My Princess Buddy

I'm really bummed.

But at the same time, excited.

You see, this week is my last week caring for Miss Emily. I've had her to play with and be girly with and just sit in amazement together as the boys perform yet another set of super hero feats and show us how they are defeating the bad guys.....

Needless to say, she has been SO FUN.

And Friday is my last day with her. I'm super sad about it.

But then, Monday will be super nice, because I won't have to get up at 6:30 to get ready for her arrival-I could even just stay in my pj's til after breakfast, since the only people seeing me will be the boys.

Or even stay in them all day, if I wanted.

And grocery shopping will be much simpler with two than with three. And if I go while Little Dude is in school, then I'll be shopping with ONE-wow. THAT will actually be super amazing.

And I'm looking forward to spending some great one on one time with JR while Little Dude is in preschool. JR has never had that, so I am super happy I get a good month (or hopefully two) to spend Tues. and Thurs. doing just what JR wants to do, reading the books he wants to read, and making the lunch he wants to eat instead of having to find the balance for three.

It is going to be super awesome.

But gosh, I am really going to miss having a little princess around.

(JR, Little Dude, and Emily this past Halloween at my house)

What To Do

I was recently invited to join a playgroup-a playgroup I had been hoping to join for almost a year now because the moms are all so amazing and awesome-but I felt lame asking to join, so I waited for an invite.

A few months ago-after always meeting these cool ladies at the parks and hanging out with them in groups of one or two at a time, they extended an invitation to me to get on their group mailing list for play dates. Yippiee!

But then, I went to one of the group play dates-where everyone showed up. And though there are only about 12 Moms in the group, and they are all awesome and fun, I noticed there is also a lot of drama and complaining. And most of the kids aren't the kindest of playmates.

Some of the kids are ridiculously whinny and rough. I figured maybe it was because we were the new kids. I was the new one to the group; even though my sons had been around most of everyone before, we hadn't actually met up with the whole group.

And I discovered that what I had wanted before, is actually not what I want at all. I'm debating if I should stop going to outings with them, or if I should not worry about the other kid's behavior-after all, once Little Dude starts preschool this fall I won't be able to control his friends.

Hmmm, what to do...

Little Dude Plays Hockey

He was borderline too small; but he was so adamant that I went ahead and let him try out the Hockey floor at Marbles Kid's Museum.

Boy, it is hard letting your kids grow up. I was so scared he would get hurt, but I think instead I should have been scared of him hurting others-he was quite the scrapper, diving for the puck, swinging his stick, and actually following the rule that the stick couldn't go in the air.



Quite proud, he was, and quite proud, I am.

Meeting in Real Life

Yesterday was so fun, because I got to meet Abby and Linus from My Sweet Babboo! We met up at the Marbles Kid's Museum, here in Raleigh and had a blast. Abby is one super sweet, awesome lady with the most adorable curly haired two year old I have ever met. I am super glad we were able to coordinate a playdate and I am looking forward to getting together again in the future!

Another plus? JR didn't lose it at the museum. He was fantastic and at some points even walked away from me (though he would look back, slyly smiling, just to check on me). I think we was in love with Abby, too, because he kept wanting to share the trains at the train tables with her. And he was making his little google-y eyes that he usually reserves for getting his way.

So, not only did the kids have a great time playing and running all around, but us moms got to chat and get to know each other outside of the blog world! Super fun! I was also super relieved JR was peachy good the whole time; I really was worried about him having some meltdowns, but apparently a trip to Marbles was all he needed. If you have never been to Marbles, you simply MUST take your kid. It is $5.00/person and so long as you are out of the crawling stage, it is fantastic. We could spend a whole day there.

After Marbles, JR continued to be golden and played quite well while I tried to catch up on cleaning and laundry, not minding the least bit that I would leave the room from time to time...thank heavens!

So apparently all you need to cure separation anxiety is a trip to Marbles and a fun visit with Linus!

Finding Other Stay At Home Parents

I am a Work From Home Mommy for Dakno Marketing, with the joy of only working when I feel like it and when it fits in my schduel. With that though, I also still miss out on a lot of the common work place interaction because all my work is done over the internet on web sites, and through email. Rarely do I talk to anyone in person, let alone see anyone in person!

Also, to top it off, since Little Dude was born I have moved to Oak Ridge, TN, Back to Raleigh, NC, and now to Mobile, AL. So it has been imperative for me to find play groups to join, as I have not been a Stay at Home mom in any one place long enough to just simply meet other moms on my own.

So, I now share with you a list of the best sources (that I have found) for finding mommy and parenting groups in different areas, in no particular order.

Moms Meetup
Moms Offering Moms Support Club
Mothers Of PreSchoolers Club
Cafe Mom
Work At Home Moms Club
Work At Home Moms
Raising Themwww.raisingthem.com.
Mom to Mom Connection
Modern Moms Group

And an entire map of Stay At Home/Work From Home Dad Groups: (click on the pin to see the individual groups web address)

It's Where?

Yes, I know, you guys just love hearing about my adventures in poop. That's really what it is: an adventure.

This potty training business is going pretty well, even though I have yet to start a timer or make him sit on his potty yet. He just tells me when he feels like it, I help him get his diaper off, and then he either goes, passes air, or just sits and plays with the toilet paper.

Either one is fine with me; I am just glad he is not scared of it and wants to sit on the potty from time to time. To be quite honest, I am in no hurry to potty train him-because for one he is not going to be 2 until the 4th, and once we start that I will have to face my biggest germ fear: public toilets with a child. And the need to stay near one whenever we go out until we have the potty training down...sigh.

And to further introduce you to the fun of potty training, let me just warn you that when your kid says "Poot!" you have to act quickly. Especially if your child is like mine and saves his poops for once every 3 days. Then there is A LOT of poop and the poor little Pampers just can't hold that much. No diaper could.

So, I went to a playgroup here in Mobile for the first time, and what did Little Dude come tell me? "Poot!" And what did I do? Not react quickly enough. We had poop all over his pants, down his leg ON HIS SHOES and since I didn't notice right away, as soon as I went to help take off his diaper I got it ON MY HANDS. Talk about gross.

So, we ended up leaving playgroup to go jump in a long bath and wash/throw out some very poop saturated clothes.I protected the car seat with a towel I had in the van-mental note that those car seat protector things will be on my shopping list this week. Thank God the playgroup only met 5 min from my house, any longer and I would've DIED from the smell in the car.

Ahh, the fun of parenting.