Baby kicks and toddler undies.

Guess what I am doing right now?  I'm watching my baby move around.  I can see the kicks and punches through my belly skin.  That's always pretty crazy to see.  I remember watching Amelie arms and legs drag across my belly skin when I was pregnant with her.  Not a surprise that she was very active in utero as well.  Even when she flipped from head down to breech, I felt it like a rubber band snapping.  

Anyways, I'm sick again.  She has a runny nose and was up for about 2 hours last night upset and crying.  I'm guessing her poor throat was as dry as mine and probably hurt.  

We took a trip to the co-op this morning to get some meds and a Neti Pot.  I irrigated my sinuses for the first time today and it was weird/great.  Amelie pushed around the mini kid card with the groceries and did pretty good.  She bashed it into the back of my legs a couple of times and almost knocked over a few displays, but she was helpful and had fun.  Sidenote: she was wearing undies at the store, went pee after we checked out, and got all the way home (even after a 2nd stop) before she peed her pants.  She got pretty upset about her accident, but made up for it by spreading out what should have been 1 poo into 3 different trips to the potty in about 10 minutes.  

Here she is finding a good spot to put the cheese.  

It was really hard to get a photo of her because she was moving so fast.

Here are a few mediocre picture of the painting that was done upstairs thus far.  Since I only take blog photos with my iPhone they don't always turn out fantastic.

I really really really really really hope we will be done with this project soon.  So bad.

Some days I feel motivated, others lazy.

Today I feel a little of both. Amelie was up coughing all night (which I think most of was on purpose). I suspect she likes spending time with her dad and was drawing attention to herself so he would go in and sit with her. We both went in 3 times each last night, and 2 of the times I went in she told me to leave with a very kind, "mommy, out."

Anyways, I was tired this morning so I took a little nap on the couch after I started some laundry. (Don't tell Tyler.) I say little nap because it was pretty short. Ami brought her Care Bears sleeping bag out onto the couch to watch some Care Bears Movie in, but got bored all by herself on the couch, so she came over and elbowed her way into my spot. I was curled up and dreaming about babysitting my niece and nephew when I got and elbow to the face, one to the chest, and then she butt-faced me.

She is still learning to use the potty so I Iet her run around pant-less in the mornings (plus all her undies are in the wash), and butt-facing is when she tries to sit her bare butt really close to my face. It's gross. Otherwise potty training is going really well. If she starts to pee when she is wearing undies she usually stops and finishes in her potty, and if she is pant-less she will go right into the bathroom to pee (or poop).

Sometimes when I am in the bathroom perched on the edge of the bathtub wiping poo off her ass and cheering that she just took a dump in the toilet all on her own, I have a mini out of body experience and have to stop and laugh. Now, I would not think to change my life or where it has led me, but before July 13th, 2008 (the day I found out I was pregnant with Amelie), I never would have pictured myself in that scenario.

It's also interesting because I straddle two totally different worlds during the week and on the weekends. During the week I stay at home with Ami and go to the Zoo, or open gym, or to the park, or for a playdate somewhere. Then on the weekends I'm off to work at a bar, to intoxicate a bunch of grown adults, some of whom I'm sure have children, and some who I seriously hope never do. After 10 years of working in the bar industry (barf, I never thought I'd reach the point where I could say, "I've been doing fill in the blank for 10 years now" and it makes me feel way old) I have learned that bartending is quite similar to taking care of a child. These so-called grown ups come in for a few cocktails or beers and by the end of the night they are stumbling and falling down, talking incoherently, and sometimes throwing things, peeing their pants, or throwing up. Sound familiar moms? I have to speak to them like they are toddlers, scold them when they climb up onto things they shouldn't, and take coasters away when they start throwing them at people. So maybe those 2 worlds aren't so different after all. Maybe bartending actually prepared me to be a mom.

And now I'm rambling.

What I really wanted to do with this post is say that I went back to Homegoods last night to snatch up a few more deals. Here is what I got last night.

I got this smaller version of the same stool from earlier. It was clearanced at $15 but I didn't have enough hands for it during my first trip.




and this jewelry box was not on sale, and was $12.99. I just really like it. I know my fingers are going to swell up this summer and I will need a place to store my wedding ring on those hot humid bratwurst finger type of days.




I had a pillow and a piggy bank in the cart for a long time that were of similar styles to everything else I bought, but I used a little but of self control and put them back. The 2nd trip I also got a cheese knife, a wire colander so I can finally rinse my grains and legumes, and some organic Ginger Ale that I am pretty excited to try.

After my lazy morning nap, I felt a wee bit motivated so I cracked open the coconut I bought at the co-op on Sunday. It was my first experience with one, and I'm looking forward to eating it once I get all the "meat" off of the shell.

My coconut cracking tools.






Then while I was on the phone with my mom, I kept my hands busy roasting some Chickpeas in the oven. It was easy and they are really good. I poured a can of Chickpeas in a colander and rinsed them off, coated them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Ami loves them. Then again, she just loves eating.








Since I was just talking about how well potty training was going, I thought I should mention, while I was posting this entry, Ami peed on the couch. I'm going to go clean it up now.

Yay for poo.

Today Amelie woke up from her nap laughing. It was so funny to hear that. I said to Tyler before I went in there, "She's probably laughing because she's playing with her own poop."

Turns out I was right.

She was pretty clean, but somehow she got her diaper off and pooped while it was off. It was pretty messy, although it could have been worse. She wasn't eating it and it was not on the walls so thats good.

She has not napped today either so she fell asleep eating a snack in her high chair. It's been a long day for her.

We went to visit the Skrtic's in Eau Claire last week. We toured the local farmers market and the kids played while we chased them around. Krista and I even got to go have a couple of drinks and when Ami and Carter went to bed...thanks Jason!

My friend Beth was in town last week also. Me and my lady friends took the light rail downtown for dinner and drinks, then had a nice bonfire. It's about time we were all back together!

This morning I went to the Minnehaha Watershed District Cleanup with DanMark. Like Mark said, it's funny because thats how Danish people pronounce Denmark and our names are Dan and Mark. I mostly rode my bike and pointed to garbage for them.

I broke down and got Amelie the fancy baby sunglasses. Old Navy has really great ones, different colors and sizes, plus aviators. She actually wore them on Thursday when we went to the Nicollet Mall Farmers Market. She's owning them.



This is what she is doing these days. She likes to jump at you and yell BOO! She is starting to communicate so much using baby sign language, grunting and words. She ate a whole cucumber today (a small cuke). She has been eating like a large man lately. She could eat a whole package of raspberries or strawberries in one sitting if I let her. She loves running and hiding under the kitchen table. She reaches for my hand when we cross the street and when she is going up and down the stairs. The best, is that she likes to give out kisses and grabs my face to plant a big one on me. And, as we learned today, she knows how to remove her own diaper.

I'm lazy.

Still not getting much (anything) done at home.  Just the regular old stuff...laundry, dishes ect...

We went over to Abby's and went to the Uptown Market.  I got some lotions and a bag and a bundle of carrots to make Amelie's first baby puree.  Her and Sammy played together.  There was this cut out at the market.  You know how I love those things.

Trying to get Sam's attention.

She tried out Sammy's car

She even tried a little of his squash.  She sniped the spoon right out of my hand and shoved it into her mouth.  I think it was a little thick for her yet.  

We walked up to the bakery and got a cookie to share and stopped at a garage sale on the way home.  I got Ami this vintage hat and sweater for $1.  Abby got Sam a really cool vintage snowsuit.

I made the carrot puree tonight.  I froze 2 ice cube trays of it.  While I was finishing up Amelie pooped on Tyler's legs and pants.  She was just wearing a diaper and blasted right though it.

Saturday I went to Krista's bach party.  It was a lot of fun.  Her wedding is on Oct 2nd (also my birthday).  I'm really excited to be in her wedding (bridesmaid).  I'm also glad she chose cute dresses.  This weekend we are going to my friend John's wedding.  This will be wedding #2 this month.  

We are trying to get Amelie on a better sleep schedule.  I don't want to talk crazy but I think it's working.  I mean, she's woken up twice in the last 2 hours, but we have gotten her back to sleep without nursing her within 5 minutes...in her crib.  Plus, she slept in her crib all night last night.  

She's going to start crawling soon.  I'm terrified of her mobility and impending independence.  She has all the components of crawling, she just has to learn how to put them together.  I'll keep you posted.