February 18: The Paw-teee Animal

I have to post this because I just couldn't stop laughing when I discovered it.  Henry's bag for "the paw-teee".

What party, you ask?  Well, if I knew, I'd love to tell you, but the truth is, I have no clue.  When I found this, I brought it to him and asked "Henry, what is this?"  His face lit up, "Oh!  My bag for the paw-tee!"  He grabbed it and slung it across his body like a messenger bag.  I asked "Um, honey, what party are we talking about here?"  He looked at me like I'd lost it, "My Aunt Mee-Mee's paw-tee!"  I can only guess that he meant her wedding, which is not until July 2nd.  I still can't figure out why there were 3 pairs of underwear and my cellphone.  It got even better when, five minutes later, after disappearing into the playroom, he returned with two additional pairs of underwear which he found among the stacks of clean clothes that I've (finally) sorted and folded.  He shoved them into his bag, which he could barely close at this point, and said "Ok, I'm ready for the paw-teeee now!"

So, if you're one of the lucky few 200 attending Mary & Brian's big day this July, keep an eye out for the 3-year-old wearing 5 layers of Pixar movie-themed underwear, eating multiple pieces of cake and cutting a rug with the bride

In the Land of Milk and Hondas

We got a van last month.  I find that I say that to people almost as if I'm sitting on the guilty side of the confession booth when really, I feel like shouting it to the rooftops!  We got a VAN!!!  And not just any van, but a Honda Odyssey.  This thing is bananas--enough room for a small country (exaggeration..maybe a city-state).  Tons of leg room with storage under the floor and a completely removable eighth seat.  Eight seats?!  Hellooo luxury!

I'd like to be cool enough to say that it pained me to get a van.  That I just couldn't bring myself to admit that we were now "van people".  That I yearned for my younger days, rattling around in a manual transmission white Toyota Camry.  Yeah, I do miss that little car, and am nostalgic about that time in our lives, but not enough to deny my true feelings about van-dom and to embrace the evolution of my wheels.  Perhaps this is because, growing up, we almost always had a van.  Four kids and a dog? You'd be crazy not to.  To up the "rad" quotient and impress you mightily, I'll share that it was this van.  Or, one almost exactly like it--and yes, we did kick-A stunts in it like this guy in the photos (not true--we drove it to basketball games, the grocery store, and Pittsburgh).

If it wasn't my early introduction to the convenience and comfort of the party bus, then it was definitely this video that got me fully on board.  I'm such an easy sell.  Swagger Wagon?!  Come on, who doesn't love that?

In addition to the Odyssey, we also rock out in our silver CR-V.  Jealous much?  We quickly realized that these two vehicles are among the most popular driven, at least in our area, and in order to always easily identify ours, we've left our mark on them by way of the Vermont peace sign magnet:

  

We bought these when we lived up north during the great ribbon magnet craze (2005-2007) and have held onto them ever since.  A reminder of our life before kids, I guess.  If you told me 4 years ago (when I bought this magnet) that I'd be slapping one of these babies onto a sweet-A mini-van, hustling around town with a sassy-mouthed preschooler and a chunky-thighed baby girl, I would have shaken my head in disbelief...but in secret, I'd be high-fiving myself for getting to van status.  Where my mother-fathers at?!

February 16: The Legend of Baby Man-Hands (featuring, his sister, Princess Frowny-face)

I've been thinking a lot lately about how quickly Henry went from baby to preschooler and am wondering what little kitten will look like/sound like/act like when she is an older girl.  Right now, it's so difficult to imagine her being anything but this cuddly little cooing baby doll.  I wondered the same thing about her older brother, but with more impatience.  I was so anxious to see how he'd grow, so excited to experience each new phase, that I don't think I really basked in the joy of the presence.  I find that I appreciate the baby phase so much more with the second one.

Mike and I were talking about how quickly they grow (Alice weighed in at 15 lbs 1oz yesterday...doubled birth weight), as we looked back at pictures of Hen when he was around her age.  This is one of my favorites---

Ohh, the chubbiness can not be contained!  Behold, "baby man-hands"! This is a photo from my sister Megan's wedding day.  We bought that seersucker suit (size 3-6 months) before he was even born.  I had no idea that he'd just barely squeeze into it at 10 1/2 weeks.

I am sure we'll look back at these photos of Alice and comment on how her chubby cheeks weighed her face down so much that she always looked like she was frowning, or how her hair naturally spiked into a faux-hawk.  I imagine we'll comment on how she just looks like an older version of her baby self.  For now though, I think I'll stop imagining what "preschool Alice" will look like and just soak in the wonder of faux-hawked frowny-faced baby Alice.

February 15: Favorite pajamas

They used to accentuate his big round belly so nicely.  Now he's turning into this lean and lank little 3-year-old.  Where did my chubby baby go?

Also--note the weird finish on these photos.  Result of the great lens-first disaster of 2/8/11.  Looks like some of that tax-return money will be going to a new camera. 

Ode to Cornbread

Check out my skillet full of cornbread. The cast iron skillet is easily our favorite and most frequently used piece of cookware. I've never attempted skillet cornbread but am quickly convinced that this is the ONLY way to make it. Oh heavenly cornbread, will you be my Valentine?


What pairs better with cornbread than chili? Nothing! The house smells so amazing I just couldn't wait to dish this out and eat it. Mike and Hen aren't even home yet. It looks like Kitty and I will enjoy an early, delicious, hot and spicy dinner. Here's to comfort food!

February 14: Happy Mummert Chocolates Day!

Today is Valentine's Day. An event I've celebrated joyously on some years, and cursed mightily on others. I still remember my first valentines gift from a real and true boyfriend...a chocolate rose and large Hershey Kiss w/a card signed "love, Matt" (oh...how my heart filled with joy). I remember an awkward but touching first V-day with my husband--he cooked quite a feast for his doting girlfriend...and his roommate Charlie. Not really a holiday meant for three, but it was just one of the many examples of his thoughtfulness and loyalty.

On the flip-side, I remember a less than pleasant V-Day on which there was a rather emotional break-up. I also recall the pain of unrequited love, when, in third grade, I tried to muster up the courage to tell my first crush, Michael, that I "like, liked" him...but got scared and ran into the girl's bathroom where I turned about 76 shades of red.

No matter the year or situation, though, I have always had one very true Valentine. My dad. He never forgets, and delivers on the day with a box of Mummert Chocolates or some other equally delicious treat. I've come to look forward to it each year, and even though I sort of expect a valentine from my dear old dad, I'm always caught off guard when it arrives. As I think about it, I realize that what strikes me the most is how understated my dad's valentine is. It's not done with show, it's not boastful or looking for any kind of instant approval or praise, it just appears, all of a sudden, at your door. A little reminder of something so big--your dad's love for you, his daughter.

This morning was like any morning--crazy, last minute, rushing out the door. My hands were full as I juggled two children, a diaper bag, Hen's backpack, snacks for his V-Day party, his pillow pet, the car keys, one leg shoving the dogs back in the house as I grasped blindly for the door knob. I looked up from the middle of my "mom-capades" and there it was, the box of Mummert Chocolates with the big red bow resting under our mailbox, waiting for me and only me.

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you feel as loved and appreciated as I do.

February 13: Photobooth!

Apologies that this comes a day late...but these truly were photos from yesterday (Mike is evidence of that). Yesterday was a full day--church in the morning, Valentines day lunch with the Boegels (lobster tails, shrimp, cheesecake...oh you wish you had been there), grocery shopping and then a night full of work for Mike. I thought I might sneak onto the computer to post after he was done, but it was just too much fun for one day, and we were all asleep by 9:30pm. These photos were taken with the photobooth app. If you are a mac-user/lover like we are, you know this app pretty well. When we first got our mac, we probably took about 30 photobooth pictures a day. The distortion features, the different effects, our narcissism (this was pre-kids)...it was just such a delightful way to spend your evening. Now, we've almost totally forgotten about the photobooth app, using more sensible things like, say, the calendar, or Open Office (word documents and excel spreadsheets).

We remember about photobooth every now and again--last night was one of those times. I love how Alice barely moves while Henry is all over the place (including completely absent for one photo). Oh, and since I'm thinking of it, I should add that you may see quite a few photobooth photo shoots coming up since Henry dropped our camera on its lens last week. Oh the joys of parenthood!