Verbally Challenged

A vacation brain dump…just because I don’t want to forget some things.

The desert in June is HOT – 112 degrees hot (at least this week).
Liam now calls the pool “the poo” – super cute.
Doing nothing for 10 days straight agrees with me – I’m not bored at all.
I am itchy to do something creative…maybe I should go and paint pottery or something!
Addy has been called “wonder baby” on several occasions. She is now on west coast time and sleeping like a champ. She’s not really cranky either!
I hope she transitions back to east coast time ok!
It’s not easy getting a six month old to switch time zones – especially when traveling cross country.
I need to stop going to etsy so much – I’m addicted to artwork!
I need a bigger house to fill with more artwork.
After three years, I got a new bathing suit! It feels good and wasn’t all that bad to shop for!
I over packed for this trip. Yep, I said it. I always over pack and vow not to do it the next year. I have yet to succeed.
This was a great thing to purchase before vacation. Liam LOVES music and with all of his favorites loaded, he’s in heaven!
Now that I think about it, this was a good find too! Liam has his own iPhoto library and I’m going to have prints made…care to guess what we’ll spend the summer doing together then with those photos? Hmmmmmm…
Here are a few samples of Liam’s work (no editing since they are Liam’s photos). The camera doesn’t produce the highest quality images but they do have a fun 1970′s feel!

Mom and dad:

Our walk to the pool:

And his letters:

And just because, a recent photo from a local splash park (this one from my camera!)

More later!

We’ve settled into our “vacation house” nicely.

And the kids are having a ball.

We are too. More later!

It’s hard to believe that I’ve had this little girl for six months – today. Born two days before Christmas, three weeks early she surprised us all. It was a hard labor and recovery but totally worth it and something that I would do over again for this little miracle!

This little girl is an amazing child. Mellow, easygoing and more happy than sad, she’ll smile at anyone and only cry when she’s tired. Just like her mama she loves to sleep and gets cranky if she misses a few hours. She is a dream baby and again, my little miracle.

At six months she has learned how to do so much and is getting stronger by the day. She rolls like a champ and has found that the way to get a favorite toy. She babbles non-stop and squeals at her toys – she may be a bossy one! She pulls her ear and rubs her eyes when she’s tired. She still naps three times a day and sleeps 11 hours at night. She has gained coordination and can put just about anything into her mouth – she’ll master this one over the next five years. She loves being worn, still, almost as much as I love wearing her. She’s trying to stand and working on strengthening up those leg muscles. She loves music and is instantly soothed with a few bars of “where are addy’s toes” – a mama original.

She’s an absolute joy and growing way too fast. I can’t believe that she is six months old!

That’s what vacations are for, right? Taking it easy. That’s what we did today.

In an effort to stay out of the sun for a bit, we found the science center and let Liam explore and stimulate his mind for a bit. It was nice to be in the air conditioning – I think even Addy appreciated that. Then we headed to lunch and came home for naps. Everyone took a nap – it was magical.

So here I sit, enjoying a bit of silence until the littles wake up – catching up on the blogs that I haven’t read in a little while. One being here. Anyway – she recently linked two video clips that are touching, make you smile, and gets you all sniffly. Check them out if you get a sec!

clip 1

clip 2

Off to do some more reading!

I’m on my second cup of tea, Nate is talking away on the phone (the pains of owning your own business), Liam is playing with the sponge animals I bought him at the zoo yesterday and addy is on her first of three naps for the day. I’ve been catching up on some blogs and trying to get rid of this nagging creative itch that I have going on.

I’ve been focusing on photography during this vacation – reading about my camera and researching different sites. I’m learning, playing, archiving – it has been fun. I have SO much to learn!

And if you haven’t visited this photography site before you’re really missing out. These people are incredible and I just read they have a spread coming up in People magazine. It’s no wonder – they’re amazing. Check them out.

And check this out…

Fun stuff. There are more photo added to the right.

More later.

Happy dad’s day! Although for the guys in my life I’m sure that it didn’t feel like it. Not because I don’t care but because I’m on vacation – making things a little tricky. I told Nate to consider himself lucky because he really gets two celebrations – one today and one when we get home. My dad – I called him but will see him after vacation. But it didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, I think that more lists are in order (remember, I AM on vacation).

So in honor of my dad…here are five memories that stand out to me right now (I have so many but again – vacation people!)
1. Dad did cool things. When I was little my dad brought home a coconut (or maybe mom bought one and dad got all of the credit – not sure). Anyway, there was a coconut and dad put a nail (or drill) into it and dumped out all of the milk for my sister and I to sample. He then broke it open and we all sampled the meat. I thought that my dad was so cool for knowing how to do that and it was a really neat family thing to do together. And in honor of dad, we did that very thing earlier this evening. Liam thought that it was cool but was unimpressed with the milk and meat.

2. Dad obsessively washed his cars – always had. He’d go out every weekend with all of the car cleaning necessities (and then some), a mini stepladder and get to work. The crazy man enjoyed washing his car, still does I think. Unfortunatley, I didn’t get that from him.

3. Singing. This, I did get from my dad and so did Liam. He sings ALL OF THE TIME. If he’s cleaning the sink, he sings (or whistles). If he’s screwing in a lightbulb, he sings. If he’s dusting the remote control, he sings. And he’s a good singer. He should be, he’s had enough practice!

4. Dad moves at lightening speed. It’s seriously like a super power. There is no slow button on my dad – only fast and faster. No strolling anywhere. In an airport, you almost need a cart to keep up because he walks that fast. And you know what else, he’s never late.

5. He’s open and honest…as all men should be. Growing up, he expressed his emotions – letting me know when he was proud of me. That was HUGE in my book and made for a great father/daughter relationship. He’s there when I need advice and always there to listen. He’s the best dad ever.

And now, because I had the best dad ever – it’s no surprise that my husband had to just as good (if not better). And I can honestly say that Nate is a fantastic daddy and I love watching him with the kids.

So now I give you the top five things I love about Nate being a daddy:
1. He’s a hands on daddy – always ready to take on either kiddo.
2. He plays with Liam outside every night, making up games and singing songs. This time is so special to Liam and I’m not allowed to take him out at night…unless I’m with daddy.
3. He gives Liam his bath every single night – and they do funny shampoo hair. They do the “secret pajama” game and count to ten while drying hair. They have their own bath language.
4. He’ll walk with Addy around the house during her soothing time (before I put her to bed or down for a nap). Gently singing, bouncing and cuddling her.
5. He gives up his weekends for “family days” when he has loads to do around the house. The kids get to see us interact with each other as a family – something that I find extremely important.

Basically, I’m one lucky girl. I had a super cool dad and husband who couldn’t be a more fantastic father. So again, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

And just because I’m late this week with my Addy update…

Since my brain is on vacation as well…lists are easy! Some random stuff (and photos) from today…

The desert is HOT and I love it! It was about 103 today.

Addy went into the swimming pool for the first time today and loved it!

So did Liam the fish.

Liam declared while shopping in the mall this evening that “when he grows up for Halloween next year he wants to be a stapler” – so that he can staple things. Ah…makes perfect sense huh? I may be back for ideas here in another four months.

My body is bi-coastal. Addy is on east coast time, Liam is west coast – I’m on both – my days are VERY long. But the morning sunrises make it hard to be grumpy in the morning.

I’m attempting to learn flickr – hence the photo thing off to the right. It’s fun to look at things all together. BUT I’m trying to decide if I need to watermark my images. I’m not a photographer and sometimes find them a bit annoying…but I don’t dig my images being taken either. Oh what to do.

The “pay IT forward” kit for It Kit Studio went live today. Kelly is doing an AMAZING job putting these kits together and you really should check them out if you haven’t. She mentioned on her blog that her kits are full of companies that “play nicely together” – LOVE that saying!

I did this layout using more goodies from last month’s kit (since you get a ton of product) and the buttons, stamps and metal thread from this months kit.

And I did this altered notebook to record the crazy things Liam says…like the stapler comment above.

And so far vacation has been wonderful! Not trip to the ER yet this year (let’s hope we break the evil cycle) – Addy thinks that’s great!

Finally, I’m editing photos on my laptop – not the best way to view photos. So if things are looking wacky – please forgive me!

Off to plan the day! More later…

Home Sweet Home.

Well not really my home…more like my vacation home. For 17 days a year we come to the Arizona desert and enjoy the heat (we LOVE the heat), the clear skies, predictable HOT weather, swimming and time together. We stay at the same place (thanks mom and dad for the condo), look forward to the same view, the same smells and talk about how each year changes as Liam grows. This is our fourth year coming here and it has been fun to see what Liam remembers and what he looks forward to.

When I was little, my family would drive to the ocean every summer. We would stay at a decent hotel (I thought that it was a palace…heck they had a swimming pool and an elevator), play in the sand, ride bicycles on the boardwalk and eat lots of junk. Now THAT was a vacation. I want my kids to have the same memories, vacation memories – wherever we decide to visit. For now, it’s looking like Arizona and I know that Liam doesn’t mind. He loves the pools, his scooter that we conveniently store in the garage year round, his “vacation bed,” opening the gates with the remote…see where I going with this. It’s something other than our house so in his eyes it’s perfect. And for Nate and I, in our minds, the desert is truly our home – so the whole family wins.

Now to enjoy some quiet time while the kids sleep.

More later.

We leave for vacation in less than 24 hours.
I am packed.
Liam is beyond excited.
We packed the floatie.
Adeline cut her first tooth 2 days ago.
She is not excited.
I have no more deadlines.
My house is clean.
Both kids are napping.
I don’t know what to do.

1. I would suck at being a single parent – and it’s no fun (feel better soon Nate)
2. Going to Kennywood Park (an Amusement Park) on a 90 degree day with 85% humidity is not a good idea. Now remove the humidity and it’s all good.
3. The countdown to vacation cactus that Liam and I built out of construction paper was really cute 28 days ago. Now that it’s showing 3 days until vacation, not so cute.
4. Summer clothes should probably be unpacked from storage before attempting to pack for vacation.
5. Laundry is much easier when done weekly (yes, I’m just now figuring that out).
6. Addy is still growing up way too fast.

7. I should have never introduced Liam to the book “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” – or the movie for that matter. It is constantly being re-enacted in my living room and I wake up in the middle of the night singing the song. Not. Kidding.
8. Vacation clothes will not pack themselves and I leave in three days.