A Saturday Morning Haiku

I love my husband
I missed him so very much
I'm so glad he's home!

Eleanor's Pretty New Pink Polkadot Poodle Party Dress

Gigi and Eleanor went shopping today. Eleanor picked out this very extra special pink polka-dotted poodle dress. Poodles are from Paris, you know. They live at the "tippy top of the eifel tower".

She wouldn't take it off once she tried it on, so we wore it out of the store. It's got sparkely jewels and a tutu underneath. It twirls when you spin and you can do beautiful curtseys in it. It's oh-so very fancy.

After shopping, we all went to lunch. All the girls at Red Robin thought Eleanor's dress was just lovely. Eleanor told them it was her favorite dress in the whole wide world. "It's very pink and very bee-utiful...It's a party dress!"

Oh, and at Red Robin, they had a little print of Stary Stary Night hanging on the wall. Eleanor casually patted my arm and said "Look Mommy, There's Vincent Van Gogh."

I kid you not. We should be spokespeople for Baby Einstein.

Anyway, here's the art genious in her new dress. She made me take this picture for her daddy to see. "He's in another city, did you know?"

A Content Buboo

Dog. Thumb. Cars.

What more does a boy need?

Favorite Colors

This week Eleanor informed me that she had not one, but three favorite colors.

"Purple, dark pink, and light pink!"

Yep, That's three.

My Birthday Week

I turned 33 this week. Yikes. The last four years are a complete blur. Maybe that's a good thing? I'm looking forward to slowing down a bit this next year. I feel the need to soak up every minute of my children's joys, mysteries, ups, downs, giggles and discoveries. And I will document it all here for historic reference. That way, maybe I can bundle them up with a bow and keep them 2 and 4 forever.

Here are some images of this week's playtime adventures. Enjoy.


Here, the Super Sleuths are off on a Heffalump Expedition. Note Jon David's paper towel holder telescope. Just call him Captain Jack Sparrow.
Now we have the Little Einsteins blasting off for another adventure. In my living room. It's a big no-no, but my obsession with documenting their every move overrode my need to protect my precious living room.
And here we have "Wendy" reading the Jungle Book to "Michael". Is it just me, or is there a distinct Disney theme going on in our house this summer?







These are the beautiful roses my sweet husband brought home to me the day before my birthday. I think after 6 years, he's finally starting to catch on. Hooray for thoughtful hubbys! Aren't they love-erly? Thank you, Jonathan, for everything.

Little Things, Big Emotions

This morning, Jon David came down stairs and exclaimed, "Ah! There's my sip-ee". He beamed at me. That's right. Jon David properly pronounced sippy. He was very proud. Eleanor made a huge deal out of it and kept making him say it over and over again at breakfast. What a good big sister.

This is a good thing, right? Then why does it feel like my heart is breaking a teeny bit when I think about his "Ay-ee"? Being mommy is hard.

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day. Eleanor, Jon David, and I brought Jonathan "strudels-in-bed" this morning. I had a vision of everyone piling in the bed with this beautiful morning light pouring in our bay windows and getting some wonderfu,l relaxed, sleepy-eyed stuff.

But, alas, the best layed plans...we woke up to thunder, rain and darkness! So, I improvised and turned on every light in the bedroom, but it was still too dark to get anything but underexposed, grainy images. But, I kindof like them this way. My artistic vision may be blinding me, but they seem a little reminiscent of "Life Magazine circa 1950". Like I should be wearing an apron and pearls.

No? Well, squint then.

Happy Father's Day to all the fabulous fathers in my life. All of you make this world a better place.

Oh, and to my own dad....I love you, Daddy!










ETA: I just looked back through these. Doesn't Daddy look oh-so-excited about strudels-in-bed?!!

Playing with Jon David Friday Afternoon

Is it 5 o'clock, Yet?

Today was swim lesson day. I seriously d-r-e-a-d going to these. Ninety minutes of free-range Jon David is more than any sane person can handle. But, they're doing great and it really doesn't matter how I feel about it!

When Eleanor finished her lesson today, Miss Kaitlyn helped her out of the pool. She said, "I'm sure glad you liked my new swim suit, Eleanor". She smiled and relayed to me their conversation.

Eleanor had said, "Miss Kaitlyn, I sure like your new swimmie suit. " Cute Kaitlyn thanked her and Eleanor told her, "It has stripes...like Tigger!". Kaitlyn thought that was so stinkin' cute. I asked her if it was, in fact, a new swimmie suit and she replied, "actually, I just got it this weekend!". Eleanor has such a nose for fashion.

The place they take swim lessons is about the coolest place ever. It's called Win Kids and I swear, it's like Billy Bobs for kids. It's all decked out in an Old West Cowboy theme. There are about 10 different areas, the pool, two BIG gyms, two ballet studios, a dojo, a music conservatory, a movie room, and a hair salon for the mommies that are waiting. Nice, huh?

About ten times a day Eleanor asks me when she is going to get to take ballet lessons. I always tell her that when swimmie lessons are over, she'll get to go to ballet. This usually pacifies her for a few hours.

When we were leaving Win Kids today she asked me again, "Mommy, what about Ballet lessons?" to which I gave my standard reply, "When swim lessons are over, you can take Ballet". Then a lightbulb went off in my brain. To Eleanor, swimmie lessons WERE over. She thought I meant IMMEDIATELY after swimmie lessons she'd get to go to ballet. Poor thing. My heart just broke wide open.

So, I explained that swimmie lessons would last ALL summer and when fall got here, she'd get to go to real ballet lessons. I've been working with her on seasons, so I think she finally got it. But, poor sweet thing. She'd been waiting all week! She came home and put on Aunt Scarlet's ballet costume and I think that filled her heart with joy for a while.

What are the five worst words to hear out of Jon David while he's in the kitchen and you're helping Eleanor in the potty? "Mommy, I got honey bear". Can you say sticky? Jon David can.

Jungle Fever

Yeah, we got it. Thanks to Aunt Allison's fabulous birthday present, I think we will be looking back on this summer as "The Summer of the Moglis".

For those who are not down the Disney lingo, Mogli is the little boy from Jungle Book (or "Dungle Dook" if you're Jon David). Actually, the correct Jungle terminology is "man cub", not boy. Eleanor would be sure to point that out.

So, it goes like this: Eleanor is "Mogli", Jon David is "Baby Mogli", Mommy is "Bageera", and Daddy is "Baloo". Jonathan does a mean Baloo impression.

Basically, the whole game is stripping down to your skivvies (or diapers in Baby Mogli's case), and walking around swinging your arms and legs like a monkey. The highlight is when we sing Bear Necessities or I Wanna be Just Like You. Oh, the Moglis love that. (And just to put your mind at rest, Mommy and Daddy are not required to go topless. It's strictly a Mogli thing.)

The princesses have been recruited for the game, too. Ariel and Belle are now completely neckie except for their plastic panties that won't come off. Phew. Except Eleanor says they're Tarzans, which must me a strange Backyardigans offshoot of the game. All I can say is Strawberry Shortcake and her friends better find a good place to hide.

Eleanor told me this morning that the treed area behind our house is no longer the "Hundred Acre Wood". No, it's now "The Jungle" and "it's full of 'jungle perils'". After breakfast, she wants to go swing on the vines.

In fact, right now it's 8:30 and the Moglis are just sitting down for breakfast. They are in full Mogli mode (just the skivvies), I know it should be a no-no, but I just don't have the heart to burst their Jungle bubble. Honestly after how stressful last summer, heck the last year has been, it's so great to just see them getting to be their own funny selves. Come on, it's summer, right? (Plus, I'm thinkin' this game may work nicely for the potty training!)

And I feel like this is their last hurrah before the real world comes crashing down on them in the fall. They will both be going to "school" 3 days a week and I'm pretty sure they'll have to wear clothes. So, come fall, we'll be singing a different tune, but right now, we're pretty happy to be singin' "Bear necessities, those bear ne-, bear ne-, cessities. Those simple bear necessities of life!"

Lazy Lady Mommy

Okay, I know, it's been a while since we posted, but my creative juices have been flowing in a different direction lately. I've got big ideas, though, so stay tuned. Here's a few images from this week. Jon David didn't feel like slowing down, but I assure you, he's as captivating as always. As our two year-old neighbor, Elliot says, "Peace out, y'all".

Potty Treats

I'm using Hershey Bars as potty treats right now. The ones that you can break into little squares and say "HERSHEY" on them. Every time Jon David goes potty in the potty, he (and Eleanor) get a square. They always stand there for a little while reading the letters on the square before they actually eat them. You can just see their little minds wondering what magic word is etched onto their precious potty treats.

I gave them one today and sure enough, there they went. "H-E-R-S-H-E-Y". Over and over. Finally Eleanor looked up at Jon David and in her completely serious and certain way said. "I think it says potty treat."

Jon David, who thinks Eleanor is brilliant, nods and whispers, "OHHHH, yeah Yeya".

The two of them beamed at each other and popped the little morsels in their mouths, quite confident that they had cracked another one of lifes mysteries. Case close.

Swim Kids and Surprises

I'm sitting here in a stupor because my pathetic body is so tired I can hardly move. Why, you ask? Did I do a super tuff Firm video? Did I push 90 pounds of babies up Lantana Trail? Did I attend a cardio funk body pump class ? No...Oh, NO! It was merely the start of Swim Lesson Season.

Sir Jon David Wiggle-Worm and I kicked it off at 9:10 with the "Mommy and Me" swim class for 13 - 30 month old. He's 29 months, so I figured he'd fit right in. Oh, HOWDY. These kids were afraid of their shadow and here's Jon David trying to squirm away from me so that he can show off his favorite trick of dunking his ENTIRE HEAD in the water and come back up spurting - half drowned - and laughing his hiney off. I'm quite ashamed to say that thirty minutes of carying Jon David while walking up and down a waist-deep indoor swimming pool will make you ready for a cocktail at ten o'clock in the morning. But then it was Eleanor's turn.

Eleanor's class was sans-mommy. She was a little hesitant at first, but she and Mommy had talked about how it was very important to listen to Miss Kaitlyn and Frankie. She did everything they asked just like a biggie girl! Gigi, Mommy and Jon David got to cheer her on from a big window on the other side of the pool.

We thought she was having a great time, but when it was over I went in to get her and she had big ole' tears coming down. Kaitlyn and Frankie came running over. They were so worried that she hadn't had fun or they had done something wrong. I finally got her to speak up and tell me why she was so sad.

"Miss Kaitlyn and Frankie, I don't want to yeave my swimmie yesson."

I thought these two teenagers were going to fall into a puddle on the floor. They were so relieved they hadn't done anything wrong and that they already had one precious pupil begging for more. I think it made their day.

I managed to get everyone smiling again, dried off, clothed and back in our car. Alas, there was no margarita lunch waiting for mommy. I settled for PB & Honey, diet coke, and snuggles on the sofa with my two new super swimmers. A close second for sure.

The post-lunch/pre-nap show du jour was "Wunna Pets" (Wonder Pets). In this episode, the team has to save a puppy who needs to tee tee, but is stuck in the house. I guess this got Jon David thinking because he wandered off for a minute and returned with his potty seat. "I go tee tee, Mommy."

So, we do the thing where we pull down his pants and he sits on the potty for 2 minutes and hops up and yells "I DEET IT! I DEET IT!". Only this time, he DID do it! I was utterly shocked, but regained my senses in time to give him the proper potty parade, potty stickers, and potty treat. He was oh so very proud of himself. So proud, he "deet it" again before his nap and deet #2 before bed. Shocked, aren't ya'?

I've decided he's a potty prodigy. I think he very well may be the first child to potty train himself. I'm not quite sure how that reflects on me, but I guarantee if I wrote a book about it it would be a best seller. I'd be on the Today Show for sure.