The Rowland Boys

Pictures coming soon, but here’s some video of Jackson’s first trick or treating! His spider costume (made by Mommy) turned out great and was a huge hit!

Jackson requested to be a spider this year.  We looked a bit for one at the store and on-line, and just couldn’t find what we wanted.  I also took a couple of crazy pills and thought it would be no big deal to just make it.  Sure….  It took the better part of last weekend (like all night Friday and Saturday after the boys were in bed!), but I think it was worth it.  Jack tried it on tonight, and he loved it!  That was worth it all.  His Halloween party at school is tomorrow and then we’ll be doing a little Trick-or-Treating on Friday.  Tyler is going to be a bat (we borrowed a costume for his), and Jack is excited about that, too.  For those of you who don’t have the pleasure of watching the Disney channel daily, I’ll just tell you that his favorite character on Little Einsteins dressed as a spider this year, too.  And there is a show all about “spiders and bats” - it just doesn’t get any better than that for a two-year-old boy!

Here are the pictures to go along with the video below, including one of the finished product.  We had a great family Friday night carving our pumpkin and roasting the pumpkin seeds.  The weather is turning cooler, and it’s finally starting to feel like fall.  On the flip side of that it means everyone has had a runny nose and a cough for a week or more.  Ugh!  We were really blessed to stay well all summer, so I really can’t complain.  More pictures from the weekend coming soon!

Today we had a lot of fun carving the boys’ first Jack-O-Lantern! Jackson of course was excited about it, and the name.

Later on, Tyler became very talkative and we luckily had the camera close by.

Pictures coming soon!

This afternoon we took the boys to the Pumpkin Patch at Christ United Methodist (where they both go to Mom’s Day Out).  We had a good time looking at the pumpkins and picking out just the right one to take home.  Of course, we had to have a little photo shoot.  Both of the boys were amazing, considering it was 4:30 and Jackson didn’t have a nap (more on that later).

I particularly liked this one… Tyler and his serious looks.  I love it!  I think he’s say, “Mom…do I really have to do this?”.

Mommy with her boys.

Tyler - a little more excited about the pumpkins here.

Jackson was so good.  He sat here long enough for me to take several shots, then said, “My is done now, Mommy”.  When the boss speaks…

I LOVE this shot of Tyler.  He’s looking over Todd’s shoulder here.  The grin is so cute - just makes me want to kiss those baby cheeks!

It was also a big night for Tyler.  At 5 1/2 months, he had his first meal tonight - green beans.  He really seemed to enjoy it!  We’ve had so much tummy trouble with him and difficulty finding a formula, that we really haven’t pushed the issue much on advancing his diet.  I’m so thankful that things have improved.

So after all the fun at the Pumpkin Patch, Jack fell asleep in the car.  He was soooo tired!  He wouldn’t even let us take his jeans off - and he still had his big boy underpants on.  We were a little nervous, but you just don’t wake a sleeping Jack without some backlash.  He napped for about 45 minutes while we fed Tyler, and woke up in a decent mood (and dry!).  He ate and was back in bed by 7:30.  He hasn’t had a nap now in at least 2 months.  He only falls asleep like this when he’s exausted.  We’re open to advice, if anyone has any!

I love this sweet picture of Tyler!  He had been fussy all evening - pretty sure his tummy was hurting.  He had a MAJOR spit-up, then he seemed to feel mich better.  I put him in the bath, and he just started cooing and grinning at me.  Luckily, Todd was able to grab the camera quickly!

I wish I could say that Tyler’s reflux was better… He still has a fussy period almost everynight, followed by projectile spit-up. Read the rest of this entry »

What else would be the topic of this site! With mommy going out of town on business this week, Daddy put together some video for her iPod and wants to share it with everyone.

Jackson and Daddy went to see “When Elmo Grows Up” this weekend and it was a lot of fun!  Jackson was excited from the moment we pulled up to the auditorium.

Needless to say Daddy was a pushover when it came to all the stuff on sale.  Jackson got a stuffed Elmo that he is still carrying around the house, as well as some binoculars to watch the show…

Not that they were needed, we were right at the stage.  He also got some cotton candy…

Then the music started and Jack couldn’t stop dancing.  The families nearby were just watching him up and down the aisles and smiling and laughing.

Jackson also got to shake hands and hug The Count and Ernie!  Daddy was a little slow on the camera (they came by fast!).

It was a great time and we can’t wait for Elmo and the rest of Sesame Street to come back soon!

Jackson and Tyler had their first day of “school” on Monday.  They are both at Christ United Methodist’s Mom’s Day Out program.  We have been so happy there over the last two years with Jackson, and excited to be able to have Tyler at the same place.  Tyler’s teachers, Shirley and Julie, also took care of Jackson when he was a baby.  They are two of the sweetest ladies, and it is wonderful to know that they are taking such wonderful care of my baby.  Jackson’s teachers, Evelyn and Melissa, are new to CUMC this year, but not new to teaching.  We are so fortunate that they both have experience teaching preschool and kindergarten.  Their room looks awesome and it seems like they have some really fun things planned for the year.

Tyler has been doing fine with the trasnsition (not really sure if he’s noticed), but Jack has really had a mixed week.  He did great on Monday and Tuesday, but yesterday he cried when Todd dropped him off, and then had a pretty rough day.  Todd had been out of town for 10 days last week, and he often has more separation issues when he’s gone.  It usually takes him a week or so to normalize again.  Hopefully it will get better soon.

Now let me tell you about Monday… Wow!  It was the first day of school, and I knew it was going to be a little crazy doing it by myself.  Todd is usually the master bag-packer and lunch-maker.  I respect his skills even more now.  I started my day at 4:45 when Tyler woke up.  Fed him, went back to lay down for another minute.  Got up with Jack at 6:45.  Gave him breakfast - coffee for me.  We watched a little Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and snuggled on the couch for 10 minutes.  Since the baby is still asleep, I try to coax Jackson into the shower with me.  He’s a little resistant, but eventually goes.  We get out and I hear Tyler crying.  Pull-up on Jack, underwear on me, pick up the baby.  Give him a bottle, then I hear it… his toots are so loud, you’d think they came from a grown man.  Oh, well… I figure I still need to give him a bath anyway, so no big deal.  I change the toxic waste, and go back to finishing the bottle.  Still in my underwear with wet hair, Jack running around in a Pull-up.  But hey, I’m prepared for this! - After all, I spent an hour the night before packing bags, lunch, laying out outfits, cleaning bottles, etc. to make my morning more managable.  Tyler finishes his bottle and is happy, so I get him bathed and dressed.  He’s cool now to hang out in the swing.  So I go put some clothes on and wrestle with my hair for a minute (Jack still running around in Pull-up).  Then Jackson comes to me while I’m drying my hair and says, “Mommy, my make a big poop!”.  Greeaaaat…..  Well, let’s just say that was an understatement.  Now he’s clean (again) and we get his clothes and shoes on.  Run back to the bathroom to put some makeup on.  Try to ignore the distinct poopy odor that I smell on the way (surely it was just leftover from Jack).  Nope.  My freshly bathed baby is feeling not-so-fresh… and it’s leaked on to the outfit I so painstakingly picked out the night before.  Clean that up, re-dunk the baby. (I can’t take a smelly baby on the first day of school!)  We’re getting closer at this point - of course by now it’s aleady 8:55 (kids are supposed to be there at 9:00).  I am determined that I WILL take pictures!  So we have our photo session, then on to loading up.  Finally, we are on our way.  It was 9:30 by the time I got everybody unloaded and dropped off Jackson.  Then on to Tyler’s room.  I finally get to work and plop down in my chair, and before I can even turn around, the phone rings.  I’m late for a 10am meeting (yes, you heard right, 10AM!!!).  Thank goodness the first day of school only happens once a year!!!

The First Day Photo

Ms. Julie and Ms. Shirley with the boys

Ms. Evelyn

Ms. Melissa

Tyler just started smiling! And we were lucky enough to get some of his first on video.