1st day of swim lessons!

Ever since Madison was little I looked forward to this day... not sure if it's because she loves her baths as well as the waterpark or if it's because I always loved swim lessons when I was little. Anyway, her response to her first day was like her response to any "first" days of hers. When she arrived she wouldn't talk to or look at anyone... but she couldn't help but stand in awe of the swimming pool with the huge water slide. When we slipped into the water we began to sing songs with the rest of the group. She just watched the other kids very intently with her serious face (in the bottom picture). She slowly warmed up and began to crack a few smiles here and there. By the end she was laughing and when it was time to leave all she could say was 'more pool', or 'mow poo'. Let's just say it was a bit of a fight in the locker room when we had to take her suit off. We are very excited for next week - we have been practicing our songs as well as blowing bubbles in the bath tub. :)

such a short time...

When I had Madison, I was very concerned (as a first time mommy), about all the how-to's of 'mommy-hood' that I read in all my books and magazines. Things such as... when she was sleeping, how much she was sleeping, when she should or shouldn't be eating, don't sleep with her, don't put blankets in her bed, make sure she gets enough tummy time but also enough time on my lap, make sure to stimulate her mind with black and white as well as my face, hold herenough but make sure he can sleep on her own, oh my... the list goes on.

Let's just say that I have loosened up a bit with baby brother. I hold him while he sleeps, we cuddle for hours at night, he sometimes goes from one feeding to another with most entertainment coming from his bouncy seat or big sister, leaving him at home with a sitter is a good thing for everyone, oh my.... the list goes on.

The other day he did fall asleep in my arms and I turned on "Angelina Ballerina", or as Madison says, "Analina Baberina" and I just held him and rocked in the big comfy chair. It was wonderful.

life as the deuce ...

When we found out we were pregnant, we decided we wanted to be surprised as to whether or not we would have another precious little girl or our first boy. So from day one, Matt called our baby "the deuce", since we couldn't use he/she and were tired of saying 'it'. When Eliott made his entrance into the world, Matt looked at me and said, "We have two kids, whoa." And it has been a whirlwind ever since. I have often felt like Eliott gets such little attention, since Big sister has a way of often 'needing' something, or just wants me to put 'El-tee-tee' in his swing so I can hold her for awhile. When I begin to feel bad, I remind myself that the less attention he gets from me, he gets twice as much from his older sister that Madison never had. He loves watching and talking to his big sister. If I can set him close to her, he is endlessly entertained. Watching these two together has been my favorite part of the whole process!

My favorite day of being a mom happened a couple of weeks ago. It was another moment that made me think, 'I need to write this stuff down'. When I got home from work, I laid Madison down for her nap and got an hour of a sit down lunch and a 'Scratch Bakery' cupcake that Matt had stopped home to bring me, with my favorite boy on my lap, flashing huge smiles at me. As soon as he drifted off to sleep, Madison woke up and I got to play 'put your dolls to sleep' without having the interruption of feeding, changing, or holding baby brother. When Eliott decided he'd had enough of the sleeping stuff, I brought him in to play with us. I tried to get him to go back to sleep. After many minutes of little success, I set him in the crib with his big sister. She slowly began to 'tuck' him in with her collection of 20-or-so stuffed animals and blankets in her crib. By the time the stack was piled 3 ft high around her new favorite 'doll', Eliott was clonked out. I just sat in amazement, since he always needs 'rocked' to sleep, or at least rocked until he is very sleepy, and he is usually very hard to put back to sleep after he has already napped. I could do nothing other than grab my camera and snap some shots.

So being a mom of two has been a crazy busy time, but I have loved (almost) EVERY moment of it. The best part... once I have reached my point of frustration, one of my two kids does something that I cannot help but crack a smile. So fun.

moment...

When you have two little ones you learn to enjoy the little moments you get. Let me paint the picture in my house: snow is blowing outside, yummy candle burning inside, Norah Jones playing on the computer, hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, Madi sleeping soundly, Eliott playing happily on the floor... A perfect moment. I knew the only way I could make it last is if I blogged about it and it 'lasted' forever here... since I know it won't last long in my house :). Now I hear Madison from her crib - "Mommy!"... Love it.

some madi time

Since Eliott arrived, Madison and I don't get much Mommy-Madi time... but today Eliott was rocking out a two-hour nap for us, so we decided to take full advantage. What started out as Madison 'helping' Mommy with the dishes, turned into a tea party in the sink. I realized after about a half hour that I should probably get Madison out of these wet clothes before Eliott woke up or I might be in a big of trouble... then he woke up :). What do you do...

all the dog hair... worth it?

There have been days when I have been literally in tears over the globs of dog hair I find all over my house. It has helped that Matt has taken over the vacuum (which is done with a shop vac since we have broken our other vacuums), but it still sometime crosses my mind, 'why do we have this big hairy dog inside!?'. Today I was reminded why...

After a long, somewhat boring morning of being inside due to a sick little girl and cold weather, Madi picked up a towel and discovered tug of war. Needless to say, she was making up the rules as she went. If Cheif 'won' she could just call Mom over to help retrieve it, and if she 'won' she proudly displayed the towel. There's nothing better than a belly-laugh from your kid!!!

A few 'moments' as of late...

The story that made me realize that I NEED to start a blog happened the other night. I really hate to start this will a 'not-so-sweet' story of my little girl, but it's too funny not to record.

Ever since I had Eliott I have not been looking forward to the college students starting back up. Not because I don't enjoy the students being around, but because I lose my husband on Tuesday and Thursday nights and dinner, bath, and bed for two kids is left up to me. This last Thursday was the first, and I new I was in trouble since Madison had been crabby all day. As I was trying to get Eliott to sleep (which wasn't happening as quickly as I had hoped) I was trying to explain to a very tired and somewhat sick Madison that I couldn't 'rock rock' her until her brother was in bed. As I walked into the kitchen, Madison saw the crock pot that I had filled up in the sink to let soak. She spotted the overflowing bubbles and looked at me and said, "Mommy, bubblebath!". Then we had a meltdown on the kitchen floor as I explained to her that she could not take a bath in the crock pot that was soaking in the sink.

Shortly after, we had our second major meltdown. We have a rule in our house that Madison can only have her pacifier (mimi) in her room. As she was obviously working overtime to get my attention, she picked up her mimi (that for some reason was in our bedroom) and showed it to me. When I told her she needed to take it to her room (waiting for the scream) she quickly turned and headed out the door. I was impressed that she followed my direction so well. She quickly returned and pointed towards the hall, obviously wanting me to look at what she had done. When I walked out there she had carefully placed her 'mimi' right outside her door, in the hallway. Matt and I have always said that Madison, being the sensitive girl she is, will never be the kid who pushes or is deliberately mean, but she will be the girl to tell on everyone else... especially her brother. This time she had come to tell on herself that she had not put her mimi in her room like I had asked... instead she had placed it inches from the doorway. When I told her she needed to put it in her room or Mommy was going to put it up, she replied with "put it up". So when I put it away she had her second major meltdown. Oh my... needless to say I threw Eliott in his car seat and rocked him with my foot while I 'rock rock-ed" Madison. My beautiful, tired girl fell asleep in my arms in about 30 seconds... and she was instantly my sweet girl again. First night of putting the kids to bed by myself... check.

So our blog begins...

Well, I have enjoyed reading the blogs of other young families and thought that it would be neat to have one for ourselves. I do journal somewhat regularly for my kids but decided that life isn't in the 'big' moments but it is found in the small ones that just pop up daily. So... I finally sat down to get one started. My fear is that I will start and not update regularly so I'm trying to make a commitment. Here goes...