Ways Motherhood Makes You A Celebrity

I read this in the Sept 2009 Parenting magazine and had to share.

1. Someone's always hounding you for your autograph. Even if it's just on a permission slip for the class trip to the recycling center.
2. You travel with an entourage. Okay, so two of them are fighting over a bag of Doritos and one of them has a crusty nose, but STILL.
3. You spend your days club-hopping. How else would your kids get to Brownies?
4. You're front and center at every awards show. Because your 10-year old would never forgive you for being absent when he wins the school carnival karaoke contest.
5. You change clothes three times a day. And it's much more fun if you pretend it's because you're being stalked by the paparazzi, not a messy toddler.
6. You're on a spa diet. Your kids only leave broccoli on their plates for you.
7. You've flashed your chest in public. Hey, it's not easy to juggle a hungry baby in one hand and unhook a nursing bra with the other!
8. People beg to sleep with you. Well, only because there's a monster under their bed.
9. You're covered in tattoos that your kid got in a birthday-party goody bag and plastered on you when you were too pooped to resist.
10. Hassled as you feel right now, in 20 years you'll miss all the chaos.
    

Christmas at the Corsons (A Belated Blog)

Christmas was awesome this year! We hosted Bingo at our house on Christmas with a few friends, so that was great fun. Gene had to work on Christmas, so I joined Downi's family to watch them open presents. That was hilarious. Kenzi had been quite the Santa's helper, and had snuck several "gifts" into the stockings.... She had taped a single tic-tac on a card and wrote a note about "I mint to tell you..." and had wrapped individual squares of candy bars in paper and tape. You could tell she had put a lot of work into things. But the best one was her coupon for a "4 Minute Vacation." Kenzi clarified, "It's for a backscratch!"

And then there were the stacks of books from the downstairs shelves that she wrapped up for Davin and Kaid. Downi laughed, "No wonder there wasn't any wrapping paper left!"

Our family opened Christmas presents on the 26th and enjoyed delightful and thoughtful gifts. Thank you so much, everyone!

Eleni was hilarious, as usual. Grandma CC gave her a magic wand, and she was elated to come up to me, wave her wand very solemnly in a circle and say, "Now you Cinderella!" Then Nash opened some cute sports clothing, and she waved her magic wand and exclaimed, "Now it's a Cinderella dress!" She loved playing the fairy godmother. She kept trying to get mommy and the prince (daddy) to dance.

I found a darling, foofy pink dress for Cledi that she put on for a few hours, but it was very difficult to get on her, so we had to take it back. I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture of her all dolled up for church. She was stunning. Even Eleni noticed and came over to try and play princesses with her. When Eleni was going upstairs to take her nap, she called to Cledi over her shoulder, "Good night, Sleeping Beauty!"

That evening, Kathleen and Frank visited us for a few days and we got to have Christmas all over again the next morning. (Eleni is likely to have some real confusion between Christmas and Hannukah in the future.:) They came bearing loads of exciting gifts for the children and were able to watch them enjoy them!This Cinderella dress was quite the hit. She hasn't gone a day since without putting it on. And the chocolate in her hand was a really big hit, too!This little dog just rolls around and giggles... and you can't help but laugh along with it. This was a thoughtful gift for Cledi, but all 3 kids enjoy it!

It was really great having them visit for a few days during Gene's week vacation. It gives us an excuse to get out do enjoy Dayton!

Kathleen snagged this great shot of Nash
And then GMA and GPA threw an early birthday party for Eleni with more gifts!
Is this kid loved, or what?!

Definitely a great Christmas, vacation, and visit from Kathleen and Frank!

2 Going On 17

The other morning, Leni said, "Get outta here!" She knows that's a not nice word, so I started the usual lecture on not saying mean words.

Her response was scary. She said, "Ariel say 'Get outta here.' (which she does to Flotsam and Jetsam) Cars say 'Get outta here.'" (which happens in about the first 10 minutes of the show) Eleni continued, "Jasmine say 'Stoopid.' Everybody say 'Get outta here.'"

I wasn't sure she realized what argument she had just given me, but she really did---she repeated the same logic about 5 times that morning.

I can't believe my kid is only 2 and she's already giving me the "everybody's doing it" line! I'm in trouble.

Nash Is One!

We celebrated Nash's first birthday with a

Monster Nash Bash!

Downi was taking videos of Nash all night, trying to capture him roaring, but never got it. Here's what he gave her instead. This is my favorite video of the night that I like to call "Mr. Photogenic." (It's only 12 seconds) Apparently Nash feels the same way that Dad does about pictures...

Mommy is a favorite target of the Monster Nash attacks.Sea serpent cakeMonster Snacks (monster fingers and toes, slime balls, carnivorous snacks...)

Leni relieved Nash of his duty to blow out the candle.
She gets a little too excited.
Nash's major gift from us was this huge air bouncer.... I found it at a garage sale this last summer for $20. Works great and has been a major attraction this winter.Nash got some great gifts that he immediately wanted to open and enjoy!

We have great friends who show up to our crazy parties and make us feel loved.
Thanks for coming!

Leni's Randomness

"Mommy, how old are you?"

"Thirty-one."

"Firty-one? You could be forty-four on January 14th."


(Post Script: She told Downi she could be forty-eight today...)

Second Leni Quote for the Day

"But I don't want to be three on January 14th. I want to be four."

Leni Quote for the Day

I started singing along with Eleni's movie, and she turns to me and starts lecturing:

"No, Mommy. It's her turn. And then it can be your turn, okay? You gotta take turns."