Out of the mouths of babes

My 89-year-old grandparents live in a condo about ten minutes from us so I try to take the girls over as often as possible. Of all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the girls and I are the only ones living in the state and so we reap the benefits. My grandma takes an obscene amount of joy from feeding my kids chocolate pudding and ice cream; Anna has learned to call grandpa over to dispense the whipped cream that always ends up on top of whatever sweet she has in front of her. Usually after an hour all parties involved are ready for a nap.

Today's visit was chugging along right on schedule - the grands got their kisses, the girls went running for the M&M dispenser my grandpa keeps near his desk, my grandma's flowers and plants got watered. Then as the girls were feasting on plates heaped with their favorite foods, Anna noticed a picture of my grandpa that was taken approximately sixty years ago. After asking and finding out that the man in the Navy uniform was her great-grandpa, she turned to him and asked, "Why did you have a different face?"

Being mocked by a two-year-old? Hilarious!

Rachel has been engaging in some very reckless behavior lately. Stunts like trying to climb up onto the edge of the wet bathtub while also wet herself, then trying to jump down. Running up the stairs backwards. Jumping down the stairs. Also backwards. She has also become increasingly sneaky about trying these things. One day I was innocently emptying my bladder when Rachel's smiling face came around the corner. She continued to smile as she shut the door and I heard her bare feet not-so-lightly patter up the hallway. The girl loves to lead a chase. She also loves to respond to a reprimand by making a mock-serious face, waving her arms around and going "ooooooooooooohhhh!" And then laughing.

All of this is being described not so much to entertain as to try to explain why on one particularly crazy day, Rachel got swatted on her tushy. Just once, with clothing on. And you can save your scolding remarks because I am getting plenty of guilt from the child herself. For the past few days whenever she is being naughty and sees me coming, she widens her eyes, throws up her hands and says "don't hurt me!" I used to be proud that she spoke so clearly. Now I'm avoiding disapproving glares in public.

Pillow talk

One night last week I let Anna fall asleep in my bed. It's not something she asks for frequently but that day had been a long one for both of us and she seemed to need some extra cuddle time. We lay there exhausted and I knew she was close to sleep when the chatter gave way to the sound of her thumb sucking. I enjoyed the relative quiet and the way she curled her body into mine even as she claimed her own pillow. I was on the verge of falling asleep myself when suddenly thumb popped from mouth and Anna turned her head so her face was inches from mine. Her expression was serious.

"Mommy?"

She always waits for me to answer before proceeding.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I keep growing up."

I thought my heart was going to explode right there.

Just as she waits for me to answer her call of Mommy, she always waits for my reaction to her statement.

"Yes you do."

With that she treated me to an especially sweet smile and went back to her thumb and her own pillow and within minutes she sleeping deeply enough for me to take her to her room. But I didn't. By then I was the one who needed extra cuddling.

The flip side of potty training

One dinner at a family-style Italian restaurant with the in-laws and some family friends. Approximately three sips of water per child. Did you have any idea that this equals six trips to the potty during dinner? And that was just for Rachel. The kid can take a two-plus hour car trip without having to stop - she gets out of the swimming pool to tell me she has to go for goodness sakes - but she can't let me finish a piece of garlic bread without having a public potty adventure.

Don't get me wrong, it is all better than dealing with diapers. I am not complaining. Well, yes I am complaining but I'm allowed. I'm Mommy, dammit.

My Very First Time

My friend Claire tagged me and it's my first time ever being tagged. I suddenly feel so included. Here I go!

Where were you ten years ago?
I was smack dab in the middle of law school and my social life consisted of... oh right ha ha I had none. I was working as a law clerk at a mid-sized branch of a large law firm and discovering why I never wanted to work for a large law firm.

Five items on your To-Do list today:
Maybe I should starting making those little to-do-list-thingies... hmmm, it's a thought. Here's a shot - 1. Get at least three loads of laundry done (towels and linens), 2. Make rice dish for dinner tonight at my sister-in-law's house, 3. Confirm crazy hectic schedule for Sunday, 4. Get a few more garage sale leftover items listed on craigslist, 5. Buy ingredients to make Father's Day cake.

Snacks I Enjoy
Anything involving cheese. I love cheese. I also enjoy those lime-flavored tortilla chips, especially with guacamole. Any type of party food really. If you'd put it on a table at your Super Bowl party, I'll probably eat it.

What would you do if you were a billionaire?
Pay off the debt of all my family, make sure everyone had a place to live and kids had college funds. Buy a few trinkets and then travel EVERYWHERE.

Places I would live:
Surprisingly, I don't really mind where I live now. Not that much. Weather can be sucky but I guess home is home. But I think I could see living in Chicago. Every time I have visited that city I have felt very comfortable. Or San Francisco, I loved the weather (and I know a couple of cool people who live there too). My family being from New York I guess I should say NYC but I'm not sure. And I always thought I could live in Israel but that was 14 years ago. I'd have to go back again and see how I felt.

Bloggers I'm passing the challenge on to: Well I don't know many people who read me on a regular basis and the ones I do know don't blog themselves. So I will just have to tag Emily because I know she's out there.

Isn't It A Little Too Soon For This Conversation?

Last night Anna was enjoying a few extra minutes with Daddy while I put Rachel to bed. I came back downstairs and Anna announced very matter-of-factly: "We eat cows." I stopped in my tracks and glanced over at my husband who was sitting on the couch looking very amused. They were both staring at me, anxiously awaiting my reaction. Co-conspirators.

I was faced with a choice. (A) I could try to do damage control and hope I don't dig the hole any deeper. (B) I could ignore the situation completely and hope Anna doesn't bring it up at some inopportune time say, Monday morning on her first day of camp. Luckily for me there is always Mommy's secret option (C) Wine.

Reminder

When my girls aren't hitting, kicking, pulling hair and/or clothing, spitting (I know!), shrieking, screaming, crying, whining or thrashing they are actually quite often like this: