a sunday adventure

My parents were in Myrtle Beach for the week and came home late last night. The kids hadn't seen them for over a week and both Grandma and Papa and the kids were looking forward to seeing each other. So, over to their house we went.























Nicolette has been having accidents lately and we promised her ice cream, even though it was coooold out! She did great and we planned for ice cream later in the day. In the meantime, we played...

This one makes me laugh!

Luke has been asking everyone to come see his college house in Oswego and we finally made it out there. Good thing, because school is almost over! It was a typical college house and almost made me wish I was back in college (totally kidding!).

Nicolette told me she didn't like these guys....

They were literally all over the place. Cool, I guess but extremely scary at the same time.

And, if you look closely at the (totally inappropriate) poster in this picture, you can see that the two girls have the same shoes as Cole.

And we got Nicolette's delightful treat afterwards!

Nicolette got Cotton Candy with gummy bears! YUM!

books, books, books

I've been meaning to take Nicolette to the library for a long time now. We went awhile back, when she was younger, but I thought she would understand the concept of borrowing books better now.

We talked about how the library works and that would not be able to keep the books we picked out. She got the concept and chose a bunch of books. She was much more interested in the train table there, and the doll house. It was a beautiful Saturday and I am sure most people were out enjoying the nice weather, so the library was pretty barren.

There is so much to do at the library, I often wonder why we don't go more often. I then think of my 16 months little guy and remember that it would be a free for all for him!

A funny library story...
Nicolette was playing with the doll house, two other kids, a little older were also there and she looked over to me. She said, "Someone farted". I politely said to her that wasn't very nice to say to which she proceeded to tell me, "Someone tooted". It made me laugh. I told her that wasn't nice to say either. She cracks me up. I love toddlers!

pictures to come... when I get around to uploading pictures.

change

I need change.

I am such a creature of habit and I hate change. I get all weird and uncomfortable with change. Change makes my world turn upside down.

Change is good though. It's good because great things can happen with change. Right?

I am craving change lately. I don't know why. I think, maybe, turning the big 3-0 is not helping. I know, I am not 30. yet. but it's coming and it freaks me out. Thirty is good, right? People love their 30's. They're dirty and fun.

And 30 also means you are old. You cannot blame things on your 20's anymore. You have to be an adult and take responsibility for your own life. I mean, I guess I was/am doing that right now, but somehow it seems so much scarier when you are 30.

Or, maybe I want change because there are so many things in my life I want to change, but can't. If I change the things I am able to, I have control. It's my coping-mechanism.

Or maybe I'm attracted to change because I am just plain old sick of not changing, in an ever-changing world. I want to move around furniture. clean out closets and cupboards and drawers. buy new pictures for my walls. get a new wardrobe (and one that includes mismatched clothes). change my hair. find new friends and move on from old ones. eat new foods. and the list goes on...

So, today I opted to go the hair route. I'm not quite sure what I want to do with a style yet, so I dyed it. Lucy came over and she did it for me. I picked a chestnut color and away we went. I wasn't even nervous, which is so unlike me. Lucy and I chatted while she worked and then I went to wash it all out. I dried it. and straightened it. and VOILA...



it looks the same. I mean, in the sun it looks a tiny bit different, but it's still the same color. Not the change I was looking for. Jon didn't even notice (it could have been blonde and I don't think he would have noticed though). I saw Nicole tonight and she didn't notice. I'm so disappointed. I want to do it again. Lighter this time. But, I will wait. Maybe it will get lighter on its own. Or maybe I will get highlights. Some kind of change is in order. And I want it soon. For this phase (maybe?) may pass and I will go back to my boring ways. I hope not though. Because I kind of like Please-Change-Andrea. She's way cooler than Boring-Andrea. She's got balls and is a little more kick-ass. She's the kind of girl I want as a friend.

Change can be good. Maybe new andrea is the upgraded version. We still have to work out some kinks, but it'll be good. I promise.

it's a playground kind of day

Today I met my friend Rebecca and her two kids at the Wegmans Playground at Onondaga Lake. The kids had a BLAST!! We've been there a few times before, but Nicolette was little and Cole wasn't moving so much! It was so cute watching Michael and Nicolette play. He's a year older than her, but they play so well. He kept waiting for her and she loved following him around. I'm so happy to have friends with kids that are up for getting together. All of my friends live out of town (all in the same city) and get together often. I feel left out a lot (obviously) and love having that here! Mike and Rebecca went to high school with us and just recently moved back to Liverpool. Michael and Nicolette are a year apart and Cole and Alaina are 6 months apart so they are at great ages for playing together! We hope the kids will be friends forever!























And then some from Tuesday's trip to (a different) playground... (notice Nicolette's french braids!)






















And then some from this week...

no pictures

There are no pictures today. There are no pictures 1.) because I didn't take any (oops!) and 2.) because I typically capture the "good" moments and let me tell you, it was not a good day. Nicolette was beyond mean to Cole- pushing him, squeezing his face. She also had 2 accidents in her underwear, which hasn't happened in a very long time. Cole was whiney and wouldn't let me put him down. At one point, I wanted to lay down on the floor, close my eyes and cry. Maybe I just had no patience, but oh my gosh, Jon couldn't get home soon enough. We all have bad days and today was one of mine.


But, I do have some funny Nicolette quotes from the last couple of months...

* Mommy, you make me happy" (January 23, 2010)
* This is my coolie, this is my vagina. This is the big one, this is the small one" (January 24, 2010)
* Nicolette counting: "one, two, three... thirteen, eighteen, not eighteen" (February 13, 2010) Thank goodness we've mastered numbers 1-20 now
* I'm running away, don't get me" (February 18, 2010
* I want to smell your face" (April 16, 2010) after I ate a cracker

She cracks me up! I need to write more of these things down. I forget way too easily!

ship 'em out and smiles

So, we're packing up a lot of the baby stuff (SO bittersweet) and sending it to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for our new soon-to-be-born neice Mattie. I'm not gonna lie, it's really hard to do. We know we are done having kids, but something about shutting it down and giving away baby stuff makes me sad. I feel old, for one. Meaning, I'm old enough to be done, that I have the family I've always wanted and we're finished. done. end. closed. complete. But, when I looked up done in thesaurus.com it also said accomplish, and succeed and that makes me feel a little bit better. I think I just don't want to get rid of the stuff because it's so symbolic of them being babies. They are growing up way.too.fast. Of course, I love their ages now, but I want to just bottle them up and keep them little forever. Sadly, keeping all the baby gear won't make that happen.

Since we're talking about babies, and being pregnant and all... I would love to be pregnant again, I just don't want another baby. I honestly think I could be a surrogate. If I knew ahead of time the baby wasn't mine (duh) and it was not my baby, genetically, I could give the baby up. So, if you are in need of a surrogate... :-)

So, we're sending the swing, and exersaucer. the gymini and pink tummy time thing (which, btw, has the cutest, little boppy ever). and lots of odds and ends that have been hanging around since the baby days. I know Mattie will get use out of it all and Mary and Chris are appreciative, but it's still hard to do.

The kids LOVED these boxes. Nicolette isisted that I close the top and cole freaked out when I did. Ahhhh... the cardboard box. It's a great toy. It kept my kids entertained for about a half hour, which, if you have kids this age, you know that's awhile!

And, some smiles from this week!

he loves me, he loves me not...

I got these beautiful flowers from my fabulous husband, just because he loves me. Aren't they so pretty? I absolutely love having fresh flowers at my house. It just brightens my day and makes me feel good, especially when they are from someone you love! I know they die and are really a waste of money, but I don't care. Love them!

rain, rain, go away

A little rain never hurt anyone.

Playing is the rain is something I've always wanted to do. It was raining and nicolette loves the rain. I thought, hey, why not. The Easter Bunny did get them umbrellas afterall.

Note to self... 15 months is still too little to hold an umbrella. Good thing the little guy didn't care too much about rain on his head!

My girl is in LOVE with these rainboots. She wears them everywhere!!