Last Minute Ninja Turtle Costume

Over the weekend my son was invited to a costume party and since this mama has not yet finished this year’s Halloween costumes, we needed to come up with a quick and easy dress up outfit.

He could have gone as The Cat in The Hat, which was last year’s costume, however a fur costume in 90+ degree weather simply will not work. Then there was the option to use one of the several pretend play outfits that are in the closet but let’s be honest. This was an opportunity for Mama to be crafty and I just can’t pass up the chance to get artsy!

After some brainstorming and discussion we agreed on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. This is typically a costume that I would steer my child away from as I feel it lacks originality but I decided to let him be the little boy he is and have fun with it. It was super simple to pull together.

"Logz, I'm trying to take your picture.
Logz, can you stand still for a minute?
No, seriously, I'm trying to take a picture of the costume.
 Logz? Ok, maybe a different pose? Thanks bud. Love you."

How we did it 

A Green Turtle Outfit: 
I found green shorts and a green shirt in my son’s closet.

The mask: 
I chose to use a template found on the Betty Crocker website. There are a number of templates online or you can free hand your own.

The shell: 
I used a piece of felt in a gold tone to make a shell for his belly, used a marker to add some definition to the shell and attached it to the front of the shirt. I baste stitched it, but Velcro or safety pins would also work for temporary attachment.

For the back shell, I headed to the dollar store and looked for something in the cooking and serving section to use a shell. A popular option for the shell is a disposable roasting pan, however it seemed too large for my son. I spotted a serving platter and a serving dish that seemed like they would work for us, grabbed them both and headed home to let my son choose which one he liked best.

We agreed that the hard plastic dish was the best choice and got to work painting it (which took all of three minutes). We set it in front of a fan on the floor and it took about five minutes to dry. Up to this point everything was going so smoothly. Then this happened.

And Then There Was One

Today was the day.  The day that I put my 2 (almost 3) year old in preschool.  It isn't technically the first day of preschool until next week, but he tagged along with his older brother on the last day of this school year.  We were all excited last night.  This morning however, that excitement turned to nervousness and I thought for sure there would be tears.  I wasn't sure if they would be coming from my eyes or his, but I knew it was going to be a tough transition.  Thanks to the amazing distraction skills of the teacher, I am not sure my kid even realized I left! I felt a tear begin to emerge as I drove away but there was no hysterical crying on my part! I did drive in silence on the way home and as I glanced at my sleeping baby in the back seat I wondered what I would do with my morning.  Then I jumped back into reality as I remembered all of the housework and errands that needed to be completed.

Seriously though, I am feeling some separation anxiety related to leaving my little boy in someone else's care.  My first son was older when he went into preschool and we both felt very ready for it to happen.  Part of me feels that I should have waited a bit longer for E to go, but I know he will love interacting with kids his own age and as his brother is transitioning into a full day kindergarten program, I worried that he would be longing for a playmate.

People keep asking me if I am excited to have some time alone with the baby, and I suppose I am, but that excitement is overshadowed by the loss I am feeling by not having my other baby with me at home.  I suppose it is normal to feel this way and it will get easier over time.  I hope.  I am sure he is having a great time and will be all smiles when I pick him up.

Rather than dwell on it, I suppose it is time to get to those chores.....

Filter Free Speech

To set the scene: I got up early because I wanted to clean the office, which is virtually impossible during the day.  As I was sorting through papers Logan walks in just after waking up.

Logan: "Mama, what you doing?"

Mama: "Cleaning up.  Want to help?"

Logan: "No. Logan has pee and farts."

Two year olds have got to be the most hilarious beings on this planet! I am sometimes shocked at how polite my kid is (give me one minute please and excuse me), but the switch can turn to hostile shouting in an instant (you go away or stop talking to me)! The first time he says a specific statement is particularly comical.  Then when he uses the words in a context that doesn't make sense, that too is pretty funny.  I don't know where he comes up with half the stuff he says, but I have decided that I need to start writing it down because it makes me smile! Logan is communicating really well these days, but sometimes you can tell that his mind is working faster than the processing to his mouth and he gets frustrated if you try to finish his sentence or if you interrupt him.  He firmly states, "Logan is trying to tell you something." He fluctuates between I and Logan.  We, the listener, must shut up and let him finish.

Yesterday we had a quick breakfast.  As Logan watched me pour his cheerios into his bowl we had this discussion.

Logan: "Hmmmm, What is this?"

Mama: "Its cheerios."

Logan: "Oh, I never had that before."

Mama: "Ummm, you eat cheerios almost every day."

Logan: "Oh yeah, silly Logan."

Mama: "Silly Logan"

Logan: "Silly Logan and Silly Mama and Silly Ethan and Silly Murphy and Silly Papa and Silly Grandma"

Mama: "Ok time to eat now"

Other cuteness that has come out of his tiny, perfect little mouth:

"I better check on______" [insert you, the truck, Ethan, Murphy, Papa, my sandbox, etc.]

"I'm keeping my eye on you"

"Give me patience" - I can relate to this one but I don't think it is what he is trying to communicate.

"But it's ok" - we get this a lot.  It comes after Logan has done something wrong, made a mess or if something simply didn't go the way we expected.

"He is so cute" said about both his brother and the dog.  

Mama: "I think Logan is cute"

Logan: "I love you too Mama"  

❤❤ ❤
We just have to be careful because, well, both Mama and Papa have potty mouths and kids repeat everything so.....

Double Fail

I got the kids up nice and early, got some nourishment in us and strapped them in for the ride to the park. I was not only excited to use the new jogging stroller but so proud that I actually got us out of the house before nine! We sat in the dreadful traffic as can be expected at that hour but before too long we were ready to embark on our journey. I packed the kids and all their stuff into the stroller, wheeled them over to the jogging path and just as I was about to lock the front wheel into position, noticed it was completely flat! How amazingly frustrating!

Later in the day I got a call from the kids' doctor. She was concerned because we had an appointment at 230 and never miss appointments. What!?! I had it on the calendar for tomorrow. Luckily our doctor is cool and not only did I not get charged, but she's coming in early one day in order to fit both kids in at the same time.

Oh we'll, tomorrow is another day.

I Bit The BOB Bullet

I had been contemplating whether to get a double stroller since I found out I was pregnant with baby #2.  First you go through the debate of whether or not you will need and use a double stroller.  If you decide the answer is yes, then you go through the different models to see what type of stroller would work best for you.  The first thing that most people consider is whether to get a stroller with tandem seats or side by side seating. There are benefits and drawbacks to both.  You have to consider what you will be using the stroller for.   Finally, you need to decide what your budget is.  The last thing you want to do is spend a bunch of money on something that you don't end up using.

How did I make my decision?

Although I appreciate the compact design of a tandem stroller, most that I found were not jogging strollers and the main purpose for me to get a double stroller would be so that I can exercise.  As you may recall, I purchased the Bumbleride Indie when I was pregnant the first time and much of my criteria for a stroller were the same this time around.  I needed a jogging stroller.  It had to have pneumatic tires and needed to receive good reviews.  I had already made up my mind that I wanted a BOB stroller but went through the process of looking at everything out there just the same.  Perhaps I would be surprised and find a decent alternative.  Why not another Bumbleride? Am I dissatisfied with my Indie? Absolutely not! I love it and still see a purpose for it in my life.  That said, the BOB Revolution Duallie was the right choice for me. I monitored buying options for months and when it went on sale at REI I went for it.  Paired with member benefits I feel I got a pretty good deal.  Here is, as my husband calls her, 'The Beast'!

Monday Fun Day ~ Volcanos and Water Fun

Making your own volcano is always fun! Here is an easy way to make one.  Take a small water bottle and fill it 3/4 of the way full of water.  Fill the bottle the rest of the way with vinegar.  For effect, you can add some food coloring.  My tot chose orange.  When you are ready for the volcano to erupt, dump a spoonful or so of baking soda in the bottle and watch it take off!

Tips:

• Do this outside or use some sort of tub to avoid a huge mess in your home! 
• Fill a second water bottle or have contents ready to make the volcano erupt again.  Toddlers will likely not be satisfied with one round! 

This activity was fun for us and we paired it with watching a few volcano videos.  I explained that the vinegar and baking soda produce carbon dioxide blah, blah, blah, but at this age he didn't care.  He simply liked the reaction that occurred and I liked his - "Whoa"!

After completing the volcano activity we used the same tub, filled it with water and placed different objects in the tub of water to see if they would sink or float.  This was great fun for my son and he played in the water for over an hour.  He would have played longer but he had managed to dump all the water by the time he was done pouring it from cup to cup and such!

How Different They Are

SUNSHINE AND THE WISE MAN

Isn't it so gratifying to watch your children grow and develop? All the hard work and energy you put into raising your babies come back to you two fold and then some. What has amazed me, well, so many things amaze me these days, but it is so interesting to see how different my two kids are.

The differences started at conception! My first pregnancy was simple - minor uncomfortableness towards the end as to be expected, but overall mellow. My second pregnancy was much more rough - morning sickness well into the second trimester, lots of excitement in my belly and more pain in the end.  I have two perfect children as a result and am happy to have carried them and be uncomfortable, and sick and all that! 

Once the second baby started to move out of his newborn stage it was clear that he was a completely different character from my first.  Logan couldn't have cared less about toys, while Ethan can't get enough!  I used to think rattles were silly because the baby might hold onto it but it only rattled when the baby dropped it.  Turns out I was the silly one because Ethan rattles the crap out of them! Its not just rattles.  There is a squeak toy that he just loves to squeeze and squeak over and over.  Why must they make a squeak toy for babies?! The dog toys are annoying enough! It makes the baby so happy though, that I wouldn't think of disrupting his fun! 

Not only are the toys loud. Ethan is the loudest baby I've heard.  Logan was so quiet and laid back.  I could take him anywhere and not worry about him disrupting anyone.  He was content most of the time.  Fast forward two years and he is so extremely loud.  His volumes are loud and louder.  He sings now, which comes out as screaming, he loves to yell "Surprise" over and over and make monster / lion / dinosaur noises all the time.  Its fine if we are at home playing.  Its not so great in the grocery store, at a restaurant, or in the car.  This, however, is why I feel Ethan is so loud.  He has to compete with his brother! He must think loud is the norm.

My toddler wakes with a grumpy dispostion.  He always has. We joke that we can't talk to him until he's had his morning hot chocolate!  He is fine after a few minutes but this is just who he is and always has been.  My baby wakes with a smile every morning without fail.  He is my morning sunshine! He is a happy baby.  I love it.  We need him in our family.  He brings us light and laughter!

Logan is very sensitive when it comes to pain and illness.  If you have been with me a while, you will recall that I had to slow down his vaccine schedule because of the reactions he was having.  We had a very difficult time with teething and tylenol became my saving grace during these trying times.  Ethan on the other hand, has had virtually no reaction to vaccines (I decided to try the center for disease control schedule with him) or teething.  I have not had to give him tylenol at all and he has almost seven teeth in that tiny mouth of his.  

It just amazes me that two children of mine can be so different.  Not one is better than the other, I have a thousand great things I can say about each, but they are so different.  I can't wait to see the boys they grow into!