All the Gift Guides in the World Can't Help Me Now

It seemed like I was making a big dent in my Christmas shopping yesterday, what with all of the shipping confirmation emails flooding my inbox. It seemed that way until I looked at my list and realized that I still have quite a few gifts left to buy.

The kids are mostly done, save for a few stocking stuffers and maybe some clothes.

My husband is making things difficult by claiming not to want anything, except for a few DVDs. The problem is that we typically spoil each other for Christmas and I have spent the last month pointing out many wants, so I'm going to have to deliver. Plus, I LOVE shopping for other people, but he's basically said no to just about every idea I've floated, so I'm at a loss.

My parents are the WORST. These two don't have a want in the world that they haven't fulfilled. My mom gives her Fed Ex driver a Christmas bonus since she sees him EVERY DAY. Oh, I only wish I was kidding.

My brother suggested getting my dad a new Kindle for Christmas, which, eh. He loves his Kindle, but I'm not sure that he wants a new one. He's not at all techy, and is just days away from switching to Jitterbug cell phone. Seems like that would be $200 down the drain, but I have no other ideas. (Oh, update! Brother ordered the DX, which I have and like, but know for certain my dad wouldn't like for it's size. Bummer. And it's spendy. Double bummer.)

Currently, the most fun gift I've purchased were these Starburst, for my brother. When he was little, he would go through packs and packs of Starburst, leaving piles of yellows on his dresser. These made me smile.

Thank you Style Lush Gift Guide. They're currently on sale for $14.79 - 36% off what I paid yesterday!

So, if you have any ideas for the parents who, quite literally, have EVERYTHING. I'm all ears.

Thanksgiving, and then some

Thanksgiving was really lovely. Bub loved playing with his cousins, something he doesn't get when we spend holidays with my parents. There were no shortage of willing arms to snuggle Bubette. Aside from an in-law of an in-law making a snide remark about me being the reason that my baby doesn't sleep through the night*, it was perfectly wonderful.

Saturday we had friends over for Thanksgiving dinner #2. I made my first turkey five years ago, the first year we were married, and I've come a long way.

Hits:
*I made Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. Getting these two somewhat labor intensive dishes out of the way ahead of time was a HUGE weight off of my shoulders.
*Using a roasting bag. I've never made a turkey any other way, and can't imagine that I'll quit this method ever. It cuts way down on the cooking time and produces a super moist turkey. Plus, if you like to make gravy from the turkey drippings, there will be a ton because the bag retains all of the juice and it doesn't cook away.
*The gravy came together perfectly. I highly recommend using Wonder and Kitchen Bouquet. Thanks, mom.
*Paula Deen's Broccoli Casserole. I didn't make this, but a friend did.Make this. Make it now.
*Awesome friends who are happy to hold my clingy baby.
*Leftovers. Enough said.

Misses:
*Even though I've kind of figured out the turkey dinner thing, and had everything timed pretty well, I still felt like I was constantly busy. I think, short of hiring a clean up crew, this is inevitable.

After a month of many days off, the husband is back to work tomorrow... until winter break. It was nice to have a partner to split everything with for a week. I changed half as many diapers, made half as many meals, took twice as many naps as usual. It was grand.

*I don't deny that this is the case. I take the path of least resistance in the middle of the night and usually just nurse her back to sleep. But, imagine this scene with me if you will. A woman, who has several grandchildren, tells me that her son just had his first baby a month ago. She goes on to tell me that she keeps telling him that he's spoiling his baby. HIS ONE MONTH OLD BABY. Go ahead and feel for her daughter-in-law who is a new mother and hears nothing but, You're doing it wrong from her mother-in-law.

I'm holding on to the promise of pie tomorrow

Tomorrow, I promise to be all kinds of Thankful, but today? Today, I've got this:*

*A roof leak in my master bedroom closet.
*A sick and feverish baby girl. (Don't I feel awesome for having her out in the freezing cold just to get the perfect family photo?)
*A roof leak in my bedroom. Oh, I already mentioned that? Huh, the list is shorter than I originally thought. BUT, this month we have already had to fix our garage door and our jacuzzi (middle class problems, I know.) Hopefully this is the official third thing and we're DONE. It's also likely to be the most expensive thing, so Merry Christmas kids! You get drywall!

On the upside, husband took on the task of doing our post-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner shopping so I don't have to brave the grocery store today. Do these people not eat the rest of the year?

The week of two Thanksgivings

We took family pictures today at the beach. It was cold and windy and Bubette spit up all over herself as soon as we got there. However, both kids looked at the camera for pictures, and we'll find out tomorrow if we got anything worth using.

We're having a second Thanksgiving dinner here on Saturday with friends. I enjoy having Thanksgiving at someone else's house, but I really, really miss the leftovers. Basically, I'm making an entire turkey dinner just so I can have a turkey sandwich on Sunday.

The husband has all of this week off (yay, furlough days!) and has already taken out all of the Christmas decorations. The only thing left is to decorate the tree, though the tree itself is up. And, it's fake - obviously.

Bubette is already sleeping in her Christmas pajamas.

Bub doesn't have Christmas pajamas yet, but I want these in red plaid.

We're having a hard time deciding on a big gift for Bub. He's not asking for things yet. Well, he did ask for a $350 Jeep, but no. And he asks to go see the Super Why game every time we're in Target, but that's it. Santa needs some ideas.

We stopped by to say hello to Santa last week (there was no line, so I thought a little meet and greet might make picture day go a little more smoothly.) Santa asked Bub if there was something special that he wanted for Christmas. Bub said, a lollipop.

The weekend was full of outings. Two dinners in restaurants, which is twice the number of times we typically eat out in a month. Dessert both times. Two parties. A cookies and milk bar and dessert table. I was sad to see the weekend go, but I'm happily looking forward to Thanksgiving. I was assigned to bring a dip, which is the most boring thing to bring, ever. I plan to blow their minds by bringing this pumpkin fluff dip.

There probably won't be a cookies and milk bar at Thanksgiving, right?

Little bits

*I'm pretty much loving every single thing at Gap right now. Want some serious cute? Check out the many, adorable hats to be had at BabyGap. Killing me.

*The Style Lush holiday gift guide is here! It's 125 things for $25 or LESS. Last year's gift guide was the source of the one gift that made my mom squeal with excitement and this one is bigger and better. There are so many things that I want for my kids, my friends, and, well, myself if we're being honest. Clicky, clicky people.

* This weekend is packed full of activities. Christmas tree lighting! Birthday party! Baby shower! Beauty and the Beast musical! A babysitter! I'll have family time, a date night, and time with some girlfriends. I'll probably need a nap by the time the weekend is over.

*The husband has all next week off. That means I might actually get that nap I'll need.

*Bub has his Thanksgiving feast this morning at school. It's not a normal school day for him, but all kids are invited for the parties. Politically incorrect and historically inaccurate, but still adorable Thanksgiving songs here we come!

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for friends. Friends that meet you for breakfast while your kids are in school and listen to you blather on about the latest baby sleep woes. (Holy crap am I boring these days.) Friends that make brunch plans and change the date multiple times through a series of emails, just to accommodate everyone's schedules. And, friends that offer to babysit your children so that you and your husband can have a much needed date night. (T-minus 58 hours and counting.)

This month, I'm reminding myself of all of the things that are good in my life. Join me in the comments or a post of your own?

Where my love for Etsy and flying wizards collides

I'm going to go ahead and fly my nerd flag right now and let you know that I'm a huge Harry Potter fan.

I've read each of the books at least twice. If a movie comes out, I have to reread the book and then the following books while I'm at it. Needless to say, I'm already working on lining up a babysitter for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Imagine my glee when I came across this bow in Gryffindor House colors. And no, I wasn't searching for Harry Potter paraphernalia.


Really, I probably wouldn't wear it. But I'd be lying if I didn't squeal a little bit when I saw it.

Murphy's Law: Small Child Sleep Edition

*When you find just the right combination of lullabies and rocking to get your overtired baby to sleep, your dog will decide to bark viciously at a FLY the moment you lay the baby in her crib.

*When the baby sleeps through the night, your preschooler will wake at 4:45 am. FOR THE DAY.

*When you manage to obtain the holy grail of multiple child sleep: the simultaneous naptime, you will find yourself with nothing on the DVR and your book in the (sleeping) baby's room.

Consider yourself informed.

Five Months

Bubette,

We're a little late on the five months, post. Sorry lady. Sleep has vacated the building around here and the days are all running into each other.

About that. Remember when I told the internet what a great sleeper you were? How you would only wake up once at night and sometimes not at all? How you would take these awesome marathon naps, regularly? Well, I'm not sure where that baby went. This has been a rough month, sleepwise. We've moved up your bedtime to make up for the severe lack of daytime sleep, and that has helped, but not completely solved the problem. No matter, you are so ridiculously happy to see me in the middle of the night, it's hard to be (very) upset.

This has been a big month for you.

You had your first trip to Disneyland.



You rode Pirates of the Carribbean and Winnie the Pooh. Your brother rode Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, which he insisted on calling Water, Water, Splash, Splash. I can not believe I have a child old enough to ride roller coasters. Nor can I believe how quickly that day came. Similarly, your babyhood is flying by. You and I sat in the shade of Fantasyland while the boys rode Pinocchio and Snow White - rides your dad dubbed too scary for you. And so it begins.

You had your first Halloween this month, and you were the world's cutest ladybug if I do say so myself. However, note to costume makers: a cape that Velcros around the neck for an infant costume, is ill-advised. You found trick-or-treating to be a bit boring, and chose to nap in the stroller while your brother made the rounds of the neighborhood. I had a sappy this is my family moment, while I stood at the bottom of driveways with you, and your dad and Bub rang doorbells.

We started feeding you rice cereal last week, and once we got the texture right, you were a fan. I was planning to wait until you were six months old to start any other food, but with the way you watch me like a hawk when I eat, I'm not sure I'll make it that long.

This month your brother seems to have really started to adore you and you love him right back. The other day we were sitting at the table coloring together and every single thing he said cracked you up. It warms my heart to think of my two babies having a close sibling relationship.



I try to memorize your tiny baby face. I want you to know that you are so much more than your looks, but I could look at you all day. You have eyelashes for days. When you sleep, they rest on your cheeks. It kills me and I'm pretty sure I'll be sneaking into you room for years to come to catch a glimpse of your sleeping face.

Until two weeks from now next month, baby girl, we love you so.

Thankful Thursday

Let's just skip right over the fact that Bub has woken up at 4:45 or EARLIER every day this week and move on to better things, yes?

Today, I'm thankful for cinnamon rolls from the Pioneer Woman. In lieu of coffee or anything caffeinated, these are totally making my mornings. (I'm digging deep here, people.)

I'm also thankful for preschool teachers who don't necessarily report every single "bad" thing my kid does, but make sure to tell me every single time he has a great day. Maybe this one should have been first?

And of course, today, on Veterans Day, I'm thankful for all of those who have served our country.

My point here, is to make a point of recognizing things, both big and small, that I'm thankful for. Feel free to join me!

Playing Fair

Mama! Put the baby down so I can have uuuuuup! he sobbed, hand clamped to the side of his head that he had just smacked on the door.

So, I did. She was nursing, but his immediate need seemed greater. Or something. How do we do this multiple children thing, exactly?

I was discussing with a friend which of our children we feel bad for, the first or second born. She also has a three year old boy and a baby girl, who are about three years apart just like mine, so we get each other.

She said that she feels guilty that the baby, her daughter, will never know life as an only child. She'll never really know what it's like to be the sole focus of your parents attention.

I contended that because our first born children knew life as only children, and had three years with just their parents, that this is a much bigger adjustment for them.

She reiterated that our babies have been cheated for never having that experience and I countered that they'll always know life as part of a pair so there's no world shaking changes to deal with.

Chicken. Egg.

I get alone time with the baby while Bub is in school. Bub and I hang out while the baby naps. The husband and I take turns taking just one of the kids with us to run a quick errand on the weekend. And sure, we do plenty of stuff as a family and we trade off which kid we're focusing on. It's not really a conscious thing, but if I've spent a long time with the baby, I'll hand her off and go check in with my boy.

As they get older it's important to me that they still get time alone with each of us, but it's also important that they recognize that they are part of a pair. That they have to share their time and their things. That life isn't fair. Or, that they have no idea what "fair" really means.

How parents with more than two children manage, I'll never understand.

Are you KIDDING me?

Over the weekend we were visiting my parents. My mom took Bubette for a walk and decided to grab a few things at the grocery store. The baby fell asleep, and my mom draped a blanket over the stroller to keep the sun off of her face.

When she walked into the store, a man (who was selling something, or asking for money, or otherwise soliciting) threw back the blanket and said, "Who do we have here?!"

Bubette's eyes flew open. Nap time over.

Who does that? No, a prematurely ended nap isn't the end of the world, but WHO DOES THAT? Along with asking a woman when she's due without being absolutely certain that she's pregnant, I would never, EVER bother a baby in a stroller. EVER.

What Who does that? moments have you had lately?

Mountains out of Molehills

At Bub's preschool we get monthly progress reports, which I'm starting to hear might be kind of rare. No matter, I like it. I like hearing what he's enjoying and I like the suggestions for things to work on. Last week, his teacher expressed a bit of concern in his progress report. Naturally, I reacted with concern of my own. Unfortunately, I had three and a half hours in between grabbing the progress report from his folder at school and pick up time when I could talk to her about this.

I spent the next three and a half hours in a spiral of concern where I alternately blew off her concerns, and blew them into problems of epic proportions.

I called a friend, I posted to Twitter, I Googled.

Then, I did what I should have done in the first place. I asked the teacher to be a touch more specific about her concerns. When she explained what she was seeing and we talked it out for a bit, we both quickly came to the conclusion that she didn't really think there was something to be worried about. We agreed that she would keep a better eye on things to see if there really was something to worry about, just in case.

One conclusion that I came to during all of this is that we're so quick to label our kids. Two people pointed out to me that it doesn't really matter if my kid's behavior doesn't exactly match that of his peers. Maybe my kid does do these things. Maybe they're not "normal." Maybe it's just his personality. Maybe HE'S THREE.

I'm not saying that I don't appreciate the teacher's observation. I value her opinion. She knows three year olds, as a whole, better than I do. After two months, I'm quite happy with the school and his teacher. And sure, some things need to be addressed. Some problems need a solution. But, when I was stuck in panic mode last week, I was so worried about making things right. About breaking him of this (possibly non-existent) habit.

The truth is, I don't need to make him fit in a box. Admittedly, part of the reason I think preschool is so important is for him to learn how to function in the world apart from me. For him to learn to advocate for himself, to use his words, to take turns, to listen, to understand that the world revolves around the sun, not his cute little blonde head. Still, as much I want him to get how things work and what's expected of him, it's okay if he's not exactly like every other kid in his class.

The trick will be remembering that I said this next month when I hear something that sends me down the panic path again.

Thankful Thursday

In honor of Thanksgiving, I plan to post what I'm thankful for every Thursday this month. Join me, won't you?

Currently, I'm thankful for furlough days. I know, I should be saying Down with furlough days! Furlough days mean pay cuts and fewer days in school and you can bet that if I had a child in public school I would be whining. However, I can't single-handedly fix the budget crisis in California, so for now we'll celebrate. My (teacher) husband only works one full week this month. He had this past Monday off, and has a four day weekend for Veteran's Day and the entire week of Thanksgiving off.

I get six extra days with my husband home, an extra pair of hands during the day, a buddy to drive with me to preschool and maybe, a nap or two.

What are you thankful for? Tell me in the comments or link to your own post.

Things I Want NOW: Fondant Cupcake Toppers

Sometimes I wonder how we ever lived without Etsy. Just as I'm sure I was meant to be born in a time where in-car navigation systems are the norm (because I will NEVER be able to tell you which way is west,) I know that my world is a better place because Etsy is in it.

Recently I came across something that I didn't even know existed, and now I'm bursting with the possibilities.

Enter fondant cupcake toppers.

In the world of cute, but totally useless things, these take the cake (Ha. CAKE.) Seriously though, I must have these at a party in the future.

If I were hosting Thanksgiving (I'm not, thank goodness,) I would definitely need these leaf and acorn toppers.


We haven't decided if we're having our annual Christmas party this year, but if we do, you can bet that either Rudolph or Santa Claus will be in attendance.



For my baby girl's first birthday, (SHUT UP, I know it's seven months away) I'm tossing around several ideas. One is a candy theme (which is obviously more for me than for her,) or an owl theme. Aren't you dying?



These are all from the shop Cakes and Kids, but Etsy it BURSTING with these. I dare you to find a party need that can't be met with one of these babies.

Just to be clear, no one asked me to post about this. Cakes and Kids has NO IDEA who I am, (but they will as soon I order one of everything in their store.) I just found a little piece of cute and couldn't keep it to myself.

We are here to trick or treat, trick or treat, trick or treat...*

You know when people say that experiencing the holidays through your children's eyes makes them SO MUCH BETTER.

They're right.

This is the first year that Bub has really appreciated Halloween, and it was worth the wait.

For Bub's first Halloween he was four months old. We put him in his costume, he cried, we took pictures and he went to bed. His second Halloween he had been in the ER two nights prior with a stomach bug so bad it required Zofran to stop it. Last year he had a broken leg and just wanted to go home. This year, that all changed.

Bub got suited up - he was Luigi, my husband Mario. Bubette donned her ladybug costume. We went to a carnival at our church for a little bit, then came home to trick or treat. Bub ran the entire time. He said "Trick or Treat!" and "Happy Halloween!" and "Thank you!" and "Let's go to ANUDDER house!" He preferred the houses that were festively decorated, but we reminded him that pretty much anyone with their light on was going to have candy, so he deigned to visit them as well.

He loved it. He loved every minute of it. He was sad when it was over and wanted to do it all over again.

Bubette was nonplussed and napped in the stroller. There was a short discussion of just putting her to bed after all of my hard work to get her sleeping better, but we scrapped that in favor of family trick or treating. I'm letting the joy of seeing my boy so happy override the fact that she was up every two hours last night.

The piles of candy all over the house are helping, too.

Additional thoughts on Halloween.

Thought #1: No costume, no candy. We usually shut off our lights just before 8:00, because we're OLD and because this is when the hordes of teenagers come through the neighborhood with pillowcases and nothing even remotely resembling a costume. Go ahead, smash my pumpkin. No candy for you.

Thought #2: When did it become okay for children to decline the candy they're being offered and ask for something else? One of the little girls I handed out candy to handed her candy back to me and reached into the bowl for something else. It's free candy, folks! I don't call you and tell you what to buy me for my birthday. You say thank you, and walk away. If you want an entire bucket full of fun-size Snickers, Target is just around the corner!

Thought #3: Some people suck. Since we were both going to be out taking the kids trick or treating, we left a bowl of candy out. I knew that at some point, someone would come along and probably empty the entire bowl into their bag. Fine. What I didn't anticipate was someone STEALING OUR BOWL.

Thought #4: Seeing the magic of a holiday through your child makes all of the other crap seem unimportant.

*Thank you Little Einsteins and your Halloween themed episode.