Oops I did it again

So you know how I have a little problem with cutting my own hair?  And you know how every time I do it I swear that I'll never do it again?

I did it again.

And the horrible/awesome part is that I actually think I'm getting better.

Where Children Sleep

This weekend we finally took the crib out of Claire's room.  Now she just has her big girl bed and there's plenty of room to play and to have the rocker there. While we were rearranging I had this sudden urge that we would have to move when the baby came because we couldn't squish two kids into that room.

Then I saw this website documenting where children sleep.  Here's a sample.

There are also brief descriptions with each picture telling you how many people sleep in the space (7 in the above case) and it tells you of the children's hobbies and aspirations. Be forewarned that if you click through to that website you will 1) have your heart broken and 2) if you are from the US you will be horribly ashamed.

Dear internet, thanks for the gentle reminder that you can, in fact have two little children share a room.

Just a little overnighter

Friday the hubbs and I had this brilliant idea that he would leave work a couple of hours early and we would head to LA to spend the night.  We'd stay at a hotel using Marriot points and play in the pool, go to the aquarium and look at sharks, see what the LA beaches had to offer, enjoy a snow-cone or two and make it home in time for nap.

A couple of things we didn't consider.
1. LA traffic
2. Toddlers don't really like to sleep in hotels and after a night of non-sleep much of the trip would actually look a little more like this than the idyllic family vision that we had planned.

Found

Now, if you happen to run a successful magazine dedicated to having people send you things that they found which are meaningful and funny and touching then you might not be amazed to have the week that I've had but, if you're just an average person then this week has been pretty miraculous.

The hubbs found this tangled in a tree on Thursday.  I'm sorry to the people who lost it but please know that it has been on a camping trip, to church, to the gym and on basically every trip that we've been on for the last week.  Yesterday at the midpoint of our bike ride she turned to me and said, "play my balloon."

Yesterday was one of my greatest beach day for finds ever.  There was a whole slew of broken sand dollars (which were oddly all purple), huge muscle shells and whatever the curly thing is. It's hard and hallow and basically pretty amazing.

Not too shabby of a week so far eh?

I've got a new way to walk

You know those moms you see pushing their jogging strollers as they walk to the park or library-- their kid's legs dangling and kicking while they sing and play strapped into the stroller?

I'm not that mom anymore. I am the mom who uses her stroller as a glorified wheelbarrow.

When I told Claire I wanted to take a video of her on her bike this is what she did. Love that shoulder shake.

Today she biked nearly 2 miles. We were both tired and hungry by the end of our journey and crying (on one or both sides) may have ensued.

A bit of a blind spot

A couple of months ago I came home from an unsuccessful shopping trip.  I'd been looking for a new swimsuit for Claire (as can be seen by this picture when C wore her old suit to the gym hers was getting a little small).  

I explained to the hubbs that the only suits I could find had Dora or Disney princesses all over them which is why I came home empty handed.  

I'm just not into that (though clearly I have no problem with Paul Frank)

I don't know what it is about character clothing and shoes but I just can't do it.  I can't exactly put my finger on why, but it rubs me the wrong way--especially on someone so small.  I guess I feel like I'm signing my kid up to be a billboard but them I'm paying a premium for the privilege. 

But this isn't really a rant about clothes with characters.  This is about how on Monday after 2 successful trips to the potty I told Claire that if she wanted to keep going pee in the potty we could go get Dora underpants.  Her interest was peeked.  She talked about it all day, went pee in the potty and off we went.  I passed up the unmarked panties and we went right on to Dora.  She was thrilled.  She talks about them all the time. And when she wears them she spends all of her time in front of the mirror looking at herself and saying, "so cute."

It was the hubbs who pointed out that I seem to have no problem with Dora underpants if they're helping me accomplish what I want.  

He's right.  Turns out my strong opinion is only around when I'm not trying to be diaper free for at least a month before the new baby comes.

And the good news is, my blind spot has turned around to bite me.  Whenever she wears the Dora underpants she pees in them (usually she is in the bathroom looking at how cute she looks and forgets to go).  It's only when she's naked that she can remember to go to the potty.  So, as a good friend put it, the answer seems obvious.  

More naked time at our house.

ABC

Here's the newest blockbuster from our house.
A couple of gems to keep your eye open for:
1. I love the flattering view you get of me.  All pregnancy tummy and nothing else
2. I love the way Claire yells "mommy sing!" I hear it multiple times a day and every time she does it I think of Ursula calling to Ariel "Now Sing!"
3. I've revealed that there are lots of things about my parenting that I'm not proud of but this video highlights one thing I'm very proud of.  Claire feels that it's necessary to put on makeup every day and she thinks that every makeup session has to end with brushing your teeth and flossing.  You can see at the end of this session that she's still mid process of flossing.

Books For Parents who Actually Read to their Children

Several weeks ago (was it really months ago?...how time flies) you helped me make a list of the books that you read to your young children that they really love and that you don't mind reading.  I told you that I would compile the list and get it back to you. I didn't do it then but I'm making up for it by posting it now.  So, without further ado here is the list that you (as parents who read to their children) helped me compile.

It may not be pretty but it's informative.  Print it off and put it in your library bag.  We've been making our way through the list and Claire has loved every one of them. She still sometimes asks for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and the Freight Train book.

**don't be worried if your book didn't make the list.  I'm making a list for older kids too and some of your suggestions were geared toward the 4-6 year old range so I moved them to the other list.

Happy Mother's Day to Me

This year for Mother's Day I let the hubbs off the hook and ordered my own present.

I first discovered Wen products at my mom's house--a gift from my sister and after using them for a few days I was hooked.  When I looked them up online I was already sold and knew what I wanted but if I wouldn't have known for sure this picture of Chaz Dean (creator of the Wen line) would have absolutely sold me.

Though really, if I were to run into him on the street I don't think the first thing I'd think is, "that man has the most incredible hair I wonder what product he uses." I'd probably think, "dang, who does his eye makeup because it is amazing."

Seriously so Blessed

Lest you be tricked this post has nothing to do with the hysterical defunct blog of the same name and has everything to do with the most amazing thing that happened yesterday.  Right at the end of nap time my doorbell rang and at the door was a huge box of clothes for baby boys.

My friend Claire (who sadly, doesn't blog or I would send you to her blog right now because she is funny and smart) who has a girl the same age as my Claire and is also expecting a boy in August sent me a huge box of baby boy clothes because she has been over run with hand me downs.

Claire, thank you thank you thank you.  I cried when I opened it because you are just so thoughtful (and because these pregnancy hormones are just a little out of control).  In exchange for your thoughtfulness Claire and I are sending you and Ellie two of our new favorite games (which are homemade and one of which encourages eating candy, cold cereal, raisins and other things that are not very good for you). 

That's right.  Mother of the year helping other moms feed their children inappropriate things.

You can thank me later.

For those of you who want to play the same games with your kids you can download and print them here.  Claire and I love the "Head and Tail" section of this printable.  The other ones are too advanced for her but we'll get on to them soon.

And this has become our new favorite family game.  Claire doesn't really get it but she laughs and laughs whenever we play and never wants to stop.

Do you know what that is?

That's a little girl taking a nap in a big-girl bed.

The hubbs found the bed on Craigslist while we were gone and this weekend we borrowed a friend's truck and drove to pick it up.  Claire is thrilled.  She does have a little bit of a love/hate relationship with the bed right now though.  She naps easily in it but bedtime is another story.  Take last night for instance.

8:00 pm. Claire goes to sleep in her new bed
8:45 pm. Claire has been singing the whole time and cries out that she needs to go to sleep in her old bed
12:30 am. Claire wakes up screaming that she needs to be in her new bed.  Mom gets up and moves her to her new bed
1:30 am. Claire wakes up screaming that she needs to be in her old bed.  Mom gets up and moves her.
2:30 am. Claire wakes up and wants to get her her new bed.  Mom gets up and tells her tough luck.
7:15 am. Mom and Claire are both groggy and mom is very grouchy.

Somewhere in the middle of the night Claire also lots one of her passes.  This morning she found it in her play kitchen.

I don't even really want to know how it got there.

My mother-in-law asked me if I was sad that she was growing up and the honest answer is no.  I'm not.  I loved Claire as a baby but I  don't miss her as a baby.  There are women who love caring for babies and I'm just not one of them.  I get so much more joy from Claire as a toddler.  I love talking to her and listening to the funny things she says.  I love being able to do things with her that make us both laugh.

I'm only hoping that I will find as she ages that I will find that I get even more joy from school age children, teenagers and adults.

A weekend pick me up

You know what is not hot?
Maternity underwear

If you happen to also be wearing compression pantyhose because if you don't by the end of the day your ankles are like large sausages.  Dang

Now, add to that glorious image the fact that you are having so much back pain that you're plastered in icy-hot patches and leave a lingering scent of menthol when you leave the room.

And if you also happen to be having heart burn severe enough to necessitate carrying around a bottle of tums with you.  Man. Oh. Man.

You know what that is?

100% not hot.

It's a good thing the hubbs loves me and he loves babies and kids because nothing says "Friday Night" like a little o' that.

Dang

That was my little weekend gift to you--a reminder that no matter how you are feeling about yourself and your body it could always be worse.

D is for depressed

Claire and I just got home from Utah yesterday. While we were there we were just so busy.



You know, there were fish and ducks to feed, treats to eat, haircuts to get, aunts and uncles to see, parks to visit. You know, important, important things to do.

The only time I was ever in front of a computer was the day before we left when I had to print out our boarding passes.

It was lovely.

Dear Utah family,
We miss you already. All we did today was miss you and invent a game where you move magnetic letters by stepping on them so they stick to your sweaty feet. Come see us soon