Category Archives: Living

Concocting A Mess

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Evan is into Spiderman these days. As in, he can’t get enough. We play Spiderman, read Spiderman books and watch Spiderman on t.v. He is going to be Spiderman for Halloween, but I just ordered his costume yesterday. Later in the day Evan asked me if he could paint. I said sure, got out the paints and gave Evan some paper. I went about making dinner, which means I was in the kitchen with Evan, but had my back to him quite a bit. Imagine my surprise when I turned around to find this: 

He can even shoot webs. 



His feet got in on the action, too. 



Dinner was late. And I am still cleaning up red paint. Luckily it was washable. 


 

Concocting A Mess

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Evan is into Spiderman these days. As in, he can’t get enough. We play Spiderman, read Spiderman books and watch Spiderman on t.v. He is going to be Spiderman for Halloween, but I just ordered his costume yesterday. Later in the day Evan asked me if he could paint. I said sure, got out the paints and gave Evan some paper. I went about making dinner, which means I was in the kitchen with Evan, but had my back to him quite a bit. Imagine my surprise when I turned around to find this: 

He can even shoot webs. 



His feet got in on the action, too. 



Dinner was late. And I am still cleaning up red paint. Luckily it was washable. 


 

Living: Rushing Toward Christmas

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Evan woke up today thinking it was Christmas. Really, he did. He jumped out of bed and couldn’t wait to see what Santa Claus brought him. I explained over and over again it was not Christmas, but he insisted on finding out for himself. He held out hope until he walked into our living room. The fact that Santa hadn’t come didn’t phase him all that much. “Let’s just look outside and see if it snowed,” he said as he lifted the blinds. I was happy that he thought Christmas could have come without ribbons, come without tags, come without packages, boxes, or bags, but my poor little guy had such disappointment in his eyes when he looked outside and saw it hadn’t turned to winter overnight. 

It’s my fault, I suppose. We’ve been talking a lot about Christmas travel plans lately, plus I’ve been singing Christmas carols since June. It all started with Madelyn, who was quite the crier when we first brought her home. I sang and sang to try to calm her down. After I went through my repertoire of children’s songs, I turned to Christmas carols. Little Miss developed an affinity for Let it Snow, so I’ve been singing it about four times a day for the past three months.

Then Evan started asking me to sing it to him at bedtime. Little did I know it is apparently the gateway carol. A few weeks ago he started asking for hard-core carols. Last night I did four renditions of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and three of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas with a quick Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer thrown in for good measure (my guy had a hard time settling down last night—hence all the singing). As I was tucking Evan in he told me he couldn’t wait for Santa to come. I had no idea he thought it would be so soon.

I’m going to have to tone down the Christmas talk or else the next few months will be torturous for my little guy. I do love Christmas and I love getting a jumpstart on the planning, but this little episode reminded me not to rush the fall. I think I’ll plan a trip to the pumpkin patch and get some Halloween decorations down from the attic. Time goes by fast enough on its own without wishing it away just so we can get to Christmas.

Living: A Multitasking Mess

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I shouldn’t multitask. It can have unhappy consequences. Like earlier this week when I slipped this pan of cookies in the oven, then interested Evan in some toys, put Madelyn down for a nap and started in on a work project. It wasn’t until the smell of burning sugar and butter made its way from my oven, through the kitchen and into the next room that I remembered I had even made cookies…let alone put them in the oven. It was a sad, sad day at our house. And I didn’t even have any cookies to help make me feel better. 

Living: My Baby Girl

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My Dear Sweet Madelyn,

It is hard to believe you’ve been with us for three months already. You are such a joy! Your brother, dad and I are all enamored with you and spend hours talking to you in singsong voices and making funny faces in an attempt to make you grin. You love to smile and I couldn’t be happier that I have a happy baby.

This week you rolled over from your back to your tummy and your brother could hardly contain his excitement. He clapped and cheered you on as you were trying to make your move and then he gave you a “little high five” on your balled up fist. You are already racking up a few ‘firsts’ and I know this is just the beginning of the many accomplishments your life will bring.

We have taken three road trips to New York this summer so you could have laser surgery on your vascular birthmark. Only a few minutes pass from the time the surgeon takes you from my arms until he brings you back, but the wait is excruciating. I sit and listen for your little cry, which lets me know I’ll be holding you again soon. As soon as I get you back, I fight back my own tears while I dry yours. I do my best to calm you. Then I bend down so your brother, at his insistence, can attempt to kiss away your pain. Although I’m so sorry you’re hurting, I love seeing him try to comfort you. I know one day you’ll do the same for him.

Miss Madelyn, I love the feel of your hands and fullness of your cheeks—not to mention the fat rolls on your thighs. Every little inch of you is absolutely perfect. Thank you for being a part of our family, for being so sweet and for just being you. I can’t wait to get to know you better as we continue on this little adventure together.  

Love,
Mommy

 

Creating: A New Tradition

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Our weekend was filled with fresh air, apple orchards and a drive in the country. We loaded my little guy’s wagon with two pecks of Royal Gala and MacIntosh apples that are destined to be slathered with peanut butter for our afternoon snacks, sprinkled with sugar for apple pies and diced up for apple puff pancakes. This was our second annual apple picking adventure, and I think it is destined to become a new tradition. Stay tuned for a few recipes as I use up these little red beauties. 

Living: One Big Blur

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This week may go down as one of the busiest we’ve had in a long time! Here are the highlights (that I can remember–at least):
 
One popsicle party hosted by my friend Sarah. 
One well-child two-month check up.
Two surgeries (my hubby said goodbye to two large kidney stones and my baby girl’s hemangioma got zapped).
One dentist appointment.
An oil change.
One story submitted.
People watching in Times Square.
One corned beef and pastrami on rye and a slice of cheesecake at Carnegie Deli. 
More loads of laundry than I can remember. 
Twenty one late-night feedings for baby girl, which also means 21 late-night diaper changes.
 
Whew! Time to do the dishes and get to bed! 

Against My Better Judgement

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I distrust wildlife. I like to keep a safe distance between myself and any wild animal—and by wild I mean anything other than a domesticated cat or dog that belongs to someone I know and trust. But, I was won over by the little chipmunks on my parents’ property during my Utah vacation. My dad has been feeding them for years and finally has them eating peanuts out of his hand.

After some encouragement from my dad, I gave it a try.

And, we even let the kiddos feed the furry creatures (my niece’s little ones are on the left—my little guy is on the right).

 

Guess what? We all lived and no one had to get a rabies shot—if a rabies shot is what you’d get if you were bitten by a chipmunk. The little things were actually kind of cute. Right up until they stole my little guy’s shoe, chewed some holes in it and left it out in the great wide open. But that’s another story for another day.

Living: A Retreat

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re·treat

Pronunciation: ri-ˈtrēt
Function: noun
1 : an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous or disagreeable
2 : a place of privacy or safety
 
While life with a three year old and an infant isn’t necessarily dangerous or disagreeable, it has been, at times, difficult. A little one who eats every three hours on the dot and has an amazing set of lungs along with a little guy who sometimes struggles with sharing his mommy’s attention and a sweet hubby who often has to work late have left me a bit exhausted. So, I sought solace in a mini retreat at my parents’ house. 
 

Nearly two weeks of my mom’s cooking, kind words and extra help definitely soothed my soul. We baked, chatted, played and just relaxed.

My mom rocked my baby to sleep, changed diapers and relieved me (more than once) when Miss Madelyn refused to go back to sleep after her three a.m. feeding. Mimi, as my mom is called, made sure my little guy got breakfast each morning, took him on special adventures and showered him with love.



It was so much fun to watch her with my kids, and her extra help let me catch up on some rest and work. I even got to sneak in a little reading and take my little guy to the park sans his sister, which he loved.

 
Every time I am “home” I struggle with dividing my time between visiting friends and extended family or spending every possible minute with my parents. On this trip being with my folks won out (except for a few days I spent with my in-laws so they could see the kiddos), and I hope everyone understands. The time went too quickly, as always. It feels like we’re always on the run and the next month is no different. It is jam packed with work deadlines, a family lake vacation, another surgery for Madelyn and some well-child check ups. I’ve always said that I like to stay busy! This month will put it to the test.