“Mommy? Why do they call it gymnastics?”
“I guess because it’s in a gym.”
“No but why is it called gym-mats-sticks?”
“Is this a trick question?”
“I get why they say gym because it’s in a gym. And there are mats. But why do they say sticks? We don’t ever use any sticks! I wish we did get sticks.”
After a full week of a nasty little virus that left Baylor feeling well enough to get out of bed but not good enough to go to school, she is FINALLY feeling better. Fever gone and ear infection cleared up, she was back to school on Thursday. But after a week of constant cartoons, I was left with a little girl who felt better and yet was acting like a beast. She was constantly asking for cartoons and throwing tantrums when she wasn’t getting her way. Cut to me standing outside of church Saturday evening with a soon to be four year old screaming her head off because she didn’t want to sit quietly and I was threatening to leave her on the bench outside so I could go to mass inside. I decided that it was time for a digital detox.
I told PW my plan and he was on board; no cartoons (except on runs…I get to be a little selfish). Sunday was rough. The harsh reality of “when you don’t listen and you act like a lunatic, you loose privileges and cartoons are privileges” set in. We had friends over for brunch and Baylor was EVERYWHERE. It would have been so easy to turn on Sophia the First and get some less-interrupted time with our friends, but we stayed strong. By Sunday night, it was a game. She would ask half heartedly just to see what we would say. And this morning, it was a non event. She asked, I said no and we moved on. We did get a run in but even then, she easily handed over the Ipad and found something to entertain herself. I found her playing in her playhouse in the backyard and having a great time. I realized we were long over due for a cleanse. As the temperatures begin to really heat up, our outside time is going to be less and less. So giving her a reason to go outside, get bored and use her imagination is the best reason to turn off Disney Junior. Not to mention she’s a way nicer kid when she’s not hopped up on Doc McStuffins.
Shirley is Baylor’s favorite doll. Shirley is generally never far away, always necessary for bed time and is responsible for teaching B how to pump her legs on the swing (according to Baylor). She is periodically the reason that Baylor can’t sleep as she likes to talk – a lot. And sometimes when Shirley has a bad dream, it wakes Baylor up. There was a time when Shirley did not like Noni and Noni spent much time and effort to win Shirley’s affection, which she eventually did. Overall Shirley teaches B good things so she’s allowed to stay.
Yesterday Baylor was busying herself “cutting the strings off of Shirley”. I didn’t know what that meant, but it was quiet and I figured I could repair anything that was cut. About a half hour later, Baylor walked into the living room with a face that I can only describe as sheer panic. In her left hand she held Shirley. In her right hand she held Shirley’s head (I’m dying as I’m writing this). I immediately burst out laughing and could. not. stop. myself. Baylor yelled “IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY!!!” which only made it worse.
I assured her that I could fix dear Shirley and put a safety pin in her neck as a temporary hold. I was able to sew her up this morning and Bay gave her a nice new princess band aid to cover her stitches.
Last night as Peter was putting B to bed he mentioned that Shirley had an accident. Bay abruptly turned to him and said “now, who told you THAT??“. Clearly, we are not talking about the accident.
Shirley. Shirley, are you ok?? I don’t think the drugs have worn off yet…
We are so lucky that a week of “cry it out” went really well and the little guy was actually able to move into his crib in Baylor’s room. It went great! Like too good to be true….which means it wasn’t surprising when he started waking up every morning around 4am and waking Bay up too. We spent two weeks pulling him out every morning around 4am and putting him back in his pack n play in our room so he could fuss himself back to sleep without waking up B. I’m hoping another week or two of cry it out in our room will get him over this 4am wake up and back into his crib!
Until then, it’s hard to resist this view:
He’s trying hard to crawl – he gets on his hands and knees and rocks so hard that it scoots the PnP across the floor…
What do you do when you don’t have enough time to get everything done in a day? That’s right! You agree to host the Dad’s Pancake Breakfast at Baylor’s preschool! I’m nuts, I know. But in my defense, I love being involved with her school and I was not sleeping a lot when I volunteered and therefore was a bit out of it.
Thankfully, I am on the co-chair for the event and the other co-chair is one Mrs. Stephanie D. Also known as Wonder Woman. She makes working and traveling for work and raising an awesome little girl look like child’s play. We are both crazy list makers, planners and multi-taskers. Yin to my yang. Ethel to her Lucy. Abbot to my Costello. Peanut butter to her jelly. I’ve tackled the donations and food, she’s done the signage, marketing and invitations. We have viewed this event as a game, and we’re in it to win it. Bring it on 300+ parents and preschoolers. We’ve got enough pancakes, toppings, games, crafts and raffle to keep you all happy and full.
If you see two women drunk at a bar on Saturday night mumbling about pancakes and laughing hysterically, it’s probably us.
If you guessed that this poor baby’s mother didn’t check to make sure BOTH feet were out of his bouncer, you’re correct!
We live in a one of those weird neighborhoods where we know (and like) almost everyone on our street. Not only that, but there are a ton of kids and they have a blast playing together. Another benefit is when you get a text from a neighbor at 8am that says “Does 345 work for wine/bikes?”. The answer is yes. Yes it does.
And this is what 4 moms and 9 kids having happy hour looks like:
Riding down the street
Controlled chaos
Bay giving J a ride
The girls and the babies
Happy mommas
Berkley keeping watch
Auggie and H baby wrestling
We stayed out until Peter pulled up – it was like your mom calling you home for dinner since he arrived with Julio G’s Mexican food!
That’d be “orange juice” in Baylor speak.
Between the sudden freezing temperatures and theiving neighbors (I asked a woman to stop picking our oranges one day and her response was “Oh, I didn’t think you were using them” and then walked off with an arm full. Who does that?!) we picked all of our oranges off our two trees. I hate doing it because it’s so much more fun to pick what you want and let the rest ripen on the tree. Arg.
Anyway, I got a new juicer that was easier for Baylor to use and we set out to juice about 75 oranges this morning. She gave up after about 20 but Auggie and I made it through the rest of the bags. Three pretty bottles of juice were our prize!
Tangelos
Chef Wand and her Sous Chef Augustus
Loving the new juicer
If being cute makes you a good cook, Auggie won the James Beard Award
The final (delicious) product
Or as Baylor says “Balentimes” Day.
When you’re 3 1/2, nothing says love and Balentimes like barnyard animals. I sent her to school today with 22 handmade valentines – almost all of them containing pig, horse and cow stickers. I didn’t realize what she was doing until she was a few in and then I thought they were cute! Only she could get away with putting pigs on valentines.
This is the one she made for me 🙂
The wild man has continued his growth spurt – 3 lbs and 3 inches these last two months! He’s now 19 lbs 26 inches – 75th and 95th respectively. I knew my shoulders hurt for a reason… He is now grabbing, holding and examining anything he can get his hands on and of course, get into his mouth. He’s getting close to sitting up without help and is desperately trying to get his swimming arms and legs coordinated enough to crawl and keep up with his cousin, Mason. Who he currently out weighs despite Mason being 6 months older.
You can really start to see the difference from his two month pictures. Those legs are stretching out!
Photography is serious,Mom
This is how he spends most of his time not in the jumper
Always angling for a better view.
Ta da! 
Those wrist rolls don’t even compare to his thigh rolls – hard to decide which I love more…
The Goon Room 