June 28, 2009

Bliss...


Thank God for pedicures! And, for thoughtful Mother's Day gifts!

June 26, 2009

We Surrender...

...to the HEAT! No longer will we be prisoners of our own home. No longer will we be mopey and sullen. No. We will stand up and fight.

WE
WILL
GO
OUTSIDE!!

Tyler took the day off from painting today, and we had the chance to spend our first day as a family during the month-long furlough. We had quite an exciting day!

One of the parenting groups we belong to had a private art class scheduled at the art museum, and Sassy was very excited to go. She went to the previous month's class without me on a morning that I was working and Sarah looked after the girls.

Since I knew we would be downtown, there was a morning pit stop that I was dying to make ever since I read about it here. Needless to say, it took very little convincing for Tyler and Sassy to agree to have donuts for breakfast...

The Donut Whole is such a neat place! I could have taken pictures all day long- it is very vintage and kitschy and bright!

Presenting... The Donut Whole:



Can we go in now? Can we go in now??



They have these neat vintage leather couches- rips, tears, and all- for customers to sit and enjoy some fresh air with their coffee and donuts:



Sassy was fascinated by the things inside:



She chose a donut that matched her personality:



She pretty much thought I was the bees knees after allowing her to get a sparkling lemonade. Hey, might as well go all out, right?



Little A just took it all in:



After causing a loud ruckus in the "quiet room" of the donut shop for far too long, we thought it best to move things back out to the patio... Here is Sassy, lost in thought while finishing her breakfast:



Yeah, I have a feeling we might go back there at some point. Maybe. We'll see...

Next, we went to the art museum for our class. The kids learned about lightness and darkness in art, and then made a little collage on special paper. When the paper was exposed to the sun, it changed color. After the exposure, the kids removed the objects they had glued down and got to see the negative images. Pretty neat!

Sassy worked very hard at placing her objects:



All the kids pictures during exposure:



Sassy and Daddy, revealing the finished product:



Little A taking it all in... again:



In front of the art museum, there is a very large, very strange sculpture. Every time I drive by, I find myself compelled to check it out. So, today, we decided to take a closer look.

The sculpture is called Dreamers Awake, by Tom Otterness, a Wichita native. From a distance, all you see if this giant figure, machete in hand, with a missing arm.

Weird.

Turns out, it gets even weirder when you get close. Hmm...

Sassy and Ty amidst the carnage:



See thought it was so funny that the foot was as tall as she was!



After our museum adventure, we went to Playa Azul for a quick lunch, and took the girls to the fountains at Old Town. Sassy had a blast! She smiled so big and laughed so hard- it was so fun to watch. Here are a few highlights:









Needless to say, we are all pretty exhausted from our busy day. Let me tell you, it just gets busier from here. Weekend, here we come!

June 25, 2009

It's a hEaT WaVe...

It's hot. HOT hot. Have I mentioned this before? Oh, I have? Do forgive me...

It's funny. Just last week, I was bragging to my aunt about how my body has adjusted so well to living in Kansas. When I was young, I despised the heat. I would avoid outdoor places during the summer. I was one of those kids that flushed immediately upon stepping foot outside when it was above 70°. I was going on and on about how I actually enjoy the summer heat these days, and I was anxiously awaiting the REAL HEAT to come...

Yeah, I'm wallowing in the irony.

It's been hovering in the high 90's all week, and we've clearly surpassed the 100° mark with the heat index. Apparently, it's breaking news around here...

We've had a relatively low-key week, with Sassy on the mend, and all. Yesterday, we went to the library for a magic show. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing magic about it was its conclusion. I kid, I kid. It was cute. I am a genius, though, and I thought it would be a great idea to get their super early for good seats. In turn, we were stuck in front of a conglomeration of small children, with no escape route. Bad news when you have a 10-month old with a serious case of ants in her pants. We survived, though.

Oh, and do tell me how I can teach my child that crawling across industrial carpeting is never a good idea? Her poor little knees are raw. Where in the world house are those Baby Legs? Bad Mama.

Sweet Sassy at the library:



Little A giving Sassy a taste of her own medicine regarding personal space:



Following the library, we hit the park across the street, which was just remodeled. We were there for approximately 4.2 seconds before Sassy slid down the slide into some wet sand and had a meltdown that rivaled a scene from Supernanny. Or, The Exorcist. Take your pick.

Here is the saga, in its earliest stage:



Even though Little A looked like this...



...it was time to go home.

Fun times, I tell you. Any brilliant ideas for indoor fun, seeing as the forecast doesn't look to be relenting anytime soon?

June 23, 2009

Space...

noun.
\ˈspās\
a: the distance from other people or things that a person needs in order to remain comfortable b: the opportunity to assert or experience one's identity or needs freely c: an opportunity for privacy or time to oneself

Sassy, were you listening to that just now? What's that you say? You understand the concept of space? You do?

Tell that to your sister...

Sassy is an in-your-face kind of girl. She has been since I can remember. She enjoys the up close and personal. Boundaries are meaningless to her.

This has become particularly evident in watching Sassy Little A's interactions. Little A is just learning to navigate her territory on the floor, now that she's a full-fledged crawler, and all. Sassy is perpetually in her face, singing her a song, offering her a new toy, or talking to her like a little mommy in that sing-songy voice that makes me seriously question what the hell I sound like when I speak Parentese.

I am constantly reminding Sassy to give her sister space. "Space, Sassy"... "You need to give her some space"... "When she whines like that, it means she doesn't like what you are doing"... "Space, please"... "Sassy... S-P-A-C-E"!

I feel like a broken record.

Little A is definitely starting to voice her frustrations. If she isn't in the mood for a conjoined twin, she lets the world know. Vocally. I am frightened to envision when her boundary setting becomes more physical in nature...

Black Eye
noun.
\ˈblak\-\ˈī\
a: A bruised discoloration of the flesh surrounding the eye, often resulting from a blow

June 22, 2009

Monday Ramblings...

Don't you just love those Mondays where you are thrown, head-first, into your week?? Yeah, me too.

Not.


So, yesterday was Father's Day. Tyler spent his Father's Day morning by waking up with Little A at 5:30 am because Mom didn't hear her. Oops. Luckily, they both fell back asleep, or someone would have never heard the end of it.

We took a drive up to Wichita. We packed all of our gear for the park and the fountains, but we never made it that far. It was hot. Like, HOT hot. We went to HuHot for lunch (dads ate free) and then to Bradley Fair. I needed to exchange a pair of shorts at Gymboree for another size. I ordered Sassy a 3T since she is 3. When they arrived, they were insanely huge, so we went back and downsized, all the way down to 18-24 months. I know that sounds ridiculous, but, get this: they were falling off her waist. Hello!!! So, we ended up going back and up-sizing to a 2T, since those had the adjustable waist elastic, and I was able to cinch them tight enough. Man, I wish I had problems keeping my pants from falling off! What a skinny minnie! After Gymboree, we visited the fountain and made some wishes.

Next, we stopped at the mall. We bought some water shoes for Sassy from The Children's Place. I wasn't in love with them, and they don't exactly match her bathing suits that well, but I was in love with the price compared to the alternatives I have seen! Tyler finally picked out a new pair of glasses, and I am SO excited. I talked him into a pair of non-wire glasses!! I really likes these, but he picked out a bit of a darker frame. Still, he looked really good in them. I hope he'll end of loving them as much as I do! Might as well play up the sexy nerd factor that already exists, right?



By the time we were finished with all of our errands, we were way too exhausted to go to the park. I don't think the girls even missed it! We came home and watched Madagascar 2 in the basement, where it was nice and cool.

Oh, and here are a couple of shots from Father's Day. Poor Little A was sleeping. I can't believe I didn't get one picture of her and her Daddy on their first Father's Day together. Oh, the shame:






Sassy had been complaining of a tummy ache on and off for the past few days. Then, last night, she started running a fever. She woke up this morning with a rash on her neck and chest, so it was off to the pediatrician for us. The verdict: Sassy has strep throat. Ugh! Summer sickness is the pits!

Sassy was very disappointed because we were supposed to go to the fountains this morning with several of our friends. We even packed our swim bags and picnic lunch last night (before fever) so that we would be all ready to go this morning.

So, while we were at Target getting her prescription filled, good ole' mommy guilt got the best of me. I let her get this awful toy that she has been looking at for weeks. It's cute, actually, but it has approximately 1,437 small parts. You know, the kind of toy that I might lose sleep over, God forbid a tiny shoe were to go missing?

Here's a small photo recap of our morning...

The dreaded antibiotic. Come to think of it, we spent Father's Day last year in the ER because Sassy had a terrible allergic reaction to the Augmentin they gave her for the terrible infection she got from scratching at the terrible allergic reaction she had to the mosquito bites she got from visiting Grandma and Grandpa up in Minnesota. Did you get all that?



Sassy trying her best to do a sad face for the camera. Really, she's not feeling too crummy...



Sucking down that medicine:



Sassy, elated with her new death trap for baby sister Cinderella toy:



The totes I bought for Sassy, along with her toy, that I strongly encouraged her to use for all of the pieces (if she wants to keep the toy, that is...)



Sassy gleefully demonstrating the size of the teeny tiny Cinderella shoes. Sorry she is in her undies... that's just how we roll...



The anal-retentive list that I made off all of the pieces that should be accounted for, you know... as a reference point in case of any subsequent trips to the ER with Little A for Cinderella shoe removal from her duodenum...




Speaking of numbers, did you know that I hit the 10,000 mark for pictures from my new camera. You know, the one I got for my birthday in March?

So, here's the rundown by my calculations. I have taken 10,085 pictures since March 9th. That breaks down to 672.33 pictures per week, or 96.05 pictures per day.

Yeah, I think there is something officially wrong with me.

Crazy camera lady... OUT!

June 21, 2009

Father's Day...

Just a little something we put together for Daddy:


June 20, 2009

Hands Off...

...My pancakes! I'm watching you...

June 19, 2009

It All Makes Sense...


I've come to a conclusion.

I have figured out the reason why I can get fabulous pictures of everyone else's children, but not my own.

I had an "aha moment".

It's because my own kiddos are sick of looking at my face.

Period.

They'd rather look anywhere else.

I swear, I am not trying to go for the amateur photographer look off into the distance phenomenon.



I promise.

June 18, 2009

Stellan

Stellan is back in the PICU tonight. Pray for him, please! SVT, SVT, go away...

10 Months...


Little A, Little A... you're 10 months old today!!!

I can hardly believe my own ears when I hear myself starting to make plans for your first birthday party. Can it be true?

Here are some things I would like to share about you on your 10-month birthday, sweet girl:

  • You are a crawling machine, little missy. Even though you have only been crawling for 1 week, you are quite accomplished in your sport. You can tear up and down the hallway and find us in any of the rooms... quickly... without carpeting. Impressive!
  • You have been moonlighting in teething, as well. I can't even say, with certainty, how many teeth you have cut. I've tried and tried to take a peek, to no avail. Your little gums are just way too tender to have mommy poking around in there. I know you have at least three teeth in the bottom, and I am fairly certain that you have at least three up top, as well.
  • You wear a size 3 diaper.
  • You are fitting into many 12-18 month outfits! Mommy can sheepishly admit that she jumped the gun and purchased way too many 9 month things for summer. I was going by what I knew to be true when your sister was this age, and you are proving me wrong, girlfriend! I think it's just because you want new clothes to wear!
  • You aren't taking the bottle quite as well as you used to. I am attributing this to two factors: being way too concerned with what is going on around you to sit still and eat and also feeling not so hungry due to the extreme heat of summer.
  • You do not like foods with texture! We have tried offering you teeny tiny chunks of banana and avocado, and you want nothing to do with it until it is pureed. Your little gag reflex can't handle it! You still love puffs and cheerios, though.
  • Last but not least, you have become nearly impossible to take a picture of! You are too busy trying to pull grass or find little rocks or crumbs or dust balls. You have no time to look at mommy's camera and smile anymore. Well, almost no time...

The past 10 months have been so much fun, and I look forward to 1,000 more to spend with you! (Well, that would make me a little old, but still...)


June 17, 2009

Splish Splash...

The girls and I joined a slew of friends at a playground with fountains this morning. After the fountains, we had one of our famous picnic lunches, which are becoming a very popular event this summer around these parts! I got some way cute pictures of everyone else's kiddos, and some decent ones of my own. I'll go ahead and share the latter...

Little A munching on some puffs:



The girls trying to cover all of the "blow holes":



Sassy & friends enjoying the seal spray:



Little A being an astute observer to the chaos of fountain play:



Sassy getting cozy, all up in her towel:



A photographic gauge of our enjoyment today:

June 16, 2009

Mommy Guilt...

Is it wrong that, for the past 2 Tuesdays, I have paid to take my kids to MDO, only to turn around and pay to go to the pool and relax?

Is it unthinkable that I would find it more enjoyable to go to the pool without my kids rather than with them?

Is it wrong that I covet those 10 beautiful minutes of adult swim while I am there, even though I know my own little munchkins are just heartbroken when they have to get out of the pool?

Is it a bad sign that I hide every iota of pool evidence before I pick the girls up, and fear the possible revelation of my actions? Is it worse when I cringed today as Sassy asked me, "Were you at home, mama?" Ugh, just stab.me.in.the.heart, why don't you?

Is it disdainful that I am already gearing up for a little pool-side R & R next Tuesday??

June 15, 2009

Hijacked...

Hi. Little A here. Mom's been a little busy catching up from her business trip. We all like to wreak a little havoc while she's gone, and it typically sends her straight into a tail spin for a few days. I thought I'd jump in and compose a little post while she's tied up with helping Sassy do a kangaroo puzzle for the 876th time and sweeping the corners and crevices of each room in order to prevent me from eating dust particles and dead bugs... you know... the usual.

So, I starting crawling this week. Everyone made such a big deal about it, but I was, like... duh. I'm going to be 10 months next week. It's only natural!

I like to be a girl on a mission, and I can get whatever it is that my little heart desires:





This crawling gig has been working to my advantage. Now, I can invade my sister's puzzle time and eat the pieces that I've been lusting after for weeks. I can also scurry over to the coffee table and pull out all of mom's magazines. The edges are really yummy. It's fun to watch mom put them all away 10 times a day, too. You know, a little afternoon entertainment, is all.

I mean, I'm not going to lie. Sometimes, I do try to seek out a little mischief:



But, really... what are they going to do to me when I look like this? I mean, C'mon:



Oh, and have any of you ever cut, like, 5 teeth all at once? Yeah, I've been dealing with that, too. Well, maybe not five, but it sure feels like it! Mom and Dad think it's hilarious that I have the one top tooth over on the side, and none in the middle. Mom calls me snaggletooth, but I know it's endearing. I do look a little silly, truth be told. Those teething tablets and the Motrin have been helping with the pain, but I really hope it's all over soon.

Yeah, so I've pretty much been moving non-stop since the advent of the crawling. My poor little knees are even getting red! Time to tell mom to dig out the Baby Legs!







Phew, all this crawling is making me tired. I think it's about time a nice, cold white beverage, and then it's time to hit the sack! Thanks for reading my post. Mom should be back tomorrow. Hey, let's not tell her about how I hijacked her blog, all right? I probably should have asked first! Thanks, peeps. Little A, out!