Community Action

I'm getting involved. Look out. :)

I've joined our ECFE Parent Advisory Board and the first meeting I went to they talked about how there was a blog set-up but no one knew how to run it...or had any interest. How could I turn it down??

Here's the link:
http://ci-ecfe.blogspot.com/

Spread the word to Cambridge-Isanti-ites!
Even if you aren't in our community, I hope you'll check it out!

I'm doing a weekly recipe and other information for birth-preschoolers. Let me know if you have ideas for topics, resources, or recipes!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Some funnies out of Olivia's mouth the last 24 hours:

After about the 10th time getting out of bed (so untypical for her!!), she says: Mom, I have a problem.
Me: (stern voice) Ok, what is your problem?
silence......

Mom! There's a naked boy in my room!!!

Me: Here's your choice: you can have cereal and fruit or toast and fruit for breakfast.
Olivia: No, I want cheetos.
Me: No, that's not a choice for breakfast, maybe with our lunch.
Olivia: Oh okay, I want chips then.

And now, about 30 sec. after I published this... I had to edit it to include this last conversation. Olivia is playing with her animals. She has 2 characters: Panda and Giraffe
Panda: Oh no that is so serious!
Giraffe: I know, it is!
Panda: It's so serious poopy!
Giraffe: I know under my legs!

And edited one more time! Aidan started coming over to play with animals too...much to Olivia's dismay of course!
Olivia: Aidan, NOOOOOOO!
Giraffe: (holding it up in the air, "aimed" at Aidan) I'll pee on you!!!

(after I got my giggles out I, of course, handled this situation like any good parent would)
Apparently the animals are having elimination issues this morning... :)

Not much...

It's been a "blah" week...worked Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday....today dentist for O, grocery shopping, cleaning...and now (hopefully) napping!

I have to get busy studying for my final licensure exam (no I won't tell you when it is...that's too much pressure!) and I have ZERO motivation (or time!).

I have conceded to the fact that Olivia is no longer napping every day, but she must have quiet time. Sigh.

Aidan has a cold and is cutting his two front teeth. Double sigh.

Just another week! :)

It's official...

Aidan is walking!! 9 1/2 months!

why can't I...

make my child sleep? (Well, children really, but Aidan's just a babe so I'll give him a little slack...)

Olivia's in a serious pattern of being overtired and not sleeping enough. I've been consistent with bedtimes, consistent with (trying to make her) nap...

She lays in bed forever playing and talking to herself (no toys, no nothing, just her imagination), She just fell asleep about 10 minutes ago...it's 9:15. She's been getting up at 5:30 the past two days...and she refused to nap at daycare today.

Not enough sleep = crabby girl.

Crabby girl = easily frustrated Mama.

Easily frustrated Mama = No one is happy.

Don't worry, I know it's just a phase and we'll get through it. I'm trying hard to live each day individually and not let history play into our mornings...but it's hard when I'm tired!!

As for Aidan? Well here's to hoping he sleeps through the night when he's 10! Have any of you had really tough night sleepers? Olivia always has slept awesome at night (besides these episodes of laying awake before falling asleep). Aidan is SO the opposite. We've had a few spurts, a week here or there, where he's only been up 1 time during the night. Most nights average 2-4 times a night. I'm not a total cry-it-out person, but do let him cry for 5-10 min. depending on the severity. I can usually tell by his cry if he'll put himself back to sleep or if I have to get up. I recently have been able to just hold him for at least one of his wakings, and then he'll sleep for another couple hours. I can't just pat his back and he'll fall back to sleep.

Tonight I'm tired...and dreading the night...and the early morning...so hence my post. :)

It's a good week though! I'm happy and love my kids and my hubby! His mercies are new every morning!

Mommy & Olivia time...

So messy, sooooo good! The best part was spending some fun time with my girl; we've needed some happy time together after all this misbehavior the last week! :) Things have been better the last few days and I think our quality time together has helped!

By the way...I just posted like 4 posts...so have a looksie down!

Saturday Morning

This is how our living room usually looks on a morning when I get to sleep in...mind you, all toys etc. were put away when I went to bed. And I "slept in" until 7:30...that's not a lot of time. Do you see the tired daddy?

Oh there he is... :)

Guess who....

has started taking steps this week?! He took 4 in a row last night and has been taking 2-3 here and there all day today! Big boy!

Little Di

Olivia loves her...

Really, how could you not love this face?

Really, we ALL love her!

EVEN me!

But let me tell you, I am SO glad she's not ours!! Don't get me wrong, I love this little puppy! I've only just met her today...my parents just got her. Well, really, my dad got her...my mom is out of town. I'm posting this specifically so my mom can see her new little surprise. :) I don't do pets with small children, but if I did....Di would be it.

Fall at the Green Barn

Saturday morning we ventured out our local nursery, The Green Barn. Every fall they have some great kids festivities. We had a great time together on a family outing! Ryan has been gone on a few trips lately, so it was great to have a whole day of family time.

Believe it or not...this was my best shot of them both together. How do you get your kids to both look at the camera and smile? It's impossible...

Aidan & the pumpkins

Me & my girl on the hayride

Olivia digging in the corn pit

Aid & Daddy (I love this one!!)

Always a blast...

You may remember this trip I went on shortly after our little A-man was born this past winter. My dear friend Delinda and I have been friends since our sophomore year in college. We lived across the hall from each other for 2 years (although I say we were already roommates during that time) and then lived as "real roommates" in an apartment our senior year. We never ran out of things to talk about...nor do we now! We have done such an amazing job of keeping our friendship strong and visiting each other, even though we live such a long way apart! I don't think more than one year of time has gone by where we haven't been able to see each other, and most of the time we have been able to get together 2 times a year! We are so blessed!

Here we are last August during one of Delinda's visits...both of us pregnant. I think I'm 13 weeks and Delinda is 8 weeks.
We had lots of plans for our visit this fall: pictures in leaf piles (or snow!), Delinda playing in the St. Kate's alum soccer game (maybe if it wasn't 30 degrees!), visiting friends, chatting, chatting, chatting, shopping, and of course our biggest time consumer was playing with our kids! Here we all are at St. Kate's on Monday getting a reprieve from the snow...this was the only pic D and I got of each other together!!

Aidan (9 mos.), me, Olivia (2 1/2), Lola (8 mos.), Delinda

Future Katies: Olivia-Class of 2029, Lola-Class of 2031!!

A & L...sharing germs... :)

Olivia decided to give herself a bath...not quite what I had intended. :)

The bugs in the tub!

Can't wait for New York, Delinda! We're planning a summer trip!!

Where did she go?

Missing: One sweet little girl
Found: One crazy, ornry, fiesty, "spirited", hysterical, and a whole lot more adjectives that I don't even have the energy to type little girl

Wow. I can't even find all the words to express to you all how well, I don't even know, my little girl has been the last 4-5 days. Crazy may be a good word, although, it might be a better word to describe how I have turned out after these few days.

She HAS cried and screamed, yelled and said "off-limit" words, laughed hysterically while jumping on the bed...when she's supposed to be sleeping, ran away from me, thrown toys, hit and kicked, ran out of time-outs.

She HAS NOT napped, listened, been patient, or done a whole lot of other positive things.

And I'm tired.

We had WONDERFUL company the past few days--my roommate from college and amazing friend Delinda and her little girl, Lola came to spend 6 days with us (more later!)! It was SOO much fun! And we were SOO busy, which I know impacted Miss Olivia's temperament the last few days.

But wow, Olivia. I think you may have convinced Delinda that toddler-hood is a nightmare.

For Amy....

Aidan is 9 months old!

I can hardly believe that my little man is 9 months old today! I think I say this every month, but wow, time is just flying by. I feel like his first year is going so much faster than Olivia's first year.

Here is some of the things that he thinks make him cool:

• He can wave hi & bye
• He climbs stairs like there is no tomorrow
• He stands on his own
• Just today, he started saying "mama"!!!
• He loves playing with his sister. When he hears her in another room he starts looking all over for her...it's so cute!
• He loves to give little snuggles
• He is so happy to see people and always has smiles and waves, and then wants them to hold him

He is so happy, and so wonderful, and we are so thankful he is ours!

Can we talk a little talk?

This is one of Olivia's new favorite phrases...and the conversations that follows are usually pretty great too! On the way to town today this was our conversation:

(pre-conversation information: there is a bug stuck to Olivia's window the backseat)

Olivia: (Gasp!) Mom, look what I see!
Me: (looking around trying to see just what is SO amazing!) Oh, I see it, the moon! (always an amazing sight during the day)
Olivia: Yea! The moon!! Mom, will the bug get the moon?
Me: No, honey, the bug can't get the moon. The moon is waaaay far away, up in the sky!
Olivia: Yea...but do bugs eat moons?
Me: No....
Olivia: Well what do they eat?
Me: Hmmm, well I don't know. (I mean really...what do bugs eat??) What do you think they eat?
Olivia: They eat cake.
Me: Ooh, yum.

Olivia: And donuts.

:)