I'm a total weenie about crowds. Kevin likes it, all the rush and excitement and everybody having a good time. But I like very few things with loads of people, unless it's a lovely party with all my friends and no children to hover over. But lovely parties often include wine, and there was no wine at the Olympia Children's Museum today. Only hoards of people.
Kevin and I met up with his sister, her husband, and my niece and nephew at the Children's Museum today. On a holiday. It was crazy 30 minutes into opening. Not only with everybody out of school, but all the daycare/preschool/YMCA groups. Too many kids without enough adults. We dealt with more than one brat who didn't have a grown up around to correct him. But the kids seemed to have a blast even if us poor grownups just waved at each other as all four kids played in opposite areas.
We did have a nice pizza lunch together, so we actually got to have a whole conversation. Lovely to see everybody, but I think next time I'll get the kids at our house so I can have fun chatting. Maybe a cousins Christmas cookie party.
So the next time you look outside and it's a yucky rainy day, don't look for me at somewhere horrid like Odyssey One or Jump. I'll be at the zoo. By myself!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Why I'm An Awesome Mom
Wasn't today gorgeous? All that golden light and blue sky? I'm taking advantage of every day like today and getting the kiddos OUTSIDE! Soon enough we'll be stuck with 5 months of damp.
After a successful birthday present trip at Half-Price Books (Patrick was wonderful, Fiona was a terror), we visited The Nature Center. They have a nice outdoor play area with a real organic feel. Plus, water! A working water pump and a sandy/rocky play area where kids can get wet.
My children had their shoes off in five minutes. Fiona was nearly soaked by the time we left. Patrick exercised tremendous restraint and kept his clothes on (only naked water time at home, that's right buddy!) but got pretty wet himself.
This was not heated water. It was freezing! Fiona's little feet were so red but she kept going.
I figured it was easier to get them warm and dry at home than to spend the entire park visit fussing about their shoes and clothes. Get wet and dirty kids!
After a successful birthday present trip at Half-Price Books (Patrick was wonderful, Fiona was a terror), we visited The Nature Center. They have a nice outdoor play area with a real organic feel. Plus, water! A working water pump and a sandy/rocky play area where kids can get wet.
My children had their shoes off in five minutes. Fiona was nearly soaked by the time we left. Patrick exercised tremendous restraint and kept his clothes on (only naked water time at home, that's right buddy!) but got pretty wet himself.
This was not heated water. It was freezing! Fiona's little feet were so red but she kept going.
I figured it was easier to get them warm and dry at home than to spend the entire park visit fussing about their shoes and clothes. Get wet and dirty kids!
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Going to the ZOO ZOO ZOO
Kevin and I enjoyed a rare day off together on Tuesday. It was such a gorgeous fall day, with blue skies, golden sunlight, and all the russets and oranges on the ground. Why do chores on a day like this? Off to the ZOO!
Patrick was informed that if he wanted to ride in the stroller, then we would choose where to go. This kept him moving until it was time to go, then instant melt-down because, "I'm walking too far!"
Daylight savings has not been kind to us this year.
Fiona runs so cute in her Diego snowboots, the only shoe I can get on her feet. It's going to be a sad day when these get too small.
Patrick was informed that if he wanted to ride in the stroller, then we would choose where to go. This kept him moving until it was time to go, then instant melt-down because, "I'm walking too far!"
Daylight savings has not been kind to us this year.
Fiona runs so cute in her Diego snowboots, the only shoe I can get on her feet. It's going to be a sad day when these get too small.
Monday, November 07, 2011
Like shopping, but without spending money
I always love the idea of shopping. Like Lisa told me at the last girls' brunch, "Jenny, you like the idea of lots of things." True. Crafting. Gardening. Having a wardrobe full of charming accessories. But I've come to terms that I don't truly like anything that will cost me money or put more crap in my house. However, I've been brainwashed enough to find pleasure in the image of waltzing through the mall with cute be-ribboned bags, covered in discrete high-end logos, hanging from my wrist.
But I was able to get my game on today. Patrick was at preschool. Nancy kept me company and helped entertain stroller-stuck Fiona. As we pulled into the parking lot, Fiona started clapping.
"Do you go to the mall with Daddy?"
"Yeah! Daddy! Yeah! Daddy!" and Fiona cheered and clapped.
Later Kevin told me doesn't always take her to the mall. Sometimes they go to REI.
But thanks to some coupons and a bit of luck....
1. Free panties from Victoria Secret
2. Free Birthday gift from Sephora, 4oz bottle of Philosophy Birthday Cake gel
3. Free Annie's pretzel for Fiona
4. Two 3-wick candles (normally $19.95) from Bath and Body Works in Fireside and Evergreen. They had accidentally left up a sale poster advertising 2/$30, and the sale ended Sunday. Since I pointed out the sign, they gave me that price! Then I used my coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. $21 for the two candles!
My other spot of personal happiness during the day occurred at the end of my walk. I hit Burning Cupcake and had a small treat, just myself, on the way home. Damn bakery four blocks from home. It's just cruel. Who wants to join me next time?
But I was able to get my game on today. Patrick was at preschool. Nancy kept me company and helped entertain stroller-stuck Fiona. As we pulled into the parking lot, Fiona started clapping.
"Do you go to the mall with Daddy?"
"Yeah! Daddy! Yeah! Daddy!" and Fiona cheered and clapped.
Later Kevin told me doesn't always take her to the mall. Sometimes they go to REI.
But thanks to some coupons and a bit of luck....
1. Free panties from Victoria Secret
2. Free Birthday gift from Sephora, 4oz bottle of Philosophy Birthday Cake gel
3. Free Annie's pretzel for Fiona
4. Two 3-wick candles (normally $19.95) from Bath and Body Works in Fireside and Evergreen. They had accidentally left up a sale poster advertising 2/$30, and the sale ended Sunday. Since I pointed out the sign, they gave me that price! Then I used my coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. $21 for the two candles!
My other spot of personal happiness during the day occurred at the end of my walk. I hit Burning Cupcake and had a small treat, just myself, on the way home. Damn bakery four blocks from home. It's just cruel. Who wants to join me next time?
Sunday, November 06, 2011
good day sunshine!
Kevin finished his latest opera today. He was a success, as always. He stage manages for Tacoma Opera twice a year. Pre-kids I would make treats and hang out at rehearsals. Once Patrick and Fiona arrived I was stuck at home, and it was so hard. Kevin would be gone all day, I'd be coordinating babysitters for my days at work, and getting little sleep with no relief due to work and rehearsals.
But this last show seemed different. It wasn't so hard with the kids. Patrick is so big, Fiona is pretty capable and able to entertain herself quite a bit considering her age. Kevin didn't have quite as many Starbucks hours. Throw in a regular decent night's sleep (wahoo!) I feel like I have a grip on life even during opera season.
And I can see that light other parents talk about as their kids get older. This new stage of parenting, less about constant physical attachment and vigilance and more towards guidance and support. I definitely have some years to go, but I can see it. And it looks wonderful!
But this last show seemed different. It wasn't so hard with the kids. Patrick is so big, Fiona is pretty capable and able to entertain herself quite a bit considering her age. Kevin didn't have quite as many Starbucks hours. Throw in a regular decent night's sleep (wahoo!) I feel like I have a grip on life even during opera season.
And I can see that light other parents talk about as their kids get older. This new stage of parenting, less about constant physical attachment and vigilance and more towards guidance and support. I definitely have some years to go, but I can see it. And it looks wonderful!
Saturday, November 05, 2011
What I'm grateful for today
That my mom is here!
That we survived a strange day at work. Not bad. Not great. Just kind of annoying.
That Kevin made me grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner.
That Patrick sat still for the entire Pinkalicious show at Tacoma Musical Playhouse with Gramma.
That the first set of Christmas presents is purchased and hidden.
That despite some minor bitching and moaning, all is well.
That we survived a strange day at work. Not bad. Not great. Just kind of annoying.
That Kevin made me grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner.
That Patrick sat still for the entire Pinkalicious show at Tacoma Musical Playhouse with Gramma.
That the first set of Christmas presents is purchased and hidden.
That despite some minor bitching and moaning, all is well.
Friday, November 04, 2011
Picking my battles and this ain't one of 'em
My parenting life has been simplified by remembering the three things you cannot make a child do:
1. You cannot make a child pee/poop in the potty.
2. You cannot make a child put food in their mouth and swallow it.
3. You cannot make a child fall asleep at the prescribed time.
Perhaps I will blather on about my experiences with these topics later on, but I would like to add a cautionary fourth item.
4. You cannot make a child have (your) good taste in clothing.
Patrick has chosen his own clothes here, as he does most mornings. He's usually a simply guy. Sweatpants, jersey knit shirt, perhaps a track jacket. But he's brought a fashion forward spirit to today's outfit.
BuzzLightyear track pants
Hanna Anderssen pirate striped shorts
Long sleeved striped monster tee shirt
Short sleeved shirt tee shirt from Point Defiance Zoo (a real tee shirt, not those fake knockoffs sold outside the gates by mooching losers)
You just keep on truckin' buddy!
1. You cannot make a child pee/poop in the potty.
2. You cannot make a child put food in their mouth and swallow it.
3. You cannot make a child fall asleep at the prescribed time.
Perhaps I will blather on about my experiences with these topics later on, but I would like to add a cautionary fourth item.
4. You cannot make a child have (your) good taste in clothing.
Patrick has chosen his own clothes here, as he does most mornings. He's usually a simply guy. Sweatpants, jersey knit shirt, perhaps a track jacket. But he's brought a fashion forward spirit to today's outfit.
BuzzLightyear track pants
Hanna Anderssen pirate striped shorts
Long sleeved striped monster tee shirt
Short sleeved shirt tee shirt from Point Defiance Zoo (a real tee shirt, not those fake knockoffs sold outside the gates by mooching losers)
You just keep on truckin' buddy!
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Lost and Found
I have been known to completely lose my mind over missing sunglasses.
Cheap, easily replaceable sunglasses from Target. Not that cute or unique. And I will tear the house about in a raging frenzy because I can't find them. My mother does the same thing, although her frenzy is more anxious while mine is more psychotic.
This can also happen with my wallet, keys, gloves, wedding ring, Little People farm animals, specific underwear, and so forth. I'm not good with lost stuff. My mind goes from "that thing is missing" to "and then the sun will implode upon itself."
So having kids is not good for this, because now I'm looking for their missing stuff. And kids don't put things in logical places. We finally found a missing remote control inside the long unused VCR. I've torn apart the minivan looking for sippy cups that the kids have left under the backyard swing.
Tonight Patrick asked about his Star Wars book. A library board book with seven pages of hero shots and quotes so one could introduce Star Wars without worrying about your children mouthing the book. It's Patrick's newest love. Last night he slept with the book, having dropped off with the book in his hand. Tonight, I couldn't find it. And I morph into a (child-friendly) crazy woman tearing apart the house long past bedtime in pursuit of that fecking book. I trudge out into the pouring rain TWICE to search the car and the backyard because he could have taken this book anywhere. I finally give up, put the kids to bed, and tell Patrick we will find it in the morning. But I'm still all wound up. Because something is lost.
I text Kevin. He's got the final dress of his opera tonight, but maybe he has a clue. I'm sure I used a few swear words. And YES! Kevin totally knew where that damn book was! In gratitude I offered him "a lovely evening" when he gets home from rehearsal. He said sure, if he wasn't too tired.
(I'm kidding about that last bit. Given these last few weeks, he probably wept in gratitude at that text.)
Cheap, easily replaceable sunglasses from Target. Not that cute or unique. And I will tear the house about in a raging frenzy because I can't find them. My mother does the same thing, although her frenzy is more anxious while mine is more psychotic.
This can also happen with my wallet, keys, gloves, wedding ring, Little People farm animals, specific underwear, and so forth. I'm not good with lost stuff. My mind goes from "that thing is missing" to "and then the sun will implode upon itself."
So having kids is not good for this, because now I'm looking for their missing stuff. And kids don't put things in logical places. We finally found a missing remote control inside the long unused VCR. I've torn apart the minivan looking for sippy cups that the kids have left under the backyard swing.
Tonight Patrick asked about his Star Wars book. A library board book with seven pages of hero shots and quotes so one could introduce Star Wars without worrying about your children mouthing the book. It's Patrick's newest love. Last night he slept with the book, having dropped off with the book in his hand. Tonight, I couldn't find it. And I morph into a (child-friendly) crazy woman tearing apart the house long past bedtime in pursuit of that fecking book. I trudge out into the pouring rain TWICE to search the car and the backyard because he could have taken this book anywhere. I finally give up, put the kids to bed, and tell Patrick we will find it in the morning. But I'm still all wound up. Because something is lost.
I text Kevin. He's got the final dress of his opera tonight, but maybe he has a clue. I'm sure I used a few swear words. And YES! Kevin totally knew where that damn book was! In gratitude I offered him "a lovely evening" when he gets home from rehearsal. He said sure, if he wasn't too tired.
(I'm kidding about that last bit. Given these last few weeks, he probably wept in gratitude at that text.)
Three Things
In the spirit of the Write a Novel In A Month challenge, I'm pushing myself to blog everyday. What was once a fun creative outlet has turned into another check on my to-do list. I'd like to find the pleasure in it again. Plus, sweet second-child Fiona deserves some of the same adoration as the first born.
The decision was made last night, and I wasn't about to get my toasty buns out of bed at 9:30pm to blog. So we'll just pretend I started on time.
I was thinking about my own personal rut. Stuck in the day to day drudgery of small children and wondering why it was so damn hard to do anything. I can see the light, flickering as it may be, of my children's growing independence. But I either set too many goals, or I make my definition of success so precise that I quit at the first stumble. So to jump start new habits, I made a plan that was simple, achievable, and easily measurable.
1. I would check our bank account everyday: We do alright, financially. But I'd like us to do better. More savings. Less credit card stall out. Pay for big stuff with cash. My normal status is to check the account, then freak out and call/email/text Kevin in a full out snit. Because this gets me all anxious and wired up, I stopped checking. I want to break this habit, feel more in control, and get back in the game. I don't want to feel like our money just disappears. (I'm also going to try a cash diet at the grocery store, my biggest contribution to money disappearance.)
2. I would exercise everyday, specifically outside: I'm great at finding other stuff to do that keeps me from exercising. But I NEED to get outside everyday. I notice such a difference in my mood and energy levels, regardless of how much I've slept. And the dogs need it as well. So I'm putting it at the top of my list. On days that I work, I thinking the 14 flights of stairs will count, even if it's not outside.
3. I would do something for myself without personal judgement of what that is: Yesterday it was watching the DVD extras for Two Towers. Hopefully soon it will be picking up my long neglected guitar and learning some chords. Sometimes the house will just be a little less clean, but that's OK.
So off I go, to walk the dogs in the sunshine as Kevin deals with a whiny child who is finished with his screen time, plus another who is refusing her nap. Cheers!
The decision was made last night, and I wasn't about to get my toasty buns out of bed at 9:30pm to blog. So we'll just pretend I started on time.
I was thinking about my own personal rut. Stuck in the day to day drudgery of small children and wondering why it was so damn hard to do anything. I can see the light, flickering as it may be, of my children's growing independence. But I either set too many goals, or I make my definition of success so precise that I quit at the first stumble. So to jump start new habits, I made a plan that was simple, achievable, and easily measurable.
1. I would check our bank account everyday: We do alright, financially. But I'd like us to do better. More savings. Less credit card stall out. Pay for big stuff with cash. My normal status is to check the account, then freak out and call/email/text Kevin in a full out snit. Because this gets me all anxious and wired up, I stopped checking. I want to break this habit, feel more in control, and get back in the game. I don't want to feel like our money just disappears. (I'm also going to try a cash diet at the grocery store, my biggest contribution to money disappearance.)
2. I would exercise everyday, specifically outside: I'm great at finding other stuff to do that keeps me from exercising. But I NEED to get outside everyday. I notice such a difference in my mood and energy levels, regardless of how much I've slept. And the dogs need it as well. So I'm putting it at the top of my list. On days that I work, I thinking the 14 flights of stairs will count, even if it's not outside.
3. I would do something for myself without personal judgement of what that is: Yesterday it was watching the DVD extras for Two Towers. Hopefully soon it will be picking up my long neglected guitar and learning some chords. Sometimes the house will just be a little less clean, but that's OK.
So off I go, to walk the dogs in the sunshine as Kevin deals with a whiny child who is finished with his screen time, plus another who is refusing her nap. Cheers!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
20 months
My dearest Fiona: You are 20 months! 
We are on a fast ride to the true end of babyhood. Perhaps I've written that already. But this time it seems a bit more true. Once you are two, I can't give your age in months any more. You probably won't be nursing (much) anymore. Maybe we'll be super proactive and attempt a ride on a potty train! And in all likelihood, it will mean the end of babies at our house. For unless God gives us a really big surprise (and a complete mental breakdown), you are our last baby. I'm excited about the possibilities opening up as you and your brother get older. New experiences we can share with you both, a growing independence that means I have no excuse for the house looking this way, and a widening of our world. It's not so bittersweet anymore, just incredibly exciting.
I love it when you: surprise us with new words. "Digger!" "Wallaby!" "Cheese!" "Deigo!" "Mine!" Still no major word for Patrick. Play funny games with your toys, like making your babies drink from your cup. Giggle with your brother. Make up games with your brother. Put yourself in mortal peril with your brother. Cuddle in bed with me in the morning. Run to hug your Daddy.
I am less enthralled with: licking the felt board during storytime at the library. Clawing my face and laughing maniacally. Screaming "MINE!" and grabbing something from your brother. Throwing your food on the floor. Standing on Danica to get something forbidden off the table. Playing chase at inopportune moments, like Target. Eating markers at church. Peeing on the carpet and then stomp in it when I'm trying to change you.
I remember doing all this stuff with you last year and it was so hard. You wanted to get down and MOVE, but you only had Robeeze and those didn't work so well at the pumpkin patch. But we are at the point where you and your brother can do a lot of the same stuff, which is awesome defined.
It's just so much fun, my love, to be your Mommy.
Love
Mommy
We are on a fast ride to the true end of babyhood. Perhaps I've written that already. But this time it seems a bit more true. Once you are two, I can't give your age in months any more. You probably won't be nursing (much) anymore. Maybe we'll be super proactive and attempt a ride on a potty train! And in all likelihood, it will mean the end of babies at our house. For unless God gives us a really big surprise (and a complete mental breakdown), you are our last baby. I'm excited about the possibilities opening up as you and your brother get older. New experiences we can share with you both, a growing independence that means I have no excuse for the house looking this way, and a widening of our world. It's not so bittersweet anymore, just incredibly exciting.
I love it when you: surprise us with new words. "Digger!" "Wallaby!" "Cheese!" "Deigo!" "Mine!" Still no major word for Patrick. Play funny games with your toys, like making your babies drink from your cup. Giggle with your brother. Make up games with your brother. Put yourself in mortal peril with your brother. Cuddle in bed with me in the morning. Run to hug your Daddy.
I am less enthralled with: licking the felt board during storytime at the library. Clawing my face and laughing maniacally. Screaming "MINE!" and grabbing something from your brother. Throwing your food on the floor. Standing on Danica to get something forbidden off the table. Playing chase at inopportune moments, like Target. Eating markers at church. Peeing on the carpet and then stomp in it when I'm trying to change you.
I remember doing all this stuff with you last year and it was so hard. You wanted to get down and MOVE, but you only had Robeeze and those didn't work so well at the pumpkin patch. But we are at the point where you and your brother can do a lot of the same stuff, which is awesome defined.
It's just so much fun, my love, to be your Mommy.
Love
Mommy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)