Off...

to the beach. For a full week. We are psyched and hopefully will have all sorts of pictures of our cuties in their little swimsuits playing in the sand soon. Only our finicky camera can know for sure.

Also, family that was in PA with us last week? If you email me some pics or give me a link to some - I'd love to save some of these here too. Great pre-vacation long weekend. Thank you!

The Working Mother

8:30 am: Mommy logs into work for a conference call. Unfortunately, not one that she can put on mute and commence with doing her own thing. She must actually participate and appear to be of sound mind.


9:00am: Little Bitty tires of Noggin. Mommy offers paints, paper and paint brushes. Mommy is a bit impressed with her own multi-tasking and ability to provide her daughter with a creative outlet while also working and participating in a clinical design team discussion.


9:01am: Little Bitty tires of painting with age-appropriate paint and gets out squeeze-bottle paints. Proceeds to do her thing unassisted. Mommy is aware but unable to put a stop to this at this time because she is quite sure that screaming will ensue and her director (who is on the conference call) will think that Mommy is really upset about upcoming travel dates they are discussing.


9:06am: Little Bitty gets out play dough, mat and accessories.



9:08am: Brother browses parent's wedding album, counts rubber worms and attempts to construct a spear with stick, rock and a lot of electrical tape. Mommy quietly assists with spear until Brother tells her that the result is "not at all what he had in mind".


9:30am: Little Bitty is very tired of Mommy being on the phone. Mommy has the brilliant idea of pouring oatmeal in a tray for a make-shift "sensory table" (Mommy used to teach pre-school, she is so brilliant... this should entertain Little Bitty for HOURS).


9:31am: Oatmeal is everywhere. Little Bitty is bringing it in handfuls to Mommy and throwing it at her.


9:32am - 11:00am: Mommy ends one call right in time for another. Things get a little fuzzy over the course of this time period. Mommy mutes and unmutes the phone as she discusses project time lines, work travel dates and stinky diapers. She tries to keep the conversations separate.


11:00am - Mommy hangs up the phone and reviews the damage.




11:01am: Mommy declares the morning a success because she did not get fired and there is no paint on the carpet. Well done, Team.

A longer than necessary post about the drive-in

We went to the drive-in movie last night for the first time this summer. I LOVE the drive-in. I feel like it is a well-kept secret and can't understand why everybody doesn't go to the drive-in every single weekend. Last night, we actually had to wait for a good hour before the movie to see if 20 cars showed up in order for them to play the movie. Thankfully, "once church let out" others ventured out and there were enough of us to make the, ummm, seasoned women who were running the show feel like it was worth it to turn the movie on. Of course, by that point we had spent thirty or forty dollars at the concession stand - so even without the twenty cars I think they would have done just fine.

Brother and Little Bitty lasted for exactly 10 minutes once the movie started. Then they were sound asleep. We stayed for another hour or so and left early. I can't write the exact words that I said to my husband regarding the movie we were watching - but I'll just say - it was strange. Speed Racer. I know - people love it, and my husband wasn't hating it - but I was mostly just confused. The kind of confused where you don't want to ask questions to understand it - you more just want it to stop. I will say... if you're into amazing computerized stuff, then it was impressive.

I do feel bad that my little guy fell asleep so quickly - he was all excited to go see it. On Saturday he had gotten a Speed Racer happy meal price and he's been obsessed since then. Yesterday morning he came to me and told me in a very serious manner (with an expression that said - you're not going to like this - but I have to tell you...) "Mommy, I want to change my name. To Speed Racer. For REAL." I actually started to explain to him that when he grows up he may not want his name to be Speed Racer when he goes to find a job, etc. Then, I remembered that he currently wants to be a frog photographer when he grows up - and Speed Racer is kind of a cool name for a frog photographer. So, I agreed to let him change it. For REAL.

Some bad pics from the weekend. We really need a new camera. And a new photographer... that photographs more than just frogs.

These are all pre-show. Obviously, the kids are awake. I wish you could see the big pickles they're both eating. A pickle and popcorn from the drive-in - mmmmm.

Playing in the gravel with their jammies and slippers. They were chasing each other with twizzlers here and laughing so hard. All was great until Brother took a digger and skinned his knee - we all knew it would happen at some point, right? But the fun had before that was worth it. Plus, the lovely (she wrote sarcastically) concession stand lady had a band aid and all was well.
One last note - we attended a lovely picnic this weekend for Adoptive Families in middle Tennessee. I don't have any pictures - and really, looking at the drive-in ones, is anyone really disappointed? But, the way-more-reliable Michelle is going to send some out and I shall email to any family interested in seeing any of the other great families and friends we've met in the area with little ones born in Guatemala.

My Hero

Whooohooo! FEVER! Yes!

Brother is home from school today because he had fever last night. When we discovered it - he was VERY excited. He actually threw himself into the air and then flipped around on the floor chanting something like, "NO SCHOOL, NO SCHOOL".

He seems fine today but its good for him to have a day home with Mommy to chill. And to play lizards. Right now they are out on a drive in a new taxi. Lightening McQueen is the taxi's friend. Now we're talking about fly swatters. Pronounced "flies water". Whoops - now I'm batgirl. He is Super Bear. Wow. I gotta go.

Expressing my love ;)

I usually ended up writing funny little anecdotes about our day or parenting in general here on the blog (in a maybe slightly sarcastic tone) - just because that's what comes naturally. But today what's coming naturally to me is sharing a few pictures of these guys and just hoping they make someone else smile even half as much as they do me. No matter that we were running late for school and I hadn't signed in to work yet, yada, yada... I had to slow down and take a few pictures today. I know it's because I'm their mother. I know all mothers feel this way (which is actually a survival mechanism I believe -because if we didn't - how would we get through some days?!) - anyway, MY GOODNESS... my son and daughter (and their daddy :)) just make my days. Look how funnily perfect they are.

Always on top of things, Little Bitty brings Brother his lunch box as he finishes

putting on his shoes.

They're about to the car... but I call them back to take more pictures.
Look at them. Don't you want to just eat them up?! Daddy said Little Bitty looked like a Latin disco dancer today. Made me laugh.

Just one of the stimulating conversations from this morning...

Me: Honey, do you have MORE po-po in your pants?

Little Bitty: mmmmm??

Me: Po-po? Did you do more? I smell something stinky.

Little Bitty smiles but does not respond.

Me: Can I look in your pants?

I peak down the back of her shorts.

Me: You did. MORE po-po!

Little Bitty (acting as surprised as I am and then dancing): Yeahhhh! PO-PO, PO-PO, PO-PO!!

He's MY little guy

When we pick Brother up from school he is usually playing with one or two other boys from his class. They give each other hugs good-bye (very boyish, almost violent hugs) and then we are on our way. Today Brother was playing with Sadie. Sadie is a girl. She is five (way older than my sweet little guy). Brother referred to Sadie as his girlfriend. Then, she got in on the hug action when it was time for Brother to go home. They hugged, then hugged again - then again. Instead of the boyish violent hugs, it was kind of giggly and sweet. After the third one I kind of yelled, "OK, THAT'S ENOUGH" in a high-pitched nervous voice. I suddenly wanted to tell this five year old girl to "LET GO OF MY LITTLE BOY!" And maybe give her a mean look to scare her away.

Hazah! (Or something like that)

We went to The Renaissance Festival yesterday... it was a beautiful day, and we all enjoyed it. Some of the people attending were as entertaining as the people performing. It is so interesting to see people all decked out in their Renaissance wear that they must save all year in their closet for this one occasion. I think the general public should really be more accepting of men in tights and women with huge overflowing bosoms year round. It's a shame to save these outfits for one event a year.

On to the pics...

Yes, they each got a wooden sword as a souvenir. Great idea, no?!

An action shot. (And if you see a red lightening bolt on Brother's head - no worries - it is his Harry Potter scar that we draw on with red marker. He's been wearing it for about a week now. And I laugh at people in Renaissance wear...I know.)

This is how Little Bitty rode in her stroller, with the threat of gouging anyone in her pathThis was Brother's favorite knight and horse in the jousting
Our little Dragon Slayer

Daddy asked Brother on the way out if he wanted to get "knighted" by the Queen. As luck would have it, this was the one thing that YES, he definitely wanted to do (he was not up for riding the flying dragon slayer or bouncing in the bounce house or getting his face painted... or even getting his picture taken with the Queen.) But, by golly, he really wanted to be knighted. Well, the line was LONG (we didn't notice this before mentioning it to him) and we had plans with friends that we were about to be late for - so I went to the front of the line and watched the Queen knight some other kids, came back and convinced him that I was able to knight people. So, in the middle of the festival I had him kneel down while I performed a very abbreviated version with his wooden sword tapping him on the shoulders and ceremoniously repeating some made-up knight-like words. He was satisfied and we called him Sir for a few minutes.

The Many Looks of Little Bitty

I LOVE a girl who wears her high heels while using her power tools.

The following series is Little Bitty modeling one of her bandanna dresses...Mommy is on a roll.

Oh, ok then.

Me: Why are you wiping your hands on the COUCH CUSHIONS??

Brother: Because they're SLIMY from eating PICKLES!

Duh.