Swimming!

We took the kiddos to the Rec Center this past weekend.

Mimi is a water girl and we've been depriving her too long. 

It was fun (the part about hanging out with the family and playing in the water. Not the part about putting on the only bathing suit I have that also doubled as a maternity suit. Eww. It was so threadbare that I rushed to get out of it as fast as I could when it was done before it disintegrated on my body).

Anyways...

Fun was had by all!

How cute are these two?!

Mimi had so much fun chasing daddy around and going in the "warm pool" (a.k.a. hot tub) and going down the little slide.

And look at THIS little boy:

 

 I stand by the fact that, to me, little boys clothes are the cutest things on the planet.

Reason #343

Because they are just little mini-versions of men's clothes. Which makes them so cute. Everyone loves "mini" things.


 The same isn't always true for little girls clothes.

I don't wear clothes like Mimi's. If I did I may be committed. Tutus and cowboy boots with a freaky headband on an adult woman just isn't as cute. It would look sort of like this:

We dug these "mini version of a cute surfer boy" swim trunks on Bodes:

I mean, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! 

I couldn't stop holding him out of the water to look at him.

Yay for FAMILY DAY!

Grocery Shopping with Mom

Last week while Mimi was in preschool Bode and I went to the grocery store. 

I was starting to get a complex that this boy lived too much in his seat 

(I mean seriously. 50% of the time he's even sleeping in it).

I knew that maybe he was in it a lot when one morning I decided to carrying him into Mimi's school instead of lugging the seat (see my previous post about bruises!) and one of the teachers said, "Oh, look at you! You're out of your seat!" They kept commenting on how much he's grown. Apparently they hadn't seen him since he was a newborn because he's been hibernating in his seat.

To my defense, most of the time he is sleeping, so the seat is an obvious choice. Also it's cooooold out there and he looks so snuggly and warm in his fuzzy seat cover/cocoon thing. And, after strapping and unstrapping one child in and out of the carseat, who wants to turn around and do it again for a second? We have plenty of those days coming.

So, when we got to the grocery store is was a relatively nice day out (a balmy 40 degrees I'm sure...that's for you Nik in FL ;) xox, so I opted to try Bode in the front of the grocery cart. As you can see, it was adorable. I couldn't believe how big he looked just sitting there (which must be why I stopped in every aisle I was shopping in to take his picture. And, well..um, video too. (each time I was embarrassingly caught by different store employees. Now I'm not only known as "that crazy sweatpants girl who does massively huge grocery shops at 6 am when we only have the self-check out open" but also as "the weird mom who takes pictures of her baby in the shopping cart in the frozen food aisle." )

My two weaknesses:

This cute little boy and Ghirardelli brownies...

On a side note, I had a revelation the other day.

When Mimi was just a newborn, I legitimately had a fear that I was kissing her too much. I mean I seriously thought maybe I was ruining her or something by planting one on her little cheeks any chance I got. (It really sounds silly to say out loud. Maybe it was postpartum anxieties/unreasonableness..who knows?). I think parenting is synonymous with irrational fears. But what I realized is that it all evens out. Now I don't kiss her near as much (or enough). Now that's she's three, she doesn't necessarily want me all "up in her grill" and since she is her own little person who I don't carry around all the time, the opportunities to smother her with kisses just aren't as plentiful.

I likened this to taking pictures of my kids this weekend. 

It feels like everywhere we go, I'm capturing some new picture of Bode. Because everything is new. Everything is the "First Time." But that evens out too...pretty soon the big milestones are fewer and farther between (and the bigger the kid gets in our family, the less they are obliging to having their picture taken). 

I had this thought this weekend because I was worried that I was raising narcissistic kids who have every little moment documented. But, it's good to remember that it does slow down and even out a bit, just like the constant barrage of kisses. When they are new and soft and cuddly in your arms all the time, you just can't help it!

So now I feel better about the crazy pictures of Bode's milestones (which I'm so glad I have of Mimi at that age). So I will continue to stop in the middle of the grocery store aisle and snap pictures of my little munchkin without hesitation! Watch out King Soopers!!! ;)

Crushville

Last week we went to the movie theater with our friends Brianne, Mikaela and Mason for Mikaela's birthday to see the THIRD installment of Alvin and the Chipmunks "Chipwrecked." 

Can you tell that Mimi was in heaven?!

(oh, don't worry. It was our SECOND time seeing it in the theaters. And why wouldn't it be? In this season of the Academy Awards, I'm so glad that I've made sure to see the Chipmunks movie!!! ;) But really, who am I kidding. I sort of love it too. 


Bode went with us and he did great, in spite of the fact that I was prepared for the worst. (that always seems to be the case ;) He was enthralled with the big screen through the previews, did some lap time with Brianne, then conked out in his seat through the movie. Yay.

My Least Favorite Thing To Do

I HATE waking up one of my kids. It's the absolute worst.

It's just so unnatural. We relish the moments when they sleep. So why would you ever want to wake them up?!

But unfortunately for Mr. Bode Butterson, I have to wake him up on occasion. Today I had to wake him up to go get Mimi from preschool. I get to see him sweetly dozing a lot, and I normally wouldn't ever dare to take his picture for the fear of disturbing him. But today (as I stood frozen, staring at him, trying to come up with ANY other scenario where I didn't have to wake my peacefully sleeping fellow) I thought I'd snap some pictures since I was going to wake him up anyways.

(Look at that face! Disturbed, perturbed, confused! But maybe that's because he woke up to someone snapping pictures of him..?)

He is my love. I have a serious crush on this little boy.

More Mimi

Since most of the time it feels like Mimi is random, this post about her will follow suit.




My Little Ponies have been a hit in our house lately:

This is how Mimi eats sushi:

With a surgeon's precision, she eats off all of the rice and leaves the rest. 

This picture marked a significant day.

It was the day I decided that I would never spend $7 on a sushi snack for my little rice eater.

This is how Mimi wore her hair to school today:

Somehow she found this little infant headband of hers and put it on herself.
Not wanting to discourage her from taking the initiative to tame her locks on her own, I let her wear it around the house and didn't attempt to correct it. Then she told me that she wanted to wear it to school. Maybe because we had a long sleepless night with a teething Bode, or maybe because who seriously cares what a preschooler's hair looks like? I let her. (but you'd better believe it didn't go without comments at her preschool when we rolled in. Mimi's teacher said it was reminding her of Olivia Newton John's "Let's Get Physical" video ;) Sometimes it feels nice to let some things go. (Lord knows I don't do that often!)



One day we were out in the yard. Mimi came to me with a worried, frantic expression.


"Mom, I will be right back. I need to go get a watering bucket for those flowers! LOOK AT THEM!" (they were clearly not dry or dead, but just in winter hibernation. But I loved her initiative!)

Of course there are a million more funny, random Mimi things. (Just ask Nana. She has a few from her time with the kiddos yesterday), but that's a good start.

*****

Bode Tricks

Our Secret To A Clean House

Our secret to keeping our house clean?!

GO TO THE ZOO!

Allie Brownlee, this is for you! 

Mimi donated some of her allowance to saving the coral reefs :)

We need to see you in person soon so you can impart some of your underwater knowledge on our little conservationist!

The small African "Dik Dik" who Mimi said looks like Rudolf ;)

Another zoo quote from Mimi: I told her that Ostriches are tall and run fast, and she chimed in, "like ME!" She also said that the arctic fox looks like a chihuahua. Her ideal zoo would just be full of chihuahuas...

The Zoo is our happy place. There's never a bad day there.
 We enjoyed the 50 degree weather, a front row parking space and being the only ones in Tropical Discovery. Not too shabby. 

Waking Up Brother

The sound I love most right now is Mimi and Bode giggling together without me in another room. Hearing evidence of their budding relationship/joy with each other is so sweet to witness.

One morning I let Mimi go in and "get" her brother from his nap. After a few minutes of hysterical giggles, I had to grab the camera to document:

Still Amateurs

About a week after Bode was born, I sat staring adoringly  every little perfect piece of him and noticed something strange.

When I uncurled his tightly clenched newborn fists, I saw something dark gray/blue where his tiny fingers connected to his little palm. It was like a line. I could never get a good glimpse at it because he always had his fingers curled tightly together. I made Ben come over and look. I immediately diagnosed it (because I've watched Grey's Anatomy) as a little exposed vein that maybe still hadn't had a chance for skin to grow over. Ben jumped on board with no questions asked, so I figured that explanation made sense (but we were still reeling from having a newborn and probably not in our right minds). We reasoned that he was born a week early, maybe that exposed vein was part of the territory.

Until later that week when I put Bode in the bathtub. I uncurled his fingers once more to try and wash his sweet chubby fingers, and used my washcloth to brush over the "problem spot." The "exposed vein that didn't have enough time to get covered with skin because our baby was born a week early" WASHED AWAY. It was LINT. 

(So much for getting my M.D.)

I share that story because even though we've been down this road once before and aren't "first time parents," it doesn't mean we're immune to the insecurities, worries, self-doubt that come with having another baby. It's not as bad, for sure- it's nice knowing it all works out in the end and our little decisions aren't really AS big as we make them- but it's still not a walk in the park. 

When Bode started eating solid foods, I was rushing to my books and doctor handouts for directions." Is it carrots first, or peas?" "Do I feed him rice cereal EVERY DAY?" "What time?" It was like I had never done it before.

And now we're trying to let Bode "cry it out" a bit at night to tame his habit of waking up every 2-3 hours. Its SO right to do. It helped teach Mimi to become a great sleeper (I think it was part us, part maybe just who she is) but I'm so in line with the validity of "sleep training." But it's still SO HARD. Even though I know it's best and have a living, breathing three year old example to look at, and a husband who's been down this road cheering me on, I hate hearing my baby cry. It goes against every fiber in my being. I'm conditioned to respond. So last night, with the help of "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" on TBS, I tried to shut off that part of my brain that wants to go pick up my little Bode and we let him cry. A few times. And it all worked out okay. He even slept until SIX! Hallelujah! We all five (Henry the cat was with us) woke up and cuddled in our bed to start our day and everyone was all smiles. 

Having one kid under our belt doesn't make us experts by any means. So I will continue to pour over my "sleep books" and pull out my 20 question long list of concerns at the pediatrician, and we will keep trying to do our best.

At least I will maybe think twice before trying to diagnose any medical status for awhile.

Beat Up

It's no secret that I've always wanted to be a Roller Derby girl.

Definitely NOT because I'm tough or awesome, but more to have an excuse to come up with the clever name (my current favorite is Miss Understood or Judy Boom) and wear a frilly cheerleading skirt around.

So it's sort of funny that my body looks like I have in fact taken up Roller Derby or become the newest member of the Jackass team. Lugging kids around is hard work! Between getting the Sit and Stand stroller in and out of the trunk, lifting a three year old into the grocery cart or toting the HEAVY infant seat (and HEAVY infant) around, my body is taking a beating. The bruises on my upper thigh from where the baby carseat hits are so plentiful that I'm sure I have a bruise in the shape each of the seven continents. (I will save you the picture...hence the cute cartoon instead).

And if that weren't enough, I have this pesky rib that keeps popping out. No joke. How Operation Game is that?! So that's what that horrible feeling that wouldn't go away no matter how I contorted my body was! Thanks to my large baby boy ( I will just choose to blame him. He's so cute. He can take it) I've already doubled my chiropractor attendance (I've gone from once a year to twice in two months!). And even though it seems like that rib is out of place AGAIN, I'm going to tough it out. I'd rather spend the money on Starbucks. Plus it's good practice for if I really do become a Roller Derby chick... ;)

Mimi

Mimi

I got a real gig taking pictures last weekend at my friend's grandpa's 90th birthday bash.

I was running their "photo booth" (I was the photo booth :) Basically a monkey could've done what I was doing, but I was still grateful that someone was willing to pay me to do what I love doing...taking pictures!

And I'm not going to lie, having a reason to be out of the house by myself sounded pretty nice too!

It was great fun. They had organized a table full of "props" for people to use to take pictures. About halfway through Ben showed up with the kiddos (lest I forget I wasn't really a fancy photographer, but really the "feed bag" for Prince Bode). So while I tried to casual turn the "photo booth" area into a nursing room, Mimi was pulled to the dress up table like a moth to a flame. She walked over to it, in slow motion, her eyes wider by the step. Luckily it was a down time in the traffic from the party to take pictures, so she got to pop on a pink wig (along with a lot of other things) and get her own photo shoot. It was great.

When I started writing this post, I had a few things I wanted to write about our big girl. I think that they were monumental and special and fun. Maybe even funny. But I seriously can't remember ONE of them. SHOOT! Maybe I will add them later as they come to me. For now, you were able to see her cute face anyways.

Oh, and these cute boys were there too. Look at my hunk of a husband!!! ;)

We also got to see our good friends the Ainsworths!!! Who are expecting another baby girl on MY BIRTHDAY! (March 11th is a popular day!) Wish we had more time to hang out, but in this stage of life, you take what you can get (and you don't throw a fit ;)