Another Christmas Survived

It's December 30 and we have survived another Christmas. It was an extremely exciting Christmas- since Tommy is no longer a constantly screaming, colicky newborn and Timmy got the whole Santa Claus thing and we watched him grow more and more excited about Santa coming- to our house! We left cookies & milk of course but this year, Timmy & I made a snack for the reindeer. I read that they love oatmeal flakes so we mixed some up w/ some cookie decoration candies (Timmy choose the small silver ball things as well as red & green sugar). Timmy woke up Cmas morning to realize that the reindeer DID love it but made a mess on our back deck eating it. "They are pretty messy, Mommy" Indeed they are.
It was also the first year we had Cmas in our NEW house- and hopefully the last house we will be celebrating in.
We started a new tradition in our new house for Cmas morning- we made cinnamon rolls and turned it into a "breakfast birthday cake" for Jesus. We lit a candle and sang happy birthday- it was another way to try to teach Timmy (and Tommy) why we have Cmas.
I took the boys to Wisconsin a couple of days later (we were delayed by one day due to weather-ended up missing the big celebration w/ my brothers, sister in law, nieces & nephews, Pops & Bev.... still trying to forgive Old Man Winter). We were able to spend the day w/ my dad & step mom and had a great time- despite the fact that their dog kept making moves on Timmy :) I was told the dog was fixed... must be something appealing about Timmy's scent or something. We spent both nights at my friend Leslie's. She has two boys (Jordan & Colby) who Timmy LOVES to play with and Tommy mostly watched since he couldn't keep up :) Since we missed Pops & Bev at the party, we stopped by and spent time with them. It was so wonderful to see everyone.
Back to reality and we are now getting ready to bring in the new year, new decade and to celebrate Tim's 40th bday!!!
Happy New Year!! (here are some pics...)


Here is Timmy w/ his good pals, Jordan & Colby


Grandpa Greg & Tommy (w/ Bonnie in background)



Tommy is always smiling when Allison (my niece) has him



Daddy & Tommy on Christmas morning- excited!!



Timmy got a dvd box set of his FAVORITE videos.... I Love Toy Trains!!

Tis the season...

Of course, it's 3 days before Cmas and Timmy is coughing and has a runny nose. It's that nasty bark cough too. Ugh. He hasn't even been in preschool so who knows where he got this one from.
Just getting ready to embrace a busy Christmas weekend. The weather is supposed to be frightful but the family time will be delightful (excuse the "cheesy-ness of that... guess it's the holiday buzz... or the Bud Light Lime). I'm hoping Saturday's weather will permit me to take the boys up to Wisconsin to see my family!

Target date: December 16

December 16.... it's the date that continues to stick in the back (as well as the front & middle) of my brain. It's the day after finals. The day I will feel relief from lingering homework, papers and projects. The day I won't need to open a textbook (and it not being from ignoring or procrastinating). I'm probably putting a lot of pressure and expectations on December 16. After all, everyone knows that any freed up space & time is quickly replaced by other things.

We have a Christmas tree up! It's empty and plain but it's up and makes the house smell nice :) Hopefully tonight... we are the only house in the neighborhood w/out outside lights or any decor up. And this is our first Cmas in the new neighborhood- people are going to think we are scrooges! :)

Tommy is becoming more and more interested in walking. Yesterday morning he climbed up Timmy and the two of them started walking together. Here is a pic.

Hmmm... not sure what to think

So, Timmy has taken to calling me "Sir, Mommy" when (after asking him a few times) I tell him to do something and he doesn't do it. Like most Moms, my voice gets a little louder & a little more stern. But Sir Mommy?? Really?? Is it that bad?? When he first did it I was waiting for him to laugh (still waiting). But I guess in the long run- as long as he does whatever it is that is being asked of him at the time... whatever!
At least he's not calling me "Mommy Dearest"... right!?

Oh- went to Walgreens and MADE money... (which is good after the money spent Friday morning!)
Bought:
Johnson & Johnson's Body Wash
Dove Ultimate Deodorant
Right Guard Deodorant
Infusium Leave In Treatment
Aquafresh Toothpaste

Between Rebates & coupons... I came out ahead $2.47

Also, I will be starting to do mystery shopping for McDonald's. A long list of rules but on top of the free food (which most of it will be thrown away because I don't want to be like the guy on SuperSize Me) you get paid $10 each visit/evaluation. And the evaluations for them rock because there is hardly any narrative to do! (unlike Hooters) So... that will bring in an extra $60 a month. Score!

Tommy... our boy genius

Okay, every mom thinks their kid is a genius. And most are- in one way or another. So let me tell you why I think our little man, Tommy- has proven to have intelligence above and beyond the normal 13 month old.

A couple months ago, I started to really focus on using the baby sign language with him. Once I was smart enough to be consistent with it- Tommy picked up on it right away. First it was eat. Then more. Then milk. But, a couple of weeks ago- he created his own sign for the word lotion. I'm not kidding!

Tommy's eczema had returned and he was pretty miserable. When I put lotion on him, you can feel his body just relax and feel relief. Well, one night early last week, I had him on his changing table and he saw the bottle of lotion. He started to rub his hands together. Then he did the more sign. Then he rubbed his hands together again. He then started pointing at the bottle and going "ah-ah-ah". So I grabbed the bottle and asked him if he wanted lotion... and he just had a huge smile on his face. So, I took his lead and did the "more" sign and then Tommy's "lotion" sign (rubbing my hands together). Tommy repeated it. My heart leaped!

He's done that sign on a consistent basis. Again tonight,which is what made me think I should post it. I realized that when I go to put lotion on him, I squirt some in my hands, then rub them together, then rub the lotion on him. He picked up on that and went with it! I mean come on- how many 13 months do you know who CREATE their own signs for words???!!

Anyway- that is my proof that Tommy is indeed a genius. Not to mention a gentle soul with a heart that loves to make you smile :)

A note on my oldest golden child... Timmy. We were in Target today and as we were checking out he said he had to go to the bathroom. Panicking (seriously in the middle of checking out) I asked if he was going to be able to hold it and he said yes (love these potty conversations out in the wide open :). So, we ran to the family bathroom as soon as we could. As we walked in, I realized it was the first time I took him pee in public. Ummm... it's a big oval toilet w/ no "pee blocker" on it. No stool either. Oh- and I have Tommy to contend w/ too. Long story short- Timmy was a champion- worked w/ the situation- peed & pooped in the potty at Target. That ah boy Timmy!!

Some pictures taken through out the day today...

Here is a picture of Timmy- just before bed with his pals- Tugs & Pooh Bear. My heart consistently melts with this little man. After watching me cut and work with coupons so much this past week, the other day he asked why I did that and I told him it's because I want to be a "coupon queen" His response was- "but your a coupon princess mommy!" And then later in the day he said I was a "cleaning princess" :)

Here is Tommy (right after telling me he needed lotion) getting ready for bed... look at those choppers!! He loves being goofy- and yes, we encourage it around here :)

Timmy still LOVES taking pictures with my camera... here is my morning look-nice, huh?

I had to put this one on (makes up for my picture above- but Timmy loves to see the pictures we takes posted so I took one for that team there). I found Tommy's zoo hat and he pointed at it and made it clear he wanted it on. So- on it went. Funny- he hated it on when we were out in the hot sun during summer!

More coupon bragging...

Okay, I'm really getting the hang of this. It takes a lot of time between looking up the blogs, looking up the sales and looking thru the coupons (not to mention trying to organize it all so when you're in the store you remember what's going on). Here is a low-down of today's adventures...

Walgreen's

3x $6.99 toys that were buy two get one free
1x $9.99 toy
1x pkg Ricola cough drops
2x aluminum foil
3x Scott tape

The toys had an additional sale so between sales, coupons & register rewards, I paid $11.97 for everything- but also received $8 in register rewards for my next purchase.

Did the best bargin shopping at Dominick's. Had my first nasty check out lady- all the blogs warn about these types. She wasn't going to accept a bogo coupon on nivea lip balm because Dominick's already had a bogo- so it would have been free. She said that I had to pay for at least one of them. So I ended up going to customer service and they accepted the coupon. I might try to Orland Park Dominick's next time- this is the third time the check out people have been kind of rude there.



Anyway- Dominick's:
9 lbs of 93% lean hamberger
5x boxes of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars
2x boxes of Cheez Its
1x box of Wheat thins
4x boxes of Multigrain Premium Saltines
3x two liters of diet dr pepper
16x yogurts (we love yogurt here!)
2x Nestle Coffe Mate creamer (big bottles!)
1x pkg of american cheeze (or "square cheeze" as we call it)
2x pkgs of Land o Lake spreadable butter w/ Olive Oil
2x loaves of wheat bread
1lb fresh asparagus
1x 3 lbs bag of red potatoes
2x Nivea Lip Balm

ALL FOR $39!!!!!!!!

Our last credit card bill was HALF of the average bill from the past 12 months!! Whew- that makes it worth running to different stores. Every month we save like that- it's more time I can spend at home w/ my boys. And this is what I remind myself when I want to get lazy :)

So how about some pictures since it's not all about me and my shopping habits :) These pics were taken last week at Boilingbrook's Symphony of Lights. We went to Bass Pro Shops and got a pic taken w/ Santa.

Timmy's daily question... "is it Christmas time yet, Mommy??" And as quickly it came up and as scary as it is... yes, it's Christmas time. Hope your preparations are going well!!

Conquering the Coupons...

Like 99% of everyone else out there- we are really trying to make our dollars stretch. I've been trying to figure out this super couponing thing- but it's harder than it first looked. I go on these "super couponer's" blogs and see the table top full of food that they paid $5 for. On Good Morning America a couple of months ago, they did a story on a woman who spent an average of $4 a week on groceries... for a family of 6. I would cut coupons (mostly for the items I always used) and then would pray for the best as far as remembering the 1) use the coupon and/or 2) bring the coupon to the store.

I'm definately getting better. I now save ALL coupons from the Sunday paper and clip out the coupon when the item goes on sale (unless it's something I'm buying anyway- like contact solution- then I just cut it right away). We've seen a difference in our credit card bill- which is always a relief.

With all that being said, yesterday and today mark some of the biggest successes for me yet. Here is a picture of what I got at Target for $13.48

$13.48 includes everything pictured- except for the Breeze2 glucose monitor. That I MADE $5 on at Walgreens :)

Gratitude

Picture this if you will...

You are walking along a path in your local forrest preserve with a couple of friends. Suddenly, inbetween your chit-chatting, you start to hear a loud, very loud, noise coming from behind you. The noise is hard to make out for sure, but it starts off with just some creeking and squeaking but becomes so loud it's as if a freight train is right next to you. You & your friends realize that one of the trees is falling, and it's coing towards you.
You start to run, not even knowing where the energy or ability to run so fast comes from. You love your friends dearly but you are so focused on running, it doesn't even strike you to look to see how fast they are running. Up ahead on a path, you see a man coming towards you. And then CRASH- the tree lands. Relieved you made it, you start taking deep breaths. As you & your friends talk w/ the man that was also on the path, you realize that your leg is hurting. Down by your ankle. And then you realize that blood is squirting everywhere. The man from the path pulls out a piece of paper towel and applies pressure until the ambulance comes. It works, the amount of blood loss isn't that bad. And you end up walking away with a mended leg and the feeling you are one lucky duck.

I told this story to my Health class, as we were on the discussion of "good samaritans" and if they really exist. After telling the story, one of the students stated "wow, that woman is really lucky that man was walking on the path." And then it hit me, yeah, she is really lucky. Lucky that he happened to be at the right place at the right time.

This is a true story. And for once, it's not me who is the injured woman. But actually, it's my father in law, Tom, who was the man walking on the path (w/ a clean piece of paper towel in his pocket. Tim & I like to call that type of thing a "McGyver move." ) After my classmate said that about the woman being lucky it made me realize. Yeah, that woman is really lucky that Tom was there for that moment. But how lucky am I that I have such a wonderful person in my life. Even more lucky that he's a packaged deal and comes with my mother in law!

My absolute favorite Proverb is: " Those who walk with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools comes to ruin." Back in my early 20's I made that my prayer, asking that the right kind of people would start to come in my life. And here I am today. With some of the most amazing people for in-laws and an even more amazing husband. Sometimes I get pretty sad about being so far away (and often out of touch) with my family. But then I realize that I'm surrounded and embrace by love, support & encouragement. So I'm away from family but there is no doubt that I'm home.

Quote of the day..

Had to get this one down in writing...

Instead of getting in the habit of having the TV or a video on in the morning, we usually listen to music. Which, often leads to dancing. Some of our favorites (mostly just Timmy & I at this point. Tommy often looks at us with a hint of suspicion, I'm guessing he's wondering if he's really related to us) include the ever popular "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes" and of course, "The Chicken Dance."

This morning while doing the chicken dance, Timmy was holding on to a little ball that was shaped like a brain. In the midst of flapping his arms he stopped and said "This is really hard to do with my brain!"

I've been on a "giggle high" since :)

BY THE WAY: I JUST REALIZED MY LAST POST ON OCT 17 SAT IN THE "EDIT" BOX AND WASN'T OFFICIALLY POSTED. JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Good times all around

Well, it's Oct 17. Since the last entry we have celebrated Tommy's 1st birthday (eek! did that go fast or what?), celebrated some major potty traning movement w/ Timmy and oh so much more :)

We had a family birthday party (which still ended up being 20 adults and 8 kids) and it was a great time. Tim & I must have mentioned at least a dozen times each how nice it is to have a house that we can entertain in. My family from Oshkosh (minus Eric cuz he was here the weekend before for the walk and dad/Bonnie cuz he was sick) made it down and it was GREAT to see them. I think the end of the year is one of my favorite times because now w/ Tommy's bday in Oct, I get to see everyone in Oct, Nov & Dec! Here are some snap shots from the party:

Tommy attacking his cake

Tommy playing w/ his cousin Andy

Tommy hanging out w/ Uncle Karl & his cousin Allison

Timmy has beeing making great strides w/ potty training. In fact, he is even wearing underwear to school now! He wanted his picture taken in his Thomas underwear (we like to call this picture "The Gun Show")

I just had to include this picture below. Last weekend we went to Frankfurt's farmer's market and they had a couple of guys playing some music. Timmy (who loves to dance and will bust a move anywhere) took the stage....

Until next time!

Is it really October 6th?

I'm not sure where the month of September even went. This is why I say thank goodness for digital cameras- time goes by so fast but at least I have pictures to show what was going on. Most of September was spent planning the 5th Annual Hydrocephalus Walk. Five years ago was our first walk- started and completely organized by yours truly. Around 20 people came and I still remember the pure excitement and joy I had meeting others (finally!) that were affected by hydrocephalus. The closest in age was Caitlyn- at the time 13 yrs old. But otherwise it was toddlers and younger children. But still- a sense of knowing and belonging overwhelmed me.
At Saturday's walk, we had over 225 people attend. If it wasn't for homecoming season- we would have had much more. We are close to reaching our $30,000 goal too! I say "we" because Stacy stepped in after the second walk and has done so much with it. It is no longer a one man show and actually- it's getting too big for a two man show!
In July, the United States Congress passed a bill declaring September National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. Why is this exciting? Because it shows that the government is finally starting to take this disease seriously. Our next step is to get the bill that is currently in the Congress to pass so some of the money that the government hands out for research is applied to Hydrocephalus. Right now we get $0 (which is why the walk is so important- something has to fund the research that is taking place).
Speaking of research, I'm excited to announce that I will be seeing a neurosurgeon on Oct 22. Dr. Batjer (my former n/s) saved my life- there is no doubt about that. If not my life then at the minimum the quality of my life as he stopped the comma's & pressure building in my brain because he listened to me vs. the "normal" MRI or CT scan. But once this ETV was placed (which it took him 2 months to find out about- 2 months of me being restricted to a hospital bed) and another doc from Children's came to do the procedure)- he has considered me "cured" There is no cure for hydro and I still have just have a 50% chance of needing surgery again. So- welcome to my wonderful life Dr Frim. Dr Frim is part of the Univ Chicago group- this group not only knows about hydrocephalus but 2 doctors from the group (inc. Dr Frim) are on the medical advisory board for the Hydro Assoc. Dr Frim speaks at pretty much every conference the HA has. And (this one is my favorite)- this group does research on hydrocephalus! Needless to say, he understand the importance of getting a CT scan every year or two, just to monitor things. Ahhh.... relief.
Sorry this post is all about Hydro but it's all I been thinking about w/ this walk.
As far as my wonderful and adorable Timmy & Tommy..... they've been sick. Timmy missed school all last week and then on Friday night- Tommy got the croup. Timmy is doing better and is back in school this week ("I got to see my friends, mommy" is what he told me after coming home yesteday). Tommy- is much better but you can usually hear him before you see him.
I'll post pictures of the walk once I get a hold of them all.

Some High & Low lights from the past week

It's been awhile (again) and between working on the walk, working on homework and trying to keep my house safe & sanitary- there hasn't been much time lately. Oh- and I had a garage sale this past week. So let's do another recap...
HIGHLIGHTS:

• Within the past week or so Tommy has popped out 3 molars. This is a major highlight because we didn't even realize he was teething he's been such a good/happy baby. This is also a highlight because it means he will be able to chew better and eat a bigger variety of foods.
• Timmy comes home from Pre-School talking about his new friends and singing the songs he's learned. Next time you see him- try to get him to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat. When he gets to the "gently down the stream" part it's so freak'n cute it will melt your heart
• As stated- had a garage sale this past Fri & Sat. Made $347. 50. Booh-ya!! It was kind of dead on Saturday (compared to crazy busy on Fri) that my friend Elizabeth & I decided we were going to keep everything out & marked and haul it out again next Fri- even another $50 would rock!
• Tim applied for an education program that is funded thru IL University (for sciences) and was excepted! This will look great on a resume and the extra money (coming next year) will be great for our bank account! He didn't even have to fill out the application completely and they called and accepted him. One of those moments I couldn't help but beam w/ pride & happiness for him.
• So far I'm juggling the new school load okay. If it wasn't for Tom & Nancy it wouldn't be possible and I remember that often- especially every Tues when I drop the kids off at 8am and Tim doesn't get them until he is off work. I'm so blessed to have inlaws that believe in getting an education and believe that I could and should do it.

LOWLIGHTS

• We haven't gotten anywhere w/ potty training. There are days I need to remind myself that one day Timmy will just do it and that I will NOT have a 10 year old going to school in diapers.
• I'm currently getting a C in my Earth Science class- may not seem like a big deal but I'm getting a 3.7 gpa and would like to keep it up as I'll be applying for a lot of scholarships next year. I'm hoping that now we are done w/ rocks & minerals it will become a little more interesting and understandable. (next time you need be to clarify if a rock is a Ingneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic rock- just let me know- I would love to put this information to use.

That's about it- life is good! Hopefully next time I can find my camera and can post some pictures along w/ the post (but you can usually find updated pics on facebook).

Smelly Cat- Smelly Cat...

Do you remember that song that Phebe sang on a couple of those Friends episodes? " Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat. What are they feeding you? Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat- it's not your fault" (ended up becoming a theme song for a kitty liter). Anyway- that song came into our (Tim & I) heads as we were giving our kitty, Sydney, a bath. She must have run into Pepe LePue while on a typical adventure around the 'hood. That's right- she got SKUNKED. We've had this issue w/ Lucky Dog a time or three but this was the first w/ the cat.

Lucky for Tim, my Humanities teacher canceled class last night- so I was home. While we were getting the boys to bed we smelled it and both our hearts sank. It's never a fun thing to deal w/. But- She was a good kitty and took the bath fairly well. I think she realized that we were helping her out. She probably couldn't even handled the way she smelled :)

Punishment

I couldn't even tell you the last time I stayed out until 2am- but last night I did. I went to a friend's house who was hosting a "mom's night in" having food, drinks and playing Scene It. This time we actually played the game- so often all we do is end up eating, drinking & talking- which I always love too. Although Timmy is getting to be quite a conversationalist, most of my conversations evolve around pee, poop, trains and now big boy school. So I get together w/ other stay at home moms and we talk about our conversations with our little ones regarding pee, poop and whatever else. Ironic I guess but it's always a good time none the less.

But alas- we played Scene It- not only once but twice. It did come with some punishment. Not from anyone directly, except for maybe karma. Or maybe it's more from Murphy (and one of his "laws") but as I strolled in just before 2am- I hear Tommy stirring. So I tip toe quite as a mouse, land in bed and pray for the best. 5 minutes later there are full out screams. Tommy as it turns out has caught Timmy's cold. The boy can't breath- and to top it off he is cutting his 4th tooth on the bottom. So I figure things out and I'm back in bed by 3am. Another prayer for the best.

4:15am- cries come from the living room. Both of us get up and work on things. Teamwork is never (ever!) more appreciated than in the wee hours of the morning! By 4:30 Tim says he'll take care of it and I should go back to bed. I'm not sure if I was just exhausted but he sure did look like a Knight in shining armor at that point. 5:30am- Tim makes it to bed. 7am- Timmy joins us in our bed. 7:15am, I repay the favor to Tim but getting Timmy up & out of our bed (Tim was getting punched at kicked- and it wasn't as if Timmy was doing it in his sleep). Tommy wakes up right about the same time. Tim sleeps until 8:30am- I'm out by 9:00am. An hour and a half later I feel like a new woman again.

All this to say- I think I may be implementing a "self inflicted curfew"- and hope that will keep karma and/or Murphy far, far away!

Here is a picture of a happy & healthy Tommy from yesterday afternoon. It was a big day for Tommy- he figured out he could pull himself up on almost anything (tables, chairs, walls...). And then he started "cruising"- going from object to object on his feet! Oh- and he started to crawl up the stairs- something we never had to worry about in our old house! New child- new challenges- this one is keeping us on our toes!!

Day 4 of Biggest Loser Challenge

Could be going worse- but it could be going better. I was happy to have remembered to bring both a lunch & a dinner to school last night so I wasn't tempted w/ fast food or anything bad. I haven't exercised yet today but hopefully will tonight.

Between Tim & I eating less and the super couponing I've been doing- we've been really starting to save some money w/ the groceries! Not to mention our major cut back in Diet Coke. Tim has 1 a day at work and then I have maybe a few cans a week at this point. Compared to us both drinking 2-3 cans a day- it's a big deal! And big savings!

After dropping Timmy off, Tommy & I headed to Dominick's where I made a killing w/ the combo of sales & coupons. I got a total of 17 lbs of meat (inc. chix breast, pork chops & pork tender loin), 10 boxes of cereal, 2 pkgs Ball Park Fat Free Hot Dogs and 3 boxes of Cheez-Its and a Frecsheta Pizza for.... $50!! Did I mention 17 lbs of meat was inc. w/ that! The large qty of cereal & cheez its is because you had to buy so many in order to get the good store price and/or coupon deal to combine it with.

Both kids are napping so I'm off to cook dinner and then maybe get a nap in myself. Long day at school yesterday and for some reason- Tommy decided he was going to get up a few times each night again.. Ugh!

Biggest Loser Challenge- day1

So I got weighed in last night- not my proudest moment really (something so humbling about having a thin person weighing you and then marking that number down next to your name) but I'm officially in the game. I found out that so many moms (from the mom's meet up group I'm in) are doing the challenge that 3rd place prize was raised to $50, 2nd place $150 and 1st place $400.

The newly found inspiration was strong enough to help me thoroughly enjoy my lite banana yogurt and piece of wheat toast (w/ one tbsp of natural peanut butter- the one thing I'll always remember from WW's is measure, measure, measure). We'll see if it is strong enough to help me get thru the potato salad, birthday cake and burgers tonight at Bella's birthday party. Ugh!

Here are some more misc pics from the past month...

Here is Daddy, Timmy, Tommy & Lucky Dog wrestling- a daily thing around here :)

A picture of Timmy & I riding one of the trains at the museum- the windows were open so it was windy!

Here is Daddy & Timmy exercising in the "Man-Room"- something else that occurs almost every day- usually w/ Tim's weapon collection- Timmy usually gets the padded sticks. I got a pair of boxing gloves for my bday and will get in there and try to show the heavy bag who is boss- I'm usually alone- in case the bag wins :)

One of those moments when the time I saved in not having to feed him was then applied to cleaning up. He prefers feeding himself and it's one of his jobs as a baby to make a mess- right?! (PS- although he usually does feed himself some/most of his meals- it's usually not this bad in the end!)

Long over due updates

Okay.... let's just go ahead and skip the long list of excuses as to why I haven't been on updating the blog and get right down to it...

Summer is officially over for the Reising traveling team. I started classes this past week (3 this semester- 10 credits.... it's probably going to be harder than I think it will but we won't go there). Tim has gone to work a couple of days to work on curriculum. The first official day of school for him is next Monday. The 60 degree weather the past couple of days (on top of the large amount of rain) makes it easy to say good bye. Besides- I love autum. It's the shortest season out of the year so I'm ready to embrace and enjoy.

Some more specific updates:

TIMMY

After being completely forgotten about by the school district (I seriously think that Timmy's folder sat on some one's desk and he wasn't put into their system prior to summer starting)- Timmy had his first day of preschool at Fierke Elementary yesterday. When it was time to pick him up, I stood outside the door w/ all the other mom's (and a couple of dad's) waiting to see how the day went. One by one all these 3 year old faces came running out to give out hugs and the words "I missed you mommy" was heard at least a dozen times. Finally- the last kid in line appeared and it wasn't Timmy. Where the heck was he? Still playing. So much for missing me! I had to kind of drag the kid OUT of preschool vs the typical fear of getting him IN the classroom. But he eventually walked out w/ a big smile and told me he "really liked big boy school and my new friends." Works for me!!

Timmy right before he left on his first day of school

Today I picked him up. He was second in line this time and looked eager to get out. I felt a little honored this time- he seemed eager to see me! But his first words to me was "where's Daddy?" Then I realized he thought since Daddy dropped him off today he would pick him up. Thus the reason he was second in line to get out. :)

As I was buckling him in I noticed the traces of chocolate on his face. I asked what he had for snack and he told me chocolate & milk. I asked if he had "white milk" and he said "nope, I just raise my hand and say 'chocolate please" It was so stink'n cute!! It also was a relief to hear him say he raised his hand- a clue that he is listening in class.

So our boy in in "big boy school" Still working on potty training but I created a big poster named "Timmy's Potty Train" and drew railroad tracks on it. He gets a sticker to put in the tracks when he goes pee or tells us he went poop in his diaper. We are actually getting some where now!

Timmy's Potty Train Chart

I took Timmy on our 1st Annual "Mommy & Timmy Adventure Day" last Monday. We went to the IL Railroad Museum. It was the day after the big Thomas event there and Timmy found Thomas hiding in the rail yard. Thomas had a black blanket over his face so I told him that Thomas must be sleeping cuz he really worked hard the day before. Timmy was in awe that he found him. We had a good time seeing all the other cars, engines & cabooses too. And we went on about 4 trains rides. A great way to end the summer (and there was only like 30 cars in the parking lot- it was like having the place to ourselves!)

Timmy on a steam engine & by Thomas the Tank Engine!!

TOMMY

Oh boy, where do I begin. He's talking more- his favorite right now is "ma ma" I had to wait 2 years to hear Timmy say it and now I'm getting an earful on a daily basis :) Tommy just figured out how to clap his hands when he hears music, he'll start bobbing his head and clapping. And this morning I came out in the living room (where he ends up if he cries over night so he doesn't wake Timmy) and he figured out how to stand up in his pack n play for the first time! He's done it several times today. His biggest achievement by far is that he is crawling now- at top speed! He is such a happy, HAPPY baby now that he is getting around. Timmy really isn't that happy about it (dare Tommy come w/in a 3 foot radius of a train car laying on the floor!). I'm just enjoying this stage knowing that once walking comes it's a whole new level of wanting to pull your hair out craziness :)

I'm also working w/ Stacy again on getting the 5th annual Chicago Hydrocephalus Walk underway. Between house, kids, school & the walk- my plate is full but I'm happy and so far balancing it all.

To end it on a happy note- Tim's official weight loss to date is 40lbs. Mine is 26 (but the mom's group I'm in is starting a "Biggest Loser" competition w/in our group. $20 to participate. 3rd place wins $20, 2nd wins $40 and 1st wins $200+!! So I"m getting weighed in tonight. Talk about inspiration!

Alsip Street Fair

Yesterday we went to the Alsip Street Fair- here are some pic's....

Rainy Days

Rainy days are in one way kind of nice because I'm forced to stay inside (for the most part) and pay attention to our house. Despite the lack of rainy days around here- our house is really, really coming together! Not sure- but it may be due to the fact that we've been home for more than just a day or two inbetween camping trips :)

Tim along with his dad, Tom, has done a huge transformation in our yard (w/ some sweat and labor from Nancy & I as well!). Our backyard as well as our front yard. ONe of these days I need to take pictures and do a before and after so you can all see it.

Today was a rainy day and since the boys have been so good about Tim & I constantly working on and in the house- I decided we needed to have a fun day inside. So I got out the new water paints and I traced a couple of Thomas the Train pictures (from a coloring book). Timmy had a BLAST- which was so much fun to see. Tommy had a good time to- but he has really learned to go w/ the flo so if everyone is good- he typically is (unless it's feeding time :)

On a sad (oh so sad) note- I got my first eye roll from Timmy. It bummed me out! Often times we break out into dance if a good song comes on the radio. As I start "cutting the rug" he just stared at me. I figured in a few seconds he would jump in at any moment as he normally does. The only movement I got out of him was the rolling of his eyes when I told him to come dance. I didn't know a 3 year old knew how to do that yet! I know this is just the first of many eye rolls- but I must admit- I'll probably dance anyway (and hope Tommy joins me one of these days) :)

Tommys 9 mo appt

A few days ago- we took Tommy in for his 9 month wellness check up. The boy is doing great! Here are the numbers:

weight: 23lb 12 oz 90th percentile

height: 29 3/4 " 90th pecentile

I forgot the head measurement but it's also the 90th percentile

He is a big guy but very proportional! He isnt crawling yet but goes from sitting up to on his belly and kind of wiggles and can get back to sitting up. He is also starting to pull himself up on the furniture & tables. Let the games begin!! :) He is becoming more and more of a happy baby. Or maybe it's just that I'm used to the scream for a cry :) He is definately getting better about not needing to see me every waking minute- ahhhhhhh- relief!

Timmy isnt really getting anywhere w/ potty training. Being very, very stubborn about it! He continues to crack us up w/ his funny and friendly ways though!

We have done some major work on the landscaping of our house. Major triming and pulling of weeds & bushes. It is so much nicer to look outside our windows- in every room!! And it's much brighter in our basement as well as in our living room.

A BIG day for Timmy!

We've been having Timmy walking around w/out pants & a diaper a lot lately, as a way to encourage him to use the potty. He has really caught on to going pee in the toliet (or outside) but the poop thing was a different story. If he has to poop and doesn't have a diaper on- he'll go and hide and find a place to do it. We've cleaned off poop from our deck, in the "man-room" behind the mirror and yesterday it was right by his Thomas tracks- in which Timmy presceeded to step in the poop, walk into the laundry room and told me I needed to "get a towel and clean up the icky poop" Ahhh nice.
Today, I was busy picking up the house and I heard this grunting from the bathroom. That particular grunt coming from Timmy has put me on high alert as I don't want more poop on our floors. But alas- there he was sitting on the big toliet, feet on the stool on the floor, pushing to get poop out into the toliet. It was a big deal- and we made sure to tell him how proud of him we were.
Additionally- Tommy is getting bigger and bigger and I often forget that he is almost 10 months old and can and should be eating certain foods by now. I think I was more on top of these things w/ Timmy because he was all I was focused on. Either way- Tommy is started to expand his list of foods- which makes feeding times better (and more fun). Tomorrow he has his 9 month appt- keep your heads up for how big this boy is!

Back from another trip

We got in last night from four nights at Calumet County Park (WI). Except for being an hour late meeting my family on Sunday night (note to self- detour/road closed ahead signs are not a conspiracy- go ahead and follow them)- it was a great weekend. On top of seeing family Sunday night- I was able to see my wonderful friend Amanda on Tuesday. She moved to Denver and my visits with her are rare and far between.
Timmy is really getting the hang of potty training- pee anyway. He LOVES to pee outside. And he is getting really good w/ aiming. We are still working on pooping in the toliet- he'll poop anywhere (literally- ask Tim as he had to clean some up in his "man room" the other day) other than the toliet.
Tommy is pretty much crawling. He is good at going backwards but is still getting the hang of forwards. He has his 9 month appt on Monday- should be fun to see how tall/big he is!

Some corrections frome earlier post

It's not rebella that he(Tommy) has- it's rosella or something like that. Just the typical rash from having a high fever for a few days.

Just a note- at the doc our 9month old Tommy weighed a whopping 23 lbs 9 oz. Big boy :)

Tim has lost 30 lbs- not 20 something (most days it's inspiring- other days it just down right bums me out how much easier men have it when it comes to losing weight)

Timmy was a trooper w/ the no pants today- peed several times in the bucket we put on the deck. It came time for poops and we didn't realize it but he went out to the deck to poop- ugh! We were hoping to have he sit on the potty for that. Anyway- I looked out and saw him bending over. The kid was trying to aim for the bucket but the poop missed. Oh well- it's a good start :)

We're Baaaaccckkkk!!

We survived the 14 day camping trip to South Carolina. I actually kept a travel log and have started typing it out. One of these days- I'll put it on the blog. The trip itself went really, really well. Never at one put (despite it being 14 days long) did I feel like "okay, when is this going to be over" Every day was enjoyable- especially once we left Hunting Island and went to Myrtle Beach

Some misc updates:

Timmy: he is saying some of the funniest things (that he has caught from us of course). If you tell him something on the lines of "get over here mister" he'll respond "hey, I'm not mister, I'm Timmy". Another... "Timmy, get your trains out of the middle of the hallway." His response: "oh- my bad" And many more. He keeps us laughing

Timmy is also on the road to potty training. Actually today he hasn't had a diaper on most the day. He did go pee and started to poop on the little potty. But what he ended up doing (not sure how this happened) is opened up the back door and lean forward a little bit (hanging ont he door & the door frame) and pee right on the back deck. Not that I want to discourage him to pee- but on the back deck?? ummm... no :) But we are off to a start!

Tommy: the kid has FOUR teeth on top and two on the bottom and two more coming on the bottom. He is enjoying real food. He has perfected the use of a sippy cup (as much as a 9 month old can). He started feeling ill on the way home from SC and ended up running a fever for almost 4 days. Today he didn't have one but all of a sudden received a rash all over his body. Took him in and he has that Rubella. I guess it's common this time of year.

He isn't crawling yet but goes from sitting up to on his belly and he gets around by rolling & wiggling. He is talking, talking & talking. He says Dada, Baba (bottle) and yep- Mama!! He has also said Papa but we haven't seen much of him lately so we haven't heard it. Papa was actually his first word.

Side note- I had a doc appt yesterday and have lost 18 pounds since my highest after Tommy. Tim has lost 20 something and looks amazing!

If you would like to look at pictures click on my Kodak album:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=7z4gsrl2.bd13nxp6&x=0&y=-21pcec&localeid=en_US

The easy life is over

This morning I put Tommy down for his usually "tummy time" for when he first wakes up. I put him down in front of the little mirror that he loves. I ran into the kitchen to get something- when I cam back- he had moved to a different spot on the floor. He isn't crawling persay- but wiggling & kicking around.

We've been trying to work w/ Timmy on having him make sure he doesn't leave small items on the floor. I've said a prayer that my eyes be keen and my alert senses up!

(the picture shows where the mirror is (on the far right- the starting point) and where Tommy ended up. Timmy woke up and gave Timmy his good morning greeting- blesses my heart every morning!!)

(ps-we are going on yet another camping trip today- be back early next week. Tis the season!)

I guess we better recap....

Today is June 18- it's been 18 days since my last post. Summertime is here and so is the crazy/busy schedule that seems to come w/ it. Since June 1- here are some highlights as to what has happened...

June 3: I turned 35 (I actually love birthdays since the only alternative is to not have one). Tim got me some boxing gloves so I can hit the heavy bag. LOVE 'EM! A major highlight was a video emailed to me with my brother Karl, his wife Lois & their kids (Allison & Forrest) singing happy birthday. Timmy loves to look at it as much as I do so it's still viewed often:)

June 4-8: Took our first camping trip as a family of four to Indian Dunes State Park (a mere 40 minute drive or so). Tim's Aunt & Uncle were celebrating their 50th anniversary and a party was held for them in near-by Chesterton on Saturday night. Two other uncles and Tim's parents camped as well- it was a good time. And it's official- Tommy loves to camp!!

June 11: I had my first day (since Oct) where I had HOURS all to myself! What did I do? Errands. But it was a happy thing. It's so much easier to go to the library, Target and Menard's w/out kids. I walked around Target just because I could! I received a Caribou gift card for my birthday and made a stop there... ahhh- the combo of caffeine & solitude is heaven on earth. Funny how the definition of a good time changes!

June 12-14: Tim had a camp out weekend w/ his mountain biking man-friends so I decided that instead of sitting at home- I'd go see some friends & family in Oshkosh. I was nervous but it was a success. The ride up there took over 5 hrs. Tommy was perfect- screamed for the final 10 minutes but that was because he was starving to death. He also screamed for 10-15 min on the way home- guess he didn't get enough to drink/eat before we headed out. It felt so good to be home. Timmy had a good time- a real good time but he was ready to "go home and see daddy." So was I. It's true- distance does make the heart grow fonder.

June 15-16: Our friend's Pat & JoAnn (and their three girls) came from Oshkosh and met us at Brookfield Zoo and then spent the night. Our house was trashed from the back to back camping trip & Wisconsin/Indiana trip so I hung my head in shame w/ out crazy messy the house was. It was great having him here and getting to know their three girls a little better.

So that leads us up to today. The house is slowly getting put back together, I'm working on the hydro support website as well as walk event, trying to get both boys on a summer schedule (yeah- right). Tommy is just growing like a weed! He is starting to babble a lot more- seems like he is saying DaDa and MaMa at the appropriate time but it's still hard to tell if it's a babble or a word. Not crawling yet- but getting there. These bigger boys take some extra time :)

Timmy is having the time of his life so far- loves having people and friends around. His speech is getting better and better- although I can't say the same for his drooling. But we are working on it. No luck potty training. Just may not be time yet.

1st Diaper-less Poopie (long but worth reading)

Yes, I know he is 3 years old. Yes, I know that many kids (okay- maybe "most" kids) are potty trained by now. Here is the thing- about 8 months ago he was well on his way. He would sit on the toilet (and he even peed a couple of times!). He would acknowledge a poopie diaper (which was a victory as he would deny it even though the neighbors could smell it)
But then came Tommy. And then came the new house. And then he was kicked out of his crib (which he LOVED because of the crib tent). And then Gammy & Papa left for 3 months- all this happened pretty much at the same time. Timmy decided he wanted to be in diapers for awhile longer. "I a baby, Mommy" was what I heard. He went thru a lot and was struggling emotionally many days. So- diapers it was.
Now- happy days are here again. So why not screw them up by starting to potty train :)
He has been very interested in all of his friends who are using the big potty. So we let him watch. We have bought books, put "special toys" in the bathroom. But I have to tell you- I'm one of those kinds of moms that just doesn't think potty training should take 3 or 4 months. I"m not a believer in Pull Ups either- they are glorified diapers. So- our plan was to first wait until Tim was off work (6/3 is last day) and then stick him in the back yard w/ no diaper or pants on and just hang out until "it's time" and the potty will be out and ready for use.
The no diaper thing came a little early- as in yesterday. Timmy was kind of excited but kind of not. He really did try to poop on the toilet. But after 20 min we got him down and put the little potty in the kitchen and told him to just sit on it when "its time." A few minutes later- he came and sat on it. Said he had to go poop. Nothing came out. As he walked away I noticed a "poopie finger print" on the potty. UH-OH!!
So I asked him if he went poop. He said yep. I asked him if could tell me where it was. His response was "flashlight please, mommy" Uh-oh. So, he got the flashlight (a game we play to find things and is part of his speech therapy) and walked me to his room.
There is was. And he was kind enough to shine the flashlight on it. And boy- did he shine it- he couldn't get his eyes off of it.
At least he didn't poop on the carpet (the bedroom floor has some sort of a tile in it- forgot the name). He said "it just slid out"
It's a start!!

Bye bye Kathy & Judy

For about a year now I've been listening to the Kathy & Judy show on WGN radio. They are actually the main reason I really wanted a radio in my kitchen (which I got for mother's day). They have been on together for 20 years and have a huge fan base. Heck- I listen to it as well as my mother in law and other men and women of all ages. And all sorts of backgrounds too. Priests have called in, doctors, stay at home moms, white collar, blue collar- somehow they seemed to have conversations that talked about everything.

And it was always a safe bet that every Thursdays from 10a-11a you would be laughing your head off- it was "Sex Thursday" where they talked about things only you and your closest friends ever did. Or sometimes it was a question you had but a topic no body talked about. Very funny, funny stuff.

A few friends and I have dubbed them our "radio moms" as it was mentioned that you have "conversations" with them that you would normally do w/ your own mom. And being that a few of us lost our moms- it meant something. I myself called into the show a few times and was on air talking w/ them a few times.

Well- WGN announced that today was their last show. 20 years and millions of listeners and it's over. It's how Chicago radio works- actually they are lucky that they got to do a last show- most of the time the dj's walk into work and are told to go home.

This changed has literally stunned so many of us in this city. And it has definately stunned me. I called Nancy (my mother in law) to let her know it was the last show and she turned on the radio right away. As Kathy & Judy played their final song and said the final good byes- I balled my eyes out. They meant something to me- and were a part of my every day life.

How ironic that their last day happened to be on the 7th anniversary of mom's death. At least my "radio moms" are healthy & happy and still employed by WGN (until next year). I'll listen for their voices on the radio commercials- assuming I'm still listening to that station.

I'm an official Southsider!

If I'm not mistaken- there are three requirements that need to be met in order to be considered an offical Chicago Southsider (outside of the obvious living here). First is to know where a location is based simply on the address (starting from Congress which is the middle of downtown Chicago- the streets are numbered. We live at 15220 Ridgeland- so 152 blocks south of the center of downtown). Know the distance between places based on the address (every 8 blocks is 1 mile- for the most part). And most importantly- go to a White Sox game.

The baseball battle in Chicago has been going on for years and unless you are an "outsider' the team you support (Cubs is North, Sox is South) shows where you are from. Although I will always be a Packer fan- I never had much allegience to a baseball team before. Shortly after we got married, the White Sox won the World Series- I guess that started the excitement for me.

My friend Julie got us free tickets to go to last night's game- against Minn Twins. I'm not sure if the excitment of being there was because it was a major league baseball game or because Tim & I were there w/out the kids- either way it was wonderful. They won- which helps too :)

Oh- I also think there may be a fourth requirement for former Wisconsites (in order to be a Southsider). And that is to no longer call a drinking fountain a "bubbler." That is another one I can't let go of :)

Here are some pics:

one of those "self snap shots" at the game

Bobby Jenks- the closing picture hard at work- this was very exciting to see actually- you hear so much about him and his fast pitch (close to 100mph)

During the game- right before the 7th inning stretch- we had nice neighbors in the seats next to us.

Tim outside the stadium before the game!

Me actually during the game

We conquered the zoo!

Yesterday, I did it. A big achievement if you ask me. I took both boys out to the zoo- by myself! May not seem like a big deal to most- after all isn't that what mom's do? I've handled the grocery store and play dates but a whole day at the zoo was a big step.

So many don't believe me when I say that Tommy can be a difficult baby- that is because when there are people around- especially when they are paying attention and flirting with him- he is an angel. When it is just him, Timmy & myself home- he demands that attention from me- nonstop. Tim has seen it now- and so has Nancy & Tom. At least I am no longer alone. I should probably also mention that if he (Tommy) doesn't feel the proper attention is being paid to him- he lets you know by screaming on the top of his lungs. Nothing is wrong- he doesn't need to be fed, changed or anything- just no one is paying attention to him. There are times I don't have to interact with him- he is able to play on his own. But don't dare leave the room!!

With that being said- going to the zoo was a major accomplishment. My goal is to get Tommy on a specific schedule. I was trying to figure out what "his" schedule was but after consulting my child psychology book (glad I never sold that one back to the school) I'm going w/ the "parent led schedule"- meaning I'm trying to guide him into a schedule vs. trying to figure his out. The past couple of days have proven to give me hope.

Both Timmy & Tommy had a blast at the zoo. Timmy walks around a lot more now- which makes the double stroller lighter :) We were very excited to see the lion up & awake and actually playing! We also saw the bears (inc. the three polar bears), camels and other stuff. There was a lot of kids at the zoo- end of year field trips- so it made it hard to get around much.

We actually may be going back today- do I dare!!??!! :)

The best mom's day

It was a great mother's day, even though it started off w/ Tommy waking up at 3:30am (due to not being able to breathe- I put him in his car seat so he was sitting up- he went back to sleep- whew!).... And then Timmy crawled into our bed at 5am. Tim got up for Tommy's 6:30 bottle and told me to go back to sleep. And I did- all the way until 8am! Do you have any idea when's the last time I slept until 8am is??? Funny though- how my first reaction was "oh my gosh, it's way to late- I need to get going..." After walking out and realizing all was just fine my second thought was "man- that rocked!"

Tim took us all out for breakfast and despite getting the wrong food and having a long wait- both Timmy & Tommy were angels!! We came home and hung outside and once inside I got my gift. A Sony CD/FM/AM under the cabniet player- and it has an outlet (& a holder) for my MP3 player. When Tim asked me what I wanted- my response was that I didn't want to think about what I wanted and to just get me something. He was excited for days about his idea- as well he should- it was a great one. No more grabbing the itty bitty shower radio and trying to tune in a station in the morning.

Pic of the boys- Timmy thinks it's funny to go in and play w/ Tommy in his crib. Timmy is becoming an EXCELLENT big brother. I think the threat is wearing off and he is starting to "dig" his new role.

Sox Puppets

Timmy has a book (that we read often) where the Mommy & kids make sox puppets. So Timmy has been asking for a couple of weeks to make them. We finally did it this past Saturday (w/ both kids sick we had nothing else to do!). We gave our sock puppet goofy ears by using a pipe cleaner and then Timmy wanted to add these heart antler things.

Here is a pic of Timmy playing w/ the puppet....
And I tried taking a picture of the kids when I did a little puppet show... they loved it!

Timmy is off to school????

We had the IEP meeting for Timmy and it's official- he will be going to Pre-School (thru the school district) starting Aug 26. 2 1/2 hrs a day, 5 days a week. I have some mixed emotions on this one. Part of me is on the lines of "what- school already?? He's only 3!!" It would help if it wasn't 5days a week (we don't know if it is am or pm yet). Tim doesn't start teaching until the first part of Sept so we had anticipated a longer summer vacation- not so much any more (my sister in law, Christine, has been warning me for years how school can get in the way of fun!). It just came so quick- he is only 3! I know it is going to be good for him though. Although he has come a LONG way in his speech- there is still more work to be done. (and thank God for such a wonderful system for giving him the help he needs so early!)

So that is the loving, caring, nurturing mom side of me. The conflicting emotion is somewhere on the lines of... Yahoo! 2 1/2 hrs w/ only one child! Which makes it easier to get to the gym, to shop and do other errands. It also gives me a chance to spend some one on one time w/ Tommy- something I had the blessing to do w/ Timmy before our little guy came along.

Better start living it up while I still have him around! Good thing Spring is finally here!

The much deserved giggles

He has not been the easiest of babies. And I'm sure he isn't anywhere near the "hardest" either. But this little Tommy of ours has given us a run for our money. But now? As long as you listen to him when he gives you his brief (but obvious) clues that he wants something- he is such a freak'n happy baby. He will give you a hard belly laugh- just by looking at him w/ a funny face. When he sits and plays- he will just look up and giggle or hold his head up really high and just smile.

Like I said- the trick is that once he gives you any hint that he needs something- you need to ACT! And act NOW! He usually only gives it to you once and then expects results :)

Timmy in LegoLand!

My friend Julie got Timmy & I free tickets to go w/ her to Legoland. Her company provided the tickets and the place was open just for her company from 8-10am. It was so great to go there when there are no crowds! It was also great not to be the major "cha-ching" that they want for a ticket.
Our nephew Mikey (and Tim's sister Christine) love Legoland- and after being there I can see why. I think it was more for kids a little older than Timmy but he had a good time. There were some things that scared him (like the lego alligatort that snarles at you or the dragon that "roars" at you). But we got to see a Bob the Builder 4D movie, go on a "roller coaster" and see all sorts of great things made out of legos. There was even a life-size lego version of President Obama!
He keeps asking if we are going back- so I guess we had a good time :)