Holiday Fever

Today was entirely dedicated to putting up our Christmas tree and holiday decorations. I love our apartment during the month of December. It feels so warm and welcoming to me. This year is especially fun because Emma is at the perfect age to understand and eagerly anticipate the whole countdown until Christmas, and she was SO excited to hang ornaments on the tree. She also helped me hang our brand new stockings and then kept checking inside the one with her name, asking if Santa had come yet. (Okay, maybe she doesn't completely get the whole countdown, but she's learning.) For those of you too far away to visit us during the holiday season, pics of tree and stockings for you. Pretty, no? (Much better in person, but still, you get the idea.)
Chris has been introducing Emma to some of his favorite rock bands, including Stray Cats. So while we were waiting for Chris to get the lights on the tree just so, Em began running around in circles singing, "I don't bother chasing mice or owlves, whoa no!...howling to the moonlight on a hot s-s-sauce..." and other strange variations on the "Stray Cat Strut" lyrics that were totally cracking Chris and me up. Sophie helped decorate as well, although her contributions were less direct. When not stuffing her face with quesadilla, she spent most of her time clutching huge chunks of icicles in her hands and pumping her fists in the air as Emma sprinkled the icicles on her head and shouted "pixie dust, pixie dust" over and over again.

It was a good day. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, and let December begin!

Emma on a Wednesday

• Asks if I would like to buy a milkshake for fifty five cents. I reply that I have no money. She whips out a coin from her cash register and gives it to me "as a loant." I hand her back the coin to pay for my milkshake. She bites the coin, grinds her teeth on it, removes it from her mouth, holds it up to the light, studies it closely, chucks it in the register and sweetly says, "Thank you." Then she asks if I would like another milkshake. I point out that I have yet to receive the first one. She explains that I ordered a chocolate shake, but she is all out of chocolate. Would I like a strawberry shake instead? I tell her of course, that will be fine. She smiles and says politely, "That will be fifty five cents."
• Proclaims proudly that 1+1=2, 2+2=4, and 4+4=8. I confirm she is correct, and she brags that she is really good at "pat." "Um, I think you mean math," I say. But she insists, "No, it's pat. Grandma Kitty told me so." Then she says that 11+11=12. When I clarify that the answer is actually 22, she begins shrieking. Loudly. After semi-calmness has been restored, I determine that we should take a break from math for awhile because clearly it is upsetting her. "Yes," Em agrees, "we shouldn't do any more pat today because the numbers are not listening to me."
• Decides that we should make a scarecrow out of "leaves and sticks and raisins for the eyes and dog poop for the mouth." She starts picking up potential scarecrow materials off the ground and then tries to bring her grungy collection into the car. I explain that Stella (our car) does not like dirty things inside of her because they make her sad, so we will have to make a scarecrow another time. Em accepts this, returning everything to its rightful place. She remains quiet the entire ride home. As we pull in front of our apartment, she suddenly announces aloud to the car, "I am sorry you are sad Stella, but my scarecrow is mad at you."
• When I turn on her sound machine and Ocean Wonders and nightlight moon and everything else that signals nap time, Em starts screaming from the bathroom, "No, not yet, not yet! Turn them off, turn them off, turn them OFF!" I do not turn them off. She pleads, "Please Mommy, please, I'm not done cleaning my extra skin and I have to make myself beautiful. Turn them off!" I do not turn them off. She wails, "I don't want to take a nap yet, I still have to put my makeup on so I can go to work. Turn them off!" I do not turn them off. Finally she bursts into her room, glowers at me with hands on hips and shouts, "Why don't you almost listen to me?! Every time I talk and talk and you don't almost listen to me! You are a naughty girl Mommy! A naughty, naughty girl!"
• Plugs her nose as Sophie enters the room and says, "Uh oh, I smell something." Sophie parrots back, "Uh-oh. Uh-oh." "You said it, sister," Emma retorts.
  

Friends

We spent a lovely Sunday afternoon reconnecting with the other mothers from Emma's original playgroup. We've known these fabulous people since Emma was 3 months old. For more than 3 years, we met once a week to share the joys and pitfalls of first-time parenthood and allow our kids to play with others their age. In the process, both the kids and the moms became friends. Preschool has robbed us of the ability to continue seeing each other regularly, but we still try to get together when we can. I credit these special women with getting me through that first terrifying and thrilling year of stay-at-home motherhood. I don't know what Emma and I would have done without them! We've all come a long way in 4+ years. Here we are today, minus a couple friends who couldn't make it but plus a few younger siblings who have joined us over the years.

Happy Birthday, Sophie

Sophie's official birthday isn't until Monday, but we had her party today. It was really nice. Family came from Indiana and St. Louis, and we spent the day eating and visiting. Soph was in a good mood. She was very excited to have playmates close to her age in Izzy and Cadin, and we all had a great time watching the babies interact with one another. Here are pics of Sophie with her cake, two of her Grandmas, her cousins (& big sis), and hamming it up while opening gifts.



And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a good cry over the fact that my baby is turning one.

checking in

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. We have all been rotating sickness. We're gearing up for Miss Sophie's 1st birthday this weekend! I'll post more on that later. Here's a pic of my beauties to hold ya for now.

To sleep, perchance to dream

I cannot sleep. I spend all day yawning, and then night falls and I cannot sleep. It is 11:51pm and I've already went to bed once for the night and arisen again in frustration because I cannot sleep. I am answering emails, posting on Facebook and writing this blog as diversions while I cannot sleep. My husband literally begins snoring beside me within minutes of climbing into bed, often before I've even turned off the light. But not me. I try deep breathing, I try dreaming of slumber, I try bucketfuls of Tylenol PM, I try a soothing eye mask, I try different body positions, I try counting in my head, I try praying, I try reading, I try exercise, I try many many many many other things but the reality is that no matter what I do, I Cannot Sleep.

Tomorrow will be here soon enough, and once again I will be exhausted. My husband is frustrated with me b/c I won't ask the doctor for sleeping pills. I take far too much medicine in my life as it is - I am extremely reluctant to begin taking another. Why are drugs always the answer? There must be another way.

I guess I have all night to think about it.

Winter is moving in

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here it is dreary and cold. We've had a pretty lazy weekend. I don't think any of us feels much motivation to do anything, so we've mostly been staying inside and playing. Em made a snuggly bed out of pillows, blankets...and her Daddy.
Chris drug the girls around the house on a blanket...always a great source of amusement for all.
And Sophie had a blast watching Em twist her body into various contortions as she danced and jumped herself into exhaustion.
It seems winter is moving in, and I'm none too happy about it. However, crappy weather can be a great excuse to stay inside and discover new ways to play. (And take naps. I love naps.)

TGIF

At school yesterday, Emma's eye had a run-in with another child's forehead. The forehead won.
In other news, Emma has had hives for three days and is quickly becoming addicted to Benadryl. We've no idea what caused the hives, nor when they plan to go away. Sophie has the whole runny nose/raspy cough thing and is either sleeping or cranky. Chris contracted a mysterious and brutal stomach bug after work Wednesday, and by Thursday morning he was fine. I'm just trying to stay healthy. And my friend Meg is having a baby RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE!

That's all for now. Happy weekend to you!

Sophie and Mommy Have A Conversation

Sophie will not say any variation of "ma-ma" on command, yet will proudly utter a myriad of "da-da" inflections all day long. Who says she's a Mama's girl again? (And no, my rug is not normally quite that dirty. Sophie had just finished picking a poor piece of tissue into teeny tiny pieces.)

New Sophie Moments

Sophie can clap. Sophie can play games. Sophie loves ham. Sophie likes to feed herself. Sophie does NOT like being fed. Parental units adjust accordingly.

To Emma and Sophie

Someday, both of you will read this blog and hopefully enjoy the memories I've taken the time to document in this journal. Because of that, I want you both to know that on this historic day - Nov. 4, 2008 - this great country in which we live elected to the presidency a person that your father and I both believe to be an extraordinary candidate and an extraordinary man. Time will tell if we are right in those assessments. But for your sakes above all others, my beautiful girls, I pray that we are.

For tonight, at least, I am hopeful.

Happy Halloween, part 2

We had a great Halloween weekend in Indiana. Here are some pics...

Chris, a.k.a. Professor Frink, with Sophie the frog and Emma the cat

No, we don't usually let escaped convicts handle the babies...
but for Grifin's sake, we made an exception. :)

Emma and Callie in full trick-or-treating mode

We call Cadin our "chunky monkey" (with love...he is a big boy), so Cara dressed him as a monkey for Halloween. Is this not the cutest picture ever?