I love you because...

Dear Beckett,

Yesterday, after months of trying to get you to say it, you said "Thanks Mama!" after I gave you some gold fish at Target ~ I literally started crying in the parking lot.  When we got home you ran over to the flower bed and picked me a daffodil and said, "Mama flower" and handed it to me.  Again, I wanted to tear up. Thanks for letting me pick you up early and play hooky from school yesterday ;) I just needed to hang out with my big boy!  We had fun all day long...until we got in trouble from daddy because our dance party upstairs was too loud - woops.  I love being silly with you and dancing with you and reading to you and counting your toes...most of all I love the little person you are becoming!  Thanks for using your manners yesterday for the first time and telling me you loved me as you pulled your blanky behind you on the stairs up to bed.  You are my bestest buddy ~ I am so blessed to have you in my life.

I love you so much Beckett Adam! 

Stuff Strangers Say...

I felt overwhelmed by strangers today...everywhere we went (the mall/church) people felt the need to comment on my children!  Since one of the reasons I started this blog was to be able to print it for my children one day I want them to know what others perceive ;) 

Emerson's Quotes for the day:

"OH MY GOD your baby is SO cute. She is just a doll." Random lady who CHASED us down on the way into church. 

"She was the loudest one during the Lord's Prayer!" Random lady who obviously doesn't appreciate your babbles.

"Did you hear that baby making farting noises the whole time!?!?!??" Little boy in the church parking lot who is obviously the youngest of his family. 

"God Bless you my little sweetie. I love your flower headband!" Father Renniger....if you could just please throw some holy water on her head that would be perfect. 

"Awwww look at that baby!" We heard this atleast 5 times today.  She's a looker for sure! 

Beckett's Quotes for the day:

"He has trouble written on his forehead!!!"  Oh really Macy's checkout lady? I thought I scrubbed that off....

"I can tell who the boss of this family is!"  Man buying dress pants at Macy's....Get.A.Life.

"Good thing this is a place for him to run around!"  WHAT is wrong with him running around your cash register??

"Heeheehee that little boy is funny!" Mom of a little girl in the Short Pump play area...Beckett was following her daughter everywhere. Too early? 

Dear Beckett and Emerson ~ thanks for ALL of the attention you bring to our family :) Let's tone it down next time we have a public outing though. I felt like Angelina Jolie today - minus the skinny arms and gorgeous hair and perfect face and tiny waist and flawless fashion......

But really, I am madly in love with my children - they ARE definitely cute and funny ;)

Freaky Friday!

Not sure why I "assigned" the title to this post before writing it but I did.  Maybe for the crazy weather we are having in February or maybe because I am sleep deprived but now that I am looking at the top of the screen and reading what I just wrote I am reminded for the 100th time this week that I have a dirty mind.

Lots of uses for the word dirty in my life...

We got to order Subway at school today and it was delivered to us! Sweet ~ I can get a veggie sub and not have to worry about packing my lunch!  However, this morning over the intercom the secretary wanted to know why I didn't want to eat meat on my sandwich.  (insert dirty mind)  Without wanting to delve into my Catholic background in front of my 2nd graders I just replied - I can't eat meat today!!! To which she replied, "No Meat"? Me - NO I cannot eat MEAT today! (AGH dirty mind!) 

Another application for the word dirty today comes to my house...

It was an absolutely beautiful week weather wise! I opened the doors, opened the windows, let some fresh air in....aaaahhhhh. HOLY CRAP my house is filthy. The light hath shone and I'm pretty sure that under the black dust that my baseboards are in fact white.  I had to get cleaning like pronto.  I cleaned ALL day Tuesday - Exhibit A. 

Ok people - the proof is in the pad! This Shark Steam Mop pad is BEYOND dirty. It's freaking disgusting. Why are my floors so dirty??? My dogs track the dirt in from the backyard and it drives me BONKERS so after I mopped and vaccumed with my sacred Dyson I got down on my hands and knees (dirty again) and scrubbed the living room carpet free of dirt! Did dishes, emptied trashcans, made beds, etc. This is not how I planned on spending my Tuesday but I had no choice.  

Now moving on to dirty laundry ....

I am ALWAYS doing laundry - and by always I mean like 3 days a week. It is constantly piling up between the 4 of us and never-ending.  So, I hadn't done laundry since Tuesday when I went on my massive cleaning spree, which occurs weekly.  Today rolls around and after bathtime I tell Neal to lay out jammies ... he shouts there are none.  SURELY there are jammies in these kids' drawers. I ALWAYS do laundry.  Nope. Nada. Exhibit B.

My adorable little girl is wearing her brother's hand me down ST. PATRICK's day jammies...and if you can notice in the background Beckett is sporting 4T fleece pants rolled up for the flood and a Christmas reindeer top.  O.M.G. How do we have so much dirty laundry that this is what my children are wearing?  

What have I learned today? I fail at being a mommy and wife.  FAIL. My house is dirty, clothes are dirty, mind is dirty.  I need to cleanse my spirit on this non meat eating Friday.  I tell Neal instead of giving something up for Lent I should clean MORE everyday so I don't have to deal with all this dirty crap ever again!!! 

Thank God my husband brought home a bottle of Moscato after work...I could not wait to open it after both children were snuggled in their festive holiday jammies.  

I go to the kitchen and notice the wine on the counter....Neal left it out because he thought white wine was supposed to be served warm.  I got your warm serving right here buddy!!!!!!!!! 

DIRTY! OMG! I am just plain dirty. 

Thank God for Ice.  I am going to church Sunday. 

Repeat of last Sunday...Mom of the Year Right Here

Ok...before you AWWWW at this picture lemme just TELL you a little bit about this buddy this weekend.  He has only ever fallen asleep in this chair ONE other time in his LIFE.  So, today being the 2nd time this has ever happened I had to document.

Buddy was pulling on his ears Friday night - crying - "ears." Thank God he can tell us what is wrong now!  So, Neal took him to the Dr. Saturday morning (after a LONG Friday night of no one in our house sleeping.)  After waiting behind 21 other sick kids to be seen by the Dr. it was determined he has a cold, fluid in his ears (ear infection) and his tubes are falling out.  Sweet. 

The rest of our Saturday was spent getting $63.00 (wtf) antibiotics spit in our faces as we tried to inject them down B's throat, trying to "hide" the antibiotics in his juice, and listening to him say NO about 50 million times.  

I feel horrible, awful, unbearable that I cannot help my little buddy feel better at all.  I am his mommy - that's all I want is for him to feel better. WHY on earth does he keep having all these ear problems!?!?!?  After trying to console him all day I had to get OUT of my house - Thank you Jesus for my best friend Kim!

Kim and I had never been to Cinebistro and Neal and Curtis did not want to go and see The Vow ( I have NO idea why.)  So we get all dolled up, take our wedding rings off (kidding!) and head to Stony Point.   Upon our arrival we discover we parked near the employee entrance so we hike around the complex until we get to the main entrance where we are told, very snobbishly, that we have to order our tickets waaaaaay in advance. Or we can see Star Wars. Better luck next time.  We are STARVING. It's 8 oclock and we want to eat!  We try Brio ~ only a tiny 2 hour wait. Super.  

Since we are already in the mini-van and dolled up on the prowl we ditch Stony Point and head to Stella's - a new cute restaurant off Patterson! Mediterranean - YUMMY!!! SO excited to go out and be out- this is fun.  We walk in the door and the hostess (without the mostess) very snobbishly tells us that they only take reservations while giving me the look of "I can't believe you tried to eat in this restaurant at 8:30 on a Saturday night" look.  FINE BIA I wouldn't eat here if you paid me!

Back in the mini - van start driving around God only knows where....I think we are in the ghetto and get a little scared - Kim has a horrible headache and is sweating to death because I like to crank the heat.  So we find 64 and get off at the Short Pump exit - there has to be SOMETHING we can eat here!

BURGER WORKS ~ yes we went from Stony Point to Burger Works but lemme tell you that Blues Burger is on POINT!  We got there just in time to scarf it down before they close.  We get BACK in the van and it is 9:00. Wow.  We can't go HOME our movie would just be starting now if we had bought our tickets in 1984.   

Where can we drink cheap that will help ease our sorrows?  EL PASOOOO yippeeee I have only been there 5,432,123 times since I have lived in Richmond but I love it!  We walk in the door and realize we have 30 minutes until they close BUT it's 3.99 Sangriaaaaaas ~ holler.  We both order 2 - chow down on some soaked fruit and had some great conversation.  Thank you Miss Kimberly Wallace for reminding me how lucky I am to have you as my best friend - you are freaking amazing girlfriend.  

I was too hungover from my 2 Sangrias (not drinking in 3 years) to make it to church this morning - but you know good ol Neal sure made it alright!  I got to snuggle on the couch with my babies and try to console them.  

We had a nice visit from Uncle Jason and Aunt Nancy ~ how they truly love my children I have no clue - but they do and they are awesome!!!! I can't wait for their BIG HUMONGOUS wedding day :) :) :)  and to call Nancy my SISTER even though she already feels like it :) 

Glad it's Sunday night now. Beckett ate 1 popsicle all day and drank some hot chocolate ~ Mother of the Year award goes to me.  Time to go re-cover up my buddy in his crib and slather some more Vicks on his back and pray he feels better tomorrow!!! Nighty night all :)  Well I mean technically not nighty night because I'll be up in 2 hours to feed Miss Emerson :)

~Libby

Up and At 'Em

February 15th, the day AFTER Valentine's Day...I'm thinking it would be a wonderful idea to surprise my hubby at work with Chipotle for lunch.  I love him everyday - not just on Valentine's Day! Plus - I don't work today! Yay! 


So, Emerson and I go to Chipotle to order 2 burrito bowls- yum.  Everyone ooh's and aah's over my cute baby. Of course.


We get to Neal's work!!! He is excited to see us AND the Chipotle bag!  We head to his lounge to eat lunch together and again everyone ooh's and aah's over OUR cute baby. ;)  She is LOVING the attention and smiling, smiling, smiling. 


But then her face turns red- oh yes you know what this means. A big one is a brewing.  So the red face, grunting and smiles continue for the remainder of our lunch.  


Now, this being an office building there are no changing stations.  So, I make Neal walk us down to the van (beautiful day outside today) because I secretly know I am going to need back up on this stanky one.


I set up the changing station while Neal disassembles the baby from the carseat. 


We get the purple pants off - PHEW. Wow it's rank.  She has been transitioning to formula so you can imagine the bright green and orange colors.  It is literally UP the front, back, sides - you name it....IT went there. 


The cute purple heart onesie comes off because it's dirty and immediately the socks are COVERED. I say QUICK Neal grab the socks - socks are off. But, she is such a wiggle worm it still gets on her thighs, and heels.  Oh my geez it's up her belly.  


So, we wipe the belly, wipe the thighs, heels, calves, rolls, EVERYTHING, go through about a BOX of wipes.  We throw the socks in the trash. Wipe off the poop from Neal's hands. Last but not least we clean the vajayjay.  Now, having a boy I can honestly say boys are easier to clean than girls.  SO MUCH poop gets in that crack it's ridiculous. Ridiculous.  


One of Neal's coworkers WOULD be in the parking spot RIGHT next to us getting into his car for his lunch break at the exact moment I am yelling, "I HATE VAGINAS!" aaaaahhhhhhh.  


Ok - naked baby into the carseat and drive the Indy 500 home. Emerson and I are laying in bed the rest of the afternoon and watching Food Network. Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! 


~Libby

Valentine's Day 2012!

I can't believe that Neal and I celebrated our 13th Valentine's Day together!!!  
I gave Neal a scrapbook for Valentine's Day our Junior Year of high school to "add" to over the years...I have been slacking on that BUT at least it is in our living room and we can look at it together :)   HILARIOUS the things we used to do and say....no examples needed.  I wish I could find a picture of us from Sadie Hawkins where we had matching red shirts and khaki pants on (not Target uniforms.) That was a fun one :) 
Neal still has every.single.note I ever wrote to him in high school at mom's house in a drawer. LOVE.  


Now since we have 2 children we didn't do it up big this year - just a nice lunch date!  The words in the card were all I needed though...."These years are going to be tough for a while with the kids but I can't wait to spend the rest of my life loving you."  True dat homie.  After our lunch date I went to volunteer at Beckett's school!!!! They are so stinkin' cute and he has the best teacher, ever.  Here are some pics from our day ~ hope you all had a LOVEly one! 

~Libby

CITED!!!!

Yesterday after bath time I hear Beckett yelling "HUP" (help) from the bathroom.  I was in Emerson's room checking on her so I go into the bathroom and my BIG boy is sitting naked on the potty - yay!  He squats up on the potty like a frog  ~ ok this is new.  Then he asks me to read him books which I happily oblige.  We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar ~ one of his faves.  He starts grunting (still squatting) and pushed some pee out!!!!!!   He jumped off the potty, gave me a high five and a hug.  I said Beckett I am SO excited!!!!!! You peed in the potty!!!  To which he responded, CITED!!!! YAY!!

I just want to have this written down somewhere for him so he remembers the very first time he went potty at home.  :)  I am so CITED for my big boy!  We had some cookies and milk to celebrate :)

Mommy loves you SO much my B Buddy...hard to believe this picture was taken 2 years ago!!!! Time flies when you're lucky in love :)

Sunday (notso) Funday

 Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh (vibrating cell phone alarm going off) It is 5am.  I am already up, however, because this face ... 

decided she was going to be up at 10 pm, midnight, 2:45 am, and 5 am.  We finally went to sleep at 6 am and then my mother-in-law called at 7:58 (thankfully) and I am UP for the day!

So, I trudge downstairs to this face....

  

all up in the kitchen making ME breakfast!  My husband is awesome. Toast, Omelette, Awesome. While I was upstairs sleeping for 2 hours my husband was cooking. Awesome.

So, I say - I don't think I'm going to make it to 9 am mass. (It is 8:07).  Neal says he can just go and take Beckett. Perfect. Again, awesome. 

I get Beckett ready and Neal gets himself ready and out the door they go - in their matching olive pants, brown shoes and cream sweaters. I wish I had a picture. 

NOW here's my dilemma with Sundays....it might get a little deep here. 

1) Emerson never sleeps on Saturday nights.

2)If I don't get in the shower at 5 am I will never be ready for church.

3) I desperately want to get my children baptized but we have to go for 12 consecutive (key word) Sundays before we can enroll in the class. 

4) 2 children under 2 in church is no fun at all.

5) It is very hard for me to sit through mass without my dad and sister.  Growing up we went to church every Sunday as a family and dad always made breakfast on Sundays.  It's difficult for me not having that family anymore.  Sure I still have my mom, dad and sister in my life but it's not the same. :( I used to not be able to walk into church without crying - moving on! 

SO Dear God/Jesus ~ I apologize that I could not get my hot mess of a self ready today to join you in church.  I am not one of those women who can miraculously get dressed and do my hair and get my kids ready and wear perfect outfits and sit in the front pew by 8:45.  (not yet anyways) HOW ON EARTH do they do it????  Do they have nannies? Do their kids run around screaming, jumping off entertainment stands while the parents get ready? I just don't know but "getting ready" in my house is a challenging task. 

I am sure it is a sight to see with my mom, Neal and Beckett sitting together at church. 55 year old red-headed grandma, young hot dad, crazy screaming 2 year old.  What a sight. 

BUT  I truly want to thank you Lord for blessing me with a loving, supportive husband who goes to Catholic mass every Sunday with or without me (even though he's not Catholic) because it means so much to me to have my children baptized in the faith I grew up in.   Amen. 

SNOW!!!

It's SNOWING! It's snowing! The winter wind is blowing!


Beckett and I are watching from the window...we ran out in it when it first started coming down and he got scared!  For a kid who was born in a snow storm this is not the reaction I was going for! Ha!  

B and I are making hot chocolate and it just so happens I have the perfect mug to describe my feeling for snow and the nostalgia it brings :) Thanks Kimmie ;) 

Dear Nealy, 


On our 13th (thirteenth!??!?!?) Valentine's Day together ....

xoxo

~Libby

Wine down

Thank you all SO much for sharing your thoughts with me through the blog, fbook and messages ;) I really, truly appreciate what everyone has to say and thanks for keeping me in your thoughts.

Today was a freaking amazing day in 2nd grade and made me realize how much I love my job and love teaching.  My students were sooooo good and we had fun learning! I am so lucky to be able to share my day with 17 awesome kids and 2 amazing babies at home.

I am also very fortunate to be able to share this teaching job with MW - she is a one of a kind gem and I treasure our friendship.  I also must give credit to AG, AC, BA and SD for making me smile every.single. day - I <3 working with you all more than words can say!

Neal brought me a (big) bottle of wine on his way home before he went to the gym so I am relaxing in my disaster of a house but I can't complain....I have my health, a home, a kick @ss husband and 2 sleeping miracle babies.

Enough sappy wine talk for tonight :) More to come next week .... have a wonderful weekend & enjoy your loved ones :) xo

~Libby

Oh em gee

This has been weighing heavily on my mind lately and I just really need some (more) guidance! A lot of you have given me your input and I thank you for that ... I just need to get it out there! 


Tuesday night Neal asks me, "Do you have to work tomorrow?" Me, "Yep." Neal, "I hate the days that you work." Me, "Yep."  This is pretty much the extent of our conversations Wednesday-Friday.  Neal does not want me to work next year.... but I am TORN!!!! TORN!!!


Here's why I like working:  Getting out of the house a few days a week is refreshing, gives me a reason to talk to adults, take a shower, drink Starbucks and pay a few of my own bills. I get to spend 2 or 3 days a week at home with Emerson and clean the house  (watch Live with Kelly) while Beckett goes to school and works out his terrible 2's with other terrible 2 year olds. 


Here's why I don't like working: I get zero sleep (ok I lied I get like 4 hours of sleep), my house looks like a tornado has gone through it, we spend at least 1.5 hours a day in the car shuffling the kids to 2 different places.  


And: Day care costs 100 more dollars a month than I am bringing home. 


Here is why I am scared about NOT working: If I do not work I have no idea how to entertain both of my children all day every day with no break ever never ever (Beckett would not go to preschool).  I have no idea how I would survive without my "own" money.  (Neal would feel like my dad...my personal feeling. I know I am crazy. ) 


So with that being said- help, please, pray for me that I make the right decision for my family and myself!  


P.S. I am BEYOND blessed to have been given the opportunity to teach part-time and stay at home part-time....but the preschool costs and time are killing us right now. Can I make it work 1 more year? Ok...I'm going to pack lunches, lay out clothes and program the coffeeeee for the am.  Night night.


~Libby

Where do I start? Jay-Z...

Am I really doing this?

Yes, Yes I am. Blogging is cheaper than counseling so I will start here.

This morning Neal told Beckett, "Mommy woke up on the wrong side of the bed."  Actually, Neal I woke up on the side of the bed I always wake up on and have for the past 6 years that we have been sharing a bed.

But, I know what he meant.  I was grumpy this morning and rightfully so.  Emerson woke up at 1 am for a bottle and I had 2 glasses of wine during the Bachelor.  Grumpy.

How would I get out of this funk?  Stay with me. 

A little dance party in the kitchen usually starts my day off right.  Just so happens that Jay-Z did the trick this morning.  If you know me, then you know I often refer to him as my "baby-daddy."  Sorry Beyonce, (I LOVE you Beyonce) but it's true. 

Anytime I was in the car (during both pregnancies) my babies in utero would immediately start kicking if I played his CD. They connect with him as well.

I am not sure if it's the head-bopping beats or the fact that my lips protrude 2 inches off my face when I hear his songs but I can't get enough of Jay-Z.  He is also Neal's favorite rapper so I don't think Neal minds.  After 40 minutes of "Ball so hard" (I used to think it was fall so hard) and "Big Pimpin'"  I am no longer "on the wrong side of the bed-mood." 

So, thank you Jay-Z for getting me out of my funk this morning.  I brushed the dirt off my shoulder and it's going to be a wonderful day!  

~Libby