The Kids' Log: March 24-30, 2013

HAPPY EASTER!!!  

My sister came to town on Wednesday and we've been enjoying the highs and lows that having a house guest brings. I have taken full advantage of having an extra set of eyes and ears and hands on deck by scheduling a flurry of appointments and tasks that would have been impossible to complete while schlepping a baby around.

Isn't it funny how a visit from a relative frees moms to make trips to the eye doctor and car wash instead of the hair salon and spa? It's not all been business though. We took her to Jack London Square yesterday to see the famous author's log cabin and walk by the waterfront. I was hoping to take a tour of FDR's floating White House that is docked there (USS Potomac), but it was closed.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 32 Weeks Old

Jack London's cabin

Marlie and her auntie getting a closer look

Marlie has been enjoying her auntie's company (and the extra attention). This includes staying up until midnight for the past three nights because she is entirely overstimulated. She came down with a cold yesterday and I spent a couple of hours napping with her after the fever wiped her out. It was nice to snuggle with her for a change. It's been so long! She's usually going a million miles per second and I usually have Desmond attached to my side like a koala bear. I'm glad we got those couple of hours even if it was caused by the sickies. We all eventually succumbed to the same cold. Damon needs to stop bringing home his public transit germs.

Baby Log: 50 Weeks Old

Desmond eating chilli and cornbread

In two more days, my sweet littlest one will be one! He seems to be racing to leave babyland behind. This week he learned to stack blocks and he's been developing his taste palette. He loves scrambled eggs and meatballs and chilli. Having those upper incisor to tear food has awakened the foodie in him. His first day of school is tomorrow. Wish us luck!

The Kids' Log: March 17-23, 2013

You may have noticed my absence this week (or maybe not). It was on purpose. I needed a break from blogging, but I'm back and ready to share especially about the prom fashion show I attended yesterday at Macy's! Look out for that post tomorrow, and I'll be visiting all you lovelies to catch up on what's going on in your corner of the world.

If you are reading this around 9:15 am Pacific Time, please send me some cheers as I will be starting the Oakland half marathon. My goal is to walk the 13.1 miles in 3 hrs 30 minutes. Thanks for your support!

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 31 Weeks Old
It was a typical week in the life of my fair lady. We took a trip to the Marin Headlands last Sunday, had a picnic near the old ramparts, and then hiked to the Point Bonita Lighthouse. She has been telling everyone about the "light up house." cute.

Baby Log: 49 Weeks Old
The front teeth are making their slow decent and that makes for a super cranky Desmond. He's been in a bad mood all week. I hope they finish coming out before his birthday!

The Kids' Log: March 10-16, 2013

I curse you to Daylight Savings! I have a note from my mommy excusing my tardiness because Daylight Savings is screwing with my internal clock and mind.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 30 Weeks Old
Daylights Savings affects Marlie differently each time. We just wait and see how she'll handle it. This cycle, she's up until 10 pm and wakes up close to 8 am creating a morning panic that she is oblivious too since southern molasses runs in her veins.

Baby Log: 48 Weeks Old
Desmond is all welly in the belly again. With his appetite back, we've been working on fattening him back up. He was 20.1 lbs before the sickies and now he's 18.8 lbs. We're feeding him ice cream and doughnuts! Just kidding. It's more like buttered noodles, avocados, and Greek yogurt.

The Kids' Log: March 3-9, 2013

The stomach bug that the outbreak monkey brought home eventually got everyone under our roof. Even Teflon baby couldn't avoid The Contagion. I am so tired from cleaning vomit and diarrhea and not getting enough sleep that I almost forgot to write this update. Better late than never, right?

Desmond got accepted to the same preschool as Marlie to start April 1. That is six months earlier than I had planned, but it is one of the very few affordable, flexible and high-quality daycare options in this area. I do not want to defer which means accelerating my job search. It might sound like I am putting the cart before the horse, but I could not wrap my brain around getting a job and then stressing about daycare or, heaven-forbid, enrolling him at a different place than his sister. I can do this. I just need some confidence and a little luck. Let's not even discuss how I am freaking out about the morning rush, the drop-off/pick-up, handling sick days, school breaks, coordinating vacations, etc...We'll cross that bridge when we arrive there.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 29 Weeks Old
Patient zero is all better. I sent her back to school on Monday. She has been more defiant than usual this week. Or maybe I have a shorter fuse because I am exhausted from caring for two sick littles.

Baby Log: 47 Weeks Old
Poor Desmond was the last to come down with the stomach virus and he was sick all week. I got scared on Monday when he threw up so much that bile was coming up. Then it worked its way into his gut and I was changing diapers on the hour. He looks like he lost about two pounds which is a lot for a baby. He was able to eat some food last night without it running through him so I think he is almost over it.

The Kids' Log: Feb. 24-March 2, 2013

Sickness descended upon our house this week like some kind of vengeful Biblical plague. Damon came down with the flu or a severe cold. He only took Monday off and dragged his butt to work the rest of the week. Me? I caught a milder version of what he brought home. I didn't have a fever though. I did have aches and chills so I thought it was flu, but that only lasted a day. We both have lots of chest congestion and a sore throat and a bad cough. Marlie picked up a stomach bug at school and was blowing chunks for three days straight. She'd seem fine and and eat but would throw up as soon as she drank any water. I did my best to avoid her germs by wearing plastic bags to clean up, washing my hands obsessively, and disinfecting every surface in the house but there really is no germ preventative for a preschooler who coughs in your face. So I also developed a pinch of her stomach flu. It wasn't full-blown, just enough to knock me on my butt on Friday with fever and stomach cramps that had me begging for mercy. The worst part of it all was the righteous weather this week that we couldn't enjoy because we were stuck inside. By they way, someone needs to write a caregiver manual on how to care for a sick child and a well child when you are sick too.

Teflon baby was the only only who escaped the sick fairy (three cheers for breast milk antibodies!)

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 28 Weeks Old
I may have mentioned once or twice that Marlie is not a typical sick child meaning that she doesn't curl up in bed and convalesce. She bounces around like a bunny on uppers and that is what she did for the past four days. She turned the house upside down between whining about wanting water (which acted like syrup of ipecac) and asking when she was going back to school. Saturday rolled around and she didn't vomit all day so we let her ride her bike around the block. She looked so happy being outside again.

Baby Log: 46 Weeks Old
I can't believe this boy is going to be 1 years old in a month! He suddenly looks less like a baby and more like a little person to me. His new thing is to walk around in a circle, get dizzy and fall to the ground laughing. It must be a boy thing. He is certainly a boy's boy, all rough and tumble and mischevious. He favors the basketball and trucks at playtime. Lucky for us we have plenty because his sister likes them too. His new favorite snack is sliced and quartered bananas. He acts like a big man when he's eating them and pushes my hand away if I try to help him pick one up. Yesterday I noticed an upper incisor breaking through. Finally!

The Kids' Log: February 10-16, 2013

Please don't take notice of the conspicuous lack of pictures again. This week was kind of ordinary with the exception of a few instances of some extraordinary things that happened to me.

First, I applied for a job! This was one of the to-do things on my homework checklist. Another parent happened to mention an opening for a Communications Manager at a local private school so I submitted my resume on Monday. I am so proud that I was able to quiet that little voice of self-doubt and go for it.

The second cool things that happened is that I won a $50 gift card to REI which I used to buy gear for the marathon (now a half marathon). I bought two pair of walking socks with padded heels. They cost $30 but they are so worth the price because after I wore them on my 14-mile training walk yesterday my feet did not feel like pulverized meat for the first time since I started long distance walking.

The third nice thing that happened was our first date night since moving here. We set up a babysitting swap with our neighbors where we watched their girls on Friday night and they watched our kids on Saturday evening so both couples could enjoy a Valentine's outing. I'm not going to lie folks, it felt weird being out after dark. It hit me that I rarely go out at night anymore and that made me a little down. As Krissy said, we need to get a life! That's why we are going to try these date night swaps with our neighbors more often.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 26 Weeks Old
Miss Social Butterfly attended two birthday parties this week, one last Sunday and one yesterday. She has a busier social calendar than me. I really, really need to get a life. I am happy to report that she was not kicked out of gymnastics class on Friday. She walked up to the teacher and told her she was ready to listen. She had a good time an was rewarded with a stamp. I also took her for cupcakes afterward.

Baby Log: 44 Weeks Old
Desmond came down with a cold earlier in the week. This was on top on the teething, so he was extra miserable. I spent most of the week wiping his face. It was hard to tell where the snot ended and the drool began. LOL!

The Kids' Log: February 3-9, 2013

Welcome to another week in our lives. A lot has happened in the past seven days. We lost another buyer (Dallas house) and another quickly sprung up. Let's hope this one sticks! I have been diligently working on my homework. Some days I could only get around to brushing/flossing and praying but I'm making progress on reclaiming my joy.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 25 Weeks Old
Last Sunday Damon took the kids to a play date with Marlie's classmates at a farm. Her daddy didn't see fit to comb her hair before leaving the house. I bet no one even noticed. They were all probably like, what a wonderful farther he must be to bring both little kids to the park by himself! I would have gotten side-eyes if I took her out with her hair looking like that. LOL!

Marlie got expelled from gymnastics class on Friday. She ran off twice and the teacher had to chase her down while she shouted "you can't catch me!" Marlie was shocked that she was sent home and cried so hard. She said she just wanted to play with the teacher. I did my best to explain that the teacher was trying to teach and needed her to listen and do the exercises. I could tell she was having a hard time processing it. I told her she could go back and try again next week and work on her listening skills. This is what worries me about her play-based preschool where the teachers routinely engage the kids in chase, tag and hide 'n seek. She doesn't seem to understand the switch between instruction time and play time.

In better news, I finally started planning her 4th birthday party. I am off to a late start, but preparations are officially underway thanks to a super-sweet daily deal for a mobile pony party and petting zoo! I am leaning toward a Toy Story Woody/Jessie color scheme for her cowgirl festivities.


Baby Log: 43 Weeks Old
Baby boy has been keeping us awake all week and his daytime naps are sporadic. His appetite is off and he wants to nurse round the clock. Sounds like more teeth are coming, but they've been threatening to break loose for weeks and nothing. Oh, and did I mention he caught a cold this week too? Fun times!

The Kids' Log: January 27-February 2, 2013

I came bearing pictures! A round of applause, please. The weather has been cooperating here and that makes for wonderful play dates at the park on Friday. It's especially nice now that Desmond can join the fun since he got his own pair of kicks these week. He likes sand. a lot. He digs his fingers in it and sucks the sand off. ick. It gives me warm fuzzies to watch them together even if it last a millisecond (more on that is a minute).


I needed cheering up after getting the disappointing news that the buyers have backed out of buying our home in Dallas. I am ready to be done with it come what may.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 24 Weeks Old
Marlie's challenging behavior continues. It's not just the extreme defiance that is draining, it's the all out meltdowns when I ask her to do anything. It's to the point I dread engaging her because I know what's coming. I even witnessed her do it at school, which is where is is usually on her best behavior. I arrived earlier one day just in time to see her crying over having to clean up the toys she'd been playing with. I try to remember the tips from the books I read, but honestly, in the heat of the moment when I have a nursing/crying/wiggly baby in my arms I don't have the brain cells how to communicate on her level. I just want her to eat her meal and brush her teeth without the push back. I feel like every interaction from eating breakfast to getting ready for bed has become a hostage negotiation. sigh. Someone suggested she's feeling displaced by her brother now that he's an active little person and not a sleeping blob anymore. I can see that, especially when she resorts to baby talk. We each spend as much one-on-one time with her as possible. What we are working on is getting them to play together but she's not having it. She wants all of our attention and all of the toys to herself (not possible). She even asked me if I could leave the baby in the car when we went to the park. How can I get her to see him as a playmate and not competition for affection?

On a positive note, she had a great time at her first gymnastics class. I am hoping this will be a good outlet for her and she will start acting like her normal self (which isn't an angel by any stretch, but she was not a mean girl).


Baby Log: 42 Weeks Old
Boyfriend received his first pair of shoes this week and he has been walking outdoors ever since. He also learned a new word this week! I am "Na Na." It's not mama, but I'll take it. It took a minute to realize he was calling me when he first said it, but there is no misinterpreting when he says Na Na while reaching for me! We embarked on the rocky road of transitioning him to his own sleep space. He starts out in a co-sleeper next to our bed and then his daddy moves him to the crib in the kids' room. It's going swimmingly! Yeah, right. On his worst nights he wakes up realizing he's not in our bed and starts screeching like a scalded cat. His best night was Friday when he slept on his own from 8 pm- 2 am, so there is hope!

The Kid's Log: January 20-26, 2013

No photos this week, sorry!

I had my cavity filled on Thursday and I never, ever want to go through that again. So I started researching natural methods for preventing and reversing tooth decay. One article stood out. I am going to start making re-mineralizing toothpaste.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 23 Weeks Old
Marlie had a challenging week. She has been acting extra needy as in she suddenly can't do anything without help. She's been extra cranky too and taking it out on her brother. I hope this is just a rough patch because she is usually gentle with him. She starts gymnastics this week and I hope that brings her out of her funk.

Baby Log: 41 Weeks Old
Desmond had his first peer play date on Tuesday at a neighborhood park. There was a baby three months younger than him and one 3 months older than him. He was the only one who could walk which he gladly showed off. He was the toast of the playground. At one point there was a crowd of moms gathered to watch him go! I wish I could say all that activity wears him out. But he is on a nap strike. I wish I could say that means he sleeps late. But he is waking up between 5 am-5:30 am every morning ready to party. I'm the one who isworn out!

The Kids' Log: January 13-19, 2013

This was a good week. A really good week. And I have pictures!

The weather has been awesome. No rain and temperatures in the mid-60s. It was so pleasantly warm that I walked the kids to the organic ice cream shop after our park play date on Friday. On the way home I saw the most beautiful hummingbird in a flower garden. It was iridescent and just stopped me in my tracks. I fumbled in the diaper bag for my camera and scared it away.

Our mortgage bank accepted an offer on our home in Dallas. It will be a short sale, but that's better than no sale and foreclosure!

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 22 Weeks Old
Marlie is such a drama queen. All little kids have dramatic moments, but my child is a true dramatic actress. She moves and speaks with such performance. Even eating is like a mini play. When she is accepting her first academy award, I hope she mentions that her mother recognized her talent early on.

I don't know when she learned about dying. After a I squashed an ant she I told me I "died" it.

Baby Log: 40 Weeks Old
Desmond has moved onto climbing. Stairs, chairs, the couch are all obstacle courses now. He tasted pineapple for the first time this week and he is a big fan. He is definitely a bigger eater than Marlie was at his age. He is also more physically aggressive than she was (hence the early walking). He attacks me when he's nursing. He pinches my ears, knees me in the ribs, tweaks my collar bone, and sometimes he goes for the jugular and squeezes my throat. He is like a scary character out of Shakespeare.

The Kids' Log: Jan.6-12, 2013

My apologies for another picture-less post. I must get better about that. I'm just so busy being in the moment, soaking up the experience with my kids that I forget to whip out the camera. That's not necessarily a bad thing, right? Speaking of photos, thanks for the votes in the contest! I think we won, but I haven't received notice yet.

This has been an up and down week. One positive was the return of Downton Abbey last Sunday. Did you watch? It was so worth the wait! The downside of this week is the overwhelming exhaustion I have been experiencing lately. The kind of tired that has me passing out on the couch at 7:30 pm most nights. It's no way to live. I am missing out on so much by falling asleep so early. I am pretty sure it's adrenal fatigue and now I have to go get checked out. The last time this happened I couldn't exercise for six months while I recovered. That would throw a huge monkey wrench in my marathon plans. That might be a non-issue since I don't seem to have the energy to go past 15 miles. Plus my training is suffering not being about to do serious mileage during the week. I might have to scale back to the half marathon.

I've answered my last door bell ring at 7 o'clock in the evening. It was bad enough with the political canvassers during election season, but a new wave of solicitations have started that consist of college students selling all sorts of crap to fund trips abroad and whatnot. They have no respect for sleeping babies or dinnertime. I decided a sign was in order. I was going to make one, but then turned to tried and true etsy and found a sizable selection. I picked a rustic design to match our exterior paint and I am eagerly awaiting it's arrival. I almost went with a sign that read, "We already found Jesus, We already know who we are voting for and My kid is selling the same crap." But I decided to go with a less cheeky message.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 21 Weeks Old
Marlie had an interesting week. She was definitely happy to be back at school for a full week. She was so excited that she fell off the monkey bars again and bumped her chin on a bar on the way down. Ouch! She had a play date at our house on Saturday with the neighbors girls and they made sand art necklaces, terrariums, and paper plate insects. She is not the most gracious hostess. I had to keep reminding her to share and not boss her friends around. I have a feeling I am wasting my breath though. The girls are older so they are real patient with her and I am thankful for that.

Her vocabulary astounds me sometimes. Like when she says actually, mommy, I already went to the potty.

Baby Log: 39 Weeks Old
Desmond had his 9 month wellness check with the new pediatrician on Wednesday. We could no longer afford our beloved former pediatrician who was out-of-network. He is a super healthy little guy, but has only gained about 4 ounces in three months. I know this is due to his rather active lifestyle, but I want my chubby wubby Magoo back! He's added new moves to his walk, including pivoting and turning around in a circle.

The Kids' Log: Dec. 30, 2012-Jan. 5-2013

How was your first week of 2013?! Being on the west coast for New Year's Eve has it's perks like watching the Time Square countdown live at 8:59 pm local time and still getting to bed at a decent hour. With two little ones I just cannot hang until midnight anymore.

I need a favor folks. Please vote for the kids' in this photo contest. Go here: link. Scroll to the 2nd category, Grinch Photo Contest, and click the vote link under the photo titled "The Frog Grinch." It's the first photo of the kids in their Halloween costumes. Thanks, I owe you!

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 20 Weeks Old
Miss Sassy has a new catch phrase: "it's a sticky situation." I think she got it from Scooby-Doo. She returned to school on Wednesday, but it was a short week since she is off on Fridays. We met up with our Friday play date pals at Shorebird Park at the Berkeley Marina since it was a balmy 60 degrees! By the way, Marlie drew a map to help me get there after I told her I had to look up the directions. Armed with sand pails and shovels, the kids collected sea shells on the beach and waded in the surf with their rain boots. It was beautiful. I forgot to take pictures. See, I already broke my one new year's resolution.

Marlie has taken a sudden and very strong interest in the Earth. She is fascinated by our globe and she constantly wants to watch programs about Earth through the Netflix subscription. She asks a million questions to which we answer, "what do you think?"

Baby Log: 38 Weeks Old
Desmond has a serious case of the teething grumps. He likes to bite my knee caps (my guess is because they are bony). This week he officially became a walker! He's still wobbly, but he can walk across the room if he doesn't get too excited. Marlie is his biggest cheerleader. I tried to get him walking on video, but he fell every time I pointed my camera at him. Then the minute I put it down he would do the perfect walk. This is the best home movie of a sort of Franken-walk:

The Kids' Log: December 23-29, 2012

Happy (Almost) New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. My babies woke up Christmas morning decked in their Christmas pajamas and we had homemade biscuits for breakfast (made by Marlie and her daddy) followed by the opening of gifts. Marlie got a guitar and a harmonica and the umbrella she asked for, plus she bought a jumbo puzzle and fire engine with the money her great-granny and uncle sent her. Desmond got a bead maze and a playmobile car set. We lolly-gagged around the house watching Christmas movies and then went to the neighbors for dinner. It was a great day.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 19 Weeks Old
I realized that I haven't provided much details about Marlie's growth lately. First off, she's grown so tall that she's already more than half my height. She's been wearing size 4T for about two months now.

Her sense of logic has also expanded which she uses to argue a lot. She has the surly teenager routine down cold, including crossing arms, sucking teeth, storming off in a huff, and slamming bedroom doors. She can grasp many concepts like real and fake. She enjoys telling you what's not real. Her conversational skills will leave you impressed (and exhausted). She loves to regale me with tales from school during the car ride home and engage you in impromptu discussion about a wide range of topics from her choice of profession (fire fighter) to her favorite foods (pizza). Her stories have a beginning, middle and end, too!

I think it's time to enroll her in some extracurricular activities. I looked into a little ninjas martial arts class, but I think we're going to give gymnastics another try in January and probably swimming this spring.

Baby Log: 37 Weeks Old

 I can't believe Little Man is 9 months old. He has been taking steps for the past week up to three at a time! He'll be walking like a big kid really soon. This week I made him chicken, broccoli and brown rice cereal. He was not into it at first, but by day three he was eating some of it. I think it's the texture. His next two teeth are about to come in and he's gumming on everything, he is a pro at eating O-shaped cereal. His eczema is all but cleared up thanks to me getting rid of every piece of clothing with metal zippers or snaps. He hasn't reacted to anything else in two weeks so I think we're good. I just need to keep his skin moisturized because wintertime is so drying!

The Kids' Log: December 16-22

This week was mostly a foggy blur. I took a break from blogging out of respect for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. My heart is still aching for them, my mind is still trying to process it. I am still a jumble of nerves, but my kids deserve to have me present and not locked in an emotional limbo. So yesterday we started taking steps to revive the Christmas spirit. Damon played Christmas music and we took Marlie to a toy store to pick out gifts for herself with the Christmas money her great-granny and uncle sent her. She chose a fire truck (of course) and a jumbo puzzle. There was a face paint artist in the toy shop and she gave Marlie a nice Santa on her cheek and peppermint swirls above her brow. There was a man singing Christmas carols on the sidewalk and we stopped to listen then Marlie gave him a tip. By the time we reached the holiday party we were invited to, I was in a better mood (especially after two glasses of coquito egg nog!)

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 18 Weeks Old
The Christmas spirit is certainly alive in Marlie. All she talks about is Santa though, which bugs me so I pulled out our Nativity set and tried to explain to her the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I got to the the part where the three kings bought gifts to the baby Jesus and she demanded that I give her the presents they are holding. #momfail. I have never been a fan of Santa, but I know better than to squash my child's delicate imagination. Still, I would like for her to have some sense of what Christmas is really about. If the cartoons and commercials are going to tell her that it's all about Santa and getting presents then it's my job to teach her about Christ and the miracle of his birth, right?

Marlie had an accident on the monkey bars at school earlier this week that left her with a scraped chin and a small chip on her upper incisor. I didn't rush her to the dentist but have been monitoring it for discoloration, looseness and signs of infection. So far it doesn't seem to be be bothering her so I think we're in the clear.

Lately she has been showing an interest in playing games together. She loves hide-n-seek and puzzles. I recently got a board game that consists of picture tiles that players use to tell a story. To my amazement she understood it and was telling tales that began with "once upon a time." She and her daddy started doing kiddie yoga and it's cute to watch them enjoy that activity together.

Baby Log: 36 Weeks Old
Mr. Busybody continues to be the Happiest Baby on Earth. He gets the title because everyone comments on what a happy baby he is, LOL! He should be with all the attention he gets! He is developing a mischievous side that is going to give his Big Sister a run for her money. He is already preparing for his role as Annoying Little Brother by pulling her hair, getting into her things, and knocking down the block castles she builds. But he's such a charmer, that she can't stay mad at him.

The Kids' Log: December 9-15, 2012

So here I sit, ready to share what my kids have been up to this past week knowing that 20 families ended their week in unspeakable tragedy. I write this weekly update on my kids with a heavy heart knowing that there are parents in Newtown, CT who will never get the chance to create new memories with the child they lost on Friday.

I know every parent across the country is feeling for those families. Families who are grieving and must now plan funerals to bury their children instead of how to spend Christmas morning. My heart breaks at the thought.My prayers are with them. May they find comfort and peace in the memories of their little angels.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 17 Weeks Old
Marlie has always been a compassionate child. This week at preschool she showed her caring during a game of chase that left a classmate in tears. She told the little girl, "it's okay, it's just pretend, he's not a real monster." I beamed with pride when I read this on her daily report.
On Tuesday, I picked her up early because she had a fever. It might have been a 24-hour stomach bug, but I was required to keep her home on Wednesday. She spent the day propped up on pillows watching cartoons. Saturday, I took her to see The San Francisco Youth Ballet's Nutcracker, so it was like nutcracker junior and perfect for kids. She made it through Act 1 but by Act 2 I was bribing her with peanut m&ms. We left midway to the end, but she did better than I anticipated.

Baby Log: 35 Weeks Old
Little Man stood up on his own last Sunday! He just hoisted himself up off the floor without any support. He's been practicing this move all week, staying upright a little longer each time, just long enough to reach the garland on the tree and pull it down.

The Kids' Log: December 2-8, 2012

I think the Christmas tree and the ornaments are going to make it! I am happy to report there have been no further attempts on their lives.

I won a boatload of giveaways this week: a $50 Levenger gift card, a $50 Uncommon Goods gift card, a box of S'muffins and a Sherpa Sleeper from Snug Organics. That covers a lot of holiday gifting!

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 16 Weeks Old
Marlie has become a total fan of the old school cartoons on Boomerang like Smurfs and Flintstones, but her favorite is Scooby-Doo. She memorized the theme song which she bugged me to download on my phone so she could listen to it on the way to preschool. Now I can't get it out of my head. Like a true fool, I set the DVR to record the show so she could watch it before bed. I am a complete sucker for making her happy.

Baby Log: 34 Weeks Old
After a brief respite, Desmond is teething again. Did I mention he is a meany when he is teething? The eczema cleared up beautifully by Wednesday and then stupid me had to go put a onesie on him that had nickel snaps on the bottom so now I have to treat those patches. ugh. The good news is that I ordered a hazelwood and amber necklace so he is going to get some natural relief from the teething pain and the eczema.

He has taken to balling his fists and banging them on the furniture or on people. So Damon now refers to him as The Hulk. It's kind of fitting since he is freakishly strong (he pulled a doorstop out the wall), plus his pants only reach mid-calf now since he had a growth spurt recently.

The Kids' Log November 25-December 1, 2012

We went Christmas tree shopping last weekend and bought a lovely Noble Fir. Took it home and decorated it with the help of a very enthusiastic three-year-old. The tree is only 5 feet, but it takes up a ton of space in our smaller house. The kids wouldn't leave it alone. Desmond pulled off all the bottom ornaments and Marlie kept messing with it. The solution was to move it to the foyer but it just looked wrong. So we moved it back to the living room but moved all the ornaments out of reach. The tree is now naked from the waist down. If they keep troubling it, we might have to put it on front porch. Speaking of the porch, there is enough sand out there that Marlie has tracked home from school to turn this house into beachfront property.

I had a dental checkup this week and lo and behold I have my first cavity (two actually). They are small, but I am still disgusted. My 36 year, cavity-free streak is over. I have to go back in January for fillings. Yay me.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 15 Weeks Old
Watching her get excited about Christmas got me thinking about establishing some traditions. I thought an annual mother-daughter activity would be nice so I bought us tickets to the Nutcracker by the San Francisco Youth Ballet. Then I took her to World Market to pick out a Nutcracker doll. She chose one dressed in a fireman suit (of course). The plan is to buy her a nutcracker doll each year and hopefully build a collection.

We have been slowly getting back into homeschooling as I put her classroom together. This week we focused on patterns and fine motor skills by stringing beads: light, medium, dark and repeat the sequence. She is loving painting so we did that too. I got her a subscription to Highlight Magazine and she is a wiz at finding the objects hidden in the picture. Smart girl!

Baby Log: 33 Weeks Old
Little man has been struggling with the eczema which got worse while we were away. I gave him a bath of oatmeal and powdered milk and he broke out in hives. Probably not a good idea to give a kid with a dairy sensitive a bath in milk. Anyway, I took him to the pediatrician because the itching was interrupting his sleep. I relented to a prescription for hydro-cortisone while we try to pinpoint the cause of the eczema. In other news, he bit me a few times this week and for a minute I was about to put him on formula. Instead I remembered to not to overreact to the bite and de-latch once nursing was complete. We are back on good terms. :-)

The Kids' Log: November 18-24, 2012

How was your Thanksgiving? I hope it was filled with family, friends and food! Our little clan traveled all the way back to the Southeast to spend the holiday with Damon's mother and family. We touched down in New Orleans at nearly midnight on Sunday. After a good night's sleep, we spent the morning walking the French Quarter then we grabbed some lunch. Marlie sampled gumbo, red beans & rice, and jambalaya. She though the beans were too spicy, but she gobbled up everything else. Then we enjoyed the sounds of a brass band on the square and ate some beignets before embarking on the 2.5 hour drive to Daphne, Alabama.

It is always stressful to spend time with family around the holidays, but it also wonderfully refreshing. It recharges my spirit to be around people who have known me all or most of my life. It was sweet to see Marlie bond with her second cousin and it was sweet to see Damon's mom with her grandchildren (this was her first time meeting Desmond). So no matter how much money it costs or time is spent traveling, it is always worth it to go see family!

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 14 Weeks Old
Marlie and her cousin were inseparable! They had a few little spats, but mostly they enjoyed playing together, just like sisters. Marlie even slept over a couple of nights and we noted that this was the first time she had spent the night away from us. She takes giant developmental leaps after she's spent extended time with older kid relatives.

Baby Log: 32 Weeks Old
Little man was the star of the trip! He slept like a baby on both plane rides and smiled broadly at the passengers around us when he was awake. He enjoyed being the center of attention of course.

The Kids' Log: November 11-17, 2012

I was parenting solo again this week. Instead of being pissed, I was honestly nonchalant about it. I guess that means I am getting used to it. I have discovered there are advantages to being a single parent and I used that discovery to get through the week. For instance, there isn't another adult for the child(ren) to try and play off each other. Marlie only had me to deal with so she couldn't run to daddy when I didn't give into her (and vice versa). I had to be bad cop and good cop and I think it helped to hear one message from one person. I am in no way saying I want to be a single parent, but I believe I can do it if push came to shove.

I am starting to get a glimpse of the rigors of parenting two children now that Desmond is in full motion and getting into everything, including his sister's belongings. They are having little spats already. The house is too small to separate them (I know I sound like a complete Goldilocks since I used to complain that our house in Dallas was too big). They are going to have to learn to share and play together. Marlie is usually very loving and gentle with him until it comes time to play together. She has been snatching toys from Desmond, but he doesn't take it lying down. He'll go after her or crawl to me crying. Isn't it too soon for the sibling rivalry?! I checked out a copy of Siblings Without Rivalry and it is so insightful.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 13 Weeks Old
Every time she experiences change or is going through something she suffers a potty relapse. She has been peeing everywhere like a new puppy....on our area rug, the neighbors floor, at the gym. Sometimes she is distracted by play, which I understand. But sometimes she pees right after I have reminded her to take a potty break and she insisted that she didn't have to go. I don't know how to get to the bottom of why she won't go to the bathroom in time. Meanwhile, I am thinking of crating her(JK!).

She had her bi-annual dental check-up this week and passed with flying colors. She did so well during the exam that the dental assistant showered her with with goodies. So proud of her!

Baby Log: 31 Weeks Old
Poor baby is covered head to legs in eczema. I believe the patches on his face and neck were caused by drool so I bought him some bibs. Then there are the patches on him abdomen and bum, which must be a food allergy. I stopped giving him the Greek yogurt, but his skin kept on erupting. Finally it dawned on me to stop giving him mangoes, and voila! Within three days his skin started to improve. Friday was chilly so I put a jacket on him and his chest broke out. The metal zipper is probably nickel. I could just smack myself! All of his jackets have metal zippers. What is he supposed to wear this winter?

The Kids' Log: November 4-10, 2012

It was a rollicking week, am I right?! I think our President's first order of business for his second term is to abolish Daylight Savings Time. Just when I get my kids nap and bedtime schedules figured out the clock rewinds or fast forwards an hour. It's enough to drive an already frazzled mom insane!

Compound the "fall back" with a healthy dose of the teething crankies and you have a recipe for lots of sleepless nights! What I am saying is that I was not up to snuff this week. I was sleep-deprived and feeling less than enthused about things. I could only muster up the energy to fulfill obligations...stuffing preschool fundraising mailers, playdates, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning. I did buy manage to buy myself a new outfit (a white shirt and grape-colored jeans for Thanksgiving holidays), which always cheers me up. I also tried to break out of the funk by exercising, but the little ones wouldn't cooperate. I tried to do one of the Insanity videos, but both decided they'd rather me not. The husband says I am setting myself for failure by trying to workout while they are awake. Even my weekday walks were a no-go because the baby was cranky. So when is a good time to get some exercise? 2 am?! Sometimes I feel like it's 3 against 1. sigh.

Toddler Log: 3 Years and 12 Weeks Old
Girlfriend had an early Christmas this week. First, she got a new comforter set so that she could have a "fluffy" bed just like mommy and daddy's. Then I went to the outlet mall and picked up three pairs of shoes for her growing feet. At least one person in this house had a good week.

I hate to sound sarcastic, but her insatiable need for attention and getting her own way is becoming too much. We don't cave, but standing your ground has it's own costs. She doesn't give up easily and I am exhausted and pissed by the battle is over. It puts me in a very bad mood, so in a way, she's still won. Anyone else feel this way?

when she isn't being a diva, she is truly a delight. I love how she pronounces every syllable in a word like choc-o-late and broc-co-li. I love her observations like when she exclaimed the moon was following us and it was upside down. This week she dazzled us with her "magic trick" which consisted of hiding an object in her hand and asking you to guess which one she was hiding it in. It didn't matter if you guess right because she would insist you choose the empty one then she would shout, "ta da! it disappeared!" She had a playdate at a children's play museum and was so excited about the fire station play area (as you can see). Someone should tell her though that you have to fight fires with your eyes open. LOL!

Baby Log: 30 Weeks Old
Desmond The Miserable gave his parents hell this week. I know I am to blame. I rocked and nursed him to sleep to help him get through the teething pain. But now the worst is over and he does not want to be put down! As you can imagine, it's kind of impossible to get anything done with a baby in your arms. I missed two days of training because he threw a fit when I tried to strap him in the stroller. I am having unpleasant memories of his sister's almost two-year stretch of sleep struggles. Even now, she still has a hard time going to sleep on her own. I CANNOT have two children who cannot put themselves to sleep!

He is growing like a snowball on a hillside. New foods this week: egg yolks. New developments: holding onto furniture and taking steps. He likes to let go to see if he can stand on his own, but so far he just ends up on his back or butt. Why is he in such a hurry?