• LadyBug,  My Family

    What a Difference a Day Makes

    Our LadyBug knows what she wants and she won't let much get in her way. She's got some traits that can be infuriating, but her strength of conviction is a source of pride for me.

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  • Big Guy

    A Letter to My Husband on Father’s Day

    Dear Hubby, Our kids are too young to be able to appreciate what a wonderful father they have, so I’m going to write you a note on their behalf. Thank you for: Taking care of the kids when I go out… and not calling it “babysitting.” Getting up at night with them and early in the morning. Giving them baths. Patiently putting together train track after train track for them. Knowing their favorite foods, bedtime routines and other quirks of their day-to-day life. Speaking of them with pride. Missing them (at least a little) when you’re at work during the day. Putting up pictures of them in your office. Throwing…

  • LadyBug,  Me

    I Pretty

    LadyBug has wild hair. It’s not wild like my hair is wild, fortunately, but it still makes her look a bit like Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (yeah, the original with the cute Oompa Loompas and the fun songs). She managed to get Big Guy’s fine locks along with just enough of my curls to get her into trouble. What’s a mama to do with crazy hair? Ignore it, of course. I’m sure that people have looked at my child and wondered why I haven’t cut her hair already, but those are clearly people who don’t have curly, frizzy, wild hair. Those of us who do…

  • Big Guy,  Bug (aka Little Guy),  Home

    Holy Rabbit Poop, Batman!

    We took the kids into the backyard on Saturday because the snow had started to dwindle and the weather was gorgeous. Unfortunately, the yard is covered in some sort of small mammal poop. Big Guy thought rabbits, but I thought maybe skunk. What does skunk poop look like? Anyway, Big Guy made a big deal out of not stepping in the poop and now Bug is paranoid about skunk poop. He refused to walk across the lawn and all he has been talking about for the past few days is skunk poop. He’s obsessed. Dear Big Guy, if you know that your son is naturally cautious about just about everything,…

  • Bug (aka Little Guy),  Food Allergies

    The Food Allergy Goes to Preschool

    I went to pick up Bug from his preschool class the other day (he was in a much better mood, thank heavens) and found him playing two other little boys in the play house area. Each of them was toting a baby around protectively. A little girl stood by watching – she, apparently, was not allowed to join in. It was ridiculously cute and one of the kids proudly told me that he was “the daddy.” I am always thrilled to see little boys practicing being good dads, since so many dads clearly could use the role modeling. Anyway. Bug was playing with two pieces of fake bread and a…

  • Bug (aka Little Guy),  LadyBug,  Me

    The Day All Parents Dread

    It finally happened. I’ve been sort of dreading it, and it might actually have been worse than I imagined. That’s right, the dreaded TEMPER TANTRUM. Here’s the thing – I am generally pretty careful about maintaining a schedule for my kids. We’re home for nap pretty much every day (unless they’re at school), they go to bed at the same time, and so on. I always carry snacks and I don’t tackle known tantrum spots when I have both kids in tow. The one massive tantrum Bug had in the past (yes, just one) was pretty traumatic (for me), but it was just the two of us. I dragged, threatened…

  • Me,  My Family

    Three Wishes

    This year, I have three wishes above and beyond generic things such as health and happiness. They’re small, but I want to put them out there because they’re also goals. 1. I want us to figure out how to pay for the kids’ daycare two days a week. They’re doing so well and I’ve already seen a positive impact for them and our entire family. I’d hate to have to pull them out. 2. A selfish wish.. I’d like to go to BlogHer. (As it turns out, I’ve been selected as a panelist so I’m going. Check!) 3. I want to take a family vacation to DisneyWorld this fall for…

  • Bug (aka Little Guy),  Food Allergies

    I Guess Brunch is Out

    Bug had his allergy check-up this week. His blood tests for eggs were negative, but he had shown a strong skin reaction. Still, the allergist suggested that we try giving him a cookie or other baked good with eggs. I started envisioning breakfast out for pancakes (made with eggs) or waffles (made with eggs) or even pastries (also made with eggs). We decided to bake cupcakes for a party we were attending (we’ve still got nut allergies to worry about). We gave Bug a few bites before we left and everything looked great, so off we went to the party. At cake time, one mom tried to hand him cake…