Jack in the Box

So I mentioned the difficulty of trying to keep two little ones entertained all day in the dead of winter.  Ironically, Jack has been lengthening his days over the past few weeks.  Instead of rising after 7am, he's now been calling my name between 6-6:30.  Actually, he started getting out of his bed last week.  I put a stop to that and now I get to lay in bed every morning and hear him say, "Moooooommy, door.  Mooooooommy, door" for about 20 minutes straight before I give in.  As if it isn't hard enough to fill the day with stuff to do, I now have an extra 30 minutes to add to that. 

A year ago, after our trip out west, I was quite certain I didn't want to get on a plane with Jack again for a very long time.  But frankly, at this point, I could consider getting on a plane with both Jack and Jude, all by myself, and flying for hours and hours and hours ... if it meant sunny skies, big open fields, and lots of bugs and dirt.  *sigh*  Instead, when I see Jack start running circles around the kitchen, living room and play room, I start clapping my hands and encouraging him to keep going and going and going.  Keep running.  Don't stop.  Burn that energy!!

One day this month it actually hit 50 and the first thing Jack asked was to go on the swing. It reminded me of summer and how we used to swing every day. And go on walks. And spend an hour at the playground. And run around outside in the evenings. Those are hours each week where Jack was occupied and happy. Hours that I now have to fill within these four walls. I'm sure, if I really wanted to, I could come up with lots of fun games and toys for even Jack's short attention span. But between work and potty training and Jude's ever shortening naps ... it takes all my remaining brainpower just to plan out dinner.


Thankfully, my kid has a few creative thinking genes of his own.  And amazingly, isn't afraid of dark, crammed quarters.



I should also mention here that his dad and I tired of saying "Where's Jack?" long before Jack got tired of pretending to disappear. Kids are so funny. I mean, does he really think that we don't know where he is after the second, third, uhhh twentieth time?  I need to dig out my Child Psych textbook and read back up on this...

Apparently, Jack thinks all boxes are the same.  After Daddy threw the big one away, Jack was pretty excited to see this little guy arrive on our doorstep a few days later.  Full of "Frossy a 'no man" too (i.e. packing peanuts).  He immediately started calling it "Jack's box" and went right to work playing hide and seek again.



As you can see, it didn't really work out for the little guy.  I thought I had a lot of bloody lips growing up (thanks to my brothers), but in his 2 short years Jack has me beat.  He knows the routine well enough now that he'll immediately ask for frozen fruit as soon as he realizes he's been injured.  And I oblige, because I've never seen a fat lip heal as quickly, or tears dry as fast, as they do with a nice bowl of frozen strawberries in hand.

The Dead of Winter

It's been a quiet weekend.  Jon is beginning his second finals week.  I fled to Pennsylvania for the last one and would have done so again but it didn't work out this time around.  It's not horribly bad ... yet.  Jon is either studying or recovering from studying.  But he does take an occasional break to wash the dishes, sweep the floor or bathe the kiddos.  And these are the kind of study breaks I appreciate.  Since he spends most of his time either at school or in our office, I am the sole entertainment 'round here.  Well, me and the TV.  Ugh, I hate that I succomb to its powers on a daily basis.  But at 8am this girl can't hold a candle to "Micka Mouse".  *sigh*  How did Ma Ingalls do it??

We managed to squeeze a family outing in on Saturday.  Our first since the night our house was robbed.  Actually, I've been told the term is "burglarized."  But I think "robbed" sounds more dramatic.  And since it's my blog I can be as dramatic as I want.  So for the first time since we were ROBBED ... we met some Pennsylvania friends for dinner.  Geoff and Megan were doing some last minute shopping in DC before their fourth baby (and first boy!!!) arrives in a few weeks.  For 2 years now we've been listening to them sing the praises of Texas de Brazil, waiting quietly for our chance to sample it's goodness.  So when the opportunity arose we jumped at it.  You know we were desperate since it was an hour drive through the city and, without a babysitter, we elected to take the boys.  It was well worth it.  I could have thrived on the salad bar alone, but when unlimited steak is on the menu it's hard to turn down another round.  No pictures though since I was either busy keeping tiny hands away from the steak knives or quickly stuffing my face during a free moment.

Leaving our home for the evening takes a bit more effort these days, since we have to take extra secruity precautions.  And coming home is also a different experience.  Glancing down the street looking for shadows, checking to make sure no one is lurking behind your door, wondering if your laptop will still be there when you walk into the kitchen.  I'll stop talking about it though, otherwise I'll get angry and say something unbecoming.

And so, we're feeling all snug and cozy in our 'burb nest, especially thanks to Wednesday night's storm.  Our yard is a blanket of white.  The blinding kind that makes you squint when you peek outside, but which also radiates sun in through the windows and spreads a little more cheer around the house.  And I'll take it.  I'll take that extra dose of vitamin D streaming through my panes because it's been a long winter, and it's only just begun.

And I'll take that pile of cold, fluff piled outside the door because it compels me to think of home in terms of "cozy" and "inviting" rather than "trapped" and "cabin fever."  And I must say, it's quite nice living where it snows during the winter. 

It makes chilly short days and frigid long nights much more acceptable.  Not necessarily easier, although we do enjoy a few sled runs down the hill in the backyard for as long as our tiny little hands and toes can handle it, but at least acceptable.  Winter, I accept you.

I accept you because you come with a beginning and an end, albeit fuzzy ones.  I accept you because you force me to think creatively for ways to occupy Mr. Energetic and his apprentice in an effort to combat the evil silver screen. 

I accept you because you provide a time of rest and respite before the busy days of summer, days that I'm anxiously marking out on my calendar, days in which I'll look back on the dead of winter and wish for just one night of this.  A night of a bowl full of popcorn, the fireplace and a good book.  A night of nowhere to be, nothing to do, no one to clean the house for.  A night of winter.

A toast! A mug full of steaming hot cocoa with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.  Here's to you Old Man Winter.  I don't wish you away.  I celebrate you.  I muffin bake, snow angel make, blue hue decorate, paper snowflake, carpe your diems. 

You didn't let me down this year.  My boy tasted fresh snow, romped in the drifts and had his first sled ride. 

All I ask is for a one more storm, of quality packable snow, so that he can get his own, real life "Frossy a 'no man."  Here, here!

Pee Pee 'Gain Mama (Potty Training Part II)

"Pee pee 'gain, pee pee 'gain mama! ... mama, pee pee gain."  That's what I hear all. day. long.  And it truly is a good thing.  How exciting that my 2 year, 4 month old now recognizes when he needs to use the potty all on his own!  And how thrilled am I that my little boy, who had "some" people convinced wouldn't be potty trained for at least another year, is telling his mama it's time to race back to the toilet yet again.  Yes, it's going well.  But less than 2 weeks into this and I'm kinda getting tired of the whole "Pee pee 'gain" routine.  Maybe I could teach him how to say it in French?

But what can I say, Jack's gotten it!  He's figured it out!  All it took was that one tear-filled moment and then it CLICKED!  Someone get me an easy button because this wasn't at all what I was expecting.  To be completely honest, I wasn't expecting Jack to be potty trained at all at this point.  I gave it shot two weekends ago just because I had the chance.  And we weren't even trying that hard.  Oh me of little faith.  I should've known my kid would eventually catch on and run with it ... 'gain and 'gain.

Now that's not to say we don't have accidents.  But some days he is totally accident free.  And the other days he may have just one accident.  And more often than not, he's been waking up from naps and nighttime completely dry.  Which is definitely more than I had hoped a few weeks ago.  And so far, we've only accomplished "pee pee 'gain."  We're still waiting for the "poo poo 'gain", actually we're still waiting for just plain "poo poo" on the potty for the first time.  But we'll get there.  I promised a multi-part series so I gotta save something for Part III.

Still we have plenty to work on currently.  Such as, not crying wolf.  Jack is so much into "pee pee 'gain" that he kinda says it even when he doesn't mean it.  In fact, it didn't take long for him to realize that "pee pee 'gain" is a great way to leave the dinner table without finishing your food, or get out of bed when it's time to take a nap, or get mommy's undivided attention when you're feeling bored.  Which means I have to put down whatever I'm doing - nursing baby, folding laundry, mixing dough, typing emails - and run back to the bathroom to fulfill my duties as pants puller-downer, only to be told "uh oh pee pee bwoken" and then repeat it all over again a few minutes later. 

So recently I've just left him there in the bathroom and went back to what I was doing.  But this isn't really working out for us.  Jack definitely needs a moderator.  Someone to not only assist him with his pants and underwear, but also someone to ensure that "pee pee's pointed down."  Remember that thing I said last time about teaching Jack how to pee IN the potty and not ON it.  Well he's definitely taken that to the next level.  Picture a garden hose, lying unassuming in the backyard.  Now picture someone cranking up the water pressure full blast, the hose lifts off the ground, and water sprays everywhere.  On the walls, on the vanity, streaks across the door, paints lines across mommy's pants and puddles on the floor.  Yeah.  Picture that.  I've started keeping a mop and cleaning supplies in the bathroom, right next to the toilet, for instances like this.  Which generally occur ten times a day.

But let's not be negative.  Let's celebrate the big accomplishments this week.  Like going pee pee away from home!!  On Wednesday I realized that the kids and I hadn't been out of the house since the day we got robbed.  Cabin fever was setting in and a snowstorm was in the forecast so I decided to be bold and take both boys to "Chickalay" for some playtime and lunch.  I rarely take the boys out of the house by myself these days, but Chick-Fil-A is the one place I dare venture on my own.  Simply because they are so sweet.  One time, when we first moved here, the manager took Jack's hand and walked him out to the car with me since I was carrying Jude's carseat during lunch rush.  They always offer to carry my food to the table.  And I love how they come around and offer to get refills.  Oh and everything is "My pleasure."  And a playplace!  What's a mom not to love?

So apparently those 9 month crazy hormones were raging that day because after I pulled into the CFL parking lot it dawned on me what I was attempting - taking two small boys to a restaurant by  myself, one an active little guy wearing big boy underwear in a public place, about 20 minutes after he had drank an entire cup of water.  Jack has his shoes off and was ready to play before I had even set our stuff down at a table.   I dragged him up to the counter to order.  The manager offered to carry our food to the table when it was ready and that's when Jack announced "pee pee 'gain."  This was it.  The big test.  I grabbed his hand and carted Jude and our things to the bathroom.  Thankfully CFL has one of those seats you can strap a baby into so your hands are free, so I didn't have to try and hold a baby while helping Jack.  We did the sit-backward-on-the-potty maneuver and that was it.  Worked beautifully.

Jack must have been pretty excited about the whole ordeal because he "pee pee'd 'gain" two more times in the next 20 minutes.  And each time I had to put our food down, get Jude out of the highchair, throw anything worth money into my purse, and "hoo-wy, hoo-wy" back to the restroom.  By the fourth trip back the manager took pity and offered to hold Jude for me.  She is the only person who has told me that my eldest looks younger than 2, and was so impressed with Jack's new talent (or "Jack skills" as his daddy has taught him to say) that she brought out a little stuffed cow for him to take home since "we like to celebrate things at Chick-Fil-A".  Man I love that place.  The chicken is good too.

And that's what I'm talking about!  I just can't get over the fact that my little boy is in underwear.  Think of all the money I'm going to save on diapers!  Now if I could only figure out a way to teach Jack he better mean it when he says "pee pee 'gain" ... and maybe teach him another way to specify his need to use the potty.

9 months crazy

You know what else is signiciant about the 9 month mark? It's how old Jack was when we got pregnant with Jude.  Jon and I were discussing this over the weekend, trying to determine if we were indeed, totally crazy ... or if Jude is just such a different baby than Jack.  I think it's a little of both. 

Jude - 9 months

Jude still cuddles with me before naps, still fits in the crook of my arms, and he's still content to lie in my arms and peacefully nurse (well, at least at night).  But other than that he's not much different from his brother.  Neither of them were/are crawling at this point and both were/are giving me good nights of sleep.  But I'm pretty content with these two. 



Jack - 9 months

And I must admit, I'm rather looking forward to a summer of neither carrying nor nursing a baby.  A summer and fall where I can leave both my boys for an extended amount of time (but not too extended)!  A year or so where Jon and I might be able to plan a little getaway while the kids are away at Grandy Camp.  And maybe a few days here and there when I can stay in bed a few minutes longer and let someone get the kids their breakfast.  And how cool would it be if I could get BOTH boys diaper-free for a time before starting all over again!  We've got some big changes coming up in these next few months, changes that we're not even aware of yet.  Changes that we can't even prepare for.  I think I have enough to keep me busy for a little while.

Jude - 9 months

That's not to say that I don't miss being pregnant, that I don't look forward to having another baby.  Oh I do.  And I've already picked up a few cute new maternity clothes that were on mega-clearance just for the fun of it.  Already scoped out local birthing centers at some of the areas we "may" move to.  Already thought about what colors I want to do the nursery if we ever get blessed with a baby girl.  But whenever I get thinking about it too much, whenever I find myself looking at a calendar trying to determine what's going on 9 months later ... I just think about having 3 kids under 3 and that that stops me real quick.

Jack - 9 months

But still, there must be some crazy hormone that gets released around the 9 month mark.  Some super-power nutrient that soaks into your bloodstream and makes you think you can do things that you previously thought were crazy.  Because we're at it again - thinking about growing our family, thinking about adding another playmate for Jack and Jude.  We are seriously considering and actively seeking a future family member ... of the canine variety!

Oh imagine the blog posts to come!

On this day in 2011

To Jack when he is older.

On this day in 2011 you:

1.)  ... were found fishing in the toilet
2.) ... took your stool out of the bathroom, carried it to the office, set it next to Daddy's desk, grabbed a yellow and pink highlighter and drew all over the carpet, couch and walls
3.) ... found your way to the potty treats and rewarded yourself for a job well done
4.) ... sprayed down the walls, sink, and floor and accidentally tagged mom while attempting to pee IN the potty
5.) ... ran circles around the house naked then hid behind the curtain refusing to put your underwear on
6.) ... smeared half a bottle of lotion in your little brother's hair
7.) ... thoroughly enjoyed the bread crumbs on top of the casserole, told Mommy you "want some" and then dove face first into the dish



Sweet boy, on this day in 2011 your mama was very tired.

9 months in, 9 months out

Jude turned 9 months this week.  You know what that means!  Time to plan a birthday party ... haha, just kidding, I've already started that oh, over a year ago when I realized he was due near Pennsylvania's opening day of trout season. *hint, hint*

What it means is that he has officially been out of the womb as long as he's been in it!  I know first birthdays are significant and I'm all about celebrating the day I gave birth to each of my boys.  But I don't want to forget that space of time before they arrived.  Because long before I carried them in my arms, I carried them in my heart... and in my belly!

And just has there were some major changes during the first 9 months he was a part of our lives, there's been some big changes in the past 9 months as well.  It seems like Jude has grown up so much recently.  His personality is really starting to come through, and to be honest, it's making me a bit nervous.

First of all, he's very curious.  He wants to see and touch everything.  For instance, he's really into faces.  And the kid's got nails, despite the fact that I try to keep them trim.  The other day he put a gash above my lip and actually drew blood.  So now, in addition to not having the time to fix my hair or put on make-up, I also have red scratch marks all over my face.

Jude's a squirmy guy, couple that with his immense need to not miss a thing, and he's tough to keep a hold on.  He's always leaning around my shoulder, turning right and left, glancing front and back and reaching for anything that passes by.  His need-to-know policy has caused him to nearly be dropped on more than one occasion and has made diaper changes an immense challenge.



Food is one such object that demands his attention.  He's figured out that if he yells loud enough and keeps it up throughout the first 10 minutes of dinner, mommy will get him out of his chair and hold him on her lap for the duration of family mealtime.  Which means quick and easy access to whatever is on her plate, or even better an opportunity to just grab the entire plate and send it crashing to the floor.  It's amazing what the kid can eat though.  Especially considering he just got his first tooth around Christmas, and it's still not completely through yet.



He downs pancakes, crackers, bread, finger food, fruit chunks and even ham and bean soup!!  Yes, Jack has learned that the easiest way to get rid of food he doesn't want to eat is to simply slide his plate a little closer to Jude.  And while we're talking about his eating habits I should mention his appetite.  For being such a little guy he certainly has no trouble putting away food.  He's now eating the equivalent of four jars of baby food and two bowls of cereal a day, in addition to nursing.  That's as much as Jack ate at this age!  And nursing is still going well.  It's easiest in the morning and at night when he's most drowsy.  Daytime is a bit difficult, especially when Jack is around.  Jude's curiosity carries right over to his eating time, which means it's best to feed him in a dark, quiet place.  In other words, nursing whenever we're outside of the home is nil at this point. 

I mentioned he's gotten louder.  He's in the repetitive consonant sound stage right now.  You know, the "do do do ... bla bla bla" and then the yelling stage where he just keeps increasing his volume until somebody takes notice.  Oddly enough, he's also very loud when he's falling asleep.  For some reason Jude feels the need to groan himself to sleep.  I shouldn't complain, he's so very good about going down to bed.  I put him to bed awake, but I usually take a few minutes to make him drowsy before laying him down.  And if he wakes up early from a nap I'll try to rock him to sleep then as well. 

He's so well trained.  The moment I give him his blanky and binky he puts his head down on my shoulder and starts groaning.  Loudly.  He does this for the entire so-tired-but-not-quite-asleep-yet stage.  I think I've finally figured him out though.  If he's just going down for a nap he's fine.  But if he woke up early and I'm trying to rock him to sleep I have to wait through the entire groaning stage.  Once he stops and appears to be asleep I have to wait a little longer.  Then I stop rocking and don't move for a little.  If he still doesn't wake up, and he's no longer groaning it's usually safe to put him back in bed.  But if he starts groaning on the way to the bed I have to stop and start all over again.  He's got a very specific window and if I put him down too early he's up in an instant and wider awake than ever.  Thank goodness we don't go through this every day!

And while we're on the subject of sleeping, I'm a grateful mom with a little guy who does 7pm-7am straight through most nights.  Recently we had some trouble with him chirping around 5 or 6am, which is a killer for me since it's late enough that I can't fall back to sleep afterwards.  But we seem to be slowly moving out of that stage.  Often he'll wake up around 6:15 and happily talk to himself in bed for a good 30 minutes or so.  I think I remember Jack doing this around this age as well so I'm sure it's just a phase.  Naps continue to be so-so.  We joke that Jude will go down in family history as Mommy's worst napper, but I suppose that position is still up for grabs for future contenders.  It's a good day if he sleeps an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon with a 15 minute chat session in the middle.  If he gets a shorter afternoon nap I might as well clear my schedule for the evening and plan on entertaining baby all night.



Jude's a fun kid.  His little quirks keep us entertained.  Like the way he puts his hand on his hip and then rocks back and forth like he's giving a lecture.

Or that little hip-thrust move he does when he's lying on the floor, and which embarasses his Daddy terribly:



Or the way he doles out drool-dripping, open-mouthed kisses.

Or his fascination with the camera strap and lens, which leads to some seriously close-up pictures.

It's been an eventful and endearing 9 months.  It's hard to believe I only have 3 more months left in his first year.  And by then he'll likely be mobile and sending my world into a tailspin.  Where does the time go?

Surprised by Thankfulness

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