brewing

I'm on my second cup of coffee. Sadie is napping. Andy and Ella are on an outing. My mind (for the last who-knows-how-long) is one complete garbled mess. Wait, that sounds negative. My mind is full of amazing, brilliant, beautiful thoughts that are just fighting for first-place on my Thinking To-Do List. Yes, much better.

I have yet to sort it out. So I've decided that instead of pressuring myself to try and create something that makes ANY kind of sense here, I'm just going to write a list of words. Themes, thoughts, whatever. Some I've been wanting to blog about. Some will maybe get blogged about. Others just need to be written.

* Caldecott medal
* Laundry
* Time management
* Money management
* SIMPLIFY
* My Sadie
* Yard Sale
* Spoon rests
* Method
* Mothering Intentionally
* Dan Allender
* Potty training
* This
* That
* The other
* Art for my girls' rooms
* The return of the "baby" sling
* The Return of the chipmunks
* Andy saw the dude who voiced Alvin the Chipmunk
* Ella and Will
* Rough-housing
* Earnest Ella
* Determined Sadie
* Dustbuster
* Wanting to want a Sewing Machine
* My husband The Seamstress
* Rainbows
* Outside



I feel much better.

Irony is...

reading articles on how to be a better parent while my child watches television.

it's official

The other day Ella reported, "We're friends, Mommy. Ella and Sadie are friends."



I'm so glad.

look-see

Welcome to this past Monday night at the Osengas...creatively edited by our friend Dave.

Just one of them days.

Ok, so there have been several of them in a row. I attribute it to the (still unbearable) heat. We're cooped up. Emotions are flying. Children (and mother) are getting bored. My patience will only last for so long.

A couple of days ago it was Especially dramatic. Nothing seemed to go smoothly. I had pretty much accepted the fact that This was the day my entire head of hair would turn gray in one fell swoop. At the end of the day, I was changing (what seemed like) the 27th dirty diaper. I was on the verge of breaking. Just then my sweet (for possibly the first time that day) Ella looked up at me and said,

"You're my little treasure, Mommy."

The day was instantly redeemed.

night vision goggles

We practically needed them today, During the day, inside the house. Why? Because it was so flippin' hot outside that I literally had every shutter closed, every curtain drawn, and every light off. All Day.

Poor Ella could hardly see her Play-Doh as she made all sorts of creations at the table. Sadie was in her diaper for a majority of the day - including her first nap. I set foot outside my house exactly ONE time while the sun was still up. Ella and I took out the trash, and when we came back in (after approximately 4 minutes) the child was already sweating.

The thermostat was set at 70 deg all day, but it never got cooler than 80 inside the house. The LOW tonight is 78. Tomorrow it's supposed to feel like 110 deg.

I'm running out of things to do in my house. But it's not worth going somewhere Else air-conditioned because it's just too hot to make the trip. Sadie still faces backwards in her carseat, and the poor thing is sweaty in about 3 seconds because there aren't any vents pointing right at her.

Well, I guess we are going to venture out for an early morning trip to the downtown library. We've just begun to go to Storytime again, and we can't let the heat keep us from Cedric the Dragon or (gasp) the Rainbow Song.

5 years and an 8 month old

Yesterday marked my fifth year as Mrs. Andrew Osenga. It was Almost as hot as the day we got married. Except that day it was 103 degrees. And we had dancing Outside. Many pictures of a sweaty bride and groom were taken, but I don't have any in digital form, so we'll just have to imagine.

Last night we recounted our anniversary dinners...(please note the steak theme)

Year one, J. Alexander's. Still not in the digital world, so we'll still have to picture the young, happy couple.

Year two. I could explain, but it's more fun to not.



Year three. The Melting Pot. The first time we had ever eaten there. We left our 4 month old at home while we ate for Three GLORIOUS hours.



Year four. The Melting Pot again. Still delicious. This time we took our 4 month old.



Year five. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. No picture. Don't know why. We have a new camera, and I must say we looked rather dashing. Especially Andy's Curious George band-aid covering the gaping hole in his neck that was a result of the drain removed (from his neck, that is). Again, let your mind wander.

And TODAY marks baby Sadie's eighth month in the world. Still ridiculously happy. Still hates to sleep.

found.

Tonight. After dinner. In the bottom of Ella's pink cup. Floating in the remains of her milk. Three bite-sized pieces of hot dog. Gross. And what makes it More gross, is that it was actually a "Smart Dog." As in not-meat-but-soy dog. As in, really rubbery and when warm smells not unlike a cat I dissected in college. But young Ella ate it all. Except for those three bites.

thanks, Nana!

my mom made this precious watermelon outfit for Sadie. perfect for summer and showcasing some delicious baby rolls.

whew

I just looked at our calendar. Today's date was blank. There were NO PLANS. For the first night in 11 nights, we did not have anywhere to go. I'm exhausted...

28 years ago

me

round here...

...we stay up very, very, Very, VERY late

* Andy moved his studio into the B room at Sputnik - a great studio owned by a great friend in a great location allowing for separation between home and work which is, well, great.

* I'm in my first bookclub which meets tonight. We're discussing the first half of "Prince of Tides" by Pat Conroy.

* Ella sometimes goes to the bathroom on the big potty.

* Sadie just cut her fourth tooth. She grinds all four of them together constantly. It makes me feel like a crazy person.

* I decided to boycott doing laundry for a week and a half. The end result - 12 (count em) loads of laundry to be done. I'm on load 9. When I was single, I couldn't have gotten 2 loads of laundry dirty in that time if I tried. Life changes, though, and I am no longer paying $287.50/month in rent living on mac and cheese and taking naps every Sunday afternoon.

* Ella wants to live on mac and cheese.

* Sadie's taking 2 naps a day, including Sunday afternoon.

* Sunday night Andy and I did about 5 loads of laundry, and while I stain-sticked and he folded we watched "Little Miss Sunshine." He wrote a great blog about it here.

* Ella likes to play her "guitar" (it's actually a baritone ukulele) like an upright bass and sing "Jesus Loves Me." Loudly.

* Sadie is Almost crawling. Or walking. I'm really not sure which will come first. Keep in mind she's seven months old.

* I have an imaginary maid named Mona.

* Andy and Ella read "Leonardo the Terrible Monster" almost every night. They read "Curious George Goes to the Zoo" every night.

* I read "Curious George Flies a Kite" with Ella almost every day before naptime.

* Ella watches an episode of "Curious George" the cartoon every day.

* Sadie belly laughs if you play peek-a-boo with her. And is the happiest baby alive. And has two dimples that show when she smiles. Which is all day.

* My children seem to rarely wear shirts.

switcheroo

This morning Ella brought over her see-through, feather-lined suitcase with wheels. I looked in and there were the entire contents of my purse packed in, zipped up, and ready to go. As we were about to leave for church, I picked up my purse to put back in my belongings. I retrieved a box of crayons, a flashlight and 2 pennies. Actually, I kept the pennies.

a glimpse.

It's raining outside. Storming, actually. I'm sitting on our new (to us) couch looking out our two front windows and glass door at the torrential downpour.

Ella is napping.

Sadie is rolling around on a blanket on the floor trying so very desperately to crawl, and simultaneously amusing herself (and me) with all sorts of creative mouth noises.

Andy is researching studio designs.

The lights are sporadically flickering - signaling the next giant thunder blast.

But here we are, cozy inside, with my new Lemon Citrus Beanpod Candle
filling our home with that clean, fresh smell. Our house is, amazingly, halfway clean itself, but for the days that it's not, this candle at least gives the illusion of a recent scrubbing. Good enough for me.

diaper dandies

because they're cute...

i have thoughts of what to write about. really, i do. i'm just too dang tired. so here are exactly two pictures to tide you over...

high hopes

Already they seem like best friends. No one can make them laugh like the other. My mother's heart swells every time I see them enjoying one another. And it's only been 5 months! Five months out of their whole lives.

Mama had a little lamb

It's late, and I really should be sleeping. But tonight, for some reason, I'm feeling the pull of the blog. I miss it. I actually miss blogging. Well, the result of blogging which is (perhaps) a comment or two and (always) documentation of what's actually been happening during these hazy days.

I feel like maybe, just maybe, I might be emerging from the fog that is the first few months. After a very long five months, Sadie has SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT...three nights in a row! For those of you who have wonder children that started much earlier, I don't want to hear a word. Not one, single word. For I am happy and hopeful and ready to...sleep.

But as sleepless as it may have been around here, never have I met a happier babe. The child lives to smile. And laugh. And smile and laugh some more. And then eat her toes for a bit. And then eat whatever else is in reach (usually her Mama's hair). And she makes an ADORABLE lamb...

cupcakes

Ella "made" cupcakes for the first time on Saturday. What follows is a detailed account of the sugary adventure.

intently mixing...


not quite understanding that sprinkles go on Later...


chocolate molester-staches make me happy...


let's throw in vanilla for good measure...


you haven't Truly enjoyed a cupcake unless it's been up your nose...


the lining is no match for an eager Ella...


Sadie biding her time with Adrienne until it's her turn to bake...


4 (ish) cupcakes later...


waiting for the (absolutely necessary) bath...

family of four

It's official - we're a family. Yes, "family" is quite the relative (heh heh) term these days - but it wasn't until Miss Sadie arrived that I thought, "THIS is what having a family feels like."

In trying to find the perfect words to describe these past couple of months I'm left spluttering and stuttering. All the good things meshed with all the crazy things - and if you've gotten half a glance at me since December 4, 2006, I'm pretty sure you got hit by the bags under my eyes that, I fear, might be a permanent fixture.

I was not prepared for the upheaval that is two kids under 2. Yeah, yeah - I heard it was Hard, Sleepless, Insane - but those were just terms to me. Words that don't truly encompass the overwhelming thing that is Parenting. Heck, not even parenting, just keeping two tiny humans Alive.

I never quite knew there were so many areas in my life in which I could feel Far less than adequate (example: this blog). And I don't even have a job outside the home! I'm still fighting the fact that it's Impossible to give 100% of my attention to both of my children at the same time. That my home can Not realistically be completely clean and organized. That there are events I just can't make because my Tiny Twin needs to nurse. That playdates are on pause until the winter crud passes and we can give my infant a chance to kick the cold she's had since her second week of life. That my husband and I must work harder than we thought possible at having a conversation that isn't somehow related to (or affected by) children. That I won't get more than a couple hours of sleep in a row for a Very long time.

I say all this not to complain. Oh, no. I am merely setting the stage for all further entries that will be tainted by that ever-ellusive maiden of the night.

All these truths brought about by one of the sweetest, cuddliest, Craziest, most passionate infants with the cutest set of dimples to come my way (excuse me while I pause to change both of our clothes, as she has just "Poopied" - to quote my older child - all over my lap...smiling and cooing the entire time).

I am crazy in love with this new, tiny babe. Here's a quick glimpse...Stories and antecdotes to follow.