Mouse, is a beautiful, intelligent and funny little girl, however, she also has a potty mouth that is making me C*R*A*Z*E*E right now. As in, “grounded-forever-if-you-don’t-cease-and-desist-immediately” kind of crazy. This has been going on for a number of months, but lately has been getting increasingly worse.
We’ve all been in a kind of limbo while waiting for school to start, 3 weeks after the rest of the district has started. It’s hard. We’re all kind of “done” with summer and ready to move on. Today, after teaching my Pilates class, the girls and I were feeling flat and bored. I thought it would be fun for us to go to the movie store and rent a movie, which is something we haven’t done in a while. We also planned to stop at Kohl’s on the way home.
So the girls each got to pick out a movie and though we’re not planning to be very long in Kohls, Mouse is cranking Baboo up by yelling potty talk (as in everything is prefaced with boogers, poop, poopy, pee etc at the top of her lungs) and howling hysterically at her witty word wonders 2 seconds after we walk through the door.
I state firmly that she needs to stop IMMEDIATELY, but like some form of 5 year old potty talk Turret’s syndrome, she CANNOT stop. And so it continues. It gets louder and more obnoxious. After several more warnings to stop, I threaten to rescind all movie privileges for tonight, figuring THAT would be enough to get her to stop. Well, it happened again; several times, in fact. And though I didn’t want to, I’m following through. I mean business. No movies tonight.
When I make the proclamation of my disciplinary action, which should not be a surprise by this point, I get a face full of sass-mouth, along the lines of “you can’t make me” kind of thing. And then Baboo took a DVD out of the box and started scraping it on the table. (Insert twig snapping in brain here).
So now, both girls are in their rooms. I’m bummed that our day came down to this.
I wish I could say that the potty talk is isolated, that today was just bad because we’re bored/tired/etc. I could handle it if it was just a “phase” and was one of those things she’s “testing out”. It’s not. It’s almost constant, to the point where you cannot carry on a conversation with this child without her sinking to ridiculous potty babble. It’s during play, in the car, at the table, at a restaurant, in a store, at bedtime (good grief! It escalates when she’s tired, if that’s possible), with friends, with other adults. All at top volume and followed by gales of giggles, naturally. And of course, Baboo reacts and mimics it all, egging Mouse on.
I understand that she likes the power that comes with making people laugh and that most kids go through this kind of thing, but seriously, it has gone too far. To be honest though, I’m not sure what to do about it. I think we’re past the point of being able to ignore it. While it used to be that back in the day, you got your mouth washed out with soap, I don’t know if I really want to do that. I’m going to have to brainstorm up some consequences to get the message through that this is not ok. I don’t expect or want her to be a “delicate, polite, sugar-and-spice, little princess”, but I do think that she needs to understand that this is not appropriate at the level she’s been carrying on.
So cover your ears against the potty talk and share your tips. Help me! Please!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
More Words of Widsom from Baboo
Last night, shortly after I put Baboo to bed, I heard her in the bathroom upstairs. Suspecting she needed some help with the potty, I went upstairs to check on her. She had taken her pajama bottoms and pull up off and was sitting on the potty in the bathroom.
Baboo: Mommy. I just goin’ potty.
Me: Ok. Do you need some help?
Baboo: (grunting). Noooo.
Me: Do you need to go poop?
Baboo: I think so. (grunting and pushing).
Me: Well, you did go poop earlier today. Is there more?
Baboo: I think so. I need more power! (pushing harder)
Me: What?!
Baboo: Mommy, put me on the toilet so I can have more power!
Me: (putting her on the toilet). Ooook.
Baboo: Mommy! Where’s my power?
Me (power? Power?)… Uh… Oh, like when you farted earlier on the toilet and the poop came out?
Baboo: YEAH! That! Where my POWER?!
Me: Um, well… maybe you used it all up earlier.
Baboo: Sigh. Ok. I guess I get more power tomorrow.
Me: Thanks for the warning.
(if you hear a loud explosion over our house tomorrow, you know it’s just Baboo and she’s found her “power”).
We were driving in the car on the way to gymnastics today and discussing going to the doctor and who needs to go for check-ups.
Mouse: Mommy, YOU have to go to the doctor for a checkup. Just like ME.
Baboo: Yeah! I need a hiccup too!
Mouse: You don’t have the hiccups!
Baboo: Yes, I need hiccups too. And Daddy goes to the doctor to get hiccups too! We ALL need to get hiccups.
Me: (trying to drive while laughing…)
Mouse: Baaaabooo! Not HICCUPS, CHECK-UPS!
Baboo: That’s what I SAID… hiccups.
Baboo: Mommy. I just goin’ potty.
Me: Ok. Do you need some help?
Baboo: (grunting). Noooo.
Me: Do you need to go poop?
Baboo: I think so. (grunting and pushing).
Me: Well, you did go poop earlier today. Is there more?
Baboo: I think so. I need more power! (pushing harder)
Me: What?!
Baboo: Mommy, put me on the toilet so I can have more power!
Me: (putting her on the toilet). Ooook.
Baboo: Mommy! Where’s my power?
Me (power? Power?)… Uh… Oh, like when you farted earlier on the toilet and the poop came out?
Baboo: YEAH! That! Where my POWER?!
Me: Um, well… maybe you used it all up earlier.
Baboo: Sigh. Ok. I guess I get more power tomorrow.
Me: Thanks for the warning.
(if you hear a loud explosion over our house tomorrow, you know it’s just Baboo and she’s found her “power”).
We were driving in the car on the way to gymnastics today and discussing going to the doctor and who needs to go for check-ups.
Mouse: Mommy, YOU have to go to the doctor for a checkup. Just like ME.
Baboo: Yeah! I need a hiccup too!
Mouse: You don’t have the hiccups!
Baboo: Yes, I need hiccups too. And Daddy goes to the doctor to get hiccups too! We ALL need to get hiccups.
Me: (trying to drive while laughing…)
Mouse: Baaaabooo! Not HICCUPS, CHECK-UPS!
Baboo: That’s what I SAID… hiccups.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My Inspriational Slap in the Face
While waiting for Mouse during her piano lesson today, I saw this (see below) on a plaque in the instructor’s living room.
Considering I was having more than an off day, I figured it was a very good inspirational slap in the face. I jotted it down in the notes section in the back of my planner calendar. I have no idea who wrote it, but I like it anyway.
This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or grow in its’ light and be of service to others.
But what I do with this day is important because I have exchanged a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever.
I hope I will not regret the price I paid for it.
I wish I could say I made the most of my day, today. I did not. But, tomorrow is the beginning of a new day and I hope it use it wisely.
Considering I was having more than an off day, I figured it was a very good inspirational slap in the face. I jotted it down in the notes section in the back of my planner calendar. I have no idea who wrote it, but I like it anyway.
This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or grow in its’ light and be of service to others.
But what I do with this day is important because I have exchanged a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever.
I hope I will not regret the price I paid for it.
I wish I could say I made the most of my day, today. I did not. But, tomorrow is the beginning of a new day and I hope it use it wisely.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Rules of Engagement
I was hanging out with a friend recently and we were talking about our kids, as we usually do. I forget what exactly we were talking about but she said something that struck me to the core. She said “Sometimes I do things with the kids, like outings, where I can just be a supervisor but not have to engage with them”.
I instantly realized that I have done this a lot this summer, particularly with Mouse. That “guilty baaaad mother” sinking feeling started snaking its’ way into my heart. I felt kind of sick when I realized this.
The truth is; I have a hard time relating to Mouse sometimes. We can often be at opposite spectrums and can’t seem to find a middle ground. When I’m trying to engage, she’s not receptive at all. Or, she’s seems to really need me when I’m crabby, busy etc.
Lately, she’s been kind of over the top obnoxious, in that silly, crazy potty-talking kid kind of way. I can see that this is a multifaceted issue. I know that this is a phase that most kids go through, but a part of it, is because she’s trying to deal with all the changes that are coming up. She’s excited about kindergarten, but it’s a bit of an unknown and that stresses her out a bit and this is how it manifests. Another part is that she’s acting out to get our/my attention. She’s screaming LOOK AT ME! And generally we do, to tell her to settle down etc. And I always feel really bad after that. It’s a classic example of the “negative attention cycle”.
Another facet is that she rarely gets Mommy to herself. There’s been a lot of competition for Mommy this summer, with us being so insanely busy lately, she just doesn’t get one on one time with me. It’s doesn’t help that Baboo wants to do everything she does, and is hard to be distracted with other things. And though I do protect Mouse’s right to do big 5 year old girl things by herself, if I’m the only one here, I do have to keep an eye on Baboo too. She doesn't get my undivided attention. I know that’s hard.
And just adds to my guilt.
The thing is, she’s rarely “bad”, annoying yes, bad, rarely. She doesn’t really get into things she’s not supposed to. She generally listens when we talk to her or ask her to do something. She can be kind of mean to her sister, but not in an overly aggressive way. They’re 5 and 2, and I expect this.
She’s smart and charming and funny and so beautiful she takes my breath away. She wants to BE WITH ME. Constantly. She needs to be reassured, complimented, noticed and encouraged. A lot. And considering I’m a person who likes a little bit of personal space, physical and mental, sometimes I find that overwhelming.
Huh. I just realized that about myself.
Communication is a big thing, or rather our method of communication. I’m often in “Mom-mode” directing, correcting, explaining, praising, requesting etc. While we do talk, we don’t often get a chance to “converse”. She can be hard to actually talk to and I admit that I do tune a lot of stuff out. She often talks “at me” but not “to” me and like a kid, there’s a lot of whining and tattling, and there’s a lot of silly talk and repetition because she really like the power that comes with making people laugh, and so she’ll keep doing or saying something (often with potty talk, everything’s funnier with “poopy” attached to it) and cracking herself up. There’s only so much of that kind of thing that my brain can take before it shuts down.
And I also know that a part of our communication issues is that Mouse is copying the babyish way that Baboo communicates to get attention because she does see that, to a degree, it works for Baboo. However, although I *know* this is what she’s doing, I tend to withdraw a bit further to not respond to that kind of communication at all.
Anyway, I guess I have a hard time relating to her and finding a place where we can both meet up and connect in a way that works. This makes me feeling like I’m failing her in a big way. I want her to feel that she’s getting what she needs, but I think I deserve not to be constantly railroaded.
Guilt, guilt, guilt.
The thing is, I know she’s not getting any younger and neither am I. While I don’t feel like we’re so off track that we can’t get back on, I know that our tracks aren’t meeting up in a useful way right now. I want us to have a solid communication foundation in place before we get into the preteen years. I want her to KNOW that I’m always here for her. I want her to: feel confident, important, respected and be respectful, heard and understood. I need to try harder and I’ve already started. I’m going to plan a Mouse-parent only outing once or twice a month. She loves doing special things with just one of us, but Hubster has been the one doing the fun stuff lately, not me. So next weekend she and I are going to a movie and then out to lunch. She’s excited that it’s just going to be her and I, and I’m happy that she’s looking forward to it. I am too.
This summer has been interesting. We’ve had a lot going on and we’re all moving to the next “level”. Baboo is most definitely NOT a baby anymore, Hubster and I are trying to get to the next level in our marriage, I’m trying to define my place in this world and Mouse is moving from little kid to big kid at a very fast pace. This year seems so important and I feel as though I have a lot of work to do still. The step from kindergarten to grade 1 seems so big. I know, I’ll have to let go of her a lot more. I want her to be ready. I want to be ready. I’m scared and nervous, excited and holding my breath.
I instantly realized that I have done this a lot this summer, particularly with Mouse. That “guilty baaaad mother” sinking feeling started snaking its’ way into my heart. I felt kind of sick when I realized this.
The truth is; I have a hard time relating to Mouse sometimes. We can often be at opposite spectrums and can’t seem to find a middle ground. When I’m trying to engage, she’s not receptive at all. Or, she’s seems to really need me when I’m crabby, busy etc.
Lately, she’s been kind of over the top obnoxious, in that silly, crazy potty-talking kid kind of way. I can see that this is a multifaceted issue. I know that this is a phase that most kids go through, but a part of it, is because she’s trying to deal with all the changes that are coming up. She’s excited about kindergarten, but it’s a bit of an unknown and that stresses her out a bit and this is how it manifests. Another part is that she’s acting out to get our/my attention. She’s screaming LOOK AT ME! And generally we do, to tell her to settle down etc. And I always feel really bad after that. It’s a classic example of the “negative attention cycle”.
Another facet is that she rarely gets Mommy to herself. There’s been a lot of competition for Mommy this summer, with us being so insanely busy lately, she just doesn’t get one on one time with me. It’s doesn’t help that Baboo wants to do everything she does, and is hard to be distracted with other things. And though I do protect Mouse’s right to do big 5 year old girl things by herself, if I’m the only one here, I do have to keep an eye on Baboo too. She doesn't get my undivided attention. I know that’s hard.
And just adds to my guilt.
The thing is, she’s rarely “bad”, annoying yes, bad, rarely. She doesn’t really get into things she’s not supposed to. She generally listens when we talk to her or ask her to do something. She can be kind of mean to her sister, but not in an overly aggressive way. They’re 5 and 2, and I expect this.
She’s smart and charming and funny and so beautiful she takes my breath away. She wants to BE WITH ME. Constantly. She needs to be reassured, complimented, noticed and encouraged. A lot. And considering I’m a person who likes a little bit of personal space, physical and mental, sometimes I find that overwhelming.
Huh. I just realized that about myself.
Communication is a big thing, or rather our method of communication. I’m often in “Mom-mode” directing, correcting, explaining, praising, requesting etc. While we do talk, we don’t often get a chance to “converse”. She can be hard to actually talk to and I admit that I do tune a lot of stuff out. She often talks “at me” but not “to” me and like a kid, there’s a lot of whining and tattling, and there’s a lot of silly talk and repetition because she really like the power that comes with making people laugh, and so she’ll keep doing or saying something (often with potty talk, everything’s funnier with “poopy” attached to it) and cracking herself up. There’s only so much of that kind of thing that my brain can take before it shuts down.
And I also know that a part of our communication issues is that Mouse is copying the babyish way that Baboo communicates to get attention because she does see that, to a degree, it works for Baboo. However, although I *know* this is what she’s doing, I tend to withdraw a bit further to not respond to that kind of communication at all.
Anyway, I guess I have a hard time relating to her and finding a place where we can both meet up and connect in a way that works. This makes me feeling like I’m failing her in a big way. I want her to feel that she’s getting what she needs, but I think I deserve not to be constantly railroaded.
Guilt, guilt, guilt.
The thing is, I know she’s not getting any younger and neither am I. While I don’t feel like we’re so off track that we can’t get back on, I know that our tracks aren’t meeting up in a useful way right now. I want us to have a solid communication foundation in place before we get into the preteen years. I want her to KNOW that I’m always here for her. I want her to: feel confident, important, respected and be respectful, heard and understood. I need to try harder and I’ve already started. I’m going to plan a Mouse-parent only outing once or twice a month. She loves doing special things with just one of us, but Hubster has been the one doing the fun stuff lately, not me. So next weekend she and I are going to a movie and then out to lunch. She’s excited that it’s just going to be her and I, and I’m happy that she’s looking forward to it. I am too.
This summer has been interesting. We’ve had a lot going on and we’re all moving to the next “level”. Baboo is most definitely NOT a baby anymore, Hubster and I are trying to get to the next level in our marriage, I’m trying to define my place in this world and Mouse is moving from little kid to big kid at a very fast pace. This year seems so important and I feel as though I have a lot of work to do still. The step from kindergarten to grade 1 seems so big. I know, I’ll have to let go of her a lot more. I want her to be ready. I want to be ready. I’m scared and nervous, excited and holding my breath.
Friday, August 21, 2009
A Visit With The Teacher
Baboo will be starting preschool 2 mornings a week this September. We have been super fortunate to have found a fantastic cooperative school that we all love. Last year was Mouse’s first year in school and it was an awesome experience. Baboo witnessed her having a great time and is ready at 2 for an introduction to school in a way that Mouse was not at this age.
But I digress. So, our school’s teachers visit each child at their home before school starts. Today, was Baboo’s home visit. She has met the teacher many times in the past at the school and has spent time in what will be her classroom. Baboo is very comfortable with the thought of going to school.
Of course the teacher arrived as the girls were playing “salon” with me. I had about ½ a bottle of detangler sprayed in one spot on my head and about 50 little barrettes and clips on one side of my head. Attractive, I know.
Bing-bong (doorbell). (perfect timing, of course)
***
Baboo: AAHHHH! My teacher is here! Yay! Yay! (excited yelling and running around in circles as Mouse opens the door and I frantically try to remove hair doo-dads)
Teacher: Hello Baboo. It’s good to see you again. You’re the first child I’ve seen today who is happy to see me and hasn’t burst into tears when I walk through the door.
Baboo: Meow! Meow! (getting on all fours and hopping around and assuming the “happy kitty” routine)
Teacher: Uh, ok. Are you being a kitty?
Baboo: Meow! (lick)
Me: (still removing hair stuff). Hi! Please come on in. We were, um, playing salon and I, haha, need to remove some barrettes.
Teacher: Oh yes. (silence). Girls, you did a nice *ahem* job on Mommy’s hair. How about we go and see what’s in my bag?
***
So, we all go into our family room, play with puzzles, read a book about school, the girls yell over each other at the teacher because Mouse is NOT going to be left out. Teacher fortunately is used to this and handles it all beautifully, which is why I love this teacher. Not much fazes her. Baboo, meows at her constantly and brings her things in her mouth – blankets, pillows, toys.
After about 20 minutes, it’s time for her to go to the next child’s home.
***
Teacher: Goodbye Baboo. I’ll see you in a few weeks at the class playdate.
Baboo: Meow! Meow!
Me: Well thanks for coming. We’ll see you soon. Oh, and Baboo does speak English and doesn’t just meow.
Baboo: MEOW!
Teacher: I know. I’ve heard her speak before. (pats Baboo on the head)
Me: uh….
Teacher: Haha. I know. Ok, we’ll see you soon.
Baboo: Meow! Byebye Mrs. Mommy!
Me: uh….
***
It’s soo nice to make a good, intelligent impression on your child’s educator, don’t you think? Maybe, it’ll be better luck next time for me, when we meet with Mouse’s teacher next week. I hope. (note to self, do not play “salon” before the teacher arrives.)
But I digress. So, our school’s teachers visit each child at their home before school starts. Today, was Baboo’s home visit. She has met the teacher many times in the past at the school and has spent time in what will be her classroom. Baboo is very comfortable with the thought of going to school.
Of course the teacher arrived as the girls were playing “salon” with me. I had about ½ a bottle of detangler sprayed in one spot on my head and about 50 little barrettes and clips on one side of my head. Attractive, I know.
Bing-bong (doorbell). (perfect timing, of course)
***
Baboo: AAHHHH! My teacher is here! Yay! Yay! (excited yelling and running around in circles as Mouse opens the door and I frantically try to remove hair doo-dads)
Teacher: Hello Baboo. It’s good to see you again. You’re the first child I’ve seen today who is happy to see me and hasn’t burst into tears when I walk through the door.
Baboo: Meow! Meow! (getting on all fours and hopping around and assuming the “happy kitty” routine)
Teacher: Uh, ok. Are you being a kitty?
Baboo: Meow! (lick)
Me: (still removing hair stuff). Hi! Please come on in. We were, um, playing salon and I, haha, need to remove some barrettes.
Teacher: Oh yes. (silence). Girls, you did a nice *ahem* job on Mommy’s hair. How about we go and see what’s in my bag?
***
So, we all go into our family room, play with puzzles, read a book about school, the girls yell over each other at the teacher because Mouse is NOT going to be left out. Teacher fortunately is used to this and handles it all beautifully, which is why I love this teacher. Not much fazes her. Baboo, meows at her constantly and brings her things in her mouth – blankets, pillows, toys.
After about 20 minutes, it’s time for her to go to the next child’s home.
***
Teacher: Goodbye Baboo. I’ll see you in a few weeks at the class playdate.
Baboo: Meow! Meow!
Me: Well thanks for coming. We’ll see you soon. Oh, and Baboo does speak English and doesn’t just meow.
Baboo: MEOW!
Teacher: I know. I’ve heard her speak before. (pats Baboo on the head)
Me: uh….
Teacher: Haha. I know. Ok, we’ll see you soon.
Baboo: Meow! Byebye Mrs. Mommy!
Me: uh….
***
It’s soo nice to make a good, intelligent impression on your child’s educator, don’t you think? Maybe, it’ll be better luck next time for me, when we meet with Mouse’s teacher next week. I hope. (note to self, do not play “salon” before the teacher arrives.)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Ch-ch-changes
Ch-ch-changes…
Well, you might have noticed some changes around the ole blog. Change is good. I’ve moved a few things around and have added a few things as well. Hope you like them.
I must thank the folks over at blogcatalog for their awesome tutorial on how to add a third column to my blogger template. They rock. So, thank you blogcatalog. They have lots of other great tutorials as well, so go check them out. I didn’t end up with a sprained brain or ANYTHING. In fact, some of my rusty computer skilz came back and I was able to figure out a little glitch I was having all by myself! That’s saying something after all this time, let me tell you.
And now, it’s late (I didn’t say it didn’t take me a long time to get it done, I just said I didn’t HURT anything) and I still have a workout to do before bed. Oy.
Well, you might have noticed some changes around the ole blog. Change is good. I’ve moved a few things around and have added a few things as well. Hope you like them.
I must thank the folks over at blogcatalog for their awesome tutorial on how to add a third column to my blogger template. They rock. So, thank you blogcatalog. They have lots of other great tutorials as well, so go check them out. I didn’t end up with a sprained brain or ANYTHING. In fact, some of my rusty computer skilz came back and I was able to figure out a little glitch I was having all by myself! That’s saying something after all this time, let me tell you.
And now, it’s late (I didn’t say it didn’t take me a long time to get it done, I just said I didn’t HURT anything) and I still have a workout to do before bed. Oy.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
It's 6:45 pm
Do I know where my kids are?
Yup, I sure do. They’re in BED.
It’s been a long day. The girls were completely obnoxious at dinner, that overtired-can’t-control-myself kind of obnoxious that involved endless giggling and annoying potty talk. I ended up taking away their dinner (they’d eaten ½ and had eaten lots of snacks today, and lest you think me completely heartless, they each got a generous cup of milk before bed) because food was starting to fly.
And then we did a quick book and right to bed. They are both out cold.
And heaven forbid, with Hubster golfing with a pal tonight that I could actually plunk my butt down and do nothing. Nope. I’ve got dishes, a work out and a disaster of a craft closet I’ve been avoiding waiting for me. I’m not going to procrastinate on it any more. It’s going to get done. Like the kitchen I did yesterday, and the front hall closet. Yay me. (bleh).
I’m getting there.
Yup, I sure do. They’re in BED.
It’s been a long day. The girls were completely obnoxious at dinner, that overtired-can’t-control-myself kind of obnoxious that involved endless giggling and annoying potty talk. I ended up taking away their dinner (they’d eaten ½ and had eaten lots of snacks today, and lest you think me completely heartless, they each got a generous cup of milk before bed) because food was starting to fly.
And then we did a quick book and right to bed. They are both out cold.
And heaven forbid, with Hubster golfing with a pal tonight that I could actually plunk my butt down and do nothing. Nope. I’ve got dishes, a work out and a disaster of a craft closet I’ve been avoiding waiting for me. I’m not going to procrastinate on it any more. It’s going to get done. Like the kitchen I did yesterday, and the front hall closet. Yay me. (bleh).
I’m getting there.
Monday, August 17, 2009
A Post of Randomness, Rather Like My Random Life
So, despite my efforts, however random or meager, I’m still drowning in piles of crap all over the house. I feel like I’ve been TRYING to get it freaking together already for weeks and am failing miserably. I think I need to ship the kids out of the house to actually MAKE any real progress, but since that’s not an option, I continue to just dink around.
So here is a pile of random “stuff”, somewhat bullet pointed for your viewing pleasure (and in no particular order because, hey! Random!):
· I’m sitting outside even though it’s kind of hot and humid out. I’ve just spent the last 30 minutes digging up thistle weeds that slice your feet open from the “lawn” (term used loosely as it’s mostly crab-grass and clover and other miscellaneous non-grass plants). Nasty. The girls helped me “find” the weeds by screeching at the top of their lungs, “MOM! A WEED! HURRY! QUICK!”. I’m sure the neighbours thought that we were growing child-eating Venus fly traps.
· Birdseed seemed like a good idea until it attracted mice, which took the seeds directly into our garage and made a mess in there. And then we grew some corn in the grass when the birds (and children filling the birdfeeder) dropped the corn kernels from the birdseed mix.
· While nose-to-grass, I noticed that we have about 70 billion tiny little grasshoppers all over the lawn. It’s kind of creeping me out.
· In the last 5 minutes, my girls have proven that they really do have the attention span of a gnat. They started out blowing bubbles, then played “kitty” in the grass, then got out the butterfly nets, and now Mouse is pushing Baboo on the “wocket” swing. (aka Rocket Swing). And that also has only lasted 3.5 seconds as now Mouse wants me to get her started on the swing.
· As I’m sitting here on the deck, barely able to see the screen from the glare of the clouded over sun, I realize how dirty my monitor is. Nasty.
· There is a lot of work going on at my neighbours’ houses today. Someone is getting some trim replaced which reminds me that we need to figure out when/how to get ours done. Another is getting a new furnace.
· I really HATE where the clothesline (which I love) is. It needs to be moved.
· I wonder if I can find a composter and a water barrel here?
· The girls are now playing with a plastic golf ball and a badminton racket.
· I’m wearing a pedometer today, for the first time. So far, though it’s only 9:55 am, it says I have done 7019 steps. I did walk this morning, but I think that’s inaccurate.
· I’m attempting to wash my king sized comforter in my washing machine. I have no idea if it’s going to kill my washer or not.
· Mouse and Baboo are already fighting with the racket and golf ball.
· We went and got a family photo taken this weekend. Despite the fact that I think my hair looked a bit weird (which also reminds me I need to decide if I want to get it cut or not. Hmmm), I love how the photo turned out.
· We also went to our local state fair this weekend with our friends/neighbours. Despite it being 95 F and Baboo throwing up in the car on the way home, we had a really fun time. This was our first trip to any state fair. The baby pygmie goats were the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. It makes me want to have goats. And chickens. And make jam.
· My 2 little tomato plants, after giving me a delicious bounty of tomatoes, is laden with MORE tomatoes. My mouth is watering just waiting for them to ripen.
· I think I see a bit of cilantro growing from the seeds of the old cilantro that bolted already. Now I’m thinking about how good homemade salsa would taste.
· I really hope it rains today, mostly because I really don’t feel like going to the pool. I know I should be grateful to have a pool that’s a 5 minute walk away and can basically be seen from my house, and I am very grateful for that. However, we’ve been every day for the last 3 weeks. I’m kind of pooled out. The girls are not.
· Golf ball badminton is done and now the girls want to water paint and do more bubbles. It’s been 10 minutes since they started playing on their own.
· Becprints sent me this site and I have found now found my organizational mecca… www.organize-more-stress-less.com/index.html. I have high hopes for this site.
· My purple petunias in planter boxes around the deck, despite my Dad replanting them a few weeks ago are still struggling. The look awful. I think I may try to do marigolds in the boxes next year. They seemed to do well in the garden so maybe they’ll do better in the boxes than the petunias did.
· The girls are now dipping their paintbrushes in the bubbles and painting the deck and playhouse.
· I think I need more coffee.
· I’m already worrying about what to wear at my brother’s wedding NEXT AUGUST. Almost exactly a year from now. I’m trying to lose some weight, (http://www.operationmoderation.blogspot.com/) but I’m not having a lot of success right now. Not that I’m huge, but I would like to feel better about myself.
· I have nothing planned for today at all. Nothing, other than praying the girls will be entertained by making a gigantic mess in another room so I can get some cleaning done somewhere else. I hope this day doesn’t end up tanked.
· It sounds like my washer and the comforter contained within survived. This is good news.
· Walking out my backdoor and seeing this: makes me happy.
· Maybe it’s time to resurrect Trouble Spot Tuesdays.
· Now the girls are asking for lunch sized snacks and dressup play. I’m baking here in the sun and it really is time for more coffee. So I guess that’s my cue to get my butt inside and get that pantry/fridge cleaned out and whatever else I can manage to get my hands on.
So here is a pile of random “stuff”, somewhat bullet pointed for your viewing pleasure (and in no particular order because, hey! Random!):
· I’m sitting outside even though it’s kind of hot and humid out. I’ve just spent the last 30 minutes digging up thistle weeds that slice your feet open from the “lawn” (term used loosely as it’s mostly crab-grass and clover and other miscellaneous non-grass plants). Nasty. The girls helped me “find” the weeds by screeching at the top of their lungs, “MOM! A WEED! HURRY! QUICK!”. I’m sure the neighbours thought that we were growing child-eating Venus fly traps.
· Birdseed seemed like a good idea until it attracted mice, which took the seeds directly into our garage and made a mess in there. And then we grew some corn in the grass when the birds (and children filling the birdfeeder) dropped the corn kernels from the birdseed mix.
· While nose-to-grass, I noticed that we have about 70 billion tiny little grasshoppers all over the lawn. It’s kind of creeping me out.
· In the last 5 minutes, my girls have proven that they really do have the attention span of a gnat. They started out blowing bubbles, then played “kitty” in the grass, then got out the butterfly nets, and now Mouse is pushing Baboo on the “wocket” swing. (aka Rocket Swing). And that also has only lasted 3.5 seconds as now Mouse wants me to get her started on the swing.
· As I’m sitting here on the deck, barely able to see the screen from the glare of the clouded over sun, I realize how dirty my monitor is. Nasty.
· There is a lot of work going on at my neighbours’ houses today. Someone is getting some trim replaced which reminds me that we need to figure out when/how to get ours done. Another is getting a new furnace.
· I really HATE where the clothesline (which I love) is. It needs to be moved.
· I wonder if I can find a composter and a water barrel here?
· The girls are now playing with a plastic golf ball and a badminton racket.
· I’m wearing a pedometer today, for the first time. So far, though it’s only 9:55 am, it says I have done 7019 steps. I did walk this morning, but I think that’s inaccurate.
· I’m attempting to wash my king sized comforter in my washing machine. I have no idea if it’s going to kill my washer or not.
· Mouse and Baboo are already fighting with the racket and golf ball.
· We went and got a family photo taken this weekend. Despite the fact that I think my hair looked a bit weird (which also reminds me I need to decide if I want to get it cut or not. Hmmm), I love how the photo turned out.
· We also went to our local state fair this weekend with our friends/neighbours. Despite it being 95 F and Baboo throwing up in the car on the way home, we had a really fun time. This was our first trip to any state fair. The baby pygmie goats were the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. It makes me want to have goats. And chickens. And make jam.
· My 2 little tomato plants, after giving me a delicious bounty of tomatoes, is laden with MORE tomatoes. My mouth is watering just waiting for them to ripen.
· I think I see a bit of cilantro growing from the seeds of the old cilantro that bolted already. Now I’m thinking about how good homemade salsa would taste.
· I really hope it rains today, mostly because I really don’t feel like going to the pool. I know I should be grateful to have a pool that’s a 5 minute walk away and can basically be seen from my house, and I am very grateful for that. However, we’ve been every day for the last 3 weeks. I’m kind of pooled out. The girls are not.
· Golf ball badminton is done and now the girls want to water paint and do more bubbles. It’s been 10 minutes since they started playing on their own.
· Becprints sent me this site and I have found now found my organizational mecca… www.organize-more-stress-less.com/index.html. I have high hopes for this site.
· My purple petunias in planter boxes around the deck, despite my Dad replanting them a few weeks ago are still struggling. The look awful. I think I may try to do marigolds in the boxes next year. They seemed to do well in the garden so maybe they’ll do better in the boxes than the petunias did.
· The girls are now dipping their paintbrushes in the bubbles and painting the deck and playhouse.
· I think I need more coffee.
· I’m already worrying about what to wear at my brother’s wedding NEXT AUGUST. Almost exactly a year from now. I’m trying to lose some weight, (http://www.operationmoderation.blogspot.com/) but I’m not having a lot of success right now. Not that I’m huge, but I would like to feel better about myself.
· I have nothing planned for today at all. Nothing, other than praying the girls will be entertained by making a gigantic mess in another room so I can get some cleaning done somewhere else. I hope this day doesn’t end up tanked.
· It sounds like my washer and the comforter contained within survived. This is good news.
· Walking out my backdoor and seeing this: makes me happy.
· Maybe it’s time to resurrect Trouble Spot Tuesdays.
· Now the girls are asking for lunch sized snacks and dressup play. I’m baking here in the sun and it really is time for more coffee. So I guess that’s my cue to get my butt inside and get that pantry/fridge cleaned out and whatever else I can manage to get my hands on.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Fonky
Yesterday morning I had this conversation with Baboo in my bathroom as I was getting dressed:
Her: Momma? Where you get your panties?
Me: What?
Her: WHERE YOU GET YOUR PANTIES? (same question, just louder)
Me: (putting on pants over underwear) Oh. Um, the store.
Her: WHAT stwore?
Me: I don’t remember. Just a store.
Her: Hahaha. Momma, you fonky!
Me: What? Funny?
Her: No. Fonky!
Me: Funky?
Her: Oh momma, you so fonky. (laughing and shaking head).
I still have no idea what fonky is, but apparently, I’m “it”. Jealous? Bet you were as fonky as me. Maybe it’s combination of wonky and funky? That would kind of describe me right now.
Her: Momma? Where you get your panties?
Me: What?
Her: WHERE YOU GET YOUR PANTIES? (same question, just louder)
Me: (putting on pants over underwear) Oh. Um, the store.
Her: WHAT stwore?
Me: I don’t remember. Just a store.
Her: Hahaha. Momma, you fonky!
Me: What? Funny?
Her: No. Fonky!
Me: Funky?
Her: Oh momma, you so fonky. (laughing and shaking head).
I still have no idea what fonky is, but apparently, I’m “it”. Jealous? Bet you were as fonky as me. Maybe it’s combination of wonky and funky? That would kind of describe me right now.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
My Life. Now In Stereo
Baboo is very much in a “mimic” phase right now. She wants to do EVERYTHING her big sister does, EXACTLY the same. Exactly.
I feel like my days are in complete repeat mode at every step. Here are some examples:
The other day, Mouse wanted to wear a tank top and shorts so she could “exercise” by running up and down the sidewalk. I was *NOT* allowed to join her, and though she did want to walk around the block by herself, to which I said an emphatic NO, I did allow her to go 3 doors up alone, while I stood in the driveway to supervise.
When Baboo got dressed, she refused to wear the outfit I had picked out. She dug through her drawers until she found a tank top dress that vaguely resembled the one Mouse was wearing. After she had it on, she said “Now I like Mouse! I’m big”. Then she got her shoes on by herself and went outside to run up and down the sidewalk, like Mouse.
Then we were at an electronics store, picking up a new cable modem as ours got pooched in a big thunderstorm we had earlier this week. It was supposed to be a quick “in and out” errand, but it ended up taking 25 minutes, all but 4 of those minutes were spent repeating times 2, the same “commands”. Mouse would stop and look at the candy on the ridiculously long checkout aisles. She’d ask if we could buy some. I’d say “not today, please come on”. We’d take 2 steps, then Baboo would stop at the exact same spot and ask the exact same thing, to which I’d reply in the exact same manner. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. 20 more times, to the check out past a candy wonderland and then again on the way out past the 150 vending, gumball, and toy grabber vending machines. Baboo even stopped at the exact same spot, to peer through a wall with little holes on it, by putting her hands up to her eyes, exactly the same way Mouse had. Good grief. We made it out with everyone in one piece, but just barely.
When I brush Mouse’s hair in the morning, she’s very sensitive. She always cringes and yelps out “OW! OW! OW!” with just about every stroke, despite me spraying ½ a bottle of detangler, and combing gently. When I brush Baboo’s hair, she starts yelping out “OW! OW! OW!” before I even pick up the brush. In fact, she usually starts as soon as I spray on the detangler. One day I asked her, “Are you saying that because Mouse does?” And she said, in a tone of voice as if to imply I was an idiot “Ye-ess, Mommy. I like Mouse”. Oy. She looked at me as though I had two heads when I said “You don’t HAVE to say that. Mouse says it because it hurts, but if it doesn’t hurt you, you don’t have to say “ow”.”
It’s had no effect. Oh well.
Most of the time, it’s kind of cute when Baboo tries to mimic Mouse’s hand movements, body language and tone of voice. However, it’s not so cute when she pulls the same attitude that Mouse does. It makes me bonkers when it’s coming from one 5 year old, never mind a 2 year old trying to be a 5 year old who thinks she’s a 13 year old. Save me. The future looks grim.
So far, Mouse takes the mimicry good naturedly. She understands that Baboo just wants to be like her and is learning from the biggest girl she knows best. We’re trying to use that to our advantage by telling Mouse that if “SHE” behaves well, then it’s like that Baboo will and then we’re all winners. She’s not really buying that 100%, but we’re not giving up hope. However, it’s pretty much a guarantee that if Mouse is acting up, then Baboo will as well, in exactly the same way.
Maybe WE’LL learn the lessons better with all this repetition?
I feel like my days are in complete repeat mode at every step. Here are some examples:
The other day, Mouse wanted to wear a tank top and shorts so she could “exercise” by running up and down the sidewalk. I was *NOT* allowed to join her, and though she did want to walk around the block by herself, to which I said an emphatic NO, I did allow her to go 3 doors up alone, while I stood in the driveway to supervise.
When Baboo got dressed, she refused to wear the outfit I had picked out. She dug through her drawers until she found a tank top dress that vaguely resembled the one Mouse was wearing. After she had it on, she said “Now I like Mouse! I’m big”. Then she got her shoes on by herself and went outside to run up and down the sidewalk, like Mouse.
Then we were at an electronics store, picking up a new cable modem as ours got pooched in a big thunderstorm we had earlier this week. It was supposed to be a quick “in and out” errand, but it ended up taking 25 minutes, all but 4 of those minutes were spent repeating times 2, the same “commands”. Mouse would stop and look at the candy on the ridiculously long checkout aisles. She’d ask if we could buy some. I’d say “not today, please come on”. We’d take 2 steps, then Baboo would stop at the exact same spot and ask the exact same thing, to which I’d reply in the exact same manner. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. 20 more times, to the check out past a candy wonderland and then again on the way out past the 150 vending, gumball, and toy grabber vending machines. Baboo even stopped at the exact same spot, to peer through a wall with little holes on it, by putting her hands up to her eyes, exactly the same way Mouse had. Good grief. We made it out with everyone in one piece, but just barely.
When I brush Mouse’s hair in the morning, she’s very sensitive. She always cringes and yelps out “OW! OW! OW!” with just about every stroke, despite me spraying ½ a bottle of detangler, and combing gently. When I brush Baboo’s hair, she starts yelping out “OW! OW! OW!” before I even pick up the brush. In fact, she usually starts as soon as I spray on the detangler. One day I asked her, “Are you saying that because Mouse does?” And she said, in a tone of voice as if to imply I was an idiot “Ye-ess, Mommy. I like Mouse”. Oy. She looked at me as though I had two heads when I said “You don’t HAVE to say that. Mouse says it because it hurts, but if it doesn’t hurt you, you don’t have to say “ow”.”
It’s had no effect. Oh well.
Most of the time, it’s kind of cute when Baboo tries to mimic Mouse’s hand movements, body language and tone of voice. However, it’s not so cute when she pulls the same attitude that Mouse does. It makes me bonkers when it’s coming from one 5 year old, never mind a 2 year old trying to be a 5 year old who thinks she’s a 13 year old. Save me. The future looks grim.
So far, Mouse takes the mimicry good naturedly. She understands that Baboo just wants to be like her and is learning from the biggest girl she knows best. We’re trying to use that to our advantage by telling Mouse that if “SHE” behaves well, then it’s like that Baboo will and then we’re all winners. She’s not really buying that 100%, but we’re not giving up hope. However, it’s pretty much a guarantee that if Mouse is acting up, then Baboo will as well, in exactly the same way.
Maybe WE’LL learn the lessons better with all this repetition?
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Now Showing...
I've started a new blog to chronicle what I hope will be my lifestyle change journey. I know, just what the 'net needs, another blog about weight loss... but well, I hope it's more than that.
Visit me over at
http://operationmoderation.blogspot.com/
Visit me over at
http://operationmoderation.blogspot.com/
Critters
We’ve got critters up the whazoo here, of all sorts and they’re making a royal mess.
We’re inundated with spiders. We’ve got’em everywhere and they’re making mess all over the siding. I’ve got a tangle of webs all over the outdoor lights, pergola, decking and just about anyother web-worthy surface and bug gut stains all over my yellow siding. Gross.
I’ve got something that’s digging in my garden box. I noticed that my beautiful parsley was dying and I couldn’t figure out why. Then I noticed that it seemed loose, so I stuffed it back into the soil. The other day it was loose again, so I pulled up a bit and found that there were no roots left and a big tunnel underneath it. ARGH!!! All my soil is BEHIND the garden box and between the back of the box and the side of the house. Real convenient. I think I saw a vole last week, but it could have been a mouse. I don’t know.
We had a mouse in the house in the spring. Hubster was the only one to see it. Now that we don’t have cats, I guess this is inevitable. Anyway, he tried to catch it humanely. I bought the “nicest” traps we could find and tempted it with premium peanut butter. That little bugger ate the peanut butter and did not disturb the trap at all.
So, I bought the old fashioned snap traps. Somewhat reluctantly. We don’t relish killing other beings, but the thought of a mouse scampering all over my house was icking me out. Hubster set the “old snappy” trap one night, as well a humane trap and then he went to bed. My Mum was visiting and we were watching tv. Less than 5 minutes later, we heard the trap go off. Old snappy, of course. Hubster had had a problem getting the bar to stay set when he was getting the trap ready, so we thought that maybe it had just “gone off”. From across the room, my Mum peered around the kitchen island and said “that looks like more than peanut butter. Ewww”.
Hubster came down and cleaned it up. He looked at the little mouse and said “Dude! You had a choice! You could have been set free…. Sigh”. He felt really bad.
Anyway, apparently while the girls and I were away he caught another mouse in the garage. In about 5 minutes again.
Today, when I got the stroller out to go for a walk, I noticed droppings on the seat of the stroller. (gross, gross, ick, barf). I took the cover off and washed it. Then later on, I noticed a lot of droppings in one corner of the garage and a dead mouse in the other corner. Ew.
Needless to say, we’ve set some more traps in the garage.
I have no idea what to do about the one in the garden.
What a mess.
We’re inundated with spiders. We’ve got’em everywhere and they’re making mess all over the siding. I’ve got a tangle of webs all over the outdoor lights, pergola, decking and just about anyother web-worthy surface and bug gut stains all over my yellow siding. Gross.
I’ve got something that’s digging in my garden box. I noticed that my beautiful parsley was dying and I couldn’t figure out why. Then I noticed that it seemed loose, so I stuffed it back into the soil. The other day it was loose again, so I pulled up a bit and found that there were no roots left and a big tunnel underneath it. ARGH!!! All my soil is BEHIND the garden box and between the back of the box and the side of the house. Real convenient. I think I saw a vole last week, but it could have been a mouse. I don’t know.
We had a mouse in the house in the spring. Hubster was the only one to see it. Now that we don’t have cats, I guess this is inevitable. Anyway, he tried to catch it humanely. I bought the “nicest” traps we could find and tempted it with premium peanut butter. That little bugger ate the peanut butter and did not disturb the trap at all.
So, I bought the old fashioned snap traps. Somewhat reluctantly. We don’t relish killing other beings, but the thought of a mouse scampering all over my house was icking me out. Hubster set the “old snappy” trap one night, as well a humane trap and then he went to bed. My Mum was visiting and we were watching tv. Less than 5 minutes later, we heard the trap go off. Old snappy, of course. Hubster had had a problem getting the bar to stay set when he was getting the trap ready, so we thought that maybe it had just “gone off”. From across the room, my Mum peered around the kitchen island and said “that looks like more than peanut butter. Ewww”.
Hubster came down and cleaned it up. He looked at the little mouse and said “Dude! You had a choice! You could have been set free…. Sigh”. He felt really bad.
Anyway, apparently while the girls and I were away he caught another mouse in the garage. In about 5 minutes again.
Today, when I got the stroller out to go for a walk, I noticed droppings on the seat of the stroller. (gross, gross, ick, barf). I took the cover off and washed it. Then later on, I noticed a lot of droppings in one corner of the garage and a dead mouse in the other corner. Ew.
Needless to say, we’ve set some more traps in the garage.
I have no idea what to do about the one in the garden.
What a mess.
Cleaning Observations
With school around the corner, I’m feeling the need to get organized. I’m trying really hard to keep things cleaned up, to get a pattern to my day going, and prodding the rest of the gang to participate along with me. Sometimes this involves cattle prods, shocks and steel toed boots.
I SWEAR that shoes breed around here. Or at least can walk out of the closet on their own. EVERY SINGLE TIME I turn around, especially RIGHT after picking up shoes, there is ANOTHER PAIR just around the corner.
And, I’ve come to the conclusion that my house is like one of those long skinny balloons you twist to make animals out of. I squeeze one end of the house and make it all nice and tidy, but you can be guaranteed that at the other end of the house, there’s a bubble of mess that’s close to becoming an explosion.
I SWEAR that shoes breed around here. Or at least can walk out of the closet on their own. EVERY SINGLE TIME I turn around, especially RIGHT after picking up shoes, there is ANOTHER PAIR just around the corner.
And, I’ve come to the conclusion that my house is like one of those long skinny balloons you twist to make animals out of. I squeeze one end of the house and make it all nice and tidy, but you can be guaranteed that at the other end of the house, there’s a bubble of mess that’s close to becoming an explosion.
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