What if?

Tonight as things were very crazy in the house, Tate acting up and being cranky, Simone not napping and crying instead, dinner trying to get made and work attempting to be done, Dave said the words, "What would we be doing if we didn't have kids?"

So we thought for a bit with small, knowing smiles on our faces and really contemplated this scenario. We decided that we would have been contentedly sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand, cheese and crackers on the table, a really nice dinner in the oven, maybe some friends over and watching the start of the Super Bowl. Sounds relaxing, doesn't it? It really does. But then I thought how sad I'd actually feel with an empty house and no kids... like something really important was missing. So we started on a new dream.

Both kids as teenagers and wanting to spend as little time at home with us as possible. And we would be sitting on the couch, glass of wine in hand, cheese and crackers on the table, a really nice dinner in the oven, maybe some friends over, watching the start of the Super Bowl while texting Tate and Simone, "Sure you can stay out an hour later. Just don't wake us when you come in."

To the future! Cheers!!

Failure

Oops. Failure to post yesterday. Two demerits for me. I'm making up for it with a really cute picture and a promise of a real post later today.

Wrap it up.

Simone was all swaddled up and ready for a final feed before going off to sleep tonight. She nursed for a few minutes then started looking around. Then nursed a bit and fussed and nursed and fussed and nursed and fussed. So I burped her with no results. Laid her back down and she nursed and fussed and nursed and fussed and then popped out one of her arms from the swaddle. Then looked around and watched Tate, stared at Daddy, fussed, looked at the TV, fussed and nursed. Then fussed some more and smacked me in the face, clawed my face, listened to Daddy read books to Tate, nursed and fussed and nursed and smacked me in the face a few more times. Then fussed and nursed and fussed and smack and fuss and nurse and look and fuss and smack and smack and smack and fuss...... Are you tired of reading this? Imagine the frustration of living through it for the hour it lasted.

As she is a bit over 5 months now, I've been wondering when I should stop swaddling her at night time. She always seems happy to get into the "baby burrito" and be cozy and warm. But I know that at some point she will want to be free.

Well after all the smacking, fussing and fussing for an hour tonight, she took her free hand, grabbed at the tabs of the swaddle blanket and pulled hard. Hmmmmm.... So I unwrapped her wrapped up arm, she stretched, smiled and then rolled over, closed her eyes and nursed herself to sleep.

I think she has just told me it's time to stop swaddling her. "BABY BURRITO BE GONE," the queen commands.

You're a...heartbreaker.

Conversation at the playground:

Other mom: So last night Victoria* said she loved Tate. I said I'm glad you like him.

Victoria: Nooooo mom.... I LOVE him.

Other mom: Oh. Why do you love him?

Victoria: Because he's handsome, smart and nice.

All the other moms: Oh.... you are in trouble Michelle. He is quite the ladies man! First Hope*, now Victoria... where will it end? ha ha ha ha....

Me: I'm so screwed.

*names changed to protect the reputations of the innocent young loves of my suave 5 year old son

Pants on Fire

Wii rules in this house. And so we have created Wii House Rules. One of the sacred rules is…

NO Wii until you have eaten breakfast.

Playing Wii is such a strong motivator for Tate that it has really helped diminish the challenge of getting him to eat breakfast. We have had a few great weeks of getting a solid meal into his belly to start his day. This helps Dave and I in the morning, as Dave usually gets him breakfast while I’m still in bed. By the time I get up with Simone, Dave had left for work, Tate has eaten, cleared his plate/bowl and is playing Wii. Great!

A few days ago, I got up and Tate was playing Wii and there was no plate/bowl on the table. I ask, “Have you eaten breakfast already?” “Yes, mommy,” was his reply as he barely looked away from racing down a mountainside in the form of a bad ass, spiky turtle on a motorcycle. Great! I sit down with Simone and we play with chewy toys and watch Tate rack up Grand Prix trophys. About a half hour later I venture into the kitchen to get my own breakfast and I see this on the counter…

We now have a new Wii rule…

DO NOT lie to mommy about eating breakfast so that you can play Wii.

One hell of a day.

Rotten. Crappy. Miserable.

That sums up today. Awoken too early by baby. Too many errands while Tate was at school. Broken down car at grocery store. No good naps for Simone. Zero work accomplished. Headaches and stress. Tate meltdowns at the end of the day. And still a crying baby right now who won't go to sleep.

But... Tate zipped his own coat today!

If I wanted to look on the bright side, I guess today wasn't so bad. I'm just not sure I'm bright side material today. Maybe tomorrow.

Blog-a-Thon

Was thinking that I should do another month long blog-a-thon, and what better month to do that in than February!! Only 28 days.

So 28 days - 28 posts.

And yes, this one counts! I even added a cute kiddo photo to make it more legit.

7 Weeks Old

Welcome Baby Girl!

Simone Phaneuf Rizzolo

August 30, 2009

10:56am

8lbs. 14oz.

Hello Due Date!!!

Open Letter to "Yet to be Named" little girl:

WHERE ARE YOU??? I know. Your still in there, but you are so supposed to not be! Today is your due date August 29th. Your not late. But I feel as if you are. There is much anticipated, anxious waiting for you from our house to NYC to Point Lay, Alaska. People are being updated with phone calls, Facebook and satellite phone texts messages (that's your Unkie Dan, he's above the Arctic Circle right now doing research...you'll meet him soon, he's very cool!) But still you decide to stay where you are. We were going to try and force you out today, but a hurricane is sweeping off the coast right now and causing all sorts of OTHER women to go into labor, creating a back-up at the hospital. And so we have been bumped to Monday, when we will then try and entice you out with fun drugs and stuff! However, we are all hoping that you decide to make your own unaccompanied appearance, say... today... or tomorrow.... how does that sound?

Let me know. I'm right here. Just waiting!

Love, 

Mom

39 Weeks

Waiting. We didn't have to do this with Tate. He was one week early and we were n0t ready for him. I still had an unfinished client project, Dave was still building his custom furniture, and his clothes and cute little baby things were unwashed with the tags still on. And suddenly I was in labor, yelling "Oh shit!!" We needed more time.

Well, this time here we sit, one week before her due date and all client work has been finished for 3 days, her bassinet and dresser with clean, untagged clothes in it has been set up for 2 weeks, the house is clean (thanks to yesterday's crazed cleaning jag), dinners are waiting in the freezer, and bags are packed. And we wait.

But I am relaxed and unstressed and even made cookies today! I think I like waiting rather than running through the house yelling "Oh shit!!"

Idle Threats

"I'm ever not coming up here again!! hmupf" 

…and storms down the stairs.

What a threat from such a small child. 

UPDATE: 1 minute later

T: Hi mommy, can you open my yogurt for me?

M: I thought you were ever not coming up here again?

T: {smiles}

T: Well, I was unhappy. But, now I'm happy!

What wonders one minute will do for such a small child.

8 Months

Her due date is August 29th. Today is July 29th. We are exactly one month away from the impending birth. I've been frantically trying to complete client projects, and as some get finished, new ones come in the door! I think my clients are panicking over her impending arrival too. All seems under control on the work front, even though I'm working most days and nights trying to get it all done - I see the end is near, with a small buffer of time that was unexpected. Now I just need everyone to cooperate with me. Including this baby. So far so good!

We've also been tackling the baby "to-do" list. Which is really a baby "t0-get" list. I think we were lulled into a false sense of security by having had a kid already and thinking "Oh, we've had a kid already. We've got EVERYTHING we need!" NO. NO...we don't! I forgot that baby needs diapers, wipes, new pacifiers, new little fuzzy rattles, diaper rash cream, lotion, shampoo, her own clutchie, plus clothes that are made for girls... among other things that were not in the best shape from Tate's usage... like socks, hats, bibs, burp cloths, changing table covers... need I go on? But I think that we are covered as Tate and I went out last week and conquered the "to-get" list rather efficiently and he even picked out for her a clutchie of her very own!

Things still need to be done like, set up the bassinet, install the car seats, pack the bags. Oh... and the most important... decide her name!

32 Weeks

And there is no more room at the inn!! She's packed in tightly so that there is usually a foot in my ribs, a shoulder in my hip and a head banging into my bladder. But it is fun to watch my whole stomach twitch and shift as she relocates her baby body parts. Tate still insists that she be named "Brother Lauren" even though that is his cousin's name and he's fully aware that he's getting a sister! 

A boy hanging upside down on the monkey bars...

...is what he drew on his chest with a green marker, while I was upstairs invoicing my clients.