a * c * b

Just heard in the car...
Thursday, February 26, 2009

"Hi mommy. Thomas is still happy. But he might be sad soon."

If you don't know what this means, I'll summarize: I haven't wet my new Thomas the Train underwear yet, but it's pretty darn likely that I am about to wet my pants.

The poor kid made it all the way into the house, took off his shoes, but didn't get to the toilet in time.

At least it didn't happen in Trader Joe's, right?

~Courtney posted at 7:08:47 PM

A Gymboree day!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Once Benjamin goes to bed, Andrew and I get really annoyed by all of the toys that are in our living room. After about 6 months of lugging the same, exact toys back down to the playroom, just to have them brought upstairs again around 6:30, I've decided to give up, and order some canvas bins from Pottery Barn Kids.

Except, the shipping was astronomical for what I was buying (it's based on price, not the item's size...J. Crew does that too, and it drives me bonkers, but I digress), so I figured I would a) check out the store, and b) combine it with their Tuesday morning story-time.

Well, we get there, and they didn't carry the large version of the bin, so instead of just telling me that was an online/catalogue-only product, the lady went on to be a super-snot to me about it.

Well, instead of smiling and nodding, my normal way of handling uncomfortable situations, I got defensive, and said "well, I guess we'll have to find something similar at another store," and then wheeled my angry toddler out of the store.

Poor Benjamin was yelling "I want story time. I want to play with the kids. And the toys!"

I felt like poo, so I promised him a trip to Gymboree for open gym (well, I got him a vanilla milk so I had time to look up on my blackberry that there was, in fact, open gym at Gymboree).

So, since that was at 10 am, and Gymbo wasn't until 3:30, I paid for it for the rest of the day with conversations like this: "Do you want to go home? No. I want to go to Gymboree!" "Do you want to finish our errands at Costco? No! I want to go to Gymboree; play with the kids." "Do you want to eat lunch?" You get the picture.

So, with no further ado, here are a few pictures of Benjamin, sporting his digger shirt (that I wash at least 3x per week, and alternate with his BRIGHT yellow tractor shirt), at Gymboree:

Gymboree!

~Courtney posted at 7:14:08 AM

[4 comments]

Oh yeah, I have a blog...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

We've been busy, I've been stressed, and the last couple of days have been filled with immense sadness all around. An old friend passed away from a post-childbirth infection, leaving behind a husband, a five year old daughter, and a sweet newborn boy. Another friend, who was struggling with her pregnancy with quads, lost all four of her babies in the past few days. I've been walking around with this immense determination to live each day a little better, because truly, you never know when you could lose someone close to you.

Luckily, we've been able to have some fun things happening; we spent a fantastic long weekend in New Jersey with our friends Melissa and Chris, and their spunky, gorgeous daughter Sophia. Benjamin had SO much fun that he screamed "Not this home, I want to go back to Sophia's house!" when we pulled into our driveway on Sunday evening.

My running is coming along, despite a bit of a hiatus this weekend, since the priorities were eating and drinking.

In other fun news, I've been selected by a local mom's magazine to be featured in their spring/summer issue focused on post-baby weight loss, getting your body back, and balancing fitness with motherhood and being a wife.

Exciting stuff. I get to be in a photoshoot in our home, and wear a lot of makeup. Fun.

This year marks the year that my childhood best friends all turn 30, so we've decided to celebrate with a long weekend away. We're heading to Miami for a girls-only getaway. To say I am looking forward to it might be the understatement of 2009.

And finally, I'll end with a picture of Benjamin and Sophia from this weekend. They were, seriously, best buds, and it was SO adorable to watch him interact with her! And yes, he's still licking his lips constantly, although, they seem to be immune to getting chapped...

Benjamin & Sophia!

~Courtney posted at 1:00:58 PM

[5 comments]

Easy, Healthy, Yummy!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

I've been on a cooking kick lately. The addition of the Hungry Girl cookbook to my collection has allowed for some impressively delicious low fat/low calorie recipes (Andrew didn't even know the first couple of times!), but then I tripped over this food blog.

I am in love. She is a mom, so she has a huge appreciation easy and relatively fast, as well as healthy and kid-friendly.

Anyhow, I made these easy, healthy Shredded Beef Chimichangas for dinner last night, and they were absolutely fantastic.

I used the extra shredded beef to make up breakfast burritos for Andrew for the rest of the week, and the report on those were that they were awesome, too.

So anyhow, I have a feeling we'll be trying many, many new things from this food blogger, and I wanted to share it with everyone looking to try some new things!

~Courtney posted at 9:20:15 AM

More bedtime friend stories...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tonight, after Roxy Vroom was placed next to Benjamin, and covered up with the green blanket, he turned to her and said "I love you SO much, big doggie."

Also, if you're lucky, and you call me, you might get to hear B sing his ABCs... A, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, elmo p, q r s, t mommy, love you, x y and z.

~Courtney posted at 8:57:18 PM

Bedtime friends
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

If you've spent time with us in the last few months, you know that Benjamin is (majorly) particular about what and who gets into bed with him.

When mom and Ron gave him a life-sized golden retriever for Christmas, we were curious how long until the dog (which Benjamin named Roxy Vroom, although, it hasn't really stuck...) had to join him in bed.

Well, it was yesterday. And he had to get his own blanket. At night, I was able to stand him up at the edge of the crib after Benjamin had fallen asleep, but they snuggled together for his entire nap. Which, coincidentally, was the longest one he's had in a couple of weeks.

A boy's best friend

A current inventory of what stays in his crib includes about 14 books, NND, Baby NND, baby jaguar, duckie, my old Cabbage Patch doll (Alex Alvin, after my two favorite men in 1984, Alex P. Keaton, and Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks), about 4 other stuffed animals, his quilt and 2 pillows...I could go on. It's truly bizarre. But, he sleeps well, so I don't plan to mess with it!

~Courtney posted at 8:49:19 AM

More girlie-ness
Sunday, February 15, 2009

Oh my goodness. My friend sent a link to this blog to show me something specific earlier...

I am in love.

I also got to sneak out alone and see Confessions of a Shopaholic.

So much fun!

~Courtney posted at 8:59:00 PM

Barbie!
Sunday, February 15, 2009

While I spend most of my time with my two boys, I definitely love most (okay, all) things girlie.

I love makeup. And shoes. And purses.

So, I was tickled to trip on this blog this morning.

And, funnily enough, as I type this, my son just said to me "I need to put my shoes on. Let's go to the mall to get a haircut."

~Courtney posted at 10:18:46 AM

Hugs, Kisses, and Running
Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day.

You probably realized, when you got your mail today, that I didn't get a V-day card of Benjamin out in time. I plan to...it is just going to be late.

Andrew has been traveling, we've been surviving...and that's all I've got.

On a fun note, I ran my 20 mile training run today, and did it WAY faster than I planned to, and had energy to run more, although, once I saw my car in the parking lot, was MORE than happy to stretch and hop into it, heading to the nearest McD's for a diet coke.

I am, officially, convinced I will not only NOT die in my marathon (stop laughing, it was a legit concern of mine, of late), but I might actually do okay (read, finish).

Happy V-day. Andrew spoiled me ROTTEN, and since I ran, I got to eat a delicious sandwich the size of my head...NO complaints here!

~Courtney posted at 10:36:57 PM

Lengthwise
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

When you're there, I sleep lengthwise
And when you're gone
I sleep diagonal in my bed

I woke up last night and realized that I was, in fact, taking advantage of the extra space in the bed by sleeping at a diagonal.

We miss you, Andrew.

~Courtney posted at 9:14:34 AM

Midnight wakings...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Benjamin's sleep has been pretty cruddy lately. I am assuming it's one of those sleep regressions that he suffered for the first 16 months of his life, but remain optimistic that it's significantly less severe.

Anyhow, he woke up around midnight last night. Screaming (I slept through it...Andrew is the rockstar of this story). Andrew went in, and Benjamin was standing at the end of his crib, holding NND, and he looks at Andrew and says "Ohhhhh noooooo. I ate the whale!"

He went back to sleep after Andrew rocked him for awhile, but then got up for the day at (ugh) 5:55. He hung out in bed with me while Andrew got ready for the day, and again, told me that "oh no. I ate a whale. And it was yummy."

We drove Andrew to the airport, and that always seems to stress Benjamin out to leave him there. In attempts to cheer up a very sad little boy, I took him swimming at the gym. He splashed for an hour, and charmed a pool full of water-aerobics ladies. I wonder where he got his flirtiness from?

Is it nap time yet?

~Courtney posted at 9:41:23 AM

Hot date today!
Saturday, February 07, 2009

With myself. I have a "play hooky for a day" coupon left from Christmas, and I think I might use it today. The timing is great, because Andrew has a business trip coming up that will leave me solo parenting for a good part of the week.

After I finish my big, drive-thru fountain diet coke that Andrew got for me this morning, I plan to go out for a quick 13 mile run (it's NICE outside!!!) then after having lunch with the boys, I am going to see this movie alone (but only because I severely lack in the girlfriend-department here), and then off to Lululemon to get a new top or two for pilates and abs classes, and then...well, I'll probably come home because that seems like plenty of time away from my family.

But, it's been awhile since I've had a nice day-of-me, so I am looking forward to it!

~Courtney posted at 9:08:42 AM

[4 comments]

Photobooth
Friday, February 06, 2009

Mac users know that one of the best parts of owning one is the ability to narcissistically photograph yourself while doing nothing more than sitting on your butt, on the couch.

Since we've been a tad on the lame side lately, there isn't much photo documentation of our life. Or our child. So, he now demands to sit on me and "take a picture with mommy," which equates him pushing buttons on the computer.

For your enjoyment, here are some pictures of Ben-den and I over the past week or two.

Photobooth fun!

We are dorky. I am cool with that.

~Courtney posted at 4:55:06 PM

Some Disney Fun
Thursday, February 05, 2009

Benjamin hasn't been introduced to all that much in the Disney movie category, although, we have a lot of them on DVD here. Last week, when I was feeling very sick, I tricked him into mellowing out with Finding Nemo.

He's a big fan of that movie, as we've watched it at least 3 times since then.

Anyhow, we got some Disney stickers in the mail, and were playing with them this morning.

Me: That's Winnie the Pooh.
B: Oh, cool. Winnie the Poop.

Me: That's Dumbo.
B: Hi Bumbo.

Me: That's Tinkerbelle.
B: laughing STINKERBELLE. squeal, giggle STINKY STINKERBELLE.

Charming. Now we are playing with some farm stickers, and I scolded him for interrupting me, and being rude by repeatedly saying "hey, hey, hey, hey."

When I looked at his sheet of stickers, he was actually saying "hay, hay, hay," and waiting for me to peel off the pile of hay.

Thank GOODNESS for scheduled outings today!

~Courtney posted at 7:26:30 AM

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Not considered a FAIL
Wednesday, February 04, 2009

A large room filled with moon-bounces.

Benjamin and I hit up this local germ-infested gem for a morning of something OTHER than the mall, post office or Gymboree.

He was VERY hesitant at first, but after warming up to the environment a tad, he was quite brave, and spent the majority of his time on the 20' slide and mini-turbo rush.

I met a nice mom with a 2 year old, and a seven-week old and we exchanged email and phone numbers.

I also am hopeful that the quantity of trips up the ladder will lead to a VERY long nap for Benjamin!

~Courtney posted at 11:41:12 AM

Where did I go wrong?
Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Me: What do you want to do today, Benjamin?
B: Hmmm, go to Gymboree?
Me: No, not today, that's tomorrow.
B: Okay. Go to the Post Office?
Me: Um, no. We don't have anything to mail.
B: Oh, I KNOW! Let's go to the mall. Let's go shopping!

He might look like his father, but there's no question that he's my son! (And, I think I've posted a similar conversation before...sadly, he thinks these are the main options for things for us to do. I suggested the zoo, but he told me it's too cold...again, my son!)

~Courtney posted at 8:21:37 AM