StatusUpdate

Thought I'd use some facebook statuses to catch us up even more! I know, I'm still a whole Friday Faves behind though!

• something tells me i should have woken zach up before his nap hit 3.5 hours. it's a play now, pay later kind-of thing.
• darn you, laundry. darn you.
• lunch time. mackenzie wants fish crackers, pretzels or cookies. i have offered turkey. i just asked, 'are you ready for turkey, or do you want to hold out and see if you get snacks?' her response? (with a smirk) 'i'll hold out for a bit longer for snacks.' predictable, i know. but it was pretty funny.
• dad took the kids to the Y. quiet house. yummy turkey and avocado sandwich. and then the cat throws up. can momma get a break? please?
• gymnastics this morning followed by an evening literally running around the zoo = mackenzie out in 5!
• okay so we went to say bye to mackenzie's preschool friends who are graduating to kindergarten. i know it's only preschool and not even my child who's moving on yet, but i wanted to cry. not cut out for the emotions that comes with this parenting thing!
• going to a 'graduation' potluck this evening at Mackenzie's preschool for the 'friends' who will be starting kinder next week. next year it'll be her. oh my.
• and in 3 short years it'll be zachy...oh my oh my!
• never had to work with mackenzie on 'using her words' as the saying goes because she uses them just fine. zach's a little less verbal. unless it has to do with sugar. 'more cookies' flows out of his mouth perfectly.
• mackenzie got a new, special purse yesterday. it's a black poodle with a sparkly pink shirt & bow. i emptied it out tonight & she had put in it: a camera, a cell phone, something to pull her 'hair' back with & her ID (ymca). just like her momma's purse. made me smile. ♥ her!
• My kids birthdays are 4 days apart. I was filling out invitations for Mackenzie's school friends and on the second to last one almost wrote in Zach's date. So, of course I had to open all the others to make sure I wrote the right date, which I did. So, now I need a bunch of invite envelopes. Annoyed. But at least we actually live by stores now. Out in nowhere land, this would have been a major crisis.
• okay, zachy zacher...if you want to feed rufusdog hotdogs, that's fine. but deli meat's not cheap!
• zachy, almost 2, got out his favorite plate, brought it to me & said 'salad please.'
• something tells me that whoever came up with the phrase 'no sense in crying over spilled milk' was either not a parent or long past the toddler years.
• kids playing and laughing. hear a boom and zachy crying. 'what happened?' i ask. 'he fell and broke his head.' oh, glad it's nothing serious.
• suddenly find myself wondering why i didn't take advantage and nap and when both kids were napping, which does not happen often anymore. also wondering why the extreme sleepiness sets in just as the second wakes up. coincidence? i don't think so....
• ‎'it wasn't me. it was zachy. he tried to reach it....with a stool. and then he took it away. he VERY took it away.' i suppose it's possible, if he weren't in the living room busily trying to throw a balloon at the ceiling fan. nice try, mackenzie.
• zachy is 23 months today, a month from two & mackenzie is a month minus 4 days away from four. i know they're still little, but it goes so fast. we were at the zoo monday, which is where they celebrated their 1st & 3rd birthdays. eleven months is not that long ago, but zachy was still a baby. now he runs & climbs & talks. all in eleven months. mackenzie has gone from a totgirl to a little girl. it's crazzzzzy!
• just a hunch, but i don't think 'iphone,' 'text' or 'debit card' were part of my 3 year old vocabulary.
• took the kids to the zoo this morning. love all the playdates we get to have but sometimes it's nice to see them just interact with each other. they were simply adorable together.

Zachy'sFavoriteThings7.16.11

Time for another edition of....

Zachy's Favorite Things!

• Balls.
• Throwing balls.
• Riding bikes.
• Riding bikes in the front yard.
• Looking at bikes.
• Saying the word Bike.
• Story time in Mackenzie's room before bed.
• Throwing pieces of paper.
• Throwing things in general.
• Being held upside down.
• Sneaking and getting into things. In the bathroom especially.
• Pushing strollers.
• Driving 'cars.'
• Digging in dirt.
• Trains.
• Ice cream.
• Pushing then hugging Mackenzie.
• Barney and The Wiggles. Whatcha gonna do!?
• Oh, and Thomas the Train.
• Chase.Running and screaming.
• Squirt bottles.
• Last, but NEVER least...GUNKY!

FewMoreMinutes

Mackenzie woke up at 6a this morning. Not wanting to join her, I kept telling her I just needed to keep my eyes closed for a 'few more minutes.' That went on for a good two hours.

I was in her bed. I think she hung out in her room most of the time. At first she quietly played games on the phone. That took care of several 'few more minutes.'

Then she got more active.Changed clothes about five, maybe more, times. Emptied most of closet and drawers in the process. Got out stickers and put them all over. Took out puzzles and did not put them together. Dumped out her Lincoln Logs. Went through all her dress up clothes. Three bins worth. There was stuffed animals and dolls and play food and baby bottles and more. All over the floor. Necklaces and crowns and wands. All over the floor.

Every few minutes she would tell me to get up. I wouldn't. I'm pretty sure that every few minutes another pile was made. We had company over tonight, so yesterday I cleaned her room really good. My two hours of a 'few more minutes' completely abolished my efforts from the night before.

I'd like to say lesson learned....but my guess is tomorrow morning at 6a, wanting a 'few more minutes' of sleep will completely erase any memory of the consequences.

Sleep and this cute little face...

MishMashOfCrazyCuteness

As promised...here I go! Bullet point Momma is going to catch up. Somewhat. In no particular order, get ready for a mish-mash of crazy cute!

First...some facebook posts:

• Love when Mackenzie runs in, grabs a towel and yells out, 'Just stay there Momma. I didn't do anything!'
• "Ow, Zachy hit my bike helmet." Why? I asked. "Cause I was doing something to him."
• watching wizard of oz, m's new favorite movie. 'but mom, why she's not in kansas anymore?'
• this morning mackenzie said to jeff, 'dad, i'm going to go to the mall with you to keep you busy but i can't tell you why because it's a surprise.' note to self: careful how much you tell the 3 yo!
• Mackenzie got mad at me for calling her 'Honey' and insulted me right back with a 'Sweetie Pie.'
• Zachy has now discovered the power of hiding behind closed doors. Found him the other day in the bathroom in the dark munching away on chapstick. This was probably after he declined the lunch I made him.
• i love the random thoughts my daughter has when we talk before she goes to sleep. 3 (almost 4) year old minds certainly are busy places!
• followed a slightly stressful day at work with some family time at the square. kids got to run around while we listened to 'prescott idol' contestants perform. and it's an absolutely beautiful northern az night! just perfect :-).
• If Zachy eats one more tube of my chapstick, I'm going to....I'm going to....well, maybe actually put them somewhere out of his impulsive (almost) two year reach? ♥ ♥ ♥ (yep, I can do ♥ s now.)
• we went to walmart this evening and when we got there i commented how crowded it was. mackenzie said, 'see mom. that's why i didn't want to come. i knew it was going to be too busy.' yes, my dear little three year old tyrant, i am sure that's exactly what you were thinking during the argument-filled half hour it took to get out the door.
• We're going to play a 'Saiger's' house today - Mackenzie's school BFF. She's crazzzzy with excitement. They've been together for 3 years now....too sweet :-)
• Really wish I had listened to that little voice that said "Put the craft supplies away." Maybe then there wouldn't be purple paint all over the playroom floor. At least it's the playroom, right? Mad at myself.
• perfect night at the zoo tonight with Ben & Julie. Weather was perfect. A little rain before, which cooled things down perfectly and then again right at closing time. Couldn't have asked for a better evening. Oh, and Ben & Mackenzie couldn't have been cuter. And Zachy too, of course.
• zachy getting a sugar high at dinner was hilarious. now at 945, not so funny. that'll teach us.
• mom/grandma is in town. a beautiful day. a beautiful night. life is good.
• This morning Mackenzie informed me that she knows everything. Excellent. She turns 4 next month, mission accomplished!
• "When I go to Kindergarten, will I drive myself?" Of course you will, Mackenzie.

And now, what else? Off the top of my head....

• Zachy has his entourage, which includes 2 big pillow pets, 1 small pillow pet, Gunky and a blanket. One day I took another stuffed animal out of his crib and put it on the couch along with the rest of his entourage. He threw it down and said, NO! The boy knows his entourage.
• Zachy loves to throw balls. Actually, he loves to throw just about anything.
• Mackenzie loves Glinda the Good Witch from Wizard. Loves her. She has a framed picture next to her bed. She has a string of lights, which Glinda watches her through. She loves Glinda. A lot.
• One day Mackenzie was crabby and yelled at me. I reminded her that she was Glinda and Glinda smiles. It worked.
• Speaking of Mackenzie smiles....Tuesday morning, Mackenzie woke up and with a beautiful groggy smile said I love you Mommy. You know it. I melted.
• As I was getting ready to leave for work, Zachy followed me around with his shoes. Trying to get me to put them on so he could go with me. Sweet, but it broke my heart.
• One afternoon when I was doing the dishes, Zachy closed the dishwasher and said, Momma, uggle (snuggle). Did I? Absolutely. How could I resist?
• When Mackenzie took the sharebag to school, she took a barbie-ish doll (only one she owns) who she calls Glinda. I tried to talk her into taking her To-To instead.
• One day  I asked Zachy for kisses and he started kissing the air, over and over and over again. CuteNess!
• I wasn't feeling too good on July 4th. I was on the bed in the playroom and Zachy pretended to put me to sleep. He put a 'blanket' over me, hugged me and gave me a kiss. And then he decided it was more fun to use me as an obstacle course. He climbed on the bed, over me, off the bed, ran around the bed, climbed on the bed, over me, and so on and so on.
• Out of nowhere, Mackenzie said, Momma I don't want shots in my arm. Will you tell the doctor that?
• Zachy has been practicing animal sounds. One evening I asked if he wanted a Hotdog. He said, Ruff ruff.

I know I keep saying it, but things are good. We have been having fun. And, I feel totally Blessed. Blessed that you two sweet beings are in my life and Blessed that we are getting to do things. Fun things.

Until next time....

TotpreschoolHappenings

Just a few cute totpreschool happenings to get down on 'paper.' So, bullet points seem to be the way to do it, especially with how busy our days have been. Busy = Good! Things are good.

• Zachy is in a baaaddddd sleep phase. Involving lots of screaming. Need I say more?
• The other day, before leaving for a birthday party, Mackenzie yelled out: Let's rock and roll to the party!
• At naptime the other day I put Rufus in Zach's room. It helped. Tried again at bedtime. No luck.
• Zachy loves to sing songs before bed. It's so dang sweet.
• Mackenzie has been quite the 'helper' lately. Always looking for jobs to do. Until a tv show comes she likes. Then she takes a little rest.
• We've had a series of mishaps this morning, resulting in Mackenzie using the word issue a lot.
• I can't play. I'm working.
• Mackenzie said Zachy was 'melting down.' Spoken from personal experience.
• Mom and Dad have the same phone, slightly different colors. Zachy knows and when he sees them will them back to their rightful owner. Herego, phone.
• When we are getting ready to go somewhere, I usually yell out, Let's G-O...GO! or 1, 2, 3 Let's DO-IT! Mackenzie now says the whole things along with me and Zachy will yell out either the GO! part or the DO-IT! part. It's cute. Trust me.
• Zachy gets this crazy manic thing going where he runs to the bed in the playroom, gets on it, jumps and then bangs his head into the pillows. Laughs. And does it all again. And again.
• When I don't let Mackenzie have something, she will look at me with big eyes and say, Just say oh-kay!
• One day Zachy had a new kind of diaper, with Mickey and Minnie. He looked at them, pointed and yelled CATE! Asked her Mom and, sure enough, Cate wears 'em. Perceptive little guy.
• Yesterday Mackenzie suggested we go to play at Tess's house. I think she tried to get what she wanted by suggesting that I go play with my friend, who just happens to be Ari's mom.
• Zachy combines two words a lot now. Most of his combinations contain the word no, mine or both.
• Sometimes when she wakes up in the morning, almost always first, Mackenzie wakes me up by saying, I love you, Momma. Is that an awesome way to wake up, or what?

Busy weekend. Tsunami on the Square today and tomorrow is Father's Day. Looking forward to funFunFUN.

InTheWeeds

You guys kicked your Mom's butt today. Seriously. I'm not sure what happened, but I felt like I was in a waitressing nightmare. I waitressed for about eight or nine years, so I recall those well.

They go something like this:

A table comes in, they can't seem to order anything but keep you there. A few more tables come in. You go to the computer, it's not working. You've forgotten all the codes. More tables come in. Nobody knows what they want. Food is up. Drinks are up. You're totally in the weeds.

That's how today was.

My POA (Plan-of-attack) was to do some morning chores. Not many. Just get things in order and put away a load of laundry. Then lunch time, then Zachy naptime/Mackenzie tv time, Momma exercise time. And then hopefully a mellow afternoon, maybe take an afternoon nature walk, which Mackenzie really wanted to do.

I never did get chores done in the morning. I kept trying to clean the kitchen, but somehow it got messier and messier. Zach's nap, well...that was a disaster. Forty-five minutes maybe. I kept thinking he'd fall back asleep, so I let him cry. Nope. Painful.

No real nap means no time to wrap up the morning chores, which never really got started since I couldn't even manage to manage the kitchen.

No afternoon nature walk.

I felt sad. I felt like I let Mackenzie down, who really wanted to go on an adventure walk and I let Zach cry a little longer than I wanted because I just kept hoping he'd fall back asleep. Hard to get things done while holding him.

The day wasn't terrible. I'll write about that in a follow up post. Right now.

But I do have to say that all I really wanted to do was put away one load of laundry. Tonight, I walked in Zach's room and there it was. Still waiting to be put away.

Definitely, a day spent in the weeds.

Random tidbits. Yet again. I'll get in a real groove again. I promise I will.

• Out of nowhere, Mackenzie asked When I was in your tummy, did I make you have to potty a lot?
• Zachy now asks for Choco Milk. I'm so proud.
• Last night I told him he couldn't have any 'Choco-Milk' and so he asked Ju? Surprised by his resourcefulness, I repeated back to him Juice? Please by what he believed to be success, he very definitively said Yah! He didn't get either. I have my limits. Sometimes.
• Mackenzie's new phrase: That's really strange. Sounds cute out the mouth of a 3 year old. She also regularly says: That's cool and Just a few (as in minutes, but shortened) and Freak out. Totlingo cracks me up.
• Life was a little easier before Zachy realized he should have equal rights.
• After preschool one day, Mackenzie said Jordan h. said I sing the ABCs really fast & Jordan S. said I can't play with Teddy because only she can.
• Mad at me one day, Mackenzie yelled: This is a poopy mommy day. I hope nobody play with you all day! Five minutes later we were good.
• Where's the phone? I need to call dad. I lost it. No you didn't. You can use my pretend phone. Love her world.
• Zachy solicits Mackenzie when he wants to do something mischievous. Partners in crime. Already.
• Zachy is totally into his 'toots.' And poop.
• Yesterdeay Zachy wanted to watch Barney and brought me an Iron Maiden DVD.
• Mackenzie gets mad at Zachy now and will tell him Zach.a.ry, you're so mean!
• My job is that I go to Preschool to play while Mommy Daddy go to work.
• Mackenzie got a haircut today by an actual 'haircut leader.' It was per her request. Really I think it was a stall tactic to stay out longer. Worked for me because in my effort to cut it, I had butchered it.
• The 'haircut leader' gave both kids a mini chocolate. Zachy had it all over him by the time we got home. Even he, I think, was mortified.
• Zachy loves to run through the house naked before bath. He's so funny and adorable it's unbelievable.
• Mackenzie totally helped me make BBQ chicken pasta bake. Totally.
• Last week we went to the zoo. There was a Kindergarten class there. Mackenzie got wet. She got upset until I told her she could take her dress off when we got to the car. She then walked ahead, very fast and loudly said I going to drive home naked! Cracked up the group of Kindergarten teachers she walked by as she yelled it.

MishMashFromTown

So far behind...but today seems like a good day for a MishMash...

• Zachy was up every two hours last night. Reminded me of the good ol' days until I remembered that back then he was up every four hours. For the first year of his life. Not the same. Not at all.
• Went to Walmart. Kids got toothbrushes. Cheap dates.
• Mackenzie picked a Spider Man toothbrush. I had no idea she knew who he was. Or Snow White or Cinderella for that matter.
• Mackenzie took a bag with two changes of shoes. She did in fact change her shoes during our short stay. Twice.
• We're taking a casserole over to Momma Julie. Mackenzie is going to share a princess band-aid. What a good friend!
• Zachy understands 'turns.' Yesterday I was mopping and he frantically said, Turn, Turn. Only problem was, once it was his 'turn,' the turn-taking was over.
• Just got back from Momma Julie's. Mackenzie wore her bathing suit. Zachy fearlessly tried to ride a big kid bike.
• Yesterday Zachy helped me mop.  Today Mackenzie helped me clean the bathroom. Lucky me. I'll leave it at that.
• My kids make me smile. Each and every day they do something. A lot.
• Mackenzie's play is revolving around a cell phone. I am ashamed. Okay, I'm not, but I should be.
• Aw, Mackenzie just walked up to me and said Mommy, I don't want to be a Mommy or a Daddy anymore. What do you want to be now, I asked. Just a kid.
• Mackenzie and Zachy got to meet a potential babysitter friend. She (M) wow'd her with her poopy talk and Tinkerbell play. Zachy wow'd them with his chatter. He gets so serious.
• Family went to Red Robin tonight. Once the kids at the next table got balloons, it was all over.
• Zachy didn't want to go to bed tonight. So he engaged me in a game of strollers. If I tried to stop, he'd grab my hand and place it back on my stroller. And then crash his into mine. And yell Crash!
• After the crash game, he engaged me in a tickle game. 'Gain, 'gain he said while laughing hysterically with that cute Zachy giggle.
• Before we moved, I told Mackenzie we were moving to 'town,' so now she calls our new home 'Town.' It sounds really cute when she says it.

Both kids are happy and asleep. Another fine day.

Motorcyles&Trains

Mackenzie has never been one to get attached to anything. No transition object for her. No lovey. No special blankie or binkie. Zachy has his beloved Gunky. He wakes up in the middle night and cries if he can't find him in the crib. He sits him down at mealtime. He pushes him in the stroller. He looks for Gunky. He asks for Gunky. He loves Gunky.

Not Mackenzie. We used to say she had an entourage of items. Now, she's 3 1/2 and I think she has found the item. It's a guy on a two inch motorcycle. We got it at Big Lots. It's not snuggly at all. It gets easily lost, which is a bummer for me. Seems she has to have him around at all times. Yikes, she sounds like a teenager already. I hope this isn't a sign of what's to come.

So, where do the trains fit in? When were at Big Lots, Mackenzie got her motorcycle guy and Zachy got a Thomas the Train. Whenever he sees Mackenzie holding her motorcycle guy, he asks for his train. I love the way he associates the two. When it comes down to it though, he's a Gunky loyalist. Mackenzie....we'll just have to wait and see. For today, it's definitely the motorcycle.

TheWishPresent

Mackenzie had an eyelash on her cheek a few days ago. I put it on my finger, told her to blow it off and make a wish. She was a bit confused, but she blew anyway. I asked her what her 'wish' was. She thought about it. True to her three year old self, she said, A present. Of course.

Five minutes later she went looking for her present. Bygosh the girl catches on quick. Mommy suddenly finds herself regretting the whole make-a-wish thing. But she'll forget, right?

The next morning, she wakes up, smiles and says, Let's go see if my wish present is here yet. Searching all over. Nope, not yet. Mailman comes, Let's go check the mail, see if my wish present is here yet. Nope, not yet.

Mommy is thinking to herself: Fantastic. My daughter makes her first wish and it's going to shatter her forever if it doesn't come true. She'll never have hope again.

Then the next day comes.

The mail comes.

There it is.

Her WishPresent...

A Wow-Wow-Wubbzy DVD.  Her favorite show. Just in time for moving.  So she won't be without when we're without cable.

How did the Wish-Fairy know?

BulletPointMommaReporting

 I know, I said it last week, I am so neglectful right now. And you guys are as cute as ever. This whole moving thing has me preoccupied. Hugely.

Although I have been lagging on the blogfront, I have been posting and status updating on Twitter and Facebook and writing things down when I get the chance.

So, what I'm going to do, for today, is yet another cop out post full of bullet points. That's right, I'm totally a 'Bullet-Point Momma.' Better than nothing, right? And an easy way to post a bunch of happenings.

This, my sweet babies, is just a very little bit of what's been going on (and not necessarily in order...sorry!):

• mackenzie just made herself a PB&J with cheese. she says it's good. i'll take her word for it.
• okay. time to get grounded in reality. last week i was preoccupied with house buying. this week i need to be a mom again. zachy and mackenzie - who took over while i was 'gone' - will be very very disappointed I'm sure.
• thanks to my being completely distracted this last week, mackenzie has started to 'take care of'' zachy. that's the good news. and the bad news.
• you know it's bad when she asks if they can have juice. he starts yelling ju! ju! i say no. it gets quiet. five minutes later they both come walking up to me, laughing, with juice boxes.
• z  just saw his 1st medevac in the field behind us. he's excited. nothing like a plane landing in your backyard for a 20 mo old.
• mackenzie: is it spring? me: yes. mackenzie: does that mean the fever is going to come out? and the chipmunks?
• z can be fine and happy and the minute he hears my voice, it's all over..mommmmmyyyyyy.....
• i asked mackenzie if she knew another child's name from a different class at the totcollege and she said no, but she comes with a big sister like zachy does.
• zach and mackenzie are playing babies together. he's pushing the red buggy. she's bossing him around. too cute.
• i'm house hunting online and the kids, 1&3, are fending for themselves. this can't be good. better focus. on them that is.
• mackenzie: zach's my baby tinkerbelle. he's thrilled, i'm sure.
• m saw tinkerbelle at the mall. i've had to call her that since.
• vvzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs zzzzz z zs zszzzzzz z zzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (today's facebook status brought to you by the one and only zachy!)
•  woke up to several inches of snow. in april. in arizona.
• m: a nice mommy takes care of the babies and daddys. momma: who takes care of mommys? m: nobody.
• z is perfecting his ability to go boneless and have hulk-like strength when he doesn't want to do something.
• m, of course: i'm a good mommy. i don't yell. i don't argue. i say yes, yes, yes all day long.
• m, yet again: i will be kid while i have the cookie and then i can turn back into a baby. and she's serious. it's like she's always one step ahead.
• hearing daddy read 'pinkalicious' m...hilarious.
• momma just did her first if it's on the floor, it's mine speech. unfortunately, for me, i was talking about cut up pieces of paper.
• mackenzie is all about BFF saige these days. I asked her if she still plays with jojo. she said, 'yes, but sometimes she plays with other friends and sometimes I play with other friends. sometimes it's good to play with other friends.' is she really 3?
• before school on thursday, m said momma, i can't wait to go to school and play with jordan 'palvlenie'. she always hugs me momma. why do you think she hugs me?
• the other day i said the word dance in a sentence and zachy started to. on cue. just like that.
• zachy identify toots now. by name. and laughter.
• he also likes to make pretend toots on his hand. he's a boy. for sure.
• i asked dad one day if he had done something on purpose. he said he had not and m said, it was on accident. i was impressed.
• they have been way too cute lately. one night before bed they hugged. and hugged. and hugged.
• tonight before bed m said to z come on! they ran out of the room. then back in laughing. then back out. then back in laughing. for no real reason. just to have fun. no better reason, i suppose.

Hardly does you two justice. Things have been good lately. Really, really good. I'm excited for us to get to our new home and Mackenzie is as well. Life is in limbo as we wait to go. But we're doing alright. Better than alright.



Just call me Baby Tinkerbelle!

Momma Tinkerbelle with Baby Tinkerbelle.

Our last snow of the season...

....and at this house.

Sissy in Charge.