Justin Beiber

Yes, Lulu has tickets to the Justin Beiber concert at the Maryland State Fair this Sunday.  Lulu and I are going and her friend Maddy {{I made up that name}} is coming too. 

Who is Justin Beiber?  The latest teen heart throb. 

Bieber Fever rules: Millions of fans took minutes to snatch up tickets to see Justin Bieber in concert, creating a sold-out summer tour sensation. Today the platinum- selling pop singing sensation Justin Bieber announced the second leg of dates on his headlining tour of North America. Already hitting 40+ cities in its first leg of dates, the second phase of The "My World" Tour, presented by AEG Live and Xbox 360 will blaze a trail through more than 35 cities, bringing the tour to 75+ cities before wrapping up December 23 in Atlanta. (Please see complete second leg tour itinerary below.) Additionally, $1.00 from each ticket will be donated to Pencils of Promise, a charity which works to build schools and increase educational opportunities in the developing world. Justin's goal is to build 15 schools around the world for needy children. More details at www.pencilsofpromise.org.

Here are some of my thoughts about this event:

1.  I am still breastfeeding and I need to pump at some point.  I could bring my pump and pump in the car.  However, we have been warned, via special e-mail to Beiber ticket holders, not to drive to the fair but to park at another location and take the bus to the fair.

2.  What words rhyme with "Beiber"?  Lulu informed me that we have to make signs to hold during the show.  Beiber Fever is all that comes to mind. 

3.  Do I know a handicapped person with the credentials to verify their handicap?  Okay, I'm not REALLY looking for a disabled person... but the fair website has a section for special needs visitors.  They even go so far as to require that you prove your disability.

Special Needs – Bieber Concert ONLY:

Those having special needs and attending the Justin Bieber Concert on Sunday, September 5th, will be admitted to the Racing Stable Area beginning at 5PM, ONLY with the following credentials. To gain admittance to the Racing Stable Area, it will be required to have and present to security, concert tickets and handicapped credentials.

Wish me luck!

Boat

Ahh... as many of you know, we recently moved into a neighborhood close to where my parents live.  Living so close to them makes it super easy to buzz over to their house for a late afternoon boat ride.

Brody has been eager to go water tubing again (his second time this summer).  Every morning and every afternoon on the way to/from daycare we pass over the bridge close to where we go tubing... and every time we pass over that bridge Brody reminds us "I go tubing out there!"  "Yes, Brody, that's where we go tubing."  Then, "Luvs2Boat takes me tubing out there."  "Yes, Brody Luvs2Boat takes us tubing."  Finally, "I like tubing!"  "Yes Brody, tubing is very fun, isn't it?"  "Uh-huh, it is!" 

Last time Brody went tubing, Dear Husband got on the tube with him, of course.  And, Luv2Boat drove very slowly. 

This time, Bro got on the tube with Lulu... and they went a tad bit faster... but certainly not too fast for Lulu to be able to hold on to him.

We had a family friend visiting with us this day.  He's so fun to visit with.  Today, he brought over some of his camera equipment with him and was kind enough to take some photos of our fun day.  He was on the dock visiting with Fairy Grandmother and baby Brielle.

The dock was also a great place to be to capture some action shots of our most experienced tuber.

I don't know what we were all looking at in this picture.

Most likely, we were watching Lulu pose for the photographer... as usual.

I hope that you too are enjoying these last few days of summer.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: The Brielle Edition

Ah... where to begin.

Brielle is doing well.  She has fairly bad acid reflux and I spend most of my time holding her in an upright/sitting position.  From time to time I do get to lay her down.

She loves, loves, loves to stare at her brother (who is off camera here).

She likes to swing at the toys hanging from her play arch.

She sucks her fingers too.  Emily was a thumb sucker, but Brody didn't do any of this.  I just think it's so cute.

Bri can finally sit up in her high chair... well, the high chair is tilted back.  This is great for me because now she has some place to sit {{and enjoy herself}} while I am in the kitchen.

Oh, and she is sleeping in her big girl crib now.  Bro likes to great her with a kiss each morning.

How are the siblings adjusting to the new addition?  Well, Lulu just adores Bri, of course.  Surprisingly, Bro loves her too.  He never says anything mean about her.  He loves to hold her, and touch her, and kiss her.  He especially loves to touch her.  He says, "she's so sooooft," when he touches her.  It is amazing to watch them together. 

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Potty Edition

Bro does NOT like to have his diaper changed.  He gets more and more violent during these diaper changes as the days pass.  So, I created a sticker chart for his good behavior.  When Bro nicely lets us change his diaper, he gets a sticker.

Then, one day during naptime he decided to change his own poopy diaper.  I grabbed the spot remover and the only other absorbable white towel we had in the house (another diaper) and removed poop from the carpet.  All the while Bro sat on his bed stating, "Mommy is NOT happy.  This does NOT make Mommy happy," over and over again.

I have faith that one day, some day, he will be sooooo happy to know that I blogged this for the whole world to see.  tee hee hee hee

How I Spent My Summer: July 4 Edition

Looking back...

Last year Lulu had a less-than-stellar July 4.  Personally, I would prefer to stay home... but she talked us all into going to Annapolis for the fireworks.  It was a somewhat hot evening, but we were all glad to be venturing out as a family unit... surprisingly, we don't get to venture out as a family often.  Most often either Lulu is at her dad's house or we leave Bri with Fairy Grandmother.  So, it was great to go out as a group.

For starters, we waited in line to get ice-cream at Storm Brothers.  You always get ice-cream at Storm Brothers for July 4... no matter what.... even if it means waiting in line... you do it... and you do it with a smile.

Bro and Lulu got Superman ice-cream, in a cup, with a cone on top... much less a tad less messier this way.

Dear Husband got a cone.

I got a milkshake... and then remembered that I'm not supposed to be drinking dairy because we think that Bri is having an allergic reaction to the dairy that I drink.  Lovely!  I drank it anyways... in case you are wondering.

The fireworks started soon after we grabbed our seats.

During the fireworks...

Bro kept reminding us that fireworks are loud...

... Dear husband and Bri did some father/daughter bonding...

... and Lulu documented the experience for all of her facebook friends.

What is your favorite July 4 tradition?

Dear Edwina

It's that time of year again... the performance of the summer camp play which marks the end of summer camp.

This year's play is Dear Edwina, "a children's one-hour musical; it concerns a young girl who gives her neighborhood friends and family advice through singing in a musical show."

Lulu plays the part of a ballerina who is one of Edwina's friends.

Here is a picture that the director sent to my facebook account.

   
This is kinda a sad moment for us since this is the last year that Lulu can attend this summer camp... she's getting too old!  :-(  On the bright side, we have had to work her entire summer schedule around the play and it will be nice for her to have more free time to spend with friends and family next summer.

Conversation Cards

I'm back... and one day... someday... I will rehash the last few months of my life.  Until then, we will move forward in life starting with today.  mkay?

We are in the market for new dinner conversation cards. 

We completed the Food for Talk family pack. 

I think that I like the Table Topic cards best.  I can't decide which pack to get.  It's a toss up between the Original and Family Gathering.  Even though we won't be using the cards for a family gathering, the sample questions still seemed good for our family dinners.

I have been half-tempted to get the Couples cards for Dear Husband and I to use when Lulu is at her dad's house.  I had to laugh at the sample questions though.  They are:

•what possession of your partner's would you like to throw away?  Uh... that's easy... his motorcycle. 


•is it your similarities or your differences that attract you to each other?  Similarities.

•what's your favorite photo of your partner?  His facebook profile pic.

•do you eat differently when you're alone?  Not sure that I understand the question.  Like... do you mean... do I eat with chopsticks when he isn't around? 

•have obstacles brought you closer together or divided you?  Whew... tough question... I think that obstacles divide us at first, but then we work through them and so THAT makes us stronger.

•what's the dumbest argument you ever had?  Any arguement when he did NOT agree with me.  Honestly, the silliest arguments are when we are arguing about something that I know nothing about but I am TOTALLY making my point as if I am the WORLD EXPERT on the subject.  I think we had an article about anti-lock brakes, for example.  He ended up looking at me and shaking his head while saying, "you have NO IDEA what you are talking about" before walking away  Hey - but I argued with conviction.  Arguing is a favorite pastime of mine, ya know!
 
Here are some sample Family Gathering Cards.  These cards are printable from the Table Topic website.
 

 
Play along.  Answer one of these questions by commenting on this post.  I'll start.

"What trait do you get teased about by your family?"  Um... I am extremely argumentative... and a wee bit spoiled at times (but not so much anymore).  ;-)