ghosts of the past

As has been mentioned around these parts, our house sold and we are currently residing in a "temporary" location until the short sale we bid on comes through.

To say that our current home has "history" would be a bit of an understatement.

Not only was the home built in the 1920's, and, therefore, is full of woodwork and character, it has also been in my family for decades ...  Owned first by my grandfather, then by my uncle and dad collectively, and, now, just by my dad.

But, it also has been lived in by these same people.

The downstairs unit has been graced by my great-grandparents, and my own family ...  From my birth, until the time I was nearly twelve, this was also my home.  I shared one of the two bedrooms with both of my sisters.  I played in the (small) yard (that felt huge at the time), and created plays and shows in the basement (which was set up as our playroom).

The upstairs unit, where we are living today, was where my dad grew up ...  He slept in the same bedroom that Malcolm currently calls "his."  Then, when my dad's family moved away, my uncle continued to rent the upstairs unit ... And, in more recent years, my sister and a friend lived there.

It's obvious to see that this house has been called "home" by most of my family (at one time or another), and now, here I am ...  Back with my husband and kids, and living here (albeit in a different unit) a second time. 

Making new memories in an old house.

Continuing the history that started so many years before.

While I never anticipated that our home selling (and buying) experience would put us in "The Double," I find myself happy that it did.

Yes, we are a bit squished in our two-bedroom retreat.

Yes, the kitchen is tiny and the stove is old.

Yes, it is awkward tip-toeing around the one-year-old that sleeps in the master bedroom.

And, yes, packing and moving on two separate (and closely-spaced) occasions is going to stink.

But, it is so incredibly cool to hear my dad talk to Malcolm about how he used to sleep in the same room when he was a boy ...

To see how this simple house connects generations of my family.

pudding cookies for my puddin'

Back for Pearl's birthday party, I needed a simple yet delicious cookie to add to the dessert table ...  So, I went with an old standby recipe that I got from my mother-in-law.

These "Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies" are a one bowl deal and use a box of instant pudding mix to give them a little extra flavor and keep them nice and chewy (just how I think all cookies should be!).

 

 

You will need:

 

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 cup of butter (or margarine)

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 box of instant pudding mix (any flavor ...  I used chocolate for this batch)

2 eggs

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

 

To make the cookies:

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

 

Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and pudding mix and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.

 

Add the flour and baking soda ...  The dough will become very thick and stiff (and hard to mix, especially if doing so by hand, but stick with it!).  Stir in the chocolate chips.

 

Roll the dough into balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place about 1-2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined backing sheet.

 

 

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies have set.  They will still be quite soft and doughy in the center.

 

Allow the cookies to slightly cool on the cookie sheets (for about 5 minutes) and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Makes about three dozen (delicous!) cookies.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

snow bunny

Every President's Day weekend, my parents' college friends (who are more like extended family) host a "Big Chill" get-together in Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania.

This being Pearl's first year in attendance (last year, she was still my little passenger), she was a bit too small to partake in the bonfire or sled rides, or even nightly games ...

But she did get to bust out a cozy sweater and dress the part.

Sweater: Circo (thrifted for $1.00)

Long-sleeved onesie: Gerber ($8.00 for pack of three)

Fleece pants: Wonderkids (thrifted for $0.50)

Socks: Old Navy (gift)

 

My little snow bunny.

fall family fashion

It may be winter in Cleveland, but today's post will take us back a bit ...

Since we've been sick around here (as I mentioned at the end of last week), I didn't take the steps to (cutely) dress one of my kids and snap a couple of photos for my usual Thursday post.  So, instead (because I think on my feet and am not one to change up a routine), I thought I'd show off our family fashion ...

From our fall family photos, of course!

When else would you expect to see all four of us looking put-together (and coordinating!)?

As a "documenter" type of person, I find it so important to keep all these little records of our family.  Our last set of professional family photos was taken when Malcolm had just turned a year old, and, obviously, things are a bit different now!

It's crazy how much things can change in such a relatively short amount of time.

Cardigan: Old Navy ($15.00)

Dress: Carter's ($10.00)

Leggings: Carter's ($8.00 for pack of two)

Shoes: Old Navy (gift)

Of course (in keeping with the theme of changes) the newly-turned-three-year-old was completely uncooperative during our half hour session and didn't want to take any pictures ...  Let alone some cute ones of him all by himself.  So, ones of me restraining and tickling him into submission will have to do.

Long-sleeved shirt: Old Navy (thrifted for $1.50)

Tee shirt: Gildan (gift)

Jeans: Arizona Jean Co. (thrifted for $1.00)

Socks: Unknown brand (hand-me-down)

Shoes: Smart Fit (hand-me-down)

It may only be a couple months behind us, but part of me is excited and already scheming for our next family photo shoot ...

pap and pearl

I've been wanting to post a picture since the day before Thanksgiving ...

But, first, a bit of background.

My mother is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so half of my extended family still lives in/around the area.  Growing up, we (naturally) didn't see that side of the family as often as those that were local to us ...  Mainly around the holidays and during the summer when we'd all congregate at the cottage in Conneaut Lake.

So, it was understandable that I didn't have an extremely close relationship with my mom's parents (whom we call Gram and Pap) when I was small ... 

In fact, Pap downright scared me. 

He was quiet and stern and never seemed to smile.  It didn't help that I never felt like I stacked up to my male cousins who always had his praise and attention ... Even my excellent grades and accomplishments on the softball field didn't seem to pique his interest.

It wasn't until much later (when I went away to college in Pennsylvania and spent a bit more time with Gram and Pap) that I finally developed a better relationship with my grandparents. 

Pap, in his older age, mellowed out a bit and is currently anything but scary ...

Which is good, because now there are a couple of great-grandchildren in the mix!  And since Pearl is currently the only great-granddaughter, maybe she will capture his heart in a way I never could.

stinker

As much as I like to dangle shiny little incentives (literally or figuratively) in front of my son to get the best out of him, I've learned many times over that Malcolm can't be bought.

He is too smart for that ...  And here's a little story to prove it ...

While spending the night at my parents' house, my Mom told Malcolm that if he peed on the big boy potty (Ah, yes!  Potty training is in full, if not slightly leisurely, effect over here!) she'd give him a new truck, but if he pooped on the big boy potty, she'd give him a big new truck.

Apparently, he thought on this for a moment as he played, then suddenly asked my Dad: "Grampa (although he says it more like "Ka-pa")? I poop on potty, I get big truck?"

When my Dad agreed that that was, indeed, the deal, Malcolm removed himself from the room, went to his potty (with some help from my mother), and proceeded to poop the tiniest of barely-there poops on it ...  And then he waited for his big truck!

You'd think my entire family (and anyone else that spends a moderate of time with Malcolm) would know by now, that you really do have to watch what you say to him. 

He doesn't forget.

Ever.

And he holds you to your promises.

But, luckily (for us!), he is also easy-going ...

So, he accepted the new, little truck without protest.

(Photo courtesy of my Dad's iPhone)

Maybe, next time, my parents will be more specific in describing their expectations.

bowled over

We went (bumper) bowling with family this past weekend and Malcolm just loved it.

I mean, what two-year-old doesn't love throwing things?

Tee-shirt: Old Navy ($5.00)

Shorts: Jumping Beans (hand-me-down)

Socks: Unknown brand (hand-me-down)

Shoes: Bowling!!

Big, heavy, neon-colored things at that?

endless possibilities

Last weekend was a busy one, complete with lots of face time on both sides of the family.  Not only did this make for an occupied (and the thoroughly exhausted) two-year-old at the end of it all, but it also left a bunch of offhand comments ringing in my head ...

Nothing bad, necessarily.

Nothing even all that memorable.

Harmless, probably, to anyone else besides me ...  The (sometimes) over-thinker.

I guess I should just come out and say that, thanks to an array of childhood/adolescent development and psychology classes, I dislike when people project various expectations on my children, benign as they may be ... 

I don't want Malcolm or Pearl to be saddled with labels.

The smart one.

The crazy one.

The active one.

The shy one.

While, at face value, none of these things are bad, I want my kids to see (and know) that they can be whomever they want to be. 

They can be smart, and crazy, and active, and shy if they want to.

There is no "either/or" involved.

I don't want them to hear something about their sibling, and by default, think that it can't possibly apply to them, too.  But, I guess I come by these feelings honestly ...

Coming from a family with three daughters, I don't think I was ever referred to as "pretty" when I was growing up (at least not excessively). I was skinny, freckled, bespectacled, and something of a tomboy. My hair was always on the shorter side, certainly not long and flowing like my middle sister's hair (the one who got the "pretty" label).  I didn't care, though, I somehow had it in my head that I was pretty anyway and, even better, I was smart. That word, smart, would probably be the one I'd throw out there if a psychologist asked me to pick a word to describe myself (pretty would be at the end of the list), but I'd also venture a guess that that's what I heard the most of growing up ...

"Look at Emily, lost in that book. She's such a smart girl."

"Ask Em. I'm sure she'd know the answer to that."

"Emily is getting straight A's again this quarter."

Most compliments from my parents and/or other adults revolved around my brain ...  And while that's just fine (I like being perceived as smart!), I find it very interesting that it's embedded itself into my thinking on into adulthood. When with my sisters, I never feel like the "pretty one." I'm a little more self-conscious and end up secretly wishing I had cooler, more trendy clothes and/or accessories and a better hair cut.

I'm just Emily, the frumpy (but very smart) one.

Which, isn't bad ...  But isn't the whole picture, either!

I truly, truly hope that Malcolm and Pearl do not fall into the same trap and sell themselves short because of what (often well-meaning) people say.  I want them to grow up knowing that they can be whatever they want to be, liking and doing the things that they want to do ... 

They are still so young, with endless possibilities spread out before them. 

I don't want any of those possibilities to disappear before they even have a chance to explore them ...  Especially because of a few offhand comments.

how to make a turtle-shaped diaper cake

My husband's cousin is having her first baby (a boy) in August and is a bit of a turtle enthusiast ...  So, for her shower, I wanted to get creative and make her a turtle-shaped "diaper cake."

As I searched the internet for inspiration, I noticed two things ...

First, although there are many great pictures of finished turtle "cakes," I could not find a free turtle tutorial anywhere.

Second, from reading the descriptions of finished turtle-shaped "cakes" and tutorials that could be purchased, it seemed as if all of them were meant to become keepsakes ... That is, they were held together with glue, ultimately making the diapers and other components unusable.

Since I'm up for a challenge (and I've been feeling crafty lately), I decided to give my own "turtle diaper cake" a try ...  And, in the spirit of practicality, I made sure that all the baby items used to assemble the turtle could later be used by my husband's cousin and her newborn son.

On with the tutorial ...

Making the upper shell: 

Starting with the open end of the diaper, I rolled seven diapers and secured them in the middle with rubber bands.

 

Next I arranged those rolled diapers in a circle (with one diaper in the middle and the remaining six around it) and held that configuration together with another rubber band.

To create the top of the upper shell, I opened and flattened out another diaper and covered the top of the seven rolled diapers.  I used another rubber band to secure it in place.

Next, to give some depth to the shell, I took four more diapers, fully opened them, and then rolled them lengthwise.  I layered and wrapped them around the bottom of rolled diaper shell piece and secured them with a large rubber band.

To complete the upper shell, I opened folded diapers (six in total) and fed them up to the crease under a rubber band that was stretched around the top of the central shell piece.  With the rubber band securing the crease of the inside of the diaper, I folded the rest of the diaper back down.

 

 

Four more diapers (folded lengthwise), were added on top of the original ring of folded diapers to help "pad" the very bottom of the shell even more and to make it protrude a bit more than the very top ...

 

Once in place, and working in a counter-clockwise fashion, I used the tabs on the diapers to secure them to the central piece, thus completing the upper shell.

 

Making the lower shell (including the head, tail, and feet):

In order to avoid gluing any pieces, I started by taking a basic paper plate and taping three diapers (opened and rolled lengthwise) along the edge ... I played with this a bit, making sure that the final upper shell would sit nicely on top of the plate, with the rolled diapers protruding from below.

 

At the front, I created a large arch with the diaper so that the turtle's head (a styrofoam craft ball wrapped in a baby washcloth and secured with straight pins) could be attached (via safety pins) to the paper plate underneath.

I also secured the tail (a rolled baby washcloth) on the plate opposite of the head.

For the feet, I used four baby socks (stuffed with plastic from some baby socks I had received for Pearl) and secured them with embroidery floss to the plate from below.

Putting it all together:

Lastly, to hold the upper and lower shell pieces together, I embellished the turtle with ribbon and other various craft items (as well as some additional small baby gifts).  This was also useful in covering up any "flaws" or portions that did not look as nice as I would have liked ...

 

 

Overall, I was pretty pleased with my final "turtle diaper cake."  It was fun to try and figure out how to make everything work (and stay together), while creating something that still looked good and was, ultimately, usable.

Definitely a fun little weekend project!

four

It's been about four weeks as a family of four.

As seems to be the case with children (new babies in particular), it has seemed like a blink of an eye, but also an eternity at the exact same time.

Pearl has worked her way into our family quite well ... She's a little more "clingy" and "cuddly" than Malcolm was at her age, but she is just as laid-back and easy going. She sleeps pretty well, giving me stretches of 3-3.5 hours between feedings at night, and is already filling out from said feedings ... Her cheeks are starting to get adorably puffy! I can't wait for the rest of her to plump up a bit, too! There's nothing cuter than a chubby baby!

While Malcolm hasn't really embraced having a sister (he mostly just ignores her), there haven't been any sibling-related meltdowns. I'm sure he'll warm up eventually, but, until then, I enjoy having him as "my little helper." He likes grabbing things for me when I'm "stuck" feeding the baby, and he has helped to burp and bathe her on occasion. He's even "shared" his blanket, Spot, for short spurts of time ... As predicted, he is shaping up to be quite the big brother!

But, probably the most unexpected thing about our expansion to a family of four, is how effortless (and I'm probably jinxing myself with this) and easy everything has been so far.

I'm getting a decent amount of sleep (not nearly as much as I would like, but I am able to function) ... And, sometimes, we all go down for naps at the same time in the afternoon!

I've been able to run errands and go to multiple doctor's appointments with both kids in tow, without any major disturbances.

We've survived our first holiday (Easter).

Our day-to-day routine has become pretty established.

Having two, easy-going (and well rested!) kids is definitely part of the formula for success ... But, I certainly can't discount our wonderful families and friends and all of the support we have been given over this past month. Meals, nights alone with the baby (while Malcolm enjoys some overnight grandparent time), and even simple "I'm thinking of you" phone calls ...

We are so lucky!

In addition, I also have to give lots of credit to my partner through everything ... My wonderful husband. He is truly a natural and has really jumped into the "father of two" role head first. One moment he is occupying Malcolm with rambunctious games in the backyard, and the next he is quietly soothing Pearl to sleep ...

I knew I had a "keeper" a long time ago, and I often thought about how things would be once we had kids of our own, but it is so rewarding to actually see these moments materialize and become real.

To really live them.

Together.

So, yes, these past four weeks have been good to us ...

Full of lots of living, and growing, and loving.

I only hope that the next four (and the four after that, and the four after that ...) are just as wonderful!

i'm thankful for vacations

I'm taking a break from blogging this week ...

Not because life and work have been overwhelming as things gear up toward the long holiday weekend ... But entirely because I'll be on vacation with my wonderful family in Jamaica!

Last time we took a vacation of this magnitude (to Mexico) I came home with tons of photos, memories to last a lifetime, and Malcolm (true story!) ...





That trip will certainly be tough to top, but I know the whole family will have fun trying!

when malcolm boycotts bananas

Sometimes we buy Malcolm a bunch of bananas for the week and he gobbles them down in a few days ... Other times, they sit on the counter, untouched, slowly ripening past the point of no return.

Those weeks with uneaten, ripening bananas are my favorite because they often mean I'll get to whip up a batch of my "Auntie Marianne's Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies" (or "BCCs" for short).


These delicious sweet and chocolately cookies have a long withstanding history in my life ... "Auntie" Marianne is actually my mom's old college roommate and dear family friend, so, growing up, every time we'd get together we could expect our fill of BCCs. I fondly remember downing about a dozen of these cookies the morning of my wedding ... Breakfast of champions!

Anyway, Auntie Marianne was kind enough to share the recipe with me years ago, and since it is so easy (everything goes in one bowl!) to make, I thought I'd post it for posterity's sake.


You will need:

2/3 cup of shortening
1 cup of (granulated) sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of bananas, mashed (typically two bananas)
2 1/4 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
pinch of salt
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

To make the cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas and mix thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips.

Using two spoons, drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper) and sprinkle with more granulated sugar.


Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Then remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in a covered container ... Although they will go fast!


Makes about three dozen cookies.

Note: I have found that is is helpful if you allow the cookies to cool slightly on the pans before attempting to move them to a cooling rack. The chocolate chips will be very gooey and because these cookies are soft, you can end up with a huge mess on your hands if you are too anxious! Even after waiting, it is sometimes necessary to scrape off your spatula so that all the stuck-on chocolately goodness does not damage the cookies as you scoop them off the pan.

Enjoy!

credit where credit is due

Malcolm is a good kid.

A really good kid.

He has an agreeable attitude and a laid-back personality.

He's a good eater.

He can occupy himself with books and toys.

He's a great sleeper and partakes in his naps and bedtime quite willingly (and on a pretty consistent schedule).

He follows directions (most of the time).

Yes, he is a wonderful little boy ... Yet I refuse to believe that all of these attributes are merely genetics in action.

A random shuffling of the dice ...

A lucky mingling of a specific sperm and egg ...

As the arrival of Baby #2 is made known to family and friends, the same general message keeps rearing its head:

"You lucked out with your firstborn ... Be prepared for this next kid to be a holy terror!"

But is it all really just the luck of the draw?

I don't think so.

I think that parenting (or "nurture" if you're thinking of the age-old debate) also plays a major role in how a child eventually behaves ... Parents are often blamed when things go wrong with their kids ... So why shouldn't I get some of the credit when my kid is so, so right?

From the very beginning, I was diligent to make sure the Malcolm had a predictable routine to govern his days (and nights). Sure, as a baby, this "routine" was very fluid and mainly consisted of eating, sleeping, and playing at similar times each day ... But, as time went on, the routine remained an important part our day-to-day lives, often signalling when certain activities would end and others would begin.

I remember, when Malcolm was about four months old, mapping out (in a notebook) when he typically preferred to eat and sleep so that I could establish a nap schedule for him ... Set times where he would go down for a nap each day.

Certain family members scoffed at the idea ...

Who puts a four-month-old on a schedule?!

You just don't do that!

But I did.

And it worked.

Malcolm fell into it beautifully.

And from four months on, Malcolm knew what to expect from each day ... And this, I think, has always been comforting to him.

Predictable.

Maybe it's the teacher in me, but who seriously prefers a day that is nothing but chaos? If you are a student, you want to know when class begins and ends ... You want to know what's next, where you are going, what you will be doing ... In fact, it's safe to say that you look forward to certain parts of the day!

So why would a young child (at home) be any different?

I have seen children without a schedule and have heard the frustrations of other mothers whose kids "do not sleep" or "are out of control" on a daily basis. While, yes, a child's personality and temperament play a role (obviously, every kid is genetically different), routine can do so much to alleviate many of the things that drive parents crazy.

Maybe a child isn't "out of control" because they are just wired that way ... Maybe they are tired! Maybe they should have been put down for a nap earlier in the day! Maybe they are bored and need something to do! Maybe they don't realize it is time to start winding down for bedtime because they don't have any signals to tell them so ...

Malcolm has these moments, too (All kids have their moments!) ... But I try to use them to my advantage.

I learn from them.

If the routine has stopped working I tweak it so that it will again.

I am the parent.

I am in charge ... And I strongly believe that Malcolm is growing up better for it.

I guess my husband and I will really see if our parenting is as good as we think it is when the Baby #2 does arrive ... I know we'll continue to use many of the same things that were put in place when Malcolm was an infant two years ago ...

I know that there will eventually be more nap schedules, structured days, and bedtime routines ...

And I know that, despite what genetic differences there may be between my children, a routine will always be a part of our day.

While I will not end up with another "Malcolm" at the end of this pregnancy, I have no reason to dread the "holy terror" that many are predicting.

Famous last words?

Who knows ...

I still refuse to believe nature trumps all.

Good parents deserve some credit, too!

he's a rocketman

We spent a dreary afternoon at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center over the weekend.


Malcolm absolutely loves it there, so he was (literally!) over the moon the entire time!

It's a good thing Gramma and Grampa live just down the street!

loss on a small scale

As the ten year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th has come and gone, I find myself reflecting on the losses in my own life.

My Grampie.

The husband's Grandma.

My uncle.

Three wonderful human beings that were an important part of my life.

Three family members that my son never got to meet.

Three wonderful people who would have absolutely loved him to pieces.

I've noticed that time does a funny thing when you have a child. It warps and twists in such a way that you feel there should be some overlap between different parts of your life ...

That 2001 and 2011 are not so far away from each other. Like next-door neighbors. Best friends. Merely seconds apart ...

And besides, hasn't Malcolm been here for so much longer than two years?

It feels like he has.

It's hard to remember the times without him.

So, some days, my mind just can't process that he missed out on some of the great people that shared my lifetime.

Surely, Malcolm and my Grampie were well-acquainted buddies.

Surely, my husband's Grandma lived to see another great-grandchild.

Surely, my uncle got to hoist my son onto his shoulders or take him to a high school football game.

But they didn't.

While these three losses occurred years ago, they still have some sting left in them. When I look at my son, I realize that he is who he is because of me ... And I am who I am because of them. My family has truly helped to shape me into the adult I am today ... I wish that Malcolm had the opportunity to be shaped by them, as well.

To know them.

To love them.

I can only imagine the tremendous sense of loss that the families of the September 11th tragedies must have felt ... The events of that day were so unexpected. So unfair.

My own personal losses seem much smaller in comparison.

My Grampie and my husband's Grandma were old ... Even though we would have loved for them to remain with us for much longer, we knew their time was short. They had lived full lives.

My uncle, although he should have had many more years ahead of him, had cancer. He faded away slowly. Difficult as it was, we had time to adjust and say good-bye.

Even so, I wish with my whole heart that Malcolm could have known them, too ... That he could have seen them, been touched by them, kissed, cuddled, maybe even chased. That he could have been a part of that same family I had back in 2001, or 2006, or 2007.

That time would allow it.

But, like all else on this green planet, things change.

Families momentarily shrink, then grow larger again.

There is the sadness and grief of death, but also the euphoria that new life will bring. It is a cycle, and, like time, always moving from one stage to the next ...

On days like September 11th, it's easy to recognize that our time here is short.

You never know when tragedy (whether big or small) will strike.

So we must choose to make the best of life ... To take each day as a gift. To cherish each family member that is a current fixture in our lives. To recall the love of those that have already gone.

To remember.

I guess, then, while Malcolm may not have physically met my Grampie, or my husband's Grandma, or my uncle ... He will certainly get the chance know them. I can see to it. I can make it happen.

And even the passage of time and all its tricks can't change that.

tiny traveler

There are times when I look at Malcolm and wonder how I got to be so incredibly lucky.


What can I say?

The kid is awesome.

Throughout our entire week of vacation (to Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania), he was an absolute angel.

Really and truly.

Except for a single incident during dinner where he was blatantly misbehaving (and therefore placed in the "Naughty Spot"), he didn't cry or fuss at all ...

He loved exploring his new surroundings and playing in the sand and water (and basically occupied himself from sunup to sundown)...

He was a pro during a day of errands (and shopping) with Gramma ...

He slept like a champ (even in his Pack-n-Play which is looking smaller by the minute) ...

He survived the "hottest day of the year" in style ...

Tee-shirt: Jumping Beans (thrifted for $1.00)
Jean shorts: Garanimals (thrifted for $1.00)
Sandals: Baby Gap (thrifted for $2.00)

He was unusually pleasant during the two-hour drive back home ...

I could go on and on ...

I guess it's highly beneficial that my boy is so easygoing because my husband and I (and my extended family as well) love to travel. In fact, we will be going to Jamaica in the fall, so any successful trips before then are further indication that Malcolm will be an asset (and not a source of stress) to our time in tropical paradise.

I guess, if we give him just enough freedom to do "his thing" we will be rewarded with more wonderful vacation memories.

the looooong goodbye

My husband and I, although we are very much alike, come from families that tend to do things very differently. That's not to say that one family is "right" and the other "wrong," or anything like that ... We are lucky to have such incredible, supportive, families ... It's that our collective perception of "normal" can be at odds every now and then.

The biggest example that comes to mind is the way our families typically say "good-bye" when it is time to go ...

After any time spent together, my family, quickly dishes out hugs and kisses, and basically pushes us out the door with little fanfare.

My husband's family also gives out hugs and kisses, but the good-bye takes a great deal longer. New conversations begin and end, then we all spill out of the house (and sometimes down the driveway and to the car) together.

All this to say that Malcolm is beginning to take after his Dad (and that side of the family) in respect to his "good-byes" from a given location ... Basically, he has to wave at everything before he can officially leave the area.

For example, after the weekly Munchkin Storytime session was over at our local library, Malcolm, ready to go home, began the routine:

He waved at the letter cards (Each. Individual. Letter.) which organize the picture books in the kid's area ...

He waved at wooden toys and foamy blocks on the floor ...

He waved at the cushioned stools which lined the wall ...

He waved at the librarian (and Storytime leader's) empty desk ...

He waved at a structural column which supports the library's high ceiling ...

He waved at a cardboard cutout, advertising some young adult literature ...

He waved at a colorful construction paper sign encouraging "Summer Reading" ...

He waved at a metal cart stacked high with books and CDs ...

He waved at a table covered in newly-returned DVDs ...

He waved at the Star Wars display case and all the memorabilia inside ...

He waved at a chair next to the exit doors ...

He waved at the exit doors themselves ...

He waved at lots and lots (and lots!) of inanimate objects and, after each one, waited patiently for me to say "Good-bye [insert name of object here]" before moving on.

We may have gotten a few funny looks, but (What can I say?) the kid comes by it honestly!

the watering hole

Late last week, we were lucky enough to spend an evening at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with my husband's side of the family ... But, wouldn't you know?

Malcolm didn't appreciate the chauffeured wagon ride ...


Or any of the animals for that matter ...


Instead, the highlight (for him) was climbing around on a brick drinking fountain ...

Tee-shirt: Sonoma (thrifted for $1.00)
Jean shorts: Garanimals (thrifted for $1.00)
Shoes: Sketchers (thrifted for $0.50)

Just like a crocodile waiting to devour an unsuspecting antelope, the evil little grin says it all.

Maybe he'll actually be interested in the animals next year ...

summer at its best

This year's Fourth of July was a busy (but awesome) one!

We started our day bright and early and took in a local parade ...

Tee-shirt: Circo (thrifted for $0.50)
Shorts: Baby Gap (thrifted for $2.00)
Sandals: Arizona Jean Company (thrifted for $2.00)

Then we headed out to Gramma and Grampa's for (a quick nap and then) some carnival fun at a community festival ...

Where Malcolm survived (and liked!) his very first "Kiddie Ride!"


Beep! Beep!

I would have accompanied him on the mini-roller coaster, but he was about an inch too short ... Maybe next year! (I have to keep reminding myself that he's not even two yet!)

Then it was back to Gramma and Grampa's for some snacks (poolside) and then a leisurely walk to the lake ...

Swim shirt: Old Navy ($2.99 on sale)
Swim shorts: Old Navy ($1.75 on sale)
Water shoes: Unknown brand ($2.00 on sale at Target)

If only every summer day could be so perfect!