Friday Funnies

Reese has been potty trained pretty well since the first of the year.  She has an accident every so often and she definitely has trouble going poop in the potty but for the most part, she has it down pretty well.  I'm proud of her, she did it like a champ....but she has her moments.

When I make dinner, Reese loves to sit on the counter and watch or help.  I like it too and usually we really enjoy ourselves.  Last night Reese really enjoyed herself.  We were making fajitas so I was chopping peppers, onions and chicken and Reese was standing up looking in the cabinets for her cups so she could fill them up with the veggies.  Pretty soon I hear a tinkle and notice that she is peeing all over the counter and the cutting board full of veggies for dinner.

We ran to the bathroom and cleaned up while I cried over our ruined dinner and the mess left behind.  Today I can laugh about it, but honestly, that was an ugly mess.  Oh Reese, how I love you, but oh how I despise your ability to use this house like a toilet.

"Milk"

Reese loves milk.  Milk is a lovey for her, she just can't get enough of it.  And she likes to ask for it at really inopportune times. 

Example 1:  It's 3:00 in the morning, she is standing face to face with me as I startle awake.  She says to me, in the quietest whisper, "Milk" which sounds more like a mew from a cat.

Example 2:  I am holding River, Reese, a Night Night, a blankie and there are 14 toys and a laptop surrounding me to the point of almost burying us.  Mickey has just turned on the TV and we are unable to hardly move.  "More Milk" she says. 

It is both infuriating and endearing.

River loves milk too.  He has to though, milk sustains him.  His cute little sip, suck, swallow is as sweet as it gets.  He drinks milk like it's his last meal on earth.  Watching and hearing him gulp is a mother's true joy.  I love cuddling up and and feeding him.  He asks for milk in a different way though.

Example:  It is 4 am, he has eaten just a mere 2.5 hours ago.  I have finally fallen asleep and I am beyond exhausted and I hear a small cry that impatiently grows louder and louder until finally I am forced to get him some milk and rock him back to sleep.  I love this but I simultaneously beg for a few more minutes of sleep. 

Milk is a vital part of our lives right now.  We need it to get by and we are thankful for the pleasure it brings our babies.  The sweet little ones sip, suck, swallow it to fill their sweet little bellies and we just smile and think, maybe someday we'll look back on this and miss it. 

River Kahne Neal

Well, River is finally here!  We just couldn't be happier either.  I have always heard the second child helps a person to understand how your heart expands instead of divides and now I know exactly how it feels.  Maybe my heart did actually get bigger because all I feel is euphoria.  I have a perfect family.  Sit back and enjoy the pictures, I still smile ear to ear as I check them out.

Minutes after the cesarean was over.  River Kahne weighing in at 7 pounds 14 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.

My Mom, Grammy, and River

Auntie Lulu, she's getting in a little refresher for when her little girl is born in May.

Proud, Proud Daddy holding his Neal legacy.

Reese, River, Maggie and I cuddling.  My girl was sleepy but still in love.

My niece, Maggie so excited and hopeful that he could go shopping later with her!

Aunt Halee

Aunt Marsha so excited to have another one to spoil. 

Dustin's Grandma, or Mimi, happy to finally meet River.

River, swaddled and sleeping, at his happiest.  By the way, he and Reese not only share the initials RKN but they also have exactly the same number of letters in their names.  I think it's kind of a fun thing for them to have something quietly in common.

River, our perfect son. He is mellow and laid back. Happy and alert and best of all, ON TIME!! 

Ready or Not

The past month has been dedicated to rest and relaxation (ha!) and preparing for Baby #2.  We have all had our share of contributions to getting ready, not the least of which is Reese's sacrifice of her Mama's energy level and lap space.  But we've managed to squeeze some fun in too.

Reese is getting a little suspicious about what exactly is going on.  For one thing, she is VERY tired of not having enough room in Mommy's lap.  She used to pick my leg up and move it so she could sit on it, now she just looks at me like, "really?" and has me sit in a V so she has room to snuggle in.  She also would really appreciate the decrease in belly circumference so she can rest her head comfortably.  But she's accomodating. 

For her baby brother, she made a couple of sock puppets.  I use the word "made" loosely here.  Mostly she squeezed the glue on and pushed eyes down on a sock.  Then when she went to bed I reglued them so they would stay.  She picked out and glued pom pons too but I did all the cutting.  I'm just not ready to turn a 2 year old loose on a pair of scissors.  They turned out great and it was nice for her to do that.  She picked out a sack and helped me wrap them all up.  I think she'll be really excited to give them to her brother but that's where the excitement will end once she learns he's here to stay.

Last weekend she helped us pack a bag for his clothes at the hospital.  Clothes flew all over the place but she eventually picked out a couple of outfits and helped me place them in the bag.  Then she removed all the socks that we own for children and unfolded them to make a long track through the house.  I really enjoyed crawling around picking all those up.

Dustin has been preparing for the new baby with expectation fatigue.  With Reese being as early as she was, we are ready to go at any time.  A ring of the phone sends him in a flurry of concern of whether or not it's go time.  Poor baby is just worn out from all the anticipation.

And me, well, I'm not complaining.  This is what I wanted.  A baby I could call term.  A baby we can bring home when it's time.  Bags are packed, registration is complete, shots are finished, and sure it's no fun to be 9 months pregnant, but I'm happy to be here with this little guy still cooking away. He'll come when he's ready.  But please oh please don't let it be in a classroom full of kids!

Ready or not we'll be having a new addition to our family very soon.  I'm excited to learn how a heart expands with love for another.  I'm excited to see the dynamic of big sister and little brother.  Daddy and son.  Will his eyes be brown or will this one have the Olinger blues?  Will he be tall like Papa Steve or the stout football build of Donnie O.?  How quick will his mouth be with hilarious one liners? I can't wait to watch him grow (and sleep through the night).

and we'll always be best friends forever.....

Tonight Reese and I were having a very loving mother-daughter moment.  She was brushing my hair and I was smiling and talking to her.  We were discussing how funny she is and how much fun we were having.  She was being just plain adorable.  I looked her directly in the eye and said, "Reese, will you promise me something?  Will you promise to be my friend someday?"  She smiled at me and turned her head to the side and said, "No."

But then she grabbed my face and kissed me really hard.  I think maybe it was more of a "We'll see...."

Growth and Development

The day finally arrived!  We had our growth and development sonogram and everything looked great.  Our little BOY is big, healthy and from the comment of the tech, "tall."  Amen to that.  Tall.  One thing Reese and I aren't.

He showed us his manhood and moved around like a puppet on a string the whole time so we were able to see all of the parts that we needed to and everything was healthy.  They even moved our due date a tiny bit to February 18th so who knows when the little guy will be here.

His hand was 1 inch long and we were able to see most of his fingers.  Great heartbeat and brain/spine development.  So we were two excited parents today.  Dustin keeps texting me exclamation points.  Let's just hope we have an excited Big Sister tonight too!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

Today is perfect.  Looking outside you will see a clear sky, 65 degree morning temperatures, and a beautiful sun shining.  I love weather like this, it makes me want to break out my jeans, sweatshirts, and boots.  The dogs go out and don't come in and the baby can play at the park for as long as seasonal allergies will allow.

This morning was a perfect morning.  Reese and I slept until 7:30 which was so nice.  We got up and shared a bowl of cereal and decided to go to the store.  We walked outside with jackets on and made "brrrr" sounds to be silly.  That kid can turn on the charm, but the similarities with her father DO run deeper than her looks.  We went to the park and slid down the slide, crossed the bridge, rocked the teeter totter, and smiled in the sun.

My point is some days are too wonderful not to document.  Some days walking outside makes a person smile.  Some days make a person pack a picnic and enjoy grapes in the grass with a toddler who squeals with delight at being outside.  Today is our day and it's just perfect.

A Day without Power Is....

Sweaty.
Boring.
Quiet.
Hungry.
Nerve-wracking.
Frustrating.
Impatient.


That was today.  Today with no electricity.  Luckily it wasn't 100+ degrees.  Not much of a comfort when it was actually 90 and we couldn't turn on any fans, but at least it wasn't 100.  We were lucky enough to get some dry ice from KCP&L.  The nice man who gave it to me instructed "just act like I'm camping...."  Yes, that is a great idea Mister, the baby and I will pretend to camp while she throws the remote at me and screams "milk" all day. 

Anyway, it's over.  As of 7:00 we finally have air conditioning, TV, and MILK! 

On the bright side though, Reese came and got me so she could sit on the potty chair and she went.  Awesome!

The Potty Chair

A couple months ago we got a potty seat for the little miss.  Right away we put it in the bathroom and just let her get used to it.  She brought it out to the living room several times and pretty much just seemed interested in it from the get-go.  I on the other hand have been ignoring its existence.  I have no desire to cross into that territory.  AT ALL.

But lo and behold the signs have been present.  And although I still believe she isn't ready, one must start somewhere.  And last night was where it began. 

Before bedtime we took off her diaper and let her give it a shot.  We sat her down and after a few seconds the chair sang and we clapped and cheered.  Her face was one of pride and joy.  So was mine, but only after the shock had subsided.  We were pretty pumped up.

So again we tried this morning and again she went.  Call it beginners luck.  Call it a fluke.  I don't care what you call it, my little girl used the big girl potty!  So, here we go....wish us luck!

The Rough Life of a Toddler

Being a toddler is rough.  Literally.  That poor dear is hard on everything, including herself.  She's really going through a stage right now where she hits things when she's feeling frustrated.  I hope it's a stage at least.  She has hit everything in sight this week, a kid on the playground, me, several inanimate objects but tonight was the kicker. 

Tonight, the dogs were eating, this is one of Reese's favorite things because it's one of her chores to feed them.  Then she makes sure no food flies around that they might miss.  But tonight Reese changed it up a little.  She grabbed a hold of Miller's tail and swung around by it.  She pulled and tugged so hard that when she broke free it knocked her to the ground with momentum.  He was so scared that he wouldn't even eat, but he didn't snap at her.  He probably wanted to though.

Next, she decided to take her frustration out on Natty.  I was cooking and I heard a couple of hits but I never dreamed that she was beating the dog to death.  I went in to check and he was hiding from her in the corner.  She had quite a timeout after that.

But what goes around comes around because the poor thing got the wrong end of a kitchen drawer tonight too.  She went face first into it and now will have quite the black eye.  That just nearly broke her heart, and ours.  Being a toddler can be hard, in more ways than one, for her and for those around her.  This too shall pass, I hope.

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I was a girl who slept til 9.  I took naps and stayed up late and probably drank too much.  I had lunch with friends and dinner after 6.  I sat on my rear once in awhile and watched the Food Network.  I painted my toenails and got haircuts on a regular basis.  I packed a light suitcase with no more than necessary.  I drove with both hands on the wheel and never worried about the timing of a drive.  I emptied the dishwasher at whatever time I pleased, mindlessly banging plates and bowls as loud as I cared.  Oh, once upon a time....

And now, here in the present, I do some of those things, though, not as often.  I painted my toenails a few months ago, you can still make out a flake or two of polish.  I sneak a Food Network episode in during nap time if I like the chef who is on.  I wish I drank too much.

It's funny though how those without a little one would be horrified of the life I may lead.  Fearful of months of no booze or (gasp) diet Pepsi.  Shocked at the hour in which I wake each morning to play "get you" all day or to wear most of the yogurt eaten at breakfast.  I'm sure being home for bedtime at 8 is unfathomable.  To some.

But it's the quiet rewards that make it not just worth it but so heart fulfilling that no words could really describe it.  The peaceful look as she swings or the sheer joy of sliding down the slide alone could bring me to my knees.  Seeing her face light up with "Da Da" in sight or the grin spread across her face when she realizes we are at the park.  Hearing the sweet sound of "Ma Ma" and the soft pat on the back that accompanies the hugs are worth each 7 am showing.  Hearing her new words and watching her grow to not only recognize but love her whole family is just something that takes my breath away. 

Life changes so fast.  One minute you have all the time in the world, all the energy you could stand.  That sounds like a fairy tale, but then a little princess comes along and everyone lives happily ever after. 

The Library

I love to go to the library.  Mostly because they have free books there.  But they also have great recommendations.  I especially like their reading programs and fun stuff for kids.  Reese is going to sign up for their summer reading program and we will probably hit up a lot of story hours this summer since she is a little older.

Last night we made a trip to kill some time before bed.  I had lost my card and Reese's books were getting boring so off we went.  We got a new card and then we went back to the children's section to browse.  Reese was in heaven!  She looked at books, she played with the stuffed animals, she put together a puzzle, it was the best.  Until.....

Oh yes, until.  There is always an until when one has a toddler.  And here is mine.  Reese was great until she very publicly pooped her pants.  Publicly.  Loudly.  Turning the head's of strangers.  She turned red-faced and grunted right there in the children's section.  People on the computers kept looking over at her because she was so loud.  I could've sunk into the floor. 

Since we were just quickly running to the library, I didn't bring a diaper bag.  That was a smart move.  So I quickly got our books, ran out the door and cleaned her up at home.  All was well, I just will never forget the night my kid pooped at the library.

Fine!

Fine is the word that I know Reese would've shouted at me last night if she could've.  We had a little bit of an argument, if you could call it that.  I found this argument to be hilarious.  I literally laughed out loud as she toddled back to say she was sorry.  Here's what happened......

My grade level is in charge of pay day treats this month.  I love to cook so I got a little ambitious on my attempt at making something great for the whole staff.  I should've just bought some cookies and been done with it, but no, not me.  I decided to make Rice Krispy Treats.  You know, like on the commercials, where the mom is smiling and has a pretty apron on and a huge bowl.  Her kids are laughing and eating small morsels of yummy marshmallowy goodness.  Just like that.  I pictured Reese sitting on the counter loving the sweet snack.  Me smiling as I stirred all the cereal that stayed in the bowl.  That's not quite how it went down.

What really did happen was that Reese wanted a bowl of her own.  So I thought, "oh great idea! She can eat while I mix these up really quick and then she can go to bed."  Riiiiiight.  She took the bowl and dumped the entire thing on the ground.  I let her to buy some time to get more done and then I was going to let her up to help.  Silly, Lindsay.  Before I knew it she was pissed.  Rice Krispys were all over the floor and being crunched into the carpet with every step I took.  She whined louder and louder, I was cussing under my breath with marshmallows up to my elbows and finally I snapped, "would you just knock it off?"

Wow, was that the wrong thing to say!  She looked at me as if to say, "FINE!"  She burst into tears, ran to the other room, sobbing the whole way.  I was secretly glad for her to go for just a second.  I washed my hands and chuckled to myself, I just knew she was getting her nigh-nigh (blankie).  And a few seconds later she came sobbing back into the room, blankie in tow.

I sat down on the crunchy kitchen floor and she curled in my lap with her thumb.  I knew she was sorry and so was I.  We cuddled for a minute and then I put her on the counter where I stirred Rice Krispys all over the kitchen.  She tried a little bite and then decided she just wanted to watch.  I didn't have on an apron and she wasn't loving the marshmallowy goodness but it was as close to the commercial as she and I were going to get. 

I learned a few things last night.  First, nigh-nigh is the fixer of all problems.  Second, we might get mad but we love each other and we can fix it.  Third, if it looks good on television, it's probably a lie.  And finally, vacuums don't clean up crunched up, smooshed in Rice Krispy treats.

The Tantrums

Everyone knows the Terrible Twos are real.  It must be so hard to know what you want and not be able to communicate it with others so you can have it.  A mom can teach words, teach sign language, do whatever in her power, but the fact remains, tantrums happen.....says the mom of a fairly well-behaved 18 month old. 

I have caught a quick glimpse to what tantrums really look like and I'm gonna tell you, I'm afraid.  What do I do with this strong-willed girl who cannot tell me what she wants?  That's scary enough.  But what really frightens me is when she asks for something, says please, but still can't have it.  Case in point, yesterday she wanted Chips Ahoy cookies for snack.  She saw them on the refrigerator, pointed, said please but did not get them.  She didn't need cookies for snack.  She had a perfectly good snack.  So, that was it, let the tantrum begin.

I don't know what I'm going to do with this new stage.  I guess ignore it and it'll go away.  I guess I need to stick to my guns and say no and mean it.  Ugh, if only real life was that easy.  But I do try and I'll keep trying and trying and trying.  And maybe one day I'll have a sweet little lady who folds her hands when she goes in a store instead of stealing Hello Kitty chapstick and throwing it at her mother.  A girl can dream right?

Rice Party

During our break, we played outside a lot.  One day we got the bright idea to let Reese have a little rice party on our patio.  We gave her some scoops, cups, and spoons and let her have at it.  And she loved it! She played for an hour.  Which was very nice for Mommy and Daddy.  I'm so glad I save containers like this pancake mix pourer and the puffs container.  We even hid things in the rice, it was like surprise every time she found one!!

A Grocery List

Today, I must go to the grocery store.  I must.  Last night I ate nothing for dinner because I went to the cupboards and the cupboards were bare.  Reese did eat though, not to worry.

But anyway, I was making my list in my head last night and I decided I am sick of the same old stuff.  Spaghetti is too messy.  We eat a lot of canned green beans but I'm so tired of them! 

I decided to set a set menu.  Not the same food each week but a little inspiration at least. 
We will begin Meatless Monday, Tortilla Tuesday, White Meat Wednesday and Free Choice Thursday.  I thought this might help fuel my idea process.  We will see.

But in order to do that I need some ideas.  I need YOUR ideas.  What do you think of when you think of tortillas?  What stuff would you put in them?  Do you have a good meatless meal you like?  I could live on grilled cheese sandwiches but I would love some more ideas of some things for Reese and I to eat.  So, if you have a signature dish, or a few good meal starter ideas, let me know!  I'd love the extra help!

The Gift of Books

I have always been a big reader. I love books and I can name thousands upon thousands of beloved titles that I have poured over and loved. I have read more Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High than is probably even normal. I love Harry Potter and The Hunger Games and pretty much everything Jodi Picoult ever wrote. I can remember learning new words because of books and ways to describe ordinary things because of the amazing language I have accumulated. So when I had Reese, I knew that I wanted to trasfer that love of reading on to her. From the day we brought her home from the hospital we read books to her. We watched her learn to turn pages and we participated in the summer reading program at the library. But it wasn't until just this last week that I saw the reading really make a difference.

We have been reading a few books over and over and over and over again. With the snow days, weekend and holiday we've had a lot of time to dive in to reading and we really have! But Reese is really getting involved in her reading. She picks out books, she has to be the one who decides what we read of course, and we sit and read book after book. I love having her curled up in my lap wanting to listen to the story.

She has a book describing body parts and this weekend she began pointing to them when I asked her where her nose or mouth or ears were. I was so excited because we've worked on that forever! She told me what a cow says, repeated purple to me and keeps pointing to the dogs and making the sign (panting) for dog (which I've substituted in whenever we read about what a dog says). All these little things are huge rewards for me after all the hard work I've put in starting good reading habits.

Below are some of our very most favorite books. Open the Barn Door has little peekaboo flaps for each animal and she bounces up and down each time we open one. And Farmer Joe and the Music Show has become a crowd pleaser each time it is picked up. We could read it up to 15 times each day. There are many more, but if you are looking for a couple of good reads, check them out, I hope they make someone you know as happy as they make my baby girl.

The Blue Plate Special

If I have heard it once, I have heard it 1,000 times; I was so tired, I felt like a little old lady going to bed so early, or something to the similar effect. Going to bed early is usually synonymous with being old. But that sentiment has really made me think long and hard lately about its validity. Is going to bed really for old people?

I've come to the conclusion that going to bed early signifies those of the baby-rearing age instead. Parents with young children must go to bed early or the next day will be hell to get through. I don't know many people who have young children who are out partying the night away but I know lots of "old folks" who are out much, much later that I. Heck, my grandma even worries about calling me too late.

There have been a couple of nights here and there when Dustin and I were more than happy to go eat and be home by 5:30 so we could have a few minutes to play with Reese, put her to bed, have a few minutes to ourselves and then pass out from exhaustion.

I have to laugh at the thoughts of feeling old by going to bed or eating so early, I really think we need to reevaluate it. Maybe I'll start saying, "Oh my, I'm so tired, I feel like a baby's parent when I go to bed so early." Seems like that just makes a little more sense.

Pick Your Battles

Today I had a not so good parenting feeling. I felt the judgment seeping out at me and it was mostly from myself.
"I hold her too much," I thought.
"She doesn't even have a coat on...." I worried.
"Ugh, did I miss the jelly on her cheek again?" I noticed.

And then I quietly tried to fix my worries with the age old, "You have to pick your battles."

But then I worried more, "Which battles, exactly, do I pick?" And that question haunted me all day long. Which battles do I pick?

We got home tonight -don't even get me started on the state of the union of this place, because then the judgment will be seeping out of you- and sat down for awhile to play. Reese went over to her crib and pointed for me to get out her blankie. She laid her head on it and put her thumb in her mouth, showing love for her beloved blankie. And a thought popped in my head, "Wow, my kid knows and shows love." *Battle #1.

We played for awhile and I watched her swing her wooden spoon like a sword and then she crawled into my lap and I read her a book. She laughed and giggled when the pig page came up and made me read it to her again 5 more times. "Boy this kid loves reading and gets so excited about it," I decided. *Battle #2.

Finally it was time for bed. I wrapped her in her blankie, said prayers with her and laid her in her bed. I walked out shut the door and never heard another sound. I thought about 30 minutes later, "that sure was easy, she never made a peep." *Battle #3.

I guess looking back on today, balancing pros and cons, I can fairly assess that, my kid sometimes doesn't wear a coat, she sometimes likes being held to the point of inconvenience, and most likely she has something gross on her face. BUT she shows me and others love, she enjoys books and gets excited about them, and she falls (and stays) asleep like a pro. I guess maybe I do pick my battles and maybe I pick the right ones sometimes and sometimes not. I'll take that and I'll keep trying tomorrow to pick my battles, and to maybe pass a little less judgment on myself.

Sick Day

My life has been wrought with sick days lately. I myself had 2 last week and today, Reese decided to call in sick as well. Maybe she didn't get the memo that I have been gone from school 4 days in 2 weeks, maybe she just didn't care. But I did.

Not to mention that taking a day when you have a sick baby feels a lot like playing hookie. Even more so than when taking one for yourself. It's bad enough thinking all day, "am I really sick enough to stay home?" "Could I have just sucked it up and went?" But when it is a sick kid and Mommy feels just fine the guilt just oozes from the pores.

Then on top of that, sub plans. Arrangements have to be made before a teacher can just walk away. Something is always forgotten or left off and then the guilt cycle repeats. So the baby's sick day just made me about sick to my stomach all day.

On a positive note, because she didn't feel the best, Reese was as cuddly as a teddy bear today. Her fever spiked pretty high at one point and all she felt like doing was laying her head on my chest. I was able to sit on the couch and enjoy my baby all afternoon. Definitely the only bonus of the day, but it was a good one.