Back in the Saddle Again

There comes a time in every mom's life when you're forced (out of lonelieness or sheer boredom) to go out and make friends. It's not as easy as it was in college- you have a few too many, think yourself ultra witty and approach anyone you see.....No, it goes a little like this:

Scrub the kids til they shine like pennies (you don't think I'd actually take Emma out looking like she just ate oatmeal with her hands do you?), dress them in clothes that a.) don't smell and b.) actually match (this can get to be tricky by Friday), pack the diaper back with snacks that appear healthy (so I look a little concerned about the well-being of my children), and head to the park. Once there, all you can do is pray (really really hard) that your daughter won't roll in the mud and look like Pigpen or start talking gibberish and and acting like Animal. It's really a delicate dance this "dating" that goes on between moms at the park. But instead of doing my own makeup and dressing nicely ourselves, it's almost as if our kids are our display items.

At mass today we met an AWESOME couple with two kids themselves. At first we both tried to make our toddlers act like civilized humans, not wanting to be the "bad parent" (again, moms are always dating, looking for friends). Of course Emma got down off her chair, started jumping (and if that weren't enough) and announced to everyone "I jumping!". Later, when she got a case of the munchies, we slipped her a healthy snack. I felt good about this- not making me look too bad right? And then even later when she got a "boo boo" and about had a meltdown, I slipped her the secret weapon (chocolate milk in an opaque sippee cup). Her eyes got huuuuuge and she excitedly shouted to the whole congregation "TREAT MILK!!!" Arghhh, so much for not looking like the bad mom who gives her kid chocolate at 9 a.m. And when that ran out, she let out a nice big sigh and shouted "Allllll done chorch (church)" Luckily the little boy next to us was just as funny as Emma and we all got to talking after mass. They are wonderful and kind and totally non-judgmental (obviously!) which is a breath of fresh air (I tend to get the look from other moms that screams 'Wow, she is obviously way too young and inexperienced to handle those kids' a lot- especially when Emma pulls her punk moves). We traded numbers and are planning dinner and playdates very soon! They are both hilarious and soooo down to earth and understand everything that we're facing having just moved from Wisconsin themselves.

Emma's hair is now long enough to have a half ponytail.....well, it's more of a little blonde sprout on the top of her head, but everyone's gotta start somewhere! She doesn't seem to mind getting them put in either, which surprised me!

She swam in the apartment pool today as long as we'd let her. Her poor teeth were chattering and her body just trembling, so we finally dragged her out. Turns out her new favorite word is "no". Spent a good deal in timeout for that this weekend.

Her sentences are getting a lot bigger and the ideas a lot more complex. When I told her I couldn't hold her because I was holding Bela, she said "Get daddy hold Bela, mommy hold you". Hmmmm, makes sense I guess. So we did just that. She also sends herself to timeout a lot, or at least tells herself to go there ("go timeout right now! No frowing" (throwing)) and then doesn't listen to herself. She's definitely a punk sometimes, but overall a very well-behaved little girl (though those stories aren't as funny and don't make the blog).

Bela is talking and smiling more and crying a little louder these days. She's not wanting to fall asleep on her own anymore, so it's a little torturous to get her to do it. Probably doesn't help that when she does, a certain toddler goes running into her room, saying "SHHHH BABY SWEEPING!!" Well, the idea is right I guess, just not the volume level. Poor Bela's nerves must be shot.

As Bela's cheeks and chins grow in size and quantity, the comments from people also grow ("Oh, how cute- that baby is soooo chubby!") She really is a Buddha baby. I'm almost embarassed to admit that she's 100% nursed. Aren't formula babies supposed to be big and nursed babies petite? Obviously that is an untruth. She is in 9 month clothes and will be moving up sooner rather than later. In fact, she wore Emma's 18 month bathing suit to the pool today and it fit!! Hahaha!

In the middle of dinner today she asked for Yellow Grandpa (you're obviously missed a lot!). And she also did something else that was rather funny. She found a disposable camera that we hadn't developed and said "Take a picture Grammy Peace". Seems this smart little girl remembers that Grammy Peace always carries with her a disposable camera. Funny that she realized that it is different than our digital one. She kept saying "Dis Grammy Peace camera". So, you too are missed. In fact we miss everyone and can't wait for Bela's baptism!!!!