Friday, October 26, 2012

Seven Quick Takes

Joining Jen for another week of Seven Quick Takes.




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We used to call our daughter, Maura Moviestar, because she is full of life, dramatic, and loves being the center of attention.  Lately, it seems like a better name for her might be Maura Comedienne because she has been coming up with some doozies.  Here are a few of her latest one-liners.

--1--
 
 
When talking about Griffin getting to be a big boy...
Maura: He's almost a big boy.  He just needs to learn to use the potty, right?
Me:  Yes.  I'm tired of changing diapers.
Maura: Me too.
Me:  (pause)...but you don't change diapers...
Maura:  No, but I'm tired of watching you change them.
 
 
--2--
 
Maura crawls into our bed early one morning and puts her ice cold feet on my back.
Me:  Ahhh, go get some socks.  Your feet are freezing.
Maura:  Am I making you colder?
Me: Yes.
Maura: (indignant) Well, you're making me hotter!
 
 
--3--
 
After seeing Mike with his shirt off...
Maura:  Daddy, your back needs a haircut.
 
 
--4--
 
 
After telling Maura to stop yelling at her little brother...
Maura:  Sorry Mom, I was just pretending to be a mommy.
 
 
--5--
 
While getting undressed...
Maura:  Excuse me, Mommy.  I need privacy, please.
Me:  What if I just turn my head?
Maura:  But you have eyes in the back of your head too.
 
 
--6--
 
 
Random.
Maura:  A dragon wouldn't make a very good pet.
 
 
--7--
 
Yelling from the potty--
Maura:  Hey Mom, want to hear a joke?
 
 
Have a great weekend!
 
 
For more Quick Takes, go visit Jen.

 


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Please excuse the mess...

I really hope this is true.
 
A friend of mine posted an image like the one above on Facebook a few months ago.  I'm not sure if I totally agree with the sign.  After all, I'm sure moms with clean floors, clean kitchens, laundry put away, clean ovens, and happy kids are good moms too.  I think the most important factor is the happy kids part. 
 
I guess the key for us as moms is the ability to prioritize when faced with multiple "to dos" each day.
 
**********************************************************************************
 
Yesterday, my very sweet neighbor came over unexpectedly to use our copier.  I just about died when I realized she would need to come inside.
 
Our entrance way was scattered with shoes, socks, and sweatshirts.  You know I was saying a prayer of thanksgiving that there weren't any dirty diapers in there, "Welcome to our home.  I hope you like the smell of poop."
 
The floors hadn't been swept, mopped, or vacuumed in 4 days, which is a lot since I have a dog who sheds and three kids who tend to spill drinks & leave trails of crumbs throughout the house despite my constant nagging/yelling, "Eat at the table!"
 
Our dining room table was covered with coloring books, drawing paper, workbooks, pencils, and crayons.  I guess I should start calling the dining room, our art/schoolwork room now since that is its main purpose.
 
The kitchen table still had our plates from lunch & the kitchen counters were covered with mail, school papers, and empty glasses.  I had been busy with the boys all day & hadn't had a chance to empty the dishwasher yet.  Oh, and how could I forget the vase with dying flowers?  Always a nice touch.
 
The bed in our office/guest room was strewn with Halloween costumes, bills, and throw blankets.
 
I made her copies while we chit chatted & she made goo goo faces at Paul.  I asked her to please excuse the mess, and she said it was fine.  I hope she understood.
 
I will be honest.  When she left, I felt a little embarrassed, but I also felt relieved.  As messy as the house was, it could have been worse.  There could have been stinky diapers by the front door when she walked in.  I could have had a naked 2-year-old running around.  The baby could have been covered in dog hair from crawling on the messy floors.  But overall, the house was pretty typical for a family with young kids.
 
Because...
 
You know my 2-year-old loves to take all the shoes out of the shoe basket.
 
My dog sheds every day.
 
My kids color EVERY DAY.
 
Dishes get used.  Families make messes.
 
Kids try on Halloween costumes & dance around the house.
 
It happens.  That's life.
 
I would love, love, love to be one of those moms with happy kids and a clean house someday, but today it's just not going to happen.  Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, maybe when the kids are in college, but until then, I'm cool with my house and family just the way it is.  Priorities.
 
 


Monday, October 22, 2012

Weekend Recap

Did you have a good weekend?  I hope so.  Ours was fantastic.

Friday, Mike came home early because we had a parent-teacher conference for Miss Never Stops Talking.  I'm proud to report that she is doing awesome in Kindergarten!  We are very proud of her.

Smarty Pants
 
 
After the conference, we took the kiddos & our dog for a walk.  We stopped by the park to swing on the swings, slide down the slides, play hide and go seek, and take turns racing one another to see who can brag about being fastest in the family.

In order from fastest to slowest:
Mike
Miss Never Stops Talking
Me (sad, I know)
Mr. Loudest Kid Ever
Baby P

Saturday, Mike & I went on a date.  Woo Hoo for time away from the kiddos.  Unfortunately, our babysitter texted me to let me know Grif was experiencing some serious separation anxiety at bedtime.  Poor little guy needed his momma.  He screamed & screamed like something out of a horror movie every time she tried to put him to bed.  It was a situation better left to the pros.  Here's hoping she'll agree to babysit again.

"I can't believe you went on a date without me, Mom!"

Sunday, we went to church in the morning and Disney on Ice in the afternoon.  The kids had a blast.

Have a great week everybody!


Friday, October 19, 2012

Seven Quick Takes

Thank you to Jen for hosting this week's quick takes!

--1--
Has anyone been watching Nick Mom?  I haven't, but I've seen the commercials.  Apparently, they are turning all the Nick channels into stand up mom comedy after 10pm (which is 7pm for those of us on the West coast). 
I've caught Mike watching Nick Mom twice. 
Next topic.
--2--
Since most of us are Catholic, can we all take a moment to discuss when our little ones do weird/unexplained religious stuff?  For example, our son, Griffin, can't sit still during mass and rarely prays (sometimes says "Amen" & tries to make the sign of the cross if we're all saying grace, for example)...because he's only 2!   
However, out of the blue, he has started pointing to the crucifix that I wear around my neck and saying, "God."  Weird, right?  We did not teach him that.
Tonight, we got some free Christmas cards and stickers in the mail from a charity asking for donations.  Of course, the kids went crazy when they saw the stickers, so I let them each pick one out.  When I showed the stickers to Griffin, I pointed to one of Mary holding a baby Jesus, and asked, "Who's that?"  As clear as day, he said, "God."  He didn't say "baby" or "baby Paul" (our youngest) like I expected him to.  How does he know that?!?!  I'm half proud & half freaked out.  Has anything like that ever happened with your kids?
--3--

I introduced my kids to "U Can't Touch This."  It's like I'm in middle school all over again.  Dance parties every day.
--4--
A girlfriend & I recently blew each other's minds with some simple but life changing additions to our daily routine. 
My girlfriend suggested drinking coffee while in the shower.  Why wait til you get out?  I'm not sure how this would work in everyone's shower, but mine has the perfect cutout on the wall (meant for shampoo, etc.), in which a coffee cup fits perfectly.  I will admit I feel a little bit like Kramer though.  
My suggestion was wine (or whatever your drink of choice) & some upbeat music in the laundry room.  It is like heaven!  Folding clothes has never been so much fun!  Where's mom?  Doing the laundry.  Try it; you'll like it.
--5--
Dancing to "U Can't Touch This."  I kind of miss seeing people in those pants.


--6--

This super cute guy wants my attention, so I gots to go...



--7--

Have a great weekend!


For more quick takes, go visit Jen.



Thursday, October 18, 2012

Looks Like We Made It

When I was growing up, my best friend loved Barry Manilow.  She still does, so sometimes songs by Barry (because Barry & I are on a first name basis) sneak into my subconscious.  


This is the photo that shows up on my cell when she calls me.

Lately, every time I look at our two-year-old son, Griffin, I hear Barry's voice, and he's always singing the chorus from "Looks Like We Made It."  You see-- Griffin has always been our most difficult child.  Always.  We love him, but he has been very, very difficult.  Immediately upon his birth, he started screaming in the loudest, most horrible (not in any way cute) cry.   The doctor and nurses had to scream over him.  No one could hear anything (besides his blood curdling screams).   I should add that the very first thing he did (even before crying) was piss in the face of my OB.   He got her good.  His birth is a day that will live in infamy.


Mike is smiling because he assumes Griffin's crying is temporary.  Wrong.

The very loud screaming continued when we took him home from the hospital. No amount of nursing or cuddling could soothe him. When I took him in to see our pediatrician for the first time, I seriously asked if there was something wrong with little Griffin. The doctor looked at me like I was crazy and then told me Griffin was just intense. The doctor was right. Griffin's intense personality is most definitely here to stay.


This t-shirt is a lie.

So why am I hearing Barry Manilow every time I look at my intense 2 1/2 year old son? Because he's getting more manageable.  Thank you, God.  He is still intense, and passionate, and brooding, but his crying is becoming less frequent. Every day seems to get a little bit easier, especially now that he is becoming more verbal.


Not crying.

Yesterday, he even *gasp* used a real cup instead of a sippy cup. After months & months of trying to get him to even try using a cup, he has happily made the transition.  Happy day!  Happy day!



Showing that cup who's boss.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Artwork by Miss Never Stops Talking

My daughter has really been into coloring lately. All day every day it's color, color, color!

Over the weekend, she proudly handed me a portrait of yours truly & I couldn't help but laugh...

Do I really look that bug eyed with such an exaggerated smile & crazy hair?

I don't see it...




Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Awesomely Bad Family Photos

Have you ever checked out Awkward Family Photos?  No?  Go ahead, I'll wait...

My favorite photos on there are the old Olan Mills style photos of entire families in the 1970s or 80s.  The clothes are dated.  One kid might have a goofy look on his face.  The mom might be bug eyed.  I love it!  Our family used to have one of those photos.  It was awful.  My mom kept it in the closet.  Let me repeat...the closet.  I remember I always used to drag it out and ask her to hang it up.  Someone always protested.  The photo was that bad.  But it was awesome.  It was awesomely bad.

It makes me wonder, in the era of digital photography, if our family will ever have a photo that notoriously bad.


our best awkward family photo to date



We live outside San Francisco now, and Christmas is approaching.  Naturally, I'm trying to capture a decent photo of the five of us for our cards.  I'd love it even more if it was in front of a San Francisco landmark like...the Golden Gate Bridge.

Mike's mom came to visit recently, so we tried to get the perfect photo.  Between the wind blowing our hair in front of our faces, a 2 year old who just wanted to play, and trying to get everyone to look at the camera, it didn't go well.

Here are some of our outtakes.  Enjoy.



















Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Halloween Costumes

Today, I stopped at my favorite place, The Circle Store, to pick up broccoli, hummus, and, of course, Halloween costumes.

Miss Never Stops Talking desperately wants to be a pink fairy, and as much as I loathe the idea (and continue to suggest better costumes), she is determined to be a very pink fairy.  I scored a set of pink wings and a wand in the dollar section.  Yes!  But had no luck in the actual costume section.  All the pink fairy costumes, pink tutus, etc. were already sold out in her size.

However, I did see an Elmo costume that I thought would be perfect for my 2 1/2 year old son.  He saw it during a previous outing and shouted, "Eh-Mo! Eh-Mo!" from his cart.  Today, when I picked up the Elmo costume and placed it in the cart next to him, he started screaming.  I wasn't sure why, but I wasn't too worried.  I figured he was just...

bored
hungry
temperamental

I mean, he's ALWAYS crying...




...so what's the big deal, right?

When we got home, I gave him a snack, and figured he'd be ready to see Elmo in a new light.  But instead, his reaction was unchanged, "Eh-Mo!   Nooo!!!    Eh-Mo!   Noooo!!!"

Like a good mom, I completely ignored his protests and put him in the costume, thinking once he saw himself dressed up as Elmo, he would like the costume.  He was pretty calm once I got the costume on until I let him see himself in the mirror.

Then he continued to lose his mind, "Eh-Mo!  Nooo!!!  Eh-Mo!  Nooo!!!"

I couldn't see what the issue was, but I understood that he was actually scared of the Elmo suit for some reason.  When we took the costume off, he refused to go into the same room with it.

Then I started looking at the packaging and started to see it from his perspective.  Maybe.



Is it possible that to a 2-year-old, that it looks like Elmo is eating this little boy?  Swallowing him whole like a snake swallows its prey?

As an adult thinking waaaay too much about this, I'm starting to think this costume has a whole Silence of the Lambs vibe.  As in this little kid murdered Elmo like a mini Buffalo Bill, so he could make an Elmo suit for himself.

I don't know.  I guess I'll return it.