Smoke! Fire!

I received an e-mail from a reader the other day that made me laugh out loud. This reader is from the west coast and had just finished a photo shoot close to where I live, and after the shoot she and her colleagues came across a bit of a conundrum. Being the giver of wisdom that I am (ha, ha), she decided to ask me for some clarity. Here you go:

When the shoot was over and we were driving through Oklahoma to the airport we saw multiple signs that said something like "do not drive into the smoke". We were really curious what this meant...where does the smoke come from? Obviously it happens often enough to have a permanent sign on the freeway. If there is smoke, do you just have to pull over on the side of the freeway until it goes away? We were perplexed, and of course forgot to ask anyone while we were still there. I'm sure you are busy so thanks in advance if you take the time to answer this :)

My response:

Do not drive into smoke. Yes. I've seen a sign like that once AND yes, I've actually driven through smoke. I know that the roads in Oklahoma have undergone some pretty hardcore construction lately, so my only guess is that this elusive smoke would be a byproduct of much-needed road repair. When I was visiting my boyfriend (now husband) in college, I drove from Arkansas to Oklahoma and sure enough, due to some road construction, there was a ton of smoke pouring across the highway. I drove through it. It was stupid, given that there is zero visibility with smoke, but really. The option of pulling over and waiting for the construction to be done would mean that I would still be sitting on the side of the road today.

I guess I broke the rules.

That's the best answer I've got. I hope it will suffice!

Love,

Katie

Okay. After reading her e-mail again, I decided to go to the Place of Never-Ending Useless Wisdom: Teh Internets. According to some random site that I will not link to because I did not like the content on the site other than the fact that it did address the issue of smoke signs in Oklahoma (PHEW RUN-ON SENTENCE): Apparently, a farmer was burning some fields one day close to the highway, cars drove through the smoke, and a large pile-up quickly ensued. Hence, do not drive into smoke. Or burn fields close to highways, for that matter.

And, of course, the ever-obvious conclusion that Where There is Smoke, There is Fire.

I'm not sure if I believe that story. Because I actually drove through smoke in Oklahoma and it was due to road construction. I mean, COME ON.

Okay. Firstly, can any true Oklahomans out there validate the farmer story? Secondly, I'll go ahead and open this up for you to tell me the dumbest signs you've ever seen. Because while the story of a pile-up is not in and of itself funny, the idea that a permanent road sign should be placed along the highway because of it, is. They might as well add "Use Blinker When Changing Lanes" signs, too.

Have a lovely day!

Sixteen Months.

Dear Cub,

Today you are sixteen months old.

SIXTEEN MONTHS OLD. THAT IS OLD. I have proof.

Here you are at sixteen days:

(with your Memere)

and again at sixteen weeks:

So, yes. Sixteen months. Wow.

The time has flown. I knew it would. These letters usually consist of your latest developments and behavioral patterns and such, so, here it goes:

1) You sleep great.

2) You eat great.

3) You play great.

Does that sum it up enough? Your favorite foods still fall under anything that can be categorized as "food", you go to bed and take a nap like a champ and if you aren't tired or if you wake up early, you simply play in your crib until we come and get you. You play well on your own and play well with others. I love sneaking into the children's wing at church and spying on you in the nursery. It's too cute. You smiled and chatted and cooed at your check-up. The pediatrician said you're doing great. You even made him laugh. Way to go!

Now. Just because, as your parents, we think you are a glowing pile of amazingness, does NOT mean that we don't face the necessary challenges that accompany toddlerhood. For example, just a few nights ago, you decided you did NOT want to pick up your legos. Putting our toys away is a pretty big deal, something we strive for every day, and yet, you randomly decided that you had better things to do. Like play with a ball. So, Daddy had to sit you down and lay out our expectations for you. You did not like it, not one little bit. But, he sat there with you the whole time until every last lego was picked up. You cried. He was resolute. The job got done. Two minutes later you were laughing and toddling around. With your ball.

And today? Your picked up your legos like it was no big deal. Ah, the joys.

We are currently learning our manners. You still sign for "please", but are able to say "thank you" and "excuse me" (I DID ask your doctor if it was okay that you still signed for some words and he said that yes, it was, and that it wasn't a sign of developmental delay--communication is communication!). As with the legos, sometimes your manners are flawless, and sometimes you burst into tears as if to say MANNERS?? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. It's comical. Stressful at times, but comical. You test new boundaries every day, but you also learn every day. It's all about consistency, Cub.

And, we have so much FUN. Toddlers have always intimidated me, but now that we are facing that stage, I can honestly say that Yes, it is challenging (as is every stage, to some degree), but it is also FUN. The laughter and the stomping of little feet and the running on tip-toes--it's all kinds of fun. Your limitless energy can be exhausting, but in a good way. I love ending the day feeling tired. It's been a little tough with all of the cold weather, which confines us to the indoors for the most part. But, thanks to play groups and our own little family dance parties, we're able to come up with creative ways to expend energy inside. But, I'm not gonna lie--springtime can't come soon enough!!

You have a little sister on the way, and you love to come up to my tummy and exclaim, "Mimi!" You pat my belly. You have no idea what's going on in there and let me tell you, things are about to change big time. But, the change will be good. You will be a great brother. Just try not to make her eat butter by convincing her that it's ice cream.

Your Dad and I are so proud of you. Your Dad beams every time he walks in the door and you exclaim "Dadda!" and toddle to him. You two are quite a pair. I love it.

And I love you, sweetie.

Love,

Mama

Wordless Wednesday With Words.

Every morning, I set Cub on the bathroom countertop while I get ready. The other day, my husband walked in as Cub picked up my blush brush and began brushing it on his cheeks. My husband paused, sighed, and declared I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING A GIRL.

Good thing he didn't see him trying to apply mascara earlier.

Now I Get It.

I remember when I was pregnant with Cub, I had conversations with Moms who were pregnant with their second or third child and I was kind of amazed at how NOT excited they seemed. They were just pretty laid back about the whole thing, while I, on the other hand, spent every free second scouring our Target registry online to check which items we still needed to purchase. I knew exactly which colors I wanted to use in the nursery, I knew exactly which Travel System I wanted and why (COLOR), I knew I wanted the neutral papasan chair and the white shelving to counterbalance the espresso crib. I constantly checked Restoration Hardware's Baby and Child line to see make sure the bedding I had selected was just what I had in mind.

One could say, I was on it.

This time, well, things are different.

My friend and I were discussing this today and we joked about how laid back our responses might seem to our second pregnancies. We're both excited to decorate our baby's nurseries (and I'm thrilled to start Cub's new room), but the hurried anticipation isn't there. And why is that? Why do we come across as not being as excited this time around?

And friends, I GET IT. I get it now. The excitement is there, but it is a much more developed and understood excitement. This time I know what I'm getting into. The first time around, I think I cared so much about bedding and a pack-n-play that matched my home's decor because, really, those were tangible items, while Cub, honestly, was not. I mean, I felt him kick and punch and I knew he was there. And I knew I loved him. But during that first pregnancy, baby items were the primary way that I could feel connected to Cub. I could hold his blankets and see his curtains, when I couldn't hold or see him.

Now that I've gone through it, I know what's coming. I know there is nothing like it. And I could care less if our stroller is brown or pink or green--I'm just ready for the baby. I'm ready to meet Naomi. And so, I'm feeling pretty laid back about it. There's not much I can do to hurry the process, you know? I was excited during my pregnancy with Cub, but I was very, very nervous, too. This time, I know what to expect, so my excitement is different and stronger. I know having two children will be crazy, but I'm ready to meet the challenge head on and I'm more confident this time around. And now I understand that that confidence is what I saw in those veteran moms. It isn't at all a representation of under-excitement, instead, it's a strong and beautiful peace. The late nights. The multiple feedings. The spit-up. The challenge of two or more kids at once. The labor. The delivery. The hard times, the fun times. We know what's coming.

And we know it is good.

We're ready to have our baby girl.

Am I the only one who feels this way? How did you, friends, feel during that second pregnancy?

Pics and Cakes.

This weekend was packed. I mean, packed. At the end of each day I flopped into bed exhausted. And it was great. Because it was packed with FUN things and GOOD things. The two biggest things had to do with friends and their babies on the way, which is just always all kinds of fun. So! Here you go.

Firstly:

Maternity photo shoot for some friends! Yay!

(He is SO TALL.)

(Mama's belly.)

Secondly:

A wonderful shower for a dear friend! I'll let her post pictures and write her own post about it, since it was her shower and all, but I will tell you about my particular role in the shower: DECOR. And I did some diaper cakes. Which I think I've documented before on my old old blog. BUT, I'll document them again. Because I excel in over-documentation.

Diaper Cakes a la Vase

(For Those With Skinny Vases On Hand And Not a Clue What To Do)

by Katie

Firstly, find the cutest littlest most precious diapers you can and roll them up, beginning from the top and rolling towards the bottom. Make sure the diapers you select are white. Unless you want a Sesame Street or polka-dot themed diaper cake. In that case, may the force be with you. Secure with a rubber band.

Nextly, after you have acquired enough rolled diapers to evenly surround the base of your vase, secure them together with a large rubber band.

Roll another bunch of diapers, enough to comfortably surround your existing layer. You will want the bottom later of diapers to be two diapers thick, since you will be placing a single layer of diapers on top. Secure the next layer with an even bigger rubber band.

Repeat the previous steps for your next layer of diaper cake, making this layer only one diaper thick. Now you should have two tiers. Then select your ribbon of choice.

Cut the appropriate length of ribbon and secure. I secure with tape. Some secure with glue dots. I did not have glue dots. If the ribbon gaps a little, you can also use tape to secure the ribbon to the diapers. I didn't want to use anything that could damage the diapers, and tape is flimsy. Functional, yet flimsy. I appreciate that in a temporary adhesive.

And, Voila! The finished product(s). So fun.

There you have it! It's funny how, when I type this post, it looks like a simple and short weekend. And yet I sit here EXHAUSTED. If only blogs had the ability to properly display EXHAUSTION.

You'll have to take an exhausted smile instead. And believe that after this picture was taken, that girl promptly fell into bed.

Have a lovely day!