5 Years

It's a big day. Billy doesn't get it. But if you're old enough to be reading this, then you understand.

5 years, one toddler and a geriatric dog...

Drawn In Thursdays

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A true story from this week. Misunderstanding of "strong".

April 23, 2013 ~ Buddy Boy

I'm asking for a bit of mojo for Buddy. He's moved on to the last phase of treatment for his cancer- stop all medication and wait to see if it comes back. Fingers crossed. We've made it cancer free since October, so here's hoping.

Lots of love to the Bud:

I have a riddle for you...

What do you get the next day after your toddler hasn't had enough sleep because they peed in the bed?

Grumpy Pants

April 22, 2013 ~ The 4am Break

<sarcasm font>

Last night Billy and I decided to take a break from sleeping to enjoy some quality time together at four in the morning.

It's so lovely to be able to wake up in the middle of the night to a crying child who's calling for you and discover a puddle where a bed should be. We got to play dress up and pick out new outfits to wear back to bed. Then we got to strip his bed and go on a scavenger hunt in the dark for all of the things that were hiding in the crib/around the crib.

We had some lovely cuddle time after the tears were put away. Alas, it had to end and we had to go back to bed.

</sarcasm font>

April 21, 2013 ~ Of Peeps and Pirates

Ever hosted an outdoor party... for kids? Ever done it in the pouring down rain? Now, I can say that I have.

I hosted a Peeps Roast for the neighborhood kids. It seemed like a great idea at the time. We have a fire dish and roasting sticks. The kids come over with their leftover Easter candy and voile! Instant awesomeness.

Well, that was the plan. Mother Nature intervened.

I never cancel a party sooner than 24 hours out. And 24 hours out the forecast was for a potential squall line to blow through town. But the timing was iffy, so I made the call to keep the party on and hope that the front would come on the earlier or later side.

The party started at 7 and so did the storm.

This was my "make it work" moment.

Daddy ruled out the fireplace or the kitchen stove. What to do? Fetch the camp stove. So, a bunch of families with little kids huddled on our covered porch around the camp stove on our coffee table and roasted peeps.

And in the end, the weather made it a different kind of fun. We had a great time, got the kids all wound up on burnt sugar and sent them out to run in the rain on a warm spring evening.

~

Springtime means that a favorite part of my city gets invaded by pirates. Who doesn't love pirates?

"Hey Billy, do you want to go see the pirates and the ships?"
"And the barmaids?"
"How do you know that word???"
"Because I like barmaids!"

Yes, that's a real conversation from this weekend. He doesn't know what a barmaid is. We still have no idea what he meant.

He also told us about the "apocalypse bus". Apparently, the four horsemen have traded in their trusty steeds for the more modern conveyance of the public bus. He was trying to say "public".

And then there's "shiver me neighbors!" We could NOT get him to say "timbers". Nope. He decided the appropriate pirate phrase included our neighbors. Argh!

On the way, and ready for pirates!

Checking out the parrots

The Pride of Baltimore II

He was absolutely terrified of the pirates. TERRIFIED. He was scared of the parrots, too. We tried to get him to pet one, but the best we could do was having the little blue one sit on Daddy's arm. Of course, he loved the ships. He really wanted to board them, but they had just closed for the day so they could prepare for battle.

"Mommy, pirates don't say 'argh.' Non of pirates said 'argh' today."

True, but they do say "argh!" But not when you tell them to "shiver me neighbors."

~

This is our new backyard (revamped, I should say) on a chilly Sunday morning:

The cold weather this week yielded our first crop- broccoli, which we enjoyed with some friends for dinner.

Daddy and Billy spent the morning laying new sod.

He was very excited about digging for worms- gloves required. He's still scared of touching bugs (and birds and pirates).

We ended the weekend with another Peeps Roast with Cub, this time over a grill. The boys got hyped up on marshmallows and then ran it off in Cub's back yard in the dark, despite the chilly air.

Peeps, then pirates, then Peeps. It was a busy weekend.

The Sunday Post ~ Eat Dessert First

I'm sure that you've heard the age old adage that you should eat dessert first because life is short. Seems indulgent, and while you've probably thought about it, I bet you rarely follow through.

But here's a thought: Serve your kids dessert first.

What! Whoa! That's crazy talk!

Think about it, though.

You fix a nice meal that your kids pick at while squirming, waiting for dessert. Then, after they're in a food coma, you pump them full of sugar just before bedtime.

So think about it.

Serve your kids a small scoop of ice cream before dinner. Maybe even while you're fixing dinner. It's the perfect opportunity to seem indulgent- but what you're really doing is indulging yourself. Because instead of a sugar induced pre-bed frenzy, your child eats dinner during the sugar rush and ends with the food coma.

Putting my kids to bed when they're already in a food coma? Whoa, that really is crazy talk!

The trick is portion control. Clearly, you still want them to eat a healthy meal. But there is room for both dessert and dinner in that little belly and the order doesn't really matter.

So switch it up. Life is short, after all. Your kids will think you're the best parent in the world.

April 18, 2013 ~ Why?

Billy, eat you dinner.
Why?

Mommy, can I go outside?
No, it's raining.
Why is it raining?

Mommy can I have a cupcake.
No.
Why?
We don't have any.
WHY???

Mommy, can we watch kitty cats?
No, we have to get ready for school.
Why?
Because it's a school day.
Why?
Because it's a school day.
But why?

Mommy, do parrots bite?
Yes.
Why?

Do alligators bite?
Yes.
Why?

Do dinosaurs bite?
Yes.
Why?

Mommy am I a baby?
No.
Why?
Because you grew up.
But why?

--- Conversations, all had in one twelve hour period. This is only the highlight reel.

Drawn In Thursdays!

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True story from this week.

April 17, 2013 ~ No Goodbye for Grandma

We were leaving Grandma's house and I asked Billy to give her a hug and say goodbye.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I know say goodbye Grandma!"

We tried and tried to get him to say it.

"Tell Grandma 'goodbye', honey."

"See you next week, Grandma! I no say goodbye."

Yes, he really said, "see you next week."

Then on the ride home he continued to tell me that he was NOT going to say goodbye to Grandma and NOT give her a hug. Until we were about half way home...

"Mommy! I didn't give Grandma a hug! I need give Grandma a hug! Turn back!"

"Sorry, honey. We're driving now. You'll just have to give her a hug next week." ;)

April 15, 2013 ~ In the Wake...

In the wake of today's tragedy (and let's not talk about that, since it's all anyone is talking about) it got me thinking.

They shut down the cell towers, blocking communication, closed the metro and I'm sure the streets- if not closed, were gridlock. I work downtown. Therefore, were something to happen in my town, God forbid, how would I get to Billy?

It's a new world we live in.

I need a plan. Daddy and I need a plan. And that plan needs to include how to get Billy from daycare and rendezvous some place safe.

Everyone should have a plan. If there's anything that tsunamis, earthquakes and bombings teach us is that we need to be prepared. I'm not talking doomsday prepper prepared.

Here's what my plan is going to consist of:

1.) getting in touch with Daddy and with daycare
2.) picking a rendezvous spot and meeting there, even if it takes hours for us all to arrive
3.) gather supplies in the event that we need to flee farther
4.) contact nearby relatives to check on their status

IF phone lines are down we need to know some of these details ahead of time.

Be prepared. Make a plan. I'm going to.

April 14, 2013 ~ Pink Toes

We've had more successful attempts at poop on the potty, and many unsuccessful attempts too. But this weekend Billy won himself a new garden shovel and the right to have pink toes. I'm resolved to buy some nail polish in a "boy" color so that he doesn't look quite so girly. Here are our matching toes, a la Billy's request. Buddy posed for us too.

National Cherry Blossom Festival, Continued...

It's impossible to write out a blog post on my phone, and it even doesn't post pictures correctly. My apologies for being behind again, but we've been absolutely swamped at work and I'm not able to keep up with things like eating and sleeping, much less a blog. Something's got to give.

Anyways, here is what happened at the festival:

This weekend we went to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in DC and to the Japanese Festival.

First, we went to the Japanese festival, which was in the streets between the Capitol and the White House. Literally, standing in the middle of the street looking one way I could see the dome of the Capitol and looking the other, the White House. Then looking around me- geishas, samurais and random anime characters. I didn't take any photos because it was as crowded as a mosh pit at a concert- no exaggeration. Hell to navigate with a stroller.

From there we wandered down the Mall past the Washington Monument.

After that we walked down to the Tidal Basin to look at the blossoms. It's very late for them to be blooming, but they were only just past their peak. We've had very cold weather.

We walked down to look at the Jefferson Memorial. I didn't take this pic of Billy looking up at Mr. Jefferson- my friend did, but it's an awesome pic. "Mommy, he's really tall..."

Billy's favorite part was seeing Mr. Jefferson in his "house". He also liked riding on the green train that wasn't green. (The metro on the green line).

He had a great time, but when I asked him what he liked best, he said the tigers. I think he liked the circus last weekend better than hanging out in DC with friends. That's ok. The tigers were really cool.

April 13, 2013 ~ Cherry Blossom Festival

Today we went to the cherry blossom festival. It was actually my first time. Here are some photos of the very well behaved Billy at the festival. More details to come.

Where Have I Been?

I realize it's been several days since I posted. It's also been several days since I got more than a nap or had more than five minutes to consume a meal. What's going on? Massive state contract at work. My assistant quit back in January and we don't have a replacement yet. So, I had to forfeit sleep and food to try to get everything done. That includes the blog.

Well, that also means I haven't been spending a lot of time with Billy.

So, I'll leave you with a picture of some eggs that Billy dyed for Easter. And yes, I just got around to throwing them out.

The Sunday Post ~ How to Camp With a Baby/Toddler Part 2

 Awhile back I wrote a quick summary of how to camp with a baby/toddler.

How to Camp With a Baby/Toddler

But what I didn't include was an actual list of things to bring. Since camping season is just about to start, here is the list that I use to pack for camping. This is just stuff for baby/toddler to be included with regular camping gear

Avoid milk. If you have to, get some individual milks. I usually take juice boxes too. I avoid sippys if I can. Camping stores sell scrubby brushes with soap built into them, but it requires potable water to wash with. I usually pack 2 per day (per kid) and bring home the gross ones to run through the dishwasher instead of cleaning on site.

Baby list:
# of diapers he uses per day + four extra per day
box of wipes (yes, a whole box)
a sheet saver to use as a changing pad
2 cloth diapers for whatever small person bodily fluid emergency
diaper rash ointment
SUNSCREEN!!!
wide-brimmed hat
fever medication (just in case)
any regular medication that baby/toddler takes
baby lotion
baby allergy medication
3 outfits per day
coat or sweater that is comfortable to sleep in
1 sleep outfit per night with long pants
2 summer blankets
1 heavy baby blanket
2 sheets for baby sleeping arrangement
baby pillow (if he/she uses one)
White noise machine
2-4 favorite luvies for crib
binkies
2 pairs of shoes
3 pairs of socks per day
3 baby bowls
6 baby spoons
2 sippy cups per day
1 plastic bib
baby shampoo
1 bath towel
3 wash clothes
2 swimsuits/swim shirts
1 bag of books (5-8) for bedtime or quiet time.
1 large bag of random toys
1 small bag of toys for car ride that he doesn't get outside of car
1 large blanket to play on
toothbrush
crib/pack'n'play (for sleeping and play
shade (either a shade tent or a tarp with rope to hang up. good to keep both sun and rain off)
stroller- bring one with a feeding tray if still an infant.



Food for baby/toddler:
bananas
animal crackers in gladware
cheerios in gladware
fruit loops in gladware
raisins
pb&js for lunch
grapes
yogurt bites (instead of yogurt)
arrowroot cookies (good for unhappy bellys) (gerber makes them)
precut cheese
juice boxes
water
already cooked peas (serve cold)
baby carrots
anything for you guys that they can eat too




If there is a swimming area:
1 bag of water toys/beach toys
1 swim towel
1 pair of sandals or water shoes
swim diapers


Bring a ball. A big ball. Glowsticks are awesome. Flashlights are fun. Make games out of what's there, like picking up sticks.

April 6, 2013 ~ Billy's First Circus

Do you know how expensive the circus is these days? Wow. We were going to take Billy, but between the shows all being at naptime/bedtime and the cost we decided to wait until next year. Then I got free tickets. Who can pass up free tickets? (Clearly not me).

We had a birthday party at lunchtime, so Billy went no nap on his way to the circus.

Here we are at the circus. In this photo you can see Billy's head, elephants and acrobats hanging from the ceiling.

Here's Billy in his seat:

If you ask him what his favorite part was he will tell you the elephants. Ok, elephants are really cool, especially elephants that do tricks.

(On a side note, I was not so happy to see the trainers using bull hooks and hitting the elephants. I had hoped the circus had evolved some. If you don't know what I'm referring to, read Water For Elephants.)

We got to see a very angry tiger almost eat her trainer. Yeah, that happened. My coworker speculates (he was there) that it may have been part of the act. Could be. But the other big cats in the ring were under control. Just not this one very angry Tiger.

I think one of Billy's favorite parts of the whole experience was sitting in a theater seat. They don't stay down unless you're sitting on them, and at a toddler weight, they don't stay down unless you're sitting on the very end of the seat. He found this fascinating and ended up sitting in my lap the whole time between wanting to push the seat up and down from my seat and because he couldn't see when it would squish him.

Despite going no nap he stayed up for the whole show and was so excited to see everything. He really liked the animals. There should have been more animal acts. He liked the 8 motorcycles in the cage of death and some parts with the clowns. Let's not forget the dragon at the end.

And I can assure, after all of that activity, he was passed out before our car ever left the parking garage on the way home.

April 4, 2013 ~ Little Red Umbrella

Last weekend, Billy had multiple successful uses of the potty, so as a reward we went to the toy store to buy some toys and to buy some in reserve for future successful attempts.

His chosen toy? Was it a toy gun? A train? A stuffed animal? Something with batteries?

No, it was an umbrella.

There was a rack of umbrellas in the little girls' section (apparently boys don't need umbrellas). Most were pretty princess parasols, but they also had a bumble bee and a ladybug umbrella. He got to pick between the two and opted for the ladybug.

This is no ordinary umbrella. It's his new favorite thing. It goes everywhere with him. He takes it to bed with him. He takes it to the potty with him.

Sometimes he walks with it like a cane. Sometimes he does tricks with it- flipping it over his shoulder and swirling it around. Sometimes, he plays golf with it, or baseball. But whatever it's purpose for the moment, it's always with him.

"When's it going to rain, Mommy?" he keeps asking me.

Maybe one day he'll get to use it for its intended purpose.

Drawn In Thursdays: Mysteries of the Toddlerverse #2

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A true story from this week. This is what happens when Billy gets his very own umbrella.

How I Explained Easter to a Two Year Old

Easter is a tough concept to grasp.

You've got this guy. He lived a long time ago. But he lives perpetually. On Good Friday he dies. Then on Easter he rises into Heaven to go hang out with God, the Holy Ghost and all of the angels and Saints.

Some of my more tongue-in-cheek friends refer to it as Zombie Jesus Day.

But how to explain it to someone that has no concept of religion?

Here's my version of the story (for toddlers):

There's a guy named Jesus. He has a house. We call it Church. Church is Jesus' house. Jesus has a big booboo. He's really sick. So we're all going to pray really hard for him. And if we pray hard enough he'll be all better and we'll all start singing.

Well, that was the best I could do.

How would you explain this particular religious mystery to a toddler?

P.S. I left out the reference to Ishtar and fertility rites and other sources of Easter traditions. Probably not that best topic for a two year old.

Easter Monday 2013

Again, daycare was closed.

We started our morning with an egg hunt.

Just Billy this time. The Easter bunny hid plastic eggs with candy and coins in them in our back yard. We got home too late for him to hunt on Easter, so we hunted the next day. Also, it was terribly rainy on Easter. Good thing the Easter Bunny came back Monday morning to hide all of those eggs for him. It was nice and sunny then.

He had a great time being able to hunt for the eggs that were easily hidden around the backyard. There was no rush and he found all of the eggs. He might have had a little bit of help...

Then it was time to empty the eggs. He got lots of candy in suspicious orange and black and red and green (shh! don't tell!) He also got some coins, which he put in his piggy bank. These were the very first coins to go into the bank. Lucky Billy.

After nap Grandma popped over for a visit. He got to show off his bounty.

Then it was off to the toy store to purchase another poop prize. Yep, more poop in the potty! He picked out an umbrella. He also got a garden shovel and Candyland- both being held in reserve for more poop. He's also already picked out a toy kitchen for his birthday. I'm hoping he forgets by then!

~

PS- I totally forgot to mention that yesterday during the family egg hunt Billy won two prizes. He got almost nearly the most eggs (3rd place) with 13 eggs and he got the $1000 dollar egg- for which he got a real 1000 bill- from the African country Guyana (worth 4.50 US). I think it's awesome. He will too in a few years.