Uh Oh, Airplane

Charlie's transition from being the baby, to being the Big Brother, has been rough and tough, and- well, a lot like his new toy airplane, I guess.

My Grammy, wonderful as ever, sent a package in the mail.

A package just for Charles.
Completely unexpected and so very thoughtful.

Eleanore gets little cards and notes in the mail all the time (which we all love), but Charlie... well sometimes I hand him a credit card offer and make up a story about how it came specially for him, and how hes now the King of Mars.

He believes me, like any other almost-two-year-old would, but- its just not the same as really being King of Mars, ya know?

I wish you were really the King of Mars Charlie!
Mommy wishes she could give that to you.

Ok right, so anyways-
I need out of the house, huh?



Look at what my Grammy made for him?

She made him an entire little fabric town! Alright, so I only took a picture of the bakery, which I didn't realize until after I had uploaded everything, but- there is a farm, an airport, parking lots, roads, train tracks... and its all fabric!!

She also sent some fun little cars and trucks and planes and things- that my Grandpa had picked out. And apparently he had wayyy too much fun doing so.

So there I am, driving my cement truck to the bakery, talking about how "we need to buy almond butter cookies, and they have gluten free doughnuts, and OH! They have a discount section!", when...



Charlie STOMPS my doughnut dreams into the floorboards beneath the town.

Meanie.

And then, he starts driving on me.



The Mommy Highway.

Take a hard left to Baby Ville.
Get ready for it, Evelyn.



I think her face says it all.

But even with her "Seriously?" looks, and body language, a cement truck has to do, what a cement truck has to do.



And it just so happens that on this day, during this playtime, the cement truck had to park on Evelyn's tummy.

Sorry kid.
Your brother makes the rules when we're playing cars.
Mommy has no say.



So he laughs and giggles and takes full advantage of the fact that his older sister is still in time out in her bedroom upstairs.

Nobody to invade his space.
Nobody to spoil his fun.
Nobody to steal his cars.

He picks up this car, that car, five cars at once.
Drops them to the ground, just to see which wheels pop off and which ones don't.

The tractor, by the way, is in the "does" category.



He hoards his vehicles. Just like his Papa Frank.
Nobody will laugh at that, except for my Aunt Laurie.
My dad has like 9,000 junkers.


Charlie's favorite toy out of the bunch?
His new toy airplane of course.

But because he plays too rough with things...



The airplane crashed, mid flight, and lost a wing.

He picked it up.
"Uh oh! Uh oh plane! Uh oh!", he shouted.

He carried it to me, Uh Oh'd a few more times, and after I explained how we don't throw our toys because they can break, and we can't always fix them, he parked his cute overall coated butt on the play mat next to the art easel, and attempted to fix the plane himself.



Look past his blurry toes, to the determination on his face.

He will fix that plane, he must have assured himself.



But just like Mommy had said...

Not everything can be fixed.
Even if it is a brand new toy airplane sent all the way from California.

But wait a minute!!



We've still got the cement truck!!

And the tractor, and the school bus, and all of your other cars and trucks- don't forget about those.

Well, the ones that your sister hasn't hidden from you, at least.
Check inside of the shoe basket.

Playtime with your new town blanket sure was fun Charlie, but you're on your own now. Its time for Evelyn to eat.

Unless...



Maybe cement truck needs to refuel too?
Hah!

Oh Charlie.


***
This blog post was brought to you by the Boppy pillow on my lap supporting the sleeping baby wrapped up in the warmest blanket in the house (please stay asleep long enough for me to respond to some emails), and the children halfway-napping upstairs.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

You will need:
*For the Crust: A layer of freshly baked (in a spring form), and-then-cooled, gluten free brownies
*1 package of extra firm tofu
*2 packages of dairy free cream cheese (tofutti, whatever)
*1 can pureed pumpkin
*1 cups cane sugar (1 1/2 cups, if you won't be topping this with chocolate)
*1 egg (or flax, if you want this to be vegan)
*3 tablespoons of gluten free baking mix
*2 teaspoons vanilla
*2 teaspoons cinnamon
*dash or two of nutmeg
*extra chocolate and cookie crumbs for melting and drizzling over the top (well, those are somewhat optional)

What you need to do:
*Preheat the oven to 350.

*Blend all of the ingredients, minus the crust and topping, together in a mega blender (I use my Vita Mix). If you don't have such a thing, use a regular blender and do it in two batches.

*Pour mixture over your spring form baked brownies. Bake for 1 hour.
*Turn off oven, open oven door, let cheesecake sit for 1 hour.
*Remove cheesecake from oven, let it cool completely on the counter.
*Cover and refrigerate.

*When you're ready to serve your cake, crush up some chocolate cookies, melt a few chocolate chips, and decorate as you please.


You're welcome :)

You Are My Sunshine, My Only...

The last seven weeks have been non stop, and full of change. Everything is go go go, there is never a dull moment, and the floors are never clean for more than an overnight rest- and that's only if I do it directly before going to sleep (which I've been known to do).

The other day, while the older two were down for "quiet time" (Charlie sleeps, Eleanore gets her thrills out of not sleeping), I got out a handmade blanket (this one by my Aunt Peg), cleared a spot on the rug, opened the blinds slightly, and Evelyn and I had some Mother/Daughter together-time.

Look at how different she looks.

The rolls and folds are starting to collect in the bends of her limbs.

Her chin doubles when she lays her head just right.

Shes nothing like the Dobby that we brought home on August 11th.



It can go from dark to light, in less than a second.

As soon as those gorgeous blue eyes open up, the storm that may have been, clears.

She is our sunshine.



A round of thrush, a touch a cradle cap-

...things that are both brand new to me, having seemed like text book written baby myths, up until Evelyn presented them to us with a newborn cry.

I'm grateful to experience them with her.
I hate that she might be uncomfortable (although she doesn't show any signs of it- no fussing, no whimpers), but I love to to say that her beginning is different than the others.

I love experiencing all that life has to offer me.
Even if that means rubbing Monistat on my nipples at 3:48 in the morning.


She puts me in my place, with her sunshine.

And I could really use some sunshine, to dry up the spit up all over my left shoulder.

On The First Day Of Fall...

On the first day of fall, we couldn't just stay inside all day, could we?...



So we grabbed our butterfly nets, and went on a hunt!

Surely we'd be able to find signs of the new seasons arrival, somewhere.
Do cactus lose their needles?



"Do you see any leaves, Charlie?", asked Eleanore, with her basket full of goldens and greens.



Having none yet, in his net, Charlie went off on an adventure all of his own.

"I'll find the very best leaves!", he stomped!

And find the very best leaves he sure did...



A slam dunk of Autumn- a mix of tiny hands and nature, straight into the net.

And then without warning-



He whacked the narrator in the lens with his accomplishment.



Sister, of course, thought this was pretty funny, and did the running man to emphasize her giggles.
It was pretty funny, you're right.



But while I've got her here, just take a look at that outfit, and those expressions, especially that last one.

She makes it hard to be mad at her.

Go ahead, running man, make fun of Mommy all you want.



While doing silly dances by the side of the road when somebody gets hit in the face with a mesh bag full of crunchy treasures is fun and all-

She had bigger fish to fry.

There were wayyyy too many leaves just laying around, begging to be collected.



Also, dirt to dig in.
Leaves are only fun for so long.



So we walked around for a little bit longer, added a few more leaves to the net, and then decided that all good things must come to an end.

Besides, it was lunch time!

And what perfect timing we had, because who should we run into on the way home??



Yep.

That guy.



Before Charlie even had a chance to get up and out of the street, Eleanore was running and chasing after Daddy down towards the house.

And she almost beat him.



Charlie and I waltzed hand in hand, all the way home.

Until Christopher cut into our dance, that is.


Alright, worlds-best-dad, come and take some pictures of me and the babies. I want to remember our fun first day of fall adventure forever and ever.



Wait, wheres Charlie?

Charlie get over here!
Make Mama look good.



...

Really?

Thats all I get?
Just a quick passing by?

Fine then. I'll just attack your sister with love...



See, just like in a photo booth. Half of someones face has to be cut off.
I love it.


I'll surely remember and cherish collecting leaves on that first day of fall, with my very favorite babies, forever and ever and ever and ever.

Even if I did get nailed in the nose with a net.

Flashback Friday: I'm #1. Why Try Harder?

My Aunt up in Washington state sent me another package loaded with flashbacks, maybe I mentioned that? Among the stack of Christmas pictures from the past and shots of my Dad teaching me how to ride a bike (maybe I'll share that one next week?), were these adorable photos of me and my Dad with the cutest litter of fluffy white puppies...





I had never seen these pictures, until I opened up the package. They're from before my first memories, so... I sort of cried like an Evelyn (hah, cause shes a baby), joyfully of course, upon seeing them. I couldn't have been older than 3. Maybe not even that?

But the best part

...is obviously my Dad's awesome 80's hat.

"I'm #1. Why try harder?"
Very classy, Dad.
Only you.


********************************
Flashback with us! Go through your polaroids, scrapbooks, old crappy cell phone pictures- whatever you've got. Scan them, upload them, get them onto the computer somehow, and then share them with the world! Or... with us at least. Post them onto your blogs, write a little bit to go with them- tell us your story. When you're all finished, grab one of our buttons from down below (wayyyy down there at the bottom of our page) and put it somewhere inside your post (or link back to us the old fashioned text way). Come back here to this post, and add your link to the photo list below!

A Visit With My Dallas Girls

First I have to say, shame on me for not taking more pictures!

Oh well. Next time, right?

I've got a few friends (good friends) on Twitter, who live off to the East of us, over in the Dallas area. These girls have always been the very best at keyboard conversation, and even offered to drive all the way out here to watch my kids for me while I gave birth. Seriously, they're awesome.

They didn't end up coming out for Evelyn's birth, we found a babysitter to watch the babies in time, but they did decide to come out just for the heck of it anyways. So as things with our new family of 5 settled, they made plans to road trip from there to here, and while I was so anxious I think I lost five pounds in pure sweat- it was awesome.




This is Lauren and Angel.
Or, @laurenacarlton, and @angelxedge, for anyone with Twitter.

I got a twitter message from Lauren about 10 minutes before they got to my house- reminding me to put pants on.

I scrambled.
You mean, I can't just wear my husbands over sized PT shirt? Why not?

I tried to squeeze myself into real jeans, but it just wasn't happening. I went with a plain maternity outfit. I never got around to blow drying my hair (messy curls all over the place), and makeup never made it from the brush to my face.

They got introduced to the real me.

Well, mostly.
Because I was wearing pants, after all.
And the real me, usually walks around half naked. Either pantsless or topless.
Who has time for clothes? Really.

Oh, and of course they both showed up dolled to the max.



This is Avery.
Lauren's daughter.

I liked her, because she liked my cookies.

And Charlie liked her too...



Ok well maybe he was a little bit afraid of her at first (he buried his crying face in my chest for the first half hour), but he warmed up to her.

And if you can't tell from the picture. She wears the pants in the relationship.



We made popcorn!

Oh, you can't tell that thats popcorn?

Yeah I know.
Way to go, camera.

Hold on...



See, we made popcorn!

And Lauren kept dropping it down the front of her.
Which always happens to me.
So I think we connected through cleavage.



Mmmm, popcorn with no salt or butter.

Wait, no- thats gross.

The kids didn't want anything on it, so I made it plain.

Actually, the only kid that can really respond to "what do you want on your popcorn?", was Eleanore, who somehow didn't make it into a single picture.

So she got her way, and we basically ate crunchy air.



Say Vegan cheeeeeeeeeeeeese!

Did I mention that both girls are vegan?

YES! Somebody to bake for!!!

I made both gluten free vegan thin mint, and pumpkin spice cookies.
But they barely ate any.
So they either hated them, or they didn't want to pig out in front of me.

But I know for sure that Avery liked them, so that makes me happy.



Eleanore fell head over heels for Angel. She was constantly in her face, non stop talking, and I think at one point sitting in her lap telling her that she loved her.

And I think it had to have been because of this...



A zombie Hello Kitty tattoo.
Yes.

After a good long and exhausting 5 hour visit, the gals hit the road and headed back home, leaving behind a great big bag full of the cutest newborn clothes for Evelyn, and on accident- a bag of dried banana chips.

It was fun.
It was worth putting pants on for.

The Best Way To Wear A Pair Of Glasses

(Is anybody looking for some album cover art?)
JammerSage

No but really ...this is Eleanore.

My 4 year old.
Shes got more personality in her pinkie finger, than I've got in my entire existence.



Sometimes I'm completely overwhelmed and exhausted by how much she can put out when it comes to attitude. If shes this much of a handful now, what will she be like when shes a teenager?

Ok ok, don't get ahead of yourself, Tia.
You've still got about 10 years to prepare yourself for it.

*Stay still, live in the moment.
*Embrace the fight over flushing the toilet.
*Fall in love with the ridiculous lies that she tells to stay out of trouble.
*Sink yourself in the messes that she makes.

You'll miss it when its gone.
You know you will.



Besides- just look at that face.
That nerdy little girly silly face.

If it wasn't for her wearing them, you'd never know she was my child.
She looks just like her Daddy. Nothing like me.

I couldn't possibly stay mad at her for anything, while shes wearing those. Not even wetting the bed, rolling around in it, coming down the stairs soaked in urine, to the point of curly hair, and then keeping the truth from me until I sat down on pee sheets 4 hours later. I did have to take away her Hello Kitty bedset for the lie, though.

You look good in Mama's thick rims, kid.