Saturday, February 16, 2008

Well, That's One Theory

This morning as Reese and I were snuggling on the couch before we were both completely awake, Drue and Tate were running rampant around the house full of energy. (Energy from the candy and kool-aid David had already given them).

Tate squealed with delight when he saw Molly dozing on the couch, ran over to her and tugged hard on both her ears. Of course, I verbalized my disappointment at his behavior and rhetorically questioned why in the world he would do something like that.

Reese simply stated, "I think we took the wrong baby....".

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Our Future C.S.I.

When David is out of town, I secretly move the kids' bedtimes up a tad...trying to savor an ounce of peace in the house before I, myself, go to bed. The girls know not to test my patience at night. Last night I lovingly, albeit wearily, tucked them in, then went over how they would be punished if they got out of bed.

Reese has devised a plan to occasionally get out of bed to tell us something about Drue. She may creep down the stairs to tell us that Drue has ripped a book to shreds, or that Drue needs to use the potty, or something of that nature. And she thinks because she is bringing that to our attention, she has gained immunity from punishment.

I am on to her little scam. So last night, I went over every possible circumstance that might cause either girl to get out of her bed. And I ended with this warning, "If one of you gets out of bed to tattle on the other one...you will B-O-T-H be punished! Night night...love you...kisses..."

In between straightening up the kitchen, folding a load of laundry, and trying to catch the evening news to learn more about the ROBBERY that occurred at the Target we frequent, I thought I heard the faint squeak of their bedroom door. I stopped and listened for the unmistakable sound of little feet padding down the hallway towards impending punishment, but didn't hear anything else.

As I lugged the basket full of clean folded clothes up to my room later, I saw one of their fabric butterflies that hangs on fishing line from their ceiling laying in the hallway. I shook my head, not even wanting to think about the events that had led up to that and went to bed.

I pushed it out of my mind until this morning when I was getting ready to take Reese to school. She bopped into my bathroom where I was getting ready and I casually inquired about the butterfly I had found last night.

Her eyes got big and she dashed out of the room for a second, then returned with a tiny corner piece of paper she had ripped off a bigger sheet. Turns out, it was her "clue" to me about what had happened and I had completely missed it.

She elaborately went on to explain how her sister had been swinging the butterfly and pulled it out of the ceiling. Knowing they would both be punished if Reese came to tell on her, Reese scrounged around in their room until she found a piece of paper that had Drue's name written on it. She ripped it off and placed it neatly beside the butterfly evidence in the hallway for me to find. So I would be sure to know that Drue was the perpetrator when I stumbled across the crime scene.

I have been laughing all day about that...

Monday, February 11, 2008

Homecoming

 


David is off to the West Coast again this week. I took this picture when he returned from his trip a couple weeks ago. Tate was thrilled to see his Daddy! (I think because he lets him get away with more). And he was thrilled to get this cuddly lion souvenir.

The kids planned accordingly for his departure this time...they are all S-I-C-K! I think it is part of their grand scheme to inch me ever more closely to the looney bin...
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Friday, February 08, 2008

Birthday Boy

David turned another year older earlier this week. Here are a few fun facts about his special day:

- It's become a tradition that we let the kids pick out their own gifts to each of us on special occasions. As we perused the aisles of Wal-Mart, Drue's eyes lit up and she reached her arms out of the cart to get his treasured gift...trial sized women's deodorant. (I cheated a little on our tradition and steered her quickly away from that, however. Her next pick was a Superhero T-shirt).

- His restaurant of choice for his sophisticated, grown up celebration...Chuck E. Cheese.

- It has snowed almost every year on his birthday. This year was no exception.

- David and I are 6 months apart in age. Most people that I come into contact with are surprised when they learn that. They guess him to be much older than me. I am choosing to take that to mean I look young, and not that they think he acts more mature than me.

- As we were getting the girls ready for bed the night of his birthday, he ducked into our bedroom, then came walking slowly back into their room with a puzzled look on his face admitting, "I have no idea what I went in there to get". (Hmmmm...I believe this is one of the first signs....)

Monday, February 04, 2008

Daddy Daughter Ball

Pair of tickets: $50
Dress: $29.99
Dinner at Applebees: $21.22
A night to remember with your firstborn baby girl who's growing up too quickly: Priceless

 

 

 
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Sunday, February 03, 2008

Cheap Entertainment

One of the kids favorite games is "Jump into a huge pile of pillows". Of course I was appropriately shocked and frozen with worriment when I came home one day and saw it in progress. But...I got over that pretty quickly and decided to roll with it. Heck, Tate jumps off the ottomans with no pillows underneath, so I figured a feathery oversized nest to catch him was an improvement.

Drue has added another aspect, in addition to jumping, she does somersaults off the ottomans.
 


Good form Reese! I give you a "10". (On a side note...3 people told me Reese was getting "so tall" today at church. THREE! And they all saw her at separate times. That was too funny. I do look at her every now and then and think how big she's getting. But it's also hard to gauge sometimes since I see her everyday.)
 


Air surfing.
 


The beagles see pillows and think "relaxing retreat"...not for long. WATCH OUT MOLLY!
 
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Friday, February 01, 2008

Parenting Tip #87

Placing your two most expensive handheld items (cell phone and digital camera) side by side on the console tray of your vehicle the same day you decide at the last minute to fill a large travel cup with hot spiced tea, guarantees that while your back is turned, your 20 month old will grab the cup and pour its entire contents onto them.

Backseat Blues

We bought our van two years ago for convenience sake. Well, that, and there was no way three car seats would have fit in either of our vehicles at the time. I embraced the fact that we were entering our 30s and chose practicality over style. We liked the fact that all the kids would have their own space and elbow room and not be smushed up on top of each other in a car or smaller vehicle.

Tate has now decided, however, that he doesn't want a space of his own, he wants to sit smack dab in the middle of his silly sisters...that's where all the action is apparently. He tries to trick me by scampering in ahead of everyone and plopping down in one of their seats. Probably thinking, "Mommy's so frazzled, she just wants to get us all buckled in and be on her way...she'll never notice me here."

This morning I found them like this as we were heading out to take Reese to school.

 


Reese said, "Awwww...look. Tate wants to sit by his sissies. Please Mommy? Just let him sit there."

Tiredly I explained how it was Mommy's job to keep her little ones safe and he needed to be safely buckled into his own seat in the front row. This didn't deter Reese. "Well, you could just put his seat back here between us then."

Great idea!! (If he were Tom Thumb and his carseat was only 6 inches wide....)

Before we picked Reese up later, I switched her seat with Tate's. Now Drue and Tate can get into some fun trouble in the back row together.
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