More of The Summer: Teacher Gifts

I was unnecessarily stressed about Nate's teacher gifts this year.   What do you get the women who love and hug your child when you're not around?  What do you do to acknowledge that he's changed so much in the past year and part of it is because of them?  Nothing seemed right (as I stood in the Target aisle on his last day of school; clearly I wouldn't buy a gift in - gasp - advance!)  so I went Summertime Theme.

(Included: beach towel and insulated mug filled with Starbucks gift card and mini-sunsreens and a card to express our gratitude!) 

What is your favorite token of thanks? 

settling into summer

Our summer calendar is filling up and it’s a strange, beautiful and kid-centric time.   Nate will be FOUR (FOUR?!?!) next month and I  sometimes still can’t fathom the fact that I’ve been a parent for four years.   Our summer sitter (we have a summer sitter!)  started this week and is nothing short of wonderful.   My office is in the midst of moving so I’m a bit displaced this week (currently writing this from the library) as we transition. 

We also made our first pilgrimage to the big pool – I wasn’t brave enough to try both kids on my own the first go-round, so we made it a family affair.  (I’m ready to brave it alone now; Nate adjusted nicely to swimming with multiple flotation devices.)   We also have summer school and the conclusion of summer baseball and the start of swim lessons.  Sometimes the sheer luxury of all that we can provide for the kids floors me.  Lucky little ducks.  

summer time birthday woes

Alright all you summer babies now is your chance to LET IT ALL OUT about how you never got to celebrate your birthday at school and how it scarred you for life and how you are now a terrible person.  Ready?  Go.

Nate's teacher sent home a note on Monday.  Since this is the last week of school, they're celebrating all summer birthdays this week and, since his birthday is in June, his day is Wednesday and can I please bring a treat/snack?  (Disregard the fact that he'll be in summer program, at the same school, with most of the same kids when his actual birthday occurs.)

I refuse to put Happy Birthday Nate! on said treats so I went with, uh, Yay!

And put them on these schmancy juice boxes:

And attached a fruit roll up (He had cupcakes Monday AND Tuesday and is having ice cream on Friday.  I know, right?  I wanted to send fruits and vegetables but Karl told me it wasn't allowed.)

Bam.  And I didn't even consult Pintrest.  (Pintrest would laugh at my feeble juice box covers!)

(Please don't tell the Star Wars empire that I borrowed this image from google; I found it on a site called "how to draw R2D2 step by step" (not that I was going to draw ANYTHING; I just googled star wars images.)  Please don't get me copyright police.  ITS FOR MY CHILD'S FAKE BIRTHDAY.  

a night in little rock

Last week, we went on a little walk around downtown to check out the new Clinton Center Wetlands area. 

Here's the good ole Presidential Library:

 And here's the new Wetlands area (photo taken from atop the pedestrian bridge):


SHOCKINGLY, Nate got tired of walking about an hour in (after a full day of school) so we let him sit in the front of the stroller.  (He's basically anti-stroller which, generally, is good for me as I hate lugging that thing in and out of my car.)

Thankfully, Boo Boo doesn't mind a little crushing (Oh, why yes we did decide the baby's new name is boo-boo.  WHY?!  WHY?!  I don't know but we ALL say it.  Make US STOP.).

Totally the right way to use a stroller:

He carried his Storm Trooper gun for the duration, only stopping (unprompted) to (and I quote) "get healed in the sick bay." 

I present you the sick bay: 

(Also known as the entrance to Heifer International Headquarters.)

Downtown Little Rock :: Where all good droids go to die.

next week's TIME cover

File this under THINGS THAT ARE HOT: 

This is me last week.  You can thank me for leaving the image this small.

Basically, The Internet exploded with reactions to the cover photo of the woman breastfeeding her three year old, eh?  (Do you think most of the reactors even read the article?  I liked this reaction.)

Here's a link to an interview of the woman on the cover.   Here's a link to her blog.  Seems like a loving mama parenting how she wants to parent, no?  So, everyone should stop FREAKING OUT, right?  (She also wrote this.) 

Alright then.

I'd like to share one of MY favorite breastfeeding photos:

Go ahead.  Tell her to cover up.  I'll wait here.  (Source)

Now, let's all go have a beer.

sugar awwwww honey honey

I had a birthday on Friday.  

All I asked for (teasingly) was to sleep through the night (I didn't get it - no fault of Karl...I just couldn't...it was a nursing thing.  I couldn't make it the whole evening out PLUS overnight without some relief and waking up in the middle of the night to pump while Karl bottle fed the baby just seemed silly.)  

What did we do?  

Since we've both been insanely busy and now have two kiddos to cart around (read: STILL ADJUSTING)  he warned me not to expect the same LEVEL OF BIRTHDAY as in year's past.  (We normally are low-key birthday celebraters; last year was my 30th and any birthday that ends in zero is special, right?)  This year, he made reservations at a restaurant downtown and we spent way too much money on dinner and then went to a bar (gasp) to have drinks after.   Low key, fantastic and we even remembered to eat slowly and use our table manners.  

(On a completely unrelated note as I was browsing back to find the surprise party post I re-read this FANTASTICALLY INSANE pregnancy dream post and now wonder why there were only a few comments and not, say, ALL OF YOU asking if I was insane.) 

things that amuse me...

Chalk it up to many years working in advertising/PR....

Or to sleep deprivation....

But this little mailer came in the mail from Firestone (of all places) and I can't stop giggling...

an excessive amount of pictures to start your week

The weekend is over.  Sigh.   STOP TAKING MY PICTURE.  

Dude.  For Real.  Stop.   

I am NOT going to smile.  

Alright, well, your face is relatively hilarious.  

Guess I could give it a go.

Huh.  Well.  That's wasn't so bad.

Aaaand for those of you that are still grumpy, here's a chunky leg cankle shot sure to make AT LEAST the corners of your mouth raise, yes?

space issues? KILL THE DOGS!

So, adding another person to your house seems to shrink your space, am I right?  (Right, well I suppose it doesn't actually shrink your space; everything just feels more crowded.)

So, Karl and I think WE NEED MORE SPACE!!  LET'S MOVE!

When all four of us are in the bedroom plus the two dogs (one of whom weighs NINETY SEVEN POUNDS... I'm not naming any names...ROXY.)  (Listen, I'm not going to go into how many ways Karl and I have plotted to kill the dogs with their big, muddy paws and pile after pile of shedded hair... and their collars that jingle and wake my children... and Arlo, OH ARLO, trying to crawl into Nate's bed or under the crib panting like a big pansy every time it so much as rains.  Can't WAIT for tornado season to ramp up!)  Oops, sorry, I guess I did want to go into that.  Clearly, we would not kill the dogs.  THEY'RE FINE.  We totally love them.  (Honestly, they're the laziest, most relaxed dogs you'll ever meet.  Arlo lets Nora crawl all over him and even Roxy has been known to allow Nate a horseback - dogback? ride or two.  If I could just get them to STOP SHEDDING they'd be perfect.)

So, where was I?  Oh, right, space.  Moving.  Here's the problem.  We want the impossible.  We don't want to do ANY (ANY ANY ANY) renovations BUT we want to stay in older neighborhoods (preferably close to ours).  We want a little more space (current: 1200 sq ft) but we don't want much more.... MAYBE JUST ONE MORE ROOM.  We debated.  We drove around and looked.   We drove around and looked some more.  Nothing met our criteria.  (Nothing came close.)  (Ok.  That's a lie.  The spaces that came close were so NOT in our price range.) 

Then, we decided (reaffirmed?), we love our house.  Both are kids were (literally) born in this house.  How can we LEAVE?!?   Our house payment is beyond cheap and allows us to do many things.  (Read: I worka part time.  Nate playa the soccer.  We eata the outa.)  (Sorry.  That was just annoying.)  We also have excellent neighbors that feed our kids cookies and bring them presents and hand me downs and watch our house/get our mail while we are gone. So, long story short, for the time being, we're staying put. 

Instead we are taking part in MISSION SWITCH ROOMS AND PURGE PURGE PURGE.  

We moved our bedroom to the room off the kitchen which was formerly Nate's room... having a toddler right off the kitchen was a challenge.  (Whenever people are over don't they always wind up in your kitchen?  They do in ours.)  Karl and I were constantly tip toeing around so as not to wake him - as you might guess, the child who never sleeps needs little help waking.  This means Karl and my new room is smaller (and we lose the bathroom - major bummer) but, so far, I LOVE being right off the kitchen and I love how OUR room now feels like the center of our home.  We are also getting new bedroom furniture seeing as we're in our 30s and are still operating on mostly hand-me-downs and Target furniture.  (Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that; we just want to treat ourselves!) Also, we are mounting a TV in our bedroom.  I'm still unsure how I feel about this as we haven't had a tv in our bedroom in years and I was set on being a one (or none) tv household.

So, who is in the master?  BOTH KIDS.  AND ALL THEIR TOYS!   I didn't realize how much I would like them being in the same room and how much I would like them being tucked away back there (or at least that's how I perceive it; there isn't much 'away' in a smallish space).  Nate has a double bed and the baby has her crib (which she totally sleeps in for PART of the night!  Ha!).  They've been sharing for about two weeks now and, like I said, LOVING IT.  For the record, Karl (who never shared a room) was against it and I (who shared a room with my sister until I left for college) was for it.  We briefly discussed the boy/girlness of the situation and decided we would eventually split them up (suggestions for ages?!?  We are thinking when Nate is 8 or 9?  Or whenever they are ready?) 

So, who is in 'the nursery' that was never a nursery?  It's our office.   No guest beds, no toys.  Just a couple of desks.  The big Mac computer.  My sewing machine that will someday be used.  A bunch of screen printing equipment.  Our hamper.   The dog beds.  Ok, let's face it.  Right now it just has a bunch of various piles of crap, threatening to topple, as we transition.  (Ex: Karl: 'Where should this stack of bad 90s rap CDs go?' Me (merrily): 'Oh just put it in the office!')  It definitely is the room that needs the most work but I'm still busy purging closets and stealthily throwing away cheap Hot Wheels, crappy coloring books and random Chick-Fil-A kids meal toys that were purchased to bribe my child.  

We're also doing random small projects like replacing the cheapo blinds that came with our house and painting the back door purple.  (Why yes I do have an orange front door and a purple back - what of it!?)   We also finally replaced both the front and back doors as they both were hollow interior doors that I'm pretty sure Nate could have kicked through!  Ahhhh the things you don't know when buying your first house!  

I realize that I'm rambling BUT I wanted to share the UPHEAVAL of our lives at the moment.  Cue sappy transitional music.  AND SCENE. 

requisite family easter photo

Easter.

It happened.

I have the photo to prove it.

Cords, strings, we brings melody

Ever get some REALLY bad song lyrics in your head?  The same lines over and over again?

Me.  Today: 

Cause she's watching wrestling
Creaming over tough guys
Listening to rap-metal
Turntables in her eyes

What's in YOUR head at the moment?   (Read: Please make me feel less crazy in the comments.) 

 

silly little update

Nate-isms.

Nate's been a bit obsessed with, um, Star Wars characters.   He hasn't actually seen any Star Wars movies (we're thinking age 5?! Thoughts?), but he has seen some of the Clone Wars cartoons and (I have no idea what I'm talking about as I've never seen any Star Wars movie.  Ever.  I know.) and he has several Star Wars books, puzzles and games.  I now know way too many characters.  I have sandwich cutters in the shape of the Millennium Falcoln and TIE Fighters for God's sake. Needless to say, we've been pretending Star Wars A LOT.  Just this morning, I was a BAD DROID WITH A GUN (always with a gun) and he was ANIKAN WITH A LIGHT SABAR and we had to battle it out before breakfast.   

His current level of pretend is super fun.  He definitely has an imaginary friend named Boppy.  (Have I mentioned Boppy on the blog before?)   Karl and I are pretty sure Boppy is cut from EVIL CLOTH as any time Nate does something less than wonderful, it's somehow (according to Nate) Boppy's Fault.  (Boppy gets his own time-outs in our house.  Right next to Natey.)  For a brief period of time, there was also a Tu-Tu - who did all things good, but I think he disappeared when Nate realized Tu-Tu was getting some of the praise Nate wanted.  

Nora Kate-isms. 

So, Nora Kate is officially six months old tomorrow morning.  I can't fathom it, I really can't.  She has teeth.  TWO OF THEM.  She can move (not full on crawling; just a little bit of The Scooty Scoot and some up on all fours rocking).  She can sit unassisted.  She still hates bottles and her carseat.  Since I've been working a lot more and she's been with a sitter, she'll eat approximately 8 ounces all day (read: not a lot but it is from a bottle so that's a good thing - thank you all Playtex drop-in recommenders! which means UP ALL NIGHT MARATHON NURSING SESSIONS  It hasn't been that pleasant.   (I should also note here that I have little to no stash of pumped milk so it's not necessarily the Worst Thing Ever.). Little bit of a strange transitional time - the six month mark.   But, her nature remains sweet and calm and generally just plain happy so it's hard to complain.  

Natey, he fits in the good ole Bumbo: 

NK, not so much: 

soccer balls and shamrocks

I've been reading several articles lately about the so-called 'hybrid mom.'  I guess that sort of describes me (ish? I don't like to be 'described') - half in the house, half out.  Right now it's 10 p.m. and I just finished updating a spreadsheet for work and now I'm blogging and replying to personal emails (read: playing Draw Something and looking at Instagram photos on my phone). 

My office is going through it's busiest time of year and is in the process of hiring another full time employee.  (I am only part-time by choice... my quest to Have It All continues... HA!).  In the interim of hiring another person, I've been working QUITE a bit more.  (Monday - Thursday plus some night time hours.)  Nate, as usual, has been going to school and Nora Kate has (finally) been going to a sitter.   I loved my time with her at the office but knew it had to end.  (Mostly, I just needed to start going to client meetings.) 

I would like to reiterate here that I love my job and my boss and my work.  I also love Nora Kate's sitter.  What I don't love is how far away everything is.  You see, I (personally) like my ten mile radius bubble.  I get snotty about driving more than 10 minutes... particularly if those ten minutes are west of me. (Sorry West Siders!)  Nora Kate's sitter is fan-freaking-tastic but she lives about 25 minutes west of me (and watches other kiddos besides NK).  So, in the morning I have to drop Nate off at school, drive the 25 minutes out to her house and then another 25-ish to my office.  I realize that an hourish commute to some is not a big deal but for me and my bubble-loving-ness, it feels like a lot. 

I keep reminding myself it's only temporary - I have a sitter for summer coming to my house (for both kiddos).  Also, I won't be working this much once a few big events happen in April AND my office is moving CLOSER to my house in May.  So, really, it's just one more month of shuffling and hustling.   But here's the thing:  I keep wondering when things are going to slow down.  And I think the answer is NEVER.  Karl and I keep saying "Oh, we'll do X after X happens... but then all of a sudden IT IS APRIL 2012 and Nate's had his first soccer practice and Nora Kate's been to her first St. Patrick's Day Parade and I'm all SOB MAKE IT STOP. 

Thiiiiiirsty. 

The button was mine from the good ole 80s.

a bed: she has it. but will she sleep in it?

5 months, 1 week and 5 days later we set up her crib.

She's so haaaaaaaapy. 

sharing (with permission)

Since I am out of words for the moment, I thought I'd share with you the simple, sweet eulogy my dad wrote about his dad: 

On behalf of the Horan family, myself and my wife Linda, Tim and his wife Vickie, Peg and her husband Ron, John and his wife Cathy, My brother Mark, and sister Chris and her husband Jim we would like to welcome you to John’s funeral liturgy.

John was a quiet man with a simple life style.  He was of the generation that put their life on hold to serve our country during World War II.   After the war as so many of his fellow servicemen he came home, married and raised a family with his wife Edith.  He and Edith shared 47 love filled years together.  His love for her was great.  When Dad retired they traveled the country together on bus trips too numerous to remember all.  For many years it seems like they were always planning their next trip.  Then Mom developed cancer and Dad took care of her for 5 long years through diagnosis, temporary remission and the final end.  He cared for her lovingly in their little house in Dellwood.  Mom always said she could never want for a better chauffer, secretary and caregiver. 

He was proud of his family and was always there for all of us during our transitions in life.  He was probably even more proud and appreciative of the successes of his 10 grandchildren.  He reveled in the opportunities to share in their 1^st Communions, Confirmations, graduations, marriages and eventually the births of the next generation of our family.  He always asked about their new jobs or careers and took a keen interest in their many endeavors. When John passed on he had 10 great grandchildren and always loved seeing pictures of them even when infirmities started to limit his abilities to visit and hold them.

As most who knew John would attest he was a deeply religious person.  He loved God and had a deep attachment to his Catholic faith.  I can still remember that most nights he would kneel at the side of his bed and say evening prayers before retiring at the end of the day.  Every Lent he would drag us kids to a Lenten Production of The Passion Play given by a group of Catholic men in North City and County at various parish halls.  He played many roles over the years in the play.  I’m sure we grumbled a little when he took us along once every year but we would always wind up soaking in the play and telling anyone who would listen “That’s our Dad up there.”

Dad was an avid reader of the newspapers and subscribed all his life.  Several years back in the late 90’s he saw a poem in the paper that touched him deeply.  He cut it out and showed to Tim and Vickie.  Dear Vickie took it and framed it and gave it back to him.  For years it sat in an honored spot on his dresser.  He always told us he wanted it read at his funeral so we’re honoring that request now.  The poem is by the poet Isla Paschall Richardson and is simply entitled “To Those I Love.”  It was first read at the funeral of the American statesman Averell Harriman.

If I should ever leave you
Whom I love
To go along the silent way
Grieve not
Nor speak of me with tears,
But laugh and talk
Of me as if I were
beside you there.
(I’d come- I’d come
could I but find a way
But would not tears and grief
be barriers?)
And when you hear a song

Or see a bird
I loved, please do not let
The thought of me
Be sad… for I am
Loving you just as
I always have…
You were so good to me!
There are so many things
I wanted still
To do- so many things
To say to you…
Remember that I
Did not fear… It was
Just leaving you

That was so hard to face

We cannot see beyond
But this I know
I loved you so- twas heaven
Here with you!

squeezing out words

In my spare time, I went to this thing.  It was a writing class.  At a library.   It focused specifically on memoir writing.  (Honestly, I have no interest of writing a memoir or any other type of book; not on my personal life list.) but I have been writing on this blog for, oh, you know, SEVEN years so I wanted to check it out.  (Because I don't intend to stop writing but I have NOT been feeling it lately!) 

So, here are the two big things I took away: 

1.  Write.  (Yep.) 

The woman who led the class, Paula Morell, is a creative writing teacher and founder of Tales from the South - which is an amazing live radio show that is now broadcast on the NPR.... writers reading their own stories.  She suggested finding your most creative time (of the day) to write and shared with us that her time is b/w midnight and four in the morning.  Unfortunately, I think that's my time too.  Not a conducive schedule for me with young babies but, you know, maybe once a week!?  

2.  Write the moments.  (And your perception of them.)

I think I'm getting better about this. 

When do you blog (or create) best? 

#boymom

Today, he was SO PROUD that he turned the water on with his butt.  I mean, really, what more could a mother ask for?

Today, she had her first bite of rice cereal.  She wasn't terribly interested so I gleefully put it back on the shelf.   (Clearly, I have ISSUES with her reaching milestones and want her to stay a baby FOREVER.)

Stop.  Growing. Already. 

let's talk funerals: take 4

We miss our orange sheets!

This time last week we were snowed in at the Comfort Inn in Mountain Home, Arkansas, recovering from a funeral.  (You don't drive down the icy highways surrounding a town w/ the word Mountain in its name.)  We were celebrating the life of Karl's grandmother (I know... stop with the funerals 2012!!).   Karl's grandma lived with his mom (who lives three miles from us) so we spent quite a bit of time with her.  She passed away at home and in her sleep after 97 (97!) years of life!  Just a month ago, she wanted (wait for it!) an iPad.  I mean, think about that.  She was born in 1914 (1914!).  The service was (dare I say it?) filled with happy memories and familiar family faces.  It was nice to share Nate and Nora Kate with family (though they both have been rocking the same cough and snot for weeks so there's that.).  Plus, Nate got to do some sledding (And ramped off a concrete retaining wall, no big deal.  No worries...he came up laughing hysterically. JESUS.) 

Since we've returned, we've been running around like crazy people.  Like, literally, I feel a bit like a crazy person who CAN'T GET IT TOGETHER.   Most of you know me will be unsurprised to hear this:

I BLAME FEBRUARY.

(Consistently my bad month!  Yours too, right?)

Both of the kiddos have been ill - cough, vomit, cough until vomit, fever.  Basically, you name the symptom, one of them has had it.  Finally, after 11 days (I know you all are shocked it took me that long to call the pedi!), we took them BOTH in.  It was slightly entertaining to make an appointment for two kids at one time.  AND I SWEAR to GOD the pediatrician didn't want to give us any antibiotics (our pedi's office seems to be anti-antibiotic - see how I did that? - which I am generally on board with but ELEVEN days of a symphony of coughing all night long,   GIVE EM! 

Here's what our fridge looks like: 

Beer, Coke, Boob Juice, Amoxicillin (We put clever black lines on NKs.)  

We're all on the up and up.   (And, honestly, nothing was ever TERRIBLE.  The germies - they just wouldn't GO AWAY!)  

Despite the germies, we've both had several opportunities to go out and about with friends and family.  

Last night, I had dinner with my midwives and some friends.  I should have taken a group photo b/c it was a lovely evening but instead I photographed my plate (which was also super lovely.  that's the technical term - super. lovely.).  See? 

Burger: Add fried egg, avocados and monterey jack cheese.  PROCEED TO DIE OF DELICIOUS.

 Tonight, Karl spent some time with George Takei.  You know, no big deal. 

Star Trek for life, yo!

In other news, today I went to work without the baby.   Yea, I'm still processing it too. 

four for four

These photos were taken several weeks ago (before 4 months?). 

They don't exactly capture her sweet, smiley nature but I like them.

Tough week.

More soon!

my boobs are so awesome

Even my boob juice stays in the lines. 

WHAT? 

YOU KNOW IT'S FUNNY.