Sing...if you can

I've been singing more with D.
I'm hoping he starts catching on to more lyrics - he doesn't really sing much - but he will say "row row row" if you sing Row Row Row Your Boat to him. But mostly these days he likes to listen.

Okay - maybe it was a result of a meeting with the infamous breastfeeding group of girls last weekend. One of the little girls who's about 6-8 weeks older than D can sing the entire ABC song flawlessly and clearly (along with many others!). Her mom politely "suggested" that she sing a different song after about the 5th time through the ABC's and they started singing You Are My Sunshine.

So I spent the car ride home singing to D, and most of the rest of last weekend. Mostly it was just a good reminder to do that. We don't sing with him a lot (occasional Wheels on the Bus or previously mentioned Row Row Row Your Boat), or do the cutesy nursery rhymes like we should. We read with him...a LOT...cause he loves it. But the idea that he's such a good reader and that's probably enough hasn't stopped me from hittin' him with the tunes.

I sang the ABC's on repeat around the block the other night on a walk. (Mostly because everytime I finished D turned around and said, in the cute voice, "ahh-gin" after every encore). I encourage Row Row Row Your Boat at tub time, and I even tried You Are My Sunshine.

Note: tried.

I can't get through that song without tears. Welling in the eyes, voice cracking, full-blown emotional tears.

I keep trying (tried again tonight in the car!) but that song pulls some serious heartstrings for me with D and I can't make it through.
Here's why: I sang it to him in the hospital when he was all hooked up to who-knows-what and being fed through an NG tube. I sang it, well attempted, everytime I could with him in the NICU nursery and in the following weeks at home when he was on the monitor. I cried then too. I was so so so so scared what was going on with him and seeing him all hooked up to monitors. I had no idea what any day would bring. Those last few lines are what I can't get through; not then, not now, and maybe not ever.

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

Here come the waterworks again. Maybe we'll stick to ABC's...

Pasta Night

D loves pasta. He's a fan of most food in general, although lately he's started becoming picky. He no longer just goes along with what's put in front of him. He's started exerting some choosiness.
One thing that always works is pasta. He loves all pasta and especially pasta with marinara sauce. And leftovers are just as good for him.
The other night I sat him on the counter with me while I was trying to get some leftovers heated for him - he apparently couldn't wait for the microwave, or to make it to his high chair. He dove right in...

Glad I had the camera handy. :)

New Show - BUSY

I'm too busy to even post.

I will tell you that the theater has a show coming up - we're just putting it up - but I'm doing a lot of the graphic design/editing and program creation, etc.

Here's the poster - it's by a local playwright - GENEVA resident Nancy Hanna.
Let me know if you're interested in coming to the show!

Yellow Shirt

D has a great yellow shirt that we got him for Easter. Here's a picture of him from Easter to remind you:

D was wearing said yellow shirt yesterday on our trip to the library. We grab books that catch our eye (there's SO many at our library - which I LOVE and could just sit down and get lost in, but D doesn't stand still for long). On our way to check out our books we saw one called "In My New Yellow Shirt" with a cute, brightly colored picture on the front that caught D's eye. So here's another review: this book is a hit! It has been a raging success with D - who has sat and flipped through it multiple times since we got home from the library yesterday - and we've read it before bed and naptime as well.
I love this book for the reason I love so many books...it encourages imagination and endless creativity.
It's about a little boy who gets a yellow shirt for his birthday from his aunt. His friend tells him it's not a fun gift and that's how the story unfolds. The boy describes all the things he can "be" in his new yellow shirt. He's a duck splashing in a puddle, a submarine in the bathtub, a brass trumpet in a marching band, a taxi zooming down the street, a lightning bug blinking past his friend's window, etc etc etc.
I love that all he needs is his yellow shirt - no toys or accessories in addition. That's all it takes for him to imagine all the different ways to play one yellow object or another.
The illustrations are amazing. He's drawn as each yellow "item" perfectly. The drawings are bright and cheery and very literal and easy to follow. The great part is - that the book could allow a little one to practice their early foreshadowing skills. As the story progresses, there's a clue in each page to what the little boy will imagine being next. For instance, on the page when he's a trumpet in a parade, there's a yellow bird balloon in the background in the parade. And when you turn the page, he's next imaging himself as a canary.

All in all - another hit. It's definitely been added to our rapidly growing Amazon.com wish list.

Go West Young Mom

My AMAZING friend Tara (from the infamous, or famous? breastfeeding group) let us know a while back that she was working on creating a new website for young moms in the West Chicago suburbs and beyond. I was so impressed and excited, and knew that Tara is a great writer (a journalist by trade)...but I had NO idea it would be as amazing as it turned out!

GoWestYoungMom.com is an amazing website full of fun, news, resources and ideas. It's specific to the area that I live in - but also not so specific in the fact that there are so many wonderful discussions/articles about other things true to any mom, anywhere.

I seriously can't say enough about this website. It's amazing! I only hope I can somehow help her out with something for it someday or make some kind of contribution. I have a feeling this will be huge - and am thrilled to spread the word!

Take a look - www.gowestyoungmom.com - and for a special treat - click on the Cutest Kids In the World section on the right hand side...thumb through the photos...I bet you recognize someone!

I've added a link to this site on my blog on the right hand side as well - so you can frequent it just like I do :).

Take My House...Please!

Seriously - TAKE IT! Make us an offer!!

It's now been over a year since I put up this optimistic little post - To Market, To Market - and here I still sit in my living room. Over a year later.

We have had our fair share of showings over the past year. We've changed realtors. We've changed our price. We've taken new photos. We've basically given up hope.

So - because we're unable to drop our price further and because the market hasn't gotten better anyway (hello all the houses in my neighborhood for sale), we're giving this until mid-August and then pulling the plug.

At that time - we can make some updates we've been putting off, take my long lost cat back from my parents, do some paint touch-ups that are necessary, and just relax.

It still stinks thinking about it. So...make me an offer... :)

Haven Visits!

We were soooooo happy to have a visit from Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Dan and cousin Haven last weekend.

Here's a couple pictures of the cuties!

Cousins!!


Can you stand those legs?!?


My little outdoorsman not waiting for a swimsuit to get in grandma's new sprinkler!