I Like, I Hate

I LIKE:

• Secret fit belly maternity jeans, I may never go back to "real" jeans
  
• Craigslist, for buying and selling
• Bedtime, for me and especially the kids
  
• Clutter free home, thank you nesting stage of pregnancy
  
• My housekeeper
  
• Starbucks tea lattes
• Funny friends
• Cheaper by the Dozen, I read it once or twice a year
  
• People with lots of kids who blog about their cool ideas
  
• Play mates for Aiden, they are so much better at make believe than I
• Feeling baby move
• Costco
• Sunshine, can I get some more PLEASE
• Watching Aiden help Nolen
• Good smelling soap, particularly something with citrus
  
• A one year olds fat little feet, watching them putter around
  

I HATE:

• Pee on the toilet seat, more accurately, sitting in the pee on the toilet seat
• The wee hours of the morning when some tiny person wakes me up
• My recliner that threatens to eat me alive everyday, and consistently looses bolts
• My dirty floor
• The question "why" x 1million per day
• babies getting teeth
• babies getting shots
• watching my stomach get fatter and fatter
  

Nolen Turns One

Probably goes without saying, I can't believe he is already one. Nolen has been a huge blessing (literally as well as figuratively). I think his first party went off very well. He didn't suspect a thing all day long (please sense the sarcasim). Grandma Schwark, David, aunt Jennifer and cousin Tennyson all came up from Vancouver to visit and help Nolen celebrate.

Aiden's gift to Nolen was a giant cookie monster balloon, and it was by far his favorite gift. Once spotted he did not let it go for the rest of the evening. It even had to go into the bath with him. To all the grandparents who are thinking "good lord, I hope she didnt let him sleep with it"...Of course I didnt let him sleep with it.

He partook in some cupcakes and my expectations of a wild messy baby were not exceeded, but adequetly met. He loved to squish, but not to eat. He made an appropriate mess and looked cute doing it.

Thank you to all who sent gifts, Nolen could have cared less about the clothes, but I love them and appreciate them.

Worth More Than Their Weight

Good friends, worth more than their weight in gold, especially when they go and get all in shape and skinny. Thanks for coming to visit Sasha! We had such a great time with you and your girls.

My Floor Talks

Give me your bark dust, your dirt, your dog poo, your moldy leaves and grass. The barf from the baby. Send these bits of grime and grossness to me. I welcome you through the front door, the sliding glass door, and the garage.

I can hear my floor most loudly in the three hours after it has been freshly mopped.

See Kai Run

I just wanted to give credit where credit was due. I ordered the cutest little shoes for Nolen (his little fat feet didn't fit in Aiden's hand-me-downs). We had them approximately one week before they need to be cleaned. In the past I have always thrown Aiden's shoes in the washer/dryer. So in they went. And out they came, completely ruined. The dryer had melted them and the washer had ruined their shape. I was so sad. I looked up the care instructions on the website (probably should have done this first) and it was recommended not to wash them. I sent an email off anyways explaining what had happened and asking if there was anything they could do?

They were so nice! They sent a brand new pair, no cost (I paid shipping). I thought this was beyond exceptional service. We will definitely be buying more of their shoes.

Thank you See Kai Run!
www.seekairun.com

We Are Having A.....

Boy OR A girl!! Good for me, I stuck to my guns and didn't find out what will be in having on or before June 5, 2009.

It is fun to have a surprise and some anticipation. I am also hoping that it will be something to distract me from the discomfort of the c-section.

Anyway, the rest of the 20 week ultrasound went well and all that could be checked looked good/normal. We took Aiden and Nolen with us and both were intrigued by the big screen featuring their new sibling. Aiden asked to hear the heart beat several times and then proceeded to ask a hundred more questions. Thankfully our ultrasound tech was in a great mood and happy to oblige.

We are half way there!

The 3 o'clock Meltdown

It seems almost everyday without fail between the hours of 3-4 pm in my house the children go into meltdown mode.

Aiden amps up the whining. Nothing makes him happy, or quiet. He gets louder and more demanding. "I want to watch Kung Fu Panda, it is my FAVORITE!" Nolen also starts whining and crying, for no apparent reason. Maybe he is just jumping on the band wagon.

My theories are that:

• Aiden needs a nap, but if one is taken (we avoid this at all cost) he is up until literally 11 or midnight.
• I am tired, I need a nap. Because of my tiredness I am oversensitive. Perhaps they are not louder and more obnoxious, but I am just experiencing them this way.
• They have had my undivided attention most of the day, and now due to my love of Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart they are inhumanly ignored (at least share some distracted attention) for one hour.

I am working on preemptive strikes for this time of day's unpleasantness. A snack, a sticker book, etc...

But I am not working on it today, because I am tired. And I missed my "mommy time" show, so now I am going to partake in the Cosby show. Lest you think my children are locked in the closet, I will tell you that Aiden and Nolen are sufficiently entertained playing with toys I wanted to get rid of but were spotted hiding in the garage. The old is new again!