Total Pageviews

Monday, January 30, 2012

Silent Logic

Driving home with Henry and listening to his running commentary.



 Henry: Oh! Der's Woes!
Me: Yep, there's Lowe's.
Henry: Woes is QUIET!
Me: Why is Lowe's quiet?
... Henry: Because it doesn't have a mouth, silly!

Can't argue with that logic.



Carwash

Henry and I stopped at the carwash on our way home. I used the same description as my mother did to make it seem less scary. It worked.

Henry: Lookit Mama! Da SPAGHETTI MONSTER is tickling the van!

I LAUGHING because it's so silly!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Teething

A week shy of 8 months, Kat now has 2 itty-bitty bottom teeth poking out!
They don't seem so itty-bitty cute when she's nursing. OW!
Henry calls them her "Sharpie-teefies."



http://www.zazzle.ca/vampire_fangs_wolf_fangs_sharp_teeth_grrr_flyer-244915051011163939

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Fact

Fact: As SOON as you get back from taking out the trash, the baby WILL have the nastiest, grossest diaper of the day.
The kind that makes you re-think your decision to become a parent.

Wonder if NOT taking out the trash will work....


Trash Bin
http://www.freakingnews.com/Trash-Bin-Pictures--2706.asp

Rollin'

Henry was coloring with markers and a big roll of paper in his room. When it was time to clean up (when Mama arbitrarily decided), we couldn't find a marker cap. I shook out the paper and it went flying, then rolling across the room.

Henry: Oh! It's rollin all da way to NEW JERSEY!


Kat's Interview

Grammy interviewed Kat over lunch one day. I posted her transcript- love it!

Grammy: So Kathryn, tell us. How long have you a baby?
Kathryn: About 8 months now.
Grammy: And what are you currently working on?
Kathryn: Talking noises and getting some new teeth.
Grammy: So we are all anxious to know...Who is your favorite person?
Kathryn: That would be Mama, for sure.
Grammy: Really? Not Grammy?
Kathryn:  No, but she is in my top 5.

New Hairdo

Henry's standing behind me on the desk chair, twisting and pulling my hair into bunches. 

 Me: Ow! What are you doing, Henry?!
Henry: I making you have Lady Gaga hair!

Thanks, but no thanks.


http://www.askmen.com/celebs/women/singer/lady-gaga/


Da Boss

Henry moved up to the Preschool Room a couple weeks ago. I've been waiting to see how that transition went since some of his friends are already there but others are still in the process of moving up, so his little cadre of friends is divided now.
His teacher said they all have assigned seats for lunch and not only does Henry know where he sits, he knows everyone else's spot too.
She said they have kids who've been there 6 months and still don't remember where they sit. I guess it's going well. I just hope Henry's not overbearingly bossy, but I suppose having the confidence to speak your mind is an asset.

He's sweet, kind and caring but sometimes he pushes it, like when he yells at me to drive with my hands on the wheel a certain way. He'll holler, "Not that way!" if I change how I'm holding the steering wheel.
He drives me crazy because if I don't acknowledge him, he'll kick the back of my seat until I say something or change how I'm holding the wheel to his liking. I should definitely switch their seats so Kat's sitting behind me. And hope that it's just a phase while I'm constantly enforcing good manners.

Ugh, Spongebob

Henry was watching Spongebob (*cringe*) when he started frantically rummaging around the desk drawers for loose change.

Jim: Henry, what are you doing?
Henry: Patrick an' Spongiebob didn't have money to pay for a balloon!

I go into da computer an' give dem the money an' den come back out and play wit' you!

Well, I guess at least he knows that stealing is wrong. Still not educational.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Life as I know it

Grad school started up again tonight. I wasn't even sure I'd be taking a class this year. So many things seem up in the air.
My job reimburses tuition but I'm only taking 1 class at a time and frankly that alone is not enough incentive to stay in an $8/hour job that I don't enjoy. At least the people are nice.
I had applied for financial aid but after getting approved for a loan to help keep up afloat, I now learned that I can't have it because I'm less than halftime. Seriously, I can barely keep up with the workload for 1 class, working fulltime and actually seeing my kids for a few minutes every day.
I'm beginning to wonder if it's even worth it. I graduated suma cum laude 4 years ago and never made more than $11/hour. When I got laid off from my last job as an elementary school library clerk, I couldn't even get an office job because my experience heavily focuses on libraries (who aren't hiring clerks, surprise!) and I was competing with 800 other applicants for a single secretary position. Wish I was exaggerating.

Still....
I am thankful for the blessings in our lives. We are healthy and we have a roof over our head and food on our table but the struggle of living paycheck-to-paycheck is starting to wear on me. There's no such thing as working hard and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. We don't live extravagantly. Heck, we don't even have iphones or ipads, Nooks or Kindles, much as we would like to. We try to live within our means, but with the cost of living going up and our income remaining steady or declining, this just doesn't work. I know we are not alone.
I just have to remember that when I tuck my beautiful, healthy children into bed or spontaneously give my husband of 6 years a hug, that you can't buy these things. Kat's 4 day hospital stay helped put things in perspective. How indescribably awful to see your tiny daughter hooked up to monitors and IVs, coughing and fighting to breathe. I am so grateful that she had the strength and we had the resources to come through that.
How many people out there would give all their worldy possessions to hug their kids or their spouse one more time?

Nice and Mean Dinosaurs

Henry just held up his latest Play Doh creation for me to see.
Henry: Lookit Mama! I made a NICE dinosaur! He doesn't kill people or died people or BITE people!

Now he just informed me that he made a MEAN dinosaur.

Me: What makes him mean?
Henry:  He bites people very hard!

Yep, that's mean, all right.

Shoveling Dirt

Henry wandered into the living room "reading" my day planner.
Then he ran to Baby Kathryn, grabbed both her little hands in his, kissed them and made a face.  
I was gazing adoringly at my sweet little boy.....when he said this.

Henry: Mama! Baby Kaffryn a SHOVEL!
Me: What? Why did you call her a shovel?
Henry: Because she picks up DIRT!!


She's not even crawling yet. Just wait.

Where do Babies Come From?


Saying prayers with Henry at bedtime....

Me: Thank you God for my son.
Henry: I come from God?
Me: God gave you to Mama and Dada.
... (And then just because I could, I asked this)
Me: How did God make you, Henry?
Henry: God opened his belly and I crawled in an' slept an' den he opened his belly agin an' I crawled out!

Haven't laughed that hard in a while. Sure, I'll have to straighten that out later, but for now, it's amusing.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Doodling

Henry, drawing on the magnetic doodlepad again and apparently thinking of the online Star Wars game....I'm guessing....

Henry: Lookit Mama! I drawed very, very nice slugs! They not mean slugs; they nice slugs. They have life-savers and kill big dinosaurs and lions!


He comes up with the most random stuff. I love it.
OK, time to herd him towards bedtime and hope I didn't indulge his rootbeer-sweet tooth too much today.

Smile!

My husband was taking a well-deserved nap one afternoon.
I peeked in to see if he was still sleeping and to caution Henry to quiet down (yeah, right) when Henry burst into the bedroom, vaulted onto the bed and enthusiastically smacked Jim 3 times on the back of the head.

Henry: DADA! Wake up and SMILE at Mama!!!

Huh?

Henry was drawing on his magnetic doodlepad this morning.

Henry: Lookit Mama! I drawing FRESH OVER!
Me: Huh? What's French Yogurt?
Henry: NO!
(My husband stepped in to translate for this one)

Ohhhh...Shrek the Ogre!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Really? Doesn't this go without saying?

Never thought I'd have to say this, but....
Me: "Henry! Don't feed the dog Play-Doh!"
Henry: What? She VERY LIKES Play-Doh!

No wonder she stealth-barfed in Henry's room earlier.

God knows what the kid's been sneaking her when we're not looking.



http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/01/buy-one-get-one-free-play-doh-coupon.html

Princess

Ugh, both kids woke up before 5am today and then at 8am, still not showing any sign of wanting to go back to bed.

Me to Kathryn: Good morning, my princess.
Henry: No Mama! She's NOT a princess! She's too little! When she grows up and gets big THEN she will be a princess! OK, Mama?



http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Princess-Child-Hat-One-Size/dp/B002AWFWJU

Weatherman

It's officially winter here, snow-covered roads and all.

Henry: Mama!
Me: Yeah, Henry?
Henry: I don't think it's 90 degrees outside!
Me: I think you're right, buddy.



http://unrestrictedstock.com/projects/falling-snowflakes-free-stock-vector-set/

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Lazy day: I finally got around to changing Henry's clothes and as he was standing in front of me while I zipped the last zipper, he blew a huge lungful of morning-breath into my face. SO did not see that one coming.

Me: Henry! Why did you do that?!
Henry: I dunno. How about I blow on your hair?

Mental note: brush teeth before getting dressed.


http://childrenstorytales.com/scrub-b-the-toothbrush/

Lost in Translation

I'm crocheting a baby beret for a little girl about Henry's age and I'm shamelessly using him as a dressmaker's dummy.
Even knowing the head circumference, it's nice to have an idea how it's looking so I need Henry for multiple fittings. Henry was a bit reluctant to cooperate though. 
I solved that pretty quick but the easy way out will definitely come back to bite me.

Me: I'll give you a piece of candy if you hold still.
Henry: EIGHT??!!
Me: No! "A" as in 1 piece!!

Nice try, buddy.




http://www.flickriver.com/photos/zizoo/345629659/

Close, But No Cigar

Our son Henry was all dressed (finally) and ready for bed.

Henry: Dada! I go pee-pee in my Pull-up!
Jim: Why didn't you say you had to go?

Henry: Because I'm a mean boy.




http://www.grocerycouponnetwork.com/community/21-pull-ups-coupon-rare/

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say

My husband made matching milkshakes for himself and our son Henry. Adorable.

Henry: Where mine, Dada???
Jim: You said you didn't want any more so I finished it.
Henry: BAD DADA!!!

Wakey, Wakey

Our dialogue from this morning:

Me: Henry, it's time to wake up now.
(Henry rolls over and smiles, eyes still closed).
Henry: No. I sleeping. Go away now, please. Goodbye.

Nice try. If only I could.

Which Way Did He Go?

My husband James was in the other room changing our daughter's diaper. Henry, who was drawing in the living room, put his pencil down and marched purposefully out.

Henry: I gotta go find my Jim.

Look out- man on a mission!

Monday, January 16, 2012

No Monsters in the Closet

Dada: Henry, time to wash hands before dinner.
Henry: I need someone to come help me! I SCARY from Malificent in the bathroom!!


I'd be freakin' scared too if that b**** was in our bathroom!
http://www.disneyvillains.net/Maleficent.php

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Workout

Henry's drawing, his crayons scattered all over the living room floor for easy access, I suppose.

Henry: Mama! I drawing a horsie!
Me: What's your horsie doing?
Henry: Eating grass all by himself.

(Henry abruptly stops coloring).
Henry: OK, Mama. That's it. I'm done coloring now. I have no more energy left to burn out.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Points for Creativity

Henry's latest Disney movie fixation?? "Sword in the Stone"
He was being "quiet" and I found him busily drawing on his whiteboard.

Henry: Mama! Lookit! I drawing MER-LOCK!

Yeah, that would be "Merlin," buddy.



http://ammondisney.wikia.com/wiki/File:Merlin.gif

That Kid Will Eat Anything!

Making bread pudding with Henry and turned my back for a second....
I came back to the table to find Henry shoveling the raw mixture into his mouth.

Me: Henry! Don't eat it yet! There's raw eggs in that!
Henry: Can I lick the spoon?
Me: NO!

Henry: WHY???!!!!


http://www.squidoo.com/bread-pudding-recipe

Imagination

Henry's wandering around with the laundry basket on his head.
Henry: Mama! I Spiderman!

Then I heard a muffled "thump" and Henry's "ow." Guess running into the wall was the end of playing Spiderman.

Holla!

Henry was looking out the window at the lovely weather, slushy roads and all.

Me: Henry, what do the roads look like?
Henry: SNOWMAN! OPEN WINDOW NOW!
Me: No, Henry. Windows stay closed in the winter. And don't yell at Mama.

Henry: I DO YELL AT MAMA! I DA STEP MOTHER!
Cinderella3 1073.jpg
http://disney.wikia.com/index.php?title=Lady_Tremaine&image=Cinderella3_1073-jpg

Friday, January 13, 2012

Casseroles Do What?!

We had a yummy tater-tot casserole for dinner and Henry took that to a whole new level.

Henry: RAWR!!! RAWR!
Me: Indoor voice, my little lion. 

(Apparently my guess was way off).

 Henry: I NOT a lion! I a ROARING CASSEROLE!!

Of course you are.

Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tater-tot-casserole/detail.aspx

(OK, our casserole looked WAY more appetizing than this)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Stumps are for Jumping

Needed some fresh air so took Henry for a walk and he found a stump in someone's yard which of course required climbing.

Me: Get off that stump, Henry. That's not our yard.
Henry: Why they have stump in their yard?
Me: I don't know why there used to be a tree there. That's just where it grew.
Henry: So I can climb on it and fix their roof because it's broken?????



http://loftstairz.com/

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Aftermath

Home now from Kat's first sick trip to the hospital. You just know it's serious when you bring your kid to the local ER and they call the nearest major children's hospital who sends a pediatric transport team to get your kid.

I just tucked Kat in for the night with Vicks spread on her little chest and the humidifer running nearby. Then Henry and I cuddled in bed to watch "Mickey and the Beanstalk" for the thousandth time. I last saw him briefly Sunday night and only talked on the phone since then so it was utterly heavenly to snuggle and hug my healthy son while my daughter slept peacefully a few feet away. 

So Henry doesn't like the beginning of the movie when everything dries up and there's no food or water. I learned about his priorities.

Henry: Mama! They got nothin' to eat!
Me: Just beans and bread.
Henry: Nothin'! No butter or chicken nuggets!! I don't like that! That make me very very sad!

Of course I got all Mama-weepy at this, thinking of hungry kids worldwide and thankful for all the blessings that God has given us.

I'm also wondering if that's what Henry considers a well-rounded diet.
If that's the case....ew.

Monday, January 9, 2012

How Much Can One Mama Take? Seriously!

As  I write this, I'm sitting next to my 7 month old daughter lying in a hospital crib, strapped to at least 3 different monitors and riddled with needlepricks from unsuccessful IV attempts. Seriously? I'm not strong enough to deal with this! Well, I guess I have no choice, do I?

She appears to be on the mend with a diagnosis of a respiratory infection. She was running a fever of 103-104 but that seems to be under control now.


Update: Tuesday Jan. 10, 2012
Still at the hospital with Kat. She responded to the meds and her fever is down. Still breathing hard and coughing A LOT. She's also not nursing as well but her appetite is pretty good- a bit decreased but it's there.


I was just thinking of the parents who cannot be with their kids  here. Completely, utterly heartbreaking to think that some have to choose between their family and their job. I know that the FMLA has alleviated some of this anxiety but it's still incredibly stressful to think your job might be jeopardized if you take time to stay with your sick child. Even more stressful when you carry the health insurance.
So I am thankful that I can be here with Kat, advocating and caring for her. The instant she needs a diaper change, she's changed and not waiting for a nurse to check in on her. I can hold her in my arms and rock her to sleep; she's not alone.

Now that I've made myself weepy about this, it's time to go back on Mama-duty. I am so grateful to our family and friends who have stepped in to help. Especially Grammy. Words cannot describe how thankful I am that Henry is happily spending time with Grammy so we can both be here, spelling each other when one needs a break and providing nonstop care and support for our baby. Since she's like a third parent to him, I doubt Henry even misses us, except for the occasional inquiry as to where we are.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

It's COLD Outside!

My husband was outside in the bitter cold, cleaning off the cars. What a guy.
Henry woke up and wanted to know where his Daddy was.

Me: He's outside scraping ice off the cars.
Henry: Oh! He outside in the cold! He should be here where it's warm! My Dada's very very cold! I don't like that!

Shivering Lips


We were watching "Curious George" at 0-dark-30 as my husband would say.

Henry: I'm cold!
Me: There's a blanket RIGHT next to you.
(Henry looks down) Ohhh!
... Henry: My LIP is shivering! I don't like it!

Welcome to Winter, sweetheart.... Get used to it.

3 year-old logic

http://www.greenlightoffice.com/office/3/chartpak-ad-markers


Henry wanted to color with a marker. Um....no. Not after the last Sharpie-fingers fiasco. This is his attempt at reasoning and persuasion.

Henry: Yeah! First I'm gonna write my name. Then I'm gonna write Dada's name....and Mama's....and Kathryn's...and Maggie's....and...and...my helmet's name!

He never did say what the helmet's name was but I bet it would have had something to do with the Buffalo Bills on it.

To Share or Not To Share

Kathryn was rolling around on her playmat and found Henry's football hemet. Ooooh...good to chew...and drool on....and chew....

Henry: No Kaffryn! Dat MINE!!!
He snatched it away. Kat just blinks up at him with her huge blue eyes.

No tears this time and I "suggested" Henry give her another toy and be nicer to his sister.

So it begins... was wondering how long that would take.

Say Again?

Jim teaching Henry the ways of the Force....starting with selections from Jimmy Buffet, namely Margaritaville. 

 Jim: Henry, what is that song?
Henry: Mar-eeva-girl!!

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/16439

Potty Training Saga Continues...

 Henry had just SOAKED his underwear & PJs and after changing into dry clothes, refusing a trip to the potty and going over telling Mama when he has to go, he started dancing around in the living room.

Henry: Mama! I gotta go pee-pee!!
Me: OK, Henry. Go to the bathroom.
(Henry keeps hopping from one foot to the other, not making any move towards the bathroom).
Henry: I tell Mama & Dada I gotta go pee-pee!
Me: Yes, you did!! NOW GO TO THE BATHROOM QUICK BEFORE YOU DON"T MAKE IT!

I love that he's so proud of mastering step 1, he forgets what to do next.



He's so funny... when I'm not cleaning up urine-soaked rugs.
He's got the basics down, now trying to master the finer points of realizing when he has to go. We tried putting him on a schedule for going but that was putting too much pressure on him so we stopped. Even though we just wanted him to just go to the bathroom and try and it was OK if he didn't have to go. It became a battle of wills and he was getting really worked up about potty training so we backed off.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

"Oh Henry!" Book Title?

This is what I'm thinking of for my book title. If you follow my Facebook updates, I wouldn't be surprised if you think Henry is an only child. Well, he is my most vocal source of material as Kat is barely 7 months old and her antics are much more limited by comparision.

I never thought I would say this, but I would love to write about my kids and motherhood full-time. Henry and Kat give me such amazing ideas and insights. They are also the reason my house continually looks like the aftermass of a tornado touchdown.

When I had Henry 3 years ago, many told me to not care what the house looks like and spend that time with the baby or sleeping. WAY easier said than done. Well, "they" were right in this case. It sets me on edge sometimes that the bathroom floor is littered with cobwebs of hair in the corners. I used to routinely scrub it on hands and knees. Wearing yellow kitchen gloves. Seriously. The kitchen floor has a sliver of shredded paper stuck to it with some unidentifed substance, obviously sticky and I have yet to find time to steam mop like I used to.

Probably would have a cleaner house if I spent less time blogging, right? Well, this is my outlet, my way of coping with the incredible stress of living paycheck to paycheck and reconciling myself to the fact that I graduated suma cum laude 4 years ago and now make $8.80 an hour after being unemployed for 5 months after losing my job with the school budget cuts. While 33 weeks pregnant. Talk about trial by fire.

And yet I still count my blessings. Being a Christian taught me that. No one ever said life was easy. God has always provided for us, whether it be in the form of an unexpected etsy sale, or a fantasy football pool, or a friend's generosity. For that, I am truly thankful.

I caught myself feeling jealous of someone the other day. She had lost her job the same day as me and now she's still working in a field she loves, making good money, owning her own home. Don't get me wrong- I don't want someone to be miserable or poor but I was asking myself, "Why her? Why not me?" when it hit me that some people would give anything to have what I have. A loving (and incredibly patient) husband whom I trust to the ends of the earth. Our two maddeningly adorable children who make me laugh every day. You can't buy that. No amount of money in the world can give you that kind of deep contentment.

So I'm now grappling another project on top of everything else. I want to successfully write about my kids, motherhood, juggling work and grad school and my yarn addiction. We'll see how that goes. For all Henry's Facebook fans, I may start posting in my blog instead of on my wall.