The Podunk Chronicles: May 2011

Legare is crawling!

Monday, May 23, 2011

9 months 1 week!

Lately, Legare has been quite frustrated by his inability to link his crawling up and actually get somewhere. Until now! Last night it seemed to finally click and this is what he accomplished after school tonight. No doubt this will lead to a bull in our china shop but we think he will be a lot happier with himself.

Ike takes NYC!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

On Friday, I surprised Ike with a trip to NYC - not only his first time to NYC but his first time on a train, in a cab, on a subway, to a HUGE museum, lego land, Rockefeller Center and even The Today Show corner... and all while it was raining. But, we didn't let the rain stop us! We boarded the train in Guilford and his first comment to me was "Mom, where are the seatbelts?" and then as we got closer to the city he asked many questions about why there was so much trash on the ground. Walking into Grand Central with him was a moment I will never forget - he stopped in his tracks and said "whoaaaa" - it was very cool and at that moment I realized we need to get this kid out more! We walked over to Bryant Park and met up with my cousins Sarah (in from Colorado), Molly and Dean for a lunch date. It was so great to see them, share a hug and catch up as much has occurred in our lives recently, good and bad.

throwing pennies in the fountain with Molly

carousel ride in Bryant Park

We then took a cab to meet up with Dana at the Museum of Natural History and we had special tickets to a butterfly exhibit that was amazing! Ike is studying butterflies at school so he was very interested. You enter/exit through a double set of doors as to not let the butterflies out and then you literally are in a room full of butterflies flying all around - whizzing by your ears and fluttering around with amazing beauty. We explored the rest of the museum with Dana - Ike loves Dana and they are such a cute duo!!

first time in a cab!

After the museum we walked/cabbed over the Lego land and walked around Rockefeller and then across the street to get a quick photo at the Today Show corner for Daddy. The next morning I showed him the news and the street corner and he thought that was pretty cool!

carrying around his toy from the museum :)

What 4yr old boy wouldn't be in heaven!

It was pouring rain and traffic was at a stand still so we got on a subway to get to Grand Central. I had no clue where to go but asked questions - there was a transfer that got me a little confused and I admitted to Ike that I wasn't sure where we were going. He was a great trooper and kept up with me no problem. When we finally emerged in Grand Central he squeezed my hand and said "you are the best Mommy ever!" :))

We boarded the train home and after a little playing with his new toys he quickly passed out! It was a super fun day and we can't wait to go back!!

Legare: wait, no one invited me to New York!

Rite of Passage

Monday, May 16, 2011

You could call it a rite of passage - though not a typical rite of passage for a 9 mo old. But, there is nothing typical about our family.

It was a beautiful Saturday weekend before last so it was time for Legare's first ride in Bing's helicopter. We strapped him in his carseat and off we went to visit some airport buddies* at a nearby grass strip. Ike kept Legare happily distracted on the ride though there may have been a few more giggles on the radio than Bing wanted :) Call them spoiled and/or call us crazy - but, it is part of the deal - the Schutz men enjoy the adventures of aviation and Legare is now part of the crowd.

*Footnote: "Airport buddies" is a motley mix of older men (sorry Bing!!) who can endlessly talk stories about planes and their adventures while they hang out in a semi-furnished horse trailer complete with refrigerator and lounge! Ike is the youngest member by about 50 yrs but he didn't waste a minute running up and asking for his usual donut and milk from inside the trailer. It is too much!

"Mom, should I be concerned?"

Harcourt and Bing, co-pilots

love this shot

Sunday morning cartoons

It is a rainy Sunday morning so what do we do... we snuggle on the couch and watch cartoons!!

Legare cruises around in his walker and decides to stop for a minute of Handy Manny

9 months!

9 months!
19lbs 12ozs (35th percentile)
30 inches (95th percentile)

6 teeth (4 top, 2 bottom)

almost crawling... any day now!

prefers standing and wishing he could walk

can almost pull up on his toy box

"handful" stage

eating lots of finger food

super contagious teethy smile

excited = funny fast breathing through his nose

yes, i like to play in a diapers.com box!

oh how he chews on everything!

Today we welcomed his 6th tooth - top front :)

i love how this captures his hair color -

a little blonde & brown mixed with a hint of red

i can only imagine the sun will make this more white

compared to ike at this age he has

thinner, finer hair and less of it!

Going private

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Podunk Chronicles is going private as of June 1 so please email me, kerry@kerryschutzphotography.com, if you want to continue to read! Family and friends are welcome!!!

Being a Mommy

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Since it was recently Mother's Day, I wanted to write a little note about being a mommy. Becoming a mother is by far the best thing I have done in my life - yet, it is also the most difficult thing I have ever done. I think it is important to recognize not only the glory of motherhood but also the challenge. It is the challenges that make us strong for everyone to lean on.

I have a great handle on Ike and we have a mutual respect when it comes to discipline and understanding what mommy wants and expects. I think I am a pretty tough disciplinarian and I have no problem executing my threats! Ike is very loving and even in the moments of discipline there is always a hug and/or an I love you.

Legare on the other hand is so darn cute but he creates a different set of challenges with all the normal baby things: lack of communication, teething, constant routine changes as he grows and interrupted sleep. For me, those things have been harder the 2nd time around - I think mostly because when Ike was born we didn't know any different :) But, his little toothy smile makes all those struggles melt away.

Juggling the “balance” of 2 kids and 2 working parents is not easy but at the end of the day we are so blessed that our family is healthy and all the little hiccups of the day are just that - and, someday we will all sleep through the night!

I love my little blue hats!

8.11.10 Legare Sawyer

11.29.06 Harcourt Frederic "Ike"

Mother's Day Tea

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Ike's wonderful teacher, Mrs. Dantas, hosted a tea for all the Mothers and it was quite a spread. Ike was very excited about me coming for tea and he was excited to try iced tea! It is quite unique that at 4 yrs old Ike has been in the same class with most of his classmates for 4 yrs! They sang a great song and showed off their artwork 'My Mom'- see below :) On Sunday, the boys treated me to a little extra sleep and some takeout breakfast - it was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed spending time outside.