Charlie's First Out-of-State Trip: Michigan to Visit GAP

On February 12th, Grammie and I ventured to Michigan with Charlie for him to meet GAP (Great Aunt Patty).  Finally on our third attempt, we made it!  The first time we tried we got about 20 miles from home but it took almost 2 hours, so we turned around and came home (the weather and roads were awful).  The second time was the day after Peter's "procedure" and needed help around the house (i.e. taking the dog out).  So, FINALLY...we made it.  Charlie was, of course, perfect...slept the whole ride there.  He woke up and was ready to eat.  He napped on and off throughout the day, stayed pretty quiet, and just took it all in.  He was excited to meet his Great Aunt...and what a wonderful one she is!!!

 He had a cozy little spot on the couch to nap...

 

We had a good time, tres yummy food, and a nice visit.  The ride home was long and slow.  Seriously.  The ride was going fine until we saw a sign that read: "Be Prepared to Stop.  Snow Removal." and then listed the mile-markers that were affected...which was about 6 miles.  Well, they weren't kidding!  We left about 6:45 and didn't get home until almost 1.  It took us over two hours to go 6 miles.  In fact, a couple times I put the car in park for over thirty minutes.  I was exhausted.  Thankfully, Charlie is great in the car and slept the whole time.  What a champ!

Thanks, GAP, for a wonderful visit!  Love you!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Rowena Dale

Happy Birthday to the sweetest two year old I know!  I cannot believe you're two already!  Let me tell you a little about what you are like at TWO!

You:

• are VERY independent
• like to try to dress yourself
• have to shut all the doors in the house
• say "I do me" and that's how we know you want to do it yourself
• have an amazing sense of humor
• tell us we're "home" no matter where I park the car
• have a favorite person: Papa, and you love to go to "Papa's house"
• love to color
• have to have a glass of warm milk every morning
• are not the best sleeper...as you wake up almost every morning around 4 or 5am and want to get up.  You also will knock at your door, asking for one of us.  If you ask for Mommy and Mommy comes and has you go back to bed, you do the same thing--asking for Daddy.  And, vice-versa.
• have a very particular (and long) bedtime routine...three stories (Elmo's Colors, Look At Me, and Pajama Time)--where you have to take the book from the reader to turn the pages and then say "here you go" and return it for the next page to be read.  Then you have to hug and kiss everyone, give everyone 2 high fives, turn your light on and off twice, and shut your own door
• always want to put the top on your sippy
• think you're funny when you run around with Charlie's paci
• are the best eater!  You eat things like raw onions, chorizo, oatmeal, and chicken meals.  In fact, you eat better eating with Mom and Dad and off our plates than you do if you sit with just your sisters and have mac-n-cheese
• like dolls, but are really getting into stuffed animals
• fight hard with Kate
• are very sweet with Charlie
• have a good relationship with Delaney
• like to pretend to be a dog
• love piggy-back rides
• LOVE to dance!!!
• will hold Charlie and sing to him
• are very determined/stubborn
• love Dora and Diego
• have a ginormous head!!!
• are hefty, but so adorable and funny!
• know your colors, but not your letters or numbers
• love to be silly
• have the most adorable giggle
• smile so sweetly and tend to scrunch up your neck when you do
• say "squeeze" when you give hugs
• are a bit delayed on your speech, but have started to be a little more understandable and are using sentences
• are good with "good byes"
• take medicine like a pro/champ!
• like to take underwear and wear it as several necklaces



Happy Birthday, Dear Rowena...You are an amazing person.  You add so much to our family.  And, while I get frustrated with your stubborn streak and need and desire for independence, I admire your strong will and determination.  You make me laugh every day, make me smile hourly, and have filled our hearts with love.  You are so much fun to spend time with, your personality is almost as big as your head.  We love every bit of you!  So, to you we say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HULK SMASH!

Should I Be Worried?

Katie just said to me:  "I wonder what it's going to be like when I go to jail."

Wow...first I'm going to be a grandma and our oldest is 7, and now my 5 year old is going to jail.  Hm.  I guess my parenting skills are much worse than I thought!

Katie's New Recital Costume

Katie's dance instructor decided to change costumes.  So instead of this:

She will be wearing this:

I Guess I've Done My Job

I was upstairs getting things ready for bed and Rowe shuts the door (shutting me out of the room) and says:
"Bye, bye, Mommy.  I don't need you."

Well, I guess my job raising her is done.  Phew...I was thinking it was about time!

"Don't Tell That Joke At School..."

One of the many nighttime rituals includes jokes or riddles from the girls to us.  In fact, Delaney received a riddle book and Katie a joke one for Christmas in their stockings...in hopes their jokes would improve a bit.  Well, as I'm doing dishes and Peter is putting the girls to bed, I hear Peter say: 

"Don't repeat that joke at school.  Or on the bus.  Or to any friends."

So, I'm thinking, "Great.  Why would you tell our girls a joke that is that inappropriate???"

Peter comes down and I ask him that exact question, then I hear the joke.

Katie: "Why did the chicken go to the doctor?"
Peter: "Because he had the bird flu?"
Katie: "No, because his penis hurt."

Oh, and just to clarify, NO...that joke is NOT in her joke book!!!

Rowe's Bedtime with Daddy

Peter tends to put Rowena down for bed...for one-he's gone all day now and two-he's her favorite.  So, this is the routine...teeth brushing, diaper change, pj's, and sleeper.  Then it's time to read...

and read...

and read...

oh, and one more book...

then it's kisses--for everyone!

then, no matter if the bedroom light is on or not, she has to turn it off...

then she has to shut the door.

She's so cute.

Where'd Charlie Go?

Here he is...

 

Another Kate-ism

"You're going to be a grandma real soon..."

WHAT!?!?!

Out of the Mouth of Kate

When trying to motivate me and persuade me to play video games with her yesterday, Katie says to me...

"It's okay if you die, Mom."

Oh, gosh, thanks.  In that case...

Day Three...

...and I'm sad. I'm overwhelmed. I'm frustrated. I'm lonely. I'm proud.  I'm excited.


I'm sad because I miss Peter.

I'm overwhelmed because I don't know what to do or where to get started. I have so much I should do...housework, plan meals, get our tax stuff ready/in order, make phone calls to All Kids and Food Stamps and let them know about our income change. I want to do Tot School with Rowena (an idea I got from a fellow Jumping Jacks (my mom's group) Mom) and I have no idea where to start, and I think there might be some cost involved in getting some supplies...but I can't afford supplies, seeing as we need to borrow money from our parents to just cover bills for this month. But, I think that in doing Tot School with Rowe, it will give me some ideas on some fun things to do with her.  I need to get organized in SO many ways.
I'm frustrated because I have so many errands to run, but can't because Rowe is getting over Influenza A and Katie is home sick with a fever and headache. I need to go to the post office, go to Kohls and make some returns and get Peter some more pants, go to the grocery store, and get back to the mall to order Charlie's pictures that were taken two weeks ago. I am planning on doing ALL of these things tomorrow night as soon as Peter gets home. Today I will bathe Katie, Rowe, and Charlie while Delaney is at school, so after Delaney's dance class and Rowena's gymnastics class, the only thing to be done is Delaney's shower and bedtime.

I'm lonely because I can't get out of the house and feel like I haven't seen Peter since we were snowed in together last week...because he worked Thursday, interviewed Friday, I went to a friend's Friday night, Saturday I ran errands and then Peter went to a friend's Saturday night, Sunday he took Delaney and Katie to a birthday party, and then Monday Peter started his new job, which he doesn't get home from until 6:15. I know that is not that late...but I've been really used to him home for the past SIX months...and before then, he would be home from work around 4:30/5pm.

I'm proud and excited for Peter. He has this amazing opportunity with a company that works in the nuclear medicine field. He isn't working as a Tech, but instead as a "businessman" as I am thinking of it. He will be doing some travelling; working alongside a salesperson, and working with computers and programs, nuclear medicine cameras, departments, and techs. What an exciting opportunity and change for him, yet staying in the same field.

I'm hoping that I can get used to this quickly and establish a routine and schedule that is manageable, allows me to get some work done, interact with adults, get out of the house, and spend quality time with my Littles.  Today I am going to sit down and create a To-Do list...what I need to do today, but more over what I need to get done on a weekly basis, as right now my time management skills are lacking!  I also want to create a schedule sheet to know when I need to be where on a regular basis and discover where I have extra time to do fun, spontaneous things.

 

Happy Boy!

Look, he has dimples!

Blizzard 2011: February 1st and 2nd

I cannot tell you how many times we hear "8-10" of snow expected" only to get about 2.  It's always so disappointing (for me anyway).  In fact, around here (in the Chicagoland area), it's often joked at how off our meterologists are.  I guess they were finally right!  We've been hearing about this so-called blizzard for several days, with predictions of 10-25" of snow, hazzardous winds, blowing snow.  It's true.  We received 19" and in some areas you can see the grass, and in others the drifts would swallow Rowena.  Most businesses are closed, only hospitals, police stations and other emergency facilities are open.  Many are without power and several roads are closed.  They (city officials) have asked that no one leave their home/travel on the roads unless it is an emergency.  Our street probably will not be plowed until late tonight or early tomorrow.  The girls' school is closed today and tomorrow. Right now it's sunny and beautiful out.  The drifts are amazing to look at.  And it's fun to play outside...for about 20 minutes.  The wind is pretty brutal and if blowing snow, it is like tiny pieces of glass hitting your face.  I know this from last night when Peter and I had to venture outside and put the girls' playhouse up against the house in a corner section near the deck, as the wind had actually lifted it up and blew it into the yard near the house.  I was nervous if we didn't put it in a more stable location, it would come through our big picture window in the family room.

Here are some pics of the craziness:

These are the bushes in our front yard and our front porch

 

 

 The snow came up past our front door.         And, there was a tidal wave snow drift in front of the garage.

 Here are the cars in the driveway...oh how I wish our garage was not a storage unit!

 Our neighbor's house 

 Our backyard, swingset, and shed

And here are the kids playing in some small drifts in the church parking lot

They didn't last too long, the wind is pretty strong and it's pretty cold out.  I REALLY wanted to put Charlie in his snowsuit and just place him on a drift for picture purposes, but it's just too cold and windy.  And, Rowe woke up with a fever, so no outside play for her today.  In fact, as the kids are at the neighbors' playing, this is how Rowe and Charlie are spending their time...

And here is after Peter borrowed our neighbor's snowblower:

 

Here's the drift right in front of the garage (duh) and a tunnel that Peter and Delaney made (can you see it in the pic on the right?)

 

So, the picture doesn't do it justice, I'm sure, but the drifts are so amazing!

(Right: Ruchs; Left: Harris Drive Neighbors shovelling)

 

 And the best...how we are literally plowed in!  That's right.  A plow came down our street TWICE and didn't go into our faux cul-de-sac...so for about 15' out of our driveway is all snow framed with a 4' snowbank!  Yikes...