The Amaryllis

Welcome to my amaryllis viewing.  I really enjoy a good small pet project.  Especially when I should be doing chores.  It gives me a chance to focus on something I really love and share that with Joseph.

Like growing beautiful flowers.

I love the idea of having plants and flowers inside the house but I've always had really bad luck with gnats.  The soil conditions of plants inside the house is just right for fungus which attracts gnats, which then breed, which then fill the house and it's like a huge gnat frat party.  I know you can find the perfect balance of watering that won't cause gnats, but after years of growing gnats my indoor plant adventures are far and few between. 

 

Even so, I grabbed this bulb up on a whim in the clearance section at Bed Bath and Beyond.  I couldn't resist for like $1 and some change and thought it I would try it inside to brighten up the kitchen counter.     

This ol' girl grew about three feet tall, and fast.  Josh and I would laugh every day when we compared the growth to the day before.  It was a little ridiculous looking and quite phallic (snicker snicker, heehee!) if you know what I mean.  It was a big HUGE green stalk with no flowers for weeks and weeks before the gnats found it, then I banished it to the backyard.  I watched it from my kitchen window bloom into the MOST beautiful flowers.  I was quite pleased with this sweet amaryllis.  It was just a little more pleasurable doing dishes with those happy red flowers to look at...whether inside or out! 

See these two monkeys tucked away behind the couch?  There are two roles at play here:  the first being big brother who loves to show Alaina all the cool things to do in the house, and the second being little sister who loves to follow big brother anywhere he goes.  It worked out in both of their favor this day, but we're not always so lucky.

Our sweet Alaina just doesn't realize that she isn't invincible and I can't imagine what life will be like once she starts walking.  It's a good thing I invented that mobile wearable cushion-bubble so she never gets hurt.

This little smiley guy loves hanging out behind the couch and frankly, I love it too.  It's free dusting for the floor when their back there.

And this day, only moments after they crawled out from behind the couch and tore off through the house...I found them in Alaina's room tucked away in yet another little spot.  He knows this one is off limits though because every time he crawls back there, there is a pile of clothes and hangers on the floor that got knocked off the rod.  As if I follow behind these two tornadoes picking up their path of destruction....I think not!

  

Speaking of tornadoes...

...Alaina, this isn't looking good.

Oh sweet baby, you're being tackled.

And thrown to the side like junk.
But you're not junk, I promise!

You're both treasure to this mommy!  Sweet, hug-able, smiley, ornery, rascally, treasure!

The other day Josh called me a big ol grump...or grouch...or something equally tacky.  The story went something like this (I may have use my creative liberties in re-telling this story):

Joseph was talking to us about picking out a toy for Alaina's first birthday.  I had just told our party attendees that Alaina's shelves are stocked full of toys, but we would love to add to her library.  Good idea, right?!  I'm pretty over all these toys, but my children and husband love all the blinking, boinging, rock 'em-sock 'em-bop 'em, toy madness.  Aside from having toys under foot and everywhere, I've just always leaned towards letting their imaginations be their entertainment.  Give a kid a few stuffed animals and handful of Lego bricks and Hot Wheels and let them go to town.   

Did I just hear you sigh and call me a grump too?

We were in Kohls and Josh decided to let Joseph pick out a toy to give Alaina as a gift from him for her birthday.  As you can imagine, this was a covert operation while I was away in the women's department.   

When I found them looking at toys I felt my anxiety level skyrocket.  Then in his excited 'frolicking puppy dog' way, Joseph squealed that he had found something for Alaina.  I tried to act excited but frankly, I would have rather gone to Toys R Us and had a much better selection and chance of finding a toy she could really use.

'Could really use??' Did I just kinda sorta admit that the idea of going to Toys R Us would be a little fun?  Perhaps on occasion, yes.  I will admit it.   

So as I shifted uncomfortably and wavered in my submission to Josh and Joseph's pick, Josh got pretty irritated with me.  He mummered that I was taking the fun out of everything and look how excited Joseph was....!

I say BAH HUMBUG!  That stinker!  Putting my first born flesh and blood against me!  The nerve!  "But the cardboard boxes!" I yell back.  " And the kitchen utensils!  Spatulas!  They LOVE spatulas!  Give them a cabinet full of Tupperware and they'll play for HOURS, man!"

In the end, we walked out with some stupid vacuum cleaner that sings and dances and lights up and creates more noise pollution for my children's tender imaginations and less space for my family in our home.  *sigh*  

But don't worry about me....

   

...as soon as we got back home, I accidentally left the Tupperware cabinet wide open with a few shiny bowls sitting within reach.   Oh those smiles were all the reassurance I needed.

Gotta stick it to The Man.

Bath Time Baby

 I'll admit it.

I'm not afraid to say it.

I'll tell you just like it is.

I DON'T LIKE BATH TIME.

I've never liked it and I've never been good at it.  I know it hasn't gone as far as my children being the "stinky" kids...they DO get baths often enough....just not as often as your children probably do.  I wish I did like it and I wish I was good at it, but until then (if it ever happens) I'll be biding my time by using soapy sweet bare bottoms for photo shoots.  

Unfortunately, my littlest one has outgrown both her baby bath tub and the kitchen sink.  She's graduated to the big bath tub with her big brother.  It's a scary scary scene.  She is one slippery little girl and she and Joseph love to splash and act a fool.  Josh and I have to hover like big helicopters during each bath, ready for anything.  Luckily we have cat like reflexes and are waterproof.  ;) 

 **big chubby rolls alert!!**

By far my favorite part of bath time is when I get to hug up Alaina in her fuzzy soft towel and snuggle her dry.

 

Until someone figures out how to make a dirt free baby, we'll continue on with the darn baths. 

I like the idea of a dirt free baby......can someone go ahead and get right on that?

My little dude has a bad bad habit.  But at this age, are they really his bad habits?  Wouldn't any bad habit of a four year old really be a result of questionable parenting?  Well I say no, because MY parenting is perfect...of course.

The bad habit in question would not be the wearing of pajamas at all times of the day or snacks served in the living room and not at the kitchen table...although perhaps two more cases of questionable parenting....it's the sweet tooth that has consumed my child.

He wakes up asking for candy and goes to bed asking for candy.

He breathes and sleeps candy.

His sun rises and sets because of candy.  Or something. 

The bad habit that has consumed my sweet baby is not his fault.  He's just a victim, man.  But this patten of enabling must end.  Somewhere in there I was trained that a candy snack or two or five or ten was ok.  But it's not!  He's just a child and I am a part of the cavity laden hyperactive horror!

But in all seriousness...could you resist this sweet face or say no to a special lollipop breakfast?  I didn't think so.

Do I hear chanting?  

Are the people about to march on my lawn?  

Are they going to riot? 

Is everyone going mad without any updates about my life?!

Well, perhaps not but if you're lucky you might be seeing an update or two coming up anyway.  You know it's been...what?...five-ish years that I've had this blog now and although I may go through times in my life where other things get priority, I miss ol' blog-land when I'm not posting more often. 

Stinkin' priorities like cleaning.  Always the cleaning.     

 I do some pretty serious pile management around here, folks.  I'm an excellent pile-er so therefore by virtue of my cleaning priority, I happen to be an excellent de-pile-er.  It works out fab.

Playing is high on the list of priorities.  Sometimes it's hard to remember which is more important; the cleaning or the playing, but most of the time Joseph and Alaina keep me straight.

 And priorities like little Alaina who, goodness gracious, is about to turn ONE. 

These two priorities begat other priorities like cooking, grocery shopping and laundry.  But darn they are sure cute.

Speaking of priorities: time to get off this computer, don my tupperware shoes and hat and and join the parade.  Cleaning and laundry can wait until we're done!

Nine Months Old

Our baby girl turned nine months old on December 30.  It seems like it's been so long and so short at the same time.  I guess that is a good thing; although I have had the baby bug every since she was born - so the longer she stays small and in this baby phase the longer I can fight off wanting to have number three!  ;)

Never more than a few days pass without wondering what Joseph was up to at **insert Alaina's current age here** months old.  I frequently open our old photo files and look back to compare the two siblings in looks, and find the corresponding blog post and see how different and similar they are.

This time I came across these gems: 

This sweet boy could light up a room with his smile and giggles.

And nary a soul can glance her direction and not be infected by that contagious grin.

Both had big baby blues and the same chubby thighs and the softest cheeks in the world.

Nine month old Joseph was a cheerio eating fool, and little Alaina is barely making her way through the food world.  Slow and steady wins the race.

At this pace, she is certainly the winner.

Alaina and Joseph got a dual wellness checkup for his Four Year and her Nine Month.  That was both fun and saved time, and we lucked out and got Daddy to come too.  It was a whole big ol' event!

Alaina got the award for the least tears (barely even flinched when they stuck her toe for an iron check) and Joseph was apparently traumatized by a hearing and vision test in his past life, and in this life was pretty turned off by it all.  Just the sight of those hearing test ear phones struck fear in him, but he survived and even enjoyed it a bit after all was said and done.  But for all those darn needle sticks a special trip to Mickey D's was in order on the way home.

I got the award for Strong Mama While Her Babies Get Shots and Cry.  I needed Mickey D's too.  We are emotional eaters in this family. 

Growing Girl's stats:
Weight:  19lbs 9oz, 69th%
Height:  26.5", 9th%

 Happy Nine Month Birthday to Alaina Faye!

Boy Oh Boy

 ...oh boy oh boy oh boy!  The day I've been waiting for is finally here!

After several months of trying baby food, Miss Alaina decided she was ready to chow down!!  And boy did she chow.

I had convinced myself that surely she was hungry for more than mama's milk - and we all know by the looks of those thighs and cheeks that she certainly was not starving, but every time I tried to feed her she would gag, and gag and gag some more.  I thought that whatever physiological process between the mouth and brain that told her to taste then swallow wasn't mature enough yet.  That sounds like it makes sense right?

Every couple of weeks I'd try again and this time we hit the jackpot!  Although I tried rice cereal with her, it's not my preference for baby food.  First of all it's not tasty and I think the texture trips her up.  We skipped it with Joseph too - but did use it occasionally later in his babyhood for mixing flavors.

I popped open a jar of sweet potato and that baby girl ate HALF the jar on her first try! I had a couple jars of the Tom Thumb brand organic baby food and have been super impressed with the taste and texture so I think that's the winner for now.
 

Joseph had to peek and make sure all was well.  It seems like forever ago we were trying baby food with him.  He took to it a lot faster than Alaina and ate almost everything we tried on him, so Alaina has given me a chance to expand my mommy skills. 

I just couldn't believe how easy it was compared to all the other times I tried.  It was night and day!  She would open her mouth, only gagged twice out of half a jar, and never shuddered or spit it out!  I know we all love the new-food-baby-shudder but I was pretty thrilled to see a happy baby.  :)

Now I need to go log it in the baby book before I get sidetracked.   
First baby food:  sweet potatoes, two days shy of 9 months old!  You seemed to really like it and were so patient and CUTE!  You loved to take a bite off of the spoon then put your fingers in your mouth and suck them...messes are fun!  Go baby girl, go! 

Alaina by Mommy

We all know this mommy is so in love with her little girl, but throw open the blinds for some beautiful natural light, spread out a white sheet, get rid of her skivvies, and watch the magic happen.  I could stare into those baby blues all day.  And that sweet little grin...forget about it, she's got me wrapped around her little finger.