Chasing the Train

Normally during this time of year, I don't go to the malls as a rule. They are crowded and hot and people are never in the holiday spirit. I did, however, make an exception this year since it's been freezing cold and I do need to get in some exercise. So, as we shopped for Christmas presents in a half-hearted way at the Towne Center Mall, I stopped at Victoria's Secret to get some new pajamas. Hunter decided to be a big helper and carried my bag out of the store. I think he was more relieved to go than anything and was willing to haul the bag nearly his size just to get out of the there.

As we left the store and rounded the corner, hearing quiet comments about how I'm training him up early to carry bags, the train went by. Now, they don't have a little train that rides on a track and goes in circles, it's a real conductor driven train that goes all over the mall. Hunter took one look at this thing and took off after it, running as fast as he could carrying my shopping bag with me toddling behind him with all of the rest of our stuff. After about 20 yards of hard running, he stopped and looked at me, put the bag down and took off at full speed again. I managed to scoop it up and increased my stride to keep up with me.

He ran more than half the length of the mall chasing this train and insisted we take a ride once we got there. I totally caved and climbed into the first empty car with him. After speed walking across the mall, carrying heavy bags and coats, I deserved a chance to sit down and relax for a few minutes. Hunter was so pleased to wave out at everyone as we rode around and promptly threw a tantrum when I wouldn't shell another $6 for a ride. Good behavior can't last forever but the picture of the giant smile he gave me while we took our ride will. Too bad I can't get the pics from my phone onto the computer.

Practice Makes Perfect

I'm so thankful that I can take my son to work with me. It exposes him to all kinds of children and adults and puts him in all kinds of different situations. Recently we watched 2 little girls, they were sweet and bright and adorable. One was pretty close to his age and the other was a newly walking baby. Since I have to use the bathroom a thousand times a day now, I put the baby into a pack-n-play for my trips. It was sad to hear this little girl cry every time I put her in the pen so I asked Hunter to sing her a song. I returned to him singing her the ABC's and telling her it's ok. Awwwwww! He's going to be a great big brother and I'm really looking forward to seeing him in action. I'm just as excited about the idea of not being pregnant anymore but hearing his sweet voice attempt to be soothing to a little girl makes my heart warm and my eyes tear up.

Yay Florida!

I'm so lucky that we got to come down to celebrate mine and Hunters birthdays. A little get away is just what we needed to recharge our batteries. We drove over night to get there and arrived around 11am. Danny and I took naps while Hunter got reacquainted with the chickens and bunnies and the garden. After a very relaxing day of not doing anything important, the yummy birthday dinner came and was followed by some even yummier cupcakes. In true mother-to-be fashion, I laid down after dinner and promptly canceled all the plans we made to go out while I got a foot massage and fell asleep at 9pm.

The next day we hit Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. We went to the studios first since we'd never been before. We didn't see much besides the kids section where Hunter got to go on the roller coaster and played in the Curious George playground. We spent an hour in the ball factor so Hunter could splash around and collect foam balls that would shoot out at people or drop from the ceiling. Danny and I can only take so much before we dragged him out and calmed him down by spoiling him with more food.

Once we got to Islands of Adventure, Danny went to enjoy a few roller coasters I couldn't go on and I took Hunter to Suess Landing. We enjoyed the rides and had some more snacks and I ate an entire bag of cotton candy when Danny came back from riding the Hulk. If I can't ride the good rides, I'm gonna stuff my face. Hunter and his daddy finished up the day by going on the kiddie rides I'm not allowed to go on while I rested my poor swollen feet. Overall, we had a really good time and we love taking Hunter to theme parks even though we come back exhausted.

The next two days were pretty laid back and relaxed. The day we left, we celebrated Hunter's 3rd birthday with lots of cake and presents. Since I was too tired to organize an actual birthday party for him with friends and something more extravagant, I'm really glad we got to have family get together and sing to him. I can't believe my baby is 3 and no longer a baby and that we're going to have another one in just a few months. I'm really looking forward to coming back for Christmas!

A Mothers Guilt and Redemption

I don't feel guilty often but when I do, it's for good reason and he can get his way in just about anything. Since I wasn't able to get him his MMR back in September I had to reschedule for October to make sure he was healthy and prepared. The doctors visit didn't go too well since he remembered the last visit when they pricked his finger and he didn't want anyone to touch him. His major cute moment was when we first got into our exam room and I put him up on the table to let him know it was his appointment. He promptly laid down and exposed his belly, something he sees me do at all of my recent visits to the OBGYN. But once the doctor came in he quickly hid behind the chair and didn't want to be touched. After barely allowing the MD to look in his ears and listen to his lungs we were cleared to get the shot.
The nurse came in and helped me struggle to expose his leg. I held him down and braced myself. 2 seconds later the most horrible scream I've ever heard came out of his mouth as he received his last inoculation. The nurse was quick and after a few minutes of both of us crying we left the office, Hunter carrying a lollipop and in each hand and me promising him ice cream and a long trip to the park.
Well, when I got in the car and began our trip home I went the wrong way down Roswell Rd and passed by a trap....more commonly known as Chuck E Cheeses. I was able to brush off the requests with more promises of the park but I had to make a U turn and in passing it again I caved and we made our way into the parking lot. The happy "YAY" I heard from the backseat was enough to lighten my heart so I figured a few hours spending too much money on bad pizza and games was worth it if it made my son rejoice like that.
2 hours, 3/4 of a pizza, a bag of free cotton candy, 40 tokens and 258 tickets later (grrr, Hunter kept climbing on the skee ball machine and erasing my score!) we walked out with a few packs of pop rocks and more lollipops. Hunters first experience with pop rocks was hilarious! He understands that candy tastes good but wasn't ready for the different sensation. After one try though he was hooked and helped me demolish the rest of our hard earned prizes. I'm so glad I got to spoil him and I'm even more thankful he won't have to get another shot for at least 2 years.

My Mom Visits!

It was so wonderful having my mom come to town. For one, I love having someone there to take care of me and no one pampers you like the woman that gave you life. For two, she pampers my kid (even as resentful as he was to give up his room so she had a bed to sleep in) and no one spoils a child like a grandparent.
I greatly appreciate that even though she was coming to "vacation" with us she worked her butt off to help me out. Bragging about my mommy time! I know she loves it but in the 4 days she came to visit she painted my living room and Hunters bedroom all by herself. They look gorgeous and I love that I come home to a place where I actually got to pick the colors I'm looking at. She cooked or provided every meal we ate while she was here (I guess I don't keep enough food in the house to her liking, hehehe, I actually am just awful about grocery shopping). Together we cleared some major bushes and ugly over grown areas of my new yard. And I won't forget to mention the hours and hours of shopping. She is a powerhouse in the grocery and Ikea departments and I debated over throw pillows for an hour.
Just having her company in the evening hours was a blessing. I get very lonely since Danny works nights and the companionship of a little boy is only so fulfilling. I love that we can chat for hours about the upgrades she wants to make in her home and how we could reorganize everything.
The never ending rain actually stopped briefly while she was here but she experienced the days of rain with us, shocked at how different it is in FL where it rains every day but it's barely noticed.
Now that she's gone, Hunter keeps asking where his Grandma Lisa is even though he gave her the cold shoulder because of the bedroom wars. She doesn't take any of his crap and doesn't get offended that he was being a little stinker towards her at times. She even laughed when he climbed into his bed one night as he was attempting to bully his way back in and promptly threw up in the middle of the bed and floor. My poor baby. We took him to finally get his MMR and we discovered that he had an ear infection.
I'm so glad she came to visit us and I can't wait until she comes back again (we're going to paint the dining room next!) which will probably be around the time I have my baby shower. I can't wait to go back down to Orlando. I know Hunter will look forward to seeing her again and playing in her garden and with her chickens and bunnies.

I heart you Mom!

First Doctors Appointment for Baby #2

Everything went really well. It was a lot of fun to go back and see the doctor that delivered Hunter. He is still as energetic and complimentary and I remember and I thoroughly enjoy visiting with him. The babies heartbeat is strong and fast and easy to find. After some very simple calculations we concluded that my due date is officially March 26th. I'm very proud of my son and how well behaved he was at our appointment. One of the other doctors gave him a lollipop and everyone cooed over how adorable and well mannered he is. I have a feeling my kid is going to hunt down that doc every time we go. Once Hunter gets candy from someone, he is very persistent about getting it out of them again.

Superheroes

It's been a rough couple of months since getting knocked up. Being tired and nauseous is not my idea of a good time but this pregnancy so far is significantly easier than my first. However, I'm starting to feel really good again and being in the new house makes a world of difference. Now that we have plenty of room to run and I have the energy to play, Hunter has discovered a new game I call Superheroes. Essentially we tie blankets around our necks and chase each other around the house pretending to fly. Danny loves to sit back and laugh at the 2 of us because apparently we are hilarious. After about 20 minutes I'm done, its amazing to me how long a little boy can run in circles and laugh without running out of breath and passing out.

I Do It!

Every single mom at some point is going to hear these words come out of their children's mouth. Its finally my turn. Since moving into our new home a week and a half ago, we haven't gotten the cable connected yet or set up any of our major electronics besides the PlayStation 3. We did stumble upon an old TV we forgot about, the VHS and a little DVD player that I thought would be nice to put in Hunters playroom. Over the last few days we've been teaching him how to use it so we aren't constantly having to go in there and change tapes and DVDs and since it's all extra stuff we don't care about, why not teach the 2 year old how to do it? He has already mastered the iPod Touch better than me so what's the harm? Every so often, he's asked for my help but unless he specifically requests me, all I hear is "I Do It, Mommy!" (And not in a snotty tone, I wouldn't put up with that. He's just so proud of himself for being able to put on his videos whenever he wants them)

What's Yo Name?

At 2 years old my little man is already practicing his pick up lines. He finally grasped the concept of learning peoples names and is constantly making a game of it. Everyday he asks me over and over again "what's yo name?" to which I reply "Mommy, What's your name?" He returns with "Hunter...what's yo name?" and the cycle continues. Just for fun I'll switch up the names and call myself by my first name or I'll refer to myself as Daddy or Hunter, just to see if he's paying attention.
I do think it's sweet when we go out in public and he has to ask everyone he sees and when they walk away from us he says goodbye and calls them by name! I'm impressed since I usually forget their answer in 3 seconds and he'll engage them for several minutes.
The hardest part for me is watching him approach the little girls on the playground. On good days they want to play but they don't realize he's too young to continue the conversation (he loves the 5 yr old ladies) and on the bad days they run off and I can see the confusion on his face. I do love his confidence though and I hope it stays with him into adulthood. Then again, I'm terrified because he is going to be a major heartbreaker.

We're Expecting!

I know a lot of people don't read my blog and I mostly write it for me to remember the little things in life that happen. This isn't one of those things I'm likely to forget any time soon but one day I'm going to look back and remember exactly how I feel at this very moment knowing that we are going to add another addition to our family. I'm due in mid-late March and between you and me, I think it's a girl. I'm not nearly as sick as I was with the boy and I have a lot more energy.... it may just be that I have no choice but to follow small children around all day every day but call it a feeling. Now the great debate begins....what to name this special bundle of joy that is coming our way. We haven't decided on a possible boy name because we both have felt from the moment we suspected I was pregnant that its a daughter. Now we're trying to choose between two names that I really like.....Lydia or Ayla. I think the final choice will be Hunters but Lydia has been at the top of my list for years now. We have no patience to wait until she comes out for confirmation so we'll find out at that 20 week check up!

Childrens Logic

I nanny for a terrific family that will occasionally let me bring Hunter along for a few hours here and there. They know that Danny and I work opposite schedules so if I need to stay late, they have no problem with Super being dropped off for that extra hour. Now that the boy I watch is getting older, the kids have a great time playing together and my job has gotten much easier now that the little one is walking and will spend that whole hour just following around my son. Hunter was with me today and I noticed what I thought was Super staring off into spaces until he comes running up to me and pointing at a small nude statue that's in the home.... "Mommy, Mommy...where is his diaper?.... he needs a diaper Mommy!"

Advertising Works

Those smart people in advertising. They know exactly what they're doing when they create those catchy little songs and phrases. For months now Super has been able to identify money and the numbers on that money. Lately as we've driven around at different times, he'll randomly bust out with "five dollars!" I have no idea what that means but I see signs that say various amounts all over the place so I assumed he was just reading what he can understand....until today. We were driving to the park and I hear "Mommy, five dollars!" I don't understand why he's asking for five dollars again until he finishes his sentence...."five, five dollar, five dollar footlongs.....at Subway!" The poor kids been asking for food and I just didn't know it! Now I can't help but call it Five Dollars as well. He'll eventually learn that it's called Subway so I'm going to milk the adorable saying for as long as I can.

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Danny and I just celebrated our third year of marriage by going to a great restaurant called Canoe. It's right on the Chattahoochee and the food is amazing, the service is attentive and the drinks are amazing. We warmed with lamp chops and shrimp dumplings (well, I got both. Hubby won't touch seafood) and both were delicious. Danny had the best long island iced tea we've both ever tried and my apple martini was pretty good (no raspberry that day *sad face*). Dinner was the rabbit for me and the veal porterhouse for him. Both made my taste buds sing a great song. We finished off our lovely meal with a yummy special occasion cake and a quiet walk/sit along the river. We were both so glad we went and very happy to have celebrated our 3rd year together as man and wife.

So Many Surprises

I spent the day with Super, just relaxing and playing around. We have a large grassy area behind our home so we played chase, tag and....hide and seek! I didn't know my son knew HOW to play but I started running away from him, hoping he'd chase me and he covered his eyes with his hands....one, two, three...all the way to ten and said "ready not here come!"

After a few turns of him seeking, I tried to take a turn and covered my eyes and started counting. He stood where he was, covered his eyes again and finished counting to ten with me. When we opened our eyes I swear he scowled at me with a waving finger for not hiding. I took the hint...and the opportunity to hide far away so he would have to run more and tire himself out.

Then at dinner, I made mashed potatoes and after clearing his plate he reached for the spoon and dished himself extras. It took a few tries and I had to hold myself back from trying to do it for him but he ate what he took and went back for more. After his third helping of potatoes he picked up his plate and put it in the sink. Yay! I love watching this kid grow up! Next thing to learn, laundry in the hamper....

Sassy Man

I love how he is beginning to take things literally. I've had the camera in his face so much lately (although I can't seem to post anything on my blog anymore....I need a better camera than what's on my phone). When I say cheese now he says it as well and it makes me so happy. Today I was taking his picture and was attempting to get his attention so I said "Smile and say Cheese for Mommy!"....and you know what I got back "CHEESE FOR MOMMY!"

Oh Good Job!

I have the pleasure now of watching a sweet little boy a few evenings a month. I'm also lucky enough to be able to bring Super along with me. The boys are roughly a year apart but play together so well. On our first encounter, I was shocked and thrilled watching them interact together. We all hunkered down over some books and the boys schooled me in letters. Hunter was especially encouraging and every time me or the other little boy would point out a letter, color or object, Hunter would clap his hands and say "Oh good job!" or "You're right! Good job, Mommy!" I'm so glad he's picked up the ability to praise others and I hope that's a skill he maintains for the rest of his life.

Ready to Go Yet?

We are constantly looking for new places to hang out with Hunter. Especially now that the seasons have changed and we can be outside for longer periods of time, I feel so bad for the winters that he has to stay indoors (until we relocate to Florida!) that I usually comply and let the boy do what he wants.
Danny, Super and I were out driving one weekend and came across a great new park! It is a 5 minute drive from our home so we played for a while and left. A few days later I thought it would be fun to go again and get rid of some much needed stress after the challenging days following MIL Sue's heart surgery.
Little did I know it was going to be the longest park experience of my existence. We left as soon as I got home from work, so excited to get some sun shine and fresh air.......THREE AND A HALF HOURS LATER I was hot, sweaty and my feet hurt but the little ball of energy that is my son was still trucking along like we had just gotten there.
Finally I put my foot down and I dragged him to the car, kicking and screaming (really, how does he find the energy?) to the car so I could take him home and feed him.
Check this place out! It's called Taylor Brawner Park and it's on S. Atlanta Rd. It's on the same property as a behavioral center but they did a great job with this place. Kids can ride their bikes, there are bench swings and lots of slides.

Condiments...The 5th Food Group

I'm a girl that loves her food and I've tried to pass that love along to my son. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc all have their places in my palate happiness but Super has taken the love to a whole new level. French fries are just the utensil to bring the ketchup to his mouth, the hot dog transports the mustard and if there is a spoon and Ranch dressing...why eat the salad? It's fun to watch him chow down several ounces of hummus with one carrot and ask for more. Now I understand why mothers get so frustrated at their childrens food choices...they don't want to actually eat the food, they just want the condiments!

Shower....bath?

As Super gets older, he is more aware of what's around him. He loves bath time (most of the time), especially when we mention bubbles. Now he knows the difference between a shower and a bath but he likes both. When we plug up the bath but run the shower he couldn't be happier. Apparently its like a pool with a waterfall like we saw at Aquatica. At the park he was constantly going for the waterfalls until he realized that the water there was heavy and could randomly splash down upon you. He also realizes that it doesn't hurt so much when it comes from the indoor waterfall. So now when he feels dirty, he grabs my hand and leads me to the bathroom..."Showerbath, showerbath!"

Smile!

While at my parents house in FL, Super got his fill of activity.  One of his favorites though is coloring, on anything, with anything that can make a mark. Well, she is smart and stocked up on paper, markers and pencils to keep him in one place.  He got a few marks on the kitchen table but was pretty neat considering we spent a full week there.  On one page of his scribbles, my mom noticed something that was intentionally drawn there. It was a smiley face!

Aquatica!

We finally went!  Our first experience at this water park was a good one too.   I learned so much, including I don't much like
Super at water parks. Even in a life vest he still insists on clinging to my head if the water is too deep for him to stand in.
I will say, I don't like those life vests. They do their job and keep kids from drowning, and with all the activity there I can
see the NEED but Super has never been comfortable in one. He fought my mother to the point that she had to pin him to the
ground to get it on.  But once he learned that he could go in the water only when it was on, then it was a fight to take it off him!
Like other non-Floridians, we both got sunburns but not to the point of extreme pain. It gave Super a new appreciation for lotion
that I'm more than happy to support. Towards the end of our day, my mom saw how burned Hunters head had gotten and smeared him in
zinc oxide that took 3 washes to get out. I actually kind of liked it and could do funky things with his hair.
But on the brighter side...Super loved the slides. There were a few he could go on his own but one used a tube. We went on that one
at least a dozen times together. My little boy had a hard time with waiting in lines (hmmm, sound familiar?) but eventually he got the
point that mommy would take him down the slide if he didn't throw a fit.  I actually really liked that slide too. Its a kids ride so it
isn't super thrilling but the line is short if not non existent and its a quick little thrill, especially watching my sons face.
I'll admit I didn't spend that much time with him because I wanted to go on the adult rides.  I was with my younger sister and we had
a blast. There is one slide that is like a toilet bowl. You go down this slide and it shoots you out into a large round bowl where you
circle a few times before you drop back through another tube that takes you back to the lazy river. So fun! They have all kinds of
rides there that put you in total darkness or where you go down head first and scream without the ones that make your bathing suit stick
up your tush or expose you in any way.  Getting out of the park was difficult with my poor struggling, crying child
but 5 hrs there was enough and now we can't wait to go back!

Farewell More Friends

They are dropping like flies. In less than a month 2 of Hunter's best friends have moved and we're devastated. Goodbye good friends that were there for us through so much. We will miss you more than you will ever know!

Ok!

Children let you know what they need in one form or another. My son likes to try to make me think all of his suggestions are mine. "Mommy, milk!"..."Did you want some milk, baby?"..."Ok!" He doesn't say it in a way that shows he's excited most of the time, it's more along the lines of "ok, you can give me milk, I guess" Sames goes for outside, food, TV, car rides and the park. Yes isn't a part of his vocabulary yet (I guess he doesn't hear it often....oops!) but I'm going to work very hard to try and make up for that. He is fantastic at saying please and thank you so I don't have anything to complain about but I would like a positive response instead of a lukewarm affirmation (I know that isn't my example there, I'm overly excited about most things). It will come with time but that time seems to be speeding up so I have to speed up with it or I'm going to get left behind.

Road Trip!

We recently went to visit my parents and siblings down in Orlando for a week. We had a blast and got to do a lot of fun things. Super may not realize it but I had a great time on the drive down there. No, sitting in a car for 8+ hrs isn't the most entertaining thing a 2 year old can do but we got to sing, talk to each other and enjoy exploring the stops along the way. Lately I've been giving Super my change from any cash transaction and I tell him to put it in his pocket (thus the reason for my blog post Sweet Confusion). However, we made a few pit stops at various places that had a soda machines....these are Hunters favorites. I don't think he likes soda so much as he enjoys putting the money in the machine, pressing the buttons and watching it fall out of the machine. In fact, I'm sure that if we had enough change on us, we'd walk away with a dozen sodas before he even got tired of the game. We have this issue everywhere we go but it's especially hard to say no when I tell him on this trip because when I would say no, my words were more specifically "We don't have any change, baby" to which he automatically dives into his pockets in search of coins. After watching that, I had to dig change out of my car and let him get a soda or two.
My sweet boy being a doll was short lived though. We got to my parents home very late so we basically pulled up and went to bed. Since he got to sleep in the car, he wasn't as tired as I was at 7am the next morning....I didn't wake up until 8am. Needless to say, he took that hour to survey this new place he was in and found the most destructive item he possibly could...a sharpie marker. He didn't do TOO much damage to the room but he managed to completely black out both sides of my glasses so they were worthless afterwards. Thank goodness me and my mother have almost identical prescriptions and I was able to take all of her disposable contacts she won't use!
We also discovered that the green thumb has been passed along. We spent hours a day in the back yard playing in the garden. He loves fresh picked sweet peas, watering lettuce and carrots and all of the other yummy veggies that my mom grows. He helped with the chickens and made the cats uncomfortable enough to hide the entire time. Overall we had a great trip and I'm so glad everyone had a good time with my son. It was so much fun watching Hunter and his Uncle Mike playing at the park together and I'm thankful that I got to reconnect with my Bro after a few years of us having busy lives and no time to hang. He didn't get a lot of time with Hunter as an infant but I think the kid is more fun as he gets older anyways.
The trip home wasn't as eventful. Super slept pretty much the whole way home due to complete exhaustion from a week spent never sitting down and exploring new horizons. I can't wait for our next trip to FL!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Yes, that was the first song my son sang to me (not including ABC's, I don't count that). We were driving home from a play date, me singing along with the radio and occasionally attempting to engage Super. I heard him singing softly and after a few minutes of listening I realized what it was! Tears filled my eyes, if my kid can sing, he is just that...a kid... and not my baby anymore. We sang the song a few more times until we were home, me choking on every other word as I attempted to keep pace with him while trying to control my mommy emotions. I'm so proud of that little man, he just keeps growing and getting smarter and more handsome by the day.

Sweet Confusion

I'm having a blast teaching Hunter to talk right now. He is at that point where whatever he hears goes right into his head and sticks. We kill lots of time by going around the house, pointing and naming things and he is really talking up a storm. There is one thing that frustrates me though. For a while now, I've tried to...not teach Super about money... but what money is... coins, right? When I make a purchase, I'll give him the change and tell him to put it in his pocket so it can go in the Froggy Bank when we get home. He loves taking all of the coins out and putting them back in. We have spent hours emptying and filling up that bank. However, there was a spot of confusion. Instead of calling coins by their name, he calls them pockets. I found this adorable! Until he decided that should be the name for those small metal discs. He knows the words quarter, penny, dime and coin but will he use them? Noooo. No matter what, whenever I try to prompt him the first thing out of his mouth is "pocket!" (it is still especially cute when he finds a penny in the street and shouts his exclamation for the world to hear, they just don't understand what he's talking about) I know he'll figure it out sooner or later. He tends to make up his own words for things but what kid doesn't? My mother still laughs because for some reason, as children, we called molasses "bin-ah-kee-ears" (I would have no idea how to correctly spell our made up word). Now I'm a little worried about what he's going to call his actual pocket...

Blah.... Sick

We have been sick all week. Hunter had the worst and I got it shortly after he did. As an adult, I'm glad I know that eating and drinking certain things, as well as resting quite a bit will better my chances of getting well quickly. The boy on the other hand would throws up and wants to play again as normal...which means he is going to throw up again soon and its probably going to be in yet another area of the house that isn't currently reeking of baby sickness. Poor kid handles it like a champ and my heart breaks for him but at what age do children actually start throwing up in the toilet? It doesn't matter.

All he wants to do is go out and see his friends, asking them by name and trying to drag me out the door. I can't wait until we can get out and not risk infecting others and feeling awful, not to mention avoiding watching Super throw up anywhere his is (like on his father in Wal-Mart when we discovered he was sick). This too shall pass...

My Gymnast!

I'm so proud of Super! For the past few weeks, we have been learning to do a somersault. For a while, he would see me do it and attempt to duplicate it by spinning around and falling down and screaming "yay!". Well last night we were playing in the living room. Hunter put his head on the floor, peered at me through his legs, gave me a big smile and rolled! I love tumbling so I can't wait to teach him how to do a cartwheel (but I won't get ahead of myself on that one).

Tuckered Out

Something I hate about winter, as I've said before, is that we can't get Hunter out to release the energy. He'll nap for everyone but his parents and I've come to terms with that so I quit trying. All that results from the attempts is a destroyed bedroom and a bored child.

We were on our way to visit friends (my life revolves around evening play dates now that Danny works nights) and I was chatting on the phone with my mom. I told my gal-pal that I'd meet her at Publix so we could do a little shopping before going back to her house for dinner. I was so prepared, found a good parking spot, got off the phone with my mom, turned off the car, got out and found my little man passed out.

I thought it was so sweet and completely necessary so I resigned myself to sitting in the parking lot, waiting for the word to head over to our destination. Thank goodness for Blackberrys! Or Crackberrys as a friends husband puts them. Yes, I'm addicted but in times like these, I'm glad I have the Internet, messaging and Tetris all in one handheld device. Not to mention the camera. It's also times like these that I wish we could hire a sitter to come over every day and put the little man down for a nap so we don't have to sit in an idling vehicle while he catches his ZZZZ's.

Storm Story

A friend of mine is leaving GA in the next few weeks and Super and I couldn't be more upset about it. She has a son a few months older than mine and our boys love each other. They even hug. Super isn't really a cuddly kid and doesn't hug much so this really surprised and delighted me. The other night I took the boys to Burger King so his mom could pack without a very active 2 year old in her way. We had a blast! It was the evening of the tornadoes here so it was raining and wet but the sky was lit up by lighting and the boys couldn't get enough. There would be a bright flash and then both of them saying "whoa!" The view from the large windows was very cool and they would see the lightening from way up high in the playground.

Two toddlers is a handful (especially when it comes time that I need to use the restroom) but so much easier than I thought. William is a bright and very easy child (with me, I know he gives his mama grief) and he made Super obey much better than he normally does. Since he can speak back in sentences and he listens to me if we needed to go somewhere (seats, out the door, the car) I'd call William and Hunter would just follow along.

We were there a few hours so they could play and I got to read a book. After a while, they got sick of the play place so they started dragging around chairs, high chairs and caution cones. Whatever works! They were being really good overall so I thought dessert would be a nice ending to the evening and boy was I right! Smiles and happiness all around. If the faux, self appointed aunt won't spoil, then who will?

Sa-weet!

Hunter is a hip little fellow. He has his reaction words that are so funny to listen to. He'll say cool, all right and yeah! My favorite though is when he says sweet. Its terminology that we use often so its no surprise he picked it up and he puts his own little sass in and makes the word "sa-weet". My most favorite is while we're driving and we head through the Starbucks drive thru (which Super now calls milk). Here is how the conversation goes "Hunter want chocolate milk?" "Ok!" We drive... As we approach Starbucks I hear "Milk! Milk! Yea!" From the time his milk is handed to me until I prep it and hand it to him... "Mommy, mommy, milk! Milk! Sa-weet!". "What do we say, baby?" *silence* "We say thank you, hunter." "You're welcome, mommy..."

Where is the Fork?

After our heart stopping experience on the highway, Super and I joined a good friend of mine for dinner. We had yummy orange chicken and rice with ice cream for dessert (which is something Super normally doesn't get so he was shocked by the coldness of it and made the most hilarious face before diving back into the sticky goodness).

Anyway, so after dinner we were cleaning up while the boys played. They are jumping around from their sugar rush, being loud and acting like normal 2 year olds. After getting all the dishes together, Rachael starts looking around because she can't find Hunters eating utensils. We both searched the table, under the chairs, everywhere. Finally I called Super over to me and started to pat him down. Sure enough, the fork was down his shirt, stuck in the onesie he was wearing underneath his clothes. It took some fight to get it away from him but his mother prevailed. Along with the fork I found a good number of stickers and something plastic that I couldn't identify. Does this mean he sees me tuck items into my bra and is now duplicating that? It's enough to make me rethink where I put my chapstick when we go outside and I don't have pockets in my pants. The last thing I want is a sharp eating tool impaling my spunky little man so maybe I need to straighten up.

Scariest Moment of My Life... So Far

Yet again Super has managed to stop my heart for a few seconds. We were driving to a friends house and on the way there I kept hearing wind in my car. I thought that maybe I just didn't close my passenger door all the way and it would be fine for 5 minutes until we got to our destination. We purchased a new car seat not long ago so mostly I watch Hunter to make sure he hasn't gotten out since it isn't a 5 point harness and he is Houdini reincarnated. My vehicle has automatic locks so I never thought in a million years that my 2 year old would be able to figure them out. Most adults just look at me with confusion when my car doesn't let them out and I guess I had a false sense of safety.

So we are driving down I-285, I'm on the phone, I hear wind... no big deal. After I go up the off ramp and stop, I hear more than wind, I hear cars and motors. I turned around, dropped my phone and yelled like crazy when my sons door was wide open! With him trying to get out! On the edge of a very high hill. We were in the middle of rush hour and there were 20 cars lined up behind me. No one stopped, they just tried to avoid hitting me as they zoomed around my car with me in a panic because my son put himself in grave peril... again. I'm sure the door just swung open because of the angle the car was at after he managed to unlock the door and pulled the handle but that doesn't stop the surge of adrenaline and the sudden mommy single mindedness to protect my child as I dodge traffic to close his door. I know I'm not alone out there and that this has happened to several other people and this is the reason they invented child safety locks (which were promptly put into place before I allowed Hunter out of the car).

I'm thankful I had to go through this if it was the warning I needed to prevent something worse in the future but, jeez kid!, just read a book or play with the 15 different toys you insist on being back there. Mommy doesn't need a heart attack in her 20's.

The Daily Grind

I hate being caught in situations like this one. Life is smooth sailing and slightly mundane but now I have nothing to write about. I can't have a blog every day about how much my son talks or sings. My job is wonderful but I care for a small child and aside from poopy diapers and recent developments of a child that isn't mine, there isn't much to say there either. I'm doing a minor kitchen remodel where I live and I'm really excited to paint soon and get the new refrigerator in. I have an open house coming up on the 1st and hopefully it'll be as warm as the forecast says. I've been really lucky to have the friends I do. I have playdates almost every day and Super loves seeing his friends. I love that he's finally picking up names and uses them often. When he came to visit me at work a few days ago he walked into the house and asked "Where baby?... Baby!" Every day when I come home, he asks for "Bye byes" and starts putting on his shoes, regardless of the fact that he isn't wearing pants or socks. He'll grab my hand and drag me to the door asking for Chase, Katie and William. Poopy diapers are now called "ickys" and balloons are "mets" or "moons" (even though he does know the real moon by the same name). Agh, I'll just have to write more at a later time.

Running in Circles

I currently have 2 really good friends that are going to be having babies in 3-5 weeks. Naturally, over the last few weeks I've gone to both of their baby showers. The first one, for Cecilia, I went to was a lot of fun, I got to bring my son, eat cake and see some familiar faces. There was one girl that I swore up and down that I knew from somewhere. She happened to be wearing a shirt that I own that I almost wore to this particular function so I used that as my opening line to get to know her better. At the very least we could shop together. ;-) After talking to her for a while, I didn't think twice that this was a "new" friend.


A few weeks later I walked into another baby shower and there she was! Only this time we put the pieces together. I met her while I was pregnant with Super at Wendy's house! We spent a couple hours talking and visiting back then and I thoroughly enjoyed her company but at the time I was getting ready to have a baby and was quite miserable. I love technology. In less than 72 hours we are now Facebook, Goodreads and Blogspot buddies. Check out Natalie!

We live on opposite sides of the Atlanta perimeter but I hope one of these days we can get together. With friends like Cecilia and Wendy, there is no way Natalie isn't totally awesome.

Love of Lingo

Sad but true, TV is a part of our lives (I'm not innocent, I have become addicted to Big Love). Especially during the winter when we can't go outside and play because of the rain or cold. I can tolerate kids shows for a good while but eventually SuperWhy, Curious George and The Backyardigans get old. They show the same ones over and over and by the end of the week, there is nothing on I haven't seen before. So I've looked all over the cable stations for something appropriate for kids that I can enjoy too. And I found that in Lingo! Its on the Game Show Network and so much fun. All of the letters flashing and changing puts Super in a trance-like state while he shouts out what he can keep up with. He does love his letters and I do love Scrabble... Its a match made in heaven.

Fond Farewell

Little Super Destroyer is really finding his speech. It's so awesome to hear words coming out of his little tiny mouth and for him to be able to better communicate his needs and wants. He is also such a sweet child and loves to be involved in everything, any time someone leaves the house, he must elaborately say good bye to them (even if we're just running out to the car for something).

Yesterday we were hanging out at home, stuffing our faces with strawberries and playing with toys. Super asked for some water so I took his cup and filled it with 3-4 oz. After his dramatic display of drinking his H2O, he looked in the cup, looked at me, waved and said... "Bye, bye, Water!"

Signing Time

Sign language was a class I took in high school so I didn't have to try Spanish or German. I even got to do a bit of interpreting years back. Since Hunter was a baby, I'd throw signs out there and hope they were being absorbed into his brain but I finally got to see the work pay off. Hunter and I were eating a snack and when we finished he looked at me and signed "more please". I am so excited and so proud of my baby.

My Humiliation

You know how when you get married or in a serious relationship, the person that you're with you're supposed to trust completely, right? Well, last night was New Years Eve and I was exhausted. I had to work the next day and I'm up at no later than 6am every day any way. So I passed out around 9pm and left poor Danny to basically punk around the house by himself. He was invited a few places and could have gone but instead chose to stay home and talk to his best friend. I have just learned that occasionally I snore like an old man when I sleep and my husband, the lovely gentleman that he is, will hold the phone up to my face and let this best friend listen so everyone can have a good laugh at my expense. Ha ha ha, Happy New Year to me. If it was anyone but Josh, I would permanently damage Danny, but since Josh is a good friend of mine too and has probably heard me snore in person, I'll let it roll off my back. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Watch your back, Danny! :-)

Quote of the Year

"What ever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit..."