Week in Review: MNO, Baby Shower, Cooking Club and Stitches

What a week! It was a good week overall with just a few frenzied moments. Carl and I are looking forward to a weekend with no plans.

Monday: Evie had dance. We played outside and Carl had a dinner out with a customer. It seems like so long ago that's all I can remember about that day.

Tuesday: Evie went to school and Henry went with me to Cooking Club. We made a few tweaks and it went so much better this time. Joy was sick so it was just three of us cooking four meals. It went much faster and we cut back on the fluff to make it easier for everyone. Our meals were a marinade for a pork tenderloin, chicken fried rice, Italian sausage manicotti  from Cooking Light.and Stromboli. We only had three kids which made it much less chaotic and it only required one sitter. We have already tried the Stromboli and the manicotti - both were delicious. Henry came home ready for a nap so he skipped lunch. OOPS! He woke up in time to pick Evie up from school and we headed to the mall to have Carl's watches repaired. All the stars aligned and it was an easy trip to the mall. Watches were repaired quickly, kids played and we had a cookie for snack. We played outside soaking up these beautiful fall days while they last. After the kids were in bed,  I went to Mom's Night Out at Urban Grub. We had a big group and sat outside adjacent to the roaring fire which was delightful on a chilly night. Dinner was good although not as divine as I remembered. Restaurant's can be so hit or miss. It was fun hanging out with everyone and catching up without the kids. Bedtime was late for me since I did not get home until almost 11.

Wednesday: Henry fell on the fireplace and needed stitches. You can read all about that here. Not a day worth repeating!

Thursday: Both kids went to school! I came home and rested a bit since this cold is not going away. Ugh! It was so nice to be in a nice, quiet house. I picked up the kids and headed to the park to meet some friends. It was another gorgeous Nashville day, perfect for playtime at the park. We stopped at Chick fil A for milkshakes since everyone got so hot at the park. Henry is not going to have a milkshake again anytime soon because it is too much dairy for him. Carl was in Chattanooga and I tried to find a sitter so I could go to a friend's house. Babysitters are worth their weight in gold especially great ones. I went through my list with no luck so my sweet friend enlisted her mom to come sit at my house. That made my day! I enjoyed a night of girl talk and yummy food although it was another late night.

Friday: Both kids were up before 7 and we just had a quiet morning at home with lots of books, role-playing and a morning nap for Henry. Evie is really into role-playing. I need to find Evie some acting classes because she really gets into her part without faltering. We were playing hospital complete with band-aids, thermometers and a medicine dropper. Evie is an excellent nurse if you are in the market for one. We attended a baby shower for a non-profit. I organized this for my MOMS group last year so it was so nice to just be a participant this year. I highly encourage this for a fun way to give back to your community. It's a win-win for everyone. Moms can clean out their closets of  baby gear, kids get cake and babies are showered with important essentials that may not have been possible without this assistance! There are tons of places that need community help to provide mothers with the basics that many of us make take for granted such as diapers, wipes, medications, clothing etc. It was a fun morning and I was overwhelmed with the generosity of everyone in the group. There was so much stuff! Evie was a hot mess but protesting nap. I told her not to come out of her room until she had napped. It's the first time in over three weeks that both kids are napping at the same time. Now, that's priceless!
Happy Friday, Y'all!

Our Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very bad Day!

Do you remember that book? I loved it as a kid and loved reading it to my students while teaching. We had a pretty crazy day yesterday and I kept thinking about that book.

It started with Henry waking up before 6, then Carl's truck would not start because the battery was dead. Evie woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Plus, I was feeling sick still with my cold. That was just a warm-up!

Henry fell into the hearth of our fireplace and cut his lip. There was so much blood and a gash that needed some medical attention! Carl took my van to work since his car would not start so I was without transportation. Henry was screaming, Evie was upset and I was trying to keep it together. Carl was in a big meeting over an hour away so he was out of touch.

Our house was a disaster, none of us were dressed and now I needed to figure out how to help Henry. I called a friend and she jumped in the car right then and scooted over to my house. I called another friend to come over to take Evie and she agreed that Henry needed stitches.

Henry had calmed down at this point. Evie thought it was great fun to go play with friends and I was relieved that we were on the way to get some help. Everything happened so fast! After Evie left, I put everything in the diaper bag that we might need and called the pediatrician. That was the most frustrating part because I was on hold forever . . . it felt like forever anyway while waiting to find out where I should take him. Most pediatricians do not stitch anymore so they suggested an Urgent Care owned by four emergency room doctors.

Heidi helped me load Henry in the car which he loved because it was his first time sitting forward facing. He was all grins and giggles and I felt so much better that everything was going to be okay. Henry's bleeding had slowed down and I knew everything would be okay.

Physician's Urgent Care in Franklin provided outstanding care for Henry and kept me in the loop. It took three of us to hold Henry down but he did really well considering he had no idea what was happening and it hurt. Dr. Allen was professional and empathic and knew just what to do.  Henry had two quick stitches and they sent us on our way! I know this will not be the last trip for stitches.

Here's a  few things that I learned:

   1) Extra car seats at home might not be a bad idea even cheap ones.
   2) Keep an extra diaper bag packed with essentials in case of emergency.
   3) Be sure all of your important numbers are in your phone. I added a few more last night because you just never know who you can reach in case of emergency.
   4) Write down an emergency plan with directions to your house. It's hard to think of right turn, left turn when your child is bleeding.

It was interesting to see how my everyday worries just went right out the window because all that mattered was making sure Henry was okay. Evie took off without me, without shoes, without lunch and you know what she was just fine!

Carl sure was surprised when he finally got out of the meeting and found out what happened to Henry. He came home to check on Henry, jump his truck and I left to deliver dinner to a family with a new baby. Thankfully, I had made dinner the night before and it kept me calm to stay busy while waiting for Carl. Then, Carl felt sick and he left for Physician's Urgent Care too. He has a staph infection in his ear and was prescribed two prescriptions.

When it rains, it pours so we should be good for awhile after yesterday! I am just so thankful Henry is okay and so appreciative of all the help provided to my family yesterday. People dropped everything and rushed to help me with my family. Kindness goes a long way and we feel so fortunate that everything worked out. I am counting on today being a much better day!

Weekend in Review

We had the most boring weekend ever but it was exactly what we needed!

Saturday: Carl worked in the yard so I took the kids to the YMCA with me. Evie was so excited because they had the bounce houses ready for jumping. She was even more thrilled with her smoothie! Carl was almost finished when we returned so we just hung out in the yard enjoying the gorgeous weather. Everyone besides Carl has been a little under the weather with a cold. Henry and I took a nap while Evie and Carl went to the dump to drop off the yard waste and some other old stuff. Henry was not a happy camper when he woke up but calmed down with some books and cuddle time.  We had an early dinner and went to bed. Carl stayed up to watch some football.

Sunday: We went to early church. Evie went to Children's Chapel instead of the nursery. She really liked it and calls it "Big Girl School" and even showed me the room when we picked up Henry from the nursery. We stopped for doughnuts on the way home. I took a nap and then fed the kids lunch. Henry and I went back to sleep. I knew that it would be a good idea to catch up on my rest while Carl was home to help me with the kiddos. Carl did a fantastic job of entertaining Henry and Evie while I rested a bit. Evie is still not napping but it's so nice to have everyone asleep by 7:00. I need to make her some "Quiet Time Bins" to use each day to keep her busy.

Nothing too blog worthy but it sure was nice to have a weekend at home with my sweet family!

Week in Review: BBQ and Book Club

Not the best picture, but they looked too cute not to share.

 

Our week went by super fast. Shamefully, I took very few pictures this week!

Monday: We were in North Carolina visiting my parents and brother. It was a yucky, rainy day so I took the kids to McDonald's for lunch and some playtime. Evie's little friend Maddie came over after nap time to watch a movie and have some playtime. Evie and Henry had fun playing with Ipop and Nana too. Evie told me her favorite part of the trip was eating ice cream with her Nana.

Tuesday: Another rainy day, we just stayed home to keep dry. Carl returned from Greensboro with Lexington Barbecue for lunch. Delicious! Very moist with a good flavor - this is our very favorite barbecue and it's such a treat to have it. We packed up everything and headed back to Tennessee. Our kids were exhausted and everyone passed out quickly. They even slept through a quick stop for fuel. That never happens with our kids! We stopped for an early dinner at Perkins and were surprised to find out that kids eat free on Tuesday nights. Dinner was yummy and dessert was even better. Carl had a slice of peanut butter pie and Henry swiped the peanut butter cup right off the top. He seemed to enjoy his first taste of peanut butter even if he tried it inadvertently. Henry's pediatrician recommended that we delay giving peanut butter since Henry has had so many belly issues. He seemed to do just fine though so we may try again this weekend. We did not arrive home until around 8:30 but everyone did great on the trip. Henry fussed a little the last thirty minutes or so but it was completely manageable. Henry and Evie were super excited to be home and played a few minutes before bedtime.

Wednesday: Everyone slept late which is always nice! We headed out to ballet around 10. Henry went with me to Publix while Evie had dance. We came back just in time to see Evie tapping for the first time. All the little girls were so proud to be tapping away in their shiny black shoes. After nap, I put everything away and tried to get our house back in shape. Carl and Evie were in the bedroom and I heard her tell Carl that I was the "Big Bad Wolf." That cracked me up but I still put her in time out. She's been a mess this week and there have been lots of time outs. Sometimes, we both need a time out!

Thursday: Both kids had school! Thursday might become my favorite day. I ran a few errands and then came to do piles of laundry. It was not bad at all folding laundry in a nice, quiet house. We met The Porter's at the park for some playtime which was a wonderful way to break up the afternoon. Henry is sleeping great at school but Evie is usually cranky after school. It helps to spend time with friends. Carl came home in time for a walk to the park. Fall is such a beautiful time of year, perfect for lots of outside activities.

Friday: Both kids slept late - late meaning about 7 but it feels even later when they both wake up at 7. We dropped off something at the office for Carl and then headed to book club. There were so many kids there! I sure am glad that it was not at my house. Elise had snacks galore and my kids made themselves at home. Henry propped himself up into a chair at the little table and went to town on someones plate. We are reading Little Bee. I participated in book club before Henry was born but this was my first time with both kids. It's going to be real interesting trying to discuss books while trying to contain the mayhem. Evie and Henry had so much fun! Molly was there which automatically takes any event to rock star status in Evie's opinion and Henry loves to play with big boys. With full bellies and happy hearts, we left to pick up our groceries. Henry went down for his nap and Evie had a little rest time in her room. Evie told me that she sleeps with her eyes open now because she does not like to sleep anymore. I work really hard to pick my battles so as long as she is quiet and gives me a few minutes to collect my thoughts than her method of sleeping works just fine for me.

We have a low-key weekend planned with lots of yard work for Carl. He loves that type of thing. It's my job to keep the kids busy so we will find something to do while he aerates and seeds the lawn.

Sneak Peek

Sleeping Evie

Evie is one tired little girl! She was so exhausted last night that she fell out of the bed without even waking up from the fall. I picked her up and put her in the bed fully expecting her to wake right up. She just kept on snoring!

When, I was getting into bed, she was all spread out in the bed and roared her body all night long. Now, I know why she needs bed rails!

Evie never sleeps on road trips but she conked out within minutes of leaving my parents house this afternoon.

Weekend Wrap-up!

It's been a busy few days!

Saturday: We finally had family pictures made! It was so much harder to get it all together than any other time. Life just kept happening. Sick kids, birthday parties, work commitments. Finally, we made it happen and our sneak peek looks amazing! Henry just has not had life captured on film like Evie. It was a nice cool overcast morning perfect for crisp shots of my precious children. Carl is always a good sport about this type of thing. He even mentioned how special these pictures will be to us long after we forgot the logistics of making it all happen. After our little photo shoot, we headed home to pack up for our long drive to North Carolina. Carl had a work trip so we decided to tag along to see my family. It was a good trip although maybe it just seemed good after preparing for the worst. We came in Carl's truck which means all the conveniences of our mini-van were left behind in Tennessee. We had a portable DVD player but missed our sliding doors, reclining seats and adequate leg room. It really went much better than expected! Our kids are fabulous travelers. That's the easy part, keeping everyone happy and sleeping once we arrive is much harder for us. We finally made it to my parents house about 9.

Sunday:  Morning arrived way too soon. Ben took us to see his new house. He told her that she had her own room there. Evie was quite concerned that there was not a bed. In time, sweet girl. My parents arrived home from Wilmington. They attended a wedding on Saturday night. Evie was so excited to see them. Everyone took naps and Carl went to the Panther's game.My mom and I took the kids to see my grandmother and aunt. Evie made it through the visit without any tears. That's big folks, Evie does not like old people! We came home for dinner and bedtime went much more smoothly.

It was a fun, busy weekend. Hope the format of this post looks okay. I am using my phone to write it which is not my first choice.

Hope your week is off to a good start!

Week in Review: Dance, Honky Tonks and the Frist

It's been a busy week. Carl was gone for most of it which always makes it a little crazy. We were so happy to see him pull in the driveway. Weather has been amazing this week! All of my pictures were taken with my phone so hope they are clear enough. It seems like such a hassle to pull out my big camera now that I always have my iPhone right at my fingertips.

Monday: Evie had her first day of ballet. We went to the YMCA after nap time. Evie was not happy at all about going in Child Watch. I was not exactly patient with her and the crying was driving me nuts. I worked out and chatted with a friend. Of course, she was just fine when I picked her up so I asked her why she was upset. Evie told me that " a mean girl was there last time and she ripped my paper." We discussed how it would have been easier to resolve the problem if she had told me this before I dropped her off. We headed over to the park for some playtime. Henry loves to play at the park just like his big sister. We enjoyed the gorgeous day together!

Tuesday: Evie went to school with a little prodding because she wanted to go to "dance school." Henry and I went to meet some friends at Krispy Kreme. YUMMY. Henry was a big fan of the hot doughnuts. We ran a few errands and then Henry fell asleep so I drove into Nashville to Trader Joe's. I love that store and wish we had one a little closer. Trader Joe's, I have the perfect location for you that is super close to my house. Contact me for more information! Henry and I went to Helen's Children Shop while over that way but were not successful in finding boy clothes. We picked Evie up from school and Henry took a nap while I spent some time with Evie. That girl loves to cuddle and be within two inches of my person for the better part of the day. Henry spotted the boys so we went over to play. I put everyone to bed early after our busy day.

Wednesday: Henry was not happy at all for most of the day. His poor little teeth are really bothering me him. He's still sleeping great but is drooling on everything and biting anything or anyone that gets too close to his mouth. Evie had dance in the morning. We are in the Wednesday class now. Henry and I stayed in the waiting room to watch Evie on the monitor. It's fun to see her and fun to chat with all the other moms. An hour is a LONG time with a busy toddler. Henry played with the other little kids, ate snacks and explored the studio. I'm pretty sure that we will find something to do so that I do not lose my sanity next week. Evie enjoyed her second day of dance just as much and has decided that she is a real ballerina. After dance, we headed to the library to check out a few books and some new movies. We played outside after naps and were so happy to see Carl come home. It was a beautiful day so we took a long walk through the park. Carl and I caught up on our crazy week and then went to bed early.

Thursday: Evie and Henry both had school. ALLELUIA! I enjoyed my 4.5 hours of freedom even though most of the time was spent at a long overdue hair appointment. It was so nice to have a little bit of time alone! Of course, I was excited to pick up my kids. Evie was thrilled to see me and Henry was too although he was still having major tooth pain. Denise had to rock him to sleep at school. He took a little catnap at home too and then we headed outside to play for a bit. Mommy was counting the hours to bedtime by this point because I had two kids on the verge of a meltdown. Fellow Mama's you know that two kids on the verge of a meltdown means a Mama on the verge of a meltdown too. It was time for a quick dinner and bath time before bed. Carl arrived home late. Henry needed lots of assistance but finally went to sleep. Whew, what a day!

Friday: Henry and Evie both woke up around 7 and then Henry took a morning nap before we headed Downtown to the Fritz. I have been interested in visiting the Fritz for three years and finally made it this morning. There is a HUGE room with lots of art centers perfect for children of all ages. We went with the MOMS Club and were all impressed with the selection of art materials and activities. Evie made a movie, painted with watercolors, worked on mural, learned about scale, built a tower, and created a collage. It was a whirlwind morning but super fun! Evie had a blast with her friends but the novelty of all the new materials began to wane after an hour. One of the moms had the idea to take the kids down Broadway to Robert's World of Western Wear. It's a local music joint and it's very tame at noon so no worries about exposing our children to unfavorable situations. I was entirely out of my comfort zone walking down Broadway with a stroller and a three year old but am so glad that we went. Evie  was in her element dancing to the music and enjoying the show. All that activity made for some hungry children. What a wonderful day with friends! It's never too early to expose our children to different perspectives and Evie had the opportunity to view world renown art and listen to Honky Tonk music all in the same morning. Carl got a real kick out of our morning activity. Can't wait to do this again.

Looking forward to a fun, fall weekend! See you on Sunday.

According to Evie

Evie is a mess these days and says the wildest things. She keeps us on our toes in more ways than one. Here are a few of her latest:

Evie usually wakes up in time to get the paper with Carl and they eat breakfast together before he leaves for work. One day, she slept really late and was quite upset that Carl had left without telling her bye. I could tell she did not really know what to say to express her frustration. Finally she said, " Well, did he eat breakfast first?"

We saw four deer frolicking in our backyard one morning while Evie was still sleeping. I told Evie about the deer when she woke up and she asked if the deer had been playing on her park. She was very concerned about these deer having too much fun on her monkey bars.

I put out an orange decorative plate that is shaped like a leaf on the coffee table. Henry finds it so fascinating and tries to pick it up all the time. Evie comes running in the kitchen with the plate yelling, "Mama, put that plate up. Henry is going to break it into a itty-bitty pieces. I already told you told that!"

Evie loves the song "Ba Ba Black Sheep" and sings it all the time. I have been working with her on not using qualifiers before people such as mean girl or old man. She reprimanded me for calling the sheep black by telling me "You are not supposed to do that. It's just sheep, Mama. Not black sheep."

Evie requests a sister about every two seconds. She has it all planned out and has decided that her baby sister could sleep in the hallway. Evie has even taken the liberty to select a Halloween costume for her baby sister. I reminded her that we do not have a baby girl in our family and that Henry is our baby boy. Evie looks at me as if I am totally nuts while saying "Then, let's get a baby girl, Mama."

We were talking about families and how I used to be a little girl with parents too. Evie finds this fascinating that Ipop and Nana are my parents and wanted to know if she was in my belly when I was sitting at the dinner table with my parents when I was a little girl. That one caught me off guard so I just crossed my fingers that'd she move on to another topic. No such luck as Evie jubilantly announces from the back seat - "I never saw a little girl with a baby in her belly. That's silly. Did the baby have shoes on in your belly while it kicked?"

Best Friends!

Evie's Ballerina Debut

 

 

Evie's first day of ballet was yesterday and it was a hit! She loved every second of it except the first second. I had so much fun getting her dressed in her tights, leotard and shoes. Evie looked adorable and was radiating with excitement. She was a bit concerned that her tights covered her feet. Her toenails are painted pink right now and clearly showing off her toes was at the top of her agenda. Evie lamented that "Nobody  will see my feets."

She recovered quickly from the injustice of wearing tights to ballet by chanting "I'm a ballerina girl" while practicing all of her moves. Those dance moves that Angelina Ballerina has so kindly taught over the last few months. That's what started this whole dance idea for Evie.

I have been a bit anxious about starting this whole extra-curricular activity spin cycle so early in life. Evie has asked me for months to take ballet so we decided to let her try it. Of course, I have spent more time than necessary trying to find the perfect studio with times that fit my perceived perfect time frame. Not to mention the studio that allows tights instead of socks. Because clearly tights are part of the ballerina experience.

I found the perfect place and Evie was just thrilled to be there except for the first few minutes. The dance studio was packed to the brim with tiny ballerinas, excited parents and crying siblings. It was a bit overwhelming. Evie figured it would be just fine after spotting the pink studio complete with mirrors to admire every inch of her pink clad body.

She just waltzed right in the studio ready for her leading role in The Nutcracker this fall.

Henry and I ran a few errands and then came back in time to see Evie on the closed circuit TV. It was easy to spot her with that huge pink bow. Evie was prancing around as if this was her job.

She came bounding out of the studio after class announcing to the entire waiting room, "I loved it, Mama. Dancing is so much fun." It was so cute and another one of those memories that will last a lifetime.

She was dying to go somewhere  after class to show off her ballet attire. It took us some time to agree on a destination. Evie thought the park or Monkey Joe's would be just the place while I was thinking Puffy Muffin or the library. We decided on cookies at Puffy Muffin and Evie got all the attention that she wanted from all the lunching ladies.

Evie told me that ballet class was as much fun as the beach. That's high praise coming from Evie! I'd say our first day of ballet was a success.

Weekend Wrap-up!

We had a fun weekend and not too busy which is always nice. It's been a little cool in the mornings which has reminded to get busy buying Henry some clothes.

Saturday: Henry woke up super early so Carl took over baby duty at 5:30 and I slept until 8. That Carl is a keeper. Then, Carl and Evie went to pick up some biscuits for breakfast while Henry napped. Henry woke up right as they were bringing in the Chick fil A. Henry knows better than to miss a biscuit. We went out on a few errands after breakfast. Henry's lack of clothes was our big weekend project. Carl and I checked out two stores without any luck. It was eye opening for Carl to see that the stores really cater to girls with clothing choices. Evie and I went to see Goldilocks while Carl took Henry with him next door to get new pair of running shoes. Evie and I enjoyed meeting Goldilocks. We ran into a friend so it worked out well for photography purposes plus it gave us a chance to catch up. There were only a few kids there which surprised me but that was nice not to fight the crowds. Our next stop was to pick up Evie's dance skirt. I was just going to run in the store to get it but Evie wanted all of us to go in so she could try it on. Then, we picked up our groceries and Evie wanted to go in the grocery store to show off her dance clothes since she wore the skirt after we bought it. We told her to save that idea for another day.  Carl put both kids down for a nap while I went out for some alone time which was just heavenly!  I took Evie to a spiderman birthday party and it was pretty fun. Evie entertained herself and I was able to finish a few conversations which is always nice. There were only three girls there including Evie. Stephen, the birthday boy, only permitted his three favorite girls according to his Dad.  Henry stayed home with Carl while we went to the party. They went running and played outside. Of course, they snuck a little football in too while bookmarking possible clothes for Henry. You know things like camo overalls and Patagonia warm up suits. Not really what I had in mind for sweet Hen.  We put the kids to bed and enjoyed a yummy dinner and a movie - The Five Year Engagement. It was not that great but there were some funny parts.

Sunday: Henry woke up early again. He's growing his left molar and it seems to be giving him a fit.  I woke up with him and he was not happy at all. He felt a lot better after his medicine kicked in after a few minutes. Carl left after breakfast to head to Destin for work. Lucky Duck! We have both been dreading this trip a bit because it's never fun to leave your family on a Sunday. Even for a beach trip. Anticipation of these things is always worse than the actual event. We had a great day with just a few hairy moments. We played outside, ate lunch and hung out around the house a bit. It was really fun to meet up with Maura and her girls for a trip to the Adventure Science Center. Evie and Abby had a ball together. It's amazing how much easier it is to snap their picture now than it was a few years ago. Their favorite part was the ambulance. Evie was driving quite erratically and Abby was sticking her head out the window. It seemed almost like foreshadowing of the years to come. Yikes! Victoria, Sydney and Henry kept busy there too eating lots of crackers and running off some energy. We had a little picnic and playtime when we came home. Everyone went to bed early including Mama!