Every day this week has some egg related activity.  These eggs are evil.  Well, to be fair, it’s not the eggs – it’s the candy in them that is turning my normal entertaining circus into some sort of loony bin for peep filled pixie stick crazed children.  What this has to do with Easter I have NO idea, but the kids had egg hunts on Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday as well as hunts today and tomorrow.

Sophia Sprinting for Eggs

Passover was Monday.  It’s only fair that my Jewish husband gets to travel for work this week.  For Passover the big prize is known as the Afikoman, a half piece of Matzo bread that is hidden with $5 bucks in it for one of the lucky kids to find after dinner.  No joke – the prize is bread.  There is no candy with the bread – just bread.  Sophia looked confused.  Why would she want this bread?  No candy filled eggs?  What a bummer.

Matzo just does not get faces like this.

Sophia's Crazy Egg Face

There is no red-tape holding kids back from running for the Matzo either.  We had to pull Miles back as he tried a false start on the egg hunt.

Miles Breaks Through the Egg Tape

Maybe Passover Seder would be more fun for the kiddies if corporate America realized that some kids are Jewish.  There are bazillions of accessories and books from all of our favorite characters on Easter but only a handful – and none with Disney or Dora – on Passover.  I mean who doesn’t want to play with a princess bucket over a piece of Matzo in a bag?  Perhaps Dora could do a Passover book?  I get that some people might not want this sort of thing but if it helps my kids get into learning about such an important event, I am all for Dora telling the passover story and putting the Matzo in an Ariel bag.

Easter Bucket Fun

Even Violet thought the kids were a little insane over the eggs. She looks like she is thinking What in the World has happened to these people? I don’t see mommy boobs all over the ground! All of this for plastic eggs?

Violet Fears the Crazies Too

On the plus side, the constant hunting for eggs makes the kids happy and has provided numerous things for us to do this week.  It also provided for our second ever picture as a family.  Yes, I know, it sucks.  But it is really hard to get 3 little ones, 2 of whom are jacked up on candy, to sit for a picture.

Family Egg Hunting

 On the negative side – you see these eggs?

The Culprit

The candy crash in the afternoons around here takes on epic proportions.  I have no control over my spawn and even worse – I am right there with them.  Those little eggs each hold a piece of heaven for me.

Hi, I am Brittany and I am utterly obsessed with and addicted to candy.  I need help.  With my kids.

At least Passover and Matzo has a point (unlike the eggs people – not Easter) and makes it easy to fall asleep.  A little wine, a little Hebrew, a little food, a little bed.

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I was just lucky to get them all in green and sort of cute looking. Getting them all to smile? Impossible. But hey – we are not Irish – so I am pretty impressed that they are even in green.

My Non-Irish Hooligans

They even made a video for you. And Miles talks! Not well but I am so proud that he really tries now. I try too – not to giggle. He is so flippin’ cute!

I can’t help it. Here is my littlest leprechaun. In her very first dress. *Sigh*

Violet in her First Dress

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I did not get everything done that I wanted to get done in 2009.  Not even close.  And there are a few really important things that I need to wrap up.  Since I am pregnant and am not allowed to drink (I did have a little champagne people but I am almost 36 weeks now!) and just generally a little crabby it did not feel very festive yesterday.  I was up way past midnight obsessing over Genealogy and Blogging and well, I would rather have been tipsy and french kissing to be honest. 

So today I was thinking about how I needed to wrap up some 2009 stuff up and about my resolutions for 2010 and then I realized…New Year’s Day is a Friday.  And then there is the whole weekend.  I am a real stickler about this one – my weeks start on Monday.  My organizational survival revolves around this.

This year – so will my New Year.

I really need these couple of days to think about the past year and about the coming year. I need to finish up and plan for the future.  My husband had an endless stream of wonderful people and all the kids that come with them (I love you all) through the house all day for Bloody Mary’s and fabulous wings and football and I just need to start the New Year with a clean house that is not littered with every toy in the house and does not reek of smooshed tomatoes and spices.

So  if you would be so kind and give me a little break I will be starting the New Year on Monday and I will have some really great stuff coming up in 2010 for this blog as well as a NEW WEBSITE for breastfeeding moms that I hope to launch this month.  I am so excited to share all of this with you…just not today.  As usual I am a little behind.

For those of you who did celebrate already, well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

XOXO

Brittany 

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From my home to yours, a Very Happy Holiday!

Yes, making my own card this year allowed me to include a ton of pictures.  It also took a majillion years and made me want to strangle Photoshop.  But I like how it came out. 

From January though December I had a wonderful year and hope that you did too. I am thankful for my family and friends and I am enjoying meeting such wonderful people in the blogging community.  To a fabulous 2010!

I actually made the card on standard size paper and printed it on a nice thick gloss paper for sending it out via snail mail.  If you would like to see how the card turned out, you may cview the PDF file of our Holiday Card.  I will have a How-To to come for those of you who want to save a bundle on any kind of card or announcement!

Sophia and Miles had their Holiday Festival at pre-school yesterday and it was absolutely adorable and of course, because they are in pre-school, totally silly.  None of the kids knows the words to the songs all the way or the dances and the noise level throughout the “performances” is unbelievable.  Dear readers, you should not have to be subjected to this.  However, this is a mommy blog and you know, my mother and other relatives expect some updates on their grand kids and all that jazz.   I promise it won’t be that bad.  They are pretty cute.

Sophia’s class sang two songs and really – she rocked.  She is extremely dramatic to begin with and was the only one to do ALL of the hand motions to Away in a Manger.  We have not talked about Jesus in our interfaith house yet and she still looked like she was totally cool with him as a baby.  I was so proud of her.

Then the toddler’s arrived.  They were pretty good for about 30 seconds considering their routine was to walk in shaking the heck out of these bell rings to the tune of Feliz Navidad. 

Miles is SERIOUS about the Holidays

I really cracked up.  They all made it about half way in and looked shell shocked by the noise and all the people.  Then some started crying and they all tripped over each other and created mayhem while they frantically searched for their parents.  Again, proud mama over here.  Miles loves himself some bells on a ring and he just kept shaking that thing across the room until he met with a decision.  His class was in a shambles and he was standing alone in the middle of the room.  He saw me on the floor trying to take pictures and Sophia on the other side of the room with her class.  He also saw a pyramid of juice boxes and a TON of cookies.  What was a boy to do?  The picture above says it all.  He just stood there while Sophia and I both called to him.  Finally, she went and got him.  What a good girl.  He snapped out of it and went to sit with the big kids and wait with them for the treats.  He is always waiting with her and not with his class so I think they have sort of adopted him as his mascot.  He is quite the flirt with the girls and really an admirable wrestler with anybody so they accept him in the 3’s crowd and he is happy.

Finally, it was time for Sophia’s dance performance. 

Post Performance Glow

You should watch this terrible video if you are in my family because it is Sophia and it is her first performance and you are required to.  You should watch this video if you are a bloggy friend because it is REALLY funny at the good parts.  Let me set this up for you.  Miles has been “practicing” with Sophia so he thought he was going on stage.  I had to physically hold him during the performance while videotaping it.  Did I say videotaping?  Not quite.  I am too pregnant to remember to charge the actual video camera so this is taken with my tiny little camera.  And it would not zoom with one hand.  That is why the picture quality and stability suck.   The room was so loud that I was laughing most of the time and yes, you can hear me talking.  I am not that bad of a mother.  Someone else took a better video and I will get it at some point.  This will really make you feel like you are there.

Besides that, here are the funny things to watch out for. 

HEIGHT:  Sophia is 3 as of September and is so hyperactive that I asked if she could be in this ballet and gymnastics thing at school even though she takes her fancy ballet class with the NC Dance Theater.  The girl needs constant physical activity.  They let her in.  The other girls are 4 1/2.  They TOWER over her.  She is the little one all the way to the right.  Everyone was giggling.

ROUTINE:  There is only the most basic routine and you can see Ms. Bridget showing the girls what to do.  They did not have class last week so it had been two weeks since they really practiced the “routine” in class.  It showed.  The girls sort of do things together and sort of do their own moves.

BLOOPERS:  I feel bad but I laughed.  There is a part of the above “routine” where the girls are supposed to run across the stage and do some sort of leap.  They all line up and the first girl goes and falls flat on her face.  The others stare for a second and it is clear that the girl is okay but then the others decide, I suppose, that it is not worth the risk.  NONE OF THEM RUN TO HELP HER.  THE SHOW MUST GO ON.  They all get in a line with one still on the floor and continue with the routine.  I could not believe it.  But it was funny.

ENVIRONMENT:  The room was crazy and at one point a boy from Sophia’s class walks straight across the stage.  I don;t know how they danced at all.  It was a circus in there and there was no control over any of the kids by this point.

OVER-EXCITEMENT:  Towards the end of the dance Sophia’s class teacher walks in and Sophia starts waving and saying hello to her.  She doesn’t ever really get it back together after this.  She just keeps waving and saying hello to people, including me at the very end. 

Despite all of this, I will probably watch this video (or the better one the other guy took) a million times over the years.  It is another first from my fabulous daughter and I am so proud.  I laugh and cry when I watch it.  Feel free to laugh – the girl who fell is fine.

 After the dancing we ate an enormous amount of cookies and brownies and came home to dance some more and take a little nap.   Well, Miles and Mommy laid down.  Sophia the never stops going girl had a dancing tea party in her room with every single stuffed animal and doll she could find.  They all got to watch her dance.  I heard it was a great party.

Happy Holidays!

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Presenting Princess Sophia

Sophia realized she was a princess right out of the womb at a very early age.  Since the time she could speak her royalty has been a main topic of conversation.  She has had dress up clothes since shortly after her first birthday and yes, she loved them then and is obsessed with them now.  Between gifts and donations she now could clothe a small court in fancy dresses, heels and jewels and is taking applications for ladies maids.  The only pay is the pleasure of her slightly bossy company.  I have already been told that I can wait on her because I am pretty and good at working (Gee, thanks).  I tried to explain that I was the Queen and she just laughed and told me I was funny.  Other applicants will have to try out for the privilege to serve her.  Ross is not good enough.  Miles is not pretty enough, but he can be a handsome prince. 

As an aside – I think Sophia and my husband are in cahoots to keep me working for her and him playing guitar for her on the couch.   I also think if I asked him why he married me he would say something along the lines of pretty, funny (or maybe just pretty funny) and a good worker.  Where’s the romance huh?

Besides creating her royal court, she has been concerned about the fact that she has not had a princess party since her birthday in September.  We have discussed the annual nature of birthdays and parties but with Hanukkah already here and Christmas just weeks away she has been constantly begging for another princess party – not a holiday party.  I am considered quite the cheeky lady in waiting for actually denying the princess’ requests on such a regular basis.  According to Princess Sophia “It’s going to take such a long time until I am 4 and I really need a party!”  Don’t we all?  She is disappointed.

Then, this weekend, I convinced Sophia that I am, in fact, a kick ass mother and wonderful Queen.  While walking through Nordstrom for some tights we ran smack dab into a giant Princess Party.  With Make-Up.  And Crowns.  And Crafts.  And cookies.  And other princesses.  She thinks I did it.  She thinks it was a big surprise!  She screamed “Oh, Thank You Mom!”  I made her say thanks to all the nice ladies who threw the party but I took the credit.  I myself cannot thank Nordstrom enough.  They threw a little girl princess party that rocked!  

First, there was a long table with a white tablecloth and on this table was a giant tower of juice boxes and gourmet white cookies with pink and white icing.  They were in little clear bags with sparkling ribbons.  They were delicious!  The girls hosting the party gave some to Miles and Ross too before we went them on their way to Get Our Princess On!   At the other end of the table was a glitter picture frame project where we decked out our frame in preparation for our Princess Photo Shoot!  We had a blast meeting other little royals and socializing over our apple juice, cookies and glitter!

Glitter Crafts - Perfect!

Then, as if the cookies and crafts were not enough excitement, the little girls got to have their full glitter make-up done in one of the grown-up chairs by a real make-up artist.  The pink glitter was included in everything from the lip gloss to the blush to the eyeshadow.  I don’t think Sophia has ever had so much fun!  Her whole face was sparkling and her smile was ear to ear.  When they gave her a sparkling crown and wand her “Oh my goodness they are beautiful!” scream rang through the girls department.  I don’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry at her overwhelming enthusiasm.  While it was all very funny, Sophia and all the other girls were just beautiful and the moments spent with their moms and dads were priceless. 

Following the application of gobs of makeup we were sent on to our Princess Photo Shoot in front of a dazzling Christmas tree on a red velvet chair.  Sophia said it was perfect for her!  So, fully decked out in her crown and wand we proceeded to the picture station and smiled for our royal portrait.

She Graces Us with a Smile!

All of this partying was completely FREE!  Sophia hugged all the Nordstrom girls ( I wanted to give them mushy kisses for giving my daugther so much joy)  and then we got another beautifully wrapped bag of cookies, for the baby of course, and went to meet Daddy and Miles.  They actually asked me if we would be back for the Tutu and Tiaras party next month.  UM….YES!  I COULD BE IN LABOR AND WE WOULD NOT MISS IT!  Sophia agreed with a hearty “Of Course we will be here!  I am a ballerina too!”

So thank you Nordstrom.  Usually having fun in your store costs a lot more money.  And causes marital distress.  This was awesome.  We Got Our Princess On and We LOVED it!

I would love to hear of any randonly wonderful things you have discovered with your kids.  When you thank God that some marketing genius thought of this activity to get you in the store…or whatever…you get it.  Share!

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The Baby

Oh crap.  I mean it.  I am 31 weeks pregnant and there are only 62 days until baby girl is due.  She looks a little freaky in this picture and like she is so not ready to meet me yet.  Like she is pulling the sheets over her head and moaning “Go Away Mom!”  Happy to babe.  While I am dying to meet you, turns out these little things like holidays are hanging over my head and you could use a little more fat on those bones. 

Before baby I must continue religious kegel-ing, get my co-sleeper back from whoever I lent it to, choose a name, figure out where the tiny baby clothes are, make  a plan for where my kids will go while I am in the hospital, and generally prepare myself for the arrival of this new addition.  I also usually choose my announcement card and get it all ready to upload the details and send out. 

Clearly  the picture in the ticker would scare the bejesus out of people, so I will wait for her real mug shot!

The Cards

Christmas is a mere 26 days away and oh yeah – Chanukah starts in just 2 weeks. 

You might think I would have gotten on that holiday card thing.  Nope.  Not yet.  I just realized that I am going to be doing two mailings in a period of less than 2 months and it is making me a little nauseous.  Mommy Words was going to start a newsletter too - it is going to have to wait you eager readers!

More than just the work of 2 cards, the expense is really getting to me.  I know I am goingto shell out the bucks for the new baby announcement.  In the past I have gone with Tiny*Prints and I have always LOVED the cards.  For this baby I may just have to try out Minted.  They have some fabulous purples that I just adore!!!  Both sites are precious and I have been trying to win cards from them all over bloggyland but no such luck yet.  Boo!  I am not sure if I can swing the bucks for both a holiday card and an adorable baby announcement.

This means that I will have to make one of those holiday newsletters.  I need to thank Minted for their Yearline holiday card.  You will love these cards.  You get to pick 4 pictures plus a little timeline of events to go inside a gorgeous card.   Unfortunately with the upcoming baby I am going to have to DIY this family timeline idea and come up with some creative and funny way not to bore the pants off our friends and family with a ho-hum holiday update. UGH!

The Holidays

I have not put out one decoration or bought one gift.  I have not even thought of cooking or groceries or  cookies or any sweets for neighbors and friends.   I am so behind the ball that I am considering floating the idea of a no-gift year.  It’s probably too late though because everyone else is probably already on the ball. 

I meant to create a special holiday book for our family to talk about our different traditions and use for both Chanukah and Christmas.  Sophia is old enough to have questions and I have this great little interfaith idea that will take 40 hours.  This is SO not getting done, and I am disappointed.

I also make an annual photo book on My Publisher, my favorite photo book site, and I do not want to leave this until the new year because with the new baby it will not get done.  So, my goal is to get through the November pics before the new year and only have the December photos to add to the book.

The Conclusion

I didn’t even mention the blog to do list.  It is never ending! Without some stroke of genius this list is going to be far from complete for the holidays and the baby and the blog.  I just don’t think there are enough hours to squeeze it all in.  I will let you know if I do see some ray of hope and find some crazy awesome tips to help me get this stuff done.

In the meantime, wish me luck.   Send me ideas.  Babysit my kids.  Provide me with an elf.  Any little thing would help!

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