halloween pre-funk.

A party at Zaide & Baba's gym.  A party at Nana & Pa's.  A party at preschool.  A party at Nana's work.  Dorothy is getting around.

Tomorrow, it's game time.

the poor mans pumpkin patch.

Everybody's doing it.  Blogs from here to China are boasting about it.  The wonderful, miraculous, marvelous trip to the pumpkin patch.  Such a perfect thing to do with kids.  Hayrides, corn mazes, getting your head stuck in the Scarecrow photo-op cut-out, warm cider, and rain boots.  We failed.  We ran out of time, got too busy, I don't know, how about we just suck as parents.  But we got our pumpkins nontheless, and picked up some broccoli and honeycrisp apples while we were there. 

let's celebrate.

Oh we are so the luckiest.  Lucky to have all of our nearest and dearest in one place.  Lucky to have a baby that is already so very loved.  And lucky to have a sister who excels in baby shower throwing.  We ate 3 kinds of chili, the kiddos played pin the bink on the babe, we drank, we devoured homemade apple pies, and we opened presents...oh, and for those that don't know, presents for baby #2 are WAY better.  No exersaucers and rattles crap.  We're talking booze, gift cards, fancy blankets, things for ME, and housecleaning certificates.  Life doesn't get much better.  Val...thank you.  You definitely get to hold the baby first.  We love your guts.

...we kinda can't stop smiling about this new little bean.

big sister.

Miss Jane cannot wait for her upcoming role as big sister.  She's taking the position very seriously, and is having a ball safety testing all of our old loot.  We'll have to remind her about the whole 'back to sleep' campaign.

choose your battles.

Sometimes it's just not worth the argument.  She slept in this little, tiny, pack-n-play all night and was pleased as punch.  It's made for kids one and under.  Looks comfy, no?

party time.

The other weekend we had a slumber party with Benny and Lo.  The kiddos were fantastic, and I think it was the very first time they've ever spent the night...what took so long!  They had a blast, destroyed the house, didn't fight ever, and were all an absolute hoot.  And then their folks showed up the next morning...and all the kids lost it.  What is it about that?!

Lauren and Hadley thinking they were pretty cool.  I think everyone did so well because zero rules were inforced.  And this is the very reason Lauren told Ry and I that "our house was way cooler than her house."  Oh, we love being an Aunt & Uncle.

tick tock tick tock.

Countdown time begins.  6 weeks left!!!  I eat ice like a meth addict, all grocery stores within a 30 miles radius have sold out of Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips, and I feel like my new nickname should be "Big Fat Goalie" (name that Friends episode for 20 points).  Still thrilled with this bean inside of me, still in NO rush for him/her to come out.

And still don't have a boys name.

Poor little purple shirt...those stiches are being tested like nobodies business.

benchwarmer.

About a month ago we decided to sign Hadley up for soccer and swimming (Ryan's idea...not mine).  I knew how it would go.  But I thought, maybe, just maybe, she'll surprise us.  On the first day of practice, as we were getting ready to leave and pumping Hads up, she looked at me and said "I'm not playing soccer Mama."  But I had in my little head, oh, she'll love it once she sees the other kids.  WRONG.  She didn't play.  She sat against the wall with me, with her thumb in her mouth, and held true to her word.  And I kept looking at Ryan and giving him my best "I told you so" smile.

And this is what happened when she found out her swim teacher was a boy.  No joke.  We went to two lessons.  She sat next to me, with her thumb in her mouth...and again, held true to her word.

 So far we are Hadley: 2 Parents: 0. 

 The saddest part of it all?  Not the disappointment of her not playing, not the money we lost, not the worry that she'll picked last on the playground at recess...it's the fact that she is me.  100%, without a doubt, me.  Poor thing.  But at least she's consistent.

last bit of sunshine at the cabin.

We went to the cabin a few weeks ago and enjoyed what little sunshine the summer had left to offer.  Also drove to E-burg and visited Ryan's Alma Mater.  Go Wildcats! I think it was a little weird for him to walk down the sidewalks in a straight line, not slur during our conversations, and be eating at his favorite burger joint long before the hours of 2am.  I kept waiting for some random kid to come up to us and say "Hey, I think you're my dad."  But we lucked out, and as for now, Hadley is his only biological kid we know of. 

He's going to kill me when he reads this. 

Peace out sunshine...see you on the flip side.  Fo' real.

Note to self:  I shouldn't blog after work

it's a good thing she's cute.

Lately I've heard, out of her tiny little, never shutting, mouth:

Out of the blue, as we were sitting on the couch: "Mama, how come Daddy isn't mean like you?  Is that just the way you came out of Zaide's tummy?"

She comes running in the room crying: "Rudy stepped on my paw and it really, really hurted."

As I stepped out of the shower: "Whoa Mama, you have a big huge body."

As I was making dinner: "You know Mama, you do a lot of work.  And Daddy is a lot of fun."

We were sitting on her bed and Rudy walked by: "Mama, did Rudy come out of your tummy before or after me?"

After I told her I was sending her to China:  "Do they have candy and Caillou in China?"

okay, I'm over it.

Privacy Schmivacy.

such a phoney.

When Ryan and I first started dating I totally duped him.  You see, he thought he was dating this super mellow, cool chick, who was totally down to earth, loved the great outdoors, loved to camp, loved to hike, was thrilled to be on the back of his motorcycle (I know, my husband used to be a total badass...now he does hot yoga), and thought nothing was greater than driving up to the mountains every weekend to ski, in the rain and freezing cold.  I was just happy being one with nature.  And we all know how that worked out for him.

So now, I've gone on to dupe a new group of people.  My co-workers, and dear, dear, friends.  When they first asked me to go camping (two years ago) I said "Of course.  I love the outdoors, the fresh air, sleeping in a tent, not showering for 3 days."  And then I went home and said to Ry, "how in the hell am I going to get out of this?"  But I didn't, because I didn't want them to know I was a flake right off the bat, so I went...and here's the best part...I LOVE IT!!!  Maybe it's because these girls are so freaking cool, or maybe it's because their kids are absolutely edible, or maybe it's just because I get to have a few days with Hadley ALL to myself, where she can pretty much do whatever she wants, eat what she wants, get dirty, stay up late, and just have plain, old fun. 

So see, being a total faker can often work to your advantage.  Of course, when I rolled up to that first trip at Deception Pass with 6 coats, a down comforter, a tub of licorice, and nothing else, I'm sure the girls were on to me.

 

Fort Warden August 2010.