a fun filled weekend

as april comes to a close and we get ready to embark on some major renovations & house projects, we were happy to enjoy a weekend of simple, fun family time.  

on saturday morning we headed to ikea, seeking inspiration for emre & baby brother's rooms.  we're considering swapping out emre's crib for a 'big boy' bed (so that the baby can use the crib when the time comes).  of course, we want to take our time with that transition so we'll just buy a new crib if necessary.  in the meantime, we DID have success in finding emre some quality pot and pans for his kitchen - a stainless steel set - which led to hours of play in the afternoon.  

he mimics everything we do - he washed the lettuce and vegetables before steaming them on the stove.  then, it was time to wash the dishes.

very seriously serving up some steamed broccoli and salad

such a boy, playing with his trains and legos

after ben had gotten up on a stool to replace some lightbulbs in the hallway, emre decided he needed to 'work on the lights.'  he used a telephone cable and went around the living room with a stool fixing each light.  

on saturday night we got all dressed up and headed out, leaving emre with evelyn for the evening, to attend ozge & ali's engagement dinner.  in turkey, after the proposal, a formal engagement takes place with the families.  the tradition is that the groom, along with his family, goes to the bride's house, where she prepares coffee for him (some like to play a joke, putting salt in the coffee, and watching the groom drink it & pretend like it's good, but ozge was kind to ali & opted not to).  they exchange wedding bands (which are worn on the right hand up until the wedding), and then have a dinner to celebrate.  these two are a great match whom we adore, and we were so happy to be included in their celebration.

celebrating ozge & ali

this is what was happening on the other side of the table

on sunday morning, after a lovely breakfast out, we headed to the mickey mouse clubhouse show that was taking place at the mall.  emre had NO idea what was coming, which made it all the sweeter.  after partaking in some of the activities they had for the kids, emre and ben got in line to meet mickey mouse, who appeared on the stage.  the first time (while i was off grocery shopping), emre was apparently so excited, clapping and jumping around, that he forgot to hug mickey.  this really upset him, so he and ben got back in line so they could try again.  by then i was there & able to capture it on camera - he was soooo thrilled to give mickey hugs and kisses, and has not stopped talking about it since.  he brought his polaroid shots (which they gave him) to school on monday for show and tell!

waiting patiently

finally his turn!

big kiss & hug for mickey

are you getting this, mom?

the other excitement on sunday was emre's first tricycle ride.  the vintage bike was a hand-me-down from a friend, and i'd been waiting until emre was big enough to use it.  we took it out for an evening ride and he loved it!  he's working on steering & pedaling simultaneously, but it won't be long before he masters it.  lots of fun was had, and boy was he exhausted by the end of the day.  

thanks for the help, dede!

ben's birthday week & easter

we had a nice week of celebrating ben's birthday & then easter, plus getting a few projects under way around the house.  for ben's birthday we had a 'date night' and enjoyed our first dinner out, in a long while, at kalbur (aka the fish nazi).  it was a rare treat to enjoy quiet conversation, uninterrupted by a screaming toddler.  on that front, the potty training continues to go well - emre's been in underwear for five days now without any accidents (the down side is that he has turned it into a game and constantly 'needs' to go pee - especially just after we've left the house, but we'll take it).

uncle ado arrived from izmir on friday night & will stay until tomorrow.  it's been nice for him and ben to spend time together catching up, and of course emre loves having adoooooo around.  i spent yesterday mostly cooking, preparing our easter meal (steak with scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus and strawberry arugula salad with pound cake & strawberries for dessert).  the strawberries are perfectly in season right now, so i intend to use them as much as possible.  happy easter!

emre was thrilled to help ben with the project of installing new cabling in the living room and then painting over it - he especially liked the painting part!

happy birthday, daddy!

captivated by… something.

wearing his new outfit from grandma for easter brunch

handsome dude 

apres photo shoot - you may take me to brunch now.

our future executive at work - he loved the tie.

thinking up trouble, no doubt

balkayas, happily reunited

it's been wonderful having ben home.  we both agreed that though he was only gone for a week, it felt MUCH longer... we just don't like being apart!  and luckily, we won't have to be again for the foreseeable future.  

thursday was like christmas, with all of the goodies ben brought us from the states.  the weekend was spent enjoying those goodies & relaxing - and for poor ben, getting over some serious jet-lag.  

coloring with markers - 'dis one ba-loo, mommy.'

selfie

he was loving the green bowl, until he dropped it (for the tenth time) & it smashed to pieces.  oops!

we chose a less breakable one after that.

enjoying a special treat to celebrate being over the stomach bug.

just another evening at our house: hanging out in my closet, wearing a diaper & my sneakers, singing made up songs at the top of his lungs.

on friday night we went to carole & paul's house for dinner.  emre had been looking forward to it all week - 'more talia, mommy!'  so we were surprised when we got there & he wanted nothing to do with talia.  well, it turned out he just needed some time to warm up to her.  before long they were all about hugs & kisses on the couch - under our strict supervision, of course!  it was hilarious - and nothing we'd seen either of them do before.  these two have quite the history together - we will be so sad when they leave for their next posting in july!

watching some 'toons on the couch

talia may have started it...

...but emre definitely finished it.

hangin' with daddy

cupcakes for dinner?  don't mind if i do.

aaaaand he's spent.

sunday night at the park

this is how they brush their teeth

emre's first stomach bug

here is the story of our weekend:  emre, still getting over an ear infection & cold, got the stomach bug.  the end.

ok, not really, but that does sum it up pretty well, poor kid.  

on our friday night walk - not talking to me after i had promised him a simit (turkish pastry), only to find the simit shop was closed.

when we returned home from our walk, he decided he would not wear pants for the rest of the night.  

cleaning his car (with a napkin) while waiting for our pizza to arrive...

...next it was time to clean the windows...

...and finally, to remove the cushions from the couch before sitting down to eat some pretend pizza (still waiting for the pizza to arrive.  when it finally did, after i paid and the delivery man had left, i discovered they'd brought us the wrong one & it was a personal size, not medium as i had ordered.  but we ate it anyway, because i was starving & exhausted, and with my limited turkish, what were my other options?  sometimes i feel so useless/helpless in this country, especially when ben's not here).

finally asleep on friday night (i bring him to my bed before i go to sleep when ben's not here).  notice how he's rubbing his pointer finger & thumb together - this is what he does now as he falls asleep.  and it breaks my heart.

saturday started out well enough, though he was awfully clingy.  evelyn came to help me out, but he wouldn't go to her, didn't want me to leave his side.  i was pretty exhausted myself so i laid down with him for his nap & slept for a bit.  then i decided to head out & run the errands i had planned & left him sleeping.  when i returned, he was a total mess & evelyn said he'd been crying for me the whole time (unusual).  he was running a fever.  i sat with him on the couch & he did not move from there for the rest of the night.  it was actually pretty scary, seeing him like that, when it's usually impossible to get him to sit still (see pictures from friday night).

burning up with a fever & complaining his tummy hurt

glued to me

fell asleep around six - after having taken a two hour nap.  a first.

even when he woke up he didn't move

the real fun began after i had put his pj's on, when, while i was holding him, he threw up all over both of us.  the poor thing had never thrown up before & it really freaked him out.  we ran to the bathroom where he continued getting sick.  i stripped us both down & threw our clothes in the tub while trying to explain it was totally normal.  after he'd calmed down, i put him to bed in fresh pj's and he passed out immediately.  poor baby.

on sunday morning he was still lethargic, did NOT want to eat anything, but the fever was finally gone.  

by ten we both needed to get out of the house, so we headed to the mall to 'see the fish' (emre loves the giant fish tanks - which are dark in this picture because the power had gone out).

picking out a new toy at the bookstore

annnd he's ready to leave.  'mommy, come.'

the rest of the day was a bit trying, since he was not feeling great & needed a lot of TLC.  he basically ate nothing the entire day (another first).  we took a long walk in the afternoon - it was 73 degrees & sunny, absolutely beautiful.  when we were just about home, emre said 'car seat, mommy.  nice drive.'  which i completely agreed with, so off on a nice drive throughout the city we went.  

this morning he seems better, though he just laid on the couch again until about 8:30.  here's hoping it's behind us.  ben returns home on thursday - we just have to make it to thursday!

monday morning - still not 100%