Zachary and Max, What I Want You To Know

Zachary and Max,
It's been an emotionally tough two months for your Mom.  I had the unfortunate experience of a friend losing her 16 month old son, Kelby.  He simply went to bed and never woke up.  It's so tragic and so terrible to know a child loss.

Kelby was just a month older than you, Max.  I think about him often when I look at you.  He was probably the same size and I know his mom loved him more than words.

Only a month later, my close High School friend , Steve Waldie, passed at the young age of 33.

Experiencing these loses so close together gave me some tough perspective that I'd like to share with you.

1.  You never know what pain others are experiencing.  When you're having a tough day, there's a good chance someone is having a tougher day than you.  Think about that when someone cuts you off in traffic. Think about it when someone is mean to you in school.  Think about it when someone is sitting alone at school.  People experience really tough times, so try to make their day better by a simple smile, letting someone in a hurry on the road pass you, or say hello to the person you pass on the street.  You never know how far it will go.

2.  Tell loved ones that you love them.  Even the ones you see everyday.  In my opinion, love can be given on different levels.  Tell your friends you love them.  Tell your neighbors you love them.  Most importantly, tell your Mom and Dad you love them.  Also, offer hugs as a sign of love when you can.

3.  Hold a baby as often as you can.  Babies are miracles.  Babies are a blessing.  Your soul will be calmed when you get to hold and get a close view of a miracle.

4.  Keep things in perspective.  Not everyone gets to have a job that changes people's lives.  Mom and Dad don't have jobs that will eventually cure cancer or help needy people, however, we show up on-time and work hard at what we do because we care about who we are and want to provide the best for you both. Be confident in whatever you choose to do each day.  No matter what career path you choose, people will remember how you treated them while you earn a living.

5.  Being a parent will be the best job you'll ever get to have.  In parenting, no one gets plaques for best diaper changes or best attempt at grocery shopping with two small children.  Again, do the best you can and trust that others are doing the same.

6.  Never underestimate education, art or music.  Education comes from school, from your parents, and from life.  You can learn from your mistakes, learn from others, or learn from school.  Just never stop learning. For Art, enjoy looking at things closely and with a different perspective.  Your Dad and I love the messy art your bring home from school and would frame it faster than a real Monet. You don't always have to stay in the lines.  And for music- dance your tail off. Even if you dance in your underwear at home or sing in the car, music can make your day better and help you express yourself.

7.  Take lots of pictures.  You never know when you'll need them.

8.  Listen to your kids.  Both of you make your Dad and I smile so much.  I'm so thankful you want to share stories and thoughts and I hope that ever ends.

9.  Take care of each other.  People will come in and out of your lives, but my hope is that you'll have a constant friendship with each other.  Stay by each other's sides.  Believe in each other and never let something come between you.

10.  Tell your Mom and Dad you love them.....as much as you can.

What's Up?

It's been while, so wanted to share a few photos and updates

1.  Zachary is getting ready to move to the preschool room.  It's a pretty big transition for him, as there are big kids and a HUGE room that holds up to 40 kids.  Kyle and I often talk about the new room to help with the transition.  As Kyle walked Zachary into school this morning, he pointed to the new room and Zachary responded with, "No Dad.  Not today.  Maybe tomorrow."  Poor guy.  Wish us luck with that one.

2.  Max is HUGE.  What a big boy!  He certainly verbalizes his wants and has many likes at this age.  He loves: playing with Hot Wheels, riding on his ATV toy after school, slides, juice boxes, reading on your lap, wearing hats and sunglasses, eating fruit snacks, watching Disney movies with Zachary, dancing to music, his dog and ANY dog around, laughing, and his teacher Selma.

3.  Zachary is growing quite a bit too!  He enjoys: eating beans at cheese at Qdoba, eating chips and salsa, reading books in his new big boy bed, working on puzzles, dominating his brother while I'm not looking, peeing while standing up (it's the new thrill), farting, playing in his room, going to Ikea, finding school buses on the way to school, eating dark chocolate with me, playing sports with Kyle, riding his truck in the cul-de -sac, slamming doors, and playing in the basement.

4.  Zachary had his follow up GI appointment last week and although his allergies showed to worsen, we're more positive and hopeful than ever before.  Kyle and I are meeting with a nutritionist to develop a good game plan for his meals and hope this helps spark his appetite

5.  The weather is getting warmer and we're ready as ever- especially with Daylight Savings.  The boys request to play outside until it's too cold or dark, as they try to soak up as much sun as possible.  Last weekend, Zachary was playing on his swing set, smiling and tells me, "Mom?  I love my house.".  I've been loving it too and they'll both enjoy playing more this Spring.

6.  Kyle will start soccer with Zachary in another week.  Last summer, Kyle coached Zachary's soccer team and loved it.  After the second week, he developed his own lesson plans and the kids loved playing with him.  He's looking forward to another season with Zachary, and I'm sure Max will get himself into the games as well.

7.  The boys both enjoy: Pete the Cat books, Curious George books, the Disney movies Cars, Cinderella, and Frozen, playing basketball and kicking soccer balls, hide-and-seek, eating raisins in bulk, taking trips to Target, meeting new kids and pets in the neighborhood, going to Jump Street Trampoline Center, and watching movies in Kyle's new truck.

There are a few moments in my days when I realized how blessed I am.  I have a great partner in Kyle and two of the best kids on the planet.  We're so blessed and so lucky and I hope it only gets better!

Reading books in Zachary's big boy bed

Zachary and Max have a glass wall between them at school.  They will often tap on the glass and look for each other throughout the day.  So fun!

Happy Birthday Kyle!

Yesterday was Kyle's birthday.  It was pretty cold out, so we threw a pizza party at home with the boys. 

First thing in the morning, Zachary crawls into bed and Kyle requests the Happy Birthday song.  Zachary replies, "Dad.  It's not your Birthday.  Your Birthday is Friday.  No singing until Friday."  Not sure where he got that, but he kept it up all day.

Kyle got some gift cards for new clothes and some camo gear for his new hunting hobby.

Kyle deserves the best year ever and it feels great to celebrate with our favorite little boys.

Conversations with Zachary

I LOVE talking to Zachary now that he is so verbal.  Just have to share these so I don't forget.

Mom: "Zachary!  Your toots are stinky!  Cut it out!"
Zachary: "No Mom.  My toots aren't stinky, they're YUMMY". "YUMMY toots Mom"

Zachary at night in bed, "Mom I like to toot.  I like to toot because Dad likes to toot."
Hmmmmm

Zachary, "Mom. Andrew doesn't have (snow) boots.  I have boots.  We need to go to the Red Store and buy Andrew boots.  He wants blue ones"
- I asked his teacher and Andrew DOES have boots in fact.  I think Zachary just wanted to go to Target.

"Mom.  I want to go to the Red Store, but Max can't come.  He can only go to the Orange store with Kimbo"
The Orange store is Home Depot

We're in LOVE!

Today is Valentine's Day.  They boys had a big party at school and I wanted to share some photos Max's teacher shared with me today.

Max's class decorated cookies, read special books, and had a nice lunch (complete with centerpieces) together.

Kyle and I bought the boys new furniture for Valentine's Day.  Zachary FINALLY got his much deserved big boy bed and Max has a new dresser and nightstand.  No more nursery furniture in our house.

This evening Kyle is going to take Zachary to a Regis HS Basketball game and Max and I will watch reality TV and snuggle.  Ahhhhhh......love is in the air.

Merry Christmas 2013

Christmas was awesome for the Tormoehlens this year.  We celebrated the whole week!

It was pretty crazy to get ready this year, as Thanksgiving was late in the year and Kyle went to training in Florida for a week, so we scrambled to do the shopping and decorating.  It took a lunch visit to Toys R' Us with big lines, but the boys loved it all.

We went shopping for a new car the weekend before and it landed pretty unsuccessful, so we opened a few gifts early to put us back in the mood.  Then we went to Pam and Dave's on Sunday, and my friend Maggie's on Christmas Eve with the kids.  They loved looking at the lights in our neighborhood and talking about Santa.

The boys got lots of cool gifts:

- New Trains (The Chuggington Collection)

- Money for new big boy beds

- A new Golf Set

- A Record Player for Max

- A Science Kit for Zachary

- A Rocket Tent from Pam

Sounds Cheesy, but the best present is two healthy boys.  They are wild and crazy, but they are great kids

Merry Christmas Zachary and Max.  You deserve the whole world and are loved more than you know,

Mom

New Tent in Zachary's Room

Aftermath

Max LOVED the musical orniments

Sweet, Sweet Max

Max!

It's taken Mommy forever to update your stats, but we've been so busy!  Mommy and Daddy work so hard at work and our weekend seem to be just as wild!  We just CRAVE time with you and your brother and soak up as much time as we have in the just two short days on the weekends. 

- You LOVE your school and your teacher.  Daddy traditionally does the drop-offs every morning, but in the few that I've done, you'll lunge for your teacher.  You're the biggest guy in your class and they're working on transitioning you to the toddler room very soon

- You talk so much!  Favorite words, "Ball, Ba-Ba (Bottle), Ni-Ni (Night-night), bye-bye, flower, dog, moon, flower, cracker, "Choo-Choo"."

- You like playing trains with your bother

- You like sitting forward in your new car seat.  You must be like mom and get a little queasy in the back seat

- You're SO CLOSE to walking.  You showed high interest around 9 months and I thought you'd be an early walker, but lost interest along the way, so you're back in action!

- We celebrated your FIRST birthday with all of your friends and family at the Children's Museum.  It was a joint celebration with Zachary and you loved it.  You weren't really into your cake, but enjoyed the attention and presents.  Your favorite present was a ride-on airplane (photos below).  You race your brother on it around the house

- You like wearing necklaces (featured below)

- You love eating.  You eat everything and get upset when you can't eat big boy food like popcorn, grapes, and smoothies

- You had your FIRST Halloween and enjoyed running around the neighborhood with your brother.  You dressed up in the same monkey suit as your two cousins and your brother, but we had to squeeze you in- TIGHT!

You are a HUGE joy to our family, Max.  You are a love of our lives and we can't imagine our family without you.  You are a kind, happy, smart, and loving child and it's a joy to be your mom.  Thank you for being such a beautiful blessing in my life.