Parent of the year nominee

Due to different things going on, with my hand and BJ's lungs, to say we are not firing on all cylinders is an understatement. Just know that I speak from a true seat of authority when I say Vicodin and parenting are not a good mix. Liv has taken this time of our convalescence to hone skills that will probably one day make her a great ninja. Her climbing skills are without peer and faster than I could say, "Liv, is that your diaper on the floor?" she was on the kitchen table surveying her kingdom. As I was helping her down, she slipped and banged her eye. Later in the day as three adults were in eyesight, she tried to recreate her earlier adventure and fell onto her lip. Nothing stinks more as a mom than to see your kiddo hurting and or bleeding, and seeing her do both made me more than a bit woozy. So a fine trio we make, I have a bum stitched hand, BJ has a tubercular sounding lung, and Liv has a knot under her eye and a fat lip. I really think we should take a family portrait. One of those really nice 70's ones with a barn or a fireplace in the background.

Liv in much happier times, can't you tell?

Pork

Of course and it figures. This post brings a tear to my eye and to BJ's but for totally different reasons. We have tried, I mean really tried to expose Liv to a varied and healthful diet. This has been no easy task for a child who could subsist on grapes -excuse me "brapes", milk, and cheetos-the latter courtesy of her Tata. So much for the balanced, organic diet of days past. She also has hated, I mean HATED meat products, which truth be told appealed to my inner wanna be vegetarian. I have tried pureeing, dicing, hiding, and bribing in getting Liv to eat meat. No way, not my kiddo. She shoots me a look like, "Do you not know me by now?" and proceeds to pick out the free range, organic, cage free, feet never touched the ground, blessed by monks $12/lb meat offender and plops it on the floor into the waiting paws of Bella, who by the way has gained 15 pounds since Olivia started feeding herself. This is all before Liv's introduction to her favorite food of all, pork.

Ham, spam, bacon, pork chops, tenderloin, yes I said Spam-courtesy of her Tata. Liv loves it all. What really sealed the pork deal, was Liv plowed her way through a Bratwurst last night like it was manna from Heaven. I could have sworn I saw a tear in BJ's eye when he actually said, "Liv, I have never been prouder of you than I am right now." I hate being outnumbered.


Liv is probably wishing this were pork. She has no love for pizza, plastic or otherwise.

Liv loves Italy

Fun times for the M&M household. We were in Italy for some time for a wonderful and fun wedding. Of course having the common sense of most three year olds, we decided to take Olivia with us. I am not gonna lie, anyone who takes a 19 month old on plane needs to have some seriously cool kid toys, ten arms, and some Xanax. We had none of the above. It also didn't help that we were sitting next to the Mom With Everything- you know the type, first aid kit, ice packs, toys Olivia wanted, kiddo that behaves.... But we made it, and words cannot express how much Liv loved Italy. Its wide open piazzas, late bed times, and most of all gelato were made for Olivia. She was also our instant pass into places we probably shouldn't have been. Big ups to all of the guards who provided some much needed seating and photo ops on things I probably shouldn't have let my child near, especially after eating chewy bars.

We met some great people, and had a tremendous time. We couldn't get over how nice everyone was to us, and Liv loved every minute of it. Seeing her dancing to the dueling orchestras in St. Marks Piazza in Venice even made up for the 40 hours of being awake. Italians also appealed to Liv's sense of style and adoration. She picked up two words, "Ciao bella." I still catch her saying it to herself and waving in the mirror. Yikes.


Just chilling in Marostica


Loving the pigeons in Piazza San Marco


Hanging with dad in/at the Vatican

Cried a little today

Ok, so I know that this is a perfectly normal developmental stage, I know that it is a sign of appropriate-ish parenting, I knew this was coming, but it still hurts just a teensy bit, and it totally shocked me. Liv's new and now favorite phrase is, "I do it, PEEEAAASE!" It wasn't like a tornado that rips up some trailer park, where people say, "I didn't even see it coming!" I have seen this coming for a while now. And it still threw me for a loop. She has become more independent lately. Helping grab a diaper when it's time for a change, turning off lights, helping feed the dogs, she even knows which button to push on the debit card swiper at the grocery store. (Don't complain about this later BJ, you taught her how to do it, and shopping is a slippery slope.)

Today while feeding Liv breakfast, one of my favorite times with her, she grabbed her spoon from me, and said, "I do it, PEEEAAASE!" She then proceeded to feed herself and Bella oatmeal. In that brief moment I saw her all grown up and doing things for herself all the time, and although as a parent that is what we hope for, I just wasn't ready to hear it all just yet. Of course a flair for the dramatic runs in the family so don't mind me too much, but it was jarring nonetheless. And I did have to congratulate her on saying PEEEAAASE.



Taken right after the spoon was grabbed, the mess just isn't pretty. I keep telling myself this is something she has to do.



Oatmeal is the gift that keeps giving, Liv loves picking up stray pieces and saving them for later. At least she said PEEEAAASE right? Right?



Bella in the aftermath of the oatmeal incident. This is really what she gets for getting too close in search of munchies. Yes she is licking Liv clean. I firmly believe that Labs were put on this earth to help moms clean up after meals.

Happy Easter- a bit late

Hello and happy belated Easter. We took Liv to Cottontail Tea for Easter. It is basically kiddie high tea, and for those with local kiddos, it was a really good time. Although the potential for massive meltdowns without any provocation exists with Liv's age range, I am a big believer in taking children out so they learn how to behave. This is probably the naive mom in me and I will more than likely change my mind if there were ever more children to add to the mix, but we try to take Liv out socially so that she learns to "behave" so to speak. It is also a great form of mental and physical exercise for us as we are constantly moving around and anticipating her next move.

Back to tea, Jeffrey, the tea maitre d', who is just a doll, did a great job with the entire service. The whole staff was extremely accommodating and wonderful. We met the Easter Bunny, had story time, and received surprise goodies. Liv also learned that although she doesn't like the taste of mini marshmallows, they do fit just perfectly in her ear.




Liv is still trying to keep an eye on the Easter Bunny, although she loved him, her, (What gender is EB any way?) last year, this year, she was not a member of his fan club AT ALL. Come to think of it a grown person in a rabbit costume is a bit odd when you think about it.



Liv and BJ, for those who haven't seen her lately, she has really grown quite a bit, especially in the thigh region. I love it. Baby leg rolls are one of the highlights of being a mom.

The Zoo part two

A new week, another chance to go to the zoo. I don't think I have ever been to the zoo more than I have in the past year, but Liv loves it, especially as she rolls backward when I get winded walking up the steep hills pushing her stroller. I wish flat tires on all those moms who jog through the zoo.

She has a thing for tractors.



And a thing for goats. I've been mentioning to BJ buying her a goat. Something tells me that it isn't gonna happen, although I hear they are great for weed control, and Easter is a coming... I think Liv might be kissing this particular goat. For you germphobes, just pretend she is whispering in its ear.

Spring Break

BJ and I are both home for Spring Break and Liv has been out and about like the trooper that she is. It says something about being a run-around-like-a-chicken-with-your-head-cut-off parent when your 16-month old grabs her "purse" ok so it's the VCR camera bag, her cell phone- one of the phones she threw in the shower with me and rendered useless, and her plastic keys and says, "Go, go, go" as she heads for the door. What in the world have I done to her?!?!?

We've been working on the garden... The dirt she dumped in the house is in the background, but Bella might have eaten it right before I snapped this shot.




Liv's also been catching up on her beauty sleep. Pardon the drool and the hair. She is cutting FOUR teeth right now, so she is a big goopy mess, it is not food, just drool on the front of her pjs. As for the hair, this is pretty much what it looks like in the morning. She will one day need therapy for this picture.

The Zoo

On Monday we went to the zoo with our favorite twins, Andrew and Annabelle. Although my thighs still feel the burn, and I could barely get out of bed the next day, the kiddos had a fantastic time. For those in town, definitely go for the zoo membership. It gives you a kind of superior feeling when you trot to the front of the line with your card and say, "I am a member." Plus you actually wind up saving some cash. I still like the first reason better.


Liv is getting some diva tips from Annabelle.



She really preferred to climb around with Andrew. Note to self, she might prefer pants.


"This goat kind of looks like Bella, I wonder if he will let me ride him too?"



"Maybe it is safer just to pet this one instead..."

Livlicious

Things have been crazy busy around here!! Liv has been growing by leaps and bounds, ok, maybe not heightwise, but definitely hairwise, and it seems that every day brings new skills that we were not prepared for, like climbing on top of Bella to get into places she can't normally reach. She pays Bella for her silence and cooperation in snacks and milk from her cup.

We recently took a mini day trip to see Aunt Tonia and soon-to-be Uncle Simon in Palm Springs. We can't wait to see them again at their wedding in Italy!! I will be experimenting with mommy and possibly infant sedatives in the next month. Here are some photos from our adventure.



Only Liv would think rest stops are fun.



See you soon!!!



I am so tired I am just overcome.

Our Famiversary

One year ago today we became a family. I held the most amazing creature in my arms, and it was in that moment I fell completely and totally head over heels, giddy in love with BJ all over again, and most of all with Liv. I still remember what she smelled like that day and how her hair felt under my hand as I touched her for the first time.

Of course BJ and I in our new parent idiocy, were convinced she was deaf and possibly blind and were making plans to learn sign language. Please don't ask how the Ethiopian government saw fit to give two nitwits such an amazing child.

I can't imagine our lives without her, and I think of how she came to us every single day and how grateful doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about her provenance.

I am a better person because of her, even though I still spray the can of Reddi-Whip straight into my mouth, but I am working on it.



She took meeting us much more in stride than we did. We were blithering crybabies.



Liv and the girls. I loved her old man gummy smile. Lily looks like some creature out of The Dark Crystal. Eek.



I am sure she is thinking, "Mom, how can I sleep with you taking pictures all the time?"



Our official Arizona adoption, this better be the last time Liv sees the inside of a courtroom, unless she is wearing what the guy in black has on.

We're sick

Liv has a stuffy runny nose, a cough, runny eyes, and is sneezing. Mostly all at one time. She is cranky and clingy, much like me on a really good day. Although this is her second cold, this is really the first one that she realizes that something is not normal with producing her weight in mucous. Couple this with cutting four molars and she is one big pile of goo. The upside to this though is she now has a new box to play with, and the cold stuff she is on is making her a little loopy, which is fun for the adults in her life. I just hate seeing her sick because I know I can't make her better. I can buy every infant remedy on the market (and I think I did) but it just has to run its course. No pun intended.
Here she is faking the funk for the camera. I am a cruel mom.

But at least my new humidifier comes with a really cool box....

Toddler:3 Mom: 0

I have yet to figure out how my little one, whose hair is inches away from the top of a door knob, and not but two months ago could sit and play in my lap for hours has developed super human speed and an innate ability for destroying all in her path. BJ and I really think we should have named her Shiva. I am not an inattentive mom, just a naive one and I think I my wee one has blossomed into a full blown toddler.

In the last few, she has figured out how to scope out any opportunity she can to do things she mustn't and her stealth is actually quite impressive. She learned pretty early on that gloating over her accomplishments would only make it so she couldn't "accomplish" them again. So she has honed her stealth mode to the point that I have no idea when she does most of the things she does, I just find little surprises throught out the day.

Surprise #1

I was brushing my teeth, the phone rang, and I was gone for at the most ONE minute.


Surprise #2

While I was disinfecting surprise #1. Gone at the most 3 minutes. Why do I feel the need to explain myself????

Surprise #3

While picking up surprise #2, realized I hadn't seen Liv in about a minute and lo and behold found her here. Yes, it is a moving shelf, yes it could have fallen with her on it, yes, I removed it shortly after I took this picture.

I think it boils down to Liv being much better at her job than I am at mine right now and her pj options are much cuter to boot. Did I mention this was all before breakfast?

Family Vacation

It's official! We are a road trip family. We decided to spend New Years in Flagstaff, so that Olivia (and secretly me) could play in the snow. Although she has been home for almost a year, this was our first solo family adventure. We armed ourselves with a box of Organic O's, applesauce, and some Veuve for us big kids and off we went.

Liv loves snow. Pure and simple. The kid couldn't get enough of it. I think she was also the most winter prepared kid the town had ever seen. I couldn't stop laughing as she totally reminded me of the "I can't put my arms down" boy from A Christmas Story. We ate snow, played in snow, and because her parents have no sense at all, Liv sledded by herself down a forty foot hill giggling hysterically the whole time. Note to other people who I am sure know this, the Grand Canyon is not such a good idea in January.

Here are some pics from our adventure....

The protest look from Olivia is because we have pulled her away from her new favorite activity and have made her take a picture.

After her first "run".

This is the consequence of too much snow, not too much Veuve.