I wanna ROCK!

Mother's Day

The first Mother's Day I remember was when I was very young. I remember being at "Big Grandma's" house and Grandma asking me what I had for mother's day. I know I was younger than 9 y/o at the time. My short answer was nothing. Surprised and reasonably offended, I was asked if I had made anything at school. The short answer was - no. Grandma rustled around in her bedroom drawer until she came across a brand new, blue nightgown. She told me to give this to my mom. I gave it to my mom - but have always felt ashamed that I didn't have something for her on my own. Which, at 33 y/o sounds crazy because I am fully aware of how I was unable to drive down to the store and pick up something pretty...

Mother's Day - or really the idea of having a mother took on a whole new meaning this last fall. Dan and I had made the decision to be open to the possibility of adding a new child to our family. No sooner had we started that process - did my mom have a medical scare. It turned out to be - no big deal - but at the time it looked like she was having some issue with her heart. I sat patiently at the heart clinic while she was having test after test run to try to figure out what was going on with her. It was great because the heart clinic was able to run all of the tests they needed in one day - but also mentally and emotionally grueling - as I sat there hour after hour with no answers and often alone in a very cold waiting room. While I sat there, I thought of a lot of things and even watched some TED talks on my laptop. The thing is, that whole day and the weeks to follow, my head was full of a screaming thought of --- what would I DO or how could I possibly have another baby if MY MOM wasn't around to see that baby and stay with me for the first week after the baby was born? I know, right? How selfish that I was thinking of myself. I guess that is exactly what kids do though. :)

In telling this story, I am not trying to sound selfish or childish. Instead, I am trying to express how much we need our mothers - and specifically how much I NEED MY mom. Not just for the baby and not just for the week after he's born. But, kinda forever. (did you read that mom, FOREVER!)

So, here I sit at 5:30AM on Mother's Day with one little boy bouncing around in my belly - making his presence known. The other one just squawked from his crib and I have got to say that I feel truly blessed to be the mother of these children - to be a sister to a great mother - and to be the daughter to a truly great woman. There is quite literally - not one more thing that I could ask for - for my life to be complete.

Mom's new washer and dryer.

She had told me about them and how cool they were. What I didn't know is who BIG they would be. When I opened the door, I GASP to see they were almost as tall as me! I bet they could take on the linen load of a full sized hotel!

Growing on

Baby number two keeps growing

and so does Phin.

getting the hang of it...

Phin finally saw what the chair looked like - put together and now is my "chair buddy" for things like reading books.

enough is ENOUGH!

The days of my back killing me due to sciatica due to pregnancy are finally over. This last weekend, grandma Barb came to town and we (the whole family) went recliner shopping. Between the pneumonia and the sciatica, I can not sleep in a bed anymore! We did finally find a chair and I told the salesman that we would TAKE IT if we could walk out with it TODAY. Since it happened to be one of the models on sale, he said we would have to wait a couple days for a brand new one for us to come in. Today was that day. Dan met Phin and me at the furniture store and loaded it into the van. He then brought it home and put it together. Finally I have the chance to wake up in the morning - pain free! Who could ask for more?

Phin likes the chair too... just in a "different" way.

Grandma Allen comes to visit!!!

Phin loves to read, and so we KNEW Grandmother Allen would be a hit with one of Phin's favorite books in her hands.



After some good reading time, we went out to the backyard to swing. Phin calls it "weeee." Daddy pushed and Grandma Allen had some fun too!




WATCH FOR A VIDEO TO COME SOON - where we tried to sing "old macdonald had a farm." Phin was waaay more into it when the video camera was OFF. :)

Waffle

would be one of Phin's favorite foods and so, TODAY was his lucky day.
He was confused and curious when I took his shirt off of him, until he got into his waffle, and then it all made sense.
THIS is a good example of how a mother has great intuition!

Rainy day

I knew it was supposed to rain a bit today and wouldn't it just start when we had scheduled to play outside.
Phin didn't seem to mind much.


He was a trooper walking around in the light sprinkling until Mommy got too cold and we had to go inside.


Since there was a ball involved, Maggie was obviously happy to fetch in a bit of rain. Overall, a good evening with Phin and Maggie.

I wonder if out PAT Educator hates us

(PAT is Parents as Teachers.)
I don't really think she hates us, but this idea didn't go over as she had explained it.
The beans were supposed to be something that my little peach could practice using spoons to pick up the beans and then pour them back into the bowl or another thing - like a cup. I mean, he had fun with it, but it was the high clean up for mommy kinda fun. I was told this helps him with his fine motors skills... which eventually helps him learn to write. This kid better have some beautiful handwriting! I am finding a bean here and a bean there - throughout the day...
:)

You would think this is a special event

since i seem to photograph it so often. In reality, it's just a daily event that I find adorable. Note the cute, cute outfit. Today will be it's last appearance on Phin. It's become too tight. It was good while it lasted, and we loved the "E" (elephant) on the front of the shirt...

Can you see what it is? I know it's out of focus and NOT the best picture. This is for me to remember... one day far from now, when I can leave my bedroom door open without the fear or realization that Phin has gone inside, taken the glass of water by my bed and poured it on the floor. THIS PICTURES is a picture of his little wet footprint - walking from the bedroom with his new favorite toy - my water cup.


You may notice in the upper right corner, his little toes in the picture. He came back to view the photo session. :)


THIS is a picture of what I looked like today for my launch at the gym. Even with the pregnancy, the sciatica and the pneumonia, I was still there to partake in the workout fun! This picture is significant - for what happened AFTER the gym. I decided that Ethan might get a kick out of having lunch at the "old 63 diner" where they wear 1950's and call you "babe." The lunch was fine. Phin had a grilled cheese sandwich. What happened after is what I find significant. Ethan came to the women's room with me after lunch - before the drive home. Obviously, my belly is growing and Phin finds it interesting to say the least. Dan and I have been telling Phin that my belly is the baby. Today, in the restroom, Phin saw my belly and said "the baby" which was the cutest thing ever. I don't know how much he actually understands, but there is a slight glimmer of understanding, right now, today.

Saturday fun!

This morning, I worked at the gym for a "launch" - which is where instructors teach together to introduce new music and choreography in the group exercise classes. I taught the new moves for biceps and lunges. Afterwards, Phin and I took a little ride out to 63 diner. There is nothing quite as good as greasy food after a sweaty workout, right?
Phin got the broccoli cheese soup and a grilled cheese sandwich - which came with fries and an ice cream. While he took the fries home, we asked them to keep their ice cream with sprinkles and Phin was given a balloon instead. Those fries ended up in this highchair seat for dinner and the balloon was his best friend alll day long.



Yes, I am aware of how dirty my windows on the door are. I clean them - which it seems is a personal challenge to the pets to dirty them up straight away again. At some point, given my pneumonia, I have given up on keeping them clean...

He is, in fact, sitting on a ball while holding his balloon. He was even bouncing on the ball a bit while looking outside. I am telling you, he felt like the coolest, big boy out there!

a BIG boy!

It's funny because I was just reading in some "Parents as Teachers" literature that Phin is now at the age where he will try to demonstrate to us that he knows he's growing up. The article suggested that one way he may do this is to try to walk around in OUR shoes.
As if he got the memo that the article had been read, today he started trying to put on my sandals. Then we moved on to my corduroy, clog style Birkenstocks.



After he was finished with my shoes, he moved on to some apples I had put out for him to play with.
He lined them up, he carried the around the house, and finally tried to eat one. Note to Daddy, he was not impressed with the flavor...

All by himself...

While playing in the backyard, Phin decided that he wanted to be like mama and sit at the table - on the chair. I turned around and he was climbing into place. I ran and grabbed my camera...


and then he started getting silly. No, he's not "ripping" a "yucky" here, he's just being a happy little boy!

Dec 08, 2008

Out of complete necessity and a bit of experimentation, this soft and cozy monkey blanket was made - by me - for Phin. In reality, I measured it up like I was going to cut a mat for a picture and then, instead of cutting, I sewed the pieces together.



Now, a year and a half later when my sweet little baby boy is more of a toddler who likes to "throw" balls and chase the dog and has an opinion on most everything saw me sitting with the blanket on my lap on this rather chilly April afternoon, what did he do? Well, he did what any toddler who knows what is his would do. He yanked it from my lap. Luckily, he did not walk off with it. Instead, he crawled up onto my lap and we BOTH got to use the blanket - while we read books. I think that is a pretty good negotiation. :)

Later, he noticed some pictures that are eye level to him. They are picture of Dan and me. He very astutely pointed out "Dadda, Mama." I think I know a little boy who is missing his Daddy...

Kirby Club

As parents, we have discussed a variety of "lessons" we feel we must teach our children - to help them become productive members of society. We agree that one of the most important lessons parents can teach their children is about MONEY. Saving, credit, credit scores, etc. So, now that Phin is almost 20 months, and he knows his alphabet and can count to 11, we thing it's TIME to start the first lesson on money. Phin does have a piggy and frog bank that we "feed" when we find spare change lying around - but we felt it was time to take it to the BANK. :)

Ethan is now a proud member of our credit union with his very own "kirby kangaroo account." The lady who helped us set up the account told us that once he has 500.00, we can buy a CD which gets a better interest rate. I'm afraid that's a WHOLE TON of cans away, but it's good information to have! :)

Easter Egg Hunt!

Phin had a great time finding and picking up eggs.
The eggs did all fall from the bucket a time or two, but we still had tons of fun.







After the eggs, Phin found the "doggie" door and looked it over carefully.

Phin and Grandma and Auntie all sat on the swing before the day was over. Fun times!

BLOCKS

We never expect gifts for Phin - ever.
So, imagine our surprise when we found a gift card for Phin in our Christmas card this year from our friend, Vance.
It took a long time for me to find the perfect gift for Phin from Vance - and just this last week, it came to me!

MEGA BLOCKS!




As you can see, Phin is super "into" them.
Thank you Vance!

Mommy, help me

The last two times we have visited, I have MEANT to take Maggie's blue and brown water dish home.
Now that it's turning into summertime, I need to put her big water dish in the kitchen back outside - so PLEASE don't let me leave the house without that dish in the Camry!

YOU are the best and I can't WAIT for some TURKEY!

xoxo


your (favorite) daughter ;) ;) ;)

??? spaghetti ???

See, something is wrong with this picture. What you may ask? My son does NOT eat noodles.
Really, he ate the turkey meatballs more so than the pasta, but he did try the pasta near the end of the meal.
Are we past the pasta boycott???

Ways to get money

As I am sure you can imagine, listening to the worker at Civic Recycling fighting with his "woman" on speaker phone as I unloaded bag after bag of pop cans was both informative and annoying. Hey, it was all for a good cause. See, as YOU know, our family isn't "rich" so we find it necessary to keep it "creative"when it comes to making/finding/keeping money. One way we are funding Phin's "youth bank account" is to keep all of the pop cans we use in this house and save them up in the garage until they are completely annoying. At that point, we throw them all into the truck, take them down to recycling and Phin comes home with no less than ten new bucks to put in his piggy bank. We are also happy to know we are not putting all of that trash in landfills too! (You know I feel the same way about his diapering situation...
So, tomorrow, we will take all of the bigger bills out of his piggy bank and go to the credit union to make an account for little Phin. I was reading online that children get PRIZES for opening their account and PRIZES for saving certain amounts of money in their account. So every time he makes his next level - some kind of (hopefully not sugar based) prize will be his!

In other news, today was not awesome - regarding his physical wellness. We DID go to the park for him to get some walk time in - however, he kept dropping to his knees (tired?) and got a couple scrapes and scratches on them. Then it was time to go home!

Community contracted phenumonia with a double ear infection

Yes, this is what it looks like. A little boy with a cough and a snotty nose for about a week. Certainly Phin has a high pain tolerance to be dealing with all of this - and his only relief was benadryl and tylenol. This evening, we came home from the doctor and pharmacy with a medicine cabinet in a bag and instructions of how to make little Phin feel better. He should be feeling great by tomorrow evening - probably. So, he will get his appetite back and no longer require FOUR HOUR naps in the middle of the day. Go drugs, go!

Video time

Usually Phin sits in his strap-in chair to watch his video. The problem with that system is that Phin keeps getting bigger and bigger and the seat is really no longer "made" for a boy of his size. So, today I let him sit on the sofa (one of his favorite things) to watch his video about animals in the rainforest. He did a good job of paying attention until near the end. When he started wiggling around, the video magically turned off and we went on with our day! :)

Great Grandparents come to visit!!!

How lucky did our weekend turn out when we learned that the Great Grandparents would be driving through town and we were actually going to be IN town and without a ton of plans. They stopped through and got some reading and ball playing in with Phin before they were back on the road - headed to their next stop to see Grandma Barb. Phin had a blast playing games and showing off his extensive skills with his alphabet and numbers. The phrase of the day was "ball, get"

Make sure to scroll down at least two weeks.

I just added stuff - by date. :)

Phin loves to read...

He goes over to his daddy's chair often - with book in hand. We actually play a new game where Dan or I will read the book to Phin - stopping before the last word in the sentence. We let Phin say the word - as he's been reading these books for months and - most probably has them memorized word for word anyway. :)