Finally some Fall pictures!

I finally had my camera charged AND available at the same time just in time for pumpkin carving. What a blast!

First, though, some Autumn art. We picked up some leaves off the ground outside and then painted and glued. So easy, and so fun.




Can you tell someone is excited to carve pumpkins?!





I told him to reach in for some of the goop...





but he didn't like getting his hands dirty AT ALL, and immediately went to wash them off!





My nickname for him has always been Pumpkin, I don't even know why. It just kind of happened, but it makes this kind of thing even more fun, my Pumpkin with his pumpkins :)





The two of us. Man, are we tight.





And, this has nothing to do with pumpkins, but it is so fucking cute I can't stand it.




Can't wait to see everyone's Halloween pictures! Jeb is so excited to be Captain Hook. I can't wait!

Bye Bye Diapers :)

Jeb is POTTY TRAINED!!!

Today (Sat) will be day 9 of Project Underwear.

This kid is a Rock Star, I tell you. He has taken to it like a pro. Days 1-4 I put him in underwear (except for nap and nighttime) and toileted him every hour. Each day he had 1 small accident in the late afternoon, but I thought that was pretty good. His night and nap diapers even remained 80% dry, he was able to make it to the toilet. By day 5, he was starting to tell me "Mama! I have to pee!". He wasn't loving it, per se, but he was successful. He would occasionally tell me "I don't like the potty", but he wasn't really fighting me. Days 6 and 7 were daycare days. He did well, but really just held it most of the day. He had zero accidents on days 5 and 6, and 1 on day 7. Day 8? It's like he's been doing this his whole life. I didn't have to prompt him ONCE. He just came to me each time and asked to pee. His nighttime and nap diapers were dry. He's gone in several public bathrooms with only 1 freak out (it was like, day 2, so I wasn't surprised). I bought him a nurf gun, which was a huge help in the motivation area; not just in the initial purchase, but he plays with it constantly, so everytime I wanted him to pee I would just say "no more shooting until we do pee pee" and that was it, he was pulling his undies down before I knew it!

I know we have totally lucked out in this potty training business. In fact? We have just lucked out all around. Jeb is such a good natured, sweet kid. He listens AMAZINGLY well, like I rarely have to repeat myself and he rarely resists. He just listens. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say, this is one special little kid and if I loved him more I might explode.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Oh, I just love that face.










Omg, I have a kid old enough to ride a bike...

Photo Post!

This is a glimpse into our lives over the last 6 weeks. Apparently there's been a lot of naked time. We were bored, and are ready for Spring!

That face kills me :)




Peek-a-boo!


Watching the Cable Dude do something cool. Notice the shoes on the couch... it was a Daddy and Jeb day ;)



Sometimes this is the easiest way to get Jeb to wash his hands:


I cut a "house" out of the box his new car seat came in. He L O V E D it.


He brought all of his Important Things inside: a dumptruck, pliers, snack, water, and a book.



Mama and Jeb. (Man, I look tired.)


He was quiet for a few minutes, and I found this in the bathroom:



No more onsies :( My boy is big enough for wife beaters now.



This is how Jeb feels about getting his teeth brushed:



My mom was on her way over with her dog; Jeb waited by the window with treats for the dog ready to go. So sweet.


I'm looking forward to the next months' photos full of sand boxes and swings and grass!!

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas!

Today was, as expected, a total blast. However, one of my Christmas wishes did not come true: that Jeb stop fighting sleep tooth and nail. He is currently giving Husband a terrible time, like he does every single night. Sleep will have to be a post of its own soon, but for now... back to Christmas.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were full of special moments, careful preparations, and fun celebrations. Santa was good to us all, especially the Short One.

We left cookies and milk out for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer. Jeb loved it despite his pained look --- he hates smiling for the camera these days ;)

2009 Blizzard is what They are calling it.

What a weekend. I worked Friday night, and came home Saturday morning to sleep from 0830-1230 (sad face). Bennett and I went to do Jeb's Christmas shopping while Grandma babysat. It was supposed to be a deliciously leisure Sunday afternoon date, but the blizzard was threatening. Husband started a business last Spring: commercial landscape / commercial snow removal, so obviously the Sunday afternoon date was impossible. BTW, shopping for the Small One who kind of gets Santa = so so so much FUN! We had a blast!!

And then Husband left to prepare for the snow, at 3pm. He got home today at 2pm. Twenty-three freaking hours later. It was his first snow fall as a professional-snow-removal-guy :/

The single parenting for 24+ hours was nothing compared to the anxiety of having Husband out in blizzard conditions. I was worried about his physical safety, his anxiety about performing for clients, his absolute fatigue, and, and, and..... I was a wreck. He encountered faulty equipment, lying salt providers, and snow that just.would.not.stop. I was his Ground Control, and helped him out of several jams with my go.ogle abilities. It was hair-raising at times, to say the least. I stayed up way too late, and fed my worry with a little too much wine.

By this morning I was a ball of nervous energy, and decided to bundle up Jeb and myself to go out and at least shovel the stairs and breathe some fresh air. After 25 minutes of dressing the two of us, we went outside, and after approximately 5 minutes, Jeb looked at me and declared "DONE!". We were out just long enough for our clothes to get snowy enough so as to make a nice puddle inside the front door. I put on Elmo and went back out (way too much TV this weekend-- crown me Mother of the Year) because I needed to do SOMETHING instead of refresh the weather channel website and worry about Husband. So, my Virginia-born son hates the snow. His Florida-born mama feels the same.

In the end: Husband is safe but tired. Customers are happy. Small One is doped up on Elmo, but no worse for the wear. Mama is s p e n t, but happy to have the whole family under one roof tonight.


What 19 inches looks like on my back patio: