We've been a busy bunch! My mom came for a visit the week after Valentine's Day, and we had a blast! I also got a huge (thankfully benign) lump of bone extracted from my jaw. It's been super busy, but I think I may actually have to elaborate later...you know, once a certain energetic monkey boy has gone to bed....
HA!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Long time, no blog....
I have been meaning to blog since Dante's first dentist appointment on January 9th. But, life being what it is, I am carving out the time now to write about it.
He was awesome at the dentist! He didn't complain, listened, and was hilarious and charming. He actually didn't freak out until I didn't let him play with the credit card machine as we were leaving. Yup...that's my boy!
Since then, I have had to deal with idiots at our now former pediatrician's office, I got Dante's application in for preschool, and Scarlett had her 6 month check up!!
Scarlett's check up with our new doc was amazing! Dr. S. took a good long while measuring where Scarlett is and let me know where she should be (there is, unfortunately, some discrepancy, but I'm working on it.) and answered a million questions. But it seems that she is supposed to be able to sit independently, and she can't. Even when I put her in the walker, she leans and then subsequently screams. And because she can't sit independently, her head is still flat in a spot and it's shifting her ears. Doc also told me to feed her less formula and get her eating 3 solid meals a day. I also get to feed her whole milk yogurt already, and meats. Got some sleeping advice (not sure how to follow through without leaving my husband stuck listening to a screaming baby for a few nights...) and she was incredibly nice about Dante running amok in her office. So yesterday, I got to put Scarlett in the seat in the cart while shopping and the seat belt helped keep her up. It was exciting! I just wish I had been smart enough to take pictures! GAH! And she also got to try chicken and apples (spit! spit!) and mashed potatoes (<3) and I made her sit in the walker while I alternated between loading the dishwasher and making her giggle. Dante really seems to enjoy making her laugh, which is easy for him. She looks at him (and their dad) like they hung the moon. I'd like to get that look from her, but I know these two guys will always be her main men! =D
When I took Dante to turn in his School Choice paperwork at our 1st choice Elementary school, he was so excited! I thought his head was going to explode! He ran in circles near the receptionist desk, and she was kind enough to let us go peek in on the 3 and 4 year olds. He wanted so bad to join them, but instead, he listened to the kids that were doing projects in the hall. These cute girls we passed were making chains of bead to count to 1000, and others were working on sight words. But the look on Dante's face told me I was making a fantastic choice to put him in school in general.
Dante amazes me. Last night (this is the event that inspired me to write right now...), we put him in his crib for a time out (long story, but he earned it 10 times over!) and I sat down. I'm checking facebook, when out of nowhere, I have Dante's nose in my face. I look at Hubby, who looks as flabbergasted as I am, and I take him back and put him where he was. We stood near the open door and watched as he threw one leg, then the other over the side of his crib. I'm not sure how we are going to deal with this, but we're creative....
And now Scarlett is up and hungry. Peaches and oatmeal for breakfast! Yay!
He was awesome at the dentist! He didn't complain, listened, and was hilarious and charming. He actually didn't freak out until I didn't let him play with the credit card machine as we were leaving. Yup...that's my boy!
Since then, I have had to deal with idiots at our now former pediatrician's office, I got Dante's application in for preschool, and Scarlett had her 6 month check up!!
Scarlett's check up with our new doc was amazing! Dr. S. took a good long while measuring where Scarlett is and let me know where she should be (there is, unfortunately, some discrepancy, but I'm working on it.) and answered a million questions. But it seems that she is supposed to be able to sit independently, and she can't. Even when I put her in the walker, she leans and then subsequently screams. And because she can't sit independently, her head is still flat in a spot and it's shifting her ears. Doc also told me to feed her less formula and get her eating 3 solid meals a day. I also get to feed her whole milk yogurt already, and meats. Got some sleeping advice (not sure how to follow through without leaving my husband stuck listening to a screaming baby for a few nights...) and she was incredibly nice about Dante running amok in her office. So yesterday, I got to put Scarlett in the seat in the cart while shopping and the seat belt helped keep her up. It was exciting! I just wish I had been smart enough to take pictures! GAH! And she also got to try chicken and apples (spit! spit!) and mashed potatoes (<3) and I made her sit in the walker while I alternated between loading the dishwasher and making her giggle. Dante really seems to enjoy making her laugh, which is easy for him. She looks at him (and their dad) like they hung the moon. I'd like to get that look from her, but I know these two guys will always be her main men! =D
When I took Dante to turn in his School Choice paperwork at our 1st choice Elementary school, he was so excited! I thought his head was going to explode! He ran in circles near the receptionist desk, and she was kind enough to let us go peek in on the 3 and 4 year olds. He wanted so bad to join them, but instead, he listened to the kids that were doing projects in the hall. These cute girls we passed were making chains of bead to count to 1000, and others were working on sight words. But the look on Dante's face told me I was making a fantastic choice to put him in school in general.
Dante amazes me. Last night (this is the event that inspired me to write right now...), we put him in his crib for a time out (long story, but he earned it 10 times over!) and I sat down. I'm checking facebook, when out of nowhere, I have Dante's nose in my face. I look at Hubby, who looks as flabbergasted as I am, and I take him back and put him where he was. We stood near the open door and watched as he threw one leg, then the other over the side of his crib. I'm not sure how we are going to deal with this, but we're creative....
And now Scarlett is up and hungry. Peaches and oatmeal for breakfast! Yay!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years Day: A Letter to the Kiddos
Dearest Dante and Scarlett,
I wish there were words for how much I really love you guys. The two of you make the insomnia, excessive coffee drinking and mom jeans totally worth it. As grumpy as I may be most mornings, I'm just wired that way. I might not be happy to be awake, but I am so very happy that I am your Mama!
Let's see...Dante. This year, your ability to communicate has blown me away on a level I was afraid we'd never get to, to be honest. But every day, you surprise me just a little bit more. The fact you can call "bullsh*t" at just the right time blows my mind. But that's a Mama word. None for you.
Joking aside, Dante, you are incredible! You learn and grow in so many ways, I love that I get to sit back and watch as you willfully navigate your way through life. You, sweet monkey, really are going to be a Leader of Men, and I can't wait to see how you use it. You have been a pretty awesome big brother, and you took Scarlett's arrival into our lives with a kind of grace and humility that most toddlers are not known for. I am so very proud of you.
I love hearing you sing! I love that out of nowhere you pick up song lyrics and mangle and manipulate them until they bend to your will, and you dance while you do it. That's so much fun to watch! You make me laugh every day, and I am so happy that you are looking forward to school later this year. I hope that you love learning as much as I do, regardless of whether or not it involves desks and damp hallways. I have the feeling that you are going to make the world your classroom. But, please bring me along for the ride. I want to take pictures.
Scarlett! You stunning little girl!! Every time you smile at me, my heart melts! While it is obvious by the way you look at your dad that you merely tolerate me, I hope you know how incredibly special you are! You already have very obvious likes and dislikes, and your facial expressions lead me to believe that you are going to be a witty little thing. You are already set in your ways, and you have trained me well. I guess when you are running your own research facility, that ability will come quite in handy. You, my sweet little turtle, are quite the happy baby for the most part, though, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Your laughter, your smile, your eyes...music to my poor, ravaged soul.
I'm still a bit flabbergasted as to how you figured out how to give your brother the stink-eye, Miss Thang. You will shoot him a look that makes me glad looks can't kill! I have the feeling that if you could talk, I'd hear a lot of commentary that would put you on par with George Carlin, Ricky Gervais, and Louis C.K. Seriously, sweet cheeks, you have one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen.
And thank you for being such a cuddle bug. I hope this lasts, because the feel of you on my shoulder, drool and all, makes my innards do a little jig. And when I am lucky enough to be holding both you and Dante? Well, knock me over with a feather. I love how much you love being held. I love that you recently discovered your feet. And I love that hair of yours! The mullet/rat tail is a bit much, but I'm sure as soon as you can sit still and I have a car that will make it to Colorado Springs, Miz Debbie will happily fix that for you. I really hope we've licked this cowlick thing, too. Your hair has been looking mighty funky! Ha!
All in all, I am so thrilled to have the privilege of being Mama to the likes of you two. You are both such strong, precious little beings...I can't wait (but at the same time, I really can!) to see how the two of you decide to change the world. Please smile for the camera.
I wish there were words for how much I really love you guys. The two of you make the insomnia, excessive coffee drinking and mom jeans totally worth it. As grumpy as I may be most mornings, I'm just wired that way. I might not be happy to be awake, but I am so very happy that I am your Mama!
Let's see...Dante. This year, your ability to communicate has blown me away on a level I was afraid we'd never get to, to be honest. But every day, you surprise me just a little bit more. The fact you can call "bullsh*t" at just the right time blows my mind. But that's a Mama word. None for you.
Joking aside, Dante, you are incredible! You learn and grow in so many ways, I love that I get to sit back and watch as you willfully navigate your way through life. You, sweet monkey, really are going to be a Leader of Men, and I can't wait to see how you use it. You have been a pretty awesome big brother, and you took Scarlett's arrival into our lives with a kind of grace and humility that most toddlers are not known for. I am so very proud of you.
I love hearing you sing! I love that out of nowhere you pick up song lyrics and mangle and manipulate them until they bend to your will, and you dance while you do it. That's so much fun to watch! You make me laugh every day, and I am so happy that you are looking forward to school later this year. I hope that you love learning as much as I do, regardless of whether or not it involves desks and damp hallways. I have the feeling that you are going to make the world your classroom. But, please bring me along for the ride. I want to take pictures.
Scarlett! You stunning little girl!! Every time you smile at me, my heart melts! While it is obvious by the way you look at your dad that you merely tolerate me, I hope you know how incredibly special you are! You already have very obvious likes and dislikes, and your facial expressions lead me to believe that you are going to be a witty little thing. You are already set in your ways, and you have trained me well. I guess when you are running your own research facility, that ability will come quite in handy. You, my sweet little turtle, are quite the happy baby for the most part, though, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Your laughter, your smile, your eyes...music to my poor, ravaged soul.
I'm still a bit flabbergasted as to how you figured out how to give your brother the stink-eye, Miss Thang. You will shoot him a look that makes me glad looks can't kill! I have the feeling that if you could talk, I'd hear a lot of commentary that would put you on par with George Carlin, Ricky Gervais, and Louis C.K. Seriously, sweet cheeks, you have one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen.
And thank you for being such a cuddle bug. I hope this lasts, because the feel of you on my shoulder, drool and all, makes my innards do a little jig. And when I am lucky enough to be holding both you and Dante? Well, knock me over with a feather. I love how much you love being held. I love that you recently discovered your feet. And I love that hair of yours! The mullet/rat tail is a bit much, but I'm sure as soon as you can sit still and I have a car that will make it to Colorado Springs, Miz Debbie will happily fix that for you. I really hope we've licked this cowlick thing, too. Your hair has been looking mighty funky! Ha!
All in all, I am so thrilled to have the privilege of being Mama to the likes of you two. You are both such strong, precious little beings...I can't wait (but at the same time, I really can!) to see how the two of you decide to change the world. Please smile for the camera.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Where to Start?!
I guess I'll just give a quick overview of our hectic, fun-filled holiday season and hope it makes sense for you. Ha!
So, we started off the season with a trip to Hammond's Candy Factory for the tour and the holiday themed madness. It wasn't as much fun as advertised...but I'd go again a different time of the year to take the tour again and pick up some fantastic candy!
And there was shopping. And more shopping. Here's the bad part, and why all of Santa's shopping will be done online or by herself next year: Dante can look at something I purchased, and he'll remember the store. He sees his juice boxes, and he says "Juice box from Target, Mama!" or when he saw the MAYONNAISE of all things, and said "Albertson's, Mama." *headdesk* So he announced where everything was purchased on Christmas day except for the Xbox (my friend Donna Ann distracted him while I bought it and they put it in a thick red bag and stapled it shut.), my outfit (purchased online), Hubby's jeans (online) and the candy (Donna Ann's distracting abilities shone again!).
Had a picture taken with Santa, which was less than fun since Dante didn't sleep much that day...but he slept on the way home, which is better than nothing, I guess.
One of the high (and low) -lights of this holiday season was baking cookies with my best friend Katie. We had a blast, working off hardly any sleep with kids who hardly slept and it got more interesting as the day went on... Near the end of the day, when we were both so incredibly silly and delirious from lack of sleep, Katie went to pull fudge out of the fridge. She was faced with a dilemma: save the fudge or save two cartons of eggs. She made the rational (instinctual) choice and saved the fudge. Unfortunately, that meant that a few eggs fell on the ground. So we cleaned that up, and cleaning it actually made the floor even more slick. We went to the dining room to start organizing platters for our friends, and I noticed the new platters needed to be washed, so I grabbed them and turned around to get to the sink. As we were joking that my clumsy ass needed to be careful, I slipped, and in my infinite grace, somehow managed to both land on my left hip and twist my right ankle. Oh, and both hands got hurt in some way. But I was so amused, I sat and laughed for what may have been a seconds, but it felt like a good five minutes. It was hilarious! I sat, crying because I was laughing so hard, and because it hurt like a motha'! So I limped for a bit, and we got everything baked, everything sorted and labeled and divvied up, and the three of us (Scarlett, Dante and myself) got ready to go.
So, at one point during the day, the kids decided that playing with Dante's super cool Converse with the flames would be a blast, and they disappeared. No biggie, I thought. I figured this happens all the time; we were bound to find them when I actually needed them! Or, not. I asked him to please put away a toy, and bless his giant, tiny heart, he tried. He was wearing "non-skid" socks, and he slid on the hardwood floor and slammed his face into a busy box-type thing. I yelped, and nearly passed out when I saw the pool of blood that started pooling near his eye, eventually finding its way to his gorgeous peepers. It was everywhere, on me, on Katie, all over his face. Scarlett was asleep in her car seat, all buckled and ready to go, but considering the severity of the situation, Katie threw my jacket on me (that thankfully had my wallet), grabbed my keys, and shooed Dante and myself out the door and into the car, telling me as we slid our way down her ice rink of a driveway that she had Scarlett, just get him patched up.
Ran to the Children's hospital up near them (AKA: BFE) and there was no wait. (On the way there, he freaked out a bit (can't blame him) and then he tried to sleep. But fearing a severe concussion, I kept him awake and made him sing the alphabet.) They took my insurance card and ID and shuffled us into triage. While the triage nurse entered info, I got my cards back and we were shown to our exam room. By this point, Dante was having an adventure. He jumped on the gurney, and even tried to stand on the doc's spinning seat, but I got him off of that. Then he moved the child sized chair over to the computer and when the doc came in to talk to us, he told her he was checking his email. Ha! But he got cleaned up, and we saw that the gash was smaller than it could have been, and not as close to his eye as I had feared. So they had me help them pin him down (!) and they washed out his eye again with saline and then glued the skin back together. For being a good sport (well, as good a sport as an almost 3 year old can be when he's pinned down and scared out his mind) he got a really cool handmade wooden toy from the Kiwanis; a rabbit that rolls. He also got a really cool sticker, which made him super happy.
Then he played in the waiting room while I paid the co-pay and got all the paperwork together. I tried to get him to leave and he refused! I told him we had to get Scarlett so we could go home and he yelled! "No Scarlett! Dante play!" Aw, poor little buddy! But I pried him away, went back to Katie's to grab my other child and all my stuff, and I stopped by McD's on the way home. I figured nutrition can take a flying leap when my brave little man wants french fries. And now his little scar is fading, but gods help me! That freaked me out!!!
Christmas day was pretty uneventful. We played Santa, ate cookies and got stuff set up. And subsequently didn't get much sleep. But it was all worth it to see the joy on Dante's face as he ripped into his gifts! I tried to guide Scarlett's hands into opening hers and Dante did most of the dirty work. We ate leftovers from our huge pot roast dinner on Saturday and nibbled on cookies as Dante and I made ourselves look like idiots, dancing all over the living room.
But I am really looking forward to Spring. More walks, more greenery, more sunshine...I'm a Spring baby, can't help it. I can't believe Dante is going to be 3 in March!! How scary! It feels like it's been both ten years and ten minutes. But I have to admit, I was always pretty good at playing by ear, and this has been no exception.
And now I have to pretend to be a grown up and get stuff done. Blech.
So, we started off the season with a trip to Hammond's Candy Factory for the tour and the holiday themed madness. It wasn't as much fun as advertised...but I'd go again a different time of the year to take the tour again and pick up some fantastic candy!
And there was shopping. And more shopping. Here's the bad part, and why all of Santa's shopping will be done online or by herself next year: Dante can look at something I purchased, and he'll remember the store. He sees his juice boxes, and he says "Juice box from Target, Mama!" or when he saw the MAYONNAISE of all things, and said "Albertson's, Mama." *headdesk* So he announced where everything was purchased on Christmas day except for the Xbox (my friend Donna Ann distracted him while I bought it and they put it in a thick red bag and stapled it shut.), my outfit (purchased online), Hubby's jeans (online) and the candy (Donna Ann's distracting abilities shone again!).
Had a picture taken with Santa, which was less than fun since Dante didn't sleep much that day...but he slept on the way home, which is better than nothing, I guess.
One of the high (and low) -lights of this holiday season was baking cookies with my best friend Katie. We had a blast, working off hardly any sleep with kids who hardly slept and it got more interesting as the day went on... Near the end of the day, when we were both so incredibly silly and delirious from lack of sleep, Katie went to pull fudge out of the fridge. She was faced with a dilemma: save the fudge or save two cartons of eggs. She made the rational (instinctual) choice and saved the fudge. Unfortunately, that meant that a few eggs fell on the ground. So we cleaned that up, and cleaning it actually made the floor even more slick. We went to the dining room to start organizing platters for our friends, and I noticed the new platters needed to be washed, so I grabbed them and turned around to get to the sink. As we were joking that my clumsy ass needed to be careful, I slipped, and in my infinite grace, somehow managed to both land on my left hip and twist my right ankle. Oh, and both hands got hurt in some way. But I was so amused, I sat and laughed for what may have been a seconds, but it felt like a good five minutes. It was hilarious! I sat, crying because I was laughing so hard, and because it hurt like a motha'! So I limped for a bit, and we got everything baked, everything sorted and labeled and divvied up, and the three of us (Scarlett, Dante and myself) got ready to go.
So, at one point during the day, the kids decided that playing with Dante's super cool Converse with the flames would be a blast, and they disappeared. No biggie, I thought. I figured this happens all the time; we were bound to find them when I actually needed them! Or, not. I asked him to please put away a toy, and bless his giant, tiny heart, he tried. He was wearing "non-skid" socks, and he slid on the hardwood floor and slammed his face into a busy box-type thing. I yelped, and nearly passed out when I saw the pool of blood that started pooling near his eye, eventually finding its way to his gorgeous peepers. It was everywhere, on me, on Katie, all over his face. Scarlett was asleep in her car seat, all buckled and ready to go, but considering the severity of the situation, Katie threw my jacket on me (that thankfully had my wallet), grabbed my keys, and shooed Dante and myself out the door and into the car, telling me as we slid our way down her ice rink of a driveway that she had Scarlett, just get him patched up.
Ran to the Children's hospital up near them (AKA: BFE) and there was no wait. (On the way there, he freaked out a bit (can't blame him) and then he tried to sleep. But fearing a severe concussion, I kept him awake and made him sing the alphabet.) They took my insurance card and ID and shuffled us into triage. While the triage nurse entered info, I got my cards back and we were shown to our exam room. By this point, Dante was having an adventure. He jumped on the gurney, and even tried to stand on the doc's spinning seat, but I got him off of that. Then he moved the child sized chair over to the computer and when the doc came in to talk to us, he told her he was checking his email. Ha! But he got cleaned up, and we saw that the gash was smaller than it could have been, and not as close to his eye as I had feared. So they had me help them pin him down (!) and they washed out his eye again with saline and then glued the skin back together. For being a good sport (well, as good a sport as an almost 3 year old can be when he's pinned down and scared out his mind) he got a really cool handmade wooden toy from the Kiwanis; a rabbit that rolls. He also got a really cool sticker, which made him super happy.
Then he played in the waiting room while I paid the co-pay and got all the paperwork together. I tried to get him to leave and he refused! I told him we had to get Scarlett so we could go home and he yelled! "No Scarlett! Dante play!" Aw, poor little buddy! But I pried him away, went back to Katie's to grab my other child and all my stuff, and I stopped by McD's on the way home. I figured nutrition can take a flying leap when my brave little man wants french fries. And now his little scar is fading, but gods help me! That freaked me out!!!
Christmas day was pretty uneventful. We played Santa, ate cookies and got stuff set up. And subsequently didn't get much sleep. But it was all worth it to see the joy on Dante's face as he ripped into his gifts! I tried to guide Scarlett's hands into opening hers and Dante did most of the dirty work. We ate leftovers from our huge pot roast dinner on Saturday and nibbled on cookies as Dante and I made ourselves look like idiots, dancing all over the living room.
But I am really looking forward to Spring. More walks, more greenery, more sunshine...I'm a Spring baby, can't help it. I can't believe Dante is going to be 3 in March!! How scary! It feels like it's been both ten years and ten minutes. But I have to admit, I was always pretty good at playing by ear, and this has been no exception.
And now I have to pretend to be a grown up and get stuff done. Blech.
Friday, December 9, 2011
No kidding...
Here I was, enjoying Whitney (Thursday nights on NBC! HILARIOUS!) and joking around with my husband as I looked at homemade gift ideas.
We hear "Daddy?" out of Dante's room, and I thought it sounded pretty close to the door. My exact words? "Nah, if he can get out, he'd open the door."
LO AND BEHOLD, the door opened seconds after I shut my fat mouth. And my Hubby and I just laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. I nearly stopped breathing as Dante grabbed my face and said "Dante get down, Mama!"
We take him back to the scene of the crime, and he did exactly what I thought he'd do. He stuck his foot through the slats and onto the top of the short filing cabinet that was next to his crib.
I got him out before he could do it again, and gave him a banana to eat as my dear husband moved said filing cabinet. Dante then proceeded to dance around the living room munching on his banana.
It took a bit of finagling and some reminding that we're seeing Santa in the morning to get him to calm down and go to bed. And now I'm worried that he's going to try again without the relative safety of the filing cabinet and land on his head. How am I supposed to sleep again?!?!
We hear "Daddy?" out of Dante's room, and I thought it sounded pretty close to the door. My exact words? "Nah, if he can get out, he'd open the door."
LO AND BEHOLD, the door opened seconds after I shut my fat mouth. And my Hubby and I just laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. I nearly stopped breathing as Dante grabbed my face and said "Dante get down, Mama!"
We take him back to the scene of the crime, and he did exactly what I thought he'd do. He stuck his foot through the slats and onto the top of the short filing cabinet that was next to his crib.
I got him out before he could do it again, and gave him a banana to eat as my dear husband moved said filing cabinet. Dante then proceeded to dance around the living room munching on his banana.
It took a bit of finagling and some reminding that we're seeing Santa in the morning to get him to calm down and go to bed. And now I'm worried that he's going to try again without the relative safety of the filing cabinet and land on his head. How am I supposed to sleep again?!?!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Ketchup. Or, Catsup? Nah, Catch Up.
So, I have been meaning to write about our trip, but there's not a lot that I didn't write about in blurbs on Facebook. We visited with family, saw the friends that matter most (that weren't sick or not feeling up to seeing anyone, let alone visitors from a strange land) and we had fun! Halloween was incredibly painful, as I knew it would be. I'm grateful that we got to spend a good chunk of the day with Chris' parents, who are some of the most awesome people to ever walk the earth, and we went trick or treating with Marisol and her son, Diego. Nothing exceptionally noteworthy, aside from spending the Sunday before we left with my friend Saz and her gorgeous kids, and the trip from LC to ABQ with Chris' mom (and my terrible bout of stomach flu that lasted exactly 24 hours. WTF? Seems I left that little souvenir for my step dad to catch. Whoops.)
We got to see my brother, whom Dante absolutely adores. For days, all he could say was "Uncle Jesse!" and it sucked that we didn't get to see more of him. I must demand in this very public platform that my brother gets his narrow butt up here soon for a visit. No ands, ifs or buts, J. You need to get here and stay for at least a warm weekend so we can go to the zoo and a museum and such. Start saving; food and couch space is on me.
What surprised me the most (in an awesome way) was seeing my cousin Lauren. I knew in the back of my head that she is now an adult (!) and going to school, but to see what a gorgeous young lady she has become just blew my mind! She's incredibly smart, bright, responsible and sweet. She truly has become the Whole Package, and I am incredibly proud of her. But part of my brain still goes back 21 years and I remember holding her a month after she was born. She just blows my mind!
There are a few people I wish I got to spend more time with (Yvonne G., Emilia. Robert, Stacie...) but I sincerely hope they know I tried so hard to see as many people as I could and stretched all three of us incredibly thin. At the very latest, I'll be there next year for Emilia's wedding come hell or high water, so there's that....
While we were there, Dante's vocabulary grew by leaps and bounds! Scarlett had her first taste of solid food! She started holding her head up much better! Dante is making even more of a transition from "toddler" to "real live boy" a la Pinocchio, and we're all richer for the experience.
Since we've been home, I've watched as Dante is even more autonomous and Scarlett is showing her true, precious colors. Dante is defiant, but I have to remember to step back and be mindful that I can't helicopter him until he's 30. Scarlett is very much my diva. She likes things done a certain way, and she'll reward me with a smile and her tongue sticking out. She has started to cut her first tooth this week, and is now eating solid food twice a day. She's so incredibly pretty, to boot! Her eyes sparkle when she smiles at me. I think she's fully aware that I will do anything for her, and it shows.
My gorgeous husband is gone this week, visiting his family. Before he left, he set up Skype on his computer, and then since he's been down there, he set it up for his mom, too. So every day since we bought the mic (Wednesday) we've chatted a few times, and Dante is not happy until we call Daddy. It's sweet. I love how much Dante loves his dad.
So, I am off to get Dante up, get Scarlett up and cuddle up with some Sesame Street before I make Dante help me clean. This morning, he emptied out the dishwasher. Kinda. He took all the silverware and put it in one spot of the silverware divider, and he put the stock pots where they go without me having to show him. I did have to show him where the cookie sheet went, but he was so happy to help, I thought his head was going to explode!
Good night!
We got to see my brother, whom Dante absolutely adores. For days, all he could say was "Uncle Jesse!" and it sucked that we didn't get to see more of him. I must demand in this very public platform that my brother gets his narrow butt up here soon for a visit. No ands, ifs or buts, J. You need to get here and stay for at least a warm weekend so we can go to the zoo and a museum and such. Start saving; food and couch space is on me.
What surprised me the most (in an awesome way) was seeing my cousin Lauren. I knew in the back of my head that she is now an adult (!) and going to school, but to see what a gorgeous young lady she has become just blew my mind! She's incredibly smart, bright, responsible and sweet. She truly has become the Whole Package, and I am incredibly proud of her. But part of my brain still goes back 21 years and I remember holding her a month after she was born. She just blows my mind!
There are a few people I wish I got to spend more time with (Yvonne G., Emilia. Robert, Stacie...) but I sincerely hope they know I tried so hard to see as many people as I could and stretched all three of us incredibly thin. At the very latest, I'll be there next year for Emilia's wedding come hell or high water, so there's that....
While we were there, Dante's vocabulary grew by leaps and bounds! Scarlett had her first taste of solid food! She started holding her head up much better! Dante is making even more of a transition from "toddler" to "real live boy" a la Pinocchio, and we're all richer for the experience.
Since we've been home, I've watched as Dante is even more autonomous and Scarlett is showing her true, precious colors. Dante is defiant, but I have to remember to step back and be mindful that I can't helicopter him until he's 30. Scarlett is very much my diva. She likes things done a certain way, and she'll reward me with a smile and her tongue sticking out. She has started to cut her first tooth this week, and is now eating solid food twice a day. She's so incredibly pretty, to boot! Her eyes sparkle when she smiles at me. I think she's fully aware that I will do anything for her, and it shows.
My gorgeous husband is gone this week, visiting his family. Before he left, he set up Skype on his computer, and then since he's been down there, he set it up for his mom, too. So every day since we bought the mic (Wednesday) we've chatted a few times, and Dante is not happy until we call Daddy. It's sweet. I love how much Dante loves his dad.
So, I am off to get Dante up, get Scarlett up and cuddle up with some Sesame Street before I make Dante help me clean. This morning, he emptied out the dishwasher. Kinda. He took all the silverware and put it in one spot of the silverware divider, and he put the stock pots where they go without me having to show him. I did have to show him where the cookie sheet went, but he was so happy to help, I thought his head was going to explode!
Good night!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Chocolate Tush with a Side of Baby Powder
Today was ....a day. Woke up at ten because both Scarlett and Dante didn't want me to get any sleep. Figured I'd get up, go get a bus ticket for a friend (long story), then go get Skyrim for the Love of My Life.
Got to 7-11 near our apartment to grab the bus ticket (new feature on greyhound's site! You can pay cash and get the web fare, and avoid the gift ticket fee! Sweet!) and I got the card set up only to have the douche behind the counter tell me they've never had it work (he didn't even try!) and he basically shooed me out the door.
Went to Starbucks to borrow a pen and make a phone call to Greyhound, and let Dante blow off some steam. Decided to look for another 7-11 at home online to save myself some time, and brought us upstairs for diaper changes and cup/bottle refills. I immediately sit in front of my computer and I'm done with phone calls and "research" in less than 3 minutes. I get up to ask Dante where his cup is, walk into his room.....and he's COVERED in baby powder. He must've "made it rain" up in that be-otch! He looked like he had grey hair! I asked if he was a Mexican in white-face and he just said "yeah" in that cute voice of his that makes me both want to scream and give him a hug. Took the obligatory pictures, sent one to his dad to remind him that keeping baby powder in this kids' reach is a bad idea, and brushed him off with my big ol' kabuki brush. Seemed appropriate.
Got them strapped into the car, hit construction traffic, and heard FOUR "Chris Songs" in a row on the radio. Not a cd that I threw in, on the radio. Sigh. Hit up the 7-11 near where I used to live in Glendale, ran in with both kids, and got the ticket. Ran out, got them strapped back in and went a block away to GameStop. Got them out again and this time got the stroller out because I wanted to hit the loo and I *hate* putting Scarlett's car seat on bathroom floors. Got the game for my dear Hubby and figured I'd run to Safeway, since I had a coupon for a free Starbucks drink from Safeway's Starbucks that expired today. I didn't have my binder with me (DAMN!), but I was only going for bread, milk and mayo, stuff I don't have coupons for anyway.
On the drive to Safeway, I was behind a lady with 6 kids in the car. Yup. A CAR. Not a single one of those kids, who seemed to be between the ages of 3 to 12, were in a car seat. Two kids were in the front passenger seat without the seat belt, and the other four were fighting in the back. And they were fighting with the kids in the front! I did what any other mom who loves their kids would do: I called dispatch. I gave the lady the make and model of the car, the color, the plates, and explained what I saw and where we were down to the block. She was as dumbfounded as I was! I really hope that driver got busted! What if something had happened? What if my brakes failed and I accidentally rear ended her? My kids and I would have been safe, but those kids would have been roadkill! I couldn't in good conscience let that go unreported!
Got to Safeway, got them out, and decided to let Dante ride in a car cart. Ugh. I hate those things. They don't steer for squat, and the floors in this particular store leave a lot to be desired. I hit Starbucks first, and the poor kid behind the counter was very confused by my coupon. Seems it was his first day back there all alone, and the bar code had faded a bit. Sigh. While I was waiting for him to figure it out, Dante decided he wanted "Dante Coffee" (hot chocolate, for those keeping score), so I said "Sure! But you have to stay in your seat or I'm taking it away!" Bless his tiny heart, he tried! The tiny, cut off straw that the barista gave him was too short even for the short cup and got stuck in the opening. Add the sad state of the floors and the rickety-ness of the cart, and it was a recipe for disaster. I checked out and ran back to Starbucks on the way out to get water to make Scarlett a bottle, and that was when I saw how much of Dante's chocolate had spilled. Aw, crap. I was thinking we left a trail of hot chocolate all over the store! Then I saw his butt. Oh, my goth. He had a chocolate stain from his middle back to his upper thigh on the left side of his Osh Kosh overalls! I turned around, and there was a reporter from 9News, talking to a manager as a camera guy set up. I ran. Heaven forbid my child's chocolate-y butt winds up on the local newscast.
Got them home, fed them both, and now they are both out cold. Wow. What. A. Day!!!!
Got to 7-11 near our apartment to grab the bus ticket (new feature on greyhound's site! You can pay cash and get the web fare, and avoid the gift ticket fee! Sweet!) and I got the card set up only to have the douche behind the counter tell me they've never had it work (he didn't even try!) and he basically shooed me out the door.
Went to Starbucks to borrow a pen and make a phone call to Greyhound, and let Dante blow off some steam. Decided to look for another 7-11 at home online to save myself some time, and brought us upstairs for diaper changes and cup/bottle refills. I immediately sit in front of my computer and I'm done with phone calls and "research" in less than 3 minutes. I get up to ask Dante where his cup is, walk into his room.....and he's COVERED in baby powder. He must've "made it rain" up in that be-otch! He looked like he had grey hair! I asked if he was a Mexican in white-face and he just said "yeah" in that cute voice of his that makes me both want to scream and give him a hug. Took the obligatory pictures, sent one to his dad to remind him that keeping baby powder in this kids' reach is a bad idea, and brushed him off with my big ol' kabuki brush. Seemed appropriate.
Got them strapped into the car, hit construction traffic, and heard FOUR "Chris Songs" in a row on the radio. Not a cd that I threw in, on the radio. Sigh. Hit up the 7-11 near where I used to live in Glendale, ran in with both kids, and got the ticket. Ran out, got them strapped back in and went a block away to GameStop. Got them out again and this time got the stroller out because I wanted to hit the loo and I *hate* putting Scarlett's car seat on bathroom floors. Got the game for my dear Hubby and figured I'd run to Safeway, since I had a coupon for a free Starbucks drink from Safeway's Starbucks that expired today. I didn't have my binder with me (DAMN!), but I was only going for bread, milk and mayo, stuff I don't have coupons for anyway.
On the drive to Safeway, I was behind a lady with 6 kids in the car. Yup. A CAR. Not a single one of those kids, who seemed to be between the ages of 3 to 12, were in a car seat. Two kids were in the front passenger seat without the seat belt, and the other four were fighting in the back. And they were fighting with the kids in the front! I did what any other mom who loves their kids would do: I called dispatch. I gave the lady the make and model of the car, the color, the plates, and explained what I saw and where we were down to the block. She was as dumbfounded as I was! I really hope that driver got busted! What if something had happened? What if my brakes failed and I accidentally rear ended her? My kids and I would have been safe, but those kids would have been roadkill! I couldn't in good conscience let that go unreported!
Got to Safeway, got them out, and decided to let Dante ride in a car cart. Ugh. I hate those things. They don't steer for squat, and the floors in this particular store leave a lot to be desired. I hit Starbucks first, and the poor kid behind the counter was very confused by my coupon. Seems it was his first day back there all alone, and the bar code had faded a bit. Sigh. While I was waiting for him to figure it out, Dante decided he wanted "Dante Coffee" (hot chocolate, for those keeping score), so I said "Sure! But you have to stay in your seat or I'm taking it away!" Bless his tiny heart, he tried! The tiny, cut off straw that the barista gave him was too short even for the short cup and got stuck in the opening. Add the sad state of the floors and the rickety-ness of the cart, and it was a recipe for disaster. I checked out and ran back to Starbucks on the way out to get water to make Scarlett a bottle, and that was when I saw how much of Dante's chocolate had spilled. Aw, crap. I was thinking we left a trail of hot chocolate all over the store! Then I saw his butt. Oh, my goth. He had a chocolate stain from his middle back to his upper thigh on the left side of his Osh Kosh overalls! I turned around, and there was a reporter from 9News, talking to a manager as a camera guy set up. I ran. Heaven forbid my child's chocolate-y butt winds up on the local newscast.
Got them home, fed them both, and now they are both out cold. Wow. What. A. Day!!!!
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