Wednesday, January 27, 2010

My Little Helper

In lieu of a Wordless Wednesday today I'm posting another video. It's Matthew being a big helper when we unload the dishwasher. He even runs over and opens the drawer. I'm also posting this to remind me of how helpful he was when he's 9 and this is one of his chores.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Where's Matthew?

Another video for tonight. Matthew was "hiding" from Sarah the other night and thought he was pretty funny!

Matthew Says "Boo!"

Here's a video of Matthew, he likes to scare you as you're going up the stairs at night. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Wordless Wednesday--9 Years!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Photobucket

Conversation With The Kid

Matthew followed me out to the kitchen today and I was standing at the fridge getting water we had the following conversation:

Matthew--waddadoin? (What are you doing?)
Mommy--getting water, do you want some?
Matthew--tapping the top of his sippy cup--wada? (water?)
Mommy--no, that's juice.
Matthew--jush? (juice?)
Mommy--yep, that's juice, do you want water?
Matthew--as he scurries away--nope!

Having a kid is so cool.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Poor Buddy

Well Matthew is sick. He got a tummy bug Saturday night and last night he threw up again after dinner. We really think we just pushed him a little far with eating yesterday. We're pushing fluids and watching for signs of dehydration but he's still just not himself. He has a dr appt today, not that I expect she'll do anything, but when I called to ask how to get him back to eating right they told us just to come in. So we'll see what she says.

In the meantime we've spent lots of time cuddling on the couch and reading books and playing with puzzles and the magna-doodle. Hopefully our little guy will be back to himself soon.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Fun!

Today our temperatures dared to go in the 40's so we decided to take Matthew to the park before the 20's found us again.

He had fun.

Photobucket

He loved climbing on the big wooden climbing structure.

Photobucket

Photobucket

He didn't care much for the swings though.

Photobucket

Nope. Definitely not.

Photobucket

Time to go home!

Photobucket

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Proof of Fun

Tonight we left as soon as Matt got home. We went to dinner and ran errands and got home and it was after bedtime. So we went right upstairs. When we came back down I tripped over the five billion toys scattered and started to curse the mess. We're trying to instill in Matthew that we pick up at the end of the night. But tonight we just got home too late. I quickly changed my thinking. Instead of cursing the mess I decided to feel blessed by it. It was proof that my son had a good day. Filled with building blocks and putting together puzzles and running his "choo-choo" around the table. It was filled with reading books and rocking on his horse and hitting the button on his race car over and over and over again.

It is a blessing to live the life I live. To stay home and spend the day with Matthew and watch him play with no cares in the world. I embrace the mess, for it is proof that love lives here.

Photobucket

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Matthew Conquers the World

On Thursday's Matthew and I attend the Little Rollers class at the Y. When we first started Matthew barely left my side and if any of the other kids or moms tried to talk to him he'd cry. Now he barely pays any attention to me and even lets other moms hold his hand or help him up on something. It really has been an amazing transformation to watch him be more sure of himself without leaning on mommy for support.

One of his favorite activities is the slide but he has trouble getting all the way up to the top and figuring out how to sit down and slide. Today he finally did it!

Okay so he kind of slides down in a split position, but hey, I don't have to help him anymore. And yeah, so he's not conquering THE world, but he is conquering his.



Here he is all proud of himself for getting to the top by himself.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wordless Wednesday--Dreaming

For today's Wordless Wednesday I'm dreaming of warm weather and vacation time. This picture is from the Outer Banks two years ago, it's the dune walk up the beach. A heck of a walk, but worth it.

Photobucket

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Granola Goodness

Some of you may have noticed I'm on a quest to make more food from scratch. Today I tried to make some granola. I used the following recipe

Ingredients
Makes 24
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried fruit
Directions
1.In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats, and dried fruit.
2.Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

It was really easy to make and turned our super yummy. Even Matthew liked it! And I'm learning that if you make something new a toddler will eat you better guard that recipe as if it were a precious gem.

Photobucket

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Hibernating

It's too cold out so we decided to hibernate. When the temperature doesn't reach freezing it's too cold to go outside. And luckily we have no reason to. We let Matthew be a couch potato as we took down all the Christmas decorations except for our tree. I put up my Valentine's decorations which make me stupidly happy.

We listened to Matthew lay up in his crib and avoid napping until almost 2:00. He turns 18 months old today and I guess he feels he's just too old to nap. Of course the fact that he slept in until almost 9 and then lounged around watching tv all morning helped him to not be tired.

As Matthew napped Matt I played Wii where I finally almost beat him at Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing. Almost. Sigh. I will do it one day. Something happens to me while I'm playing and it doesn't matter how often (and loudly) Matt tells me just to turn the controller with subtle movements, five seconds in and I'm moving my arms wildly from left to right contorting my face as if it that would help me too. The result is that I miss all the flags I'm supposed to hit and come in so far behind Matt that his Mii is taking a nap in the snow waiting for me to get down hill. I don't even know why I bother hitting the A booster button when I get to the end, I guess it's just because I can. Matt can't come close to my Wii Bocce and Disc Golf skills, however. And I kicked his butt at Wii Volleyball too!

For dinner I continued on my quest to start making more things from scratch and made my own pizza dough to create the yummiest white broccoli pizza this side of Mack n Manco's.

Photobucket

Matthew gobbled it up and anytime a toddler eats all of his dinner I consider it a personal victory.

A little bit more playing and a nice bath followed by ushering Matthew into bed completed our day and now we're watching the Eagles/Cowboys game and hoping beyond hope a miracle happens and they decide to start playing this game.

Tomorrow we plan to hibernate some more. Although we do have to take the trash out tomorrow night so we will actually have to open the door.

As I mentioned earlier, Matthew turned 18 months old today. How he got that old I don't know, we're on the down swing to two and it both excites me and makes me sad. Time, it sure does go fast.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Yes! No!

Matthew has a funny game he plays with his Poppop. It's a game of opposites. If you shake your head "no" he'll shake his "yes" and vice versa.

Today he was playing it with me while we were eating lunch. I was shaking my head but was saying it out loud so you could see the game.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

It's Never Enough

If I live to the age of 102 and get to be Matthew's mommy all of that time it will still not be enough.

Even as a little girl I dreamed of being a mommy and now I'm living it and it's way beyond my little girl dreams.

Not only do I love him, I can't get enough of him. I love his laugh and what makes him laugh makes me happier than the funniest movie.

At times I count the hours until bedtime and then miss him and sneak into his room holding my breath until I see the rise and fall of his chest.

And when he gets hurt my heart thumps in pain until he's all better.

My Aunt Mary once told me that when you have a child you will physically feel their pain. And all of their heartache and sadness will travel through you as it does them. She is so right.

I hate to see him sad but realize it's a passage of life. I would give my right arm to keep pain from him. Right now his broken hearts come from mom and dad when we dare to not let him stand on his new horse or climb on the coffee table. But I know more is coming and I want to put him in a bubble. I want to protect him from the mean little kids who will come his way and the girls who will not love him the same way he loves them. I want to take that pain from him even though it hasn't happened yet. I can't imagine him with a bruised ego or a broken heart from a friendship or a love that didn't work out.

All I can do is raise him with a good heart and a strong head on his shoulders. I can fill him with the love of God and the strength of his parents. I can teach him that the road of life is hard, and there are many bumps along the way, but that if you trust in yourself and keep walking forward that life can bring you the most awesome of blessings.

He is the loveliest of souls, even when he is ornery. And 100 years with him will never be enough.

Photobucket

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Wordless Wednesday--A Furry Friend

Today's wordless Wednesday involves one of our Kitty's Leiya and her comfy spot on our bed.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Does the House Look Lighter to You?

A message board I belong to is doing a challenge. To rid your house of 2010 things in the year 2010. And to make it more interesting one of the members started a blog that offers weekly challenges to help you find things in your house to go through that will get rid of more junk.

I welcome you all to join it, I added the blog in my sidebar. And I'll keep a running total of what we've purged too.

Today was a big day for us. We cleaned out and organized our linen closet.

Here is was before:
Photobucket

And after (and after a $50 trip to Target for bins and new batteries for the label maker...but isn't it pretty?)
Photobucket

and because I'm so proud of our handy-work here's a shelf by shelf picture.
PhotobucketPhotobucket

PhotobucketPhotobucket

Doesn't it look so nice?

We also went through Matthew's clothes and Matt's bedside table. Our grand total from today was 252 items!! Go us!!!

In other family news yesterday was a big day. Penn State won their bowl game! Yay!!

And Matthew looked super cute in his new Penn State shirt.
Photobucket

And here's a link to the blog I'm following to give you ideas and challenges on what you can get rid of in your house!
http://organizeyourselfchallenge.blogspot.com/

Happy Purging!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Here's to 2010!

I hope you all had a great New Year's Eve. I know we did, and we're hopeful that 2010 is full of health and happiness for all of you.

Speaking of health, we've had the sickies go through here. Thankfully so far Matthew has been spared but daddy had it and I am halfway through it and last night poor Pop-pop started feeling it. It's just a cold but colds are such a pain!

Like I said, Matthew is so far (knock on wood) healthy but he has learned some good healthy habits. Like when you blow your nose you need a tissue.