Happy Friday!

Andy just wanted to wish y'all a happy Friday!

The Lion King

(thanks for all of your comments, emails and texts about the last post...glad I can share the experience with you...or the laugh.  whatever)

This past Thursday, Eddie and I took Mr. Cal out on a date to see The Lion King in 3D!  I LOVED this movie growing up and I am not afraid to admit that I know all of the words to several of the songs.  Andrea, I know you are with me on some of them!

I had a sitter come to be with Andy so that Cal could have some undivided attention from his parents.  Eddie got home from work and we left-- Cal was about to pop he was so excited to leave with both of us!

Ever since his trip to the zoo, little CalBoy is very interested in lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebras...just about everything in the movie! We were excited to take him back to the theater.

We were given the 3D glasses when we got there and we got situated in our seats.  Eddie ran out for some popcorn while I opened the glasses.  I wasn't sure how Cal would react to the glasses, because you had to have them on to be able to see the movie-- it was blurry otherwise. 

Getting situated in the booster seat.  He takes these Disney movies very seriously.  

 The show is about to start!  Got our glasses on, ready to watch... again-- very serious about the king. 

 He would not take his eyes off of the screen.  During the previews, he sat just like this, frozen:

(very, very serious.)

Once the movie started, he pointed out all of the animals as he saw them, always whispering, "look, momma, a zeebrahhh!"  In one of the opening scenes, Scar, the bad guy, captures a mouse with his paw.  In 3D, his paw comes out and lands just about in front of your face.  Cal jumped a mile and said "hold me, momma!" I was more than happy to!  He climbed up on my lap and stayed there for most of the movie.  He took my arms and wrapped them around his waist and held my hands in place.  Talk about melt your heart. 

After the movie, we were to throw our glasses in the recycling box...Cal wanted no part of that.  He opted to keep his glasses, and wanted to wear them out of the theater, and all the way home!

 Outside of the theater....

 He left the glasses in the car once we got home, and the next day, he put them on immediately... I think he looks a tad like Justin Beiber.... HA!

I am so glad we were able to take Cal on this special little date.  We all had a great time and he sat perfectly still the whole movie!  That movie was just as good as I remember it...but I did get a little more moved with Mufasa dies... mode my heart hurt just a bit.  Dang, Disney!

Knocking me down a notch

Warning: this story is not a pleasant one.  It will probably make you laugh, but I recommend not reading it while dining.  Consider yourself warned...

I must have been acting too cocky about this whole "mother of two" thing lately.  Someone in the big house upstairs thought I needed to be knocked down a few notches, just to remind me that I really have zero control over the situation, and that I must just roll with it...lesson learned. 

Eddie went out of town on Friday for the weekend.  He has done this before, and I can handle the boys just fine... of course, it's easier when he is there because we can tag team, but I can still manage on my own-- hell, I do it every day! 

Well, Friday after naps, I needed to run out to Buy Buy Baby (have I mentioned how amazing that store is??), and then I thought I would take the boys to Moes for dinner.  It's loud in there, so Andy could "talk," Cal could be his piece of work self and all would be well.  Right as we pulled in, my aunt called and wanted to stop in and see the boys--- can I just say THANK GOD she did. 

We went through the line and got everything set up on the table.  Cal started making the "I am pooping" face, so I waited until he was done, and I ran out to the car to grab a pull up (we aren't potty training anymore-- more on that in the 2yr update, coming next week).  I took Cal to the bathroom (this is before we have taken one bite of food).  He got on the changing table and was completely dry and clean.  Huh.  He saw the potty and was insistent that he pee on the potty- fine, no problem.  He was also insistent upon wearing the pull up instead of the diaper.  Fine, no problem.  I got him off of the potty, put him in the pull up, and tossed the other diaper in the trash.  Well, he started making the poop face again, so I quickly whipped off the pullup, so he could go on the potty, to not dirty another diaper...

well.  The next thing I know, he has explosive diarrhea all over the bathroom floor of Moes.  Like, ALL over the floor-- corner to corner.  My legs: covered. Cal's legs: covered.  The sides of the toilet/trash can/sink/etc etc: covered.  At Moes, there is one room for the bathroom, with just a toilet and a changing table, and I knew there was a line forming waiting for us to vacate the room.

yes, that's right. 

I just stood there, in total disbelief that that much came out of him.  Cal just stood there pointing saying "oh no, momma! look! oh no!" Yes, Cal.  Oh no is right.  Once again, THANK GOD my aunt was out at the table with Andy and all of our food.  I don't know what I would have done.

So stood there surveying the damage, and wondered if I should just grab Cal under my arm and book it out of there (I would never, but gah, was it tempting!), I decided I had no choice but to start cleaning.  I used about 800 wipes and then paper towels, and then toilet paper and got us all clean.  I am not a gagger.  I don't puke.  But let me tell you, my friends, I was gagging like you would not believe in the Moes bathroom.  Cal thought me gagging was hysterical.  He was laughing so hard he snorted. 

Oh, and to top it off?  The pull up got just a teensy bit on it as I whipped it off and Cal refused to put it back on (can't say I blame him....), he kept saying "No, momma- dirty!" So, I had to dig in the trash can (under soiled paper towels) to find the original diaper to put on him.  Oh, yes I did. 

So we were finally cleaned up and scrubbed down with just about every drop of soap in the dispenser and we walked out of the bathroom and there was a pregnant woman waiting who looked like she was about to float out of there she had to pee so badly.  Bless her heart... I am sure she was cursing me up and down (and even more so once she walked in there and caught a whiff...).

We got back to the table and Cal was starving-- he certainly made room for dinner-- and he wanted up in the chair.  My face was HOT red and my hair was a mess and I was sweating something fierce.  My aunt looked at me and said "what happened in there??" I filled her in and we were both dying laughing.  Well, Cal was eating away as we are talking and then he chimed in "poopoo potty, momma! poopoo potty!"  I said "yes, Cal, you poopooed next to the potty." And he said "NO, Momma, poopoo!" Well, he was right.  He did poopoo.  In his high chair. 

yes.  that's right. 

Up his back.

Dinner is over.  I picked him up, oh so carefully, and got him to the car where I laid him down in the trunk to clean him up.  We headed home and I was really turning some kind of a hot mess by this point!

You'd think this story was done, but that person up in the big house realllllly wanted to prove a point to me. 

Andy was starving by this point and I was ready to give him his oatmeal mixed with breast milk.  For those of you who nursed, you know how sacred breast milk is.  Pumping takes time and you don't want to waste what you have.  (I saw a card one time that said: "there is no use crying over spilled milk...unless  you just pumped it.  Then you can cry your eyes out)

I got Andy in the high chair, ready to go, and Cal walked into the bathroom and started saying potty potty potty over and over again.  Then he started ripping off his diaper.  I was NOT about to clean up another mess of that proportion, so I ran into the bathroom to get him on the potty.  While he was sitting there peeing, I heard a crash in the kitchen.  Andy grabbed the bowl of cereal and threw it across the room (seriously, Andy?!?!?!).  And it was a really big bowl because homie can eat. 

Being the stellar mom that I am, I ran to it (after getting Cal off the toilet), and started scrapping it into the bowl.  Once I saw a dog hair I stopped.  I was a little ridiculous, but I wanted him to have a full bowl so he would sleep well, etc.  Sue me.  Oh, then Hank pounced on top of the mixture and licked it all up. 

Are you vomiting yet?  Because I am about to just retelling this. 

So THAT was the kickoff to our solo weekend without Daddy!  That was also the start of the countdown until his return.  I believe it was also the start of me cracking a beer.  That person up in the big house knows I earned it.  And then some!

Having two kids is hard.  I am not ever saying otherwise. 

Here are two pictures from Friday night in their "Pregame Jammies" that they wear the night before TCU plays:

xoxoxo!

4 months old!

 Can he really be FOUR months old?  Wasn't I just pregnant with this little nugget?

There have been some major changes in our littlest guy the past few weeks...

First of all, Andy began wanting to hang out with me several times a night.  Like, on average, four times.  Yes, I realize this is ridiculous.  He was going to bed at 7 (exhausted) and then waking at 11, 2, 4, and 5:30.  It was ROUGH.  I wasn't sure if he was just hungry, or if maybe I wasn't producing enough milk throughout the day and he was trying to make up for it at night...? We had his 4 month check up (more to come on that one later) on Monday, and his doctor said to me, and I quote for effect: "Carrie.  This child is WORKING you."  He really was working me.  He just wanted to nurse whenever he felt like it.  She convinced me it was time to cry it out.  

When I told her my concern for him being full, she said I could start giving him rice cereal or oatmeal.  

So, Monday night Andy had his first bit of oatmeal, mixed with breast milk:

you mean I'm supposed to eat that??

but do I still get boob??

okay, then it's not so bad!

At first he was very unsure of the oatmeal, but once he got the hang of how to eat it, he liked it!  My doctor suggested I nurse him for the last time of the night and then feed him the oatmeal so that he would still nurse fully, but that just didn't work for our schedule with Cal eating (sorry, Andy!).  Instead, I feed both boys their dinner and then we all go up to bathe, and then Andy nurses and then everyone to BED. Phew!

Monday night, when it was time to go down, I kissed Andy and told him I would see him in the morning! It was time to let him cry it out!  At 1:00 he woke up and cried for 42 minutes (yes, I sat and stared at the clock and monitor watching him), but he worked himself back to sleep and didn't get up until 7.  I woke up at 6:30 about to explode, so I went down and pumped waiting for him to wake.

Night one: success!  He cried, but he did work himself back down.  I was dreading this, thinking he would wake up 4 times and have to cry himself back down each time...

Tuesday night, we did the same thing with the oatmeal, nursing, then bed.  I went to bed at 11, looked at the monitor and saw this:

He wasn't crying, but he was just staring at me, and my chest was already pretty full (I am thinking he didn't eat much before bed because he was really tired).  I decided to nurse him one more time to get him through the night.  He went down right after nursing and woke up at 2.  He had flipped onto his back and was trying to flip back over, but couldn't get it.  I let him cry for a few minutes, but once I realized he wouldn't go to sleep on his back, I went into his room, didn't say a word, and flipped him to his tummy.  He cried for all of 5 minutes and was out!  He woke up at 6 and I nursed him and he fell back asleep until I woke him at 9! I wanted to take a class at the gym, so I had to wake him... not sure how long he would have slept!

Last night, we did the same routine, and Andy went down at 7...and we did not hear a PEEP from him until I WOKE HIM at 8!  UNBELIEVABLE! I had to wake him to get Cal to school.

Who is this kid???

We went to the gym again Thursday morning, and I was worried Andy would melt down since he didn't eat much when he woke up, and when I walked into the nursery after class, Andy was sound asleep!  The lady said she had never seen such a chill kid in her life!  ANDY???  The same kid who screamed every 10 seconds for the first 8 weeks of life?!?!?!?! 

Thursday night, it was the same thing-- went down early, woke up at 1 on his back, I flipped him over and he slept until 7:30! 

So anyway, we are doing well with Mr. Andy this week!  YAHOOOO!  I just have to train my boobs now-- I have been up every morning at 6 soaked (TMI? Sorry about it!).  

Happy Boy!

 And here is our info about the 4 month check up:

Weight: 16 pounds, 7 ounces -- 90th percentile
Height: 25 3/4 inches -- 90th percentile
Head circumference: 43 cm -- 75th percentile

at the pediatrician's office

he was loving looking in the mirror

 BIG BOY!

Andy: you are just about as sweet as they come!  You smile all the time and your laugh makes everyone around you smile too.  You are a snuggle bug and I can't believe how strong you are getting!  You like to stand up while holding mom or dad's hands.  It is hard for you to nurse on both sides because you really want to watch whatever your big brother is doing across the room.  I sometimes can't believe how much I love you.  I didn't think it would be possible to love another kid as much as the first, but it really really is.  You make my heart feel so full and I am the luckiest person in the world to have you as a son.  I love watching you grow...just don't do it too fast... I am trying to enjoy every minute!

Sound the Alarm!

front of invite

back of invite

Cal's birthday party was a success...PHEW!  I have been in planning mode for over a month now so I was thrilled for the party to come (and go!).  

Back story: The fire station is across the street from our house and we pass it every single day as we leave the neighborhood.  Cal LOVES it.  Sometimes, when we are out walking, if the garage door is up, we will stop in and visit the trucks.  There is also an ambulance in there.  Cal loves walking through the place pointing to the fire truck, ambulance, and JEEP!  (they have some jeep-type 4 wheeler thing in there as well).  The guys there are incredibly sweet and are very welcoming and always let Cal look around.  Just great guys.  

So, I asked these great guys if they ever did birthday parties...like, came to them with the truck.  They said they would love to!  So there, my friends, the idea for this party was born.  

Some of the cah-jillion pictures taken from the day.....

the decor/favors:

cupcake table

 I had the fire truck arrive about 10 minutes before the party was to begin.  They parked right in front of my house (sorry, neighborhood!) and even put up the huge ladder!  Pretty sure people knew which house was ours. We moved all of our porch furniture out into the back yard for more seating, and we carried all of Cal's big toys into the yard for the kids to play with during the party.

  Mr. Cal had an interesting party day.  He didn't go down for a nap as planned.... instead, he got naked (who is surprised???) and played in his crib like a wild animal.  I was pretty desperate to get him to sleep.  Finally, at 3:25, I went into his room and he was out like a light. The party started at 4.  SIGH.

Once the fire truck got set up, some kids started arriving and we didn't want Cal to miss out on anything, so Eddie went and woke him up.  I had ordered an outfit for him to wear (side note: I LOVE this outfit...Eddie felt it was too girly.  WHATEVER.  I will give y'all the website of this place and you will fall in love with their selection...and PRICES!).  So, Eddie got him dressed and he came outside and saw the truck:

I should note that in this picture, he was running directly into my arms as I was taking this.  Not that you care-- I just want to remember the way I felt as he ran to me.  Kinda like my heart was going to explode.  And like every minute of planning this party was worth it for the face you see above and the hug I received about 6 seconds after this was taken.

 The happiness was short-lived.  Cal was totally overwhelmed.  We put him in the truck for a picture, and this is what we got:

 I am sorry, but that is some kind of funny.  How can you not laugh at that??  It was just too much excitement all at once!  He had just been woken up and there was a freaking fire truck at his house!  What did we expect??

Eddie and I climbed up in the truck with him for a family shot and we got a little bit of a smile out of him:

also: see the sunglasses? It POURED the day before..and the day before that.  and the morning of the party.  But about 2 hours before go time, the sun gods came out for a visit.  Bless you, sun gods.

 Cal was warming up a little bit-- a VERY little bit, and let Eddie put him in the driver's seat:

For the first little bit, Cal only wanted Eddie's mom to hold him.  He wouldn't go to anyone else and wouldn't let me take his picture. He was whiny and fussy and just a real pill.  I thought it was going to be just a lovely party with him acting like that.  Then, something magical happened...

 BRAD SHOWED UP!

 It was amazing!  Brad got out of the car and Cal got SO excited!  He and Brad started running around each other in circles shrieking.  It was JUST what Cal needed to snap out of his funk!  It was like he didn't realize that he was supposed to be having fun during all of this, but when Brad arrived, he realized he could have fun too! The above picture is one of my all time faves.  They really are great buddies...even at two years old!

After playing on the fire truck for a while, we headed to the back yard to play on some toys and the swingset. Kids kind of went back and forth from the truck to the back yard again.  I had the food set up on the screened in porch out back.

I am betting he ran 5 miles that day-- non stop running!

 Then, I got the brilliant idea to try to get a picture of all of the kids in front of the truck.  Sounds easy, right?  Well, there were 21 kids at the party, the oldest being three.  It was a challenge!  I took about 50 pictures of the attempts!

Not sure any of those are award-winning, but they sure are fun to look at!

After the picture, we headed to the back yard to sing happy birthday and give Cal his cake.  We have been practicing the birthday song for a while now and Cal looooves to sing it.  He also thinks he needs to blow out the candle after the first verse (line?).

 We were still singing here and he was just blowing away!

 And after he blew out the candle, he was SO excited!  And having everyone else cheer for him made him even more excited!

After his cake "eating" performance at his first birthday party, people were anxious to see what he would do with this cake. He didn't disappoint.

 I put a fire truck train piece on top of the cake and he just thought that was the coolest thing!

 My favorite picture of the day:

after this picture, he took his hands on both sides of my face and planted a wet one on me...notice how messy his hands are.  We were both a mess after this!

I had a feeling he would devour the cake and destroy his outfit, so I ordered a back up t-shirt to wear after the cake (am I crazy, or what?  No need to comment.  Really... no need...)

One of my dearest friends is Julie-- Cal LOVES Julie! He openly tells her he loves her and always offers her kisses...

Cal headed over to the tree house for some juice and to hang out with his friends...

 love this squat....

It was SUCH a fun time with so many wonderful friends.  I say this all the time, but really and truly, we are so so lucky to be friends with such a great group.  Cal loves his little buddies, and Eddie and I really enjoy their parents too!  It's perfect!

Thank you to anyone reading this that wished Cal a happy birthday, either in facebook land, twitter land, or in person.  I think it's safe to say that it was just that: a happy birthday!

Notes:
invite: Tiny Prints
cupcake toppers: etsy
jon jon and t-shirt: Barefoot Designs (become a fan on facebook-- you will not be disappointed.)