At The Park

I'm feeling kind of glum today.  It wasn't even a full two weeks ago that we had balmy 70 degree weather.  Today?  Today it's snowing/raining with little chance that it will stick.  And it's COLD.

So.  I'm going to vicariously live through pictures of our park day a couple of weeks ago, (before Bean came down with the plague).  Because if I close my eyes and breathe deeply, I can totally smell...

A poopy diaper. 

Ok, really...  the sweet scent of grass growing, the fresh breeze drifting across my face. 

Yum.

OK, spring?  Hurry up.

The day at the park was lovely.   I'm thoroughly excited that Bean is big enough to do most things on her own.

And that's without a ton of fear... though some things were scarier that others

And that C is able to at least stand, which gets her down out of the stroller or my arms and lets her stretch a bit.

C liked that. 

Most of the time.  We had some tears and a bruised lip.

But that was nothing a little love couldn't fix.

We learned that Bean AND C both stick their tongues out when they're concentrating.  Thanks to me, it seems.

 

And then?  When the kids acted up, we sent them to jail.

 

Except, they really seemed to like it.  

 

All in all, a nice way to get a taste of spring.   

 

Sick Day

I'm feeling rather under the weather today so C's 6 month update will have to wait until later.

For now, five things I'm currently thankful for:

1. The homemade chicken noodle soup I made without having much of an earthly idea as to how actually turned out rather deliciously.

2. The girls are both currently healthy and went down for a nap AT THE SAME TIME.

3. Nice neigbors who haul my goofy dog back home when she escapes. Again.

4. A delicious down comforter that I'm about to crawl under.

5 The ice cream I'm going to eat when I wake up. :)

Not a bad day after all.

Back later tonight or tomorrow, hopefully feeling less like a dead sock.

Why I Do So Much Laundry: A Revelation

My sister came to stay this weekend and was absolutely shocked at how many loads of laundry I ended up doing. 

"Where on earth does this all come from?!"

Where indeed.

Let's take a walk through an average day, shall we?

7:30am Wake time.  Change toddler out of jammies.  Notice that they're rather damp.  Realize that randomly, she has had another accident.  Strip her bed.  Throw linens and pj's down the laundry chute. 

8:00am C wakes up.  Walk into the room to realize that she too has had an accident.  Hers is far bigger and far messier.  Strip baby, bed, and consider tearing up the carpet.  Throw dirty things down laundry chute. 

8:12am  Realize that in the midst of the poo-gone-awry, you've been marked.  Change out of pj's.  Throw dirty items down the laundry chute. 

8:15am  Nurse C.  Put her up on your shoulder for a burp and promptly get a spit-up shower.   Consider going without clothes to save effort.  Realize that your husband's thermostat fanaticism prevents that.  Too cold.  Throw dirty clothes down the chute.  Again.  

8:23am Breakfast.  Cringe as toddler decides to drink milk from the bowl and spills it down the front of her and into her lap.  Meander into her room for a change of clothes.  Toss first outfit down the steps to the basement.

9:50am  Change C's diaper again.  Cloth diaper.  Dirty one down the chute.  Thankfully no poo.

10:00am C's down for a nap, so begin to do breakfast dishes.  Jump when Bean drops large book onto kitchen floor.  Splash dirty water on shirt.  Briefly consider letting it air dry.  Change mind when you realize little pieces of cereal are sticking to your shirt.  Change.  Again. 

11:15am  C's up from nap.  Dirty diaper down the chute.  Repeat diaper changes approximately 8 times more today. 

12:00pm  Lunch for Bean.  She manages to keep herself clean.  Cheer silently.  Then sob as you realize she grabbed your sleeve with jelly covered hands.

1:00pm  Bean down for a nap.  She can't make laundry while she's asleep.  Quietly say prayers of thanks.

2:00pm  C down for a nap.  Attempt to do laundry.  Get sidetracked by the possibility of a shower.  Change clothes.  Again.

5:00pm  Shaun's home.  Goes to cut the lawn.  Changes to work clothes.

5:30pm  C's cereal dinner.  Grin as she paints her clothes with it.  Not getting a change this time, kiddo.

6:30pm  Shaun changes from dirty work clothes to pj's. 

7:00pm  C to bed.  Toss her cereal covered garments down the chute. 

8:00pm  Bean to bed.  Glance over clothes to see if they could be salvaged for the next day.  Spot jelly stains, marker streaks, and dirt.  Wonder how the kid ended up with dirt when we were inside all day.  Resignedly throw clothes down chute. 

8:02pm  Change into PJ pants.  Head down to the laundry room to survey the damage.  Pile threatens to eat me, so I run away. 

Wash, rinse, repeat. 

I don't wonder anymore. 

Rain

There's nothing like the sound of rain to make one completely relax. 

Unless you're cooped up with a toddler who has the energy of 12 sugared-up spider monkeys.

Then then sound of rain can make one quite insane.

Such was the story this morning as we realized our trip to the farm was going to be cancelled due to poor weather. 

But we improvised and had quite a lovely day anyway.

This morning, we gathered up the troops and went to a local bounce house to let Bean bounce away some of that energy.

She bounced enough to practically beg for a nap on the way home.  Music to my ears. 

Actually, both girls took deliciously long naps.  While they were sleeping, I managed to get a ton done which freed me up to play when they woke up. 

Both of them woke up in delightful moods and we had a good time puttering around the house. 

After I put C to bed, Bean and I decided to bake cookies.  Mmm.

Well, she made them, I watched and did the oven part. 

They were fabulous.

Bean didn't quite understand having to wait for the cookies to bake after we mixed the dough.

"Mommy, I would like my cookie now."

"Baby, they have to bake for a little bit"

"Ok." *2 second pause*  "Mommy, I want my cookie now, please."

And so on, and so on, and so on.

Anyway, she finally got her cookie, a bath, some bedtime stories, and some snuggles and is now fast asleep, probably dreaming of pink cupcakes as is her norm. 

I'm sitting here with the sound of rain floating through the window behind me.

And I'm completely content.