Random pics from the week

Pictures that daddy took of the kids playing in his computer box tunnel system.

The kids played chase around the kitchen table for a really long time screaming and laughing at each other and enjoying playing together so much! It was adorable watching them.

Yesterday, I made burritos for Brent that were pretty spicy and the kids went nuts over them. I guess it's almost time for them to eat at the big people's table. Unfortunately, that will make me responsible for cooking dinner a lot more than I do now. Pew!

Aunt Zippy is coming into town tonight because tomorrow morning, we are going on a girl's trip to PUNTA CANA! I'm so excited that I could bust out a jig at any second! We are going on a 5 day all-inclusive trip where the booze flows freely and the minibars are stocked daily! I've been looking forward to this trip for almost three months and I can't believe we'll be there in less than 24 hours! I have to control my urge to hyperventilate with glee!!!!

On the other hand, yesterday I was a hot mess. I am so sad to leave my kids and I have already teared up a couple of times. I know that they will be with their daddy and in good hands, but they need me and I need them and I hope that I can have a good time despite my homesickness that I'm already suffering from and haven't even left yet. I worry so much about plane crashes and the Urine (Joran) Van Der Sloots of the world that it does take away from my excitedness more than it should. My kids are everything. They are my heart and soul. They define me and have given my life more meaning then I ever thought I was meant to have. My hands get shaky with nervousness at the idea of being apart from them let alone the idea of having my time with them cut short. I've had a knot in my throat about it since yesterday.

It's crazy feeling this worried and this excited at the same time. Laura has never been out of the country and I'm so excited that I get to share that experience with her! Hopefully, I'll have good pics next week (if I make it back in one piece!)!

"Buu" and "Ducky"...

...are her two new words that mean 'book' and 'yucky' respectively. The order that they learn words in is so funny because it's totally reflective of their surroundings. Yucky is what we scream at her as she dives hands first into the litter boxes. Now she points to the litter box and shakes her head 'no' and says, "Ducky!" She learned "ole" (hole) so quickly which makes me laugh because it's indicative of the quality of the t-shirts that I wear to bed. I never flinched at the holes in my tattered, old t-shirts until my own kid pointed out to me that I could be mistaken for a homeless person.

Her words are coming so fast now. She's repeating so many words correctly, but she just hasn't incorporated them into her daily vocabulary. Because Callie had been so obsessed with balloons lately, we decided to buy each of them one yesterday. Wyatt, of course, almost crapped in his pants because the freaking things scared him half to death. Such a little wimp. On the other hand, Callie's eyes almost popped out of their sockets like all her dreams had come true when I handed her the balloon. It was short lived though because in true Callie-form, she tried to eat it and it popped.

Yesterday, we went to feed the ducks. The kids didn't understand throwing food to the ducks. When I handed them some bread to throw, they just shoveled it in their faces. They really enjoyed seeing the ducks though. They screamed and laughed so excitedly that it gave me chills. I love watching them discover new things.

Oh! We stopped by Chick-Fil-A while we were out shopping and we learned that both kids can drink out of straws now! I was so excited! I had a huge lemonade that the kids drank almost entirely themselves. We could tell that they were also excited to drink out of straws. It was really cute!

Wyatt's o-face because he saw birds flying in the sky. This is the face that both kids make when something earth-shattering (like the house phone ringing) happens.

"Boon!"

For only $1.00 a day, you can provide this poor little dirty orphan with a blackberry that will feed her and give her enough energy to sew sweaters out of donkey hair for her entire family of 48.

Today, I let the runts get into the sidewalk chalk while they feasted on blackberries. Wyatt produced two more pieces of high art that I think would go for millions at auction. This afternoon, he clapped to a song... on beat! I think he's my little artsy weasel of the two and hopefully won't be one of those awkward and doofy white boys who can't dance to save their lives!




We are obsessed with balloons this week. Their favorite Teletubbies episode right now is about basketball and balloons. So, when I sat down with Callie yesterday to read a book with a picture of a balloon in it, you could see the wheels turning as she realized that it was the same thing as the balloon on her favorite episode. Now, she shows me the book and points to the balloon and says "Boon! Boon! Boon!" and then she points to our bedroom and says "Tee tuh!" (Teletubbies) and nods her head to let me know that watching the balloon episode is exactly what she thinks we should do. It's been a vicious cycle over the last couple of days and I'm loving every cute but repetitive second of it!

Also, Cal Bear is into spinning in circles until she gets dizzy enough to fall over. Sooner or later she's gonna puke. I can feel it.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day yesterday! The highlight for me was a card that Brent actually made himself which was a huge deal because the man doesn't have a creative bone in his body. It was so cute because it had a picture of the kids and Tony (my furry son) on the couch holding a Mother's Day sign.



We had brunch over at my parents house with my grandmother. I gave the kid a sip of my non-alcoholic sparkling wine. (No need to call CPS.) After that, we took the kids over to play at the park to burn off some energy. It was fun watching them get all rosy cheeked and tuckered out. Then, Brent steamed shrimp and made dinner while I vegged out in bed and did absolutely nothing.

Monkey the Arteeest!

Okay so blah blah blah... most of the week was boring. Same crap. Different day. We did get a quick overnight visit from my uncle on Wednesday and it was fun hanging out with him. We (I) drank a little excessively and went to bed way too late so we were pretty much operating on cranky for the rest of the week. On Saturday, we went to the beach and let the kids play until they couldn't play anymore. It was really fun and I was so excited when Wyatt decided to pick up a stick and start drawing in the sand! It was his first masterpiece and I am such an art lover that I couldn't have been full of more pride! Here is a picture of Wyattangelo's first drawing:

Also, can I just say that the shrimp is too tiny for his new bathing suit so Brent put him in his bathing suit from last year (6 months) and that freaking thing was way too big also!!!! I had to dig through his old crap to find one that was 3 months old so that it wouldn't fall off his booty! The kids had so much fun! Everytime we take them to the beach, they act completely different than they had the last time. This time, Callie decided that she was afraid of the water and felt the need to taste-test every piece of washed up straw that she could get her hands on. Wyatt just plopped right down and discovered how fun it is to play in the sand.

Playing Catch-up

I know I'm slack. I get into blogging funks sometimes and I was in one this week. Now I have to play a little bit of catch-up. I really wish that I had some awesome Cinco de Mayo story to tell but I couldn't have been more dull about celebrating it if I had tried. Back when I was a whippersnapper, it was one of my favorite holidays. But, there ain't much pounding margaritas and tequila on a random Monday night when your hubby is out-of-town and you've got two babes to keep alive. So instead, I took the kids to my parent's house and we ate the most unmexicany food you could ever think of...

Spaghetti.

I did attempt to make peach and cinnamon enchiladas for dessert though which turned out pretty good. Anyway, here is a picture of my girlfriend stirring spaghetti vs. her momma stirring spaghetti circa 1980. Don't you love the piss yellow stove?!?!



And because my mom was able to pull out all my 15 month stats along with a list of words I could say at the time, I thought it would be a good idea to try and keep a list of words for my nuggets too.

Callie
allie - callie
bup - up
ball (and signs it)
bee bee (and signs it) - baby
ah dah (and signs it) - all done
igh bah - high five
ole - hole
duggie - doggie
kitty (says through grit teeth in a whisper)
buddie - birdie
bye bye
ssssss - shhhh
tee tuh - teletubbies
again
momma*
daddy*
woo woo - ruff ruff
moooo
tut tut - tweet tweet
grrrr

Wyatt
momma
hidud - hi dude
I did it
ah dah (and signs it) - all done
tinku - thank you
ffffff - fan
ight - light
ah geh - again
kitty
woo woo - ruff ruff
t t t t t - tweet tweet

*She is capable of saying these words but hasn't bothered to in months.

15 Month Checkup!

My babies are little kids now and it's so sad. Today we went to the doctor's appointment for their 15 month visit and everything went well. The had their MMR shot today which is the shot that supposedly causes autism so I'm a little on edge hoping that there aren't any noticeable side effects over the next couple of days. I found myself trying a little harder to teach them how to count today. I'm not sure the logic behind it... maybe if they can count this young, then they don't have autism?!?!? I don't know. I'm a nut job but at least I own it. Here are their stats according to the growth chart:

Cal Bear

Weight - 23 lbs. (50th percentile)

Length - 32 inches (90th percentile)

Head - 46 cm (50th percentile)

Wyatt

Weight - 20.5 lbs. (5th percentile)

Length - 30.5 inches (30th percentile)

Head - 47 cm (45th percentile)

Yeah... my monkey is a shrimp and girlfriend is a giant. But, they do pass out the best shrimpy and giant-sized kisses that you could imagine!

This weekend we spent a lot of time shopping and deep cleaning the house. It needed to be done like you wouldn't believe. I feel like we made a dent, but only a dent. We have tons more to do around here.

On Saturday, I was trying on a dress that I bought for vacation that I wasn't sure whether I was going to keep or not because I was afraid it might make me look pregnant. Anyway, it's a really cute black and white print but I just wasn't sure if the cut of the dress was right. So, I walked out of the bedroom with it on to show Brent and when Callie saw me, she pointed her little finger at me and said, "Moooooooo!"

She thought I was a freaking cow! Hahaha! I mean, it was semi-mortifying and semi-cute because I guess she identifies cows as being black and white! (Actually, I think it was more mortifying than cute.) I'm sure it's only the first of many times she will let me know that I am fashionably challenged!

Jellyfish Infestation

Yesterday we had a full day of shopping and ended up making a pit stop at the beach so that the kids could run loose for a little bit after being cooped up in carseats and strollers all day. We ended up cutting our visit short when we saw all the jellyfish on the beach and in the water. It was all I could do to keep Callie from touching them. She was obsessed!

So we came home and took a bath, washed the sand out of all the places that sand is not supposed to be, took another bath courtesy of Callie since she took a crap in the tub the second I had both babies sparkling clean, ate dinner, and passed out. I think girlfriend is trying to make a sport out of pooping in the bathtub. (Edgar twins... watch out!)

Okay... so maybe the last post was a little over dramatic. But, it's only because forever isn't long enough to spend with my nuggets and wrinkles and gray hair are just indicators of the inevitable. I seriously start choking up at the thought of my time coming to an end and having to part ways from them. If I could eat them, I would. If I could sew them onto me and form some kind of three-headed-siamese-triplet-thing, I would. (That might be a little embarrassing for them in high school though.)

All 4 of us were completely sick last week and are still trying to finish getting over it. (I have a tissue shoved up my nose as I type this.) Callie isn't bouncing back as quickly as she should be and I'm afraid that I might need to take her to the doctor's office. We're keeping a close eye on her.

Sunday night, I drove to Columbia to see my Zippy play in a volleyball tournament. She did really well and I fully enjoyed watching her kick some ass. She's extremely talented! Then, she and I stayed in Columbia overnight and shopped 'til we dropped all day yesterday. It was nice to get away and be stupid and stuff but I did start missing the kids pretty badly yesterday. When I got home, Monkey hung around my neck for a good while and Callie was so excited to see me that she didn't know what to do with her hyper little self. She was running around every where and showing me things and patting me on the back as she sprinted by, but she wouldn't settle down enough to let me love on her until hours later. Today, we are spending lots time catching up on the hugs and kisses!

P.S. - One of my friends sent me a really helpful link to a website this morning that is great if you are interested in finding out about BPA free bottles, sippy cups, etc... I was able to look up each type of our sippy cups using the search bar on the left to find out whether I needed to pitch it or not. Here is the link: http://safemama.com/

I have some gray hairs too.

Tonight I was looking in the mirror and realized how wrinkly my forehead is becoming. Sick. I never noticed it before. I felt like someone pulled the rug out from under me and I immediately discovered that I am pro chemical peels. Seriously. This is coming on the tails of having a hard time turning 29 and knowing that next year I'll be 30!

Freaking 30. Toe in the damn grave.

It's true. And why the hell am I lacking the maturity that should accompany a woman of my age. And why the hell am I calling myself a woman!?!? I feel like a fragile little girl! I don't understand. I'm confused and kinda scared if you want to know the truth.

The fact of the matter is, I graduated college 7 years ago!!!! 7 years!!!! If I had to guess, I would have thought it might have been a year or two ago! These years are going by in the blink of an eye. I mean, it's almost May! I feel like I just took down the Christmas decorations!

I'm dying. Hold me.

Strawberry Pie

This morning, the kids kissed each other three times completely unprovoked! It was literally the cutest moment between the two of them that I could have imagined! I hope that they become best friends through their little twin bond. That would be awesome!

But, the little nuggets are sick. Pew. They have fevers and runny noses and are just miserable. That's all I'm going to say about that for now, otherwise I'll end up pulling out my soapbox and have to burn one of my bras or something if I start thinking about how they got sick. Anyway, that's neither here nor there.

So, I had all these strawberries that I had to figure out what to do with and I ended up making a strawberry pie. I mean, it's make-your-knees-weak good! Here is the recipe and if you have a pint or two of fresh strawberries on hand and decide to try it, let me know how it turns out!

Strawberry Pie

1-1/4 cups water
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. and 1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (3 ounce) package tropical flavored gelatin mix
4-5 cups strawberries, hulled
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin packet. Allow to cool slightly. Arrange strawberries in the pie crust and pour gelatin mixture over, covering the berries. Refrigerate for 2 hours prior to serving.

Strawberry Pickin'

Double (Soggy) Trouble!

We had such a fun day at the beach today and Brent and I both agreed that we think that they had the most fun today than they have had in their whole lives so far. They absolutely had a blast! They were free to run and there was sand and water and dogs and birds. It was like if they could design their own little special world right now, it would be just like the beach. Callie was totally pissed when we left and threw a huge tantrum because she wasn't ready to go yet. Up until this point, they weren't really old enough to be able to enjoy it so much, but now it's obvious to both of us that we will be permanent fixtures there this summer. I'm so excited!

A gift only a mother could appreciate...

While Wyatt is a natural born stealer (and will use necessary force) Callie is more of a sharer. She has been sharing things with her momma and daddy for awhile now like her toys or pieces of food, but lately she has been sharing things with Wyatt too. Of course, sometimes she starts to share something that she decides is way too good to share and will change her mind mid hand-off. Recently, she's been sharing her juice cup with him and today I watched her pick up one of her cookies, walk over to Wyatt, and put it in his mouth. I gushed!

Yesterday, I took them over to play with a little friend, and Callie shared a toy with him too! I was so excited because although she has met J.P. before, it had been quite awhile since they played together. I was so proud that she shared with him also even though she didn't know him very well. I hope that some how I can preserve this pure little instinct of hers without introducing selfishness and allowing it to take over. They are so sweet and innocent right now that I can't help but want to freeze dry them sometimes.

However, I did not want to freeze dry her on Tuesday when she so lovingly shared a TURD with me.

That's right. The little stinker (and boy do I mean STINKER) very gently placed a ball of her own poop in the palm of my hand while she was taking a bath. It actually took me half a second to realize what she had handed to me. I think I even got out the "Thhhhh...." to thank her for sharing before I turned ghost white and tried not to start seizing right there on the bathroom floor.

This is a picture of girlfriend after I brushed her hair which was obviously a mistake. At some point her mop has got to start growing down, right?!?!

Here is a little video of Wyatt at dinner last night...

Woven Memories

Tonight, I cleaned out my closet to get rid of some stuff to donate to charity or whatever and I dug DEEP this time. I usually do a clean out every year just to get rid of stuff that makes it look like I have tons and tons of clothes when really I can never find anything to wear. Anyway, I usually only ditch the crap that was soooo last season or soooo not cool anymore. (Like, totally, for sure!) This allowed me to keep the things that I was still attached to in some way or another. But tonight, I dug deep enough to feel traumatized after I was done.

I wasn't really planning on keeping this stuff until I was 90? Right?

Oh my gosh. I pitched things that made me feel like I was breaking up with an old boyfriend or something. I still had the tank top I wore the day I got my driver's license. I had a satin tank top I wore under a business suit to go on my first interview. I had the cute little pink t-shirt I wore out to the bars the night we got married when we decided to ditch the honeymoon suite to party with our peeps until the wee hours of the night. I had a black sweater from freshman year of college that was probably soaked in more beer than it was ever washed. Pieces of my heart. It all came rushing back and I had to face why I never wanted to get rid of them in the first place.

Then there were clothes that I was so happy to get rid of that I cussed them into the donation pile. Work clothes. "Business casual" uncomfortableness. Button up shirts, dry-clean only pants, sweaters... I'm a comfort girl as it is. And when I was working, I was completely guilty of stripping in the foyer the second I walked in the door before it even had a chance to fully slam behind me. I could be in sweat pants and a t-shirt faster than you could blink an eye. I almost felt like I had to hold myself back from burning those clothes! I was ripping them off the hangers and even mumbled, "YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!" to the two or three pieces that never quite fit right that I constantly had to tug on or adjust. It felt so freeing and for a moment I wallowed in the perks of being a stay-at-home mom and getting to wear sweat pants as much as I want to!

Anyway, I took pictures of the clothes I had emotional attachments to before I folded them away forever. It really was sad but I figured that a picture serves me just as well and takes up way less space in my closet. Plus, it's a good cause. I'll get over it.

(I'll admit... I still kept a few things. It's like I'm a crack addict. I have problems.)

Excuse me while I swoon...

You know how you sometimes get those moments that completely justify the fact that being a mom is so challenging and thankless? Well, I totally had one of those this evening and it's so amazing how something so simple makes it all worth while. Peeny. She's my heart. Tonight, I was in the bedroom checking my email while Brent entertained the kids for a minute. Anyway, when I walked into the living room after I was finished, both kiddos were completely absorbed in playing together with one of their toys so I sat down quietly on the floor behind them so I wouldn't disturb them. Well, Callie sorta heard me and did a double-take when she realized it was me. She looked back at her toy for a second and you could tell that she was kinda torn because didn't want to break away from what she was so enthralled in, but she did anyway and walked up to me, gave me a kiss, and then hurried back to her toy. I never said a word.

My heart swelled up bigger than my chest could bear and it almost hurt. I'm so in love. So in love.

Monkey is my buddy too. He's been walking a lot, although he is still very wobbly and hasn't quite pinpointed his center of balance. Every time I walk into the room, I'm on that little man's radar and he is gunning for me. I love it because I know it's still hard for him to make it far distances, but he tries so hard to get to me when he sees me. It's tough if I'm busy running around from room to room trying to get things done quickly and I see him start to take off in my direction. I can't help but stop and wait for him to finally grab onto me and then of course we cheer and have a 10 second mini-party. It's so fun and I am so blessed to gave been given these two, beautifully rotten, little rugrats!

Skrimp.

So, I thought I was the best momma ever today by making the kids ravioli and fresh shrimp for lunch. They never had shrimp before and I was so excited that both kids were about to discover their new favorite food. I couldn't have been more wrong! Both of them cautiously picked up a shrimp... sniffed it... and then chucked it on the floor! They wouldn't even give it a lick! I just sat there, heartbroken and defeated, and watched them fling every last piece of beautifully cooked and painstakingly deveined shrimp off their trays and onto the kitchen floor. At that moment, I considered that they might have been switched at birth because no children of mine would ever turn their nose up to seafood. They have no right living in the Lowcountry with such piss poor behavior!

I rewarded them with an entirely different lunch and an afternoon trip to the playground, because I'm a pushover. It really was fun and I'm so excited at how much they are starting to enjoy true kid stuff! They totally loved the slide! Well... Wyatt not so much at first, but definitely came around after listening to Callie squeal and cheer each of the 2 million times we let her go down the slide.