Baby Chicks... :>

Lately Mason has been a terrible eater. He wants nothing to eat, only fruit snacks, pizza and chicken strips... So, I have been trying new things every meal and trying to get him to open up his ideas about food. For some reason out of the blue he has become picky. He does not like crust, food that touches other food, things that make his hands yucky or really anything other than fried chicken fingers and pizza. While these two combos are great for a treat every now and then, I know he cannot be getting all he needs from either. Especially since he refuses all veggies now. He used to love them, I am not sure what is up. I hope it is just a phase... If you have any ideas on creative food ventures for toddlers, I am all ears. I might add, I am not the type to push food on him, if he does not want to eat, I am not going to make him- so please no comments about making him sit at the table until he finishes it all... That just isn't my style.

Funny food story:

I was going to make Mason some cheesy scrambled eggs for breakfast. I got out the carton and he was super excited... He started jumping up and down and wanted to hold one. I had just mopped the floor, so I said he could touch it in my hand... He petted it and talked to it and I thought it was kind of weird that he was being so sweet to a raw egg...

So after he was done I cracked that puppy open and plopped the yolk into the bowl... Mason screeched and started crying... Once I calmed him down he told me that there was a baby chick in there... I think one of his videos about farm animals shows a baby chick hatching out of the egg. I guess that is why he was talking so sweet to the cold, raw egg in my hand. Poor guy thought he was going to get himself a baby chick. I continued on and cooked the egg. I put the cooked version on a plate and put them on his table. He said to me, " Mason not eating baby chicks, Momma!" I could not convince him that it was not a baby chick. He was over it... He had made up his mind.

I hope he does not figure out that chicken strips used to be the baby chicks Mama, then I will only have pizza as a food option...

Help, please... Yummy appealing food ideas.

House Swap.

This weekend we will be swapping houses with my sister, Katie and her hubbie Jeremy.

They have a wedding to go to in Murfreesboro and I have a craft show in Tullahoma.

It actually works out perfectly.

Her home will feel like a retreat with {zero} toys to step on and fancy furniture that has been un-terrorized by a 2 year old...

The best part is that Mason will most likely (he really needs his Momma at bed time) sleep at my parents house and Aunt Katie is going to watch Gabby (dog) for us...

YIPPE!

Looks like we might get that date night after all....maybe.

I guess I had better get to cleaning up... I would not want the trade to be too un-fare would I?

On my mind...

Lately, I have been a "terrible- no good- very bad- blogger"! I have had so much going on and really when I have time to veg, I just veg. I have not even had the itch to get on here and blog. I am sure I have lost some readers due to my lack of posting and commenting for that matter... But I have excuses... Really I do!

#1- I am pregnant and TIRED! All of my time goes to Mason, it is WaaaaY harder to multi-task when your energy level is (-1,000).

#2- My 2.5 year old is a Tasmanian devil lately... Do not get me wrong, he is a good boy, that is not what I am saying. He just goes through everything at lightning speed. Seriously, he does cartwheels around me... He has figured it out too...

#3- I have an unfinished nursery. Not that we are doing much different to it because we are having a boy, but it needs to organized, we have just been storing stuff in there since Mason moved to his (boy-boy room). I would love a re-do, but there are going to be some BIG changes around the Phillips household, so I really want to hold onto all of our extra cash- Sorry Pottery Barn...

#4- I am pregnant- did I use that one yet?

#5- I do have a small business, and lately very small. I am still getting orders, but I am not doing any sort of marketing or anything to make it bigger right now. I just do not have the energy to give it... Do not get me wrong- I love making jewelry... LOVE IT! It is just dead last on the totem pole lately!

#6- Curt has had a crazy schedule, I swear we have only seen each other for like 6 seconds on his way in from work to sleep and on his way out to work... I think a date night is in order and maybe some snuggle time too!!! Did you read that honey????

Well those are all of my excuses, I think they are pretty legit... Seriously, I do not know how I used to get so much blogging done... Maybe one day I will find time like that again, doubt it...

On to other things:

Jon & Kate + 8.
Really- Seriously!!! I thought this show was about the kids? You know the +8 part. I watched an episode a while back at my friend Angie's house. That was all she wrote for me. That lady is rude. She was mean to her husband and she belittled him the entire time. I hate that their marriage is having trouble (which could all be a publicity stunt) and I wish the best for all marriages epically those with kids involved. But if she really acts like that in real life and I was Jon, I would not be okay with that. Honestly, if he talked to her the way she talks to him, there would not even be a show. People would be outraged. But because she is a woman, it makes the ratings go up and people seem to like it. I really do not see what all of the hype is about. Get over yourself Kate~ you need to be more worried about your 8 littles than how loud your husbands breathing is.

Being a Mom-
I know it might be weird that I am writing this, but I have been thinking that this is seriously the best time I have ever had in my life. Mason is amazing. I am so excited for Miles to get here and I cannot wait to see this next chapter of all of our lives begin.
Mason is so funny and loving, he is going to be that kid. You know, the one that always gets in trouble for talking, gets letters home to Mom & Dad, gets "uses time wisely" marked on his report card, grows up to be a comedian. He lives to make Curt and I laugh and he really is funny- I am not just saying that- HE IS!
He declares he is a "Daddy's Boy" but he has "Mamma's Boy" written all over him. Which is fine by me, I will keep it a secret between me and him( and anyone else who reads this). Do not get me wrong, there are days when I just want out pull my hair out, scream bloody murder and get online and schedule a cruise- just me, all alone on the open sea (but I do not). But I really think those moments/ days are the ones that make it all worth while. Because after all, he is only 2.5, his only main goal every single day is to test new limits and see how the world works. I live for the moments when he give me those big slobbery kisses, you know the ones that do not dry for like 5 minutes. I live for the "I love Mommy" moments. I live for the snuggling in the morning and falling back asleep moments. I live for the "I'm hungry" moments. I live for the moments. I do.

That is all she wrote for me for right now. I have been doing some crafting, maybe one day I will get the gumption to show you what I have been up too... Doubt that too... Only because it involves sewing and my skills are not to fabulous.

Uncle Trouble... {WW}

for more Wordful Wednesday's head on over to Angie's!

We (Mason & I) were out at my brother's house visiting his sweet new baby girl... I think Mason was getting a little out of control inside so my brother (uncle trouble) took Mason outside... I walked out just a few short minutes later and this is what I found...

When it rains, my brother has a "lake" in his front yard. I call it "Lake Bennett." This is the shallow part. I might also add that I thought this was so gross and nasty but Mason has an obsession for water... So, I am pretty sure that Uncle Trouble did not have to force him to get in there....

Busted by Mom...



But he does not really care how busted he is because he is going to enjoy it while he can... He knows Mom is not coming in after him...

Mason and Uncle Trouble...


Do not forget my {give-a-way}! Click here to sign up.

Boy Boy Potty

*** I am having a Give-A-Way, please check out the post below... Enter! Please!

Mason is getting to be such a BIG BOY! He calls himself a "boy boy!" His bed is a "boy boy bed" even though he hardly ever sleeps in there... He also calls his potty a "boy boy potty!"

We have been testing the waters for a few months on potty training. I am not going to jump the gun and say "he is potty trained", but things are looking great. I have said it before and it back-fired on me.

He has gone 2 days with out pooping or peeing in his pants.

He only wears pullys (pull-ups) at nap and bed time.

He does this funny dance right before he is about to poop that always reminds me to get him to the potty- fast!

He loves to pee on EVERYTHING!

He is not very modest about where he pees and who sees him. That probably is my fault, I let him go everywhere... That is how he learned.

The first time he pooped in his "boy boy potty" I took his picture with it. I know it sounds gross to us, but his is in love with that picture. It reminds him of a great victory. I think I am going to put it on the bathroom cabinet next to his potty chair. I wanted to put it on here- I asked my Mom what she though- She thought is was a bad idea!

The only thing he will poop in is his "boy boy potty". He will pee in the big potty but for some reason sitting on the big potty scares him. Mammie bought us this little wooden chair made by Mennonite's (sp?) in her town. It was the last one and they are not making anymore. I want 5 more. One for each of our cars and one for upstairs in the bathrooms up there... Oh well. I guess we will have to cart this one everywhere.

It was our MAIN goal to have him potty trained by the time Miles gets here. It is looking good so far. But I will not declare it until he has been going for a few weeks...

Potty training is almost harder than breast feeding but it does not hurt. It is so time consuming but so worth it.

It is a great thing we have a carpet cleaner, we have sure needed it several times...

{Give-A-Way}

Well, since I am coming out with a new Kiki & Lele website sometime in the fall to early winter, I am trying to mesh my blog and the Kiki & Lele blog. Recently I hit the 400th post mark on this blog and so I thought I would do a {give-a-way} to CeLeBrAtE!

Here's what you gotta do...

1. Leave me a comment telling me what you would like if you won. (1 entry)

2. Become a follower or my blog. (extra entry)

3. Post about my Kiki & Lele site and include a link back to this blog. (extra entry)

Good Luck!

Contest ends when I say so... Most likely next week...

I will choose the winner by random.org.

Right of Passage.

Mason had his very ~first~ dentist appointment yesterday. It went so well. He was in love the second we walked in the door. There was a video arcade, a huge fish tank and all kinds of fun stuff... The panda was one of his favorites. He wanted to take it home. Before we left he took it to the counter and told the lady he wanted to "pay." I laughed, she didn't. We left with out the huge panda and will be looking for one maybe for a special present.


The small dinosaur was his prize for doing so well. He loves creatures of all types and has the best time playing with them. This dino's name is "baby." Go figure...

This pony was a hit. It is like the kind at the store but you can ride it over and over and over because Mommy does not have to dig for quarters...

Do you think they will let me take him in for a play date? This place was amazing... In November, he will be excited to go back!

Mason has a clean bill of health- NO CAVITIES!!! I was so relieved!

Ahhhh...

She melts my heart...

I get to hold her again tomorrow.... I bet she has no idea how much I am going to spoil her....

Ella-Gracin Ann Bennett

ps- if you were wondering... the girl has a ton of hair, she broke the Bennett world record for the most hair on a new born...

Round Here....

We are preparing for a NEW life... Not my baby just yet... But, My brother and sister-in-law are having their first baby today... Her name will be Ella Gracin. I am so ready to be an Auntie. They are so ready to be parents. We are all excited!

The SD card is clean and ready for 1,000 or more pictures...

I am headed to Tullahoma in 30 minutes or so, hoping she will wait on her Auntie Leslee for her debut...

It will be nice to have a girl in the family to buy girlie things for...

I made her several things, I will share when I can...

Please pray that she makes a safe entrance into this BIG world and that my SIL, Carrie does well... I am sure she will!

???

Curt would never in a million- trillion years think of posting on my blog. I have given him the password several times so he could write what he wants~ blogging is just not his thing... Oh well! Today when I put my card in the reader, this is what I found. He stayed up late last night posting pictures of car parts he does not need anymore so he could sell them on cragislist... I have no clue as to what any of this is, but it sure looks pretty on my bar, huh? He even figured out that if he steals my sterling silver polishing cloth that it makes these parts extra shiny!

Here is to my car loving hubbie and his "spring cleaning!"

Because....

Having a boy is way more fun than I ever thought it would be....



Seriously, yesterday was the 4th time I have planted in this pot... I do not know if they will make it another week if they keep getting Mason {love}!

When I pull the hose out, he thinks it is for him to use... I have to literally wrestle him down to get it back just so I can give my flowers {that are not going to live} a little drink!

He says he is "painting with water." I think it is because if you sling the hose real hard it makes cool designs in the air... I am going to have to get the kid a sprinkler to run in... Did anyone else do that as a kid??? Amanda- you do not count, you were over at my house running in my sprinkler...

Now that the weather is warm he is always playing in the water... Even though he gets all muddy and nasty, he is having the time of his life...