Northern Southern Mommy

So we made it to two years of this symbiotic relationship of parenting and childhood, and it amazes me how quickly two years has passed. It seems only a little while ago that this tiny little baby was put in my arms in the hospital, unable to even hold up his head on his own. And now he runs our house.... kinda. It's hit and miss some days as to who is really in charge, but I like to think that he knows that Mom knows what she's doing. (I really don't, but please don't tell him!)   So to celebrate us both making it two years (!!!!!!) we threw a little birthday bash for the monkey boy! And it was contruction themed because that is his big deal ever since he first laid eyes on a backhoe. And yes I actually do know the difference between a backhoe and an excavator and a front loader. My mother in law trying to help the birthday boy share the wrecking ball game with his friends. Sharing is a concept we're stil...

As most moms do, I turn to Pinterest, when I feel like I need inspiration to entertain my son. It's amazing how you can have all these fun toys for them and yet, after 10-15 minutes they're asking for the TV to be turned on, or to go outside and play with bubbles, or they just hang off of you like some sort of strange growth until you play with them! Like, seriously! I buy toys for my son that I am also interested in, so playing with them isn't a drag for me. (He also has just random toys he likes, that I'm not a huge fan of...) And yet I feel like he's bored more often than not. So today I did something that I'm sure many mama's out there will cringe at.... I brought out beans.... AND RICE. Why? Why would I subject myself to the extra clean up and the chaos that definitely followed this decision to put down bowls, cups, a scoop, a measuring cup, and a funnel, along with several helpings of dried beans and rice? Here's the answer; BECAUSE GR...

So a month ago our little Monkey turned one, and we held a party for him. Because it's cute and probably one of maybe three birthday parties where I can choose more or less the theme and decorate how I want. As a mom I've found that I really love planning these little events and decorating for them. Not that I'm very good, but practice makes perfect! And on that note, better late than never in putting up the pictures of our little family party and his smash cake. I LOVED making his smash cake and his reaction to it was totally worth all the late nights, dirty diapers, and fits we've had this last year. So without further ado, here is my Monkey's first birthday pictures! Nothing better than sharing cake with your daddy!

Once upon a time there was a young woman who had been blessed with so many gifts; the gift of time, the gift of technology, the gift of a home, the gift of family, etc. However, all these gifts did not make her a better memory preserver, which is what she had wanted all along to do. You see, memories are fleeting and hard to hold on to. The instant happens and you promise yourself that you'll always and forever remember what had just been, only to realize you can't quite recall what exactly was said or in what order things happened. And it just gets worse the farther down in time you get. I have been a terrible, terrible journalist of what has been going on, especially when it comes to the little Monkey. He's already ONE YEAR OLD and I at least have been keeping up on his monthly pictures. (Which I just remembered I am late taking his 12 month picture! AAAHH!) The whole reason I had started blogging was; 1.) Because I live so far away from all my family and a majority of ...