Less than 48 Hours

So we have a looose idea of what we'll be doing on our vacation. It goes something like this.

Wake up

Eat breakfast

Go to the beach

Eat lunch

Put Max down for a nap/Ella Movie time/Mama poolside at the house

Dinner

Bed

Wake-up

Repeat yesterday.

Or as my good friend says: Eat, drink, swim, sun. Rinse. Repeat.

We have a built-in sitter this time for a few of the nights. KK's cousin is coming along and will watch them in exchange for spending $$! A good plan. And my mom is joining us for the 2nd half of the trip and we will be getting an entire kid-free day to go to Jost Van Dyke (aka The Barefoot Island).

Good Friends....

...have your back.

Great friends leave drinks waiting for you in the islands! Of course, I am Flip-Flop!

Thanks, VIVI!

Like It!

....(or the one that will get Child Protective Services called)

Some day I will learn that aversion therapy doesn't work on Max. He is the OPPOSITE of his sister. With Ella if we had something that we thought she'd find icky but she wanted to try it we'd let her try it. She'd do the requisite "Ewwwwww, yuck!" and never want to try it again.

Worked with beer, worked with soda, worked with most anything ... other than chocolate.

So the other evening I was chillaxing on my deck with a cold beverage, enjoying the night air, watching the kids play.

Max comes over and looks at my ice cold bottle and says, "Max some!"
I reply, "No bud, you won't like it."
To which he says, "Mmmmmmm" (the noise he makes whenever we are eating or drinking anything that he wants some of - its pretty freaking irresistible).
Me: "No its mama's"
Him: "Mmmmmmmm pease (that's please).
Me: "You aren't gonna like it!" as I tip the bottle to give him a tiny taste.

Him: "LIKE IT!"

So now Hung and I walk around going "Like It!"

Ellaism #2343

....(Or the one one she'll talk to her therapist about.)
Ok, so a few weeks ago out of the blue Ella says to me, "Mama I have a question." To which I say, "What's that Ella?" She lifts up her shirt, points to her belly button and says as seriously as possible, "Is this my period?"

Oh the temptation to take the easy way out and just say, "Yep, Ella that's your period!" But I made a promise to myself that I would always openly answer any of her questions about anything. So I tried to explain to my newly 7 year old in simple terms, her reproductive system. She got it for the most part.

Fortunately, for now, she didn't ask how a baby gets in there but she did ask how the baby got out. For me, that is simple, "Mama had an operation both times where they opened me up and took out the baby." Her, ever so precocious says, "I know that, but what about people who don't have an operation to get their baby out." So I explained it to her. Her eyes got THIS BIG and she said, "WHAT?!?!?!?!?" And I concluded with, "And this is why you don't EVER WANT TO HAVE A BABY UNTIL YOU ARE AT LEAST 35."

Where oh where did my baby go?

Routine

There are few things in life as precious to me as a routine. I am not one who deals well with transition. Two of my current favorite routines (both of course involving my kiddos):

1. Each morning, Hung has the early/Max shift (waking him, changing him, getting him ready for Jeannie's). I have the late/Ella shift (waking her, getting her dressed, packing the backpack, getting her on the bus). We never discussed this routine we just kind of fell into it. Anyway, my favorite thing is that part of Max's routine (he is like his mama and LOVES a good routine) is to give me a kiss and hug bye bye and tell me he's going to Jeannie's "Go Nee-Nee, Mama!" Some mornings I hear him as Hung's getting him changed and ready saying "Kiss Mama, Kiss Mama, Kiss Mama" other mornings I just hear a smooching sound coming at me through my bleary eyes. Without fail, every morning I hear those not so little feet running down the hall to find me, still tucked into bed, smacking his lips, ready for his smooch and "ugggg" (that's Hug to those who don't do Max speak).

2. Nights are not as predictable. Sometimes I bathe them, sometimes Hung does. Sometimes I put them to bed, sometimes Hung does. Sometimes we split them up. Lately however, as Max's gotten a bit older I've taken to reading to both of them in Ella's room before bed. They both pile on the bed, Ella picks the book, I read the story and then Max tucks her in. Makes sure her blanket is up, her music is on and her light is off. He gives her a hug and a kiss and then runs to his room to "ock a minute" before going night-night himself. It's about as perfect as 8pm can be.

Then mama gets to go put on her pjs and relax for the rest of the evening!

STJ Prep Begins

In anticipation of our trip to St. John we have started training. Also known as ... going to the pool to get the boy used to wearing his hat and rashguard. He has virgin skin. The Caribbean sun is HOT. He will wear a rash guard for most of our 10 day trip. :)

I don't want to jinx it but with the exception of the first day he's been great about keeping his hat on. The alternative is we leave and he doesn't want to leave the pool. He is my child afterall. The last trip to the pool he came over to me and said, "Hat ON!" 17 DAYS.