Bring on the clippers

A few of you have asked how I cut the boys hair, so I will do my best to offer a little tutorial. Keep in mind I wasn't planning this when I took the pictures or I would have gotten some more detailed.

1. Buy a set of clippers with guides.
2. Line up your guides by size.
3. Put the highest number guide on the clippers and go for it. I start in the front for a few reasons. First of all, you usually want the hair to be shorter around the ears and back (a smaller guide), this way the clippers do most of the blending for you. Second, the kids get more wiggly as you go, so you can hide the mistakes in the back.
4. Go to the next size guide and work on the sides and back.
5. Change to the third guide and do the nape of the neck and around the ears.
6. Grab the scissors and check for any obvious long hairs that the clippers missed.
7. If you are really lucky, this will be the result:


Bug was great and didn't move at all. Little Man doesn't sit still at all, so this really was pure luck. Little Man always ends up with "spots" where he's moved his head when I wasn't expecting it.
As for the guides... with Bug I used a 6,5 and 4, Little Man is a 4,3 and 2, and Wil is a 4,3,2,1 and flat clippers on his neck. You have to find what works for you. Some people tend to go longer in winter, shorter in summer. I know how to do it one way and that works for me. In the winter we just wait a little longer in between cuts.

Hope this helps! Remember, this is something I've picked up from watching the barber and stylists... the clippers really are the key. Plus, it's just hair and grows back quickly.

Our week in a nutshell (aka Why you haven't heard from us in a week)

• cutting Bug's hair not only made him look older, but somehow taught him how to throw a temper tantrum.
• a fever, trip to the doctors and another prescription for antibiotics....
• double ear infections, also adding to the above temper tantrums
• Little Man yelling at me, "Mommy, I'm going to make you CRY!", in the midst of an all out I will not do what you say battle of the wills, which also included hitting, kicking, biting and hair pulling - most of which was on his part.
• lots of chocolate
• I got my first sponsor for the race!!!!
• A lot of one-on-one time with Little Man has decreased the number of huge fits. It also means my house looks like something exploded inside. One of these days I won't be bothered by it anymore.
• Bug gives the sweetest kisses. Be careful though, sometimes they are open mouthed and slobbery.
• Wil and I have made some good decisions about what we need to do to be more financially stable... this means no vacation this year. Although I was the one to initiate the conversation, I'm still mourning the loss of that week on the beach.
• going to the park in the rain because I couldn't handle keeping Little Man in the house for another day.

My fingers are crossed that this week is better!

What was I thinking!?!?!?!?!?

Before:

After:

Bug's Birthday! Part 2

And what is it that you do?

I've posted a couple times about starting my "new" job, but mostly it's been about how the boys and I are adjusting to the change. I haven't really gone into detail about what I'm doing, I thought I should fill in the blanks.

Calvert Hospice (my former employer) hired me on a part time temporary basis to plan their next major fundraiser. They are a small non-profit that serves the county we live in and my goal is to raise some money while cutting our costs from last year. If all goes well, it may turn into a more permanent part time position... we shall see. In the meantime, when I'm not with my kids I'm working on this:
Robbie Miles was a young man who passed away from a debilitating and uncontrolled seizure disorder in 2000. His family started this 5K event in his memory and this will be the 9th Annual Robbie Miles Family Run & Walk. All proceeds go directly to the building of the Burnett-Calvert Hospice House. Having worked with Calvert Hospice off and on for the last 4 years, both as an employee and a volunteer, I can tell you that your donations are not taken lightly and are used responsibly. If you are a runner or walker and are in the DC Metro area, we would love to see you! It's a family friendly event, kids and pets are welcome to join in. For more information or to register, click here.

As an added incentive to our friends and family, if you are coming from an hour or more away we may be swayed into having some sort of get together at our place after. More on that to come.

Focus on the positive

I'm not sure what has gotten into Monkey lately, but it's bad. Really bad. I was looking forward to 3, thinking that the end of the terrible two's might be in sight. I was mistaken. That is why I need to focus on the positive, rather than focusing on the number of times I must repeat myself before he does exactly what I'm asking him not to do. Back to the positive...

This morning he woke up while I was in the shower. He came into the bathroom and says, "Mommy, what comes after the rain?" I didn't understand at first and repeated the question, to which he replied, " A RAINBOW!"

Perfect for St. Paddy's Day.

Finding the Peace

"Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day."

Unfortunately, Peace and Calming is too expensive for me.... $43 for 1.5ml

Peace and Calming

I share an "office" with 3 other ladies... it's kinda more like a cave and was only meant for one person. We're hidden away on the far side of the other offices with a foyer and large conference room in between the two. It's good that we all 1. get along and 2. work from home whenever possible. Some days though are pretty squished.

Yesterday was one of those days. As I was working on what felt like my gagillionth mail merge of the day, going back and forth from the cave to the printer (located on the far side of the building... it was good exercise) I walked back into the cave and it smelled like heaven. HEAVEN. The scent would hit me ever so nicely as I ran back and forth. Finally I asked Catherine what it was. Her reply? PEACE and CALMING. I stood there looking quite confused as she kindly explained. She does compliance issues for Hospice and is also a reflexologist. She's very into essential oils and alternative medicines. I am not. She goes on to explain that the scent is an essential oil called "peace and calming" and she would be happy to share. I accepted because really it smelled like peace and calming. She dabbed a bit on my wrist like perfume and it was magic.

Later I get home and Little Man was.... I don't even know how to explain it. A terror? Horrific? The culmination of a long, busy weekend and two weekdays sans nap. He pushed Zizi to her limits, which are way beyond mine. So after Wil left for Scouts, I was trying hard to not lose my patience or temper. (When you only have a couple hours to spend with them, the last thing you want to spend that time doing is disciplining the ongoing tantrum... but so it was.) Then I remembered my peace and calming. I held my wrist up to my face and inhaled, thinking "peace and calming". It was soothing. I think I might have to ask Catherine for more.

So if you happen to see me sniffing my wrist and mumbling, "peace and calming", you won't think I'm quite so crazy.

Why am I blogging?

I have an hour and a half before I have to leave. I can't find the portable highchair anywhere, need to pack a bag for the boys and the list still looks like this:

Pick up Wil from work in DC
Dinner at Shana's
Attached vinyl letters to window/door
Put away Christmas/snowmen
Bins out of living room
Clean kitchen (clean off cupboards)
Clean bathroom & wash rugs
Sweep boys bedroom & make beds
Sweep and mop kitchen and living room
Laundry – load in dryer folded, darks washed & folded, clothes put away
Make and decorate cupcakes
Make food – veggie pinwheels, finger sandwiches, ranch dip
Bread out of garage freezer
Get out 3 tier server
Decorate for party

The few things that have been accomplished were done so by my husband, who was earning HUGE brownie points last night. If you're heading this way for the party tomorrow, I can almost promise you this list won't be done. Sorry.

In over my head

Before I started work, I decided to have a small birthday party for Bug. Maybe not the smartest plan. This is my to do list that has to be done before noon on Saturday:

Send email with time change
Put away groceries
Finish Marching cd for Music Makers
Pick up Wil from work in DC
Dinner at Shana's
Get TV out of living room
Attached vinyl letters to window/door
Put away Christmas/snowmen
Bins out of living room
Clean kitchen (clean off cupboards)
Clean bathroom & wash rugs
Sweep boys bedroom & make beds
Sweep and mop kitchen and living room
Laundry – load in dryer folded, darks washed & folded, clothes put away
Make and decorate cupcakes
Make food – veggie pinwheels, finger sandwiches, ranch dip
Bread out of garage freezer
Get out 3 tier server
Decorate for party

The upside - I don't have to cook tomorrow because Shana is making us a fabulous meal... plus time with good friends is always good. The downside - time is NOT on my side. Between Music Makers, driving into town and dinner, I only have about 2 hours tomorrow to get something accomplished. What was I thinking?

Once there was a snowman....

After Wil got home from work yesterday we took the boys out to play in the snow. Little Man decapitated the snowman and Bug thought the snow was really yummy.

Don't eat the yellow snow!

Bug's Birthday!

It's going to be a weekend of celebration for Bug's first birthday, but since today is the big day I wanted to post a few things about my Bug-a-boo.

Bug gives the BEST squeezers (hugs) ever. He grabs your neck and holds on tight. Sometimes his squeezers are followed by slobbery kisses that make your face super slimy. Then there are other times when he uses his squeezers as a ploy to get you to pick him up so he can get to the remote/cell phone/house phone or any other electronic object he knows is just beyond his reach. He likes Yo Gabba Gabba and Moose A. Moose, especially this song:

He'll stop whatever he's doing to watch and dance. He's a picky eater... loves fruit and any kind of carb but hates veggies. I have to sneak them in, usually mixed with applesauce. He loves his big brother! He "talks" in roars and growls. He's already running. He loves to play steamroll and starts to laugh as soon as you say the word. He's ticklish on his ribs, thighs and under his arms. He loves bath time, making car noises, playing with bowls and spoons, talking on the phone, chasing Little Man and snitching his toys. Bug wants to be independent but only until it's time for Mommy to cook dinner, then he wants to be held. His tummy still hurts sometimes. He's a mooch and will want to eat or drink anything you might have...even veggies.

He's not a baby any more.

Snow Day!!!!

And of course there are more pictures here!

Things I meant to blog about....

This is what I find on my camera when Little Man wants to take pictures:

Bug hated to be in his exersaucer until we collapsed it to put it away. Now he likes to climb in and out of it to play with the toys.

Our little dinosaur on Valentine's Day:

Little Man has a LOT of friends who are girls. Can you tell?

Wil took me out to brunch on Valentine's Day and I wanted to do something fun for dinner. I lucked out and found filet mignon on sale at Nick's. I managed to keep the cost of dinner for four under $40! It was surprisingly simple and turned out perfect. Here's the table before the food and a glimpse of dinner. I'm still hungry for a repeat of this one!

This is what Bug looks like when he thinks he's getting away with something he shouldn't be doing... like snitching Zizi's water bottle. There may have also been some roaring involved.