All Through the Night

Last night was the first Passover seder. Thirty-four of my relatives gathered at my parents' house for the reading of the Passover story and expansive traditional meal.

As usual the girls were great. LP was an awesome little helper, carrying things to the table and offering assistance to my mom as the meal progressed. AK was an amazing eater- chowing down on chopped liver, gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup, and brisket. LP saved her stomach for dessert, having several helpings of strawberry mousse.

It was a late night, and we didn't leave Long Island until after 9. The Hoos and I were hopeful that our pajama clad girls would pass out before we got onto the Expressway. Oh, how silly we are.

LP did not stop talking until we reached the Connecticut border a little after 10.

"MOMMY!! EXCUSE ME MOMMY. I HAVE A QUESTION! Mommy, why are there those barriers on the side of the road? For privacy? Like when a babysitter comes over and they go behind the wall so you can see them? I want Miss Cherine to babysit me. Then I can tell her what she can do. Like, 'Don't give [AK] oranges! They give her a bad rash.' Tomorrow, I promise to take a shower in the morning. "

Nonsensical, bizarre strings, but constant.

AK didn't last quite as long, and didn't talk at all, but her eyes were still open way longer than anticipated. Probably couldn't sleep through the chatter...

His and Hers

Saturday, my morning to get up with the ladies:

• 6:30 - LP and AK starting calling out simultaneously
• 7 - LP climbs into bed with us
• 7:15 - I feel guilty about AK being stuck in her crib and go get her
• 7:50 - Give up and take the girls downstairs for "bikfist"
• 9:45 - Remind the Hoos I have a haircut appointment at 10:30 and he better getting out of bed so I can shower

Sunday, the Hoos' morning to get up with the ladies

• 6:50 - LP starts making noise (something about shark), the Hoos goes into her room and convinces her to go back to bed
• 7:50 - AK starts fussing, the Hoos brings her into bed. She climbs on top of me and starts pointing out all of my features, "HAIW! HEAD! EAW!"
• 7:52 - LP starts singing, "On my way to grandpa's house, grandpa's house, grandpa's house, and I saw a big, big alligator and he makes a SNAP!" [or something like that]
• 8:00 - LP joins us, complaining, "I was singing so you would come in to my room!"
• 8:15 - I kick the Hoos, reminding him of his obligation
• 8:20 - The Hoos gets up, and despite AK's request for "WAFFAS!!" she refuses to go downstairs with him. He climbs back in to bed.
• 8:50 - Barney trumps me, when the Hoos asks if AK wants to watch Barney she jumps at the chance.
• 9:05 - I have a sudden fear that we didn't put the yogurt we purchased last night in the fridge, so I jump up and call down the stairs.
• 9:06 - I give up and shower.

Lone Wolf

Last night I went to a networking event. This happens once in a blue moon, and it requires the Hoos covering "the night shift" - i.e., day care pick up, playground time, dinner, bath, bed.

I like going to these events because it gives me an opportunity to interact with grown-ups in my field and stay on top of issues and trends (and, natch, keep my name out there in the event anything changes with my current job status). I don't like these things because it takes me out of my routine and I miss my babies. Plus, I know how hard it can be to handle the girls on your own when you are not expecting back up; it can be freeing - or disheartening.

When I got home last night, the girls were already bathed and were hanging out with the Hoos in LP's room, in the dark, quietly telling stories. When I walked in I got an awesome reception - including fantastic and repeated kisses (and not just from the thankful Hoos).

After getting them both settled down I had to go and make their lunches and then select their clothes for today. This is always a challenge. LP has been on a dress kick lately. It is a miracle if I can sneak in a pair of pants. I don't even try most days. If I do try, she rejects what I have picked out and makes the Hoos' morning miserable. This morning was no exception.

I selected a denim skirt, some tights and a long-sleeved tee. Apparently this was not acceptable. The Hoos gave her free reign to wear whatever she wanted. After a long and trying exercise (according to the Hoos) she ended up wearing the skirt. And tights. With a different shirt. Sigh.

We are raising two independent little girls. I am guessing this is what my mother wished on me many moons ago?

Stages and Changes

AK's new favorite bedtime activity is to "read" Goodnight Moon and find the mouse. It is incredibly cute to hear her chant, "Mouse! Mouse! Mouse!" as I turn the page and say, "Uhh...THERE!" as she finds him, but at this point she knows where the mouse is on every page, and while it was really really adorable the first few times on the first night, by flip-through number four on night number three, it is definitely bordering on mind-numbing for me.

Just like grown ups, little kids love to feel smart and as if they know everything they need to know. For toddlers, like AK, they are smart enough to realize that practice makes perfect, and you can totally nail something if you do it enough times.

LP, on the other hand, has moved out of this stage. Now she really just wants to KNOW EVERYTHING. And not just in terms of knowledge (how do babies get out again?); she is a total busy body. Her teachers tell us that she is a great helper and a "problem solver." When the Hoos asked what exactly they meant by this, they explained, "If two kids are fighting she will get in between them to mediate. "

I am wondering if, kind of like AK and the mouse, this is really sweet the first few times but increasingly less desirable as the day wears on. I know I am constantly reminding LP that I am the mommy and that I am in charge of AK, not her. (Although, honestly, AK seems to think she has a handle on this without needing either of us - even if it does mean jumping off the couch).

Last night the Hoos was flipping through my 2008 blog book (not by choice, I kind of handed it to him to show him something) and he was fascinated by the photos and how much the girls had changed. "We need to make extra copies and put these in the safe deposit box to save for the girls." TALK ABOUT CHANGING! Mind you, the Hoos still hasn't read most of my blog entries ("I live it, I don't need to read about it.") but it is sweet that he is starting to realize the value of my blog as an archive.

Joy! and Sorrow

After I picked the girls up yesterday, we decided to take advantage of a break in the rain and enjoy the remaining puddles. We ran inside, got their boots and raincoats and I let them have it. AK in particular loves stomping. Needless to say, everyone needed a change of clothes when we were done.

With this adorable image, I now want to broach a more serious topic.

LP is obsessed with everything "from when you [the Hoos and I] were little." We need to sing the songs our parents sang to us when we were little (would be nice if I knew more than two verses of 'Side by Side'!), tell stories about it, etc. Of particular interest is our childhood pets. I don't have many about Harvey, the poor turtle I had for a summer, but the Hoos has plenty about Tabby, a cat he had for most of his formative years. He tells story after story and she never tires of hearing them.

Recently she has been asking about what ever happened to Tabby. We let her know that Tabby died a long time ago. She presses for details, but we aren't really sure what to say. Yesterday she told me, "I know what happened, Tabby went to a store with lots of tigers, and the tigers ATE HER."

Obviously, I stressed to her that this is not what happened, but I didn't exactly fill in the blanks.

We have been very fortunate not have had to explain death to the girls yet (flushing the fish doesn't count). I know a lot of friends and friends of friends that have had to struggle with tragedies and am very thankful. However, I know we should be prepared.

The Hoos has a colleague who told her daughter that someone died when they got old, now she refuses to be potty trained because to her that means she will be old.

Any pointers from the peanut gallery?

Transportation aka Going from Place to Place

For the last few weeks LP has been learning about transportation in preschool. Ask and she will tell you, "Transportation is how you get from one place to another."

One day last week they had banana boat sundaes as a special snack.

Another day a classmate READ a book about boats. Seeing "Book: Boo read Boats to the class" on LP's daily sheets made the rest of us parents wonder if we were slacking. We are still working on LP recognizing her letters - and she isn't quite ready to write from left to right yet, instead putting letters anywhere on the page they will best fit. And I am pretty sure it isn't because Boo has the book memorized. LP has books "memorized" but she makes amendments as she goes, drawing from her memory. I saw Boo read. He is advanced, we are right on par. I am okay with that.

Building on transportation, the class starting learning about "trips" and "vacation." There was a poster board on the wall with each child's name with the question, "Where have you gone on a trip?" some kids answered Disneyworld, others names states...LP? "The Fishing Store." Talk about brainwashing! The Hoos was SOOO proud.

When I picked LP up last Thursday I told her we would be taking a trip on Friday - to visit my parents in LI instead of going to school. She was psyched. Until she realized that she would be missing her class trip to Disneyworld. "It's NOT FAIR!!," she wailed. "NO! It's NOT pretend." Oh, lord. We went to my parents' house anyway. Turns out the class didn't go to the happiest place on earth physically or metaphorically anyway, their listening ears were blocked up by the sunshine and the trip was canceled.

Saturday we spent much of the GORGEOUS day outside. The Hoos was painting our garage and I was on parent patrol. I took many walks around the block with the girls. In one attempt to get them to nap I pushed them in the Sit and Stand Stroller. After pushing the 80 pounds of girls and stroller a mile, the only one that wanted a nap was me - the only one without the option!

That night both ladies slept at my in-laws. They were so excited and went to bed easily after an exhausting and nap-free day. Of course. And AK slept until LP woke her up at 8:40. The Hoos and I went out to dinner and determined we were collectively too tired from our day to make it through a movie. At least we got to sleep through the night.

Sunday the Hoos got a bit of fishing in before having to pick AK up from his parents. I went to lunch with my lovely sister-in-law (sushi and no kids - what a combination!) and LP went to see Goodnight Moon and the Runaway Bunny with her Safta at Fairfield University's Quick Center. Everyone had a wonderful time.

Last night I fell asleep on the couch to Life, the awesome new mini-series on the Discovery Channel and woke up to the exciting news of the passing of the healthcare bill (no, I don't understand all of the details or how this will specifically impact me, but I am on board if it means that more people get help when they need it). And now I am home alone, working, typing, and chilling with my medium iced decaf. Now I just need Calgon to take me away...

Director of Procurement

In our house I wear many hats, one of which has to do with purchasing. I pretty much make sure that most of the day-to-day tangible needs of the members of my household are met. This includes buying food, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies, and paper goods.

For the most part, I am a value shopper. I buy things on sale and stock up, I shop at multiple stores, I try (although I am way less successful than I could/should be) to clip coupons and I buy the store brand for most items.

That being said, there are some items that I can not compromise on and will only purchase specific brand name products. For instance, we I buy:

• Arm & Hammer laundry detergent
• Pampers diapers
• Bounty Paper towels
• Scott toilet paper tissue
• Bertoli tomato sauce
• Only "brand name" cereal

In some worst case scenarios, I will buy one of the aforementioned items out of necessity, requiring me to - gasp!! - pay full price. It hurts, it really does.

Recently my focus on thrift caused me to make a boo-boo. I bought the preferred type of Scott TP, but the one that was least expensive per square (using those handy dandy signs grocery stores use to share price information). Apparently that was my mistake.

Last night the Hoos called out, "Why did you buy industrial, commercial size toilet paper? It doesn't fit on the holder!"

The devil is in the details, I guess.

Just wanted to be able to bask in the glow for a second. I officially l have my most number of readers ever according to Feedburner.

59!

Not sure if that includes folks that just read my blog on the page and not through a feed, but I am psyched. I have to imagine that I can't be related to all of you. If you don't mind unmasking, drop a comment and let me know who you are or how you found me or what brings you here.

Just Nod and Walk Away

AK's new thing? Instead of saying "Yes" when responding affirmatively to a question she very clearly says"Yup!"

Another new thing that she does constantly causes confusion.

Me: "Do you want some cheese?"

AK: "No."

Me, repeating, "Okay, so you don't want cheese?"

AK: "Yup."

Writing this out, I realize it is obvious that she is responding to my follow up question accurately, but in practice I get all fatumuled and then think I am supposed to give her cheese. Because most people would respond "No," to the follow up question (reinforcing their first statement), but she takes me literally.

My point? Despite her lazy speech, the kid is smart. Real smart. And I am screwed.

Setting the Tone

I start today after a really crappy night's sleep and an annoying dream. Don't you hate it when your night sets the tone for your day.

The "real" things:

• Spring is in the air. Literally. The Hoos was loudly blowing his nose in my ear around midnight. Thanks, hun.
• "Mommy? I want to come into your bed." Umm...no. But thanks for coming to my side of the bed so I am the one that has to get up and walk you back to your bed. At least LP went right back down.
• A cold AK. No matter how hard I try to come up with solutions to keep AK"s blankets on her, it doesn't work. Last night I tried tucking her in under a top sheet I tucked under her crib mattress. She got out. And knocked off her blankets. And around 4 requested some assistance getting resituated.

The dream:

• My name was Stacey.
• I was a mom to two and wife to one.
• I called in advance and scheduled a dentist appointment for 5:20. When they called to confirm, my husband (who may or may not have been the Hoos, who may or may not have been cheating on the real me with this Stacey chick) and kids also requested appointments.
• They fit everyone in. When we got there, the kids went first, then the husband went while I got the kids dressed (ya, you can tell it is a dream because who gets naked for the dentist).
• My husband then had to get dressed and took a really long time. So long that I (Stacey) missed MY dentist appointment.

I know there are some kernels of truth in this dream. Something about putting yourself first? Not getting naked at the dentist? Being wary of chicks named Stacey?

Anyway, don't you hate it wait you wake up annoyed at your partner because of something you dreamed (or when your partner wakes up made at you because of something THEY dreamed).