Rowland Ramblings: Feb-Burrrrrr-ary 2014

there are some deer hiding in the picture

C-O-L-D! That pretty much sums up our February. Actually by the end of the month we were finally starting to see the snow melt but the first 15 days or so we were in a deep freeze of cold, snow, and darkness. But we managed to stay warm and busy indoors. A serious thanks goes out to Grandma Cindy for helping us stay sane all month. The boys and I visit the Edwardsville Childrens Museum with her one day and then spent the entire super bowl weekend in Greenville since Daddy had to work all weekend. We also took a road trip with Grandma to Texas to visit the Stahr family.(I will do a seperate blog entry for this epic journey!).

having a Friday movie and pizza night while Daddy was at work. The movie was: Veggie Tales the League of Incredible Vegetables (Rex's pick).

Will and Beth:

Will and another guy from work after the race.

Will signed up for the GO! St. Louis Marathon the first weekend in April this month. So he has been busy logging miles (when it wasn't snowing or -10 degrees out side). I did not sign up for a marathon but I did join a gym for the winter. (only $10 a month) So I have been running on a treadmill when the weather wasn't fit (that was pretty much the whole month!) and I have been doing some weights too. We are both still playing soccer. A new session started up the month and after some debate if it was worth it with Will's new schedule prohibiting him from playing half of the games we decided its just to much fun to stop! Luckily Will even found someone that will play the other games he doesn't play and they can split the costs. Will also ran in a historic 6k race. The race was held the day before the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial bridge that crosses the Mississippi into St. Louis on I-70 opened. The runners got to run over the bridge and back before it opened to cars the next day. It was a bone chilling 18 degrees outside for the race that a.m., thankfully it just wasn't snowing like they had forecasted. Will placed 100th overall out of 2,912 runners. Things are going well with the new nights schedule and I have even found that I am really enjoying my quiet evenings home alone. Sometimes I organize or clean and sometimes I just read or go to be really early.

Rex enjoyed Valentines day this year

Rex:

Rex has still been busy busy busy with his Legos pretty much everyday. So thank you again to anyone who game him Lego gifts at Christmas, they are loved dearly. Grandma Cindy has had a train table in storage for several years that she picked up at a yard sale. She has tried to convince me several times we need it but I never wanted . Well this month I decided it would be a perfect place for Rex to play at upstairs in his room. It has been a hit. I wanted it with the intent of converting the surface of it to a Lego table covered in Lego board but so far its working out pretty well the way it is so well just see. Every once in a while we do some trains on it for Grant too. We also acquired a small love seat from Grandma Cindy for Rex's room. This is so when I am doing bedtime for both boys by myself (which is most of the time now) we can all cuddle on the couch and read books and sing before bedtime. The rocker we had was getting a little too crowded. This has also been a rather frustrating month for Rex. He has had lots of emotional up and down days and has been reduced to tears by the teeny tiniest smallest most ridiculous things. I dont know if this is just a sneak peak into the frustrating fours or just the cabin fever winter blues. Either way im ready for it to be over.

Police Man Rex-a-roo at the Edwardsville Children's Museum

Fireman Rex at the Edwardsville Children's Museum

Rex channeling his Superman skills

Our homemade Valenitne's for Rexie's preschool party

Rex busy playing at the "train" table

These are Rex's boots but Grant had them on every chance he got this month

Grant:

Oh Grant Edward where do I start. I am so totally in love with Grant this month. He is just so stinkn' cute right now. This 20-24 month range is definitely a favorite age of mine. He's fun to play with and he watch him starting to do his own pretending. I love that he can and does tell me everything he is seeing and thinking and discovering. I am shocked daily, hourly, minute by minute at all the things he can clearly communicate to me. He's strangely into colors, shapes and letter and he sees them everywhere. He isn't always right about them but he is pretty often. His favorite shape that he gets right most of the time is triangle. He also tells me when he sees the letter O. If that wasn't enough he started singing along with me at bed time. It melts my heart. His little voice singing Jingle Bells (he requests this every night), the ABCs, Jesus Loves Me, even Amazing Grace. He is taking great naps and sleeping great at night. About my only complaint is that he hasn't eaten much and he is a picky eater (I think he lived off pretzel sticks and milk this month). He's also very ornery and very stubborn and starting to hold his own when fighting with his brother. He's figured out that Rex doesn't like it when he grabs his shirt collar and pulls it, so in a fight he goes for it turning mr frustrated into a puddle, what a stinker! I know the 2's will be here before I know it and I'll wonder what happened to my sweet little baby so im just gonna enjoy it while I can.