Confession

I stopped hiding my interest in reality TV years ago and will freely read People in front of others now, my interest in trash no longer a secret.

But I reached a new low. I bought and read Tori Spelling's book "SToriTelling". I didn't just read it, I was interested in it. Blame it on the fact that I secretly watched the last couple of seasons of her show. She has a son and a daughter 16 months a part, like the A-Team, who are 5 and 4 and she just had a baby, so maybe I like watching her family, but I guess it would be insane to say I relate to her?? hahaha.

Maybe I can blame it on the fact that I wanted to read about how she cheated on her husband for "true love" Dean and justified it. I don't know. I feel like it's a book I need to give away now :) I can at least say I will never read it again!

I don't admire her or particularly like her that much, so I'm not sure really what my interest is.

Christmas Morning

I was pretty excited for Christmas morning. I could tell the kids were old enough to enjoy it. We had gotten them...and Santa...some things I was sure they'd get excited for. They knew something was up right away. Abbey checking out the pile of gifts... And Adam... Abbey went right for her Hello Kitty, which excited me because I struggled to find gifts for her and she still sleeps with it. When she's in her bed for having a tantrum, she will hug that kitty :) This was one of my favorite photos from the morning. I didn't have the camera out all morning, just for a bit, so I wasn't focusing on getting good shots. But there's Adam checking out his lion..Simba from Uncle Bobby. Uncle Bobby descending from the upstairs, still waking up. You can see Adam already stealing the owl from Abbey. Bailey loves Uncle Bobby. They don't technically look alike, but he really reminds me of my Dad here. Love the little smile on Abbey's face checking out the mustard bottle from her box of toy food. CAKES!! Adam loves his playdough! I knew Abbey would like her shopping basket!! I didn't expect her to climb into it!! For a couple weeks, she kept trying to get in. Adam opening up his Buzz Lightyear! He was obsessed for days with keeping Buzz in his box until he destroyed it and I had to take it. He liked acting out the scene from Toy Story 2 where the other buzz puts Buzz back in the box. Our "fireplace"! And Abbey suddenly figured out that something cool was underneath the paper and went for her tricycle. She gets on it almost every day, trying to puddle and I push her around the dining room. She's on the verge! Hoarding Buzz in the box. Getting out the cakes...! Playing with the dinosaurs....these still have their box in his room :) Two-toppy! Still sleeping with him... And Abbey went after Adam's bike...yeah she's chewing on it. Sigh. the kids had so much fun! About halfway through, Adam figured out that unwrapping was fun. Abbey was slow at unwrapping, and poor Adam kept getting in trouble for opening hers! It was a great morning. Uncle Bobby even said it was his best in years.

And Todd surprised me with three gifts: Adam got me Carmellos, which I ate all the time when I was pregnant with him, Abbey got me the Hangover 2 which I wanted and Todd got me a trip to New York City to see The Book of Mormon. What he wrote on the outside of the envelope was so sweet, I told him it could have been anything inside and I would've thought it was the best :) I got Todd a new Garmin and a new DVD player for his birthday.

Adam: Kid at Play

Each morning, my alarm goes off sometimes at 6:45, sometimes 7 and on rare occasions today where I was really tired 7:15 and then I run the bathroom to before I hit the bike. Adam's is sometimes up. Playing. He never stops. I leave him in there while I'm on the bike and then either jump in the shower quick or let him out if he's been up for a while then get in the shower. You can tell if you listen to him what he's playing. This morning I heart Twoot-Hoo-Twoot-Hoo...the sound of the owl. I didn't expect to see the owl (which he stole from Abbey after Christmas, who was very interested in it) lying on the floor and Adam's arm crammed through the slats of the crib trying to "save" him. STUCK Mom! he said. Of course, he really wasn't. He kept hooting like owl, who was "stuck". I'm not sure if I'm describing it well, but the scene was too funny. He wouldn't get out until I "unstuck" the owl for him. Thanks Mommy twoot hoo! I think that was from the owl....

I took this shot a couple of weeks ago...right after we went to Joe's Crab Shack and Daddy got him another shark. That red thing is one of the possums from Ice Age, according to Adam. He's been into Ice Age 2 lately. And there are prehistoric fish that Adam calls sharks. That chipmunk McDonald's toy has become Sid from the movie. Manny was pulling him and a horse for some reason. :) Adam likes to read at the table now like Mommy. Last week, he fished out the comics himself, eating his peaches with one hand and reading with the other. Love his cute little hand. He told me he was reading the doggie story. And penguins. And Mommy and Daddy. And here we are back to this morning. After he was awake, he ran into the back room and discovered the tool set someone had gifted him at Abbey's party, one of Kathy's kids. He was immediately in love with it. Especially the hat and the drill. He played with it all day, Abbey yelling for it on occasion of course. He knew what the tools were, including the screw driver. He even "helped" Daddy change a broken light bulb. He got out his "tools", too :) Adam has such a huge imagination. I know a lot of toddlers do, but it's clear it's one of Adam's things. Love to see what this kid comes up with next.

Cell Phone Purge

As I mentioned, I am switching phones. These are most of the pictures I took off of it. This photo was taken almost a year ago, not exactly sure when I took it. The first time I took Adam with me to pick something up at Wayne's. He was loving the play ares ...and the freedom. He looks...young. Last May. Abbey with a spaghetti face, sad for some reason. Todd snapped it and sent it to me, teasing me when I left my family in August for Sarah's wedding, I would know that's how she felt. I ended up making it my phone wallpaper. She looks like a baby still! Also from last May, this photo needs no introduction!! The rare photo of them together, sometime early summer, reading books. Adam put this on and called himself Buzz Lightyear last summer. Makes me smile every time. This past October...back at Wayne's :) Todd snapped this a few months ago and set it to my phone so that when he called me, this would show up. It's Adam, on the phone of course! It's not flattering particularly, but for some reason I like this photo of me and my girl. Took this last month. Adam using Abbey's tea set to make "coffee". He dressed up buzz, too like in Toy Story when he's "Mrs. Nesbitt". It's so funny that he was certain that it was a coffee set...tells you what he's used to seeing around here. He spent that day making me coffee and snack-y." My life is full of so many random wonderful moments. Pictures and this blog offer a chance to capture a few, though it's the memories they trigger that really capture it.

October/Adam-Sorous

I'm switching phones and had to clean off the photos. This is one of my favorites. I tried Adam's costume on him one Saturday a couple of weeks before Halloween and he LOVED it. At first, not surprisingly, he wasn't interested in the hood. Until I convinced him to look in the mirror. The grin on his face was priceless. Here's Adam-sorous eating his "trees" for snack. He kept it on most of the day :) I remember when I sent this photo to Todd's phone, he teased me that I was enjoying play time with my kids since I had been student teaching. Yes, I said, I guess I was. I certainly missed the everyday fun with my kiddos and am so happy to be with them again.

But now, Uncle Bobby misses them. Of course...they great! (When they're not throwing tantrums (Abbey) or refusing to nap or eat (Adam) :)

Another reason I like this photo? Adam's little cheeks look so cute, chubby like when he was my baby.

Chuck E. Cheese With Holly

Three Sundays ago, we hopped in the car thinking we'd head to my favorite weekend spot: Five Guys, of course. Phone call from Holly...are we coming to her granddaughter Anya's third birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Crap. We forgot. I didn't have a gift, but what could we say? We were literally headed to the same area. And how could we deprive the kids of Chuck E. Cheese? It had been almost a year, but we didn't forget how much they loved it.

It was crazy and crowded for sure, but the kids were excited. While I went and ordered an overpriced pizza, Todd and Holly ended up letting the kids hit the floor. They couldn't wait...who could blame them? Adam went right for the Whack A Mole which he LOVES (and Abbey isn't particularly interested in...I tried!). Didn't have my camera, but used my crummy phone to at least catch the moment. Little Abbey loved the riding rides... After pizza, the kids went right back. I got the kids the souvenir cups and Abbey was covered in fruit punch, but happy. We took turns following each kid around. There was this game that Adam liked where you threw balls in, not that he knew what he was doing completely. And then there was the tube slide, this contraption that hangs from the ceiling. Adam had been up in and loved it. Abbey finally got brave enough to go, but we recruited Aunt Holly to take her as we didn't want to get stuck in that thing. SHE LOVED IT, When she came down the slide, she refused to come out and SCREAMED when I took her out. I told her if she wanted to go again she had to stop and she did. But she had a couple more yells in her when she was taken out. Poor Holly was exhausted and hot, but boy did Abbey have a ball. Eventually I took her over to the other side of the room where the character Chuck E. was walking around to get her mind off the slide. She was interested, but when they were singing If you're happy and you know it, she kept looking for the video...because I always play it on YouTube. Ah, technology. They had cake (Buzz and Woody from Toy Story and Adam worked VERY hard not to touch them. I was pretty proud) and they were done.

Two and half hours and we left. We'd had enough Chuck E. Cheese. We'll go back...when Abbey's big enough to climb the slide herself.

Love Sunday family day adventures.

Sunday Family Day/Wind Turbines & Joe's Crack Shack

Yesterday we drove to Geneseo to meet with a guy about his wind turbine project. Don't ask. We got there early enough where we let the kids run wild in the lot behind the building. Abbey and Adam ran with such love of being free, makes me always envy being a toddler when that was fun! Abbey fell a few times playing running away from Daddy and....running back and he picks her up as kisses her. SHe LOVED this. But she is scary because whenever she gets a chance, she tries to run, run, run far away. She has gotten better. Mostly, you can get her to stop before she goes too far. The hardest part is if you follow her, she runs harder. I imagine when she's a teenager, this will translate into giving her space...but not too much.

They did OK in the guy's office, Adam was having fun calling himself on the lobby phone while Abbey ran the halls. I ended up sitting in the car with them after a half hour because it's hard for toddlers to be good much longer!

We had been talking about going to the Joe's Crab Shack in Rochester since it opened last summer. I suggested this was a good chance and the kids were doing well in the car, so we figured we go for it.

We had gone to one in Atlanta after massive advertising had piqued our interest and we liked it. Todd got a lobster pot and we went with his sister Bonnie, niece April, baby Mama Jordan and our great nephew Peyton. It was decorated with a ton of kitsche in theme. Adam was only one and a half, but he loved all the sharks and whales and other sea themed stuff there. Todd got a drink called a shark bite that came with a shot in a plastic shark, which had become a part of Adam's Ice Age scenes.

We got there and were pleased we didn't have to wait, but they led us to a table that was like a picnic table, not conduscive for two high chairs and plied in very close to the other tables. There was a huge shark over the front desk Adam liked, but the decoration were limited. The waiter was slow and forgetful, the worst combination with hungry and tired toddlers (as I had predicted, Abbey refused to nap all day until five minutes before we got to the resturant). Todd got another Shark Bite for Adam who was esctatic to get another shark (and who also was loving the picnic table..lots of wiggle room on a bench) and I got a drink in mason jar. They were good and the best part of the meal. I wanted another, but the waiter was so slow we ended up not bothering. Todd got a crab pot and I got a New England seafood platter. The food wasn't bad, but nothing special. The kids meals weren't bad.

Adam dove right in but Abbey, who was MISERABLE the first half hour, had suddenly mood turned after I convinced her to drink some juice, grabbing my sunglasses and putting them on me, cracking up and putting them on herself upside down, slowly ate fry by dry, hanging out and watching. (Seeing Abbey be silly and have fun with me...this is why I always wanted a daughter..:). I had gotten her a corn on a cob as she loved it last summer. At first she didn't touch it, but then she discovered it and was excited. Todd gave her his big piece and she prompted through the small one on the floor, so excited. But it was too big, she wasn't quite sure how to go at it....I ended up breaking it in half :)

Tired and full and done playing out Ice Age, Adam had a meltdown over eating ice (a habit my mother taught him ARGH) and the bit the inside of his mouth, poor kid. Daddy took him to the car while I cut off Miss Slow Eat to get her going.

The ride back wasn't awful. Abbey was pretty happy and then fell asleep five mintues before we were home again. Adam got upset about a half hour from home.

"Home" he said.

"Stuck"

"I go"

It's fun to do stuff. But it's best to come home. Adam is a homebody and very into his family. He likes us all together and he likes to go. But it never fails that eventually, he says it.

HOME

My Big Boy

Adam at 3 is more challenging than at 2. He's funny and fun, loving and loyal. If I act the least bit sad, he is immediately by my side hugging me and making sure I'm OK. When I took him to his well child exam (3 months late, I admit it), she said Your Son is VERY Tall. Yeah, I know. A few weeks ago, I was in the mud room organizing the hat/scarf bin. There was an umbrella in there, too. He grabbed, saying "U is for u-la". He really struggles with umbrella in his phonics song, but it's so cute! He put on his too big rain boots and spun around with his U-la. Love the smile... Notice the Halloween dinosaur costume on the floor in the front that he pulled of the closet, too and he put on the next day...it barely fits but he wore it for a day calling himself an Abbey-Gabie. Officially, forty inches and forty-two pounds. That's 90th percentile height and 95th percentile weight. He says things like "Give me Hand" and holds his hands out when he wants me to go somewhere with him. Every morning when I bring Abbey out, he says "Hi Abbey" sometimes on his own and sometimes when I remind him. If he likes food he says MMM Tastes Good! He's recently discovered he loves chocolate and he'll say Chaw.colate plllllease. He goes in our room, opens the cabinet, pulls out a movie he wants and hands it to me with the remote.

I love this boy and his charm and his sparkle, his obsessive nature of grouping "like" toys together and how he insists now that I sing him songs before bed. A is for Apple, Twinkle, 5 Monkeys, The Shape Song, Christmas Tree Song, Santa Claus, Ten Little Numbers and Baa Baa Black Sheep. I cannot teach him anymore or I'll be singing to him all night. And if I don't sing it in order, look out, I will get stopped AND corrected. His hugs are priceless (except when he's in trouble he'll say HUG KISS) to try and get out of it :) and his kisses melt my heart. Tonight, he was leaning on me on the couch, watching Despicable Me and I was hugging him and he turned around and kissed me. Doesn't happen much (unless, once again, he wants to get out of trouble HUG KISS!).

Calls himself Elmo. Tonight he said ELMO SIT when he got up during movie time. No, Adam, you have to sit with Mommy. MOMMY SIT ELMO SIT and so I followed him from the couch to the chair....because he IS spoiled :)

Flashback to August/Abbey and Sully

When I flew to my sister Sarah's wedding last August, Todd was on Mr. Mom duty. He sent me some photos, though kept encouraging me to focus on spending time with my sister. I saved this one from my phone....little Abbey (dressed in leggings and a dress shirt...my Dad used to dress me in similar combinations :) with her Sully. Her birthday cake will have Sully and Rapunzel on it...Monsters Inc. was her first favorite movie. She even asked for it by name when she wasn't even 18 months old. He sleeps in her bed with her. One afternoon, Erin watched her last summer while I went and took photos of her daughter and her friends. She said that when she peeked in on Abbey, she was awake and hiding behind her Sully every time, finally falling asleep with him on her head. Guess he was her security when she realized her Mama was gone!

Flashback to Last Spring

Last spring, I think it must've been late April, it was warm and chilly and the lawn between the driveway and our main door were covered in these beautiful little flowers. Abbey just loved to sit in them. These photos don't do it justice...even the neighbors commented on how pretty it looked, though they are technically weeds! I can't believe how little she looks here! And her hair hadn't quite gone wild yet :) I remember taking these photos with my cell phone and sending them to a few people. It just felt like the beginning of spring. There's something about the promise of summer that puts me in a good mood.

Playing in the "Snow"

This super mild winter (understatement) has allowed for some winter playtime outside, though the playgrounds are muddy so a walk around the block and a few minutes out in our little yard. Last week, this was the snow "pile" little Abbey couldn't get enough of. Pictures from my phone... She's so happy with this pile of dirt and snow from Todd's plow. Anything that makes my kids excited always puts a smile on my face. She was going up and over and Mom had to rescue her a few times when she got "stuck". Adam likes that pile, too, gong over and over it, though Abbey had a special affinity for it :) Have to watch her because she will snatch piles of snow at any time, no matter they are from and eat them. She has that problem with lotions, too.