Doctor, Doctor... Gimme the News

Lolli got the girls a Doctor Kit for Christmas. For the past three days, BigM has been bestowing medical wisdom on anyone who will sit still enough for an examination.

I recently visited her office for a checkup (about 5 minutes ago), and received the following diagnosis:

"You have a heartbeat, and you don't have beans in your ears. You are ready for high school."

I'm going to rule out a profession in the medical field.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Okay, that's a total lie. I actually don't like snow, at all. That's one major reason I love living down South. Supposedly it hasn't snowed on Christmas since the 1800s. And since I was asleep pretty early last night, I have no idea if it actually snowed on Christmas Day. (I could probably look that up on the internet, but seeing as I don't like snow, I don't care enough to do so.)

DM and I got up pretty early to work out (we're not waiting until New Year's, let's get this party started) and saw there was a teensy bit of snow on the ground. LM woke up a bit early, so I put her in our bed and we all snuggled and went back to sleep for a few hours. When we woke again at 9, the whole neighborhood was blanketed by snow. I'll even admit it was beautiful.

We woke BigM up and watched the flurries for awhile- we convinced her we needed to wait until it stopped snowing and finally suited up to head out. BigM loved playing in the snow...

LM, not as much.

But she finally came around.

Seeing as we live in the deep South, there was only enough snow to make a 7" tall snowman.

97% of the snow had melted by mid afternoon. I should mention it was 66 degrees on Tuesday and I wished I was wearing shortsleeves. I remember one time in college when it was snowing when I left for my 7:50am class and that afternoon, I wore shorts to my 3:30pm class.

This state is so weird, but what's important is my kids have played in the snow more in their short little lives than I have in mine. And for the most part, they've loved every minute.

Breadwinner

BigM, LM and I are sitting at the table eating homemade bread for breakfast. LM is doesn't eat the crust, so she's peeling it off. Whilst rifling through the outer remains of her bread, she glares at her plate and mutters, "Dis is discustin. I can't eat dis."

Oh Dear John*

Okay, I know I promised not to talk about this again until it was noteworthy, but this definitely needs to be documented.

LM told me "Mom, my p-o-o-o-o-p," which normally means, "Mom, I just peed in my diaper, can you change it please?" (She's so eloquent, isn't she?) So I asked her if she needed to sit on the potty and she was game, so she went on in and next thing I know I'm hearing the sound of tinkle hitting water.

BigM and I did the appropriate "Way to Use the Big Potty" dance and then we called everyone who would answer to report her success.

I've been telling her for weeks that as soon as she tee-teed on the potty, she could wear panties** so we went with it for the rest of the afternoon. Don't get too excited, I definitely forgot all about it, so when we went to play outside she most definitely wet her pants***.

One step closer, one step closer (sung to the tune of "Just Keep Swimming", which I know about because *I'm* not afraid of Disney movies.)

*Hi Tara!
**Hi Kristan!
***If you have any ideas on how to get urine/urine smell off/out of suede, faux fur lined boots, feel free to send me an email.

I'm Pooped

I completely meant to post this yesterday, but it was whirlwind crazy around here.

LM pooped on the potty.

For about 3 weeks, she's been dying to wear panties. But after my fantastic experience trying to potty train BigM, I am not about to start all that business around Christmas. Especially since I did try it out one day and she most definitely peed all over the floor twice. We entertain her when she says she wants to sit on the potty- but actively training we are not.

Well, yesterday she made her "I'm about to drop a load in my diaper" face, so I asked her if she wanted to sit on the potty. She said, "Sure," (I promise) and so off she went. She's still all into the whole "I do it mine by myself" phase, so she doesn't want anyone present. I think it's cute she asks for privacy, though. She gets her own pants off and gets her short little self up on the big girl potty. She normally sits for about 38 seconds, asks for toilet paper, and that's it. Yes, she is 2 1/2. I don't care. She still uses a paci at bedtime. Get over it.

But this time, she screams, "I diddit, I diddit!" So I go running in there and there is most definitely the teensiest itsy bitsy miniscule little piece of poop floating in there. I'm really so excited for her, but honestly, poor thing, she's the second child. I'm going to need something a little bigger than that, literally.

It'll be nice not to have to wash diapers, but I just can't get excited about potty-training her, especially since I don't have to buy diapers. I think I'd be more inclined to get busy with all that if I was paying for it.

So there you go. She did it, and now you know. I'll let you know again when it's worth mentioning.

UFO Sighted Near Here

BigM (obviously) has been abducted by aliens- that's the only explanation I can figure as to why she's been so dang helpful today. She begged me to let her help decorate the Christmas tree and she didn't even complain when I told her to sit patiently on one of the boxes for about 5 minutes while I attended to other business. The real BigM most definitely wouldn't have been down with that.

I rewarded her with an apple and we watched an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together. Hands down, best part of my day. I'm not even making that up.

Later on, I was armpit high in dirty diapers and she drags her stool to the kitchen sink and says, "Mama, please let me wash the dishes. Please. Please, can I?"

After I regained consciousness, I told her she had to unload the dishwasher first. She was giddy with excitement. I think there may be something wrong with her. And, well, Monkey-see, Monkey-do... and here you go.

Looks like I have my own little sweatshop.

Read all about it!

Tonight before bed, BigM was trying to do anything to avoid going to sleep, so she grabbed this book (pic to follow, camera battery is dead) and no kidding, she read me the entire thing. It only makes sense that the first book she read from start to finish was about Dora, since she is mildly obsessed with Dora.

And just because you can't see inside this book, I'm going to copy it here. Cause I know you're just dying with anticipation, and I'm pretty sure it's not illegal. I'm not claiming I wrote it or anything.

Hi! I am Dora.
Do you like surprises?
Then follow me!
Hop across the rocks!
Hop! Hop! Hop!
Splash in the water!
Just like me!
Row across the lake!
Row! Row! Row!
Slide down the hill!
Just like me!
Are we there yet?
Not yet!
Swing on the vines!
Swing! Swing! Swing!
Jump over the logs!
Just like me!
Here we are!
Guess what we see!
An ice-cream party!
Yummy!
We did it!

Dora likes a well placed exclamation point just as much as I do. I'd like to claim that I taught her to read (along with the help of Ms. Mary Lynn & Ms. Emily, or course) but most of the credit should go to www.starfall.com- that is an awesome website and if you have a reader, or a soon-to-be-reader, obviously it works pretty well.

What was your favorite part? I liked that part too.

Paint the town

We went to a festival today with our kids and came home with a kitty cat and a "fuh-lower."

My kid is hilarious: Beach Bum Edition

LM is just like me. We both hate to have dirty hands or feet, which poses a bit of a problem when you're walking on the beach. She was kind of freaking out a little bit because a couple of grains of sand had infiltrated her flip flops, so Sassy suggested they wash her feet off in the ocean.LM thought that was a grand idea, until they got about halfway there. LM stopped dead in her tracks, pointed at the water and said, "I not get in dis ocean,""I want to get in DIS ocean," pointing down at the puddle she was standing in.And since this blog isn't just about LM, here's a cute picture of BigM, who enjoys getting sand all over herself, just like DM does.

My kid is hilarious: Cereal Bowl Edition

Okay, so this is worth reading to the end, but you're going to need some background.

We've recently come to the conclusion that LM is slightly lactose intolerant. I believe the proper term is lactose sensitive because not everything upsets her stomach. So she's not allowed (by me) to eat ice cream anymore (because I'm the one who changes her diapers, yo.) It only took me 2 years to realize the heinous "unexplained" diapers I've been changing aren't just random, and we're still figuring out what she can and can't eat.

My mom's favorite thing on planet earth is to offer my children an ice cream bar 23 seconds after their meal has been served. So imagine her distress when I told her LM can't have ice cream any more. That certainly didn't stop her, she just comes to my house armed with sorbet or sherbet instead, because you know I don't keep that stuff in my house. (Sassy, I'm grateful, I promise. I love that you want to spoil my kids. Just know I'm sending them to live with you sometime in the near future.)

Anyway, my dad is a dessert connoisseur and his contribution to the Thanksgiving extravaganza has been key lime pie, pecan pie, 2 different flavors of gelato- and some raspberry sorbet for LM.

Last night after dinner, LM was eating her dessert and we looked over and she was drinking the melted sorbet of her bowl. I ran for the camera, but the memory card wasn't in it, so I snapped a few pictures with DM's cell phone. We all clapped and cheered like she was a little show pony. Way to encourage good behaviour, right?

Tonight, while we all enjoyed gelato and key lime pie, she happily ate her raspberry sorbet with her fingers. (Awesome.) When she had finished, she grabbed her bowl with both hands, looked at me and said, "You take me a picture?"

Most definitely, cutie.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is most definitely my favorite holiday. To me, it seems thanksgiving is the "forgotten" holiday, smooshed between Hallowe'en and Christmas, who both are kind of a big deal, commercially. I kind of feel sorry for Thanksgiving and I just like to cheer for the underdog... oh, and I can't even begin to list all the things that make me thankful. Honestly, I am one blessed Mama, and I know it.

This year, we're at Hilton Head with my family- 80 degree weather, chasing my kids in the edge of the water- that's something to definitely be thankful for.

My mom cooked this beautiful meal- another thing to be thankful for (especially because I wasn't responsible for cooking any of it. Thanks again, Sassy!)These two- yes, I'm grateful beyond words. Even when they look like this:

(maybe especially when they look like this?!?!?)

We were sitting around the table listing all the things we're thankful for-

BigM: my family

DM: my family, my job, a healthy family

Me: (ditto DM, it's like he copied off my paper)

and then there's LM, who said she is thankful for, "La-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da, la-da."

I'm even thankful for that.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The good news is that LM can take off her clothes all by her self! What a big girl.

The bad news is that LM can take off her clothes all by her self! I've found her naked as a jaybird at least 4 times already today.

Happy Thanksgiving...

from the beach!

The Gift

I'm trying to get BigM to tell me what she wants to get LM for Christmas. She's been suggesting some off the wall things, so I asked her to think of some things that she knows LM likes.

"Well... I know she likes food. And she really likes eggs."

BigM, you're absolutely right. Maybe we should get LM a chicken for Christmas.

A day in the life...

After dress up, we decided not to carve a pumpkin (cause that would be ridiculous. Halloween was over a week ago. What kind of weirdos would even consider such a thing? Not us, that's for sure.)LM decided to mow the lawn. Obviously she's wearing the perfect outfit for the job. Notice her brown suede boots?

And we made these super cute shirts for my favorite holiday!

On the first day of Christmas...

... I will have already stuffed, stamped, addressed and mailed my Christmas Cards. I am either really on the ball or I mail them out Dec 24th. (My apolgizes that you got a New Year's Card last year; in 2008, I had them ready before Thanksgiving- remember?) In true fashion, as it always goes, DM took 99 pictures and only 2 of them were usable, so here's some of the bloopers to tide you over you get one in the mail.

Okay, honestly. How does something like this even happen?Let's discuss the common denominator here. This kid is a ham, to say the least."Make a serious face."
I actually love this picture, but not for our Christmas card.

How about you, have you even thought about your Christmas card yet?

Just for Kicks

We were coming home from church earlier today, and due to a long series of very unimportant mundane circumstances, LM was riding forward facing in the extra carseat in her normal spot.

(Usually she rear faces behind the driver's seat. Don't worry Crystal, I will be putting all the carseats in their rightful, correct positions later this afternoon. And before you try to get all up in my business and tell me I'm mean for making her rear face (Mom), she only weighs 23 lbs, which is approximately the weight of your average one-year-old. That means she is five times safer rear facing than forward facing, and 70% less likely to be decapitated if we were in an accident. And the newest recommendation from AAP says to have them rear face until age 2. Not that the AAP has it all together anyway, but that's another post for a different blog.)

I know, I know, I'm sorry. Back to the story. DM asked her to stop kicking the back of his seat, and she pondered that for a good full minute and said, "Daddy, you can get out of your seat and den I can kick it?"

We'll just overlook the fact that she doesn't recognize a single color, at all. She's got street smarts, and that's what counts, yes?

Jack-o-lanterns

Who carves pumpkins on Nov 1st? We do- that's who.

(Look closely, or you'll miss the two little faces peering into the pumpkin...)

Two Cute

"Look, Mama, dissis my two-head."

Apparently BigM is the only one with a fourhead in this house.

Pretty Peas?

As I am encouraging LM to eat some of her untouched peas (normally a big favorite at mealtimes), BigM says, "Hey! Let's play the Princess and the Pea."

Me: Not at the table.
BigM: LM, you can be the pea.

This reminds me of the time I asked BigM for some help planning a theme for LM's 2nd birthday party last year.

"Hey, I know! We can have a Fancy Mancy party! I'll be Fancy Mancy, and LM can be my dog!"

Poor Little Mouse. I see a pattern emerging here.

Dressed for Success

In case you hadn't figured it out...

this kid picks out her own clothes.

Pumpkin Pickin

This past week has been intercession for our school system, which is another way of saying, "let's drive all the parents crazy and give the kids a random week off from school and throw everyone's schedule off kilter." (Except the teachers, they understandably call it heaven.) DM's office was also closed on Thursday because of the week-long holiday, so we had "Family Fun Day" and took the kids to a (somewhat) local mini-zoo and to the pumpkin patch.

Here's a picture to tide you over until I can add the rest of them.

The View from the Top

I talked to BigM this afternoon, after she and the Family had been to the top of the Washington Memorial. Apparently, it was so high she could "see the whole world."

Big Mouse takes D.C.

Bright and early Friday morning, BigM boarded a plane with Pop and Lolli to go visit my SIL (who now lives in DC.) Can you believe it? She's having a blast and we're enjoying pretending like LM is an only child. LM is missing her big sister something awful, and she woke up in the middle of the night screaming for her roomie. (Kind of brings a tear to your eye, too, huh?) Anyway, I am positive my family has taken lots more pictures of BigM sightseeing in the big city (hint, hint, SIL) and maybe they've even gotten one with her eyes open! (Although she did inherit the ability to close her eyes in almost every posed picture from her Daddy, so I'm not holding my breath.)We made them pinkie-swear-promise not to take her to the Zoo, because we want to do take both the girls when we head up there to visit SIL next summer, but everything else is fair game. So she better be able to tell me the names of all the past presidents, in order, and the basic functions of all the branches of our government. Get to work teaching her all that stuff before y'all return her on Monday, Family.

Not everyone is Princess material

BigM introduced me to LM, saying, "This is my sister: Snow White," and in response, LM said, "And dissis my sisser: Sweeping Booty."

Fit to Be Tied

BigM can tie shoes all by herself.
So Mrs. Mary Lynn and Mrs. Emily, you're off the hook from now on! (I will put her in more appropriate footwear for school.)

Apples and Oranges

My children think they are Princesses. (Of course they are. We're stating the obvious here.) BigM has known the names of the Disney Princesses for the last 2 years, but she has no idea there are no less than ten movies about said Princesses. Actually, that's not true, she has an inkling.

Last summer we went to the beach with my parents and while LM napped, BigM and I watched Cinderella with G-Pops. She loved it (although she did get a little bored during the middle, but then again, so did I.) So this summer at the beach, we tried The Little Mermaid because at the time, Ariel was her favorite Princess. Maybe you haven't watched it in a while, but within the first four minutes of the movie, Ariel and Flounder get caught up in a high-speed shark chase and when they narrowly escape and finally get home, she gets blessed out by her dad for missing the concert. We turned it off because it was "too scary." I thought I'd have to explain about the Crazy Octopus Lady but we didn't get that far.

Recently, I was channel flipping and saw that Snow White was on ABCFamily, followed immediately by Aladdin (my personal favorite.) I DVRed both of them, so excited because maybe, just maybe, I could get out of one afternoon Dora marathon. A few days ago, we tried Snow White...and guess what. Scary stepmother wants the hunter to kill her beautiful step-daughter, who gets lost in the wood and has to clean (eegads!) a dirty shack. About 20 minutes in, I asked BigM if she was enjoying the movie, she tearfully said, "No way, turn it off!" I asked her what she didn't like about it and she replied, "Those goblins are trying to steal all the crystals." No amount of explaining could convince her that was their job, to mine the diamonds so us April gals could have a little bling. We turned it off and started episode #1,253,425 of Dora.

Everyone says you shouldn't compare your kids, and I think I try really hard not to do that. However, my youngest child is enthralled by anything on t.v. She'll even watch the news, and she's not scared of a thing. A few weeks ago, BigM and I went to run errands, so LM was home with DM. I came home to find them watching King Kong. No kidding. LM sleeps with a stuffed gorilla who we call Junior, and while DM was flipping through the channels and she happened to see ole Kong on the screen and thought it was her buddy come to life. DM said she started crying to watch "Da Dune-yer Show" and wouldn't stop bawling until he let her watch it. So yeah, my two year old watched most of King Kong with her daddy. I don't even let her watch commercials. But as long as no one has nightmares about giant gorillas, I guess that's okay with me.