Look At All The Pretty Colours

I haven't had much time for bloggin' the past few days, since we've been fixin' up the house. It's been hard getting any work done over the past few days....what with my injuries. Carlos has been doing most of it...but I've made a damn good supervisor! I am feeling better...still a little stiff, but the pain isn't as bad as it was!

All things considered, we have actually gotten a lot done...mostly in the front yard. Curb appeal is important, don'tcha know!

I don't have any pictures of the yard yet, but I will be posting them soon. Instead...since people thought my driveway incident was so funny (don't worry...I did too...I wouldn't have posted the story if I didn't expect people to laugh at with me!)...I figured that I would give you a peek at the healing process.

This is the bruise on my right knee...perdy, isn't it?

I'm not gonna post pics of my other wounds 'cause trust me......ya don't wanna see 'em!

Not Tonight Honey...I've Got A Knee-Ache

I am battered and bruised. I took a fall today...and I feel like a big tool!

My mother arrived this morning and is staying for the week, and Carlos took the week off work. So this week is all about working on the house to get it ready for sale, while my mom tries to keep up with plays with her grandsons. Or....it was supposed to be....

Carlos and I spent the afternoon going from home reno store to home reno store looking for painting supplies, bathroom fixtures, tile, carpet...all the things we need to get our house fixed up for potential buyers to start filing through.

We got home a little later than we had planned...I knew that the boys (Logan especially) would be getting hungry, so I was in a hurry to get in the house and get dinner started. That's when I fell...and skidded across the pavement...on my driveway...with neighbours aplenty watching ...what a proud moment....

The most embarrassing part was...well....when I fell, I hurt my right hand, both knees, and all 10 of my toes (I was wearing open-toe sandals, so the tips of my toes were all scraped up)...and I was in so much pain that I couldn't get up....so there I was...stuck...on all fours on my driveway...my large had-two-kids-in-quick-succession ass in the air...with lots of chuckling gawkers onlookers...not humiliating in the least....

Carlos helped me up, and I hobbled to the front door. When we got into the house, both boys wanted us to pick them up...of course...and here was their mother...limping and covered in gravel and blood...not scary at all...

I slowly (and painfully) made my way upstairs to the bedroom, gingerly pulled my torn jeans ( my fave pair, no less), and proceeded to assess the damage. My hand was bloody and filled with gravel, my right knee was scraped with a huge softball-sized purple lump, and my left knee was full of gravel, and blood was running down my leg...then I realized that the big toe on my right foot had a huge hole on the tip of it, and it was packed with gravel...it just kept getting better...

I called for Carlos, since I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to clean and bandage myself up...I mean...I couldn't even bend my knees! He came running up the stairs to find me pant-less on the bed (not tonight honey...I've got a knee-ache!), with blood on knees, hand and toes...what a sight...

He cleaned my wounds, applied stinging burning acid antiseptic spray and covered it all up with gauze pads. I'm so sexy...

So here I sit....with bandaged hand, knee and toe...covered in bruises....and in tons of pain...wondering how much work I will be able to do on the house this week...and feelin' like a big ol' clumsy clod....

There will be no photographic evidence of this tragically embarrassing event.

My Meme Monday

I was recently tagged for a meme...and I figured Monday was the perfect day to do it.

Lene from Families Are Like Fudge and Jenny from Absolutely Bananas tagged me for a meme to list 10 things that make me happy. So here we go!

1. My beautiful little family! I love my three guys!
   
2. The sound of my boys' laughter...there's nothing better!
3. My husband telling me how sexy I am, and flirting shamelessly with me! It's nice to feel wanted!
4. Getting hugs, kisses and snuggles from my little boys. I'm in heaven!
   
5. Reading a great book. I love to read, and be taken away from life for a little while.
6. Sleeping in while hubby feeds the boys their breakfast.
7. Cool breezes on a hot day.
8. Visits from my parents. I don't get to see them as often as I would like.
9. Soothing bubble baths in candle light on those "Calgon, take me away!" days...and there are a lot of those!
10. Getting comments on my blog...are people really reading this???
    

And now it's my turn to tag some other unsuspecting bloggers...but it seems that this meme has been going back and forth quite a bit. So if anyone wants to volunteer, go for it!

Dinner With Good Friends

Last night we went to dinner with friends of ours who we haven't seen in too long. They invited us over for a fabulous steak dinner, complete with homemade apple crisp. It was such a nice visit.

Instead of getting a babysitter, we brought the boys with us. They've changed so much since our friends last saw them, so it was a treat. The best part was that they were so well-behaved...perfect little gentlemen the whole time.

Zander showed off his ever-expanding vocabulary and helped entertain his little brother, while Logan made good use of his newly achieved mobility. And they giggled...and they laughed...and they flirted...and they charmed. Wow...they can have anyone wrapped around their tiny little fingers in record time! Pretty impressive, I must say.

Our friend Don brought out his camera and, using his talent for photography, took some amazing pictures of our little men.

Zander & daddy (with baldie me in the background)

Aren't Logan's eyes beautiful?

Zander's eyes are gorgeous too! He got his bedtime soother when he
started to get tired...we didn't leave until 10PM!

I was worried it would be hard to relax and have a good time with the kids in tow, but it was really nice. We had a great time chatting while the boys explored...and entertained us with their antics. It became plainly obvious that Zander has reached the age of showing-off for others!

I hope we can do it again soon...a great time was had by all.

A Shameless Plug

My sister-in-law (Carlos' lil' sis) and a mutual friend recently quit their jobs to go into business together...so I'm gonna use my blog to spread the word a little, just in case anyone in the Ottawa area is reading.

They bought a meal assembly franchise called SupperWorks. The basic concept is that they do the shopping, slicing, dicing, chopping and clean up. All you do is book your session and choose your meals from their fabulous menu of 14 mouth-watering entrees (which changes monthly) on-line at www.supperworks.com. Then you just come in at your scheduled date/time, grab an apron, and go from station to station assembling the entrees according to the recipe provided. The appropriate measuring cups/spoons and utensils are set out for each ingredient. Then it's all packaged in freezer bags that are pre-labelled with the name of the entree and cooking instructions. They do all the clean up. All you have to do is throw your entrees in the freezer when you get home, and defrost them and cook them when you need them. No mess. No fuss. Fantastic, right?

We have already taken advantage of this wonderful place...it's so much fun! The food is really amazing, and easy and quick to prepare once defrosted...a great idea for...say...parents of two ridiculously busy boys!

Carlos and I are so proud of them, and their husbands (who are also partners in this venture) for doing this...I honestly don't think I would have the courage. We love the idea (and them....hi guys!) so much that we decided to become their very own little marketing department.

They were featured in the Ottawa Citizen (front page of the business section...fancy!), and had a spot on A-Channel Morning, where they demonstrated how it all works. My geek-tastic hubby made a little fan site (with a disclaimer, of course, stating that the site is in no way affiliated with SupperWorks) linking to the article on-line, and the video clip from A-Channel Morning...which he digitized and uploaded to youtube. He's so cute!

Anyway....if you are in the Ottawa area, check it out...the video is great. If you aren't from the area....check it out anyway!

Okay...I'm done my sales pitch...promise!

Trying Something New

Okay...so I was getting pretty tired of the old template. I'm not really one for busy backgrounds on blogs...I find them distracting. I decided on the other template because....well....I just needed some colour or something.

But that template is now, and forever, retired here at A Beautiful Life. On to bigger, better, and cleaner styles.

It is my plan to try to design, along with my geekified hubby, a fancy schmancy banner for the top of my fresh, new clean-lines blog.

So stay tuned for my continuing Blog-volution. (ya....I like to make up word for my own personal use....get used to it...I do it a lot!)

The Perils Of Pablo

For his second birthday, Zander received a Sing N Spin Pablo from his aunt and uncle. Being an avid fan of the Backyardigans, this gift was a huge hit...after he got over his fear of a moving, walking, talking, dancing Pablo, of course.

That fear has now returned. This afternoon, Zander's new friend turned on him. It appears that Pablo has an evil streak.

It started out innocent enough. Zander was playing with Pablo on the floor in front of me. Whenever Zander gave one of Pablo's hands a squeeze, Pablo would commence with the singing and the spinning.

Suddenly Zander started to scream...I've heard all types of screams come from within this child, but never a scream like this. It made my heart skip a beat.

As Zander continued to scream, he held Pablo (who was still happily singing away) up in the air. That's when I saw that the flesh on the underside of his middle finger had been pulled into the space next to the wheel on the bottom of one of Pablo's feet. And Pablo was still singing and trying to spin...which meant the wheels on the bottom of his feet were still moving, pulling more and more of Zander's finger into the mechanism.

I tried to gently pry his flesh out, but to no avail. I held my breath, gave a quick yank, and his finger was free....but not without a little damage. Pablo had left a large red welt on my little boy's finger. At first he kept crossing his pointer finger over in front of it, as if to guard his injury...although it almost looked involuntary. This caused some concern. His flesh was pulled so far into the mechanism that the possibility of something more serious than a welt (ie. nerve damage or something similarly horrendous) was lingering in my mind.

After I got him calmed down a bit, I asked him what would make him feel better. "Balloon", he squeaked between sobs. More specifically, a pink balloon...he got to pick the perfect balloon out of a big bag of assorted colours and sizes.

The Victim: Nothing heals a banged-up finger like a pink balloon!

It took about an hour for him to go back to his normal self. By that time his finger had just a red, slightly raised bruise. It's still extremely sore, but his finger appears to be functioning normally...thank God!

I went on the Fisher-Price website to confirm the suggested age for this toy. Just as my memory informed me, it is 18+ months. I'm not impressed.

The wheel mechanisms at the bottom of Pablo's feet that allow him to dance and spin are not shielded in any way to protect little fingers, or any other body part, from being pinched, caught or pulled in. Zander is two years old...and they expect an 18-month old child to be safe while playing with this thing?

The Villan: This picture really under-emphasizes how much toddler flesh can get caught in there!

I am currently composing a letter of complaint. Once completed, it will be sent to the appropriate Government department, toy safety organizations as well as the manufacturer itself.

I'm interested to see how Fisher-Price will respond. Perhaps the recommended age should be changed on this toy. Better safe than sorry, don't you think?

'Tis The Season Of Sunburns And Blisters

Today was the perfect weather to play outside...if you aren't allergic to sun. According to Environment Canada, the UV index was 8, or high. Not good. But the kidlets needed to get outside, so outside we went.

Knowing that we would be heading out of doors as soon as Carlos got home from work, I set about "putting on my face". Have you ever tried to draw your eyebrows on whilst a two-year old hyper little boy plays on your lap? Probably not. To say it's difficult is putting it lightly. Picture trying to draw a smooth curve with a brow pencil as a toddler is trying to snatch it from your grasp. Trying to use a mirror that is constantly being repositioned. Trying to draw a line with a freshly-sharpened eyeliner along your non-existent lash line as your arm is repeatedly "nudged". It can be dangerous at times. There are days when I look like I have a permanent scowl due to the shape and angle of my eyebrows....and my little boy.

Anyway...on to the outdoor adventures. After the boys had greeted daddy when he got home, we got them dressed for the climate change (going from air conditioned bliss to a humid 31C/88F). Then we headed outside.

Logan was strapped into the swing that hangs from the tree in our front yard while Zander played with his car. It was great fun for all. We were outside for about 30 minutes before we had to retreat to the house for dinner. That's all it took....30 minutes.

Even though I was in the shade provided by the canopy of our large Norway Maple, I received my first sunburn of the season. Not a bad blistery raw-meat lookin' one....but enough of a burn that I feel like I've been using a belt sander on my face. Stupid sun allergy! Seriously....what kind of sadistic bastard invents an allergy to something as vital to life as the sun? (yes, I know people don't "invent" medical conditions...but I'm bitter!) It's not even officially summer yet, but I still can't spend 30 minutes playing with my boys in the shade of a mature tree. How fair is that? I'll tell you...it's NOT!

Breathe, Cate.....breathe........

My silver lining is....if all goes as planned, our future home will have a backyard graced with UV-blocking shade from the house, and the houses on either side of us. I will be able to have summer fun with my children, without painfully paying for it later. And that is worth the wait.

So I will have to remember that trees do not provide the safe haven from UV rays that someone who suffers from PMLE like me requires. From now on, I'll stick to watching my sons play with their daddy from the safety of my front step!

Thank you for sitting through my sad little pity party....I'm feel much better now.

To make up for this whine-fest, please enjoy these pictures of two amazingly cute boys.

Look what all the snot-wiping from this stupid cold
has done to my poor little boy's face!

"I don't need no stinking hat!"

"Good...my hat is 100% cotton!"

Zander getting in his car
(please ignore the honkin' bald patch on the lawn...it will get fixed soon!)

"Beep! Beep! Get out of the way, mom!"

My lumpy-bumpy driveway, my bald lawn, the boys' desperately-in-need-of-cleaning
frog shaped sandbox...and my beautiful little family.

Hooray For Poop!

Isn't "poop" the greatest word in the world...when it's your two-year old saying it?

Zander said "poop" for the first time last night, which in itself was a great accomplishment. I mean, he's heard that word daily since he was born...and he finally decided to say it.

But the circumstances in which he deemed fit to utter this great word for the first time were...well...surprising to say the least.

Allow me to set the scene. I was just ending a phone conversation with my aunt. I looked up to see Zander standing in front of me. He was in just a t-shirt and his diaper, since it was a warm day.

He then proceeded to pull at his diaper and say "poop". Filled with excitement, I responded "did you poop?". Zander nodded with great fervour, and added "poop in my diaper"! Okay...what he actually said was "poop i' di'...". But hey...that's a big step! Three partial words being strung together to form his version of a sentence. Plus...he was aware that he had pooped!

After my excitement started to wane, though, I realized what is quickly approaching....potty training. Gulp. It hasn't even set in that he's actually 2 years old, and now I have to prepare for the daunting task of potty training? I'm sure we're in for lots of potty fun!

This Is SO Not Me!

This blog is not me. The look of it, I mean.

I'm not a boring person....although some of you who read my blog on a regular basis may beg to differ.

I think I'm pretty unique....I'm fun....I love to laugh, and to make people laugh...I can be quite the entertainer at times....

My husband says I'm melodramatic, which I know I am. But he also knows I do it in fun. I like to exaggerate. I love to act. I love to act silly.

I can be a raving lunatic at times...that's just who I am.

I'm creative...I make paper....I make soap....I make cards, gift tags, boxes....I stamp....I scrapbook....tons of fun stuff....

I'm a freak of nature....how many bald women who are allergic to the sun and cold do you know....honestly?

But one thing I'm not is boring. And this blog is boring. At least to look at. Don't you think? I do.

I want to customize my blog...make it more me. I'm not a "standard blog template" kinda gal.

So I need your input. Those of you who have those wicked-awesome (yes, I am a child of the 80's) custom header/banners/whatever-you-call-ems...where did you get them? Did you make it yourself? Did your DH make it? Did you someone online to make it for you?

I would love some help in jazzing my blog up a bit. What do ya say?

That's A Lot O' Lot!

Living in a townhouse, you don't get much of a backyard. That hasn't been a problem so far, since we haven't really needed it. But now that the boys are older, we're starting to think towards swing sets, slides, playing catch....fun stuff for the boys to do outside.

Our current backyard is approximately 30' wide (since we have an end unit, our yard is 10 feet wider than the inside units) by 35' feet long. Depending on where you are from, that's either a good size yard, or tiny....when I first moved here I thought it was tiny...being from the country and all. I grew up with 1/2 acre worth of front yard! But now I realize that it's actually a pretty decent size for a townhouse in suburbs that are growing so fast that builders are making the lots smaller and smaller.

So when we reserved the lot in the East end of the city for our new townhouse....an inside unit....we knew our backyard would be small. The inside lots are 21' wide...and most are no more than 15' to 20' long. But that's all we can afford right now, and we don't want to stretch the budget. Besides, there is a park about a 5 minute walk from our proposed new home.

We got a call from the builder last week...apparently we cannot build the model of home we want on the lot we reserved. But they had a solution. There was another lot that would work. It is in a block of 3 homes rather than 4...bonus! The backyard will face due East...meaning there will be a lot more shade than our original pick....perfect for a sun-allergic freak of nature like me! Unfortunately this block is being release slightly later than the other one, so we wouldn't move in until February/March....crap! And this lot comes with a $3500 lot premium....fuck! But the lot is a lot bigger than the other one.

We met with the sales person on Saturday to sign some more papers. We got the land surveys, and found out that it was meant to be. We would have had a 15' backyard with the other lot. Our new lot will give us a much larger backyard. The back of it is on a diagonal, since it is an irregularly shaped lot. So one side will be 40' long, the other will be 53' long! That means I will be able to play catch with my boys when they are older without having to go to the park! Wahoo!

So now we continue to get the house ready for sale...'cause the next step is to sell our house!

Madeleine McCann

A comment on one of my posts brought this story to my attention and asked that I post about it...just in case someone out there had seen her, and could help.

This little 4 year old girl, who was on vacation in Portugal with her family, was taken from her hotel room while she was sleeping on May 3rd...the day Zander turned 2 years old. She has now been missing for 19 days.

I can't fathom what this must be like for her parents. It is so hard to think about. Here I am, complaining about a family cold, when there are so many parents out there missing their little boys and girls.

Here's hoping little Madeleine is found safe and sound, and her parents can hold her tight in their arms again.

www.findmadeleine.com

Who Googles That?

I recently set up web tracking on my blog. Loads of fun...I can't stop checking it. Love the world map with all the little dots.....fancy!

After reading about Sara's (of Suburban Oblivion fame) latest post, I thought I would check to see if any search engines had offered up my blog in response to someones query. Well, after just 4 days of traffic metering, I got a good one.

Why anyone in Auvergne, France was searching for "penis master" is beyond me.

I guess the combo of posts regarding the size of the master bedroom in our future home and my son's discovery of his penis will do that.

As for an update on the aforementioned post concerning Logan's new bath toy, we have decided to call it like it is. Zander actually made the decision for us. After wondering if Zander had picked up on us calling it a penis, I asked him where his penis was. He proudly pointed it out for mommy, and that was that.

Well, I think I have used the word penis enough in this post to garner many future "accidental tourists" from the land of search engines...don't you?

Where Did My Sick Days Go?

I think that's the only thing I miss about work. My days off. Whether for vacation, or convalescing from a cold.

I wish I could take a sick day today.

My throat is on fire. My nose is running....it's so sore from blowing it feels like I've been using sandpaper instead of tissue. I have coughing attacks that leave me breathless. The sinus pressure is so bad that one or both of my eyeballs may just pop right out of their sockets. Fun.

But I'm a stay-at-home mom. We don't get sick days.

Today I'm taking care a not-quite 1 year old who is dealing with the same cold as I am. He has lost most of his appetite, and when I can finally get him to eat he struggles with it....his throat must be so sore. He's uncomfortable. He's cranky. He's clingy.

Also in my charge for the day is a busy 2-year old. This little boy still hasn't figured out how to share his toys. As soon as his little brother starts playing with something of his, he snatches it away. And then the screaming starts. This toddler has also figured out this his little brother is getting some extra attention....attention he wants. More screaming. And it seems that big brother has caught the same nasty bug. Joy.

And here I sit...wishing I had a sick day. I know...I know...I should buck up. So what if I'm feeling a little under the weather. I have kids to take care of....kids who need their mother. This is what I wanted...to stay home and take care of them. I knew what I was getting into. I have no regrets.

Except for today. Today I regret that I can't take a sick day. 'Cause you know what....I feel like crap! And I'm fucking tired. I've been up the past two nights coddling my sick baby boy, and having coughing fits myself. All I want to do is curl up in a ball, in my nice comfy bed, and sleep. That's all. And I don't feel guilty about that.

Well....maybe a little....

No Peas Please

Content Advisory: The following post contains descriptive baby-poop language, and may not be suitable for all readers. I needed to vent!

Mmmmmm....green peas. I love green peas. Cooked. Raw when they are freshed picked from the field. Alone. In casseroles. Whatever. I love them!

I don't like them in Logan's diaper.

Logan was sitting in the chair-of-death after dinner tonight when he started complaining. I thought it was just some Logan-crank brought on by his latest cold. Not so. When I got closer I smelled something familiar...peas. Not the delicious sweet smell of peas I love....it was something far more sinister.

This day had just gone from bad to worse.

Logan had the worst diaper blow-out in recent history. The chair-of-death was covered in it. His pants were covered in it. Soon, I was covered in it. When I pulled his pants off I discovered that both his legs were covered in it. Of course his legs were the first things his little hands searched for...which meant his hands were covered in it.

It was nasty. It was foul. It was suffocating. I will spare you anymore detail.

One thing has me perplexed. Logan hasn't had peas in 3 days.

Runny Noses and Leaky Eyes

Logan and Zander have been fighting off the same cold for over a month...since Easter. It is just a lingering cough now....at least it is for Zander.

Last night Logan's nose started getting stuffy again, and his cough got much worse. He started the night out in his crib, but inevitably ended up in bed with mommy and daddy around 1am.

Today he's just a sorry sight. He's mommy-clingy. His left eye is watering like a river down the side of his face. His nose is running, causing him to smear slimy snot across his face, sleeves and hands. His voice is raspy. He is so sensitive and irritable that just the slightest thing going wrong (dropping a toy, wobbling when he's crawling, bumping into something,....) sends him into a crying-coughing frenzy. His coughing attacks are so bad that he ended up throwing up his breakfast and his Prevacid....which I had to re-administer lest his reflux throw it's hat into the ring. One thing at a time please!

It seems like it's just been one cold after another for him lately. I can't even remember a day when he didn't cough. My poor little man.

He's The Man

He's the man whose hair was dyed bright orange when I met him in college.

He's the man who made me really believe that bald is beautiful.

He's the man who has always been there for me, through good times and bad.

He's the man who makes me laugh so hard I almost pee my pants.

He's the man who gave me my two beautiful, wonderful, perfect sons.

He's the man who can always make me smile.

He's the smartest man I've ever known, without being a know-it-all.

He's the man who has a sense of humour identical to mine.

He's the man who, as cheesy as it sounds, has made my life complete.

He's the man whose kiss, after 10 years, still makes me weak in the knees.

He's the man who gets along with ALL of my friends and family.

He's the man who flirts with me shamelessly ever single day.

He's the man who loves me as I am, faults and all.

He's the man my sons adore - the best father they could ever have.

He's the man who supports our family so that I can stay at home to raise our children.

He's the man who makes sure I always feel needed and loved.

He's the man who is definitely a 50-50 partner in this parenting thing...sometimes even more.

He's the man I can't wait to see come through the door at 5pm everyday.

He's the man I can be totally myself around.

He's the man I've always dreamed of.

He's the man I love more than words can say.

He's the man I married 3 years ago today.

Happy Anniversary baby!

Spinning

That's what I've been doing for the past week and a half....spinning. Spinning and spinning and spinning. Isn't Vertigo great?

The day before Zander's birthday, I woke up to see the room spinning around me. Fun, but a little disconcerting. Once it stopped spinning, everything stayed still....until that night.

As soon as I went to bed, I started spinning again. Even with my eyes closed, I felt like I was on some type of sadistic amusement park ride. I didn't get much sleep that night as I kept feeling like I was falling off the edge of the bed, which I was nowhere near.

The next morning, Zander's birthday, I awoke to the now-familiar sight of the room spinning. Carlos and I quickly realized that I would not be able to take care of the on my own...he called in sick. So we spent Zander's birthday all together as a family....and the room continued to spin.

That afternoon I went to the local walk-in clinic to find that I had Vertigo caused by Labyrinthitis....otherwise known as an inner ear infection. But doesn't Labyrinthitis sound so much more exotic???

So for the past 10 days I've been spinning around the house...and unable to look at the computer screen without getting a wierd type of motion sickness. Hence my absence from the Blogosphere. But I'm back.

And just in time for Mother's Day, I have a bee-otch of a headache that is making my left eye bulge, and has me yearning for some sort of blunt force trama to my skull. Joy of joys.

A Letter To The Birthday Boy

My darling Zander,

I can hardly believe that it was two years ago today that you came into our lives. I remember it like it was yesterday.

You were so tiny. After you were born, daddy and I just sat there holding you, gazing down at your beautiful face. We counted your 10 perfect fingers and 10 perfect toes. We peeked under your little hat to see you dark hair. It was the happiest day.

Zander - 1.5 hours old
so perfect

Zander - 2 days old
just before we brought him home from the hospital

And now it's two years later. And oh, how you've grown. You've gone from a tiny baby boy to a walking, talking drawing, building two year old. You amaze us everyday with the things you are learning. You are changing so fast. I can't wait to see what you will do next.

Zander - 2 years old
still in his jammies surrounded by 20 birthday balloons

You have made our lives so wonderful and amazing. I can't remember what our lives were like without you. You make everyday better.

Zander - 2 years old
My little man...he's growing up so fast!

We love you so much, Zander. Happy Birthday!

Love, Mommy and Daddy