Funnies......

Classics from Meghan....

"Mommy kicks my wo-wo" ~~~"Mommy, fix my yo-yo."

"Gerkles are my favorite." ~~~ Suckers are my favorite.

"Look, my drawing gerkles." ~~~ "Look, I'm drawing circles."

"Mommy, my don't want to talk about that right now." ~~~ her response when I asked her what letter was on the flash card I was holding up.

"Mommy, where did all the orange unicorns go?" ~~~ took me 3 days to figure out she was asking about traffic cones and not mythical beasts.

There were more.....but they've fallen out of the holes in my head and I'm too tired to try to remember them right now. I'll have to start writing this stuff down as she says it.

Ethan is saying more and more these days too. He's your typical guy though and mostly sticks with one-word answers whenever possible. His favorite words right now are...

"Dis" ~~~"This" (which means either, "What is this?" or "I want this." or both.

"Vissssh!" ~~~ "Fish!!" (he loves Meghan's new pet fish)

"Dox" ~~~ Socks

"Zhuhz" ~~~ Shoes

"Dutch!" ~~~ "Touch!" (I'm always telling him "No touch" and he argues back with an adamant "DUTCH!"

And, of course, he says DaDaDaDa!!! when he's excited and wants his Daddy and MAMAMAMAMA whenever he's whiny and wants me to rescue him. Someday, I hope to hear one of my kids say "Mommy" or "Mama" in a tone of voice other than a whine.

In the last 2 weeks Ethan has finally started to wave Bye-Bye and clap his hands. I'll admit I was starting to get a bit worried about those two things, but he just likes to make me wait. I'll try to get video of him waving. He's so enthusiastic about it that it's a whole arm, whole body type of thing......totally adorable.

Another "First" for us....

We had our first Emergency Room visit last night. Before anyone panics, Ethan is fine. He just thought it would be fun to freak Mommy out. About 4:00 yesterday afternoon he tried to throw a toy and dropped it on his face instead. It really didn't seem like I big deal at first. Just a normal, every day kind of boo-boo. It whacked him, he screamed and I scooped him up for a cuddle and to kiss it all better.

He buried his face in my shoulder and had himself a good cry about it. It seemed to be taking a long time for him to stop crying so I laid him down to get a better look at the owie. I was shocked to see blood everywhere. My shoulder was covered in blood as were his whole face and both hands. Needless to say, I started to freak out. I can handle blood, just not when it's coming from one of my kids.

Pretending to be calmer than I really was, I got a cold washcloth and started wiping, trying to figure out where it was all coming from. Didn't take long to figure out it was coming from his mouth. I got him sort of wiped off and then gave him the cold cloth to chew on until the bleeding stopped. Only it didn't stop. After 15 minutes or so I called the pediatrician. Our wonderful nurse Faith said if it didn't stop after another 15 minutes I should take him straight to the ER. Not what I was hoping to hear.

While I called Shon to let him know what had happened I had Ethan keep the cold cloth in his mouth and applied pressure to his upper lip while he sat on my lap and whimpered. It felt like forever, but after 10 minutes or so it finally stopped bleeding. I was so relieved.

By this time it was 5:00 and I had to go get Meghan from daycare. So, we did that, then came home and did our usual routine. During dinner, Ethan was really fussy and didn't want to eat. After just a few bites I could see his mouth was oozing blood again. Poor boy was exhausted, hurting and very cranky. We decided to just give him a bath, some Tylenol and put him to bed. Never made it that far though. As soon as Shon got him undressed to put in the tub, the bleeding got worse. It as just as bad as when it first happened. I wasn't taking any chances and decided to take him in.

Of course, although he cried the whole way there, he fell asleep as soon as I pulled into the hospital parking lot. He slept through triage, checking in and almost the first hour of waiting to be seen. After another hour or so of him flirting with everyone in the waiting room it was finally our turn with the doctor.

She looked in his mouth, made sure his teeth were firmly attached (which totally pissed him off) and diagnosed him with a "lacerated frenulum" (that's a cut in the web of skin that hooks your top lip to your gums for those of us that don't speak "doctor"). Then she sent us on our way. I'm sure the 5 minutes we got of her time and that bit of wisdom is going to set us back a few hundred dollars. I felt kind of silly for going to the ER for something that turned out to be so simple; but, better safe than sorry. I'd rather spend the time and money to be told it's nothing than to not go and have him lose his teeth over it.

He's still a bit on the whiny side of things today and hasn't been too enthusiastic about eating. After seeing how beat up his mouth is, I really don't blame him. Hopefully it will heal soon and he'll be his normal, ornery self again in no time.

Pacifiers, Parties and Pets! Oh My!

First, lets talk about pacifiers. In our house, they're called Binkies and they are VERY important! Meghan can not go to sleep without her pink Bunny and her Binky. There are only 2 Binkies left in the world and I told her months ago that the store doesn't sell them anymore so we can't get anymore if these ever get lost or broken. In a perfect world, I never wanted my kids to use binkies at all. But perfection is a goal I gave up long ago so Meghan has used one from the very beginning. Originally, I wanted it gone by her first birthday. When she still wasn't sleeping through the night at that milestone, I decided that her second birthday was soon enough for her to give it up. But that was about the time her little brother arrived on the scene and it didn't seem fair to upset her world even more by taking away her beloved Binky. I came up with one excuse after another. The underlying truth of it is that I needed her to have that Binky. I NEEDED her to go to bed willingly and sleep through the night. The quality of MY sleep depends on the quality of my kids' sleep and I will do anything to get them to sleep more, longer and better if that means I get to sleep too. But, here it is, September again. Meghan is turning 3 and still using a Binky. It's kind of our dirty little secret. She only gets it at nap time and bed time.....and sometimes to calm a tantrum when I just can't take the screaming anymore.....no one outside of family and daycare knows she still uses it and we try to keep it that way. After all, Binkies are for babies and she's a big girl now and shouldn't need it anymore. At this point, I have to wonder if it's for her comfort or for mine? Should I force the issue or just let her give it up on her own when she's ready? Will she EVER be ready?

As I was in the middle of this dilemma, the problem was solved for me. As luck would have it, both Binkies got lost at the same time. One here in the house somewhere and the other disappeared at daycare. When Julie tried to put her down for her nap at daycare last Thursday, Binky was no where to be found. DISASTER! Julie said it took a very long time to convince Meghan to even lay down without it, then she just lay there and whimpered. Finally, one of the other little girls took pity on her and offered up her own favorite blankie to comfort Meghan. Accepting the poor substitute, Meghan finally took a short, fitful nap.

Somehow, we survived the weekend with no Binkies. Every nap and every bed time has been a battle of wills. She hasn't actually asked for her Binky very often. When she does, we remind her that they're lost and she seems to accept it. There have been tantrums and there have been tears and there has been lost sleep. But, all in all, it has been easier than I was afraid it would be. Both Binkies miraculously re-appeared yesterday. One in the diaper bag and the other in it's hiding spot in the kitchen. We haven't let Meghan in on that little secret yet. All of this makes me very glad that Ethan never liked a Binky so we won't have to go through this again.

Now, the Parties! On Friday, Meghan's actual 3rd birthday, we went to GG and Papa's for pizza and cake.

They gave Meghan a card with $20 for her college fund and a bag of Circus Peanuts....one of her favorite candies.

Then, on Saturday, we threw Meghan's very first "kid" birthday party. We invited all her neighborhood "frienzez" over to share in the fun. It was a blast. I may have went a little overboard in the planning and there was some last minute stress and chaos when I didn't think I was going to get everything done. But it turned out good. Just about everyone we invited was able to come and Meghan was quite the gracious hostess. As each "frienz" arrived she took them by the hand and showed them all the decorations and food. Then offered them a drink! (okay, there was a little coaching from Mom & Dad beforehand, but not a lot)

Once everyone arrived, we went downstairs to play for a while. Then all the kids got to make their own party hats with foam visors and stickers. This was a big hit, but didn't take nearly as long as I had expected.

After some more playtime and general craziness.....

there was food...

then presents...

then cake and ice cream.

Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures of the party after this. I laid the camera down somewhere "safe" and lost it! But, after loading all the kids up on sugar, there was general chaos and running around like maniacs having all sorts of fun. I hope one of the other parents got pictures of the kids rolling down our hill and blowing bubbles in the back yard. It was a good day.

And....on to the subject of pets. We've had the pet conversation and agreed that there wouldn't be any pets of any kind for at least several years. I don't know what came over me at Wal-Mart on Sunday. We stopped to look at the fish for a minute and somehow Miss Meghan hypnotized me into buying her a Beta fish. She picked out a pretty pink-ish red one and decided to name it Lion. That name didn't stick though. By the time we got home it changed to Princess Aurora then a few hours later changed to Horsie. That one seems to be sticking. Poor Horsie has been moved around the house several times as Meghan wants to be close to her at all times. And last night was almost the end of Horsie when Ethan grabbed her off of the dining table and dumped her on the kitchen floor before Shon or I even knew what was happening. Luckily there was a lid on her bowl so she didn't hit the floor. Today I moved Horsie into her very own 1 gallon aquarium, complete with bubbles to keep her healthy and a snap-on lid to keep her safe. Hopefully Meghan will start to understand that fish are just to look at and don't like to be carried around like toys.

8-Legged Freaks

I'm afraid of spiders. I hate them, they're the most horrible, loathsome, disgusting creatures and I get totally freaked out by their horrendous legs and the creepy, sneaky way the move and the hideous look of them.

In the last 5 minutes I have had three of the monsters crawl right under my chair...each one bigger than the last. The first was about quarter-sized. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and jumped about a foot in the air. It ran under the credenza before I could break the paralysis of fear and reach for something to smoosh it with.

The second was a bit bigger...and a lot fatter. About as big around as a half-dollar and obviously well fed. He made a disgusting SPLAT when I whacked him with a rolled up magazine.

The third one was in a different league altogether. I actually HEARD something moving behind me. When I turned to see what it was I saw the hideous, black beast just sitting there staring at me as though it was daring me to move. He must have been 3-inches across. By the time I managed to grab my trusty magazine he had scurried (stomped) under the credenza. It took four whacks with the magazine to make this guy even curl up in a ball. I kept whacking a few dozen more times just to make sure it was all the way dead. It was all I could do to pick it up with a tissue and put it in the garbage...the hair on my neck is still standing up and my hands are shaking as I type this.

Mom always said killing a spider will make it rain....guess it's going to pour tomorrow. Someone else once told me that for every spider you see, there are 10 more that you don't see. (no point in trying to get any sleep tonight with that thought in my head.) Needless to say, I will be calling an exterminator first thing in the morning. I'm even willing to pay extra to get them out here sooner.

Mom! Hurry up!!

Too cute not to share with the world.

Olympics 2020 here we come!

Okay, maybe I'm getting just a little ahead of myself here, but a little ambition never hurt anyone and a parent is supposed to set goals for their kids. Right? Meghan just started her third session of Gymnastics classes. This session she has graduated from the Moms & Tots class to the Tiny Tots. That means she'll be learning more advanced skills as well as a more structured class with more emphasis on taking turns and following instructions. Oh, and no Moms allowed in the gym during class. I've been banished to the bleachers to sit with the other Moms (and a few Dads) as we ask each other "which one is yours?" and "how old?."

It's hard being on the outside of that room, only able to observe through the glare of the two-way mirrored window. But, it's wonderful to see my strong-willed, independent Miss Megs listening so well and being so cooperative with her teachers. I loved watching how well she behaved and was amazed at how easily she settled into the new, Mommy-free, group. In a room full of new teachers and strange kids, she was the only one that never acted out, never threw a fit and never cried for Mommy and Daddy. I was torn between the pain of feeling left out and pride at how brave and strong she is. I decided to let pride win.

I suppose I could dislocate my shoulder trying to pat myself on the back and take credit for instilling such confidence and good manners in my Little Lady. But, I'm honest enough to admit that most of it is just her own good character shining through. She makes me look like I know what I'm doing at this parenting thing!

And he's off!!

Guess I should have kept my mouth shut about being grateful that Ethan isn't walking yet. Little Man took his first official steps today!!! He's been taking 2-3 steps every once in a while....but never intentionally. He'd only do it if we held his hand and got him walking around the room or down the hall then we'd sneaky-like let go of his hands and his momentum would carry him a few steps before he tipped over.

Today it was the real deal....I told Shon on the phone that it was going to be any day now. Then, about 1/2 an hour after Shon got home from work, Ethan walked about 4 feet down the hall to give his Daddy a big ol' bear hug. We got him to repeat his new trick several times before he got tired of performing and threw a fit.

Milestones....

I ordered a new car seat for Ethan today. Some of you may say, "so what." But some of you may understand why it made me sad. We got a great deal on it....30% off and free shipping...it's the same one Meghan uses so I know it's a good one. But, it still made me sad. Why? Because it means Ethan no longer needs his "infant" seat. He's ready to be turned around to face the world and ride in a "big boy" car seat. What happened to my tiny baby that came home swimming in his Preemie sized outfits? Where did my little Chicken-Butt go? He got gobbled up by this big, handsome boy that is unbelievably strong and more stubborn than you would ever believe. Even his feet are fat!

The weather is cool here this week so I had to get out the new long sleeve shirts and jeans I just bought for him. Can you believe he's wearing an 18 month shirt? He must have had a growth spurt because I don't have to roll up his pant legs anymore. He looked so grown up today....like a little boy instead of a baby. He's 13 months old now and everyone keeps asking me, "isn't he walking yet?" And then they say he's ready for his first haircut. Then, if they have the nerve, they ask when I plan to wean him. Seems like everyone but me is ready for him to grow up and be a man already. I'm secretly thrilled that he's not walking yet (carrying him around gives me more opportunity to squeeze and snuggle) and I love the way his hair curls over his ears (it's incredibly soft and he likes to have it stroked as he falls asleep). And, as for weaning, we have no plans for that right now. He drinks whole milk from a sippy cup but not with any sort of enthusiasm. That's fine with me. Cold and flu season are just around the corner and nursing will give him a lot of protection from whatever bugs are going around. And, practicality and logic aside, I still treasure those warm snugly nursing sessions when it's just me and him. I'm in no hurry to give that up. So, don't be in a hurry to grow up, my Little Darling, Mommy isn't ready yet. I need more time.