Prelude to a tantrum

Much like learning to distinguish between your newborn's cries, learning to 'read' your toddlers non-verbal cues is an essential skill for preventing monster meltdowns. I've learned to pay attention to Liam's expressions, they say it all...

"This sucks, pay attention to me"

"This sucks, get out of my face"

And my personal favorite: "aww mom, you're a bitch!"

I love presents.

This is a Terramundi Pot. Its easily one of the coolest presents I have ever received (another being this baby shower gift). The idea behind it goes beyond just your traditional piggy bank. Once the first coin is dropped the money pot must be fed until full upon which time it must be smashed whilst making a wish. Then you spend the money on 'good things' which brings good fortune.

My closest friend, Tracy, gave this to me on my 32nd birthday and finally its full (It took me so long to fill it because staying at home with your son doesn't pay in legal U.S. tender).

For the past two years every time I added money to the pot I would think about what the coins in this pot would one day buy... A romantic dinner? A new pair of jeans? Diapers? The day I opened this gift, I did not yet know I was pregnant. It would be two more days before this wonderfully frightening information became known. I suppose it was rather serendipitous that my birthday dinner consisted of bottles of wine and piles of sushi.

Totally full the pot holds up to 500 bucks in quarters and dimes! And best of all, at least for me, Miss impatient and impulsive, you can't cheat and pull the quarters out for a paper or laundry (or a 24 ounce bud light). Its a wonderful gift for little and big kids, alike!
Mine held just shy of two hundred dollars in quarters nickels and dimes.
And what did I spend the money on? A mini family vacation to Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark!