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Happy Kids
Tags: easter. kids, Family, fun, love
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Ringing in 32
22 MarAs I write this, in 2 minutes, you turn 32 years old.
There you are asleep on the couch, your glass of root beer still full. Like always.
Just a few hours ago, we watched brainless television shows. Like always.
We snacked on junk food when we really shouldn’t have. Like always.
We talked about the sweet (or not so sweet) things the kids did today. Like always.
The clock just struck 12.
Happy Birthday, sleepy boy. I can’t wait to spend your special day and many more together.
Didn’t Even Flinch
15 MarNot only is she growing up so quickly, she’s also super brave! While we were at the mall today, Andrew asked Nia if she wanted to get her ears pierced. I don’t think he ever thought she would say yes!
Pretty Princess Earrings
She asked if it would hurt like a shot and he told her yes. She didn’t care – she wanted them pierced. We walked into Claire’s and the very nice clerk asked her what earrings she would like. She knew right away. Who cares it’s the birthstone for October? It was a pretty, pink, sparkly earring and it was her choice.
She sat on Andrew’s lap and watched as the clerk cleaned the earrings and put on latex gloves. I thought that for sure would scare her. Nope. She didn’t even seem tense.
The clerk used extra care to make sure Nia didn’t see the piercing gun as she went in for the first ear. The clerk counted – one, two, three. That was it. Nia’s tiny earlobe just had an earring shoved through it and nothing. Not a deep breath, not a whimper, not a cringe, not a flinch, nothing. We asked her if she was ok and all she said while smiling was, “It just surprised me a little bit.” With that, she got her other ear pierced and then got to pick out other pretty princess earrings to wear later.
We are still in shock. What a brave little girly girl with the pink, sparkly earrings. You amaze us every day.
Our Little Addict
14 MarSometimes I don’t feel like the mommy as much as I feel like the “supplier.” There are certain things that we just cannot let Nia have at her disposal.
1. Her use of construction paper must be monitored. Now, I’m not so bad that I hold all the paper and only give her a sheet at a time or anything. (What fun would that be for either of us?) But, if I let her have free reign over the entire stash of construction paper, we would need to restock it every day. It can get out of hand real fast if we’re not careful.
2. Tape. Wow, does she have a passion for tape. She wants to tape everything. Don’t have a hair clip? Tape it. Did a glass break? Tape it. She will cut up the tiniest pieces of construction paper and then want to tape them together or to other whole pieces of construction paper. Glue won’t do. Nope. She’s gotta have the tape. It appears as though she’ll keep getting her tape and paper fix thanks to her Aunt Sissy. She recently sent us a nice supply so as long as I maintain control of how much Nia’s using, we should be good to go for awhile.
3. Flavored/Scented lip gloss. She would love so much to be able to carry 3 or 4 tubes of it in her tiny purse and apply it liberally throughout any given day. I would love for her to be able to do that but I can’t let her because she’s allergic to something in them. I feel so bad that I have to confiscate them from her when she gets them as a gift. (If I don’t she will sneak away and smear them on her mouth over and over again until the gloss looks as though she was eating it as well.) She always asks, “Can’t I just try a little Mommy? Just a little?” My heart breaks because I remember how much I loved those glosses when I was little but I just cannot let her get her grip on the gloss.
4. Scented lotions. If she could she would use the whole bottle in one day. If she’s even alone with a small bottle for more than a few minutes she smells as though she just painted herself with it.
Ah, and this is only the beginning. I’m sure it’s only going to get more interesting and challenging as grows up.
Surviving the Stages
8 Mar“This too shall pass.” I know it’s a quote/saying/belief that is commonly used in times of mourning or hardship but for some reason it feels good for me to apply it to where I am right now.
I know it could always be worse but I’ve been having a really hard time dealing with the difficulties of raising a 4 and 2-year-old. And I’m not talking about just a few incidents here or there with them. I can handle that fine (or at least I think I can). What’s really getting to me is the constant fighting between the two of them, Nia giving me major ‘tude whenever I try to talk to her about her actions and Nate’s aggressive behavior that doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Right now the major thing that’s getting me through this is knowing that I will get through it. I realize that it is just a stage and it will eventually end. I also realize, however, that after it ends, another stage will start! Hopefully, it will be the sharing, caring and listening stage. I can dream right?
Girls’ Night
25 FebDinner for one at a trendy restaurant in Buckhead-Atlanta – $47 (two glasses of Sangria and tip included)
A glass of wine, a Coke for the designated driver and the tip at the Ritz Carlton (also in Buckhead-Atlanta) – $20
Times I feared for my life while being driven in an SUV by a girl I hardly knew – 3 (but it made for some laughs!)
Number of movies we all knew the lines to – 9
Hours I spent away from my family – 7 and a half
Fun I had while sharing a night out with the girls – Tons
How much I appreciate and love Andrew for being so cool about my night out with the girls – Immeasurable
(He even did all the dishes and put them away!)
*Thanks to my neighbor, Allison, for thinking of me and liking me enough to invite me along with her buddies!
It was all fun and games…
23 FebSnow Angels
Having a Blast
You might be thinking – what was I thinking? I couldn’t help myself though. Nate was watching a cartoon and the little boys in it had on their hats and mittens and were having a blast playing in the snow. He looked at me and asked, “Snow? Nate play? Hat?”
What was I supposed to do?! He was so sweet and I could tell how much he wanted to bundle up and dive in to the white stuff. It would have never happened if it wasn’t for my sister and brother-in-law. Whenever Brian mails us something, he loads it with stuff like the packaging peanuts. I usually cringe when I see the stuff because it can make such a mess – it’s so funny what you’ll do for your children.
For the record though, about the mess, it took about 15 different runs of the Dyson to collect all the pieces – and there’s still some of it lingering around on the carpet and in my hair!
It was EVERYWHERE!
It was totally worth it
Mr. Rogers would be proud
21 FebI’ve been so fortunate to have lived next door to some really wonderful people. I really can’t take credit for any of it – my mom and dad picked the first house and with our two houses, we had no idea who lived next to us. Call it fate or luck or God or whatever you want to call it, but so far, we’ve had some of the best neighbors.
The neighbors I had while I was growing up are like family to me. I’m so happy they are there for my mom and that my mom is there for them. We’ve always had the key to their house and they’ve always had ours. We’ve shared in ALL the happy family moments together, as well as the sad ones. I couldn’t imagine my life without them. I even got introduced to their culture and religion, attending Greek Bible School with them and even learning some of their language and traditions. Words really can’t touch the appreciation and love I have for them.
When we lived in Savannah, the couple across the street helped take care of me while Andrew was deployed in Iraq and I was pregnant. They landscaped our front yard and decorated our house for Andrew’s homecoming. When they moved away, we tried to stay in touch. One time, we ran into each other at the Atlanta Zoo and it was only because they recognized my laugh echoing through the trees! I heard, “Nicole Valles, is that you?!?!” It was a great feeling and we still continue to try to keep in touch.
Our neighbors now, Allison and James, are just as wonderful. They’ve done the usual ‘neighborly’ thing of caring for our turtle, Clark, while we’re away and collecting our mail, but they’ve also alerted us to two outdoor spectacles that we would have missed if it wasn’t for them – the snow that fell here last month and tonight’s lunar eclipse. Allison has even invited me to go with her and her friends for a birthday celebration this weekend in Atlanta! I was like, “She likes me! She really likes me!” And so far, I haven’t done anything embarrassing to change her mind!
Patience Wanted: Apply Here
18 FebStay-at-home mother of two, ages 4 and 2, is in need of patience immediately. Must be willing to work long hours, lift 30 to 60 pounds (depending on whether both kids want to be held or need to be separated) and endure a short-tempered boss who loses it when asked the same question 20 times in a row. Must have a proven track record of handling unnerving situations with ease while maintaining a calm composure. Salary is negotiable between a bag of chips and a pint of Ben-n-Jerry’s. Benefits include a few beers or a White Russian at the end of the day.
So there it is – my somewhat confession that my patience is gone. Lost. Or maybe it just ran away. For Lent this year, I didn’t give up junk food, chocolate, cuss words – I made a promise to try and be more patient. Well, the first weekend of Lent just so happened to be the trip to Philadelphia – so much for keeping it together then. Now though, I feel as though I still haven’t really been trying. The littlest things set me off – I already wrote about Nia asking me the same question over and over again (even though I answered her 2 or 3 times already) or repeating “Nate” over and over again until my eyes want to bulge out of my head as it pops off and explodes (I think Nate feels the same about that one). Nate’s tantrums have another kind of effect on me. I more want to bury my face in my hands and start crying. He’s just exhausting. Then there’s the both of them together. The SCREAMING. Oh my goodness. The SCREAMING. I know I’m going to be deaf. I can almost feel the damage happening as the shrieks pierce my ears.
Well, so much for my period of peace as the kids rest. I just heard Nate throw some things out of his crib. As long as he doesn’t have poop on his hands like he did yesterday – I’ll be fine. Well, I’ll try to be anyway.
I just realized…
13 FebAfter all that fashion show blog business, I just realized I forgot to tell you all how my dress compared to other ladies at the wedding!
Let’s just say, there was a mix. There were short dresses, long dresses, skirts with nice tops, plain dresses and super fancy dresses with fur coats – oh yeah and several ladies with poofy feathers in their hair. I forgot to tell you all that the groom is from England right? Like 80 people or so came from over “the pond” (as I heard a few people say) and they came complete with feathers/hats and tails on their tuxes! Oh yeah, and the great accent! It was just lovely talking with them!
So, all in all, I was appropriately dressed! Mine blended in quite well and showed no more skin than the bridesmaids (who got to pick out their own style of dress – they all had the same fabric and color but each wore a different style – it was really cool).
Just thought I’d give you that tidbit!
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