25 Day Challenge - Day 24 with a "Snif Snif"

First things first: let's get the awkwardness out of the way - they lost (see, the change in pronoun here?).  They lost, we lost, however you want to phrase it, it sucks.  BIG TIME!  I am bummed out and after having changed my Facebook profile pic this morning from an actual photo into the Dutch flag, I found myself changing it back to my 'old' profile picture this afternoon.  In addition, I now have to re-do my toe nails and turn them back into a 'generic' color.  Forget about what the loss means to the Dutch soccer team, their coach and everyone else who worked their rear ends off for the Dutch team!  I have to re-do my toes!!!!  Priorities people, priorities!!

So now that I have addressed that and it's out of the way, let's return to our daily lives and business.  Oh God, I am so far behind with my writing.  I have 25 Day Challenge stuff to write, recipes to share, and an awesome recommendation to share with those who live in the LA area.

I don't know if I can get all this done in one evening, but here goes nothing.  Imah-gonna-try:

25 Day Challenge - Day 24 - Yes /No - Be Assertive
As a mother I want to please.  I think as mothers we receive that blessing at the same time we find out we are pregnant.  During our pregnancies, we want the baby to be comfortable, well-nourished, happy, etc. and we pursue this goal through a seeing our health care professionals, a well-balanced diet (okay, so maybe not all the time), some exercise (well, maybe not all the time either), making sure we get enough sleep (oops...), talking to the baby, etc.  Once the baby is born we do everything in our power to keep our lil' one content: we feed, change, rock, nurse, cuddle, hug, kiss, burp, and stroke, and this is just the beginning of a long list of things we do to pursue our child's content-ness.

Personally I have found that it is so incredibly easy to get completely wrapped up in trying to please everyone around me.  (I'm talking about mainly family members at this point, though that includes our pets.)  Now that I am a mother to two, I have come to the realization that this is an almost impossible goal to pursue.  I mean, for everyone to be content, 100% of the time.  I am on purpose not using the word 'happy' as I strongly believe that happiness is not something that is dependent on one of two events that happen on any given day.  Happiness is something bigger that is made up by much bigger elements than "can I have a piece of chocolate?".

I have found that there is tremendous power in the word 'no'.  I am not talking about the "No" that we give our toddlers so many times during the day to tell them that they are not allowed to do something, such as pulling the cat's tail, sitting on the dog, throwing rocks over the wall into the neighbor's yard, hiding the dog toy under the shed where nobody can reach it, etc.  I am referring to the 'no' that we should give a bit more often to keep ourselves from getting overwhelmed.  In our pursuit of meeting everyone's needs, we often say "yes, I'll take care of that" even though we have not the slightest idea how or when we are going to do this thing we just committed ourselves to.  Saying 'no' once in a while will allow you to actually get things done and it will allow you to look back at the end of the day and say "that was a productive day".  The other scenario is the one where you said "yes" to too many things and at the end of the day you 'only' got half of them done.  In which case (given that you are most likely exhausted) you will perceive your glass to be half empty instead of half full.

It is difficult to say "no", but it is so powerful if we can use it with honesty and respect.  I am not saying to not help your kids, to not feed them, to not care for them.  I am referring to the 'small' things that come up over the course of the day that aren't that small at all and can consume more time than you have available.  Just because your toddler gets muddy outside, doesn't mean you have to do laundry right that moment.  There are other clothes (s)he can wear.  Just because you ran out of apple juice, doesn't mean you have to rush to the grocery store right that moment. They can drink something else (like water).  Just because a friend asks you to look something up for them, doesn't mean it cannot wait until the following morning.  I hope you see what I mean.

I have realized that being able to say "no" (or "not now") once in a while and knowing when to say it, is wonderful.  If you say it with honesty and respect, you will not offend anyone.  If you feel the need to explain, do so, but most likely you won't need to as the other person will get it (unless it's a 2-year old) and be fine with it.

Tomorrow's Challenge:

Being Peace
You don't need to search for peace; you are a being of peace.  Any time, and place, you can step back from your thoughts and emotions.  Just withdraw into your inner being, a place of total peace and just be.

Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge.

25 Day Challenge - Day 20

Resilience
When Ryder was born 5 months ago, I was surprised that there were several friends "friends" from whom I didn't hear.  No visit, no call, not even an email to say "congratulations".  To me, it seems pretty normal that when a friend has a baby, you drop a line (in whatever way, shape or form), but maybe that is not the norm for others.  I have no clue what was behind it and in the end, that really doesn't matter.

In my life I have gone through enough experiences that taught me who my real friends really were and it is surprising that those experiences were not just 'bad' ones.  There were also joyous experiences, like getting married, having babies, etc. 

When you realize that people who you had considered to be friends, aren't really friends at all, it is difficult.  Sometimes it takes longer to accept that fact, sometimes you're 'over it' quicker.

A few days ago, I came across one of those 'friends' at a function.  During my pregnancy with Ryder I hardly heard from her, and after Ryder was born, I didn't either.  We received a gift through her husband, but I never heard from her personally.  In the beginning it bothered me.  It wasn't so much disappointing as it just pissed me off.  Let's get something straight here: it really isn't about "pay attention to me" here.  That's not the issue.  I would have gone for a different career, if that was the case.  The gift was nice, but in the end, friendship is worth so much more. 

The challenge for today was to remember to laugh when things got difficult. 

Over the course of the past days, the issue has popped in and out of my mind several times.  You know, things like that come up when you are in your "thoughtful place" - on the toilet, in the shower, waiting for a red light in traffic, etc. 

And today I did end up laughing about it: actually, I laughed a bit at myself for wondering about this kind of behavior, for dissecting it.  Why was I bothering with that?  I have so many wonderful friends who I can count on, who I love, who I can laugh with, who share similarities, who are there for me and for whom I will always be 'there' as well.  I hadn't talked to this 'friend' since I-don't-know-when, so really, what was I doing? 

When I realized how silly the whole situation was, it was so much easier to let go.  Afterall, a friend is not someone who you 'just know'.

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget." {Source: Unknown}

... and I am incredibly happy with the real friends I do have in my life.  They are a blessing and I am grateful for them.

Tomorrow's challenge:

With or Without Ego
With ego, you lash out when someone insults, disagrees or criticises you.  Without ego, you're able to accept your flaws without compromising your self worth.


Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge.

25 Day Challenge - Day 19

Knowing When Not To
Maybe you had noticed, maybe you hadn't, but I like to speak my mind.  If I am around 'others' (outside of the comforts of my home) I do edit myself, but if I am comfortably at home with my hubby or hanging out with my best friend, I usually say exactly what's on my mind.  It comes forth out of the comfort I feel being around these people.  I feel safe, at ease and feel comfortable enough to speak my mind.  In my writing I tend to speak my mind and put it as I see it (no, not necessarily as it is).  You don't like what you're reading?  That's okay.  You can stop, I won't force you to continue.

Unfortunately, I have found myself in a few situations lately in which I spoke my mind at home with my hubby, expressing my opinions, my thoughts, my ideas and it didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to.  Speaking my mind didn't go over very well, and though the few times that it happened, we talked things over and 'made up', it has put me in a place where I start to wonder if I have to start editing myself.

This is a hard one for me, I have to admit.  I feel that with one's other half (husband / wife / partner / etc.) one should be able to share what's on their mind.  Even when the other person may not agree, or may not like it.  Isn't that what relationships are (also) about: being able to be open, honest and to speak up?  

Then, on the other hand, if you know that what you are about to say (or what you want to say) might end up being misinterpreted and cause a disagreement, is it then better to not say it and keep it to yourself?

I think the crux here is 'timing': there is a right time for everything and sometimes might just not be the right time.  I have come to the conclusion that there are occasions when it is better not to say what's on your mind, hold on to it and wait until a later moment in time to bring it up.  Maybe when things have calmed down, when the other person is in a more relaxed state of mind, when you're not pressured by time because the kids need to go to bed, whatever that is.

Knowing when not to roll out your arguments / thoughts / opinions is difficult.  Especially when you really want to share your opinion and you really want to be heard.  However, it may very well be possible that there is a better time to do this at which time you might even be heard a lot better.

Give it a try.  I will.

Tomorrow's Challenge:

Resilience
Resilience is your personal power, your inner strength that allows you to rise above difficult circumstances, and bounce back stronger than before the challenge!  With such vitality, nothing can bring you down, or destabilise you.


Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge.

25 Day Challenge - Day 17 & 18

One of the good things about this 25 Day Challenge is the fact that it puts you in a place to write every day.  A bad things about it is that it forces you to write every day.  Even when you're short on time.  And I was yesterday.  So: I didn't write.  I don't know how many (if any) people are following me on this challenge, but if there are, I apologize.

Let me start out by re-capping yesterday:

Positive Self Talk
Several people whose blogs I follow have written about this already, but as a mom it is as if you have a life-time subscription to the highest (and scariest) roller coaster ride you can think of: there are days when everything goes smoothly and being a mom is just the best thing ever.  Kids are in good moods, they eat, they play, they are happy, they make you laugh, if you're lucky you get some things done around the house, etc.  You know, the days that we need more of.  Right.  Those.  Then there are the days that cannot go by quick enough.  The days that seem like the drag on, during which you are faced with frustration, lots of crying, and at the end of the day (and most of the time during the day), you wonder why there doesn't seem to be anything that you can do right. It leaves us feeling inadequate, vulnerable and lost.  While the baby is crying, the toddler is whining, the dog is barking, the cat is fussing you feel like you're responsible for everyone's happiness.  And you're failing.  Or so it feels.

It is days like those, during which it is so easy to talk ourselves down.  "I don't seem to be doing anything right today" or "Why can't I make you stop whining / crying / barking / fussing / etc?"  And this is only the beginning of the downward spiral, which brings our mood down even further and faster if we indeed embark on it.  

It is at moments like that, that I have learned that sometimes Mommy needs a time out.  Just to get away from it all.  For just a few minutes.  To catch my breath, to remind myself that I am doing a great job and that this is just 'one of those days'.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that sometimes we just need that affirmation.  Just the reminder that we are doing a good job. On those days, it is good to just take a moment and remind ourselves that we are.  Remember the nights that you rocked your baby to sleep.  The twinkle you'll see in their eyes when they are in a 'happy place', the smiles that they give you (on other days in this case).  The hugs.  The kisses.  The dances and the excited squeals when you come home after not having seen them for a while.  All those are our kids' ways of communicating that they love us.  That they are happy.  And that you are doing an excellent job as a mother.  I try to remind myself of these things when I go through a rough day.  And it's definitely difficult, especially when I am exhausted, tired and feel as I am drained from all resourcefulness I had before.  Yes, it's hard and it'd be handy if the hubby was around to tell you that you're an awesome mom regardless.  Unfortunately those moments often occur when the hubby is not around.  So when that happens, take a moment and remind yourself of the awesome mom you are.  'Cause you are.

Today's Challenge:


Beat Tiredness
Being tired isn't just about doing too much; it's also about being devoid of motivation.  Beat tiredness and work up your motivation to get things done and make things happen with spirit and gusto.

Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge.

For myself I strongly noticed that when I start doing something that I am excited about, it gets done with energy, motivation and excitement.  I enjoy the process of it, it doesn't tire me out (no matter how long it takes) and I get a kick when it's all done.  I am going to revamp my blog site a bit and I am excited about it.  The to-do list is made and I can't wait to see the final result.  If it takes longer than I anticipate it to take, that's okay.  It's something I am excited about.

At the same time, I remember how I dreaded doing my taxes.  I put it off, I put it off and this year again, our account filed for an extension.  Then I decided to change something.  I hated doing my taxes.  That was a fact, yet they had to be done.  So, I set the timer and chopped up the work in portions.  I worked for an hour and rewarded myself after an hour of focusing down and getting things done by doing something I enjoyed doing.  I scheduled the time in advance and knew that Monday night from 8:30-9:30 I was doing my taxes.  I closed my email program, so I wouldn't get distracted by incoming mail and knew that in an hour the timer would go off.  With an end in sight, it made that hour a lot more do-able.  Add to that the reward that awaited me at 9:31 and I actually got excited.  It became a game to see how much I could get done in that hour.  I did this several times over the course of a week and by the end of the week my taxes were done.  


Motivation is a big part of getting things done.  If you can find ways to motivate yourself, you'll be surprised how much you can get done (and how fast you can do it).


Tomorrow's Challenge:


Knowing When Not To:
Action is important but so is inaction.  To act appropriately and with consideration, you have to use your power of discernment.  Knowing when to and when not to: say something; dig your heels in; hold your ground; or make a decision!


Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge.

The Day After Night 1

I survived the night (barely though).  Yesterday I wrote that we thought that Ryder might be rolling over soon.  Well, maybe today I should write that I am going to win the lottery soon...(because Lord knows we could use that) as last night I was up for over 2 hours with a toddler who went between flipping himself onto his tummy (and not being able to roll back yet) to being upset with the lack of paci to suck on.  Yes, I know, 2 hours is better than the 4 hours the night before, but this time, Ryder made sure that even David was aware of his new-found ability to flip himself over like a hamburger.  He (Ryder) fell asleep without too much problems last night though.  No crying, just fussing in my arms as we still haven't found a comfortable position together, but as soon as he was in his crib, all was well.  (This broke my heart though.  I want him to be comfy in my arms as well.  Com'on, I'm is momma!!!!).  The 2-hour block from 2:46 - 4:44 am were not as pleasant.  I couldn't even make it back from his room to mine before he had flipped himself over (again) and got frustrated (again).  I don't remember how long this period will take of me having to roll him back onto his back, but I sincerely hope it won't be too long.

Given that I don't drink coffee, I made myself the strongest cup of tea I had ever made, just to get me going a bit.  The whole time I was up last night I was dizzy and light-headed, which continued well into the morning.  I know what you're thinking...NO, it wasn't a hangover!!  All I had yesterday was water (but maybe not enough).

After the night that I had, it is obvious that my level of patience is not very high today.  So, my little trip to the store didn't brighten my day: for the past 2 weeks I have been looking to get a package of #2 nipples for the bottles that Ryder uses.  And for the past 2 weeks, the tag on the end of the hook (on which they are supposed to hang) have had this grey sticker on it.  Many useless helpful employees have told me that that means that the "item has been ordered and the shipment arrives tonight".  So, with my simple reasoning, I may conclude that that means that they would have them tomorrow right?  WRONG!!  They haven't had them 'tomorrow' for 2 weeks now.  Today I asked again and unfortunately, I picked the wrong lady to ask - she obviously couldn't give a crap had a baby as well who had kept her up most of the night and the word 'helping' clearly didn't exist in her vocabulary repertoire.  Now, if it was just the nipples, that would be one thing.  But it's the same for the finger paint.  Finger paint people!!  I want finger paint for my son, so he can express himself artistically in his own wonderful toddler-ways (which I am sure will be highly entertaining and possibly frustrating).  So, I came home with just Ryder's reflux medication and a set of spoons for Kai.  Wahoo!!  What a catch!!

And then, there was the car ride... Going to the store is partly the same way as going to my best friend's house.  Kai loves her and her daughter (they are boyfriend & girlfriend ;-), so on the way to the store he was convinced and got very excited exclaiming that we were going to see them.  It broke my heart to tell them that they were Bye Bye (=out of town) and that we were not going to see them, but were going to the store instead.  Luckily, he soon figured out that that meant that "Kai sit in shopping cart".  From that moment on, that was his focus. 

And here I am, enjoying some quiet time.  Both boys are asleep, I'm getting to write AND my favorite cake just came out of the oven.  

I cannot wait to enjoy it, but it needs to cool.  Darn.  It is by far the best (and healthiest) cake I have ever made.  Yes, it's healthy: it's a Lemon (read: Vit.C) Yogurt (read: Calcium) cake.  Most likely I will be the only one labeling it healthy, but hey, it tastes good and that's the most important thing.  It's a perfect combination of sweet and tartness, it's moist and, well...it never lasts longer than 24 hours in our house.  Unfortunately I cannot take credit for this treat-from-heaven, but I am more than happy to credit Ina Garten.  She rocks, she's awesome and her food...simply delicious.  Go check it out and when you've made it yourself, do let me know how you liked it.  

Off to cut myself a slice to go with a cuppa tea before my monkeys wake up.

And So The Challenge Starts...

It started last night: I was up from 2-6am going back and forth from my comfy, much desired bed to Ryder's room.  Why?  The paci!!  The darn, darn paci!!  To simply 'pop' it back in to that little mouth that was desperately needing it - or so it thought.  It was a great invention when he was younger, it soothes him instantly, but this...this was just getting too much.  No, I am  not kidding; back and forth, pretty much every 10-15 minutes.  

I know there are others out there who can relate, but let me guess: you're all moms.  Don't think there are many dads among you...why?  Because dad's just sleep through it all!!  Or at least, that's the case in our house.  While sleep was a concept that I could only dream of (I know, I had to go there), my Dearly Beloved slept through the whole night (although he did come home late from work).  Nevertheless, I was blown away when he asked me this morning "How did you sleep Babe?"  What?  Sleep?  Whazz that? Who are you talking to?  Is there someone else in this room, because you sure couldn't be serious asking me that question.  Really, Com'on!!  So, long story short: sleep didn't happen for me last night.

Ryder had his 4-month check up with the pediatrician this morning - the perfect opportunity to get her feedback and advice on the matter.  The bottom line: given that he has his blankie that he is getting attached to and the fact that he is too young to have the cognitive ability to really miss an item, he can be weaned off the paci.  Shepointed out that he "may miss something to suck on", but also in that respect is he covered as he is more and more starting to suck on his fingers.  

So, this afternoon, I took the leap and got him to fall asleep without a paci.  After an hour of some fussing, some crying and a lot of soothing, he fell asleep and slept until 4pm, when I woke him up.  The rest of the afternoon unfolded without any problems.  Tonight, he was soo tired that he fell asleep while eating, so the paci-matter didn't even surface.  Here's to a good night.  Fingers crossed.  Hey, anything better than being up from 2-6 is improvement at this point.

Other than that, the well-visit proved that Ryder is a bundle of thriving boy.  With his 18 lbs. 10 oz. and 27" in length, he is in the 97th percentile for both weight and height.  Yep, he's a bruiser.  We expect him to start rolling over any day now.  Last night (and this may have had something to do with his interrupted sleep) he started to 'almost roll over', by rolling onto his side.  As soon as he rolls over, one way or another, we have the green light to start him on solids.  Kai started solids at exactly 6 months of age, but given Ryder's size we can start earlier.  Ah, the home made baby foods...I remember them vividly.  Let's pull out the stick blender and let's get pureeing!!  Yeehaw!!

The rest of the day, was spent cleaning up after everyone and feeding everyone.  Why is it that I often feel as if that is the only thing I do?  Oh wait, 'cause it is.  Yeah, I forgot.  Right.  3 boys, 2 male dogs, and a cat...now I remember.

So, yesterday I came across a banner ad for this amazing product.  Mommies and daddies, listen up: the Temporary Safety Tattoos for kids.  Sheer genius, let me tell you!!!  We've all been there: taking our lil' ones out on a day trip to either the zoo, an amusement park, or where ever else there is fun and thus many, many people.  I think I can say for certain that one of a parent's biggest fears is losing their kids on a day like that.  I can't even think about it - it would almost make me want to stay at home.  Almost.  I said "Almost".  So, here's the solution: The Temporary Safety Tattoo.  It's a temporary tattoo (well-observed) that stays on for a few days on which you can write down your phone # in case you and your little munchkin get separated.  They also offer ones that communicate other important matters, such as autism and allergies.  

No, I wasn't asked to write anything about the product, but I just think it is a genius idea.  So simple, yet so incredibly valuable to us parents.  

For anyone interested in the tats, please do me a favor and get them by clicking through the banner to the left here, on my blog.  I got so excited about the product that I signed up to be an affiliate.  In other words: you buy through the banner on my blog --> this mommy makes a little bit of $$ $, but hey, every little bit helps right?  Thanks in advance.

Well, my dearest readers.  It is time for this mommy to get some zzzzz's.  It is past my bedtime and after last night, I really need some sweet dreams tonight.  

Signing off now.  Nite Nite.

Dreaming While Waiting

Here I am, sitting on the sofa at my best friend's house, babysitting her irresistibly cute daughter (who by the way is Kai's girlfriend).  My friend is pregnant and today is the day... the day of the ultrasound and the verdict of whether her daughter will be getting a brother or a sister (or in other words: if Ryder will be getting a play mate or a girlfriend).  While I am sipping a cup of green tea and tapping into my thoughts to write a bit, the suspense is killing me.  My cell phone is right here next to me, but so far, no news.  Time goes by so slowly when you're anticipating news.  Contrary to some of my previous posts, in which I complain that time goes by so fast and I don't have enough of it.  Oh well, I change my mind, so what?

While the little princess is sound asleep, I took the time to make some changes to my blog.  As you may have noticed, I changed the title.  I figured it would make more sense to keep title and URL the same, for the sake of ease.

This morning, I read a post of a friend of mine, whose blog I am following.  She posted her first Vlog (good lord, must have been something ueber-creative who came up with that name) and it made me think.  And no, it didn't hurt this time (the thinking that is).  I loved her vlog, as the thing that she is talking about, is exactly the question that I've been pondering over for the past years.  "What do I want to do with my life?"  

A few years ago, the answer was "I want to be a mom!"  And now that I am, I realize that I was right.  If it was up to me, that would be all I did, being a mom.  However, bills need to be paid, so I still have a part-time job, which I will pick up again in September.  I love being a mom, I love raising my kids (as you can hopefully tell from my stories), I love watching them grow up from infants, to babies, to toddlers, to .... I don't want to think about that yet.  Like I said in my previous post, they sometimes seem to grow up a bit fast...

It's a girl!!! Ryder's girlfriend is in the making!!!  (I just got a text, they're leaving the doc's right now.)  Can't wait to meet the little princess.  I guess I can now get rid of all the boys clothes I had saved up in case it was a boy.  Oh well, Craigslist, here I come.  Maybe a yard sale? Honestly, I have soo many boys clothes, many of which my kids never wore as they just grew out of them in no time (I make big boys who grow fast).

So, back to the thinking...

Now that I am a mom, I started thinking about "What do I want to do when the boyz are in school?  What are my dreams, other than raising 2 awesome, cool, healthy and happy dudes?"  Answer: I don't know (yet).  It's all a bit foggy in my head (like so many other things).  
 A few years ago, I came up with this amazingly cool idea for a show for The Food Network.  I LOVE food. Not just to eat it, but in every possibly way.  Food, drinks, cooking, tasting, creating, love it all!  (Though 'eating' is somewhere very high on that list.)  I've been toying with the idea in my mind, at one point even tried getting it in front of the right people, but never succeeded as we got stuck on the whole "you need a lawyer" statement.  Ugh, I hate that part.  BUT, the idea is still there, nobody has come up with a similar idea yet, I still think it is BRILLIANT!!  Lots of fun, great marketing possibilities, easy to pull some great advertising in for, and absolutely fun to watch.  Without having done any research, I am 99% sure that it would lend itself for some awesome ratings among the Food Network audience.  I have not let go of the idea, nor will I and as soon as the kiddo's are in school and mommy has some more free time on her hands...

Writing is another one of those activities that I am growing to really love.  By no means am I a journalist, nor do I have the skills of one, but I do thoroughly enjoy it.  I would love to do something with it.  What?  Don't know.  But for now, that is no problem.  I don't need to know right now.  Time will tell.  Until then, I am creating some awesome memories for my family by putting these years of motherhood down on paper.  


So, there are certainly ideas and dreams about what I want to do when I grow up.  In the meantime, I am going to continue writing, cooking, eating, drinking, but most importantly enjoying being a mom as it truly is the best job one can have.

Enjoy Them, They Grow up So Fast

I remember when Kai was born, hearing it over and over again: "Enjoy them, they grow up so fast."  I heard it so much that eventually, I started blocking it out when people went down 'that route' again.  Yeah, they were right, he grew up fast, but wasn't it awesome?!?!

Now that we have Ryder, things are a bit different.  Most likely we will not be having any more children, so this is it.  No more babies when Ryder grows up. I am making sure that I enjoy every moment of these days as tomorrow he might reach some kind of physical or developmental milestone at which point a certain stage or phase gets closed and will never return again.  As much as I enjoy watching them grow up, I have a hard time accepting that certain moments will never return.  Yes, they will be replaced by new moments that are just as beautiful and memorable, but it does mean that certain chapters come to a close.  That is life, I know, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to accept.

My Dearest Ryder:

Please take your time growing up.  I enjoy your baby-being and am not ready yet for all that is around the corner, for all that is about to happen.  You are dispensing so much drool, that I can almost call you my little waterfall.  Teeth are on their way up (or down - depending on their locations), but I am not ready for you to lose your gummy smile.  I remember my heart breaking when Kai cut his first tooth and I am just not emotionally ready for that to happen to you.  Hold off on that.  The whole teething process is no fun anyways.

Last night I came to the painful conclusion that you no longer 'fit' in my arms in the way that I have held you your entire life.  Every evening, rocking you to sleep with you literally laying in my arms, up against my chest.  Yesterday, you couldn't get comfortable anymore in that particular position, simply because you have gotten so long that your feet touch the opposite arm rest, which makes you want to push off on it.  Not only did it almost launch you out of my arms, but it also brought tears to my eyes.  I am now in the process of finding another position that is comfortable for you and soothing for me.  Yes, soothing as I LOVE holding you in my arms, watching you get comfortable and fall asleep.  I am simply not ready to give all this up.  You are only 4 months, you're still a baby and I want you to take your time growing up.

Take your time My Love, take your time.  For mommy's sake.

With all my Love,

Mommy

All those people were right: we should enjoy them as they grow up so fast.  It is just easier to brush it off when you know that a sibling will come at some point.  But at one point or another, we all get to this point where we realize "this will never return".  On that note, I join that group by saying "Enjoy them.  They grow up so incredibly fast.  They may have changed by tomorrow and today will never return."

Sweetness

The Christmas after we bought our house, we adopted our tortoiseshell kitty Chaplin. 

 

Our neighbors wondered why we got a cat and didn’t opt for having children first (which is traditional in their culture), but we explained that this was our way of getting used to caring for other living creatures in the house besides ourselves.  Mind you, I cannot for the life of me (pardon the pun) keep a plant alive, so adopting a cat was already a big responsibility.  We were so excited that we shared the news with our friends and family as soon as we had brought Chaplin home.  The title of our email: “our family is expanding”.  A little later we talked to my in-laws and I vividly remember the excitement of my godmother-in-law (who is Persian), which sounded something along the line of: “Ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!  You are pregnaaaaaaaaaant!!!!!  I am soooooooooo happyyyyyyyyyy to hear that!  That is soooooooo wonderfullllllll!!”  Oh god, she really thought I was pregnant...oops...  So we explained: “No, we’re not pregnant.  We adopted a cat!”  ... [silence] ... My Godmother-in-law: “You what?...[silence].... Oh. You. Adopted. A. Cat....[silence]....oh”  There they went.  Her dreams came crashing down, they shattered into a gezillion pieces.  Right in front of us (actually, about 1100 miles away).

Then came my birthday in June ‘05 at which point our family, yet again, expanded.  This time with my birthday present: an adopted Australian Shepherd puppy (Buster).

Chaplin was not AT ALL grooving on this gesture of love from David.  “What the heck was that human thinking!?!?!  How dare he bring in another 4-legged creature!!  And was that anyways?  It’s loud, wild, doesn’t have any matters and pees and poops everywhere.  Yuck!!  The indignity!!”  But, the most pressing matter of concern: “When does it leave?”  It didn’t, and it took her a while to come to terms with that.  

By the time she had accepted this “thing”, a year had gone by and June ‘06 arrived.  My birthday gift?  Well, my birthday gift was actually a gift for Buster: a brother.  We adopted Boomer, yet another Australian Shepherd.  

Buster was delighted to have a playmate, another little creature that he could herd.  Oh joy!!  Chaplin’s take on the family addition?  No need to go into that.  With a little bit of imagination, you can figure that out for yourself.  Go ahead, let your imagination run wild, is all I can say.

In the meantime, we had completely baffled both our neighbors and most likely my godmother-in-law.  “2 dogs, a cat, but no children?  They have been married for 3 years now, and still no children!?  Is something wrong? Strange people, those Americans.”

Another year went by and June ‘07 came around.  Over the past years we had pretty much made it a tradition to add to the family around that time, so in that light, it was only appropriate that on my little-milestone birthday that year, I was able to announce that we were yet again adding to the family.  This time with a human being.  Yes, I was pregnant.

When Kai was born, his arrival was met with a certain hesitation of the animals.  Chaplin was disgruntled as she felt that her position in the hierarchy had crashed as much as the economy has at the time of writing this.  Buster didn’t know exactly what his responsibility towards this little ‘thing’ was.  He couldn’t herd it, couldn’t play with it, it took up a lot of attention of his humans that thusfar had gone to him and all of a sudden he couldn’t be as rambunctious as he used to be.  Wha’z up with that?!  Boomer...ah, Boomer.  Well, Boomer, let’s say is the sweetest dog, but dumb as a box of hair, which results in him living a pretty unencumbered life.  His regret is that he wasn’t born a little lap dog.  Seriously, deep down inside, he wants to be exactly that: a lap dog.  I was destined to be adopted by some rich lady from Beverly Hills who would carry him around in her little dog purse, considering him her ‘real’ baby – yes, that is the life Boomer should have had.  Instead, he got us.  Not too bad an alternative, but not quite the same.

By the time Ryder came along this February, we pretty much knew what the animals would think about the arrival of yet another creature.  The question was what Kai would think and how he would react.  In my mind I had gone over so many scenarios: in my dreams he would be excited about his little brother.  He would become slightly protective, he would help out with little things like changing Ryder’s diaper, giving him his blankie, and sweet kisses on his forehead.  In other dreams (which weren’t as sweet as the previous) he would start acting out, become jealous and start resembling the son of a colleague of David who came over 1 time and who decided that all the toys in Kai’s room were “MINE!!!!”.  (Needless to say, that was a 1-time play date and there was no “Let’s do this again some time soon”.)  David and I got a lot of advice from friends who had just gone down the route of adding a 2nd child to their family before us and took everything in.  We somewhat of a plan, but most of that plan consisted of “we’ll see how things go”.  So much for a plan.

Upon Ryder’s arrival, I was relieved that Kai really didn’t care too much.  Him not caring lasted for a few months and was perfectly fine with me.  It beat the alternatives of being overly excited, wanting to be all over Ryder all the time or on the other end of the spectrum, the jealous brother who starts acting out.  Not caring was good.  I liked it.  Unfortunately the past few months Kai started going through the ‘terrible 2’s’ stage where it was all about defying boundaries (no, I did not say ‘defining’) and testing limits.  All of that with a big grin on his face.  At times it didn’t feel as if he was pushing my buttons, no, it felt as if I was one big button all together that constantly got pushed.  A friend of mine at one point wrote me that she was happy that both her kids were past the baby phase and that no matter how cute they were as babies, she really wasn’t crazy about the baby-stage.  She was relieved that they were older now, could talk and reason (more), etc.  And I have to admit: over the past few months I often had moments where I wished that the toddler phase would pass as quickly as possible.  Instead of the baby stage, I was looking forward to this toddler stage being behind me sooner rather than later.

And then, last week, it happened.  From one moment to the other.  One day Kai was still the toddler as described above, the following day: completely the opposite.  It was as if he did a 180 overnight.  He was all loving, kisses, hugs, sweet as could be.  He would want to check on Ryder on the baby monitor while Ryder was sleeping.   He would make sure that Ryder would come along when we went out, he would bring him his blankie, his paci, his bottle.  He would give him hugs and kisses, he was all smiles, giggles and cuteness.  It was as if I had a new toddler.  And I don’t know where he came from, but all of a sudden I found myself LOVING toddlerhood.  Go figure.  He has been like that ever since.  A few nights ago, he even wanted me to lay down with him as he went to bed.  He cuddled with me, took my arm, put it around him and then put both his arms around my neck, so tight, I couldn’t move.  Every move, made him tighten his squeeze, like a baby sucking down on a pacifier as you try to pull it out of his mouth.  Very, very sweet.  Mind you, this is the child who hardly ever wanted to cuddle as a baby and never wants you to put your arm around him .  This is THAT toddler.

In retrospect, I do think that some of his ‘terrible 2’s-symptoms’ were in fact ways to act out a bit, now that he didn’t have 120% of all the attention anymore.  These days I don’t know what caused what, but since he is in better spirits, I find myself a lot more relaxed as well.  Don’t know what came first (chicken / egg), but hey, whatever, this is working for both of us.  Trust me, Kai still has moments that make me have to count to 10 (and sometimes 20), but overall, things are sooo much better.  He has gotten smart though and frequently tells me that “Mommy, put baby Ryder in the bouncy / swing” (in other words: “put the baby in the bouncy, so you have your hands free for me!”).  The other day, as I was nursing Ryder, Kai came walking in, pulling the carrier behind him.  “Baby Ryder in carrier, mommy lift Kai”.  Smart kid.  Come here and give me a kiss.  I love you, Monkey!

Mothers

On Mother's Day, a friend sent me one of those forwarded emails about "Mothers". Granted, Mother's Day is already pretty far behind me, but I nevertheless would like to share it as it is so very true.  I don't know who the original author is or I would have quoted her, but who ever she is, she knows what she's talking about!

MOTHERS 

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;  

they don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils

are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, 

filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough

doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what

the vacuum just sucked up.......

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' 

and get their  answer when a little

voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth 

is not measured by height or years or grade... 

It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother.....

The Images of Mother 

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't know everything! 

14 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother? She wouldn’t have a clue.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's so five minutes ago.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, 

Because that is the doorway to her heart, 

The place where love resides. 

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, 

But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.  

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, 

and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows! 

The Diaper Fairy

Fairly soon after we moved into our house in 2004, it started: one morning we opened our front door and there it was - a plastic bag with several fresh ears of corn.  A few days later, we discovered fresh tomatoes.  And this went on and on.  For a couple of years we were occasionally visited by the 'Vegetable Fairy' as we called him.  In addition to corn and tomatoes, we received melons, avocados, lettuce, more corn and more tomatoes.  It was lovely.  Soon after the first few drop-offs, we realized that the 'Vegetable Fairy' was a neighbor of ours who lived on the corner.  He had a little produce garden (we still don't know where, as he didn't have it in his backyard) and now and then he would drop some yummy-ness off.  Given his personality, we decided to change his name from 'Vegetable Fairy' (which by the way, we were just using between the two of us) to the 'Producer'.  Just in case he might overhear us some time.  He wouldn't like 'Vegetable Fairy' - trust me....:-0


To our knowledge he never realized that we called him by either name, but nevertheless, at one point the deliveries stopped.  We must have done something to upset him, but weren't sure what that could have been.  Our best guess is, it happened the day he came over and asked for an item he had loaned us, which was in the back of the garage, behind some pretty heavy items. I was 39 weeks pregnant with Kai (about to pop) and couldn't for the life of me get to the requested item.  When I told him that David would drop it off as soon as he got home that evening, our much beloved 'Vegetable Fairy' 'Producer' walked away, cursing and hissing.  I am still baffled by that.


Whatever.


Since that day, I get my veggies from the 'Vegetable Fairy' at the grocery store.


Fast forward 6 years.  It started a few months ago when Ryder was just 2 months old.  One afternoon, I am in the kitchen and as I walk by the kitchen window, I swear I see someone walk up to the door.  As I put, whatever-it-was I needed to put away, in the fridge, I walk back to the window and check who it is.  There's no one there... "Was my mind playing tricks with me?  I swear I saw someone!  Maybe I didn't.  Good grief, I am sleep-deprived!  I am seriously starting to hallucinate!"  I let it go and continued what I was doing.  The next time I walk by the window, out of the corner of my eye, it looks as if there is something by my front door. My curiosity gets the upper hand and I actually open the front door to check it out.  Only to discover a pack of diapers.  Size 2.  Clearly for Ryder.


A few days later: I get home from grocery shopping (and buying veggies off the 'Vegetable Fairy' at the store) and there it is: a Value Box of size 2 diapers.


The 'Diaper Fairy' exists people!!


Dear Diaper Fairy: 
(I hope you don't mind me calling you this as I mean it in the loveliest way possible)
Thank you for providing us with such an abundant supply of 'tushy covers' for the youngest tushy in our household.  We (and he as well) are extremely grateful for your generosity and for your help to keep the aforementioned tushy nicely dry and soft.


Ryder likes his milk and consumes between 8-10 oz. per meal.  That's between 32-40 oz. per day and we all know what that means: what goes in, must come out.  In other words, he is making great use of your gifts.  As I was changing him tonight, I opened the last pack of size 2 diapers and realized that your planning and timing had been impeccable: next week we will dig into the size 3 diapers that you miraculously made appear on our doorstep 2 days ago.  


In the 4 months that Ryder has been with us, we yet have to buy diapers for him.  Between the diapers we received at my mommy-group baby shower and those that you so kindly dropped at our front door, things have been covered.  Thank you, as we are well aware of the price that even Diaper Fairies have to pay for them.


We are incredibly grateful for your help and support to keep our littlest, cutest and softest tushy covered.

Thank you, also on behalf of Ryder,


All my Love,

"Ik hou van je"

...which is Dutch and translates into "I love you".

Kai was a bit 'fragile' today as I would like to call it.  A bit whiny at times, easily upset, quick to produce tears, in other words 'fragile'.  I don't like fragile days.  It makes me feel like I am walking on eggshells.  And I don't like eggshells.  They are sharp and make a mess and since my title is "Mommy" that means I have to clean up that mess.  I don't like cleaning up, let alone cleaning up messes.

Luckily there were the dogs to keep him occupied.  They had a great time chasing each other outside.  Kai had a great time chasing the dogs.  Add to that yesterday's toddler lesson: when you pull that "long thing at the back end of the kitty" she makes a funny sound.  All this made for one motivated (yet fragile) toddler...[Mommy sighs]

We had a few falls and some tears, but overall the day went by in a pretty uneventful manner.  By the way, it is AMAZING how well mommy's kisses heal all boo-boo's.  Usually he doesn't give a kick when he falls, but when he does and there are tears, he comes running toward me saying "mommy kiss mommy kiss" and when I then plant a smooch on the boo-boo, all tears are gone, pain is gone (or so it seems) and he runs off to continue playing / chasing one of the pets / etc.  It is absolutely amazing, those mommy kisses.  It makes me wish I was a bit more flexible, so that I could reach those hard to get to places that I manage to bump / kick / hit against objects that are harder than my body parts.  Man, that would have saved me a lot of friggin' pain yesterday when I kicked my little toe against the wooden leg of one of our ottomans.  Darn that hurt!!!  Wish I could give myself a big smooch there, as I certainly could have used some relief.  Well, I guess that is the privilege of being a toddler.  Good for him!

The bedtime routines are a 2-parent event in our house, so while David puts Kai down, I get my previously mentioned cuddle-fix from Ryder.  If Kai is still awake by the time Ryder is down, I usually go in to kiss him good night.  He has gotten as far as having me lay down in his race car bed, no, not to cuddle (did you read the previous post at all??), but to climb on me and wrestle with me.  It's our daily thing and it usually lasts a couple of minutes (if it was up to Kai, it would last longer, but it isn't up to him. It's up to me ;-)  Then we say our Good Nights and it's "Bye Mommy" (the cue that I can leave and close the door behind me on my way out).


Tonight, as the climbing and wrestling had come to an end, I kissed him and was about to tell him Good Night, when he said "more kisses" and gave me a serious of beautiful toddler kisses.  He then, laid down next to me, wrapped his arms around my neck and cuddled up against me.  Softly and quietly pointing out my eyes, nose, hair, cheeks, mouth, lips and chin.  Very, very sweet.  It was such a beautiful moment; one of those that I immediately wanted to bottle and make last forever.  As he nuzzled with me, I said "Ik hou van je Kai" (translation: I love you Kai) and there it was, in a soft voice: "Ik hou van je mommy".  Ooohhh...!!!  I had to put everything into gear to keep myself from bursting out in tears.  God, that slayed me.  As I gave him one of the biggest hugs a mother could ever give her 2-year old, he wrapped his arms around me and returned the favor.  


By far the best moment of the day.  Probably of the week, but given that the week only just started...who knows.  I will never, ever forget this day.  Just beautiful.

Catching Up

My brain is going at a pace that prohibits me from keeping up with it.  It almost hurts.  David and I recently cleaned up the office, turning it into a bit more of a comfortable environment to work in.  Me being sort type A, who is pro “throwing out / giving away what I haven’t used in over a year” – with occasional relapses resulting in clutter – and David, the artist, holding on to nearly everything.  Need I say more? A match made in heaven :-)

In line with the “clean the house frenzy” of a couple of weeks ago, I hosted a multi-family yard sale yesterday. To give you an idea of how much crap I had collected together with my mommy friends: 2 days ago I had to create a path from the door of the office to my desk.  That should explain.  Now here is the awesome cause for which we did this yard sale: our Annual Mom’s Weekend Out.  Last year we left Los Angeles behind us for a weekend in Palm Springs.  Go figure: 10 moms, no hubbies, no kids, 1 house, a pool and BYOB!!  Awesome!!  This year’s destination: Santa Barbara!!  Sweet!!  We’re going to stay at a B&B in the heart of Santa Barbara, which includes breakfast and a daily wine & cheese reception.  The yard sale went okay, we didn’t make as much as I had hoped, mainly due to one of the street signs that had blown off / been ripped off.  BUT, at the end of the morning, we were left with more money than we had started out with, yet I still have 1/2 an office of stuff that I am donating to Goodwill this week.  I want my office back.

Today marks one of the first really warm days in LA.  We’ve had a few, but for some reason this one really feels like the beginning of summer.  I don’t know if that is because it’s Memorial Day weekend, or what the logic is, but it really feels as if summer is starting.  I started cleaning the patio today.  The bar was dirty, the candle holders needed to be washed, the walls of the house needed spraying off, so now, all there is to do is the patio surface (a job in and by itself).  All I say is “some other day”.  Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, dunno, it greatly depends on when I have time.

‘Time’ is such a difficult concept in my life at the moment.  I was relieved to read that one of my followers is going through a similar thing of “where did the day go?” as she commented to my previous post.  I find myself incredibly busy during the the day, only to ask myself at the end of it “What all did I do?” and often I am not even able to answer that question.  Frustrating!!!  I really don’t waste much time, but most of the time is consumed taking care of the boys, which really doesn’t leave much time for anything else.  I have mentioned it before, but that’s why the afternoon naptime for the kids is so incredibly sacred to me.

That brings me to one of the big challenges that I am faced with these days: Ryder and his sleeping habits.  Oh lordy, where do I start?  I’m incredibly happy that I was able to wean him off the night feedings when he was 8 weeks old.  It went fast and easy, in 2 days they were over and done with.  Wahoo!!  But...we’re not sleeping through the night.  Oh heavens no!!  If only!!!  There are more things involved in order to master that:

• the pacifier
• the swaddling blanket
• falling asleep (Ryder, not me, I have no problems with that)
  

“To Pacify or Not To Pacify?  That Is The Question”
The paci was oh so handy when Ryder was younger and he loves it.  It soothes him right away.  He has started finding his thumb (Mommy thinks: “Yeah!!”), but is not able to find it consistently.  So, now when the paci falls out, it lands next to him and when he turns his head, it gets stuck between his neck and the mattress, which wakes him up.
Option 1 (The quick-fix): pop the paci back in, but then within an hour we’re back to square 1.  This will get me up between 6-10 times a night and obviously ain’t working so well for Mommy.
Option 2 (the longer fix): pop paci in, rock him into a deep sleep, take paci out and transfer back into his crib.  This way I get up about 2 times a night, but the process takes longer.

Swaddling:
LOVE LOVE LOVE swaddling, but I gave life to 2 Houdini’s who did not last long in swaddling blankets.  Ryder is now out with hands and feet, but I still wrap the swaddling blanket around his waist as he likes the snug-fit.  I would like to wean him off that as well, as temps are going up and it might be getting too warm for him.

Falling asleep:
Contrary to Kai, Ryder loves to snuggle and cuddle.  I’ve been rocking him to sleep, merely because we both love it.  I never got to do that with Kai (he still isn’t big on snuggling), so I’m getting that fix through Ryder.  I taught Kai to fall asleep on his own when he was 4-5 months.  It went pretty easy and ever since he has been an amazing sleeper, in every way: I can put him down wide awake, give him a kiss, walk out and he is fine.  Hardly ever a problem, he’s awesome when it comes to falling asleep.  I would like to do the same with Ryder, but I also don’t want to give up the snuggling yet.  See my dilemma?

To anyone who is not a mommy, these things probably don’t mean a thing (I’m surprised you’re still reading at this point), but to other moms this may sound familiar.  These may look like insignificant things that you ‘just do / deal with’, but as a mom who wants to keep her household running as peacefully and happily as possible, these are things that take up a lot of time in our minds trying to figure out.  “When is the right time to do what” and honestly I don’t know.  I have no idea how I am going to go about this, but I trust that I’ll figure it out.  I did with Kai, so I will with Ryder.

Kai is doing well.  Though he is the one experiencing toddler hood first hand, David and I have a first class ticket as VIP passengers on the toddler hood train.  And sometimes it’s a darn bumpy ride, which really makes me want to request a refund.  But then there are also the journeys that are delightfully smooth, so smooth that I am convinced I got an awesome deal!  In other words, he really goes from the devilish (but cute) toddler one day to an angel the other.

At the moment we’re facing the “struggle with the tooth brush”.  To most parents who are facing toddler hood (through their kids that is), or who are just coming out of it, this may sound like a familiar story.  Brushing our teeth is a daily challenge at the moment.  Shaking our head, sucking the tooth paste of the brush, squirming away, throwing fits, you name it, we’ve had it or been through it.  I don’t know if he doesn’t like having his teeth brushed, or if it is just a control issue, but I hate those 2 times a day with a passion.  He’ll happily run into the bathroom when we announce that it is time to brush our teeth, plops down on the toilet seat cover, but then it goes South from there.  We’re still in the process of figuring this one out.

Up until last week, Kai was all about testing limits, being defiant, not listening, in other words, real devil at times.  Having said that, it seems as if over the past few days he has done a complete 180: he’s incredibly loving, wants to help in the kitchen, gives hugs and kisses, and is overall incredibly sweet.  He still tests the “No’s” at times, but overall, he’s really good.  He’ll bring things when I ask him, helps put the laundry in, wants to give the bottle to Ryder, is very concerned about Ryder when he sleeps and wants to constantly check his brother out on the video monitor.  Adorable.

I have to admit, the kid knows what he wants and is very smart in making subtle attempts to get it.  Here’s an example of what happened after dinner the other day:
Kai: “Kai and papa in auto” (‘auto’ is Dutch for ‘car)
David took him to the car, thinking he wanted to sit on daddy’s lap to play with the steering wheel.
Kai: “Kai sit in car seat” [pointing at his seat]
David opened the door and Kai climbed in.
Kai:  “Papa strap Kai in”
David strapped him in.
Kai: “Now, papa sit over there” [pointing at the driver seat]
David got in the driver seat.
Kai: “Now, papa and Kai go to Mak and Nini” (Mike & Nina are his godparents)

This is the alternative to the incessant “Kai go see Mak & Nini” that he sometimes gets obsessed about.  Smart way of trying it differently, I have to admit.  If one way doesn’t work, why not try it differently?

There is so much more going on, but at the moment my brain is fried of thinking about it, and Ryder is (once again) awake.  So...time to do some soothing.  Hopefully I’ll be back a bit more again this week.  New month, new chances.

24 Hours in a Day - It Just Ain't Enough

I shouldn't even be writing this right now.  No, I should be in bed, sleeping.  THAT's what I should be doing, yet here I am, sitting down behind my computer, writing just a few sentences to send out a message to the world that YES, I am still breathing.  Barely that is, but nonetheless, that constitutes as being alive.

The past few days have been absolutely crazy and one of these days I hope to actually compile all the posts that I started and turn them into one, to kinda summarize my crazy week.  I am looking forward to that moment, simply because it means that I would actually be able to sit down and take a deep breath for a moment.  I need it and in the next 24 hours it looks like I am not going to get that.  Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the weekend, yet right now, I really just want to go to bed.  My alarm clock (the electronic one, not the human one - hopefully) will go off at 6am tomorrow.  Having a toddler and a baby I have gotten a little bit used to 6:00am wake up calls, however, I am far, far removed from actually 'liking' it.

That brings up the question: why is it that as children you hate going to bed and sleeping late, while as adults, you would do anything for a long, long night's sleep?  When does that change?

All I Wanted Was a Milkshake

This afternoon, while I was having lunch with my boys, I all of a sudden got hit with an overwhelming desire to have a milkshake.  A hot fudge milkshake to be exact.  Home-made, nothing less.  As if I needed it.  I am still trying to lose the last 10 lbs. of baby weight, which for whatever reason takes a heck longer than it did with Kai.  Sigh...

Anyways, I wanted a milkshake and nothing or no one was going to keep me from having one while the boys were taking their naps.  Or so I thought.  First there was the ice cream.  Or better said, the lack of ice cream.  Me to hubby: “need to go and get ice cream, will be back in 10.”  So I did and so I was.  Made the chocolate concoction that I call ‘fudge’ to mix in with my shake.  And then...bingo!!  Kai came strolling in with a bright yellow piece of paper in his hands – obviously a page he had ripped out of a book.  While returning him to his room, I explained that it was nap time and that all his friends (real and imaginary) were taking naps too.  (This usually works, you know).  Mind, how I said “usually”.  Kai went down the usual list of suspects, which went something like this:

Kai: “Elmo take a nap?”
Me: “Yes, Elmo is taking a nap.”
Kai: “Uhm......Abby take a nap?”
Me: “Yes, Abby is taking a nap”.
Kai: “Uhhmm......Zoe take a nap?”
Me: “Yes, Zoe is taking a nap as well.”
Kai: “Uhhhmmm....uhm...Thomas take a nap?”
Me: “Yes, Thomas is taking a nap, and Percy, and James are all taking naps.  Just like you.  Kai also needs to take a nap.”
Kai: “TobyHat take a nap?” (for those of you not steeped in the culture of Thomas & Friends: that is a combination of Toby & Sir Topham Hatt)
Me: “Yes, he too.  Everyone is taking a nap.  Now it’s Kai’s turn.  Bye Kai, I love you”
Kai: “Bye Mommy!!” (as he blows a kiss)

Okay, back to milkshake-making!!  Wahoo!!  As I scoop the ice cream in the pitcher, the bars on my monitor go into the red: Ryder.  I go in, soothe him, and get back to what I was doing.  To make a long story short(er), this goes on for an hour and a half: me going back and forth between Kai’s room and Ryder’s room.  Neither one of them slept, I didn’t get to enjoy my milkshake.

And then, both of them at the same time...you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!  You know, this would seriously be a good argument to be pro-cloning, gosh would it be helpful to have 2 of me in this household at times (but DEFINITELY not all the time – that would be too much of a good thing.  Oops, did I just say that?!?  Can’t believe I did).  Luckily David got up and went into Kai’s room, but before I had a chance to get over to the nursery, David called me in and showed me this:

 

 

He had decided to express himself artistically by coloring his bed and sheets with chalk.  Sigh...need I say more??  Guess what I’m doing this afternoon...!!!

Well, we are now 2-1/2 hours into nap time and both rooms are quiet – just in time for everyone to get up again in 1/2 hour (as otherwise we will have trouble tonight).  I finally enjoyed my killer hot fudge milkshake and added another pound or so to my post-partum body.  Oh well, it was good.