the right direction

Last week I found out that one of Oliver's preschool teachers is pregnant.

Up until that point, apparently, that news would have instantly made me cry.

Don't get me wrong, it's still hard to hear about other people's pregnancies when I still feel like I should be in the middle of my own... the one we lost.

But that day, my gut reaction was to congratulate her, not immediately tear up and whimper "why not me?" Which is such a huge step for me.

So I don't know if 3 months is a long time or a short time or average, but that's how long it took me to accept my loss. To be able to think about it, talk about it, and most importantly, look ahead.


And to Jen: I'm sorry I missed these last three months celebrating with you. You've been so understanding and patient with me, and I can't wait to see you and hug you. And please, call me after that ultrasound appointment, I promise I'll be waiting by the phone!

We're dino-crazy.

This is Buddy. His favorite thing in the world is riding the Dinosaur Train.

So when we were in Washington DC this summer, at the end of our visit to the Natural History Museum, we told Oliver he could get a toy. We were all tired and he'd had such a long day and he had been so good... the boy deserved a reward. So I parked his stroller next to a souvenir stand and told him to pick out whatever he wanted. He picked a random three-pack of dinosaur toys. I think I actually tried to talk him out of them because they were from some show we'd never seen and I guess maybe I thought he'd be happier with some generic dinosaurs. I don't know.

Fast-forward to the trip home... we stopped at a Waffle House for dinner. (Scattered, smothered, covered and chunked - FYI) and another mom at the table next to us pointed out Oliver's toys to her son. Who then proceeded to tell us the names of the things and also what time periods they were from and some other random info. I smiled and nodded, talking to the mom, who told us her son had started out watching the dinosaur show and now he new everything about them. Cute, her son liked dinosaurs. They're a nice family.

So maybe a week later I came across Buddy there on the Netflix. What the hell, I thought. Better than another episode of Elmo's World, I thought.

I created a monster.

In the best way.

Confession: I love this show.

We know all the songs (and I have come thiiisclose to purchasing the soundtrack), we can identify theropods and pterosaurs and name their features, we have a running joke in our house about how Don likes to eat bugs, and Oliver was seriously bummed that he was not a stygimoloch.

He can recognize each episode by its Netflix thumbnail. We have yet to actually catch it on PBS, but now that there's new episodes I'm going to have to figure out the air times, because OMG new Dinosaur Train. I have 2 PBS Kids apps on my phone.

We're dino-crazy, and it's fun. We like it. It made for a really great birthday party.

Just ask Oliver about Dr. Scott... he'll tell you that's his friend, the paleontologist, who wants us to get outside, get into nature, and make our own discoveries.

a conversation on each side of sleep

(8:00 pm)

Mommy, are you my best friend?
Yeah... I'd love that buddy.
Just me and you, nobody else.

... well, what about Daddy?
Oh, yeah, Daddy too.
Me and you and Daddy are all best friends?
Yeah, and nobody else.

Oh, and my puppy.
And my toys and my house.
And our new truck.

Good night, baby. I love you.
I love you too, Mama.

***

(8:00 am)


Wake up time, Mommy and Daddy! I came to get you guys!

(Crap, he figured it out.)

Can you get me some milmy?
I want to watch Dinosaur Train!
Is it wake up time?
Can I have a smoothie for breakfast?
I hafta go get my Toy Storys.
I want some milmy.
Can you turn on a movie?
I don't hafta go potty!
Can you be awake now?



*milmy is his word for milk.

one of my finer parenting moments

Oliver has been playing "party" the last couple weeks. Like, he'll jump around and say it's a dance party, or he'll get up on our bed and have a party and say the pillows are the cake and presents.

We have a lot of pillows.

So the other day he was playing in our room and found a bag of decorations and supplies from his birthday party.

Yes, I'm very organized.

So he pulls out this roll of ribbon and says, "What is this? Can I play with it?"

Decision time. Do I let him unravel it and get it all tangled up or do I take it away and try some distraction when he (inevitably) gets pissed?

We had a party. I helped with the decorations & the cupcakes were delicious.

this morning

Oliver woke up at 6:40 a.m.

He yelled "Mama!"

I said "Hi buddy, are you awake?"

He said "Yes mama, can I get out of bed?"

(I'm guessing he didn't know if it was morning or night.)

He decided to hang out in my bed while I showered.

I came back in the room. He told me, "don't forget to blow dry your hair!"

(I don't know.)

Then after we picked out his shirt, I offered  him two stickers to get dressed all by himself.

I went in the kitchen to get his milk and my coffee.

After a few minutes he came running in, "wook, mama! I did it!"

"I'm so proud of you, buddy!"

He got back in the big bed while I finished getting ready.

I heard his voice from down the hall... and when I got back to my bedroom he said, "MOM. You gave me a lid that sounds like a bear when I drink."

(I have no idea.)

I was super glad to have some laughs with my boy before work.

Happy Friday!

quickly and simply

The Panzas have decided to lay off of fast food for the entire month of January.

I'm looking forward to it! We did it last January and it was great. It's a little difficult at first, because I have a serious love affair with pizza. But! it's great for the bank account, not to mention our health. Plus, it comes at a good time... with all the junk food we ate over the holidays... not to mention all the money spent around the holidays... So I'm laying off the McDonald's (ta-ta, Peppermint Mocha) and Nick's turning down the lunchtime trips to Subway.

Unfortunately, our habit affects dinner too... and Ollie's gotten used to getting a toy with his chickens and french fries as part of our normal grocery shopping routine. Yet another reason to knock it off. Usually every other week, the routine is for me to pick up the guys and run over to Burger King or Wendy's and grab some food before hitting the store. While not shopping on an empty stomach is good... and dinner out can make for a less stressful evening... we're making an effort to work around that.

Nick's going to try out doing the shopping before I get home from work. And if that doesn't work out well, we can always eat quickly at home or even go on the weekend, I guess. We like avoiding the weekend when possible, not only because there are more people to contend with, but junk like grocery shopping and cleaning cut into our precious family time.

Don't even get me started on the cleaning. Dang dog hair.

Anyhow, that's not a New Year's resolution, it's just something we're doing starting January 1. Ending January 31.

See, my real resolution is to be on time for work. Like, be at my desk by 8:05. Mostly because I just hate making Oliver rush around in the morning. Sweet boy likes to sleep as much as I do, and I don't want my childish inability to get my ass out of bed to affect him. So, I'm trying to grow up. Ha!

Especially since the end of 2012 was so dang nutty... at once happier and sadder than ever... it's time to streamline, clean up, simplify, and start over. I like 2013 already.

planning ahead {tiny prints}

Whether it's laying out clothes the night before, or grocery shopping according to our menu-plan, everybody knows that planning ahead makes for less stress. I've been trying to do more of these types of things. (I did laundry on a weeknight, you guys!) I could use less stress.

In the next 2 months we have:

• Halloween
• My mom coming to visit for 2 whole weeks (!) (not really a stressor, just a little something that alters the routine.) (in a good way.) (love you, Mom!)
• Oliver's birthday party
• Thanksgiving
• My cousin's wedding, where I am a bridesmaid, Nick is the minister, and Oliver is the ring bearer (yes, I'm serious)
• The rehearsal for said wedding (admittedly, this is all Nick. I have an appointment in my calendar reminding me to attend the meeting with the bride & groom.)
• and THEN maybe I can think about Christmas. Yeah, like, right before Christmas.

Sooo, if I want any chance at pulling it all together, I've gotta start now. Since there's really only so much you can do ahead of time... at the very least, I can streamline. Here's what I'm thinking:



Photo Christmas Cards

1. Get Oliver's birthday/Christmas pictures ASAP (as soon as November 1st, they'll have the Christmas stuff available at the portrait studio). I already do this all in one session - just makes sense with his birthday in November.
2. With a few exceptions/additions, anyone I would send Christmas cards to has also been invited to his birthday party, so this can kinda double as a birthday/thank you type thing.
3. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Tidings of Comfort and Joy and Bring Me Some Figgy Pudding!

What do you think? Is this totally against protocol and I'm crazy for thinking I can combine birthday and Christmas like this, or am I totally inspired (by Jess) and you're excited to see the result?

This is a sponsored post. I'm receiving a credit to Tiny Prints in exchange. You can check out their special offers here. Can I take a nap now?

(Please say excited!)