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Our Little Addict

14 Mar

Sometimes 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.

 

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Can I Get an Amen?

12 Mar

I’ve never been an ultra-religious person.  I believe in God.  I believe in Jesus. I had weekly religious education classes as part of the Catholic faith but I was young and didn’t pay much attention. (Did I ever mention that Andrew and I grew up in the same church?   I mean, how was I supposed to pay attention to anything when I knew I might see him?)  Also, I’ve missed more Sunday masses than I’ve attended and now even when I’m there I’m not really there. It’s not because I don’t want to be (I actually really want to be), it’s because I’m a mom and moms with kids in church just don’t get to pay much attention to what’s being prayed about or preached.  So wouldn’t it figure?  Now that I want to learn and want to be there, I really can’t.

It’s something that has really been weighing on me because right now I’m experiencing a true need to be taught about God and Jesus and benefit from the guidance and strength offered through the Bible.  But now I dread even going because Nate is a maniac in church and understandably so.  He’s two years old and we’re trying to make him whisper and not act like a caged animal for roughly an hour – even when we’re in the “cry room.”  (And yes, we’ve tried every trick in the book to help him through the hour.  Snacks, toys, crayons, blankey.  Nothing works.)  Trying to teach him how to act in church (or just to be quiet) while trying to walk away from mass with something inspiring or encouraging is nearly impossible. I end up leaving frustrated and disappointed that I didn’t get anything out it.

Amazingly, I’ve found something that is uplifting me but it’s not through our church.  I never thought I would say this and truly believe it but it seems God has lead me to what I needed.  Each Wednesday, I take Nia to a nondenominational Bible school for children at a local Baptist Church.  (One of her friends invited her to it.)  Because she is so young, I am supposed to stay on the church grounds while she’s in the 90 minute school.  At first, this was awful to me.  I thought, what am I going to do during that time?  I don’t think they have have free wireless internet.  I don’t really want to just sit in the hallway and lurk while I read or book or something.  That’s when the extremely friendly director of the Bible school guided me to a room with a sign that read “Ladies Bible Study.”

Just those words intimidated me.  What business did I have entering that room?  I’m only vaguely familiar with some of the “big” Bible stories and I was certainly not one of those ladies.  They are all in the same Baptist club right?  Will they all hiss at the Catholic and hold up the Bible if I cross the threshold?

Never could I have been more ignorant.  They were so wonderful and welcoming and at the end of that study I knew I was meant to walk in that room. It’s helping me in so many ways and I’m learning things about the Bible that I never knew before and I’ve also just realized, while writing this, that I shouldn’t rely on my Sunday morning church service alone to inspire me. Inspiration and guidance is all around me everyday.  In my family, in the Bible, in my friends, in good deeds…

From now on, I will walk into church with a light heart knowing that my healthy, happy little boy is going to want to play and I am more than likely not going to hear a word of what is being said. As long as we are not bothering anyone else, I will do better to not let it bother me.  I will use the time there to thank God for His ways and show my faith to Him with my family. Maybe I’ll even get a prayer or two in as well. (For Nate to be quieter could be one of them!)

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A Little Boy and His Shoes

10 Mar

I wanted to get him a pair of navy blue or maybe tan/brown sneakers.  Ones that would go well with a majority of his clothes.  I’m not a fan of the crazy colored shoes or the ones with cartoon characters.

None of what I like or want mattered after seeing Nate’s reaction to these –

Special Shoes

He was so excited – smiling ear to ear, saying “Thomas Train!” over and over again.  We bought them and he carried the bag out of the store like a big boy.  Carrying them didn’t last long though.  Why do that when he could wear them and continue to point out his “Thomas Trains” as we walked from store to store?  It actually became a pretty awesome mood changer too.  When he would start to get fussy Andrew would ask, “Nate, where’s Thomas?”  That’s all it took.  Immediate happiness. I’m not sure how long it will last but I will certainly use the power of the shoe for as long as I can!

He even wants to wear them over his footy pajamas while he sleeps!  No, we didn’t let him curl up next to his dirty trains.  No, instead, we let him sleep with a hard plastic pull-toy Thomas Train that plays music.  When Andrew went to check on him before we went to sleep last night, he was hugging it.  His precious blankey (or “kay-kay” as he calls it) was way at the bottom of the crib.  We couldn’t believe it!

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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?
 

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It was all fun and games…

23 Feb

Snow 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

 

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Patience Wanted: Apply Here

18 Feb

Stay-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.
 

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The Sweetest of the Sweet

14 Feb

Nate and I crashed Nia’s Valentine’s Day party at her school today and I captured our little sweetie getting ready to dig in to her sweets –

Happy Little Valentine

They passed out cupcakes and chips for the students and Nia made sure her uninvited little brother didn’t miss out – holding her cupcake out for Nate to sample and loading him up with cheesy Doritos.

What more can I say?  That’s what Valentine’s Day is to me – love.  Pure and simple.

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Whirlwind Wedding Weekend

12 Feb

Beautiful Princesses

Wow.  What a weekend!  It really featured a little bit of everything – some of the usuals (being stuck in the car for hours, angry little man fits, arguments over nothing and plenty of fast food) but there were also lots of firsts (taking in the Philly sights, a beautiful little flower girl, dancing with my sexy husband on a “Grand Ballroom” floor and enjoying fancy food that you certainly can’t get at the Applebee’s).  Looking back on it all, I realize that I witnessed some wonderful things about my family.

1. Andrew is a saint and an incredible “baby-daddy”

I would have to say that poor Andrew had to suffer through the worst time of the whole weekend.  He had to struggle with Nate during the entire wedding ceremony.  (It was a Catholic mass so that meant he battled it out for a little more than an hour.)  By the end of the ceremony, Nate’s bow tie was off and Andrew had drool/tear marks all down his tux jacket.  As soon as we realized Nate was not going to be quiet through the ceremony (about 5 minutes into it), Andrew took him outside and stuck it out – only occasionally getting a glimpse of the wedding through the back doors of the church.

I know he was really bummed because he would have liked to see his cousin get married and I would have loved for him (and Nate) to share in the beauty of it all with me – but what can we do you know?  I think what really made it all ok in the end was that an older couple came up to Andrew at the reception and told him he was a saint after what they watched him go through at the wedding.  They told him they couldn’t believe how calm he remained and that they wanted him to know he did a great job.  It brought tears to my eyes because it’s one of those things where you think everyone must think we are such horrible parents – I mean, why can’t we get control of our kids, right? Those few words of praise will go along way and I will always remember how great it made both of us feel.

2. Nia may be tiny but her heart is HUGE

"City of Brotherly Love" for sure

Nia did such a perfect job as flower girl princess. Her Lola fixed her hair in a beautiful French braid that circled the back of her head and she told me that she felt like Cinderella. She even said she would put her hand on her heart when she bent over (bowed) just like Cinderella does.  I’m so proud of her – her personality and her ability to spread happiness amazes me every day. I couldn’t believe how many people kept asking her to do her “dance” and she would do it because it made her happy to make them smile.

Most Requested Dance

3.  Nate – is actually a happy little man

I know, it’s so crazy to write that after reading what I wrote earlier but he really is happy.  His smile is contagious and he always has one to flash at people.  Even if he is in the middle of a fit, if someone walks up to him and talks to him or smiles at him, he smiles back and he still manages to say “please” and “thank you” – even if he’s crying!  He loves to dance and laugh at silly things (like people at our table making faces at him).  He loves to play Hide and Seek and Duck, Duck, Goose (which he tried to do a few times in our hotel room).  He puts his head on my shoulder and says, “Hi Mommy” when he wakes up in the morning.  He says the lines of movies while he’s watching them.  He flirts with the ladies with just his eyes!  He happily yells “PAPA!” during a rehearsal dinner toast and makes everyone laugh.  He finds joy in simple things – Andrew put a quarter, two dimes, a nickel and four pennies in a small box and he didn’t want to let it out of his grip.  He kept saying, “My money.  My money.” That little boy.

Chick Magnet

 

I’m just glad that we got to be a part of such a fairy tale wedding.  Erin (the bride) looked straight out of a bridal magazine and even changed into the prettiest pair of hot pink high heels for her reception which I thought was the cutest thing.  Our extended family is such a caring, fun group of people and it was so nice getting to spend time with all of them. And speaking of family, we would be lost without Lola and Papa.  Not only did they come to our rescue and help take care of the kids (letting mommy and daddy have a few hours of couple time) but they also covered all of our hotel costs!

Valles Moms

This trip also gave us another first.  Our first “official” Philly Cheese Steak.  We had no idea where to get one so we, of course, turned to the internet and discovered “Pat’s King of Steaks.”  Andrew punched in the address in the GPS and it led us to a busy neighborhood complete with kids playing basketball and soccer in the cold and crowds of people surrounding two cheese steak shops – both claiming to be the best.  We ordered ours “one wit whiz” and “one mushroom wit wiz” – one with onions and cheese whiz, one with mushrooms, onions and cheese whiz.  I’m happy to say that the sandwich held its own in comparison to the sea bass, red snapper, beef tenderloin and amazing deserts we were treated to at the wedding events.  Even the kids’ chicken fingers were fancier!

What a weekend!

Goofballs

 

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Hotel Bathroom Blog

8 Feb

So here I am – in a fancy Philly hotel with a beautiful view of downtown – trapped in the bathroom as I agonizingly wait for Nate to stop fake crying and fall asleep.  Don’t worry, I’m not dropping the kids off at the pool or anything like that –  I’m just sitting on the beautifully tiled floor hoping that they clean it really well.

Nate and I should be at a wedding rehearsal with Andrew and Nia right now but the little angry man decided he was going to have a terrible-two fit and not eat and not take his nap.  (I mean, what did we think?  We did just have him strapped in his car seat for the most part of the last 24 hours!)  Nevertheless, a No-Nap-Nate wasn’t going to work for us because there was no way we would have been able to make it through a church rehearsal without causing a major scene.  Nope.  We – number 1 – aren’t that brave to test it out and – number 2 – aren’t that stupid to test it out.

Wow.  I wrote that whole last paragraph in peace.  I don’t hear Nate anymore.  That, of course, doesn’t mean he’s sleeping but still, at least I don’t have to be tortured with the whines anymore.  Nope, instead I’ll just be stuck in here – me, some toiletries and this computer until the battery dies because I left the adapter out in the room.

At least I have a yummy (free) dinner to look forward to tonight!  I’ve already got my fancy jewelry on that I got for Christmas!  I just hope I don’t smell like Eau-De-la-Toilet!

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The Best Hints Ever

3 Feb

Lately, Nia’s been playing this game where she’ll say, “Momma, guess what I am.  I have wings and I fly.”

I pretend like I don’t know and that I need some help. To that she replies, “It starts with a b-b-b sound. B-b-b. B-i.  B-i-r.  B-i-r-d.  Bird.”

It is the cutest and most interesting thing – watching her try to quiz me and then sound out the answers. I don’t know where she learned it but it amazes me and leaves me asking, who is less than 3 feet tall, completely adorable and super smart?  N-n-n.  N-i.  N-i-a.  Nia.  My Nia.
 

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