It started out with Brian being home...and able to help this morning. We'd expected he'd be sleeping after a midnight arrival from Boston, but his flight got messed up early yesterday morning...and...well, he ended up here in town all day yesterday.
Thus, able to assist the wife.
I had myself sufficiently psyched up for a day of solo action yesterday...so I kept my end of the deal and didn't bother him until after both kiddos had eaten dinner, had baths, and been tucked away. He was still working in the basement at that point...poor guy...he's been really swamped lately.
But anyway. I digress.
Today...today...so I got a reprieve from the mayhem this morning and only had to wake up at 7:30, as opposed to 6:30, with Jonathan. Had some coffee, played outside with B while J napped, and around 10am took Benjamin to his Mommy and Me class. Brian let us go without Jonathan, and as luck would have it...J only woke up just as we were getting home from class. We had lunch and played...blah...blah...did some puzzles, watched some Dan Zanes (holy crap...it's an obsession around here) and even wrestled for a bit before it was time for afternoon naps. Both boys went down and I managed to escape to the MAC during this short window of time...heaven.
Came home and got the house ready for the best part of our day: impromptu playgroup with cocktails. Some friends came over and we toasted the dreaded, hellish time of day for we stay-at-home-moms...the just after naps/just before dinner hour. One good buddy came with a cosmo mix, and another actually pushed her ever-lovin stroller down the street with a bottle of Absolut in the bottom basket. God love her. Anyway...it was as close to Sarah Jessica and gang as we could get today. Complete with goldfish crackers, strawberries, sippy cups and baby wipes.
But ahhh...what a way to cruise into the dinner hour.:)
Mommy actually danced while singing the Laptime song as she made dinner tonight...making Benjamin laugh hysterically....making mommy feel guilty that the reason he was laughing so hard was because he was basically laughing at his drunk mommy.
But anyway.
A good day, nonetheless.
Cheers.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Happy Birthday, Jonathan Christopher!!!
My dear, sweet boy...I couldn't love you more if I tried, but I know that tomorrow I'll find a way. I feel this way each day I spend with you, and have since the very moment you were born. You are one year old today, and I can't even begin to tell you how much this first year of your life has changed me, and the kind of mommy I am. But more importantly, I want you to know how wonderfully special you are...your smile, your laugh, your fearlessness and enthusiasm...and oh my goodness, Jonathan...the way you look at me.
You have, like your brother, a pureness of heart and goodness about you that is endearing and genuine, and will always be a part of who you are.
You have so much to look forward to in this life of yours, and your daddy, brother and I are just so incredibly lucky to be able to be a part of it.
I love you so much, Bubbas!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The second time around...for clothes and parachutes.
Jonathan is, much to my delight, working his way into many of Benjamin's winter/spring clothes from last year...never thought I'd be able to enjoy so many of B's old duds so much, with the two boys being born in such opposite seasons.
Anyway, it's been fun getting out the old stuff...somehow it looks so different, and yet familiar at the same time on my little J.
This morning was B's second day in Ms. Margaret's class out in Forest Hills. He's loving it, and I'm eating up every minute. I swear, this woman was sent to Earth with the sole purpose of teaching early childhood development "stuff"...she's practically useless in an adult conversation--no kidding.:)
And if you've ever been to Pooh's Corner at Breton Village, you know who she is...almost always wearing overalls (the short kind in the summer, lol) and fun socks. And she knows everything and anything you'd ever HOPE to know about children's books.
Thus, how we became acquainted in the first place.
We love ourselves some Pooh's Corner, and I've been known to pick her brain a few--oh--gazillion times.
Perhaps it's the teacher, still alive and well, in me that seems to provoke the kinds of conversations that really get Ms. Margaret going...at any rate, it's been fun getting to know her...and even more fun now being in her class. B just adores the daylights out of her. Today he was instructed to bring his favorite "friend" from home, and of course he brought Ted (teddy bear). When we walked into the room this morning, he practically bum-rushed her and asked her to shake Ted's hand.
Just another one of those great moments.
When it was time to hold the edges of the parachute and *send* the beachball up and down...Benjamin decided, on one of the *down* motions, to propel himself onto the parachute and reach for the ball. LOL.
Tell me you wouldn't have laughed...even as you tried to pull him off of the parachute.
I think one of the funniest things about this, to me, was that about a year ago I took him to a class at Gymboree (first and last time) and when the teacher (easily mistaken with an employee from the mall food court) yanked out the parachute, B wanted nothing to do with the insanity. I mean, NOTHING.
Yes, a year can make quite a difference...this I know. But after that day at Gymboree I was pretty sure he had a phobia of parachutes right on par with my own of sheep.
It's possible the 2nd time around with that one was a bit overdue.
Boys are napping, but I'm actually anxious for them to wake up so we can venture outside...it's one of those days I would put in my "top 3", weather-wise...
Until then, more laundry.
Anyway, it's been fun getting out the old stuff...somehow it looks so different, and yet familiar at the same time on my little J.
This morning was B's second day in Ms. Margaret's class out in Forest Hills. He's loving it, and I'm eating up every minute. I swear, this woman was sent to Earth with the sole purpose of teaching early childhood development "stuff"...she's practically useless in an adult conversation--no kidding.:)
And if you've ever been to Pooh's Corner at Breton Village, you know who she is...almost always wearing overalls (the short kind in the summer, lol) and fun socks. And she knows everything and anything you'd ever HOPE to know about children's books.
Thus, how we became acquainted in the first place.
We love ourselves some Pooh's Corner, and I've been known to pick her brain a few--oh--gazillion times.
Perhaps it's the teacher, still alive and well, in me that seems to provoke the kinds of conversations that really get Ms. Margaret going...at any rate, it's been fun getting to know her...and even more fun now being in her class. B just adores the daylights out of her. Today he was instructed to bring his favorite "friend" from home, and of course he brought Ted (teddy bear). When we walked into the room this morning, he practically bum-rushed her and asked her to shake Ted's hand.
Just another one of those great moments.
When it was time to hold the edges of the parachute and *send* the beachball up and down...Benjamin decided, on one of the *down* motions, to propel himself onto the parachute and reach for the ball. LOL.
Tell me you wouldn't have laughed...even as you tried to pull him off of the parachute.
I think one of the funniest things about this, to me, was that about a year ago I took him to a class at Gymboree (first and last time) and when the teacher (easily mistaken with an employee from the mall food court) yanked out the parachute, B wanted nothing to do with the insanity. I mean, NOTHING.
Yes, a year can make quite a difference...this I know. But after that day at Gymboree I was pretty sure he had a phobia of parachutes right on par with my own of sheep.
It's possible the 2nd time around with that one was a bit overdue.
Boys are napping, but I'm actually anxious for them to wake up so we can venture outside...it's one of those days I would put in my "top 3", weather-wise...
Until then, more laundry.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
"So happy you're here today, today..."
"We're so happy you're here todayyy..."
Ahh, the sing-songy, happy words of Hap Palmer, one of our faves...we just got home from Laptime, and I would say that this is surely today's anthem.
Laptime was super crowded today, but I think that made it more fun for all...didn't phase Benjamin, that's for certain. And the only reason this is notable is because when we first began going to Laptime, he wouldn't leave the confines of my lap. Today he was dancing around, singing loudly, following the movements and hand gestures, and even pumping his hands in the air every now and then with an "o-kayyy!" or a "yayyy, Treeasshh!" (for Ms. Trish).:)
I had a ball watching him, and couldn't believe there were actually times when I had to bury my face in my hands, since I knew he was making a scene. Benjamin, of all children.
Anyway, it was a fun morning...and all of our fave friends were there! The Cavanaughs, the Doublesteins, our new friend Jessica and her little guy Christian, and our favorite neighbor, Annabelle, with her mommy, Meghan. It was a real party.
And at some point during our stay in the Lily Pad room with Ms. Trish, I heard Benjamin say "I so happy to be here, Miss Tree-asshh!".
Indeed he was. And so was I...what fun it was.
So much fun, in fact, we couldn't contain all of our excitement and felt the need to have a record-breaking meltdown right by the entrance to the children's section of the library. Hol-eee-crap. I was chatting with a friend, Jonathan workin away on his bottle in his stroller, when I glance over to see Benjamin helping himself to the book scanner...up on the stool, trying to "check out books" by himself. It would've been less of a threat to peacetime in the library, had there not been a line forming behind him.
And one very not-so-patient looking librarian behind the counter.
I promptly walked over (or should I say "strolled"--you know, the super-flattering look of a mom frantically pushing her stroller at lightening speed...so sophisticated) and attempted to whisk him away from the scanner. But he reached forward and grabbed onto the monitor screen and started to pitch a major fit. I pulled him away, legs flailing (his, not mine), and brought his special brand of toddler craziness over to the stacks.
Where he grew louder and more able to resemble a fish out of water, thrashing back and forth on dry land. It was then that I decided we weren't gonna get anywhere...we just had to leave. I tossed out a harried "see ya!" to the person standing nearby...whom I hoped was my friend I'd been talking to...and carried our act out to the elevator.
On the way home, I saw Benjamin staring at me in the rearview mirror.
He knew I was pissed.
Anyone driving in the opposite direction down Lake Drive probably knew...I was probably leaning over the steering wheel with a look of rage in my eyes.
Benjamin says, "Mommee ang-reee...Benjin and Mommee check out books togetherrr." Before we'd made our grand exit from the library, I had managed to squeeze in a "Benjamin apology" to the nice lady (these ladies are popping up everywhere we go...wtf?) behind the book check-out, who gave him a very nice smile...but missed no opportunity to tell him that he could "check out books with Mommy, not by himself". Whatever, she was right...and it reinforced what I'd been telling him. Or maybe he just thought she was a nice diversion from the elevator. Who knows. At any rate, her words stuck.
Sweet.
All in all, it was a great morning.
I enjoy the retelling of the frenzied moments in our day (obvvvvioussssllly), mainly because they are so melodramatic and hysterical in retrospect.
And also because the "telling" of them reminds me of how normal they are...and it also serves as a catharsis for me.
The thing is, the *good* moments of the day run through my mind at a rapid pace...alll...day...long. It's as though they are, moment by moment, in a continual state of "replay all" in my head. Like the Baby Einstein videos...when we put them on "repeat play" while driving on long trips.
Maybe I'm just afraid that writing about all of our pie-in-the-sky moments will make them less special to me...or worse, they will come across as being exaggerated (me? never.) and silly.
For example:
Benjamin popped out of my mom's car in front of the library this morning (she'd had some one-on-one time with him and met J and me there for Laptime)...ran up to me, strawberries all over his face, and hugged my leg, saying "Mommee! I so happy to seeee you!!!"
See?
Sounds completely ridiculous and more like something out of an episode of Little House than an actual excerpt from MY day.
But I promise you, it happened.
And I wanted to melt all over the sidewalk.
Anyway, just another morning in our family...and I'm wiped out, ready to take a nap while the boys take theirs...but I think I'll eat a chocolate WW ice cream bar and play on the computer instead.
Or I'll go put Jonathan down for the second time...maybe I'll do that...yeah...think I'm gonna have to do that.
Ahh, the sing-songy, happy words of Hap Palmer, one of our faves...we just got home from Laptime, and I would say that this is surely today's anthem.
Laptime was super crowded today, but I think that made it more fun for all...didn't phase Benjamin, that's for certain. And the only reason this is notable is because when we first began going to Laptime, he wouldn't leave the confines of my lap. Today he was dancing around, singing loudly, following the movements and hand gestures, and even pumping his hands in the air every now and then with an "o-kayyy!" or a "yayyy, Treeasshh!" (for Ms. Trish).:)
I had a ball watching him, and couldn't believe there were actually times when I had to bury my face in my hands, since I knew he was making a scene. Benjamin, of all children.
Anyway, it was a fun morning...and all of our fave friends were there! The Cavanaughs, the Doublesteins, our new friend Jessica and her little guy Christian, and our favorite neighbor, Annabelle, with her mommy, Meghan. It was a real party.
And at some point during our stay in the Lily Pad room with Ms. Trish, I heard Benjamin say "I so happy to be here, Miss Tree-asshh!".
Indeed he was. And so was I...what fun it was.
So much fun, in fact, we couldn't contain all of our excitement and felt the need to have a record-breaking meltdown right by the entrance to the children's section of the library. Hol-eee-crap. I was chatting with a friend, Jonathan workin away on his bottle in his stroller, when I glance over to see Benjamin helping himself to the book scanner...up on the stool, trying to "check out books" by himself. It would've been less of a threat to peacetime in the library, had there not been a line forming behind him.
And one very not-so-patient looking librarian behind the counter.
I promptly walked over (or should I say "strolled"--you know, the super-flattering look of a mom frantically pushing her stroller at lightening speed...so sophisticated) and attempted to whisk him away from the scanner. But he reached forward and grabbed onto the monitor screen and started to pitch a major fit. I pulled him away, legs flailing (his, not mine), and brought his special brand of toddler craziness over to the stacks.
Where he grew louder and more able to resemble a fish out of water, thrashing back and forth on dry land. It was then that I decided we weren't gonna get anywhere...we just had to leave. I tossed out a harried "see ya!" to the person standing nearby...whom I hoped was my friend I'd been talking to...and carried our act out to the elevator.
On the way home, I saw Benjamin staring at me in the rearview mirror.
He knew I was pissed.
Anyone driving in the opposite direction down Lake Drive probably knew...I was probably leaning over the steering wheel with a look of rage in my eyes.
Benjamin says, "Mommee ang-reee...Benjin and Mommee check out books togetherrr." Before we'd made our grand exit from the library, I had managed to squeeze in a "Benjamin apology" to the nice lady (these ladies are popping up everywhere we go...wtf?) behind the book check-out, who gave him a very nice smile...but missed no opportunity to tell him that he could "check out books with Mommy, not by himself". Whatever, she was right...and it reinforced what I'd been telling him. Or maybe he just thought she was a nice diversion from the elevator. Who knows. At any rate, her words stuck.
Sweet.
All in all, it was a great morning.
I enjoy the retelling of the frenzied moments in our day (obvvvvioussssllly), mainly because they are so melodramatic and hysterical in retrospect.
And also because the "telling" of them reminds me of how normal they are...and it also serves as a catharsis for me.
The thing is, the *good* moments of the day run through my mind at a rapid pace...alll...day...long. It's as though they are, moment by moment, in a continual state of "replay all" in my head. Like the Baby Einstein videos...when we put them on "repeat play" while driving on long trips.
Maybe I'm just afraid that writing about all of our pie-in-the-sky moments will make them less special to me...or worse, they will come across as being exaggerated (me? never.) and silly.
For example:
Benjamin popped out of my mom's car in front of the library this morning (she'd had some one-on-one time with him and met J and me there for Laptime)...ran up to me, strawberries all over his face, and hugged my leg, saying "Mommee! I so happy to seeee you!!!"
See?
Sounds completely ridiculous and more like something out of an episode of Little House than an actual excerpt from MY day.
But I promise you, it happened.
And I wanted to melt all over the sidewalk.
Anyway, just another morning in our family...and I'm wiped out, ready to take a nap while the boys take theirs...but I think I'll eat a chocolate WW ice cream bar and play on the computer instead.
Or I'll go put Jonathan down for the second time...maybe I'll do that...yeah...think I'm gonna have to do that.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Cloudy Monday
I'm loving the weather today...mainly for the cool "fall" chill in the air. Bring it! Both boys got to wear hoodies when we were out and about this morning...loved it.
Still battling a yucky cold, and have the kind of cramps that make me long for pregnancy...but only to a point.
Today's rendition of the Lunchtime Olympics got rid of that yearning in a hurry! Remind me not to give peaches to Jonny the same day I give him green beans...when the chunks are all mixed together in the highchair it makes me wanna hurl.
I swear, that highchair.
Constantly challenging my better domestic sensibilities.
Boys are both napping--hooray!
Exciting tale from this morning...
It happened right before lunch, so I'm going to chalk it up to pre-lunch-mania.
Benjamin decided to bite Jonathan's index finger...and hard. I was standing right there when it happened, and watched B's face work itself into this Incredible Hulk color of rage and redness...when he chomped down on J's poor little finger. Jonathan let out one big yelp, and then hit that famous 30second moment of silence before letting out a huge wail...so loud Brian came running upstairs from a call he'd been on. Benjamin immediately looked scared and freaked out, but I wasn't able to muster up very much sympathy for him at that point. I took advantage of Brian being in the room...handed J off to him and whisked Benjamin to "the step", where he immediately started bawling. I squatted down and said, in a super-fricking-I'mtotallyfuckingserious-voice, "we don't bite in this house...Benjamin?!?...we don't bite!"
It was all I could do not to say this in a scream...or even spank him. I was so pissed. Jonathan was still screaming and hysterical, and his finger had two ginormous pink dents in it.:(
I walked away and left B on the step and regained composure...went back to the step, knelt down again...and he looked at me with eyes big as quarters. I asked him if he knew why he was on the step, assuming he'd stare at my blankly...but he said, with total guilt in his voice, "I bite Jonny. Benjin bite Jonny. Saw-wee. Saw-wee, Mommy."
I wanted to die...it was so genuine and sweet.
But instead I just said, in an even tone, "That's right, Bud. You bit Jonny, and that's why he's sad. You need to say sorry to him. We do not bite."
I'm still, as I type, thinking that I probably loaded him down with too many things to think about...but he got the main idea, I think. I walked him into the tv rooom, where Brian had since bailed on Jonathan and left him playing with his Leappad. Benjamin crouched down and said "Saw-wee, Jonny." I smiled approvingly at him, which clearly put a little pep in his step, because he decided to follow his apology up with: "Jonny big five?!?!" (this is what he says when he wants to do a "high five" with someone) and put his hand out, as if to high-five Jonanthan...and instead, got J sqauare on the forehead and knocked him over.
Poor Jonathan. He went through a lot this morning!
Lunch was, relatively speaking, far less exciting.
But that's a good thing.
I'm off to clean my kitchen and do some more laundry...good times.
Still battling a yucky cold, and have the kind of cramps that make me long for pregnancy...but only to a point.
Today's rendition of the Lunchtime Olympics got rid of that yearning in a hurry! Remind me not to give peaches to Jonny the same day I give him green beans...when the chunks are all mixed together in the highchair it makes me wanna hurl.
I swear, that highchair.
Constantly challenging my better domestic sensibilities.
Boys are both napping--hooray!
Exciting tale from this morning...
It happened right before lunch, so I'm going to chalk it up to pre-lunch-mania.
Benjamin decided to bite Jonathan's index finger...and hard. I was standing right there when it happened, and watched B's face work itself into this Incredible Hulk color of rage and redness...when he chomped down on J's poor little finger. Jonathan let out one big yelp, and then hit that famous 30second moment of silence before letting out a huge wail...so loud Brian came running upstairs from a call he'd been on. Benjamin immediately looked scared and freaked out, but I wasn't able to muster up very much sympathy for him at that point. I took advantage of Brian being in the room...handed J off to him and whisked Benjamin to "the step", where he immediately started bawling. I squatted down and said, in a super-fricking-I'mtotallyfuckingserious-voice, "we don't bite in this house...Benjamin?!?...we don't bite!"
It was all I could do not to say this in a scream...or even spank him. I was so pissed. Jonathan was still screaming and hysterical, and his finger had two ginormous pink dents in it.:(
I walked away and left B on the step and regained composure...went back to the step, knelt down again...and he looked at me with eyes big as quarters. I asked him if he knew why he was on the step, assuming he'd stare at my blankly...but he said, with total guilt in his voice, "I bite Jonny. Benjin bite Jonny. Saw-wee. Saw-wee, Mommy."
I wanted to die...it was so genuine and sweet.
But instead I just said, in an even tone, "That's right, Bud. You bit Jonny, and that's why he's sad. You need to say sorry to him. We do not bite."
I'm still, as I type, thinking that I probably loaded him down with too many things to think about...but he got the main idea, I think. I walked him into the tv rooom, where Brian had since bailed on Jonathan and left him playing with his Leappad. Benjamin crouched down and said "Saw-wee, Jonny." I smiled approvingly at him, which clearly put a little pep in his step, because he decided to follow his apology up with: "Jonny big five?!?!" (this is what he says when he wants to do a "high five" with someone) and put his hand out, as if to high-five Jonanthan...and instead, got J sqauare on the forehead and knocked him over.
Poor Jonathan. He went through a lot this morning!
Lunch was, relatively speaking, far less exciting.
But that's a good thing.
I'm off to clean my kitchen and do some more laundry...good times.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
"It's my party..."
"...and I'll eat/drink whatever I want to!!!"
Brian took me out for Mexican food last night...margaritas and lots of fattening, yummy food! And my dad just stopped by the house with a pumpkin spice latte from Bucks...my absolute FAVE!!! Totally non-nonfat and loaded with whipcream, to boot. Love it.:)
I'll write more later...
Boys are great...Benjamin's fave babysitter, Allie, babysat last night and they had a ball...she is truly the best. Brian and I had a long chat with her when we got home...just adore and really treasure the relationship she has with B.
Jonny C's bday is coming up!!!
Off to make lunch for the boys. Benjamin just brought a bug that he killed/found for me to inspect...love my boys....love my boys.
M
Brian took me out for Mexican food last night...margaritas and lots of fattening, yummy food! And my dad just stopped by the house with a pumpkin spice latte from Bucks...my absolute FAVE!!! Totally non-nonfat and loaded with whipcream, to boot. Love it.:)
I'll write more later...
Boys are great...Benjamin's fave babysitter, Allie, babysat last night and they had a ball...she is truly the best. Brian and I had a long chat with her when we got home...just adore and really treasure the relationship she has with B.
Jonny C's bday is coming up!!!
Off to make lunch for the boys. Benjamin just brought a bug that he killed/found for me to inspect...love my boys....love my boys.
M
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