The Blogger Mom

Found these photos online!

I love this photo because this is how I feel ALL of the time.  Actually I feel the exact opposite.

I promised myself (and my Big Daddy Lovebug) this would never happen.  Not saying it doesn't though!

The "I Can't Believe He's One and a Half" Mom

Today is my Little Lovebug's half-birthday!!!  He is officially a year and a half years old and I'm the proud, ecstatic, worn out momma of an 18th month old!!! Yikes!!!  Let the good times roll!!!

Happy 18 Months Benny!!! ~ January 25, 2012

The Ragged Mom

This is not an apology.  I repeat - this is NOT an apology.  

Today I became - THAT mom. 

The mom who let her kid scream his little head off much to the annoying passing glances of her fellow shoppers in the local BJs.

My excuse is simple.  He may have been hungry.  Or teething.  Or just yearning to be running around instead of sitting in the cold metal shopping cart.  Maybe a little combination of everything.  

My point is this.  Half-way through chasing him through the massive store - I gave up!  The tears rolled down his face, drool poured from his mouth and his face was red and flushed.  He was besides himself - screaming as if though me holding him, whether in my arms or his hand, was the sickest form of torture imaginable.  

Oh, well fellow consumers.  Deal with it.  Deal with my screaming child.  Throw me your most hideous stares, dart your eyes as if to say "God, what is wrong with that mother who can't control her child."  After all - I probably looked that way at one time at another at another mother as if to say "Ha!  That will never be me...I'm going to do things differently."  Alas, if only I knew then what I know now.  

Just be thankful you weren't eating in a restaurant with us in the table next to you.  

Sincerely, 

Ragged Mom of an 18 Month Old

The Kama Sutra Mom

Found this on MammaModerna's FB page this morning...LOVED IT!!!!!  It's so true when you have a little one!!!  

The Messy Mom

I read in one of the many parenting magazines I receive a suggestion for a fun toddler activity to try at home:

Painting with Chocolate Pudding 

We had such an amazing time!!!  What a great snowy day (that's right - first snow of the season today...) activity!   The premise is simple - make chocolate pudding, give child pudding and paper and let the good times roll!!!  Little ones love the feel of the cold, squishyness of the pudding, the project is edible and clean up is relatively easy!!!  

The Catcher Mom

My Little Lovebug is a tumbler.  A pretty new development we've been working on at the YMCA Saturday mornings and at home, one that excites me and terrifies me at the same time!  

I guess all boys in their own ways are just little trees - timer-ing every which way.  All my little Lovebug does is climb, fall, get up and climb again!!!  

The video itself (yesterday, Sunday, January 15) was a fluke - shot it while my Little Lovebug was belly flopping down the pillow the whole time, with the exception of this shot!  Scarliy enough, this next morning, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Big Daddy Lovebug and I were awoken at 8:00 AM to the thump and scream of my Little Lovebug tumbling right out of his crib.  Poor little boy has the most rug burned nose and side of his face... :( 

Luckily, with the exception of a 10:30 AM nap (he was exhausted from all the crying!)  he was in great spirits when we went to see "Winnie the Pooh's Winter 'Tail'" at the Bellmore Theater in Long Island.  A friend of ours was in the show and it was adorable!!!  My little Lovebug seemed to really enjoy it too - perfect length for an 18 month year old!!!

The "You're Letting Your Kid Wear That?" Mom

The Lovebugs went to Kohl's today after an appointment filled afternoon - eye doctor, dentist, then dinner...

Couldn't believe what I saw when browsing through the sale rack:

Levi's Destructed Skinny Jeans - Girls' 4-6x

original $36.00

SONOMA life + style® Glittery Skinny Jeans - Girls' 4-7

original $26.00

Levi's 511 Skinny Jeans - Boys' 8-20

original $42.00

Skinny Jeans?  For not only little girls and boys, but toddlers?  Maybe it's just the word "skinny" that rubs me the wrong way.  

It's not just the jeans though, it's children's clothing (and not just children's clothing) that has just become more profane and offensive.  This ranges from a first grader's dad who wears "Porn Star" across his shirt or the Abercrombie and Fitch "push-up" bikini for young (and I mean young) girls.  

I know, it's prudish to not admit we sometimes like looking at the "My Dad Can Kick You Dad's Ass" "Boobies: The Happiest Place on Earth" (ala Disney World), and "Crapped My Pants, Took a Nap, Sucked Some Titties...How was your day..." onsies, but buying them and letting your children wear them is outrageous!!!   It really says something about the parents. Why not just wear a shirt that says "I am an ignorant douchebag, who thinks it's cool to put profanity on a baby's shirt 'cause it's the only words I know how to read."

A little off the topic of toddler skinny jeans...but I'll tell you one thing - I'm keeping my Little Lovebug away from those toddler girls who are wearing them!!!  

Gross!!!

The "I Don't Really Have Time for This" Mom

A few days ago I made the decision to being weaning my Little Lovebug off of his bottle.  Some people I told rolled their eyes at me and told me it was too soon, but I believe he is ready.  After all, he dangles the nipple of his bottle with his teeth and several of the nipples are beyond repair.    I'd really rather not purchase more at this point in the game, so sippy cups it is.  

So far it's going pretty...well, just terrible.  Poor thing, he LOVES his milk in his bottle and his juice in his sippy cup.  Milk in the sippy cup?  Uh - no.  

I officially begin "Project Milk Cup" yesterday.  Starting only with his 5PM feeding it's actually depressing to hand him a cup filled with milk, watch him guzzle for a second or two, then hand the cup back to me shaking his head "no."

Day 2 wasn't much better.  I'm not being impatient (well, maybe a little...) I just didn't think he'd be so unwilling to make that transition.  I mean I weaned him from breastmilk to formula in a bottle and formula to milk.  I weaned him from the cradle in our bedroom to the crib in his own room.  Those processes were simple.  

Then I thought about it.  In general, isn't change hard for us all?  We find this ridiculous comfort in something, so why would we want to give it up?  Whether it's our jobs, our homes, dieting, relationship, getting a new pastor, the receptacle we are used to drinking out of...change is hard.  Not always pleasant, but usually necessary.  I'm sure there's a quote out there that describes the need of change for growth.  

I copied this off of my Sister-in-Law's Facebook:

Change: unwelcome or embraceable?

"Change is such hard work." -Billy Crystal

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." -Maya Angelou

"Change is never easy. You fight to hold on. You fight to let go." -The Wonder Years

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mohandas K. Gandhi

Well, at least it's not weaning off a diaper and starting toilet training...yet!!!  

The Resolution Mom

It's 2012...not quite sure how we got here, but one thing is for sure - with the new year comes the promise of many people's resolutions.  This year, I'd like to not just make resolutions, but continue what is already in motion and to modify those that were not.

1.  Take more pictures.  Ok, that's a bit of a stretch as I am a photography hog.  To date I have nothing short of 10,000 (not including those I've deleted!) photos of my Little Lovebug (and he's only 17 months!)  My resolution is simply to continue capturing his little moments on tape. 

2.  Video tape more.  This one I need a little help in!  Even though my Little Lovebug's first year video is an edited masterpiece (huge pat on the back for my first DVD!)  this year I've slacked.  I'm just not a fan, really, is all it comes down too.  The shakiness, the quality and above all I find that video doesn't really capture the memory or the moment the way a still camera does.  However, I know as the years go by I will regret it if I don't video tape...after all, how much do I LOVE looking back at my old childhood/vacation videos that my dad always took of my siblings and I. 

3.  Reserve an hour every night for family time.  This means electronic free, unless it's music or songs for my Little Lovebug's benefit.  This time should be used for playing with him, singing, reading, talking and just being with each other. 

4. Healthy, healthy, healthy.  This goes for both food and activity.  I only put good things into my Little Lovebug, so why wouldn't I want those same things in Big Daddy Lovebug and my body?   Healthy snacks, walks, exercise, vitamin every day - I want to be a good role model for my Little Lovebug.  He will learn what we do.  Which brings me to number 5. 

5. Watch your language please!  I can't control those words and sounds he hears from people on the street when I take him for a walk.  However, I seriously need to curb my mouth.  It's tough when you live in a city such as NY.  I can't even leave my house without seeing garbage on my steps.  !@#$%?   The car that just cut in front of me?  !@#$%? How about that lady in the supermarket who knocks us over trying to beat us on line?  !@#$%?  A stubbed toe?  !@#$%?  The pee all over the seat in the bathroom where I have to go and change his diaper?  !@#$%?  I hate it, I do.  People suck.  And slip ups are bound to happen.  I just don't want it to be a part of my regular vocabulary.  Working on a new outlet may take some time...

6. Lose weight.  Oh, come on now - like you seriously thought that wasn't going to be a goal of mine?  This ties into #4 - healthy, more important than anything.  I would like to lose a good 10 pounds before I turn 30 in April, however...an that Disney Cruise in August?  Just the motivation I need!

7. Save moolah!  Well, it'd be nice...

8. Cut the fuse.  Maybe, just maybe it's not necessary to blow up at the littlest thing.  I find myself saying to my Little Lovebug "Just relax, it's ok - you're safe when you're with me."  I should channel that idea and tell myself "Just relax!  Stop sweating the small stuff!" 

9. Start thinking about the future.  Uggg...I HATE being a grown up...making decisions...blah, blah, blah...I couldn't even decide what I wanted for lunch today!  I do have 2 very large decisions to start thinking about...not really looking forward to either one!!! 

10.  Keep going green.  Recycle.  Reuse.  I'm usually pretty good, but I have the tendency to slack sometimes (don't we all!)  We all need to continue saving the earth, one step at a time.  After all, it's not just my earth anymore.  It's my Little Lovebug's too...


11.  Stop the morning madness!  My morning routine can be defined as a whirlwind destructive force.  Not really sure why (can't possibly be because I hit the snooze button 3 times...) but by the time I get around to getting showered, finding clothes, straightening up, packing my bag, packing my lunch, waking up my Little Lovebug, changing him, brushing our teeth, feeding him, finding my keys (which I never can seem to do...), bring him to whoever is watching him...and if I don't hit traffic, I'm usually exactly on time, which wouldn't be so bad, except that every clock at my job is 5 minutes fast!  Last night I made every effort to make sure everything was packed in advance.  I was at work 10 minutes early and I didn't go cuckoo bananas!  Progress!


12.  Relax, just relax...yea, I know I said that one already... (but having an odd number of resolutions bothered the OCD in me...although I was thinking about learning a new instrument this year...or language...or maybe CPR...  :)

<3

New Year's Eve at Peppe's in the Poconos

My Little Lovebug Modeling on New Year's Day