Bathtub Sessions (The Pirate Addition)

Since Oren's been so sick the past few days I've found one of the only things that really helps cheer him up is a good old fashioned bath. He loves bath time and has been getting two a day all week long just to help him through this sad time. As you can see, bath time at our house requires any number of toys and other random non-bath paraphernalia. But hey, whatever keeps them happy, right? 

On Friday when I was home from work with my sick little guy, we sent Wes to his regular babysitter's so he could play with his friends and get out some energy since he'd been stuck inside with us all week long. Oren was having a particularly rough day and didn't want to be put down for even a minute. I was on day number two without a shower and desperate for one, so I decided to take him in with me, for better or for worse. I figured all the steam from the shower would probably help clear up his stuffy sinuses and I'd be cleaner than when I got in if nothing else. 

At first he wasn't sure about the whole thing, he was interested but nervous. I held him close and eased him into the falling water. Whispering reassurances in his ear and rubbing his back. He wrapped his little arms around my neck and held on so tight. After a few minutes he got brave enough to let go of me with one of his arms and reached out for the water with his little hand. He watched in wonder as he tried to hold onto the streaming water but it slipped right though his fingers. Smiling and giggling he reached out with both hands, clapping and splashing in the water, finally happy.

It was one of the sweetest moments I've ever shared with him. His tiny warm body wrapped around mine, his head on my shoulder. Feeling his nervousness and total trust in me to keep him safe. And then, slowly watching him get up the courage in himself to let go and discover something new. I watched the little drops of water collect on the ends of his long eyelashes as he babbled and smiled, holding my face in his chubby little hands and twirling the wet strands of my hair in his fingers. It was one of those times I knew I would remember forever. An extraordinary moment in the most ordinary of settings. I know it was just a shower, but it felt like so much more. 

Life Lately, with Pictures and Video

So, Oren's sick again. It's kind of unbelievable, actually. I'm almost to the point where I feel like this is just my life from now on. Like this is just how it goes now, someone (or everyone) in this house will just always be sick and miserable. We can't make plans or leave the house anymore and I'm missing my third day of work this week to be home with the poor guy. I took him to the doctor (again) and he said it's just another virus (again), along with croup and a minor ear infection. He also puked in my hair and has had no less than three diaper blowouts in the last 48 hours alone. (So, is it really too late to reconsider this whole "parenting" thing?...yeah, I thought you were going to say that). But I guess that's just February for you. (Quickly becoming my least favorite month of them all). Next year I'm telling you, I am going to find a way to skip it altogether and go straight to March.

It hasn't been all bad though, Valentine's Day turned out pretty good, actually. Oren was just starting to feel under the weather but the $80 worth of presents I got the boys (yes, I have a problem and it's name is Target) and mountains of godiva filled chocolate chunk cookies seemed to be enough to smooth things over for at least one evening.

And then, then we found out about the greatest thing ever! The one, solitary bright spot in this wretched week, and that would be the fact that there is a superhero tumbling/dance class for 3-5 year old boys offered right down the road from us. Yeah, you heard me. A freaking superhero class. You know, where a bunch of little boys dress up as superheroes every Thursday night and learn a bunch of sweet superhero moves that they practice on each other. Needless to say we signed Wes up immediately just for the opportunity to witness the most adorable thing ever seen by man. Oh wait, no, that will be the first weekend in June when they put on a choreographed show. Holy. Cuteness. Batman.

 already practicing his sweet moves after class

Also, while I was there, I met my soulmate parents. Seriously. We were all talking about our kids and their fondness for superheroes when the following conversation occurred. 

Other Mom: "Yeah, Conner's been watching the old 1967 Spider-man cartoons on Netflix constantly"

Me: "No way, Wes too! And he makes us act it all out, I have to pretend to be Firestar every single day and poor Oren has to be Iceman."

Other Dad: "Oh, you must have moved on to the 1980s and episodes of Spider-man and His Amazing Friends. Yeah, my kid watches that all the time. It's terrible."

Me: "YES, that's the show! It's really awful, right?!"

Other Mom: "Yes! Oh my god, we need to set up a play date immediately."

It was amazing. I had no idea any other person was subjected to the daily debauchery that is Spider-man and His Amazing Friends. There was no doubt about it, these were my people. 

And then totally unrelated...but in keeping with the my-kid-is-too-cute-for-his-own-good theme...behold. Wes, break dancing (unprompted) in pajamas to a rap cover of a Drake song done by my brother (as an inside joke/valentine's day gift for Marisa). I freaking love this kid. Makes the snot and diaper changes and all the other treachery of parenthood so worth it for moments like this. Guess I'll keep them after all.

(sorry for the crappy portrait style video. I might learn how to use technology properly one day.

But probably not.)

Happy Valentine's Day, 2012.

You know, valentine's day gets a bad rap, I think. Lots of people complain that it's a fake holiday and a waste of time and money. But I say any holiday that gives me an excuse for a fancy dinner out (ALONE) with my husband is alright by me. And that's precisely what we did when we went out to dinner in Ohio City saturday night for a little early celebration.

Two things you should know:
#1 I apparently have a thing for shrimp and grits because I ordered it again at Soho after just having had it at Take the Cake when we were in Cincinnati. I saw it as my responsibilty, duty even, to see who did it better, ya know? And report back to you fine people with my findings. Well, the jury is in and hands down, Soho wins. And that's saying something because I thought my meal at TTC was mighty tasty.

#2 My sister has been outdone. We all know she's the pie baking champion of the world. She makes a better pie than anyone I know...that is until Saturday night when a certain slice of pecan pie with bourbon-brown butter ice cream found its way to our table. It was like, Whoa. Life changing, really. Josh and I talked about finding a way to sneak a piece out of there and take it home to Abby so she could reverse engineer it and then we could have it whenever we wanted. But we all know that slice would have never made it home.

Wes has been keeping busy grinding glitter and confetti into my funiture making a slew of valentines and helping me make these. We're having our normal Thursday night people over tonight this week and wanted to surprise them with a little valentine's day treat. We had to make the dough yesterday, because apparently you have to age chocolate chip cookie dough now? So yeah, Wes was eating the chocolate as fast as I could chop it. And I was in the fridge eating the raw dough straight from the bowl all night. By my calculations, we should have enough left for say, four and a half cookies tonight.

I hope everyone likes sharing!

Anyways, before I go and bid you all a very happy valentine's day I thought I'd share this post from a fantastic blog that I read, written last year. I may have shared it before, but it's one of my all time favorite things I've ever read (after the introduction). In the spirit of the day, it's super duper romantic and every time I read it, it still gives me goosebumps. I wish that kind of love for each and everyone of us, always. That is the stuff right there. THAT is what it's all about.

Happy Valentine's

The Post That Refused to be Written

I started this post right after we got home from Cincinnati, you know, back when it was still January. Then the heavens decided to smite our family for some untold sin (we're sorry! we swear it!) and the last ten days have been a series of miserable events, one after another, each one more miserable than the last.

It went something like colds...fever...flu...SNOT...dr appointments...sinus infection...prescriptions...two days missed work...coughing...vomit...panic attack...trip to ER...dehydration...IV fluids...sweating/shivering/ sweating/shivering...aaaand dentist appointments?...yup, dentist appointments. Then to top it all off the internet was down for the last two days. I'm telling you, this tale did not want told.

But, I persevere! Our trip to Cincy will not be forgot! It had it's good moments, from what I can remember. The ride down was a breeze, both boys were on their best behavior. We were all really excited about getting to visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins who live there. We met up with them the first day and after treating us to a nice lunch at their home we spent the afternoon at the Cincinnati museum center letting the kids tear it up the children's museum. It was really awesome, and I so wish we had a museum like that in Akron. It was after we left their good company that the trip took a turn for the worse. Oren revolted against his car seat. Restaurants we planned on eating in were closed. Wes was tired and crabby and we ended up spending the night in our hotel room eating $60 worth of chicken nuggets and hamburgers from room service.

Not quite the evening we had envisioned.

We hoped the next day would be a fresh start and it started out ok...We took a drive through the Spring Grove Cemetary and Arboretum  which sounds kind of creepy, being a cemetary and all, but is really quite beautiful and I bet is nothing short of stunning in the spring and summer. But then of course Wes started in with the crying and complaints of boredom, so we headed on to the next destination...brunch at Take the Cake. It was as good as we had heard and much needed after the sad dinner the night before. Unfortunately, brunch was cut short when we had to carry Wes out of the place kicking and screaming because we asked him to use his fork. Melt down of the century, people. It was so embarrassing. All I can say is, thank god we do not live in that town and we will never ever have to see those people again. Also, if you ever go there, you have to try the shrimp and grits because OMG, divine! (Just leave the screaming toddler at home). After that episode we threw in the towel on the trip and high tailed it back home as fast as we could get there.

Thanks Cincinnati, we'll have to do it again sometime. Just not anytime soon. And maybe without Wes next time. Just kidding (kind of), but I would love to see more of the place. I feel like we barely got to scratch the surface of what the city has to offer and I think it's probably pretty great.

it was just a fluke we stayed at the westin, we did the name your own price

thing on priceline and that's what we got. wes was thrilled! (the indoor pool didn't hurt either)

see, he CAN use a fork, really!

A Note From The Trenches

If you've noticed the lack of activity on here lately, I have come to apologize.

Yes, I am still alive, mostly. Just waiting patiently on death's doorstep for this cold/flu/black plague that has come over our house to either take us all or leave us in peace. In the interim, we'll continue to sleep upright with tissues jammed in our nostrils, waiting for the locusts to appear.

So, you know, if you happen to be in the neighborhood and have some lamb's blood handy you could smear on our door we would be most appreciative.  

Thx,

Yours in faith and pestilence, the Booths