Here!

Loving every minute of summer! Not very good about taking out my camera. I have been taking lots of pics on my phone, but lugging my camera to the pool or play dates is not happening for me right now! So since we last spoke,

We had a fun play date at the pool on Friday lots of mommas and babies and water and sun.

                                         

We had a momma and Lane day at the pool. Just me and my little guy and I loved it! Parker stayed back with Daddy and napped. Although we enjoyed our time, just the two of us, we felt like we were missing a half so we were very happy when they joined us later that day.

We made lots of trips to our new house and worked on the design of the outside. Matt used this free program called Google Sketchup which gave us a pretty good vision of what our house will look like. I'll try to upload the 3D images later. 

Parker and Lane helped momma train...Harley helped momma train...

We spent more time at the pool with friends. 

We talked about flying in an airplane over and over and over again.

Parker laughed at her big brother. 

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com


 Life is good!

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Disney on Ice

Last Thursday was another date night for Lane and I compliments of Mac Kid. But this time we had a double date with Angela and Jade.

We saw Disney on Ice....PRINCESS Classics. Yes, it was all about the princesses. Parker is more gender-appropriate for that but not so much age-appropriate, so Lane it was! Parker stayed home with her Daddy and I promised her that when she gets old enough she can go. But it was Disney so Mickey, Minnie and Goofy were there, but lots of Princesses as well!

We started off at Barley's for pizza where Lane started getting loopy and the question of whether he napped or not was quickly answered. He apparently was starting to majorly meltdown and I thought I was going to have to drop him off at home before the show even started. On top of that, after each enjoying only one piece of pizza the entire pie feel on the floor. AHH! And it wasn't even by the kids. So by the time we waited for the second pizza to come out it was definitely time to go and get our tickets at Will Call because the show was starting soon.

We headed to the Bi Lo Center and quickly found our seats which were really good. Aladdin was the first story and it started off with the Genie coming out of the bottle with fireworks shooting off. Lane started crying hysterically. Oh boy! He was really scared of the loud noises and even some of the characters, I think. He kept telling me he wanted to go home to see Daddy. And when I said ok, but you'll have to go to bed he said ok. So he was really scared.

I think I enjoyed the show more than he did. It was SO good and it reminded me so much of when I was little. My favorite was probably The Little Mermaid and of course, Cinderella. I thought they did a nice job of putting the show together. I was able to talk him down eventually and after intermission, he somewhat enjoyed it, but still from the comforts of my lap.

Jade who is 3, absolutely LOVED it.




Cinderella's ugly stepsisters. It was amazing how they all skated in those costumes. I can barely ice skate, let alone with all the wardrobe in the show.


Going to the Ball


Bippity boppity BOO!


The best part about the Bi Lo Center is it took us longer to get out of the parking garage than it did to get home. It's a short 5 minute drive from our house and good thing because it was LATE. Matt took Lane up to bed and he said his eyes were literally closed before he even laid all the way down. Matt was asking if he liked the show and he was shaking his head yes, but his eyes were closed. And then Matt said he was like "Night Buddy, love you" and Lane was already asleep. When I went to check on him before I went to bed he was still in the same spot and covered up which never happens. He was a tired little boy!

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One of THOSE days

You know, where you wake up with a smile on your face at the thought of going on a date with your 2 year old. Just you and him...at 10:30 no less...to be sure your date is over before nap time. One of THOSE days when you step out of the shower and you hear pitter patter footsteps and the door swings open and that 2 year old, the one you have the date with, says "mornin' momma" with the biggest smile on his face. One of those days where his excitement about seeing Elmo can hardy be contained and he gives you a high five at the mere mention of the words Big Bird, Abby Cadabby and Telly.

One of THOSE days where your husband and your little girl go on a breakfast date to Starbucks and you are secretly jealous that you can't witness it all. One of THOSE days that you resist from setting out clothes that you want Parker to wear and only give the directions of "You have to put her in something pink" :-)
One of THOSE days where you walk hand in hand with your 2 year old to the car and he looks up at you with his shy smile and you can tell he is just as excited as you are to be spending this one-on-one time.


His eyes tell you he feels special and that having your attention all to himself is priceless.



One of THOSE days where you leave the house on time, find a close parking spot and find your seats just as the lights are dimming and Grover is taking the stage. One of THOSE days where your usually-too-busy-to-sit-in-your-lap 2 year old decides that your lap is the perfect seat to watch Elmo's Healthy Heroes and the seat next to you is really just for your purse.


One of THOSE days that you are glad to be a part of Macaroni Kid because that is the reason you are sitting with your 2 year old at Elmo's Healthy Heroes! (Comped tickets...woot! woot!)

One of THOSE days where you ask him what HE wants to do next and he replies...'chick-flay' so a lunch date to Chick-fil-a it is!

One of THOSE days when even though he mentioned he wanted milk to drink, you remind him they have lemonade and he quickly changes his mind.



One of THOSE days where you let him drink lemonade and eat french fries and not even nag him to eat his chicken.



One of THOSE days where you watch him read his book, that he got in his kid's meal, in your rear view mirror and can't help but feel so blessed.

One of THOSE days where you get home and find a box at your door step addressed to Lane and Parker McConville and watch your 2 year old fill with excitement and anticipation, as he opens each goody. And it's like Christmas.

He smiles and jumps around at each treasure, even if they are from the Dollar Tree, Marshall's or Kohls clearance! Thanks Nene! We love our goodies!!

A little something for everyone...tutus, shoes and bows for Parker, Halloween straws, Thomas whistles and Matchbox cars for Lane and even Harley got a bone!
One of THOSE days where you walk inside and find a straightened house and this:

and your heart instantly melts.

One of THOSE days where Lane promptly gives his new book to Daddy and asks him to read it.

One of THOSE days...those fun fun days. Where everything seems worth while and nothing is as important as the people sitting in front of you.

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When it rains...

You know that saying..."when it rains, it pours." That's life in this household right now.
Lloyd said it best: "We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!" Seriously, it has been the running joke between Matt and I for the last 2 weeks. He'll text me and say "Will you please check to see if Harley's heads still attached."

It started off with the dryer. And it didn't stop there. My Jeep, my beloved 2001 2002 (I think?, or maybe 2003, heck I don't know!) just say older Jeep, with 118,000 miles, died on me on the way to preschool last week. But it started right back up and drove me around the rest of the day. And then I had another day or 2 where it gave me issues, but never stranded me. Just died and started back up. So then Matt took a look at it over the weekend and instructed me to go to Auto Zone Tuesday, to pick up the part that would replace the faulty-causing-the-Jeep-to-die part. Well, as luck, or fate, or my guardian angels (Thanks Gramma and Nonie) would have it, I got in the Jeep Tuesday morning and it.would.not.start. Luckily, it was in the garage. Unluckily, we had meals to deliver and a handful of errands to complete, which included picking up the new part.

I wanted to cry. But I didn't. I called Matt and then called Meals on Wheels and told them I wouldn't make it in today. Lane was all buckled in his seat and he was raring to go. When I turned around to look at him, he gave me the biggest smile and that's when I decided. I instructed him to wait there while I changed and put on my walking shoes and we would head to the park.


He was happy. He didn't know where we were headed to begin with. He's always just along for the ride...wherever that may be! So instead of thinking about the dead Jeep, the kidney stones ripping through my body right now (ow!) or the extra 30 pounds I am lugging around, I made my way, as best I could, to the park.


I tried not to think about the fact that my body hurts, this baby is heavy, my lower back is aching, my pelvic bones feel like they are about to fall out, it was hot, although not the 100 degree 99% humidity we have been having, but still hot, especially for a preggo. Nope, I tried my best to push it all aside. I wanted to make this a meaningful day for my little guy. And who knows, this could be one of our last together, just him and I.

So I grabbed my camera and saw his face light up

when we arrived at the park where he could get all his climbing bugs out

because 2 year olds love to climb. And he definitely has climbing bugs these days.




Where he could swing in the breeze, looking up at the sky, without a care in the world.




And then I got on next to him..cause he asked me too. And we both started swinging and laughing and swinging and saying "Hi Momma!" "Hi Lane!" "Hi Momma!" "Hi Lane" as we passed each other in motion!








Where he would run across the play ground to me, with his blond hair blowing in the wind, to tell me about the airplane flying overhead. "Hear it, momma? airpane. See it, momma? it fly high in sky!'

It always makes me smile. It's always like the first time. It brings me life!



So we played and explored...the 2 year old way.




We talked about airplanes that we heard and trucks driving through the neighborhood. And when every rock, stick and piece of mulch had been thrown into the tiny creek that runs through the park,






we found a stick worth keeping and headed home.


Maybe all this curse is a blessing. Maybe it was a reminder to stay home and take it all in. I hadn't really picked up my camera to capture my son through the lens in a while. I needed that. A little photographic therapy!

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Just another Manic Monday

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo........
it sure was. I usually am a fan of Monday because the chaos of the weekend is behind us and it's back to routine. But this Monday...not so much. It started out with a Dentist appt. at 7 am. WHY? What possessed me to schedule a DENTIST appt. at 7 am on Monday morning? I have no idea. I think it was because I was in mommy-of-2 thinking mode. Like, what if I delivered already? I can't take 2 kids to the dentist. Yeah, I have 4 weeks until I'm due...what was I thinking?!

Anyway, Matt wasn't particularly happy with that choice because it pushed his departure for work way back. I got there at 6:57 thinking they could start right away because who else is going to be there at 7 am for an appointment. No waiting. That would have been fine, but I beat everyone to the office and the hygienist was 20 minutes late getting started on me so that was not good. Monday-1 Angela-0

When I got home, I had some breakfast and waited for Lane to wake up. When he finally did, I got him some breakfast and answered some e-mail. I had a bunch of loose ends to tie up and I needed a few minutes, a few minutes to think and gather my thoughts, but all I could hear was 'momma' 'momma' 'momma.' Crap. Lane and Monday-2 Angela-0

This child has been potty-trained for one month now. We have our good days and bad, but today he literally was pooping his pants as I was asking him if he had to go potty and he said 'no.' Oh really?!?! Ya coulda fooled me....Lane and Monday-3 Angela-0

Practically the minute Lane wakes up, he is asking to go bye-bye. It's partially my fault. I fill his social calendar. So when nothing is on the calendar for the day, he has expectations that I sometimes can't fulfill. This morning was no different. The only thing on the agenda was grocery shopping and those loose ends that I never got to tie up. How fun can that be? Not very. At about 9:30 he was saying 'shoe on' 'bye bye' 'sock on.' The child was clearly ready to leave. So I dressed him as I was answering a phone call. He literally is pulling me by my hand and leading me to the door. I barely have time to grab my purse. I know I forgot something! Lane and Monday-4 Angela-0

On our way to the grocery store, I decide to take a detour to the zoo. It's 5 minutes from our house, it's on the way to the store, we have a membership so it's free. Yeah we were just there last week, but they have a really great toddler park in there and we have passes so it's free. Who says we can't go to the zoo just to play at the park...and if we are so inclined, we will visit the elephants or lions as we make our way to the park. Plus, there's nothing a little park and zoo action can't take care of when you're having a not so good day. Oh and this would have been a good day to actually use my camera...my real camera and not my phone camera. But wait, Lane rushed me out of the house and I was on the phone so do you think I grabbed my camera....um no! Lane and Monday-5 Angela-0

The zoo was good. The park was good. We headed to the grocery store where I spent $20 under my grocery budget for the week! Woo Hoo! Lane was occupied by a water bottle the whole time so he wasn't grabbing at the groceries in the back of the cart or smooshing the bread. Lane and Monday-5 Angela-1

And finally we are back home. It's almost 12:30. We managed to occupy a whole morning even though we didn't really have any set plans and now it's time for lunch and nap! Lane and Monday-5 Angela-2

Monday still clearly won, but the second half of the day has gone much better!

And some pictures and a video from my not-so-great iphone camera:

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So we like picnics

I think next up on my 'to-purchase' list would be a small table for Lane. He loves outdoors, I love outdoors and at least once a week I declare that we are going to have a picnic! "Picnic!" he yells. He actually might understand what it means at this point. But the first few times I could have declared it a garbage day and he would have yelled "garbage!" or a clean the toilets day and he would have yelled "toilets!" Do you see what I'm saying? Using an excited tone with an almost 2 year old makes them excited even if they have no clue what it is...but I think he gets 'picnic' now. So picnic it was.

Why do I think picnics sound so fun? Because I envision them like this:
Mommy makes picnic lunch brings it out to toddler who's sitting on picnic blanket

Toddler sits happily, without dropping a crumb, eating every last morsel of his lunch.

Toddler does not get up and walk around because toddler wants to finish lunch without making a mess.

Do toddler picnics go like that? Ummmm, not in my house...

In my house they go like this:
Mommy makes picnic lunch and brings it out to toddler who at the moment is deceivingly sitting nicely on picnic blanket. See picture:


Toddler gets up in 2.7 seconds and starts picking food off Mommy's plate.


Toddler, in the process of stealing mommy's food, steps on his own plate.

Toddler now has ham sandwich stuck to the bottom of his shoes.
Mommy's anxiety rises.

Toddler then walks in the house (why does it always have to be after I wash the floors?) with ham and pieces of bread stuck to bottom of shoes that are now all over clean floors. Cue: Harley to clean up bits of ham and pieces of bread all over floor.

Mommy scarfs down lunch and decides this picnic needs to be over.

The End!

And that's why they make toddler seats with buckles and straps...so toddler can't move!

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Watermelon and Waffles

One afternoon a few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided it would be a good idea to let Lane eat outside. On the lunch menu for the day...waffles with blueberry jelly and watermelon. I'm not a whim kinda person. You've probably gathered that already. It took me 9 months to hit "buy" in my shopping cart that housed my Canon, 2 months after that to finally decide on a camera bag that would work best for me, and don't even get me started when I have to book a hotel room whether it be for a quick overnight stay or a week-long family vacay. I don't make decisions very well. I like to think things through and then do them the best way they play out in my mind. Although the way they play out in my mind doesn't=the way they actually play out...

It started out...let's say just ok. I had just downloaded the FB App back to my iPhone and I settled in a chair to catch-up on some much needed FB time. Lane was sitting perched on the step with his waffle in hand and watermelon at his side.

 He was looking quite cute in all his jelly-faced glory so I decided to fore go the FB time and take out my camera.

All was well....until he started to move from his perch....

and came at me with a mouthful of watermelon and watermelon drool...

he wanted to sit on my lap...

and then proceeded to give me a jelly-lipped kiss. Which I didn't so much mind, but that made it hard to take pictures when he was sitting on me. So when I asked him to sit elsewhere is when it got a little hairy. He thought I meant lay halfway outside the house and halfway inside on the wood floors I just scrubbed on my hands and knees during nap time the previous day.

And then he thought walking under the table looked like fun.

Fun for him...yes...fun for the person that decides to sit on the chair full of jelly...not so much.

This was not turning out as planned.

Needless to say my anxiety of sticky fingers at my lens and on my outdoor cushions got the best of me and we ended our waffle and watermelon lunch inside...strapped in a confined chair where lenses and cushions were far out of reach.

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