just be ...

Me + Pictures.

A few weeks back, I read this article on Huffington Post about taking pictures of our kids and how most times we, us moms, are rarely in the picture. 

I love that there is a follow-up article to this as well, about how so many moms have started including themselves in the pictures.

When I look at all the pictures I take of Max and Theo, its about one out of 75 to 100 I am included.  And want to the know the first thing I do when I take a picture of us together, or someone takes a picture of us?  I immediately look at myself and start criticizing everything about me, all the things that I think are wrong. 

In some years from now, Max and Theo will look at all these pictures, and see me, and will only see their mother, which they will think is beautiful.  Just as I do now with pictures I see of my mother and her kids. 

So I have been taking the ridiculous self-portraits with the kids, that no matter which angle you try, its never a really good picture. 

Both were taken this past weekend during our trip to Colorado, where I scored that fabulous new hat!  It was a great visit and Max had a blast....to say the least.  He slept the entire flight home. 

Not the greatest picture of me, and as I type this all I can think about are my chins...but hopefully Max and Theo will appreciate these. 

So my assignment for everyone, include yourself in pictures.  Your family will appreciate it. 

Erika.

Can we talk about my niece Erika? I cant say she is my favorite because I love her just as much as I love all my nieces and nephews.  However I can honestly say that I have a pretty cool connection with her.  I love talking to her, love hearing her thoughts about life, things, horses, etc.  She is an amazing, beautiful person.

This past weekend we traveled to Colorado to visit with my sister Sharon and her family, which includes my brother-in-law, Geno and two nephews Nicholas and Zachary, along with Erika.

When we arrived on Thursday night and we literally squished into my sisters car, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Erika.  This is when the fun started.  We started talking about school, and connected over apps on my phone and cool apps she wanted to show me.  This is also when she told me, 'I am a colorful person Aunt Melissa'.  If we werent in sardine mode, I would have hugged her SO tightly. 

I know she reads this blog. 

So yes, Erika you are a colorful person.  The MOST colorful beautiful person I know. 

What I also completely adore about Erika is that I can always find a surprise on my camera, and now phone, from her.  See below for the evidence from this weekend.  (and also here. from quite a few christmases ago.) 

(some of these pictures are a blurry mess because of the phone to computer resolution, but you'll get the gist of it.) 

Enjoy!

Four Months.

Dear Theo,

Here we are at four months, or here you are at four months (technically, four and a half ... we are just a busy family!).  We are definitely in a groove now, with some days here and there where I have no clue what to do other than just basically take one minute at a time.  My favorite part of my day is when we get home work/school, and its you, your brother and I just hanging out.  Well maybe its when I pick you up out of your crib in the mornings and you have a big smile for me. Either way, any time with you is my favorite. 

At four months,
-you are eating now cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes and recently pears and mangoes.  When trying something new you totally gag followed up by a puking session.  Then its back to eating as usual. 

-you are more aware of your surroundings; always looking for Max, or following me around. 

-you can push yourself up to where your chest is off the floor when laying on your tummy.

-you enjoy being in the exersaucer for small periods of time.

-you are grasping and holding items in your hands consistently; and all items make it to the mouth.

-you had special visitors - Grandpa and cousin Ian.

-you weighed in at 16 pounds at your appointment. 

-your hair still is crazy; some days its mohawk, others you are channeling Donald Trump.

-you are starting to show signs of turning over.

-you smile all the time.

I am enjoying you so much lately.  I love that you are so engaging and smile and laugh.  I still worry I dont spend enough time with you, and even your brother, and I do my best to make up for any time lacking on the weekends.  Your brother shows signs of kindness periodically, which just makes my heart swoon.  I cant wait to see your relationship grow. 

I love you so much little boy. 
Love,
Mama
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I had to change up the picture location because I havent been able to get the picture taken during day light hours.  I seriously need to have post-it notes on my forehead. 

Popcorn, Grandpa + some turning over, well almost.

A house on my mother's street had an estate sale a couple of weeks ago.  I hated the feeling of walking through this person's house, looking at all their stuff that was up for sale.  But.  This homeowner was older and had moved into a retirement community recently, so many of the items in the house were dated.  Or 'vintage' if you please. 

I scored a high chair/stool - to be used in the kitchen, when feeding Theo or if I want to put the computer on the counter to work.  I also scored an electric popcorn popper.  Oh, yes.  And at $3.  (which was 50% off from the day before I bought it, so really even at $6, it was a steal!)



(everyone repeat after me, looking at the picture above, say, 'Hello Soltys!'. He certainly has many of the Soltys traits.)  

Let me tell you ... 1, there is nothing like fresh popped popcorn, like right out of the popper, 2. it provided much entertainment to Max who kept calling it 'bouncy corn', he absolutely loved it and 3, just the nostalgia it brings to pop some up ... ah...

(I just so happened to have those pop-corn boxes in the house -  have no clue where I got them and for what reason.)

The day Grandpa was leaving, I wanted to make sure I had a photo of him and the boys.  I think #3 is frame-worthy, dont you?

And lastly, Theo is starting to show signs of turning over.  Look at him putting his foot down and lifting.  Growing up so fast, I tell you. 

Cant have a blog post without a picture of that smile.  These two boys, drive me insane, literally, and I apologize to them for being crazy all the time but I would not have it any other way.  So I was doing dishes at 4am today, and I have Max sleeping next to me in my bed as I type this now at 11pm, its certainly not perfect, but we are happy.  And for the record, I like being happy. 

Pumpkins.

This year Max will really get the idea of Halloween.  Right now he still is weary about it and says no when I ask him to try on a costume.  I know for sure he will love the trick-or-treating part. 

Dad came in to town for a visit last weekend.  We havent seen him since Max's 1st birthday, so it was long overdue and really great to spend quality time together. 

We decided to have the annual pick-your-pumpkin event while Dad was here.  Andrew, Kelly, the twinkies, Mom, Al, Dad, Max, Theo and myself all headed over to Johansen Farms in Bolingbrook. 

The twinkies and Max absolutely loved it.  Cant wait for Theo to be old enough to join in on the fun.

i love tyler's face!

  

We did indulge in their apple cider donuts.  I mean ridiculously indulge....who cant?? They are good.  Ridiculously good.  Along with their apple pies. ... yum.  If you go, I recommend either, and if you want to be dangerous, like us, cause we roll like that...get both!  You wont be disappointed!

DuPage County Fair.

This past summer (yes I know this is WAY late...but I think about these ladies quite often) I took Max and Theo to the DuPage County Fair.  It was a rainy Thursday, Theo was just a few weeks old, Max insisted on walking but then later changed his mind.

Its a great place to take the kids, and I found the 'kid' section to be all age appropriate - meaning there was something for 2 to 12. 

What amazed me the most, was the size of these. 

I mean literally these cows were the size of my first car, a three-cylinder Subaru Justy (I loved that car).  Their names were Molly and Eunice.  They were there with their young.  Their job is to produce milk for us to drink, for cheese, and various other dairy products. 

So why am I thinking of them lately? I am not sure if its my age, the fact that I have two young boys (and I am thinking I need to buy one of these ladies to keep in my backyard, so we can have our fill of milk at any time!) or I have been appreciating the way things are made, and the more natural, the better. 

I'll go with 10% first reason, 40% second reason and the remainder the last reason.  My desire to have my own farm is probably pretty far fetched seeing I wont even get a dog because I dont want to be on poop patrol, but I can certainly feel my appreciation for supporting local farmers increase. 

I even splurged so Max could feed the goats. 

Then I took him to the kiddie milking tent, and taught him how to milk a cow (you know so he knows what to do when we bring Molly or Eunice home). 

 

Sometimes you just have to improvise...what started with Max insisting on walking, turned into this: