Five Little Things

So this is the time of the year when people sit around tables and talk about how grateful they are for things. Am I grateful for my family? Sure. Do I thank God for my house and car? Yeppers. Am I glad I have a job? You Betcha'.

Here are a few more less "Thanksgivingy" things that I am grateful for:

1- Little's Drama- I recently shared a blog post on Facebook from Rants From Mommy Land in which  Lydia compares living with a three year old to living in a Telenovela. Our personal Telenovela is Littlemundo.She even speaks some Spanish after a few episodes of Dora or Diego. The little senorita is full of drama, stubbornness, and I swear sometimes she has an evil twin. Although I might not appreciate it when we are trying to get out the door in the morning and she burst into tears for the fifth time, I do appreciate that I have a little girl that has imagination and expresses herself. It is also a sign that she is reaching her emotional development milestones. Yay Early Childhood Development!

2- My Messy House- My children have toys to play with. We have clothes to pile up in the laundry baskets. We have food to cook so we have dishes to wash. We have decorations for holidays that need to be put away. Without all these things my house wouldn't be a disaster. I am so grateful for my disaster.

3- My Medela Pump- Without which, I would not be able to work. It has been a good pump and seen me through two babies. For FBH I will need a new one because using my Medela for the past thirteen months has lessened it's effectiveness. When Tiny heads to college and I finally stop nursing her I will bid it farewell and start researching another pump. (Seriously people I said she wouldn't go to college nursing)

4-BG's Relationship with Tiny- BG hasn't been able to be around for much of Tines' first year. I have been the parent that has been around to get to see her personality start to develop. The other day I walked in and the two of them were playing on the floor of the playroom and giggling. I am so happy that they are getting to learn each other now. BG being gone was harder on Little because she missed him but I think it was worse on his relationship with Tiny because they just didn't get to know each other. When he was able to be home most of that time was spent with Little or me. It makes me beyond happy to see them playing together.

5- This Blog- It equals me time. It also has given me a place to document my children. These days our lives are so busy and things change so fast that it is hard to really remember all the funny and challenging things that happen when you are a mother. I am lucky that I enjoy writing and have a way to document my children for my future self and for others who love them. I also get to share a lot of who I am. I am not just Little and Tiny's Mommy and I am not just BG's wife. I get to be BE and share our story.

So maybe they aren't LITTLE things but they aren't the ordinary answers. This post ended up feeling way mushier then I thought it would. I guess whenever you start thinking about the blessings and good things in your life one tends to get a wee bit mushy.

Another thing I am thankful for is stuffing (dressing, for those of you who are southern). Stuffing and Sweet Potato casserole are hands down my favs. Oh and red cabbage. AND FRIED TURKEY. Yummmmmm. See why I love Thanksgiving?

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I will post again after the Holiday so you can see how awesome it is to camp at Thanksgiving.

All about some Thankfulness,

BE

Five Things Parents Don't Want You to Give Their Kids For Christmas. Seriously.

So a large part of my existence in the past week or so has been devoted to the Christmas thing. No, I am not listening to Christmas music yet. Unless you count Little singing Go Tell It On The Mountain four hundred and fifty million times as "listening to Christmas music". I swear my listening was voluntary like five times. Now it is like a pantyhose death roll. It starts and you can't really react negatively, so you just go with it until it's over and then try to move on. Now don't get me wrong. I love the song and I love Little more than words. The point is she only knows the first verse and that's a lot of  "Over the hills and everywhere-ERE!"

Ok, back to the point. So I have been planning ahead for S-A-N-T-A and trying to get the best deals blah blah blah. Little is no problem she is at the age where everything is really cool and she tells you what she likes and doesn't like. Tiny is a wee but more difficult compounded by her birthday being less then two months before Christmas. I am working through it but on one of my nightly searches for THE BEST TODDLER GIFTS THIS CHRISTMAS I also was seeing lists about the worst gifts for children. I started to think...hmmmmm what are some of the things I dread seeing under the tree for the girls. What wonderful torturous things have my parents bought this year....

Which brings us to NUMBER ONE ~ Playdough. There are already little tiny bits of this horrible substance stuck in Little's carpet after nap time turned into art project time one afternoon without my knowledge. (Male Cruiser this is your greatest offense. Well this AND the pink riffle.)

Little squishy rainbow of doom.

NUMBER TWO~ A Bad Case of Stripes By David Shannon. I read the reviews on Amazon for this book. People are claiming this book continues to give their children nightmares months and even years after the book was read to them. Even the cover is a little scary. PLEASE don't give my kids anything that will make them sleep LESS. If anything I need them to increase the time they sleep. Thank you.

Oy.

NUMBER THREE~ Bambi. Now available on Disney Blue-ray and DVD. The mom DIES. ugh.

How-to for hunters

NUMBER FOUR~ Lite Brite or any other age inappropriate toy with teeny tiny parts that I will have to keep up on top of my fridge or in a locked safe. I don't want to loose pieces and then wonder why the baby is pooping in Technicolor.

If your poo looks like this..see a doctor.

NUMBER FIVE~ Any Doll that looks like a Hoochie. Seriously trying to raise some ladies here people. I let Little play with Barbie and Princesses but I do try my darnedest to make sure that they keep their hind ends covered. I also try to choose dolls that aren't wearing too much makeup. I know that they will be exposed to all of these things in the general public but I do monitor things in my own home. I even object to some Tinkerbell toys even though we love her. Bottom line, Tink can be kinda a Ho. So please take two good looks before buying my kid the streetwalker fashion play set with bonus crack rocks.

Yep.Hoochie.

So...that's it. Again, I try to keep my negatives to 5 or less.

My children are so blessed to have so many people who provide so much for them. This post is just to give The Male Cruiser a hard time. (and BTW he is the BEST at Christmas gifts) Weedle weedle!

Over the Hills and...

BE

These Keds are made for Toddling

Yes, it is true. Tiny took her first steps the day after her birthday and now almost 2 weeks later she is taking multiple steps and walking to people. The first person she walked to? Her sister. Why? To steal the flashlight Little was holding. Yay Tines!

Gooooo Baybeeeeeeeee!

So now I have a Toddler and a Preschooler. Woa. I am also nursing a Toddler which is a totally new experience. She moves around A LOT. I think it is super funny. When will I be done nursing ? When we are done. Maybe before she heads to college. A brilliant person somewhere came up with the international symbol for breastfeeding a toddler:

At first I just thought it was cute and funny...then I found out it's not just funny IT'S TRUE.

Proof. Yeah she's nursing like this.

Everything else is going well. BG has been at the new job for a week now and loves it! We are quickly learning how to be morning people again.

On an even super funner note, it's almost time to start packing for Thanksgiving.  There is something really special about eating Thanksgiving supper out in the woods. This will also be Tiny's first camping trip and I think she will love it. Basically the kid likes to eat dirt and leaves so the campground will be a smorgasbord of yummy crunchies. I will be constantly be pulling away something or prying stuff out of her mouth! 

Not looking forward to packing,

BE

When it Rains, The Washer and Furnace Stop Working.

As if life wasn’t stressful enough. Last week in the mad dash that was our lives we discovered our furnace is causing something to short out and trip the breaker in our attic. So we are without heat. Luckily it isn’t that cold, we have plenty of blankets, and we’ve only been home to sleep for over a week. Last night as we had finally laid down to sleep and BG started his long night of tossing and turning before his first day of his new job we heard something strange happening in the hallway. Our washer was dying. So we got up and pulled the clothes out of the rinse cycle and wrung them out in the bath tub and then started the washer again to drain the water. We were able to put the clothes back for the spin cycle. So…I don’t know what to do about all that. BG has one heck of a honey-do list at the moment.

Names have been covered with leaves to protect the innocent.

Tiny had a great Birthday party and we had so much fun. We played the Tiny Timeline game and a Tiny Trivia game. The cake was awesome and Tiny was super happy to dig right in. Thank you to our cake lady! I almost fell over with joy when I saw her cake and smash cake. So thanks to our cake guru! Someone...ehem *Mario's Grammie* mentioned they love my kids but they come to our parties for the cake. That's ok, I only throw the parties for the cake.The most important part is that Tiny had a wonderful time. Thank you to the Female Cruiser for the wonderful food and for all of your help. I don’t know what I would have done without you.

Speaking of the Pteranadon….She took some steps on Thursday night for the first time! I worked late to get some hours in and she was at home with BG. I was home for about an hour and was getting her ready for bed
when this conversation took place:

BE: OOOOh poor baby! She is getting another diaper rash.
BG: She walked from the table in the playroom to me today.
BE: What? She took a step?
BG: Yeah a few then she fell down.
BE: WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME WHEN IT HAPPENED?!?!?!?!?!
BG: Well I forgot.

Then I promptly rushed her to the hallway where I made her take steps to me over and over again as I cried and clapped and made Little so jealous over all of the attention her sister was getting she came over and said:

Little: Mom! Watch me walk!

Then she sashayed up and down then hall while I clapped and praised
her. Oy.

On Sunday we had lunch with The Panthers Fan and Baltimore Uncle who was in town for the weekend. Little misses her uncle and had a great time talking his ear off. We then went and took a nap because BG and I needed it. Bad. We had dinner with Beach Aunt and the PoPo who were also in town for Tiny’s birthday party. We really had a great time and it’s funny to see how they interact with Little and Tiny. Beach Aunt and the PoPo don’t have any kids and really aren’t around kids a lot. My kids are so lucky to have so many people in their lives that love them and that make such and effort to be part of the big moments.  No matter how far away my family is they make an effort to be here for big events as much as possible and to be there in spirit when they can’t be there physically.

Love this!

And This!

This week is a little slower then last week. Choir for Little on Wednesday and Christmas pictures on Saturday. I also have to put in some S-A-N-T-A time this week. I told Little it is time for our weekly Santa
chats to start again. Every week from here to Christmas the Jolly Guy and I are gonna have a little chat about the state of the household and the behavior of two little girls. I know it’s a lot for him to handle but Mrs. Claus is also available for chats as long as I leave her a bottle of Riesling along with Santa’s milk and cookies and the carrots for the reindeer. BTW Little is learning how to spell…soon we will be S-C-R-E-W-E-D when it comes to keeping things from her. Just Sayin’.

I can’t wait for Thanksgiving camping. My Kindle is loaded up and I just want some time with my kids and husband without having to be anywhere. It is the closest thing to a vacation we have had since May.

Dreamin’ of a Fried Turkey
BE

Happy Birthday My Lovie!

My Tiny Girl is one and I continue to alternate between excitement and sadness. It seems like this last year has gone by so fast. We woke up on her birthday and cuddled and snuggled. It was a great morning . That night we had a small family party at our favorite pizza place. I also went and got some of our favorite cupcakes. BG unfortunately missed the dinner but did make it home from Virginia before she fell asleep. She was nursing and saw him enter the room out of the corner of her eye. She immediately unlatched and started yelling at him until he picked her up!

Yum.

 We also gained another member of our extended family on Tiny's birthday! You have been introduced to Mario, who is one of Little's best friends, but I grew up with Mario's Daddy and all his Aunts and his Uncle. Mario's Aunt had a baby boy on Tine's birthday! He is the 4th boy grand baby in the family and we are so happy to welcome Baby B to the world!

So I wrote a little letter to Tiny for her birthday, If it's too mushy for you skip it, then go have a baby and let them turn one, the return to this post and cry like a baby because your baby is one. Got it. Good.

Dear My Tiny Love,

One year ago today you joined our family. I remember laying in the hospital bed waiting for my turn in the OR and wondering what you would be like. Now, It seems like you have always been here and it's hard to think of a time when our family didn't have you around.You have always belonged with us. You remind me so much of your Daddy. Your facial expressions and temper are a mirror of him. It makes me so happy to watch the two of you together. You can be both the silliest baby and the most serious. A lot has changed in the last year and for the first time in a long time we have hope and are content with the changes we face. You, my love, have been such a source of joy and comfort. Your smile and the way you and Little giggle together makes me both fill up with love and burst with pride. You and your sister have been the driving force in my life. I am very proud of our relationship and how we have nurtured each other this year. I promise to continue to do my best as your mother and to allow myself to grow and learn from you and your sister. I love you my Pteranadon! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mommy

Always,

BE

A Long Long Time Ago...

My Cupcake

Like the weekend before Halloween. My Grandparents came to visit. It was a great visit and Little did not stop talking the entire time the Traveling Great Grandparents were here.  The Male Cruiser made her a huge pile of leaves and she jumped in them. We only really got to spend Sunday with them because of a lovely little snow storm but it was so much fun.

I prefer it when my witch has an attitude. like this.

See Attitude

Then it was Halloween. Little was a Dancing Witch and Tiny was a cupcake. We went Trick-or-Treating in the neighborhood I grew up in and saw the families I babysat for. It was so much fun bring MY kids to see them all. We pulled the girls in our wagon. Which is to say BG pulled the wagon and I kept freaking out about cars coming even though there were very few. The girls hauled in some great candy which we also split with Unc since he joined us for our walk.

Almost birthday cupcake!

 The day after Halloween Little was miserable and cried all morning so she played hooky at school and stayed with The Panthers Fan all morning. That night was her soccer banquet and The Cruisers and Unc joined the girls and I an we got to see Little get her trophy. We are so proud of Little and all of the Ninjas and we can't wait for next soccer season. Now we are pondering basketball. I think we might wait until next year ...baby steps! BG was on his final trip out of town and we are so glad that he is done traveling!

Trophy Time!

This is what she was waiting for!

Tiny is eating paper towels. GTG!

BE