Words

Addison is getting chattier and chattier these days and really wants her voice to be heard. Today while at StrollerFit I was on my second set of 20 throw-downs, which I kind of love and sort of hate, when she decided I wasn't paying quite enough attention to what she was babbling by my side. She decided to just plop down on my tummy and continue her conversation.
I continued to grunt and sweat and wish I was remotely in shape while she sat comfortably on me, bouncing up and down, pointing to my face and saying "noe-se", "eyes", "mouf" oh-so-proudly. I was proud of her, but unable to express that to her, being that I was on the verge of death.

Each day she is trying figure out and use new words, here is what we hear most often (over and over and over):
Ball, Kitty, Mama, Dada, PawPaw, Maaa (Gramma), GG, NO, Go, More, Milk, Please, Bubbles, Balloon, Yellow, Up, Juice, Bye, Belly, Nose, Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Nemo, Baby, Man, Lady, Car, Shoes, Boots, Down, Bath, Hot, Banana.

She also has a slew of names: Ryry (Rylan), Lee (Elise), Mimmie (Aunt Kimmie), Bra (Uncle Brian), Ni (Aunt Nikki), Na (Genna?), and....this is almost unbelievable....Berr (Berto).
Seriously? Berto? Yep.

The three words that she MOST loves these day, I can't decide if I am dismayed or proud, are: Poo, Toot, Burp. She really loves figuring out whether she just pooed or tooted. It's one of her favorite games.
Such a lady.

Gramma's: Part II

Being back home was incredibly relaxing, although it turns out that I definitely have "mom ears" and keep "mom hours", being that I was unable to sleep in past 7:30ish and was usually conking out no later than 11. My mom got up with Addison every morning, but unfortunately that didn't help me sleep in. These days once I am awake, aka once Addison is awake, it is virtually impossible for me to fall back asleep...unless of course I am hung over, then I can muster up the energy and concentration to do it.

It was quite a treat, however, just to lay in bed and watch TV or read, giggling to myself about the poopy diaper I had just avoided changing. Sunday and Monday are a blur to me ~ I think we just hung around the house eating. I know we went out to Teo's for some hot dogs and a beer. Yum. Oh so yum. Andy left for Lowell Monday night and I plotted my shopping for Tuesday. I love you no-tax-on-clothing-Massachusetts.

Sadly, shopping kinda sucked and here's why: 1) Everything I tried on except a few things looked utterly RIDICULOUS on me and reminded me what a lovely muffin top I have. 2) If Addison was in the store with me she incessantly said Mama over and over in varying pitches and tones. To say it was annoying would be a huge understatement. Thankfully Gramma was more than willing to stroll with her outside.

After shopping we had a fabulous time playing at Auntie Bar-ba-ra's house and then feasted on wonderful slouvaki salads with tons of feta...maybe the feta is contributing to my muffin top???

Wednesday we drove down the turnpike to the Holyoke Children's Museum. We were a little apprehensive that the traveling would be too much for Little Miss Needy, but lucky us, she slept there and back. The museum was a surprising hit, and chock full of kids. Note to self: Don't go to a children's museum during school vacation week.

Addison loved playing in the water activity, on a fake ambulance, with the bubbles and with the blocks. She fearlessly climbed a two story climby-thingy (yep, that's the official name of it) and held her own with the big kids. Well, to be fair, she struggled a bit with the snotbags who almost knocked her down at the water activity, but she regained her composure quickly (I, on the other hand, wanted to knock them on their asses, but my mother wouldn't let me.). We finished off our trip to the museum with a ride on the merry-go-round. She loved every second of it, and when it sped up she looked at me and said "whoooooaaaa" and then giggled.

Thursday was spent playing with Auntie Bar-ba-ra, blowing more bubbles, coloring and losing my cell phone (it was found, yesterday, under my mother's stove and is currently en route to Cincinnati). Thursday also introduced us to sick Addison.

Sick Addison is like me when I am hungry - demanding, cranky, unreasonable, moody and slightly ridiculous. Except when I am hungry no one thinks that I'm still kinda cute. Sick Addison was in full blown mode by Friday and was a real treat to travel home with on Saturday.

Friday Addison got to meet my cousin Jay and his fabulous fiancee Sara. Sadly, Sick Addison was still with us and demanding, cranky, unreasonable, moody and ridiculous barely covered the mood she was in. She was so ridiculous that Jay nicknamed this version of her "Baddison" (which I totally LOVE and am going to use from now on). By the night's end, Andy had arrived, as well as Barb and Phil, so Addie perked up a little and showed some love to Jay and Sara...and then coughed herself to sleep.

Saturday we left for Albany with a very unhappy and downright miserable child. Before getting out of town I stopped at CVS to stock up on children's Tylenol and a bitty bottle of Advil for us. Both were needed by the day's end.

After getting through security, Addie stood on a bench and waved bye to Gramma and gave a little wiggle for extra effect. She then gave Andy and I a run for our money during our flight to Midway...lots of tantrums and screaming. I made no eye contact with any other passengers, it would have been too painful. Of course, as if on cue, she fell asleep for the final 20 minutes of our flight.

We then arrived in Midway and enjoyed an unexpected three hour layover thanks to snow in the Windy City. Man, did Addie and I enjoy all 72 round trips we took on the moving sidewalk. BIG FUN. I got to enjoy all 72 round trips because suddenly Daddy wasn't allowed to touch Addie, ONLY MOMMY. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama...you get the point.

So while our trip home was wonderful, it also introduced me to a new side of my daughter. One who isn't always a ball sunshine and rainbows. Nope, turns out on occasion she can be quite the little thunderstorm. She can be cranky, irrational, needy, demanding, and relentless. And sometimes all she needs is her Mommy.

Turns out she is more like me than I realized.

Gramma's House: Part I

Addison and I are back from our trip to the beautiful Berkshires...and we are, shockingly, in one piece. Our trip started off last Saturday. In the early morning she went to Grandma Patty's so that I could finish the last minute anal retentive things that I feel the need to do before going on vacation.

Yep, I am that person that must clean out the fridge, vacuum, make sure the beds are made and the kitchen is clean. This is one of the many traits that I have inherited from my mother, and one my many traits that Andy does not understand. If I leave on vacation with a messy house, I usually leave crying. The one exception was when we left on our honeymoon, in that instance I left my apartment in such a mess that I am sure my mother's heart would have stopped.


The point being, I did my flight of the bumblebee and then headed to pick up Miss Addie. I knew it wasn't a good sign when Grandma said, "She's just not herself today". I braced myself for a long day.


Addison slept almost all the way to Indianapolis and woke up in a pretty good mood. We made through security, and waited for our plane to board. While waiting Addison tried to make friends with a young woman also boarding the plane - she primarily wanted to be her friend so that she could get a bite of the woman's egg croissant. In all fairness, it looked like a delectable breakfast sandwich.


Unfortunately, our flight to Chicago was FULL. We boarded in group A and still had to slide into an aisle seat next to a very unamused couple. I could read the look on their collective face, and it said, "Oh shit, why us?".
But, really, overall, Addison did well. She sat on my lap or stood between my legs and looked at her books or out the window. Once or twice she tried to touch the tattoos of the woman next to us, but I was able to catch her in the nick of time.


Enter Midway...our layover was just long enough to shove down two hot dogs from Gold Coast Dogs. We boarded a fairly empty plane and managed to get a whole aisle to ourselves. For the majority of this flight she was wonderful. Coloring, watching The Lion King, reading books and looking out the window.
Side note here: on Valentine's Day Southwest offers complimentary vodka cranberry. WHAT? Awesome. I did not partake in one on the first leg of our trip, but rewarded myself with one on the second. That turned out to be a genius idea, being that for the last twenty minutes of the flight Addison went a little cuckoo. After much screaming, crying, thrashing, kicking and blubbering I got her calm for the final descent by having her hunt for kitties in SkyMall. Additional side note: SkyMall has a fair amount of product for cats and many lovely feline photos. I think this stroke of genius was fueled by my lovely vodka cocktail, therefore both of my side notes are pretty darn relevant.


Addison and I got off the plane, she waved buh-bye to the flight attendants and we headed in search of Gramma Kathy.


Addison searched and searched as we walked through the terminal...no Gramma. But when we rounded the corner to go through security, there was Gramma.


And little Miss Thang wiggled out of my arms and ran full speed ahead into the arms of her Gramma...and thus was the perfect beginning of our vacation week.



**Addie went home with Gramma that night and I met Andy at Albany's Club 525 for wine, a fabulous dinner, and a slight hangover the next morning. Thanks, Sean and Ali, for putting up with us, I mean for putting us up.

SMRT, I mean SMART

There are moments when am awestruck by Addison's intelligence. I am amazed that she understands so much. She can do almost anything I ask her to:

"Addie, throw this away please."

"Addie, hand mommy your cup."

"Addie, no hitting, kisses only for the kitty."

She finds a bottle cap and says "Dada". She sees a wine glass and says "Mama"...clearly superior intelligence.

Last month I was informed she is showing early signs of being ready to potty train. I didn't really believe our pediatrician, until two Saturdays ago I came downstairs (Andy was up with her) and said "Good morning Kiddo!" and she said "Mama! POO!" while pointing to her bottom. Yep, her pants were full of poo. That's smart...right?...or has Andy brainwashed her to give me all the stinky duty...hmmm, something to ponder.

She knows animals sounds and who different people are...Yesterday we were looking at her Chicago Friends book and I would ask her to find different people. She would turn the pages until found Berto, Keelin, Kate, Kah-ren, Sean, Christie, Renata and so on...I was amazed. She knows my friends. She can moo and she knows who Tool is ~ SMART.

And then, this morning, this is how she entertained herself for a solid 20 minutes. Maybe not as smart as I think? I'll leave it to you...

Our last couple of days...

Addison and I have been keeping each other nice and busy over the past few days. Andy is off in Massachusetts for work, so this is a GIRLS ONLY week.

The weather in Cinci has taken mercy on us and we've had a few balmy, although a bit damp, days. In the words of my mother it has felt good to go outside and "blow the stink off". Lovely visual isn't it?

Monday Addie and I went to Strollerfit and ran and ran. My legs knew I had worked out, and that was a good feeling. We did a little shopping and errands, and then headed home. Addie must have been worn out from watching me workout - she took a solid 2 hour nap. Trust me I am NOT complaining. After her nap we strolled across the street and visited with our neighbor and her brood. Note to self: to keep Addison entertained for a long period of time, unleash her on neighborhood kids. She played and played and I enjoyed a little adult interaction. Added bonus, I came home with a "new" coffee table for our living room. Now every time Addison goes through the living she points at the coffee table and says "whooooaaa". She must have an eye for style.

Tuesday we enjoyed a lazy morning and then hopped in the car to run errands. We met Aunt Kimmie, Uncle Dickie and Rylan out at JC Penney's to drop off some coupons, and then went on our merry way to the DMV to get our Mazda legal. We failed spectacularly in that department (a story for another time) and discovered that the DMV with a toddler is a huge mistake. Later Addie and I played in the yard until rain chased us inside, which is when we decided to have our own dance party. The neighbors must LOVE looking my windows. Grandma and Aunt Nikki came over to hang out with Addie at night so I could go to my core class. I quickly remembered that core class equals pain. I am still in pain. Good, sweet, ouchy pain.

Dancing and spinning and sliding and laughing.....what a good way to spend the day.

Today we headed off to StrollerFit again...we are oh-so recommitted to fitness. "'09 is mine"...or is it "the more I work out in '09 the less guilt about wine"? Either way, we've been showing up to class. On the way home we washed the sixteen tons of salt off the car, and yet it is still hard to call it white. Addison fought me spectacularly on a nap, but turns out third time is a charm. We spent the evening listening to the wind whip across our yard and having an impressive tickle fight. I totally won.

Now I am enjoying having power, although it keeps flickering in a threatening way. With any luck it'll stay on long enough for me sit back and get sucked into Top Chef. Tomorrow we have a breakfast date with GG and lunch with the ladies. Then it's time to start getting organized for Mission: Fly to Gramma.

Oi vey.

Hmmmm

Is it just me or do these pictures capture my kiddo growing up? I don't know why, but they make me a little misty.

Wine? Maybe.

Mommy amazement? Definitely.

Sunday Morning

I took advantage of an awake husband this morning and took a leisurely shower. I blew my hair dry, brushed my teeth and put on make up, all with out having a mini-me at my knees rubbing eyeshadow all over her cheeks. It was lovely and almost relaxing.



Unfortunately I paid for such luxury.



As I headed down the stairs all I could hear was:

"Nuh-no nuh-no nuh-no nuh-no Mama. Mama mama maaamaaa mama, nuh-no."



Then I heard:

"Go to mama. Addison, go to mama. ADD-I-SON. GO."



Which got the response of:

"Mama. Ma MAH. Nuh-no. No. Nuh-no.



I obviously scaled the safety gate with a bit of trepidation. What happened in my 20 minute absence?

I got the answer quickly as I spotted Andy on on his hands and knees scrubbing the family room carpet with a wet towel and spied coffee stains on Addison's pants and socks.



I, apparently in a lapse of mommy judgment, had put my half-full, room-temperature cup of coffee on the kitchen table before heading upstairs. I can only assume that while I was primping and scrubbing the breakfast off my teeth, Andy settled in to watch ESPN and Addison toddled around the house playing with blocks and terrorizing the cat.

I also can only assume that Andy mistook her quietness for her being a well-behaved, self-sufficient 19-month-old who was playing contentedly. In reality, if she's quiet, she's getting into something. In this instance, that something was my coffee cup, which she apparently took off the table and tried to carry to her Daddy.
(If you think about it, it was a sweet gesture. She just wanted her Daddy to enjoy a nice 3 hour old cup of joe.)

Instead of safely delivering her cargo, she slopped it all over herself, the carpet, the couch...All of which resulted, somehow, in NUH-NO MaMA!



As I write this I am enjoying the last drops of that fateful cup of coffee...and my coffee scented baby is down for her nap, but I am wondering how did this incident get narrated by "nuh-no mama" instead of "nuh-no Addie" or "I'm sorry Daddy".



Nuh-no mama, don't drink coffee? Nuh-no mama, don't take a shower? Nuh-no mama, don't yell at me?
Nuh-no mama, WHAT?

Overtired

I could not sleep last night. I tossed and turned for about two hours and then eventually gave up and headed to the couch, where I barely slept. And, just as I predicted, Addison got up nice and early for me this morning.

Around 6:20 I padded up stairs, picked her up and changed her diaper, all the while plotting on how I was going to get her back to bed so I could grab a few more Zs. Obviously she was plotting at the same time, because as soon as I zipped up her pjs, she bounced up and went right over to her bookshelf and started pulling down books and toys to play with. I quickly realized that my plotting had been overruled.

I flipped on her light (which was too bright for that early) and then headed down the hallway to grab my robe and a hair clip. Addison started to follow me, until I turned around and said, "Go play kiddo, I'll be right back." She shrugged her shoulders, nodded her head and then headed back to her room to play, shutting her door behind her. Trust me it crossed my mind to crawl into bed and let her play locked in her room. But I know my daughter, and if I had done that she would have figured out a way to get to the lotions and creams on her changing table and eat them. Aveeno and Aquaphor - yum.

So we played in her room until 7:00 and then headed downstairs for a nice cup of frothy vitamin D milk (for her...hot freaking coffee for me). She took a nap early, and now we are heading out to run errands...Costco, Target, Kroger, all the good things about being a suburban housewife.

This post really has no point, obviously, except to ramble. But I thought I could make at least two guys I know smile with these pictures. Yesterday, after Ry left Addison got very quiet in the kitchen...when she walked into the living room, this is what she looked like:

Two at a time

Twice over the past few days Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Dickie provided Addison with a playmate...Rylan. He came to hang out and suck on wooden blocks, and DANG, was it a good time. Seriously.

I am not going to lie...I was a bit apprehensive about having both kiddos for extended periods of time. I didn't know if I had the patience, the organization, the god-given skills to corral and entertain two mini-people. Turns out, I have just enough of each of those to survive.

To be honest, Rylan and Addie downright entertained themselves, and when they got bored with each other they joined forces to terrorize the cat. (In slightly related news, both days served to remind that my furry feline isn't the smartest cat around. She could have escaped the little rascals simply by sitting on the other side of the safety gates, which she only actually did once or twice. Instead, she thought the ottoman was the best place to hang out today. Dumb.)

I was purely entertained by my little buddies today. I am thankful to Rylan who finally took a nap at 2:30, and even thankful to Addison, who did not take a nap, but decided 6:50 was bedtime (yes, I know I will hate that at 5:30 tomorrow when she decides to wake up).

Oh, and just because I stated that I have just enough organization, patience and god-given skills to handle the both babes, don't you think for a MINUTE that there is another baby coming out of me...I'll just borrow Rylan.