And now it’s Hunter’s turn.

As I’ve told many people, he’s my busy one. That doesn’t apply much to him anymore. I think as a small tot, he was REALLY BUSY, but now that he is FIVE, he’s more creative, imaginative and an inquisitive little boy. He’s still very tactile and can remind me of a bull in a china shop, but luckily for him, his younger brother is taking over the busy beaver crown.

He can play by himself for hours, although he’d rather play with his older brother. He and Ryan have this thing that I don’t see often. Hunter has the WANT and Ryan has the patience (for the most part.) They spent over an hour outside yesterday swinging each other on a tree swing in their underwear. They have their very own club and speak their own language.

He enjoys playing with Sam too, but he likes to get in his way, pester him a little bit, which makes said tot scream louder than anything ever heard. Real enjoyable! I think he probably believes it’s his turn to rouse the younger sibling. Rite of passage, you know? He does love his little SAUM. For some reason, he says Sam, SAUM. I see the hugs and the kisses given even if they aren’t well-received. He still persists to show his love.

He’s a sweet boy. He offers anyone who comes over a diet coke, water or beer. He sets plates and napkins out hours before a meal. He tries SO HARD at what he does and wears his heart on his sleeve all at the same time. He’s sensitive, like me. That’s going to be the one difficulty raising him. Seeing so much of myself in him, knowing what he needs, but being too close to his emotion will make it hard to be his yang to his ying.

He does try so hard. You should see him play baseball. He’s got the stance, he practices what he should look like at the plate and hits the home base over and over with the bat like some of the professionals do. He’s a mimic and it’s served him well. I’ll be interested to see down the line how he does in sports. He’s still a dreamer, but has this talent that could really be something. Until then, I will enjoy watching him run from 2nd to 3rd base with a huge smile on his face with his eyes closed.

I tell ya. He’s a hoot. He’s been a really good student as well. I was surprised at how well behaved he is in class. Now, he’s nowhere near perfect, not that he should be, but since he was a busy one entering preschool, I wasn’t sure how that would translate into the structure of class. He sees other kids get in trouble and shys away from what got them there in the first place. He’s no saint, but he’s more in the lines than out of them. Whatever it is, I’ll take it! We’ll see how he fairs in full-day Kindergarten in August. GAH.

I am starting to see what it’s like for him to be the middle kid. It’s hard to remember what it was like having him be Sam’s age. I was busy having a miscarriage and acupuncture and getting pregnant again. I know I just need to get my video tapes transferred to dvd (I have a groupon!) and spend an afternoon going back over that time period. It was special and I’m sad I feel a little foggy on the matter. Now, I’m feeling all the FEELINGSSSS.

****

We’re headed to Disneyland here soon and I can’t WAIT for this little boy to experience it truly for the first time. He was two the last time we went, so he has no obviously memories of our trip. We’re leaving the littlest one behind, so we’ll have a few days to just focus on Ryan and Hunter. We haven’t been able to do that since Sam was born. We need it. They need it. I’m happy we can do that for them. Plus, I can’t wait to ride Space Mountain again too!

Oh, Hunter. You make me a better mom just looking into your sweet face. You may be the one that mostly looks like your father, but you’re all me inside. May I keep that special kinship close to my heart and put it to go use to raise you the way you need to be raised. You’ll be an exemplary man, a passionate husband and a caring father. (Oh, the tears!) You do need a little more, like I did. You’ll need to know how special you are and how much we love having you in our lives. Our love, it’s unconditional. It always will be.

You are good enough.

And all I need.

(Thank you for bringing tears to my eyes while sitting in the waiting room at the car dealership.)

I’m so proud of you, my little Hunty. Here’s to FIVE!

e

So, I had this second kid three years ago and he had a birthday a week ago, Friday.

As in, TWELVE DAYS AGO.

And I’ve come on here, yes, a week plus change later to acknowledge it.

Seems that newborns take up more time than I had remembered. Yes, they sleep all the time, still, but sometimes, you need to assist in getting baby to sleep. And if they wake up before their next feed, they go ape shit and act horribly hungry, but it’s not necessarily time to eat yet, so you go back and forth wondering if they are cluster feeding, if the first growth spurt has actually come to play or he’s just THAT tired and needs help getting back to sleep. It takes time people! Oh, and then there’s the other two. Plus, add Spring Break in there and a wonderfully, helpful house guest (HI MOM!) and a husband who just took his first road trip after Peppa was born and you’ve got yourself a week gone by without recognizing Hola and his third birthday.

Looking through old photos to add to this post, I can’t believe how much Hola has changed since he was a baby. Of course, he’s CHANGED, but the memories have just come flooding back in and I can see a resemblance between Hola and Peppa. I do think Peppa is taking on more of an Rt “look” right now, but he definitely a good mix of the two.

Hola is a card. A HAM. He loves to entertain, even at his expense. If a fall will bring a good laugh, well, that’s what it’ll be. He wants me “to carry you” (to be held) which he never used to do. He’s a cuddler if he only had enough time to really cuddle. He’s BUSY. That’s what I say to people when they suggest Hola being somewhat of a handful. I just say he’s BUSY. He’s my kid after all, and he supposedly is just like how I was growing up, so how am I supposed to blame the guy for being just like me?

He touches everything he sees from point A to point B. He’s a textile type of kid. He’s a lover. He’s very sweet to his new little brother. He just needs to learn to be a bit more gentle. He doesn’t like it when Peppa cries. He worries about him. He sings every song he hears. Even Katy Perry’s “Firework” can’t go unsung in the car.

He puts an “A” on the end of some of his words, like MommyA (sounds like MommyUHHH) Hilarious and quite odd. He attends a First Preschool once a week through the local park and rec. He calls it “School Class.” He wants to do everything that Rt does, including attending school and playing baseball. He can knock a ball off the tee and hit our back fence. He’s going to be the natural athlete, for sure. Can’t wait to see that unfold.

In the past month or so, he’s changed. He’s grown up. I’m sure having a wee bottom to wipe now makes him look like a giant, but he’s different. He’s a little boy. He’s a potty-trained, paci-free, big boy bed/room, ready-for-anything type of kid. Lots of adjustment for such a little guy in such a short amount of time. And he’s doing so well. Such a trooper.

And he’s mine, all mine.

I’m so, so thankful.

e

This project will begin this weekend.

No, we are not crazy.

We are just the opposite. Sensible.

This child needs to NOT have a paci in his possession once this baby arrives, let alone have many more nights losing his in his bed and need assistance to find it. That gets old QUITE FAST.

Rt “gave up” the paci 10 days after Hola was born. It was by accident, actually. We lost the last one in the sheets somewhere and could never find it. End of story.

Well, that at the impromptu Paci Fairy showing up after nap-time with a gift placed under the mailbox down the street thanking him for his donation of his last paci to all the babies of the world who needs them. Ya, that was thinking on our feet.

So, we are bringing back Paci Fairy again.

I’ve told Hola about her and how she gives a BIG TOY when he gives her his pacis for all the little babies of the world. He agrees and moves on with his day. I don’t think he truly gets it, but I don’t think it will be best for any of us to have to kids using them. Hopefully, 3 weeks will be enough time for him to adjust. HA. Hell, his brother was easy-peasy with letting go of his while his brother sucked away.

Here’s hoping the Paci Fairy will work her magic once again.

Question: Hola is a Thomas LOVER and has a lot of the wooden destinations and tracks. Is there anything out there right now, Thomas related that would really WOW this kid? I need some ideas…

e

Not long before Thanksgiving, my best mommy friend told me her two year old boy was starting to pee on the potty. As some of you know, if you have someone to go through potty training with, it doesn’t seem as disastrous as being on your own. Am I right?

So, with that news, I JUMPED at the chance to put Hola on the potty and get this rite of passage OVER and done with. So, I pulled out our Baby Bjorn little potty and half-assed tried to see if Hola was interested. Mostly right before bath time/bedtime is when I would suggest going on the potty.

And he did.

And by that, I mean he would stand over the potty, butt-naked, lean in, place his hands on the wall, straddle the potty and whiz away. It was hilarious and horribly messy. But, HEY, he did it! Wahoo!

During this short period of time, the other boy was already going on his own in the bathroom and even dropping the kids off at the pool with not much issue. (Besides aiming at everything BUT the potty, he WAS going and was seemingly trained. Quickly.)

Crap.

I also began to realize this time of year wasn’t the best time to start this journey since we were leaving for Oklahoma for 9 days during Thanksgiving followed by an out-of-town local trip for Christmas. I knew my original plan was to start after the holidays, just like we did with Rt when I was pg with Hola. And it worked.

So, I held back.

Sure, he went here and there, but the only thing I really changed was moving over to pull-ups from diapers. (Did you know 7th Generation sells pull-ups? And they’re decent? I didn’t. And quite pleased with current results.)

Anyway, fast-forward to Christmas time. Hola was telling US he had to go potty. And we’d take him (finally got him seated on the big potty) and he’d GO.

This even happened when we were at the in-laws for the holidays. He’d tell us EVERY TIME he’d have to go, even first thing in the morning when he woke up.

It was BIZARRE.

Can it truly be this easy? A kid basically potty training himself with little direction from us. (Well, if you count 2-3 M&M’s as a reward. Also 1-2 for his older brother who was asked to be a potty cheerleader and he would be rewarded as well.)

So, this is how it has been for the past couple of weeks. We finally put him in underwear this past weekend and even went out and about with just a piece of cotton between a good day and a wet disaster.

******

Shall we talk about the pooper?

Yes, let’s.

Hola is still in a pull-up during nap time and night time. (We’re not THAT crazy.) So, lately, if he’s had to go, it’s been nice and neat into his pull-up. A good reminder to clean him up and put on his underwear that I keep forgetting to use. Well, the past couple of days, the underwear has been on more consistently and the poop has come with it.

TWICE.

That’s two times too many for me.

Rt was a nice enough to poop only in his pull-up before or after nap time. I NEVER cleaned a dirty pair of underwear. (However, he did not poop in the potty for FIVE MONTHS after he was pee trained.)

I didn’t luck out in the neat department this time.

He seems interested in getting a STICKER just like the ones Rt used to get for going potty. (And yes, they are still taped to the bathroom door 3 years later.)

I just don’t think he gets it quite yet. I know this is all very new and we are WAY ahead of where we should be just starting off, but do you have any suggestions about the poop part? He tends to be off on his own when he goes and I can’t watch him like a hawk before he gets that look on his face. I don’t want to.

The one that happened this morning was the worst. Any tips on getting off underwear that’s got a bomb in it? Where, when, how? We got crap all over the toilet seat, down in his pants, on his legs. I was a cussing sailor, for sure. HOW DO YOU CONTAIN THE CRAP?

The end.

e

Skinny jeans for the growing belly at Style Lush! Also, a write up on the ice cream maker attachment on my mixer at Food Lush….

*****

Every week at my mom’s group, we go around the table telling our highs and lows of the week. This way, everyone gets a chance to share what’s going on in their lives, whether good or bad. Having us there to be a good sounding board with wanted advice or just someone there to listen. Either way, it’s therapeutic.

So, here are my today’s highs and lows, cause I have no memory prior to yesterday to recall what I did this past week.

LOWS:

Left Rt’s backpack at school yesterday. Seems when they tell you to leave your backpack at the front door of the library during book fair, they actually want you to pick it back up on your way out. Luckily, it was still sitting there this morning, right out side the library. It takes brain power, people.

While running out the door to my monthly OB appt., I forgot Hola’s shoes. It wasn’t too much of an issue since I forced him into the stroller during these kind of appts. The only time it was semi-inappropriate to NOT have shoes on was at the bagel shop. Oh well, socks can pass for shoes, right? RIGHT?

While using all the dignity I had to pee in a cup in front on my son, (“pee in a CUP mommy?”) I didn’t notice the cup had a crack in it. Therefore, my potty experiment was all over the floor and my jeans. Nothing like telling the gals at the front desk there needs to be a clean up (on aisle 5!) in the handicap stall of the bathroom.

After visiting the OB office and the blood lab in RECORD time, I took Hola to the bagel store. While getting him back into the car, my semi-frozen diet coke bottle fell out of the car and rolled away in the parking lot. I waited, what I thought was the allotted amount of time, and opened the bottle. Frozen diet coke float came shooting out of the top and onto me, my seat and console. DUDE, I just washed these jeans. Now, they are sprinkled with Diet Coke and urine. And yes, I am still wearing them. What, I look CUTE today.

HIGHS:

I went by the mailbox on my way home and found my new Kate Spake Iphone Cover in the mailbox!!!!  Isn’t it SUPER CUTE? Very pleased with my purchase. I’ve already dropped it and all is still well. Phew.

Hola has now gone pee on the little potty 5 times. All on his own. Only catch is, he has to be naked. The two times I put him in underwear yesterday, he peed right through them. He also stands over the potty facing the seat and pees standing up. This is rather messy. Even today, as he was pushing the pee out a kibble showed up under his hood. I tried to get him to sit, but he thought I was sending him into the lion’s den. No dice.

The best part about all of this, so far, is seeing my kid running in from the backyard trying to make it to the potty with little turds falling out of his rear. I know, gross, but hilarious all at the same time. Not sure how we are going to straighten out the poop part, but I’m trying to be casual, so we’ll see how it goes….Pull-Ups should be here later today…..(Did you know 7th Generation had Pull-Ups? Me neither.

I just realized that I will be in Chicago 2 weeks from today for the Blathering!!! So thrilled. I’ve never been to Chicago and I’m looking forward to hanging with some lovely ladies. Got a kick ass deal at the Fairmont too! Living it up for the last time for quite some time, it seems. Bring it on!! And bring on the near-bear and fake Cabernet….

Also, two weeks from Tuesday, we find out what this baby is, boy or girl! Will try to put up a poll sometime next week just for shits and giggles.

And, last, but not least, I’ll be 17 weeks on Sunday. Not bad, not bad at all!

Happy Friday!!

e

When the two boys play together, it’s never done quietly. They have their moments of disagreement and frustrations, but they also have their special times of laughter, fondness and delightful havoc.

The older Hola gets, the louder the play has become. The louder the laughs have become. The BIGGER they both sound together. I send them outside more often than not, just to make the commotion seem less on top of me.

Just now, Rt came in and asked if they could play in the water. This means stripping down to their bare butts and running wild through the Thomas the Train sprinkler. They spent most of the summer outside doing just this. They have their initial prep down to a science. Rt gets himself undressed, then takes off Hola’s shirt, shorts, asks him to lay down while he sniffs his bottom for potential poop, then continues to remove his diaper. It’s the cutest damn thing I’ve ever seen.

There has been several occasions lately Rt has said, Hola is his best friend. I’d say that’s pretty amazing for someone 3 years younger. Their conversations, while still LOUD, and endearing to hear. They really will remain best friends forever. I can see it already.

Their relationship doesn’t come without LOADS of teasing. The older Hola gets the more he gets teased by his older brother. And what does Hola do when he’s had enough of the teasing? He hits back. Clearly, he can’t articulate how annoyed his is at his brother’s actions, so his next defense is hitting. I don’t condone this, but what else is this kid to do until he can state his case? And a lot of the time Rt deserves it. What I like about this part of child-rearing is sending them both to their rooms at the same time. There is definitely something quite gratifying putting both boys away while I cool my jets. They can really send me to the moon sometimes.

(Since I have written this last paragraph, I have sent Rt to his room for getting Hola wet when he CLEARLY said “NO” and had to turn the hose water down since Hola thought turning the water to the right was the answer when I asked him to turn the water DOWN or to the left. Come on, can’t you understand physics yet? GAWD. Honestly, not long ago he began watering the kitchen floor along with the carpet in the den, so I have a slight fear when I hear pouring water nearby.)

No matter how much I complain about how loud they are, how busy they are, how much room they seem to take up, they’re two great kids who really do SO well together. I just want to bottle up this “doable” time and hope that it can remain this way for years to come.

Pretty please?

e

Happy Friday!

We’re off to the beach for a week!

Rt giving me his version of Signing Times “Colors of the Rainbow.”

And Hola’s efforts at 1-10 from March.

e

So, while we have been dealing with life issues over here, our youngest, Hola, has been upgraded to a “big boy” bed of sorts. At first, I didn’t think this was ideal timing. I mean, why on earth would I want to take him out of his crib and give in to his freedom right in the middle of all of this?

Oh, right. CAUSE HE WAS ALREADY DOING IT.

Yes, Hola has been catapulting himself out of his crib off and on for months now. He’s become a master and the crib his high jump. While he does have skills, it was concerning me that he was doing this many times a day, mostly at bedtime. One wrong move and he could get hurt.

Our crib doesn’t have a drop down bar, so our only option was to remove the front railing and install the toddler rail.

Look how proud he is!

Still loves to scale the wall!

Now, none of this would work if we didn’t “lock” the door. You see, we have handle bar door knobs. They lock from the inside and cannot be reversed to lock from the outside. (Believe me, I TRIED!) So, I went to Home Depot the other day and bought a round door knob. I installed it myself, BACKWARDS, and now can push one little button and, voila, a safer place for Hola to sleep in.

Actually, he doesn’t know how to open the round door knobs yet, since we don’t have any. And, technically, I could put a safety knob on the door, so he couldn’t open it anyway. At least I have three options for the time being, and that is ideal, especially during a time like this.

e

Dear Hunter,

Despite our recent events, I wanted to make sure I gave you the proper shout out, now that you just turned 2.

You are an adoring spit-fire. I see you rarely without a grin on your face. You’re full of mischief, but somehow, someway, I have more patience for you. I think it might be that you are the second child. If you were my first, I would hesitate on having more children unless they were 14 years apart. I kid. You’re just so darn busy. I am told your personality is a spitting image of myself. I did everything before I was supposed to and it seems you are following along the same path. Maybe that’s it. I see myself in you and give you more room to roam.

You climb. You climb EVERYWHERE. Counter tops, dining room tables, bathtubs and tricycles. It was raining today. I can back from the back of the house and you had grabbed a chair, unlocked the sliding glass door and was rummaging around the backyard in one soaked sock.

You adore your brother. You ask for him often. You want him to play with you. You want him to be finished with quiet time once you awake from your nap. You love him and it’s obvious. Your brother told me yesterday that you are his best friend. You would be thrilled to know that. I can see a close-knit relationship with the two of you and I couldn’t be more pleased.

We wondered if you would ever say anything. You walked in your 9th month, so maybe you were just too busy moving to think twice about saying anything. Plus, your brother is such an articulate one. Why would you need to say anything when he says it for you? But now, you can count to 10. You can repeat the ABC’s. You ask to watch “Blues Clues” while mimicking jazz hands. Colors, you know your colors, somewhat. Hearing you say “yellow” is adorable. And when you get a time-out, hearing you say “sorerry” makes it hard for me not to snicker in your face.

You’re a natural. In everything you do. You can knock a ball off a tee better than some kids on your brother’s tee ball team. Your golf swing is as solid as they come. You drop kick a soccer ball without any instruction to do so. You can serve a tennis ball with a plastic putter and could probably clear the net if we got you out on the court. It’s in you. All your daddy and I have to do is sit back and watch, in awe, of course.

You’re a lover. A squirmy one, but a lover no less. I tell you I love you when I put you to bed and you tell me “I luv uuuuuu.” It melts me every time. I showed you how to “pretend snore” with your eyes closed last week  and you followed suite when I put you down for the night. It was a pure riot. Hilarious! You adore your daddy. He can do no wrong. He can shoot a mean basket and that’s all it takes for him to hang the sun and the moon. We got you a basketball goal for the backyard and every since, both you and your brother INSIST on going outside and shooting some hoop. It’s LOVELY.

While we were trying to conceive you, we had a miscarriage. If we had not gone through what we did, then you would have never been in our lives. Just thinking of that option, brings tears to my eyes. Because no matter how much you challenge me, remind me of myself, you are everything to me. And if I didn’t have you, I would be lost forever.

You are a true blessing from above and I am reminded of that daily. Thank you for keeping me on my toes and loving me every step of the way.

I love you,

Mommy.