Friday, October 7, 2011

daredevils


Looks of pure adrenaline and joy.  When we ski, they're going to be jumping off of cliffs with Daddy, aren't they???  Excuse me while I go get a prescription for Xanax.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Three year olds are good for my self-esteem

I have kind of an open-door policy in the house during the day.  I mean, I generally have company no matter where I'm going...  Ya know what I'm sayin?  So when B walked into my bedroom with me while I was putting on a clean pair of jeans, no biggie...

Miss B, observing:  "Mama, you have kinda a bigger bum, don'tcha?"
Me:  "Yeah...  But I'm running and trying to lose it!"
Miss B, very upset:  "Oh no!  Don't lose it!  Where will you find it???  I like your bum!" 

She then got smothered in hugs and kisses b/c she loves her Mama, just the way I am...  even when I don't like the bigger bum.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Cousins...

To all you brave souls out there that photograph kids on a regular basis...  My hat is off to you!

This is my failed attempt to get a picture for Grammy & Papa's picture frame.

















Hmmm, let's see.  A thumb-in-the-mouth toddler, a grimace-smile from the preschooler, and a very awkward newborn face. 





Let's try that again, shall we?
















This time, I got a slouching toddler, an eye-roll from the preschooler, and a newborn looking away.






One more time.

















A non-smiling toddler, a giggly preschooler, and a newborn that is looking at me!  Eh...  one out of three ain't bad.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A Good Sign

I mean, the papers aren't signed yet.... 

but THIS is a step in the right direction!  :)



















(The Hubs had business in Ohio today.)

Friday, September 9, 2011

Recipe for a Death Trap

I hate fruit flies.  They seem so slow, so sluggish, when buzzing around.  Yet I never can seem to catch/smash them.  Plus they're always all over my food or flowers.  Disgusting.

And apparently I'm not the only one that was invaded by fruit flies this past week.  My factors included over-ripe peaches and open windows/doors.  Luckily I stumbled across this suggestion a while ago.  (Sorry, I don't remember where, so I can't give credit where credit is due.) 

Fruit Fly Death Trap
1 part red wine
1 part white vinegar
a squirt of dish soap (I use Dawn...  which I'm not sure why I use Dawn- probably b/c my mother uses it.)

*Make enough to fill a wide mouth glass to the brim.
*Mix it up good, but try not to make too many bubbles.  (You will make some bubbles- don't worry, they will pop over night.) 
*Set the glass out on your counter top for 24-48hrs.
*Put away all other fruit fly temptations- fruit into the frig, trash closed up tight, no fresh flowers for the next day...
*Watch the little suckers drown. 
**Also, you may want to let your significant other know about your Death Trap, so they don't pour it down the drain.**

Seriously, that's it.  The wine/vinegar mixture attracts them.... well, like flies.  And the soap makes the surface tension of the liquid next to nothing.  They land to take a drink, slip in, and drown. (I love a little science in my home remedies!  I also love home remedies, that use things that I actually have in my house all the time!)


Once they are all gone, you now have a glass of vinegary-smelling wine, with dead fruit flies on the bottom.  But, I'd rather clean that up than deal with those little pests!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Neglect

Webster's synonyms for neglect:  disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget.  Yeah.... you could say this blog has been neglected!  I won't go into the reasons, but I've got some.  Now that some of those reasons have resolved themselves (anyone have a way to resolve "busy-ness?") I plan on writing here again.  Some topics I have brewing.

*My kids' birth stories.  Amy did such an awesome job with her boys' c-section stories!  And her c-section & VBAC experiences were so different than mine, I feel inspired write down my stories.  (Before I forget them!)

*A quick potty training update.  Because I didn't leave that one at a very good place.

*House hunting news.  YES!  Because *knock on wood* *fingers crossed* the old house is almost sold!

*Pictures.  I have lots of new ones to share.  These kids are growing like weeds.  (If you count a 27.2 lb three year old and a 26 lb 21 month old "growing" -- which I totally do!)

*Running.  Yes, I've been running...  It's quite a challenge for me.

Until later!!!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Regression

Potty Training, Day 3. 

Since we started Miss B potty training on Monday morning, we've been here at home, watching a lot of movies.  (I know, I know...  I hate it.)  And we've had her little potty in the living room, so she doesn't really "miss" anything, if she goes.  (I'm using every advantage I can right now.)  I think maybe tomorrow we'll move the potty to the bathroom and she'll have to go into the bathroom in order to go.  You know, like a normal, socially acceptable person. 

Then there's the fact that she's hasn't gone #2 since Sunday.  (She usually goes #2, two or three times per day.  Yes.  Seriously.)  So I imagine she was ready to explode.  She went #2 in her little potty twice this morning, and then she had a #2 accident in her pants (too busy playing with trains to stop and go.)  When she went in the potty, it was disgusting b/c I had to clean the potty out.  (Worse.than.diapers.)  And then I had to clean up the mess that was made in the training pants.  Those suckers are over $2 a piece, so I'm not going to just throw them away!!!  And we don't have a utility sink in the basement anymore, so I had to use my kitchen sink, which disgusted me so I Cloroxed the kitchen sink after I cleaned up the mess.

And then two more pee accidents after that.  But at least the new Gerber training pants are doing what they are supposed to do and are absorbing the pee accidents.  There literally were no "puddles" to deal with today. 

This is such a hassle.  She's petite... she'd fit into Pampers for at least two more years....  Right?

Monday, May 16, 2011

Shock and Awe

Potty Training, Day 1. 

I figured, a week of forecasted rain, we have non-essential plans one day this week (Tuesday, library story time.)  I might as well jump in with two feet.  Of course, I decided this at 8am this morning.  (WHY do I always make these Big Change Decisions at the last minute!?!?!)

She did great!  I'm shocked.  I shouldn't be- she's always been pretty adaptable, and never gotten riled up about big changes.  Moving, new brother, nothing has ever phased her much.  (We'll see how moving out of the crib and losing the paci go....)  But for now, why should potty training be any different!?!? 

Today we had about 20 attempts (my fault and not needed,) 5 successful pees, 0 successful poops, and 0 accidents!  I have to admit, the no #2's has me a little worried- that's not like her at all...  She usually goes #2 several times per day, unless we are out and about, and then she'll usually wait until we get home, and then explode.

At first, I was setting a timer for every fifteen minutes, taking the undies off, sitting on the potty and trying.  Then after she went twice this morning, both were in between the timed "try times" when she looked at me, took off the undies, sat down, waited, and then went.  I decided that my timer and making her sit was not working or even necessary.  To be fair, it was a very low-key day.  We watched a lot of movies and her little potty was in the living room, so she didn't have to miss out on much when she did go.     

But I'm so encouraged, and I'm thinking maybe* we'll try Library Story Time tomorrow.  It's a risk....

*I already have an extra outfit packed.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Dun..Dun..Duuunnnnn.....

I keep saying things like, "After this weekend."  Or "After Easter."  And now, "After our trip to Michigan."  But in reality, I don't want to do it at all!  I'm scared. 

Potty Training. 

It's staring at me with its horrible eyes.  I don't wanna look back.  I'm not ready. 


Parenting books, magazines, websites will all rattle off the signs of when your child is ready to be potty trained.  They always forget to mention is the fortitude, determination, and willingness needed by the parents.  Oh yeah, and all those "signs from the child."  Miss B has shown exactly none of those.  As a matter of fact, she's been very resistant to potty training!  And I'm kind of okay with that so far.  But the time is coming.  She's two and a half- she'll be three in July.  My time is coming where I can't stall anymore and it's not going to be socially acceptable for my girl to poop in her pants.  One of these days Mama is going to have to put on her big girl panties, and...  well....  put on the big girl panties. 

In the meantime, I won't take the portability of my children for granted!

Saturday, April 30, 2011

April's a Goner

Well, April is over and I blogged, what?  Once?  There are a few reasons, but the three main reasons are:

#1 Sometimes the weather is nice, meaning we're outside (and I'm away from the computer.) 

#2  My sewing machine and I got to know each other intimately.  Between B's Easter dress and some of the other things I was making, I spent a lot of time with that machine this past month. 

#3 Hubs's actuarial exam was last Friday.  So he was in his major study/cram mode.  For the past few months we saw him from 6pm-9pm (his bedtime) Monday through Saturday.  (Saturdays he spent all days at Panera, studying)  And even on Sunday afternoons he'd disappear for 3-4hrs to study.  This "single parenting" thing?  No.Fun.  

And apparently, all this studying he's been doing.... it was all for not.  Because he didn't take the test today.  He never registered for it. *and he wonders why I have gray hairs*

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

I think we're confusing her....


The other day, the Hubs and Miss B were playing their guitars while I finished getting dinner on the table....

Miss B:  "Daddy! We're playing the guitar song of the ants!!!" (after hearing the opening chorus of Guitar Hero).
Hubs:  "What? What's ants?"
Miss B:  "This is ants! We heared it at Giant Eagle last morning!"
That’s where I had to step in and interpret.  They were playing The Beatles…  And I had pointed them out to her at GE the previous day.

After they played "Octopus's Garden" it was time for dinner.  She sat there slurping her spaghetti noodles singing, "Under the Sea" then she changed it to, "Under the K"  and then, "Under the S!"  :)
And then we were having a conversation earlier today where we were talking about her "aquarium"  (A Tupperware container where we put all of the "water animals"- a shark, a seahorse, a dolphin, an octopus, etc.)
Me:  "What else lives in the ocean?"
Miss B:  "Beatles live under the sea!!!"
Me:  "I don't think beatles live under water..."
Miss B:  "Yes, Mom!  Beatles live in the Octopus's Garden under the sea!"

And then I tried to explain that the name of the band- guys that play the guitars and sing- is The Beatles, and that they aren't the actual bugs that live under water. 

Sheesh.  This is getting more complicated than I expected.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Streak

Thirty-three months.  We've been parents for thirty-three months.  I've had a streak going for thirty-three months, and today....  Well.  Today it ended. 

Miss B and SD always get their bath in the mornings.  She's not a fan of the hairdryer and I hate to send her to bed with wet hair.  Since we have that flexibility, this works for us. 

Tonight at dinner, SD put chicken noodle soup in his hair AND placed his bowl of yogurt on his head as a hat.  Miss B's face and arms were covered in Nutella and Cheetos.  (Yeah, don't ask about the eclectic nature or nutritional value of dinner- the both had awesome, healthy lunches and The Hubs wasn't here tonight, so sometimes it just goes that way....)  SO, while they were both finishing up their dinners, I ran the water and into the tub they went!  I didn't really get a chance to prep, like I usually do- towels at the ready & clothes set out in Miss B's room (which is where we all go after a bath.)  SO, I grabbed a basket of clean laundry, brought it into the bathroom, and was digging around finding onsies and pjs.  Miss B said something, I walked over to the tub, and saw it. 


TURD IN THE TUB!!!! 

I acted with the efficiency and decisiveness of a Navy Seal.  Turd scooped out and into the toilet (luckily it was SD- the always constipated one- so it was easily scooped!) both kids hauled out of the tub, washclothes thrown into the laundry, tub drained, quickly wiped down, new water run (they're faces/hair were not clean at all yet!) kids back in, new washclothes, toys scrubbed in the sink! 

(AND he had the nerve to poop more, right there on the bathmat while waiting for the new water to run in the tub!  Luckily I caught it with some toilet paper- skillz, I haz them!- wiped his bum, and back in the tub he went.  I'm just glad he finished before he got plunked back into the tub!) 


The rest of bathtime/bedtime went off without a hitch.  They're both in bed (not necessarily snoozing yet, but I'm not worried about that...) and it's before 9pm.  And The Hubs is not even home yet!

That's me- in times of emergency/dire circumstances, I am the calm, collected one.  I can be counted on when kids are puking, fingers get smashed in doors...  or if there's a turd in the tub.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Lent, a few days late.

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  The ever present question of "What are you giving up?" 

My response is usually something along the lines of, "Um, I grew up Methodist.  We don't really do that.  Isn't that a Catholic thing?" 

But for me the underlying thought has always been, WHY?  Why give up chocolate or coffee?  There are obvious reasons- self-denial and discipline are two that instantly come to mind for me.  Consequently both of those are things I really suck at and could definitely need more practice... 

But I've always perceived Lent as a time to prepare yourself for the awesome experience of Easter.  To grow closer to God.  To me, I don't feel or see the rational of giving up chocolate and growing closer to God.



All that being said....  This year, I gave up Nutella.  I do need more self-discipline, I believe Christ was very self-disciplined and I desire to be more like Christ.  (And on a side note: that stuff is seriously sabotaging my diet.) 
I've decided to cut down on my Twitter/FB time, especially while the kiddos are awake so I can be more "present."  (@melissity made a good point when she quit Twitter for Lent, sharing @OurLittleAshley's post as her inspiration.) 

But, the big things that I have committed to are DOING things during Lent. 
#1 Exercising every day.  My body is a temple if the Lord's.  And I abuse it.  Not horribly with drugs, alcohol, smoking.  But I do- laziness and sugar being my main enemies. 
#2  Every day I am reading my Bible & a Christian thought book (first up is Moments Together which came recommended from my mom, after that I have a few to choose from- we'll see how many I finish in 40 days.)

And today a friend shared this.  And I couldn't agree more.  Yes, I gave something up for Lent, but what am I giving?  That is the real question for me.

Hitting My Stride

I remember in the months just before SD was born, feeling like I was pretty good at this Mom-thing.  Miss B and I were on fire- playgroups, library time, visiting relatives, making dinners, exploring new activities, DOING things.  Then SD was born and I floundered for about four months.  (One to two kids was a big adjustment for me!) 

And I'm doing it again.  I feel like I'm Hitting My Stride. 

Then I realized something.  It has nothing to do with ME....  It's the age.  SD is 15.5 months.  Miss B was 16 months & 2 days when SD was born. 

Oh......... 

Whatever the reason, I don't care.  We're exploring new places- Lilliput, the Pgh Zoo.  Next we're going to try the library here in PA and gymnastics this spring.  This summer I plan on spending a lot of time at the playground, pool, visiting my parents and riding on their boat. 

I'm hitting my stride (again!) and there's no newborn in the near future.  :)

The Personality On This One.

This guy...  He has turned into quite a character.  He is wicked good with using a spoon!  He can follow simple instructions.  He understands most everything I say.  He remembers so many things!  (Like at what page in a book Lightening McQueen screams.)  He is a stinker, a dare-devil, a cuddler, a sweetie-pie (random kisses!) and such a good boy- and definitely all BOY!  Loud, dirty, stinky feet, food in hair, and loves any kind of vehicle!  He thinks he can do everything that his older, more agile, sister can do.  And has the bruises to prove that he'll try no matter what.  He talks a lot, incoherently, but it's coming- one of these days an entire sentence is just going to come pouring out of his mouth.  And Oh my! that giggle.  How did we ever live without him?

Problem Solver

Me:  "Are you sleepy at all?"
Her:  "Not really at all."
Me:  "Are you going to try to take a nap today?"
Her:  "Probably not."
Me:  "Well, I'm kinda stinky and need to take a shower."
Her:  "Wellllll, actually, I can relax on your bed when you shower." 
Me:  "That'll work."

She's TWO AND A HALF and I'm having an adult conversation with her!  (And yes, she uses the word, "actually" quite a bit, and in perfect context....  Sheesh.)



Remember when I was complaining about Twos and OMG!Shoot Me! if Threes are worse.  Well dare I say, *whispers* Two and a Half has been enjoyable!

Monday, February 28, 2011

Mommy = Clean Up Slave

Before bedtime, The Hubs was getting Miss B to clean up some of the mess that had accumulated in the toy room, and I overheard this conversation.... 

Hubs:  "Time to clean up some of this mess!"

Miss B:  "You will clean up this mess, Daddy???" 


Hubs:  "No, but we can clean it up together!"


Miss B:  "No.  I don't think so.  Maybe Mommy will clean it up!"  (Not in the form of a question at all- it was definitely a statement of fact.)


Just as I suspected...



PS- no worries, The Hubs didn't let her get away with it- they cleaned up the mess together so Mommy wouldn't have to do it.   :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Living in Steeler Nation

(I've been waiting to post this F.O.R.E.V.E.R.  I thought I'd be respectful and wait until the season was over, but alas here in Pittsburgh, this year football season lasted until FEBRUARY.  Sheesh.)

One of the most difficult parts of moving from Lyndhurst to Cranberry was leaving our church family.  We love our small group, and both The Hubs and I were heavily involved at Mayfield UMC in leadership rolls- Trustees, Administrative Board, Executive Committee, the Garden Ministry, Mentoring, and our awesome Bible Study.  Replacing what we had is going to be very difficult. 

But we're trying to find a new place of us to fit in.  We've been trying out new churches since we've moved in August.  Some we've gone to repeatedly, some we only went to once.  But, everywhere we've gone, there's one thing I've noticed.  

The Jerseys.  Black and Gold.

They're everywhere.  On everyone.  Every Sunday.

I am NOT a church snob.  I can have a foul mouth, I lose my temper, I can hold a grudge like nobody's business...  I am NOT perfect.  (Doesn't that list just make you want to be my friend?!?!)  And I do not believe you must wear your Sunday Best to church.  I love wearing my jeans to church and carrying in my coffee mug!  However, the jerseys bug me.  And it took me a while to figure out why...

To me, when you wear a sports jersey, it is a signal that the most important thing you are going to do that day is cheer on your team.  And specifically, Steelers jerseys, the one thing you are anticipating that day is FOOTBALL!    But when it's Sunday morning, when you're at church to worship, commune, and fellowship... the most important thing I'm doing that day is spending time with God and other believers.  Not cheering on my football team.  So... the jerseys rub me the wrong way. 

This wasn't an issue for me in Cleveland.  Maybe (probably?) it's because the Browns are such a bad team.  Maybe it's just the culture.  But you did not see jerseys in church.  Or even sports related t-shirts.  And I'm pretty sure it wasn't just our church- when we were searching for a church home when we moved to Lyndhurst, I don't remember seeing jerseys on anyone in the churches that we visited.

But down here, in Steeler Nation, I guess it's definitely something that I'm going to have to get used to seeing!

later Note:  Gah!  Hockey Jerseys!!!  I guess it doesn't end!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Coming Out



I like to stay in the background.  Not draw attention to myself.  Stay under the radar.  I don't like to give my opinion on something unless it's something that I am VERY passionate about OR I am an expert.  (Ironic for someone who has a blog and reads lots of blogs...)  But it's time for me to go comment about ten different places today.  After all, I'd like others to let me know that they are here! 

Happy Delurking Day!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Out of The Mouth of My Babe...

These were all this morning before even lunchtime:

"Mommy, I need a pointy tail in my hair."

"I'm getting the rectangles out of my hair." while using a comb. I guess the word "tangles" is short for "rectangles?" :)

"Just shooting the shit...." She was just repeating what her father had just said. It was SO hard not to laugh at that one. But we just ignored it and she let it go....