Infestation

So, Luke has ringworm. And I have Poison Ivy. Don't come over.

Just kidding, you can still come over, I just cant rub Luke's diaper or my arm up against you. What I first thought was a spot of diaper rash, then exczema, then, well, ringworm, is, in fact, ringworm. Now, its not a worm. Its a fungus (so much better, eh?) Its the same thing as Jock Itch or Athletes foot, I have learned.
I think that it sounds much tougher and less skeevy to say that Luke has jock itch, no? My little son with Jock Itch. Athletes butt. I don't know why that is making me laugh out loud, but it is. Some over the counter cream is already starting to clear it up.....and once its being treated its no longer contagious....but ugh. I feel shame.

As to my poison ivy....I have spent a lifetime thinking that I was immune to the stuff. I thought it was God's little gift to me.....he created me with very little/no self control and a severe distaste for all things itchy....so I thought it very fair and considerate of him that I also was immune to poison ivy. Only, suddenly I'm not. Thanks, big guy. Funny joke. Ha ha. See me laughing? I have fantasies of burning it, pouring bleach on it, scrubbing it with a brillo pad, and poking hot needles into it. Stupid yardwork.

Look how big Jules is getting. She amazes me with her sunny little personality and big smiles. She is wearing my new fave thing, courtesy of Jeannie....babylegs! Totally rocking the 80's leg warmer look a la Flashdance. Everyone should start wearing them. With a onesie. Hot. (trying to picture grown ups walking around in onesies and legwarmers.......) I have not had my coffee yet, so all of this is really seeming funny to my sleepy brain.

Pete ~ I only rubbed Luke's diaper and my arm on your pillow for a few seconds. Muh ha ha ha haaaaaaaaa. Ringworm Ivy face'd Pete. You can call it Jock Face.

You tell me

Do you think that Luke enjoyed the sand and water table at Kevin and Meredith's house yesterday?

Vax Attacks

This picture has nothing to do with this post, I'm simply sharing it because its TOO. DAMN. CUTE. Lest there ever be any doubt that my kids are loved, I submit to you photo proof.....who else would "dance" with a newborn at a wedding but a doting Grandpop? :)

We have sick, tired, snotty, fevered kids. I went to a yoga class on Thursday afternoon. Afterwards I went to pick up Luke and Julia and could not help but notice the walking GERM of a kid who was playing near Luke. He was coughing, and snotty,and sneezing, and veritably oozing general illness. I said to the girl who was handing Julia to me ~ "That kids sick, why is he here?"..........WHY do people bring their sick kids around other peoples healthy kids? Who is that selfish, that inconsiderate, that......jerky? Anyway. My kids are sick, thanks to some poor sick kid whose mother dragged him out to the gym so that he could share his germs liberally.
Well done, stranger Mother, well done.

We also had the kids well baby (ironic, eh?) visits on Friday. Luke's 15 month and Julia's 2 month. Jules is rockin it in the 95ht % across the board for height, weight, and head. My solid Luke is 70% for weight, 60% for height, and has a giant noggin like his Daddy :) My OB still blames that big ole noggin for my C Section (I blame my OB, if blame has to be assigned, but that's a whole nother story). Shots were distributed. In case anyone has missed it, you cant swing a dead cat these days without hitting some story about Vaccinations creating everything from Autism to ADD and everything in between. There are passionate feelings on both sides of the issue. The Vax'ers vs. the Non Vax'ers. To me this is such a tough issue. I have fears of Vax's, and I have fears of not getting Vax's. I pick and choose. I try to educate myself, I talk to my Pedi, I read, I listen to my heart. Julia skipped some Vax's (rotovirus and HepB) for now, and Luke has had a few on a delayed schedule and skipped the Chickenpox Vax. We don't do the flu shot. Any of the shots that they DO get are thimerosal free. Other than that, I go with the Vax's. I wince, I flinch, I cry before the appointment, especially with my newborns. But I do it.

Luke had 2 boosters yesterday....he has graduated from the shots in the legs to shots in his arms. He was sitting on Nate's lap for the shots, and it made me tear up when Nate put his hand over Luke's eyes right before the needle swooped in. Sweet Daddy. Luke is a tough cookie, he didn't even cry for a second with either shot. Jules....well, her reaction was not quite as stoic. She screamed. She writhed, she turned red, she broke my heart. You spend your life nurturing and protecting these little critters and then you hand them over to a giant nurse with a giant needle.

And it blows.

While I know its in their best interest in the long run, I sure do feel like a traitor in the moment.

Jamie gets Married

Congrats to Jamie and Jen who hosted an absolutely beautiful and fun wedding last night. We love you guys, loved the wedding, and wish you a wonderful long marriage filled with laughter and love.

Julia had her first limo ride and her firt big night out in the big city. She loved being spoiled by her grandparents and aunt and uncle, and nursed happily through the entire wedding ceremony.

15 Minutes

So Jules had her 15 min of fame the other night at the Phillie's game. The Philly Phanatic accosted her for a dance on the big screen. He shook his mountainous green belly at her, and kissed her head, and generally had a little party with my 8 week old daughter on the jumbotron. I don't know if it was on TV or not....did anyone see it? (Everyone I know was watching the Fly Guys lose :() We did not get pics. (I could totally throw Nate under the bus here as *cough* someone took a bunch of pics of the players, filling the camera card and putting the camera back in some un-findable place in the diaper bag)....but I would never do that to my wonderful husband. This pic shows us post dance, Jules wearing her big brothers Chase Utley shirt and blue socks (that's the camera dude behind us). A million people asked me "How old is HE" ......it clearly shows that I am a second time Mom in that I didn't even bother to correct them as to my sweet girls gender. I know you are a girl Jules,even when we dress you a little bit like a boy. Mom rocks blue all the time, and it was a welcome break from your pink wardrobe, truth be told.
I would love to say that you were your usual sweet easy going self at the game....but MAN would that be a bold faced lie. You were a pain in the neck! I love you so, but.....wow. My little girl subjected me to my first honest to goodness taste of a "fussy baby". (if fussy is defined by screaming inconsolably, that is). For the first time in my mothering career I can say that I had no idea what was wrong with my baby. I am someone who has no trouble nursing my baby in public. My kid has a right to eat, and I have a right to feed her. That said, the forced intimacy of stadium seating is about enough for me......I hate being that close to/touching strangers in the first place, let alone with a relatively socially taboo part of my anatomy exposed. I had brought a bottle of pumped milk, but my little one wanted no part of that in her fervent anger and discontent...... SOooooo, I spent 3 different nursing sessions standing up inside of the public restroom of the stadium. AWESOME. Nothing quite so humbling as trying to nurse a screaming baby inside a stall at a public stadium. I got to overhear some fascinating conversations....mostly those of drunk young women....further stressing me out as I started thinking about the sweet (if angry) baby I had at the breast one day becoming one of THOSE. Argh.

The next morning I took the kids to the zoo. My wonderful awesome playgroup Mama's do an outing once or twice a month, and this week we went to the Philly Zoo. I didn't really think twice about going solo with two babies until I was about to park....but I suddenly felt a flash of Mama fear for the first time in quite a while. Just a moment of "Oh SNAP what have I gotten myself into?" as I negotiated city traffic, and thought about small details like: Luke, Jules, me, keeping every one of us alive, lunch for me, lunch for Luke, nursing Jules, sunblock, diapers (for two) wipes, change of clothes, hats, sling, stroller, water for Luke, water for me, camera, wallet, zoo membership, cell phone, money, keys, diaper bag etc etc etc......

As I hustled from my car (I don't think that I could have possibly parked farther away from the main entrance) careening past herds of schoolchildren on the sidewalk as I off-roaded, passing the slow moving flock in the grass on the side of the sidewalk with Jules in the sling and Luke in the stroller, I heard three different Moms or teachers remark "Wow, she's got her hands full" as they looked at me. Really? I wanted to say? REALLY? You think? Anyway, that's when the fear hit. Holy Crap. I'm responsible for all of these lives. Its hot, and I'm in the city, and I'm alone, and IM SUPPOSED TO BE THE GROWN UP..........but I still feel like a kid sometimes.

Anyway. Long story short, we lived. Better yet, we learned! Luke loved the Monkeys, and the elephants, and just about everything. Poor kid got so excited about seeing the animals that he started pointing out every pigeon to me, shouting DUCK! I tried to explain to him that they were no more than filthy disease ridden sky rats....but I think that it went over his head. So huzzah all you filthy flying city DUCKS, my son loves you. Lunch was a bit of a mess, as I tried to nurse Jules, feed Luke in his stroller, and even occasionally shove a bit of food into my own mouth at the same time....but we all survived.

I'll tell you what. No one ever told me how physically DEMANDING motherhood is. Pushing the stroller up hills, heavy with the diaper bag and Luke, while Jules was strapped to my chest in the sling, in the 80 degree heat and picking up Luke over and over again to show him the animals was a flat out workout!

I came home exhausted.

Nate is away. Jules problem came to light when I thought through things and realized that it had been a day or two since she had pooped. THAT issue was remedied this morning, shortly after I bathed and dressed both kids in anticipation of going to Longwood gardens....as I nursed my girl she unleashed a torrent of 3 day built up baby poop.....up to her neck, down my leg, and generally all over. I can tell you that I have come a long way as such a disaster would have driven me straight to the shower (or tears) with Luke....instead I grabbed a towel, made a mess undressing her.....cleaned her up, redressed her, and got on the road. We had a wonderful time exploring Longwood (my son is such a treat, and Jules had to be feeling like a million bucks after, uh, unloading herself of her burden this morning).

I feel bad talking about this very private issue of hers very publicly, so I will also say that my sweet girl has slept from 10 PM till 6 am the past two nights in a row. Way to go, little one! I appreciate the sleep. AND, its 8 AM and Luke is still sleeping. He went to bed at 7.15 last night. I love that I lucked out in the sleep department with my kids.

Something is wrong with the website as I can neither spell check nor add pics at the moment. Zoo pics will follow.

Linkster Luke

Here is Julia checking out her Daddy and Luke checking out the golf course over at Applebrook.

Both were a hit.

Julia went to the gym for the first time today. Babies have to be 8 weeks, so I only lied a little bit. The weather is horrible and being inside the house all day is just long. Tomorrow the wee one gets to go to her first Phillie's game while big brother Luke stays home with Grandpop. Look for us ~ we will be right behind home plate. Wednesday is Luke and Julia's first trip to the Philly Zoo (Luke took in the Norfolk VA Zoo last year at about 8 weeks old) with playgroup.

My little Luke will be 15 months old tomorrow. Can't believe it.

Mother's Day

Anyone notice Luke's new skill? Lovely pic of my sweet boy a-la-finger up the nose with his Mom on Mother's Day.

He also got to play on the new antique airplane and firetruck that Grandpop and Mom Mom bought, big hit.

Nate is tall. I am short. However, I cant for the life of me figure out why this pic makes us look like we are actually different species or something. In real life, at 5'2 and 6'2 we dont look as freakish as this pic depicts. This is, however, my only pic of my whole family together yesterday, so I'm running with it.

My husband and kids treated me to a wonderful Mother's Day. I hope that all of you Mama's out there enjoyed every moment of your day.

Oh

Almost forgot.

Ain't these two damn cute?

This is Hazel holding Jules on the couch last night. Hazel is a friends daughter, and the epitome of "almost 5" coolness, if I do say so myself.

Hazel is this amazingly insightful, outgoing, intelligent, thoughtful and beautiful girl. She has a lovely, STRONG and funny Mama. Hazel gives me absolute inspiration; hope that my sweet and tiny daughter can grow up to be a child who knows her worth, her place, her voice, and her potential. My greatest hope for my daughter is that she will always and forever know her very worth.......that she will know that she is strong, that she will know how unconditionally she is loved, that she will believe that is able to accomplish anything that she sets her mind on. My greatest hope for my daughter is that she owns in her heart the knowledge that she can be whoever she is. I love that person already, and I will never stop.

More on May

Lest you thought that I was exaggerating when I mentioned that Luke had a love affair with mulch, I opted to provide photo evidence. This was little Luke Dawg at the May Day festival that we went to last weekend. The pic of the kids and I is also from there. I cant even imagine a more beautiful and fitting entrance to a May Day festival than a cherry tree laden petal strewn path. Lovely.

The other pic is of sweet Jules smiling at Tracy. My girl looooooves Tracy (as do I).

Luke is doing so many new things its hard to even keep track.

*My boy walks up and down the steps now. No more crawling for him. Big fella.
*He knows where his head, ears, eyes, mouth, shirt, belly and feet are.
*He dances better than his Mama. He has this new twist.....it involves holding his right arm up as though he was do-se-so'ing a partner (or...how I would imagine one do-se-soe's a partner anyhow...my last square dance was some time ago now). Have no idea where he got this new move, but man, it makes us laugh. Him too.
* He says - Ma Ma, Da Da, Shoes, Snack, Juice, Jules, Teeth, Uh Oh, Dog, Hot and a plethora of other things only he can understand.
* He is obsessed with airplanes. Every time he hears one he points up at the sky shouting "Ah ah!". I never before had any idea how many freakin airplanes flew over our home in one day.
* He gives the best kisses in the world, complete with sound effects now.

Ms. Jules is a flirty little fool. I adore it. She seems so BIG to me already for only being 7 weeks old. I have a joint 15 month and 2 month visit for the kids in the coming weeks and I cant wait to get her weighed. (I'm definitely bringing along emotional support as both critters have to get shots....argh).

It's Mothers Day eve. I have lots of thoughts about Mothers Day buy I think that I will have to wait till tomorrow to share them. Right now I have blathered on enough already.

Updates

Arent I a terrible blogger lately? Excuses:

Flyers and Sixers played almost every night last week, which is when I usually write. Playoffs > Blog.
Nate has been away this week, returning today. Sleep > Blog
Spring is in full gear and we have spent all of our afternoons at the park. Park > Blog.


The kids are wonderful. Here is Ms. J giving her bumbo a spin while her big brother proudly looks on.

Luke is a park maniac. He loves the sandbox. He climbs up and on everything. He is utterly fascinated with other kids. He has some sort of mulch adoration.....he spends a lot of time either eating it, rubbing it gleefully in his hair, or throwing it up in the air confetti style. I spend most of my days laughing and marvelling at this funny little person ~ I have absolutely no idea how I wound up with such an easy going, hilarious little critter as Luke. Yesterday was a 4 t-shirt day, between the disaster of lunch, the park and playing outside in the morning. It was also the first time that Luke officially turned the bathwater a little bit brown because he was so dirty from playing outside. I was proud.

Jules is a dream. Her smiles make me melt, and she is sharing them liberally these days. She seems huge to me already, I frequently forget that she is only 7 weeks (today!) old. Her eyes are a beautiful violet color, and she is STRONG! She continues to be an easy baby. She went swimming for the first time last week and it was a hit.

Luke seems to really dig his little sister. Yesterday as we pulled into the garage from the park and I got out to get the kids, Luke was holding her hand in their car seats. Not kidding. It made me tear up (I still have those fun post partum hormones going....we watched No Country For Old Men the other night and it pretty much gave me a post movie panic/crying attack thinking about bad things happening to my kids....argh. By the way, I hated the movie and if anyone out there is at all contemplating watching it, let me take me chance to tell you NOT TO. Hated it.) Coming in from the car is always a process. Yesterday for example, I had a huge bag from the park, groceries for dinner, and the two kids to get into the house. Somedays I think that it would either be a really funny, or really sad, video to share of me hustling the stuff and the kids out of the car and into the house before either one gets annoyed. Anyway, as I bring in Julia in the car seat base and put it on the floor, Luke now runs over to her and bends over so that he is close to her face, and starts saying "Da Da DA DAAAAAA" to his baby sis. Its the cutest thing I have seen in a while. My baby "Baby talking" his little sister.

With Nate away I have quickly learned that the key to this whole motherhood of two littles thing is simply staying one step ahead of them. It's really pretty easy having two so young as long as you don't intend on doing too much other than Mothering, at least while your husband is out of town working. So if you don't yet have a thank you card in your mailbox from me, please forgive me, its coming.

The boss just woke up. Enjoy the pics and Go Flyers.