blog business

Yes, I spend my Saturday nights messing around with blog junk.  My life is so exciting.  Anyway, I just wanted to say that I managed to get a lot of my old posts converted over to this blog from the old one.  Finally.  It only took like a year and a half.

The only problem is:  where is May 2007 - June 2008?

more on the second child

I mentioned the other day that I thought time seems to go by faster with the second baby than it did with the first.  I've been thinking a lot about that lately as Joshua grows up.  I keep realizing over and over again how fortunate we were to not have our second child right when we wanted it.

This is from Swistle's recent post about her third pregnancy carrying twins:

Bringing the twins home was easier than bringing William home. For one thing, William's homecoming gave me a toddler and a newborn, and I've written before about how difficult I think that combination is---but when I brought the twins home, I had a 4-year-old and a 6-year old. And during the pregnancy, I'd done some "Independence Training," mostly with Rob but some with William too: teaching them to wash themselves in the bathtub, teaching Rob to make easy breakfasts and lunches, teaching Rob to go get the mail, teaching them both to put on their own seatbelts, teaching William to get himself dressed. So when I was stuck in a chair nursing the twins and feeling half-crazed with all the things I needed to be doing instead, I could set Rob and William in motion like two little Roombas: "Clear the breakfast dishes, please. Now Rob take those letters out to the mailbox and put the flag up. William, can you please get me more water? Now both of you please pick up the toys on the floor." It was much slower and less efficient than I would have done it, but it was GETTING DONE.

Yes exactly.  Swistle hit it right on the money.  This is why I am now so thankful that Josh was born later, rather than sooner as I had so desperately hoped.  God's plan is always better than our own.

Julianna is able to get dressed by herself, feed herself, get most of her food out herself, clean up her dishes herself, more or less use the bathroom herself, get in the car herself, etc, etc.  If this hadn't been the case when I brought Josh home from the hospital I would have needed A LOT MORE crazy meds.  If she had only been 2 instead of 3.5 you probably would be able to hear me scream complaints each day from where you're sitting now.

Yeah.  It would've been quite different.  I agree, Swistle.

four months

Dear Joshua,

Last night you had a photo shoot in the bathtub with your sister. It was absolutely melt-my-heart cute. I am trying to start a bedtime routine with you this month of bath, book, nurse, bed and hope that that will allow you to go down easier for the night. After putting two kids to bed most nights your daddy needs a break!

You just turned four months old and you are the most fun little boy there ever was. I truly believe it. I remember loving this age with your sister and it is already a treat with you as well.

You go to the pediatrician for your four month check up next week so I will know more about your length and weight then, but I am guessing you are still at the top of the charts. Your thighs are as chunky as can be and you love to grab your fat rolls when I change your diaper. You haven’t found your feet yet, but that’s probably coming soon.

Your hair from birth is still falling out and the new hair growth is amazing. It’s coming in so fast and it’s a lighter brown than the hair you were born with. Your eyes are now fully brown like your sister’s.

Over the last few weeks you’ve learned to roll from your front to your back. I can tell that you want to roll from your back to your front, but you haven’t managed to do it yet. Tummy time isn’t so much of a pain anymore as you don’t quite fuss as much as you used to. It won’t be long before you won’t stay on your tummy at all. For now I am enjoying still being able to lay you on the couch or bed and walk away for a brief minute and come back to you still there.

You still sleep from about 10pm to either 4 or 5am and get up for the day between 7 and 8. We’ve been working really hard on getting a longer morning nap in the crib and we’ve let you cry a bit to learn to soothe yourself to sleep. It’s not going too well and quite honestly, it’s driving me crazy. I’m thinking I’m going to have to get you some sort of lovey to hang on to since you love holding our fingers as you fall asleep.


We’ve gotten the Jumperoo and walker out for you and you absolutely love the ability to be upright. Of course, you can’t really move the walker too much yet.  Nevertheless, you still love sitting in it and knawing on the toy bar. (I think you’re about to cut some bottom teeth.).  You also fly around in the jumpy thing and It makes me keep thinking about how much fun you’ll be at the beach this summer as you crawl all over the place.

We also had to get the high chair down from the attic for you to be able to see us while we eat dinner. The bouncy seat on the floor just wasn’t cutting it anymore. You have to be able to see your sister almost all the time as she already enthralls you.

If we sit you down somewhere and go about whatever it is we’re doing you will often “talk” to us. You’ll go, “oooooo,” or “bbbbbrrr,” or even, “gggaaahhhh.” The funniest noises you make are when we tickle you. You are quite the ticklish little fella. Your arms, legs, feet, and tummy are all really ticklish and it’s not difficult at all to get you to just laugh and laugh.

Little Buddy, I am so glad to get to share this time with you as you grow.  You bring great joy to my life.

Love,
Mama

 

Let the sun shine in

My sweet kids

roly poly

Joshua has rolled from front to back five times now. He rolled for the first time two weeks ago, then again at the beginning of this week.  The first three times no one saw it but me and I was getting upset because I couldn't prove it to anybody else that he could roll.  Isn't that dumb?  Besides, the first and the fourth time were pretty much flukes anyway because he had his arm tucked in such a way as I laid him down that made it easy for him to immediately flip over.  But last night Jonathan finally saw him roll and all was right in my world again.

I'm trying to catch it on video but so far have been totally unsuccessful.

I don't know why it seems that everything is going faster with the second kid, but I'd imagine that is true for a lot of people and their second kid.  I kept thinking that Josh was rolling a lot earlier than Julianna did, but when I just went back through my archives and looked it up he really only rolled a week or so earlier (at about 15 weeks old) than she did (at about 16.5 weeks old). 

Still.  Time is going by sooooo fast with this baby.

if you're in the Piedmont Triad area

Let me tell you about From Art to Zebras.  I love this place!  Julianna has been a couple of times.  First, she made Christmas tree ornaments for all of her teachers and later she painted a cup and plate for cookies for Santa.  I keep meaning to have her go to one of the story times on Friday afternoons, but I always forget.  There they read a story and do a specific craft that relates to the story.  They also have a snack and it's usually only about $9/hour - a great deal, I think.  This week it's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, one of Julianna's favorites.

They have tons of classes, even classes for homeschoolers and they also have a place to build-your-own stuffed animals (less $ than that place at the mall, too).  The people there are great - very enthusiastic and friendly.  I highly recommend you check it out!

 

If you are on Facebook you should become a fan of From Art to Zebras.  They're always giving away great prizes and this month's is the best!  It's a Spring Break Mini-Party for your child and 3 of their friends to take place one morning or early afternoon during their spring break.  It will be a custom playdate made just for your child!  It will be 60 minutes of activities ranging from art projects to stuffing your own zebras, and everything in between!  It is valued at up to $125.  

 

 

If you become a fan please make sure you comment on their Facebook wall and tell them I referred you and then we'll both be entered into the drawing. The drawing ends on Monday, February 22!  Good luck!

 

 

stories

Julianna asked Jonathan when he was putting her to bed one night, "Daddy, did you build our house or did you buy it?"  "I bought it," he told her.  "Well, where did you buy it?" came her reply.  He said, "I bought it right here."  "But WHERE did you buy it?" she insisted.  "Julianna," he said, "it was already here.  I bought it RIGHT HERE."

-----

Jules: Mama, I had a sweet dream last night.  Do you wanna know what it was about?
Me: Sure, babe.
Jules: I dreamed Joshua came in my room and got on my bed and tickled me.


-----

On the way to school one day Julianna said, "Mama, did you know that we all have white words on our teeth?"  "We do?" I asked.  She said, "Yeah, we do."  "How do you know that?" "God telled me so." "He did?" I asked her.  "Yes," she said.  "How did they get there?" "God put them there when he made us," she said.  "He did?" I asked.  "Yeah."  "What do they say?"  "Well, we all have different words on our teeth.  The white words on my teeth say 'princesses'."  "Okay....," I nodded.


-----

We have a problem with mice in our attic and Jonathan has caught about six so far.  At least we think that might be it for now because it's been several days since he caught one.  Anyway, Julianna wanted to know why we had to get rid of the mice and why we had to kill them.  After Jonathan explained she suggested that we just put a piece of cheese outside and then they would stay out there.

Win a brand-new Electrolux Induction Range!

I desperately need a new stove.  Mine has only two burners and then on the left side it has a grill top.  The grill part rarely gets hot enough to cook anything on it so we really only have two eyes that get used and that can make things really difficult when I'm cooking a big meal or entertaining people.  It's just become one of those things in our house that needs to be replaced but somehow has gotten pushed to the back burner so-to-speak (pun not intended, I promise).

Anyway, I'm part of the MomSelect marketing program and while I don't usually participate in their advertising programs, this one is an opportunity I wanted to jump at.  Not only is it a chance to win a new range, but it's also a chance to support an organization that I value.

Here are the details: 

Kelly Rippa and accomplished master baker and cake decorator Buddy Valastro, from TLC's "Cake Boss," recently joined forces at a fun event to bake lavishly decorated cakes in support of The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). To add to the excitement, five teams of baking enthusiasts were invited to take part in Kelly's Cake Off, where they used what they learned from Kelly and the Cake Boss, to decorate their own cakes.Although you might not get to taste these virtual masterpieces, you can still weigh in on the results! By visiting Kelly-Confidential.com, you can cast a vote for your favorite cake from Kelly's Cake Off.  For every vote cast, Electrolux will donate $1[1] to OCRF as part of its $500,000 commitment to help fight ovarian cancer!  

If that's not enough to get you to click over, everyone who logs on to the site and sends a virtual cake will be automatically entered for a chance to win every baker's dream: a stylish new Induction Range from Electrolux.   

I'm excited because it's a chance for me to win something we could certainly use here at our house and it's a chance for you to win too.  Plus, The OCRF is an excellent cause to support and all it takes is a click to vote.

This is my favorite, but mostly because I like the colors.

Thanks for voting!

sometimes you DO know what you're gonna get

Jonathan bought both Julianna and I a box of chocolate candy for Valentine's Day and Julianna was so excited when she opened it.  She asked him, "Do they have nuts in them?"  He told her that I could tell her what each one had inside and which ones were yucky or not.  "Watch and learn," he said.

Well, she ate her allotted two pieces for the day and before bed last night my mom asked her if she had a good Valentine's Day.  "Did you get some candy?" she asked.  Julianna's reply surprised her. 

Jules explained, "Yeah and my mom's a GENIUS! She knows which ones are good and which ones are not.  Yeah she can just look at them and know the candies that have nuts and which ones don't have nuts.  She's like a genius!"

smitten

I am smitten.  As my husband's grandfather would say, I've got the bug.

Twelve years ago my then-boyfriend borrowed a two-seater table, two place settings, and white table linens from his uncle's restaurant and set it up in his dorm room.  He ordered Chinese take-out and served me a candlelit dinner for our first Valentine's Day together.  We also went to see the play Tartuffe at our university's student theater that weekend.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Eleven years ago I made him dinner at my apartment.  It would turn out to be one of many horrible meals I'd serve him during our years together. 

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Ten years ago graduation was fast approaching and we were looking for jobs.  We didn't have a lot of cash to spend on big celebrations. I think this is the year that we went to the Madrigal Dinner Theater at the University Student Center.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Nine years ago I was so desperate to get married and was tired of only talking about it.  I thought that I
*might* get a ring for Valentine's Day since I urged my boyfriend to propose before my March 5th birthday.  He was living an hour and a half away and we only saw each other on weekends because we both worked full-time.  I don't remember what we did that year, but I do know that we didn't get engaged until March 9th.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Eight years ago we were still planning our fall wedding and needed a break.  My sister and I bought tickets to see Blast! at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.  We made a weekend trip to Georgia to see the show and made a little time to do some other touristy things like visit The World of Coca Cola and get yelled at by homeless people trying to bum cigarettes.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Seven years ago we celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a married couple.  It's getting hard to remember, but I believe this was the year that we celebrated at Centennial Station a local theater where they serve dinner and put on a show.  It was a nice quiet evening and it would be fun to go back sometime, but unfortunately the place closed. 

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

This is where it starts to get really fuzzy.  Uhhhh... wish I hadn't stopped using those darn Wolfwise calendars... six years ago we...did what?  Obviously not something too memorable.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Let's just skip five years ago, shall we?

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Four years ago we were preparing for the birth of our first child.  We had no idea what was in store for us.  We spent the month of February getting ready for her arrival and tying up loose ends like maternity leave lesson plans, writing thank you notes for gifts, and completing the nursery.  Valentine's week we went out to dinner with my sister and brother-in-law and Jonathan gave me the adorable NC State crib mobile I had been coveting.  After all, our soon-to-be family of three is what life had become consumed with.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Three years ago my husband babysat so that I could go with my mom and sister to our Stamp Club.  He also kept the little girl so I could run three miles as I was desperately trying to lose pregnancy weight.  We celebrated Valentine's Day at a Teacher Appreciation Dinner offered by the parent's of students at my school and that weekend we were in my sister-in-law's wedding.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

Two years ago he headed to work late after he went to "Donuts for Dad" at his daughter's preschool.  Then he spent one evening at an award dinner for work, work that he faithfully went to each day so that I could stay home with Jules.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

By this time last year we had just found out that I was pregnant again.  The week of Valentine's Day I was exhausted and working two part-time jobs.  He helped me with a couple mystery shops and went to a preschool open house at Julianna's school with me one evening. 

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

This year he volunteered his time and energy to keep a bunch of kids so I could do something I wanted to do.  He ran to pick up Julianna from dance one evening so I wouldn't have to go back out in the cold.  He put an ornery baby to bed late several nights in a row so that I could go to bed despite the fact that he would have to get up early and leave for work the next day and I wouldn't.  He worked and worked several evenings in a row after dinner on his own stuff for work and he still made time for all of us as well.

Through good times and bad, that's what love is all about.

We've had some good times.  I am smitten.  I've got the bug.  I love you, Booger.  Happy Valentine's Day.

a story for daddy

by Jules

Daddy,

I’m going to write a story to you.  

Once upon a time there was this man that had a can.  He loved to eat French meat.  And he was really good at untying stuff and he loved to eat candy all the time.  He didn’t eat food that we eat.  He was a man that had cans and he liked to eat shrimp.  Sometimes he ate shrimp and the other times he ate junk food.  He loved to drink juice all the time and he did not stop.  

He just went on a train ride one day.  When he was going on a train ride a wolf was greedy and he was mean.  So he jumped on the train and he got the man and gobbled him up.  And then the wolf spit him back out and the man went home and then he got his sword and went back on the train ride.  The man was still in the basket that he was in and he got his sword out and wacked it at the wolf and made the wolf die.
 

The End.

my grandmother's birthday dinner

 

 

I told Jules that we were going to K&W for dinner and she promptly asked, "Oooooo! Can I have some Jello?!"

Julianna wants to know

On the way to preschool this morning, for whatever reason, Julianna started in with the questions.  She asked, "Mommy, when are you going to be four?"  "Four?" I asked.  "Yes," she said.  I explained, "Well, I was four a long time ago.  My birthday is in about three weeks and I'll be thirty-two."  "Is that old like Daddy?" she asked.  "Yeah, Daddy is thirty-two," I said.  She thought about this a minute and then she asked one more.  "Then will you be tall and be able to fix things?"

Sure baby.  If that's what turning thirty-two means to you, then yeah, I guess I will be tall and able to fix things.

post-partum woes

Thanks to the baby I'm losing my hair.  This happened after Julianna was born and it's happening again now.  I don't know why, but it doesn't seem to be quite as bad this time around which is perfectly fine with me.  I am still shedding like crazy though!

I haven't been losing the extra weight, however.  I haven't really tried to lose any, but I haven't been trying to gain any either.  I am still about 13 pounds up from what I weighed before I got pregnant with Josh (and that's about 23 pounds up from what I weighed before Julianna).  I guess I need to try to get it off.  I haven't quite figured out how to do that with two kids soaking up all of my time and energy.

How did you manage to lose the baby weight after the second (or third/fourth/etc) child?  And did your hair fall out after every kid?

that's my girl

Nanna: Jules, today there is a big football game on.
Julianna: Oh.
Nanna: Do you know what it's called?
Julianna: What?
Nanna: the Superbowl
Julianna: Who are they playing?
Nanna: Well, the New Orleans Saints are playing the Indianapolis Colts.  Who do you think you might want to win?
Julianna: The Wolfpack!

dessert by candlelight

Last night we had a few people over for "Dessert by Candlelight."  I made various desserts and drinks to serve as a sort of early Valentine's Day treat.  Jonathan was kind enough to watch the kids in the playroom upstairs and let the adults hang out together and talk downstairs.  It was a lot of fun and I hope to be able to do it again sometime.  Who knows?  Maybe it will become a February tradition at our house.

I made Pioneer Woman's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever (which I actually didn't like), Chocolate Eclair Cake,  Red Velvet Cake, Oreo Truffles, and Key Lime Pie.

I think if I did it again I would perhaps like to take a small "admission" charge and donate it to charity.  And it would be great to hire a babysitter next time instead so that Jonathan could join the adults.... hmmmm.  Plenty to think about.  Anyway, happy Valentine's Day (a bit early) to all!

finding his voice

My babbling boy:

Untitled from c525600 on Vimeo.

playing rough

Julianna has gotten to where she asks Jonathan to "play rough" with her every night.  I guess it's her way of getting attention and affection from him and she loves it.  It is a great way for her to soak up some extra undivided attention from one of her parents who isn't always doing something for the baby.

They tickle and wrestle.  She climbs on his back and he pulls on her toes.  She squeals the whole time. 

I just watch and smile.  I adore my family and I feel so lucky to have such a loving husband who is also a wonderful father and two amazing kids.

sword fight obsession

She's obsessed with playing Wii Sports Resort and she particularly likes to sword fight.  Behold the hilariousness that is Julianna:

Untitled from c525600 on Vimeo.

it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt

As Joshua learns to use his hands he's gotten in the habit of reaching up and pulling his own hair.  It's so funny to watch because he'll grab hold and then make an awful face as he pulls on it.  Very amusing.

He'll also suck on a few fingers from one hand and pull his hair with the other hand.  I was able to catch him the other day doing this.  Below are the pictures. 

Happy Groundhog Day!

 

I am amazed at what she can write now.  She shows a little improvement every day and I attribute a lot of it to her preschool teacher, Mrs. Robin.  She brings home worksheets each day where they have practiced their writing and since they haven't had school for a few days now due to the snow we practiced a little with Groundhog Day worksheets.

imagine Joey Tribbiani's voice

How you doin'?

it's hard work being a baby

Rolling over has got to be one of my most favorite milestones that a baby reaches.  I think it's because it's the first major thing that a baby does that makes him seem like a little "real" person instead of just a doll that lays there.

Josh is working hard on learning to roll.  I can't help it.  It is so exciting!  He gets so, so close.  He's got the leg motions down and when's he's on his back he completely lifts his hips off the floor; he just needs to get the strength to lift one of his shoulders up.

I know after he gets the rolling thing down then it'll be all over for mom as he will start to develop physically faster than I can chase, but it's still fun to watch him learn.  If we prop him on his belly with one arm folded under him then he can sometimes flip over to his back on his own.  It's just as exciting as when Jules learned to roll.

I still remember the day Julianna took her first steps.  Of course, it feels like it was yesterday.  The pride I felt was enough to make me want to burst.  We screamed and cheered and screamed for her like lunatics.  When I think about it now it still brings tears to my eyes.

Being a parent has so many rewards.