How does he know how to be that cute and cover his mouth when he giggles?Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Slumber Party
Last weekend we were back at the ranch and were going to try spending the night for our first time. Riley doesn't do so well away from home in a pack and play anymore.
7:30--He had a bath
8:00--Russ read books and laid in bed
8:20--Russ leaves the room and Riley's crying
8:30--Riley's still crying....can't stand it, so I go in his room
8:31--Lie on floor and pat his back
8:33--Still patting
8:36--Now he's sitting up talking to me
8:39--I say, "How about I lay in the bed while you lay in your bed?" "Okay Mama!" he replies
replies as he stands up with his dog, pillow, and blanket in hand. "No, you sleep in your
bed and Mommy lays right here." "No, my bed" he retorts. Ugh.
8:45--I tell Riley I'm going to get my pillow...head out and wait.
8:50--He's crying again
8:55--He wins. Mommy and Riley are in the bed together. (We haven't done this since he was
6 months old.) I pat his butt, his back, and rub his hair. My sweet baby returns the
favor. He closes his eyes for a while and then opens them, 3 inches from mine, and gives
me the best smile ever. (Which is good...because I don't want to be in bed at 9:00.)
9:03--I'm wondering when he's going to fall asleep and making a plan for sneaking out of the bed.
9:15--I kiss him on the forehead.
10:38--He kisses me on the forehead.
12:30--The rain, thunder, and lightning start. Riley wakes up, looks at me, and says, "Ranch
Mama." (Yes, we're at the ranch, Riley)
1:24--I roll over and kiss his cheek.
2:48--He kisses mine and says, "Hair up Mama." (My ponytail holder fell out during the night
and he now has an obsession about my hair being up.)
3:30--The thunder is big time now, I'm awake. Riley pops up, looks at me with big eyes and
says, "Raining....thunder...lightning....umbrella." I watch him sleep, thankful one of us is
getting some. I don't think I get any sleep beyond this point. I even switched sides with my little man.
5:30--Riley's up. Nobody else is, of course. Poor Dada is on the counch. Riley asks where
everyone is, "Nunny? Buzz? Dada? Doak?" "Sleeping" is my reply. He's wide awake
having full conversations with me. I check to see what's on t.v. Who knew Sesame Street
was on at 5:30 Saturday morning. Thank you. That bought us some time, but not much.
I tried to keep him quiet and contained so everyone could sleep.
6:00--Buzz is up and starts the coffee pot. Thank you!! It's still pouring. Honey joins us.
We sit in the sunroom and watch the sun come up.
6:30--By 6:30 I've had 3 cups of coffee and Riley is all over the place. I'm exhausted and I need
a nap.
What a night!! I haven't had a sleepless night in quite a while with my 2 year old and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Those unsolicited kisses, pats on the back, snuggles, and smiles....I'll remember that night forever. I will remember how little sleep I got, but mostly I'll remember the moments that made my heart skip a beat.
7:30--He had a bath
8:00--Russ read books and laid in bed
8:20--Russ leaves the room and Riley's crying
8:30--Riley's still crying....can't stand it, so I go in his room
8:31--Lie on floor and pat his back
8:33--Still patting
8:36--Now he's sitting up talking to me
8:39--I say, "How about I lay in the bed while you lay in your bed?" "Okay Mama!" he replies
replies as he stands up with his dog, pillow, and blanket in hand. "No, you sleep in your
bed and Mommy lays right here." "No, my bed" he retorts. Ugh.
8:45--I tell Riley I'm going to get my pillow...head out and wait.
8:50--He's crying again
8:55--He wins. Mommy and Riley are in the bed together. (We haven't done this since he was
6 months old.) I pat his butt, his back, and rub his hair. My sweet baby returns the
favor. He closes his eyes for a while and then opens them, 3 inches from mine, and gives
me the best smile ever. (Which is good...because I don't want to be in bed at 9:00.)
9:03--I'm wondering when he's going to fall asleep and making a plan for sneaking out of the bed.
9:15--I kiss him on the forehead.
10:38--He kisses me on the forehead.
12:30--The rain, thunder, and lightning start. Riley wakes up, looks at me, and says, "Ranch
Mama." (Yes, we're at the ranch, Riley)
1:24--I roll over and kiss his cheek.
2:48--He kisses mine and says, "Hair up Mama." (My ponytail holder fell out during the night
and he now has an obsession about my hair being up.)
3:30--The thunder is big time now, I'm awake. Riley pops up, looks at me with big eyes and
says, "Raining....thunder...lightning....umbrella." I watch him sleep, thankful one of us is
getting some. I don't think I get any sleep beyond this point. I even switched sides with my little man.
5:30--Riley's up. Nobody else is, of course. Poor Dada is on the counch. Riley asks where
everyone is, "Nunny? Buzz? Dada? Doak?" "Sleeping" is my reply. He's wide awake
having full conversations with me. I check to see what's on t.v. Who knew Sesame Street
was on at 5:30 Saturday morning. Thank you. That bought us some time, but not much.
I tried to keep him quiet and contained so everyone could sleep.
6:00--Buzz is up and starts the coffee pot. Thank you!! It's still pouring. Honey joins us.
We sit in the sunroom and watch the sun come up.
6:30--By 6:30 I've had 3 cups of coffee and Riley is all over the place. I'm exhausted and I need
a nap.
What a night!! I haven't had a sleepless night in quite a while with my 2 year old and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Those unsolicited kisses, pats on the back, snuggles, and smiles....I'll remember that night forever. I will remember how little sleep I got, but mostly I'll remember the moments that made my heart skip a beat.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Lizard Lizard
Okay, so Riley called his father "stupid" last night when he was not happy with Dada. It wasn't clear, but Dada knew exactly what he said--and spelled it for me.
Then Riley proceeded to stick his tongue out too. NOT something he's learned at home. So....after repeated attempts to grab his tongue, Russ finally started ignoring. Didn't do the trick. Riley's tongue continued to dart in and out of his mouth making Dada furious. Then...to make everything okay, Riley said, "lizard, " telling Dada that he was acting like a lizard. NICE try Buddy, but we're not THAT stupid!!
Then Riley proceeded to stick his tongue out too. NOT something he's learned at home. So....after repeated attempts to grab his tongue, Russ finally started ignoring. Didn't do the trick. Riley's tongue continued to dart in and out of his mouth making Dada furious. Then...to make everything okay, Riley said, "lizard, " telling Dada that he was acting like a lizard. NICE try Buddy, but we're not THAT stupid!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Love Remains
We went to see Nana last weekend. We asked Riley, "Do you want to go to Nana's house?" "Yeeeeees!" he replied from the backseat. When we arrived, Riley went straight to her and gave her a big hug and kiss, then proceeded to crawl up in her lap. What a treasure it is for me to know that Riley feels the same way about her that I do!
We went in the backyard (because Riley wanted to, of course) and Riley played on the back porch. That porch is now empty except for a few lawn chairs we moved from the garage. The lawn chairs we used to sit in to eat watermelon on the backporch. Long ago, I remember that porch-- it was filled with hanging baskets that Papa had woven. Those baskets filled with airplane plants. The overgrown flowerbeds were filled with well manicured rose bushes. Papa taught me to roller skate on that backporch (and they had a rock roof at the time--very tricky). The grill Papa and Uncle Roy used grilled steaks and hamburgers on was covered....as it had been for years. The dandelion bulbs I planted with my grandparents decades ago were still there--green leaves, no flowers. The lawn I used to mow (and Papa used to weedeat and edge) is now kept up by a lawn service. The gate I would go in and out of won't close properly and is propped closed by a rock from the outside. The smoker that The Railroad Commission engineers built my grandfather when he retired, that he smoked millions of briskets perfectly on.....that hasn't been used in, well, 14 years.
Russ noticed the gutters were overflowing with sticks and leaves. He melted my heart when he suggested we take a day during the summer to go to Nana's and work on the yard.
The house doesn't looked as loved as it used to, but the love remains. Nana still lives there with "her girls" and I don't get to visit her as often I used to, but she remembers that I love her. She remembers that she loves me.
Russ noticed the gutters were overflowing with sticks and leaves. He melted my heart when he suggested we take a day during the summer to go to Nana's and work on the yard.
The house doesn't looked as loved as it used to, but the love remains. Nana still lives there with "her girls" and I don't get to visit her as often I used to, but she remembers that I love her. She remembers that she loves me.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
SoCo
On the way home from a birthday party in South Austin, I said, "We should go have a snowcone" and my ingenious husband said, "or a cupcake." Um.....yeah...why didn't I think of that?
The 3 of us detoured off MoPac and headed to South Congress for our first date at Hey Cupcake! I decided on the Michael Jackson and my boys had Red Velvet.
The 3 of us detoured off MoPac and headed to South Congress for our first date at Hey Cupcake! I decided on the Michael Jackson and my boys had Red Velvet.
Michael Jackson never tasted so good.
The Blame Game
Warning: Sorry, but I have to share this one, even though it's usually considered inappropriate to discuss.
Like clockwork, Riley poops in the evenings between 4 and 6. This week, as he's doing it, he simultaneously tells me that Doak is pooping (our dog). "Mama, Doak poopoo." "No, Riley poopoo," I retort. "No Mama, Doak poopoo." This argument might continue eternally, so I just stop responding with the truth. The first time he did it, he went so far as to RAISE his voice, point his fingers at me, and give a little stomp. (I know, I know--you're wondering where the picture is, right? I don't have one just yet....)
Now, when Riley's telling me that Doak is going potty, I just grab a diaper and some wipes.
Like clockwork, Riley poops in the evenings between 4 and 6. This week, as he's doing it, he simultaneously tells me that Doak is pooping (our dog). "Mama, Doak poopoo." "No, Riley poopoo," I retort. "No Mama, Doak poopoo." This argument might continue eternally, so I just stop responding with the truth. The first time he did it, he went so far as to RAISE his voice, point his fingers at me, and give a little stomp. (I know, I know--you're wondering where the picture is, right? I don't have one just yet....)
Now, when Riley's telling me that Doak is going potty, I just grab a diaper and some wipes.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Not Chocolate
It's not chocolate, but I thought it was good enough to share. I had this in my stash and I was suprised how much we liked it. Norah and Tina had a taste too, when they were over giving Riley his last "haircup."
Cherry Parfait (from Southern Living)
2T butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 t. cinnamon
8 oatmeal cookies, crumbled
3 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add almonds and cinnamon. Cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in crumbled cookies.
Layer ice cream, crumb mixture, and pie filling evenly in serving dish or glass. Serve immediately.
It's worthy, even though it isn't chocolate, I promise.
Cherry Parfait (from Southern Living)
2T butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 t. cinnamon
8 oatmeal cookies, crumbled
3 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add almonds and cinnamon. Cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in crumbled cookies.
Layer ice cream, crumb mixture, and pie filling evenly in serving dish or glass. Serve immediately.
It's worthy, even though it isn't chocolate, I promise.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Ice Cream for Breakfast
We spent the weekend at Aunt Robbye and Uncle Mike's. After dinner Saturday night (and around Riley's bedtime) Robbye started making some homemade ice cream--YUM! Well....it wasn't frozen by the time Riley went to bed and he was brokenhearted about the whole thing. Robbye held him up at the bar and let him dip his finger in while it was spinning several times. He loved it and it was the cutest thing ever! We ate it all of course, except for the little bowl that Dada requested be saved for him.
I'm pretty picky about the way this little guy eats, but as he gets older, I'm letting go.....just a little bit. Anyway...I told myself that if he asked for the ice cream when he woke up, I'd let him have it. Well, 7:30 a.m. rolls around and I walk in to grab him. "Hi Mama! Ice cream?" Without hesitation, I said, "Sure--we'll have it for breakfast!" Before our coffee, in his pajamas, before it reached 40 degrees, he had ice cream--just as I had promised. It was fun to break the rules--maybe we should do it more often!?
I'm pretty picky about the way this little guy eats, but as he gets older, I'm letting go.....just a little bit. Anyway...I told myself that if he asked for the ice cream when he woke up, I'd let him have it. Well, 7:30 a.m. rolls around and I walk in to grab him. "Hi Mama! Ice cream?" Without hesitation, I said, "Sure--we'll have it for breakfast!" Before our coffee, in his pajamas, before it reached 40 degrees, he had ice cream--just as I had promised. It was fun to break the rules--maybe we should do it more often!?
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Me Myself and I
Okay so I got thinking...what would I write about me since I did "My Boys." Here goes....
*Hates onions
*Collects recipes
*Has 3 baby teeth in her mouth
*Alphabetizes her CD's and spices (prefers canned goods that way, but it doesn't always last)
*Enjoys organizing and re-organizing
*Paid off her credit card last month
*Eats chocolate on a daily basis
*If I wasn't a teacher, I would be a.......d.j.!!!
*Loves the smell of citrus
*Doesn't know how to relax
*Loves the smell of Scotch tape and freshly sharpened pencils
*Hates onions
*Collects recipes
*Has 3 baby teeth in her mouth
*Alphabetizes her CD's and spices (prefers canned goods that way, but it doesn't always last)
*Enjoys organizing and re-organizing
*Paid off her credit card last month
*Eats chocolate on a daily basis
*If I wasn't a teacher, I would be a.......d.j.!!!
*Loves the smell of citrus
*Doesn't know how to relax
*Loves the smell of Scotch tape and freshly sharpened pencils
Sunday, April 6, 2008
My Boys
Riley:
*Loves milk
*Enjoys sleeping in on weekends
*Loves the outdoors
*Says please and thank you
*Calls Mom and Dad "Babe" sometimes
*Loves his grandparents and great grandparents
*Has a love/hate relationship with deer
*Loves Backyardigans
*Likes to dance
*Enjoys reading and building with blocks
*Has an opinion about which shoes he wears
*Fascinated with school buses, fire trucks, and tractors
*Fascinated with school buses, fire trucks, and tractors
*Loves oranges, bananas, and apples (but don't you dare cut it)
*Prefers a routine
*Wears size 4 diapers during the day and sleeps in a size 5
*Sleeps with "Dog" his dog blanket
*Sleeps with "Dog" his dog blanket
*Enjoys playing hiding games
*Doesn't want to sit in his high chair anymore
*Loves to help in the kitchen and in the garden
*Likes to take baths
*Makes me a better person
Russ:
*Loves ice cream
*Is very handy around the house
*Is better at picking up after himself than I am
*Loves the Texas Longhorns (has not missed a home football game or the TX-ou game since 1994)
*Is great at historical trivia
*Enjoys crossword puzzles
*Makes me laugh
*Will order lasagna every time we eat Italian food
*His favorite president was Ronald Reagan
*Travels with his Bible in his bag
*Doesn't like to go barefooted
*Loves to sleep
*Enjoys listening to talk radio (usually sports)
*Hates to shave
*Loves cereal--any kind
*Makes me a better person
Ranch Update
This week:
2 disgusting light fixtures removed from living area and replaced with 2 clean, white ceiling fans
1 ugly bathroom fixture replaced with new one
Carpet and padding removed from Bunkhouse and burned. It smells better already!
More junk cleared out of Bunkhouse left by previous owner
2 motion detection lights installed on backporch
Kitchen painted a perfect yellow
Rob and Mike's room has a burnt orange accent wall
Couch, coffee table, chair, and ottoman in living area (loveseat arrives next week). Thanks Ash!
Cows arrived
Coliche on barn floor
Coliche filled potholes on road
Grass mowed
Not too bad, huh? It's moving right along out there.
2 disgusting light fixtures removed from living area and replaced with 2 clean, white ceiling fans
1 ugly bathroom fixture replaced with new one
Carpet and padding removed from Bunkhouse and burned. It smells better already!
More junk cleared out of Bunkhouse left by previous owner
2 motion detection lights installed on backporch
Kitchen painted a perfect yellow
Rob and Mike's room has a burnt orange accent wall
Couch, coffee table, chair, and ottoman in living area (loveseat arrives next week). Thanks Ash!
Cows arrived
Coliche on barn floor
Coliche filled potholes on road
Grass mowed
Not too bad, huh? It's moving right along out there.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Why??
Why is it that we get a new phone book....oh, every week it seems? Is it necessary? Do I honestly need a stack of various phone books (different colors, different counties, etc.) in the cabinet above my refrigerator? Who actually uses a phone book? Is it just me?
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