winter wonderland

We woke up to a little snow falling this morning. The schools are closing left and right. The girls' school is closing early today, but I'm working from home in case I need to pick them up even before that. I hope I get too, since I made a mad dash to Target yesterday and scored some snow pants and boots for the girls on clearance. I have visions of snowman making and hot cocoa before this thing turns to sleet and ice and freezing rain.

While I didn't break out snow pants, I let the girls stomp to school in the boots this morning. I was concerned that they would not like the boots since they weren't pink...but they didn't even notice or care. We did throw in "real" shoes for them to wear while at school...but I think we all know that wasn't really necessary.

 

 

 

reunited ... and it feels so good!

On Saturday night, John and I were heading up to Baltimore for John's "Holiday" party. (It used to be held in December, but got postponed one year...everyone liked it so much after the holiday rush, we've kept it there!) John and A went to lunch, E and I went to her dance class, and we met up at Nonna and Pop-pop's where the girls were spending the night.

Right as we were leaving, I realized something. While I had packed the girls' clothes, pajamas, tootbrushes & toothpaste, winter coats, sleeping bags and pretty much everything else not nailed down...I had forgotten to get Taggie and Silky, which were being used as picnic blankets in the living room earlier in the morning.

Since I did remember to pack most of A's nighttime posse (Dora pillow, Dora blanket, Yellow blankie and Minnie Mouse), I figured she'd be okay. I decided to tell E what had happened so it wouldn't be an issue when it got to bed time. So I sat her down and just said, "Hey, E. When we were rushing to go to dance class this morning, I forgot to pack Silky."

She burst into tears.

I was a little taken aback by her reaction. I mean, she does love her some Silky-silks, but I didn't think she's be that upset. Luckily, we were able to come up with several Silky alternatives, including some silky pajama pants I had brought for her. And, my mom swears to me that she was fine that night. (A did ask for Taggie, but was quickly distracted.)

I guess it just goes to show that no matter how much of a big girl she's becoming...in some respects she's not so big, after all.

writer's block

Ugh...another week, another bout of writer's block. We're in the winter doldroms, peeps. Luckily, y'all aren't suffering the same fate...thank you so much for the Disney tips and tricks! I really appreciate it!

The only thing going on Chez Slacker is that A got into big-time trouble last night for climbing into her crib multiple times. This is further proof that A's crib days are numbered. She *knows* she can get into her crib...it's only a matter of time before she also figures out that she can get out, too. Luckily, my girls aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer when it comes to figuring this out. E could climb into both her and A's cribs for about 6 months before she reversed it. A's on month 2 or 3. We might have a bit more time...but, let's face it...she could be in a big girl bed come February.

So, I'll spend some time today pondering the big questions: Should we do a toddler bed for A, or just put her in a twin bed (E has a full, so we didn't have to worry about her rolling off)? Do I want to keep A's room in the gender-neutral green that it is? Or, do I want to go through the hell of painting it? What cute bedding options are out there?

And, of course...when the hell did my baby become a big girl?!?!?!

disney-bound...and a real dumbo about it

So this weekend, John and I took the plunge and booked flights for the Slackers to hit Disney at the end of February. (Unlike my crazy-ass runner friends, Steel Magnolia and Marathon Mom, who will be doing the Goofy Challenge come January '10.) We'll be headed down on a Friday night and coming back up on Tuesday morning, giving us three full days at Disney.

So far we've got flights and a place to stay, The Disney Swan and Dolphin. Other than that...nada. So I'm calling upon you, friends o' the Internet, to bless me with your vast knowlege and experience when it comes to the House of the Mouse. Or in our case, Where the Princesses Live.

I beg you...please tell me where should we go? Where should we eat? I know they have Character meals...which ones are worth it? Do I need a stroller for my almost thirty-plus pound 2-year-old? Should we do the Disney park all three days? Any other hints, tips and tricks?

We've started training A with a new party trick in honor of Disney. Right now, if you ask her how old she is she says, "Fo years old!" Which she's not. And I'm terrified the Disney Police will believe her and make us pay for a ticket for her. So Operation: You're Two! is in full-effect.

wishing for more

The girls and I were off today, so we had my friend, Liz, and her two sons over in the morning. Since both of us work, we have a standing playdate for the "minor" Fedaral holidays -- MLK, President's and Columbus -- which work out well because otherwise we would never see each other.

The kids got along well, and it was (as always) nice to chat up with Liz. Right as they were getting ready to leave, we noticed that it started to snow. There was talk of snowmen and snowballs...but alas it didn't even count as a dusting. But, it sure was fun to watch.

 

it's a shaky egg...

Last night was wild and crazy dance party...courtesy of Laurie Berkner.

 

 

 

 

nothin' doin'

It's been a pretty boring week in the Slacker house. We've been going to work and school during the day and hanging out at home at night. Kind of a post-holiday, pre-spring blah phase here. Really, the only excitement that's gone on was when A almost fell head-first off the potty trying to check out her "work."

Since it's going to be ridiculously cold here this weekend, we'll likely be spending most of it at home inside watching sports. (Apparently, Saturday is an awesome day for college basketball and Sunday's got the NFL playoffs.) We'll probably make chili one day. E's got her dance class, which should be fun. And maybe I'll relent and let the girls finger paint again, since they enjoyed it so much last time.

Hope you all stay warm!

conversations with a two-year-old

As I was putting A to bed on Saturday night, she struck up a conversation with me.

"Hey, I have an idea!" she said.
"What, A?"
"How about we go shopping to-maw-woe?"
"Shopping? Where do you want to go shopping?"
"Weg-a-mans. Or someplace else."
"Hmmm. That sounds like a plan, A. Shopping it is. Good night, sweetheart."

At some point in the last few months, A has morphed from a toddler to a little girl...who has her own thoughts and ideas and expresses them in complete sentences. My other favorite from her this weekend? When she had an accident, so I just grabbed a new pair of panties from the dryer.

"But, mommy," she told me. "I need an actual pair of pants, too."

In other news, Grandmom sent the girls care packages with new outfits in them, which they wore on Friday. I attempted to get a cute picture of the two of them...but the this was the best that I could do. Notice the curls are almost completely gone from A's hair...but it's still pretty blond. I miss the cute little ringlets that she used to have...but this new hair is much more manageable.

 

dance dance revolution

This morning I took E to her first dance class. She had mentioned that she had wanted to take one for a while now...but then started harrassing me about it when the magnetic calendar she got from Grandmom and Granddad for Christmas had a magnet specifically for "Go to Dance Class." I found a class through the county for 4 sessions...so I figured if she hated it, no biggie.

E was so excited for the day to come. She actually wore her leotard, tights and dance shoes to school on Thursday, and I had to remind her several times last night that the class was at noon so she did not have to get up extra extra early like she had planned. After putzing aroudnd the house in the morning, we swang by Starbucks and headed to class.

Overall, the class was really cute. It was 3 to 5 year olds, so there was a lot of fidgeting and not much coodination. They did a few little stretches, some dance moves and other things. The moms of the other girls were really nice, and it was fun to chat with them. Forty-five minutes later, we were on our way home with E asking if we could do it again tomorrow.

I did manage to get some pictures. Please don't laugh at her hair. I'm not quite the french braider I used to be.

Showing off her jazz ballet hands
 

Waiting for her class to start
 

Little Miss Flexibility
 

Fun at class and stickers, too!
 

i'd like to buy a vowel

As the parents to two small children, John and I have resorted to the ever-popular trick of spelling key words of sentences to talk about things without the girls understanding what we are talking about. The only problem with this? Well, John isn't all that great at spelling under pressure.

For example, as we were driving home from E's Chirstmas recital, John wanted to know if we should make a quick stop.

"Do you think we ought to go buy a C-R-A-S-T-E-M-A-S T-R-E-E?" he asked me.
"A what?" I asked.
"Oh. Wait. A C-R-I-S-T-M-A-S T-R-E-E!"

And then there was last night. Being the good little carnivores that the girls are, John felt the need to spell out a dinner proposal for tomorrow.

"Do you want to have S-T-A-K?"

Of course, I'm not perfect either. One night I asked John,

"Should we put in D-V-D for the girls?"

I was shocked (shocked!) they figured that one out. Oh well, at least I spelled it right.

trick question

If you buy your 2-year-old a pack of Dora panties from Target and she immediately strips down, opens the package and tries on all three pairs of panties at once...do you put all three pairs in the laundry? Only the bottom pair? Or do you just shove them all in the underwear drawer and figure you've bought yourself a few extra days of laundry?

i liked them better when they were asleep

I think it's safe to say that, by the time I picked the girls up from school yesterday, we were all suffering from a little PHTD (aka, Post-holiday Tantrum Disorder).

E decided in the parking lot of school that some picture that she had drawn of herself and A (that we had looked for unsuccessfully prior to leaving) was suddenly the most important piece of artwork that she had ever created and that she needed it in her hands at that moment. She basically cried/screamed/whined/generally-annoyed-the-crap-out-of-me from the time I picked her up at school until dinner time.

Not to be outdone, A decided that whole being outside of the womb thing was for suckers, and spent the entire time I was trying to prepare dinner getting me to pick her up and hold her (always a great idea when working with steaming pots and pans).

Of course, this was a night when John had to work late and didn't get home until moments befor bedtime...so by the time he arrived I was throwing my own tantrum. It was your typical Manic Monday multiplied by 1000. Hopefully, we'll get back into the swing of things by sometime in February.

the upside of insomnia

Last night, I had a hard time getting to sleep either due to a combination of my new earlier bedtime (cough!New Year's Resolution!cough!) or the mass quantities of caffeine I guzzled down over the course of the day. So, rather than turn on the TV or read a book, I got up and went to check in on the girls while they slept.

E was lying in the middle of her bed. Her beloved Silky was up by her cheek, where I'm sure she was cuddling it prior to drifting off. She had pulled her Princess blanket up over herself, as I had forgotten to when I went in to sing her one last song earlier that evening. Her CD player was still blaring Handel...she's asked that we play it all night again since I think she's in a slight scared of the dark phase. She was quiet and peaceful...two things that she is not during the day.

A was nestled in her crib. she was still under her blanket, but had scooted down off of her Dora pillow that she insists on sleeping on. (Yes, she sleeps under a blanket and on a pillow...I know, I know, I should get this kid a bed.) She slumbered under the watchful gaze of her crib posse: Taggie, Kitty Cat, Horsey, Care Bear and Minnie Mouse. Her room was silent since John and I never got around to getting a CD player for her room.

As I watched A, she sighed and stirred a bit, causing me to momentarily panic that I had inadvertently woken her up. So I hurriedly crept back to my room and stared at the monitor for a few minutes making sure that I hadn't caused irrepairable damage.

And then, finally, I closed my eyes and slept like a baby, myself.

not a half-bad idea

Since we had just had a tasty lunch almost immediately prior to the movie yesterday, we opted for a 1-2-3-GO! snack pack from the concession stand for the girls. For the LOW LOW price of $6.50, we were able to score a popcorn, a bag of M&M's and a drink of our choice. The food was solely for the girls...however, to ward off any additional trips to the public restroom fights over a single juicebox, John and I selected a Diet Coke as the beverage for us to split.

Immediately after the popcorn and M&Ms were gone, the girls started eyeing the Diet Coke. E turned to John (who was the current holder of the drink) and asked (rather loudly),

"What kind of drink is that, Daddy? Is it a BEER?!?!?"

And, on the off chance that there was a parent who didn't hear it the first time, her younger parrot sister followed up with,

"What is it, Daddy? Is it a BEE-YAH?"

children of the (uni-)corn

In a day that included lunch at Rio Grande, shopping at Reston Town Center and going to the movies (to see the Tale of Desperaux...we made it 45 minutes until the food ran out), the highlight for A and E was having me style their hair like unicorns.

 

 

year in review

2008 was certainly great. I can't wait to see what new adventures 2009 holds.

 

Happy New Year!

christmas by the numbers

Number of family members sleeping at the Slacker Hotel: 5
Number of family members stopping in for a visit: 4
Number of friends just passing through: 10

Number of hours I spent putting that damn kitchen together: 3
Number of seconds John spent helping: 12

Number of presents wrapped: 16
Number of times I patted myself on the back for perpetuating the "Santa doesn't wrap" tradition: 8

Number of times we forgot to move the Elf on the Shelf: 6
Number of times the girls noticed: 5

Number of calories consumed during Gluttony Week 2008: infinity
Number of pounds gained: 2 (at least)

Number of days the Slacker Family Christmas tree was up: 22
Number of days the Slacker Family Christmas tree was totally dead and shedding needles if you even thought about touching it: 20
Number of needles left in the Slacker house immediately after tree removal: 10,000,000
Number of needles remaining after several passes with the vacuum: 100,000

Number of days until Christmas 2009: 360 (I can't wait!)

in a nutshell

We had a fantastic Christmas filled with family and friends. We're (somewhat) back to reality today ... John and I are working, the girls are at school and the Christmas tree (which died sometime around December 18) is already on it's way to the local landfill.

More to come once we recover but we hope your holidays were as half as merry as ours!

Click to Enlarge 

while visions of blog posts dance in my head...

The Slackers have been busy busy busy in the days leading up to Christmas. We've had John's family come into town, my sister come into town, a good friend's Christening, some shopping, a set of much needed haircuts, and I'm working today to boot!

So, continuing our theme song this Christmas...I present to you a really cool a capella version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. This actually reminds me a lot of how it goes down in our house.

flashback

On Friday, the girls danced like they never danced before to the sounds of a rocking band. (Well, as rocking as a Mariachi band can get.)

 

 

On Saturday, they spent a good deal of the day flirting with a cute boy.

 

 

This in a nutshell sums up how I spent the '90s. Except they have better dance moves and were much more successful in the flirting department.

the slacker family and the festival of lights

Last night the Slackers returned home from our day out at work or school...and then got back in the car to drive around in the cold, rainy night. And what prompted us to do so? Well, we wanted to head to the Bull Run Festival of Lights, and since the days between now and Christmas are dwindling, we took it upon ourselves to hit them up mid-week.

The lights were pretty cool. They have a lot of lights that go over the road, like toy soilders shooting off cannons and gingerbread men doing cartwheels. They also had little themes going on, including The Twelve Days of Christmas. There was also a Wizard of Oz part, too. But, because my girls have never seen the Wizard of Oz, when they saw the Emerald City they immediately starting shouting things like "Princess!" "Cinderella!" and "Castle!"

As we got closer to the display, we all noticed that there was a witch flying around the top of the castle. Upon seeing the witch, E yelled,

"There's a witch at the castle. I'm going to spit and poop at it!"

And that, my friends, is why parenting is a tough job. Because trying to tell your kid that "We do not say that we are going to poop at someone" with a straight face is damn near impossible.