1st annual Jess's Josephine St. Block Party

This pic was after the first micro-burst when the awnings had been removed. We were actually all thankful for the cool weather.

In the final portion of what felt like the gazillionth non-stop weekend in a row, I organized a block party for our street on Sunday afternoon and evening.   A neighbor who has organized it in the past asked sometime in late May if I wanted to help with this year's.  I was very happy to help but when progress was slow, I took the ball and ran.  There was lots of talk and not much action going on and when you're a busy mama sometimes there's no time for talk.  Because we live in Denver on a city street we had to get a majority petition signed, buy insurance for the event, and give written notice of the street closure.  Now that I've been through the process I know next year can come together earlier and easier.  Other blocks in our neighborhood had their parties this weekend complete with bouncy castles and bike obstacle courses.  Our wonderful neighbors were all in agreement that next year can be bigger and better but were also SO thankful that I pulled it together.  We discovered there are more kiddos Ben's age on our block than we knew and lots of parents our age, too.  We choose this block because there were several updated and maintained older homes rather than re-builds and it was comforting to know there is a whole generation here who feels the same and wants to maintain the historic feel and appeal.
And, while other blocks might have had bouncy houses, we had a skid steer!! Quirky neighbor John who has built a large brick retaining wall and done lots of intricate brick work on his property brought out his skid steer for rides and climbing on. He actually grew up one block north and is a wealth of knowledge about the history of the neighborhood.
Of course it rained for the first time in weeks but thanks to our big old trees we could all seek shelter with relative ease.  Ben was tired early after the busy weekend so I headed in with him just after 8 and sent Ryan back out to socialize until the party ended at 9. 

There were points during the planning when I swore I'd never do it again but in the end it was fairly easy and SO much fun.  The blessings of our location are only furthered by our friendly, kind and generous neighbors and I've already noticed a difference in how people encounter one another.  Do we have to wait a whole entire year to get together again???

He could have climbed on the "tractor" all night.

The neighbors were in awe of Ben's watermelon eating prowess.  You can see the evidence on his shirt.

With neighbors Jackson (4) and Joe (3)

evening-camping

Colorful, smoky Colorado

 

I recently gave a girlfriend lots of grief about her blog post on "day-camping." I told her there was no such thing and that it was merely picnicking.  Well, now I eat my words because Saturday we joined some friends who were camping at nearby Chatfield reservoir for dinner and revelry but did not stay the night with them.  I guess I'll call it, "evening-camping."
We hadn't committed to camping because of Pratt going on the market and spent the morning there preparing for an open house.  The boys got haircuts and I, a bang trim, and we headed home to relax.  No sooner did we sit down to lunch than the wheels started turning that we could indeed just pop out to the lake and join them for dinner.  There were actually quite a few people there with only two families spending the night.  This group has done this annually for several years now and after some backyard camping this year, next year we might have to stay the night.  My parents were so hard-core in the camping department, backpacking with Molly only months old, but no part of baby+camping is appealing to me.  
Anyway, it might take a year for us to find our gear in the storage closet. :)
We took Tom Ohrt's famous layer dip to share, a simple fruit salad and hot dogs for the grill.  Of course the hot dogs were nitrate and antibiotic free but I'm happy to report that Ben is now eating meat with regularity.  I can say he's had burgers, hotdogs, and chicken all in the last week without much fight or fanfare.

Ben was entirely enamored with 9 yr old Zack and was inspired by Jay's truck in the background to say truck correctly for the first time.  Thankfully the F is back replacing the TR sound.  Ryan and I aren't quite done with giggling over that as parents.

sweet, messy Payton

 

  

proof that all nearly 3-yr-olds prepare to take off the same way. :)

happy baby Sacha

one TUCKERED Benjamin

Hailey turns 3 this week and is a delight!

You can tell this is CO camping and not MT because in MT there would ONLY be Subaru's and Chevy's circling the campground.

thirty-six

A few days after Father's Day as it does every year, Ryan's birthday came upon us.  Last year we had just lost the Prescott house and felt we might never find a home.  My how a year can change things!   I started Ryan's day much less healthily than Father's Day with ham and cheese croissants and croissant cinnamon rolls from the local french bakery.

Tante Mollusk and Papa Jim joined us for drinks and dinner after work.  The weather was perfect for lounging and eating on the deck and Ryan made it home in time for some quality baseball and basketball with Ben.  Papa was delighted when he hardly made it in the door before Ben was dragging him to the basketball court.

Since discovering Hendricks gin and that the tonic I usually drank had high-fructose corn syrup we've become quite the natural tonic taste-testers.

Oh this boy loves his pups and all doggies and puppies for that matter. :)

baseball with DaDa is the best kind.

We grilled steaks and had some other sides that Ryan requested.  Ryan was gifted with golf, Rockler gift cards and a Nest thermostat and wireless home temperature control system.  I'm confident he couldn't have asked for a better day or more perfect gifts.  Nana and MeeMee were both out of town and certainly missed. 

Bonnie Brae's triple death chocolate ice cream pie rounded out the evening just before Ben quickly showed us all that he was all done with this day.  Since naps have gone away some days end in break downs and the quicker he makes it into bed, the better for all involved.

Ben picked a robot card for his Dad.

Tante smirking as Ryan read her card.

waiting waiting waiting for ice cream

Ryan was definitely more excited than this pic lets on.

Tante showed off her food fotog skills.

"that's my piece. Ice cream right there Mama!"

 

Ryan couldn't help but install the Nest right away. 

This day also marks the start of my favorite time of year.....when Ryan is 3 whole years older than me!

DaDa's day weekend

 Many Happy Fathers

Father's day weekend this year started with lots of work and ended with lots of fun.  Ryan took Friday off work so we could have an extra day to prepare Pratt for sale.  MeeMee took Ben on Friday so we were able to make a detailed plan, buy supplies and sand the deck in preparation for staining.  We also got to enjoy lunch at an old haunt and reminisce about our DINK days.  While we would never wish to change our life as we know it, we're very glad we had time together as a couple before Ben. 
Saturday was more of the same with Papa Jim joining in to help.  We got lots done including sanding and staining the deck and front door, cleaning up the yard a bit, and staging for a successful sale. Unfortunately, Ben (well, his mom) got pulled over for the second time in days.  This time it was more than a headlight as I was caught speeding just as I was setting my cruise control.  Ben squealed "motorcycle," on repeat from the backseat with delight.  The guy added points without telling me and with an illegible scribe but I've been told by many to pay it and move on-just more slowly.

 
 Ben had too much iPad and not enough exercise Saturday and struggled as the evening wore on.  Thankfully the fun on Sunday was more than enough to make up for it.

We awoke on Father's Day and had kale and mango smoothies at Ryan's request.  We then had him open his cards which included tickets to the Rockies game later that afternoon.  Before the game we headed to Nana and Papa's for brunch/lunch and were joined by Christy, Dave, Ian, Ryan's Uncle John and great grandma Lola. 

beautiful Lola

only moments after Ryan told ME not to turn too sharply

cutie cousins on Nana's tire swing

Ben was SO proud of himself for gingerly stepping through the violas to the big hidden rock. 

Papa Jim. Ryan, Ben and I headed out shortly after brunch to catch the light rail to the game.  It was Ben's second time on the train in as many weeks and he loved it just as much.  I worked hard to take Ben on walks and entertain him so his Dad and Papa could sit back and enjoy the game but Ryan insisted on a couple bonding walks.  Peanuts, beer, chocolate milkshakes and a swift Rockies victory made for an enjoyable day for all of us.  

waiting for the train with tickles

chocolate milkshakes make everything great!

loungin' with Papa

the fun is done

 
We caught the train home and Nana joined us at Colorado Hacienda for dinner.  The food was great but the service was so poor over and over that we got our entire meal comped.  It was such a delightful day all-in-all that it seems unfair they call it Father's Day.  I know this mama couldn't have asked for more in a great Sunday with family.

back in the saddle

this was from Ben's first time in the pool

...in the pool.
Ben returned to swimming the second week of June week with a surprise lesson that means he'll have two each week all summer.
On Mondays he takes lessons from Megan who grew up in the same cul-de-sac as his DaDa and is an amazing swimmer. teacher, and also coaches a large swim team.  He quickly took to Megan and now talks about her frequently and looks forward to his lessons. 
We were surprised he also gets swimming lessons at preschool on Tuesdays.  These lessons are very expensive through the JCC so I was surprised they were added in to his summer schedule but very pleased none-the-less.  This class has a 3-1 kid/teacher ratio so I was worried about Ben's forwardness around the water and he did show them on the first day with a quick and scary solo swim that he is very comfortable with the water but also may not know his limits.  He sort-of dog paddled after leaping from the edge and was quickly grabbed and cheered for by all.  One teacher said she cheered so he wouldn't cry and the other out of sheer surprise at his ability.
I am hopeful hopeful hopeful that we'll have a tried and true swimmer on our hands by his 3rd birthday and confident that if it's within his ability, Megan is the person to get him there.
Lots of family and friends have access to great pools that will help us stay cool all summer and practice.....practice.....practice.

an instant natural :) or naturally warm and buoyant :)

aha!

Don't fret, Dear Readers, I have lots of posts to catch up on as soon as we get Pratt on the market this weekend.  Posts about Father's Day and first MLB games and skateboarding-ahhh! 

But, I'm pausing amid the madness because I just had an amazing aha parenting moment.  It may seem trivial or small to parents of other kiddos but for Ben and me the victory was huge.  We just finished dinner and I gave him some choices of things to play with while I tidied the kitchen.  He asked to go outside and I told him if he cleaned up his animals, he could go outside.  Now, normally this task would take 10-15 minutes with lots of distractions and moments of help and re-direction from Mom.  
Holy WOW! was I floored when I looked over and he had found the bucket the animals belong in and was quickly putting them away.  He did it all in less than 2 minutes, picked up the bucket and set it on the entry bench, said, "all done!" with enthusiasm and clapped for himself.  And then I cried.... small hidden tears of joy but boy did I let my little man know how proud I was.  
I knew this day would come sooner than later but after a day lots of struggles and crankiness it can be hard to see the light at the end of the 2-3 year old tunnel.
I see the light and it shines bright!! I'm most excited because as more of these helpful milestones occur, there's just more time for FUN!!

flashing lights in the dark

On Saturday night as we returned from dinner at a friend's house in the mountains, Ben had his first experience being pulled over...........and he slept through the whole thing.
We had had a headlight out for a week or so and when we were nearly home, Ryan said, "we're about to get pulled over for the headlight." In fact we did and the officer kindly warned us about the safety and let us go.  It was after ten and I'm sure lots of burned out headlights lead to other infractions at that hour but we were quickly back en route to the Heimer Haus.  Ben sawed logs through the whole thing and Ryan and I joked how we'll be telling him for many years to come about how he slept through his first traffic stop.

no school

Holy moly it's been 12 days since I've blogged!  Unfortunately the naps have gone again as quickly as they came and LIFE has been filling the time I allow for myself on the phone/computer when Ben doesn't nap.  I talk a little about our Longmont house in this post, http://itallbeganwithbenandabbq.blogspot.com/2011/11/3123.html, and there are also some cute chunky-cheeked Ben pics.  Well the time has come to sell Pratt and the market is so crazy here that we are managing multiple potential buyers and the house isn't even listed yet.  A neighbor just sold her similar unit in less than two weeks for MUCH more than we were hoping to get for ours that has more upgrades.  So, that and our neighborhood block party are my time-sucks of late, but there's plenty of fun going right along with it for the Heimer fam.
Last week Ben had no school as the teachers prepare for the summer session.  It was a little taste of what summer might be like next year with no preschool and we had a blast.  We visited Nana and Papa's with a new tire swing and MeeMee's with a new kiddie pool and water toys. 
On Thursday morning we went to the zoo which had been planned on Tuesday but missed out on because of someone's failure to stay in bed the night before. :)  It was the first time at the zoo without a stroller and Ben was an amazing listener.  He stayed fairly close and would stop to look at the animals with more frequency.  Climbing a large rock was still his favorite part but we had a delightful picnic (with chatting included) and an overall wonderful morning.  With a membership thanks to the Lineberrys and a close proximity to our house, it's easy to go for a couple of hours and a picnic and head home with no guilt for having paid a high ticket price.

chattin it up with "hap feet."

Careful to give equal love to both "daddy and baby." Mommy continues to be missing and taken for granted in most of these scenarios.

a ram for DaDa

THE rock was great for asking passerby, "how ya doin'?"

That evening we rode the lightrail for the first time to Tante's work downtown for a BBQ and Finding Nemo on the big screen.  Ben was absolutely thrilled to ride the train and delighted lots of other passengers.  It wasn't any different from the airport and other city trains he's been on but I tried to make a big deal of it being a "real train." With multiple plane trips before he was one, it's sometimes hard to find novelty in things that seem like they should be a big deal. 
The movie was shown in the giant cafeteria and Ben quickly found a girlfriend to chase.  They ran and ran for quite a while and then started (thanks to the girlfriend) climbing on tables.  Ben got a few warnings but sadly had to cut the evening short thanks to his monkey-ing around.  Unfortunately, getting back on the train and heading home is no punishment.  (Ben always wants to be home these days.) No iPad or basketball the rest of the evening did allow for some great behavior discussions. 

 

Our week of fun was capped on Friday with joining the Lineberrys in their neighborhood garage sale. 
We were up with the sun and the hard-working people.  I had the thought as I drove to their house at 6 am that people who were out and about at that hour are really the people getting stuff done.  No one is driving to the mall or just out for fun.  As Rob Dirdek would say, they are, "doin' work, Son."  I was headed to work for early east coast meetings frequently at that hour in my last job, so there was a lot of contemplation for me on the drive down. It felt good to be up, out, and being productive.
The garage sale was mostly productive and spending hours playing and chatting with our friends was lots of fun.  Ben got extra iPad time as I think the early morning wake-up call left him with less than enough big-girl chasing energy.  We were mostly successful with our small table of stuff and made enough money for lunch and a mini-trampoline for Ben (my goal for the day along with a strider bike.)  I'll post about the trampoline and it's reasoning when it arrives as well as where the heck we find to keep it.
Overall, the week was a blast and included lots more of my thanking Ben for listening and good behavior than reprimanding.  I am happy that he returns to school today though.  I've gotta, "do work, Son."