Going Away Party

Sorry for the lack of updates this past week.  I had a trial, a minor accident, and Ajax started at a new babysitter (a.k.a. Ms. Karen, who lives on our same block and is within walking distance).  Crazy busy and stressful!   Due to the increasing stress Dave finally convinced me that I should sign up for a gym membership as well, which I did today, and hopefully I’ll be able to hit it up about 2 – 3 times per week.  I’m really looking forward to it as it has a pool and also offers baby swim classes, which I plan on signing Ajax up for in October.

Anywho!  Yesterday we headed out to Brooklyn to help prepare for Emily’s going away party.  Next week Emily heads off to Alaska to begin a new adventure.  We’re all very excited for her and will miss her terribly.  The party was a hit and there were quite a few people out.    Ajax had a blast.  There were other kids to play with, a swimming pool made out of a canoe, and a DJ.  Ajax out-danced everyone there.  He loves music and would stomp his foot and wiggle.  It was cracking everyone up!

My in-laws came down for the party as well and then came home with us and stayed the night.  In the morning we lounged around, I made us baked french toast and then Rod and Dara were kind enough to babysit so that Dave and I could have a little alone time.  We ended up doing some errands and lunch, which was nice.  The nino is now napping and I’m not really sure what our afternoon plans will be…

Ajax in a canoe, with Dave and two of my cousins watchin/talkin!
Ajax went through two outfits in the canoe.
(left - right) Ryan, Ajax, Dave, Dara, Bev, and Rod - Ajax making a mess of the pop cans.
Going for rides on the Mule.
Helping on the farm with cousin Ryan.
Follow the leader.

Rite Aid

So I finally made a trip to Rite Aid.  I had a great plan going in, but of course things don’t always work out.  It ends up that the store is out of a particular item that you had factored into your scenario, so you have to find a substitute.  Oh well.  The cashier laughed at me and said I’m usually more prepared! lol.

Two transactions-

Purchased:

  • Crest 3D toothpaste – $2.99
  • Salonpas Pain Relief – $5.49
  • Thermacare Back Relief – $6.29
  • Hylands Calms – $3.99
  • (2) Garnier Face wash – $9.43
  • TOTAL = $28.19
  • After Coupons, paid = $12.44
  • Got back $6 from Garnier (should have only been $3, but got $6 instead, not complaining)
  • Will get a check from the store in the amount of = $10.49
  • In total made – $4 bucks! You know, I was just looking over my receipt and realized I purchased the wrong product for the back relief, it should have been $3.49, but I accidentally bought the 2 count product.  [sigh]

Purchased –

  • Cottonelle TP – $6.49
  • Huggies diapers – $8.99
  • Tone body wash – $2.99
  • Coldcalm child med – $7.99
  • Back Aid – $3.49
  • Stopain – $6.99
  • TOTAL = $37.35
  • After coupons, paid = $27.44
  • Got back $2 from the diapers
  • Will get a check from the store in the amount of $20.47.  So I didn’t make any money with this deal, but it turned out that I paid less than $5 for all the above.  Again, in my head I had these great scenarios, but at the store they just all kind of fell to the wayside… oh well, lol.

Still helping

Today has been a rainy day.  A constant downpour.  I’m not complaining, mind you.  Our yard and garden desperately needed the water, but at this point in summer I don’t think the rain will save our brown grass.

Due to the weather, we have therefore spent our day indoors and it’s been pretty quiet.  Ajax is still the little helper.  While I was in the kitchen making cupcakes he crawled into the tupperware cabinet, pulled everything out, and then sat in there opening and closing the door.  I then handed him a flashlight and we played “hide and seek”, though his hiding place was always the same (ie. the cabinet under my feet).  He also proceeded to help Dave fold laundry and then got stuck in the laundry basked … kind of like a turtle.

Exploring.

Do you see that one circular clear spot?  That was where I was standing.

Having fun.
Helpin' dad.

I’m not sure what other people do, but we routinely spread our clean clothes out onto the living room floor before we fold them.

Like a turtle.

Ajax thought this was hilarious, till he realized he was stuck.  Don’t worry, I helped him out.

Little helper and correction

Ajax has been such the little helper lately.  He wants to see and do whatever you’re doing… I think I need to buy him a little vacuum next.  You know, so that he can really begin to help and contribute to the household.

He loves helping Dave unload the dishwasher.  He’ll pick up one fork at a time… it actually takes quite a while to unload the dishwasher when he’s “helping.”

Tonight for dinner I also let him help me make the salad.  He loved the oil and vinegar dressing I made, and kept picking up tomatoes, licking off all the dressing, and then putting them into the bowl.  He also helped stir salad, which meant quite a bit ended up on the floor and counter.  It was pretty cute.

Also on an update note- my sister in law is in Pittsburgh, not Philly.  My bad.

Helping
Taste test.
And putting it back for later.

Garage sale finds

I need to apologize for the lack of updates this past week, what I can I say I’ve been busy.

Yesterday was a quiet Saturday around the house.  We ventured out to a garage sale and the mall (briefly to pick up a baby shower gift) and then headed back home.  It’s been hovering in the 90s with ridiculous humidity, making it impossible to be outside for long periods.   You know it’s hot, when Ajax doesn’t put up a fight to go into the house to cool off.

At the garage sale we found quite the find for Ajax: A little shopping cart.  He has been all about push toys lately and his grandparents have a little toy cart up north that he just loved when we were up visiting.  So of course we paid the $1 and Ajax pushed that little cart all over the place.  He threw a fit when we had to load it and him into the car to leave.  Dave picked him up, but he refused to release the handle of the cart; so he was leaning over Dave’s arm dangling the silly cart and screaming.  So cute.

Last night Dave’s sister, Lisa, came over for dinner on her way to Philadelphia, where she will reside for a few months while finishing up school.  Dave made us ribs and they were great.  They were our second attempt at ribs, the first (which occurred about 4 yrs ago) was a disaster, but this second round was fantastic.  Luckily Dave called his dad and got some over the phone assistance.  Ajax loved them as well and even though I cut up some of the meat for him, he preferred to gnaw on the bone.  What a little meat-a-sauras.

Ajax and his cart. It was so hot out that I just stripped him down.
Watchin' it go.
Ajax and Aunt Lisa.
More fun with the cart.

Second Haircut

Today Dave evened up the nino’s hair cut with the clippers.  We had Ajax sit in his wagon outside and I distracted him while Dave buzzed away.   In the movies it always looks so quick and simple to give someone a buzz cut, but in reality it was quite difficult as Ajax kept trying to see what Dave was doing.   I don’t think it’s the best haircut in the world, but we’ll get better with experience.  Ajax definitely looks older with his new cut.

It was hard to take a picture as his hair is so light, but you get the point.

Krogering

I remember this commercial when I was a kid… not the whole thing, but the jingle at the end, something about- “let’s go Krogering!”  (Kroger is a grocery store).   So anyways, I went Krogering today and wanted to share the deal I got.

I purchased –

4 boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch

2 Gallons of Milk

8 boxes of Crayola crayons (24 pack)

In total $16.00.  However, after coupons and sales, I paid $9.45 out of pocket and got back $8.  So for all that above, $1.45.  One gallon of milk alone cost $1.99 (on sale, normally $2.49).  So Kroger paid me to take all that stuff off its hands.  Life is tough. lol.

Saturday

Today was a pretty quiet Saturday.  Ajax has been doing much better in a world without pacifiers and goes to sleep quite well without one.  As a matter of fact we are all sleeping much better in a house without pacifiers.   We did one trip to Home Depot and then went to a surprise birthday party for my aunt Terri.  The party was very nice and Ajax had a blast playing with his cousins.   There was a pool at the house and Ajax got to dip his feet in (I forgot his bathing suit and little swimmers).   He didn’t eat a ton at the party because he was just too distracted, but no biggie.   His cousin, Eliza, was following Ajax everywhere.  It was too cute.   Everywhere Ajax went Eliza was right on his heels.

Dave and I at the party. I'm so short.
Ajax and Eliza going for a ride on Grandpa Gordy's bike!
Getting their feet wet in the pool!
Hanging out with Grandpa Gordy.
Posing with my little sister.
Circling the wagon!

The DQ

Tonight I made an awesome dinner- baked chicken, garlic angel hair pasta, and fresh green beans from the garden.   Ajax, however, only played with the chicken and ate some of the pasta.   It seems like sometimes he’ll eat a ton and then other times, not so much.  Oh well.  To make up for the small bit he ate for dinner we of course walked up to the Diary Queen.

Ajax got his own vanilla ice cream cone (his first) and let me tell  you- he was thrilled.  At first I held it for him and then he was like, Oh I got this mom.   He ate a good portion of it and started nibbling on the cone before he dropped it in the dirt.   When I picked it up, I told him it was- all done, and threw it away, and he didn’t really care (probably because he was already hyped up on the sugar).   He did several circles around the yard before Dave wrangled him into the house and into the bath.

ummm good stuffs.
Mr. Cool dude.
Sneaky guy.
Apparently he likes ice cream.
I picked up these clippers at Target so that we can give the nino a good cut!

First Haircut

For a while now Dave has been pushing for a haircut for the nino.  I, however, have steadfastly refused.   Tonight during dinner though I realized that the nino’s hair was in fact out of control.  It was like I was seeing his wild mop for the first time, the wispy blond hair curling over his ears…. yes the boy needed a haircut.

After dinner Dave plopped Ajax into the tub and turned on the beard trimmer (it was the only thing we had).  Ajax thought it tickled and did very well with it!  His hair, however, was just too long and the trimmer wasn’t cutting it.  After bath time, I sat him on the counter in the bathroom and while he played with his toothbrush I took some scissors and trimmed it up!  I think it turned out… ok, luckily he’s too little to be embarrassed by a “mom cut” because honestly cutting hair is not my specialty.   I think I’ll invest in buzzers and he’ll get a buzz cut till he’s old enough to care.