Friday, December 31, 2010

Family New Year

I cannot believe today is the last day of the year.
This year has just flown by.  This month has just sprinted by.
Unlike the last five years or so, this year I am not having a New Year's Screen Day.  We've had a get together with DH's cousin/brother for a few years now.  This year, we are skipping it.
Instead, I think we'll have a relaxing nosh and explore day.  I'm hoping the day will be nice enough for us to venture to Central Park for a wintry walk. 
We've all been cooped up indoors due to the blizzard and illness for so long that I'm looking forward to some outside time.  I think I may also check to see if a special eatery is open too.  Afterwards, we may go for a yummy wintry treat.  I'm thinking maybe a walk in Central Park, visit to the Central Park Zoo and then maybe serendipity for a frozen hot chocolate.  We'll see.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Keep a-busy Cinderelly!

I developed a lovely dry hacking cough overnight.  Very sexy, if I say so.
The one thing about being ill as a mother and wife is that you get no chance to rest.  None. Zilch. Nada.
Last night I finally had it and said to DH, "I want to be mommied.  I'm sick.  I demand to be mommied."
Without looking up from his mactop, he dryly responded, "Do you want me to drive you to your mom's?"
I know men aren't wired like women but throw me a bone.
I read recently that 60% of women are unhappy with the inequality in the house.  I want to say it's more like 75%.  How is it that I'm ill yet I'm still taking care of our daughter, making us meals, cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry and dismantling our Christmas decorations. 
Yes I started early this year.  Call me whatever but I have a train track that has taken over my living room to the point that I crash into every freaking time.  DH has started calling me Godzilla.  My dog keeps eating the balls and my husband wants to buy more furniture.  I'm going minimalist.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Ikea

After all the running around, who gets sick?  Me and the dog.  We think the dog has something as her eyes are all gunky and she keeps peeing a stream.
Of course can Mommy rest when she's ill?  No.  Who rubs Mommy's back?  Who makes chicken soup for Mommy?  Who makes honey tea?  Who lets Mommy take a much needed nap? 
No one, that's who.
DH: Let's go to Ikea.
PG: Are you kidding me?
DH: Ok, you stay here and rest and I'll go with TG.
PG: And what are you going to do when you get back?  Put stuff together?  Where?  We still need to clean the areas and move things around while tending to our toddler. 
DH: I'll do it.
At this point, I'm wishing he would just say, "You are right.  I should take care of you.  Here, take the remote and the blanket.  I'll make you some tea and grab some kleenexes for you.  The quieter the environment the better."
PG: I don't want to start anything but I'd prefer you to take some junk out of the house before bringing more stuff in.  Let's get rid of the out dated dvrs sitting in your closet.  How about the old laptops and desktops?  If we got rid of them we wouldn't need to go to Ikea to find storage for them.  I'm not saying we don't need storage but some of this stuff we don't need to keep.
DH: We can get a dresser and put those boxes that you want me to put in storage in them.  What do you think?
PG: Ok, those boxes are stuff for our second child.  If you think it will be that soon that we'll have another, let's keep them here.  It makes sense.
DH:  {silence} Well, maybe I can just take TG out for a drive to let you rest.
They did go to Ikea anyway.  DH made his shopping list up and plans to go back when I feel better to pick everything up.

Monday, December 27, 2010

I can't whistle while I work so I'll sing while I shovel.

I really want to take TG out to sled for the first time today.
Unfortunately, after spending 3 hours digging my car out, I'm exhausted.
Yes, I, pantrygirl, dug our sportswagen (who are we kidding, it's a station wagon) out of the plowed in street.
Why did I do this?  I didn't need the car.  I didn't plan to use the car for the next few days.
Because, digging a car out of a iced in snow that was plowed onto your car is bad.  The sooner you do it, while the snow is still light and fluffy, the better.  20 inches of snow fall equals a car buried so high in plowed in snow, that it was barely viewable. 
I grabbed a shovel and started singing.  I figured it works for dwarves and compared to the snowbank I was shoveling, I looked like one.
I will say that it helps to be friendly and helpful to others.  It also helps to be a girl that is semi-attractive.  After sharing my shovel with two men, they came over and helped me clear some of the snow away.
DH said that my OCD helped in the situation as I even was able to clear the snow away from the bottom tires and I pushed the snow away from the car so that when the plow came back, they wouldn't trap us again.
Why didn't DH do it?  Because he is sick with a sinus cold.
I will say my shoulders did get a mighty workout.
Now if I can only feel my thighs again.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

White Christmas Day After

Gosh I love my family.  We had a leisurely Christmas dinner together.  It's not what I call the usual PG affair but we didn't need it.  No pressure.  Just relaxing and letting it be.
TG loved the mini sweaters that my mom knit for her Jay Raffe.  She also is very keen on the musical bells.  We keep two bells (A & F) by her home as they make the standard 'bing bong' sound of a door bell.
After the last few days, I'm beat and my husband could use some get well soon time.  I'm going to keep today low key. 
That's easier said than done when the first thing my sick husband wants to do is go to Ikea.  My husband is the type of person that puts something in his mind and it sticks there until its resolved.  He will nag you until you finally just go bonkers.  Because of this, most of the time I just give in because, well, I don't need a whining 40 year old to add to my 2 year old and puppy dog.
Today however, I had to put my foot down.
First, he's sick.
Second, there is a blizzard going on outside. 
DH: I'll be back in time before it gets bad.
PG: It has been snowing since 11am.  I had to go out and get provisions for us.  Provisions.  You don't get provisions unless something big is about to happen.
DH: But there is a sale.  No one will be there.
PG: I don't need to be the headline.  "Family found frozen in car filled with Ikea goods. Friends quoted as saying, "He was really excited about their sale."

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Simmer down folks, one present at a time please.

Christmas morning was a frazzled morning.  Unlike last year which was a little more laid back I had to juggle a MIL who had the patience of a gnat ("Open another present.  Open another present.") on video conference and a daughter who only wanted to play with one toy at a time (am I the only one happy about this?).
Oh and DH is ill and the dog keeps wanting to go out and pee.
We settled in for a hot chocolate and ham and cheese bake breakfast and am happily deciding that everyone will stay in their pajamas even through Christmas dinner with my family.  I can't be bothered with prettying myself nowadays. 
I think next year, I'm going to ask for tickets instead of toys and books and clothes for TG.  It's just too much for the givers.  TG likes to take her time with her stuff.  Everyone else wants to rip open the present and then chuck it over the shoulder and move on.
I'm hoping TG will not be like this and stay the way she is carefully inspecting a gift and playing with it.
She loves her house.  She calls it 'my house'.  I added a large pillow as her 'couch and added her lantern and kitchen inside of it.
She loves closing the windows and doors.

Friday, December 24, 2010

The stockings were hung on the tree (no chimney) with care

All presents wrapped except for the last minute Christmas presents DH bought for TG's friends.  Yup, it happened.
Oh and he finally went to storage and brought back 4 kitchen boxes.  None had any appliances but as a bonus Christmas gift to me, the boxes did contain kitchen utensils that I had been saving up for kid.  Mini ladles, measuring cups, etc.  TG was in hog heaven.  She loved her own whisk.  Oh and my rolling pin is back.  TG looked at it and thought it was a plank of wood and asked me to carry it ala 'Make 'Em Laugh'. (I'll explain another day.)
The real reason he went to storage after two years of asking was to pick up his train set.  He set it up on Christmas Eve so that on Christmas morning along with the gift bonanza she's see a big electric train.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Scrooged

I'm fairly certain that I'm just in in the Christmas spirit as I should be. 
I'm trying but being the keeper of Christmas at my home while juggling being a mom, wife and worker bee is pulling the jolly out of the holiday.
On a good note, I suppose, I have moved beyond planning the menu weeks in advance and have given up on my holiday meal.  You know I'm the weirdo that likes the special holiday sit down meal.  This year it's a buffet.  I have no time nor the area space to pull out the dining room table.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Why?

Every year as far as I can remember, I've made cookies for my office.
I used to make a lot more but since the atmosphere has changed from a team oriented department.
I actually used to hold a contest.  The division within the department who donated the most to City Harvest would receive a large box of homemade cookies from moi.
Now, I'm just down to 30 bags of cookies.  That's still alot and every year I ask myself why I do it.
This year, I found myself scooping another batch to put into the oven when I caught myself asking why I do it.
For me, it's a small gesture to the folks that help me every now and then.  I mean, sure the place isn't like a family or a team anymore but that doesn't mean I should stop trying to be human with folks.
If I can find the time to make a small batch of cookies to share with them once a year, why shouldn't I?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I'd like to see him make a freaking Christmas cookie

For the love of all things...
So we had our first Christmas party of the season this past weekend.  TG's friend's parents hosted a lovely informal shindig.
With the help of TG, we made homemade hand rolled chocolate christmas cookies.
We made four lovely packages and decorated them with a scrapbook card addressed to each one of her super close playmates.
Since DH knows TG's friend's parents better, I left it to his discretion to figure out what to bring to the shindig for the hosts.
As we stepped into the elevator, "Are you bringing wine or something for them?"
"Oh, that is a good idea.  Too bad we don't have any."
"We have two bottles in the pantry."
"That's the special 2002 wine.  We should keep it.  I'll go to the wine shop."
"We are already 1 hour late."
"We'll you started it.  If you didn't mention it, I wouldn't have thought to bring it."
Strike one.
Each kid loved their homemade treats and devoured them.
The next day, one of her friends stopped by while I was at the cemetery visiting my dad.  They brought over a small gift for our daughter.
When I returned DH said, "They said you gave them their daughter's present yesterday."
"Yes."
"You just gave them cookies."
"Homemade cookies."
"I guess I'll have to find something to give them."
Ok, first of all, if we bought a present for every kid friend our kid has, we'd be broke.  Second, we are broke.  Third, we gave them a present.  I know he doesn't mean to but honestly, he doesn't know how much work goes into making homemade freaking cookies.  Fourth, I busted my butt and I took the time to slow things down and do it with our daughter so she could learn and also play with me.  His little sentence just belittled all the work I did making the darn things.

Monday, December 20, 2010

I'm a freaking Keebler Elf & Christmas Elf rolled into one.

It's not a competition.  I understand that we do what we can with our talents.
I just don't understand how my husband may have missed the line when God was giving out multi-tasking abilities.
This year in particular, I've noticed that I have completed 90% of the Christmas shopping for my family, all the Christmas cards, including taking the darn photos, making the layout and printing the darn things out, mailed the cards, wrapped the presents and packaged the to be mailed items, paid for the shipping and addressed all the packages, planned and made my shopping list for Christmas morning eats, made all the cookies, pulled out the Christmas decorations from storage and put up the tree, by myself (ok with the help of my 2 year old).
Add to this lovely list the fact that I also had to pick out and purchase my mother's presents to our daughter, assist my MIL in picking out and tracking her presents for our daughter [my MIL swears if she doesn't track the packages via phone not online the packages will not arrive], wrap both my MIL's presents and mom's presents for our daughter, hide said presents, scramble to find Santa's gift for daughter after Amazon.com unceremoniously cancelled our order, change my Christmas night dinner menu three times thanks to my Mom's sudden procurement of a ham and make sure my husband doesn't feel left out as he said in October, "I'm beginning to not look forward to the holidays."
I'm right now elbow deep in cookie mode.  I gave up on the rolled out cookies after two batches.  Why?  1) although it was fun with my daughter, all my kitchen supplies are still in storage so we had to roll out the dough with her wooden toy rolling pins.  [Can I get a merit badge for this feat alone?  Two bloody batches with a toy rolling pin.] and 2) I have to package 30 bags of cookies for my office because, well, I'm an idiot but that's another post.
So where is my husband in all of this?  He's studying for finals.  Yes, I can't fault him for this.  However, can someone explain to me how I somehow manage to work, make meals that don't consist of almond butter and bread for our toddler and husband and handle the rest of the above?  How do I still find a way to help toddler experience all the wonders of Christmas in NYC?  How do I still find a way to help toddler learn a bit about the real meaning of the season by showing her the manager and asking her to help me put up the display?  How do I find time to find gag gifts for his family's Christmas party and figure out what to make to bring over for the buffet?
I need three things from him: 1. drop off the Christmas packages at the post office.  I even wrapped them and paid online for the shipping.  He couldn't do this until the last minute (I predated them two days ahead knowing this would not happen the next day) and had to go to the late night post office in midtown to drop them off.  2. figure out why I can't get the bottom half of the tree lights to light.  I somehow managed to require a male-male extension cord for the bottom half.  I think I get a pass after you have read all that I've been juggling but DH thinks I have a 'retarded' tree. 3. on Christmas Eve put together the two 'put together' toys for TG.
It's less than 5 days 'til Christmas and my tree is still only half lit and I'm wondering if I'm going to have to figure out how to put together TG's house.
I'm going to need some 'special' hot chocolate.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Odds and Ends Toys

My daughter loves measuring tapes.  Forget the cornucopia of toys in the house, give her a pencil, notebook, measuring tape and coins and she's entertained for hours.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Dirty Signs. Clean Signs.

My daughter likes pointing out the water stained tile train station signs as the trains pass the station.
Anyone that knows the NYC transit system understands this means TG's commentaries are a plenty.

Friday, December 17, 2010

They probably were hungry

I couldn't find the advent calendar that I wanted for TG.  I didn't have time to make one.
So this year, I decided we'd use our manger and TG would help me add additional animals and magi to the scene for 12 days leading to Christmas.  I figured this would be a good way to introduce Jesus' birth and how we wait and prepare for his birthday.
So far it's been good.  She actually has a thing for the cow and will bring the cow to her table when she eats her meals.
I also learned something myself. 
Yesterday, I walked past the manger and found my daughter placed a plate with her toy roast chicken in the manger.  I suppose she thought the Daddy and Mommy (she doesn't call them Mary and Joseph) could be hungry waiting for baby Jesus.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dear Darling Husband

When I tell you that leaving your dirty laundry behind the bathroom door leads to the door ricocheting on our toddler when she bee lines to her potty do not respond, "Well, she'll only do it once and then she'll know better."

This is not what your wife wants to hear.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Wipes MIA

Why? Why? Why?  Is it DH always moves the wipes?  When I need them, I never know where the pack goes.  I refill the wipes in the bedroom, bathroom and living room nearly every other day because I can't find where he's moved it.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Wonder if elves need therapy.

My immunity is low.
I'm tired.
I'm stressed.
This time of the year is a jolly time.  Still I have so many things I have yet to do and so many other things that I can't even find the time to schedule to do.
DH has finals and projects so he's feeling the pressure as well.
I'm trying to leave him alone and not bother him with Christmas or other things but I'm beginning to get very weary.
It doesn't help that I've been told that I'm being relocated and need to pack my office up.
Luckily during my pregnancy, I was shuffled so many times that I learned to consolidate.  That and I'm a computer geek so I try to store everything electronically.
Still there is a degree of packing and figuring out where to put things and making sure IT knows to move my IP and all that jazz.
At home, I haven't even begun to work on Christmas cards.  This is the first year where I am so far behind in the card area.
I don't know when I'm going to be able to wrap let alone wrap my MIL's and Mom's gifts to TG.  How am I going to hide all these presents and how am I going to keep track of the wrapping?  Oy vey.
My husband has deemed my MIL's christmas gifts to TG the Chanukah presents as she has one for every crazy night of the festival of lights.
I honestly do love that the grandparents are asking me to help with the presents as it reduces duplicates and any toys that DH and I may have questions with.  Still, having them delivered to the one bedroom abode and trying to keep tabs of them and wrap them and hide them isn't fun.
Oh the best is my MIL, God love her, keeps texting me asking me what I think of the toys.  Lady, they are still in the amazon.com box because 1) when do I have time to unwrap them. 2) I ordered them.
Oh please let the Christmas holiday stress not do me in this year.  Trying to be elfish here but I'm so tired and exhausted.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Flashbacks, Imagination Blossoming & Deadly Weapons

My daughter has a strange list of 'favorite things'.
When I say favorite things, I mean the items she likes so much, she stashes them in her bed.  Parents, you know what I'm talking about.  It's as if all of us come into this world and have some type of hoarding gene.
My daughter has amassed a collection of odds and ends that I've just been stuffing into small easily to open boxes for my daughter to play with when I need a few minutes to start the rice or marinate the meat.  That sounds kinky.  Everything and anything from broken measuring tape (retraction doesn't work) and slinkies that are uncoiled to  post it love notes my husband and I used to send to each other and odd man out toys that survived the wrath of a puppy live in these boxes.  TG finds these items and dumps them on the floor.  As I clean up, if they don't belong to a toy or set and it's harmless, I stick 'em in a box.  It fascinates TG. She loves opening up the boxes to find out what's inside.
It also is a great way to see her imagination blossom.  She'll take the broken measuring tape doodad and pretend it's a harmonica or a 'freebie' notepad and binder I received and make it into her wallet notebook and stick old metrocards and stuff in it.
Anyway, items to date I can recall that I've found in her bed include:
A container of bunny crackers
A flashlight
A broken flashlight she uses as a microphone
A mini head flashlight
A tiny light used for illuminating table ornaments
Goodnight Gorilla
Her doll
Her polar bear doll (chilly bear)  By the way, chilly bear somehow has been deemed 'Mommy's lovey'.  Every night she gently places chilly bear on the opposite shoulder from her and places my arm around him.
A snowglobe which she gingerly carries around as I told her she needs to be gentle and take good care of it.
A purple ring
A topaz ring
Goodnight Moon
A book on Opposites
Several Sandra Boynton books
Guess How Much I Love You
DH's Measuring Tape

First, yes all of this stuff is in her bed in some shape or form.  Most of it is wedged against the mattress and the wall.  Some of it resides above her pillow in this little area we place diapers and wipes for overnight changes.
Today I need to share my observations on the measuring tape.  One, it's one of the more dangerous items as it's an actual metal retractable measuring tape.  Two, it hit me this evening as I saw her playing with it that when I was a kid, I loved my dad's measuring tape.  I remembering sitting on the pea green carpeting of my parent's room and pulling up the tape gingerly and slowly pushing it back in to close it.  I was never a snap back type of person.  Well that is exactly what I saw my daughter doing tonight.  She sat there and gingerly pulled the tape up and then gently guided it back down.
The appeal is obvious but it's also because Mary Poppins has a measuring tape.
We try to adhere to the recommendations of limited media for her.  We introduced her to MP recently though because she loves music and I have super fond memories of paying a quarter to see MP at my grammar school.  (I'm not that old, it was one of those movie festivals at my parochial school.  Back then, you were limited to what was deemed religiously, morally and kid friendly.)
Anyway, she loves the scene where Mary Poppins measures the children and she will re-enact this scene with me and DH whenever she sees the measuring tape.
I'm still weary of the measuring tape and I need to find one that is cloth and retractable to ease my mind.  Prior to seeing the movie, my mom gave her a retractable cloth one that looked like a bear.  (That's the one I described in the box.)  It broke.  Then I gave her my non-retractable measuring tape and she said and I quote, "No, That's not it." 
So now I have to hunt for an allusive cloth retractable measuring tape.  Not something most moms would search for during the holiday season but that may help my odds of finding one.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Am I going to have to hide our presents in storage?

With the month of December upon us, my UPS delivery man is running on overdrive, especially to our apartment.  Both grandparents have decided that I handle Christmas which means I get the joy of figuring out what to get her from Santa, her parents and two sets of grandparents.  Not only that, I have the joy of receiving the packages, hiding them and then wrapping them, hiding them again and then figuring out how to get them under the tree before we head off to the in laws celebrations on the eve of Jesus' Birthday.
Don't get me wrong, this does help to ensure we don't duplicate gifts and she gets a well rounded distribution of clothes, books and toys.  Yes, I am big on books for gifts.  I like to keep with themes.  Books on aircrafts and toy wooden aircrafts, etc...  It helps keep the reading spark alit.
But at this time, the week before Christmas, I'm dealing with the insanity of boxes and more boxes and trying to hide them in our tiny apartment.  What am I going to do when she's older.  Won't a million boxes being delivered clue our kid that something is up?  I'm wondering how I'm going to get these presents wrapped and where the heck I'm going to stash them now.  What am I going to do when she's older?

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Dirty Filthy Signs

TG likes to say that we are in a tunnel when we ride the subway.
She then says it's dark like Jonah and proceeds to sing Nothing Much in Tarshish by Justin Roberts.
It's actually quite sweet.

Since she was 1 year old, I would read out the numbers as we stopped or passed a station.
She still is very young and only knows a handful of numbers but it's cute when she tries.

Lately, she points out when a water stained sign is 'dirty' versus the 'clean' signs.  TG, every sign in the NYC subway system is filthy.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Calgon

Sometimes it's hard to feel as if you need to be the girl scout.  You need to be the one prepared because no one else will.
It's done purely as a self preservation method for me.
1.  I don't want to set off my OCD.  For me, if things aren't 'feeling right', I have to do it until it is just so.  This sets my husband off by the way so I try to hide alot of this quirkiness.  It's a delicate balance.  Keep family from going nuts because of my nuttiness yet keep my sanity by avoiding letting my nuttiness get backed.  Yes it backs up.
2.  If I'm prepared then it doesn't set off others around me.  If I can plan or foresee something as simple as making sure the raincoats are clean and ready by the door for the forecast rain tomorrow, I'll do so.  It saves me from watching and feeling my stomach roll over in knots as my husband who tends to run on a different time zone rushes to get where he needs to while a toddler poops her pants and a dog pees on our kitchen rug.
3. Sometimes, it's easier for me to just suck it up and do it knowing it will make other's lives easier because that makes my life easier.  I can't change the fact my husband will always be harried.  However, I can change his outlook and disposition if I prepare.  If I prepare food for the kid and him and pack the bag with diapers and wipes, then he may be two steps from frustration rather than one step.  I don't get that terrible tummy knot and my daughter gets a more smoother rush out the door.
Problem is, it can get to me sometimes.
I don't want accolades.  I don't want acknowledgment.  I just wish I didn't have to do this all the time.
I know some folks would say this is motherhood/wifedom.
I'm not complaining.  I'm know this is because God has given me this for a reason.
Sometimes, I just wish this compulsion or whatever it is would allow me to leave the dishes alone for one night.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Everybody toots

Ok, this is highly embarrassing but so funny I'm chuckling about it a day later.
We all try to sneak a gas pass.  It's human nature.
When DH and I were just the two of us, he'd blame the dog.  Nowadays he does either two things: hopes it doesn't stink revealing his dirty secret or he gets up and moves towards the window.
Most of the time the window thing barely works.  God love him for the effort though.
So flashforward to yesterday.
TG was at her play kitchen, which so happens to be by the window, completely concentrated on her play.  She was quite oblivious of what was going on around her.
DH spied some left over pizza on her table and went over to snag the last piece.  Then he walks away towards the kitchen. 
He comes back and sees our daughter standing still with her finger on her nose with the funniest expression we have ever seen.  It was a mix of disgust and confusion.  DH cops to letting one loose.  "Oh sorry honey, Daddy tooted."
I lost it.  I was in tears.  Her senses were so assaulted she was stunned.  She didn't move.  She didn't speak.  She just stood there in shock holding her nose for what seemed like a whole minute.
Apparently, this is a primal instinct.  I mean can anyone recall having to teach their kid to hold their nose? Other than when swimming or bathing, of course.  I mean we can all recall showing our kids how to cover their ears, their mouths, their eyes.  But I don't recall ever showing my kid how to hold her nose.
Anyway, that image of my daughter's encounter with the smelly kind is etched in my head. 

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Reading is fundamental

My kid has lost all interest in reading.  Ok not all interest but it seems like lately whenever we sit to read, her attention span is smaller.
DH is no help as he says that TG can read with me.  Way to go with team parenting, DH.
We used to be able to get through a book together.  Nowadays we barely get past three or four pages.
I'm sure it's a phase but it irks me so.  We used to have a good time reading together.
Maybe with all the Christmas stuff it's hard for her to concentrate.
It drives me nuts though that I can show her friend a book on a topic, like airplanes and show them the actual toy airplane and they are fascinated by the book and try to correlate the object in their hand with what's going on in the book.
Please tell me this is a phase or maybe I should focus more time on reading again.
Ever since DH placed our Dining Room table against TG's bookcase, she can't readily get her books.   I didn't think anything of it as she has a million books in her bookshelf in the bedroom.  Maybe I should try to bring her books closer to her again.
Argh...  Please tell me this is passing.
Must focus on reading again.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Forward Facing

We turned my daughter's car seat forward facing.  I think it's still too early but I pick and choose my battles with my husband.  I'm surprised he lasted this long with it rear facing.  Since he's still a little tender about breastfeeding, I figure she can turn.  She's almost reaching the height limits and it is almost 2.5 years so I said ok.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Snowglobe

TG loves snowglobes.  I pulled out my Charlie Brown and Snoopy snowglobe that I received many Christmases ago.  She loves it.  I told her that she needs to take good care of the snowglobe.  Ever since, she's gingerly carrying it and playing with it in her favorite place.  We know this is her favorite place as she puts all her favorite books and items she is keen on in her bed.
Last night, I found the snowglobe resting next to her doll, flashlight and copy of Goodnight Gorilla.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Star Daddy

My daughter can dial her daddy.
She knows to click the green phone and she repeats, "Star Daddy. Star Daddy."
I thought she was saying, "Call Daddy," until I looked at my phone.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Dog Sweater

Our dog was given a green light to go outside and do her business. She went to the dog run with DH and TG for the first time and had a ball.
Of course, this also means that we bought our dog a coat.
The vet gave her a clean bill of health and said we need to make sure she wears a coat when we wear a coat.
I am officially a dog owner who dresses their dog.
The vet told DH that our dog can wear toddler sized clothing so feel free to raid TG's closet.
I'm sorry but I can't put my kid's sweater on my dog. Maybe if I had 8 kids, I'd reconsider but it's my daughter and most of her sweaters are from my mom and unless my mom makes a dog specific sweater for Tasha, I can't put my kid's grandma sweater on her.
I did give her some old fleece pullovers though so I'm not completely scroogey.

Friday, December 03, 2010

What does that mean?

TG's new phrase is, "What does this mean?"
I guess she's begun that toddler stage where she wants to understand.
This sounds deceivingly easy but it is not.
Your less than 3 foot single digit child suddenly becomes an investigative reporter.
PG: Wow, there is a lot of traffic.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means there are many cars on the road and it is crowded.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means there are more cars than roadway available and we all need to wait and take our turn.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means we need to be patient and we will get home soon.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means we need to be understanding and before you know it we will be home.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means we need to be neighborly and stop crowding and we will move soon.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: It means we should have taken the train.
TG: What does that mean?
PG: Honey, I don't know. What do you think it means?
TG: Tasha go pee pee on floor.
PG: Yes PG. By the time we get home, your puppy probably will have pee peed on the floor.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

The tree is not to pee on.

I originally planned to put up our Christmas Tree after the Immaculate Conception (12.08).  I figured this would earlier than last year's brilliantly unplanned, let's wait until Christmas Eve Eve to put up the tree, prepare a dinner, wrap gifts and what not.
This year with a puppy, a puppy kennel and a potty learning toddler in the house, I did not want to add another item into our tiny apartment.
Unfortunately Christmas spirit is taking over and I think I may put the Christmas tree up on time or even earlier.
Of course none of this would be possible if DH had taken the Christmas storage boxes into storage like I had asked him last January.  Instead they sat stacked up like a Jenga game next to our bathroom.
I guess for that, I should thank my husband.  We may live like we're two steps from being cast in an episode of 'Hoarders' but at least we'll have our Christmas decorations up when they film.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Giant rats, a man cracking nuts, a cool uncle and a bunch of sugar plum fairies

My kid went to experience her first taste of the Nutcracker.
Bless DH as he took her.  She's only two and I refuse to spend $100+ on tickets for us when her attention span is just about the time it takes to boil pasta.
DH and two of her playmates headed downtown to check out a 1 hour version of the holiday ballet.
You'd think I would be a little sad that her first experience with a ballet or The Nutcracker was with him and not me.  I thought about it and I'm okay with it.
I'm not a big ballet fan.  I know that sounds ridiculous as my mother had me every class imaginable when I was a kid.
I recall my first trip to see the Nutcracker.  I got dressed like folks used to to check out a Broadway show.  I remember feeling like a big kid and really excited to go to my first ballet.
The most memorable thing I recall about the show was the houselights and the velvet-like seats.
I think I spent more time staring at the procenium arch than the action on stage.  Funny thing is, TG did the same thing at the recent Laurie Berkner Band concert.  That was a well worth the full price tickets I paid.
I don't think I bought the plot.  I know that sounds ridiculous but seriously, a rat king and a nutcracker that comes to life?  It just didn't seem like something a lucid person would write.   The beginning is great.  A big Christmas gathering.  I get it.  An eccentric uncle.  Cool.  A bratty brother who breaks a doll.  I can relate.  Then Clara goes to bed.  That's when they lose me. 
If there is that big of a rodent problem in her house that she's dreaming of giant rats, I think they are serious cleanliness issues in her home.
As you can tell, I wasn't your normal kid.
I suppose at some point, I'll take TG to a full version of the Nutcracker and she can develop her own opinion.  Maybe I'll get off easy and DH will take her.