The Problem with Sitting Down...

Is that I can't manage to get myself motivated again.

Once I sit, I'm done.

But I can't stop myself from doing it.

I'm not sure if it's because I just finished a week of solo parenting, topped off by a very fun, but very busy weekend, but the past few days, once I get the girls in bed, I am spent. I sit down to catch my breath, get a drink, watch something I've DVRd, and suddenly, I'm dozing off and the night is gone.

So I make plans to get up early which ends one of two ways:

a) I don't.
b) The girls get up early too.

Then I spend naptime the next day (if I'm lucky enough to get a simultaneous nap) catching up, not quite getting there, and I'm falling further and further behind.

Clean? Dirty? I'm starting to lose track of the piles.

The laundry is piling up.

I have three half finished posts (that I started writing during naptime and was interrupted by non nappers). I have not posted anything in days.

I have hundreds of pictures on the camera that need to come off.

The upstairs in our house is definitely "family eyes only".

I'm getting in that cycle of being so overwhelmed, that I can't pick what needs top priority, so I just do nothing instead. Which leads to having more to do, so I'm more overwhelmed...and repeat.

Anyway, as our social life (or Madison's social life) starts revving up and our weekends get busy, and as Adam gets into a cycle where his travel picks up again, I need to find a way where I can both allow myself time to sit down and relax once the girls are in bed, and still keep up with everything that needs time. So I can do what I want to do (write, mess with my pictures) and what I need to do (laundry, dishes) and still get to sit down and just catch my breath.

Gee, I just want it all, don't I?

Or I can work on developing a time machine.

Stop and Shop and a Red Lollipop

I don't grocery shop with the kids.  Nope, nope, nope. Never.

OK, maybe I'll take the girls to run in and pick up milk, or when I have a small shop I need to do, I'll bring one of them.  They accompany me to Target, to WalMart, to the mall. But they don't do the weekly shopping.

I know that many people don't have an option. I know I'm lucky to even have the option of going alone.

I'm not sure when I started grocery shopping on Friday nights (I think it was when Madison was a baby and hated the grocery store with a passion), but I know that I love it. I go all by myself and it is wonderful. The girls are in bed, the store is almost empty, and I can just take my time and relax. No one is annoyed when I stop to check a recipe on my phone, pull coupons and start comparing prices, and double back to pick up things I forgot.  I've gotten into a pretty good savings routine and, although I am nowhere near an extreme couponer (nor do I want to be), I save at least 40% every week.  Grocery shopping is relaxing. Crazy, right?

Well, last week, that wasn't going to happen. When Friday night shopping trips don't work out, I'll usually try to go another evening - alone - but I couldn't find another time that was going to work.

So I went Friday morning.

With both children.

Honestly, it really wasn't that bad. 

I was anticipating multiple potty breaks, no room left in the cart for groceries by the time I fit two kids in there, whining and crying when the cart stopped for too long (since my little one likes to be moving at all times), asking for everything they saw, grabbing at shelves, crowded aisles, potential meltdowns, and overall, a hugely stressful experience where I spent way more than I needed to and probably still would end up not getting everything I needed.

I think because my expectations were so low, it was easy to be pleasantly surprised. 

We stopped for the potty on the way in, and that was that. Whew.

I was lucky enough to get one of those tractor trailer sized carts like they have at Target.  While it definitely made navigating the store a little more challenging, I had a place for my kids, coupons, purse, and food. Whew.

Food was a perfect distraction. I'm pretty sure we brought in more food than we took out. I packed a small bowl of grapes, a squeeze pouch of fruit, a cereal bar, a container of goldfish, and a water bottle for each child.  And they went through it.  But that cut down on any fussing and whining when I was stopped to look at coupons or compare prices. They each had a snack box and they were perfectly happy.  Oh, and Madison got to scan the barcodes when she wasn't snacking. She was absolutely thrilled by that job.  Whew.

They didn't really ask for anything. Ok, Reagan doesn't talk, so I'm not sure that was a triumph. But Madison definitely talks enough for the both of them. I'm not sure why she was so restrained. My guess is that she didn't necessarily recognize some of her favorite treats, because she doesn't really see them in their packaging? Whatever it was, I was thankful for it. Madison asked for apples, bananas, and eggs. I was happy to say yes to all three. Whew.

Aisles? Yeah, they were crowded. At least compared to Friday nights. But my annoyance at aisle traffic was mitigated by how many smiles and compliments the girls received.  Lots of grandmother types on Friday mornings who were happy to strike up conversations and tell me how well behaved the girls were. Whew.

Now the end of the trip is where things had the potential to get hairy. The snacks were depleted, we'd been in the store for about an hour, and I needed to check my list, make sure I had the coupons ready, and get in line to check out. Waiting in line is where my girls are the worst shoppers.  It doesn't help that I have horrific luck whenever I shop with them. The person ahead of us always has an issue.  When I use the self scanner, I am always randomly selected for an audit, which requires standing in line for an actual cashier, who then has to call a manager, who has to basically rescan half the items and make sure I'm not shoplifting.

So Friday, I was expecting that my luck of a good trip was about to run out. The store was crowded, so every register had a line. Reagan was starting to lose it, and I needed to concentrate on my coupons and other deals.

Therefore, when I saw the big barrel of lollipops, I went for it. What a perfect reward for two well behaved girls. They didn't beg, so I wasn't giving in, and it was something that would keep them occupied.

Madison picked out her own - watermelon, good choice - and then I allowed her to pick one for Reagan. She did, and I didn't really think too much about her choice. I scanned both, unwrapped them, and handed them to the girls. My passengers were quiet throughout the entire checkout, even when the cashier was confused by the rebate check and we needed to wait for her to figure it out.

Then I heard the manager start laughing and say "well, you are having a great time!" I looked at Reagan.

Oh.

This was as we were getting into the car (yes, I did buckle her completely and correctly before we left). She was COVERED. And completely happy.

You know what? Worth it.

Probably won't give up my Friday night solo trips, but at least I know that I can have a successful - if a very sticky - grocery experience with both girls.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I meant to write yesterday, but yesterday was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  Ugh. 

Shellfish, apple cider vinegar, jumper cables, and Gatorade. That about sums up my day.

Adam and I had a wonderful date night on Friday...which ended in about 12 hours of food poisoning from shellfish. (Yes, I'm all better now. No, I don't intend to give up eating seafood). Children do not understand the "I have been up all night ridding my body of this piece of shrimp (or whatever it was) and I am still feeling so sick I can barely stand up" situation, and they were up at 6:30, full of energy.  They did not care that Mommy didn't seem to be full of the same energy. They wanted to play. And although Adam was very, very, helpful, he had to leave at 7:30.

Fortunately, the internet can be a wonderful place, and I found a home remedy on Pinterest that actually worked, so by mid morning I was done with the being sick part, and I was just worn out.

If you are ever in a similar situation, and you are fairly certain it's food poisoning, not a stomach bug, the remedy that I found was apple cider vinegar. I found several sites that all confirmed - take about a shot glass worth of apple cider vinegar once you are sure you're "empty" but still feeling sick. It tastes horrible, but it works. It has to be "real" apple cider vinegar, not flavored regular vinegar, and I was lucky I had some on hand. In cases like this, the internet is amazing. 

Tucking this remedy away...just in case.

I was supposed to take the girls to meet my parents in the morning, while Adam played in a golf tournament, but there was no way I was up to it, and really, no way I was up to managing two toddlers on my own all morning. Fortunately, when I called, they were willing to change their plans and come over to play with the girls so I could go lie down.  Excellent plan.

Right. Except Reagan decided to be horribly cranky, and no one but Mommy was acceptable. So instead of laying down, I sat in an armchair cuddling a very cranky kid. Luckily, Madison absolutely adored having her grandparents there to give her some undivided attention.  And after lunch, they settled down for good naps, which meant I could nap too (after I cleaned the carpet, the toilet, and the sink. Because of course those had to be cleaned).

Later that afternoon, after my nap, I needed to go to the laundromat to wash the comforter (yes, that was also related to the food poisoning. That's all you need to know about that). The laundromat was surprisingly crowded with people I didn't feel like hanging out with, so I sat in my car reading and nibbling crackers while the comforter dried. Finally finished, ready to go home...battery was dead. Apparently when I was sitting in my car, I hadn't quite turned the key all the way to off, and I was slowly draining the battery. And the jumper cables weren't in my car. Whoops. That earned me another hour while I waited for AAA.

Oh, I should point out that we have a battery pack  - and jumper cables - at home. Why didn't Adam just meet me at the laundromat? Because I had Reagan's only carseat sitting in my car.  My dead car.

This is NOT the first time I've realized that the cables are uselessly sitting the garage. And I STILL haven't put them back in my car.

OH, and while I was waiting for AAA, the owner of the laundromat (who was not there all afternoon - he showed up after I asked if anyone had jumper cables) kept coming out to tap on my window and ask me questions, in extremely broken English, about the car. I should point out that he had no ability to jump me, or assist in any way. But he seemed extremely upset about the situation anyway. He kept telling me that the battery in my "new" car (his words...my car is 5 years old) should not have died, and it wasn't the battery, and I needed to make other plans. What he had in mind, I have no idea. I just kept thanking him, telling him I was all set, and closing the door again. When AAA finally arrived, he stood outside with us as the tech jumped the car, supervising and firing questions about how my battery possibly could have died.

By the time I got home, the girls and Adam were starving. I had told Adam, when I originally left the house, that I was picking up chicken at the market next to the laundromat. I wasn't sure I felt up to eating yet, but I could easily throw the chicken and some veggies in the oven.  When my visit was extended, I never thought to tell him my plans had changed with regards to dinner.  He could have easily made something if I'd thought ahead.

So here I am, exhausted, flustered, vaguely ill, making pasta while Reagan clings to my leg and Madison tells me she isn't interested in dinner after all.

Finally, the girls were fed, bathed, and in bed.  I decided right then, that as far as I was concerned, the day was over. I had some soup, an apple, and a bottle of Gatorade in a hot bath, and was in bed by 8:30.  Because the good thing about days like yesterday is that they have to end at some point.

Thankfully, today was a much better day. Woke up feeling fine, worked in the church nursery, got the house put back together from the chaos that had ensued on Saturday, and even got some errands run.

Date night? Worth it.

Shrimp? I'll risk it.

Bad days? They all pass.

Tomorrow I should be back on track, posting funny things I find on Facebook, and writing about our grocery store antics on Friday. If this post made you feel bad for me, you can make me feel better by visiting me on Facebook and pretending you find me funny, clever, insightful, whatever.

It's Not Fair! (Five Reasons I Have Shopping Envy)

Spring is finally here. It's not shorts and t-shirt weather yet, but I know that spring and fall in New England are volatile enough where we need to have clothes at the ready for both 30 degree days and 80 degree days.

Reagan is all set. She's such a peanut that she can wear clothes that Madison wore two summers ago, and thank goodness for that.  I know I should feel bad for her, but now the clothes she's inheriting aren't quite so ... stained. She has quite the closet full of cute stuff that still looks great.

Madison was not all set.  There is no way she'll fit into her clothes from last summer.  Therefore, we've had some shopping to do.  We hit the mall on Sunday, and today, we went to the outlets.  With the exception of a few sets of pjs, and maybe some dressier outfits, we now have the basics covered.

Unpacking her purchases, I realized I am jealous. Super jealous.  When it comes to clothes, this kid has got it made!

 

5. Every season, the kid gets a new wardrobe. No questions asked. I'm not saying I want to do a complete overhaul every season, but man, it would be nice to have that option.

4. She looks cute in everything. Bright colors? Adorable. Classic little girl? Adorable. Funky? Adorable.  I mean, I realize I'm probably biased, but the kid looks adorable in anything.  There are plenty of looks I can't pull off, but my kid manages to make jeggings look cute.

3. A full wardrobe replacement didn't clean out our bank account. Cute, durable clothes are cheap (or not cheap at all - cough, Gymboree, cough - but coupons and sale racks make them feel cheap. I wish I could get myself a complete wardrobe for the amount I paid for hers.

2. Growing out of your clothes is a cause for celebration. Yay! You are such a big girl now! You need big girl clothes because you grew SO MUCH!!!  When my clothes are too small, it is not good news.

And....

1. Elastic waistbands.  Adjustable elastic waistbands.  With absolutely no judgment.

Anyone else suddenly realize that your toddlers have it pretty darn good?

Reagan the Daredevil

Reagan is my crazy one.

She's a climber. She's an adventurer.

And I am not used to this.

I guess I should be. She started heading up the stairs before she could walk. When she started pulling up, she would crawl over to the trampoline, pull up, and climb on top.  I should have suspected that things would only get more adventurous.

First, we started finding her on her "perch".

No big deal. It's a nice stable spot. She feels tall, she can see the TV, she can eat her snack, she can even dance.

Then she did this.

Outside, this is where you'll find her most of the time.

Then the other day, she did this.

Yes, she is balancing on ONE FOOT, trying to push the buttons on the TV. Madison was watching her in awe.

And I don't have a picture of it (because I was busy having a heart attack) but the other night, while waiting for Madison to finish up in the bathtub, she climbed on top of the toilet tank. Not the seat, the tank. She got on the seat, and I guess, figured, why stop there?

It doesn't stop outside of our house. She climbed on the speaker behind a friend's TV, on top of chairs and tables at a birthday party, up a wooden fence at the farm next door.

This is how she plays outside. On the picnic table.

She is even (gasp) making an attempt at climbing out of her crib.

So far, her size is stopping her. Even when she piles up her stuffed toys and blankets, she's still too little.

But I don't see that stopping her for long.

I'm kind of dreading the toddler years with this one. If she's this adventurous at 13 months, what will she be like at 18 months? What will she be like at 2?

Madison wasn't a climber. Certainly not like this. She's only a few months away from her third birthday and she hasn't once attempted to get out of her crib. She climbs into the car, into her booster, onto the twin bed in her room, up the ladder of her playscape, but never really climbs for the sake of climbing, as Reagan seems to.

I'm ok with letting her explore. She's a physical kid. I don't think it's realistic, or even desirable, to remove anything she can possibly climb on (as was suggested to me). Exploring is how kids learn, right? And she's crafty. She will find a way to keep climbing, even if we remove anything taller than 12 inches from the house. A few people have told me that as soon as she falls, or gets stuck somewhere, she'll learn her lesson. She has had a few falls (little ones) and she'll get up, run over to me, get a hug, and head right back to where she fell from.

But I also need to be able to walk away from the play area, and not come back to Reagan scaling the baby gate. I need to know that she's safe while she explores.

Did any of you have a climber?  How did you handle letting them explore while still feeling confident they were safe?

How Do You Pick Up a Mom?

Wow...out of context, that's a weird title.

It should be How Do You Pick Up a Mom FRIEND?

Today, Adam was off helping a friend of his do some landscaping. Madison needs a summer wardrobe, because despite my pleas, she insists on growing out of her clothes and shoes. I had some coupons and some Gymbucks, so the three of us headed off to the mall.

Madison loves this particular mall, which for some reason, she calls "the festival". She gets very annoyed when we go into stores and begs to go back out and walk around the festival. Today I actually needed to focus and work some math, so we made a deal: she behaved in the stroller while we were in the stores, and after we were done, we could stay at the "festival", walk around, and end with some play in the play area.

She kept her part of the bargain, so after procuring several bags of shorts, t-shirts, and sundresses, we did one lap and ended up at the play area. 

The mall had only been open for an hour or so, and the play area wasn't crowded. We parked the stroller and I let the girls go wild. For a climber like Reagan, it's a dream come true.

Madison immediately gravitated to a little boy who was playing near her, and was about the same age. There was a baby sitting next to him and she went right up and told him how cute "his" baby was. Then she asked him to play, and off they ran. 

Naturally, the mom and I started chatting. She asked how old Madison was, and then how old Reagan was (responding with a somewhat relieved OH when she found out she's thirteen months. A tiny little girl running and climbing tends to throw people). I asked the same questions and she and I were chatting easily with "mom small talk" - the differences between our kids, the need to constantly replace outgrown clothes, all that. Her son was a few months older than Madison and her daughter a few months younger than Reagan, so we went through the pros and cons of spacing, what we loved and what was tough.  She was open and friendly, her kids were cute, and twenty minutes just flew by.

Then her baby was getting fussy, and I knew I needed to get my girls some lunch before the meltdowns started, so we wrangled the kids back into the strollers. We kept talking, comparing double strollers (she had a side by side, I have a front to back) and weighing the merits of each (hers can't always make it through doors and aisles, mine is sometimes too long).

Then we said goodbye, pushed off in different directions...and that was that.

I liked that mom, her kids got along with my kids, but once we got to that exchange-phone-numbers-or-we'll-never-see-each-other-again moment, neither one of us was willing to make the first move.

You second guess. Was she just being polite? Was she annoyed by how forward Madison was? Did she look at my little climber and start thinking of playdates ending with bumps and bruises? Will she think I'm creepy for wanting her contact info? Does she already have mom friends?

I know. I do have mom friends. I have friends from before I had kids, I have friends I found afterward. I have people to call to vent to, I have people to call for playdates, I have people I can ask questions. But when you meet someone you click with, there is always room for new friends. 

Not ALL of them!

Maybe for some people it's easy. But for me, it's tough to move past the I see you at the playground phase to the call each other for a mom's night out phase. I'm not a good "make the first move" mom I guess.

It's match.com for stay at home moms...never had much luck. I hear that's typical.

I wish I had a happy ending...we ended up being parked next to each other and one of us took a shot at asking for the number and completing the pick up. But no...this mom got away.

I suppose I might see her again. After all, within a few months we'll be replacing wardrobes once more, and maybe we'll recognize each other at the "festival".

If you need a new book to read, and you like a mom who isn't afraid to be honest, check out Motherhood Comes Naturally (and other vicious lies) by Scary Mommy. Read it and LOVED it. If I met her in the play area of a mall, I think we could be friends for sure.

Five Signs You Are Raising Your Clone

Ever had a day where it smacks you in the face? You're not just raising your child. You are raising a mini-me.

When Madison was born, the second the nurses handed her over they looked at Adam and said

"Wow. That's definitely your kid."

She was born a mini-Adam. It was crazy.

But in her two and a half years, she has evolved.  Into a mini-me.

Here are five ways to know that you are raising a "mini-me".

1) The Things They Say

"Mommy, it doesn't matter if you feel warm. We wear jackets when we go outside."
Well kiddo, it's 77 degrees now. I know I told you we had a jacket rule, but that's for when it's 35 degrees. I guess I need to do some deconditioning.

"Mommy, Reagan is too sad. We can just eat our ice cream in the stroller. We adjust."
Seriously. That came out of her mouth today during our surprise ice cream trip. (The reason Reagan was screaming is another long story. Maybe I'll tell that one tomorrow.)

"Mommy, it's about time we turn off my show and go outside to play".
Why yes, yes it is. And as soon as everyone is wearing pants, that's the plan.

She is a true parrot these days. I'm not just talking about the inappropriate "oh craps" parroting, but I've heard my mothering come out of her mouth. Sometimes directed at me (Mommy, please try to put your pee in the potty before we get in the car), sometimes Reagan (Reagan, freeze. We keep the rice on the table), sometimes Adam (Daddy, people who eat all their dinners can get a treat).  It's a little scary.

2) The Things They Do

Madison and I share some idiosyncrasies.  I won't share all of them (can't let all my skeletons out at once) but I will tell you....

• She would happily stay in the bathtub for hours on end. If she's really involved in her play, even draining the water won't help. I've been known to sit in an empty tub finishing a compelling book.
• She has her favorite shows, and rather than pick up any new ones, she will watch them over and over and over and over. Yes, I realize that's a toddler thing, but it's not unheard of in this house. There's a reason I own so many tv shows on DVD. I know certain episodes like the back of my hand...and so does she.
• She's obsessed with books, and has to have one in bed with her to fall asleep. No matter what time I go to bed, no matter what time she goes to bed, we need to wind down.

3) The Look

She may have come out looking like Adam, but lately, when people look at us, we've been told we have the same face, the same smile, the same mannerisms.  We even have the same struggles when we try to wear our hair down (we always seem to default to ponytails). I truly hope that's not always true. I definitely went through some awkward years that I'd love to spare her. 

4) The Personality

Sometimes that's a great thing, sometimes it's not, but we are cut from the same cloth.

We're caring, we're generous, we like our things to stay nice. We like to do things ourselves and we want to do them well.

We get frustrated when things aren't working like we expect them. We get irritated when something starts looking too "used".  We have a long fuse and a slow temper, but when we get mad, we get mad.

Sometimes it's like looking in a mirror. There is nothing like learning to love yourself, forgiving your own flaws and becoming a better person overall by seeing and loving your child who is a clear reflection of you. It teaches you so much about yourself, and while you are helping your kid learn, cope and thrive, you realize you’ve just helped yourself.

And finally....

5) The Definition.

Madison and I are cuddling together. We've just finished a book, and now Tinkerbell is on. She reaches up and pats my cheek, speaking in that "profound toddler" way, when they get all sweetly serious, and you realize they have so much wisdom in those tiny bodies.

Mommy, Madison and Mommy are the same.

Really, baby? Why?

Wow. I was just thinking about how she's a mini-me. Are we that in tune? Did she really figure it out.

We are the same. Mommy and Madison.

Are Madison and Reagan the same? Are Madison and Daddy the same?

No, they're not the same. Just Mommy and Madison.

Huh. I really hope she elaborates. She is in super serious mode right now, and she's very sure. What an amazing moment we're having.

Baby, why are we the same?

Big sigh, face pat, deep look in my eyes (no, I'm not kidding).

We put our pee in the potty. Like big girls.

Oh.

Yes, baby. We do. You're right.

It's the little things.

Welcome to those who have found me through Crappy Pictures, Honest Mom, and the Ultimate Blog Party! I hope you stick around! Make sure you follow me on Facebook, where in addition to sharing stories, I find pictures that sum up my day and share those too!

Now I'm off to read Scary Mommy's new book, which came out today (she's not that scary. But she's honest and I like that). I would LOVE to do a giveaway, but I needed to stop myself from doing three self-sponsored giveaways in a month. That's a lot of book buying for a stay at home mom with no income. HOWEVER, I have a secret number of Facebook fans I'm aiming for. If I reach that number by the end of April, I will reward my fans with a giveaway of Scary Mommy's new book!

Ultimate Blog Party 2013 Welcome!

Hey!  If you're reading this, then I assume you found me at the Ultimate Blog Party 2013.  Thanks for visiting!  

(If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's the deal.  Ultimate Blog Party is a really cool idea where a HUGE number of blogs link up together.  We write a little "welcome to my blog" post and then we just jump around and visit each other.  I really enjoy it, because I get to find all kinds of new and fun blogs that I probably wouldn't have stumbled across. I definitely recommend heading over to 5 Minutes for Mom and checking it out.) 

I'm Meredith. I used to be an overachieving music teacher, and now I'm a wannabe overachieving stay at home mom. Wannabe because I can't quite do it. Not crafty, not crunchy, not helicopter, not tiger. But I love being a full time mom and trying to keep two little girls alive while helping them become amazing people.

I live in Connecticut. Always have. And although we talk about leaving, after we refinanced the house we decided we are never going through the mortgage thing again, so until we win the lottery, we're here. Things I love, things I don't, but it's home.

I have two little girls. Madison is 2 1/2. She's hysterically articulate, full of drama, funny, smart and sweet. She loves hard. Reagan is 13 months. She's a peanut, a leap baby, an explorer, and attached to my hip.  I love watching them evolve from babies to little girls.

I write so I don't lose myself as I've taken on this mommy role. I'm archiving memories, but doing something for myself as well. I'm hoping that I find "my people" out there who can relate to my life.

This blog is stories, anecdotes, and reflections. I don't pretend to be a comedienne or an expert. I might share funny stories or things that I've learned, but it's our life. I mix silly and sweet, just like I do with my girls.

I've been published on Circle Of Moms. I've only been at this about 9 months, so I'm still an infant blog. I'm getting sort of ambitious though. I'm submitting more articles and I'm tossing around some book ideas.  I definitely need a blogging mentor, big sister, what have you, and if you fit the bill, I'd love to chat.

You can follow me on Facebook or Twitter and you can see what I would love to do on my Pinterest board.

If what I write makes you smile, share it!

Thanks for stopping by!!

A Date with My Toddler

Yesterday morning, Madison and I were finally able to get some real, quality, one on one time.  We had a date.

Dating - spending time really getting to know each other, and enjoying each other's company, one on one. Focusing on each other. Important in any relationship.

That time is so wonderful, and so important, and I'm just not getting enough - with either girl - right now. 

You would think that, being the older child, Madison would get more solo time with me. But that actually isn't the case most of the time.  I don't have any time where Reagan is sleeping and Madison is awake (at least not consistently).  Reagan has grown out of her morning nap, and Madison hasn't yet stopped her afternoon one.

Actually, Madison shouldn't even have gotten this time. We had plans to meet some friends at the science center. Reagan was (obviously) coming with us. Madison was very excited to see her friend and experience the museum and had been talking about it for a few days.

Like I mentioned before, both girls had ear infections this week. Madison was pretty much recovered by Friday morning, but Reagan couldn't kick the underlying cold. She woke up late and was completely pathetic (in an adorable way). She just wanted to lie down. There was no way I was taking her out.

Luckily, Adam had flown a red eye home from California, and he walked in the door right around when Reagan was waking up.  Since he was home and exhausted, we figured the two of them could spend the morning sleeping while I took Madison by myself.  Reagan was relieved to get back in her crib.

Madison was initially pretty concerned that Reagan wasn't getting in the car with us. She was very afraid that we'd forgotten her. But by the time we were on the highway, she was chatting away with me, all excited about the things she might see, and how excited she was.

We got there a little early, and my friend was running late, so Madison and I went into a Starbucks while we waited. She got a chocolate milk, I got a chai, and we split a muffin. She was so happy to have a "Mommy and Madison" date.  She and I chatted about the things we saw, what we thought we might see in the museum, how we liked our drinks, you know, "date" conversation.  Once I got the text that our friends had arrived, she was excited and happy to help me clean up our table, hold my hand, and walk back over.

We had a great time in the museum. With only one toddler, I was able to give her my full attention (confession: I did check my phone often for updates on Reagan - I couldn't help it. Turned out that she and Adam slept all morning).  When she was excited about something, she didn't need to wait to share with me.

Experimenting with air flow.

She could have stayed in the water area for hours.

Playing with light, sound and motion.

How could my little ham NOT be fascinated by a microphone?

Exploring the world.

Driving home, as she chatted with me about her favorite parts of the day, I started thinking that I really need to make a plan to spend some quality one on one time with each girl on a regular basis. Since they're so close in age, they can do a lot of things together, and they enjoy the same things. But that also means that they are always together.

We got home, and she was bummed that Reagan was still sleeping (yes, I did end up taking Reagan back to the doctor, and she's fine. Ears are cleared up, she just had a worse cold than Madison did. Today she was much better). She wanted to tell her everything and tell her that she missed her. I thought it was great that she could really love her time without her sister, but still look forward to seeing her again. I really hope that continues.

Reagan and I have some time together once a week while Madison's at school. Usually, we run the errands that are a pain to run with two kids. But now I'm thinking that I should forget the errands (at least occasionally) and make an effort to give Reagan some "real" one on one time as well.

They love each other, but they are different kids. I definitely love spending time with each of them as they grow into their own personalities.

Moms with multiple kids, especially those close in age, how do you get that special "mommy and me" time with each of them? Do you think it's important?

Ummm...Who Are These Girls and What Have They Done With MY Children?

It's 6:55.

Both girls are in bed and quiet.

Huh.

I'm on my own for a few days this week, and handling bedtime alone with two toddlers can be...tricky.

Is it possible they're not ganging up on me?

However, the past two nights, I have two girls, in bed, with no crying, by 7:00.

7:00 and the evening is my own.

Um, wow. Seriously?

Usually Reagan goes upstairs around 6:15, has her bath, drinks some milk, and goes in her crib without complaint. If she hasn't napped well, she'll be really fussy during dinner and through her bath, but she'll still go down happily.

When Adam's home, Madison plays with him after dinner. Sometimes they watch a show, sometimes they play board games, sometimes they golf.  When he's not home, I let her choose a show, or let her choose a special "big girl" toy to play with while I'm occupied with Reagan.

This week, Reagan has been heading up the stairs on her own as soon as the clock flips past 6:00, and once Madison hears water running, she's been abandoning her "big girl" activity and dashing upstairs, calling that she needs to take a bath with her sister! Two girls together! In the tub! By the time she makes it in the bathroom, she's half naked and ready to pee and get in the tub.

When Madison takes a solo bath, she drags that sucker out as long as she can. She fills and pours cups of water, she "washes the dishes", she plays with her mermaids. We give her a five minute warning, we drain the tub, and we still have to fight her out.

This week, I've been taking Reagan out and telling Madison she can stay and play as long as she wants (since she's upstairs at least a half hour earlier than usual).

And as soon as Reagan's out, Madison is right behind her. She's not negotiating which towel she wants, she's not fighting at all. She's running down to her room on her own and pulling out pajamas while I put Reagan in her crib.

Reagan is settling quickly. She isn't drinking much milk, she's just taking a few sips and then holding her hand out for her binks. Once she has those in hand, she's closing her eyes.

I head to Madison's room, and she's half dressed. I help her, and she wants to play one round of a board game.  Tonight, she chose Candy Land.

She got the chocolate picture on Candy Land and kicked my butt within 10 cards of starting. Game lasted about a minute.

After it was over, she gave me a hug and kiss, ran over to her crib and tried to climb in. Asked for her book, her music, a tissue, and told me goodnight.

And just like that, bedtime was over.

OK, I'm sure all of you with kids hate me right now. I'd hate me too. I swear, I have no idea why this is happening. I'm really afraid that by putting it in writing, I've just annoyed the universe and it will make sure that things change.

Last night I was sure it was going to backfire on me. Someone would be wide awake and crying in the middle of the night, they'd be up at the crack of dawn, they'd refuse to nap today.

Nope. They were up at 7:00, which gave me time to shower and get my coffee. They both napped for two hours this afternoon.

OK, who are these children????

And more importantly, when is this coming back to bite me?

Winner of Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures has been chosen via a random number generator. Check your email - I let the winner know tonight! I was so glad to see so many new readers from Amber's blog! I hope you stick around!

Sharing Does Not Come Naturally

Despite our horrific egg decorating experience, the Easter Bunny graced our house anyway, and the girls had a very blessed Easter Sunday.  That bunny also dropped treats off with both grandmas, great grandmas, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It was like Christmas at our house - an explosion of treats.

I'm firmly in the "everything in moderation" camp when it comes to treats. Holidays are special occasions. Therefore, because I didn't forbid it, there was some candy. Not much, but some. The rest was clothes and toys.

Toys that, although each girl has either the same, or comparable, must all be hoarded and kept from the other sister.

The girls love each other, always want to be around each other, and look for their sister when they aren't together. They're very close.  When one is sleeping and the other is awake, they will do anything they can to sneak upstairs and wake their sister so they can play together.

But when it comes to toys, sharing and playing together nicely, oh my. 

They're at a strange stage right now. They both want to play with the same toys, they can both get to all the toys, but they play in different ways.  It sort of makes me long for the days when Reagan was happy with a few toys on a mat and Madison could put her "special toys" out of reach. Madison wants Reagan to play like she is: creating stories, pretend play. Reagan wants to bang things together, move them around, stack them, push buttons. Madison gets annoyed that Reagan isn't playing "right", and Reagan gets frustrated when Madison stops her experimenting.

They have different strategies. Reagan is in the exploratory stage where everything she sees must be touched, tasted, carried, and handled. She still isn't talking, but she's very mobile, very innovative, and very sneaky.  There aren't many toys she can't get to anymore.  She'll stack things to climb on if necessary.  She tends to go for things that are unoccupied, no matter who they belong to, take them, and run off.  She no longer accepts Madison's "trades", but protests loudly when her stash is ransacked.

Madison has the eagle eye and a imperialist philosophy. Sure, this wasn't mine, but I claimed it. So now it's mine.  Reagan's birthday gifts? Madison claimed them.  All the Easter gifts? Madison's. When she sees Reagan moving toward something, she hustles over to snatch it away.  Doesn't matter who it officially "belongs" to. If Madison sees someone claiming it, she needs to assert her dominance.  She speaks for the both of them, telling me what Reagan wants and what she wants, and is not afraid to yell to get her way. She's happy to tell me that it belongs to Reagan, but Reagan is "sharing it" with her.

Two of the same toy? We do that on occasion, intentionally or not...but no. They either need both or they lose interest.  We have duplicates of all the Little People princesses...doesn't matter. We have two sets of fairy wings...doesn't matter.

It's Reagan's castle. They are Reagan's princesses. Does that matter? No. This is the source of many conflicts.

Toddlers do this. They gather up what they love, and they lay claim whatever way they can. And when their stash is threatened, they react. Maybe they cry and yell when a toy is taken from their hand, maybe they grab it back and block access while yelling "no!"  It's normal right now. It's expected. But everyone knows, just because it's normal doesn't make it fun.

I'm always the referee, the mediator, the peacemaker.

We want to play together...but I get control of the toys.

She's not playing with that right!  She's not letting me have all of them!

I want this because she has it...now I have it and Mom gave her something else...so I want that now.

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One thing they did share this week?

Ear infections.

Reagan took the right ear, Madison took the left.

They shared a doctor visit too, and now they'll be sharing antibiotics for the next ten days.

Well, it's something!

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