texas voice

i left my home state of texas
17 years ago at the age of 22.
i have lived in new york state
for 14 years.

my childhood bff
reminded me last night
that i have not had a texas accent
for the last 20 years.

so it is completely beyond me
how my 2 year old son
has a slow southern drawl.

i mean the child has not even
been to the great state of texas.
but he has it down perfect.

it sounds something like this.
"i want to get doooowwwnnnn."
" but mommy whiiiiiii?"
" look at the flooooowwerrr"
or my favorite
"mommy gooiiinnnnn to yooooggaaaa"

ph and i just look at each
other and shrug our shoulders.
i guess that texas twang is just
as much genetics as it is location.

tuesday tidbits

** yes, you read that right

** tuesday tidbits on wednesday.

** i just didn't have the energy last night to blog.

** so here i am.

** this week i have been a one woman sweat shop at my machine,

** ok, lets be honest, i am always a one woman sweat shop.

** i have made some design tweaks and am excited to see how they are received this weekend.

** i am working on some exciting lucends stuff that i can not wait to share with you.

** it is a ways off.

** but i firmly believe that you have to have a dream and reach for the stars.

** saturday is my birthday.

** i will be one year closer to 40.

** some days i feel like i am older than 40.

** and yes i know age is relative.

** we raised over ten thousand dollars last week at the auction.

** ph is making pizza tonight.

** i am still working on my hunger games blog post.

** i am ready for some warm weather.

** and am fully aware that i will complain about the heat when we are in texas.

** just being honest.

** happy tuesday on a wednesday!

terrible tantrums

we are fully immersed
in experiencing the full
spectrum of being a
two year old, here on newberry ln.

some days i am very
patient and tolerant.
other days it takes
every ounce of strength to
not lose my shit.

chace has been home
and sick since thursday.
the weather has been horrible
creating the caged animal feeling
that is growing in the house.

these two facts i am sure
are contributing to the body flailing,
food throwing, hitting, pushing
and generally disgruntled child
that i call my son.

timeout does not work.
raising my voice does not work.
reasoning does not work.
and even though i can throw a mean look,
my child is immune to them.

so i am a loss.
i keep telling myself
that this too shall pass.
it is a only a phase.
but i have moments
when i want to put myself
in a very long timeout.

so if you need me
and can not find me,
i am in time out.

today

today was the day after the auction.
it was a great night.
a successful end to months of planning.
and we raised over 10 thousand dollars
for the school.

today i kept chace home from school
he started running a fever yesterday
there is a virus going around
where the only symptom is high fever.

today we laid in bed and
watched curious george on pbs.

today we sat on the floor
and read lots of books.

today we took long naps.

today i didn't think about all
the work i have to do before
next weekend.

today i didn't have activities planned
to keep chace busy.

today i just focused on my son.
focused on being a mother.

and today may have been my best
day of motherhood because there
was absolutely nothing on my mind
except for my sweet chace.

tuesday tidbits

**i went to the eye doctor today.

** i need to start wearing reader glasses.

** and my eyes have gotten worse.

** this means i need new contacts and lenses in my glasses.

** hello $$$.

** the fundraising auction for chace's school is thursday.

** did i mention that i am going to be the auctioneer?

** should be interesting.

** i learned today that my youngest brother testified before congress today.

** and has a huge presentation  to the EPA tomorrow.

** all in an effort to save bristol bay.

** pretty proud of him!

** if i get to yoga this week it will be a miracle.

** i am looking forward to getting back on schedule next week.

** the Mayday Underground Craft show is next wekeend.

** i still have alot of sewing ahead of me.

** now. it is time to watch the voice.

** happy tuesday!

dear chace

my dear sweet chace,

first, i must apologize for not writing you last month on your 25th month of life. i dont what happened to my brain, perhaps i was in mommy fog from chasing you around.  so, happy 25th and 26th months!

the last week you have been home from school, thanks to spring break. and well, your mother is tired. you are in a constant state of motion. i am not sure which moves at a faster rate, your feet, your hands or your mouth. sometimes, they are all moving at once. all this movement keeps me on my toes, keeps me in constant state of wonder and in fits of laughter.  your mind is a sponge where you absorb, catalog and then spit out what you you have absorbed in some statement.

some of my favorites:

**while sitting in the drive through of starbucks : "look mommy there is a hot rod." what? "a hot rod mommy." i follow your finger and see a white stingray in the parking lot.

** after examining your  big boy underwear you point to the monster and say "mommy, look at that funny creature."

** sitting at the table during spring break you announce "mommy i need a lesson"

** over breakfast one morning you declare "triesch is my best friend"

** and my all time favorites " i need to do it!", "hug me mommy" and " i love you, so much."


while most days you are funny, sweet and loving, we have one constant battle your  need to throw food and drink on the floor. the thing that kills me is that you know you are not supposed to do it. you will even announce that you will go to a time out if you throw your food, yet you do it anyway. we have tried many different approaches and tactics to break this frustrating habit. none of them work. i wish i could get inside your brain and know the why behind your action. if i have to clean yogurt off the floor and wall one more time, i am going to come unglued. please, please, please stop throwing your food.

the last two months you have grown an immense amount. you can now jump. this brings you enormous pleasure and much laughter. you like to jump off the couch, onto the couch, off the coffee table and like a rabbit around and around and around. your verbal skills have advanced. we can now have a conversation which is so much fun. i dont feel like a crazy person talking to myself all the time, since you can now reply to what i am telling you.

you love books. we must read 20-30 books a day. some many many many times. i will finish a book and you will look at me and say "again". so again i read. you are moving to books that are longer and have lots of words. i think we will be reading harry potter and the chronicles of narnia very soon. i can not wait!

while most days i am exhausted by the end of the day, i would not trade the hours spent with you for anything. it is best thing on this earth.  you bring such joy to my life.

i love you so much.

xoxo
mama

tuesday tidbits

** tuesday night yoga is my favorite class of the week.

** the people and energy in class is amazing.

** today we made  homemade play dough.

** we used jello for the colors.

** it was a success and a great activity.

** we are half way through the spring break.

** i have the next few days very scheduled with play dates.

** hopefully, this will make the remainder of the week will fly by.

** the school auction is a week away.

** i am hoping that the quilt i made raises lots of money.

** i need to take some pictures.

** i am still only drinking one diet coke a day.

** it is in the morning, my dose of caffeine.

** for those of you who know me well, this is an amazing accomplishment.

** chace and i dyed easter eggs on saturday.

** i bought brown eggs, which don't dye very well.

** last week we watched "the girl with the dragon tattoo."

** i am on the third book of the hunger games series.

** so far my favorite is the first.

** but so far i like mockingjay.

** not sure what i am going to read next.

** the mayday underground show is in two weeks.

** i feel like i have so much work to do before then.

** i think that is all.

**happy tuesday!

special birdie

i have a cooper bird hanging in my sewing room.
it is a special birdie.
athena made it for me.
and i couldn't part with it.

yesterday chace and i had a conversation
it went something like this....

chace: mommy whats that ? (pointing at the bird)
me: it mommy's special birdie.
chace: i want a special birdie.
me: well, it's mommy's special birdie ( my brain spinning fast, knowing that i am not going to give him that bird)

then i had a  thought.
i had a bird in the closet.
the same one that he held
during his newborn session.

me: mommy has a special birdie for you
chace: my special birdie ( emphasis on my)
chace: i want special birdie to go to school.
me: special birdie can go to school.

on the car ride to school.
i hear chace in the back seat talking.

chace: this is my special birdie. i love him. fly away special birdie. fly away. i kiss him. i hug him.
me: i look bag and he is hugging special birdie. tears are welling up in my eyes.

in that moment, both my boys were in the car.
connecting to each other.
my heart ached and was full at the same time.

tuesday tidbits

** i went for my follow appt. with the surgeon today.

** i am cleared to practice yoga!

** i can not tell you how happy this makes me.

** chace broke his sunglasses on the way to school this am.

** i wish i did not buy easter candy at target.

** when i was little, my great aunt marty would bring my cousins and i colored chicks on easter.

** this drove our parents crazy.

** today my parents have been married 41 years.

** happy anniversary.

** i am well into book 2 of the hunger games.

** ph is making pizza as i type.

** i love pizza tuesday.

** not much else to report on this tuesday.

** hope you all had a good one.