An Ode to two-year-olds

(This poem is for Connor)

A Boy That’s Two

Bags of cereal spilled on the floor,
Stomped to crumbs just like before.
Broken crayons tossed here and there,
He’s dumped out all the silverware.
Something special just broke in two…
Stuffed a cracker in mommy’s shoe.
Instead of drinking, he’s spilled the cup,
Sticky puddles splashing up.
Marker scribbles on each wall,
Poked a hole in mom’s yoga ball.
Pulled all the paper from the roll…
Now it’s clogged the toilet bowl.
Drawers are empty, clothes tosses around…
Bookcase contents on the ground.
Toothpaste squeezed to paint the tub.
Diaper cream used as body-scrub.
All this done in moments it seems,
While mom is cleaning the other things.
One mommy to clean is just too few
When we’re talking about a boy that’s two.
Sometimes it’s enough to make me scream!
And wish it was all one really bad dream.
But he looks at me with those eyes so blue
And a smile that says “I love you too.”
And all I can do is give him a hug,
My sweet, adorable, mess-making bug!

By Annie Bingham

Nine years ago...

Hungry hungry kiddos

Snack time is an essential part of any child's existence. However snack time also seems to thwart any chance I have in getting my children to eat a sensible lunch on school days.
(My kindergartner has to eat an early lunch in order to make it to school on time. So I might as well feed all my little hunger monsters at the same time). The only hang up is that their tummies seem to be totally empty and ravenous about ten to twenty minutes before I begin lunch. I try to ensure them that if they wait just a few more minutes that we'll have lunch. At this point I am sure to get one of two faces: 1. The big puppy dog eyes with the "I'm starving" look. 2. The mischievous, "I'll just wait until she is upstairs for a minute."

I did install a sliding lock on the pantry door a year or so ago... unfortunately it is only a small deterrent. I regularly hear a chair being scooted across the floor and little feet climbing to slide the lock. More often than not I find the door left open and the floor scattered with crumbs, an empty cracker box and other incriminating evidence. Is it any wonder that when we all sit down to eat our well balanced lunch that I hear, "I'm not very hungry,"?

Maybe I'd better go with a combination lock... hmmm maybe a voice recognition, fingerprint scanner.

Sled Dog

Our dog loves to go sledding. It is really entertaining...

Except for the fact that he swipes the sled from the kids for his own enjoyment. He jumps on the sled before the kids can and heads down the hill. Or if the kids are on the sleds already, he nuzzles his way onto their laps so he can go too. This picture was one of his "swipe and sled" moves. Ben was a little put out after carrying the sled up the hill.

Boys and their toys... Sheesh!

My husband recently got a new work cell phone. The souped-up blackberry must not have been enough for him and his co-workers, because now they all have i-phones. The first day home with his new toy... er, I mean "high tech/very necessary tool"... he was almost, well if he were a girl I would say "squealing with delight." If there is a manly what to describe that emotion, that was what he was like... in a very cool-headed and professional way of course.

My sons love to do anything that Dad is doing and are both on their way to being techno-geniuses. So when Daddy shared his toy and its amazing capabilities, Ben was all about that. (I really don't mind if my boys are computer nerds, as long as they are also in a sport like football or wresting so they can defend themselves. Track would work too, for the beating a hasty retreat part).

The funniest part about this picture is that I can't tell who is having more fun.

I'll admit that my man's new toy is pretty sweet, but I'm looking forward to the day that he stops finding more fun applications to add... I'd like to spend the evening with him again and not just sitting next to him. I'm starting to get jealous of a four-inch piece of plastic. :)

A homemade Christmas gifts

I love homemade gifts! Growing up in a big family, making Christmas gifts was kind of a tradition. I always thought that it was like giving a little piece of yourself. The gifts that I made were corny and down right ugly at times... but they are getting better.

Now with my little family, I am trying to teach my children about giving from the heart. And the cycle of interesting and crazy homemade gifts starts anew with my girls old enough to use a glue gun. It is always a challenge for me to think of something that is not going to be just another toy (that I will have to pick up).

I couldn't post this before Christmas because I knew my little guys would probably see the pictures. This was the gift I made for my two boys... to go on their bunk bed. I had seen a few on-line and decided to give it a whirl. Thanks to tons of suggestion and a little help from family and friends... this is what I came up with:The castle front is sewn to a flat sheet that goes under the top mattress to hold it in place. The turret piece (at the top) slips over the railing like a pillow case.The gray fabric came from my mom. Sweet! The banners, flags and curtains were all ribbon scraps. (Also from my mom... I know, she's awesome!) I got the brick-look by mixing (ceramcoat)gray,white,black paints and applying it with a large sponge.

This was the most challenging gift I have made so far, but also the most fun! And the best part... I can play in it too!