What happens when....

...the almost-four-year-old is in charge of hanging ornaments.

Well, baby...

...it's been six months. That means you got a whole bunch of shots today. We're also not telling you that we're taking you back next week to finish up with a double flu shot... but it's all because we love you.

Claire's six month well-baby check up was today, and although she is small she is healthy enough that she kicked me (sometimes in the face) during the physical exam. She also tried to grab anything that was attached to Dr. Johnson, including the odoscope and his face. He said she is right on as far as her motor skills, social development, etc. So far, so good.

(harrassing her older brother-- she really, really wanted that fire hat!)

Height: 27 inches (90th percentile)

Weight: 15 lbs. 9 oz. (10th percentile)

Today I am thankful for... (day 10)

Today I am thankful for parents -- both mine and Alan's -- who are still so supportive, willing to help when we need it, and involved in our daily lives. We love you and our kids love you. We are starting to understand where you were coming from for all those years.

I've gotten a little behind on this. It's been a busy few days. But I am still as thankful today as I have been for the past two days.

Seriously -- Six months?!

Likes: chewing on stuff, grabbing her toes, grabbing in general, wiggling around, throwing herself backward (especially in a Bumbo or walker to make it move), talking, being tickled, being tossed, reading and chewing on books, chewing on her index and middle fingers, eating, snuggling into her Piglet blanket to sleep (more on that later, I think it's a mom's worst nightmare in the SIDS era), snuggling at all, kicking her long legs, the ladybug that used to hang from the carseat handle, rattles, "lovies", sneezing, listening to music, Samson and his whole-face kisses

Dislikes: being more than arm's length away from someone, being hung upside down by her feet, being in her carseat, having her nose wiped or "sucked"

Claire is growing fast, but is still so tiny. (Case in point: in the picture above she's wearing 0-3 month pants with room to grow, but not length!) I might have to buy her a new carseat not because of weight but because of length. She is doing well sitting up on her own, but tips over frequently just because she squirms so much. She laughs almost constantly when the boys are around to tickle her and is starting to enjoy more physical playing, like being tossed in the air. She babbles and coos, and likes to "sing" while she eats which makes for a long mealtime. She has also started on solids, and is loving oatmeal, bananas, and pears so far.

Today, I am Thankful for... (day seven)

Today I am thankful for a warm house to stay inside of while the stupid snow is out to play, and excited to start some fun "first snow" traditions with Mason. I really hate the snow, so I'm trying hard to find a way to make it fun. I would like to avoid ruining his view of a winter wonderland, because he is so very excited to go build a snowman.

I would be extra thankful if he would stop the tantrum throwing so we can have some fun. If he does, I will be back to post some cake pictures on the food blog later today. Also, I have finally finished one of the projects I wanted to do for Claire's room, so maybe I'll get pictures of that up as well.

Today I am thankful for... (day six)

Today I am thankful to be the mom of a sweet, beautiful daughter who loves to sing while I'm trying to feed her, enjoys being rocked to sleep, and grabs my shirt so tightly during either activity that she is always attached to me (no need for a sling at our house).

I also love watching her adore her brother and dad. She has always been quick to give them a big smile, bu she's starting to not mind when they play a little rough with her. Beyond that, she loves it enough that the little giggle she gives is infectious.

I'm grateful we decided to have another baby. She completed our family in a really fantastic way and I'm so excited for the opportunity to watch her grow, to get to know her better, and to be her mama.

Today, I am thankful... (day five)

Today I am thankful to be the mom of such a healthy, energetic, silly little boy. I am also thankful that the day is going better now than it did at the beginning. He helps me live in a world where a wonderful day is simply a picnic lunch in his bedroom and his bed is the slide or the big bridge or somewhere to bounce. It's a truly magical place and I need a little of that! Now if I could just borrow a small fraction of his energy...

Today, I am thankful for ... (day four)

Today, I am thankful for the lovely gift of a comfortable rocking chair to snuggle my baby in when she can't breathe all night. And for the gift of wit that will make it possible for me to make it through the day after sleeping sitting up, because at a certain point all you can do is laugh about it!

I am also thankful for our good health. The last two nights are among the first I've spent sitting up with a sad, sick baby; I've been very lucky not to do that more often. We, unlike many others, usually only have doctor's bills from regular check-ups, have not been to the hospital unless we're visiting dad at work, and hope we continue to be so blessed.

The more I hear from friends who are suffering through something unimaginable, or whose children are suffering, the more grateful I am for this. Problems are possible at any turn. I've been very fortunate to have two healthy pregnancies and to give birth to two healthy, beautiful children. It would be ridiculous not to recognize the gift that is as I hold my children close every day and watch them grow.

Today I am thankful for... (day three)

Today I am thankful for brave men and women who defend my family, my country, and my lifestyle so that I am free to live it. They go where no one else wants to go, do what no one else will speak of, and are expected to come back and live happily after all that. I am sincerely grateful for their sacrifices.

My brother-in-law was in the military (specifically in the Marine Corps.) for a few years. It's no great secret what he gave up in the end. He is living a great life now, but will have physical challenges to overcome for the rest of his life. And he was one of the lucky ones.

While he was enlisted, he missed many family events. Some were major, some were minor, and we planned what we could around the times he would be home. But he wasn't around when Mason was little. I know he missed the little guy and he was very anxious to be a part of Mason's life once he was back home.

Again, though, we were one of the lucky families. He didn't forego a honeymoon or miss the birth of his own child. But these incredible people give up all that and more for our security. I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for them. I'm equally grateful to the hospital personnel (who I believe are also enlisted, but I'm not sure) who stitch them back together when things don't go as planned.

I could go on about this forever and kind of already have. I feel silly joining the group by thanking them on Veterans Day when it's foremost in my mind more often than that. But today is a good day to start.

Duh, Mom!

I had a few learning moments today as I was home with Mason. He's got his smarty pants on, that's for sure. Oftentimes, they double as sassy pants. Enjoy!


The scene: I'm feeding the baby (like always) and Mason has dismantled the couch and loveseat in our living room to build a cushion tower. Also, Mason has a certain set of blankets for his bed that he loves to drag around despite repeated requests to not. He is especially fond of dropping them over the half-wall that encloses the loft upstairs. Again, this is despite my repeated pleas to not.

Mason: Mom, did you see my blankets?
Mom: No, I didn't. Where are they?
Mason: They fell out of the sky! They're hiding my tower!
Mom (wearing a mom face):Did they fall because you threw them? Blankets don't just fall unless they have help.
Mason: No, I didn't throw them.
Mom: Did you drop them?
Mason (pause):...yeah.


The scene: In Target. After repeated begging and proclamation, I had agreed to purchase Mason a small reward for being good in the store. I'm leaving out the 20 minutes of discussion of the difference between large and small, and how size and price aren't always the same thing. We have agreed on a $3 spending limit. After 15minutes of haggling, I told him it would work if the first number in the price was 3 or smaller. He brought me a large, motorized cement truck that was $29.99. Anyone see where I'm going with this?

Mason: Mom, I can get this one!
Mom: Um, no. That's a lot more than three dollars.
Mason: No! The first number is only a two.


The scene: Home, approaching bedtime. Mason is playing with the helicopter we settled on after the previously listed conversation. Also, it should be noted, that he has a problem with a wet spot on his pants because he usually won't stop playing to go the bathroom without some *cough* loving *cough* reminders.

Mom: Mason, do you have to go potty?
Mason: No! No thank you!
Mom: The big wet spot on your pants says otherwise.
Mason: No, it doesn't! It doesn't talk!

Today, I am thankful for... (day two)

Today I am thankful for coffee. We had a very, very long night last night. Alan is hunting with his brothers and his dad today, so he wanted to get to bed early so he could get up early. That left me with the end-of-night household stuff, so I didn't get to bed until almost 2300. Mason woke up twice to go to the bathroom. Alan unintentionally woke me up when he got up at oh-God-thirty, and then when he left at oh-God-thirty-six. Claire woke up complaining of teething pain.

So the short version is, mom is tired today and on her own. And I'm grateful for the coffee that will keep my tired headache to a minimum and enough caffeine that I can function.

Today, I am thankful for ... (day one)

I am totally taking material from my Facebook status to post on my blog. I'm that lame.

Let's see how many people can do this. Every day this month until Thanksgiving, think of one thing that you are thankful for and post it as your status. "Today I am thankful for..." Now if you think you can do it then repost this message as your status to invite others to take the thanksgiving challenge, then post what YOU are thankful for today.



Today, I am thankful for my wonderful neighbors. I was chatting with a neighbor from up the street while I was feeding Claire this morning. We got talking about our shared chocolate addiction, most specifically Snickers candy bars (my big craving of late). Well, while we were chatting, her husband attempted to doorbell ditch and leave a Snickers behind. I only saw him as he was backing out of the driveway because every time someone rings our doorbell, Mason and I have a mad race to get there. Mason does not understand discretion, screening, or security. Anyway, it was a sweet gesture from the two of them, even if I totally busted their anonymity. It made my day.

My neighbors are great. This kind of thing is not uncommon. I only know a handful of people around, but would be willing to help them anytime they need it, no questions asked. And the favor has been returned to me many times over. I was talking with my neighbor across the street recently about how we don't really want to move and leave this neighborhood, even if our family has other needs. Ideally, at that point we would want to somehow magically transport everyone with us.

I'll be back tomorrow! But if you would like to join me in this, either here or on Facebook, it would be fun to see everyone else counting their blessings. It'll be good for me to shake off some of the negativity I've been experiencing of late.

The Geek Gene

We have a dry erase board on the fridge for quick jotting needs. This includes writing down something to be picked up from the grocery store when we use the last of it. Alan used the last of the half and half. He wrote it down. (No complaints there!) And I giggled that my husband is such a geek. Then I realized I have nothing to laugh about because I understood the joke without thinking. And have likely passed these geeky genes on to our kids.

Budding Artiste

Mason and I played outside for a good long time today. Claire enjoyed it for a bit, too, but she had eaten herself sleepy (starting on solids has been very good for her) and went down for a long nap.


We built a "fire" by shuttling leaves from the trees in the park strip up to the yard... (ignore the dog hair, we also gave the dogs a good once-over with a brush)






But more importantly we played with sidewalk chalk. And Mason drew fire engines (and asked me to take pictures of them)...

...and he wrote his name. Maybe it's the gushy mama thing, but it's the first time he's written his name and, although not perfect or really even legible to the naked not-mom eye, I think it is such a good approximation. I'm so proud of him!

What's in a name?

Not Claire. So I just wanted to let y'all know I'm changing our name to reflect our new family status. I'm going to change it on Wednesday, November 4th. If you wish to keep following our insanity, please update your bookmarks, links, feeds, etc. to:

http://beefourwewerecrazy.blogspot.com/

I've thought a lot about this so if you don't find it amusing, don't tell me. I'm assuming the significance is obvious. I'm not sure if this will change my email address or not, so standby for further details. Happy reading!

The Halloween Index

A is for Alternatives. As an alternative to candy, Mason got some interesting stuff. One of our neighbors handed out coupons for a free Arby's roast beef sandwich. We're guessing they are the owner. He also got a purple straw with pumpkins on it. He loves this thing and must have it with every beverage.



B is for Boo'ed--we got Boo'ed twice (if only I was on top of things and had gotten the first sign out!) and felt like our neighbors love us. We were grateful to be included, even if the treats I put together didn't quite come out as planned.


C is for Chili. It's what's for dinner.


D is for Dad. He had the day off work. On a holiday. It was great!


E is for energy. Mason had it in spades. He was so excited to do everything.


F is for friends. Out trick-or-treating, we found a few to join up with.


G is for Grandma's 'hood. The first trick-or-treating stop we made.


H is for Hamburgler. It was my favorite costume that someone wore to work yesterday.


I is for Irritated. If you haven't taught your kids the rules of trick-or-treating and send them out, shame on you. There is nothing wrong with wishing someone a Happy Halloween or saying thank you for treats. If the porch light isn't on, don't go there. If I don't answer fast enough when you ring my doorbell even though my porch light isn't on, don't knock repeatedly. That is all.





J is for James; Mason was transformed into James and loved his costume.


K is for Kennels. Where the dogs spent their night barking at the doorbell. They don't like Halloween very much!




L is for Ladybug. We had a pretty sweet one at our house.


M is for MarioKart. It's what we did for family fun while we were answering the door to trick-or-treaters.


N is for Neighbors. Neighbors who share their candy with our excited kid and send their kids, in fun costumes, to our house to raid our candy supply.


O is for Outside. It was cold and dark, but I think Mason could've stayed out all night if it weren't for needing to go to the bathroom.






P is for Pumpkins. Alan spent hours carving these. The picture is a little hard to see. I'm still learning how to work the camera in the dark. Our choices are limited to either a little hard to see or impossible to make out.


Q is for Quick. The candy went quick this year!


R is for Rings. These and the...


S is for Stickers....were actually a huge hit with trick-or-treaters. I was fairly shocked. "S" also has to be for Snickers because it was the candy of the year in our neighborhood. Mason probably has the equivalent of a whole bag of them in his candy stash.


T is for Thomas. Mason had a Thomas jack o'lantern, and a Thomas treat bucket. You could say this is following the household theme.



U is for ugly. Some of my neighbors who are really into Halloween built a maze in their driveway. Their costumes were (intentionally) ugly and scary. Mason LOVED them and couldn't stop talking about it after he got home.



V is for Volume. Mason was going for volume with his candy haul. It might take us YEARS to eat as much candy as he got.



W is for Who the hell took our pumpkins? They aren't smashed; they are just gone. Whoever took one that was plainly for a little kid... you suck. I guess we'll have to bring them in next year.


X is for X-ray shirt. I know this isn't related to anything for us, but I thought it was awesome! (All right, I tried to go find the picture and come back to post it, but I can't find it. It was this amazing shirt a local girl made and sent a picture to our newspaper. She was pregnant, and it was like one of those black shirts with a white skeleton, but then she also made a skeleton baby over where her stomach was. It said she had her baby a couple weeks early and passed the shirt on to her sister. For some reason, I LOVED it.)


Y is for young 'ns. The only thing I enjoy about Halloween is watching the little kids (including my own) enjoy it.


Z is for ZZZZZ. What we all did when the sugar high finally wore off.