"Mommy, when do I get my tattoo?"

I was in deep thought as I spread peanut butter on Layla's sandwich. Both kids were happy and content playing at the counter as I prepared lunch so I was really going over my "to pack" list in my head. "Mommy, when do I get my tattoo?" was not a question I was expecting to hear at that moment from my 3 year old. Luckily, what Layla was talking about was the princess tattoos that came with her Valentine's Day cards for her class. Conversation averted! Daddy and I both have the real ones and she's seen them and asked about them. She wonders why we let someone write on our skin.....because we were STUPID! For a second there, I thought I was going to have to have my first parenting conversation about not doing what I did.

So, our bags are packed, the ipod is loaded, my books are taking up most of the allotted weight allowed in my one checked bag. I'm ready for Maui. I'm ready to look at my husband for 10 days and just be a wife. I'm ready to not be cold for 10 days. I'm ready to sip on a Mai Tai in the afternoon, on a weekday. I am not, however, ready to wear a swim suit in front of other human beings and I still can't get my mind around 10 days with no children. But I guess I'll deal with both of those issues as they come! ALOHA!

Another Month!!

So, he did it again.....Cooper snuck another month of his life right by us. Poof........gone. He's now 10 months old. This week I am calling him Mess Maker. Of course I say it with great motherly love. The thing is, he's just getting faster, therefore covering more ground and just making more messes in less time! In 5 minutes today he had all 36 cans of soda (I know) out of the fridge and rolling all over the kitchen floor, had all three drawers by the stove completely wiped clean and had half of the pan cupboard emptied. The only thing that stopped him was a stack of pans falling on his toes! Dave wonders why I get so short with him about him leaving his stuff laying around......its because I pick up ALL DAY LONG!

Even though my Mess Maker is keeping me busy, I really do love it and him. I thank God every day for number 2 and that I get to pick up and snuggle that chunky little snorter boy and love him all day long. His appearance and personality have changed so much over the last month. He's starting to look like a toddler and he wants MUCH MORE of our attention. He still finds himself hilarious and loves to play ball. He is starting to walk beside his walker while holding on with just one hand. I'm happy to report, that my last post about him mushing food in his hair did the trick. I must have embarrassed him, he's had clean mealtime hair for several days!

Do they make shower caps for babies?

Because I don't know what else to do to keep brother from putting food in his hair while eating. Seriously, I need some advice. Is this a boy thing? Layla was already using a napkin at this age. Brother...he just eats it if I give him one. Not only does he put the food in his hair, he rubs it in like he's lathering up. I have resorted to keeping a bottle of shampoo in the kitchen so I can wash his hair after meals. There has to be a better solution!

Other than trying to keep brother clean, I'm trying to get Dave and I ready to leave the kids for 10 days!! If you look back to one of the first posts of this blog, I was counting down until Dave and I went on our Maui trip. The countdown started at something like 345 days. It started so early because I was 8 months pregnant with Cooper and we couldn't take our winter trip last year so cabin fever was setting in. Well, the trip is now less than 2 weeks away and preparations have begun. I am excited and thankful that we get to spend so many days in such a glorious place. Our families will take great care of the kids and the kids love them. But, there is still some anxiety. We are supposed to go to an ISU game this Saturday and I told Dave I can't do it. I just can't be away from the kids until we leave. I know, I know, so pathetic! I cannot get my mind around 10 days with no kids. We spent 5 days away from Layla when she was 2 years old and that's my longest stretch to date. But again, it's Maui.........I will survive!

She is Her Mother's Daughter!

While we were filling up with gas today Layla asked that I roll her window down so she could better watch the snow plow clearing the parking lot. It was sunny and a balmy 35 degrees so I thought, why not?! As I pulled away from the pump Layla asked if her window could stay down and if I could turn on the CD Jerry and Jaime made her. Again, why not? So, I crank up some Desperation Band and pull out onto the street. Layla yells out her window, while pounding on the door, "Woo-hoo! I have the need for speed mom!" Before I can even laugh she starts singing along with the CD, screaming out the window, "Jesus. we're living for your name, I'll never be ashamed of you, ohh-ohh-ohh." and then adds, "Come on mom, rock it out with me!" So I did and we sang at the top of our lungs, windows down, in the middle of winter. Why not?

I lost Cooper today. Seriously, I lost him for a whole 1-2 minutes. This is a long time to lose your 9 month old in your house. He was in the living room, I walked by him, put a pile of clean clothes on our bed, walked back and he was gone. Of course, the first thing I checked was the stairs, he wasn't there. "Sister, where's brother?" She was no help. I was frantically calling out his name, thinking, with his climbing ability, he could be anywhere! As I made my way back to the laundry room I heard it.......his snorty little laugh. The one he gives when he's so proud of himself. I follow the sound and I find him wedged between the dryer and the wall. Why? That's where the broom hangs. He loves the broom and was so proud of himself that he found where I keep it! Now, when I say he was wedged, I mean he was wedged. I don't know how his clumsy, uncoordinated body shimmied back there, but there he stood with his big belly tight against the wall. I laughed at that toothy, chubby, slobbery, proud smile!

Back Away from the Mama!

Everybody is a little crazy today! Here's mom, just trying to get some pictures of the kiddos and all I got was a face full of slober! We need Daddy to get home and wrestle some energy out of these two.

"Brewster"

I don't know why we give our kids names at birth. They each have 1000 nicknames and it seems the only time we use their birth certificate names its because they're in trouble.............oh, I guess that's why. Anyway, "Brewster" seems to be Cooper's newest nickname. Its one that Daddy gave him and he loves it! But, I think he just plain loves ANYTHING Daddy does.

Between Christmas and New Year's Mr. Brewster turned 9 months old. Because we've experienced 3 years of milestones with Layla I eagerly anticipate all of the fun that is still to come with Cooper. I have to catch myself from saying, "oh, I can't wait to see him walk." Or, "I can't wait to hear his little voice say mommy." Because, in reality, it has all gone so fast and I don't want to wish any of my time with him away (even on the hardest days).

We went to the Dr. today for a well check and little man is 25 pounds and 31". Chunky Monkey is also a good nickname for him. Whatever his name, we love him dearly! The first picture up above is Cooper at 3 weeks. The bottom is Cooper at 9months.

Out with a Bang

New Year's Day marked our last Christmas celebration of the year. Jeremy and Kelley hosted the Kellen Christmas, Part 2. As you can see from the pictures, Grandma and Grandpa bought way too many gifts for the kids and the adults had to have Starbucks to make it through the last leg of the Holidays (I had 2 that day). Mama Faye and Papa Fish, we truly appreciate all of our gifts. You know your grand kids well, as every present they opened was "just what they always wanted!"

Layla is still saying, "Can you believe it Mom? I got a V-Motion!" "Can you believe it Mom? I got make-up." "Can you believe it Mom? I got a Dr. Barbie." Every gift was, "Can you believe it Mom?" Cooper slept through all of the gift openings this year. Every time he would wake up he'd have a whole new batch of toys. His favorites are his Little People Barn and his Leap Frog Activity Table, which he is uses more as a walker! He plays it as he pushes it across the hard wood floors.

What a great 2 weeks we've had. Daddy's been home and we've enjoyed every minute of it! We've had awesome family time, have been able to have lots of friends over and I've been able to leave the house without kids! It will be a shock on Monday when life gets back to normal!