I never...

Let's play, "I never..." shall we?  I'm not really familiar with the game as I've never actually played it. So my version is, you finish the sentence, "I never..."  Simple enough, right?  Okay, here goes:

I never...

I never thought that I'd be in an obstetrician's office in New York, with my two (2, as in "dos" as in, "deux" as in "more than one") children in tow (babysitter cancelled, luckily this was just a "listen to the heart beat and ask if all is fine and dandy" type appointment). 

I never...

I never thought I'd be "one of those" who gave her iPhone (or iPhone camera, apparently) to her 3 year old to entertain himself while I had to talk to a doctor.  When I finally retrieved my iPhone from his sweaty, grubby little hands, I found that he had put about 300 photos on my phone!  They were mainly photos of (a) his knees, or (b) the floor. Above are two gems.  Can we all agree that the belly shot is a great "perspective" shot? And look at how he  captured Gianna's utter disgust over my pregnant status?!  Maybe he has a future as a photographer!  If you'd like to book him for your next event, Bode is available most days and weekends (excluding Thursday and Friday mornings, of course. Preschool, you know.).

I never...

I never thought I'd be so lucky ("rucky" as he'd say) to have such a fun little guy (and girl) in my life.
Happy Wednesday!
xo

The long weekend in photos, part trois

What is Memorial Day weekend without a Memorial Day parade?  This is the question I was asking myself before the long weekend began.  I had read in the paper that the Memorial Day parade in Saratoga Springs had been cancelled, due to "lack of spirit" and funds.  I was really disappointed to hear this; how is cancelling a parade going to help keep the "spirit" of a national holiday alive and well?

Apparently, I was not alone in my thinking.  On Saturday evening, I was Googling, "Memorial Day parade" for options close to us. That is when I found out that the Saratoga Springs parade was back on!  A young (33 years old), local guy turned to social media and decided to reach out to his community to help keep the parade afloat. (pun intended!) With generous donations, many volunteers and participants, he was able to secure the money needed for the permit and organize the parade, just in time!

Hooray!!!

We watched, clapped, and waved our mini flags as veterans, soldiers, "war dogs," horses, police men on horseback, and (the long awaited, much anticipated by Mr. Bode Wm) firemen and their fire trucks strolled, walked, trotted and rolled down our town's main street.

There was one Navy guy who stepped out of formation, ran over to his mother (who happened to be in front of us) and gave her a bouquet of flowers, a hug and a kiss. Swoon!

I was very happy and emotional.  I am also thankful to this local guy who saved the town parade. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and I love marking the holiday amongst like-minded citizens, who honor and thank those who have served for us.

Afterward, we took the babies down to Congress Park to see the ducks (as did everyone else with a child in tow, apparently).

RWF catching Gianna just before she shimmied down into the creek!

I hope that you had a lovely Memorial Day and a fun, long weekend. I also hope that you took a moment to think about all the people who have touched your life, made you better, and kept you safer.
xo

The long weekend in photos, part deux

Saturday was spent close to home.  We worked on our (container) garden.  The herbs are doing nicely and we have one tomato "flower" that will hopefully bear fruit.  We also took a quick walk in the woods behind our house. I am so afraid of ticks. They are really bad here. I've heard so many stories about Lyme disease just in the past month. We are being vigilant about checking everyone out before we go into the house. But you know how it goes - those little buggers will get ya.

Saturday morning we went to the farmer's market. They had strawberries!  We bought just one pint.  I wavered on the price...and then when I decided to go back for more, they were all gone!  Lesson learned.

It was really, really hot this weekend.  We let the babies play in the water, with the hose, etc.  And then I found them actually playing with Priscilla's water bowl!  Uh...not so great, kids. Maybe we are going to have to buy one of those awful plastic wading pools!

On Sunday, we went to Saratoga Spa State Park.  It is such a pretty setting. The children love the creek!  Bode loves throwing rocks into the water.  RWF is trying to teach him how to skim the water with rocks, but that will be awhile.  Gianna loves getting into the water...which is a problem.  We have to watch her like crazy.  It totally eeks me out that they stand in the water (even in their Crocs).  But as we were leaving, we actually saw people swimming and floating in the creek. Now that really make me go, "Eeek!"  We got there early, before the masses came to celebrate. It was nice to have the park to ourselves.

Her outfit screams, "Old Lady Tourist" doesn't it?

After naps, we went outside for more fresh (hot) air and sunshine.  Gianna was teething and crying. So I gave her (and Bode) a popsicle.  I took off her white shirt.  But neglected to take off her skirt. Ooops.

When Gianna finished her popsicle, I stripped her and sprayed her down with the cool hose. We both enjoyed that!

For the record, Bode is too neat and squeamish about "drips" to get messy with a popsicle. He usually holds his popsicle away from his body and starts telling me, "I'm done! I'm done!" once it starts dripping onto his hand/wrist.  The boy does not like a mess. (or, a popsicle mess, anyway)

xo

The long weekend in photos, part one

On Friday, I was seriously jonesing for Starbucks. In order to treat myself, I also had to treat my little chickadee, too, right?  So after we went to Starbucks, we walked over to Congress Park to see the ducks.

Look, babies!!!  I was so excited when I saw these tiny ducklings.  There were several.

I kept telling Gianna, "Feed the mommies! Feed the mommies! The brown ones, Gianna. Not the ducks with the green heads!" I wanted to make sure that the mommy ducks were eating well.

Of course, Gianna needs to work on her food-tossing skillz a bit, before I can coach her on who to feed.

As we were walking away from the duck pond, I saw a sign that said, "PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS!"  Ooops.  Oh well.

And then, Little Miss Mia had to go and show me how to really thumb your nose at signs:

"ha, ha...I laugh at rules!"

"Closed, you say? Looks like I'm on my way in."

It was a nice outing with Gianna. She is a hoot. She is always defying me. So it was nice to see her actually laugh at a sign that said "Closed" and disregard it completely.
(Yes, I realize that she can't read.)
xo

Tutus and dandelion wisps

Yesterday was another ballerina day for Mr. Bode Wm.  And Miss Mia decided that sunglasses would be her accessory du jour.

She put the sunglasses on again after her bath, and wore them while I read bedtime stories.  And even when her father came home early to kiss her goodnight, she would not take them off.

Eyeing Dada's watch?

Here is another shot of Bode wearing his tutu.  After we put Bode to bed (sans tutu), Bob whispered, "It's time to lose the skirt."   It is funny how we sometimes struggle with feelings about gender-specific items, even when we know that they are transitional and harmless.  

Hello lovely peony in our yard!

Goodbye to all the dandelion wisps that pollute our air!  I am having major allergies. I look outside and see a bunch of white fluff floating through the air.  I have not had allergies this bad since high school. I forgot how awful allergies can make one feel.

Dandelion fluff

Bode, Gianna and I went downtown and walked 4 blocks to the Farmer's Market. The sun was out and it felt really hot.  After all the rain and cloud cover, I think we all felt exposed and vulnerable under the sun's glare.  Gianna kept shielding her face and saying, "Hot, Mommy, hot!"  I felt so bad. I found a sunhat in my bag for her to wear but I know it wasn't very helpful.  We enjoyed going to our Farmer's Market though.  I took some pics but when I came home, realized that I had shot them all in "video mode."  Bah!  That is my one complaint about the new iPhone.  It is too easy to switch between camera and video (without realizing it).

Last night, we enjoyed our first "summer" meal of grilled steak, corn on the cob, steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes.  Bode loves corn on the cob.  I struggle with buying the non-organic variety because of GMOs. But it looks so pretty and yellow! And my boy loves it! So I buy it and then feel guilty as he happily chomps into what I can only hope is an actual vegetable. Hopefully we'll have more organic veggies to choose from soon.

It hit me last night that this is Memorial Day weekend!  Do you have any plans?  I want to make our Summer List, take Bode and Gianna to the carousel, and spend a lot of time outside.  I think there is rain in the forecast all weekend though, which may put a damper on some plans.

xo

Tiny dancer in my hand

Bode just might hate this when he's older, but it is too cute (to me) not to post.

Last night, while I was putting Gianna to bed, Bode discovered one of her tulle skirts in a chair.  He said, "This  is pretty!" He took it to his bedroom.

While I was reading him a bedtime story, I noticed that he was squirming around on his bed.  He was putting the tutu on!  I ignored him and continued reading.

He went to sleep with the tutu on.  I went into his room around 9:45 PM and pulled the skirt off over his hips.  I thought it might be too itchy or hot to wear sleeping.

This morning, when I went up to his room, he was wearing the tutu again.

"I'm a ballerina!" he announced.  He asked me to put on some "moosic" and  then held his very own impromptu dance recital in the living room.

When Bode was born (via C-section, because he was breech), one of the pediatricians observing in the room told RWF, "This is what the Russian ballet looks for..." nodding at Bode's open  hips and flailing, noodle legs. It is a part of Bode's birth story, a part that I will never forget. 


(It is on my list  to write down Bode's and Gianna's birth stories.)

Maybe a dance class is in Bode's future. Maybe not.  I'll let him decide. 

I am dying to see First Position.  I've watched this trailer a hundred times.

Happy Tuesday.
xo

It's Friday, I'm in love

Today is positively swoon-worthy, love-filled and happy. 

Here is one reason: I got a sneak peek at the wee babe. I absolutely swooned when the ultrasound tech switched from the grainy black & white screen to the fuzzy, sweet, real-baby 3D screen. I am head-over-heels in love.

[And here is where I'd upload a photo of the wee one. But I'm not ready to share his image yet.]

Also, I received another(!) box of truffles from my sweet sister.  Yum!  The FedEx guy must laugh as he drives away, after handing off another(!) box of chocolates to my greedy, grabby pregnant self.  A big Thank You and hug to my sister!

At my OB appointment last week, I found out that I had gained 7 pounds (!!!) since my last appointment (a month ago in April).  I remember telling the nurse, "Well, I can't imagine how. It's not like I've been eating anything."

And last, I know (I know, I know...) I said that the baby doesn't need anything. But.  I have been shopping like crazy.  I am so in love with this indigo onesie that I bought one in every size. I can't wait to see my blue-eyed (?) baby boy in it.  Plus, a few more things. Okay. A lot more things.  I think I bought every color and print in the entire "baby boy" collection. I love tea! They are a San Francisco company.  

I also bought a few summer pieces from tea for a Miss Mia Gianna.  So she'll be rockin' some new summer frocks any day now.  If  only I could just find some cute shoes for her  w i d e  feet.  Both my children have wide feet. You don't know what a bummer it is when you are trying to find cute shoes for your little girl (or boy). For this summer, I bought Crocs (again) for Bode. I didn't get Gianna a pair. This was a mistake. Ever since I pulled the Crocs out for Bode, Gianna has made it clear that she wants to wear Crocs. She tries so hard to wear Bode's Crocs every chance she gets.  So I learned that I can't just buy one child a pair and not the other. For some reason, I made the boy-girl distinction with the Crocs. I really think that Crocs are so ugly. But I know that Bode likes them and they are a great shoe for summer water, mud and dirt.  Plus, they are easy for him to slip on-off. I purposely did not buy a pair for Gianna because I think they are ugly. But Gianna wanted a pair of Crocs just like Bode. So I finally relented and ordered a pair for her. Yesterday, we received her Crocs in the mail.  She was so happy! She wanted them on immediately and then stomped around the yard all afternoon in them.  Now she has Crocs and doesn't have to feel left out.  When I was online ordering them, Gianna was sitting on my lap. I asked her if she wanted green like Bode's, or pink. I showed her the pics of each. She said "pink."  Still a girly choice, even if they are an ugly shoe!

"Rook, Gianna, I can't berieve we have the same Crocs."

Tonight, RWF came home before the babies went to bed. So they were both super happy to see Daddy.

 

Tomorrow is the Farmer's Market. I am so excited to buy fresh eggs, greens and other little treats (gourmet pickles).

Happy weekend, everyone!
xo