sometimes it’s just not what you want it to be.

Posted on February 15, 2012 by mommyinthemidwest

Sometimes it’s more wonderful than you ever imagined.

Other times it’s just one disappointment after another. Valentine’s Day was one of these times.

I was picturing crap like this. To be fair, this was taken just one day before Valentine’s Day.

My expectations for Halloween were minimal and it was one of the unexpectedly happiest days I’ve had as a parent. I could have called in sick to work after Trick or Treating because my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Yesterday, I pictured Valentine’s Day hugs and kisses and snuggles and kids that eat their food, but didn’t get much satisfaction.

I picked up the kiddos from our babysitter and naturally, Theo threw his standard fit while I put his coat on. Fit Number One. All the way home he whined “I wanna see daddy” so I called R to tell him to make sure he’s waiting for us when we get home so he can get Theo out of the carseat. Apparently this is a big deal to our little one and he has been in a mommy mood lately, shouting “mommy dooooo it” anytime R tries to get him out of the carseat.

So there’s R, waiting to get him out and as soon as the door is open, Theo starts whining “mommy doooo it!” Fit Number Two.

I made homemade pizza for dinner, because I thought that would be a fun treat for everyone (including myself -yum!). While it was in the oven, I set up the boys’ cards and presents from us, their grandparents, and their aunt & cousin. Dumb me. I didn’t think about the fact that there was candy involved. Regrets (why didn’t I just give him the frickin’ candy before supper? It’s Valentine’s Day for crying out loud). Fit Number Three. They did love all their little presents, and that made me and my mommy heart smile.

Dexter felt like crap and didn’t want to eat. Not only did he refuse his food, he did not want to sit at the table with the rest of us so we could eat. In peace. Meanwhile, Theo was fixated on candy and didn’t want pizza. At all. Queue Fits Number Four and Five.

Baths went okay.

Then there was the part about how the daddy tried to put Theo’s jammies on and he screamed MOMMYYYYYYYY DOOOOOO IT! Although he had no problem with daddy giving him a bath. The kid is nuts. Fit Number 62.

There were other catastrophes, like not being allowed to watch Doodle Bops and putting ointment on rashes and being told to clean up toys that elicited Fits 205-234.

Oh, bedtime. Let’s not leave bedtime out. Dexter couldn’t have been happier to go to bed. Theo couldn’t have been more depressed. Let’s finish the night off with Fit Number 23 Jillion.

Happy Flippin’ Valentine’s Day.

P.S. I lost my lens cap for a couple hours, which resulted in turning the couches upside down and tearing the kitchen and living room apart. And also? My amazing, kind, loving husband dug through the trash (that was already outside for morning pickup) looking for it. Then I found it under an end table. I’m pretty sure I didn’t put it there for safe-keeping. Perhaps a child or four-legged friend thought it would be a hilarious practical joke to play on mama. Didn’t laugh, not funny, you lose.

On a positive note, my sweetheart surprised me with some potted tulips and a nice card that made me cry. Well, I don’t know if the card made me cry or the culmination of events made me cry, but that card and those tulips somehow made things better.

Today will be a better day. Today will be a better day. Today will be a better day.

Valentine’s 2012 with the boys was a bust. Luckily, the husband and I got to go on a date over the weekend that was a bit rushed, but completely perfect. We don’t need Valentine’s Day to show each other that we care, but every once in a while we need a night without kids to reconnect and focus on the feelings that got us here in the first place.

The moral of the story? Don’t set the bar too high. Have realistic expectations of your toddler and infant when you envision the perfect ____________ (insert whatever you wanted to be perfect here).

Check and check. Done.

At the end of the day, I know I am blessed beyond measure to have these three special guys in my life. Fortunately, all my love eggs weren’t in this heart-shaped basket. There will be plenty of love to go around the rest of the year.

Love,

~C~

he’s {almost} 2

Posted on February 6, 2012 by mommyinthemidwest

Around this time last year, I was lamenting over Theo being a month shy of a year old. That first year with him just flew by.

Well…the second year hasn’t gone any slower and here I am again, lamenting over the fact that my sweet baby is now a little toddler who is almost TWO years old. On March 8th, I will have a two year old. Guys. Girls. Do you know what that means? This is huge. I can no longer tell strangers that my baby is 20-however many months old. There’s a big difference in a one year old that is 13 months and one that is 23 months.

Ohhh, deep sigh.

I imagine I will be crying over my computer a month before his 18th birthday, too. Does it ever get any easier? I thought 2 would be easier than 1. This should be old news. I look at pictures of my little 13 month old and pictures of my 23 month old and without me even realizing it, he’s changed. His chubby cheeks have thinned out (some) and his legs are longer. He’s gone from babbling a few words to saying sentences. Having conversations with himself. Watching his dad through the door into the garage, saying “What’s daddy doing? Daddy’s moving the car. In the garage.” HOW IS MY KID talking like this all of the sudden?

He picks up new phrases every week. Last Friday we were at home and he was in a negotiating mood. He had eaten a clementine and a bagel with cream cheese. Apparently he was still hungry.

He said, “I want some crackers.”
I said, “Ummm, no. You can have some cereal.”
He said, “No, mom. How ’bout some crackers?”

My jaw hit the floor. I was so dumbfounded by his “how ’bout” that I said, “okay,” and gave him the dang Cheez-its. And when did he start calling me MOM? Is he 23 months or 12 years?

He does something every day that makes me want to pull my hair out. He also does about 5 things every day that make me proud or melt my heart. I just can’t believe this kid is mine. Do I know what I’m doing or am I just lucky? Because y’all? He’s awesome.

I couldn’t have picked a cooler 23 month old if you’d given me a 5 million page catalog.

xo,

~C~

what the dudes are doing

Posted on January 16, 2012 by mommyinthemidwest

My little Friday the 13th boy celebrated his 8 month birthday this past Friday. Friday the 13ths will always make me smile.

He’s not one to disappoint on his monthly b-days, so at 8 months, he is sporting some new moves. For instance, this face:

It must have something to do with teething, right? He’s getting his second tooth (I can almost feel it) and all weekend, he was sucking that bottom lip in. I swear, he doesn’t always just live in pajamas.

I think it was Friday night that he decided it would be cool if he just started standing up and letting go. Then he waits for us to notice and gets a big grin on his face when we start clapping. Right before plopping down on his tush. Once he lunged forward. I’m not sure if he was just falling or trying to take a step towards me. This kid is going to walk before his birthday, I just know it. Thing is, he’s tiny. He has no business walking. Hop on up in mama’s arms and stay little. Mmmkay?

Look, ma! No hands.

one hand

no hands

try again.

And y’all – whether it lasts or not remains to be seen. But it seems as though this guy may finally be sleeping through the night. It only took 8 (exhausting) months. More about this later!

*********

Well, what’s that other dude been doing?

Keeping up on his oral hygiene, of course.

Eating the meal of all meals – yogurt, a hot dog, and a pickle. Dee-lish.

Snuggling up to Niko.

Hanging out with friends, Max & Mik.

(Don’t they look like they could be Dexter’s cousins?)

Reading books to brother.

And finally…

Shouting “pee pee potty!” when it’s already too late. Then squirming and wiggling away when I try to take his picture on the potty. What? Don’t all moms take pictures of their kids on the toilet and post them on the internet? Maybe I should rethink this…nah.

Newsworthy: We had no plans this weekend other than getting the Christmas decorations put away. Success! We did the majority of it during Theo’s 3 hour nap on Saturday. Perhaps that was mean – he was pretty traumatized when he got up and everything was gone. Once he noticed the tree had been taken down, he went looking for every string of lights that had been up. It was sad, following him around as he searched for any trace of Christmas. All in all, it was a nice, relaxing weekend after being sooo busy these past few weeks.

Lastly, I have to say that the weekend would have been better had I not been made aware of some heartbreaking news. I learned that sweet little 2 year old Tripp Roth lost his battle with epidermolysis bullosa on Saturday morning. No, I didn’t know him or his mother personally but their story has gripped my heart since I stumbled across their site on Top Mommy Blogs. Take a moment to read about Tripp. You will fall in love with him. He has so many admirers – I think tears were falling all around the world this weekend. Rest in peace, little man.

so thankful,

~C~