Randomness of the day

Today when picking LD up from preschool....

Little girl in his class: "What's that in your stomach?"
Me: "It's a baby!"
Little girl: "I want to see it"
Me: "Me too. But she's still growing."
(she asks me another ten times the exact same thing. Seems to be a trend with 3 year olds.)
Different Little Girl: "Why did you eat your baby?"

LOL! I had no idea what to say to that. It cracked me up though and the teachers too.
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At Starbucks after lunch... I order a carmel apple cider but what i really want is a white chocolate mocha or a peppermint mocha. Little Dude seems to read my mind because out of nowhere he blurts out to the register guy "I just want coffee." Me too little dude, me too!
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The things kids say!

Apparently animals like us

Today.........perfect for LD since all fall i have been trying to find a fuzzy caterpillar for him. We found one at the farm but when we went to get snacks, he left. Probably too much love from the little dude. He begged me to find another so he could see it.

Well, today, at the bottom, and i mean bottom, of my laundry basket, perched on little dude's sweatpants from last week was a huge fuzzy caterpillar. I thought it was a burr, not unnatural since we go on lots of nature walks and he wore these pants on our last one. I went to brush it off and i think, it sure does look like a caterpillar! And it was. It's big! About an inch and a half. I think it's this guy right here so this just might be something really cool for the little dude to do this winter!

Thankfully, we had a little bug catching container in the laundry room for fireflys and i put him in there with a leaf. When he woke from his nap i said "i have a surprise for you!" He said, with bright happy eyes "fabric!?" He thought i made him something. So freaking cute that he loves the stuff i make for him. I'm so making him pants tonight. Over the weekend, i made something each day since we were supposed to leave town and didn't and i had the time. I made him an airplane pillowcase to match his room, beanbags to play with and an apple appliqued apple picking t shirt for next fall since it wasn't done in time for this fall. So of course he would expect something made of fabric. You must hear the way he says "fabric" though. So cute. I had him close his eyes and walked him over. He is thrilled. His only complaint is that the caterpillar won't play cars with him. He does however talk which makes little dude very happy. They are having a heck of a conversation right now.

Okay, three posts in one day. I usually do three posts in a month lol. Must be the snow.

Oh, i did say, "animals like us". That's because this weekend we have found a few mice in the garage. All i can say is thank God it's the garage and not the house because i don't do mice. Mice and snakes are never cute. Ever. And this comes from someone who had a pet rat as a kid. I can't believe that. Freaks me out now. Thank God that's hubby's problem and not mine. I haven't set foot in the garage since i heard about the incidents.

uh oh

It's snowing. I have been telling the little dude that his sister will come when it snows. He kept asking and i figured that was the best way to explain it since it doesn't usually start snowing here until decemberish. I was so surprised to see it start snowing i said "oh my gosh, it's snowing!" The first thing he said: "Where's baby?!?" He went and got her bed ready lol. Too sweet mashAllah.

Pumpkin hat

pumpkin hat 1
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

I finally conquered the circular and double pointed knitting needles. I really really really love circular needles i learned and really really really hate double pointed needles. What a pain in the you know what. Especially with a three year old around who loves to play with yarn and needles. This hat was sitting half done when little dude picked it up with all the needles pointing in different directions, yarn hanging on for dear life when i spied him from the kitchen. I yelled "nooooooooooooooooooo!" More of a desperate plea, much like his "nooooooooooooooo i don't want to go to school" plea, than a command. But the kid dropped the needles, yarn, tucked in his lip and cried "you scared meeeeeeeeee" as the tears fell. It was all very dramatic and then i explained how much he scared me and the thought of figuring out what goes where on the needles. I can barely fix my mistakes on regular needles, please don't make me do it on 4!

Alas, i finished the hat, he immediately fell in love with and wore it all around the house, even though it was way too short. I began another one immediately, one that would cover the ears instead of sitting perched on top of his head like a beanie. I love that i can do hats now.

hat in action
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

He LOVES this hat and wears it a lot. It's the only hat he leaves on and doesn't tear off with a complaint. Yay.

I'd so love to try socks but i'm still scared as heck to try them.

I almost feel comfident enough to buy some nicer yarns and make some things for myself. I also want to make apple hats in this style for each kid for next years apple picking season. And eggplants, and strawberry's, and and and.

This was taken at our last day apple picking (notice the half eaten apple). Not much to choose from now and the rest of the farm is rotting on the farm. Sad that so much food goes to waste with so much of the world hungry. :-/

Doctor said i'll be induced in 7 weeks. 7! Dear God, they just took away a week, or more likely 3 since LD was 2 weeks late. Time is a running out and i have a kazillion things to do, make, and organize. Better hop to it!

help

We were about to put up wallpaper border in baby's room, the extra roll we bought when we bought the set for little dude. We bought this set because it was neutral and we could use it for boy or girl but now i think it looks boyish, not sure if it's because it's "little dude" and i'm biased or if it's because there's a part of me that wants to do the room very girly. It's a really nice set and we have all the trimmings for it - light switch, night light, robe hangers etc.

One benefit of using the neutral set is if we end up having one more like i want and it's a boy, he could move right in and baby could get a toddler room that's girly girl. She'd only use it for two years anyway. It seems like a waste not to use this perfectly good set but there's that part of me wanting to make it girly. I could easily do a pink hamper , get a girly mobile, etc.

What do you think? Too boyish? Or does it just say baby and i'm being a pain?

BTW, this is his old room in atlanta, not the one here.

I never showed what i scored at the rummage sale...

We (i took little dude with me this time) started in toys - got some odds and ends playmobil pieces. He loves these and i'm glad because i just discovered playmobil and love it myself. The only plastic toys i can say i truly like because they are well made. We got a winter set, a farm set, and a camper set - old pop top camper family. Too cool.

playmobil from the rummage sale
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

We also found a wooden marble run set that's been fun. A wood car transporter too and i think that was it. OH! And the sandbox i have been patiently waiting for. The next day i saw one on the curb for free lol.

Next up was the fabric tent and if you can believe it, i didn't buy anything there except for four new balls of cotton yarn make socks for the little man (if i can get over my dislike of double pointed needles). Oh, and a few vintage knitting pattern books.

Next was the Vintage, craft etc tent. Here's my lot from there.

craft supplies from the rummage sale
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

Good stuff. And the best part is we've put all of it to use already. Projects either in the works or ongoing. I tried to not buy anything that i couldn't use right now because over the last four weeks i've donated about 10 boxes and 10 bags of stuff from around the house. I didn't want to clear out to get more.

Next stop was books. I bought about ten books for the little man. And two coloring books for me. Yes, i said coloring books for me. They are the very detail ones from dover. Fairy themed.

Simple but good and super cheap finds. The craft picture has notes on it.

Finally!

After two months of preschool, today, October 23rd, 2008, Little Dude did not cry when i brought him in. He also forgot to ask me for a tissue for each pocket and his bear (although i brought his bear just in case). He happily waved goodbye, blew me a thousand kisses, followed me down the hall asking "are you going to the store? i need oranges and grapes and a surprise." "Okay my little sweet. Will do!" It felt so good to walk out of there without hearing "NO! My mommy. Hold me mommmy. I want my mommy! Come baaaaaack!" I have been planning on taking him out after this month and just keep him at home although i truly felt he needed social time with other kids. If it stays like this i'm going to keep him in. I'm just too weak for this parenting thing. Yesterday he said "I want my baby now." I have also begun working on his scrapbook and he's liking seeing the pages come together and hear the stories. My plan was to have it done by baby's arrival for those jealous/i'm not loved/i need attention moments. I'm hoping it will ease the burden of hours upon hours of nursing that he'll have to deal with.

Contact paper lamination!

contact paper lamination!
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

I am probably way more excited about this than i should be but did you know you can laminate anything with contact paper? You can buy it by the roll at the dollar store.

This was my first thing to laminate. A puzzle set. The box had four puzzles in it mixed together and the cover showed the four different puzzles but who wants to take the time to seperate out the pieces and begin. Not us. I took the cover of the box, copied it, cut out each picture, laminated them and put each puzzle in it's own bag. I did this to all his little box puzzles too. Now we have a basket with all the different puzzles in one place. Much better and less clutter.

Next up.......i'm going to make some fake money with little dude's picture as president. Fun!

An amazing giveaway!

This has got to be the most amazing costume/dress i have ever seen for a little girl. Just gorgeous. I'm blown away by her work. The hair too! Look at how beautiful. I don't know how she is going to part with it but she is.

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!:

Priceless

loving the leaf pile
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

Lately Little Dude says to me a lot "i want to go to a garage sale" and he's gotten good at seeing the signs for them. My husband says I've corrupted the kid. :-) Today he woke up and said "Today we go to the library and sing songs, then we make craft, then we go to garage sales. Then sleep and make craft."

Wood wagon/shopping cart/whatever you want it to be. I like this thing - it's strong, well built and can be used for whatever the mind conjures - now i can get rid of the plastic stroller and can forget about getting the grocery cart he so wanted - this works for it all! Love toys that let the mind make what they will out of them. It's been a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins, a tractor full of corn, a baby stroller, a shopping cart, a lawnmower, and a wagon, all in one evening. $5

Two Jan Brett books, a book about castles and knights and a book about a farmer. $1

garage sale finds
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

Box full of play food, dishes, etc. Donated 2/3's of it already but the remaining third has been cleaned by him, played with and one pan made homemade crayons. $3

making crayons
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

Finding a pile of leaves to jump in for no less than an hour and a dog to watch it all. Priceless.

Find Little Dude
Originally uploaded by wayfarer

Fall is here! The leaves are bursting with color all around. Am hoping to go for a nice drive this weekend and take it all in while finishing off that pumpkin hat.

Conversations with the little man

LD is quite the conversationalist and his vocabulary is getting amazing. Here's a few from this week.
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At the playground yesterday.

LD: Look at the school i built!
Me: (looking at the pile of sand) That's so cool. Should we add a playground?
(We take sticks and make a slide and people etc)
LD: (he takes a few sticks and places them under the building) That's the pipes filled with water. Goes to the river.

I swear he's going to be an engineer. He's always thinking about things like this. The insides of stuff. Richard Scarry is by far his favorite author for this reason.

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In the car on the way home from a nature walk the other day.

Me: Look how full the moon is tonight!
LD: What's it full of?
Me: (laughing a little) It's full of light.
LD: And people?
Me: There's no people in there. Just light. See how it makes the sky glow all around it.
LD: Makes it blue.
Me: Yup. My favorite color of blue!
LD: Mine too. (pause) I want to go there!
Me: Where?
LD: To the moon!
Me: We can't go to the moon silly. How would we get there?
LD: We take a space shuttle. Mommy Daddy Little Dude will take a space shuttle to the moon and see what's inside.

I so love him in these moments. He thinks i can make anything happen. The other day he said "i want to be an airplane for halloween and i told him i don't think they make an airplane costume. He told me I can make it. He truly believes i can make anything and i can fix anything. I love the magic of that.

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out of the blue over the weekend

LD: When i grow up i'm going to be a farmer.
Me: You are? (no, you will never grow up you hear me!)
LD: I make corn. I keep some. I take some to the store!
Me: Cool!
LD: I ride the tractor!
Me: Can i live with you on your farm?
LD: Of course!
Me: Can we have some animals?
LD: yeah!
Me: Can i still make you dinner?
LD: Yeah.
LD: Daddy! I'm going to be a farmer when i grow up!

very very very early in the morning Monday (apparently he reconsidered being a farmer)

LD: Mommy!
Me: hmmmmmmmmmmm (eyes still closed)
LD: Mommy!
Me: yeah?
LD: When i grow up i want to be fireman. With a hose and water. And a biiiiiiig firetruck with a siren and lights.
Me: You're not going to be a farmer now?
LD: I'm going to be a fireman when i grow up.
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the end

Randomness off my chest

Double pointed needles are driving me nuts. I have a half finished hat but can't figure out the double pointed needles to finish it and it's irking me. I quit.

Yesterday LD told me "I don't love you anymore mommy." I cried. I knew i was supposed to not cry so he wouldn't get a strong response but i'm pregnant and hormonal and i did. It broke my heart. Then he kept saying it over and over to drive the knife in a little bit more. Why does he not love me? Because he didn't want to quit playing to go to gymnastics, an activity that he loves more than anything. I'm so mean.

Now LD is having seperation anxiety from daddy. Preschool is hell. I dropped him off today and now he's not only crying for me but for daddy. I'm pulling him out but they require a 60 day notice. Joy of joys. 2 more months of hell.

People keep telling me "you're hardly showing at all...blah blah blah" and i feel huge huge huge. I gained ten pounds this month. I was doing good till now. I blame apple pie and a fasting husband. I had to eat more leftovers and desserts. Baby is getting rambunctious in there too. I probably spelled that wrong but i don't care. My writing days are over. I quit that. for now.

LD has been noticing people. He now points at black people and asks "what kind of mommy is that?" ugh. If we still lived in Atlanta we wouldn't have this issue. He also notices overweight people and says with a big happy grin (not mean but actually really happy) and deep voice "that's a biiiiiig lady/one." He calls women ladies or mommies and men either daddy's or one's. I try to explain to him the differences of people and we read books about it and i think/hope it's only natural because he's so observant but it's downright embarrassing when you pass someone, she smiles at him, he smiles at her and then he innocently looks up at me and says "that's a big one!" with excited surprised raised eyebrows and innocent smile. Wheelchairs are a whole nother thing. He has a playmate whose dad is in one so he is a little familiar with them but still he loves things with wheels and well they have wells and he thinks it's "cool."

Three years old is long and arduous. I don't think i'll survive. Everything is a battle. Mr. Man knows everything and i'm just in the way. Until it comes to my hair which he still thinks he owns and insists on twirling while sleeping. If i don't comply he tries to turn me over saying "i need my hair." I feel so used. How a baby is going to fit into our sleep situation is terrifying me. LD is a light sleeper and when he wakes up he stays up no matter the time and is a ball of energy. The kid just doesn't sleep well at night. He takes a decent nap but man early mornings are numerous around here. I'm talking long before the sun early. We were playing playmobil at 6 in the morning today. I think i'm a sucker and have no boundries so he doesn't either. I suck at this mom thing.

the end.

First name basis

Little Dude has begun calling me by my first name. For a while now he asks us about our various names but now with all seriousness he'll ask me for something by first name. It's so cute to hear him say my name - he says it with the correct French pronunciation too which is kind of funny but when did we get so formal? :-/

plans today

Finally feeling a bit better but it's cold outside and today i must hit the huge semi annual rummage sale. Yes - have to. I'll be taking little dude with me this year so can't wait in line so doubt i'll come home with any true treasures but you never know. He's excited to go since it's not school lol.

Then i am going to come home, give him some warm milk, tuck him into sleep and try to make these. Aren't they the sweetest things? And hopefully figuring out the circular needles and double pointed needles to make this in orange before pumpkin picking this weekend. I want to make the apple one too but the pumpkin one is just calling me. Or maybe it's the great pumpkin. Right now i must go bundle us up to hit the sale. I'm really only looking for a few select things. Montessori/waldorf type wood toys, a wood marble run, the thomas crane, lego platforms and playmobil figures. Possibly a wagon although those go super duper fast. I'd really like a wagon though because you have to park a mile away and thought of carrying anything and possibly little dude back to the car is frightening but alas, there are hundreds of people that have been in line all night after driving all day just to hit the sale. What's a mile in and a mile out right? I'd also really like to find a treasure in the fabric tent but we'll see. Not in the mood for more fabric right now since i can't seem to find time to sew anymore!

What i should be doing today:

- cleaning this mess of a house
- getting a bunch of donation bags to charity shops
- folding the mountain of laundry on my couch and doing the piles of laundry throughout the house
- resting

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrated this holy month. I'm determined to turn this house into a house of festivities by tonight. Going grocery shopping and gift shopping this morning and will then come home and decorate and wrap gifts.

It's been a long week and i just can't kick this cold so didn't get anything done until last night when i cooked a few dishes. Yesterday i ended up at the doctor's after my glucose test because i almost fainted at the library and began having cramps. Doc says everything is okay but i would really appreciate some prayers today. Seems i just bottomed out on my insulin. Never had that reaction before so i really hope i didn't fail the test.

Hope everyone has a very happy eid today. I know many celebrated yesterday and for those i hope your eid was filled with joy, love and many blessings.