Random Movie Review

Just watched finally watched this. I am so behind on my list of movies to see and I have been dying to see this since last year.

Hilarious! I heart Woody Harrelson and he did not let me down. I especially appreciate the outstanding use of Bill Murry and all things Ghostbuster related.

Overall, I might just buy this.

teamwork

I am sitting here taking a break from laundry listening to my two mischievous little ones over the baby monitor. I desperately need them to take a nap today, they know this...it is not going as well as most days.

They share a room and we have "successfully" gotten them to take naps and go to bed together. Honestly, not a single problem; until today.

Today, they have decided to change the rules. As the baby monitor gives me a peek into what these little monkeys are doing instead of napping like angels, I am not sure I enjoy what I am hearing.

Teamwork.

From the day we brought Baylor home there has been growing evidence that these two are joining their powers for evil, but today I think they have fully realized that working together will surely give mommy a mental breakdown.

Sample conversation from 2 minutes ago: "Baylor...start yelling. Mommy wants us to sleep, I don't want to sleep. She'll get you, I will run".

Really? Did I just hear that? Baylor responded by laughing and then she started to yell "momma, momma". When I didn't go up to their room Addison said "ah, man...shes not coming. what will we do. JUMP!" They are currently jumping on their beds...I am so annoyed I might just go up there, but I am pretty sure I don't want to be outsmarted by an almost 3 year old and a 1 year old.

Everyone wants their kids to be brilliant and I happen to believe that every single child has a special gift that they are outstanding at. I used to think that Addison was gifted with communication/compassion and that Baylor was our mechanical/spacial little one...I now beg to differ. They are both evil geniuses that are plotting to take over the world.

I just heard Baylor giggle manically and I think Addison just mumbled something about uranium 235 and world domination. Visions of Pinky and the Brain are flashing through my head.

"Tanks"

Baylor is stepping up her vocabulary (a slow start thanks to chatty big sister Addison never giving her a need) and has added about 10 words in the last two weeks. She is now saying "tanks". I love that sweet little voice, it is so nice to get a thanks from a baby. It melts my heart.

Also, I would like to proudly say she has added "Baylor Bear" to her repertoire. Sounds more like Bay Brrr, but she is pretty proud and cute when she says it.

My favorite of the week is "I". We're working with Addison on using the alphabet and word recognition, this has led to Baylor being obsessed with the letter "I". All letters are "I" and she giggles each time. Yesterday she walked around the house with the letter c/cat card and just screamed "I" (then meowed...equally funny). You just have to hear her say it, she is a quirky and independent minded little one for sure.

The Three Amigos

I have never been really shy about going in public alone with the girls and they are a challange to balance since they both walk ( run and explore the heck out of EVERYTHING is more adequate), but I have been logical and cautious as to where one person can take two little persons with lots of energy and immagination. The majority of the time I have my co-pilot Ryan and we have such a system it is sort of impressive. I didn't realize how good it was until he wasnt around and I was standing around waiting and confused for someone to hand me the backpack or put on the girls shoes. Auto pilot is creepy.

With Ry's new job I now am the lone ranger from the hours of 2:30pm-sometimes 3:30am. I am pretty surprised that I have embraced this head on and I think it is really working for the girls too. We have adventured to more grocery stores, public pools, theaters, libraries and resturants than we have since Baylor has been born. I am still a little shaky on the "run" factor...Immagination Station was definetly only possible because my good friends shared the load and I mainly just worry about stranger danger.

I am not saying I am a fan of a zone defense, I much prefer man-to-man in coaching and in parenting, but I think it is actually causing the girls to behave better, rely on each other and grow trust.

My sweet little Addison is now very good at getting into the car, buckling her steat belt and then doing it all in reverse when we arrive. I am more than melecholy that she gets out on her own and shuts the door, but I certainly wished she could have done all these things when Baylor was first born. The anxiety and helplessness are still so fresh in my memory.

I also really love that she helps Baylor put her shoes on too. Once again, this is the girl that would climb book shelves while I was trying to nurse Baylor. Super Big Sis to the rescue.

Anyway, I hate that Ryan is at work and I will really hate when I am back to work full-time...but we are doing pretty darn good with this new arrangment. The oldest of four, my parents didnt take us out much. I have never blamed them for this, they werent insane:) I just like that I am now comfortable going on multi-kid adventures. I am not stating that I enjoy taking a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 year old to the grocery store. You suddenly realize how much crap the stores have hanging at toddler height AND Addison needed to go to the bathroom (any public restrooms are gross with kids). She was easy, distracting Baylor in the stall while Addison peed was the hard part!

It just feels nice to not feel stuck in the house because your usual teammate is at work.

We wanted our babies close for all the good reasons and we certainly were in denial enough not to be prepared for how hard it actually is. Every time you get comfortable with a stage of development they change. A prime example: Baylor learning to walk, that was a curve ball I should have seen coming. Not so nice when sweet baby isn't chilling in the stroller-that kid wants to RUN.

In all, today was another good day and I realized that as my babies are learning and growing as children I am doing the same as a mom. My reflex's are getting super strong and I think the eyes are starting to grow in the back of my head.

Everyday is a new day, I sort of wish they wrote one of those What to Expect books....What to Expect Each Morning You Wake Up A Mommy.

More Than Enough

I'm elbow deep in this book and it is not letting me down. Amazing thoughts and very spiritually driven. Still on the road to tossing aside the norms of the "modern culture" and rework our financial philosophy, this book is far more about integrity, giving with your spiritual gifts and setting a foundation for moral and hardworking children. Good stuff.

Still my #1 Insomniac Outlet

My current "I can't sleep because Ryan is not home" outlet is AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com. I will always be a PostSecret fan and I love the best of Youtube, but I am sort of hooked on this hilarious web page.

Do I really need to explain how awesome this is?

Sniffle of the Week

The playdates with Makayla and Addison have changed way more than my heart has been prepared for. I am not doing very well lately with my kids getting older. I think it is because Addison is just getting so self sufficient and the whole potty training was far more depressing than helpful (hey, but she still needs me to wipe her butt...I am still needed!) My friend Jodie does not make it easier by sending me a ton of old photos from some of the girls first few playdates.

This was their first playdate. Addison is around 2 months old. This was this past Friday and I am pretty sure I am going to be the mom that cries at every landmark and everyone in our family knows I save EVERYTHING.

I know it is gross, but I even saved her dried umbellica cord stump and even the pregnancy tests I took. Don't judge me-I'm "sentimental" (my loving husband affectionatly calls me a neurotic horder).

Her first day of school will for sure be a pinnacle moment in my line of mental breakdowns, I don't want to even think about Baylor...shes not allowed to grow up period.

Free time...

Ryan's new job is 2nd shift, which is a very odd shift; 3pm-11:30pm. He has been working overtime too and not getting home until about 4 am. Naturally, instead of sleeping I lay awake and play on the Internet. I've read 2 books in a week and I have been doing most of my fall lesson planning at summer school. So, that results in many more blog posts.

Today I introduce to you a gold nugget that I discovered late last night: akwardfamilyphotos.com AND akwardfamilypetphotos.com. The photos are hilarious, but the comments are even funnier. I already picked two out that I am using for writing prompts in the fall. I hope you enjoy a few of my favs:

Playdate with Miss Makayla

My good friend Jodie has a little girl a few months older than Addison and they are the best of buds. We have been getting them together since Addison was around 3 months (that was a really boring play date).

We had a great play date today and Jodie takes the most beautiful photos. Baylor is getting to the age where she is getting involved with the big girls more and they were just little fishies in the pool. Overall another blessed and beautiful day!

Content

Content is a beautiful word and an even more beautiful feeling. It took me 31 years to get here, I should be annoyed with myself that I took so long- but I am just happy I'm feeling it now.

Four books before bed with my girls, a big "I knew I could count on you" from Addison (all I did was get her a drink of water...that was an easy one) and nothing can get me down. This is a much better way to live my life and a great way to end another simple and blessed day.

HOLY CRAP, A JOB!!!!

Yippee!!! Ryan got a job today and starts tomorrow!

I have a million and one reasons why this is amazing and even better this is actually a good job with all of the bells and whistles-a true gift from God.

The learning, growing and sacrificing have all been worth it...we knew that, but it is sure nice to actually feel it.

I'm slightly worried about childcare because I am working all summer, but who cares...this is huge and we'll figure it out!

The turn around is starting to get momentum and we are very grateful for it.

Calling Mommy's Bluff...the Kindness of Addison

Tonight at dinner Addison was very clear that she did not want her food. We don't give her options and she does not like it. She gets over it. She won't starve one night and she is learning that fruit snacks and cheese are not suitable substitute for a family dinner.

Tonight we explained to her that if she wasn't going to eat then we would give it to little kids that did not have enough to eat. She was very blessed to have food and they were not.

I figure this would teach her about compassion and maybe get her to eat with a little reverse psychology. Holy crap, she demanded that we get in the car and take the food right now. She even went and got a plastic baggie out of the kitchen. "Mommy, they are so hungry...we need to feed them now. I don't like this, so I help them".

She would not let it go. I felt sort of lost, I had no idea where I was suppose to take a bag of pancakes (yes, we like to have "brinner") at 6:30 in order to feed hungry kids? She wanted to come too "I can't wait to help them so much mommy, I am going with you".

Luckily grandma and papa stopped over just at the right time to distract her. I couldn't be prouder, but geesh...she had me on the carpet. She would not take "mommy will take care of it tomorrow" for an answer. I need to figure out where I can really take her to feed the hungry.

I feel that every single child has somethings that they are naturally gifted at. Addison is gifted with language and nurturing. She just makes me so proud caring about others...poor kid use to sob when the Human Society commercials (the Sarah Mclachlan music pulling your heart strings) came on "the poor puppies mommy, they are so scarred". She wasn't even 2 yet.

It is just so amazing to know that she already is who she is going to be. I may have a hand in supporting her and guiding her as she develops her gifts, but she is already pre-wired to be someone. It is so weird to watch this unfold. I am learning quite a bit about how to be a better human from my little one.

Twinkly Toes

Addison somehow is aware of Skechers and their little girls shoes called Twinkle Toes. I have no idea where she learned about these shoes or how my 2-year old already has brand recognition, but she told her grandma Ginger she loved them and "needed" them. 3 hours later grandma presents Addison AND Baylor Jane with their own pairs.

All I can think of is Punky Brewster and how insane it is for someone to pay 40 dollars a pair for a 2 year old and a 15 month old. None the less my girls are proud owners.

Baylor Jane's are metallic pink and they light up, they are pretty stinking cute. I think they may actually might induce a seizure if you are in a dimly lit room. Overall, I am not happy that Addison is already a label reader and I am going to work on this.

The shoes are something to put down in the mommy journal as an entertaining moment in their history as my babies and on a hilarious note, Baylor will not stop marching around the house so that her shoes will light up.She laughs hysterically the whole time, while pointing at her feet. I will certainly post pictures of them in their kicks, soon, but I hope it is quite a while until Addison asks for a Coach purse. She's been eyeing one of mine (Ive never even bought myself one, all gifts from my mom). We'll just let one of the grandmas field that request too:)

"You'll be Okay"

Ryan's Aunt Jane died last week and yesterday we took the trip up to Ann Arbor for her memorial. It was nice for the whole family to come together to celebrate Aunt Jane.

She was a pioneer and an amazing women who loved all things living, her obit puts it all together beautifully.There is a crazy story though that I forgot to share:


The day before Aunt Jane died Ry's mom took the girls to visit Aunt Jane. She loved them and would send books to them and light up the moment they walked in the room. I mean her passion was working with small children, so it was an honor for me to have the girls around her last few years. I think they made her feel young again.

Anyhow, as they were leaving Wednesday night Addison turned for no reason and said casually to Aunt Jane "You'll be Okay". There was no prior conversation, no prompt-she just turned and said it. Aunt Jane passed in her sleep the next day.

I asked Addison about Aunt Jane the morning we found out and she said "mommy, Aunt Jane is in her old living room, shes sleeping for a while...she's going to relax for like a week." I was stunned. Aunt Jane moved out of her old house on the hill in Ann Arbor about 6 years ago...she loved that house and the living room. Weird.

Perhaps the most emotional part is that the Addison's story made it into the eulogy. In fact they closed with saying "Addison has it right, Jane and all of us will all be okay in the arms of Jesus". As you can imagine I sort of lost it.

Children have something so magical to them, I wish there was a way we could keep a hold of that and not loose it as adults.

Aunt Jane

Ryan's Aunt and Baylor Jane's namesake died in her sleep over the weekend and I just wanted to reflect on how remarkable she was. A few weeks shy of her 90th, Aunt Jane was a retired professor from the University of Michigan and one amazing woman. She loved my babies very much and gave me the respect and intellectual stimulation that I don't normally get from family. She was just cool.

Aunt Jane made such progress in education, the role of a woman in her generation and she just understood why I love to read and learn. One of the last things she said was that I need to get my Ph.D...hmm-not sure if I have the money or energy for that, but when Jane speaks you listen.

Anyhow, I've linked her obituary (which Ryan's cousin Michelle wrote and I think it is beautiful!) and I just want to honor her and thank her for being in my life the last 8 years. My girls were very blessed to get a few years of Aunt Jane's hugs.