Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Four Times the Cute

When Samantha Jane Ralph was born, things were kind of blurry for me.  After my spinal didn't work I had the pleasure (sarcasm) of being put under, then woke up in a fog that lasted over 24 hours.  I worried about so many things, especially having enough love for two kids and being able to know Sam as well as I knew Addi.

I never should have worried.  If anything, Sam is more attached to me than Addi ever was, and aside from the sporatic fit she throws, she remains her cute, laid back self.

She believes that her stuffed animals are real, with emotions and feelings all their own.  And they enjoy watching TV with her too.

She thinks that the sun is REALLY named "Mr. Sun" and comes complete with a personality.  She talks about Mr. Sun just like she talks about her cousins or friends from school.  And her feelings get hurt when Mr. Sun does something mean, like set in the west, when her car seat home from school is on the east, because she wants to play with him.

She's silly before bed, then extra cuddly when she sleeps.

And quite honestly she's one of the smartest kids I know.  Just look at my Mother's Day card.  Brilliant.
Happy (belated) birthday, Sam!


Monday, May 21, 2012

My Alma Mater


I love that I am a graduate of Purdue.  Not only did I meet great friends, have some amazing experiences (like studying at Cambridge University in England one summer), and receive a fantastic degree that allows me to be gainfully employed, but it's where I met Jay.  I'll proudly tell anyone I meet that yes, I am a Boilermaker and proud of it, and tell them they should totally send their kids there too. 

Well, that doesn't apply to MY kids.   Out of state tuition? No thanks.

An inevitable part of having had such fun for four five years?  Lots and lots of student loans.  Each month Jay and I would log into Sallie Mae, groaning over the growing list of security questions and pay that month's amount.

Until March.  When we got this in the mail. 

I can finally say not only am I a Boilermaker, but my degree is finally paid off!!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

One great role model

Being a mom is far and away a million times better than I ever imagined.  From sitting in church and holding their hands, to singing songs in the car with them, and to laying in bed with them, watching them drift off to sleep, every second with them means something.  Sometimes the "something" is that I want to run screaming from the house, but I never actually do because I can't imagine life without those two.

Luckily, I had a great role model in my mom.  In addition to the unconditional support and endless love, my mom taught me some tricks of the trade, things that can and will come in handy when the kids are being less than angelic.  So here, to celebrate Mother's Day, are a few tips for parenting, taught to me by my mom.

1.  Tired of answering your kids every time they ask "Why?" Teach them a catch phrase and get them to say it back whenever you are mean and say NO to them, yet again. At a loss for a phrase? Use the one my mom did. "Because I'm basically mean and evil." Works every time.

2.  Dirty carpet?  If you are lucky enough to have a child who uses a different dominant hand than you do, do what my mom did to me for years.  Lie your pants off and tell said child that you can't vacuum, no sirree.  How could you when the vacuum is very obviously made for a left handed person and you are right handed?  If you are double lucky your kid will buy that ridiculous lie until she's 10 (just like I did.)

3. Children embarrassing you in public? When they start running through the store, screaming and crying, and run into a display of food causing an avalanche of peas, don't yell or scream idle threats. Stop, turn calmly to the children, and say, "You two are terrible. Just wait until I get you home and tell your mother how you've been acting." Problem (and face) saved.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, one of the best role models a mom could ask for!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Fairies everywhere

After years of assorted fairies visiting our house (paci fairies, potty fairies, leprechauns...) you would think that something as boring as an ordinary tooth fairy wouldn't be exciting to young Addison.  However, after months and months of watching her friends loose teeth and her having two wiggly teeth that hung on for over two months, the Ralph house welcomed the head honcho of all fairies, the TOOTH FAIRY, to our home.

Addi was easily convinced to leave her tooth in her windowsill in a toy, making it much easier for the TF to head in and out.  And the next morning, both $1 and fairy dust were there instead.


A few minutes later I saw Addi running up and down the hall before sitting down, depressed.  Apparently rubbing "fairy dust" (aka glitter) on her arms didn't give her the ability to fly like she'd hoped.

A slightly crooked smile never looked so cute.


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...