Pink vs. Blue

Every so often, I promise myself that I will take this parenting thing more seriously. In an office environment, you're encouraged or required to take continuing education courses of just an hour or two every year.
There's truth to the method. The things you read, study, or take in form you as a professional or a parent. There's a ton in parenting that is intuitive or that you learned yourself from your parents. But recently, in a quest for self-betterment and understanding kids better... I picked up this book by Dr. Leonard Sax called "Why Gender Matters." In a nutshell, he begins by demonstrating how boys and girls brains are essentially different in their composition and how that influences their choices, education style, and tendencies. Such a great book.
Lately, my friends who have multiple children of the same gender have been asking me if I can see any differences beginning to emerge in how Matthew, now 18mos, acts more "boy." I'm more attentive now to those differences, lemmie tell ya!

When we went to the pumpkin patch, every little pumpkin was a "ball" for Matthew, which he identified as such and then attempted to hurl as far as possible. Sophia just watched him with a teeny bit of girlish distain. "No. They're pun-kins Matt-Matt!"

Fearless, often dangerous behaviour, check. Matthew's favorite indoor action game is to stand on the seat of his wheeled Pooh riding toy and jump off. The most creative Sophia got with that toy was to sit on the seat backwards and ride it that way. She thought that was so novel!!
Color choices, check. One thing Sax talks about is boys tendency to draw "action" over static figures (like people and houses) that a girl might draw. Coupled with this is boys' tendency to pick colors like gray, brown, black and blue. Girls are drawn to bright colors like red, orange, purple, and yellow. This phenomenon, explains Sax, has everything to do with how their eyes are wired to their brains and what cones inside the eyes are most receptive. (I'll admit I tuned out a lot of the technical stuff in this example). So true... Sophia scribbles with vibrant colors while Matthew does opt for the others mentioned.
So cool! So much to learn!

Prelude to the Happy Post to Come

Monday... Monday...

O to go to the office. I swore I wouldn't want to go back. But some mornings, when the monkeys are howling at 5:45 (thank you daylight savings time... grrr) you just want to leave the little screamers with someone else and go tackle a flow chart or something. Tune in later when I write a sonnet about how much I love staying home from the kids. I am that fickle.

Am I Getting Old?

It's 9am and I'm still not awake. Both kids sleep through the night and I'm wiped. Starting to have trepidation about #3 and how I'm going to manage to get through the day after a long night with some semblance of charity towards my alternately chatty cranky kids. I'm not even 30. How do mommas in their 40's do this?

Creepy or just me?

So there is a lovely park within walking distance from our house. We go there often - even when the weather isn't nice and the clouds are starting to spit at us - just to get out and run off some energy. There's a 1/2 mile loop walking trail around the open rolling fields with tennis courts and playground equipment in the middle.

Really lovely. Except I always feel like I could use that extra set of eyes that my mother had in the back of her head. That I haven't fully acquired yet... despite me being a mother myself. There are almost always people sitting in parked cars in the parking lot and quite frequently there are middle aged men walking the path, doing laps in the middle of the day. Not that they don't have a right to come out and take a stroll in the park, but it brings out the grizzly momma in me.
There was nothing or no one especially threatening at the park today, but I found myself visualizing "Chuck"-esque kung-fu moves and wishing I could "flash."
" Take 'em out by the legs... yeah!"
If you haven't seen "Chuck" (no relation to Chuck Norris) on NBC you're probably wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Well, Chuck has this intersect computer program in his head that allows him to upload all kinds of useful things, like kick-a** kung-fu, when he's in a jam. I do feel as if I have learned a few cool moves from him. Unfortunately for you though, since I'm pregnant, I won't be able to demonstrate for a few months.
I have always had a crazy imagination (why I don't watch horror movies) and I tend to see things in headlines. Then I always write a the first few lines of the article in my head.

For instance, I see a dog going nuts behind his fence as we walk past. I picture him jumping the fence and coming at us.
HEADLINE: "Mom fends off angry dog with keys and cell phone"
ARTICLE: "A mother taking her two toddlers for a walk was attacked by a dog when it jumped a fence. The quick-thinking mom grabbed the two items she had on her person - her cell phone and keys - and effectively stopped the dog by jamming the cell phone in the dogs open mouth as he lunged for her children." And you can imagine the rest yourself....

Wierd huh. So, maybe the park isn't as creepy as I make it out to be in my head. Occasionally, I'll take a friend with me and point out some of the things that get my imagination going - just to see what they say and figure out if it's just me....

Let me know when you want to go. Moo-haha!!!

Happy Halloween!

Apples and Punkins

And so begins the delicious baking/sugar frenzy which won't conclude till Christmas!

Applesauce muffins this morning to compliment the cold snap in the air. Then this afternoon we created some caramel apples. Sophia and I melted the caramels and swirled a few apples for some photo worthy and yummmmy treats. Did I mention we are an apple family?

I'm bracing myself for the sugar high which I'm sure I made worse by giving them hot chocolate to wash the sticky caramel off their teeth. So fun... I'm sure it will be worth it!

Also, this weekend we went to the Flower Mound Pumpkin patch where we took a hay ride and picked a few cute lil punkins for our mantle.

The Time Has Come...

The time has come my little one, to talk of many things,
of skinny jeans, tiny tees all tossed to the side till spring
(of 2012 probably).

A few days ago, I said goodbye to my wardrobe as I know it. Those cute shorts that made me look slim, the fun peasant top that showed a teeny bit of my flat belly when I wore my favorite pair of low cut jeans.... all sentenced to at least a year in storage. Didn't even unfold the skinny jeans to say goodbye. 'sigh'
By now its a familiar ritual. One I know in my head that is silly to get too upset about - I'll fit back into the stuff eventually - but still a difficult one.
The maternity clothes all are hanging expectantly (no pun intended) in my closet. I tried swimming in a few pieces yesterday, and hung them back up in favor of my new best friend... the t-shift. I'll grow into those pieces in a while... 'shudder.' It's a good vanity check.



It's a little known fact that these characters actually inspired
a popular maternity pant design.


Right now, when there aren't any kicks or wiggling its hard to remember that there's somebody down there, making my tummy pooch out. But when I think about being super-preggo and ready to deliver any day - it makes my heart leapfrog with anticipation.
It's amazing being a mother. I had forgotten the rush of emotions that accompany this time of belly-biggering. The things along the way that momentarily depress you but give way to excitement about the inevitable arrival of a tiny new family member.
So I won't get depressed about my inability to wear a belted sweater. I'll just zip up those black stiletto boots and give my baby belly a reassuring rub.

I thought the next stanza of the Walrus and the Carpenter was oddly appropriate to conclude with...

“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried,
“Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!”
“No hurry!” said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

Wilderness-style

Though it has been awhile since I've posted, it is most certainly not due to a lack of material. I guess I just have to be in a creative mindset... and most of my creativity seems to be getting sucked up by Sophia!
Since potty-training, Sophia and I have experienced our share of interesting potty runs. From the nasty porta-potty at the park ("Sophia don't touch ANYTHING") to Wal-Mart ("EEew, she just bent over and touched her forehead to the toilet seat. She needs a bath NOW!") I have joined the ranks of moms who can share gross and funny toilet stories.
Here's a new one.
We were walking a long paved nature trail with my friend Marissa and her 3 yr-old son Joseph, when Sophia decided she needed to go. It wasn't a busy trail, and there was no sign of nearby facilities... so I thought we'd try going potty wilderness-style. Marissa watched Matthew as Sophia and I trekked out into the clearing and behind some brush. We were all set to "go" but Sophia suddenly decided "Momma, I go potty at HOME."
So our walk resumed with no more talk of needing to go. Until we got to the parking lot. Joseph and Sophia were running around the picnic area as Marissa and I chatted for a few more minutes. Suddenly, I look over, and Sophia is struggling to pull her jeans down over her hips. "Momma, I go potty in the grass" she says.
I definitely felt it was a slo-mo worthy moment. "N-o-o-0!" as I lunged across the lawn, fixated on her every tug. Would it be the one to de-pants her?
I reached her just in time. Thank goodness for the fact she can't un-snap her fly button. I informed her that we "only go pottty in the grass when Mommy helps you." Whew.

Spring Update

"They have TAILS! Little tails, Mommy!" Sophia says of her newly sprouted seedlings. We have planted sunflowers, snap peas and green beans. She loves to check her seeds about as frequently as I have the urge to go online. Which is several times a day. I'm trying to encourage her habit while discouraging mine!
This year we are creating a patio container garden using tips from this A&M booklet for container gardening in Texas. So far, I've started seedlings for lettuce, spinach, cherry tomatoes and radishes, in addition to Sophia's seeds.
Yesterday Sophia and I mixed dirt and filled pots. Finally, she got to plant two of her sunflower seedlings... it was the highlight of her day! That and playing with the pink plastic yard flamingo which she calls Humpty Dumpty.
In other news, Matthew has started talking on the phone. He puts Sophia's play phone up to his ear and makes grunting noises and ooohs. He's so deliberate about it and you can totally tell he's been watching Sophia because he also holds it flat and talks into the end (like Sophia does when Daddy is on speaker-phone). Hillarious! Also, for your enjoyment, below you'll also find a video of him dancing.... it's laugh-out-loud funny!!

Pictures

Until I can figure out how to sync Picasa and iPhoto, I shall just post my couple of cute pics here instead of creating a spiffy slideshow.

This is Matthew's favorite place in the kitchen. He digs around for scraps and dust bunnies under the dishwasher. Yummy. Makes me crazy, but it's pretty funny to watch!

A Quiet Moment. (Wait! Get the camera!!!)

The Sandwich Snitch

In case you have ever wondered what kids dream about, I have the answer!
Matthew and I have speculated when we hear Sophia crying in the middle of the night what she could possibly be upset about. She doesn't watch scary movies or shows (though for awhile she was afraid of "Swiper," the masked fox on Dora). Good grief! We don't even let her watch commercials during football... what in the world could she be crying about? Maybe we shouldn't have let her watch football... maybe she's dreaming of her friends throwing balls at her when she can't catch, running after her when she can't run because her shoes are on the wrong feet or something equally horrible and scary.
Maybe we've scarred her by not providing a night light in her room. Or perhaps she's crying because she can't find her blankie... it's lost in the sheets.
Well, this morning I decided to go in and ask Sophia why she was crying.
"Mommaaaa!" she sobbed, pointing toward MattMatt sleeping in his crib. "Matt-Matt took my sandwich!"

Literal-isms

Kids are so literal. Really, there must be something wonderful about being that simple!

Sophia knows that her daddy goes to work to "make-a money" and I just know that she envisions Daddy sitting there, painstakingly coloring and cutting out dollar bills. No wonder he's tired at the end of the day!
Another literal-ism that Sophia has taken up is the rule about screaming. No screaming in the house. When she does she finds herself in timeout like lightning. Yes, she knows screaming is for outside.
So, we were walking out the front door, and all of a sudden "AAAhhhh-EEEEEE!!!" I jump a few inches and drop my keys. "WHAT happened, Sophia?" I gasped. "I scream outside," she informs me very matter-of-factly. I told her that that was a good one and that she doesn't need to do it anymore as my neighbor's front door opens a crack.
That's my silly Sophia!

Snowday and Snippets

I giggled and danced like a school-kid who just found out school had been canceled. Weatherman 0: God 1. So much for rain... there was actually SNOW on the ground and coming down hard when I looked out the window at 6am this morning. And it's still piling up at noon!
A perfect day to stay in and have hot chocolate, tomato soup, grilled cheese, and muffins.
I gave Sophia a haircut this morning... despite Matthew's hesitation about my competence in that department. No special scissors, no bowl on the head, and only a few hairs I missed. I'm pretty pleased with the results.




Matt-Matt began saying uh-oh yesterday. Just wandering along the edge of the couch talking to himself: "uhh. uhhh. oh. oh. uh-oh. uh-oh." Signs of what's to come.
In the cute department... Sophia has been getting cabin fever lately and has taken to dashing from the front door to the back door yelling "Look at all the bubbles!" and enjoying hundreds of invisible bubbles floating around my living room. Front door. Back door. Front door.... you get the idea. Well yesterday she yelled "Momma. Look my hair is running!" as her hair flew out behind her.
So that's all for now. I need some hot cocoa...

It's Good To be Two (Part 1. The A.M.)

Remember when they woke you up with cries?
Now she wakes me up with ridiculously bright eyes...
It's time for "Playtime! Playtime!" all day long.
"Dance with me Mommy. I like this song!"
"You sit there. Drink your tea."
"You want sugar? PLAY with me!"
Then we go "swimming" on the rug.
"I love you, Mommy. I want a hug!"
Read Curious George for the twenty-fifth time.
"Sophia, please... let's try Madeline."
Max and Ruby she will devour.
Sadly it only lasts one half-hour...
Then its drums with my pans;
About five minutes is all I can stand.
"Pee-pee comin!" Run! Run! Run!
Dora panties sure are fun.
While MattMatt naps it's time for "school":
Letters, colors and crafts are COOL!
Then it's lunch till the timer goes ding.
Naptime is bliss. Definitely Mommy's thing.

To be continued...

A Simpler Time? Really?

So this one is about me. Not my exciting, ridiculously cute kids. Sometimes we all need a break.

I had to take a walk in the rain yesterday just to escape the walls of our house and the whining, crying and constant "Mamaaaa." I thought about how much I had to do: laundry, dinner, shopping, cleaning, baths... the usual. I began to think of my grandma who is the sweetest, strong, most religious woman I know. She raised five kids amidst numerous moves and frequent uncertainty. My dad occasionally brings up with a chuckle the day that my grandma walked out. She packed a suitcase and said she had had enough. (I don't think my grandma will be reading this blog. I hope not, because she got very angry and upset the one time my dad brought it up.) She ended up staying away just for the night.
I contemplated that it was good to know that even my saintly grandma sometimes had a hard time. It seems like most moms (including myself) try and project this "everything is perfect" aura about their household and motherly responsibilities. In reality, some days find me much less charitable and more cranky than others.
On the other hand, I also thought about how much more I had to be thankful for... in contrast to my grandmother and her responsibilities as a young mother. Dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, crockpots, microwaves, frozen pizza... the list goes on and on. She had to deal with gardening, washing diapers and clothes by hand, nasty weather when you really needed to hang out your laundry, making meals truly from scratch are just a few things I envision. So was it really a simpler time for a housewife?
I walked back into my house a bit wet, but with better perspective. Now, if I can just remember to think about this when the laundry is piled on the floor of my dirty kitchen and the kids are crying, I'll be golden!

My Little Ghosty

Gone are the days of Dead or Alive and Halo. Not just because of the content around the kids (Sophia pulls enough moves on Matthew Jr without them) but I just don't need them anymore. I'm working my catlike reflexes in other ways.

For instance... when I swept the floor the other day. Matthew has a fascination with brooms and the stuff that they magically gather. Every pile of dirt is a like a goldmine just begging to be sifted by his little hands. I have to be very quick about not only sweeping, but also in pulling the pile with me.

The whole situation reminded me of PacMan. Remember those pesky ghosties that chase PacMan? Even when you temporarily elude them, they just keep trying to get you. That's what Baby Matthew reminded me of: a ghosty chasing my little piles of dirt, following me and my broom all over the house. And we all knows what eventually happens to PacMan (at least when I played). The ghosties get what they want.

Yes...he'll just keep getting faster.... and someday he'll sink his little hands into my beautiful pile of dirt. I've got to keep working on my reflex time. Hmmm... maybe I do need to start playing video games again.

Sprinkles of Happy

Sophia has been very interested in how things work and what I'm doing lately. "Whatcha doin' Mama?" is what she asks whenever I'm not down on the floor, playing. Thankfully, I have been spared the "Why?" litany so far. I know. It's only a matter of time.

So today, to spare her the breath of asking, I began to explain to her what I was doing as I ironed Matthew's shirts. "This is an iron. It's hot. Yes, there is steam. Here, touch where I put the iron. It's hot. Mommy is getting the wrinkles out of Daddy's shirt with the hot iron. See the wrinkle? No more wrinkles. Mommy ironed it out." Once I finished my monologue, she was quiet awhile... just watching. Then she says. "Sprinkles all gone." She loves cookies and sprinkles and I racked my brain for about 15 seconds, wondering if I had rambled about sprinkles earlier or where she got this idea that we ran out. Then it hits me. "Oooh! You mean wrinkles! Yes. It sounds like sprinkles, honey. WRinkles are all gone!"