Happy Turkey Day

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and is able to enjoy being plastered to the couch in a turkey coma.  In our case, it will be a whole-wheat-pumpkin-muffin-with-homemade-cream-cheese-frosting-turkey coma.  Yummmy!  If you want some, be here at 8am.  Personally, I can't wait.



Apparently I chose the one with the beauty mark on his chin. Better than the possessed turkey that can be seen below... That was when I decided that mini m&m's were not the way to go with the eyes. Good thing I had more food coloring.

Monday Musings

LM: (Throwing legos around the room)
Daddy: Throwing legos is not a good idea.
LM: (keeps throwing legos)
Daddy: Stop throwing legos.
LM: (keeps throwing legos)
Daddy: I already told you to stop throwing Legos, that's 1.
LM: "If you are going to talk to me, I'm going in my room" (Walks off to room - probably to throw more legos around)

Wild Animals

Wild Zoo Animals - Cute lion cubs. The Zookeeper was feeding them raw meat and they were climbing up on that door with their big huge paws. They were so cute!!!

My Wild Animals - this was before they started to climb into the gorilla enclosure. A good choice, if you ask me.  

Dinner Out

Just had to report what a fabulous night out we had... oh, no, not by ourselves... we have yet to do that! We went to the mall around 4:30, kids and GaMommy and all. Despite the constant "waaaaannnntttt wwwwwaaaaatttteeeeerrrrrr" heard in the background from some random stroller left between clothes aisles, it was a pleasant trip to Macy's. (sorry squeaker, mommy can't produce enough water to quench your thirst today) We also stopped by See's* for a chocolate appetizer before dinner. Then, as the boys crash pretty quickly when their blood sugar runs low (especially Little Man), we opted for a stroll across the parking lot to Macaroni Grill. The double bonus was that we got seated quickly (at 6pm) and had Uncle Joey as our server. Woo Hoo. This might have been the most pleasant meal in a while.

Both boys ate their dinner, and without complaint (which is a rarity with LM). They colored, talked, sat nicely, entertained themselves and were easily entertained by the adults when needed. They ate dessert and then some, too. We even stuck around for a few minutes to get serenaded by the roaming opera singer with a beautiful rendition of "A Whole New World". It was awesome. We got home at 8, put the boys in bed and now we are ready to hit the hay. I just am glad that we had a nice family evening out for a change. This might be the last time in a while as I don't want to ruin it. :)

*If you live near See's... have you seen the new truffle they are coming out with after Thanksgiving???? Egg Nog Truffle... yummmy....

Incompatible

My boys are incompatible sleepers. It has been 2 years, and I have finally been convinced. They are just too different and it is not going to work out long-term. When we get a big huge house (oh, don't I wish), we are going to make sure that they can sleep in separate rooms. I don't see how it will work any other way... for my sanity, anyhow. I really, really, really want them to share a room too. Maybe when they are older??? I can only hope.

Otherwise, every naptime is going to end up with the room looking like this.

Little Man:

• Requires a lot of sleep and sleeps soundly for the most part.
  
• Falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.
  
• Wakes up at the crack of dawn, for some unknown reason, still tired.
  

Squeaker:

• Requires minimal sleep, and doesn't sleep very soundly. If he hears anything, he will immediately sit straight up and wake himself up completely instead of rolling over and going back to sleep.
  
• Takes 2 hours to fall asleep on a regular basis for naps, maybe 30-45 min or so at night.
  
• Wakes up at a decent hour, well rested and ready for the day... if allowed. But given my first bullet point, and LM's third bullet point, it is not working out so well.
  

Also not working out so well... naptime. Since it takes Squeaker a good 2 hours to fall asleep most days, LM can't fall asleep in the same room. So, he gets the boot and sleeps in GaMommy's room or our room and is usually awake before Squeaker falls asleep. this is incompatible for me. :)

Ah, fun times. So, most of our afternoon is spent with me pulling my hair out, hoping that my sleeper gets the rest he needs, and the non sleeper gets the rest he requires to grow up big and strong.

Monday Musings

We have a 2 year old on our hands. Full-blown 2 year old!!!!! Look out, and cover your ears.



Pretty much all I have for musings is a miniature contradictor. "want apples", "don't want apples", no, yes, no YESSSS, NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! WHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

FOR. THE. PAST. WEEK. (and then some) Woo hoo.

Summertime?

Dreading Naptime - mostly a rant

So, these days I am dreading naptime. It seems that after 2 years, Squeaker STILL has a difficult time putting himself to sleep on his own. In the early days, and some of you will recall this 'fun' period, it took about 30 minutes of non-stop SCREAMING and thrashing to fall asleep. Then, as he got older, it was about 1-1.5 hours of playing in his crib before he would succumb. Now that he has freedom, it is a bit trickier. He is also a bit more worn out, so that is a bonus, but really, things are never going to change for him. I can not WAIT for his naps to no longer be a requirement. It is exhausting. The problem is, he just doesn't require as much sleep as some people in our family (LM and I) so I am at a loss. How can you not want to sleep??? I don't get it!

Anyhow, he is for sure getting better on the sleeping in a big boy bed, and gets out far less frequently. We have changed our strategy just a bit. Now, he is to go to his room and read for 10 minutes before getting in bed, in the hope that that helps calm him down and gets that book-reading urge out of his system. Then, once in bed, he generally only requires a couple of reminders to get back and stay there. ;) But, is is for sure awake and playing and jumping, and banging the wall, and seriously, he is going to hurt himself one of these days. There are rare, and I mean rare, occasions where he will fall right to sleep, but in general, I am more likely to fall asleep first. ;) Any suggestions??? I can't tape him down, tie him down, or otherwise secure him to the bed without getting visit from CPS... but holy cow, there are days when I consider it!

Oh, the trip to the San Diego Zoo was wonderful. The weather was gorgeous and the timing was perfect for everyones happiness. It seems that I am on a camera strike. I took almost 1,000 pics in October, and now, maybe 20? Not even worth uploading to the computer to post for your pleasure. I better get crackin'! We've not done a whole lot, but I am sure there is a good picture or two on there. I know there is a panda picture. Oh, okay, I will do it tonight after the boys are in bed. Fine.

Monday (oops) Musings

LM: Climbs on the couch and over the back
Me: Please keep your feet on the ground, LM.
LM: climbing on the chair
Me: Don't climb on the furniture
LM: climbs on the coffee table
Me: Do. Not. Climb. On. The. Furniture!
LM: Goes to lay down on the couch.
LM: Mommy, I am not in a very good mood. I think I need to be left alone.
Me: Oh?
LM: I am just not having a good day right now and need to be by myself.
Me: Okay, then.

Moving is Expensive

So, moving is expensive. Not just the actual moving your belongings stuff, but all the 'extras' that go along with it. We are done with the actual move move... but now, all the logistics of becoming CA residents is just money money money.

Wednesday, Daddy and I spent the afternoon at the DMV getting our driver's licenses -- luckily we were able to just renew our old ones from like 6 years ago (that saved a couple bucks, I am sure). -- and registering our cars. So, registering your car in another state... pricey. You pay to register each one, you pay for a smog inspection, you pay for plates, and it all adds up to like $600 at the end of it. It may have been a lot more than that even, I wasn't writing all the checks.

Then, to get licensed to work here I have to pay $10 here to verify this, $30 there to verify that, $70 for fingerprints, and that doesn't even include the cost of the actual license... whenever I get that.

Aughhhh... when is it ever going to end. Don't get me started in registration fees for preschool... seriously $95... why? You have openings, and the application is already photocopied, what more do you need. I am the one paying the monthly fees and for the pediatrician's okay that he is caught up on immunizations. Oh, brother! Sorry, enough complaining. I am off to bed. I am tired of waking up at 5am with Squeaker.

Oh, yah, that. Did i mention that Squeaker has been waking up most mornings around 5am, oblivious to the people around him, just walks down the hall to the living room like he is on a mission. then cries because we put up a gate so he can't go in there and hurt himself when we are all asleep. And, sometimes he can't get out of bed because he is getting out of the wrong side and keeps ramming himself into the wall, which makes him really mad. :( Oh, yah, where was I??? Right, so, he has been getting up and acting strange, then going back to sleep -- but since he is loud and noisy, he wakes up his brother who has a hard time going back to sleep because his mind starts working. ("But, why is it still dark outside", "why is my light not on?", "Why can i hear birds", "why is everyone still sleeping?" -- GO. TO. SLEEP... PLEASE!!!!!). So, we are awake at that point. Fun times. I brought up this waking to the doctor this week when we went in for his 2 year check up and the doc suggested it might be sleepwalking or night terrors. His solution, to wake him up after being asleep for 30 min then put him back to sleep. Try that for a week, then come back to give us another copay so I can tell you there is nothing wrong with him. humph. I suppose I am bitter and tired and just need to not be waking up so dang early every day. So, off to bed. oooo weeee, it is past my bedtime. it is almost 10. nighty night.


** really, I am tired and this post was just a random 'get-it-off-my-chest" post, sorry for that. Maybe I will put some fun pics in next time. :)

School, Sick, and Snotty...

School has begun again for Little Man. His first day was Monday. He told me he loved school about 5 times that afternoon. I am so glad I put him in 5 mornings a week!!! He has already come home with 4 art projects, worksheets and more 'communication' than his previous preschool. It is a nice change. Also, I have enjoyed being able to go into the classroom to drop off/pick up. Last year, I thought that the drop off line (where you don't even have to get out of the car) was awesome. This year, I know get to see what goes on in the classroom and get to spy him for the few minutes until he notices I am there - that is even better. I still have concerns over the 2x/week chapel service and the bible circle/saxon curriculum differentiation... but hey, he is 4 and really, what could they be brainwashing him with, anyway?

Sick times over here. GaMommy had something, and gave a variation to me, then today Squeaker has something that appears to be completely different. My guess -- he picked something up from the doctor's office when we went in for LM's annual checkup (and shots :( ) Luckily we are going in for Squeaker's annual checkup tomorrow and can find out what is ailing him. I guess we will wait on shots for a bit to let him recuperate.

Snotty is not in reference to sick snot. My lovely 4 year old, is a snotty little guy these days. You tell him one thing, and he does the opposite. Or ask him not to do something and he does exactly what you asked him not to do, but louder and more obnoxious. Fun times. I hope that this is a phase and that we are handling it okay so we don't create a oppositional monster. Or, I hope that he is just getting sick off whatever he licked off the patient table at the doctor's office. That might be better so that the 'phase' is even shorter.

Uh, yah fun times. Catcha later. I have to go to bed. I am exhausted and plan to be up several times tonight administering some drug or other to one or both of my kids... or myself.

Monday Musings

Sorry, been busy with moving logistics and working on a newly acquired play structure (off craigslist, of course). Anywho, here are a couple of musings:

LM: I have a good idea of what we can do today.
Me: Oh yah, what is it?
LM: We can go get the play structure and set it up in the backyard so I can play on it.
Me: That is a great idea. You know it is going to take us several days to get it and put it all back together, right?
LM: Oh, well, that is okay, I can help.
Me: And, you will be so helpful too.
LM: I KNOW!

Me: How come you put the shoe on the table?
Squeaker: Because

Me: How come you want to go outside?
Squeaker: Because

Me: How come you put the carrot in your milk?
Squeaker: Because

(do you see a theme here???)

October is over

Thank goodness... We had enough excitement packed into one month that it felt like 3 months. We have some exciting things in store for this month:

• Little Man will start preschool
  
• Little man is going diaperless 24/7. (He was wearing them at night and it seemed to be a habit to use them, or laziness)
  
• Squeaker finally gets his wish and will start potty training. I know that it will probably not go as smoothly as it did for LM, but he is ready. Too bad I'm not :).
  
• I am thinking of picking up a few hours working since we have Daddy and GaMommy at home and no mortgage for the time being.
  
• Oh, and there is Thanksgiving coming up too...wow, wasn't it just January?
  

On a side note - Squeaker is doing really well with the big boy bed. It still takes him a long time to go to sleep, but we are putting him back in bed far less than we were.

I am off to take advantage of the quiet house and am going to take a nap with the boys. I can't recall the last nap I took! Woo hoo!!!