in four hours

I can-

-go to the ikea- buy a book shelf, some storage cubes, cute plastic cups, and cute ice cube trays

-go to dry cleaners to pick up $124 worth of clean work clothes

-super clean upstairs bathroom- bathtub/shower area, sink, toilet(even the bottom of it), floor

-run through two loads of laundry- wash, dry, fold, put away in drawers

-hang up all dry cleaning

-hang up all clothes that should be hung up but end up on couches/tables

-unload/re-load dishwasher, run it again

-clean out fridge

-empty all trash cans and replace with empty bags

-pick up all toys in living room

I got off at 11am today and instead of getting the babe, I did all of this. This is the first time I've had four hours to myself since big guy has been born. I think it was definitely time well spent. Very tired, but satisfied with myself. Hubs is at a conference tonight, so big guy and I are getting pizza and chilling! Spring break has started officially!

Cups and high chairs

So, awhile back I had mentioned that big guy got a certificate from school about graduating from sippy cups. But, at home he was still using them. This week has been a turning point. Hubs has been forgetting the back-up-just in case sippy cup at school and he's been doing just fine. And awesomely enough he's been wanting to drink from a real cup! So every night at dinner. He and I share a little cup of chocolate milk, mmmm. With this new cup drinking, big guy has also started protesting immensely about the use of his booster seat. Not interested is clearly expressed in the screams and back arches and sobbing I get when I try to put him in. And we've been, well, not as successful at giving this up as the sippy cup, but we are working our way there!

spring break- don't take too long!

spring break is merely days away, yet it feels like it is taking forever. Probably a big problem is that the weather has turned cold. Un-freaking-believable. it was in the 70's last week and this week the 50's! it's making for an uncomfortable couple of days. I want to wear short sleeves!

Sunday we went to the outlets to buy some springy stuff for work. I'm so excited to wear the, except now it's freezing. Oh well. But we already have some big plans for spring break. Saturday we are heading to visit aunt M in her hood. And visit the local zoo and other sites. Just for one night, but we are staying in a hotel. Which is always nice. Then we have a trip to the Elwood park zoo with a friend of mine and her two kids planned. And then of course all those Easter festivities. Dyeing Easter eggs, making sweets, Easter egg hunts! It'll be so nice to be home with the big guy in general!

my bday

Today I turned 30 years old! Everyone has been asking me about how it feels. I'm pretty calm about getting older. Considering I look young, giving me more years in the bday department definitely is a bonus. So I'm feeling good. But I think the weirdest thought I've had today is that I accomplished a whole lot in my twenties. For example- I graduated from college, got my masters, got my first job, bought a house, got married, and had a child! That's a lot. I'm beginning to think I won't be nearly as impressive in my thirties. Or maybe the thirties are all about enjoying the hard work I put in the decades earlier. Or am I just saying that to make myself feel better? I can't decide, but I do know that tonight we went to eat at the ruby's diner for dinner. And we had a great meal- read: big guy did awesome behaviorally and ate a huge dinner. After dinner we went for a nice stroll in the neighborhood and enjoyed the weather. I was definietly enjoying.

Full on toddler

Big guy has hit the full terrible two's! We have been seeing glimpses of it for the past year, but over the past few weeks, he's fully embraced his toddlerness. For example, tantrums have started to be an at least once(if we are lucky) a day occurrence in our lives. And the word NO is big guys new favorite word. Not only does he say the word, he also accompanies it with a dramatic gesture.

I'll say, big guy, do ou want to sit on the potty? Response back, NO! Followed by slamming the bathroom door. It's also developed into a hitting thing. So if I say something like, big guy lets put on your shirt, he'll say no, followed by a hit or two on my arm or leg. They aren't hard hits but they definitely aren't nice. So, I usually say in my mom voice, I really hope that wasn't a hit. And I give him the ol' mom stare of terror, and he comes over and gives me a kiss. Other times we have a nice little talk about why it's not nice to hit.

The tantrums I'm attempting to handle as best I can. I've read repeatedly to keep my cool, let him work it out safely, and then talk once he's calm. Mostly I can do this, except for when lets say, big guy decides to throw a fifteen minute fit in the rite aid, making the whole shopping experience really fun for me and all the other patrons. Just keep breathing. I know the stage won't last forever, but it certainly is trying at times.

But the two's have also brought with them better communication and more desire for responsibility. Which is awesome! Big guy wants to be in charge of more stuff. Like helping me with cleaning, helping with dinner, etc. and he likes following directions. And the recent discovery that I'm still working on and will have to write about later is giving choices. Big guy likes having choices. And getting to choose is a big deal.

In case you didn't know...

Not only am I a mom- I'm also

A jungle gym

A tissue

A repetitive bullhorn

The m&m grabber

Look mama! No pants!

Part of big guy becoming a big boy is wanting and being able to do so much more by himself. Example- wanting to take off and put on his own clothes. He's pretty good at helping me with both. He does the arms when putting shirts on. But the taking off is way easier! He can take off socks, pants, and if ou take his arms out of a shirt- he can get the rest off. Mostly we do this when getting ready for bath time. But sometimes when big guy wakes up he'll rip off his socks. And then want me to put them on his hands like puppets. So cute. Anyway, the other day I was sitting on the couch. Big guy was standing on the floor but was leaning on my lap. The next thing I know big guy is climbing on me and his pants are off! I rally hope he doesn't start doing this on the playground- I've heard that if one kid takes off their pants, then everyone takes off their pants!

New stoller

While I was buying sand for the sand table at the babies r us I decided to peruse the strollers. Seeing as I've destroyed two from over use (and I'm sure that leaving them outside during all kinds of weather and never properly cleaning them had something to do with it). Anyway, I thought a new jogging stroller was in order b/c even though we don't take strollers with us on trips, I still would like one for taking long walks to the duck pond and trying to get big guy to fall asleep.

I got a really nice jogging stroller on sale- sturdy, stylish, and lots of storage room. And I got the warranty for 15 months bc I tend to bust up tires. And as a bonus, I knew gmom C would be thrilled since she likes to walk with big guy.

Only big guy wasnt too into the stroller when she first tried. Nor when I first tried. He freaked both times.

but I eventually got him in by taking him out the front door away from the sand table and plying him with snacks. Since then he's been fine in it. And let me say, it's a really nice ride.

Sand table

The weather has turned nice which means for the past two weeks we have been outside all afternoon, come inside to eat dinner, and then head back out for a stroll or more outdoor fun. Hence the lack of writing. It's so exhausting running after a toddler who sometimes just wants to RUN!

I finally decided once it hit the mid 50's that it was time to bust out the sand table. I went over to the babies r us during work one day and got a cool sand toy with shovels and a 50 pound bag of sand for free thanks to a gift card! (not that I didn't spend like$200 earlier to get that card or anything). Anyway, I busted out the table and starts to pour in sand only to realize that I have no idea where I put the rubber stoppers which were in a bag with all the sand toys. Crap.

So, we have sand in the table and all over the patio. I tried using tape, but big guy keeps shoveling it out. Oh well. I'll have to come up with some genius plan which at this point is escaping me. Big uh has been loving life and thinks its quite funny that the sand is on the ground too. We spend hours outside playing with it. Usually from 3:30-5pm everyday. And the past two days have been really warm, so we've taken out the hose, filled up buckets, and generally gotten soaking wet. I love the early spring, but it's making me really want summer to come soon. At least spring break is only two and a half weeks away!

Not so fast

Well, we were healthy. Now we are on to our next cold. This one is with a full wheeze. Great! And we are back to nebulizing every four hours. But big guy still has his appetite and is in relatively good spirits unlike the last cold, so I'm thinking this is at least an improvement.

Feeling better

Big guy is definitely feeling better. He has been eating like a champ. Giant dinners in fact. So much dinner that I start to worry that he might explode. But he's good. The past two night have been especially funny. I made pasta with meat sauce. Ground chicken, onion, garlic, and crushed tomatoes. Braille has this really fun line of pastas called picollini. Which I assume means small. And they are made with veggies so not onl are they petite sizes for little hands, they are super healthy, too.

So, the first night I give big guy a giant portion, just to see how much he will eat. Um, the entire plate. It was an adult portion. That night, he slept from 8pm to 8:30am!!!!! He had a great day the next day. Last night, we had leftovers, I give big guy a bigger portion than me. Um, the entire palte, along with some apple wedges. Last night, he slept from 8pm to 6am. Then he and hubs napped on the couch from 7-8:30am. I think he would have slept through had we not have to shower. Why can't he do this on the weekend?? I'm going for it this weekend. C'mon sleep.

I Think there are a couple of things at work- a nice filling meal, good pee/poop before bed, finally feeling healthy from that bad cold, figuring out talking- he has been so chatty lately, and figuring out this whole using the potty thing. It's really just so awesome.

what we've been up to... in pictures!

Winter has been so mild that we've taken a lot of walks. Here is big guy demonstrating his climbing skills. uh-oh!

Big guy eating the only dessert he likes- m&m's- doesn't he look like a wolverine who came across a deer in the woods?

big guy and I enjoying the rare snow fall this winter. Knock on wood- I didn't buy snow boots this year!

my little man is a fruit/veggie king! For dinner this night he ate strawberries, carrots, and some cheese.

Bubba last week when he was sick. This is the "I'm watching Cars/Megamind face"