Private?

A fellow blogger friend of mine recently made her blog private. I always assumed there was a way to do this, but never looked into it. I now see it's very simple to do. I like writing about things we do. I also know there is big Internet World Wide Web of scary out there. I write this blog for myself. I print it for a keepsake each year. However, I LOVE that family and friends read it. But am I being safe? I don't want those "scary" people out there able to read about my life, what we are doing, where to find us....etc. So I'm thinking private is the way to go. I mean, I keep my FB private. Not that I post anything but links to this here blog anymore anyway. So why wouldn't I protect myself/family on the blog? Thoughts?

I'm not looking for a fan page, I'm looking to allow people the ability to read about us, if they want to. All I need is your email address. It's pretty simple. You send me your email address, I send you an "invitation" to that email address that allows you the ability to keep reading, and I keep writing. Once you're invited and signed in, you don't need to sign in all the time.

So please...if you like reading, send me your email address. You can leave it in a comment or email me.

He's never even *heard* of Grand Theft Auto

Yet here he is. Running over bodies in the driveway.

Kinda looks like he's missing a neck....and most of his head. He might have lead in his feet too. Can't say for certain.  :/

Oh, forget it. I couldn't possibly compare the fun we were having to a vicious video game. 

We finally brought out the big ol' bucket of sidewalk chalk!

I was having Gavin draw me a few things, such as circles, triangles, various shapes, and what have you, until he decided he wanted to draw Daddy. Of course. When Daddy is home, it's ALL about Daaaaaddy. (and as it should be, but dang, I hate turning invisible) We tried drawing Daddy, but we couldn't get it quite right. Recall Gavin's first portrait of his father? So I asked Gavin to lay down and I would trace him. This would give us a good body to start working with. Turns out, he thought this was simply amazing. "Again, again," he would say each time he stood up to admire his chalky outline on the blacktop.

I had to call Daddy from his weed-pulling to come take over so I could go get the camera. (WHY would I stop him from pulling weeds. I sure don't want to pull them. {sigh})

But I was able to capture the joy Gavin was getting from being traced on the ground.

The weeds will grow back anyway, right?! 

Might as well pull them in sections so they grow back in sections. See? I'm thinking!

 

After running them (the bodies) over a few times (which he did because we asked him to bring his car back to the garage, not because he is planning anything to get him on the news)

 

He found great entertainment in playing body hopscotch.

Luckily, before things got too disturbing, drawing trucks became the focus.

Obviously, Gavin would be the driver.

To know Gavin, is to know that everything is "A Big One."

So a big truck was drawn.

This was also the first time I didn't want him to touch ANYTHING on his way inside. Straight to the tub. He was a very chalky mess.

I've come across a recipe for homemade sidewalk paint, and sizzling sidewalk paint. Looking very forward to trying them out SOON!
No worries. I'll post "recipes" with the posts.

From tears to hysterics

Yesterday morning started pretty somber as we backed out of the driveway. Sitting behind me was a little boy with a pushed out lip and tears streaming down his face. He was also waving goodbye to Daddy, who was smiling his best, and chasing us down the driveway acting like the goofy Daddy he is, before heading back on the road. (We now know it's MUCH easier for him to leave in the middle of the night then in the morning.) I'm not sure who the morning was hardest on, but I would put my money on Daddy. Gavin was doing pretty good by the time we reached daycare.

Fast forward to after work.

I came home to let the dogs out and discovered that a little play-set had arrived. I found it on Ebay for a few bucks and was going to use it as part of my potty training incentive. (I'll write about that later.) The set isn't very exciting at all. It consists of two plastic slides. It works like this:

 Rescue Squad Mater sits atop one slide and a burning Lightning McQueen rests atop the other. There is a red square with some flames surrounding McQueen. At the bottom of McQueen's slide is an ambulance that has working back doors. This isn't rocket science, not even for a toddler. When you tip Rescue Squad Mater from his resting position, he slides down, triggering a button that releases the burning McQueen, who then slides down and ends up inside the back of the ambulance. Wow. I actually paid for this. But you know who loves Cars? Gavin. And you know who is really sad today? Gavin. So maybe Daddy might have left it for him?? If Daddy had thought of it, I bet he would have.

Needless to say, when I picked G up and told him Daddy had left him a present, he bee-lined for the car. He's never gotten himself up into his car-seat so quickly.  If it wouldn't spoil him rotten, make him a tyrannical child and send me bankrupt, I would do this everyday. It's "easier." But those are three things I most certainly want to avoid. Back to story...We get home and he darts around looking for his "present." Dog gone it, that Daddy, he didn't wrap it. When you're looking for ribbons and wrappings, you overlook little slides on the table. But when he spotted them, they entertained Gavin for almost an hour straight. Yep, shooting Rescue Squad Mater down a ramp over and over and over again was extremely exciting. Thanks, Daddy!!

Fast forward after dinner and time for jammies.

Gavin is throwing an absolute fit about having to put his new toy away. I cave. 

Me: "Fine, pick one car to hold it while we get changed."

Gavin: "Ummmmm, this one." (he selects the ambulance with Lightning inside)

Gavin: "Look, Mommy. I have two cars."

Me: "Ya, I picked up on that, ya stinker." (Gavin 1, Mommy 0)


As Gavin giggles, he begins to shake the ambulance like a maniac. This makes quite the noise as the ambulance is cheap plastic and Lightning (who, by the way, was NOT included with the play-set) is die-cast. (that I had from the potty training incentive basket)


Rather than screaming to stop the shaking, I say "Shake, Shake, Shake!" in a sing -song voice.

Gavin returns with "Shake your body, Mommy!"

What?! I can't help but burst out laughing. Say whaaaaat, I'm thinking!!

Me: "What was that, Bubba?"

He stands up to step into his pajama bottoms and begins wiggling his tail-feather.

Gavin: "Shake your body, Mommy!"


Where the heck does he get this stuff?! And what are they listening to at school? :)

Point of this post: Absolutely nothing.

Just another window into my world.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Tim!
Gavin (and I) love you very much!

No llama drama here

I also don't see a llama. 

This is a guanaco. 

They are larger, taller and have much finer wool than the llama.

But Gavin called it a llama, so llama it is....today anyway.

(Three of our favorite books involve llamas, maybe you've read them:

Llama, Llama Red Pajama

Llama Llama misses Mama

and

Llama Llama mad at Mama) 

We discovered these books at exactly the right time to be reading them. I should probably tell you about them. In another post.

More pictures from our trip to the African Wildlife Safari Park to come as well!

**this post is also a test because I'm having difficulties uploading pictures. Google is saying I've used up all my space. Not a chance. I just need some time to figure it out**

Parking lot safety

Upon arriving at daycare

Gavin: "Hand, Mommy, hand. We're in parking lot."

Me: "That's right, Gavin. Thank you. What do we do when we are in the parking lot?"

Gavin: "Look for cars." {as he looks both ways}

We need to cross the driveway to get inside daycare.

Me: "Now look the other way again."

{he looks}

Me: "Ready, let's cross."

We take two steps and then Gavin stops cold and exclaims: "Car, Mommy!!"

There is a car about to back out at least fifty feet away. The reverse lights have just come on.

Me: "It's okay, Gavin, we can cross."

Gavin: "Nooooo, car coming."

{We take two steps back}

The lady pulls out and waves us across. 

Me: "OK, Gavin, she is waving to us to cross. She is waiting for us."

Gavin: {pulling down on my hand hard} "No, Mommy, car coming."

You try explaining to a toddler that a wave means it's OK to cross. I'd rather he be insistent on waiting.

I smiled and waved the driver to pass.

We waited until the coast was clear and then went inside.

Good parking lot safety, Gavin.

My new purse!

Thirty-One bags have been the new craze in the area this past year. My mom, who is always on top of the latest trends, got me the fabulous City Skirt Bag for Christmas. It's great because you can change the "skirts" rather than the contents of your purse for a new look. There is also a smaller skirt purse, but the big one is the one for me. I'm not a big fan of changing the contents of my purse. I always leave behind something that I really wish I hadn't later. Usually the simplest things...like say, tissues, chap-stick, playdoh, gummy dinosaurs, travel spray Neosporin. You know...the things that everyone should have in their purse.You might be surprised at the contents of my purse. (That should be a random blog occasionally, "What's in Megan's purse this week")

I was looking forward to new "skirts"coming out each season. But wouldn't you know it, they discontinued the bag the month after Christmas. Seriously.

I was pretty bummed. Until I discovered that there are some pretty amazing ladies on Ebay that can sew! Now, I'm pretty happy about the discontinuation because I can find some original "homemade skirts" that no one else has!!

I found this one in my mailbox the other day. I LOVE it!

The Replacement

Was the Toledo Zoo tired of putting fear into small children when they entered the Polar Bear Exhibit? Did he become "injured?" Did he retire?

2010

We walked in today and found this replacement.

2011

Golden Arches & Golden Showers

I swore that I would never be that mom that stops to grab fast food because it's just "easier." In fact, I did very well for a long time with that promise. He was nearly two before he had his first taste of greasy fried food. This also wasn't my doing. We were having a big family birthday party and someone went and got all the kids happy meals. That person wasn't me. I didn't stop it though. And then I didn't stop it later either. In the last few months I think we've stopped to get french fries every week. Typically this happens after soccer practice on Saturdays when it's lunch time and we have to drive by on the way home. It also works successfully as a bribe for him to follow directions and be a good listener while at practice. Don't judge.

Naturally, it has drawbacks. Whenever we pass a McDonald's, I hear begs and pleas from the backseat, "French fries, Mommy, french fries!!" To which I usually reply, "Mommy doesn't have any money, Bubba, and french fries cost money."

Last week on the way home from the park, I had to swing through the drive through at the bank, which happens to be a couple buildings down from you know where. To my surprise, he didn't cry out for the greasy potato sticks. Instead I hear, "Do you have money, Mommy?"

{shaking my head}
Sure doesn't take him long to figure things out.

Now while I'm on the subject of McDonald's, it has come to my attention that I never shared about a particular experience on our drive to Florida.

So here goes...

The drive to Florida was about 14 hours...give or take. First, I must say that Gavin did awesome during the drive. I mean, AWESOME. He watched Cars over and over and over again. We stopped about every two hours to stretch, and more often than not, it wasn't because Gavin needed the break ;) The second thing I would like to point out is that I believe EVERY McDonald's south of  Dayton has a play-land attached to it. Every. Single. One. You can't find a McDonald's Play-land near Toledo. This doesn't upset me. I don't need to be taking him to play at a place where he will obviously be eating a deep fried lunch or dinner.

However, when a pit stop was needed during a long drive, it was a perfect place to stop, use the restroom, grab a coffee and let him run around for a little bit. And of course, eat french fries.

Helllooooo Ronald.

It only took Gavin a few minutes to get comfortable and start climbing through the hamster-like tunnels. He loved it and he had the whole place to himself. It was perfect.....for about fifteen minutes.

A family of four decided to stop in for some fun in the romper room too. Mom and Dad sat at the table next to us, while their two boys leaped into the first tunnel. See Gavin up in there? He's two. These two kids about to catch up to him appeared to be approximately 5 and 7, if not older. I could hear the boys clambering up the stairs and through the tunnels. Any minute they would be passing by where Gavin sat waving down to us. Any minute now, I would see them coming down the slide. Any minute now. But no, the next thing we heard was the MOM next to us screaming, "Get your butt down here, right now!" Here I am, waving to Gavin and enjoying my first ever McCafe Mocha Frappe (which are delicious, by the way) and am startled by a very large, very outspoken, woman. There isn't anyone in here, what could she possibly be hooting and hollering about. And then we saw. From the top of the slide there was something dripping through the seams of the colorful fun-house. And it was exactly what you guessed it might be.

 Sick. Sick. Sick.

Apparently they stopped for a restroom break and forgot to use the facilities first. I want to gag when Gavin pees in the bathtub at home. It's just gross. Now here he is, inches from crawling through another little boys urine! I should be screaming "Stop, Gavin, Stop! Don't. Go. Down. The. Slide!" But I know it won't do any good. He's two years old. He doesn't know it's pee. He doesn't know that it is absolutely sick and revolting. And it's highly unlikely I'm going to get him to crawl back through all the tunnels and back down the steps. So I did what I anyone else in my place what have done. I screamed "OMG, I can't believe that kid just peed up there!!" I laughed. And then my aunt laughed. Followed by my cousin. What else were we to do? We were on our way to the sunshine state and foul moods were not invited.

And then I jumped up to wait by the bottom of the slide so I could quickly take him to get cleaned up. You can imagine my shock when he came down without shoes on? What the heck? Guess he didn't want to get them "wet." Blech.

It wasn't the end of the world. It's not like I couldn't get him new clothes. I did have a suitcase full of new outfits in the car. It was disturbing because the parents sitting next to us never even looked in our direction. No apology, no acknowledgment. Nothing. I understand kids have accidents. (even at the age of 5+) But I can assure you, if it was Gavin that had the accident I would be apologizing to the parents next to me. (and then hurrying out of there mortified!)

Nope, not these parents. They finally got the child changed and then started yelling about ice cream. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, I guess. Mind you the tunnel is still dripping. Was MOM going to clean it up? Were they even going to notify an employee that it needed cleaned up? 

My Aunt Jeanna finally got up to go tell someone of the wretchedness leaking from the top of the slide. It was probably trickling down the slide at this point. {I'm going to be sick thinking about it}

As Jeanna stands in line, the older boy comes back with a paper towel in hand and hands it to MOM. Let me tell you that she was not one of those physically fit soccer moms. Not by a long shot.Yet up she went. And somehow she made it through the tunnels and wiped up the mess and shimmied down the slide. I don't think it's possible she could have done a very good job cleaning it up with the tiny bit of paper towel she took, buuuut there was no way she was going to hover above it, so I'm thinking her pants and long tunic soaked up what she may have missed. So.Gross. But it did make me feel better. I recall some cheering going on for her when she reached the bottom of the slide by the small crowd that had gathered with their children. I may or may not have been cheering because I had a hunch she was covered in urine. Again, don't judge.

This was the first and last time Gavin has been to a McDonald's Play-land.

So long, Ronald.

June 10th, 1999

On this day, twelve years ago I was nineteen years old. I was living at home with my parents for the summer after my freshman year of college. And on this day I was thoroughly annoyed that some of my BG friends kept calling me to go out for the night. It may have been a rare occasion, but I was determined to curl up in bed and watch movies that Thursday night. But the calls kept coming. Guess they knew I would cave and drive out. I'm not sure it was that hard. I was nineteen. Living back at home after a year in college. Of course I eventually caved. Who knew that decision to get out of bed and get dressed and make the commute to BG would change my life forever. 

It was this night that I met Tim. 

You see the friends that kept calling me happened to be friends of his as well. Yet, we had never met. He knew them from years earlier. I met them in college. Tim was currently living in California at Camp Pendelton, serving in the Marines.  He happened to be in town celebrating his younger brothers graduation from high school. And he happened to be out with these friends that night. (And people say you can't meet people in a bar...hahaha) I remember meeting him. He was the only person of the group that I didn't know. I watched him play pool thinking, he's kinda cute. But he's older. You see, he was marked over at the bar, and I was still scrubbing the X's off my hand and secretly strapping on bracelets in the bathroom. In fact, when Tim and I finally had our first conversation, I had him show me two forms of ID, because I didn't believe we were the same age. (literally, we are barely two months apart in age) He will attest to this.

As we were talking outside on the patio, it started to rain. Remember, I'm nineteen, I've had a couple drinks, so I now think I'm awesome. So wouldn't it be fun to climb on the fence ledge and dance in the rain? Even better, roll around in puddles? Of course it would. At least I thought so. Everyone ran inside or under the awnings....except Tim. He ran out with me. Guess that was our sign. (but we didn't know it yet)

Eventually we all went back to a friends apartment to sleep for the night. The cool thing about college apartments is that there is never a shortage of couches. I mean really, most people I knew had minimum of three in their place. When I got my first apartment, I was no exception to this cool-ness.

The next morning, i got up to drive home and my buddy goes, "Hey, would you mind driving Tim home too?" I'm thinking, Really, I just want to go home, but of course I said...."I guess." Woo-hoo, right? Sounds like an amazing beginning.

And wouldn't you know it, he lived a few miles from me in Perrysburg!! Seriously. We grew up five minutes away from each other, yet had never met. He went to Perrysburg. I went to Rossford.

He invited me over the next day for his going away "party." I got to meet his parents before we ever had a real "date." And then he was gone. Back to Californ-eye-aye.

And that was that... Or was it.

He called me. Then I called him. Then the emails started too. Because of Tim, my dad bought me my first cell phone. Apparently calling California from your dorm room gets expensive. (you read that, I was twenty years old before I got my first cell phone)

From then on, every time he had leave from the Marines, we would get together. We talked on the phone while he was gone. We wrote emails throughout the day as well.  We got to know each other.

Then a little over four years later, we did this...

Aug 2, 2003

 We enjoyed a few years. 

We vacationed. 

We bought a house. 

We partied with friends.

Four years after that, we added this fella to our family...

July 2007

 And he needed a friend...

Aug 2007

 This family thing is pretty cool.

So the next year, this happened...

And then our family grew a little bigger.

And my heart grew A LOT bigger.

Sept 30, 2008

And here we are in 2011. 

I'm not going to say it's been a whole bunch of puppies and rainbows.

We've undoubtedly had our ups and downs.

But it's been twelve years.

And a bazillion memories.

And we're happy.

Sept 2010

And it all started when we danced in the rain.

Good listening

As usual, we were in a rush to get things cleaned up before getting out the door one day. While picking up toys and such that littered the living room, I asked Gavin to help by putting all the boots by the front door.

He did just as I asked.

Good job, buddy!

From Mom

Dear G,

Last night when I pulled all your bedding, including your blankie and bear out of the dryer, I noticed bear had fallen victim to the heat. But because it was late and bedtime was imminent, I kept quiet and tucked you both in for the night.

This morning, after apparently you and bear had some rumbling through the night, Bear's injury was extremely prominent. His poor paw was exploding with stuffing.

Mind you, I can barely sew a button on my pants. Even when I can do that successfully, it's short term. I never took Home Economics, and it shows. But I knew this morning what I had to do.

I found the one needle and bit of thread we have in the house (courtesy of grandma) and I went to work with the bulging hole that had seared edges, jagged strips of fur, and fluff flailing. 

It may not be pretty, but Bear is whole again.

You are over 2 and a half years old which means I have been your mother for over 2 and a half years.

I have never felt more like a mommy than I did this morning.

I love you!

Love,
Mom