learned where to find John's golf balls in the garage. And now he knows all about the clubs. In fact, this afternoon when we got home he brought me a club and was saying, "ball? ball?" Looks like he may need his own set of clubs soon at the rate we're going. Anyway, these pictures cracked me up!

Mr. Cheesy

John said he was yelling, "F-O-R-E!!"

Is he on speed?

Something about this pic reminds me of his cousin Lexi.

Last but not least, he finally got tired!

Mother's Day

What a lucky mom I am!! First of all, I have a beautiful, healthy, blue-eyed boy that loves to smile. Second, I have the most supportive husband in the world. And third, I didn't even have to cook for any of our mothers on mothers day! I offered...I promise I offered...but they chose to go out to eat! Yippee! So we had bruch with my mom at First Watch and dinner with John's mom at a mexican restaurant that I can't remember the name of. Both were delicious and Mark was of course the star of the show both times!




About a week ago we had a very special visit....from Aunt Karen! Aunt Karen is actually John's aunt who used to baby-sit John when he was little. She and her fam still live in Denver and are who John and I "went to visit" when he proposed to me in college. (He said we were going to visit his family and to see a Bronco's game when really he took me on a hike in the mountains and proposed! Aunt Karen was in on the whole thing!) Anyway this was Aunt Karen's first time to meet Mark and she couldn't stop saying how much Mark looked like John when he was little! I guess its official..Mark looks like John!

Brushing

The newest cool activity around here is brushing. We brush our hair, we brush our teeth, we brush the dogs, etc. You get the picture. The only problem is determining which type of brush to use for each brushing occasion. I think I must have introduced all of the different kinds of brushes and all of the different things you can brush all in the same week. Mark has brushed his hair with his toothbrush and his teeth with his hairbrush. In fact, just tonight I saw him try to brush his hair with a fork. I can kinda see where a fork resembles a brush...sort-of. So maybe we have a little remedial work to do in the brushing department!

Anyway the next few pics are a progression of Mark trying to brush the dogs with his hairbrush. He started off with Mo who surprisingly tolerated him for a little bit until his brushing turned into hammering. Then Mobley moved so Mark followed him to continue his brushing/beating. Next Rocky moved into Mark's brushing station. I swear Rocky is the most meek 110 pound brute you will ever see! He loved the attention.

Well Happy Easter to you

I feel like we treat Mark like he's a puppy sometimes and we show off his new "tricks!" But as you can see he knows a lot of body parts nowadays including his eyes, ears, nose, belly, toes, and of course...his tongue.

We had a great Easter weekend. Mark got to go on an Easter Egg hunt with Mimi at her country club and he was a good little egg hunter. The only problem was getting the egg away from him before he opened it and ate the sweettarts, nerds, snickers etc. Maybe next year he can reap the rewards of all of his hunting efforts. After the hunt there was a big breakfast at the club and apparently the chef had to come out and ask Mark to quit eating because he was running out of food for all of the other kids!

Sunday morning we got all gussied up and headed off to church..in the rain=(. Mark actually did not enjoy sunday school for the first time ever. His classrooms were packed and lots of kids were crying, so he in turn had to cry too. Poor baby. And I think his Sunday school teachers hate me now because I went to check on him between church and sunday school and he was crying with all the other kids so I just had to go in and comfort him. Well they were mad and said I just made it worse because now I would have to leave again and he would just start crying again. And they were right but I don't care. He's my baby and if I want to comfort him I will thank you very much! There is something about a mother's love that superseeds everyone elses opinion about her I guess.

Anyhoo later in the day we went to Grammy and Papa's for dinner with Marks' great-grandparents. He had a little easter egg hunt in the house and got an easter basket with a new hat and sunglasses. Which he loved and will actually wear. He also got an Easter bunny Mr. Potato Head. He's a little young for it as he can't actually get all of the pieces in or out of Mr. Potato Head but he knows where they all go. And as you can see he likes to give Mr. Potato Head lots of kisses.

"I wanna be a rock star!"


Since it was rainy we didn't get too many pics outside with the tulips but as you can see my mom's dogwood tree is blooming and beautiful!

No More Bottle...for Mom...

Hey Folks- John here. Got some thoughts I want to share on the child you know as Mark, but we know as "Mr Perfect"...

Before I became a father, had you told me that it is a lengthy process to "wean" your child off the bottle, I would have thought that statement to be true. Like most new parents, I assumed the child would fight the change in routine and struggle for a few days or weeks, or whatever, to adjust to this change in schedule. That being said, we both knew it was probably time to take on this adjustment, but Mark slept so well (and had since he was a newborn) the thought of changing something that worked great was difficult to grasp!

And so my story begins... A week or so ago, Kristy was working so I took care of the nightly bath, bottle, bedtime routine. As we'd done for over a year to perfection, after the bath I sat down with Mark to give him his bottle and when he was done put him to bed. That night was different however. It was very clear from the moment we sat down that he didn't want anything to do with the bottle, so I didn't argue. I put him in his crib, shut the door, and called it a night. The exact same process happened again the next night, so I thought great! We're done with the bottle! That was easy!

Then came the third night...but this time mom was home. She normally does the nightly routine when she's available, so when it came time for bath I explained what had been going on the last few nights. She seemed to understand and off they went...

I was doing some odds and ends around the house and I heard Mark start fussing from his room. This seemed a little odd, b/c he normally loves his nightime routine and then is out until the next morning, so I walked over to his room and stuck my head in the door. Much to my surprise there was a bottle on the table next to Kris and Mark! I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I thought he'd want it tonight." I told her again what had happened the last few nights and how this was our chance to stop the bottles, but she insisted and told me to take a hike! So I did, after a roll of my eyes, and that was that.

The next night came along and almost the exact situation occurred. So this time when I stuck my head in the door I asked, "What are you doing?" She responded with something about this time she thought he'd want it b/c his dinner was small..... I said, "OK. Try and give him the bottle again and we'll let him decide."

As if I was having deja vu, he arched his back, closed his lips, and fussed when she tried to give it to him. I looked at Kris, walked over and took the bottle away with a soft comment about who exactly are we weaning of the bottle again?! She couldn't help but smile and laugh and the guilt was written all over her face! I cracked up as I walked to the kitchen, and she did too when she came out of the room. It was a funny evening and it reiterated to me how much mama's love their babies...

If you've been around me for any length of time you know I'm a huge fan of Kristy. She is such a great mom and loves little MT so much it killed her to take away that aspect of their relationship! Not that this bottle struggle is unique to us, because I'm sure it isn't, but our deal's a little different with Kristy's insane work schedule. She often spends the night away from Mark, or is gone for the entire day, or multiple days at a time...so I don't blame her for wanting those few extra minutes with him!

Truth be told, it just makes me feel blessed. She's such a wonderful wife and mom, and such a talented individual overall. So level headed, smart, discerning, strong, and loving....this was just another reminder of those wonderful attributes that makes her the person she is!

Mark and I are lucky to have a wife/mom who, when given the chance, will always try and spend time with her two boys!

Thanks for being a great mom and wife Kris. We Love you!!!

Pics of the week

We went to the zoo yesterday and even though it was really windy the weather was still great. We started out having sunglasses on Mark only they were the kind that little bitty babies wear and they just velcro around your head. Well I feel bad saying this like I am so shallow but he really looked like the biggest nerd in the world. In fact I have a picture and I am not showing it to you because he would never forgive me! So I know the sunglasses were good for his light blue eyes but I just couldn't do it. But he was agreeable and just wore a cute hat instead. And it shielded his eyes pretty well as long as the wind didn't blow it off of his head!

And he does like looking at the animals but what beats playing with two sticks?

I have really messed up this post. Somehow I keep deleting pictures or things I've already described. Anyway the pic above is upstairs in the game room. Every once in a while you'll look up to see Mark just hanging out with all of his stuffed animals. Its pretty cute.

Well this is probably the most fun ever! We still haven't filled up this room yet so it is perfect for horseplay with daddy and its where Papa teaches Mark to stop, drop, and roll. (I've got to get that on video!)

This is Mark grinning at Aunt Lindsay and telling her she is the best Aunt in the United states. And she is telling him he is the best baby outside of the womb!