I Wish, I Wish

Whenever Bug finds a dandelion, he says this "I wish, I wish will all my heart..." On this day it was for a trip to the playground.  I love granting wishes!

Stylin'

If we can keep any clothes on him at all these days, the outfit is usually finished off with his rockin' monkey rain boots.  I'm digging it.

Bubbles and Toes

Takin' Out the Trash for Mother Earth

For Earth Day, Bug and I picked up trash on the way to the playground.  It's not a far walk at all and we filled two grocery bags!

Seven Year Itch?

Not a chance!  Seven years ago today, I married my best friend.  Friends and family still tell us how much fun our wedding day was.  That makes us so happy because we had the time of our lives, too!  And look, Sparty was there!  Icing on the cake!!

 
At the risk of sounding cheesy, every day grows more and more rich.  Our life is crazy and chaotic and perfect for us (well... we could all use a bit more sleep and THEN it would be perfect!) 

Last year we started the annual tradition of spending our anniversary at Longwood Gardens.  He proposed to me in the Japanese Gardens on the campus of Michigan State University, so it's meaningful for us to enjoy another beautiful garden on our day. The upper photo was taken last year, just a week before we found out I was pregnant with Button, and the lower photo is our complete family today. 

Hoppy Easter!

Good Morning!
The bunny brought us chocolate and eggs.  Silly rabbit hid them in the yard.  Next year he might have to hide them better.  Little man was too quick!

Colored Eggs

I tried natural dyes this year.  We used turmeric, blueberries, beet juice and spinach.  The spinach didn't turn out so great - just a faint yellow, but the other colors are awesome!

Right Now

 I love a good photo project.  Willette's latest "Right Now" is to capture what you see the moment you see her facebook post "right now". 

right now

~ everyone but me is asleep, but glow of the computer screens draws me in

~ the tulips are in bloom and I've brought some inside

~ the birthday balloons still hang from Big Daddy's celebrating on Monday night

It's not a glamorous shot, and that's the purpose of capturing "right now" - life as it is, messy, chaotic, lovely.  Good Night.

Project Simplify: Hot Spots #3 and #4

Many weeks later and I'm still slowly working my way through Simple Mom's Project Simplify.  Hot Spot #3 was the kid's toys and clothes.  This is a huge project that I honestly haven't attempted to tackle yet.  Their rooms aren't messy, but the clothing and toy storage in the basement is so overwhelming.  Maybe I'll get to it this summer...  I just can't wrap my head around it right now.

   Fridge Before and After

Hot Spot #4 was the fridge and pantry.  We just cleared out the cupboards when the new Ikea storage hutch was put up, so I don't have before and after of that, but the fridge always needs cleaning.  I tackled both the fridge and freeze one afternoon while the little ones were napping.  You can't really tell in the photo, but I gutted tons of expired things.  There was a salad dressing I tossed that expired in 2007.  Whoa.  The freezer was nasty.  There were several "cello" bottles chilling in there that had leaked - limoncello and raspberry-cello.  The spill had crystallized.  I had to use a knife and spatula to chisel it off.  Yuck.  By the end, Bug was "helping" and Button was rocking in her swing in the kitchen.  It got a little a chaotic, but we finished.

Freezer Before 

Freezer After

Happy Birthday, My Love!

We're celebrating my husband's birthday today.  We're keeping it low-key with a dinner at home: crab legs, roasted potatoes and these Angry Bird cupcakes.  Bug helped me. It was easy until the little miss realized she was missing out on the fun and started yowling. Then we did our best just to finish them quick!  I think we did okay. :)

Cherry Blossom Festival

I chuckle at the title since we didn't actually go see the cherry blossoms, but we did go to DC a couple of weekends ago to visit our Beltway friends.  We were on a mission to see the dinosaurs at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  It was a gorgeous day.  Bug loves visiting our friends, Kim and Andrew, and we had a blast chasing him around the museum. 

  

Baby thieves!

I loved our carousel ride.  It's a rare moment that Bug and I share just the two of us.

On My Soapbox - The Pink Nail Polish Scandal

Apparently there's been a media uproar about a little boy in a J Crew ad playfully getting his toes painted pink by his mother.  It's wrong they say...  It promotes transgenderism... Really?!  I dress my girl in blue all the time. We're re-using many of big brother's outfits, blankets and soon his toys - the "boy stuff" like trucks and tool sets, but also the "girl stuff" that he has like the dolls, kitchen set and tea set.  I've always offered toys appropriate for both genders.  Does that mean my girl's going to grow up wanting to be a boy or that Bug will wish he was a girl?  Doubt it.  And ya know what - so what if they do!  I'll love them to the moon and back regardless.  Like the little boy in the photo, pink is Bug's favorite color.  When we were potty training, he picked out his own potty seat on a shopping trip with his dad  - a pink Dora the Explorer seat. We didn't make it a big deal BECAUSE IT'S NOT.  He makes pink art projects at preschool and is so proud to show them off.  I'm proud for him.  I would be so upset if anyone ever told him he shouldn't like pink. Come on, people.

Leaving my soapbox for a shower.  Good night.

Joy of Luck - Day Seven

Willette's Joy of Luck class ended a month ago, but I'm just now posting the seventh and final assignment - "Your Rainbow". It's taken me so long, I think, because I guess I didn't want to post the obvious - that they are my rainbow.  So I thought, and thought, and I can't think of anything else I would want in that pot at the end of the rainbow than for them to be happy, to be healthy, to feel love. Yes, it's obvious, but they truly are My Rainbow.

 

Joy of Luck Days One to Six

Someone Found Her Voice

It's gross outside...

But Spring has sprung inside!  With the help of Better Homes and Gardens, I've forced some flowering tree branches this year.  They make me smile!  It's April and still pretty cold most days around here, but I have beautiful blooms around the house!!

Keeping the Couch Warm

This is all I need right now - tissues, a glass of water, crackers and baby girl's diaper supplies.  I'm sick.  It's just the girl and I at home today.  We're watching movies, Ellen, Oprah and each other.

Any Given Morning

Imagine...

Your eyes still heavy with sleep as a little body, newly rounded with fat rolls, softer than anything you've ever known, starts to wiggle first her hands and feet, then her whole body as she wakes up next to you.

The birds chatter at the squirrels outside the open window as the gentle morning breeze, the first to travel through your windows since October, flows through the room, over the bed, around your heads, slightly warm, slightly cool.  The traffic in the distance buzzes with morning commuters.  Her tongue clicks against the roof of her mouth.

You turn to face her as she smiles, sideways and sleepy, her hair fuzzy and slightly sweaty, her eyes not quite open.  Her lips purse and move about as she seeks a breast.

You lift her and pull her to your chest, smelling like baby - sweat and sleep and milk and as you kiss her forehead her saltiness stays on your lips.

PAUSE - savor this moment...

Thirty seconds later, big brother bounces into the room with his three year old energy wearing just his blue monster under-roos, hair sticking up at random angles, loud and jumping on the bed, he smacks you both with a big, hard kiss before leaping over your outstretched legs back and forth, back and forth, back and forth as you bounce along nursing the little one.  You smile.

PAUSE - savor this moment again.  These are the days.

Three Little Birds - a sing along.

In Button's room hang the lyrics "Every little thing is gonna be alright" from the always appropriate, always sing-alongable, Bob Marley.  Bug will often ask me to read it to him and I always end up singing. (How could you not??)  He just started to sing along with me yesterday.  Hearing his little voice behind those words actually (but not surprisingly) had me choking back a tear or two.  I asked him to sing with me this morning and I got the scrunched-up-nose-with-a-twist rendition.  Happy Monday.

Soccer Time

It begins!  Today was the first day of soccer.  Twenty plus three year olds learning how to kick, dribble, and chase the ball.  It was adorable and he loved it.

 

Dad was so proud.

Why I Do It.

I put a lot of pressure on myself.  I always have.  So I gave it a lot of thought before starting this blog because when I do something, I want to do it well.  I am a recovering perfectionist, after all...  And at this point in my life - with a career, two kids (a toddler and infant no less!), a husband with his own business for which I do the bookkeeping - to say life is full is an understatement.  Then I have the other things that are important to me: making healthy meals for my family, keeping a clean home, finding fun things for Bug to do that don't involve TV, journaling, photography and trying to maintain my own mental health by doing an hour of yoga a week.  So, why on Earth would I decide to add a blog to the chaos?  I've asked myself and others have asked it of me.  This is why:

~ To record the moments and stories, not just for myself, but for the ones we love who are far away.  For our parents, the grandparents who could never visit enough and especially for my mom, step-dad and sisters who have not yet been able to meet Button (it aches my heart.)

~ I'm not one to have a large social circle.  Of course, I have amazing, loving friends, but we're separated by distance and busy schedules.  I'm grateful (and amazed, honestly!) that my two best friends since middle school have also ended up on the East Coast and we keep our friendships strong, despite families and careers, visiting as often as every other month or more when we're lucky.  Upon moving East, I met another best friend (yes, you can have three) and she and I shared the passion of our horses, meeting nearly every night and also on weekends to ride, talk, and offer each other support in our common connection.  My horse died in 2008 and since then, we still get together as often as possible.  Through these online pages, I can better connect with others out there (my "tribe" so to speak) who have similar lifestyles and interests as we share stories, everyday moments, and ideas.

~ It's a creative outlet.  I so wish I had the time for scrapbooking and I'm amazed by the moms who do!  You can say this is my scrapbook.

There is it.  Why I do it. 

Featured on Gingibersnap!

My owl calendar photos of button have been featured today on Gingibersnap!  Creator Stacie runs an etsy shop by the name of Gingiber.  From her site:

What is Gingiber?

Gingiber is my online shop, where I create darling doodles for quirky kids (although I find that many adults enjoy my art as well). My work has been described as whimsical and expressive, but I like to think of it as having a touch of "POW" and a splash of "ZIPPA-D-DOO". By the way, Gingiber is the Latin word for "ginger". I just liked the sound of it.

Run on over and check her out!

Links to original posts: Two Months Old, Three Months Old