KidCity Children's Museum

This week I brought Colby to KidCity Children's Museum in Middletown, CT. We have driven by the museum many times and had heard great things about it so with no more swim lessons, we had the day free. The museum is geared toward really small kids, ages 1-5 or so. There were bigger kids there later in the afternoon but they were just running around and being really loud. The museum has rooms with different themes: the ocean, the farm, space, Main Street USA, etc. There are toys in each area so the kids can just use their imaginations to play and explore. One room was set up as a theater complete with costumes, puppets, puppet stage, and cameras with the computers showing everything so someone can direct things. Another room had a huge pirate ship with rubber fish to sort by color or place on converyor belts and pulleys. A really neat way to learn cause and effect. As you can see Colby had a blast. What a fun place to go to. I hope to get him to the other children's museums around the state.

And here are a couple photos of Colby the Artist. We bought him some paint and brushes and he just loves it. This is an outside activity!

Sunflower Farm

This past week Colby and I went with Mike's Aunt Jo to Buttonwood Farm. They are well known for their sunflowers and ice cream. The give hay rides and you can buy bundles of sunflowers. All proceeds go to the Make A Wish foundation. We went last year when Colby's cousins Jake and Eva were here from Utah in August to see the sunflowers but in August they don't have the hay ride. This year Aunt Jo wanted to make sure Colby go his hay ride. And he loved it. Here are a few pics from our day.

Since we had brought Colby to the farm last year, I thought it might be neat to get a photo of him sitting on the fence just like last year. What a difference a year makes! He has definitely grown up just a little.

Fun For All Week....edit for cute moment

This past week was very busy. We had two great playdates with some of our Russian friends. Sharon and Sean met us on Monday for a pool date.

On Thursday Christine and her boys Roman and Max came from New York for a playdate. It was a pretty hot day but the boys had fun playing inside while Christine and I got caught up on our happenings. Then we all went outside so the boys could play on the swingset and in the sandbox. Unfortunately, Colby wasn't feeling quite well. He had a slight fever Wednesday night and it continued most of Thursday. But he had fun with the boys. We went to lunch and then to the local playground. All too soon it was time for them to head home.

Friday Colby and I did some school shopping. We also watched "The Backyardigans Polka Palace" which Colby loved. He loves music and that reminded Mike about my clarinet and saxophone upstairs. So we brought them out and Colby loved trying to play them. He seems to be a natural!

Then Saturday we enjoyed Lake Warmaug with Mike's parents. Lots of swimming on a hot humid day.

The weekend finished with a trip to the Butterfly place in Massachussetts with my mom. Colby seemed to enjoy it but he did shy away from them when they flew toward him. They also had some exotic frogs, lizards, and chameleons there as well as some very cute button quails. One cute note: Colby is very observant and is always listening, even when you think he isn't. He is starting to realize that people have more than one name (Mommy is also Melissa, Daddy is Michael, etc). When we were out with my mom he wanted her to see something and he called to her, quite loudly, "Grandma Donna!". Very cute.

After so much fun, Mommy and Colby enjoyed the day home today doing some chores and listening to the rain and thunder. We had some but not much. The storms missed us again. But the little bit of rain cooled us down a little. But here's some great photos from our week of fun.

At the Pool Club

Yesterday Colby and I had a great playdate with Sean and Sharon. We went with them to the pool club. The water was great and the boys had a great time playing together. Colby the shark loved running into the pool and going under water. After just a few swim lessons he thinks he's Michael Phelps or something, ready for the Olympic team. He really is getting the hang of it though and can almost keep himself afloat. He's also just now trying to float on his back. Before he hatied being on his back. Now he tries to do the backstroke. I think he drank a gallon or more of pool water. Here's some great photos.

Lake Winnepasaukee, New Hampshire

This holiday weekend we went to my parents' house on Lake Winnepasaukee. We had brought Colby there last year, also for the 4th. That time my Kristin, Steve, and Teddy, and Keith and Little Keith came too. This year it was just us with my parents. We had a lot of fun and many things were checked off of the "To Do With Colby the First Time" list. Here are just a few:

1) Walk along the ocean. We took a different route to N.H. stopping in Kittery and York Maine. Although Colby and Mommy have gone to the beach in Rhode Island, Daddy hadn't come and that wwas Long Island Sound. The beach in Maine was very rocky but we had a nice walk. It was cool on Thursday so no swimming. But Colby liked looking for the smooth broken pieces of sea shells.

2) Go swimming at the lake. Last year it was cold and rainy most of the holiday. This weekend started out cool and then came the heat wave!

3) See fireworks. Last year Colby was asleep when they started but this year we took him to Alton Bay. We listened to a band at the pavilion, danced a little, ate tons of ice cream, and enjoyed the fireworks. They set them off from a barge in the bay and they look amazing over the water.

4) Go on a boat ride. Grandpa got his boat in the water and we went for two rides. Colby loved it!

5) Go on a train ride. There is a scenic train that runs along the water from Meridith to Laconia. Colby loved watching the water and listening to the train's whistle. He did great for the two hour ride.

So it was definitely a great weekend. We also learned that Colby can't stay put even in a twin bed. He fell off of the air matress every night. One morning Mike found him under the mattress! Yikes! I guess we will stick with the toddler bed and rail and hold off on converting it to the full size bed for now. But here's just a few fun photos!

Photo courtesy of Colby. He LOVES to take the camer and take pictures. Not too bad huh?

In a Whirlwind

Ok. Need some happy thoughts sent my way. As some of you know, I was a teacher for many years before we adopted Colby and I stayed home with him. There are many reasons that brought me home and had me leave my job. Not all were my choice but in the end it turned out great. I am thrilled with knowing that I have had over a year with my son, at home. The growth he has made would not have been possible if I was teaching full time and he was in day care. I thank God that I had this chance and that financially we have been ok. However, things would be easier if I did have a job again. And with Colby going to morning preschool in the fall, Mommy now has some free time. So, here I am putting in resumes and hoping something comes up. This trully isn't a great time to be looking for a teaching job. So many layoffs and schools closing. Thankfully I have a reading certificate so I can be a reading support teacher, not just an elementary classroom teacher. I have already had 2 different interviews this spring. I recently had an interview for a part-time reading position at an elementary school. The school is great and it would fit nicely, although it is a long commute. The principal interviewed 9 people and 4 of us went for a second interview. That was yesterday. Now they are checking references and will send 2 names to the superintendent to choose from. Ugh! How much more complicated can the process be??? So I should here something soon. Keep your fingers crossed. I also have an interview scheduled for tomorrow (I just got a call for it this morning!). This would be a full-time position teaching reading/language arts in a middle school. Not really where my experience is but 6th grade can't be that bad, can it?? I have a ton of other resumes sent out for posted positions and am just waiting. Ugh! I am so tired of getting my hopes up, becoming a nervous wreck for each interview, and hearing "No thanks. We found someone else.". When will good news come my way.

So, I am just asking for you to send us good thoughts and keep your fingers crossed that some good news comes my way.

Big Boy, a Bike, and a New Look

Well, I had a few spare moments on Saturday morning while Mike and Colby were mowing the lawn. I felt the need for a change so now my blog has a new look. What do you think?

Also, my little boy is becoming more of a big boy everyday. I am excited, yet a little saddened, by the latest news. My big boy received his information for preschool. He will be entering the 3 year old preschool through our city in the fall. Yikes! I think this will be a great thing for him. He loves to learn new things and the structure of a classroom might settle him a little. But good luck to his teacher! We'll see how Mommy feels in the fall.

And a few great photos. My big boy is learning how to ride a very big boy bike. Thanks to my wonderful sister, Karin, we have a big boy bike for Colby. It was my nephews', Max and Alex, bike. It is a little big but Colby loves it. Mike brought it out on Saturday morning thinking we would just push Colby around on it and maybe he'd peddle it a little. Well, he got the hang of it and we had to go out that night and get him a helmet. He can peddle all the way down our street but hills are still a little tough. So we'll stick to straight aways. You might notice in the photos, but Colby loves to look down at the tires and the peddles turning, not straight ahead. We'll have to work on that I guess. What a big boy!