Eight Legs and Counting

Look at that belly - an eating machine! 

Wrestlemania...

Brotherly Love...

Have you ever wondered what a panic button is really for on your keychain other than scaring your own pants off? And why is it that I can somehow manage to set off this tiny red button so easily but when it comes to finding it I am in sheer panic of embarrassment. Here I am 7 fresh weeks of being the mother of two. This morning (I think it's Wednesday, but it might be Thursday) I managed to dress myself and my toddler (a feat unto itself), feed myself, my toddler and infant - Whoa mama - and get us in the car and to school without a tear shed - by any of us! This sequence of events may only happen once in my lifetime, so I have to savour every minute, right? 

As we arrive the baby begins to cry and I hear "Mommy, I want..." I hop out the car and manage to successfully get both kids out and in our way in when I run into the newest mommy on the block. She has a son in Caleb's class and a less than a week old baby girl. Before I tell you about my encounter here let me back up to Monday (wow - was it only days ago). You see at a fresh 6 weeks of being a mother of two by Monday I was on the verge of breaking - chalk it up to hormones or lack of restful sleep. (I must insert here, though, that my precious little girl is sleeping 8-10 hours consistently). And so I digress...back to Monday. I brought Madelyn in to the classroom while dropping off Caleb. One of his teachers was meeting her for the first time. She was raving on about how this other child had just become a big brother and his mother had the baby the previous Thursday, was home on Friday, and bringing both children in on Monday. Well, whoop-de-do! Thank goodness nobody is handing out medals for a new mother who manages to shower everyday or brush their teeth for that matter.  And a double thank goodness that on Wednesday I am feeling much better - an upswing.

So here I am back to this morning, I hop out the car preparing to get both kids inside safely and who do I run into but the newest mommy on the block. Looking energetic, thin, and both kids in tow (Her that is, not me). Never having met before we briefly compare our babies birth weights. And as we move to go in the door what happens but all of a sudden my son manages to stumble between the brick wall and the front of her car parked too close, my panic button goes off screeching at levels louder than a cry that makes glass shatter, and the baby carrier seems bulkier than ever before. As I frantically search for that tiny red button I look up to see this mother whisking both children through the front door with such ease thinking to myself, "If it weren't for people like myself, where would the humor be in life?"

I am thankful each day that Jesus Christ is my panic button, especially on days like I was having Monday. Of course, I don't always remember this and it amazes me how loud He speaks when I press the button. Sometimes He is speaks so loud it scares me!

I want to share a new use for a simple item: A Balloon

Last week when Caleb's pinky finger was slammed in the hinge side of the door at school, I found that a balloon was perfect for holding a small bit of crushed ice. I used medical tape to wrap his two fingers together a couple times a day to reduce the swelling.  

And now for the first time ever, I present to you the "Ipsy Isy Spider" by Caleb Anderson:

Toddlers and Tiaras

Okay, so I don't think we are quite ready to sign Caleb up for his catwalk...

Caleb is becoming more independent each day and one of the things he is doing is learning how to dress himself. Here is an example of what he picks out. Here we have his Nemo pajama pants, favorite Thomas sweatshirt and boot shoes as he calls them. These are the only shoes he can manage to put on himself and usually they are on the wrong feet.

All is well on the home front as Madelyn continues to grow like a weed. She has already been to her first business meeting when I visited with my coworkers yesterday. She is also learning a lot about shopping. Her favorite store so far is Target! 

And on a sad note, my 9 year old cat, Oliver has disappeared. He left shortly after Madelyn came home and was gone for about 2 weeks. Then he reappeared one morning at 4:30am for breakfast and that's the last I've seen of him. I keep looking in the neighbors windows as I drive down the street half expecting him to be looking out frantically.  Here's to my little buddy whom I miss so much!