i try hard not to make predictions. and i am SO NOT the kind of parent to force my own present or past interests on my kids. but i can't help but notice that ozzy and abel have very distinct inclinations and talents related to me and jordan.
i was a competitive gymnast. it was clear to me at a very young age that flipping around was something i loved, and was very motivated to do. jordan did martial arts his whole life, wrestled and is now in the crazy sport of brazilian jiu jitsu.
just so you know, the boys have never seen me do gymnastics nor watched anyone else do it. at least not to my knowledge. likewise for jiu jitsu. for a long time now, abel relishes being upside down. he loves it when i flip him around. he kicks up into handstands when i hold him under his arms. and ozzy has for a long time now tortured abel regularly by tackling him to the ground, mounting him, wrapping his legs around his torso and many times getting him into a rear naked choke. it's a little scary actually.
i was the proud mama tonight when abel busted out a forward roll. i don't even know where it came from! but it was awesome. oz wanted to do it too, but he was clearly not getting it. lest i forget his true talent, he decided to show me what he's all about mid-video. i'm equally proud of him, i just think we need to get him in a class soon so abel doesn't have to be his wrestling dummy.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
rockin this potty thing
we're on day 5 of potty training and it is going, in a word, AWESOME!
they are both exclusively in undies now, save for night time when they wear a pull-up. they are even taking their naps in undies and staying dry, to my disbelief. i'm trusting them more and more and reminding them less and less. they are both very motivated to use the potty and get pretty frustrated when i nag them to go. it's definitely an independence thing and they want to be in control of the process. i totally get it.
abel is still having some hang-ups with no. two and he's reluctant to use the potty for this. that's been the only sucky thing in this whole process. other than that, abel is our potty star. he goes completely by himself, takes his pants and undies off, puts them back on himself, etc. he even went on a big public potty at the vet's office this morning. love it!
we're off to costco this afternoon so the boys can pick out whatever truck they want as a reward for potty success. and i'm trying to think of an appropriate celebration for j and i to mark the end of diapers. because I LOVE LIFE WITH NO DIAPERS!!!
they are both exclusively in undies now, save for night time when they wear a pull-up. they are even taking their naps in undies and staying dry, to my disbelief. i'm trusting them more and more and reminding them less and less. they are both very motivated to use the potty and get pretty frustrated when i nag them to go. it's definitely an independence thing and they want to be in control of the process. i totally get it.
abel is still having some hang-ups with no. two and he's reluctant to use the potty for this. that's been the only sucky thing in this whole process. other than that, abel is our potty star. he goes completely by himself, takes his pants and undies off, puts them back on himself, etc. he even went on a big public potty at the vet's office this morning. love it!
we're off to costco this afternoon so the boys can pick out whatever truck they want as a reward for potty success. and i'm trying to think of an appropriate celebration for j and i to mark the end of diapers. because I LOVE LIFE WITH NO DIAPERS!!!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
from the mouth of abel
j: abel, what do you want to be when you grow up?
a: BIG!
j: when you are older, are you going to go by abel or abie?
a: ABES!
j: abel, what would you like to drink with dinner?
a: BEER, PLEASE!
oi vay.
a: BIG!
j: when you are older, are you going to go by abel or abie?
a: ABES!
j: abel, what would you like to drink with dinner?
a: BEER, PLEASE!
oi vay.
Monday, August 10, 2009
it's potty time!
it's official. today was our first real potty training day! the boys went from wake to sleep in undies.
the verdict?
they did awesome! did they have lots of accidents? heck yes! but they filled up their sticker chart and then some and went on the potty without any prompting too many times to count.
here are the proud duo, ozzy leading the way:
we have been doing "potty preparation" for god knows how long. i think the boys were 18 months when they started sitting on their potties, fully clothed, for the fun of it. by two, they would occasionally make no. 1, and on a fully moon when all the planets were aligned, they'd go no. 2. we talked about going on the potty every day. we read book after book. we gave incentives (chocolate chips). and they did great, but we never took it that seriously. why rush it?
three weeks ago we got a cool kiddie pool and set it up on the deck. the boys would frolic about naked and i decided to bring their potties outside, just in case. lo and behold, both of them, without any prompting, would stop whatever splashing fun they were in the midst of and sit on their potties whenever nature called. day after day after day. i took it as a sign of readiness and consulted with their teacher for the game plan. we marked our calendars for august 10.
potty training at school today went amazing. abie had only one accident; ozzy two. we continued at home and while they both had accidents, i think it was more my fault for not having them sit on their potties more routinely.
way to go, boys! we are so proud of you and so excited for us all to be liberated from diapers. YAHOO!
the verdict?
they did awesome! did they have lots of accidents? heck yes! but they filled up their sticker chart and then some and went on the potty without any prompting too many times to count.
here are the proud duo, ozzy leading the way:
we have been doing "potty preparation" for god knows how long. i think the boys were 18 months when they started sitting on their potties, fully clothed, for the fun of it. by two, they would occasionally make no. 1, and on a fully moon when all the planets were aligned, they'd go no. 2. we talked about going on the potty every day. we read book after book. we gave incentives (chocolate chips). and they did great, but we never took it that seriously. why rush it?
three weeks ago we got a cool kiddie pool and set it up on the deck. the boys would frolic about naked and i decided to bring their potties outside, just in case. lo and behold, both of them, without any prompting, would stop whatever splashing fun they were in the midst of and sit on their potties whenever nature called. day after day after day. i took it as a sign of readiness and consulted with their teacher for the game plan. we marked our calendars for august 10.
potty training at school today went amazing. abie had only one accident; ozzy two. we continued at home and while they both had accidents, i think it was more my fault for not having them sit on their potties more routinely.
way to go, boys! we are so proud of you and so excited for us all to be liberated from diapers. YAHOO!
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
make way, here come the molars!
i've had a draft post about abel for a while now. the past few months have truly been glorious for this kid. happy all the time. always up for an adventure. sweet, loving and the biggest cuddle bunny on the planet. case in point, i was carrying him into the house one evening and gave him a big kiss and said, "abie, you are my big boy!" and he matter-of-factly replied, "no, mommy, abie your little boy." be still my heart! he is mama's boy through and through.
there was a time when abel was more of a challenge. very sensitive (like his father), small things would upset him. he was clingy. he whined a lot. he required a lot more attention. in contrast to his brother, mr. independent-i'll-do-it-myself-thank-you-very-much-and-blow-you-a-kiss-while-i-walk-out-the-door, abel was just more challenging. and i hestitated to ever say anything about it because i knew that one day the tables would be turned. the boys have, yet again, flipped personalities. of course they still retain some of their fundamental characteristics, but our "difficult" child has become the "easy" one and vice versa. i hate those terms, because oz is anything but difficult. but because i'm comparing, well, you know what i mean.
so it was strange this morning when abel seemed a little off. he felt warm and had a temp of 100. jordan asked, "what's going on?" because of course he had no other symptoms. and then during snack he opened his mouth real wide and i saw the culprit. his first second-year molar had erupted, half of it poking through his gum like a jagged mountain peak. AHA! mystery solved. i wondered when those suckers would come through, and upon further inspection i found oz with some swollen buds. which may explain his recent bout of crankiness, defiance, not wanting to go to sleep EVER, indecision (yah, right, molars - how about just being 2.5).
so here's a little photo homage to abie's recent glory days. livin' it up like a two year old little boy should.
there was a time when abel was more of a challenge. very sensitive (like his father), small things would upset him. he was clingy. he whined a lot. he required a lot more attention. in contrast to his brother, mr. independent-i'll-do-it-myself-thank-you-very-much-and-blow-you-a-kiss-while-i-walk-out-the-door, abel was just more challenging. and i hestitated to ever say anything about it because i knew that one day the tables would be turned. the boys have, yet again, flipped personalities. of course they still retain some of their fundamental characteristics, but our "difficult" child has become the "easy" one and vice versa. i hate those terms, because oz is anything but difficult. but because i'm comparing, well, you know what i mean.
so it was strange this morning when abel seemed a little off. he felt warm and had a temp of 100. jordan asked, "what's going on?" because of course he had no other symptoms. and then during snack he opened his mouth real wide and i saw the culprit. his first second-year molar had erupted, half of it poking through his gum like a jagged mountain peak. AHA! mystery solved. i wondered when those suckers would come through, and upon further inspection i found oz with some swollen buds. which may explain his recent bout of crankiness, defiance, not wanting to go to sleep EVER, indecision (yah, right, molars - how about just being 2.5).
so here's a little photo homage to abie's recent glory days. livin' it up like a two year old little boy should.
Friday, July 24, 2009
circle time
circles bring out the best in the boys. balls, hoops, frisbees, manhole covers, septic tank covers - you name it. if it's a circle, they're set. they come up with unlimited games and their imaginations run wild. they are also totally into the concept of "racing." as in, on your mark-get set-go! they will race each other for HOURS. it's unbelievably cute, because they clearly don't care who wins or crosses the finish line first. i think it's the anticipation of "go!" and the satisfaction of repeating something over and over and over and over again. oh, to be a toddler!
the first set of pictures are at rudy's, gas station/bbq joint. yah, like you can fill both of your tanks all at once! the boys turned the round septic tank covers (way in the distance) into their starting and finish line. it was a healthy slope up and down, and after 20 minutes of running in the 95 degree temps, they were soaked! the second set of pics is at our brand new library. no kidding, this library opened up last weekend and it's called "laura's library," as in laura bush. we can walk there and the boys just go bananas for it. they have a kickin' kids room that they can pretty much do as they see fit; tents, masks, puppets, of course books, and...you guessed it...a million moveable circles in all different colors. the boys set up some paths and then spent the best hour of their week hoping from circle to circle and counting how many times they could jump. i don't even know what possessed me to ask, "can you guys count in spanish?" in unison they busted out one through ten in espanol. amazing what these kids know that i don't even realize!
we're fast approaching 2.5 and i know i've been pathetic at updating this blog. it's bumming me out. so it's my goal to post some "character profiles" of these silly monkeys in honor of their 1/2 birthday. we're having such a blast and i don't want to forget about these moments!
the first set of pictures are at rudy's, gas station/bbq joint. yah, like you can fill both of your tanks all at once! the boys turned the round septic tank covers (way in the distance) into their starting and finish line. it was a healthy slope up and down, and after 20 minutes of running in the 95 degree temps, they were soaked! the second set of pics is at our brand new library. no kidding, this library opened up last weekend and it's called "laura's library," as in laura bush. we can walk there and the boys just go bananas for it. they have a kickin' kids room that they can pretty much do as they see fit; tents, masks, puppets, of course books, and...you guessed it...a million moveable circles in all different colors. the boys set up some paths and then spent the best hour of their week hoping from circle to circle and counting how many times they could jump. i don't even know what possessed me to ask, "can you guys count in spanish?" in unison they busted out one through ten in espanol. amazing what these kids know that i don't even realize!
we're fast approaching 2.5 and i know i've been pathetic at updating this blog. it's bumming me out. so it's my goal to post some "character profiles" of these silly monkeys in honor of their 1/2 birthday. we're having such a blast and i don't want to forget about these moments!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
house makes home
there's the old saying, "home is where the heart is." and i believe it. we create our comfort by the people and love around us, not by the objects or environment. but i must admit that a good place makes the living, the love and the happiness flow a lot easier. we've found our own slice of heaven with this new house and we didn't even see it coming.
i grew up on an acre of wooded land in the northwest suburbs of chicago. my parents still live there, going strong after forty some odd years of calling the same place home. my mom says she'll die in that house. i never really understood where she was coming from. there are so many amazing places you can live in this country, let alone this world! why be so dedicated to one place? and now after i've moved to a new place almost every year over the past fifteen of my life, and now after living in this gem for the past month, i'm beginning to glimpse her perspective. home may be where the heart is, but there's nothing like it when your home captures your heart.
i was worried how we would all transition to this place. we were coming from a lovely neighborhood, where we knew everyone, where we could take carefree walks along the sidewalk and greet pearl the cat, bump in to almost two-year old jordan and her mom karen, knock on the mueller's door and see if kai wanted to come out to play. it was idyllic suburban american life, in a way.
now we wake up in the morning and head for the woods that is our backyard. we climb over big rocks in our pajamas. we hunt for snail shells hiding under the leaves and dirt. we keep our eyes out for the roadrunners that make this place home, too. we chase the bright orange butterflies and stay hushed as we creep toward the turks cap to see the hummingbirds feed on the red flowers. it's a different kind of life, equally idyllic. and we can't get enough of it.
i can't help but notice how happier we all are. the boys have embraced this place completely, from the moment their little toes crossed over the threshold of the front door. our first day here, we kept hearing, "new house! abie/ozzy happy!" they beg to come straight home after school. their content is expressed so clearly. they are in awe at the nature around them. and so are we.
life just flows easily here. we live in less space now, but the layout of this place fits our family to a "t." the kitchen is in the heart of the house, making it easy to prepare food while the boys play and gallivant around. they are always within eyesight or earshot. they have their own "wing" in the house, at the end of a sunlit hallway, separated from the guts of the house by two solid wood doors. it feels so good to kiss them goodnight and know we won't disturb them with a loud action film or a dinner party. and jordan and i have our little treehouse retreat, a master bedroom, bath and balcony on the second floor that is all ours. j and i pinch each other every time we look out one of our many windows. pure, unadulterated nature is all around us. this house has good bones and a great soul.
we thought moving into less space would be a challenge and we would eventually need to add on. maybe remodel a bit, too. but we were determined to downsize as much as possible for the time being. we probably got rid of a quarter of our "stuff." we still have too much, and there's more purging to do, but living already feels lighter. we love managing less things, things we never needed in the first place. and we have no intention of adding on or remodeling anytime soon. this place just feels right, just the way it is.
it's been hard unpacking those last ten boxes. it kind of feels like losing those last 10 pounds. you know you've got to do it, but you just don't have the motivation. we're still organizing and living in a bit of chaos. but it really hasn't mattered that much. we know we'll get to it. right now we just want to enjoy. so i didn't bother to clean up, pick up, or put away when i took these pictures this morning. it is what it is. and we love it.
i grew up on an acre of wooded land in the northwest suburbs of chicago. my parents still live there, going strong after forty some odd years of calling the same place home. my mom says she'll die in that house. i never really understood where she was coming from. there are so many amazing places you can live in this country, let alone this world! why be so dedicated to one place? and now after i've moved to a new place almost every year over the past fifteen of my life, and now after living in this gem for the past month, i'm beginning to glimpse her perspective. home may be where the heart is, but there's nothing like it when your home captures your heart.
i was worried how we would all transition to this place. we were coming from a lovely neighborhood, where we knew everyone, where we could take carefree walks along the sidewalk and greet pearl the cat, bump in to almost two-year old jordan and her mom karen, knock on the mueller's door and see if kai wanted to come out to play. it was idyllic suburban american life, in a way.
now we wake up in the morning and head for the woods that is our backyard. we climb over big rocks in our pajamas. we hunt for snail shells hiding under the leaves and dirt. we keep our eyes out for the roadrunners that make this place home, too. we chase the bright orange butterflies and stay hushed as we creep toward the turks cap to see the hummingbirds feed on the red flowers. it's a different kind of life, equally idyllic. and we can't get enough of it.
i can't help but notice how happier we all are. the boys have embraced this place completely, from the moment their little toes crossed over the threshold of the front door. our first day here, we kept hearing, "new house! abie/ozzy happy!" they beg to come straight home after school. their content is expressed so clearly. they are in awe at the nature around them. and so are we.
life just flows easily here. we live in less space now, but the layout of this place fits our family to a "t." the kitchen is in the heart of the house, making it easy to prepare food while the boys play and gallivant around. they are always within eyesight or earshot. they have their own "wing" in the house, at the end of a sunlit hallway, separated from the guts of the house by two solid wood doors. it feels so good to kiss them goodnight and know we won't disturb them with a loud action film or a dinner party. and jordan and i have our little treehouse retreat, a master bedroom, bath and balcony on the second floor that is all ours. j and i pinch each other every time we look out one of our many windows. pure, unadulterated nature is all around us. this house has good bones and a great soul.
we thought moving into less space would be a challenge and we would eventually need to add on. maybe remodel a bit, too. but we were determined to downsize as much as possible for the time being. we probably got rid of a quarter of our "stuff." we still have too much, and there's more purging to do, but living already feels lighter. we love managing less things, things we never needed in the first place. and we have no intention of adding on or remodeling anytime soon. this place just feels right, just the way it is.
it's been hard unpacking those last ten boxes. it kind of feels like losing those last 10 pounds. you know you've got to do it, but you just don't have the motivation. we're still organizing and living in a bit of chaos. but it really hasn't mattered that much. we know we'll get to it. right now we just want to enjoy. so i didn't bother to clean up, pick up, or put away when i took these pictures this morning. it is what it is. and we love it.
Monday, June 29, 2009
changes
it's not the first time i've used this title for a post. i'm beginning to see a pattern emerge - i'm just not the kind of person that likes things rock steady. i thrive in change, whether it be a new environment, a new job, a new challenge. i guess that's why the universe threw me twins. i'd never have to worry about another dull moment. not that i'd let that happen anyway!
we're settling in nicely to our new digs. we L-O-V-E our new home. i'll write more about the love affair and i promise pictures. my camera finally emerged yesterday so now i have no excuse not to document this place we now call home. i met with a landscape architect today (laurie over at dig it gardens), and i'm totally jazzed about how we can make this place even more special.
i'm starting my part-time job on wednesday. whoa! i have been working on a contract basis for the THC (not what you think, people! more like the Texas Historical Commission), and starting mid-week will begin my permanent 20-hour a week gig with them. i'm excited! but also a little sad that my pretty flexible days will be fewer and farther between.
i started aerial dancing! jordan and i witnessed "Impermenance" a few weeks back and it was awe-inspiring. i'd been flirting with the idea of taking classes a few months ago, but witnessing this performance kicked my butt in high gear. i took a private lesson with Nicole over at Blue Lapis Light last thursday and have another scheduled for this thursday. it was unbelievably fun and so crazy hard and challenging. but there were a few moments when i felt like i was really flying.
i guess i should also mention some changes with the boys (but when are things NOT changing with those crazy men?!). they equally love their new house and have settled in comfortably. i thought moving would stall things like potty training, but i was so wrong. oz has taken an even keener interest and is now regularly using the potty for no. 1 AND 2! he even used the potty at nana's house this weekend. abel was going strong at the old place, and is taking his time now. but both are making great progress with the very relaxed approach we've been taking. we've been spending a lot of time at the pool and the nearby beach at the lake, as our daily highs are hitting 105. it's crazy!
lastly, my friends over at How Do You Do It have set up a beautiful new website that everyone should check out. i've updated the link to the left and also added the new logo. new writers, new perspectives, fresh content every day. what more could a girl who likes change want?!
we're settling in nicely to our new digs. we L-O-V-E our new home. i'll write more about the love affair and i promise pictures. my camera finally emerged yesterday so now i have no excuse not to document this place we now call home. i met with a landscape architect today (laurie over at dig it gardens), and i'm totally jazzed about how we can make this place even more special.
i'm starting my part-time job on wednesday. whoa! i have been working on a contract basis for the THC (not what you think, people! more like the Texas Historical Commission), and starting mid-week will begin my permanent 20-hour a week gig with them. i'm excited! but also a little sad that my pretty flexible days will be fewer and farther between.
i started aerial dancing! jordan and i witnessed "Impermenance" a few weeks back and it was awe-inspiring. i'd been flirting with the idea of taking classes a few months ago, but witnessing this performance kicked my butt in high gear. i took a private lesson with Nicole over at Blue Lapis Light last thursday and have another scheduled for this thursday. it was unbelievably fun and so crazy hard and challenging. but there were a few moments when i felt like i was really flying.
i guess i should also mention some changes with the boys (but when are things NOT changing with those crazy men?!). they equally love their new house and have settled in comfortably. i thought moving would stall things like potty training, but i was so wrong. oz has taken an even keener interest and is now regularly using the potty for no. 1 AND 2! he even used the potty at nana's house this weekend. abel was going strong at the old place, and is taking his time now. but both are making great progress with the very relaxed approach we've been taking. we've been spending a lot of time at the pool and the nearby beach at the lake, as our daily highs are hitting 105. it's crazy!
lastly, my friends over at How Do You Do It have set up a beautiful new website that everyone should check out. i've updated the link to the left and also added the new logo. new writers, new perspectives, fresh content every day. what more could a girl who likes change want?!
Monday, June 15, 2009
new house...happy!
we did it! we officially live in the house in the woods. last week was total crazy chaos getting everything packed up, getting the new house ready, getting the old house ready for renters. at one point i actually thought, "how can i stop all of this?" but we made it and we all feel great.
it's safe to say that the boys are in love with their new house. we said goodbye to the old house friday morning and i took them to school. i expected the worst when we drove home from school and went to the new house. thoughts of clingy-ness, crying, demanding the old house, not going to bed, staying up all night, waking up a hundred times disoriented, not taking naps, etc, etc. there has been nothing but sunshine, happiness, playing and good sleep. in fact, they have been happier here in the new house for the first three days, then any random day at the old place. go figure! when we put them to bed the first night, abel looked up at me and said, "new house. new room. i happy!" other than ozzy getting stung by a wasp saturday morning, it has been totally uneventful (and he was fine a few minutes later, no reaction, thank god).
i have to give a huge shout out to nana who has been a lifesaver this past week. she helped us pack last week. she was here for bedtime the first night. she took the boys both days over the weekend in the mornings so j and i could unpack and get rooms set up. her help really made all the difference in the world. and the boys truly love spending time with her.
so there you have it! i can't wait to take some pics once we are more settled.
oh, and in case you're wondering, jordan and i think we are living the dream at this place. we pinch ourselves every time we look out the windows and see nothing but woods of live oaks and cedars and monarchs and hummingbirds. it really feels like paradise!
it's safe to say that the boys are in love with their new house. we said goodbye to the old house friday morning and i took them to school. i expected the worst when we drove home from school and went to the new house. thoughts of clingy-ness, crying, demanding the old house, not going to bed, staying up all night, waking up a hundred times disoriented, not taking naps, etc, etc. there has been nothing but sunshine, happiness, playing and good sleep. in fact, they have been happier here in the new house for the first three days, then any random day at the old place. go figure! when we put them to bed the first night, abel looked up at me and said, "new house. new room. i happy!" other than ozzy getting stung by a wasp saturday morning, it has been totally uneventful (and he was fine a few minutes later, no reaction, thank god).
i have to give a huge shout out to nana who has been a lifesaver this past week. she helped us pack last week. she was here for bedtime the first night. she took the boys both days over the weekend in the mornings so j and i could unpack and get rooms set up. her help really made all the difference in the world. and the boys truly love spending time with her.
so there you have it! i can't wait to take some pics once we are more settled.
oh, and in case you're wondering, jordan and i think we are living the dream at this place. we pinch ourselves every time we look out the windows and see nothing but woods of live oaks and cedars and monarchs and hummingbirds. it really feels like paradise!
Monday, June 08, 2009
did i tell you we're moving on friday?
we've had quite the to-do list lately.
first up, go to chicago for my bf's wedding. it was awesome. even more awesome was the day jordan and i got to do anything we darn well pleased and had no responsibilities or plans. heaven! check.
second up, i had a work trip. i left for north texas three days after we got back to chicago and facilitated an eight hour planning session. i was gone for 24 hours, six of which was driving and six of which were sleeping. i was exhausted! check.
third up, finding free boxes. this was more daunting then i thought it would be, but i refused to stress out. every time we called on a craigslist post, we were five minutes too late. but friday night i scored big and hit the mother load at a house only five minutes away! check.
fourth up, pack up the house. oi vay. i'm the worst procrastinator when it comes to this. but as soon as i'm done with this post, i'm off to purge and pack. did i mention that our new house is 300 sq. feet smaller than the one we're in. purge i will! this week will be all about packing, craigslist and freecycle.
fifth up, move! friday is the day. and i couldn't be more excited. jordan and i visited the house yesterday with our contractor (just some minor things, like building a stair rail so our kids don't free fall off the open steps up to our room). i honestly didn't want to leave. it already feels like home.
sorry about the utter lack of posts, but i really have been busy! and so i don't just leave you with a bunch of words, here are some random pics from the past few weeks.
first up, go to chicago for my bf's wedding. it was awesome. even more awesome was the day jordan and i got to do anything we darn well pleased and had no responsibilities or plans. heaven! check.
second up, i had a work trip. i left for north texas three days after we got back to chicago and facilitated an eight hour planning session. i was gone for 24 hours, six of which was driving and six of which were sleeping. i was exhausted! check.
third up, finding free boxes. this was more daunting then i thought it would be, but i refused to stress out. every time we called on a craigslist post, we were five minutes too late. but friday night i scored big and hit the mother load at a house only five minutes away! check.
fourth up, pack up the house. oi vay. i'm the worst procrastinator when it comes to this. but as soon as i'm done with this post, i'm off to purge and pack. did i mention that our new house is 300 sq. feet smaller than the one we're in. purge i will! this week will be all about packing, craigslist and freecycle.
fifth up, move! friday is the day. and i couldn't be more excited. jordan and i visited the house yesterday with our contractor (just some minor things, like building a stair rail so our kids don't free fall off the open steps up to our room). i honestly didn't want to leave. it already feels like home.
sorry about the utter lack of posts, but i really have been busy! and so i don't just leave you with a bunch of words, here are some random pics from the past few weeks.
Friday, May 22, 2009
driver and passenger
the boys favorite thing to do these days is play in the front of the car. "abel drive! ozzy passenger!" "no ozzy drive! abel passenger!" is about all we hear these days. it's adorable and it's relatively stress-free play, as long as the parking brake is on and the doors remain open (you could get a heat stroke in there on a normal texas summer day). and the boys do a good job taking turns at the steering wheel. their imaginations really come alive as they pretend to drive to the beach, or pretend the car is a submarine, or an airplane. the only downside is getting into the car the next morning and being greeted by a rear view mirror full of fingerprints!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Bring on the Duece!
We had mad success yesterday - Abel made No. 2 on the potty!!! It's blowing my mind a little, because we really didn't "start" potty training at all. We just give them opportunities to sit and tell them we will reward if they produce. And I honestly didn't think they were even ready. We have asked them if they want to go poo-poo on the potty for months and they have repeatedly said no. I guess when you throw the possibility of chocolate in the mix, it becomes a different story, however. Smart kids.
Just in the past week, they are now going pee on the potty multiple times a day (Ozzy really excels in this arena). And now Abel with No. 2. So awesome! They are still in diapers, because we're just not up to underwear yet, but I'm still really excited about all this progress.
Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you Abie and Oz!
Just in the past week, they are now going pee on the potty multiple times a day (Ozzy really excels in this arena). And now Abel with No. 2. So awesome! They are still in diapers, because we're just not up to underwear yet, but I'm still really excited about all this progress.
Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you Abie and Oz!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
weekend with toddlers
in less than a 24-hour span, abel has massively skinned his knee and flipped over his ATV, face-planting it in the street. thank god there were no cars coming and he just has a scraped chin and knee to show for it.
in the same less than 24-hour span, oskar has puked five times and gotten his fingers smashed in the car door. his puking subsided within an hour and he was like nothing happened and his fingers are swollen but we don't think broken.
i swear i'm developing super-power nerves of steel. there is never a dull moment when you are raising two boys!
in the same less than 24-hour span, oskar has puked five times and gotten his fingers smashed in the car door. his puking subsided within an hour and he was like nothing happened and his fingers are swollen but we don't think broken.
i swear i'm developing super-power nerves of steel. there is never a dull moment when you are raising two boys!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Number One!
Abel and Oskar both made pee-pee in the potty today. Horray!!!
They have both been sitting a lot on their potties lately, reading books, etc. But with no results. Today I upped the ante and told them they'd get a jelly bean if they made pee-pee and a chocolate if they made a poop. Let's just say Oz was mega-motivated, because he emptied his bladder on the spot. As soon as Abel saw what Oz produced, he was hell-bent on making a pee too. Success!
Now the boys are obsessively talking about chocolate, so maybe we'll see Numero Dos in the near future.
I know this is hardly even the beginning of our potty training adventures, but I'm thrilled about it nonetheless. I wasn't even planning on pushing it until after we moved and were settled, but I'm just going to provide them ample opportunity for potty-sitting and reward them for any results. We'll see what happens!
They have both been sitting a lot on their potties lately, reading books, etc. But with no results. Today I upped the ante and told them they'd get a jelly bean if they made pee-pee and a chocolate if they made a poop. Let's just say Oz was mega-motivated, because he emptied his bladder on the spot. As soon as Abel saw what Oz produced, he was hell-bent on making a pee too. Success!
Now the boys are obsessively talking about chocolate, so maybe we'll see Numero Dos in the near future.
I know this is hardly even the beginning of our potty training adventures, but I'm thrilled about it nonetheless. I wasn't even planning on pushing it until after we moved and were settled, but I'm just going to provide them ample opportunity for potty-sitting and reward them for any results. We'll see what happens!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
singin' in the shower
ozzy joins the legions of folks who practice their vocal chops (and dance moves) in the shower. american idol, here he comes!
Sunday, May 03, 2009
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