Auntie “Ka”

Our vacation with the fam is almost over and while I’m very saddened by this, a little piece of me thinks it might be nice for Tyler to notice me for more than the split second that he runs past me to the open arms of Auntie Kim – or as he now calls her – “Ka”. First 2 words, “ma ma” and “da da” (or some babbling variation of), third word “Boo”, “baby” came 4th, “yuck” came 5th – it doesn’t sound exactly like “yuck” but that with the added facial expression and waving hand – we’re giving it to him, and this week we added Auntie “Ka”! All he does is say “Ka….Ka….Ka” when he doesn’t have visual on Auntie Kim while walking from room to room looking for her. If she is in the bathroom he just stands outside the door knocking on it and pointing in there saying “Ka….Ka”. If she is sitting in the car in the seat behind him he is pointing behind himself saying “Ka….Ka.” When he wakes up in the morning he is pacified by Craig and I for a short bit until – oh wait – someone much more fun is here and she is upstairs – can you take me to her? – again with the “Ka…Ka” and pointing to the stairs. He is stuck on her like glue this week – I mean he normally he is when she is around – but we’ve taken it to a whole new level here! He must always be in physical contact with her, holding her hand, pulling her finger taking her to whatever he wants to play with next or explore, sitting on her lap, being carried. I’ve had to peal him off of her kicking and screaming for naps and bedtime. Every waking minute is “Ka” time and I have to say….I’m a little jealous – I don’t want to be the mommy anymore – I don’t want to be the one who HAS to say “no” to things now so that you, Tyler, grow up to be a decent human being and nice young man, I don’t want to be the party pooper who drags you off to bed kicking and screaming while you forget that tomorrow, once you awaken, the fun gets to start all over again, and Auntie “Ka” will still be here, I don’t want to be the one who is boring and dressed like a mommy – I want to be the fun, cute , well dressed, long haired, perfectly make-uped, crazy Aunt who Tyler seems to love and adore more this week than his own mommy (snif) – who might I add – carried you, Tyler, for 9 months and bore you also (ok, ok – by C-sec. but I still went into labor on my own, had contractions, and then had to do the whole recovery from it thing)…….doesn’t that count for anything?!?!?…….apparently not when “Ka” is around…..

In all honesty – I love that he loves her so much! Seriously on the flip side – because he is playing with her and pretty much ignoring me, I have gotten to read more this trip than I know I have in the last 17 months, finishing up a book I started when we went to MI in the beginning of June and then starting and – wait for it…..finishing another!!! Craziness! She has been a real trooper too! She never grows weary of being pulled over here, then over there, climbed on, food squished on, milk spilled on, dirt rubbed on, catching him @ the bottom of the slide, then going down the slide herself merely for Tyler’s entertainment, etc, etc, etc….
I don’t know what we would do without Auntie “Ka”….nor does Tyler.

Malmloff (& Fox) Family Vacation…..Part II

Here we are again, on our second family vacation of the summer – this truly is not typical….here’s how we got here….Craig was supposed to go to China for work for 2 weeks the last week of July-1st week of August. He has gone before and they always wait till the last minute to buy plane tickets to see where they are with projects and all with the designers in Hong Kong and the factories scattered throughout China. So I had planned to go to Fort Wayne with Tyler while he was gone to stay with my mom and dad. Usually my mom takes my Grandma out east to New England so my Grandma can see her sisters and extended family towards the end of the summer. I had asked my mom awhile back when she was going out east with Grandma because Craig had this China trip around the time they usually head out east and Tyler and I would be happy to tag along! We made plans to go out east for this last week in July and it ends up that my dad was going to be able to go too and my sister requested time off of work to go also. So most of the fam. except for my brother and his wife and of course Craig would be taking a road trip to New England. Then a few weeks ago, Craig and his boss decided mid-August would be a better time for him to go to China (based on where they were @ with projects) so his trip got postponed. Between vacation time and personal time available and the ways the Holidays fall this year, Craig could come too, so we decided we all would go – so here we all are in Sanbornton, NH near Lake Winnipesaukee which we will be spending most of our days at this week.

Tyler did so great on the way out here!!! We traveled about 9 hours (including 2 stops) on Friday and about 10 hours today (including 2 stops traveling and 1 at the grocery on the way to our condo) and through all of that the DVD player only saw 2 hours of use!!! It helped immensely that Auntie Kim rode pretty much the whole way next to Tyler who finds her utterly fascinating!!!

Besides Auntie Kim who kept Tyler entertained – other entertaining things from my “bag of tricks” as Craig referred to it were some finger puppets and a slinky Jr. The funny part is that I had this idea fro a “bag of tricks” because my mom used to always pack this “travel bag” when we took family vacations. Lo and behold as we are getting everything ready to go Friday morning, my mom brings out a “travel bag” for Tyler with a few books and fun items to hopefully help the time fly while he is strapped into his cars seat for the next 2 days. Like mother – like daughter….more blogging on that a different day….so Grandma’s “bag of tricks” for Tyler also included a cardboard tube like the ones in the middle of a roll of aluminum foil which kept him quite happy on multiple occasions for a very long time – he thought it was a vacuum attachment and kept vacuuming his car seat making a humming noise (his vacuum noise).

Ummmm…..excuse me…..this is a G rated bug barn

Last night Craig, Tyler and I had gone to Target.  We got back and it was 9:15 and there were a ton of lightening bugs out and lighting up.  Not that I was planning on any in depth science lesson with Tyler, but he does love to study bugs up close and personal so I though I would get out his bug barn and Craig and I would catch some lightening bugs to stick in it and he could see them glow.   Easy enough.

We stuck 2 in there and waited and waited.  Nothing.  No lighting…not even a flicker….then it happens….one jumps on top of the other and oh my…..ummmm….excuse me….this is a G rated bug barn….the funny thing is that even with all the “action” neither of them still lit up – you’d think that @ least one of them would be glowing @ that point right?!?!

Needless to say – Tyler looked @ them and was interested for a bit but then had more fun running around the yard like a crazy toddler playing with his soccer ball and Daddy.  I was happy he wasn’t older and didn’t have to answer any questions about what exactly it was they were doing…..giving each other a big hug 

A Rewards System….

I’ve been thinking for the pasts 24 hours I need, no must, go to Target to reward myself. Please don’t think this is selfish. It’s not like I did anything that fantastic, but I believe I did go above and beyond….I cleaned my blinds – no, really cleaned my blinds. They are the thick plastic ones (supposed to look like faux wood) that are white and heavier than anything because our windows are like 5 1/2 to 6 feet wide. I hate them – they came with the house – I don’t really hate them, I only hate cleaning them and how heavy they are to put up and down.

I would dust them, vacuum them (although not religiously I will admit – it’s all I can do to get my carpet vacuumed), and I have tried washing them but it never worked very well. You can’t go straight across because of all the little strings that hang down vertically holding them up and it took forever. I want them gleaming white, minus little nooks and crannies that I have missed that still have dust that for whatever reason refused to be sucked off by a vacuum. So I had Craig take them off and I put them outside, covered the top metal part, got down and dirty and scrubbed and scrubbed with a little splash of bleach and some Spic-n-span. The result is phenomenal – they are so clean, so white, so dirt free – I love it!……undoubtedly it will not last long….but for now I am lovin it!

Now again – this is nothing fantastic – there are people out there who would probably do this bi-weekly, monthly, every 6 months…..I am not one of them – they are blinds, not my floor, not the bathtub, just blinds….but this has been on my list to do since Tyler was born. Craig who thinks the blinds look great “gleaming white” will be the first to ask why cleaning the blinds was such a big deal to me in the first place – reminding me that I am a SAHM to raise our son, not to clean all the time, make a 5 course meal each night, or even be on top of the laundry @ all times…..usually Tyler is the one on top of the laundry (climbing)….I am home for Tyler, period. To which I say – I have a awesome husband, period.

So where some might be thinking – you did nothing great so get over it, I say – I feel like I have conquered a huge monster and weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now to the rewards part….So because I feel that I have gone above and beyond – as mother’s should we reward ourselves for when we conquer “monsters” such as these? I vote “yes”. I mean, I am talking about a $7 cotton T-shirt from Target here folks – where yes I might have gone out and bought it anyway – but now I will buy it without experiencing buyers remorse – because I have earned it this week. I’m not getting a new $100 watch, a Coach purse, or pair of designer jeans (although I really want a new pair of expensive jeans – don’t the expensive ones always seem to fit better ?!?!) I am just getting a T-shirt. If this mommy thing were a paying gig (I know, I know – we wouldn’t do it for the money anyway and my reward is not something tangible) but if it were a paying gig, I would get evaluated, payed, and receive bonuses for above and beyond work as a reward – so tonight I am rewarding myself, I am taking myself to Target and getting my $7 cotton T-shirt (I have a huge love for cotton T-shirts so to me this is great!) and I might just get the popcorn special while I’m there as an added bonus or perk and if I am $7 over in my budget this month – I will refuse to feel guilty about it!

While I was washing blinds – Tyler was busy with his own bucket of soap and the front door….

POST-A-PALOZA

I got this idea from my friend who also happens to be my cousin’s wife, Jen, to do a whole bunch of “mini-posts” in one….(I hope you don’t mind my copying Jen – I love your blog!!!) and I am waaaayyyyyyy behind so this is what has been happening…..

TYLER’S NEW B.F.F.

My parents came down 2 weeks ago to go to the Fisher’s Freedom Festival on Sunday with us (It also happened to be their 34th wedding anniversary!). We went over around dinner time, picked a spot, and ate our way through the evening and enjoyed the music and fireworks! Tyler was particularly taken with Grandpa that evening….could it possibly be because Grandpa let Tyler “drive” Big Blue or was it because Grandpa was supplying Tyler with his share of funnel cake? Tyler also had some of a lemonade-shake-up…..and fried rice (most of which he spilled on Grandma)….and some of an elephant ear….you are supposed to expand your little one’s taste buds to many different things right? If there was any lull between the fireworks in the sky, Tyler did his sign for “more” as if we had complete control of how rapidly they were shot off….apparently @ times they weren’t being fired as quickly as he would have preferred.

TYLERISIMS

When Tyler was a few months old I made him a blanket that was made out of fleece and had “tags” all along the 4 sides. The most interesting part of any toy for him was always the tag. I had looked @ the Taggies brand stuff but thought I could make something cuter. Not to be biased, but I do like my homemade one better than any I have seen in the store. It is this aqua blue with dark blue dots. Craig thinks it looks like Sulley’s fur from Monster’s Inc. so we call his blankie Sulley. There is also a Sulley the second in case something, God forbid, should happen to the origional….although it has dinosaurs on it but the same tags around the edges. The the tags that stick out on the sides are different colors, width, pattern of ribbon and I think it is so funny because if he always, always, always, holds the skinny blue ribbon between his index finger and thumb or sticks his thumb through the blue ribbon loop…..it is never the orange, black and white striped silky one, the red with poka-dots, always the blue – so much so that on the origional sulley, the blue “tags” are all frayed and worn. If you give him Sulley, he will move the blanket around looking @ the tags along the sides until he finds a blue one and then holds it between his finger and thumb or stick his thumb through the loop.

Tyler has become obsessed with driving….and I mean OBSESSED!!! It seems like it all just started this one day about 3-4 weeks ago. All of a sudden he started doing this motion or sign for “drive” which he totally came up with on his own and did it ALL the time. That day we had a melt down every time EVERY TIME I got him in and out of the car…or we were outside and he could see a car….or we were inside and could see a car outside….or there was a car on TV….or in a book…and he couldn’t “drive” it. Crying, big tears, falling to the floor limp leg style melt downs. I thought for sure I was going to have to go to some junk yard and buy a “real” steering wheel for him to carry around. The toy ones worked OK but he still wanted the real deal. Needless to say, things have improved since that 1st day, we can get in and out of the car now without meltdowns but I do promise him some time behind the wheel when he “asks” to drive. Our neighbors most likely think we are coo-coo because there again is the Malmloff family, all outside in their car, not going anywhere, dad in the backseat, mom in passenger seat, and toddler in the driver’s seat, all just sitting there in their car in the driveway….again….or still.

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO I CAN DO BETTER…

Tyler mimics all that we do…meaning we have to be very careful!! It is very sweet and cute and it really makes us laugh to see his interpretation of us doing things such as taking a drink, eating a sandwich, applying sunscreen, putting on shoes and socks, brushing our hair, and yes, even burping….thanks Craig

A FEW FAVES FROM THE 4TH

To the right there is a video of Tyler jammin’ to the music that was played before and with the fireworks….complete with him signing “more” once the music stops – he is a dancin’ machine!!!

A FEW OF MY NEW FAVORITE THINGS…..BESIDES DRIVING….

Coloring….yes I am now spending more time coloring with rather than eating my crayons.

Trying to crawl through things….even if I can’t fit…hey, you never know till you try!

My hat….which made a total lier out of mommy – she had just told her friend Corie how much I supposedly “hate” hats and won’t keep them on and then later that day….I showed her…she tried a hat again and I keep it on….all afternoon..during dinner…till bathtime….I would have kept it on in the bathtub but mommy insisted that I have my hair washed…what is this being clean thing about anyway?!?!?

Sprinklers….which again made a total liar out of mommy…she had just told her friend Katy that morning how much I supposedly “hate” sprinklers. That I don’t like the water hitting my head like a shower. But I showed her…we went to this sprinkler park with some of our MOPS peeps and I ran around and into the sprinklers a little. I totally dug it! It was great fun….but mommy said I have to be careful….if I keep making her look like a total liar about stuff I supposedly “like” or “don’t like” – she may not have any friends left

ps: Hey Grandpa – You can’t see it very well but in the last picture I am holding a toy fishing pole….it was just laying there on the ground…all alone….how sad! So of course I HAD to pick it up and give it a few casts!!!