Sensational Seven

Seven months old today. 

Has an infectious giggle

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

and her first tooth

LOVES

tasty toes

 

bath time 

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

her big brother

and peas and pears

I was so prepared…

My dad carved his first pumpkin with his grandson, Jonah and Meredith were dressed and ready in their costumes by 6pm, the candy bowls were filled with popcorn balls, Halloween toys, and an assortment of miniature candy bars.  My parents and my brother were instructed on answering the doorbell while we were out with our friends trick or treating around our neighborhood. 

I had my zoom lens on my camera and everything was ready as we headed out the door and to our first house.  For once I was prepared! Or so I thought!

Being the photo crazy moms that we are Shannon and I started our clicking frenzy but then Shannon realized that she had charged her battery but forgot to put it back in her camera. I confidently said, “Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered! I’ll just make you a copy of my pictures.” Right then as if the camera gods were saying “We’ll show her'”  a message pops up on my camera screen that says “change battery pack” My battery was completely dead. Agh!

Welcome to my life!

Luckily I had managed to take four pictures prior to our minor setback.

View Full Album

Boo-tiful

Jonah and I were playing around the other night with one of Meredith's photos and we decided to see what she would like look as a spooky zombie.

After a few laughs and adding a couple of more touches to our fun photo Jonah smiled at the picture and then said, "Okay, now make her beautiful again!"

He melts my heart!

Even as a spooky Halloween zombie, she's still boo-tiful!

Halloween Festivities

My parents and brother came up to help Jonah and Meredith celebrate Halloween.  It was a day full of cookie baking, pumpkin carving and preparing for the evening’s main event - Trick or Treating.

View Full Album

Why raising a daughter costs more….

When I saw this outfit online I had to have it for Meredith. 

This is what makes having a daughter so expensive.  It doesn’t matter if I’m in Neiman’s or at Target. There will always be cute girl clothes. I have my favorite stores/brands for Jonah’s clothes because it’s really hard to find cute boys clothes. I don’t like themes, especially sports themes and I’m not a huge fan of cutesy characters or animals. Unless it’s a vintage style shirt. Then, I guess it’s okay. But what I really like are for Jonah’s clothes to look like mini versions of Josh’s clothes. So, needless to say we are a little limited in the boys department. I used to ignore the girl’s section because it just frustrated me even more but now that I have a daughter I am submerged in a sea of wardrobe options for Meredith. And oh gawd don’t even get me started on the accessories…the bows,  the hats, the tights, and the shoes. How I love the shoes!

Sorry I digress. Back to the point of this post. I found this adorable outfit at Stitched With Love. 

Meredith was being such a good little model during this mini photo session so there are lots of pictures. Some of the lighting isn’t all that great but her smile is! And isn’t this outfit just precious??

   

A Family Affair

Josh’s dad came down to spend the night with us and visit Jonah and Meredith. I’m starting to notice how our parents never come to see us anymore, just their grandchildren!  Oh well,  I love when Josh’s dad comes to visit because he cooks us a lot of food which we eat during the week the following week  so it saves me a lot of time in the kitchen. He is also our handyman. So when he comes to visit, Josh tends to hand over the “honey do list” to his dad and they tackle it together in half the time. Jerod and Lauren also came over. It’s so nice when there is family around to help out when you need an extra pair of hands to hold Meredith or keep the Jonah entertained!

View Full Album

My first road trip with the kids…alone.

Yesterday it took me an entire day to pack the car and get everything ready for the two and half hour road trip to the tiny town of Hico this morning to visit Josh’s mom and grandmother. It also decided to rain cats and dogs today but we went anyway. Luckily we didn’t need to stop for any potty breaks and Meredith slept most of the way.  Thank. You. Jesus. Quite frankly, I was a little nervous because when Meredith isn’t happy no one in the car is happy. Except Jonah, he seems to tune out her screaming but then again he is a guy. 

Amy also drove up from Austin with Kayla and Christian and when Mimi mentioned that the Baptist Church had a pumpkin patch setup we loaded up and headed over to the church. We had the whole pumpkin patch to ourselves. You just gotta love small towns! A Great Grandmother, a Grandmother, four little ones, two Moms armed with their fancy cameras, pumpkins and you have a recipe for some great photo ops!

And yes we made it back home to Dallas in one piece with no major drama. Again, no one had to stop for a potty break which was a good thing because getting a baby and a toddler out of the car in the rain at night doesn't sound like much fun! So my first road trip alone with both of them was a huge success!

 

View Full Album

Singing Sensation

I’ve seen all the adorable videos on You Tube of preschoolers singing popular songs while in the car with their parents and their parents video taping the entire 3 minute song. Well, I am now officially one of those moms. Jonah has become quite the singer these days when we are in the car and I told myself “Self, you need to video tape him singing because these are the memories that you will want to remember and these are the video’s you will want to show all the girlfriends he brings home!”

So, the other day as we were backing out of the garage Jonah requested one of his favorite songs from my saved music on Sirius and I quickly grabbed the video camera and recorded my little singing sensation. And note when he points, it gets me every time!

Halloween Bash

Our first annual Halloween Bash. Twenty five kids and their parents. Apple bobbing (actually they tonged instead of bobbed thanks to the swine flu epidemic here in North Dallas), strawing for spiders, mummy wrap race, a piñata and Halloween themed food that included Witches Brew, Monster Dip, Spider Pretzels, Monster fingers and toes and Pumpkin Roll-ups. We had Super Hero’s, Police Officers, Princesses, Witches,  Fairies, Pirates, Ladybugs, a Court Jester and even a Skunk.

Planning the party took a lot of work but it was totally worth it listening to the laughter that filled our house that night! After the party was over Jonah gave me a big hug and said “That was the best party ever! Can we do it again tomorrow?”

View Full Album

Falling into Fall

First fall photos at the Arboretum. There were pumpkins galore and for being so good while Mommy took 300+ photos (thanks to a candy bracelet bribe) I let Jonah end our visit with a couple of runs through the frog fountain which was obviously way cooler than the candy bracelet! Now that I look at the pictures...maybe an orange shirt wasn't the best choice for pictures at the pumpkin patch. Mommy lesson learned!

 

The next Tiger Woods??

We’ve been trying out a variety of sports for Jonah to find out what he really likes - soccer, swimming, basketball and right now we are trying out golf.  He like it and he hits the ball really well but so far soccer has been his favorite.  We have to wait until he turns four to start tennis.  Of course Josh and I both have visions of Wimbledon and the US Open dancing in our heads so hopefully he enjoys it. But if he doesn’t that’s okay because it’s all about finding something that he enjoys and wants to play.

 

Swanky Six

Six months old today. A sweet smile, a silly little giggle and baby rolls that are too irresistible not to kiss! So in love!

Oktoberfest

Josh’s family is German. My mother’s family is German. Our last name means tailor in German. Jonah and Meredith call their grandparents Opa and Oma. We like German food. A brat there, some sauerkraut here and don’t forget the German beer. We also enjoy celebrating our German heritage each year at Oktoberfest. We usually attend the one in Addison and the one in McKinney down on the square. This year Josh and I went alone with some friends to the Oktoberfest in Addison (of course I forgot my camera) and then we took the family to the Oktoberfest down on the square in McKinney. Jonah always has a good time riding the ponies, having his face painted and listening to the German bands sing and dance. I think Meredith enjoyed her first Oktoberfest and it was  great to be able to share this family tradition with the newest member of our little family!

 

My Little Hero

He turned 3 1/2 years old today. The (smaller) love of my life.
Full of laughter, kisses and wonder.
He is my Sunshine. Everyday.

Full of Hot Air

Yes, I've been MIA. Yes, I'm behind on my blog. Yes, I have been busy with my two little ones and my husband organizing and preparing for the mayhem that is quickly approaching known as the holiday rush! Fall snuck up on us and our favorite way to kick off the new season every year is by attending the numerous fall festivals in the area. One of our favorite events is the Plano Balloon festival. Balloons, bounce houses, face painting and good food.








"I don't know what the big deal is about all these balloons. I just found my feet and they are way cooler!"

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that this how I spend my mornings when I wake up....



that Jonah and Meredith enjoy having their picture taken together (well, most of the time).....




for funny moments in the evenings like this....



educational moments like this (teaching Jonah how to tell if the spaghetti noodles are ready)....



sweet moments like this.....




and for these two adorable faces!

A Sign of Things to Come??? Oh Gawd...I Hope Not!

It's 11:58pm and I'm laying in our bed typing a post while there are dishes from tonight's dinner still sitting in the kitchen sink, there are three laundry baskets full of freshly washed clothes sitting on the couch in my bedroom that need to be put away and there are still two half eaten oreos sitting on my coffee table in the family room because Jonah only likes the white middle. The list goes on and on of things I need to be tending to before I go to bed but I would rather work on my blog because I have two kids now and frankly I'm too lazy it's much more therapeutic than washing dishes.

So, Jonah has developed a little habit lately of making his body his personal art canvas. Neither I nor Josh have a tattoo. I'm not sure if it's just his age or if it's a sign of things to come! I was telling my mother about it on the phone the other day and asking her if I did the same thing as a child. She immediately replied "No" but I'm starting to think my mother has developed a selective memory and has decided to repress anything that I did wrong as a child. She said I never colored on the walls or my body with markers to which I quickly replied "Oh, really?? Maybe you should go open my closet doors and check the walls!"

July 2009


August 2009


and again in September 2009.
YES, that is my address stamp and NO, it does not wash off! His legs were not the only thing he stamped. He also stamped his hands, his stomach and his arms. Two days later I was still trying to scrub off the ink in the bathtub. I guess the only positive outcome is that if he gets lost at least they will know where to return him!


What if his self inflicted tattoos above turn into an obsession like this below when he's older?



By the way..I had a hard time finding an appropriate tattoo picture online that I felt comfortable showing on my blog. All I can say is, there are some "very creative" people in this world! I'm going to try and get those images out of my head now and go to bed!

School Daze

Jonah was six weeks old when I returned to work and the day Josh and I dropped him off at Primrose I, like many working mothers before me, had to have my husband console me as I sobbed all the way through the parking lot to my car. How would anyone be able to care for my little boy the way I did? Were they going to know that he liked his bottles ice cold, not warmed, he had to be held upright and walked around the room to fall asleep and he hated being swadled. Well, much to my surprise within one week of being in their care, he started sleeping through the night, which for a first time parent was equivalent to winning the lottery. I knew at that point he was going to be okay.

Jonah attended Primrose for the next three years while I continued my career as a WAHM. But after returning from maternity leave with Meredith and due to a declining economy my company decided to reduce it's staff and I was forced into the life of a SAHM in June. That's not to say that I am not enjoying this time with my children. We have had a wonderfully busy summer but I realized that Jonah still craved the structured schedule and advanced education that he was receiving at Primrose and he also missed being with his friends.

Since sending him to Primrose all day for five days a week while I am at home didn't seem to make much financial sense, we opted for two days a week at one of the Church preschools. One of his best friends from Primrose was also going to be in his class so I knew that would help with the transition.

We attended the Meet the Teacher ice cream social the week before school started. When we entered his classroom, Jonah immediately found the folder with his name on it, brought it to me, then went back to the table and started coloring as if to say "Don't worry Mommy, I know how all this works."

So last Tuesday I woke Jonah up for his first day at his "new" school, put on his new outfit, packed a healthy lunch and an extra set of "just in case" clothes and then carefully picked out which furry friend would accompany him at naptime. He grabbed the napmat the he and his Daddy bought and then my little Pre-K student stopped at the front door to pose for the camera. (He knows me way too well).

While driving to school, he told me that he was going to have fun with his new friends and was not going to cry when I left (something that's happened a couple of times in the past). When we arrived he kept his promise by walking into the classroom, hanging his bag on the hook and then sitting down beside his friend Isabelle to play blocks. I stood there for a few minutes watching my little boy acting so grown up and feeling the same rush of emotions as I did that first day at Primrose. As I was turning around to walk out the door, Jonah stood up and ran over to me. He put his arms around my neck and said "I love you Mommy, hope you have a good day. I'll see you when you come back to pick me up!" I knew at that point he was going to be okay. It was me that was having such a hard time letting go.

Once again, I sobbed all the way through the parking lot to my car.

And I have a feeling that won't be the last time.