Week Eleven: Library Tote Bag

We love the library. It may be the toys that make O want to go, but it is the books that keep him there. He loves picking out books to bring home, books to read there, and "beeping" each book at the checkout.

Since we have a special talent of losing track of library items, I decided to take a page out of my cousin's book {heh heh, see what I did there?} and have a dedicated library tote bag!

The idea is that the library books will stay in the bag and we can take them out to read, but they get put back in the bag rather than the other book collecting surfaces, bins, and shelves in our home.

That's the idea anyhow. I know that we are super lazy. And I know we have a toddler who is supper good at toddlering. So in reality, I realize my plan may not be super feasible. BUT what I think will be feasible is at least keeping the receipt with the list of items and due dates on it in the bag. I feel like even we can manage that. ;)

I found some plain canvas bags on clearance at Target and O and I got to work on decorating one to use as a library bag!

Supplies:
-bag
-stencils
-brushes
-acrylic paint
-fabric medium 

After mixing the fabric medium into the paint according to the directions on the bottle, I just let him go to town with the roller and brushes! The roller was the clear hit, and we managed to test one stencil as well. All in all it was a great project and super easy to clean up, which is always a plus. :)

So much fun!

Finished product!

Week Ten: I like to move it, move it!

I have jumped on the fitbit train! I realize I'm super late to the party, but {let's be real} when am I not fashionably late?

I've finally decided that I need to get myself in shape {hello, 30 pound toddler making me winded after 2 steps} and this little thing has been such a motivator! Being able to compete with Mike and my friends has been a game changer.

After much thought and internal debate, I decided on the Charge HR.

Things I love: The heart rate monitor, the display screen, and the way the app works to monitor my calories in and out via food log and activity tracking.

Things I don't love: It is definitely more bulky than other fitbits and some of my long sleeve shirts don't fit over it super well. I also don't love that there aren't many customization options like the Flex or Alta.

All in all though, it's love. So much so that Mike copied me a week or so later!

As silly as we may look trying to get our steps in each day, I *love* the impact it is have on O. He has started telling us "I want to exercise, mom and dad!" followed by running laps around the house. ♡

Week Nine: O's First Dentist Visit

So apparently I have a big kid. I'm still trying to pinpoint when exactly that happened, but it definitely did!

Since O is almost 3 we decided we really can't procrastinate on a dentist appointment any longer. 

We chose to go to St Paul Pediatric Dentistry because a friend had a great experience and it is super close to our house. I cannot even put in words how great our experience was, but I'm going to try!

O is a pretty easy going kid, but he is still a toddler, and a very stubborn one at that. If he gets his mind set on something {like not going to the dentist} there is little that can be done to change it. 

Luckily, George Monkey {Curious George} has a book about going to the dentist and O was super excited about it. He was also pretty jazzed to be able to pick out a movie to watch when we got there. They have TVs mounted on the ceiling and the kids get to pick from a list of movies to watch while they have their teeth looked at or worked on. 

After he chose Shrek, we were brought back to the exam room where the hygienist did some show and tell with O. He was able to touch and see the "tooth tickler," "tooth counter," and the water squirter. He was especially excited to squirt water in his mouth. 

He was a champ the whole time and everyone we encountered was so cheerful and nice! He got to take home a tooth brush, tooth paste, a sticker, and a bath toy. I literally had to remove him from the exam room. He didn't want to leave! 

Water squirter! Such fun!

Roaring like a lion before the tooth counting began!

Tooth Tickler in action. 

Wearing shades, picking nose, watching Shrek.

Goodbye to my kitty boy

Our sweet kitty boy is gone.

He was such a great friend to Mike, Owen, and me. If you knew Dewey, you probably knew the little jerk who tried to bite you. But that just wasn't who he was for us. For us he was a big fluffy snuggle buddy.

When he was a kitten, he used to climb up into the Christmas tree and peek out at us with his big ol' eyes.

When we moved into the apartment on Pecan he was so cautious as he explored his new home. I'll always remember losing track of him only to realize he was hanging out on the counter behind the microwave, just watching us look for him.

Whenever Mike was sick or sad, he was always there. He just knew he needed extra cuddles and would follow him around the house.

When I was pregnant Dewey was so clingy! He was always by my side and loved laying on me.

When Owen was born Dewey was so curious and gentle with him.

When Owen turned into a fur pulling toddler Dewey was still so patient and {mostly} gentle with him.

When we wiped away his eye boogers he loved nothing more than to lick them off our fingers. {So gross.}

When I get out of the shower he was always there to hop in as I hopped out so he could drink the lingering water out of the tub. Because the water dish seemed to be an insult in his opinion.

When he left us last night we were devestated. We still are. Right now it feels like we always will be, but I have so much hope it will get better.

Owen asked a lot of questions while we were saying goodbye last night and we really struggled trying to get through it.

My favorite explanation is that Dewey is all done living on this earth and his body will go into the earth, but maybe someday another kitty will have a meow just like Dewey.

Owen hopes that when we find the kitty with the meow like Dewey's, that kitty can come live with us. I hope that I have room in my heart for a new kitty. 

Week Eight: Mommy/Owen Day

Balancing work, family, marriage, and self is kind of impossible. It just is. This week I hit two birds with one stone when I took O on a "Mommy/Owen Day" and gave Mike a night off.

It was a pretty great but totally unpredictable evening with my little buddy. My plan was to take him to MOA for some rides, some dinner, and then some shopping before heading home.

Here is what transpired instead:

Arrive at mall.
Score VIP parking spot like a boss.
Argue with toddler about bringing in the carrier. {I was pro-carrier. He was not.}
Walk in {sans-carrier...grumble} carrying toddler because he "needed some snuggles but just in your arms, not in the carrier."
Arrive at the mall with plans to head straight to dinner, only to notice an elaborate Chinese New Year celebration set up in the rotunda.
Become mesmerized by the Kung Fu, dragons, and drums.
Watch for a long time, THEN go grab some Noodles.
Try to convince O that we should go on some rides.
Get distracted by the arcade, the doll stoe, the peeps store, and basically everything else that could possibly distract a 2 year old. While carrying him. Because no carrier.
Ride 2 rides.
Go home.

I'm not even sure why I still have this compulsive need to plan. Even if the plan is to wing it, I need to plan! Yet my plans always go something like those listed above. Someday I might learn. ;)

At least we bought the year long pass to rides, so we didn't waste money on a one day pass or anything!

In case you were curious, Mike and O went on a grocery store adventure and baked Irish soda bread on my night off. So yummy!