Beach Baby.

I hope you all had a wonderful loooooonnngggggg weekend. We stayed close to home, taking full advantage of our extra day with Daddy around. Meaning, the boys could skate, while Gray and I lazied around {trying} to get things organized before we leave for our trip in only two weeks! This also meant there was a serious amount of park time for my little guy, and an impromptu trip to the beach! I knew he would like the beach (given his penchant for the sandbox) but I had no idea that he would LOVE the beach, the way that he did. Let me tell you, if sand was a food group, this kid would be the best eater in the world!!! If this little day trip is any indication of what we have in store for us in Costa, then I think that we are all in for the best vacation yet!

What is it with kids and eating sand? You would think after the first bite they would realize that it doesn't taste very good, but no, apparently diving in head first, to eat more, seems like a much better idea! If I could find way to combine Gray's two favorite things, sand + cheerios, I think the kid would probably explode with happiness!

What's All The Buzz About?

 Summer is almost here. 

You know how I know? Because the LM got his first buzz cut of the year, and in what seems to have become tradition, this marks the unofficial start of Summer in our family. 

A little look back...

... and again, yesterday.

Before

During

After

Cue the lazy days, late night stops from the ice cream man, trips to the beach, flights to Costa Rica, and camp... oh yes, there will be a lot of Summer camp. 

So far Gray has been spared the wrath of the clippers, but don't think I'm not packing those bad boys in my suitcase!

I'm curious, do you all give your kids a Summer cut? 

The Last Week... Or Two...

Apologies for my serious lack of posts this last week. Trying to nurse this damn foot back to health, while hosting family, which has happily been in town to celebrate my awesome Father-in-law's 70th birthday, has been taking up more energy than I expected. Throw in some early morning wake-ups from the kiddies (too excited to hang with Grandma and Grandpa) and, well, you get the jist.

I'm hoping to get some time for a "real" post tomorrow, but until then, here are some pictures from the last week... or two... or three ;).  

As you can see, Gray has been making life a little bit more interesting now that he's mobile... but we've still managed to have a great time, making the most of the few beautiful Summer like days that we've had sandwiched in between some serious rain. 

Hope you all are staying dry out there on this rainy Tuesday!

P.S. Is there anything cuter than a baby in a tank top? Sun's out, guns out! Or, in this case... sun's out, chubby little dimples out!

Be back soon!

Clearly, I Need to Take My Own Advice.

 I feel like I am ALWAYS yelling at my kid about jumping on/ off/ over the sofa. Always. "You're going to get your foot stuck and get hurt," I say. Usually he listens and so far we haven't had too many traumatic injuries. 

Until yesterday. 

Clearly, I need to take my own advice.

Yesterday, I decided to let the LM rope me in to a game of Batman. I say "batman" but really we are just chasing each other all around the house with "shooters" {guns} that he made out of legos (seemingly getting around the "no guns" rule.) There we were, racing all over the top story of our home, hiding around corners, behind the sofa, in the kitchen... you get the idea. Baby Gray thought the whole thing was hilarious, and we were having a great time. Then I got this "awesome" idea, that I should launch myself over the sofa, roll behind it and then shoot the LM from underneath. It was awesome. Awesome until my foot got stuck mid-air. Awesome until the fall of my whole body was broken by the side of my right foot. Awesome untilI actually looked at my foot.

Immediately I knew it was broken. 

1st thought, how the hell am I going to carry the baby. 

2nd, we are leaving for Costa Rica in 4 weeks... I cannot have a cast. 

3rd,  F$%*, I broke my foot!

4 hours later in the ER
 (thankfully at the hospital where my hubby works.) 

My neon pink pants (a birthday present from my fabulous girlfriends) kept me smiling the whole time. 

I left without a cast, with orders to wear this monstrosity for the next 6-8 weeks, and then they sent me on my way with crutches, which I tried my hardest to give back (do, they have a seat for my baby? I asked.)

They wouldn't relent, and now the kids have some new "toys" that they both HAVE to play with.

Which of course the little man then turned into a"shooter".

It's a vicious cycle. 

My foot hurts.

It could have been MUCH worse.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

I Am Mom Enough...

No, Time magazine, err Dr. Sears, I am DEFINITELY not Mom enough. My kids sleep their own rooms, with strict bed and wake up times. I was able to breastfeed the LM until he was 7 months old, baby only until 3 months. I wear my kids until my back hurts, and then I am the first to pop open the stroller. The LM gets candy and cookies as special treats, and has been known to have a donut or two (gasp) for breakfast on the weekend. Sometimes I unfairly yell at my kids, or lose my patience. Sometimes I give in too easy, when I should stay firm. I've even been known to let a bad word slip here or there, especially when we are late... oh, yeah... we are also often running late. I am not a perfect Mother, because I am not a perfect human. No one is. Yet, it seems like there is always someone (usually with an MD after their name) trying to sell book, telling us that there is some ideal way to raise children, and anything less than said ideal will emotionally scar you children causing them to be unable to function as adults.

Which is most parent's greatest fear, second only to a grave illness. 

The fear that somehow we will F&*% these kids up. That they will grow to hate us. That they will drop out of school. Turn to a life a drugs or other vice, and basically be miserable. Why? Because we somehow failed them. 

Yes, that kind of fear.  

While I get what Time was trying to illustrate with their article, the title itself implies that there is an "enough" when it comes to parenting, and that unless you are doing X, then you are not doing "enough" and if you are doing more than X, then you are doing to much. Trying to stir up a new "Mommy War" a few days before Mother's Day, seems like a cheap way to sell a magazine (and boy are they selling) by praying on the insecurities of Mothers (which we all HAVE) igniting a debate, that was already heated enough. 

Most of us are doing all that we can. We do it in different ways... with boobs or bottles, a village of family members or by ourselves, with organic food or a box of cereal, with a partner or without. No one really knows what the "right" way  is, or even if there is a"right" way. In the end, you can only hope you did enough. That should have been the title. "You are doing enough, because you are doing all you can."

I received my Mother's Day card from the Little Man today. He was asked to describe why he loves his Mom. His answer was that I do "so fun things for {him}." I can only hope that this is his response in 40 years... that being his "fun mom" was enough... I may not be perfect, but I am definitely doing the best that I can. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO YOU ALL!
I am Mom enough... and so are all of you!

Another Year Older.

 

Today is my 33rd birthday, and if last night was any indication, this year is going to be one of my best ever. Last night, my two beautiful girlfriends and my lovely Sis, took me out to one of my favorite (and clearly, very dark restaurants) where we spent the night reminiscing and celebrating our friendship along with my big day. They continually showed me throughout the evening just how well they really do know, and love me, and I woke up this morning (sadly, still at 5am) to my beautiful and smiling family, and all I could think about was how lucky I am, that I get to spend another year with all of these wonderful people. 

Recently, studies have shown that 33 is most people's "best year of their lives," and I've got to tell you, I feel like I am already off to one hell of start! I was talking to my SIL this morning (who happens to share the same b-day, how cool?) and I mentioned that the best thing about this coming year, is that for the first time in 6 years, I don't even have to THINK about babies. Not making them. Not growing them. Not keeping them alive.... well, I guess Gray still technically has 2 months before he is a toddler, so I'll keep the last one off the table until then.... but you get the drift. I just feel like, for the first time in a long time, I get to sit back and really enjoy my life, and my family. That feeling is the best gift that anyone could give!

This year is also going to be a big year in our family for travel, something I can only hope will continue over the next 50! My husband has more than a few international conferences to attend this year, and I plan on driving him nuts on almost every continent that he will let me... After a month long family trip to Costa Rica (sister included) this Summer, together we will be traveling to New Orleans in the Fall, India in February, Barcelona (with the LM) in the Spring, and then  to South Africa (again, with the LM.) Growing up, I never imagined I would ever leave the state I was born in, so having the chance to see the world... like the WHOLE world, really is a dream come true. 

I know you aren't supposed to share your birthday wishes, but last night when I blew out my candle, my wish was for more of the same. More time with my 3 boys, more time with my Sister, more time with all my friends and family (those near and far) and more time with all of you. 

33 is going to be a great year.

You Know You've Peaked When...

 You know you've peaked when you are 4 years old and you learn how to do this...

.... and then this happens.

Pure, sweaty skateboard elation.

Or more appropriately, this is how I spent my weekend.

The Son Rises Early.

Note: This is NOT my kid. How do I know? Because I'm guessing that this kid sleeps past 5am!

So, on Saturday my hubby left for a week long work trip to Canada. When I can't count on his arrival at 6:30pm to step in and entertain the LM and add some additional conversation to our motley crew, it makes for a VERY long day. When you throw in a weekend, it makes for a VERY VERY long week. When you day starts at 5am and ends at 8:30pm and the only people you talk to all day are your own kids... well you get the drift. 

Look, I know people do this all the time, completely by themselves, and I consider myself to be very fortunate that I do have such an awesome hubby who really does every thing in his power to come home on time... that being said, holy crap can this week just be over?

On Sunday, I was reminded of one of the many odd jobs I had in college, where I would babysit a very low traffic children's store from 10am-7pm on the weekends. I remember one day looking at the clock, and then looking back, after what I thought had been an hour or two, and to my surprise it had only been 10 minutes!!!!

That's how this week has been for us. That plane hitting the tarmac at midnight tonight can not come soon enough. 

My one observation from the week is that you all are clearly not doing enough Facebooking, Pinning, Tweeting, and Blog writing between the hours of 5-7 am. I need more to read people! Even the New York Times let me down... c'mon, you can't update more than every hour? ;)

Talk about working for the weekend... a Daddy filled weekend!

(Image via Pinterest)