TotMusings2011

Mackenzie has been pretty funny lately. Probably on a bit of a roll because she's also been pretty full of sassy.

• We were getting ready to go somewhere and I had asked Mackenzie to keep an eye on Zach, who was on the front porch (Dad was outside too, I just wanted double coverage). She comes in, lays down on the couch and says, Okay Momma, I keeping an eye on Zachy. Problem? She couldn't see him.
• Momma, Zachy called me a gook-goo.
• One day she was playing in her room with her imaginary friends. I went to the bathroom in there and she got upset with me because apparently Jordan or someone was in there. She said: Momma, we need to have a talk about this. When you need to go potty, you need to go in the other bathroom.
• Another day when I told her I needed to potty, she told me I had to wait until Daddy got home. Problem? That was like four hours down the road. Her response? From Pinkalicious: You get what you get and don't get upset. 
• We had soybeans one afternoon and I was showing her how to get the bean pods out. Her observation? There's a baby bean inside!
• Sometimes she likes to pretend she's Zachy's Mommy. When she does, she calls me Zachy's Grandma. Being an older Mom, I don't like that so much.
• Zachy thinks he wants to be a big kid and play big kid games! She's right!
• RufusDog got in Zachy's way the other day and Zachy shouted out, Ruuuu, NOOOO.
• When we were at the zoo on the sky ride, Mackenzie wanted to try to push forward and sit on the edge of the chair. Not happening. I explained how she could get really hurt if she fell. She responded with, It's okay Momma, the people will help me.
• Another time, I think when they were climbing on the kitchen table and being wild, I again tried to discuss with her the dangers of what she/they were doing. And, she responded with, Oh Momma, the policeman will help me. Yes, that's one way of looking at it.
• Mackenzie loves the color purple. One day Zachy repeated the word Purple and she ran over to him and said, That's what your sister's favorite color is Zachy!
• They got a toy school bus one afternoon at the Dollar Store. I told her it was a toy for them to share. She resisted at first and then said, Zachy can put the guys in and I can drive! How's that for problem solving and critical thinking skills? In a Three Year old nonetheless.
• Mackenzie got the crazy band bracelets and wanted to wear them to school. I said she couldn't and she said, I wanna wear them like Jordan Milton does. So, I let her wear one and after school she said, I share my bracelet with Jordan Milton! I let her wear it!
• I the Dad. Dad's make dressers.
• In the bathroom yelling Mooo-oooom, I dropped a car. Again, louder MOOO-OOOOM, I DROPPED A CAR! Mom goes in to get the car and she says, It worked!
• The Zacher is a cutie!
• The baby cow is a cutie!
• She's an early riser. One morning I told her we couldn't get out of bed because it was still dark. She gets a big smile on her face and says, I have an idea to make it light! After more discussion about why we can't get out of bed yet, she says, After we have one, two talks, we can get up? After yet more discussion, she says, Moo-oom, my eyes are OPENING! Clearly, I have lost.
• Mackenzie: That's a great idea! Mommy: That's a terrific idea, terrific means really, really great. Mackenzie: That NOT a erific idea. That's a great idea!
• At the end of the day, I often say I'm 'too pooped to pop.' The other night she said, Momma, did I poop to pop you?

FotoFriday1.28.11

It's time for some weekly pictures. A pretty good week overall I must say. We went to the Zoo down in Phoenix. I already posted pictures and talked about all the fun we had.

This week we also went on a couple of outings on our days at home. We don't have much out here, but I decided we need to take advantage of what we do have. Monday, we went to a park two 'towns' over, about twenty minutes away. But, it's much better than the 'local' park. Still no people there, but maybe if we go enough. Both kids had a terrific time. Zachy conquered yet another big kid slide and Mackenzie worked on the climber.

On Wednesday, we went to the 'local' library. It's small, but they have a cute little area for little ones. On the way over Mackenzie talked about how she wanted to get a library card so she could borrow a book. We'd have to take very good care of it, she explained to me, since we'd have to give it back so that we could borrow another one. I was pretty surprised at how knowledgeable she is about the whole process. Dad took her and Zach there probably two months ago and they talked about the library process, but that she recalled it in such detail this long after..dare I say my girl is pretty bright? Zachy kept wandering off. That's Zachy.

So, here they are...some Fotos from our week...

Monday at the Park.

Mackenzie at our new park.

Zachy conquering another big slide.

On the swing.

I pretended to run under her and she loved it.

And Zachy on his baby swing.

He was full of giggles.

Just being cute.

And silly.

Riding the 'horses.'

Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Conquering the climber.

Discovering a rock.

All packed up and ready to go.

'It's okay Zachy, we can come back.,' she said.

But he was determined to go up the old, unsafe slide, just one more time.

And at the library.

Reading the first book she decided to check out.

Featuring none other than...Olivia!

We could have stayed longer, but somebody pooped and somebody else forgot a diaper.

Zachy Photo of the Week:

She put the skirt on him, he picked out and put on the hat.

Mackenzie Photo of the Week:

Mackenzie and her Buddy. BuddyCat that is.

2GoodTuesday1.25.11

It's been a pretty good week. Mackenzie has been hilarious, so I need to catch up some Totmusings here soon. They have been hysterical and adorable together this week, so that needs some attention also in the near future.

Today I got to pick them up from the Totcollege. Mackenzie was pottying when I got there along with a couple of friends. Cracks me up, already the girls go in pairs. And, she had to wear a silly bracelet to school today because, in her words: But Mom, Jordan 'Milton' wears her bracelets to school. Yep, at Three. She had a great day. I got an email from her teacher who she said she took Mackenzie and several friends on a walk through the college campus. They even went up an elevator (AKA an 'alligator' in Mackenzie totlanguage). She loves elevators, so that alone made her day. Miss Anne also sent some adorable pictures, which I wish I could post, but I don't post pictures of other people's kids. So, oh well. But it is such a treat to get a sneak peak at her in her other environment.

Zachy was in his room - just he and one other tot left. I have said it before and will likely say it again, but they cannot help but gush over him and tell me how much they adore him. They say it, he's their favorite Tuesday-Thursday Tot. His days are pretty much always good. He's happy and easy going and just plain fun. My Mom saw it when she first met him, back when he was a week old. She just knew he was going to be a fun loving spirit of a person. And, she was right. He is fun. And happy. And a little love magnet. He's pretty impossible not to adore. I don't say that just because he's mine. They say it too. Thus, it must be fact. Oh, and the poor guy got a good bump on his forehead this morning before leaving. He slipped and hit it on a wall corner. Ouch. He's okay of course, but Ouch.

That was today. Hopefully I'll get around to catching up the other stuff, but, for now, here's 2GoodThings from our week...

• Mackenzie spraying things with a squirt bottle and Zachy washing them with a cloth. The teamwork alone was precious and then she said: Zachy's my helper. I showing him how to clean. Good Job Zachy!
• Zachy's face after braving the big slide at the zoo. And, Mackenzie's face as she conquered the sky ride!

ZooDay!No.2

Saturday we went to the zoo down in Phoenix. What a BEA-U-TI-FUL day! And the kids were magnificent, so it was a fantabulous time.

Zachy only napped fifteen minutes the whole day - despite the almost hour and thirty minute drive each way. He didn't nap on the way there. His fifteen minute nap was between the Zoo and Chili's. The guy was tired, but he is so good natured and resilient that, despite not napping, he stayed happy. I was pretty surprised that he didn't nap after Chili's since the car ride home was an hour and a half, but I guess that fifteen minutes rejuvenated him enough. Not that I would advocate against him napping, especially since he has become such a good napper recently, but I am shocked at how well he does when we do disrupt his schedule. He did sleep a solid almost thirteen hours that night.

Zachy loves to be out and about. He is easy going as can be. He laughed his way through the petting zoo, so giddy it's contagious. On the train he pointed at the different animals and said Dat with total excitement. He met the giraffes face to face for the first time. I think he was quite impressed. His monumental accomplishment of the day was....drum roll please....He went down a big slide by himself! Each time he did, he would say 'Gain and do it again, clearly smitten with his big totboy self. Mackenzie felt the need to protect him from other kids of course.  Zachy had taken his turn on the slide and an older boy was patiently waiting for Zachy to dismount so he could come down, but Mackenzie, worried that he was going to hurt her little brother, yelled at him. She then became his bodyguard and put her arm around him as she guided him away. Of course, all he wanted was to do it 'Gain!

Mackenzie was in a funk early on, but she ended up doing just fine and having loads of fun. She seemed more confident that day. Less timid in the play area, braver in the petting zoo. It was fun to see. She really 'gets' the whole zoo thing. She has favorite animals. Last time it was the Zebra. This time it was the Rhinoceros. She fed the giraffes again (my favorite animals - oh they are so full of grace and beauty), one of which licked her hand and she laughed. She had a blast feeding and touching the animals in the petting zoo. She loves the train and the merry-go-round and the play area. We went in the Aviary and, because it has doors, she decided it was school and tried to get her drop off and pick up game going. She was pretty unhappy with us for not playing, but got over it pretty quickly. The highlight of her day was going on the sky ride over the zoo. It is like a ski lift. I went on it with her. She loved it. I enjoyed doing it with her, but truth be told, felt much more vulnerable than I have ever felt on things like that before, because I had my most precious little daughter with me. While we talked and looked at things from high in the sky, I could not help but eagerly await the arrival of the ground. Worth it though, because she liked it and we got seventeen minutes of uninterrupted snuggle time!

At the end of the day, the kids were in the double stroller (a side by side). This was great because we could cover more ground. Usually Mackenzie won't go in it. Zachy decided to start pester and 'hit' her. Of course, she reacted with screaming. And he laughed. I kept telling her not to react and he would stop. Gotta admit, it was sort of funny.

That was our day. It was fantastic. I LOVE the Zoo! Here are some photos from the day....

The ride there...

Why the Santa hat, I don't know!

Look at those sparkly eyes and that little smile, even with a bottle in his mouth!

 Big Sister feeding the animals, while Zachy looks on.

Trying to free the caged animals in the petting zoo.

Mackenzie on the Merry Go Round.

And on the train.

Helping himself to some PB&J before conquering the Big Slide!

Going down the slide, backwards and on her tummy.

 I'm a big boy now!

And that makes me smile!

Here we are...

High in the Sky!

Together in the stroller. Before the 'incident.'

Stunning and Elegant....

I HEART Giraffes!

RunningRambleNo.2

Whata week. Mostly good. We had a 'Moment' on Wednesday, but otherwise, not a bad week.

Wednesday I think we were all feeling a bit caged up. Especially me. After the holidays, the snow and then just not getting out, we've been home way too much. But, today we went to the zoo, full post with pictures to follow shortly.

I never really got around to posting this week other than my 2GoodTuesday. I started on Monday with some randomness, but never really finished. Then added a bit on Wednesday and then Friday. Also never finished. So, here's a combined RunningRamble effort from our at home days last week. Since they cover different days, ignore any 'time references!'

• I love the mud in the backyard since the snow melted. Really I do. So, so, so glad my kids are outside in the mud in their socks.
• Speaking of socks, Mackenzie has sock neurosis. They hurt her if there is the slightest crinkle.
• Mackenzie just called out from the playroom, 'I at the hospital. My baby is going to be a little born.'
• I think Zach threw away one of his Fisher Price toy milk bottles.
• Mackenzie is wayyyyy too fixated on Olivia. She now wants to be called Francine. Make that Queen Francine.
• Zachy came in and brought me his shoes to put on. The bottoms of his white socks are, not surprisingly, black.
• Yesterday Zachy and Mackenzie were outside. I hear him crying. I go see what's wrong. Mackenzie has been 'washing' him with cold, muddy water. Sweet sister.
• And, yesterday Mackenzie pretended to be a puppy, In doing so, she decided to pee in the backyard. It was as funny as it was disturbing.
• When I clean the playroom, I inevitably stop at the play kitchen. Do you think maybe, just maybe, this is some form of MommaRebellion?
• I just made broccoli, cauliflower and cheese soup, from scratch. Zachy is a food thrower. Why did I think this was a good idea?
• I made the mistake of referring to Mackenzie as 'Princess Mackenzie.' She's taken on this role and run with it. Demanding. Expects me to be at her beck and call. Oh wait...nothing's changed. Just another day with a three year old.
• Zachy comes up to me sometimes and just gives me a totboy hug. He's getting the whole cuddle idea too. Love it.
• Mackenzie is an expert Snuggle-bug. She Loves it. I Love it.
• Today I saw a wasp and the other day I saw a bee. Come on guys, it's January! We had snow. Shouldn't those things be gone by now? And I mean totally gone. Annoyed. And concerned, because if they have survived, they must be some sort of super stinging insect, bug or whatever they are species.
• Zachy is taking two to two and a half hours naps. Ridiculous! I might regret saying this, but bygosh he's become a good sleeper! Who'da Thunk that would even be possible!
• Mackenzie has a thing with closing all the doors off the living room. Wondering what it's about. I think it has something to do with her totfears and feeling safer and more in control with the doors closed off.
• Zachy just dumped dog food all over and said, Ut-oh. As if he didn't know that was going to happen!
• 'Momma, I need to jump way higher, so I will grow taller!'
• When I picked Zachy up yesterday, they said he is their favorite eater. He sits at the table, crosses his hands in front of him, and waits. Are they sure they were talking about my son, the food thrower?
• 'Momma, I having a bad, bad day because I got a papercut. Will you call the doctor so I can go in and say I got a papercut, please!'
• Mackenzie made sure I called the doctor. She asked to talk to the Doctor and wondered why the Doctor was not talking back. I made up some lame excuse. Told her the Doctor was busy writing everything down. She bought it and kept talking.
• Mackenzie playing Mommy to Zachy, sweetness.
• Mackenzie playing Doctor with BuddyCat. Have I mentioned how bizarrely patient that cat is?
• I will never get over how cute it is when Zachy puts a choking hazard in his mouth, seeks me out, laughs in my face and runs away. Cute and unfortunately dangerous at the same time.
• Zachy seeing his Favorite Book, 'Yummy, Yucky' and saying Ugy.
• Zachy now plays 'Baby.' He gets on the floor, crawls around and says, Baby. Hmmm....wonder where he got that idea?
• Zachy clapping and saying Yayyyy during the movie Happy Gilmore when Gilmore was playing golf.
• I am ashamed to admit this, but our 'Christmas tree,' a small, humble artificial one is still up. Maybe by February?
• Yippeeee! I found the missing milk bottle. He didn't throw it away. The wagon now has six again. Whoppeee. My life is complete.
• Mackenzie gets into arguments with RufusDog and BuddyCat.
• Mackenzie commenting, while lying on the couch, that something was Stinky. I pointed out it might be RufusDog or perhaps BuddyCat. And she replies with, Or maybe you, Momma. For the record, I was nowhere near her at the time.
• Zachy seeing Puffs and calling them Uffs.
• Mackenzie came up to me with her mouth wide open and then said, Momma, mouth is open. I tired.

TotMusing of the week:

Quite awhile ago, after Mackenzie had done something that upset me, she suddenly started to sing me the ABC song and I started to laugh. On Wednesday, I got upset with her after she dumped her smoothie all the over table for an 'art project.' When I was explaining my upset to her, she said:  Momma, Do I need to sing you the ABC song?

FotoFriday1.21.11

Not a very exciting week, but I am a day late in getting up my FotoFriday Fotos this week. We did go to the Zoo today, though, so next week should have some more exciting pics!

Here's some moments from this last week...

Mackenzie Photo of the Week

Last weekend we babysat EmmyDog from next door.

Mackenzie didn't want to let her go home!

Zachy loves to be in his playpen.

He only goes in once a day, and Mackenzie gets to watch tv, and I get to exercise.

Win-Win-Win!

Zachy Photo of the Week

Just cause he looks so cute!

Zachy loves to do whatever his sister does.

Seems he wants to eat at the Big Kid table now.

Mackenzie's new dresser.

Smoothie-time.

(Would've taken a pic of Mackenzie, but...well...that was a whole different kind of mess!)

Mackenzie made herself a 'fort' in the pack in play.

Zachy's new thing:

Putting on One way too big shoe and walking around.

Mackenzie's puppet show.

 Hangin' with her peeps...

BuddyCat on the couch and RufusDog right by her.

Sibling Photo of the Week

Zachy saw Mackenzie lying on the floor and positioned himself right on next to her.

2GoodTuesday11.18.11

My 2GoodTuesdays for this week...

• Tonight I gave Zachy his bath. Just me and him. I loved playing with him. He's so funny. I had a little foam guy I kept popping up over the side of the tub and he was hysterically waiting in anticipation of where the guy would pop up next. When he caught him he would yell out and throw him. The boy is hilarious. After the bath, I held him while he gave himself kisses in the mirror. A lot of kisses. It was funny. And cute. And then just odd.
• This week we got Mackenzie's 'room' set up. New furniture and transformed part of the bedroom into her own little pretty area. She has a new pink bean bag for chillin'. She decided to stay in her 'room' for awhile and read books. She kept coming out to update me. 'Momma, I reading 'Pinkalicious' now.' 'Momma, I still in MY room. I reading 'Too Loud Lily.' She felt special and that felt good.

Now, how 'bout adding in a Totmusing or Three?

• Momma says, 'You've made quite the mess in here Little Miss.' To which she replies, 'I thought I was decorating!'
•  'My issue...my issue is I no want to play with my little brother.'
• Yesterday Mackenzie took Zachy's fly swatter. After a lot of negotiation, I got her to give it back. He had long since moved on, but, quick study that he is, he figured out he won and smugly said, 'MINE!'

FavoriteThingsNo.2

Over the weekend I took on the task of labeling my posts. As tedious as it was, it was also fun to look back. One post I did that I liked was a post where I listed their 'Favorite Things.' I thought it provided a nice snapshot of them at that moment in time. Thus, I have decided now and then to do a Favorite Things post.

Zachy still likes most of what I listed last time. Especially, his Pillow Pet; their relationship continues to blossom. He continues to love being outdoors and, accordingly, loves his shoes and socks. Of course, he still likes to get a rise out of his sister, until she retaliates, that is.

Three days shy of being seventeen months, some more of Zachy's Favorite Things are:

• Throwing food.
• Throwing things away.
• Getting into the cat litter box with a small bowl or something and scooping it out.
• 'Jumping' on the bed.
• Turning in circles. At first he was imitating Mackenzie playing ballerina, but then I think he decided he just liked getting dizzy.
• Fitting things into things, taking off and putting lids on things
• Running around with choking hazards in his mouth.
• Laughing.
• Being chased.
• Being naughty. Silly naughty that is.

Mackenzie also still likes a lot of the same things as before as well. She still twirls hair, her's and our's. She is still into role play. The newest one is 'Puppy.' BuddyCat, he's a constant. They're attached to one another. And, she still loves her family.

One day past turning three years and five months, some more of Mackenzie's Favorite Things are:

• 'OLIVIA.' She is obsessed with 'Olivia.' At times she makes believe she is Olivia's friend, Francine.
• Purple. She loves the color Purple.
• The book 'Too Loud Lily.'
• Helping and getting praise for helping.
• Accomplishing something by herself. Much as she fights it, she feels good when she 'Does it!'
• Having her very own new special 'place' to have quiet time.
• Using her imagination.
• Not napping.
• Being a Big Sister. She has really started to take on this role and takes her responsibilities seriously.
• Being a 'Big Kid.'

HappyEnding

Zachy got sent home yesterday from Totcollege with a fever. 102.2. He looked droopy and tired. A little crabby. Went to bed early. Fever continued today. Crabby most of the day. Napped at 8:40 am. Poor tired little guy. Not much of an appetite. Took another short afternoon nap. Crabby. Clingy. Fever. Had a little food in the evening.  Just not himself.

This means Mackenzie had her moments too. She was upset because he was sick and she wasn't. The nerve of him! But all in all she did alright. She did demand a turn in the Ergo Carrier. A few other odd requests, but she's three and life's a sibling competition, right? Not only that. He being sick definitely cramped her style. And that has to be hard on a three year old!

Then they took their bath. All was going smoothly. Even crabby Zachy was happy in the bath. Mackenzie wanted to stand up and I asked her to sit down. She explained to me that she was Mommy and taking a shower and said, 'You understand why I can't sit down now, right?' Funny girl. I got them out of the bath and Mackenzie sat in front of the heater while I got Zachy dressed, but I only got as far as his diaper. Next thing you know he's walking away from me and takes off his diaper. I now have two naked, but clean, toddlers on the loose. He starts to scream and laugh and scream and laugh. And then he bends over to get more air power for his scream. So she starts in. Next thing you know they are both running through the house. Screaming and laughing. Was he really a feverish crabby boy all day, I wonder? And then they get on the bed. She starts jumping and he starts to try. A good ten minutes. And then the toilet paper. They got a hold of a roll together. All through the house. Laughing. Toilet paper all over. All over the house. All over them.

Gotta roll with it. Gotta laugh with it. Gotta love it. A Happy Ending!

FotoFriday1.14.11

It was a beautiful week. Temps up some from the biting 20's and 30's we had last week. And the snow melted, so except for some muddy spots, the outside was a much improved for some play. Thank Goodness! Another week totally caged in would not have been a good thing!



Pretending she is in a parade and waving to the crowd. With her helmet on.



He LOVES this thing. It became the most coveted 'toy' of the day.



And then he decided to 'shovel' snow. And hand it to me.



Taking a bike ride/walk together.



Running, playing chase.



Being a 'Jumping Girl!'



Using tape to 'fix' her Treasure Chest she said, 'I the good tape leader. I fix this super good.'
(And the 'outfit'....from her dress up clothes.)



He has decided to walk down slides. Next thing you know he'll be walking on water.



Playing 'Hi,' He would go from slot to slot and then pop up and look over.
Baby Belly Laughs. The BEST!

Sibling Game of the Week...

Doctor.



After she finished his exam, she said, 'He was a very patient boy.'



Looking at his face, I think 'paralyzed with fear' might be more accurate.



Zachy Photo of the Week...



Zachy eating a meat and cheese sandwich.
He pokes it piece by piece and then opens it up and eats the meat and cheese, leaving the bread for Rufus.



Mackenzie Photo of the Week...

She looks so cute, doesn't she?