Saturday, February 28, 2009

Kid Perspective

Bella Funnies...

"Mom, can we go to Old McDonalds today for lunch?"

"Sure, babe."

She claps her hands with glee and says, "They have the best ketchup in the world, don't they!"

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We're watching the girls' favorite new cartoon, Olivia. This particular episode is about a new girl also named Olivia joining the class.

I tell Bella that one day she may have another Isabella in her class.

She nods, knowingly, and says, "Oh, yes. Or a Brandon, or an Ally, or a Meagan."

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The girls are playing outside and their "five more minutes" is about up. Ava doesn't want to go in and begins her fit.

Bella warns her, "Ava! We can't stay out here by ourselves because we might get nabbed! Mommy & Daddy would miss us and we'd miss them. And if they weren't nice people who nabbed us then who would take me to school?"

Indeed.

-------

On our way to their cousin Channing's house (hubby and I had a hot date) Bella pipes up from the back seat, "I bet the first thing Channing said when she woke up this morning was "Bella!"

Then we hear Ava mumble, "Thass stwange."

-------

Little loves, they are.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Step N Fetch It Momma...

The last week and a half has been exhausting, at times frightening, interesting and even funny.

Ava had the stomach flu for 6 days. Both ends of her were going around the clock, simultaneously. Our home still smells like Lysol and Clorox. My hands are chapped from all the soap washings and anti-bacterial gels.

Then Ava was better and it was Isabella's turn. Let me just say that of the two, Bella is the worst patient. The whimpering, mumbling, whining, wailing, yelling. And that was just me! heh. I've reached and exceeded my goal of 10,000 steps a day getting Gatorade, puke bowls, carrying children to the toilets, lunging for clean-up towels and medicines.

So after many long nights and days, Bella is finally better too.

Let me tell you that after children haven't eaten anything in a week, they become rabid vultures once their appetite returns. They circle the kitchen constantly, eating everything in sight. They snarl at each other over cinnamon toast on a plate, each grabbing handfuls of it just so the other won't snatch it away. Then they hover in their corner, devouring it and begging for something else to eat.

They kinda remind me of my brother when he was a teenager with a bottomless pit belly.

And the potty training is back on. Ava's sporting her new princess panties. Such a tiny little behind to be wearing panties!

There have been very few accidents. Just races.

Bella will say she needs to go to the bathroom. Next thing you know, they are both bolting to the bathroom. They call shotgun on the little half-bath, then one cries while doing the pee dance as the other triumphantly does her business.

We have FOUR bathrooms, people.

Then they figured out how fun it is for one to be in the half-bath and the other to be in the kids' bathroom around the corner. Because they can hear each other. So then there's lots of giggling, singing and updates on loud toots or large deposits.

Not to mention all this time, I am in charge of wiping. Bella got really used to this service which was provided while she was sick.

I wait on Ava, who doesn't like the little potty seat because she'd prefer to teeter. She'll look up at me, taking her sweet time finishing up and tell me to go check on Bella.

Ooookay.

I go in to Bella and she's making origami out of toilet paper as she also takes her sweet time. You can't exactly rush someone on the toilet and my children know it and like it. I am their potty puppet.

I figure at some point I will be in control of this scene again.

Right?

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Ugh.

That's the best way to describe the past few days.

Ugh.

Ava's got the stomach flu and I've got 500 loads of laundry and cans of Lysol because of it.

I can't stand it when my babies are sick! For some reason, the violence that shakes such a tiny body during vomiting is the hardest for me. Last night she was curled up next to me moaning and then looked up to her Dad and asked, "Daddy, you make my tummy feeyuh bettuh?"

Poor Ava's been working hard on her potty training but right now she just doesn't have the oomph required to go through the process so we just change alot of diapers.

And then this morning, right before we were supposed to leave for school, my sweet Bella had her turn hugging the porcelain bowl.

Now we're all toting around our personal tubs. Gonna be a long day.

Hope you and yours are healthy cuz it certainly tis the season not to be!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Over The Edge

I am artistic but I'm NOT craftsy.

That has been my mantra for years. I've always been one of those who is sort of envious yet sort of gaggy over those uber craftsy, scrapbooking, Martha-lovin freaks.

I think I'm a freak now.

Increasingly, I find myself doing art projects. Don't clap just yet. These art projects are not the kind I used to do like painting, portraits, fancy schmancy pieces.

Nope. Now I deal with purple glue sticks that dry clear, washable markers, blunt scissors and lots of construction paper.

It is CRAZY.

Take Valentine's Day for instance. Please. Take it away!

First, decorated heart cookies and heart-shaped brownies.




Then the 18 Valentine butterfly cards with Smarties inserts.


And I HAD to sign up for the Valentine's craft for the school party. My idea? Birdseed hearts. Seriously.

Which naturally went into cutsey Valentine baggies for taking home. Come on!


I even got a sick pleasure from the oooh's and ahhh's and comparisons to Martha.

Help.

Me.
The only thing that made me feel better was allowing my kids to devour all the candy in one sitting. I think things looked just about this hazy once they were done.



Happy Not Quite Valentine's Day! And did you know the Easter crap is already 40% off?! I'm salivating as we speak.

I do it all for these two beauties.


I think.
















Thursday, February 05, 2009

I Think I Have A Stalker...

I bought a totally cute Daily Duties wipeboard chart last week online for Bella. I've been looking for one that would stick to the fridge and this one was perfectly girly and cute!

It arrived a few days ago jammed into my mailbox. The mailperson (cuz I'm PC) must've really worked to get that thing in there. When I opened the package, the wipeboard was not only bent but also creased all the way down the middle boxes.

Naturally, I called the seller. The package had nothing written on it like "Do Not Bend." She should be somewhat responsible, right?

Oh. My. Gosh.

This woman is driving me crazy! She not only called my cellphone and sounded very skeptical of my claim but asked that I email a picture of the damaged chart to her. Mmmmkay. I did.

She has emailed me 3 times since. First, to ask me to mail it all back to her. Then she obviously realized that was a dumb request by a seller so her next email said:

It's in the mail, and insured this time. I marked on it front and back, and the post guy stamped all over it. If it's stuffed in there again, maybe it'd be best to take a picture of it before removing it - to prove they've done it despite the FRAGILE - DO NOT BEND warning.

My eyebrows are raised in annoyance at this point. Don't you just chalk up the $8.49 as a loss at this point and just make it right with your buyer?

This email came last night...*DRAMATIC SIGH*...

Jennifer,

Me again. :)

Do you still have the complete package that was damaged? I spoke with a different person today, which told me if it was taken to the post office, to the supervisor there - and the delivery date was given, that they 'should' hold that carrier responsible and pay for the replacement.

I'm not sure if you ever go into town, or near a post office. Of course, I don't want you to go way out of your way! But would it be possible to either do this, or call and speak to the supervisor about the matter? It would have to be from the customer, or I would do this myself. The lady today told me that NO carrier should ever stuff something into a mailbox - that they are to take care with people's packages. (I liked her a lot!) :)

IF this is possible without any trouble, you would need to tell them the replacement product was the $8.49 plus the additional insurance - making it $9.44. Then I would just need to send another invoice to you for that amount to pay, so I could have it for my tax records.

As a young mom myself, I can understand trips to town being hard. So, if this is just impossible, maybe you could send me the delivery date/ approx. time/ post office phone number - for me to see if they would talk to me about it.



Cripes, Lady! Is this a joke? Am I on YouTube??

I'm sure this isn't over. I didn't even know how to respond to that last email. I am NOT going to do all that!

Suggestions, o' wise ones?