What makes a great father?

I know that I am fortunate to have an awesome dad. Although I am extremely close to my mother, I have always been quite the daddy's girl.

Growing up, my dad was always the fun one - making up silly dances and nicknames to keep us laughing, doing his mean Bill Cosby impression - but he also had a serious side. My parents were pretty broke when we were little, so my dad would work days and be home with us in the evenings while my mom worked nights. He would cook us dinner, play with us and get us to bed relatively unscathed (not including the time where I fell out of my chair and knocked my front tooth out when I was four or five). And our good relationship continues today - he is always willing to help us out with things that need to get done around the house, and we have him over for dinner and to hang with the boys anytime, especially when my mom is out of town.

Based on my experiences, I could never imagine anyone else living up to my high standards of fatherhood - but my hubby has. He is a wonderful father, and he shows it in countless little ways each and every day. He cooks Harrison his favorite breakfast - eggs - even though the smell makes him sick to his stomach. He takes care of the boys so I can shower and blow dry my hair uninterrupted on occasion. He changes countless stinky diapers. He plays basketball and choo-choos and reads "Peef the Christmas Bear" a million times without a word of complaint. He gives Harrison his "water baths." And he does it all with a smile on his face and a heaping dose of patience (well, most of the time - nobody is perfect).

Today, I was reminded many times of what a great dad my hubby is. When we were at the Great Escape this morning, he waited in line at this one particular ride with Harrison at least three times, even though he knew that when it came time to actually go on the ride, Harrison would change his mind. He kept us entertained and made us laugh by doing a silly dance while we were on the (painfully boring) train ride. And he found the humor in the situation when an overtired Harrison refused to let go of his breadstick that he brought home from the restaurant where we had dinner tonight - leading us to adopt the "no breadsticks in the bathtub" mantra. (Seriously, the breadstick thing was out of control - at one point, he was pretending that it was a car and even named it "Fancy Lady.")

My boys are lucky to grow up with a wonderful dad like him, and I am fortunate to have him as my husband. Happy Father's Day, Hubby!

Time flies...

Things have been crazy around here lately. I am back at work part-time, Ari was away last week for a tradeshow and the little ones have been keeping me on my toes.

Every time something interesting happens in my life, I think, "I should really blog about that." And then I promptly forget about it. So, here's a look at what's been on my mind - today:

* Why is it that babies wait until they are squeaky clean to have the most explosive poops? It never fails - 5 minutes after I finish Elijah's bath and give him a clean diaper, he erupts. Good times.

* Elijah got a bath today because I took him to get his three-month photos taken at The Picture People. I used to love them, but lately, I have had better photos taken at JC Penney. Of course, it didn't keep me from buying a bunch.

* So I finally signed up for Facebook. I must be the last person on the planet to do so - even my MIL is on there. I need to gerup to speed on social media for work, though. It seems like it has the potential to be a huge time suck.

* I have been so emotional lately. I was cleaning Harrison's handprints off our glass door this morning when I thought about that poem that talks about kids growing up and no longer leaving fingerprints everywhere - and then I started to cry. I also cried on my way to work yesterday when I heard Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There For You" on the radio.

* In more lighthearted news, has anyone seen the video of Mark Paul Gosselear on Jimmy Fallon? As a diehard Saved by the Bell fan, I loved it! (And yes, I recognized the Friends Forever song from the Zack Attack "documentary" episode). Here it is:

Fail.

I hold a lot of guilt about being a working mom. As a result, I tend to overcompensate by trying to make every moment spent with my children "quality time." Poor Harrison hss never seen a movie or even an episode of Sesame Street at home, as I don't want to waste our precious time together watching TV.

Every free moment I have is spent with my little ones, unless they are asleep. Date nights? No way. It has probably been two years since I have had a manicure. And I even schedule haircuts during naptime or bedtime hours.

Anyway, I am home with Elijah in the afternoons this week and I decide that today would be a great day to do a fun little project together. Now, I should have remembered that:

1. I am the least crafty person on the planet.
2. Elijah is three months old; he is happiest just being held and talked to.

But I didn't. So, I decided to open up this cute little plaster handprint set that my cousin bought me before Elijah was born. I had something similar for Harrison that Terri and Darren bought me, but it made handprints with ink, not plaster. They turned out adorable, so I wanted to do something like that for E before he got two things.

This is what it was supposed to look like:



And this is my final product:



Um, did I forget how it is nearly impossible for a three-month-old to open his hand long enough to take a print? Seriously, it looks more like a hoof than a hand. At the very least, it looks like Elijah is giving everyone the finger. And we were so covered in plaster by the time we were done, I had to do a load of laundry and give Elijah a bath. It sucked.

Maybe I will just stick to taking pictures of my little ones. I am no photographer either, but at least the final product comes out cute. Here's baby Elijah at three months:

Argh!

Three months ago, I gave birth to my second beautiful baby boy. Since then, I have been trying my best to focus on the blessings in my life (like the little man sleeping in my arms) and not to dwell on the other stuff.

That being said, I'm no saint - and occasionally I need to vent. Like now.

First, the baby-related vents. None of which are about my little lovebug, of course. No, I am talking about the morons who inhabit this Earth for the sole purpose of making stupid remarks. So, without further ado:

1. Yes, my baby cries. He's a baby.
2. Yes, he stops crying when I hold him.
3. No, he doesn't want you to hold him.
4. Yes, he is a big boy.
5. Just because he is crying doesn't mean he is hungry.
6. No, he does not take a pacifier. (That comment is especially rich, considering all of the comments I received because Harrison did take one.)
7. No, you cannot touch him, Mrs. Stranger-at-the-mall.
8. No, he does not have nipple confusion. He's not confused at all - he just doesn't want the nipple on the bottle you are trying to give him.

And about the breastfeeding - it's going great, but with it brings a new set of stupid comments. Yes, I breastfeed. I plan on doing it until Elijah weans himself - or until he starts driving, whatever comes first (kidding!). No, I am not anti-formula. Yes, it is possible to breastfeed and be a working mom. Yes, I pump at work.

And about work - I had to go in one day last week for training, and now I am back in the office for half-days over the next two weeks. Yes, I am happy to be back at work - in the sense that I am happy to have a job in this crappy economy, I am happy that I have a job that I actually like, I am happy to see my friends at work, and I am happy to get paid. Would I rather be at ome snuggling with my crying, breastfed baby? Of course!

And finally, if you are ever tempted to start a sentence with, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but..." - don't.

Any more questions?

Deal of the day.

Right now, our sleeping arrangements are in a state of flux. Elijah is sleeping in a bassinett in our room (where he will stay until he is at least six months) and Harrison is still in the nursery. In the coming months, we will be transitioning him into his new room and his "big boy bed" (the bed has been ordered, the bedding has been purchased, and our next step is to clean out the furniture currently in that room and move his clothes/toys/armoire in there). I am looking forward to getting this done, especially since most of Elijah's belongings are in plastic storage containers in the spare room (poor kid).

Anyway, I have been coveting this lamp from Pottery Barn Kids since before Harrison was born. However, I was not loving the $149 price tag. So imagine my surprise when I saw them online for only $49! I bought one for each room - they were delivered today and are beautiful!

I love a good deal...

10 years.

Hsppy date-iversary to my darling husband!

I can't believe that it has been an entire decade since we first kissed on the steps of the reception hall, me in my blue satin dress and you in your tux (I would share a picture, but - gasp! - those were the days before digital cameras). Since that day, some things have changed (our conversations no longer focus on whether Felicity will choose Ben or Noel), and some things have remained the same (Huxy is always welcome to crash with us!).

We have been through a lot in the past 10 years. Two kids, two dogs, new jobs, new homes in new states. But I knew in my heart that day that I would spend the rest of my life with you, and that hasn't changed. I love you more and more each and every day.

On a related note, I want to thank Terri and Darren for getting married 10 years ago. Without you, there would be no us. And thanks for always knowing that we were perfect for each other...

(And happy 5th anniversary to Marie and Dan!)

10 weeks.

Baby Elijah turned 10 weeks old yesterday. Where does the time go? I just want to tell him to stop growing up so darn fast already!

He has changed so much in the last 10 weeks. He still has his blue eyes and dark hair, but he is staying awake for much longer periods of time, he coos and gurgles, and he graces us with an occasional smile (serious baby!). It is becoming easier to entertain him - he will sit in his swing and he tries to bat at the animals on his activity mat - but he still prefers being held by mommy more than anything else.

One thing he does NOT like? Long car rides. We took him to visit my mother-in-law on Saturday, and I am not joking when I say that it was the most stressful trip ever. The little guy cried almost the entire way home. We stopped at every rest stop for diaper changes, feedings and fresh air - and while he was happy when we stopped, the second that we put him back into his car seat, the crying would begin. I am not subjecting us to that again anytime soon...

Here's a look at baby Elijah, then and now...

Recipe for a perfect day.

2 children who slept until 9am (first time ever!).

A yummy breakfast (French toast souffle, bagels, fruit and homemade muffins) at home with my whole family.

Long afternoon naps for both little ones, giving me time to read the paper and watch copious amounts of Lifetime television (God, I love TV movies starring Tori Spelling!).

Beautiful flowers and cards from hubby, the boys and the pups.

And ice cream, of course!

I love my boys...



Happy Mother's Day, everyone!