Sand land

It's going to be a good day

when both kids get their poops out of the way before we head out the door to the park...

Yeah, no emergency changes on location!

Pee and poops get alot of attention right now in our household.  Theo is learning how to use the potty and though it's only recreational use at the moment, I know the emergency "find a potty or make due" (doo-doo more appropriately) days are not far away.  Using the big boy potty has opened up doors for Theo and at times our neighbors too.   The adorable little girls from the mansion across the street have recently been getting better acquainted with Theo.  They're 2years older - but now that Theo can hold his own in the convo, they find him interesting.   
Most weekends they come over for some fun in the driveway- scooting, riding bikes, kicking balls,you name it.  But the past few visits they have been trying their best to get inside the house... "can we play in Theo's room, we'll help him get dressed," yadda-yadda-yadda.  I block all requests and keep the play outside.  I don't need indoor shredding of the house on the weekends- I'm off duty and prefer to keep it outdoors while the weather is still nice.
This weekend they were finally successful with the break in.  The youngest of the sisters (3yr old) turned to me and gave me a fearful look that she needed the potty.  IN we went without delay.   She was so cute- I lifted her little 20lb bode on the pot, left the door open and she sat and chit chatted with me about random thoughts.  She explained she uses the potty, but wears size 2 at night (hmmm...my 6mth old wears size 3), she told me how she couldn't have a kitty and numerous other time wasting, stall tacktits for her to remain on the pot and take inventory of Theo's bath toy.
We wrapped up the process and she was as sweet and polite as only a mother could dream- "I like your house and your potty works."
I thought to myself hopefully you'll give that same glowing report of our home to your Nanny, Aupair, Laundress and Mommy.

Things that keep me up at night

My former CEO used to present to the marketing teams every quarter the top 10 things that keep him up at night (employee satisfaction, revenues, profits, etc., etc.).  The takeaway was always how could we apply our job responsibilities to some of his top concerns.
My current T.H.E.O and VP (one little girl named Phoebe) like to give me  their top 5 things that keep them up:

What keeps us awake day and night

1. Buckwheat- our neighbors dog
2. Each other and anyone who dares to use the stairs, close a door, talk or watch TV
3. The baby monitor- seems to be picking up reception from our next door neighbors.  We have the full scoop on what is going on in their household, let's hope the same isn't happening to us
4. Leaky diapies, gas and the turtle move of flipping on our tummies and not rolling back over
5. The need to complete every book found upstairs

Little milestones

Phoebe is turning 6months old this week and I find myself looking back over the months since her birth. Her birth was so easy (compared to Theo's)- but I was really distracted worrying about Theo and his feelings towards the new baby.  Okay, we're only 6mths into it, but I have a good gage on his feelings for Phoebes- he loves her and like us, he couldn't live without her...
She still might only be a fixture to him, but I've noticed as she's starting to take on more life like qualities, he's taking more notice of her as his "fister" and enjoying it.
At the park he loves it when she swings next to him (..."baby fwing low, push EO high").  Today when we were in the playroom, Phoebe was mastering her tripod and Theo yelled out "baby's sitting like a big girl."  He watches her as she reaches for his toys, he's quick to let her know they're his, but he's learned to replace it with something else (he also likes to avoid her "cry-cry").  He's good to her in his own little way.  I think he's just as anxious as we are to watch her personality grow and develop, he wants to know what his little playmate will be like.

My everyday product loyalties and dislikes

My top 5 product loyalties as a parent

1. Formula (and associated Avent bottles too)
2. Laundry detergent
3. Yogurt
4. Diapers*  (of course there have been times when huggies go on sale and I opt for a little leakage to save some money)
5. Baby Einstein (obvious backups- Elmo, Calliou, Bob the Builder, Jay-Jay the jetplane...but no one  else can go the distance like baby einstein).

My 5 products on my sh-- list

1. Wipes in a box- total ripoff.  Buy the bulk replacement bag and refill.
2. One "no named eco-friendly, sensitive skin" baby bubble bath product that I bought at whole      foods.  I fell for the purchase and love the ingredients- however at $14 a bottle (which lasts     about a week)- the environmentally righteous product might want to let customers purchase once and refill at the store (to save on money and encourage recycling).
3. All baby socks- unless I start rubber banding them to my daughters ankles- I will never make it  home successfully with a pair.
4. Theo's "training toothpaste"- they hype it for beginners because it lessens the amount of fluoride kids swallow...well how about the amount of sugar and who knows what else they're swallowing while they suck down the bubble gum tasting paste?
5. Restaurant highchairs- someone could figure a better design for the mass market that              comfortably holds an infant and successfully locks down a toddler (luckily my toddler is now all about booster chairs, but I figure I have a 3-5month window on carefree use with Phoebe, then she will learn the seat belt does nothing and she can climb and be free -it will be the end of dining out with her).

The weekly payoff

Last night was date night with my husband.  Something I look forward to and think about all week.
I start the week by thinking- hmm...who should we make plans with, I progress to -what music is in town, what's going on in the city...and usually by noon on Friday I'm online checking what movies are playing.  Dinner and a movie is routine and it's our favorite thing to do.  We're both tired, we don't want heavy plans to commit to and I'm good as long as I can have a freshly squeezed magarita on the rocks.
Last night I was raring to go.  It was my first night out back in my size 26jeans (I've been addicted to special K cereal morning, noon and night) and I was ready for a feast.
Our babysitter rules.  She has been helping with Theo since he was 6mths old.  She remembers the first time she met him- "he was just a round ball with a big smile on his face" and the two of them have a very special relationship.  Theo knows the date night routine, but he likes to go through his check list- "baby going with mamma? Mamma going to the movie store with Dadda...."   It was a good feeling leaving him in good hands and letting him know he was not alone- little sis was with him too so there was nothing to miss.
We had dinner, gelato and saw a great movie - The Illusionist- highly recommend the show.  Ed Norton is great- I told my husband it's strange but I feel like I know the guy....great actor.  We came home to everyone asleep in bed and my babysitter watching shows.  The relief she gives us at times- I'm ready to sign the deed to our house over to her...instead this week we gave her our gym card to go use the steam room and jacuzzi.

my babes bonding

Mamma, can baby ..nuggle with EO? Okay...

Here baby...here's ted-e....

Here baby...here's "e"...

ahhhh...comfy baby?

No pinching baby...

Baaaaby....I'm out!

Thoughts & lessons from this week:

• The double stroller is a dream come true.  My husband thinks it has helped Theo & Phoebe bond.  The other night at the "madeline cookie store" Theo told a little girl "don't touch my baby."
• We think the funniest thing Theo has ever said "I ..._mell a .._nunck" (translation- I smell a skunk).
• When Theo woke up for lunch he asked "where's EO's ..fister?"( translation- where's Theo's sister)
• Theo is learning how to stall bedtime.  We moved night-night time up to 6:30 because Theo requires 5-6 books read to him before bed. The good ones he likes to skip to the end, the okay ones he likes to get the next book started half way through the story.  Top picks: Where the wild things are, There's an alligator under my bed and for sentimental reasons he likes Goodnight Moon (of course you need to give the back story of how he used to chew the book when he was a baby) he then recites every page.  For some reason the socks and mittens get alot of attention- probably because he's never worn mittens?!
• Final goodnight routine: One eskimo kiss, butterfly kiss, racoon kiss and mamma/dadda kiss for Theo and each of his big boy bed pals- "E", ted-e, Lamb and big Ted-e
• Bravo- not a single hit to Baby this week, yeah!

New neighbors...

This post is for my new neighbors...  let's hope they're not logging on :)

Note: Both kids happily asleep in different locations

The other night a couple of families from our neighborhood were hanging out with their kids in our driveway.  Our kids are all within 3 year age difference- so everyone was having fun playing (Theo was pretending to play Bob the Builder with Nathalia from across the street).
Our new next door neighbor emerged and joined in the convo with his 16mth old.  We had just been explaining some sleep difficulties with Phoebe (i.e nightly wakeup and in our bed).  The next morning my neighbor came over with the name and number of a sleep coach for Phoebe.  They had used her for their son (who has a name that came to him in a dream...).  The sleep coach will work with you for a couple of nights/weeks and charges $100/hr.  Okay, thank you, bye-bye.
We definitely live in Marin when folks are hiring sleep coaches for their babes.  I don't need a sleep coach, I just need ear plugs for my 2yr old so I can let Phoebe cry it out and learn to sleep in the crib (instead she kicks off a chorus of cry once Theo gets wakened). 
My neighbor is very nice and came with the best of intentions.  I wanted to say "are you kidding me, my family would laugh me off of the planet if they heard we hired a sleep coach.... no instructions needed thank you."
In all honesty I'm sure some situations require a coach and I too fall victim to the wandering ways of being a Marin resident.   The other night I confessed to my husband- yes I'm recycling some of Theo's pajamas for Phoebe- don't tell anyone and when we have a babysitter or guests- make sure to put her in her girl pajamas instead of the handy me downs, okay?  I'll admit- I'm freakish about the girl clothes!

The Mamma wave

I've started to notice with my son- sometimes I'm the most popular creature other times it's anybody but me, preferably dadda (dadda snuggle, dadda's bed, etc).
This week I'm golden with Theo, riding high on the Mamma wave.  So popular that morning nap time has been a bit of a challenge, he would rather sleep in Mamma's bed (ahhh, no way we're going to start that).  Yesterday was a long day of strapping my babes into their new double stroller, walking to the bay, playing at the park and having some good ol'fashion fun in the driveway.  By late afternoon we finished our game of toll bridge lady and went inside for a complete overload meltdown- due to being cutoff from juice.  I hated to do it, but I put Theo down for a nap at 4:45pm- this always means trouble.   
I decided to blow my Tuesday night plans off and make some dinner. After the busy weekend and workload I thought Dadda could use a break, but when Reuben came home he demanded that I head out- it was his night with the kids.  I wasn't going to argue, so I gave one final warning and took off to the club for a workout, swim, jacuzzi and steam.
It was wonderful...I sat in lala land pruning in the jacuzzi until 7:45- when I got the call.  "How's it going, when are you coming home, it's time, I could use a little help..." I knew it wouldn't be easy- I left the kids ripe to defeat anyone.
As I drove down our tree lined street and pulled up to our charming dimly lit house- Dadda was standing in the window with both kids watching.  It was so quiet outside but once the front door was opened- there was a party going on inside. Phoebe consumed about 24oz of milk, a bowl of cereal with bananas and was a bloated little doll with bubbles leaking from her mouth.  Theo had little Elmo completely dressed and big Elmo trying to get on the potty to watch him take a tubbie. 
Reuben didn't have much to say, but his big smile and sigh of relief was noted.  He handed me the kids pointed at the tub and said he's going to try and squeeze in a workout too, is that okay? Okay see you later... it was almost as if I could hear his car peeling out of the drive down the street. 
It was all cool with me, I was happy to be home and joined in the chaos of the 8:30pm celebration- plus this was my week... I was popular with my 2year old and always have a fan with my 5monther.
After an hour of tubbing, reading books and chatting about - where did Dadda go... both kids went to sleep (in the same room I might add) by 9:30pm.  I went to bed shortly after and Dadda came home around the same time.  Hmm...were you just waiting down the street- did the kids scare you tonight- whatever I thought, their energy scares me sometimes and I'm no amateur.

learning with the first, mastering with the second

I can't say "perfecting" with the second child- because I'm not sure you can ever perfect anything in life.

Yesterday I had two separate moments of glory with my children, both involved eating.
I sat down to feed Phoebes her bananas and cereal- this is usually just a fun fest with her little lizard tongue- I'm convinced not much goes down, but during her 3am debuts I sit and wonder if more cereal in take could have helped our sleep situation- so today I was going to get it down her little pie hole.
I brought her numerous toys which were all rejected, then I started handing her bottle tops, sippy cups - and she loved them.  Every time she went to chew the sippy cup- I would sabotage the intake with a big spoonful of cereal...down the hatch and she loved it.  I figured a new way to polish off a bowl of cereal and top Phoebe off- yeah!
My next challenge was up- Theo's dinner time.  We had a Saturday full of play, plenty of snacks, an afternoon nap and a few pee-pees on the potty (which meant a chocolate dibbs for every successful attempt).  I didn't have high expectations, but I did seize the moment.  Theo was pretending to take pictures with an old camera that has now made it to his toy box.  He says "..mile mamma, eyes open..., mile dadda..."  I took the camera and said "Theo let mamma take a picture of you eating your fish stick."  Bite after bite, pretend picture after picture- Theo's meal was finished.   My husband  (who was witness)  looked at me and said- "Mamma you're a genius!"

A few remaining thoughts today as I give my little doll her ba-ba-

• A little boy is a must have, a little girl is a dream come true treat

• Peekaboo with a 5month old is ridiculous- it blows her mind every time my hands open up (she flinches)

• Old MacDonald is our favorite hit song- but Theo insists he only has a cow...
• It doesn't matter how many soft stuffed animals I surround Phoebe with- she still makes it to Theo's tool basket and gets the drill in her mouth

Turns out Theo loves the dark.  last night he asked to turn off his race car night light.  When he flipped the switch, it was pitch black and he couldn't see me or his bed- he thought that was hilarious.  When I reached for the light so he could find his way back to his big boy bed- he was in a frozen ninja like pose- it was very cute.

Shoe fetish

Phoebe, my 5month old daughter has a shoe fetish....

      Going out Vegas style

                                                                       Yuppie birthday party style

               

Present from Lils- her furry sister who will be moving to Davis
                soon (w/furry brother)....

                                           These boots were made for rolling ...

        Living life free like a butterfly (California style)

The above selection is just her favorites, the sad truth- we have more- the nike tevas and red sox booties don't see much action... not enough "pink and green" as quoted from her dear aunt nina :)

Theo prefers to be in his rubber crocs for the summer.