Arkansas ‘08 Rulz! May 27, 2008

 Okay, we had the first trial run for a Arkansas trip this weekend.  It was a small group (compared to past Llano adventures) b/c I have a small house and wasn’t sure if everyone would fit…which they barely did, since Josh had to sleep in the playroom.  Regardless of a few set-backs (cranky 2 year old, torrential downpour, way too many hushpuppies) everything went really well.  We went canoing on the Buffalo River and have determined that 3 people in a canoe equals tipping over.  Unfortunately, Ashley was the common factor in 2 of the 3 accidents, so we have also learned that canoing while pregnant is not the best idea either.  It was fun though…I discovered that I am clearly a natural at canoeing (no matter what Joe says) and think we should buy a canoe and make this a regular thing.  My enthusiasm faltered when the soreness kicked in, but now I am feeling better, so I’m back on board!  Everyone got to spend some quality time with Joe and Brandon for the first time, so that was nice.  I think some people believed I was making Joe up and just rented some guy once a year to make it seem real.  Brandon loved playing with the “boys” the first night but then had some bad moments (he is 2 after all) and I’m not sure spending a weekend with him convinced anyone that they want to have kids themselves.  Sorry, Ashley and Chris! But it really is worth it most of the time. 

 Brandon watching a scary movie with the gang! (Ashley’s in the comfy chair by herself)Ashley and me on the river bank! (I didn’t forget you, I just didn’t have the pic yet)

“Eyes Wuv You!” May 27, 2008

Brandon finally said I love you last night!  We have been working on it for a week or so now, and he would repeat each word after me (except “I” he says “Eyes” because he can’t grasp that there is a difference), but last night he said the whole thing by himself.  It was the cutest thing I have ever heard and melted my heart.  It was also perfect timing on his part becasue he has been driving me crazy lately.  He has decided not to get dressed when I want him to, or eat, sleep or get in the car when I want him to, so we hhave been doing lots of time-outs and had a lot of frustrating mornings.  So, this was one of those little rewards that mommies need every once in a while to make it all worth while. 

“Da Guck go Night” May 22, 2008

The four cutest words ever uttered and Brandon’s first clear sentence.  We had such a great day yesterday (mostly, there was an incident when we were getting in the car but I don’t want to dwell on that)!  We went to the park and had a picnic with Shannon and Emily and then fed the ”gucks” (ducks) their special duck food (stale cheerios).  Then we got to play on the playground where Brandon and Emily made friends with a little boy (who Shannon and I debated about whether he was a boy or girl for about 20 minutes) with long hair and bangs.  Then Brandon and I went to the library where he got his first library card!  He checked out 2 dinosaur books and got to play on the computer.  After Brandon’s (and Mommy’s) much needed nap-time we went on a walk and then had Turtle Sandwiches (PB sandwich cut with a play-do cookie cutter in the shape of a turtle) and “choc” (chocolate milk).  When Daddy got home, Brandon told him all about the ducks and then screamed when we said we couldn’t go see them, which Joe explained by telling him that the ducks went night-night, hence, Brandon’s first sentence.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so I am including a picture of a duck in case you need a visual aid.

There were actually baby ducks there that looked just like this…they were so cute!  The baby geese were not so cute…kinda scary.

Independence for Brandon means restrictions for Me May 18, 2008

Brandon has finally hit that independent stage that most mommy’s look forward to, then immediately regret.  Some things are great…he will get his own breakfast and plays on his own more, but then you’ll have a day where you can’t go anywhere because he picked his own outfit and it didn’t include pants. It also makes me sad, when he goes to get in or out of the car he pushes me away and says “no” because he can do it on his own now.  Granted, I don’t have to carry him around as much, but I’m starting to forget why that was a bad thing.  I think I’ll swing back in the other direction when he becomes potty trained.  I definitely won’t miss that! 

 Brandon refuses to go outside without shoes on, but he has no problem with no pants!

Random thought May 16, 2008

Did anyone watch Ugly Betty last night?  Willamina’s entrance in the beginning was so awesome it makes me want to be evil…I love the way they all matched and walked in slow-motion.  Anyway, I am too exhausted to write about much else.  I planted about 50 flowers today by myself while Joe played golf (I don’t really mind, Ijust want the credit I deserve).  Of course, I could have gotten done way faster but the little girls from my street came over and wanted to “help”.  I’ve never wanted to push a first grader out of the way so bad.  But, I enjoy being the house that all the kids want to hang out at (I have the best toys, apparently), because I know it isn’t going to last.  Once they’re teenagers, they’ll figure out who the cool parent is and want to hang out there.  It definitely won’t be me…it’s not in my genes (sorry Mom and Dad).   To go with my random thought, here is a random image.Brandon with Big Red at a Razorback baseball game.

Who could stay mad at this face? May 14, 2008

Well, I tell you what, it is getting easier with every tantrum.  We have had a rough couple of days.  Yesterday, I took Brandon to get his hair cut (those of you who have been with me for this know, it is a nightmare) and this was one of his worst visits to the stylist.  We had a very nice lady who put a cartoon on for him and let him play with toys and sat and played with him to get him comfortable.  He was happy and played with her and I know she was thinking I was exaggerating when I said he was a screamer.  I feel guilty, like I’m delivering a mail bomb…You’re all excited about getting a package and then…Boom!  As soon as she cut a hair he exploded.  We forced him into the airplane chair and then preceded with the cut which involved pinning his arms down, a head lock and handcuffs (not really, but if I’d had them…).  When we finally finished he refused to put a clean shirt on, but then when we got to the car he started trying to take his shirt off…He ended up riding home with no shirt on and spent the rest of the day like that.  He looked adorably white trash!  Anyway, today he has decided that I can’t answer the phone and rolls around on the ground screaming until I get off.  It is hard to ignore, to say the least.  That’s just one of the little crazy two year old things he is doing the last few days.  Just when I think I’m going to lose it, though, he does something adorable like runs in the room to kiss me or puts an Easter egg on his head like a hat and dies laughing (and yes, my Easter stuff is still out, but I’m working on it).  I think he is testing me, like when he will go to time out but refuses to sit…when do I take a stand?  He is very stubborn so I pick my battles, but part of me thinks he might be winning the war!

Happy Mother’s Day! May 12, 2008

Mother’s day is when everyone tries to make mom happy and mom tries to let everyone know how happy they are making her (whether the toast be burnt or not)!  Brandon misunderstood and thought Mother’s Day meant only mommy could carry him or hold him or dress him or even touch him for that matter.  He woke up at 7:30 and would not leave his bedroom until “Da” came to get him (for some reason he will not call me Mommy but only Da).  We cuddled and watched cartoons until I decided to get ready and we drove to a popular restaurant for brunch.  However, I forgot that M. Day is the busiest restaurant day of the year so after we got him out of the car, kicking and screaming, and found out it was 1 1/2 hour wait, we left and got Italian food (yummy!) where Brandon refused to get out of the car until I bribed him with Sprite.  When I finally got him inside he climbed in a booth, not ours of course, and refused to get out until I had to take him to the bathroom for a timeout.  He calmed down when his pizza came and we had an enjoyable lunch.  At this point everyone is exhausted and cranky and it is only 11:30 am.  Eek!  After stopping at a family friends  house (where B. wouldn’t come inside) we took Brandon to see his first big screen movie, Horton Hears a Who!  It was a lot of fun…he had a little trouble staying in his seat but overall did really well and LOVED the movie.  After that I got my Mother’s Day gift…Brandon fell asleep in the car and took a 2 hour nap!  We finished off the day by reading a new book about a mommy penguin and giving lots of night-night kisses.  It was an exhausting, but fun-filled day.  I hope you all had a wonderful day with your kids or mom’s!  I have received advice and kind words from all of you that help me be a better mom and I thank you.  Happy Mother’s Day!    Brandon’s first movie (He has pizza on his face b/c part of my M. Day treat was to not have to clean his face)

Story time on Mother’s Day (Those are his pajama pants on my head…he thought it was hilarious!)

My favorite time of day May 9, 2008

Nap-time is every SAHM’s salvation.  Brandon has showed signs of not needing a nap anymore, but I am standing strong.  He knows that he has to stay in his room until he sleeps or at least stays quiet enough that Mommy thinks he’s slept.  I’m lucky…Brandon has always slept through the night (since 2 months) and has never slept in bed with us.  I would love to claim this success as a sign of my expert parenting skills, but really, we just lucked out.  Brandon inhereted our laziness and I have been known to be an energy sucker (which is a little known super power).  This is a pic of him conked out.  We were in his room talking and laughing and taking pics and he still didn’t wake up…I am nervous about when he starts school in the fall and has to get up.  The second pic is of his infamous bed head.  We call him Hair-do most days, because he hates getting his hair cut and won’t let me brush it most days.  Oh well, he’ll regret it someday when this picture shows up in his wedding slide show!

   

Flashlight tag! May 9, 2008

This is one of the many reasons Brandon makes me laugh on a daily basis.  This is an older video (note the pacifier that we have successfully stopped using) but it’s one of my favorites.  Enjoy a laugh at my son’s expense!

Mall+No stroller=Hell May 8, 2008

Here is a tip for future mommies of toddlers…Never go to the mall without your stroller.  I’m talking until the kid is 6 or 7.  Here are reasons why:

1. Not having a way to restrain your child leads to a lot of embarrassing messes in shoe stores.

2. You have no where to put the cups and snacks and diaperbags and plastic swords and all the other crap you have to carry with you.

3. When your child does want a snack they are physically incapable of walking and eating, so you either end up standing next to them for 20 minutes begging them to walk or picking up a trail of goldfish through Dillards.

4.  When you finally give up and have to carry them throught the mall to the car (b/c they inevitably choose the furthest point from the car to stop walking) you are left with severe back pain.

5.  This can probably go unsaid, but you get NOTHING done.  If you manage to make it to the store you wanted, then your kid stands right by the door and refuses to move so you have to dart back and forth from a rack to the door to a table to the door, and so on.

6.  To top it all off, when you finally make it to the exit they put an arcade right there so Junior screams bloody murder when it is time to leave.

In case you didn’t guess, I went to the mall today without my stroller (which it was not my first time…I’m glutton for punishment) and the only thing I accomplished was buying a bunch of stuff we don’t need at the Disney store.  Shop ’til you drop has taken on a whole new meaning…I’m going to take a nap.