Teach Me How to Mommy

Well. I came home Wednesday and made the playdough with Colin.   It came out awesome! I used the recipe from the link in my previous post... and as I was starting I realized it was going to make A LOT soooo I 1/4 it.  My math must have worked because we ended up with three pretty decent sized "dough balls" Colin was unsure of it at first, but when we played with it again on Thursday, he really like squishing it in his hands and ripping it into little pieces I made a video of the while process... and it's super lame.   Here is the best minute of the activity..... I think you'll enjoy it! :) The Verdict:    Mom Vote:   So fun!   Super Easy!   Minutes of Fun!    Toddler Vote:   Fun & Interesting! Tastes Weird... Made my Mommy laugh out loud when I licked it...  super fun to rip up and throw on the ground! 

Sometimes you hit it just right. On a whim Amy and I met at the local trampoline park for a play date.  We brought our husbands (ok, they brought us).  All kids felt well and even though the line was hella long, we got in and had a blast.  The only reason I am even typing this right now is because my kids are knocked out (jumping, running, balancing, falling, sliding, and free-falling = an awesome nap). Even though it took Colin a few minutes to love it (which he did) and Jerry and I got "talked" to for numerous rule infractions, it was a great time.  There were no injuries (parents included) and the kids left red-faced and smiley. I only had to hold back once from knocking a kid out.  That's a record...

Amy's post reminded me that I have a book that I purchased in preparation for a long, cold winter.  Knock on wood we have been lucky.  The kids and I were outside throughout much of December and only now (Februaryish) do we actually have snow on the ground.  I will take this weather any day.  Flashbacks of last year make me shudder. Anyways, I bought this book "The Toddler's Busy Book."  I breezed through it when I didn't quite need it (fall) and then I forgot about it.  It's hard to remember all those good things you do.  Like when I went on a rampage hiding Christmas toys for days in hopes of retrieving them on days that the kids got bored.  I still can't freaking find them all.  When I was pregnant I definitely walked around with my brain not connected to my body.  I thought it was hormonal.  I do similar things now but can't blame it biology..now it's just "mom brain." I just looked through it again and I am bit relieved because

TEASER:   FRIENDSSSSSS!  We have a mini milestone approaching and we are getting excited! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Since I talked about Toddler distractions Activity ideas in my my previous posts, I thought maybe I would share a one fun idea we've been doing a lot of lately!  :o)   Stickers: Actually, this one goes along with my previous post perfectly... I definitely thought Colin was was to young to handle stickers... He puts EV-er-Y-THING in his mouth... I miss Lisa Frank! I need these stickers! But when got a little sticker book from Colin's bff at daycare, as a Christmas "present", I thought, why not just try!  Also, let's be honest..  I think this present was more of a peace offering... These two boy are the same size, and they can handle the rough and tough side of being boys.. :o) The Verdict: COLIN LOVED IT.  He used every single sticker in one sitting.  He stayed in o

A proud moment.  I FINALLY finished an ENTIRE  coloring page in Colin's super hard coloring book!  Don't be fooled.. Colin helped.. you can see his scribble.   This was what I did when I was on Colin duty!  Brian was wayyyyy jealous!  :o)  #momlife  How do you decide how to "move on" or "move up" with you child's activities??  I always question that... When something works with Colin, Brian and I get kind of obsessed with it too.  Sometimes we forget that he's still growing, and he's constantly changing. One thing Colin really loves.. for real... is the laundry room and "helping" to fold the laundry.   He mostly unfolds the laundry for us.. but it's the thought that counts right? So this weekend, thanks to all the snow, Brian and I FINALLY got caught up on all of the laundry.   Mostly Brian (I put myself on Colin duty:  see picture), and mostly because we actually had nothing to wear... like nothing at all. Even Colin... p

Saturday night I came across that 80s movie Mr. Mom .  You know with Michael Keeton?  His wife gets a job and he can't so he takes over mom duties.  I am not ruining anything when I say that things don't go well (until eventually he gets the swing of things).  I've seen it before, but now that I am mom I think I really "got it."   I made a joke to Jerry like, "looks a lot like how it would go for you if I had long hours and left you home to be mom."  He got a bit defensive and said no it wouldn't.  I agreed easily.  He probably wouldn't sit around watching soap operas, he likely wouldn't feed my kids cans of chili, and I also don't think he would lose my kids in a grocery store. But then this happened: I had a bridal shower to go to on Sunday and I was gone for a couple hours (mind you I made all the food before I left and had deep cleaned everything).  This is what I walked into.  My kids were hiding in the "fort"

SUNDAY FUNDAY! We were so excited to get outside and play in the snow today... Took 45 minutes to get ready.... (longer than we were outside!)  I texted Lauren next door, met Audrey & Eli outside, and were ready to play!   Colin was NOT having it.  Check out that pout pout face!   Not even the slide could cheer that munchkin up! We are thrilled that this storm didn't drown us in the inches that out friends slightly south of us got. We hope you are all safe, have lots of snacks, and wine! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He Smiles! He cheered up just long enough to document a smile! :) Sitting in the snow was not a favorite activity... but he LOVED seeing Brian toss the snow is the air! I love the day after it snows, the sky is clear and the air feels clean and crisp!   (now if only the next snow storm can come during the week!  I'm about ready for a snow

Let it be know that TODAY is the day I was barfed on in Target. I wasn't even going to go... but my period 6 class has been awesome (they're my secret favorite class right now), and I wanted to make them a sweet treat to enjoy while I torture them with a Poetry test. Part I Picking up Colin isn't usually that big a deal (sigh), he refuses to put on his coat, screams all the way out the door, but once we are getting in the car he's excited to hear his songs and get home to Dada.  TODAY however, he also decided he was going to REVOLT upon seeing his car seat.  I'm fine with that.  I usually let him settle down, I don't force it (usually).  I just sort of try and bribe him into his seat, and hope it doesn't take too long.  Today, for some reason, he lost his damn mind.     What bothered me about this situation was NOT Colin... it was was the other mom in the parking lot with me at that moment.  Nowww I do not have ESP, I do not kn

This is how you know you've got too much going on at one time. I've written about dinner time before.  I have started to get a handle on it:  I make crock-pots, I cook dinner the night before, I make dinners that are more manageable, I do a lot of leftovers and as usual I often don't eat (well). Last week I had John John in my arms and we were dancing with Lucy (obviously).  I remembered just at the wrong moment that I had something cooking on the stove top. As I was traveling back to the kitchen we heard Jerry pull up (hallelujah).  My journey to the kitchen to save the bubbling sauce turned into a confrontation with my stubborn pitbull.  What I mean is that I literally walked right into him and he is too sturdy to give way.  I fell face first with the baby just as Jerry walked in. Shit -  he saw it all. I love it when everything is together - you know the kids quiet, patient, dinner ready on the table.  Instead he heard blaring Taylor Swift, a nearly ruined dinne

I am always amazed at moms who admit their flaws.  I do to a degree, but I know I hold back.  Then there are others...others who preach about  their issues so that everyone else can feel better about themselves.  What better gift can you give a new mom than the reassurance that other people have been there and have probably felt or done worse? I am truly in awe. I am big into podcasts.  I listen to them while I grade, while I plan, when I workout and when I am alone.  Yes, this equates to mere minutes a day, but it's something.  I listen to one called Death Sex and Money (it's not as scandalous as it sounds).  This week Brooke Sheilds was on talking about her new book and the issue of Post Partem Depression came up.  I didn't personally have PPD, but her description made me empathize and understand it better. How hard must it have been for her to be one of the first "famous" people to admit to feeling sad after giving birth? Just saw this pic of Hayden Pe

Sundays really can be fun - well, when you know you don't have to work tomorrow... Got the kids together for a play-date at Auntie Amy's house.  There was minimal fighting, no whining, no injuries and only one explosive near-tragic poop issue.  All in all, the world's best Sunday morning. For the record our husbands either went to church (Jerry) or went grocery shopping (Brian).  Put a feather in their cap because they killed it today too. Hoping everyone is enjoying today whether they work tomorrow or not! #ThankGodfor3dayweekends #Agoodday I swear they had fun - present mug shots not included.

What am I to do..... ( sit down, get wine, I have a lot of say ) I accepted the fact that this whole parenting thing was out of my control the moment I heard the words c-section.. (ok maybe not the moment I heard.... but you know what I mean).  But that was the moment I had to understand that sometimes our children require us to do the one thing we never thought we'd do.  (Compromise #1:  Scalpel Please) Famous Last Words I never thought I'd give my baby a pacifier... In fact, that was a huge deal for me... and it took a while after Colin was born to change my mind.  Of course, looking back, the pacifier saved our lives....  (Note to self:  write a blog about how and why I changed my mind) But the second thing that I really comprised was "Screen Time". Maternity leave was amazing (after I got over my tears and fears) I spent a lot of time bonding with Colin, making silly music videos with him (I hope I saved them... they're pretty epic), going on LOTS of

Boys are so different than girls.  Even things like potty can be made fun and silly. Sharing this because it warms my heart and sums up what it's like to live with a baby boy who laughs when he burps, announces when he "toots" and demands to pick up a monster truck as soon as he wakes up. I am way out of my league here kid.  Teach me how...to be a mommy of a boy.

It's four o'clock on Monday, of course it's time for dress-up.  Lucy hasn't asked to put her princess clothes on in awhile.  I think maybe our red carpet coverage of the Golden Globes may have put her in the mood. I have dinner to start, dishes to get out of the sink and two phone calls to return.  I also have a son who is so disinterested in dresses that he has placed himself on my lap with a truck book (it's the third time I have read it to him in the last 20 minutes..this is not a lie).  But of course my answer is "yes, we are absolutely playing dress up right now." It was fun for about 15 minutes (getting to be a record in my house).  As any other proud mommy would I snapped pictures of my Lou in her frilly, ridiculous, sequenced gowns (thanks Elysia for the recital clothes).   The hubbub of dinner, dad coming home and a few tears quickly erased this moment of girliness, but later when I looked back on the pictures some of them struck me...

Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Schumer are not moms.  F it - we love them anyways. We love them for so many reasons, but mainly because they are two girls we wish we were or at least wish we could rub up against. Funny, talented, beautiful and oh so likable.  How did you get that way?   Until we find a mom we like just as much as you, you will remain our permanent crushes.  See you at the Golden Globes next year (perhaps Lucy can stay up that late to see you being you). Here's to girls' night on a work night.  It's worth eating a whole bag of popcorn and saying "screw it" to extra sleep, grading or cleaning.  

I wrote last week about Lucy telling me "NO" a lot.  I recounted a few embarrassing situations and my fears about fixing the problem and getting my angel back. Well, strangely enough things have really turned a corner.  Ever since getting back to our old schedule - work, school, nana & memere time and so on things have all calmed down and evened out.  The kids are both FINALLY over colds.  They are back to eating everything in sight and back to playing, giggling and (for the most part) listening to their doting parents.  I guess (like their mother) my kids feed on a pretty strict schedule - with too much free-time they feel uncomfortable.  That coupled with a few new strategies and I feel a bit more in control. Heard from a couple people that all toddler activity goes in phases.  Sometimes just when you are about to pull your hair out they snap out of it.  I knew this is true, but it's easy to forget when all of a sudden you fear the worst - you are raising a bra

I think it finally happened.  I've hit rock bottom. I could see this day coming for some time, I just haven't wanted to admit it. THIS is truly devastating to me.   MY VACUUM DIED! I vacuum A LOT.  I sweep A LOT.   I live with TWO boys, one of which is a toddler, I have to.... My vacuum has realllly been hurting for some time.  I have tried to snuggle her, I have tried to be gentle with her, I have tried to clean her.... but the last few months just haven't been the same...  Yesterday was her final day of suctioning power. But why is this rock bottom you ask??? Because after she died,  I tried to sweep the carpet.   It was really hard, and really depressing. Also..... Option A: THE SHARK! Option B: THE DYSON You know what is even more depressing?   Researching Vacuum Cleaners. You know is the MOST depressing?   How excited I am to purchase my new vacuum and USE IT! This is my life now people....