Mark and I have been exchanging trips and Henry care for the past couple of months. It's been a little ridiculous. Like I either have to be in an airport, a different city or a single parent. That's how it's been the past 2 months. Well, the good news is that we have a little break coming up. No travel for a month ahead of us! How did we get so lucky, I wonder to myself? A normal family time, I wonder what will happen? Maybe we'll hang up some pictures on the wall. Maybe I'll get pregnant (KIDDING). Maybe Henry will bump his head on something (INEVITABLE).
I don't mind traveling when I plan the trip, but as soon as I'm off the plane in a different city I want to high tale it back home to be with my family! What has gotten into me? Like Henry is going to change in 12 hours or something? Or maybe it's just that I can't stand to miss anything he does. Mark and I are totally sick for Henry. Sick. Even his tantrums are cute to us (after the fact). What is wrong with us? My friend was asking me the other day how we discipline Henry and I was like...umm, we don't? It seems to work for all of us? I mean let's be honest, how do you even start to discipline a toddler? Hey Henry, don't throw food on the floor or you will have to lay your head down for 10 seconds. Hey Henry, stop climbing on the furniture or you will have to sit on a stool for 10 seconds. Really? He wouldn't listen and I would be too weak to enforce it because it would turn into a fight, and I thought you weren't supposed to fight with your children? In all seriousness, when do you start providing some discipline that isn't just "ignore it" for a nearly 18 month old? I'm stumped. And probably in need of some sort of guidance that isn't Google.
Post Script: These two things: traveling/single parenting and needing to discipline are not related...ok? I mean, right? Crap.
Apr 24, 2013
My neighborhood and not accepting help.
As a mother of a (very) small child, I often get asked by strangers if they can help. I don't think I've ever accepted anybody's help, not because I am too prideful or anything, but for safety reasons.
We don't have a parking space, and we live near a busy stretch of the city that fills up at night. So I'm often left walking a few blocks if I get home after 6pm. Last night, I returned home after visiting family around 9:30pm, and I parked a block and a half away from my house. I picked up all the bags, then scooped up a sleepy Henry in my arms, when a person out walking their dog asked me, "Can I help you get to your house?" and I just kind of wholesale dismissed him saying - "no thanks, I've got it", even though I was clearly overloaded and had a walk ahead of me with heavy bags and a heavy toddler.
I do this kind of stuff all of the time. I don't talk to anyone on the street after dark in my neighborhood. By myself, or with a baby. Sometimes it's shady looking people, but sometimes it is perfectly harmless looking people but I just can't bring myself to accept help or anything other than mumbling a whispered hello. So maybe I come off as a jerk, but maybe sometimes I save my life? Who's to say, really. Maybe I just need to move out of my neighborhood if I can't hang with the gangstars.
We don't have a parking space, and we live near a busy stretch of the city that fills up at night. So I'm often left walking a few blocks if I get home after 6pm. Last night, I returned home after visiting family around 9:30pm, and I parked a block and a half away from my house. I picked up all the bags, then scooped up a sleepy Henry in my arms, when a person out walking their dog asked me, "Can I help you get to your house?" and I just kind of wholesale dismissed him saying - "no thanks, I've got it", even though I was clearly overloaded and had a walk ahead of me with heavy bags and a heavy toddler.
I do this kind of stuff all of the time. I don't talk to anyone on the street after dark in my neighborhood. By myself, or with a baby. Sometimes it's shady looking people, but sometimes it is perfectly harmless looking people but I just can't bring myself to accept help or anything other than mumbling a whispered hello. So maybe I come off as a jerk, but maybe sometimes I save my life? Who's to say, really. Maybe I just need to move out of my neighborhood if I can't hang with the gangstars.
Apr 13, 2013
Easter 2013.
How our Easter went this year: Buy pants for Easter Sunday outfit from the girls department of BabyGap. Order bowtie from Colins Closet. Fill 5 Easter eggs with blueberries and cheese bunnies. Wake up 16 month old boy and direct him to easter basket. Watch your little boy laughing about blueberries in an egg, watch him running around, learning all the little details of life, watching him learn how to make other people laugh at church, wonder why he will not eat anything other than bread and cake (I think it's genetic?) but at least he doesn't eat candy (yet?), see him learning to play and interact with his grandparents, auntie, and other family, kiss his sweet little face at the end of the day. Think about next year, when he'll be able to get into the Easter egg hunt (and how will you keep him away from candy this time next year!?)
Apr 11, 2013
Cherry Blossoms 2013.
Last year's excursion was too much fun, and we couldn't wait to indulge in the madness of walking down to the Tidal Basin with 3,492,651 other people to ogle DC's beautiful cherry blossoms.
This was the best photo we got from last year. You can only ask a stranger to take so many photos of your wriggly family before the kindness runs out, really.
This year, everyone was waiting for those blossoms to show up. We waited...and waited...and waited some more (too cold for those blossoms!), then we just threw our hands in the air and decided to go on down Sunday morning and check them out. They were just starting to pop so we didn't get the full experience, and wouldn't you know it they were in full bloom by Monday afternoon. So it goes.
We got a few photos of the day, and we head back tomorrow morning to do some paddleboats, and keeping out fingers crossed HARD that it doesn't rain on us. We do not seem to be having the luck in the cherry blossom world this year. But, in other news, Henry has crossed into a new realm of toddlerhood. He is really getting a funny sense of humor, and we can't go anywhere without him stopping to pick up a pile of dirt/sticks/leaves/flower buds off the ground and throw it. It's kind of his jam. Who am I to stop him? Let the baby enjoy his hobbies, I say. So Spring has sprung, the leaves on the trees are just days away from appearing, and as soon as this freak 90 degree heat wave leaves, I intend to enjoy this short lived season.
This was the best photo we got from last year. You can only ask a stranger to take so many photos of your wriggly family before the kindness runs out, really.
This year, everyone was waiting for those blossoms to show up. We waited...and waited...and waited some more (too cold for those blossoms!), then we just threw our hands in the air and decided to go on down Sunday morning and check them out. They were just starting to pop so we didn't get the full experience, and wouldn't you know it they were in full bloom by Monday afternoon. So it goes.
We got a few photos of the day, and we head back tomorrow morning to do some paddleboats, and keeping out fingers crossed HARD that it doesn't rain on us. We do not seem to be having the luck in the cherry blossom world this year. But, in other news, Henry has crossed into a new realm of toddlerhood. He is really getting a funny sense of humor, and we can't go anywhere without him stopping to pick up a pile of dirt/sticks/leaves/flower buds off the ground and throw it. It's kind of his jam. Who am I to stop him? Let the baby enjoy his hobbies, I say. So Spring has sprung, the leaves on the trees are just days away from appearing, and as soon as this freak 90 degree heat wave leaves, I intend to enjoy this short lived season.
Apr 10, 2013
I love you.
On Monday night, we were putting Henry to bed. Take the bath. Read the books. Drink some water. Read another book. Sing the songs. Then put in the crib, and we say, I love you! This time, he looked back up at us and said "I wuv oo".
If you need me, I'll be mopping myself up off the floor the rest of the week. Major love-puddle territory.
If you need me, I'll be mopping myself up off the floor the rest of the week. Major love-puddle territory.
Apr 1, 2013
502 days.
On his 502nd day, Henry leaned in straight to my lips and gave me a big juicy kiss. Usually one to swat me away from his face when I try to kiss him, we've now arrived at that delicate moment where he gives me kisses willingly and liberally. Nothing like those sloppy kisses from your baby to make the heart swell, then melt into a puddle.
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