Monday, December 30, 2013

Terrible-Two, Tater Tot



Tater, Tater, Tater!

Where do I even begin?  You turned 2 a couple of weeks ago before Christmas and unfortunately it was also one of my busiest days at work where I worked a full day and then  was on several calls through 1:30 am through the next day. But my love for you still miraculously found time to bake you a cake, and I still spent every moment I could next to you. 

So let me tell you a little about yourself at the two year mark.

You talk-- like really well!  This morning you said, "Where's my Elmo?  Oh!  There it is!"  Although it sounded more like "Wes my Almow? Oh Deh- is"  Those are full sentences in my book, little dude.  You're rockin!

You're becoming a picky eater like your brother was at this age, but you're not going on a Ghandi-like hunger strike like your brother did.  You'll still put any food in your mouth, but now you've learned to chew out the nutrients and discard the rest (usually into Mama's hands).  Sometimes you even walk up to our garbage, lift the lid and spit right into the can. 

You have a problem with the bottle, to which I mean you just WON'T transition to sippy cups. 

Bottles and your blanky - you still need both to take a nap.

Your tantrums aren't nearly as bad as your brother's were (yet - but we're still just starting off the year).  But you'll stand your ground, scream "NO!", cry and throw yourself on the floor to get your way sometimes.  And sometimes it works.

You really love Thomas the Train and stacking toys, but you'll also entertain your big brother by fighting with a pair of his Godzilla or Dinosaur toys.

Last year you were just barely learning to walk.  This year you are just learning how to pedal on your tricycle and jump with good balance.

When I sneeze, you say, "Bess you, Mama"

When you sneeze, and I say bless you, you say "Thank you Mama".

Any letter or number that you point to, you proclaim as the letter "E".

You and your brother fight by wrestling, but when shit gets real, you'll bite him.

You want to do things by yourself.  You want to feed yourself, you want to close the car door by yourself, you want to clean the table yourself with a napkin.  You often refuse my hand when we go on walks and get pissed when I grab your jacket hoody as an alternative to your hand (you don't get that cars and roads are dangerous). 

You love Mickey Mouse and scream, "Mickey!!!!!!!!!!" Anytime you see him. 

After I had you well trained as a crib sleeper, your Dad felt sorry for you sleeping alone a few months ago,  and invited you to our bed.  Since then you demand to sleep with us, and we're now a 100% co-sleeping family and the nursery is just toy storage.  --> This is probably another post entirely.



Happy Birthday Tater, as you enter into your terrible two's!  I just ask that you take it easy on your Mama for this phase.  Your brother beat me up pretty badly already. I'm still traumatized!

-Shirley (Mama Ruff)




Thursday, December 26, 2013

Dear Santa: What will I do without you?!



Dear Santa,

It's been a crazy month, and I didn't get a chance to blog so many things since before Thanksgiving even.  But now that you're gone, Santa, I'm at a loss.

What will I do without you?!!!!!

Your power over my children was a godsend!  I threatened my children with coal at every turn, and the amazing thing is that they behaved every friggin' time.  I even enjoyed a stress-free dinner at a fancy restaurant WITH THE RUFFIANS at my side!  You are an amazing, jolly fat-man!  I love you!

Please stay, dude.

You're the best.  Don't leave me!  I need you.


Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Pumpkin Mexican Wedding Cookies


MessicanCookiesEdit

A good friend on FaceBook tuned me into this pumpkin recipe to help me figure out to do with all those pumpkins we got.  It was another hit.

Just ask the boy below who NEVER eats with such gumption!


MessicanCookieEat
Amazing! - Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Friday, November 1, 2013

White Elephant

Untitled

It's rare that I ever make a cameo in a high quality, non-blurry photo taken by someone else.   So let's ignore the white elephant in the room, because clearly he was ignoring us as well. We're lucky he even glanced in the camera's direction!

He DID NOT want to wear his costume!

Luckily, with a bit of a struggle I was able to successfully get him in the costume later when we went trick-or-treating at the mall.
Untitled Untitled

And he had fun.  What do you know?!  He's been talking about it all day.

We passed out candy afterwards.  Diego had fun when kids came up to our glass storm door.  But there was someone else who anticipated it more (after he got tired of barking, of course).
Untitled
-How was your Halloween?
Shirley (Mama-Ruff)
Untitled Untitled

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Angry Pumpkins Part Deux

PumpkinCarving

It seems we can't get away from Angry Birds pumpkins.  Hubs and I have decided that we'll put our feet down next year and implement an Angry Birds pumpkin carving STRIKE!  Wish us luck!  We're going to need it!

 PumpkinCarving2013-3 PumpkinCarving2013-5 PumpkinCarving2013-7 PumpkinCarving2013-9

Happy Halloween!

TaterVamp_2013 DDVamp_2013


I hope you have a day full of Tricks & Treats!

These vampire pics have sort of become a yearly tradition for me now. I think I like them so much since it brings out my Ruffian's true colors!



Those evil little pumpkin assassins!
-Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Click here for last year's pics  

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Halloween Nails

SkullNailsNMessicanCookies-1 

 I thought these fancy skull nail stickers were awesome and edgy and was super excited to put them on.  I didn't notice that the box said that they would only last a week.  So I figured I'd put a top coat on them for extra endurance, and I managed to ruin a few by doing that.  Luckily I had extra stickers so I just re-did them. 

I'm kind of disappointed that they started peeling within a couple of days, but honestly Halloween is only one day (even though we're celebrating it for the whole month!), so I guess it's acceptable. They're no match while blow drying my hair, and I've been wearing gloves to wash dishes all in hopes that they last 'till tomorrow. 

If you're wondering, they are Kiss brand nail dress stickers.

Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

CoconutCurryPumpkinSoupEdit 

I have a million pumpkins since the pumpkin patch and DD insists that he doesn't want to carve them.  He wants to cook them. 

So we roasted and pureed the pumpkins together and I made my first (of possibly many) pumpkin dish:  coconut curry pumpkin soup.



PumpkinPuree-4

PumpkinPuree-5
Roasting at 375 degrees for a little under an hour & a half.

I gotta say, for me not being a big fan of pumpkin, this soup was super delicious!  I would make it again in a heart beat.  I considered it a clean-eating kind of dish with only 5 basic ingredients.  I basically only used 1 canned product, because were else am I going to find coconut milk?

So here are the details:

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
  • 6 cups fresh pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • salt & pepper to taste
In a medium-sized pot toast the curry on low heat, as soon as you smell the curry fragrance move on the the next step so you don't burn the delicate curry. Add the coconut milk and whisk on low heat until it's clump-less and a golden color. Add in the pumpkin puree and vegetable stock.   Simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes, whisking every so often. Add salt & pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Easy-Peasy and Oh so delish! - Shirley (Mama-Ruff)
CoconutCurryPumpkinSoup-2

Friday, October 25, 2013

Keep Pressin' On!

Lees-1

I've had these drug store fake nails sitting in a box for months.  I think I bought them to wear at my sister's baby shower, then when that didn't happen it went to my cousin's wedding, then when that passed I was going to use them for my birthday.  Anyway, I finally made time to put them on for my vacation to DisneyWorld and I'm so surprised that they lasted for two whole weeks!

I called them my Lee Press-on Nails as a running joke the whole time expecting one to pop off in the middle of a business meeting.  I'm pretty impressed they lasted as long as they did.  Near the end there were a few nicks in the paint job due to my bad aim when chopping vegetables - Ouch!  Good thing only the nails get hit!  I ended up taking them off myself, otherwise I'm not sure how long it would've taken for one to fall off.  Pretty good considering all the cooking, cleaning, dish washing, and laundry I do!

I've been so OVER my natural nails breaking all the time lately.  Going "fake" is tempting and so easy!  Anyway, these nails were the Broadway brand, and you can bet I have a bedazzled look coming up next for Halloween!

-Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin_2013-32 

As I suspected, the pumpkin patch was a big hit with the ruffians.  So much so, that our wagon was filled to the brim.  Hubby and I had to do some colluding so that I could distract the ruffians while he removed some of the pumpkins from the wagon.  I guess our colluding efforts were in vain, since the checkout price for these pumpkins was $65. 

It didn't help that Tater only went for pumpkins that were bigger than him.

You can bet there'll be some pumpkin recipes or food posts on MATR in the near future!

-Shirley (Mama Ruff)


Pumpkin_2013-9 Pumpkin_2013-17 Pumpkin_2013-23 Pumpkin_2013-26 Pumpkin_2013-28 Pumpkin_2013-33 Pumpkin_2013-34 Pumpkin_2013-40

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Slice of Life: Washing Dishes

Pumpkin_2013-6
It's a good thing I have a double-sink because I don't know what else I would do.  Each time I turn on the tap to wash dishes, I hear a thud and tiny heavy feet trotting in my direction.  It's a sound that's usually accompanied by the sound of a plastic blue chair being dragged in my direction as well.

You set your place beside me and play with the running water through you tiny fingers.  You grab plastic cups (just washed and drying on the dish rack beside you) and fill them up.  I fill a big salad bowl with water and place it it your sink while I usurp the faucet and 2nd sink for menial, domestic activities.  You play so contently with the water, and if a little bit of Mama's dish soap falls in your bowl, well - you really get a kick out of the bubbles.

I started off trying to wash dishes while you napped or trying to be all quiet and stealth with my dish-washing skills.  Each time I heard the heavy little feet coming in my direction, I felt defeated.  Oh no, here he comes again.  Man!  I really need to get these dishes done.

But at some point, I accepted it and realized that one day you won't do this anymore.  And I'll remember when you used to be my dish-washing buddy.  And I'll miss it.  I only really need one sink anyway.  In fact, I didn't really have a double-sink before until this house.

We've got a good setup now.  Let's keep it going for awhile.

-Shirley (Mama-Ruff)
Pumpkin_2013-5 Pumpkin_2013-4

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Pink Section

EmilysBirthFinal-124

When I found out Tater was a boy, I texted my sis that it would now be up to her to provide the estrogen in the family.  I was DONE having babies!  I didn't want a girl THAT BAD anymore.  True enough, my sister had her first baby - a girl - a few weeks ago. 

I realize now, that although I originally wanted a girl, I was not meant for one.  The pink section in Target is SO alluring, but now I realize it's better that I shop there for someone else's baby.  I realize now that baby girls mean cute outfits and hairdo's  -- oh the hairdo's.  My boys are lucky enough if I wet down their cowlick/bedheads in the morning before shuffling them off to Abuelito's.  I can't imagine trying to braid or Topsy-tail someone's hair every morning!  I know I'd forget to add a headband or cute bow, I just know it.  And outfits?  I've tried cute hats, suspenders, or other accessories on my boys but they are about as T-shirt and Jean as you can get.  And that's SO much more easy, let me tell ya.  I'd feel sorry for my daughter if I had one.  I'd fail at being a femme enough Mama now.  I've been re-conditioned by the Ruffians.

And how would I keep a girl's clothes on if she ever wanted to be Jane Tarzan?!!!    No idea.

This new setup I've got going on is perfect now.  Anytime I need an estrogen dose, I'll just visit my sister.   I'll comb hair and play with pink my little ponies, and when I'm over it I always know that I can call on T-Wax the dino to "take out" my little pony. 

It's perfect....

-Shirley (Mama Aunty Ruff)
EmilysBirthFinal-3 EmilysBirthFinal-13 EmilysBirthFinal-31 EmilysBirthFinal-38 EmilysBirthFinal-116 EmilysBirthFinal-98

Saturday, October 19, 2013

For Love of Pumpkins

Untitled


I underestimated this kid's love of pumpkins.  He practically attacked the speech therapy intern for the whole bag of pumpkin candies instead of the one candy he was being offered!  I experienced a classic mommy-fail moment and gave in to the tantrum and bartered with him.

If you stop crying, I will buy you your own bag.  Deal?

Deal....

I thought he'd grab anything in the candy aisle, or maybe go for the biggest bag,  but he was very specific.

"Halloween," he kept saying.

Until I found the bag of pumpkins.   He turned into a kid in a candy store...... literally.

PumpkinCandy-1


His speech therapy intern has always given him lollipops and other candies, and yet he's never had a tantrum like this before for the WHOLE bag!  After a day of giving it some thought, it all started to come together: 
  • How happy he is talking about pumpkins.  
  • How he talked about an Angry Bird pumpkin  (how does a 3 year old remember pumpkins from the previous year?!).  
  • How excited he was picking his pumpkins last year.  More excited than I saw him at Disneyworld!  I mean, I never heard him say "I want to go home" at the pumpkin patch.  
  • How he nearly tackled his speech therapy intern for a bag of pumpkin candies.

 It's a good thing we're going to the pumpkin patch tomorrow!
-Shirley (Mama-Ruff)

Thursday, October 17, 2013

T-Wax Ruff

Twax 

I inherited a new Ruffian into our pack.  His name is 'T-Wax" and he joined our family during our vacation after Diego got the shit scared out of him on a dino ride that he was not mentally prepared for.  That's one of the drawbacks when your 3-yr old son is above the 90th percentile in height.  He can get onto rides he probably shouldn't actually be on.  The other drawback is people unfairly expect him to act more mature, which means less-to-no tantrums.......  Yeah... that's NOT gonna happen!

So T-Wax came along to cheer Diego up for the surprisingly low adoption fee of $17 at the Animal Kingdom!  And man! Those two are inseparable. Don't worry about Tater, he got a toy too.... well - actually he picked out a mean dino BOOK. <---------------He's the scholar of the family.   ;)


T-Wax is the size of a small dog and will eat your pet gerbil.  DD & and T-W do everything together like sleep and eat Epcot Center, the Eiffel Tower, and the Hilton.  

I introduce you to T-Wax Ruff...  He's very loving, cuddly, and HUNGRY!



Twax Twax Twax


A short monologue of how DD got T-Wax:
"I go on dinosaur ride
Now I scared
I was crying
Now Dada get me my dino!" 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Flight to Disney World

Disney world

It was only a couple years ago that I had a traumatic experience on an airplane flight with my first born toddler.  It was a 9-hr flight to the Bahamas and it was HELL!  He did NOT want to stay still or quiet during the red-eye flight unless I walked up and down the aisle with him THE.......WHOLE..... FLIGHT.

I made an unrealistic vow at that moment I would never fly with AGAIN with toddlers!

Enter toddler #2 and a few flights later, and the trauma remains although it's not as bad as before.  Tater ( toddler #2) is completely different than my first.  He stays in his seat, or the vicinity, and take-off seems to miraculously put him to sleep instantly!  Hallelujah! 

Prior to choosing a 5-hr flight to DisneyWorld, I stalled and stalled on planning this vacation because Hubby was making long-ass destination suggestions like Fiji, Italy, or the Galapagos.  Um---- HELL no!  I was pushing for a 5-hr flight to Hawaii, personally.  I honestly gave up on my stall tactics near the end of our vacation planning.

I told my husband that if he really wanted to, I could do a trip to Jamaica but I wouldn't be able to handle any flights longer than that.  I thought my Hubs would instantly logon and book something.  Instead he stared at me semi-vacuously and said, "Plan B - let's go to DisneyWorld."

I guess at that moment my hubs realized that a trip to Jamaica would NOT be the paradise he was expecting with our two kids -- the most vocal kid of which HATES water.  What's that Mama?  Water you say?  Fuck no!

All the stress was 80% gone in my mind.  5-hrs on a plane?  I could do that!

So we packed 3 fully-charged iPads and a Kindle Fire and ZERO airplane toys.  (I learned that toys are catapulted onto other airplane passengers during previous flights).   My sister suggested a new dinosaur toy for the plane...  I told her a new dinosaur APP, maybe.   To save money, Tater sat on my lap for the flight - I wouldn't recommend it, and we booked our tickets too late to sit together as a family.  But the flight attendant helped us move passengers around so we could sit together in the end.  He even helped me down the aisle to my new seat.  My hands were full with bags, so I tried to make Tater walk to his dad at the new seat but Tater wasn't budging.  The flight-attendant took the iPad, and said, "Here baby, baby.... Follow the shiny iPad!...."  The passengers laughed, but it worked.  "You've done this before."  I said jokingly.

Sure, we had a couple tantrums, especially in the security line, and a passenger asked us to control Diego's seat-kicking on the return flight, but it was not the WORST I've lived through when it came to airplane flights. I've survived another flight with the Ruffians!!!  And they invaded Disney World.


Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world Disney world