Toddlerisms - Vol 2

Miss J was desparately trying to avoid quiet time/nap.  When she heard Monkey crying while having her diaper changed she called out from her room:

"I think she misses her sister!"

We have a new rule that we don't eat on the new chair (that is fabric) but only on the leather sofa that can be easily cleaned.  When I noticed a spot on the new couch I reminded Miss J of the rules.  

Her interpretation:  (With index finger pointed) "Memember, Don't eat the couch!"

(unfortunately in telling her the couch is easily cleaned, she thinks this means she can also wipe her nose in it too!)

"Do I look beautiful with my bed head?"

Shortly after Miss J turned 2 she started yelling when she got excited.

Me: Miss J, where is your indoor voice ?

Miss J: I DON'T KNOW!!!

Down sleeves = long sleeves

Gramma: I like your robe.  I have a pink robe too. 

Miss J: You have a pink robe?

Gramma: Yes, mine is bright pink.

Miss J: Oh, Mine is only pink.

I survived

I survived my first day back to work from maternity leave.  We all did.  We somehow all got up and ready in time to be at our respective locations on time.  If we can keep up that morning routine it won't be too bad (in that regard I think I'll remain cautiously optimistic!).  Miss J was a little confused as to why I was up, dressed and leaving the house before she ate breakfast but she was quite cooperative thank goodness!  I did miss the girls and thought a lot about Monkey spending her first full day away from home.  According to the sitter she had a little trouble settling for her nap but otherwise had a good day.  "And she certainly likes to eat!" Yup - that's our girl!  I'm not sure how the evening thing is going to work.  I bring home 2 very hungry girls and have to start on supper.   I'm sure that routine will get easier right?  Or will we become the family who survives on Chef-Boy-R-Dee, pizza and chicken nuggets and fries?  I guess its time to break out the slow cooker again!

And the work part wasn't too bad.  Today really just seemed like a little break from taking care of the girls.  I caught up with some of my co-workers, went out to lunch and started to figure out how to I will tackle my wait list.  But considering that my I am still "disabled" from the work e-mail and client file system, I really couldn't do a whole lot.  I'm sure by tomorrow I'll be missing my pajama and play date days desperately! And by next week I'll be considering a 3rd pregnancy just for the mat leave (ha ha - just kidding!!)

What are they doing?

Miss J:  

Dressing up in dress-up clothes - Walking better in heels than her mother!

Re-enacting scenes from Barbie and the Diamond Castle (Mommy now also answers to Alexa, although Daddy knows his lines better!)

Playing with her dolls (doll house, Polly Pockets, Barbie, Little Cabbage Patch - they all play together ALL THE TIME!)

Watching "Tree House" (any kids show or DVD - prefers Dora, Barbie or Super Why!)

Being her sister's cheerleader and disciplinarian (very cute!)

Coming up with new things to say all the time as she tries to figure out the words we use (now throwing "actually" into many of her sentences)

Monkey:

Looking at books

Pulling herself up

Climbing - on everything, up the stairs and in the dishwasher

Eating anything that's small and remotely resembles food

Sitting at Mommy's feet if she is making something in the kitchen

Sucking her thumb whenever she feels her wool blanket

Chasing her sister (crawling - great fun!!)

Clapping when she turns off the TV 

Name Change!!

The Child formally known as R&R will now be known as Monkey.

(Its just easier that way - that's my everyday nick name for her!!)

No, really, I can't draw

You know how some people say they aren't really good at something.  But really you know they are great.  And you end up saying things like, "I can't believe you think you aren't good at _______!" or "This is really great for someone who thinks they can't ______".

Well, take a look at this:

While this would be exceptional work if it had been completed by my 3 year old, sadly I cannot give her the credit. 

This was my less than adequate attempt to draw two Barbies - Alexa and Liana from the Diamond Castle to be exact.  That animal-like thing is supposed to be a flying dragon. And I tried hard to make these look real.  Miss J did the green embellishments :)  

So believe me when I say: "No, really, I can't draw!"

Dresses: Miss J's Fashion File Vol. 3

That's what Miss J is wearing these days.  

Only dresses.

Day and night.

She will ask for her dresses in the following order:

Church dress - which is only for special occasions (and church) because its a little fancier.  I have been greeted every morning, for the past week, at my bed side with: "Mommy, can you come help me get dressed?  Can I wear my Church dress!?"  When I say I'll be out in a minute, and roll back over - she immediately goes to Daddy's side: "Daddy, can YOU come help me get dressed?"

Polka dot dress - that I had put off letting her wear until her birthday party and she's been in it ever since!

White flower dress - actually a sundress but I've winterized it with a long sleeve T and leggings.

Sparkly dress - the dress that she wore to her 2nd birthday party, so its more of a tunic now!  It has some sparkly thread in the snowflake design - hence the name.

Square Dress - red plaid jumper that I could NOT get her to wear at all over Christmas.  

Red Dress - the dress she had for our Christmas pics that, again, she was not interested in over the holidays.

PJs are still no longer worn as pairs.  In fact they are rarely worn at all.  Nightdresses are her preference.  She has 2 :

Princess & Reindeer

This gives me 3-4 days between loads of laundry!

I remember when I thought it was a shame that Miss J's dresses were never worn.  Now we have a closet full of pants and shirts - you know, normal toddler winter wear - that will be in perfect hand-me-down condition for R&R.

The silver lining: when she is wearing a dress, she no longer asks to change her clothes every-hour-on-the-hour.  That was SO last month!

We went to Church

After talking about it for so long, but seeming always to have something come up on Sunday mornings, we finally made it to church as a family of 4.  And no, not for a wedding, baptism, holiday or any other reason - just because.  5 years ago I didn't think this would ever be on my priority list, but here we are!

It was our first time, besides Christmas, that we attended this church, that is very close to our neighborhood and it seems like a nice place full of welcoming people.  It also turned out that we know some people who already go there so it was good to see them.  Both the girls were really well behaved despite it being R&R's nap time and Miss J being - well - 3.  

R&R enjoyed trying to "sing" during the hymns, which was so cute.  

During the sermon, the minister asked the congregation: "What are you doing for your soul?"

To which Miss J quietly responded - to herself - "I don't know".

She then turned to me and said "Mommy, the man said 'What are you doing in this church?' and I said 'I don't know!'"

How was your morning?

Yesterday was bad enough with Miss J falling down the stairs in excitement to meet her friend at the front door who had come for a playdate (thankfully no serious injuries incurred besides mommy's frazzled nerves and increased heartbeat).  

But this morning we got a call that the babysitter we had arranged for R&R has decided not to have a home daycare anymore.  They say if something is too good to be true it probably is - well our sitter with a ECE background, who had a nice way with the kids, who lives 3 mins away and had lots of time to have R&R come and get adjusted was too good to be true.  I go back to work 3 weeks from today.  We have no baby sitter prospects.....

Then R&R and I take a quick trip to Wal Mart before her nap.  We shop for odds and ends we need (I was even good and didn't buy extras - well except one little thing!) got everything checked in at the cash, at which point I realized my wallet was home on the kitchen counter.  

The rest of the day went OK, selling a couple more baby items, enjoying a visit from a friend and her baby visiting from away.  And then I even left hubbs to handle bed time while I went for a 2 1/2 hour supper!!!  (Unfortunately the top of my tea pot fell into my tea as I was pouring, but other than that it was a great evening).  

Off to bed to watch Grey's until I fall asleep.  Hoping a sitter falls into my lap tomorrow!

Too fast!

I know I've been off work for almost a year and I should be really greatful to have all that time.  But it really  has gone too fast.  Today our sweet baby went to her new baby sitter's house for the first time.   We're hoping she'll be used to it there before I go back to work in 3 weeks (eek!).  

I waited until she was occupied before I left.  Apparently she didn't cry the entire time I was gone.  She had a good 15-20 mins. before she went back to the door looking for me.  When I arrived to pick her up she was crying, but she was also having a bum change so no big surprise there.  She didn't drink her bottle either - very strange as she LOVES to eat and drink everything!  But the sitter did say she was content when they were having a snack and the 3 year old boy there is able to make her laugh.  

It won't be so bad.... right?