Wet Dream!

This morning I had a dream.  It was me, Rachel, and Jenn getting ready to go on our girls trip this weekend.  We were picking the kids up at school, which was Ohev in theory, despite how it looked.  We went in to the school to get the kids.  While in there we saw the usual scene of mom's chatting but with unusual characters, mostly people from high school who no longer speak to each other.  But, that is for another story.  So, we went back to the car, kids in tow, except Livy.  We had to pull around to the other side to get her, which is NOT how it is done in real life.  But, this was my dream.  So we pulled around and when Rachel parked the car Ryder jumped out of the car and ran away.  I ran after him, thud thumping and all.  When I caught up to him he said, "Mommy I peed in my pants."
Calm as can be and in a sing songy voice, this is a dream after all, I told him it was OK, accidents happen, and since he was wearing a long shirt we could take off his pants and undies and I would carry him to the car just in his shirt.  He agreed with this ingenious plan.  As I was helping him take his pants off, in my dream, I got woken up and out of my dream...by a sleepy Ryder who said "mommy, I just peed in my bed."

Hmmm...perhaps tonight I will dream he won the lottery?!

Here's to putting it in the Correct Receptacle!!

Chase did it.  He finally pooped on the potty. Three months from the time he was potty trained, three months of pooping in his underwear EVERYDAY.  Sometimes twice.  Three months.  Three months of changing dirty underwear on top of dirty diapers.  THREE MONTHS.

Friday, he pooped on the potty.  This was cause for Celebration!!! 
He did the deed at school.  And, proudly, he sprinted into my arms at pick-up, only to announce his accomplishment...and that he gets Chuck E. Cheese.  Thrilled, we called Daddy and told him the good news.  We called Mom-Mom Jill.  We went to Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop's house and announced it from the roof tops. Oh what a day.  I really had never been that excited.  Ok, maybe I have, but it was close.  Real close.

Two hours later he pooped in his underwear, again!!

Then on Sunday he returned to the potty and followed Monday up with some more underwear pooping.  I saw where this was going and I did not like it one bit.

Here we are, a few days later, and it seems the potty is his preferred receptacle.  Thankfully.   Go figure.

Chase officially poops on the potty.

Is it wrong if this is my most proud moment?

OBX 2009!

At the start of this decade we traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Looking for an Independence Day vacation, somewhere we could drive, somewhere we had never been, somewhere that had a beach. We, Beth and I, chose this vacation spot by a blind point to the map. OBX was where the finger landed and several months later we drove the distance to a town called Duck.  We, at that time, was me, Beth, our boyfriends Todd and Dave, and seven other people. We were singles, we were young, we partied!  We vowed then to return yearly, as it was the perfect place to go when we EVENTUALLY started families.

This year was the first time we had been back in several years, and the first time this once "singles" vacation became a family trip.  I use the word trip very carefully.  Prior to leaving for this journey I think I may have, accidentally, referred to it as a family vacation.  Todd, rightfully so, heard vacation and thought relaxation and started counting down months 'til the trip.  Halfway through the week, if it even took that long, we renamed it to a family  "trip" and I am still not sure that word is literal enough for Todd's understanding.

The "trip" began right after the boys' finished their last day of camp.  Waving goodbye to their counselors and friends, we drove to Cape May where we drove the car aboard the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  Hurricane Bill caused a turbulence on the waters that shook the boat much more than I had anticipated and even though I spent the full 70 minutes on the verge of vomiting the boys had an absolute blast.

After we got out of the car they ran onto the deck, wind blowing through their hair, with such delight.  They were thrilled to be aboard a boat, thrilled to be out on the water, thrilled to look through the binoculars cemented on the ships deck.  And, in case that was not enough, there was a playground inside!  Our picnic lunch of turkey sandwiches and chocolate milk was swallowed down in moments just so they could go down the slide.

Once we arrived in Lewes, Delaware we technically had a three hour drive to our next destination: an overnight stay at the Hampton Inn in Chesapeake, Va.  Technically!  But, ten minutes into the drive, despite the potty break we took on the boat, both boys had to pee.  So we had to pull over, somewhere.
Now, might be a good time to mention that the car was loaded with stuff.  LOADED.  Like if there had once been an open crevice it was now filled with something...food, toys, clothes, diapers.  Our second row had Chase and Ryder in it. Between them, below them, stuff!!  The third row was half up, half down.  The half down side had more STUFF.  In fact, most of our STUFF was in that third row.  Luggage, boogie boards, I don't know what.  The half up side was where Turner sat.  If it is possible to give a newborn clausterphobia this is exactly what we did to our darling third born as he sat, rear facing, in the third row, surrounded by things he could not recognize.  Usually, he sits in the second row facing his brothers.  That was like first class travel compared to flying cargo with the luggage. So, clausterphobic and unstimulated he cried.  Turner is not a crier yet he managed to cry for the whole trip.  The trip that technically should have taken three hours but really took 5.  He also cried part of the next day when we did the final leg of the trip.  And, he cried a good portion of the ride home.  The ride home that took 10 hours.  Turner cried more in the combined car trips than he had in his then 8 month entirety.  And, as I've mentioned, seldom as it may be, he cries loud.

When we finally arrived on the Outer Banks, nice and early to avoid the Saturday rental traffic, we sat in hours of traffic.  We were not the only ones, apparantly, with the bright idea.  We got to the rental office at noon for a 4pm check-in and they said they would call us when our house was ready.  So we set off for a pizza lunch, al fresco, in the heat and humidity.  The passing of the 4 hours was idlely slow, and as you would know it our house was not ready until 4:05pm.

However awful this may sound, it was not so terrible as we lived through it.  Once we actually got into our home, and were able to settle down, the week finally began.  But, you see, Todd has no experience with spending 24 hours with our kids, for 7 straight days.  For him this was an adjustment he has yet wanted to relive.   But, OBX was still enjoyable, though I am pretty sure Beth and Dave will never have a third kid (they had one at the time) after seeing what our life is like.
Our days were long, as long as you'd expect with  two 3 year olds and an 8 month old!  Admittedly, we watched the clock at night until we could have some adult time.  Of course I am aware that as the years pass things will gradually change. Ten, fifteen years from now we will be the older versions of our same selves, in the same house and our kids will watching minutes pass waiting for us to go to bed so they can tell fart jokes, steal our booze, or smoke their pot.  But, for now, it is our vacation too and we did find plenty of time to enjoy.  Amidst hurricane season we witnessed some of the biggest waves we had ever seen, we BBQ-ed on the beach, tailgate style, we took the kids to a race track and let them drive some laps, and Todd helped them climb to the top of a lighthouse.  We sat poolside, we sat by the beach, we soaked in some sun.  We enjoyed ice cream, cocktails, good friends and cousins, and good food.  And, when the kids are a bit older, I can't wait to go back.

For the rest of the photos from this trip, click here

!SDRAWKCAB

When I was kid, we would have opposite day. This was not a holiday nor even a planned day. It was simply our attempt at turning no's into yes's or teases into charms.

"Can I have cookies for breakfast?"

"NO!"

"Oh, today's opposite day so that means I can!"

Or

"You're ugly!"

"Well, today's opposite day so that means I am beautiful!"

I remember having backwards day, too. What I don't remember is if backwards day was an organized event in attempts of making school fun or if it was something I made up whenever I wore an article of clothing tag side front.
Which was often, and usually, on purpose. I liked it. It was fun to do something that was not what was supposed to be done without getting in trouble.

In college I loved wearing shirts inside out. Somehow, seam side out felt so much more worn, so much more comfortable.

Opposites. Inside-out. Backwards. All make a seemingly normal day just that much more different.

So, it comes as no surprise to me that the boys like wearing things backwards. They often want to wear their underwear backwards so that they can see the Handy Manny imprinted on the butt. It doesn't bother them that it is a little baggy in the front and a bit tight in the back giving them an instant wedge and plumber's crack simultaneously.

They like to wear their shorts backwards, or their shirts, but surprisingly, not their hats. I usually let them, when we are home, put their clothes on however they want, since often it is a battle to have them wear clothes at all. They, like their father, love to be shoeless and shirtless, and take no issue with walking around in just their tightie whitie underoos, or less.

Their favorite thing to wear backwards, it seems, is their Phillies shirts. Chase, who is always Utley, and Ryder, who is always Victorino, like to wear their numbers and names on the front so they can see it. The Phillies logo following them from behind.

We read a book called, "How Do I Love You", by P.K. Hallinan.  This hardback gift book, bought especially by Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop, is adorable from cover to cover. Easy rhymes about our unconditional love for our children, which just so happens to be about a little boy, sparks the usual questions from page to page.  But no page sends the boys into giggles like the page with these words "I love the way you wear your pants with the front part in the back" and the silly illustration that goes along side of it. And, when I look at It, I too find it funny, silly, child-like.  And, I am happy that my boys are all of these things.

So, occasionally, they wear their shirts backwards in public.  And, their underwear.  But, they're giggling all the while. Perhaps it's a mark of their blossoming sense of humor,  or  a small act of confidence to go against the norm.  Perhaps, it's just three year old silliness.  Regardless, it's not always worth the fight, and if an unannounced backwards day makes a three year old's moment more interesting, then I will happily oblige.  For now!

Spider-man!

The boys met their hero of the month at the township festival.

Last year, they were introduced to the Phillies Phanatic at this same festival. They saw him, his green costume standing out in the parade of  people, and squealed with delight.  They wanted to get near him, give him a hug...but once we got close enough Chase hid himself so far inside of my chest I was fearing I would have to birth him all over.  We quickly walked the other way, never sharing personal space with the Phanatic.  When we got home that day, all Chase could talk about was the Phanatic and how much he loved him.  He wanted to see him on television, on you tube, wherever.  It became apparent to us that he loved him only from a far.

So, now with their current Spider-Man obsession there is the absolute need for Spidey plates, pajamas, cartoons, etc.  We have a lot of Spidey stuff and soon will have two costumes of our very own.  But when, very much to our surprise, he showed up at the Northampton Days Festival, i wondered if they, or Chase at least, would be too scared to greet him in person.  Either he really loves Spider-Man or he has matured a bit because it was hugs, high fives, and even pictures with their favorite bug hero!!

There was a Mechanical Bull in the Back?!

When Chase and Ryder were 8 months old we joined a playgroup.  We have met weekly ever since and though some of the original members are no longer weekly faithfuls, those of us who have remained have added more kids to the brood.  Over the last three years we, the parents and the children, have gotten to know each other and have become great friends.  For this, I know I am lucky.
We have gone out socially with all of the couples of this playgroup and it is always interesting when we remove the children to see what conversations can actually be like.

As it turns out, we have gone out the most with Brett and Randi Cohen.  We always have a really good time with them (not to mention that their daughter, Liv, ranks very high on Chase and Ryder's list.)  So, during Labor Day Weekend we got babysitting and headed out without the kids and with the Cohen's to end our summer fun.

Buddakan was fantastic as we've learned to expect every time we dine at any of Stephen Starr's restaurants. Though second in ranking, behind the original Old City gem, or perhaps even third following the gem's Big Apple copycat, Buddakan offered us everything tthe name has come to mean.
Ordering from the new "black menu," allowed us a tasting experience of culinary perfection.  Though said to be perfectly portioned, it was enough food for satiating and beyond.  We dined, we drank, we laughed.  The night could have ended there and it would have been a great night out.  But, the night continued and resulted in, perhaps, one of the most memorable, and interesting, in quite some time.

You see, from Buddakan, we were joined by another couple (yep, they could have joined us for dinner with all of the food we had) and in search of a nightcap we headed to Game On!  What we liked about this bar was 1) we could have watched the end of the Phillies game had it not already been over and 2) it was empty when we got there.  Just our speed.

After we ordered our drinks, Randi remembered that Game On! comes well equipped with a mechanical bull.  A MECHANICAL BULL!!  What began as fun taunting from one party to another ended up as a night surrounded by 200+ college coeds and a mechanical bull ride from each and every one of us!!

Let's start with the coeds.  Unbeknownst to us, every Friday night at midnight, all Summer long, there was a bikini contest atop the bar..  Apparently, a Rowan student was a finalist and her and her closest several hundred friends were there for the event.  There's nothing like a bar full of college students to remind us we are well past our bar day prime.


And so, with a larger audience than I would have preferred, I rode a mechanical bull.  Todd rode a mechanical bull.  All of us rode a mechanical bull.  And, it was so much fun!!  I admit I was a bit shy at first and thanks to Brett, who went first, and Stepehani who followed his lead in the bet, I was able to get past my timid side and straddle the bull.  Yes, I did finish my drink first as well....just to take the edge off.

It's no easy task to stay on the bull.  A bunch of twenty somethings cheering you on does not help the ego, though you would think it might.  Watching all of those before me, one hand on the rope the other up with a bent elbow and spread fingers, ready to high-five the spectators, I tried to learn a few pointers before my ride.  Once on, there was little thought and no plan, just an adrenaline building, white knuckled grasp as my body contorted in ways I didn't know it could..  Contorted in ways that required tylenol the next morning.  But, contortions aside, it really was a blast.  And, as it turns out, the secret is simple: lean forward when the bull goes forward.  It did seem to work for a few seconds:)

Pooped Out!

I've used this expression a million times! This, and it's variations including "I'm pooped!". Normally, it is said to express an overwhelming feeling of  exhaustion. Today, I use these words so literally that I may never be able to say them again without literal connotation.
Turner is a mad pooper.  Really.  If, in one day, we change 8 diapers at least 6 are dirty.  Sometimes more. It's incredible, really.  Perhaps that is normal for babies, who could remember, but normal does not make it any more inviting to change yet another diaper.
And, then there's Chase, who has been potty trained for two months yet can not manage to poop on the potty.  He seems to think it is better to poop in his underwear.  And, I would opt to change all 8 of Turner's dirty diapers then to change one of Chase's underwear messes.  Of course, I have no choice and I change both daily.
TODAY!!  Today was one of those days that need not be repeated.  Because not only did Turner bat 1.000 in the dirty diaper department.  Chase pooped in his underwear twice.  The first time was at home.  Messy, but manageable.  The second time, however, was at the playground.  We were there on a playdate with a school friend the boys did not see all summer.  We were there for about twenty minutes when Ryder came up to me, innocent and sorry, "mommy, I had an accident!"  You must understand that Ryder has pooped on the potty without error since the first day he asked to wear underwear.  But, he had been on amoxycillin treating an ear infection, which I am assuming caused his stomach to rupture in such a way that I am hardly able to find the words.  I had to take him home to clean him up.  I probably should not have even brought  him home considering his filth, but really where else was there?  So, I left Chase at the playground in the custody of Scott so he could play with his friend Jessica and at home I attempted to hold back my nausea as I cleaned Ryder.  Then, finally, we went back to the playground.  We got there, we played for a long while, then Chase approached me with his daily, "mommy, I pooped in my pants!"  That was the end of our day.  I loaded three boys with clean colons into the car and headed home and had no interest in any more bowel movements anytime soon.  I was as literally pooped out as I ever wanted be!