Tolerable Tuesday to Wonderful Wednesday

Tuesday is gymnastics day.  Kate usually does pretty good waiting for Wyatt but she was a crying puddle of misery so it was a very long hour.  I tried to combine that with calling AT&T and I could not make it through their automated system and I wanted to punch someone.  Also the gossipy lady wanted to chat me up for some reason and I didn't want to feed her gossip ring.  We survived and made it home where I gave her a peanut butter jelly at 10:00 in the morning and her problems were solved.  Sometimes goldfish just cannot fix hungry.   I opted to unwrap Halloween mini candy and eat them back to back until the crying stopped...I think I made it to 6. 

The peanut butter jelly sandwich and kids were moved to the truck so we could go meet some friends at the pumpkin patch.  Peanut butter and jelly were distributed all over the car seat, body of Kate, and her clothes but we always have spare clothes and I had time to clean her body and car seat at the loooooooooongest train everrrrr.  It actually stopped. And a guy got out and played with the train box thingy. Then it started and had to built up speed to haul all 3454 train cars.  I think I used 15 wipes.  Emptied the bag.  Please don't poop at the pumpkin patch.  (She pooped). I forgot I had a work phone call somewhere in all this (oops).  Nobody fired me yet. 

From that point, we went home for lunch and naps and having friends visit. The day took an upturn and all kids were asleep by 8:00 PM happily ever after.

So Wednesday is going to be wonderful!  My kids are at school! I am going to login to work just as soon as I take some recycle to the curb, start a load of laundry, turn on the dishwasher, eat 2nd breakfast, and write this post.  Yup. Wonderful Wednesday. Here I come!

Kate Turns 2

She loves swinging. She is very specific about how you will swing her and how she will swing herself.  On bootie. On belly. Mommy back. Daddy feet.  Fast. High. Twisty.  She is like a swing sergeant. 

She picks what she wears for the most part.  Sometimes I am allowed to offer suggestions. She continues to love hats, jewelry, and shoes. She always wants to walk in the parking lot and walk at the grocery store and walk down the busy road. She must climb in to the car seat. "Kate do it only Kate". She must buckle the top buckle.

She has THESE curls, and a really cute face. Nobody thinks she is a little fella anymore! What a milestone. She is busy and animated.  She does not like to meet new people. She does not like to be the center of attention, but she does enjoy going to new places and being in the middle of the action.  She wants "mommy hold you" when she is scared or when she is around people she isn't around all of the time.  Mommy is high up on her list, but you know who is higher?  Yup, Daddy.  Daddy does almost every bed time.  Daddy has to do brush teeth.  Daddy sit by you.  And if Hunter's truck is there when we pull in to the drive way, she won't even let me unbuckle her.  She prefers to sit in the truck and wait for me to go get Daddy to unbuckle her.  Strong willed, she is. 

She is not my milestone breaker like Wyatt was.  She did walk very early and she has a pretty good vocabulary, but Wyatt was already potty trained and having full out conversations at this age.  She is excellent at playing big kid toys.  She has rarely showed interest in playing with baby toys or age appropriate toys.  She just wants to play whatever Wyatt plays and picks up pretty good how it is supposed to go.  Speaking of Wyatt, she pretty much worships him.  When I pick Kate up from school, the first thing she says is Wyatt.  Get Wyatt.  So we run over to his classroom and get him and all is right in her world again. She wants to know where Wyatt is the second she wakes up in the morning and again at nap time.

  Her food loves are interesting.  She eats cheese 3 meals a day, and I let her because well she is barely on the growth charts.  Her favorite foods are pistachios, cheese, steak, macaroni, only chick fil a nuggets, pepperonis, dried blueberries, grapes, goldfish, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, strawberries, and most forms of pasta with sauce.  She doesn't really eat many desserts, but she finally likes ice cream.  And she does like chocolate candy.  I tried to think of a special meal to make her for her birthday and it was tough because her likes are so random. 

She is an excellent napper (usually 2 hours a day).  She is an excellent sleeper (8 PM to 7 AM)  When she is not in her own bed, all bets are off although she is doing better for the most part.  She is currently sleeping on a pillow, with 2 blankets, 4 animals, and the toy of the day.  She keeps hiking her leg over the crib rail but not throwing herself over.  She is so big.  But so small.  And so dramatic. But so sweet.  She is a mommys girl.  But a daddys girl.  She is 2 years old today!!!!

Friday Fun

I managed to make it to 3 boot camp sessions and 2 runs this week....can I get a pat on the back?  I also managed to eat 3 cookies, a fried chicken sandwich, a glass of wine, and a tiny bowl of ice cream yesterday.  Another pat on the back please? Thank you.  I am sorta proud of myself that 4:30 AM feels almost normal to wake up at now.  Not that I don't sleep in until 6:30 whenever I get the opportunity, but this is progress.  And only possible because I am asleep by 10:30 every night.  I wonder how late I could / would sleep if nobody woke me up?  Maybe 7:30 AM?  I can't imagine.

Live action stroller running shot by Wyatt

Continuing the story of the dead talk, last night Wyatt made me list who would take care of him if I "got dead" and if daddy "got dead".  And then every person I listed after that, he said, what if lightening got them too.  Such morbid thoughts!  He is calmly wondering these thoughts.  I don't think he is scared.  He just wants to understand that someone would always be around to take care of him.  Don't worry...if you are reading this, you probably made the list.   Stay away from lightening this weekend just in case. 

This friend already got dead

Next time short ribs are on sale at your local store, buy them, and sear them and braise them in a combo of red wine and beef broth and thank yourself.  I loosely followed this receipe.   There is just something amazing about beef and wine and cooking things on the bones.

Hunter's work had some interwebs problems yesterday so he surprised me and got home by 4:30 PM.  The kids put on their usual "bad behavior leading up to and at dinner time" routine so he will be sure to never make that mistake again.  I am not sure why my usually pleasant and well behaved ish children cannot pull through dinner time. Some combo of hungry and tired.  Sure was easier to laugh about Kate dumping her dinner on the floor and smearing it on the table and floor then demanding CHEESE when another adult is around.  We finished up our evening with hair cuts for all of the males in the family.  The adult female in this family would really like to have her hair cut too.  Maybe next month. 

This is the last weekend that Kate will be 1 year old.  Hopefully I don't have to stop calling her Baby Kate once she turns 2.  She is already well versed in expressing her feelings while throwing herself on the ground. I think she will do great as a two-nager.  "Kate do it" "Only Kate do it" "Wyatt"  her most repeated phrases daily. 

Dead Talk

Wyatt is now interested in when people "get dead".  These questions are tough!  He keeps saying things like will I be dead in 30 60 90 weeks?  Is that a long time?  Will you get dead soon?  Does it hurt when we leave our bodies?  I guess dead talk has to come at some point.  I wonder how much he reaallllly understands. 

Kate has recovered from the explosive d.  My washing machine has too.  So far there are no other victims. 

I wanted to skip having a birthday party for Kate this year.  Then I felt guilty for second kid treatment.  Then I decided to have a playground birthday party.  Then the weather decided to not cooperate.  I am currently spinning up not real birthday party options in my head. 


We visited our second pumpkin patch yesterday.  Always fun.  :)

Wyatt started gymnastics about a month ago and yesterday was the first day he really put it all together and rocked it.  I was so proud of him.

Kate and I sit in an upstairs viewing room at gymnastics and I bribe her with snacks and toys and selfies.  The moms all chat and gossip and like usual I sit in my corner and "be awkward".  Actually a few dads take their little girls there...so we talk about things like essential oils and teething.  I am not kidding.  I really did have this conversation with a dad who had a duck dynasty beard, was wearing costas sunglasses, and a guy harvey shirt. 

I have already shared this one with the world, but Wyatt learned to ride his bike yesterday...sorta...if he gets a push start.  I guess the take off is hard.   I really thought he had no chance of learning when we tried earlier in the week and then something just clicked and he figured it out. 

I Just Feel Like Typing This Week

Friends, I am not sure why I am visiting the old neglected blog this week. I just feel like writing typing some thoughts for you me.

I woke up early so I could do some praying for a sweet boy named Logan and so I could get some work done before my precious monsters wake up.  Well it is now 6:53 in the AM and no work has been done.  And only an arrow prayer has been sent up.  I made a large glass of iced coffee with whole milk, truvia, and vanilla and stirred it and then bumped it onto the ground.  So now I have a pristine kitchen floor and a coffee scented kitchen.  On the brighter side, my kids stayed asleep and I got to talk to Hunter for 6 whole minutes before he went to work. 

So yesterday, I did get to go to the grocery store after my Dr. appointment.  I unloaded the groceries, and then had visions of us going to have a picnic lunch after preschool pickup because THE WEATHER!!!!  When I walked into Kate's classroom she was asleep on a pillow on the floor in the middle of the ruckus and was not wearing the pants she came in. Ruh roh.  Yep....the explosive D came to visit us.  I scooped her up and we went to go get Wyatt her hero.  We came home to eat our lunch, poop through 3 or 4 more pairs of pants, wash some poo-pants, color on our couches, and then nap.  She did have a low fever before nap.  After nap, she woke up pretty happy, fever free,  and the poopin slowed way down.  Hallelujah!  So some buggy came to visit us but seems to be leaving us quickly. 

Kate is having a birthday party this weekend at the playground so it is going to rain of course. Wyatt sorta learned to ride his bike without training wheels last night.

And now one kid is up so the other will be 2 minute behind.  I hope everyone gets to start their day with coffee in their glass instead of on the floor.  Toodles.

58 Degrees

It was 58 degrees outside this morning.  Yeahhhhh!  I celebrated by going to boot camp and sweating less than usual.  I am going to celebrate even more by making Pumpkin Taco Soup for dinner.  I am not a huge pumpkin fan, but this recipe just adds some depth and deliciousness and is one of the few chicken in the crock pot recipes I can handle. 

Today, after preschool dropoff, I get to go to my yearly check up.  Hunter's insurance requires us to go get a yearly checkup for a discount so off I go.  I love spending my kid free time waiting in dr's offices for checkups. There is a chance I will be able to swing by the grocery store after (since our fridge is empty) but no guarantees.  3 hours of preschool does not ever feel quite as long as you would think.  ;) Side note...picture day at school this week. The past 2 years Wyatt has had some adorable pictures but whatever filter they apply to all of the kids pictures gives Wyatt a green hue.  I can't wait to spend $40 on green tinted pictures.  I think they need to do the fair skin blonde hair check before applying their settings.  Maybe Kate can beat the green. 

I told my coworkers that I would probably be able to get in 30 hours once both of my kids started school.  So far I hit 23 once.  Haaaaa!  So what have I been doing with my free time?  I started running again.  It feels nice.  Putting both of the kids in the stroller with their dinner is a nice way to beat the dinner time blahs.  Also, less clean up! The problem is the sun is going down earlier so I am having a tough time fitting everything in at night. 

I have our Halloween costumes ready...we are going to have 2 superheroes this year....so original...I know.  I did manage to put up the tiniest amount of decorations so virtual high five for me.  We have a mini skeleton that we refer to as Mr. Bones, bats on our windows, and one of those $3 spiderwebs.  I even bought the $3 strand of orange lights.  Martha Stewart better watch out. 

A few scenes from life below....