photo story friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This week Abby attended gymnastics camp, leaving me with just my baby girl. We did not do anything big or exciting, but I really enjoyed this chance to just sit back and watch my youngest daughter. She is so simple and so happy. She is easily entertained and very friendly with everyone she meets.

Since big sister got to go to camp, it seemed only fair that little sister get a few treats too. These treats included orange playdoh, an Ariel Mermaid ball, rides on the mall merry-go-round and of course some special snacks.

I just had to take out my camera and get a few shots of her eating this bagel. She looked so adorable eating up all of the cream cheese with her little red nails, barely tall enough to reach the table.

summer is kicking my ass

The weather has been hot, hot hot. I have washed more bathing suits, dirty faces and sandy butts than I care to count. I have applied more sunscreen, kissed more boo-boos and endured more tantrums than I care to count. I have sunburned myself, repeatedly. At this very moment my ankle is swollen up like a melon after being attacked by green flies while leaving the beach yesterday.

Summer is kicking my ass.

Yet, somehow this summer has also been one of the best summers of my life and I am in no hurry for it to end.

Our recent vacation, after getting off to a rough start, actually ended up being one of the most relaxing that I can remember since Abby was born. The overcast mornings were perfect for sleeping in. Daddy took the girls on coffee runs and spoiled them with treats every chance he got. The sunny afternoons were perfect for playing in the sand and splashing in the water. The sunsets were beautiful and a movie before bed became a nightly treat. Timeouts were non-existent. Patience was restored.

Back home, we seem to continue on in vacation mode. With Abby off at camp in the mornings, my baby girl and I have gotten to spend some special time together. Afternoons are spent with friends at the beach or the backyard pool. Time outs are still non-existent. I am still patient.

This afternoon, my two very overtired girls are taking extra long naps. I am tired too, but the good kind of tired. Tired from the beach and the sun. Tired from going and doing. Tired from all the fun of summer with two little girls.

These are pretty good times, bugs, tantrums and sandy bums included.

first ice cream cone

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Claire is certainly no stranger to ice cream, but this week Daddy treated her to her first ice cream cone.

I would say she liked it.

Wordless Wednesday

a perfect way to end the day

Photoshop Note: I corrected the exposure on the sunset portion of this picture by following the instructions in the fabulous Photojojo tutorial Find Detail in Your Photos That You thought Was Lost...in Five minutes or Less. I was able to select the bright portion of the picture based on color range (genius!) and then adjust the levels of just that portion of the picture. A huge improvement in just minutes!

there is no vacation from this job

I look forward to weekends and vacations, but the crushing reality is that these times with two young children are no different than every other day as a stay at home mother.

The kids wake up early. They are in constant motion. Even when they play with each other, there is a steam of demands, questions and requests the must be dealt with. Where is my seahorse toy? Can you read this? Can you put this in my hair? Can you put on this dress, mommy, please, please, please? Mom, Claire did ___! I poopy Mommy! I hungry! I thirsty! Look at me Mommy, look at me! I WAAANNT ARIIEEELL! WAHHHAAA!! Can I fly on a rocket to space, mommy, please, please, please?

The need isn't the same as when they were little babies. It is easier but it is also harder. It is constant. It is loud. It is often mind numbingly boring.

Recently as I applied eyeliner to my second eye, Abby sternly informed Claire that there was a line and she was first so Claire would have to wait. A line formed as I attempted to apply eyeliner to not one but two eyes.

I can not have a full conversation without being interrupted, without having one ear on what they are doing. I cannot finish a cup of tea without being interrupted. I cannot think something without being interrupted. Even my thoughts are not my own. I cannot get lost in thought because after an average of two minutes someone will loudly be demanding something.

Anything I might want to do- read, write, spend time with my husband, watch TV that is not PBS- gets crammed into the few short hours at night when I am tired and should be sleeping. I stay up too late. My head aches. But what am I supposed to do- go five years without writing or reading or thinking?

Yesterday we packed up and headed for a week of family vacation on the Cape. After a day of packing and driving and then a small incident with the house keys, we finally arrived at 10:30 last night. We tucked the girls into their waiting beds and went about the business of unpacking and organizing.

This morning I was awoken by the girls at 6:30. I will watch them yell and play and argue for a few of hours. My husband will try to sleep though the racket. Tomorrow it will be my turn.

Next I will go food shopping, because even on vacation kids need their regular meals and snacks. A diet of beer and chips just doesn't cut it anymore. Then I will fill out the paper work and go get a beach sticker. I will prepare food and clean up food and try to fit in a shower and pray for naps, just like every other day.

It will get better. I am sure I will be back in a few days with wonderful stories and pictures, because really we are so lucky two be here, the four of us together and healthy. We are in a house with million dollar views of the ocean and a room just for my kids. It is stocked with organic foods, wine, chocolate and my kid's favorite snacks. It has high speed Internet, cable TV with DVR and baskets of toys for my kids. What more do I want? What is wrong with me?

I am lucky. So lucky in so many ways. I know this.

I know these are the days I will want to remember. And soon the caffeine will work it's magic and I will catch a glimpse of my daughters doing something sweet and it will warm my heart.

But this morning, this very first morning of our vacation I am sitting here snapping at my already very overtired kids as they fight over who knows what, my head is aching and my eyes are filled with tears of bitter disappointment. There is no vacation from this job. Sometimes that just sucks, especially at 6:30 in the morning.

wound care- what not to do

Lately I have been bragging about what a relaxed parent I am becoming- I allow TV, I am laid back about schedules, I do not force milk drinking. In fact just yesterday I posted a picture of my two year old's dirty face and wrote about how proud I was of that dirty face.

Great, right? Sure, until I found myself having this conversation with the nurse at our pediatrician's office this morning...

Nurse: So why is Claire here today?

Me: She has a cut on her leg that does not look so good.

Nurse: Okay, when did she get this cut?

Me: ...umm, a few days... no, it must be, I think it was about a week ago... (silently cursing myself for not working out the answer to this obvious question before hand, then growing even more mortified as I realized that the cut was in fact a week old)

Nurse: And you have been washing it and changing the band-aid regularly?

Me: Well, er, no, that is kind of the problem.


You see, a week ago Claire got a scrape on her leg. Not a huge gash, but enough blood to earn lots of mommy kisses and a special Ariel band-aid. One of the fancy, super sticky, waterproof ones.

No big deal right? Right.

Which is why I more or less forgot about it as we went about our activities for the week. The band-aid got soaked in salt water, covered in sand, coated with melted ice cream, dragged through the dirt and then bathed each night. Though it all it remained firmly in place. The picture got a bit blurred when I coated it with sunscreen, but Claire still knew it was Ariel so all was well.

That is until yesterday when Claire mentioned that her boo-boo was ouchy. I took off the band-aid and discovered that the entire area under the band-aid was puffy, red and very angry looking.

When antibiotic ointment and a fresh bandage did nothing to reduce the redness it was off to the doctor.

Luckily there was no infection, just an angry rash that I was instructed to keep clean and bandage free.

Right, keep kid clean and do not leave disgustingly dirty band-aid on for a week. Actually take proper care of kid. Got it.

Good thing they don't read my blog.

photo story friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I used to work hard to keep my kids presentable. I wiped and washed and even changed outfits regularly.

Then I came to love dirty faces. To me a dirty face at the end of a summer day signifies a day well lived. Fully lived. Lived so fully that there was no time to clean up.

This adorable face is pretty typical of what my husband comes home to at the end of each day. It is a combination of orange playdoh (her favorite color), popsicle and good old fashion dirt.

wordless wednesday

Candy

Those of you reading serious thought provoking novels, laugh all you want. This is my summer reading and I am proud of it. Giddy with excitement even.

Now all I need to do is find a way to ditch the kids for a week...



More Wordless Wednesday

three girls go shopping

I have been avoiding it since school ended- a morning of running errands with both children. With a loud whiny, impatient four year old and a fussy, irrational two year old. One child I can handle. Preferably the little one. But two together? On a sunny day with temperatures approaching 90 degrees? Uuugh.

Since school ended I have managed to get my errands done while someone is home to watch at least one of the girls. Or I have just skipped town, avoiding shopping and cooking altogether.

But today was my day of reckoning. Our supply Pampers was low. We were in desperate need of food. A birthday party appeared on the calendar out of nowhere and a present was needed.

The whining and the threats began before we even left the house. No treats! We won't even go to the party! (how I would love to actually follow through on that one)

In the car, I encouraged Abby to think about what this friend of hers might like for her birthday. What are her favorite things? What does she like to play with? What did she bring for show and tell?

The result of this attempt to think about others? Abby concluded that she herself needed a new princess doll and that the best way to get that princess doll would be to begin whining and begging immediately, before we even got to the store, before we even saw what dolls they had, before it was even physically possible for me to buy her a doll to stop her awful whining even if I wanted to.

Finally we arrived and I made my way around the store, with at least one child crying or fussing at all times.


Buy me something!


I need that!


I no want go this way!! I want go that way!!!


I silently filled the cart with what I hoped would be enough deodorant, tampons and Pampers to last us the rest of the summer. Things hit a fever pitch when it came time to select the present. We (they) barely made it out alive.

The food store went slightly better, only because I agreed up front to the purchase of goldfish and a pack of gum in exchange for decent behavior. One box of pasta thrown from the cart and one episode of screaming hysterics over a stubbed toe qualifies as decent behavior in case you are wondering.

Two hours and $250 later, we made it home.

Remember when shopping used to be fun? Relaxing even?

weekly winners july 6 - 12

A week filled with summer fun...










See more Weekly Winners over at Sarcastic Mom

photo story friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I have been eagerly waiting for the day when I could teach Abby how to ride waves. As a kid, it was one of my favorite parts of the summer. I have vivid memories of the cold salty water, the thrill of catching a wave at the perfect time and the excitement of speeding towards the shore. Being a beach lover and a thrill seeker, I knew Abby would love it too.

However, Abby is not an easy child to teach. She likes to do things her own way. She likes to be the leader. She has little patience for failure or practice. On our last trip to the beach, she insisted on "surfing" against the waves rather than with the waves and then she had a meltdown because she was not the first one out of the ocean. Good times.

But today was the day. Today, she did it. Today she learned to ride the waves. And once she got it, there was no getting her out of the water. She literally spent hours splashing and riding. It was like I was watching myself as a kid.

living life with the intensity of a thousand suns

My daughter, she lives life with the intensity of a thousand suns. Every request, every observation, every idea must be expressed immediatly and dramitically. Every plan must be acted on immediatly. Any obstacles to completing said plan must be removed immediatly.

Wait a minute. Patience. These phrases have no place in this girl's world.

It. Is. Exhusting.

And now she has found a new favorite word. WHY. Suddenly she most know all about how everything works.

Couple this with her already intense way of living and you get something like this:

Can I have a peanut butter sandwich for lunch? Okay, here is the bread mommy. Here mommy, HERE. Is the bread moldy mommy? Why does bread get moldy? What is mold? Is it like a mole? 'cause I like moles. Can I spread the peanut butter? Please? Please? ... I can't do it. You do it mommy. YOU DO IT. YOU DO IT. I want it cut like a pumpkin (waves pumpkin cookie cutter). Okay? OKAY? What makes the bread mommy? What, Mommy what?

... brief pause while sandwich is consumed...

Does the clock at the library ding dong at midnight? I think it does because the one in my Barbie movie does?

Mommy, does snow make ice? (it is July, it is 80 degrees out) Do you remember that time it snowed? Do you remember mommy? And Daddy made a snow ball? ... What makes wind mommy? You know when the leaves make noise? I don't like that. It is scarey....

And then there are the really fun questions:

Why do you wear a bra?

Why does Daddy squeeze out his pee? I saw it once?

My head aches. My ears ache. Sometimes I call my mother and put Abby on just to give my ears a break.

And my parents? They understand. In fact I am pretty sure they hang up the phone in their quiet house by the sea and just laugh and laugh.

You see, I have heard that they once had a little girl just like this. And no, I do not have a sister.

works for me wednesday- toddler photography tip

Having trouble getting a nice shot of your little one because they refuse to just sit still, look at the camera and smile?

Try having your little darling stand in a bucket of water:




It is fun. It is refreshing. It can be positioned in a spot in your yard with a nice background and good light (shade or muted sun on an overcast day). And the best part? Your subject can't run away.

Then, as your little darling happily jumps and splashes, take some nice close ups of her authentic (instead of forced) smiles:

Yes, I need to photoshop out that annoying piece of hair (grrr) but overall I really like these shots. And no yelling, frustration or bribery needed. Works for me!

More Works for Me Wednesday

give a girl a water balloon

At the beginning of the summer, I stashed away a bag of summer treats. Fun and novel things I can break out as needed to add some excitement to a boring afternoon.

Today's treat? Water balloons.

Anticipating lots of wet water balloon fun, I put both girls in their bathing suits and got to work filling water balloons.

Then I got out my camera to capture all of the splashing, squealing fun.

Instead I got this:

Then this:


And this:


Clearly they were missing the point of water balloon fun, so I threw one at Abby. Surely once she saw saw the splat, once she saw the fun to be had, there would be some sort of water balloon fight?

No, there was just crying because I broke her balloon.

I am pretty sure this would have gone differently with boys.

the new summer routine

I am one of those moms that likes routine. When my first born was a baby her sleep time was so precious that I would turn down invitations that interfered with her nap time. Nap time, snack time, meal time, bedtime. I liked to keep things predictable. I liked to keep bedtime early. I was a big fan of books like Baby Wise and Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child.

With the addition of a second baby, things got a bit more relaxed but mealtimes, nap times and bedtime remained pretty constant. Sleep is important, I told myself. Routine is important, I told myself.

Until now.

Suddenly we are outside, the girls filthy, sweaty and happy, until the sun sets. Our backyard has become our little fenced in oasis. The girls run and play, making all kinds of 'stews' up in their tree house as I read, garden or grill up dinner. They occasionally stop to eat and then float off to continue their play.

They catch bugs. They pretend they are puppies and chase each other. They make up songs.

"Catch us!" they shout, and I come sit at the end of the slide as they take turns cheering and sliding into my arms. No one notices that it is 8pm. No one notices that the regular 6pm bath time is long past.

With no preschool schedule to follow we pretty much make up our days as we go. It is hot? Let's head over to the beach. Want to watch a movie? Why not. Tired because you are two years old and you have not had a nap in a few days? Sure, I will bring you to your crib.

Our weekends are filled with swimming, cookouts, parades and fireworks. All the best of childhood summer fun. No more worries over missed naps or late bedtimes.

Strangely, I find that this suits us. The girls have adjusted to their later bed time and increased activity by sleeping later. Our days begin hours after my hard working husband has left for work at 6 am.

I am more relaxed. I am more often the kind of mother I want to be.

It would seem that four and a half years into this motherhood gig, I have finally discovered the magic of summer. Apparently all I needed to do was let myself relax.

weekly winners june 29 - july 5

happy claire

my blue eyed girl (100% natural, no photoshop magic)



wrinkles and all



where the milk comes from



Fourth of July Peek-a-Boo

hydrangea

See more weekly winners over at Sarcastic Mom

where I am supposed to be

As we left the library today, a much older couple happened to be walking down the street. Claire, of course, had to stop and pick some weeds. The couple smiled brightly at the sight of her. Then they stopped and watched her, talking to each other, perhaps remembering a similar moment with a child, a grandchild or maybe even a great grandchild.

So I stopped too. And I saw what they saw. Instead of a toddler that needed to hurry the heck up, I saw a beautiful little girl in a blue dress picking weeds in the summer sun.

Then the church bells rang out. Except they were not the regular church bells, they were for the funeral we had passed on the way over.

All of a sudden I was completely overwhelmed by all that I have to be thankful for in my life. My two beautiful, healthy girls. My ability to be with them, to watch them and enjoy them in the most ordinary of moments.

I wiped the tears from my eyes as they climbed in the car and we headed home. All the other stuff - the outrageous amount of money spent filling the car with gas, the bickering over who likes Ariel Mermaid the most, a certain someone waking up her sister at nap time, the countless needs and chores that followed, none of it could touch the happiness I felt for the rest of the day.

None of it could touch the joy I found just being with my girls as they ate and laughed and played.

There are days when I doubt my decision to give up my career, to give up financial stability, to give up all the opportunities that women before me have worked for, so I can spend all day every day changing diapers, keeping house and taking orders from pint sized people.

Today I have no doubts. I am where I am supposed to be.