April 21, 2011
my favorite boys
Seeing them together (even when they are doing something as mundane as watching a basketball game on TV) makes me simultaneously fall more in love with both of them!
April 19, 2011
afternoon snack attack
Now that Malcolm has discovered the art of climbing on to the furniture, he spends a lot of time honing his skills during the day ...
About 80% of the time, he does so in a calm and controlled manner. The other 20% is a little more stress inducing (for me, of course) ... But he thinks it's hilarious.
Coincidentally, it brings new meaning to the tagline on his tee-shirt ...
(Yeti or not, here I come!)
Just recently, though, he has realized how comfortable and relaxing the couch can be ... As evidenced by the following photos:
It's nice to have him slow down for just a little bit ... Even if it does involve spilled cereal and crumbs in the couch cushions!
About 80% of the time, he does so in a calm and controlled manner. The other 20% is a little more stress inducing (for me, of course) ... But he thinks it's hilarious.
Coincidentally, it brings new meaning to the tagline on his tee-shirt ...
(Yeti or not, here I come!)Just recently, though, he has realized how comfortable and relaxing the couch can be ... As evidenced by the following photos:
Layered shirt: Circo ($1.50 on sale at Target)
Jeans: The Children's Place (thrifted for $2.00)
It's nice to have him slow down for just a little bit ... Even if it does involve spilled cereal and crumbs in the couch cushions!
April 18, 2011
the muppet master
I mentioned a bunch of posts ago, that Malcolm enjoys watching a "Bert and Ernie" DVD while I am trying to get work done during the day. Not only has this DVD been a lifesaver, buying me 15 minutes (or more!) at a time, it has also got me to thinking ...
It's funny (and absolutely fascinating to me) how kids truly do choose which objects they are going to prefer. Even if, as a parent, I want my kid to like (or perhaps ignore) a certain thing, it's the child who ultimately decides how he/she is going to react.
As much as I like to think that Malcolm exists only to make me happy (which in many ways, he certainly does), he really is his own little person with his own little brain ...
For example, after seeing some old school Sesame Street books at my parents' house (books that have been sticking around since my childhood), Malcolm has been all about Sesame Street! His favorite character is probably The Count (they call him "The Count" because he loves to count things!), but he's also a big fan of Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Grover ... Surprisingly, he doesn't really care for Elmo (the usual kid-favorite).
That's my boy! Going against the grain!
At any rate, this whole Sesame Street phase is all his own.
In no way did I (or anyone else in my family) "push" any of these particular characters on him. He's picked them himself from the various Sesame Street books we have accumulated and the videos we have watched on the Sesame Street website.
He's decided who will be a "favorite" and who will be "just another Muppet."
He pulls the strings.
As his mother, it is so crazy to see these preferences developing. I've heard from other parents, many times over, about how their kids only care about "Veggie Tales," or "Disney's Cars," or "Thomas the Tank Engine," or any host of other kid-friendly fare ... Now I'm living it, firsthand.
My son actually likes something and has quickly created a routine around it. And if he doesn't get to see his Sesame Street friends when he wants to ... Look out!
I can only imagine how many of these preferences will develop through the years. How many likes and dislikes will come and go with the times. How many of these "phases" I will embrace, and how many will cause me to cringe and shake my head.
But, for now, I'm brushing up on my Sesame Street impersonations ...
And wondering if a Sesame Street themed second birthday party is in the cards!
It's funny (and absolutely fascinating to me) how kids truly do choose which objects they are going to prefer. Even if, as a parent, I want my kid to like (or perhaps ignore) a certain thing, it's the child who ultimately decides how he/she is going to react.
As much as I like to think that Malcolm exists only to make me happy (which in many ways, he certainly does), he really is his own little person with his own little brain ...
For example, after seeing some old school Sesame Street books at my parents' house (books that have been sticking around since my childhood), Malcolm has been all about Sesame Street! His favorite character is probably The Count (they call him "The Count" because he loves to count things!), but he's also a big fan of Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, and Grover ... Surprisingly, he doesn't really care for Elmo (the usual kid-favorite).
That's my boy! Going against the grain!
At any rate, this whole Sesame Street phase is all his own.
In no way did I (or anyone else in my family) "push" any of these particular characters on him. He's picked them himself from the various Sesame Street books we have accumulated and the videos we have watched on the Sesame Street website.
He's decided who will be a "favorite" and who will be "just another Muppet."
He pulls the strings.
As his mother, it is so crazy to see these preferences developing. I've heard from other parents, many times over, about how their kids only care about "Veggie Tales," or "Disney's Cars," or "Thomas the Tank Engine," or any host of other kid-friendly fare ... Now I'm living it, firsthand.
My son actually likes something and has quickly created a routine around it. And if he doesn't get to see his Sesame Street friends when he wants to ... Look out!
I can only imagine how many of these preferences will develop through the years. How many likes and dislikes will come and go with the times. How many of these "phases" I will embrace, and how many will cause me to cringe and shake my head.
But, for now, I'm brushing up on my Sesame Street impersonations ...
And wondering if a Sesame Street themed second birthday party is in the cards!
April 15, 2011
April 14, 2011
divine intervention
Our house has been on the market for exactly two months and two days.
There have been no open houses, or walk-throughs, or really any interest of any kind up to this point ... But I remain optimistic. I have long believed that what is meant to be, will be. Some things are out of our control, but there is a plan, a perfect design of which I am unaware ...
I know in my heart that our buyer is out there somewhere ... He/she/they have yet to stumble upon the treasure that is our home ...
It's just a matter of time.
Yet, despite these "happy thoughts" and endless optimism that our house WILL (eventually) sell, I took it upon myself to give it that extra "edge" yesterday evening. No, I didn't install new energy-efficient windows, or a new hot water heater, or refinish the basement, or offer a sizable monetary credit to potential home buyers ... I did something even more incredible ...
By the light of a warm, spring sunset, I buried Saint Joseph in the front flower bed.
That's right, I pulled out the big guns.
For any non-Catholics out there, Saint Joseph (Jesus' earthly father, or step-father if you will) is the patron saint of home and family. So, it has long been Catholic tradition (or superstition?!) to bury a Saint Joseph statue upside-down (his toes pointed to heaven) in the yard of a home that is listed for sale.
I know it probably sounds crazy, but to make the situation even better (at least in my mind), this particular statue has already worked once before ... We actually found it in this home's backyard shortly after we moved in!
Our Joseph's got a proven track record!
While I'm not expecting our realtor's phone to ring off the hook from here on out, I figure a little divine intervention can't hurt ...
It might be the one thing that sets our house apart from the hundreds of others that are also up for sale in our neighborhood!
There have been no open houses, or walk-throughs, or really any interest of any kind up to this point ... But I remain optimistic. I have long believed that what is meant to be, will be. Some things are out of our control, but there is a plan, a perfect design of which I am unaware ...
I know in my heart that our buyer is out there somewhere ... He/she/they have yet to stumble upon the treasure that is our home ...
It's just a matter of time.
Yet, despite these "happy thoughts" and endless optimism that our house WILL (eventually) sell, I took it upon myself to give it that extra "edge" yesterday evening. No, I didn't install new energy-efficient windows, or a new hot water heater, or refinish the basement, or offer a sizable monetary credit to potential home buyers ... I did something even more incredible ...
By the light of a warm, spring sunset, I buried Saint Joseph in the front flower bed.
That's right, I pulled out the big guns.
For any non-Catholics out there, Saint Joseph (Jesus' earthly father, or step-father if you will) is the patron saint of home and family. So, it has long been Catholic tradition (or superstition?!) to bury a Saint Joseph statue upside-down (his toes pointed to heaven) in the yard of a home that is listed for sale.
I know it probably sounds crazy, but to make the situation even better (at least in my mind), this particular statue has already worked once before ... We actually found it in this home's backyard shortly after we moved in!
Our Joseph's got a proven track record!
While I'm not expecting our realtor's phone to ring off the hook from here on out, I figure a little divine intervention can't hurt ...
It might be the one thing that sets our house apart from the hundreds of others that are also up for sale in our neighborhood!
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