Friday Five: Resolution-ish

1. In short, this has been quiet a year. A year of life that has gone way, way too fast. We've seen job changes and life decisions. We've watched our only grow and grow and grow. He can recognize letters and sing too many songs and has opinions about everything. Really, we've all grown and grown and grown. Sometimes it is the small shifts in life that readjusts your priorities - like taking a vacation instead of buying Christmas gifts. Like the thankfulness that follows having a running car. Like the love of true friends and faraway family. If only I could set my priorities about bedtime, eating, and the gym - life would be overly sweet. I guess we have to have some struggles.

I'mma gonna get a monster!

2. In the passing of Christmas, Mellow has been dressed up as Captain America/Spiderman/Woody every day (Thanks Santa, Aunt Jenalynn and Aunt Kimberly). I swear we put on real clothes each morning, but spying a leg of one outfit hanging out of the hamper he is redressed in a flash. Yesterday he insisted that I call him Woody all afternoon and answered his name with "Arg Matey" just to add to the mix. Yesterday I walked in to his room, knocking aside a row of cars. He flipped on me and was all these my BAY-bies and you KNOCK-ed them overs!! He held them in his shirt and carried them around all day. His personality bursts and shines from every smile and odd-phrased acknowledgement, all I NEED some you-ce mama or I gonna die to death.



 3. Mellow has given up watching TV for paraphrasing. For every ten minutes he watches, he runs to use for one and yells  did you see that tat-er-pillar. He's throwin' balls. He's gonna be in trouble. Mama spidey doesn't like that. In a bubble of excitement he races back to the TV and will soon yell out  you see that mama I TOLD you SO!  As usual, in our laziness we have watched too much TV - most of the day it is just background noise but noise nonetheless. With all of Mellow's relaying, TV is no longer a quiet time activity.

4. AT was over last week and made the observation, You have so much help I don't know how you get anything done. I have been turning this phrase over and over and over in my head - it's the truest thing I have heard in a while. Most of our week has been consumed with errands and chores between the lazy 10am wakeup time and the doing nothing. Together we have cleaned and baked and boxed and wrapped and sewn and packed. Aside from the occasional Lego break, he is always there I wanna put clothes in - what 'choo doin' mama - what's that called mama - I can do this mama - let me be your helper! He teaches me patience, step by step, again and again (and scheduling, since everything takes three times as long). This may be while, after summarizing my day to B, I realized that it took nearlyfive hours to take ornaments off the tree and pack everything up. He was all wow, the house looks great and I was all I had so much help I don't know how I got anything done.

  

I'm a Helper!

5. Our parenting struggle of the week was to watch Mellow interact with other children. These children were naughty and nice, as children are wont to be. Of the crowd, we found that Mellow took on the role of the Goody-Goody (or maybe he is just competitive). If someone was acting up, he was all I'm NOT doing that Mama. And if someone was being good he was all, But she is doing that mama and I want to be good too. Is this always how it is with multiple children? Does the competition bring out the best in your child? How do you tell your kid "good job for behaving" without offending the other parents? Eek.

Wordless Wednesday: Cuddle Monkey

not cold here

Christmas: The Time Continueum

For over a month, we talked excitedly about Christmas. Mellow doesn't have a terribly strong grasp of time still and his concept of yesterday and tomorrow can refer to any number of things: last year, two weeks ago, a month from now, or actually tomorrow. We try to talk about things in terms of days of the week, so all week we were today is Tuesday. Then its Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we are going to Grandma's. Sunday is Christmas!

Everything went fantastically until we came home from our adventures and Mellow was all is Christmas over? I DON'T WANT CHRISTMAS TO BE OVER! Then he launched into a full-fledged tantrum.

Thank goodness for Mimi. We haven't been to Mimi's house yet to celebrate Christmas and we could honestly placate him by explaining that Christmas isn't quite over yet. We told him that Santa will not come for a long time, but there are still presents to be had at Mimi's house. Very exciting. (P.S. I think he just wants to unwrap and isn't being greedy about stuff.)

This morning he woke up (we goin' to Mimi's house To-DAY!?) and ran in to the living room. B had neatly arranged his gifts under the tree the night before. Mellow declared, look mama. I a lucky boy! Will you play with me?! So I am not worried that we are doing anything overkill or spreading it out too much. At least for a three year old "I a lucky boy" can be considered gratitude.

Christmas: Without a Camera

Before we left for the weekend festivities, I promised myself over and over and over that I would get my camera from the office. Yet, every time I started toward to office I was sidetracked to upstairs or the kitchen or the frightening mound of dirty clothes outside the laundry room.

You know where this is going - we left for a rare holiday with out-of-town family and I forgot my camera at home. Remembered my glasses, my phone charger, my kid. Forgot the camera.

I had to be dependent on my phone all weekend, which was convenient but lacks a shutter speed fast enough to keep up with moving children. I ended up taking over 200 hundred pictures but weeded out 150 due to bluriness and poor lightening. For all great things that an iphone camera is...it is still a camera on a phone.

the promise of lightening a candle is a great negotiator during Christmas Eve service

the best day yet.

need to work on his "happy" smile

We were dressed on Christmas morning, but Captain America pajamas reigned all day long.

Christmas: Green Pepper Jelly

After a wonderful dinner at a friend's house, I snatched a recipe and ran. Then, I needed another friend to come over and help me make it through moral support - it takes a lot to make things run around here.The saying is totally me, it takes a village to run Jess.

Anyways, the recipe was for Green Pepper Jelly. All I could see in my head were dollars saved from Harry & David's Pepper Relish. This stuff, mixed with a bar of cream cheese is my favorite go-to appetizer and show-off snack. There are a few things that I would do differently, but this jelly was a fantastic hit - and super easy.

Recipe:
In a food processor, blend 1 1/2 cup cider vinegar - 1 1/2 cup green peppers - 1/2 cup hot peppers.
- I used half a banana pepper and half a jalapeno and it wasn't very hot at all...even though my house smelled like jalapenos for a day.

To a large pan, add the puree, 6 cups sugar, and a packet of Certo (liquid pectin).
Stir until it boils. Allow it to boil for three minutes.

Using a mesh strainer, strain the mixture into a bowl. Add jelly to containers (I used small plastic ball jars) and allow it to cool on the counter. After about 10 minutes, mix in the desired amount of "chunks" to each container.

My friend doesn't actually "can" hers - she says is stays fresh for 6 months in the fridge. I cheated and made this with hothouse veggies...but I can't wait to see what it will taste like with late summer peppers from the garden.

Friday Five: Vacation Edition

1. This week the Mama, I'm HON-GRYs didn't wake me up until well after 8:30am every day. Who knew that the kid would actually sleep when not harshly pulled out of bed for school (or the gym in the summer)? One morning it was even  the bear in my tummy is growlin' but I wanna sleep. Precious. Sleep, kid, sleep. Mommy can be on pinterest on her phone all morning.

2. I finally found the number one way to keep Mellow occupied in the craft room - something that doesn't involve him dragging all three baskets of toys and 498 blocks in there to play with. Safety scissors. We had extensive reinforcement yesterday about how scissors are for paper and NOTHING else. I guess since bubblegum never ended up in our hair, I decided to push the cosmic forces of parenthood a little more. I've had to shear his head because of a scissors accident and I can do it again, especially when this buys me 45 minutes of work time.

3. In the spirit of having no schedule and nothing really to do, we have taken to exploring the woods behind our house. When I say woods I really mean a Power Service Road that runs behind our house on undeveloped land. B makes me feel safe when we hike back there, all grab a walking stick. I think that is coyote poo. See? When you have a husband like that who worries about the great outdoors. The nice thing is that there are plenty of sticks and rocks and pine cones and mud holes to explore in just a couple of hundred yards. Plus, we can sneak up on our neighbors turkeys and chickens and watch them. This makes good pre-nap work.

4. Mellow is being infused with Southern. Anytime he calls for B is is all Day-a-dee. Three syllables. And They-at for "that." And Say-an-ta. It will only get worse as he gets older. Being from non-accented states, B and I may over-correct this issue and sound like weirdos because Mellow has no idea he is doing anything "wrong" (this is all relative, we know, but we prefer not to be judged for our accent(s), no matter how cute they are).

5. As Christmas grows near, Mellow has been holding Santa over our heads just as much as we do his, all Mama, Santa won't like you yelling at me. Three seems to be a good age for the craziness - too young to need any true explanations and old enough to be excited. My Christmas shopping was declared done yesterday when Mellow wondered allowed, what you lookin' for mama? And I was all, I have no idea. Let's get out of here. More on the fun handmade gifts later, but I am super pumped about them. Can't wait for the recap.

Push my buttons

Mellow might be what one would call a "needy child." He is a singlet and looks to us to fulfill all of his playtime needs (I keep telling B another kid would solve this problem but nooooooo).

Sometimes this involves being attached to a leg like an octopus.
Sometimes this involves putting on a Batman mask and playing chase.
Sometimes this involves kicking a ball so hard picture frames are knocked off the wall.
Sometimes this involves direct Devil Work (aka Play-doh).
Sometimes this involves hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours of blocks.
Sometimes this simply involves draping a few blankets over chairs.

Sometimes we can quietly slip away, leaving him in his own reality for at least five minutes before he realizes we are gone.

Other times, he disappears into his room and shuts the door and - despite the outcomes - we leave him there to wreck havoc play until he calls for us. Then I will silently tisk the clothes all pulled from the closet, the dresser drawers emptied with castles built inside, the everything destroyed, the kid wearing two Halloween costumes. Then I will silently thank the forty minutes of uninterrupted cleaning that I had.

Most of the time it is more of this guilt that pushes my buttons: Mommy needs to work. Mommy needs to finish this. Mommy needs her arm. Mommy doesn't need you on her lap at the dinner table. Mommy said to stay out of the dirty dishes. Mommy is going to finish typing. Mommy wants just one more minute. Mommy locked the door because she is going potty. DID YOU HEAR ME SAY ONE MORE MINUTE?


And then he is all,  I 'erd you momma. I jus' wanted a kiss. And then walks away.

And then I recommit my life to spending every spare minute with our poor, neglected child who will grow up and sk me to pay for his therapist. And my husband rolls his eyes and walks off.

while typing...

Wordless Ho Ho Ho Wednesday

2008

2009

2010

not scared this year! 2011

Countdown to Christmas

Now that I can think about life instead of life+work, my psyche is much more calm. So calm that I didn't leave the house a single time this weekend (not counting a hike in the woods behind our house). If you know me, you know this is a feat of immense proportions - there was no grocery shopping or errand running or weekend working or eating out. After working the last two weekends in a row, this was bliss.

The only downside of the three of use being together all weekend is that the house looks a mess - but, really, who cares? Because if you would have caught me Sunday afternoon - two days deep into my pajamas -  I sure wouldn't have cared. I always seem to get sick when I finally slow down like this, so I am hoping all of the resting will avoid that. I will also brag and say that I read three books this weekend. Thoughtless bliss.

I am motivated this week, though. Watching six or eight movies this weekend left me feeling guilty for some "circle time" with Mellow since he will not be at school this week. I printed off some letter tracing worksheets last week, so I am stocked with things to do. We also read about 10 books for bedtime last night - that balances out, right?

On to this week - the easy Christmas stuff was accomplished this weekend, like the wrapping and sorting. The hard stuff comes Wednesday/Thursday with prepping to go out of town. B may have to work, but Mellow and I will be on our way to a weekend of Christmas. This requires the planning, laundry, and organization of a crazy person.

We also have gingerbread Christmastrees to make, Kringla (anise flavored cookies from B's childhood. This is always an ordeal because we end up eating the first batch of dough, the second batch of cookies, and run out of ingredients on the third round. Never fails.) and some goodies to put together for our neighbors. This will mean some serious momma-son kitchen time that I am definitely looking forward to!

I still have a lot of sewing and crafting to be ready for Sunday - scarves and necklaces and headbands, oh my! Why do I feel like my week just filled up!?

Friday Five: On begging for help

1. We are steadily trying to move Mellow from whining to asking. It's a fine line. Nothing works to stop him from revert him to whining baby talk. He is generally polite and will yell bless you, momma when I sneeze in the other room. His pleases and thank yous are always on cue - and sometimes he thanks me for stuff that makes me want to cry. I love you Monkey....thank you, momma. Yet, this whining thing need to be phased out; it is incessant and unnecessary. And just when I think I can't stand it any more, he starts in with the goooo-goooo-gaaaaa-gaaaa and pointing and whimpering. Advice? Because ignoring is not working.

2. Last weekend, I had the most amazing White Chicken Tortilla Soup. It had white cheese, maybe cream cheese, chicken, green peppers, and a whole lot of amazingness. Anyone know this recipe?

3. I tried to keep it simple and useful for Christmas presents for Mellow's teachers at school. Is this a necessity? Probably not, but as a teacher I know that I always appreciate a token. These were deep frames that I found (saw the idea on Pinterest of course) and printed background paper from an amazing website (www.sprik.blogspot.com) in place of the glass. I hot glued the clip and now  they are lovely, colorful, interchangeable picture holders. You like?

I likes them so much I made one for my wall

Teacher gifts. Brad was all what's wrong with the original frame?

4. Since Thanksgiving - like every other household - life has been about Santa. Mellow also carries around a "Little People" manger and The Baby Jesus so we feel well-rounded. This deal has transpired in to making everything around being a good boy so Santa will come. Truly, it's a parenting gem. Why can't Santa come in July, too? Last night, I was encouraging Mellow to keep his body still, all  deep breath Monkey, make your body quiet. He was all  okay mama but I'm only being a good boy for Santa. So, once Santa is here all hell breaks loose afterwards?

5. I am beginning to get stupid excited about Christmas. It was nice last year to stay at home for Christmas, to not have to rush and worry about equally divided time. This year, though, we have thrown that out the window. Mellow has two cousins - his only two cousins - coming in from L.A. to spend Christmas at the grandparents. We decided that it really would be more fun for him to have all of the multiple little kid excitement on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Plus, it will be so nice to be with family for all of this. I am handling stocking stuffers - YIPPEE - and am on the prowl for other fun things. I think stockings were always my favorite part because they were the most unexpected gifts and always the first thing we were allowed to tackle before the coffee was ready.

Wordless Wednesday: Parade Love

Friday Five: On parenting advice

1) I subscribe to a particular parenting magazine that is usually pretty non-controversial. Really, the reason that I keep it is because it occasionally has cool cakes, cool toy ideas, and cool DIY suggestions.
          This month, though, about put me over the edge. Paranoid already {my husband is always just let the kid DO it. He will learn - he doesn't always have to be safe!} , I didn't need an article to confirm that my house is a death trap.

2) No matter how bad you want your child to sleep in his own bed, thinking that Captain America sheets will help....will not. Because you will just wake up to this instead:

so lifelike you can see his beard stubble

3) Speaking of death traps...Christmas ornaments are not fairing well at our home. They are scattered all over the house, in toilets and refrigerators.  They are set up in mock racing scenes and fight scenes and look mama the alien ate the or-a-ment scenes. You can't just step on them and curse (like matchbox cars or little people) because they break and then you spend 20 minutes losing your fingerprints to a hot glue gun while trying to get it back together. Each of these prized ornaments came out of its own Hallmark box (have I mentioned that 75% of our tree is Star Wars and GIJoe and Cars?!) and we have begun to take bets on how many never make it back. I am just keeping my fingers crosses that the grandparents trees fair better upon our arrival.

4) Even though I have been pretty bahumbug about everything else, Mellow and I have embarked on the Christmas Cooking Adventure. He absolutely loves to cook and I love to spend the time with him. He cracks eggs, measures sugar, and stirs to cover the whole kitchen in flour. Whatever we made the other night using marshmellows was sticky from the kitchen to the laundry to the bathtub. I am still finding wayward M&Ms from the white chex mix, and I nearly made myself sick on oatmeal cookie dough last night. Forget the tree, forget the trim, forget the gift wrapping. Cookies and kitchen time is Christmas. My parenting advice? The mess is totally worth it.

5) I have neither time nor willpower to finish this set of five. All of my juggling skills have been put to the extreme this week and every ball dropped when my car failed to leave the driveway this morning. I was in near tears at work and unsure of how to proceed without some serious self medication. This evening, I will medicate by dancing the hell out of some explicit music and going to bed ridiculously early. Many mommies do this whole what did I do for me time this week suggestion - acknowledging that we have to conscientiously schedule time for being. I think this will be my time this week - doesn't that sound like the trick?

My day in three acts

Act One: The Figh
Me: What time is it?! It's time for school!
Mellow: (general gnashing of the teeth) No! No school! The light's too bright! The covers are cold! My teeth don't need brushed! I don't need to potty! I don't like that shirt! I want my Lightening undies! I can't find my shoes! My pants itch! I need Daddy! I need to potty! Turn the light on! I'm hot! I need to brush my teeth! I'm hungry! I'm thirsty! You forgot my vitamin! I want to run through the muddy yard and get everything wet before we go to school! I want to cry because I am wet! I need new clothes!
Me...we're late for our own lives...

Act Two: The Reunion
Me: Hey, Kid! What did you do today?
Mellow: Nothing. Where's Daddy? When is Daddy coming home? Where is Daddy? I want to play with Daddy! Can Daddy play with me? Where is Daddy? Is he workin'? Can I call him? I want to talk with Daddy? I want to see Daddy? Can we cook dinner for Daddy? Where is Daddy?
Me:...okay, then...

Act Three: The Tub
Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.
Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB.Me: Are you ready to get in the tub?
Mellow:  No. I watchin' TB. I hate the bat-tub!!!
Me: TV off. We are getting in to the tub.
Mellow: Ok. I love the tub. I love bubbles. I love flufffffy towels. I love soap. I love boats. Mommy, I love baths! They are my favorite thing ever!

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Preview

Go-To Gift Ideas

Thanks to Pinterest, I have added a whole new level of gifting ideas. Ones that, hopefully, might be more fun than lopsided pottery bowls or weirdly painted canvases.

Source: mondocherry.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: littlenannygoat.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: luvinthemommyhood.com via Jessica on Pinterest

I have, ironically, asked for a bunch of crafting supplies for Christmas. What's on your wishlist?

Friday Five: Winter Style

1. I have fought decorating the house this year, full-on humbug style. It used to be that I shoved away every knick-knack, frame, and dishtowel in exchange for a holiday one. This year, my decorations just look like a bunch of Dollar Store crapola that I have collected from the past ten years. In Craftytown I would add spray paint and vinyl to make it all better - but I don't have time for that until vacation begins in two weeks.

B tried to push me in to the spirit and when I arrived home on Tuesday he had pulled everything out of the attic. I picked through it, leaving the boxes mostly full, and put it off until later-means-not-ever. Mellow, on the other hand, is over the moon. He wants to bury himself knee deep in plastic snowmen and garlands, dragging Santa into the bathtub (oops!) and Frosty into the bed (pokey plastic crap!). B is a Christmasaholic, so he and Mellow teamed up on me while I was at a meeting last night and put together our sad little artificial tree, the whole naked 5 feet of glory. B strung it with 80s style lights (which are nearly bigger than the tree) and Mellow hung sixteen ornaments per branch within his reach.

It wasn't love at first sight and it certainly isn't Martha Stewart, but it is ours and I will own it.

2. What makes all of this worthwhile, though, is Mellow's superdupa insanicrazy enthusiasm over all things Christmas. He doesn't get the whole gift thing yet - but he is so excited to see every single Santa, reindeer, Christmas tree and snowman that one can't help but be excited too. I just need a full day of Christmas music and gingerbread and hot chocolate to chase away the last of the humbugs. What I didn't need, though, was a very scary supposedtobeclassic version of A Christmas Carol (thanks, Disney) that kept us up too last last night discussing ghosts and scary stuff.

3. The worst best thing about an iPhone? Pinterest mobile. And I thought Words with Friends (find me: jessicaisnotcool) took up a lot of time.



4. Recently, Mellow has decided he is two things: a wildcat and a baby. If he is upset/frusterated/confused/stubborn, he is just as likely to growl and claw at you...as he is to answer goo-goo ga-ga just to piss you off. I can't describe to you the level of parental HOMYGODness that goes on here. A large percentage of my day is alternately spent  yelling, I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOO-GOO MEANS!? and GROWLING IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE ANSWER.

5. This week has been so busy that yesterday, on the way to the gym, my poor child lamented all, I just wanna go HOME mama. Busy beyond belief - and working on Saturday - I am looking forward to some QT tonight.