Kids Are Funny!

Myla: "Let's watch a show!!!"
Me: "Hmmm, let's play first... You can watch a show before lunch after you've played for a while."
Myla: "NO! I don't want to play. It's hard work!"
Me: "What??" (Uh Oh.)

Myla was prudently trying to put her socks on all by herself today. While she struggled to get them over her perfect, dainty little toes, in a huff she spit out these words: "Ahhh. C'mon dude, what are you DOING?!" Hahahahaah! (Sounds like her dad.)

Addie trying to get my attention today: "Hey Enise! (Denise)"
Me: "Hahahaahahaha, Hey WHAT? What happened to 'mommy'"?? 
(Sounds like her dad. Hmmmm. Dad better be especially careful) ;)

TIP! Watch what you say around 'em. At about 18 months +, they can repeat much of what you say... They tend to remain partial to the things you'd rather not hear from their precious, innocent little mouths. We lucked out with these particular funnies :)

A QUOTE: "Children seldom misquote.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said."  ~Author Unknown

WHIDFML: I'm up to regularly shaving my legs again - around 3 times per week! (I was opting for more sleep instead for a [long] while there while the girls were younger....) I'm enjoying my wardrobe now that it all fits again... Especially my short skirts and long socks (knee-high/ thigh-high)+ boots = My fave being my authentic western boots, perfect condition, $6 at Good Will!) 

Fresh...

Our second time at the "Apple Patch" (orchard) this fall, and Myla's excitement was marked. It unveiled itself through squeals, arms & legs all awhirl, and giddy phrases such as, "We're HERE, we're HEEEEREEE! It's the Apple Patch, Yay - I'm so excited! SQUEAAAL!" (You could safely guess that baby Gracie had officially woken up at this point.) 

If only we could all get this excited about things - even those things that we have done before, even recently, like - spoken to or hugged our sig-others for example. Little things make life's big picture come together... they not only matter, but they matter big. I really appreciate the little things. I always smile to myself when my little people do too. It's like it's built-into children! Too bad that goes away so often for many adults... I'm going to try to make a point to keep that momentum up and encourage that in them for life, regardless of age! 


A TIP! Keep the mindset that it's always amazing - to talk to friends, your partner, to see the sun rise, to see it set, to watch the leaves fall, to smell fall in the air, to feel the breeze... (Ummm, I could pretty much go on forever with this - so I'll just stop here! Hopin' you got the point!) If you think about it like it's your first time, and really take it in, it might just feel like the first time all over again (but with even greater appreciation perhaps?!) Thinking about your sig-other like you did when you first started to fall for 'em, will keep that spark alive too. (Well, it works when they reciprocate... you can only do your part. They have to meet you in the middle by doing theirs too. At least you can try... And then say you've tried too!)

A QUOTE: "Children find everything in nothing; men find nothing in everything."  ~Giacomo Leopardi

WHIDFML: Spent the day with my sis and her baby girl, and my girls, and enjoyed fall at the Apple Orchard. It was fab & relaxing.  :)

Whaaaaaaaaat???

Myla: "MOMMY! LOOK!! Look at how BIG I am!" 
Me: "Yep. You are getting big, aren't you?"
Myla: "YEAH... I am big already.... Now I can play with KNIVES!!!"
Me: "Did you just say, '...play with knives...'??" 
Myla: "YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
Me: "Um... No, actually. You still can't play with knives... Sorry."  (???)
Myla: "How about in my KITCHEN???" 
Me: "Sorry hon." 


TIP! Spoons... Spoons are good! 

A QUOTE: "A child is a curly dimpled lunatic."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

WHIDFML: Spent the day entirely for me. I was gone almost all day - but it was good. Got to see a friend whom I've missed chatting with, and get my spine all back in order at the same time :) Got to shop for an Operation Christmas Child donation... so fun :) Got to visit Unique Thrift Store for their 50% off day - found the exact v-neck sweaters I had in mind - $1.50 to $2.50 per shirt! :) Dropped off some outgrown toys at Once Upon A Child for some $$ :) Even got my Target run in there! And, I didn't have to rush today. Wednesdays are so groovy.

Call of the Wild...

So - if you've been following my blog fairly regularly, you may have already learned that the vicious roar of the stealthy lion (or lioness) will frighten away scary, night-time, closet-dwelling dragons. 
This was very useful in eradicating the issues involving said dragons. However, it has since morphed into a whole new breed of purpose. I can't wait for the first time it happens while in public - because the reactions of passers-by will be well worth it! To be honest, even when it happens at home, I have to stifle the laughter! 
Any time we have a 'disagreement' now, Myla takes it upon herself to conjure up her most fearsome, raucous, perilous "ROOOOAAAAAR!!!!" When it has been deemed that there is no other option, she apparently feels there is perhaps a slim chance that this vivacious roar will instill fear into her fellow man as well. Even with all of the disappointing episodes lacking any reaction at all from me, she musters up that tiny glimpse of hope from the hollows of her belly, and I really do think it has become more strident, more concentrated, and more enduring with each attempt. And, it becomes more and more difficult for me to hold back my amusement. 
It occurred to me on a few of these occasions, how FUN it might be to take on this mode of effort when things don't go MY way! 
ME: "Wells Fargo, I've been on the phone with you for over an hour, and you cannot seem to answer my very simple question. Could you please just answer my question already???" 
WELLS FUCKO (I meant FARGO, sorry!): "I'm sorry Ms. Mack, but we are too busy trying to fit our heads in our asses, and we cannot help you. We just have this call center to pretend we care..."
ME: (in a great moment of satisfaction) "RRROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!" Man, that would have been great!! Probably would have gotten somewhere - as they may have, in fact, feared that this INSANE person might just go postal on 'em at some point. 
I might just employ this useful new tool for something. Because I can tell you - there have been days that I have wanted to do just that! I think next time I'm going to try it! Hasn't yet worked ON me, but just maybe it'll work FOR me!? ;) If nothing else, it'll be great for reaction... and perhaps turn the mood around via laughter where necessary!


TIP! USUALLY (or so they say) if you ignore a toddler 'tantrum' - it will go away over time. The theory is that they learn that it doesn't do them any good, so they stop trying. But there is nothing written about how to handle an adult tantrum!!! Hahahahahaha! ;)

A QUOTE: A little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice - especially when she's taking a nap.  ~Author Unknown

WHIDFML: Heading out NOW - (during babe-naps) - to sit in this unseasonably warm November SUN!!!  The "wild" is calling to me too - the woods outside, that is! Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss. [The laundry will still be there tomorrow, I'm sure.] ;)

Too Tired... to Sleep?!?

You ever notice how tricky it is to get your kids to sleep willingly?? Of course you have! No parent has ever completely headed-off such evils entirely! But, there is this super-fine, fine line... it's almost transparent - nearly impossible to see. It's the line between a child who is tired enough to actually want to sleep, and a child who is now past the point of no-return and well on his/her way into over-tired-land... (Great evil lurks on that side of the fence. I'd prefer to err on the side of not-yet-tired-enough, myself!) Both offer their share of strife... It really is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils when you don't find yourself regularly hitting the tiny little mark in-between. 
I lucked-out today! I thought I was nose-diving off of the fence into dark territory when they both put up rather unusually fierce fights about what they were willing to eat (or not eat) for lunch today. I've never seen such an outcry over the fact that the yogurt cup had unwittingly been slightly dented-in near it's base during transit from Trader Joe's to Home-sweet-Home... I will remember this for the future; Treat yogurt as you would treat eggs... 
I thought to myself, "Damnit! (Wait - I mean - dang-diggity!) I should have done this a half-hour ago... they'd be sleeping by now... Maybe...." The day had started off so wonderfully! It was one of those days where I was finding myself dreamily reminiscing to what I had originally envisioned motherhood to be :) I thought, "Yeah! This is what I signed-on for... Nice. Keep it comin'." So quickly the evils that pounce just when you least expect... 
However, I must say - by some miracle... I must have JUST made it in the nick of time! They have been soundly dozing now while I consumed my lunch and caught up with this here blog. The timing couldn't have been better. It's GORGEOUS outside! It's FRIDAY, baby! I'm completely and utterly caught-up with myself and life... so very organized lately! And now. NOW, I get to have some true, unabashed, well-deserved and hard-earned ME-TIME! Yay! Have a fab weekend y'all! ~Cheers!


TIP! When you DO happen to hit the nail on the head directly with timing naps/ sleep... pay close attention to the time. I've noticed that 2:00 seems to be just right. I can dig that! I'm going to aim for that as regularly as possible. I've never liked to keep 'strict' schedules. Life's too messy for that.... But, I will try to be as close to 'good' with naps as I can - since this will undoubtedly make 'good' for everybody involved! 

A QUOTE: "The trouble with learning to parent on the job is that your child is the teacher." ~Robert Brault

WHIDFML: Heading out to do some reading down by the babbling brook in amongst the trees and the sunshine... THIS is peace. I don't know how I'd 'cope' without this yard! It is truly a means of stress-relief, rejuvenation, relaxation, and energy - all at once! ~Peace!

Mixed-Emotions

One emotion remains steadfast - I ALWAYS love my little ladies :)

But these 2 quotes sum up the experience of mothering them daily, quite well:

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again."  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

Worry, and 'busy, busy, busy' - it's so intense when they are little... They just have to be on the constant move, and you have to keep up! And, we have to sort out the good advice and "studies" from the bad and/or irrelevant. Kids learn through play! 


 Next Quote: "There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seriously -  Love 'em... But I do need that reprieve. That balance... That -- QUIET ;) [insert deep breath here.]

TIP! Don't worry if your kids' play-time isn't always laden with the alphabet, math equations, and scientific data... Imagination is just as (if not more so!) important to their development and ability to adapt/ solve problems. One less thing to worry about!

2 quotes already included today!

WHIDFML: Went outside during nicer weather, and did my 'work-out' out there. I'm always happy when my 'exercise' can be productive.  I put a slight dent in our current outdoor project... What's a better work-out than loading rock into a wheelbarrow, carefully bringing it down 2 hills, running back up again, and repeating the cycle? Strength-training and cardio in one, plus sunshine :) Not sure it can be beat!   PS: If you're noticing different varieties of FONT in these posts - it's because I have decided that I have better things to do with my time than repeatedly try to correct this - as the "new & improved" blogger won't seem to allow! Bite me blogger! ARGH. I'm a mom - with small windows of time - cut me a break and MAINTAIN the font I change it to!!!!  
 

Who Needs Cable TV....

When you have 2 toddlers at home!?!?

Often times, it's all the entertainment you need. Just the other day we turned up the radio and danced our hearts out together... I could watch those little mimes dance all day. TOO funny! And the best is when they stop mimicking your moves, and just let the beat carry them. Addie is especially great for this. Her arms move as though she has no control over them, but in slow-motion. It's kind of like a baby-version of the robot! I really need to get this on video :)

Now that the girls are interacting regularly, I try to just 'spy' on them a little - because they are fun to watch. This is, of course, when I'm not taking those opportunities to get something done! Even then, any time I check up on them, I'm usually in for a good laugh and some inspiration! 

TIP! Dancing together is good exercise for everyone! (And fun too.) 

A QUOTE: "Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music."  ~William Stafford

WHIDFML: It's usually my 'day off'. Not this week though... so once the kids are nappin' - I'm going to have a glass of wine while I finish up some things.  Wine & Music... Ahhhhhhh. Mommy-time!