Perspective

I prefer my house to be cleaner than it currently is.

I'd much rather look for something to wear in my drawer than dig through the laundry hamper or the pile of unfolded clothes like I did this morning.

I'd like to make a yummy dinner instead of warming up leftovers as I am planning to do tonight.

Somedays I just have to look the other way and remember that I am not sealed to this house for all eternity, but I am sealed to my kids forever. And so, I am going to stop perusing blogs and go start dinner so that when my toddler wakes up from his nap I will have plenty of time to play trains and read books - even if it is the same book over and over and over again.

Because I am a mom first and foremost.

Moldy

I am beginning to think (much to my surprise) that we may be a mold family. Not that we are stinky and rotting - although that may be true as well, but that we are going to be one of those families whose kids look like they all popped out of the same mold. I figured that since Sam and I look so different our children would as well. However, that has not been the case - it is hard to tell from these pictures, because Ollie is so much older here than Ruby, but they both have the same eyes, nose and face shape, not to mention hair color. Of course, Ruby is still changing a lot so I may have a different opinion next week, but for the moment I have to say "Hooray for molds!"

Another Day

So, I don't have much to report. Our lives have not changed significantly since the last time I posted. We just keep busy chasing after Ollie, feeding Ruby, and enjoying one another's company.
Ruby changes everyday. She looks more and more like herself everyday - I know that sounds funny, but it is true. She is loosing the newborn look and getting decidedly cuter.


In between conference sessions on Sunday Sam and Oliver raked up a big pile of leaves to jump in. Ollie thought it was so much fun that he spent most of the day Monday working on those same leaves, when he decided that there were not enough on the ground he got up on his picnic table and started picking more.
I probably won't show this picture to Sam - and I think I'm safe because he rarely reads our blog. He wouldn't like to see Ollie in a pink bow, but Oliver insisted on wearing it this morning when I was putting one on Ruby. We must be experiencing an overload of feminine hormones at our house because it seems they are rubbing off on Ollie. When we asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween he was insistent on being a butterfly. Fortunately, when we took him shopping for a costume Sam intentionally stood in front of the butterfly costume and Oliver decided to be a monkey instead. Then a couple of days ago we were watching football at a friends house and Ollie put on their little girls tutu and began dancing around the living room - he insisted on wearing the purple tutu for the duration of the game. Poor Ollie, he has to spend all day everyday with a bunch of girls - maybe if Sam does decide to read this he will start spending less time at the library and more time at home doing manly things.

Double Take

Seeing as I have now been a mom of two for three whole weeks I feel qualified to give my expert opinion on the raising of two children. Simply put, it is awesome!! I have been happily surprised at how smoothly we have made the transition from a family of three to a family of four (thus far:). Of course, we have had our rough spots. I have had the opportunity on more than one occasion to chase Oliver at a dead sprint through stores and parking lots while lugging along a car seat and baby. There have been a couple of days in which a shower was simply not an option and I did experience one horrific grocery shopping trip with a sobbing toddler and a screaming infant. I am proud to admit though that we are all still happy and still sane. I am constantly busy, but I love it - there is no down time and certainly no time for boredom.
Having two children has required some attitude adjustment on my part. I have found that I am much less tolerant of things that are messy as I have less time for cleaning. I am also much more lenient in regards to cooking and laundry. This morning Oliver asked for Doritos and Froot Loops for breakfast and I didn't even hesitate before giving it to him. (As you can tell from the picture, he is thoroughly enjoying his new dietetic freedoms).


I have also picked up some new baby-skills that I never acquired with my first child. I remember being so proud of myself for managing to cook entire meals with just one arm while toting Oliver around as a baby. Well, that skill is nothing compared to my new found ability to cook, clean and chase after a busy toddler while not just holding onto Ruby, but nursing her as well. Now, that is talent! (Sorry if that was more than you wanted to know, but my life pretty much consists of diapers, nursing and sporadic sessions of Ring-Around-The-Rosies, so that is what you get!)