Just for Jean

My best friend Jean is coming to visit this week, and in honor of her arrival Wyatt has been talking about "Ms. Jean" all weekend. To begin the countdown Wyatt donned Jean's party hat that has been passed through many a 29 year old's household. Needless to say, the workers at my house this morning doing our bathroom renovations were quite tickled with Wyatt's choice of head wear.

As Easy as 1-2-3

A few months ago, I discovered that Wyatt was really interested when I would count things. I wasn't going to sit the child down with flashcards, but I figured he would catch on soon enough if I counted things like stairs when we were going up them, or asking him at snack time "Would you like one cracker, or two?" (You can guess what the typical answer was!!)

The other night he surprised me in the bathtub by saying "Froggy," after pointing to the froggy on the tub spout. He then pointed to another frog in the bath and said " 'nother froggy - two froggies" None of this is consistent of course, but it was pretty exciting to hear!! So, here is the only video I have been able to capture of Wyatt counting to 10, which he has started to do all the time - I think he's a bit camera shy, so you'll have to turn the volume up! (Yes, he also has blue marker all over his face!!)

Wordless Week - Self Portrait

Wordless Week - Dancin' Machine

Wordless Week - Monday

Home Remedy

-Start with one sick toddler

-Add giant cozy chair, 3 blankies & favorite stuffed animal

-Create one new favorite treat for sore throat & cough - Greek Yogurt Smoothie (see recipe below)

-Finish with a quick episode of 'Bob the Builder,' or any other favorite TV show

-Yields 1 content toddler, for the time being - I'll take what I can get!!

(Yes, that would be my calorie counting book in the background - not Wyatt's - LOL)

Greek Yogurt Smoothie
-1 individual container of All Natural Fat Free Chobani Greek Yogurt (we use the kind with fruit on the bottom)
-1/2 cup skim milk (you could use any kind of milk)
-6-8 frozen strawberries, peaches or whatever fruits you like
-handful of fresh blueberries
-BLEND & pour!

Writer's Block

I have not been feeling very creative when it comes to blogging lately - I am going through a bit of a phase where I am sick of constant communication & access to people, places & things via the Internet. I know, I know - it's 2009 & that's the way things are done these days, but I have been trying to slow down my pace of life a little & make more time for what is important for my health & sanity - like working out, learning the guitar & spending some time outdoors with Wyatt & family, showering daily, etc, etc... plus, I have been using my creative juices lately with things for Lily & Wyatt, and with planning out some summer fun for hubby, toddler & myself. So, my apologies if I am not on here often - I will try to drum up a witty & inspiring post sometime in the near future (and a better attitude :) ). For now, here are some recent photos of family fun!

Who Doesn't Love Winning!?

I say that like I win things all the time - not the case!! But, I am hoping to win this cool thing for Wyatt - my friend Abby is giving one away over at her blog, so stop by to check it out & enter!

Daddy Goes

I would like you to meet the newest member of our family - "Daddy." Don't worry, he has not replaced Seth - who is referred to as "Real Daddy" - this is "play" Daddy. He was sort of an impulse purchase the other day while making a larger purchase at Toys R' Us - Wyatt's cousin has this man for her dollhouse, and it is a favorite each & every time we are there playing. When I tell you that we have not put Daddy down since the moment we purchased him, I am not kidding. Daddy has been on all sorts of adventures through town - he had a cone at TCBY yesterday, bologna for lunch, helped us put together a few backyard toys yesterday... even a trip to Sarah's science fair this evening, complete with a visit to Birdman Dave.

So, next time you see us out & about don't be surprised if Daddy is with us, because as Wyatt says "Daddy goes!"

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

I was reluctant to post this when I first returned from our recent trip to the Roanoke River. It was a very cold, and very wet weekend & one which I wanted to soon forget. It was only when I had a few days to warm back up (and be thankful that it only rained on us, instead of snowing) that I realized just how much fun we did have. Something about being in the Great Outdoors always brings out in the best in my relationship with Seth - no matter how cold, how wet or how downright miserable things get, we always seem to have a lot of laughs & make plenty of memories. Now, that's not to say I'll be rushing back to the Roanoke for another 22 mile canoe trip (my arms are still sore from paddling in a headwind in pelting rain), but maybe one of these days we'll get back out there in the canoe...

http://tiny.cc/OzuBd

"A picture is worth a thousand words..."

I had to create this post this morning when I found out that a near & dear friend had finally launched her business - J.B. Haygood Photography www.jbhaygoodphotography.com

If you ever need photography done, for any reason, she's your gal. Extremely professional, great with children & and a true artist behind the lens. My husband & I had some photos taken a while back with Wyatt & I swear it was the first time we've been able to capture some true smiles on camera!

Congrats Jen - I wish you the best & know it will be a huge success!

How Do You Keep Up?

I ask myself this question as a Mom all the time - how can you possibly keep up with all the information out there in regards to motherhood, babies, products, classes, education, playgroups, social skills, language development, healthy eating - the list is never ending & overwhelming. My husband often rolls his eyes at me when I mention something from one of these categories - "People have been having kids for years & years & they figure it out - we will too"

Recently though, I have felt the pressure of motherhood in all things "safe" for my child. Like anyone with a kid, it seems you are always being bombarded with wanted and, more often, unwanted advice. Are we victims of the Internet & the access we have to endless amounts of information? I often think so... Don't get me wrong - it's great to have access to so much, but like anything, I believe moderation is key. For example - Google "sunscreen chemicals" & boy will you get a new education. Again, I appreciate that this information is available, but it all contributes to what I believe makes it harder to be a "good" mom these days. What bottles are you using? Are they made of plastic? What sippy cups? How are you washing them? You are using WHAT on your kid's skin? Non-organic wipes? Your kid eats sugar? Hydrogenated WHAT? Sunscreen is now dangerous? AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I understand that we are lucky to have more research being done these days to discover causes of cancer, other diseases & disabilities, but damn if it isn't hard to keep up with everything. And when is it all truly too much? When is it fact and when is it "sort of" fact? Is some info more important than others? And my biggest question is, if these products are better & safer, then why do they cost so much damn money? (That is my same "beef" with healthy food, but I will save that for another rant) How do you "keep up" in this economy?

How do you keep up? Are you practicing the same things for yourself, or just your child? I'd love to hear & get some tips!

Snow Angel

Blah-gger

Not feeling the blogging this week - had several good ideas for posts, but all have fallen flat when it came time to put "pen to paper." I am trying to start both a workout routine & a diet this week, so both have sort of rocked my world for the time being. Until my next post, here are some recent favorite pictures:

Wyatt loves when I wrap George up like a baby in this blanket

My budding artist

Trying out the wireless headphones in the back of our new Honda Pilot

I just love this smile - he was so proud to go down this HUGE slide all by himself!

A fishing lesson from Dad

Targa

Tonight was a night for the record books - when I become a famour guitarist, I suppose I will look back on February 17, 2009 as the day when I learned guitar from my first lesson. Okay, so maybe not. After all, it was only the first lesson & it has taken me 5 months to schedule!!

The nicest thing about tonight though, was that I took 30 minutes for myself. Not for Wyatt, not for Seth, not to do housework or catch up on email...just 30 minutes to do something for ME. I am looking forward to the next few lessons - I went ahead & scheduled out for a month to force myself to do it. Hopefully I will be playing children's tunes before long, and maybe in the not too distance future I can strum a few Grateful Dead tunes for Wyatt as well.

The best part of my evening though was coming home to a happy toddler shouting "Targa, targa" (his word for guitar) quickly followed by "pick, pick." I promise to have some tunes for you soon buddy!

Here Comes Trouble

Wyatt enjoyed a Monday morning of having his cousin Lily come over to play with her Mama ran some errands. These two always manage to wear each other out in a matter of 3 hours - play hard = nap hard = happy mamas!

She's Crafty

I have been busy today, finally putting my sewing tools to good use! I got this pattern for these pants this morning for $1, and the fabric for about $3!

The pants were the sensible item I made...
...and then I had to have a little fun!

Like Mother, Like Son

For those that know me well, you know there are numerous pictures

over the years of this face. Today, I taught it to Wyatt!

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

I had a moment today - I am a Mom, I am someones mother, I am responsible for someone else's life. Not that I didn't know this already, but it was as I was peeling my 'Steal Your Face' sticker off of my license plate that I had this pause of thinking that I am a "grown up" now. Remember how uncool grown ups seemed when you were young? I often think when I am around other children, am I that uncool grown up? Will I embarrass my child one day soon? I'm sure the answer is yes...

I also like to think about the kind of grown up I thought I would be, versus the grown up that I am turning out to be. Some things seem on par, but there are other things that I like to laugh about. I mean sure, my kid will probably still be the one at the playground with a tye-dyed t-shirt, a macaroni necklace & a homemade cape on when it is 40 degrees out, but who knew I would be researching preschools & reading ingredient labels on sunscreens.

So, as I stated earlier, this "Mom" moment happened when I went to peel the sticker off of my license plate. We are getting rid of my car, and upgrading to a "safer" & roomier one (see what I mean!). I have had this sticker on my car since I was in high school - sort of a trademark, if you will. I had a moment where I thought back to when I first got my car - two days before I headed to Bonnaroo with my brother & his friends - for the second year in a row too! There were some good times had in this car at Bonnaroo, and certainly a "grown up" wouldn't be selling Jello-O shots out of their tailgate at a 5-day hippie music festival, right? No matter what car I end up with next (it won't be a mini van - I'm not that grown up yet) I will make sure the sticker gets back on the license plate. It's the little reminder that it's okay to still be a "kid" sometimes.

What was your "grown up" moment? Had one recently?

BINGO!

You know, there is this secret society among Mom's - A kind of network of information that you don't think about or know about until you become a Mom, and then you are frantic to gather the right information & make the right decisions. In this instance, I'm talking about preschool. Who knew that Wyatt getting into college one day could be easier than getting into preschool - preschool, people!! This is not required "learning"!!

Over the summer I thought to myself that it might be nice for Wyatt to have a 1/2 day without me (I mean, I know I am fascinating ;), but I thought he might like a little exposure to other adults & kids) I didn't even know where to begin, but through the Durham Mother's Club I found out about Parent's Morning Out, or PMO as the "Mommy Network" would call it. When I started calling around I was floored to find out that people signed up for that sort of thing 8 months prior - some people seemed downright appalled that I would even call in August to try to get my kid signed up for something that started one month later. Who knew!! I even found out about a preschool where kids were on the wait list from birth. I can just see it now:

Doctor: "It's a boy!"
Mother: "Could you keep it down, I'm on hold at XYZ Preschool...Yes, that's right - wait list for 2012 - the two-day Two class"

I mean, most people that know me know that I am anything but organized. I have always been a sort of "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" kind of gal, which has been great, but can also bite you in the ass every now & then. So, after my calls in August, I found out that it was January when I would need to sign Wyatt up for the 2009-2010 school year. Easy enough, right? Not so fast...you have to be a member of said church to get in, or an existing student. Oh, and don't forget about the siblings, then it is open to the public...It was just all to much to take in. That & I was told I better have about 5 choices because I may miss out on quite a few in this lottery situation. Sigh. So, I narrowed my choices down to 2 schools & just hoped for the best - I still couldn't believe all the work going into this!

So, fast forward to today. I am sitting in a fellowship hall with about 75 other parents, drawing a "Powerball" ball from a box - lucky number 78 (I hoped). I kid you not, they rolled the numbers out of a Bingo wheel, and mothers & fathers all around were watching their ping pong ball - hoping their number came up. The last time I remember this much tension was watching my parents with Connecticut lottery tickets on a Friday night as a kid - craziness!! We reached the 2 year old's class & there were 18 spots, but LOTS more parents than that..."78" I heard, as they neared the end of the "lottery." I couldn't believe it - I NEVER "win" anything! I didn't know what the appropriate reaction was either - a cheer? a subtle "yes"! I went with a smile.

All in all, it turned out to be a lot of fun - almost everyone at my table had a two year old, and got into the school - I got to meet a lot of great Mom's & Dad's that I hope will become friends in the future. My advice to those looking is to just take a deep breath & go with what you think is right. My thoughts are that at the age of two, I think it is more about the experience of being with other children & adults than it is getting into the "best" school in the area. I suppose this is only the first of many experiences like this, but it was certainly a lesson. Good luck to you all who go through it in the near future!

Lollisicle Anyone?

Having My Cake & Eating It Too

I have a new friend to get coffee with - he's a fabulous companion! We sit together on the sofa in the corner of Starbuck's with our beverages, and sometimes a treat, both reading the books we brought with us. Often we will sit quietly for up to 15 minutes without talking - just reading & enjoying our afternoon.

Would you believe me if I told you he was 18 months old?! I wouldn't believe me either, until it happened one day a few weeks ago. I was in the mood for coffee (when am I not?) and it was a cold, rainy day outside. I decided to load up Wyatt's library tote bag with some of his favorite books & a recent magazine I got in the mail. We headed to the local Starbuck's where I ordered my usual overpriced hot beverage & Wyatt picked out a milk. After settling down on the sofa together in the corner I noticed that Wyatt was content to people watch & flip through his favorite books, with me chiming in to read every few minutes.

So, we have an agreement now. At least once a week Wyatt will join me for some "we" time. We both get to enjoy our favorite beverages & books...and each other's company!

One of Those Days

Yup...they happen to the best of us - those days. Today was one for me - PMO cancelled this morning without me knowing, no plans, no nap, screaming toddler, won't eat dinner, throwing food - you get the idea. Now that I am settled in with a glass of wine & some good Thursday night TV, I can laugh about it.

The highlight of my day though, was coming across this comic strip book at Barnes & Noble. Wyatt was occupying himself with the train table, while I sipped a Starbucks & peeped at my watch to make sure time was still passing normally on this day that was lasting f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I was literally belly laughing out loud at some of these - if you are a mother, or know a mother, I strongly suggest you look through a few.

Comic strips courtesy of www.babyblues.com

Wish Granted

One More Saturday Night

A few pics from our adventures this evening - Wyatt's first time at the Mardi Gras! As soon as we walked in the door, Wyatt spotted the candy machines, although I can't think of a time he has ever tried candy, he just LOVES these things & shouts "Candy! Candy!" Imagine his surprise (and mine) when he found a Mike & Ike still in the machine that some poor soul had left behind when they purchased their quarters worth. Without skipping a beat, Wyatt popped it into his mouth & his eyes lit up with delight...I am beginning to think he is taking after his mom, whose own mother has some great "candy isle horror stories" from my childhood! (Love you, Mom) After that, Wyatt spotted another candy machine by the exit - this one a bubble gum machine that spits the gumballs into a mini "arena" where you then use a lever on the outside of the machine to try to "shoot" the gumball into a basket. I turn my head for one split second, and the next thing I know Wyatt is calling out to me "Whistle, whistle" and he has his mouth (yes, during flu season) wrapped around the lever on the outside of the machine - the lever that every grubby thumb in the area has been on. In his defense, it really did look like a whistle.

The bowling was a lot of fun though, and then we headed out for some Mexican food. Seth & I were delighted that Wyatt enjoyed dinner with us like a real adult - serving himself with his spoon & even making the casual observation into conversations at nearby tables. We thought that deserved a little fried ice cream, don't you?