My Moment… Shattered!

My kids earned a free ice cream cone [each] by drawing a picture of their favorite character from a book for the library.  Last Friday was the magical day that they got to go redeem their coupons!

Now… I am not the Mom that takes my kids to restaurants by myself.  Actually I am almost certain I have never done it.  I’ve met people there or people have gone with me.  In all honesty I have been avoiding restaurants since Max could walk!  He has no time for sitting still – waiting on food – eating food politely – and waiting for others to finish.  I completely remember this stage with Mallory!  I was at a friends house in Indiana and her husband was taking Mallory and their little girl to a restaurant by himself!  Yes!  By himself!  Two kids!  And I thought… oh no!  Mallory doesn’t do well in restaurants right now.  But he didn’t care!  They were going for chili dogs!  By the way she was a rock star for him!  Anyway, I know it is just a phase and he will eventually come around and sit still and be polite in restaurants – until then I just avoid them!  ; )

I did it!  I took them for ice cream cones by myself!  I wasn’t even scared actually.  I had this cool calm collected-ness about me that I was like – bring it!! 

The kids have to wait for their cones and they sit in a bench next to each other and I sit across from them.  We chat a bit.  We wait.  No one acts up!  Everyone is being so awesome and polite!

Ice cream comes.  They eat.  Max enjoys it for about 4.5 minutes and he is done and now his sit stillness has ended and he is ready for some action.  He wiggles around a bit in our bench.  He crashes his face into the table and cries and comes and sits on my lap and eats some more of his ice cream.

We stop at the bathroom before we leave and everyone stands on their square in the bathroom and was super great listeners.  (I have my kids find shapes on the floor and then they have to stand on them!  Works magically!  When I am in parking lots they have to stand on the white lines and not fall off.  Mally is almost 4 and it still works for her!  Try it!) 

We are leaving the restaurant and an elderly lady stops me in my tracks to complement me.  “Your children are beautiful.  They are so well behaved.”  I say thank you very much.  She continues to go on and compliment me some more.  I peek down at my kids…

Max has bolted.  Mally is trying to bring him back.  Grabs the hood of his jacket and gives him a yank backwards.  Max falls.  Max screams.  Max cries.  Max gets up and dashes to the other side of the restaurant.

I look at the lady and I said “Are they still really good beautiful kids?”

She laughed.

I ran to the other side of the restaurant to retrieve my escaped child.  Another customer saw us and he puts his arm at Max asking for high fives.  Totally distracts Max from running!  Brilliant Customer!  I grab my child.  He screams.  We exit building!

And just when I am being told how awesome my kids are… they just have to go and ruin it!  Right in front of me!! 

2-Year Old Maxwell

Maxwell David.

Weighing in at 30 pounds. 

75th percentile for weight.  50th percentile for height.

Nicknames:  Max.  Maxaroni.  Maxaroo.  Shorty.  Buddy.

Favorite Food: waffles, chicken, juice, Ranch.

He loves to dip everything he eats.  Preferably in Ranch.  He has dipped individual corn kernels in ranch.  He has dipped fruit in ranch.  He has dipped cheese in ranch.  He likes to dip!  I took them for free ice cream cones (that they earned at the library) and he was dipping french fries in his ice cream.  Which is amazingly good!!  Something about that salty sweet!!  Oh!  Then this weekend I was frosting cupcakes (for his party) and I gave each kid a tiny bowl of frosting and a cupcake that they could frost and eat.  I had one piece of bacon left over from breakfast- Max spotted it and wanted to eat it.  He started dipping the bacon into the frosting and eating it!!

Favorite Show: Mickey Mouse

Favorite Toy:  Monster Trucks & Tractors.

He loves his shoes.  He loves them so much he sometimes has to sleep with them on.  All. Night. Long.  (There are just some days where I don’t want to do the shoe battle so I just let him sleep in them.)  If he hasn’t slept in them he will find them and bring them to me first thing in the morning for me to put them on him.

There are some things he is very certain he can do them himself.  Other times he is very certain he can not do them himself and he wants me to do it.  Usually things he doesn’t want to do like… pick up toys, walk down the stairs, throw his clothes in the laundry.

He talks.  A lot.  Someone asked me if everyone knows what he is saying.  I laughed and said nope.  The other day we went to the library and we had lots of snow and when I parked my truck was hanging out in the street and I didn’t like that so I drove up onto the snowbank.  When I got out I had really drove up on the bank that it jacked the truck up way into the air and when I got the kids out Max looked at the truck and said “Monster truck.”  So he runs into the library and runs right up to the librarian (who we have gotten to know very well) and says “Momma’s truck a monster truck”.  The librarian looks at him says “You have mud on your shoes?”  Um… nope not everyone understands what he is saying.  Sometimes I don’t know what he is saying so I ask Mallory.  Sometimes she knows.  Sometimes she doesn’t. 

He is not shy.  He runs right up to people and starts talking away and answering their questions. 

He seems to be still very needy sometimes.  Not always.  But sometimes.  And when it is that sometimes, I do mean very needy.  : ) 

When with a group of kids – he likes to play by himself.  However, he plays amazingly well with Mallory.  Most of the time.  : )  They are siblings and they do fight! 

He is totally goofy sometimes that it will send us all into fits of giggles.  He has a slight potential to be the class clown.

He is very into his motorized vehicles.  Loves the RZR and going for rides.  The lawnmower.  He climbs on it and just sits on it.  At my parents today they had the little dirt bike out and Jesse and Max were driving around the driveway as soon as they laid eyes on it.

Maxwell Turns 2!!

Yesterday was Maxwell’s birthday.  He turned TWO!  Throughout the day I would say “Happy Birthday Maxwell!!  Today is your birthday!” and he would respond with “Noooo!”  Which if you know my Max at all – that is so him!  : )

Our friends, Molly & Glenn, had called us last night at 4:30 to come over for supper.  We went.  So we had supper with them and then came home and had Max opened his presents.  When I was buckling him into carseat, when we were leaving, I told him we were going to go home and open some presents.  “Yay!”  Followed by a “what are they” was his response to that. 

Then we got home and we pulled in the garage and Jesse hadn’t even turned the truck off yet and he is yelling, momma get me out!  When I do finally get him out he says “open my presents now?”  : )  Little stinker!

The lighting was horrible.  It was late after 8, so it was getting dark.  I hate pictures with flash – so I was trying to get them without flash and well… crap pictures happened. 

He was moving way too fast and way too excited!

New hat!!

Mallory helping him put it on. 

He has some motorcross name brand on it, I think.  Jesse bought his presents this year.  ; )

Opening his present from Mallory.

A guitar!!  Now is that any surprise to you?  Mallory picked it out.  She wanted to get him a real guitar but we couldn’t find one.

Trying his hat again while Daddy takes his guitar out of the box!

One last present…

A bike!  A bike!  *jumps up and down*

It is a bike without pedals.  They have to push themselves and it teaches them balance.  Jesse found it on his dirt biking websites.

I took a couple videos – however I think I will just save them for the family file.  Jesse attempts to show the kids how it works and then Max wants me to help him so Jesse takes over the video and tapes my butt instead of Max on his bike!  I think he was trying to get Max – but my butt was hogging the entire shot. 

Max loves that bike already!  It is super light – he can lift it.  So he rides it and then picks it up and carries it around.  He rode it into our bathroom to brush his teeth before bed.  Had to put the bike in the bathtub while he brushed.  Then ride it out when he was done to his room.  Picked up his bike and tossed it into Mallory’s bed.  Thought his bike was going to sleep in Mally’s bed.  I laughed so hard.  I asked him where Mallory was suppose to sleep if his bike was there and he pats on her pillow and says “right here”.  He then moved it to beside his crib so that he could still reach it while in his crib.

Jesse wanted to get him a real dirt bike for his birthday.  I am not ready for that.  So we got him the first step… this bike.

Happy Birthday Little Buddy Max!!

Toddler Boys

This past weekend I had a full fun weekend planned.  Friday night we were going to dinner with the Frey side.  The kids and I were going to spend the night at my parents.  Max had his 2-year pictures scheduled for Saturday morning.  Saturday afternoon my sister and I had a hotel booked to let the kids swim and have a big ‘ol slumber party. 

Thursday late afternoon Jesse and the kids went to the hardware store to pick me up some paint (I was working) and Max tripped over Jesse’s foot (at the hardware store) and fell face first into the floor.  Splitting his top lip in two places.  I wasn’t there, but I heard… blood everywhere!!  When they came home they had to come out to my office and show me.  It was pretty bad, but not stiches worthy.

Then it hit me!!  Max has pictures on Saturday!  That boy!  For his 1-year pictures he has a cut on his forehead!!!  And now for his 2-year pictures he is going to have a fat lip!! 

Friday morning Mallory and I both wake up with a big fat head cold.  An exhausting-want-to-do-nothing-wear-pajamas-all-day head cold!  Or at least that is what my head cold felt like.  Max would not remove the nuk from his mouth and was a bit fussy and needed lots of snuggles.

This isn’t going to be the fun weekend I had planned – so I text my sister and we cancel!  I cancel it all!  No pictures.  No hotel.

We did go to supper with the Freys and the kids enjoyed that.  There was a live band – and Mally got to dance for a bit.

Now… to put Maxwell in a bubble until Sunday when his pictures are rescheduled for.

Spring!! Just kidding! Not Spring!

It has been a difficult Spring here in Wisconsin.  Mid-April and we are still getting snow and still have snow on the ground!  Maybe this means we are in for a really hot & humid summer!!  Right now, that sounds wonderful!!  : ) 

This book I am reading was talking about letting your children in on doing the household chores.  Sometimes that is really hard for Moms to do – because we know that we can do it faster.  : )  I am so that Mom!

Jesse is so great at letting the kids in on helping him with projects.  He has amazing patience when it comes to that.  I do not.

I decided to try and overcome this weakness of mine…

And have Mallory skip nap and have special time with me and plant some seeds for the garden (if we ever do get summer).  She was beyond excited!  She just got garden equipment for Easter so to be able to use that was even more exciting! 

It took great amount of patience from me.  She was making a mess.  She wasn’t filling them the way I would.  She wanted to do every step of the process.  She was putting more then two seeds into the hole.  It was driving me insane!  I kept my cool though.  We did it together.  I learned to say who cares if 5 seeds went in a hole instead of 2… after the 4th time!  : ) 

It was good for me.  It was special for Mally. 

We did this about two weeks ago and we have sprouts!! 

Healthy perfect looking little baby sprouts!! 

Now for that summer to get here…

Walking Season Starts

It is getting warmer here… warmer as in the upper 30s/lower 40s!  Well that feels fantastic to me!!

I pack the kids up and go for walks any chance I can get.  And they love it just as much as me.  Soaking up that direct sunshine and getting that bit of exercise – keeps us all happy!!  Nap time comes much easier too!  ; )

They didn’t want to stop – so we went around the block.  Pokey Mallory back there!

While I waited for Mallory to catch up – I found a pretty cool tree with some sun flare action!!

Mallory is a treasure hunter.  I have found rocks in the washing machine already and we still have piles of snow!  I don’t know how she finds them so quickly!

She has always been a treasure hunter.  I remember taking her for walks when she was little and she filled her pockets with grass!  The neighbors all thought it was just funny and would assist her to fill them pockets to the maximum capacity!

One pinecone is never enough!

We are still looking…

Distracted by taking Minney threw the big puddles.

That last puddle was way too big for Max to just watch – he need in on that puddle action now.

Since Max was going to walk Mallory was tired of pushing the stroller so we put it in Max’s car.

And Slow Poke McGee is slowly coming!

Max is a full speed ahead kind of walker.

Until there was ice to be crushed – then he is sure to stop and crush some ice.

After that big [and very slow] walk around the block – Max was not done.  He wanted to go again.  Mallory did not.  That was a huge walk for her.  So we kicked Minney out…

and Mally got to ride in the car so Max could walk some more.

We are all ready for our nightly walk as a family so hurry up warmer weather!!

Hunting Easter Baskets

We did Easter on Saturday morning (before Easter) since we wanted to get to church early on Easter.  Doing it Saturday gave us all the time we needed.

Mallory was so disappointed that the Easter eggs did not have candy in them.  That she turned it into a competition.  Who could find the most eggs.  Max didn’t really get it… as you can see him checking out her pile of eggs.  His pile of eggs is behind him. 

Max found his basket!  Scratch that… Mally found it first and then Max found it. 

After much coaching – Mallory found hers!

I did a garden / outside theme this year.  They each got umbrellas.

Then garden bags with all the tools, garden gloves and water cans.  This is Max’s water can!  Isn’t this water can so Max!? 

Funny Mallory story to end our Easter recap.  We are getting ready for church on Sunday morning and I am in the bathroom curling my hair and Mallory says to me… Momma you look really pretty. 

Me:  Well thank you so much Mallory.

Mally:  Yah.  You look prettier then that other time when you weren’t a pretty momma.

Me:  *completely speechless*

Mally:  *continues to explain to me that I wasn’t always pretty*

So apparently I am not always a pretty momma!  And I think I am okay with that… I think…  : )

Turning 30

If you knew I was turning 30 and you talked to me about it – I would inform you that I was really struggling with it.  I do not like it.

When Jesse’s Dad called me on my birthday and I answered in this cheerful voice – he laughed and said I expected to hear that you were in a corner with a bottle of wine and box of kleenex crying!!  To which I responded… GREAT IDEA!  He inspired these pictures!

I’m over it now.

I’m washing the mascara face off and ready to enter the 30s!!

Special Kid Picked Presents

It was my birthday last week on Wednesday.  Monday night I had to work and came home at supper time and we all ate together.  Mally looks at me and kind of has this look of she wants to tell me something but is not sure if she should tell me.  Then she finally says, “Momma we went to the store.” and she quickly looks over at Jesse.  Jesse smiles at her and says, “Yup.  We went to the hardware store didn’t we.”  She agrees with him and that is the end of it.

Tuesday morning we are walking out to the truck to go to story hour and she says, “Momma we bought you a present for your birthday.”  I say, you did!  And that I don’t want her to tell me what it is.  She should keep it a surprise until tomorrow for my birthday.

She never brought it up again.  I think she just needed to tell me she got me a present.  : )

Tuesday night Jesse gets this present and puts it in a box and puts it in the kids room so that when they wake up in the morning they can give it to me.

Wednesday morning rolls around and I’m in the living room and Mally comes running… MOMMA!  DO YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?  What Mally?  ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY!!

The rule was we had to wait for Max to wake up before she could give me my presents.  Pretty soon she comes flying out to the living room again with a box and says, here is your present open it now!  I thought we were waiting for Max?  She informs me that yes, Max is awake in his crib.  Apparently the rule just meant [to her] that Max needed to be awake.  Didn’t mean that he needed to be with us, just awake in his crib. 

I get Max and we sit on Mally’s bed and open my present.  Well she was just so excited she opened it.  : )  I screamed with glee at what they had picked out for me.  They picked out my present!  No one helped them!  Well, Jesse drove them, but they picked it out!

They got me a Minney Mouse figurine for the garden.  Mally pointed out that it says “momma’s garden” on it.  This is so my kids right now in this stage of life!  They are very into Minney Mouse and Mickey Mouse.  They watch the shows.  They read the books.  They have so many Mickey & Minney toys that I could probably open up a Mickey & Minney gift shop!

They also bought me a new pen!!  Now this is totally really me!!  I’m an office supply geek!  Jesse said she wanted to get me a new notebook too, but he wouldn’t let her.  I told him, next time let her!  : )  I love new notebooks too! 

I had to get a quick picture of us with my presents – so I could forever remember that special moment with them.

Max got confused and thought I said we were going to watch Mickey Mouse [when I said we were going to take a picture of Minney Mouse] so he is sitting in the chair ready to watch a show [that isn’t coming].

Splish Splash Coloring Eggs

We colored eggs.  Yes, in their pajamas. 

Mallory liked coloring on them and dipping them to reveal the picture.

I only had brown eggs and I wasn’t sure how it was going to work.  I liked them so much better!! 

Both kids snuck two color dies into one cup.  So we have autumn colored eggs instead of the pastel Easter eggs.  But I really liked them!

Mallory had the king and princess watching over the process.

Max is like his father…

He has to taste everything!

I asked them to show me their eggs…

Mallory gave hers a little snuggle and Max put his up to his ear!

Oh and just so you know – you can totally color raw eggs.  I ran out of hardboiled eggs, and the kids still wanted to color more.  So I got out the raw eggs – and we carefully did them without any troubles.  And I have used those eggs too – without any troubles!