Being a Parent

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Library Troublemakers

There are two nice libraries close to our house--one sweet little local branch and then the large regional one that I used to go to as a child.  For a rainy/snowy/cold day, they can't be beat.  Free activities that are magical to the girls because look!  Books we don't have!  And little kid-sized chairs!  AND STOOLS!!!!!!!!!

Before we started becoming library regulars, I had visions of curling up on a tufted chair with both girls in my lap and reading short stories to them.  That dream has been mostly dashed.  Why?

• If there is another mommy or a babysitter reading to their child or children, someone's kids always seem to join the party.
• One of these kids will not stay away from climbing the dirty step stools--she cannot be deterred.
• The other one thinks the library barcodes are stickers that need to be removed.  Her mother actually got a phone call from the librarian a couple of weeks ago asking her to keep a better watch on this.  Tsk tsk!

May I present to you...

The Climber 

The Barcode Thief

Local libraries--be on the lookout for these two troublemakers.

  

Napping

Well...maybe sometimes.  Kidding, Cate!

Thought of the Day

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What We're Reading

At our house, we've got a lot of books.  A LOT.  This applies to kids too.  Cate and Charlotte both have books on shelves, in closets, and stacked in their rooms.   We read to them several times daily, often the same book over and over (and over!) because you simply can't appreciate the beautifully crafted sentences and flowing prose of Dora Goes for a Ride until the fifteenth time.

We are happy that they love to read though--it brings us great enjoyment.  Here are the books the girls are loving lately:

Charlotte

Here we've got The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood, Look Look! by Peter Linenthal, The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss, Opposites by Sandra Boynton, and Baby Animals by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes.  The black and white books made a roaring comeback recently because Cate reads them to Charlotte and it is adorable.

Cate

Above we have Hop on Pop and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish both by Dr. Seuss, How to Get a Job...by Me, the Boss by Sally Lloyd-Jones, A Princess Treasury from Disney, Good Boy, Fergus by David Shannon, and Are you My Mother? by P. D. Eastman.  These books are kept stacked on her bed at all times (with a rotating collection of others).

Good Boy, Fergus really gets me because it is about a Westie.  They describe Major to perfection.  The page below is an example of trying to get the dog, Fergus, to come inside.

This is so Major, it's not even funny.

Sunshine

"Some people are so much sunshine to the square inch."

-Walt Whitman

One Year Ago

Rhett recently pulled a bunch of videos off of our old computer to save them to our new one.  It only took about ten months to check that task off the list--go us!

Anyway, it gave us the opportunity to watch the girls in younger phases of life.  I'll share more in future posts, but for now I will show the girls in videos taken a year ago.

Here is Charlotte's first smile that I caught on camera.  She is still the same sweet angel today, just with more hugs, cuddles, and grunts.

And here is Cate singing "Oh the Lord" which is a little blessing she learned at her old preschool.

The craziest thing is that I thought Cate looked SO OLD when she was two and a half--nothing like a new baby to make your toddler look like a teenager, right?

Motherhood

So then, is the fact that I'm wearing jeans considered overachieving?  I'm thinking yes.

Dancing Dancing Dancing

Below is a video from today where the girls decided to break out their best moves...

Cate--The Twirl

Charlotte--The Somersault

Their rhythm is undeniable, am I right?

Let it Be

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That Darn Dog

Anyone who knows our family knows that Homer has had his fair share of medical issues.  On the not-so-serious front, he's had multiple growths removed and checked for cancer.  He's also dealt with things stuck in his paw and there was a time when he had what appeared to be a horn coming out of his forehead.  No, Homer did not turn out to be a unicorn, but he is magical.

On the more serious side, (this is where we've single handedly financed the operating budget for the emergency vet's office for at least a month), Homer had two surgeries before he turned two.  The first was arthroscopic surgery on a joint in his shoulder.  The second was major knee surgery for some bone-on-bone grinding that was happening in his knee (ouch).

Poor, sweet, hobbly Homer.

We don't care--Homie is the sweetest and we'll take him however we can get him.  He never complains and it's only if something is really, really, really bothering him can you tell something is wrong.

Major, on the other hand, requires pampering and will shriek if everything isn't "just so" in his world.  However, he has luckily escaped with very minor medical care.  All I can think of is that he sometimes comes up with bad allergies, especially in the spring, and licks his paws a lot.

So when Major came up limping Sunday morning, we didn't know what to think.  He was acting so miserable and we felt awful for him.  Major couldn't even lay down comfortably because every time his leg would touch the ground, he would immediately move to get in another position.  I even overheard Rhett cuddling poor Maj and telling him "We love ya, buddy."  Shhh--don't tell Rhett I told anyone he did that.

I dutifully drove Major to the vet on Monday hoping that whatever x-rays they were sure to take wouldn't reveal anything too grave.  The vet lovingly took Major in her arms and examined the afflicted paw.  After a few minutes, she gave me her diagnosis.  Major had...

...

...

...

...a bruised toenail.

OH, OF COURSE HE DID.

Here he is--Mr. I can only sleep on pillows and comforters.  You high maintenance dog, you.

He's fine now, by the way.  Anti-inflammatories and some rest on my bed did the trick.

Extraordinary Siblings

As a mom struggling to teach my child how to be compassionate and caring toward her younger sibling, I am constantly looking for examples to show Cate.  This video of the Long brothers had me in tears and gave me just what I needed exactly when I was looking for it.

A beautiful shot of Connor, age 9,  and his younger brother, Cayden, age 7.

Simply amazing.

Girly Girls

As if the ubiquitous pink clothing and penchant for all things glittery didn't clue me in enough, Cate's teacher let me know this week, "She is one of the girliest girls I've seen."  It's funny, because when I was younger, I somehow pictured myself as the mom of three boys.  This could not be further from reality.

Who knows how Charlotte will turn out but, I can say, for now, I think she's probably on the same course.  Charlotte's favorite activity is taking care of her baby doll.  She also treasures the pink Minnie sippy cup Cate gave her for her birthday.

On the subject of being girly, somehow Cate decided today that cheerleading is life and that she wants NEEDS to wear her dress-up cheerleading outfit all the time.  In fact, as I type this, it's nap time and Cate is in her bed clutching her blanket wearing the cheerleading outfit and a high ponytail with a big pink bow--naturally!  When she wakes up, Cate said she wants to do "handstands and twirls."

Mom of three boys--ha!  I laugh at my early twenties self for thinking that--and as the mom of two girls, I can easily say I would never have it any other way.