Not so "mellow"

Daddy is hard at work on an end of semester paper so Brother, Little Bitty and I met him for dinner at a spot near campus because this would be their only chance to have some good Daddy-time for the day. It was a dinner like you read about from parents of young children. Except - we weren't reading about it - we were living it. It really just went from bad to worse. It started off with a crying toddler standing in her high chair refusing to sit, ramped up with a shattered pepper shaker on the floor (done mostly on purpose because someone was told not to suck on it), climaxed with a large pepperoni pizza flying off our table and hitting the floor and window next to us, and then came to a nice end with a trip to the (BOYS) bathroom that required a plunger and twenty minute delay (won't go into details on that one). All we could do was laugh. But Little Bitty cried like she lost her best friend when the pizza hit the floor. It was not a mellow evening.


Little Bitty is teething and is a bit like a hormonal woman right now. She had another hearty cry this morning when she brought me a huge, dead mosquito-esque bug and placed it next to my face as I snuggled with Daddy (for like 5 minutes on the couch because he stayed up most of the night writing and I hadn't seen him). She cried because instead of praising her on bringing me something so cool, I screamed and shouted "PUT THAT IN THE TRASH - YUCK!" I know, not the gentle mothering that I normally try to employ - but it startled me. It's like when your cat shows up with a dead bird - all proud and feeling generous by sharing it with you - but it's really just disgusting.

Later this morning I could actually be heard saying "[Little Bitty], you may not play the pouring-juice-from-cup-to-cup game anymore! It wastes juice and ruins our rugs. That little mess just probably cost us $100. DO YOU UNDERSTAND??" "Yes," she replied sweetly. Then I took a breath and realized that I had just lectured my 21 month old on financial waste. At least I didn't drive her to tears this time.

But to show what a complex and dichotomous character I am - I actually hope to spend part of my day making bows for Little Bitty with some fancy ribbon I found on sale at the local craft mart and plan to tackle an adorable bandanna dress later this week as soon as all the materials arrive. It makes me laugh (as much as the lecture I gave this morning) - because this southern-type craftiness doesn't feel like me - and is a far cry from the person lecturing on wasting money this morning. But, it should be fun and a good change of pace from clinical system analysis... right? However, friends - if I start sending you hand-made, "stamped" cards on your birthday or dressing Brother in anything that involves smocking (not that there's anything wrong with that) - send in some sort of help, because it will mean that something is off balance in my world.

My blog has been censored...

...by my husband. I wanted to post a picture of Little Bitty trying to drink the last of my venti, skinny vanilla latte... but apparently Daddy is "generally against Strbks and one year olds drinking coffee." While I can appreciate, understand and even pretty much agree with him on this - it would have been a funny picture. She looked just like me feverishly trying to get that last drop of sweet, caffeinated goodness.

My husband takes a stand on things like this once in a while and puts a halt to my plans...kind of like when Brother was one and I bought a monkey costume for him for Halloween... Daddy wouldn't let him carry a banana because it wasn't "dignified".

I told him this morning that if he voiced opinions about what I could post on the blog, that I would just blog about him instead. So, there you have it. ;)

If you can't be with the one you love...

...just wear his underwear.
Daddy and Brother just left for school. Little Bitty immediately wanted to put on Brother's discarded underwear. The funny thing is - I did the same thing with Daddy's.

Ah, Spring!

The pictures aren't good (in fact, they're pretty lame) - but they're an account of the great spring day that we had today. Brother played hooky since it was such a beautiful day (and since he's not even in kindergarten and I work from home - he can do that). We played outside with friends, had a picnic lunch, ran through the sprinkler... and topped the day off with a visit from the ice cream man!

Brother and Little Bitty about to enjoy our picnic... except for the fact that Brother has a small scratch on his toe that prevented him from eating and Little Bitty's diaper is so full that she had trouble sitting down. Other than that, it was really quite lovely.

Shortly after the picnic (attempt)... Little Bitty was informed that it was nap-time and she ran screaming from the room to hide. Here she is behind our bedroom mirror. I'm sure the fact that I'm stalking her with our camera wasn't at all annoying to her during her tantrum.

ICE CREAM! He even pulled into our driveway...which was thrilling for the kids ...and yet terrifying for me because now the ex-con who drives the truck knows where we live.

Run, Maddie, Run!!

My younger-looking but older in age sister is running the Boston Marathon today. I told Brother and he said, "I hope she wins!"

Maddie, we will be proud of you even if you come in second. ;)

Where Is Pointer?

Don't you hate it when someone crams their pointy little finger up your nose so far and hard that it gives you a full-on nose bleed - and then they're so upset by your bleeding nose that you have to comfort them?

Or - ooh - I know... how about when Princess Pointy-finger-nose-picker wakes up at 2am and will only be soothed by laying in your bed between you and your husband while you sing "Where is Thumbkin" and your husband does the hand motions?

But, you know - that which doesn't kill us (the nose bleed did stop) makes us stronger... or makes us love our husbands even more. The sight of him wiggling his thumbs along to the beat at 2am was just so darn sweet.

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In other parenting news - Brother announced yesterday that he would like to have 3 parents. One to play with him at all times, one to do all the cooking, and one to (and I quote) work and make money. So many thoughts about this... I can't even choose which one to go with.

New Uses for Old Things

I am a subscriber to the magazine Real Simple. I love it - mainly because it has some practical ideas and solutions for both home and fashion stuff. I rarely get it together enough to implement any of the ideas or solutions - but they're nice to read about.

Anyway - they have a monthly section called "New Uses for Old Things" where the contributors come up with, yes - new uses for old things. For example, "wow! this wire hanger can be used as a holder for all my colorful ribbons". It always lists the "original use" and then the "Aha! Use" and "Reward". The ideas are very Martha Stewart usually - but perhaps helpful to certain people.

Little Bitty just brought this section of the magazine to mind. She is very casually pouring her apple juice from her sippy cup into a plastic easter egg, drinking, and repeating. It's funny because the look on her face conveys that she is using the plastic egg exactly how it is supposed to be used. She's not proud or excited of her idea - she's just doing what should be done. And I can so picture the listing in next month's issue of Real Simple...

Original Use: Filling with candy on Easter
Aha! Use: Serving juice or a spritzer to your friends. Just pour dainty amounts in one half of each colorful egg.
Reward: Your friends will be impressed with your colorful serving cups - and it will discreetly limit the amount they consume.

The Flip Side

In case you didn't believe me when I wrote (in a way that inferred it wasn't the usual... ) about our kids looking so cute when they are actually cleaned and dressed please see my vision of loveliness below.

Yogurt mustache...and a face that says, what are you looking at?!

If you look closely, you'll see a little bum crack peeking out due to the weight of her diaper. It was priceless as she danced around shamelessly to the backyardigans theme song. Ah, to be young and uncaring of your bum crack showing... those were the days.* Pictures taken with my phone's camera... hoping to get the real thing working again soon.

A beautifully busy day

I started off the day thinking that being a stay at home mom isn't really that hard - as long as you don't try to be a stay at home mom AND a work from home mom at the same time. So, I blew off my paying job (I will be catching up later) for the day - and took Little Bitty to the beauty salon for her first haircut. She kept the same serious expression the whole time. She was SO good - but just looked completely resigned to the fact that her hair was being cut and there was nothing she could do about it. I think that's how I felt too - I hated to see her beautiful hair cut, but it needed a little trim and clean up (the lady remarked that there seemed to be something sticky in her hair... really?! I wonder what that is? In my head I was thinking... really? Don't all kids her age with more hair than most grown women have sticky stuff in their hair - because she does. Always.) Anyway - the beautician followed directions well and you can hardly even tell it was cut. Which actually leaves me wondering a little why I paid for this... hmmm... $15 to comb out some sticky stuff.After the haircut, I took her to a mall play area, we had a snack, window shopped, went to her school to help decorate a flower pot, picked up Brother, ran to McD's (just for drinks), came home, played pirates, transformers, a fishing game, chase, and this is all before dinner and bath time. So, I'm ending the day thinking that being a stay at home mom really IS still hard - even if you do blow off your paying job. AND - I still have to do my paying job after they go to bed. So, what is my point? I'm not sure. It was a great day. I wouldn't trade it for the world but tomorrow when both kids are at school and I'm doing some clinical system analyzing, a part of me will be breathing a sigh of relief. BUT - the other part of me will look around at the rubber lizards and baby dolls all over the place and not be able to wait until it is time to pick them up!

A day like today is good though to remind me that I have all the fun I can handle right now and to stop looking at petfinder.com... A friend's post had me thinking crazy thoughts. Tricia - no more pictures of that adorable puppy unless it is of poo on the floor or a middle-of-the-night walk.

"MY mama"

Little Bitty has taken to spontaneously wrapping her little arms around my neck, hugging tight and exclaiming, "MY mama!" There is no better feeling in the world.

Edit: She also just "spontaneously" climbed on my lap and simultaneously attempted to gouge out both of my eyes with her sharp little pointer fingers. I've suddenly lost that warm and fuzzy "there's nothing better than being a mom" feeling that I was experiencing as I started this post.

Saturday Morning

I'm on the phone, having an actual conversation with a friend and Brother is popping into my view saying something and I'm giving him the "wait just a second" finger motion. Now he's proceeding to talk to me even though I'm clearly not listening. Finally I mouth to him "hang on a minute - I'm on the phone." Just in case he thought I was only pretending to be on the phone.

This continues throughout my conversation. Eventually, I give up on talking to my friend, explaining that my son obviously needs me. He must have something very important that requires my immediate attention. Maybe he needs to know how to extinguish a kitchen fire?

Me: "WHAT?!"

Brother: "Um, Mommy..."

Me: (very loving and patiently) "Yes...?"

Brother: "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

Little Bitty watches our interchange while eating yogurt with her hands. And so begins our Saturday.

What I've been reading...

This book is wonderful. I highly recommend it. It has mystery, celebrates diversity, takes you around the world - and you can enjoy it over and over. And over. And over.

Seriously, Brother and Little Bitty both enjoy this so much - so anyone with young children out there - check it out. We always enjoy story time before bed, but it's hard to find books that entertain both of them at the same time because of their age difference (4.5 and 21 months) - but Elmo and Grover have succeeded.

The only drawback - they now fight over who gets to find what on different pages. Little Bitty is so ornery, errr... I mean smart, that she now knows what Brother is going to want to find on each page and points to it as soon as we get there. She'll then turn and give him a smug little grin as he screams, "I wanted to find the mountain climbeeerrrr!". Although, he's starting to wise up to her game and is tricking her by saying out loud "I hope I get to find the mango on the next page..." and when she points to it, he follows up with, "HA! I really wanted to find the sloth". I figure we have about two nights left before she wises up to his tactic and somehow finds a way to telepathically figure out what he's thinking and continue on with her satisfaction of annoying (and charming) her brother. Or else she'll just get mad and throw the book.

Dinner Time Phenomenon

Last night at dinner Brother asked for thirds on the chicken cutlets. Then, Little Bitty finished her dinner - and rather than clawing at my legs or sitting in my lap to pour juice in my plate - she went to the closet, got out the tinker toys and sat quietly next to us at her little activity table and played. With the tinker toys. In the way in which they were meant to be played. ? My husband and I eyed the kids and exchanged looks like - what's up with this? I could only deduce that it was a full moon or some change in barometric pressure.

Although, later at bath time Little Bitty threw a super-size cup of water at me because I wouldn't let her take a (cloth) teddy bear in the bath. And Brother made a big production of soaping and cleaning his boy parts. So - whatever the dinner-time phenomenon was- it had passed by 7:30pm. All was back to normal.