My Name is Mommy

Well, today is the last day that I’ll have a two year old. My baby turns three tomorrow. It’s crazy how quickly time flies. And if you’re looking for me tomorrow, I’ll be the one dancing up and down the street singing, “Hallelujah!”.

As you may remember, two hasn’t always been easy in our house. And I’m not really sad to see it go. And really not for any other reason than it means we’re moving forward with our little family.

Two is quite amazing, actually. The changes that occur in that year are unbelievably phenomenal. From speech, to mobility, to they way they play, to the way they think, it’s just unimaginable. It seems that it would take an adult an entire lifetime to accomplish the changes that a child makes in just that year. And it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.

But I don’t think I’ll miss it. I’ve had the joy (and struggle!) of being with all of my kids, day in and out, through all of their twos. And I think I’ve had my fill.
Now to get one more through the threes. Because, as well all know, three is much harder than two. All those fancy words that you thought it would be fun to teach your two year old? All of the attitude he’s been observing in his older sibs? All of the knock-knock jokes that he’s committed to memory? They all come to haunt you in the threes. And I’ll feel completely joyed at getting to experience the threes for one last time. (Remind me of this in a coupla months, will ya? )

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And Happy Birthday to Jackie!!!!!!! (I was gonna put a nice photo of her up here, but I think she’ll kill me no matter what photo I use. She should stop yawning when I go to take her picture so I have some options. )

Yep, I finally did it.

No, I wasn’t drunk. Yes, I knew it would be permanent. Yes, it hurt.

So, the why, since that’s usually the next question. I’ve wanted a tattoo for about 10 years. Yes, I really have. I just needed to come up with something that mattered enough to me to have it put on my body. I contemplated one to mark my Dad’s life and death, and I even have an idea in my head, but I’ve never stumbled upon an image that comes close to what’s in my head, yet.

So, Jack and I took a trip to South Carolina earlier this month (I’ll share more about that soon), and I decided then that I wanted a tattoo for Mother’s Day. I know many go for the mother’s ring, with the birthstones of their children in the ring. I don’t actually like the kids’ stones together, so I decided I’d go a different route.

I decided that I’d just get the kids’ initials tattooed on. I love it, it matters to me, and when I go, it goes. No ring to fight over. And if they’re fighting over the tattoo itself, it’s means I’ve seriously damaged the psyches of my kids more than I could ever imagine.
Sidenote: Did you know that it’s been illegal to get a tattoo in South Carolina until the last year or two? Something like that. Anyway, it was crazy because Jack and I couldn’t find a place in SC to get our tattoos! We ended up getting them on the way home (yes, she got one, too) at Beelistic in Cincinnati. Rich did our tattoos. I told him that anyone who permanently changed my skin had to get in a photo with me. Here he is:

Here’s Jackie enjoying the gentle tickling of the tattoo.

You know, that great American holiday where the famed groundhog peeks out from his winter retreat, and if he sees his shadow, he turns another year older and starts a psychedelic rendition of, “I Got You, Babe…”

Or maybe that’s just how we celebrate at our house….

Actually, it’s the day that our oldest gains a year, which is both very exciting and kinda sad all at the same time. But she is a fantastic kid and it’s so fun being her mom….you know….when it’s not maddening.
She is an odd child, I must say. Don’t get me wrong, she’s funny, smart, and all that good stuff. But she asks for the weirdest stuff. For Christmas, a calculator and some hand fans were on her list. You know, a fan like a proper Southern Belle would keep around to stay cool on those hot summah days. And for her birthday? A detective kit and handkerchiefs. Handkerchiefs. Like the ones men over the age of 80 keep in their back pockets should a lady shed a tear and need to dab her eyes. Or should the man himself need to blow a booger into. One of those. Except she wanted it with flowers or something on it. Weird. Oh yeah….and shrimp.

Our gift to her (besides the handkerchiefs, of course)? One of those lights that you can clip to your book to read at night. And why did we get that for her? One too many times of hearing her say, “They don’t have enough street lights on the road for people who want to read in the car at night.”
Happy Birthday to my little princess in her detective kit disguise glasses.

It’s been a crazy busy weekend, but a really good one. And very fun because I can say that I did two things I’ve never done before!

1. Auditioned at an open casting call for a short film. (Yes, you, I did actually do it. ) No, I don’t really think I can act. It was for fun. But I do get to be the still photographer for the production, which I am extremely excited about! I will write more on this tomorrow, hopefully.

2. Learned to make spring rolls. There’s a ton of hard work that goes into those! Especially when your hosts insist on you chopping everything by hand the first time! But they were so much fun and are going to be yummy. And, the best part was the sense of community and sharing old and new relationships as we all sat cooking and rolling together. Great time. More on that to come, too.

Maybe that would be a good goal. Every weekend, try one new thing that I’ve never attempted before. That sounds like fun, yeah?
How was your weekend?

Hey all! Sorry I’ve been so off and on lately. There is stuff going on, and I’ll try to get more of it out here. I’ve missed you guys.
Okay, so, tying up loose ends…

You’ll remember I had a contest celebrating my one year here at My Name is Mommy. Thanks again for being here with me! Anyway, anyone submitting a comment (sans the spammers…grrrr…) from this post through the end of June was entered to win either a box of Esther Price chocolates or an Amazon gift certificate worth $15. And the winner is….
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…and I’m guessing you might wonder, am I still So. Totally. Psyched?

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Happy Birthday, Bald Man. (See how I even wrote that how you like? )

Anyway, our internet connection is totally whacked out this weekend, so just a quick post to say HB to my love.

What, you ask, does a Bald Man want for his birthday?

A few minutes on the couch with Madden 2000-something (hey, you’re lucky I even knew that was a video game)….

Today, Luke turned two. Here is his momentous day in photos:

Snuggling with Mommy and the ever-present duckie blankie.

Stopping to smell the roses. Or, hitting them, which is what actually happened.

Looking like a big boy in his car seat! Yeah, I really should no longer refer to him as a baby. That’s a big boy sitting in that seat!

Mmmm….pizza…..only french fries could make this a more perfect meal for me…

Must interrupt this dinner for a brief temper tantrum. I am two now, you know. (The cause for the tantrum? Mommy wouldn’t let him go find Daddy in the bathroom. It is my job, after all, to protect him from danger, you know. )

Mmm….Dairy Queen ice cream cake….

Another snuggle with Mommy, just because.

Happy birthday, to my little boy. It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I first held you in my arms and introduced you to the world. Two years since you made our family 5, since you caused us girls to be outnumbered. Two years since I proved to the world that, yes, I can TOO have a blonde, blue-eyed child! Two years that have gone so quickly, and two years to the start of a life that I’m lucky enough to have a front row seat for. You are amazing, funny, sneaky, loving, mischievous, and one of the great joys of my life. I love you.

Yup, that would be today. Ten years of Bald Man putting up with all of my neuroses. Ten years of me putting up with all of the hair in the drain. (He puts the blame on me, but I remind him that I’m still the one with hair on my head. I think the evidence supports my argument. )

Anyway, I wrote a bit about our ten years here at that marriage blog of ours.

Here, I just want to say,

Thanks, babe, for loving me. For loving our kids. For fighting for the best that we can do and be together. For not quitting when times get tough. For celebrating all the good. For being my best friend. For loving my family. I love you today more than ever before.

And, in case I haven’t told you lately, I still think you’re way hot.

So, the exciting news is…..

*sound of trumpeters….um….trumpeting*

Today marks the one year anniversary of this here little blog!!! Crazy, yeah? A whole year of me out here spouting my nonsense, and you all showing up to read it. Oh, by the way, THANKS FOR SHOWING UP TO READ IT!!!
There are several takes that I’ve seen on a one year anniversary post. Some bloggers do a “best posts of the last year” kinda thing. Others do a contest for those commenting. Still others do some type of donation commemorating the grand event. I think I’ll do a combo, starting with….
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