As 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.
“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?
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
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.
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 –
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.
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
Yum right? I feel bad for even putting that word next to the other words. Not just because it’s so yucky, but because I literally feel bad because of it. Don’t worry, I won’t get all detailed or anything. It’s just – I can’t talk about my 30th birthday without mentioning the disgusting distress Andrew and I are suffering through even now.
We’ve had this rumbly in our tumbly for the past week. Remember when I wrote I was sick and then all better? Well, I apparently was deceived by this blah that has taken over our bodies. We are still able to function with it. We even are still hungry. But when we eat, we pay for it later. Severely.
It all would have been a lot more tolerable if it had rudely entered our lives at a better time. It happened to hit us right as we were getting ready to visit our family (Anna Marie, Marcus, Baby Ella and new Baby Maggie) – plus our buddies (Ginger, Lee and Baby Cami). We called and warned them. “We have a butt disease – still want to see us?” They must really love us because they all said yes. We’ll see if they still feel the same if they get it too! (Which I am praying they do not!)
It also came as I was turning 30 and Andrew had a very special surprise for me. He had secretly invited Anna Marie and her girls plus Ginger, Lee and Cami to go to one of those Japanese restaurants where they cook in front of you. He led me to believe we were going to an all you can eat buffet and never said anything about our friends being there! It was so super sweet and wonderful – that is – except for our tummy troubles. Andrew and I didn’t even eat our main food. It also wasn’t such a good idea to take 4 small children to one of those restaurants. For the most part, the were entertained by the chef but Nia was not having any of the food and Nate was hysterical before the chef came (“Chicken! French Fries!”), Ella was petrified of the fire and it was getting way late for Miss Cami. Poor Andrew. He did such a sweet thing for me – I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as he hoped – I want him to know how much it all meant to me and that I love him bunches.
Well, despite it all – I’m 30 and I had a lot of happy memories to go along with the big day. I got to spend my actual birthday with great friends. Ginger and Lee sacrificed their master bedroom so the Valles Fam could crash ever so comfortably. I got to enjoy 2 cakes – one that Andrew surprised me with and another that Ginger and I nibbled on secretly. She even made us super delicious daiquiris and a breakfast of champions the next day.
I may not be all that thrilled about turning 30 but then again – the older I get, the more time I get to spend with the people I love. I just hope the next birthday comes without the party on the potty.
Ginger-ale on ice – with a straw.
Chicken noodle soup – delivered on a tray with a napkin.
Dishes finished and the kitchen cleaned.
Tucked in nice and cozy – watching whatever I want on television.
All that plus – the kids fed, happy, bathed and kissed goodnight.
He really took care of all of us last night. I “called in sick” on Monday – well, for as much as I could anyway. Amazingly, the kids let me lounge around during day – allowing me to get away with a few short book reads and lazy block building sessions. Andrew came home as early as he could so I could get some sleep as soon as I could. It was awesome.
Thanks to all of that TLC, I am all better and ready to take care of the next sicky Valles. (I hope we won’t have to do that for awhile though!)
Before I leave you wondering…
Yes, I locked Nia in the car. I really did that. I was one of those people. I will tell you all about the hour of fun we had while waiting for Triple A to show up a few sentences later in this post because there was just so much that happened. I think it’s best to break out the bullet points!
So there it is. Christmas 2007 is history and a new year of laughs, horrors, love and adventures has started. I can’t wait to share another year with you! Hopefully, it will feature more of the good stuff – even though some of the bad is more fun to read!
Are You Zhazha? 
Only a Kid Could Get Away with It
25 JanPapa Dave to Nia: “Who lives in West Virginia?”
The correct answer would have been – “My grandparents.”
Nia’s answer? “That’s where all of my old people live.”
How do I explain how not ok that was for her to say? It was pretty darn funny though.
Oh and by the way – those “old people” are anything but old to me!
Share this:
Tags: comments, Family, funny, kids