Milkymilk

Pinpointing

We were at the playground this morning when I saw it, our first real hint of fall color for the season.  

This afternoon, while putting Harper's shoes on, I told her for each pair of shoes we buy, Tom's gives another pair to a little girl in a third world country who cannot afford shoes.

H:  "Like Leah?"  (Who lives down the street in a bigger house than ours.)

M:  "No, not like Leah."

H:  "Like Lexie?"  (Still a bigger house, and in a better location.)

M:  "No, not like Lexie..."  (Starting to realize I'd rather not delay our trip to the craft store by trying to explain what a third world country is to a three year old.)

H:  "Like Rachael?"  (Rachael is a new girl in her class, and I have never been to her house.)

M:  "Yes.  Like Rachael."

Note to self: Keep better track of iphone.

I was suprised to find these pictures Harper took on my phone today.

Well, at least she is on her way to making great self portraits.

Leaps and Bounds

Today, Harper honed in on her ability to reason.  Apparently, daddies eat meat.  (This is true in our house, maybe doubly so because Harper and I don’t eat meat.)  Harper says she eats dinosaur meat.  When asked if it tastes like chicken, she replied, “No.  It tastes pterodactylly.”

 

That is Dora, passed out in her latte during a game of coffee shop.

 

Our afternoon snack time conversation went a little like this:

“I want juice.”

“Umm, okay.  You can have juice.”

“I want juice!”

“I’m getting you your juice!”

“I want juice!!”

“I’m getting you your juice!!”

“I want juice!!!!!”

“I’m getting you your juice!!!!!”

“I want juuuicccce!!!!!!!!!”

“I’M GETTING YOU YOUR JUICE!”

“Don’t yell at little girls.  Mommy, it is not okay to yell at little girls.  I’m just a little girl, and no yelling at little girls.  I’m a little girl.  Don’t yell at me.”

Definitely in the top 5 worst moments of my life.  Oh, the guilt was crushing. 

 

Not so awful, Casey is starting to walk.  She will attempt to walk on wall to wall carpeting exclusively.  I like her style: cautious and bouncy.

Get Out

Last night we passed by our local gas station; it is staggering how high gas prices have gotten.  The thing that really turns my stomach about the whole thing is it is just about the last thing on earth I’d like to spend money on.  So, rather than griping, I’m walking.

We bought a second car a few months ago.  Since then I’ve been driving more, as it is just so easy now that I have a car at my disposal daily.  (We took turns, and switched days before.)  I’m giving it up.  I’m giving our nice family car, the relatively fuel efficient one, to Skylar a few days a week, and hitting the pavement.  It is beautiful outside, so we might as well enjoy it!

Living with two little ones in suburban sprawl and a lack of sidewalks (Why Connecticut?  Why?) we have a lot of gear to get us out of the house.   Today, I want to share my fave, my Beco Butterfly 2.

SWOOOOON!  This is my 5^th baby carrier, and my fave.  It is so easy to put Casey, almost 14 months and about 21 pounds, on my back for long walks.  It distributes her weight evenly between my shoulders and hips, so super comfy.  I’ve even carried Harper, 3 yrs and over 32 pounds, ½ mile in it without a problem. 

And, it is way cuter than our car.  Nor could a car cover a little leftover baby bump belly the way a baby carrier can.  See big oil, I don’t need you :P

The Unthinkable

I took away Harper's nap.  Who does that to their own child?  Poor thing.  I spent forever teaching her how to nap, on her own, not on me, tears were shed, things were done I'm not proud of, and now, POOF: No naps for you little girl.

It has been a week, and things are going according to my little plan (fingers crossed).  The problem was not that she was fighting naps, or drama like that.  No.  She loves her naps.  LOVES.  She would, and still does, ask to nap.  Not rest, not have quiet time, NAP.  And, then she was up until 10:00 p.m., a.k.a my bedtime.

I could maybe have switched it up, and taught myself how to stay up till 11:00.  {Gasp!}  But, Casey wakes up at 6:10 a.m.  Unkind, I know.  It was the parenting form 6 to 10 that had to stop.  If you have ever tried to convince a baby to change their sleeping pattern, you must have a good since of humor.  Babies don't negotiate.  They scream, and cry, and it is so so sad.  Three year olds are a bit easier to reason with.

So, now all little ones are out cold by 8:00 p.m., and I have my blissful evenings of rest and relaxation!  I guess this also means I've lost my excuse for not getting to things that need getting to... 

This is a squirl in our yard trying to eat a plastic Easter egg.  It has nothing to do with anything, but I thought you might like it.  Our little suburban slice of nature.