Two Little Fish

WOAH...

2009-11-04T20:53:00.003-05:00

Wow. I'm an awful blogger. I just took a second to look back at this blog, and the last post was from June! And we were in TEXAS! It's like looking back on an old yearbook... Oliver's hair was SUPER short, it was during the week or so when Emma would let me put ponies in her hair, and I was pregnant!! Since then, we have had our precious baby Sawyer, spent a couple of months in Utah, then moved on back home to Boston for Jeff's last year of Law School. Jeff has accepted a job at a great law firm in Austin, Texas - where we will be moving a few months after Jeff graduates from Harvard in the spring.

Although life is a little more chaotic, I am loving life with three kids. I am trying to just chill out with the small stuff, and have a happy house. I know that the kids feed off of my mood, and the days when I make a serious effort to just be calm and happy, I don't get overwhelmed, and the kids are super happy too. I'm reaching my "zen" place with 3. How funny.

Zilker Park

2009-06-11T23:34:00.004-04:00

Ollie and Em were begging to go to the playground today, and even though it was 100 degrees, off we headed to Zilker Park. To my surprise there were quite a few kids there - thank goodness it was cooler in the shade! I had my "big dawg" (camera) with me, and decided to take advantage of my super adorable babes having fun. Turned out though, that Emma spent the whole time sitting on a stoop pulling little rocks out of her shoes (hence the very "Emma" super pout picture!)

This morning was spent doing a few errands, which included a stop at "kid to kid" consignment store, which my kids LOVE. (toys to play with while I peruse.) Emma and Ollie are constantly asking to go "to kid to kid." I picked up one or two adorable little pieces for baby-on-the-way Sawyer, as well as an irresistible item for Emma. It is a mini-version of the "Moby" (baby carrying) wrap that I picked up on craigslist for myself the other day. I will have to devote another post entirely to Emma's "Goodwill store baby", but this wrap was perfect for her. Both she and Oliver were totally into it tonight. I'll include a few snapshots since it was so incredibly cute to see them toting babies around!

xoxo

San Antonio

2009-05-21T13:18:00.004-04:00

We have had so much fun this week! We have gone on an Austin Duck Tour around the city, ate some fabulous lunch at the Hula Hut, and taken a trip to San Antonio (about an hour from Austin.) We visited the historic Alamo, strolled down San Antonio's beautiful River Walk, and let the kids let loose at the Children's Museum. Here's a bunch of pics...

Austin, Texas!!

2009-05-19T09:55:00.002-04:00

After 2 1/2 days of pretty much non-stop driving, we made it safely to Austin on Saturday night. My Mom and Ray had stayed in Boston for a couple of extra days, and then flew in with Ollie and Em on Sunday morning. I can't believe how much I missed my babes over just a couple of days, but am so glad that they didn't have to make the grueling drive with us.
We are so excited to be back in Austin! It is a lot cooler than it was when we arrived this time last year. (It's in the mid-upper 80's as opposed to 100 degrees.) Such beautiful, sunny weather. We have rented a cute little apartment in Clarksville, an area of downtown Austin, which we LOVE! I love this area of town, and we're excited to be scoping out a part of town which we would potentially love to live. It's going to be such a fun summer!

Here are a couple of pics of Ollie and Em eating watermelon out on our Austin deck. Yay! It's summer time!

Dead car, wild turkeys, farm

2009-04-19T15:37:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was glorious weather, and kind of a weird day. It took us a while to get out of the house, with big plans for taking the kids to Drumlin farm in Lincoln. We got out to the car, and the doors wouldn't unlock with my key clicker thing. "Uh-oh. What is going on?" Answer: Ollie clicking on the light above his seat & not turning it off = dead battery. Yippee. Happy Saturday. We finally were able to get our landlord to jump the car. One problemo. The anti-theft alarm was activated somehow and every time we opened or shut one of the doors the alarm went off for several minutes! We were too scared to turn the car off, and deactivate the car alarm - for fear that it wouldn't start again.

We promised the kids farm, and so farm it was! We all piled into the car, and set off down Trapelo road with our car alarm blaring. The cop directing traffic at Belmont Car Wash lowered his coffee cup for a second, but probably thought it would be too obvious of a car thief to drive past a cop with the car alarm going and his whole family in the car. At this point I was glad that Jeff is a law student. At least his could talk his way out of this awkward situation, should we be pulled over.

Next weird thing was on the way to Lincoln. Never have we had to pull over to let several wild turkeys cross the road! I was pretty excited. I was even able to pull out my camera in time to snap a few photos. We weren't even at the Farm yet!

Drumlin farm was wonderful. The kids love it there, and it really made me reminiscent of my childhood spending time on my aunts farm. Lincoln is such a gorgeous little town. Plus they have the DeCordova sculpture park that the kids also love. Jeff and I have vowed to do as many fun things around Boston as we can with the kids. We only have a year left here and something tells me it is going to pass too quickly :(

16 weeks and counting

2009-04-17T14:00:00.005-04:00

Ok... I was super bad at taking monthly photos while I was expecting Oliver and Emma. In fact, I don't really have any nice maternity photos at all. Slap on the hand for me (considering I'm a photographer!) My goal is to take a monthly photo this time around, since it's most likely our last baby. Here's one from a few days ago at the 16 week mark. We're counting down to May 4th when we find out if it's a boy or girl! Something tells me this pregnancy is going to FLY! Yikes! Due Date is September 26. I'm soooo excited to have a baby at this time of year. Fall is pure perfection in Boston.

A new beginning

2009-04-16T17:17:00.002-04:00

Confession time: well, more just stating the obvious. I clearly have been a miserable failure at blogging about my family! I was doing so well - enthusiastically documenting the life of my kids. Now when they look back on Mommy's cyber-journal they'll wonder where I was for 8 months! At least I have a little while to make up a really interesting excuse. Perhaps we were backpacking as a family for 8 months in remote areas of the world that had sketchy internet connections. Or maybe not.

Nevertheless, I have a renewed dedication to being a better blogger. I could give an update, but let's just start with a fresh page.

I wish I could say that we did something really exciting today. In fact, the kids and I just ran a few errands and played outside in the backyard. I tried to bribe them with amazing lollipops in order to sit for a couple of photos for me. Fail. I closed my eyes and wished Emma would snap out of one of her 30 meltdowns. Fail. (consistency and every possible form of reasoning/distraction has also failed.) PLEASE. It has to be a phase. Wow. This is sounding pretty miserable and depressing. That's some kind of comeback.

Honestly, I have the best fam ever. Jeff is almost done his second year at Harvard Law School. Thank heavens I married someone with enough smarts for the both of us! Ollie is a future genius, and Emma is going to defy the odds to be the first 6 foot female pro-gymnast. With that kind of success, I can just sit back, relax and blog...

Nuts

2008-09-04T21:57:00.006-04:00

The only way I can think to describe today is "totally nutty". After another late night last night (my bad) we rushed this morning to get out the door in time for school. This preschool stuff will be an interesting adventure. Jeff took Oliver to school, and left just after story time. Oliver did such a good job all by himself today. Hooray!!

Emma also did super fabulous at her first day of gymnastics! The class is just perfect for her. She even attempted a forward roll all by herself. It kind of ended up looking more like a face splat, but she tried! Her favorite was the "tumble track", which is a long, narrow trampoline. A super duper runway for two year olds. (They must really use it for gymnast tricks, but today it was occupied by a mob of tots.) Emma loved to jump and do cannon balls on it. She is quite talented at doing cannon balls.

Although I am so proud of my wonderful kids, I can't say my day, personally was super fab. It was AHHH! At least the first half. After dropping Jeff and Ollie off in Harvard Square, Emma and I went to Target to pick up a few things. I opened the trunk to get out the stroller, grabbed the wheel to pull it forward, and @%^#*!!! My middle finger got smashed in the folding mechanism. (Metal frame stroller, finger stuck in hinge = extreme pain) For 5-10 LONG seconds I could not get my finger unstuck. The weight of the stroller had dropped out of the car, closing down on my finger, and my heroic left hand isn't so handy at getting right hand unstuck. Apparently. I honestly, not even kidding, thought my finger was being cut off! Ok... my finger is out, deeply cut at the first knuckle and totally numb. I'll be honest, I sat there on the bumper of the car for a few mins cursing and crying. At that point I was wondering still trying to figure out how bad this bad was. It sucked, but I sucked it up, got Emma in the stroller and went to get some first aid stuff. (went home with nothing from my list - darn it!) After a bit of panic and a band aid, Emma and I headed on to her gymnastics class.

I talked with the nurse on the phone and she requested that I come in. She ordered an X-ray (find out results tomorrow)and said that it could take a couple of weeks for the feeling to come back in my finger, due to nerve damage. Great. I now have a finger that feels like it has been sitting in a dentist chair too long. I suppose there are worse things though. I could have lost that fine digit to the mighty Phil and Ted. (brand of my stroller for the not so stroller savvy.)

The tides shifted this evening. We had a lot of fun at Naomi's 3rd birthday party. I was so happy to see Emma and Oliver playing really well with all of the kids and having a ton of fun. Other than Oliver getting into too many things that he shouldn't, and Emma getting beat up by a one year old (hit her with a plastic shovel and slapped her around a lot- totally shocking to her, super sad to me) the evening was a total success.

For once, I am hoping tomorrow will be totally uneventful. Boring would be perfect.

Ollie's first day of Preschool

2008-09-03T23:05:00.002-04:00

I wish I had more than a moment to write right now, but I wanted to post a couple of photos of Oliver on his first day of preschool. It was really quite hilarious today (the parents were allowed to stay to observe the school program.)For a minute here and there I thought my son was going to be leading the preschool rebellion. Those nice preschool teachers are certainly going to have their hands full! During a rather quiet moment, Oliver decided to protest circle time, by shouting out "I do not like singing songs at all! I only like space ships!" He was very nicely told by his teacher "maybe some of the other friends here like to sing, and you might learn a new song that you will like to sing during circle time." His response was "it's not circle time! It's square time!" All things considered, Oliver did so well. I am so proud, and in total and complete denial that my little guy is not so little anymore. Tomorrow Jeff gets to go to school with Ollie for a bit. We'll try to report back if circle time went a little smoother the second time around :)

Back to Beantown

2008-08-31T21:16:00.004-04:00

Well, we are back home in Belmont, MA after a totally wonderful Gritton Family vacation to California, followed by a week in Utah. Since getting back we have been trying to unpack and get things organized before school starts for both my boys on Wednesday. It was a perfect summer day today, perfect for an afternoon trip to the farm, and an evening walk to the playground. As we walked around the Beaver Creek reservation (where the playground is) we were completely in awe. What a gorgeous, HUGE, park! And this beautiful oasis is right down the street from us! As we walked through the large fields and over the quaint bridges, all I could think of was the pictures that were waiting to be taken of my kids playing here. I am so excited for this new discovery. Jeff and I already have plans to start up our running program there again tomorrow. (We'll keep you posted on that.)

Oh Sunny Day...

2008-08-13T13:18:00.004-04:00

HOORAY for sunshine! I actually am one of those people who likes nice cool overcast days, but after 2 solid weeks of thunderstorms nearly every day, it was sure nice to get the kids to the playground! I had nearly forgotten how adventurous Ollie is on climbing structures. I was close to having several heart attacks as Oliver insisted he was big enough to climb to the top of an 8 or 10 foot jungle gym, and then could climb down all by himself. Maybe I'm a tad bit paranoid, but YIKES! I would have been scared at the top of that thing. He did it though. Who am I to question this boy? I just wish that every once in a while he would accept that he is 3 and not 10.

Waverly Square

2008-08-12T13:23:00.002-04:00

As you may know, we recently moved across the Cambridge line to Belmont. Initially I was a little sad to leave Cambridge, where we have been for so long, but excited for our new place. Now that we are most of the way settled, and a little more familiar with our new location I have to say I love it! It has been rainy almost every day since we moved, and when the sun broke through the clouds today, I took the opportunity to get my grouchy kids out of the house. We are right smack in the middle of Waverly Square. What a great place to be!! We walked over to the grocery store to get some lunch things, then to the bank, then crossed the street to the post office to mail off a package. The errands that used to be impossible for me to do with my kids are now much more enjoyable. Instead of getting in and out of the car, everything is right out our front door. Hooray! Now all we're missing is family close by. We have plenty of room now, so hopefully we'll have lots of visitors this fall!

Pickles and The Milky Way

2008-08-11T18:09:00.004-04:00

I have to admit that today was a real downer. Quite frankly, it sucked. Emma decided that she was going to cry and whine non-stop for 3 solid hours while I had my friend Jessica and her two girls over for a play date this morning. I am strictly forbidden by Emma to hold any other little children. She totally freaks out. It's not fun. Let's see... then there was a moment where Emma and Ollie decided to squirt their cups of lemonade all over the couch. Oliver tried to tell me he was "just trying to fix the couch." Uh-huh. Yeah right.

Then there was the trip to Target to get emergency binkies for Emma. Somehow our new apartment swallowed up every one of Emma's binkies, minus one really old one that she rejects half of the time. Target was the real low point. In a moment of complete insanity I decided it would be good for the kids to blow off some steam and walk, and left the stroller in the car. We were there aprox. 7 1/2 minutes when the brawl broke out in toy aisle #6 over some stupid game. I dragged both the kids to another aisle to distract them but Ollie stormed off to find his game again. When I firmly requested that he return to his mother's side he (very loudly) responded while shaking his finger at me "LEAVE ME ALONE MAMMA." Great. I am now that Mom in Target that other Mom's stare at and shake their heads because I am dragging two screaming children by the hands out of the store. "BUT MAMMA! LEAVE ME IN THE TOYS!" It is a giant snowball effect with Oliver and Emma. Emma could be the happiest girl in the world, but the moment her brother melts, she starts wailing too. The worst part of it is, that I had to ditch the binkies I had grabbed on our way in. We left sans emergency plugs. I will have to go on a major binkie hunt tonight.

Ahhh... the whole story is not just storm clouds. There is a flicker of light here and there. As I was putting Emma in her car seat leaving Target I said to her "Emma are you a sour little pickle today?" Of course she only responded with her grumpy little grimace. However, a few moments later as I was starting the car Oliver announced "Mamma, Emma is not a sour little pickle." I said "Of course not. You're right. What is Emma then?" He thought for a second and then proclaimed "well...she's just a girl." How sweet! My kids are sweet! Woo Hoo! Alright.... things are looking up now. (Maybe)

We get home from our Target dragon slaying nightmare, and sit down to read some books. There's nothing like a bit of quiet time reading books with the kids. That is... until they start fighting over books and Emma is yelling "MINE!" As if I am floating above my own body, I hear myself once again telling the kids "Hey! You know what's fun about this?? We can do it together!" Why don't they buy it?? It never works. I end up feeling like I am trying to sell someone an awful timeshare in flood country.

Finally we read Emmma's choice "Goodnight Moon" and then follow up with Ollie's choice - one of his space books. We are looking at a page with pictures of galaxies and clouds of gas. He says "that's the Milky Way Mamma." And it is. I told him that was the Galaxy that we live in. He gets a sad look on his face and starts to whimper a little bit. When I ask him what the matter is, he tells me "Ahhhh... but Mamma, I don't want to live in the Milky Way. I want to live in another Galaxy!" I just wasn't sure how to respond to that so I changed the subject and we had a nice conversation about Buzz Aldrin and his friend Neil.

I completely adore Oliver's mind and his love for space. He wakes up every morning with something spacey as his first words. Every day he tells me he is a big boy, and just wants to be big enough to blast off in a real space ship. I don't doubt for a single second that one day he may very well be walking on the moon. I guess I have things bigger than meltdowns in Target to worry about.

Space Commander Diego

2008-07-23T08:33:00.004-04:00

For the last couple of months Oliver has been very into anything "space". He is a self proclaimed Space Commander. In fact, he calls himself "Space Commander Diego". If I call him Oliver, he corrects me. "No Mamma, I'm Space Commander Diego!" I have been labeled "Space Commander Mommy" Jeff is "Space Diego Daddy" and Emma is sometimes "Space Cadet" and sometimes "Space Dora" depending on Ollie's mood.
It has been quite an adventure. Regular stuff has turned into space stuff. "Space shoes, space pants, space food, space bike, car = space shuttle..." the list could go on all day. The point obviously is, everything has some affiliation with space or rocket ships at our house lately. Quite fun.
Yesterday, we were out getting Oliver a new set of sheets for his bed (space sheets as Oliver pointed out to me)and both Ollie and Emma were riding in the stroller. Out of nowhere Ollie yells out "Mommy watch out! There's a meteor ahead!" I jumped a bit, and then felt a little silly as it processed in my mind. Of course there's not a meteor ahead. We're at Bed Bath and Beyond, not Outer Space. Of course I played along though. I thanked him for the warning, and steered a different way to avoid a terrible collision with a meteor in the bedding aisle.
Oliver seriously has the most amazing imagination I've ever seen. He astounds me every day. It is also funny to see Emma playing along and following everything big brother does. She is talking more, and growing up before our eyes. I am the luckiest Space Commander Mommy in the whole entire universe!!

Today I love Cambridge

2008-07-11T14:09:00.003-04:00

I guess there are quite a few days that I love Cambridge, it's a wonderful place. However, today I love Cambridge almost as much as I do in the fall. It is currently partly sunny, not too hot or humid, and there is a nice breeze. Perfection. Oliver, Emma and I went on a walk this morning to Fresh Pond, and wandered around the newly re-done wildflower trail. It was a wonderful morning. I feel so incredibly grateful to have my children. They have given me some gray hairs, but they're worth it! They're my best buds.

Road Trips With Kids: Not Reccommended

2008-07-01T14:36:00.004-04:00

We got back late Sunday night from a good ol' road trip with the kids. We left Austin, Texas after we picked Jeff up from work on Friday, and had to be back to Boston in time for him to go to work Monday morning. Probably not the funnest thing in the world. In fact, at times during the hours and hours trapped in the car (16 hrs a day)I thought I may be suffering some kind of slow, miserable death reserved especially for those who have done something really bad. Really though, Oliver and Emma were total troopers. They did so well for being confined to car seats. Other than the time or two when Oliver decided to unbuckle himself, and Emma throwing all of her binkies then immediately demanding them back with violent shrieks.... all went well. On our way we saw a couple of very serious semi truck/car accidents that were heart wrenching and obviously fatal. I am just so grateful that our long journey home was a safe one, and that we are in one piece -and sane.

SeaWorld!

2008-06-23T09:59:00.001-04:00

June 15 was Oliver's third birthday. I can't believe it! How have 3 years passed since my precious son was born? At the same time it feels like we've known our boy forever...
Oliver got some really fun gifts for his big #3. He got a space module play tent from Mommy and Daddy, a set of building blocks from Papa Bob (who was here to celebrate with us) and a trip to SeaWorld on his birthday from Gramma Lou and Papa Ray. So, on his actual birthday, off we went to San Antonio for our first big amusement park adventure with the kids and Papa Bob! SeaWorld was great!! It was a very hot day, but we had a blast. We saw dolphins, alligators, sharks and all kinds of fish, attempted a 4D pirate movie, cooled off swimming in the lazy river and kiddie pool, refreshed our taste buds with frozen lemonade, then finished off the day with a Shamu killer whale show. Oliver got to go on his very first roller coaster ride, Emma rode the tea-cup ride, and Mommy, Daddy and Papa even got to go on a couple of big rides. I would totally do SeaWorld again! What a fabulous family adventure! Thanks Gramma Lou and Papa Ray!

Where does he get it??

2008-06-21T22:06:00.011-04:00

Ok, something Blogworthy... Actually, there have been many blogworthy things lately, just no time to write. Tonight Oliver, Emma and I were playing "pirates" downstairs and out of nowhere Oliver declares "I'm adopted Mamma." He was very matter of fact, although I don't think he knew what it meant. I responded "No... actually you're not bud." He continued the conversation by saying "Yeah, I'm adopted Mom." And I said "Well, it would be special if you were adopted, but I gave birth. I was there, and saw you come out. Sorry to disappoint you bud, you're mine." He just looked at me blankly for a moment, followed by a big "Aargh!" ... and back to pirates.

On that note, I am so in love with my babies, and so grateful that they are mine. Oliver astounds me every day, and Emma is my sunshine. Thank heaven for my babes. (including you Jeff!)

Hooray for Meatloaf!

2008-06-11T14:50:00.003-04:00

Hooray for good old Meatloaf! I'm not talking about the dreadful singer, (sorry to any of the one or two Meatloaf fans out there) I'm referring to the wonderful, easy to make comfort food. My kids have been such picky eaters for the last week or so, and I have begun to wonder if they are getting enough in their little bodies to keep going! They are keeping hydrated with water and gatorade, and bits of food here and there. Last night we tried our last resort never-fail - oatmeal. It failed. Jeff thinks it's a phase. WELL... today I made meatloaf and baked potatoes for lunch. I crossed my fingers that it would be consumed by the little food snobs. HOORAY!! Oliver ate every single bite of a generous portion of meatloaf, and an entire baked potato! The jury is still out on Emma since she is taking her nap, but she is not as tough a critic as our little man. I just hope that Oliver wasn't purposely stocking up his reserve tanks to pull another Gandhi fast on me.

Deep Eddy, Space Commander and Garbage Bandits

2008-06-08T23:56:00.004-04:00

I have 3 blogs in one today. Each special in it's own way, and it wouldn't be right to not report on one of them.

#1)DEEP EDDY POOL: There are only so many ways to beat the Austin Heat, and we have heard around town that the Deep Eddy Pool is one of the best ways cool down. It is a pool fed by natural spring water, and the temperature stays around 68 degrees all year long. A little chilly at first, but refreshing. After about an hour long hum-ha session with Jeff, we settled on taking the kids to the much anticipated "Deep Eddy". It was the best decision! What a wonderful place to relax with your family, and it is super kid friendly with a giant shallow wading area - perfect for Oliver and Emma. The pictures are from our outing there today.

#2)SPACE COMMANDER: Oliver's imagination has developed by leaps and bounds over the last month. It is such a wonderful thing to witness. He is growing into such a "big boy" before my very eyes. (He is always the first to remind me that he is a "big boy" should I happen to forget!)Lately, his favorite make believe game is "Space Commander". He shouts out that he is "space commander Oliver" and Emma is his "space cadet." He has collected all sorts of odds and ends that he pretends are his space controllers, and "stethoscopes" (he actually means telescope, but gets it a bit wrong.) His space ship is a big Ikea cardboard box in the living room, which he travels to space in regularly. As he is blasting off he proclaims with total exuberance "I'm going to Mars! Where no one has gone before!" I love this boy. I love his zest, his excitement, his intensity, and his pure belief that he can do or be whatever he darn well wants.

#3)GARBAGE BANDITS: Ok, we've covered fun and we've covered heartfelt. I'm not sure what to call this next little ditty, but I'm pretty sure I've saved the best for last. There are no photos to accompany the story, so just go ahead and use your imagination. Or not. It's honestly borderline humiliating. In our neighborhood the garbage collectors come very early Monday morning. I'm not sure how, but last Sunday night we forgot to put the garbage can on the curb. Jeff rushed out right when he woke up, but they had already come and gone. This sucks. It sucks even more than just ordinary suck because here in Austin you have to fit all your garbage in one can. In Cambridge you can just line up garbage bags the whole way down the street if you want - they'll take it all away.
The problem gets worse because our can was full last Sunday night. AHHH! What to do, what to do? "Well, let's just put the garbage bags in the garage and figure it out next week" Jeff and I decided. Next week is here my friends, and it wasn't pretty. The garbage can did not magically eat all the bags from last week. As Jeff and I stood in the garage wondering what we should do, that stupid can sat there mocking us, laughing an evil kind of laugh. "I'll get in there and jump a bit to try and compact the bags so we can fit more in" I suggested. At this point I am thinking anything is better than the alternative. There I was in our hot garage standing in the can trying my best to squish the bags down a bit. We got about an inch out of it, and Jeff muscled in another bag or two. "We're just gonna have to do it" Jeff said. I just died inside, because I knew he was right. We pressed the button on the wall, and up went the noisy garage door. I was just hoping that our neighbors were all sleeping. Jeff pointed out that it was after 11pm, and was more than likely no one would see us. We crept over to the neighbors can and shoved in a couple of bags. They wouldn't all fit. Crap. What now? Jeff then tried to stuff more in our own can. No go. Back to our garage to re-evaluate. I stated that we "will just have to wait and hope it all fits next week." Jeff's response??? "You realize that is admitting total defeat?" DEFEAT?? We are garbage bandits!! Is there anything worse in the whole world? Ok, probably. I just didn't want to be the couple who goes creeping around before garbage day stuffing our trash bags in the neighbors can!!! Wait. Too late.
Anyway, Jeff went back out to the same neighbors can and shoved all but one bag in her can. I hope she doesn't have any more trash to go out.

The Slammer

2008-06-05T13:30:00.005-04:00

This morning for some reason I was so tired I could barely speak. I got 8 hours of good sleep last night, but still, for a hour or two I felt like an old Tom and Jerry episode where Tom is trying to keep his eyelids open with toothpicks. After we dropped Jeff off at work, I feared being pulled over by a cop and falsely being thrown in the drunk tank to sober up. My mind was wandering, preparing myself with what I would do should this actually happen. Would the kids come to the drunk tank with me? I'm sure Oliver would think it was fun - a trip to the jail, and seeing all of the police officers. Emma isn't so easily won over though. All ridiculous thoughts on my part. Surprisingly, it woke me up a bit.
After day dreams of being thrown in the slammer with my 1 and 2 year old children, I decided I could make up for their jail time with a nice trip to the park. Off we went on an adventure to discover new playgrounds. We went driving through a neighborhood we have been to 50 times before, looking for the "kids playscape" that we have heard so much about. It is like the lost city of Atlantis for me. I have driven around looking for this darn playground again and again. I have used a map, GPS, verbal directions, followed my instincts, all ending in miserable failure. This morning I figured it was worth another shot. I really owed it to Ollie and Emma for putting them through such hardship in my day dreams. After about 10 minutes of driving around various neighborhoods, and passing one or two shrimpy little playgrounds, we hit the pot of gold. It wasn't the much anticipated pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but good enough. Metropolitan Park. It boasted a nice sized playground, and lots of soccer fields and open grassy space for the kids to run and stretch after being in a tight little jail cell for so long.

Maybe we'll find the lost playground of Atlantis tomorrow.

Hobo Signs

2008-06-04T17:14:00.011-04:00

While Gramma and Grampa Gritton were visiting last week, they bought the kids a kiddie swimming pool to try and beat the heat. Inside the packaging a small, very important set of instructions was included. Here is what I think it could possibly represent:

1.) Watch out for edge of pool when diving in.
2.) Enter pool head first only.
3.) Place head in pool.
4.) Big person may transform into little person upon getting wet.
5.) Big person wants to go under rainbow with little person and birds.
6.) If sick, barf in pool.
7.) Head will bounce off side of pool.
8.) If you fall in the pool, you will be eaten by babies and birds.
9.) Or the more obvious, watch your kids while they're swimming.

The picture reminded me of an exhibit at the Boston Science Museum that has different "Hobo Signs" for you to try and solve. Here is a website with Hobo Signs for y'all to take a look at. (3 weeks in the lone star state and I'm already speakin' Texan.)

www.slackaction.com/signroll.htm

Country Mouse or City Mouse??

2008-05-21T17:50:00.003-04:00

Ok, so we are in great big ol' Texas trying to figure out whether or not we could actually live here -happily. There are definitely pros and cons to Austin, and I'm not sure whether to put the heat on the pro or con side yet. It will be REALLY nice come winter when it is still 60 degrees outside. Possibly the one big thing that I am hung up on is that it doesn't have the same "feel" as Cambridge. Duh. Of course it shouldn't, since it's NOT Cambridge. But, I feel slightly like a city mouse who has been dropped off in the country, with plenty of tacos to eat but no pad thai. How do you possibly decide between the convenience, culture and excitement of the city and the lifestyle, space, and comfort of the burbs? It may very well be the eternal question. I am hoping an "a-ha" moment will resolve this all for me.
On another note, I took the kids on a little adventure this morning to San Antonio, which is an hour from Austin. We went to the Alamo, the San Antonio Children's Museum and then walked along the "river walk". It was wonderful! The river walk is one of the most beautiful places I have been. Lined by restaurants and little shops (with a mall at one end) it was a lovely place to take a stroll and snap some photos.

Our Warm Welcome

2008-05-20T22:10:00.006-04:00

For those of you who have missed a beat or two with the Brown/Gritton clan... we are now in AUSTIN! That's Texas. After a 3.2 day journey with the kiddlie-bops we arrived to the warmest of welcomes from the lone star state. In fact, today's forecast on accuweather.com stated that it would be 100 degrees, followed by the one word description "sunshine". Not "hot as *#%$", or "warning: people standing in direct sunlight are at risk of instantaneous combustion." Perhaps I could open up a roadside breakfast shack and fry some eggs on my face. You get the point. It's HOT!!

I've had some mixed reviews from the local folk. Some say it's unseasonable "warm" for May. This morning while waiting at the Quick Lube for my oil change, an older gent told me "ya ain't seen nothin yet darlin. Summer still ain't here yet." (Meanwhile, a few miles away, a freaky drugged out creep armed with 5 knives was sitting outside our house, insisting to cops that he lived there. Fun. -We actually live in a really nice neighborhood. Just random apparently.)

My one year old, Emma, has learned the word "hot" in the last few days. It sounds more like "awt", but she says it while waving her hands every time we get in the car. Thank heaven for AC in the car and central AC in the house.

Ok. Enough of the hotness. But, did I mention...? This place is pretty hot. Tomorrow should be cooler. A high of 93. Yippee!!

General Choas

2008-05-05T13:38:00.004-04:00

Chaos is too much a part of my life lately. I envision Chaos as a miserable little man that wants everyone to suffer for his inadequacies. He likes to shut down brain function, torpedo your house, feed your kids too much sugar, and send secret agents to wipe out all communication between you and your spouse. He leaves you with never ending loose ends, and ten thumbs to tie them up with. What a guy.

This last week has been just crazy. We have given our notice for our current apartment, found a HUGE new place to move into August 1st, posted our car on Craigslist and sold it that day, Jeff finished classes and started pulling late nights to study for finals. We have started packing for Austin AND are packing to move a week after we get back from Austin... I could keep going, but I'm getting another Chaos induced headache just thinking about it all.

On the bright side (literally) it is beautiful weather today! Finally the rain is gone and the sun is shining. With some of the big "what are we gonna do about it" things behind us, I can breath a bit and take a sec to open up the windows and let in the sun.

An Unwelcome Guest

2008-04-27T19:27:00.008-04:00

What would you do should a rather irritating person keep showing up on your doorstep uninvited? This person turns up again and again on my doorstep unannounced and stays for a week at a time. (Sometimes MUCH longer without my approval.) They put me in a terrible mood, and aren't Jeff's favorite person either. I have asked them to leave and only come to visit when invited, but they just ignore my request. The person I am referring to is Aunt Flo.

The women reading this know who I am referring to. For the men... it is code for period. Menstruation. I will not go into too much detail about my run-ins with the feisty lady for fear of losing the faint of heart. I don't worry about the married men, however, since I know they have found themselves wandering and perplexed in the "feminine hygiene" aisle on an errand or two for the wife, and I extend my sincere sympathies to you. I have a hard enough time finding what I need when I need it.
Let me just say, that the uterus is certainly an interesting organ, for which I am truly grateful. Without it, I would not have my two beautiful children. And should we want more, it will definitely come in handy. At this very moment however, I would like my uterus to take Aunt Flo on a long, very far away vacation. I could use a rest. She could send postcards if she liked, and I would send her a telegram when we were ready to have her back. It could really be a nice arrangement.

During my recent month long menstruation adventure,(I had my period for over a month) I was poked, prodded, had every test possible (most of which I can't remember or even spell for that matter) and finally, much to my chagrin, the Gynecologist prescribed "the pill" to try and regulate things a bit for me. I was on the pill once before, right after Jeff and I were married. Jeff would describe that few months as "not fun". I was moody to probably say the least. So, needless to say, I was not excited about taking it again. After the first day on the Ortho Tricyclen, Aunt Flo went on her merry way. This could have been a coincidence, since her bags were already packed and sitting at the door- I think she just needed a final boot in the pants.

Day two on the pill brought on a whirlwind of dull headaches, and I never get headaches. They were much like the sensation after you stub your toe - only imagine stubbing your head. Again and again. In the same spot. On day ten, after having been seasoned with stubbings, a giant house landed on my head. Or so it seemed. Out of nowhere WHAM! Migraine. All I could do was sit on the bathroom floor, a weepy shell of myself that couldn't open her eyes. Every once in a while Oliver or Emma would wander in and see if I was still sitting there. I could only tell which one it was by the sound of their voices (Oliver speaks, Emma kind of grunts.) After a few mumbled texts to hubby, he (literally) ran home to save the day. At that moment, I swore off the pill. I have a hubby in law school, and two children at home. I don't have time for pill induced migraines! At the sight of my incapacitated state, Jeff heroically announced that there would be no more "pill". I had just barely vowed to never even look at it again, so I agreed. Two days later... there's a "knock, knock, knock" at the door. Aunt Flo showed up again. Darn it. And she brought her friends Crampy, Bloated and Backache. What a party. I suppose it had to come down to choosing the lesser of two evils. Aunt Flo won over Migraines. That doesn't say much for Aunt Flo, does it?

*Over the next several months I will be attending mediation with Aunt Flo in order to come to an agreement over visitation rights with the uterus. I will keep you posted on the outcome*

Time to Brush Up...

2008-04-25T10:16:00.004-04:00

I think Jeff and I are going to need to brush up on our soccer skills. By the looks of it, both Oliver and Emma are going to be quite athletic. That means... by my calculations, Jeff and I have approximately 2 years to perfect our (currently hibernating) sporty selves again.

Mission to Mars

2008-04-25T09:31:00.004-04:00

Recently, we went on an adventure to see a "real" rocket ship. I've been telling Oliver for a while now that Sam and Eliza have a rocket ship in their backyard, and finally, a couple of days ago we went to see it in person. Oliver was totally beside himself, and Emma was chattering with excitement. They weren't quite sure what to do with themselves! Oliver was pleased to inform me right away that "it's a real rocket ship Mamma." They cracked open the door and climbed on in for their very first voyage on such a vessel. Oliver checked out every nook and cranny, while Emma was just happy to be along for the ride. As Oliver looked about, he focused on the window for a moment, and proclaimed with complete certainty, "look guys! There's Mars!" My response to such an appropriate observation on his part? "Yep Buddy, there it is!"

I never cease to be amazed.

Zamboni

2008-04-24T15:42:00.003-04:00

Oliver: "Are you a Zamboni Mamma? heehee!"

Me: "No Hun, I'm not. But do you know what a Zamboni is?"

Oliver: "Uh huh. It cleans the hockey ice"

Me: "Oh! Really? Do you know how it cleans the ice?"

Oliver: "Yep. It squirts water on the ice and makes it shiny."

Me: (dumbfounded) "That's right Bud."

*this conversation occurred about a week after Oliver watched his first hockey game, and saw the Zamboni cleaning the ice afterward. I'm guessing Auntie Jessie told him what it was, since I've never had the conversation with him.*

The Mountain

2008-04-24T08:14:00.004-04:00

The other day, the kids and I spent a couple of hours at Raymond Park enjoying the wonderful sunshine, the playground, and the sandbox. Oliver and Emma don't have hours worth of stamina for anything but a sandbox. It's amazing how long they can be entertained with a shovel, bucket, truck and a little patch of sand.
While at the playground, Oliver made friends with a boy named Felix (a friendly 5 1/2 year old.) He was playing by himslef near them in the sand, and as Oliver went over to him, touched his back and said "Hi I'm Oliver" I truly almost cried. The tears welled up. I have been a tiny bit worried that Oliver might have a hard time making friends because he hasn't shown much interest in playing with other children in our Gymboree class. My heart leapt out of my chest and shouted hooray as I sat and watched him play with his newest acquaintance. Felix had been building a "mountain" in the sand and Oliver was intrigued. He leaned over to Felix and asked him "are you going to teach me to build a mountain?" Again, I melted completely.
No sooner did they start building, then Emma came over to join in. I noticed Emma mimicking everything that Oliver did, and was even nodding her head pretending to speak full sentences. Unfortunately, it became pretty clear that Emma was knocking down the mountain. Oliver and Felix announced that she was "ruining the mountain" and Emma was banished to the other side of the sand pit. She was quite content with a bucket and the sand, but it made me a little bit sad that she has already filled the role of the little sister who the boys don't want to play with.
As we got ready to go, Oliver thanked Felix for playing and said goodbye. I was so pround.

The Stick

2008-04-22T08:55:00.008-04:00

The weather in Boston has been nothing short of magical the last week or so. With unseasonably warm weather, (in the low 70's) Oliver, Emma and I have found ourselves outside as much as possible. A few days ago we had an "adventure" (as Oliver likes to call our outings) to Drumlin Farm with my friend Jessica W. and her two girls Naomi and Annika. Oliver and Emma have been very interested in farm animals recently and this seemed like the most perfect place to spend a lovely spring afternoon.
As soon as we arrived inside the farm gates, Oliver found a stick and started waving it about. I asked him to be careful, and he waved it more softly, this time at people passing by accompanied by the word "abracadabra!" I watched him for a few moments before saying anything else, just to see what he was up to. He continued to wave his stick at people saying "abracadabra". I knelt down and asked him why he was using magic words and waving his stick. He quickly corrected me. His stick was a "magic wand" and he was saying "abracadabra" to "get people out of my way!"
A few minutes later, after many conversations about not chasing people with his magic wand and YELLING magic words at them, Oliver's stick quietly transformed into a "digger." There we were, surrounded by the farm animals that Oliver had been dying to see in person, and he had his head to the ground digging. "Hey Oliver!! Look at this Owl!" His response? "No Mamma. I'm digging." Later..."Hey Oliver! Come and look at the cow!" Again he replied "No Mamma. I'm digging." After missing most of the animals and not seeming to really care, I asked him why he was digging everywhere we went instead of looking at the animals. He told me that he was "a farmer" and he "needed to dig holes for the animals". How can you argue with that? When a boy needs to dig, let him dig.
As you enter the farm, there is a generous downward slope that turns into a "giant mountain" as you leave. Oliver started up the "mountain" enthusiastically, until about the halfway point where he had to abandon his stick to make it to the summit. He told me that his stick was "too heavy" and he would leave it at the farm until next time. It was not the fate I had expected the stick to face, but probably the most wise.

My little Gymbugs

2008-04-17T14:40:00.002-04:00

Today the kids and I had "Gymboree" class. It's a teacher supervised, parent participatory play and music class and is my attempt at having the kids get their wiggles out. I am also hoping that it gives Oliver a little taste of a semi-structured class before preschool rolls around this fall. Otherwise, I fear that my little guy would be in complete and total shock that someone is telling him when he can play, when he can eat snack, when he can read books etc... With me by his side all day long, we make it all up as we go along.
It turns out so far, that Emma is the superstar in Gymboree. She runs and plays, dances, slides and jumps without a second glance at me. Oliver on the other hand, is fairly shy for the first little bit, and likes me to do most everything with him. When it's time for the big parachute to come out, an activity that I would think Ollie would LOVE, he disappears with a few other kids to try out other things. He's the master of the balancing board, and a pro at shooting hoops into the 2 foot high basket.
Well, even if this particular play class is over priced, too far away, and not quite long enough... we're having a blast!

Spring has sprung

2008-04-16T13:27:00.008-04:00

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun."

— Kahlil Gibran

That is exactly what I have been doing for the last several days! The sun (and the accuweather.com 15 day forecast) would say that Spring has finally arrived! It has been a long, cold winter here in Beantown, and my soul has been starving for a little sunshine. The last few days have been glorious! I almost don't want to acknowledge the wonderful weather for fear that it will be jinxed. It seems Oliver and Emma have totally forgotten how much fun walks to Harvard Square can be, what chirping birds sound like, and how delightful the newly risen daffodils are.
Spring is definitely my favorite season in Boston (although it's a near tie for Fall.)The whole world around us awakens, and I begin to remember why I love this city so much. The cherry blossoms emerge, the children run and play, and the spirits of every neighbor softens a little. Everyone seems relieved to bid farewell to winter - for a few months anyway. I certainly wouldn't miss Winter one bit if he decided to take an extended vacation.

The Blues

2008-04-15T16:09:00.002-04:00

I hired myself a new dishwasher, and he has offered to work for Cheetos. Oliver is totally obsessed with cleaning lately, especially washing dishes at the sink. Today he was washing dishes, and I heard a crash. Uh oh. I forgot to take one of the breakable dishes out of the sink! Sometimes I forget that he isn't a teenager, since he acts like one most of the time. I told him he had to get down since there were sharp pieces everywhere. He cried, and begged to stay. I told him no, and his reply was: "I need my guitar to go sing a song about it Mamma!" I gave him his Backyardigans play guitar, and he began to sing "ohhhh a bowl that crashed and broke...."

I think his calling in life is to sing the blues. He's been doing it a lot lately. Most of the time it sounds more like whining though :)

A little slice of Home

2008-04-15T14:56:00.004-04:00

A few days ago, I was delivered a little slice of hometown pie. Even if I was only able to enjoy it for a few short days, it was still sweet! Of course, I'm talking about my bestest bud in the whole world, Jess, coming to visit. Well, she was actually here for Chris's hockey tournament at Harvard, but I'm telling myself that was just an excuse to reunite herself with Cambridge and Boston. (And to see me of course!) We visited our old stomping grounds in Harvard Square - Urban Outfitters, Berks, The Coop... and even had a brief moment of silence for our dearly departed Jasmine Sola. We shopped, we laughed, we were able to catch the last 20 minutes of Chris's first hockey game (although to her credit, she did watch more than one game.)We survived torrential down pour, snuck into the Harvard Law Library, braved the rude Boston Cabbies, and ventured into the mouth of the White Horse. Our prize?? Matching Harvard hoodies.

Next time I want more than just a small slice - I want the whole pie! Next time you have to stay for a week or two J.J. Or maybe three. Or... how about you just move to Cambridge?? Oliver said you could sleep in his bed. We miss you Jess!

One smart bear

2008-04-10T18:29:00.003-04:00

Was anyone aware that Pooh Bear lives on the Harvard Law School campus? That is some seriously prime real estate! He must be one very smart bear. Or at least really lucky.

Supermodel Mommy

2008-04-08T18:57:00.005-04:00

This may sound a tiny bit brash, but I see lots of things being done and think "I could do that!" Some things come quite easily to me. Why deny it? (Let's just note that Math is not one of those things. Math makes me cry. Literally.) Photography, sewing, and jewelry-making are things I kind of have a knack for, I guess. The one thing that I see being done again and again that I definitely know I could do is that supermodel thing. Sure, I have a couple of minor obstacles to overcome... but there were obstacles in teaching myself to sew and knit too. I know I need to be realistic though since it's a tough biz. I would have to lose a few pounds, and grow like 6 inches or so. But, I figure with the growth in height, the bit of baby pudge around my middle will just stretch out anyway.
I've been practicing "the walk" quite a bit lately. I've become pretty brilliant. The turn and pose at the end of our runway has been a bit of a challenge, but Emma likes to hold my hand at that part to help keep me steady in my 4" Jimmy Choo's. (Ok, they're actually 1" Isaac Mizrahi's from Target - but who's keeping track anyway??)
Emma has expressed some interest in being my manager when I go big-time, and Oliver has already signed up to be my make-up artist. (Sorry Beck. You snooze, you lose sis.) Since things seem to be coming together pretty quickly, I figure the most sensible route is to follow in the footsteps of the great and wise Hannah Montana. You know, Mommy by day/Supermodel by night. That will probably be the best way to start out.

"To Do"

2008-04-08T18:04:00.006-04:00

My kids are finally sitting having a few seconds of quiet time, and so am I. I've been making a mental "to do" list of stuff I've got to get done after bedtime:

-unload/load the dishwasher for the hundredth time today. I swear it laughs at me every time I turn my back.

-make a dent in our Mt. Everest of a laundry pile. Maybe I could hire a Sherpa.

-using a spoon, pry some of the petrified play-dough from random areas of the kitchen floor. It's been so long now that I've actually convinced myself the black play-dough bits are the natural grain of the wood flooring.

-clean the tub. It is just so wrong and unfair that something which is constantly covered in soap and hot water needs to be cleaned! And our tub is especially cruel. You scrub and scrub until your hands are weeping from the bleachy acid peel and the tub still looks like coffee stained teeth!

-exercise! Let's be perfectly honest though... Jeff won't get home til some time after 9pm tonight. I'm POOPED! I feel like I have run a marathon just from moving my fingers to type this. I might have to just watch Turbo Jam, and pretend that I'm doing it. At the end of a crazy day, it really does make me tired to watch them jumping around with such insane energy. I just tell myself that one day they'll have kids too.

-shower. Nice. I have had to add basic personal hygiene to my "to do" list. And it made the bottom slot. I'm sure that is too much information for the ten people that read this blog.

Funny kid

2008-04-07T17:39:00.003-04:00

Oliver was just playing a little rough with Emma and this was our exchange:

Me : "Please be a bit more careful with Emma. She is still a little girl and you are a big boy."

Oliver: "Well... I am a big girl Mamma."

Me: "No. You're a big BOY."

Oliver : "haha. I'm a big GIRL." (thinking this is funny now.)

Me: (pulling out the anatomy lessons)"Well, what part do you have that girls DON'T have?"

Oliver: "Girls don't have any heads Mamma."

It doesn't get better than that!

Pavlov's Dogs

2008-04-07T17:15:00.003-04:00

There is one sure way to make my children RUN to you. You might imagine it would be by enticing them with a deliciously iced cupcake, blowing the largest bubble ever witnessed by human eyes, or perhaps by making the announcement that it is playground time. All are certainly reasons for Oliver and Emma to quicken their step a little, but not enough to make their earth quake.
If you want my kids to stop, drop everything and run to you... simply turn on the vacuum! I would swear that they think it's a toddler party bus pulling up for them. I pretty much have to go into stealth mode every time I want to clean up some crumbs or else there is a fight for who gets to push the vacuum (and then nothing gets done.) I know somewhere in the back of my mind that this obsession with cleaning will not last. I don't imagine Ollie and Em will be begging to vacuum in 5 or 10 more years. How unfair.

Baby Check

2008-04-04T20:00:00.009-04:00

By now you have come to realize that this blog is more about my kids than our time here in Beantown. No apologies though. My offspring consume my whole life these days, and I love it. Oliver and Emma are the most charming, funny and most beautiful children that have ever existed. (Something tells me that all parents say this.) They are especially beautiful, charming and funny when they are sleeping! They get a little crazy while they're awake, and make up for it during slumber. I have more love than I ever thought was humanly possible for my babies during the moments that I peek in while they are resting.

Every night Jeff and I do "baby check" before heading to bed ourselves. We tip-toe into Ollie's room first, scooch him back into a reasonable sleeping position, cover him back up, and give him a kiss on the head followed by a final "Night-night buddy. Love you." Next we navigate our way through Emma's dark room over to her crib, lean over and look for a minute, both whispering "where is she?" When our eyes finally adjust to the light and we spot our youngest sleeping child, we both sigh "ahhh" as if patting ourselves on the back for being able to produce two children with such perfection.

I fear that we may not be able to do "baby check" forever. I'm sure there will come a time, far too soon for my liking, when Oliver and Emma no longer appreciate their Mom and Dad creeping into their rooms late at night to steal hugs and kisses.

PS: Ollie is actually snoozing behind those shades. Sneaky little guy.

The Vortex

2008-04-04T12:58:00.007-04:00

Right now life as a mother of two small children is totally wonderful, fulfilling, and overwhelming at the same time. Oliver and Emma make me laugh, smile, they make my heart full, and sometimes they also make me want to collapse in defeat. Jeff is content with our little family just as it is, and I imagine having one more baby DOWN THE ROAD. After law school, after Oliver and Emma are a little easier (does that actually happen, or is everyone just lying to me?)and after we have a home and a tad more financial stability.

Let's just imagine for a nanosecond that we don't have any more children... what then?? What on earth happens when you pass through the vortex of diaper changing, sleepless nights, learning to walk, talk, eat, go on the potty etc...? I will be wondering what to do with myself! You have to remember that my life has been all about taking care of children. I was a Nanny for a very long time, and then had children of my own. Not having small children around me would be like not having a limb or two. I am not suggesting that I will want to keep having more and more children - 3 sounds great. I certainly don't want to transition directly from having small kids to having grandkids without a break. That would be weird. I just don't know what I am going to do with myself when Oliver no longer needs his snuggles first thing every morning, and Emma no longer thinks it's the greatest thing to give Mommy hugs and kisses.

I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful family. Jeff, Ollie and Emma totally complete me. Until #3 comes along anyway. Then we'll be for sure, one hundred percent, totally complete. Right?

My Purple Heart is silver

2008-04-03T13:21:00.007-04:00

Last night, as Jeff was out late for a law firm shin-dig, I braved the "meltdown hour" alone. It seems that most evenings around 6 pm, both Oliver and Emma transform into their own personal Mr. Hyde and our house begins to resemble no-mans land. Food shrapnel covers the kitchen floor, a days worth of Lego lay about like dormant grenades just waiting to explode under your bare foot, and the ricochet of high-pitched whining deafens your ears and numbs all senses. Trying to clutch onto an ounce of sanity as both children scramble for the prime spot on Mamma's lap, 8pm (bedtime) seems to actually be getting farther away, not closer! Suddenly, with no warning the clouds part, and there is peace and sunshine on the battle field. It is 7pm. Oliver and Emma's cantankerous alter egos have faded back to the place from which they came. I soak-in the hour of mellow moods, hugs and kisses before helping my babies settle in for their slumber.

I could barely keep my eyes open as I cleaned off my war wounds of ketchup, boogies, spilled milk etc... I noticed from the corner of my eye something particularly alarming to me. Someone had presented me an award that I certainly did not anticipate. A whole patch of silvery gray hairs were sprouting up like a crown on my head! I was completely bummed out upon seeing them. I am only 28. Too young for gray hairs to be popping up in such large numbers! I thought for a moment, and decided that they were a hard earned reward for doing my best at raising a 1 year old and 2 year old. They are a badge of honor, and I will wear them as such.

That is... until Miss Clairol washes them away tonight.

Pre-school or Grad school?

2008-04-02T20:10:00.010-04:00

I have found myself incredibly frustrated this last week as I have been researching, and looking for a preschool for Oliver to attend this fall. One wouldn't think it would prove to be such a challenge, but alas, we are in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I have been scouring the internet, visiting the sites of all the preschool programs in our area, only to be left with the feeling like I might barf. I think it's fair to say that about 90% of the schools that have a pre-K program have been reviewing applications since September 2007 for Fall admission 2008, and therefore, the classes are full. That's not the barfy part though. What makes me want to throw up (or maybe just laugh really hard out loud) is that they are charging more to teach 3 years olds than BYU would require for your WHOLE ENTIRE education there. (BYU graduate tuition is $4,860/year - and that's after a tuition raise this last year) For example, The Cambridge Montessori School tuition is (taken directly from their site):

"For 2008-2009
Toddler-
Half Day $17,040
Full Day $21,170
Tuition amounts include fees for field trips"

**You could go to BYU grad school for 4.35 years for the cost of ONE YEAR at a Cambridge PRESCHOOL!!! What is wrong with this picture?**

Ummm... where are they going on these "field trips". I hope it's Disneyland, and I hope they are taking me. Reality Check: it is not as if CMS has a huge lavish campus for pre-k kids. It's a pink box on the corner of Walden and Garden. I pass it 3 or 4 times every day. In all fairness, it is not only the tuition that compares to that of many grad schools. The application process does too. (not a good thing in my eyes) I have known several extremely bright 3 years olds to be rejected from various Cambridge preschools after applying and being interviewed. It is strange, and a little concerning to me that parents of a 3 year old have to hear "sorry man, your kid is just not good enough" for the not-so-posh pink box across from "Paddy's" green shamrock pub.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel! I called several pre-schools this morning, all of which told me there wasn't much chance of there being a spot for Oliver in a preschool class SIX MONTHS down the road. That was until Steve (Eliza and Sam's Dad) called to say Hi. We started chatting about preschools and he told me that I HAD to check out the preschool that Sam is currently going to. I looked it up online, saw that it more than exceeded my idea of reasonable monthly tuition in our area ($350/month compared to $1,704/month) and immediately called the director of the school. I did not imagine there would spots available for fall, especially at that price. (To me it was comparable to the most amazing clearance sale you can imagine - but by the time you hear about it, and get there... you fear everything in your size is gone.) I was left gasping for air as the director said that they actually still had space for this fall! Jeff and I have a scheduled tour of the preschool on Monday morning, after which we will be submitting an application for Oliver to attend the "Sacramento Street Preschool". Cross your fingers for us that Oliver won't be receiving a rejection letter in the mail.

This almost makes me more anxious than I was waiting to hear if Jeff got into Harvard.

Re-constuctive Surgery

2008-03-31T14:03:00.010-04:00

I never in my lifetime would have imagined that I would be expected to perform re- constructive surgery. If asked, I would reply "I am certainly not qualified!" I mean, come on... I am a very qualified Mother, photographer perhaps, but maxillofacial surgeon??? I think not. Today, however, a maxillofacial surgeon was needed. A mother has to morph herself to fit a thousand different pairs of shoes just to survive daily, so why not a surgeon? I AM good with a needle and thread...

To fill the gap in my story, Oliver was sitting quietly cutting paper with his scissors while I was 3 feet away from him trying to secure our summer accommodations for Austin Texas. I suppose I should have been paying a little closer attention. 3 or 4 minutes later I looked over, and Ollie's BELOVED blue blankie that is the closest thing to another sibling to Oliver (or even his own child) has a giant shredded hole in it!! This once plush piece of comfort for my son now has a hole the size of Texas in it! I can fit both of my hands through the hole! I showed Oliver and said "what are we to do?? Your blankie is broken! It has a GIANT hole in it!!" His response was "Oh man!! I thought I just cut a little hole in it, not a giant one!" He went on to tell me "you can pin it though Mamma." He did not seem terribly concerned that his blanket had just suffered multiple stab wounds, and was now in critical condition. He also was not affected by the fact that his conjoined twin was now in the hands of someone totally inexperienced in the field of blankie re-construction.

As the blankie lie lifeless in my hands, I thread my machine and took a deep breath. I think I was more affected by this tragic accident than Oliver, but I believe he was still in a state of shock at this point. After 5 long mins under the needle, the blankie emerged with a new lease on life. Seriously scarred, the blue blanket will recover to full capacity. Oliver's blanket was able to acquire a life long restraining order against "Dexter the Doggy" scissors.

The moral of the story is : just because they are quiet, doesn't mean they are being good!

When I grow up...

2008-02-15T17:59:00.006-05:00

I still am not exactly sure what I will be when I grow up, and yet I look at my children and wonder what they will want to do. Maybe we'll get there at the same time. (Depressed for just a second here.)They are so incredibly creative at just one and two. Sometimes I wonder if Oliver will dream of being a sports star as he loves to run and play, kick soccer balls, and shoot hoops. On an adventure to Henry Bears Park toy store yesterday, Oliver begged me to get him his first baseball glove (or as Ollie says "baseball glubb"). I'm a total sucker, so we paid for it and then ventured on to the snowy playground to play catch.

As much as his energy amazes me, his little 2 year old mind blows me away. Today we went to the science museum and as I followed my little guy around I could see the wheels in his head turning as we wandered through the Mathematica exhibit. I was wishing Jeff were with us as Ollie asked me "what is that Mamma?" I had to read the sign to tell him what things were. Math truly is not my thing. There's no pretending here!

When we got to the little section where you are supposed to build your own car and race it against another, Oliver's eyes lit up. He immediately raced over to the table to build his car. When I asked him what he was doing he replied "I'm designing a car for you Mamma!" He asked for a pencil and paper so he could draw it first. I wished Steve were there to help him build his car. It would have been so much cooler than what I was able to help Ollie come up with!

After the Mathematica exhibit and the car building I was thinking "ok... where's the art stuff? I'm good at that." After a second of wondering if there was anything artsy here, I realized "duh, we're at the SCIENCE museum."

Well, whether Oliver decides to be a sports star or an automotive designer, and whether Emma decides to be a wrestler or an artist, it will be an exciting adventure. And I will be the proudest mom that ever was.

"Guy"

2007-11-29T18:01:00.000-05:00

Oliver has a new best friend. Appropriately named "Guy" by Ollie. He is a Barbie doll, probably the ugliest male Barbie I've ever seen. A hand me down that was accompanied by about 30 regular Barbie's and a Ken (who suffered a tragic, accidental be-heading.)Now that "Guy" is the only guy in Barbie town, he seems to have a mystical pull over Ollie. Like any 2 year old, Ollie loves to challenge many of my requests. You know... the little daily things "please sit down in your chair while eating" or " don't run with that pen in your hand" or "don't sit on your sister!"BUT.... should you hold up the ugly Barbie Guy and speak in a terrible surfer dude voice, Oliver's eyes twinkle and his ears perk up. He listens to everything Guy asks. Suddenly he is happily sharing with his sister, cleaning up his toys, and any of the tasks that seem too impossible when just mommy asks. When Guy comes to life and starts to speak, Oliver fills up with a 2 year olds excitement and has to show Guy everything in his room. Subsequently, when Guy is tired and "needs a nap" the tears roll in and Ollie grieves terribly for a few moments - until Lincoln Logs don't look so bad anymore.

Emma on the other hand could care less about Barbies.

The next J.T.

2007-11-14T09:15:00.000-05:00

Oliver is nearing 2 1/2 and is always full of surprises. You never really know what he's going to say. Yesterday I downloaded a couple of Justin Timberlake's catchy new songs that I thought would make good walking/running music. I played them for Oliver and Emma, and they danced like there was no tomorrow. We also played the "J.T" songs in the car once or twice until I thought Oliver would appreciate his own music and put in "The Wiggles" instead. As soon as Oliver heard the beginning of "hot potato" he cried out in disappointment "NO! I want J.T!" And if you saw the way Oliver can break it down, you would think that he and J.T were related.

How early is too early?

2007-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's totally ridiculous that every year the stores start displaying the Christmas decorations earlier and earlier. I think this year they were out right beside the Halloween costumes. However, now that Thanksgiving is right around the corner I'm starting to get nipped by the Christmas bug. I'm lighting my holiday scented candles, and playing a bit of Christmas music here and there, and yes... we put up a tree! To try and justify it.... it was a fabulous deal on an artificial tree, and Oliver was really excited about putting it up. So, there is stands. A 5 foot question mark in my living room. Is November 12 too early to start celebrating Christmas?

Big Baby

2007-11-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

We had Emma's one year check up this afternoon. Emma was quite happy as we went in to the Dr's office, and extremely regretful as we were leaving. She had to get three of the routine 1 year shots, and then on top of that the 1 year blood test to check for lead. We learned that Emma is 25 lbs, 8 ounces, and is nearly 32 inches tall. That made her in the 97 percentile for weight, and 100 percentile for height. Her healthy weight contributed to her miserable experience having blood drawn. Normally, they would draw the blood from her arm, but her arms were too chubby to find a vein. Instead, they pricked her finger and kept squeezing for several minutes until they had filled the vial. Not fun, to say the least. Our Emma is a trooper though. She takes shots in the leg like a champ, and can body slam her big brother like the pros.

How did this happen?

2007-11-09T13:35:00.001-05:00

How on earth is it possible that Emma is one? I've barely blinked once or twice since she was born. Maybe that's because Jeff and I have been a little sleep deprived this last year. We had a little party and celebrated on her birthday, November 7, but I don't really think she knew the party was for her. I'm excited to see how her personality grows and changes over the next year, and to see how she physically grows and changes as well. I'm kind of sad at the same time though. I enjoy every second with my kids (well, almost every second) but it's scary how quickly they grow from tiny babies to independent, demanding individuals. I'll only have the chance to close my eyes for a few short moments before Oliver and Emma will no longer need me to kiss their boo-boo's better, or for me to snuggle their worries away. I guess we better have one more...