If one paci is good...

Three are BETTER!

Wagon Ride...

The boys and I decided to take the wagon out today, it's not a fun journey with young kiddos if you don't have plenty of snacks and beverages!

Colby learned about dandelions today, he wasn't quite sure what to think about them. As an interesting side note...kids with strabismus (even strabismus that has been repaired) tend to close one eye in bright sunlight. Doctors don't know why this happens but know it has something to do with the way their brain and eyes work. (ok, probably only a fact a nurse would care about!)

Chasey was way more into the dandelions than Colby was.

The wagon was GREAT...on completely flat surfaces. Our neighborhood has tons of hills though and pulling 70 + pounds of kids up a hill in a wagon was not fun. This was sadly the first and last journey the wagon took, just not practical for such big boys!

Chillin in his new ride...

Daddy surprised the boys and mommy with a new wagon (something I have been talking about wanting for months!), the boys were thrilled and each took it for a test drive.

Chasey's test drive lasted a little longer than Colby's.

We'll just say Chasey's test drive was more of a cruise :D

I took the boys for a walk around the neighborhood and quickly took the Wagon right back. They look so cute and maneuverable but when you add over 70 pounds of kid and a hilly neighborhood, 

wagons are just impractical!

Happy Birthday Unc!

We went to Southlands to celebrate Unc's birthday. While waiting for a table we walked around the shops. One of the stores had balloons.The boys saw two and figured they were left there just for them!

They have a super cute fountain that kids can run through, the boys weren't ready to jump in but they sure loved watching.

Colby adores his Unc!

Chasey does too!

This is outside of the restaurant. I just love summer evenings, they make for the best pictures!

My other handsome fella!

The boys spotted a bunny and quickly set out on a bunny finding adventure!

A Tale of Two Brothers...

The morning started out with Colby dressing Chasey up as his construction side kick, Chasey (the entertainer) was more than happy to oblige!

Next it was time to scope out the construction and watch the tractors move, "big dirt" (as Chasey says it). The construction has been booming on the land behind our house and as sad as I am to see our open space go away the construction couldn't have come at a better time for us. 

The boys are at perfect ages to really enjoy watching all the action!

Here they are discussing the work that is being done and offering up their critiques and criticisms of how the project is being handled.

Next it's time for a little covert spy action, checking to make sure the toys in the family room are behaving...

And no undercover job would be complete without snacks!

Ahhh....life with a brother is GREAT!

Sage Canyon Elementary

We were surprised to hear that Colby was able to get into Sage Canyon Preschool. This is pretty amazing seeing as I turned in the paperwork 4 weeks before classes were to begin and all other schools had long waiting list and there was one spot left for Colby Joshua. I freaked out in the lobby of the early childhood education building. I turned in the paperwork to get Colby enrolled next year, I wasn't intending to get him into school this early! But God has a plan and I just trusted that he knows better than I do. As anyone that knows Colby knows...he is a cautious fella. The school teacher at Children's told me to take him to the play ground to get him comfortable with it before school started. This was our very first visit to the brand new playground (the school is brand new too and it is exactly 1/2 mile from our house!). Despite my begging him to get dressed in a cute outfit (I just knew there would be tons of new photo ops at the new school!) Colby insisted on wearing his pj's.

Colby is giving the new play ground his official seal of approval!

This is his expression as he's contemplating what I told him about going to school. He kept asking, "I'll go to school with mommy and Chasey?" and I kept telling him, "Mommy and Chasey will drop you off and come to get you after you've spent some time playing with your new friends." He wasn't sure what to make of all of that.

Chasey on the other hand was hoping I would leave him at Preschool today!

My little fearless leader, there is a reason we call Colby, cautious Colby and Chasey, Crazy Chasey!

After spending some time on the preschool playground the boys decided they wanted to check out the big kid playground. There is something so fun about some brand new playground equipment!

The playgrounds were awesome but it was the sports fields that got the boys really excited. They ran back and forth for almost an hour!

At one point Colby came sprinting up to me and with a concerned look on his face and a huge sense of urgency he said, "Mommy!!!!! We need a ball!" What was I thinking?! I should know by now that with two little boys I should have a ball with me at all times!

Chasey's New Buddy...

Chasey found a little friend he just could not live without...

He refused to let me put him in the bag and insisted on carrying him out of the store...

He continuously gave hims hugs and kisses...

A boy and his bear, what's not to love?

It's no wonder he's spoiled!

Colby's New Toy

Colby was so excited about his score he didn't just carry it out of the store

he stared at it the whole walk from the store to the car.

Got to love THAT happy face!

Colby loves cars!

Post Op

Here is our little all star one day after his surgery, what a trooper!

They have computers in each exam room and wisely put on Pixar movies. Of coarse that can only hold two little boys' attention for so long (approximately 2 minutes).

I wish I could remember what the boys said or did to make Jason laugh like this. I love my husband! Life has been so hectic and having kids certainly does change things but you can tell from this picture, we still know how to have fun!

Here the boys are dancing to the music on the movie.

Colby's Surgery...

The week Colby turned 1 year old I noticed his eyes did not look symmetrical. I thought the doctors would think I was crazy so I just kind of ignored it for awhile. When he was 2 we started noticing it more and more so I called the Eye Clinic at Children's..I really thought they would think I was being completely superficial but when I explained what I was seeing they told me to bring him right in. After a long evaluation (it was amazing to see how an eye exam can be done on a 2 year old!) they told me that he has strabismus, his eye turned outwards, not because the muscles in his eye were weak but because his brain was telling it to over turn. We tried months of eye drops to dilate his good eye and force his bad eye to straighten out but it didn't work. Finally the doctor suggested surgery, is this problem was not corrected Colby's brain would eventually shut down vision to his left eye. Here he is on our way to Children's. You can really see his eye turning out in this picture, but isn't he cute anyway??

Here we are at Children's, the place I love to work and trust enough to take my kids...

This is the lobby. It is absolutely beautiful. Colby loves going to Children's (he has been several times before this for eye appointments and he always thinks it's a special treat).

Everywhere you look they have something fun for kids. Colby is mesmerized by the ball maze.

Here the nurse practitioner is taking a listen and doing his pre-op exam.

Colby thought the extra attention was GREAT!

Another reason I am so glad we chose Children's is because they let us go into the operating room with Colby, so we're the last people he sees before he falls asleep. We had to wear the "bunny suits" and Colby thought our costumes were fabulous!

Who would have thought the hospital gowns could look so cute?

To kill some time Colby entertained himself with the sink, washing his hands provides hours of entertainment!

Here we are, ready to go to surgery!

The surgery was a success! When we were allowed into the PACU to be with Colby he was crying and confused and really upset. He also got really hot and his heart was beating really fast. They thought it might have been a reaction to one of the medications they gave him in surgery. Once he was snuggled up and was with Jason and I he relaxed and took a very long snooze.

Jason and I don't get many snuggles from Colby now that he's such a big boy so we were totally savoring this time.

Jason decided to make himself comfortable in the hospital bed (we were going on 2 hours after surgery now). He decided he better hold Colby otherwise the nurse would be mighty surprised to find an adult laying in her patient's bed! It reminded us both of being in the hospital after Colby was born. Both mornings the doctor came in to see me I was in the shower and Jason was asleep in the hospital bed, he was so embarrassed! I think it's hilarious to this day. If there is one thing Jason is good at it is making himself comfortable where ever he is!

My point exactly.

After almost 8 hours at the hospital we were finally released. I have a new appreciation for my families and patients. It is absolutely exhausting and stressful being in the hospital and we were able to go home the very same day. I also have a new appreciation for Children's. I have worked there now for almost 5 years and have always loved my job and the company I work for. The surgery experience was amazing. Everyone took great care of Colby and he thought the entire day was so great he was asking to go back the very next morning! I also have a new appreciation for our insurance. The surgery cost over $7000! Which seems absolutely crazy to me seeing as the doctor told us the actual procedure took less than 10 minutes. It was a relief to get that bill and know we had good insurance, and an employee discount!