Sparkle On, My Peeps!!

The children are calm..um...medicated. Matt took Tommy duty this morning so I got to sleep in. Today is a better day.
We are preparing for a week-long vacation along the shores of Lake Huron. It's an annual trip we look forward to all year. We can all use the break.
Happy 4th of July!
May your week be filled with sparkles and deep feelings of independence!

A Parental "First" I Could Have Gone Without...

What a day...what a week, really. I was thinking earlier this morning that I wanted to post about Tommy's random "screaming jags" over the past 3 days but hadn't gotten to it yet. He's had these moments around lunchtime the past few days where he is just really mad and nothing I would do helped. They were super fun in the library (I think I almost got kicked out), at a friend's for lunch, and in the grocery store check-out yesterday (a woman actually changed lanes to get away! ha!).
They maybe lasted 30 minutes or less so I just thought he was uncomfortable with his teeth or something (his other eye teeth are on their way in and are high and huge and right at the gum).
Today, Tommy started screaming at 10:40 a.m. this morning and didn't stop until 12:10 in the parking lot of our local ER. He started up after his morning nap and, again, nothing was working and he was inconsolable. I went to my friends for a visit and he just wouldn't stop so I had her watch Lucy for me (thank god I had the option!) and called the doctor. After explaining Tommy's "normal low-key demeanor" and the fact that the kid is (knock on wood) the healthiest kid I've ever known, they thought it would be best if I had him checked out ASAP.
We were in and out of there really fast and everyone was really nice. He finally stopped the crying from sheer exhaustion (which was good during his exam) and they didn't find anything. They looked for a broken bone, hernia, ear infection, tummy, etc. Nothing. I guess that's a good thing but you still wish there was an explanation. Scary and random! Poor Tomma Shomma! Happy Thursday! Wahhhoooiieee!

Reaping the Rewards of My Work...

Lucy is at a friend's house this afternoon...a "pay-back playdate" after I had the little girl over to our house last week. Tommy is in snoozeville.
I have run and am showered, the house is clean, the laundry is caught up, I looked at the mail, read blogs, watched Tivo'd shows and ate a snack.
Could it really be true?
For the first time since June 2004...I might be bored for a minute.
And it feels fabulous.

Things I've Been Into Lately....

1. Chowing on the guacamole and chips. Sweet lord...what is my problem? See my recipe below...
2. Have you seen Sarah Jessica Parker's new clothing line at Steve and Barry's stores? Seriously cool...I have purchased two shirts, a pair of jeans, earrings and sunglasses from there just in the past week!
3. The combination of kelly green and navy.
4. With summer, comes my ongoing addiction to Cool Whip. I think I am going to try and make this over the 4th of July.
5. This show....and this show.
6. Lucy is suddenly obsessed with Lauri Berkner and shockingly, I don't want to blow my head off when we listen/dance to it all day long.

How to make "Da Guac"...
1/2 of a finely chopped red onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 finely chopped roma tomato
2 large ripe avocados, mashed
Juice from 1/2 a lemon or lime
salt and pepper to taste
Mash/stir all together and serve chilled

Her Big Week Rages On...

On top of "Farm Camp" this week, Lucy also started gymnastics classes. She had expressed interest in "nastics" on her own and my friend knew of a parks and rec program for preschoolers so I thought, "What the heck?" I have also been looking for something for us to do together (just she and I) and thought this would be a nice option for us.

They really expect a lot from these little girls. It's a great class and a great instructor who really takes her time with the kids. However, it also means there is a lot of "waiting" between turns and "sitting on the star" for Lucy. She is the youngest one in the class by at least 6 months and also the only one who has never taken the class before. She was hilarious and I was SO PROUD of her.

She really worked hard to try all the tricky moves and watched the other girls. The other girls were pretty good at everything already so the instructor was nice enough to take a little more time with Luce so she could get a feel for different things for the first time. I was also giggling that the other girls were all decked out in leotards and Lucy was in jean shorts and a tank top. Ha ha...note to self for next time: apparently throw a leotard on her.

The best part of class for me, was that every time she would get done doing something she thought was fun, she'd peek over at me and wave or cross her eyes and stick her tongue out to make a silly face at me and laugh. And we'd giggle together from across the gym like, "Can you believe you get to do THIS??!!"
Such a big girl I can barely take it...

Had to Go Listy Today...

1. Sippy cup showdown update...mom has won! We are now doing two sippy cups a day. Not warming them up or anything. Cha-ching! I'm giving the little stinker about two weeks of this and then we get rid of the a.m. and p.m. one as well. Bottle free by 4th of July, I say!!! Paci-free by Labor Day, I say!!!
2. I am freakin tired. I unpacked from camping, cleaned the house and did 4 loads of laundry on Sunday. I'm training for a 10K next Saturday. I am whooped and with no really fun t.v. shows on this summer (besides Rescue Me, of course)...Matt is laughing at me headed up to bed at 9:20 p.m. Ohh welll....
3. Wow...having a 3 year old in the summertime is different than a 2 year old. She wants to be outside 24/7. She wants to play with the girls down the street. We have "play dates" and kids in and out of the house all afternoon. I pull out the sprinkler and baby pool and suddenly the neighborhood makes their way to my front yard. Don't get me wrong...it's all fun and I love chatting with the moms and watching the kids flail. But, I need a break every now and then. I mean, how am I supposed to know how pregnant Elizabeth looks on The View? Plus, Lucy gets crazy eyes after 4 p.m. when she doesn't get her "quiet time." Today we shall chill out inside for a while.
4. Lucy is going to the CUTEST summer camp this week. It's a preschool that is located on a farm with cows, horses, chickens, etc. It is so dang cute and she is loving her little week-long camp. Tomorrow, if she is brave enough, she gets to ride the horse. Such a big girl as she headed up to the schoolhouse holding this "new teacher's" hand. I secretly watched her as she headed up the steps with her oversized backpack. She didn't even look back. PLG to the MAX...

Camping 2007...

Well, we survived our first camping trip of the summer! Actually, we more than survived it...it was a great success! Tommy did really well, and wasn't too high maintenance. Both kids slept great and LOVED the Lake Michigan beach. We are tired, sunburned and happy to be in air conditioning...but it was a great weekend!

A Little More Than The Average...

I read a great line on another blog tonight that stuck with me. And I think it describes my parenting style...

"I am consistently striving to do at least a little more than the average."

That really sums it up. We go places, we do things, we see things, we try things, we experience things. Sometimes it's a hassle to make it happen. Sometimes I do a lot of sweating. Matt sometimes askes me, "Why do you put all that pressure on yourself?" But it's for a reason.

We act silly. We laugh at jokes only the three of us know about. I have taught them about humor and goofiness and stories with character voices and silly dancing.

I try to always talk to them, teach them and listen to them. I do the best I can.

And on a night like tonight, when I wanted to kill Lucy (and beat myself up for getting so frustrated) for screaming in her room because she wanted a glass of water (her 4th request for something) before I leave her, I try and tell myself I am only human. All I can do is the best I can do and remind myself that it is still a pretty damn good job.

Sippy Cup Showdown...

EDIT: AT 2:45 P.M. TODAY HE TOOK 5 OZ. IN A SIPPY FOR ME! WHOOOO! HE IS CAVING!

Tommy was a laid back dude from 0-12 months old. The kid was so chill that I was all, "Seriously? You were grown in this Type A woman and you are this laid back?" Well, ch-ch-ch-changes have arrived people...in the form of a SIPPY CUP SHOWDOWN between mother and son.
Oh yes, the harsh transition has begun (remember the June goal I created for myself?) and it aint pretty. I tried different sippies, I tried soft nipples and hard nipples (that's right, I wrote it). I tried warm milk, sort of warm milk, cold milk. I tried it all. Screw it...we are going hard core.
He finally caved and drank about 2 oz. at about 2:30 p.m. At bedtime, I was giving him his bottle (I am beginning with daytime bottles first) and as he drank it, I swear the kid was glaring at me. He had one eyebrow up and he was looking at me as if to say, "Woman? You think you can break me?" and then...THEN...he only drank 4 oz. and whacked it away from his mouth.
O.k. so perhaps he does have 50% of my genes in him. I stand corrected.

Coincidence?

I have the "I Am Sam" CD in my car. Lucy refuses to let me listen to any song other than "Blackbird." She just says, "One more time Mom, 'cause I love it..." over and over again.
On our way to the store together this morning, I remembered how I used to play that song loud in my car on my way to and from work when I was pregnant with her. Hmmmm...maybe she remembers on a subconsious level? You never know...

No, Seriously...the Happiest Day of Her Life...

No little girl has been happier than Lucy on her Birthday Party day. It kicked off with me getting her from bed...

"It's the day of your party, Luce!"
"Oh. my. gosh. Did you put the Pony decorations up?"
"Yes I did!"
"Am I three years old now?"
"Yes you are!"
"Okay...thanks, Mom!"

And she was like this all day. So thankful. So gracious. Loving everything and so butt happy at all things, from the plastic forks to her goody bag of tootsie rolls. It was the greatest day ever.

Here We Go...

June 8th, 2004...rolling through the hospital with you in my arms. I couldn't believe you were really here. People smiled at us as we rolled through the halls. I was embarrased by the oddness of being pushed in a wheelchair, scared to death of what comes next, feeling the "hugeness" of this moment, and really, really just wanting to get you home to our house. They parked me by the front door and Daddy went and got the car it. It seemed like he was gone forever. I wasn't confident yet...not sure what type of mother I would be. If I could do it. If we could pull this off. I couldn't believe it had already been 48 hours and they were giving this tiny little child to us to take home.
There we were..you and me...alone and ready to leave the safety net of the hospital. A old couple walked up to us and smiled.
"What's the baby's name?" he asked.
"Lucy Katherine," I said.
"Well, now...welcome to the world Lucy Katherine!" and he walked away.
I got tears in my eyes. Here you really were. In the world. No longer in my dreams but a person who people would talk to and say hello to. It felt so wild.
And Dad came and got us. And we walked outside and the muggy 80 degree day hit us in the face because we'd been in air conditioning for 2 days. And away we went...

Seen but not Heard...

Sometimes I get the feeling that most kids really aren't "heard." It was very apparent to me over this past weekend at a couple events. It pulls at my heartstrings. I notice this stuff and wish there was something I could do about it. What to do...what to do...is there something within it that could be my "next phase" in life? I was brainstorming how/what on my run this morning. Still pondering...

We went to a festival downtown on Saturday morning. A little girl walked up in front of us where we were sitting. She walked up to the fountain in front of us with a smile and called her mom over. The mom yelled at her from across the way (for some reason I can't recall) and looked like she hadn't smiled in about 12 years. I just felt like the little girl was sweet and innocent and happy about something so simple and her moment was ruined by her crabby mom. Probably more moments are lost and she will end up just as crabby as her mom one day. Maybe not...I really hope not...but it's just a hunch. It made me feel sad for her.

Lucy and I were at the grocery store Saturday afternoon and having a great time together. I was lucky enough to have some one on one time with her this weekend and it was great for both of us. Lots of giggling and special time. As we were checking out at the register, she proceeded to belt out "Mary Had a Little Lamb" out of the blue. I was waiting for the lady checking us out to look up and acknowledge this kid singing her heart out. She never did. When Lucy was done, I said, "Great song Luce! I loved it!" and she smiled with pride. It seemed odd to me that the lady didn't even blink at it...but I guess that's the norm. Most kids aren't told "good job" all the time and that "you're proud of them" very often. It means everything and I fear it is overlooked in a lot of households. I know you can't pay attention to every single thing your kid does...but belting out a song in the grocery store definately deserves a "good job!"

Yesterday we were at a family cookout, and some "2nd cousin by marriage" relatives were there. There was a 9-year-old girl who was very nice to Lucy and her cousin and played "puppy" with them all night. I talked to the girl and asked her questions. She really liked me...I could tell she loved the attention...and really needed the attention. At one point, she asked me "Are we related?" with a hopeful smile that we'd see each other again. I felt bad telling her that "no, we weren't related." As we were getting ready to leave the event, I overheard her asking her mom if she could go home with us. It broke my heart. But when it came down to it, I was the one who gave the girl an ice cream cone, and told her good job on her bike, and thanked her for playing so well with the little girls, and asked her if school was out yet. Her mom never made an appearance the entire night except to walk outside one time to complain to her about something.

Kids need to be noticed and heard and made to feel good. That's when self-esteem is built to last a lifetime. There's no going back and once you screw up, you screw up.