Take me out to the ballgame

Baseball will never be the same for me.  

Last week we were treated to a night out at the ballpark in a suite with endless amounts of wine and beer.  It was definitely the way to view Ichiro's first game as a New York Yankee.  

Tyler, Alex and Colin had so much fun. Alex asked when we could do that again.  I didn't have the heart to tell him that not every baseball game comes with all the hotdogs and cookies a 3 year old boy could eat and a room to run around and stay warm in.  

The summer sas

Summer has been, well... er, bearable.  I used to think I was not one for routine and doing the same thing every day.  Well, it's become apparent that maybe there is a little of me that thrives with a little routine.  Minus the lunch making and carpool driving of course.  I think it's the mom part of me.  

Alex has kept me on my toes this summer.  My only hope for survival is to stay 1 step ahead of him.  This means a lot of activities that don't require a lot of doing what I tell him to do.  With his strong will that is the one thing that seems to really set him off, which in turn sets me off.  Luckily we have great friends that keep us company and join us on our adventures.

Last week we hit up Golden Gardens and Alex surprised us with some pretty decent listening ears.  The boys loved playing on the beach, finding crabs, building sand castles and throwing rocks, while Michelle and I loved relaxing on the beach watching the hoodlums tire themselves out day dreaming about nap time.

Thirteen Months

Well G Baby, 13 months looks good on you, I have to say.

You are growing by leaps and bounds and although you will always be MY baby, you most definitely are not A baby anymore.

At thirteen months you are...

so proud that you have learned to stand...
(this is the cheer you do every time you stand up)

navigating the stairs with the greatest of ease, the wrong way...

learning the art of climbing UP the slide...

eating any and everything you can get you hands on, even your brothers leftovers...

enjoying the summer and all it has to offer, especially the slip and slide...


entertaining yourself for bits of time, albeit very small bits of time, but I'll take it...


and trying on some new hair dos.
Daddy wasn't too sure about this one.


Graham, you keep us running and have proven to be the most troublesome 13 month old of the Bugbee family.  You love to get into everything.  The cupboard of beer is always a favorite.  I am pretty sure you have not even blinked your eyes at your own basket of toys that is stocked full of developmentally and age appropriate toys for you.  Nope, you much prefer the hazards of Alex's room, the plastic bag drawer, tupperware, the dog food container, glass bottles, oh and yes, the stairs.
While troublesome you are, you are also a lover.  I love your snuggles more than anything.
You continue to wake up several nights a week.  While this would have never been allowed with either of your brother, I have come to cherish those quiet moments I have with you.  You are still napping twice a day and really seem to need it.  Occasionally we can get away with one, but thats only when you sleep in past 9am.  My favorite thing to do is to sneak in and peak at you with your little bum up in the air snoozing away, blankie in hand.
July 17th was a big day for you.  Those much anticipated first steps were witnessed!  Although you prefer to crawl still, you willingly oblige to our requests for a few steps as long as we provide you with lots of cheers and clapping.  Then you quickly sit down and get on your way.
While I may sound like everything is cupcakes and roses with you, I am not going to lie, you can be exhausting.  Your constant need to be held, while great for my biceps, is getting tough.  And daddy wonders why nothing gets done during the day!  When you are awake you are at my feet, always.  I love that you love me, but seriously dude, it's time to branch out...just a bit.  I do remind myself constantly though, this is going to be over before I know it and I AM going to want it back... so enjoy it!
I have said it before and I'l say it again... I couldn't imagine this family without you.  You make us laugh, you make us cry, you keep us on our toes but most of all you make us so, so happy.
We love you little man.

My First Born

As I type I am sitting outside with my first born.  I just finished my art project and he is finishing his.  Far too often I am too consumed with the little boys and all their needs and Tyler get pushed to the back.  All too often I am too consumed with the fact that I don't have a girl to enjoy what my 3 wonderful boys are giving me.  All too often life gets in the way and these moments are lost.  Today I am choosing to live in this moment.  To be truly present.  To relish in the beauty that is my oldest son.  To love him for who he is and all that he brings to this family.  

Tyler James, you are and always will be my first baby.  You made me a momma, the best thing in the whole wide world.  You are a wonderfully inquisitive, thoughtful, fun and wild boy.  I know I don't hold you enough or kiss you enough (because you are apparently too cool for that), but please know that I love you.  I love you more than any of my words could ever describe.  You are one of the greatest gift I could have ever imagined.  Thank you for being mine.

The U S of A

This year we celebrated the good 'ol USA with some good 'ol fashion fun and lots of new memories.

The morning was spent at the beach club with the boys, my oldest girlfriend, Laura, my big sis and her significant other, Loren.  Graham surprised us by taking his first few steps and showing off his new standing skills.  Don't mind his nose.  Poor little guy has yet another cold and, of course, another double ear infection.  Looks as if tubes may be in our not too distant future if this keeps up.

Love his full on slobber kisses!


Tyler and Joe passed the swim test.




Love this girl.  Hard to believe that I took care of her when she was Graham's age.


How often do you get to see this.  Mr. Eagle swooped down and grabbed a fish just yards away from us.  And of course I had my camera in hand.

Later we headed over to Grandma B's for a Bar B Que.  There isn't a day that goes by that I am not so thankful that this wonderful family was brought into our lives.  What other grandma would invite not only the our family with 3 crazy boys but also my parents over for a bar b que?
Yep, only the one and only Grandma B!  Oh yeah, and she keeps extra clothes at her house for when your child insists that he needs to put pajamas on despite the fact we didn't bring any.  Really!
Thanks so much for a wonderful evening with wonderful friends!





Aunt Kelly and the kids.


My surrogate daughter... Erin


I don't have a girl to dress like me, so the youngest boy will have to do :)






These two make me happy.







Happy Fourth of July!