Jenny Garland

Raccoons and Ducky Jesus... Thoughts From a 3 Year Old

These are just two of the amusing conversations I've had with Kate (age 3) over the last two days...

Conversation #1:

Kate: "Mom, did you know caterpillars turn into raccoons?"

Me: "No, honey. They don't. Caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies."

Kate: "No. No. No. Mom, caterpillars DO turn into raccoons."

Me: "Sorry, babe. They don't. They turn into butterflies."

Kate: "Nope. They turn into raccoons."

Me: "No."

Kate: "Yes."

Me: "Kate, sweetie. I'm not sure where you got that from, but caterpillars really do not turn into raccoons."

Kate: (Big sigh) "Okay, Mom. First caterpillars turn into raccoons, and then they turn into butterflies."

Me: (totally schooled by my 3 year old) Oh! You mean cocoons. You're right!

Conversation #2:

Me: Kate, are you excited about Cade's birthday party tonight?

Kate: Oh, yeah. I can't wait!

Me: You'll get to play games and eat pizza too.

Kate: Uh huh, Ducky Jesus is the best!

Me: (as I spit out my Diet Coke laughing) "Honey, it's Chucky Cheese."

Birthday Books, a Great Way to Organize Digital Photos :)

Brad and I have over 6,000 pictures on our flickr site. Even so, it's nice to have favorites printed.

Every year after Kate's birthday, I make a photo book that includes my favorite pictures of her from the past year. I write a letter to her in the beginning of the book documenting her milestones, personality, friends, trips, events, etc. Oh, and I gush over how wonderful she is. I will do one each year until she is 18. I think it will be a great keepsake for her someday. For now, I love curling up on the couch and flipping through the pages of her life. My what a beauty I have! I'm already making notes for Sara Paige's first book.

I've used mypublisher to make Kate's first two books but this time I used blurb and couldn't have been more pleased! I know I can create a similar book in iphoto so maybe I'll do that next year. Anyway, I thought you might want to take a peek at Kate's books. Each is about 60 pages.

Kate's Book (0-1 year):

Kate's Book (1-2 year):

Kate's Book (2-3 year):

 

Letters in each book:

 

Check out our new camera - it does awesome video too! Yay for Canon :)

My husband Brad just posted a video to his blog, but I have a feeling most of you who read my blog aren't necessarily following him (techy nerd stuff usually), so I thought I would post it here as well. Whoa. How was that for a run-on sentence??

Anywhoo... we have loved our Canon Rebel XTi that we bought in March 2007. It is super durable and takes great pictures without much effort. The only trouble we ever had was with low lighting. I'm sure there was/is a way around it by adjusting the ISO and fiddling with the manual mode but as it turns out, I'm much more of an automatic kinda girl. Point, click, and voila! Pretty picture. That's how I like it.

Moving on with the story (brevity has never been my strength)... we were happy with the camera but never could find a camcorder we really loved. Plus it's a pain to carry around a camera and a camcorder in an already 50 pound diaper bag, ya know? You know.

Enter the Canon Rebel T1i. Jackpot, baby! It takes even better pictures than our old Rebel and has a built in video camera! We just got it yesterday and I've been busy listing things on Craigslist (old Rebel, old camcorder, etc) so we can break even with the purchase. Here's a video Brad shot at my mom's house today while we were swimming. I am totally excited about the video quality :)

A day at the pool from Brad Garland on Vimeo.

And here is a still, unedited:

How on Earth is My Baby Three?

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!!! I treasure my days with you :)

* I made the skirt using Jona's Evelyn pattern. I highly recommend that pattern for newbies, by the way :) The instructions are very clear.

Despite the best of intentions...

here's now most every morning goes...

• Baby cries at 2am.
• Walk upstairs to feed baby.
• Go back to bed.
• Baby cries at 6am.
• Walk upstairs to feed baby.
• Put baby in swing so she will fall back asleep.
• Feel guilty about putting baby in swing but not guilty enough to play.
• Fall asleep in bed for an hour.
• Hear toddler say "Mommy, I'm awake" over monitor.
• Pretend I don't hear toddler.
• Hear toddler scream "Mommy, I SAY I'm awake."
• Really think about getting out of bed.
• Avoid getting out of bed because I know husband will get up with her and he does.
• Feel happy.
• Fall asleep for 20 minutes.
• Hear Mickey Mouse on the tv and baby starting to stir.
• Realize I am going to have to actually get out of bed and entertain rascals today.
• Get out of bed.
• Vow I'll go to bed earlier tonight.
• Think about showering.
• Ehhh, I'll do it later.
• Brush teeth and join the living.
• Think about drinking water and making egg beaters.
• Grab a Diet Coke and Special K bar instead.
• Start talking to toddler who is rambling a thousand miles a minute.
• Nod head as if I am listening but all I'm thinking is "Caffeine. Kick in, now!"
• Start to feel awake.
• Think about going to gym.
• Ehhh, I'll do it later.
• Watch Yo Gabba Gabba.
• Have "Keep trying, keep trying, don't give up, don't give up" in my head all day.
• Have a tea party.
• Tweet.
• Feed baby.
• Pretend cook in toddler's kitchen.
• Check feeds.
• Start laundry.
• Think it's got to be close to nap time, right?
• It's only 9am.
• Crap.
• Color.
• Sing.
• Play outside.
• Check email.
• Think of something crafty I want to do during nap time.
• Watch another Mickey Mouse.
• Now have "Meeska Mouska Mickey Mouse" in my head along with aforementioned Yo Gabba Gabba song.
• Think it's really got to be close to lunch time now.
• 10:45am.
• Shoot. Good enough.
• Make lunch.
• Feed baby.
• Flip laundry.
• Know clean laundry will not make it's way to my closet today.
• Check time.
• 11:30.
• Have a dance off.
• Nap time for toddler.
• Toddler cries "Mommy, I don't want to take a nappy."
• Mommy says "It's okay, we'll play after nap time. Sleep tight."
• Mommy thinks "Kid, I couldn't care less if you don't want to."
• Think about that crafty project I intended to do.
• Decide to take a nap instead.

Anyone else's mornings go like this?

Fun in the Mountains

We're on vacation this week visiting Brad's parents in Angel Fire, NM.

Here's a taste what we've been up to so far:

A rough start...

Once I got to the airport and unloaded the girls, I noticed ANTS. Lots of ants all over Sara Paige's car seat. I freaked out. I hadn't see them when I loaded her up at home. But it was 5:45am and dark. Thankfully and miraculously, she didn't get one bite. I got a bunch as I frantically disassembled the carrier and shook it out like a maniac in the airport parking lot.

Ants? In a car? Never heard of it. Ugh. I can't wait to see how many ants are there when we come back next week. Lovely. I'm sure the security tape of me jumping around and flinging car seats in the air is quite amusing though.

Thankfully, things picked up right away. The girls and I had a successful plane ride to Albuquerque where Brad picked us up:

We drove to Angel Fire and arrived at my in-laws' gorgeous house:

Sara Paige and Poppy having been having lots of quality snuggle time:

Kate and Mimi have been busy baking cookies:

We've been having lots of fun in the snow:

Brad and I went snowmobiling:

I fared far better! He flew off his snowmobile after hitting a big bump. (Ahem... that's what you get when you try to be all fast and tricky). Anyway, the snowmobile kept going until... it smashed into a tree:

Whoops!! Both participants are fine though :)

Tomorrow Brad and I are sneaking away for a hot date (casino and lunch, anyone?)!

A Lazy Weekend and a New Discovery

We've stayed around the house for the most part this weekend. It's been really nice to be lazy :) Friday evening our friends Chris and Becca dropped by for dinner with their precious three month old baby, Gabe. Here's a picture of him with Sara Paige. I love how she's already being a diva with her hand. It's like she's saying "Don't try anything, buddy!"

Last night we went out for sushi with my parents (oh, how I love you salmon sashimi). Kate loves miso soup and edamame. She calls edamame "popping beans" and the best part is obviously just that. Particularly, when a soybean projectiles across the restaurant onto another table. I'm sure the management loves to see us coming.

During dinner, Nana took Kate to the bathroom and taught her how to make streamers and do a happy dance with toilet paper. I wish I had a video. It was really funny.

We came back to our house after Starbucks and played Rock Band. Kate's favorite songs to drum and sing are Living on a Prayer, Heartbreaker, Jesse's Girl, Beat It, and The Joker. I like her taste.

This morning, Brad read a book on his Kindle and snuggled with Sara Paige:

While Kate and I painted with Crayola's Hassle Free Watercolors:

Okay, friends. Can I just tell you how much I love these watercolors? You don't need a cup of water that your kid is going to splash all over the floor in a matter of seconds. You dampen that white sponge, open up your paintbrush, glide it on the pad, dip it in the paint, and create away!

I am flying to New Mexico next Saturday by myself with the girls and think this will be a great activity for Kate to do in the air. She loves anything with paint and is a big fan of the Color Wonder line. The Color Wonder stuff is not cheap but the markers and paint last forever and clearly, there is no mess. I let her paint on the couch and don't have to worry.

When I bought the watercolors, I saw Crayola has a new Color Wonder glitter paper set with princesses.

Painting, princesses, AND glitter in one? Yippee! That's a product that screams Kate Garland. Here's hoping it's enough entertainment for the plane.

A Dog Parade and Costume Contest? Fun, Indeed.

Sunday afternoon, my girlfriend and I took our kids (5 of 'em under the age of 3!!) to the Krewe of Barkus in downtown McKinney. It is a dog parade and canine costume contest. So much fun!

While Kate and her friend caught lots of beads and candy:

The babies were clearly enthralled with the whole event:

 

How cute are the twins?? Seriously. Looks like Sara Paige will have her choice of handsome men.

Anyway, here were a few of my favorite doggy costumes (the Golden Girls, a bumble bee, a lobster, and a leather clad retriever):

 

At one point, the kids decided to enter the middle of the parade to grab goodies:

It was a gorgeous afternoon and after the parade, my girlfriend and I squeezed in a "mommy conference" (read: wine) on a terrace before the kids lost it.

Check out how many beads they got:

 

My Hubby's a Keeper

I'm not a huge Valentine's Day person (aside from the crafty stuff), but I have to admit when I opened the front door yesterday and saw these gorgeous roses (a dozen each for Kate, Sara Paige, and me), my heart leaped!

What a thoughtful husband I have! To top it off, he wrote the sweetest cards for the girls:

...and a romantic one for me (I'd post it but I'd blush)!

Two Weeks Old

This morning Kate, Sara Paige, and I went to Kohls to buy new bath towels (try to contain your excitement, okay?). I consider our outing a major success as there were no baby diaper blowouts, toddler temper tantrums, or bouts of crying from either child.

This afternoon my mom ("Nana") is taking Kate on a special date. I'm here alone with Sara Paige, mesmerized by the sweet little faces she makes in her sleep. Take a look for yourself:

I think it's safe to say I make cute babies. Or Brad makes cute babies. Whatever. Someone around here does :)

Sara Paige is two weeks old today! Already, I can tell she's a gentle soul. She has an even temperament and only cries when hungry or during bath time. I really can't blame her about the hunger part, I get pretty cranky with an empty stomach too. However, I thoroughly disagree with her distaste toward bathing. There's nothing like a hot bath or shower.

Wait a minute...  I just glanced at the clock (3:10pm) and realized I haven't had either today. Nice. Nothing screams stay at home mom like not showering before dinner.

Anyway, Kate's been a great big sis and sings "Row Your Boat" to soothe Sara Paige when she's upset. The precious thing is it works most of the time. Then Kate gets excited and says "I fixed her!!!"

Here's a recent picture of my other two cuties:

Our house feels full and meaningful.