Life is just rushing by. There isn't a moment filled with activity when our kids are awake. Amelia especially lately is lightening fast - in all the ways that are messy. Soap, perfume, makeup, cleaning supplies - she LOVES anything in a spray bottle or pump. I am pretty sure she can empty a pump style bottle of shampoo all over the floor in under a minute. Not that I timed her last week when she did it. She has some amazing fine motor skills in that she is able to open even the smallest bottle, jar or container in order to spread it across the maximum amount of surface area in the shortest amount of time. She has also mastered opening the door knobs in our house which means few areas are safe from her*.
Last night after dinner, John and I were cleaning up the kitchen while the kids played happily together in the next room. This is a rare occurrence. I knew there would be fighting in our future with two children in the house. I was totally unprepared for it to start when Amelia was just under a year old. Most days I feel more like a referee than a mom with these two. The fighting recently has been almost constant when the two are together. Both of them are at fault most of the time and both of them have lessons to learn. We're working on that, but there is a ways to go yet and I many days lately feel like an uphill battle.
I wiped the counters while John did the dishes while we listened to the giggles and shouts of glee coming from the next room**. It makes me want to take hold of these moments and pull them close to my heart for safe keeping. They help me get through the rough moments when patience and love just isn't enough.
After the kitchen was cleaned up (I know you think I'm crazy for cleaning up the kitchen first, but when opportunity knocks, etc), I went in to see what the laughter was all about. I was thrilled to find they had come up with a game using a hard hat. One of them would put the hat on and then jump**. Upon landing, the hat would inevitably fall off - which was roll on the floor funny. After laughing themselves breathless, they would race each other to the hat and start over again.
* What worked with William at this age was to put the door knob safety covers on all the areas I didn't want William to have free access to. As he matured, this was not as much of a problem and we gradually took them all off. This won't work because now that William is potty trained, he needs free access to the bathroom at a moments notice.
** Also, about a week ago, Amelia mastered the jumping so there is actual lift off when she jumps. Gone are the hilarious days of a huge set up and no actual lift***.
***Speaking of milestones, on 11/10/10 Amelia said "I love you" for the very first time. To me. It was amazing. Amazing enough that I went out for dinner with a girlfriend without her right after I kissed her fat little cheeks off.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Top Reasons...
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving*:
I love the holiday season. As soon as Halloween is over, I feel it is time to start warming up to the Christmas season. The holiday music comes out and I start planning my Christmas baking strategy. I scheme, plot, plan and analyze the calendar from just about every angle to maximize the time we spend with our families. No scenario is off the table if it buys us a little more time to spend with the family we don't see often enough. I love just about everything about the season. The food, the family, the snow, and the stories. However, for the first time I felt differently tonight at our dinner table after the following occured:
1. Amelia currently finds it super funny to put her feet on the table while she is eating. Honest, I'm working on it, but no amount of buckling her down, scooting her in or moving her chair is effective. If you are seated next to her at the table, I'm sorry in advance.
2. Both kids are in an "off" eating phase. Some times they are super hungry and clean their plates. Some times their not. We are definately in a NOT phase.
3. Amelia usually is an enthusiastic eater. In the last few weeks she has slowed down for a variety of reasons (typically happens at this age, she is cutting molars). However, in the last few weeks she has started taking the food from her plate and looking at it before annoucing "DON'T LIKE IT!" before throwing it to the floor. (Again, sorry! in advance)
4. I've been trying to make some of the typical Thanksgiving food for the kids to get them warmed up to Thanksgiving fare. So far, we don't have any takers on anything except dessert.
5. Both kids have realized they can use their feet to push the kitchen table back and forth towards each other and rock their chairs back wards. As we have them sitting across from each other (divide and conqueor: it is our family motto), the table is pushed back and forth between the two. It can be a real challenge to get the food to your mouth with the table in perpetual motion in an unpredictable pattern.
6. Bickering, etc. Oooohhh the bickering that never ends. We now fight over the color of the plates, the forks/spoons and the food on the plate. The grass is always greener y'all. The grass is always greener.
7. No meal is complete without Wililam leaping from the table trailing a line of crumbs, yelling "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" over his shoulder. What really makes the moment is when he adds, "WHO WANTS TO WIPE THIS TIME?"
8. Conversation? What conversation? The kids are done eating in roughly 8.26 minutes. If the kids are done eating, we have only moments before things start to fall apart. Less if the kids don't like what is on their plates. I'm not sure we know how to hold an adult conversation anymore**. I'm not entirely sure anyone has table manners anymore.
9. What little conversation there is revolves around vehicles, construction and William's day. What number is Thomas the train? All over that one. Who is Dizzy and what does type of work does she do for Bob the B.uil.der? I got it. What did we do after lunch? I can probably fill you in. While talking with my mouth full.
10. The spilled milk. There is always spilled milk. Occasionally spectacularly spilled milk.
I could probably go on and on - but I wouldn't want to scare you away entirely. Or lose our invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. It was just tonight, I was a little horrified when I realized I have a very short amount of time in which to whip everyone into shape. Now I'm wondering if anyone will enjoy their meal with us and our miles of "entertainment". We are a show you won't want to miss!
* Really, I love Thanksgiving.
**Get your mind out of the gutter! You know, talk of the weather, inquiring about jobs, movies, etc.
I love the holiday season. As soon as Halloween is over, I feel it is time to start warming up to the Christmas season. The holiday music comes out and I start planning my Christmas baking strategy. I scheme, plot, plan and analyze the calendar from just about every angle to maximize the time we spend with our families. No scenario is off the table if it buys us a little more time to spend with the family we don't see often enough. I love just about everything about the season. The food, the family, the snow, and the stories. However, for the first time I felt differently tonight at our dinner table after the following occured:
1. Amelia currently finds it super funny to put her feet on the table while she is eating. Honest, I'm working on it, but no amount of buckling her down, scooting her in or moving her chair is effective. If you are seated next to her at the table, I'm sorry in advance.
2. Both kids are in an "off" eating phase. Some times they are super hungry and clean their plates. Some times their not. We are definately in a NOT phase.
3. Amelia usually is an enthusiastic eater. In the last few weeks she has slowed down for a variety of reasons (typically happens at this age, she is cutting molars). However, in the last few weeks she has started taking the food from her plate and looking at it before annoucing "DON'T LIKE IT!" before throwing it to the floor. (Again, sorry! in advance)
4. I've been trying to make some of the typical Thanksgiving food for the kids to get them warmed up to Thanksgiving fare. So far, we don't have any takers on anything except dessert.
5. Both kids have realized they can use their feet to push the kitchen table back and forth towards each other and rock their chairs back wards. As we have them sitting across from each other (divide and conqueor: it is our family motto), the table is pushed back and forth between the two. It can be a real challenge to get the food to your mouth with the table in perpetual motion in an unpredictable pattern.
6. Bickering, etc. Oooohhh the bickering that never ends. We now fight over the color of the plates, the forks/spoons and the food on the plate. The grass is always greener y'all. The grass is always greener.
7. No meal is complete without Wililam leaping from the table trailing a line of crumbs, yelling "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" over his shoulder. What really makes the moment is when he adds, "WHO WANTS TO WIPE THIS TIME?"
8. Conversation? What conversation? The kids are done eating in roughly 8.26 minutes. If the kids are done eating, we have only moments before things start to fall apart. Less if the kids don't like what is on their plates. I'm not sure we know how to hold an adult conversation anymore**. I'm not entirely sure anyone has table manners anymore.
9. What little conversation there is revolves around vehicles, construction and William's day. What number is Thomas the train? All over that one. Who is Dizzy and what does type of work does she do for Bob the B.uil.der? I got it. What did we do after lunch? I can probably fill you in. While talking with my mouth full.
10. The spilled milk. There is always spilled milk. Occasionally spectacularly spilled milk.
I could probably go on and on - but I wouldn't want to scare you away entirely. Or lose our invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. It was just tonight, I was a little horrified when I realized I have a very short amount of time in which to whip everyone into shape. Now I'm wondering if anyone will enjoy their meal with us and our miles of "entertainment". We are a show you won't want to miss!
* Really, I love Thanksgiving.
**Get your mind out of the gutter! You know, talk of the weather, inquiring about jobs, movies, etc.
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