kiddos

kiddos

Friday, July 29, 2011

Beautiful Babies

These kids are so crazy and I love them so much.

Bluebird has a way of saying Mommy or Daddy after everything she says:
"Yes Mommy'
"I luf you Daddy"
"Tank you Mommy"

She thanks you for everything from brushing her hair to changing her pull-up to tying her shoe.

She is so encouraging. We climbed a hill recently and she told me how good I did. "Good job Mommy". "Good clapping Mommy". "Good Cleaning Mommy". "Good hit Boy".

A bit bossy: "Go get it Mommy"..."You go get it". "Boy, be careful". "Daddy, don't you yell at that Boy"
Such a sweet little girl.

Boy is hilarious and so serious about things.
He wants a Darth Vader helmet and he says:
"Mommy, A Vark Vader helmet will fit my head so good"

He loves to be in costume. Whether is is Micky ears, head to toe Lightning McQueen, Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Transformers (which he calls Iron Giant), "Baseball Man" (when he is playing ball).

He says "Mommy, I am going to play quietly in my room, don't turn that light off"

Bluebird has developed a love for the pool and splashes and laughs. She also loves the piano. She stands underneath and stretches up and plays and plays.

Its a beautiful mess!!!












Thursday, July 28, 2011

Nosey

Another post about Bluebird...because this girl keeps us on our toes and there is always so much to tell. Bluebird is nosey. You may recall a previous post about the credit card reorganization....here:

http://thelosinskifamily.blogspot.com/2011/01/daddy-announced-today-that-bluebird-had.html

well, these types of things happen all the time. She knows right where your keys or cell phone is. She know the contents of drawers that are supposed to be child proof. Boy lost his Mickey ears recently (yes, he started wearing Mickey Mouse ears, another story but what sweet innocence)- after naptime he couldn't find them anywhere. We looked upstairs, downstairs, garage, back porch, bathroom...finally I asked Bluebird "Have you seen Boy's Mickey hat?". She looked perplexed, then started babbling and then opened a closet door and pointed to the ground, where low and behold, lay the ears.
I am still unclear if she actually put them there or if it was just noted in her mind where she saw them last.

This morning, I showered and heard her nosing through my things. As I was getting ready, I didn't see my glasses. I did not even bother to look. I just said "Bluebird, where are my glasses?". She walked in babbling away and went to a table and said "here Mommy". BUT- she also threw two other small items my way. I just heard them bounce off the floor. I said "What else did you have?"
Her reply: "your rings, Mommy".

Yes, my wedding rings, that I had not yet found missing, now rolling under the bed.

Wow, thank goodness she keeps note of where she places things.

Here are a few of the many other ways she keeps us on our toes:





Wednesday, July 27, 2011

No Way



Bluebird is such a funny girl. She picks up quickly on whatever we say and is quick to respond. She has heard me use the phrase "No Way Jose" numerous times.
Yesterday evening she was "scolding" her Boy and I heard her say "No Way, No Hose".

Saturday, July 23, 2011

My Little China Cabinet

As most of you may recall, I decided to give my little china cabinet a makeover. It's been a long time coming.
This cabinet was my great grandmother's. An antique. However, my great grandmother was just a country lady and so this wasn't a "fine" cabinet...but it is functional and special because it was hers. I have had it since I was in high school. I just slowly watched it fall apart, scared to do anything to it because I didn't want to ruin it with some flighty idea.
But finally, I made a decision based on this cabinet:



I liked that it gave me a way to paint the cabinet but still make it look old.

So...we set off on our task. It took us two weekends to complete because we had to use wood filler and sand and lots of tacking of old lifted panels. The antiquing glaze may still be a little in the making because the wood took it better in some places than others. I added some molding, two little flowers we actually had laying around in the garage....Daddy picked out the fabric backing...which at first I thought might be a little too "retro"...but turns out, it is lovely with the little molded flower additions.
the only thing left to do is find the perfect handles...I had to wood fill the previous holes because it is so hard to find handles with a 4" spread. Standard is 3" these days. I didn't take a photo, but the drawer is lined with the fabric as well.

This project is especially dear to my heart because I did all of the work myself. (except some of the nail gun stuff)

I LOVE IT!!!!

Here it is:

Before:



A little repair work:




Some paint:







Some antiquing glaze:





Some fabric and waalaa:








I never knew Georgia (my great grandmother)...she died before my mom was born...But, something tells me she would like this too.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Snippets

I will have to load a video of kids singing....

Kids: "...its summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high, your daddy's rich.....are you rich Daddy?"

Daddy: Your Daddy's good looking and your Mama's rich

kids: "No, Mama's good looking."

Kids; "Hush Baby don't you cry."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Oliver calls the piano the Banano. I really don't want to correct him...because it is so cute. "That's our banano".

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What they are doing NOW.



Buttercup: 10 months old. She has 6 teeth, but her two top front middle teeth are coming in a bit after her two top canines...our little snaggle tooth. She just started clapping on her own. I don't even think we remembered to teach her...and she just figured it out and started clapping. Also, when we ask her where her Daddy is, she puts her arm out and leans towards him in a type of 10 month point.
She doesn't do that for me...but when I am home, she clings to me and if anyone comes too close, she smiles, but nuzzles her head into me to let them know she isn't going anywhere. She doesn't sleep through the night...but gets closer, sometimes. Her hair is getting blonder and seems straight like Boy's. Her eyes are a crystal blue.She stands for a few moments on her own, and it is so cute to watch her elan into the toy box to check things out.



Boy: 4 years and 3 months old. He goes from super hero to Cars to trains.I love listening to him reason and talk through things. He tells Daddy "You're the guy, You're the one". He knows what all his letters look like and what sound they make. He knows what letter all his friends names start with. He is still shy and quiet, but he pays close attention to those details. He always talks about his "Grandpa"..."My Grandpa will be so proud of me", "My grandpa's name is Crazy Pa". In baseball, he really just wants to goof off with the other kids...and tends to gravitate towards all the negative behaviors. He thinks they are hilarious. He doesn't sleep through the night either. He always makes it into our bed and by my side at some point. He loves to sing but really only does it for me. I feel blessed to know these little sides of him he won't show anyone else. If he gets hurt, he says "I don't need a band-aid"...he doesn't like his hair cut either, but he will say "Mama, you can cut my bangs and then take me to the store" (letting me know he can be bribed)...he is a bit spoiled and when we drive past Target he says "There is my store, that's where my toys are".



Bluebird: 2 years 10 months old. She is completely potty trained...except she doesn't want to poop in the potty, instead she walks upstairs and puts a pull up on. She is so smart that we are constantly stunned. She is becoming more dramatic, but mainly when I am around. She still sits on the counter in the sink while I get ready for work in the morning. She has ruined two baby dolls wit markers and pens...one of which was my baby as a child. She just likes to "color". She is funny and knows way more about super heroes and cars and trains than any little girl should. She can hang with the big kids. She likes to swing high, run fast and get dirty. But she still swirls in a new dress and loves her pedicures. She has No fear and we are constantly working to keep her safe...a challenge. She also loves babies and at night she covers herself with everything she owns. She is generous with hugs and kisses and kind words. She usually sleeps all night in her own bed, but when she does come into our bed, she brings along about 3 blankies and all the stuffed animals she can carry. Her smile is so big that it takes up half her head when she laughs. Her eyes are the color of the ocean after a storm, a kind of dark teal. She is full of encouraging words and is constantly telling boy that he is a super hero, or good baseball player. She loves Boy. Daddy threw a toy in her direction earlier in order to move it out of the kitchen and she said "Daddy, good throw". She likes to play on the stairs and all too often there is a whole little set up right on the stairs of kitchen stuff or cars or other toys. My cousin is staying with us and she found a few toys randomly selected on the hood of her truck, compliments of Bluebird.

Monday, July 11, 2011

From the Mouths of Babes

Playing with the kids yesterday...I went up into their fort and felt like a child again...until, they pushed me down the slide...."weeeeee"...
but, I stuck a little bit going down....
Boy said "Mama, you're too big. We have tiny heinys and you have a giant heiny".

Thanks.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Happy Belated 4th of July








We were so busy with the piano, that I didn't post on the 4th...
Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence Day!
These are uncertain times, for sure...but today, I feel blessed to be free. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. Free to pursue dreams and live the life you want.
Happy Independence Day!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Summer Bounty

We live in the great state of South Carolina. There was a time when I never saw myself saying that...but upon moving here, I found that the people in the upstate truly take pride in their state. Southern Hospitality at its finest!
I have also learned that here in the upstate, everyone is a gardener of some sort. My work colleagues bring in veggies each week to share. Ms. L's parents plant hers for her, and Mrs. G does all the work herself, Dr. G works at his in between his hundreds of other responsibilities....but one thing remains the same, they all have a garden and they all share. I am still cultivating my green thumb. This year I only planted yellow squash, zucchini squash and tomatoes....and so far I have only gotten a few edible veggies...Plus the herbs that I am oh so proud of, they thrive.


So I share herbs and homemade vegetable broth and in return I can expect some sort of vegetable bounty each week.
Today however, I truly could not believe my blessings. My dear friend Rachel is home in Maine, so she gave me her weekly farm share, in addition to our office share. So many beautiful vegetables and a dozen eggs....YUM!






actually, this was AFTER Bluebird had eaten 20 or more cherry tomatoes all by herself.


So, as the rain falls steadily outside, watering our beautiful earth and "growing tomatoes" (as Boy says), I am enjoying my local organic garden omelet. Thank you friends, thank you Earth, thank you God!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Piano Restoration

Ok folks, I got my blue piano. I have been thinking about this for a while...and it finally happened. It was not as simple as I had anticipated, however.

I looked for a deal and I got my $50 piano...but then I actually agreed to pay $100 over the asking price to get some help moving the thing. Again, I made this craigslist deal, site unseen...and of course, we get there to find this lady who was down on her luck, laid off...and, well...she lived in a trailer that reeked of urine. Literally would take your breath away. The floor was falling apart as we moved the piano and she admittedly didn't think the thing had been tuned since she got it (when she was 7 years old). As usual, I felt bad and didn't renege on the deal, even though it was quite clear that this piano would take a lot more work than we had anticipated. It would actually get worse when we got it home and found that it had obviously been housing a mouse family...and fortunately, no permanent damage seemed to be done. Still gross and a whole lot of cleaning and dusting.
I had one sleepless night...thinking about all the better pianos I could have bought with the money I had now invested in this one. The piano is actually a Mehler, which is supposedly one of the better than average brands...however, this one needed far more work. Someone had butchered the top of it and put this weird mirror (you can see this in first photo below if you look closely- I didn't get this in before and afters because Daddy removed it almost immediately. It would need wood work, polish and a lot of tuning (which we will wait to do in the fall).
Finally, this evening...it all came together at last. We are actually quite pleased. This has been one of our more tedious, but also one of our most interesting and beautiful restorations.

So, $50 piano. $100 for moving. $50 for gas. $90 for wood, molding, paint. 20 man hours. 2 back aches, 1 sleepless night, 3 headaches later...and here you go:





















What do you think?