Mom Mondays - Don't you just love...

Don't you just love when you wake up and think you are in for another ordinary day and then something unexpected happens and suddenly your day becomes anything but ordinary?

Well, that is the kind of day I had today! I have to admit, I was feeling a little bit on the "blah" side of ordinary this morning. With all my regular playmates on various vacations (parents in FL, Addy & Sandy in Key West) or working new hours (Aunt Jen started a 2nd job and cannot play w/us during the week anymore), I've been really struggling to keep the kids happy and entertained. Add to that the several inches of snow we got yesterday and a forecast of unseasonably cool temperatures for the rest of the week and I was pretty much dreading the next 5 days.

But all that changed when I talked to my parents this morning and they invited us down to FL next week!

I immediately booked our tickets and began compiling extensive packing lists.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FFF - Why Dads are Awesome

They turn the entire family room into a fort!

Sleep Deprivation

I gave my mom Aidan's Baptism invitation yesterday. She called about 20 mins later:

"Um, Kristen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but...there's no date on these invitations".

Oops.

On the plus side, I had not mailed out the other 25 invitations. On the negative side, I now have to open all the envelopes, hand write the date onto my pretty, printed invitations, find new envelopes to send them in and re-address every one.

I guess all that Starbucks and Diet Coke can help mask the symptoms, but there's no substitute for a good night's sleep.

Mom Mondays - The reason I keep my VCR

So I happened to catch Clueless on tv the other day and as I sat there reciting all the lines under my breath I couldn't help but think about how many hours my friends and I spent watching the same movies over and over and over again when we were in high school. Since my 30th birthday is just around the corner, I thought I'd indulge in a little nostalga and discuss my favorite movies from my high school days.

Clueless
As a Catholic school girl stuck in a uniform all week, I longed for Cher's super cute outfits and closet full of designer clothes. Add in a great soundtrack and an adorable Paul Rudd and you've got the perfect high school chick flick.
Favorite Quote: Tai: Do you think she's pretty? Cher: No, she's a full-on Monet. Tai: What's a Monet? Cher: It's like a painting, see? From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess.

The Molly Ringwald Trifecta (Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink & Sixteen Candles)
Is it bad that I cannot remember how to calculate the circumference of a circle, but have no trouble recalling the names of all of Molly Ringwald's love interests (John Bender, Blane McDonnagh & my personal fav Jake Ryan)? Even though they were made in the 80s, all 3 still rang true in the 90s and I loved that Molly Ringwald looked like a regular girl instead of a movie star.

Favorite Quote:Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain and an athlete and a basket case and a princess and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club

Father of the Bride

I'm always a sucker for movies about fathers and daughters and for ones w/voice overs, so of course this is remains one of my favorites of all time. Additionally, I am still not entirely convinced this movie was not based on my father...he is very George Banks-like.

Favorite Quote:Who presents this woman? This woman? But she's not a woman. She's just a kid. And she's leaving us. I realized at that moment that I was never going to come home again and see Annie at the top of the stairs. Never going to see her again at our breakfast table in her nightgown and socks. I suddenly realized what was happening. Annie was all grown up and was leaving us, and something inside began to hurt.

Reality Bites

Complaint rock, the Gap, Lisa Loeb, AIDs testing, slackers, psychic 900 numbers...is there a movie that better captures Generation X than this one? Ethan Hawke's character Troy had that whole "I'm a serious muscian who refuses to conform to society's expectations of me", which in retrospect is so annoying, but at the time I thought Troy was "deep" and "intellectual" and exactly the kind of boy I would meet and fall madly in love w/once I got to college. Plus, I don't care how much of a cliche it is, I always love the "I'm secretly in love w/my best friend" storylines.

Favorite Quote: Lelaina: I was really going to be somebody by the time I was 23. Troy: Honey, all you have to be by the time you're 23, is yourself. Lelaina: I don't know who that is anymore. Troy: I do. And we all love her. I love her. She breaks my heart again and again. But I love her.

When Harry Met Sally
Speaking of "I'm secretly in love w/my best friend" storylines...I still love this movie! Even if you are not a fan of romantic comedies, you have to admit that any movie that can make Billy Crystal sexy has got to be pretty good. This is also Meg Ryan at her sweet, adorable best (pre-face lift, lip injections and "I want to be a serious actress") and she definitely should have received an oscar for that "faking it" in the deli scene.

Favorite Quote: I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Top Gun
I know this movie came out in the 80s, but I wasn't allowed to watch it until I was in junior high, so it seems like a 90s movie to me. I was never the kind of teenager who developed crushes on movie stars, but I had it bad for 1985 Top Gun Tom Cruise. It's not my fault though, who can resist a man in uniform?

No favorite quote (can't pick just one), but please enjoy:

Favorite Foto Friday - All By Myself

My little baby is growing up! Aidan has decided he is ready to feed himself, regardless of what it does to his clothes or our carpet.

Therefore, we now compromise and have "semi-clothed supper". Aidan gets to be an independent eater and I get to save myself from hours of pre-treating his laundry w/a stain stick. Everybody wins!

Mom Mondays - Never say never

I've never been one of those people who feels the need to stay on top of technology. I mean, every time I learn how to use something, some new, better "this will change your life!" gadget comes out and I have to start all over again. As someone who distests instruction manuals of any kind, its just such a burden trying to stay on the "cutting edge" that I usually do not bother until it becomes absolutely necessary. Well, this weekend, I came to the realization that some technology updates had reached the absolute necessity level and I grudgingly accepted I was going to have to do not one, but two things I swore I'd never do....

First, I finally caved and signed up for Facebook. I know all you facebook users are saying "Why have you waited so long?!?! By tomorrow you're going to be addicted!". I will admit the only reason I signed up is that my curiosity over what has become of my former classmates and co-workers has finally gotten the best of me and it is fun to add friends and search for people. However, I'm not quite sure what I am supposed to do once I've found everyone I know. Chris tells me I will add pictures to my wall, update my status and tackle or tag people or something, but I'm really not sure how any of that works. Do I want to be tackled? Apparently I do.

If signing up for Facebook wasn't enough for me to deal with, I also bought an iPod this weekend. Honestly, had all of my music not been lost when our computer crashed back in January, I would still be happily downloading songs from walmart.com and burning them onto CDs, but life does not always work out the way you plan. I'm sure once Chris gives me a tutorial, I'll love it and I must admit it will be nice to just bring my iPod in the car instead of burning CDs. However, I am concerned about the iPod slippery-slope most users seem to fall victim to, spending hours downloading the 35,000 songs my iPod can store, and facing millions of instruction manuals for all the attachments and accessories those geniuses at Apple have convinced iPod owners we cannot live without.

If any of my fellow technology resisters out there feel like they are losing a member, do not dispair. I still adamently refuse to:

• Get a DVR
• Buy an iPhone
• Learn how to download ringtones
• Sign up for Twitter, linkedup or MySpace
• Set up online bill pay

But never say never....

FFF - Come out, come out wherever you are!

Andy "hiding" from the camera. He also employs this technique when attempting to avoid diaper changes & bed time. I love how the mind of a two year old works.

Mr. Mom Mondays

Kristen had an unfortunate fight with the stomach flu today, so I will be the guest blogger. I know how bad it was because I had it on Sunday and decided to share. With two sick parents and two active boys, I was the least ill and took over Kristen's responsibilities for the day (after she did the same on Sunday). I took the kids for a car ride, a walk around the neighborhood and a trip to Grammy's in the afternoon. Kristen has done a great job with the children building their mental, physical and social skills. As a dad, I get to focus on the funner aspects of raising two boys. The difference is more obvious as I played Mr. Mom today. For example Kristen is working with Andy to get him counting to 20. I on the other hand have been getting him to answer real questions with goofy answers such:

Daddy: "Andy, how tall are you?"
Andy: "Eight Feet Tall!"
Daddy: "and how much do you weigh?"
Andy: "Deuce, deuce and a half"

After a long day of watching the kids and making sure mommy gets enough rest (while getting over my flu symtoms for the previous day), I was exhausted. How Kristen survives the afternoon time after naps and before dinner is beyond me. After chasing around two cranky kids and changing diapers before dinner, I couldn't wait till bed time. But as I had a boy in each arm, I realized I left the baby wipes where Aidan would surely get into the next time were in the family room. With a flick of my foot, I lifted the wipes across the room onto the shelf and into the basket with the diapers and changing pad...right were it should have been in the first place. And with that I thought "I had a good day".

FFF - Dress up

I can almost guarantee that by the time its summer and they actually need to wear them, not one of them will want anything to do w/sunglasses.

The Bad and the Good

While I'm cleaning Aidan up, Andy sneaks away from the table holding a rasberry....

Me: Andy, did you take a rasberry from the table?
Andy: yes.
Me: Where is it? Did you eat it?
Andy: no.
Me: Where is it then?
Andy: lost.

2 hours later, I reach down to find a ball that has rolled under the couch and find the missing fruit, now smashed into my carpet...

Me: Oh Andy...I found your rasberry...
Andy: GREAT NEWS!
Me: No, its not great news, you mushed it into the carpet and the carpet is dirty.
Andy: blank stare
Me: (exhausted sigh): Don't touch it, I have to get the cleaning supplies and fix it.
___________________________

this morning we are in the car, Andy is singing along to twinkle, twinkle...

Andy: Mommy
Me: Yes Andy?
Andy: I wuv you.
Me: (happy sigh): I love you too.

Mom Mondays

When I started this blog, my intent was to keep everyone up to date on our Korean adoption process and share what the kids have been up to w/friends and family. Since I am not one of those creative, scrapbooking types, I also thought the blog could serve as a sort of digital baby book for Andy & Aidan, which is why I often write as though I am speaking to a small child (you know, the whole "Mommy, Daddy" thing).

As I've started to get into blogging, I've done a few posts here and there that are about me and things I enjoy and I'd like to start doing more of that. So I thought I'd try something new and set aside one post a week to write about what my life is like now that I am a mom. Naturally, b/c I am a huge fan of alliteration (Favorite Foto Friday), I had to call it Mom Mondays.

For my 1st Mom Monday, I thought I'd talk about how much my style has changed since becoming a SAHM (stay-at-home mom). In my pre-baby days, I'd see those really "mom" looking moms, you know the ones w/messy, unwashed hair, dark circles under their eyes, sweatpants & mismatched socks, and I'd think to myself "I'm never going to look like that!". Of course, I knew I'd be trading in my classic black wrap dresses and gray wide leg trousers for something more casual, but surely a nice cashmere sweater and darkwash jeans would be appropriate. I did consider the fact that I may not have 30 mins each morning to devote to showering and hair drying, but I simply reasoned I would shower and dry my hair every night instead. As far as the dark circles, I knew those could be a problem, but w/a good concealer, no one aside from Chris, our child and the occassional overnight guest needed to know about them.

Well, let me tell you that I sit here typing this wearing black yoga pants & a brown hoodie. My hair was last washed Sunday morning and the unruly strands that are the result of allowing it to air dry are being held in place w/bobby pins. Putting on makeup never even occurred to me. My socks do match, but the right one has a hole in the bottom.

How did this happen, you ask? Sometimes I wonder that myself. I can tell you one day I looked in the mirror and was shocked to find a mom looking back at me...I guess it all sort of happened in bits, so that I didn't really notice it at all.

First, I traded this:

for this, because you can barely fit a diaper - let alone wipes, a sippy cup, blanket, can of Puffs, hand sanitizer and random stroller toys - in a designer clutch.

And then my trademark 3 inch heels (necessary to bring me to 5' 3'') were replaced

With shoes I could actually carry a baby in w/o causing permanent damage to my lower back.

After that there just didn't seem to be much point in makeup b/c a "smoky eye" doesn't really go w/a diaper bag and Uggs.

Then, after my favorite pair of jeans met their demise as the result of excessive washing to remove formula & other unpleasant stainsI realized that less-expensive yoga pants not only hold up better in the wash but are ideal for crawling around on the floor.

And that's how, without realizing it, I became the Mom who just may find Stacy & Clinton from What Not To Wear hiding around the next corner. The surprising part is, that I'm happy being that person. Of course there are days when I feel tired and messy and convinced my hair will forever smell like spit-up, but I know these days of practical shoes and diaper bags will be over in a heartbeat. So for the most part, I don't really give my appearance too much thought. I guess I'm too busy being a mom to worry about looking like one.