Beach Boy

Tiniest Snorkeler

I. Can't. Even. The nose, the flippers, and watching her try to walk around like this. 😂😍

Joy... Sharing my Table

Bilingual Storytime

She's 'reading' to him in the cutest possible combination of Arabic and English.

Funny Place to Sit

Well that’s a funny place to sit Mister B…

Minecraft Teamwork

These days, common scene: Two kids on Kindles, yelling across the house to each other, playing Minecraft together as they both are plugged into the wall to charge their tablets. (One foreground, one background). It's really nice to hear hem playing well together (most of the time.)

Two on the Couch

One is tired. One is teething.

Our First Pet

The closest thing we've ever had to a pet. And he is much loved.

Quote of the Day

H: Mom! I’m gonna make a dunk tank in Minecraft.

N: I’m gonna make a castle.

Mike: I’m gonna make a four-plex.

 

Oh this had me laughing out loud. It just tickled me… four-plex! Ha!

Blocks!

Busy building block towers today.

Her Voices

When I tuck Lil’ A in at bedtime, she often tells me of her love for me… in funny little voices. She knows I get a kick out of it (I really, really do) and she knows she’s funny.
I just love how kids have such different personalities. My other kids never really have talked in silly voices for fun. But this one, she does!
I love it! She sure tickles me…

Quote of the Day (Delirious Toddler Version)

Recently, my sweet little delirious A has said the following:

Me: A, it’s almost time for a nap.

A: (whining) But Mooom, I can’t sleep when I’m taking a rest!!

Me: Uhhhhhhh, what?

 

and

 

Me: A, you need to come here for a time out.

A: For how long?

Me: 2 minutes.

A: (Shrugging) But 2 minutes is tooooo short!!! (motioning to me by holding her fingers very close together how very short 2 minutes actually is.)

Me: Um, okay? Does that mean you would like a longer time out?

A: Nope.

 

Haha! She is hysterical. And delirious sometimes. And cute. And she knows it.

My Little Man

He'll brighten any day.

Proud Moment

My boy happily volunteered to jump out and buy the produce we needed from the vegetable lady. And he did it in Arabic. Proud moment for this Mama. 😍🍋

Pool Party!

Good Job. I think?

Self-feeding. 🙈🥄

Favorite Blue Tiny Tot Shirt… Round 2

H used to wear this shirt when he was a tiny tot. You can see it in a blog post here. I saved it because it was one of my favorites. Well, I got to put it on another boy of mine!

And as you can see, he was a super model for Mommy… just sitting still and posing nicely, as most one year olds do…

Oh the cuteness…

Don't Go

Now beginning 8 days without my main man. 🙈

Matching Pajamas

With an eight year age gap between my boys, it was hard to find matching jammies for them, but H was really hoping for it at some point. So it happened with these cute croc jams. And the girls joined in, but it’s NOT hard to find them matching pajamas, ha!

Photographer at Work

A Favorite Spot

Classic toddler + dishwasher relationship.

My Cutie Little Leech

Similar to yesterday's post... this is me this morning trying to get a bunch of things done in the kitchen. You know how many times you walk back and forth across the kitchen when you're trying to make 12 things at once? Yeah... like, a million. And I get to do it with this little guy hanging onto my legs. It's hard and I look ridiculous but I did it. At least he's cute...

The Games We (okay, I) Play

Today I was home all day with Mister B. I don’t know if he’s in a phase or if he’s teething or WHAT. But he was a handful today.

Twice I found myself doing things that are NOT normal, and I thought it’d be fun to share.

1. I was eating my breakfast at the breakfast bar, sitting on a stool. He was standing by my feet just wailing, grabbing at whatever part of me he could reach. (Now understand, I had just spent 2 hours meeting everyone else’s needs, working out, fixing lunches, etc. and I just wanted 5 MINUTES to eat my breakfast. I’m not asking for the world here. And I did not forget to feed my child. I just wanted 5 minutes for my egg, toast and coffee. That’s all.)

Sooooo I relocated to the dining room table to try to eat in peace. (Relative term) It’s not far away, but I thought maybe he’d get distracted and leave me alone.

Wrong.

Only now he could reach me better! He was grabbing handfuls of my shirt and pulling. And this tot has  a serious grip. It’s remarkable. He was also grabbing at my arms, getting my elbow and pulling with all his might. This is the arm with the fork. I JUST WANTED TO USE THE FORK TO PUT MY BREAKFAST IN MY MOUTH. He wasn’t having it.

Then I did something I have never done in my parenting history. Without hardly thinking, I climbed up and sat on top of the dining room table to eat my breakfast.

I mean, that’s okay, right?

Oh my.

Poor baby crying. But I just wanted 5 minutes!! But I ate on top of the table? What was I thinking?

Well I think I didn’t even take the whole 5 minutes for myself. I shoveled in the food with my now-free arm and got back down and put him on my lap while I drank my coffee.

Hope everyone is happy now.

2. Later in the day I was doing some of the endless-picking-up that happens here. I was also trying to gather supplies to varnish a stool. That meant I had to go to the back balcony, which is off the master bedroom in the back of the house.

Lil’ guy was clingy and fussy. In a moment when he was distracted, I literally took off running for the back of the house. I thought if I hustled, I could get through my bedroom, open the balcony, dig out the supplies from the storage bin outside, then at least get the balcony door closed again before B caught up with me. Then I could avoid having to drag him off the dusty balcony while he screams in protest because he tasted the glories of the dusty storage balcony and was denied the freedom to wreak havoc in this new place of wonder and excitement.

I was literally running away from my toddler. Sort of, you know… racing him.

I won, in case you wondered. Cause I’m fast. Real fast.

But oh man, it sure does sound ridiculous.

Toddler years. They are SO fun.

The Blow Dryer

It takes a lot longer than usual to blow dry a head of hair when there is a little cutie in the bathroom who wants the blow dryer to be pointed at her every five seconds.

Oh she’s such a joy…

Baby Bumper Boats