Saturday to ourselves

The Princess and I have been running around all day so far (it's about 3:15pm).

Our day started as planned. The four of us had breakfast at Bruegger's Bagels. One of usually picks up the bagels and we eat them at home, but today we ate there. Both kids were in good spirits. I made sure to share my egg & sausage with them, as I know that they'll both need some fuel (other than bread&cream cheese) to get through today. My hubby and the Bear took off for his parents' house by 8:30am. So the Princess and my day alone without the boys had begun! Woohoo!

We headed out to Target first. It's like the only shopping open that early in the morning. We selected a pirate costume for the Princess for Halloween. She'd mentioned about 2 weeks ago that she wanted to be a pirate so I was ecstatic to find a girl's pirate costume on the racks. We meandered through the Halloween area looking at all the decorations. I'm already planning on visiting Target on Monday, November 1st, to pick up leftovers to pack away for next Halloween. We'll be in the new house next year, so I want to get goodies at the low, discounted rate.

We then headed to Old Navy, since they were having a 50% off specific merchandise. It was so weird being able to select clothing AND try the stuff on. When I'm shopping with the whole gang I feel rushed. With just the Princess, I feel more relaxed. She's old enough to wait patiently. She and I chatted while I was trying on the 10 pairs of pants I'd grabbed off the racks. I ended up with only two. I got a pair of pale khakis and a pair of dressier black slacks. I would have purchased a few more things but I didn't have the cash.

We then stopped by a pumpkin place. It was just a huge tent set up in an old parking lot but it worked just fine. There was no one else in there, so the Princess had a blast checking out all the piles of pumpkins. She selected one for the Bear, one for herself, and I selected the one for me and my hubs. We're not going to cut them up. We're going to draw on them with permanent markers. This way we can have them around for a while. I know that the cut up ones tend to rot pretty quickly & they also attract bugs (which we definitely don't want). She also picked out a couple small ears of colorful dried corn to decorate the kitchen.

We headed home after that. I wanted to check out times that certain theaters were showing Shark Tale. Yes, that's the one I decided to take her to. Luckily, we swung by the house so I could check on-line because the first show was at 11:35am! It was already 10:50am, so we just had enough time to swing by the bank to get more cash and drive on over to the theater.

We got to the theater and got a hot dog, popcorn, and some Punch (our lunch). We sat in the bottom row -- the handicap section. I didn't want to disturb anyone if she had to go to the bathroom. Also, that area had more space in the event that she got tired of sitting (which she did). She was able to walk back and forth along that open walkway. She enjoyed the movie & I hope she remembers this first movie experience with Mommy.

We then headed to Blockbuster to trade out the DVDs we'd rented on Tuesday. The Princess selected a Blues Clues video. There wasn't anything new that I wanted to see, so I picked out an old sci-fi movie. Right now the Princess is relaxing watching Blues Clues & eating a PB&J sandwich with milk.

We'll be headed out to my hubby's boss's house around 5:45pm. So our day is NOT done yet. I just needed a break from all our running around. I'm just tuckered out!

How has your Saturday played out?

Starbucks...they can be so nice!

The Bear and I visited a Starbucks on Wednesday after dropping off the Princess at preschool. We went in so that he could burn some energy. It was a newer Starbucks in our neighborhood. It actually had a drive-thru in it (there are only 3 drive-thrus in my city). Anyway, we went in and before I put in my order I happened to glance at the menu board. What the heck?

Starbucks guy: "Good morning! May I help you?"

Me (frowning): "Where is the Gingerbread Latte? You don't have it yet?"

SG: "Oh, the national launching is November 1st."

Me (pouting): "Oh no! I guess I'll have the Pumpkin Spice Latte then."

SG (looking at me with sympathy): "I've got the ingredients for the Gingerbread Latte...."

Me (looking hopeful): "You do????"

SG (whispering): "If you really want one, then I can make one for you."

Me: "Yes, I really need one."

SG (punching numbers into the register): "Hhmmm... they've already got it programmed into the register! That'll be $x.xx"

Me (walking away to find table)

SG: "Grace...garbled garbled latte!"

Me: "Thank you so much! Have a great day!"

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Today there was another Starbucks moment. Yes, I visited it again today but I went to the drive-thru near our soon to be new house as the Bear was passed out cold in his carseat (I'll be giving more info on this later).

I placed my order at the speaker. I drove around & there were only 2 cars ahead of me. I finally got to the window. The gal gives me the total. I pay. She hands over the pumpkin loaf that I ordered & says "Your coffee will be ready in just a minute." I sit waiting. I sit some more. There are now 2 cars behind me. The gal comes over & hands me a slip of paper as she says, "I'm so sorry. Your order was put to the side. They're making it now. Since you had to wait so long your next coffee will be on us."

A FREE coffee! ANY size! Woohoo!

Sleep...sleep...sleep...

It amazes me that some of the largest issues most parents have with their children is about sleep. The Princess was actually a breeze. She started sleeping through the night at 3 1/2 months (she was BFing full time too). She napped well until she gave up naps right before she turned 2. As for my Bear???? He is not exempt from sleep issues.

As I'm trying to start this entry, he's in his crib (it's now 3:54pm) whimpering/crying because he doesn't want to be in there. Oy! Time for me to try to rock him to sleep...I'll be back!

I'm back! It's now 7:17pm & we're getting the kiddos ready for bed at 7:45pm.

Why'd it take me so long to get back on-line? Well, I ended up having to rock the kiddo to sleep. First, I held him sideways -- parallel to the ground. He didn't start to get sleepy for about 10 minutes. When he started to feel tired he moved and put his head on my left shoulder. I rocked and bounced him left to right until his head hung down heavy against my head & shoulder. I was exhausted by the time he fell asleep. At his 18 month appointment in July, he was 27 pounds. I can't imagine how much he weighs now, but he is VERY hefty.

I then held him while he slept. Why'd I do that? During the day if I try to lay him in his crib he'll wake up. I'm not very tall (not quite 5'3") so I have to get on my tippy-toes while I pull him up and away from me before I put him down. That last maneuver generally wakes him up. Anyway, I sat on the glider and let him lay over me. His head on my left shoulder. His arms spread to the left and to the right of me. His legs straddled over my lap.

I let him sleep for about an hour and a half. He could have slept a lot longer (he was a cranky cranky monster when I woke him) but we had to eat dinner. But at least he napped today so he's contentedly watching a DORA DVD with my hubby and the Princess.

Now why did I start this particular entry? To discuss the sleep issues we've dealt with as of late. Ah yes!

Wednesday morning at about 2:30am, our neighbor's dog started barking up a storm. I don't know why, but it did. I woke to hear the Bear crying. I grabbed my glasses and tore across the townhouse to his room. He was standing in his crib doing that scared crying. The dog had woken him up. He was alone in the dark and hearing a noise he didn't like. Poor little man!

I scooped him up and grabbed his blanket. I sat in the glider in his room, but could still hear the dog barking. Oy! So I got up and reclined on the couch in the family room. The kiddo wouldn't relax. His eyes were fully open as he played and played with my hair. At one point he heard my hubby roll over in bed and the kid got off the couch and walked into the master bedroom. "Bubba, get over here. Daddy is sleeping." Fortunately, he listened to me and came back to me. The last time I looked at the clock it said 3:45am. The kid was still awake.

I don't know what time he finally passed out. I don't know what time I passed out holding him. All I know is that I woke up at 5:30am. Why'd I wake up? Because the Bear rolled from his tummy onto his back. Ummm...and yes...he was still on top of me. I stayed still for a bit. I heard my hubby get out of bed. I guess he noticed that I wasn't in bed and came to look for me. That's when he found me. Reclined on the couch with the Bear on his back laying on me.

I decided that the Bear was fully passed out and it was time for me to put him back into his crib. But would it work? I pushed myself up off the couch and walked to his room. I guess it was divine intervention that got my little boy to roll over onto his back. All I had to do was to a flip off me and place him on his tummy on top of his balled up blanket. This is usually how he sleeps so he stayed in his turtle position as I creeped out of his room.

Now this morning? The Bear decided that 5:45am was wake-up time. My hubby was getting ready for work and got the kid out of his crib. What did my hubby do with the boy? He put the kid in bed with me! Oy! It was WAY too early. Thankfully the little guy laid next to me and played with my hair for a bit. I finally rolled my sorry ass out of bed at 6:30am. He's been irritable and cranky all day. Hopefully he realizes that he's not at his best when he doesn't sleep in to almost 7am. He's not at his best and neither is his Mommy!

So....that leads me to the reason I've been to Starbucks TWICE this week. Wednesday morning after the 2:30am disturbance. This morning after his pre-6am wakeup.

How are your toddlers sleeping? Any issues right now?

Changing family dynamics

Things are changing! Not in my household or family. It's all on my MIL's side of the family.

My hubby's godmother, my MILs favorite sister, just got laid off. She's known that her company has been downsizing for years, so as they say "the writing was on the wall." The last I heard about her is that she was contemplating moving near my MIL. Well, actually her son, his wife, & his two girls also live out this way. It would be a great new start for my hubby's godmother and her husband. All their kids are finally out of the house so they need to find a retirement home. I'm waiting to hear that they're finally going to make serious plans to move out of Chicago -- brrr...no more cold winters!

Hubby's cousin, who is only 8 months younger than my hubby, is engaged. He's been dating this one gal for about 4 years now. Since he's one of the older cousins on my MILs side there's been unspoken pressure on him to get engaged once he hit the one year mark dating this gal. No date has been set for the wedding as yet. I'm just wondering what has prompted him to get engaged now? I'm hoping the wedding won't be for another year or so. This way we can make plans to save some money to fly out and attend the festivities. He's a nice, quiet, reserved guy (like my hubby) & I'm so ecstatic for him!

Then there's the new pregnancy! My hubby's girl cousin (who is my SILs age) is pregnant for the 2nd time. Her two kiddos will be 15 months apart. Yes, that's right! FIFTEEN months apart. I guess an announcement was made at my hubby's grandparents' anniversary shin-dig last weekend. I asked my hubby if his mother asked his cousin "Was it an accident?"...pause, pause, pause..."or were you trying?" Are you in shock with that statement? Well...that's what she asked me when we announced that we were pregnant with the Bear. Yes! She actually said that to me! I almost hauled off and smacked her upside the head but I took several deep breaths in and out and let it go. Even though in my head I was screaming "BITCH!"

So kissable!

As I was editing digital photos this morning, I came to realize that my kiddos have the most kissable little lips!

Look at these straight teeth! This is the Prin's big smile.

Then there are her relaxed lips that the boys will want to kiss when she's older.

This is the Bear's attempt to smile -- check out the chip on his left tooth. That happened when he was 10 months old.

Look how pink the Bear's lips are!

Pajamas anyone?

Guess who spent the entire day in her pajamas?

That would be ME! It's not like I didn't want to change out of them. I just could never justify getting changed. It's not like I was in real pajamas. I was in a sports bra, a XL white t-shirt, and sweat shorts. So in reality it looked like I was dressed casually for the day.

No, I didn't venture out of the house on errands or anything. The kids and I had a "stay at home" day. The one day of the week we don't have anywhere to go or anything scheduled to do. That would be our regular Thursday routine.

I watched DVDs with the kids. I played in the backyard with the Bear. I gave him a "cool rinse" after he played outside (he always ends up with dirt in his hair, arms, and legs). We fixed & ate lunch. I colored with them. Then the day seemed over. My hubby came home with our regular take-out Thursday dinner.

It's really nice having a casual at-home day when we seem to be running around all the time. Even the weekends are out and about, so we deserve a day in. Now, I just have to be sure to really change in a real outfit nex time, eh?

Moments of tenderness

Last night I thought about moments in my day that I adore:

Laying in bed with the lights off with my hubby holding hands while we talk before we drift off to sleep.

Spooning my hubby once we get too sleepy to talk. [Yes...I'm the spooner...he's the spoonee...]

The look on my daughter's face when she rounds the corner from her room when she first wakes up in the morning. I say "Prin!" She says "Mommy!" as she runs into my arms for our first hug of the day.

The look on my son's face when he hears his sister. He says "Sissy" and then looks at me as if to say "Well, where is she?"

How I can lay in bed trying to catch a few more minutes of sleep while my son lays next to me playing with my hair (while sucking on his pacifier).

How I get to give my Princess the last hug and kiss before she falls asleep at night.

Holding the bear in a hug as we're cheek to cheek & start going "MMMmmm..." off and on to a rhythm together.

The feel of my hubby's warm lips kissing my forehead before he leaves for work while I'm sleeping in bed.

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Did you notice that it's all about kissing & cuddling? Oh... those bits & pieces of my day are just the best.

She's almost done!

I spoke with my younger sister yesterday afternoon and guess what? She's basically done with getting her masters. She finished up doing the changes that her advisors recommended that she complete on her thesis. She got her 2nd signatures yesterday. What does she need to do now? All she has to do is make an appointment with the dean and have him read her thesis. Then it's all done! She won't get to do the graduation ceremony until June but once the dean signs off on the thesis than she's done! Woohoo!

She doesn't have a job yet. She's going to continue doing her internship to gain more experience while she's applying for jobs. Turns out that she's got a part-time paying gig with someone, but the hours are going to be sporatic. Her supervisor told her that she should hook up with a private investigator to gain even more hands-on experience.

All I know is that I'm happy she's almost done. She's a very intelligent young lady. She has to put herself out there and try to make it in the working world. She's been in school long enough. She has to test if she can handle working and possibly making it on her own. Yes, she's still living with my parents. They're her safety net. She's the most spoiled of us daughters. My folks have given her everything she's ever wanted. She's never been without anything.

She's the only one of us four girls that didn't bolt. My oldest sister ran off & got married when she was 18. My 2nd sister got married a year short of getting her college degree. I moved out when I was 24 & bought myself a condo. It's now my youngest sister's turn to get out there.