Author Archives: carrievoris

Happy Birthday, My Big 2-year old!

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Dear Addikins –

As I was putting you to bed last night, I just couldn’t leave your room. You were nearly asleep, exhausted from your party, when I laid you down and covered you up. It was a rare moment, you letting me just stand there, stroking your hair and gazing at your sweet face as you drifted off to sleep.

It was a sweet pause before a pivotal moment in your life. It feels like you have been straddling the line between baby, toddler, and just plain “little girl” for so many months now.

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You will tell me, “I’m not baby, I a big girl!” or “No, I do it!” And then in the next breath you ask me “Hold my hand, Mama.” Although you will always be my baby, and you’ll never be a “just plain” girl, I think you have definitely jumped across that line. You are all little girl. And I couldn’t help but think back to what I was doing 2 years ago at that same moment, when you became my “baby.”

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I knew after I had my doctor’s appointment on the 8th of September and she “moved things along” a bit, that I was going to go into labor. I just had a feeling as we went out for dinner and I told your Daddy that we had better make sure the neighbors would be able to come over that night. I was so certain you were on your way.

I have to admit I was anxious, far more anxious than when we were waiting for Em to be born. I was unsure of how smoothly the transition from one baby to two was going to be. I was actually very scared, and worried that I just wouldn’t be able to be a mommy to two little girls as well as I could be to just one. And we had our comfortable routine already. Our family of three.

But the minute they put you in my arms, all of my fears, worries and anxieties disappeared. I knew that you were going to fit into our family perfectly. And you have given so much to our family in your two short years.

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Since the day you were born, you and your sister have been fast friends. You have given Emma an opportunity to be a (great!) big sister. She has become a caring girl and is very aware of her job as a role model to her adoring “little sister.” You have taught her the importance of sharing and putting others first. The two of you make the most amazing, beautiful pair of girls and I know that no matter where your paths lead you, you will always have a best friend to rely on. That makes me and Daddy so proud.

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And you have the most incredible sense of humor. Your faces and antics always have Daddy and I cracking up. You have just started to understand how funny you are, and you know how to use it to make us laugh. Just like a beam of sunshine, you shine laughter and happiness into a room just by being there.

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Most importantly, you have made me a much better Mommy. With your curiosity and need to “check everything out, ” you have taught me to be more patient. I know this one still could use a little work…but I am much more patient than I used to be. When I look into those big eyes of yours, I have to catch my breath. I just want to make the world stop and soak in every sweet minute I have with you.

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We still call you “tiny” although you and your personality are anything but that, now. It seems like quite a lot for such a “tiny” girl to have accomplished in two short years, but you have changed our family so that I cannot even begin to remember what it was like to be a family of three. You truly completed our family.

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Happy Birthday, “Tiny.” May this next year be a constant source of wonder, happiness and love. And thank you for bringing all of these to our family, too.

Love,
Mama

The Successful Happy Kippy Party

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We are all “pooped” out. Dog-tired. Ready for a catnap.

Oh, wait. The “kippy” party is over. We can now resume normal operations, and stop with all this puppy/kitty stuff.

It was a hugely successful party. Everyone had lots of fun. Ad held out until 7:30pm, with no nap and then she finally had to give in.

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I need to do the same. I am on “solo Mommy duty” tomorrow so I will post pics, details, and the cutest video of my 2-year old as we sang Happy Birthday to her. It made me cry as I was watching it a bit ago. She really is 2.

Tomorrow, my friends.

Welcome to the food network. Where all we think about is food. All the time.

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The chowdah (gotta say it like you are from Boston) and cookies were highly successful yesterday, thanks for the inquiries.

I am actually away from the house (Gasp…What? I Know!) at the moment, so I’ll post the recipes later on tonight.

But, yes, it was nice to have some good homemade nutrition for dinner. I think J. enjoyed his soup, it has jalapenos in it (totally optional), which he loves, but come to find out, it is not so nice to kiss someone who has indulged in them. So remember that. Be nice to your significant other if you make this chowder and/or if you would like any cuddling later on in the evening.

And the cookies! Let’s just say I’ve “tested” the cookies several times since last evening and they keep getting better with each taste test. So we may have a winning recipe. Finally. Now I need to slowly (s-l-o-w-l-y) wean myself off of them. Will you all just send me some random emails? Just title them “Carrie – Step away from the cookies. Now.”

Must. Stop. Eating. Cookies.

Because soon, our house will be flooded with cakes, cupcakes, puppy bone cookies, puppy chow and hot dogs.

We are on T-2 days and counting til A.’s birthday party. That is our menu for the event, so far. It has been really kind of fun prepping for it. I haven’t figured out, or bought, any of the food yet, but the girls and I have been putting together all of the “crafty” stuff for it.  J. and I cut 12 pairs of puppy and kitty ears out of felt the other night. (This is what constitutes a “hot night” at our house, aren’t you so jealous?) And then Em helped me glue them all together yesterday. And I made some little cards that have puppies on them and say “Doggy Bag” for the kids to take their goodies home in.  Em was so excited to glue them onto the little bags, so I expect that is what she and Denise are doing right now.

The hard thing is that I have to remember that A. is only 2, (although sometimes she acts like she is 4, like Em) and yet a lot of the kids that are coming are 4, 5 or older. You invite one child, and have to invite the other sibling sort of thing. Then it all snowballs. Anyways, I’m trying to do fun things for Addie that the big kids will still get “into” as well.

I’m also trying to decide whether to have a “pin the collar on the kitty” or a “pin the bone in the puppy’s mouth” game. I have some craft paper and I’m just going to draw it out, but I don’t know what would be cuter.

I was leaning towards doing more of the “puppy” side, I found this really cool doghouse cake that I thought she would flip over. So we are in the craft store and they actually had the pan, even though it is sold-out all over the internet. I showed it to A. and she said, “OH!  Puppy. Puppy in a house. Cute puppy.”

“Sweet,” I thought. And then A. squeeeeaaals, “Mama! A Smokey! A Smokey, Mama!” (All cats are “Smokey” right now.)

Sure enough, she found the only cake pan in the mountain of pans that can be made into a kitty. And as she pulled it out to carry it around, I realized the doghouse was so not going to happen.

So we are making a “Smokey” cake. Em thinks we should make it gray, black and white like our Smokey. Which I think is a fine idea, because black frosting is so much fun to work with and clean up.

Sigh.

I know. I know! It will be gray, black and white. Don’t worry.

Small Change #8 Wrap-up and Challenge #9

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I didn’t hear from anyone? Did anybody donate some school supplies for kids in need this past month?

I honestly did want to do this one. I kept a lookout for a drop-off area where I could dump some supplies, but never really found one. I was actually disappointed, because if you recall, I have quite an affinity for all things fall, and start-of-school, related.

The girls and I did however donate money to an organization here in Pasadena which helps buy coats, shoes and back-to-school clothes for underprivileged kids in the area. I figure that counts, too, right? Just as necessary as pencils and paper. The organization was at a table set-up outside of the Ralph’s.

Now, I usually really dislike when people sit outside a store and ask for donations. When I am on a mission, dragging 2 children who are usually not pleased to be visiting the grocery store, trying to remember what is on my grocery list, which was left at home on the table, and trying to get in and out of the store before a major meltdown – the last thing on my mind is to stop and dig around looking for a few bucks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a grinch. In fact I know we are very fortunate and we try to be very charitable, but I just like to pick when and where I give our donations. It allows me to really know what we are giving is going where I think it is. But since I was seeking out a place to do this month’s challenge, I did stop, gave a listen, donated, and got a receipt – mostly for tax reasons, but also so I could remember the name of the place and could post it.

And now, I cannot for the life of me find that stupid receipt. So long story short, we did it. Sort of. And you’ll have to just trust me on this one. I’ve got no proof.

This month’s challenge I think is fantastic, though! I love the whole “pay it forward” idea.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it is…

“Do one thing every week this month completely out of the blue for a total stranger. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru line. Stick a scratch off lottery ticket under the windshield wiper of a strangers car. Leave a very large tip for a very small bill at lunch. That one small thing you do could change someone’s life.“

Cool, huh? At first I thought, “Wow! We could get some great stories out of this!” But in reality, you’ll probably never get to see the effect your “small thing” will have.

But just think of how you feel when you get a kind word from a stranger, or someone just holds the door for you as you struggle with children, strollers, bags, etc. Doesn’t it brighten your day?

The other day when we were in the grocery store and A. was having a complete meltdown and another (definitely had to be a mom) lady looked over at me and offered up a sweet “been there” smile. I rolled my eyes, shrugged my shoulders and said, “well, she’s almost 2 – what do you do?” And we both laughed and just that one moment, helped me get through the rest of the trip. The rest of the day. And I have vowed to make sure I give that smile now anytime I see a mom battling with her child. Who knows, maybe it will help her get through what would have otherwise been a miserable, tough day.

See how it works? Try it, and come back and let us know if you do.

Wonders Never Cease

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You’ll never guess what I did today.

Go on, guess! I’ll wait. (Dum dee dum…)

Give up?

I cooked dinner.

Yep. (Somewhere in Culver City, J. just fell off of his chair. I promise it is true, J! Come home and see!!)

We also baked a batch of cookies, but anybody who is around us much knows that we bake on a weekly basis around here, so that really isn’t news.

But, today I made an actual dish, that required chopping of ingredients, simmering, and sauteing. As I was cooking I realized that I can’t remember the last dinner I actually cooked that didn’t involve just throwing together a salad, boiling yet another pot of “noonles” (noodles), or opening a Trader Joe’s frozen concoction.

So the “dish” is a recipe that J. cut out of the newspaper a few weeks ago (hmm…a subtle hint, perhaps?) – Wolfgang Puck’s End-of-Summer Soup, a bacon and corn chowder.

I’ll let you know if it was successful or not and post the recipe if it is.

The girls and I have also been working on the perfect peanut butter-oatmeal- chocolate chip cookie. We are on version number 4, I think. (No wonder the gym isn’t “working” as much as it used to.) I think this time we might have gotten it.

We’ll let you know on that one, too. We are going to have them for dessert, right after our real dinner.

An afternoon of Dragons, Marshmallows and Starbucks – without ever leaving the house!

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Emma is cracking me up right now.

She is supposed to be “resting” and we use that term lightly around here. It usually involves her reading 4 or 5 books in Mommy and Daddy’s bed. And then she creeps, ever so quietly down the steps, about halfway, where she sits trying to “quietly” get our attention. Like making little squeaks, or coughs. I usually “pretend” for a few minutes that I don’t see her there until she gets louder or creeps the rest of the way down the stairs and says, “Is it okay to get up now?”

So anyhow, I’m working down here (kind of) and she just quietly (kind of) came downstairs and I acknowledged her and told her “come on down.” But she still has her tights and leotard on (due to the earlier recital she and A. gave me, while they were practicing the Bella Dancerella DVD), and she hit the hardwood floors running, and bit it! I didn’t really laugh until she started to and I knew she was fine, but it was pretty funny. Little arms and legs sprawled everywhere.

Then she asked if she could watch a movie and have a snack. She chose Pete’s Dragon for the movie (again!) and came back in with the bag of mini marshmallows from the snack drawer. The whole bag. They were put into the snack drawer once upon a time explicitly for when we have hot chocolate, but both of the girls LOVE them. So yes, she was having marshmallows for her snack. (Don’t call the nutrition police on me, yet!)

And if you give a “Peanut” a marshmallow, she is going to need a drink. So she went back to the kitchen for a drink and came running back in to the living room with a “milkbox.” I found these organic Horizons milkboxes at the store on Sunday. We always get them on our Saturday treks to the bagel shop – when I usually stop at Starbucks to get a coffee, the girls pick out either vanilla or chocolate milks.

So she comes running in with the milkbox and says, “Mom! Look! This is so great. Our house is just like Starbucks!”

Now if we could just get a coffee barista in the kitchen to make an endless supply of grande, non-fat mochas for Mommy, we’d never have to leave the house.

Crafty Tuesday

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Yeah, I’ve got nothing this week.

Well, that isn’t entirely true. The girls and I are working on “crafts” for the kippy party on Saturday.

And, I am organizing Ad’s scrapbook and putting it in order.

AND, I finally finished the huge collage frame that has been sitting in our room for a few months with random photographs in it. Here is a little pic of it –

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If you go to our flickr account you can see the photos I chose for the collage. They are all favorites of mine.

I’m sure next week we’ll have lots to show, including the um…attempt at a doggy/kitty cake.

Oh! But check out Elisa and Melissa’s creations for their party. They took pictures of each guest with Melissa and then did the one-hour developing – so all of the guests went home with a clothespin photo holder and picture as a party favor. Cool, huh? I’m definitely filing that one away for a later party idea!

Do you have any crafts to share this week?

How we spent the “last weekend of summer”

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Note: This will not really be in essay form, so sorry to all you teachers out there, but I do have lots of visual aids (photos!) so maybe it will still make the grade?

The “last weekend of the summer” is such a misnomer around here, since we are going on at least a week straight of 100+ (usually 105) degree days here in the valley. Yes, it’s true we don’t have humidity, but dang, it is H-O-T!

So our gracious neighbors left for the weekend to go to the desert (where it is actually cooler, believe it or not!), and we had to poolsit catsit for their kitties, which of course meant we had to test out the pool, too. Emma completed her level of swim lessons last week, so she got to show-off a little for Daddy.

Little side note for a second – she is AWESOME in the pool. I was in serious amazement on Friday when they took the kids over to the “big” pool for their last swim lesson. Em jumped off the diving board by herself, no life jacket, no swimmies, nothing! And then she proceeded to swim, over to the lifeguard and side of the pool. Face in the water, stroking, kicking, by herself! It was really something to watch. I think another 2 weeks and she would be full-on swimming laps. It is crazy, but those swim lessons were the best $30 ever spent. (So cheap, too!!)

So anyhow, Daddy got to hang out and see her swim. We ran some errands and just tried to stay cool on Saturday.

Sunday, Uncle Jeff and Wendy invited us down to her Uncle’s beachhouse…soooo nice! So we spent the day at the nice, cool beach. Well, it was still warm, but the water was perfect, big waves, nice breeze. It was heavenly.

Addie pretty much kept it on the sand –

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But she was very excited and wished Daddy, Mommy and Emma “Good Luck” when we all tried our hand at boogie-boarding.

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Daddy is an “old pro” at this. He got all of the rest of us on boards and helped us get the hang of it.

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And guess who is great at it? Yep, our little “fishy.”

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I think she even got “rolled” a couple of times and maybe drank a few cups of ocean water – but she really loved it. I am guessing next year she will be out on her own board by herself.

It was so much fun, a lot of hard work, and by the end of the day we all trooped home…exhausted.

Monday was spent mostly taking it easy and recovering. Just soaking up all the Daddy we can get.

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I hate it when a holiday falls on a Monday. It messes up our flow and I feel “off” for the rest of the week. And I’m sure the girls will be going through serious “daddy withdrawals” tomorrow.

*Sigh.*

But it was all so worth it.