Bloggy Block

So I must apologize that I’ve been feeling very much less than inspired to write about anything in particular.  HO hum….

So, in following Amanda’s lead I decided to write about all the reasons that I haven’t written:

1. Topping the charts is the 9 month old drooling at my feet.  Why isn’t he sleeping???  ASK HIM? - probably cuts into his bloggy time.
2. Sesame Street is only an hour long and there’s only so many things a mom can do in an hour
3. IMing constantly with a good friend
4. Previously mentioned 9 month old cutting 4 teeth.  and those 4 make 8.
5. Previously mentioned 9 month old only sleeping 4 hours at a time - I’m tired
6. Previously mentioned 9 month old sleeping during the day only long enough for me to declare him officially napping (20min. today - wahoo!!)
7. 4 full baskets of clean folded laundry - I can blog while they wash, it’s the putting away that realy eats at my time.
8. 1 horrible rotten internet connection for 4 days.
9. 3 hours with no power
10. 2 1/2 filthy bathrooms
11. 1 disgusting kitchen floor that will only meet my clean standards upon a full hands and knees scrubbing - of which I’ve only done 1/3
12. AND…. a partridge in a pear tree…..

I promise I’ll try better!!!

Why Do These Things Happen?

I have been reduced to a puddle again… after following Heather’s story the past few days I was sick to read Amber’s blog.  Amber is an online mommy friend (part of my special mommy club).  Why do these things happen?  Why do we have to go through these things?  Why can’t I stop crying for her?  Why do I feel this overwhelming need to snatch up my sleeping baby and hug him over and over and over and never let go?

Amber, may you get the answers you need and enjoy every second of your beautiful little boy for a long long time.  I am praying for Nate, praying hard. 

I don’t know how many people read this that don’t already know Amber, but if you don’t, please visit her blog, enjoy her amazing photography, and pray for her little boy.

Wordless Wednesday

Crib Roll Call

I just tucked James into bed for the 3rd time (it’s 10pm) and thought it would be fun to see what’s in those cribs!

James has currently…..

• pillow
• teddy bear
• monkey
• monkey blanket
• blankie x3
• Ernie
• Blue
• Big Nemo
• Little Nemo
• Elmo
• Cookie Monster
• Wally
• John Deere tractor
• any given number of books
• his fisher price aquarium (technically on the side of the crib)
• and a quilt draped over his crib to make a “tunnel”

You’d barely be able to see the 2 year old if you didn’t look close enough.

So what’s in your toddler’s crib - or if they aren’t in a crib, what’s on their short list for bed time buddies?!?!?

Friends in my Computer

~OK, so let me tell all you “strangers” about the majority of my bloggy friends. 

It started a while back - about 3 years ago.  I found out I was pregnant (almost exactly 3 years ago).  I did what EVERY woman does nowadays and hit the internet fervently looking for something that would tell me that yes, you are pregnant, this is what your  baby looks like, this is what is going to happen, and all that fun stuff.  What I happened on was all that and more.  I found a great message board full of moms-to-be that were all due within the same month as I was and we were all going through the EXACT same things.  Some were first timers like me, some had older children, and some had seen it ALL.

We went through the debates about nursing and bottle feeding and the other various things that will make our children brillant and the things that will just delay them beyond belief.  And after all that, we ended up with an absolutely fabulous group of moms, and just plain downright funny ladies that I am truly proud to call my friends.  I can’t put a number on them, probably 40 or so ladies that I know so well but have never met.  We’ve lost some friends, and gained others, but still we maintain this common bond of life with a 2 year old.  A few have had another baby, as I have, a couple are expecting right now, and some are trying.  Whatever the case, we have all celebrated each milestone with each other and cried over each heartbreak with each other.

So without further adieu - here are some of my pals!

Since she gave me a “You Made My Day” honor, I must repay the favor and begin with her…

Toni - I love her boys.  Her youngest is just a few months younger than Aiden so I get to re-live those hectic months through her.  She’s fun and funny and I love her creativity with pictures.  I wish I had an ounce of her talent!  Thanks for making my day!!! 

Tasha - she’s the leader of the pack and our Vegas expert.  Her little boy gives me a glimpse of what lies ahead for me *shudder*, and her little girl is just the spitting image of her and as sweet as a pea!  Tasha is truly crazy and I’d love to hit a night on the town with her. She ALWAYS makes me laugh!!

Jodi - After a night on the town with Tasha, there’s Jodi to keep me grounded!  She is my spiritual inspiration.  Things she talks about in her blog stir up memories of growing up.  Seeing her oldest going through AWANA reminds me of having dinner on Fri. nights at my friend’s house and then riding to AWANA together and seeing who could memorize the most verses and doing the crafts together and what not.  I admire her love of the Lord.  I love reading her blogs about her Bible studies; I always learn something new.  And……. don’t tell her this - I have her little girl Beatrix pegged for Aiden!!! : )  -it’s a ways off, but a mom can dream!

Amy - Tasha’s partner in crime!  Amy was one of the first people I cried to told when I was pregnant with Aiden.  Don’t tell her this either, but her little girl is James’ cyber-girlfriend (ok, so it’s only in my head but again, it’s my blog!).  She is absolutely adorable and seeing her girly-ness makes me itch for a little girl (I can itch ’till I break out in hives but it’s still not happenin’).  Amy is an awsome woman and she has taught me that anyone can survive two boys!

Danielle - She’s an I-call-it-like-I-see-it kinda girl.  Always up on the latest and greatest, and one hot mama!  Her little boy Aiden, is just a sweetie pie.  Her blog always makes me laugh, and I can so totally relate to everything she says!

Ok, that’s it for now… later I’ll get to Katie, Kacey, Amy, Sara, Jeanna, Amanda, Dori, and Tracey…. and anyone else I’ve forgotten to list

To each and every one of you….

About Me…

Several of my bloggy friends have been sharing 50 things about themselves.  Not sure who started it, I think maybe it was Toni - but I’ve lost track (here’s some linky love for you anyway Toni!).

So here we go - brace yourself, this could get interesting…………or very much not!!

1. My name is Shanna - and that’s all your getting as far as that goes
2. I have 2 boys and a husband
3. I have 3 boys
4. I hate to clean my house
5. I hate to have a messy house
6. I usually end up lowering my cleaning standards to meet my motivation
7. I have seen every episode of the show Friends
8. I love Jon & Kate + 8 - they make my life seem less hectic… sometimes
9. I get grossed out at the very thought of drinking a glass of milk
10. I took piano lessons for what seemed like 20 years, probably more like 5 or 6
11. I can’t play a single thing on the piano
12. I love Starbucks
13. I love cannolis
14. For whatever reason I just cannot seem to put away laundry
15. I like to vacuum
16. I drive an 8 year old car
17. It’s paid off
18. I’d love a new car but can’t justify getting one
19. The car I drive is like new
20. I go through a tank of gas a month
21. We are lucky
22. My husband has a 3 year old truck with less than 6,000 miles on it
23. That was money well spent
24. My son thinks he’s so cool when he rides in daddy’s truck
25. I still have 10 pounds of baby weight to lose
26. I only put on 15 pounds and had a 7.5 lb baby
27. My baby is 8 months old
28. I think I need to get working on that
29. I walk several times a week
30. Clearly that is not enough
31. I can wear all my old clothes but I’m flabby
32. My favorite outfit is a t-shirt and sweats
33. I have no concept of anything fashionable
34. I love shoes
35. I love shoes that other people wear
36. I can’t look at shoes and think they are cute until I see them on someone else
37. Or clothes for that matter
38. I hate most of my clothes
39. They are so plain - but they were cheap
40. I can’t pass up a bargain - even if I’m not in love with the item
41. I have a hard time paying full price for anything
42. I have a 25,000 sqft mud puddle where my back yard should be
43. It makes me very frustrated to see it
44. I get excited to think of having a yard for my boys to play in
45. I hide candy EVERYWHERE
46. I play with my son’s playdoh and tell him it’s Mommy’s - he doesn’t know it’s really his
47. (this is for Danielle) I hated almost every minute of my pregnancies
48. I don’t feel like a bad mother because of it
49. Mother’s guilt is the worst thing ever
50. I am in love with my life - my boys and my husband and I wouldn’t change a thing (except the back yard)

Wordless Wednesday!

Yah, I’m a day late - so what!!!

Wine Connoisseur!

Something about James

…..not even close to Something about Mary, but I like the title anyway.

What is it about a 2 year old little boy that can send a normal (somewhat) sane (sorta) woman into a crazy yelling frenzy.  And, moments later be completely enamored with the same child.  I never thought I’d be that type of mother, but in any given day there is a minute period of time in which I can rival the “before” scenes from the worst possible episode of “SuperNanny”.

James is my challenge.  He is just being a 2 year old, and it’s not his fault.  But this “testing his independence” is going to send me straight to the nut house.  As I sat with my coffee and started to type just a moment ago, he was so nicely sitting at the kitchen table working on his art project for the day and decided that it would be fun to fling his placemat repeatedly into my full mug and watch the coffee splash out all over the table.  Why?

Why then after I clean it up and tell him “no” and “why?” and “what are you doing” he resumes sticking berries onto his paper tree and sings the “ABC’s” and I look at him and think that I’m absolutely crazy and maybe he isn’t the troublemaker that only I see.  Maybe it’s me being to hard on him.  Are my expectations of my 2 year old too high?  He’s polite, and says please and thank you most of the time without being prompted, that’s good and he can count and count and count - ABC’s we’re working on.  He’s smart.  He sweet too, he cries when we drive past the police station and not stop to see daddy.  But is it too much to expect respect from him - for his parents, his brother and the rules of the house?

Oh and this child that just this morning grabbed his banana that he mercilessly begged for and took the first bite in his hand and squeezed it and proceeded to rub it all over the table, yah that child has this innate ability to absolutely turn on the charm and will sit for an entire run of Monsters Inc. and snuggle with anyone available. 

It’s just these little trouble making incidents that make a day very long.

I know this is a “phase” of sorts, and many many people have it much worse than I do, but good grief, as soon as he grows out of it I’ve got another one moving right into it.  Heaven help me!  What doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger, right?!?!

Photo Contest!!

5minutesformom is hosting a ‘mom inspired’ photo contest. We are looking for photos that tell some sort of story of what motherhood means to you. 

 I don’t know what kind of story this picture tells.  As far as motherhood is concerned, these 2 boys are all I know about motherhood, and they define it for me. This is my life, and this picture is a very regular occurrence in my house, not simply a moment in time.  Notice, neither child is crying, both seem to be relatively content and quiet, that part is a moment in time.  The climbing, yogurt eating, chair chewing and floor petting - that happens several times a day.

This is a picture of peace as known only to a mother of a 2 year old and an 8 month old.

A Conversation with James

This is for Tasha who asked to see a random conversation in a day in our lives.  Well, here ya go:

This was this morning.  James had just set down his fork after finishing 2 Eggo Waffles.  He looks at me and says:

James: “Possicle?”

Me: Um, no, it’s 8am you aren’t having a popsicle.

James: Possicle PLEEEEASE

Me: No James, how about a banana?

James: No no no no Mommy, Treats?  (referring to M&M’s)

Me: Not even close buddy, Banana?

James: No no no no Mommy, Teddys! (teddy grahams)

…….he says this very matter-of-factly like my next response should be, OHHH duh, that’s what you want.

Me: James do you want a banana or are you all done?

James: Mynana Mommy!

Me: Oh really you want a banana, okie dokie.

James: Your welcome.

So there you have it, all that work for a stinking banana of which he had 2 bites and I’m now finshing.  Whatever.