Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart

Visiting With Grandma Part 2

2011-05-13T00:58:00.001-04:00

Another wonderful perk to having my mom come and visit (aside from the large amounts of cooking I don't have to do) is that she is so helpful with those things that I love to do but have no energy to accomplish while knocked up. This year I wasn't planning on doing a garden because the thought of planting it made me want to take a nap. She was kind enough to bring us a few larger containers so we can continue our love of growing without all the digging in the ground. We planted green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes....well, Hunter and Grandma did all the planting. I watched from the cool, air conditioned house and sipped on some ice water.

I also love that after all the hard work, she still had the energy to go shopping with me. I miss having the time to go out, without the kids, take my time trying on shoes and clothes with no one yelling at me. It's been too long since I've had the luxury of having a grown up help me with sizes and give me opinions. Even though she rolled her eyes at me as I lingered over the jewelry, she at least didn't throw a tantrum and complained loudly that she was bored. I had such a good time with my mom and I can't wait to see her again when this child is born.

Visiting With Grandma in the City

2011-05-11T10:44:00.004-04:00

Recently my mom came to visit with us while attending a massage conference in the city. The first night we managed to stay up until 5am just chatting away. It was pretty tough to recover from so we spent the next few days pretty tired but had lots of fun anyway.

On one of the days she had to go to the conference, Hunter and I decided to take the train into the city to visit with her afterwards. He loves the train and everything about it....how fast it goes, the fact that I bring great snacks, even swiping the card to make the gates open. We rode down to the Phillips Arena stop where we met my mom and took off for our adventure, just the three of us. We were hungry so we got some really yummy hot dogs off a cart and a frozen lemonade and spent a few hours at Centennial Olympic Park.

Hunter got to play on the playgrounds before hitting the splash area. There were several groups of children there with schools so he had lots of playmates. Once we hit the splash park to cool off, there was no stopping him....or my mom...from becoming totally soaked. I loved watching Mom and Hunter get each other super wet and being playful in the fountains.

When it was time to go home we walked back to the train station to go our different ways since we were parked at two different places. My mom whipped out her card and touched the side to the pad...and got a red X. She tried again...red X again. Hunter being the delightfully helpful child that he is said "No Grandma, it's like this" and proceeds to lay the card down on the pad...green arrow!

Our First Emergency Room Visit

2011-04-11T01:08:00.001-04:00

No, it's not for one of the children. My darling husband hurt himself. As far as young men go, Danny isn't what I'd consider very graceful. Being as tall as he is and as thin as he is, there is a certain clumsiness that comes with it. Well, it reared its ugly head this afternoon.

Danny was playing catch with a football in our backyard with a few neighbors of ours. As he was running for a pass (in jeans and no shoes), the poor man tripped over a depression in the yard, lost his footing and fell/ran into our swing set. Let's do the math....Danny 6'8" and 175lbs.....Swing set....8'4" and 800lbs. Guess who won that battle? Yep, the swing set didn't move but Danny's collarbone did. Like the real man that I married, he knew not to complain too bad and to tough it out to make sure he was really hurt before asking me to take him to the hospital. A few hours after the incident we were on our way to the emergency room. Due to the curious nature of our 4 year old, we called a sitter for the baby and took Hunter with us so he could see a hospital. He had been in one when I delivered his brother but a recovery room just isn't the same.

I was so impressed with the hospital near us. After the initial check in, we waited 5 minutes before they were calling us back. They checked Danny's blood pressure and the sweet nurse was so helpful after I explained what the band on Daddy's arm did. Hunter then informed her that his Daddy needed an X-ray with the machine to see his bones. I'm sure he heard me say it in passing to his father but the nurse was so impressed with our little man. We moved onto the next waiting area and I gave more detailed information while Danny got a pain pill and his X-ray. After being told it was just a bruise, I was relieved...until the doctor came back not 10 minutes later and told us that Danny's collarbone was indeed broken. We got him in a sling, got the name of an orthopedic surgeon and were on our way home in less than 45 minutes from when we walked through the doors of the hospital.

For having to go to an emergency room, it was a pretty pleasant experience, not that I'd ever want to live through that again but at least it's over with. Now lets hope my boys don't put me through worse over the next several years.

Expecting Again!

2011-02-02T10:42:00.000-05:00

We are having another baby! Little bean is due on October 19th and we are so happy to be adding the final member to our little family.

Growing up too Fast

2010-05-12T09:02:00.001-04:00

This morning I was woken up by the bus driver in our neighborhood poking her head through my front door and letting me know that my son had been chasing the bus because he needed to go to school and she was returning him. What is it about this kid that makes him think he can just leave the house! He was fully dressed, shoes and everything and carrying his back pack. Thankfully, the bus stop is right in front of our house so he didn't run far but after finally waking all the way up I was all kinds of freaked out. I sat him down and tried to have a talk with him about staying inside until I wake up. Then I got on the computer and started looking at schools in our area but the truth is, I don't want him to go to school yet. He's learning plenty at home and gets lots of interaction with other children so I will happily have him around until Kindergarten starts. Why oh why does he want to grow up so fast! I guess I really do have to buy those door alarms.
On a happier note, this morning was day 2 in a row that he didn't wear a pull-up to bed and didn't have an accident! We've sporadically forgotten his night time pants over the last few weeks and he hasn't wet the bed so I thought we'd give it a try and see how he does. I couldn't be more proud of this kid. He may not have started potty training until he was 3 but now that he's ready, he's going to go all the way with it. Go Hunter!

I Want to Have Christmas

2010-04-10T17:53:00.002-04:00

I was woken up this morning with the sole request "I want to have Christmas Mommy!" What do you say to that? Especially in the middle of April? I had to explain to him that it only happens once a year and in the winter and since it was no longer cold, we had to wait. He nodded his head but I heard him muttering "Jingle Bells" under his breath while walking away from me.

He's Here!

2010-04-01T10:37:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the world Baby Grayson! Our sweet little man decided to come into our family on March 23rd at 3:37pm. I woke up at 7am feeling a little strange but not having contractions. By 10am I was sure that I was in labor and started making all of the arrangements for child care and packing the last few items in my bag while hanging out with Hunter the best I could to get those last few single child moments with him. I told my mom to get in the car and come on up because it was time. Danny finally woke up just after noon and made us lunch and loaded the car up. By 2pm, my contractions were 3 minutes apart so we hit the road and were on our way to the hospital. After a very intense trip in the car, we arrive at Northside at 2:30pm and began the check in process. I wasn't feeling too bad besides just having contractions so I was texting everyone and letting people know I was in the hospital. By then I was 1.5 minutes apart and feeling the baby move down. They didn't have a room ready for us right away (which completely freaked me out) but that only lasted a minute as we were whisked to our lovely birthing suite. Now, when I delivered Hunter the room was mediocre and I spent a solid day in labor in that room. With Grayson we got the most awesome room with a tub and lots of room to walk around. I got hooked up to the monitor and went through all of my check in questions and felt like everything was happening really fast. I asked the nurse to take a look and see how we were progressing and was devastated to hear that I was only 5 cm dialated at 3pm. By this time I was contracting every minute and really feeling the baby move down but at 5 cm, I knew we'd be there for a few more hours. Around 3:30 I got up to use the bathroom and to my surprise, my water broke! Let me tell ya, that feels awesome! What I wasn't expecting to feel was half of Grayson's head to come out. The nurse came in to help me after I pitifully told her about the water and the look on her face was priceless as she tried to get me back into bed because I didn't want to have my baby in the toilet. What? I was just 5 cm 30 minutes ago! I walked back into the room and began climbing into bed when another contraction hit and the rest of his head came out! The nurse started calmly pushing buttons and asking for help as she forcefully encouraged Danny to get me back into bed (I'm totally down playing all of this, it was a completely crazy few minutes). The rest of the available nursing staff rushed in as I got on my back and got prepared to have my son. Can you believe those insane (albeit lovely) women told me not to push? Yeah right! Once it starts, it's not going to stop, don't tell me little breaths and to wait for the doctor, someone catch! A few pushes and 6 minutes after my water had broken, Grayson was out and getting cleaned up while I sat there with a dazed look on my face asking if it was really over. After the marathon labor with Hunter, 7 hours was nothing and I didn't know what to do with myself. We both got cleaned up and I was transferred to my room while Gray had to visit the NICU to make sure he hadn't aspirated any meconium. I sent out the next rounds of text messages to let everyone know I had the baby and was sad to tell my mom that she hadn't made it in time. She was very happy I was able to get my birth over quickly as much as she wanted to be there but she showed up just in time for Grayson to be delivered to my room. He is a strong little man and nursed wonderfully and has the sweetest little cry. I'm so thankful to have him in my family.

Thank You for the Spoiling!

2010-02-25T11:11:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I got to have my first baby shower! Since I was pregnant with Hunter during my engagement/early marriage and didn't have any married or mommy friends yet, I didn't have a baby shower. My awesome friends at the time threw me a baby/wedding shower but its just not the same, you know? This time my mom and sister and her kids came and threw me a big bash. I got to have a house full of women and children spoil me and wish all the best with my new little man. We got SO many diapers that were very needed and appreciated as well as wipes and cute little outfits. My aunt and cousin came from Pensacola and my friend Rachael flew in from New Jersey (well, she had 2 showers that day since another good friend of mine and I are due a week apart). I felt so honored and loved to have these people in my life!

Chasing the Train

2009-12-15T22:04:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-10T17:38:00.003-05:00

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!

2009-11-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-20T19:03:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-09-25T18:39:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-15T17:31:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-12T19:46:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-09-09T22:29:00.002-04:00

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?

2009-09-04T21:37:00.001-04:00

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!

2009-08-06T20:55:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-29T20:42:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-15T20:35:00.001-04:00

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!

2009-06-08T20:48:00.000-04:00

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

2009-05-19T21:13:00.001-04:00

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

2009-05-17T20:12:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-05-05T19:41:00.002-04:00

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?

2009-04-15T19:44:00.001-04:00

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

2009-04-12T19:56:00.004-04:00

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?

2009-04-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-04-03T16:31:00.005-04:00

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!

2009-04-02T16:21:00.009-04:00

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

2009-04-02T14:59:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-03-29T08:01:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-03-24T19:48:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-19T09:15:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-18T11:43:00.004-04:00

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

2009-03-13T19:26:00.001-04:00

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!

2009-03-02T11:24:00.001-05:00

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

2009-02-20T11:19:00.003-05:00

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

2009-02-20T08:45:00.005-05:00

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!

2009-02-20T07:50:00.001-05:00

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?

2009-02-17T10:36:00.004-05:00

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

2009-02-17T07:59:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-16T10:56:00.005-05:00

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

2009-02-16T08:03:00.004-05:00

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

2009-02-10T11:28:00.000-05:00

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

2009-01-28T11:36:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-20T11:57:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-01T14:22:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-01T14:09:00.001-05:00

"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..."

Had a Holly Jolly Christmas

2008-12-26T10:47:00.002-05:00

Although Super doesn't understand Christmas, we still had a wonderful holiday. I felt a little bad for him when everyone asked if Santa brought him something and he just looked back with a blank stare. No, I don't really mention Santa and we totally forgot stockings this year, I don't read Christmas books and I don't know the words to most of the carols (which doesn't stop me from belting them out as loud as I can while assembling my Nativity scene). It's not that I'm not in the Christmas spirit, I honestly don't care about Santa and his little fictional elves and flying reindeer. I think the red suit and long beard are creepy and the "ho, ho, ho" has really been lost on me my entire life (we tried to get pictures of Super with Santa and he was NOT having it, even though "Santa" was a familiar person). As a second child, my Santa belief was crushed very early on and since my parents didn't really care about keeping the illusion up either, I guess it is something that just stays in family. However, he does know that we give gifts to each other to celebrate Christ and he really knows that grandmas spoil with lots and lots of paper covered presents. In my family, we traditionally eat a huge dinner and open our gifts on Christmas Eve and open our stockings the next morning from "Santa" (we even used those quote marks as kids). Stockings include things like shampoo, candy and other random small items that can be useful with some fun stuff mixed in. We get our stockings, rummage through it, eat a bunch of candy and play with the toys we got the night before. None of us had to get up early, no one needed to cook (candy was the usual breakfast) and we loved it. The reason it is done like this is my mother and father didn't want to get up at 6am for presents and then spend all Christmas day cooking a big meal and listening to us complain that we were bored. After we all got old enough it was family trips to the movies. However, my husbands family does the more traditional Christmas morning openings which, to be perfectly honest, I hate. I LIKE to sleep in (which I can't do with a toddler ) and so does my husband. Waiting until noon or 1pm to open gifts sucks! Especially since we let Super open the gifts from my parents on Christmas Eve, what did he want to do the next day? Open the rest of them. How do you get a 2 year old to wait patiently? You don't. He opened all the rest of his gifts before his father peaked through his eyelids. I don't like yelling at my husband to get up, nor do I enjoy the feelings of frustration and anger I have toward him because I'm in the one dealing with the small child and he is sleeping ever so peacefully. Next year, I'm sticking to my traditions and Danny can either come along with the fun or do his thing alone while I'm off having a Christmas morning Starbucks and playing with the kids toys. Maybe next year Hunter will be old enough to take to the movies! Hunter loved the little computer he got and this little refrigerator magnet set that has a little fridge and food magnets that sing at you (I'm totally going to get my sister back for that one). The computer is still used all the time, either for a step stool or just play time and we hid most of the other stuff so we didn't have to listen to it even though he does find it and someone keeps putting all the pieces back in one spot. Over all, I do love Christmas and I hope to pass that love onto my son.

Time to Exercise!

2008-12-21T12:55:00.001-05:00

Due to the cold and rain and my ability to easily forget to give Danny the car seat, Super Destroyer spent most of his day at home. So I thought I'd take him to the mall to get some energy out... And possibly buy some new shoes with a gift card of mine. After chasing him around the shoe store, unable to look at anything, I decided to be good natured about it and I let Hunter follow his nose with me following behind him. Up and down the mall we went, sometimes side by side, sometimes counting to let Hunter know to slow down. Of course, he sees the Starbucks booth and go gets himself a chocolate milk while I struggle behind him trying to pay for it. We proceed around the wall to find the Reactrix board with a few kids playing on it. Super jumped right into the action still holding his milk. He spent the next 45 minutes running and jumping in the same 6x5 ft area. But look how cute!

(Sorry about bad pic, there is only so much you can do with a phone camera)

Ok well, it isn't that cute since all you see are a bunch of kids looking down but they were all so adorable and although Super kept getting his straw stolen away by a child smaller than him, he did start to stand up for himself after a few battles. The parents of this little boy were great and helped my son several times. He did do his best to get it back without being aggressive to the probably 13 month old that was all over his stuff. We had a nice relaxing evening after leaving, Super seemed to have spent a good amount of his energy. Now I just need a new pair of tennis shoes, that kid is getting fast!

Like Father, Like Son

2008-12-19T23:09:00.001-05:00

I hate cold. I hate rain. I hate not being able to go outside and I HATE having a toddler that feels the same way and shows it. In trying to find Super activities that include playing indoors, I've succumbed to fast food play grounds. It's not so bad sharing some fries and getting a chocolate milk and letting the boy play for an hour or two, I just hate getting in there with him. Of course he wants me to play along and I do but my knees are killing me from those plastic tubes. So I always love it when he finds a playmate and I have to laugh when as soon as a pretty girl comes in the room, he is the first one at her side trying to engage her... or in this case, trying to color with her crayons. This little girl was 5 but that didn't stop Super from going after the older woman. It took her a little while but eventually she came around and even gave him a hug goodbye when she left. What can I say? They love the "older" ladies.

Run, Run, Run and Jump!

2008-12-17T11:44:00.001-05:00

As the mother of a child that will sooner throw himself on his stomach in the middle of a busy street than give me a hug when asked, I've had to figure out some creative ways to get my way without sparking the rebel inside him (I don't know where he gets THAT from). While Christmas shopping, we went to Burlington Coat Factory to see what we could find. It was rather cold outside and after not figuring where I wanted to go for a while, I stopped mostly for the reason that I needed to go to the bathroom really bad. When Hunter hears a sense of urgency in my voice, it appears to be his cue to make my life as hard as possible. So I learned how to make a game of it. He has never been much of a hand holder but I can get him to when it's time to run. We run, run, run and jump! I'll swing him as high as my little body and short arms will allow.

We get to the store and inside and he immediately wanders off in his own direction. At this point, I'm about to embarrass myself if I can't get to a bathroom. So I take off in jest that I want to be chased. Oh my goodness, it actually worked and he got a big grin on his face and started after me. We must have looked like weirdos playing in the store but I got to where I needed to be without having to lug the large child in my arms. Let me just mention that I hate BCF now. Every store has a system for getting into the bathrooms and it requires pushing a button and someone allowing you in. Where was the sign posted that read that? On a 5x7 post card in tiny writing. We must have waited 3-4 minutes (an eternity when nature calls) before I remembered the drill and even then I didn't see the card until my way out.

Ever since then, we've made a good game of "run, run, run, jump" as Super calls it. Any kind of slope or hill makes him run down at full speed so he can have a big jump at the end. Speaking of slopes, physics hasn't become known to my son yet. Right after we moved into our new place, we were taking a walk and Hunter took off towards the street. I was hot on his heels until he reached the top of the slope before it went down to the actual pavement and he leaped onto his tush. He thought he could slide down it like something at the park. Poor kid.

He likes to get other people into the game as well. There was a man across the street doing some work on a roof, my little man practically egged him on to commit suicide. All he would say is "wun, wun, jump!" "JUMP!"

Foiled Again!

2008-12-15T09:33:00.001-05:00

I, like many other parents, will underestimate the intelligence of my kid once in a while. In my attempts for a healthy life style, I try lots of different foods and we enjoy almost all of it. I love that a great meal for Super is hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, hummus and pita bread and I can get him to eat just about anything. What I can't get him to eat, I'll try to be stealthy and hide certain foods within other foods. Hunter can recognize green beans so I would throw them in a big pot of chili and he would chomp them right down. Well, the other day I made the chili and was so excited until I looked down at Supers bowl and next to it was a little pile of green beans that he picked out and licked clean.

My New Job

2008-12-09T07:24:00.001-05:00

Bragging time! I have a new job and I absolutely love it. I nanny for a sweet little boy who I will probably refer to as Smiley Pants. He smiles all the time (tough break for me, right?) and I can't tell you how much I enjoy it. Since my first day the poor little trooper and his mommy have been sick but handling it like champs.

This job is perfect for our situation. I work early, Danny works late and we only have to hire a sitter for when he needs to do a grout job. I'm sad I don't get to see Danny often but I love how we take care of each other for the few minutes we have a chance to see one another. Super is handling it pretty well and adjusting like he needs to. I love having him run to me when I get home so I get a big hug and a "Yea!"

Smiley Pants is a sweet baby. He rarely cries and loves to listen to me sing (sweet!). Making him laugh is a constant goal of mine, as is keeping my hair and glasses out of his vice like grip. I'm so glad I get to work with this family.

Life Changes

2008-11-24T12:30:00.002-05:00

We moved. We left our apartment in Atlanta and moved to a townhouse in Smyrna (less than 10 minutes away). I will miss our neighbors and location but I'm more than happy to be away from the conversation ruining train and having no yard. Super loves playing on the new stairs and there is a park and a corner store within walking distance. It was a big adjustment but we're all settling in just fine.

I will say that it's an adventure moving with a 2 year old. The last time we packed up was right after my first trimester while carrying him and I got out of a lot of work because of my pregnancy and the horrible all day sickness. It was really difficult taking Super away from the only home he's ever known. After the first day of taking out the big stuff, he started acting out and making it obvious that he knew what was up. He wasn't being really horrible but there was this one incident that left me frustrated but smiling. After all of the big items were moved, we had little things here and there in the house. One of those things was a 10lb container of rice. Super loves rice and loves containers. After doing.... something... I came back into my living room to find everything dumped out and Super pouting because I made him clean it up.

I sat down with him and we cleaned up all the rice and found the diaper he stripped off and discarded. I can't say that we didn't play in the spilled rice just a little bit since it had to go in the trash. I love seeing the world through the eyes of my son and it is pretty fun to play in a big tub/pile of rice.

Farewell our first home as a married couple. We will miss you and reminisce every time we drive by but we are moving on to bigger and better things.

Locked Out... Part 2

2008-11-21T20:31:00.002-05:00

Don't you think I would have learned? While we were moving, the natural process of going in and out of the house is necessary and for some reason, I didn't think Super would be annoyed by all the chaos. I have a tendency to lock my keys in the car so I was extra careful to leave my keys on the counter during this early cold morning. Well, after sending Danny off with a full truck to our new place, I turned to go back inside the house.... Nope! Hunter locked me out... again. Only this time it was 30 degrees and I was in my jammies and a robe. And unlike the last time, he knew exactly what he had done. So back to the window I go, freezing, and start the knocking and gesturing process. My lovely son sat by the couch and laughed at me. Begging and pleading soon followed and when that didn't work, the threats began. Did they affect my little boy? All I got back was a bland stare and the raised eyebrows. So I put back on my nice face and finally got him to come over too me. I was back in the warm house in ten minutes so I was still very lucky but thank goodness the new house doesn't allow Super to do this anymore.

Gimme a High Five!

2008-11-13T14:39:00.002-05:00

I couldn't get a picture of the actual slap but them both reaching back for one is adorable.

Hey, Hey, He's a Monkey

2008-11-13T12:42:00.005-05:00

I have some bad timing. My church has several activities a week for moms and their children and lately I've been trying to get more involved since Super already knows most of these kids from Sunday meetings anyway. Well, the last 2 activities I've decided to go to, I've been the only one there! I questioned myself yesterday, thinking I had the wrong park but realized that it was just not a very pretty day yesterday and not many people were out. However, there were some children at the park so we still got to play and have a good time. There were these 2 little girls that kept Super entertained for a long time by playing on the slides with him.

Man this kid can climb. I hope the flutters of fear will eventually go away when I see him climbing up a tall ladder or attempting to follow the big kids down some crazy monkey bars. He's doing really well with it and managed to climb the "rock wall" at this park. He just never stops trying to go up.

I Heart Playdates

2008-11-06T11:44:00.005-05:00

Life is getting back to normal, we were well enough today to actually get outside and I couldn't be happier because it's gorgeous out there! We got to go out with Jenny and Vince and although Jenny and I wanted to visit with each other, the boys had other plans in mind. We did get to chat a bit but soon we were both pulled in different directions. I did get some really cute pictures of the kids though, especially of Vince, he has the sweetest little smile that makes me want to whip out the camera and capture it.

Look at that sweet smile!

Our Little Helper

2008-11-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

Although we weren't back to 100% health, we promised a friend that we would paint and hang her shutters for her. We had to bring along Super but he got to play and go on a walk with Linda and Grandma Sue and feed some ducks. When he got back we decided to let him "help" us for 5 minutes and he and his daddy are so cute painting together.

Miracles Freaking Happen

2008-11-05T07:46:00.002-05:00

My phone works! I don't know how it managed but I'm not going to question it at this point! Whoo hoo!

A Small Silver Lining

2008-11-04T21:44:00.001-05:00

So after the craziness of losing my phone, I thought I'd try and see if my old phone would work and it does! However, it's not in good condition and doesn't hold a charge well but I can still be reached. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the old one will work!

Complete and Utter Devistation (Why Mothers Should Not Nap - Part 2)

2008-11-04T20:50:00.004-05:00

I decided to take a quiet little nap this afternoon while Super was sleeping. I did not know that he could get out of his locked bedroom but I learned better when I heard splashing and opened my eyes to see my son submerging my barely 3-month-old Blackberry into a large cup of water. I'm so angry right now! I'm not surprised that he's managed to find a way to get out but I'm shocked that he didn't wake me up before managing to completely ruin the single thing I need most to keep my life running smoothly.

I don't know how much more of this I can take. I had a great vacation but came home, my car side mirror was busted on my birthday, got sick (and my period, sarcastic yeah!), missed Trick-or-Treating, missed his birthday celebration, remained sick longer than both my men, finally get back on my feet only to have to dive back into the working grind and now this. I'm past the point of angry that I'm laughing hysterically because I can't cry anymore. My only hope is that my phone will work again when it's dried out or that I can find the cash to get another phone soon.

I'm so upset because I've lost ALL of my information and after speaking to several people to try to see if I can at least get my SIM information... well, let's just put it nicely that you have to do an extra special save on those phones or the info will just save to the phone and not the SIM card. I have exactly 2 phone numbers and they are both for people I don't call so I don't know why they were the ones saved. I JUST GOT ORGANIZED! This is ridiculous! I'm off to go sulk now in my misery and pray that tomorrow is a much better day.

Hunter aka Super Destroyer Turns 2

2008-11-01T10:47:00.004-04:00

Unfortunately, this won't be a long blog post because on this wonderful day our whole family is sick. However, we aren't going to let that get us down as we remember the last two years together as a family. Super was born at 2:23pm, 8lbs 6oz and 21 inches long at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, GA to two very happy and exhausted parents. After 9 months of cranky, pregnant Sheri and 34 hours of labor, we welcomed our perfect little man into this world.

Two years later, that little man has delighted us in his growth, made us laugh daily and thoroughly challenged us to within an inch of our sanity. He is such a smart, curious, energetic and inventive person and I love seeing him be just who he is. He has learned all of his letters (he finally got Q while we were in DC), the numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10, the colors blue, green, yellow and red, how to say Thank you, Love you, NO, please and many, many more. He can identify Starbucks and knows exactly what kind of milk he wants from them, he can unload the dishwasher of the silverware and put it in the drawer, he can clean up his room and knows how to put his books away. He can instigate tickle fights, eat a full double cheeseburger from McDonald's and point out his favorite characters from SuperWHY, Sesame Street and Little Einsteins.

I can't wait to see what happens in the next 2, 5 and 10 years with him in our family. An although we're sick right now, we're still going to chow down on some cupcakes tonight and I can't wait to post the messy pictures.

I Actually Have Time

2008-10-29T11:57:00.005-04:00

Today is my birthday (agh! 27!) and I have free time to catch up on my blog and I actually want to. After spending a week with my sister, I am mildy obsessed with pictures so here are a bunch that I've wanted to share for a while.

Super and I went to Target one day and naturally stopped to get a coffee. Since they didn't have the childrens chocolate milk that they normally have, I just got him a cup of it but I asked them if they'd blend it with ice and put some whipped cream on top as a special treat for him. He LOVED it and watching him dig out the cream is so cute.

More Pictures from DC

2008-10-29T11:35:00.005-04:00

These were taken by my phone camera or by Penny's so they aren't the best resolution but I love them.

Our DC Trip!

2008-10-28T14:45:00.006-04:00

We had such a good time in DC with my sister and her family. The best part about going on "vacation" to visit family is that there isn't any stress to do the tourist stuff and no pressure to keep a schedule. Our days were filled with the park, playing with babies and Dr. Mario competitions, eating too much, going shopping with screaming kids, sneaking away for time as adults and changing diapers. Getting to know Penny's kids is so special to me and I'm so thankful we got to stay for a while. Annie is a little pistol with a screech that could wake the dead, Alex is a smart little man that will serenade anyone with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and randomly bust out with the word Corn when he can't find the word he wants. Annie has an engaging little laugh and the sweetest dimples, Alex loves his trains and wants to tell you all about the world of Thomas and his friends. Super fit right in with this own destruction and loved playing with his cousins.

Penny took me out for a birthday dinner of never ending crab legs and yummy seafood, we watched a hilarious movie and got dressed up together (something we haven't done in YEARS). We went on Slurpee run after Slurpee run, I couldn't' get enough since we don't have 7-11's in GA.

Picture time!

Pumpkin Carving

Horsey Back Rides

Swinging at the Park

(I LOVE this picture of us)

Climbing Fences

Being Cute

Going on the "Weee" Slide

Making Funny Faces

Poor Penny got sick one of the days we were there but I got a chance to serve my sister and I couldn't have been happier. Cleaning her house, doing her laundry, cooking dinner, serving her soup in bed and playing with her kids makes me feel closer to her and I'm thankful she got to really rest when she didn't feel well. It also gave me a chance to hang out with my brother in law, Shaun, whom I've know for 10 years but don't get to spend time with often without a lot of family around. We got to work together to keep the house going and I'm glad we got to do our own hanging out.

I also got to see my friend Laura! It was for only an hour but I haven't seen her since before Danny and I got engaged. She caught the Metro from MD to VA and she got to meet Super (who wasn't even an idea the last time I saw her), we had lunch and froze in the windy cold playing at a park. Certain circumstances put a damper on the visit but as true friends do, she totally understood and I'm so thankful for her. It was just nice to see her in person and to pick up where we left off (she left for Costa Rica right before Danny popped the question in 2005). Hopefully the next visit will be longer and easier (and not as cold) but there is always the phone and email until that day comes.

For everyone that made my trip possible (including the encouragement from a great friend), I thank you. We all know I needed a trip to de-stress and today I feel lighter, happier and like a better mother. Also, I read the best book How to Make your Children Mind Without Losing Yours and it works. If you are a mom, read this book. I started using his suggestions and noticed a big change in Super and I love it. More pictures of the trip will surface as we organize everything (Penny, I love that your camera is in constant use and I want to emulate that) and I cant wait to share more.

Going to DC!

2008-10-22T21:17:00.001-04:00

My awesome Big Sis is bringing me out to visit her and I couldn't be more excited! We haven't seen each other since early this year and we both can't wait to see the changes in each others children. I'm not looking forward to the plane ride with a very squirmy almost 2-year-old but I'm sure we can both get through it...hopefully. I'm going to have to put my sweet little ruffian in one of those baby leashes and I pray (and so should you) that we don't have a full fledged meltdown. However, a few hours of frustration will all be worth it for Super to see his cousins. After Penny told Alex about us coming to visit she got the best response..."Mommy, I going to share my bed!" ...how sweet is that?

Family Pictures!

2008-10-09T19:42:00.004-04:00

We got portraits done a few weeks ago and I have my pictures! I'm posting them here in case anyone wants to download them since I'm not a nice person that actually hands them out. Enjoy!

The Thrill of Defeat!

2008-10-09T19:38:00.002-04:00

As I have previously stated, Danny never lets me win at anything...ever. He is Mr. Competition at all times and I've come to terms with it. I know I may not always be the best at something and having it rubbed in my face time and time again has made me just as blood thirsty as he is. I know it may be stupid but I beat his high score on Brickbreaker! After we got our new phones, I wasn't really interested in playing the stupid games on it... until I gave it a few extra tries to see if it was really that hard.... well, it is. I don't care though because I got to send Mr. Competition a text message with my new high score and ranking above his and I couldn't be happier. People always say it's the small things that count, well, this counts! Whoo hoo! Now I just have to work harder to make sure that he don't get back on top.

The Smell of Distraction

2008-10-09T19:29:00.002-04:00

I was making hamburgers tonight and since I put the buns in the freezer for longer keeping, I needed to thaw out a few for me and Super Destroyer. I fed him and put one for me in the microwave... then I got a phone call. I picked up the phone because it was my lovely husband and totally forgot about the bread. Then I got a call 30 seconds later from Sue, my mother in law, and since we had been playing phone tag, I really wanted to make sure we got a hold of each other. A minute later (while the bun was cooking on HIGH) I turned around to see yellow smoke billowing out of my microwave!

I thought the smell of puke, runny baby diapers and rotten eggs was the worst thing I could ever smell.... boy was I wrong. I don't think I'll be able to have anyone over for a week due to the nasty smell that is nuked bread burned beyond recognition.

Awesome Wedding!

2008-10-08T20:08:00.000-04:00

On October 4th, our good friends Mandy and Bryan tied the knot and we were lucky enough to celebrate with them. The wedding was gorgeous, the bride was beautiful and the party afterwards was so much fun. We got to meet a lot of great people, eat some amazing food and saw some good friends of ours make the ultimate commitment. I don't have pictures because we were too busy getting our party on to remember but I'll snag a few when I get the chance. Congrats you guys! May you have a long life in love together...

My Silver Lining

2008-10-07T20:55:00.000-04:00

As we all know, the economy is going down the drain. It's been hard on everyone and we are feeling the squeeze just like everyone else. Well, I have good new for me... as everyone obviously saw, I gained a LOT of weight when preggo and some more afterwards (thanks to a lovely friend that introduced me to Starbucks... yes, at one point I was NOT a fanatic). I tried so hard for so long with little results but my hard work is now really paying off...I got on a scale today and I have lost 50lbs! I'm roughly 8lbs over what I weighed when I met Danny so I'm not all the way back but I'm getting there quickly. If I can do it by new years, I won't have to make it a resolution like I did for 2008. I can wear almost all my old clothes (the stupid stretched skin I am still left with after delivering my 8lb 6oz child is still making it difficult for all of them to fit correctly) and I feel amazing. I'm still depressed that money is a problem but I can look in a mirror and not feel bad about that too and I'm thankful that I'm so much stronger. Carrying around a 40lb toddler would strengthen anyone and even though it's hard, I'm thankful for my heavy man, without him I don't think I'd be halfway to my goal instead of almost there. Thanks Baby!

My Free Day

2008-09-22T21:15:00.002-04:00

With working as much as I have been, I've been neglecting myself, my family and my home... but today I got to spend time just being me (minus a few client calls and some Internet searching, those don't count) and being with my family. My day started off great! I got some much needed cleaning done and even Hunter helped me wash the kitchen floor again. He loves to play with water so when I filled up the bucket, he knew we were in for some fun. I didn't think he'd climb in but it was funny enough to take pictures. Unfortunately, I did it with Danny's phone so I don't have them to show yet.

Next, Danny and I are going to a wedding in a few weeks and I've been trying to skim off some pounds to fit into this one dress. Well, that dress isn't made for a person with my body shape and it looks horrible! So I tried on my "little black dress" that I haven't worn since well before I had Super and it fit! For one, I'm happy I don't have to go shopping for something new and two... it's my little black dress! And it's gorgeous! I've stared longingly at it in the closet for the past 3 years and in two weeks I get to rock it out.

Then we babysat a little boy for a few hours and the two kids had a blast. With both me and Danny home, there was enough attention to go around. After his parents picked him up, Danny asked if we could take Super to KangaZoom. It was so sweet to see him look hopefully at me until I said yes. Ever since he took Hunter a few weeks ago, I can tell he's been dying to go back.

We got there and instantly Danny and I are like teenagers, wrestling, throwing things and playing. Everything became a race or competition. We are so unevenly matched and thank goodness I'm not a delicate lady. We were racing to go up the big slide first. I had the head start but Danny has some long legs on him. As I reached the first steps, my darling husband took a flying leap.... STRAIGHT AT ME. I managed to squeeze my way in first but he landed practically on my shoulders and took me down. It didn't do more than faze me a bit and I was on my way up the ladder! Whoo hoo! I won! (As I've said in previous posts, Danny NEVER lets me win so when I do, I know I deserve it) A few rides down the slides later with the boy and we started racing again. Me, being so trusting after my first near broken neck experience, thought he wouldn't do something like that again. NOPE, I was wrong and all I saw where legs and socks flying my way. Again, I managed to get up first and was so proud of myself. After being bombarded by my 80" tall man again, I gave up, I don't need to break a bone, especially after I tripped getting out of the slide and twisted my ankle oh so gracefully (SO glad Danny didn't see that). I did tempt him with the chase once more but as I was trying to be cute and climb the little steps to get up, I tripped again and fell. Not allowing me to keep some dignity, Danny starts cracking up at me and continues to poke fun at my mishap until we left. After much screaming and crying from Super, we finally got out of there, stopped at the Starbucks across the street for chocolate milk and coffee and got home. Cranky time quickly turned to nap time and I had a few precious hours to myself after Danny went to work.

I've gotten to the 4th book in the Clan of the Cave Bear series. It's been a bit slow going because of my schedule (and because it's not as awesome as the first 3) but I've really gotten into the last half and I'll probably finish it tonight.

After Hunter woke up, we played and had dinner and then went to the mall. With that wedding fast approaching, it was time to get gifts. I will never take an almost 2 year old to do anything like that again. Like many adults that are getting married these days, they have everything that they need so they registered for china. Toddler boy + glass plates + no stroller = frustrated mom that can't control the child. Totally my fault but we still go to do some fun mall cruising after making our purchases. Now my child is tucked into bed, I have 100 pages left in my book, I'm going to make the most of it. :-)

Monster Face and Funny Smiles

2008-09-21T19:19:00.001-04:00

I think this is the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I don't know where he picked it up from but I couldn't take enough pictures of this sweet little man making funny faces. The pictures aren't good because they were taken with my phone but I think you understand the hilarity of what I call the "Monster Face" followed by the self satisfied smiles of a little boy that knows his mom is about to pee in her pants from the unexpected silliness.

We'll add one of me just for fun. Super likes to take pictures as well but can't use the camera on his own so I make my own funny faces to make him laugh while I try to divert his attention from expensive toys.

Clan of the Cave Bear

2008-09-11T21:02:00.002-04:00

Oh my gosh! I finished reading this book a few days ago and I've already started on the second book in the series and it's SO good. My mother read this book right before or after having my older sister and I can only imagine how it made her feel. This writer will rip your heart out only to fill it bursting with happiness a few chapters later. I loved this book and encourage everyone to read it.

Growing Up FAST

2008-09-10T21:46:00.003-04:00

Today was a long and arduous day. First thing in the morning we had to go to the doctors office so we could get the paperwork for Super starting daycare. After over an hour of waiting in the front, waiting 20 minutes in a room, 10 with the doctors, waiting another 15 for the nurses to prep the shots, dealing with the screams of my baby getting punctured and calming him down, we walked out of there frustrated and unhappy but with 8 or 9 lollipops. I did get his updated stats though, my Super baby is 34 inches tall and 39lbs! Actually, we couldn't get him on the scale so we tried a few different things and came to the conclusion that he is somewhere between 38-41lbs. I can not believe how skilled I've gotten at carrying such a heavy person all the time, especially since he's never given me help from the day he was born.

I had to feel bad for him with all of the different people poking and prodding at him. I discovered today that my child has a very strong sense of modesty for which I'm very thankful but it was so hard watching him struggle when someone just needed to listen to his heart or lungs. Someone else's hands on him did not make him happy and he kept covering up any exposed skin. I'm thankful we don't have to go to a physician often.

My doctor also reminded me that the boy will be having another growth spurt soon. I'm not looking forward to it. The last time he had one of those I could hardly keep up and his pants became so short on him. With fall and winter coming, I hope I can keep him out of high-water pants but at this rate, I'll be buying 4T's next summer. I had to laugh at the look on the Doc's face when he stated his concern that Hunter was "overweight" (the nurse measured him wrong the first time) and how big he was compared to me... that is, until I reminded him that Super's dad is very blessed in the height department. The look was especially funny because after a few years, I'm used to Danny and his height is average to me. Anyone under 6'2" is "short" and I come almost face to face with the Doc when we both stand. Needless to say, Super is healthy and intelligent, passing all of his development tests with flying colors.

I Got a New Phone

2008-09-10T21:17:00.002-04:00

And it's about time! The last phone I had was very old even when I bought it right after finding out I was pregnant. Now I finally have something that will take care of everything that I need while I'm juggling so much stuff. I got a Blackberry Curve and I'm so happy that I can take pictures with it! How sad is it that I've never have a cell that had a camera, speaker phone, the ability to check any kind of online activity or music. The hard part now is keeping it out of Super's reach so he can't destroy it. We had so much fun taking pictures together and I'm so excited that I'll always have a way to capture something awesome that he's doing without having to use our bulky camera. P.S. If you want me to have your phone number, call me or text it with your name so I can beef up my address book back up!

He's Too Dang Smart

2008-09-10T20:59:00.002-04:00

Never turn your back on a toddler, they'll never cease to surprise you. After an unusually late trip to Target for diapers and other essentials, me and Super came home and I got him out of the car and into the house. Having to return back to the car to get the next load of stuff, I was thinking to myself what a nice trip we had and how much I was looking forward to reading some more of my book (that'll be another blog). I reached out and turned the door knob and gave a slight push... nothing happened. I put down my packages and tried to push harder, know that our door sticks sometimes... nope. I was locked out of the house by my son.

I knocked on the door to see if I could get him to undo the damage. But hearing my knock and my voice calling from the other side of the door just caused him to panic a bit. Moving to a window, I beckoned him over to try to calm him down through the window. After a few minutes of coaxing him to the window and pointing to the lock, he was more uneasy and had himself a good cry. But neither of us gave up. A few more minutes later and I was able to talk to him enough and gesture enough that my big boy understood what to do and unlocked the window. Two seconds later I was back in the house with a new vow to never leave without my keys attached to me in some way. I've heard of other children doing this on a regular basis and I'm so thankful my son was able to do what was needed to do to help me back inside. Hopefully this experience won't teach him to get out on his own through that window. Cross your fingers for me!

Groans Heard Around the World

2008-09-07T13:27:00.003-04:00

It's the first day of football season and I could not be less happy. Normally the only day Danny and I get to spend together with Super is Sunday. I know the games only take a few hours but those are prime hours that I'm used to having and I hate watching my husband lounge around watching a game while his little boy wants his attention. I know I'm not the only one out there who feels this way and I'm keeping my chin up. I'll have plenty of time that day to do just about anything else so I'm going to do my best to take advantage of it.

Why Mothers Should Not Nap

2008-09-05T09:11:00.001-04:00

There are several reasons but I had a wake up call very recently... I closed my eyes because I was exhausted (keeping my ears open for a distress call, just in case) and woke up 45 minutes later to this....

Just to let you know, flour doesn't make a sound but it can get on EVERYTHING in an apartment if you give a toddler enough time. When I laid down, I made sure to hide anything dangerous (I JUST noticed there was Raid on the counter, thank goodness he doesn't care about it) and to put away the basket our son climbs on top of... but he can get things off the washing machine now. It took two days to clean up because if you look hard, you'll see a large cup of water that he used to make the most disgusting paste in the world. When I saw what he had done, I almost lost it. I was very thankful that a good friend came over and rescued him. I was not capable of handling everything at once. See that green thing in the last picture? That's our salt and pepper shaker. Pour salt out of the top, grind out of the bottom, it's one of my favorite kitchen tools. He completely submerged it and it had to get tossed. Actually, I almost salvaged it but the next night when we were making dinner, Super was playing with the lid to the salt part and innocently put it down. I didn't realize until it was too late that he put it on the stove top and it melted. Grrrr! What do you do? Cover him with kisses and finish as quickly as you can. I also now know to keep the flour in a very high place that requires me to get a step stool or to call for Danny. Ahhh kids, they keep it interesting.

Down the Crapper

2008-09-05T07:47:00.003-04:00

Darn it! Super just walked into the bathroom right as I was flushing and threw one of this foam numbers in. I hope that #2 (ha ha pun) doesn't block anything, I have no idea how to retrieve something like that. He's never really had much interest in throwing things in and I'm sad that I have to start locking the door on him. Just pray for me that it doesn't back up in the house.

Yea!

2008-09-04T21:57:00.003-04:00

While my mom was visiting last week, she told me the basic outline for the Clan of the Cave Bear series so I needed to order them on eBay. They are finally here! I'm so happy and after a long day at work, a much needed Enrichment meeting at church and a toddler that insisted on staying up an hour later than normal, I could really use a good book and a solid nights sleep. I just hope I'm not too engrossed that I can put it down. I have a feeling it's going to be tough.

P.S. I wrote a quick blog about our visit listed a few entries back if you want to read it!

Happy Birthday Annie!

2008-09-04T10:00:00.001-04:00

(Picture stolen from her mothers blog)

This precious little lady entered our lives just one year ago and she has been a constant joy among the people that love her. She's adventurous and strong, doesn't take any crap from her big brother and I have a feeling she's going to be a sassy girl that gives her mom a run for her money. I'm truely thankful that I'm a member of her family and that I get to watch her grow up into the amazing woman I know she'll be. Happy Birthday Annie Bananie!

I'm Converted

2008-08-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

I've never been against the kid play places like Monkey Joe's and KangaZoom but I never really cared enough about them to go to one. With my mom visiting for a few days and the endless rain she brought with her, we decided to give one a try. We've both heard my big sister rave about places like this and Carley, my little sister works in one, so we knew it couldn't be bad.

Super LOVED it. He loved it so much that my mom gave him an early birthday present and the next 10 visits are on her. I can't wait to take him back. He loves balls and they have an abundance of them in all kinds of sizes. He loves to bounce and jump and he realized it could do both without a lot of effort or any pain if he fell.

I have to say that I loved it too. Who knew that putting on a pair of socks and running around could be so fun after the age of 10? I think I'm going to enjoy going back so often and I'm interested to see if Danny can participate with us. With him being as big as he is, I doubt he'd fit in most of the inflatables but I'm pretty sure he could make it down one of the gigantic slides they have. On the subject of the slides, they are so cool! Hunter had no fear as he climbed up them and I didn't have to help because falling wouldn't hurt but he was flawless the 3-4 times he did it himself.

I'm excited to say that we'll be going back soon and often. I think I'm even going to cancel my gym membership so the budget doesn't have to change. I don't go anymore anyway and this form of cardio is much more fun.

Tooting My Own Horn

2008-08-28T20:37:00.000-04:00

I don't get to see my niece and nephew often enough but I feel like I still know them. I'm constantly on the phone with Penny and listening to their life, reading a blog about them or getting a random phone call from one of them that my sis doesn't know about. I'm a pretty good aunt and here is why...I called my big sis the other day to see what was up. We've both been really busy so I haven't gotten to talk to her as often as I want to. Little Annie was having herself a big tantrum and it was clearly audible in the back ground of the conversation. I could hear Penny practically rolling her eyes in exasperation over this little girl that would not give up the screaming. So I dug down in my brain and remembered a fact about my niece, she loves shoes, and I told my sis that she should try putting some on her. A minute later, there was blessed silence and I got a big thank you from a very happy mother. That girl and her love of shoes is after my own heart. I don't personally have an extensive collection... yet, but as she gets older and we all become more financially stable, we're going to have a great time shopping together.

Our Visit From Suburban Earth Mama

2008-08-27T20:44:00.008-04:00

We had such a great visit. Mom is so low maintenance that she makes you WANT to take care of her, especially since she did it while I was growing up, I want to return to favor as well as be a good hostess. She came in super late on Saturday night, we set up her bed, had some good chatting and went to sleep. Sunday was a lazy day, interrupted by a fun little birthday party and it was good that Super got a chance to get comfortable with this other person in our home. Monday and Tuesday were a flurry of shopping, playing with Hunter and eating way too much food. Something I love about Suburban Mama... she loves to fill our refrigerator (and I'm in no ways complaining) and then take us out for lunch (which again, not complaining). I usually have a hard time going with the flow and letting her take us out when we have a house FULL of food. Then again, I'm more than happy to sit back and let myself be spoiled.

It's really nice to be able to sit back with your mother and actually talk about things that are important in your life now. Just a few years ago, everything was different and if you go back a few more years... yikes! But now that I'm a mother and she is finding herself lots of new hobbies, including finding the perfect piece of land for her dream home, we actually understand each other much better. It's also fun to find out how much we have in common, even if it's just something like yard work and books. We started a Monopoly game one night (she totally enabled me) and she began telling me about these books she started reading when she was the young mother of a toddler. After hearing a rough run down of them, I asked her to really tell me the story. I'm not someone that can't hear the ending or a book or a movie before I get to it myself. I'm actually happy most of the time to find out what's going to happen first.

After a few days of shopping and hanging out...I'm sad she had to leave but I'm happy we'll get to see each other soon. I love the relationship we have... it may not be perfect but it's perfect for us and it's all ours to do whatever we want with it.

It'll Be a Few Days

2008-08-27T20:44:00.004-04:00

I have so much to update about but I slashed open my right index finger on a staple to the point that typing HURTS. So, it'll be a few days before I can really catch up because as I'm jotting this note for my regular readers, the pressure has split open my finger again. Anyone that wants to talk better call me because no emails will be returned until at least Saturday.

Movie Magic

2008-08-27T12:55:00.001-04:00

Yes, I let the TV babysit my kid but it's also a babysitter for me. Every time Meet the Robinson's, Teletubbies or Sesame Street comes on, I can't help but have to get up and find something else to do. I can't watch it anymore. Danny can hang out with Hunter everyday and watch that movie together but I'd rather be doing the dishes or vacuuming. So, I consider it to be a magical box now that motivates me to find something productive to do. Unfortunately, when the boy knows I'm on the computer or phone and doing something for work, he must get my attention back but while I'm wiping down cabinets and scrubbing foot prints off the wall, he doesn't care. It's been a big help in getting me off my butt and working more which in turn makes me more motivated to do other things.

Suburban Earth Mama in GA

2008-08-21T21:17:00.000-04:00

My mom is coming to visit again! I always look forward to her coming to visit. She is such an easy guest and we can communicate so well with each other. We don't even bother planning which days she comes. It usually happens something like this... " Hey, I want to come visit, can I come on this date or this date?"..."Sure, that sounds great! We'll have lots of fun!"... "Yeah we will and just let me know when you get sick of me and I'll head home"..."Awesome, I can't wait for you to come!"

That kind of easiness is actually the result of 20 years of constant complications between us but I'm so glad that we've been able to obtain this since I've reached adulthood.

Memories

2008-08-19T21:09:00.000-04:00

I'm going through my pictures of Hunter's life and one that I want to share. I hope Danny doesn't get mad at me but these are too precious. These were taken approximately 3 months after our son was born. They are kind of hard to see but Danny is holding his leg like he would hold the boy. I don't know what kind of dreams he had that night but I couldn't resist taking a picture.

It's comforting to know that he's a good daddy in his dreams as well as in real life.

My Addictions

2008-08-18T21:25:00.003-04:00

I have such an addictive personality. I'm perfectly aware of it so I try to take everything in moderation. I did write try... I'm not sitting behind my computer thinking I'm the picture of perfection. Right now, one of my newest addictions is raging inside of me. No, it's not a substance like coffee.... I'm craving Monopoly. A few months ago, Josh, Danny and I started playing because hubby was tired of losing at Scrabble and ever since the first few games, I'm hooked. I secretly get a little thrill when I land on a craved property and I like the little, bitty adrenaline rush you get before you roll and you're within range of properties covered in hotels. Most times I get amazing rolls that put Danny in a bad mood when we play together. Once I even made it 3/4 of the way around the board and picked up the last 3 available properties in one turn. So, I'm home again, alone on a Monday night and I wish a neighbor or a friend would come over so we could play. Ahhh, it's so fun being the mother of a toddler and the most exciting thing you can think of to do on a weekday evening is play a board game.... I need a hobby.

Picture Time!

2008-08-18T13:17:00.002-04:00

We got bored playing the other day so I brought out the camera. I have not been diligent about recording my family as we are all getting older so I'm trying. Big Sis Penny brought up a good point, this blog is my journal so I want to get in as much as I can so in the future, my kids and my grandkids can see what life was like "back then" and possibly learn from us. So, we snapped pictures and made goofy faces (which none of them came out clear). I'm going to keep my batteries charged from now on because what we experience together is precious.

The Bad Habits of Men

2008-08-17T13:24:00.000-04:00

Drinking out of the carton isn't something I'm especially against. More often than not, I'll get myself a cup but I don't have a problem "sharing" a jug of something with my family members. It's a good thing too because my husband is the worst I've ever seen about doing this. I've resorted to get him his own gallon a milk but there is no stopping him when I bring home juice. Well, I guess Super has been watching his Daddy too closely.

The Artist Inside

2008-08-16T10:09:00.001-04:00

I have always wanted to be an artistic person. I wasn't blessed with music or drawing ability (thank goodness Danny does so our kids have some hope) but that doesn't keep me from trying. Last Christmas, Suburban Earth Mama gave me a paint by numbers kit that includes everything one would need to make a nice picture of some cats and a house, well, we didn't do that.

We made these together and, no, they aren't professional or that good (I think you can even see his hand prints in the paint) but I can't get the image of my sons face out of my head. Just look at those smiles...

Cleaning up wasn't too bad. Super doesn't understand the concept of keeping it all on the paper but I think I had more fun watching him paint the floor than the canvas. He loved the red and blues. Now I just have to find a way to get more... more paint, more canvas and probably more soap. It stinks that we don't have more room in our home to set up something more permanent because I thoroughly enjoyed our painting adventure.

Why Plan Anything?

2008-08-09T10:50:00.004-04:00

We haven't had family pictures done since Super was probably 6 weeks old. I had it all planned out that we could do it this Sunday but plans can never be made when you have a lively toddler. Uncle Brian was watching him and while on a walk, Super tripped and fell. Not any ones fault but his own (poor Uncle thought I was going to be mad) but now I have to put off our family portraits for another week. When he fell, Super got some serious road rash in the middle of his forehead. It's not as easy to see now (4 days later) but you get the idea.

I thought about covering it up with make up but I doubt he would have let me. Grandma Sue likes to tell the story about her boys going in to get their pictures done and in the parking lot on the way in, Brian slipped and fell scraping his face. What do you do? You get the pictures taken and always incorporate the cute story.

It's doesn't help that Grout Daddy grumbles when the words "taking pictures" are mentioned. This is only the second time in 21 months that I'm making him actually put forth effort for a photograph and even then he just has to be clean, wear what I pick out and smile. Although he told me he'll cooperate better this time, that has yet to be seen. But I'm tired of being the only one that takes the pictures. Looking back through all of them, I'm in a handful and yeah, I didn't want to get in during my post-baby weight loss but I wish Grout Daddy would pick up the camera occasionally.

I will say, Super has gotten much better about the camera. He actually didn't run away and was curious about what I was doing. Here is his "cool guy" look. Yes, we did give him a crew cut but it was his fault. I actually like it though. He looks exactly like my little brother did when he was really young. I'll have to post some pictures when I can get them scanned, the resemblance is uncanny.

Good Morning! I haven't brushed my hair nor am I wearing any make up but I got to be in a picture! Super wouldn't cooperate to be in it with me.

Olympian in Training

2008-08-08T21:47:00.004-04:00

I think I have a little athlete on my hands. We were over at Grandma Sue's to watch the opening ceremony (SO cool, by the way) and he got a little restless and decided to burn off some calories. Now before you start thinking I'm crazy for letting my 21 month old son run on this contraption, he has better balance that most of us and ran on that thing for a while with only a few bumps. He went down for bed just fine so I'm hoping he hops back on there the next time we visit.

Oh, the Surprises

2008-08-08T14:45:00.003-04:00

I have a fun filled weekend ahead of me. Saturday I have a showing which takes a big chunk of time away from my family but you have to do what you have to do, at least Sunday is for us. However, if I need a chuckle, I can just recall our adventure today. Let me preface this with the knowledge that Super loves bottles of all kinds and I let him play with the ones that won't make a mess. So, I was making us hot dogs for lunch. As I shook up the mustard bottle I heard a strange little *clunk, clunk* noise. I open it up to find a pen in the mustard. How he managed to get it in there, I have no idea but I had to laugh as I fished it out. I can only imagine what he was thinking at the time it happened. I have a feeling that I'm going to have to put that bottle on the high shelf now that he's so interested in mixing things.

Nothing In Particular

2008-07-28T20:12:00.002-04:00

I have neglected my blog. Other than work and routine day to day life, there hasn't been much to talk about. So this is going to be a bunch of random stuff... enjoy! Super is a handful at all times but we're having fun learning new things. I'm always amazed to hear new words out of his mouth and I'm continually surprised that he is getting older and actually learns things. For the longest time it felt like anything we did went in one ear and out the other or he'd do something once and we'd never see it happen again.

Yesterday was a busy day for us. It started at the park with some friends, a refusal to take a nap, a long walk and a quick dip in the pool. On our walk (while he sported his awesome Superman PJ's), we stopped by the pool and he got in. Most of the time he'll stand there and then want me to hold him while soaking wet but this time he was surprisingly comfortable in the water. So I left him alone and gave him his space to explore. He did pretty well considering the last time we went to the pool he wouldn't get out of my arms. Today we went back and he was as happy as can be splashing around. There were some workers putting down straw and one found a tennis ball so they all played catch with him while they worked. It was so cute to watch Super in his little swimmer diaper run around and try to play catch with 5 different people.

Grout Daddy has been working like crazy and we miss him but we've been able to do a lot on our own. Especially now that Super is learning to follow directions and knows the dangers of running into the road. Blah, I'm not feeling inspired right now....I'll write more when I am.

Here She Is!

2008-07-20T20:22:00.005-04:00

I call her MassageMama, my kids will call her grandma but the world will now know her as Suburban Earth Mama! My mother started a blog! I'm excited! I love reading all of the blogs of my close friends and now the woman that raised me will give all of us some insight into her brain. Let's welcome her into the blogging community, it wasn't so long ago that we were all newbies that just wanted people to read.