punkinhood

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-23T23:38:00.000-05:00

Hope you all have had a wonderful 2011, filled with love, laughter, friends, and family. Praying 2012 will be an even better year.

If you are sharing a card on your site, feel free to leave a link in the comments below, I'd love to visit!

For more warm holiday fuzzies, visit the Fourth Annual Great Bloggy Holiday Card Exchange.

vinyl family

2011-12-21T21:28:00.001-05:00

You know those decals of stick figure families that adorn so many minivans? I think they're pretty cute. Well, at least I did until I started seeing them everywhere.

They just became too popular for me and lost part of their appeal. I'm fickle that way (this does not apply to the iPad - I don't think that will lose its appeal ever or at least not until something cooler comes out).

Anyway, my fried Bridget is pretty much the most creative person I know. Seriously, check out her blog, she has a ton of awesome ideas on there, as well as some really great writing. She started an etsy shop where she sells really cute car decals. And they're not the standard stick figure kind either.

She sent me one a couple of months ago and it surprised me how much it captured my little family. My husband even asked if it was actually us.

So, quick, go to her etsy shop and get a decal that represents your family. I know she'd be happy to work with you on something that you will just love. Then, you can say you were one of the first to own one!

The internet has brought me a lot of cool things. I think Bridget is one of the coolest. Thanks Bridget for the decal, but more importantly, for your friendship!

wordless wednesday: breakfast with santa

2011-12-07T16:54:00.001-05:00

Even though we didn't actually eat with Santa, Punkin enjoyed "Breakfast with Santa" at his school last Saturday.

Linked at 5 Minutes for Mom and Two of a Kind.

the best sweet potato casserole ever

2011-12-05T13:53:00.001-05:00

Not that I'm bragging or anything.

But seriously, I have never made sweet potato anything before, but when discussions of what food everyone was bringing for Thanksgiving came up, I found myself agreeing to bring sweet potatoes and a dessert (though the dessert is another post).

I turned to pinterest (of course) for recipe inspiration, and pinterest did not disappoint. I went through many, many variations, before I settled on this recipe (pin here). I liked this recipe because it offered a marshmallow topping on half and a nut topping on the other half. I wasn't sure if everyone loved marshmallows as much as me, so I thought this would do the trick. Also, I liked that the nuts were cashews and not pecans, especially since my husband is allergic to pecans (and hello? cashews are delicious!)

The recipe calls for a food mill. I had never heard of a food mill before. Apparently, they come in handy with sweet potatoes because of their stringy nature. I turned to twitter (specifically my friend Katy) to find out what I could do instead. She suggested a food processor or a blender. I hadn't done that before either, but I figured it was worth a shot. (And I found out how easy it would have been to make my own baby food... tons of dollars down the drain there, folks. Seriously, try it!)

Anyway, I'm not a food blogger, so let's get straight to it. I didn't take any pictures during the process, and even forgot a finished product picture, so this half-way through lunch picture will have to do.

You can see which side was favored: marshmallows win!

But honestly, both sides were delicious! I'd definitely make this recipe again!

I wish I still had some leftovers...

the end

2011-11-30T10:45:00.000-05:00

I have completely shocked myself that I have posted something every. single. day. in November. When Shireen suggested I join her, I honestly didn't give it much thought. I just thought, sure, why not? But deep down, I knew I would not follow-through. I knew I would start strong, but would eventually forget or just say screw it and just stop.

But I didn't. Sure, some of my posts are completely throw away posts that I have considered deleting when December rolls around, but I have learned a few things about myself and about this blogging thing. I realize now, I won't be deleting them. For they show that I stuck with it and even when I didn't want to continue, I did. In the past, I would have never considered posting such filler, because what's the point? and no one wants to read that. And that would have made it easier to not post the next day or the next.

I have learned that it's okay to be myself.
To write what I want to write.
To not worry about what other people might think.

I learned that even though I wanted to be organized about this month's posts, and write some things ahead, that is not who I am.
I think I already knew that.

I have learned that very few people comment on blogs these days.
And that it's a lot less fun when there are no comments.

I have also learned how important it is for me to leave comments on other blogs I read.
Even if it's not much more than I really liked this post. Thanks for sharing.

I learned that I just have to sit down and start typing.
And stop worrying.
Or being self-conscious.

I learned that I do enjoy blogging. Though I don't really like rules.

So, I think what all this means is that I will be blogging more than I used to (though that is not difficult).
And I hope that I can find more of my own rhythm.
And reveal more of who I really am.

just write: first look

2011-11-29T16:12:00.001-05:00

I notice it before you do.

I point you towards the glass door so that you can see it too.

Your eyes grow wider, your lips form a huge smile.

Though I'm not fond of it, seeing your joy in discovering it melts my heart.

You let out a rambunctious cheer, "Woohoo!"

And so it begins.

The ground is soon covered in a thin layer of white.

You dream about building snowmen and having snowball fights.

I dream about snuggling down with a blanket and cup of coffee.

Winter has arrived.

Linking to Heather of the EO's Just Write.

cyber monday: what a "deal"

2011-11-28T22:04:00.001-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me what some people will buy, just because it's on sale.

Today, as I was checking out the Lightning Deals on Amazon, it became apparent that many, many people were jumping onto Cyber Monday "deals" without a second thought.

If you're unfamiliar with how these deals work, Amazon will tease you with a picture or description of an item that will soon be on sale. Many times, it lists the current selling price under the description. When the time comes for the deal to start, that price will (usually --see below) be replaced with the retail price, which will then be crossed out and the new sale price will be displayed along with the % savings. Keep in mind, the % savings is based off the retail price, not the price you could have purchased the same item for minutes ago (since many items on Amazon are already on sale every day). Many of these deals will actually be only a few dollars different than Amazon's normal sale price.

My favorite example of this was for a Bucket-O-Balls, which was selling for $19.99 just a few minutes before Noon PST. Once the lightning deal started, the deal price was suddenly $29.99. Only Amazon forgot to update the retail price to the $39.99 price (which you would find if you clicked on the picture). So instead, the % savings was actually a negative 50% off. Yes, it read NEGATIVE.

And people still bought the deal.

I didn't actually click on this item before the lightning deal began, so it's possible that the $19.99 is the actual typo. However, if someone was interested in purchasing this, you would think that the negative savings would make anyone pause and wonder what was going on. You would also think said person would click through to the reviews to determine if this was a product worth $30. According to many reviews, it doesn't appear this product was even worth the $20. And yet, by the time the deal was over, 100% of these products had been claimed.

In a few weeks, when I need a good laugh, I may have to go back and read more reviews after these have been delivered...

what i've learned from #nablopomo - part 1

2011-11-27T21:32:00.001-05:00

I've learned that there is very little chance I will be posting on the weekends in the future.

cell phone saturday

2011-11-26T22:19:00.001-05:00

Punkin enjoying the arrival of Santa & his reindeer & Christmas Tree Lighting at Clay Terrace.
Photos via cell phone

thankful

2011-11-25T20:59:00.001-05:00

I am thankful for the floors that need vacuumed.
I am thankful for the piles and piles of laundry.

I am thankful for the never-ending questions.
I am thankful for the mid-night wakings.

I am thankful for the toys that need picked up.
I am thankful for the toilets that need scrubbed.

I am thankful for the dishes that need washed.
I am thankful for the beds that need made.

I am so thankful for the house that is our home, the clothes that keep us warm, the everyday things we take for granted.

I am even more thankful for the son who loves to learn and discover, the husband who provides and loves so much, the God who has blessed us so.

happy thanksgiving

2011-11-24T13:52:00.001-05:00

Hope you are surrounded by those you love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

thanksgiving "feast"

2011-11-23T16:37:00.001-05:00

Turkey, mashed potatoes, some gravy, a roll, and pumpkin mousse. Sounds delicious to me. Unfortunately, Punkin did not agree.

I should have taken an "after" picture. Oh wait, just look above, it would be nearly the same. (He did eat about half of the roll and the mousse.)

Here's Punkin before seeing his plate. Before the tears welled up. Before the red, splotchy face.

You would have thought we were asking him to take a big bite of rat poop the way he reacted to trying gravy. (And besides, he had a choice of potatoes without gravy or with gravy. We compromised down to just trying the gravy on its own.) And he still couldn't really bring himself to do it. He finally did lick some off his fork, but it was so traumatic, I don't think he could even register the taste. I wish I knew why he can't process trying new things... or new things that aren't dessert anyway, because he totally tried that pumpkin mousse with no issues whatsoever.

And, of course, I felt frustrated and guilty for making the whole thing unpleasant to begin with. I knew going in that he wouldn't want any of the foods they were having and yet, I couldn't resist trying to get him to at least taste it. My goal next time will be to completely ignore the food altogether and hope we can all have a better time.

You can't really see it in this picture, but each child wrote what they were thankful for. Punkin's mentions he is thankful for his family. I hope he still feels the same way!

dentist the menace

2011-11-22T21:11:00.001-05:00

I went to the dentist today.

I hate going to the dentist.

The smells, the sounds.

The scraping, the polishing, the flossing.

The small talk. How do you have a conversation with someone who constantly has their fingers in your mouth anyway?

The weather is always terrible when I go to the dentist.

The raining. (Or the snowing.) Never the sunshine.

The new toothbrush. The new floss. Those aren't so bad.

The Starbucks giftcard... what's that? "Thank you for being our patient."

Huh, I love going to the dentist.

on high alert

2011-11-21T14:45:00.001-05:00

Words you are never quite prepared to hear from your five-year old:

"Mama, do you know what a lock down drill is?"

I had read tweets about schools doing these drills a couple of weeks back, but it never crossed my mind that Punkin would be participating in them at preschool too.

It's a fine line to dance with - wanting your child to be smart and prepared if he ever found himself in a dangerous situation but also wanting to protect his innocence and not live in fear of the what ifs.

I'm glad his school did the drill, and apparently with a certain level of ease rather than alarm, as it was at least three days before Punkin even mentioned it. I'm also glad that when I told him that these drills are so we're prepared "just in case" and not something that we need to worry about every day that it's true and he believed me.

(I really don't want one more excuse for a middle of the night wake-up!)

is it spring yet?

2011-11-20T22:17:00.001-05:00

repin this

2011-11-19T21:24:00.001-05:00

I mentioned pinterest in a previous post. It's quickly become a great resource that I use for organizing recipes, gift ideas, projects I'd like to attempt, and so on and so on... (along with a huge time suck when I don't feel like doing much of anything else).

Some day, I'll write a post with the different things I've attempted and how they turned out.

But for now, I thought I'd share with all of you the pin of mine that others have repinned the most times. I always like to see what other people are repinning and I see this one get repinned so many times, that I thought it might be something you'd like as well.

It's such a simple idea. Maybe that's why people like it so much.

Reindeer Beer / Reindeer Root Beer

photo credit: Life of a Modern Mom

Here's the link to the pin for your repinning pleasure.
And again, another link to Life of a Modern Mom where the pin comes from.

Such a cute idea, don't you think?

five minute friday: grow

2011-11-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

---------

When I was a child, I wanted to be a grown up so badly. I remember if we had company over, I always wanted to hang around the grown ups. (Looking back, I'm sure they weren't so thrilled to have a kid hanging around.) But there was something I found so fascinating about those who were older than me. I wanted to know what it was like. I wanted to be "important". To be responsible. And to be in the know. I didn't want to miss a thing. How little I realized what it truly meant to be a grown up. So many burdens to carry. How overbearing those responsibilities I thought would make me important truly are.

And yet, now that I'm a supposed grownup, I still look around and think, "Wait, this is it? Surely I've missed something." Like - when will I be the one cooking the Thanksgiving turkey? Because if it's up to me, that day will be never. I can't imagine having to stick my hand in that bird, remove whatever is in there that needs to be removed, and having to wash it, and then having to cook it to be the most perfect, tender turkey everyone had ever consumed. (Because if I was in charge, it would have to be perfect, of course.)

But yeah, I don't really want that responsibility. I can't picture myself as the one that everyone else looks to to provide the meal for the extended family. Yet I don't give it a second thought that my mom has done it for years. When do you grow up into that? Or maybe some of us don't. Cooking is not my gift after all. Sometimes I think it'd be fun to be more creative in the kitchen, but any time I get into preparing a meal with more than two components, I tend to think, "Why am I doing this? I am not enjoying this at all."

So yeah, perhaps, I'll never be fully grown.

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Linking up with the gypsy mama - go there to read more masterpieces written in just five minutes.

dance, monkey, dance

2011-11-17T20:30:00.001-05:00

I'm in a mood.

You could really help me out by leaving your favorite joke or something to make me laugh in the comments.

Don't make me beg.

PLEASE.

exhibit a

2011-11-16T21:22:00.001-05:00

I present to you Exhibit A in the case of Getting a New Dishwasher vs. Keeping the Old Dishwasher:

Why, yes, that is a bread bag twisty tie holding it together.

Case closed.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday at 5 minutes for mom and two of a kind.

what's for dinner?

2011-11-15T18:14:00.001-05:00

Punkin has always been a tough case when it comes to eating. I'm sure I screwed something up in the timeline of introducing him to various foods, but he is a very picky eater. He has had an aversion to many textures for as long as I can remember. We never made it to stage 3 baby food, because they were no longer the finely pureed mush of stage 1 and stage 2. Anything with chunks? Forget about it.

Even at age 5, his aversion continues. I know a lot of people would think I'm silly or just plain ridiculous, but I honestly believe he is afraid of many foods/textures. Getting him to try something new is a major feat. I don't think you would believe me unless you saw it for yourself.

Here is a list of foods a "typical kid" loves, but Punkin will not consider eating for even a second. In fact, if they are on his plate, you can see his demeanor change and his body recoil at the sight.

Pizza
Hamburger
Cheese
Mac & Cheese
Plain Noodles
Mashed Potatoes
Deli Meat of any variety
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich

The list used to be much longer, so I can say, thankfully, that he has made some progress.

Some foods that he now does eat that he used to turn down:

Fruit of any kind
Ketchup
Carrots (raw only)
Honey
Bread (plain) and only if there's nothing else that he likes to eat

I try not to get too worked up about it. I'm hopeful that at some point, he will start to be a little more adventurous and he'll eventually add some more variety to his diet. I figure it's not going to do anyone any good if every meal is a battle.

So in the meantime, who wants some chicken nuggets and french fries? I know Punkin does!

it's not about the shoes

2011-11-14T15:50:00.001-05:00

Why is it that the attitude and behavior of a five-year-old can turn a grown woman into a five-year-old?

"I don't know what shoes to wear!" As if this is life's greatest problem.

"If you don't get a pair of shoes on right now, I will take away all your shoes except one pair and you will not have a choice of what shoes to wear." As if this is the rational way of helping a child learn to make choices in the middle of a meltdown.

Actually, now that I think about it, not knowing what shoes to wear might be Punkin's biggest problem on any given day. And for that, I am grateful.

Sometimes these emotions and meltdowns come out of nowhere. And they take me by complete surprise. And sometimes I handle them poorly. But sometimes I don't.

I think I may get a tattoo of He's only five! on my right hand so that I can see it often and be reminded that oftentimes my expectations of him are way too high (insert list of many, many other things besides above shoe example). And that he needs grace. I mean, really, who doesn't?

Wouldn't the world be a much nicer place if everyone responded in grace, rather than in impatience and frustration and lack of empathy? Can you even imagine?

And thankfully, tomorrow (or later today, really) will provide another chance to practice giving grace. I may not be able to change the world, but I can start changing myself...

seven

2011-11-13T14:49:00.001-05:00

I found him whom my heart loves.

Song of Solomon 3:4

I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

Song of Solomon 6:3

Seven down, a lifetime to go.

tune in tomorrow...

2011-11-12T23:19:00.001-05:00

...for an actual blog post...

promise.

xoxo

tired

2011-11-11T23:37:00.001-05:00

long week

blogging

hubs traveling

blogging

work overload

blogging

cleaning house (always and forever)

blogging

running

blogging

moms group

blogging

shopping

blogging

party

last minute blogging

i made it: pinterest inspired

2011-11-10T19:43:00.001-05:00

So, I'm assuming you've all heard of pinterest. (If not, you are missing out. Go, take a look around, and request an invite. You will not be sorry. Or maybe you will... if you don't enjoy sitting down to your computer for "just a minute" and then not looking up from your screen for hours...)

Anyway, I love seeing all the creative things people post, and I re-pin tons of stuff that I'd love to do some day. If you know me at all, you know I have all these grand intentions, but then rarely follow through on anything for longer than twenty-five minutes (like can anyone really believe I'm still blogging ten days into November? Let's get serious - no one, especially not me, thought I'd still be here).

Just a couple of weeks ago, I saw a great idea for thank you card for teachers and put it on my board with the comment that I was going to use it for Punkin's teacher's birthday. But come on, we all know that wasn't going to actually happen!

But then, guess what? It totally did happen!

I can now justify the hours and hours ~~and hours and hours and hours~~ of time I've spent combing the boards with delusions that I will actually accomplish something for myself. (As if it's ever going to happen again! Pshaw.)

I realize the card doesn't actually say Happy Birthday!, but I figured teachers are never thanked enough. Besides, I made sure to write a lovely note on the back of the card, thanking her for being a wonderful teacher and wishing her the happiest of Birthdays. And anyway, she was getting a Starbucks gift card, I'm pretty sure it could have said "Get Well Soon" and she wouldn't have cared.

It's not as cute as the original, as I didn't have the twine and I had to use the outside of the coffee sleeve rather than the ridged side because mine was all messed up on the inside (probably from sitting in the recycling bin for a couple of days before I decided to actually make this card, but that's neither here nor there).

The point is: I actually made it. And didn't just *think* about how cool it would be. You know, like I do with everything else.

wordless wednesday: school picture

2011-11-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

I interrupt all regularly planned blog posts to present to you the cutest school picture in existence.

Kindergarten 2011

Ignore the questionable quality, as I had to take a picture of the picture with my cell phone.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday at 5 minutes for mom and two of a kind.

marinating

2011-11-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

Driving home from a short time away the thought crosses my mind: "I haven't yelled all day today."

And I sit and marvel at the words. And I sit and am horrified by the words.

How can not yelling for less than twenty-four hours be enough of a milestone to warrant its own thought?

What kind of mother am I where raised voice and frustrated words are more common than patience and grace?

And I realize that I have been living in the hurry-up rather than in the joy.

The faster he goes to bed, the faster I can relax and enjoy the evening.

Rather than enjoying the moment that I am in.

Rather than treasuring the reading of books and the singing of songs, I hurry through, waiting for my "time off". But the reading of books and the singing of songs is what I longed to do, not so long ago.

When did my ideals change? When did I get off track between what is important and what is immediately satisfying?

So, I stop, and I marinate in how it feels to not yell, to not rush, to not expect so much. And this, THIS is how it's supposed to be.

And that moment carries me through the days and I find myself slowing. And I find myself enjoying. And I find myself treasuring. And it has made all the difference.

Linking up with Heather of the EO's just write.

phineas & ferb live!

2011-11-07T16:37:00.000-05:00

We took Punkin to the Phineas and Ferb Live! show on Sunday afternoon.

We weren't sure what to expect. We had been to The Backyardigands Live show a couple of years ago and were disappointed in the costumes (you could tell the characters were just people as their faces were exposed - where is the magic in that?). I tried to find some reviews of the Phineas & Ferb show, but didn't have much success.

Thankfully, this show did not disappoint.

Punkin sat in awe for the entire show. It was so cute watching him watch the show.

When this musical number started and the umbrellas started twirling, I overheard Punkin whisper, "Wow!"

I'm pretty sure Punkin thought the entire thing was real. Which was also adorable. When Evil Doctor Doofenshmirtz was onstage with Perry the Platypus and the machine he created to control the audience's mind, Punkin was pretty nervous.

We had to reassure him that Perry would save the day and that he didn't need to be scared of Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Punkin had a fabulous time and declared it "the best day ever" (it was also one of the songs in the show).

I'll end this post, the same way Buford ended the show, "Smell ya later!".

sunday reflection

2011-11-06T22:25:00.001-05:00

It's been a fabulous weekend. It seems we haven't had such a string of good days in quite some time. I'm still reflecting on what has made the difference. And trying to bottle it up to make sure it continues.

Though I know that is probably impossible.

I've found myself treasuring the moment. Being present. Being intentional. And I have loved every minute of it.

I have often told myself this is how I wanted to be, but I continually found myself falling short. Over and over and...

It seems so easy, but it has been more difficult than I thought it could ever be. Maybe I have finally started to find my footing. Maybe I'm slowly figuring this thing out (as much as is possible anyway). Being less critical. Putting less pressure on myself. On everyone.

Whatever has made the difference, I am basking in it.
And hoping I haven't jinxed it.

punkin's favorite joke

2011-11-05T22:25:00.000-04:00

Why did the pig cross the road?

Because the chicken was on a vacation!

remember?

2011-11-04T14:56:00.000-04:00

No, I can't say that I do. It's not likely that I do, anyway.

I'm not sure why, but I have very limited memories of my childhood. You know how people sit around and talk about who was in their third grade class or what they used to do with their brothers every afternoon after school? Yeah, I have no idea. (Well, except for one person in my third grade class, and that's only because I had a tiny crush on him at the time...)

But I don't remember playing with my two older brothers. At all. I see pictures of us in the backyard of our childhood home and I can't remember what we did or how much fun we had or how much teasing they doled out. And the home we lived in before that one? I can't remember *anything* about it. One of the few things I remember about playing with my youngest brother is that he claims that I bit his leg one day. And I only probably remember that because he doesn't let me forget it. There might be a small scar present. It's not my fault that his leg flew into my tooth.

But all the things that make up fond memories of childhood of long ago? Gone. And I'm not sure where they went. But I do wish I could get them back. And that's also why I need to do a better job of documenting all of the little things that happen in Punkin's life. I want him to have the memories. And I want them to be fantastic.

---------------------------------------
Linking up with The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Fridays.

sometimes

2011-11-03T22:42:00.000-04:00

sometimes i wonder where the person i thought i'd be when i grew up went
sometimes i marvel at the woman i've become

sometimes i wonder why the world has so much hurt and sadness
sometimes i sit and marvel at the many blessings that surround me

sometimes i feel overwhelmed, out of place, swallowed up
sometimes i feel like i'm on top of the tallest mountain and no one can get me down

sometimes i want to run and hide
sometimes i want to jump right in

sometimes i feel lonely and all alone
sometimes i feel peace and strength

sometimes i recoil at all the evil and darkness in the world
sometimes i am surprised by kindness and generosity

sometimes i am scared and uncertain of my future
but all the time i am loved

crazy

2011-11-02T23:58:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of this little thing called NaBloPoMo? It stands for National Blog Posting Month - it's a challenge for people to write on their blog every day of November. It's also something only crazy people attempt.

You can blame my friend, Shireen, for turning me into a crazy person. She mentioned she was doing it, and I ~~reluctantly~~ wholeheartedly agreed to join her. I assume there will come a day (not too far off) where I will completely forget and will fail spectacularly at this challenge.

I didn't assume that day would come on the second of the month.

It figures that this just happened to be the busiest day of work for me in years. I just finished working and had all of 10 minutes before midnight to get something written. So, this is what you get. But hey, at least, I wasn't a total fail on Day 2.

But seriously, I've never been good at this blogging thing, so I'm taking this challenge to throw stuff out here and see what sticks. I'm sure there will be no cohesiveness through this month, but I hope to figure out a little bit more about what I want this space of mine to be.

happy halloween

2011-11-01T13:19:00.002-04:00

I don't think I would mind too much if I got pulled over by a police officer this cute:

Thankfully, Punkin didn't see me stealing any of his candy. But, unfortunately, the Hubs wasn't so lucky.

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! I'm off to sneak a few Reese's while the police officer snoozes...

five

2011-09-26T10:03:00.000-04:00

It doesn't seem possible.

I'm not sure how it happened. I only turned my back for a second.

Somehow, you went from this

to this

practically overnight.

You captured my heart from the moment I saw you. And you haven't let go yet.

You make me laugh every day. Just this morning, on our drive to school, I asked you what you thought you might do in this fifth year of life.

You said, "Wipe my own bottom."

After I stopped laughing, I asked if there was anything else. You said, "Help you with the laundry."

You are my pride and joy. You are the sweetest boy with the most tender heart.

I love you more than you will ever know.

Happy Birthday Punkin!

first day of kindergarten 2011

2011-08-10T10:53:00.004-04:00

With thanks to in the moment for the original inspiration.

Linked at Two of a Kind, 5 Minutes for Mom, and To Be Thode.

just keep swimming

2011-07-13T14:46:00.001-04:00

Sam has always hated water on his face. When he was a newborn, we accommodated this dislike to his detriment. If I could do it all over again, I'd pour water over his head starting with Day 1 and every day after until he stopped reacting to it. But since we were new parents, and he already cried way too much as it was, we couldn't even conceive of doing anything that would lead to even more wailing. As a result, Sam would freak out anytime a drop of water touched his face. Yes, even one single drop. Bathtime was loads of fun.

After hearing some friends talk about the swim lessons their kids were taking (referred to affectionately as swim lesson "boot camp"), I figured it was worth a shot. My main goal was to get him over the fear of water on his face. My second goal was for him to learn a few things that would save him if he ever fell in a pool. Perhaps backwards, but at that point, I just wanted to be able to wash his hair without a major meltdown.

Last year, we signed him up, and he was very excited to take swim lessons... until he got in the pool. Cue 28 minutes of crying (the lesson was 30 minutes long). The second day, I had to pin him to the floor to get his swim trunks on him. The crying only last about 15 minutes that day. Progress. The third day, I thought my ears deceived me as I heard no wailing at all... No, I couldn't see him... I was sitting in the car... in the driveway... (such are the rules of swimming boot camp when your kid is a crying mess or easily distract-able). I was pretty happy at the end of those first two weeks that I could successfully wash his hair without tears.

This Summer, or more accurately Spring (as Sam's purple lips and shivering limbs would attest on a couple of days), we did another round of lessons. Over the winter, Sam had regressed a bit and started to panic about water on his face again. This time, there were no tears. I sat amazed every day at all he was able to accomplish. Oh, and this time, I sat at the side of the pool... rewards for no crying and being brave.

I still can't believe this is Sam in this video. The kid who would panic and ask for a towel to wipe his face every other minute in the bathtub just two weeks prior. As the instructor says at the end of the video, he's a natural!

If that isn't solid proof of the benefits of private, one-on-one swim lessons, I don't know what is...

happy birthday papou!

2011-07-11T15:52:00.003-04:00

If it was your 70th Birthday, wouldn't you want to go duckpin bowling?

I mean, nothing says, "Happy Birthday!" like a couple of pictures from behind, right?

Well, what about ice cream? That's going to make any day brighter! Especially when there's toppings involved!

And grandkids! It can't hurt to throw in some adorable grandkids!

Regardless, we ALL love you very much Papou!

Happy 70th Birthday!

s'more snow please

2011-02-02T11:28:00.000-05:00

Punkin doesn't mind being confined to the house when s'mores are involved!

For more WW fun, go to Two of a Kind, 5 minutes for mom, and To Be Thode.

killer expectations

2011-01-14T14:02:00.000-05:00

Have you ever convinced yourself you wanted something, simply because you thought for sure you were going to get it?

One Christmas when I was a kid, there was a mysterious package under the tree. It was large and squishy. Not in a box; maybe even in a big, black trash bag, I can't quite remember. I squeezed that bag many times until I was CONVINCED I was getting a sleeping bag for Christmas. I didn't know I wanted a sleeping bag or that I needed one, but by the time Christmas morning rolled around, I could not wait to rip open that package and get my very own sleeping bag.

Only, it wasn't a sleeping bag.

It was a Raggedy Ann doll that a friend of the family had made for me.

And do you know what happened next? I burst into tears and had myself a good sob.

Not because it was a doll (though I wasn't exactly the 'play with dolls' kind of girl). Not even because I really wanted a sleeping bag. But because my expectations and my dreams had been dashed. And on Christmas.

I wish I could say that I learned a good lesson about expectations and that I never set myself up like that again, but I think we all know I'd be lying.

This happens so often in life. And I think it happens to a lot of people.

Motherhood brings its own set of expectations with it.

Expectations that
...you will know what you're doing
...your baby will sleep through the night at a certain point
...your child won't be waking up nightly at almost 3 (thank goodness he is now 4!)
...you will love playing any and every game with your child (Whose idea was Chutes and Ladders anyway?!)

Expectations that
...you will not be *that* parent who yells at your kid.
...your child will not be *that* child who others shake their heads at and think to themselves, "My child would never act like that."
...you will be able to take a nap together and actually get some sleep
...you can arrange the perfect mommy & child night, with the perfect movie and the perfect snacks, and that it will go perfectly

Expectations that
...you will not be so overwhelmed that sometimes you just have to cry it out

(I've had bits and pieces of these expectations in a draft blog post for a long time -- so no need for concern that I just had a huge sob fest from feeling overwhelmed -- though I have certainly had my share of those before and don't doubt that another one could be around any corner. The memory of that non-sleeping bag Christmas came to me this week, while I was setting myself up with another expectation that was snowballing in my mind. The post just came together when I forced myself to write it out, rather than letting it rattle around in my brain.)

the unknown

2011-01-13T20:41:00.000-05:00

This time
I
hesitate.

Each time before
I've been
too early
too rushed
too anxious
too naive.

This time I wait.

I tell myself
I'm building patience.
I'm growing.
But really,
I'm just

scared.

letting go

2010-12-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

interrupted hopes

unrealized dreams

the unrealistic expectations I put on others
(mainly my four-year old)

comparisons

guilt

emotional eating

failures

striving for the elusive "inner circle"

being easily frustrated

resentment

jealousy

my fat pants
(they're now just my pants)

insecurity

other people's expectations

These things can stay in 2010. I don't want them coming into the new year with me.

What about you? What do you need to let go of?

Christmas 2010 in pictures

2010-12-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve

Cookies & Milk for Santa

Reindeer Food for Reindeer (duh)

Stocking

Santa Present #1

Santa Present #2

(Racetrack present was a success in case you were wondering.)

Lunch

Cousins with Yia Yia & Papou

Cousins

Silly cousins

Punkin & Great Grandma H

Punkin & Grandpa H

Success!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas celebration! We certainly did!

dear santa,

2010-12-21T21:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a tip:

When a child sits on your lap and tells you what he wants for Christmas, it is not wise to ask detailed questions as follow-up. For instance, if a four-year old boy tells you he wants a race track for Christmas, you should not, under any circumstance, ask him what kind of race track he wants, nor suggest a certain name brand race track.

The following example should never occur:

Santa: What do you want for Christmas?
Punkin: A race track.
Santa: What kind of race track would you like?
Punkin: Uh...
Santa: Would you like a Hot Wheels Race Track?

At this point, you are likely to see a certain mom trying to tell you to shut your big mouth and say something helpful, rather than potentially destructive. Unless, of course, you plan to be sliding down the chimney with said Hot Wheels Race Track in your sack.

For future reference, here are some more appropriate follow-up questions/comments after a child tells you what he or she wants for Christmas. Feel free to steal them:

Have you been a good boy?

Have you been listening to your mommy and daddy?

Make sure you do a good job of trying new foods at dinnertime.

Got it?

If Punkin wakes up on Christmas morning, rushes down to the tree, rips off the wrapping paper on his non Hot Wheels Race Track and I see even a glimmer of disappointment, I will hunt you down...

Seriously.
~Punkinmama

from our family to yours

2010-12-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

We wish you a very Merry Christmas.

front

(I hope we can all have a bit of the wide-eye wonder of a child this year.)

back

(Seriously, is that drawing not the cutest thing you've ever seen?!)

Wish I could send each of you a card in the mail, but since I don't have all your addresses, I hope you will enjoy our 2010 Christmas Card virtually.

If you are sharing a card on your site, feel free to leave a link in the comments below, I'd love to visit!

For more warm holiday fuzzies, visit the Third Annual Great Bloggy Holiday Card Exchange.

Jada Toys Battle Machines Review & Giveaway

2010-12-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

Radio control cars have come a long way since I was a kid. Of course, A LOT of things have come a long way since then, but let's not dwell on how old I am.

Not only do you get to drive a car around and try to make your brothers trip over it (what?), but now you can actually play together and battle each other with a laser tag battle!

Jada Toys Laser Combat Tag Battle Machines allow two players to drive their cars/trucks around and shoot "laser beams" at each other's vehicle. The first person to score three hits is the winner!

The other cool aspect is that you can also play by yourself and hone your skill to annihilate your competition. Switch one vehicle to "auto pilot" and that vehicle will drive around on its own and you can chase it with your vehicle and try to kill it with three shots.

I received the Chevy Silverado and Ford F-350 trucks from Jada Toys. I'm very impressed with the size and weight of the trucks. They are definitely well made and will last a long time!

I tried to capture the size of the truck by comparing it to an iPhone, but I still don't think the picture does it justice.

The Battle Machines are meant for kids 6 and up (and adults, obviously). I think that's a good starting age as I know I had some trouble initially figuring out the remote controls. To me, they are "backwards", but after some time, it's an easy adjustment to make. The other thing to keep in mind is that you will need a lot of open space to drive these vehicles. They don't "turn on a dime", so they require a bit of space to not bump into everything. These would be great in the summer out on the driveway and sidewalks (if you have a non-busy street of course).

So, what do you think? Do you know someone who would love to own a pair of these? (The winning pair will be a random selection of the available models, and not necessarily the ones mentioned in this review. The giveaway is being provided by Jada Toys.)

Just leave a comment below telling me who you would give these to or who you would challenge to a duel if you kept them for yourself!

For an additional entry, follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to this post, and then leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

The giveaway will close December 27th. I will email the winner, so make sure you leave your email address in your comment if you don't link your comment to a blog profile.

While I received the Battle Machines from Jada for this review, the opinions are my own.

interview with a 3 1/2 year old

2010-11-30T21:59:00.000-05:00

So, I was recently ~~shuffling piles of papers from one spot to another~~ cleaning the office and found notes from when I "interviewed" Punkin back in May.

My mom is   9   years old.
My mom is the prettiest when   eyes . (So, I have to work on the word 'when', but I like his answer anyway.)
My mom likes to   play with me .
My mom always says   I love you . (Heart Melting.)
My mom is funny when   she laughs. I mean, when she says something funny .
I love my mom because (she does) everything nice .
My favorite thing to do with mommy is   going in the swimming pool . (Such a switch from the beginning of the summer.)
The thing that always makes my mom laugh is   funny faces .

My Favorite
Colors: Purple and Green
Place to Go:   McDonald's
Food:   Chicken & French Fries & Hot Dogs
Drink:   Lemonade
Game to Play:   Hide & Go Seek and Matching
Craft:   Making French Fries   (I have NO idea)
Music:   Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Sport:   Bowling

And a couple of random pictures from May:

Interview was taken on May 14, 2010.

Review: Petz Nursery 2

2010-11-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity to review a copy of Petz Nursery 2 for the DS from Ubisoft & Clever Girls Collective.

What do I look for in a video game for my four year old?

By far, the most important things is the ability for him to play on his own. We don't let Punkin nap anymore, so especially at school, he needs something quiet that he can do when his classmates are napping.

I also like for the games he plays to have some educational value, because I'd like to think he's learning something while his face is in a screen. Yes, I know there's varied opinions on just how much kids actually learn in front of a screen, but that is another post.

Lastly, of course, the game has to have a fun factor that will keep his attention for more than 5 minutes at a time and that will have lasting appeal. If he plays it one time and doesn't want to play it again, then it's obviously a waste of money.

When we opened up this game, I sat down with Punkin to help him get started. He selected a cute penguin to be his pet (there are also the more traditional puppy dog or kitty cat as options). After some debate, he settled on the name Hoppy.

I thought there was quite a bit of involvement needed from me to get him going. First, Punkin can't read yet, so any screen that had words on them, he would ask me to read to him. I also didn't find the game very intuitive myself. There were quite a few times when I wasn't sure exactly what we were supposed to be doing to "take care of" our penguin.

Punkin played with Hoppy for about five to ten minutes the first time and, unfortunately, he didn't ask to play with him again. I did remind him the next day and asked if he wanted to play with him again on a car ride. He said yes, but about ten minutes down the road, he declared that he was all done. He then started playing Mario Kart (which I know has no educational value whatsoever, but it did keep him content for the next forty-five minutes).

So, even though this game wasn't a success for us, I can see this being popular with other kids. I think my niece would really enjoy this game, so she may be receiving an extra present this Christmas!

If you'd like to buy this for your child for Christmas, you can do so through Toys R Us (not an affiliate link).

While Ubisoft provided me with this game to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

today, I am thankful for

2010-11-25T09:55:00.000-05:00

a wonderful husband

a fantastic kid

sunshine

freedom

family

chocolate chip cookies

laughter

diet coke

"real moms"

the internet

colorful leaves

a beautiful sunset

black friday

nfl football

my camera

friendship

the love of Jesus Christ

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your day is filled with all of the things you are thankful for! (And lots of pie.)

6 years ago today...

2010-11-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

...the world made a little more sense.

...life began to have more meaning.

...I married my best friend.

I love you more than I'll ever be able to express.

leaves and apples and s'mores, oh my!

2010-11-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

Our friends had a fabulous "fall festival" at their house at the end of October. We had such a great time!

Punkin discovered the joy of jumping in leaves.

Punkindaddy was a HUGE sport & let all the kids bury him in the leaves (repeatedly).

I don't know if you can see the kids' faces, but EVERY TIME they would scream with delight (and maybe a little fear) when Punkindaddy would jump out of the leaves.

I was shocked that Punkin even considerd putting his face in a tub of water, but he did it multiple times.

He was very intent on getting that apple with his teeth!

He didn't even want to take turns. Thankfully, the other kids were willing to "share".

But with a lot of determination (and a little bit of help from mama...shh...don't tell him!), he finally got his apple!

Punkin also got to enjoy one of my favorite fall treats: S'mores! A month or so ago, he refused to try one, but this night, he was all about it! Yummmm!

For more WW fun, go to 5 minutes for mom and Two of a Kind.

halloween 2010

2010-11-03T12:47:00.000-04:00

The world's cutest Luigi

You loved it when you got to pick out your own candy. And 9 times out of 10 you picked a sucker. I guess I'll have to teach you that Resse's Cups trump suckers. (Actually, most chocolate does. Keep that in mind next year, okay?)

This little girl was enamored with you. You would scoot away; she would scoot right next to you. It was adorable. Even if you didn't think so.

Mario & Luigi

"Let's a go!"

For more WW fun, go to 5 minutes for mom and Two of a Kind.

in search of the perfect Christmas card... (& giveaway)

2010-11-01T09:16:00.002-04:00

**The giveaway is now closed & flesworthy is the winner!**

So, I know that Halloween has just ended and Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, but I can not stop thinking about the "perfect picture" for the annual Christmas card. I am always the first to complain about "Christmas creep" each year - I mean do we really need to be buying stocking stuffers along with our trick-or-treat candy?!? - but for some reason I can't get the thoughts of our Christmas cards out of my head! What is wrong with me?

Perhaps it's because until last year, we always just featured Punkin on our Christmas card - and how can you go wrong with such a cute kid?! But last year, we decided to have the three of us on the card... what were we thinking? Well, we weren't thinking much anyway, because the picture was not our finest moment. And so perhaps this is why I keep thinking about it... I want to make sure the picture we have is "refrigerator worthy" because I just found out a friend still has that terrible picture from last year on her fridge! (Or maybe we'll just go back to having only Punkin on the card... hmmm...)

Anyway, I've been looking around the ol' internet at different photo card websites, because it all starts with design, doesn't it?

Have you taken a look at Cards Direct? I just discovered their website and am oohing and ahhing over many of their styles.

They have pages and pages of Christmas Photo Cards. Here are a few of my favorites:

They also have a ton of non-photo Christmas Cards and cards for any Holiday.

And if you're not the card sending type for Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year's, they also have Birth Announcements, Moving Announcements, and on an on...

So, is anyone else out there thinking about their holiday cards yet? What if you had the chance to win $50 worth of cards? Now are you thinking about it?

Giveaway: $50 worth of Holiday Cards from Cards Direct.

How to enter:
Leave me a comment telling me what you normally send for holiday cards - do you include photos? Do you include the whole family or just kids (or pets)?

You can get additional entries into the giveaway by:
- following my blog.
- following me on twitter and tweeting about this giveaway. Make sure to include @punkinmama in your tweet.

Leave an additional comment for each additional thing you do.

I will pick a winner sometime Friday evening, November 5.

** Disclosure: I received two codes for $50 worth of product from Direct Cards through Global Influence Network for hosting this giveaway: one for myself and one for one of you. **

summer in pictures: part 3: august

2010-10-20T13:22:00.004-04:00

Bears Practice at Soldier Field

Visiting Shedd Aquarium

Being penguins with Cousin L

Photo Shoot Around Chicago

Indiana State Fair

Touch a Truck

First day of Pre-K

And the summer is over...

For more WW fun, head to Five Minutes for Mom and Two of a Kind

summer in pictures: part 2: july

2010-10-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

School Picnic

Miss R and Punkin

Fourth of July Festival with A

Fourth of July - Fireworks

Indians Game

Concert in the Park

First time eating the bun with the hotdog!!

truly monumental

Practice Day at the Brickyard

Visiting Papou and YiaYia's for the last time in Ohio

sugar overload

2010-10-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

You loved having cupcakes at school to share with all your friends.

Your face lit up when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to you!

Although, after the singing was over, I did hear you whisper, "Today's not my birthday. My birthday's in two more days."

And something tells me you thought the cupcakes were quite tasty!

After school, we went to dinner. Once again, you were enamored when being sung to.

And you LOVED devouring your yummy ice cream sundae.

Thanks for sharing your treats! I hope you had a wonderful early celebration!

four

2010-09-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

Four years ago, the world became a better place.

Day 1

You've blessed us more than you will ever know.

One Year Old

You make us laugh every day.

Two Years Old

Your sense of adventure keeps us on our toes.

3 Years Old

You are such a sweet boy, growing up way too quickly.

Four Years Old!

You are the light of my life.

I have been forever changed because of you.

My prayer for you is that you will grow up to be strong and independent, but with a gentle, loving spirit.

You are definitely on your way!

Love,

Mama

summer in pictures: part 1: june

2010-09-21T10:40:00.007-04:00

PBS Kids in the Park

Italian Fest

white boys can't dance

VBS

Toy Story 3 & Popcorn (and the break-up)

Father's Day

I've added this post to 5 Minutes for Mom and two of a kind for WW fun.

punkinisms

2010-09-05T22:07:00.000-04:00

I have several "draft" posts of things that Punkin has said that have made me laugh or I want to preserve for the future when my memory is shot or I need something to embarrass him with.

Here are some from the past couple of years. Hopefully, from here on out, I can do a better job of documenting them at the proper time.

From February 2009

Scene: Hubs sitting on the couch eating dinner, when he ends up dropping something off his fork onto his shirt.
Punkin: "Daddy, what happened?"
Daddy: "I missed my mouth."
Punkin gets up off his chair, walks over to Hubs, points at his face and says, "It's right there, Daddy."

Punkin: "I'm the bestest." "You're the bestest too, Mommy."
I couldn't dare give him a grammar lesson.

From May 2009

Punkin sneezes and says, "Bless you, me."

After watching a Chuck E. Cheeses commercial, Punkin exclaims, "Chuck E. JESUS!!"

At a restaurant -
Punkin: "Where's the waiter?"
Me: "I don't know, he must be helping other people."
Punkin: "He's helping other people, but I don't see him. It's a mystery."
About 5 minutes later -
Punkin: "Who's that?"
Me: "That's the waiter."
Punkin: "Hey, we found him!"

From April 2010

Scene: Touring friends' new home and in the room that will be the nursery
Me: "Punkin, this is going to be the new baby's room."
Punkin: "Where's the crib?"
Me: "It's not here yet. The baby's still in Ms K's belly."
Punkin: *look*
Ms K: "It's true, the baby is in my belly."
Punkin, as serious as can be, with a slight smirk as if to say 'quit pulling my leg': "We don't eat babies!" (unspoken: "Like seriously, Mama, you're ridiculous to think I would believe that!")

Scene: Punkin and Hubs playing baseball in the backyard.
Punkin hits the ball and runs the bases.
Hubs & I cheer him on and tell him he did great.
Punkin: "Am I on Level 2 now?"

From July 2010

Scene: We're at an outdoor concert with some friends. Punkin is dancing and running around in the grass with his friends when one of his friends runs into someone's chair on purpose. Punkin copies his friend and runs into the chair too.
Me: "You do not copy other people when they do bad things. You do not run into other people's chairs."
Punkin, exasperated: "We're just kids. We don't know everything."

Me: "Punkin, tomorrow's Saturday, so you need to sleep in late."
Punkin: "Why?"
Me: "Because that's what we do on Saturday mornings."
Punkin: "But I don't want to sleep in late."
Me: "Why not?"
Punkin: "Because I might miss something."
Me: "You won't miss anything because Mommy & Daddy will be sleeping in late too."
Punkin: "But you might miss something too!"

before and after

2010-08-19T08:13:00.000-04:00

A little refresher on the "before":

And after:

Ah, that looks much better!

Seriously, could he be any cuter?

When we walked into school on Wednesday, Punkin's teacher didn't even recognize him!

state fair 2010

2010-08-17T21:04:00.004-04:00

Punkin's favorite thing about the State Fair? Feeding the goats!

Last year, he fed them carrot pieces, but this year, he fed them the little pellet food... which meant he had to let them lick them off his palm. I thought he'd freak out about them getting their mouth that close, or at least about them actually licking him, given he never wants his hands dirty, but just look at this face:

Punkin's 2nd favorite thing about the State Fair?

This:

Dude is smart. Seriously, if you do go to the Fair and don't visit the "Pineapple Whip" stand, you're crazy. I recommend the authentic Pineapple Whip stand... you'll know it when you see it... it's in the shape of a Pineapple! Don't settle for the imposters!

(Note, Punkin is actually drinking an Orange Dream (minus the cream), and I'd have to say, it's also delicious.)

I've added this post to the WW fun at to be thode , Two of a Kind, and 5 minutes for mom

1st day of pre-k photoshoot

2010-08-11T16:21:00.000-04:00

Punkin's first day of Pre-K was Monday, August 9th.

You are adorable in your new uniform. And I'm thrilled we didn't struggle over having to wear it. Now, let's keep that up over the coming weeks and months, okay?

I love you Punkin! More than I'll ever be able to express to you.

I hope your year in your new classroom, with your new clothes, and new rules, and new start time will be a wonderful experience for you. Knock 'em dead, kid!

Oh, and don't count on a chocolate chip cookie before school every day!!

return to the dentist

2010-07-21T09:52:00.007-04:00

Punkin had his second dentist appointment yesterday. He wasn't as thrilled with the idea of going to the dentist this time as he was the first time. He loved playing with all the toys in the waiting room, but as soon as they called us back, he ran away from me and I had to chase after him and carry him to the chair. I'm sure they're used to that, right?

Anyway, at his first appointment, Punkin got to pick out a stuffed animal for having successfully given up his paci. He chose a frog, which he named Sashi, and he brought her back to the dentist so that everyone there could see how he was taking such good care of her.

Showing off Sashi

"Okay this isn't so bad"

"Wait, this isn't much fun."

"Seriously, are we done yet?"

"Lady, this is nothing like a race car wheel toothbrush!"

Flossing

I never realized Punkin twirled his hair for comfort!

"Finally, we're done!"

For more WW fun, go to 5 minutes for mom and seven clown circus.

sleeping like a baby

2010-07-20T13:39:00.000-04:00

Okay, so Punkin's not really a baby anymore, but he'll always be *my* baby.

Punkin's never been a great sleeper, but he's definitely getting better (especially since we took away his nap). Lately, I've been finding him in all kinds of positions when I check on him before I go to sleep. And since I just happen to have my phone with me, I thought I'd snap a few shots of him.

I was pretty surprised when I walked in and found him this way:

Not sure how sleeping with your head on hard plastic is more comfortable than on a pillow. I did have to move him a little bit so that his head wasn't lower than the rest of his body, but otherwise, I left him pretty much like that.

This one reminded me of the Hubs with one foot off the bed.

And another one.

It seems that no matter where Punkin ends up on the bed, he prefers to sleep on his right side. That's my favorite side too.

And remember when I mentioned we'd taken away Punkin's nap? Well, he still has "rest time". The only rule to rest time is that we have to be on different floors of the house. So he gets to pick his bedroom upstairs or the basement. One day last week, I thought it was awfully quiet for rest time, so I went down stairs to investigate and found this:

That so does not look comfortable.

Also, a couple of weeks ago, Punkin woke up in the middle of the night with a fever. I ended up laying down in his bed with him (yes, that tiny race car bed) and sleeping with him that night. That bed is SO uncomfortable!! No wonder Punkin can't lay still or that he doesn't typically sleep through the night! Time to go mattress shopping and move him to a bigger, softer bed!!

boom, boom, boom

2010-07-08T12:42:00.000-04:00

The first time we attempted to take Punkin to fireworks, we were at Disney World, and he had just turned two. Unfortunately, it wasn't a success. As soon as the first boom was heard, Punkin started crying, and the Hubs ended up running out of Magic Kingdom with Punkin.

Punkin's never been a fan of loud noises, so I guess we should have known better.

This year, Punkin was intrigued about seeing fireworks. He loved looking for them out of the car windows as we drove home one evening during the Fourth of July weekend. Of course, he couldn't really hear them inside the car.

A neighboring city held their Fourth of July fireworks on the fifth this year, and since Punkin kept talking about fireworks, we thought we'd try taking him to see if he would enjoy them up close and personal.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Boo. But I did have my phone, so I figured I might as well try to capture a couple of pictures of Punkin's first real fireworks experience, even if they wouldn't be great quality.

Getting ready

1st Fireworks

As soon as the first boom was heard, this is what happened:

I love that picture, because you can see, despite the loud noise, Punkin is so intrigued by the fireworks and doesn't want to stop watching!

Half-way through, Punkin started getting more affected by the noise. And I imagine his arms were getting pretty tired. I ended up covering his ears with my hands and making sure he could hear me ooh and ahh. That seemed to reassure him enough to enjoy the entire show.

I'd say this time, it was a success!

the break-up

2010-06-29T22:31:00.000-04:00

Well, it was a short love affair. And unfortunatley, one party is devastated over the loss. The other party doesn't even know what's going on.

Punkin & Popcorn have broken up. After Punkin's appointment today, where I informed the doctor that Punkin's cough had returned after introducing him to the lovely treat, his allergist thought it would be best to go back to avoiding all "obvious" corns... which includes popcorn. Unfortunately, my gut was telling me the same thing. And you know a mom and her gut... you really shouldn't doubt it.

Afterwards, while driving home, I told Punkin that the allergist had said he couldn't have popcorn anymore. He was instantly sad. He asked why. I told him it was because his cough had returned. He countered that the cough was back because of his friend's cat (very smart of him, actually). He also said, "But I want to have popcorn every day when we go to the movies.". He's already made the correlation and knows that Movies and Popcorn go together. They just do.

He continued to be sad and pout. I told him it would be okay.

He instantly perked up.

Right after I handed him some cotton candy...

.

popcorn!

2010-06-28T11:54:00.001-04:00

Punkin has been to many movies in the past couple of years (*love* the free movies during the summertime at Regal theaters). BUT there's always been a big missing element to his movie viewing... POPCORN! Sad, right?

We discovered Punkin was allergic to corn when he was around 2 (if memory serves me correctly - it's a long story that I'll have to document at some point). He has always been very good about knowing that he's allergic and letting others know it when they offered him popcorn in the past. I've always been impressed with his understanding and that he hasn't tried to sneak something he shouldn't have.

At our last allergist appointment, after yet more "pokes" for testing, the doctor told us we could try corn to see the reaction before his next allergy appointment.

And wouldn't you know it, a little movie called "Toy Story 3" just opened in theaters. What better way to try corn than to indulge in movie theater popcorn?!?!

Punkin was hesitant at first... "What if I'm still allergic?" (We'd been giving him small amounts of corn in things so I knew he wasn't going to stop breathing or anything.) After a little bit of reassurance, he touched the popcorn to his lips, then popped the first kernal into his mouth... and immediately said, with much excitement, "I'm not allergic anymore!!". He couldn't have been happier. And I've never seen anyone devour popcorn as quickly as Punkin did that morning.

See that bag? Neary gone before the movie was halfway over!

Oh, and that movie? He LOVED it!

Proof.

And so did the Hubs and I. It is a wonderful movie. If you haven't seen it yet, you should. And don't forget your tissues!

Punkin has an allergist appointment tomorrow, so we'll be discussing the popcorn and the fact that he's had a bit of a cough again since devouring it. Of course, with it being the middle of allergy season, I don't think we'll really know what eating corn does to Punkin for awhile longer... stay tuned...

happy father's day 2010

2010-06-21T22:40:00.000-04:00

i love my daddy

my daddy loves me

welcome to the new 'hood

2010-06-16T21:39:00.002-04:00

This blog will serve mainly as a record of "the life and times of punkin"...

I have a terrible memory and if I don't start documenting everything, I won't remember the details to pass on to punkin as he gets older or to embarrass him by retelling them to his future girlfriends...

So, this blog will be mostly for punkin. I'm not going to be posting at my other blog any more (since I was never good about updating it anyway). I may be pulling some of those posts to this blog so I have the important info all in one place.

All that to say that if you want to hear about punkin and life in the punkinhood, feel free to read or subscribe. If it's all a bit mundane for you, that's fine, this isn't about you.