Cute! Cute!

I have been really watching my kids lately, or should I say "observing" them. Both of them have certain things they do and I grab them and kiss, kiss, kiss them. They get so annoyed with me sometimes, but I don't care - I can't take not smothering them with love when they push the love button.

For instance:

• bubbies saying "chuuuuzzz" and giving an adorable toothy grin when you pull the camera out to take his pic. I have learned that smile and can pick it when I look at pictures. P's "cheese" is pretty obvious...take a look:
• He waves like it is the last time he'll ever see you again. It is a big all-arm wave with a big smile that just melts my heart everytime I see him do it.
• The walk and nod. When he is singing to himself he takes big steps and nods his head back and forth while looking at the ground.
• Speaking of singing - he is trying to talk and sing. Right now I can make out Baa Baa Black Sheep and he requests My Bonnie when I put him to sleep.
• Miss P and chapstick...or lipstick as she calls it. Before bed I'll read her books and then she hops off my lap telling me she'll be right back. She goes into my make-up drawer and puts on her "lipstick" and then proudly says that NOW she is ready for bed. If she comes in to sleep with me in the middle of the night she stops in my bathroom to put on her "lipstick."
• P uses words such as huge, gigantic, freakin' me out, gorgeous...I love her vocabulary.
• She knows we are at the zoo b/c she reads the sign. She can spot certain words now...if I worked with her more I could quite possibly have an early reader on my hands. She has been writing the letters "L", "O", and "T"....like I mentioned, if I work with her more....
• P likes to change words in songs, but ever so slightly. Songs that have a boy doing something we change it to a girl doing something, or as in White Coral Bells we change the last verse to the "fairies WON'T sing." not sure why.

Now, say "cheese!"

The latest

I seriously need to start using my iPod touch recorder....especially since that is the main reason hubby bought it for me. I want to record myself reading to the kids so they have a copy of me reading books to them or singing our favorite songs. I also want to record them singing, talking, etc. We have tapes from when my Grandma B. taped us. She had this incredible recording "studio" in her house. It was pretty advanced for the time.

She would play her favorite records and then dub in her voice so it sounded like she was singing the song. The music with her singing would be recorded on a cassette tape that we would then play in the car on our excursions to the grocery store or the pool. I used to think it was the best thing EVER. She was so awesome. Her favorite singers were Ann Margaret and Sheena Easton. damn I loved that woman.

I have a tape somewhere of me singing "Sugar Town" by Nancy Sinatra when I was 9 years old. I used to sing that song and "You Light Up My Life" for talent shows throughout school and my acting classes with Steve Anderson (who now, I believe, heads up Phoenix Theater Circle). I also LOVED the The Beatles. We sang a lot of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."

Anyhow - vocal recordings are wonderful to listen to later in life. My cousin and I laugh our asses off at some of the stuff Grandma B. recorded us doing. I love having that memory and the audio cassettes to listen to...if I could find a cassette recorder anywhere...ha!

No jogger is safe

No jogger is safe from harassment when my daughter is around. I was walking the kids in the stroller this afternoon and a nice man jogged passed us. He said hello and gave us a smile and went on his merry way. P noticed he was not wearing a shirt, and proceeds to yell:

"Hey you are naked. Put your shirt on."

"Hey, man, did you hear me?"

"mommy, that man is naked." I explained it was hot and men sometimes exercise without their shirts. She yells:

"my mommy said it is okay you are naked. now run faster"

"faster, run faster"

"mommy, why won't he run faster?"

Then we pass him again. She sees him coming our way and promptly puts the lid down on her stroller and screams:

"there is that naked man again!"

He just smiled. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

sad

bubbies stopped nursing this week. I am sad. I am sad because I won't nurse another child, and my plan was to nurse him until he was two. I am also very sad that my boobs hurt so bad that I almost picked up package of hot dogs and put them on my breasts when I was grocery shopping.

Well, we had a good run. And, really, it is kind of a relief because he was SO rough. He was always pulling my hair, scratching me, biting me, pinching me (yes, my other nipple while he nursed...and it wasn't pleasant), rolling my skin...kicking, laughing, screaming, yanking my jewelry. It was quite time we gave it up - for my sanity. He is/was 17 months - 3 months longer than his sister.

The only reason I would try to keep him on the boob is so I could get some relief. Guess that is what red wine is for...

Oh the little things.

Not going to beat around the bush here, but having two children ages three and one is tough. Sometimes it is awesome, sometimes it is annoying, and sometimes I get short-tempered with them, but when it comes right down to it, it is the first thing I listed. Things that make it awesome include the fact that I gave birth to their unique little souls, and watching them grow and experience new things is like butter cream icing on a dark chocolate cake baked with chocolate chips. Then there are the other things that make it awesome...even if it is tough....

Things by P:

• I wanted to clean her face with "mommy spit." She says to me "don't touch me with that lick!" I thought she was being silly, so I tried again. She said the same thing. I was cracking up. She was serious. She ran from me. I ended up getting the washcloth.
• She was mad at me because she got in trouble for taking a toy away from her brother. She sobs, "YOU aren't my mommy!" I said, "who am I, then?" She says, "I don't know, but YOU aren't my mommy!"
• The way she only wants to wear dresses. I could put her in the cutest outfit with pants or shorts. It may stay on for a few hours but by the end of the day she is in a dress.
• Her princess shoes. The first pair deemed "princess" she peed in and I couldn't get the smell out, so we got a new pair. I was smart this time around. I ordered her current size and a size bigger. Now I will not run out of "princess" shoes. By the way, we have princess tennis shoes too, and they are the only tennis shoes she'll wear at this moment. She had the coolest pair of Stride Rite Superballs....we gave those away and she wasn't the least bit sad about it.
  
• Picky food eater. Now, this gets on my nerves. And, I swear she can smell a vegetable a mile away. She'll nibble on veggies and that makes me happy, but she won't eat a serving. I bought the second Sneaky Chef book to hide the good stuff. I haven't tried a ton of stuff out of the book, but I am working on it. I need to make room in my freezer for the purees so I have them quickly.
• She's a reader. I love how interested in books she is and that is rubbing off on baby brother. I am thinking preschool will be tremendously fun for her. I am putting her in at three just because of the kind of kid she is. If she seemed more immature and more interested in just playing I would have waited.
• She loves music and gets hooked on songs. Right now it is Spiders in the Kitchen by The Eels. It cracks me up. The only thing is, the song right after it stars off "It's a mother f$$ker," and sometimes I am not quick enough on the off button. oops.
• She just left for lunch with hubby and his buddies in her pink leotard and tutu completed with ballet slippers.

bubbies, or lately, E-baby:

• "Up" has officially been agreed upon as his first word. He babbles about other things and we can make out ball and milk...kind of.
• Smart. Seriously, I don't know if it is just because he is the second kid and has lots of examples and modeling, but he can do things I don't remember P doing at his age.
• Easy-going. I can wake him up from a nap, change his diaper, and throw him into the car. As long as he has something to drink he is happy.
• He smiles all the time, pretty much.
• His laugh is A dorable.
  
• He loves to be tickled.
• He loves to dance and does this arm pump thing with his left arm. I will have to upload it some day.
• He is a good eater. I have fed him so many different things and the only thing he doesn't really like so far is left-overs....same as his mom.
  

Three Sisters Garden

There is a community/student garden going in at my local elementary school called The Three Sisters-Settlers Garden. I am currently volunteering to do their PR and also to help prepare the garden for planting, helping plant seeds, and also garden maintenance and harvesting. This passed Saturday I worked hauling mulch, raking the mulch out in the beds, planting seeds, creating the Three Sisters mounds, and being the media contact for the local press that showed up. I haven't done media escorting in three years, and it was a lot of fun. It felt much more relaxing to do a media tour for a volunteer effort than it did when I got paid. I don't know why, because I feel just as vested in this community garden that is getting local press as I did for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show when I was doing national and international press. crazy.

Anyhow, I created their blog (http://threesistersgarden.wordpress.com/) and am trying to keep it updated, reached out to local television, print, and internet-based media and am getting a great turn out. On Saturday WSYX/ABC6 and This Week (coverage coming out June 4), which is a small weekly that covers the suburbs of Central Ohio. Next Saturday I am expecting more press...I hope!

Working on the garden I have met the most incredible people. I am so excited to get to learn about Local Matters and Urban Wild. Amy at Urban Wild is designing and implementing the new rain garden at COSI with plants native to Ohio. She is really cool and is a sustainable gardening expert. She said she'd come over and help me decide what to plant in my yard. I have learned so much from her already and feel so fortunate to have made her as a new friend.

Saturday I took P over when the press left. I didn't want to be talking to media and have to rassle my three at the same time...even though I knew P would be an angel. She is typically really good when it is just mommy and P. (Put bubbies in the mix and she gets a little needy and rambunctious because she knows she can get away with more when I have my hands full of bouncing, chubby baby.) She raked and helped water the mounds. Hubby walked bubbies over in the wagon. Hubby was really impressed with what we had done so far...and I am not surprised. The garden is impressive. I am going to be annoying and take each of my friends over who come for a visit to my house. I am just so proud of the work Brookside, Local Matters, and Urban Wild have done...and so excited to be a part of it.

Anyhow, here are a few pics from the day:

P helping spread mulch.

Mr. Monroe, principal of Brookside Elementary, being interviewed by WSYX/ABC 6

Candy Brooks, reporter for This Week, interviewing Blake Cullens. Blake was a very mature, well-spoken 6th grader.

P and bubbies playing in one section of the garden when the work day ended for volunteers.

Awakenings

I prefer to call milestones "awakenings." It makes more sense to me. It just seems as if when babies are born their brains are asleep and as they grow, it wakes up. For instance, when they learn they can see you and smile. There is finally a connection there that tells mommy "hey, I see you...finally....and I can do something that shows I am coherent." Rolling over, crawling or scooting, walking, eating on their own - all awakenings. It is so cool to see them figure those things out too - I love it when they wake up.

Currently for P, it is all about communicating effectively. She is starting to understand manners are manners because they get you somewhere. The latest on our list has been saying "excuse me" when you want someone's attention. She, being the egocentric 3 year old that she is, would just get louder and louder when she wanted your attention. It is still a work in progress...but, I am very proud of her when she remembers on her own. little sweetie.

This, though, was one of those awwwe moments. I was in her room getting her ready for bed. This was our conversation:

P: mommy?
me: yes, my love?
P: can you do me a favor??
me: of course, what would you like? (giggle, giggle, smile, awwwwe in my mind)
P: could you get me a glass of water?
me: yes!

I went downstairs just smiling to myself because she had never asked for a "favor" before. What is up with that? That part of my daughter's brain about communicating effectively is starting to stretch in bed. Now, I know the shades aren't up yet because she still screams and yells, but the alarm clock is going off for sure. She said that she was mad at me today because I was mad at her for dumping dog water all over the floor. She said that Ethan did it first and that I should put him in time -out and that is wasn't fair. WHAT? Who are you? Has my child been abducted and an alien child is using her body as a host? NOOOO. She is just growing up. :( No really, I am very happy about it and think it is uber cute most of the time.

Mother's Day

I have been a mother for 3 years, and it is still weird when I get a card or a gift on Mother's Day. This year hubby gave me beautiful flowers, some cash to go shopping for new clothes (what? tired of my ratty t-shirts and man pants?), and a lovely card. He said he didn't like the pre-arrangements and actually picked each flower out himself. Seriously? What a guy. Not sure what I did to deserve him!!

My mom and my sis-in-law gave me something "hinting" at something too. D gave me some Slimwear lotion that is supposed to reduce cellulite and my mom gave me a grilling basket for vegetables. hmmm..what are they trying to say?

This year we went out for a nice brunch at Confluence Park. We had table by the window so we could overlook the river and see the downtown skyline. The day was beautiful, so the view was lovely. After brunch we visited the cemetaries where my Grandmother W. and my Grandma B. are buried. We always leave flowers and visit the "greats" too. I love cemetaries. They are so peaceful and beautiful . Watching P and her cousie Annie run through the graveyard was very cute - and I think the actual feeling of quiet and sadness lifted. Almost as if the spirits were happy to see children run and play...I dunno, it was really cool. Grandmother W. is buried out in Reynoldsburg and Grandma B. is buried at Union Cemetary by Riverside Hospital. I always felt that Grandma B. was close when I had my two children - and I know that they both visited when I had them. But, that is another story, another day.

After we went to the cemetaries we went to mom and dad's to hang out and have a cookout. P and bubbies made Grammies a bird bath and got drenched when they filled it with water for her. I was thinking about making one for myself, but seeing how the children loved to play with it and play in the water, I think I'll wait until they are older. I would hate for it to break and then the wee ones get injured by sharp terra cota pot pieces.

Today I am tired. I wish I got a nap yesterday. :)

Happy Birthday Peyton!

My daughter is three years old. Three! She has changed so much each year that it is difficult to keep up with her. I am currently dealing with the fact that she wants to do everything herself and has a difficult time taking "direction." Me being the control freak that I am has a hard time letting her do her own thing and make her own decisions. I need to lighten up. I want to have fun with my evolving neanderthal, not be in a battle over wits or clubs. Hubby tells me that the art of offering choices is a study that should not be ignored. Friend Heather recently reminded me that being a "yes" parent makes life much easier and your child much happier. Mix the two together and I shouldn't have to face another time-out, right?! Well, I am currently practicing both mixed in with a little, or a lot of my own no's, stops, don't do thats, and not nows. Hopefully my recipe for discipline will turn out like a french silk pie and not a cowpie. Cross your fingers for my success in parenting a three year old.

It just is so baffling to me how much I need to change. It makes sense, I mean she is changing by the minute and I need to keep up and be sure I am doing the most I can for her at her developmental stage. For one, I don't have to be her only entertainment - she pretend plays and has fun by herself reading or playing, and that is hard for me because I like her needing me. I know she still needs me immensely, but it isn't the same. Since she is getting the hang of potty-training that is one more area where my help will be a memory....not so sad about that, but to think I'll never be changing Dora pull-ups again in the near future makes me tear up a bit.

Miss P is such a sweetie when it comes right down to it. I am very lucky to have her as my daughter. She holds a very special place in my heart that noone else will - and I will never give up the key. Her determination, imagination, intelligence, and kindess amaze me everyday. She loves her family, her friends, and her two stinky dogs. Everyday she HAS to wear princess shoes and a dress. Many times I have had to bribe her into thinking a shirt is a dress or into wearing a skirt because it is like a dress. She complains if I sneak veges into her quesdillas, but will munch on raw carrots and inhale broccoli like it is going out of style. I think it is the whole "what pleases me today attitude." Every little princess at three has it, I'm sure.

Happy Birthday Peytie-pants. Mommy loves you more than the use of her arms and legs.

bubbies is 15 Months Old!

I took bubbies to the pediatrician on May 4, but I am changing my post date to April 24 b/c that is when he actually turned 15 months.

He was such a good little boy at the doctor's office, and so was his sister. Poor little thing had to get a splinter removed from his hand and two shots, on in his arm and one in his leg. P asked lots of questions when bubbies was getting checked out. She HAD to know everything the doctor was doing. It was very cute. I immediately thought- OH, she wants to be a doctor when she grows up! hahaha! What am I, her mom?

Anyhow, he didn't roll into the 90 - 100th percentile for his weight this time. He actually ran into the 50th percentile for weight and the 90th for height. He is turning into his sister, long and lean. We'll see, though. Seems his chub factor is increasing lately. I like him chubby, so I am happy about the added rolls and ooey gooey belly.

Ethan's "Purple Crayon"

Givin' kisses

P lovin' bubbies

Yes, I told her to give her brother a kiss...but that was only after she did it herself. My two babes love each other, but P can also be very "mine-focused" and kind of mean to her little brother sometimes. I have to keep reminding her that he is just a little guy and she has to be careful. I am amazed at how well he takes it, and also sad that sometimes he gets the shaft. Sibling love/rivalry...I guess that is what it is all about. I think children act out of what they see from their role models (particularly me and hubby) and from their surroundings. Hubby and I try really hard not to have arguments in front of the kids, and we fail miserably, but we at least try. My parents didn't try. They fought all the time when I was growing up or said said mean things to each other on a pretty regular basis. I think that is part of the reason Paxton and I fought so much...our role models did it and that is what we thought we were supposed to do. That is part of the reason I really hate myself when I am angry and the kids have to deal with my anger. Last time I was totally pissed off I called my poor friend Susan and vented. She told me to see a therapist...hahaha! just joking.

I have seen other brother and sister pairs that either ignore each other or are so mean to each other that it makes you gasp. My children are not mean...they do some things that aren't nice, but all in all they are very loving and kind individuals. I feel fortunate that their true nature is beautiful and that their little mishaps are probably just because of their age...or they are pissed at mommy for a yet another time out (thank you P for testing the waters.). I am not surprised - hubby is one of the nicest people I know and he passed on some of those good genes...that is part of the reason I married him. He doesn't talk about people, he makes fun of them to their face, but he never talks about people in general. His thought is "there are people who talk about people, people who talk about things, and then people who talk about ideas. I want to be a person who talks about ideas." I admire that...and wish I could stop being such a fence hen. hahaah! But c'mon, Paula Abdul is a train wreck.

The Easter Bunny Came to Our House!!

Easter Bunny at our door

I was upstairs giving the kids a bath when I heard the doorbell ring. I thought it was just the girl scouts or one of our local high schoolers collecting for sports or what not, and thought hubby would just handle it. Well, hubby comes running up the stairs and says the kids HAVE to come down because the Easter Bunny was at the door. P, bubbies, and I just looked at him stunned as if we were thinking "yeah, right." He said he was serious so we wrapped the wet kids in towels and took them downstairs. The Easter Bunny was indeed at our door with the cutest little baskets full of candy and an Easter egg. How stinkin' cute. I love my neighborhood. We have such special people who are always doing something nice....such as dressing up in a bunny costume to deliver baskets to the kids.

P with the Easter baskets from the bunny

Hubby and I were laughing because bubbies is so different than P. bubbies inhales candy, and when P was his age she was playing with it because I told her candy was toys. My boy is far too smart to be outwitted when it comes to food. hahaha! So, they are both upstairs on a sugar high with their daddy.

bubbies dives right into the candy

P cracks me up

P has been cracking me up lately. I am starting to see some foreshadowing into her teens years, and I am not so sure I am ready for it! A few things that have me concerned:

1. The other day I saw her lounging out on her kitty chair with her feet propped up on the table. She was twisting her hair round and round with one hand and the other hand she was pretending to be on the phone.

2. She turned on the TV and a soap opera was on. I said I was going to change it and she said "nooo! I am watching this! Turn it up."

3. She answered my phone and had a conversation with my friend Stephanie....for like 5 minutes.

4. She yells at me like I am the child and she it the adult. "Pick up the toys, mommy. Be sure to put the dishes away! Don't eat your food if it is too hot!"

5. And, finally, this was what I found:

Our Garden

I am so excited about my garden and growing plants from seed this year. It is awesome mommy and P time to put together the little pods and then stick them in the windowsill. We are currently growing broccoli, tomatoes (grape and biggies), lavender, basil, lemon/lime basil, cilantro and marigolds for her fairy garden. I am planting seed out for carrots and spinach as soon as it warms up just a bit more - so probably later this week or this weekend. My thyme, oregano, and parsley came back - who knew! Hubby and I are deciding about another area of the yard. He wants to plant fruit bushes, but I want to grow squash. I think the fruit bushes would be fun, but I am concerned with thorns and bees. But, I guess I can just teach the kids to be careful. duh. Guess I best get researching on the best fruit to grow outside (thinking it will be berries in Ohio...yummy!)

The best part of gardening it doing it with P. She loves to help. She helped pick out seed, went with me to Beth's, who so kindly shared tomato, carrot, lavender, and butternut seed with me. She is a potager gardener and has done a ton of research on growing veggies. I like reading over her gardening blog for helpful suggestions: http://potagergardengirl.com/.

P also filled the pod pots, put the seed in the pots, and even sings to them and welcomes them to the morning. We love the Inch by Inch Garden Song and sing it to the plants so they know they are "loved." We are crazy, I know, but I think giving loving words to my plants will help them grow. Who doesn't like nice things said to them? I generally say "My your soil looks awfully rich today." or "How about a nice drink of the good stuff?" or "You are going to grow up to be HOT." You know, sweet nothings that make seeds grow.

The Garden Song

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Pulling weeds and pickin' stones
Man is made from dreams and bones
Feel the need to grow my own
'Cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain
To the music from the land

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Plant your rows straight and long
Thicker than with pray'r and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care
Old crow watchin' hungrily
From his perch in yonder tree
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there

Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless the seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
'Til the rain comes tumbling down

'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Lights! Camera! Action!

I just did a piece with WBNS 10TV on being a stay-at-home mom and why I decided to quit my job to do it. The segment came about through my cousin who is the PR guru at Ohio Health. I actually used to work with the producer who came to the house. She is a wonderful woman and totally reminded me of a younger version of my Aunt Millie.

I "prepped" my 2 yo by telling her that we were having guests who wanted to talk to us and take pictures of us. P was excited because I told her that there was a photographer coming with a really cool camera. I said we'd ask him to show us how it worked. When the producer and photographer arrived P was SO excited to see them. She couldn't wait to see the camera and she grabbed her camera to show the photographer. He seemed to really enjoy showing her the camera, how it worked, and just talk to her. I was so enamored by my little girl being so interested and so polite about it. She just smiled and looked and listened.

We went down to the play area for the interview. The kids were awesome. The baby was really good about staying out of the shot and not crying to be held. Both of my children were so well behaved, smiley, and welcoming to our guests. I was such a proud mommy.

I feel lucky to have had an experience like that because it is just another thing to expose my children to. Things like the interview and having the news at our home showed the kids another part of the world, and allowed them (and me) to meet new and interesting people. Plus, I just got P a digital camera. She steals mine all the time to take pics...and, she is a good little photographer! I wanted to get her a digital camera for Christmas, but with everything else I thought I'd wait until her birthday. Mainly because they aren't cheap! Well, I came across one on Craiglist that was in great condition...and only, get this...$10. I looked online for a similar camera and they were $60 - $130. This is probably the best deal I have ever taken advantage of in my life. Anyhow, meeting a "real live" photographer seemed to be so fitting given her interest in taking pictures.

We had fun and can't wait to see how we did! It is going to air in the 5pm news...since I worked in media relations for years I know that this is one of the more popular time slots. I hope I don't look like a jerk.

WHAT?!

Okay, all mommies have a case of "what did you say?" from one time to another just from sheer lack of understanding. Well, I had the doozie from my daughter today. This morning I was changing her diaper on her bed and bubbies was playing in her toy box. She screams "I want my cock."

I tried so hard not to look in complete horror at what she said. I calmly said "what do you want, honey?" She said again "I want my cock." Then it hit me - bubbies was playing with her plush Golden Macaw she got for Christmas. She was asking for her Macaw......I either am hard of hearing or have an extremely dirty mind.

no comments from the peanut gallery.

May Coco RIP

My mom called me crying yesterday. Their Shar Pei Coco took a turn for the worse and my dad had to take him to MedVet. They had to put him down. I am so sad.

I spoke with hubby because I don't know what to say to P. She loved "Cokie" so much and when I would say we are going to Grammies and Papa's house she immediatly would pipe up "AND COCO and PHEEBEEEEE?!!!" Coco always made her giggle and was always full of licks for her. That dog loved bubbies too. Never failed, first thing Coco would do was give a big floppy jawled drool lick to the baby's head. bubbies' head would be half dry, half wet the rest of the day.

My poor parents. They are so distraught. This is the third Shar Pei they have lost in ten years. Luckily, Phoebe is strong and will hopefully be around a lot longer. She is already nine and fighting cancer like a trooper. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the chemo keeps working!!



When I got home yesterday I gave lots of love to my two stinky dogs. I seriously don't know what I'd do without them. They are my two other children. I can't even think of them getting old and sick....just can't go there.

Let's fly a kite!

I took the kids Targeting in hopes of finding some fun outside toys. It is getting warmer here and I don't have much for them to play with in the backyard. Well...sticks, dirt and stones seem to keep them busy, but I really do hate that they both think taking the dirt out of my flower box is fun. I am afraid when I plant our veges this spring I'll have no dirt to put the plants in! Plus, we aren't cavemen.

In our toy search I saw a small area with kites. A KITE! Yes, that seemed like the perfect afternoon fun because it was a bit windy and warm enough to play outside for an extended period of time. Kites were cheap. I mean, I think I paid $6.99 for it. Of course, it is plastic and has giant Big Bird, Elmo and Cookie Monster faces on it, but it certainly does the job. I could have chosen Spider Man, the Power Rangers or Barbie...I opted for something that seemed to suit a 2.5 and a 1 year old, so Sesame Street it was. I went to Big Lots and found an even cheaper kite made by the same manufacturer - this time I chose Dora and it was $2.80 (I get a corporate discount since my hubby heads up their web department). They may be cheap and plastic, but man can they fly.

I loaded the kids up in the wagon and took a stroll to the school parking lot down the street. Great place because we reduced our risk of kite stuck in tree or kite melting on powerline. I unrolled the string and barely got the kite together before it flew up in the air. The wind was perfect. I handed the reigns to my daughter and she freaked out. I think the wind was a little strong and that kite seemed like it was going to lift her off the ground! As she was crying for me to take the string the boy decided to run off through the parking lot. For being no bigger than a minute, that kid can run...FAST! There I was trying to help P with the kite while chasing my son praying a car wouldn't come around the corner or that he wouldn't fall on the concrete.

Once I got a hold of the kite and the kid, both P and bubbies played in the wagon. I flew the kite and acted as if I was 12 again. I was giggling, cheering, oohing and ahhing at the kite flitting around in the air. I loved it. I can't wait to do it again!

My Mouth

I used to get in trouble for my loud mouth all the time at work. I was a really good, quiet student - felt I had to uphold that "AP" status by seeming demure and studious...not loud and obnoxious. College turned me - and now I am full of energy of the mouth. I was constantly being asked to quiet down at work - they'd say "your laugh is infectious, but keep the infection to yourself." I even got fired from a bakery I worked in because I talked too much. Now I find my mouthy medium online. Thank goodness for blogs and twitter and other social platforms such as Facebook. However, I have recently found out that what I have posted online has ended up on the local news. My mouth is obviously not quiet even when it is typed.

Channel 4 posted my comment to children and spas. It was read in their Live at 5 and I had no idea! Here is what I wrote:

"I am not surprised about a spa day for little ones, but I am surprised
that it is used for them to "relax." I would think it would be fun as a
birthday party or a special day with mommy, but because they have too
much stress? c-mon. Stick them outside to play for a while. :)"

Then on Channel 10 about the use of coupons...again no idea:

"I hate coupons. Hubby makes me get the Dispatch hoping I'll cut them, but I don't. I should, though. :)"

I think this is rather funny - and I thought my comments were funny when I wrote them.