Tidbits of Talk

Sometimes I think I do more tidbits of talk than regularly blog posting. I have this huge list of things to write about and yet I don’t do it. Except tonight (it’s Wednesday), I am starting tidbits of  talk because I am in a funk, hibernating in our bedroom until I am in a more pleasant mood and decided what better to do than write. It’s quiet, warm and the papers that need to need to be graded are a flight of stairs away and they can wait.

~The last question I asked my kids on an assignment the other day was what song you can listen to on repeat.  Most of the artists were people I have never heard of nor was the song. I was tempted to pull up ITunes to hear snippets of each song and then I decided I would stick to what I know and XM Radio in my new car is doing just that. There is a Pearl Jam station- U-High Volleyball anyone and a Dave Matthews Band station that just screams college.

~Our block party is this Saturday. It is serious business up in the suburbs people. For one, we have to bring a farm animal made out of recyclables. I mean that in itself is giving me anxiety. I have been hoarding things that we normally throw away and googling furiously for ideas. Do we go conservative, funny or just make something plain ridiculous? We have to make a pie and bring a dish to pass. That is a hefty amount of things to do right? The night ends with a movie on someone’s lawn. Movie screen and all.  Go big or go home right? 

~I know this is going to come out whiny but Cate is bringing me to my knees daily. My eyes have deep, dark circles under them and my patience is thin. She is just not happy. We found a molar that popped through but that is only her 5th tooth total so my question is how long we will be living this teething nightmare? She is drooling, whining, clinging to us and most frustrating, not sleeping. Not sleeping and letting us know.  This week has reaffirmed my decision to never go back to the newborn phase.

~ Can we talk about the fact that I have not gotten my DSLR out literally since we moved. I don't know what it is or my excuse but my iPhone is always on me so I just keep using it to snap pictures. This makes me sad and I need to commit to using my big girl camera more. I am thinking next week it will make the trip to Bloomington  with me so that should help! 

I have flowers to plants, pies to bake and farm animals to create! Happy Friday Friends!
 

Tidbits on Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! Since I didn’t do Tidbits of Talk last Friday, I thought I would pop in on Tuesday and give some quick updates.

~ We made the switch and traded in our CRV for a 2012 Honda Pilot. It’s pretty but it sure is big. I am still adjusting to driving it.  The backup camera, miles to empty counter for gas and Bluetooth for my iPhone make me think I will “adjust” to the size of the car.

~ Something is in the water that my son is drinking. The first three years of his life we have pretty much coasted. No behavior issues, no sleeping issues, nothing really to worry about. But these past few days, I am at a loss. A complete loss. The screaming, the yelling, the whining and the tears. Oh the tears flow at least ten times a day.  There are moments that Glenn and I just look at each other like he is an alien. Tell me it is…

~ For some reason, the change in weather, the quiet of the suburbs, or just payback for the early wake times of the past year, sleep is solid in the Fischer house right now.  I am talking about Cate sleeping 12.5 or 13 hours a night and still taking two awesome naps a day. I am talking about Brady taking a great nap and sleeping until at least 6:30 every morning.  It has been bliss yet I am sure talking about it will send some bad sleeping woes my way soon!

EDIT: Last night was brutal. Really brutal. I knew karma would get me.

~ Yesterday,  I was supposed to start the pre-surgery process on my legs. My insurance cleared the procedure as medically necessary so I need a physical, which is required, to get things rolling. I kind of want to push it back a few months.  So, I cancelled. Why? Time, Brady’s birthday, fear.  Who knows.

~ We have not had a full day, five day week in a long time and this week is no exception. But, my parents will be here for the Ryder Cup so we are taking the train in to the city on Wednesday to go to the Lego store and to explore. Brady is so excited and so am I.

Happy Tuesday! 

Ramblings

He asked me to carry him in to school.  He doesn’t ask very often, rarely if I am being honest. Most days he is content to hold my hand, carry his monkey and a matchbox car. I oblige knowing that those forty pounds are a lot to carry but that it is so rare that it is worth it. He rests his head on my shoulder, like he did every night on Glenn’s before bed.  I set him down as we walk in to his room, his friends eager to greet him and him not ready to be social.  He walks up to his teacher and says, “My mommy has to work. My daddy pick me up. I already  miss my mommy.”  I wonder if he knows that I work for him. I work because I believe in what I do. And I miss him too.

She was fussy all night. She was fussy all day. I was tired and exasperated after having her sick brother at school with me for the afternoon. She cried when I was getting dinner ready. She cried getting out of the bath. She just kept crying.  And at one point, I asked her why she cried so much. I told her it was making me crazy.   Hoping for an answer waiting for an answer and she wouldn’t give me one, because she’s one.  After getting jammies on both kids, teeth brushed and hair combed, I set him up with the ipad on our bed. And I took her into her nursery for a bottle of warm milk and she didn’t want it. I was frustrated and she was crying. So, I put her on my shoulder and she fell asleep instantly. Her head getting heavier with each rock in our glider and the tears started to flow.  I was ashamed.  Ashamed that was so impatient with her. Ashamed that I was not able to see that she was tired, she needed me and I needed to be better. So, I let the tears fall.

I look at that chair every time I come in our kitchen. It's legs are usually broken.  Its wear not showing because it is butcher block but the memories are painted in the stain.  This table and these chairs has been with me since I was a kid. I don't remember it not being in our house. We did homework at it, we drew on it, we pushed our pencil lead in to it making marks and divots when we didn't want to do our homework. We ate Avanti's at that table after big victories and licked our wounds over food on nights when we didn't play our best. We sat around it with our friends, boyfriends even the one who became my husband. Replace it. Get something new. I think I should and but I can't. Not until I have to. 

Snapshot

I have this affection for good pictures. I am not good at using my camera. I dream of taking classes, getting better and capturing every moment I can with my kids but I know that is unlikely.  Not because it don't want to or don't have the time but because creativity and artistic things are not my strong suit.  So, I settle for paying people to do it for me.  And I capture my kids professionally as much as I can.  My husband would tell you it is excessive and expensive and I would say it is worth it.  I have to tell you that Annetta Blair blew my expectations out of the water and I will be begging her to shoot my kids again soon.  Seriously, this woman managed to capture my kids just they way they are...which is all I even want.  A snapshot.   

This kid had an awesome summer. He is tanned, happy and he carefree just as he should be at his age.  He is full of smiles and you can tell by looking at the pictures that nothing else matters but all of the family he is with on this day on my college campus.  

And sweet Cate is just that. Sweet but sassy, all but refusing to smile on picture day.  Dainty but dirty just being herself. Content on our laps, curious when put down but oh so serious. 

I mean, does it get any better than this? In the proofs there are three pictures and in each picture Cate gets happier and Brady starts to cry harder. 

So, Annetta, I publicly say thank you.  For being my eyes behind the lens and capturing my kids.

Tidbits of Talk

Happy Friday Friends! Gosh, it feels so good to be back in this space on a somewhat consistent basis. I am so excited for my new blog design next week.  The lovely Becca of Jumping Jax Designs will be giving me a makeover and  I think you will like the look of it and a new name is coming with it!

~ Fall is here…it has slowly been coming and I can’t wait. I love the heat but this week has brought a cool wind, the need for shoes and fleeces and I am dying to wear jeans and get cozy in our house.  A low of 40 something this weekend may push my fall clothes out of storage.  And plus also, is there anything better than a baby in footed jammies? I think not.

~ So, I bit the bullet with some encouragement from my mom.  I hired an interior decorator to help make some paint decisions in our house.  I love the idea of decorating but with a bigger house and lot of blank canvases and huge list of small to do’s I am at a loss for paint and a starting point. I think once the paint goes up, I think I will finally be able to get moving on some of the other things! Yes, there will be a lot of blog posts to come about our house! It will probably keep me accountable.

~ My mama is a better shopper than me. She bought me these  red jeans and I was pretty sure they would never get worn. Two times later, I am in love. The pop of bright red just makes me smile and I love finding creative things to pair with it. Aqua? Black? Gray? The possibilities are endless…

~ Our neighbor has a garden, actually a couple of them do and I have the itch. I am searching pinterest, thinking about what I want to plant and how to care for it. I think it will require some building that I will need my dad and husband to help with. 

This is a three day weekend for me so we are filling it with a trip to the farmers markets, runs in the forest preserve, mornings in jammies, and family.  Does it get any better than that? Happy weekend friends.  

Mom Meal Success

As a working mom, the pressure is on from the minute I leave for work to figure out “what’s for dinner”.  I menu plan and usually have a pretty good idea what we will eat most nights. And yes there are nights that we “punt” and order pizza or pick up take out.  But most nights, cooking is easier and healthier and makes our night go smoother. Plus, now living in the suburbs, it is harder to order or just go grab something which is a good thing! 

I like to cook. Glenn likes to cook. But, we struggle to find meals we agree on that are fast.  And with two small kids, fast is key.  Glenn likes meat, like most men, and I am indifferent.  I love my slow cooker and Glenn is not the biggest fan.  So, I find myself perusing pinterest looking for ideas constantly.   And honestly, I pin a lot of stuff.  And we try stuff.  Some nights we have an epic failure with food.  And two weeks ago, we had a victory. (It's taken me this long to post it). 

Enter this pin. The inspiration but we didn't use a lot of her ingredients. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/162411130282951921/

Picture from the NY Times

I modified the recipe for Glenn and I.  I didn't use coriander or cumin, honestly because we didn't have it. We did not use lemon because neither Glenn or I like lemon anything.  I used soy sauce and rice vinegar and a pinch of garlic powder to help the flavor, sea salt and pepper. I did use the chili powder and some red pepper flakes for spice.   I served it on rice.  Glenn's only request was that it have more sauce. It was delicious, easy and healthy and fast.  

The best part of the meal- the cleanup. So quick and so easy and officially a keeper. Did I mention we are having it again tonight? 

So, what pinterest recipes have you tried that have worked?   

Cate- One Year

Dear Cate,

I rarely write directly to you on this public blog because every month you get a letter from me and those thoughts and words are so private that I usually want to keep them tightly between my fingers and your eyes.  But, every so often I feel compelled to write so that everyone knows the immense love, gratitude and pull I feel deep in my heart when I think about you and us and what you have done to me. Don’t worry, I will still write you that letter but I wanted to share with the world what this past year, this past month and you mean to me. 

You turned one this weekend.  It was a fabulous celebration; I expected nothing less when your Aunt Christy was put in charge.  I keep thinking about is just how special it was that you, my best girl, turned one and how quickly the world is going to become your oyster.  Sure, I am happy that we are done with the sleepless nights, the screaming all day and struggles that come with two kids 2 and under.  But, I am heartbroken that bottles in our glider are coming to an end that the cuddles you so desperately needed a few short months ago are slowly disappearing because there is so much to explore and that your reliance on me seems to be slipping every day.

You stretched me this year…I loved deeper than I thought possible, grew stronger than I knew I was capable of and learned the meaning of patience. 

I know that this first year was hard, but it was worth it. Oh Cate, it was so worth it.  Not just because we got through it, because we got better.  You, me, your dad…we all are better for the past year. 

via pinterest 

It was worth it as I watch you wave to anyone and everyone like Miss America because you are just that social now.

It was worth it as you smile each morning, rubbing your eyes when you first wake up but reaching with all your strength to be picked up out of your crib.

It was worth it when you scream “ma ma” as you destroy my drawers, dig in the garbage and climb the stairs. 

It was worth it when I watch you cry when we tell you no or to stop windshield wiping food off of your highchair. 

And it is worth it as I watched you surrounded by family and friends still look at me when we sang to you. 

It was all worth it. 

I love you little girl, my best girl, my sweet baby Cate.  Happy Birthday!