He Has The Power...?

I was just encouraging the kids to clean up their messy toy room before dinner time. Jameson, as usual, was being pretty helpful and picking up his things. Madelyn, as usual, was not very helpful, easily distracted, and taking out more toys than she put back. When I told her that she needed to get off the motorcycle and pick up her farm puzzle, Jameson interjected: "Mom, it's okay. I can do it myself. I have power...a lot of power. I don't need Madelyn's help." Whatever that means...

A Big Brother's Excitement

I usually leave the kids with Amy when I make the trek to Newport for my monthly midwife appointments, but on Thursday, after an insane nap debacle and some scheduling conflicts, I decided to bring them along. I hadn't really explained much to Jameson except that we were going to visit mommy's doctor, that she was going to check on our new baby, and that he might get to hear the baby's heartbeat.

Perhaps a little bit more in-depth coverage was in order, because I sensed a certain giddy excitement in the room as I looked over at my darling little boy's face. We were sitting in the exam room waiting for Kathy to come in and he was absolutely beaming. When I asked him what was up, he replied "Mommy, I'm so excited!" When I inquired as to the reason for his sudden exuberance at the midwife's office, he replied "Because your doctor is going to come and open up your tummy and take my new baby out!" Woah. After some careful explanation about how babies grow in their mommy's tummies until they were big enough to come out, etc etc, he was clearly disappointed, but resigned to the fact that we would have to wait until May to meet his new sibling.

Kathy eventually came in, listened to the baby's heartbeat, asked a few quick questions, and sent me on my way. On the way down the steps on the way out, Jameson started to sing "Wooh Wooh Wish Wish...That's the song my new baby sang to me, mom. Her love me."

I was finally uploading the four hundred pictures on my camera onto the computer this afternoon and came across a few videos of Madelyn from this summer. She is such a ham!

Two Down, One to Go!

I was very fortunate a few weeks ago to have Madelyn literally potty train herself. It really was that easy and had absolutely nothing to do with me. She simply woke up one day and decided that she didn't want to wear diapers anymore. We spend a lot of time with Bodhi and Dharma, and although there are ten months between them, Madelyn insists she is a big girl like Dharma. It's pretty funny, really. She sits on the potty and pees and then nods her head difinitively, telling me, "Big Girl...Dharma."

It's really interesting to see the differances in my two kids, each one of them with their own emerging personalities, their quirks, their easy places, and their hard sells. I remember trying to get Jameson to use the potty and having such a struggle. I decided that it was time, and he fought me by peeing all over my house for weeks. It was a total disaster. I guess I prefer it when they figure things out on their own and I can step back and be their guide where they need me. I can't wait to meet this new baby and see how our family works as a clan of five.

Which Reminds Me...

Speaking of May, I just realized that in my blogging lapse, I forgot to make a bit of an announcement...ahem...We're pregnant! Crazy, I know, but our family of four will soon become a family of FIVE, and our new arrival is expected May 23rd. Both kids are absolutely thrilled, and have been going back and forth arguing about whether it will be a sister or a brother. Madelyn, oddly enough, wants two brothers, if only to argue with her brother, who wants two sisters. I'm about 12 1/2 weeks along, and am just starting to get over the morning sickness hump. Woo Hoo!

New Baby at 9 1/2 weeks

New Baby at 6 1/2 weeks

How Nap Time Got Foiled in the Russell Household

Well, I put both kids down for a nap yesterday and had these grandiose time-to-myself plans which involved a bubble bath. Jameson, as always, fell right to sleep, and Madelyn, as always, whined and cried and carried on for a bit. I filled up my bath and, just as I was about to slip out of my jammies, heard the pitter patter of little feet. I put on my stern face and went to give Jameson a talking to, but he was all snuggled up in his bed, asleep. A bit baffled, I checked Maddie's room and found her crib empty and a smiling little girl in the corner by her dresser. I popped her back in and went back to the bathroom, but within moments heard a big crash--Madelyn jumping ship for the second time in five minutes, except this time she has an enormous egg emerging from between her eyes. I think it's safe to say that there was no bubble bath, and without a crib to confine my jumping little monkey, I couldn't figure out how to get her to sleep! It's days like that when I want to pop the cork out of a bottle of wine and say "It's five o'clock somewhere," but I'm reminded by my nausea that it won't be five o'clock until about...May.

Today, Maddie's doing just fine--looking a bit deformed, but she'll live. We took down the crib last night and put up her big girl bed. Then, the most amazing thing happened--she fell asleep! Every single time I've ever put her in her crib, she has screamed for a minimum of twenty minutes. I put her on a twin bed and she told me good night and went right to sleep. I'm in total shock and hoping that this is the new routine, cause a girl could get used to this!

Bob the Builder Birthday Bash

Saturday was Bobby's 32 birthday and his sister Melanie's 29th birthday (weird, isn't it?), a momentous day that was overtaken by Jameson's huge Bob the Builder Birthday bash. I was having a tough time planning his party and, after weeks and weeks of procrastinating, settled on the 26th...and sent out e-vites on the 22nd. Saturday afternoon, we had 45 people over to celebrate three years with our little man. Not bad for four days' notice, eh?

Days later, Jameson is still talking about his party and wondering when we will do it again. I'm so drained I can't even think about what I'll do when Madelyn's second birthday rolls around. I've been saying for a while that the birthday party circuit is getting out of hand, and I believe that it's just that: you throw one big party, attend a few others, and you think to yourself: top that. (In the past few months, we've attended a party with a bounce house and popcorn machine, a cowgirl party with a real pony that the kids got to ride, and a firetruck party with--you guessed it--a firetruck!) I think that that was part of my hold up with planning this shindig, but I'm also quite certain that Jameson would have been thrilled to have his friends over for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a splash in the kiddie pool.

Well, thanks to a few hours' research on the internet and the help of some wonderful friends, I was able to plan a pretty cool day. We filled up two kiddie pools and rented a pretty sizable bounce house, chairs, and tables. The new backhoe was displayed with pride in the side yard so the kids could crawl up there and check it out. When all the kids had arrived, I passed out child-sized aprons (donated by Lowes) and each child got a toolbox to decorate with paint, stickers, and foam letters. I later filled them with candy and sent them home as a party favor. Then, we enjoyed a nice lunch of hot dogs, potato salad, pasta salad (with "tractor wheel" pasta), tortellini salad, fruit salad, watermelon, strawberries and midori dip, and seafood salad. Next, the kids got to paint and "fix up" a cardboard house that Bob and Chad constructed of 8' x 6' panels earlier in the day. They loved it! I gave them all brushes and their aprons and they had a blast painting the house and later, each other. After a quick dip in the pool, they were cleaned up and ready for cake. The cake was gorgeous; a Bob the Builder look-alike made with love and hours of dedication by my wonderful friend Amy. Jameson opened up his presents (which he finally enjoys doing...last year, this activity was an absolute disaster!) and the kids all spent some free time running around the yard, playing with toys, and jumping in the bounce house. That thing was a huge hit. I think next year we'll have to get a larger one that the adults can jump in after hours. Emily did get a few minutes' jump time in, but I'm certain that I exceeded the weight limit. As my Grandma said, it was an awesome day. Bodhi was quick to point out that there was no pinata and that we forgot to take pictures in the backhoe, but I think I'll save that for the next time we host playgroup. Perhaps a touch a truck event? I think I'll go schedule that right now...

Nimeout! Hands Up! and Wake Up!

Nimeout!
Although her tiny stature and sweet, laid-back demeanor are two of my favorite things about our little girl, they seem to be causing her some problems. For the past few months, she has bared the brunt of all sorts of frustrated toddler behavior. She gets pushed, hit, bitten, and pulled around on a pretty regular basis and, until now, had never retaliated. She cries and shakes her head, huge tears rolling from the corners of her blue blue eyes as she points at the culprit. Last week, she started putting people in time out.

Me: "Did you get hurt?"
Maddie: Dramatic Defined Head Nod, pointing at her brother. "Hit!"
Me: "Jameson hit you?
Maddie: Dramatic Defined Head Nod, pointing at her brother. "Brother, NIMEOUT!!! GO!!!"

Later in the day, I brushed her hair and put those golden blonde curls into pig tails that spring up Cindy Lou Who style.

Maddie: "Owww. Head...Hurt. Nimeout."
Me: "The brush hurt your head? I'm sorry."
Maddie: "Nimeout you, mama. Go." She held the top of her head with one hand and stared at me with a deep crease forming across her forehead, pointing to the bottom stair where I often send my children to do their penance.

Hands Up!
While getting the kids dressed, I always tell them "hands up" when I take off their shirts. They obediently put up their hands, and I pull off their clothes. Apparently, Madelyn has generalized this phrase to mean "take your clothes off." She's going through a bit of a nudist baby phase and often yells "hands up!" as she furiously tugs at her clothes or diaper.

Wake Up!
A few months ago, Jameson started to yell "Wake Up!" at the top of his lungs, hands on his cheeks, and a smile on his face...just as Madelyn's eyes started to flutter and she was seconds from sleep. She caught on pretty quickly and, after weeks of sleepless car rides, started wailing "Brother! Wake Up!" when he was right on the brink of a nice midday nap. She thought it was hilarious (which it kinda was) and, in the interest of sibling amicability, they seem to have settled into some sort of unspoken truce. We haven't had a problem since.
Flash forward to last night. I was fast asleep in my bed when I was jolted into consciousness by a bright-eyed baby girl who thought it might be morning. "Mama!!! Wake up!!!" She was on top of me, inches from my nose, smiling ear to ear. How do I get in on that truce???

Losing Ourselves at Eight Mile

July 15 (from my journal)

8 Mile is a movie about Eminem that my father, oddly enough, had a thing for a few years back. When my parents chose 23 Pinecrest as our family retreat and clocked the distance to Loon as eight miles, the house quickly became "* Mile." Three years later, the name has stuck. It was adorable to see Jameson's face light up yesterday as he yelled "We're here, it's eight mile!" and pointed at the blue house.

It's Tuesday afternoon and we're on day two of our relaxing seven day New Hampshire excursion. I find myself sitting on the sofa, looking around at pictures from my childhood and feeling a bit sentimental. This house is an anything goes, everyone's welcome sort of crash pad which, in the last three years, has accommodated all types. It's seen happy vacationing families, newlywed couples, sick people on retreat, depressed runaways from life, fed up adults, excited budding skiers, tired hikers, and smiling swimmers. And, I think, that's exactly what mom and dad had in mind when they bought this place.

Today, we went into town and took a stroll down the strip. We got the kids a lolipop at the candy store, got ourselves a coffee at Cascade Coffee Shop, and walked down to Cascade Park where Jameson splashed around in the puddles. He is working himself up to sliding down the falls like the big boys do some day. He was totally impressed by all the water falls and has put in a request to return when he has his bathing suit. We'll have to make another trip.

Tomorrow, I think we'll drive over the Kancamangus to Glen where the Dirkes cousins are camping. Mom and dad got us a tent as the Russell family birthday present, but I don't think I'm ready to camp with two toddlers yet. I'll made a concerted effort to do that next year. For this trip, I think we'll go and hang out at the campground and catch up with our cousins. Jameson's the ring bearer in Robbie's wedding, so if nothing else, I think I should acclimate him to the family a bit. (We've been having him practice being the ring bearer in the long hallway upstairs, holding a pillow. He does a great job, so we'll see in October how he does in front of a crowd!)

Chad and Amy will be joining us with the kids on Thursday and Jameson is really excited to show Bodhi the lay of the land. He's been making a list of all the things that he needs to share with him, including his Buzz Lightyear sheets. We'll see how the four kids do under the same roof for four days!

Hurray! More Surfing, Please!

July 10 (from my journal)
I never would have taken my husband for a surfer, but after his first lesson, he's hooked! Thursday night, we cruised on down to Narragansett beach to meet up with Amy, Chad, Bodhi, and Dharma. Chad took Bob out on a surf board and pushed him into some waves while we watched from the beach. He thought it was great and so did the kids. Jameson chased seagulls around while Madelyn kept a vigilant eye on her father from her post on the sand. She got really excited for him every time he got up onto his knees (which is as far as he's gotten so far) and clapped her hands, saying "Hurray! More surfing, please!" after he dumped off.

Bob can't wait to get back out there with Chad again, so I think we'll be spending a lot of time at the beach chasing waves this summer.

Jameson's Third (sniff, sniff) Birthday

July 12 (from my journal)






We'd been telling Jameson about his birthday for weeks, so he was thrilled to wake up and find that it was here. We had planned on going to NH to start our vacation a little early, but decided in the end to make it a Rhode Island beach day at Jameson's request. We made the day all about our little guy and followed his lead wherever it took us.

Early in the morning (by my standards, anyway--it was probably about 8:30 that they left) Bob took Jameson for a ride in "Daddy's Truck." He had a great time eating munchkins in the cab, pointing out "bee cars" aka pt cruisers, "mommy red cars" aka ford tauruses or red cars, "daddy trucks" which are trucks of any size or shape, and "nana cars" which are usually convertibles.

When they came back, we loaded up the car and headed to "our beach" to meet the Parks. Bodhi and Dharma gave the birthday boy sunglassses, flip flops, and a boogie board--three of his favorite things. He spent the rest of the day enjoying his presents and having to decide between them--to be in the water with the boogie board or on the sand with his flops and glasses. The trials and tribulations of a three year old! He still hasn't figured out how to comfortably walk in flip flops, so he has this hillarious waddle, but it's tough to get them off of him! (the kicker is that they're matching Buzz Lightyear glasses and flops, so he really is in his glory.) Bodhi got a "surf board" too, which made Jameson feel even more grown up. The boys both love their new boogie boards and quickly figured out how to kick their legs and go out way too deep. We'll really have to keep our eyes on those two--they have no fear!

Later, we went back to the house for a bbq, cake, and a fire outside. The cake was a "white cake made out of cake--not ice cream with white frosting and red letters that say Happy Birthday Jameson number three" exactly to Jameson's specifications. That's a boy who knows exactly what he wants!


Jameson had a wonderful day and went to bed feeling very special and loved. He's really looking for his birthday party which we pushed off for a few more weeks until after our vacation. We'll see what I pull out of my sleeve for that one!

Winding Back Down...

What an amazing couple of weeks! I don't know where to begin. Bob and I spent last week in New Hampshire with the kids and really enjoyed some down time (and a great many adventures). A glorious time was had by all and, although I kept diligent journal entries and took lots of pictures while we were gone, the journal and camera have not made it out of the pile of packed things. Let's face it; I'm not good with piles and I just haven't gone there yet. Perhaps tomorrow, I will have recuperated to the point of unpacking and will be able to blog about my week away.

We've been home for three days and are just now starting to wind down. I abandoned my policy of staying in and relaxing after a busy week and went out for play group at Emily's on Monday and to the beach and play group at Gretchen's on Tuesday. This morning, after discussing his atrocious behavior at yesterday's play date, Jameson politely asked if we could stay home and play with his toys. We did just that and really enjoyed decompressing. Brandee even came over and played with the kids for a while wile I cleaned the house. Jameson was still in his pajamas when Bob came home at 5:30. I was hesitant to leave the house at all, but when Brandee called and offered to cook us dinner, we were out the door in a flash. It really was a day without effort.

We've been seeing so much of the Parks family lately that my children seem to be baffled by the fact that we did not see them today. Madelyn wandered around the house with her shoulders shrugged, palms up asking "Bodhi...where is it?" then "Dharma...where is it?" over and over again. Jameson wanted to call Dharma as soon as he woke up to apologize for hurting her yesterday (the aforementioned atrocious behavior at playgroup) and asked me a few times if Dharma was mad at him when Amy didn't answer the phone.

Now, it's time to focus my efforts on Jameson's birthday bash that is scheduled for Saturday. It's a Bob the Builder theme, and our little man is really psyched to be able to show off the new backhoe. This birthday party stuff is a lot of work!

My "Little" Boy is Growing Up!

At 1:20 this morning, Jameson turned three. I was awake, still tackling that mound of laundry that, although dwindling, is still more of a mountain than a mole hill. I sat there thinking how fast it was that we got here--how it feels like only yesterday that I was carrying him around in the baby carrier. It's incredible. He's potty trained, he can dress himself, he has sleep over parties at Brandee's house. All of a sudden, he's this big kid and, although I've been here the whole time, I really feel like I missed something. Three years--it's been THREE YEARS? NO WAY! I get stopped by complete strangers on an almost weekly basis who feel that it is their job to remind me how fast it goes.

"Enjoy it, It goes by so fast!" or "Don't blink, They'll be 18 before you know it!"

I always smile and nod. Yes, I know. But, to my amazement, they're right! It does go by quick. I was in the midst of getting caught up in a whole sad "where did my baby go?" moment when, at 1:25 Jameson started crying, screaming "Mommy, I want my mommy!" from his bed. I gave him a hug, wished him a happy birthday, and tucked him in. As I left the room, he whispered "I love you, mommy..." I guess my little baby boy is in there somewhere.

Sharing

Madelyn just walked into the kitchen and announced, "Cracker, Please!" So, I gave my smiling girl a peanut butter cracker and she walked to the living room with it. Within moments, she reappeared, hand outstretched and again announced, "Cracker, Please!" Thinking she was storing them somewhere under the sofa cushions, I followed her as she toddled into the living room with her second cracker and sat down next to her brother who was quietly nibbling the peanut butter cracker that Madelyn must have given to him.

They've been getting along swimmingly these days, and Jameson is growing to be the protective older brother that Bob has always hoped for. In and of itself, this is a wonderful thing, but it's wearing on me a bit that I have to constantly remind him that Madelyn is her own person and gets to do what she wants to do (mostly.)

He screams and drags her back into the house when she goes out on the deck, screaming "I don't want my baby to fall down the stairs!" He pulls her away from strangers who stop to talk to her when we're out, yelling "This MY BABY!" He constantly reminds me not to forget her when we're leaving the house (which he's been doing since he was 19 months old.) He won't let her near the water at the beach. He goes after other kids at play group when he's afraid she's being picked on. Every once in a while, he makes me put all the windows up in the car because he's concerned that something she's holding will blow away (which I think stemmed from a balloon incident a few months back, but no matter how many times we explain the physics and chemistry behind a helium balloon blowing away, he's still very concerned!)

But with the bad comes the good. He shares his drink with her when she says she's thirsty. He tells her "it's okay, we're almost there" when she cries in the car. He translates for her when I can't understand what she's saying. He asks her, "Are you sad, baby? Do you want me?" when she's hurt. He reads her books and plays tea party and dolls and dress up with her. He tells her she's pretty when I finish putting in her pig tails or getting her dressed. He listens for her to wake up in the morning and yells "I'm coming, baby! " as he runs up the stairs toward her room to save her.

He has somehow burdened himself with Madelyn's well being and feels totally responsible for her happiness. While I hope that he loosens up a bit, (preferably before he gives himself an ulcer) I'm thrilled that they love each other so much. I can only hope that the special bond they share will remain intact into their adulthood as it has with my brother and sister. What a happy family!

My Great Big Pile Up...

I'd have to say that my greatest defieciency as a wife and mother is laundry, which in the great scheme of things, is not such a terrible thing (I think.) I won't try to blame it on the kids and their multiple watermelon-stained outfit changes or my husband and his massive t-shirt "collection," although those things certainly have compound the problem.

I've been a procrastinator when it comes to laundry since I was about twelve and started washing my own clothes. And, I'm embarassed to say, that after five and a half hours washing 17 garbage bags full of clothes at the laundrymat on Saturday, I'm only about half done. I've been meaning to get to it for months now, and only after I recently met my match when it comes to clothes-washing blunders did I finally find the motivation to do something about it. And for that, I thank you, Amy. Who would have thought that there was another human being out there just like me?

Without any judgement, Amy and her laundry accompanied me and mine to spend an incredibly warm day in what has got to be the hottest place on earth. And, walking away that afternoon, having encountered snide comments from astonished onlookers, admonishment for ignorance of laundrymat ettiquette, burned hands, and tattered egoes, we were victorious. Well, almost. I still have those other 15 or so loads of clothes upstairs to contend with. Progress, not perfection...right?

Weekend Recap

It was another very busy summer weekend in Rhode Island and the Russells are exhausted! We crammed a lot of events into three days and the warm weather and lack of sleep have really taken their toll. Bob is currently asleep on the sofa "working from home," Madelyn is upstairs napping, and Jameson is passed out on the floor on his Winnie the Pooh couch. Aaaaah, the sound of silence!

Friday was a lot of fun. I spent the day with Brandee, who is all done with school for the summer and the kids were thrilled. We all went down to Gooseberry Island Beach to meet some friends. They really enjoyed showing Aunt Brandee how far they could go into the water. It's a remarkable change from last year, when Jameson would start screaming and squirming out of my arms as soon as my feet hit the sand. It was great and the kids had a blast until it started raining and we packed up and headed home for naps.

Later, we joined a bunch of other families from the mom's club at Narragansett Beach for the air show preview and it was awesome. I've lived in Rhode Island all of my life and somehow never knew about this, but the entire air show practice is on display over the water, kicked off by paratroopers landing on the sand! Jameson was in absolute awe and was adorable pointing out the planes to his little sister, who was glued to Brandee the whole time. (It's really cute; she's been waking up from her naps screaming "Brandee! E!!! Odin!!!!" over and over.) Anyway, both kids got soaked and sandy but were very very happy.

Next, we capped the night off at Amy and Chad's house where the kids ran around and played while Bob and I enjoyed some adult beverages and conversation. We left way too late, but it was a lot of fun. I love having so many friends with kids to hang out with; it's an awesome support system and they've all really begun to feel like family.









On Saturday night, we took the kids to see Water Fire in Providence, and as always, it was a remarkable experience. This one was especially fun because APC was sponsoring and had a corporate tent where we were served food and drinks and there were games for the kids to play. It was wonderful to get a chance to hang out with my friend Renee, a fellow APC wife, especially since Bob was bopping around talking to "work people," leaving me with two kids! Jameson missed Renee's son Ian, who was home with his Grandma, and spent the rest of the night asking me where Ian and Ian's mommy were. Madelyn, as always, acted like a starving child and devoured everything in sight--including a huge cone of cotton candy that my mom gave her (thanks, mom!) She kept taking off for the cotton candy machine and begging the guy for more. She stayed up in her bed talking for about an hour after we got home (after midnight again). It would have been really cute if I wasn't absolutely exhausted. (As a side note, I just wanted to add that Madelyn learned to RUN today and I am very very scared...)

We tried to have a mellow day of R&R on Sunday, but that, of course, did not happen. I did get to sleep in, but we were off to the beach again before lunch time, and as always, I'm glad that we went. Jameson became quite the dare devil in the water and will now wade in all the way to his neck! (He and Bodhi helped each other out on this one, playing a game of who can go out further with each other.) Madelyn spent most of her time eating and raiding Amy's food bag. I feel like half my day is spent shoveling food into this girl's mouth. Can you say growth spurt? Bob, who refused to wear sun screen so that he could get a "base tan," (and I'm not saying that in an I-told-you-so kind of fashion, just stating the facts) got absolutely roasted and could barely move by night time.

Next, we were off to Ryan and Rachel's welcome home party in Warwick and got to meet their adorable son Zachary for the first time. It was really nice to catch up with that group a bit; we haven't seen much of our Coventry crew in a while! Everyone is starting to catch up with us and there were babies (and thoughts of babies-to-be) all over the place!

Strawberry Shortcake, Anyone?

Yesterday morning, the kiddos and I went off on our first strawberry-picking adventure of the year with the Hip Mamas. We did a lot of picking last year. I'm pretty sure it was about once a week that Kristen and I were taking the kids to one farm or another to pick a fruit of some sort. I have wonderful memories of our many trips to Sweet Berry Farm in search of strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, raspberries, and blackberries. The kids got to know which path led to which fruit and made a game out of reading the arrow signs with pictures of the fruit we would be picking that day. Haley made up songs and got the boys to sing along with her while they walked. Something about the drive over the bridge and down the dirt path that leads to the farm stand seemed to lull us into a state of serene bliss.

Months after we started making the trek "all the way to Middletown," we brought some other friends there with us who, for whatever reason, just didn't get what was so special about that place and made some comments about the drive, the scarcity of peaches at that time of the year, etc etc. So, I think it may have been the journey that hooked us, and our walks from the car to the orchards were probably an eye catching glimpse into the wonderful world of walking meditation which we have since discovered. I remember coming away from there thinking aloud to myself, "Wow, this is the life..."

Anyway, strawberry picking today at Schartner's didn't have that same happy, relaxing tranquility to it. I wouldn't say it was better or worse, but our day just had a totally different tone. We met up with a big group of people that ended up being a bit scattered across the field, so it was fun to walk around, pick berries, and bump into friends...kinda like a cocktail hour minus the drinks.

Jameson and Maddie were happy to be in the presence of play group pals. Both kids were hungrily picking strawberries and stuffing their faces like they hadn't eaten in years. I brought two big containers to fill and had grandiose plans of strawberry shortcakes, strawberry bread, and strawberry ice cream. The first container was about a quarter of the way full before Jameson had to pee and tried to pull his pants down in the middle of the field. So, we had to pack up and leave before the newly discovered art of peeing outside was showcased for a group of fifty onlookers who would probably be none too pleased about urine in the strawberry patch. I did see a port-a-potty on the way out, but no way were we going there again.

More Boats, Please!

I had really been looking forward to Tuesday--the first summer concert of the year at the town docks. (We frequented this series last year with the kids and it was great; Jameson ran around and danced, we attempted to feed him picnic dinners, and we spent some nice quality time with my Grandma who really enjoyed showing the kids off.

That was back when Madelyn was still in the sling and Jameson was still in his hitting phase, so I'm really looking forward to her being able to dance and for him to have fun without getting put in time out every ten minutes.) So, I had us all packed up, dinner and all when Bob got home at 6:00.

Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and we found out when we arrived that the concert had been canceled. Jameson was bummed because I told him earlier that there would be music and friends, so we sat and watched the HUGE clouds passing by and all the boats racing back to the dock before the storm and ate our dinner.

Bob hopped out for a few minutes and took some pictures of the clouds. It was actually a pretty spectacular site and I'd say that we had just as much fun watching boats as we would have watching a band. After each one passed, the kids would both yell "More boats, please!" as if we could control the ebb and flow of the town docks. I'm pretty certain that they think I have super powers and can make just about anything appear--milk, peanut butter and jelly, the bathroom...

Next Time, Won't You Sing With Me?

Jameson sings the ABC's to his sister, who eats it up!

Too Early

Madelyn woke up at 5AM (for the second time; I brought her into our bed half asleep when she woke up the first time at 3AM.) She kept saying water over and over again and, when I didn't respond, she slid down the side of the bed, walked to the stairs, and was halfway down them when I caught up to her. Apparently, she was resorting to self service!

My Sweet Little Girl

For the past few weeks, Madelyn (who has always been very lovable) has been really affectionate; hugging, kissing, telling us she loves us, wanting to hold hands with her brother, and just being downright adorable. She goes off and plays by herself a lot, but all of a sudden will break away from what she is doing and run at me at a pretty fast clip with her arms up, screaming "hug!" with a huge smile on her face. She wraps her arms around me, gives me a kiss, and goes back to what she is doing. I call it her emergency hug, and I just love it.

Jamesonisms

Every time I drive past McKay's Front Porch, Jameson points and tells me "My nana take me there other day. We sit on lots of chairs." I never knew what he was talking about, being that I had no memory of my mother ever taking him there, so I called and asked her about it today. Apparently, she brought him there a year ago and let him sit on the chairs. He wouldn't have even been two yet. He obviously has no sense of time since he thought that it was the other day, but that boy has the memory of an elephant!

Last week, my mom told the kids that she had a present for them and gave them each a little toy tractor; a blue one for Madelyn and a red one for Jameson. Today, we drove past a construction site on the way to Nikki's for play group. Jameson was so excited that he yelled "Mom, you seeing this?" I pulled over and let him ooh and aah at the tractors for a minute or two (even though we were running late. You have to stop and smell the roses every once in a while, right?) As we pulled away, he told me, "At my house, we have two tractors. One blue, one red!"

If I Had My Life to Live Over by Nadine Stair

When we went out for ice cream at Brickley's tonight, I saw a copy of this poem on the wall and it made me smile. I guess I liked it because I've been making a really concerted effort at not having any regrets and to really enjoy all of the wonderful things that are going on right now. It's really easy to get caught up in all of the things that we should be doing, but I love the way that Bob and I are able to just sit back and enjoy. I think that we are raising two very neat little people who, I hope, are enjoying the series of moments that make up our lives.

If I Had My Life To Live Over

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax. I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would take more trips.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd
have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly
and sanely hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments and if I had it to do over
again, I'd have more of them. In fact,
I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments.

One after another, instead of living so many
years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never go anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat
and a parachute.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot
earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.

If I had it to do again, I would travel lighter next time.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

By Nadine Stair (age 85)

What a Great Weekend!

I'm in the last five minute stretch at the end of a pretty fun weekend and about ready for bed. Our family spent a lot of time with the Parks family the past few days and it was really nice.

On Saturday, we had good intentions of going to the strawberry festival at Smith's Castle, but we got a late start and it didn't work out, so we ended up at the beach in the afternoon. The kids had a blast swimming, flying a kite, playing in the sand, and eating fun beach snacks. We absolutely loved it. Later, we had a cookout/margarita night which was a great way to decompress.

Today, Chad and Bob were hard at work finishing Amy's new kitchen, and I'm happy to report that (with the exception of some small cosmetics) it is done! We went to the Wakefield block party and had ice cream at Brickley's to celebrate. It was delicious! Madelyn, after almost a month of practice, is quite the connoisseur of ice cream cones and wasn't even messy when she finished, but was begging for more. That girl can eat! She constantly has food in her mouth, and expects everyone around to be feeding her. In fact, at the block party today, she was approaching perfect strangers with ice cream cones and cookies, asking in her most pathetic voice, "Bite?" as if she hadn't eaten in weeks.

The pool project is now at a bit of a stand still, which is perfectly fine with me. Some day, we will have a pool, and I'm looking forward to that day, but it's nice to have a break from it. For now, life is a beach...quite literally. We had a great time there on Saturday, so I think there will be a lot of beach runs in our future. All I have to do now is figure out how to get them to nap on the sand and I'll be in business!

A Day With No Nap!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ugh. It was a rough one, and I am now really dreading the days when my kids no longer nap (I took a poll at play group the other day and it seems that it may be sooner rather than later for my darling Jameson. Please, sweet heart, don't grow up...) In my house, nap time is a time for many things. It's a time for me to get caught up on chores, to talk on the phone, to read a book, to just sit still for a minute, or even, sometimes, to take a nap myself.

Today, there were none of those things. We were busy most of the day, so I suppose I have only myself to blame for the thrown off schedule and the lack of rest. We had fun, though, so I guess it was totally worth it. We had playgroup this morning at Amy's house, and we ended up hanging out there for most of the day which both the kids and I really enjoyed. Then, we were back home for a short while before animal class at Wonder Junction which is always a wonderful time--I'll write more about that later. Afterward, we walked over to Yellow River with Amy, Bodhi, and Dharma for some yummy Chinese food and an all-out three-way wrestling match between the three bigger kids under the table. I'm certain that the wait staff was thrilled when we finally left.

And now, at 10:20, the kids have only just gone to sleep--how it is that they went without a nap all day and stayed up later than usual ceases to amaze me, but how those little bodies work is a complete mystery to me anyway...

Halloween in June

We had about an hour to kill this afternoon and Jameson was getting really antsy about when we were leaving for Wonder Junction, so I pulled out a box of old Halloween costumes that we seem to have collected the past few years.

Bob was home from work today, so he ran around with them a bit while they pretended to be a puppy dog, a monkey, a lion, a care bear, a pumpkin, and a giraffe. It was especially cute to see Jameson pull off his costume and ask in a very high-pitched voice that I can only assume he is copying from me, "You wanna wear this costume baby, you wanna wear this one?" She would do this dramatic head nod. It was really very sweet and loving the way he shared with her and how patiently he waited; he has become such a great big brother. He would help her into the costume and make sure that she could peek her little face through so she could make bear noises, monkey noises, giraffe noises (which are up for huge debate in our house) and lion noises. That's right...I literally live in a zoo.

Car Wash: $6; Happy, Smiling, Giggling, Clapping Babies in the back seat: Priceless

We went to Warwick to go shopping for new shoes for Madelyn yesterday. On our way back to the car, Jameson told me (while pointing at a Lexus) that he wanted THAT car; not our red car. Our car is too dirty. So, I told him that maybe sometime we would go to the car wash.

We finished up our errands and I told the kids that we were all done, time to go home. Jameson, in his most pitiful voice from the back seat said, "Mom, you told me car wash today." (I most certainly did not say anything about today.) So, I made a u-turn and drove back to the car wash at the gas station. What can I say, I'm a sucker for that sad, pleading face he puts on. Just don't tell him that! It cost me $6 and took about three minutes to get my car washed, but the effect on the kids was absolutely priceless.

Jameson was just thrilled. I should have unbuckled his car seat and let him bounce around the car. He was squealing with delight and wiggling all over the place trying to get a better look at the brushes out the windows. Madelyn was a bit apprehensive at first, but took cues from her brother and was clapping, smiling, and giggling in no time. I really love being their mom.

Diapers

Luckily, Jameson has been potty-trained for about a month now, so I'm down from 10 to about 5 diapers a day, which is a really wonderful thing. Madelyn is, in turn, fascinated by the potty and uses it here and there, but nothing to write home about, really.

Today, she picked up her doll, flipped her over, and smelled her bottom. Then, with a very disapproving face and a shake of her head, told her "New diaper. Yuck!"

The Two Most Handsome Boys...

This morning, as I was combing Jameson's hair after his bath, I told him,

"Jameson, you are the most handsome boy in the whole world!"

To which he replied, "No, my daddy is!"

Tom Petty---AAAAAHHHHHH!!!

Brandee, Evan, Bob, and I went on a double date to the Tom Petty concert in Hartford on Wednesday and it was an absolute blast. When I pitched the idea to my sister back in March when we bought the tickets, (my 3rd anniversary present to Bob) I told her that it would be fun--we'd have a "Trainer girl" sing-a-long. And we did! The only thing that would have made it better would be if mom, dad, and Brent had come, but it was a really fun sisters-and-husbands trip just the same.

Standing there among a group of college-aged girls who kept jumping up and down and shrieking "Tom Petty--AAAHHH!!!" every time he started to play, I suddenly felt very grown up. I've been feeling that way for a while now--a little disconnected from my friends who I used to party with. The whole concert experience, (getting a babysitter, worrying about Madelyn getting to sleep, hanging with my sister and our husbands on a field full of drunk, stoned, gamed-out concert riff raff, driving back in the middle of the night... ) reminded me that the past three years of motherhood really have changed me.

I guess I'm not any better or worse, just different. These days, I care about and prioritize much different things than I did before. Fun things are totally different. And I think that different is a wonderful thing. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Tom Petty concert...but I would have probably been just as happy to go see the Toe Jam Puppet Band at the beach with the kids.

"Skiman!!! I Love You!!!"

A video of my father as Loon Mountain's infamous "Skiman" found its way to you tube last winter, and Jameson often asks to watch the clip. He sits in front of the computer and chuckles and excitedly yells "Ski Man!" at all the appropriate times with the boys on the tape.

This morning, he brought a magnet to the breakfast table with his fruit loops, which he proceeded to fly through the air like a superhero saying "Ski man...I love you!!!" over and over. It took me a few tries to figure out what he was saying, so he finally pointed to the magnet and told me, "This my daddyo. Him skiman." Then he shrugged his shoulders and carried on with what he was doing. "You got it mommy?"

It's gonna be a HOT one!

We're on day four of a ferocious heat wave and we've been hunkering down at the Morelli's, weathering the storm so-to-speak. Their house is air conditioned and they completed their backyard oasis last year, a quaint spot that Kristen has affectionately dubbed "Lake Paulo." I would be lying to say that I wasn't the tiniest bit jealous, but lucky for us, they're happy to share. We had a great time swimming in the pool and making good use of the barbecue grill. We were there for a day and a half, and the kiddos were bummed when it was time to go. I think they're going to be really excited when, someday, our pool is done.

Mom left for Africa today. The kids will miss her very much--especially Madelyn who seems to be convinced that Nana is her second mother. The last time she was gone for a few days, Maddie would go hang onto the bars of the gate that keeps her from escaping into the basement and scream "Nana!" Jameson would put his hand on her shoulder and with the utmost in big-brotherly persuasion explain, "Baby, Nana not home. Her at 8-Mile." She was in Spain, but according to Jameson, if Nana is not at home, she is at 8 Mile. The last few years of her globe trotting have been a pretty amazing thing. I just realized as I typed "Mom left for Africa today" that I say it with the same vigor and zeal as one might say "Mom went to the store," but it really is a pretty cool that she's doing exactly what she said she wanted to do. She's racked up quite a few passport stamps and is the queen of foreign travel.

We're back home and winding down for bed--and winding up for Tom Petty tomorrow--woo hoo! My sister has this theory about making your life a happy one by living every night like it's a Friday and I feel like that's how this week is going so far. I'm cool, calm, happy, and ready to see what's coming up next!

A Day With No Husband...

The last few weekends have been big "working" weekends for Bob, as he has spent his days toiling away at our pool project. It has turned into a huge undertaking--probably quite a bit more than either us had bargained for, but I have been visualizing margaritas on the pool deck on a hot summer's afternoon and that's what gets me through the day!

So, the kids and I spent the second Sunday in a row off on our own at a Hip Mama event. I got the kids up, dressed, and out of the house by 11:00 (it doesn't sound that impressive, but it really is) and met some friends at Goddard Park for the Animal Planet Expo at 11:30. The kids had a great time, playing in the bounce house, going through an alligator obstacle course, petting kittens, and watching a dog frisbee-catching contest.

I must say, I don't know how single parents cope. How is it possible to do this sort of thing with one pair of arms? For example, Jameson, my newly crowned "Potty Champion," had to take a trip to the port-a-potty (his first and quite possibly my last.) I put Madelyn in the Ergo carrier on my back and squished in there with him, holding him up to the seat while repeating over and over "don't touch that!" to both of them. Jameson wanted to know what the suspicious-looking white thing in the urinal was (I don't know, but it's a no-touch!), Madelyn wanted to play with the purell dispenser on the wall, and I had to squat down on the suspiciously wet floor with the baby on my back to pull Jameson's pants back up.

I was actually about ready to call the whole thing off a few minutes later, deciding that I was totally out of my element trying to chase two small children around, both going in opposite directions, when Jameson spotted my mother out of the crowd--Nana to the rescue! She was a huge help and I was just thrilled to have her there; which pretty much sums up how I feel about my mom these days. She's always been a wonderful mother, but I never could have imagined how great she would be with my children.

Anyway, the kids are both upstairs napping and I'm going to sit out on the deck ALONE for a bit. My mother's been reading The Secret and we've been making jokes about things coming to us if we just visualize them...so I guess I'll go visualize that pool a bit more!

Awwww, Madelyn!

Madelyn has recently developed a total aversion to her high chair. I strap her in, and the first time I turn my back, she's slipped out of her harness and is standing four feet in the air on top of her food tray. I will admit that it's absolutely adorable, her standing there beaming and clapping her hands with pride--but as her mother, it drives me nuts.

So, I moved her to Jameson's little table for her meals, which they both think is great. This was a pivotal point for Jameson in Madelyn's transition to a big girl. "Mom, my baby is big now?" Yes, Jameson, sadly, our baby is big. (I haven't figured out why that's so sad for me. I've just been having a tough time with my baby girl growing up. I cried on her first birthday.)

The only problem with Madelyn at the "big kid" table is that she now wants to pick up her plate and walk around the house with it. I don't doubt that they make some sort of sticky plate or suction-cup-to-the-table bowl that would make my life easier, but I haven't actually pursued those avenues yet, being only on day two of breakfast and lunch messes.

No sooner do I put the plate down than Madelyn is toddling off toward the living room, compartmentalized dish in hand, leaving a trail of bite-sized pieces of pineapple, cubes of carrots, and tiny chunks of chicken in her wake. Jameson is never far behind, quick to be the enforcer of house rules, shrieking

"Awwww, Madelyn! You make mess! Mom, look what baby doing! Baby, STOP!!!"

Ugh. Jameson, no tattling. Madelyn, go sit on your bum. Hey, who wants to help mommy vacuum?!