Story Time and the Little Insomniac

Sullivan has a bit of insomnia this week. I think it’s because he’s going through a language learning phase and he is just not tired or too many things to think about. Last night he was up till 1:30am with Daddy watching his new favorite movie “Finding Nemo”. Well tonight we tried to tucker him out by a trip up to the grandparents so he could run around in their big yard. It helped a bit I think cause it only took him an hour and a half to fall asleep tonight and thankfully before midnight. Anyway, we captured some fun pictures of him tonight during story time. I have this favorite picture of his uncle Kirk in diapers reading a book and I have wanted to recreate it with Sullivan. We came close tonight but not an exact duplicate. He usually reads the first page of every one of his books as a night time routine but tonight he actually read several of his books front to back and multiple times. Another example of his new language skills. Notice several are upside down….well he read them up side down and right side up as well as front to back 🙂

Oh and tonight when we were at the grandparents he was playing a fun “magic” trick with grandmother Judy where she hid his cup underneath one of two hats and he had to guess where it was. Well at some point someone must have said “it’s amazing” cause he started to say “It’s Amazing” after he found the cup but his voice sounded more like a Latin announcer….Eatsa Masing!….priceless……and also while he was playing this game he was screaming and giggling and his great grandmother Jo who is being cared for at Jerry and Judy’s house called him a “My Little Screaming Mudpuddle”…it was too darling.

Sullivan Outside

Sullivan likes to play “why”….outside that is. Here he is this past week in our front yard exploring the leaves and fence. He likes to put his fingers through all the holes in the fence and peek through them….Always with his hat of course……never leaves the house without it these days.

Sullivan at DK Royal Stadium with the Longhorns

Sullivan and I had the great opportunity to visit the Darrel K Royal Stadium this evening. Each year the UT Football organization chooses a local children’s group to treat to a night with the Longhorn players and coaches and this year Wonders and Worries was the recipient group. We toured the entire Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Complex that houses the locker, training and meeting rooms, the coaches and team offices, the trophy’s and player lounge, and much more more. After our tour we gathered in their assembly hall and met with Mack Brown and the coaches and learned about the world of the UT football player and their many awards and accomplishments. Then of course ended the evening with free time and visiting with the players on the field of the Darrel K. Royal Stadium. The Longhorn band was there playing game favorites, Bevo, the UT cheerleaders, and Sullivan’s favorite, HE-Buddy (which he literally would not leave alone the entire night. Colt MaCoy, Major Applewhite, and Mack Brown were strolling around and all Sullivan wanted to do was go over and say “Hi” to HE-Buddy. He had a blast though running on the field, throwing the football with players, flirting with the cheerleaders, and teasing Bevo who he kept calling a Cow. Here are some of our pictures from the evening. Everybody loved his little UT football suit with Longhorns written on the buns (hand me down from the Baskin clang) which the cheerleaders could not resist as you can see in this lovely picture of Sullivan with a gaggle of them. He really seemed to hold the football like a natural too…..never known…maybe someday he’ll play on that field…football or trumpet who knows 🙂

Mommy Goes To Happy Valley

At the beginning of April I went back to State College (otherwise known as Happy Valley) for a Penn State Thespian reunion. I flew into Philly and drove out to PSU with my college roommate Vicki and then joined up with the rest of the Thespian crew for a weekend of fun. Vicki and I visited our old apartment on Prospect Ave. Still looks the same as does the rowdy fraternity house that was across the street from us. I used to call the cops on them nearly every other weekend for partying past 2am and making too much noise. Yes, I was a grandma even back then. Then on Friday night we went around to all of our old favorite bars and ate dinner at the new hot Mexican restaurant that used to be the Silver Screen where I worked as a singing waitress for a summer. Saturday we toured campus and took lots of pictures as you can see. There were lots of new additions on campus while many of our old hang outs and class buildings looked exactly as they did in the 90’s. We had ice cream at the new creamery, visited the theatre department, and had a nice dinner Saturday night at Spats. It was a great weekend and I am already dreaming about our next reunion. There is something so special and irreplaceable about this group from Happy Valley. Some of the best friendships I’ll have the privilege of sharing.