I love this time of year....

As you know dress up is a huge pass time at our house. The kids dress up everyday, so actually choosing one thing to be for the Halloween parade at Los Ninos and the actual night of trick or treating was hard, and there was quite a lot of last minute sharing going on.

First up: Los Ninos Parade. The morning of Kate's nursery school day she was undecided on what to be. She put on her lion costume, no go. We tried her fairy princess super girl outfit, no such luck. It was no surprise to us since getting her dressed any ordinary day is difficult. Finally, Charlie suggested she borrow his batman costume, and her face lit up! She was the most adorable bat girl I have ever seen.

Kate's nursery school class is small and cute. There are 7 kids total and everyone is 3, except Kate. She has been dropping off and picking up Charlie for a full year, and so walks around like she owns the place. All of her teachers got a kick out of her costume....because the other girls were princesses, a cat, and a pumpkin. Kate was the only super hero in the bunch, obviously because she has an older brother.

The tradition at LN is to have a small party (snack time with costumes on) and then walk around the wonderful yard in the halloween parade.

Here are the cuties getting ready!

Batgirl's brother and dad getting ready to cheer her on. (love that adam works so close to our lives that he can steal away for a few minutes for these types of things)

Maybe the helicopter and dragon are intimidated by the strong batgirl in between them?

She took this parade thing very seriously, allowing stoping once to flex her muscles..

So slow that she is getting lapped, but hey when you are on the look out for crime you have to be thorough.

Friday afternoon it was Charlie's turn to have his Halloween parade. The class is 3 times bigger... can you find him?

Like Kate he took his job seriously. The other kids were being silly, falling over, running...Charlie just kept on marching with a straight face.

Charlie and his best buds Ian and Basel. Personally I like the shot of them all in snow white costumes better....

The kids had great fun cheering each other on, and I was so proud of Charlie for thinking to offer Kate his costume and for sharing it. These nursery school parades were part 1 of celebrations.

The things they say...

Ok, I know I am lagging on this blog. I am not sure if I have ever taken a three week break before. But growing a baby is freaking hard work, and what little energy I have left has to go to my two children, tutoring, and teaching, leaving no time for something as silly as a blog.

BUT....

with the kids doing so much, saying such great things, and me growing and changing as a mom everyday it is odd that I am not posting, because truly there is so much to say.

But for today I will stick to funny things:

Funny thing #1:

A few weeks ago at swim class a little boy just under 3 ran up to Kate while she was in the shower and he roughed her up a bit, then minutes later he ran back over and for no reason yelled, SHUT UP to her. I wasn't the least bit surprised because well, kids do random things. Well, Kate did what any normal little person would, she smacked him in the chest. Of course it wasn't my proudest moment, but if your kid yells at my daughter and gets in her face, chances are her, she will stick up for herself....by hitting.

So about an hour later right before nap I put her on the potty and said, "Kate, remember how G grabbed your tummy and yelled shut up at you? That made you mad. I understand why. But we really can't hit people, it hurts?"

With her adorable little body parked on the toilet she looked up at me with her big blue eyes and said, "How bout we don't talk about it right now?" I said, "fair enough" After all she was trying to poop.

Funny thing #2:

I took the kids to the park one afternoon after Charlie's nursery school. Charlie was playing with his new girl crush M, and I was meeting her father. A few minutes later my dad drove by and decided to stop by and come into the park to watch the kids play (as if seeing them and playing with them daily isn't enough for him...cute dad). Charlie looks at Pa, smiles, and then walks right past little M's dad and says so causally while pointing over his shoulder, "that guy lives with me"

Funny thing #3:

Yesterday I turned 11 weeks and had my first good day in 6 weeks. I woke up, shot off a million rocket balloons, made play-dough with the kids, then we made cookies, then we went bike riding, to the park, and out for Gelato. All by 12. Then we went back to the park, and after that Charlie played with all his friends at Nursery School. On the way to nursery school Charlie asked if it was getting to be night time. I explained that even though we had done so much, and had such a great time, we still had 6 hours of fun left in our day. He replied, "Ok, I think I am going to use up the rest of my energy at Los Ninos."

After dinner he was talking with Adam. Adam asked him how his day was, Charlie answered,

"It wasn't a magical day." to which Adam said "No?" Charlie replied, "No, it is not like I saw any rabbits coming out of any hats..."

So I guess that is what it will take for me to create a magical day for my boy

Funny thing #4

Charlie, Kate and I were picking out bedtime books. Kate looked at Charlie's hand and said, "Charlie got a pinter (splinter) on his thernar eminence. The last time I heard her say that many weeks ago when charlie painted pretend blood on his thumb. This little girl will accomplish anything she sets her mind to. She knows many medical names for body parts, and has been asking me to teach her spanish. The other night for her 10th song she asked me to sing twinkle twinkle in Spanish. I tried to fool her by singing the itsy bitsy spider in spanish because I don't know how to sing twinkle twinkle in spanish. I even tried to put it to the tune of twinkle twinkle...but I am not too musical. She loved the song, but when I was done she looked me dead in the eye and said, "That wasn't twinkle twinkle in panish."

Funny thing #5

When kate messes something up, spills, or has any kind of unfortunate accident she says, "OH SHIT" The first few times Adam cracked up and asked her over and over: what did you say. Can you say a little reinforcement ADAM! Charlie doesn't say it, and I try my hardest not to swear (out loud at least). After the initial cuteness wore off (ok, it never will with her high pitched squeaky voice), we tried to correct her saying, "Oh shoot" Most of the time now she says "oh shoot" but last night she spilled her water on Charlie's bed and said "Oh shit" I calmly said, "you mean oh shoot" She said, "No, I mean oh shit" I get it though. There is a time a place for a word like shit, like when you stub your little toe on the corner of a wall...or.....spill water on your big brother's bed...she is a fast learner.

Funny thing #6

Let's preface this by saying I am officially stumped by age 4. I have loved every stage up until now, and having days like yesterday and today I can honestly say that there are many many many wonderful things about a four year old boy. Like how curious he is, the questions he asks (mommy what is stronger metal or a house? What if the house was on top of a hill and then rolled all the way down), the way he can play for up to an hour with k so wonderfully, switching between playing babies and superheroes. But the attitude, sensitivity, meltdowns are like nothing I have ever experienced before. And the things I hear him saying (along with other 4 year old boys) "I don't want to play with you" "You are not my friend". After going to the park with Nonnie and Charlie telling some random boy that he wasn't his friend, my mom had a conversation with Charlie. Charlie told my mom plainly, "Mama, I can't be friends with everyone." I thought it was a great answer. He is quite popular at preschool, and really we can't be friends with everyone...

Funny thing #7

A few days ago K hit right below her eye really hard on the corner of a picnic table while on her balance bike. My mom asked her last night, "Kate how did you get your black eye?" Kate said so matter of factly: "No, look in my eye. (she opened her eyes super big and pointed to her pupil), it got a lot of blue in there." Guess she doesn't know what a black eye is.

These kids aren't obedient. Not the best listeners. Not great at owning up to their mistakes. But they adorable, funny, spunky, strong, sweet, and very real little people. And I am proud to be their mommy.

The things they say

I have not been getting up in the morning for obvious reasons, and let's just say Adam is no morning person, which leaves the kids running around wild for the first hour of the day. A few days ago I overheard this from the playroom:

Charlie: KATE!!!!!!! AW you just blessed you on me

Kate: I yorry

Last night I made my way into Charlie's bed at some point in the night and a few hours later he woke up crying, from a nightmare...

Charlie: NO, Kate is eating all the gorilla balls

Being the middle of the night it took me a minute to think about what he was talking about. The mental image in my head was not pretty. But then I quickly remembered he was talking about a cereal he likes to eat.

A few days ago Charlie was having a tough moment. He was upset about something and yelling at us. Adam asked him repeatedly in a nice voice to either calm down or leave the room. When Charlie wouldn't do either, Adam got up and walked towards him raising his own voice a bit.

Charlie: (face full of tears and red) Daddy, remember the golden rule!

We have been working with him on not loosing his cool and yelling so much when he is upset. My mom has been talking to him about the golden rule, treat others as you want to be treated. So when he felt like his dad was yelling at him, he wisely pointed out that Daddy should treat others as he wants to be treated.

About a month ago people, including myself, began asking the kids what they wanted to be for Halloween.

Kate's answer for a solid month: A BUTT, and then she breaks into a crazy belly roar. She thought of this idea all on her own. Thankfully about a week ago she changed her mind, after one day of proclaiming that she wants to be a butthead, she moved on to a fairy.

This past weekend Adam was a champ. It has been a real struggle for me to make it through the day, let alone work a few hours and parent my energetic kids. Saturday Adam gave me the entire day off and took the kids on a bike ride to Hatch school. Charlie is usually very good about stopping at stop signs and looking both ways. As they were approaching a street Adam reminded Charlie to stop and look both ways before crossing the street. Charlie did not look both ways, but instead rode out in the middle of the street.

Adam: Charlie, you didn't look both ways you could have been hit by a car.

Charlie: I don't know what to tell ya....

They say laughter is the best medicine....

Idigs

As I have mentioned before I am a part of an email group of inspiring women. Most days the women in this group send out a list of idigs, things little and big that they are grateful for. I haven't been replying because I feel like crap everyday lately.

I did do it today and here is my list:

1. Adam taking care of everything all weekend, taking the kids on bike rides, hikes, to the beach, doing the meals, dishes, and mornings so I can spend both days in bed sleeping, resting, and reading.

2. Tara for surprising me yesterday morning and bringing over homemade tomato sauce. My family has suffered from the fact that I A. Can't go to the grocery store B. Can't stand to open the fridge and smell food. C. Can't stand the smell of anything. Poor kids are eating canned soup, mac n cheese, quesadillas, and toast for every meal. Thank goodness we have healthier versions of these things at New Leaf. I think from now on instead making meals for moms with newborns, I will make meals for moms with morning sickness :)

3. My dad for making vegetarian chili.

4. Listening to Kate and Charlie actually play nicely together nicely this morning after two weeks of fighting nonstop

5. The way charlie rubs my belly, talks to the baby, and lights up when he talks about having a new sibling

6. The thought that someday soon I will wake up without vomiting, feeling down, sick, and tired and instead with be bursting with energy to do crafts with my kids, work, cook, and go outside with the kids

7. The new adorable chocolate lab puppy that is coming into our home next Saturday and the amount of joy new life brings into a family

You know you're pregnant when...

1. You get to bed fearing the next day and what it will bring. Then you lay there entertaining yourself by placing personal bets on how many times you will puke the next day.

2. Although you are a normally happy, well-adjusted, balanced, and positive person, you walk around tangled up in a web of unstable emotional, with tears permanently glued to your eyes

3. You aren't hungry, nothing sounds remotely good to eat, yet if you follow your instincts and choose not to eat, you will spend your day in the bathroom.

4. You haven't spent this amount of time hugging the porclein goddess since your first few years in college

5. Ideas that previously seemed like good ones (for example getting pregnant) now seem like the beginning of the end.

6. You cry a few times each day, whether it be due to a certain 4 year old's unruly behavior, a stupid tv show, or because the marble run you are trying to set up keeps falling over.

7. You feel hung over 24-7, yet didn't get to enjoy the pleasure of ever feeling drunk first.

8. Your normal routine full of exercise, great playdates (sometimes complete with champagne or chilled white wine), beautiful walks and bike rides on the coastal trail turn into lazy mornings where you keep the kids entertained with books until 9 in the morning, don't get dressed or shower until it is time to tutor, and the kids go crazy inside all. day. long.

Yes, I am a mess. I admit it. I don't like it, but I do know it too shall pass. And so I will wait patiently, and jump at any chance to pawn my chilluns off on any capable adult.

The things they say

A few mornings ago the kids were painting while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Charlie put some red paint on his hand:

Charlie: Oh no look at me Kate, I am bleeding on my hand.

Kate: (looking very sad and concerned) Why you got blood on your thenar eminence

Background: My mom has been teaching the kids medical terms for their body parts. So far they know what they gum is called, their elbow and their thumb muscle. Kate is learning spanish quickly and these medical terms. She is quite the little parrot. I mean what 2.5 year refers to your thumb as your thenar eminence.

A few mornings ago we took a long, wonderful bike ride into the deep, dark forest. The entire trip lasted 1.5 hours, with Kate on her balance bike and Charlie on his big bike, while I rode my cruiser. We got to the second forest where Charlie likes to ride down pretty big hills. A few months ago they went to the same spot with Adam and I guess Charlie pushed kate down one of the hills. In his defense he wasn't trying to hurt her, just curious what would happen I guess :)

So when we got to this hill, I said, wow charlie this is a big hill, is this what you pushed Kate down....he said,

"No, it wasn't this hill, but it was a big hill. (Then he looked at her with such proud eyes and said), she didn't get hurt. She's like....she's like...she's like......Ironman. (of course Kate looked up at her brother totally in love with him and with being likened to iron man)

For a long time when Adam wanted to get the kids out of the bath he would say, "Whoever gets out first gets to sleep with mommy!" Of course Charlie would race out first, since I always put him to sleep. " Then Adam would say, "Whoever gets out second gets to sleep with daddy." And of course Kate would jump right out since Adam put her to sleep.

Last night:

Charlie: "Whoever gets out first gets to sleep with.....NO ONE" "And whoever gets out second gets to sleep with NO ONE too!"

Both kids crack up. They are both very smart and funny, and I thought this joke was great.

This morning I was making my coffee and the kids were playing by the couch. I noticed they were interacting in song. In sweet, soft, beautiful song voices. I listened closer and heard Charlie say,

"There is a tiger down the street" in a song voice, so I chimed in, "There is a tiger down the street, what if it tries to eat me?" in my beautiful singing voice. Kate looks over with perfect little face, and sings in the softest, sweetest voice, "Mommy, I would save you. I would hold you in my arms." Of course my heart melted. Then I said, "And we can put the tiger back in the zoo." And Charlie sang, "Tigers don't belong in the zoo, they belong in the jungle." Which of course made me so proud that he gets this concept already.

Kids say the sweetest, funniest things.

300 POSTS!

Just wanted to say that this is post 300.
With crazy, active kids like these, I feel it is quite impressive I can reach 300 posts in around 2 years....