Saturday, May 31, 2014

The best of our world

Today we went on a few spontaneous adventures. 

First we met Amy and Ellie at the playground on Huguenot Street ...



Then we drove (very slowly so Bevin could nap) to Split Rock for some rock throwing by the stream and a little walk in the woods...

A love for throwing rocks begins at an early age...

Cole leads the way....

My favorite shot...

Bevin wastes no time getting her feet wet..







Thursday, May 29, 2014

This is what happens when...

...Cole's batteries run out on the trail

...Bevin sees the clothes on the line 

...Bevin gets hold of a cup and won't give it back

...Cole wants us to laugh at him too

...Daddy says "Come back Bevin" and she doesn't listen (so Cole brings her back).

...Cole's preschool teacher, Cheryl, celebrates Cole's birthday 









Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Four

Today Cole turned 4 and then just as I stated to write this Bevin woke up and now she won't go back to sleep. 

So I leave you with a picture of my 4-year-old with the person who idolizes him and monopolizes my every night....


Monday, May 26, 2014

Hiking Scenic Hudson trails

If you are ever looking for free, easy hiking in New York, look no further than Scenic Hudson trails. We live near at least 4 different network of trails that are awesome hikes with pretty views of the Hudson River. 

Today we went to Esopus Meadows and had a fun time. We saw a snake, tons of centipedes, and an endless amount of falling inchworms on the trail. Cole was stoked. He picked up a bunch of centipedes and felt it was his duty to throw them back in the woods. He also followed kid-protocol by throwing plenty of rocks in the river. Even Bevin joined in the fun when she wasn't fighting a much- needed nap. 























Saturday, May 17, 2014

Random like a snow day {Volume III}

Bevin is walking everywhere. Somewhere along the way she decided that crawling was for babies and she was going to be like her big brother. So everytime she fell? She did a forward fold, pushed herself back up again and continued to walk. 
She's sturdier on her feet than ever. So sturdy that Keith thought it best to buy her a pair of Vans, our favorite sneaker for Cole because they are so secure and super durable. We obviously have a bunch of Cole's old pairs but none in her current foot size, 4. 

Here she is...

We have been spending a lot of time outside after work and on the weekends. Sometimes we make it to the woods and sometimes not. I think my head would be clearer each week if I could get some hiking in every weekend but it's just not always possible. I am definitely soaking up the sun in the evenings and thoroughly enjoying coming home earlier. But I am not enjoying the compromise- having to wake up at 3:50 a.m. every day so I can be at work by 6:15 a.m. It's times like these that I wish I didn't have such a commute. 

Hanging out in the front yard....


Taking a stroll in the double stroller...

Making mama's heart skip a beat...

Yelling at the pinwheel...

Hiking on the Undivided Lot trail at Mohonk...

Cole the climber...

A daddy's hike is never done...


Hiking at Onteora Lake, a DEC network of trails....



Holding hands...

Cole is turning 4 in 10 days. He is so smart it just boggles my mind. He asks a million and one questions a day but he remembers nearly everything we say do while it gets a little frustrating to always have to answer every question, I know he's putting it all away in his little brain for later use. He asked me a bunch if questions the other night that I tried to answe and then he'd say, "No. I know why..." and then he'd rattle of some super intelligent yet simple answer that he must have learned at preschool. 

Bevin is trying desperately to talk. She has already said:
Mama
Dada
Apple
Napkin
Underwear
I do

Right now though EVERY care giver is Mama. And everything else sounds like Nana. When she tries to say more complex consanants she just ends up rolling her tongue and doing what looks like a raspberry but sounds like she's trying to create a word. She follows everyone around the house and us teething big time. I think she's getting some molars or some fairly big teeth on the bottom. She's biting everyone and everything and we're having to give her Tylenol several times a week.

Cole loves to burp. The problem is they are wet burps and they are disgusting. Here he is wet burping while I hold a napping Bevin. 

Bevin won't stop screaming. The only thing worse than her screeches is when she and Cole stand in front of each other and scream together. It's horrible for my ears. 

We are all still barely sleeping at night. It is awful and I feel very discombobulated most of the time. I drink black tea all day at work just so I can survive my car ride and function like a semi normal human being. I am just praying for a good night's rest soon. Good sleeping patterns change so I know bad ones have to change too. It's just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when Kid #2 sleeps so differently than Kid#1. 

With that said I need to go to sleep. Nighty night!


Here is a pic of Cole's preschool class. Trying to find Cole? Easy. Just look for the red Vans!











Tuesday, May 6, 2014

The mother (and father) never stops

This morning I witnessed a mother who had lost her cool with her daughter.  I saw a sad 4-year-old girl and a frustrated, stressed out mother. In my mind I started getting a teensy bit judgy. Then I saw something incredible happen. I watched her stand in half her uniform (she was a state trooper) outside her husband's car in the parking lot of Panera, spreading cream cheese on a bagel so her kid could have a decent breakfast. An old man (who looked to be a Panera regular) said the most profound thing that brought tears to my hormonal eyes "The mother never stops."

No she doesn't. And I realized that 3 years from now that could be me. I could be having a really shitty morning or a really shitty evening and I might snap at my beautiful daughter. Who am I to judge another mother because she's not perfectly loving to her child? We all have our moments.

The statement the man made immediately made me also think of Keith. Because, he, like that mother, never stops. Even if he's having a shittty day, he's still fathering and loving our children. 
It may not be in the way that I would want at that moment, but who am I to judge when I am not in his shoes? 

Men who share in equal parts parenting and housekeeping don't get nearly enough credit as the mothers. Whenever Keith and I go somewhere with the kids and he has the baby, mothers everywhere have this question on their brains: "Where's the mother?" I kid you not. I see the visible look of relief on these mothers' faces when they scan the area and find me. Keith says he gets looks of bewilderment when he takes Bevin to the store during the day when I am working. No compassion. Just bewilderment. But mothers? We are automatically understood, respected. Rightfully so, of course. But I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank my husband for being a dedicated father and husband and for never stopping. Even when he is dog tired, cranky as hell, just-doesn't-want-to-do-it-anymore, he still does it. 

Keith, my baby daddy, I love you. 








Recharge those batteries

This picture was taken on our hike this weekend. This kid can just keep going and going so this trail Undivided Lot off Clove Road (literally 5 minutes from our house) was the perfect place for him to explore and climb. 

Then, Last night right before bed, Cole and I had this hilarious (to me) conversation:

Cole: mama, I'm running out of batteries. I need to recharge.

Me: I have the perfect solution: go to sleep!

Cole: no, I need food to recharge!

Me: another perfect solution: eat your dinner. (He NEVER finishes his dinner unless it's pasta or pizza). 

Cole: no dinner! (Tsks in disgust). I like breakfast.