With 2 kids in tow, VBS is here again and I'm back in the crafts center leading 120 kids to glue, cut and color. It's been...well, it's been interesting. Perhaps I'm just a little bit crazy...especially since I've left my almost 6-month old in the care of a 14 year old. And I felt totally crazy as I was running from the crafts center to feed my kid quickly before the next group came in for instruction. Add on the stupidity that I've been feeling lately (I actually addressed someone by her husband's name today...how? I don't know) and somewhere I've found myself completely in over my head.
At least I feel like I'm floundering.
Besides that it's just been a crazy week...It's been emotional as I've been hearing about multiple painful events happening in the lives of my friends. There was a joyful wedding that I got to help celebrate. A goodbye party for my sister and a tearful send off as she drove off to her new home far, far away from here. A reunion with friends and catch up, seeing some visitors from afar who I haven't seen in over a decade, a quick visit for the kids with grandma and then headlong into a busy, busy week of VBS, all after barely recovering from our trip to Lo-Cal (as a friend of mine has dubbed it).
I won't even go into what's on our plate for next week.
But ya know, it is what it is...and despite my hopefully temporary insanity, it's being done and what I thought was going to be impossible with two kids, has moved into the category of somewhat doable. I'm there, I'm leading crafts, and so far neither of my kids have turned their heads to me and said, "you're such a terrible mom and I can't believe you're dragging us around like this!" Bear actually ran up to me in the middle of the day and gave me a quick hug and then ran off to join her little friends in a game of hot potato with the "big bouncy ball (she said with a face full of glee)." Chipmunk even managed to nap for over an hour despite the noise and many distractions.
It's been a validating experience. Despite a few of my fumbles (miscalculating numbers of craft supplies and forgetting my classroom management style) we made it to Wednesday of which I was imagining all hell breaking loose on Monday.
So I'm in a little deep, but thank God for that snorkel (um, metaphor). That's what seems to be keeping me going.
8.05.2008
8.04.2008
In Need of Brain Food
The hardest thing I've been dealing with since Chipmunk has been born is this feeling of stupidity day in and day out. It's an "oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-that-slipped-my-mind" kind of stupidity. I used to "tsk" at people who I thought were lacking common sense, but you know what, somehow I've found myself right there, being that of which irks me. I used to pride myself for being organized (mentally, not physically) and being able to remember the lists of things I needed to accomplish. I was the go-to person in our house when things were lost. Somehow I always knew where things were.
These days, I am constantly slapping the heel of my hand to my forehead because of something else "stupidity" made me do.
I know, I know...I have two kids. I have an excuse for being scatterbrained, or at least that's what people tell me...Or they say, "but you just had a baby," like that's supposed to make me feel better for the fact that I said "Ooops" one too many times in a 24 hour period.
It's not just the dishes(count is at 8 now), it's the shopping trips where I take written lists with me and I come home with only 75% of the list because I forgot to look at the bottom of the paper (yes, the lists were written by me). It's the way I search the house up and down each day for my keys and find that I already retrieved them and put them in my pocket. It's when I change one of the kids diapers twice because I thought I changed the other one first. Stupid, stupid, stupid (currently hitting forehead with palm).
"I feel like I can't do anything right," has become my number one complaint to Matt these days. This being said as I've forgotten to pay some bills, bumped the car into a pole, or burned dinner to a cajun crisp because I thought I turned the burner off when I actually didn't.
See? Totally lost it. And it's driving this semi-control freak a little batty.
So please, if you see me and I've become the clueless woman walking down the street with toilet paper stuck to her shoe, just kindly slap me upside the head and tell my brain to "wake up!" I do miss her.
These days, I am constantly slapping the heel of my hand to my forehead because of something else "stupidity" made me do.
I know, I know...I have two kids. I have an excuse for being scatterbrained, or at least that's what people tell me...Or they say, "but you just had a baby," like that's supposed to make me feel better for the fact that I said "Ooops" one too many times in a 24 hour period.
It's not just the dishes(count is at 8 now), it's the shopping trips where I take written lists with me and I come home with only 75% of the list because I forgot to look at the bottom of the paper (yes, the lists were written by me). It's the way I search the house up and down each day for my keys and find that I already retrieved them and put them in my pocket. It's when I change one of the kids diapers twice because I thought I changed the other one first. Stupid, stupid, stupid (currently hitting forehead with palm).
"I feel like I can't do anything right," has become my number one complaint to Matt these days. This being said as I've forgotten to pay some bills, bumped the car into a pole, or burned dinner to a cajun crisp because I thought I turned the burner off when I actually didn't.
See? Totally lost it. And it's driving this semi-control freak a little batty.
So please, if you see me and I've become the clueless woman walking down the street with toilet paper stuck to her shoe, just kindly slap me upside the head and tell my brain to "wake up!" I do miss her.
7.30.2008
Joy
Ah. The joy of 2 kids. Other parents have been warning me that the time will come when Bear and Chipmunk won't be like this...but rather fighting over toys, over food, over everything.
Let's just enjoy this for the time being. I'll deal with the fighting when it comes.
7.28.2008
San Diego 2008
Apparently this is becoming an annual thing.
On to the picture show...
After feeling like we were never going to get there (big, bad accident - jammed for 20 miles) we finally arrived, a little frazzled sitting in a car with one complaining toddler and one crying baby. Thus our weekend began.
The zoo was our first stop.
It was a little chaotic traveling with about 13 kids, but somehow we made it around the zoo. If you ask Bear about her favorite part of the zoo she will probably tell you about the "Pah-das (Pandas)" or the "Jee-raffs (Giraffes)."
My favorite part was visiting the Security office, asking to use the phone, and leaving Matt a message that sounded like this, "Hi, uh, I don't know where you are, my phone is dead, and I'm in the security office with Chipmunk who pooped, by the way, and needs a new change of clothes." Matt came to our rescue 20 minutes later. As we were changing Chipmunk, a couple of women walked by, pointed at our naked baby and laughed saying, "oh my gosh, that looks like the baby in the email!" It's unfortunate that I knew which email they were talking about.
The next day, I stupidly forgot the camera, but had a blast with some good friends who live in San Diego (Thanks again!). Matt on the other hand spent his day elsewhere.
Sunday we went to Sea World. Bear was excited because all week we told her how we were going to have breakfast with Elmo. She seemed a little nervous when we got there though.
She was okay in the beginning...
But after a while, those larger than life characters started to freak her out.
Here's Bear climbing up onto the table to avoid getting hugged back by Elmo.
With some tears, but okay with Zoe.
Not too happy with Grover.
Absolutely unhappy with Ernie.
Chipmunk on the other hand was quite happy.
He was a little annoyed though that Daddy wouldn't share his food with him.
Bear was fine once all the characters took their leave. So the rest of the day she was happily telling us all about dolphins and whales that "Spyash." We made sure to visit the turtles more than once (because she kept asking to see them) and cooled off in the Polar Bear exhibit (Boy was it hot that day!). Chipmunk decided to take a 2 hour nap in the wrap sling while Bear played in the kids play area.
We closed our weekend the way it began (stuck in traffic - listening to crying and complaining) and now we are home and all excited about sleeping in our own beds again. Until next year!
On to the picture show...
After feeling like we were never going to get there (big, bad accident - jammed for 20 miles) we finally arrived, a little frazzled sitting in a car with one complaining toddler and one crying baby. Thus our weekend began.
The zoo was our first stop.
It was a little chaotic traveling with about 13 kids, but somehow we made it around the zoo. If you ask Bear about her favorite part of the zoo she will probably tell you about the "Pah-das (Pandas)" or the "Jee-raffs (Giraffes)."
My favorite part was visiting the Security office, asking to use the phone, and leaving Matt a message that sounded like this, "Hi, uh, I don't know where you are, my phone is dead, and I'm in the security office with Chipmunk who pooped, by the way, and needs a new change of clothes." Matt came to our rescue 20 minutes later. As we were changing Chipmunk, a couple of women walked by, pointed at our naked baby and laughed saying, "oh my gosh, that looks like the baby in the email!" It's unfortunate that I knew which email they were talking about.
The next day, I stupidly forgot the camera, but had a blast with some good friends who live in San Diego (Thanks again!). Matt on the other hand spent his day elsewhere.
Sunday we went to Sea World. Bear was excited because all week we told her how we were going to have breakfast with Elmo. She seemed a little nervous when we got there though.
She was okay in the beginning...
But after a while, those larger than life characters started to freak her out.
Here's Bear climbing up onto the table to avoid getting hugged back by Elmo.
With some tears, but okay with Zoe.
Not too happy with Grover.
Absolutely unhappy with Ernie.
Chipmunk on the other hand was quite happy.
He was a little annoyed though that Daddy wouldn't share his food with him.
Bear was fine once all the characters took their leave. So the rest of the day she was happily telling us all about dolphins and whales that "Spyash." We made sure to visit the turtles more than once (because she kept asking to see them) and cooled off in the Polar Bear exhibit (Boy was it hot that day!). Chipmunk decided to take a 2 hour nap in the wrap sling while Bear played in the kids play area.
We closed our weekend the way it began (stuck in traffic - listening to crying and complaining) and now we are home and all excited about sleeping in our own beds again. Until next year!
7.21.2008
The 2nd Floor is Always Better...
I don't remember who (it might have been my mom) told me that 2nd floor apartments are always better. As I've lived in various places, I'm beginning to see why.
1) The 2nd floor is SAFER. It's mostly the apartments on the bottom floor that get burglarized. One time while living in San Diego a neighbor was telling my roommate and I about how some random guy broke into their livingroom window (on the 1st floor)and walked upstairs into their bedroom in the middle of the night. They woke up, the husband yelled and the guy fled. They theorized that he was looking for some apartments with females(scary!)...we always made sure our livingroom window was closed and locked after that.
2) The 2nd floor has LESS WILDLIFE. During college I lived on the 5th floor of our on-campus apartments. The only wildlife we had in our apartment was Cocoa, the hamster who liked to escape and greet us at the door. It was much too high for ants and mice. Meanwhile, downstairs on the 1st floor my future husband was setting up glue traps and spraying bugs that would crawl in from the nearby canyon.
3) The 2nd floor (if it's the top floor) has LESS NOISE. When you live below you tend to hear a lot more noise. Living on an upper floor, you forget how much the people below you can hear. Our 5th floor apartment during 2nd year of college was smack dab below a bunch of rowdy boys. Their bathroom was right above our bedroom...sometimes in the middle of the night, my roommate and I could hear things we really didn't want to hear...Gave new meaning to Eine Kleine NachtMusik.
4) The 2nd floor has GRAVITY. Okay, so all apartments have gravity, but when you have a leak on the 2nd floor, it runs downstairs. Case in point.
5) And finally, the 2nd floor is FARTHER FROM THE GROUND...and farther from sewage leaks! I know, yuck, right? Apparently, gallons and gallons of sewage have been blocked and pooling underneath our apartment. Ugh. They cleared the blockage and the sewage has moved on, but the smell still lingers a little. Ew! Perhaps I shouldn't have been so quick to complain about the crazy van man and his incense. We could use that sandalwood smell right about now.
***Update: So the plumber came back and poured bleach all over the place. The sewage smell is gone, but man, the bleach smell is overpowering. I've got the world's worst headache right now from the fumes. That can't be good.
1) The 2nd floor is SAFER. It's mostly the apartments on the bottom floor that get burglarized. One time while living in San Diego a neighbor was telling my roommate and I about how some random guy broke into their livingroom window (on the 1st floor)and walked upstairs into their bedroom in the middle of the night. They woke up, the husband yelled and the guy fled. They theorized that he was looking for some apartments with females(scary!)...we always made sure our livingroom window was closed and locked after that.
2) The 2nd floor has LESS WILDLIFE. During college I lived on the 5th floor of our on-campus apartments. The only wildlife we had in our apartment was Cocoa, the hamster who liked to escape and greet us at the door. It was much too high for ants and mice. Meanwhile, downstairs on the 1st floor my future husband was setting up glue traps and spraying bugs that would crawl in from the nearby canyon.
3) The 2nd floor (if it's the top floor) has LESS NOISE. When you live below you tend to hear a lot more noise. Living on an upper floor, you forget how much the people below you can hear. Our 5th floor apartment during 2nd year of college was smack dab below a bunch of rowdy boys. Their bathroom was right above our bedroom...sometimes in the middle of the night, my roommate and I could hear things we really didn't want to hear...Gave new meaning to Eine Kleine NachtMusik.
4) The 2nd floor has GRAVITY. Okay, so all apartments have gravity, but when you have a leak on the 2nd floor, it runs downstairs. Case in point.
5) And finally, the 2nd floor is FARTHER FROM THE GROUND...and farther from sewage leaks! I know, yuck, right? Apparently, gallons and gallons of sewage have been blocked and pooling underneath our apartment. Ugh. They cleared the blockage and the sewage has moved on, but the smell still lingers a little. Ew! Perhaps I shouldn't have been so quick to complain about the crazy van man and his incense. We could use that sandalwood smell right about now.
***Update: So the plumber came back and poured bleach all over the place. The sewage smell is gone, but man, the bleach smell is overpowering. I've got the world's worst headache right now from the fumes. That can't be good.
7.20.2008
Sibling Love
This picture sums up the relationship between Chipmunk and Bear these days. Bear has this proud "little mama" look like she's actually helping her brother out by patting his head and telling him in a high pitched voice, "good boy, little baby!" Chipmunk just looks like he can't wait for the day where he can do unto his sis what his sis has done to him. Ah, sibling love. Ain't it grand?
7.17.2008
Lessons Learned
Curiosity is a good thing, right? I've been trying to tell myself that even though in the back of my mind I know what happened to the cat.
Bear has been quite curious lately...she's apparently following too closely after her television idol, Curious George. I find myself putting out fires (metaphorical, not real, thank goodness) and surveying the damage to make sure that (1) no one needs to be rushed to the hospital and (2) the damage isn't permanent. It's getting exhausting.
Some of Bear's curiosities:
- Finding out what happens when you stick things in keyholes. I've had to pry a few things out.
- Finding out what happens when you take things apart...like our camera tripod...she managed to unscrew a few pieces where it just fell apart when I picked it up one day. We're still looking for some pieces...
- Finding out what happens when you push buttons...anywhere. We all know what happened to our DVD player. She's also been leaving lights on in our car, turning on the vacuum unplugged (so when you plug it in...), reprogramming alarm clocks to go off in the middle of the night, recording random things on TiVo, and changing preferences on Matt's computer.
These are all relatively, minor though. Some more recent occurrences have had me a little more on edge lately.
- Climbing onto unsturdy boxes in order to explore what's hanging out where she can't see. I tend to hear the aftermath of things crashing to the ground (Lesson Learned! It hurts when you fall and things fall on top of you).
- Putting cds and dvds into the vcr and frustratedly ramming them in while yelling, "don't work!" (Lesson Learned! Breaking the VCR and the DVDs isn't a good thing)
- Climbing under our car in order to get to the other side (Lesson Learned! You get your clothes all dirty and mommy freaks out when she finds out where you were).
- And this morning...coming up to me with a gaping hole in her pajama shirt, of which she announced, "cut scissors...fix it!" (Thankfully, she only cut the shirt and not anything else...phew!...although she was a little sad because it was her favorite shirt - Lesson Learned! Don't play with scissors because sometimes the damage can't be fixed!)
Of course, when all of this happens I always ask myself, where was I when all of this happened? She's so sneaky. She actually waits until my back is turned, when I've stepped away a couple of minutes, or looked in the other direction before she runs for some forbidden object. Even when I put things away, she watches me to see where I put it and comes for it later.
Diabolical, I tell you. Or just curious...
Bear has been quite curious lately...she's apparently following too closely after her television idol, Curious George. I find myself putting out fires (metaphorical, not real, thank goodness) and surveying the damage to make sure that (1) no one needs to be rushed to the hospital and (2) the damage isn't permanent. It's getting exhausting.
Some of Bear's curiosities:
- Finding out what happens when you stick things in keyholes. I've had to pry a few things out.
- Finding out what happens when you take things apart...like our camera tripod...she managed to unscrew a few pieces where it just fell apart when I picked it up one day. We're still looking for some pieces...
- Finding out what happens when you push buttons...anywhere. We all know what happened to our DVD player. She's also been leaving lights on in our car, turning on the vacuum unplugged (so when you plug it in...), reprogramming alarm clocks to go off in the middle of the night, recording random things on TiVo, and changing preferences on Matt's computer.
These are all relatively, minor though. Some more recent occurrences have had me a little more on edge lately.
- Climbing onto unsturdy boxes in order to explore what's hanging out where she can't see. I tend to hear the aftermath of things crashing to the ground (Lesson Learned! It hurts when you fall and things fall on top of you).
- Putting cds and dvds into the vcr and frustratedly ramming them in while yelling, "don't work!" (Lesson Learned! Breaking the VCR and the DVDs isn't a good thing)
- Climbing under our car in order to get to the other side (Lesson Learned! You get your clothes all dirty and mommy freaks out when she finds out where you were).
- And this morning...coming up to me with a gaping hole in her pajama shirt, of which she announced, "cut scissors...fix it!" (Thankfully, she only cut the shirt and not anything else...phew!...although she was a little sad because it was her favorite shirt - Lesson Learned! Don't play with scissors because sometimes the damage can't be fixed!)
Of course, when all of this happens I always ask myself, where was I when all of this happened? She's so sneaky. She actually waits until my back is turned, when I've stepped away a couple of minutes, or looked in the other direction before she runs for some forbidden object. Even when I put things away, she watches me to see where I put it and comes for it later.
Diabolical, I tell you. Or just curious...
7.12.2008
Utterly Incapable
Today I hit my breaking point...literally.
I broke my 7th dish since Chipmunk was born.
I've been saying we needed to make more room in our cupboards, but this is not what I meant.
It's things like this that make me feel so utterly incapable.
Apparently, parenthood just has a way of doing that.
Sigh.
I broke my 7th dish since Chipmunk was born.
I've been saying we needed to make more room in our cupboards, but this is not what I meant.
It's things like this that make me feel so utterly incapable.
Apparently, parenthood just has a way of doing that.
Sigh.
7.05.2008
Summer Breezes
Summer is hot. Summer is fun. Summer is busy...
Summer continues to breeze on by...
Bear has been taking an art class. Her favorite pastime in class is using the scissors. Perhaps it's because we don't own any kiddie scissors at home so she's been deprived that she makes a bee line for those colorful plastic cutters. Occasionally she'll glue, but most of her artwork just has this fringe around the outside where she went scissors happy.
Well, except the windsock which was supposed to have fringe...which she happily snip-snipped.
July 4th we spent the day with some of my longtime friends (minus one who we missed terribly)...We tried to get some good pictures of the kids together...but if you know anything about taking pictures of multiple kids...it just never works out...especially with five of them...
At night we went to view the fireworks. Bear enjoyed her corn...
...and Chipmunk was a little fussy, at least until the fireworks started and then he was mesmerized for the whole half hour show.
Until next post...summer will continue to breeze on by.
Summer continues to breeze on by...
Bear has been taking an art class. Her favorite pastime in class is using the scissors. Perhaps it's because we don't own any kiddie scissors at home so she's been deprived that she makes a bee line for those colorful plastic cutters. Occasionally she'll glue, but most of her artwork just has this fringe around the outside where she went scissors happy.
Well, except the windsock which was supposed to have fringe...which she happily snip-snipped.
July 4th we spent the day with some of my longtime friends (minus one who we missed terribly)...We tried to get some good pictures of the kids together...but if you know anything about taking pictures of multiple kids...it just never works out...especially with five of them...
At night we went to view the fireworks. Bear enjoyed her corn...
...and Chipmunk was a little fussy, at least until the fireworks started and then he was mesmerized for the whole half hour show.
Until next post...summer will continue to breeze on by.
6.29.2008
A Thin Line
Fun and torture have a thin line drawn between them when you're a parent. Sometimes you have to carefully weigh your options before and ask yourself, "will we have fun or is this going to be more trouble than it's worth?" That's what we ask ourselves every time before venturing out.
This past weekend we went to our annual church retreat. After throwing half of our worldly belongings into the car and driving a little ways, we ended up on a local university campus unpacking into a dorm room. We ate meals in a cafeteria, crowded with people from other on-campus events, and spent most of our time walking from one place to another to make sure we made it to events mostly on time.
With two small kids in tow we made sure to come prepared. Naps were short or non-existent, mealtimes were chaotic making sure all were fed properly, and my mind was racing with lists making sure we were appropriately ready for all things.
Sometimes there were meltdowns and bouts of inconsolable crying. We witnessed falls and spills that resulted in bruises and bumps. There was separation anxiety, rebelling against the unfamiliar and constant complaining and whining.
So was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Although the moment we came home we were cleaning up oodles of poop that the kids stored up over the course of the weekend, we had a weekend of wonderful memories...the great conversations we had with old friends and new friends, the smile on Bear's marker covered face as she showed us the picture she created, the wiggling excitement of Chipmunk as we ventured from one place to another, learning and reflecting and being refreshed...
There's just something about coming home and realizing that we actually made it through the weekend. Even when you're standing over the sink oxy-cleaning playdough stains from shorts and pondering how to put sleeping schedules back in order, you have to smile and be thankful for the joys that outweigh the trouble.
This past weekend we went to our annual church retreat. After throwing half of our worldly belongings into the car and driving a little ways, we ended up on a local university campus unpacking into a dorm room. We ate meals in a cafeteria, crowded with people from other on-campus events, and spent most of our time walking from one place to another to make sure we made it to events mostly on time.
With two small kids in tow we made sure to come prepared. Naps were short or non-existent, mealtimes were chaotic making sure all were fed properly, and my mind was racing with lists making sure we were appropriately ready for all things.
Sometimes there were meltdowns and bouts of inconsolable crying. We witnessed falls and spills that resulted in bruises and bumps. There was separation anxiety, rebelling against the unfamiliar and constant complaining and whining.
So was it worth it?
Absolutely.
Although the moment we came home we were cleaning up oodles of poop that the kids stored up over the course of the weekend, we had a weekend of wonderful memories...the great conversations we had with old friends and new friends, the smile on Bear's marker covered face as she showed us the picture she created, the wiggling excitement of Chipmunk as we ventured from one place to another, learning and reflecting and being refreshed...
There's just something about coming home and realizing that we actually made it through the weekend. Even when you're standing over the sink oxy-cleaning playdough stains from shorts and pondering how to put sleeping schedules back in order, you have to smile and be thankful for the joys that outweigh the trouble.
6.27.2008
4 and a half months
Chipmunk still amazes me with his massiveness...
17 pounds 13 ounces (95%ile)
26 inches long (90%ile)
2 teeth (and 2 more on the way)
Whoa.
17 pounds 13 ounces (95%ile)
26 inches long (90%ile)
2 teeth (and 2 more on the way)
Whoa.
6.24.2008
Bear's Latest Antics
...roaming around our home flapping her arms yelling, "Cockle Doo!"
...singing medleys of all her favorite sings..."Twinkle, twinkle, little dar, how I know my ABCs, Itsy pie-der falling down, Where thumb-pin, here am, E-I-Ooooooh..."
...purposely pushing her brother while he is propped up in a sitting position on the couch and then innocently asking, "oh what happened? Brudder fell down?"
...pointing to the moles on my arms, saying, "mommy hurts" and running to get a wipe to apparently try to wipe the spots off.
...when asked where Chipmunk's chin is she says, "here, here, here...three chins!"
...coming out to the livingroom after her nap and poignantly announcing, "I woke up" (Yup, it took her a whole month before she figured she could get out of bed herself).
...sitting at the dinner table and roaring like a dinosaur, laughing her head off and saying, "oh no, dino-door (dinosaur) table!"
...running up to Chipmunk speaking in a high squeaky voice, "Hello Baby [Chipmunk]...good boy you! Eat milk! Pay(play) toys!"
...while climbing stairs, "Yook mommy, I up-ping da stairs!"
...spinning, spinning, spinning until she runs into something, laughs and says, "whoa diz-zee."
...singing medleys of all her favorite sings..."Twinkle, twinkle, little dar, how I know my ABCs, Itsy pie-der falling down, Where thumb-pin, here am, E-I-Ooooooh..."
...purposely pushing her brother while he is propped up in a sitting position on the couch and then innocently asking, "oh what happened? Brudder fell down?"
...pointing to the moles on my arms, saying, "mommy hurts" and running to get a wipe to apparently try to wipe the spots off.
...when asked where Chipmunk's chin is she says, "here, here, here...three chins!"
...coming out to the livingroom after her nap and poignantly announcing, "I woke up" (Yup, it took her a whole month before she figured she could get out of bed herself).
...sitting at the dinner table and roaring like a dinosaur, laughing her head off and saying, "oh no, dino-door (dinosaur) table!"
...running up to Chipmunk speaking in a high squeaky voice, "Hello Baby [Chipmunk]...good boy you! Eat milk! Pay(play) toys!"
...while climbing stairs, "Yook mommy, I up-ping da stairs!"
...spinning, spinning, spinning until she runs into something, laughs and says, "whoa diz-zee."
6.21.2008
Thoughtless
Tonight I was blessed to escape for a few hours and spend some time sans kids, sans husband. It was girl night. We ate, chatted, and ate some more. We caught up, we laughed, we enjoyed each other's company and I lapped up every precious minute.
I had a problem though: my words were rather incohesive. There I was, my first real adult conversation after giving birth to Chipmunk, and it was like my thoughts and my words weren't coordinating. Plus my thoughts were going every which way. It was like I didn't know how to think properly either (which may be true since I haven't had a good think session in ages). So I would say something, but realize that it wasn't what I was trying to convey...or I would have trouble piecing together words to match the thoughts in my head.
They say you lose brain cells with every pregnancy...I think I lost the ones connecting thought and speech...or I'm just out of practice since I've been in baby/toddler world.
But thanks...to you ladies who forbeared through my stammerings and brain farts. Not only did I get to laugh again but I got to feel normal again...and I know that will refresh me for days to come. (Thanks to Matt, too, for putting the kids to bed)
I had a problem though: my words were rather incohesive. There I was, my first real adult conversation after giving birth to Chipmunk, and it was like my thoughts and my words weren't coordinating. Plus my thoughts were going every which way. It was like I didn't know how to think properly either (which may be true since I haven't had a good think session in ages). So I would say something, but realize that it wasn't what I was trying to convey...or I would have trouble piecing together words to match the thoughts in my head.
They say you lose brain cells with every pregnancy...I think I lost the ones connecting thought and speech...or I'm just out of practice since I've been in baby/toddler world.
But thanks...to you ladies who forbeared through my stammerings and brain farts. Not only did I get to laugh again but I got to feel normal again...and I know that will refresh me for days to come. (Thanks to Matt, too, for putting the kids to bed)
6.17.2008
The Early Bird
Or should I say Early Chipmunk?
I'm beginning to settle with the fact that Chipmunk is just an early riser. Because of that, he's also early to bed. I hear that's normal. I just didn't know that.
Bear is apparently a late bird. I thought that was normal. She used to wake up at 9 am in the morning. Before Chipmunk was born, she started waking up around 8 am. I thought that was early.
Then Chipmunk comes along and wakes up at 6 am. Everyday. 6 am. I have to put him to bed around 7:30 at night...and only that late because I want him to at least see his dad for 5 minutes before we put him to bed.
6 am. I can't get over it. I know it's normal for most kids...It's just so weird that I have to entertain him for an hour and put him down for his first nap before Bear even gets up for the first time.
Speaking of which, perhaps I should be going to bed sooner, too. Time to log off.
I'm beginning to settle with the fact that Chipmunk is just an early riser. Because of that, he's also early to bed. I hear that's normal. I just didn't know that.
Bear is apparently a late bird. I thought that was normal. She used to wake up at 9 am in the morning. Before Chipmunk was born, she started waking up around 8 am. I thought that was early.
Then Chipmunk comes along and wakes up at 6 am. Everyday. 6 am. I have to put him to bed around 7:30 at night...and only that late because I want him to at least see his dad for 5 minutes before we put him to bed.
6 am. I can't get over it. I know it's normal for most kids...It's just so weird that I have to entertain him for an hour and put him down for his first nap before Bear even gets up for the first time.
Speaking of which, perhaps I should be going to bed sooner, too. Time to log off.
Trains, Red Eggs, and Fathers...
We went out of town again this past weekend... It was a visit to the grandparents, yes, but we had a full agenda this weekend.
We took the kids to the train museum...
Bear was loving every moment. She was running around yelling, "Wow! Choo Choo Chain!"
Chipmunk enjoyed the train museum, too, in his own little way.
Saturday was Chipmunk's Red Egg and Ginger Party.
Our little man all dressed up for his shindig.
Red Eggs with Ginger
Bear eating...again.
Chipmunk had fun, but got all tuckered out after a while.
And Father's Day...Bear made sure to wish her dad and grandpa "Happy Dodders Day!" while Chipmunk decided to have a super cranky day (of which he sprouted another tooth).
Then we made the trip home...which in some ways was more daunting than the rest of the weekend...but we made it back...home sweet home.
We took the kids to the train museum...
Bear was loving every moment. She was running around yelling, "Wow! Choo Choo Chain!"
Chipmunk enjoyed the train museum, too, in his own little way.
Saturday was Chipmunk's Red Egg and Ginger Party.
Our little man all dressed up for his shindig.
Red Eggs with Ginger
Bear eating...again.
Chipmunk had fun, but got all tuckered out after a while.
And Father's Day...Bear made sure to wish her dad and grandpa "Happy Dodders Day!" while Chipmunk decided to have a super cranky day (of which he sprouted another tooth).
Then we made the trip home...which in some ways was more daunting than the rest of the weekend...but we made it back...home sweet home.
6.09.2008
Stunned!
Chipmunk surprised me this morning when he bit me and it felt sharp. After a few minutes of trying to convince an almost 4-month old to "open wide" I stuck my finger in there and felt it...his first tooth breaking through his gummy surface. I was stunned! I'm still stunned! Bear got her first tooth early, but not this early. I guess he's just trying to one-up his sister. Argh.
6.08.2008
Wordless
I don't know what to write about these days. I've been suffering from writer's block.
I'm also suffering from mommy brain (wait! whose diaper did I just change?), butterfingers (broke two dishes this week!) and just general lack of common sense (let's take this out of the oven without an oven mitt!).
So I'll end here, before I hurt myself with the keyboard somehow.
I'm also suffering from mommy brain (wait! whose diaper did I just change?), butterfingers (broke two dishes this week!) and just general lack of common sense (let's take this out of the oven without an oven mitt!).
So I'll end here, before I hurt myself with the keyboard somehow.
6.02.2008
White
After my shower this morning, I mentioned to Matt that I'm losing all my hair. All that hair that the pregnancy hormones helped me retain are now falling out. It's a verifiable mess since my hair has reached super lengths
In the car Matt pointed out that I had two white hairs and said. "too bad the white ones didn't fall out."
White hairs. Ever since I turned thirty, I've been finding white hairs. I think they're stress related. Or I should say that I hope they're stress related.
Of course I know one day that may not be the case...So this time I'm going to ignore that old adage about plucking out white hairs and hope beyond hope that they don't come back.
In the car Matt pointed out that I had two white hairs and said. "too bad the white ones didn't fall out."
White hairs. Ever since I turned thirty, I've been finding white hairs. I think they're stress related. Or I should say that I hope they're stress related.
Of course I know one day that may not be the case...So this time I'm going to ignore that old adage about plucking out white hairs and hope beyond hope that they don't come back.
5.30.2008
Short
Lately, I've been a little short. Short tempered, that is.
Perhaps it's because my sleep is short.
How's that for a short post?
Perhaps it's because my sleep is short.
How's that for a short post?
5.27.2008
Outdoor Babies
My kids just tend to do better when we go out. I just have to bite the bullet and pack up the car everyday so we spend some happier moments out of the house. Bear seems to be happy wherever we go as long as Sonja is there with her. Chipmunk seems to like being in outdoorsy settings. Today at the Farmers' Market he wouldn't nap, but was enjoying himself and laughing whenever the wind blew upon his face. Funny baby.
I just have such a hard time motivating myself to pack them both up into the car with all their numerous necessary accouterments.
Here's our morning at the park on Monday.
Bear enjoyed climbing. Although Dad was helping her, she would periodically yell over to me, "Yook, Mommy! Climbing!"
Why don't parks have sand anymore? What is this wooded junk covering the playground floor? Regardless, Bear seemed to enjoy throwing it around.
Chipmunk enjoyed the park in his own way, feeling the wind blow into his face.
The clouds were looking a little ominous after a while, so we couldn't spend too long, but at least our babies got to have some outdoor time.
I just have such a hard time motivating myself to pack them both up into the car with all their numerous necessary accouterments.
Here's our morning at the park on Monday.
Bear enjoyed climbing. Although Dad was helping her, she would periodically yell over to me, "Yook, Mommy! Climbing!"
Why don't parks have sand anymore? What is this wooded junk covering the playground floor? Regardless, Bear seemed to enjoy throwing it around.
Chipmunk enjoyed the park in his own way, feeling the wind blow into his face.
The clouds were looking a little ominous after a while, so we couldn't spend too long, but at least our babies got to have some outdoor time.
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