Somehow My Toddler Picked Up The Word "Cool"...

and that's what he says whenever he puts on a pair of sunglasses. "Cool!" While it's not exactly my adjective of choice, it is still pretty stinkin' adorable. And really, it's the best adjective to describe a little guy with a smokin' pair of shades. "Cute" just wouldn't cut it.

"Cute" is one of his other favorites. Usually used to describe a baby in a picture or a dog we see on a walk. "Bad" is usually reserved for Ben when he is taking away toys. (and followed by "No, he's not bad! Can you help me find Ben a different toy?") But my favorite is "Silly." Usually used when we play "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and I take his hands into mine and make him do the motions. Other times it will come out during playtime, during peekaboo or whenever there is a funny picture in a book. It's funny how these little people are so quick to pick up on these abstract adjectives. Words like "red," "big," "happy," "sleepy" are somewhat easy to see. But "cool," "cute," "silly"? Very subjective, and yet he always seems to know the context in which to use them. My child, you amaze me.

Doing:

Making: a study guide for an exam
Cooking: steak for dinner
Drinking: a Coke because it's Sunday
Reading: "A Mother's Rule of Life" by Holly Pierlot
Wanting: this darling Easter wreath from Target
Looking: at my too-messy house

Marveling: at the beauty and innocence of children
Playing: at the park this week, hopefully!
Wasting: a beautiful afternoon by sitting inside
Sewing: a jersey-knit skirt - soooo comfy!
Wishing: it were Easter
Enjoying: the sunshine streaming through the windows
Waiting: for my hubby to get home from work
Liking: today's homily
Wondering: how to get completely caught up on housework
Loving: my children.
Hoping: for another bebe to cuddle
Needing: to have a long phone conversation with a friend
Smelling: Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple soap - mmmmmm
Wearing: Ann Taylor Loft blue shirt I got a steal on and a gray skirt
Noticing: our daffodils poking through the ground
Knowing: God's plan is better than mine
Thinking: I should be napping
Bookmarking: a novena to St Catherine of Siena
Opening: an envelope with our car registration fees that are due this month - ick
Giggling: about how Nate's new word is "cool" (!?!)
Feeling: sad...

Praying: for peace.

Fleeting Moments

What an absolutely incredible first day of spring. Sunny, breezy, and warm - we spent most of the evening outside, walking around the neighborhood and playing on the deck. I know there are many, many more relaxing, beautiful days like this to come; however, I couldn't help but think about how quickly time passes as I blew bubbles for Nathan and watched him laugh and jump and pop them, and as I continuously moved Ben away from the dirt clods he was eating from our gardening pots. Just one spring ago Nate was the one crawling around eating dirt clods. Two springs ago I was still pregnant with Nate, and three springs ago I was planning a wedding. I'm simply overcome at times at how truly blessed I am. And overcome by the fact that one day Nate won't be giggling over the bubbles anymore. Maybe not next spring, nor the spring after that, but it's going to come more quickly than I care to realize. So I'm trying to listen to that little voice in my head that's telling me to savor each moment, to relish in their innocence, and to simply enjoy their presence.

in midair catching the bubbles

"but mommy, I wanted to eat that dirt!"

"poking the camera is fun!"

St. Patty's Day fun at the park

7 Quick Takes

7 Quick Takes Friday! I figured this would be a good re-jumping in point.

1. Good thing I don't treat my children like I treat my blog. As in, I pay attention to my kids... feed them, love on them, that kind of thing. My blog is more like my kitchen plant. I water it when I remember, which usually ends up being once a month or so, and miraculously, it still lives.

2. I really want a lightscoop so I can say goodbye to ugly flash photos!

3. I love spring.

4. I need to figure out how to fix our vacuum that won't suck. Our carpet is sort of crunchy... that sounds really gross!

5. We bought all of our container gardening stuff! Several new planters, plus the ones we have leftover from last year. We're planting tomatoes (for salsa), peas, green beans, green peppers, and onions. Hopefully I'll remember to water my veggies more than I remember to water my kitchen plant.

6. NCAA basketball? What is that? Why should I care?

7. I should have given up the internet for Lent.

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(Happy Saturday since even though I started this post at 11:39pm and it's now 12:32am. Reason #1 why I don't blog enough. It takes me forever to write a post because I am easily distracted.)

2011 Resolutions

^^ Boring title so that at the end of the year when I need to find this post I can search it and find it easily. ;)

The week between Christmas and New Years is usually insanely busy, and normally I start thinking about New Years resolutions around noon on the 31st of December. I start to feel the pressure to come up with the PERFECT resolutions and then don't come up with anything. So I decided to take the pressure off myself this year. My New Years resolution was "come up with a list of resolutions by January 31st." Procrastination to the extreme.

So, without further ado, my 2011 resolutions are:

1) Do the 30 Day Shred for 30 days.

STILL haven't done it from start to finish. I may regret this one.

2) Run a 5k.

On my own. There's no way I'm entering a real race. I may regret this one even more.

3) Make a quilt for Ben.

4) Make 3 skirts.

5) Grow a vegetable in a pot and eat it.

I have a brown thumb. I started out last spring with excellent intentions and even had some veggies-in-progress, but then Ben came along and I sort of neglected my green babies for my real baby.

6) Have a spend-free month.

Minus gas and a small amount for groceries. I'll have to stay out of Target.

7) Make an Advent calendar.

I decided a week before Thanksgiving that I was going to make an Advent calendar like Jill's. Bad plan. I think I'll start in July this year.

8) Do one "craft project" a week with Nate.

Even if it involves something as little as coloring or Play-doh. Just something.

9) Make one baked good a week.

From scratch. Pillsbury cookies don't count.

10) Take better pictures.

Or more pictures. I'm challenging myself to shoot in manual more and to really get comfortable with my camera. Take both the boys' 1- and 2-year-old pictures.

11) Go to adoration once a month.

Without my children.

12) Read a new book every month.

Are You My Mother? doesn't count.

13) Set goals.

Daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals. Specific things I want and need to accomplish. More specific than this list.

14) Lighten up.

Yes, really. And not stress about little things so much.

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Some of them are a little more specific than others, but it gives me a starting point. I haven't included all the financial and spiritual goals in this list since I tend to be a bit more private about those, but I have some of those too! I'm excited. Go 2011.

(Keepin' it real: Today I did nothing that would even remotely make it on a to-do list. Not.even.joking.)

(Wait, I take that back. I bathed my children. And myself. That might make it on a list. Maybe. A chore chart, at least.)

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Something happened with my formatting and I'm not sure what. I really do know how to hyphenate but I can't figure out when new lines start and end. But I'm NOT GONNA SPEND 30 MINUTES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT. It's part of the not stressing about little things.