Thursday Gratitudes!

I feel the need to write down my gratitudes on my darkest days.

1. I am grateful beyond words for the health of my children!
2. I am grateful that when I slid on the ice today while driving with my kids, that all I hit was a stop sign.
3. I am grateful that I will be able to celebrate this Christmas with my family without worrying about anything "major".
4. I am grateful to be part of the Dante's Village Troops!
5. I am so grateful that I have had a chance to "know" the AMAZING Dante!

Please Pray for a Christmas Miracle

Dante may be dying! He may not make it to Christmas! Please please please pray for him and his family!

Santa Funnies!

It's really all about Santa these days!

This morning I had to wake Zayden from a sound sleep. Once I went in his room and let some light shine in, he sat up abruptly and with wide eyes asked loudly, "Where's Santa?"

While driving him to my in-laws today he looked out the window and said, "I see Santa!" I asked, "What is he doing?" and Zayden replied, "He's riding a reindeer!"

She's got the look!

Ivy has a million expressions now, and I LOVE them all!! I LOVE this age!! This is the age, that makes me want to have 10 more kids......if only I were 10 years younger and Brian was interested in that too! ;) Here are a few pictures taken in the last 3-4 days!

Sucking on her upper lip:

Little princess:

Pondering life:

Surprise!!! :

Blowing raspberries:

Thrilled to go see santa in goofy hat:

Do I have something in my teeth??

Happy, but probably scheming something!:

Santa's little helper:

Ivy's new thing is to make "fart" sounds all the time:

This is the look that surely will keep her wrapped around daddy's finger for years to come!:

Peek a boo! :

Having a rolly good time:

Ahoy Santa!

We had a very nice weekend, which started on Friday for us, since we were all off work! We went to go see Santa. We asked Zayden if he wanted to wear "normal" shoes, and a santa hat, but he insisted on his norm. I am happy he wore the norm, because right now Zayden is my little quirky pirate and I love that! This is a picture we took. The one we actually bought Ivy is smiling really big, and Z is staring at the camera with a serious "pirate" look! ;)



After meeting Santa we stopped in a book store, and then went to lunch! Good thing for napkin bibs while eating spaghetti! (By the way did you notice he changed his hat?)

And the napkin bib wasn't enough of an embarassment to Zayden, so I had to have his sister wear a matching hat!

Later that night, David, a kid I work with came over for a few hours to play! Zayden loved playing with David, especially when David agreed to play "dress up" in capes with him!

Saturday we played at home during the day, so Z had to play dress up alone!

Saturday night, grandma and grandpa came to watch the kids so Brian and I could have a date! We had a great time! And grandma and grandpa appreciated the matching Christmas pajamas!

Sunday was just a lazy day!

Just a brother sister moment I don't want to forget!

Zayden grabbed Ivy, hugged her and said to her, "You are my best favorite!"

Flying to the moon!

Zayden and I had the greatest conversation last night when I picked him up after work. We only had a 10 minute drive, but we talked the entire way home about the moon! I have a good memory, but it's not perfect so I will try to recall this conversation, but I'm sure it's not exact as the conversation went on and on and on, and many things were repeated 10 times (in typical toddler fashion). However here is how I remember it:

Me: Zayden do you see the moon?
Z: No! Where is the moon?
Me: It's up in the sky...I can see it already. (It was full or nearly full)
Z: I see it! Now I see it!
Z: Do you see the moon?
Me: No I don't see it. (I turned the car and couldn't see it from my view anymore)
Z: Do you see it?
Me: No, I can't see it right now.
Z: Yes, you see it, Yes you see it!
Me: Sorry, I can't see it.
Z: Yes you see it. It's right there by the clouds.
Me: Okay now I see it. (after craning my neck way around and bending over, while dodging traffic)
Z: Can I fix the moon?
Me: Fix it?
Z: With some tape?
Me: You want to fix the moon?
Z: Yes
Me: How are you going to fix the moon?
Z: I am going to help it?
Me: What are you going to help the moon do?
Z: *long pause* I am going to help the moon get home.
Me: Where is the moon's home?
Z: *long pause* In a tree
Me: You want to help the moon get home to a tree?
Z: Yes!
Me: How are you going to do that?
Z: I am going to fly to the moon!
Z: I can fly!
Me: You can fly?
Z: Yes, I can fly!
Z: I have wings!
Me: That's cool!
Z: I am batman!
Me: You are batman, and you can fly to the moon?
Z: Yes, I can fly. I'm batman!
Z: Can I jump out of the car?
Me: No you can't right now.
Z: Can I jump out of the car and fly to the moon.
Me: No, we are in the street, and there are cars, so you can't jump out. We are almost home.
Z: I'm batman. Can I jump out of the car?
Me: In just a minute.

We arrived home, and I got Zayden out of the car. I showed him the moon, and told him he can fly there now. He smiled looked up at it, and then squatted down really low. He sat there hunched down for a few seconds and then sprung up quickly with his hands above his head and jumped about 1/4 of a centimeter (He isn't a good jumper yet!).

I told him that was great, but we needed to go inside now because it was cold, and Z said in his santa/pirate voice "I'm batman" with a very serious look on his face, and then ran inside smiling!

When we got inside we both kept pretending to fly to the moon while Ivy laughed and laughed at us, like she was watching the best comedy of her life. I seriously had not ever heard her laugh so much!!

I'm so glad Z brings so much humor to our lives! :)

It's just how you look at it!

There are so many moments when I don't know whether to laugh or cry, since having children! Often Zayden does something he shouldn't and I struggle to not laugh. Other times he does something he REALLY shouldn't, and I find myself getting very angry but later laughing about it!
We had one of those moments this morning, while we were running late to get out of the door, so I could get them to their grandparents and get me to my first appointment for work. Our Christmas tree is up, and Zayden is having a difficult time not messing with it. He HAD been very good, and only maybe touches or grabs an ornament once a day. He even told Brian last night when he got home, "Don't touch the ornaments!" However, I know this is difficult for Zayden because many of the ornaments look like fun "guys". I gave him a couple ornaments/guys, but I think he wants them all!
This morning Ivy oddly slept in later than Zayden, so when she woke up I left Zayden alone for a few seconds while I went to get sleeping beauty. I think Zayden saw this as his opportunity. I had just placed Ivy on the changing table, when I heard it.....the crash.....the crash that still is echoing in my head!
I grabbed Ivy and ran out into the living room, and there was Zayden looking frightened standing between the wall and where the tree used to be, holding one snowman ornament.

In that moment I was very angry. I immediately put Ivy down, and put Zayden in timeout and said something really mean, "You broke the Christmas tree. Now Santa doesn't have anywhere to put your presents." I now feel bad for saying that, as it probably crushed the poor little guy and it was just an accident. However, when I saw ornaments thrown all over the living room and had to step over broken glass to just get to Zayden I was pretty angry.

His time out (which is also a time out for me) gave me time to calm down, and I was able to hug him afterwards and tell him I love him, but remind him why he shouldn't touch the tree or ornaments.

Now that it has been a couple of hours since the incident I am already picturing it and laughing. I actually can't wait to tell this story to others, as it really is kind of funny! The image of little Z standing up against the wall with that one snowman in his hand, while the tree was on it's side and ornaments and glass were all over will be with me always, and I think it will always make me smile!

I think the best way of getting through toddlerhood is just altering how you look at things. If I can try to find the innocence and humor I think we will be okay!!

Zayden Funnies

Today Zayden was eating Spaghetti for lunch, and found a mushroom. He picked it out, and said, "There's a mustache on this one (noodle). It's really gross!"

Zayden who is all about pretend play is starting to role play more. He likes to pretend that he is either a pirate or Santa. When he is pirate he changes his voice to this deep husky voice and declares that he is going to "take the baby" and comes and tries to pick up Ivy. I sometimes help him, and he laughs and tries to run away with her.

When he is Santa, he also changes his voice, and to my amusement it is the same voice as his pirate voice. When he is santa, he talks all about living in the north pole and making bat man toys, and he brings presents to anyone around, while ho ho hoing. He also sings a great "jingle bells" in that santa/pirate voice. ;)

Zayden has been hitting lately, but mostly when he gets excited. It's like he doesn't know what to do with himself when he gets really riled up and he just hits whoever is right beside him. So last night I had a long talk with him about how he needed to do other things when he got excited like giving high fives, clapping, and raising his hands in the air and cheering. We practiced all of this over and over. I would say, "If you are excited then do this", and I would cheer and throw my hands in the air or clap or something, and he would immitate me. We practiced this for a few mintues, and then I said, "Okay Zayden you are all excited now" as I was bouncing him on my lap, "Now what do you do?" He smiled and punched me in the face.
Okay, he didn't technically punch me in the face, but that made the story funnier. Actually he did the motions of punching me in the face, but stopped when his fist was about a centimeter away from making contact. He is such a little stinker!!

Ivy the Incredible

Ivy and I had a great time in Florida! Ivy was just amazing! She was fantastic on the plane both there and back. Others commented on both flights how great she was! Luckily I flew Southwest, and they don't have assinged seating. We got to get on the plane before many of the passengers, and NO one wanted to sit with us. It was funny, how people would see 2 empty seats in our row, and start to sit down or put their bags up, and then they'd take one look of the scary little baby and keep on walking for another seat!! So, both flights we had the whole row to ourselves, and that was GREAT! Little did they know that Ivy was an angel on both flights!! What do you think.....would this scare you if you were boarding a plane?





The main reason we went was to see my Oma (Ivy's great Oma), who will be 84 next week. Oma fell completely in love with Ivy as did the rest of my Floridian family (Dad, step-mom, uncle and aunt). Ivy was SOOOO good the whole time we were there. Everyone kept commenting all weekend on how happy Ivy was. They said they'd never seen a happier baby!! Ivy is always a happy baby, but she was especially happy this weekend, and I think it was because she was getting so much undivided attention! Ivy seemed to just cherish all the attention I was giving her while we were gone. I really enjoyed it too!! AND on top of that she slept really good in this run down borrowed pack n play without any complaints or tears!

Oma was SO in love with Ivy!!

We went to lunch one day to my favorite restaurant on the beach, and I took Ivy out to the Ocean (actually the gulf), and stuck Ivy's little baby toes in the water and in the sand! She seemed to enjoy it!!

This is my dad and his wife with Ivy!

And here is another pic of just Ivy that I liked! She enjoyed looking out Oma's huge window from her 3rd floor Condo!

Zayden and Brian also had a good time this weekend, and Zayden did okay without me! I missed him very much, but I am SOOO glad that Ivy and I went! Zayden like a good son did ask about me very often!! :) Saturday night he woke up in the middle of the night crying for me, and Brian took him to bed with him! (Same time Ivy was sleeping with me!....she'd wake up to nurse, and I'd nurse her in my bed, and we'd cosleep the rest of the night). So we were a co-sleeping family this weekend 1000 miles away from each other!

Oh, and I forgot to add: Here is a cute video of Ivy and my uncle Gerry. He is singing a very popular german kids song that my dad used to sing to us, while he bounced us on his chest! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VU-oEPlrNg

I want Ivy to read to me!!

Most nights we let Zayden decide who is going to read him his bedtime stories. A few nights ago Zayden decided that without a doubt he wanted IVY to read to him! He was not going to bend on this, so we let Ivy read to him....kind of! ;)

I took a video, and I think it is so cute!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUE8BKpUVs

There's a first for everything!

Tomorrow Ivy and I leave for Florida! We will be gone just until Sunday night! I really am excited to see my family in florida and show off my wonderful baby girl! I also look forward to the time with Ivy for her and I to bond. This will be Ivy's first flight and first time she and I are alone together for more than a few hours.

However, there is this other part of me that is really nervous and in a slight way dreading the trip. :( Saturday will officially be the first day in Zayden's life that I will not see him at all during the day. I have been away from him a total of 3 nights, but I have never gone a day without seeing him. This freaks me out a little. And what freaks me out even more is that I will be about 1000 miles away from him. Ugh!! I just love my little Z man soooo much, and I will miss him! However, I am sure he will be fine, and I am going to try to focus on having a great time in Florida!!

I'll just make up for lost time soon as I get home! Proof we are so close is that tonight we had this conversation:

Me: I Love you so much!
Z: I love you so much!
Me: I love you more!
Z: I love you more!
Me: I love you more!
Z: I love Spider man more!

THIS is my favorite time of the year!!

This really has always been my favorite time of the year! I love the holidays and especially Christmas, but now that I have children it is just that much sweeter! Zayden is over the moon excited about Christmas and Santa! His guys have been replaced with 2 santas, a snowman, and a reindeer. I put up decorations and our tree yesterday and Zayden was ecstatic! He loved the tree, and loved playing with Santa. He wanted a sleigh for santa, so I found him a small box that he used as a sleigh, and then found tiny presents from a Christmas decoration thing I don't like and let him play with those. He literally played with the santa, presents, box/sleigh, and a reindeer for hours yesterday! It was so darn cute. Santa was bringing presents to everyone...Brian, Ivy, spiderman, etc.. :) This morning he woke up wanting to play with santa more, and has replaced wearing his pirate hat with a santa hat, and is constantly saying "ho ho ho".

He talks about wanting santa to bring him bat man toys all day long....and bring Ivy baby toys. He talks about Santa being at the north pole also. It is just so darn cute. I hope he keeps this enthusiasm going all month! I think this Christmas is going to be so awesome!!!

And, you know those e-mails that ask you all your favorite things like favorite time of year, favorite color, favorite sound, etc... I never knew how to answer the favorite sound one until now! This is my favorite sound! I am just happy Ivy let me record a moment of it. Usually this magical sound stops soon as I reach for the camera!

And I did not mean my annoying "googoogoo" voice!! That would be on my list for most annoying sounds! ;) I also liked how in the video Ivy did a fake laugh towards the end, and grabbed the camera cord trying to take the camera from me....something she and her brother always do.....they are so tired of the mamarazzi!
I still don't really know what my favorite smell would be! ;)