Dean is TWO!

Seriously?!? Two?!? It doesn't seem that long ago when Dean was born...and Drew was turning two. To compare the boys seems ridiculous. Dean did not get two years of my undivided attention. He did not get consistant music class, gym class, at-home lessons from Mommy, the-world-revolves-around-you (and only you) care. I'm okay with that. With baby #3 on the way, I have no choice but to accept that my time is limited, divided, and at times unavailable.

All that being said...here's Dean at 2 years of age:

*Height: 25th percentile
*Weight: 25th percentile
*Words: more than I can count!! This is a great thing because he "bloomed" a bit later than Drew.
*Sentences: "Daddy's at work." "I wanna go downstairs." "Where's elmo?" etc. Yes, he can speak in sentences!!
*Silly thing to note: Loves making funny faces...and imitates the faces I make too.
*Favorite activities: Pushing lawn mower, taking walks, playing with trains
*Favorite "lovies": Blankie (of course), elmo, baby (my old cabbage patch which Drew had), ernie, cookie monster, grover
*Favorite songs: Twinkle, Twinkle, Hickory Dickory Dock, ABC, If you're happy and you know it
*Favorite person: Drew (without a doubt!!)

Dean continues to be a rockstar crib sleeper: 12 hours at night and a 2+ hour nap (12:30-3ish). He is learning to climb into his carseat - funny, he climbs on everything else quite easily. He still slides down the stairs on his belly unless I hold his hand. He does not watch tv. He loves being outside. He's a good eater. He doesn't cry when I wash his hair (Drew does!). He wakes up happy and plays in his crib...so sweet. He likes making people laugh. He has blonde hair :) and dimples when he smiles. He scrunches up his nose a lot and it's so cute. He is typically calm and gentle, but he may hit you if you take what he's playing with :( He shares well if you use words. He hates having his diaper changed, but has never peed/pooped in the potty. He loves to say, "Hola!" and says Hi to everyone everywhere. He can get his own snack from the closet - and fruit from the fruitbowl. He's learning to do his own seatbelt (fastening the top). He likes drinking from big boy cups and is quite good at it. He respects the boundaries of our property and plays in the yard/driveway without any trouble. He likes playing with boys but has more girl friends his age. He's most loving towards people he knows, a bit shy around strangers. He's so cute, rather petite, easy to love, pretty low-maintainance, seldom whines, and loves to play.

FUN!

Is there anything better than eating delicious, red, ripe strawberries in June?!? Especially ones you've picked yourself? I think not. ALL of the photos I took at Schartner's Farm include strawberries-in-the-mouth. I guess you could say the boys enjoyed it!





Aside from the fact that we seriously almost got lost in Ryan Park today, it was an awesome hike. Dean started off zooming ahead and the two happily ran along the trail. After about 30 minutes, Dean lost his steam and I resorted to carrying him :( It was ok though - because at that point I thought I was lost and I wanted to keep a quick pace. We ended up crossing paths with the trail we walked on Monday...and all was good. Definitely one of my favorite hikes recently!

Three's a Charm

I'm not going to lie. I'm scared to death to have three children. Every day I ask myself how I will manage three kids - or, even worse, three BOYS! My two boys have so much energy that I leave the house every day by 8:30am...return for naps...and run out again as soon as they awaken! Today we went to the Y at 8:30 (yoga class at 9am for me!!), followed by a trip to Schartner's Farm for strawberry picking with friends, then to Sophie's for coffee...home for naps and off to Ryan's Park for a hike upon waking. I am not complaining about the activities. It sure beats sitting around the house. I'm just wondering how I am going to do it all with THREE. How will I squeeze in time for nursing? Will Dean hold my hand when we walk across the parking lot? Will Drew carry the cooler so I can hold the baby AND Dean's hand? Will I remember to pack two sized diapers, sunscreens, three hats, snacks & drinks for everyone?!? Will the boys listen to me when I tell them to stop! What will the baby's needs be? Will I have time for each child individually? Will my mom still want to babysit...all three kids? Will I ever have time for myself?

Yes, I'm scared.

I'm going to create some mantras for myself. I will repeat these over and over until I believe them. I appreciate any additional words of wisdom or support anyone can offer.

*Everything is going to be ok.
*Slow down....
*People have been raising big families forEVER and they manage.
*Drew will be a big help.
*The kids will have each other.
*Big families are FUN.
*Dean and Drew will keep each other occupied.
*I have lots of good friends to play with us :)
*My mom will always be there.
*I have a supportive husband.
*Drew will be going to kindergarten in one year!
*I can nurse in the moby wrap.
*Babies are easy and can sleep on the go.
*I love my children.

It's going to be ok, right?

Sun is Shining!

Finally the sun has returned to New England! Saturday we went for a hike in Exeter at Fishmerman's Cove. It's so beautiful there and we seldom see anyone else on the trails...so it feels like our own little forest! I love it. Today I took the boys to Ryan Park in North Kingstown (2 minutes from our home!) but the timing was off. We went when I got home from work - about an hour before naptime. Dean was cranky :( I tried to wear him in the ergo but he wasn't diggin' it. We'll try that hike again later this week. It's SO nice to be outside and hiking again. I love it!!

Lazy Mama

Last night I went to see the film Orgasmic Birth which was hosted by Doulas of RI. The producer, Debra Pascali-Bonaro (who will be the one conducting my post-partum doula training) was there to discuss the film with the audience which was awesome!! The event lasted well past my bedtime and I found myself hitting the sack around 11:30pm. <<insert big yawn!>>

So, this morning when my alarm (aka: children) woke me up at 6:30am I was less than enthusiastic to start my day. Having rejoiced in their "independent play" in the basement the last few days , I decided that perhaps they might entertain themselves while I lay under the covers just a bit longer. I dressed Dean (unfortunately Drew can't change diapers...yet) and let the boys head downstairs around 7:40am. I lay there, half trying to sleep-half trying to listen, thinking how wonderful this was...the boys enjoying each other's company, the luxury of staying in bed, their new found independent play...

About 45 min later, I hear them walking upstairs and Drew says, "Dean, you can't put your fingers in your mouth. They're all dirty! I need to clean them." He heads into the bathroom and wets a facecloth. I'm thinking: Dirty?? What could've happened? Did Dean poop and take off his diaper? So, from the bedroom I ask, "Dirty? What happened?" And Drew responds, "Dean wrote on me and I wrote on him." Ut oh....time to get up.

I'm thinking he's talking about markers, which are really only for Drew to use as Dean is too young, and I'm pretty upset. Then I see Dean: BLUE GLUE ALL OVER HIS FACE! Ummm...what happened?? Well, Dean put the glue on Drew and he lathered Dean up! So, immediately I throw both boys into the bathtub. Fortunately, this children's glue was relatively easy to clean up - on both the boys and my coffee table. Thank goodness. I will add that they had legitimately been working on "projects" downstairs. Drew and Dean each had their own paper, which was beautifully adorned by colorful, sparkly glues, and there was minimal mess to be cleaned. And while I was upset that Dean was covered in a blue, sticky mess, I realized it was kind of my fault. I was a lazy mama with an awful migraine who did not want to get out of bed. I'm thrilled that the boys share such a special friendship right now and I'm glad they can play by themselves, but they still need to be supervised...or I'll be cleaning up the mess!

I would have loved to call in sick today. Ugh.

Still fighting off the migraine despite two cups of coffee.

Maybe I'll go back to bed...

Memorial Weekend

Memorial Weekend has officially become my favorite holiday. What I most love about this "holiday" is the opportunity to bring so many friends together for a party...and reuniting with my college friends for a weekend of sunshine, bbqs, games, and laughter.

All of my picture are posted at http://www.kodakgallery.com/kardos - check out the fun!

Celebrating TODAY!

Five years ago today, Chris and I were married at the Ocean Cliff in Newport. Despite all the excitement we've shared over these years together, this day - our wedding day - remains the happiest, most beautiful day of my life. I feel so blessed to have married such an amazing man, a caring and thoughtful father, an attentive husband, my best friend. This Fall we will celebrate 10 years of togetherness...which blows my mind. Here's to MANY more years of celebrating with the greatest love in my life.

Ode to my love

i love waking every morning

my true partner by my side

no matter how i'm feeling

in you i can confide

i love taking evening walks

playing ping pong too

i love hiking in the woods

with daddy, dean, and drew

i love that we are explorers

even without travel far

i love sitting in the living room

listening to you play guitar

i love nights out with our friends

or nights spent on our own

i love the family we created

and our beautiful home

i love that you are my partner

in the true sense of the word

i love that you can love me

even when i am absurd

i couldn't be more proud,

more happy or more blessed

and when we met 15 years ago

i never would've guessed

a friend i met in college

would be the love of my life

i want you to know

i'm so proud to be your wife

Spring Hikes!

Since returning from Spain, I've been going to yoga classes twice a week at the Y (love it!) and I've spent many days walking & hiking with the boys (and friends). It's been wonderful to be more active...and to enjoy nature a bit each day. For the most part, I feel relaxed and energetic (at least til the evening crashes upon me!). Dean, however, is not the best hiker...so it is bringing me down a bit. Drew ROCKS and can hike miles...never gets tired or complains (til it's time to go home!)...and loves being the leader. Dean is often lagging behind - or asking to be carried. Sure, he's only 20 months so it's understandable. What is NOT cool is that he continues crying when in the back pack carrier. So I'll end up carrying my squirmy little guy on my hip - all 27 extra pounds of him. I guess it adds to the intensity of my workout! Oddly enough, he is awesome on the bike path and roads. He walked 2 miles yesterday. Here's the clencher: he pushes his lawn-mower. He'll walk for hours if he can push his silly little lawn-mower. Unfortunately I don't think a lawn-mower is safe on woodsy trails. I'm now hunting for an ideal front/side carrier for my almost-2-year-old. Suggestions are welcomed!!

Below are some of our pics. Even though I'm complaining a bit, we've had lots of fun!

Here is Dean in the ergo baby carrier which my friend Sarah lent me. We were walking out to Rome Point - and amazingly enough, Dean made it all the way to the beach! That's at least a mile! On the way back he was happy in the ergo. Drew, my champion hiker, walked there and back on his own.







Here we are at Goddard Park. We went for a nice afternoon walk with Wendy & Elena. Dean was up and down, up and down, up and down. It was so nice walking in the woods and then walking along the ocean cliff. It's an easy trail for the boys too.

Dean did great at the South County Bike Path. This time it was just the three of us. Both boys had their lawnmowers. We walked TWO miles and no one was carried at all. Granted, it took us about TWO hours, but I was happy :)

Here are the boys on our hike in Exeter...I think it's called Fisherman's Cove. Dean refused my sturdy back pack carrier, is too big for the baby bjorn, and ended up on my hip. Not my favorite day. I think I'll have to stick to paved paths til we find a carrier that works for Dean. Or I'll have to change my expectation that hiking with (both) kids can be a two mile journey. Drew cried when the hike was over and suggested we leave Dean home and head out again with Wendy, Trent & Elena. Hmmm...not a bad idea.