Random Thoughts (to prolong a Friday)

1. Nikos picks up the most random things. In an adorable way, of course! Case in point: Last night, Maya touched the dirty dishes as I was loading them into the dishwasher. I told her to go wash her hands in the bathroom, not entirely sure of what the results would be. She hopped back to the bathroom (she's big on bunnies lately), and I washed my hands to follow her. When I got there, Nikos had turned on the water for her and was pumping soap into her hands. It was SO cute! After she finished rinsing and drying her hands, I suggested that she give her brother a nice hug and say thank you for helping. His response? "No problem! It was my pleasure!" Where on EARTH did he get that? I loved it! But it was really hard not to laugh!

2. Nikos provided us with an early wake-up call this morning. He is usually early to rise, anyway (compared to his sister), but 5am was extreme for him. He wanted to snuggle with us. I told him that he could, on the condition that he SLEPT instead of TALKED (which he is much more likely to do... our little chatterbox!). I admit, I didn't think he would be able to do it. But he laid between us and closed his eyes, feigning sleep the best he could. And then he actually fell asleep, and was the last person to get up this morning. That's right, folks... Maya was the one to wake him up. That NEVER happens!

3. My camera arrived today!!!!!! I am in love! And I have a birthday party tomorrow to photograph, so stay tuned! :)

Moving Update

I can't believe I didn't post about this before! Ack!!

Anyway... the inevitable happened (several weeks ago), and we fell out of escrow. The sale was contingent on the buyer being able to sell her condo, and she realized that her condo was worth significantly less than she had thought. So... she apologized profusely, proclaimed her love for our house, and withdrew her offer.

That being said, things are still moving forward on the short sale in Massachusetts. The buyer's agent reports that things are progressing as expected. A negotiator has already been assigned to the sale, and both the first and second lenders (there are two banks involved) have sent people out to do their "Broker Price Opinions," which are scaled-down property appraisals. I am betting that we will get the house, though it's anyone's guess as to when. My money is on late June/early July, but we are still in "wait and see" mode.

Meanwhile, our house here is back on the market. Selling it would be ideal, but won't preclude us from moving. We've been looking into other options, like renting it out. But we'll see!

And there you have it! One step forward in MA, one step back in CA. Such is life. I will be glad when everything is over and done with, because all this stress is killing my immune system!

Post-Easter Wrap Up!

And so the insanity continues! Last weekend, we had our garage sale. This weekend was Easter, so we went up to see Gus' family. Next weekend is Maya's birthday (and birthday party), which should be slightly bigger than usual with our whole moving-across-the-country thing coming up. Then the weekend after that is Mother's Day. And then there are only four more weekends after that until the school year is OVER... which means our move will be closer than ever. And don't even get me started on how busy the end of the year is at school. Ack! My eyelid has already been twitching for two weeks straight. Can you say "stress"???

Anyway... As I mentioned previously, we spent most of the weekend with Gus' family. Saturday was sunny and beautiful, and the kids had a ton of fun playing outside. They rode tricycles, played inside pappou's car, and also pretended to drive yiayia's convertible. Meanwhile, Gus and his parents wrestled with the lamb, rinsing it off and hanging it to dry in the garage. It really is amazing how much time and effort goes into roasting a whole lamb!

On Sunday, it decided to rain. It was so weird and unexpected, after Saturday's beautiful blue skies and warm temps. The lamb had to be roasted under an umbrella outside! Still, the kids had fun. They made sugar cookies with yiayia, and were thrilled to visit with theia and Bill. They donned their Easter finery after naptime, when the Easter Bunny came to visit (again) with more goodies! They loved searching for eggs in the yard once the rain stopped!

After that, it was time for dinner. Both kids got a kick out of the annual Easter egg contest. Everyone picks an egg, and you take turns cracking them together. The one with the strongest egg wins. Of course, both kids declared that they won, as they held their broken eggs in their hands. So cute!!

And one more cute one, of Maya and her godparents (AKA her aunt and her fiance):

Anyway, it was a good weekend, but I am tired! I feel like I am just now catching up, and it's crunch time for Maya's birthday party. I can't believe that my sweet girl will be TWO on Sunday. I really can't. But don't get me started on that, because I might cry.

On that note, good night! I might not post a lot this week, because I will be busy, but be prepared for an onslaught after this weekend!

P.S. Our big boy is exactly 3.5 years old today!!!

Happy (Early) Easter!

Easter wouldn't be Easter without your little sister trying to steal your eggs... hehe! More photos coming over the next few days!

Easter Eggs

We dyed Easter eggs this afternoon! In a last-minute decision, I put back the regular old egg dyes and spent the extra dollar on the special "tie-dye" kit. I didn't realize how much more complicated the process would be, but am pleased to report that a) everyone stayed clean, and b) Maya's fine motor skills were good enough that she could enjoy the project with us. Yippee!

Last year, Maya sat in her high chair and ate blueberries while Nikos dyed the eggs. This year, both kids sat in the barstools at our kitchen island and took turns squeezing eyedroppers of color into a small plastic egg-holder. They did a great job! I think the eggs actually look pretty cool, and all I did was set up and supervise. Egg-cellent!





In other news... The Easter Bunny is headed our way tonight! We will be spending Easter with Gus' family, and wanted to have our family-of-four Easter tomorrow morning. I can't wait for the kids to get their Easter baskets, and do an egg hunt in the yard. So much fun! More pics to come! :)

New Stuff

I spent too much money today. Correction: I spent a lot of money, but on useful things that will be well worth the investment. And honestly, I am not the person who splurges on needless things constantly, which is why Gus never says no when I tell him I want to get something big. Did I mention that I love my husband?? :)

First, I made a quick run to Target after I left work today. I needed to pick up a few things for Maya's birthday party, along with some new tennis shoes for her. Overnight, she seems to have outgrown the sneakers she has worn for months now, and I had planned to just buy the same (inexpensive) shoes in the next size up. Only they didn't have her size (6). And then I happened to walk by the cutest pair of shoes in the world, and I knew she needed them. They are SO HER. It's weird to look at a pair of shoes and say, "That is SO my daughter," but I did. Oh gosh, how I love them! Plus they fit her great, go with most of her clothing, and I know she will be able to wear them for a while. Happy feet!

And then there was the new camera. The camera I have now is great, but I have really begun to feel the limitations of the equipment. I am kind of proud of that, actually! I make it work hard!! I know how to compensate for it, for the most part, but it's kind of frustrating. So I wanted to upgrade. I looked at all the money in my photography account, and I had enough to buy a camera that was basically one level up from my current one. However, the more I looked into it, the more I realized I would regret not going up just one more level. It's a bit of a price jump, but the next level brings with it a bunch of features that I REALLY want in my camera. So, with Gus' nod of approval, I BOUGHT IT!!!! It should be here just in time for Maya's birthday, since the camera store is currently closed for Passover. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am. It's like a dream come true!!!!!!!!!!! While some other girls covet shoes and clothing, I fantasize about cameras. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Anyway, there ya go. Good thing is that my photography money still covers most of the new camera which, in and of itself, is a pretty cool accomplishment. Yippee!!

Playhouse and Tea Party

First, The Playhouse!

I sent my mom a link to an Etsy store a while back, suggesting that she could make Maya a really awesome playhouse that would fit over a card table. I hinted (not so subtly) that it would make a great birthday gift for her one-and-only granddaughter. Anyway, she did it, and it is INCREDIBLE!!! Seriously, even the pictures do not do it justice. This thing is gorgeous! And fun! Thanks, guys!!

The front-- The mailbox is useable!

Left side-- the strawberries are attached with velcro and can be "picked"

Back-- bunnies and "pickable" carrots (the bunnies were my dad's idea... he and the kids always go looking for bunnies in the wildlife corridor by their house, and Maya loves to announce that the "Bunnies are SLEEPING!" So, one of the bunnies has his eyes closed, hehe!)

Right side-- The flowers can also be picked


So, both kids go bonkers for this house, and understandably so. Then, this morning, Nikos had a great idea! He wanted to dig out the tent that Gus' sister gave the kids for Christmas, and attach it to the house. It seems like SOOOO much fun! Of course, it takes up the entire living room... But wouldn't you have wanted to play here as a kid??

Anyhow... We couldn't play inside all day, especially with such gorgeous weather. I got the kids dressed (both were very picky about what they would wear, and ended up choosing their own ensembles), and lured them outside with the promise of a tea party! During the sale yesterday, Gus and I had gone through some of the remaining things in the garage. I found the ceramic tea set that my Grandma Jo made for me on my 7th birthday! It's been stored in a box all these years. And while I was hesitant, at first, to let the kids play with it, I soon realized that that's what it was for! I am sure my grandma would have loved to see two of her three great-grandbabies getting so much enjoyment out of it. And, as it turned out, the kids were very gentle with the set and did a great job. I even put some water into the tea kettle so that they could practice pouring and drinking from cups. Don't worry, it was all clean! And, of course, I took pictures. Because that is what I do!

Exhausted.

Must. Share. Pictures. Then, sleep!

Long story short... Garage sale went well, and we made a few hundred bucks! It was HOT, though, and my face and neck got burned (I put sunscreen on, but I guess I missed the obvious parts!). My parents came to hang with the kids while we dealt with the masses. What an interesting morning of people-watching!

My mom and dad also brought down Maya's birthday present, which my mom made. Pictures are forthcoming, I promise! Just not tonight. It's basically a playhouse that fits over a card table, and it is incredible! BOTH kids think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Gus and I have been in there, too. :)

Finally, the pictures. My mom came with me to help keep Maya's attention while I attempted to take portraits of her (since her birthday is in two weeks). I didn't get a ton, because our subject was a little grouchy and it was hot, but here are a few I loved! And, on that note-- goodnight!

A Few Notes

I had a Moment tonight (yes, the capitalization is necessary). Gus has been out of town all week, so I got the kids tucked in their beds and went to take my nightly shower. As I was lathering up my head with shampoo, I heard the doorknob turn, and in came Nikos. He said he had to go potty, so I told him to go! He realized that the master bathroom toilet was higher than the one in the hallway, and went to get his little plastic stool. He used the potty, no problem, got his pajamas back on, washed his hands, and then said, "Goodnight Mommy! I love you!" as he closed the door and went back to his bedroom.

As I peeked out of the shower to say goodnight to him, it hit me like a ton of bricks. He was standing in the same spot where, three and a half years ago, I used to plunk him down in his carseat so I could shower while on maternity leave. Only now he's not this helpless little newborn, crying all the time. He is such a Big Boy. Oh my gosh, it seriously brought tears to my eyes! How did my little baby turn into this big kid?


------------

On a completely different note, we have big, big plans for this weekend. Saturday morning, we are having a garage sale. Our first one ever! I am kind of excited, despite the fact that everyone says they are boring and awful. I am also nervous about how on earth I am going to get everything out in the driveway early enough, and how to organize all the clothing (which is currently in a massive pile... probably not the best for selling!). Aack! Must figure this out tomorrow!

Also on Saturday, I am going to attempt to take some portraits of my almost-birthday girl. I actually forgot about this until today, but had already enlisted the aid of my parents (I need one of them to stand behind me and get her attention!). I really need to figure out what on earth she will wear. And how should I do her hair? And should I use balloons? Decisions, decisions!

------------

Speaking of photos... There has been a recent spike in photo-business-related activity! I haven't put as much energy into my business since we learned we would most likely be moving to Massachusetts (where I plan to pursue my photo business more agressively). But it's like one person after another is realizing that I am probably leaving, and business is booming! I just got an email from the friend of a friend of a friend, which strikes me as both funny and very cool. It's really rewarding to get such positive feedback about something I enjoy so much. I definitely hope the future holds more photo sessions, that's for sure!

------------

Happy, Happy Birthday (yesterday) to my dad! He and my mom were able to come help me out for a few hours, since daycare was unexpectedly closed due to a death in the family. I hope he enjoyed being sung to by two-thirds of his grandchildren! Maya's version, by the way, goes like this: "Happy to you, Happy to you, Grandpa, Happy to you. YAAAAAAY!!!!" :)

------------
Finally, I am really glad tomorrow is Friday. I don't give Gus enough credit. Life is so much better when he's home. Less than a day to go-- hooray!! :)

Week in Review

Well... I decided, not long after my last post, that Maya wasn't really ready to be potty-trained. I figure she is still really young, and when we try again in a few months, it will go much more smoothly. That's my hope, anyway!

At any rate, the decision was liberating. We were no longer house-bound! Hallelujah! We've still stayed pretty close to home all week, but that is fine with me. I've been cleaning things out in preparation for our big garage sale next weekend, and just doing spring cleaning in general. Oh, and working on things for Maya's second birthday party, which is a mere three weeks away! How did that happen??? In the meantime, the kids have seemed to enjoy playing together at home. This morning, they even shut me out of the room they were in, because they were "busy playing with cars." sigh. I am so glad they have each other.

As I was making their lunch, they were both playing in Maya's room. They had taken all the stuffed animals off her bed, thrown them into a heap, and were taking turns jumping off the bed and into said heap. Crazy kids! And then Nikos announced that he was tired, which led to this very cute, very brief moment (that I had grabbed my camera just in time to catch!).

They are so darn cute! Anyway, since I had my camera out, I figured I would also grab a few pics of some of the beautiful flowers in our house right now. I bought a few bunches of daffodils at Trader Joe's yesterday, and they are GORGEOUS! Tulips and daffodils are, hands down, my favorite flowers. I just love them!

And then there are orange blossoms. They aren't my favorite flower, per se, but they do give off one of my most favorite smells in the entire world. I cut this little bit off our orange tree so that it would fill the kitchen with its heavenly smell. Oh my gosh, it smells SO GOOD. Unreal! I may have to cut some more and put them throughout the house. It is the best!

Too young?

Ack, this is killing me!

Maya understands the whole we-go-potty-on-the-toilet thing. She is excited about it. She wants to be a big girl. She tells me when she is about to poop.

Peeing, however, is an entirely different story. There has been no change this morning. In fact, if she pees while she is sitting down, it takes her a while to notice... and then she just gets up and moves to sit somewhere else. I've already cleaned up two big messes, and we still don't have any successes. And right now, she is taking a nap in a pull-up (looks like it will be a two-nap day, which is nice!).

I just don't know what to do. Part of me says that I've come this far, and I should see it through. Another part of me says I should just wait a few months, and it will go much more smoothly (like it did with Nikos). I feel like I COULD potty-train her right now, but it's going to require a lot more effort because she is younger.

So, I don't know. Maybe I will finish today and see where we are at. But if she will potty train easily in a few months, it might just be worth the wait.

Tomorrow is another day...

I won't lie, I feel discouraged! While Maya clearly understands the concept of going to the bathroom and how that all works, she doesn't necessarily recognize the urge to go. And when she DOES go (making a big mess), she doesn't cry or act disgusted-- she looks confused. As if to say, "What is this? Why am I all wet? What happened here?"

Of course, Nikos was six months older than she was when we attempted potty training. More than that, even. And while I still think she can do it, it's going to take more work. I was tempted, at one point, to just throw in the towel and try again in a few months. However, the first day is ALWAYS the worst. Even with Nikos. And, having survived that first day, I feel like I need to commit to the full three days. I'm in too deep! There's no looking back! And, worst case scenario, we wait a few months. She is young. It's not a huge deal. I didn't even WANT to potty train her, remember??

Anyway, tomorrow is another day. Potty training is exhausting work, sticking to her side like glue and constantly reminding her to tell me when she has to go potty. I think she was annoyed with me today. But if her annoyance translates into her recognizing the need to go and then telling me, then it will all be worth it. Fingers crossed for more success tomorrow!

Day 1 (in progress)

Well, we are suriviving! haha! It's naptime, now, so I actually have some time to sit down and rest for a minute. And type up my to-do list for the rest of the week, which is (sadly) very full. I hate feeling like I have to cram a lifetime's worth of errands and activities into one short week. Yet another thing to look forward to when we move: making my own schedule!

Anyway... It's been a rough day, much as the first day was with Nikos. The morning ticked by SO SLOWLY, as I waited for Maya to have her first accident. When it finally happened (two hours after putting underwear on her), she stood up from where she had been sitting and looked confused and disturbed. I got her cleaned up, kept reminding her to tell me when she needed to go potty, and we continued on with our day. Accident #2 came about an hour later, this time while she was standing on the tile (yay for easy clean up!). This time, she whimpered about it a bit, wanting to get cleaned up right away.

Accident #3 took place as she was eating lunch, while sitting in her booster seat. I didn't even know it had happened, until she started wriggling around and telling me she needed to go poop. That's when I realized she was sitting in a puddle. I got her cleaned up, and then had her sit on the potty for a while (because she was still talking about pooping, but nothing had happened!).

After a while, it was clear that nothing was going to happen, so I got her some clean underwear and let her play. Minutes later, I caught an all-too-familiar whiff. In what can only be described as a feat of my supermom powers (and pure instinct!), I grabbed her, carefully pulled her underwear down, and situated her on the little potty that happened to be a few feet away in the living room. She had JUST started pooping. Like, the second I caught that whiff. Most of it came out while she sat on the potty. If I had waited another second, it would not have been a pretty picture, I assure you. Yuck!!

Anyway (sorry, I know this is TMI), she did a huge poop on the little potty! Nikos and I both heaped praise on her, and she was thrilled to help dump the contents into the big potty and flush them away. Nikos gave her a high-five. I gave her an M&M (not part of my plan, but hey... the kid loves chocolate, and a positive association with pooping on the potty can't be bad!).

So... she still isn't telling me that she has to go, but I wouldn't be too surprised if she starts later this afternoon or tomorrow. And until then... My living room is covered with towels, and my kitchen counters are loaded with cleaning products. haha!

Can I just say, though, how cute she looks in her big girl undies? Aack, she is such a big girl! It kills me!!

Potty Training Version 2.0

I can't believe I am about to do this. I don't WANT to do this. All those people who say, "Oh, hooray, you won't ever have to buy diapers again" are forgetting two crucial things. One is that diapers make life incredibly easy. Long car trip? Just go in your diaper. In the middle of grocery shopping? Just go in your diaper! It's lovely! Smelly, sure, but easy and convenient as the day is long!

The second thing they forget is just how stressful it can be to go out-and-about with a newly potty-trained toddler. I know it can be done, and we will get through it, but it will probably be stressful for a while. Just how long can she hold it before we have an accident? How often does she really go, compared to her brother? And the age-old but always fun question: What if we don't make it in time?

sigh.

Yet, here we are. Maya tells me she has to go potty on an almost daily basis... then does it (in her diaper). She sees everyone else using the potty, and knows the routine. She even has her dolls sit on the potty (with the lid closed) and then wipes their bottoms and tells them to wash their hands. She is really jazzed about the whole thing. Really, it's time. I can't put it off much longer. And I am home for Spring Break this week, so I have no excuse.

So... I will be doing the same three-day plan that I did with Nikos, starting when she gets up tomorrow. After she eats breakfast, we will toss the diaper and put her in some undies. I will stick to her like glue all day, constantly telling her to tell me when she has to go potty. I know that there will be the inevitable puddles to clean up (most unfortunate, the day after our cleaning lady came!). Hopefully, though, she will get just as mad about the mess as her brother did, and the puzzle pieces will click together quickly. I will put her in a pull-up at naptime tomorrow, and at bedtime, but am hoping to have her in underwear for her nap on Wednesday. Nikos took a few weeks to become nighttime trained, so I won't worry about that just yet. Honestly, I am going to have enough on my plate as it is! I am just hoping I can follow through! I am so tired, but it has to be done. Lord help me.

Anyway... We spent our last day of diaper-dom at my parents' house, since the cleaning lady was coming and we didn't need to be underfoot. The kids and I had a BLAST! The weather was beautiful, and we walked down to the park two separate times (morning and afternoon). Maya dazzled us all (me included) with her new ability to climb up the chain ladder on the play structure. She is such a little monkey! Nikos was all over the place, as usual, and probably went down the slides a hundred times.




By the way, that second picture is of Nikos giving Maya a kiss when she bonked her head at the park. The sweetness of it just kills me! Speaking of which... When we weren't at the park, the kids were content to play around the house. At one point, both were a little pooped, and they cuddled up together (completely on their own!) to watch Dora. Cute? Yes, I think so.

And, during naptime, I finished up this hat for Maya. For someone who had never successfully knitted anything until this past weekend, I am thinking it is pretty awesome! And despite her less-than-thrilled expression, she later informed me that she liked it. Yay! Time to make one for Nikos (a red one, by request).

And that's it, for now... Better hit the hay early tonight and conserve energy for tomorrow. Eek!

My Little Princess

I call her that, because that is what she is into all of a sudden. Being a princess. Pretty things. Dancing around the living room, doing her "princess dance." I have no idea where it came from, but it's pretty darn cute!

It's funny, too, because she is so particular about what I call her. If I call her "pumpkin," she says (with a grin), "Nooo... I not a pumpkin! Me Maya!" If I call her my sweetpea, it's the same response. But if I call her a princess, she just agrees with me. Silly girl!

Anyway, this post is all about my girl. I realized yet another reason I love her tonight (reason number infinity + 1, since, really, I can't love either of my kids more than I already do!): she will try just about any food. On a night where Gus was less-than-jazzed about dinner (burritos) and Nikos was choosing to assert his 3.5-year-old pickiness ("I don't WAAAAAANT burritos!"), my little princess chowed down, managed to get her face plastered with beans and cheese, and turned to me to say thank you for the yummy, yummy burrito.

At least someone enjoyed dinner (besides me!) Gotta love that kid!! ♥

And, for the record, I am trying to clean out the pantry, which is what determined tonight's meal. Much to the chagrin of half the family. Doh!

Another year wiser

Tomorrow, I will be 33 years old! I know that some women never tell their age, blah blah blah, but I am a firm believer that you are only as old as you act and feel. And I certainly don't feel 33, so whatever!

It's been an interesting year, to say the least! This year promises to be even more interesting. A year ago, I had no idea that we would be trying to sell our house and move across the country. Maya wasn't even a year old. Nikos hadn't been potty-trained yet. The thought of being a stay-at-home mom wasn't even a remote possibility!

I have to admit, I am incredibly excited about what our future holds. I am blessed with the most amazing family a girl could ever hope for. I can honestly say that I think 33 is going to be a great year!

And in honor of my birthday, here is a picture of my very favorite flower (the tulip!). My student brought these to me the other day for Teacher Appreciation Week. They are so beautiful!!!