March Mumbles

What is better then receiving beautiful flowers from your DH? I know - flowers he hand picked and cut from the garden he personally maintains. Thank you Dear Husband, I Love You too!

DS has been into drawing "monsters" lately. They are not the gory scarey monsters but the silly funny ones. His drawings are getting more and more creative. I especially liked this one with the constrasting colors of polka dots around his eyes and his wild green hair! Do we have a little artist on our hands? LOL!

We purchased new paints today. We really didn't need new paints, really. We already own tempura paints, watercolor paints and fingerpaints but we had yet to own a set of Dab paints. But it was only 9:30am and I could tell in DS's whiney 3 year old voice it was going to be one of those kind of days so I thought something new and exciting just might help me get through it (at least to nap time that is). (lol) So while we were at the Craft store today picking up modeling glue (DS and DH are currently building a model Caddilac Escalade that looks just like his motorized version) we picked up a six pack of Crafty Dab shimmer paints. When we got home I gave him several choices of what we could paint together. He chose a sign for Daddy and on it he said to write, "We (heart) you Daddy". He sure can be sweet when he wants to, huh?! :-) It is proudly hanging on our front door anxiously awaiting for Daddy's return from work today. And yes, the Dab bottles of paint kept his interest all the way up until nap time ... awwww!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

Rocks!

A great friend's recent engagement and her gorgeous ring (big congrats again to S & S!!!) reminded me of my DS's comment at Sea World a couple weeks ago. As we were listening to the penguin care taker talk about their habits DS turned to me and said, "Mommy, that man is wearing a ring.". My reply, "a-huh.". (also thinking to myself that he is obviously not interested in the penguins eating habits even though I had been trying hard to concentrate on what the man was saying just in case DS started quizing me afterwards). DS continues, "but his ring doesn't have any rocks." pauses and then continues, "It is like Daddy's ring.". Yes, DS, your first realization that "rocks" are typically seen on the woman's ring and very rarely does a man get to have the pleasure of wearing these shining stunning rocks! How did we get so lucky!? A ring just doesn't seem the same without some shining beautiful "rock" upon it. :-)



Happy St. Patrick's Day lads!!!


DS before school this morning (he had fun pinching Daddy for not wearing green today):





And of course, couldn't leave out the little missy pie:

Playful Parks

DS is at the age when "burning energy" is neccesary for a sane mother. And I used to think it was because he is a boy but DD is right there with him.

In order to keep it interesting for Mommy I try to check out new parks often (taking my camera always makes it fun too!). I have found FUN ORANGE COUNTY PARKS to be very helpful in keeping park visits fresh and new with out too many surprises (is there a bathroom, how far of a walk from the car, etc.). Check it out HERE if you are in Orange County - she also has a section for Colorado Springs, CO too.

Too big too kiss too fast

I was putting DS to sleep tonight after his nightly prayer of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. He got "comfy cozy" in bed and I asked him for a kiss good night. He responded shyly, "no.". Before you think he is being mean I will tell you it is his way of delaying the night time routine as he knows Mommy will stay how ever long it takes to get her good night kiss. :-) He giggled for a litte bit while I pretended to ignore his response and gave him a multitude of loud kisses on his legs, arms, cheeks, belly, forehead and so on. After I stopped the kissing and he was still smiling I said, "ok, how about you just blow Mommy a kiss tonight?". (I kiss my hand, hold it under my mouth and blow it to him).

He got serious, looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Mommy, I am too big to blow kisses.". Reminder: DS is 2 years, 9 months old. Too big to blow kisses? I thought I didn't have to worry about this until I was still dropping him off in high school and blowing kisses to him as he walked away?! But, now?! Surely, he is growing up too fast. Right?

Heartbroken, sitting on the edge of his bed my mind is wandering to all the recent moments he has seen me taking DD's 7 month old hands to her lips and throwing them in the air over and over trying to teach her how to blow kisses and he leans over, smiles and gives me a big ol' "mmmmmmmmmmmmm" kiss right on the cheek.

I love this boy.

Insert foot in mouth

This is girl puts everything in her mouth. She explores her new surroundings by tasting and chewing. I have been surprised that she has remained so healthy despite this dirty habit (I guess exculsive breastmilk is in her favor).

We went to the Tanaka Farm's pumpkin patch on Monday in hopes of getting some cute photos of the twins. I also got a chance to snap a few of DD and DS too (neither were quite dressed for the Harvest season so we will need to go back for some more). DS had a blast running on the hay stacks, seeing the goats and as always, playing witht the twins. DD, no surprise, had fun tasting the hay. :-)

And just in case your weren't already aware and are around the Orange County area, Tanaka Farms sells the best homemade salsa and chips around and worth a trip to the farm just for that (of course, they are known for their organic fruits and veggies but I can never pass up their salsa, soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!).

Happy Friday!!! Anyone else get a long weekend? (DH has Colombus Day off).

Hickory Dickory Dock

Yesterday I found a dead mouse right in the middle of our backyard patio. One can only assume s/he kicked the bucket from pure heat exhaustion while trying to cross our patio in 90+ degree weather in October (YIKES!). I decided to wait 6 hours for DH to get home from work instead of disposing of the carcase myself.


After eating dinner last night, DH went outside with heavy duty gloves on with DS following closely in his footsteps (as he often does from the moment Daddy gets home from work until he goes to bed). DH picked up the dead mouse by the tail. DS asked DH, "what's the mouse doing Daddy?". DH replied, "he is dead.". Just. like. that. "He is dead.". Now, I have to tell you first, DS has been lucky enough in his 2.9 years of life to have not had to experience death of anyone close. I wasn't even sure he would know what that word really meant. So I held my breath and wondered to myself what would his response be to DH's answer. Were we about to have a deep discussion on death, life, heaven, God ... ok, I know, I know, I am getting ahead of myself now but ... a mother's mind can wander fast.


DS paused for a few moments. He got a somber look, looked directly at the mouse and lowered his head as if he was saying a prayer. I smiled becaue I was proud of my sweet sympathetic boy. I looked at DH and we shared a moment (the kind of moment that only a husband and wife share when watching their own kids). DS then turned around, looked straight at a plant sitting on the patio table that Mommy has neglected since before we left for Germany and said, "that plant is dying too Mommy.". DH and I quickly smiled and laughed. Just like his Daddy, he knows when to lighten a somber moment. The dead mouse was disposed of quickly but the plant still sits there.


Yep, he didn't miss an opportunity to point out Mommy's missing green thumb either (picture above of said plant). **crossing arms over head to hide my red face from embarrassment**

A favorite song

I am driving along the 405 freeway the other day to my in-laws house (we go over there every Tuesday) listening to a favorite tune on the radio and I hear something that catches my ear. The sound of hard belly laughter.

I turn the radio off and sure enough, it is what I thought it was. I smile from ear to ear.

DS is playing peek-a-boo with his baby sister (car seat to car seat) and they are both laughing hysterically. I debated pulling out my camera right then and there but one can never to be too cautious when driving on the 405 freeway so I opted to just sit back, drive and smile ear to ear while listening to my favorite song (their laughter).

It wasn't too long ago that they barely noticed each other back there. Now their interactions not only entertain me, they make me completely joyful!

I love you just the way you are

My kids ... being themselves.

I love their individual personalities. I love the different moods they each express at different times. I love (them) just the way they are.



(in case you forgot an appropriate fun fact, our wedding song was Just the way you are by Billy Joel)



Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Happy Monday!

Mid-week Glee

I found DS's napkin completely used (independently with out prompting) after lunch today. All that nagging does pay off. :)

Mommy is gleeful, our walls are grateful!

The crazy things that can make a Mommy gleeful! Ha! Oh and if you are wondering why his napkin is pink, I am still trying to use up all the left-over napkins from DD's baptism! :)

Mr. Brown Bear; His Baby

Mr. Brown Bear is not just DS's lovey right now, it has also become his "baby".

Recently, I have overheard DS telling Mr. Brown Bear the following:

"time out Brown Bear"

"we are leaving in one minute Brown Bear"

"are you hungry Brown Bear?"

"do you have a poopy diaper, let me get a fresh one Brown Bear"

"be careful, that is dangerous Brown Bear"

"you ready for night-night Brown Bear"

"you want to go to Sea World Brown Bear"

"hello Brown Bear, how are you?"

and one of my favorites ...

"I missed you Brown Bear"

...and best of all, he wraps him up in a blanket and carries him around the house like his baby. I cherish this soft side because in a split second he is out the door and playing rough like a boy! I am sure going to miss this stage.

Snails and puppy dog tails ...

... are what little boys are made of.

DS discovered snails a long time ago. But what he saw this past weekend was a first in his snail hunting adventures: a snail laying eggs in our yard. DH discovered it as the two of them were outside trying to "pretty up" the patio for company. Don't let me fool you though. First off, there is not much to our yard or pretty-ing up to be done. Secondly, most of their time is spent looking for snails, butterflies, flowers and playing with the garden hose not cleaning. But I must admit, I love seeing my boys out there in the dirt and wouldn't have it any other way.

After DH found the snail eggs DS quickly ran inside to tell me about it. I quickly ran outside to see because I was curious. You see, being a girl, any time spent in the dirt (& it was limited) was spent making mud-pies, cakes, and cookies not looking for creepy crawly things. Although, I did find it pretty cool and even grabbed my camera to catch a picture (see below).

I asked DH if he had ever seen something like that.

His reply, "of course, I am a boy. I spent most my time outdoors catching anything that moved so I could then put them in a box and try to make them fight."

Hmmmm. I walked away and asked myself, "is that normal?". If so, I sure have a lot in store for me.

Luckily I have the The New York Times bestseller Dangerous Book for Boys in case DH ever forgets what it is like to be a boy. But really, what are the chances of that? After DS had long lost interest in the snail eggs DH stood there staring and playing with it .... wake up Dear Hubby ... And I am supposed to think they are outside cleaning the patio. Ha!

Walking on sunshine ...

... and don't it feel good!

I am thrilled with my new Nikkor 18-200 lens that my thoughtful DH got me for my birthday. The wider range of distance helps me stay out of DS's splash zone when I need to!

Is there chocolate cake in there?

DS recently had his first taste of chocolate milk.

He took a sip, looked at me and smiled.

I asked, "what does it taste like?"

He responded, "chocolate (pause) milk (pause)".

I laughed at myself because I realized what a silly question that obviously was until soon after his second sip he got a puzzled look, lifted his sippy cup, pointed to it and said, "Mommy, is there chocolate cake in there?"

Yes, I know, I have said it before, but I will say it again, DS L-O-V-E-S chocolate!

Like father, like son.

Red tag alert.

So, am I the only one that gets excited when I see the little red clearence tags at Target? I often walk the back aisles just to browse the "red tag" sales. I usually am so excited to find a great red tag item that I miss that the sale price of $4.29 is only marked down from the original $4.99. Yes, they have me fooled with the bright glossy teeny tiny red tags! And please don't remind me that I really don't need another package of colorful paper napkins or pink stationary. A girl can never have enough of either of those in my book ... and they were on clearance you know!

So you can imagine my complete euphoria when I discovered a teeny tiny glossy red tag affixed to the corner of the beautiful Britax Marathon's ever-so-popular-Brooke-pattern at my local Target. But after recruiting a salesgirl to help me desperately locate one we discovered that not only did my Target not have one in stock but no Target in the western United States had one. So, alas, I drove home and ordered my Britax Marathon in the ever-so-popular and adorable Brooke pattern on-line for a premium price (because, as I told DH, this pattern isn't available just any where you know & Britax are the safest).

2 lessons learned:

#1. Yes, those glossy red tags are a marketing gimmick to get you to spend more! :)

#2. I want only the best (& cutest) for my DD! :)

**lowers head and walks away in shame**

There's a beetle crawling up her leg

There's a beetle on the ceiling.
It is crawling.
I am going to get it.
I need a ladder to get it.
A small ladder.
It is crawling.
(Daddy interjects: "what color is the beetle")
It is black and grey.
(He physically shows us by pointing to the ceiling in the kitchen and using his fingers to demostrate crawling & continues all the way over to the couch and up "baby sisters" leg where she "catches it")

I love watching his imagination. I love the make believe play. I had just begun creating our "dress up" bin with hats, costumes, and props - I couldn't have picked better timing.

Here Comes the Sun...

...and I say it's all right!







Their first summer time swim ...



(and if you are not sure what song I am referring to click here to listen -you have to push play first)

Beauty Secrets? No more!

It is just fascinating to see DS pick up on everything around him. Not only the things I make it a point to explain to him but also the things he picks up just from observation. For example, the other day he was walking around the house with stickers on his nose. He kept saying, "Mommy, look, stickers on my nose.". I thought this was odd but also thought it was just him being silly (he does have quite a fun silly streak in him!). But later that night when I was doing my night time routine I put a Biore strip on my nose (my pores have seemed so clogged lately, even after my wonderful Epicuren facial recently) and he laughed and said, "Mommy has a sticker on her nose too." Yes, he has seen this before and yes, he is right, it does look like I am putting a sticker on my nose. Yikes, I can't believe my hygeine routines are no longer "beauty secrets" to stay in my own bathroom. This kid is either repeating my words or actions constantly. He has become my parrot. LOL!!!

A lovey day!

DS still loves his lovey. Do you remember? Yes, this one. He needs it when he goes to sleep, when he has a bad fall or just when he needs a good friend (in good times and bad). My sister (who bought DS his "Mr. Brown Bear") also bought DD the pink lamb version. We are hoping she forms the same attachment to her lovey as DS has for his (despite the need to have it, wash it, not lose it, etc. - we still feel the benefits far out weigh the rare annoyances). We have been giving "pink lamb-ie" to her often but she is still too young to really hold it or have an attachment to it. Yesterday at her Dr. visit she was screaming and crying while she was tummy down on the table. DS sat in a near by chair with "Mr. Brown Bear" in his hands staring in discomfort while he watched the Dr. messing with her and making her cry (what that must seem like to a 2 year old watching). He jumped out of the chair where he was watching, grabbed her "pink lamb-ie" from my purse and gave it to her and stood next to her side while the Dr. finished checking her out. Is he the sweetest big brother ever?! It melted my heart. I just hope he always watches out for her like that.

A Grandpa's love

DS is still obsessed with all things with wheels. This includes trains, cars, trucks, tractors, buses, wagons and more! He recently told the sweet ladies at a local gift shop that the key chain with the Mercedes emblem on a display rack was a car (I think they were going to fall over in laughter and their giggles were followed by "only in Orange County would a toddler equate that emblem with a car). Then yesterday he was flipping through DH's New Yorker Magazine (don't ask me why, I think DH gets it just for the witty cartoons) and told me that an advertisement in the magazine was Miss KC's car in black (& he was absolutely correct, same model, same manufacturer, just a different color). I tell you, this kid is obsessed. He is already a "backseat" driver too. He is always telling me to "go faster", "turn around", "pass that car Mommy", and so on.

I think he gets this obsession from his Papa (my Dad). My Dad not only has owned a sports car my entire life, he also collects model cars. I just love that they share this passion. I like to think DS's obsession is inherited from my side of the family but I am not quite sure if a passion like this can actually be inherited or if they just share it, however, if you have ever seen DH's car you would be assured that it certainly didn't come from his side. (LOL!)

Oh, in case you were wondering why he was flipping through the New Yorker Magazine. He likes to "color" the pictures in the magazine. He thinks the black and white cartoons in the magazine are coloring book pages and will color them with his markers. I was thinking to myself, not a bad idea, probably is cheaper then a coloring book. I never understand why coloring books are priced the way they are?!

THREE is CHARMING!

DD is no longer a newborn (snif snif). She had her 3rd month birthday last week and is now considered just a baby. I love watching her change daily - she can now roll tummy to back, grasp objects, smile, laugh, and coo.

Best of all - a wonderful relationship is unfolding before my eyes as DD and DS have really noticed each other more lately. She lights up and stares at him when he is in the room and DS has become extremely gentle and nurturing towards her. DS will ask where she is if he does not see her immediately upon entering a room, "where baby sister Mommy?". Once he has located her he goes back to his business (which is usually a truck, car, bulldozer, etc.). I love it - already keeping a protective eye on his little sister!

Now that she is out of the newborn phase, does this mean my babymoon is now over?! Oh, I am still nursing, thank goodness. Speaking of nursing ... my recent bra shopping excursion was quite the event. The bra fitting started before feeding time and actually trying on the bras ended after feeding time ... and just about a cup size smaller. LOL! WOW, how much is this girl eating is all I could say?! I think the salesgirl was more embarrassed then I was. If you agreed with my review on Hanky Panky panties, you will definitely agree that Chantelle makes the best bras ever and worth every penny (& this is coming from a former Wacoal fan!). When the salesgirl at Nordstrom gave me my total I drowned out DH's voice in my head ("you spent how much on bras, are you crazy?) with Stacy and Clinton's voice instead, "a good bra makes all the difference.". That would be the Stacy and Clinton from TLC's What not to Wear. Wouldn't you just love to have those two go through your closet and then hand over a MasterCard for a new wardrobe ...