aywannnit!

Why must all children go through this. Why does my always-happy, smiley, contented little baby have to become a 2 year old?

Granted, he won't be 2 until September, but I have always found the real "terrible 2's" start and ~20months. And, ladies and gentlemen, we are there. All of a sudden, he wants to do everything by himself. He wants to sit on the tall bar chairs with his brothers. He wants to eat what the big kids are eating, and drink out of the big kid glasses. Sippy cups are for loosers.

We are trying to work on "more milk please" instead of "aywaaaannnittt!"

Here's to the next 18 months.

My home

This is my home. There used to be a wall where those pipes are sticking out of the ground. I didn't previously see the back yard when I stood in the front! It took 3 days for them to remove damn near everything from the house.... Now just 5 months to put it all together again.

Go ahead...

... and ask me if he won.

It's OK. I know it's been 3 days since the big Ernst and Young Gala and I haven't posted. We are busy with birthdays and anniversaries and getting away from this crazy dust-covered house of ours for the weekend.

But you can ask.

'Cause my hubbies A BIG WINNER, BABY!

That's right. Entrepreneur of the Year with a trophy to prove it. We now have one winter vacation on the books, because Palm Springs HERE WE COME. National awards are next, can you believe it?

Frank Vacellero hosted this gala. Jay Leno will be the emcee at the next. Good thing I have just the gown!

Bring on the wrecking ball

This is the week. On Wednesday they start tearing apart the kitchen and main living area of our house. We moved much (but not all) of the kitchen into the bar area in the basement yesterday.

The problematic part of this plan is the "but not all." So this is how my morning went at 5:15am getting ready to go to work.

Go to basement, make coffee.
Go upstairs to get bagel.
Go to basement to put bagel in toaster.
(dry hair)
Wash coffee mug upstairs
Go to basement to fill mug with coffee and get bagel
Go upstairs for cream and cream cheese
Scratch head and come up with creative solution of how to stir coffee and spread cream cheese without silverware.

The nice thing about this? Living in the basement, once everything is down there, is going to seem nice!

Why is Calvin crying?

Not because Leo was coloring on him with a marker.

He's crying because we were all laughing about it.

Night Shift

Ah, nothing like blogging at 2:40am.... I suppose the fact that I haven't blogged at any time when the sun is visible in the last couple weeks should tell me something about this life of mine.

As I sat at a restaurant having breakfast with my eldest the other day (late start for school), I realized that each of my children could be summed up by how they would sit in the booth with me at a restaurant. Let me explain.

Max, as he always does, sits next to me. He would rather be side-by-side, in position to allow me to put an arm around him, or allow him to lean over at any time to put his little noggin on my shoulder. And if it's a really good day, he might even whisper "mom, you are the best." This position also allows the occasional whisper or inside joke.

Calvin, on the other hand, will always sit across from me. He has no time for this lovey-dovey stuff and would want to be able to look me in the eye to have a detailed discussion about whatever he is currently fascinated by. That, or he would need the table space to work on something.

Spence wouldn't be sitting at all. He has trouble keeping his keister in contact with any chair surface, whether that means he is on his knees or on his feet. He is the one flitting all around the table.

And Leo, of course, is in the high chair. Taking in all of the madness at this table I have set for you, trying to make everyone giggle as much as he can. That is, when he isn't throwing food on the ground and giggling.

And Omar is the one asking for the check!