Time to Smash

This day went as quickly as it came. And while I don't know what the future may bring, as of right now Peanut is my last baby, and this was the last first cake. It was not the prettiest cake, the buttercream made from scratch, the cake from a box, but it was all his. At first he wasn't sure, but it didn't take long for him to dive in. While our family and friends enjoyed their cupcakes, Peanut went face first into his cake.

Of all the ways to spend our birthday, this small party with the focus on this cake "ceremony" was perfect.

And while technically this is the last of the Rookie Mom Challenges, I might still go back and try a few of the many that I missed.

Birthday Eve

It's the night before Peanut's first birthday and party. I have a million and one things to do to get ready, because I didn't learn anything at all from the last time, but I can't help to stop and look back. One year ago I had no idea how much life would change in the morning, I was planning how to spend my own birthday. This year has gone by so fast, I cannot believe that this night is back again. My baby has grown so much, and is so much less a baby as he is now firmly into toddlerhood. Just over a week ago he started to walk, and tomorrow he'll have cake. And just like last year when things didn't go as I planned, tomorrow is already going off-script. But it is our day, and I am so very looking forward to it.

Deep Freeze

We've been in a deep freeze here. Winter has not been kind, although not as bad as three years ago. That winter, we had so much snow, that it was February before Munchkin got a chance to get out in it and he was not a fan. Peanut has already tested out the snow, and he had no problems.

The boys had fun posing with our neighbor's snowman.

Then they convinced Daddy to make one for them.

Munchkin was excited to make footprints in the field near school.

All this happened in December, and I am sure the rest of winter will be more of the same. While it has snowed a lot since then it has been too cold to stay outside and play. I have also been slacking on the photos, something else that I need to work on now. In other news, Munchkin has gotten over his dislike of the snow, and made his first snow angel the other day.

What is winter like where you live?

Linking up with Mama Kat
5.) Show us what winter looks like in your neck of the woods!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Our tree is up, and our "elf" decorated it last night. Peanut woke up first this morning, which was perfect for me, as I got to spend a few minutes letting him take in the tree before his brother got up. He was so happy and so excited. The pure joy on his face as he saw the lights and the ornaments for the first time. I wish that I was able to capture them on camera, but as I was holding him I wasn't able to. I hope that it is a look that I never forget, and a look that comes back each year. All he wanted to do was grab everything, which is why we have a small tabletop tree this year.

Munchkin was so excited to see what Jingle McJingles' Christmas magic had done. Our tree had been up for a week, bare as we waited for it to open. This morning Munchkin's face showed such amazement as he explored the tree, looking at all the different ornaments, many that he has seen before but none that he seemed to remember.

Mornings like these are one of the things that I absolutely love about Christmas, the innocence of childhood, the pure belief in magic and miracles. It was smiles and hugs, happiness and joy. It was perfect in its simplicity, and everything that I could wish for.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere: Rookie Mom Challenge

I know that I posted about it before, but I recently realized that I did complete another Rookie Mom Challenge (of which I have completed so very few). I don't ever remember going pumpkin picking as a child, so it is one tradition that I love doing with my children. Right now, they are still too young for these trips to really have a lasting impact, but I want them to grow up remembering. Every year I've taken pictures of Munchkin with pumpkins, but this year our usual trip just didn't work out for us that way. I am so glad that I was able to take them later to another pumpkin patch and get my pumpkin pictures with both boys, but especially with Peanut. Another challenge done (and done weeks ago).

First Day of the Rest of Summer

Last Friday was Munchkin's last day of summer camp, and tomorrow will be the first day since June where it is just Munchkin, Peanut and I all day. I had grown accustomed to my alone time with Peanut, which does not happen very often, and Munchkin really loved going to camp each day. In September, he will start preschool, and I think that camp really helped him get ready. Camp was the first time he was away from me on a daily basis, and he gained a lot of independence these past six weeks. So while I will miss having my mornings for my baby, I am looking forward to spending the time with my big boy as well. We now have one more month to make summer memories.

Just a few camp mornings

Baby in the Water: Rookie Mom Challenge

This challenge happened a little ahead of the Rookie Mom Challenge schedule, but it happened, so I'm recording it now (since I've been failing at doing so many of these). Munchkin was never a fan of the pool. He took swim lessons at eighteen months which he pretty much cried through. We went to the Bahama's last year, and he refused to enter the water areas, didn't want to get wet. We recently took both boys to visit their grandparents and tried to get Munchkin to go in the pool. He was still a no go, but Peanut (being only 4 months old) didn't have much of a choice when we took him in.

At first he was a little hesitant, but he very quickly warmed up. Turns out he loves to splash and kick. We were very careful to not dunk him or make it a traumatic experience and it seems to have worked out well for us. We have brought him to another pool since this trip, and he still loved being in the water.

And I loved being in the water with him. The pure joy on his face as he got to splash with me, and then his father was wonderful to see. I am very much looking forward to our next pool trip.

Summer Views

We had just gotten back from getting his hair cut (his first!). Peanut was asleep in the stroller, so we had a little time to kill. Sitting there and watching him blow his own bubbles was even better than watching him chase bubbles that I blow for him. He was so proud that he could do it himself, I don't think anything could have made that day better. For either of us.

Linking up with Mama Kat. 

3.) Your favorite summer view so far.

Bringing the Animals to the Zoo

Earlier this week I brought the boys to the Bronx Zoo. It was a beautiful seventy-something day, and Peanut's first trip.

Just chillin' with the peacocks

We were lucky enough to meet up with my sister-in-law and nephews. Munchkin was running around like crazy with his cousin and it made me realize that my days of going to the zoo solo were over for a while.

I had gotten so used to my trips with Munchkin, that I didn't think how throwing another child in the mix would change things (even if that child is still to young to move and stays in the stroller).

We're looking forward to a lot of trips with uncles (and Daddy). How do you handle these kind of trips with multiple children?

And it just kept coming...

A bit over a year ago, while I was still a blissfully sleep deprived new mother, there was an "incident". I had never had to deal with a blow-out diaper, but there is always a first time for everything. Luckily, I was at home. Unluckily, it was a work day, so it was just me and the baby.

I was shocked when I discovered that "stuff" had come out of the diaper, up the back and even at the legs. I believe that there was a bit of yelling on my part as I pulled off the diaper. The baby found this wildly entertaining, which caused him to laugh. And pee. Which made me yell even more. Which lead to more laughter.

Cue the pooping. Across the changing table. I don't think that I ever knew how forcefully that could happen. At this point, the baby as stopped laughing and started to cry, probably because of how much louder I was now yelling. I'm standing there, cleaning up the messy (again) baby, as well as the poopy changing table cover, and trying to stop the baby from putting his feet in it. All the while, swearing that my husband will be changing every diaper from here on out.

It was not long after the "incident" that we started to use disposable changing pad covers.

I received information about Clorox’s Bleach It Away campaign and am sharing my messy moment for the chance to win prizes from The SITS Girls. To learn more about the messy moment program, check out www.BleachItAway.com.  Sharing your story on the Clorox fan page gets you entered for the chance to win $25,000 and daily prizes, and you can grab a coupon for Clorox® Regular Bleach.

And Now Some More Snow

I thought that the snow was over. Not sure why, it is only February, so winter is really not yet over. I guess it just seemed like we have had so much snow already that we couldn't possibly get any more. I was wrong.

Another six inches...

At least this time, it wasn't measured in feet.

What we were dealing with at the end of January

Also, this time, the Baby got to play. Every other snowfall has been too deep. This one was perfect.

At first he was curious. Then he discovered that it wasn't as easy to move around.

Then he decided it was time for spring.