Almost 6

In case anyone is paying attention, I thought I would post the traditional last picture. Here are J's last pics as a 5 year old. He had his party this weekend--a taekwondo party and it was pretty awesome. Will post more pics later. I can't believe he is 6!

Hi There!

I don't know if anyone will even read this since I've left you all for so long, but just in case, Howdy!

Halloween was super fun. J was Darth Vader and S was a cat. She was going to be Alice in Wonderland, but she changed her mind. I didn't care so much because I found this costume for $5. J also dressed as Abraham Lincoln for a presentation at school. They did Historic Halloween. It was really cute. My favorite part was when he said when he was born and when he died before he said anything else.

B and I had the chance to go to New Orleans last week. He had a conference and I tagged along. I. Am. So. Full.

It was my first time in New Orleans, and I had nothing planned other than Lunch and Dinner each day. And we barely scratched the surface, people.

Here is how our days went.

Wed: arrived at 8:30 pm, checked into our hotel (which I got a great deal on through Living Social that included our hotel stay, restaurant vouchers, free drinks each night, free breakfast, jazz club vouchers, and a voucher for a cafe) at oysters and shrimp. We also ate a salad because it was on the menu and I didn't think we'd eat many more of those. Walked to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets.

Thurs: Took a tour of New Orleans with other dental people. Ate lunch at Muriel's Jackson Square (it's haunted!)

Ate dinner at Emeril's. The service was outstanding and the food was just as great. Hail to the barbecue shrimp and the oysters. Oh my.

Listened to some great jazz.

Fri: Lunch at Dooky Chase's. Obama ate here when he was campaigning and it has been said that they have the best fried chicken in the country. Well I am not a fried chicken conoisseur because I have never even made it before, but it was so good that I had four pieces.

Dinner: Cooking class! B said that he was reading some magazine and they wrote that people always remember the experiences they have on trips, so he wanted this to be our experience. It was so much fun. Our class was taught by a native of Louisiana, who grew up on the Bayou and has so many stories to tell. We listened. We helped with the roux, we laughed as Canadians marveled at ingredients they had never seen before, we ate. Shrimp and Crab C'est Si Bon, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Dirty Rice, Creole Fish, Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding. I am seriously thinking of making that shrimp appetizer right now. In fact, I've been thinking about it since Friday.

Sat: Lunch at a French bistro that was charming, but the food was too salty. Oh well.

Long walk in the Garden District marveling at the enormous homes.

Dinner at Cassamentos. More oysters and shrimp. More great jazz afterwards.

Sun: Jazz Brunch at Commander's Palace. So much fun.

We took a drive to Oak Alley Plantation. It's beautiful and right on the Mississippi. The story of the woman for whom it was built reminded me of the Paris Hilton/Kim Kardashian of the 1800s. I guess things don't change much over time.

Appetizers at Felix's Oyster Bar. Because we hadn't had any oysters that weren't fried yet!

Dinner at Upperline. At this point, when they brought out dessert, B and I both looked at each other and laughed. We couldn't do anymore. I think we put forth a valiant effort.

I hope we get to go back sometime. I had heard all of these stories about how New Orleans never came back after Katrina. We definitely saw places where things are not being rebuilt and are still in shambles, but we saw lots of places where people have rebuilt and that things are moving in the right direction. The people we met were extremely friendly and couldn't do enough for you. I'm starting to sound like a tourist commercial, so I'll stop.

Now I have to go think about how I'm going to cook our shrimp for dinner tonight since I'm pretty sure I cannot do as well as the cooking instructor did on Friday.

School

First Day of School for J

First Day of School for Little Miss (don't worry, she had a plant to give too)

I can't seem to finish the three other posts I started. Maybe there will be a summer backtrack at some point.

And Then We Went to Florida!

Getting ready for the beach!

Little Miss was a bit apprehensive when we first got to the character breakfast, but she perked up at the sight of Minnie

Two goofies

She insists on wearing her sunglasses upside down

It was nice to get back to Florida after a year. My parents have a lovely new place. We enjoyed a week of low humidity and cooler 80-90 degree temperatures. We also had fun two days at Disney. It's nice having parents that live within a few hours because you don't feel like you have to see everything and run all over the place. J had a great time riding the Thunder Mountain Railroad this time (hands up the entire time). He freaked a bit on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but then said he would go on it again after it was all over. During the ride he kept yelling, "I hate this! I want to get off!" For about a week after the trip, Little Miss kept telling me, "Those pirates, they weren't careful, Mommy. They lost their keys" when referring to the last scene in the ride when the dog has the keys to the cell that the pirates are locked in. I even survived flying home alone with two kids. I had to entertain LM for the entire flight and she continued her sleeping on planes strike, but it all worked out. I must be crazy, but I will be attempting to take them to the west coast on my own in just a few days. I do have a few free drink coupons that I might redeem on that flight!

Milestones

(In the time that it has taken me to finish this post, two people I know have had babies!)

Little Miss turned two and had a lovely birthday. I was a terrible example and gave my kids cupcakes for breakfast on her birthday because it was the only time of the day that all of us were going to be together that day. But, as Bill Cosby said, "It has flour, eggs, milk..." The kids definitely weren't complaining. Perhaps I wasn't such a bad example because I refrained from early morning cupcakes and went to the gym instead? No?

J also had his school graduation. They also had an international day after the ceremony. The kids were dressed in costumes from different countries. I honestly don't know what country Jonah was representing, but he looked cute anyway. J also presented his family tree. This was a project he worked on at school for close to 2 weeks. Aside from gathering the pictures and writing down names for him to copy, J did everything by himself at school. I was so impressed and proud of his hard work!

I got a funky henna tatoo, which looked really cool at first. Then I had to live with it for two weeks. I am not meant to be truly inked.

LM's birthday party was held the following weekend and was an ice cream theme. I got a lot of decoration ideas from This Mommy Loves. My favorite part was the ice cream pom poms. They're still hanging in our living room entry and since they're too high for me to reach, I don't plan on taking them down because they make everyone happy when they see them. Aside from the ice cream related goodies, we had a ladybug bounce house, an ice cream shaped pinata, and played put the cherry on the ice cream cone. I know the bounce house is kind of "one of these things is not like the other" and I always bawked at bouce houses before I had kids, but the grown ups, I mean kids really have a blast in them. Actually it was B who was really hinting about wanting it. The place we get them from always delivers a day early, so there's plenty of opportunity to bounce at 7 am and wake up the neighbors.




The ice cream cones are still hanging in our hallway one month later!

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Almond butter ice cream cones

This is the table before we decided it would be best if little kids decorated sundaes outside.


Taking her best shot at the pinata

These "big kids" look so grown up

Good thing these big kids don't!

Party favors! I love a good party!

Deux

Don't be fooled by the smile. I keep my mom on her toes!

Yes you do, little one. Yes you do.

So I guess this is where I write my yearly ode to the Little Miss. There's just one problem. Mama is exhausted. I think the entire year of toddlerhood has caught up with me. My ears hurt from the screaming and the squeals. My voice is tired from all of the positive redirecting. But, since I already made your cupcakes and we plan on eating them at 7 am for breakfast because it is the only time we will all be together as a family before 7 pm tomorrow night, which will totally make me mother of the year, I think I'll muster some strength and put this to paper so you don't complain about being the screwed second child when you're 18.

Dear Little Miss,

As you turn two, the biggest thing that seems to amaze me on a daily basis is that you are your own person. You are a stubborn, insistent, charming, and strong-willed trailblazer. You roll with the punches as long as it doesn't mean that mommy is leaving your side, in which case, watch out because there might be some incessant crying. I'm happy to report this is getting better, but you're not one to let go easily when you're not ready for Mommy to leave. I do have to admit at being relieved and proud the other day when I told you that I had to go out and you told me that you wanted to race me down the sidewalk and you said, "I'm ready for you to go now!"

It's been a long year of holding you. "Mommy, hold you!" is what you always said, until about a week ago when you decided that you understood the correct placement of pronouns. You are also quite a talker! About a month and a half ago, you were streaming a few words together and getting frustrated that you had to repeat yourself a couple of times. Then there was a moment in the car when you said, "I want to go to Daddy's office to show him my sticker" and you have been pretty much talking in complete sentences ever since. It's fun to listen to you and J have "conversations" in the car now. I love to hear you laugh at each other.

You really like coffee. Thank goodness Mommy drinks decaf. It makes me laugh when you say, "How about we go to get a coffee?"

You enjoy watering the garden and taking your baby doll for walks to get the mail. You insist on taking your purse with you and you look like a little old lady walking down the street as it hangs around your elbow as you try to push the stroller. You haven't quite figured out how to get all the way down to the mailbox and back, and carrying you, the stroller, the baby doll and the mail all at once can be a bit difficult at times.

You love the water and you have no fear of jumping in. I wouldn't be surprised if you swim early. If we could just get you to stop drinking all of the bath water, we'd be in good shape!

You also love books, but you're a creature of habit and if I don't read something exactly the way I'm supposed to, you turn back to that page and make me do it over. I have to admit that this is a little annoying, especially when I feel like we're in a hurry to read before naptime. I am impresed by your memory of a story even if we've only read it once or twice.

I think the cats have come to accept the fact that you aren't going away. I'm not sure they like it much, but I think they'll be okay as long as you don't try to pull off their tails too much.

It cracks me up when J gets put in a time out for something and you walk over to where he is sitting and give him a talking to. You say, "J, listen to me! Listen to me, J!" You turn your head as if you're very disappointed in him and let him know exactly what you think. For awhile you just babbled at him, but now you are starting to talk logically to him.

You sometimes act like a valley girl. You say, "Ohh!!!" whenever I explain something to you and I often can't tell if you've understood a thing I've said. Maybe there's a career in politics in your future?

You love ice cream. I can't say you've had that much of it, but we've been talking about having ice cream on your birthday for months thanks to your brother. I'm so glad your birthday is here because it's been hard telling you that every other day is not your birthday and that today is not a day for cake and ice cream. It was pretty funny tonight when we said, "Tomorrow is your birthday!" and you replied, "No it isn't!"

You are incredibly tough. You have to get hurt pretty badly to start crying. Most of the time you just pick yourself up and continue with what you were doing, almost as if it was supposed to happen that way.

The terrible twos are tough and we definitely have our days where I hardly recognize you, but in the end it's fairly simple. You smile, laugh, giggle, try to get away with something, have fun, learn, and grow every day. You're starting to show an interest in potty training. You even ask to take a nap when it's time. I can't complain too much.

We love you, Little Miss. Even when you turn on us at the drop of the hat and scream "No!" at the almond butter sandwich I have placed before you after it's what you told me you wanted for lunch. Even when you try to bite your brother. Even when you want to get out of the car when there's no possible way to do that. Even when you ask me to read The Dr. Seuss ABC book for the 30th time. We love you and can't believe you're two.

Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mommy

P.S. Thank you for sleeping until almost 7 am on most days. I really appreciate it

Gym Rant

I rarely complain on this blog; mostly it's all about my wonderful children and our wonderful, perfect life. But sometimes, I get so irritated by other people and I just keep it to myself. Well, I needed to vent today because there were just too many things bugging me.

1. Dear Gym lady with the fake boobs, fake hair, and standing right in the front row,
You were at Body Combat class today, not Do Whatever You Feel Like Doing class. While everyone else was jabbing and crossing, you were jumping and spinning. You also pulled your shirt over your boobs during the abs sequence so you could stare at yourself. Obviously, you like yourself, but we all don't have to love you. Please stand in the back or just do what everybody else does! Thank you!

2. Dear Other Gym Lady,
Yes, you, the one who was so into class that you started practically barking like a dog on a conga line. I totally get it when people are working so hard and they really feel like they are punching something so they let out a great big, "Hi-yah!" or they grunt a lot. But making a sound that goes something like this, "Woof Woof! Oof oof!" does not fit the bill. For close to 30 minutes. I think it's time for you to go on a cruise and get this conga line thing out of your system.

3. Dear Other Gym Lady (this actually happened on Tuesday)
Yes, I do come to this class often. I'm sorry that you've gained 10-15 lbs in the past few months and that you have 4 kids and you are a teacher, but do you have to tell me all of this while completely standing in my personal space and all but kissing me on the lips? Despite my best efforts to back away, you just kept creeping closer and closer to tell me your story. I'm sure you're a very nice person, but BACK UP!!!

4. Dear Gym Lady on the Phone talking loud enough to make her point in front of everyone,
It really was sweet of you to take your first grade daughter out of school yesterday and take her to a local arcade/miniature golf place instead. You truly have your educational priorities in order and must simply have forgotten that summer vacation begins in Texas on May 28, only a mere 9 days away. Good for you for complaining to the management that there were too many teenagers there because your first grader totally should have been playing those shooting games instead.


That was fun. Thanks for listening. I promise we'll be back to our normal programmed blogging soon!