Go Ahead. Be Amazed.

I know I am.
This weekend my baby sister is getting married. It's hard to believe, and mostly it hasn't set in yet, until I see her in that amazing dress again. (I cried the first time) But I told her a long time back that I would take care of the flower girl's headpieces, she wanted flowers in their hair in the same color as the bridesmaid dresses. Good thing DB dresses are made for women who are seven feet tall we all had extra fabric that was cut off our dresses. That's what I used. Then I cut it down, took a flame to it (yes I burned myself on the first attempt). But out of the ashes rose these beauties!

I am impressed myself, they came out better than I thought they would. I can't wait to see the girls with them on. and I can't wait to see Ami get married and I can't wait to hug my mommy and daddy. Mostly I can't wait for this weekend!

Apple Picking

We went apple picking with Grandma and Grandpa Bill today. It was the first time picking anything for our little family. We drove and drove and drove some more but in the end it was all worth it to spend some time together, without phones ringing or places to be later. I can honestly say this was the most relaxed we all have been lately.

Nick loved being able to run around wherever he pleased. And surprisingly he did not try to climb any of the trees.

Claire also enjoyed the freedoms of the 'country' and the many apples, I think in total today she ate about 4 apples herself.

Good times were had by all.

We Got Trouble

Right here in New York City.
We are in some serious trouble. We are in need of some cement shoes or something. Today Nick expanded his horizons. Vertically.
I walked into Claire's room today only to find Nick standing on top of the dresser! Yes, the really tall, really beautiful one that GB made for her. Yup. and you know what he did next? He looked at me; all sweet with those baby blues and pointed up to Claire's mobile; that hangs above her bed and says 'budda fly' just like that. He speaks, he climbs, and he aspires to master door knobs in the very near future. We are in some serious trouble.

Good Idea, Bad Idea

Today we played with paint during nap time. "On the floor!?" That was my soon to be three year old's reaction when I suggested it. She's too clean for her own good. She had fun, a change of scenery combined with some new paints and larger work area were a good idea.

A bad idea is for mommy to get distracted by a phone call from the Aunt and chat away the time she should be doing dishes while talking to her budding artist. Another bad idea is for mommy to continue to chat once little brother gets up from nap. Worst idea ever; leaving the room where muffin tin full of paint and budding artist are after little brother gets up from nap to continue to chat. Do you see the path of bad ideas?

We Just Got a Letter

We got our first letter from our letter writing activity today.
The other week Claire checked the mail and was abnormally upset that none of it was for her. I tried to convince her that some of the unsolicited Capital One advertisements were for her but she wasn't buying it. Unfortunately the only letter in the alphabet she recognizes with any consistency is also the first letter in her name.
So I tenderly explained that you have to 'send a letter to get a letter'. She immediately had in mind who she could write a letter to and who 'might' send her one back.
So we set to the task. She dictated to me what she wanted to write. The first one was good, a bit abstract but good. And as they went on they got more bizarre and abstract. (we sent 4 to increase our odds of receiving one back). I believe the last thing on the last letter was something about Uncle Mark picking up sticks to feed to the squirrels.

So she was excited to get a letter from Grandma and Grandpa Bill today in the mail. We see them pretty often lately so there wasn't much in the ways of news but she was thrilled to get a letter. Tomorrow perhaps we will write back.
I forgot to take pictures of the first letters (and I regret it. If you got a letter and still have it could you take a pic and send it to me? thanks). I think if we continue to pen pal with everyone I will compile an album of her letters.

Shopping and The Seal

Yesterday we played 'cash' (as Claire likes to call it). I 'shop' from the food box and she rings me up at her register (which yes, it also doubles as the top to her play stove). We could do this for hours and yesterday we did. Everything at Claire's Grocery costs $3, and some of it is 'ganic' (organic) and some of it is on sale! but even the sale items are $3. And a bag of groceries will set you back... you guessed it $3.

Even Nick got into the fun of ringing me up.
I love these kids! I will miss Claire so much when she heads to school next year.

In other news; Nick has the croup (again). Last night I was getting ready to hit the hay and I heard it; the seal that lives inside my son. We took a walk around the block in the night air and some steroids and tossed and turned and fussed all night. Today we are going to ride it out and see how tonight goes before we rush to the Dr. Please pray for him as the main problem is the fear factor for him. He gets scared and then cries and that makes it worse. poor guy. Also if you know of any ways to sleep without actually sleeping I would pay top dollar. (that means $3 of course) :)

Ah the Joy!

I want a cookie
If you pick up all the animals and put them in their box, then you may have a cookie
Nick made that animal mess
I know, but I am asking YOU to pick it up please. then you may have a cookie
Well I'm asking YOU to go fishing. then you may get a fish.

Do you Know?

What side of the gorilla is the hairiest?
A: The outside
What sound does a hippo make?
A: An evil laughing sound


Additional useless facts :
If facebook were a country, it would be the 3rd most populous country IN THE WORLD just below China and India!

Fun with Fingers

Napped in the car today on the way to the craft store, (more to come from that trip later on) so no real napping progress made today but it did mean that Nick was able to join us for some quality time; fingerpainting! Nick didn't like the texture and Claire wasn't too interested.. I think given the time I would have fingerpainted for hours, I forgot just how fun it feels between your fingers. We made our own fingerpaint out of cornstarch and water and food coloring. what it lacked in the actual coloring part of the paint it more than made up for in the texture. You should give it a try yourself. And remember that you are never too old to fingerpaint!

Additionally I took on a project all my own. A bedtime routine chart. I saw one online somewhere. (if it's your idea, sorry I can't credit you 'cause I don't remember who you are. but I like it) The check marks are magnetic and you can stick them on after you complete a task. I plan to use it later on for chores as Claire gets older.

In other news:

Aunt Stasi is back! We think she might like us :)
She taught us this great raspberry thing... I would like to thank her from the bottom of my slimy arm...

Another Day Another Adventure

Another 'successful' napping experience. (Although I can't figure that it's any kind of comfortable)

And thumbprint bugs. :)

Begin with the Basics

We recently began "sleep training" Nick, I remember how hard it was to do this with Claire and have put it off as long as I could without feeling like I was not doing for Nick what I had done for Claire. I think it's important for children to learn to put themselves to sleep and the earlier the better because they aren't forming bad sleep habits.
*jumps of soapbox*
But it's breaking my heart all over again to hear him cry, to be right there and have to restrain myself from running to him and scooping him up. I know in the long run, and in the grand scheme of things it's only for a short time and it will benefit him and me but... ooo he breaks my heart. It's just a daily reminder of how much I love him.
On a happier note,
I am taking the opportunity that this new napping schedule has offered us to spend more quality time with Claire. We are starting with the most basic, and fun mother/daughter 'crafts'; fruit loop necklaces.

A Cooperative Tale

Yesterday I did my first ever shift at the food coop. The food coop is a grocery store, where I work. In exchange for being able to shop there at discounted prices. It's a pretty good deal. I worked in the childcare room, a nursery of sorts for those who are working or shopping and don't want to/can't have their kids in tow. Nothing to note as of yet but there are so many possibilities for great stories out of this new adventure. (which Claire drew in big red scribbles then told me "This is our adventure mommy") What I loved about last night was the way they use the intercom. It's like if you were in the grocery store and everyone there had access to the intercom. Here are some of the best ones of the night: (but not all - by far)

I can now help the lady who wanted to know about the vitamins if she could meet me by the sweet ice cream treats. Thank you.

Can anyone tell me if we have any more watermelons? (second person's reply) No more watermellons today hopefully we'll get some more tomorrow.

Can anyone tell me what isle the popcorn is in? (second person's reply) Isle 2 is the bulk popcorn for --- cents a lb. and in isle 4 is the prepackaged microwave popcorn - if you want that. Hope that helps.

It's so much fun! I can't wait to go back. Unfortunately we only work once a month for 2.7 hrs. I see lots of grocery shopping in our future, just because it's such an adventure every time now :)

Listen to your mom. She's always right.

So when I was 21 my mom bought me/sent me a book. Things I need to know in my 20's. The first chapter was all the different ways you can make an egg. Sunny side up, Sunny side down, poached, scrambled, and some others I had never heard of. I laughed at it and skipped that chapter for the one that was titled "Marriage is NOT a rowdy sex romp", then passed the book onto my sister who also laughed with me at the egg chapter and skipped to other chapters more appealing to her. I never thought that my husband would ever ask me to poach an egg or how to poach an egg. Then today at lunch Jim turns to me and says "Hey hun, how do you poach an egg?" Just like that! Out of the blue. Panic set in. I was so unprepared. This was something my mother had tried to prepare me for and I laughed it off. Sorry mom. You were right.

Teeth!

Check out those pearly whites!
(you can click the pic to make it bigger)

ok, now show me your fishy face :)

Oh My, I love these kids :)

What Was It?

Well, you never did guess what Claire's drawing was so I'll let her tell you in her own words:

Quite obviously in fact when you really look at it.
And since no one guessed correctly we chose the most interesting and creative guess to win.
So...

Drum Roll

Sarah Wins! with her guess of a Capybara. Seeing as we had never heard of such an animal we thought it might be a typo. But when we googled it, Ha HA! what fun!

And in case you were unfamiliar with the world's largest rodent as well. They eat water plants, fruits, and vegetables, including wild melons and squashes, and engage in coprophagy. (look that one up yourself)

Sarah, keep an eye on your mailbox, your prize will arrive soon, Congratulations!

Sisters+Cupcakes=Perfect World

Stasi has been with us for a week. I fear our constant pestering about staying forever made her fly the coup sooner than if we had kept our mouth's shut. Oh well, there's always October 3!! (YAY ami, I'm SO excited!) It was good to have her. Mostly she was working, working, working but we found time to do some playing. We both (Stasi and I) got our hairs cut and then after her haircut we went to the cupcake store and got cupcakes. yumm. :) It's good to have sisters who come to visit.

From a Child's View

Claire and Jimmy went camping this weekend up to TMR. They had a great time... I think... I asked Claire about her trip and she told me that she didn't eat the entire time, she didn't sleep at camp, she did not boat... Good thing I sent her camera with her so I could see what she did.

She went with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Bill

They went to the lake

I think she had fun. :) What kid doesn't love camp?
Even her pictures are vague and limited. Does this begin the phase where she doesn't tell me everything? Sad. She grows so fast.
Good thing I also send Jimmy who told me they had a great campfire, good food, comfortable beds and a great boat trip :)

Ever Have A Plan?

Jimmy was off work on Thursday for his company picnic. The day before I got my hair cut, figured out what I would wear to impress his colleagues and bathed both my children. That morning Claire and Nick were playing in the playroom while I did dishes and Jim fiddled around on the computer with work stuffs. Then we heard a BANG, or a THUD and then a scream. Nick had fallen/been pushed into our wooden toy storage unit. He split the skin just below his lip pretty badly. So instead of looking fabulous for the picnic we rushed to the pediatrician, then to the ER for stitches.

(us in the ER waiting. which is what we did mostly)

(2 inside his mouth, and about 5 outside under his lip). They didn't have to tie him down. We had to hold him down, Jim had his head and I had the rest of him. And boy is he strong! They numbed him and after that he fussed a bit and fell asleep for the rest of the stitches. (so precious) Then we went to the picnic. I did not have time to shower and fix my newly cut hair, and Nick looked like this:

Sometimes even the best plans are changed. Everyone is fine here. Nick is again able to feel his lip and is thankfully leaving his stitches alone (for the most part). They will dissolve in about 2 weeks. We go to the plastic surgeon in 10 days to have them checked for infections and such.

OO Baby!

Dear 'technologically advanced' people in my life,
Please stop touching the settings on my point and click camera. I like them the way they are. Yes, sometimes my pictures are washed out or fuzzy but they do not look antique all the time which is your newest trick. For the sake of my children whoes home videos are all in antique tones. Stop. Touching. My. Settings. or at least put them back when you are done. I know how to fix it but I am a mom of two little ones, so when I want to take a picture I want to pick my my point and click camera and Point it - and - Click it and take a picture that looks like it was taken this century. I do not have time to change the white balance or exposure settings. The kids won't be cute any longer once I have fiddled with every button on the camera except the one that takes the picture! Thank you for your cooperation and all your good intentions.
Love- Me

Happy Guessing

To those of you still holding onto your brilliant ideas for the guessing game; guess them soon. The answer has not yet been guessed and the polls will close at midnight on Friday. In the event no one can correctly guess; I will realize that my daughter is not the budding artist I once thought her to be and will give the prize away to the most creative guess. So guess away; multiple entries allowed.

ps

does it help to know that the 'head' is toward the bottom of the picture? Some good guesses. But not quite it. :)