In case you were wondering

I don't have baby fever.

At. All.

Ian is 3 now, he's fun and crazy and adorable and I am actually loving the stage we're in right now. I hate the fighting with his brother, the constant screaming over toys makes me want to walk out and just hide on a daily basis but 90% of the time...we're good. Am I bummed he's getting SO big, SO fast? Of course....but I have zero desire to have another baby in the house. I like cuddling other newborns for short periods of time, but then I'm good. I like handing them back and going back to my 2 kids that can talk to me, climb in their own seats, choose their bedtime books, play in the bath tub and run around the park without mommy being on their heels every second.

Why am I telling you this? Well, it's simple, for whatever reason there are people that just can't seem to figure this out. My mother, for one.

Also...while we're at it, we did not decide to stop at 2 because Ian is insane. Yes, he is going to be my wild child but we were 98% sure we were done while I was pregnant. I was the hold out on that 2% and it was just the hormones. Hubby had the ol' snip snip...we are not having another baby. So please PLEASE stop asking. Stop making comments about trying for a girl and on the flip side don't act like my 3 year old is such a terror that we couldn't possibly want to do it again. Both scenarios are wrong. We decided to stop at 2 because our family is complete. I know my limits, I know what I can handle and this is it. HH feels the same...

That's my rant for today. Pictures and updates on my crazy kids soon. We're having a whole lot of fun in the sun this summer!!

Super quick and pointless update.

First:
I big puffy heart Old Navy...and THIS is just one more reason why you should too!


Second:
My life is stupid crazy busy right now. As in my to-do list is pages long and every time I cross something off I have 14 things to add. I'm kind of stressed, kind of excited, kind of just...yea...crazy. Good thing I generally enjoy crazy!

Third (and really, most important)
Check out Andrea's Blog HERE
Read about this amazing fundraiser for an even more amazing family. Do you know Jen? I'll be you do...Jen kind of rocks.

Okay...yep, that's it from me for now.

Marching for Babies

When I had Aiden I was pretty oblivious to anything pregnancy related. I didn't know a damn thing about infertility, I didn't know anything about pre-mature births, NICU or really...anything. I mean I figured out how to deal with MY baby...but babies in general? I was clueless. It's not true what they say, just because you spend your tween & teenage years babysitting does not mean you'll just know how to be a mom. Babysitting of any kind does NOT make you a mother...or give you any kind of clue as to what it's like to have and raise a child of your own. The people that say that...they're full of crap.

As Aiden got older I figured stuff out, he's an 8 year old who is pretty well mannered and generally well behaved. We haven't totally screwed him up, which is good. It wasn't until I was trying to get pregnant with Ian that I really had any idea of what people go through to have a baby. Or what parents go through when they lose a baby. Losing a baby is what prompted me to start this blog, but even then I don't think I totally "got it".

As I was planning my wedding and walking down the aisle my cousin was suffering through the loss of her son. At the time I was in my own little bubble and I only heard bits and pieces of what happened through the family grape vine. I wish I could go back and change that, to be there for her, but I can't. She went on to have my little cousin, and then after that went on to lose triplets...and then to have my other little cousin who actually made it PAST his due date.

This is the second year that we've marched in honor/celebration and memory of those babies. I look at her, her husband and her boys and I'm in awe. I'm in awe of her strength and her courage and her love for her children.

I have a friend with a little girl fighting daily in the NICU, constantly fighting an uphill battle that most grown adults wouldn't be able to handle. She's amazing, as are her parents and her big sister. This and all of the other babies born too early that spend too long in the NICU or never get to go home with their parents are the reasons we march.

March for Babies 2011

A post once a month?

So yea, I haven't posted in a month...shocking, right?? I figured it was time to give you a recap of the lovely dinner we had this evening.

We had my parents over for their anniversary. On the menu? Stuffed clams, blackened scallops on a bed of smoked gouda risotto, a salad of mixed greens, green beans and cookies with vanilla ice cream for dessert. We're fancy around here...just ignore the fact that we use paper towels instead of napkins and our dinner table has a lot of toddler art work on it.

So we're all sitting down to eat and by eat I mean the adults are eating, Aiden is pushing his risotto around and Ian is climbing under the table and biting his brother's leg. Yep, just your average dinner around here. We're laughing because my parents were originally going out to dinner and invited us but I knew better then to take the demon spawn
Ian out in public so late in the evening.

At some point Aiden mentions being hit in the balls.
HH: Aiden, really?
A: What?
HH: Balls? How about nuts?
M: Guys! We're at the dinner table!
A: What mommy? You don't even have balls.
**at this point my dad is trying really hard to hide the smirk on his face**
A: Fine, privates. Is that better?
M: Will you please just eat your dinner?

A little while later Aiden is telling some story, the child does.not.stop.talking these days and I'm not going to lie, I only listen to about 45% of it. Have you seen the Louis CK skit about ignoring what his daughter says b/c nothing she says matters? I think of that every time I zone out and just nod and smile while he talks. It's not that I don't enjoy his stories, I do, but sometimes he just goes on and on and on....and really, I have a lot of stuff on my mind. Like vacation and dieting and how long until bedtime. See? Busy girl.

Anyway, totally off topic. As he's telling his story he says something is stupid and then follows it up with a rather large burp. HH chimes in to help.
HH: Aiden!!
A: What? I said excuse me.
HH: You said stupid and then burped.
A: I can't help it.
HH: You need to watch your mouth.
A: But stupid isn't a bad word.
M: (chiming in b/c HH seems to be missing a major point)
You know you don't talk like that and please do not burp at the dinner table, it's rude.
A: Well just because girls don't burp mommy **hysterical laughter**
M: Aiden...
HH: Yea, they don't fart either
A: hahahah, I know. Only boys do
M: Really guys???
A: OUCH, MOMMY IAN BIT MY LEG AGAIN!

**I'm surprised my parents didn't decide to take their food to go at this point, but they survived dinner. They even survived HH's song and dance about the fact that he's getting the big V next week. And Aiden made a comment that mommy isn't having any more babies because she's scared. Oh, if he only knew...**