Mike was gone all of last week. It was long, and we were tired - exhausted, really - the kind of week that included amongst other things an ink mural drawn over my couch and my three ivory bath rugs turning a lovely shade of pink thanks to my laundry expertise. There's nothing really more to say about that other than that we survived (hooray!). This week - Mike's in town every. single. day. which is rare and happy. It also means that I should actually prepare some proper meals, and that our friends at Chipotle and Potbelly Sandwiches will have to miss us for a few days.
We don't eat fancy around here, but just having a plan is oh-so-very helpful. Here's what we're doing -
Sunday
B: Breakfast sandwiches - Buttermilk biscuits with eggs, cheese and sausage (I love my mom's recipe, too)
L: Turkey paninis + sweet potato fries (frozen)
D: Grilled salmon w. avocado salsa, plantains and rice
Monday
B: Eggs / toast / green smoothies
L: Peanut butter + jelly sandwiches + fruit
Tuesday
B: Breakfast burritos / green smoothies
L: OUT - Down in Houston for Toddler Tuesday
D: Thai Peanut noodles (I'm going to add a rotisserie chicken to the recipe)
Wednesday
B: Oatmeal with berries / green smoothies
L: Chicken Quesadillas
D: OUT - The Lumineers concert
Thursday
B: Waffles (frozen - TJ's) / green smoothies
Friday
B: Cereal / yogurt / green smoothies
L: OUT - West has a mid-morning helmet appointment, and I survive it with Q with promises of Chick Fil A afterwards
D: Family dinner OUT
Saturday
B / L: A trip down to Galveston with friends
D: Date night (we're going to the NBA playoff game in celebration of 8 years of marriage! Mike's idea, obviously. I'd tell you who was playing, except that I barely know that it's a basketball game, let alone the actual teams that are invovled - although Houston will be participating of course. I just get our Astros, Rockets, and whatever else confused sometimes...)
West's smiles are frequent and infectious. He is just so happy 98% of the time, and even on disastrous days like today (it's been a long one) - he still squeezes out a smile for me through bleary-eyed tears. I went back and looked at photos of Quinn at the same age and was surprised to see how different these two are. West isn't sitting up at all, can't even touch the ground if I put him in the jumperoo, and officially had his first solids yesterday - a piece of my Levain Bakery cookie from New York. And their personalities? Night and day, absolutely. Second children!
Quinn is talking up a storm, sleeping worse than his younger brother, and having frequent and total emotional breakdowns (I'm certain I'd have already read Raising Your Spirited Child twice by now were he not so spirited). He's the sweetest, though - lots of hugs and kisses, says I love you, mama! in the smallest little voice, and sprints as quickly as he can to his special chair when it's time for a few minutes of self-reflection after smacking his little brother (thank goodness for a helmet). He basically doesn't stop moving, is obsessed with riding on airplanes, going to the airport and riding the choochoo train (with Wells, please). I'm sure he asks 200 times a day to do one or all of those things. Last night, he woke up a half-dozen times (?!) and requested the ABC's over and over again, and the Angels song that my mom sang to us when we were little. I finally obeyed him when he told me to lie down next to his crib, where I slept until I finally snuck out around 6am (he said - Mama! Hold hand! Hold hand! while sticking his little hand through the crib bars. We fell asleep holding hands, which would have been much sweeter were it not 4am).
I feel so busy, but I'm really just busy trying to be a good mama to these two little boys. I get overwhelemd, and tired and somedays feel like I'm in the middle of a marathon. But a little self-reminder: As long as some of the days (and nights!) can be, I love them so much.
Photo dump.
5 comments:
Lumineers concert! Oh so fun! I am jealous.
West is so blonde!
You definitely earn some major mommy merit badges for your solo parenting weeks. I give you huge kudos. And I understand your sentiment of the busyness of simply raising kiddos- and I just have one! I said something along these lines to M the other day and he said "You got 99 problems but a job ain't one." (I think that was supposed to make me feel better?)
Love your pictures as ever - what darling little ones you have!
Finally catching up on your blog/life. It feels like I haven't talked to you forever and you live 5 seconds from me. Love the pics. West in his helmet is to die for. It looks like you did some fun things with your visitors. Your meal planning is amazing. Mine goes as follows:
Jeff calls me around 4pm and asks what we are having for dinner. I think to myself, crap. Then we come up with a plan.
Someday I'll pull myself together enough to plan meals more than a few hours ahead. I imagine it would be very helpful.
Ink mural!? AGHHHG! I hope it came out! That is the pits.
West is really killing me with cute. His sweetness comes right through that camera lens.
I love your menu posts as always, such a good variety, and I'm always impressed that you plan B/L/D.
Happy Anniversary!
I need you to post your menu every week..you are on top of things friend!
Q's sleeping habits are making me tired. I hope that he is back on the sleep train this week:)
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