Back to School

It is September! That means back to school, pumpkin donuts at Dunkies, me trying to once again gain control of my life and get organized!

All three beans are in the same school on the same schedule. At least until dance and religion and possibly soccer and maybe swimming start.

But right now it is 97 degrees out and the kids are getting released early from school because of the heat.

Deep breaths!

Summer was crazy busy and a ton of fun.

The Lady is a fish in the water, she tackled the water slide at the pool, rode the waves at the beach house, the Jersey shore and OBX.

 The Little Lady got on roller coasters and rides that made my feet tingle by just looking at them, she turned 6 and went to camp with her cousins.

QT and I spent A LOT of time together this summer, but he got out and about. He turned 4, went to camp, spent time with his feet in actual sand and took a few bike rides in his Ninja Turtle helmet.

I got pretty tan, started training for my second 1/2 marathon this year and experienced all the highs and lows of working from home 4 days a week in the summer!

My husband tore his Achilles tendon the last week of school, got surgery, spent some time in a boot and is finally able to carry sleeping kids out of the car and drive a few balls off the range.

All things considered we had a pretty good summer.

Back to blogging!

Part I: Friday

Did you know dusk in the summer is 8:45 p.m.?

Me either. That is why I was at the park with my three kids, two pizzas, four blankets, sweatshirts, and a cooler at 7 p.m.

Summer is wonderful. Frozen gets shown on blowup screens in parks and you meet your friends and your neighbors and it is great. Except that QT likes to wrestle his sister on the grass and everyone has to go to the bathroom at a different time, and there is only one bathroom for a park full of kids and the line is long and there is a possibility that your 3-year-old pees on you while you are holding him, and there is a possibility that one or more of your children pull a Britney Spears and walk into a bathroom with no shoes on.

There is ice cream at 10:00 and trying to pack up by the flashlight app on your phone. There are three very tired kids crammed into the green car because the van is in the shop and you aren't quite sure how you are going to be able to pick it up the next day because of said three kids and your husband is away, but for now you are grateful that you decided to meet up with friends and neighbors because without them, there would have been no way that you would have been able to navigate the bathroom situation, chasing QT around in the dark, the ice cream, the park, the pizza.

And once again, you got to hear the majority of the movie, without actually seeing it, and it was pretty amazing when all the songs came on and everyone was singing, little kids, big kids, dads. And this is what summer should be about, big outdoor movies, late night ice cream and pizza. And sure, you will pay for it the next morning, but for now, between the bathroom breaks, under the summer sky, the music playing, the crowd singing, QT still for a moment in your lap, you are grateful for the experience and for the fact that you have friends in the crowd willing to keep an eye on every combination of kid you leave behind and you think this is good. This is good.

Some Updates on the Three Beans

I've had a tough summer. Here are a few things you might have missed.

The Lady

The Lady lost her first tooth a couple of weeks ago. It happened during a blanket war with her little brother where they act like dogs and each hold a side of a blanket in their mouth. She came up to me with a bit of blood on her fingers but no tooth and at first I thought it was lost for good. We did finally find it on the carpet underneath the blanket and we avoided having to craft a letter to the Tooth Fairy. I had no idea her tooth was even loose, probably because there was a full-grown tooth behind it and it was just wedged in place. And you read that right the new tooth is behind it, like a full row behind the rest of her teeth. I think we are all headed for orthodontia in the future. Wish me luck this Friday when all three of the kids visit the dentist simultaneously.

The Lady is very excited for school to start (one week from today!) and we finally got the letter with her teacher and all the school supply info last week when we got back from Crayola. The one good thing was that the teacher she got was the only first grade teacher she could actually name when I asked her a few weeks ago. I am hoping for a smoother transition this year.

I took all three kids to Target on Friday night to get the supplies on the list. We got everything we needed in addition to a new Hello Kitty lunchbox for the Little Lady (who isn't even signed up for Lunch Bunch), a copy of Kidz Bop 24, which I am mortified to admit to you. The Lady knows all the songs on it, but these are the cleaned up versions sung by children. Some are better than others. The Selena Gomez cover isn't bad, but three 13-year-old girls should not be singing Mumford and Sons. Ever.

There were a few Target mishaps along the way, the Little Lady couldn't make up her mind about being in or out of the cart, the Lady was three steps ahead of me at all times trying to cross everything off her list and QT thought he could take off whenever he wanted when he wasn't trying to push the cart by himself. But in the end everyone earned a Kit-Kat and I think that says something. I think that says something indeed.

The Little Lady

Both girls are taking a four week/twice a week gymnastics class. They love it, which is great because we all know how those classes have sometimes ended up for us. The Little Lady started the first week as the only kid in the class. She was pretty much getting a private lesson and even though a new girl showed up last week, I am glad she is getting some directed attention because she is so into it.

So obviously we had a gymnastics/bouncy house party for her birthday over the weekend. She showed up wearing just the leotard, no clothes to cover up, she was full-on ready to literally roll. I was so glad that two of her friends from her class last year were able to make it and that by the end of the party everyone was exhausted and we didn't have to clean anything up! We ended the day at an impromptu BBQ and pool/dance party and the Little Lady fell asleep on the way home so she didn't get to open any of her presents until yesterday, which she did with the abandonment of a four-year-old girl presented with a bag full of presents tied up with balloons.

School doesn't start for the Little Lady for another couple of weeks. I think getting back to a schedule will be good for her and I am waiting to see who her teacher is. Hopefully, it is who she likes or we may be hearing about it for a while. I am reminded about a blog I wrote a couple of years ago. You may remember it, I think it was called the Ferocious Fours. Here is to hoping we have a great year Little Lady!

QT

What can I say about this kid? He is talking so much now and he is also mimicking pretty much everything his sister's say including the dreaded and punishable "stupid head." It is hard to punish him though because he is so freaking cute and also likes to peek his head around the corner from the "time out stair" with a huge smile on his face. He is a runner and will take off quickly. I know he is small but it is hard to keep up with him! He still hates sand and during every beach outing this summer has refused to step one foot in it. He will however nap on the beach for 1-3 hours at a time, which is amazing. We will see how it goes this weekend as we attempt to make it back to the beach one last time.

I was able to spend a little bit of time with him on Saturday before the Little Lady's party. He was the only one who wanted to run errands with me. I will admit to dawdling at Dunkies because he prefers to sit there and eat three bites of a donut rather than take it in the car. It was nice to just hold onto his little hand and watch him explore his world. It has been so long since we have had any time just the two of us and it amazes me how much he has grown in just the last few months.

The kids have all really started playing well together. Sometimes it is pure chaos but when you hear the three of them laughing hysterically it is a lot easier to ignore the giant mess they just made and think I am doing an OK job by them.

Fourth of July Photos (Yes, I Realize It Is August)

 

Do Not Enter Sandman

We took the kids up to the beach house over the weekend. We just wanted to get out a bit and I wanted to see my cousins.

The weather was supposed to be cool but sunny and after what I can only describe as a pretty shitty winter, I was desperate to let them get out and run.

We did the usual: cozy coupes, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, foot races and playing with whatever they could find in the garage.

Then we headed down to the beach. Did I mention how much I am looking forward to some beach time this summer? All the kids can walk on their own. I no longer have to hunch over and hold QT from behind. He is fully mobile and able to play independently. While watching three kids in the water may pose a bit of a challenge, it can't be any harder than trying to navigate two kids and an infant or two kids and an almost one-year-old who can't walk.

Things were finally looking up for Bean.

As a bonus we saw four dogs on the boardwalk. QT couldn't have been more excited about the dawg-dawgs.

Know what QT wasn't excited about?

The sand.

That's right. The Ladies took their shoes off the minute they stepped foot on the sand and headed for the playground.

QT got his shoes taken off, stepped in the sand, immediately put his hands up to be picked up and started whining.

WTF QT?

You are a beach baby. The first 10 weeks of your life were spent at that beach. Your sustenance was breast milk and beach sand. We are going to take trucks down to the seaside this summer, you are going to dig, we are going to splash. Are you seriously not going to take one step on the sand? I just bought you a brand-new perzonalized Batman beach towel.

Am I going to have to buy a bag of sand and gently apply it to your feet tablespoon by tablespoon each day until you grow accustomed to it?

If that is what it takes, I am doing it. There is no way I am spending the summer with a 28 lb., 2-year-old, stuck to my side as I try to manuever the hot sand with a beach bag, beach toys and chairs all the while trying to balance my giant iced coffee, with the hopes that I might have 15 minutes to read a gossip mag before your sisters make me accompany them into the freezing cold Sound.

If your dad is there for the weekend, I have no problem with you hanging out the house, watching the Yanks, eating Doritios. But if he is traveling and it is just me, you and the Ladies we are going to have some serious issues.

Mamma loves you and she also loves the beach. Let's get it together big guy it's only sand.

And Here's What You May Have Missed. . .With the Beans

My evenings have been hijacked by three kids. My blogging and my TV time has suffered for it. I am still trying to catch up on some shows from last season, including the season finale of Glee that is just hanging out on the DVR.

In the spirit of the Glee intro, that breathy, fast-paced recap that starts the show, here's what you may have missed with the Beans. . .

The Little Lady putting on her own recital in the back of the theater. Yes, she was dancing with her eyes closed.

The Ladies had their dance recital in 100 degree heat in the auditorium of an elementary school, where the Little Lady had a breakdown when she realized that she was going to have to wait in a "holding pen" pre-performance. Luckily, she rallied, performed amazingly, and then put on her own private recital with the Wild Woman in the back of the theater.

A mini Mia Michaels contemporary routine?

QT has moved from the roll and scoot to full-on crawling, but only when he isn't being walked around with someone holding his hands. An intricate dance that includes both back pain and baby breakdowns when you try to release him from your grasp.

We just had to say goodbye to our longtime Tues/Thursday sitter, which has left me once again in a panic over daycare and forced me to once again empty my own dishwasher.

The Lady is finished with camp, bored at home, and looking for trouble.

All of which has made me realize that working in the summer is no fun, especially when you can be at the beach trying to explain to the Little Lady that it might be okay to pee in the Sound, which would avoid me having to drag two kids into a public bathroom and try to remove wet bathing suits. It is, however, not ok to pee in the sand or on your mother's coverup and towel, forcing her to have to wrap herself in said pee-soaked towel as she tries to gather you up for the long, hot, walk through the sand to the car.

And that's what you've missed with the Beans!

Busy at the Beach

I can't believe how quickly the past few weeks have gone by. Tomorrow QT will be one month old! A photo shoot will be forthcoming.

We have been busy at the beach. Here are a few pics of our most recent adventures.

This is the actual Fourth of July. Note that the Lady is missing. She had passed out in the car on the way to the BBQ and was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom, while the Little Lady and the Big Man enjoyed some mini-cupcake topped parfaits. This photo doesn't do the parfaits any justice, they were delicious and very pretty to look at, but I just had to include it to show the Little Lady's face and her little brothers apparent lack of interest.

QT just hanging out on the couch. He does have a bit of baby acne, but I am not going to stress over it.

Sailfest fireworks. This was the only time these kids sat still. They barely even watched the fireworks, they basically ran around and whipped each other with the glow sticks.

I am loving being within walking distance of the beach and being able to take little walks in the evening with everyone. Granted, QT is usually crying by the end but the Ladies are able to ride the carousel and have some ice cream.

The Ladies. About three hours after this photo was taken the Lady woke up from her bed with a high fever and then proceeded to puke all over the couch and her Dora blanket. I will give serious props to my husband for cleaning it up.

QT chillin' in his stroller.

It was super hot at the beginning of the week here. There is only one AC unit and it happens to be in the bedroom that my sister is in. We were lucky to be heading home for a night so that my hubby could play softball (yes, his injury is healed enough to continue to play) and so that we could cut our drive to LI the following day in half.

I will say that there are four things I miss about our home.

1. Central Air

2. Washer/Dryer on the main floor

3. Water pressure in our shower

4. Lionel--there really is nothing like a king-sized bed

However, after spending about 15 minutes in our kitchen/living room with three kids and a ton of stuff, I would have gladly given them all up (well maybe not Lionel--he is super soft and supportive) for a bit more room.

The next day we headed out to Long Island to visit my college roommates and have a bit of a playdate. To say that there were a few kids there would be an understatement. . . 

We are back now and today I even made it to the beach! We are waiting for the Wild Ones to arrive this evening for more fireworks and fun.



Blog A Day 'Til Baby (BADTB) Post 9: Staying Cool at the Pool

We had a busy day today. Started out early at the acupuncturist--have I mentioned I love this woman? I left there with some ear tags that are supposed to stimulate the uterus and the Ladies left with stickers. I thought it was a pretty good start to our day.

We hit up a Moms Club meeting/playdate and then stopped home to pick up our bathing suits and headed down to hang with the Wild Ones.

To say that setting up a backyard pool and allowing any of these children access to a garden hose is not the best idea in the world is an understatement. There was a lot of mud and splashing, but they had a great time and kept cool.

The Little Lady and the Wild Woman

The Lady. The Wild Woman was busy blowing bubbles (that is her little butt in the blue and white suit at the bottom) and the Wild Man wasn't too sure about the temp of the pool.

We ended the day with four relatively well behaved children at a restaurant with my sister and my parents, my hubby threw them in the tub when we got home and they are now quiet in their beds.

I am planning the rest of my weekend with no expectations that this baby will show up. We will see.