And so it begins...

Little Miss has always had questions about, well, everything.  So, following up baby talk with periods seemed natural.  Luckily, she hasn't bridged the gap between the cycle and birth and asked about that yet.  She is totally disgusted by the entire menstruation process.  She is also really angry that it seems that girls have to deal with this and boys do not.  I'm hoping that she forgets about it for awhile.  Otherwise, she'll waste these next few years being an angry emotional stress ball.  If I have to deal with all those emotions, there better be hormones attached to them and not just because the world is unjust.  She should start to work fighting gender inequality some other way.  I don't think she'll win a battle over Mother Nature.  

LBS

Little Miss took a few days to travel with her cousin and my parents.  Captain was pretty good without her and loves the attention.  However, he did spend time looking at her bed and playing with her things.  He was extremely excited when she returned though.  For convenience, we put him into bed a few minutes before her.  He screamed his head off for 10 minutes.  He'd stop crying whenever she came into the bedroom and then start up whenever she left.  As soon as I tucked her in and left, he was more than content with his big sister in his sights and stopped crying in the middle of a sob and fell asleep.  Vacation should be interesting.  They're sleeping in separate bedrooms.  I don't know if there's a cure for Little Brother Syndrome, but he has an aggressive case of it.

July 2015 Weekend Update

It turns out July was a busy month!  We spent the Fourth of July with the Inlaws.  It poured so we were inside eating and watching the fireworks on tv, but we did get about 5 minutes in the pool.  The nephews were there as well, and the cousins had a good time together.

The second weekend was Nephew's fifth birthday party.  It was an Ironman theme (though many of the other superheroes made an appearance).  Captain and I went in theme clothing - though Captain didn't care for the mask.  It was a good time.  I can't believe Nephew is 5!  

The next day, Husband played golf with a friend's husband while Captain, my friend and I went to her pool.  It was really nice, and the pool was beautiful.  Little Miss was in Florida with my family.  We had a lovely dinner at my friend's house before heading home.

The third weekend, I met friends for Thai and then we went to see a movie.  After, I got to pick up Little Miss after a week away.  It was nice to have her home, and everyone was thrilled to see her - but no one more so than Captain!

The fourth weekend, we mostly just ran some errands - Target, the library, the grocery store.  It was busy and hot, but Little Miss loves to just drive around and be helpful.

Towards the end of the month, I took some time off.  I took a half day and brought Little Miss to work with me.  She loves coming to work.  She watched a movie and mostly hung out and write me little notes.  My parents met me at my office after lunch.  Then, we all went to The National Building Museum which I've never been to before.  There is a "beach" exhibit currently which is basically a giant ball pit.  It was insane.  It's been many years since I've been in a ball pit, and it was much easier as a kid from what I remember.  Little Miss made a friend, and had a blast though.  We had dinner and then headed home.

The next day, I met friends from out of town and out of country.  We did The Library of Congress, The Folger Shakespeare Library, walked by The Supreme Court, Dupont Circle, went to The National Geographic Museum, and drove by some other sites.  A local friend hosted us for dinner, and it was a really good time.  I got to do things and see some sites I don't normally (or haven't ever) see.

If I Was President...

You can view the actual photo larger if you'd like here.

Little Miss has been writing in a journal all summer.  The teacher gave her some suggested topics.  One topic was If I were the President, I would...  This is what she wrote:

Make sure everyone can go to a good and safe school.  Make sure everyone can go everywhere.  Give moms and dads more time off to be with their kid.  Make sure everybody does the right stuff.  Make sure everyone has food.  Give kids Monday off.

I've really enjoyed the writing assignments because it's really given us insight to what she thinks about.  I'm feeling much better about taking a day off to do some sightseeing with just my Little Miss next week now.  

The Birds and the Bees

Last night, Little Miss said she wished she and Captain were the same age because she wanted to know what it was like to be a baby.  I explained that you forget what it's like to be a baby because memory and language isn't developed enough.  I could tell her what it was like for me when she was a baby, but no one can really know what it was like for her as a baby.  She then rambles and said she wanted to adopt a baby.  I gently told her that that's a great idea, but we are a two-child household and all done.  She corrected me and said, "No.  I want to adopt when I'm older because I don't want stitches."

Ah.  I told her that was still a good idea, and she can do what she chooses.  I then told her that you don't have to get stitches if you have a baby.  That was only one way babies are born.  So, of course, she asked what the other way was.  So, I told her.  Her eyes got very big.  Then, she pretended to throw up.  A second passed.  Another.  She then says, "But how does a baby fit?"  I told her that the passage stretches to accommodate a baby when it's time.  

Then, the eye rolling and (fake) gagging really went into high gear.

I'm glad that I didn't have to explain how they got there in the first place.  And also glad that I don't have to worry about grandkids for awhile.

My Least Favorite Part of Parenting

Seriously, feeding children is the bane of my existence.  I hate it.  I'm thrilled that Captain is not a picky eater.  I'm thankful that he doesn't throw his food like his sister.  However, I forgot how messy self-feeding is.  Last week, I gave him shrimp salsa for dinner (recipe posted last week).  I picked out the onions and gave him the tomato, shrimp and avocado.  I also microwaved some frozen corn up for him.  I fussed around while he sat in his chair eating.

I turned back, and he had smooshed avocado all in his hair and all over his face.  I just ran the bath immediately.  He had avocado in his onesie.  It was just everywhere.  He thought it was hilarious. Plus, I got the distinct feeling he knew how messy he was and how grossed out by it all I was.  Boys.

Sort of walking!

To be honest, Captain is still a bit lazy.  He will walk a little everyday though.  He is very proud of himself.  He's great at standing.  Until he can walk as fast and strong and confident as when he crawls, he won't.  Still, progress!

Siblings

Little Miss has been gone for a little over a week.  She went to Florida with my family.  Captain missed her greatly.  He had trouble sleeping and just wasn't quite himself.  His face lit up when she walked in the room.  However, he has enjoyed getting Daddy time.  Normally, Little Miss is a Daddy's Girl so Captain is stuck with me.  He's been enjoying uninterrupted Daddy time and space.  He was not happy to share the lap.  However, he loved having Little Miss read to him before bed again and have her walk him around and play with him.  They play so well together and so quietly.  They'll just sit on the floor and talk, and she'll "teach" him things.  I wonder how close they'll be when they're older with the age and gender difference, but they have a strong foundation at least.

Books Read in June 2015

1. Landline by Rainbow Rowell
2. Suddenly One Summer by Julie James (NOTE: Julie James has many recurring characters, but she writes so you can pick up her books at any point. There is a cameo by a character from a previous book, but this one stands alone more than others.)
3. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
4. Looking for Alaska by John Green

I really liked Landline. It was a little woowoo with the magic landline, but I liked the story about marriage. It would be a good discussion book on readers' views on the main character or if readers agreed with the ending. I really like Rainbow Rowell's books a lot. I just wish there were more of them. It was a pretty great month for reading - the quantity may have been small, but the books were good. I think I liked the other Liane Moriarty book better, but this was good.

Disney Magic

Little Miss is in Disney this week with my family (Parents, Sister, Nephew, Aunt, Uncle, and one cousin and his girlfriend). It seems like she's having a blast. We certainly miss her - and no one more than her brother. We get her back this weekend.

Movies Watched in June 2015

1. Spy
2. X-Men: Days of Future Past
3. Togetherness
4. Inside Out
5. Captain America: Winter Soldier
6. A Million Ways to Die in the West
7. Whiplash
8. Edge of Tomorrow

I saw Spy and Inside Out in the theater. Both were hits! I had Whiplash and Captain America on DVR so I finally cleared those out. The rest were on some streaming service. Togetherness is a show on HBO. I binge-watched Season 1. I'm going to try to watch Season 2 when it's released, but we'll see. I like everyone on it. It's kind of a sticky little dramedy.

Ned a fresh appetizer?

This shrimp salsa was super tasty! I did add avocado and you could probably add black beans. I'd add a little more salt than I did, but the cilantro made the whole dish. Unless you hate cilantro, then obviously don't add it.

Skinny Shrimp Salsa
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: a little over 1/2 cup • Old Points: 2 pt • Points+: 2 pts Calories: 74.9 • Fat: 0.9 g • Protein: 12.5 g • Carb: 4.4 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Sugar: 0.2 g Sodium: 278.2 mg

Ingredients:

• 16 oz cooked peeled shrimp
• diced fine 4 vine ripe tomatoes
• diced fine 6 tbsp red onion
• finely diced 3 tbsp jalapenos, diced fine (more or less to taste) 
• 2 tbsp minced cilantro 
• 2 limes, juice of (or more to taste) 
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 

Directions: 

Combine diced onions, tomatoes, salt and lime juice in a non-reactive bowl and let it sit about 5 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, taste for salt and adjust as needed. Refrigerate and let the flavors combine at least an hour before serving.

I let it sit overnight, and it made a big difference. I didn't add jalapenos because I'm a baby. I kind of really eyeballed it. It did make a lot. We fed 4 adults and a baby/toddler and had a LOT leftover.

June 2015 Weekend Update

June was really busy! I didn't take many pictures though. I spent early June in Louisville/Nashville for a work trip. It was quite a bit of fun. I met clients I hadn't met before. We got to go to Churchill Downs. I saw a part of Nashville I've never visited before. All in all, it was a successful trip. So, that first weekend was spent traveling home and catching my breath.

The second week in June was fun! A friend and I saw Mumford & Sons and had a blast. On Friday, the In-Laws, Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, the nephews and the four of us went for Asian food. The food was plentiful. We did not give the baby sushi, but he liked edamame and tempura. The next night, we went out with our friends. Husband went golfing with the boys. A friend, Sister and I went to a brunch that was fantastic. Then, we met Sister-in-Law at the movies. After, we met up with the boys for happy hour and kept hopping from there. It was a lot of fun. On Sunday, we went to my parents' pool.

The third weekend, Little Miss and I met Sister and Nephew to see Inside Out. My mom watched Captain while we went out. We did some light shopping, too. That Sunday was another quiet Sunday. We've made an effort to keep the place relatively tidy. I think the lighter Sundays have helped.
In the last weekend, we went to Sister's house on Saturday to celebrate my dad's birthday. The kids baked brownies. I went to the mall to pick up Little Miss's flower girl dress for Sister's wedding next year. Then, we all just had an enjoyable evening. On Sunday, I met friends for lunch and some girl time.

Other items of note is that Little Miss had her last day of first grade (the picture above is misleading because it's really the last day on the left and the first day on the right). I really liked first grade (and she did as well). She grew so much - both physically and academically. She's so very bright and so eager to please. I hope she is as lucky with her second grade teacher.

Meanwhile, Captain has no desire to walk. He will very occasionally walk assisted and can walk alongside the couch, a cabinet or in the crib. He'll just fold up his legs until you let him go so he can crawl. I know his legs can support him and he knows what to do so, until he wants to, not much else to worry about. He is a fantastic eater. He'll eat anything. He's had jambalaya, many meats, fruits. He's ate shrimp last weekend for dinner. He loves fruit and pretty much anything I'm trying to feed myself. He even tried some of Husband's buffalo chicken. We've been having some constipation issues. It turns out that he needs a healthy diet of fruit and daily prunes. At least once a week, it's a big struggle so hopefully we'll have it straightened out soon. Poor little guy.

As the Barenaked Ladies once said...

Who needs sleep?

Captain has been waking up at around 2AM for the last few nights.  He generally wakes up at 11PM, but he's in bed again shortly after.  Lately, he's shifted that to 2AM.  Last night, he was up at 2AM and then around 3:30AM.  He ate a little at 2AM and then napped with me and then woke up again to eat.  Husband came in to watch him for a second shift.  So.  Tired.

Also, Men, don't go around telling women they look tired.  They will snap and kill you.  WE ALWAYS LOOK BEAUTIFUL!  A vendor came to visit yesterday and told me I looked tired.  No kidding.  Now get out.  

Sympathy

I slept funny all night and my neck and shoulder are killing me.  Little Miss looks up at me and says, sweetly, "Mommy, I'm sorry your neck hurts."

I thanked her.

Then, she says, "But my stomach hurts which is worse."  

Okay, then.

7-Year-Old Relationships

Little Miss and I were talking.  She just came home from a sleepover with the inlaws and three little cousins (almost 5 years old and 2 1-year-olds).  She mentioned that she wasn't sure she wanted kids.  They were a lot of work.  I said I understood.  It's her choice.  I asked if she wanted to get married.  She said no.  I asked if she wanted to have a boyfriend or girlfriend.  She said, "Well, there is someone who already said we're going to get married."

Now, we're talking.  So, I push a little more but still stay conversational.  She goes on to say that it's the same little boy last year who said they were going to get married.  However, there's been a constant boy who is pushing for a date when they turn 18.  She kind of thinks they're both a little silly (as well she should).  I asked her what she thought.  She said, "Well, I like them, but I don't like LOVE them, you know?"

Ugh.  She's so grown up.  

I'm Not Surviving 7

Little Miss.  She is becoming so mouthy and hyper.  She either wants to lose herself in YouTube or ignore adults.  We've been cracking down lately because we can't handle the attitude.  

Lately, she's been also mentioning that she's fat.  Of course, we tell her she is not.  She can see that clothes hang off her body and never fit her waist.  Her eating has become a little more difficult than usual, but then she'll turn it around sometimes.  She eats a decent lunch, but it's mostly fruits and vegetables.  I worry that it's not filling her up, but she seems to be good.  I pack her a lot.  Her lunch today was cucumber, grapes, crackers, pretzels, and a peach.  I threw in a granola bar, too.  She'll buy her lunch occasionally.  Last week was chicken and waffles which is crazy to this northern girl, but Little Miss loved it.

Little Miss still loves her brother.  She entertains him, calms him, and reads to him every night until he falls asleep.  It helps get her reading in and helps him fall asleep so it's win-win.  They eat dinner together.  He's a much better eater.  Last night, he was going through plate after plate after plate of food and, when Husband sat down, Captain let him know he was still hungry.  Husband said, "How are you out of food already?"  Little Miss looked at him and said, "He's insane, Bro!"

I can't even.

Facebook

Facebook has this little exercise right now.  I sat down to go through it all with Little Miss tonight.  It was eye-opening, but she does know me pretty well.

Little Miss - 7 1/2

WITHOUT ANY prompting, ask your child these questions and write down EXACTLY what they say. It is a great way to find out what they really think. When you re-post put your Child's age.
P.S. Theres a blank copy in the comment section!

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you.

2. What makes mom happy?
Us (kids)

3. What makes mom sad?
When you're away from the us (the kids).

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
When you tickle me.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
You looked a lot like me now.

6. How old is your mom?
39

7. How tall is your mom?
4 1/2 feet (sadly, not too off)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Sleep (also, not too far off)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
You hang out.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Being a boss in Virginia.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Sleeping

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Staying awake.

13. What does your mom do for a job?
Remember when we were coming home from school with Christopher and we got a letter from St. Jude's asking us for something. You do that.

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
French fries

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
You care about me.

16. If your mom were a character, who would she be?
Snow White - your face and you have the same hair

17. What do you and your mom do together?
We do fun things - play games.

18. How are you and your mom the same?
I'm half Korean and you're Korean.

19. How are you and your mom different?
I'm half Polish, and you're not.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
You say it everyday.

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
He is nice.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Home

23. How old was your Mom when you were born?
32 1/2

Books Read in May 2015

1. No Limits by Lori Foster (NOTE: This is part of the Ultimate series. The order of which can be found here.)
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
3. Hold Me by Susan Mallery (NOTE: This is part of the Fool's Gold series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. Texting Under the Influence by Cara Lockwood
5. Holding Strong by Lori Foster (NOTE: This is part of the Ultimate series. The order of which can be found here.)
6. Back to You by Lauren Dane (NOTE: This is part of the Hurley Boys series. The order of which can be found here.)

I got on a Lori Foster kick after reading one of her free novellas.  I had read the original fighter series so it was fun to revisit her books after a long break.  It took me a long time to get into Fangirl, but I ended up really liking it.  It was hard to follow Eleanor & Park which I just really liked.  Texting Under the Influence is a super enjoyable short story.  I wished it was a little longer, but it was complete and a lot of fun.

May 2015 Weekend Update

Let's see. We had a ridiculously busy May. The first weekend, we had our annual Kentucky Derby party which involved crazy cleaning and cooking. We had chicken parm, pasta, egg rolls, salads, a wide range of foods. Then, some stayed for the fight. It was a lot of fun. The next day, I met a friends for lunch which was always fun.

The second weekend of May, we hit up the elementary school's Fun Fair for a brief time before heading to our Nephew's first birthday party. It was crazy hot but a lot of fun. The next day was Mother's Day. We went to Sister's house for a Mother's Day brunch. We ate a ridiculous amount of delicious food. We celebrated the oldest Nephew's birthday as well.

The third weekend in May, I took the kids to the park. Little Miss met up with a friend there by chance and had a blast. Captain did not like the slide and couldn't really do much as he's not quite walking yet. Also, we got eaten up by mosquitoes which was unfortunate. 

On Sunday, Little Miss had a playdate in the morning. So, I dropped her off before taking Captain to The Taste of Arlington. It was very hot, but he was a trooper. I gave him doughnuts and a lot of other tastes. I would have given him chili, but that was scalding hot so I was a good mama instead. Later, I picked up Little Miss, dropped Captain at home and took her to Taste of Arlington in the evening so she could play games and try some food. Lots of good food. I refused to stand in long lines which is why I like to go when it opens, but there were some great restaurants there. I felt the variety was better than in the past, but the lines are still obnoxious after 2PM.

The fourth week of the month, we hung out at Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's pool with the In-laws.  It was great.  The weather was a bit cool, but the kids went in the pool anyway.  We ate a lot and chatted.  On Sunday, we went wedding dress shopping with Sister.  We were all very successful.  She chose a dress.  The attendants chose dresses, and we have an idea of what to do for Little Miss.  On Monday, we hit the driving range before going to my parents' pool.  Captain walked around the baby pool for a long time, fighting sleep.  Little Miss had a good time, but I think she missed someone to play with.  

The last weekend in May, Little Miss and I woke early to clean up the school's courtyard.  Every bug seemed to get a taste of me.  After, we wanted to go to the pool, but we were too tired (read that as I was too tired).  So, I took a nap and chose to do nothing instead. 

On Sunday, Little Miss woke up sick so she stayed on the couch with Husband while she recovered.  I took Captain to my parents' house so he could see my grandparents.  They were tickled by him - as they should be.  It was an exhausting month.  June seems busy but not nearly as busy.