Hello... It's me... It's been a while...

So yeah- I had a baby. The last month was the devil. There were holidays and no sleep and peeing all the time and then labor and boom baby. Then there's more no sleep and holidays and baby. So yeah. I got a lot to catch up on.  Meanwhile- here's Killian. Ain't he a doll?

Momentary insanity is another name for thanksgiving

Part 1) my family

So being away for college both my boyfriend and I understand not seeing our family as much as we should. Although I have the excuse my family lives an hour and a half away and my wonderful beau's Stephen like to continuously use the excuse "my family knows I love them!!" With a sassy head toss and snap... Well, this past thanksgiving (our first together) he courageously experienced meeting the majority of my family for the first time. Now of course we get up way to early for a holiday to primp and prep for the long day ahead. Stephen first shaves his 3 inch beard and his face is exposed to the sunlight almost blinding me with his whiteness. Looking good meeting my parents was quick easy and im fairly certain Stephen passed the parent test. Well of course my dad had to remind everyone how well he shoots rabbits on an almost daily basis first thing in the morning when he wakes up. But finally to the good stuff, meeting my racist Native American/Hispanic family. My apho (grandmother) reminding me I have a new boyfriend almost every family event... Nice to know but I think Stephen will get to graciously attend more family events. (Now realizing my Ahpo called me a hoe...) annnnyyyway more of my aunts and uncles pile into my ahpos house and of course, ignore my boyfriend who just happens to lack pigment. I had had enough and was ready to head out the door when Stephen decides he WAS going to be known, stands in the middle of the living room, grabs EVERYONES attention and says "Hi, my name is Stephen and im leaving know" without skipping a beat turns around and walks out and i of course following without a glance back. 

But Realizing I have the best team mate on he hard days of my family events... Made all the silence of the room, all worth it.

Part 2) his family to be continued... 

Tbt kids tales!

I haven't done one of these in a while! 

Once upon a time, my nephew thought he'd be tough. He was about 7 at the time. He and another kid exchanged words at the playground. My nephew, thought he'd be cool and say, "come at me, bro." 

Well the kid did. Came at him with a swift kick to the nuts. 

Moral of the story- don't let your mouth write a check that your ass can't cash. 

They're always your babies.

Even though they may be adults, when they fall asleep in the car you still gotta snap a pic. 

My oldest, Stephen, and my youngest, Eric.  Brothers forever. 

#LoveWins

As you know, the Supreme Court stuck down gay marriage bans. Love rules, Y'all!  What a momentous day. I am so very happy! 

Congratulations!!!!! 

Tbt

So it's throw back Thursday. Normally I'd share a little story with a moral or something, but I got nothing today- well there is the time Stephen shop lifted hot dogs... But no. I'll instead leave you with this awful picture. The moral this: if you're bad in church your sister will get a sucker and you won't. Oh and perms? Never a good idea.

2 be two or not 2 be that is the question.

In my family, on my mother's side there are twins. They're are 8 sets confirmed, and 1 rumored. Our beloved grandmother, Maman Arnaud had 3 sets, my mother being on of the twins. Out of each twin set that lived, one of those had a set of twins, and one of those had a set of twins. Another cousin had a set, and  allegedly a cousin ate her twin in the womb, but that has yet to be confirmed. Anyway, when any one of the cousins, particularly of my generation are expecting, we all secretly watch Facebook to see if the twin magic will land on them. I am happy to report that the twin magic did not land on me, and I only have 1 bun. Whew! Dodged that one! Singleton power!

Now, can I hope for a girl?

Tbt- kids tales

I was induced for Dade. The labor only lasted about two hours, he was a very easy birth. When he was presented to us, we looked at him. His dad looked at him, and looked at me. He said, "is he cute?" And I looked down and replied, "no".

Moral of the story: Not all babies are born cute. Some have to grow into it. 

Caveat: he's very handsome now! See, proud parents!  Also pictured- THE EX. It's ok, we're cool. 

Toddler Tuesday- chillax

Sometimes it's just time to throw caution to the winds and say the hell with it. Currently Eric is playing in the muddy puddles and throwing dirt and rocks. He's having a grand time. I'm not too concerned about the clothes or future mud; he's having fun and making memories. Plus, all that dirt is good for the immune systems. So, uptight mamas, it's ok to let your hair down and let your kids play in the dirt. They'll live and you can drink ice tea on the porch while they explore their world.

Throw Back Thursday- Kids Tales

Once upon a time, Dade and I were arguing about something. He was about twelve at the time. All of a sudden, he turned and looked at me. He said, "you just feel that way because you haven't found Jesus."  To which I casually replied, "yes I did, he was hiding behind the sofa."  Dade's mouth dropped open, he looked at me and walked off. I hear his voice drift back to me from the hall, "I don't even know what to say to that...."

Moral of the story: Don't sass your mama. She has a comeback bank with 30+ years of sassy deposits

Toddler Tuesday: avoiding the toddler melt down.

Well, as I may have mentioned, been a mom for 20 years. I have in no way, shape, or form any professional expertise. I'll leave that to my awesome sitter, Leenie. Anyway, toddlers are basically little psychopaths in child disguises. You never know when they are going to straight up lose their minds and go berserk. You can, however, recognize the signs of imminent crazy and avoid the melt down. I am talking of vacation and the overwhelmness of it all. Places like Disney, Sea World, Legoland, and even the Zoo can be super sensory overload. Parents often want their children to have a memorable experience (we paid a fortune for this vacation!) that they often push their child past their limits, and a tantrum is the result. Too often I have seen crying toddlers; hot, sweaty, crying, and miserable. So here are a few helpful hints.  Remember every child is different. It is important to know your child's limits and communication methods. 

Look for the sleepy time nap signs:

It could be anything as simple as rubbing their eyes to a head nod. Once you notice these signs, remove them to a quiet place and intimate nap protocol. 

Hydrate and Shade:

Vacation is usually taken in summer, and often times outside of the child's usual climate. Children aren't used to being outside all day, so make sure they drink plenty of water, have access to shade, and wear sunscreen. There is nothing worse then a cranky toddler - except maybe a sick man... I don't know, that's kind of a toss up. Umbrella strollers are small and convenient, but don't really offer much in shade. Try to find  a lightweight stroller, cheap, yet shady. I recently purchased this (good for up to 50 lbs!) I'll review it later after Disneyland/comic-con trip.

 Kolcraft Cloud Plus Lightweight Stroller, Slate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHKAMG4/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_kwWivb1D11KCH

Don't be afraid to breastfeed - feed the beast! 

Seriously, no one cares anymore. If your child is hungry, feed them. Besides, the Pope says it's ok, who are we to argue? They need the comfort as well, big busy places are unnerving, and they just want the comfort and reassurance of mama. 

Pack their usual snack:

Some things we don't really consider is that most kids aren't used to a theme park diet. All that rich food has to upset their little tummies. Skip a rich meal, opt for a pb&j, or just pack some Cheerios in a ziplock. All these can help alleviate the tummy upsets. Apple juice is the great equalizer, so have some of that. Also yogurt banana juice works wonders. 

Don't push your child past their limits:

You don't have to see the fireworks, show, or get that last picture. If they are too tired, they won't enjoy it anyway. Sometimes retreat is the best answer. Remember, you still have to pack up, find your car, fight your way out of the parking lot, and make it back home or hotel.  Besides, now you have an excuse to come back! You're welcome. 

Most of all, have fun and enjoy being a family. 

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter to all Care C-ers! Yes, to all 4 of you. ;P The Mistrot household has some silly traditions that Id like to share. First is Bunny Bread. This delicious delicacy is an orange sweet bread that is shaped into bunnies. They are a pain to make. I've been up since 6 am working on these bad boys. That's why they're iy made once a year. I'd like to give mad props to my Kitchen Aide mixer. The kneading hook is amazeballs. 

Second crazy tradition is to poc eggs. I have extreme Cajuns on my side of the family, and egg pocing is a Cajun tradition. Each person takes a hard boiled Easter egg and pair off. They hold little end to little end and one person gently taps the others egg until someone's egg cracks. The one that cracks is the loser, and the winner goes on to poc another day. 

Lastly the egg hunts. Yes, we hid eggs for the kids and yadda yadda. The best part is after that. Once the kids find all the eggs, they then go and hide them for the adults. Then the bloodbath begins. 

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you have lots of yummy food and family around you. Hippity Hoppity Hugs!