On School, Religion, Protest, and Music

Hey guys! I've got a lot to update on today, so pardon the fact that this post isn't really one set topic. It's more of just an update; I'll be back on track with the more regular postings later.

As many of you know, I am in school, and MAN is it kicking my butt this semester. Let me tell you - college algebra is no joke, folks. That crap is HARD! I can handle math, don't get me wrong, but it just takes me a while to get into the groove of it. I'm working hard, but I'll be happy to make it out of that class with a C.

I'm really enjoying my other classes so far though. I've got Interpersonal Communications, which I'm really interested in to begin with. The fact that it gets me out of having to take a public speaking course for the next few semesters is definitely a bonus though. The instructor is awesome as well. I've had him for both of my comp classes, and I've known him for a long time. He used to work with my mom and two of my aunts at various different times. I also just found out that a girl I went to school with and work with now is his oldest daughter! Yes, I live in a small town, and paths really do cross that many times around here.

My Computer Concepts class is pretty cool. We do about 90% of our coursework in class, so it's an easy A, which is always welcome. And then there's Music Appreciation... I already appreciate music, but I get to learn a little more of the in's and out's of why that is, so that's alright. 

The girls are doing well. Kairi is crazy as usual (I say that in a loving and endearing way, I promise!), and Gracie is still really enjoying school. A friend from school stopped by last Wednesday night and asked if Gracie would like to join him at church. She wanted to, and while I've stated that Jason and I aren't religious, I'm not going to keep her from learning about different religions, so of course I let her go. I've been hesitant to let her go to church because I don't want her to believe in something just because that's what everyone she knows believes, but I also understand that she's only 6 and she's not really mature enough to understand that she can question authority and go against the grain - if she wants to. 

I've thought a lot about this over the past couple of weeks and I've come to the conclusion that I've just got to let go and trust that my brilliant daughter will figure it out for herself. After all, whatever she chooses to believe should be just that: her choice. It's not fair for me to impose my doubts upon her just because I struggle with faith in something I can't see or recognize. I'm sure that one day she will begin to question things, especially as adamantly atheist as her father is, and I want her to feel respected enough by me that she can come to me to help find her answers. 

I've also spent a lot of time lately looking at the Occupy Wallstreet Tumblr page. I can relate in so many ways and some of the posts make me really, really sad. But it's important to be aware of what's going on no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I could very well be one of those people holding up one of those signs. I'm really hoping that the 5-year plan that Jason and I are working on will keep us afloat enough that we won't end up there as well. I'm really hoping that the government will figure out something to do with their budget and start creating more jobs, and make the changes necessary to keep all these wonderful people off the streets and out of debt. How awful is it that I am considering postponing finishing school until I have some money in savings so that I don't fall so far into debt for merely trying to better myself and my future for my family?

Music has played a big part in the last several weeks of my life. I used to spend a lot of time listening to music and it was a big part of how I identified myself. I slowly began disconnecting from that as I've gotten older, and that's something that I've really regretted. I recently got a Spotify account and have begun finding my feet again where that's concerned. I love that I can find any song I want to add to my playlist(s) and I can share that with my friends. I highly suggest checking out this program (it is something you'll have to download, but it's super cool and you can connect it to your Facebook page to see what your friends are listening to as well!). And when you do go get it, or if you already have it, be sure to follow me and see what new stuff I'm listening to!

Photo Blog: Fun on the Front Porch

Quick Hit: The Chicken Pox Rant

I'm loving this: I didn't want to get the chicken pox vaccine for Gracie. I figured it was a mild enough illness and yeah, I know it puts you at risk to get shingles later in life, but I'd never met anyone who has had them, so how big of a risk is that really? The nurse guilted me into it, told me that I was ignorant, irresponsible and arrogant for thinking that I'm "smarter than science." She basically told me that she calls CPS on people who don't do their full vaccination schedule. So we vaccinated Gracie against chicken pox anyway. And now she has them. Some good that did.

This post was originally supposed to be a Facebook status, but it got away from me. 

Just a side note: As Gracie DID get her vaccine, her chicken pox are a little less severe than they would be otherwise. So, considering that she was gonna get them either way, I suppose I'm at least thankful for that. 

But still? It's all crap. 

The Sweet Smells of Summer

Welcome to the June Carnival of Natural Parenting: Outdoor fun

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared their stories and tips for playing outside with kids. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

I love summertime and since I've moved to a different neighborhood, one that's not on the industrial side of town, on a road that isn't the business highway of the town, I am really able to bask in the warm glow of summer and breathe in it's rich, sweet smells when I'm outside with the girls.

While the girls spend their time running and crawling and riding bikes and tricycles around the car in the driveway, I lay back and relax - as much as I can, being a watchful parent responsible for a 5 year old and a 14 month old. When I find a particular scent heavy in the air, I call Gracie over to me and we try to identify it. She's getting pretty good at it too.

We have some honeydew growing along the side of our house and that's usually the first thing we smell. It picks up in the middle of spring and lasts throughout the summer. That smell is usually my first wonderful reminder that summer is on its way.

My neighbor up the street has got the most beautiful roses and their scent is so strong that you can smell it from the sidewalk two houses down. It's a nice, calming addition to our early evening strolls.

My dad's yard plays host to a huge variety of new scents for Gracie and I to take in. He's got the biggest, prettiest flower garden ever and to top it off, he's got a couple lilac bushes. He always sends me home with a Solo cup full of its blooms that I keep in my car for a day or two.

When we're not absorbing the scents of summer, we play just like anyone else. Like I said before, the girls love to race around the car in the driveway. Whether it be running (or crawling/partially walking in Kairi's case) or biking and tricycling (although we have to push Kairi along) and sometimes even the scooter gets broken out, those girls LOVE running the circle around the driveway.

When they get tired they like to draw pictures on the pavement with sidewalk chalk. Gracie drew a beautiful flower on the porch a couple nights ago. I'm so proud of her artistic abilities.

The girls have gotten better at playing together too. Last week when we were outside, they were sitting together in the driveway. Gracie was scratching Kairi's back and Kairi was just squealing with delight. Then, Gracie decided to give Kairi a "foot massage."

We're big fans of bubbles and balls too....

Yes. Summer is my favorite time of year. I can't wait until it's warm enough to go swimming! I smell the chlorine just thinking about it!

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Garden Treats — Asha at Mom Costume has once again been bitten by the gardening bug — and this time her baby's tagging along for some fresh air and dirt exploration. (@titbagsandsnoot)
• Outdoor Free Roam — Mamapoekie at Authentic Parenting follows her daughter's lead whenever they go outside. (@mamapoekie)
• Summer fun in Austin with a toddler — Jessica at This Is Worthwhile is brainstorming ways to beat the heat in Texas. (@tisworthwhile)
• summer fun… — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children is looking forward to spending the summer outside with her children the way she used to spend summers with her mother.
• Outdoor Fun for Pre-Walkers — Maman A Droit has figured out ways to let her pre-walker enjoy the outdoors. (@MamanADroit)
• Summer Homeschool Fun at Camp Review — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now discusses how Camp Review motivated and captivated her homeschooling family. (@DebChitwood)
• Digging, Tree Climbing and Puddle Jumping — Laura at Laura's Blog bemoans the loss of her girls' climbing tree but knows they'll find something else just as naturally tempting.
• The Sweet Smells of Summer — Erin at A Beatnik's Beat on Life is looking forward to the many smells of summer she and her daughters enjoy and identify. (@babybeatnik)
• June Carnival of Natural Parenting: Outdoor Fun — Sybil at Musings of a Milk Maker is a confirmed couch potato who can't help but be inspired by the outdoor opportunities Seattle offers her family. (@sybilryan)
• Take a Hike — Michelle at The Parent Vortex connects with her family and the Earth on frequent hikes in their Pacific wilderness. (@TheParentVortex)
• Following Paul — Julie at Simple Life gives her kids unstructured time to dig in the dirt and pick mulberries. (@homemakerjulie)
• Instilling a Love of the Outdoors in Your Baby/Toddler — Tessasdad at Stay At Home Dad in Lansing offers a photo book of tips for helping your little ones enjoy the outdoors. (@tessasdad)
• Camping, baby! — Jen at Grow With Graces has easy tips for tent camping with a little one. (@growwithgraces)
• Think Outside the Easel for Summertime Fun — Acacia at Be Present Mama finds several ways to bring art fun to the outdoors.
• Outdoor Learning in our Urban Environment — Andrea at Ella-Bean & Co. has found ways to get grass between her daughter's toes, even in the city.
• Outdoor Education — Alison at BluebirdMama offers parents tips and resources for making each outdoor excursion a learning experience. (@childbearing)
• Turning Inside Out — Christie of Childhood 101 finds kids get a kick out of taking indoor toys outside. (@Childhood101)
• Watching Peas Sprout — Deb at Science@home combines fun with purpose in this educational outdoor activity. (@ScienceMum)
• How To Create a Pirate Treasure Hunt & Other Easy Outdoor Pirate Activities (June Carnival of Natural Parenting) — Dionna at Code Name: Mama has pirate-themed play ideas for ye scurvy landlubbers. (@CodeNameMama)
• What We Do — Luschka at Diary of a First Child has managed to expose her 8-month-old to a wide variety of outdoor fun, even with the notoriously dreary UK weather. (@diaryfirstchild)
• Summer Fun — Darcel at The Mahogany Way finds her family's visits to the beach refreshing in so many ways. (@MahoganyWayMama)
• Playing outside without a backyard — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes doesn't let the lack of a backyard stop her family from enjoying the outdoors. There are plenty of things to do outside of your yard! (@sheryljesin)
• Having Fun Outdoors, Playset Free — Guavalicious at They Are So Cute When They Are Sleeping has resisted a backyard playset in favor of the regular backyard. (@guavalicious)
• Moon Gazing with your Toddler — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries is keeping her toddler up at night, but it's for a good reason: to share the wonders of the night sky! (@babydust)
• the great outdoors — The grumbles at grumbles and grunts wonders whether her urban child can experience the same free-range childhood she enjoyed. (@thegrumbles)
• Let's Take It Outside! — NavelgazingBajan at Navelgazing is looking for ideas: how can she spend time with her pre-walker outside this summer? (@BlkWmnDoBF)
• A home by the sea: June Carnival of Natural Parenting: Outdoor fun — Lauren at Hobo Mama is living her dream of a home near the beach, and taking full advantage of it. (@Hobo_Mama)
• An Outside Girl — Zoey at Good Goog moved her family to (almost) the middle of nowhere so that her outdoor-loving girl could have more grass and less concrete. (@zoeyspeak)
• Neighborhood Nature — Kelly at Kelly Naturally has learned to connect with the nature she has instead of mourning the nature she misses. (@kellynaturally)
• Building Lovely Memories of Swimming, Spiders and Gravestones — Joni Rae at Tales of a Kitchen Witch and her family are simply outdoorsy people. (@kitchenwitch)
• "Buh-Bye" Season — Danielle at born.in.japan must leave laundry behind and follow her son's call to the outdoors. (@borninjp)
• Backyard Camping — Becoming Mamas took her family camping very close to home! (@becomingmamas)
• The Color of Dreams — Seeking Mother at Woman Seeking Mother makes gardening magical by teaching her son that each flower is a faery. (@seekingmother)

She's Growing So Fast

Little Miss Pre-K Graduate. 

<3

Gracie, age 5

Oh No He Didn't Tuesday: Rain Check/Advice Needed

My friend Kristi over at Live and Love... Out Loud has just started a blog carnival. It's called "Oh No He DIDN'T Tuesday." I had a wonderful post written for today, the FIRST day of the carnival - but the situation has changed (even if only slightly) and thus invalidated my entire post.

While that's not a great thing for the carnival (I REALLY wanted to participate) it IS a good thing for my family.

So, with regrets, I am not able to participate in the carnival. I'm sure I could think of something to write in here but it would be just a generic rant that I've gone over a thousand times before and I'd like to offer something more than that.

I totally think you should go check out Kristi's post though, and follow the links to the rest of the participants. Kristi's post literally made me say "Oh no he DIDN'T." ...Yes, literally. I spoke it out loud. And I don't really say that. But... Damn. Really. Go see for yourself.

I will try to come up with something a little less generic to post than my usual "Ugh. He slept until 2 and didn't help with the kids!" for next week - but in the meantime, I could use some help.

I know I've posted on this before, but it's really becoming a problem. Gracie's behavior is getting worse. Generally speaking she's a really good kid, but she's becoming incredibly defiant. She's been REFUSING to obey me. Yesterday I got up to make her something to snack on and when I came back, she was in my chair. I asked her kindly to get up so I could sit back down and she refused. To the point that she went rigid and I had to PICK HER UP and move her.

That's the least of it. She refuses to get up in the morning and then throws horrendous fits of rage when I make her wake up. It's to the point that I have to get up 30 minutes earlier than I normally do in order to coerce her out of bed so she doesn't start the day badly. But even that doesn't work. I still end up having to pick her up out of bed and set her on her feet to make her wake up. (I've tried earlier bed times, etc too - I think it's just a behavioral thing.)

I don't know what to do. I've tried time outs, time ins, spanking (which I don't do anymore), groundings... I'm to the point that when she disobeys me, I just want to make her go to bed. Whether it's 3 in the afternoon or not.

What can I do? Any suggestions?

What Do I Do?

You'll have to excuse me, folks: over the next couple of weeks, I'm pretty full of questions. I signed up for the Carnival of Natural Parenting and April's topic is parenting advice. We are supposed to write a 'Dear Abby'-type letter to our readers asking for advice on a certain parenting issue we are dealing with.

Well, I've already written my post, but I find myself finding more and more questions that need to be asked, advice that I could really use. So, I hope you don't mind me leaning on you a little bit here, but I could use your help.

The question at hand today is this: As an attachment parent, how do I deal with my 5 year old daughter's newfound bad attitude? Gracie has always been sassy but it's really coming out now that she's figured out how to push my buttons. She tells me no when I ask her to do things, she makes threats when I tell her no ("Fine then! If you won't read this book to me right now then I'll just throw all my books away and never read again."), she throws temper tantrums (in which a lot of times she actually throws things around in her room).

Part of my problem is that I didn't start using AP philosophies until Kairi was born. Not consciously at least. I'm sure it was there in doses, as I generally try to be as gentle and loving as possible to my kids, but Gracie had 4 years of no real defined, specific style parenting.

For a long time I spanked Gracie when she did something wrong. Now, I'm not saying that if you spank your kids that you're a bad parent by any means - I'm not going to call it child abuse - but I just found that it wasn't working for me. Sure, it was yielding most of the behavior I wanted, but I felt HORRIBLE about myself as a mom each time I did it. I also found myself spanking her for the smallest, most minute actions when I had originally set out to only spank as a last resort and only when she had done something really bad. I found that my child feared me. I don't want to be that parent.

So I quit spanking and started discussing why the things she was doing weren't acceptable behavior, occasionally throwing in some time out or removing certain play objects from her possession for a while, always trying to keep it behavior appropriate (ie- I'm not going to take away her doll if she hit her sister, but if she wouldn't share her doll with her sister I would take it then.)

For a while it was working great. Gracie understood what was wrong and what was right and she understood when she got into trouble exactly why it was she was in trouble and what she could do instead next time to avoid the trouble. But now she's just developing this... I don't know... attitude. I don't even know how to shrink it down into just one word really. She's not responding to discipline the same way she has. She gets more upset when she gets in trouble and it does less good.

So - what do you do when your kids get into trouble? What do you do when you find that your current disciplinary tactics aren't quite fitting the bill and need perhaps a small overhaul? What new techniques to you incorporate? How do you maintain consistency throughout?

Edit: Just noting that this is not my submission for the Carnival of Natural Parenting. That post will be coming up on Tuesday the 13th. Keep an eye out for it, won't you?

Brenda and Jolene

I don't know if you remember, but a few months ago at Kairi's 6 month check-up, shortly after Kairi started eating solid foods, her pediatrician told me that I only needed to be breastfeeding her at a maximum of 4 times daily. Shocked and dismayed, I chose to switch from this doctor to the nurse practitioner in the same practice who has been seeing Gracie since she was 3 months old.

Our NP is named Brenda and she is amazing. I have always loved the way she and her staff have treated Gracie (she has different nurses than others in the practice) and I. They have always been very sweet, very knowledgeable and if I ever had a question that they couldn't answer, they would refer me to someone who could. Upon walking into our first appointment with her for Kairi in the beginning of January I already felt at ease with my decision to switch care providers. With Dr. A we would sit in the waiting room for what seemed like forever whereas with Brenda we were greeted within minutes. We've had to meet with her a few times for both Kairi and Gracie over the couple months, what with pneumonia, bronchialitis and ear infections running amok and each time has been, aside from the ailments causing the meetings, extremely pleasant.

Recently, I decided to buy some Vitamin B drops for myself. Some days I just feel like crap and my mom suggested them to me. I'd tried them before getting pregnant with Kairi and they worked great then, so I thought I'd give it another go. But before taking a drop I thought I had better call and make sure it was okay while breastfeeding. I realize it's vitamins, but it's a pretty hefty dose of vitamin and I just wasn't 100% certain. So I called and the receptionist sent a note back to Brenda. A while later I got a call back, but not from the nurse that I normally speak with.

"Hi, is this Erin?" the voice spoke over the phone.

"Yup, you've got me!" I replied. I recognized the number and wanted to be friendly.

"This is Jolene with Brenda's office. I'm calling about the Vitamin B supplement. Brenda said it is perfectly okay to take them. If you notice Kairi acting any differently be sure to stop, but it really shouldn't give you any problems."

I was relieved to hear this. I'd taken one dose without really thinking it through a few days ago. "Thanks so much," I said back to her.

"So, how are you doing?" Jolene asked me. The question sounded more social than concerned.

"I'm doing fine, thanks. How are you?"

"Great!" Jolene answered. Then she asked, "So, how is breastfeeding going for you?" It sounded like she might have been asking as if I was nursing a newborn and wanting to offer support.

"Oh, it's going GREAT! Thanks! We're at 10 months and going strong!"

"Okay - good! Well, if you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call us any time, okay? Thanks! Bye now!"

After we hung up the phone I thought to myself how different my experiences have been with Brenda as opposed to Dr. A. This last experience really did it for me and made me feel even more confident in my decision. I have run into Dr. A a few times while in the office and have felt a bit like I couldn't look him in the eye. But after today I know for certain that I made the absolute best choice for my family.

"You'll Be Mine - All the Time!"

I love my kids. They are freaking awesome.

Gracie is sitting on the floor and Kairi is sitting between her legs with her back to Gracie's stomach. Gracie is going from one side of her head to the other chanting in a sing-songy voice, "You'll be mine! All the time!!" and Kairi is giggling.

It's just so cute. I wanted to share this moment with you. But now, I'm gonna get back to it. Because I'm missing baby and big girl giggles.

Oh, and by the way - I'm taking a while off for the holidays. I'm visiting my mom and she does have the internet, but I doubt if I will be posting until after the New Year. So, happy and safe holidays, everyone!

XOXO

Tired.

Hey guys. I know I promised you first of all, a new post every day this month. I realize I also promised you the beginning of a series on adoption starting Monday. Neither of those are here, are they? I'm sorry. Truth be told, I am just tired. This time change is kicking my ass and handing it back to me in a nice little package labeled "Erin's broken ass." It may have bells and ribbons on it, but it ain't pretty, folks.

My series on adoption is on hold at the moment. Only one person who offered to send submissions for it has thus far and I still need to interview my mom for my part of the series. I suppose I jumped the gun on announcing it. Part of my problem is that once I throw a deadline out, you might as well call the project dead. I am HORRIBLE about working on a deadline. I am thinking of cutting it to a 2-3 post series, rather than a full week's worth of posts. I'm still trying to decide how I want to end it. Once I figure that out, I will post it. Hopefully sooner than later.

I had an interesting weekend - which is more than I can say for most weekends. On Friday my mother stopped through town and picked up Gracie. They went out of town to visit Mom's boyfriend, Terry. Gracie calls him Pops. It's cute. After Jason left work work I was left here with Kairi.... No car, no cable, no one over the age of 7 months to communicate with. It took about 2 hours for the mind-numbing boredom to kick in. I reached out on Twitter and Facebook, informing whoever would read my plea of my dire situation. I got a response from an old friend named Christine, someone I hadn't seen in almost 10 years. "Wanna come over?" she said. I jumped at the chance to get out of the house and loaded the baby up. She came and got us and we hung out at her house until about 1am. I really enjoyed catching up and reminiscing.

Saturday night, my friend Sandra was having her birthday party. Originally it was supposed to be at a bar that is a few blocks away from my house. I made arrangements to where I could go for about an hour or so, but I didn't want to stay long because Jason was off work, and is NEVER off work on a Saturday night and we don't have plans. I found out that she had switched locations though, and there wasn't any way I was going to be able to go. So I took her out to lunch instead. We went to this little Mexican restaurant that another friend recently had taken me to. It was delicious. Later that afternoon, Christine invited Jason and I over so that Jason could meet her boyfriend and maybe they could become buddies. Again, we stayed fairly late and we had a really good time.

On Sunday, Gracie came home. I was so excited to see her. I really missed her while she was gone. We spent the evening just lounging around the house.

Since the time change, Kairi has been getting up early. All weekend, we woke up at 8. On the weekdays, typically I will get up around 7 to get Gracie ready for school, and when I get back at around 8 I get back in bed and catch another couple hours of sleep. Kairi has not allowed that at all. Both yesterday and today she has woken up with the alarm. Fantastic. She won't let me nap either. I think she's going on a napping boycott. She's become the queen of the 10 minute nap - if she takes one at all. It's becoming depressing. So I've basically been running on 5 hours (if I'm lucky) of intermittent sleep with very little napping going on. It's not fun.

I am hoping that I can start going to bed earlier than usual and perhaps I can catch up on some of that sleep I've been missing that way. In the meantime, until I can write with a fully rested head, I will be working at whatever pace my grogginess will allow on my adoption posts. We'll see how that goes!

Gracie's Very, Very Bad, Bad Time

Jason is off work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and on those nights if the weather permits we like to take family walks. I will put Kairi in my sling, Jason and I will walk side by side, holding hands if possible, and Gracie typically runs ahead (sometimes as far as half a block ahead!) Tonight, the weather was fabulous. It was cool but not cold - warm enough weather that we didn't have to wear jackets, which is just about perfect as far as I am concerned.

It just so happened that in order to make the dinner I had planned, I would be needing some jalapenos, so we decided to walk down to the dollar market* located about 6 blocks away to pick some up. Our walk there was great. Fantastic, really. Gracie, as per usual, ran ahead. Jason and I got to catch up with each other. Kairi was really enjoying taking in the scenery. Unfortunately, the market didn't have the kind of jalapenos I needed, but we didn't leave empty handed. We got some cookies and fish crackers, as well as a couple other items we were needing.

On our way back, about a block away from the market there was some water pooled over part of the sidewalk. I saw it at the last minute, and holding Gracie's hand I tried to steer her around it...

*SQUISH*

"Ohhh noooooo! My foot fell in, Mom!"

I looked down, and sure enough, her foot fell in. Her foot more than fell in. Her foot SANK in. Apparently the water had been sitting there for a while and had softened the soil around the sidewalk enough that when Gracie stepped onto it, it gave way and pulled her poor little leg down, covering the bottom half of her calf and her entire foot in a rich, black coat of mud.

I feel the need to take a moment here to explain something. My child can be unpredictable at times. I never really know how she is going to react to something, and just when I think I've got her pegged she surprises me. That being said, what I expected out of her was a meltdown. When she melts down (and this is too funny) she begins referring to herself in third person.

"You have to take my shoe off! You have to carry me! No walking for Gracie!"

Throw in some sobs and some hiccups and that's about what I expected. Instead, I got:

"Well, we're almost home, right? I think I can make it. You'll help me wash my foot when we get there, huh?"

She was as calm as could be. I was amazed. I mean, she was clearly bummed about it, but she was taking it in stride. I was very proud of my kid at that moment.

About a block later she began complaining about the squishy feeling when she stepped. Jason and I decided that perhaps it would be best if she walked barefoot, and if need be Jason would carry her. She walked home fine and didn't need to be carried at all, but the whole time she kept kind of chanting about how it was a very, very bad, bad time. (There's an episode of the Backyardigans where the characters are taking a tour of a swamp. Towards the end of the episode they get fed up with not seeing anything of any note and begin singing a song about how they are having a very, very bad, bad time. It also mentions stepping in mud and muck.)

I don't know why, but her little chant struck me as funny. When we got home, we ran a shallow bath and let her stand in it while we washed the mud from her leg and foot, and that was basically the end of it (minus the laundry). I just still can't get over how funny my kid can be.




*I am going to try to refrain from using store names if at all possible from here on out. I'm not sure why, it just feels right this way.

Halloweerd!

I don't know about you guys, but I had a fabulous Halloween weekend! It was so much fun! My best friend Natalie, whom I never get to see anymore because she lives out of town, threw a Halloween party on Friday. I didn't think I was going to be able to make it, but at the last minute a mutual friend told me she had room for me and the girls to ride with her. So we went. There were so many funny and neat costumes! And it was great seeing Natalie's friends that I hadn't met or gotten to know very well. She and her husband Micheal have a great group of friends.

Natalie and Micheal

As only can be expected when I'm paired with Natalie, weirdness ensued....

Me and Nat <3

I find it easiest to not ask...

Gracie dressed up as Snow White, as she has been a little obsessed since the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the movie earlier this month.

My little angel <3

Kairi wore a tutu, but that didn't last long. Tulle + my baby does not mix well.

Pretty baby!

Halloween night consisted of the usual: dinner at Gramma's and then trick-or-treating with my cousin Kindra and her kids. Unfortunately, I was hung over (from the 3 glasses of wine I drank the previous night - 3 GLASSES!!! WTF, right?!) and didn't have the presence of mind to take any pictures of Kindra's boys. I assure you though, as a miniature Darth Vader and Batman, they were adorable!

Last night we set the clocks back an hour, and although it didn't particularly change the amount of time we slept (yeah, that time pretty much flies out of the window once you have kids!) it was nice to get an extra hour with my husband. He's been working so hard lately that we rarely get to spend our waking hours together.

All in all, a great weekend. Tomorrow starts a whole new week, back to the daily grind. I'm just glad it will start on a good note!

Gratitude Adjustment

I am having a bummer morning. Nothing in particular is going wrong - I just feel kind of bummed out. It's not exactly the day that I want to spend my day, so I am going to take a cue from my friend Angela who does Gratitude Mondays and focus on what I am grateful for today instead.

Last night on Facebook a friend of mine posted a status that read, "My greatest accomplishments call me "Mommy." I almost cried when I read it. It's so true. My kids are BY FAR my greatest accomplishment. Above all else, they are my purpose for being here. I know I've said it before, but I feel like I was incomplete before becoming a mother. Yes, yes, I know, it's very Jerry Maguire, "You complete me,"-esque but it's true.

Gracie is growing like a freaking weed. I didn't really notice before I had Kairi how quickly Gracie is growing. The day Kairi was born I remember laying in bed with Gracie and looking at her hands and feet. They looked monstrously big - so much bigger than they had just the day before.

She's really coming into her own too since school has started. Every week she learns a new letter. Each letter has a character, a story/song, and a hand movement. The first week she learned the letter "P." P is for Polly Panda, and Polly Panda paints purple P's, pizza pans and porcupines. Her motion is moving your hand up and down like you are painting a fence. (Think Karate Kid, "Up and down.") During the hand motion, she says "Puh, puh, puh."

A few weeks ago at the end of the week Gracie came home with her folder full of the various projects she's worked on. The letter that week was "M." That night, she worked hard on tracing and practicing drawing her M's. One of the assignments sent home was a piece of paper with a bunch of letters scrambled all over the page, and she was to circle all the M's and draw X's through all the P's. She did that as well as recognized each letter that she had been learning between the two, and some that she hadn't learned in class. She's also begun using these letters throughout her days out of school. She is learning so much. She will ask what a certain word starts with, or if I say a word she will say "That starts with O!" It's so neat watching her grow.

Kairi is growing fast too. I can't believe it - it's been almost 7 months since she was born. Wow! A week ago Friday she started saying "Momma" (and my heart melted!) My mother was here to witness it. It was very cool. Last night the girls and I were in the kitchen while I was baking a cake and Gracie and I were talking about Jason. All of a sudden, Kairi looks up and starts saying "Dah-ee Dah-ee Dah-ee!" over and over. (Think "Daddy" minus the d's in the middle.) That was very cool too.

She is also doing a lot physically. She is really beginning to be able to support herself sitting up. She's been kind of sitting up for a little over a month, but it's more like she's kind of folded in on herself. And she's begun inchworm crawling. She will scoot forward with her legs (as if she is crawling regularly) then throw her body forward and land flat against the floor. She rights herself and starts again. It's very funny to see her doing this.

Anyway, I think that will conclude my "gratitude adjustment" for today. I am feeling much better now.

Ask and You Shall Receive

I've been a little depressed lately. Since it's started getting cooler, I have noticed that the jeans that we have for Gracie are getting smaller. Rather, she's getting too big for them. What this means is that I need to get to the store and buy her new jeans for this fall and winter. With money that I don't have. I almost cried today when I sent Gracie to school in almost-high-water-jeans.

When I was a kid - specifically when I was in 5th, 6th, and some of 7th grade - we had a hard time getting jeans of proper fit for me. Because of this, my nickname became high water. I swore that I would never never, ever ever let my children go through the same ordeal.

Just as I was about to start feeling really sorry for myself (and for Gracie) a good friend showed up. I had been expecting her this morning, but what I was not expecting (especially since I haven't breathed a word of this to anyone) was for her to show up with a box filled with 9 pairs of jeans, 2 outfits, and a couple new pairs of boots. And it's all really nice stuff too - a few pairs of Gap jeans, some Calvin Kleins, and a few other really decent brands.

Anyway - I am excited and thankful for such a wonderful friend. I sometimes take what I've got for granted, but today I am taking a gratitude inventory. What are you thankful for today?

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

Gracie has been so funny today. She came up to me earlier and asked for some milk. I had JUST started to feed Kairi though, so I explained that I couldn't get it right that second but I would be happy to get her some when I was finished.

Clearly she was bummed so she started whining.

"But Moo-ooohm!" she complained. "I'm THIRSTY!"

"I know you're thirsty, Gracie, but I am feeding Kairi right now. You saw me pick her up and ask her if she was hungry. In fact, it seems to me that you intentionally waited until I was busy with your sister to ask me. So, you will have to wait because I am busy right now."

"But Moo-ooohmmmm!!!" she moaned. "I'm thirsty right. NOW!"

I shifted my gaze from Kairi, who was peacefully and contentedly eating, to Gracie who was slumped down with her arms crossed and her foot tracing an invisible figure-eight on the floor. I knew that if I didn't tread lightly this confrontation would turn sour quickly and I would end up with not one, but two whiny daughters.

"So, tell me Gracie," I started in a playful manner, "just WHAT is going to happen if you have to wait for your milk?"

I caught a glimpse of an extremely short-lived smile as she looked up. She caught the silliness in my voice, but didn't want me to know that she was game just yet.

"Well.... I.... I," she stammered. "I think....? I think I might die." I was surprised at how well she maintained her poker face throughout this conversation; her only tell being the snippet of a smile I caught a moment before.

"Really? You might.... die???" I was trying not to giggle at her dramatization.

She gave me a stern look. "Yes. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die if you don't go get me my milk right now."

I thought about where to go from here for a moment. Kairi was almost asleep and if I could just drag this out for a couple more minutes I could keep both my girls happy and in the end maintain my good mood.

"Huh," I was stalling. "We-ellll.... You know, I think I might miss you if you were to die. Do you think you could avoid dying for just a few more minutes?"

Gracie was a little puzzled by my response. It caught her off guard. She took a moment before speaking. "No. I'm gonna die. And you can't stop me. So go get my milk. Please." She was maintaining her position pretty well. What can I say? Stubbornness doesn't run in the family, it gallops.

I decided that if I was going to keep this going much longer I would have to change my approach a bit. As I reached for the camera I saw those gorgeous blue eyes of hers light up. She knew what was coming and it was clear that she liked it.

"Gracie," I turned the camera on and switched it to movie mode, "would you mind telling the camera what you've just told me?"

She repeated her story, just as I knew she would. And just as she was finishing I felt Kairi's head drop as she conked out into a deep sleep. I laid her down for her nap and got Gracie her glass of milk. And lucky for me, she didn't die.