Sunday, March 30, 2008
For My May 06 Mommies
DEFINITELY A FUNNY NOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Introducing a Funny Nose Knows
A Funny Nose Knows [#1]
How it makes him feel.
When the kids are pushing and pedaling their numerous vehicles around, Utah (our rotty) chases them. Sometimes they are amused, sometimes they are not. One day last week, Jake was riding his bike up and down the sidewalk on the side of the house and Utah got a little close, apparently knocking him over. It happens. Once Jake got over the small raspberry on his knee, he began riding his bike again but suddenly appeared on the back patio where Joe and I were with Jadyn on the swingset. Jake had a particularly sour look on his face so Joe asked him what was wrong to which he replied, "Utah made me grumpy". We couldn't help but laugh.
A Funny Nose Knows [#2]
Her colors.
Okay so not really. Although we are making some progress. At least everything is no longer green or yellow. She does now know blue and purple. But for awhile I would color coordinate the kids bowls and cups - the blue and green would generally go to Jake and the purple and pink would generally go to Jadyn. The sippy cups are definitely meant to be gender specific. The cups have pink flowers for the girls and blue trucks for the boys. The bowls are just random solid colored bowls. The reality is it is just an easy way to keep track of whose cup is whose. Occasionally I would get distracted and hand Jake a pink flowered cup that belonged to Jadyn to which he would reply, "Mom, you picked the wrong one. That's silly!". So the other day, I am serving Jadyn a bowl of lemon yogurt and place it in a green bowl and sit it in front of her. Gee. Guess what she tells me. "Mom, You pick wrong one. That's silly!" How do I argue with a 22-month old headstrong little girl about the color of her bowl and how it is perfectly fine for her to eat her yogurt out of a green bowl? I guess I should be more cautious about what I start. I am inflicting unnecessary gender stereotypes upon my children. Whatever shall I do?
Friday, March 28, 2008
Movie Magic
He really enjoyed it. The popcorn and Skittles didn't hurt. We just recently added that one to our DVD collection and both kids actually really enjoy it.
Yesterday, I took Jake to see the CG animated version of Dr. Suess's Horton Hears a Who.
I have never heard so many kids laughing in a movie theater. It was really well done. A lot of humor for adults too. Jake liked it, although at times I think he laughed more so because other kids were laughing but he did make it through the entire movie. The real kicker though was that we saw a preview for the live action movie of the animated classic cartoon Speed Racer.
I almost fell out of my seat laughing when I saw the beginning of the trailer. THAT IS GOING TO BE JAKE. When the preview was over, Jake looked over at me, eyes opened wide and said, "Whoa Mom! That was cool!" I think he was a little disappointed that we were not seeing that movie but in the end he did like Horton Hears a Who. And so the love affair with the big screen begins.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wildflowers
I am Speed
So the cop comes back to give me the ticket and seriously you are not going to believe this but Jake tells him, "Mommy was not going too fast!". You know one would think it was at least a little cute, maybe funny enough to crack a smile, maybe even let me off with a warning. But no. I have to get the cop without a sense of humor. Maybe he does not like kids. Anyway, there was just a brief glance in Jake's direction and that was it. "Here is your ticket mam. Drive safely".
So we get on our way and I tell Jake, " I am speed" trying to lighten the mood because honestly he was a little upset that he was going to be late for school. To this he replied, "No mom, Lightning McQueen is Speed". Of course he is right. That is the catch phrase of the main character from the movie "Cars". The movie that started his whole obsession with race cars to begin with. And for now, I think mommy will be anything BUT speed. I had better slow down.
Mommy Brain
With the weather warming up I decided to put the kids in short-sleeved PJs the other night. Jake immediately picked out a pair with race cars on it from last year. Problem was the pants were not hung up with the shirt. Hmmm I thought. Somehow, they must have ended up in the give away pile with other hand me downs. So I go through the trouble to bother my sister in-law who has a newborn and toddler of her own and ask her to please be on the lookout for the said pajama bottoms the next time she goes through the clothes I sent her for our nephew. The next day I find the pajama bottoms in question at the bottom of our hamper. It suddenly dawned on me that last week Jake had had his first middle of the night accident since with the warmer weather, he has been drinking more liquids. In my half awake stupor, I had grabbed the first pair of available pajama bottoms and apparently completely forgotten about it, even after seeing them missing from the said shirt a mere 5 days later. How could not remember that??? But wait it gets better. I take a shower yesterday, which is our usual routine. I lock the kids in our bedroom with an episode of Dora or Diego and a bowl full of Cheerios and leave our bathroom door open for me to supervise them. For some reason they were not behaving and I was rushed. I get out of the shower and come to realize I had only shaved one leg!!! Come on people. I really want my brain back.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
From Luck of the Irish to Easter Sunday in 7 Days
At home, we took a few more pictures before heading out to music class:
And then while Daddy made dinner, we worked on a couple of crafts we still had for the green holiday:
Jake had made this hat in school the week before:
Stay with us folks - that's only Monday!!! Of course, Tuesday was our big trip to Sears for professional pictures. We all know how that turned out (good right?). Wednesday our super group of mommies and kiddos got together to celebrate all things spring for a small but festive Easter egg hunt at the local park on base. Jake is starting to get to an age where he remembers things from the year before so he dove right in and was immediately excited to hunt for eggs:
This is Jadyn's friend Aden. Like her other friend Skylar, she knows Aden not just from one activity but from several - YMCA, Kindermusik and playgroup. So see, I am not the only mom who likes to keep her little ones social calendar full.
Okay, I do not know what Jake was doing with his shirt in the background, flashing someone his bellybutton?
Friday was supposed to be a day of rest but of course Jake's Scholastic book order did not arrive until then so I had to make the trek to his school to pick it up (because the books were for their Easter baskets, which by the way they both love the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If you Give a Pig a Pancake" series now). This lead to a trip to Wal-Mart for a few last minute goodies and during the mayheim that inevitably ensues when you are checking out of a busy store with two kids, I got distracted and left my wallet at the checkout. Yikes! Of course I did not actually realize this until much later that evening. Once I realized it and retraced my steps, I called Wal-Mart who was able to ensure me that they had procured the said wallet and had it stored safely in the cash box. Phew! Diaster diverted.
Saturday evening we dyed Easter eggs. Boy was that a 3-ring circus. I was atually trying to dye eggs myself as I had gotten a glitter egg dying kit:
So the kids (namely Jadyn) went to town, putting eggs in every bowl and then when they ran out of available bowls, they just put more eggs in the same bowl. At one point I am pretty sure Jadyn had 3 or 4 eggs in the pink dye.
Then on a whim, she decided to taste test the pink dye, which I had put vinegar in for color vibrancy. Yummy! By the time we were through, you literally could have swam on the table they were dying eggs on. Here they are posing with the finished results Jadyn was peeling all the eggs because she thought there was chocolate inside:
I am determined next year to dye eggs the Friday before Easter because I spent a fair amount of time scrubbing their hands, chins and yes tummies (it soaked through their shirts) to remove all the dye for fear it would still be there on Easter morning.
So finally we arrive to Easter Sunday. I was so excited to have the kids wake up and wade through their Easter baskets full of goodies - Jake got some new hot wheels, including a couple that pop open when you crash them and a new game for his handheld Leapster. Jadyn got a little purse with wallet and fake credit cards (so she can stop playing with Mommy's) and an Elmo doll that you feed and burb. Like I said it was more like Christmas and I know I went overboard. I will have to speak to the Easter bunny before next year especially with it being so close to their birthdays.They also got some new Color Explosion markers and paper and the aforementioned books.
After getting ready we drove to Joe's Grandma's to have Easter brunch. My favorite holiday meal complete with carnitas and chicken, "garbage", fresh avocado, tortillas, fresh fruit salad and mexican pastry bread. Joe's sister and her family were there with their newest addition as well as the rest of Joe's family.
After eating, we immediately retreated to the garden for the annual easter egg hunt where the kids gathered candy and coin containing eggs and other assorted trinkets to add to their ever growing collection. By the time we were through, the kids were quite tired. It had been a long and eventful day full of good food and good company and we just feel so incredibly blessed. I like Christmas but I love Easter. There is just something about the spring and its symbolisim of rebirth that awakes ones spirit. And let's face it - the clothes are cuter. Speaking of which, Leigh and I both had on the same dress. Not planned, we both just have really good taste. LOL!
Jake with cousin Aliyah. They always have so much fun together.
Dadddy helping Jadyn with the easter egg hunt:
Jake needing no help at all:
Racing the rocks:
Playing amongst the poppies:
Family photo:
At home, one final shot of me and Jake:
Hope everyone had a nice Easter!
***ETA: That was not a typo. Garbage is a garnish similar to pico de gallo with lots of cilantro. Not sure where the name came from but I will be sure to try and find out.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Bunny Ears revisisted
Bunny ears last year:
Bunny ears this year:
Easter dress last year:
Easter dress this year: