Wake Up!

First of all, can you tell I have a little time on my hands today? This is what, my fourth or fifth post? Anyway...

How do I get my kid to stay up late? She's been pooping out before 7pm the past few nights, and therefore waking up before 6am the past few mornings. We have a wedding this weekend (I'm a bridesmaid - woo hoo!) and I would really like it if her head didn't hit her mashed potatoes half way through dinner. I have one night (tonight) to adjust her sleep schedule, I think my chances of success are slim. Perfectly timed naps may be the key here, a good nappy nap nap may just push bedtime back an hour or two. That and a quality DJ, one with colored lights.

And speaking of DJs - my nephew is soooo dang cute! At a wedding a few weeks ago he kept saying "They need to play my plumsy song." Or at least that's what it sounded to me.
Finally I asked his mom, "What is a plumsy song?"
"Oh, he's saying Clumsy, the Fergie song."
Just picture a three and a half year old little boy getting down to Fergie Ferg. Too funny.

I Love TV

As known from a previous post, Miss M does not like to watch TV. Well, she's going to have to get over that pretty soon or she's not going to last long in this family! I'm kidding, of course. But what person under the age of 75 does not in some part identify their childhood with television? Furthermore, I seem to remember world events much better when I can somehow link them to a television show. I mean, I vividly remember watching the Challenger blow up in my elementary school library with the rest of my classmates - but I even more vividly remember watching Punky Brewster watch the Challenger blow up in her classroom. Let's see how many memories I can stir up for you...

1. Strawberry Shortcake - I remember chanting "the peculiar purple pieman of porcupine peak, ya da da da ta ta, ya ta ta ta" with my brother during rainy days watching taped cartoons.

2. My Two Dads - Didn't it seem like Nicole must have the coolest life? I mean, two dads, you'd be the coolest kid in school, right? I guess this show was before gay people were invented.

3. Perfect Strangers - This show sure was funny, even though I couldn't understand half of it. What the hell was that guy's name anyway? Balky? Something like that. Again, before gay people were invented.

4. Silver Spoons - Oh swoon, Ricky Schroder. Whatever, barf. I'm more of a Dylan McKay type of girl.

5. Didn't Saturday morning cartoons seem to be sooo much better way back when? Smurfs, Snorks, Care Bears, Wuzzles, Ducktales, The Pound Puppies, Bernstein Bears, Gummi Bears, Jem (she's truly outrageous), Poochie, Popples, Rainbow Brite, Thundercats, He-Man, the list goes on, and on, and on...

Babies love cell phones...

Just Dance...

I can't wait until baby ballet - she'll be a natural! Check it out...

15 Month Stats

Miss M had her 15-month wellness visit with the doctor yesterday. Here's what we learned...

1. Miss M loves running up and down the halls at the doctors office... naked.
2. I'm going to need to buy one of those molded plastic jungle gym jobbers, the one at the doctors office was the highlight of the trip.
3. Miss M still does not weigh 20 pounds - she's 19 pounds 3 ounces.
4. That weight puts her in about the 7th percentile (up from the 4th percentile).
5. Miss M is 30.5 inches long - almost 50% percentile (up from the 25th percentile).
6. Miss M can reach one helluva high note. Shots are not fun at all.

The House...

Finally... FINALLY... everything is fully negotiated and the only thing left to do is the closing. And because we can FINALLY feel confident that yes, this is in fact our new house, I've decided it's safe to share pictures :)

A New First

First time sucking out of a straw. Miss M got a hold of her uncles orange soda and showed us all what a big girl she is by slurping it right up through the straw. Her first taste of orange soda brought on convulsions of revultion - I think we'll stick to milk.

Goodnight Moon

Miss M wants to pen a new book, similar to the classic Goodnight Moon, called "Hi Dada"... here's how it goes (I think she probably needs a good editor)...

Hi doggy.
Hi vacuum cleaner.
Hi Dada
Hi Ella's Dada
Hi favorite ladybug book.
Hi teacher.
Hi waitress at Penny's.
Hi lady walking down the street.
Hi grocery bagger.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.

That's right - she's got a new word, and she ain't afraid to use it!

Perils of Being a Realtor

I have a second-hand story to share today...

Our Realtor and I were chatting this past Saturday while J and the Inspector worked through our new house. I asked her if going through homes makes her want to move every couple years. She said no, and then started telling me some stories of her most memorable showings. The best one being the time she walked in on two teenagers having sex. Yup. The kids had off school that day, and typically the house is empty during the day while mom and dad are at work. The Realtor knocked on the door anyway, but no one answered so she walked in. She went ahead of her buyers to check out the upstairs bedrooms and lo-and-behold - two 15 year-olds in the throws of passion. Another story was the time she was rushing an owner out before an open house but he "just had to take a quick shower"... then spent 15 minutes walking around his room stark naked, with people coming in the front door for the open. And last great tale can be summed up in two words - dead rabbit. Fun stuff!

New School Picture

Miss M newest "school" (daycare) picture. Look at that smile, I love her so much!

Going to my happy place...

Behind me to the left, my daughter is disemboweling my kitchen cabinets. All the measuring bowls are on the floor (upside down, because for some reason right-side-up is offensive to her), the sugar shaker (sans sugar) and the spatulas are organized in some kind of Blair Witch type of formation, and periodically she decides that mommy must really need a measuring spoon or plastic scoop and traverses the minefield of strainers and pot lids to hand off one of her trinkets. Maybe I should fill the bottom drawers with her toys instead of my kitchen tools. I'm sure that would keep her out of those drawers, because of course no well-worn toy can hold a candle to a bright red plastic spoon. Oops there went the pink mini-rolling pin, the only tool that has somehow manipulated an escape from little Attila over there. Crap, a hundred cupcake liners just went up like confetti.... going to my happy place now...only two more hours until bedtime, only two more hours until bedtime, only two more hours until bedtime....

Moving on Up!

Goodbye city life - teenagers in the alley - random garbage in the backyard - early morning delivery trucks - no parking - gang shootings - corrupt cops - highest sales tax in the country - HELLO SUBURBIA! Land of milk and honey, kids with nicknames like "the Beave", little league and responsible drivers. Lake Villa, I hope you're ready for the worlds cutest baby and her menagerie of hairy idiots. We finally have a house under contract. We have an inspection this weekend and barring some major calamity, we'll be moving in on June 11th or 12th.

Hugs and Kisses....

My new favorite feeling in the whole wide world? Scrawny baby arms wrapped around my neck. Miss M isn't really much of a cuddler, she's a little too action-packed to sit still for such things. But last night she must have been in a hugging mood, because she stood up on my lap and sqeezed me tight, performing a combo of hugs and kisses (kisses mixed with rice, pears and snot), totally taking me by surprise. I love that little slime ball, she's just so damn cute.

Dancing Machine, and Other Wedding Stories...

This weekend we are at a wedding in Wisconsin, Miss M's first formal affair. I have a two stories...

1. Dancing machine! Before they did the "first dance" they had the band play some rock music for all the kids that were running around the dance floor (lots-o-munchkins at this wedding). Miss M was right there in the middle of the mosh pit, no fear! She danced all four songs and then had to be dragged off the floor when it was time for the bride and groom to do their solo. She kept trying to run back on to dance with them. Next song after the First Dance was a Polka for the grandparents -- When Miss M heard that she immediately stopping trying to drag me back to the dance floor and went to play in the corner with her cousin. Guess she's not a fan of the oom-paa-paa!

- side story... in a sea of moving bodies under four feet tall, who is the woman trying to form a protective bubble around the lone baby on the dance floor, screaming "Watch out for the baby!" to every hopped-up kid that comes within 2 feet of her? Yeah, that's me.

2. I'm a human ATM machine. I was holding on to my room key card in the corner of my dress (under my bra strap) because I didn't have a purse with me. I was holding Miss M and she found the key tucked in my decolltage, yanked down my dress and whipped it out. Then spent the next five minutes continually replacing and removing the key card from my cleavage.

New Words

We can now say "Ball" and "Cookie" - clarity is a little rough still, but definately said 'em!

Bedtime

New bedtime rules are being enforced tonight - and my heart is literally breaking in half because of it. Miss M has been setting her own bedtime (sometime between 7pm and 8pm) for quite a while, but now that it has become very clear she has a mind of her own (welcome temper tantrums) the bedtime ritual is bordering on ridiculous. So we decided to institute a set bed time - 7:30pm. She is tired by this time each night, even if she thinks she doesn't want to go to bed, so it should be fine. She can find her own binky and lovie for support, so it should be FINE. Oh, but mom is not fine, mom is sooo not fine. I just spent the last 23 minutes listening to her cry and whine and cry and sound absolutely pathetic. I practically had to staple my ass to the chair to keep from going to comfort her. We'll all be better off in the long run - I don't want to end up on Supernanny - but now all I want to do is cuddle... and she's fast asleep.

Waddlers

The daycare splits kids up by age group - 6weeks to 18 months is "infant", 18 months it "toddler", sometime after two is "twos", three/four is preschool. But our particular daycare center has developed another group - the "waddlers" - those childern too old for the infant room, but not old enough for the toddler room. You must be walking, off the bottle, and able to survive on one nap per day to be admitted to the waddler room. Admissions are subject to availability and filled oldest first.

For about a month now I have been trying to get Miss M into the Waddler room as much as possible (as a visitor). Her official start date is June 1st BUT she has been walking/eating/one nap for almost two months now, and all the other kids her age have already moved into the room. She is totally bored with all the dumb babies in her infant room. This week one "waddler" kid is on vaca all week so Miss M is granted access - and boy are they going to regret it... because she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES it over there. I tried to drop her off at her normal Infant room this morning and she totally through a fit, crying, clinging, BIG messy baby. She kept pointing at the other room. She is spending her day there today, so the tantrum is short lived, but what do we do next Monday when there is no more open spot for her? She is going to be so pissed! I'm hoping that the powers that be will see how traumatized my super-advanced (because you know, of course she's advanced) daughter will be if she is separated from her peers and will find some miracle way to keep her in there.

Wagon Train

What a nice surprise from Granny and Grandpa, our first red wagon! It's one of those molded plastic deals with two seats inside, perfect for toddlers. We rolled all over Granny's yard, Miss M sitting quietly holding on to the sides for balance. She didn't utter a peep the entire time, just kept quiet with a sweet little smile on her face. I tried to show her a dandelion during our ride, but she didn't like it, wanted to continue her ride. She's all action that one.

Badger Girl

Lost

Just watched this weeks episode of Lost. I think they named it Lost not because the characters are all lost, but because the viewers are. I love this show, but it is the most confusing thing I've ever seen. It's only got about another year on the air before they pull the plug and I'm beginning to think the final episode will be an hour of the same graphic that says, "Ha ha - dumbass!", mocking us for wasting so much time trying to figure out where damn dog went, if Claire is really dead, what the smoke monster is, and why there had to be polar bears involved.