Matthew's mommy

Apparently shares his proclivity for being underdressed

Quick Trip to the Store

I remember the days when getting to the grocery store with a kid seemed so burdensome. When was the last time they ate? Do I have a change of clothes/diapers, do I have a toy to keep them busy? When is their next nap time?

In fact, I used to remember with a tinge of fondness the days when it was possible just to make a "quick trip" to the store.  As much as I LOVE my kids, that was one little luxury I thought I had lost.  

But with an almost four-year-old, I'm seeing those quick trips come back again.  Molly and Matthew were asleep. Michael Sr was at home, and Michael had just gotten up when he caught me about to go out the door. 

"Can I come?"

Whereas before, bringing a kid in tow would have thwarted my hopes for a quick trip, with Michael, I realized we could once again do it. 

"Sure!"  I got him dressed and we headed out the door in a matter of minutes.  My shopping buddy and I were off on an adventure. Michael was thrilled with this special opportunity.

Of course, we got slowed down when we got there and Michael insisted on driving one of those shopping carts shaped like a truck with the steering wheels in front which, if a regular cart steers like a sedan, these things steer like a Mack truck.  Oh well. :)

So, after getting apple juice (and of course some for Matthew for when we returned) and the things on the list, we still made it back before everyone else was up.

And you know? I think, rather than longing for those "quick trips" before I had kids, these kind of quick trips are even more fun because I sure do enjoy the company.

Girls

Tummy Time

Tent Camping

Nothing spices up a meal like putting it in a sideways tent!  Chicken and carrots never tasted so good!

Beach Front Property

Well, if you're a spider.

I've become quite informed on all things spiders in the past few months.  Ranging from the different types of spiders, to why they don't get stuck in their own web, and I've watched countless episodes of spiders catching bugs and wrapping them up, as well as watching time elapsed videos of them spinning webs.

So when I was walking in our apartment complex the other night and saw this:

I was intrigued.  

As people, we consider the prime pieces of real estate those with great views, lovely landscapes, or great location.

Apparently spiders have the same ideas, but just a little more pertinent to a spider's needs.

I mean, come on. If you are a spider, what could be a better location than right next to this lamp?  You would feast every single night as the literal moth-to-the-flame scenario got you victim after victim faster than you could wrap them.

And just like those houses who have the best locations (like beaches, or sprawling estates) tend to be kept nice, neat and always visitor-ready, I can't help but notice that this spider does not just have a shabby web that you see in the corners of your house or clumsily strewn across things in your garage, this spider web is pristine, perfectly symmetrical, and textbook "orb spiderweb". Its perfect design suits its perfect location.

This is the spider that hosts all other spiders at dinner parties.  If a spider organization needs a fundraiser, they go to this spider's mansion for their event.  When spiders come to visit the neighborhood, this spider's web is on the places-to-see list in their What to Do in San Diego guidebook.    

Yes, perched up there on the most lucrative of positions, this spider rules the roost.  I wonder if there are spider fights, territory battles, or special elections held to determine who gets this spot. Maybe the garage spiders or lowly corner-of-the-house spiders who barely survive on scraps and dust bunnies are planning a coup to overthrow King Spider from his throne. 

I don't know, but I do know that the owner of this web has a fine piece of spider real estate....and he knows it!

Oh Matthew....

Back on Track

So, the past couple of weeks, Molly's been a little....off kilter.

She's still sleeping well, but she went from sleeping from 8pm-8:30am, to 8 am, to 7am, to 6am and, a couple of times... 5:30am.  

Ok. This doesn't fly here.

While I can appreciate the occasional growth spurt and need for extra food, we like to trend towards longer stretches of sleep as opposed to shorter ones.

Unfortunately, I feel I may have contributed to the problem.  Once, I let her sleep on her tummy and she became an addict.

An absolute addict.  From that one split second where I let her roll over just a little too far, she got a taste for the wonderful sensation of tummy sleeping and would not go back to the preferred Back to Sleep.

And so...I gave in to her preference during naps and during the first part of her night sleep, but would come in when I went to bed and would flip her on her back so she spent the better part of the night on her back.

Well, it turns out, Miss Molly did not like changing positions, and when her sleep cycles lightened up in the morning and she found herself on her back, instead of going back to sleep (like a sane person) she would wake up in protest and then insist on being fed, then she would go back to sleep for a few hours.

Now, I actually didn't mind if this was happening around 6, because I was getting up that early to take care of few things.  But, I like to wake up by my own choice...and I certainly don't like waking up at 5:30 when my alarm is set for 6...and I certainly don't like the trend that may not even stop at 5:30. What if it becomes 5am? 4:30? 4?  Uh-uh. Nope. Not here.

So, who do I turn to in times of trouble?  You know it! The Baby Whisperer, who, tried and true, after a more deliberate application of her methods, we were in two days able to whip that sleep schedule back into shape.

And back to her back.

And back to long naps.

And back to decent wake-ups.

And back to nice peaceful bedtimes (without the several minutes of crying in protest while I help to settle her).

So all of us are much happier, and when Molly is good and ready to roll over on her own, she can sleep  on her tummy all she wants, but until then we're back on the right track.

Thanks, Baby Whisperer!

Apparently...

....Some thing are more fun without pants

Twins?

I don't really go anywhere without someone asking me if the boys are twins.

Michael's shorter for his age and still has a little baby chub in his face. Matthew has a big ol' head, so the size difference is sometimes barely perceptible.

But as a Mom who sees their faces everyday (and their ver different personalities to go with them!), sometimes, I think people are crazy for thinking they are twins.  

Other times, I can definitely see the resemblance!

How Michael Passes the Time

It has become an almost daily exercise for Michael to "write letters on the computer."  Sometimes it's jibberish, sometimes it's actual words.


Lately, he just wants to countdown.

Yes. He started at 100.  Yes, he went down to 0.

Getting a little weary in his 30s, but still pressing on

If that's your idea of fun. Have at it, son!

Biggest and Littlest

Funny Things Today

Michael: "I made a mistake, but that's ok. Mistakes are how you learn."

"I broke my helicopter! I'm so sad!"

"I made a mess! I'm sorry Matthew, it's my fault. It's my fault."


Matthew: "I want to watch Dumbo with Baby Dumbo (the stuffed animal) on my lap."

Me: "won't baby dumbo be sad when he sees his Mommy taken away?"

Matthew: "No. I'm his Mommy."



Matthew (with a baseball mitt in hand): "What do you want to be? Can you ask me that?"

Me: "Matthew, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Matthew: "Hockey."

Me: "Hockey?"

Matthew: "Baseball mitt."

Me: "You mean baseball player?"

Matthew: "I'm gonna be a baseball player."

Daddy's Going to Need a Bigger Chair

Help!

One of Each

Tea for Two

I know I didn't have to have a daughter to have a companion to drink tea with....but I just assumed the boys wouldn't be interested.

However, they do see me drink tea regularly and perhaps they were interested because I drink from a mug rather than a regular cup.

But I thought I would introduce Michael to some tea, especially since Matthew takes a nap in the boys' room, and Molly is in our room, Michael takes his quiet time with me now (in other words, Michael doesn't really get a quiet time, nor do I :) ).

(Working on a craft during our afternoon time together)

So I bought him some caffeine free Apple Cinnamon tea and asked if he would like some.

He was thrilled at the offer, he actually liked it and has become an avid tea drinker ever since!

Funny Conversations

Matthew to Michael (wearing Spiderman PJs): "What are you doing Spiderman?"

Michael: "I'm going potty."

Actually....

Michael has a tendency to use the word "Actually" a lot.  He always uses it appropriately, but it's just funny to hear so frequently from such a little boy.

Today, one of the neighbor kids was, for whatever reason, being mean and teasing Michael and Matthew by calling them "babies."  Actually (ha) he was saying "Callate tu babies!" (Spanish for "Shut up"). It was odd because that little boy has always been nice to Michael and Matthew, and why he was being snotty all of a sudden was weird to me...but whatever.

Matthew thought it was funny (he reminded me of Dumbo's reaction to the kid teasing him...Dumbo just plays along an doesn't realize he's being teased). Matthew just laughed it up and shouted back in between cracking up: "You're a baby! Ha ha ha!"

Michael wasn't very pleased with the situation. He sort of chuckled, but was intent on correcting this boy for calling him a baby.

While the little boy was teasing annoyingly, Matthew was laughing hysterically, Michael, with maturity far exceeding his two companions yelled back, "Actually, that's not a fact. I'm not a baby. I'm a big boy."

The little boy kept up his taunts until I stuck my head out the door and the boy scampered up the stairs to his own apartment. My boys came in and we sort of debriefed about the situation. I asked how it made them feel to have someone talk to him like that. They didn't like it which was a good teaching moment for me to tell them how we don't want to be like boys like that who make other kids feel bad, etc.

Suddenly, Matthew's version of what transpired changed and Matthew told me, "I told him, 'You're not being nice'"

Sure ya did, Matthew. Sure.