Melt My Heart

Just because Jonas is sick doesn't mean we can't let our creative juices keep flowing.  In fact, it's one of the few activities we can do since going outside and/or exerting ourselves just leads to more coughing.  

So this afternoon, being inspired by Pinterest, Jonas and I did some wax art.  

Box of 48 crayons from the Dollar Store + $2 canvas from Michaels = totally worth it!

 Step 1:  Glue crayons across the top of canvas in rainbow order.  

 Step 2:  Apply heat via blowdryer to induce melting.

Step 3:  Watch the rainbow emerge.  

Think we'll hang this one somewhere prominently in the house.  

Pretty nifty, huh?

Oye Vey

 So Jonas came down with this nasty little cough/cold on Monday afternoon. 

 I knew something was amiss when the little man asked to leave the "Jump and Play" early.  Either he was sick or someone else was parading around as my two year old!  By the next morning he had a little fever, a phlegmy cough and a runny nose.  Tuesday and Wednesday blurred into each other and I spent the days doing my best to keep Jonas and Alice separated so little girl might be spared.  But yesterday it became evident that she too had succumbed to this raunchy little bug.

Despite the mucus and the snot and the puke and the self-imposed isolation, I am enjoying these little ones.  Jonas puts on a brave face and remains sweet and cuddly.  We watch movies and read books and snuggle.  I love how he needs me.  We need each other.  

Alice, of course, is incapable of understanding what's happening.  She looks up at me with her puffy eyes and lets out a sad, desperate moan.  It breaks this mama's heart.  But despite her helplessness she smiles and coos and nuzzles down in my arms and falls back to sleep.  

This too shall pass.

Happy Baby

I told you she lights up a room!

Back In The Saddle Again

My lens arrived in the mail this morning!  I actually did a little happy dance- complete with some disco fever finger pointing and a few karate kicks for good measure.  

The mutha is back in working order and this mother is READY to start snapping.  

I missed A LOT of good shots in the 3 arduous weeks that my dear darling lens was gone- and when they were happening I'd let out a little whimper at the knowledge that yet another precious moment, sure to be lost in the billions of other precious moments, was going to go undocumented.  All you mothers out there know what I mean: surely you can empathize with my fear that I'll forget all the minor little details- the sweet facial expressions and the dimpled knuckles and the skinned up knees and the wriggly toes.  All those little details that we take for granted every day but will someday- not long from now- be thirsty for and the only way to quench the overwhelming longing will be to look back at these photos.

So I tried to keep all those moments I missed stored in my mind with the intention of re-creating them.  And re-crate them I will.  Is that cheating?  Probably.  But I don't care.  

But here's my dilemma:  the lens arrived right as both my kiddos were headed for a nap.  I had just enough time to snap a few pics, but not nearly enough to scratch this itch of mine.  

But know this:  once those kids wake up I will be on a picture taking tare and woe to the man who tries to get in my way.  (Woe to the woman, too!)  

See you soon!

Social Smile

Social Smile  (soh-shuhl smahyl):

A social smile is reciprocal, meaning your baby smiles in response to someone else's smile. It's a sign that several different parts of the brain are maturing. It says he's able to see short distances, make sense of an object, and produce his own smile in return. A social smile also boosts bonding, since it's one of the first forms of communication between parent and child. 

And this girl's smile brightens the room, especially after a long and exhausting day. 

This smile is also a constant reminder that our little "bump on a log" is truly a little human with likes and dislikes, an emerging personality.  

For example, here's what we've learned about her so far:  

She hates to have her face cleaned but adores getting her bum cleaned.  In fact, she so enjoys the diaper change that sometimes I change her diaper- even if it's not dirty- just to maker her smile.  

She prefers the "babbling brook" setting on her noise machine over all the other options (rain, ocean waves and birds chirping).

She likes to nuzzle her face into the crook of my arm and get all hot and cozy in there.  And when I check to see that she's still breathing she protests with an unhappy grunt and then goes back to her hiding place. 

Her favorite place in the house is on the bathroom counter. She lays there and watches me get ready in the morning cooing at the mirror and basking in the warmth of the heat vent. When I move her she sticks out her lower lip -as if I've totally hurt her feelings- and threatens to cry.  

She flirts with our bed comforter.  I know- weird, right? But it's got this pattern on it that catches her eye and makes her so delighted that she makes the sweetest noises as she stares at it- particularly at 5am.  

The early baby phase is tough, especially when you have a vibrant, engaging, opinionated and adorable two year old for competition.  You feed the baby and change them and burp them and bounce them and get very little in return, except for some spit up on your shoulder and a sore back.   But we're beginning to see Alice Juel's little personality emerge and it's so very exciting, making the daily grind totally worth it. 

The Latest Trend: Blindfolds

Blaaaah-g

Did you get my play on words?
"blaaah-g" and "blog"? 

Get it?

I am formally apologizing for the state of the blog these days.  We encountered some technical difficulties a few days back (curse the new Google+) and have only now remedied the problem.  

But the biggest glitch is the fact that my camera is in the shop.  

Broken cameras are good for SOME things, but NOT for taking pictures!

I dropped it.  

In my defense: it was not out of carelessness.  I slipped on wet leaves while walking to the river with Jonas and Alice.   I had to choose between catching the camera or shielding Alice from the fall.  

I think I made the right decision. 

But all that to say, I'm now taking pics with the video camera and they're totally bumming me out.  So please be patient with me and my not so awesome pics.  Hopefully the camera will be back home where it belongs in the next few days!

BLAHG!