A visit to Aunt Dawnie and Uncle Craig

We returned yesterday from a quick visit to Aunt Dawnie's and Uncle Craig's house.  We visited with Nana and Aunt Debbie (and Aunt Dawnie and Uncle Craig, too, of course).

I had reservations about my first solo (overnight) trip with the kiddos.  This is what the packing looked like:

This picture does not include 1 large package of wipes, 3 milk bottles, 3 sippy bottles, 2 snack cups, 1 penguin, 1 pink bunny, and the 5+ assorted cars that were brought along.

We had to stop about an hour into the journey because Miss Mia Drama Queen had to go and throw up not once, but three times, on herself.  The first time she did it, I wasn't sure and had to ask Bode, who gave me a vague answer.  So while I was searching for an exit ramp, Gianna took this long delay as complete disregard for her plight. She thought I was ignoring her cries.  And so the poor baby got even more upset, and threw up again. I guess she got car sick, and then "emotionally" sick.  It was icky and gross.  I was ill-prepared to clean up all that sickness.  My poor girl was so distraught (who likes throwing up?).  When I had changed her, and cleaned everything up the best I could, I announced that we would be on our way again. Bode looked over at Gianna and said, "Don't spray your milk like that again, okay, Gianna?"  

P-U did our car smell nice on the ride over to Aunt Dawnie's!  But we (finally) got there and seeing everyone made the "milk-spraying" trip worth it.  Smiles and hugs were exchanged. 

During our visit, the toy box was inspected, new toys were opened, more gifts were given, stories were read, tummies were tickled, and everyone giggled.

Nana enjoying her youngest grandson.

Gianna was more interested in playing with Aunt Dawnie's tchotchkes than the toys.

Uncle Craig came home from work and started his second shift as Chief Entertainer and Story Reader. He was also the Grill Master. He grilled delicious burgers and portobello mushrooms (for moi, merci!).   

While he was there, Bode worked on Aunt Dawnie's window treatments. Maybe this little guy has a future as an interior decorator (or not).

Just like Christmas, Gianna and Uncle Craig had their own special game going.  Uncle Craig would make a noise, Gianna would giggle and imitate him.  This went on for quite some time!  Gianna enjoyed  silly Uncle Craig.

I was worried how the babies would do overnight, sleeping in a new place.  They both did beautifully. Then again, they were probably so whipped by all the excitement and fun!

The next day we had a quiet breakfast and enjoyed a few more stories with Aunt Dawnie.  Then we hit the road, Jack.

Thankfully Gianna did not get car sick on the way back. We had books and music, but I turned out to be the entertainer/driver.  Bode had me tell him about a hundred different "Cars" stories while we drove.  I was having a hard time coming up with different scenarios for Lightening McQueen and Mater. Even so, I thought, "This is a memory."  We'd sing some songs. Then Bode would say, "Now I want you to tell me another story."  

We'll be back for more visits. The goal is that Bode and Gianna get to know their family, and that visiting is not a big deal but second nature.  I want them to know their Nana, their Aunts and Uncle.  I did not have that opportunity when I was younger because our family was spread out across the country.  So we are going to capitalize on our proximity to our "New York" family! 

Our weather has been beautiful.  We played outside yesterday for a long time.  The babies were definitely tired from the visit.  As usual, they were soooo good. I'm so blessed.

Have a happy Thursday!

xo

PS GO ORANGE!!!

Go Orange!

After school today

A real-life example of why you should stick with one child, and not have another*

A rare moment together

Yesterday was so beautiful, with sun and temps in the 60s.  After naps, we visited a local park.  This is our first park visit in our new town.  The park was large, with a softball field, tennis courts, and three different playground structures.  It was also a very busy place, because everyone was out enjoying the weather.  I only mention this because I had the hardest time keeping track of Bode.  He would run off!  I was completely stressed, but tried to maintain a "zen-like" mother appearance.  At one point, Bode ran onto a tennis court while people were trying to play.  Another time, Bode hopped onto a see-saw that two adults were riding with their infant daughter.  They stopped immediately and seemed at a loss about what to do with this kid who just climbed onto their see-saw. I walked over and tried to coax Bode off the see-saw. I tried explaining to Bode why it wasn't a great idea to be riding the see-saw like that (straddling the middle, no handles). He only said, "No! Go, go, go!" When reasoning failed, I told the parents that they could continue to ride the see-saw. They did, slowly and tentatively, while I made small talk with them, keeping my hand on Bode while I chatted. I think that they were terrified. They were young and had that naiveté that comes with the first baby, the first baby that does nothing but sit there like a blob, burps, and coos.   Their warm-fuzzy "baby's first visit to the park"daydream was brought into sharp, Technicolor focus when Bode Wm. crashed their party. 

Where was Gianna, you ask?  She was in a swing, several feet away.  Another (kind) mom was giving Gianna an occasional push while Gianna called for me over and over, "Mommy! Mommy!"  

I was divided.  I was trying to push Gianna in the swing (she did not want to leave the swing, ever!).  I was also trying to track Bode at all times, and intercept him from interrupting other people's games.  I know that this is not the first time, or the last time, I will feel so divided and stressed over my two babies.

The children really enjoyed the park.  I'm not sure that I did.  On the drive home, I tried to explain to Bode that "we" needed to stick together at the park, and play together.  I said, "I need to be able to see you at all times. You can't run off without me and Gianna."  I don't think anything I said made any sense to him!   

Typical boy, picking up sticks and pinecones along the way.

"I'm making moosic!"

"Rook at all dese pinecones!"

I am hoping that it was just the fun and novelty of being at an actual park that had him so crazy!  Remember, we used to go to the park once, sometimes twice, a day in CA.  Here, we have only been once before winter really set in. Maybe now that the weather is warming up, and  once we get to a park regularly again, he will slow down so we can enjoy it together.

Happy Tuesday.

xo

*This post title is simply a joke, and nothing more.  I love both my children more than anything in the world.  No need for concerned emails to be sent my way, thank you.

Bonk

The morning started out great.  I had made a delicious cheeeeese (oh so much cheese!) omelet for breakfast. Bode came downstairs, took one look at the eggs on his plate and announced that he wanted French toast.  I was in such a great mood that I thought, "Hmm. Why not?"  And got up from the table and made him French toast. It was delicious. My stomach is so happy that I let my 3 year old rule my culinary endeavors at 7 AM.

Then, after breakfast, because Gianna had decided to get up at the ass-crack of dawn, we had plenty of time to have a party on the bed before dropping Bode at preschool.  I know that I've mentioned before how much I love hanging out in our bed with the babies.  We had a ticklefest, story time, and some zerberts,  all before 8:30 AM.

These are all blurry, because I was giggling like a loon while trying to snap pics.

Gianna is big on two things right now:  exposing her belly for a zerbert (raspberry) and not allowing me to put pants back on her after a diaper change.  As soon as the diaper is fastenend, she rolls over and runs off before I can even grab a leg.  If I suggest putting on her pants, she says, "No!" like, "that is the dumbest idea ever, Mom."   

Runnin', runnin'...

I thought I'd get more downtime while Bode was at school, but that is not the case.  It seems that Gianna wants to capitalize on all her "alone time with Mommy" and holds me hostage in the playroom.  She single-handedly destroys the playroom while Bode is at school. Books, puzzles and games all come off the shelves and are opened and dismantled.  If I check my iPhone or get up to use the bathroom, she warns, "Mommy!" and presents me with a puzzle or something else that I need to play with right away.  It is like that movie Misery, where the obsessed fan Annie wants the famous writer all to herself. 

Here is a puzzle for you, Mommy!

Today I dropped Bode off in his ski pants and a fleece jacket. It wasn't until I was almost home that I realized that he didn't have his down jacket on in 30 degree weather.  I did a crazy U-turn in the street and barrelled on back to his school, because "MAH BAYBEE! MAH BAYBEE is a-freeeezin!"  I felt horrible. I got to the school and ran over to the playground. There was Bode, having the time of his life running around on the playground (with the other snow-suited, mittened, snow-booted children).   The teacher laughed when I dangled his down jacket in front of her.  She said, "It looks like he's doing fine, but I'll definitely get it on him."

When I picked Bode up from school, he ran out the door and immediately onto the playground. Gianna was running in another direction and I had to grab her. I looked up to see Bode running directly toward the swingset. If you are a mother, you know where this is going. In slo-mo. I have seen this happen enough times on the playground but it has never actually happened to Bode. Until now. I screamed, "BODE, NO!"  as he ran right in front of a big kid swinging.  The big kid missed kicking Bode on the upswing, but then BONKED Bode on the head (with his snowbooted feet) on the downswing.  Bode was knocked to the ground and immediately started crying.  I felt so horrible for him.  He laid there and cried for a long time. I tried to soothe him, while checking for any traumatic injuries. Luckily, there were none.  This of course caused a lot of attention with the teachers on the playground. Attention that Bode did not want. I shooed the teachers away and just held Bode (while also keeping a squirming Gianna in my lobster claw grip). I have to figure out a solution to school pick up.  Maybe Gianna will have to go into a stroller. But I don't know what to do about my playground loving boy.  I am sure that he has already forgotten about the big hit he took this afternoon.  But I haven't.

He was so sad after the big swing hit!

Saying goodbye to his teacher, who ran after us, (all the way to our car!) to make sure he was okay.

What are your weekend plans?  I am trying to catch up on laundry today so I don't have to worry about it this weekend.  I was really hoping to do more today, but it seems that I have run out of steam. I hope that we eat breakfast out sometime. I need pancakes.

Happy Friday.

xo

Bode: 39 Months

Dear Bode,

Happy New Year to my big boy!  You had a blast this Christmas, singing carols ("Frosty the Snowman" being your fav) and looking at Christmas lights ("Rook at those Crismas rights!" you'd say).  The best part of this Christmas? --how completely sweet and thankful you are: on Christmas morning, when you saw the tree and what Santa had brought for Christmas, you shouted, "Thank you, thank you, Santa!"  and every time you opened a present, you'd thank the person personally (even though the person was not in the room with us).  You are so completely sweet and thankful for everything that comes your way ("Oh, pajamas! Thank you, thank you, Grandma.").  Your daddy and I turned to each other during Christmas and asked each other, "How do we keep him this way?"  Your joyful, thankful little self made Christmas so much sweeter.  Not to mention that your expectations are so low.  You asked Santa for books, cars and diapers for Gianna.  That is all you wanted.  I know that some day soon, the list will be a mile long and include many electronics (and probably not a single book).

My favorite memory of Christmas happened at Aunt Dawnie's house.  You and Aunt Dawnie started to sing "Frosty" but then you both decided that everyone should sing.  So Aunt Dawnie led you into the living room where everyone sat, and announced that Bode would like everyone to sing "Frosty the Snowman."  I've never seen a group of adults come together so quickly.  I smiled, laughed, and teared up a little watching our family gather around and sing "Frosty."  You had a big smile on your face, and were so happy to 'lead' everyone in singing your favorite carol.

You say a lot of funny things these days.  I have to remember to write them down.  At night, after you've gone to bed, your daddy and I love to compare notes on what you've said and done during the day.  One day your daddy was tickling you, and you asked him to stop tickling you. He would stop, but then start tickling you again.  Finally, you sternly told your father, "I've told you several times..." which is of course, what I often say to you when you aren't doing something I've asked you to do (like clean up your toys).  Another time, we were in the kitchen cooking and Daddy announced that I was going to run a half marathon.  We thought you'd be excited for me. Instead, you frowned.  You shook your head "no" slightly and said, "No, Mommy, no.  No, you can't do that."  Well! My immediate reaction was, "How can this little guy tell me what I can do? And how dare he limit my ability to run a half marathon?!!"  But then after some prompting, we discovered that the reason you didn't want me to run a half marathon was because you thought I was going away.  After we explained that you'd be there with me (well, kind of), you felt much better about it and said, "Well. That would be good."
You are a rock star at puzzles.  You love doing puzzles and "search 'n find" picture puzzles. You're also a (good) backseat driver, often warning me, "There's a stop sign, Mommy. You have to stop!"  when I am driving.
You went to ski camp this holiday.  You never tired of going out and skiing. In the morning, we would ask you if you wanted to go skiing and you'd always respond, "Yes."  In fact, the ski instructors all said that you had the BEST attitude.  Even the guy in the rental shop would smile when you walked in and call you "Mr. Willard" because it was like you owned that ski area, with your smile and enthusiasm to get out there and "make pizza." Your great attitude is no surprise to me and Daddy. Thanks for being so much fun this Christmas holiday.  I look forward to the new year we have ahead of us.

Love,

Mommy

xo