Pumpkin Patchin'

Last weekend we took Roscoe to a pumpkin farm complete with rides, a live band, a choo-choo train, animals and lots of pumpkins.  It was so fun to watch his excitement as he took it all in.  He doesn't get giddy with excitement, but rather gets a half-smile as he looks around and around soaking it up.  Basi, Diwa, Tito Drew, Lolo and Lala joined us for a little while.  Ray got some great photos and I got a couple short videos of his rockin' dance moves (you'll see where he gets them from, too):

Manic Monday (and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...)

Manic is the only way to describe it...  the only reason I am writing this now is because I realized I left an important file at work that I need to complete a deadline.  Today.  Before we leave for a wedding at 4:30pm. So, instead of complete panic I decided to take a deep breath, write and then hope a solution comes to me...

Let me qualify this by saying that I think in normal circumstances this would just be considered "busy," but add in that I am huge and pregnant and tire easily and having blood sugar issues so I get weak and nauseous if I don't eat and drink almost constantly throughout the day and well, things start feeling manic pretty quickly.  Plus, I don't sleep much when I am pregnant.  And if I "push" myself I pay for it for at least a couple of days.  Even doing my prenatal yoga makes my joints and pelvis and back throb and makes it hard for me to walk or sleep for a couple of days.  I feel like it is still important to keep active and mobile so I do it anyway, but man oh man.  With Roscoe I had bizarro sharp pains that were torturous (ugh, the thought of those pinched nerves still makes me cringe), but I did not feel like I got beat with a baseball bat everyday starting in the second trimester.  Either I am a massive wuss or pregnancy really takes a toll on my body.  

And here is a glimpse: 

Monday: wake Roscoe early and get us both ready for the day, drop Ray off at airport, come home and find the nanny waiting outside our door.  Get Roscoe set up and say good bye (heart breaking) and head to work in ridiculous traffic.  Get to work late and rush, rush, rush all day putting out fire drills and cleaning up messes (I just had to fire someone and hire/train someone new, so there are extra messes these days).  Rush out of work to get home in time to relieve the nanny and try and speed walk (hahaha) to my car while eating a granola so I don't pass out on the way home.  Get home, face a son who wants me to pay for leaving him all day by being extra difficult and impossible to please.  Cook, clean, feed, eat, clean, change (wrestle) him, read, calm, sing, pat, cry (generally just him, but sometimes I join in).  Look at piles of laundry to be folded and toys everywhere and bills to be paid and decide to deal with it all in the morning.

Tuesday:  my "day off" (bwahahaha).  Wake up, wrestle son, cook, clean, eat, feed, clean, wipe, bathe, entertain, wrestle, buckle, grocery shop, wrestle, unpack car, wrestle, cook, eat, feed, clean... yeah, this could go on all day (it does.)

On top of the normal mania, we have been entertaining people at our house a few days a week (some planned, many "surprise" visits), babysitting cousins, Ray has been travelling for work, Ray's company was bought by some international company and there is all this "transition" going on there, we had friends visiting from Chicago (hi, Ant & Frank!), Ray installed an exhaust hood above the stove (there was none), Ray joined a football league, I decided to transition all of our money/direct deposits/auto debits from one bank to another (the fees were killing me), midwife appointment, visiting newborn cousin, etc.  And that was just last week.  Don't even get me started on the week to come!  

"That old mare just ain't what she used to be, ain't what she used to be..."  (My brothers are probably the only two that will appreciate that old Sesame Street (?) reference, but 'tis true.  This old mare is TIRED.  And here is the kicker with the second child - I KNOW how much harder it will be once she is here.  So, what will I do?  I will go warm up my Red Raspberry Leaf tea and eat some leftovers from dinner (it is 10:20 am - could be brunch, right?) and make a plan so I don't get fired for missing today's work deadline.  Then run around all weekend and pick up the pieces on Monday.  Maybe even go peek in the baby's room and sit in the comfy chair that I spent so many nights in with Roscoe and let it all soak in.  The chaos, the love, the messiness, the noise and know that I wouldn't trade my life for anyone's.  It is manic, but it is worth it.  

Our Little Angel Boy

Since I posted recently about what a handful the little mister can be, I thought I should balance that with other side of the coin.  Sometimes he swings the opposite way and is the sweetest boy I have known.  The other day he was hitting Mela with his piggie bank (unfortunately for Mela and Ikaika, not that uncommon).  I told him to stop and he didn't.  I took away his bank and he threw a tantrum and started hitting Mela.  I am so over having this same fight every day multiple times and I got frustrated and yanked him away and really yelled at him.  He got upset and started crying harder, I felt terrible and started crying, too.  (You can tell I have this whole motherhood thing down pat in time for the second to arrive).  So, I am holding him telling him that Mama is sorry for yelling and pulling and that I love him, but he still can't hit Mela.  Once he calmed down he started chasing Mela and I was like are-you-effin-kidding-me-right-now until I realized that he was chasing her saying "sorry!  sorry!  sorry!"  I calmed the traumatized Mela enough to sit down and Roscoe started petting her and saying sorry and whispering sweet nothings to her.  SO SWEET.  Oh, and then they french kissed.

Then the other day when we were putting him to bed he wouldn't give Dada kisses because he was too absorbed in his books or something.  Ray made an exaggerated sad face and Roscoe stopped and just looked at him very concerned.  Then Roscoe put his hand on Ray's arm and just patted his arm, watching his face carefully with a furrowed brow to see if it was helping.  Times like those I am reminded that he is just a sweet boy trying to find his way through this crazy life just like the rest of us.  He's a darn good egg.

Cousins, Cousins Everywhere!

We love you all <3

Connor, Ramon and Winston:

Kyle, Aubrynn, Troy, Brody and Jayce:

Basi and Diwa

Keep in mind his oldest cousin just turned 7... that is a lot of cousins in a few short years! 

Handsome Little Man!

Introducing our newest nephew Jayce John!

Born 9/26/2011 

6 lbs 5 oz

19.5 inches

Congratulations Mitchel, Heather, Kyle, Brynn, Troy and Brody!

Who Is This Child? (a.k.a. He Must Get This From His Father)

HELP.

Roscoe is losing his mind (or is that just me?).  He throws his food off the table and then bawls hysterically that he no longer has it.  He begs for milk or water or whatever and then purposely pours the entire cup on the table/floor/himself.  Then bawls for whatever he just poured out.  I say no.  He has a tantrum.  He begs to wear his crocs.  Puts them on.  Takes them off and refuses to put them back on (we had to grocery shop between my conference call and his nap time).  I let him pick other shoes to wear.  He does.  I put them on.  He tries to put the crocs over top the Nike high-tops and bawls when that doesn't work out.  I take off the high-tops and put on his crocs.  He has a tantrum.  He cries to be picked up.  I pick him up.  He hits my face and pinches my eyes.  I throw him out the window put him down.  He bawls.

This is a glimpse into what life is like when I am with Roscoe.  Note that he does not act out like this with his nanny, only does occasionally with Ray and rarely does with me if other people are around.  But when it is just the two of us I swear he is trying to hurt me/test me/punish me.  He also is very clingy with me, which is a first for him in his short life.  I am try to be logical and not lose it completely, so I channel the insights I read in Emotional Life of The Toddler.  I realize he is trying to assert his independence, but is torn by his need for his mama.  I understand that this is much worse after I leave him for an extended period of time (i.e. go to work) so he is obviously not happy about that.  I am pretty uncomfortable myself these days and my stores of patience are far from unlimited.  I just don't really know what to do about it and I am praying (HARD) that this is just a phase that will (PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE) pass before we have a needy, crying newborn in the house (that PLEASE GOD is not colicky).  PLEASE.

On a lighter and more comical note (for your benefit because it did not feel comical at the time), I managed to lock myself out of the house when trying to leave for the grocery store.  And, of course, my car keys were on the same keychain inside the house.  Good thing (ha!) I am so fastidious about locking up every single door when leaving the house...  I was able to open an unlocked window and crawl through.  After lifting Roscoe in first.  Did I mention I am 7 months pregnant and have a hard time getting out of bed, let alone climbing through a window?  I am positive I looked as ridiculous as you are imagining.

We'll Always Have the Memories...

Our much anticipated trip to Chicago has come and (long) gone.  With a new baby coming it will be more than a few months before we can visit our Chicagoland loved ones again, so it was a bittersweet trip.  We arrived on Thursday evening after a fairly smooth travel experience.  The airport was a stellar adventure for a boy in love with "a-panes."  We have planes go over our house quite a bit and he loves to shout A-PANE! and then wave bye-bye as it flies off into the sunset.  He, of course, didn't sleep a wink all day while at the airport and on the plane UNTIL just after we touched down on the tarmac in Chicago.  Then he passed out in Ray's arms and slept a good half hour while we waited for our luggage.  Thank God Ray was the one holding him because I could not have held 25 lbs for that long and the boy needed a little bit of sleep.  Did I mention we got picked up with a car to use for the weekend (thanks, Dad) already equipped with an age appropriate car seat and a pack-n-play? (thanks, H&M)  How spoiled are we?!

We had some good Grandpa bonding time at Fair Oaks Farm on Friday.  Roscoe loved all of the cows (although he didn't appreciate the birthing barn much seeing that it required quiet and lack of movement - not his idea of a good time.)  He loves pointing out cows in his books now and mooing for us to demonstrate his appreciation for all he learned that day.  They had a big trampoline-like balloon thing and a choo-choo for Roscoe to ride and a bus tour of the farm and a yummy cheese-filled cafe to lunch in.  The choo-choo stole the show for Roscoe and he rode the train repeatedly.  Adults weren't allowed and there were no other kids on the ride so we thought he might be a little wary of riding all by himself - the train even goes out of view behind trees and all.  Yeah... we were completely wrong.  Roscoe just sat there like a little angel waving bye-bye to us and blowing us kisses as he disappeared from view.  Over.  And over.  And over again.  I guess our little bear is growing up.

Waving to Grandpa as he passed:

Too bad we don't have a train in our backyard - that was pretty relaxing for me!

 

Driving his first tractor (with a little help from Dada reaching the gas pedal):

We also managed to have the ultimate bubble bath adventure at Grandpa's house.  Amateur Mama is used to her measly normal size bath and tossed in some bubbles just like at home... well, a few minutes with the jacuzzi jets on and those bubbles were over Roscoe's head.  He does love himself a bubble bath, but he was not sure about the volume for awhile.  Soon he decided he was safe and proceeded to throw bubbles all over the walls and the rest of the bathroom while shrieking his delight.  That's our boy.

Saturday we went to Mitchel and Heather's new spot to check it out and let the cousins have at it.  We went to the fair down the street (those were some yummy corn dogs!), but spent most of the day just letting the kids roam free and letting Roscoe try out every single toy they have accumulated over the years.  Thankfully those kids are so generous and greeted Roscoe with cheers and proceeded to bring him all of their favorite toys to play with.  You can imagine he was in heaven.  Sleep and Roscoe do not always go well together, but they wore him out so well that when I went to put him down for a nap he pointed to the strange pack-n-play in a strange room, said "bed" and promptly curled up and fell asleep.  Once I recovered from the shock I decided to think of that every time things got rough bringing a new sibling around.  Little kids can wear each other out.  Kids do say the darndest things and that weekend was no exception.  Troy greeted me at the door with an enthusiastic "it DOES look like a watermelon!" (let's hope he was referring to my belly).  Aubrynn and Roscoe went for a spin in the Barbie Jeep and she told Roscoe "I'll drive and you turn on the radio."  Then Kyle, exasperated with Uncle Ray-Ray's teasing told me "I don't know how you live with this man!"  Some days, Kyle, I don't know either!  :)

The kids weren't the only ones playing with toys:

The cousins riding off into the sunset:

Off-road rescue (must have learned this trick from Dada):

Forgetting rule #1 of car riding: do not exit car while moving by climbing over the driver:

Oma (dubbed Ahmoo by Roscoe) finally getting her hands on her west coast grandson (and teaching him to play Ready-Set-Go):

I have no idea, but they seem to be on the same page:

Sunday morning we headed to Traci and Tom's to meet the adorable Ryder and let the boys bond (both big and little boys):

We also managed to squeeze in visits with Nicolette, Antonietta, Frank, Gino, Marco, Luca, Jesse, Laura, Tessa and Hadleigh, but (big FAIL) did not get any photos!  Ant and Laura and families met us downtown Naperville for lots of walking, talking, playground playing, kid chasing (mostly by the dads as the mamas caught up) and ending with Lou Malnoti's.  Ray again insisted he was going to have Lou's delivered to us in CA and he probably wouldn't tell me so he didn't have to share.  And, for the record, Tessa's innocent-turned-demon laugh will never be forgotten.  Such a sweet little face and such a mischievous laugh!

Roscoe also got his Very First Haircut thanks to Ahmoo.  She barely cut any off and yet it still made him look like such a big boy.  Notice Ahmoo is wearing the lovely plastic bracelet Roscoe insisted she wear at all times when he was with her that weekend:

The cousins had so much fun on Saturday together that we could not resist inviting ourselves over one last time for another Cousin Chaos Fest.

Greeting Big Girl Kyle as she got off the bus:

Check out that backpack!

Bumper cars:

Roscoe in his Nemo speedos:

Let's just say the trip home was a little rougher complete with exasperated comments from annoyed passengers (directed toward us) and other moms from faraway rows taking pity on us and passing toys that might calm our wailing child.  We were That Family.  It was absolutely worth it, but I am still glad we will not be getting on a plane again anytime soon.  Let's just stick to the "a-pane bye-byes" in the backyard.

I miss you all already.

What.  A.  Trip.