Everett's Joke of the Day

Everett: Mommy I have a joke for you.
Me: Ok, sweetie what is it?
Everett: Why do animals sit on the toilet?
Me: I don't know, why do animals sit on the toilet?
Everett: (In a a very enthusiastic voice) Becaaauuuse, they don't have a potty chair to go on!

Cue loads of laughter from both of us, because he's three and potty talk is hilarious -- mommy laughter because it's the cutest darn thing to witness my three year old telling jokes!

These little moments are what make mommy-hood SO worth it.

Readers are Leaders

My sister in-law always says 'Readers are Leaders" and it's true. Although, I wouldn't call myself much of a leader. I am a reader, I have loved books for as long as I can remember. Picture it, a girl under the blankets with a flashlight because she just had to finish that last chapter. Yup, that was me. Nerdy advanced reading classes. Yup, me again. Devouring 400 hundred page chapter books in fourth grade, guilty. Books transport you to other worlds and lives. That's probably the main reason why I loved books as a kid, it helped me forget the world I was forced to live in at the time and focus on grand adventures and amazing places.
Naturally when I had children, reading was and is important to me. I started reading to Everett when he was 6 weeks old, it was part of our bedtime routine. Did he understand a word of it, no. But experts say it helps language development and form a love of reading. It is true, he does love reading, at least being read to. Hopefully that transfers over to wanting to read when he gets older. When Zooey came along, it was harder to read to her. Second kid syndrome, poor thing. But I had two kids under the age of two, it was tough goings at first. Slowly things got easier as they both got older and she actually brings me books to read to her now and she really has started to love books. Which makes me feel less like a failure that I didn't read to her as much when she was a baby.

When we go shopping and the children want toys I always try and offer books, I will buy books over toys any day. We also go to the library more often now that the kiddos are older, it's gotten a lot easier to manage them. It's fun they have a new rotation of books coming in and its WAY cheaper then buying books all the time. I also buy books at Goodwill they are usually cheap like 99 cents or a couple dollars which is cheaper then buying new, especially when they can be a little rough on books anyways. Readers may not always make leaders (in my case) but it is a whole lot of fun if you let it. There are so many amazing stories that people can come up with, it reminds me that imagination does not die when you become a grown-up. Opening a book or going to an art gallery is proof of that.
Now go get a book, would ya!

stud muffin and stud muffette

The new do'

The messy curly mop is gone, for now. I love it both ways, but at some point it gets a little too long and it's time to change things up. He now has a nice short hair cut just in time for summer.
*I can't get a smile out of him, this is what he gives me every time. Oh, well. He's still cute, I'll let it slide.

Daddy Daycare

 Need I say more? I think I might just need to hire a real babysitter...

Baby it's cold outside

Vampire babies

Want to know what happens when your eldest child wins a pair of vampire teeth from a machine at a pizza parlor? You get vampire babies, of course.

Things I thought I'd never have to say: no.5437

Have you ever had that moment as a parent where you realize, "wow, I never thought I'd have to say that. " Yesterday I had one of those moments. 
My son is in the process of potty training, we've conquered the peeing part of it, yay! The... ahem, #2 portion of it we are working on. So as I'm trying to cook breakfast or wrap presents, or something, I hear: "NO, ZOOEY! DON"T PLAY WITH MY POOP!!!" "NO, ZOOEY!" I run to their bedroom to find, much to my horror. My son pointing to three small piles of excrement and my daughter with a handful of it heading towards the play kitchen. All I could think of to say was, "NO ZOOEY! ICKY, WE DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR BROTHER'S POOP!!!" Yes, this really happened. Yes, I am totally embarrassed, but clearly not so emotionally scarred I can't share it with you. You're welcome. How's that for a month long writing hiatus.  

monday funday

I've been working outside of the home recently. It's been a little strenuous on all of us, especially the kids. Today, I have the day off. I miss having absolutely nothing to do and absolutely everything to do all at the same time. Does that make any sense? So what's on the agenda? No clue, that's the beauty of today. But most likely a lot of this: 

staying in our pj's way past the appropriate amount of time

pillow fights, jumping on the bed, lots of tickling, and belly laughs, lots and lots of belly laughs.

 and most definitely some messy crafts.

Happy monday, hope you get to have some fun today too!

The state of affairs

If you came knocking at my door this very instant this is what you would find:

A baby crying, vacuum cleaner running, radio disney blaring, a toddler throwing newspaper all over the living room, me- unshowered, no bra, still in my pajamas, yes I know it's 2 o' clock, yelling at the toddler not to throw the newspaper, or kiss the window, make a mental note to add wash windows to my chore list, feed the two kiddos lunch, while shaking a bag of caesar salad for myself to eat, laying the baby down for a nap, a mountain of laundry sitting in my arm chair, sweeping up crumbs from breakfast and lunch that will just return after dinner, telling the toddler to eat a hundred times (slow/easily distracted eater), tell your toddler to stop licking the ranch from his plate and dip his chicken nuggets in it instead. Put toddler to bed. Aaaah, me time...
Toddler starts kicking the bed and laughing, wakes up baby, toddler gets in trouble, lay both of them back down, both are crying, toddler is still talking, baby is still crying from being woken up, guess I have to go back in there, who's stupid idea was it to buy a two bedroom house? Oh, right both mine and my husbands, idiots.  Just another typical friday afternoon at my place. Wanna hang out?

Zooey at 10 months

That just happened...

  *A conversation that just occurred with my 2 1/2 year old.


Me: Everett, guess what? Auntie Kalynn is going to have a baby boy.

Everett: In your tummy?

Me: No, honey. In auntie Kalynn's tummy.

Everett: Where's your baby?

Me: Zooey is my baby, she's sleeping.

Everett: (while simultaneously trying to lift up my shirt) Where's Zooey's drinkies?

Me: Drinkies...???

Everett: (Laughing) Lifts up his shirt and points to his... er, nipples and says drinkies.


Oh dear, weening his sister is still 2 months away... Here's praying he can't remember this when he's older.  And if he can't, I'll remind his prom date in 14 years.

Life is a highway

My Everett is obsessed with vehicles. Big ones, little ones, one's with eyes and smile-y faces, one's that make a sound, or none at all. He loves to drive them around the house, on the couch, or even the stairs.

You almost never see him go somewhere with out one in each hand. They litter the house, our car, and his bed. Some mom's fear of stepping on lego's in the middle of the night, I fear cars.  When he plays by himself, you can hear him making up dialogue for the cars. Something similar to: "Truck, where are you?", "I'm right here!" or "Hi, how are you?", "oh, good".

It makes me smile, 

every. time.

My boy has such an active imagination, it is so cute to watch him play. Although he has more cars then he knows what to do with, (and it's true his daddy and I are suckers for buying him more and more). I know this stage won't last forever. So I'm soaking it up as long as I can before it's over. 

Play on, my little man, play on.