Toast 2 Mom

I'm Thankful for My Family

I have a LOT to be thankful for.....and here is the top of my list! Happy Thanksgiving!

Monkey on the Couch

 

Sweet Girl

My little Syd working that pose.

Bad Cop Mommy - Off Duty

From after work until bedtime tonight I said the following - don't run so fast, don't go into the parking lot without holding my hand, don't push that button, don't pinch your sister's cheeks, don't push your sister, don't body slam me, don't poke your sister's eyes, don't grab Mommy's glasses, don't pull my hair, don't stick out your tongue, don't be so loud, don't be bossy, don't be so whiny, don't give that to your sister, don't eat that, don't stand up on that, don't stick your finger in your water, don't show me your food in your mouth, don't slide around in your chair, don't stick your hand in the toilet, don't touch that, don't flip that switch again, don't run and slide into the furniture, don't turn that on, don't speak to me that way, don't close your mouth while I brush your teeth, don't be loud and don't jump on the bed.

I feel like all I say is "don't". I feel like I don't even have time in between "don't's" to explain why the "don't" shouldn't be done.

Daddio is coming into town this weekend, and I'm hoping he can take a few "don't's" off my hands. I'm hoping to turn in my Bad Cop Mommy badge...for a few days anyway.

Urmer

I feel like this blog would not be complete if I didn't mention Urmer. Urmer is Sydney's ladybug friend that came into our house last summer and decided to land on Syd's shoe. Initially Sydney was very afraid of this bug on her shoe. She cried and wanted me to take it off. But we told her that she was very lucky to have this bug on her shoe - t hat this was a very friendly bug and that it must really like shoes - and how could that be scary. After that story, Syd seemed to be happy that she'd made a new friend. I asked her what her new friend's name was, and she said, "Urmer".

The story of Urmer went to school. We talked about Urmer for a few days following Urmer going away. A few months went by and Urmer would come up in conversation again.

Well yesterday I was straightening the blanket on the bed in my bedroom, and Syd and   Cheekers were playing on the floor. I looked down, and who did I notice crawling by the window - Urmer. Urmer was back for a visit. I called Syd over and she said, "hi!" She asked how Urner had been doing. Urmer crawled on my hand for awhile. We played with Urmer for a bit but thought she might like to hang out in Daddy's closet window. So I opened the window and put Urmer on the inside of the window and shut it.

Tonight it was bath night. I gave the girls their bath. I got Cheekers into her jammies, then Sydney. Afterwards, I gathered all the laundry and put in on the floor by the stairs. Syd was crawling around on the floor while I was picking up...and who did she see on the floor, "Urmer!" "Oh, Urmer, you're back....Hello Urmer!" I walked over wondering what Sydney really saw, and she was right. Our little ladybug friend was back... again.

Our house is For Sale. Our move is bittersweet. It's exciting to start a new chapter in our lives. To start that new chapter, we'll need to close another. One of those chapters will be to leave our house - in which we really love. We have only been here a short while, but we have given this house a lot of love and it has given us a lot in return.

I think Urmer came back these past couple nights to remind us of some fun we've had and to pass along a little luck that our house will soon sell and hopefully sell to someone that will have some very lovely memories here as we have. Thank you for the visits, Urmer!

I'm Looking Forward to...

The distance is growing tiresome, literally. I have been so tired this week. The girls and I come home, we play for a bit, get dinner ready, upstairs for a bath, jammies, books, bottle, teeth, bed....All the while trying to keep our house spic and span should we have a showing during the day. It's adding up...and me sleepy.

I'm looking forward to many things about our new move. I'm looking forward to a warm winter. I'm looking forward to being back with Daddio and having help with baths. I'm looking forward to exploring a new city, meeting new people, decorating our new house. Probably more than anything, though, I'm looking most forward to having some time to actually spend quality time with my girls. I'm so tired (there's that word again) of rushing all the time with them - rushing out the door, rushing home, rushing to get this done and that. I want to just have some time where we don't have to rush. I can play "picnic" on the floor because I don't have to go start dinner at this moment. I can read ten books instead of only having time for two. I can stroll my girls around for an hour instead of no walk at all because it's too late.

Yep, our finish line is in sight...and I'm really looking forward to it.

Tiny Pieces Do Not Equal a Tidy House

Cheekers brings it to my attention nearly every day just how dirty my house is. I try to keep things tidy. I pick up the coats off the floor from when we walk through the door. I put shoes away. I sweep up crumbs from dinner. I find fuzzies on the floor and put them in the trash. Try as I might, some how, some way my nine month old is always one step ahead of me in finding tiny stuff on the floor....to put straight into her mouth!

Her latest finding happened last night. We had just gotten home and were playing on the floor in the playroom. This is a fairly safe room - so I thought. I walked out of the room about twenty feet to the front door to bring the mail in. Not even gone thirty seconds, upon my return, I see Cheekers gagging on something. This is practically my biggest nightmare - this whole choking thing. But with Natty, I've had a couple experiences now, so I am able to remain colm. I did the fish hook with my index finger only to pull out a small piece of clear Scotch tape. Apparently after I'd opened my birthday presents in the playroom, I failed to see the clear, half inch piece of tape on the floor. Now only did my little Cheekers see it, but she put her fine motor skills to the test to see how it would taste.

The good news is she is OK, and it really wasn't very dramatic - just happened and over (thank goodness). The bad news - I have to up my vacuuming again!