Zoo day

This week, I had a three day weekend to celebrate Memorial day. Oh man, why can’t every weekend be a three day weekend? There is time to get all the household maintenance stuff done with a whole additional day left to PLAY!
I decided we were much overdue for Caroline’s first trip to the Zoo. Bubby and Grandpa generously gifted us a family membership. I really don’t know why it took us so long to utilize it. But Monday was the day. I even got some of my other Mom friends on board to haul their kiddos to the zoo with me. Well Monday morning was a less than lovely day. It was raining on and off. I checked the radar and was determined to go.

We got to the zoo and unloaded in the rain. Yep, it was raining, but I was determined. We headed through the rain to the cover of the aquarium. Of course that is where everyone was seeking refuge. It didn’t matter. We navigated our kid-and-crap hauling vehicles (two strollers and one wagon) to a parking spot and let the wild ones loose. The great thing about the aquarium is the floor to ceiling windows and the way the kiddos can get right up in there. Caroline could have moved in. Not only were there so many other kids to watch, but yes, FISH TOO. She kept yelling gibberish at the wall of water and pointing. Every once in a while, she’d turn around and check to make sure I was still there. Once the crowd started to clear out, we figured the rain likely stopped.








Once Baby Ben finished his lunch, we all decided to grab ours. Caroline was probably satisfied with that one adventure for the day, little did she know more was in store.

After lunch we went to the check out the elephants. These slow moving pachyderms were not as exciting so we only stayed long enough for her to say “elle”. Next was the petting zoo. This penned in area was more Caroline’s forte. The minute the stroller stopped, she was reaching and wiggling for freedom. Finally, free reign to go where she wanted! Also, look at all the ‘DOGGIES’. They were goats, but she was so excited I didn’t want to burst her bubble. She just went round and round to each ‘doggie’ and proclaimed it as such as she gave it a couple pats. She made probably 5 rounds, anointing each goat a doggie.





I thought she was going to be upset when it was time to move on, but the hand washing station proved just as much fun, thank god!

Next it was time to check out the polar bears. Sadly, it was too warm for the bears to be out. This is when I declared it was time for the Moms to get a treat. Ice Cream here we come. We were just about to the ice cream stop when I look in the stroller to see this…..



Success! It isn’t a truly fun day unless you pass out in the car/stroller from sheer enjoyment. True for adults and children alike!

We’ll come back another day soon and check out all the other animals. I’m sure she’ll want to come back to the petting zoo and make sure all the goats are fully aware of their new doggie status.

Down the rabbit hole.

Do you ever read something on the internet that is so familiar that it almost makes you gasp? That’s been happening a lot with me lately. That may be because of the amount of time I've been blog surfing. I could say that I’m just not that busy at work and have been killing time. But the honest answer is that I’m currently HATING not enjoying  my job, so I’m avoiding it. Want to waste some time an joing me? Here are two new blogs that have kept me distracted as of late.


Momastery – I was introduced to this blog by the these Columbus clowns. Sometimes when I get so caught up in BEING THE BEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD, this blog helps ground me. Full disclosure, there are some posts that will leave you in tears, because they are so heartwarming/heatbreaking/bittersweet. I usually stop reading those posts the minute my eyes well up, because, well I am at work…

RantsFromMommyland – This blog makes me laugh daily. I am always amazed at how these bloggers manage to be hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. It is probably the self-depricating humor that I appreciate.

One afternoon I was spiraling down the rabbit hole of blogs-linking-to-other-blogs when I found this post and shocked to read something that so accurate describes ME. The author was talking about her depression returning and not recognizing it. Let me clarify, I am not depressed, That is not necessarily what I found relevant. Instead it was how she described herself. There was one paragraph that is ME, although I have never been able to articulate it as well

“I’m an introvert by nature, which surprises people because I’m outgoing, I like people, and I’m often loud, at least when I’m comfortable. Being alone gives me energy, though, so while I enjoy parties, I’m something of a dried out husk by the end of them”

I've tried to explain this to Hubs, who is the complete opposite. It also explains why something as fun and easygoing as having houseguest can leave me feeling fragile and utterly exhausted when they leave, spent and dried up. Don't get me wrong, I would do it all again. They are awesome friends. It just takes me some alone time to rejuvinate.

The author proceeds to describe, with hilariaty I might add, that she was feelings anxious and was being an irrational bitch. I can relate to those feelings too, but I’m placing that blame squarely on my pregnancy.

I also haven’t been that interesting in hanging out with friends or going to parties, but again, pregnant. Who really wants to do that when, it’s not fun to get dressed up, it keeps you up past bedtime, exacerbates your exhaustion, you are physically uncomfortable and you can’t imbibe. The author describes a feeling dread when faced with going out – luckily I do not relate to this feeling, but I could see it happening because of how much I relate to the paragraph above.

Also, after Caroline was born, I dealt with some postpartum depression that had me befuddled. The reason I was so confused is better summed up by the author in the following paragraph:

Here’s the thing: I’m not depressed. I’m not sad. I haven’t been living in a deep, dark pit of despair. I’m happy with my family. I like writing. I have fantastic friends. I’m more fulfilled at this point in my life than at any other. More content. More purposeful. I love getting older; I finally know myself a little, I like myself most of the time, and I can generally figure out a) what I really need and b) how to get it.

All it in all, I was unprepared for with how much I related to this stranger on the web. I just thought I'd share and see if you all have ever been struck with a similar experience. 

Just a typical Saturday...

Not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but Caroline and I have been taking swimming lessons for the past couple weeks. It’s more about getting the baby girl used to and comfortable with the water. She must take after her Piscean momma, cause she loves it.


We started the lessons while I was still in the throws of early pregnancy nausea and fatigue. Those first couple weeks were tough for me, but totally worth it to see her enjoying the water. Mellow Yellow, here we come!

This past week was probably the biggest adventure, which is surprising to me because I’m finally feeling like myself again. The day started off with me trying to SQUEEZE my pregnant belly into a non-maternity swimsuit. It was such a feat that I was sweating by the time I got the last strap over my shoulder. Caroline was napping as I gathered the supplies. I tried to let her sleep up to the last minute. When I couldn’t wait any longer, I tried to gently wake her. She did not react and did not seem to want to wake up. I finally asked her, gently stroking her back, “do you want to go to the pool?” She shot up, all blinky and sleepy, reaching emphatically for me. Well I guess that answers my question! I changed her into her bathing suit and off we went.

In the locker room I was chatting with the other moms when one of them asks where I work. When I told her, she replies, “Me too. I think I saw you last week”. Oh great, I think, here I am stuffed into an ill-fitting bathing suit, sweats, hair askew, scrambling after Caroline and I meet a CO WORKER. I politely continue the conversation, while taking a mental status of my current appearance, not good. “Let it go, let it go” I repeat to myself. I use Caroline as an excuse and escape exit to the pool.

Once in the pool we begin the normal routine of singing songs and splashing around. Today’s lesson was getting the babies to go under the water. First they need to see you (the parent) do it. I catch Caroline’s attention and asked her to watch momma. I went under the water and resurfaced. I’ve never seen her eyes get so wide. Her expression said “WHAAA? Where DID you go?” It was too funny. So of course I just kept repeating it.

When it was finally her turn, she was a champ. We both went under together for a millisecond. She blinked the water off and just looked wide-eyed at me. We continued with the class, splashing and playing.

Towards the end of the class, the group moves from the big pool to the baby pool where the kids have a little more freedom and the water is warmer. I was carrying Caroline over to the baby pool when I suddenly slipped and BAM, landed square on my tailbone. My legs go askew, one in the pool and one underneath me. Luckily Caroline was still firmly in my grasp. I hit so hard that I might have definitely peed a little. We were both fine, but OUCH! Oh and yeah, then the realization crept in that my newly discovered co-worker just saw me bounce like a stuffed sausage on the hard tile.

I would like to say that was the end of the adventure, but no. As I was undressing Caroline in the locker room, she decides to pee all over the place. I reach for the wipes and retrieve ONE LAST WIPE. Of course, she peed all over the floor and I have one measly baby wipe…. So off I go to ask another mother if she has some I can use. What a frazzled mess I am. I do my best to clean the floor and then clean us. All the while I am procrastinating changing my clothes. Normally I’m not modest. Normally I feel locker rooms are for changing clothes and not judging. But normally I’m not getting undressed in front of someone I will see in a professional setting! Finally she leaves. I peel off the wet, peed on suit and breathe a sign of relief. I gather my clothes, scoop up Caroline and head home to see what other adventures await...

Caroline update

What? All these posts about my pregnancy are boring and irrelevant to you? You want more pictures of Caroline?

I'm just totally spit balling here, guessing what you people want since NO ONE comments on my blog. HELLLLOOOO INTERNET, anyone out there?

I know this blog is more for me and maybe someday my babies to see what life was like before them and before they remember. So onward I trudge, leaving a littlebit of a fingerprint on the web.

Back to baby girl - she's getting so big. Right now her list of words include the following:
momma,
da da and occasionally daddy (Daddy is pronounced DAAAA DEEEEE in the middle of a scream when I'm trying to suck the snot and she is crying for him to save her. Otherwise she refers to him as da da)
Grandpa (pronounce more like pa pah)
doggy
ball
Flower
Nana (banana)
She is trying to say 'milk' but she gets all the letters mixed up and it sounds like a bunch of Em's and el's.
The cute thing is that she knows what "can you say" means and will attempt to say whatever word follows. The exception is for words that just seem too crazy, like orange. I asked her "can you say orange?" and she looked up and me and nodded.

Below are some of her recent pics that I snapped with my iphone. I only mention how the pics are takend because whenever I hold up the phone to take her picture, she thinks I'm on Facetime with someone and runs over saying "HIIIII" to whomever is on the phone. This makes her hard to catch and capture.

First time in the bike trailer


Sunday morning 'toons




Smiling (I promise you she does this a lot, it's just hard to get the camera out fast enough to capture)


Sitting with Sammy - my guess is that Sammy just succeeded in licking her, hence the face shove. PS, gotta love the bed head.