bon voyage

(Cub practices sitting in his car seat for the long haul. Please bless he keeps smiling.)

Today the Cub and I are wearing weird outfits. Me, in lots of spandex (shudder). Him, in high-water sweatpants (0-3 months). That is because everything we own is swishing in the laundry. We soon will be headed for my frozen homeland (that caught part of "Snowmageddon").

My home here boasts "The Best Snow on Earth" yet I am feeling preemptively shivery at the thought of a sub-artic windchill. However, my excitement to see my family, all in one frigid place, overshadows the pain of having my bones freeze - down to the marrow.

So here comes Cub's first plane ride and my chance to use all of your great advice. Wish us luck.

P.S. Cub and I have creative differences when it comes to blogging in preparation for and while on vacation. Will we? Or won't we? Posting will be spotty at best for awhile.

february scramble

The in laws do a family birthday party, on a Sunday, somewhere around the birthday. This weekend was Richard's family birthday party/Superbowl party (he was born during the Superbowl, you know).

This year was extra special though because he now gets to share his family party with this little lady. Ellie was born just a few day after Richard's birthday and oh my goodness I can't believe she's one.

Look at that face!

In fact, we had just barely found out we were having the Cubster last year, when she was born. I have a very clear memory of rocking a fresh from the womb Ellie and thinking oh wow - I'm going to have my very own in 9 months.

In other news - I will be traveling this week and even though my mind should be saying

Laundry

Laundry

Laundry

Pack

It is saying

Work

Find that birth certificate

Shopping

Buy new belt for Richard

NEW BABY! (not mine)

Scrub shower (is growing weird orange stuff)

My brain feels all scrambled.

And yet in OTHER news, Richard watches Hens a few mornings/afternoons a week, depending on the day, while I work a few hours in the office. During those times, I get texts and pictures of the Cub doing outrageous and funny things that he would never be allowed to do if his mother were watching him.

This was today's picture. Not outrageous but of the Cub with his new bff. Stegee. Except for it isn't a stegosaurus so I'm not sure why he is named that. It is a triceratops. A 3-horn if you're up on The Land Before Time trivia.

And now I'm off to

Laundry

Laundry

Laundry

Pack

But probably not.

what schedule?

Richard snapped this picture (of me eating my delicious, snuggly, smiley baby) at precisely

5:37 pm yesterday. Just four hours later the Cub began to scream. The screaming commenced for the next six hours, for reasons I could not detect.

This made me think three things:

1. What could possibly be wrong?

2. This reminds me of having a newborn.

3. Would it really be that bad if Cub was an only child?

It is now 9:59am. He is still sleeping.

King Cub

We are working on a routine around here.
Mornings are semi-set.
Afternoons are kind of semi-set.
Evenings are sort of kind of semi-set.
Late night is when pure chaos erupts.

(not really but when I am tired, everything seems disastrous.)

The morning includes a lot of King Cub sitting in his throne (aka Bumbo).







It is a party.

going places

(Church shoes. I brought these babies out of retirement this last week. I am back in heels now after a stint of being pregnancy-unbalance-able.)

The marriage of Richard and I was the union of two very different upbringings. These different upbringings of ours have led to many interesting and wildly debated topics. Things like, child discipline, church attendance, grades in highschool, curfews, attending out of state college, etc etc. We start as polar opposites and can usually meet somewhere in the middle. Or the far left.

For example: I grew up in a family that was 20 minutes early to church every Sunday, sitting in the second row. Richard grew up in a family that was 20 minutes late, sitting in the overflow section, if seats were available. Since we have been married we have reached a steady compromise of: walking in right as the meeting is beginning - sitting in the very first overflow row (on the left side).

Now, here is where I need your help. Since Cub's birth we are late people. Extremely late. As in, one time we were so late that by the time we were going out the door, church was nearly over. This drives me crazy about myself. It seems like there is always some large catastrophe (baby vomit on him, baby vomit on me, can't find a bib, can't find a clean bottle, oh the list goes on, too) right as we should be heading out the door.

Background info:

Church starts at 1pm

We are within walking distance of church but usually drive (a quick 3.5 minute drive, including strapping Hens in)

What are your tips for getting to church (or anywhere for that matter) on time with a little one?

And, here is the Cub. He has started two new things lately:

1. Rolling over (but still looking really surprised when he does it)

2. Loving to look at people (especially his reflection). Photobooth is open 24/7 on my computer now. Wow. 24/7 - I haven't said that in a long time.