Three Cats and a Kiddo...or Two!

Work in Progress

2012-01-25T21:23:00.000-08:00

Our whole apartment is a work in progress. Right now, some of that work is going into making the austere white walls of the playroom a little friendlier...

Next up, some owls, some branches, some leaves...

Blue Skies

2012-01-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how beautiful it is here? Horsetooth Reservoir, Ft. Collins, CO

This weekend we hit our local park, Aurora, Denver, Ft. Collins, the Broomfield Public Library, and the Broomfield Rec Center (which deserves a whole post of its own). The kids are happy and exhausted, and so are we.

Come visit. There's enough big blue sky for everyone.

On Finding Friends

2012-01-20T22:23:00.000-08:00

We went to the WOW! Museum today to meet some new people (and hopefully make friends) and enjoy all the offerings there, but alas, it was no Terra Haute Children's Museum, and we didn't really succeed in making friends, either. Everyone we met already knew each other and it wasn't really an environment conducive to getting to know anyone. What a start to a blog post, right? Sorry. The kids had fun, even if it was a bit of a fail in my book.

Riding this car was Maddie's favorite part of the day. She can ride the ponies for free at the grocery store, but apparently, the car is infinitely better. Gavin was not that thrilled, though his big sister insists it was his favorite part of the museum, too.

He did get a kick out of the train depot.

The two of them gave me a lot of free tickets to ride the train, but it never pulled into the station.

Despite the presence of other children, Maddie and Gavin pretty much just played with each other, though Gavin did meet this handsome little boy, and as you can tell by the fistbump, they became fast friends.

A Day at the Park

2012-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

We went to the park with our B'more to Boulder friends today because it was absolutely glorious outside.

I seriously cannot get over how wherever you go, there are mountains. This may seem ridiculous, but it's so fun to look up from the park/grocery store/traffic jam/whatever and see mountains. Even the mundane becomes a moment with God.

And here's super sweet smiley baby Gavin moments before he slipped and cut his mouth open. There was bleeding and crying, but fortunately, we hang out with pediatricians who assured us he was ok. And he was. Poor little daredevil.

Tomorrow we're heading to the WOW Children's Museum to meet up with some other parents and kids from a parenting forum I found here in Colorado. Maddie is so excited to meet people. I've told her we have friends out here that we just haven't met yet, and she is desperate to know when we'll meet them. We're awful friendsick, but it sure was nice to see familiar faces today!

Adventures in Botany

2012-01-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

We're settling in and starting to explore! Today we went to the Denver Botanic Gardens (it was free, of course - gotta love these free museum days).

Maddie's favorite flower was the pink orchid (and she wanted to make sure I put that in the blog post).

Gavin loved being free to roam and explore - it was like being outside, only warmer.

Though it wasn't actually that cold out, so we explored the outside gardens, too. Can you tell he was pretty pleased with himself? Oh, the coordination! The skill!

There wasn't much to see in the gardens outside, given that it was winter, but that didn't bother the kids in the slightest.

Maddie was absolutely engrossed with an indoor waterfall. (Look how big she's getting! It seems impossible that she's almost three.)

(A better picture of said waterfall.)

I love this red fuzzy flower. Clearly, that's its scientific classification - I mean, I'm almost an expert after visiting the Botanic Gardens.

These two are amazing.

And I love getting to explore the world with them.

A Perfect Day

2012-01-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I am struck by how lucky I am. How blessed. Today was one of those days.

I so needed today. We all did. After the stress of the last few ~~weeks~~ months, we just needed a fun day - a whole day totally devoted to fun, not just pieces of fun smooshed in between the stressful bits of moving across the country.

So we headed out to Rocky Mountain National Park today to enjoy the free admission, amazing views, and each other's company.

It was beautiful. Amazing. Restorative. Fun.

And cold. Really, really cold. And windy. So we didn't actually stay out on the mountain very long. There was this warming room - really, just a room with a little heat. Nothing amazing...

But the kids LOVED it. You would have thought they were at a party for two.

Really...just a kind-of warm room. Who knew?

We headed down the mountain a ways and ate lunch at Claire's in Estes Park. While Maddie was quite impressed with their apple juice and grapes ("I looooove these grapes!") she was most excited by a small, child-sized bench outside.

Gavin was pretty smitten with it, too.

It was a great day. A wonderfully perfect, much needed day that helped quiet any doubts in my mind that we did the right thing.

What a great place to be, a great place to raise kids, a great place to be a family. What a great day.

PS:

Could he be any cuter?

First Peak at Colorado

2012-01-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

I took zero pictures on our first day, because traveling with a one-year-old, a two-year-old, a cat, and a lot of stuff was about as much (maybe more) than I could handle. So use your imagination. We arrived to a fantastic welcome from Fritz and Joanne, who welcomed our rather rag-tag and rowdy bunch into their home, let us make a mess, fed us pizza, and even (after all that!) invited us back. It's so good to have family in Boulder!

This is the view from our apartment. I wouldn't exactly say that the mountains are in our backyard, but seeing them from the window is amazing and calming. This picture doesn't do them justice.

We've mostly been running around buying groceries and borrowing stuff from people (thank you Naomi and Dan! It's wonderful to have friends in Boulder, too!). While that might not sound terribly exciting, again, here's the view.

I love the mountains. Maddie looks at them and says in awe, "Can we go there?" Yes, baby. We can go there any time we want!

We Loved You, Baltimore

2011-12-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of the year, and our last day in Baltimore. I can't really bid this city a proper farewell. It's the place I've called home for my entire adult life, it's the people I've met who've become my family; Baltimore is a part of who I am. So I can't say goodbye because I'm taking a little bit of it with me, hon.

Today is the last "last" in a long line of "one last time". Tomorrow brings with it a new year, a new home, and more firsts than I know what to do with.

We loved you, Baltimore!
Every day was like an open door!
Every night a (loud) fantasy
Every sound was like a symphony...

We loved you, Baltimore!

More Christmas Cuteness

2011-12-24T18:40:00.000-08:00

We finally made it to see the Miracle on 34th St tonight - the lights were a lot of fun. Maddie was especially fond of the house with trains set up inside and out.

This night shot is a little rough, but it's so rare to get a picture of all four of us that I had to share it.

We came home and enjoyed some cookies and milk, then left some out for Santa. Maddie dictated the note to Santa and I wrote it down.

Then we got the kiddos dressed in their matching Christmas pjs. Could they be any cuter?

And now they're tucked in to bed, with dreams of sugar plums (or Dora) dancing in their heads...ready for the excitement of tomorrow!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

Did you get our Christmas card? No? Oh, right. I didn't send any. This is the picture that was going to be on them. Pretend it's a card.

This season has obviously been a chaotic one. I mean, Christmas is always crazy, but add selling your house and moving across the country with a one and two-year-old in tow, and you get a whole lot of chaos. And boxes. Lots of boxes.

We've been visited this year by the Elf on the Shelf. Maddie named him Christmas, and every day (even on days when he's tricky and eats her yogurt covered raisins), she tells him what she wants for Christmas. It's the same things every day - a necklace like Dora has. I hope Santa gets the message.

We didn't have a lot of Christmas wrapping paper, and so we made our own. If anyone gets a package wrapped in a two-year-old, I'd like her back, please.

The kids both spent some quality time reading their Christmas books while I frantically packed. Gavin was very into the snowman book and Maddie loved the Fancy Nancy Christmas story.

We didn't do much decorating (imagine that), but we did set up the kids' nativity set. It looks like a nativity massacre in this picture, but Maddie was just putting them all to night night.

And to kick off the holiday weekend, Dakota made us all yummy hot chocolate with marshmallows.

The kids loved it...

...as evidenced by Gavin's marshmallow goatee...

...Maddie's smile...

..and that. Yeah.

So even though there's no tree, there's still some magic in the air and a lot to be in awe of.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

2011-11-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

South Mountain Creamery

2011-11-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

All of these showings have us heading out of the house a lot, and the kids do better if we have a destination in mind. Dakota found out that a visit to South Mountain Creamery includes a chance to bottle-feed a calf...so off to the creamery we went!

In fairly typical Maddie fashion, she first picked out her favorite baby cow.

But then, she was too afraid to feed any of the cows, so Gavin stepped up to the ~~plate~~ bottle.

After watching for a while to be sure it was safe...

Maddie joined in the fun (only to get bonked on the head by a calf that jostled her milk bottle a little too aggressively).

Fortunately, this creamery also has amazing blue ice cream with sprinkles (the actual flavor is completely irrelevant to a 2-year-old) and it comes in an adorable kid-sized cone. It really doesn't get much cuter than this.

Though this is pretty darn cute, too. Gavin got his first taste of ice cream, and it was definitely love at first taste. Forget the apples. Bring on the ice cream.

Omaha

2011-11-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our big trip to the Midwest was definitely a success. The kids had so much fun seeing their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was such a success that we really want to make it happen more often, and all of the pieces fell together when we realized Boulder, CO would be a great option for our family. See why we want to be closer?

Baking with Grandma Jean.

Snuggling with Grandma Jerri.

Reading with Grandpa Rob.

Checking out the fire engine at the Omaha Children's Museum with Grandpa Larry.

Visiting Great Grandma Reiny.

Keeping warm with Aunt Katrina.

Making ice cream with Uncle Ken and Daddy.

Cuddling with our friend Kop.

So, we're heading West, where we hope to all have more time to stop and smell the flowers.

You've Got to See This!

2011-11-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

So I'm a bad blogger. A very bad blogger. A non-blogger...but in the time since I last posted, we've decided to move to Colorado, prepped our house for sale (I say that as though it was no big deal - ha!), and we've put the house on the market. Oh, and I have two kids two and under, one who is potty training during all of this madness and the other who, well...see for yourself!

Think you can forgive me for not blogging?

We're Baaaaack!

2011-09-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

The car ride went about as well as we could have expected. It was not without tears and drama, but everyone was doing better after we stopped at this children's museum in Terra Haute, Indiana. It is THE BEST Children's Museum!

When we came in, they told us there was a seat at the water table for babies. We did not understand that the seat was IN the table and the water table would then be surrounding the baby! Gavin stayed in there until he was absolutely freezing, but he had a blast.

Dakota went off to find a bathroom and next thing I know, he's over playing in the bubbles. Literally. In the bubbles.

Maddie climbed up to the top of the beehive climbing structure (we were so impressed! That is definitely outside her comfort zone!).

And I know sometimes nursing wears me out, but seriously, this is impressive. And I was thrilled that the museum would have such a cool exhibit, especially since people sure seem to get uptight about breastfeeding. Apparently it's cool for piglets, but less cool for human babies, given the stares I get sometimes. But I digress.

While I don't have pictures, Dakota might consider me remiss in my blogging duties if I don't tell you that the museum had air guns, a paper airplane launcher, and enough K'nex to build a gazillion cars to race on the soap box derby-like racetrack, which he and Maddie did for a loooooong time.

After two days of driving (and a not-too-successful night at a hotel where Maddie very clearly explained that, "I don't want to stay at hotel. I want to go home.") we reached Wentzville, MO, and more importantly, the cousins! Maddie and Gavin had so much fun playing with Brady and Reagan, Ella and Eli!

Brady taught Maddie how to tummy swing.

Maddie and Reagan enjoyed some yummy frozen custard (Maddie ordered pink).

Baby Eli slept. Isn't he adorable?

Ella stuck pretty close to her mom for a while, though I love this smile she flashed me!

Dakota and Brady had some quality man time playing Mario Kart (I played, too. It was really hard...kudos to all of you who come in better than last place).

Gavin got in some playtime with Maddie and Reagan. He just wanted to be included!

And the girls got a little crazy together.

My favorite part of the kids playing together had to be when they were all playing in the leaves. The absolute joy on their faces was beautiful. Have I mentioned I want a yard?

And that was just the first three days of the trip! We took over 1100 photos on this journey (and we schlepped through 10 states!) so I'll do another highlight post with our visits with the Grandparents soon. I'd say tomorrow, but soon is probably more accurate.

Bring it On, Irene!

2011-08-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Maddie is so prepared for this hurricane! While I found empty shelves at Target where flashlights, batteries, and water once lived, Maddie was able to get herself completely ready.

That's right. Thanks to aMuse Toys, she's got a really cool Melissa and Doug flashlight, and she rescued a pink kitty from their store, too (because mommy's a sucker, but whatever). Her emergency kit is complete with a kid-sized water bottle and a box of Hello Kitty bandaids.

So there, Irene. Bring it on.

Toddler Busy Bags

2011-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Our road trip is coming up fast, and I'm doing my best to gather an arsenal of activities! My friend over at Playing House suggested we each make some toddler busy bags and then switch - double the fun! She's kind of the Martha Stewart of Tot School, so I'm a little intimidated to trade with her, but I'm especially pleased with these:

I made the felt board (it's fleece mounted in an 8x10 picture frame) and then all the little felts. My friend's daughter loves mermaids and I said I'd see what I could do - not perfect, but I think they turned out pretty cute!

I can't wait to see Maddie play with her set. She saw some felt sets on etsy and her jaw dropped open as she said, "That is AMAZING!" Hehehehe.

Maddie's house scene had to have a rowhouse (I made a more traditional single family home for my friend!). Though it's a little B'more, I left out the weeds and poop. Those just aren't felt-friendly.

And of course she needed a set of cupcakes. Who doesn't?

Interchangeable faces...and really the possibilities are endless! I can't wait to make more felt sets, but I think Dakota would like to stop seeing felt scraps all over our house for a while.

Less crafty busy bags include...

water bottle + pom poms = fun

Maddie loves a larger version of this that I made for Toddler Morning Out, so I think she'll love sticking the straws (and not pictured, pipe cleaners) into the holes. And they store neatly in the container for travel! Dakota drilled holes into some containers I'd been saving and voila! Instant hand-eye coordination activity - travel-sized!

Yup. Noisemakers. I know what you're thinking. Noise makers? In the car? But Maddie doesn't really blow hard enough to make a sound - just hard enough to see the end unfurl. She can do this over and over and over - and that's just what I need in the car!

A little stationary kit, toddler sized and toddler themed.

Time for a little on the road beauty treatment! I think Maddie will love the mirror, and who doesn't love bangles?

Color sorting and one-to-one correspondence. With mini plastic beer mugs. Yup. Thank you, Value Village.

Pasta necklace

I have some more things set up for the trip, so maybe I'll post some more ideas soon. I'm actually not worried about Maddie at all anymore because I think she is going to have SO much fun. Gavin, on the other hand...well, I'll bring lots of snacks. That way to that boy's heart is definitely through his stomach.

Mama Time

2011-08-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

For months, Maddie has adjusted so well to Gavin's arrival. She's shared her toys, her room, even her Kitty! But it's been getting really hard sharing her Mama, so we've been trying to carve out more Mommy-Daughter time. Her favorite activity? Being worn by Mama...this should not come as a surprise, given how she spent the first year of her life, and Mama certainly doesn't mind the cuddles.

Baby Accent

2011-08-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Maddie has been demanding a "New blog post, Mama!" Really. So, here it is, and she LOVES your comments. LOVES them ("Read it again, Mama!"). So leave some for her, mmmk? Then we will all have done our part for that demanding little cutie. ;-)

Maddie is growing up so fast. This week, she told me she's three. She told our friend Alex she's four. She's wrong and is still only two, but she's right that she is growing up really fast.

One of the things that's changing is her language. She's constantly adding new words to her vocabulary, and she's started to drop the baby accent on some words we find incredibly adorable.

When Gavin first came home, she called him Ganyan. Then it turned to Gagin, which we've all adopted (and he responds to). But recently, she made a point of letting us know that she knows it's "Gavin" and that she can say it, even emphasizing the "v" - "Hey, GaVin!" She's reverting back to Gagin most of the time because she knows we think it's cute, but it's almost as though she's humoring us at this point.

She used to ask to be "upple" when she wanted to be picked up, but now it's just "up." I loved upple. She often requests "regurt and applesauce" for breakfast (or lunch or dinner), and she's a huge fan of the "Newtnons" her Uncle Tom introduced her to.

If something is frightening (and a lot of things are), she says it's "scurry, Mommy." When she hears the "sound of rain" she wants to go outside with her "umbooka" and play. On Tuesdays, she's always excited for "TiMOut!" While it sounds a lot like time out, which she does not enjoy, she's referring instead to Toddler Morning Out, which she loves because she gets to see her "fwens." When she's feeling lonely, she'll let me know she "needs Foma," her very best "fwen."

And then there's one of my favorites, "Hugatree." She started this on her own and we finally got some shots of it. While walking through the neighborhood, she often has to hug and kiss lots and lots of trees. "Hugatree, Mama!"

Yes, baby. Hugatree. And a mama, while you're at it - you're growing up so fast.

Country Boy

2011-08-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger this summer, and there really has been so much to blog about. I haven't posted pics of our trip to North Carolina, our weekend journeys to Charlottesville or Harpers Ferry, pics of us at the pool or the fountain or at playdates, or pics of Christmas in July or Toddler Morning Out. I guess I was so busy doing that I didn't blog about doing. Gotta say, I'm not really sorry.

As many of you know, we're thinking of moving. Just where is anyone's guess, but we're done with the city. Maddie says, "Baltimore's poopy!" (and she's right), Dakota says it's full of weeds (and it is), I have major yard envy, and Gavin, well...see for yourself.

Is it? Could it be? Is he...a country boy?

Apparently so!

First Art Project

2011-07-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today Maddie wanted to paint and I decided it was time for Gavin to paint, too. I mean, really, he's 7 months old - it's about time he unleashed some creativity. I mixed up food coloring with Greek yogurt and...

Happy Daddy's Day!

2011-06-19T02:49:00.000-07:00

Before becoming a father, Dakota had never spent a lot of time with kids, so I didn't really know what he would be like as a Dad. I knew he was a great guy, a wonderful husband, and I assumed he'd be a good Dad, but I had no idea he'd turn out to be the amazing Dad he is. I didn't know how much his daughter would love him, how his son's eyes would light up when he walks in the room, or how much my heart would swell when I watch him with the kids, tickling them, singing them songs, putting bandaids on booboos and kisses on bonked heads.

We love you, honey. Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.

Batter Up!

2011-06-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

I got this cool Big Boom Bat and Tee set for Maddie and she couldn't wait to get to the park and play with it.

The whole thing is over-sized and inflatable, so there's less chance of getting hurt and more chance of hitting the ball. Or something like that.

She did a great job getting it set up.

And with Daddy's help, she was lined up for a homerun.

(See the white blur to the far right? That's the ball going fast!

But what Maddie really wanted to do was hit the ball with the part of the bat you're supposed to grip.

And shout, "I did it!"

I just love that funny girl.

Chalk-a-lot Kisses

2011-06-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Gavin is apparently appalled at Maddie's tagging.

All is forgiven with a kiss, though.

A Berry Fun Time

2011-06-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up early and headed off to Larriland to pick sweet cherries and strawberries. I think everyone had a ton of fun (and later there may be some yummy cherry pie, too!).

Fwiends

2011-06-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Maddie loves her friends. When we ask her about them, she lists their names, smiling with each one. "Foma. Richie. Shiri. Bennett. Judia. Nate. Cat Tien. Luu Dee. Ethan. Wobert. Ci Ci." And my absolute favorite, "Gagin."

I know they won't always like each other, I know they might not always act like friends, but it makes my heart smile that they have each other, for now and for always. "Fwiends," in Maddie-speak.

There will always be someone to look up to...

Someone to play with...

Someone to love...

Closer to One

2011-06-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Gavin's six month birthday, which means that today, my baby is closer to one than to the day he was born. More evidence that the days are long and the years are short - where did the last six months go?

Though he was never exactly tiny, now he's big, strong, sits up easily, and is trying hard to crawl. He can scoot around the house with remarkable ease and has learned that he can stand while holding onto the sofa. That immediately prompted him to let go to see if he could stand alone. Again, he is only six months old!

He loves his sister, has an infectious and easy laugh, and he wants nothing more than to do everything that the big kids can do - and he'd like to do it TODAY. He is beautiful and amazing and growing up so quickly.

That Mom

2011-05-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

I didn't get the Hopscout job. I think most of you already know this, seeing as it was the most public interview ever, and therefore, the most public failure I've faced in the job market. But I use failure only in the sense that I didn't get the job, and because the English language doesn't really have a word that describes weeks of competing, networking, posting, tweeting, and vlogging with other women who are also creative, talented, and hardworking followed by five of those women being hired...and fifteen others left a bit teary-eyed on Mother's Day (ok, I kind of thought that part was cruel), along with 200 other moms and dads who were cut during the first round. It was tough. It was tense. But it was kind of terrific.

Now it's over and I'm getting back to my real job - being That Mom. The mom who bakes her kids sweet potato fries, pulls out tot trays for preschool time, makes up songs, leads toddlers around the room like dinosaurs, and scrapbooks all the moments that matter. (Could he be enjoying those sweet potato fries any more than he is?)

Today I decided to make finger puppets for our trip to North Carolina, and so during naptime I pulled out my felt and created some super cute animals. I love being That Mom - the one with felt and googly eyes and a hot glue gun at the ready (that's right - I cheated and didn't even SEW these! Ha!). I already knew that I loved being That Mom, but "failing" at the Hopscout job reminded me of that all over again.

Dakota suggested I make a dragon (pink, of course) and I wasn't quite sure what a dragon should look like as a finger puppet. But I went with it and when Maddie got up from her nap, I showed it to her. Her face lit up and she said, "Pink! Dragon!" So I guess I did ok, or maybe her imagination and mine are pretty similar.

After the excitement over the pink dragon, she told me, "Make more! Make more, mama!" So after bedtime, I did just that (I mean, really, who could refuse such an excited request?).

So yeah. I'm back to being That Mom. I think I'm pretty good at it. And frankly, I would have been damn good as a Hopscout editor, but there will be something else that lets me be creative and snarky and pays me for it. Until then, there are a lot more art projects to complete, sand castles to build, and bubbles to blow. Because I'm That Mom.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Love,
all of us

The Boy

2011-04-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Gavin is four months old. It seems like he just got here...and like he's been here forever!

This is so not a typical look from The Boy, but I thought it was hilarious. Especially because two seconds later there was this...

I just want to squeeze him! But I won't because he's asleep, and I like that even more than a little evening baby cuddle.

He's rolling over both front to back and back to front, sitting up by himself (!), and if you look closely in this pic, you'll see he has two front teeth (and they work really, really well). This boy is gonna be walking before we know it!

The City of Brotherly Love

2011-04-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

While walking home after a morning birthday party that had already left Maddie kind of exhausted, I told Dakota that I really wanted to get in a c-a-r and g-o. "You want to leave us?" he asked. Umm, no, I wanted ALL of us to get in the car and go, but I didn't want Maddie to hear the words and get excited about doing that since we weren't going anywhere.

But then Dakota surprised me and said, "We could go somewhere. They could nap on the way." Oooh! On the way to WHERE, though? How about...Philly?! (And for all of you that are familiar with my love of planned spontaneity and organized chaos, you know this was HUGE for me!).

So we hurriedly fed Maddie lunch, packed the car, and were on our way by 1! (No small feat given that we got home from the party about 12:20!).

Once there, it didn't really matter what we did. We felt we'd succeeded just by making it there!

We stopped by Franklin Square, where Maddie was entranced by the fountain:

And Gavin was too - I had to turn him to face the camera, and he seemed a little irritated:

And then Maddie played at the playground there (where I thought, "Really? We came to Philly for her to go down a slide?").

Maddie watched the Liberty Carousel for a while, and we were pretty sure it was just not quite her cup of tea. But then she announced, "Maddie try it too!" So Dakota bought a ticket, which Maddie gave over with glee:

Dakota tried to put her on one of the horses, but she was emphatic..."No no no!" She was up for the bench on the carousel, though.

"French fries, please," was what Maddie was supposed to order. But instead she tried to order chocolate. We promised her we'd look elsewhere for chocolate, and she seemed pleased with the fries.

Then we flew off to Independence Mall...

...and Maddie practiced her running...

...and then demanded to be carried and taken to, "chocolate. And pizza, too!"

So we went on a hunt for dinner and found Soho Pizza, where we snagged a couple of slices of pizza before they were too busy!

Gavin was really interested in getting his hands on my pizza, and he tried repeatedly to get it in his mouth. Guess whose getting ready for solids?

The people that worked there were SO nice to Maddie. She went to get a straw for her water and they also gave her a bag of chips. She was smitten, because as anyone knows, the way to Maddie's heart is definitely through her stomach.

Before we left, I asked the pizza guy where we could get chocolate, and he directed us down the street to...

Maddie was just starting to lose it as I spotted the line that went from Franklin Fountain out to the street. "Maddie, that's the line for the chocolate." I didn't think that was going to work - in fact, thought she might cry and we'd head for the car. But no. She marched over to join the line.

And she waited. And waited. While Gavin and I snagged a table and waited. And waited. (Apparently Franklin Fountain was just featured today on Man vs. Food)

But soon enough, Dakota and Maddie were inside, scoping out the flavors...

And then...ice cream! Amazing amounts of chocolate and fudge and brownies and whipped cream and malt power...

Maddie took one bite...and another...and another...

And clearly she was pretty impressed.

After we'd all fallen into an ice cream coma (we had to call it - that is...we didn't even finish the ice cream - gasp!) we walked back to the car, and Maddie walked much of the way doing a super goofy walk that would have been at home at the Ministry of Silly Walks. Then we packed ourselves back in for the ride back to Baltimore.

What a wonderful day!

Peekaboo!

2011-04-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

I love this little boy! He's hilarious!

3 Day Potty Training w/ Lora Jensen - Day 3

2011-04-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

I could have titled this post lots of things. Titles like "Epic Failure" and "Willful Child" and "Puddlemania" come to mind.

After all of the success yesterday, Dakota and I were a little taken aback when Maddie decided to not tell us EVER when she actually had to go. There was a lot of us running her to the bathroom mid-pee, but it was all over by the time she was seated.

So the 3-day method? Not so much an overall success with us. Both of my cousins had great results in 3 days...while we're now looking for what to do next.

We're using pull-ups at night and for naps because she's absolutely not ready for either of those to be diaper free, but we're not ready to head back to diapers. She can do this - she HAS done this - but for some reason she is willfully not participating. It's like lots of milestones in her life...she rolled over, then didn't do it again for months. She went on the swing joyfully, then wouldn't do it again for a year. She took two steps, then took none for another month and a half. So maybe this will be the same way...but that's a lot of puddles between now and whatever future point she decides to exercise this newfound knowledge.

So, if you have tips on how to proceed, leave them in the comments. I'm all ears!

3 Day Potty Training w/ Lora Jensen - Day 2

2011-04-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today was a much more successful day for Maddie! All day she told us when she had to go (her actual words are "Poopy again, too" - not sure how that came about, as she is definitely not referring to poop...), we ran her to the bathroom...and she went! Sometimes just a teeny little bit, sometimes a lot more!

There were some small accidents on the way (but no puddles!) and she is getting much more confident. We also discovered she likes a little privacy (she shuts the door and says "Privacy!" - good thing she doesn't know I'm blogging about this) and that seems to help her go. She also loves getting m&ms after she uses the potty (and she tries to finagle chocolate out of us just for sitting there, but we aren't that easily duped).

The best catch was when she looked at me and said in a slightly panicked voice, "Poopy again!" and we rushed to the bathroom. She said "Privacy" and shut the door rather forcefully, so I went to the kitchen for a moment. When I came back, she was standing next to her very full little potty and pointing, saying, "Chocolate, chocolate." It was great. She got two m&ms for that one.

We're definitely not potty trained yet, but today was very much a success in my book (though I think we're going a little stir crazy from being stuck at home!). Naptime and overnight are still hit or miss. Ok, they're mostly miss, but we'll keep trying and if it doesn't work for her, we'll do something else. Those princess pullups are awful tempting for all of us...

3 Day Potty Training w/ Lora Jensen - Day 1

2011-04-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

Today we started the 3 day potty training method that both of my cousin's had such success with.

I'll spare you the play-by-play and stick to the stats: 3 Elmo juice boxes, one sippy cup of milk, two sippy cups with water, 16 pairs of underwear, one nap (followed by one shower and bedding change), one HUGE success and several smaller ones, lots of misses, 9 million "Tell Mommy when you need to go pee or poop, OK?" one exhausted toddler, and two tired parents.

Next up? Nighttime...

I'm TWO!

2011-03-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

Last year I was a little sad at my first birthday party, so Mommy and Daddy tried to make this one better for me. I think they did a great job!

We had some friends over for a little birthday playdate:

We had chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting:

Mmmmmm!

And we had some more friends over, but I mostly ate pizza while they played:

Then on my actual birthday Mommy and Daddy led Toddler Morning Out! We played four corners, red light green light, read Trucks at Work, had parachute time, painted with marbles, did station work...but Mommy and Daddy were very busy playing with us so they only got pictures of...more chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting!

Gavin didn't get any.

Unle Kenny got there just in time for cupcakes, but he's not in the pictures either.

Later I got to open my presents!

Mommy and Daddy told me to hold this one up and show them. So I did.

That's the movie Cars! I got to watch it after we opened presents. I LOVE that movie.

I got a lot of stuff that goes!!!

And Uncle read me this book:

Then Mommy and I went to pick up Aunt Katrina. When we got home, I found THIS!

I sat down and played with it for hours until they made me go to bed. It was waaaaaay past my bedtime.

The next morning it was no longer my birthday, but Mommy and Daddy realized they forgot to have me blow out my candle, so...more birthday cupcakes for meeeeeee!

All in all, I think I had a pretty amazing second birthday!

Aren't We Cute?

2011-03-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

Take a look at those beautiful blue eyes. Wowza. What adorable kiddos!

Toddler Morning Out

2011-03-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

Life around here has been really busy lately! One of the things that's kept me up late at night (besides Gavin) is Toddler Morning Out. We revamped the program and here's what our Tuesdays and Thursdays look like now:

M at the geometric sorting board.

C working with the playdough (check out the cool dough roller she's not using!).

Check out that focus!

The open/close station fascinated R.

Maddie is transferring beans with a scissor scoop (which is the coolest tool ever!).

The girls are getting their bead on with large buttons.

Sorting pom poms by size.

Floral arranging is such a huge hit.

S watering her bean plant.

Gavin thoroughly enjoying being around the big kids!

Snack time is, of course, a hit.

Time for a musical marching parade! Everyone wants the drumsticks.

Maddie loves pouring work.

R works on matching different sized nuts and bolts.

Look how carefully R is transferring the pom poms!

The colorful beads were quite the draw for S, who spent a lot of time working on them.

M joins S for more bead work.

J and R focus on floral arranging.

Gavin and A flirt while everyone else is busy.

The parachute is probably the kids' favorite large motor skill activity!

It's so fun to watch the kids at work and play. The terrible twos seem less terrible and more terribly fascinating to me. Those absorbent minds are picking up on everything!

Fosie de Gaff

2011-02-23T20:14:00.000-08:00

Gavin's discovered his hands and his toys!

Maddie likes to bring him "Fosie de Gaff" (Sophie the Giraffe) when he's "Sad!" and then she tells him to, "Eat et," rather forcefully. Sometimes he complies.

Giggle and a Grin

2011-02-20T05:34:00.000-08:00

We take a lot of videos. We do. We just don't do anything with them. We'll try and change that!
What a happy little boy!

Dancing With Polar Bears

2011-02-19T05:58:00.000-08:00

So I've recently fallen in love with Picasa photo editing - it is so much fun. I couldn't resist making a collage of these cute girls at the zoo! Check out those (sort of) synchronized dance moves. Oh how I love those cuties!

Tot School and More!

2011-02-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

This week's tot trays:

Threading buttons onto heart sticks - this one was tricky!

A little craft with glue and foam hearts.

Sorting pom poms by size.

Pouring with pink, red, and white pony beads (Maddie loves to work on pouring!).

I know what it looks like, but that's actually chocolate-scented play clay.

It was great to see her "get" this activity as the week went on!

When she wants to she can sort them by big and little, but she also just likes to hug the pom poms and rub them on her face.

Making chocolate "candy" for Valentine's Day!

Her favorite part of this was putting her fingers in the glue.

And playing in the box the stuff comes in is just as fun as the trays!

Gavin loves to watch his big sister work!

Cuddle Up!

2011-02-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

Some like to cuddle up with a good book, but Zoe's always been partial to cuddling up with a good newborn. Here she managed to snuggle up to both!

Tot School - 22 months

2011-02-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

Doing Tot School - having a plan for purposeful play - is so fulfilling for both Maddie and I! We're both having so much fun, and it's so interesting to see which activities she gets and loves right away:

Which ones she struggles with and masters:

Which ones involve skills she just doesn't quite have yet:

and which ones she changes because her way is better!

Of course, making Valentine's with heart doilies and stickers (thanks Aunt Katrina!) was a blast (Maddie was the one who put one sticker on each Valentine and she was working on adding exactly one pom pom to each - she loves order):

And get a load of this awesome puzzle - it was just MADE for a little girl who loves things that GO! (thanks Grandma and Grandpa Bailey!)

There was a lot of "Self, self!" this week, so here's Maddie working diligently on putting glue on the hearts by herself!

She was very pleased with the finished Love Bug project. Can you hear the, "Oooooh!" being exclaimed?

Maddie also made some very special wrapping paper this week! (Thanks to Shannon over at the tpcraft blog for this fantastic idea!)

She did such a great job and clearly enjoyed herself!

So it was another great week at the Bailey household, though I was sick and out of it on Wednesday (Maddie kept telling me I should take a nap). If only! Hope you had a great week, too!

Trucks!

2011-02-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

Maddie has been standing at the window the past couple of days shouting, "Trucks!" Road crews have been working in front of our house, and we couldn't resist getting a picture of Maddie with the Bobcat! It was hard to snap a photo with her looking at the camera because she kept turning around to point, "Trucks!".

And on that note...family members, get those "things that go" pictures in as soon as you can!

Happy Valentine Trays!

2011-02-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

My plan is to prepare the tot trays each Sunday and post my learning plan for the week. We'll see how long I can keep this up!

Maddie will be sorting these jumbo conversation hearts by color...

and sticking these Valentine-y objects through the holes in this repurposed utensil holder from Ikea...

using tongs to move Valentine erasers from one festive cup to another...

making a Valentine craft...

and arranging some flowers in a block of floral foam (all from the Dollar Tree).

We also picked up a free easel this weekend off of our neighborhood listserv (have I mentioned I love our neighborhood and our listserv?). After a little elbow grease it's ready for some (ab)use so I think we may paint something this week, too. How do you think Maddie feels about the easel?

And while Maddie and I have been focused on her tot time, Dakota's been coaching Gavin on the finer points of programming.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Getting Schooled

2011-02-05T16:13:00.000-08:00

Our first week of Tot School was a huge success! Maddie had a great time and Mommy feels like her old teacher self!

We only had two trays this week, but the beans were definitely her favorite. There's something very satisfying about pouring beans from one cup to another...

She spent time with the alphabet beads, too. Getting the beads onto the laces or pipe cleaner took a lot of concentration!

Puzzles have never been Maddie's strong suit - they have always frustrated her. This week, she decided she wanted to do some, and by do some, I mean immediately put the pieces exactly where they were supposed to go. Dakota and I were shocked!

Her favorite part of this week was probably the sensory bin.

She had a blast exploring all of the different items in the bin.

She was especially fond of putting the lima beans into the heart-shaped containers.

And she even shared the sensory bin with Fiona! The two of them ~~made a huge mess~~ were very creative with all of the materials!*

*Note to self: dyed rice looks and feels very cool, but is a pain in the butt to clean up!

Entertaining Gavin

2011-02-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

She read him a book...and he loved it!

Tubs and Trays!

2011-02-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

My February sensory bin is almost ready to go. I dyed some rice pink and it's still drying, but other than that, it's good to go!

There are all sorts of objects that are interesting to the eyes and to the touch inside the tub - smooth lima beans, satiny ribbon, prickly hair rollers, fluffy pom poms, soft flannel, shiny plastic, crinkly paper, sanded wood, glittery letters - all in pink, red, and white for Valentine's Day! Maddie gets to explore the bin tomorrow - I hope she likes it as much as I do!

And our tot trays for this week (just a couple since we're just starting!):

Alphabet beads to string onto pipe cleaners or tipped laces.

Beans to pour between cups - I think she'll love this. She likes putting things inside other things. ;-)

And so Tot School has begun! I'm so excited!

And now, because I know you Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles (and adopted Aunts and Uncles) are dying to know how you can help (ok, maybe you're not dying), we need items to fill our upcoming sensory bins! We're looking for fun items for the upcoming themes: St. Patrick's Day in March, Easter in April, Spring in May, Summer for June, Americana for July, and we need lots of items for continuous alphabet/color/shape/number themes. Also, we need sets of things we can sort by shape, size, color - anything you might have that you no longer need! So if you're cleaning out your cabinets or spot something at the dollar store that has an interesting look or feel, think of Maddie!

And in case you're at a loss for what to get Maddie for her birthday, here are some ideas that will (mostly) help us with Tot School! Maddie's List

Last but not least, if you have any great ideas for tot trays, sensory bins, developing gross and fine motor skills, or anything else, please let me know. This is all very different from teaching middle school!

Tot School

2011-02-01T21:21:00.001-08:00

Lately I've been looking for educational activities for Maddie that would add some structured fun to our day, but I really hadn't found what I was looking for. Then I learned about Tot School. One click later and my old teacher juices were flowing! I began making plans for Maddie's Tot School, and I ordered supplies to begin our homeschooling journey.

The very next day, Maddie started sorting her felt french fries, crayons, and real pretzels into various containers, then played with some Eco Dough and actually mixed the colors without getting upset, and finally, began stacking towers. That last point is huge, because Maddie's NEVER been into stacking anything. I felt like she was screaming, "I'm ready for Tot School!"

Then I got out some blocks we haven't played with in a while (because she just knocked down my towers and would then insist on putting all the blocks away)...

...and she built more towers!

While we waited for our new goodies from the educational supply store to arrive, I took some Valentine's and hid them around the house and then had her find them. She had a blast! Later Daddy got in on the fun by hiding the cards in more challenging places, too.

Today the box from Discount School Supply arrived! Maddie and I were both very excited.

Maddie just HAD to have some of it opened, so we chose to open a bag of alphabet beads. I showed her how to string them onto laces and pipe cleaners and she was thrilled. I promised her we'd do more soon. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have her February sensory bin ready. "What's that?" you say! Come back tomorrow and find out...there will even be ways that YOU can help!

Grandpa's Little Helper

2011-01-29T10:32:00.000-08:00

"Fix it!"

"Here, lemme help."

Spot the Differences

2011-01-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

Can you spot the differences?

Well, there's the obvious that one pic was taken on the floor and one was taken on the ottoman...and one is a full body kitty cuddle, and one is just a little cuddle...oh, and the top one is Gavin and the bottom one is Maddie (Zoe plays herself in both photos).

Oh, and Maddie was 10 weeks old and Gavin is 7 weeks old.

Isn't He Marvelous?

2011-01-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Miranda for taking more beautiful pictures of my adorable kiddos!

Cowtastic

2011-01-16T13:37:00.001-08:00

Someone put this Howdy Cow up on our listserve because their kid wasn't into it. I was pretty sure Maddie would be, and as you can see by her glee, I was right. We brought it into the house with her saying, "Cow! Cow! Cow! Cow!" I gave her the cow, which she'd never seen before. She immediately put him on the ground, climbed on and began bouncing away, chanting, "Bouncy! Bouncy Bouncy!"

Costco Tradition

2011-01-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

I think we may have created a new tradition. It may not be as exciting as Christmas in July, SnowFudge, or the Birthday Eve poem, but it's a lot of fun! First, we go to Costco. Ok, not a promising start. Then, we go to Trader Joe's (still not impressed? They have samples and give out stickers!). Then the real fun begins.

Sharing a Fatburger shake with our favorite little girl...

and enjoying some skinny fries...

...with ketchup, of course!

Gavin sleeps through most of the outing, but surely he'll enjoy it more later. Who doesn't like a good shake and fries?

Holidaze

2011-01-14T13:16:00.001-08:00

So basically Gavin was born and our world got pretty busy! The month of December flew by while we adjusted to night wakings (ok, while I adjusted), more laundry, and an increasingly demanding toddler. Christmas was upon us before we knew it, and while we've been meaning to share our holiday with you, we've been in a bit of a fog. But, here it is! The Bailey Holidaze 2010. Presented in 2011.

Maddie was not quite sure what to make of the stocking, but she knew it was a sock, so she took off the ones on her feet and tried to put the stocking on.

She soon figured out there was stuff inside the stocking - just for her!

And it wouldn't be Christmas if Maddie didn't get a spoon, so...

Of course, much love was lavished on the Elmo magna-doodle.

There had to be just a little toddler drama...

...but it was nothing that sending her under the tree for another present couldn't solve.

Gavin was just hanging out while Maddie tore through her presents and his.

And tear through them she did!

The surprise winner of the day were the Plan Toys cars, trucks, and bus. I asked if I could see one (you know, to play with it), and this is as close as I got:

Maddie also got to work decorating with her new snowmen stickers...

And by the end of Christmas day, everyone was exhausted, especially Daddy and Gavin.

We hope you had as wonderful a day as we did!

Cuddling

2011-01-04T06:06:00.000-08:00

A lap and a life so full of love.

Grateful

2011-01-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

Maddie's Aunt Katrina and Uncle Kenny came to visit us in November. They were hoping to meet the boy, but he had other plans! They brought Maddie a set of Dr. Seuss board books, and she loved them. Later, they gave her another present that was the same size as the package of board books...

Ooooh, a present!

What could it be???

Awww, man!

Maddie is very honest. To a fault. For the record, her present was some cool placemats that she can draw on! But when you're expecting books, I can understand the disappointment.

Dragonfly Designs

2011-01-02T11:51:00.000-08:00

This was the best Christmas present I gave. My mother-in-law asked for a tote, and I've purchased them for her on etsy before, but with my newly acquired sewing skills I thought to myself, "Self, you could make that!" So I did. I can't even explain how impressed I was with myself. Now I just hope it doesn't fall apart right away...

Upon finishing it, Dakota urged me to make a tag for it. So using my Cricut, I made a cute little tag and put Dragonfly Designs on it (because I like dragonflies, but I forgot to take a picture of the cute tag). He assured me that, "You could totally sell those. After figuring out the cost of fabric and the time to make them, you probably wouldn't make any money, but you could totally sell them."

Real Christmas post coming soon, with pics of adorable children.

Happy Snow Day!

2010-12-27T19:22:00.000-08:00

We saw our first real snow on December 16th, and this was the first time Maddie would really be able to play in the snow! We pulled out her new snowpants and began to get her suited up...

Clearly, she was not thrilled. It was reminiscent of dressing up for Halloween...

Once she had donned all of the necessary equipment, she was feeling much better!

We went out to play (Gavin was sleeping - no snow time for him!) and Maddie had her first snowball fight with Daddy!

Ok, so it was really more Dakota throwing snow at her, but she loved it.

Mommy made a snowball for Maddie so she could get Daddy back.

But Maddie decided that eating the snow would be more fun than throwing it.

Maddie summed up the experience with one word - "Happy!"

Tummy Tub

2010-12-27T18:51:00.001-08:00

So we all know that Gavin was nice and cozy in the womb, so it's no surprise that he's a big fan of the tummy tub, a rather ridiculous invention that preys on bobo parents looking for the most natural introduction to the world for their precious babies. I know, I know, it's a bucket. But it's a pretty awesome bucket.

And some more uber-cuteness, just because...

Baby Babywearer

2010-12-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

Gavin's already been carried in a ring sling, Moby wrap, woven wrap, and a mei tai, and he's only (almost!) three weeks old. Maddie's been watching all of this and she decided that she was ready to carry her baby, so I busted out the mei tai that I made her earlier this fall. She was so proud to carry around her doll! Mama was bursting with babywearing pride, too.

Pop-Pop

2010-12-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Revenaugh, or Pop-Pop, as Maddie calls him, came to visit us last weekend. Gavin had a great time being held by Grandpa.

Maddie helped him open his suitcase...

...and found Elmo inside!!!

She was thrilled. She was also thrilled to teach Grandpa how to use his camera.

Apparently my Dad has gotten a little less anal about how lights and cranberries get put on the Christmas tree, so he made fun of me while I fretted over their placement (even though it's clearly HIS fault that I'm anal about it). Maddie and Gavin checked out my progress the next day.

It was a wonderful visit, though we all began getting sick while Dad was here. Hopefully we'll all be feeling better before the next visitors arrive!

2 Weeks Old!

2010-12-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

Today is Gavin's second birthday, and in honor of that, he got to go to the pediatrician! Whoohoo! He was 21 3/4" long, weighed 10 lbs 9oz (up from 9lbs 2oz just last Monday), and has a head circumference of 39cm. He's in the 98th percentile for everything, though his head circumference was actually off the chart. Dakota says big heads run in his family, in more ways than one. I will refrain from commenting.

Because he's pretty much the size of a 2 month old, we get to skip the one month visit and won't go back to the pediatrician until he is actually a 2 month old. All of this growing and eating and being giant means that we've already given away the newborn clothes and have moved on to 0-3 month ones, but next week we may be ready for 3-6 because the kid is loooooong! And cute. Don't forget cute. He's in the 98th percentile for that, too.

Zoe and Gavin have recently started hanging out. She's excited to have a newborn to cuddle with again.

Hugs!

2010-12-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

At the end of playgroup today, Maddie and Julia hugged each other goodbye but we didn't get a picture. So, we encouraged them to hug again! Maddie didn't quite know when to stop hugging, and she eventually toppled Julia to the floor. Fortunately, no toddlers were injured in the making of this photo.

He's Here!

2010-12-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

Baby Boy Bailey made his grand (and much anticipated) entrance into the world on December 2, 2010, at 1:18pm. He weighed in at 9lbs 8oz and was 21 1/2" long (no, those are not typos). We're all back home and doing well after a wonderful and natural birth! (Birth story to come later, for those that are interested, and when we have a name, we'll let you all know!).

And now, for what you're really here for:

His first photo!

Cuddling with mama

And cuddling with dada

Getting weighed

More snuggling

Our new addition!

Introducing Maddie to her little brother (it didn't all go as well as this shot!)

Thank you all for your well wishes! Feel free to come by and meet the boy!

This Could Be It

2010-12-02T05:11:00.000-08:00

After 6 weeks of prodromal labor and contractions, one can't be quite sure, but we're headed to the birth center in hopes of becoming a family of four today. We'll let you know!

Yup, Still Pregnant

2010-11-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

I removed the ticker because after our due date, it cruelly began counting UP. That's so wrong. Baby has until Dec. 7th to choose his birth day, and then we get induced at a hospital.

In the meantime, Maddie continues to be absolutely adorable, of course. She's gotten to visit with her Aunt Katrina and Uncle Kenny last weekend, and she's been playing with Grandma Jean and Grandpa Rob for the last few days!

As you can see, she's thoroughly enjoying all the attention and doesn't seem bothered in the slightest that her pesky little brother hasn't chosen to make his presence known!

Guess Again?

2010-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

See that ticker? It's down to 8 days now, and today was the last date/weight guess. So ha! You're all losers! Wait, I'm the one who's still ridiculously pregnant and downing quarts of labor tea, evening primrose oil, and crawling around on my hands and knees to try and motivate this kid to come join us out here. Hmmmmm...perhaps YOU are not the loser.

But a few people have told me that they're sad that no one won. Or, more specifically, that THEY didn't win. Well, me too. So, if you want, feel free to guess again! Baby Boy Bailey is due 11/23, seems to have recovered from his bout of making us think he'd arrive early, and is quite cozy. We may not see him until Christmas. Meanwhile, I may have to invest in a muumuu in order to leave the house, because I am gigantic, as my friend Fran screamed at me in Federal Hill the other night while I was waddling to the thai restaurant for spicy curry, all in an attempt to induce labor.

So, when's he coming and what's he going to weigh? If anyone guesses more than 10lbs, you are instantly disqualified from all possible winnings, and possibly from our friendship.

Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out the Wanna Be a Winner? post from almost a month ago (le sigh).

Art Time

2010-11-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

Maddie and I have been trying to do more art projects recently, but every time I get out the earth-friendly eco-dough and put down some wax paper, the child loses it - screaming, crying, generally throwing a fit. So, today we tried the more traditional Play Doh with no wax paper. Think she's into it?

I guess I need to get more Play Doh!

Double Wink!

2010-11-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Dakota's been teaching Maddie how to wink. She thinks watching him is hilarious!

So far, she's only mastered the wink the Mommy way - we can both wink with BOTH EYES at the SAME TIME!

Goodnight, Maddie!

2010-11-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Maddie has recently become obsessed with reading books (much to the delight of this Momma!). The other night before bed, she showed us she can read her bedtime books all by herself in her special rocking chair. Could she be more delighted with herself?

Pioneer Woman

2010-11-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have a list of crafty projects to complete before the boy arrives, and I have this weird compulsion that these things HAVE to be done in order for me to go into labor. But add in not sleeping and dealing with an increasingly difficult toddler, and these projects are just NOT magically getting done. However, I'm feeling very Pioneer Womanish today and making our laundry soap. Maybe I'll bust out the sewing machine tonight and get a few other things done, too.

Party Time

2010-10-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mommy and Daddy made me put on my Halloween costume again.

I was outraged!

Daddy told me that little fairy princesses got to eat cookies, and that made things better, so then I went to the party.

Apparently dragons get to eat cookies, too.

And farm girls.

But I still wasn't really happy and so I got to get naked at the party. Then Mommy took me home.

Today, you wouldn't believe it, but my parents put me in the costume AGAIN! But then they gave me another cookie and we headed out to the neighborhood Halloween party. They're getting pretty good at this bribery stuff.

I decorated a treat bag with Mommy. We used crayons and stickers, but then I got glue on my hand and that was icky.

There were a lot of people. It was overwhelming and I kind of just wanted to go home.

But Mommy said, "Not yet," so I decorated a cupcake and ate it. Nom nom nom.

Then my friends Ty and Sophie played ring around the Maddie and I loved it!

I kind of have a little crush on Ty. He's three!

Finally, we went home. I didn't even protest a ride in the stroller. Party's are so tiring!

Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. I bet they make me wear my costume again. There better be some good cookies, too.

Wanna be a Winner?

2010-10-24T11:24:00.001-07:00

Do you see that baby icon countdown thing on the right? Notice how it says 30 days left? Hmmmm. I don't think so. This kid is almost done cooking. So, what date do you think baby boy Bailey will make his appearance? And how much do you think he'll weigh? The winner (closest without going over, Bob Barker style) will win something that I make. No guarantees on what that might be. Cookies? Some laundry detergent? A tote bag? A handmade card? Who knows - and no guarantees on when you'll get it - but you'll win SOMETHING.

So leave a comment and let me know when you think he'll arrive and how much he'll weigh.

The stats: He's due 11/23. I'm bigger than I was with Maddie. Maddie was born the gestational equivalent of TODAY (but I was induced) and she was 7lbs 6oz. I've been having contractions pretty regularly since Tuesday night, but nothing that's led to active labor. He's been told to wait until 11/2 so I can deliver at the birth center (otherwise we'll be at the hospital because he'll be less than 37 weeks).

Ready? Set? Guess his birthday and weight!

Bedazzled

2010-10-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

How'd you spend your Saturday night? I bet it wasn't as exciting as mine - I spent mine bedazzling this "Big Sister" shirt for Maddie.

Annoyingly, the stupid Darice rhinestone heat setting tool I bought didn't actually pick up the rhinestones, so setting the whole thing was a heck of a lot more difficult than I had planned. I think Dakota wanted me to abandon the project, but that was absolutely out of the question. Just to get the plain pink shirt I had to chase a half-naked toddler around H&M - clearly, I had too much invested to walk away.

Meanwhile, Dakota is at Max's for Viraj's bachelor party. Somehow, this doesn't seem quite fair.

A Perfect Day

2010-10-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we all went to Tracie and Kevin's picturesque wedding in Havre de Grace, Maryland. The setting was amazing and tears filled my eyes when I heard "There is Love" playing softly during the unity candle lighting. Again at the end of the ceremony, my heart caught in my throat as I heard the words, "You may kiss the bride," - but not because I was feeling all warm and fuzzy - though I was.

It was because my lovely, sweet, eighteen-month old's face had just crumpled in an end-of-the-world kind of way, and I knew what the wailing that was about to be unleashed would sound like. I grabbed her very quickly and tossed her in a tight bear hug against my shoulder, which luckily enough stopped the torrent of emotion that was about to be unleashed. Apparently she was devastated that Kevin is now officially a taken man.

I love how absolutely happy and unposed Kevin and Tracie are in this photo. Maddie loved the flower petals that were raining down on them.

After the ceremony was over, Maddie was a little distraught that no one was picking up the petals. "Ugh oh!" So she began picking them up.

She walked down the aisle for the first time, too.

She had such a good time that when we got home she kept saying "happy" and pointing to herself.

Dakota, Maddie, the bump, and I all had a wonderful time and we felt honored to be a part of Kevin and Tracie's special day!

Party Girl

2010-10-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

These two are just too cute. All of the time!

Babushka!

2010-10-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

Today my friend Fiona came over to play and we had SO much fun.

I really wanted her to wear the purple headscarf. I even waited patiently while her Mommy tied it on her head.

But she wanted to wear it like this.

Or maybe she didn't want to wear it at all.

But I thought the whole thing was just hilarious! I am so funny!

No, wait. YOU are so funny!

I'm gonna be SO good at dress-up.

Pumpkins!

2010-10-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today we ventured out on our annual pumpkin patch visit! It seems impossible that Maddie's old enough to have gone there twice, and that this time it was her taking us around the farm.

She was feeling a bit under the weather and so she's not quite as smiley as she was last year, but she still had a fun time investigating all of the pumpkins.

Until she found the PERFECT pumpkin.

Then she played in the hay maze (toddler-version, that is). She was a little apprehensive at first...

but she got over that pretty quickly.

After checking out the market, enjoying some fried apple fritters, and buying some delicious apple cider, Maddie was DONE. We never made it to the actual pumpkin patch, but there's always next year.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2010-09-30T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today brought lots of rain to the Baltimore area, and every curly girl knows what that means - bad hair day!

Maybe that's why she had to bring ALL of her animals down from her crib:

But she bravely donned a raincoat and headed out into the downpour.

I bet you wish you had a pink polka dotted raincoat for this weather!

A Monkey of an Uncle

2010-09-27T18:09:00.001-07:00

This summer we went to Omaha to visit family, and my cousins drove up from Missouri with their kids so that all of the little ones could meet. As we were snapping photos of goldfish-gobbling kids, someone suggested we let my baby-phobic brother hold all of the children at once. This sounded like a great plan! My cousins and I were all amused, but you can tell the kids aren't quite thrilled and Ken - well, he looks a little overwhelmed.

Maddie Superstar

2010-09-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Maddie has only recently become a fan of sunglasses, but she's already figured out the celeb look (courtesy of stealing Grandma's sunglasses!).

Taking Us For a Walk

2010-09-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

When she was small, we wore her everywhere, in carriers of all types and colors. When she got bigger, we used a stroller to push her around the city. But now that she's a big girl, she prefers to take us for walks, leading the way and pulling on our hands to speed up!

She was so thrilled to have so many choices of hands to hold on this walk, and each of us got a turn, but there was definitely one preferred hand to hold:

Maddie had a great visit with her Grandparents, and she'll miss her mile-long walks with them, especially since Mommy is creeping along at a slow, 31-week pregnant waddle that is definitely not competitive with the toddler trot.

Strawberry Girl

2010-09-23T21:52:00.001-07:00

I haven't broken the news to Maddie that strawberries won't be around much longer...

She's a bit of a fan...

Dragonflies and Frogs

2010-09-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

What's blue and green, has dragonflies and frogs on it, and was made with tons of love?

It's a quilt for the Baby Boy, lovingly sewn by my cousin Kristin on our Grandma's sewing machine! It's beautiful and soft and cuddly, and it's coming with us for delivery! I love it and know the boy will, too. Plus, it makes for one less thing for me to do, because I was going to feel bad if Maddie had a homemade quilt and Baby Boy didn't. And my genius cousin figured out how to tone down Maddie's very girly dragonfly room - frogs! Perfect.
>

Shoes!

2010-09-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

Madeleine loves shoes, so she wanted to show off some super cute ones her Aunt Jenny sent her. I love those little feet!

A Fairy Big Problem

2010-09-12T10:11:00.001-07:00

With only 70-some odd days until the baby boy gets here, I'm feeling the pressure to get things done. In fact, I think I'm pretty much trying to squish all kinds of projects in now because I don't know how long it will be until I feel creative again after I rejoin the land of the walking momma-zombies.

So, I've been working on Maddie's Halloween goodies. I cheated and bought her costume, but I made her a treat bag (that she loooooves):

and a wand:

which she also seems to be a big fan of...

So now there's just one problem left...

Yeah. She hates her costume. After last year's kitty costume debacle, we promised her something girly this year. After some more thought, I think she'd probably prefer to be a naked baby for Halloween. For some reason, only middle-aged men seem to get away with that costume.

Like Daddy

2010-09-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

We bought Maddie these adorable sunglasses at the beginning of the summer. She had no interest in them, despite our numerous attempts to show her how useful and cool and fun they are! Instead of wearing them, she just cried when the sun was too bright for her eyes.

But today, she decided that she wanted to be like Daddy and wear her sunglasses while they went for a run! There's really no question of who's in charge here...

Nesting

2010-09-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

When we were preparing for Maddie's arrival, I was deeply involved in reading up on and choosing the safest and most highly rated baby gear, finding the best cloth diapers, learning how to make my baby the Happiest Baby on the Block, and outfitting her nursery in the most perfect shades of green, lilac, and cream with matching dragonfly accents.

This time, nesting is still a lot about her - finishing up the scrapbook of her first year, making her a baby doll nursing cover and mei tai, and just taking care of her daily needs. There's not been a ton of time (or need!) to invest my energy into researching baby containment devices/toys/baby gear. Instead, I've been investing my time in planning the birth of this beautiful baby boy.

We had planned a natural birth with Maddie, but then we ended up with ICP, were induced just before 36 weeks, and our plans changed. But we got to bring home a healthy, beautiful baby girl, so we were definitely NOT disappointed.

This time, we've been blessed with not having to deal with ICP - with having a pretty regular, ho-hum pregnancy, and it's such a wonderful and welcome change. We planned to delivery at the University of Maryland, where the specialists are that we were referred to when I was pregnant with Maddie. But every time I went for an appointment, I left upset and anxious, and finally I decided I wanted something different for this baby's birth and since we don't need those specialists.

We toured Special Beginnings, a stand-alone birth center in Arnold, MD. It didn't take many words from David, one of the very friendly and warm midwives, to convince me this would be a good fit for us. They treat pregnancy as a natural and normal part of a family's life, not as though it's a medical condition. They are very low-tech and personal, though if you need more care, they're close to the hospital and will get you there to receive that care.

We made the switch and I feel so at ease about our choice. Our baby will be born at the center, likely in the water, and will be given to me right away - not rushed off to be weighed and bathed and whatnot. The birth will be about us, as a family, and if all goes well, we'll all head home 4-6hrs after he is born so he can meet his sister! When they told us that part at the tour, Dakota says I let out a happy little squeal.

I'm also using Hypnobabies to prepare for his birth. It's a wonderfully relaxing self-hypnosis program that is helping me sleep better now, and will help when his birthing time arrives, which at this point, I am just thoroughly excited for!

So this time, preparing for baby's arrival has been very different. He doesn't have a room that's decorated for him (haha - he doesn't even have a room!), or a brand new bouncer waiting to cradle him. Instead, he's got a Mommy and a Daddy and a sister who are preparing to meet him, knowing that everything else will work itself out. Oh, and he has his Birth Day flags, which I finished today. Maddie got hers on her first birthday, but we plan to hang his in the room where he is born - on his Birth Day!

Nesting - funny how it changes.

My Two Favorite People

2010-09-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Aren't they both just adorable? I know I'm a bit biased, but goodness they're cute.

We went to a Labor Day cookout this weekend and Maddie had a blast (so did we, but we didn't get naked and crazy like her!). There was watermelon, cheese, and corn on the cob - what little girl wouldn't love that? After some shirt-off eating, Maddie rode around on Daddy's shoulders while he played bocce with the boys:

For the Girl

2010-09-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

Big changes are coming our way, but at least Dakota and I have an idea of what to expect. Poor Maddie has no concept of just how much her world is about to be altered. To help with that (maybe, a little), I decided to make her a couple of things so she can mommy with Mommy.

I made her a mei tai so that when I carry our new Baby Boy, she can carry her dolls, too. Of course, she picked out the fabric.

Can I even tell you how proud I am of this mei tai? It took a ridiculous amount of time to make, so we're hoping she loves it. I don't think she'll be into it until she sees me carrying the Baby Boy.

She's also getting a little nursing cover so she can nurse her dolls (of course, she chose this fabric, too):

For now, we're tucking these items away, ready for Maddie once the new baby is here, too. We're all getting very eager to meet him!

Graphic Novel Book Club

2010-08-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

This is a random post for my regular readers (all three of you), but I'm in charge of planning my book club's meeting for September, and we're reading graphic novels. As someone who's never actually read an entire comic book (no one tell Grandpa Rob), I'm actually a little intimidated by choosing a book (and leading the meeting on the topic I suggested!). Anyway, here's the list we can choose from (compiled by fellow book club members who know more about graphic novels!). And for those of you who check this blog only for the cute pictures of Maddie, scroll to the bottom.

American Born Chinese - YA immigrant experience
Smile - YA hilarious story about braces
French Milk - story of a mother/daughter trip to Paris
La Perdida - one woman's adventure through Mexico City
Maus – story of a Jewish family during World War II
We Are On Our Own – family escaping the Nazi’s during World War II
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea – a American cartoonist’s work trip to North Korea
Shenzen – an American’s travels through Communist China
Persepolis – growing up in Revolutionary-era Iran
Fair Weather – life as a boy in the 1970s
Epileptic – growing up in the 1970s with an epileptic brother
I Never Liked You – the difficult life of a teenager trying to fit in
American Splendor – everyday life as a comic strip creator
American Widow – a 9/11 widow’s story
Stitches – parents deliberately give their child cancer so they can study it
Blankets – struggles with a “rigidly fundamentalist Christian upbringing”
Clumsy – chronicle of a year-long long-distance relationship (note: I’ve heard there’s lots of sex in this one.)
Fun Home – life with a closeted gay father who runs a funeral home
Pedro & Me – life and death of a gay man with AIDS

Beachy Keen

2010-08-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Dakota was supposed to have jury duty today, but he was fortunate enough to be #891 in the jury pool and they only needed 1-600 today! We decided to take advantage of the balmy weather and unexpected free day and head to the beach!

Maddie was all smiles as soon as she saw the ocean, but we knew that might come to an abrupt end once we put her feet in the water...

Boy, were we wrong!

Notice the leaning forward?

Maddie was just dying to chase the waves, and would have gladly abandoned Mom and Dad for the water.

Maddie loved the waves crashing against her, and her only complaint was that she couldn't go in further - and by herself. Every time we went back to the beach chairs, Maddie headed for the water!

Dakota went up to the boardwalk to get fries, and after he'd been gone too long, Maddie decided she should go after him:

Like her Mom and Dad, Maddie loves Thrasher's fries (and who wouldn't?).

After some more playing...

We all headed up to the boardwalk to get cleaned up, eat some lunch, and head home.

What a great first day at the beach!

Bought to you by...

2010-08-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

The letter T! For teeth, of course, which Madeleine proudly displays for your giggling pleasure. See all of those back ones coming in? Though this picture looks like we're having tons of fun, we've had some rough days with those big teeth! And don't worry, Maddie didn't lose the front ones in a playdate-knockout - the black spot is just a raisin from her lunch.

Fun in the Sun...hat

2010-08-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Today we received some presents for Maddie and Baby Boy Bailey (thanks, Grandma!), and Maddie immediately had to play with them all (perhaps not in the manner they're intended to be used). Of course, since we were indoors she needed to wear her sunhat while spinning in the Bilibo clutching the new clothes:

Hello?

2010-08-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

Hello? Maddie's waiting for your call.

Christmas in July

2010-07-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

After we woke up, we decked ourselves out in holiday jammies before heading downstairs to open presents.

Maddie was still a bit sleepy, but was definitely surprised to find a new kitchen and dishwasher in her play area! She wasted no time in getting to work on some laundry.

We all opened the rest of our presents and Maddie was much more interested in tearing off the paper this time than she was during December Christmas!

Later in the day, Dakota made an amazing Christmas feast (turkey "thing" with stuffing and mashed potatoes!) and we were joined by our neighbors for a lovely Christmas dinner.

It was a fabulous day and a great start to a new (and quirky) family tradition.

What a Weekend!

2010-07-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend was so much fun! On Saturday morning I helped Mommy make a fruit salad. I had watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and bananas! It was yummy and I was a really big helper. She said she couldn't have done it without me, and I know that's true because I was there.

Then I spent the afternoon with Daddy. It was really hot outside so we stayed inside and played...

and rested...

And then on Sunday morning we all went for a bike ride, got bagels at Sam's, and then Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let me have any coffee. They're really mean like that. After Mommy and I napped, we went to the garden and picked tomatoes with my pink bucket. Then tonight we went to the park for a picnic and a concert - and - here's the REALLY important part! I walked to the park ALL BY MYSELF.

I'm very pleased with myself. And with my shadow. Isn't it cute? It walked there, too.