Springer Family Revue

Last weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:14:00 +0000

Last weekend, Scott kept the kids while I spent some quality time with my mom. Here's a picture of my crew at the zoo. They look pretty happy, but what's that look on Abby's face?

Old McDonald Had a Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:09:00 +0000

Just a funny little tidbit about Abby. At bedtime, we sing her a series of songs (by request, of course). Her clear favorite is Old McDonald Had a Farm. Lately, she has wanted it sung like this:

"Old McDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O And on that farm he had a mommy, E-I-E-I-O, with a Mommy here and a Mommy there, here a Mommy there a Mommy everywhere a Mommy, Old McDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O, and on that farm he had a Jackson, E-I-E-I-O..." and so forth.

We go through every member of our immediate and extended family. It's not seeming as funny as I write the story, but it's ridiculously funny when she's making her requests!

Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:45:00 +0000

There are plenty of mothers who disapprove of bribery as a parenting technique. I am not one of those mothers. In fact, I wholeheartedly embrace it! I credit bribery for the success of Jackson's potty training (Skittles), sitting still at church (stickers), and getting out of the house on time (Hershey's Kisses). The photos below demonstrate the power of bribery. After trying (unsuccessfully) for five minutes to take a decent picture of the kids to give to their great-grandmother for her 86th birthday, we broke out the chocolate:

Sitting still - and holding hands - at the prospect of candy.

The moment the candy hits their taste buds (and we manage to snap our first decent photo).

The kids are thrilled - and so are we (and if you look closely, you can see the chocolate in Jacks' mouth)

Quick update

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:34:00 +0000

Ugh. It's been sooooo long since I've updated my blog. I feel like I've been cheating on my blog with Facebook! For those of you who still bother to check - despite the fact that I haven't contributed a post in almost FOUR MONTHS - here are a few quick updates and several new photos:

1) Scott and I went to Outside Lands over the weekend. AWESOME. I was *this close* to Ben Harper. I wanted to touch him, but I'm pretty sure his security goons would have intervened...

2) Sweetest Jackson-ism ever on Monday, August 25, while I was pushing him on the swing at McKinley Park: "I love Mommy, I love Daddy, I love me and I love Abby." Completely unsolicited. What more could a parent want (especially the "I love me" part)?

3) Abby says about a zillion words these days. Among my favorites: elbow, mole (random, I know), Jackie (pronounced Ja-ee), butterfly and lasagna. She has a Spanish-speaking babysitter who asks her, "Donde esta la nina (I don't know how to put the accent over the second 'n' in 'nina')?" Abby answers "I am nina" and then points to all of the girls/women nearby, calling each one a "nina." She also says cabesa, boca, ojos, nariz, and numerous others.

If you're on Facebook, "friend" me!

On to the photos...

Jackson in Old Sacramento - click on this photo - it's animated!

Studmuffin

Blue-eyed boy (who was desperately in need of a hair cut)

If Abby and Jackson were in a band, this would be their album cover. They're so very "cool."

Taken from my camera phone - nothing better than pigtails on a baby girl!

At the Gilroy Garlic Festival - that event was pure, 105-degree hell!

Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:27:00 +0000

We love them when they're awake, but there's nothing better than two sleeping children!

Time for the Birds & The Bees?

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:18:00 +0000

The other day, Scott was getting the kids ready for a bath. In the three seconds between removing Abby's diaper and plopping her in the tub, she peed on the floor. Jackson's face was a mask of confusion as he watched the pee trickle down her legs and form a puddle at her feet. He said to Scott, "Abby doesn't have a pinker (our pet name for Jackson's you-know-what). Abby pee-pees from her tummy." Abby's tummy is so lovely and round it hangs down to her knees, concealing her "parts" from view, and it DOES look like she's peeing from her tummy.

This was too funny to include in my "Jackson says" column - it deserved its own post!

Abby's tootsies

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:51:00 +0000

This is probably the third (fourth?) post about Abby's delicious feet. Please forgive me. They're just too precious. Every time I change her diaper (and pretty much every time they're within reach), I kiss her feet. As a result, she now kisses her own feet when she takes off her shoes and socks, as if this is simply the natural thing to do when her bare toes are exposed. SO CUTE. This evening, she took her Crocs off in the car. I turned around and saw her kissing her feet - one right after the other. I can't say I blame her! I have never seen such perfect, plump toes. :)

Weekend in SoCal

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:54:00 +0000

We drove to Southern California Thursday night for my cousin's missionary farewell. The five-hour drive was rather uneventful, unless you count Abby's midnight wakeup during which she screamed inconsolably for 52 minutes. Fun. All improved from there, with a quick visit with Scott's mom Friday morning followed by two full days of aunties, uncles and cousins. SoCal is supposed to be warm and sunny year-round, right? Wrong! We had to bundle our kids the entire weekend, as it was cold and windy and miserable! Lucky for everyone, the wind subsided during the farewell dinner, which took place at the beautiful Capistrano beach (my aunt bought Tiki torches and everything - sooooo OC - it was an incredible party).

I've always had a crush on my Uncle (by marriage) Chris. Is that wrong?

Chris' wife - my Aunt Pam. He's *almost* hot enough for her!

I can't help but post pictures of my babes' feet.

Jackson is smiling delightfully in this picture, but only after I promised him a drink of Sprite!

Sad Abby...

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:25:00 +0000

So, my dad asked me yesterday if Abby ever smiles anymore. He lives in Wyoming and doesn't have the opportunity to see her on a regular basis. We send lots of photos to make sure he doesn't miss a pound or an inch!

Lately, Abby has been less than thrilled with the camera. As such, every photo my dad receives is similar to the shot below. Unlike her diva brother, she doesn't enjoy posing for a camera while numerous adults shout "smile!" while making stupid faces and loud noises. Instead, she assumes a blank expression, like "why are all of my big people acting like such idiots?" She also becomes very curious about the camera itself - we have several pictures of Abby reaching for the lens.

In any case, this post is intended to prove that, yes, Abby DOES indeed smile. The second picture was taken on Easter. The blue thing on her cheek is a sticker. I'm pleased to report she's a giggly, happy girl (when she's not screaming bloody murder, that is).

Seriously!

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:36:00 +0000

I know it's not the "in" thing to brag about your kids, but I simply can't help it. How ridiculously cute is Jackson? And that belly? Please.

Freakin' Scary Easter Bunny

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:56:00 +0000

Apparently my children are terrified of large, fluffy bunnies with hard glass eyes and permanent bunny grins. We attempted a traditional Easter Bunny photo on Friday - with mixed results. I dressed them in their freshly ironed Easter outfits, combed their hair, and scrubbed the peanut butter and bread crumbs from their faces before heading to Stonestown Mall. Abby was instantly smitten with the bunny, calling him "doggie" and waving emphatically (from the safety of her mother's arms). Jackson wasn't particularly interested in the bunny, but rather turned his focus to the new Lightning McQueen I had hid (unsuccessfully) in the basket of their stroller.

The new car was intended as a blatant form of bribery. Specifically, "sit on the bunny's lap and smile and you can have the car." Although Jackson was quite nervous approaching the bunny, the bribe paid off. He smiled like an angel. No amount of pleading or cajoling could convince Abby, however. She simply screamed and cried for her mom, as if the bunny's white fur was scalding her legs as she sat on his lap. Alas, here is the result... Better luck next year?

A regular comedian...

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:20:00 +0000

Jackson's sense of humor is...well...maturing (?). He loves telling knock-knock jokes. They go something like this:

Jack: Knock-knock!
Me: Who's there?
Jack: Mama Head!
Me: Huh?
Jack: Unsuppressable giggles

He also substitutes "Mama Head" with "Daddy Head," "Abby Head," "Pillow Head," "Book Head," etc. No idea where the "head" reference originated... The other version of his knock-knock joke is "flub," i.e. "Mama Flub," "Daddy Flub," etc. HILARIOUS (?).

Barf-o-rama

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:55:00 +0000

The scourge has hit the Springer household. Abby started throwing up in middle of the night Monday and hasn’t stopped. We went to the doctor today to make sure she wasn't deydrated, as she doesn't seem to have any tears when she cries. Turns out that despite the seemingly endless yacking (and other, equally fun forms of human output), she is perfectly hydrated. Sadly, that's the only thing she has going for her. Her diaper rash looks like a war zone; it hurts her so much that we have to hold her around the middle rather than beneath her bum. And although this method protects her sweet tushy, picking her up around the middle has invited mass vomiting, almost like we're squeezing it out of her. I have no idea what's left for her to barf, as she hasn't eaten in two days! She must have a secret stash of food stores (I suppose you can't get thighs like hers without a little effort)!

Jackson, whom we thought had been spared, threw up five minutes before I picked him up from preschool Tuesday. To make up for lost time (and to keep up with his little sister), he threw up again in his car seat on the way home. Any parent out there has likely experienced the unique challenge of disassembling a car seat and washing the pad. No lack of fun at the Springer home during this week’s barf-o-rama!

What's worse, I'm starting to feel queasy myself. Fingers crossed that my symptoms are purely psychosomatic, but I'm feeling the faintest stirrings of nausea and achiness. Uugghh...

I have been elbow-deep in barf and other human output the past two days... I’d be happy never to have to clean it up again. That wish is a pipe-dream, I know, as my kids will surely be inflicted with many more barf spells in the years to come! And to think I went out of my way to get them both flu shots (non-thimerasol, mind you!)... I got one, too, but I'm afraid the vaccine is failing us all! Scott is our last hope. If he gets sick, the kids will have to learn to fetch their own Cheerios and juice!

Back-seat driver

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:19:00 +0000

Jackson is a brilliant boy. He has mastered the concept of "red means stop, green means go." As a result, my 3-year-old has become a back-seat driver, SCREAMING "stop!" from his car seat when he sees a red light. Unfortunately, he hasn't quite figured out which stoplight goes with which lane of traffic. For example, if we're driving through a green light but he sees a red turn arrow, he truly FREAKS OUT and screams for me to stop, certain that we're running the light. After I recover from his significant volume and the shrill of his voice, I laugh out loud at my poor little boy's plight. In addition to not understanding which light goes with which lane, he has limited visibility in his car seat. It's freaking hilarious.

Mine eyes ne’er beheld such beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:40:00 +0000

My newest work of art. Sure, I've produced two beautiful children (and this fabulous blog), but the creation of which I'm currently most proud is my pantry. Newly organized and freshly scoured, this particular project consumed four hours of my time. As you can see from the photos below, the time was well spent. That, or the toxic fumes I inhaled have altered my thought processes to such an extent that I *think* four hours - elbow-deep in bleach - was a good use of my time.

My mom told me last night that I need to get a life. Clearly, she's right...

Front view

Right view

Left view

The latest...

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:57:00 +0000

It's been a busy couple of weeks! This stay-at-home-mom thing is pretty unbelievable, first because it's such a treat to have so much time with my kids, and second because I'm unbelievably busy and exhausted! In addition to indulging my children, I'm also consulting with several public relations and marketing firms and picking up the slack at Scott's ad agency. More on that later. For now, I'm just happy to report that this (almost) full-time mom-thing is working out well!

In the time since I quit my job, we have have made the rounds of all of the local kid spots:

Bay Area Discovery Museum (three times)
Children's Fairyland
Exploratorium
Urban Recess (at least a half-dozen times)
My Gym (same - at least once or twice a week)
Alta Plaza park (FABULOUS park at Steiner & Jackson)
Walter Haas park
Potrero Hill park
California Pizza Kitchen (twice - it's my fave)
Boston Market
Kids Cuts (awesome - though not cheap - kids hair salon with a gigantic play area attached to the salon - great tool for bribing your child to sit still!)

Tomorrow promises to be an equally fun day for the kids, as we are heading to the lab for a lead-level blood test. I will have the fun task of restraining both children while the phlebotomist draws their blood. Anyone who knows my kids knows they have a little extra chub, thus rendering it nearly impossible to find a vein with the first poke. I'm dreading this... I'm packing a bag of M&Ms to feed Jackson during his ordeal (much like sugar cubes for a sick horse). Abby will get over it in five seconds. She doesn't yet have a negative association with needles. Yuck.

Jack and his girlfriend, Stella, at the Exploratorium

Scott & Abby at Children's Fairyland - she was laughing hysterically, but I couldn't manage to capture her giggles on film. At least Scott's hand looks super-cool.

Jackson at the Discovery Museum

Abby at the Discovery Museum - what's that look on her face?!

Jackson at Alta Plaza park

Abby at Alta Plaza

Jackson at Kids Cuts

Abby - finally enough hair for pigtails - kind of!

Unemployed and drunk

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:32:00 +0000

Friday, Jan. 11, marks a significant milestone at the Springer household. I (the matriarch) am unemployed! I ended my nearly six-year tenure with Buca di Beppo last week when I volunteered to be laid off as part of Buca's "reduction in force."

Although my job was not on the chopping block, my co-worker WAS about to get laid off. Anyone who knows me well also knows that I had fantasized about quitting my job for a long time. While I loved working at Buca - LOVED it - I love my kids more! I was constantly struggling to balance work and family, feeling guilty all the while that I wasn't able to spend more time with my yummy babes.

So, when I heard the layoffs were coming, I emailed my boss and volunteered to off myself. He accepted! And, my co-worker's job was spared - a pleasant side-effect.

I'm unemployed and DRUNK with joy. I will do some freelance work in order to keep me sharp (and keep food on the table!), but I'll have a lot more time to enjoy my precious Jack & Abby. What a great thing.

Abby's Toes...

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:57:00 +0000

Yum!

2:20 a.m.

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 10:20:00 +0000

No mother of two should be up at 2:30 a.m., let alone posting (and catching up on all of her friend's blogs - did Racheal Janakes have her baby or what?!!). However, I'm a bit cracked out after downing countless Coke Zeros today in order to complete a major cleanse of our house. Specifically, I went through the kids' toys and stuffed two huge garbage bags full of books and cars, baby toys, etc. (etc., etc.!). I also cleaned out the kids' drawers - including their dreaded sock drawer - and came up with another bag full of clothes they've outgrown (I'm saving the most precious items for progeny, of course). I was thrilled to throw in four pairs of my own shoes that have occupied precious space in our San Francisco closet.

It feels so good to get rid of all of this stuff...I will joyfully deposit several large garbage bags (along with our old vacuum cleaner) at Goodwill tomorrow morning!

It does not, however, feel good to know that my yummy babes will be up and at 'em at a horrifyingly early hour...

Computer armoire?

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 10:12:00 +0000

I'm seeking a computer armoire/office. You know, the kind with cabinets that you can close at the end of the day (and hide the mess)? With the cabinets shut, it should be discreet and should look like a regular armoire or other piece of furniture, as it will be occupy a conspicuous spot in our dining room.

I need to make a purchase because I'm moving out of my office/laundry room in the next couple of weeks. We're remodeling the room to become a bedroom for Jackson, thus giving Jack & Abby their own rooms. We've moved our laundry downstairs to the garage, which isn't as annoying as it sounds, and is certainly worth it for the kids to have their own bedrooms.

I'm not terribly excited about working in the dining room, but I AM excited about decorating the kids' bedrooms. Here's what I've picked out for Jackson, and here's Abby's....

Christmas 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:47:00 +0000

Christmas truly was something for the record books. Jackson, our happy helper, assisted all of us in opening our gifts. He tour through present after present, barely pausing long enough to appreciate each goody he unveiled. Despite his frenzy, it took several hours to open all of the gifts. By the end of it, even Jackson was exhausted (and that's a rare occurrence)!

Next year, we may decide to limit the number of gifts beneath the tree. The kids would be just as happy with a handful of gifts, as opposed to the gross consumerism displayed this year!

That said, I don't know if Scott and I will be able to show any restraint. We're not so great at demonstrating restraint when it comes to buying gifts for each other! Just like we do every year, Scott and I promised not to get each other anything, preferring instead to bankroll the money (the kids need to go to college, right?). And despite this promise, we suprised one another with numerous, fabulous gifts! My sweet husband spoiled me with a Gocco, mani/pedi gift certificates, Dolce & Gabbana's new scent, the new Feist album, and several other presents. My favorite was a 3 ft. x 3 ft. stretched canvas print of Jackson and Scott (posted below).

My mother-in-law (Grandma Candy) came to visit, which made for an extra-special holiday for the kids. We bought her a digital camera...she's not sure she'll be able to work it, but we have hope for her yet! After all, she's managed to navigate her Mac computer, emailing regularly, purchasing airfare online, and even reading this blog!

Several days later, ribbons and boxes, lonely puzzle pieces and Thomas trains are strewn up and down the halls. I plan to go through the kids' toys this weekend and make a giant contribution to Good Will, while making room for all of the new stuff Jack & Abby received.

We had an amazing holiday. We are so blessed to have each other and are extremely grateful for the gifts given and received - both temporal and spiritual.

Forgive me for posting so many pictures...this post was created in large part for the grandparents who couldn't be here.

Our nudie girl

Opening gifts

So many presents...

Beautiful blue-eyed boy

Jackson and his new shirt

The picture Scott used for my canvas - my favorite gift!

Jack and his Daddy

Jack, Grandma & Scott - admiring the photo book!

The Christmas bomb

Abby with wrapping paper stuck to her bum

Finally enough hair for a ribbon!

The kids' birthday party

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:25:00 +0000

It was awesome, to say the least. More than 60 friends came over to celebrate our sweet munchies' birthdays. We were incredibly touched and honored by this tremendous outpouring of love. It's especially important for Scott and me, as we have no family close by.

The kids were ridiculously cute. Jackson - cracked out as ever - did wind sprints up and down the halls, shrieking all the while. He was so overwhelmed and ecstatic with all of the guests and all of the attention. Abby is a blossoming social flower; she greeted each reveler with a wave and "hi" and was quite thrilled to be passed from person to person all afternoon. I barely saw my baby girl!

In addition to standard party fare - food, drinks and goodie bags for the kids - we invited a local children's musician (Keta) to play songs at the party. Abby was the belle of the ball, dancing along fanatically to every song Keta played.

Jackson and Abby blew out their candles after the chorus of 60 sang the birthday song. Mom & Dad had baked mini-cupcakes for the occasion. Despite the fact that they were "mini," Jackson still managed to consume his body weight in sugar, which meant a very long and painful bedtime process. Abby - just like most 1-year-olds - simply stuck her entire face into the cupcake, grinning widely through frosting-glazed lips.

I hate to admit it, but we hid almost all of the kids' birthday presents until Christmas morning, at which point we finally let Jack & Abby tear into the gifts. We won't be able to do that in the years to come, but, this year, they didn't know the difference! Thus the reason I'm a little late with the thank-you cards...

Sneaking his fifth (or was it his sixth?) cupcake.

The birthday song

Mini-cupcakes for the kids

Abby demonstrating her remarkable musical aptitude

Abby getting her groove on

Blog drought...

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:54:00 +0000

It has been over a month since my last post. Officially a drought. In the last month, I've been occupied with the following mundane, yet time-consuming tasks:

1) Planned and hosted a birthday party for my kiddies with 60+ people in attendance.
2) Completed all Christmas shopping and mailed packages to friends and family in other cities/states.
3) Coerced my husband to design our Christmas card.
4) Updated our mailing list; stuffed, addressed and mailed all cards.
5) This is the biggie: spent 50+ hours (not exaggerating) designing Apple photo books for each of the three sets of grandparents.
6) Purchased a Christmas tree and (nearly a week later) trimmed and decorated the tree (in fairness, Scott took care of this task in its entirety - I was too freakin' tired!).
7) Nursed two sick children back to health the entire weekend of Dec. 19, including a five-hour stint in the hospital where Abby received three breathing treatments and a course of steroids after contracting bronchiolitis (she's okay now!).
8) Wrapped Christmas presents, watched (and photographed) my children rip through the dozens of gifts in a frenzy, and, finally, stood back in awe to observe the grizzly scene...it looked as though a bomb had gone off in my living room!
9) Cleaned up the debris for two solid days - and we're still not finished!
10) At long last, stressed about updating my blog! I still haven't posted pics of the kids' birthday party...
11) Oh yeah - one last - keep up with my full-time job and raise two tiny children all the while! Ahhh... December!

Abby's Walking - Officially!

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:14:00 +0000

She cruises up and down the hall and has mastered the art of navigating around corners and through doorways - just a few weeks shy of her first birthday. On Sunday, Jackson played "chase" with Abby. It was hilarious to watch her try to escape her brother's clutches, waddling as quickly as she could around the kitchen and laughing hysterically all the while.

Scott videotaped her new skill and used his masterful editing skills to create the attached movie. Four things to note:

1) Listen to Jackson saying "She's walking, Dada," in the background. Ridiculously cute.
2) Enjoy the crusty nose and Abby's ladylike nose-picking.
3) Dance along to Abby's groove scene, creatively edited by her proud papa.
4) Enjoy the music of Swell Season's "Falling Slowing." Seemed a pretty appropriate pick for this clip, as Abby stumbles around like a drunk and is always on the brink of falling.

Aquaphor Update

noreply@blogger.com (Katy Springer) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:10:00 +0000

Sadly, the $80 we spent for professional carpet cleaning was all for naught... Jackson's rug will soon be banished to the dump, unless someone's interested in a rug that's entirely covered in a fine layer of petroleum product?