mommy and me

The time has come for me to go back to work. I have been lucky enough to have 12 weeks at home with my girl and now I have to join the working world again. Here are a few of the things I will miss about my maternity leave:

1. My baby girl's coos and delicious smiles in the morning

2. Climbing back in bed after the boys leave and snuggling my baby girl till about 9ish

3. Stretchy pants and Crocks

4. Cereal for 3 meals a day

5. Guilty pleasure TV - for example Divorce Court with Judge Lynn Toler. "The judge that is intense with common sense"

6. Running errands while the stores are empty

7. 3 hour nap around 10

8. Visiting with Karen and other stay at home Moms (LUCKY!)

9. Taking pictures of my baby girl and watching her grow and change overnight

10. Blaming anything I do wrong on "just having a baby"

Pray for me and my babies on Monday. It's going to be a long day for all of us.

paint

I did it! I let my toddler paint in our house and he loved it! Look at this happy boy! (yes he did eat the paint first thing before I could stop him.)


I seriously want to eat him... I think this picture is delish!

This is Brad (very busy) looking the other way... he wants no part of this and was not pleased. (He eventually came around but thought this activity might be more fun on a sunny day OUTSIDE) hehe

I'm very happy to report no major messes were made and paint will happen again in our house. They really have come a long way.. turns out is washes right off with water and a certain amount can be eaten with out a major complication.

mommy moment

So I'm going to the bathroom yesterday with Kate in the baby bjorn carrier. (yes, I know.. but these things cannot be helped)

Parker bursts in and proclaims "Mommy puts poop in the potty!" "Earnie puts poop in the potty! " He then claps and says "GOOD JOB!"

I guess everyone needs a little encouragement once in a while. : )

outside fun

Parker and I have cabin fever. So we took advantage of the "warm" weekend. This is my new all time favorite picture of my boy.

Getting ready for the big game!

pretty girl

good stuff

So most people who know me, know I'm a stretchy pants girl at heart. And can be found in them every day on maternity leave and most weekends and evenings.

I went to my fancy pants North side salon to get a much needed cut and color. It's the kind of salon where the cutie skinny receptionist in black asks you if you would like wine or water (sparking or flat) upon your arrival. I must have spent 10 minutes deciding if I could really wear my crocks to the appt opting for my tennies instead (they go well with stretchy pants).

While waiting on my color to be applied I noticed the two ladies on each side of me had Channel bags hanging on their hook with my trusted Eddie Bauer travel satchel between them. (8 years old and still going strong.)

Final straw that got me giggling was I had placed my treasured gray hoodie (that I have worn every day for 3 months on the counter and cute little girl in black asked me if she could put it away for me. I said "Sure, just don't let anything happen to it." She rolled her eyes... hehe.

Loved it!

ps.. Thanks Karen for watching my little princess while I got my hair did.

Working moms... this is a warning

Do not...I repeat.. do not- make this mistake.

So yesterday I spent a couple of hours with my friend Adriana who is a super sweet/fun stay at home mom I met in a mommy group when our boys were born. She also has a new baby boy the same age as Kate.

Anyhoo... I was feeling pretty good about my mommy skills AND THEN... I go over to see her calmly taking care of both kids (I can't yet imagine being alone with both kids at the same time and do not plan on doing this in the near future.) Her 2 yr old is doing a puzzle that has about 20 pieces. Parker still works puzzles with knobs and throws them across the room when the 3 pieces don't work the way he wants them to.

She has a clothes line hanging across her 3 seasons room with Olie's painted art work drying on clothes pins. SHE LETS HER TODDLER PAINT IN HER HOUSE! OFTEN! And is planning to mount the art work on cardboard and cut out the letters of his name to decorate his room (sigh)

She also showed me some of the fun puppets they had made earlier and somehow also had cupcakes (w/ sprinkles) prepared for our visit. (and a clean house of course.)

Then for the final straw... She lets the bomb drop that her 2 yr old has been potty trained since Labor Day! What the???

I can talk some smack about her because I'm pretty sure she does not have time to read my blog; being way too busy helping her 2 yr old create a mosaic statue of Lightening McQueen while teaching him how to say "I've pooped in French".

Needless to say the potty training is beginning at the Stewart house and Parker better watch out because we are hitting Michael's hard for crafts Damnit! I may let him make a plaster of paris model of Kate!