Ok, I just have to share something from an email from my new best friend in the whole wide world. This was at the end of an email from L.M. today:
"And by the way, you look just amazing!! I saw your svelte new figure yesterday in car-line and you really look terrific. I can't believe you just had a baby. Are you working out? I never had the energy to exercise, but if you are, good for you. It certainly shows!"
L.M., you are my favorite person in the world! Flattery will get you everywhere :)
No, I haven't even thought of working out. I get enough exercise running up and down the stairs looking for a pacifier or an extra blanket or who knows what. And there is no time to eat. After I've fed the rest of the family breakfast, I'm doing good to get Nicholas to school on time and hopefully have time for a shower and brush my teeth. Having time to eat for myself is a luxury. I often don't get breakfast until around lunch time!
Shopping with Two Children in Tow
I've been assuming that with two children I would have to leave all grocery shopping to Stuart or just go in the evenings when he is available to stay home and watch the two children. How in the world would I ever be able to keep two children happy and safe in a grocery store?! However, yesterday my urge to get out of the house took over and I took both children to Kroger with me for a quick shopping trip. Our pediatrian recommends keeping Rachel out of crowded areas for the first 6 weeks until her immune system is stronger but I knew this trip would be quick and I was going stir crazy from staying at home so much.
As I was driving to the store, it started to drizzle a little bit and it was already cold outside so I started praying for a parking spot close to the door. If stores have parking spots reserved for handicapped and for pregnant moms then surely they must have parking spots reserved for moms with two or more children. Maybe I've just never noticed them because I never needed one. Alas, no such reserved parking spot for me. This store happens to have some good parking spots right beside the door so you never even have to cross a parking lot. That would be ideal for a mom with two children in tow but unfortunately, none of the prime spots were available and I ended up parking way out on the end of a row. I struggled with getting the infant seat in the shopping cart but eventually we all made it safely into the store. Luckily for me, Kroger offers samples in their bakery so Nicholas stayed occupied for a while as he nibbled on something sweet. Yes, I'm sure it ruined his appetite for dinner but we all have to make sacrifices sometimes. Somehow we managed to get almost everything on the shopping list and both children made it home, safe and alive. Hooray for me!
I got so inspired by my successful outing with two children yesterday that today I thought I would up the ante a little. I took them both with me to get the car inspected. Yes, such a kid-friendly outing, I know. Nicholas got bored pretty quickly so in desperation I started digging through my purse for something to entertain him with. I had planned to be super mom and bring along his Leapster but somehow my dazed and tired brain forgot. I recently cleaned out my purse so there were slim pickings of things to play with. I pulled out some dollar bills and some change and we talked about money. Then we used the money to practice addition. I was surprised at what a hit the activity turned out to be. Of course, Rachel was great and slept through the whole outing.
Let's count again...one, two. Great, I've kept both children safe and alive after two outings together. Hooray for me again! Guess it isn't so bad taking two children out and about...at least while one of them still isn't able to run away from me.
We'll get to replay this particular outing sometime in the next 15 days since my poor car failed to pass the emissions test and I have to return in 15 days for a re-inspectioin. It was bound to happen. I've said a special little prayer before inspection time for the last several years and I just know each year it will fail. But it hasn't until this year. Fortunately, the inspector guy said it is some EGR valve and it sounds like Stuart can replace it pretty easily. One more "honey do" added to his list. Poor guy!
To reward Nicholas for his good behavior while waiting for the inspection, I took him to a new park behind the inspection place. I chased him around the playground as I pretended to be an alligator trying to eat him up. He loved it.
When it was time to go, Nicholas swung down off a step and ended up hitting a tooth on one of the bars on the playground. He cried a little but the tooth looks ok. However, after we got home he still complained a little about the tooth. I'll check on it again tonight and see how it's doing.
As I was driving to the store, it started to drizzle a little bit and it was already cold outside so I started praying for a parking spot close to the door. If stores have parking spots reserved for handicapped and for pregnant moms then surely they must have parking spots reserved for moms with two or more children. Maybe I've just never noticed them because I never needed one. Alas, no such reserved parking spot for me. This store happens to have some good parking spots right beside the door so you never even have to cross a parking lot. That would be ideal for a mom with two children in tow but unfortunately, none of the prime spots were available and I ended up parking way out on the end of a row. I struggled with getting the infant seat in the shopping cart but eventually we all made it safely into the store. Luckily for me, Kroger offers samples in their bakery so Nicholas stayed occupied for a while as he nibbled on something sweet. Yes, I'm sure it ruined his appetite for dinner but we all have to make sacrifices sometimes. Somehow we managed to get almost everything on the shopping list and both children made it home, safe and alive. Hooray for me!
I got so inspired by my successful outing with two children yesterday that today I thought I would up the ante a little. I took them both with me to get the car inspected. Yes, such a kid-friendly outing, I know. Nicholas got bored pretty quickly so in desperation I started digging through my purse for something to entertain him with. I had planned to be super mom and bring along his Leapster but somehow my dazed and tired brain forgot. I recently cleaned out my purse so there were slim pickings of things to play with. I pulled out some dollar bills and some change and we talked about money. Then we used the money to practice addition. I was surprised at what a hit the activity turned out to be. Of course, Rachel was great and slept through the whole outing.
Let's count again...one, two. Great, I've kept both children safe and alive after two outings together. Hooray for me again! Guess it isn't so bad taking two children out and about...at least while one of them still isn't able to run away from me.
We'll get to replay this particular outing sometime in the next 15 days since my poor car failed to pass the emissions test and I have to return in 15 days for a re-inspectioin. It was bound to happen. I've said a special little prayer before inspection time for the last several years and I just know each year it will fail. But it hasn't until this year. Fortunately, the inspector guy said it is some EGR valve and it sounds like Stuart can replace it pretty easily. One more "honey do" added to his list. Poor guy!
To reward Nicholas for his good behavior while waiting for the inspection, I took him to a new park behind the inspection place. I chased him around the playground as I pretended to be an alligator trying to eat him up. He loved it.
When it was time to go, Nicholas swung down off a step and ended up hitting a tooth on one of the bars on the playground. He cried a little but the tooth looks ok. However, after we got home he still complained a little about the tooth. I'll check on it again tonight and see how it's doing.
Do They Have A Laptop?
Nicholas' preschool class is having a canned food drive to feed the hungry. We talked about the importance of reaching out to help others in need. I mentioned that we were blessed that Daddy had a good job and he could go earn money to buy food and clothing for us. Nicholas talked some about the hungry people of the world and then asked, "Mommy, do the hungry people have laptops?" I said no they don't. Nicholas said, "Oh, I was thinking that if they had a laptop then they could go to work where Daddy works and make some money." I love his thought process!
Dinosaurs at the Heard!
Nicholas has been asking to go back to the Heard Museum. He mentioned wanting to see the giant dinosaurs. I told him that those are a special exhibit and they are only out at certain times of the year. Well, he lucked out because the "Dinosaurs Alive" exhibit happens to be open now. We decided to make a day trip of it and spend some time in Plano too taking pictures of fall foliage. Nicholas decided to bring along his camera too so he could take pictures of the dinosaurs.
As we were driving around Plano looking for colorful fall leaves, Nicholas shouted, "Stop! Right here! I want to take a picture of that tree right there!" Well, ok then. So we stopped and Nicholas took a few pictures of a particular tree then he collected some colorful leaves from the ground to keep.
After our foliage hunt we headed to McKinney to see some dinosaurs. Last year when we came to the exhibit, Nicholas was a little scared of some of the dinosaurs because they move and roar and grunt. However, this year he was a big boy and as cool as a cucumber. He remembered details about some of the dinosaurs and even remembered where along the trail the T-Rex was located last year.
His favorite dinosaur was the one that spits water out of his mouth. He made sure he got wet! Next was T-Rex. Nicholas pulled his camera out for that one.
Once we finished the dinosaur trail, we had our picnic lunch outside under a tree. It was neat to watch Rachel in her stroller. She was looking up above her and was fascinated with the movement of the red and orange leaves in the wind.
After lunch we toured the conservation exhibit to see some neat animals and we spent some time at the regular indoor exhibits. It was a long day but as always it made for a nice family outing.
As we were driving around Plano looking for colorful fall leaves, Nicholas shouted, "Stop! Right here! I want to take a picture of that tree right there!" Well, ok then. So we stopped and Nicholas took a few pictures of a particular tree then he collected some colorful leaves from the ground to keep.
After our foliage hunt we headed to McKinney to see some dinosaurs. Last year when we came to the exhibit, Nicholas was a little scared of some of the dinosaurs because they move and roar and grunt. However, this year he was a big boy and as cool as a cucumber. He remembered details about some of the dinosaurs and even remembered where along the trail the T-Rex was located last year.
His favorite dinosaur was the one that spits water out of his mouth. He made sure he got wet! Next was T-Rex. Nicholas pulled his camera out for that one.
Once we finished the dinosaur trail, we had our picnic lunch outside under a tree. It was neat to watch Rachel in her stroller. She was looking up above her and was fascinated with the movement of the red and orange leaves in the wind.
After lunch we toured the conservation exhibit to see some neat animals and we spent some time at the regular indoor exhibits. It was a long day but as always it made for a nice family outing.
Beautiful Little Rachel
I've been wanting to get some great black and white pictures of Rachel. Fortunately, my husband is photographer-extraordinaire and was glad to work with such a cute model. He went to a craft store and bought some black fabric for a backdrop. It was a little challenging getting a newborn to hold still or pose the way you might want them to or not pee on the new backdrop but Stuart stayed patient and got some great pictures. He's not only a great photographer but he's also good with Photoshop and put together this awesome collage from the photo shoot. Click on the picture to enlarge it for better viewing.
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