one day

One day (probably much sooner than I would like), I will no longer be your favorite person in the whole wide world. I'll have to steal my hugs and kisses from you. You'll ask me to stop singing in the car along with the radio. I'll have to drop you off around the corner from where you want to go, so your friends don't see me. One day, you'll roll your eyes at me for waiting up for you to come home. One day, you'll be postive that you don't need me.

But, luckily, that's not today. Today, you greeted me with a hug and a kiss and an "I love you!" Today, you cheered when I told you I was dropping you off at school. Today, you kissed me goodbye in front of all of your friends. Today, when I came home from getting my haircut (well past your bedtime, I might add), it was you waiting up for me. Because today, you wanted me to sing you a song before you went to sleep.

Today was a wonderful day to be your mom.

the new, old job

It's been a crazy week this week! In addition to recovering from an extended weekend of single mom-dom, I started a new job on Monday! Okay...not really a new, new job. It's my same job, except now I'm a full-time company employee instead of a part-time conatractor.

All in all the pros of this change far exceed the cons. Job security! Benefits! Paid Vacation! Holidays! But...that doesn't mean there aren't some bummers. Namely, it's officially a full-time position and I have to be in the office 5 days/week. The full-time isn't so bad...because let's face it, I haven't worked part-time pretty much since I started. But the in the office 5 days/week? Dude...that is going to suck. Luckily, we have "green Fridays" in the summer where we work from home every other week, which will help soften the blow.

Perhaps sensing that I needed some encouragement, E was talking to John tonight. She was telling him how much she missed him this weekend and said,

"From now on I want you to take me with you whereever you go...except for when you got to work. 'Cause I really like school and my friends."

So, at least for tonight, the mommy guilt is a little less.

travellin' light

Ever since A was potty trained, we've had little use for a diaper bag. Most of our jaunts are short trips about town that don't require snacks or anything requiring lugging around. So, when Queen Mommy called this morning from her in-laws in Arlington, and asked if we wanted to head in for some playground fun and lunch, I shoved the camera, some sunscreen and organic fruit jerky that I made in my own kitchen two Wonder Pets Fruit Snacks into my purse, grabbed the girls and headed out.

Well, it turns out the neighborhood playground had a fountain area. No problem...we borrowed from suits from the princesses and their cousin. And, lookie there...they coordinate to boot!

When it gets later in the afternoon and the girls and the girls want a snack and something to drink? Mooch again! And if the girls look like street urchins with their straggly hair (Note to self: they *will* get haircuts tomorrow!)? Borrow a comb.

My mom called during the day, so we ended up leaving Arlington and heading straight to dinner with them. We ended up going to Coastal Flats and the girls started to get stir crazy...luckily I found some Wikki Stix which we got at a different restaurant which kept them entertained...along with a plethora of pens and scrap paper.

Nonna and PopPop were good company as well.

The shopping area has fountains, too...which of course the girls couldn't do since we had returned the bathing suits to the previous owners. We got the girls ice cream, which they got all over. I didn't have any wipes, but luckily Nonna did (along with some band-aids which came in handy for some overzealous injury identification). And they had a concert series, which everyone had lawn chairs set up for. Unfortunately, it started raining right as the concert started, so we couldn't stay long...

Something tells me that next time we take a little trip on a Saturday, I'll throw some stuff in my purse and off we'll go ...right after I pack the trunk full of bathing suits and towels, lawn chairs and picnic blankets, umbrellas and first aid kits, and possibly the kitchen sink...since you never quite know where the day will take you.

reason 1,457,238 that i love my mom

My mom called to chat yesterday and I mentioned that it was just going to me and the girls for dinner tonight. Well, it turned out my dad had plans and she was fending for herself, too! So would I mind if she drove over to my house in rush hour traffic and bring dinner for me and the girls? Along with a bottle of wine? And sure enough, my mom pulled into our drive right as I was herding cats getting the girls and all of our crap into the house.

She also came bearing gifts for the girls. In anticipation of our beach trip next month, she got the girls swimsuit cover-ups, flip-flops and sunglasses. From the Disney store. Now, my mom has pulled this crap on me before, so I warn you, moms of small children...don't ever -- EVER! -- let your retired parents live in close proximity to a Disney store. Or else this is what you end up with:

 

 

Luckily, the food, wine, adult conversation and help with bedtime more than made up for the fact that I will be known as "that mom" (whose kids wear character clothing) at pool this weekend.

give me a v!

Both of my girls had an issue pronouncing the "V" sound. They pronounce (or pronounced, in the case of E, who has sadly outgrown it) it as a "B" sound instead. I can only assume that this is some sign of genius. In addition, it gives the Slackers such wonderful terms in our family vernacular such as:

• Orange Birginia (aka, Orange Virginia or UVA)
  
• Moobie Night (aka, watching Dora or Diego past bedtime)
  
• I lub you (my favorite term of enderment)
  
• Q-R-S...T-U-B...WXYZ (lyrics to the alphabet song)
  

But the "B" is now incroaching on other consanants in A's world. This week, a smoothie place opened up in our neighborhood. When we got back, A went on and on about how she and Daddy and E went to get smoobies.

Don't think I didn't ask her to say

"I lub to drink smoobies while I watch moobies"

at least 10 times this morning. 'Cause that's the kind of mom I am.

meeting in the middle

The girls woke up this morning and got dressed independently of each other. A wanted to wear her polka dot skirt, which she paired with her pink and orange sandals. E had noted that it was cloudy out and insisted on wearing her Hello Kitty rain boots, along with some shorts and a t-shirt (because apparently you can't wear a dress when it's about to rain...who knew?).

When the girls saw each other in the hallway, A immediately ran back to her room to find her Hello Kitty rainboots and E ran back to her room to put on her polka dot skirt.

Though I love me a matching outfit every now and again, most of the matching outfits you see the girls in these days are not my fault doing. Especially when the outfits looks like this:

 

quick on her feet

John and I joke that E is going to make the best lawyer some day because she can argue like nobody's business. Her retorts have left us stumped on several occasions and I fear what it will be like in the teenaged years when she has had more time to hone her skills.

A has recently picked up one of E's oft-used argument of the "Never, Ever." We never let them stay up late...or never let them have desert...or we drive on and on and on and will never reach our destination. Because we are mean, mean parents, I tell you.

So last night as we were pulling in from dinner, a couple of kids were playing in the cul-de-sac. But it was close to bedtime. And they had already had a busy weekend where they were outside all day Saturday and we had a two-hour jaunt to the pool on Sunday. And a certain un-named almost three-year-old had not napped all weekend. So when said three-year-old asked to play outside and was told that she could not, she sighed and said,

"I neber get to play outside."
To which her sister responded, "You went to the pool today, A. Is the pool outside or inside?"

Most times when E steps on our parental toes we are quick to remind her that she is not the mommy. But, last night, we were giggling at her quick thinking and thankful that A had no comeback of her own.

"You're pretty smart for an almost five-year-old," John told E as they walked into the house.
"I know, Daddy. Maybe they'll let me skip kindergarten," was her reply.

do you know the muffin man?

This morning, I made some banana and blueberry muffins with my two little helpers. Overall, it was a relatively smooth process with minimal threats of banishment to another room because of not listening. While they were baking, the girls alternately checked on the muffins and asked me if they were done cooking every thirty seconds throughout the 25 minutes of baking. But, overall it was a success.

 

(And, yes, that is a coffee mug sitting by A. She was begging for some this morning. It was more milk than coffee. Don't you judge me!)

moving on up ... to the left side

When I went to pick up the girls on Monday, I was told that A wasn't in her room anymore. She had been moved over to the other side of the building, in the 3-year-old's room. We were expecting her to get moved starting in September, but apparently she was ready. So ready, in fact, that the ditched the "transition week" where she spent 1/2 her time in the new room and half in the old room since she was devestated to leave the new place.

The 3's room is part of the preschool program at school. They switch between different classrooms/focuses. And, they wear uniforms. So, this morning, she ran into E's room and grabbed one of E's shirts. And, I must admit I got a bit misty seeing my sweet baby looking so big. But my nostalgia turned to joy when E couldn't get her uniform shirt on fast enough. So, for a few more weeks, that'll be nice.

It's just amazing...two years ago, I was in awe of my 3-year-old heading up to the big kid's class.


My how things have changed!

photography fail

This weekend we: had my parents over for dinner, washed the cars, did some lawn work, put together and hung out on the hammock (John's Father's Day gift), played outside, went to the pool, devoured some ribs, went out to breakfast, picked up some fun new pool toys, went for a nice long walk through the neighborhood, went to the pool (again), devoured some steaks, indulged in some ice cream and had an overall great weekend. And the only picture I took was this one:

 

Oh, well...better luck next time.

still cute as ever...

The number of pictures I've taken since -- I don't know -- March has been pathetic. I've decided that I'm going to carry my camera with me wherever we go this weekend so I can take pictures a'plenty. Which shouldn't be hard as we really don't plan on leaving the neighborhood.

 

sling shot

In better-late-than-never style, here's a picture from Baby AJ's visit that Steve just uploaded and shared. I was demonstrating the age-appropriate carry for Baby AJ and my Sweet Baby A was testing whether or not slings really did hold up to 35 pounds. I'd like to think of it as photographic evidence that Baby AJ was here, since I sucked at documenting her inaugural trip.



Anyway, the whole family is off again. The girls are now hanging with Nonna and Pop-pop's while John attends a work retreat and I tag along as a spouse and indulge in many spa treatments.

I mean really? When did I get old enough to be the accompanying spouse? It's such an adult thing to do...I distinctly remember my mom going with my dad to Seattle back in the day. Now I'm the mom that's heading off. Weird...I could have sworn it was just yesterday I was chugging beers and dancing on tables.

Hey...I've got no kids waking me up tomorrow...maybe I'll do that tonight at the company dinner!

the cave-in

Scene: The Slacker House. First day back for the fam. The end of a long day. Girls being summoned for a bath, but have other ideas.

E: Mama, I wanna dessert.
A: Me, too!
Me: No dessert tonight, ladies.

[Girls give me the sad face.]

Me: You girls know, we don't get dessert every night.
E: How about a healthy dessert? Can we have a healthy dessert?
A: Healfy, mama?
Me: No.

[Girls give more sad faces and verge closer and closer to an we're-totally-exhausted-and-will-throw-a-tantrum-if-you-don't-give-us-something-lady-style tantrum.]

Me: Ooooooo-kay. Here you go.

[Hands girls two (the recommended dose) Princess gummy vitamins.]

E & A: Thanks, Mama! You're the BEST!!!!

End Scene.