Chomp!

Hey Eli-show me your teeth!

Thanks Bub...

Hughie! Show me your teeth!!

Come on Hughie---show me your teeth!!!

THERE they are!!!!

Friday Fill

Where have I been?  I just can't keep up.  Life is escaping me.  Or maybe just my blogging has been put to the way side.

My mom always said that I started every letter the same way and so today I will start my "Friday Fill" post just as always-straight from the heart:

Dear Readers,
How are you?
I am fine.


I'm so glad it's Friday.  We have a fun weekend coming up.  I have morning (breakfast) bookclub with some friends and a birthday party on Sunday for a verrrrry special 4 year old.  We got her a surprise for the gift and I doubt that she'll know if it's a fun gift or not when she opens it.  This little birthday gal also happens to be my god daughter so I got her something that I can continue to "add" to at special occasions and holidays. It requires me to write a special letter to her explaining why I have chosen this specific gift for her.  I am having a hard time sitting down to write it. You know how that super special stuff is.  Emotional.

A rare moment where I got to read a story to my goddaughter on the deck.

 Hugh's second tooth popped through this past week.  I hope the reason of his poor sleep is all due to teeth. That would be a good enough excuse for me.  Last night he woke up and cried for long spurts at 11:30, 3:30 and 6 am.  Hard it was and tired are we.  This morning when I picked him up his ear was all bloody and it spread on the side of his face and head.  What a poor baby. No wonder he was crying. (Nothing is wrong with his ears, they must itch or hurt because of his teeth-he keeps poking in there and has open sores in his ears). 

Eli is getting sooooo smart. He says the most clever things.  It blows me away and scares me.  He is trying to be very helpful around the house.  He's still loving his train tracks and legos and art projects and "ninja guys" (or just the idea) and the A-pad and and and. This boy loves almost anything.  He does not respond well to positive or negative reinforcement. He is stubborn but smart about it.  He also loves his little brother.  It is so fun to hear him talk to hughie.  He actually is telling him something, such as "Hugh, this is the magnet that goes on the refrigerator" or "Hugh you can't play with this yet but when you get big like me you will share with me".  They make each other laugh.  Blessed.

Plase ignore all the "Stuff" in the background and on the floor.  My life is cluttered.

It's getting colder outside so we have been soaking in the last of the park outings and time spent in the back yard.  Eli is getting really independent in the park and this makes me happy but nervous.  I'm sure his dad lets him climb and be more adventurous than his cautious mom does. 

You want to know what else has been keeping me busy?
Picture this:
6:45 am-groggy Raina (have you seen me like this?)
Running on the treadmill. Sweating. Crying. Trying to control sobs. 
Ok -stop picturing this.  It's ugly.
I've been watching the show "Parenthood" while I run, per my sisters recommendation. I heard that a lot of people like this show and it has replaced my "Brothers and Sisters" obsession that I used to have.  The music that the editors or producers allow to be played in the background of this hits-home drama should be outlawed for people like me on a treadmill. The music starts, the emotion is there-and I just start crying.  Great show.  Helps me run a little longer. But yeah...I am a sight to be seen.

Other little things:

Andy and I are signing up for a 5K (10K for andy) in a few weeks.

It's my first year partaking in Fantasy Football.  I'm doing alright.  I just wish it was easier to pay attention to the games.  Life is busy and full of responsibilities. 

My brother got a dog and I can't wait to meet cute Fox.  It's been fun to hear all about the transition of being a puppy owner.  It wasn't that long ago that I was a new dog owner and I had no clue what I was doing. 

So...just a Friday fill for you-a few pictures and a few updates.

 Andy stood in for Uncle Chris at Adelia's baptism. Special.

 Eli thrives from doing projects and art projects.




Eli takes a picture!




Add caption

 What do I need from you?


1. Easy recipe ideas: on my 10 hour days I am struggling to have supper planned and made. I need to plan ahead and I need some ideas.

2. Ideas for being more environmentally aware-want to be more green but we need to be time savvy and also can't spend a ton on expensive "products".

3. Circle time ideas: Eli loves doing circle time with me so we try to do a learning activity every day. We need more ideas for crafts, songs, and concepts that a 3+ year old would be interested in.

Happy Weekend!

7 Months

Where is time going?

Flying fast fast fast!

Hughie has had an exciting month. He still is not sleeping through the night, despite multiple new attempts, practices and tactics.  The doctor told us he is really ready, old enough, big enough and nothing stopping him....except for maybe Andy and me.  Our fault? Not possible (wink, wink).  We want him to sleep so bad we can taste it and let me tell you....the thought of a full nights sleep is the sweetest gluten free taste ever. We are just about to turn that corner.

Our nights are filled with this.....

But our days are filled with this...

So that makes up for it. 

This last month was the month of Hughie's first tooth.  His first tooth popped and there are at least 2 more on the way.  Eli is well aware that Hugh can't eat anything yet because he can't chew  I'm gonna miss that big gummy grin but lil baby-tooth smiles also melt my heart to mush.

This is also the month that Hugh tasted fruit!  He loves his banana, pears, prunes and peaches.  Soon he'll try mango, plums and applesauce.  He is still a veggie connoisseur.

This is also the month that Hugh to the Lou learned to sit up all on his own.  He is pretty good but as you see, he gently falls and is happy on his tummy.  He will soon be on the move and I'm dreading this.  He is scooting backwards a bit and trying to get on his knees but I consider myself lucky that he hasn't figured it out yet.  I'm sure it makes me a terrible mom to admit that, but I love a sitting still Hugh. When he starts scooting around I know it will be a whole new ball game and the score will be Hugh: 100 and Mom: 0.

 He loves his brother and his dog.  He acts very exuberant and excited when he watches Eli move around.  The sound of their giggles colliding is enough to forget about our sleepless nights.  I can tell these brothers are going to be friends.  (They both move so much, it's really hard to get a good picture of the 2 of them. )

See ya next month. Just a tad bigger and with reports of more adventures. 

Tough As Nails

I am so proud of this man.
Of the 14,000 people that ran this race on Saturday (and even more on Sunday)-he shows up in the video for his particular race.

Hit pause at exactly the 32 second mark (Ok I had to press the pause button 3 times at the 32nd mark to see his face).  There is a really quick blip of Mr. Andy in a gray shirt with blue goggles around his neck. 


Did you see him?

They are reminded at the beginning that this is not a competition-so they are not racing for time.  Between the obstacles they ran-for a total of 11-12 miles.  He had so much fun. He and his team were really tough as nails.

Upper right hand corner in the red shorts----he said the guy next to him (far right corner) was doing a back flip and bumping into him

Heading in to get shocked

After being shocked-looks pretty happy?

I didn't get to attend but man golly gee I wish I had.  Therefore, these are the only pictures I have so far. He wants me to participate next year and has already started looking in to where they are and checking out the dates.  Way to go Andy.  I'm so proud of you and so glad you didn't get hurt. 

Dreaming

 Dreaming that THIS type of dreaming was happening at night.

32 Loves

32 things to love this year

1.  Tacos
2. Rocking lil Hughie
3. Live music-any kind, anywhere
4.  A crisp glass of wine at the end of the day
5. Outings with extended family- anywhere as long as it's together
6.  Watching Hughie take it all in-watching him see new things every day. Today he was mesmerized with the shadows on the deck that the trees and leaves were creating
7. Breakfast in bed: eggs, toast and banana
8.  This song (I don't know this artist but I'm in love all of a sudden).  This is an old favorite song and I almost like this rendition more.  Goosebumps and emotions when I listen


9.  Sleeping with the window open
10. Facetime on the iPad.... allows us to keep in touch and see each other
11. The GreenBay Packers, The Milwaukee Brewers
12. naps: for me, for you, for eli, for hugh
13. train tracks-I approve of you. You are better obsessions for my sons than shooter guns, ninja guys and "bad guys".  Although Eli is trying trying trying to make these items part of our every day life.
14. Survivor- my favorite tv show and one of the only that I really watch
15. Cheese
16. Other moms with kids this age and that.  It's that "YES I know what you mean" moment when they are describing their struggles and solutions.
17. Other blogs- I can relate and sometimes not. They can make me think, inspire and maybe evoke emotion.  Keeps me closer to family and friends and helps me feel part of moments that I wasn't physically at.
18. Andy
19. Cucumbers
20. This morning when Eli came in my bedroom he said "Happy Birthday Mama".  I said "Thanks Bubs!". He said "Daddy said when I say Happy Birthday that I could give you a hug".  "I would like that" I replied.  BIG HUG received.  "But...I'm reallllly wet" Eli says while he presses his little body tight against me for a squishy, pee soaked diaper hug.
21.  Snail Mail: E-mails and text messages are awesome. But there is nothing like a fun, colored envelope with your name handwritten on it. 
22. A good book and a warm bath.  Bliss.
23.  Dinner on the deck-wish we did it more often.
24. Udi's and Tinkiyada
25. Part time work
26. Health-so important to me.  so glad that my shoulder pain wasn't really brain cancer that spread to my bones(wink wink)
27.  Holidays-Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years-all favorites coming up!
28.  Exercise-sweat out the stress
29. Corn on the Cob and pickles
30. My little pillow
31. Vacations-already looking forward to them
32. My boys-always changing, and always ready to make my 32nd year an awesome one. Things to love. All to be greatful for.

Tough Mudder

It's funny to me that the name of the race rhymes with what I am (tough mother). Sometimes when I finish my day I feel like these guys look in this race.

Click HERE

Check it out-Andy is doing this today. I hope he comes home safe.

Are you hungry?

We always know when Hugh-to-the-Lou is hungry.
He makes this noise over and over and over again when he sees his food. He does this also when I'm getting ready to nurse him.  Makes me smile.  He is so much more of an "eater" than Eli ever was.  Love the normalcy in that. 

The best thing you've ever done for me

Is to help me take my life less seriously, it's only life after all

Up on the watershed, standing at the fork in the road

You can stand there and agonize

Till your agony's your heaviest load.

When you're learning to face the path at your pace

Every choice is worth your while.

Every five years or so I look back on my life

And I have a good laugh.

You start at the top, go full circle round

Catch a breeze, take a spill

But ending up where i started again makes me wanna stand still.

but what it takes to cross the great divide seems more than all the courage i can muster up inside

but we get to have some answers when we reach the other side

 the prize is always worth the rocky ride

but the wood is tired and the wood is old and we'll make it fine if the weather holds

but if the weather holds then we'll have missed the point

that's where i need to go

 

-indigo girls