7 Quick Takes- The one where I make some nerdy Star Wars references

7. It was eighty degrees yesterday so we ventured to the park again. Last summer Juliette was still too little to do a lot of exploring on her own. This is no longer the case. She kept running away from me, chasing a little boy, climbing the slides, and bouncing on the seesaw. Let's just say that I definitely got a work out.

Running away. Saw a lot of her cute little rear that day.

Confined to one place. A peaceful two minutes!

6. The weening process is going so smoothly this week. It's been almost a week since she nursed and she can now cuddle me without pawing at my chest... if only she could teach her father that trick. When she does come up to me looking to nurse I just say, "These are not the boobs you are looking for." and she walks away. I may be a jedi. I was sad for a few days but now I am just so happy with the decision we made to do this. Not only am I feeling healthier but she is sleeping through the night for the first time in her 16 month old existence and taking naps. It's a beautiful thing folks.

5. It deeply disturbs me to realize that I have favorite episodes of Barney now. It disturbs me on a whole new level when I am upset if the girls to pick an episode that I like. Really though as long as the episode they pick doesn't have "Riff" in it then I am game. I have very dark feelings towards that particular dinosaur

Exhausted and snuggling to a Barney episode after the park. Such sweet sisters!

4. Remember the days when I was concerned that Madeleine never talked. Welllll now she never really stops. Ever. The kids says the strangest things too. We call them "Madeleisms". Here are a few.

"I went poop in the corner on the floor and daddy had to wipe it up and he was very cranky"
...She tells this story about the time she got "sick" in the corner of the house to anyone who will listen. It's pretty much her favorite.

"Look mommy! Baby is a horse and I am riding her."
...She exclaimed this as she chased her crying sister around the house trying to climb onto her back.

"It's Madeleine and her friends!"- Momma Behr (singing along to the tune of the Thomas theme)
"Mom. I am not Thomas. And I am NOT Percy."- Madeleine
...I stand corrected

"Do you want to listen to Raffi?"- Momma Behr (we like to listen to music while we play)
"No mom. I want Taylor Swift 'Sparks Fly'". - Madeleine
...She knows at least half the lyrics.

3. The potty training is going... slowly. I think the kid only goes on the potty when she has a chocolate craving because she knows she will get a chocolate cookies. Whatever. I'm not in a huge rush.

Now Madeleine this is something you CAN actually ride.

2. Cutest thing ever. Juliette makes a lot of trouble, totally that kind of one year old. Except now whenever she knocks something over she looks up at me, absolutely beaming, and says, "Uh oh!" in the tiniest, cutest voice ever. It's like she knows that if she reaches a certain degree of cuteness that I just melt. The force is strong in that one.

"Uh oh!" She helped daddy do the dishes.

1. Madeleine was given a crucifix necklace as a gift from her auntie that she loves to show to absolutely anyone who will listen. She says, "Look! It's Jesus on the cross!" and then she gives him a kiss. Her devotion to the crucified Christ is absolutely adorable (and very Lent appropriate). She found a big wall crucifix that she insisted on taking with her as we ran errands so she could "hug and kiss Jesus on the cross". I could hear her in the car seat as I drove going, "I love you Jesus! BIG HUG! BIG KISS!" What do you think? Future nun?

Well that's it for this Friday. For more quick takes go to www.conversationdiary.com!

The day I learned I am terrible at making bubbles and other museum adventures

Today, Tuesday, is Kyle's Saturday so to celebrate him surviving two 16 hours shifts in a row, my weaning the baby, and general awesomeness.

We have a family membership that gets us in to over 300 children's museums nationwide (watch out world) so we took off this morning (okay this afternoon. I may have slept in til 11 to compensate for those hours I spent awake not nursing the baby) for the Boston Children's Museum. Easily the most famous and yuppie of them all. Or so I am told.

With the exception of having the besneezes scared out of me by two random snakes hiding in two random rooms (really guys? Can't you fence them off like at the zoo so those of us with phobias don't freak and almost leave out children behind trying to escape. A little warning would be awesome.) it was amazing. There was so much to do, so much to explore, so much to touch and try to destroy. The kids had a blast, we had a blast, and the kids are exhausted. I count any trip that leaves the kids tired as a success.

So here are the pictures.

If only I could get her to do this in real life

I tried to get a nice picture with my daughter but she was NOT having it.

Captain Madeleine and First Officer Pet. Or the worst flight of your life EVER.

She wasn't climbing it. She was crawling backwards. Talent.

Something about gravity. I still don't pay attention to science.

Waiting for the bus.

The only thing better than shopping is apparently asking other people for their moneys. And let me tell you, she was not selling quality produce. It tasted like plastic. (Oh lolz. I crack myself up)

This was Juliette's favorite part. Because we clearly do not have a train set at home.

Kyle kept trying to "teach the babies" but I think he really just wanted to play. He was not sharing either.

You were supposed to spell your name here. Madeleine first put up a "M" followed by an "A" and I was filling out the Harvard applications. She then followed it up with a whole bunch of nonsense and I tucked them back away.

In the hard hat on the truck. I'm pretty sure Kyle was jealous.

She actually got that the balls were supposed to roll down the hill. Not get slobbered on by the one-year-old which was her first idea

Sitting like a lady.... if that lady was Lady Mary Crawley. OH BURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driving the house.

Driving the car. Much easier to steer.

I'm not sure if I was taking a picture of him or if he was photo bombing a picture of Madeleine.

Working together. So nice.

Explaining H20 to her sister. Amazing teacher. Juliette says, "Oh captain my captain!"

'
And the little boy had a good day too!

God bless everyone!

Here comes the sun!

Today it was about 80 degrees which is unheard of for this time of year and therefore must be taken advantage of. Therefore before we hauled Hannah's skinny butt to the airport so she could fly back to college (tear!) we made a pit stop at the park.

Unfortunately when we got there I realized that I had forgotten to bring their shoes. Mother. of. the. year. Twenty tear and screaming filled minutes later we were back at the park and ready for action.

After my kids were reacquainted with the concepts of "grass" and "sunshine" we ran around, climbed, stared at the other kids (them, not me), and let everyone go before us on the slide.

I took pictures.

And then there was the time I sold them to the leprechauns

Today is Saint Patrick's day and to celebrate I went shopping with probably the only other three sober people in the state of Massachusetts; Madeleine, Juliette, and my pregnant friend Ellen. We made it a good, oh, one store before the baby climbed out of the stroller and tried to shop lift. Many stores later (and great deals on clothes!) as I was pulling the kids out of the window display at Banana Republic, I thought to myself, "Self. Maybe you should join the drinkers."

And now the kids are in bed and I am enjoying some Bailey's and feeling pretty decent about life.

I have to admit that sometimes I teach the kids to do things just for my own amusement. Like playing fetch or rapping to Vanilla Ice. Kids are funny. They can do things that big people would look ridiculous doing. Madeleine often picks out her outfits and really nothing will match. It's a pink princess shirt, green leggings, a red hoodie with ears, and purple shoes. And she looks awesome!

Juliette is going through a bit of a nudey phase which we have to keep a lid on in public. Really though she is a typical one year old. Insane, impossible to control, cheeks for nibbling, and a penchant for sniffing out trouble.

We are trying to teach Madeleine that she is not, in fact, allowed to discipline her sister for us. My favorite is when Madeleine gets Juliette to do something she shouldn't be doing and when I catch them she turns and scolds her sister. She is a tricksy little one.

Mostly Madeleine just wants to hold hands, sing her songs, and force feed her things from her kitchen set. Madeleine is incredibly attentive to Juliette, sometimes to the dismay of the brown eyed one year old who only wants to chew on the book in their tent. Mostly though Juliette eats up the attention.

But the big news of the week is that I weened the baby. It's only been about 36 hours but it's going as well as can be expected. So ya know, I'm pretty pumped about it. A little sad but mostly excited.

But for now I am going to go watch Sister Wives and feel thankful that I get my husband all to myself.

Seven Quick Takes- A Fantastic End to the Week

1. Yesterday my lovely sister in law, Lainey got engaged to a wonderful man named Sam. We are all so excited for them and the girls are thrilled to have an Uncle Sam.

2. My sister Hannah spent the night here last night to get some quality rime with her nieces. Today we went to the mall where Madeleine got new shoes and I balloon and I got bubble bath at Lush. It was a winning trip.

3. This means I will HAVE to find time to take a bath. Most days it's a struggle to get in a shower. I suppose that is the life of a mom!

4. For Christmas I got my dad tickets to a Boston Celtics game. The last time we went to a game together was when I was Madeleine's age! I remember that they were losing and I started to cry. My dad told me if I prayer really hard that maybe they would win and so I did and THEY WON! The Celtics is something I share with my dad. We always follow the season together and so it was awesome to be there live! We had so much fun even though the Celtics lost.

5. Got to see the new Boston Bruins banner! Stanley Cup champs, heck yes!

6. There is nothing better than a baby falling asleep in your arms. It is pure heaven. I mean, I don't know how anyone can doubt the existence of God when they hold a baby. I am so completely in love with God and my children.

7. We are currently watching the pilot episode of Star Trek. Live long and prosper my friends!

For more quick takes go to conversationdiary!

This town is our town, it is so glamorous

Points to the people who know that song and regularly rock out to that group.

But TALK about glamorous towns! You know by now I grew up in small town Connecticut. So basically there was a town green, a white church, random historical sites that no one ever visits, about seven Chinese restaurants, ten pizza places, and we now proudly boast a Starbucks. BIG TIME! Also, like Cheers, everybody knows your name... and not just your name but who you dated in high school and how you wrecked your first car.

It's the kind of town that has car shows on the green during the week and concerts on the green during summer weekends. It's the kind of town that was named "57th Best Town in America" by Money Magazine almost ten years ago and although has since been bumped entirely off the list celebrates a "57 Fest" every year. Complete with fire works.

So small town Connecticut, it's everything you ever imagined it to be.

We visit my parents pretty often, about every other week or so. It's only an hour and a half away and visiting means FREE BABYSITTERS so it's really an offer we cannot refuse. Plus, I'm really pretty fond of my parents and sisters.

We were planning on staying home for Kyle's days off this week but it's been a stressful couple of weeks and they offered to watch the girls so we could go out on a date. Amazing! Bask in our love for each other and eat good food and whatnot.

We got hear at about 4:30 and Madeleine was asking to go outside and play on the swings. My mom made a suggestion-

"Don't let Madeleine go outside by herself because there was a mountain lion spotted one street over."

WKHDH!LDSKLSK!KDJKJSJHS??!?!!KKJDSJKH?!

I AM NOT LETTING THIS KID OUT OF THE HOUSE WHILE THERE IS A MOUNTAIN LION ON THE LOOSE!

I mean, Madeleine would be an appetizer for the big kitty. Juliette, on the other hand, would either end up scaring it off for good or riding it like a pony. Either way I am not letting the kids out of the house. I know for a fact that they are absolutely delicious (or at least their cheeks are) so I am not taking any chances.

Anyway, the date was amazing and I love my husband and blah blah blah. Perfect evening.

But there is a MOUNTAIN LION loose on my parent's street!!!!!!!

Is that not amazingly exciting? Who ever said small towns had nothing going on?

Another perfect family day

Today we went apple picking and came home with a haul of over 20 lbs of Fugi apple bliss! It was such a fantastic day. As I type some Apple Blondies are cooling on the counter and are being shipped out to one of our friends tomorrow. Now what to do with the other 18 lbs...

Here is our adventure in pictures. For pictures of Sundays' adventure with the petting zoo and animals see my last post. My kids are so sweet all my recipes are now calling for a cup of them instead of sugar.

We never get to get a family picture taken so when a nice lady asked us if we wanted one done we took full advantage.

Unfortunately Madeleine was in a bad mood at the time and only two of the pictures turned out somewhat well. Can't say we didn't try!Madeleine was much more impressed with the trip once the actual apple picking started. I, however, thought that the day was all about me and started picking the apples without her help. I was way too excited about the whole thing.

The "good mommy" part of me kicked in soon enough and I was very happy helping my little girl enjoy our big day out. Even if she didn't always pick the most perfect apples like I would have. She was just so darn cute. And really, the all look the same when baked up yummy like.
Juliette got in on the action too. And by that I meant she held an apple in her hands and examined it closely.She also enjoyed watching her sister pick the apples.
Kyle and Juliette bonded.
This may be one of my favorite pictures ever.
Madeleine was allowed to munch on one of the apples she picked after mommy cleaned it up for her.
Pure bliss...
OMNOMNOM
We then headed over to the swing set to enjoy the beautiful weather.
This was clearly Juliette's favorite part of the trip
Adorable!
Madeleine had "big girl time" when daddy helped her climb the latter to the big slide.
I just love the color of her hair. Auburn...
Down she goes!

Now for the even bigger slide.
Down she goes again!
Look at the hair go!
Mommy was scared of the goats but Madeleine held my hand.
Back home, stripped down to her diaper and ready to destroy some blocks