Memo to my children re: the grocery store

Dear Children,

I want you to know that you are my favorite people in the world, including your Daddy.  I'd rather be spending time with my family than with anyone else.  

BUT, sometimes, I'm not entirely sure that you all like to eat.  Here is why I say that: WHY WON'T YOU LET ME GROCERY SHOP? 

Ava: asking to go to the restroom four times in one grocery trip won't make the trip go faster.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to ditch your half full cart of food, take three kids into a restroom, help you while praying that the baby doesn't touch anything too disgusting?  I'm too scared to call your bluff on going to the restroom so off we go.  Also, you can not sit in the basket of the shopping cart.  I need to put FOOD in that cart.

Carter:  I'm pretty sure that your feet will not fall off.  It's amazing how you can run all over a soccer field for an hour, but if I ask you to walk around the grocery store for 30 minutes it's all over.  Whining and crying about this won't make the trip go any faster.  

Dawson:  You are actually the best behaved in the grocery store.  But it would be great if you could not touch anything in the shopping cart.  As my attention is being pulled in a thousand different directions I did not realize that you had picked up the glass bottle of cinnamon.  Boy, did that ever make a loud noise when it shattered on the floor!  

So, what should be a short 30 minute shopping trip quickly turned into an hour and a half.  Although I must mention that I received a wonderful compliment this very same day about how my children were so well behaved in the store.

Thankfully, I'm able to blog about it.  And drink some wine, lots of it.  I'm not entirely sure there is enough wine in the world to convince me to go grocery shopping with you three again!

Love,

Your Mommy   

To my kids

Dear Children,

As Frank Costanza would say "I've got a lot of problems with you people."  So here is the rundown:

Carter:  STOP PICKING AT THE SCAB ON YOUR NOSE!!  I'm really tempted to get a dog cone to put on your head until it (finally) heals.  Either that or duct tape your hand into a fist so you can't pick at your nose.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Avery:  Your table manners leave much to be desired. Throwing/dropping your bowls/cups/spoons on the floor is not a fun game.  Also, I'm pretty sure that Daddy would like you to stop biting him.  Get it? Got it?  Good.

Note to self:  Really cute picture of baby smiling, but need to work on getting his whole face in the picture.  I just love him smiling so much I had to share .

Dawson:  It is IMPOSSIBLE to nurse and suck on your fingers at the same time.  So please stop screaming and crying at me because I have to pry your little fingers away from your mouth during meal times.  Also, we've started calling you the vomit comet because the spitting up is OUT OF CONTROL.

So if we could all work on these areas it would be much appreciated.

Love you much,

Mommy and Daddy  

Although as my wise Uncle Bobby told me Little kids little problems, big kids big problems. 

  



Eighteen Beautiful Months Old!

Avey Roo, today you are eighteen months old.  At the doctor's today we learned that you are growing well at 25 pounds and 31 inches.  This puts you into the 50th percentile for both.  We have also learned in the past month that you are allergic to eggs.  Luckily since your diagnosis, we haven't had any issues with hives.  Everyday you suprise your Dad and I with the new things that you say and do.  You are saying lots of animal names including: cat, dog, bird, frog and my favorite chicken.  We are starting to teach you some colors and you will say red, blue, green and yellow.  I also love to hear you count coming down the stairs or while counting your snack.  Right now you will say 1, 2 by yourself and you will imitate me until ten.  

Avery, you have such an independent streak.  I can no longer try to feed you things like applesauce or yogurt, even if I want to try to keep you clean.  You want to do it yourself!  Also you love to brush your teeth, but only if I let you do it yourself.  The minute I try to brush your teeth, you are immediately upset.  Thankfully you are climbing up the stairs by yourself and coming down on your bottom.  This gives me a break from carrying you!

This morning we had the greatest time togethe while your brother was at preschool.  Usually we are out running errands, but today we came home.  I learned that you really don't like to play by yourself.  I planned on loading and unloading the dishwasher but you had other plans.  You helped me unload the dishwasher then we went to play!  I gave us each a "pedicure" which consisted of clipping our toenails and putting on lotion.  We had so much fun playing together.

One of the things that I love most about you  is your cuddliness.  You love to be held and give hugs.  You are also very ticklish!  I love making you laugh and seeing you giggle.  Right now your favorite "game" is to pretend that you are asleep.  I will call your name and you will close your eyes and pretend that you are sleeping so you can't hear me.

I'm sure I could write a huge book about everything I love about you!  You are such a special part of our family and I love watching you grow.  Happy year and a half birthday, sweet girl! 

Two and a half years old

Carter Owen,

     Today you are two and a half years old.  It has been so fun to watch you learn and grow.  You have an amazing personality and love life.  You love to laugh and joke and I hope you have your Daddy's sense of humor.  You love being around other kids and interacting with them.  You are a protector of your little sister and can make her laugh and giggle like no one else.  Here are some of your favorites right now:

• Cars and trucks, trains and planes
• your drum
• your favorite movies:  Cars and Veggie Tales
• favorite clothes:  football jersey shirt and pajama pants
• you like to play grocery store, pretend to be an airplane, and play in the snow
• your favorite foods are burgers (cheese and ketchup on a bun) grapes, milk, raisins, cheese, pizza
• your favorite treats are cookies, cake, mints and gum

You are talking up a storm right now and saying new words every day.  Most of your phrases are 2-3 words.  You are counting to 14 independently, know all your shapes except for square and can identify 14 upper case letters.  Just recently you started broad jumping (jumping over an object, forward about 6 inches) and you love to do it.  Your biggest accomplishment recently is potty training.  We are still working on number two but you are doing awesome.  Lately napping has not been your favorite thing to do even when you really need it. 

Carter, Mommy and Daddy love you through and through from here to the moon.  Happy un-birthday to you!

Mommy  

Letter to my son

Dear Carter,

I know that lately you have had a cough and we've put a lot of Vicks vaporub on your chest. I know you like the "lotion" but it does not go in your hair. So in the morning while mommy is in the shower you should leave the "lotion" alone and play with your toys like mommy asked you to do. "Lotion" is very difficult to get out of your hair as you found out the hard way this morning. Even after three hair washings in the bathtub you still walked away with greasy hair. I hope everyone at the museum today thought that your hair was gelled (if they got too close they would have smelled the truth.) Note to daddy: All vaporub needs to go up on a high shelf away from little hands!!!! Thanks and stay away from the vaporub.

Love you,
Mommy