Big Boy Alert

Somebody graduated to a big boy "toddler" bed this summer, and his name starts with a J!!!

Jax also learned to use the potty this summer, and wears skivvies!  The 2 1/2 year mark has been our magic number for potty training our boys, and they have done exceptional.  We started a consistent routine when they turned 2, and then took the day diapers/pull offs away at the 2 1/2 year mark, enforcing and rewarding potty time.  Cannot believe what a big boy Jax is!  He uses the big toilet, and even tries to stand up-pee like his big bro.  I love how now we go places with the 2 of them diaper-free,  and they both tell us when they have to go pee or poop.  What a huge accomplishment for us as parents to be done with poopy diapers!  Ah, I do not miss those even for a second!  Jax still wears a pull-up during naps and overnight, but is amazingly staying dry all night! The brothers have completely opposite bladders….. and thus, we had to put Taj back on overnight pull-ups bc when he is in his deep sleep he still wets the bed (even with a drink cut-off time in the evenings, and him getting up to pee several times before he falls asleep!) After the off and on phase (which began in the Spring), and after several nights in a row of changing wet sheets etc in the wee ours of the night, Brad and I need our sleep so I made the ultimate decision to go back to overnight pull-ups for our 4 year old!  Its only temporary until he can control his bladder during sleep, and hold it until the morning.

In other news, Taj graduated to a real big boy bed and mattress…. actually a bunk bed!  Yes, its a real cool bunk bed with its own stairs and a trundle bed.  Think of all the fun sleepovers he and Jax, or he and his friends, will have!  He also picked out dinosaur and surfer sheets for his new beds!  Our boys are sure growing up!

 i just love the stairs/drawers on this bunk bed…. makes it easier for the boys to climb up and down.

 The trundle drawer below the bed houses another mattress…. so you can have 3 kiddos sleeping comfortably in their own bed!

 the boys' reading nook…. we spend so much of our time here reading!

Hiking: Our New Family Hobby

We love nature.  We love the trees and forests that surround us.  One of the big reasons we moved to NY was to live amidst all this natural green nature and have it in our backyard, and have it as our playground.  So naturally, once the boys got bigger, stronger, and better coordinated, it was only time that we would find ourselves a hobby we enjoy as a family…. Hiking!

Our first time hiking with the boys was on my birthday, and we went to Panama Rocks, a 15 minute drive from our house, and WOW what a spectacular place!  The boys loved climbing, exploring, and squeezing through the massive rock formations (once under the ocean, supposedly!).  

The next month, we hiked the Chautauqua Gorge:

 Waterfalls!

Fourth of July 2014

Another Bemus style 4th of July, spent celebrating and BBQing with our friends at our house, having a bonfire, and watching fireworks from our dock!  This was our 2nd annual 4th of july entertaining at our house…. we have the best location on the lake since we are right on the lake and prime spot for fireworks viewing and smores roasting!  We can also hear the big Bemus Bay Pops concert at the village's floating dock, on our dock!  This year, we had our friends, the Hrickos and Irons, over with their kiddies.  It was all boys, and they had a great time!

Chautauqua Institution Week, Summer Camp

This summer, my friend Susan and I finally did what we've talked about since last summer….. sign our 2 oldest kids up for Children's School at Chautauqua Institution!  CHQ is such a neat gated community/ cultural center on the lake….. every summer for 9 weeks they bring in speakers, hold classes, put on events/ performances, and every week is a different political topic.  Many prominent figures and presidents have spoken here, as well as sang! They have a Children's School starting age 3 that has summer camps for kids, and gets them really involved in the arts, music, and topics they have right there at CHQ, from 9-12pm every day just for the summer season.  For many kids, its their summer tradition and most families will rent a house at CHQ and stay so many weeks in a row.  Brad and I have visited CHQ many times, and even brought my parents here in the off season, but we had never gone to a lecture, performance, concert, or taken a class.  Susan and I thought it would be fun to enroll the oldest kids for a week, and every other day bring the younger ones with us and stroll through the grounds.  With Jax and Susan's littlest Jack, we visited the Farmers Market, the beach, park, and even attended a story time at the library.  On Monday and Wednesday of that week, we left the littles at home with their sitters, and after dropping off the older ones at their school, us mommies indulged in a nice coffee break, breakfast at the Athenaeum Hotel, and both days attended interesting lectures about the food industry.  It felt like we practically stayed there all week long from our daily CHQ quality time!  Next year, Susan and I are already looking at 2 different weeks of enrolling the kids in the Children's School (the littles as well since they will be 3 years old.)  We love the topics "Boys Will Be Boys, then Men" Week 2 (July 6th week) and "Vanishing" Week 6 (Aug 3rd week).

On the last day of the week the kids were signed up for the Children's School, happened to be 4th of July, and they had a patriotic parade involving all the kids.  Brad and Susan's husband, Rob, joined us and we watched the parade, had lunch together, and the kids had their faces painted!  It was a beautiful sunny day and a nice place to celebrate Independence Day and begin the festivities!

Taj's first parade! I was a proud (and emotional) mama! 

IMG 3414 from jana grover on Vimeo.

IMG 3415 from jana grover on Vimeo.

IMG 3422 from jana grover on Vimeo.