One thing I like to do with Arun is to discuss the prior day's events with him. Even if it just a trip to the grocery store, I will recount what we did, what we saw, which produce/food products we purchased. It helps with building memory and such - something I learned from my Sister the Former Preschool Teacher because oddly, I did not learn these things in Business School. Anyway, yesterday I was talking with Arun about the Boo at the Zoo event that we went to on Sunday with Mojavi's daughter and Chocolate Covered Susan's daughter.
Me: Arun, remember yesterday we went to the zoo with Kya and Aubrey? What did we see there? Remember how we saw the tigers and elephants?
Arun: NO! Elmo! No! Elmo! Elmo!
Nice, real nice. Folks, we trekked our suburban asses out to the zoo to enjoy nature and animals and all he remembers is how Aubrey dressed up as Elmo.
______________________________
In other news, I am posting over at the BoobLog about folks commenting on Anjali's weight. Size does matter - listen, I am ecstatic that my girl is pudgy, chubby and healthy. I am grateful for the rolls on her thighs. I love blowing raspberries on that round baby belly. And I enjoy kissing her puffy cheeks. She is healthy and happy. What more could I ask for? Oh, maybe for folks to quit commenting on her size.
___________________________
In other, other news, I came across this great link over at the Baby 411 blog about the supposed link between autism and vaccines. First, I need to clarify something - this is a hot, HOT topic for me on many levels.
-When I was in 2nd grade, a classmate of mine died from complications from chicken pox. My school was small - only 42 of us in that grade. Everyone knew and loved Audrey.
-I had a family member test just outside the spectrum of autism 15 years ago.
-A month ago, I had another family member test inside the spectrum.
Vaccines and autism are simply not a black/white issue for me and I do, indeed, take it all personally. I cannot pretend otherwise to have an open mind about this.
Dr. Brown has some very valid concerns about painting vaccines with such a wide brush. She also has some valid points about the responsibility of celebrities dispensing incorrect information color with their opinions. Do not get me wrong. I am a huge Jenny McCarthy fan - I have always appreciated her self-deprecating humor and her vivacious, positive attitude towards life in general. However, it is disturbing that she is sending a medically incorrect message.
October 30, 2007
October 29, 2007
Is it really that hard?
Aw Shucks....
X and I had unprotected sex in October 2006 and I am ever, ever so eternally grateful. Had I known that encounter would be our very last ever unprotected, unpregnant conjugal visit EVER, sure - I would have tried to be more appreciative. But, um.... Still. No regrets. Anjali is one of the most precious mistakes ever in my entire History of Lifetime Mistakes. Of which there are plenty (and I hope they do not have blogs of their own.)
Anyway.... when Marilyn writes yet again* on one of my 2 Under 2 posts, I have to take a moment and think. And think. And think some more. I hope it is crystal clear to everyone how utterly crazy I am about these two obnoxious kids of whom I am so very, very privileged to be left in charge of their complete well-being. Right? They are my Center, that is for sure. And I should mention that I primarily do the 2 Under 2 posts not because I think we have it harder, but rather that we of the Club have it different. I am merely attempting to share the experience for those that may be facing similar Life and Times. I have a friend who had a baby earlier this year and her situation with her 9 year old daughter is challenging in very different ways then those I am experiencing with Arun. But I do not think my situation is more difficult. It is just different than my friend's situation. For sure, she could probably use a blogger doing a "2 Under 9" series of posts.
And it is true, I am taking much creative license with these posts. For example: getting into Target is painful, the actual visit there is usually no big deal. Ah - yes! You never hear about the actual adventure inside Target, now do you?? Anjali has yet to cry inside the walls of Target (that's my girl!) and Arun has not made a fuss in the presence of the Bullet Eyed One since he was Anjali's age and even that was my fault because I improperly timed a feeding. In general, trips to Target are a no-brainer for Entertainment Mileage.
But Naptime? She is a whore. I hate Naptime. I am on the brink of declaring that Arun has outgrown Naptime, that evil temptress. However, Bedtime is a much bigger Bitch and as we all know, no one ever, ever outgrows Bedtime.
So, there you have it. Sleeping is our biggest problem with the 2 Under 2 predicament into which we have found ourselves tangled. My first piece of advice to parents would be "get sleep under control". Although, to be fair, that is very crux of the 2 Under 2 issue. A child under 2 is going through some Crazy Times as it is - walking, jumping, running, counting, talking, teething. Then, you throw a sibling into the mix and hello! You just rocked the poor kid's world. What could you ever expect? Not much shut-eye, that is for damned sure.
So....yes.... it is that hard having 2 Under 2. But it is temporary. It has to be because I cling to that knowledge knowing that as things are difficult now , eventually they will even out. And I am appreciative of the fact that Arun has never once questioned Anjali's existence. Not once. The 2nd time he came to visit me in the hospital, Anju was in the nursery, but he immediately noticed she was not in my room and continually asked where da bee-bee" was until she was finally brought in by the nurse. And since we brought her home, she is usually the first thing he asks for in the morning.... "see baby? see baby?". He will never remember a time that she was not in his life. And vice versa.
I consider it a perk, not a quirk. And I will take it and be thankful.
Did I mention how utterly insane I am over these kids? Yes?
IMs on the Edge
From Cagey to X:
Later in evening...... X, from the dining room says "Hey, Cagey - are you on AOL?"
From undying declarations of love to espresso to crude lust. That is how we roll around here.
*And are you reading Parenting Sites 411? No? Why not? Marilyn's Friday "You Need to Read" posts make my day. Seriously - check it out.
** AOL Name changed to protect the guilty. Which would be me. I sorta like me. Which is why I protect me.
X and I had unprotected sex in October 2006 and I am ever, ever so eternally grateful. Had I known that encounter would be our very last ever unprotected, unpregnant conjugal visit EVER, sure - I would have tried to be more appreciative. But, um.... Still. No regrets. Anjali is one of the most precious mistakes ever in my entire History of Lifetime Mistakes. Of which there are plenty (and I hope they do not have blogs of their own.)
Anyway.... when Marilyn writes yet again* on one of my 2 Under 2 posts, I have to take a moment and think. And think. And think some more. I hope it is crystal clear to everyone how utterly crazy I am about these two obnoxious kids of whom I am so very, very privileged to be left in charge of their complete well-being. Right? They are my Center, that is for sure. And I should mention that I primarily do the 2 Under 2 posts not because I think we have it harder, but rather that we of the Club have it different. I am merely attempting to share the experience for those that may be facing similar Life and Times. I have a friend who had a baby earlier this year and her situation with her 9 year old daughter is challenging in very different ways then those I am experiencing with Arun. But I do not think my situation is more difficult. It is just different than my friend's situation. For sure, she could probably use a blogger doing a "2 Under 9" series of posts.
And it is true, I am taking much creative license with these posts. For example: getting into Target is painful, the actual visit there is usually no big deal. Ah - yes! You never hear about the actual adventure inside Target, now do you?? Anjali has yet to cry inside the walls of Target (that's my girl!) and Arun has not made a fuss in the presence of the Bullet Eyed One since he was Anjali's age and even that was my fault because I improperly timed a feeding. In general, trips to Target are a no-brainer for Entertainment Mileage.
But Naptime? She is a whore. I hate Naptime. I am on the brink of declaring that Arun has outgrown Naptime, that evil temptress. However, Bedtime is a much bigger Bitch and as we all know, no one ever, ever outgrows Bedtime.
So, there you have it. Sleeping is our biggest problem with the 2 Under 2 predicament into which we have found ourselves tangled. My first piece of advice to parents would be "get sleep under control". Although, to be fair, that is very crux of the 2 Under 2 issue. A child under 2 is going through some Crazy Times as it is - walking, jumping, running, counting, talking, teething. Then, you throw a sibling into the mix and hello! You just rocked the poor kid's world. What could you ever expect? Not much shut-eye, that is for damned sure.
So....yes.... it is that hard having 2 Under 2. But it is temporary. It has to be because I cling to that knowledge knowing that as things are difficult now , eventually they will even out. And I am appreciative of the fact that Arun has never once questioned Anjali's existence. Not once. The 2nd time he came to visit me in the hospital, Anju was in the nursery, but he immediately noticed she was not in my room and continually asked where da bee-bee" was until she was finally brought in by the nurse. And since we brought her home, she is usually the first thing he asks for in the morning.... "see baby? see baby?". He will never remember a time that she was not in his life. And vice versa.
I consider it a perk, not a quirk. And I will take it and be thankful.
Did I mention how utterly insane I am over these kids? Yes?
IMs on the Edge
From Cagey to X:
KelliG**(7:30:15 PM) : I love you. You drive me crazy sometimes, but truly, you are my Everything.
KelliG(7:35:07 PM) : espresso grinders. what do you think? tell me and I will look on eBayhttp://www.chowhound.com/topics/398033
Later in evening...... X, from the dining room says "Hey, Cagey - are you on AOL?"
KelliG(11:37:25 PM) : yes I am you sexy thang.
From undying declarations of love to espresso to crude lust. That is how we roll around here.
*And are you reading Parenting Sites 411? No? Why not? Marilyn's Friday "You Need to Read" posts make my day. Seriously - check it out.
** AOL Name changed to protect the guilty. Which would be me. I sorta like me. Which is why I protect me.
October 23, 2007
How do they get the air inside the bubble wrap?
First, some Linky Love....
Scribbit has a totally cool, ridiculously easy "trick" for making cookies into witches' hats. I will definitely be doing this next year for Arun's Halloween party. Scoot on over and check out her cookies. She is looking for more ideas, so if you have one, be sure to include your own link.
Now, onto my regularly scheduled blather.....
Some days, I feel as if I have it all together. This whole "2 Under 2" thing, that is. However, all too often, I have days when my diaper bag tips over just as I am getting into the car and every single wheeled object in it tumbles out to commence with their own miniature NASCAR qualifying race underneath my car. Or days when I am convinced that Arun will never finish growing those molars. Never. Or days when I am at a park with Arun and he has a really dirty diaper which I discover accidentally after getting poo on my hands and only then do I realize that I have no wipes. Whatsoever. Or days when I show up to Target when they are resurfacing the parking lot and I cannot find parking close to the cart corrals, but then find out the carts have just returned to the store anyway and so I have to carry both kids all the way in with my arms burning in agony. Or days when we cannot get Arun to sleep for anything, not even for promises of a pony, puppy, ANYTHING which leads us to consider whether he might sleep best in the basement.
Then, I have days like today. When both kids laugh in unison at each other for the first time. And Arun freely gives kisses while Anjali dispenses gummy, toothless grins in return. And Arun counts to his toes perfectly without prompting. And Anjali pulls toys to her mouth for the first time. And dinner comes out just lovely and we feel cozy for having cooked something healthy. And then, we all go for a long walk together in the crisp autumn evening with a waxing moon just on the cusp of complete fullnes while airplanes zoom over our heads in the inky sky. And then, I lie in bed with Arun and he rubs his nose on mine as his eyes get huge and he smiles like the imp he is.
These are the days that make it worth the frustrating ones. These are the days that I hang on to, the memories that will surely make my heart ache when these obnoxious kids march off to college and out of our house. I know they will leave us someday and I truly do not want to waste too much time reflecting on the crappy days.
Therefore, I will tuck today into my heart and carry on.
Scribbit has a totally cool, ridiculously easy "trick" for making cookies into witches' hats. I will definitely be doing this next year for Arun's Halloween party. Scoot on over and check out her cookies. She is looking for more ideas, so if you have one, be sure to include your own link.
Now, onto my regularly scheduled blather.....
Some days, I feel as if I have it all together. This whole "2 Under 2" thing, that is. However, all too often, I have days when my diaper bag tips over just as I am getting into the car and every single wheeled object in it tumbles out to commence with their own miniature NASCAR qualifying race underneath my car. Or days when I am convinced that Arun will never finish growing those molars. Never. Or days when I am at a park with Arun and he has a really dirty diaper which I discover accidentally after getting poo on my hands and only then do I realize that I have no wipes. Whatsoever. Or days when I show up to Target when they are resurfacing the parking lot and I cannot find parking close to the cart corrals, but then find out the carts have just returned to the store anyway and so I have to carry both kids all the way in with my arms burning in agony. Or days when we cannot get Arun to sleep for anything, not even for promises of a pony, puppy, ANYTHING which leads us to consider whether he might sleep best in the basement.
Then, I have days like today. When both kids laugh in unison at each other for the first time. And Arun freely gives kisses while Anjali dispenses gummy, toothless grins in return. And Arun counts to his toes perfectly without prompting. And Anjali pulls toys to her mouth for the first time. And dinner comes out just lovely and we feel cozy for having cooked something healthy. And then, we all go for a long walk together in the crisp autumn evening with a waxing moon just on the cusp of complete fullnes while airplanes zoom over our heads in the inky sky. And then, I lie in bed with Arun and he rubs his nose on mine as his eyes get huge and he smiles like the imp he is.
These are the days that make it worth the frustrating ones. These are the days that I hang on to, the memories that will surely make my heart ache when these obnoxious kids march off to college and out of our house. I know they will leave us someday and I truly do not want to waste too much time reflecting on the crappy days.
Therefore, I will tuck today into my heart and carry on.
Where am I?
Today, I am posting over at Brit's place. I am going to talk about "5 strategies for healthy living for your family". That is, after I am finished going through her underwear drawer, of course.
October 21, 2007
What has been making me giggle lately?
Headlines
Kid Rock Arrested in Waffle House Fight
I did not even need to read the article for all the giggling I got out of the headline alone. Who knew the Waffle House was such a den of violence?
Arunese
In other news, Arun is honing his skills in the realm of "Out of the Mouths of Babes". I do not intend to subject the Innernets to much of this new language I call Arunese, but some of it simply cracks me up. For the longest time, I could not figure out why I got the biggest kick out of him saying "more". Then, I noticed I was equally delighted by his similar pronunciation of "four".
Last night, it occurred to me why it tickles me so.
Basically, my kid appears to be channeling Ralph Cifaretto's pronunciation of "whore" (Ralphie said it like "who-are"). And now, I cannot get it out of my head. And it is wrong. I know it is, but I still laugh......
Baby Einstein
I cannot get enough of that hair.
Kilroy Was Here. Redux.
She simply cracks us up when she does this "peeking out of the Bjorn" thing.
My Lame Attempt at Being Artistic
Truly lame. To an extent where I can only laugh at myself.
Updated: Hmmm, the more I look at this picture, the more I like it. I was SO disappointed in it when I initially downloaded it, but it will always remind me of some special times that inspired me taking it in the first place. Which is sort of the point of taking snaps, no?
My Most Favorite Kinder Egg Toy in my Collection
And yes, there IS a Kinder Egg collection. Mock amongst yourselves.
Updated: Oops - apparently I am not that lame after all, there are loads of others with Kinder Egg collections.
Promise?
Kid Rock Arrested in Waffle House Fight
I did not even need to read the article for all the giggling I got out of the headline alone. Who knew the Waffle House was such a den of violence?
Arunese
In other news, Arun is honing his skills in the realm of "Out of the Mouths of Babes". I do not intend to subject the Innernets to much of this new language I call Arunese, but some of it simply cracks me up. For the longest time, I could not figure out why I got the biggest kick out of him saying "more". Then, I noticed I was equally delighted by his similar pronunciation of "four".
Last night, it occurred to me why it tickles me so.
Basically, my kid appears to be channeling Ralph Cifaretto's pronunciation of "whore" (Ralphie said it like "who-are"). And now, I cannot get it out of my head. And it is wrong. I know it is, but I still laugh......
Baby Einstein
Kilroy Was Here. Redux.
My Lame Attempt at Being Artistic
Updated: Hmmm, the more I look at this picture, the more I like it. I was SO disappointed in it when I initially downloaded it, but it will always remind me of some special times that inspired me taking it in the first place. Which is sort of the point of taking snaps, no?
My Most Favorite Kinder Egg Toy in my Collection
Updated: Oops - apparently I am not that lame after all, there are loads of others with Kinder Egg collections.
Promise?
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