Boys are very different than girls – I didn’t think that much energy could be bundled into one small person. I understand the phrase “Moms of boys work from son up to son down” more every year. He reminds me a bit of a ping pong ball, always bouncing from one thing to another, and never stopping until he says he’s ready for bed.

Okay, that’s not entirely correct. Ian will sit still for a few things – that would be playing with his pirates or reading his two favorite books, Goodnight Goon and Shiver Me Letters. But my house bears the scars of his energy and desire to figure out what happens when you smash, rip, squish and scratch things. The other morning I woke to the sound of him poking a hole in his wall with one of his swords (his absolute favorite toy – we have an antique crock by the front door that houses his arsenal). He tells us he does things because he wants to see what happens, and while we don’t want to ruin that inquisitive nature of his, we do have to work to find better outlets for it! That’s why we’ve decided not to invest in any real remodeling projects for the house until he’s older, just to be on the safe side.

Ian has such an array of expressions, most mischievous, which tell the entire story. Being easy to read gives us a slight advantage, as we know certain faces mean he’s about to do certain things and we can try to beat him to it. Mostly this means wreaking havoc on his sister while she plays Barbies – the dolls are all orderly and ready to dance with the prince until Ian Monster comes crashing through.

While Ian is absolutely ornery and at times exhausting, he is also a delight and so much fun. He begs to be tickled endlessly, and can swing for hours straight and still want to swing more (the actual record to date is two hours with Pappy Hensell). He can seriously crack us up with what he says and his relentless fascination with his anatomy, which he also likes to chat about.

And despite the constant bickering, I can slowly see a bond forming between Ian and his sister. They spent several hours this weekend playing so well together. They also love to team up and try to tackle Mommy and Daddy, which is the fastest way to get them to work together. They also love to dance and sing together, getting down to everything from James Brown to Metric or Lady Gaga and everything in between with a good beat. It was funny to hear Ian tell his dad he was playing his music too loud the other day – one day it will be the reverse conversation I’m sure!

Ian also enjoys cooking, and he and Alexandra have taken to helping me make dinner. It makes the process take a lot longer, but I figure his future wife will one day thank me for it.

And while everyone told me boys were difficult to potty train, Ian has been rather easy and using the potty for months. His aim is good most times, but when he is distracted, he can miss, and miss big time. I wonder if there is a place he hasn’t marked. I know our yard has been sufficiently covered as he’s notorious for dropping his drawers in the yard whenever the urge hits – one day flashing a group of five teenage girls who thought he was the cutest thing ever. I’ll never forget one of the first times he peed in the toilet and exclaimed, “Oh wow, Mommy! I made bubbles!”

Ian has added a level of chaos to our lives that I’d never imagined. I don’t mean that in a negative way, it’s just we’re always go-go-go, and often times that is go-go-go after him!

That said, I’m so glad to have the opportunity to have a daughter and a son. I remember at the ultrasound, I was so betting on another girl, and there was our boy with his anatomy in full display (which has not changed one bit!). My first thought was, I don’t know how I will relate to a boy. But now I get it – my relationship with each of my kids is different and as much as I want to treat them the same to be fair, they need to be parented very differently for two reasons – because they are different people and as much as I believed I’d never say this, but also because of their gender. There are definite differences that transcend personality alone.

On his birthday in particular, I am reminded of the joy I felt when I learned that while I’d miscarried his twin, the other baby was still there – our Ian. He is a tough kid with a very tender heart and that fighting, spunky personality from the womb is still in place. I am very thankful and lucky (and yes, a little crazy too!) to be your mom, Ian – happy third birthday and I love you!

After a six month wait, Ian’s new nautical themed bedroom furniture finally arrived. Ian was so excited to sleep in his new crib (as he called it), and even kicked out his sister when she tried to test out the new bed with him.

Ian needed no time to adjust to his big boy bedroom, going right to sleep as soon as he snuggled under his new pirate bedding. That may also have something to do with the super comfortable memory foam mattress we bought for him, which I’m tempted to steal for myself.

While we’re still waiting on his nightstand and finishing up a few other details (including a treasure chest toy box being hand made by Pop Pop Emmons), the room already looks great, and Captain Ian is ready to set sail (for mischief, of course!).

Happy birthday sweetheart!

On July 5, Alexandra turned five years old. We knew this day was coming; our daughter has been reminding us of the fact daily. She doesn’t like to count the days until something happens, preferring instead to count the number of sleeps. So we’ve been counting down the number of sleeps until her big day for at least a month.

This day means as far as age goes, our little girl is no longer a preschooler, but the number merely validates what we’ve seen and known for a while.

A few weekends ago we had a “girls only” trip to the grocery store. Ally put on a dress and wouldn’t leave the house without her purse, lip gloss and sunglasses. When I laughingly asked, “Ally, why do you want to take all that?” Her simple reply was, “Because you always have those things, Mommy, and I want to be like you.” I know the days of my daughter wanting to emulate me will be over before I know it, as will the days when she asks me to play “dollies” or hold her just because.

Ally is very independent, with a can-do, take charge attitude. Her outgoing, chat with anyone personality is wonderful, but can make me nervous when it comes to strangers. Ally prefers to do things for herself, and we encourage her to be that way, but there are times she’ll ask us to “help” her. Although I know she doesn’t really need it (sometimes that’s my response), I often oblige, because that voice in my head reminds me how fleeting time is and one day I will only be able to reminisce about helping my little girl with simple things like brushing her teeth or washing her hair.

This fall, Ally will start kindergarten, not just because she meets the age requirement, but because I know she is ready. Since our public school only offers half day, Ally will attend a full day program at her current private school with at least two of her good buddies.

I know she’ll be in good hands as she’s already learned so much and she’s happy there. I think her favorite lessons have been learning to sing The Beatles Yellow Submarine in sign language and a dance routine set to Smash Mouth’s I’m a Believer. She performs both of these just about every other day. The fact she knows each by heart is amazing to me, as this old-timer has a hard time remembering where I put my keys!

A few highlights of Ally’s past year are:

• Our fall trip to Disney World where we celebrated Halloween and Ian’s birthday, and Ally was finally tall enough to ride the thrill rides, which she loved. She got to know some of the staff on Thunder Mountain because she rode it so much.

• The excitement of dressing up as Cinderella for Halloween. She insisted on wearing the same costume from the previous year.

• Introducing the Elf on the Shelf to the kids at Christmas time. Ally was skeptical, telling me that magic wasn’t real. Luckily when Bernard showed up in a different spot day after day, she seemed to be a bit more believing. It made us wonder how much longer she’ll continue to believe in Santa.

• Ally learned to ask her father’s permission to do something when he’s half asleep and he’ll say yes. Luckily she only asked if she could paint her nails and toes. She did a decent job, but got some pink polish on our cream carpet. Rather than removing the spots, I think I’ll leave that memory there.

• Being a big girl at her great uncle’s funeral, and telling her pappy he shouldn’t be so sad that his brother had died, since he would see him again when he died too.

• Demonstrating her father’s love of electronics by skipping around the house chanting, “I love it!” when Eric installed her TV in her bedroom (the first in our house).

• Telling me the morning of her birthday, “Now that I’m five I can do whatever I want…I figured it out all by myself.”

There are so many other highlights I could list from the past year too. And as I read this over one last time before publishing, my eyes are full of tears. Alexandra is a light to us and a constant reminder that as complicated as life can seem, it’s the simple joys of a parent holding their child and the smiles and laughter that truly matter in life, which she has brought us in spades.

Happy birthday, Alexandra. We love you.

кухни

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

On the sixth day at Disney, we were all ready to enjoy the Magic Kingdom one last time and head home. Even Ally said she was ready to be home again.

After another breakfast at the Crystal Palace, where I got my final fill of Pooh’s puffed French toast, we were off to ride the magic carpets, pirates, Thunder Mountain (Eric and Ally), Haunted Mansion, carousel, tea cups and finally the Barnstormer.

The kids then had the chance to meet Buzz Lightyear and Stitch before we did some shopping for souvenirs and took the boat back to the lodge for lunch and the bus ride to the airport. We managed to make this trip different from the other two by trying new shows, rides and places to eat. All in all, it was a very fun, but exhausting trip!

Luckily, Aunt Sammy and Josh were kind enough to be waiting at our house with supper ready, and Pappy and Grandma Hensell arrived Saturday morning too, to help take care of the kids and give Eric and I had a chance to recuperate!

We spent the first half of our fifth day at the Animal Kingdom, kicked off with breakfast with Mickey and friends at the Tusker House. We then went on the safari and took a train ride to Rafiki’s Animal Reserve, where the live (and enormous) spiders they had there left me grossed out, Ally got to meet Pocahontas, and the kids had a chance to pet rather smelly goats.

As Ian napped, Ally and Eric rode the rapids twice, getting soaked the second time. Eric and I then took turns riding Expedition Everest, which was a great coaster. We took the bus back to the lodge for lunch and a swim and were then off to the Magic Kingdom for another character dinner at the Crystal Palace.

The girls rode Thunder Mountain, while the boys rode Pirates and the magic carpets, and picked up a Jack Skellington wreath for our front door for Halloween. The kids ended their night with the SpectroMagic parade, where Ally chatted with one of the dragonflies, and then Wishes fireworks. Eric and I ended the night very late after packing up all our stuff for the trip home.

On our fourth day, we tried something new, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort. After hearing so many good things about the place, I must say we were disappointed and don’t plan on dining there again (although Ally and Ian being exceptionally cranky that morning may have had a hand in the less than fabulous experience).

We then caught the monorail to spend the rest of the day at Epcot. While Ally and Eric rode Soarin, Ian and I checked out the Nemo ride. We all sat through Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, which was also disappointing, before lunch with the Disney princesses at Askerhaus. Ally had a chance to meet Mulan for the first time, and while Ian napped, Ally and I took a spin on Test Track, which was fabulous. When Eric went to get on the same ride, the kids and I used the opportunity to get soaking wet in a water play area nearby.

We then tried out Mission Earth and Innoventions before stopping at Imagine Works where the kids ran around a play area with lit squares that played music when you stepped on them. I was about to jump in when Ally grabbed Ian in a bear hug to stop a potential fight, but instead was happy to see that they took it as a chance to give each other the cutest hug ever.

We then enjoyed a hibachi dinner at Teppen Edo before getting a bus ride home for a chilly swim and bed.

Our third day at Disney started with breakfast with Pooh and friends at the Crystal Palace, before Ally rode Thunder Mountain at least four times in a row. Even the staff was making jokes about giving her a frequent rider prize. It was time to find a ride that Ian liked, so we were off to Pirates of the Caribbean and took in the Jack Sparrow show afterwards going on nearby. Ally met Wendy next, and while she and Eric waited in line to meet Jasmine and Aladdin, Ian and I rode Aladdin’s Magic Carpets.

After lunch at Starlight, Ally and Eric went to meet Ariel, while my boy and I got completely soaked playing in the water in the grotto. Ally also stopped to meet the Fairy Godmother on our way back to the lodge for naps. Ian had no desire to sleep, and instead kept serenading us with, “yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.” Of course he passes out right as Ally wakes up from her nap, so Ally and I took the opportunity to go swimming while the boys napped.

Before we knew it, it was time to get in costume for the Halloween party and dinner at Tony’s Restaurant, which has a fabulous pumpkin spice cheesecake. We came out to find that it had rained and our stroller was soaked, as luck had it on the one day we left our ponchos in our room. After purchasing new ones, we were off to trick or treat throughout the park and watch the Halloween parade, during which Ally was greeted by a pirate and Captain Barbosa came to chat a fellow pirate, our own Ian.

After dancing it up with Stitch, Goofy and Pluto at their Halloween dance party, we watched the special fireworks display before heading home to the lodge and some much-needed sleep.

We started our second day at Disney with a bus ride to Hollywood Studios for an early breakfast with JoJo, Goliath, June and Leo, and a cupcake and birthday card signed by all the characters for Ian.

Then we were off to watch the Disney Playhouse show and participate in a 3-D shootout on Toy Story Midway Mania, which we got stuck on when the ride experienced technical difficulties and shut down. On the plus side we got special passes to come back and ride again later that day with another minimal wait.

Next up was Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area, which is always a favorite with Ally and seems to somehow be even hotter than the rest of the park. Eric and I had to divide and conquer as both kids were running all around and never in the same place at the same time. Eric got some creepy night vision footage of the kids playing in the tunnels there, complete with glowing eyes!

Ally wore herself out playing, demonstrated by the fact that she passed out on Eric’s lap during our lunch at Mama Melrose’s. Ian took the opportunity to use the fresh rolls and crayons they gave him to make sculptures rather than actually eat anything.

We then headed back to the lodge for naps and some time to cool off at the pool. With everyone getting progressively hungry and cranky, we passed on our dinner reservations and instead grabbed a quick service dinner, so that we could go back to the Magic Kingdom and end the day by watching the SpectroMagic parade.