It's all in the eyes

Here's to hoping your three day weekend was as happy as this girl's.

Happy Memorial Day to all.

mg

Madeline looks like...

Photos of Madeline taken today:

Who do you think her celebrity look a like is?

The headbands are in the same place and the hair is about the same length but I'd say we can do better than Luke Wilson from The Royal Tennenbaums.


Ok, I think I took a step in the wrong direction. So very, very wrong.



There it is...


The resemblance is uncanny!

Don't you think?

Hope you are all enjoying your long weekends. We've been having a blast so far. I'm going to need another weekend to recover (and so is my house!)

mg

Little Fishes

Today our local pool opened. Tonight we took the girls for their first swim of the season. For Lydia it was her first swim ever. Totally didn't think of that until just now. Now I'm wishing I had a camera there. You'll have to settle for this instead.

No, Lydia hasn't grown that much in a couple of days. That photo is of Madeline an I on June 11, 2008. (I think I miss my shorter hair. Don't tell Kevin I said that. He might schedule a haircut for me.) I can't believe how little she looks in that photo. She was 13 months old.

But back to today: Madeline was so very very excited about her first trip to the pool. I know that she remembers being at the pool last year, but when we started talking about going to the pool tonight she was full of questions.

How do we get to the pool?

Do we walk or drive?

Will you stroll my sister? (put Lydia in the stroller)

What do I wear?

Do I have a swim suit?

What does it look like?

Do I put it on at home?

Do I wear that in the pool?

Why do I have to wear a cover up?

Do I wear that in the pool too?

What do I wear on my feet?

How do you get into the pool?

What is a pool pass?

Do I have a pool pass?

Can I hold my pool pass?

Why did we give our pool pass to that guy?

Will he give it back?

Now what do we do with the pool pass?

Where is the bathroom?

Do they have a toilet in the bathroom?

Can I use the bathroom?

Why are we walking by the pool?

Why do we use this chair?

Why did you put the bag down?

Where do you put your shoes?

Why do I have to take my cover up off?

Where do you get in the pool?

Are you going to go with me?

And those were just the questions in the 15 minutes it took to leave the house and get to the pool. Once there she had even more questions. But what I remember about our hour at the pool was her face.

As a kid I loved swimming. I lived at the pool for more than one summer and I loved to swim more than anything. I have always wanted my kids to love the water as much as I do. When the photo above was taken Madeline loved the water. Last year however, Madeline was very hesitant in the water. We spent a week in Florida and she spent most of her time on the stairs, just not to sure about the water.

After tonight I don't have to worry about her being hesitant. I do however have to make sure she is constantly within reach. She is no were near swimming, but she is trying. Tonight she blew bubbles in the water and used pool noodles to help her float. If she keeps this up, she will be a fish by the end of the summer.

She was so full of joy at the pool I don't know how to describe it. The smile on her face was huge. Tonight was exactly what I wanted from my kid's pool experience.

And Lydia, Lydia was hilarious. It was very close to her bed time so she was tired. Even so, she liked the pool water. At one point, Kevin was holding her and was taking his hand in and out of the water. As he'd lift it up out of the water she would laugh out loud. It was totally adorable. She is so much fun right now. I can't even begin to tell you how silly she is, even at only 7 months old. I LOVE it!

I can't wait for many more nights like tonight. Summer is here. I love it.

mg

Hair

I am obsessed with hair these days.

Like many pregnant women my hair became gloriously thick and shiny last year. Twelve weeks after Lydia was born I started loosing my hair. This happened after I had Madeline too, but back then I didn't know it was normal and I thought I had a rare form of cancer or was dying some slow horrible death. Trust me that if your hair was coming out in copious amounts every day you'd think the same thing too.

There are things about pregnancy, child birth and motherhood they never tell you. That is one of them. (and not the worst one by a long shot)

So my hair isn't what it used to be. Madeline's hair, however, is lovely. I agonized over cutting it last year. I just didn't want to loose her curls. I realized recently that she has a whole new layer in her hair growing. As this hair grows in, her curls have gotten thicker and her hair shinier. Just as mine is getting thinner and duller.

She needs another hair cut, but this year I don't want to cut it because I just don't think I can emotionally afford to loose any more hair. Mine or hers.

Thoughts?

mg

Bed time

So I like sleep.

Like, a lot.

In graduate school we used to have conversations about how late everyone stayed up reading for class or working on a paper. I was always the first in bed, by at least a couple hours.

I used to say that if I didn't get 8 hours of sleep I was useless. Now that is more like 10.

So why am I posting at 2 minutes to midnight you ask?

Children steel your sleep. Like thieves they take minutes out of your day that could be spent doing laundry, or putting away dishes, or (more realistically) reading blogs and trolling Facebook.

Don't let their cute little faces and sweet squeaky voices fool you. They are out to get your sleep.

You might think I am referring mainly to my youngest child. Although she is going through a rough (I am not going to go to bed until YOU are thoroughly convinced you are a horrible parent) stage she is not the only sleep thief in this house. The older of the children is the one who derails me most of the waking hours. She demands attention all day long and creates a wake of destruction behind her. Her trail is littered with crayons and doctor's tools. Today I played doctor with her for the better part of an hour. Was that enough? Heck no. She wanted to keep playing, FOREVER!!! When I suggested we find a new game to play she sobbed that if I stopped playing doctor, her stuffed penguin would never get better. You can't reason with a sobbing sleep thief.

Lydia takes my time at night. Madeline during the day.

I suspect a conspiracy.

So five minutes to midnight and I am posting. Maybe I should just write tomorrow's post while I'm up. Na, I'll leave that for them to steal from me tomorrow.

mg

One, Two Princes(ses)

kneel before you. That's what I said now. Princes(ses), Princes(ses) that adore you. Just go ahead now.

Don't mind if I do.


Damn they are cute.

Clueless as to what I am taking about? First, shame on you. Second, click here. If you were alive in the early 90's I am sure this will bring back memories. I'm not promising they are pleasant however.

American Idol ended tonight and all I have to say is
1. Janet Jackson rocked it and she will definitely be on someone's worst dressed list tomorrow.
2. Shouldn't Brett Micheal's be in bed? Didn't he almost die yesterday?
3. Paula Abdul should not have been given a live mic.
4. I love Alanis Morissette.
5. Lee's alright too, I guess.

And because this post is a random compilation of miscellaneous junk...



I may have to get Poppy to perform his version of "dog face boy" but not until I can find a place that rents high speed cameras.

mg

I'm busy

But I'm posting!

See!

Lift

Ironically, after I posted last night (titled Peace), Lydia was awake from about 1am to 4 am. Fun times. Then she woke up at her normal time of 7am. We are all exhausted and she is now screaming from her bed not wanting to fall asleep. I'd like to remember happier times so I am posting this from two days ago.



I will manage to survive my children's youngest years.
I will manage to survive my children's youngest years.
I will manage to survive my children's youngest years.
I will manage to survive my children's youngest years.
I will manage to survive my children's youngest years.

mg

Peace

Today was one of those hot an humid days that makes me long for the summer I lived in coastal Maine. It may have gotten hot during the day, but it cooled in the evening and the humidity was bearable, if not absent. I also began to wonder what happened to spring. Friday I was wearing a sweatshirt, today I was sweaty just stepping out my back door.

Ick.

I'm not even going to pretend I spent a significant amount of time outside today. Unlike my super hero husband, dad and father in law. They spent ALL DAY out in our back yard assembling Madeline's birthday present and still have to come back later this week to finish up. They are Madeline's hero's for sure. (more on this very, very soon)

So our internet service has been restored (as you can see) and I am back to the world of the technologically over stimulated. (and loving every minute of it) A year ago I took a day and unplugged. Now that I have two children, one of whom is not napping in the afternoon, I just don't know if that would be possible. That and I have a fancy phone that I can do just about everything on and it is hard for me to resist it. It's very shiny. So unplug? Maybe. That was a year ago this week. Maybe I should try it again. Although the pool isn't open yet. Anyone else up for the challenge?

And just so I don't leave you photo-less two days in a row:

Lydia - March 2010

Night Night.

mg

The system is down

Not having an internet connection makes it difficult to post. Good thing I have a fancy pants phone or I'd fail the self imposed NaBloPoMo challenge. I hope to have internet tomorrow and there-fore be much more interesting. No promises on either though.

mg

I'm the funny guy!

Since September of last year I've been keeping a record of SOME of the funny things Madeline says. Some of them need no explanation...

Sept 10-Panayo=tomato. "I don't like panayo."

Sept 24- "I can do the velcro! I'm a grown up!"

Sept 24- picking up granny's phone... "I have to call Leo. Hello Leo!"

Sept 30- to my belly: "hey baby! Come out come out wherever you are!"

Nov 6- "grey is good"

Dec 21-mads: "I don't want to eat the core" ( of an apple).
Me: "you know poppy eats the core."
Mads: (very dramatically) "Noooooooooo! I don't want his tummy to get sick!!!!!!"

Dec 28- "you know, Lydia doesn't really walk." (as if I didn't know...)

Jan 18- me: "but Madeline, if you don't have a poop why do I keep smelling it?"
Madeline: "because you love the smell of poop."

Jan 20- "Sorry, Lydia you can't have a milk shake. You drink milk from mommy's breasts. Sorry."

Jan 28- me: "who's the boss?"
Kev: "Tony Danza."
Maddy: "NO! We don't have a Tony Danza!!"

Mar 1- "Trudy is going to LOVE this!!!!" (repeated as she is drawing a picture for our neighbor.)

Mar 3- "as I always say..."

Mar 17- "when I grow up I'll be a boy."

Mar 29- "put her (Lydia) in her excersauser so she can sauce, like this" (she proceeds to fling her hips around and head bang... hilarious!)

May 13- me:"you had to go to the bathroom?"
Mads: "yeah, so THAT was my problem!"



Others need more of an explanation...

Dec 7- "where is candy cane lane? how do we get to candy cane lane? Is Santa at candy cane lane? but where is it? Can I see it from here? Is that candy cane lane? But I saw lights? Can we go to candy cane lane? Is this candy cane lane?" (At Christmas time there is a street in South City that decorates not just the houses but the streets as well. They operate it on the weekends for a donation to local charities... Madeline loved it, but would talk about it at nauseam before and after our visits there.)

Jan 2010- "Purple?!?! That's my colorful favorite!!!" (Instead of saying my favorite color Madeline would switch it up. She made this mistake for a couple months but is now 'getting it right.' I think it was cuter this way.)

Mar 3- from the bathroom...
Madeline: "I need help!"
My brother Elliot: "I think she needs someone more qualified."
Madeline: "Elliot, you're qualified!"

Mar 14- "is that a watermelon pie?" (upon seeing wedges of watermelon)

Apr 6- "I spy with my eagle telescope." (We play I spy with my eagle eye in the car... a lot. And when something is far away Madeline looks with her eagle telescope, aka, her hand.)



Then there are the ones that revolve around television shows...

Like Dinosaur Train:
Dec 8- "O - Obama-saurus!" (a new species for this song.)
Apr 15- "Lydia is a King Cryalopeasaurus.. Because she's crying."
Apr 16- (while talking to herself) "Oh I was just telling a Trolodon joke... Hea hea hea."

Or Charlie and Lola
Mar 4- "I have a little sister named Lydia. She is little and very funny." (See second :38 of this clip if you don't get it.)



And today alone she gave me four different note worthy comments...

May 21- "but momma, I amn't a good helper!" (as in I am not... she gets the concept, not the application.)
May 21- "I just spit up a little." (and she had)
May 21- "I can't play now. I need to rest my bones."
May 21- "Because I'm Madeline! The funny guy!"

I am sure there are a million I have missed and will be many more to record.

mg

Best $1.99 I've ever spent

So I was trying to get a shot of my totally (not) awesome hair do this morning and took, what is probably, my favorite recent photograph of me. I took it with my iPhone, which isn't the most awesome camera, (a whopping 3 mega pixel, I think.) but I used the only app I've paid for.


There is just something about this photo that I LOVE.

In reality, my hair is a mess (which is why I was taking the photo in the first place) and I was wearing my jammies still. I hadn't showered and probably had applesauce and oatmeal on my face.

So what is it that I love? I love the line of my nose. I love the color of my skin. I love the texture of my hair. I love that I look like I am deep in thought but not about anything serious. I love the shock of red on my right shoulder. I love the green of the walls. I love the detail of the wrinkles on my fingers. Although she's been gone 13 years I am beginning to see my Granny's hands more and more.

I also love this photo because of what I can't see. Like the number of chins I am sporting, or what my mid-section looks like. I know I am not the only woman who obsesses about how she looks. I am smart. I know that my perceptions are not all reality. (Some are, some aren't.)

I guess I love the fact that looking at that photo I feel beautiful.

I'd say the $1.99 I paid for that app was worth it.

mg

For the love of cereal

Ok, I know I posted, not that long ago, Lydia eating Cheerios. Super cute right?

Well I am back to discuss her obsession with this breakfast food.


See that smile? You might think she is smiling at me, her mother, who gave her life seven months ago today. But what you can't see is that I was holding a bag of the good stuff, aka. Cheerios.

And this video totally highlights her obsession and a little bit of early brand recognition.



Totally adorable. Totally obsessed.

If she sees Cheerios anywhere near her during meal time, she will not eat anything else. She just wants the round stuff. I know it is good. It is my favorite breakfast cereal, but I wouldn't forgo all other food.

Chocolate however, I'd forgo it all.

mg

Because we need one more battle

So from my previous posts you may have gathered that Madeline is a handful.

No?

Then you need to re-read my blog posts from the last month or two.

Honestly, she's trouble.

Any who,

Madeline has stopped napping. We started having trouble with her afternoon nap last summer (in late June early July I think). Since then there hasn't been a week where she has napped every day. At first it was just one or two days a week. Then she was up more than she slept.

I kept with it. I tried not to make it a battle. I instituted a 'rest' instead of a nap. She just had to stay quiet in her room. Some days she'd fall asleep. Some days she wouldn't.

In the last four weeks she has napped once.

ONCE.

So, we gave it up.

It's been ok. She goes to bed earlier which works out really well for our family schedule. She still has quite time in the afternoon but now it is down stairs not in her room. I miss my time alone in the afternoon and I can't watch Days of Our Lives any more, but maybe I shouldn't have been watching that in the first place. Just sayin'.

For a week she went to bed without much trouble. Now this week, again, all bets are off. The other night she said she was afraid so I turned on her closet light and left the door open just a little. She was quiet for a long time. Then she came down stairs with this:


Sorry the photo is fuzzy, I didn't have the flash on.

She is wearing her jammies, a STL Blues jersey and has a dress (that is two sizes too small) on a hanger and is asking for help.

Why does she need help?

Because of this:

Yep. My little fighter looks like she got into a brawl on the ice and someone pulled her jersey over her head. Really she just wanted it off so she could put on the dress.

So it has gone on almost every night this week. We put her to bed. She tries every stall tactic in the book.

"I'm thirsty. Tell me about my day. What are we doing tomorrow. I can't sleep without a hug. I need more kisses. I love you. I need you."

That last one breaks my heart.

She also raids her closet and tries to put on every outfit. I guess this should motivate me to clean out her closet (there are sizes from 24 months to 5T in there). For now I've just tried putting everything on the higher bars.

So this is just one more test being thrown our way by our just turned 3 year old. As my first born Madeline is my best teacher. I'd like to think I am getting good grades as a mother, although I know I have failed at times, I'm learning. She is pulling out all the stops to make sure I am learning a lot. I am sure Lydia will appreciate all of Madeline's hard work.

mg

empty screen and family satisfaction

So I have been sitting here for 30 minutes looking at an empty screen. Occasionally I've written something but nothing seems good enough. Or interesting, or funny.

Instead I am copping out and posting this.

Madeline (9.9.07)

Lydia (last week)

That way Aunt B and my Mom will get off my back already*.

I mean really.

*ok so they aren't really nagging me... they just left a comment on my last post... and as my mother always says, I'm pretty sensitive.

mg

My First...

mohawk!

One of Madeline's "first" posts was about her baby hawk. How could I resist with Miss Lydia?


And because I couldn't decide which of these two photos was cuter...



Melt my heart.

mg

25 questions: Madeline, age 3

So I know there are a lot of people who have this tradition. You ask your child the same questions on or around their birthday each year and see how they answer them. I most recently saw this on the blog of (get ready for this) my best friend in 6th grade's sister. (Did you follow that? Hi Jenny and Katie!) She is the mother of a 4 year old boy and one year old triplets. Yep, triplets. Amazing.

Any who, I decided this would be a lot of fun and 3 is the perfect age to start this. So here are Madeline's questions, Volume I, age 3.

1. What is your Name? Madeline Opal LastName, Doctor

2. What is your favorite color? Purple

3. What is your favorite book? Huckle's Good Manners (which is a book I bought in the dollar section at Target and I guess it has made quite the impact...)

4. What is your favorite movie? Harold and the Purple Crayon

5. What is your favorite food? Pineapple

6. What is your favorite TV show? Wonder Pets (no surprise there...)

7. What is your favorite song? My Dave Song.

8. What will you do when you grow up? Cook.

9. What is your least favorite food? Cucumber

10. Now that you are 3 what do you think you'll do? (what is your goal) Push swings.

11. What is your favorite thing to do with mom? Clean (???- I don't clean so I don't know what she is talking about.)

12. What is your favorite thing to do with dad? Drive (I think she means play Mario Kart, but maybe I should ask him if they've been taking the car out on joy rides when I'm not around.)

13. What is your favorite store? Daddy's

14. Who are your best friends? Madeline and Leo

15. What does Mommy say? ...

16. What does Daddy say? aba goo goo (she obviously didn't get these two questions!)

17. Where is your favorite place to go? Shop N Save

18. What is your favorite restaurant? McDonalds (They must put some super kid attracting mojo in their food b/c we just don't eat there that often...)

19. What makes you laugh? When I say funny jokes.

20. What is your nickname? What is a nickname?

21. What is your favorite toy? My shovel. (let it be known that that was the toy in her hand as I was asking her these questions so I don't know how accurate the answer is.

22. What is your favorite thing to do with your sister? Play Tuck and Linny. (from Wonder Pets... I am usually Ming Ming...)

23. What makes you sad? When you yell at me. :(

24. What is your favorite thing to drink? orange juice but really it's milk (totally her words.)

25. What is your favorite thing about school? nothing, I don't go to school silly!

So that ends Volume, I of 25 questions with Madeline, age 3! Until next year!

Whether the Weather be foul, or Whether the Weather be not

We spend a lot of time in our play room. It makes sense. It is the biggest room and houses most (read all but a few) of the toys and books. It is a kid's paradise if you ask me.... which I know you didn't, but this is my blog post so I'll do what I like.


There are only so many photographs I can take in that one room before I get board with the composition.


So I try to switch it up. Or lay it down. (or lay me down...)


I sort of think of this as "the world through Lydia's eyes" because I am pretty sure this is how she sees the world right now. You know, as a floor baby and all.

No wonder she looks at her big sister like she is larger than life. To her, she is.

mg

Heart Smiles

This makes my heart smile.


This too.


And of course this.

Aside from the night crying she is a remarkably easy baby right now.

I appreciate that oh so very much when dealing with the current state of my three year old.

Don't get me wrong. I love my three year old too.

BUT...


I love this baby.

mg

A Calgon Moment

We put the girls to bed at 7:30p.

By 8:45p both of them were screaming from their rooms.

I was dreaming of a quiet beach and a margarita.

It is now 9:25pm and Madeline is (presumably) asleep. Lydia is still crying.

I am going to try not to run out the door.

Until tomorrow. (Then all bets are off.)

mg