The Great Indoors

In the spirit of staying entertained, we spent a very pleasant little morning at the museum and met up with a teammate of Josh's, his wife and their 3 year old daughter. God bless child friendly activities with other young parents. I seriously love being around other parents who have those "let's try and enjoy being out in public with small children" smiles on too!

Animals galore and from every corner of the world, dominates the zoo this time of year. Anything we can do indoors, but out of our apartment is an absolute goldmine in my book!

 

And yes I am totally that parent that loves taking those golden opportunities to scare the crap out of my kids. With all those ideally placed creatures around every corner.....it was rich! 

Oh my word, what's that behind you?

It's character building :)

Just a boy and his Tyrannosaurus Rex

So it was right about here that I knew I could no longer go on. When my only thought was we either leave now, or I have absolutely no qualms about assuming the fetal position in the primate exhibit. A perfect day ruined by the dreaded infected clogged milk duct. Probably TMI, but all you nursing moms I am sure you can sympathize with me. If not, lucky freakin you! Flu like symptoms and one sore, sore boob. Enough said.

Couldn't leave without taking advantage of a lovely family photo op though. What kind of mother do you think I am? 

The walk home in the cold definitely didn't help my inability to get warm, so a nice hot shower and a little R and R was just what I needed. Mommy doesn't feel good, Mommy get's a partial day off. It was a pretty good day! 

I also  learned a valuable lesson that day. For as crazy as my little munchkins make me about 87 % of the time (I am not a horrible person, I love them dearly, but believe me when I say living over here has greatly intensified that "stay at home mom repressed rage" feeling) and for as often as I feel like BAHHHHHH!!! Somebody take them.....take them now!!!!! I decided that after feeling that sick, weak and miserable, I can do anything as long as I have my health. Even with a good attitude, most of the time. Being a parent takes 110%....all the time (on a good day), but as long as I am feeling anywhere from 50-100% I CAN DO IT! Maybe eventually I'll even learn to not sweat the small stuff.

....maybe

 (baby steps)

Ray Baybay

Oh this boy. I can't even begin to tell you how absolutely crazy in love with him I am. Seriously, I'm shocked the kid still even exists and that I have literally just eaten him. I mean look at that face! Those cheeks and that mouth could bring joy and peace to all humanity! And this is me honestly trying to look at it from an unbiased standpoint. Gahhh I love this boy!!!

My sweet baby Ray turned one a few weeks ago and like most mothers it seems like only yesterday that this tiny little ball of perfection went from the belly to a real live screaming babe. Oh the nostalgia. Thirty years from now I know I will still look at him and see my little Hungary boy. Which got me thinking about Mr. Ray Jon's story (it's a good one, I 'll tell you sometime). He was born in Hungary and celebrated his 1st Birthday in Finland. Cultured little nugget.

February 21, 2011 4:34 pm

8 lbs. 6 oz 21.5 in 

 He had to be delivered by emergency c section. Totally different birth experience for me. I would never choose to have a cesarian after all that, but he was perfect:)

I knitted him a blanket for his birthday and he loved it! He is not even a  cuddly blankie baby, but he genuinely loves this blanket. I was ecstatic. That's all the validation I'll ever need:)