All About Liam

As my second child, Liam enjoys some advantages.  When I brought him home,  I was prepared for his newborn stage.  I had learned enough from my mistakes two years earlier to be able to nurse him successfully.  He did not enter a quiet house but Liam has always learned quickly from the activity around him. He has twice as many toys as his brother.  But there are some disadvantages as well.  The reality is that he must share (and compete for) his only parent's attention.  All moms know that there are a finite number of minutes in our day.  We simply cannot be all things to all people all the time.  But I do want to be there for this little guy and give him exactly what he needs.  This summer I have vowed to increase the quality time I spend with my youngest son.

Liam is a sweet boy who's always trying to catch up with the rest of the family.  He tries so hard to do all the things his brother does but he has interests and talents of his own, too.  It's taken me a while to get to know him.  I mean really know him.  I've fed him, changed him and kept him safe from harm for sixteen months but only now can I truly appreciate his unique personality.

Most days I feel like I'm just running interference between Liam and his brother; trying to keep them both entertained and manage their separate interests fairly.    Liam is very assertive.  When he sees something he wants, he takes it.  He doesn't care who or what is in his way.  He's a risk taker and always on the move.  Liam wants to play ball and climb things.  Any thing.  A four foot wall, a lawn mower, the dishwasher, three flights of stairs, or  into the bathtub with his pajamas on.  But this tough guy also knows how to turn on the waterworks when he's denied his wish.  A firm "no" (as in NO, you cannot play with that steak knife) will bring on the most heartbreaking crocodile tears.

As seen above, Liam has developed an attachment to a certain blanket.  It's comforting affect is clearly visible.  Recently at naptime, the green coverlet was downstairs, so I tried to replace it with an even softer blanket from his brother's bedroom.  Liam looked up at me with silent incredulity. Then he let out a high-pitched wail until I retrieved his cotton blanket from the kitchen (where it was languishing with Spaghetti-O stains).

My little one enjoys push toys as much as every toddler.  One day he would not let go of our friend's doll stroller.  I would pry one chubby little hand off the pink umbrella handle and the fingers on the other hand would cling oh so tightly to the other side.  I didn't know if it was a case of  "toddler will" or if he actually preferred pushing a baby buggy over a bubblemower or shopping cart.  Fortunately, a few days later, I found a well-loved toy stroller about to be donated to charity.   I traded a few kitchen items for it and hosed it down.  Liam has a great time pushing it up and down the sidewalk as long as the seat is empty.  (He quickly tosses any passengers into the bushes.)

I truly adore this little boy. He is sunshine itself.  This family is so very blessed by our little Liam.

Swim Lessons; Towel Optional

Henry had his first swim lessons at the community pool this week.  I was just as nervous as he was.  I tried to prepare him ahead of time for going into the pool with an instructor and other children.  I told him that I would not be in the water with him.  He seemed fine with the plan until it was time to leave home.  Then he said "I don't want to go" about four hundred times.  I had to make a decision:  Force him to do something he felt was too scary or give in to his fear and protests.  We talked through it.  Luckily, I had allotted extra time to get ready so we didn't have to rush out the door.

By the time we arrived at the pool, Henry was quite calm.  We still had a few minutes before the lesson so he kept reading in the backseat of our rental car.

I really liked that there were two instructors for the four children in his group.  One instructor stayed with him as he began participating at his own pace.  Henry reluctantly entered the shallow water and watched as the other three students held hands and walked in a circle.  He continued watching from the sidelines for about ten minutes, then he joined the fun.

I think Henry liked the individual attention from the instructor; he kept interrupting her lesson to talk about himself.  Cute, but it makes me think he will benefit from a preschool class where he has to share the adult with many children.

Henry is in the pre-beginner class and well, so am I. I'm new to this park district lesson thing. There are so many activities and opportunities. I feel pressured to find Henry's niche before he misses the opportunity to develop essential skills. By this I mean that, in our community, beginning lessons for just about anything start at age 3. Once children reach age 6, there are no classes that teach the basics of soccer, swimming, gymastics, baseball, etc.  It's assumed that kids that age know how to play the sport and are ready for competitive activity. I don't want Henry to be left behind and yet (this is a big YET) I don't want him to feel pushed and overscheduled. How do I quickly but thoroughly introduce him to individual sports so that he gets enough exposure to choose his favorites?

And what about this guy? Sure he's content to sit on the sidelines now, but how long can I count on that?

There's a lot to think about regading future activities and lesson sign-ups.  But  for now I'm going to concentrate on remembering to bring a towel and to remove Henry's shoes before he enters the pool.

Swinging after Swimming

IKEA believe all the help I had!

Water, Water Everywhere!

Pools, sprinklers, tables and bathtubs, oh my! These boys can't get enough waterplay. We've had unseasonably warm temperatures so it's been hot enough to go out in our suits even after dinner. Henry asks to play in the sprinkler every day. He calls his crocs "sprinkler shoes". Yesterday I even let him run through the water after Liam was in bed. Unfortunately the evening mosquitos really attacked him. He didn't seem to notice but I wince every time I see the bites covering his little body.

This is probably one of the last photos of this baby splash pad. The boys need something bigger now. I have lots of fun memories of our two summers with this playmat.

All in all, we had a great long weekend.  A few times, I found myself with the momentary blues.  My next door neighbors will move soon.  With them goes our nearest support, our safety net, if you will.  I'm sure that was the underlying reason for my tears, but mostly I found myself thinking those old, I don't deserve these two great children thoughts.  I actually don't have much time during the day to stop and even think about where I put the car keys.  Yet, late at night in the quiet house, I try to process my emotions.  After an exhausting day minding the children, it's probably not the best time to judge my thoughts though.

I'm always glad for the daylight and the activity it brings with it.  Even with an empty house next door, I am determined to have a wonderful summer with the boys.  (And find a swimsuit I can wear in public!)

Ready or not, here I come!

Use your inside voice, dear...

Because there is a slight chance that my friends' children occasionally glance at Bubbee 'n Me,  I'm determined to keep this post (and entire blog) G rated.  Therefore, I'm not sure if this will translate well, but  I couldn't not share it:

This week the boys and I went to Kohl's department store to use a ten dollar coupon.  I spent $55 by the way.   Upon entering the store,  I noticed that they were offering plush Toy Story characters for $5 each. It's really difficult to find cute, nonviolent toys for boys so I immediately put four of  them in our cart.

I proceeded to browse the clearance racks for summer clothing.  The entire time we were shopping, Henry SHOUTED, "I want my [insert above character's name here]...Liam has a [   ] too...Get my [   ]...Where's my [   ]?"

Ok, it was a lot funnier on Facebook, but you get the idea.  I can't take that boy anywhere!

Making Memories on Twin Tuesday

My new great idea:  I keep this table in the garage and bring it out whenever we need a place to do art.  It's a lightweight wooden piece from IKEA.  Perfect for messy crafts.  A year ago, after the great sofa disaster, I decided that we would be a marker-free home.  Now the boys can be safely creative.  This summer, I plan on using this table for painting and play-doh as well.   It has matching chairs, but I find that these folding yellow ones are easier to stash in the crowded, messy garage.  Henry seems to think they are comfortable and they hold Liam in place fairly well.  If he reaches down to the right or left, however, the entire chair will tip over.  My little guy actually thinks this is funny.  I am trying to prevent such mishaps by standing close to the artists and retrieving their media when it falls.

In other news, I recently started following another mom's blog.  The single mother at  My Little Slice of Mommie Heaven inspired me to start taking family self-portraits.  Here's my first try.  Well, actually 19th try.  Gotta love digital cameras!  My next goal is to snap a picture of Henry and me.  Then (hopefully) all of us at once.   It's not as easy as it looks, but it's important to me that my boys have photos of themselves with mom.  Right now they have very few of these among the hunderds of snapshots in their albums.  I'm always the one behind the camera.  Having mom in the photo adds a whole new dimension to the memories I hope they carry into the future.

It's not what he says, it's how he says it...

Henry has always called our backyard "the jungle"

Well, no, actually it is what Henry says that cracks me up these days...

As he hands me an egg:  "Hatch it, Mommy.  Hatch it for me."

While reading Momma Loves Her Little Son at bedtime:
"You're my precious one, Henry."
"No, I'm your precious three."

When (apparently) my jeans were cut too low:  "Mommy, I see polka dots on your big boy pants."

And the best was when he overheard me say that I was having a bad day.  Henry patted me on the back and said,  "No, you're not.  You're fine.  It's okay, Mommy."

Day at the Museum

This past weekend the boys and I enjoyed a wonderful little museum forty minutes from our home.  This is the first time I've ever been to a county museum--I was impressed! We got a late start and I had to use all my persuasive powers to get Henry in the car. Since it was already noon, it was my hope that his brother would nap on the way. It was worth a try--I just had to get out of the house!

It had been a very trying morning, so I made a quick visit to the Starbuck's drive-thru.  (I guess I must be officially, hopelessly addicted since the caffeine actually makes me calmer.)  With an iced vanilla latte next to the driver's seat, I felt ready for adventure.  Henry learned a new word and repeated it for at least five miles.  Venti.  Venti, venti, venti... 

As it turned out the Golden Legacy Exhibit was perfect for my both my sons.  So often, kids' destinations are geared to children just a bit older than my boys.  This museum had several rooms temporarily dedicated to the stories and illustrations in classic Little Golden Books.  The best part is that it was an interactive exhibit.  There were many colorful play spaces (including a huge train table) for the three and under set.  However, children up to age seven would have great fun here.

Compared with the costly experience of going to a city museum, the price was certainly right.  There was no charge for parking. Since the boys were free (under age 4) and I had a dollar-off coupon, the afternoon cost us a very reasonable $5.  You won't find that kind of deal in the Big City.

I was familiar with many of the books but I must say, we own very few of them.  Our visit made me want to buy several of the titles for our home library.  One of the books showcased was The Red Lemon by Bob Staake.  I had never heard of this story.  A large area was painted with lemon trees and filled with green beanbags.  Liam climbed up, over and through this structure as I read the story to Henry.  The illustrations are different than most other Little Golden Books but absolutely charming.  It's a fun book, one that I ordered online as soon as we got home.

Suprisingly for a cool, rainy Saturday we had the exhibit to ourselves.  It would have been nice for Henry if there had been a few kids to talk with and play trains.  On the other hand, we were able to spread out, use all the materials, read the books and climb the displays without disturbing anyone. 

There are other rooms in the museum but I wasn't sure the boys had enough energy or interest.  The additional exhibits certainly piqued my curiosity so I'm planning on another visit.  When we were in the car starting for home, Henry actually said, "That was fun, Mom" 

Wow!  For a boy who spent hours refusing to leave the house, crying when I put on his shoes and struggling to get free of the carseat a few hours prior--this was a huge realization.  I had been feeling guilty for not honoring his request to stay home on a Saturday.   I'm glad I pushed for this activity--it's impossible for little ones to conceptualize new experiences before they happen.   We'll look at the photos from our day at the museum and talk about the visit often.  Maybe Henry will come to realize it can be fun to try new things. There may be hope for the Aquarium after all...

Twin Tuesdays

Hold still, I'm trying to take a picture.

Stop for one second.

Are you listening to me?

Just stay there for one second.

Wait! Stand by your brother. 

Did you hear me?  Please stop.

Hello?
Is this thing on?

Twin Tuesdays

...even their popsicles match!

I love this little red wagon.  It was a Christmas present but is just now getting a work out.  The boys seem to be comfortable in the seats.  It's great for Liam because there are three-point safety belts and high seat backs.  I had been a little worried that he wouldn't have enough posture control at 13 months to enjoy a ride in anything but a stroller.  But look at him!  He does need to sit forward facing though.  I found that out the hard way.  The backward facing passenger has a rougher time staying secure when the wagon comes to a stop.  If I really thought it out, I could explain the physics of this...

Speaking of physics, it's fairly easy for me to pull the boys around the block except when we go up a hill.  Who knew there were so many in this neighborhood?  Henry loves to use the word "steep" whenever we get to the slightest incline.  "It's too steeeep, Mom.  We can't go up!" 

Sure we can.  Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Twin Tuesdays

This spring I will be showing our family spirit with Twin Tuesdays.  We have school spirit week at work.  The students can dress as the twin of one of their peers. So why not adapt the idea for use here at home?  People have given the boys many matching shirts (okay, I bought a bunch too).   I have plenty of outfits from which to choose.   I won't publish a post every week--that would get rather boring--but I do plan on dressing the boys in identical shirts each Tueday.  Since I gather and prepare five days worth of outfits on Sunday nights, this will just be one more way of organizing their weekly wardrobe. 

You are probably thinking, how long are the boys going to let her do this?  Me too.  Though I have to say, with the exception of his character hoodies (Thomas, Lightening McQueen, Woody and Buzz) Henry takes little interest in what he is wearing.  I might be able to get away with this for a few more years.

The photo above is actually from Easter Sunday.  We had beautiful weather for most of the day.  (The thunderstorms waited until evening and then kept Henry awake and frightened until 9.)  Earlier, the Easter Bunny brought Henry and Liam several filled baskets.  The boys really enjoyed all their treats.  We'll be eating chocolate eggs and bunnies for weeks to come.  But, oh, don't get any on your shirts, boys!  Who am I kidding?  The most I can hope for are matching stains...

Spring Break 2010

Well, of course it didn't go as planned.  Mostly it was just the 3 C's:  cooking, cleaning and corraling toys.  However, there were a few truly wonderful moments during the week.  The boys saw both their grandparents and had two playdates with children their age.  Henry helped me hang colored plastic eggs on the tree out front so the Easter Bunny would know to stop at our house next week.  We also made an impromptu visit to the "tool store".  Henry had no idea such a place existed.  I am going to take him to Menard's more often.  Free parking and more tools than this three year old has ever seen. Much better than the expensive downtown museums!

Sunday morning during breakfast, I pointed out a robin hopping through the backyard.  Sensing our presence at the window, the bird began to head away from the house.  Henry asked me about the the robin's actions as I was clearing the table.  I mumbled my standard, before coffee answer: "I have no idea, Henry."

Next thing I know, H has slid the door open and is shouting, "Robin, whaddya doing there?"  I was trying so hard not to laugh, I thought tears would come from my eyes.  "He goin' gramma's house, mom....robin's gramma's house."  Now we know.

Speaking of the backyard, check out the photos of Henry doing a little spring cleaning.  He's a great help and so industrious.  He doesn't get it from me but I try to encourage him nonetheless.

All week long people kept saying to me, "It must be wonderful to have a whole week of vacation with your boys."  Hmmm, vacation?  Really? People don't say to stay-at-home-moms, "It must be really great to be on vacation every single day of your kids' lives," do they?  Sure I'm not heading out to teach at 7:45, but I'm not sitting on the couch eating bon-bons either. I'm still up at 5 am and not sitting down until 9 pm. Vacation, time-off and holiday are all terms that have no relevance in my life these days. 

I'm not really complaining--I had plenty of days off before the boys were born.  I read books, did crafts, gardened and traveled.  I watched hours and hours of BBC mysteries, Friends episodes and talk shows but still couldn't fill all my time.  Now it's the complete opposite, I multitask while multitasking.  "Finding Balance" is a concept for glossy magazine articles.  This is real life. 

Well, I'm off to fold some some laundry as I brush my teeth and read the mail.  A perfectly normal evening around here.

Braving the March Cold to see the March Hare

On Friday, Liam and I took a quick but successful trip to the mall to see the Easter Bunny.  In addition to seeing the big white rabbit, I found lots of great sales.  I rarely get to the mall these days, or any other store that doesn't sell milk and apple juice for that matter.  This was a fun way to spend two hours while Henry napped at home with grandpa.  H would not have enjoyed looking at clothes--Liam didn't seem to mind though.

I feel a bit troubled by the money I spent but justify it because it could be months before I have an opportunity to shop for myself again.  I also picked up a few birthday presents at the Disney Store for the boys' friends.  All in all a very satisfying afternoon!

Someday when he's a major leaguer...

...we will look back at this photo and say his talent for the game began early!  All of us have been enjoying the beautiful weather this week.  Sixty degrees and sunshine until 6:45.  Although it's the end of the day and we are all tired and hungry, we still manage to squeeze in a little outdoor fun when I get home from work.

     It will be wonderful to be home for an entire week (spring break) and then for ten weeks this summer.  My to-do list of household chores and repairs for both vacations is already two pages long but I promise myself that I will let some things go.   Whatever can't get done during their naptime will just not get done.  Guess that means we won't be featured in Better Homes and Gardens anytime soon.  But who knows, maybe you'll see Liam in Sports Illustrated...

PJ Surprise

In an effort to spend some quality moments with baby Liam, I allow my oldest son to watch a few minutes of PBS cartoons after dinner.  It's ten minutes of quiet time for all members of the family. 

As this particular evening began to wind down to the routine that gently guides the boys to bed, my big boy ran into the darkened room where I was rocking his brother to sleep.  Imagine my panic when I saw Henry's body completely covered with an unusual rash.  Relief came quickly when I remembered that I had not left him in his birthday suit.  These may look like ordinary jungle animal pajamas but they're so much more...  The outlines of the lion, elephant, monkey and crocodile glow in the dark!

Henry has worn these pjs before but we've never seen them glow until tonight.  I attribute this fun surprise to the fact that we left the set out in a sunny room all day.  The fabric absorbed enough light to activate the special effects this evening.  At seven pm both boys were wearing Carter's pajama sets but only Henry's could be seen in the inky blackness filling the room.*  Strangely, the spaceship, star and moon pattern on Liam's pjs did not show up in the dark.  Apparently jungle animals are nocturnal; aliens are not. 

*BTW when one tries to take a picture of glow-in-the-dark pajamas, all one gets is a photo of the dark.

The Party's Over...

Two big birthday parties in our home--two weeks apart! We created some fun memories and marked the milestones of turning one and three years old in style!  But there are reasons I'm looking forward to months without birthday celebrations. 

First of all, it's a lot of work.  I'll admit that much of the planning and anticipating is fun.  Imagining and then creating decorations and favors that would delight each of my sons and their guests kept me occupied for many weeks.  Finding just the right toddler trinket for the gift bags, the perfect racing theme tablecloth and kid-size traffic cones on my lunch hour trips to Target energized me.  Getting the house cleaned, tables and seating set up along with food preparation exhausted me.  Especially after a long week at work.  Still I'm glad I had two separate parties.  The boys each deserved their own special day to share with friends and family.

Now for the real reason I'm glad the parties are over.  I need my boys to stay little.  At least for another year.  No more birthdays until I'm ready for them to grow a little bigger, a little more independent, a little further away from the babies I held in my arms.

Having a one year old and a three year old means I am still changing diapers, washing sippy cups and cooking three different things for dinner.  I'm cutting their food into tiny pieces and constantly sweeping those pieces from the floor.   I'm bathing boys in a tub full of bubbles and boats with water splashing all the way out into the hall.  I'm reading rhyming stories while my son nestles against me in a cozy room lit only by a 7 watt bulb.  Having very little children means that they are always happy to see me when I return home from the shortest errand or the longest day.  It means that a trip to McDonalds can make them as happy as a trip to Disney World.  It means that I can still try to protect them from the scary things in this world.

Yes, birthdays are fun. But they are only the frosting on layers of precious ordinary days in between.

Mighty Oaks

.... from Tiny Acorns Grow

I have worn a silver chain necklace with a little acorn charm since 2006.  I purchased it when I was thinking of becoming a mom.  I still wear this piece of jewelry everyday to remind me of the miracle of conception and gestation that I was blessed to experience twice.

Morning Antics

  I actually remember doing this myself when I was a very young girl.  I can picture the apartment in which we were living.  I know the path I took from the bathroom still holding a ribbon of paper as it trailed behind me.  I doubt that I was much older than Henry is here.  So in honor of one of my earliest memories and (more importantly) my son's sheer delight in the sensation of unrolling all of the Charmin, I took these early morning photos. 

A workday morning.  The camera was downstairs.  The children had not been changed or fed.  The clock was ticking.  I went downstairs anyway.  By the time I returned to the master bedroom, scraps of paper had torn off and landed everywhere.  The dogs were hiding under the bed.  Liam was bolting for the stairs--headfirst of course.  Henry was running circles around the bed and through the bathroom.  And the clock was ticking.  No one had socks on yet.  No one knew where their shoes were.  Shredded paper collected under the crib.  Liam's coos and snorts could barely be heard above Henry's giggles.  At one point the dog had a toilet paper leash.  And the clock was...oh, who cares about that dumb old clock anyway?