Time

Where does time go?

One of my baby mama friends, Heather (aka, the wizard) says, The days are long but the months (or years) are short.

Well, recently even my days feel short.

I think of myself as a multi-tasker, but today I couldn't even manage a shower. NO SHOWER!

I planned on taking a shower while Graby napped (and he napped for two hours today), but I was either too busy doing other things or I just completely forgot to shower.

Today, one of the activities I did manage to do with Graby was take some Holiday card photos. I'll share outtakes on another post, but I discovered that he loved fresh leaves (right off the tree). Apparently, they're yummy.

Graby Photo by Buttin (Daddy)

Some Days

You just want to be a lazy, couch potato.

Cub was perfecting his craft today while eating Christmas ornaments. I love what the static was doing to his hair.


In running news, I was able to go for a nice (slow) 8 mile run this morning. Brrr . . .it was chilly, but it felt so good.

Leaves Suck!

All week long, my mother and I have been planning the perfect photo-op for Cub.

We'd put Cub in his bear costume and lay him in a pile of leaves - what could go wrong?

Cub kind of hated the leaves.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year, more than any other year, I have so many reasons to give thanks.

I am thankful for . . .

My husband, Buttin, who is a better man than I deserve.
Our son, Cub, who really does make everything better.
My friends, who laugh, cry and make fun of other people with me.
My baby mama friends, who without, I don't know how I would have made it through the last seven months.
My family, especially my mother, who mean even more to me now that Cub has arrived (like I said, he makes everything better).
Our misfits, who make everyday at work entertaining.
Cookie dough, sweet yummy cookie dough.

I'm also very thankful for the cool front that came through this afternoon. This morning I went for a run in a tank top and shorts, but by this afternoon - we had to bundle Cub up to go for a walk.

Buttin & Cub

Some days, I take really sweet pictures of Buttin and Cub.

Yesterday was one of those days and I got really pissed at my computer when it wouldn't download all my awesome pictures.

Today, I gave up on my computer and used Buttin's. Here are a couple of my favorites.

Two Things We've Discovered

1. Our heater is not working - we learned this last Friday when it was actually freezing.

2. Our AC is not working - we learned this today when it got in the low 80s. It actually feels better outside than it does inside.

Because of the AC situation, Cub and I spent most of the afternoon outside playing. He showed off his teeth some more.

Another Try

So last night Buttin and I went to see Harry Potter.

It was our second attempt with a babysitter.

We had a new sitter - she came highly recommended from another mother at Cub's school. She (Julie) stopped by on Thursday to meet us and I liked her instantly.

I didn't have high hopes for Cub staying asleep while we were gone, but I felt very confident in Julie's experience and her willingness to work with Cub to get back to sleep (in the event that he woke up).

Buttin put Cub to bed while I went to wait in line.

When we got back home and walked through the door at 9:45 - Julie greeted us at the door WITHOUT Cub. He had slept the entire time!

I had left her a mini-manifesto of Cub notes and she left me some "House Notes".

Here they are:

• Wiped down counters and oven.
• Washed dishes (bottle stuff in bowl clean & dry).
• Threw out old banana.
• Folded laundry on table.
• Folded clothes on chair - not sure if clean so left on chairs.
• 6:40 - slight peep from Cash.
• 7:35 - Mouser in front door.
• 8:30 - Molly out, back in at 8:35

That's right! She had folded all the laundry on our table (which if you know me, I always have a ton of laundry on my table waiting to be folded), washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen!

Julie and I talked for about 10 minutes and then she left.

I thought *hopefully* Cub had gotten over his waking up for 2 hours every night, but about 10 minutes later Cub woke up and stayed awake till about midnight. Little stinker.

Here are a couple pictures today of the little stinker. First one is him playing with his new favorite toy - a keyboard from Aunt Jen & in the second picture he's showing off his teeth.

When Bears Attack!

Chair!


Lens Cap!


Water Bottle!



Look at these bear teeth!!

School Picture Day: Fail

Today was picture day at Graby's school.

The plan was to have his picture taken sometime between 8 - 9:30AM.

Graby, in all his wisdom, decided he needed to take a morning nap (which, he really did need - he's teething, in case I forgot to mention it).

After waking up at 5:45, he fell back asleep (after quite a bit of coaxing) at 7:15 and slept until 9:15!

We rushed through the door just as the photographer was walking out.

When I told Buttin that we missed picture day, he said, It's a shame that we don't have any pictures of our son. Smart-ass Buttin.

Good thing - she's going to be there again tomorrow, so we can try again!

Here's a little preview of Cub in his "picture day" outfit.

Quick Run

Graby is teething.

Teething Graby = Not sleeping Graby

Non-sleeping Graby = Non-sleeping Me (and Buttin too)

Non-sleeping Me = Non-running Me

Non-running Me = Feeling-sorry-for-me Me

So I haven't run since Friday morning. I was starting to feel a little sorry for myself, but then I was reminded of this and I decided that feeling sorry for myself wasn't such a good idea. Buttin had a better idea. He came home a little early from work today and I went for a little run.

It was only a short little 2 miler, but it's amazing what just a little running does for my soul.

This afternoon, I had to take Graby to the doctor to get his flu booster shot. While we were in the waiting room he was climbing all over everything. Right now, he only wants to stand. He still can't gracefully get from sitting to his stomach, but he has master several yoga poses in his attempts. (By the way, he was a real champ when he got his shot - just a little squishy face, but no tears.)

Also, since one Cub picture is never enough, here's another one - wearing his little winter hat.

Cub vs. The Cake Ball

CAUTION post contains pictures of kids (specifically mine) with food.

So - I made Cake Balls!


Cub didn't quite know what to do with the cake ball. I don't think he liked it very much, but Scratch did.

Aunt Jen's Toys

My parents left early this morning, so Cub and I are on our own till Buttin gets home tomorrow evening.

We spent the afternoon at Aunt Jen's house.

Aunt Jen has a lot of toys.

Cub's favorite toys (besides Aunt Jen's hair and jeans) were a red truck and a crinkly cat toy.

Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Swimming!

Dadoo and MorMor are in town to help me out while Buttin is in Las Vegas.

Here's a little picture of Cash swimming today:

Seriously Teething

No, seriously I see two teeth coming in (actually Candy saw that there were two before I did). Today, during our Baby Mama's get together, Cash was eating everything.

My iPhone:


His friends' toys:


His friends (poor Henry):


Here's a cute picture of three little buddies (Cub, Henry & Isaac):

Three Days In A Row

Today marked three days in a row for working out.

Sunday - 8 mile run.
Monday - Zumba with Liz. It was a very technical class and I felt a little stupid, but it was still fun.
Today - 3 mile run.

I'm doubtful I can make it four in a row, unless I can count playing with Graby.

Speaking of Graby, he is now officially teething. He's still pretty happy, but at night we can tell he's a little uncomfortable as he tries to chew on everything. We've been giving him some Tylenol the last couple of nights and that seems to be helping.

Here's Cub crunching leaves in his hands. It's his new favorite game.

Christmas, Gigi Style

Gigi visited a couple of weeks ago.

She brought a car load of Christmas presents (for Cub only) because if she didn't bring them up, she wouldn't have room for Nana (or my presents, because those are very important too) when they come for Christmas.

On the Saturday she was here, Buttin was installing Cub's new car seats in our vehicles. Cub and I were playing outside on the front yard supervising Buttin's work. Gigi drove up (returning from one of her many Barnes & Noble trips, no doubt) and I told her that since Cub was getting new car seats, we really needed one of those mirrors that played music and stuff so that he could be entertained.

Gigi said, wait a minute. And walked back to her car. She brought back an interestingly (as in, looked like her dog did it) wrapped present. It had no less than 500 little pieces of tape, but was still only partially wrapped. Cub didn't quite know what to do with it, but I helped him open it and whadda know? It was a little mirror with lights and music for his carseat! So this morning, I got an email from Gigi . . .

I loved your blog….Just wanted to say I am so happy that Cash liked THAT PARTICULAR little swing……

Cash had such a good time on the swing yesterday that we were planning to go buy him one this week. Turns out, we already have it wrapped (kind of) in Christmas paper on our guest bedroom floor. Apparently, all we have to do is think about a present for Cash and it magically appears via the magic Gigi Christmas mobile.

Gigi said we could go ahead and open it.

Here's present opening, Cub-style

Open Present

Inspect Present

Taste Present

Decide Present Is Fantastic

Eat Box Present Came In

Somebody Is Gonna Like Rollercoasters

. . . and a few other things from this weekend.

OK, here's my weekend update - in bullet point form.

• Friday night was strange night for Graby. He was wide awake at bedtime and decided he didn't want to go to sleep until about 8:30.
• Saturday we went to my aunt and uncle's house. My cousins are in town and they have a 3 year old and a 2 month old. It's hard to believe that Cash was once that small (and smaller). I actually didn't take any pictures - I'm a little disappointed in myself.
  
• Saturday night we relaxed and Graby fell asleep hard around 6:30 (thanks to very short/non-existent naps) and a busy day.
• I went for a run this morning! Eight chilly miles!
• This morning, Cash ate leaves.

• Today (Sunday) we went to Isaac's (one of the little boys in my baby mamas group) baptism reception. Cash dressed up for the occasion.
  

• At Isaac's house we discovered that our little boy will one day enjoy roller coasters.

• Cash almost feel asleep on Candy's (Henry's mom) shoulder.

• This evening Cash ate meat and potatoes (chicken and sweet potato)! He really, really liked it. We also learned about this new thing called - a bib.

• Scratch likes meat and potatoes too (apparently).

• While we were playing before bed, I felt Graby's first tooth! I can feel the top little sharp point. This may explain some of Graby's strange sleeping (or lack of) this past week.
  

I'm still working on his 7 month letter. I hope to have it done tomorrow.