afternoonswithhenry

Summer Days

July 6, 2016

Is there anything worse than the humid southern heat? And is there anything better than fresh watermelon on a hot summer day? Since Henry will be starting Pre-K in August, I decided that June would be his last month of preschool, so that we could all spend time together in July. Having both kids alone five days a week is definitely a challenge but I know these moments are fleeting so I am really trying to enjoy them. This month we have swim lessons planned for Henry, a family trip to Athens, movie dates with friends and lots of indoor park play (give me that AC!) I can’t believe Evelyn will be 18 months old on the 10th and Henry just turned 4. They are both finally at an age where they like to be around each other. Henry constantly makes her laugh and has really taken to this older brother thing. He teaches her words, gets her sippy cups full of water and generally likes to boss her around, which she loves. I cannot wait to see their relationship grow and I’m really thankful that they let me take their pictures so I can document these sweet moments. I love this stage that they’re both in and wish I could freeze time, since they are changing every day. Why does childhood have to go by so fast? buy adalat online https://medstaff.englewoodhealth.org/wp-content/languages/new/adalat.html no prescription

I can’t get over her face in this last picture! She was having trouble figuring out how to eat the watermelon and was super frustrated. I love capturing their personalities and living in an age where it is totally acceptable to document everything your kids do. I’m definitely going to be that PTA mom that is constantly participating in every classroom activity 🙂 buy advair online https://medstaff.englewoodhealth.org/wp-content/languages/new/advair.html no prescription

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!

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LegoLand Discovery Center {Atlanta)

May 11, 2016

It probably comes as no shock when I say that my almost four year old son is obsessed with Legos. Literally obsessed. He loves to build, tear apart and rebuild. A few weeks ago we planned a trip to LegoLand Discovery Center in Atlanta with Henry, myself and husband. We left Evelyn with my mom so we could have some quality time with Henry. Being that Evelyn is only 16 months old, she wouldn’t have enjoyed herself since 99% of the actives are for older kids (however children 2 and under have free admission). We were able to really experience LegoLand and all it had to offer without having to worry about pushing a stroller or rushing to leave for Evelyn’s nap. We also were not the only parents with this mindset because all the children I saw there that day were at least 3 years old and up. buy antabuse online https://salempregnancy.org/wp-content/languages/new/antabuse.html no prescription

LegoLand is located in the heart of Buckhead in Phipps Plaza on the third floor. It is promoted as an indoor discovery center and playground. From the moment you step off the elevator you are hit with all things Lego. We arrived right when it opened at 10am and stayed for about two hours. There is endless entertainment, building stations, climbing stations, slides, karaoke, a cafe, rides and a 4D movie theater which plays several different short films throughout the day. There is a helpful countdown clock at the theater entrance so you know when the next showing is. buy atarax online https://salempregnancy.org/wp-content/languages/new/atarax.html no prescription

Henry has been to LegoLand once before with my mom but this was our first time. Trust me when I say he never forgot a single thing he did there, even after a year from his first visit. He was so excited that he woke up at 3am Sunday morning saying it was time to “shoot the bad guys!” LegoLand has an interactive ride where you can “shoot” bad guys on the screen in order to rescue the princess. They also take your picture while riding on the ride which you can purchase after for $12. Totally worth it since you get a 5×7 size and the option to go online and download and print more. The keepsake is so sweet and Henry chose to hang the picture in his room.

The race car station allowed children to build their own cars and then send them flying down a ramp to see if the cars would get enough momentum to land in the bucket. Henry loved the building part but the bigger kids definitely loved the racing! buy abilify online https://salempregnancy.org/wp-content/languages/new/buynoprescription/abilify-no-prescription.html no prescription

There is an earthquake table which Henry and my husband both enjoyed. They spent nearly 20 minutes at that station building the tallest buildings and then setting off the earthquake and seeing whose building could stay up the longest. There are stations everywhere and they are nicely spread out. The center never felt crowded, even when it got busier as the day went on.

My favorite part was the Lego recreation of Atlanta. From Turner Field to the Varsity, the entire city was built made out of Lego’s. It was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. Most of the Dad’s in attendance seemed to love this room the most 🙂 Did you know there are 62 lego bricks for every person on Earth? The fact that there are more legos in existence than people blows my mind. Lego takeover anyone?

Henry’s favorite part of Lego Land was by far the new Pirate Island Adventure cove which had a great indoor climbing and play area, a lego build station and even a water build station where kids could build pirate ships in the water and send them floating down to the bottom. Your child will definitely get wet here, which is part of the experience, so be sure to keep that in mind when dressing them for the adventure!

After finishing up in the discovery center you are taken to the incredible Lego shop which is a mecca for kids. They have every building set you could imagine and a ton of fun accessories. I personally wanted the pink lego backpack but my husband vetoed that idea. LegoLand even offers hosted birthday parties that include pizza, drinks, a private party room and plenty of play time.

After Lego Land we had lunch right across at Johnny Rocket’s. We finished out our day with milkshakes, root beer floats, french fries and old fashioned burgers. It reminded me of times when my dad and I would go there because he always loved the Johnny Rockets milkshakes.

He had a smile on his face the entire time and I haven’t seen him that happy in a while. I knew he loved being able to spend time with his parents alone and have the focus solely be on him. After Evelyn joined our family a lot of my attention went to her, naturally since she is a lot younger and cannot do anything on her own yet, so my time with Henry was cut short in a lot of ways. Spending the afternoon together with just the three of us reminded me that I need to take more time and do one on one activities that just involve the three of us or even him and me. Experiencing LegoLand together was such incredible and I highly recommend it for kids 3 and up. If you have an older child, it’s ideal for a solo date with just them. You can find more information about tickets, hours and location on their website.

*Thank you to Lego Land Atlanta for providing tickets for our visit. As always, all opinions expressed are my own*

ALWAYS

January 29, 2016

In this crazy age of social media there seems to always be advice on motherhood and happy/sad/be careful articles being shared on Facebook and Twitter every time I scroll through my news feed. They get me every time. It’s like torturing yourself as a parent to read each one but I always do. I can’t remember my favorites and least favorites, nor can I tell you a profound excerpt from any of them. Until this one. This October marks five years since I’ve been reading blogs, magazines and articles about motherhood, written by mothers. Nothing has ever stood out to me as much as these words have. In fact, just one word: ALWAYS.

An excerpt written by Beverly Beckham:

Always is what you miss. Always knowing where they are. At school. At play practice. At a ballgame. At a friend’s. Always looking at the clock mid day and anticipating the door opening, the sigh, the smile, the laugh, the shrug. “How was school?” answered for years in too much detail. “And then he said . . . and then I said to him. . . .” Then hardly answered at all.

Always, knowing his friends.

Her favorite show.

What he had for breakfast.

What she wore to school.

What he thinks.

How she feels.

{June 28, 2012: The best day of my life}

{February 2013, 7 months old}

Of course I read this at midnight while trolling Facebook. In the middle of the night when mothers are so exhausted but cannot stop thinking about the days ahead and the previous day. Was I kind enough? Did I yell too much? Am I giving him the attention he deserves? Is the oven still on? You all know those wee hours when everyone else is sound asleep but you’re left with your thoughts that just won’t shut off. They play back like an awful Lifetime movie on repeat. After I cried myself to sleep I woke up the next morning a new person. A new mother even. I was desperate to see Henry and talk to him. Not tell him to go watch TV while I unloaded the dishwasher. It was like I was meeting him for the first time. I wanted to know everything about him. I wanted to hear his voice talk to me all day instead of constantly saying “okay” and “yes I heard you” in a rushed tone for the hundredth time as I’m busy doing something else that can wait. When he is going off to college am I really going to remember how clean my kitchen was while it meant sacrificing time with my son? My firstborn, the one who made me a mother, my precious boy who acts out only because he wants more time with me. buy tegretol online https://bethanyhealthcare.org/wp-content/languages/new/tegretol.html no prescription

{November 2013, 17 months old}

{January 2014, 19 months old}

{April 2014, 22 months old}

I’m sure it’s normal to focus more energy on one child than other at different times in their life. Obviously a baby that cannot do anything on her own requires more attention than a toddler who is self sufficent. As sad as it is that Evelyn is getting older, it does make me happy that she is becoming a little more independent: she can play on her own, keep her attention on things and feed herself (for the most part). Now I can put more focus and energy back into Henry who I honestly feel kind of got a little shafted this past year. Having a newborn and working full time up until August was a huge adjustment for him and us. Before Evelyn came I was able to give him constant one on one time. Adding another baby to the mix definitely changed our dynamic and it changed me. I feel like I became shorter and angrier with him over the smallest things. Instead of taking deep breaths and talking to him I was quicker to yell or scold. Instead of spending quality time with him I was so focused on Evelyn that my husband became his primary caregiver. I know the old saying when you have more than one child: divide and conquer. buy tenormin online https://bethanyhealthcare.org/wp-content/languages/new/tenormin.html no prescription
But really, I was only taking care of Evelyn while my husband did everything for Henry. As I sit typing this and thinking back to the past year I have been hit with major mom guilt. My 2016 word of the year is balance and as I’ve been thinking about balance this last month, it’s hit me that I need to balance more time with Henry. A good friend said to me last night “they’re only little once and I want my kids around me as long as possible before they get bigger and start school” which is totally true. Instead of me wishing for time to pass thinking “I can’t wait until Henry starts Pre K” or “When he turns 4 I hope it’s better than 3 has been,” I need to embrace everything about him and try to cherish every moment we have together. I never knew motherhood could be this emotionally hard. Fussy babies, screaming tantrums, sleepless nights .. that I can deal with. It’s the emotional side that gets me, and it’s the emotional side that can make me a better mother. The days are long but the years are short. Today I will slow down, smile, and enjoy it. buy tricor online https://bethanyhealthcare.org/wp-content/languages/new/tricor.html no prescription

{May 2015, almost 3 years old}

Sugarboo Farms

September 9, 2014

A few weeks ago we loaded up the car and made the 2 hour drive north to visit Sugarboo Farms. Since this place is such a popular destination, it is almost always booked up so we don’t get the chance to visit too often (I hadn’t been since I was 8 months pregnant with Henry!) Being there almost makes you forget that downtown Atlanta is less than 3 hours away. It’s so serene, peaceful and relaxing.

We brought our two dogs, who have been there before, and they love being able to run free on the property and play. (another bonus, SB Farms is very animal friendly!)

This was Henry’s first time seeing farm animals and being in this kind of environment. He was amazed at all of the wilderness and spent nearly the whole time walking, running and exploring. He was so exhausted he passed out less than 5 minutes of being in the car. He loved seeing the goats, chickens and the “horse” which is really a donkey 🙂

If you would like more information on Sugarboo Farms, please contact [email protected] <3

Second Birthday Shenanigans

July 9, 2014

Henry turned two years old on Saturday, June 28th. We celebrated his party with friends on Friday (see pictures here!) and enjoyed celebrating through out the week. My husbands parents, sister and her two children came into town for his birthday. Henry loves being around his cousins and had so much fun playing with them. His oldest one is five and she can entertain him and make him laugh for hours. He gets the biggest kick out of her. Lately Henry wants nothing to do with cake, ice cream or frosting. I guess that is a good thing? He is more of a carb lover like his mommy 🙂 We still had an oversize cupcake with candles for him blow out, even though he doesn’t know how, he ends up just sniffing the cake.

On Monday we celebrated with Henry’s school classmates. The extended family joined us again and we had yummy watermelon cupcakes and wore birthday hats (Henry ate zero of his cupcake).

My mom and her husband were out of town for Henry’s actual birthday, so we celebrated with my family on Sunday. My brother and dad even flew into town from Boston and Ohio. It was a lot of fun to see everyone (including Henry’s great grandmother, great aunt and great uncle). My mom is an incredible baker and made a 4th of July themed cheesecake (I guess you could call this a birthday/4th of July gathering). No surprise, Henry refused to eat the cheesecake, not even the berries on top because some of the cheesecake got on them. I love his little quirks 🙂

I still can’t believe my baby is TWO!

Life with a Toddler

May 16, 2014

Henry and I had to run a few errands today after his morning nap. A few days ago he took a nasty fall on this poor little face and also skinned up his finger. His new favorite word is “boo-boo” (also the name for bandaids) so as soon as he wakes up he is asking for boo-boos. I wrapped a bandaid around his finger and off we went. While at the store Henry told me he needed this Mike Wazowski ballon (by telling me, he literally screamed for the whole store to hear). Afraid that someone would alert the cops for a potential kidnapping, I gave in and got him the ballon and checked out. While outside, the balloon came off the stick and the wind blew it across the whole parking. You would have thought that I just killed the family cat. With Henry screaming, I stood there for a second wishing the wind would blow it back to me but then came to my senses and realized it was just blowing it further away, in and out of cars. I grabbed Henry and walked for what seemed to be 5 minutes just to grab this damn balloon. Finally back in the car and headed to our last errand (which happened to involve driving on the highway), Henry decides that the bandaid on his finger must be killing him because he is throwing the biggest, most epic tantrum I have ever seen. Of course I cannot pull over because we are ON THE HIGHWAY so I have to suffer through this until I pull off at a QT and remove the ~~tumor~~ bandaid. While he was throwing his bandaid fit I had rolled down the window to distract him and forgot to roll it back up after we stopped. All seemed to be good once we got back on the road and wouldn’t you know it … that damn balloon flew out the window. And for a split second, I dreamed that we had a clothes line.

Henry’s Valentine’s Day Style

January 25, 2014

I always get so excited for Valentine’s Day. Mainly because I love hearts, red/pink and the decorations are always the cutest. Henry has a super cute outfit picked out for his Kissing Booth pictures with my friend Joleen next Saturday. We can’t wait! (I also ordered him a bow tie to dress this up a bit, and because every little boy needs a bow tie).

Sweatshirt/Shoes/Jeans/Socks

Before running to Target yesterday I had to snap some pictures of him wearing his new shoes. Matched with the wire heart and red stool, it was too perfect. He actually sat there and let me shoot for a few minutes (gasp!) Usually he is all squirmy and rarely stays still so I had to take advantage and got a little trigger happy.

It is freezing here in Georgia and although I would like to stay in warm PJ’s all weekend and drink Starbucks, Henry gets cabin fever so we may need to go out for a bit. I hope everyone has a great weekend and stays warm!

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