On the backburner

For the past several weeks that is exactly where this blog has been. While I somewhat use the blog to chronicle my children's lives and record milestones, it is mainly for me. An outlet if you will. Adult interaction. A place I can come and retell a story or a funny situation or just express my feelings. So I needed a break.

With the summer winding down I decided to put the blog away and soak up the last few days of summer with the kids. There has been lots going on around here. The kitchen is finished. I am still waiting on the new hardware and that will need to be installed once it arrives....which should be anyday, but overall the kitchen is finished. Hallefreakinluja! The pictures will come soon.....my camera is in the shop. I promise I am not just stalling to be mean. I have now taken on the task of redecorating my family room and dining room. However that is slow going. I will post pictures of the completed and beautiful renovations as soon as my Nikon is fixed. I promise!

Since my blogging has slacked off this summer drastically here is a recap...

-two beach vacations
-two trips to see Grandpa
- a trip to the Aquarium
- a tea party for just the girls
- Noah started gymnastics
- both tikes finished up with gymnastics
- swimming lessons
- pottery painting
- many trips to the "BIG" movies to see kids flicks
- many trips to Mimi's pool
- a few trips to the local country club pool
- going to a restaurants just for desert after dinner
- many evening snowballs
- dance camp
- got RID of the PACI, well one tike did
- bible school
- story time at the library
- booked a trip to Disney for the fall
- threw a pool party
- got rid of the loser cruiser
- bought a bus
- got a blow up pool for the driveway
- popped the blow up pool on the second day we owned it
- summer birthday parties
- some backyard barbeques
- dinner parties
- sleepovers
- a new kitchen
- lost my mind
- a new living room
- sleeping in until 9am
- yelled at contractors
- got bricked!
- joined the gym
- gained 2lbs since joining...attributing that to muscle gain
- no more napping for 3 year olds
- skipped naps for 1 year olds
- more waiting until 9am to wake the kids
- a trip to the waterpark
- many late evening bike rides
- successfully weaned Noah from his bottle
- unsuccessfully weaned Noah from his "uh-oh"
- neighborhood walks
- fired my husband from landscaping duties
- hired a landscaper
- got some much needed pea gravel....thanks Cole!
- moved furniture around alot
- actually painted the toy room by myself
- had three rooms painted professionally, including the repainting of the toy room
- movie nights at home
- many mornings snuggling in mommy's bed
- lots of mornings with cinnamon rolls for breakfast
- found my mind last week and now I am slowly adjusting to having it again.

Yes another summer has come and gone and with that my blog vacation. Things will once again be up and running around here at 2 tikes! Looking forward to getting back in touch with ya!

Here is a small glimpse of our summer....as you can see I didn't take my camera out too much!

And it's finally Friday

Whew! Anyone else feel that way. Sometimes I think we should hold an awards banquet on Friday nights for everyone who needs some sort of recognition for surviving the work week. Since my job as a stay at home mom has grown to include managing the renovations, runner of all errands, making and maintaining all appointments. This summer has been especially hectic.

However the kitchen is *almost* finished. I know I keep saying that, but I want in 100% complete before I show you the final product. So here is where I am........I am waiting for the painter to come back today to patch holes in the ceiling where the old, and very much off center, chandeliers were. By the way the new ones look fab-u-lous! I am also waiting for my new hardware to arrive, which should be in by next Monday and my new kitchen faucet, which should be here by Monday. Oh and the ceiling has to be repainted, once the a fore mentioned holes are patched. After that I promise to post pictures. The before and afters will be very dramatic and very beautiful. If I may say so myself. And if you don't think so, just lie okay. My sanity needs that white lie!

That being said, I am ready to take on the next project. In a year or so, you did not think it would be immediate, hell no. I need at least a year off.

On other news my little ballerina finished her week of dance camp. I survived week one of belonging to and going to the gym. By Thursday I had actually ran a short distance on the tread mill, it felt fabulous.

My little man was also evaluated for speech therapy today, however he did not qualify. Thanks to the speech therapy boot camp going on around here since I tested him 3 months ago! He is mildly delayed, by about 10%, and the therapist and I both feel the delay is from the fluid that was camped out in his ear canal the first 6 months of his life and by his 2nd birthday he should be caught up.

The tikes are growing so fast and this has also been an emotional week for me. The kids will both be starting some type of school this fall. Meredith will be attend 3 year old preschool, 3 half days a week and Noah will once again go to a 1 day a week Mother's day out program. I debated on two days for Noah, but since those two days were on opposite days of Meredith's three, I thought it was definitely more important that we have a day at home where the three of us could just snuggle in bed in our jammies all day. So they are both going to school and honestly this schedule is not so much different from last , so that is not what upsets me.

What upsets me is that this year gets me 1 year closer to next year. I know.....seriously this is what I worry about. And next year my baby girl, my first born, my mini Mandi, will be starting 4 year old preschool at her big girl school. The same school she will hopefully, baring any major unexpected changes in our life, graduate high school from. Saying that scares the complete crap out of me. When did she grow up and who let her?

I lay in bed each night thinking of how fast they are both growing up. Each day Noah changes, he is a little less baby and whole lot more big boy. I think about how life is finite. How each day passing is one day gone. This happens every now and then, I worry about the passing of time. I worry it is happening too fast and I am not savoring it enough. There is always so much on my plate. So many appointments to make and keep, so many errands to run, so many activities to schedule.....does it slow down?

Anyway it is Friday, the kitchen is almost finished, my brain is about to have two days off, I'm going out with the ladies tonight and might just have a martini. Have a great weekend internets!

Empowered

Last Friday, I posted about how I went to the gym and it really kicked my ass. I am out of shape. After a week I am still majorly out of shape, but it's getting easier and I am feeling 100% better. I love to work out. I mean that. Going to the gym and dropping the kids off for a quick step class or other class is not a chore to me. It is empowering. I feel great.

Setting time aside to work out each day alone, is the first thing I have done for myself and only myself in a long time......well aside from that new Gucci purse I picked up in NYC. Seriously, this is the first time I have set aside time each day to do something for just me. Something that makes me feel better, look better and overall just boost my self esteem and self confidence. I can't believe I let 4 years go by without working out.

Granted working out also benefits my family as well. I am happier, which means my kids and husband are happier. I am in better shape and able to be in better shape for my family. It also teaches my kids to stay in shape and remain active. Not that either of them have a problem with activity right now.

I encourage all of you to get in shape, don't wait until tomorrow life is way to precious to put things off. Do something for you today, it will feel good!

4 years too many

For the past few weeks I have been on a kick where I feel the need to get back in shape. I don't know what brought this on so suddenly or urgently, because I've been talking about getting back in shape since May of 2006. It just hasn't happened, until today.

And no I didn't all of a sudden get in shape, but I started on my way. Yesterday, I loaded up the tikes and headed to one of our local gyms. The one with the old people and arthritic pool because after working out for the first time in 4 years, I knew I would feel like I had arthritis and need to relax in it. Anyway yesterday, I went down there and signed us up. Dropped the kids off in the nursery to get them used to it and then took a tour. I tell ya, that really wore me out.

Today was a different animal though. I showed up to the 20/20/20 class. 20 minutes of step/cardio, 20 minutes of upper and lower body toning, and 20 minutes of abs. Holy Shit! I thought I was going to die and there the old lady next to me was hanging in there like a pro. I on the other hand gave it my all and honey I was wiped out. It was a damn good workout, I will definitely be at that class on Fridays from here on out.

The kids also did great, they cheered for me when I picked them up and told me they loved me. It's nice to have two adorable cheerleaders. Poor Noah also had to walk to the car because my arms hurt so bad I couldn't hold him.

It has been a little over 4 years since I have worked out like that and nothing has ever felt so good. Pre-baby body here I come!

Big happenings at the homestead

While the new tank we just purchased to drive around as our family vehicle may literally be the biggest change around here, the biggest news certainly is not about my brand, spanking new, shiny, gas guzzling SUV or the fact that the loser cruiser is gone. Nope the biggest news would be that my big girl has been pacifier free for a week now.

This miraculous change happened by her own doing. She went to bed one night without a pacifier. I didn't give it to her and she didn't ask for it and before I knew it she was sleeping. The next night I told her we were giving it to Cinderella and again she fell asleep without it. On the third day there were tears at nap time. Okay, let's be honest. There was a good 20+ minutes of full fledged screaming, but I didn't give in and we all survived....paci free. That night, no tears and no cries. Intermittently throughout the week, she would hint about getting it back and once I even found her laying in my bed with one she had found. I took it away with not a tear shed and the rest is what they call history.

A few days ago we packed them up in an envelope and sent them to Aurora, the pink princess, with a note asking her to please send us plane tickets and tickets to Disney World. Now that it has been a few days since we sent off the package and over a week of no pacifiers, guess what comes tomorrow? Tickets made by Sleeping Beauty herself. The tickets will be delivered to my mailbox. The trip is planned for September.

I am so proud of my big girl, I thought this was something that would not happen quite so easily. Let me be honest I was pretty sure she would take that damn pacifier with her to college. I was wrong and I am so proud of her.

Noah was also forced to give up his "uh ohs" at the same time. I know it was mean and unfair, he is after all still my baby. But I figured easier to kill two birds with one stone. Well again I was wrong. He now has his "uh-ohs" back. I need him to nap and sleep at night and taking the pacifier away ain't worth losing sleep, literally.

What he says.....the gym

So Noah has been in a gymnastics class for about 3 months now. He loves it, any excuse to run, jump, crawl through tunnels and climb.

The scene: 40 minutes into his 50 minute class

He gets up toddles across the gym passing up the cheerleaders who normally hold his attention for 10 second intervals, past the older boys running to the door. Opens it, turns around and waves to his class of toddlers and yells....

"BYE!" with his cutest Mississippi twang

Then he walks out the gym and to the front door to leave. When the boy is done, he is done.

What she says....during the nap

Repeat the following verbatim in your loudest wailing voice over and over for twenty minutes....

"WAAAA......MY MOMMA TOOK MY PACI.......I DID NOT LET HER.....WAAAAA......I WANT IT BACK..........BRING ME MY PACI BACK RIGHT NOW"

Meredith went to bed two nights ago without her paci with no problem, then yesterday she skipped a nap so there was no issue with the lack of a paci. I want to state for the record that she started Day 1 of operation take away the pacifier on her own.

Last night again to bed without a paci and no crying. Today at nap time she asked for it. I said no. She started with the sobs and tears. I walked out the room. She started yelling the closest thing to profanities she knew. It wasn't heart breaking, it was just plain old anger. She took all of my aggression towards the contractors out on me when I took the paci away. I felt much better after her episode. It was violent I tell you. Twenty minutes later she was out. No paci. Score one for the momma.

Tonight again to bed without a paci. Score two for momma.

And the beat goes on....

Sometime back in April, I wrote a big fat check for a kitchen renovation. A renovation that would take 2-3 weeks. Remember that post of excitement the day the brick arrived. Yes, it seems like just ages ago. Well now I feel like I've been through the ringer.

First it has taken nearly 2 1/2 months, which is a whole lot longer that three weeks. Then as they came to install the island, I noticed that it was a lot smaller than what we originally discussed. I refused to let them install it, since it wasn't what I originally discussed and agreed to pay for.

So my contractor comes out and we agree to disagree and then he chalks it up to a miscommunication. However no matter what he says, we miscommunicated I know damn well I didn't miscommunicate this......



In no way, shape or form would I have "miscommunicated" to replace my island with a new island that was a good 6 inches to short on each side. Nope, I am going to go ahead and say the contractor screwed up royally. However what I was saying earlier was not screwed up, but use your imagination and insert whatever word you think I would have used! And to prove it wasn't just on one side....

This my friends is why I have resorted to drinking heavily in the evenings! Today I get to deal with the geniuses again, think of me, pray for my sanity.

I am thinking by the time Meredith starts kindergarten next year it may be ready. What do you think?

The big apple

This weekend I took a quick trip to the Big Apple. I am a city girl at heart I tell ya, I was just born in the wrong place. Oh New York, how I would love to live there. But since I am a Southern girl, back home in the South is where you will find me. My trip was awesome. I would suggest that you grab a group of girls and head to the Big Apple as soon as you can. It is a trip you don't want to miss and something you just have to see and experience at least once in a lifetime, or in my case several times.


However this post is not going to be about the trip. This post is about what happened while I was away. While I was in Times Square taking in the sights, shopping on 5th Avenue, in Little Italy sipping wine, enjoying some shopping, dining and a street fair at the Seaport, watching the fireworks over the Hudson, drinking a beer in Hell's kitchen and at an Irish pub, having a beer at the boat house after walking through central park, having brunch at Tavern on the Green and perusing the shops in the Village.....my kids were home being taken care of by their dad.

I walked in this morning at 8am after spending the night at my sisters and going to bed at 2:30am then waking up to drive home 2 hours, due to a flight delay and I have to say I was happy and overjoyed to see the tikes and my husband and then I looked around and I was amazed.....astonished......in awe.

I was shocked to see how much my kids had changed in 4 days. Meredith was a little taller and her cheeks were slightly less rounded. She looked older. Noah was a little taller, his hair a little blonder and even more handsome than when I left to go. The kids were sharing and playing together and Josh reported not a fight happened while I was away. And then I looked around and the house.....the house was freaking meticulous. I want him to know that when I walked through the door I noticed and I thought to myself how the hell does he do it? Although honestly I ask myself that several times a day, because if you know Josh....you know he is a hell of a man, a hell of a dad, and a hell of husband.

Josh made what I do day in and day out look easy. He had no help, besides a babysitter Friday while he went to work. There was no one to take the kids for 5 minutes so he could have a moment to himself. For over 96 hours it was just him and them. He was responsible for preparing, serving and feeding the tikes 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, he gave 4 baths, brushed 2 sets of teeth 8 times, changed approximately 20 diapers, read numerous books, sang the goodnight song 4 times, did laundry, the dishes all on his own. He was the mom and the dad.

Not only did he do all of that, but when I walked in the house it was immaculate. The kitchen was clean, the living room and their bedrooms. He even did several batches of clothes and had them all folded and ready to put away. He took Meredith to get new shoes and weaned Noah from his nap time bottle.

He took the kids to the zoo, the donut shop, the bookstore, swimming, to target and for several walks around the block. He accomplished several things on my to do list that I never got done. He didn't stop and get fast food once, he not only managed to keep the kids healthy and thriving, but he made it look easy. He handled it like no other. I can't even do it all that well when he comes home everyday at 5. I know my husband is one of the many great dad's out there, but this weekend he proved that he is at the top of that list.

Thank you honey for an amazing weekend with the girls. I appreciate all you do and wanted to brag a little.....or a lot!

Another year older

Today the man of my dreams, is another year older. Is it me or do the years just fly by now? I swear I don't think of him as a day older than thirty, which means I am not a day older than twenty-four. Oh yes a girl can get used to that.

At thirty I threw him a surprise party at Hooters in Nola. At thirty-six I threw him a birthday dinner at home with friends, family and the kids. It's funny how things have changed and how much we love the change that has happened.

In the past 6+ years that I have known this wonderful man I have seen him grow and change and age so gracefully. He went from a resident wearing shirts that said "I have friends you just can't see them" to a devoted husband and father. He went from sleeping in on his days off to never sleeping past 7am. He has learned how to make donut runs and do one of the most romantic things ever night after night....the dishes. He has learned how to fix everything from a scratched knee to a broken heart. He has learned to play princess and dollhouse along with trains, plains and automobiles. He easily learned how to speak toddler-ease and differentiate cries, he has perfected his diaper changing skills and hair washing skills during bath times. He has grown into one of the best hands on fathers around.

Happy Birthday to the man that makes my dreams come true day after day and who loves me and my children more than anything. I hope you had a fabulous day.....you definitely deserved it! Here is to many more......I love growing old with you grey hairs and all.

what she says - a baby sister

Tonight I was babysitting a friend's two pouty princesses. Meredith is love with the baby princess and wants one of her very own. As she was helping me give Marion her bottle here is what she said....

"Momma I wanna go to da store and get one of deese babies tomorrow....okay?"

"Um, baby it doesn't quite work like that."

"No momma I want one of deese.....a girl baby.....just like marion"

"Would you rather a girl or disney world?"

a few moments to ponder this question

"A baby....a girl baby....okay....tomorrow!"

**By the way there is NO baby sister on the way, but we may see about one day. Disney world may happen soon though.

Happy Friday

Oh internets, my days of blogging regularly seem to be long gone. I'm not going to apologize again or explain where I've been, because really it's just excuses after excuses. Right? But it isn't just blogging that is taking a back burner. I took that extensive week off because we went to the beach and while I have many things to blog about at the beach, like how much fun we had. It really wouldn't work without the pictures, but since they are still on the camera I guess that post ain't happening. Go here to check them out.

Then their is that fancy smancy remodel I kept moaning and groaning about. Yes, that too seems to have been left on the back burner. No, not by me. I am so ready for it to be completed, the man in charge of it, that is a different story.

This remodel has led to a massive headache that has lasted for well I don't know 2 months now. Would you even believe me if I tell you the damn thing is not finished? It's not. Close, but definitely not complete. I didn't forget about the pictures either. I will post them, but I just want it to be complete. Don't you? Hell maybe I will give up on completion and just post pictures anyway. What do you think?

And to answer your question, yes I am about to lose my mind of the never ending job that was quoted as taking 2-3 weeks max. Please don't make me curse on the blog again.

I also shut down Regrets Only Stationery for a month because I couldn't get one creative juice flowing when my house was covered in dust and invaded by men who smelled badly, left doors open for the paid for air to escape and left a bigger mess here then they would at their own momma's. But the men are gone apparently and the business is now up and running again. I have to say thanks to all my customers for showering me with orders the day I opened and the month continuing. I have to admit I was a little afraid I wouldn't get anymore business, but I am right where I left, busy.

Then their is the matter of children. We all know how busy being a mom can be, well a stay at home mom trying to navigate through a remodel, run a busy home based business and still make sure my kids don't miss out on one iota of summer fun is super busy. But I love the job what can I say?

Then you may wonder how I am blogging such a long post at 8am, well the tikes had a slumber party at their Mimi or Nanna's (as Noah has come to calling Mimi) house. Josh and I went out to begin the week long celebration of his 36th birthday. We went to dinner and a movie. We had two glasses of wine, an appetizer, meal and a dessert and for once I didn't have to threaten anyone with their life to stay in the chair or high chair. I also didn't have to do a massive clean up before leaving the restaurant and pick my mind up at the door.

I know what you are thinking....wow Josh is getting up there. We both are, last week at the beach I found my first grey hair. The shock and disappointment were unreal. I mean I am thirty for god's sake. Then yesterday I found another....what do I even do for this? I told you life has been rough internets.

Anyway that is where I am now, stuck in remodel hell of never being completed with grey hair. Happy Friday.

In true second child fashion

Tonight I had the rare opportunity to rock my Noah man alone for a few minutes. Alone as in, before his sister came barreling out the tub to join the snuggle session. It is rare for several reasons. Now that Meredith and Noah are on the exact same nap schedule I never get time alone with him while she naps anymore. Meredith is also out of school, which means we are all home every day, all day. The rare instance Noah and I are alone he rarely sits still long enough to be rocked, tonight he did though.

So as we were cuddled in the overstuffed rocker that I purchased just for him, that has barely been used thanks to his inability to sit still, and I started singing him lullabies. And like a brick wall it hit me smack in the face. The guilt. He doesn't get enough alone time, he didn't get his 19 months of being the only child. Of being my only priority. He didn't get all of my attention. He didn't get rocked to sleep every night for the first 19 months of his life. Am I a good mother to him? Did I give him enough time at all? Or am I so tired at the end of the day that I read them both a book, say good night and dump them into their beds. '

It made me really sad and I have to admit I felt like a horrible mother. So I started rocking away and singing my all time favorite song to sing to my tikes. A song my mother sang to me an I am sure her mother sang to her. A song I still hear my mother singing to my kids.

Rock a bye
Na-na-na
Go to sleep my little Noah
Doo doo dooooo
Doo doo doooo
doo doo dooodoooodo dooo dooo

Yeah I know you can so follow it right....I am not crazy it makes total sense in my head.

Well as I am sitting there singing all of a sudden on the right part Noah chimes in "na na na....dododo"

So yes, I am sure he gets ample of my time, he just gets what she never did....a more experienced mother and a big sister.

What she says....priceless

Tonight Meredith was playing "doodlebops." There is no specific game, it's just where each member of the family gets to be a different doodlebop. Tonight Josh was Rooney, Noah was Mo and Meredith and I were both DeeDee.

All of a sudden Meredith ran up the stairs to get something and on her way down she tumbled and went down head first. I saw it in slow motion and I knew she wasn't hurt badly. She hit the floor and was stunned in silence, this is one of the few if only time she has fallen down the stairs. After a few miliseconds Josh and I reacted so she did too, she started sobbing.

"Meredith are you okay....did you hurt yourself....Meredith, baby are you okay?"


sobbing, sobbing sobbing "I'm not Meredith.......I'm DEEDEE!" in the most pitiful sobbing voice ever.

Is it friday yet?

Did I mention we are going back to the beach? Well we are, because after multiple weeks of remodel hell....I lost count.........the kitchen is STILL not finished. I'm not sure it ever will be. Part of my daily routine is waking up, getting two kids up, making sure everyone potties and is changed, making oatmeal, calling the contractor to bitch, calling my husband to bitch about said contractor, then making my husband call said contractor back to get the job done.

Yes, I fear my morning routine or daytime routine will never be the same. The new daytime routine involves cleaning after kids and workers, patrolling the kids and the workers, fussing at the kids and workers and at the end of the day losing my mind.

It is no longer strange when my 3 year old says out loud in public, "momma da men STILL at my house?" Because we both know what men she is talking about and for the sake of all things holy in the world, yes they are still at our freaking house.

I'm not sure they will ever leave, which is better than them leaving before the job is done. Although the hefty balance of money we owe them is also a key factor in that, but that is NOT incentive enough for them to move their asses faster. No way. I am convinced men have one speed and it is not my speed, that is for damn sure.

So I am hoping that the week after I come home from the beach, the kitchen will be finished. Yes, you heard that right, not that when I come home it will be finished, but that it will get finished the week after the beach. Because in this process of remodeling or renovating, I have learned a very valuable lesson, do not let them work when you are out of town. For several reasons...
1. they don't show up on time
2. sometimes they don't show up at all
3. they never do what they are supposed to do and will only have to fix it when you get home
4. chances are they won't even fix it correctly and you will have to wind up fixing it your self
5. no one respects your stuff, so make sure you are there to demand the respect.

Oh internets won't you be happy when this is all over with and we can go to more trivial post about breakfast and pottying or something. I can't wait until I am out of remodel hell. So that is it in a nut shell. You may get before and after pictures before the new year, but don't count on it.

What she says.....lesson learned

One morning this past week, I was getting dressed and as usual the tikes were in the playroom. I heard talking and squealing and "vroom, vroom'ing." Then all of a sudden I heard complete silence, which was completely unusual. It took a few minutes to figure out that all I heard was silence and then put two and two together.....silence meant trouble.

I walked to the playroom and peaked my head in and low and behold there was green paint everywhere. The floors, the tikes, the toys, the dresser, the bookcases. And in the middle, there they sat.....studiously painting everything with paint brushes and utter concentration on their faces......in complete silence.

"Uh-hm"

Two very big brown eyes and two happy blue eyes, stared up at me with a look of terror and joy, respectively. I didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry Momma"

"Do we paint without permission?"

"No"

"Then why are you and Noah painting right now?"

"I dunno"

"Who got the paint"

silence and the lip came out

"Mama mama mamamama"

"Did Noah get the paint out of the top draw"

A fearful head nod no. I picked up the paint and paint brushes leaving the room and tried not to lose my cool. As I walked out, Meredith was apologizing and Noah started screaming, he was not happy that his art lesson was over. I tried not to let the daily grind get to me. On top of getting ready and having to get two tikes ready to head out the door, now I had to clean up a gigantic mess in the toy room. You would be surprised what two tiny tikes could cover in five minutes with a large container of forest green paint. But just as the steam started to come through my ears and the frustrated growls were about to creep out, I heard this while washing the brushes and getting wet rags.

"No-wee don't cwy, it's okay......don't cwy no-wee we will play with someting else......okay noah we can play someting else......ssshhh.......here noah, here play wit dis."


"WAAAAAAAAAAAAWAAAAAA"

"Shhh it's okay Noah, here play wit dis, play wit sitter"

And at that moment the steam evaporated and the growls turned into a smile. While I was not happy about the green mess and green tikes to clean, it really wasn't the worst thing in the world, actually not too bad at all. Not bad enough to ruin everyones day at 8am. Life is way too short for that. Instead I walked in and said it was okay and cleaned up the mess with two very eager helpers. Don't get me wrong I have moved all the paint from the top drawer in the toy room, see I learned a very valuable lesson.

Look what we have been sporting all over town

Yes, a big, black eye!

The other night we were all in the back yard being thoroughly entertained by the new bubble machine, when all of a sudden Noah was no longer sitting on the step but was now lying on the ground screaming. It took .02 seconds for him to reach over and try to grab the bubble machine and go tumbling down the two brick steps.....apparently he scratched his face and hit his eye on the way.

It sounded as bad as it looks and trust me it was bad.
His eye is starting to look much better. People still comment everywhere we go and he just smiles and plays it up for them. I think he loves the attention.

I am fairly confined that an ER will find us there soon......good grief this boy makes me nervous.

The dance recital

So after spending hundreds of dollars all year for dance lessons, costumes, recital fees, pictures, and other miscellaneous stuff.......guess what.....she didn't dance. She did go on stage and watch the little girl next to her cry for the first number and then she went ahead and cried herself for the second number. I mean being three and on that big stage can be pretty freaking scary. Overall Iam very proud of my girl.

The day before was the dress rehearsal and I must say she did great that day. The audience was only half way filled, but there was a crowd and that day she danced her little heart out. It was precious. I just wish her daddy could have seen her that day too.

Here she is getting ready. Meredith and Adalyn, unfortunately Adalyn was in a different class, but Meredith loved the fact they were at least in the same recital.

Getting ready to go on stage!

Here she is with her friend Grace. The girls came up with these poses on their own, I was super impressed!

At the end of the recital her daddy gave her a dozen pink roses. Her first flowers!

Inspiration

Maybe Edward Cullen is his idol.

"Vampries are all the rage mom, just ask the ladies!"

The vampire and the witch

Today was their first real fight. It was bad, they both drew blood.

I was always afraid that my sweet Meredith would never be able to protect herself...from the vampire or other bullies. Her normal routine is to scream in agony as the little vampire sinks his teeth in. Then I come running in to save the day and correct the little vampire and he is made to apologize..... with a big grin on his face the whole time.

To try and stop this little vampire from attacking, I finally instructed Meredith to bite back. She was very excited with this instruction however when teeth came to skin, so to speak, she just could never bring herself to actually bite back. So the routine continues, screams....tears....me saving the day....vampire apologizes and the big grin. Always the big grin.

Today was different. The vampire and the princess were both laying in my bed watching a movie. It had been a long day of swimming at Mimi's pool and everyone was tired and in a mood. So there they were laying calmly in my bed and so I took the opportunity to sneak off and quickly make dinner. I ran to the kitchen where I pulled out the ingredients. Before I actually got my hands full of ground meat, I ran to check on them one last time, and they were both still laying quietly. I knew at any moment their worlds might collide so I quickly headed back to the kitchen and dug my hands into the meat to roll the meatballs.

When I was halfway through I heard the scream. The loud, piercing scream from a little girl's mouth letting me know the vampire had just went in for the kill. I would normally run back to get the vampire's dead lock grip off, but today my hands were full of ground meat and so I decided to finish up the meatballs and let them work it out and correct him later.

Well the screaming continued and a few seconds later it was joined by another equally loud, piercing scream, but this time it was coming from the vampire. It was heartbreaking to hear. I rolled the last meatball, threw it in the pot, quickly washed my hands and then ran to my room.

The scene was bloody and full of tears. The vampire did go in for the kill right on her thigh and blood was drawn. However when the princess realized that help was not on the way she turned into the witch and scratched the vampire (with her nails she later reported) on his cheek and also drew blood. The fight looked deadly, however both walked away with minor injuries and there were no casualties.

I made both the witch and the vampire apologize. There were very tearful "sorrys" full of sobs.... but, today there were no grins..... not even from the vampire.

I thought this incident may have finally taught my little vampire his lesson, however not even two minutes later he again went in for the kill. This time I was there to stop him, I have no idea what I am going to do with my little vampire.

My little boy

Dear Noah,

This month you are 18 months old. In baby terms, that is an accomplishment. These days you are all boy, no mountain is too tall, no danger is too dangerous. If it is possible you will do it and if not you will still try and find a way. I am fairly confident we will be in an ER sometime before you second birthday.

Almost two years ago, I found out that you were going to be a little boy. I have to say I was very excited. Although I told everyone who asked that I didn't care what gender you were, I did. I wanted a little boy. See I was raised with a sister. We knew all things girly. There were no footballs, trucks, mud, or dirt. We did Barbies, babies, school and house. We were girls.

You are very new to me and I am learning quickly. However, please grade me on a curve, because like I said you are my first boy. When you were born I have to admit, I was very scared of your little penis. Not because of the fact that you could squirt that little thing 4 feet in the air and at least 4 feet across the room, even at the tender age of two weeks.

No, I was intimidated by it for other reasons. I had no idea what to do with a little boy. I was very content with your sister because I could do babies, barbies, and all things pink. But now I was entering a very new era for me. I made a promise to you on your birthday in that quiet, dark hospital room as I was nursing you that I would learn all about t-ball, dinosaurs, trucks and sports.

I would be the best baseball, soccer, football mom around. I would learn to do ballet and baseball. Gymnastics and football.. I vowed to let you be a rough and tumble little boy and yet teach you to be respectful and gentle with little girls.

And at 18 months you have been the best teacher. I have learned to perfect my dinosaur growl, I know that I have to pass the 18 wheeler that is always parked in the lot by Target every time we go there. I know to acknowledge the big trucks on the road and practice the rumble they make with you. I know that every plane in the sky deserves some recognition. I have learned that no matter how much I correct you, you are still going to climb on everything you can. I have learned that when you fall you will get right back up and don't always want or need a big production. I know that you get mad or upset when your sister or another child take something away, but get over it just as quickly as you got upset.

I know that you will never be as dramatic as I was growing up, but that you will still have your moments. I know that one day your room will smell like dirty socks. I know there will come a time in your life when you leave home and go to college and will only come back when you need your laundry done. I also know you probably won't call home from college all that much.

I know there will come a time in your life when you love another girl or woman as much as you love me and one day she will become your whole life. I hope that when that time comes, I was a good mother to you and taught you how to take care of her and respect her.

You, Noah, are my little boy and always will be, thanks so much for the lessons so far.

I love you,
momma

The Beach....and not the beach!

Yes, we are home! I would say it is good to be home, but if we are being honest, it sucks. Not because coming home is not good after 7 nights away, but because when I was in Destin, I woke up to this every morning.....

And this is just a small, and I mean small, sampling of what I came home too....

And in case you couldn't see the layers upon layers of dust in that photo look at this one.....

Yes, that dust covered every square inch of my first floor and probably most of the second floor too. That my friends is why I haven't posted pictures like this one......

or this one from the beach.....

No instead we have been cleaning up dust and shit since Saturday, today I can finally see the light at the very far end of the very long tunnel. That and I called Servpro to come and finish the stuff I just can't do anymore, because really do you know how to clean out air conditioner vents.....yeah me either. Yes, it all has to be cleaned, because the people working on my kitchen floors have NEVER heard of visquine and when they ripped up over 500+ square feet of ceramic tile with a jackhammer, they never covered up anything or any opening to the rest of my house......but this is a rant for another day.

So yes internets I am home, happy about it? Not really, but home and starting to get life back to normal, that and plan my next beach trip!

Oh yeah and here's a teaser.....I promise to put up the before and afters, but since the 2 week job is now carrying into it's 4th week and may never end....I'm not sure when that will be. Enjoy! I promise more destin news and pics to come shortly....if I can find my sanity in a suitcase somewhere.

Oh and you better tell me what you think....I've been living in hell for weeks....please for goodness sake tell me what you think about it so far.....oh and it isn't near completion.....SERIOUSLY!

Congrats to the new lawyer in the family!

After 3 years that seemed to fly by very quickly, well at least to me, my sister finished Law School! '

Congrats Leigh Ann, we are all so proud of you!!!

My parents could not have been more proud, there is me a genius and speech therapist and my sister a Lawyer! What can I say we are pretty good kids!

what she says...the beach

"I don't wanna go eat, I wanna play in da snow some more!"

From under the rubble...

I just wanted to say, Happy Anninversary to my husband. Four years ago today, on Friday the thirteeneth, we said "I do" in front of 200 of our closest family and friends. Today we are blessed with two beautiful children, what used to be a beautiful home, and now a lot of dust and mess. I couldn't be happier....Cheers to Josh and I!

Important Announcement

Due to the disaster zone being much worse than I ever anticipated, the tikes and I are relocating temporarily the rest of this week and then heading to the beach on Saturday for a week of no dust, dirt or brick. Josh will be here to supervise.

That being said.....Regrets Only Stationery, will be closed effective today until June 1st!

Thanks so much for understanding. And if I am not blogging, it is because I am crying in a corner or ringing someone's neck. (and no it isn't my husband's)

What she says......thinking

"Momma I wanna snack"

"What do you want?"

"I wanna snack pwease."

So I open the box of Brownies and petit fours and turtles....well what's left of them.

"Pick one!"

"No, pick three?"

"No, I said pick one"

"Pick two?"

"Meredith, pick one or I will put them away"

After a few seconds and a lot of deliberations, she chooses one of the two remaining chocolate petit fours.

"I wan dis one"

"Good choice"

I then go about wiping down the dust from the counters for the 875th time this week. After enough time to consume a chocolate petit four....

"Oh no.....I dwopped it!!! Bwownie ate it!!!! OH NO!!!!" no tears though, it was kind of a weird, very calm reaction from my daughter who supposedly dropped her cake and watched the dog eat it. Normally that is followed by tears and uncontrollable sobs.

"Did you drop it?"

"Yeah I get a-nudder one?" reaching for the last chocolate petit four

"Sure get another one"

This time I watch as she eats all the chocolaty goodness and makes a bigger mess all over her hands and face. As she finishes the last bite....

"Oh no Momma, I think I dropped it again."

"You think you dropped it?"

"Yes, I think I dropped it and Bwownie ate it"

"Oh yeah" looking at her with those eyes....we have had a lot of discussions about Pinocchio and fibs lately

"Well......I think I ate it, yeah I think so momma"

"Yeah me too" And a big mischeavious grin crosses her face.

Open house

Hi welcome to my hell house, come on in. Sorry there is no where to sit and please forgive the mess. And remember wipe you feet before you walk on anything not covered by visquine....
Ignore those tools and empty box of cracker jacks, I just can't make people pick up after themselves, even the ones I am paying.

Snuff......no we don't do snuff here.....not sure why that is lying around.

Oh you love my fire place, isn't it fabulous?

Yes, let's go get that glass of lemonade this way to the kitchen.

See the fireplace is looking a little better?

For those of you thinking WoW.....go ahead just look at that.....actual mud inside. I have officially lost it.

.......and more mud......

......and even more mud, oh and don't worry that brick does not look that dark, if it did I would seriously cry.

It looks more like this, but my photography skills are about as good as my housekeeping.

This is a thin layer that covers my entire house, those are my Brazilian cherry woods underneath it. The snuff guys didn't do a great job of covering the floors. I wonder what they are good at?

That is a mixture of dust, muck, mud and cement, in my kitchen and on my wood floors, do you see why I have lost it?

The only thing helping me keep my sanity over the weekend was this is how it looked on Friday, which means not too much longer.

Oh and the fireplace was finished Friday..........thank gawd!

The rest will be completed today, I don't know exactly what completed means though. I'm not sure if completed means they will finish the brick and leave the scaffolding, mud, muck and snuff for me to clean up, or if they might do that before they leave. Either way I'm not holding my breath did you see how good they were at covering up my floors. Exactly.

So yes, today the brick wall and fireplace is finsished, but.......tomorrow at 7am, the floor guys will be here. To remove all of my kitchen appliances and washer and dryer for at least 2 weeks. Then they will begin to rip out of the 500+ square feet of tile. Fun times, fun times, anyone want to join me for a drink? Or two, or ten? Wait don't leave......come back soon!!!!

Seriously I'm going to make you wait until the house is back together before I post anymore pictures, it really helps my sanity and anxiety if I don't have to look at the mess, even on the world wide web. Again thanks for stopping by! Next time wipe you feet so you don't make those white tracks everywhere. Damn house guest showing up before the job is finished!

Mother's Day 2009

Today is mother's day. I am blessed, with two beautiful children, a fabulous husband and my own wonderful mother. What else could I need on this mother's day that God hasn't already given me.

Nothing......well except for my house not to look like this when I wake up in the morning.

But even though my house did look just like that, I was woken up by the two cutest faces in the world....screaming "SAH-PWISE! Happy Mudder's Day!" And then I was given this beautiful handmade bouquet of flowers! My husband is amazing he did this with the kids. He thought of the idea, he bought the materials and then he made it with them. Well actually he and Julia's husband, Jeremy, got together and made these while we had our girl's night. They also enlisted the help of the babysitters, Carrie and their babysitter Emily. I heard it was a wild time. I couldn't have been more thrilled with this gift, I will cherish it always. The kids were very proud of their work and I was very proud of their dad's.


So today we headed to Mimi's house to spend the day in the sun and cool off in the pool. We were very sad Mimi and Poppa weren't there to swim with us, but their pool sure was fun!


Noah loves the water and is a little fish!

Meredith was happy to spend the day with her new neighbor and best friend Grace. The girls had a lot of fun.

This mother's day was very low key and very relaxing. Thank you Josh, I love you so much!

The play by play....here's what happened

So since most of you asked for the play by play, I should totally be posting pictures of the huge disastrous mess. Yes, it is that bad. Much worse than I EVER expected. But I have to be honest when I tell you that I was totally looking at this renovation process through rose colored glasses before it started, my friend. What a fool I was, but damn they were mighty good rose colored glasses. Yes, those glasses allowed me to foresee myself sipping lemonade out of a crystal clear glass, in my cool house, while watching the men lay really clean brick in a few hours time span - minus the mud, dust and muck.

Yes, just me and my lemonade and my rose colored glasses. Well my friends I am here to tell you that is not the case. My house is covered in a thick layer of white, filmy dust. I have swept and wiped and yet if you rub your hand over any surface in this entire house, you can still feel the ickiness that oozes off the counters and floors. Everything is covered. The men and the people who live here make cute little white tracks all over my rich Brazilian cherry wood floors.

The tracks go from the disaster zone to the kitchen and then some go around through the dining room to the bathroom, and the playroom and my bedroom. And some go up the stairs where it ends at the carpet, and really I am sure they carry on, but those are the special invisible tracks that are forever embedded in my carpet.

Oh the renovation I was so excited about has turned into my own personal hell. Why do people do this to themselves? IT is easier to move people. IT IS easier to clean your home and show it day in and day out, then to live in this hellish nightmare.

So yes, I should be posting pictures of the new fireplace, or the area I insisted they brick against my contractors better judgement and then the pictures after I asked them to remove the brick from that very same place. Or the wall that is slightly sloping or the wall after I made them fix the slight slope. Or the archway that is beyond gorgeous. Or the hole in the sheetrock where the electrical used to be, that I am hoping they will magically patch. Or the electrical cord that is running along my ceiling for the new light I am having installed that I am hoping will be hidden by the brick. Or the various places my walls are covered in mud and crud. Or the places that holes are now where baseboards used to be and will need to patched. Or my new firebox made of brick or my new harth that is gorgeous and brick.

Yes, I should post all those pictures, but I am not for a few reasons.

1. I left my camera at my mom's with the pictures on it

2. instead of taking the time to get it and post pictures I went out to dinner and had drinks and then saw a movie with the girls to try and restore some of my sanity

3. I'm just too tired from laying in my bed at night an fretting over what the finished product will look like and whether or not at night it will rain and wet the brick and delay the completion of the job one more day.

4. I just can't look at the mess one more second today, even through pictures.

So I promise the pictures will come soon, before next month, but not today. Today I just need the mess to go away and question why I ever started this shit to begin with!

We have brick!

Yesterday the brick went up, about a third of the way up at least. And my new fireplace was built. My entire living area is covered in visquine and cardboard type floor. There is dust, dirt and crud everywhere. I cannot wait until June. I am not banking on them making their 2 week deadline, so I am just holding out for next month when hopefully all is complete.

So tell me internets, do you want to wait for the dramatic before and afters, or do you want a play by play? I can't decide, should I post a little everyday or just wait until I am sane again and my house is in one piece with gorgeous reclaimed, old Chicago brick everywhere?

Most common complaint about being a stay at home mom

I often hear from other moms that the most common complaint about our job is boredom. Being home with one or two toddlers, no adult interaction, the same books, puzzles, toys, the same routine day in and day out. While most of that is true, I can't say that I am bored. No losing my mind is definitely more like it, take today for example.

My house is in the beginning of a renovation. It is now torn up to the point of not being livable, and no where near being complete. I have some workers here, who do a lot of standing around and waiting on the another guy, a lot of banging and some who just hang visquine everywhere.

I have a 17 month old who wants to get his tools and go help, hell he would love to bang on some stuff, but his mom is always saying "No, No Noah!" He just can't help himself and stay out the room. I am actually allowing the banging and he is dying to partake.

I have a great friend who is moving today and I offered to keep her 3 year old and bring her to gymnastics, lunch, dance and dinner, since she graciously kept my two all day and did the same thing when I went to my grandmother's funeral.

I also have my own three year old who is thrilled that her friend is here for the day, let's just say if I could bottle their energy and excitement and sell it I would be a rich woman.

After our trip to gymnastics and the eatery with a germ infested play structure McDonald's, I came home with high hopes that the children hyped up on caramel dipping sauce would nap. That was a no go. The girls laid down watching Little Mermaid while I took Bubs up for his nap. I laid him down and started on laundry.

After 45 minutes he was still standing, the workers were still banging and the girls were still giggling. I attributed the noise to his lack of napping and the girls well who isn't happy when their friend is over. I then looked very closely into his video monitor and noticed he was playing in his crib sans diaper. I rushed up to put a new one on before he made a huge mess.

Yes, I was too late. There was, for lack of a better word, shit everywhere. His hair, his pillow, the sheets, his blankets, his crib. Everywhere. When I walked in he pointed to a large clump in the middle of his bed and said "uh-oh." Yes, little man --- uh-oh is right or oh shit - whichever is age appropriate, just feel free to use it.

I scooped him out, ran a bath, cleaned him, bathed him, and dressed him. I then began to tackle the bed when I heard two loud piercing screams coming from my room. I had left the girls in my room with Ariel and told them if anyone walked in to scream and come get mommy. So I grab Noah and rushed downstairs almost killing myself to get there. I run to my room and open the door and their sit two little girls with big grins on their faces.

I explain that they only scream in an emergency and if someone comes in mommy's room while I am upstairs. They nod in understanding and back up I go to finish the stripping of the bed. I get it done and lay Noah back down where he is still saying "dadadadadada."

I am off to fetch some snacks for the girls and perhaps sit on my butt for a minute while they eat them. Who said staying home with your kids was boring? If you think so feel free to bring your tikes over and help me.

Two Cool Cats

I don't know what happened... but I like it!

For the past several months, my tikes are at the age where they can both play. Notice I didn't say play together, because Noah's playing is not sophisticated enough for Meredith's taste. However Noah is at an age where he can play by himself or more so wants to play with his big sister. This normally resorts to lots of fighting, mainly due to the fact that Meredith doesn't want Noah touching what she is playing with, Noah is not playing like Meredith wants him to play, or Noah gets frustrated and starts biting or pinching....which causes screaming and tantrums on both ends.

However something happened this weekend....the tikes actually played together. Maybe it is because Noah is bigger or talking more. Or Meredith realized most of the time he is a really good play mate. Or maybe they realized their dad was working all weekend and their momma needed a break. I'm not sure what it was, but damn do I like it.

Yesterday they played with stack able cups forever, then they played with the ponies, the took turns pushing each other in the stroller and this morning they played for 3 hours together without one fight! They hid in the closet and read books, they played with the train table and babies, they played with trucks and cars and they played and played and played.

I hope this trend continues forever.

Bigger is better, right?

So for Christmas, I got my husband a grill. Or to be honest I was swamped with two kiddos and told my husband I had planned on getting him a new grill, since his other (3 year old) gas grill was broke. He in turn went to the store and got himself a new gas grill, from me for Christmas. Are you following?

We were going to put the grill together in January, but then we thought about moving, so the new grill sat in a box until last weekend.

Since the house was off the market we were free to live in it again and decided we wanted to eat some ribs off the grill. So Josh spent most of the morning putting it together so he could cook on it. We then marinated the meat and went to fire up the grill. No flame. The damn thing was either broke or not hooked up right. Josh went ahead and called my dad over who looked at it with Josh and it was apparent that it was connected correctly. So they literally threw it in the back of the truck and took it back to the store 6 months later and returned it.

After that Josh saw the error of his ways with a gas grill and decided to go after a Big Green Egg.

My dad has been having one for awhile and has always tried to sell my propane loving husband on them. However Josh was never convinced. But after having to very expensive gas grills break for no apparent reason - he decided charcoal and the egg were the way to go.

So one afternoon Josh took the kids to the local green egg store and bought a new egg. I asked which one he got, the large egg which can cook enough food for a large family or the extra-large egg which can cook enough for an entire neighborhood.

It looks like next week we will be feeding our entire neighborhood, come on by if you are in the area.



This was delivered to my garage. I tried to convince the 3 men it took to get it out of the truck and into my garage to get it to my back porch. Since I had no cash and the only way to get the 250+lb egg to the back porch was through my house on my very $$ wood floors, they opted not too. Oh well, now Josh needs to find someone to help him transport his egg..... wonder if our new neighbors want to come for dinner?

The egg and the table, yes we got a table too. It should be covered in 14karat gold in my opinion for what they charge.
The damn thing is massive!

Who is coming for dinner?