Siblings

When I was a little girl, I saw my baby sister fall into a pool. I immediately ran and told my parents and they got her out. She was fine. I was a hero that day I'm sure. My parents told me this story. It did not ever mean what it does to me now as a parent. The thought of either of my boys falling into a pool and not knowing it sends shivers down my spine. All of the what if's race through my brain. I am the big sister. For as long as I can remember I have believed it my job to look out for my younger siblings. This has not always been accepted, and to this day my baby sister rebels against me attempting to help her. But I will never stop. She's my baby sister.

The other day I was cleaning the kitchen and talking on the phone. Aiden came racing into the kitchen frantically yelling, "Mom! My little brother is stuck! Help him!" I raced back out after him and saw Grant stuck under the tv cabinet. He was not in any dire situation. But the story of my sister in the pool flashed through my head. And I was immediately relieved and heartened that Grant has Aid as a big brother. He has a brother that loves him, that will look out for him, take care of him, and run and get me when he needs my help.

I hope they always are there for one another...

The First Year in Pictures

What a year it's been!

Happy First, G-Dog

I sit here and am at a loss for words. Which is odd, because normally I can't shut up.
But it is hard to articulate what Grant has brought to this family.

I felt like I had everything when we had Aid. I had no idea that you could love someone else as much as I loved him. When we were pregnant with Grant, I was scared. Scared to death. How was it going to be possible to love another person as much as I loved Aid? Was there really that much room in my heart? Did I have any more to give? I worried the entire pregnancy. I worried about juggling needs, time, affection. I felt guilty for wanting a girl. I worried about everything.

And then Grant came into this world. And boy did he have to work for it. He was upside down and stuck. They practically suctioned off his little head trying to get him out, not realizing he wasn't in the right position. Then the doctor noticed a little indent on his chest. Doctors and nurses swooped in and my world stopped. I couldn't breath watching them fuss over him, not knowing if something was wrong. In that moment I realized that there was more then enough room to love this little person just as fiercely as I loved his brother.

Grant is my force of nature. He is headstrong. Vocal. Communicative. Strong. Determined. And so cute he just melts your heart when he gives you his little crooked grin. We all adore him.

There was really nothing to worry about little man.

Happy Birthday.

Expressions of Love

Aid was my cuddler. As long as you were holding him, he was perfectly content and happy. To this day, snuggled up on your lap or in between us is exactly where he wants to be.

Grant is not a cuddler. He shows his affection in a different, interesting way.

He headbutts you. You will be giving him a bottle, reading him a story, or just playing with him. And suddenly he will look at you, smile, grab your face in his little chubby hands....and headbutts you. Not too hard. Just a little one. Then he'll hug you.

I have interesting (but wonderful) children. You gotta love their unique quirky selves!

Escape

It's been a hard week.

So this afternoon I decided that me and Aid just needed to escape. We went to see the Chipmunk movie. He sat there wide eyed taking it all in, and I got to sit back and relax with my first baby. It is so much fun to wisk him away back to the days where it was just Aid and mommy. Don't get me wrong. We adore Grant, and he needs (and gets) mommy one on one time too. But sharing mommy is something he has always had to do. For 3 years it was just me and Aid, and this has been an adjustment. He is a more well rounded kid with a little brother. But I realized today that he needs the escape from his reality too.

And what better way to escape reality then watching chipmunks sing songs while eating insanely expensive popcorn?

Here's to escaping Aid. I'll always tag along if you need me.

The Train Master

For Christmas, my mom got Aid a bunch of cool train accessories. The problem? We had no idea how to put them together on the little table. I studied the Choo Choo Bob tables, I asked questions, and I bought attachment pieces. The advice I was given: "Think up" and "be creative."

I was stumped. And I am a bit of a perfectionist so it drove me CRAZY that I could not get this table set up for him. It was an ugly combination. Aid: desperately wanting to play on the table and willing to accept any pathetic combination. Me: Crazy mom who was yelling, "Stay away from the table until I'm done!!!"

But I got it. Well, 95%. I need two more attachment pieces. But I am pretty pleased with myself. And I might point out that my arrangement was so much cooler then Bob's! The standard has been set honey!

Death By Sprinkles

There are days I used to feel slightly guilty for being able to stay at home with the boys. The house is clean, the kids are playing independently and I am watching a soap opera and playing on the computer. Or reading.

Those days are few and far between and I no longer feel guilty for having them. I have earned them. Whoever says or thinks that stay at home moms are not working just as hard (if not harder some days) then the spouse that works outside of the home has never gotten off the phone to find this.





Aid ran up very excited (and naked) to tell me that he had "made mud." Dread filled my stomach as I frantically tried to come up with what he could possibly have used in the kitchen to make mud. I couldn't have guessed....sprinkles. Who knew the little devils diluted so well? Both Aid and Grant were both very pleased with their little science experiment and were squealing in delight. There was "mud" everywhere. On the walls. The baseboards. The windows. The cookbooks.

As I was cleaning up the mud, Aid ran into the kitchen and proudly proclaimed that he had pooped! Again, my I stopped breathing waiting to hear him finish that sentence with "in the potty." He did not. I asked him where. "Come see mama!" It was on the carpet. So I had to leave my kitchen detail to clean up poop!!! (Be glad I did not take a picture of that for you!)

I was daydreaming while I cleaned that I was Bob and got to leave to go to work. Where at least I was not responsible for cleaning up poop or mud for one whole day.

My Little Dinosaur

He even roars....often!

For You Mom and Dad

I recently posted this on Facebook, so I apologize for the overkill, but since the grandparents don't have facebook accounts I thought I would post it here as well!

Turning Grant around has changed car rides as we know it. I find myself giggling and smiling listening to these two in the back.

Love and miss you! Get out here to visit us! And yes, you can consider this emotional blackmail!

Date Night

I took Aid to Children's Museum to see their dinosaur exhibit. To say Aid was over the moon is a severe understatement. We were giddy all afternoon. I'm fairly sure Aid's giddiness had more to do with the dinosaurs then a date with mom, but I'll take what I can get!

He walked with utter amazement through the sky way like he had never before crossed it. We walked, no sprinted, in to find an empty museum. "Yes!" I thought. "We have the place to ourselves!" There were literally 5 other people in the entire museum. I know because we kept bumping into one another rejoicing over our kids' good fortune.

We only had an hour and a half. So I asked Aid if he wanted to hit the dinosaur exhibit first to make sure he got enough time there. Of coarse he did. We climbed the 3 flights of stairs back to back. Once we got to the top we saw it. The biggest dinosaurs you have ever seen. Aid got a new camera for Christmas. I asked him if he wanted to take pictures of the T-Rex that loomed in front of us. "No mama. He is roaring. Let's leave him alone." Huh. Probably pretty good advice at the end of the day.

We walked on. It's a pretty cool exhibit and just real enough to be a tad frightening. Aid walked quickly not wanting to crawl through any of the tunnels. He made his way to the dinosaur play table. It was riddled with dinosaurs. And he had it all to himself. We were at this table 80% of the time we were there.

Then we made our way to Aid's favorite part of the museum. The tadpole/frog/turtle water play area. We walked in. Not a single person was playing at the water. He looked up at me and gave me a mischievous grin and took off running to the area. He giddily collected all of the water creatures. And then it happened. A bouncy 20 something volunteer wandered over to his little collection. Grabbed one of the tadpoles out of it and began walking it down the rocky bank. Sigh. Here we go. Aid just stared at her. She continued playing with the tadpole while he gave her what I know to be the look of death. She then made the fateful mistake of trying to chase his shrimp. He tolerated it for a short time before his shrimp viciously tackled her little tadpole. I could see the surprise on her face. Trying to hide my amusement I gave Aid a firm lecture on not tackling her tadpole and about sharing.


Out of desperation to shake his tadpole partner, Aid shouted, "Mom let's go back to the dinosaurs!" At which point, bouncy volunteer responded saying, "Great idea! I haven't seen that exhibit yet!" "Oh Boy....," I thought. She followed him in and grabbed one of the perfectly placed dinosaurs. Aid in his most polite voice said, "Would you please put that dinosaur back please?" She complimented him on being so polite and continued to try and chase his dinosaur with the one she had picked up. He asked again. She responded that the dinosaurs really belonged to the Children's Museum, and that it was sharing with him." You're right lady, all true. But geez. Cut the kid a break. While sharing is something every kid needs to work on can't you just let him have his free reign for the last 20 minutes and go find another kid to follow around?

The museum was closing so we had to go. It wasn't exactly the date that I had anticipated. But it was a date with my little boy. There were no babies. No split attention. True, there was a horribly annoying volunteer; but if there is one thing that I have learned it's that life is gonna throw you the curve ball.

And you just gotta dodge it and keep on going.

And we are officially a walker!

Notice who is riding in the stroller and who is not!

High Standards

One evening in Florida, Aid's Uncle Joe made him (and his cousin) a bear made out of play-do. I have to admit I was impressed with his play-do sculpting abilities. It really did look like a bear. The following evening, Aid asked for a bear to be made. With Joe nowhere in site, I chickened out. "Oh, I don't think mommy can make a bear like Uncle Joe. What if I make this shark for you?" My sister in law stepped in to save the day. "I'll give it a shot!" She sat there manipulating the dough in her hands, very focused. She completed the bear and gave it to Aid. He gasped. "What is it??"

We died laughing. It looked nothing like a bear. Like a pig maybe.

The next day at the beach, Aid asked me to make a bear out of sand next to his sand castle. "Oh good grief," I thought. But with nobody to bail me out I started to it. After creating my little bear, I had to admit that it also did not look like a damn bear. "Oh, mama! Look you made a mouse!" (ha ha little man, ha ha). "No, Aid," I said, "It's a bear guarding your castle."

"No mama, bears do not guard castles. Dinos do! Thanks for the mouse. He is so cute."

Sigh. I give up.