My little Mensa candidates

There are some days when you think that you gave birth to the smartest children that have ever graced the planet. Let's be honest, as moms we probably have those days a lot. Bragging is in the mother's DNA.

But then there are other days where you look at your kids and think... is this because I had that drink the day before I was pregnant with her? I will probably not be retiring early off them unless they land on some reality show....

This was one of those days.

I've been exhausted so it was the kind of morning where I end up lying on the couch and mumbling incoherently about coffee while the kids run around and throw things. Already not off to the best start ever.

Then Madeleine went pee pee on the potty so I dumped the potty seat, washed it out, and left the bathroom door ajar. I thought the girls were close behind me so I went to grab the phone. A minute later I realized they were still in the bathroom. Alone. Laughing. I ran in and just kind of stood there... because what I saw was Madeleine brushing her sister's hair with the toilet brush. The NASTY toilet brush. It took me a minute to gather myself and grab the toilet brush away, leaving two screaming toddlers that I now had to somehow clean. Awesome.

The rest of the morning went smoothly. The girls were playing happily while I made lunch. It was then that Madeleine and Juliette came stumbling up to me crying. They had manage to tangle themselves in the slinky that Madeleine had shoplifted found at the supermarket (I went back to pay for it) and were stuck. They were trapped in a slinky and could not escape. I considered leaving them that way.

So my kids, they make life interesting.

In other news we went to an AMAZING red sox vs YANKEES game on Saturday. The red sox had been up by nine runs when their bull pen decided it was time to be amazingly awful and the YANKEES took advantage to score 15 unanswered runs and win the game by six (for those of you when cannot do math). It had to be one of the best games I have ever seen, the Yankees went to town all over Fenway Park and did so with great aplomb.

Now it's time for Kyle's weekend so hopefully we can find the energy to do... something.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli

AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really always get so excited to be an American whenever I visit the city of Boston because it is steeped in history. As my sister-in-law's fiancee put it, "This is where SHIT STARTED!" My ancestors came there in the early 1600s and remained there until they were kicked out with Anne Hutchinson and eventually settled on Long Island.


My husband is Texan and apparently they don't spend nearly as much time learning about the American Revolution as we do in the great Northeast, which I feel is a real shame. The reason Texans think they are better than the rest of the country is because they just don't know how kick-butt New England-ers really are.

Also, my hubby and I may be a wee bit competitive about our home states.

Anyway, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and soon-to-be-brother-in-law all took a vacation to Boston this week so we drove out to see them yesterday. We just got home this evening and are going back out for the red sox vs. YANKEES game on Saturday. Pure awesomeness. I'm so excited.

It has been a great visit full of food, ducklings, and historical tours given my encyclopedia/tour guide-wanna-be hubby.

I'm too tired to write a lot tonight so I'll save that for tomorrow and just post some pictures.

AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Flat screen and a fireplace... the hotel my in-laws were staying in was HOOKED. UP.

Yup, that's my little monkey climbing the couch to see the view out the window.

Such an amazing view! Love this city!

More view.

 

Madeleine modeling the big girl "pack pack" her Aunt Lainey gave her.

 

HOW DID SHE GET TO BE SO BIG?!?!

It says "homeslice"... teehee

 

Rocking the double stroller.

 

 

It was almost a good daddy/daughter photo opp

 

And now about four pictures of my girls looking at flowers...

And two...

And three...

 

And four...

 

And now a whole bunch of pictures of the Boston Common from the swan boats.

 

She loved the boats and the ducks

 

My baby and I on the duck boat tours. I didn't take any photos because I was afraid of losing my IPhone out the window.

 

This is the site of Anne Hutchinson's old house so it's definitely where my relatives partied... insofar as Puritans had parties.

Po-po shut us down

Well I am happy to report that for the first time in many, many months the Behr clan went to mass and didn't have to leave the pew for any disciplinary issues at all! Of course Juliette kept climbing onto the pew at the beginning of mass to say, "HI! HI! HI!" to the nice family behind us and then she later fell and hit her head on the pew in front of us and started screaming. So I mean, we did have to go to the back of the Church but that was only because the kid tripped and it was over within a couple of minutes.

Madeleine spent half the time paying attention and half the time looking at pictures on my IPhone... so I would call that a victory! I had bribed her with ice cream and a Barney episode if she behaved so, of course, the second we left she grabbed my arm and said, "Mommy! Madeleine was a good girl at church so I want ice cream and Barney and a BIG HUG from my mommy." I just had to scoop her up and tell her how proud I was of her and what a good example she had been to her sister.

We live barely a half mile from the church so on warm and sunny days we get to walk to mass. I feel like that may have helped calm them down before mass started. But who really knows. It cold have been the nyquil I slipped them...

JUST KIDDING!

Anywho, today we went to visit Kyle at the airport while he was working. The girls got all dressed up and we piled into the minivan. As I was driving I remembered the last time I had decided to randomly visit him at work and got a speeding ticket in the Big Dig. I reminded myself to be extra careful and we made it there with no incidence.

Kyle showed off his little ladies, we all had lunch, and then corralled the kiddos back to the car. As we pulled up to the first set of tolls, barely out of the airport, a policeman signaled to Kyle to pull over.

As it turns out that 15 mph speed limit is not just for driving through the tolls. APPARENTLY you are supposed to drive that as you approach the tolls as well. We've lived in this state four years and had no idea. The officer asked for our liecense and registration and as it turned out, our registration had expired days before. As had our inspection sticker. They were about to tow our car and leave us stranded on the side of the Mass Pike when the officer took pity on us and told us he would look the other way so we could leave with our now screaming children (and panicking husband) as long as we promised to get it taken care of tomorrow. So, you know what I will be up to as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning.

But thank God that officer decided to show us mercy because I have no idea what we would have done.

As it turns out I am great at keeping a budget, paying bills, cleaning a house, feeding a family... and not so great at remembering that my car is not up-to-date.

Lesson learned.

Later this week the mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and soon-to-be-brother-in-law will be landing in The Hub for a week of fun (and even a red sox vs YANKEES game... we will be wearing navy as any winner would do). Hopefully I'll have some good pictures from the week but these are from our day as outlaws.

 

Madeleine got some new jammies from Grandmommy. She is convinced they are her "dentist clothes".

 

   

Juliette rocking daddy's Astros's hat. Gotta throw the old man a bone.

 

I have to admit, she is working it!

 

 

Per their usual, holding hands as the walk through the airport like best friends.

 

Juliette decided it would be a great idea to give kisses to the belt window.

I am obsessed with that face.

 

This is what a life of running from the law will do to young kids. They were exhausted after such a long day!

Prayer time with Madeleine

(written down as we went along)

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for mommy
and daddy
and Baby, my best friend.
Thank you for Grandmom
and Granddad
and Carly
and Hannah
and Lauren
and Nick.
Thank you for Grandmommy
and Lainey
and Sam
and Puppy-Lain
and Grandpa Rick.
And Baby, my best friend.
Thank you for Roslyn
and princesses
and airplanes
and helbacopters.
Thank you for six
and purple
and yellow
and green.
Thank you for Jesus on the cross
for Jesus Mommy Mary
and for Jesus daddy Jofes.
Thank you for cookies
and Barney
and snuggles
and slides.
And Baby, my best friend.
Amen.

And thank you for Madeleine, her loving heart, her big smile, her awesome dance moves, her creativity... everything that makes her my wonderful and amazing little girl. And Baby, her best friend.
Amen.

Seven Quick Takes- I ate all the chocolate

1 We've all had colds this past week which has thrilled the toddler with the new doctor's kit to no end. Every single time we cough or blow our nose she is there, suddenly, at our feet and saying, "Oh are you sick? Come to my doctor's office." I am starting to wonder if it really is a coincidence that we all became ill the week after she got equipped to open her little medical practice or if she planned this all along...

2. Much to Madeleine's utter dismay we took Juliette to the actual doctor yesterday, just to be sure since she has pneumonia the other month. The pediatrician examined Juliette as she sat on my lap and Madeleine stood at my side, staring at the doctor and saying, "Be careful. She is my best friend." anytime the baby even began to fuss. The doctor took it like a champ though. He shook her hand and told her she was a good doctor and that next time she should just call him with her diagnosis and he would phone in a prescription. Then he gave her a sticker and all was right in the world. That is how you deal with a concerned toddler. Stroke her ego and then bribe her. This is the second best moment our pediatrician has ever had, the first being the time I told him Juliette sounded like a smoker and he straight faced asked me if I had found her with any cigarettes ever. Brilliant. As we left the office I could hear the nurses saying, "OH MY GOSH! That was so adorable did you hear her call her sister her best friend?"

3. Kyle came home from work early yesterday to help me with the sick kids so I could go to my doctor's appointment. Despite being at the doctor's all the time I don't really know when I had last been for a general wellness checkup. I must have been tired because when I got up to the office I told the receptionist I would be right back because I had left my Dunkin Donuts in the car and needed to get it so it wouldn't get cold. I got out to my car and there was no coffee. I had distinctly remembered going through a drive through and ordering... turns out that was yesterday. The days, they just all blur together sometimes.

4. While I was waiting for the doctor Kyle texted to let me know that he was involved in a very fancy tea party with the girls. It wasn't too long after that that the nurse came in to do my blood pressure and ask me a whole slew of questions. And it wasn't too long after that that we were completely off topic and looking at pictures of the girls on my IPhone. I told her about Madeleine being protective of her "best friend" at the pediatrician's office and Kyle playing tea party. The nurse declared that we were "The cutest family ever! Like something out of a really adorable movie." Stroke MY ego. But really, being completely serious, I just hope that everyone can see the love we have for each other because that is our goal. We hope to radiate the love of God to everyone!

5. The doctor came in soon after the nurse had escaped my bragging left to go see other patients. At this point I was in one of those bag things and had my pants off. Turns out there was no reason for this. Apparently having my pants off was just for funzies. Anyway, the rest of the appointment got underway and she re-asked me all of the same questions that the nurse had just asked. She got to the section about neuro function and this is the conversation that followed.

"So you are having memory issues."
"I am? Did you hear about the whole coffee thing? I mean, what?"
"That's what it says in here. Did you say that?"
"I don't remember saying that."

ZING! I'll be here all week. (But no really, that was an actual conversation.)

6. Madeleine is currently obsessed with having a birthday party. We went to a friend's party the other week and since then it is basically all she talks about. Apparently she will be getting a new Jesus book and will be wearing a Rapunzel dress and daddy will tell her that she looks "so pretty" in it, since daddy is her Prince Charming and all. Poor kid has no idea she is going to have to wait until the end of June.

7. And finally, those of you who are friends with me on facebook will remember that earlier this week I was hiding from my kids and eating a Cadbury egg in the corner. Now the Cadbury eggs are gone and that makes me very, very sad. Let's have a moment of silence for our creme filled friends....


Aaaand that's it. For more quick takes go to www.conversationdiary.com God bless!

Our day at the Children's Museum

In the morning in the matching pajamas from Grandmom

 

Enjoying breakfast.

 

Dancing to "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

  

Still dancing

 

I just love Juliette's outfit

 

This was a giant train

 

Water play together... so much fun

 

It was hard to get her out of the water room

 

 

Row, row, row the boat

Learning about gravity

 

Apparently she was on the phone with grandmom

 

The stairs lit up different colors as we climbed

 

She's on a boat AND she's going fast AND

 

Pretending to roar like a tiger... not a great photo but it was so cute
 

I just love this little girl

Today we went to the Children's Museum in Acton, MA and had an absolute blast. Not too much to report except for Madeleine "burping from her butt". Her words, not mine. Anyway, we've decided that Tuesdays will be "adventure days". Hopefully we can stick to it.

A Very Behr-y Easter

Well Easter was a beautiful and blessed blast this year. (WOAH alliteration for the win) Kyle celebrated his tenth Easter as a Catholic in style at the vigil mass at the home parish and we only minimally disturbed all the people around us.

My family came up from Connecticut on Sunday and I was on my second Starbucks of the day so naturally the whole house was clean and the dinner was well underway. They came bearing gifts of chocolate and cheese dip so they were most welcome in our home. My mom hadn't been up in a while so I got to show her all the great new organizational tools I had acquired and watch her face as she took in the sparkling kitchen and living room. "See mom! All those years you thought I was unable to pick up after myself... it turns out I actually CAN clean!"

The girls made themselves busy tearing into their Easter presents. They got a doctor's kit, an ABC game, a tea set, and a new train and helicopter for their train set. Plus some Cadbury eggs that I stealthily made away with when they weren't looking...

... but where were we? As we finished up dinner Madeleine made sure each member of my family had about 500 doctor check ups. These checkups involve making sure you are "tall and big", checking your blood pressure, a thorough examination of your ears and mouth, a shot, some medicine, your temperature being taken, and possibly a band aid.

The rest of the day we just relaxed, played with the kids, watched Tangled, and rubbed our aching bellies.

No big plans for the week, just another few hundred doctor's appointments on the schedule and celebrating Carly's 17th birthday with pizza that is an hour and a half away but so. worth. it.

I hope you all had a blessed and holy Easter!

Now for some pictures...

                                            Me before the vigil. I actually like this picture.

                                            Then I tried to take pictures with the baby.

 

                                                          It did not go so well...

                                                                    RARRRRR!

 

I'm an awesome mom

 

The girls playing sweetly at the train set. Kyle creeping in the corner. Photo bomb.

 

 

Juliette having a tantrum

 

Madeleine taking this opportunity to examine the baby

 

Juliette is not a fan

 

She is her own doctor thankyouverymuch

 

 

Hugs to make it all better

Now we are happy again

 

Thanks to Dr. Madeleine

 

Master of Tea Parties

 

And Pilot of Helbacopters

Snuggling as they watch Tangled. Such sweet sisters!