Adventures In Grocery Shopping

HIGH:  The girls are coming over to watch the season finale of True Blood :)
LOW:  I had to go grocery shopping :(

Let me start by letting you all know that I HATE GROCERY SHOPPING!!  I don't just hate it, I loathe it.  Usually Mark does the shopping or we all go as a family.  But it's only fair as a part of my new job that I take care of it. 

So today I pull into the grocery store, park, get my cart, and snap Oliver's carseat into it.  Things are going well until I start to push the cart.  I realize at this point, I am waaayyyy too short to see over the carseat.  Oh well, there is nothing else I can do so I start shopping.  Well, within 4 minutes I have successfully knocked over a small display and knocked all of the gift cards off of a rack.  So I decide I should stop and reposition Oliver (who thank God is sleeping like an angel).  I try just putting the whole carseat into the basket part of the cart.  Perfect, fits like a charm.  So that was a fine idea until I had to start putting groceries into the cart.  Ok time to reposition the baby again.  Mind you I have been in the store for about 35 minutes at this point with about 5 groceries in the cart.  So I finally manage to snap the carseat onto the back of the cart, the long way (this sounds pretty dangerous but I promise you he was secure).  Wahoo...success.  Oliver is secure and there is plenty of room for the groceries.  

Now I am thinking ok, everyone is at work so this should be quick.  Well, apparently everyone over the age of 82 goes shopping at this time.  Which is fine, just slowed me down a bit but that's ok.  Until I get to the register and I have the SLOWEST cashier ever!  Oh and did I mention, if you go during the week in the middle of the day, everyone knows each other!  So now the slowest cashier ever (I almost called Guiness Book of World's Records) is chatting with all of her friends.  Fine, I am flipping through an US Weekly, no biggie.  Until Oliver wakes up and decides within a nano second that is he starving!!!    So I am trying to load the groceries on the belt and keep the binkie in his mouth (I am sweating at this point, literally sweating) and this wonderful 80 plus year old woman smiles at me and says, "Oh, he like the binkie huh?".  And I reply (while sweating) "He sure does."  To this she says "Well you shouldn't let him have it because it will ruin his teeth.  My nephew....."  I think you can guess how the rest of this conversation goes.  So I finally get out of the store, get Oliver safely in the car and pop the trunk only to find the double stroller taking up the entire trunk.  Somehow I get all the groceries loaded in, although I cannot see out of my rearview mirror and to other people I look like I live in my car.   Overall, I made it through.  It will get easier the more I go.  Right?!?!

On a better note, Oliver got a new hat today.  And who doesn't LOVE a new hat?!?!?

Seriously, I think he should be a hat model.  Then he will make millions and I could hire someone to grocery shop for me :)

Of course, Claire had to take a picture too.  As you can see, that didn't go so well.

Playdate

HIGH:  We had a super fun playdate AND Claire started dancing :)
LOW: I don't get to dance with Claire this time :(

Today I had two of my buddies from work over with their kids.  We are all taking time off this school year to stay home with our kids, so we decided to get together once a week to let the kids play (and so we can hang out too).

Claire and Jack had fun playing on the swing.  And thanks Tony for reminding me of the good old "underdog"!!!

Mr. Tony was a huge hit when he busted out the doughnuts!!!

Charlie preferred to sit up high so that Pete could not get his doughnut (Pete snatched the poor kid's first one).  Charlie and Pete had a love hate relationship.  Pete loved Charlie and Charlie hated Pete :)

Even Oliver had a friend over today.  And he shared his toys so nicely.  Here is Sam lovin' Oliver's bouncy seat.

Charlie enjoyed playin in the basement.

And the playdough was a huge success!!

Today was also Claire's first day of dance class.  This year she will dance alone.  I am happy that I don't have to strap on my dancing shoes this year but, I am also a little sad that my baby is old enough to be taking dance class all by herself.  She did very well.  When Aunt Jacqie (who is also her dance teacher) said, "Ok girls come with me,"  Claire had her dance bag on her shoulder and was ready to go.   She didn't even look back at me to say goodbye!  Also, this is her new pose when I try to take her picture.  I am not sure but I think we may have a little diva on our hands.

September 12, 2010 Dinner At Grandma and Grandpa's

HIGH:  Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's :)
LOW: One of "those" mornings :(

I was very excited to just relax and lay around all morning with nothing to do but play with my babies.  Well, you know that saying "the best laid plans always fail" yep that rang true for me today.  It was just one of "those" mornings.  When Claire was happy and busy, Oliver was fussy and needy.  When Oliver was content and busy, Claire was grumpy and needy.  The entire morning went on like this.  FINALLY Mark got home!!!!!!!  It was one of those mornings that I just watched the clock waiting for my teammate to get home.  Once he got home we had some errands to run and then headed to a much needed dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's!

Claire had a blast playing with Grandma.

Even if they weren't playing the game right, she was happy just that Grandma was playing her way :)

My babies look a little beat in this picture....maybe they are exhausted from their morning :)

Crazy or not, I love these goofballs more than anything in the world (even more than the coffee that gets me through the day).

September 11, 2010

HIGH: Irish festival :) AND My family birthday party :)
LOW:  The music was too loud for Oliver and we had to sit far away from the stage :(


Today was my family birthday party and the annual Irish Festival.  My cousin plays in the Irish band Emish (click here to check them out) and they play at the Irish Festival every year and we all go and have a blast!!  This year Oliver was just too little to be close to the stage, so we didn't get to hang with the family that much, but we still had a great time munchin on snacks and hanging out.

Nonny and Uncle Bill

Claire and Leah.

After the Irish festival we went back to my parents house for dinner and cake :)

Oliver fell in love with my Auntie Rose.  Everything she said Oliver just laughed and cooed.

Papa slicin the meat :)

Everyone enjoyed dinner.

The kids helped blow out my candles (and Uncle Johnny).

But Claire was the biggest help :)

Me and Greg.

I was so happy that my godparents were home from Florida to come and celebrate my birthday with me.

Wouldn't be a post without a kissy picture. This poor kid.

And an extra special thank you to Oliver who slept two nights in a row :)  Thanks buddy!  Also, I would like to thank Gerber for making the delicious cereal that fills my baby's belly and helps us all sleep.

September 10, 2010

HIGH:  IT'S MY BIRTHDAY :)
LOW:  Oliver was up most of the night :( and Mark has to work all day :(

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!! OK I may be thirty but who cares, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!  The day started VERY early.  Oliver has been sleeping through the night beautifully but for the past few weeks he will wake up (just once or twice a week) nurse really quick and go back to sleep.  This was no big deal and didn't bother me at all.  Not until last night when he UP ALL NIGHT!!!  It was rough.  Claire NEVER did that (she was a dream) so this was new and not so good.  So Mark and I decided he was ready for cereal (yes a month early, judge me if you will). Anyway, back to my special day ;)  

Jessica came over and brought me lunch, roses, and a some delicious cookies (and some help so that my sleep deprived self could function - I LOVE YOU JESSICA).

Claire and Giada loved getting my birthday cookie ready.

Then we sang happy birthday (check out my roses, aren't they beautiful).

The girls loved blowing out my candle.

Later on my parents come over and brought dinner (see why I love my birthday).  Mark had to work late so it was nice to have come company.

Claire took Papa on a walk around the yard and I am pretty sure she had a lot to say :)

Nana and Oliver practiced some tummy time.  He sure looks happy here doesn't he?  

CEREAL TIME!!!  

Of course Claire had to help, she is such a good big sister.  Oliver LOVED the cereal!  And it worked!  He slept from 11pm until 7am, nursed and then went back to sleep until 11!!!!!  Mark took Claire to a pancake breakfast and I went back to sleep!  It was heaven!!!!!

September 9, 2010 Lazy Day

HIGH: Today was a lazy fall day :)
LOW:  Claire was at school so she missed out on the relaxing :(

Today was chilly fall day.  I love it!!!!!  Oliver has been "working out his sleeping arrangements" to put it gently (I think the big Daddy is ready for some cereal - I will keep you posted on that) so today I was beat!  But the weather was perfect for a lazy day.  So I turned on the fireplace and put Oliver in here......

where he caught up some much needed sleep.  And I 

got cozy here.....

where I caught up on some much needed sleep.  And we napped for a solid 3 hours.  It was amazing!  I had the fireplace going, I could hear the wind outside, and I could smell the fall air.  It was a perfect lazy day :)

The Next Ansel Adams or Ron Galella?

HIGH: Playdate with Giada :)
LOW: Yucky weather so we didn't make it to the zoo :(

Today my girlfriend Jessica and I had every intention of taking the girls to the zoo.  Then we woke up and realized that today was just NOT  a zoo day.  It was cold, windy, and on the verge of rain all day long.  So we decided a jammie day playdate with some Louie's for lunch was a much better fit.

While we waited for Jessica and Giada to get here we snuggled on our favorite blanket and took some "kissy pictures" as Claire calls them.

Apparently Claire and I love to get pictures of us kissing Oliver.

Even Pete got in on the action.

You can't tell but, he really loves when Claire snuggles with him.

Claire and Giada has a blast playing today (as always).

Then Claire decided that she wanted to take some pictures.

Me and Giada.

Giada practiced her hand at photography as well.

But Claire was the one who really embraced the sport of capturing her subject.  Here is Giada's legs.

Her arm.

Her fanny.

Her nose.

Aunt Jessica's hair.

And me.  I think she really captures my true essence of searching for Max and Ruby.

 This was her stance as she took her pictures.  Notice she put the strap behind her head.  And her face is ALL business.

She is very focused and leans in to get that perfect shot.

And of course the ever popular "self portrait".

Photos compliments of Aunt Jessica's super awesome iPhone.

 

So I haven't decided if she has more of an Ansel Adams approach or if she really captures the beauty of human subjects like Ron Galella.  I will let you be the judge.