Mar 24, 2017 | Sesame, Uncategorized |
Christopher has been out of town for a while* so we ladies have been holding down the fort. Except for the 3 hours she’s at mothers day out and the occasional trip to the gym we spend literally every hour together. Sometimes it gets so monotonous and I run out of entertaining things to do, but I’ve been trying to be more conscious about making the most of our time together. I promised Annabelle that while Daddy was gone we’d have a special girls day.
* Don’t try to rob us while he’s gone. We have an alarm system and I have bats at strategic locations around the house that I’m not afraid to use.
Before and after breakfast we played with beads. Sesame asked me to make a bead crown which I did, making sure to add plenty of sparkly beads. She decided not to wear it so I did instead. I couldn’t let a perfectly good crown go to waste!
My aunt gave AB a fairy set at Christmas that she loves to play with. I wanted to buy a plant for a fairy garden and another for my windowsill so we went to the garden shop. It opened for the season on Monday so they didn’t have any plants yet, mostly just an assortment of clearance items and shelves of plant food. That didn’t stop AB from having fun. She played with the sand the garden decorations were stuck in and had a great time.
We ran to the grocery store for pizza toppings and she was thrilled to ride in the car cart. We had a small moment of negotiation because she wanted the yellow car and I wanted the blue. The yellow car is in front of the cart and is so much harder to push. I constantly crash into shelves and attract unwanted attention in the yellow car. I convinced her the blue car was best since it had a place for my purse. She once again told me it has two steering wheels so she can have one and her brother or sister can have the other. I think she assumes we can pick up a sibling in the bread aisle.
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| She could be an ad for Morning Star veggie burgers. |
I let her pick supper and she asked for pizza. I’ve raised her so well!
She chowed down on the carrots before I had a chance to cut them.
Her latest favorite movie is Toy Story. We had a pizza picnic in the living room and watched Woody’s friends rescue him for the 14th time this month.
The highlight of our girls sleepover night was that she got to sleep in the big bed with me. I was once again reminded why I don’t do cosleeping. It was like laying next to an octopus. Her limbs were everywhere. They were in my back and reaching to take the book out of my hands. Eventually I realized there was no way she’d go to sleep while I was up reading, so I turned off the light and pretended to be asleep. Two minutes later I felt little fingers trying to pry my mouth open.
The next morning on the way to music class she called to me from the backseat and said, “I wove you, Mom.” I guess the feet pounding my stomach were worth it.
Mar 4, 2017 | Sesame, Uncategorized |
Someone at MOPS today said having kids is like making a 1,000 piece puzzle when there are no edge pieces, no picture on the cover of the box, and a few pieces from other puzzles thrown in the mix. In short, IT’S CHAOS AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO. If that doesn’t entice you have to have kids I don’t know what will.
Sometimes on hard days I think about what I’d really like and my conclusion is always the same. I’d like 48 hours to myself. Twenty four hours to deep clean the house and twenty four for nothing but relaxing and eating French fries. Pre 2014 Sarah had no idea how much free time or what a carefree life she had. All you people with more than one child can refrain from saying anything. I don’t want to hear any speeches about “just you wait until you have more kids.” One of my pet peeves is people, particularly parents, trying to one up each other with hardship stories.
Moving on.
On Tuesday (a day when I fantasized about those 48 hours) I found myself holding a telephone that Annabelle said was “a cat named Squiggles.” She said we needed to sit on the rocking horse so we could all go to the zoo. I sat on the back where she told me to sit. She decided I was sitting on the wrong back and asked me to move to the side. I said I didn’t fit on the side but she insisted I try. I didn’t fit but I sat there holding Squiggles anyway. I pretended to use him as a phone (which didn’t take much pretending because it WAS a phone) but she got flustered because he was a cat, not a phone. I used to have an illustrious acting career but now my director can’t even remember the difference between back and side.
She’s gotten very particular about our words and actions. Christopher said something about her swim lessons and she told him “its actually called swimmING lessons, Daddy.” If we say or do something that’s outside the norm she lets us know. If I sit her stuffed animal rabbit in the wrong spot on the couch she let’s me know that too. She’s not rude about it, but she knows what she wants.
We had the following conversation in the car yesterday.
“I yike the name Ahnold.”
“Arnold is an interesting name.”
“No, it’s Ahhhhnold. I want to name my pet pig Ahhhhnold.”
She’s said it as if she picked up a French accent overnight.
We told Christopher she made a puzzle at MOPS and he asked what the picture was. She said it was a piece of cheese on the beach. It was really Sponge Bob but she was spot on with her description!
Feb 16, 2017 | Holidays, Sesame |
Yesterday was the day of love, where we showered our favorite people in chocolate, kisses and germs.
Or maybe it’s just Annabelle who thinks its loving to share germs.
I kept her home from school for the second week in a row because she still has a cough. As much as I wanted a break, I didn’t want to be THAT mom who sends in her coughing child. We went by the school for a quick minute to drop off the valentines she picked for her friends.
Normally I’d spend hours making perfect valentines with coordinating scrapbook paper and special edition washi tape. I’d stay up late into the night creating masterpieces no two year old would care about. This year I told myself it was ok to buy a pack of valentines and call it a day. I gave the box to Christopher and Annabelle so I wouldn’t have to do anything as a fun bonding activity. Yet there I was Monday night, sitting on the floor reglueing all the bee erasers back onto the cards. I couldn’t escape even though I tried.
You know who didn’t go lowkey with valentines? Karter’s mom. She drew a baseball diamond with the words “I have a ball with you” across the top. She stapled a jersey-shaped valentine to a bag with two clemetines on which she had drawn the stitches of a baseball. She topped off the package with a red ribbon and coordinating lollipop. The pressure to perform in the toddler circle is intense. At the same time, I want to applaud Karter’s mom. I think we have a lot in common and I’d probably be jealous of her cardstock stash.
I felt bad Sesame had to miss the party at school so we went to Dunkin Donuts for her first real doughnut experience. You’d think being the DD frequent fliers that we are she’d have had one of their doughnuts before but she hasn’t. It’s a rare day we go inside so that was exciting in itself. Doing my part to keep life exciting since 2014!
Earlier in the week we were stir crazy so we spent a little time walking around the mall. We went into Claire’s and AB’s mind was blown. It was sparkly little girl heaven. I told her if she did special chores to earn money we could go back to buy something. She earned two quarters so we went back to Claire’s after DD. I went to the Claire’s at the little mall but she kept telling me it wasn’t the right “kids jewel store.” I told her all the stores have the same things. She wanted the original Claire’s at the big mall. So off we went to the correct store. She wondered the aisles touching everything and every time I asked her what she wanted she said “you’ll just have to wait and see.” In other words, she was completely overwhelmed and didn’t want to commit to anything. She is so my child.
She finally settled on a set of tiny rubber dessert toys. The cashier called them erasers but they’re not. They’re unnecessary paraphernalia that is now strewn about my living room floor. I would have insisted she pick something more useful like the darling pink locket or new bows but it was her money. Fifty cents her money. The other six dollars was forked over by yours truly.
We had planned on bringing AB to a parents night at church and celebrate Valentines Day alone but because of her cold we kept her with us. She was the third wheel on our date to the botanical garden. I didn’t mind too much. She enjoyed the lights and it was a fun family trip.
Now that Valentines is over it’s back to the valentine drawing board. I can’t let Karter’s mom bring the best gift bags next year!
Jan 25, 2017 | Sesame, Uncategorized, What's going on |
Friday morning we watched the inauguration. I always enjoy the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony and was very excited to share it with Sesame. Inaugurations always make me long for my coveted job of First Lady. Christopher still isn’t on board with being president but while there’s breath there’s hope. I suspect a First Lady wouldn’t eat fried onions straight out of the can like I may have done but if that’s the worst skeleton in my closet I think we’ll be ok.
Annabelle has a fairly strong grasp on states and recognizes a number of them. She does get confused about how she can live in a state and “in a sta-reet (street)” at the same time, but I frequently forget where I live when I come out of Walmart so I understand. I had been telling her about the special song we sing about our country so I made us stand in the living room with our hands over our hearts during the National Anthem.
Saturday we went to the mall to visit the cats and bring my rings to the jewelers. Annabelle was thrilled to see the cats and she wanted to bring home both Pumpkin and The Great Catsby. Millard T. Fillmore our fish is still alive and swimming but apparently he doesn’t provide enough excitement.
Sunday morning I squeezed AB into a handmade outfit I wore when I was around two. The outfit was much less puff and didn’t snap all the way but it made me so happy to her wearing it. She can go creek wading without worrying about getting the pants wet.
Mother’s Day Out is still going well. Annabelle loves the teacher and snack time and I love the alone time. After I dropped her off this morning I headed to one of my very favorite spots in town (besides Dunkin Donuts). I went to Delta Sonic to use their free vacuums. I love a clean car and not having to dig quarters out of my glove compartment to achieve said clean car is the best. I used to get excited about real things, now I get excitement over a free vacuum. How the times have changed.
Annabelle went on the potty at school so I rewarded her with something from the prize box and some chocolate. “Oooh, Mama! I YOBE chocolate.”
“Do you habe anymore?”
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| WHEN DID SHE GET SO TALL? |
Free chocolate is almost as exciting as a free vacuum.
Jan 20, 2017 | In a People House, Sesame, Uncategorized |
I had big plans to blog yesterday afternoon but the morning exhausted me and I had no energy left. Why was I so tired? Because I hosted a play date. It was only 4 kids total but you’d have thought it was 34. I had a bad nights sleep, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and I didn’t feel like having company. I felt so bad about it because they’re a sweet family and good friends but I didn’t even want to get out of bed, let alone prepare peanut butter sandwiches and strawberries for extra people. They didn’t leave until after I had put Annabelle down for a nap. Isn’t there an unwritten code that says play dates end before nap time? I can only be friends with fellow nap nazis.
I’ve always been introverted but since having Annabelle it’s gotten worse. I LOVE knowing all about people and what they do, what they like and their favorite flavor of ice cream. I don’t like having to carry on endless conversations. I like the idea of having people over better than the actual having them and the small talk the comes with them. It’s a complicated relationship.
On Monday I made a big deal about our fun activity of the day being a trip to the library. Sesame loves the dollhouse and play food in the childrens room so she was very excited. We got there only to discover it was closed for Martin Luther King Jr day. I’m as anti segregation as the next person but I don’t appreciate that the country celebrating his birthday meant I couldn’t visit the library. We walked around the pet store instead and ran into a friend from school MOPS. If you’re looking for a gift for Annabelle just buy a dog toy. She’s obsessed with them.
Some big news around here is we’re trying to wean Sesame of her pacifier. On Sunday night I made Mr. Lion a special bed out of a cardboard box and put it on her shelf. Mr. Lion said told Sesame he wants to start sleeping in his own bed. She was on board with the idea until she realized it meant he wouldn’t be in her bed. He stayed in his bed for a while then went back into hers. The time they spent apart was very traumatic for all of us.
Last night he went on a vacation to the safari aka the living room.
Every three minutes she’d ask what Mr. Lion was doing. “MAMA! You check on Mr. Lion! Mama! What’s Mr. Lion doing? (Eating an apple.) Moooom! When is Mr. Lion coming back? (Tomorrow morning.) Mama! What’s Mr. Lion doing? (Eating a marshmallow.) Is Mr. Lion on vacation with the giraffes? (Yes.) What’s he doing now? (HE’S TRYING TO SLEEP BUT CAN’T BECAUSE YOU’RE BEING TOO NOISY.) She didn’t go to sleep until 11 but she fell asleep without him for the first time in her life. No such luck so far tonight. It was too exhausting playing travel agent last night so he’s staying in the guestroom tonight. Annabelle is none too pleased with this arrangement and she’s letting us know it.
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| They go way back. |
This morning at MOPS we were discussing prayer. You know how people say not to pray for patience because you’ll get a chance to practice it? The same applies when discussing prayer. You’ll immediately find yourself in a situation which requires praying. We had a MAJOR toilet malfunction during lunch. I am not kidding when I say I was standing in the bathroom in my snow boots dealing with the situation for half an hour. I had to take water from the toilet with an old bucket and pour it into the sink. THEN THE SINK CLOGGED UP. I won’t share anymore details. I don’t want to relive the experience. Christopher came home with Draino which I poured into the toilet. He used the plunger one time and it was working again. After all my slaving and gagging and bleaching and praying for it to stop HE was the one who fixed it!
Life can be so unfair. I’m sure Mr. Lion-less Annabelle would agree.
Dec 30, 2016 | Holidays, Sesame, Uncategorized |
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is dressing your child for all to see.
I hope 2017 will be the year she finally gets some personality. She’s such a wallflower!
Me: Don’t you love your new Christmas headband?!
Sesame:
Dress rehearsal for her winter date with Prince George.
She’s worn this dress every Christmas of her life. Look how much she grew since last Christmas!
Is it obvious I like smocked dresses? I’ve waited her entire life to put her in a smocked nativity dress and it was worth the wait. I might make her wear it every Sunday between now and next Christmas.
