Weekend Recap

Errands and outdoors seems to sum up this weekend.  We FINALLY had decent weather and it was wonderful.  I was also happy to be able to check a few items off of my to do list.

A few highlights:

W had a doctor’s appointment Friday afternoon to have his ears rechecked to make sure his ear infection was gone.  I knew it’d be a pointless appointment because W is really good at telling us when his ears hurt and he wakes during the night any time he has an ear infection.  He hadn’t complained or woken up since starting the antibiotic so we knew he was feeling better.  But because the doctor wanted to see him again and because W loves going to the doctor, we obliged.  The appointment started with this:

Doctor: Is your name W____?

W: Yeah.

Doctor: What do they call you? (expecting to hear the shortened version of W’s name)

W: Pauses.  Thinks.  Big Red!

Bahahaha.  A and I only call W ‘Big Red’ when we don’t want him to know we’re talking about him.  I had no idea he had picked up on it.  Now we need to find a new nickname.

The doctor went on to ask if W was always so good.  Cue proud mom moment.  He is a good boy.  He certainly has his moments, but he is 3 after all, and he really is a good boy the majority of the time. J

We were all happy to spend time outdoors this weekend.  Walks, parks, and play time in the yard.  I also introduced W to tennis - something I've been eagerly anticipating!  And all good for the soul…

Friday Thoughts

My mom loves to decorate my house.  We have similar taste for the most part so if she wants to decorate, I’m all for it.  A while ago, she told me she wanted to get a picture/painting for our dining room.  I already had a painting of a flower from our townhouse, but she wasn’t a fan.  So she began to search for a print she liked better and recently found two possibilities.  I wasn’t sure which I liked best so A chose one.  When the painting hadn’t arrived by the anticipated date, my mom called the company to inquire.  They told her it had been delivered March 28.  Nope.  Not sure where that painting ended up.  Take 2.  The painting arrived on Monday.  We attempted to open the box and it was immediately clear that the glass frame had shattered.  The painting was also way way bigger than I realized.  Dimensions.  Guess I should have looked at those.  We are now waiting on painting number 3.  And if/when it arrives, I’m not even sure how we’ll hang it… the doomed painting saga continues.

That time I emailed Pottery Barn Kids to cancel an order.  Then told my husband about the cancellation.  And he told me he loved the item I originally ordered.  So I emailed Pottery Barn Kids and asked them to cancel my cancellation all while apologizing profusely for being THAT person who can't make up her freaking mind already.  Yes, that happened.  I'm so sorry you have to put up with people like me, PBK.  Kudos to your customer service reps.

A colleague told me I looked nice the other day.  He actually used the term glowing.  No, not that type of glowing.  I thought hard about what I had done differently because I definitely needed to be able to replicate the glowing look.  I mean who doesn’t want to be described as glowing??  Different makeup?  No.  Different hair?  Nope.  Clothes?  Same things I usually wear.  And then it dawned on me.  Sleep.  S had slept through the night 2 consecutive nights.  I can’t even remember the last time that happened.  Sleep looks good on me!!

I’m feeling like super mom this morning.  That is a rarity so it’s definitely worth celebrating when it happens.  A had to work late last night so it was me and the boys.  We picked up Addie, went for a walk, had dinner, read a few books, I gave both boys a bath, and W told me he wanted to go on the potty AND wear underwear.  Now W has been resisting potty training like a champ.  I know he CAN go on the potty, but he gets a kick out of telling me no.  So this was a major feat.  This morning Nani wasn’t feeling well (get well soon, Nani) and I somehow managed to get ready for work with both boys while my mom made her way to our house.  AND I made it to my 8am meeting!!  I mean I was 3 minutes late, but close enough.  Who plans an 8am meeting on Friday anyway?!?

It just occurred to me that I never talked about our Easter.  It was pretty quiet this year since much of the family was still in Florida.  A very brief recap…  A and I agreed that the boys would not receive their Easter baskets until after church so once we had the boys in their car seats, we snuck back inside and placed the baskets on our coffee table.  Church went well and we headed to brunch with my mom and my uncle who was visiting from Oregon.  After brunch, W and S had lots of fun opening their Easter baskets – each boy received one from the Easter bunny and one from Nani and Papa.  Spoiled!!  We didn’t dye eggs this year or do an egg hunt and I wish we had, but since we had just returned from vacation we tried to keep things very low key.

We did really well with meal planning this week.  A miraculous feat considered we typically suck at meal planning and order food a couple times a week AND this week was especially busy.  Documenting it here in case I need some dinner possibilities in the future.

Sunday – Enchiladas

Monday – Leftovers/fend for yourself

Tuesday – Homemade chicken noodle soup

Wednesday – Turkey breast/mashed potatoes/corn

Thursday – Design your own grilled cheese (Mine consisted of cream cheese, fontina cheese, ham, and pickles… don’t knock it until you try it)

Friday – Pizza Friday!!

S at 14 Months

S turned 14 months last week and he's added a few tricks in the last month.  He's started eating with a spoon and a fork and actually prefers this to using his fingers.  He's really accurate and even scoops puree or yogurt out of a bowl.  He's also starting to get the hang of a sippy cup, but definitely prefers a bottle.  W was super easy to wean from the bottle and I'm thinking it may be a bit more difficult for S.

S is a climber.  He climbs step stools and chairs.  He now goes up and down the stairs.  He also loves to stand on beds.  We have to keep a very close eye on him - as soon as we turn around, he's standing on a chair or has managed to climb onto his play kitchen.

S has figured out that he can show us what he wants.  He'll walk over to the pantry or refrigerator and point and grunt.  I'll pick him up and he'll point to his bottle or a snack that he wants.

He's started to love books and often brings a book over to us to read.  I've tried story books and he's not ready for those yet, but he loves the 'lift the flap' type books and pop up books.

S is my dancer and I LOVE that about him.  This is new to me - W loved music, but never really danced.  S will shake it as soon as a song comes on.  He's even started dancing in church and during the National Anthem at sports events.  SO cute.

He hasn't added any new words.  When I sing, Ba Ba Black Sheep, he'll sing along with ba, ba, ba, but that's all I can think of.  Motor skills definitely seem to be his strength.

Sleep is still challenging and it's just something we deal with.  Some nights, S will sleep 11-12 hours straight, but most nights, he wakes up once and wants a bottle.  I could write a whole post on sleep and maybe I will some day, but the point is, we don't stress about it.  We've tried some sleep training methods and have come to the conclusion that some babies are just good sleepers and some aren't.  Luckily, after a bottle, S usually goes back to sleep and sleeps until morning.  He's also a good napper - much better than W ever was so we've got that going for us.  He transitioned himself to one nap a day and he'll sleep 1.5-2.5 hours.

I really love this age and I feel like we're in a good place with both boys.  They're both learning so much and now that S is starting to communicate, it seems like W appreciates him more.  As much as I missing having a little baby, I'm also enjoying not having to pump anymore. :)

Weekend Recap

We had such a great weekend despite Mother Nature trying to bring back winter.  There was actually snow on the ground when we woke up Saturday.  Yuck.  We started the day with a big breakfast.  The boys (including A) are all big fans of breakfast.  I am not, but I do enjoy sitting at the table with all my guys and I love that they start off the day with a hearty meal.  A made homemade waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage.  After that we decided to head to the bowling alley.  W has never been bowling and we thought it’d be a nice change of pace.  I think he was a little unsure of it all, but we had a great time.  And the bowling alley had bumpers and a ramp for W so he could fully participate.

Then it was off to lunch.  S fell asleep for a bit, but woke up just in time for food. J  The boys chowed down on chicken, hamburger, and French fries.  They’ve been eating a ton lately… I’m getting nervous for the teenage years.  They were awesome all throughout lunch.  So good in fact, that A and I decided to get some chocolate brownie meltdown dessert thing.  The dessert looked nothing like what was pictured – A and I joked that if this was Pinterest, it would have definitely made the Pinterest fail list.  But it tasted delicious and really, that’s all that matters.

From there we headed home and I attempted to do some cleaning, which was futile.  Every time I got something picked up and put away, S was right behind me taking something out.  Seriously.  I attempted to organize the play kitchen and S started emptying all the puzzles.  I tried to pick up the puzzles and S emptied the book basket.  I tried to clean the kitchen and S started emptying out the bottom shelf of the pantry.  I cleaned the bathroom and S starting taking things out of drawers and cabinets.  My little mischievous man.  Eventually I gave up.  Who needs a clean house, anyway?

Sunday was our usual church, Starbucks, grocery shopping routine.  S took a long nap, 2+ hours, and I allowed myself to sit on the couch and read a People magazine for an hour while A did his vest and W played.  It was blissful.

People were also incredibly nice to us this weekend.  The boys have their moments, but all in all, they’re usually well behaved when we’re out and about.  My philosophy has always been they can’t learn how to behave in public if I never take them out in public.  Anyway, at both the restaurant and grocery store, people approached me to tell me how cute the boys were.  While at Starbucks, we sat near a lady who was at a table alone.  My first thought was “oh, she’ll probably want to move away from us to preserve some peace and quiet.”  But instead, here’s what she said, “I knew there was a reason I came here this morning.  I love seeing your family every Sunday.  It’s so nice that you have family routines/plans.”.  Admittedly, I’m always worried about cutting up bagels, making sure W has enough juice, and trying to keep S occupied, I never pay attention to the other people at Starbucks.  It was such a kind thing to say and made me feel like I was doing something right.  It was also a reminder that I should make more of an effort to say something kind to fellow moms – I’d bet that we (moms) all feel like we’re screwing up at some point in the day....  Especially after reading a fellow mom blog in which mom explained that her child would eat healthy, organic foods, watch no tv, and have no screen time... sigh.  I used to think I might enforce those things too... definitely didn't happen.  My new motto is moderation is key.  J

Friday Thoughts

I recently found out that one of my company’s rare disease drugs is going to be studied in a CF clinical trial.  The trial involves pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.  I’ve thought about what it would be like to work on a CF drug, but never ever thought it would actually happen.  It’s awesome to have this personal connection to my work.

This weather.  I am SO over it.  The entire week, it’s been sunny, then five minutes later, rain, then sunny, then five minutes later, snow.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.  It’s too cold and wet to go outside and then every time you think, “well, if it has to be cold, then at least it’s sunny”, BAM, it starts blizzarding or monsooning or even worse – some rain/snow/sleet mix thing.  It’s awful and I am not a fan.  Yuck.

We have no plans this weekend.  I mean I have ideas and errands, but nothing on the calendar.  This is epic.  As far as I can tell, we’ve had something every single weekend since February (and possibly beyond that – I just have nothing written down for 2/20, 2/21).  A and I are considering taking the boys bowling because they’re getting a bit stir crazy (see above weather description).

We are so excited that baseball season is back!  A and I have been enjoying Cubs games after the boys are in bed.  It’s been a rough sleep week for the boys (teething, thunderstorms, ear infections) so we’ve been abandoning some of the typical evening chores for the couch, baseball, and a glass of wine.  My house may be a mess, but we’re enjoying having a little downtime and I’m not even feeling guilty.  Cleaning will get done eventually.  So sad to see my favorite player, Kyle Schwarber injured last night.  Get well soon, Bam Bam!

Have you heard about hidden Facebook messages?  A couple friends shared links regarding how to view these “hidden messages”.  I decided to check it out on a whim and sure enough, there was one from my mom’s friend that was sent in September.  Have a look! http://adequateman.deadspin.com/there-is-an-even-more-hidden-facebook-messages-folder-1769629296

A couple of my friends/colleagues are in Ireland this week, which means I’m pretty much the only person in the company who hasn’t had a chance to go.  And probably the one who wants to go the most.  Woe is me.

A few more W mispronunciations because these always make me laugh: spaghetti is piz-getti, hamburger is hang-a-burger, and regular is legular.  He also calls the UPS truck the PQS truck. J

A bit about this weekend & W says...

It was a bit of a sad weekend for me.  My mom has had two cats for nearly 14 years.  I lived at (my mom’s) house after graduating from college and was there when the rescue cats came to her home.  They were actually adopted by my brother who was also living at home at the time, but moved out a short time later.  I think my mom always knew that they would be her cats.  The orange one, who we called Tigs, was my favorite.  And there was no doubt that I was his favorite.  There were many mornings I was getting ready for work, standing in front of the mirror, and Tig would jump on my shoulder to cuddle.  He was so funny.  This flying orange cat.  He loved to snuggle with me.  Eventually A and I bought our first house and I moved out, but every time I visited my mom, Tig was quick to find me and purred happily as he sat next to me.  My mom told me yesterday that poor Tigs wasn’t doing well and likely wouldn’t make it through the night.  I visited him yesterday and gave him some love.  I was afraid to touch him, not knowing if he was in pain.  He couldn’t move and let out a weak meow.  My mom let me know that he died this morning. L  I know we gave him a good life, but it’s always tough to lose a pet - especially for an animal lover like myself. L

On top of that, W complained his ears were hurting yesterday so I took him to the pediatrician while A and S went to church.  Sure enough.  W has a double ear infection.  His second ear infection in 2 months. L

And just so this recap isn’t completely depressing, W has been making me laugh so much lately.  A few of the funny things he’s said recently:

At 9am, “Mommy, did I wear you out?”  Considering the day was just beginning, I told him not yet.

I call him mister quite often… Are you ready to go, mister?  Let’s pick up your toys, mister.  Well, he’s started calling me mister mommy.  “Mister mommy, are we going to Starbucks?”

“Mommy, are you wearing your biscuit?”

“My what??”

“Your biscuit!” (points to my Fitbit… Biscuit… Fitbit… same thing.)

I made the mistake of telling W that I thought his cold was the result of airplane germs.  So he often talks about colds and airplanes: “I’m not going to go on the airplane anymore so I don’t get more colds.  I’m going to stay in Florida.”

And possibly my all-time favorite… We were just at the pediatrician last Wednesday for W’s 3 year checkup (better late than never) so he was familiar with the process.  I brought him in yesterday to have his ears checked.  Afterwards, I told him he did a great job and we could leave to which he responded, “I didn’t even get to take my pants off!”  I nearly died.  Hahaha.

Friday Thoughts

Happy Friday!!  The week after vacation is always so tough – I’m definitely ready for the weekend!!

Yesterday was going way too well.  W was actually being nice to S.  Like REALLY nice.  He brought S blankets and books.  Brought over his bottle.  When he was finished playing with a toy, W would tell us that it was S’s turn.  My mom and I joked that W must want something or he was setting us up for something.  It was a nice change of pace from the “go away” and “I don’t like him” that we’re accustomed to hearing from W (no matter how many times I emphasize kind words and actions).  W even told me he had to go potty and went on the potty?!?  Then 7pm hit.  W locked the bathroom door so we couldn’t get in (luckily no one was inside), I discovered that somehow S’s humidifier had leaked all over – so much so that the entire length of carpeting along his wall was soaked, and S puked all over his floor.  All of these occurrences happened within a 30 minute span.  Ah – there’s the chaos I know.  And everything was back to normal.

W had school pictures yesterday.  He’s been battling a cold and I think he would have been fine staying at school, but I was being cautious and decided I’d stay with him and bring him home when pictures were over.  It’s no secret that W hates having his photo taken.  I warned his teachers.  So when it was W’s turn, naturally he made an angry face and rolled his eyes at the photographer.  Everyone was laughing hysterically.  W is typically very quiet and shy at school so his teachers didn’t expect his reaction and I don’t think they believed me about his photo hatred.  Somehow, by some miracle, the photographer was able to get a good photo of him.

I think S is getting all of his teeth at once.  Poor guy.  He has 4 top teeth coming through at the moment – including 2 molars.  He still only has 2 teeth on bottom – so strange??  So those can’t be far behind.

I'm over our "spring" weather.  30s and 40s in the forecast for next week.  Blah.

I had planned to write more, but my brain has turned to mush…