Blinks: A story from his head.

We read to the boys every night before bed and sometimes throughout the day.  I try very hard to never say no when Colin asks me to read to him.  One day, I had a terrible headache and was laying on the sofa in the playroom when he asked me to read to him.  I asked him if it was okay I told him a story from my head instead.  He climbed up in my lap and I made up a story about some bugs.

Colin now loves stories from my head.

Often before books at night time, he'll turn around and loving touch my head and say "I want to hear a story from your head."  So far, his favorite stories are about bugs, 'truction' equipment, farmers, princesses and lately I've thrown in a few classic myths.  When Grandma came he asked her for stories from her head as well.  (I think he asks daddy as well, but I don't know that he's ever told him one.).  

The other day after dinner we were sitting at the table while daddy took a break and Colin told me the very first story from his head.

"Once upon a time, Grandma got dressed up! She got dressed up in green and went in her car. Then she found an egg.  The egg was white, no a green egg.  She open it. What was in it?  Surprise! Cowboy!"

"Another grandma story from my head!"

The story didn't proceed exactly like that, there was lots of questions from mommy along the way, but still, it was amazing.  He's imagining and creating and sharing.  

This kid amazes me every day.  

Blinks: Jabber box

Colin is quite the jabber box.  He talks non stop.  He narrates our daily activites, sings songs, makes up words, and most of all makes requests (and sometimes demands) about what he needs!

Some of my favorite from lately:

"Santa is coming.  He lives at the mall.  He has a hat. It's red.  His jacket is red also.  His chin is white."

"What's this all about?" (Said about various things)

"Impromptu Hug!"

"Bell Peppers are delicious; they no ring."

"Time to get ingredients out. Put my apron on.  Let's get mushrooms and ketchup!"

I love talking to Colin.  One of our favorite games to pass the time is to teach him new words (which is where impromptu came from).  He loves to practice saying new words and telling me about the world around him.  He is still a bit shy and it takes him a bit to open up to new people, especially in groups, but one he gets started there is no stopping him!

Mom's Blink: And this just happened.

So today I was rocking this mom thing.  I had both kids at Costco buying pictures (and pizza for dinner, I said I was rocking it, not perfecting it). Anyway, I WAS rocking it. Baby sleeping, toddler laughing, all is well.  As we waited for the pizza, Colin, who was mom's awesome little guy the entire time asked very nicely "Mommy, walk on Conin’s feet please." So I let him out of the cart.

I had forgotten how big Costco carts were, and I had the baby strapped to me, so when I went to replace him in the cart, it was harder than I’d anticipated, especially balancing a hot pizza on the edge of the cart.  The end result was a minor, but vocal head bonk followed by everyone in the food area staring at the obviously insane woman who had just banged one kid into the cart while the other dangled from her chest.

A very nice man lifted Colin into the cart and told mommy to watch out for his head and a mortified mommy escaped as quickly as possible.  Once in the parking lot, I was faced with how to best load children, and stuff into the car. (Side note, when did Costco become my new Target? I really am a mom…) I decided to put the pizza in the back then load the kids. I walked to the front of the cart and my Maxi skirt got caught in the wheels.  I quickly pushed the cart back to untangle it and instead caught the rest of it, hopelessly tangling myself in the wheel.  I stood very still for a moment, one baby on my chest, another in the cart and my clothes knotted in the shopping cart.  I was almost more curious than scared of what would happen next.  What happened next was Colin carefully started to slide out of his seat belt and stand up….

My options were do nothing (and risk Colin falling) or pull my skirt off in the middle of the Costco parking lot and grab him. 

Easy choice.

Luckily I hesitated just long enough(trying to figure out if I could strip without waking the baby actually) for someone to walk by.  “Wow you look busy!” she said, which distracted Colin long enough to avoid his escape.  “Actually, I’m stuck and I don’t know how I’m going to get out.”  She rescued me, I rescued him and we all survived.  No one at Costco had to see my underwear, but I did have to tender my resignation as mom of the year…  

Mom's blinks: It isn't always roses.

Yesterday my poor baby (Alex) puked up everything he ate.  He was doing better, so we went to dinner for Grandpa's birthday and after nursing for not long at all, he puked up everything he had eaten and more all over me, the table, the floor, himself...

Daddy is traveling, and grandma and grandpa were with us for two nights.  After they left, mommy decided it would be best for us (Mommy, toddler, baby) to go to church together.  Colin kept hollering "Something different, home!" Once, after mommy whispered in his ear 'we are praying now' he shouted "No more prayer!"  He then begged over and over again to 'visit Mary' (who told him the statue outside was Mary??).  Meanwhile; baby, who had a major blow out on the way to church (it's like two miles dude, serioulsy??) refused to sleep, despite being super tired and instead just fussed and cried. Mommy tried to juggle both cranky children and debated in her head a million times if she should just leave.

I balanced my babies, as best as I could, while listening and participating as much as I could. I prayed with them when they were quiet and for them when they were not. I bounced, juggled and cajoled, Amazingly, I heard most of the readings and homily. Miracously, we all survived.  And instead of the admonishment I was expecting when I turned around to greet the people behind me, I was met with grace, a compliment that I was doing a great job and a reminder that there presence was important.  (She said something beautiful, and looked as though she would have said more, but alas, Colin started to take off and and I had my hands full again).

As soon as the priest announced that mass was over, and we should go in peace, my trio of chaos slipped out in as much peace as we could muster.  Colin immediately darted to the statue of Mary and found the roses.  I took a second to soothe the baby and Colin found out that roses have thorns... (no blood, but he was a bit upset)

So perhaps my title is wrong.  It is always roese, just not always the flowers.   It felt like the longest few hours, but even now, only a few hours later, with my back still aching and my headache only recently subsided, I already appreciate that these really are the moments I'll treasure forever.

Moms Blinks: Perfeclty Normal Day with my babies

Today was mostly a normal day, at least as normal as days are around here. Because of Gavin's and my weird work schedules, normal is a bit of misnomer.

I worked a half day from home, Gavin went into work, Colin had a field trip for his preschool (more on that later!)

But it was an awesome day for me.  I got to spend a good amount of time with the boys, both together and individually.  I got all of my necessary work done.  I even had a little bit of down time.

There weren't any moments today that stole the show, it was more like a series of really good moments.  Colin asking for pie for breakfast. Alex smiling at me from his swing while I made coffee, interacting with Colin and his friends at his field trip, feeding Alex, putting the boys down for their nap.  Alex slept during Colin's dinner so we had some mommy and Colin time making dinner (twice actually because Colin didn't end up like the eggs...) Because he had a late nap, Alex was awake after Colin went down and we cuddled and he giggled for me.

Today had it's difficult moments, there were a few minor tantrums, and even a minor injury, but it was still exactly the type of day I need to remember when I'm trying to find that balance of work/me/family time, and when I'm struggling through one of those certainly NOT perfect days.  Because these days are fleeting and there are only so many of them to be had.  

Mom's Blinks: I'm the Letter T

During a recent trip to Grandma's house, Grandma and Colin watched a few segments of a Sesame Street Episode together.  Elmo is a favorite around our house and it was very fun for Colin.

One day after we had arrived home, I was unloading Colin from the car when he started very insistently saying "T, ta ta ta, T ta ta ta."  I was extremely confused until I stopped and listened to the radio.  Delilah by the Plain White T's was playing.

Colin and Grandma had been enjoying this quite clever Sesame Street Video: "I'm the Letter T"

Ever since, any time he hears that song, he tells me what sound T makes.  It's absolutely adorable, so the Plan White T's are getting some pretty serious play time around here! 

Mom's Blinks: Toddler Words

Colin learning to talk is about the coolest thing ever.  (Something only a parent could say, I know, but so true!!)  Suddenly this little person can tell me what's going on in that head of his!

Some of my new favorites:

'Hug"
"Please" (boy does he know how to work this word.)
'Self" (I have a love hate relationship with this one...)
"Colnin"
"Alex"
"Teeth brush'
"Seat down" (sit down, usually accompanied by a location)
"Refreshing"
"Tepid"
"Hummus"

Of course my all time favorite is still "Mommy."  Even when it's whined, or shrieked or said a zillion times in a row when I'm trying to sign the grocery delivery paperwork, it's music to my ears that I wasn't sure I'd ever have the opportunity to hear.

I also love how Colin narrates the world around us. "Tree, Vroom, baby, buf-fly, house, bunny, puppy."  His vocabulary is growing so much everyday.  While he isn't using sentences, he does string words together intentionally. "Buh-bye, jammies, in, grandma's" combined with hand motions and props conveyed to me that he'd like to pack to go to grandma's house for example.  

Another favorite activity is copying daddy's words.  They did the entire alphabet twice yesterday!

It's hard for me to believe, but someday I will have to work hard to remember his adorable toddler voice and careful mispronunciations. I try to remember to enjoy every second of it right now.

Mom's blinks. Verbal snapshots of life with our family.

I wanted to make a way to capture the small moments that make up my days.  Today they seem like thing I'll never forget,  but time flies with my little guys. My mom suggested titling them blinks and recording them here.  Here's my first one.

We were visiting my parents in Vegas.  My mom had very sweetly left some candy for us in the guest room.  Colin found it, opened it and was working on unwrapping it. He asked me to help, but wouldn't give it to me. I didn't want him to have it because it was peanut butter.  Rather than arguing,  I just told him it was icky.  He stopped unwrapping and looked at me, 'Ick?'  'yes, Ick.'  He immediately stopped, stood up and started to toddle off.  I was kind of impressed it was so simple.

He walked to my mom's room,  to her bathroom, opened a door and promptly dumped the candy in the garbage bin I didn't even know was there. 'Ick.' he conlcuded.

 I guess that's what mommy gets for fibbing!!