Happy Monday. We are all very happy to be back at work and school today. We had a very busy Thanksgiving weekend but it was full of really fun things. But we were all very weary by Sunday night! Here's a photo-heavy recap of our weekend!
Phil and I both had to work on Wednesday. Luckily it was a quiet day for me so I did the bulk of the childcare. Paul is easy because we let him have his iPad on days like that. He only has access to PBS kids games/videos and ABC Mouse so we feel fine about the excess screen time he occasionally gets. Will is the challenging one to manage, of course. He's in a tough stage of having VERY big feelings and an inability to tell us what he wants. Which = lots of screaming/tantrums. Being a toddler is HARD. Being a toddler parent is HARD.
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| He insists on sitting on our laps for most breakfasts. This morning, he wanted a car. Which car? I don't know, which is why he has about 10 different toys next to him. |
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| "Helping" mommy work. |
The weather was really beautiful over the holiday weekend so many walks were taken with Will.
Thursday started off with a 10k around the lake in our neighborhood. I ran it with my neighbor and we took it VERY easy. I've basically been sick for most of the last 6 weeks and she's had a busy schedule so we took walk breaks when we needed to. Neither of us cared about our time - we just wanted to start the day with some fitness!
I got home got, showered, and got our food contributions together (a
brussel sprout salad, veggie tray and dip) and we headed to my brother's in the west metro. We had a great day together. The boys enjoyed playing with their cousins and my mom got to hold Will quite a bit. He hasn't always let her hold him so she was thrilled to get so much time with him - especially since the boys will spend a week there in December!
We ate at 1pm, which is when Will typically is sleeping. We thought we could put him down after dinner. Nope - he refused. But then fell asleep on my mom around 4 and woke up in THE WORST MOOD. He screamed for the whole 30 minute ride home and then for 45+ minutes when we got home - basically until he calmed down enough to go to bed. I share to keep it real around here. The holiday was wonderful, but holidays with young kids can be HARD. I remind myself it's only going to get easier as the kids get older!
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| Snuggles with nana, the baby whisperer |
On Friday, I took Will for a long walk in the morning. You can see how excited he was for the walk at the start. But he perked up when we saw tons of ducks on the lake.
That afternoon, my Chicago niece and nephew came over. I had planned to take them to a really cool local children's book store. I checked their website that morning to see what their mask policy was - and found out the store was closed on Friday! Doh! So we pivoted and went to Barnes and Noble instead. We got some treats at Starbucks and I bought a book for each kid. Will stayed home since he was napping at this time. After that, we headed back home and had pizza for dinner.
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Saturday, we went to my MIL's after naptime. We took a picture for her Christmas card and ordered them for her. The boys had a great time playing with all her toys!
And that brings us to
Sunday. I hosted my college friends and their kids for our annual cookie decorating party. It was our first one since 2019!
Paul helped me make the GF cookies in the morning and everyone came over around 4. My boys enjoyed participating and got lots of attention from the big kids.
Will really enjoyed the sprinkles. I gave him a spoon so he could put some sprinkles on his cookie, but he took a big spoonful - and ate them!
I served chicken wild rice soup to the adults and the kids had frozen pizza.
And that was a wrap! We have a busy week ahead of us as I have book club Wednesday night, I have a wine work event on Thursday, Paul and I go to a light show at the local arboretum on Friday, and then it's Will's birthday on Saturday... So we just need to get used to being busier than usual for the next couple of weeks!
How was your weekend?
Oh boy, the toddler years are hard. I mean, imagine wanting something and not being able to say, or imagine the world being all new to you and you need to express it and can't. How confusing the world is to a toddler! And also, holidays? The only things toddlers can really count on is routine, and here we are with a special holiday, and it's no wonder they always tantrum! Holidays get more and more fun as the years go by, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteAll that said - whew, you are BUSY! What a busy time. I smiled at the photo of the spoonful of sprinkles. I want to do that myself!
What a fun looking weekend! I feel like that picture of Will and his 10 trucks perfectly encapsulates what having a toddler is like :)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, this does sound like a wonderfully busy and festive weekend! Your turkey trot with your friend sounds like the perfect way to do it. And all of those photos of Will with his little crumpled face made my heart clench -- it is SO hard to be a toddler and SO hard to be the parent of a toddler! You are all doing so well! I hope this current phase passes quickly for you all.
ReplyDeleteThe cookie decorating party looks so fun. What a great idea.
Oh, boy. I just keep thinking that he can't be two forever, right?! He'll grow out of it someday, I promise!!!
ReplyDeleteWe have eleven nieces and nephews on my husband's side and the youngest is six or seven now. Things are So. Much. Easier. at family gatherings than they were even three or four years ago. We literally just shove them in the basement in bad weather or send them outside in good weather, put one of the older kids in charge, and we don't hear from them unless they need 1) food, 2) drink, 3) batteries, or 4) something hanging in the garage.
You can get through it!!
sounds like a nice relaxing weekend with family and friends. it's great that you got to run 10km with a friend without worrying about time.
ReplyDeletetoddler years are hard, especially because they follow a structure/schedule, whenever we take them out of that, they don't like it. That's just a phase and it will pass soon enough. great that you had family members to take care of him. I miss spending holidays in China, to have many relatives around.
hahaha i love that he ate the sprinkles!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun - yet exhausting holiday.
ReplyDeleteYES it gets easier as kids get older. I know you know this, but my goodness it can be hard to endure the hour-long epic crying/tantrum fits.
We're still at the stage where the kids always seems to get sick over Christmas?! Surely this will end...eventually? I swear, they just hear the words December 25th and every flu/cold bug comes for them. The only year this hasn't happened - LITERALLY - since having kids was in Dec 2020 when everything was still in quasi-lockdown. This year things seem worse with huge swaths of people sick right now. It's like 2 years worth of bugs have accummualted and are just hitting areas bang, bang, bang (one family I know have basically been sick for 1.5 months; sounds like you've been in a similar position).
All that said, despite the challenges that come with toddlers - kudos for fitting in so many great activities. I do sense that you have reasonable expectations of what to expect with a toddler in tow, and that REALLY helps.
Hang in there, it's almost Mexico time my friend <3
Wow, you did have a busy week! And another busy one coming up. This week is unusually busy for us too- my daughter has two concerts. This time of year there's all sorts of things going on... but I PROMISE it gets easier when the kids are older!!!
ReplyDeleteThat brussels sprout salad looks delicious- I'm going to try it. And, I love the way little kids decorate cookies- my daughter used to put heaps and heaps of sprinkles on each one. But she never put a spoonful right in her mouth, ha ha... I wonder why she didn't think of that!
That sounds like a fun, yet exhausting weekend! At least you got Friday off from work so you could have that extra day to see people etc. This time of year definitely does creep up on you, doesn't it! It is always so nice to see family and to do all of the stuff, but it gets overwhelming at times! I am surprised you also planned a vacation in December, although I am sure you are going to relish the break.
ReplyDeleteI think for the next five weekends, I have something going on. Soccer, holiday party, memorial (unfortunately), housewarming, etc... they just start to add up. And then on the weekdays, I have scheduled all of my doctor, dentist, eye etc. appointments so even those start to add up! However, similar to type two fun, it is fun while it is sometimes tiring. Okay, maybe not the doctors appointments! You just reminded me that I have not scheduled the cookie making this year...hmm.
AWWW! So cute! That all looks great. And I agree with previous comments that those photos (and your comments) just perfectly capture the word "TODDLER". lol!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a good time with your friends for the cookie decorating! I think hosting a bunch of people on the heels of Thanksgiving would stress me out a little, but it seems like it was generally pretty low key. And if they are your best friends, hopefully you didn't have to worry too much about making your house all perfect or anything, either.
You do have a lot going on this week, but I guess tis the season. We are in the same boat. Seems like we're always in that boat, though. hahaha.
Apart from the ride home, it sounds like a good (and incredibly busy) holiday. The cookie decorating sounds great, and so does the run. Everything ramps up at this time of year, doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I remember those young toddler years with my nephews. Holidays can be rough for kids that young! There is so much happening and it probably feels really overwhelming for them. I'm excited for things to get easier with them in the next few years. Thanks for always keeping it real, though! I think that's so important.
ReplyDeleteYou had SUCH a busy Thanksgiving weekend and a busy week last week. Whew! I know it will feel so good to get to your Mexico vacation after all of this busyness.
What a fun weekend, Lisa, but you packed so much in. I know you love to be busy with the boys, but I was exhausted just reading about all the activities. I guess it's easier to entertain the kids with other people around :)
ReplyDeleteSo happy you got to run with your friend on Thanksgiving Day!