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  • Hi! I'm Ainsley, and I'm the mother of two adventurous little boys named Wyatt and Dylan. I'm here to blog about the joys of parenting and all the resources out there to help us. But most of all, I hope you'll come back here for a community of friends.

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March 2008

Dylan in Lomo

Dylan_lomo

March 31, 2008 at 03:04 PM in Chillin Like Dylan | | Comments (1)

Revisiting Childhood Favorites

With the upcoming release ofPrince_caspian_4 Prince Caspian on the big screen, I decided to re-read the book. I'm hoping Wyatt will let me read it to him, but we'll see what his tolerance is for a novel. =)

The Chronicles of Narnia is probably the one book series that most marks my childhood. I spent countless hours reading, imagining and loving the adventures that took place in the land of Narnia. My dad would read them to me at bedtime, and I remember always asking him to read just one more chapter. Often he fell asleep before I did. =)

3 years ago, Ben and I won a trip to London, where we got to attend the World Premiere of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The movie was good, but the experience was incredible. We met the director, the cast and sat a balcony away from Prince Charles and Camilla. =)

What's your favorite childhood book?

March 31, 2008 at 10:51 AM in Books, Film | | Comments (5)

Family Goose Chase

The other night we walked to a nearby pond where Wyatt and Dylan fed 2 Canadian geese the last of our Ritz crackers. It was so nice to be out as a family... letting the warm breeze tickle our bare arms... pulling our mesmerized kids in the red wagon... and just wandering about the great outdoors until the looming night sky forced our reluctant foursome back inside.

Just in case it was a had-to-be-there kind of moment, here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure. = ) Have a great weekend!

Ducks_022_5 Ducks_047_3 Ducks_036_3 Ducks_032_6 Ducks_029_4 Ducks_8

March 28, 2008 at 04:15 PM in Family | | Comments (3)

Another Reason to Love Dwell Baby

I've been a little lax in keeping up with all the cool baby products, gear, etc. popping up these days. Blame it on my kids getting older or just sheer laziness, but I mostly rely on my weekly stops over at Goody Blog and Cool Mom Picks to keep me in the loop of fun new products.

All that to say,Bottle_cozy2 I saw these Bottle Warmers from Dwell and instantly wanted one. Yes, Dylan still takes a bottle for his milk. Yes, he is perfectly capable of drinking from a sippy cup. And yes, buying yet another prop for his bottles seems silly. But I really want one! Just yesterday, I spent the afternoon cleaning up a messy diaper bag from a leaky bottle. So it's really an incredibly practical thing for me to have. And it doesn't hurt that really cute, too. =)

(via goody blog)

March 27, 2008 at 02:15 PM in Baby gear, Products | | Comments (0)

Thankful Thursday

Easter_154 Today I'm grateful for:

  1. The amazing dad my kids have
  2. Going on a family walk and spending the evening outdoors
  3. Dylan's warm little hand that he slips into mine without prompting as we walk side by side
  4. My beautiful children
  5. Wyatt feeding the geese and saying, "Those ducks sure look hungry."
  6. Finishing another book
  7. Green tea
  8. The Celebrity Apprentice finale is tonight
  9. Ripe juicy pears
  10. Finding my camera, and realizing Dylan didn't throw it away after-all

March 27, 2008 at 08:22 AM in Thankful Thursday | | Comments (1)

Clear the Sidewalks

Town_tots Here are some camera pics from our town center outing this morning. I think it's against policy to let kids ride trikes in the town center area, but a nice security guard responded to a warm hello and moved on...

March 26, 2008 at 09:00 PM in Family, Places to Go | | Comments (1)

Strange Encounters of the RTC Kind

Once every couple of weeks, the boys and I go to Reston Town Center... this morning seemed warm and jolly, so I decided this was the perfect day to go. I even threw a couple of ride-ons in the van for the boys to enjoy while outside.

But I had a few unusual encounters that left me feeling weird about our visit. I won't creep you out with the first story (maybe another day), but there was also a Banana Republic employee who talked to me like we were old friends, updating me on her college-aged son, etc. Since I don't recall being in this particular BR in years, this struck me as a brilliant sales tactic... until she called me by name. I seriously felt like I was in the twilight zone.

Here's the last interaction I had with 3 passers-by before calling it a weird day and heading home:

Older gentleman: (To Wyatt) I wish I could get a ride on your bike.

Younger woman: Look at them. They are so cute.

Older woman: Are they twins?

Me: No. He's almost 4. And he's 18 months.

Younger woman: Are you their nanny?

Me: No. I'm their mom.

Younger woman: You're the mom?

Older woman: She's little.

Younger woman: Tiny.

Older gentleman: And so young. What are you sixteen?

I think they were genuinely trying to be nice, but I haven't gotten the "are you sixteen?" bit since I was in college... certainly not since pimping a minivan with 2 kids in tow.

March 26, 2008 at 03:04 PM in Personal stories | | Comments (3)

A Monkey's Tale

We make it a habit to check all the trash cans and diaper pail before taking any bags out on trash day. Vb_weekend_036The reason being: our little monkey Dylan is constantly swiping our valuables and tossing them into the various receptacles around our home for his own pleasure and satisfaction. He may look adorable, but he's 100% trouble. =)

Having lost a few valuables, we've made trash-checking a family pastime... once we found an entire drawer of clothes inside the Diaper Decor.

One day last month, I heard the trash truck coming down the back alley when I realized we forgot to take out the trash. I quickly collected all the trash bags (sans checking) from around the house and ran the can out to the curb.

Later that afternoon, I went upstairs to grab our camera... but it wasn't there. Countless hours and tears later, Ben finally told me to face the reality: our camera was gone. Somewhere on a garbage truck far far away was a small bundle of Dylan's diapers, my toothbrush (which was also missing) and our Canon Powershot - never to be seen or heard from again.

So you can imagine my surprise the other day when Wyatt asked me get his sunglasses out of the car storage compartment, and I pulled out my camera instead. That sneaky little Dylan... who'd have guessed he'd have hidden it there? =)

March 25, 2008 at 04:20 PM in Chillin Like Dylan | | Comments (5)

Minivan? Check. Sports-obsessed boys? Check, check.

So I'm well on my way to becoming a soccer mom.Soccer_mom Or a whatever mom. I don't really care what sport my kids play, although I tend to find myself hoping it's not football. =)

But Wyatt has been telling us for months that he wants to play on a soccer team (and I have a feeling Dylan won't be far behind). And since he turns 4 in May, I'm thinking it's time to start thinking about it. But I have a few questions...

Is it too early to start? Where should I look for a team? Is it expensive to play on a little tot team?

If you've been through this and feel like throwing some advice my way, I'd be ever so grateful.

March 24, 2008 at 09:33 AM in Activities | | Comments (13)

An Eggcellent Good Time

Sorry to be cheesy but I couldn't resist.=) Something fun my boys got to do with their cousin Joey last weekend was dye Easter eggs for the first time. (In case you're wondering, we stripped them down to their skivies to play it safe. My socks took the brunt of their fun.)

Vb_weekend_012 Vb_weekend_108 Vb_weekend_128 Vb_weekend_021 Vb_weekend_074

March 21, 2008 at 10:11 PM in Activities, Family, Holidays | | Comments (0)

A first of it's kind

I can't tell you how many times my sis and I have attempted to capture a shot of both our boys smiling. Of course, this was completely unprompted. Go figure.Vb_weekend_098 

March 19, 2008 at 11:06 AM in Family, Preschoolers, Toddlers | | Comments (0)

Taking Chances

Last night the fam and I ate at Chipotle where I was reminded once again why parenting is full of risks (no matter how minor) and the odds are never in our favor. For example:

  • Whenever you decide to make a quick stop at a restaurant or store without a diaper and wipes, inevitably you'll have to make a run out to the car in the pouring rain before you can take your first bite.[Case in point: my trip to Chipotle last night]
  • If your little boy is running around without a diaper, then keep in mind that you are seconds away from watching him pee on the carpet (or worse, the bed).
  • When sneaking into your sleeping baby's room to look for your lost shoe, know that this will be the very instant that he will open his eyes and look at you. Nap officially over.
  • As soon as you try to take a shower, talk on the phone or take a sip of coffee - these are the exact moments that a child will come to you crying uncontrollably.

At least these are my experiences... what are some of yours?

March 19, 2008 at 09:14 AM in Parenting, Personal stories | | Comments (4)

Undressing the Bunny's Mystique

This past weekend, Wyatt, Dylan and their cuz Joey got to see the Easter Bunny in all his un-glory... from watching him transform from man to bunny (they even got to help) to walking home from the park hand-in-hand. I don't think it dashed their childhood fantasy... if anything it helped them think of the freakishly large rabbit as a fun and playful friend. =)

Vb_weekend_136 Vb_weekend_017

March 18, 2008 at 03:59 PM in Family, Holidays | | Comments (1)

Sundays are for Easter Bunnies

My sister Tiffany and husband Lou are both chiropractors in Virginia Beach. This afternoon, they held an Easter egg hunt in the local park for all the neighborhood kids - everyone had such a blast. My kids arrived too late to find any eggs (okay, I arrived too late =), but visiting the Easter bunny was all the reward they needed...
Easter_kids

March 16, 2008 at 04:28 PM in Holidays | | Comments (0)

Free Bird

Va_beach_001 I love how Dylan always looks so carefree and trusting... he'd literally jump off a bridge if he saw you below, because he'd be sure you'd catch him. =)

Go check out Freedom Friday at Politics4Moms for more fun freedom facts and stories.

March 14, 2008 at 08:38 AM in Family | | Comments (0)

Thankful Thursday

Hadley_park_045_2 Today I'm grateful for:

  1. Watching Wyatt and Dylan play hide-and-seek
  2. The smell of coffee in the morning
  3. Time alone with Dylan yesterday
  4. A good friend sending me a Starbucks card
  5. Wyatt always looking out for everyone else's needs
  6. Homemade chocolate chip cookies
  7. God's leading in our plans for the future
  8. My sweet Ben
  9. New Ransomed Heart podcasts on my iPod
  10. The smell of earth after the rain

March 13, 2008 at 01:03 PM in Thankful Thursday | | Comments (1)

Big news! Join me for lunch on May 22

Okay, I'm excited about this one... I'm hosting a Women's Luncheon at a conference my husband is organizing called Whiteboard. You're invited to join me on Thursday, May 22 from 12:00 to 1:30 PM at the exclusive Paolo's Restaurant in Reston Town Center.

Women_lunchFor just $20, you'll get an amazing meal (with dessert!) from a select menu, a gift bag filled with goodies and resources, and a chance to meet like-hearted women from all over the country. Our special guest speaker is the wife of one of the Whiteboard speakers -- Jen Antonucci.

You can register here - but hurry - there are only 40 spots left.

One more thing... If any of you would like to volunteer with me in the registration area at the conference from 7:30 to 9:30 AM, I could really use a hand. Plus, I'll give you a free ticket to the luncheon. Sign up to volunteer here.

March 13, 2008 at 09:45 AM | | Comments (4)

Storytime Blues

Almost every parent I know takes their kids to storytime at the library or bookstore. Story_books_2But for some reason, my kids just don't like it. They hardly pay attention and either end up distracting the other kids or annoying the storyteller... by getting up and down a million times... walking up on the platform... or asking to read a different book. Wyatt does much better these days, but Dylan is still all over the place.

So I just don't do it anymore, which is a bummer because I'd love to sit still for just a few minutes while my kids enjoy being read to by someone other than myself or Hubs. Lately, I've thought about giving it another try, but I'm a little leary.

I might be alone on this, but perchance does anyone else have the same issue? If so, what do you do?

March 12, 2008 at 02:42 PM in Activities | | Comments (9)

Such a gentleman

For months now,Hadley_park_025 Dylan has insisted on paying for everything... my groceries... coffee... dinner... he's quite the little gentleman, albeit a controlling one.

Because Ben and I use the "envelope system" and pay with cash only, Dylan is inadvertantly learning how to count. This morning, he handed the Starbucks barista 3 dollars - one at a time. "Un.. Duh... Dee...," which the barista (mother of a toddler) thought was hilarious. I, too, thought it was adorable, but I'm just a tad biased. =)

March 11, 2008 at 02:40 PM in Chillin Like Dylan | | Comments (2)

Recovering from sleep deprivation

Having recently blogged my own sleep troubles, I found this article (linked to yesterday's) both interesting and helpful. Experts say that it can take several weeks or months for parents' internal clocks to adjust, but that there are some helpful things we can do to help the process along:  

  • Wake up, eat and go to bed at the same time every day
  • Eat breakfast near a sunny window or take a walk in the sun
  • Breast-feed (apparently this promotes deep sleep)
  • Develop a regular bedtime routine
  • Exercise in the later afternoon or early evening
  • Avoid caffeine after 2 pm
  • If you arent' asleep after 10 minutes, get out of bed (do something relaxing and return when you can't keep your eyes open)

March 11, 2008 at 02:30 PM in Babies, Health, Media, Parenting | | Comments (1)

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