Memorial Day

For most Americans Memorial Day is about cookouts and barbecues. We get together with family and friends, all decked out in our red, white, and blue. We do our fireworks and sing patriotic songs while we enjoy our long weekend.

But for many Americans, this day means so much more. It means Christmases with a stocking missing and dinners with an empty seat. It's birthdays missed and recitals an audience member short.

Memorial Day is a day when we are supposed to turn our eyes to those who gave the ultimate price for freedom. Today is the day we should bow our heads in respect for them. We also need to say a hearty "Thanks!" to the many men and women serving- whether or not you agree 100% with all the politics surrounding them.

So, go ahead. Celebrate and have fun, but make sure to take a moment to say, "Thank you." Teach your kids what this day means (on their level, of course.) Maybe even do a patriotic craft. Remember- not all kids have all their family here to celebrate with them.

Prima Ballerina

My Prima Ballerina had her first "dance recital" today. Well, it was actually more an observation of a class, but the point is she and her ballerina buddies got to show off their moves. 

The class is called "Creative Movement" and it is named appropriately. The giggling girls danced like different animals, danced to fun dancing songs, stretched ballet stretches and showed off some ballet moves to "The Itsy, Bitsy Spider." Overall, it was super cute! I was actually fairly impressed! Of course, Client One was by far the wiggliest of the three-year-olds, but she did really well!

Not only did I get to watch, but her Papa, Frandma and even her Daddy made it for the show. I also got about 90% of the presentation recorded. (There were a lot of transitions I didn't feel the need to remember.) When her proud Daddy came home from work, he brought her a rose. 

I won't force her to continue dancing. I'll let her follow her interests, but right now, she loves dancing. Who knows what her passion will be in the future? Regardless, I'm sure we have many recitals, plays and maybe even games in our future!

Mom Powers

My husband would never survive as a stay-at-home dad (SAHD). I realize that many men out there are SAHDs and they do great, but that is not for my hubby. I'm not saying he doesn't help out. He helps clean up and he changes diapers. He even helps with dinner sometimes. But there is no way he (or our children) could survive all day if he stayed at home while I went to work.

I had to go to the dentist today to get a tooth pulled, so hubby was home with both clients by himself for about an hour and a half. When I got home I found Client One cheerfully munching away at "lunch"- a hotdog bun and some chips. *Facepalm* Hubby's excuse was that he was holding Client Two when lunchtime hit so he let her get it herself. Since I need to rest to let my mouth heal I sent him to the store for frozen pizza for dinner.

Of course, I'll probably be the one to make dinner tomorrow, even if my mouth hurts worse than today (which it will be). It's okay because I'm a mom and we have special powers. From the moment we take that positive pregnancy test we adjust our lives to the needs of our little ones. During pregnancy we do extra things, like taking prenatal vitamins, and we stop other things, like eating certain foods. We are the ones who usually get up in the middle of the night for feedings and nightmares. We sit by their bedsides when they are sick and clean up the messes made. We know where the medicine is kept and when they took the last dose. We not only know what their favorite outfit is but also whether or not it is washed and where exactly it is. We can cook their food exactly the way they like and can bribe them to try new food. We can locate favorite toys and books faster than Doc McStuffins can diagnose a patient. We are the ones that schedule all the dentist and doctor appointments and make sure they don't clash with classes, play dates or naps. Our purses are filled with emergency snacks, bandages and toys.

It's exhausting to be a mom. It's stressful to be a mom. Some days I want nothing more than to eat my favorite food while relaxing with my favorite book without having to worry about the last time one of my little clients pooped. Despite all the hard stuff, though, it's incredible to be a mom. We have powers even better than Elsa. 

Nap Time

Right now, at this very moment, Client Two is down for his morning nap. He just finally gave in and closed his eyes for sweet, sweet slumber. Nap time for Client One was never this easy and it is still a battle. That's partially my fault. You know how experts say that if a baby falls asleep nursing or rocking that you should wake them slightly before putting them down? Yeah, totally did not do that with Client One. If you are a parent of a new baby, heed this advice: WAKE THAT BABY!

When Client One was a baby I was a working mom so I did whatever I could at night to get her to go to sleep so I could sleep. I had to get up at about 5:00 in the morning. Nursing or her bottle was the fastest and most effective way to get her to go to sleep. She went down at nap every day with a bottle. Even after I stopped breastfeeding, she got a bottle at naptime and bedtime. The child took a bottle until she was two. Then, I had had enough of the bottle, so we threw them all away. She would cry and throw a fit and it took hours, literally, to get her down every night for about a week. Naps weren't much better. Then, it got a little better. Then, she would relapse. We would snuggle her and rub her back and all that good stuff and she finally got back into a good bedtime routine. Now, she is bottle-free but naptime and bedtime are still a battle. She wants snuggles and back rubs and stories and snacks. Unless she is just exhausted by her day, nap time is borderline chaos.

When Client Two was born I was determined to do it right. Client Two has a much calmer personality than Client One which, honestly, has probably made it easier. When he was a little baby I would put him down solidly asleep but that was before he started falling into his schedule. Now his nap times are much more predictable. He goes down for his morning nap about 9:30/10:00 and his afternoon nap about 12:30/1:00. When I start to sense his sleepiness I give him a good feeding to make sure his tummy will be full enough so he can sleep a good hour or two. I make sure he gives a good burp, then I change him into a dry diaper. This not only makes sure he remains comfy for his nap but it also wakes him up a little if he drifts off while eating. Finally, I lay him down in his crib with his paci and I leave the room. He occasionally fusses, but we've been doing this routine for about a week now, so he pretty much just lies there and slowly drifts off. The hardest part of morning nap is trying to keep Client One quiet so he doesn't wake up. Sometimes, I just happen to be doing dishes around his afternoon nap time, and the dishwasher puts him to sleep. So, after I feed him I let him hang out in the kitchen with me and he's out like a light. (Client One takes a nap at the same so he doesn't actually have to be in his crib behind a shut door.)

I think I probably learned more from the mistakes I made when Client One was a baby than I did from stuff I did right. (Did I do anything right? I'm sure there were some things...) And you can learn from my mistakes, too! Luckily, I get a second chance. Hopefully, there won't be as many mistakes this time around!
(But I'm not holding my breath!)

Five Mom Victories

When you become a mom, your definition of a victory or a success changes. It doesn't take much to make you happy. Here are just five of the victories you shoot for:

1) Making it on time (or almost on time) to anything. This morning was dance class. It starts at 10:30 and is only 10 minutes away. Getting Client One dressed usually takes two minutes on dance day since there is no wardrobe war because she has to wear her ballet clothes. I figured getting her ready at 9:50 after feeding Client Two would be more than good enough. Wrong. She decided to throw a fit and run and hide and scream which woke Client Two who started crying. Then, I couldn't find my keys. Somehow, we made it just in time. Victory!

2) Getting dressed. Some days, there is no point. You don't have any plans and it's raining outside. No one is going to see you or your kids, so, honestly, why bother? I can't even tell you how many times my hubby has come home and asked why we are all still  in our pajamas. But the real victory is when you get everyone, including yourself, dressed before 10:00. Victory!

3) Eating. This is especially true when you have a baby. They have this amazing sense of knowing when you are about to eat and that's when they need you most. But toddlers aren't much better. Oops- she spilled her drink. Stop and clean it up. Oops- half her sandwich just fell on the floor. Stop and clean it up. She has to go potty. The cats are fighting. There's peanut butter in her hair. She needs her bear. She has to go potty again. You get the idea. Yesterday, Client One stole part of my lunch and ate it herself. Then nap time hits and if the stars align, they are both asleep and I can eat without interruption or food thievery. Victory! 

4) Staying in the same outfit all day. Spit up, poop, pee, food, boogers and dirt are just a few of the substances that make their way to your clothes on a daily basis. Some things you just shrug off but others are catastrophic and can't be ignored. Honestly, most of the time you're just happy when your clothes aren't permanently stained. But there are those rare days when, miraculously, you avoid getting your outfit ruined. Victory!

5) Cleaning. Did you ever think you would want to clean? Kids are a good excuse for a little mess but you do start missing seeing the floor. When you realize you have forgotten what color the carpet is, you know it's time to clean. And I'm pretty sure there are counters somewhere in the kitchen. But it often seems pointless to clean because your kids are just going to mess it up within milliseconds. I saw a meme once that said, "Cleaning with kids is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos." So true. But sometimes, you can get your kids focused on an activity in another room so you can alleviate some of the mess. Victory!

Birthday Fun

Birthdays are awesome! They're days you get all to yourself (unless you're a twin😁). In our family, birthdays are to be celebrated. Today was Client One's birthday and the day was mostly all about her. 

Apparently, it is a tradition in my husband's family to have a "birthday waffle" for breakfast. We have continued that tradition. Ever since her first birthday, Client One has started her birthday with a waffle with a candle in it. This year I made her birthday cake waffles using a bit of confetti cake mix in the waffle batter. She also always eats her birthday breakfast with a birthday Mylar. 

After breakfast we had to head to the doctor for her annual check-up. She's always a good sport at the doctor. Plus, they had this awesome, giant horse they let her play with. 

After the doctor, we swung by my old workplace (an awesome little bakery) and Client One got to pick out a special treat. Then, we headed home to feed Client Two and drop him off at Frandma's so we could have girl time.

Our first stop was lunch at Zaxby's. She's part of their Kidz Club, so she had a coupon for a free meal. I even let her get a cookie for dessert. 

After lunch I told her we would go anywhere she wanted. She chose the zoo. So, off we headed to look at animals for an hour. I even used some of her birthday money to sign her up for a membership since the zoo is pretty much her favorite place.

The zoo wore her out and she actually fell asleep in the car on the way home. At the end of the day, we ended up at her Nanny and Poppy's house where she got to blow out candles on a Hello Kitty chocolate chip cookie. Yum!

And that was her third birthday! I can't believe how quickly it got here! I swear, it was just yesterday that she was a tiny little baby no more than a few hours old! She's even changed and grown so much in the last year. Part of me misses my baby girl, but the other part of me is excited by watching her turn into the smart, beautiful, sweet girl she's becoming. 

Pirate Birthday Bash

Okay, so Client One's birthday party was yesterday, and, if I may say so myself, it was awesome! We had lots of budget-friendly fun.

Now, I'm a planner and a bit of a perfectionist, so I start planning shindigs like this a month or five in advance. So, when Client One announced a few months back that she wanted a pirate birthday party, the wheels in my head started turning. I stalked Pinterest for all the best pirate ideas and came up with some awesome ones of my own. 

(This guy hung outside the door, but I forgot to get a picture of him up! I used the template from this website to make him: http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2011/06/a-book-a-craft-funnybones-paper-skeleton.html)

First, the invitation. Of course, it was a message in a bottle. Simply a piece of paper stained with tea, edges singed with a lighter, tied with a piece of twine, dropped down into a bottle with sand and topped with a cork. 

Then, of course, I had to make opening activities. There is nothing worse than having a bunch of 2-5 year-olds running around wild with nothing to do. So, I made sure there were activities set up for  them to do while we waited for everyone to arrive. They could choose to play with photo props cut from cardboard boxes, get their faces painted (thank goodness for willing, artistic friends!), or decorate a cardboard sword. 

I even made sure to include a guessing game for parents with a prize of a $5 giftcard to Barnes and Noble! (Hey, just because the party is for kids doesn't mean the parents can't get stuff too!)

Once everyone arrived, we were ready to set out on our pirate quest! But first, we had to dress like pirates. Each guest got a pirate hat, eye patch and a piratey tattoo. 

Then, we played the games. There were three tasks that they had to pass to become real pirates. For the first, they had to outsmart Captain Hook by playing Hook's Ring Toss. Next, they had to feed Tick Tock Croc by tossing balls into his mouth. And lastly, they had to "walk the plank" without falling into the water. Then, they were all real pirates and got to go play in the pirate ship playground that just happened to be on location. :)

Then, of course, came the food! (The best part of parties, right?) We had hotdogs with pirate ship sails, a pirate ship watermelon (thanks much to my aunt!), seawater (blue Koolaid), Pirate's Plunder Popcorn, and "Fish-n-Chips" (Goldfish crackers and chips mixed together).

 Oh, yeah. And my incredible cake! Client One wanted a treasure chest cake with doubloon cupcakes, so that's what she got. I made the cake with four 9X9 square cake layers covered in homemade marshmallow fondant. The doubloons are vanilla wafers dipped in melted down yellow buttercream with a simple skull and crossbones piped on top. The sand is a mix of brown sugar and ground vanilla wafers and the map is a sheet of sugar paper drawn on with edible markers!

 

Last, but not least, Client One opened a slew of awesome presents. Then, of course, we handed simple goodie bags filled with activities, a little spyglass, gold chocolate coins, pirate silly bands, tattoos and a couple pieces of candy. All in all, I think it was a success! Thanks to everyone who came out! We had a blast! Hope you did too!

Pee Sticks and Periods

Let's just be honest. One of the best things about being pregnant is the fact that for nine glorious months "Aunt Flo" doesn't come knocking. It's a perk that helps to make up for all the other discomforts you face. And, as a bonus perk, if you breastfeed, your period may not return for a few months and if it does, it's usually lighter. That's awesome, right? Well, yes and no. 

While I don't enjoy those few days of my uterus throwing a hissy fit because I'm not knocked up, it's nice reminder that I'm not preggers. Granted, I'd rather receive a nice card in the mail, but, hey, it's good to know. But when breastfeeding keeps my period at bay, I get a bit nervous and paranoid. After I'm officially "late" I start considering the pee stick.

Now, I HATE buying a pregnancy test. When I slink into the store I can feel the pressure of the judging eyes. It's even worse when you have a baby in tow. I usually go to Bilo because they have a self-checkout so that way I don't have to deal with the cashier and her judging eyes. (Yes, "her" because there is no way under heaven that I am buying a pregnancy test that a guy is ringing up!) I crawl through the store, finding other things to purchase before finally slinking down the feminine hygiene aisle where the pee sticks are kept. After carefully checking my surroundings to make sure no one is within a 5 mile radius I flick a box into my cart and hide it amongst my other purchases. Then, quick as a rabbit running from a fox, I race to the self-checkout to pay for and hide my purchase in a grocery bag. Then I make out of the store like a bandit.

Of course, peeing on the stick is a whole other story. They test the best first thing in the morning, so, of course you wait. That means that first thing the next morning you're racing to the bathroom. You know it's going to be negative but it's still nerve racking. So, half asleep you fiddle with the stupid thing, trying to free it from its bullet-proof wrapper before you explode. It's a rough way to start your day, but the relief that follows is great. (But back when you were trying to get pregnant, what joy when you got that positive sign!) 

So, yeah, no periods while breastfeeding is pretty nice. I'm not complaining. Not really. But not having that monthly "Congratulations! You're not pregnant!" notification is a little off-putting.

(And for the record- nope, not pregnant! Thank goodness!)