celebrating 2 {part 2}

Celebrating 2: Part 1. 

After leaving Toronto, we headed to Niagara Falls for Great Wolf Lodge. We are kind of on the fence about GWL leading up to it. We had never been before and weren't sure if there would be enough for Kale to do as a two year old. It's not exactly cheap either, so it was a bit of a risk. However, Kale LOVES the water and after two days of warming up in the hotel pool in Toronto, he was ready to take his skills to the slides and wave pools. 

As soon as we walked into GWL I was all "ah sh*t, what have we signed up for?" The place is totally crazy. There are talking trees and giant moose and 90000 kids running around in swimsuits. Kale was clinging to me, convinced that a racoon was going to attack him at any moment (a totally justified fear, I might add). We threw our stuff in our room and raced to the water park where we all just about lost our minds. It is HUGE and there was soooo much for Kale to do. I didn't bring my camera in because it was impossible to walk around without getting completely soaked. 

Top three highlights: 

1. Kris and I decided to split a pitcher of beer with dinner. About halfway through, Kale was all "let's ditch this joint and go run laps through the lobby." As Kris and I manically tried to guzzle our beer, our server came over and informed us she could bring some plastic cups so we could take our beer with us. I'm pretty sure I cried tears of joy at this point. Actual tears, people. 
2. Kale wasn't big enough for any of the slides - except the family slide. Basically the entire family goes in a giant tube down a huge tube slide. The three of us piled in, with Kale in the middle, gripping handles on either side. You could tell he had no idea what was going on and has we hurdled down the slide, a look of sheer terror overcame him. It was heartbreaking and adorable all at once. The next day we tried it again and he had the same reaction - but at the bottom he cheered and yelled for "mo' water!" 
3. At 8pm the talking tree, the moose and a bear read a bedtime story to all the kids in the lobby. There were easily 100 kids there, all sitting in rows in their pj's and listening intently. Kale loved it and clapped along with the other kids, yelling at the owl and racoons. 

We woke up on Monday, Kale's actual birthday, spent a few more hours at the water park and decided to go visit the falls. Kale passed out after three seconds in the car so we just kept driving home. 

We spent the afternoon with Kale's Uncle Karl and Aunt Niki, eating BBQ and running around the yard. After they left, it was just the three of us for birthday cake and presents. 

(apparently I'm the only one excited here....) 

I'm really glad that we decided to spend the weekend celebrating Kale's birthday this way - touring Toronto, having brunch with friends, going to GWL, and keeping things low-key at home. For us, it was perfect. 

And at 9:40pm, I crawled into bed beside him. Remembered his birth just two years before. Kissed his sweaty toddler forehead and whispered "happy birthday." 

a simple (but perfect) afternoon.

We're not even at hump day and I can already tell you this week has been rough. I'm not sleeping well at night and when I don't get sleep, I turn into a total monster (or "mom-onster" as Kris calls me). How I ever made it though 15 months of nursing my son every two hours is BEYOND me. 


Anyway, Kris went to his first scuba diving lesson tonight and I was desperate to turn my week around and enjoy some quality one-on-one time with Kale. So I came home from work, turned my phone off, and focused on being 100% present and focused on Kale. 

We made pizza together and ate it under the afternoon sun on the back deck. 

We took a bike ride to a park we don't normally go to. 

We ran and ran and ran. We spun ourselves dizzy. 

We bought ice cream in a boathouse and sat by the river watching ducks. 

We read a few extra stories before bed. 

We cuddled until he drifted off to sleep. 

It was all pretty perfect. 

The kind of day that makes me forget about rough weeks and no sleep. 

happy birthday to mama.

Today is my birthday. 

For a second, I was a little sad about getting older. 

Realizing that Kale will never catch up. 

I'll just get older and older and older. 

Then I woke up, crawled into bed with Kale, and this happened: 

And I was happy. 

And in case that wasn't the cutest thing you've ever seen, I offer you this:

FYI - "uppa" is papa (Kris) and his birthday really is in August. 

currently {v.3}

That's right - I found a beige trenchcoat! 

Anticipating a weekend of celebrating ME! Sunday is Mother’s Day and my birthday is Monday! That means this weekend is pretty much all about me. Now if only I could convince Kale of this….

Looking for some summer wardrobe staples. I swear, every summer I open up my drawers and find NO summer clothes!! Where do they all go?! And how come I have no idea what is in style anymore?! So give me your suggestions – what do I need to look somewhat hip this summer?

Thinking about the ongoing war on motherhood and recent backlash against attachment parenting that’s been popping up in the media lately. I love this response from The Mamafesto about the new Time Magazine cover story “Are you Mom Enough?” and PhD in Parenting’s critical analysis of Elizabeth Badinter’s book, The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines the Status of Women.

Welcoming warmer weather. Next week the weather is supposed to warm up and things look a bit more consistent. This year has been absolutely brutal for me in the migraine department, since they are triggered by barometric pressure changes and the weather has been all.over.the.place these past few months. Not only am I desperate to wear a skirt without tights, but I wouldn’t mind going more than two days without downing 40 liquid advils. 

Loving Family Craft Night. Kale’s school sent home some craft supplies and asked that we have a family craft night. The “product” was then sent back to school and the kids talked about them during circle time. I’m not sure who enjoyed making the craft more – Kris or Kale.

Looking for his keys. Clearly this is a trait passed on from mother to son. Every morning he looks for his keys (because he needs to “unlock” every door from our house to his classroom…surprisingly there are a lot) and he can’t find them. He looks at me, makes a face, puts his hands up and shrugs, “Keys go, mama?” I don’t know, but keep an eye out for mine while you’re looking.

Thinking about the guy who cuts the grass at school. Seriously, I spend hours preparing food and crafts for this kid and he forgets about them three minutes later. A man comes to cut the grass at school and we hear about it at dinner for the next week.

Enjoying all of his birthday presents. Little does he know that the days of the giant circus tent from Uncle Karl are numbered. Enjoy while you can little man, I want my living room back (no worries – I’m not the worst mother ever. The circus tent will find a new home outdoors when the weather warms up).

Wishing we lived in a hotel with an elevator, a pool and a buffet. Seriously, Kale was made for hotel life. The other day he looked at me and asked “el-a-bator?” I shook my head. He asked “swimming pool?!” Sorry, buddy, we don’t have one of those either. His shoulders sagged. He thought for a moment. A light shone in his eyes. “Eat?” Sure, we got food. Let’s do buffet style.