My Little Picasso's

My Little Picasso's

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Max-ers is 3

Well, I now have a three year old and a one year old.  Not an almost three year old.  A three year old.

(Side note ... when do we stop counting by months and just simply say a year amount.  Is it three?)


My lovable ever squeezable roaring through our loves tornado is three.  And he knew it too.  It started at the beach.



 
where Uncle Robby went against all protocol
and bought Max drums
And on the day, Michael and I had off work so off we went to the Please Touch museum in Philadelphia, PA. I gotta tell you ... this place was incredible.  "Amaze-balls."  Best museum for the kids we have ever been.  I guess that is why it is voted one of the top ten best museums for children in the country voted by Parents magazine.

Museum food:  3, expensive, not great for kids.  Even worse for parents.

Museum price: 9 - 16 dollars for one year olds and up - well worth it.  Or get a City Pass and get reduced price.

Parking: 10 - 8 dollars in lot, free on street (who wouldn't park on the street)

Gift shop: 2 - go to amazon.com for your Melissa and Doug products

Museum: 11, sooooooooooo fantastique.

"Daddy, get me the boat."

rock wall

Charlie and the leaf xylophone

Remember this toy?  Loved it.  

bricks in the dump truck

driving the dump truck

Charlie the potato farmer

Max decided the Atkins diet was a load of bull-honky

Charlie picking out some pineapples

trains ... and we've lost him


shooting off rockets with daddy














Such a fun time!

September 27th, 2012

Thursday, September 20, 2012

What you do when you're home alone.

I've been home since just around 6pm on Tuesday night by myself.  Not entirely by myself, Annie is here.  Annie is my first child ...
Here she is in Max's room - she misses them.


 So, you go to work, because this is the only reason you are home ... to go to work.  Believe me, I would much prefer to be here ...
with my babies and hubsters.  Who wouldn't?

You look at your dog a lot and your dog looks at you a lot.  She is wondering where the boys are?  She misses the little boys. 

You cook for yourself.  Your serving size does not make you feel like the fridge is empty. 

You "keep up with the Kardashians."  S*&^, Kourtney's about to pull out baby Penelope.  Yikes!  So, I was never given that option.   

You DVR shows for your hubby and watch reruns of NCIS so you can watch said DVR'd shows with hubby, like X Factor. 

You go straight home after work. No passing GO, no collecting 200, no picking up children, no picking up milk or take-out, straight home.

You do laundry ... just a little.  Got to have bras.

I have control of the remote.

You say you're going to go to bed early because you are sooooooo tired and you can, but you don't.  (see next thing)

You drink this ... 
Nigella approves!


September 20th, 2012








Tuesday, September 18, 2012

All things must come to end.

My few days in Avalon with my in-laws were fun-filled, but over so quickly.  So sad to see them come to an end.  Here are a few ...

Kate, Uncle Robby, and Maddie

hugs


pool time

Kate, Maddie, and Max


And the wagon is back ... 

morning walks

so Charlie fell asleep on my ... ass
strategically placed items for sun protection
Michael will be back with the boys in a few days.  I am back to work tomorrow.  Boohoo.  My house is empty and quiet.

September 18th, 2012



Friday, September 14, 2012

Can I get a "woot woot" for vacation!

Remember last year ...

heading back tomorrow!

Stay tuned for pictures of my two adorable little nieces, Kate and Maddie, and tiny little toes in the sand.

September 14th, 2012

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Mummy again ...

Before you all go crazy ... it's not me ... that's pregnant.  However, I will soon be overseeing a few small ... somethings.

Photo: Ok ... science people, what would likely be coming out of these?  Lovely fuzzy ducklings?

What are those?  Turtles, ducks, [gasp] snakes?

My little fascination began after my husband found them yesterday.  Now everyone must understand my husband has a tendency to over react sometimes, or at least exaggerate ... a bit.  He thought they were rattle snakes.  Really, babe?!  Because they are so prevalent to this area.  Do you all sense my sarcasm?

Ok, I KNOW they are not rattle snakes, but here is my question?  Where is mummy?  It has started to get a little cold around here at night.  I have never seen a mother of any species in sight or I would know what they are going to be.  Aren't my new little ones getting cold?  Are more buried under these three brave souls on top?  I normally see families of ducklings counting 8 to 10, not 3?

Next fear, whatever will I tell Max?  He'll see them right away.  He cannot touch them.  He cannot go up to them.  Charlie would probably pick up the dirt around them, never mind the baby ducklings.  How far away must I stay?  Don't want to contaminate the area and mummy will never come back.

Moving on, however will they survive?  We have stray cats, big turtles that eat little ducklings, foxes, possums, raccoons, need I go on ...

Just a little nervous about my new brood.  The pressure ...

September 12th, 2012

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Nighttime Visitors

Many times my friends will tell me stories about how their little ones will pad pad pad down a hallway into their rooms, prod and push them until they wake up, beg to get into bed with them, and out of pure exhaustion on their(the parental's) part he or she(the child) is allowed into the "big bed."  Then the night continues with this small child who suddenly becomes a large child by how much room they are able to take up in the bed.

Well, my child cannot pad pad pad down a hallway.  He's gated in his room since he is upstairs, we are downstairs.  Little boy falling down stairs in the dark ... not good.  So, when Max wakes up for whatever reason in the night he will either cry(not likely), slowly bang his door against the door stop(more likely), or violently scream, cry, and bang door ferociously against the door stop(most likely).  Meanwhile I am downstairs in a blissful slumber.  I shoot out of bed as though my hair is on fire.  Within 3.2 seconds I am running up the stairs in the dark to quiet Max down before he, heaven forbid, wakes up the other kid.

I am assuming that Max is starting to become afraid of the dark.  He does not want us to turn the light off.  He talks about the dark.  And if I ask him, "Max, are you afraid of the dark?", he nods.  So, if he wakes up in the night and it is dark, I believe he is afraid of the dark by the resulting attempt at breaking out of his room.  Same thing happens with thunder.

Poor poor boy.

Then it is a game.  Where will WE sleep and I do say WE because heaven forbid I leave him.  Sometimes the couch where he climbs all over me and it really hurts.  Sometimes our bed where he becomes a huge child and I hang off the edge of the bed.  Did I mention this child suddenly snores?  The other night he wanted Daddy's chair, the armchair where he snuggled against a pillow and under a blanket, drank some milk, drifted off pleasantly.  Damn kid, can I get you the remote?

Last night it was both of them.  Let's just say that Max and the dog got the couch, Charlie got the    pack n' play, and Michael found me on THE FLOOR when he came out from our lovely pillow top warm bed in OUR bedroom to tell me it was 5am and I should get my shower.

FML.

September 6th, 2012

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Cafeteria Food

Upon arriving for the 1st day of school to many tired disgruntled other teachers, I realized with a sigh that I have been given the lovely duty of lunch duty.  This is my first time being given this duty so all I can say is I am thankful that I eat before watching my 8th graders eat.

Let's separate this into two categories; boys and girls.

Please keep in mind these are 8th grade girls.  They view magazines with perfect 5' 10" models, they see Justin Bieber like Selena Gomez, they most likely see or hear their mothers constantly dieting.  I am not one to knock down a healthy lifestyle.  I consider myself very healthy and in some of the best shape of my life considering I have had two children and I weigh less than I did before I had Max(not to brag, but nursing will do that to you), but when a girl wants some ice cream, she should have it.  My students are varying heights and weights and sad to say some of this is very obvious from their food choices.  I see the athletes take salad.  I see others take pizza.  Many of them will pick, look at their food, study it, simply eat their cookies or "waffle fries"(I'll get back to these quotes later), or devour all in front of them.  It hurts my heart to know these last classified students will likely go home to a place with very little food and they have received that lunch for free.  So many times these days, you hear about healthy food initiatives within school cafeterias, Michelle Obama, Jamie Oliver, "get up and move", and so forth; however this kind of sentiment must not just be said but followed through by all involved.  When I say all, I mean families.  If you pack your child a lunch with fruit or vegetables, healthy meat and cheese sandwiches, a small dessert, water than you are my hero, but those of you who send your child off with processed crap or have them buy lunch, you must understand that they will buy what they want to eat as opposed to what is the healthier choice.  Just remember that is your money.  Can you likely put together something for less than what they might charge for a processed hamburger which is perhaps 72% actual meat, greasy "waffle" fries(because they took away the ones that look like fries), chocolate milk, cookies, etc. YES.  I watched one of my lovely students eat three pieces of an orange and three cookies with strawberry milk for lunch.  Did she pay full price for that lunch?  Yes.  Wait a tick, let me correct myself.  Her parents paid full price.  Lunch is averaging just under four dollars.  Can I tell you what I can put together for four dollars? They're disgusted by the food, but yet choose to buy it.  Those who have barely anything are beyond thankful for it, no matter how healthy or unhealthy it is.

Let's turn to the boys.  Face it, they'll eat anything.  My young basketball and football players will take everything they can for the allotted amount of money, and then take whatever else they can pilfer.  Girls are constantly handing them what is left on their plates and they take it gratefully.  It's better than getting  wasted.  Plus, that is free flirt time.  I saw a previous student the other day, a senior, who even after a full day at school with how many meals and snacks already in him, shake a dozen wings from his mum at the bar we were at.  (Before you go getting all concerned, his mum is a lovely friend who is also an aide in my building, he is a senior, and no he did not partake in any beverage besides Coke.  He simply met us all there so he and his mum could go to his sister's meet.)

Our school must have some new initiative.  During lunch, the students(who buy lunch) must put a vegetable or fruit on their trays, even if they do not eat it, they must take it.  REALLY?  Do you know how much of that good produce is wasted?  Majority of it.  I am going to step out on a whim here and blame a family lifestyle for this one?  And while we're at it, let's blame obesity on it as well.  If you are not raised eating good fruits and vegetables and healthy foods as such, you will continue through your life eating in an unhealthy manner.  I am so fortunate that both my boys are great fruit and vegetable eaters ... for now.  I know I will face some problems in the future.  I can say now, whole heartedly, that I will pack my boys lunches.  Will they always want me to?  NO.  Will they want to buy lunch and act cool?  YES.  Will I hope my good eating habits have been instilled in their ways?  DUH.  Is it easier just to hand each a fiver ... YES.  

For now, bedtime snack can remain as yogurt.

September 1st, 2012