it’s 8:13 pm

and Elijah is in bed on schedule.

So is Athena! I think she’s out for a while, I hope anyway. It’s still a little chilly in her room so I had to revert to a space heater! I know…I am such a worrisome person, I can’t believe I put one in there too. The fire alarms have been confirmed they work, and the heater is also on a timer to cut off after a few hours – but I’m still nervous.

Partly because her room is the furthest from me, closest to the street and has the biggest window….okay, I’m really laughing at myself now, because only 5 years ago this stuff never crossed my mind. I didn’t even know Brad 5 years ago! – Funny how life changes so quickly!

On another subject, Stephanie has me hooked on Zumba. I got the game for the playstation move and it was so much fun I went to the gym and tried it. It reminds me of when I would go salsa dancing back in the day – about 5 years ago :)
However I still need something else to do with myself. Zumba is great, but I want something for my mind. I’m not sure about pricing, but since I’m such a food nerd I though about going and taking culinary classes. I’d love to learn about the science of food….essentially it’s chemistry in a pot. I’ll keep thinking though.

So Elijah is astounding me with what he’s learning lately. He said his first sentence today as I was taking him to school. My dad was waving to us as I was buckling him in the seat and Elijah said very clearly “Bye Bye Bapou” He also says the word “ba” which is ball, but he knows that a basketball is different and calls that a “bee-ba”.

I remember talking with my friend Sarah (who also has her kids 16 months apart) and she was telling me that she would record parts of a cartoon to get the attention of her older child while she tended to the younger one. I though it was a great idea so I have been searching for that show which would captivate Elijah. To my dismay and to Brad’s delight that show would happen to be Sports Center on ESPN. Really….I have the channels memorized. It’s so ridiculous in fact, if the commentators are on screen too long and they don’t show a clip of a football or basketball game Elijah is throwing a tantrum until the sports clip comes back on. What's even worse is that our DVRs aren’t working at the moment, so we have to get it fixed before superbowl, or else!

What is so neat is that I am enjoying Elijah learning so many new things, but I really don’t look back and miss him being a baby as many moms have told me about their toddlers. I guess because I have Athena to fill that yearning. If I would complain about something, it would be it’s all happening so fast. Athena is 8 weeks old now. It really hit me as I was looking at my misshapen, stretched body and saw the little blue vein that used to protrude every time Athena would kick me with that little foot. It seems like yesterday, but yet forever ago. I miss those times, but look forward to what will come with my two little babies.
(luckily, no more stretch marks will be involved)    :)

goodnight all! – in bed before 9 o’clock, whoo hoo!!

Phew!!

I finally caught a break!

My eyebrows are plucked, I’m showered and dressed…I even have a little make up on! – This is truly a rare day where both are taking a simultaneous nap!

So I have to be quick since I just jinxed myself by saying so :)

Seriously things are so so crazy during the day. I probably make it that way because I can’t let go of my ways of trying to keep things tidy and pristine.

It is such a joy though to be at home with my babies. Athena is smiling and cooing making the long days and restless nights a little more worthwhile. Elijah is saying new words all the time; it is so stinking cute.

I gotta show you some of the latest pictures!

 

I love this picture!! Athena looks so angry!!

  Papou has a way to get her to sleep!

He loves trucks, cars and wheels…of any size!

My snow bunny! – He didn’t really care about the snow. He was more interested in his mittens. 

Almost 8 weeks old!

This was last week. A picture before this first day of “school”!

(It’s just a mother’s day out program twice a week for a few hours)

Looks liker her daddy, but a little goofy like her mom :)

Can you believe she is in 3 month clothes already? I mean, I’m starting to get a complex. Elijah was always so “tiny” and Athena gets comments about how  big she is. Both are healthy, so who cares, but still ironic.

We are going for the 8 week check up next Monday. Everything seems to be going well. I am going to transition her to her room tomorrow night (just so I can remember the day easier – since she will be 8 weeks officially). It’s funny to think how nervous I was with Elijah because he moved to his room at 16 weeks!

The only reason I am a little hesitant is because her room is SO SO cold. I can’t figure it out. I have gotten thermal curtains, insulated the window with the plastic film and also gotten black out liners – that seems to help, but it makes me sad to think she may be cold while I warm in my bed. We’ll see how it goes.

Her room isn’t 100% complete yet – it makes me laugh thinking how badly I wanted it complete before she was born. FAIL. :) -

It’s getting there. Don’t forget we didn’t have time to paint the green (which was my chosen color when it was an office) so I think it’s turned out okay with the pink and brown.

So aside from the kids, I am still searching for “something” to do with myself. I have finally finished school so I need something so I don’t feel like I’m going to get stupid. I thought about graduate school, but I think I want something fun and selfish. I’ll let you know how that goes….

Well, Elijah is awake now. So let the craziness continue!

Bring on the good times 2011

We’re ready for them!

As I last blogged, I told you we were going to visit my grandmother (who lives in Benton, AR). We left Thursday afternoon (the 30th) and made it by 11:00 pm. When we got there the kids were passed out, and we decided not to disturb my grandma and just see her in the morning.

I wish I had of now.

She died the next morning, probably just an hour or two before we would have woken up and gotten to see her. “What if” definitely goes through my head, but I am at peace not getting to see her I think. My sister and mom were telling me things that were not characteristic of my grandma, and to be honest, I am glad to have the memories of my grandma as she was – herself – not her as she was suffering in her final hours.

She didn’t get to meet Athena, but it was her time. I wish she could have seen her, but I’m just glad her suffering is over. So our short weekend turned into an extended stay so we could stay for the funeral. It still seems unreal. Here she is with Elijah when she visited over the summer.

She was so proud she got to see him take his first steps. I’m glad I will be able to tell Elijah that she was there for that. We definitely have some amazing memories with my grandma – I could ramble on for hours about the stories. I can just be grateful that she is no longer suffering and is in paradise, and we have some tremendous stories to share with others.

Not quite the start to 2011 we wanted around here, but we are confident the rest of the year will bring immeasurable joy.