A little while ago Jacob re-enacted this cartoon. We were at a store and he was pushing for all he was worth on the door. I chuckled and said, "Hey Jake, what does that sign say?" He stepped back, looked up and very solemnly said, "JoAnn's."
Because this is what happens when I tell Evie to pick out her own clothes, and mean it. (Please note the pants are on backwards, and the killer combination of flip-flops and fuzzy knit hat!) She obviously inherited my fashion sense.
But I am actually very proud of this little girl, we have been binkie free for almost 3 weeks now with very little fuss or trauma. I actually have no idea where the binkies have gone, you know the way they disappear to some secret binkie location so that even though you know that you own 25 or so, there are none to be found when the baby is having a meltdown? I think all of Evie's binkies decided on their own that she was grown-up enough to not need them any more and have gone to be reincarnated into.... whatever it is binkies are reincarnated to. Think Velveteen Rabbit. (That, or she has a secret stash of them in the toy room downstairs.) But no binkies for naps or bedtimes for three weeks and that makes me a proud mama.
We have also started Lila on solids this week and I am amazed at how little fuss this kid is. She took to breast-feeding with no problems the very first day. (Which isn't always the case with newborns, Jake took forever!) When I lost my milk at two and a half months she switched to the bottle with no problem. And her very first time eating rice cereal she ate every bite, just kind of sucking on the spoon. I couldn't even get one of those great messy face, first tasting kind of pictures because she hardly made any mess. I think she couldn't bear to waste a single drop of this intriguing new taste. She is a natural born eater I guess, and I am so grateful for that. Last night was only the second time she had the cereal and she was shaking like a puppy does when they are excited. She wanted to grab the spoon and shove it in her mouth, but only managed to spill the food on her bib. So she settled for sucking on her fists for the little bit she grabbed. In fact I think that she is going to be like Evie was and cry in between bites of food because I am not feeding her fast enough.
I get cooking ideas from ZeFronk, household repair tips from Handy Manny, and exercise with the Wiggles. I also find my self singing about counting to ten and how to be a Higglytown Hero in the shower, or while I fold the laundry....
I know I am not the only one out there who has had one of these. It has been one of those days where, before I even got out of bed, I had made great and lofty goals to get the house clean, the laundry done, dinner in the crock-pot and maybe even finish a project or two. My children, however, had other plans and I am firmly convinced they held a war council and all agreed to try my patience and be as whiny and disobedient as possible. Jake started off the day with a healthy breakfast of fruit roll-ups and wearing a long sleeve shirt to school in 80 degree weather (backwards, my kids cannot seem to figure out that the tag... goes... In... The... BACK!), so that he came home hot, tired and hungry. Evie joined the campaign by promptly bursting into tears at every turn and deciding that she absolutely cannot live another day with out a pair of flip-flops, and I am the meanest mother on record for not dropping everything to run to the store for said flip-flops. Lila has been inconsolable unless eating. Plus last night while I was feeding the baby, the 2 year old spilled half a cup of soda on the table, chair, floor and herself. And while my dear husband undertook to clean up our daughter he left the 5 year old to clean up the floor. So this morning I had a lake-sized pond of pop under my table that had hardened to a gelatinous state trapping crumbs, dirt and small mammals. First I had to mop up that disgusting mess, then sweep, then mop floor again. During the 45 minutes that took the baby is screaming her head off and the older two decide that my living room is a great place to practice their circus routine, ultimately ending in a picture being knocked off the mantle and mommy losing all reason. Using the scariest mommy voice in my repertoire, they were ordered to bed until further notice. After 5 minutes or so, I had calmed down enough to realize they hadn't had lunch so I gathered a bowl of grapes, some cheese sticks, crackers and Capri Suns and took them into Evie's room to find the two of them huddled in bed with their arms about each other quietly sniffling. (It warmed my heart to see them comforting each other, even if the thing they needed comfort from was me.) I gave them the food and threatened dire consequences if they didn't eat quickly and then lay down for naps.
10 minutes later...
I guess I'm scarier than I realized.
...even if your big sister crowds your space by playing "tent" under your walker.
And how can you be blue when your 5 year old says, "Hey Mom! This will blow your mind. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the ABC's are sung to the same music!" My mind is blown.
Of course the day started out pretty great by adding to my fabric stash... I got $138 worth of fabric for $44! I love sales and coupons!
And for anyone rolling their eyes or thinking "Like she needs more fabric..." I will tell you my new motto, courtesy of my friend Tiana, Sewing and collecting fabric are two different hobbies.
So now that I have added to my collection for today, I am off to sew some of it up.
*On a side note, do you think it is possible to go to far when organizing things into totes?
We had a great Easter weekend, starting on Saturday with Madsen Family Fun Day! We had brunch, played games, colored eggs, made treats and then had our egg hunt and found where the Easter Bunny left our baskets in Mima Kim's garden. (There will be a longer post about this with pictures when I get them from Uncle Josh because I was a silly Mommy and forgot the camera.) Today we had a delicious Easter dinner at Pa Dave's with some of the Ellis clan, and then more of the Ellis clan joined us for cake to celebrate Donna's happy birthday.
This, sadly, is the best picture we could get of the kids in their new Easter clothes. I picked a very bad time for a photo shoot, right after church and everyone was hungry and cranky... most of all Mommy! This was the only one with all their eyes actually open (even though Jake wouldn't look at the camera if his life depended on it...) and no one screaming or crying, but Lila threw up right as I snapped it! Thank you to Josh for teaching me the touch-up tool in Picasa...
P.S. Thanks to Aunt Kamra for the wind up toys, I've had as much fun as the kids playing with them!
So I started out my morning once again fondly imagining a future, that is hopefully not too far away, in which I will be able to take an entire shower with no one trying to talk to me through the door. Does anyone have any tricks to convince a 2 year old that the world will not end if Mommy goes into the bathroom for 10 minutes by herself. And that I can't hear her over the running water anyway?
But even with all that it was a good day, the kids and I loaded up and met up with Dinee and Libby to enjoy some time wandering craft stores and then headed up to Ogden to hang with Haylee and her girls for awhile. And since my children think anything longer than 10 minutes in the car equals a road trip I decided to bribe them with food and drink in exchange for not whining and fighting. And dang, if it didn't work! But I had to laugh as I realized I had reached that stage of motherhood... you know, the one where you are rollin' along in the mini-van, sucking down a Capri-sun and rocking out to Little People Sing Silly Songs. (I have to give them props though, for an awesome rendition of There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea.) Anyone younger than me who is rolling their eyes at this post, just you wait my friends. Your day will come.
Not bad since the Wednesday was particularly awful because our Jeep got broken into and the stereo ripped out while Brian was at work. He came home in a less than happy mood. At one point while we were talking about it he said, "Seriously. Who steals from someone who is handicapped, parked in the handicapped stall so close to the door?" I thought for a moment and responded, "Ummm, someone who figures if you come out and catch them in your car you won't be able to chase them?" Poor Bri, he gets no respect at all. Because he has graduated to forearm braced crutches he got a messenger type bag he can use to carry things. He calls it his "man bag". He was met at the front door last night by Evie who said, "Oh Daddy! I was missing you! I am so glad you are home with your purse!"
It's days like these that make think of our family motto: Be Happy Now!...avoid the rush.
I just overheard Evie reciting a nursery rhyme:
...and we are excited! I am posting this from my new computer courtesy of my Dad and brother, it is so awesome to have people in your life that know stuff and are willing to share their time and talents, and technology! Nothing can hold me back now as I have a streamlined operation for taking my pictures and making them look cooler than just no red-eye! (I may even be blogging more than once a day as I play around with my new toy...)
Plus I won't have to wait to tell funny stories until I forget them. Like last night Aunt Caite was over doing some sewing with me and while she was waiting to wash her fabric she took the time to play Mario Kart with Jake. The kid was talking some serious smack to her and it was hard to reprimand him for being disrespectful to his aunt because I was doubled over laughing. A sample of their conversation:
Jake: "Don't worry Caite, I'll pick an easier course for you next time...", "...um, Caite? Do you want me to give you a tip?", "Don't worry, I'm only going to take 2nd place this time."
But by far the best was when they decided to team up their efforts and take on the computer, taking turns driving and throwing stuff at their opponents.
Jake: "Hey, Caite, I think maybe I'd better steer next time."
Caite: (laughs indignantly) "No Jake, I will steer."
Jake: "Oh great. There goes my racing career."
That was the last race of the night for Caite.
Earlier that day Caitlin also told me that Jake asked her if she had read all the Harry Potter books?
Caite: "Yes I have."
Jake: "Oh, my mom hasn't read the last one yet."
Caite: "Well, she is funny like that."
Jake: "No, she has just been really busy blogging, sewing, reading library books and watching Law and Order."
It is harsh to have your life put into a nutshell by a 5 year old.
Every mother knows the scariest sound in the world for your child to make is silence...
I came down the hall to find this tableau and ask, "Whatcha guys doing?"
Clipping coupons.
