Week 10: On Vacation

With Jared on business in Belgium, I decided to spend the week at my parents' house. Perhaps not the most exotic destination, but at least a vacation from being alone with 2 kids for the week. So I'm bailing this week, and going to focus on nothing but hanging out with my family. Have a great week, everyone, and I'll be back with a fabulous new focus on Sunday!

Day 6: Spring Break!

Spring Break is by its very definition a joyful time. I wasn't so sure ours was going to ever start when Jason came home from school on Thursday with a 102 degree fever. I'd hoped to leave for my parents' house Friday morning, but the fever still lingered all through Friday. We finally took him to the doctor Friday afternoon, and found out that he had a little throat infection, but it was viral, so there was nothing to be done. I just love that answer. $30 co-pay, and they tell you to just keep doing what you're already doing. I wasn't very optimistic about Saturday when I put Jason to bed that night, still so hot you could fry an egg on his forehead. But lo and behold, Jason woke up bright and early (a good sign, though I'd been looking forward to sleeping in), and his temperature was 97.7! Hooray! We can go to Nonna's house! We were packed and ready to go by noon, and playing in Nonna and Pappy's family room by 6:45. Spring Break has officially begun!

Day 5: Material Girl

I know a lot of my posts this week have been about Hayden, but I can't help it. The girl just makes me smile (which is a good thing, because it probably keeps me from killing her when she does things like slinging poop across the family room). Anyway, lately she has been choosing her own outfits from her closet. I've been going along with it because I'm always curious as to what she'll pick. But today, I am totally in love with her selection. First she picked out a navy blue long-sleeved t-shirt. Nothing special there, but then she picked out this frilly little pink tutu, a pair of gray leggings, and some pink ballerina slippers with matching legwarmers. She wasn't even a figment of my imagination in the 80's, and yet, she's so there. She looks like Britney from Alvin and the Chipmunks. To top it all off, we put her hair in a water-spout pigtail, and she picked out a pink and blue bow with a purple butterfly on it. Who said a 19-month old couldn't have fashion sense?

Day 4: Joyful Surprises!

Sometimes, it's the little things that make you smile. Like finding out you don't have to get up early tomorrow morning because there's no school! I'm not sure who's more excited, me or Jason!

Day 3: With a Face Like This...

Today was kind of a rough day, but I did manage to find a short-lived moment of joy today. I was super-tired because we were up late working on Jason's homework last night - he has a rain forest project due tomorrow, which I didn't know about until yesterday. Hayden was at her hurricane best/worst scattering toys, books, and shoes, while I was trying to master a mountain of laundry. Not a good combination. After folding and re-folding at least 17 times, I was pretty grumpy. But when Hayden came clacking down the hall sporting this purple hat, my red-buckle peep-toes, and a Cheshire cat grin, I had to crack a smile. She was pretty darn cute. How could I possibly stay mad at a face like that?

Day 2: Shoes! Glorious Shoes!

It really is all about the shoes. I don't know what it is about a pink peep-toe or a leopard-print kitten heel, but they just make me smile. And somehow, this has rubbed off on my now 19-month-old daughter. Jared and the kids spent the past weekend visiting family in Oregon, and he brought home a suitcase full of hand-me-downs from our niece, all for Hayden. Included in this care package were at least 10 pairs of shoes. There were sparkly silver Mary Janes, strappy sandals, pink Skechers, and even a pair of faux leather boots. As soon as I brought Hayden's attention to them, her eyes got big and a huge smile lit her little face. She ran to the pile as quickly as her chubby little legs could carry her. She then proceeded to pick up each pair of shoes tenderly, admiring every one. Then it was time to try them on. All of them. Not a pair was left untouched. She ended up wearing the sparkly silver ones today. Now that's joy.

Week 9 - Day 1: It's My Potty and I'll Cry if I Want To!

Today was a pretty good day. Jared took Jason to school, so I got to sleep in a little. Had a fabulous lunch with Jared. Did some shoe shopping (which is never bad, even if it's not for me). And then spent the night at home with my wild and crazy kids. Hayden has decided that she wants to sit on the potty like a big girl, so we bought her one today. She loved it! She spent about half an hour tonight sitting on it, then standing up to look at it, then waving a can of air freshener over it, only to start the process all over again. The joy in this? Realizing that our diaper days are numbered! Woohoo! Unfortunately, Hayden decided to remind me that that number is probably a large one... a few minutes after I snapped this photo, she dropped a #2 bomb followed by a flood onto my family room rug. She thought it best to get off the potty to accomplish this. Sigh.