Monday, July 5, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Farewell to diapers and strollers...
Yesterday we sold our last stroller. It happened to be to a friend who saw it on craigslist, so I'll be happy to see her with it. I'm also happy (honest) to have the back of my van back, since we weren't using the stroller anyway. The girls hadn't ridden in it in ages.
This week we stopped using diapers completely and the girls have been dry every morning. I have TWO diapers left, just sitting there all by themselves. I have to say that feels strange.
Yesterday, as promised, I painted the twins' toenails. I told them months ago that once they were ALL DONE with diapers, that they could have their toes painted. They sat SO still and were so patient, and really delighted with the finished results. It was a big step for me to be painting their nails. It just seemed to speak of so much to come for two little girls growing up so quickly.
This week they wrote their names all by themselves. Copied them, really, on their magnadoodles, but still a sweet accomplishment that brought me joy. It made me so proud.
I can't help reflecting on the "diapers and strollers" phase that we are leaving behind. Maybe I feel nostalgic because I am uncertain if we will ever revisit the phase by having future children. Maybe I am nervous facing childhood with all it's parenting challenges, in comparison to the relatively clear-cut decisions of infanthood. For some one who has complained so loudly about the burden of raising two babies at one time, I feel somehow cheated that the time has gone so quickly. Surely I should have more time with my babies?
Don't think I'm not thankful. I'm so happy to see them growing and progressing. Watching them learn new things is just as amazing as it always has been. Seeing their eyes light up with understanding and their smile bright with confidence in new accomplishments is a magical experience.
I certainly won't miss the monthly expense of diapers, or lifting that mammoth double stroller. But it still feels like a bitter-sweet milestone. I truly never minded changing diapers. I wouldn't mind changing a few more.....
This week we stopped using diapers completely and the girls have been dry every morning. I have TWO diapers left, just sitting there all by themselves. I have to say that feels strange.
Yesterday, as promised, I painted the twins' toenails. I told them months ago that once they were ALL DONE with diapers, that they could have their toes painted. They sat SO still and were so patient, and really delighted with the finished results. It was a big step for me to be painting their nails. It just seemed to speak of so much to come for two little girls growing up so quickly.
This week they wrote their names all by themselves. Copied them, really, on their magnadoodles, but still a sweet accomplishment that brought me joy. It made me so proud.
I can't help reflecting on the "diapers and strollers" phase that we are leaving behind. Maybe I feel nostalgic because I am uncertain if we will ever revisit the phase by having future children. Maybe I am nervous facing childhood with all it's parenting challenges, in comparison to the relatively clear-cut decisions of infanthood. For some one who has complained so loudly about the burden of raising two babies at one time, I feel somehow cheated that the time has gone so quickly. Surely I should have more time with my babies?
Don't think I'm not thankful. I'm so happy to see them growing and progressing. Watching them learn new things is just as amazing as it always has been. Seeing their eyes light up with understanding and their smile bright with confidence in new accomplishments is a magical experience.
I certainly won't miss the monthly expense of diapers, or lifting that mammoth double stroller. But it still feels like a bitter-sweet milestone. I truly never minded changing diapers. I wouldn't mind changing a few more.....
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Consignment Sale Season again....
Tickled Twice
March 3-6
http://www.tickledtwice.com/
Belles & Beaus
March 12-14
http://bellesandbeaussc.tripod.com/
Tot Trade
March 17-23
http://www.tottrade.net/sale_details.html
M.O.M. Sale
March 27
http://www.gcamotc.com/sales.htm
Let me know if there are any others!
March 3-6
http://www.tickledtwice.com/
Belles & Beaus
March 12-14
http://bellesandbeaussc.tripod.com/
Tot Trade
March 17-23
http://www.tottrade.net/sale_details.html
M.O.M. Sale
March 27
http://www.gcamotc.com/sales.htm
Let me know if there are any others!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Win 20 pairs of Baby Legwarmers!
At Baby Snazz! Don't miss the contest, it's easy and you don't have to buy anything to enter:
Win 20 Pairs of Baby Leg Warmers from babySNAZZ!
Win 20 Pairs of Baby Leg Warmers from babySNAZZ!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Just another manic Monday.....
WHY why is it the days when I have my sights set SO high on getting SO much done that the entire world seems against me. Let's go chronologically, shall we...
6:00 AM Stupid beagle wakes me up, running around the room. Take off her collar so it will stop jingling, then put her on my bed (DH leaves early for work). She proceeds to jump up and down and run around the house so that I cannot fall asleep.
6:35 AM I fall back asleep finally, right before DDs wake up in a typically crabby mood.
6:50 AM Try to entice the girls with TV, but wind up having to fix breakfast and feed them in the living room.
7:30 AM Try to entice girls with TV AGAIN to no avail. Decide to get ready for the inevitable Walmart trip.
9:30 AM Finally ready for the stupid Walmart trip. Leave front door.
9:45 AM Leave drive-way. Yes, it does take that long, I swear.
10:00 AM Re-discover timeless truth: Walmart sucks. They just suck. HUGE whopping Super Walmart with only two, count them, TWO double carts. Thought I was lucky to find one then realized it was soaking wet. Get cart dried off, then realize straps are broken. Too late to back out now. DDs ride STANDING in the front of the double cart.
10:15 AM Tell DDs 27 thousand times to not stand on the seat. Stand on the floor of the little front cart car thingy. DO NOT STAND ON SEAT.
10:45 AM Criss-cross ginormous store finding about half of the items I actually needed, forgetting the other half. Tell DDs DO NOT STAND ON SEAT.
11:00 AM Spend 15 minutes locating a manager to politely suggest, ask, or beg, that the store "invest" in at least 2 working double carts. Manager looks at me as if I am a little OCD and then asks how old they are. "UMmmmm. Old enough to need to be buckled into a cart, and not old enough to walk along side it."
11:15 AM Unload groceries, get DDs into house, take incessantly barking dog outside, try to start chopping veggies to put in crock pot for soup. Turn around and DDs have sprinkled flour on roughly half of the contents of our pantry, and generously dusted themselves as well. Close door on pantry and try to forget that.
12:00 PM Give DDs lunch, realize (once it is too late) that all ingredients will not fit into crock pot. Recipe is probably now ruined as I haphazardly scoop out "half" of the ingredients.
12:10 PM Stupidly decide it is a good time to clean out fridge, so pull out most of fridge stuff all over the kitchen which is already covered in groceries, half chopped soup ingredients removed from pot and flour. Decide I should either clean out fridge much more often, or never.
12:25 PM Girls have taken applesauce and milk and made a paste that is now coating chairs and table, and their flour-dredged dresses, that, might I add, were new until today. DD1 cries because I refuse to replace milk she has deliberately poured all over kitchen.
12:30 PM Clean girls off, strip dirty clothes. DD2 cries that I will not let her continue living in filthy dress. Trash can is starting to smell from fridge which is still open and half scrubbed out. Counter is now covered in empty cans, choppings, half of ruined soup and the contents of fridge.
12:40 PM Something SMELLS. BEAGLE HAS POOPED IN LIVING ROOM. DDs are screaming in horror, still naked. Fridge is still open, food is all over kitchen. Applesauce/Milk paste is covering furniture. It gets worse.
12:45 PM Realize too late that BEAGLE HAS stepped in poop and tracked it on rug and floor. Capture beagle and cage her, while telling her of all the places she could live that would make me quite happy, realizing all the while that I will now have to bathe beagle and clean cage. DD1 starts crying because apparently, she has wet her diaper and that just CANNOT WAIT. Clean poop off of floor, apply carpet cleaner to rug and search fearfully for more.
1:00 PM Take girls to bedroom, change them, dress them and put them in bed for nap. Sigh in relief, start to leave bedroom. See poop-covered Croc (Croc Mammoth OF COURSE) in corner and realize the poop has now been theoretically spread from living room, down hall, and into girls' room, covering throw rugs, laminate floor, and carpeting in it's journey.
1:15 PM Cook chicken pot pie, fattiest food item I could find in freezer and eat it with a taboo Mt. Dew. Decide we must move to get away from the omnipresent poop.
Thanks if you hung on till the end. I think getting off Prozac was a huge mistake.
6:00 AM Stupid beagle wakes me up, running around the room. Take off her collar so it will stop jingling, then put her on my bed (DH leaves early for work). She proceeds to jump up and down and run around the house so that I cannot fall asleep.
6:35 AM I fall back asleep finally, right before DDs wake up in a typically crabby mood.
6:50 AM Try to entice the girls with TV, but wind up having to fix breakfast and feed them in the living room.
7:30 AM Try to entice girls with TV AGAIN to no avail. Decide to get ready for the inevitable Walmart trip.
9:30 AM Finally ready for the stupid Walmart trip. Leave front door.
9:45 AM Leave drive-way. Yes, it does take that long, I swear.
10:00 AM Re-discover timeless truth: Walmart sucks. They just suck. HUGE whopping Super Walmart with only two, count them, TWO double carts. Thought I was lucky to find one then realized it was soaking wet. Get cart dried off, then realize straps are broken. Too late to back out now. DDs ride STANDING in the front of the double cart.
10:15 AM Tell DDs 27 thousand times to not stand on the seat. Stand on the floor of the little front cart car thingy. DO NOT STAND ON SEAT.
10:45 AM Criss-cross ginormous store finding about half of the items I actually needed, forgetting the other half. Tell DDs DO NOT STAND ON SEAT.
11:00 AM Spend 15 minutes locating a manager to politely suggest, ask, or beg, that the store "invest" in at least 2 working double carts. Manager looks at me as if I am a little OCD and then asks how old they are. "UMmmmm. Old enough to need to be buckled into a cart, and not old enough to walk along side it."
11:15 AM Unload groceries, get DDs into house, take incessantly barking dog outside, try to start chopping veggies to put in crock pot for soup. Turn around and DDs have sprinkled flour on roughly half of the contents of our pantry, and generously dusted themselves as well. Close door on pantry and try to forget that.
12:00 PM Give DDs lunch, realize (once it is too late) that all ingredients will not fit into crock pot. Recipe is probably now ruined as I haphazardly scoop out "half" of the ingredients.
12:10 PM Stupidly decide it is a good time to clean out fridge, so pull out most of fridge stuff all over the kitchen which is already covered in groceries, half chopped soup ingredients removed from pot and flour. Decide I should either clean out fridge much more often, or never.
12:25 PM Girls have taken applesauce and milk and made a paste that is now coating chairs and table, and their flour-dredged dresses, that, might I add, were new until today. DD1 cries because I refuse to replace milk she has deliberately poured all over kitchen.
12:30 PM Clean girls off, strip dirty clothes. DD2 cries that I will not let her continue living in filthy dress. Trash can is starting to smell from fridge which is still open and half scrubbed out. Counter is now covered in empty cans, choppings, half of ruined soup and the contents of fridge.
12:40 PM Something SMELLS. BEAGLE HAS POOPED IN LIVING ROOM. DDs are screaming in horror, still naked. Fridge is still open, food is all over kitchen. Applesauce/Milk paste is covering furniture. It gets worse.
12:45 PM Realize too late that BEAGLE HAS stepped in poop and tracked it on rug and floor. Capture beagle and cage her, while telling her of all the places she could live that would make me quite happy, realizing all the while that I will now have to bathe beagle and clean cage. DD1 starts crying because apparently, she has wet her diaper and that just CANNOT WAIT. Clean poop off of floor, apply carpet cleaner to rug and search fearfully for more.
1:00 PM Take girls to bedroom, change them, dress them and put them in bed for nap. Sigh in relief, start to leave bedroom. See poop-covered Croc (Croc Mammoth OF COURSE) in corner and realize the poop has now been theoretically spread from living room, down hall, and into girls' room, covering throw rugs, laminate floor, and carpeting in it's journey.
1:15 PM Cook chicken pot pie, fattiest food item I could find in freezer and eat it with a taboo Mt. Dew. Decide we must move to get away from the omnipresent poop.
Thanks if you hung on till the end. I think getting off Prozac was a huge mistake.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Amber Necklaces
USE save15 AT INSPIRED BY FINN FOR 15% OFF!!!!I just realized that I never posted a review of the amber necklaces we bought nearly a year ago.
I bought necklaces for each of the girls and one for myself . We love them!
I was concerned that at their age (when we first got them, the girls were 21 months) they would be bothered by them, try to take them off, or worse PULL each other by the neck. But they were delighted to see they got necklaces that matched mommy's and we haven't had a moments trouble with them. When they wake up in the morning they point to their necks and are ready to get dressed and put on their necklaces. They look so adorable too!
I love my necklace (I now have two from Inspired by Finn). It's been really difficult the last two years, as I developed a nickel allergy during pregnancy and can no longer wear most jewelry. My wedding ring and all my expensive jewelry irritates my skin; sterling silver, white gold, yellow gold, etc. I was told anything of a lesser quality than platinum would be a problem, because most metals contain nickel as a firming substance. Even beaded, plastic and cord jewelry is often made with metal clasps that I can't wear. I've tried "hypo-allergenic" jewelry and can't wear that either.
Now I have jewelry that I can wear all the time, and I don't even feel it. I was delighted to see how light and comfortable it is, and I LOVE that the clasp is all plastic, so NO irritation for me! It is a pleasure to be able to put on jewelry again! I also love that the clasp doesn't catch my hair the way almost all jewelry used to.
As I mentioned before, amber jewelry has natural analgesic properties. After wearing this necklace for months now, I am amazed to report that I do believe it is effective. I have fairly constant neck pain and should be seeing a chiropractor regularly, but I haven't been in months. The necklace really dulls the pain. When I forget to put it back on after showering, I can feel the difference. It's not a miracle, but it definitely takes the edge off of the pain. My grandmother wears her amber bracelet for bursitis and she agrees it does help.
I also wanted to comment on the quality of Kate's jewelry at Inspired by Finn. I have worn my multi-colored necklace about 23 hours a day, every day (occasionally switching it out with my "dressier" dark amber necklace) since we bought and it is still going strong which is impressive! My daughters, parents, brothers and grandmother all have them too and no one has had any quality complaints.
I highly recommend Kate at Inspired by Finn, she's very helpful and her jewelry is lovely. Shipping is also very reasonable, so check it out: http://hyenacart.com/inspiredbyfinn/
Who doesn't want jewelry that makes you feel better?!
As I mentioned before, amber jewelry has natural analgesic properties. After wearing this necklace for months now, I am amazed to report that I do believe it is effective. I have fairly constant neck pain and should be seeing a chiropractor regularly, but I haven't been in months. The necklace really dulls the pain. When I forget to put it back on after showering, I can feel the difference. It's not a miracle, but it definitely takes the edge off of the pain. My grandmother wears her amber bracelet for bursitis and she agrees it does help.
I also wanted to comment on the quality of Kate's jewelry at Inspired by Finn. I have worn my multi-colored necklace about 23 hours a day, every day (occasionally switching it out with my "dressier" dark amber necklace) since we bought and it is still going strong which is impressive! My daughters, parents, brothers and grandmother all have them too and no one has had any quality complaints.
I highly recommend Kate at Inspired by Finn, she's very helpful and her jewelry is lovely. Shipping is also very reasonable, so check it out: http://hyenacart.com/inspiredbyfinn/
Who doesn't want jewelry that makes you feel better?!
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