Birthday Traditions & Candy cake

Wee One turned 3 years old in October, and we started a new birthday tradition to celebrate. The night before his birthday I decorated the house with balloons and a banner, and when he woke up on his birthday he got a balloon with a dollar in it for each year old he is.

Score! He thought it was pretty cool to get all those dollars! It was a nice start to a special day.

Later that morning we had a simple brunch birthday party with his friends. The boy loves chocolate and candy, so I made him this chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, Kit Kats and M&Ms. Needless to say, it was a big hit with the kids. 

I got the idea from Recipe Girl. 

Does your family celebrate with any special birthday traditions?

Pants Upcycle

My husband came home from work last week with a lovely rip in the crotch of his Dockers. I couldn't repair them because of where the tear was, so I threw them away. 

Wait!

I remembered that I have a sewing machine, and a toddler that could use more pants, so out of the garbage they came. I used the same concept from this post, and in less than an hour, the wee one had a new pair of pants.

I bribed him with a balloon and candy to try to get him to stand still for a picture.

Clearly, it didn't work.

For these pants I used the thigh areas of the ripped adult pants (because there was little wear to the fabric there), and instead of a cuff, I hemmed the bottom. I also added two pockets to the back, and one on the side of each leg. Save yourself some grief, and remember to sew the pockets on before you assemble the pants!

They are a bit boring, so I used brighter blue thread around the pockets to add some interest.

Apparently they're comfy play pants, and have plenty of pockets for treasures.

Cost: Free 

I used up-cycled fabric, and left-over thread and elastic from previous projects.

Is it raining in here?

Hey there, remember me? Yeah, I'm still around, though on a crafting/creating hiatus for the summer.

We've been much too busy picking flowers,

playing with our friends,

playing basketball in the rain,

going to the beach and festivals,

and playing pranks at work.

We've also been potty trained for a couple of months now. Uh-that is to say, we were potty trained. Last week my husband got a job (Yay! Finally!) and the Wee One has been spending time with me and at friends' houses when I have to work. He's been showing his displeasure with the new situation by having "accidents." I expect an accident here and there, especially when out and about, but the past week he's peeing more out of the potty than in it. Case in point...this morning he turned on the fan, stood in front of it, and peed into the breeze. 

Oh. My. God. 

Half my living room now has a light coating of toddler pee spray. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, so instead I handed him paper towels, and continued drinking my coffee like it was the most natural thing in the world. Sigh.

Don't cry over spilled...cheerios?

I have a 2  1/2 year old who makes messes.

This morning the mess was spilled cheerios (see them behind him?).

That same toddler also refused to pick up said cheerios.

Rather than freak out, what do I do?

Give him a string with tape on one end and a cheerio tied to the other. 

All of a sudden he has a fun game of making a necklace and 

he's working on fine motor skills and inadvertently picking up the mess.

Everyone wins. :)

Kids say the darnedest things...

Every so often the little guy says something that gives me a glimpse of just how much more he knows than I realize. Yesterday while browsing the consignment store, he runs to the next booth pointing and yelling "Pan-eh! Pan-eh!" I look over and he's jumping and pointing to a globe- the planet! I think maybe it's a fluke, but I get it down for him to see and  he says it again! Then he smiles, points up, and says "Moon!" Woah! This kid blows me a away!

Movers and Shakers

I love moving!

 I don't however, like packing. We are moving out of our apartment complex  in six days and into a single family home. I couldn't be more excited! It only has one bathroom, but it has a full basement, garage, yard and shed to compensate! 

 Right now I'm at that point where I have a coat closet full of packed boxes, empty boxes all over the house, and no clue what to pack next. Don't you hate that part of moving? "I can't pack the bathroom yet because we will use it. I can't pack the kitchen yet....what can I pack?!" Naturally, my solution is to sit on my butt and pack nothing. Makes a lot of sense, right? :) 

We are in the middle of the "Terrible Twos" here in Michigan, and I'm about ready to tear my hair out some days.

 I don't know if it's just my little man or all toddlers, but this little boy is a holy terror for me, yet sweet as sugar for others! He charms everyone he meets, yet at home he enjoys tormenting me by  biting, kicking, licking my face, and doing whatever else he knows will push my buttons. I REALLY hope this is just a short phase he will be growing out of soon! He was mid-tantrum tonight, flailing on the floor because I put a lid on his sippy cup (the nerve of me!), and I found myself on the verge of giving in and letting him roam around the house with an open juice cup. I caught myself, and said out loud, "I'm the mom here and I make the rules! We don't negotiate with terrorists...um...toddlers." It's not a good day when you confuse your toddler with a terrorist.