Josie: "Mom, look! I'm washing the BACKS of my hands, too! My friend Alexis taught me that."
Me: "I taught you that. Years ago. Plus we discussed it last week. In depth."
Josie: "No, Alexis taught me this."
Me: "No, I did."
Josie: "Mom, you've never mentioned this before. Not once. Alexis taught me this to stay healthy."
Me: "I guess it's a good thing I sent you to preschool so your new friends could teach you about proper hygiene."
Josie: "Yeah. Alexis is great."
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Halloween 2014
Would you even believe me if I told you I still consider this blog a digital baby book for my girls (along with Instagram) even though I have not been here in months? Sad, but true. I've missed documenting so many moments in not only the girls' lives, but the rest of the family. Like, hey, I failed to mention that Jeremy and I went away for the first time in four years.
Anyway, I figured a big Halloween photo dump was the way to ease myself back into blogging. Hey, all the cool kids are doing them!
Last year was the year of thousand parties, and this year was the year of one party for each girl, at the same date and time, in separate locations. We made do.
My mom went and helped run games at Josie's first ever class Halloween party, and I took Genevieve to her playgroup party.
Genevieve had asked to be Mickey Mouse every day for a month, and when I went to buy a costume from the Disney store they were all out. My mom paid a ton for one on ebay, and when it arrived, Genevieve took one look at it and ran away screaming. We tried showing it to her for weeks, and she just shook her head and ran the other way. Right before her playgroup party, I took her over to our costume stash and told her to pick. She put her arms out straight in front of her and started running around the room making zooming noises, which I interpreted correctly as a request for a Super Girl costume. Josie asked to be a pink and purple unicorn, and in a month and a half, only wavered once, asking instead to be a car once, so I made her a unicorn.
According to tradition, on Halloween my mom and dad came over before trick or treating and brought us dinner (I REALLY like that tradition), then the girls got dressed and practiced trick or treating with the treats my mom and dad brought them. Genevieve still didn't want to be Mickey, for unknown reasons, but thankfully she chose a dinosaur costume that could fit lots of layers underneath.
Last year, Genevieve was still not so clear on the concept of Halloween, but this year she was INTO IT. She showed us every treat she got, and as soon as we left every house she shouted (her version of) "LET'S GO!" to urge us to the next house. They were both pretty peeved when I said we should pack it in.
My mom went and helped run games at Josie's first ever class Halloween party, and I took Genevieve to her playgroup party.
According to tradition, on Halloween my mom and dad came over before trick or treating and brought us dinner (I REALLY like that tradition), then the girls got dressed and practiced trick or treating with the treats my mom and dad brought them. Genevieve still didn't want to be Mickey, for unknown reasons, but thankfully she chose a dinosaur costume that could fit lots of layers underneath.
It was rainy and cold and there was a wind advisory and it was generally miserable, but the girls had four layers under their costumes, including fleece-lined tights, pants, long underwear, sweaters, coats, hats, gloves, and more. My mom and dad stayed at the house so Jeremy and I could both take them out, and they lasted an hour in the pouring rain before I dragged them home. I was freezing and soaking, but they were fine because of all the layers. The rain had soaked their costumes, but the inner layers were dry, and they were actually a little sweaty.
Next, we headed over to Jeremy's parents' house, and after that, to his Grandma's house, where all the aunts and uncles and cousins gather when trick or treating is done.
We finally headed home, a few hours past bedtime, and for some reason, Josie kept sneaking out of bed and had wide, crazy eyes. No clue as to the reason.
And now, just because I can, all of Halloweens past:
All in all, it was a successful Halloween, even if my feet still feel cold and wet sixteen hours later.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Perspective (Also, a Poll. A Very Important Poll.)
Last night I was at a meeting and they handed around a bundle of pens and told us each to take one. The outside of the pen was white with blue accents, so I smiled and said thank you, but discreetly doodled on my paper just to check, and ... YES! Black ink! The way god intended.
Suddenly, for no other reason than the fact that I was relishing having a new BLACK-INK pen, I had a revelation about my marriage and life in general (stay with me here).
I have this thing about pens. I write with black pens, and black pens only. If there are only blue pens at my disposal (shudder), I will use anything else (crayon, lipstick, eyeliner) before using that distasteful blue ink. No, I don't really know why (other than the fact that printers and newspapers print typeface in black ink, so why shouldn't I also produce black lettering), but I will defend my choice until the day I die. BLACK INK OR NOTHING.
Jeremy, on the other hand, is a blue ink man. Now, he lacks the flair for the dramatic that I so luckily possess, so unlike myself, he does not report feelings of nausea when seeing the wrong color ink before him. He simply says "Nope. Get this abomination away from me," and finds himself a blue pen.
Until last night, I always thought this was something that made us incompatible. Seeing as I am the person who does roughly 99% of the buying of household goods, the fact that I can't buy a pack of black pens and know that it will be universally appreciated irks me. I am further irked by the fact that there are blue pens (BLUE PENS!) roaming around my house, and at any moment, I could pick one up and WRITE AN APPOINTMENT ON THE KITCHEN CALENDAR IN BLUE PEN, destroying the beautiful field of black ink, much like I did yesterday, when someone I had been waiting to hear from called to make an appointment, and I was juggling two small monkeys and food on the stove and a dog underfoot, and grabbed a pen and NO! WRONG! EVERYTHING'S RUINED!
I even thought I should come here one day and ask you "Who's right? What is the correct pen color? Also, take my side."
But then, last night, as I was looking fondly at my new Great Start Collaborative pen, I realized it was safe. It was all mine. Because Jeremy would never steal it. Because I only like black pens and Jeremy only likes blue pens and WHOA, HEY, I also don't like sharing, and the fact that Jeremy and I each have this strange hang-up about pens actually makes us MORE compatible because we will never have to share a favorite pen or accuse the other of stealing one.
Perspective. I have it.
Get this: It goes further.
Perhaps my two favorite foods in the world are pickles and olives (save me the thoughts on whatever deficiency I likely have because of my penchant for vinegar-based foods). I was truly shocked and saddened that Jeremy hates them with the fire of a thousand suns.
But, guess who is never going to look in the fridge and see her husband has eaten the last pickle or olive? ME.
Jeremy's dislike of nearly every vegetable, anything green, and most things healthy makes cooking for my family one of the most onerous jobs on the planet. I often weep while meal planning.
But, every time we go to a function where there is a plated meal (of which we have been to many, due to weddings and the fact that my father's job has us knee-deep in banquets), I happily eat all the vegetables off my plate while he eats all the red meat off of his (not my favorite, by a long shot), then we happily switch plates and repeat. DOUBLE OF MY FAVORITES.
So, really, our mismatched likes and dislikes is a great thing sometimes, and I finally figured it out. It only took me five and a half year of marriage. Look who's swift on the uptake.
Now if only he liked the show FRIENDS, our marriage would basically be perfect.
P.S. Okay, I still want to do the poll. I think people fall into three groups regarding pen color, and I would love to get some statistics on the matter. Your response is crucial! It could save all of humanity! (probably)
Apparently I can't add a poll to a post, so if you look over to the right, directly under the lovely picture of me, you will see a poll. Vote! Vote early! Vote often (once)! I am hugely fascinated. Humor me.
Suddenly, for no other reason than the fact that I was relishing having a new BLACK-INK pen, I had a revelation about my marriage and life in general (stay with me here).
I have this thing about pens. I write with black pens, and black pens only. If there are only blue pens at my disposal (shudder), I will use anything else (crayon, lipstick, eyeliner) before using that distasteful blue ink. No, I don't really know why (other than the fact that printers and newspapers print typeface in black ink, so why shouldn't I also produce black lettering), but I will defend my choice until the day I die. BLACK INK OR NOTHING.
Jeremy, on the other hand, is a blue ink man. Now, he lacks the flair for the dramatic that I so luckily possess, so unlike myself, he does not report feelings of nausea when seeing the wrong color ink before him. He simply says "Nope. Get this abomination away from me," and finds himself a blue pen.
Until last night, I always thought this was something that made us incompatible. Seeing as I am the person who does roughly 99% of the buying of household goods, the fact that I can't buy a pack of black pens and know that it will be universally appreciated irks me. I am further irked by the fact that there are blue pens (BLUE PENS!) roaming around my house, and at any moment, I could pick one up and WRITE AN APPOINTMENT ON THE KITCHEN CALENDAR IN BLUE PEN, destroying the beautiful field of black ink, much like I did yesterday, when someone I had been waiting to hear from called to make an appointment, and I was juggling two small monkeys and food on the stove and a dog underfoot, and grabbed a pen and NO! WRONG! EVERYTHING'S RUINED!
I even thought I should come here one day and ask you "Who's right? What is the correct pen color? Also, take my side."
But then, last night, as I was looking fondly at my new Great Start Collaborative pen, I realized it was safe. It was all mine. Because Jeremy would never steal it. Because I only like black pens and Jeremy only likes blue pens and WHOA, HEY, I also don't like sharing, and the fact that Jeremy and I each have this strange hang-up about pens actually makes us MORE compatible because we will never have to share a favorite pen or accuse the other of stealing one.
Perspective. I have it.
Get this: It goes further.
Perhaps my two favorite foods in the world are pickles and olives (save me the thoughts on whatever deficiency I likely have because of my penchant for vinegar-based foods). I was truly shocked and saddened that Jeremy hates them with the fire of a thousand suns.
But, guess who is never going to look in the fridge and see her husband has eaten the last pickle or olive? ME.
Jeremy's dislike of nearly every vegetable, anything green, and most things healthy makes cooking for my family one of the most onerous jobs on the planet. I often weep while meal planning.
But, every time we go to a function where there is a plated meal (of which we have been to many, due to weddings and the fact that my father's job has us knee-deep in banquets), I happily eat all the vegetables off my plate while he eats all the red meat off of his (not my favorite, by a long shot), then we happily switch plates and repeat. DOUBLE OF MY FAVORITES.
So, really, our mismatched likes and dislikes is a great thing sometimes, and I finally figured it out. It only took me five and a half year of marriage. Look who's swift on the uptake.
Now if only he liked the show FRIENDS, our marriage would basically be perfect.
P.S. Okay, I still want to do the poll. I think people fall into three groups regarding pen color, and I would love to get some statistics on the matter. Your response is crucial! It could save all of humanity! (probably)
Apparently I can't add a poll to a post, so if you look over to the right, directly under the lovely picture of me, you will see a poll. Vote! Vote early! Vote often (once)! I am hugely fascinated. Humor me.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Josephine's First Week of Preschool is in the Books
Preschool.
HOLY BUCKETS, we just survived the first week of preschool.
I'm here to tell you I didn't think I'd make it. I'm also here to share every little detail with you, because that's what I do (and because I want to be able to go back and read this years from now).
DAY 1: Josie was SUPER geeked. Just excited beyond belief. I was praying that I would make it out of the classroom before I started crying.
She picked out a special outfit, requested an Elsa braid, let me take a few pictures (I didn't bend to peer pressure, so NO SIGN FOR US), and we were off. Thankfully, Jeremy took the day off (unfortunately it was because he was going to be in Atlanta Tuesday through Thursday), and he dragged me out of the classroom when I started getting misty-eyed. Josie was so busy she didn't even look up when we said good-bye. I started sobbing as soon as I got out the door. And all the way to the car. And for the next hour. It was rough.
Her teachers made the parents a little gift, and while the tissues were a lifesaver, it actually made me cry even more.
I did tell Jeremy a few times that I had made a mistake and was going back for her, but he took my keys from me, so I guess it really was a good thing he took the whole day off.
When we went to get her, we waited in the little vestibule where parents have to wait to sign kids out, and when her teachers came with the line of kids, Jeremy and I burst out laughing. At the front of the line was Josie, hair standing on end, all glassy-eyed and looking discombobulated. She was worn out.
Unfortunately, the glassy eyes and confusion were also because she thought she was going to be able to take a puzzle home with her and she didn't get one on the way out, and WHY?!? At the open house, she got to pick out a puzzle to take home, and apparently thought this was going to be a daily occurrence. A crucial part of preschool, if you will. Oops.
She cried about that for a while, and then when she got over it, she told us that one of the boys was calling her names and told her she wasn't allowed to play with the hammer and nails she wanted to play with. That absolutely broke my heart. On the FIRST DAY? Ugh. Luckily, we talked about it, and she was eventually okay with it and developed a plan about what to do if it happened again. We tried to pry details about the rest of the day out of her and got nothing.
Did you play with toys?
No.
Did you sing songs?
No.
Did you read books?
No.
Did you do an art project?
No.
Did you go outside?
No.
What did you do?
*shrug*
Okay, got it.
DAY 2: It is sinking in that we have to do this EVERY DAY. Until she's eighteen. UGH. She picked out another outfit, picked out another fancy hairdo, and we headed out. However, as we pulled into the parking lot, she asked "Can I just walk into school without stopping so you can take a picture of me outside the building this time?" Geez. I mean ... I guess. (*puts camera back in purse*).
I still cried, but less today. When I picked her up, the first thing she told me was "No one called me names today!!" She still told me she did nothing at school, but then a few hours later little bits and pieces started coming to her. The highlights of the day were apparently drinking milk out of a tiny carton and going on the teeter totter. She was sad that Jeremy was gone, and I was getting a little nervous about how the rest of the week would play out if she was missing him and still adjusting to preschool, but I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
DAY 3: Another fun outfit, another fun hairdo, another day of me trying really hard not to cry ... and I finally succeeded! Genevieve was a little better today, too. She was sad when we dropped Josie off, but she only asked for her a few times while she was gone, so that was a huge improvement.
When I picked Josie up, she was bursting with excitement about having a fire drill that day, but once I strapped her in her car seat, she remembered something else from that day and started crying out of nowhere. She told me, "My teacher read me this book ... it was called the Kissing Hand ... " and in my head I screamed "OH SHIT!" She had a little breakdown about missing me while she was at school and how she was going to cry all day because she couldn't see me, and I almost lost it.
Josie is just the kind of kid who doesn't think about things being scary or sad unless you suggest it. She was never scared of anything in her life until one day someone was reading her a book about monsters and told her not to be scared. She was like, "Wait, what? I should be scared?" and we had to deal with her freaking out at every noise, thinking it was a monster. It took months for her to get over. So when The Kissing Hand suggested that she might be sad when her mama left her at school, she got REALLY sad. I was freaking out about the next day. The only thing that had been making this doable had been the fact that she actually wanted to go. If she had been crying when I dropped her off, I don't know what I would have done.
DAY 4: Luckily, at drop off, she held it together. She asked me to kiss her hand, and asked if the kiss would stay on all day, no matter what. Then she asked to kiss my hand (SOB) and told me if I got lonely while she was at school, I just had to press my hand to my cheek, and it would tell me "Josie loves you." Soooo, yeah, I definitely cried as I walked out the door and pressed my hand to my cheek.
She was fine when I picked her up, though. Well, she had a blister on her foot from her new shoes (oops), but she told me about reading books and going outside to play, so it seems like at the end of the week she was pretty much settled in and was not so overwhelmed that she could actually tell me a little about her day, which seemed like progress. I was a little concerned that she still didn't know any of her classmates' names, even though a few had greeted her by name that morning, so I told her a nice thing to do would be to ask what her classmates' names were and try to remember them. She looked at my like I had lobsters coming out of my ears. Oh well.
And with that, we had survived the first week!!
This morning while we were waiting in the vestibule, she was walking up to all the other kids and asking their names. Then she was holding hands with one tiny little boy and taking him around and introducing him to all the kids and parents: "This is my friend Henry!" She finally brought him over to me, and after she introduced him, he said forlornly, "My name's CHARLIE." Hey, she tried.
Week two is off to a great start. I can't wait to pick her up today.
HOLY BUCKETS, we just survived the first week of preschool.
I'm here to tell you I didn't think I'd make it. I'm also here to share every little detail with you, because that's what I do (and because I want to be able to go back and read this years from now).
DAY 1: Josie was SUPER geeked. Just excited beyond belief. I was praying that I would make it out of the classroom before I started crying.
Her teachers made the parents a little gift, and while the tissues were a lifesaver, it actually made me cry even more.
When we went to get her, we waited in the little vestibule where parents have to wait to sign kids out, and when her teachers came with the line of kids, Jeremy and I burst out laughing. At the front of the line was Josie, hair standing on end, all glassy-eyed and looking discombobulated. She was worn out.
Unfortunately, the glassy eyes and confusion were also because she thought she was going to be able to take a puzzle home with her and she didn't get one on the way out, and WHY?!? At the open house, she got to pick out a puzzle to take home, and apparently thought this was going to be a daily occurrence. A crucial part of preschool, if you will. Oops.
She cried about that for a while, and then when she got over it, she told us that one of the boys was calling her names and told her she wasn't allowed to play with the hammer and nails she wanted to play with. That absolutely broke my heart. On the FIRST DAY? Ugh. Luckily, we talked about it, and she was eventually okay with it and developed a plan about what to do if it happened again. We tried to pry details about the rest of the day out of her and got nothing.
Did you play with toys?
No.
Did you sing songs?
No.
Did you read books?
No.
Did you do an art project?
No.
Did you go outside?
No.
What did you do?
*shrug*
Okay, got it.
DAY 2: It is sinking in that we have to do this EVERY DAY. Until she's eighteen. UGH. She picked out another outfit, picked out another fancy hairdo, and we headed out. However, as we pulled into the parking lot, she asked "Can I just walk into school without stopping so you can take a picture of me outside the building this time?" Geez. I mean ... I guess. (*puts camera back in purse*).
I still cried, but less today. When I picked her up, the first thing she told me was "No one called me names today!!" She still told me she did nothing at school, but then a few hours later little bits and pieces started coming to her. The highlights of the day were apparently drinking milk out of a tiny carton and going on the teeter totter. She was sad that Jeremy was gone, and I was getting a little nervous about how the rest of the week would play out if she was missing him and still adjusting to preschool, but I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
DAY 3: Another fun outfit, another fun hairdo, another day of me trying really hard not to cry ... and I finally succeeded! Genevieve was a little better today, too. She was sad when we dropped Josie off, but she only asked for her a few times while she was gone, so that was a huge improvement.
When I picked Josie up, she was bursting with excitement about having a fire drill that day, but once I strapped her in her car seat, she remembered something else from that day and started crying out of nowhere. She told me, "My teacher read me this book ... it was called the Kissing Hand ... " and in my head I screamed "OH SHIT!" She had a little breakdown about missing me while she was at school and how she was going to cry all day because she couldn't see me, and I almost lost it.
Josie is just the kind of kid who doesn't think about things being scary or sad unless you suggest it. She was never scared of anything in her life until one day someone was reading her a book about monsters and told her not to be scared. She was like, "Wait, what? I should be scared?" and we had to deal with her freaking out at every noise, thinking it was a monster. It took months for her to get over. So when The Kissing Hand suggested that she might be sad when her mama left her at school, she got REALLY sad. I was freaking out about the next day. The only thing that had been making this doable had been the fact that she actually wanted to go. If she had been crying when I dropped her off, I don't know what I would have done.
DAY 4: Luckily, at drop off, she held it together. She asked me to kiss her hand, and asked if the kiss would stay on all day, no matter what. Then she asked to kiss my hand (SOB) and told me if I got lonely while she was at school, I just had to press my hand to my cheek, and it would tell me "Josie loves you." Soooo, yeah, I definitely cried as I walked out the door and pressed my hand to my cheek.
She was fine when I picked her up, though. Well, she had a blister on her foot from her new shoes (oops), but she told me about reading books and going outside to play, so it seems like at the end of the week she was pretty much settled in and was not so overwhelmed that she could actually tell me a little about her day, which seemed like progress. I was a little concerned that she still didn't know any of her classmates' names, even though a few had greeted her by name that morning, so I told her a nice thing to do would be to ask what her classmates' names were and try to remember them. She looked at my like I had lobsters coming out of my ears. Oh well.
And with that, we had survived the first week!!
This morning while we were waiting in the vestibule, she was walking up to all the other kids and asking their names. Then she was holding hands with one tiny little boy and taking him around and introducing him to all the kids and parents: "This is my friend Henry!" She finally brought him over to me, and after she introduced him, he said forlornly, "My name's CHARLIE." Hey, she tried.
Week two is off to a great start. I can't wait to pick her up today.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Big Day, Josie Style
Today was a big day for the Joze. Every Thursday for the past two years, she has had the privilege of hanging out with Ms. Jen at the Great Start playgroup in Marysville. Not long after we moved to Marysville, my mom discovered this program and told me to get out of my living room and get over there, and boy am I glad I did. We love the other kids and everything about it, but Ms. Jen is the very best.
Since Josie is heading to preschool four days a week starting Monday (SOB), we will not get our Jen fix on Thursdays, and it is a sad transition.
She is Josie's first teacher, and she is a lot to live up to. I'd like to tell you to look up the Great Start program, but what you really need is a Ms. Jen, and you can only have her if you live nearby and have a kid who is 0-5, so ... sorry if you don't meet the criteria.
I'm excited for the possibility of preschool having Thursdays included in Spring Break and Christmas break so she can head back for a visit. She is loved, and she will never be forgotten.
A few hours later, we headed to preschool open house (sob, sob, double sob).
Josie has been asking to go to school for about 6 months, and I have been vacillating between dreading it and denying it will ever happen. Josie is SOOO excited and I cried during the open house ... the half-hour open house, for goodness sake.
She had a total blast and cried when she had to leave. I think she's going to have a great year.
Annnnnd, as I'm writing this, she is crawling out of her bedroom silently as a ninja with the head of a tiger costume on her head and a crown on top of that. She tells me she tried on several disguises and went with this one, thinking we definitely wouldn't notice her out of bed.
There you have it, folks. She's all grown up.
Since Josie is heading to preschool four days a week starting Monday (SOB), we will not get our Jen fix on Thursdays, and it is a sad transition.
I'm excited for the possibility of preschool having Thursdays included in Spring Break and Christmas break so she can head back for a visit. She is loved, and she will never be forgotten.
A few hours later, we headed to preschool open house (sob, sob, double sob).
She had a total blast and cried when she had to leave. I think she's going to have a great year.
There you have it, folks. She's all grown up.
Friday, September 5, 2014
He is the Actual Best
Jeremy and I have this arrangement. If I have A DAY with the girls, I am more than welcome to just abandon ship as soon as he gets home. I can leave the house screaming for the car, go upstairs and hide, whatever I want. Luckily, I have only had to use this option a handful of times, mostly when G was brand new and Josie was two and adjusting to not being an only child.
I honestly have no idea how today got the way it did, but by 3 PM I was thinking I was going to need to hire a young priest and an old priest, and then by 4 PM, thought I was going to need two of each -- one set for Josie, and one for me.
So I called Jeremy, telling him I was a mile past my breaking point and it was a BAD day for him to be swamped and leaving the office late, and of course he told me he would handle dinner and bed and just to leave when he got home.
I went and sat by the water for a while and listened to the waves, and then I came home and hid in the bedroom with wine, chocolate-covered pretzels, and Netflix. I am much better already.
A storm hit not long after I got home, and it was bad enough to knock out the power for a while. Of course I did a slow-motion "NOOOOOOOO! NOT MY NETFLIX!" scream, but thankfully it came back on after a while. When it came back, my janky baby monitor that was making horrible noises so I unplugged it and took out the batteries and it still made weird noises all day (I HAVE NO IDEA) came to life and picked up on Jeremy playing with the girls. I left it on and heard giggling and books being read and general happiness. It was ... just lovely.
There are a million reasons why he is an amazing dad, but it's days like this when it hits me like a ton of bricks.
A few weeks ago, after dinner Jeremy could tell I was spent and asked if I wanted to sit on the couch and let him handle baths and bed. I said "you betcha" and the girls were geeked to have daddy all to themselves. I put my feet up, put on some trashy TV, and a few minutes later, while the girls were splashing in the tub, Josie asked Jeremy to sing "Love is an Open Door" from Frozen and he did, and I sat on that couch feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
I told my mom about it, and she said, "Well, I didn't see any facebook status about it! You should let people know how amazing that man is!" She's right. I need to tell the Internet how great he is.
Thanks, Jeremy. You're the best.
I honestly have no idea how today got the way it did, but by 3 PM I was thinking I was going to need to hire a young priest and an old priest, and then by 4 PM, thought I was going to need two of each -- one set for Josie, and one for me.
So I called Jeremy, telling him I was a mile past my breaking point and it was a BAD day for him to be swamped and leaving the office late, and of course he told me he would handle dinner and bed and just to leave when he got home.
I went and sat by the water for a while and listened to the waves, and then I came home and hid in the bedroom with wine, chocolate-covered pretzels, and Netflix. I am much better already.
A storm hit not long after I got home, and it was bad enough to knock out the power for a while. Of course I did a slow-motion "NOOOOOOOO! NOT MY NETFLIX!" scream, but thankfully it came back on after a while. When it came back, my janky baby monitor that was making horrible noises so I unplugged it and took out the batteries and it still made weird noises all day (I HAVE NO IDEA) came to life and picked up on Jeremy playing with the girls. I left it on and heard giggling and books being read and general happiness. It was ... just lovely.
There are a million reasons why he is an amazing dad, but it's days like this when it hits me like a ton of bricks.
A few weeks ago, after dinner Jeremy could tell I was spent and asked if I wanted to sit on the couch and let him handle baths and bed. I said "you betcha" and the girls were geeked to have daddy all to themselves. I put my feet up, put on some trashy TV, and a few minutes later, while the girls were splashing in the tub, Josie asked Jeremy to sing "Love is an Open Door" from Frozen and he did, and I sat on that couch feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
I told my mom about it, and she said, "Well, I didn't see any facebook status about it! You should let people know how amazing that man is!" She's right. I need to tell the Internet how great he is.
Thanks, Jeremy. You're the best.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
There's Only So Much I Can Do
When I was a teenager, my mom always told me she would stare at me, unable to believe she had a teenager, because she felt like she was in her early twenties, tops. I always thought that was hilarious, and also a little strange, because how could you feel like you were a totally different age than you were? I felt like my age.
Now (I think you see where this is going), expect for when I am tired and overwhelmed and feel like I am 80, I am always shocked when I am reminded that I am 32. More specifically, I have a hard time remembering that I am an adult. An actual, real-life adult. With KIDS! And a HOUSE! Someone with bills and animals. I have a car that I must not only pay for, but maintain. I have to buy and prepare ALL THE FOOD for four people, including two kids who require roughly six meals a day (when they are not in the midst of a growth spurt).
Every once in a while, I will be dragging the garbage can back to the house, or luggging the groceries inside, or sitting at a stoplight, and I will notice someone else looking at me, and it is shocking to realize that they see me as an adult (or even old, as the kid at the Taco Bell drive-thru makes very clear with all the "ma'am"s he throws around). I'm not old! I'm just a kid who has a husband and a house and a few kids, and ... okay, I see where you're going with this.
Anyway, all of that back story was just to let you know that even though I have a hard time remembering I'm an adult, I have grown in little ways that I really pat myself on the back over.
EXHIBIT A: Today, while we were reading stories on Josie's bedroom floor before nap time, I felt something on my back. Of course, I assumed it was a spider crawling on me, just like every time a loose hair falls from my head to my arm. However, I held it together and kept reading. Bravo, me.
But, BUT, a few seconds later I caught something out of the corner of my eye, and it was a SPIDER CRAWLING AWAY FROM BEHIND ME. Get this: I didn't scream or cry or throw the girls off my lap. I quietly squished it* without the girls seeing.
BOOM. That situation just got ADULTED.
Now, as proud as I am for that personal growth and maturity that I exhibited today, I feel like I should admit what happened a few hours before that.
I was rushing around to clean the bathroom early this morning, and I had just scrubbed the tub, sink, and toilet, and Jeremy was about to leave, so I told him to look at the gleaming fixtures before he left because they wouldn't look that good when he got home. Josie walked over and said "Well, yeah, but look at the floor. There's dog hair all over it." My first instinct was to shout "YOU'RE the one with dog hair all over you!" Sure, I didn't actually say that. Instead, I blinked a few times and silently closed the door, but that still isn't what I'd consider a pro move.
So maybe I'm right in not feeling like an adult quite yet.
*I have all new rules when it comes to spiders, because I felt like a "squish now, ask questions later" approach was a bit too harsh since I claim to love living things and nature and blah blah blah. My new rule is a spider must die under three circumstances: 1) It is poisonous, 2) It is in my bedroom when I'm about to go to bed, 3) It's in one of my kids' bedrooms at any time of the day. I feel like this is more than fair, and it also makes me feel like an adult.
** Pro tip: NEVER tile your floor with the small shiny white tiles that you would use in a shower surround. Especially if you have a black furry animal living in the house. I can Swiffer and scrub the floor and two minutes later it looks like I've never cleaned it once. It's a real situation. This makes me feel like an adult too, but in the worst way possible.
Now (I think you see where this is going), expect for when I am tired and overwhelmed and feel like I am 80, I am always shocked when I am reminded that I am 32. More specifically, I have a hard time remembering that I am an adult. An actual, real-life adult. With KIDS! And a HOUSE! Someone with bills and animals. I have a car that I must not only pay for, but maintain. I have to buy and prepare ALL THE FOOD for four people, including two kids who require roughly six meals a day (when they are not in the midst of a growth spurt).
Every once in a while, I will be dragging the garbage can back to the house, or luggging the groceries inside, or sitting at a stoplight, and I will notice someone else looking at me, and it is shocking to realize that they see me as an adult (or even old, as the kid at the Taco Bell drive-thru makes very clear with all the "ma'am"s he throws around). I'm not old! I'm just a kid who has a husband and a house and a few kids, and ... okay, I see where you're going with this.
Anyway, all of that back story was just to let you know that even though I have a hard time remembering I'm an adult, I have grown in little ways that I really pat myself on the back over.
EXHIBIT A: Today, while we were reading stories on Josie's bedroom floor before nap time, I felt something on my back. Of course, I assumed it was a spider crawling on me, just like every time a loose hair falls from my head to my arm. However, I held it together and kept reading. Bravo, me.
But, BUT, a few seconds later I caught something out of the corner of my eye, and it was a SPIDER CRAWLING AWAY FROM BEHIND ME. Get this: I didn't scream or cry or throw the girls off my lap. I quietly squished it* without the girls seeing.
BOOM. That situation just got ADULTED.
Now, as proud as I am for that personal growth and maturity that I exhibited today, I feel like I should admit what happened a few hours before that.
I was rushing around to clean the bathroom early this morning, and I had just scrubbed the tub, sink, and toilet, and Jeremy was about to leave, so I told him to look at the gleaming fixtures before he left because they wouldn't look that good when he got home. Josie walked over and said "Well, yeah, but look at the floor. There's dog hair all over it." My first instinct was to shout "YOU'RE the one with dog hair all over you!" Sure, I didn't actually say that. Instead, I blinked a few times and silently closed the door, but that still isn't what I'd consider a pro move.
So maybe I'm right in not feeling like an adult quite yet.
*I have all new rules when it comes to spiders, because I felt like a "squish now, ask questions later" approach was a bit too harsh since I claim to love living things and nature and blah blah blah. My new rule is a spider must die under three circumstances: 1) It is poisonous, 2) It is in my bedroom when I'm about to go to bed, 3) It's in one of my kids' bedrooms at any time of the day. I feel like this is more than fair, and it also makes me feel like an adult.
** Pro tip: NEVER tile your floor with the small shiny white tiles that you would use in a shower surround. Especially if you have a black furry animal living in the house. I can Swiffer and scrub the floor and two minutes later it looks like I've never cleaned it once. It's a real situation. This makes me feel like an adult too, but in the worst way possible.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Well, That Was Unexpected
I
just … but … I thought you were sleeping, Josephine.
She
was NOT. A lone crayon was left in her bedroom the other night, and when I went
to check on her, I saw that beauty, turned on the lights, and saw she was also
sporting a crayon mustache, goatee, and nail polish.
The
worst part is, I love it. I think it’s the most interesting design she’s drawn
to date. If it were on a piece of paper, I would have framed that baby.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Double Birthday, vol. 3
Saturday was a big day in this house:
DOUBLE BIRTHDAY, 2014-style.
Yes, in case you didn't already know, the girls have the same birthday. Here, let me answer the questions most people ask when they learn this information: Yes, I'm totally serious. No, we didn't plan it. Yes, I'm aware that they are going to hate me when they get a little older.
I was tempted to tweet something cheeky on August 8th to the effect of "Hey, it's August 8th and I'm not in labor. Weird." but thought better of it at the last second. I mean, you just never know, right? No need to tempt fate. Now that August 9th has come and gone, I can officially say that I didn't have a third baby on August 9th. Whew.
The birthday twins had a smashing day. Just the best.
 |
| dancing in her room full of balloons |
 |
| birthday pancakes have sprinkles and come on a silver platter |
 |
| Daddy designed and built them a castle playscape and they saw it with walls, swings, and a slide for this first time the morning of their birthday! |
 |
| Barnes & Noble treats |
Happy Birthday to my amazing girls! We had so much fun with you, and we hope you look back on this day and think you had a great day, too. We love you more than anything.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Vote YES on the Library Millage Renewal tomorrow, St. Clair County!
ST. CLAIR COUNTY VOTERS! TOMORROW DECIDES THE FATE OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM!
Yes, the entire library system (11 branches that serve tens of thousands of patrons a year) will cease to exist if this millage renewal does not go through.
Because the library provides a free service, it relies on tax money to operate. In fact, 80% of its operating costs come from what amounts to (on average) $35 per household. For $35 a year, you can check out unlimited books, CDs, and DVDs; have access to free Internet; and take your children to countless free activities.
The most important things to know about this millage are:
Because the library provides a free service, it relies on tax money to operate. In fact, 80% of its operating costs come from what amounts to (on average) $35 per household. For $35 a year, you can check out unlimited books, CDs, and DVDs; have access to free Internet; and take your children to countless free activities.
The most important things to know about this millage are:
- It is a RENEWAL, which means there will be no increase in your taxes.
- The renewal is 0.7 mil at the current tax rate, which means a home assessed at $100,000 will pay $35. HOWEVER, as you know, homes in St. Clair County are being assessed WAY below their market value, so if your home is worth more than $100,00, chances are you are still not going to pay more than $35 a year.
- If the library does not receive this millage, they will also not be eligible for state or federal money, which provides an additional 10-15% of their funding.
St. Clair County Library system is very fiscally responsible compared to other library systems, so you can rest assured that the small amount you pay in taxes goes a long way in the community.
I know a lot of people who would be devastated without the library -- thousands of daily patrons who come to check out books, job seekers who don't have access to the Internet anywhere else, students who need computers, kids of all ages who need someplace safe to go after school, young children who thrive in the programs that offer education and socialization, and the people whose jobs depend on the library staying open. People keep talking about revitalizing Port Huron and bringing new businesses to St. Clair County. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't open a business somewhere that can't even get their act together enough to provide free library services to their citizens.
Keep St. Clair County a nice place to live, and vote YES on the millage tomorrow. If you don't know where to vote, you can check HERE. If you want me to call text, email, or facebook message you tomorrow to remind you to vote, leave your name and info and I will be more than happy to!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
It Doesn't Have to Be a Snowman
I need to admit something: My kids saw Frozen for the very first time last week. I know, call the authorities, am I right? Cruel and unusual punishment, to say the least.
When it was a huge hit in theatres, I knew I didn't want to have to deal with fighting to find merchandise for Christmas, and dudes, am I ever glad we had a Christmas spent blissfully unaware of the lack of Frozen items available in stores, let me tell you. Plus, I knew that this would probably be a movie that would take over our lives, so I decided to wait until they asked to watch it, and it just happened last week. I know, I got lucky.
So, yes, I have been walking around humming all the songs, and Josie loves to act out scenes with me. Genevieve, who still pretty much refuses to speak, loves it so much that she won't tell me what she wants for lunch, but she can manage to point at the TV and squeak out an "ELSA!" In fact, the other day when Josie asked to watch it after dinner and I said she could watch ten minutes and she begged for the whole thing, Genevieve chimed in by saying the word "whole" for the first time. Seriously.
Listen, I know my kids didn't invent being obsessed with Frozen, and I know we are way behind the time, but the way Josie calmly informed me "My chosen name is Elsa," and she simply slides into the role of Elsa without any fanfare simply slays me. I just had to share my favorite Elsa-isms to date with you all.
(I realize this won't make sense to those of you who haven't seen Frozen, and it might not even be funny to those of you who have, but ... well, she's my kid, and I think she's hilarious. So there you go.)
We were eating lunch, when out of nowhere, she asked me, "Remember how after the accident I starting shutting my little sister out of my life?" then just looked away and took another bite of her sandwich.
She clasped both of Genevieve's hands in her own, sat her down, looked deep into her eyes, and calmly informed her, "You can't marry a man you just met." Genevieve nodded solemnly.
We were about to leave for playgroup, and Josie had a large outburst. We had a discussion about appropriate behavior, and that if she wanted to go to playgroup that day, she would have to work hard to listen, behave, share, and be kind, or we would have to leave early. She agreed to all these terms, then walked over to the back door, and quietly sang to herself "Be the good girl you always have to be." After a minute of staring out the door and likely steeling her nerves, she belted out "Tell the guards to open up ... THE GATES!" while flinging the sliding door open. She proceeded to stride out the door with her head held high.
In other news, I am NOT more obsessed with Frozen than my kids are, like Jeremy claims. *Ahem*
When it was a huge hit in theatres, I knew I didn't want to have to deal with fighting to find merchandise for Christmas, and dudes, am I ever glad we had a Christmas spent blissfully unaware of the lack of Frozen items available in stores, let me tell you. Plus, I knew that this would probably be a movie that would take over our lives, so I decided to wait until they asked to watch it, and it just happened last week. I know, I got lucky.
So, yes, I have been walking around humming all the songs, and Josie loves to act out scenes with me. Genevieve, who still pretty much refuses to speak, loves it so much that she won't tell me what she wants for lunch, but she can manage to point at the TV and squeak out an "ELSA!" In fact, the other day when Josie asked to watch it after dinner and I said she could watch ten minutes and she begged for the whole thing, Genevieve chimed in by saying the word "whole" for the first time. Seriously.
Listen, I know my kids didn't invent being obsessed with Frozen, and I know we are way behind the time, but the way Josie calmly informed me "My chosen name is Elsa," and she simply slides into the role of Elsa without any fanfare simply slays me. I just had to share my favorite Elsa-isms to date with you all.
(I realize this won't make sense to those of you who haven't seen Frozen, and it might not even be funny to those of you who have, but ... well, she's my kid, and I think she's hilarious. So there you go.)
We were eating lunch, when out of nowhere, she asked me, "Remember how after the accident I starting shutting my little sister out of my life?" then just looked away and took another bite of her sandwich.
She clasped both of Genevieve's hands in her own, sat her down, looked deep into her eyes, and calmly informed her, "You can't marry a man you just met." Genevieve nodded solemnly.
We were about to leave for playgroup, and Josie had a large outburst. We had a discussion about appropriate behavior, and that if she wanted to go to playgroup that day, she would have to work hard to listen, behave, share, and be kind, or we would have to leave early. She agreed to all these terms, then walked over to the back door, and quietly sang to herself "Be the good girl you always have to be." After a minute of staring out the door and likely steeling her nerves, she belted out "Tell the guards to open up ... THE GATES!" while flinging the sliding door open. She proceeded to stride out the door with her head held high.
In other news, I am NOT more obsessed with Frozen than my kids are, like Jeremy claims. *Ahem*
Saturday, July 19, 2014
5 Things I've Learned Recently
1. If you're going to go through all the work of a spring-cleaning type cleaning spree one day on the spur of the moment (washing walls, scrubbing appliances, washing windows, etc., etc., until every inch of the house is clean as a whistle), it turns out you really won't be all that floored when you see the after product if your home isn't a pit to begin with. Our house is pretty clean, but I still thought after scrubbing every surface of the kitchen for three hours, I would be able to walk out, walk back in, and I would gasp in amazement. Not so. Also, not fair.
2. Josephine might be a real, live dinosaur.
3. TICKS ARE OFFICIALLY THE WORST LIVING THING EVER. I've felt rage at other living things in the past, but ticks? If I could wipe every single one off the planet today, I would do it. If I had a hate scale from one to ten, my hatred of spiders is a 2, mosquitoes 4, and ticks 10,000. On a scale of 1 to 10.
4. Genevieve has a passion for accessories. A deep, abiding love.
5. Maybe I don't actually want Genevieve to learn how to talk. The girls discovered that screeching is fun and all, but if you screech at the same time, at the same pitch, and then slowly increase the volume higher and higher and higher until you've reached a dual-screech that could shatter glass, well, that's WAY more fun. My hearing has already been compromised, and we have a lot of years left to go. Heaven help us all.
2. Josephine might be a real, live dinosaur.
4. Genevieve has a passion for accessories. A deep, abiding love.
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