John

With the arrival of Caroline, and all that new things she does/explores every day(she can blow a kiss now, it's cute, except for yesterday when she put her little hand up to her mouth to blow me a kiss and her fingers got stuck in her nose), I feel like I write about her too much. So I am going to write down the cute little things John has done/said the past few weeks. He really is a funny kid.
-We got a new refrigerator. He was so excited because I told him that he could open the freezer door himself (our old one was not a side by side) and get his waffles. He likes to eat frozen waffles. Gross, I know, but he likes it. So when my mother in law came to babysitt Friday night, John said to her "Yook, dida, I got a new rigerator. See, (pulling it open) there is my juice, and my butter, and my fruit, and my bej-a-tabuls..." He went on and on naming all the food in the fridge!
-Yesterday, I was in my bathroom and about to pee-pee (TMI, I know, but it's part of the story) and John saw me and said "Mommy, don't tee tee on the floor". He told me this b/c that is what we tell him ALL the time!
-I was just getting out of the shower this morning, both kids were still asleep in their rooms and I had the monitor in the bathroom with me. I was toweling off and I hear Caroline crying. Then I hear this, through the monitor:
"Dood Morning Taroline, why are you crying?"
"Do you want your mommy? Yes, you want your mommy"
"Here, Taroline, here is your nu-nu. There. That's better"
It was so damn cute! I went into her room & John said "Yook, mommy! I gave sissy her nu-nu!"

Bedtime is going much better, too. Last night was the first night I laid with him, but then got up and left the room. He asked me where I was going and I said that mommy had to clean up the kitchen. I told him that daddy was on the computer, paying bills, that Caroline was in her bed, Kramer was outside and what I was going to do. It seemed to help, but then about 10 min. later, he came out of his room. I asked him if he wanted to see what daddy was doing. So I walked him over to the computer, then took him to Caroline's room, then showed him that I was almost finished in the kitchen. I put him back in his bed and told him not to get out and that I would leave the door open so that he could see me in the kitchen. I was finished and had to watch the rest of Medium standing near the sink pretending to do something, but it worked. I really think he just wants to be out there, with us, and that if I tell him what we are doing and act like it is no big deal, he will fall asleep on his own. That is the plan, anyway.

Caroline Speak

So, Caroline is starting to verbalize a little more each day. This morning, she looked at John and said "bu-ba". I don't really want her to call him that, but it was cute that she did. I am sure she has heard me say "see, there's buba". We still call him John-John often, but I don't think she is quite ready to say that. And she calls Kramer "geesh". She points at him and says "geesh, geesh". I point at him and say "why are you still here?". Just kidding....sorta. What else do you say to a dog that has ripped your house apart, pees ONLY on YOUR clothes, and bites? Well, off that soap box. We are going to start some training soon. Some VERY expensive training. Damn Dog.
John is doing great, getting himself dressed for school every morning. Who cares if his underwear is on backwards majority of the time? He does it himself and that is one less thing I have to do. Now if I can just get Caroline to dress herself, feed herself and get all her school stuff together in her bag by herself............
Work is crazy. It is always so busy, I just feel like I am treading water. I know my colleagues would say the same thing. I also realize I need to quit making myself so available 24/7. Reading emails at 9:30pm. I don't need to do that. And usually there is an email in there that just ticks me off, so I go to bed with that or try to deal with it late at night. Arg! I just want my agencies to have everything they need, when they need it and it the right form/fashion. And I need to realize that is just not going to happen 100% of the time. Or get some really strong sedatives to take everday so I don't care when things go to hell :)

There was an Incident

So, we were at Home Depot yesterday looking at refrigerators since the one we currently have is dripping water everywhere and we can't figure out why. I was going to bother getting a repairman out, yadda...yadda, but I want a bigger one anyway. So, we are at Home Depot. I finally picked the one I wanted only to find out that the water and ice thing on the outside of the fridge doesn't have a "lock". Come on, who the heck makes a big refrigerator, one obviously intended for a family of 4 or larger and then doesn't put a lock on the ice/water dispenser. Have the makers of this fridge met any child under the age of 5 that DOESN'T push the buttons each time they walk by? If we had that one, we would have a flood in the kitchen on the days that end in y. So, moving on, I found another one I liked, they are delivering it, installing it, perfect. Most of you know my husband. When we moved into our condo we LITERALLY had to SHOVE the fridge into it's place and bend some pipe that was sticking out of the wall (we still have no idea what that pipe was for) just to make it fit. So, a 57.00 (refundable) delivery/installation fee was no sweat off my back. The funny part of this story is really 2 fold.
1. As I am talking with the HD lady about the features, prices, DISCOUNTS (anyone who knows me knows I NEVER pay full price and can negotiate like nobody's business), John is taking his beloved mimi and putting her in EVERY washer and dryer that is lining the row opposite of the refrigerators. And pushing all the knobs. And opening and closing the doors a thousand times. Where is Chase you ask, while I have BOTH kids? Talking to the lawn guy about our pitiful yard (I don't think it's that bad, but Chase just looks at it in disgust). Then John moves on to putting mimi in the ovens. So much fun.
2. We move out of the refrigerator section, much to the delight of EVERYONE in there, and go outside to lawn and garden. I am on the hunt for a new pump for our fountain that we have on our patio. I find one, but while I am trying to figure out which one we need, John pushes a door open and an alarm starts going off. He about cries and we high tail it out of there. Forget the pump, I can get that another day. As we casually walk back inside the store, there are guys walking very quickly, talking on radios, towards the area we were in. I am sure they thought someone got out of the store with a 20,000.00 riding lawn mower, when really it was my curious 4 year old just touching things. What a 4 year old does best. So, I finally find Chase and tell him we need to go. He asks why. I say, with smile on my face "we'll talk about it later, we just need to check out and leave".
I hope they let me back into the store. I really need to get that new pump for the fountain. I am sure my face is plastered in the employee break room, since I am SURE they reviewed tape of what made the alarm go off, AFTER we left. Oh well, I can explain it.....if I have to.

Why?

Why would John wear green rain boots, with little eyes on the top of them, shorts (pj shorts, of course) a pj shirt, the hat from his Halloween Thomas Costume and a Rangers baseball cap on top of that? Because he is 4. Because he can.
So, the Wofford house is moving right along. Chase got home from California last night and survived 4 days with high school kids. I survived 4 days with 2 kids under the age of 4 thanks to the help of my mother. I swear, I would have not survived if I had to be a mother anytime before the late 80s - I think this is when women having careers became socially accpetable. How did moms of more than 2 kids do it while their husbands worked, or gasp! traveled! I would have lost my mind. As my new boss, Blair, says "Hell to the no". Love that saying, btw.
Caroline walked all the way around the coffee table this weekend - 3 times. I think this means she will be ready to toddle very soon. She is still very much a momma's girl and doesn't warm to people very well. You got to work for a smile from her.
John continues to sing, dance and just generally make us laugh. We got him a basketball goal for his birthday and that has become a favorite family pastime. Each night, after dinner, we go outside and Caroline and I sit and watch Chase & John play. They have such a good time. The neighbors come over too, sometimes. James, our neighbor across the street (basically, the best neighbors ever) is a former NFL player and loves to quiz Chase about random players. Little does James know my husband is a sick man and knows way too much. I really think you could put him in a contest and let people ask questions and he would know all the answers. Maybe I should take him down to the circus and charge a quarter....college fund?

Ready to Walk?

So, I really think Caroline is alot closer to walking than I originally thought. Two weeks ago, she could have cared less to pull up on anything much less try to toddle around. Now, when you take her little hands and walk with her, she squeals with delight! I want her to walk, but I know the next phase is hard. Getting into things, not to mention trying to keep her away from John's "duff". He is very patient with her and often lets her hold his toys, but I just wonder how long that will last.

On another note, John went to the grocery store with me today. I have not attempted this in a LONG time because it usually ends in disaster. But, with his new (and very strict) bedtime routine, his behavior has improved so much. Not that he was horrible, but he is a typical 3 year old! We talked about "good" behavior on the way to the store and that if he was a good boy, he could get a small special prize.

Side note - we have to be specific and say SMALL special prize b/c of the time Chase took him to the store, with a promise of a special prize for good behavior, and John ended up coming out of the store with a stuffed Duck animal that was bigger than him. Hence the term "Small Special Prize"

John did really well. He stayed in the "buggy" as he calls it in true southern form. It helps that Kroger has race cars attached to the buggy and we got that one. I take out small children and end caps of merchandise each time I try to turn this huge thing, but he sits in it and that's what matters.

So, an hour later we emerge with groceries for the week (although I am sure I forgot something)and some Nemo treats. The coveted Special Prize. He was very kind and asked if I would like one. They truly are disgusting, but he loves them.

Caroline will turn 1 this week. My how time flies. I truly feel I have gotten to experience being the best mom I can be with her. I missed out on so much with John during that first year. I guess, in some sort of way, I knew I had to get it right with Caroline. I don't want to throw out my shoulder patting myself on the back, but I think I did a pretty darn good job this first year. And, I learned how to keep my favorite little guy feeling special even though this new little creature came to our house to stay.

I asked John the other day if he remembered when it was just mommy, daddy and John...just the 3 of us. He looked at me, thought about it for a second, then said "No". What a sweet boy.

The 2nd Coming of Richard Pryor

No one, I mean NO ONE, can make Caroline laugh as hard as John can. And he doesn't even really have to DO anything to make her laugh. He just looks at her, smiles, and she is doubled over, laughing hysterically. I could do the chicken dance for 45 minutes straight and all I would get is a "courtesy" laugh. So, my husband has started saying that Caroline thinks John is the 2nd coming of Richard Pryor.I have to admit, it is cute when she smiles at him....teeth and all! In the mornings, John will go with me to get Caroline out of her crib and he lovingly says to her (John language) - "Hello Taroline...did you have a good nap? Yes, hers had a good nap!". It's cute.Birthday party went off without a hitch...well, maybe one...not so much a hitch as a bite. A dog bite. None of the kids....that's good. I decided I wanted Kramer out of the house for the party. He jumps on people and that is annoying. So, I took him to Petsmart to be groomed. Took him at 2pm, was going to pick him up at 7pm. Well, I take him and about 30 minutes later, I get a call from Chase saying "Did Petsmart call you? (I replied No). Well, Kramer bit 2 people and we have to go get him". Sweet Jesus. That Damn Dog. I was so mad at him. Chase went to go get him and by the time he got there, Kramer had bitten 3 people. I was a little worried that they were going to call animal control and anyone who knows Kramer knows that he would never survive a quarantine. It would be all over. They didn't, thank goodness. But when Chase got there, he walks to the back and opens the door to the grooming section. Kramer, literally, runs out from behind the counter like a wild boar. The lady is holding kramer's collar and leash and tells Chase "here, you put it on, he has already bitten 3 people". Kramer is running around the little room like a maniac. Not because he is being mean, but because he was SO hyper. Chase bent over to put his collar on, saying a little prayer in his head "Jesus, please don't let him bite me". Never a dull moment at the Wofford House.Sometimes I think my life if like the Truman Show. And people are laughing hysterically at all the things that happen throughout the day. I then wonder, what do people with 4 and 5 kids do? There is so much work just with 2!Then I realize that this won't last forever and that someday, John won't want mommy to "hold me" and Caroline won't tug at my leg while I am trying to get breakfast together (not a fancy one with eggs and toast...just milk cereal..come on, that's all I can handle).

House of Sick

So, Caroline has Kidney Reflux, seeing a pediatric urologist the end of April. And has chronic ear infections, seeing an ENT the end of April. All of this right as she is about to turn 1. Not fun. Then last night, John says he is very sleepy and lays down on the floor...NOT normal. Kid won't slow down for 'nothin. So, I knew he was "getting" sick. Mom's know the definition of "getting" sick and....it sucks. So, at midnight, I hear "mommy, mommy!!". Fever. Says his ear hurts. I, Dr. Mom, diagnose the ear infection right away. Unfortunately, when I took him to the doctor this morning, they revoked my honorary degree and told me he had strep. What a curveball. Ear Infections are not contagious. Strep is. Now I have to keep the other 3 of us from getting it. Ever try that with a 3 year old? He is constantly sticking his fingers in his nose, wiping his snot on his clothes and sneezing on anyone he comes in contact with. I told Chase that I wanted 24 hours without kids....not for a spa day or a vacation, but to CLOROX the house. I feel so germy!
So, if this isn't enough, putting out fires at work ALL day long is just the icing on the cake. Although, I am trying not to be whiny and complaining to Chase at the end of the day. I figure if I can vent on this blog, or to my girlfriends and sisters, maybe Chase won't have to take the brunt of it.....just maybe...