Valuable lessons 101

1. RUN THE DISHWASHER DAILY. I have always thought that my frugal hand washing skills saves on water consumption. But, it doesn't. Google told me so. Look it up. Don't you believe everything Google says? Running my dishwasher daily keeps my kitchen clean. Which, keeps my man happy. Which, keeps me happy. Happy happy Brink Haus.

(thanks Samantha for that little life changing suggestion)

2. DON'T GO CLOTHES SHOPPING WITH A TODDLER. Or, when you must don't bother to try on clothes. If you leave him in the cart as you shop, he will writhe and contort his body around and reach the rack behind him and pull all the clothes off the hanger. Or, start screaming! If you bring the cart into the room, he might reach the door handle and open it up as you are trying on a bathing suit and 3 target employees see you in your underwear. OR....if you take him out of the cart (because you want to stop the screaming) he might just escape under the door and run away. More embarrassing underwear sightings. So, instead...simply pick your favorites, buy them all, bring 'em home and put on a sexy bra and do a fashion show for your husband. He'll love it and he'll let you keep them! Win!

3. ASSUME YOU WILL BE OUT LATER AND LONGER THAN YOU ANTICIPATE. Bring lots and lots of food and water for your growing munchkin's-bottomless-pit-belly. If you don't you WILL regret it. Avoid the screams. Avoid frantic stops to scary gas stations. Bring food. Lots.

4. ASSUME THE MENAGERIE OF CHEERIOS SCATTERED ON THE FLOOR ARE INDEED WET AND WILL FEEL GROSS IF YOU STEP ON THEM WITH BARE FEET. Clean up food particles promptly.

Do you have any good ideas/tips/lessons learned to share? I am sure there are a few moms with multiples that have some goodies!

xo, Y

favorite photos of late

we snuggle, every morning. it's tradition.

breakfast sweetness

baby model much?

At the park, spinning his favorite toy

just call me dirt boy

three 'snaggle' tooth grin.

bebe booty. can't get enough.

He's a classic boy: loves to be naked, and knows it's funny. He runs around laughing hysterically, wagging his little peepee

Le pout. So endearing.

Spring walk with Dad

Get away from the street Rue.

'Impressed with birthday balloons!

Unimpressed with mom's baby sitting strategy while shoveling: bundle him up so tight he can't move.

Playing with his John Deer tracker while naked. Like I said....classic BOY.

Bathtime

Swinging! Shrieks! Silly!

'weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!'

Stairmaster

up

Things are UP.

Feeling up.

Looking up.

Shaping up.

It's amazing how some sunshine, the arrival of Spring and a glorious weekend with my main squeeze erased the memories of a rotten week.

Baby is happy again, and I am feeling 1000x better. Correct me if I'm wrong, but 5 days stuck in a house with a whiny sick baby will drive anyone to the edge!? I just wanted to thank you friends for all your sweet comments, encouragement and love. You are the best!

xo, Y

confessions of a new mom with a toddler

Day 5 of being stuck at home.

Rue woke up monday with a snotty faucet nose and since then has been snotty and whiny-Mc-whinerton -sir-whines-a-lot.

I haven't wanted to go anywhere, because who likes to shop & go to Starbucks with a whiny baby? And who likes to take their sick baby to a playdate? Not me. I had been so strong all week, until last night:

When I had crushed my millionth cheerios, when I had found him sucking on a Method floor cleaner bottle [the lid was closed...whew.] when I had refolded the laundry 3 times because he loves to take things out of the basket, when he refused the food he normally loves, when I had listened to whining for 35 hours, when I had picked up poop with my bare hands thinking it was black beans from lunch [which, in theory it was] when the poop had trickled down his leg and up his back, when he peed on the floor waiting for me to slam dunk his poopy butt into the tub, when i found him turning on the gas burners, when he took all of his bottles/feeding paraphernalia out of his drawer and when he had taken all the books off the bookshelf for the 3rd time in one day. Thats when I lost it.

'I CAN'T FRIGGIN TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!! I'M DONE!'

Thankfully meltdown city was perfectly timed to Chris getting home. He arrived to a roaring wife, over cooked dinner, and a surprisingly happy son. Isn't that the irony, when your husband gets home your kids are on their best behavior and all of your desperate texts to your husband make you look like a crazy person?

In bed that night he asked me if I was ok. Fitting question, as I was crying.

No. I'm not ok. I'm feeling very trapped by the responsibility of a child. Of being a stay at home mom. Some days I just don't want to do it. Sometimes other moms and blogs who's lives look neat and organized and who have shiny happy kids that seem perfect and here I am wanting to run away. Yes, I'll have a side of guilt trip please, thank you. I'm struggling with the fact that my son is growing up and as much as I love it, I can't stop it. But I want to! Most of the time I want to savor every moment...but weeks like this make me say get me the hell out of 2011 and give me an 8 year old please! SURE...we had some sugar sweet melty heart moments when he would walk up to me and sit on my lap and lean back and look up at me and touch my face. And then sir whines a lot would think of something he didn't have and wanted and would start the whiny whines again. Old people say 'Enjoy every moment! Before you know they will be going to college!

I'm finding it difficult to balance the 'savoring' moments and the 'check please' moments.

Looking for perspective. If you have some please leave it after the beep...

{beeeeeep}

high/low

Rough week.

On the way to NJ for work training, Chris's Saab died.

He was towed to a little shop and the mechanic confirmed. Engine death.

And sadly it's not worth fixing.

So, we find ourselves sharing [closes eyes and shudders] one car.

That will last only so long; until:

A. I tire of driving to Chris & from work, aka getting out of sweats before noon.

B. Chris tires of the downgrade from his Sexy Saab Turbo to my Dented 97 Honda Civic aka 'Phoebe'.

Commence car dreaming...now. The Honda Pilot is nice. Acura MDX, nicer. We are a growing family here people, SUV's are where it's at!

A dead car was the low of the week. But!!! There is a high! I think Ruehl may be over his lactose sensitivity! [and the crowd erupts in exuberant joy and the angels sing the hallelujah chorus] The last few weeks I have been giving him dairy and I haven't noticed any changes in his demeanor or in his diaper. When I gave him dairy two months ago he cried all day and night and his diapers looked like pea soup. Bad, bad, bad reactions to dairy. I guess his little gut couldn't handle it. Our Pediatrician told me he would probably outgrow the sensitivity around a year and I am so relieved to say I think he has!

That is reason enough for me to say my glass is half full, one car or not.

xo,

Y