Wordless Wednesday: What's more fun?

    Brother's new toys...........................or the bag they came in??

You decide!

(The last pic would have been so awesome but it was blurry. Darn toddlers moving at light speed!)

Monster Party!!

My boy turned 4 yesterday. {Insert sniffles here} After much debate we settled on Monsters as the theme for his birthday party. Being the over achiever that I am, I set out to make a ton of stuff for the party. We had 25 adults,18 kids and 2 babies at the party. Too bad we also had RAIN! I had grand plans of a beautiful tablescape set up under our tent outside, children running their energy out in the yard or jumping in the bouncy house, and 2 organized games being played by all but 5 minutes after guests started arriving it began to pour and everything had to be moved inside. So much for grand plans. The kids still had a blast destroying playing in Nate's room and the family room so that's all that matters, right?? Without further ado, pics from the party...

Natey's party shirt that I made (and Liz helped me finish. THANKS!!)

Meet  melon monster. Don't get too close...you might lose a digit!

Juice box wrappers, candy dipped pretzels & wooden spoons and blueberry ice cream all made my me. Vanilla ice cream and rain soaked mini beach balls, not.

Kiddos decorated their own monster masks as they arrived.

Favor cones!

Monster hand puppets on parade!

Yes, I made them. Yes, I'm crazy. There, I saved you from asking.

The two games that didn't officially get played because of the lack of space in the house. Grrrr. At least the kids played the beanbag toss a little bit.

All in all, everyone had a great time. I got a little ambitious on my projects so I didn't finish a couple of things that I really wanted to do. I did love how everything came out though. Happiest 4th Birthday my big boy! I hope you enjoyed it 'cause next year this tired mama is having your party at Germy Chuck E. Cheese!

Since I always want to know where stuff came from, I will break it down for ya!

Invitation: Made and designed by me, Picture edited for maximum awesomeness by Lisa (Salt and Light Studio)

Nate's shirt: Made by me with simple felt which was sewn onto the shirt

Monster melon: Me, with inspiration from HERE

Juicebox wrappers, Pin the eye on the monster game made by me with monster images (also used on the invite) from: Babystar Design

Monster Puppets and favor cones: Made by me with the help of my hubby! Now's that's teamwork!

Cupcakes: Me. Sprinkles and candy eyes were from Michael's Craft store

Little paper cups and wooden spoons for ice cream and cupcake wrappers: Shop Sweet Lulu and inspiration for them: One Charming Party

Monster Beanbag toss game: Amazon.com

Masks, beach balls and monster suckers: Oriental Trading Company

Super cool monster stickers: Fishcakes by Voz Perkins

Inspiration for monster party ideas: J. at your service and Kara's Party Ideas

In a word...Awesome!

 I met Lisa through blogging. Her friendship is one of the many things I cherish about this whole blogosphere thingy! I admired the gorgeous photos she took of her children and wished I could have my own...photos, not her children. Sadly, she lives in Canada. How was I ever going to make that happen? Well, thanks to the impulsive nature of my hubby we took an impromptu road trip to Montreal when I was pregnant with Arielle and had the most gorgeous photos taken of my family and the bump that was my baby girl.

I loved her and her photos so much that I wanted to share them with my friends and I arranged for her to come to RI last May for photo shoots and, since I can't get enough of her, she is coming back for more! We are planning stylized photo sessions for the week of July 3rd-9th in RI. If you live in New England and miss the chance to sign up for this, you will be kicking yourself, I promise. If you don't live in this area but have friends that do, send this info to them, or they will kick you! OK, there will be no actual kicking, but seriously she is way too awesome to miss!

Visit her photography blog for all of the info. There is a tab at the top of her blog for the RI sessions. It mentions a deadline of May 31st, but we have not met the minimum number yet so we are extending it for just a couple more weeks.

 Here are only a few photos of the amazing sessions we did last year and a couple more from her portfolio.  

  

The post where I get all scientific on you...or not

I'm a scientist. Yup, I have the whole white coat and everything. No, I don't have a pocket protector or the black framed glasses. Can we focus, please?? Thanks. My thought process is very analytical. This annoys my A.D.D. husband, as he would rather act than analyze, but that is neither her nor there. I tend to think of everyday things in terms of sciency (it's totally a word) things I already know. Take for instance, "The law of conservation of mass".  Crap, I knew I'd lose some of you to boredom, but I promise there is an applicable point here. This law implies that mass (aka: the amount of matter in an object) can't be created or destroyed, only rearranged. This law also applies to energy. I'm thinking of introducing a new theory that this law also applies to sleep.

I've been talking to my friends, many of them moms and I have noticed a general pattern. When one of us gets a good night's sleep, someone else was up all night, or at least a few times. We all have children of different ages, so it isn't like we're all in newborn phase where lack of sleep should be expected. Just in a small circle of 3 of us this law seems pretty consistent. Even if I don't take my friends' sleep, or lack thereof, into account I have plenty of instances where the universe rearranges my sleep.

Case in point. Arielle has been sick. She realized that, when she was sick and cried, we came in right away and picked her up. She woke up 8 times and 5 times on 2 consecutive nights. The next couple of nights she woke once or super early in the morning so my sleep was still interrupted. Last night I begged the universe for my children to sleep past 6am. I didn't hold out much hope but, sure enough, Arielle didn't wake up in the night and slept until 6:25 this morning. So I slept right?? Nope. The universe just couldn't let that happen. Instead of waking up to the cries of my child I was woken up by the sound of the garbage truck at 4:40am. Then to add insult to injury my husband, who doesn't usually snore, was sawing logs and I never really went back to sleep.

Sleep. It cannot be created or destroyed, only rearranged. You heard it here first.

Arielle at 18 months

Hello my darling 1 and a half year old!!!

It hurt me just to say, er, type that. *sniff*

While I wallow in the sadness that is my baby growing up, let's talk about what you've been doing this month.

You are finally getting some more hair!! Can we get a little parade in honor of this or something?? I thought it would never happen. It is also looking like you've got some curls too. Not as curly as Natey's hair, but I'll take it!

You are exploding in the word department and talking up a storm now. You have even used a few 2 word sentences recently. You have started asking "Peese" (please) when you want things. You won't tell me what it is that you want half the time, you just walk up and say please.

You are obsessed with going "Side" (outside) and will go get your shoes and stand by the door and repeat "Side peese" over and over until we either distract you or take you out.

 Once you get outside, keeping track of you is another story. You are an escape artist and a climber extraordinaire! I can't turn my back on you for a minute or you will be climbing the stairs or trying to run behind the pool (don't worry it's an above ground pool, she can't fall in) or trying to get onto your brother's trike...backwards.

 You are mommy's little helper. You like to pick up toys and throw them into their bins. This will come in handy since you are usually the one taking everything in sight out!

You have discovered the pouty face. Just look at it. If this is the drama I am getting at 18 months, I can only imagine what you have in store for me for the teen years.

 We did it! We kicked the bottle completely! I didn't know if it was going to happen by 18 months, but when we go for your well visit on Thursday I can look the Dr. in the eye as I say you are bottle free! It wasn't even difficult. Sometimes I don't give you enough credit.

You are still my chubby baby! You had a sick visit last week and were 27 pounds, 15 ounces. We'll see what the height stats are this week. I think it is hilarious that you only weigh 7 more ounces now than you did at 1 year. I bought you a bunch of 2T clothes thinking you might not fit in 24 months.....I might have to fix the pants now so they stay up. Oops. (UPDATE 27 pounds 8 ounces (94th percentile) 34 inches tall (97th percentile))

Unlike your brother you will actually wear hats! This is good considering your uber pale skin. I will be slathering you with sunscreen this summer, be forewarned!

 You have always been a good sleeper (except when you're sick) so i am wondering why you have been having some separation anxiety when we put you down to sleep the past week. Even if I just sit in the room with you, that seems to make you happy. This started after you were sick last week and I responded to every pep. Let's hope you get back on track soon.

You seem to be eating less these days. You will often turn your hands up and say "done" after only a few bites. I hope this isn't the start of some pickiness on your part. Last night you wouldn't eat the glazed carrots, but did keep asking for "Moy" (more) feta cheese. I guess it all balances out.

You are a tough cookie and it barely phases you when you get hurt. Even after falling and scraping your knee pretty bad, I didn't even realize you had hurt yourself until you sat down on a step for a minute. Now if your brother would just learn not to hug you so tight!

Just because...

 ...I love these two!

Never underestimate your children

I have been dreading getting rid of Arielle's nighttime bottle. She drinks milk, water and juice out of sippy cups during the day, but since she was weaned from me and has taken a bottle at night she has had one. 8 ounces. Every night. We recently went through a little phase of her waking in the night for a week or so but are finally back to normal sleeping. I thought that if I took away the bottle she would be hungry and wake up for sure. Nate weaned himself from a bottle at 1 and so I never really had to try. At her 15 month visit, when I sheepishly admitted that she was still taking the bottle, the doctor told me that we should try to be bottle free by 18 months. Her 18 month well visit is in 2 weeks and, being the procrastinator that I am, I waited until last night to try to ditch the bottle. 

I expected some crying.

I expected her sweet voice to be asking for "mulk".

I didn't expect for it to not phase her in the least...which is what happened.

It went way too smoothly so then I expected her to wake in the night hungry and crying.

She had to be woken up at 7:15 this morning.

Never underestimate your kids. It just might be you who is more afraid of change than they are. It might be your subconscious last-ditch effort to hold on to something that keeps her a baby and not the toddler she has become.

Cinco de Mayo!

Having grown up in Southern California I have an appreciation wonderful, authentic Mexican food. It has been rough living in New England where some people's idea of a taco is sloppy Joe in a tortilla. I miss walking through old town San Diego and getting a carne asada or shrimp taco in a homemade corn or flour tortilla from a truck parked on the street. My mouth is seriously watering just thinking about it. I have had to learn to make much of my own Mexican food and have found a couple of places in my area that can satisfy my cravings. I've decided to share a few links of recipes that I've tried out so you can create your own Mexican fiesta!

Tamales: My H.S. boyfriend's mom taught me how to make tamales. She would make them every Christmas. They are a lot of work, but are sooo worth it!

Guacamole: I have tried all kinds of guacamole. The store bought guac just doesn't do it for me, so I learned how to make my own and you can too. It is really easy and people love it!

Carne asada tacos: In the same post where I made the guac, I have a recipe for an awesome marinade for skirt steak that makes slammin carne asada tacos!

Taquitos: For those of you who have never heard of a taquito, you are missing out. People thought it was a drink when I asked them for some. Anywho. Taquitos are delicious with either shredded beef or chicken. Here is a recipe for chicken taquitos that are awesome!

Flour tortillas: Do yourself a favor and just once make flour tortillas from scratch. They are divine. Oh and try to ignore the fact that you have ot buy lard to make them....it doesn't matter....delicious!

Green Chile Enchiladas: I have my own version that is similar to this that I will have to post sometime soon, but for now these are good too!

So get into your kitchen and try making your own Mexican food. It isn't as hard as it seems and it is delicious. Now, if you live in Southern California, just go buy yourself food any one of the million places that is awesome...I just don't have that luxury these days!

Arielle at 17 months

Apparently I am no good at posting on the actual day any more, but at least I am still getting the updates in!

Baby girl, next month you will be a year and a half old. Even though I am done having babies, I still wish you'd stay a baby. You are the most pleasant happy girl I have ever seen and I just want to freeze you in time right now.

The lashes, oh those beautiful long lashes! You can thank Daddy for those later in life, but for now just know that when you do your little blinking thing at me and bat those lashes, I just wanna scoop you up and give you a squeeze!

You are still as smiley as ever but are really starting to exert your will in situations. Your screech will become that of legend and I pray my eardrums survive!

You are obsessed with shoes. Putting them on, taking them off, my shoes, Daddy's shoes, the little girl at the parks Twinkle toe Sketchers, and pretty much any other shoes you see. It probably doesn't help that I have become obsessed with the cuteness of little girls shoes! Nate has 3 pairs of shoes, you have ~13. Some of them were hand-me-downs, but not many.

You are still a great eater and only object about eating a few things. They aren't consistent so I hesitate to call them dislikes just yet. If you don't like something you will spit it right out and promptly throw it on the floor.

Speaking of eating, these are the last pics you will take in the highchair. I got tired of cleaning the thing and having to move it in and out of the corner to clean under it. We borrowed a seat that straps onto our normal chairs and you are really apart of the family meals now!

You are still drinking a bottle at bedtime. I am really not sure how I am going to kick this one. You won't drink a substantial amount from a sippy cup and if you don't get enough food and milk in you before bed you wake at 4am starving!  

You are like a magpie these days, repeating everything you hear. At Easter dinner all of the adults were talking and Nate wanted to say something so he said, "Time out!!" and everyone laughed when you repeated him and then kept saying it the rest of the day.

Your favorite word has become No, but when you say it, it is usually in a sing song voice and sounds something like now. We crack up when you say it and Natey will often ask you questions just to hear you repeat it over and over. The problem is, you will not say yes and you say no even when you really mean yes.

Some of the other words you say that are too cute are, "Moy" (more), "Burdee" (berry), "Up" (which means both up and down to you). You call tomatoes, "apples" and can say cado for avocado.

Your hair is juuuuust barely long enough in the front to clip to the side. Too bad you only leave the clip in for a minute before you are ripping it out. Same with headbands, which is really a travesty considering I have 15 of them for you!

Daddy likes putting a little pony tail in the  back for you, but it looks quite silly since your hair is still so thin! The good news is, with all of the humidity we've been having, I've noticed your hair has started to curl!! I hope it gets more curly as the summer months get here.

You are doing something really amazing that you started doing a couple of weeks ago....You are pooping in the potty! It started because of a gross pooping in the tub incident, but now every time you have to go you say "poopie" and walk to the bathroom. My goal is to have you potty trained by the time you are 2! I look forward to getting rid of diapers!

Your canine teeth are finally half way in. I don't remember your other teeth taking that long to come through.

You have started using a fork and are really good at it. You can poke your food and even get it to your mouth with no problem!

You have an obsession with Elmo and hopefully we can take you and your brother to Sesame Place sometime this summer. I'm pretty sure you will try to kiss the Elmo character to death when you see him!