Saturday, October 30, 2010

New Alphabet

“Mom, what is Men?”

“What is Men?”

“Yes, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, Men, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z”

I love that little kid.

That will take some planning

“Mom?”

“Yes, Owen.”

“Next Halloween, can I be a germ?”

“I suppose.”

“Ok, thanks mom.”

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Lesson Noted

One Friday movie night a month or so ago we rented Hook.  Owen cried and cried telling me he hated movies like that, he hated Hook, he was not watching it.  I promised he would like it and even went so far as to tell him I would pay him $5.00 if he hated it. 

Of course, he LOVED it.  He has watched it a million times, we bought the movie, and he even decided the perfect Halloween costume would be Captain Hook. 

A month ago he found a black wig out of the package at Target.  It was the perfect Hook hair.  We bought a pirate hat and a hook and then a few weeks later we  bought a new hook, a shiny one this time.  He really needed it. 

I figured we had better get the costume going, after all, what good is Hook without the rest.  I saw pirate costume after pirate costume in all of the Halloween stores, but they were not right.  He knew exactly what he wanted.  I found a costume that would work at Target.com but it seemed like too much money for what we would get.  I figured I would get the best deal on eBay.  So, Owen and I searched and found the one we wanted.  There were no bids – obviously because the shipping was so much, but it seemed like the best one. 

I won the auction against myself and paid $32.50 for shipping and the costume.  I bought it on a Tuesday night.  I never heard from the seller and emailed a few frantic messages asking if it had been shipped.  On Thursday I received a response from the seller, “send today Thank you”.  Hmmm.  Ok, thanks? I emailed a few more frantic messages asking for the tracking number and never heard anything back, but I did get a package delivered on Saturday from a Spanish speaking name.  The costume had arrived.  I called Owen to let him know the costume was here and he let me know that he was dancing around cause he was so happy. 

I opened the box and it was terrible.  It had a smell that was unbearable to a dog nose such as myself, sort of funny smelling home meets incense meets flowers.  It was also a little scruffy, even a tad dirty.  Oh no, what was I going to do!  He couldn’t have THIS costume! I put it outside to rid of the smell but as I looked at it and continued to smell this odd smell, I knew something must be done.  I hopped online and went to Disneystore.com.  The funny smelling eBay costume came from there so I would just see what was available.  They were having a sale of the same costume… $28.00 rather than $40.00 plus $4.95 shipping plus tax.  Perfect!! In a state of panic, I hit buy and realized then I should have checked the delivery schedule.  Oh well, I had ordered all kinds of things lately for the trip, camera bag/purse (totally love by the way), swimsuits (love again) and they both came within just a few days.  It was Saturday, I had a week.  So, $39.15 later, I had a brand new, clean, happy smelling costume for my child.  I called him and told him the costume was exactly what we had anticipated and we would get a different one. 

On or about Monday, I received an email with my shipping information: Your package has been sent.  Scheduled delivery date: 11/1.  11/1!!!!!!  Oh dear, I knew what was next: Disneystore.com, search: Captain Hook, oh, bonus it is now $19.99, click expedited shipping for $19.95 plus tax, total $43.50 and submit. 

On or about Wednesday – what turned out to be the world’s most expensive costume arrived on my door step.   (I forgot to mention that we bought an additional Hook hat at the Disney Store on Sunday to add to the tab, therefore making the first hook and hat just extras – awesome.)

Whatever the cost, I do know one thing, it was totally worth it!

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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Dinner Menu

A bagel peanut butter sandwich, a grilled cheese, some chocolate covered raisins, and a few bites of potatoes for Owen. 

Some Butternut Squash soup, vegetables, chicken, and potatoes for Ivy. 

Sort of a  buffet or a restaurant.  That is how we do dinner around here. 

And then we spin and dance and play. 

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Monday, October 18, 2010

Oh how sad!

Sometimes the day starts and it goes so smoothly, other days it feels like I am afraid to take the next step to find out what surprise, good or bad, is waiting for me. 

Today was filled with ups and downs before it even began. 

The down: Ivy’s newly burned arm. 

Today was her turn.  Just like every morning, I was drying my hair while she played in the cupboard and in the bathroom.  I thought about it, but didn’t move the curling iron and before I knew it, she was tangled in the cord and then suddenly the curling iron was falling in slow motion and then it was resting on her arm.  She screamed and bent her arm, burning her bicep in addition to her forearm. 

I stuck her arm in the water under the water and according to Owen, he was watching a show and when he heard us scream, he ran..not walked…ran! into the bathroom to see what was going on.  It was bad.  The top layer of skin was burned off and the blisters had already started. 

Greg wondered if I should take her in, it is possible I should, but only to make sure she feels pain.  She cried for about 5 minutes and then she stopped, got down, and played.  As I was leaving for work, she even scratched the burn with her little nails, she scratched the part with missing skin!  I still can’t think about it.  It was awful. 

She doesn’t seemed phased by it tonight.  She points to it when I ask if she was hurt and occasionally hands me the burn spray we have, but otherwise, she doesn’t seem to mind.  I, on the other hand, do mind.  I feel awful.  If only I had moved the darn thing over.  Well, you live and learn and do it differently next time.  What is that quote… we did better when we knew better.  Well, now I know better. 

Sorry baby girl.

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15 months

I took Ivy in for her well-child visit a few weeks ago.  It was then we learned she weighed 19 lbs 15 oz = 10%; she was 30 1/2 in. tall = 51%; and they do not measure heads apparently. 

She knows what she wants, but of course prefers to point to it and say the sound the letter E says all day long.  She says a few things: moma, dada, iowa, hawkeyes and that is it.  She knows a few animal sounds: snake, cow, dog, cat, sheep, duck, and bird.  IMG_6092IMG_6095

She is a self-sufficient little thing.  She brings me the clothes she wants to wear and she now hates shoes. When she does pick out her shoes she always picks out shoes that match. She loves getting food out of the cupboard to eat.  Today I found her wandering around the house eating chips out of the bag.  She loves to see how Owen does things and then she proceeds to do the same (I am not sure that is always good).  She loves me to nurse her and keeps pointing at my chest – awkward – yes.  She loves to waive goodbye to Owen at school each morning.  She would eat an entire jar of Vitamin D gummy bears if I would let her.  She is showing signs of having an eating phobia like Owen, as new foods are not always an option.  She loves to color but not always on paper.  She goes up and down the stairs and is now doing it standing up and holding on to the wall.  When she does eat, she loves to sit on the counter or our laps.  She is always climbing on everything and loves to carry a stool around to get up on things she can’t reach. She loves her pink blanket and her brother.  And, if she weren’t such a serious thing all the time, people might see what she is like at home and realize she is quite the comedian. 

Oh, writing on the wall and all, she is such a doll.

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Monday, October 11, 2010

All that missing info

My blog sucks as of late.  When it is 2011 or later, and I look back on 2010, I am going to miss reading about all that good stuff that happened during this fall.  For example:

1. I won’t remember about the day that Owen wanted to eat sandwich after sandwich at Noni’s house.  I told him he was done to which he promptly replied: “I will ask Noni, she is the owner of the sandwiches”.

2. Or how Ivy eats EVERYTHING she is not supposed to.  She doesn’t just eat it and go about her merry way, no, she eats the forbidden item and walks over to me with her mouth open to show me she is eating it.  I say no, we don’t eat pennies and take it away.  A few minutes later I find myself saying, no, we don’t eat marbles and take them away.  Tonight I even said, no, we don’t eat books.  She gives me that evil little smirk and goes to find something else.

3. Or what about the time(s) in which Ivy took a marker and looked at me and quickly drew on her face until I could realize what was happening and take it away.

4. I would never remember all the reflection on my life this fall and thoughts as to what I want my kids to remember from their childhood.  Midlife crisis perhaps.

5. I should definitely write down that my child picked out some Buzzlightyear and Woody Pjs and wants to wear them all the time.  Day or Night.  This is huge.  This is the first time he has ever been willing to wear character pajamas. 

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6. Or how about that Owen tied his own shoe and rode his bike on two wheels on Sunday.   Yes, both on the same day.IMG_6090

7. I for sure want to remember that I do not hate exercising.  I love yoga, but truthfully, I have found most other things a bit boring.  BUT! I am loving my bootcamp fitness class. (www.totalsweatfitness.com)  I will not lie, at first – STRONG DISLIKE for it.  7 weeks in, I love it.  I am over the injuries, the aching feet, knees, and ankles, in part due to the really expensive magic matching shoes Angie and I bought.  The only problem? Angie and I set out to try it out for the first 8 weeks, then Steve and Greg could have a turn.  Hmmm, how to keep going?

8. I will remember this because it seems like a given, but I am so busy.  You know how you hear all that stuff about take time for yourself, put yourself first and then you can be better to those around you? Well, I don’t know when those people find the time for themselves…the middle of the night?

9.   I would never remember inviting Owen’s new best friend over to play.  We had a fun filled afternoon with pirate maps, treasure hunting, eating, playing, and birdhouse painting.

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10. I definitely want to remember the map Owen drew for me and Noni.

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11. And the pumpkins we carved – apparently it was Owen’s first time ever carving pumpkins.

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12. And of course, that Ivy loves to wear Owen’s underwear on her head.

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And now I have a start to some history of the fall of 2010. 

Friday, October 1, 2010

Glad they have 9 Lives

Yesterday was a day I would have liked to rewind.  I couldn’t have done anything different, but it would have been nice to avoid the troubles all together.

I arrived at Owen’s school yesterday to a phone call from my neighbor.  I picked up the phone with a curious hello and knew something was not right.  It was T.J.  (my 15 year-old cat).  She said that she was pulling out of her driveway when she was summoned over by another neighbor to my house.  She parked her car and ran over to hear the sad cries of my poor cat as he sat trapped under the garage door.  A million thoughts started racing in my head.  I watched the garage close – all but for the last few inches.  It was definitely below the sensor.   The garage was so low when I pulled down the street that when my neighbor first mentioned my cat, I was sure he was ran over by a car. 

Poor little T.J.  He must have been tormented.  Stay? Go? Stay? Go? Stay? GO!!!!! And go he did and the garage silently closed on his waist.  I had two neighbors outside, both just leaving for the day, who raced over as they heard him crying.  I have no idea how it was possible, but, between the two of them, they were able to pry the door open just enough for him to wiggle free, and then he took off running. 

I couldn’t find him before I left for work but he was discovered at the neighbors house a few hours later with a limp.  I left work to take him to the vet.  A few x-rays and $350.00 later, he did not have a broken hip much to the dr’s. surprise. 

So, he has taken permanent residency in the garage for a week until he goes back in to be checked.

I am not sure what number life we are on, but we definitely used another one yesterday.