Happy Birthday Alien!

So the Alien is two today!

According to Dr. Harvey Kemp the Alien is technically now a Caveman (well Cavewoman, girl?) due to her reaching toddlerhood. But for the sake of the blog, and all seven readers I am choosing to keep the Alien an Alien.

She did have a marvelous birthday party, with cake (Costco does a really good job and it had cheesecake filling OMG so good), and pool party. We actually have my brother in law, his wife and four year old visiting so the Caveman has spent a ton of time at Grandma's house enjoying running around with Cousin Rusty. I almost feel bad that I did do more for the Alien's birthday, but with working, planning my next FPU session, and school there isn't enough hours in the day to do everything. Do moms that stay at home always bake homemade cakes and arrange for balloon animal artists to come to birthday parties. Probably some, I just think that a two year old doesn't needs all of that. In fact the birthday party is for the grown up acknowledging that we have kept this child alive for another year.

I still can't believe she is two, a walking, almost talking, little person with big personality. The Alien likes to climb on everything, throws a proper temper tantrum if she doesn't get her way, and loves her stuffed bunny "Baby." More importantly she is just like a little burst of sunshine, the happiest baby (well toddler now, wow) on my block. Well she is sunshine until she has a temper tantrum or poops.

The Caveman is completely confused about celebrating birthdays not on the day of the actual birthday. When Big Papi and I wished the Alien happy birthday, the Caveman proclaimed "What? She gets another one!" But, he gave her a hug and a kiss which she screamed yuck and ran out of the room. The Caveman chased after her screaming "Stop evil emperor Zurg" and the day slips into normal.

Congratulations It’s a Boy!

So, last night while giving the kids a bath the Caveman made it very clear he was a man.

Yes folks we have a boy! While scrubbing the Alien I glanced over and the Caveman was grabbing his stuff and yes I freaked out a little bit. He is only three! My three year old has discovered his penis. When I told him that we do not do that in the same room with our sister and mommy he did stop. Then I grabbed the phone (calm down folks it was in the same room) and called Crazy Grandma. She laughed.

After the phone he was pushing the muscles near the pelvic bone so the penis would bob up and down. Again the rule of no playing with the penis with your sister and mom in the room still applies.

Why do these things happen when Big Papi is at basketball?

Pampers offers designer-brand diapers - Yahoo! Finance

Okay seriously- if you are a mommy who buys something like this for your child to poo in (yes I said poo) then I feel sorry for you.

Actually I bet Crazy Grandma would have gotten them for the kids had she had the chance.


Pampers offers designer-brand diapers - Yahoo! Finance

Eau, No: The Strangest Scents Ever - Yahoo! Shopping

Yeah this made my former Lotion Land self smile- at least we never had any of these fragrances- but it still doesn't make up for Grapefruit Jasmine and Purely Fresh

Eau, No: The Strangest Scents Ever - Yahoo! Shopping

Ice Cream

So, last night it was hot! Actually it has been dangerously hot for the last few days- so hot that a certain Alien and Caveman have not been able to play outside and burn off toddler energy.

Plus our kitchen sink is broken- the other day I noticed a terrible, rotting smell coming from the kitchen. A sidebar please, my nose after working for Lotion Land for 10 years is incredibly sensitive- I always smell stinky way before anyone else. I also have a weak stomach for these things. Because of this I wasn't going to find where the smell is coming from, I have a theory- I pushed children out this gets me out of cleaning out the fridge, removing creepy crawly things, and investigating stinky items with the exception of a stinky diaper.

When Big Papi came home he found the pipe leading to the garbage disposal had come off and there was still food inside. OMG!!!!!!! The brave man had to scoop it out while I hid in the bedroom- even just writing about it now I am nauseous.

With the kitchen being out of commission I haven't been able to cook which had led to stress. On top of this I haven't been to Zumba in the last week and last night Big Papi was way late coming home from work and the kid were nuts.

So we did what any family would do, we went out for ice cream. I am actually lactose intolerant so I avoid dairy but we needed a break so we went to the local Dairy Queen and you know somehow life was better.

This weekend is going to be awesome- the kids have a playdate with another set of Cavemen and I have class- plus damn it I will be making muffins for tomorrow morning!

Happy Friday everyone.

To Grandmother’s house we go

So, a few of my friends are sending their children to stay with grandparents this summer. One of my good friends is an amazing stay-at home mom who I am so proud of because she is allowing her girls to stay at their grandparents' house. This friend has never done this before- she missed portions of our high school graduation because they weren't kid friendly. This trip for away from her girls is going to challenge her in new ways.

But, as I watch the comments from her facebook page I couldn't help seeing one of her friends comment on the situation saying, "Let yourself enjoy the time you have while they are away and DON'T FEEL GUILTY about it. This can be hard for us stay at home moms. We feel guilty when we let someone else watch them." Really? It is only hard for stay- at- home moms?

I appreciate she is offering the same advice I am but why is it that stay- at- home moms feel guilty about allowing someone else watch their children but a working mom doesn't? I believe this woman, who I honestly do not know, thinks that because moms, like me, who drop off children at a day care or a sitter's house, do not feel guilty any more. Hello, of course I feel guilty- I feel guilty every time I drop off the kids with Kelly the Amazing Babysitter. When I left the Caveman and Alien for an entire week with Normal Grandma and Titi I cried as I drove off.

Maybe I am more sensitive about situation because I could make choices to stay at home with them more- I just function as a better mommy because I am also a woman outside of my kids. This is the balance we face as mothers, because I was awesome before I had children. My career was going really well, I was getting married, everything was great.

Then the Caveman came along and changed everything. Some things got better because of my son, I learned that a career isn't the only achievement a woman can have, I reconnected with my faith in a new way. I discovered an amount of love I didn't think possible, I met my soul mates through the Alien and Caveman.

But the kids have also brought a new amount of stress and fear about me. I constantly think "am I doing enough?" "Will they turn out okay?" "Did I feed them any vegetables today?" It was easier just worrying about me. I also desperately miss the complete freedom of just being able to do whatever I wanted without holding a summit with my husband about what to do with the kids.

These thoughts do not make me a bad mom- in fact because I am willing to share them it makes me a healthier mom and woman. My life does not revolve around my children- I was a whole person when they arrived in my life.

Being a working mom is a choice, I realize this. But I am proud of that choice- I just wish women would just say moms when talking about motherhood. Especially because the last time I checked stay-at-home moms work really hard too.

The Alien and Caveman Go to the Movies

So, we survived the Toy Story 3 adventure. Here is a time line of events

9:38am- The Alien and I arrive at Cinema Café. Big Papi and Caveman are on route but I think the theater is closed because the parking lot is abandoned with the exception of a few cars. Sit in the parking lot and wait for the theater to open so we can get good seats.

9:45am- grrr there is going to be a birthday party going on in the theater- yuck try explaining to a three year old why he can't have any birthday cake. But because of the birthday party we are able to get in the theater but the ticket counter lady doesn't look pleased we are in the theater before the place opens. Oh well. And word of advice- it isn't a good idea to look annoyed at the people who plan to spend money in your movie theater especially when serious competition is going to open across the street in a matter of a few weeks. Well maybe that is just me.

10:10am- in the theater and realize there are three birthday parties going on. My kids are going nuts asking all kinds of questions about birthdays and cake.

10:18am- had to tell Big Papi to relax because the Alien was making noise. Guess what, every other kid is talking so calm down. A non birthday party parent across from us just ordered a beer. By the way this is one of those movie theaters where you order real food and adult beverages- but not an adult theatre because the name Toy Story would have a whole other meaning. So would the word Buzz and Woody now that I think about it.

All three birthdays have sung happy birthday, I feel like a voyeur.

10:28am- potty break for the Caveman and Alien needed changing. Of course the Caveman waits until after Big Papi takes the Alien to change her (folks he volunteered for diaper duty- he reads the blogs he could have pulled its father's day-palooza but didn't). Coming back the Alien has her first temper tantrum of the morning. Ah the waitress finally takes our order, and I have a Caveman who doesn't eat meat on his pizza, a Big Papi who doesn't eat plain cheese pizza, and an Alien screaming for a snack. I wonder if they are showing Sex and the City in another theater.

10:30am- the house lights dim and there this Google Ad, 

the Caveman claps at the end- hey Google I think I deserve at least ½% of just today's takings for the mention. No? Well it was worth a try and just noticed the Alien's three eyed alien shirt glows in the dark. Waitress just brought the drinks and popcorn- plus extra cups for popcorn, yay! I wisely brought our own spill-proof cups but somehow the thingies that keep the liquid inside have disappeared. Thank goodness it is clear liquid.

After that I couldn't keep track because who uses their blackberry in the movie theater? Okay what normal person uses their blackberry in the movie theater? Plus one of the waitresses might have thought I was a bootlegger or something.

The Alien made it half way through before getting squirmy. I took her around half the time and then Big Papi finished. As for the Caveman he sat in my lap during the last little bits as Andy leaves for college. I won't say what happens to our favorite toys but I cried at the end and breathed my little boy in deep not wanting to ever let go.