Time it Was, and What a Time it Was...

A moment to remember today...with my Lucy.
Riding a bike to the coffee shop.
Such a big girl...had to jog to keep up with her for the first time.
Sat by the window and drank our drinks.
Simon and Gardfunkle playing in the background..
"Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
a time of innocence, a time of confidences..."
Telling her I love her and her telling me back.
Nowhere else we need to be.
My little girl and I smiling and laughing.
Never forget this moment forever.

I Guess I am in my Mid-30's...

Lately, I have noticed that I have been acting like an old lady I would have made fun of only 10 years ago. Things I have noticed include:

1. Talking about recipes with my girlfriends, including how to make "a nice roast" in the slow cooker.

2. Enjoying going to bed "at a reasonable hour" and getting semi-panicky if it is after 9:30 p.m. and I still have something to do. (To my defense, this is more parent related, than age related - because we all know your wake-up call is the same no matter what you do the night before).

3. Suddenly being into a cup of cofee at 3 p.m. to help me get through the rest of the day.

4. Looking at wrinkle cream at Target.

5. Shopping around for bedding and wanting it to be "classy."

6. Listening to the American Idol contestants last night, singing songs from "The Year They Were Born." Seriously...Carly is singing a song I used to worship in the 5th grade and she was JUST BORN?

Oh well...it could be worse...I could be Paula Abdul, wearing fingerless leather gloves in front of 12 billion viewers.

Happy Easter...

From the "creepy but still festive" Easter bunny, our "half-scared, but he gave me this sweet coloring book so I will sit here stricken" Tomma and our "I could sit with this furry guy all day" Lucy....

Happy Birthday, Me...

Guess what? Today is my 34th birthday. Today I...
Ate pancakes with the kids, that my kind husband made us.
Ran 10 miles. Ugh...never gets any easier, this training.
Closed on our refinanced house and a weight was lifted off our shoulders.
Enjoyed a honey latte from Starbucks with the neighbors.
Dropped the kids off at my parent's overnight, a one hour and fifteen minute round trip task, as we are currently experiencing a snow storm.
That's right - on March 21st.
But fear not...I have a birthday party to attend tonight and no random 6+ inches of snow on the 2nd day of spring is going to stand between me and my 34th birthday Cosmo....
Happy Birthday, me!

They've Already Got It...

Tonight, I was working on getting Tommy's pajamas on. I have been an evening solo parent quite a bit over the past 6 weeks, and the "pre-bedtime wrestle-fest" Tommy likes to play is not a total party at the end of a long day.
After I got his diaper changed and his pajama top on, I decided to cool it on trying to get the pants on after his 500th game of "chase me, mommy!"
I went to the kitchen for a minute and when I came back, all of a sudden Tommy is sprawled out on the couch, stroking his hair in total relaxation, and Lucy is putting on his pajama pants - successfully.
You know when siblings have that bond and that secret relationship, separate from their parents?
I think I just witnessed proof that they already have that going on...

And the Beat Goes On...

Lucy has had more music sung to her in her 3.75 years, than any kid I know. She knows a million songs and belts them out at all times. Oddly, her best concerts are given at 6:30 a.m. when we are all sleeping, er, trying to sleep 30 more minutes.

However, at preschool pick-up today, her teacher tells me during their Circle Time, that Lucy proclaimed her favorite song to be...
"Cheesy cotton balls."
This song makes no sense.
Never heard it in my life.
I asked her to sing it...she started making up some random lyrics and laughing.
So after all the "Twinkle Twinkles", "Little Ducky Duddles," and "Mr. Moons"...all it came down to this morning was a made up song to make everyone laugh.

How dare she? I would never have done that...

This past Saturday at my parents, I found an old creative writing piece I made in the 3rd grade. It was a song I had written about Halloween.
And at the bottom of the page it read:
P.S. Can I please sing it to the class???

I am so sure.

The Boy is Two...

Dear Tommy,
Happy Birthday! We celebrated your birthday today and had a great Alphabet-themed birthday party. You LOVED it. It kicked off with you being intrigued by all my decorating techniques (letter confetti, blocks, etc.) while Lucy and Daddy were at church. It was fun hanging with you at the house, celebrating your two-ness and cuteness, just the two of us. It ended with you almost falling asleep on your Meema's lap, and kissing your birthday cards while the 3 and 4-year olds ripped into your gifts.
On every birthday, I can't help but go back to the day you were born. I'll never forget heading to the hospital on St. Patrick's Day at 5 p.m....the hecticness of everyone getting out of work to celebrate the holiday, and the thrill in the car that we were actually headed to the hospital to have YOU! A fun night with an awesome ending at 11 p.m. - you were born!
This past year I have watched you go from baby to boy and become this fun, kind, smart little guy. You share better than your sister (ridiculous but true), you are a breeze in almost all situations, have the patience of a saint (most of the time), and you have "wowed" everyone over with your true love of letters (even random people in Target!).
The past two or three months, your verbal skills have just flourished. You say new things everyday and are now slowly adding full sentences to your repertoire.
It has been an awesome year and you are a little boy now, no longer my baby. As I type this, I just can't really believe that two years has passed. But it is really fun watching it all happen.
Tonight I pushed you on your new "big boy" bike up and down the street, just the two of us. You didn't have much to say...but seemed to really like our quiet stroll together. Just one more moment in time I wish would last forever.
I love you, my Tomma!
Momma

Working for Peanuts...

After two years of "that which is not spoken of....", Lucy has finally acknowledged Tommy's male parts.
Oddly, Lucy has never spoken of Tommy being different down there. Never a word during any diaper change. And finally, the other morning as I was changing his diaper, she questioned:

"Mom? Why does Tommy have a peanut?"
"Do you mean a penis? It's because he's a boy and boys have penises."
"Oh. I want one!"
"But if you had one, you wouldn't be a girl!"
"Oh...never mind."

And perhaps...that will be the last conversation on that topic for many, many years.

A List Will Do...

1. Just to start it up with some real jazzy information, I love me some Costco action. We just switched from Sam's Club at Christmas time. It has been a real nice option...

I am obsessed with this:


Lucy is obsessed with these:


Yeah...not so much for the "sensible portions," as much as the, "Wow! My mom let's me eat a "chip" in a bag all by myself...rock on!" kind of way.

And Tommy is obsessed with these tubes of "YO-BERT!!":


So we all have our Costco vices, I suppose. Also - they had Crocs there for $18 (normally $30) so that was random and a hot deal.

Is this riveting or what? I know, you are thinking it's been 4 days and this is all you've got?

2. Sometimes Lucy is so dang cute that I literally can't take it. I have to hug her so tight and wish and wish she would stay this little forever. I pray I remember every moment of this time in our life.
Then there are times when she acts out and says things that disappoint me so badly I am literally at a loss. Like new phrases she has picked up such as "I don't care" and "I don't like you, (insert friend or brother's name here)."
Ugh...I am cringing as I type it. How do I deal with this? For now, I go between ignoring, time-outs and asking her to apologize.

3. I have been one working out fool. Running 5+ miles at least four days a week, weights 2 days a week, ab workouts, cardio classes, etc. I mean I am on a rampage, working out harder than ever before. I say all this because I have to admit I am not really noticing any big results from all this extra work (some firmer muscles, I guess). I keep thinking by May I will be "bathing suit ready," (ha! whatever the heck that means) but nothing seems to change and it is very, very frustrating.

4. Tommy is 2 years old in 11 days and THAT...is bizarre.

Going "Coo Coo" from the Winter Blues...

We've been pretty desperate for entertainment around here lately...

For example, you know you're losing it when you let your kids have a full-on "pots and pans" band. My ears are still ringing...



Lucy found this teddy bear in a closet this morning, and handed it to Tommy when he was sad about something.
Tommy, for the first time, cuddled him like a baby and immediately asked me for some milk. When I handed it to him (I thought Tommy would drink it), he fed his teddy and hugged him. I asked him what his teddy's name was and he immediately responded, "Pete."
So here's Pete...Tommy's first baby he has ever cared for.


Lastly, never underestimate the joy of a balloon...