month 28: homer:)

the best time to write a blog post about the son you adore is notttttt on the same day you've had to drag him kicking and screaming from a Church function. Arg. But in hindsight, all that kicking and screaming worked to my advantage...I took him straight home and he slept for almost 3 hours. Boom. Just enough time for me to calm down and decide that I would, in fact, keep him;) When he got up from his nap I thought we'd have a little 'talk'. It went well...and fast...because he had a huge dump in his diaper. Well played, Homer:/

homer is 28 months. I'm definitely to the point where I have to do the math on that every month for these blog posts. When someone asks how old he is...I'm giving the "2-ish" response. I'm not quite ready to even say 2-1/2:'(

ah, Homer. What can I say. He's my biggest pain. My biggest worry. My biggest love:) Just when I think we've turned a corner...he starts biting. Just when I think we're making some progress...he smarts off/doesn't listen/hits/screams. All those things...not what other 'mom's' are saying or doing...are what make me feel like I'm failing at this 'mom thing'. 

but then he gives out a random hug. Or gives me a kiss good morning. Or I find a little pile of bath towels he folded and put in the corner:)...and I think we might be doing okay:) 
He's a very, very sweet boy. A very, very sweet boy who likes to pick his boogers;)

 this face makes my world make sense:)

#thehomershow :)

month 26: homer:)

homer-boy is now 26 months old...has been for a few weeks. At this point in his life...he's not loving having his photo taken. UNLESS you try and then he refuses and then you say forget it (except that I say "fuck it" - quietly...so that he doesn't hear, of course;) and THEN and ONLY THEN...does he want his photo taken. But he really doesn't cause as soon as I lift the camera again...he doesn't want his photo taken.

and that, my readers...is how I get mind fucked by a 26 month old...all.day.long;)

but our little guy is pretty much perfect. So there's that;) Still loves to dance. Still sittin' on the potty, pushin' out poo that never comes...until he's not on the potty and in a cloth diaper;)

he's just fun. Sometimes he's not fun. But then he's fun again and we forget about the not so fun times that were had 10 minutes prior. See: Mind Fucking;)

to get this amazingggggg photo - can you see how much he's loving it;) - we had to bribe him with a banana. Yep. I was standing behind Courts holding a banana while she took these photos. He owns me;)

month25: Homer:)

i'm so behind...Homer's actually turning 26 months in just a few days! I think he looks less like a baby now then he does in these photos!:'( And his hair has gotten a tad longer but Auntie Vicki is coming to town in 2 short weeks to give him his 2nd hair cut:):)

what can I add about Homer....

he's such a whipper snapper. SO full of personality! I know I've said it before...but I was convinced we'd get this super chill kid. My instincts are pretty much always off and they definitely were in the case of his personality;) Homer is so.pumped.all.the.time! And about 67% of the time...it's hilarious. Other times...he's hanging off your back, biting your neck. He's an animal folks;) He's taught us more about patience than I'd ever wanted to know;)

but he's such a good kid:) He sleeps so well at night. Has since the day we replaced his crib with his own little star wars sheets covered mattress on the floor:) He likes to tell me "mama, it okay" and give me a kiss when he thinks I got hurt or that I'm upset. There's NOTHING cuter. Nothing:)

every day his eating habits improve. Until recently...I wasn't sure how he was surviving because of how little he was eating. But he's getting better...baby steps:)

homer is speaking SO well. Full sentences. Putting things together that I wasn't aware he was aware of! We've also learned that he has a hard time pronouncing things like: celery or hippopotamus. But the word fuck. Clear as a bell;) Time for mom and dad to clean up their mouths cause we have a mocking bird in our presence;)

potty training has not begun. He shows interest. Sometimes he pees in the potty. Sometimes he asks to poop in the potty but doesn't poop in the potty. Sometimes he asks to poop in the potty but only pees in the potty. Most of the time he hides and shits in his cloth diaper;) It's obvious neither of us is ready for that undertaking;) 

homer is a daily reminder to stop and smell the roses. To enjoy the here and now. I love him. I love him. I love him. I can't imagine him a day younger or a day older than he is this very second. He makes me so incredibly proud...proud of him and proud of what he's helped Jacob and I to become:)

and here is Theo...holding her own and proving that she can make just as much noise as her older brother;)

VW campervan:)

a few weeks back, while up in the wee hours of the night...or morning...or something...my mind is mush from all the sleeping that IS.NOT.HAPPENING. over in these parts:/ So excuse me if there are words speled wrong or altogether missing;)

POINT: as fun as it sounds to hang out with a wide awake newborn for hours on end...it's pretty much not;) But it gives me a lotttttta time to fill online baskets that will never get bought and sometimes stumble upon treasures that just must be ours:)

this VW Campervan is one of those gems that couldn't be passed up:)

it took about 5 seconds to put together...basically, popped up! And it's ridiculously adorable!!:) I would say it's a great size for Homer but may have been even better when he first started crawling! Theo's going to get some great use out it!:)

thank you Zulily, for at least an hour of peace;)

* note that items for sale on this site are always changing...the bus is no longer available but that doesn't mean it won't be again, eventually! AND if you do find something you love and plan to order...enter my name or email (not sure where!?) and I'll get a wee bit of credit! Thanks in advance;)

17/52.

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014"

homer and theo

i think today...Sunday...4 weeks after Theo was born...we've hit a point where the crying (on my part;) is less and the sleep is...still scarce but sleep deprivation is manageable...tolerable?!

this 'two kid thing' has been a punch to the throat shock to the system. I love it with all my damn heart. For real. But it's been SO fucking hard. A lot hard. The most. But I think that's completely normal. Homer's at a tough age. Being defiant. Pushing boundaries. Seeing how far he can go. And I think he's a bit of a sassy personality anyway:) But gosh darn...I love him. I love how he talks. I love his little teeth and his "sawwwww-weee'ssss" (sorrys) after a time-out:)

And then you throw all those newborn things into the mix. Sleepless nights. Endless nursing. I'm basically a human burp rag. That's a fact. But I can already tell she's amazing...I noticed that the minute she arrived;) - break for an ugly cry:') - I love her. And she's soft and she's perfect.

today I stopped feeling so tired. Even though I still am. Today I'm gonna do some lunges - after I finish this caramel frappe;). Today I finally feel better and I'm gonna write that shit in  the journal I keep for Theo. I'm gonna tell her that I've loved her since before I knew she existed. She was meant for us. But that shit kinda sucked and kinda was the best at the same time, for the first 4 weeks and that can wreck your head. And I'm SUPER glad she'll never remember sitting in her baby chair outside the shower/next to the bed/next to the couch while I ugly cried. And that's not because she was crying, she's actually been a great baby...it's mostly cause I felt the most tired I've ever felt...EVER. And I felt like I was missing out on Homer's life and failing him and raising him wrong and that he was going to be a dick forever cause he was a dick right that minute. So nothing too big;)

SO when Theo has her baby and she's feeling that way - and she will cause I'm sure I passed on my ugly cry (and lack of emotional control) to her - I'm gonna be there to come hold her baby and pretend I don't hear her ugly crying in her shower;)

PS. MOM - thank you for not shaking me when I was a baby. Cause I knowwwww you must have wanted to;) And thank you for coming over to hold Theo while I painted my nails. And for just being a phone call away. It's the best feeling to know you're there when I need you:)

9/52.

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014"

homer

he really is too cool for us...school...time outs...us mostly;)

This kid cracks me up...when he's not messing with my minddddddd!!!!;)

baby

this baby is still cookin' and he or she can stay cookin' as far as I'm concerned. I've got a few things left on the To Do List yet:)

I'm so fortunate to still feel really great and besides those normal pregnancy feelings of exhaustion and just all around feeling like a huge beast...I'm doing so well:)

6/52.

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014"

homer

*me.pulling.hair.out* 
our little Homer is testing the waters of hellion-hood;) There are those times...while he's in a time-out;)...where I miss the little guy and wonder if he was being allllll that bad. And then when he's out of time-out...I remember. It comes back to me. Quickly;) He's pushing his limits. And then he falls asleep in my arms last night and I'm puddy in his hands. Precious little beast. That he his;)


baby

this baby is making a mess of me. I cried yesterday. I'm feeling lucky today. I feel the biggest. EVER. 

break: just spent the last 5 minutes putting Homer in a time-out. Spankin. Screaming. 

ah, I think I'm officially a mom:)

month 21 - Homer:)

the photo above just about perfectly captures Homer right now. He is alllllll about Homer. Homer does what he wants. Homer gets what he wants. Homer says "yump" (jump;)...we say HOW HIGH!?!?!?! He is definitely testing his boundaries and coming into his own. This 'phase' has come with a lot ton million few time-outs but overall...a lot of laughs and proud parent moments:)

i feel terrible, realizing I missed last month. We don't have our normal Month 20 of Homer! Huge bummer:(

homer's been quite busy:

- we started Mom and Tot swim recently, something we began when he was only a few months old. He loves the water and is already jumping off the side, dunking and kicking his feet!!!:)

- Homer likes to say "oh, shit". Apparently, we need to keep our potty mouths in check...which is painfully difficult for this mama;)

- the one and only show he EVER watches or requests to watch..."oh, toodlesssss" (Mickey Mouse:). 
We've only had cable for abouttttt 2 months and we're already considering cancelling it. Besides that one show that gives us about 30min. of downtime from Homer a day...it's a complete waste of money.

homer only has about 42 more days as an only child so we're kinda letting him stay up late. Cuddle a bit longer:) But we can't wait for this crazy boy to hold his sibling for the first time:)

week 33:)

we hit the 30 week marker and all of a sudden I finally feel like WE'RE PREGNANTTTTTTTTTTT!???!!?!?! Silly but true;) This pregnancy, luckily, hasn't felt like it's flown...and hasn't felt super slow. It's been another amazing pregnancy!! I'm feeling so lucky. 

i have had a few more aches and pains...my hips. Holy lord. They hurt a lot sometimes. And the baby. Wow...I thought Homer was a mover. Nope. He was completely average. This baby though...phew. It doesn't just move. It pushes it's entire bony little, almost fully developed, body out and across the full span of my belly. From one.side.to.the.other. AHHHHH! I wish I could say it's a beautiful thing...but it's mostly weird and gross and seriously uncomfortable!!!! Annnnnnndddd reassuring:)

so far so good. We're (ME) in total nesting mode and I've squeezed just about every favor and project out of my husband that I could. He may be done. BUT I'll have a lot of home improvements to share with you all soon!!! Thanks baby:)

due date 

March 26th...or before...or after!??:)

boy or girl 

i asked Homer what he thought and he patted my belly and said "boy"!!! And thennnnn he immediately said "girl". So there's that;)

names 

we have yet to bring this up since week 30...so...currently at a standstill but I have no doubt 

this baby will eventually be named!:)

OH, the girl who checked me out (well...checked out my items;) has a little girl named Mable. WHICH was totally towards the top of our list at one point for a little girl!! BUT alas...not anymore...for now:)

belly 

i've definitely been getting comments about having 'popped' over the last few weeks! SO I must be getting large and in charge!

weight 

we're down to appointments every 2 weeks. From week 30 to week 32...I gained the usual 2lbs. I was hoping to avoid that but yeah...I have no one to blame...but my husband who can't say no to me (and it best stay that way;).

current weight: 173lbs

total weight gain: 36lbs

wardrobe

there are good days...and not good days in regards to my clothing options. 

Also. Seat belts suck. My bra hurts me. And I look best in Jacob's pajama pants. That is all:)

baby buys 

no babbbbyyyyy buys per say. BUT I did snag that tank top HERE and boots HERE and I love them both and seriously haven't taken them off since I got them. For real. That's a true statement. Yes. Ew;) I actually had to really Photoshop these photos cause the tank top was THAT dirty. Oops!:)

above is a photo of me 33 weeks pregnant with Homer. And below...33 weeks pregnant...with Homer by my side:) I haven't quite wrapped my mind around the fact that I'm not going to be having Homer. I will not be bringing Homer home from the hospital...but instead...a sibling for my baby:')

and I'm kinda loving the photo above because I happened to be wearing the prettiest locket, that I got from my BFF - purchased via Etsy - and the new rubber band bracelet her daughter (and my Goddaughter) made me! I'm perfectly accessorized!:)

4/52.

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014"

homer and baby

in only 8 weeks I wonder...will I be referring to us...my family...as me and 'my boys'...or will a girl join me and even the numbers in our household?!:)

above, Homer joined me for my 32 week baby appointment. He was a natural on that doctor's stool.  Future Ob-gyn on our hands??!!;)

3/52.

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014"

homer and baby

cuddles make me happy. And I can't help but think I'm killin' my cuddle goal every time we're chillin' on the couch together:):)

eeeekkkkkkk. 9-ish weeks until this baby. Homer's brother OR sister...arrive in this world!!!! I'm still nothing but excited. Shoes are the stupidest thing EVER invented. EVERRRRR. But besides that...excited;) Homer's gonna be the best big bro. We're gonna do this parents to 2 kids like no one's business - HA...I couldn't even finish that thought without laughing - ...yeah...we're gonna be overwhelmed and tired and have tear-stained-pillows. BUT...butttttt...the love. Our family of 4. That shit's gonna be the best. EVER. Like everrrrrr ever:)

bright lights. big city.

homer and I and my parents just returned from a night in Chicago to have Homer get his FIRST hair cut! Yes. We went to Chicago. For less than 24 hour. To get hair cuts. That's how we roll;)

my amazing aunt, Vicki, has styled hair beautifully for many years in Chicago and when I thought about how big of a deal it was to cut all Homer's hair off...she was the one I wanted to have do it. No question:) And she generously agreed to do mine as well:) Eeeekkkkk. She spoiled us!!!:)

i gotta say. I love Chicago and we spent time down there with my aunt Vicki and uncle Ted when we were much younger. And any chance we can get to take a little road trip and travel...no matter how near or far...or for what reason...we take it:)

we arrived later on Tuesday night and after getting settled in at the hotel - Inn of Chicago, we turned right around to get out and explore a bit! Prior to dinner we stopped in at Room & Board and it was....depressing inspiring!:) I love anything home decor, furniture, art...it was just great to be IN the store and not drooling over a magazine at home:)

i wanted to have the deep dish pizza that Chicago is known for and had heard that Uno Pizzeria was the place to go in the area we were staying. Luckily, it was only a few blocks from our hotel and it wasn't TOO cold for a walk that night!

the pizza wassssssss perfecto:)

on our way back to the hotel for the night, we stopped at Eataly. It was a great market to walk around and we grabbed a few things to get us through the night and next morning:)

wednesday morning we walked to my aunts salon and within 2 hours...I had some long bangs and Homer no longer had a mullet!

when I see that long hair of his now...I can hardly believe that it ever existed. I didn't cry. But it felt very intense to have all that hair cut off in only a moment:( But for some reason...I don't feel like it's aged him...I feel like he looks even more like my baby...just cleaned up a bit;)

after hair cuts, Vicki treated us to lunch at a high rise restaurant - Oak Tree - with an amazing view:) It was the perfect way to wrap up our little getaway:)

we had such a blast and I'm thinking of that trip as a fantastic treat to myself before the baby comes!:):) But I sure hope Jacob and I can make a Chicago trip happen together someday!:)

chicago is just the best place to get-away to. It's a bit of a road trip, but if you're into that, as we are, you'll have just as much fun driving down as you do while there! And in less than 24 hours we got to do a handful of things we'd never done or seen! A great feeling!:)