Braedon is on a ROLL!!

I HATE the term "Terrible Twos." (I also hate the term hate, but I am THAT serious.) I do not believe that any child or any action a child of two may do should ever be classified as "terrible". I think it lacks compassion, and is too often used as a cop-out.

I do believe a definite shift does take place when the frustration of a limited vocabulary begins to overlap with the discovery of free will... I see this happen with Braedon every day. Lucky for me, hilarity often ensues.

There was no way I could repremand Braedon for this particular incident, because he had actually ASKED me if he could do it... and I said yes. It went something like this:

"Baedon? Mom, color please."

"You want me to color with you, Braedon?"

"NO..." now he is pointing at himself, then at his feet. "BAEDON, Mom. Please...?"

He was TRYING to tell me that HE wanted to be "Mom" by painting his toes. He was even saying please!

"Sure," I said, sidetracked by the mess of a diaper Eli had produced.

Lesson learned? LISTEN to the kid. Very. Closely.

You know? He didn't do a half-bad job! The carpet came out unscathed too! I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. :p

Magic Marker Monday #1

Braedon's first entry in a coloring contest. He colored this at 20 months!

I have to admit, it took a lot of self control on my part to stay out of his way... I kept wanting to "encourage" him to use certain colors, work in certain areas, not use COLOR AFTER COLOR on the EXACT same spot...! (I am impressed that he specifically made the effort to color the wheel and propeller. That kind of precision didn't last long though!)

It wasn't until this post that I realized this is the only piece of art I have that is ALL Braedon's. Everything else he draws on, he likes me to draw on with him, so I do. I will keep that in mind next time we whip out the markers and paper.

Slackermommy, thanks for the link! I love art, and hope that my children will too. <3

Take the Plunge! TAKE THE PLEDGE! I Did...

When I first heard about this pledge last year I think I may have gone as far as laughing out loud at such a rediculous concept. I mean... what a lame Christmas. Give everyone knit scarves and cheesy jewelry? And what about the kids? Surely they deserve real toys made of genuine lead spiked plastic, right?

I couldn't have been any more wrong.

::moment of silence for the shocked gasps of the rediculousness of ME being wrong::

Shortly after I read about "The Pledge," I discovered ETSY.com and uncovered the criminal extent of my wrong-ness. http://www.etsy.com/ is like an e-bay for crafters. Or for you Oregonians, it is kinda like an online Saturday Market. Without the hot dogs. And hippies. For a small fee, crafters can open up "shop" and sell their hand made goods online.

There is a lot more out there than just scarves and jewelry. That is why this year not only am I going to take the pledge, I am going to start to put together lists of the items and shops I love the most so that YOU TOO can take the pledge and get a good jump start on your shopping by checking out the shops I recommend. A win/win!!

I won't get into the particulars and politics behind why buying handmade is so important, so worthwhile, and SO FUN(!!) but you can read all about it at http://www.buyhandmade.org/.

Now for the fun stuff. Here is just a taste of what ETSY has to offer.

• http://www.paperladyinvites.etsy.com/- stunning paper goods made out of quality material and put together with such care and attention to detail. ALSO MY GOOD FRIEND CHELSEY'S SHOP!! GO CHELSEY, I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Check it out, yo!

  
  

• To show that there is cool stuff out there for EVERYONE, I am including http://www.joelkimmel.etsy.com/ for the sports fan.

  
  

• For the kids: I LOVE the "I spy with my little eye" bags at http://www.ainsleyandoswald.etsy.com/. I am a HUGE believer in the simpler the toy, the better, and I can think of all kinds of fun activities to do with these bags. Could you imagine the item-finding "races" siblings could have if they each had their own? Great for the car, too!

  
  

• Don't tell Braedon, but I think for Christmas I may just get him a teepee from http://www.babypop.etsy.com/. SO cool!

  
  

• I would have loved playing the Drop In The Bucket game from http://www.myrobynsnest.etsy.com/ with my bro's as a kid. And seriously... how cute is that?

  
  

• ...And for all of you Emo kids out there... I love http://www.skullboyworldwide.etsy.com/ not JUST because his stuff rocks, but because he is a BOY crafter. Who has ever heard of such a thing??

  
  

• Last but not least, a few things on MY PERSONAL wish list (hint hint... just kidding... maybe...) the Huckleberry mandala clock at http://www.eyepopart.etsy.com/ (thanks, Yertle!) , the large charlie bird print at http://www.matteart.etsy.com/, (LOVE THIS!) and for good measure, howabout the blue vinyl cherry blossom and bird purse from http://www.kittyempire3.etsy.com/

Just the tip of the ice berg, my friends... tip of the ice berg. Let me know what you think about my list, and also if there is anything you would like to see included in my next installment of finds.

ALSO!!! PLEASE let me know if you are willing to take The Pledge and spread the word! Remember to check out http://www.buyhandmade.org/ and http://www.etsy.com/ while you're at it too. :)

Speaking of Boobs...

This morning I was laying in bed, thankful for the full nights' rest, waiting for Eli to bring relief to my painfully full left boob. Enter: Braedon. Right on schedule. 8 o'clock every morning he comes trotting in sleepy-eyed but happy and crawls in bed with us for a few quick cuddles before we start our day. This particular morning I found Braedon to be unusually observant.

"MOM!!"

He sounded excited, I wonder what it could be.

"BIG BOOB," He said as he points to the left side of my chest, brows furrowed, voice as deep as his toddler throat could get it.

"Little boob," This time in a squeaky, quiet voice, pointing at my right side.

Awesome.

He's got his "opposites" down pat.

Strange Son

Braedon has his... quirks. I have long since accepted them, even embraced them, but that certainly doesn't mean I always know how to deal with them. Sometimes they seem like nothing more than common toddler phases: a need for control, routine, and structure- but other times I wonder if he doesn't have a bit of an OCD side.

Lately he has had a tough time falling asleep on his own. I have mostly chalked it up to teething, although that is my fall back excuse for any behavorial issue he has had since birth. (He has one last tooth that needs to come in, then I will have to find him a new excuse.) I keep reading over and over again that kids his age really NEED some sort of security item. A blanket, stuffed animal, whatever. Well, Braedon has never become attached to anything of the sort, dispite my ongoing efforts with countless different TRADITIONAL "lovies."

But. There IS one thing he loves, as some of you already know...

My bra strap.

I know he is tired before he shows any other signs, because every time I am in hugging range, he shoves his hand under the neck of my shirt and clings to my strap. You would have thought someone ate the last of his Fruit Loops the way he freaked out when I finally bought a new bra. (yes, it is sad... I own but one bra.)

"NO, no BROWN STRAP!!! PINK STRAP, PINK STRAP!!!!"

Okay, son... pink strap it is. Tell you what. You can keep it.

P.S. Before anyone calls CPS on me, I KNOW how much of a choking hazzard this is, but rest assured, my bra is promptly removed from that white-knuckled, sweaty death grip immediately after he falls asleep.

Brothers

Braedon has been nothing short of the perfect big brother. He throws away diapers, makes goo goo noises, replaces Eli's pacifier, (whether he wants it or not,) and grasps desperately at my shirt, panic stricken, attempting to unleash my boobs every time Eli makes a peep. He has never been aggressive towards Eli. Not even slightly. I am being very literal when I say that Braedon's little brother is what motivates him out of bed some mornings. IN A GOOD MOOD!

Still, as obvious as it is that Braedon LOVES his new role of big brother, Eli could care less that the dude is even around.

Mom=boobs.
Dad=super duper football hold.
Braedon=... well...
Braedon= a pain in Eli's ass much of the time.

Before yesterday, the only brotherly bonding that took place in this house was all from Braedon's end. There was the time he was playing "baby" with Eli, and Eli spit up all over himself. In the spirit of the game, Braedon hawked a big loogie and "spit up" too. Or the time that Braedon realized that Eli's penis is little, and his is "strong."

Then in a blink of the eye, (like all of the other changes that take place in childhood,) their relationship morphed. And they haven't looked back.

I was sitting at the computer with Eli in my lap and Braedon coloring at my feet. I didn't immediately notice what was transpiring around me, and I am glad I didn't because I would have found SOME way to ruin it... but once I caught on, my heart swelled with mom-mush.

Braedon came bounding out from behind my chair, shrieking some foreign toddler phrase all the way, before ending with a giant leap, arms spread wide, laughter exploding from his mouth, right in front of defenseless little Eli.

Eli laughed.

I am not talking about some little maybe-it-was-a-laugh-or-maybe-he-is-taking-a-poop noise... it was a clear, heart felt, belly laugh.

Eli's reaction was enough to send Braedon into a full-on spaz attack, and he quickly went through his arsenal of giggle-inducing tactics. Every time Eli laughed, Braedon laughed. Every time Braedon put on a new act for Eli, Eli laughed.

They were playing. For the first time in their short, sweet lives, they were experiencing what it really means to be brothers.

It made me think. Of all of the gifts I have bestowed upon my sons, (their good looks, charming personalities, the 6 foot basketball hoop sitting in our living room,) the greatest gift I could have given them is that of brotherhood.

My boys.

Brothers.

Dragonfly

They say that dragonflies bring good luck. I guess they are right... We have been getting "lucky" in more ways than one since Elijah has been born.

This picture was taken by me in our very own back yard. The biggest dragonfly I have ever seen. He had a couple of beautiful friends, too.

Lucky? I'd say blessed. <3