Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wordless Wednesday: Back when it All Began....
Sunday, April 25, 2010
More Brown Doggie Adventures
I can honestly say that Will's dependence on Brown Doggie is starting to wane a bit. A couple of mornings he's tried to leave him home while we're getting ready for daycare, only to have me stuff him in the diaper bag for the ride. Because I know that independence streak will lighten around naptime at daycare and he'll be desperate for his ol' buddy. However, I continue to be surprised.
I took Will to Target with me yesterday for a little shopping, leaving Sean home with Daddy. (i.e. screechtime. Sean's back to being grumpy and spitting up.....perhaps because we gave him is Zantac a little late yesterday) When we got to Target, I told Will that Brown Doggie was going to stay in the car to watch over it. (i.e. I didn't want to chance a marathon trip of pushing a cart with a teary toddler, desolate to find Mr Doggie.) Will's answer to this was "Oh Mommy, I think Brown Doggie is going to get into a lot of trouble in there." :) But he stayed int he carseat and we had a nice successful trip to Target, where Will picked out a special treat: A Wallace and Grommit movie! (Which we have already seen at least four times!)
After my own grumpy day, Hubby sent me out with my girlfriend Tracy to see a movie. (Date Night: Hilarious!!!! I'll watch Tina Fey in anything) When I got home around 11:30, Brian was in bed but told me to look on the kitchen table for the wrapping paper. I went out to the kitchen and there's a ripped-open package of pink paper on the table, and in black Sharpie it says "To Grandpop, Love Will." At first I didn't get it, then Brian informs me that the package contents had been Brown Doggie. While I was shopping with Will, we picked out a birthday card for Grandpop, whose birthday is this Friday. While I was out, Will told Daddy that he wanted to send Brown Doggie to Grandpop for his birthday. He came out to Daddy with the dog and the pink wrapping paper, and insisted that he wanted Grandpop to have it, so Brian obliged. As soon as the last piece of tape was on the package, Will's face just fell. Brian asked him if he had just realized what would happen if he gave Brown Doggie to Grandpop....and he almost started to cry as he asked for Brown Doggie back. How precious!
I took Will to Target with me yesterday for a little shopping, leaving Sean home with Daddy. (i.e. screechtime. Sean's back to being grumpy and spitting up.....perhaps because we gave him is Zantac a little late yesterday) When we got to Target, I told Will that Brown Doggie was going to stay in the car to watch over it. (i.e. I didn't want to chance a marathon trip of pushing a cart with a teary toddler, desolate to find Mr Doggie.) Will's answer to this was "Oh Mommy, I think Brown Doggie is going to get into a lot of trouble in there." :) But he stayed int he carseat and we had a nice successful trip to Target, where Will picked out a special treat: A Wallace and Grommit movie! (Which we have already seen at least four times!)
After my own grumpy day, Hubby sent me out with my girlfriend Tracy to see a movie. (Date Night: Hilarious!!!! I'll watch Tina Fey in anything) When I got home around 11:30, Brian was in bed but told me to look on the kitchen table for the wrapping paper. I went out to the kitchen and there's a ripped-open package of pink paper on the table, and in black Sharpie it says "To Grandpop, Love Will." At first I didn't get it, then Brian informs me that the package contents had been Brown Doggie. While I was shopping with Will, we picked out a birthday card for Grandpop, whose birthday is this Friday. While I was out, Will told Daddy that he wanted to send Brown Doggie to Grandpop for his birthday. He came out to Daddy with the dog and the pink wrapping paper, and insisted that he wanted Grandpop to have it, so Brian obliged. As soon as the last piece of tape was on the package, Will's face just fell. Brian asked him if he had just realized what would happen if he gave Brown Doggie to Grandpop....and he almost started to cry as he asked for Brown Doggie back. How precious!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
List-y Type
I love making lists. Lists are what save my a$$ a lot of the time! The first thing I do when I get to work every day: make a list of what I want to work on. Not everything gets crossed off everyday (not by a longshot!) but it keeps me focused. Grocery lists. Three separate shopping lists adorn the side of my refrigerator: Grocery, Target/Walmart, BJ's. I keep a list in my dresser drawer of stuff I want to accomplish in my life, it's been there since 2001. Two things are crossed off on it: Become a Mom, and Learn to Drive a Manual Transmission! There's a couple more I could cross off but want to be better at them first (Speak Spanish fluently.) And yesterday, I made a list of things I want to knit by the end of the year for gifts. That list.....well, I have a lot of work to do! And I'm sure I didn't think of everything that I want to knit. I always have a pad of paper handy to make a new list, I find it comforting. I used to even keep pen and paper by the bed, so that if I couldn't sleep, I could make whatever list was floating around in my head and get it off my mind without leaving the warmth of my bed. I guess I'm a freak like that. :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Beautiful Things
Today is Marathon Monday, or Patriot's Day in Massachusetts. A holiday for some, but for others (Brian) just another work day. So I'm home with Sean and Will and don't have much to do. Well, that's not true. There's plenty of housework to do, like take out the trash and recycling from a (very) successful party after Sean's Christening yesterday. Or wash, dry and fold at least six loads of laundry. You know, the crap that you just don't want to do, but has to get done!
Will is always begging to go downstairs to the basement lately. I don't think that he realized that we have another room where we store stuff, usually as soon as one of us is heading down the stairs (inevitably with a basket of dirty laundry) we slam the door so he can't follow. Now he's always asking "Mommy? Can I go down there with you??" So today I relented, and we made our way down the stairs.
Living in a one-level, renovated cottage has it's advantages....and surely it's disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is storage. Closet space is really tight, and with a family of four (and the youngest member having so much bulky stuff at this age) it oftentimes feels like the walls are closing in on us. So our basement is like a huuuuuuge storage locker. The center looks like a mini-Babies R Us, with diapers, boxes for carseats and hand-me-downs from Will that Sean doesn't fit in yet. There's castoffs from our College and Navy Days respectively. All my craft supplies are down there, having been carted there while I was pregnant with Sean and losing my spare bedroom/craftroom. (except for my yarn stash, of course!) And a lot of junk. Mostly when I go down there that's what I see: junk! Poorly stored junk for the most part, but we as a couple lack the motivation to rent a dumpster and do a proper clean-out. (Hey, that's what moving is for, someday!)
So, down the stairs Will goes, carefully. And as he reaches the bottom of the stairs he exclaims "Mommy! Look at all the beautiful things down here!" He runs over to his toddler (AKA little boy) bed and marvels at it, and a rocking chair, and then beams when he finds the little kid toys that are waiting for Sean as he gets older. He sees a treasure trove, hidden gems in our old junk.. His reaction to all this junk just proves something that I've always known: beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder!
Will is always begging to go downstairs to the basement lately. I don't think that he realized that we have another room where we store stuff, usually as soon as one of us is heading down the stairs (inevitably with a basket of dirty laundry) we slam the door so he can't follow. Now he's always asking "Mommy? Can I go down there with you??" So today I relented, and we made our way down the stairs.
Living in a one-level, renovated cottage has it's advantages....and surely it's disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is storage. Closet space is really tight, and with a family of four (and the youngest member having so much bulky stuff at this age) it oftentimes feels like the walls are closing in on us. So our basement is like a huuuuuuge storage locker. The center looks like a mini-Babies R Us, with diapers, boxes for carseats and hand-me-downs from Will that Sean doesn't fit in yet. There's castoffs from our College and Navy Days respectively. All my craft supplies are down there, having been carted there while I was pregnant with Sean and losing my spare bedroom/craftroom. (except for my yarn stash, of course!) And a lot of junk. Mostly when I go down there that's what I see: junk! Poorly stored junk for the most part, but we as a couple lack the motivation to rent a dumpster and do a proper clean-out. (Hey, that's what moving is for, someday!)
So, down the stairs Will goes, carefully. And as he reaches the bottom of the stairs he exclaims "Mommy! Look at all the beautiful things down here!" He runs over to his toddler (AKA little boy) bed and marvels at it, and a rocking chair, and then beams when he finds the little kid toys that are waiting for Sean as he gets older. He sees a treasure trove, hidden gems in our old junk.. His reaction to all this junk just proves something that I've always known: beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder!
Inside Jokes
Every family has their inside jokes, and I have one to share because it's long-running and just too funny not to share.
Brian and I will be married ten years in October. Our wedding was a day wedding, with the reception ending at 5pm. My parents invited people back to their house after the reception, and my mother had ordered deli platters from the local grocery store for the "after party." As the reception was ending, she asked my younger brother to go with my uncle to the grocery store to pick up the platters, so that she and my father could go home and be there for when their guests started arriving. So my brother, with my uncle in tow, headed to the grocery store. Upon arriving, he came across the usual throe of shoppers waiting for lunchmeat at the deli counter on a Saturday. He sauntered over to the counter, and politely informed them that he was picking up platters. They eyeballed him and informed him that he could not jump the line just because he had platters to pick up and that he had to wait in line like everyone else. Uh-oh.......lots of people back at the house and no platters? This was not going to go well.
Every family tree has a few nuts, and my uncle is no exception. Taking matters into his own hands, he approached the deli counter and asked for the platters. After being told to get in line again, he looked the deli clerk straight in the eye and deadpanned "Hey buddy? Give me my platters or I'm gonna get NAKED!" The clerk's eyeballs nearly popped out of his head, and he quickly got the platters without a word! They returned to the house without incident and the story instantly became a family classic. It's re-told at every get-together, Thanksgiving Dinner, baby shower, etc. Someone always asks at Christmas to pass the mashed potatoes or they're going to get naked.
So, my baby boy was christened yesterday, and in order to save myself some cooking, I ordered deli platters and a cake from Price Chopper. Brian and I took separate cars to the church, and my brother rode with me with the intent of helping me with the platters. I pull into the grocery store parking lot and he says "Ok. If they don't give us our platters right away, you know what we have to do." And of course I replied "Get naked!!" Lucky for the Price Chopper shoppers yesterday, we got our food right away without incident! :)
Brian and I will be married ten years in October. Our wedding was a day wedding, with the reception ending at 5pm. My parents invited people back to their house after the reception, and my mother had ordered deli platters from the local grocery store for the "after party." As the reception was ending, she asked my younger brother to go with my uncle to the grocery store to pick up the platters, so that she and my father could go home and be there for when their guests started arriving. So my brother, with my uncle in tow, headed to the grocery store. Upon arriving, he came across the usual throe of shoppers waiting for lunchmeat at the deli counter on a Saturday. He sauntered over to the counter, and politely informed them that he was picking up platters. They eyeballed him and informed him that he could not jump the line just because he had platters to pick up and that he had to wait in line like everyone else. Uh-oh.......lots of people back at the house and no platters? This was not going to go well.
Every family tree has a few nuts, and my uncle is no exception. Taking matters into his own hands, he approached the deli counter and asked for the platters. After being told to get in line again, he looked the deli clerk straight in the eye and deadpanned "Hey buddy? Give me my platters or I'm gonna get NAKED!" The clerk's eyeballs nearly popped out of his head, and he quickly got the platters without a word! They returned to the house without incident and the story instantly became a family classic. It's re-told at every get-together, Thanksgiving Dinner, baby shower, etc. Someone always asks at Christmas to pass the mashed potatoes or they're going to get naked.
So, my baby boy was christened yesterday, and in order to save myself some cooking, I ordered deli platters and a cake from Price Chopper. Brian and I took separate cars to the church, and my brother rode with me with the intent of helping me with the platters. I pull into the grocery store parking lot and he says "Ok. If they don't give us our platters right away, you know what we have to do." And of course I replied "Get naked!!" Lucky for the Price Chopper shoppers yesterday, we got our food right away without incident! :)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Splish-Splash
Even though we're busy getting ready for Sean's Christening tomorrow, I wanted to take a minute to say something about Sean and baths. He loves them! I removed the "little baby hammock" from the infant tub for his bath tonight. He's discovered that he can splash! And wow, can he get everything wet! He was having so much fun I just let him go at it for a minute. Then it came....his first giggle! Ah, Bliss.......:)
After the bath, I had to change my shirt again. That was the third shirt of the day. (Drool, spit-up, soaking wet.) There is no fourth shirt, I just went straight to pajamas. Now it's time to hopefully put the boys to bed and relax for our big day tomorrow.
After the bath, I had to change my shirt again. That was the third shirt of the day. (Drool, spit-up, soaking wet.) There is no fourth shirt, I just went straight to pajamas. Now it's time to hopefully put the boys to bed and relax for our big day tomorrow.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Twelve Years Ago Today....
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Easter Redux, in Photos
I've been so busy the past two weeks that I'm *just* getting to posting about our Easter! It was a very nice holiday, and the Easter Bunny was very generous with the boys. Due to flooding at my parents house, I hosted dinner and my Mom came early to cook. It was a really nice day!
The Big Kid on one of his three egg hunts this year!
Will "posing" with his friends Sydney and Toby at the egg hunt
Dyieng Easter Eggs. Well....Mommy did the dyeing, Will decorated with stickers
Nana posing with our little bunny rabbit :)
Mommy and her bunnies
Uncle Brian holding his godson
Auntie Kim, Mommy and "Uncle" Matt. Matt's actually my cousin, but Will calls him Uncle Matt. He adores playing with Matt!
The Bunny Parents
Auntie Kim and Uncle Brian...and Sean not willing to cooperate with having his photo taken.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Time Flies, in Photos
Seriously where does the time go? Sean turned three months over the weekend. Can't believe it! He is one smiley guy....in the mornings Brian goes in to him while I'm getting ready for work and he's all coos and smiles.
And check out the Big Kid.....lately Will looks a lot older to me than three years old! He's always running somewhere and telling me "Mommy I've got a great idea!"
Speaking of pictures, we took the boys for photos last week at Sears. Will got pretty tired of it after a while, and refused to hold Sean for the photos. They got some good ones, though. I would never want a job at the portrait studio, I give our photographer all the credit in the world with how she handled Will's antics. Just knowing that she has to deal with active and sometimes cranky kids, yet turns them into beautiful work is awing. While we were there, we got their passport photos taken. (For a stop in Canada later this summer) To quote my favorite comedienne, Erma Bombeck: "When you look like your passoport photo it's time to go home!" These two....they look like they've already been and they want to go home, now!!
And check out the Big Kid.....lately Will looks a lot older to me than three years old! He's always running somewhere and telling me "Mommy I've got a great idea!"
Speaking of pictures, we took the boys for photos last week at Sears. Will got pretty tired of it after a while, and refused to hold Sean for the photos. They got some good ones, though. I would never want a job at the portrait studio, I give our photographer all the credit in the world with how she handled Will's antics. Just knowing that she has to deal with active and sometimes cranky kids, yet turns them into beautiful work is awing. While we were there, we got their passport photos taken. (For a stop in Canada later this summer) To quote my favorite comedienne, Erma Bombeck: "When you look like your passoport photo it's time to go home!" These two....they look like they've already been and they want to go home, now!!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Three Years Post-LASIK....
....and do I need glasses again?
In becoming knit-obsessed in the last six months, I've noticed a peculiar thing. If I sit and knit for like 20 minutes, totally focused on my work, when I look away my eyesight is blurry. Sometimes it only takes less time than that. I can see distance-wise, but if I try to read something, it's blurry. Very weird! I had LASIK three years ago to correct my nearsightedness and now I'm going to have farsight issues? I had glasses for 20 years, dumped them and then three years later? That hardly seems fair. I mean, I knew I'd eventually need reading glasses, as it's an age thing as well as the muscles around the eye that cause that, LASIK can't fix that.
Huh. Well, I'm sure as hell not giving up knitting! I've got Christmas gifts to make. And a swap package to send out in the weeks ahead. And a bag liner to sew. Augh, this sucks. :P
In becoming knit-obsessed in the last six months, I've noticed a peculiar thing. If I sit and knit for like 20 minutes, totally focused on my work, when I look away my eyesight is blurry. Sometimes it only takes less time than that. I can see distance-wise, but if I try to read something, it's blurry. Very weird! I had LASIK three years ago to correct my nearsightedness and now I'm going to have farsight issues? I had glasses for 20 years, dumped them and then three years later? That hardly seems fair. I mean, I knew I'd eventually need reading glasses, as it's an age thing as well as the muscles around the eye that cause that, LASIK can't fix that.
Huh. Well, I'm sure as hell not giving up knitting! I've got Christmas gifts to make. And a swap package to send out in the weeks ahead. And a bag liner to sew. Augh, this sucks. :P
Potty Time
Now that I'm past the first week of work (and I made it through without a scratch) the weekend is here. And with this weekend comes the renewed effort in Will's potty training efforts.
I'm still reading the Potty training book that's been recommended to me many times (and Mom Brain is why the title escapes me at the moment) I went on a reward scouting trip at Target last night and came home with two bags of M&M's and ten Matchbox cars. I'm ready. He appears ready. And school starts in September and Bubby must be potty-trained in order to attend.
Game on!
I'm still reading the Potty training book that's been recommended to me many times (and Mom Brain is why the title escapes me at the moment) I went on a reward scouting trip at Target last night and came home with two bags of M&M's and ten Matchbox cars. I'm ready. He appears ready. And school starts in September and Bubby must be potty-trained in order to attend.
Game on!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Meet "The Mufflers"
Will ran up to me just as I was coming into the house last night, getting home from my knitting group. "Mommy! Do you want to see the Mufflers?" I couldn't figure out what he was talking about! I come out to the family room, and Brian's holding Sean and entertaining Will with Youtube videos. (Very effectively, I might add) Ahhh......it's not the Mufflers, it's the Muppets! So we all watched Muppet videos, and when Kermit came up I asked Will if he knew who that was. What, he has no idea who Kermit the Frog is????? So we had a little introduction and now he adores the Muppets. I did too, at his age.
Here's my favorite muppet video from last night:
Here's my favorite muppet video from last night:
Friday, April 2, 2010
Last Day of Leave
Well, it's here. The thing I've been dreading for about two weeks.
The last day of maternity leave. My last day with the boys, before I rejoin the world of working folks. I'll be back at the helm come Monday. :(
I started the boys at daycare this week, because I wanted to have a chance to getting them (and mostly me) used to going. That, and I hoped that it would make sort of a schedule and allow me to (try to) get out of the house "on time" in the AM. We didn't do too badly, but Will is a bit pokey like he always has been. I love that toddler imagination and the places that it takes him! But in the mornings when I'm pleading with him to not take off his shoes to "get in his spaceship" (AKA the bathroom), not so much. Plus, on Monday Brian and I had a day just for us. And the rest of the week I had to myself!! I made a bunch of appointments, went to the library without someone tugging me in the direction of the kids' DVD's, and knitted. Knitted to my heart's content. I don't have much to show for that knitting, as I was working on a VERY frustrating project that I finally just put to the wayside. Not every project is meant to be, though I'm annoyed that a pattern got the best of me. Instead, I am working on my first sweater! It's a denim blue sweater for Sean, and I'm really excited about it.
Oops, I got a bit off-topic. So yes, back to the grind on Monday. I'm happy to be able to get out of the house every day (maternity leave in winter is a bit bleak sometimes) and have adult conversation. But I feel pulled in a few different directions: I lack a bit of confidence about my job at this moment in time, which I'm hoping will dissipate once I'm there for a bit. And I want to stay home with my baby boy! I know from experience that this will get easier with time.
So for my last day of maternity leave, I am going to an Easter Egg Hunt with my boys. My first outing alone with two kids. I picked something that I won't care as much if Will runs off from me, since it's in a gym. And we're sure to have a blast.
The last day of maternity leave. My last day with the boys, before I rejoin the world of working folks. I'll be back at the helm come Monday. :(
I started the boys at daycare this week, because I wanted to have a chance to getting them (and mostly me) used to going. That, and I hoped that it would make sort of a schedule and allow me to (try to) get out of the house "on time" in the AM. We didn't do too badly, but Will is a bit pokey like he always has been. I love that toddler imagination and the places that it takes him! But in the mornings when I'm pleading with him to not take off his shoes to "get in his spaceship" (AKA the bathroom), not so much. Plus, on Monday Brian and I had a day just for us. And the rest of the week I had to myself!! I made a bunch of appointments, went to the library without someone tugging me in the direction of the kids' DVD's, and knitted. Knitted to my heart's content. I don't have much to show for that knitting, as I was working on a VERY frustrating project that I finally just put to the wayside. Not every project is meant to be, though I'm annoyed that a pattern got the best of me. Instead, I am working on my first sweater! It's a denim blue sweater for Sean, and I'm really excited about it.
Oops, I got a bit off-topic. So yes, back to the grind on Monday. I'm happy to be able to get out of the house every day (maternity leave in winter is a bit bleak sometimes) and have adult conversation. But I feel pulled in a few different directions: I lack a bit of confidence about my job at this moment in time, which I'm hoping will dissipate once I'm there for a bit. And I want to stay home with my baby boy! I know from experience that this will get easier with time.
So for my last day of maternity leave, I am going to an Easter Egg Hunt with my boys. My first outing alone with two kids. I picked something that I won't care as much if Will runs off from me, since it's in a gym. And we're sure to have a blast.
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