2 years old ... look out world!

Two years ago right now ... I was in labor while watching Saturday football.  PSU was a night game - Iowa - all us Nittany Lions know how that ended up.  However it was a delight as just after 9pm my little man was born!

It is amazing how time has flown.  I know, so cliche, yet it is true.  I see my 4 month old going through stages and all I can do is think back to when it happened to MAX.

We are luckily all able to spend it together.  Bounce U to play, McDonald's happy meal for lunch, and macaroni and cheese for all tonight!

I love you Max ... to the moon ... and back!

September 26th, 2011

Call me Mary Poppins or Supernanny ...

but my 2 year old, or almost two year old(11 days) loves to do house chores.  I am not making him get out the dusters or the vacuum or the mop, he does it on his own.  I am creating a bit of a Martha Stewart, but I know he is the way he is simply by watching his obsessive compulsive mum constantly pick up and clean.  I must say I have become a bit less obsessive - we pick up the toys one time only in the evening - but they do get picked up each day.  Max loves putting his books away, showing me where his "blankie" and "doggie" go on his bed, putting the clothes in the laundry basket, and driving the red fire engine truck into its place in the closet.  Our children are all our little mimics or mini-me's - they will do what you do; even scratch your ass or pick your nose!
Thursday is cleaning day for me and I start as soon as I get up and after a few sips of coffee.  On a normal day, Max is already up and follows me around with his duster reaching where he can reach which is where I hate to reach so its a win-win situation.  The vacuum is definitely his favorite.  I must admit, I used to have to do the bathrooms during nap time since he always liked to play in the toilet, but now I can distract him enough with the bath taps.  We take our time, stop to eat, I hold Charlie as I vacuum.  I get a clean house while playing with my boys and they learn some valuable lessons.  Have pride in what you have, take care of it!
You can never start too young with these simple things as far as I am concerned.  My sons will earn their pocket money.  It's called a "son's do list" instead of a "honey do list!"  Daddy and I will be watching the Steelers game!

Max found the swiffer mop and wipes in the cupboard and started to put it together for me!

September 15th, 2011

Diaper Bag Essentials

My diaper bag with Max was the coolest – a Vera Bradley backpack.  I did not understand these people with their big bulky bags on one shoulder – strap on a back pack people!  I took my diaper bag everywhere, but barely needed it a quarter of the time.  But ALWAYS take your diaper bag.  Case in point:


One time after a lovely lunch at Panera, which Max mostly let me finish before demanding his own meal, I went to my car to nurse him.  I drank my water, ate my cookie (I LOVE Panera Bread cookies!), and enjoyed the quiet time nursing Max.  Well, his meal went through him very quickly and he started rumbling and farting from down under to soon let loose.  It was one of those blow out situations, I knew it!  The worst part was sitting through the smell while he continued to nurse.  He finally had his fill, I grabbed my changing pad, wipes, and a new diaper, and headed back in to Panera to use the Koala Kare table in the bathroom.  Have you ever noticed there is rarely a sign for a changing table in a Men’s bathroom???  I set him down and went to work.  Needless to say, he filled his diaper and I only had a few wipes left.  I almost had him changed when he decided to sprinkle the changing table.  As I tried to keep him on the table and pull his clothes out of the way so they did not get wet, I wiped and sanitized everything else with my remaining wipe.  I pulled his clothes back on, grabbed my mound of trash, and got out of there as soon as I could.  From then on, I would take my whole bag with me just in case more wipes or a change of clothes was necessary.


Here is what I think you need!

• 1. Changing Mat
• 2. Travel pack of wipes, or full size if you are like me and need more than less!
• 3. 4-5 diapers
• 4. Arm and Hammer® disposable diaper bags
• 5. Hand sanitizer
• 6. Blanket
• 7. Change of clothes, according to weather and size
• 8. Teething toy, books
• 9. Burp cloth
• 10. Bottle and formula(if you are not nursing or need to give your boobs a break!)
• 11.  Nursing wrap (if you are nursing!)
• 12. Binky (If you use them!)
• 13. Suntan lotion
• 14. Diaper rash cream
• 15.  Health card 

Ladies, I am sad to say that this may become your purse for a while.  I certainly could not imagine carrying a purse and a diaper bag, yet I know many of you fearless ladies do it.  I had a cute zip up wallet that carried my cash, my cards, and my cell phone, and that was all I needed.  You will need to figure this out on your own and try a few different things!  My zip up handled wallet became a great distraction for Max, yet I did find out the hard way one time that it must be securely closed … the little bugger ripped up my cash!

Now that I have two and taken over the family SUV, I have a car diaper bag.  My beautiful friend, Erica, is a thirty-one representative and sold me an awesome utility tote that I had embroidered with Max and Charlie's names.  I have everything in there and it sits in the back of my car.  An SUV is almost a necessity with two in diapers ... it makes an awesome changing station and still fits my double stroller.  

Today however I was missing something in my diaper bag.  A change of clothes for me.  As I tried to enjoy a stroll through the bookstore today while chasing a moody Max, I felt something yucky and warm down my tummy.  Charlie had pee'd and pooped through his outfit, the carrier, and onto my lovely        t-shirt.  Ok, it wasn't a lovely t-shirt, it was one of my previously stained spit-up on t-shirts.  I was completely prepared to fix up Charlie ... not myself!  We went home.

September 2nd, 2011