Fall Fun Festival

Jackson captivated by the jugglers

Every year the Parks and Recreation Department puts on their annual Fall Fun Festival in the park for toddlers the morning of Halloween.  Andrew and I took the boys this morning.

I love going to this festival!  They have games geared toward toddlers, hay rides, and refreshments.  Kids are dressed in all kinds of Halloween costumes.  Jackson was dressed as Maverick from Top Gun.  Awesome idea on my part for a costume!  Even some of the parents are dressed up!  This year the festival had circus performers including jugglers.  Jackson loved the jugglers!  We had to pull him away from them because he would have watched them the entire day.  Both boys received a treat bag filled with trinkets, candy and a book.  This was free to all participants.  How awesome is that?!

I used to work for the Parks and Recreation Dept.  Part of my job included helping to plan, organize and create this event.  I understand how many man hours it takes to pull off such an event.  Far more than any actually realizes.  It is a long, involved, and detail oriented process which takes the collaboration of several people.   Most people attend these events and take for granted all the work and workers it takes to pull this festival together.  So a quick shout out to all the Parks and Recreation employees who organized, planned an executed this great festival!  Thank you for all your hard work!  You are definitely appreciated!

Cullen's 1st Birthday

Cullen's 1st Birthday was yesterday.  It was as first birthday's should be memorable, easy, and low key.  There was no huge celebration or gathering, just Andrew, Jackson, Cullen, and I.

Cullen's birthday wouldn't be special without cake or cupcakes in this case!  I made chocolate cupcakes with cookies and cream butter cream icing from scratch!  I was quite proud of myself.  Cullen loved the icing but was not a fan of the cupcake itself.  Jackson ate half of his cupcake which is great for him.  No icing was smeared everywhere but we got some cute pictures.

Andrew and I started to reminisce about Cullen's pregnancy and birth. Cullen was a wonderful surprise baby. We had always planned on having another child, but Cullen took us a little by surprise. We hadn't planned on having our children so close together. After the initial shock of realizing I was pregnant again, we took everything in stride. He and I knew what to expect this go around. Cullen's birth was another surprise from him. He was a little over two weeks early and born on a Friday night.  As rest of the newborn stage is somewhat a blur from lack of sleep, I will just say Cullen was a totally different baby from Jackson.  The saying "no two kids are alike" definitely rang true in my house.

As I remember all of these things, I embrace what a miracle my two children are. I hope and pray they grow up to be strong, good men like their father.

Boys and Their Love of Food

For the past 4 months, I have been woken up by Jackson walking right up to my bed saying, "Strawberries" or "Banana" or "Waffle" or "Mommy, I'm hungee" or some sentence with these words combined.  Not a good morning Mommy/Daddy or any other form of greeting is issued.  And he always walks to my side of the bed, never Andrew's except on the exceptionally rare occasion.  My morning starts off with my two year asking for some form of food or milk constantly until his request (or order as I've come to realize it really is) is fulfilled.  This is followed by myself or my husband getting out of bed, padding to the kitchen, and getting Jackson something to eat.

The rest of my day has recently evolved into one of my sons asking for food/milk at least once an hour.  Since Cullen isn't talking except for the proverbial one year words, the conversation is pretty one sided on my part.  However with Jackson, the conversation usually goes:

Jackson: I want a fruit bar.
Me: No, Jackson finish your waffle/strawberries/banana.
Jackson: No. Fruit Bar.
Me: No, Jackson.  Finish (insert food)
Jackson: Hmph.... (he almost always finishes said food)

An hour later...

Jackson: I want a yogurt.
Me: Okay go sit down.

An hour later...

Jackson: Lunch time.
Me: No, its not lunch time. You can wait an hour for lunch.
Jackson: No, (insert said food item now asking for)
Me: No, go play.
Jackson: No, I want an apple.
Me: Ok. Let me go clean it off.

Lunch time then follows with a variety of food.  After his nap....

Jackson: Snack time.
Me: What do want for a snack?
Jackson goes into the pantry, peruses the many items before making a decision.  I usually counter whatever decision he makes with something else unless its a healthy item.

Not long after my husband gets home, but before actual dinner time, Jackson is asking for another snack.  This is either flatly denied by me or we allow him something if Andrew and I are snacking.  I'm not that mean to deny him food if I'm eating.  Well... most of the time.

Dinner time is typical.  After dinner, Jackson is generally good about not asking for anything else.  After the massive amount he ate during the day, he should be full! It just amazes me how much these kids eat.  Even Cullen can scarfce some food down when he wants too.

I'm told this love of food will continually get worse as both of my boys get older. I'm sure getting them to continue to eat healthy will also prove to be more challenging.

Its just another thing to love about my boys!  Food will always be the way to their hearts!

Busting out in Song

I love music.  I have my favorite genres just like everyone, but I'll listen to pretty much anything.  This was not always the case.  I grew up in the Northeast US.  I was not exposed to true, good country music until I moved South to Texas in my mid-to-late teens.  Even after moving, I refused to listen to country music for quite some time.  I received more exposure to it when I started going to some country bars and dance halls in college.  I can definitely hold my own with two stepping now!  After some time, I have really learned to enjoy country music.  Its still not my number one genre, but it has certainly made an appearance on my iPod as of late.

I listen to music a lot during the day.  Staying at home with the boys every day, I like to have background noise.  I get a lot of noise from the kids, but I find it soothing to have music playing in the background.  Its better than having the TV on in my personal opinion.  I'll sing lyrics in my house and car when the mood strikes me.  I'll even bust out a few dance moves.  There's nothing wrong with having fun!

Since I listen to significant amount of music, I have become very aware Jackson is now picking up on my love of music.  My first indication of this was when he would bust on song lyrics to songs playing. The correct words, mind you.  Not too mention he loves dancing!  His current favorite is Rascal Flatt's Life is a Highway.  Hence the mention of country music earlier.  He could have this song on repeat for hours, but I usually put a kibosh on it long before.

It's not only me Jackson gets his love of music from.  Andrew sang in choirs galore growing up.  He was in musicals, ensembles, etc.  Plus, Andrew has an absolutely fabulous voice!  I love it when I hear him bust out a song.  Especially if it one of my favorites.

With Andrew and I both appreciating it, I love the fact we, as parents, can pass this on to our children.  Music is a good escape from reality when we need it or can serve as a reminder of events in our past, good and bad.

So if you happen upon one of my children and they start singing along with a song or to their own beat, appreciate it.  Its a simple joy in life to relish in!

They're boys

Being a female, many things boys and men do escape me.  My boys do things, even as a toddler and one year old, I don't quite understand.  I try to make sense of some things but can't.  I ask my husband about some odd behavior; he looks at me shrugs and says, "They're boys."  I am supposed to accept that as a reason and move on?  Hmmm....

Here are just a few examples that have happened recently:

1) Cullen flipping over the laundry basket, climbing on top of it, then proceeding to try to climb over the back of the couch.  Yes people, he is 1.

2)  Jackson instantly thinking he is a football/baseball player because we happen to be watching a game on TV.  This usually encompasses him grabbing a football or baseball and bat, and proceeding to mimic whatever is on the screen.  Tackling, running, throwing, and hitting included.

3) Jackson feeling to the need to climb on top of the furniture and jump from piece to piece with no regard.

4)  The need of my boys to wrestle with each other.  My boys referring to all three men in my life, Andrew, Jackson and Cullen.  And it doesn't matter where they are.

I've come to the conclusion there are a lot of things that go on in my house I will not understand.  I am slowly coming to accept this as fact.  And maybe, just maybe, Andrew might be right.  They're boys.  It is what it is.

Exercising the demons out

With every job comes stress, no matter in what form.  I remember feeling stressed as a student in high school, college, and graduate school.  As a working professional, the stress changes but is still there.  It makes worrying about grades seem simple.

As a parent, the stress yet again changes.  You stress over the growth and development of your children.  The doctor's visits have milestones which your little one should be accomplishing.  You know the milestones are more guidelines because every child develops differently.  Although the argument makes perfect sense, for some reason, we still stress about them.  Once our child meets all the milestones, there's always another set or something else they need to learn as they develop.  It's a never ending cycle.
I will acknowledge my guilt in this.  I unconsciously and consciously worry about my child's development compared to the milestones and other children.  It's silly and does no good.  The only thing I get out of it is additional stress to which I really don't need.

This brings me to the entire point of my rant, stress management.  Every person copes differently with stress.  I use exercise as stress management.  Being a former fitness professional, it's no surprise.  I enjoy working out and working up a sweat (gasp!).  Contrary to popular belief, working up a good sweat makes me feel like I accomplished something positive in my day.

Exercising my demons out, as the saying goes.  Yes, stress is a negative in my life.  I would prefer to live without it.  Unfortunately, I don't live in utopia so that's not going to happen.  Carving out a little time for myself at least three days out of the week de-stresses me.   Taking a little time to myself amongst the chaos of my life is not selfish but self preservation.  A positive!  WooHoo!

With Cullen's one year well check appointment coming up, I'm going to make an effort not to stress about his development.  He's a healthy almost one year old boy who is discovering and learning something new every day.  I can't ask for anything better!

Quarter words

Yesterday, we were all eating lunch.  Jackson looks over at Andrew and says, "These chips are delicious. Mmmm!"  He continues with, "The chips are bea-ooo-tiful. Yes!"  Then proceeds to shove three large potato chips in his mouth.

Now Jackson has two new quarter works (as Andrew and I dubbed them yesterday) beautiful and delicious.

Black Eye

Jackson is in preschool.  This past week was Picture Day.  Two days before picture day, Jackson is playing in another room.  I hear running followed by a thunk, then followed by crying.

Now if you have kids, you know there are several different kinds of crying.  To go into the number of different cries would require a crazy amount of time.  Lets just say as a parent, you know all the different cries your own kids have.

The crying that commences is definitely the hurt cry.  I go running in there with Cullen on my hip to find Jackson on the floor.  After the calming down period, I'm able to discern what and where he is trying to tell me hurts.  I immediately see his eye turning black and blue already.  This all took place within the matter of 30 seconds.  Seeing as I'm an American Red Cross instructor and teach people lifesaving skills, I knew instantly it was going to be bad.  The ice goes on, and the complaining of it being cold starts.  Yep, he's going to be just fine.

When my husband gets home, I show him the eye.  The first thing out of his mouth is, "Oh and picture day is this week."  That's when I realized he would be having a nice black eye for his 2 year old class picture. 

What can I say?  My son loves to make things memorable. :)

The Beginning

This is my new blog.  Welcome!  I'm hoping to capture some of the more memorable moments of my life here.  Those moments might not always be pretty or picture perfect, but that is life.

I'm hoping at least you get a little laugh at some things that happen here.  I look back at a lot of things and realize how ridiculous they are.  Of course not always at the time do I realize this, but looking back definitely.  I have learned to laugh at myself over the years because my family would not have it any other way.

Speaking of my family, I have two wonderful boys.  Jackson who is 2 years old, and Cullen who will be turning 1 year old in one week.  Its crazy how time flies.  My husband, Andrew, is the best man I know.  I won't go all mushy and tell you how crazy I am about him, but let's just say he gets me.  We don't live by any extended family.  Its just the four of us trudging along and making the best of things.

Happy reading and laugh when you can!