When Will That Day Come…
There are many a country song and even more grandparents who get all giddy and reminiscent about the pitter patter of little footsteps. When in God’s name will I feel nostalgic about little footsteps?
Both girls are supposed to be napping, so why in the world did I just hear the unmistakable sound of little feet running down the hallway? UGH! Who taught that kid how to walk????
What’s Next, A Belly Ring?
So we went to the Antelope Valley Fair yesterday (nothing exciting when compared to San Diego’s County Fair, but it was okay). The problem was it was hot. I mean sweaty, clothes sticking to you, both girls bright red-faced hot.
We spent as much time as possible in the air-conditioned areas. Of course, those were the areas showcasing the Antelope Valley’s best home arts, photography, fruits, veggies, flowers etc. We took some pictures of some nice cakes to show my sister, the cake decorator and ooohed and ahhhed over giant zucchinis, pumpkins and squash.
We decided that I should enter some of my pictures in the photo contest next year, although we probably would not be going to the AV Fair again. It was even too hot to partake in “Fair food.” There were no funnel cakes, corndogs, ice cream or fried Oreos. It was just too hot.
We did of course spend too much money on knick-knacks that will be Christmas presents for unsuspecting family members, the Husband got some fancy Hawaiian print seat covers for his car and I got some more Cutco knives for my <expensive> collection.
It seems though that the highlight of the day was when the Big One decided that she wanted to be like grandpa and opted to get a tattoo. Without further adieu, I present my newly branded three-year-old.
Who knew the tattoos would start this early? What’s next a belly ring?
{Ignore the toy explosion in the background. Yes, my kids have way too many toys! And yes, that is my ‘”formal dining room.”}
She Take a Lickin’ and…
…keeps on tickin’. The Little One that is. I honestly cannot remember the Big One splitting her lip open once, let alone multiple times. Yet the Little One has split her upper lip open at least 4 times, with two of those being in the last week.
I don’t know if it’s because she is often going as fast as possible to keep up with her sister or if she is just a bit of a klutz. I am surprised that we haven’t ended up in the emergency room with her. Last night, I honest to goodness thought she knocked her front tooth loose. I’m still not entirely convinced it’s in the same spot as it was before, but it does appear to be tightly in place.
It was just about tubby time and she was eagerly anticipating climbing in the tub. I was gathering their dirty clothes to put them in the hamper, the Big One was going potty and the Little One was hovering over the tub. I wasn’t in the bathroom when it happened so I can only guess what she did.
I assume she was standing on the bathmat right in front of the tub, turned to look at her sister and slipped. When she slipped she went mouth first onto the edge of the tub.
All I heard was the thud and the screaming. Then came the blood, as evidenced several times before, the mouth/lip bleed a lot.
Of course she wouldn’t let me get a good look at it, but I think it’s okay. I thought the tooth was wiggly at first, but I’m not sure. She was tired, crabby and still sick all compliments of our two weeks in San Diego. Once she wakes up, I will commence with the torture and give her a thorough check to make sure all is okay in the land of her two front teeth.
Just my disclaimer, just because the Big One has never busted her lip open (that I can remember) she has not gone unscathed in her youth. When the Little One and I can came home from the hospital on Easter Sunday in 2007, this is what we saw ~ she decided that she wanted to learn how to jump this day. And jumped off the back porch at grandma and grandpa’s house. After crashing face first into the concrete, she decided she wasn’t quite ready to learn how to jump.
My Apologies…
To you my faithful readers (all 5 of you) for my lack of exciting tales, silly anectodes and amusing quips. We are all still sick. Damn you grandma for bringing whatever this bug is back with you. Don’t you know the rule… what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Well that applies to whatver sickies you carried back across the stateline. They should have stayed put on the Strip.
Now in addition to grandma, the Big One and the Little One being sick, the FixItMommty and grandpa are also sick. Even the poor dog started puking. It’s not pretty at this germ-infested house.
We are getting better or so it seems. Then again, it could just be that we are all high from sniffing the Puffs tissues with Vicks. Thank you to the Procter & Gamble company for making such a wonderful product.
And another thank you shout out to Nick Jr. for the endless supply of Dora, Diego and Ni Hao, Kai-lan to keep the Big One and the Little One entertained. We have watched more Dora, Diego and Kai-lan in the last week than in the Big One’s entire lifetime combined.
I’ve Created a Monster
Houston…. we are going to have a problem!
The girls have both been sick all week. There was a glimmer of being on the mend yesterday so I suggested walking up to the park to play for a bit. We decided to walk, so the Little One was in the stroller and the Big One was walking with me. We get about 3 blocks from the house and the conversation goes like this:
Big One: Mommy, it’s too hot to walk. You should dwive.
Fixitmommy: You want me to drive?
Big One: Yes, you should dwive.
So we turn around and walk back to the house. Yes, by this time we could have been at the park. But I had visions of puking, whining kids and trying to walk back didn’t seem appealing anymore. So we load into the new minivan and we set out for the park. The conversation then goes like this:
Big One: Mommy, it’s too hot to go to the park.
Fixitmommy: You think it’s too hot to go to the park?
Big One: Yes it’s too hot… We should just go to Stawbucks
OH MY! What am I going to do with her??? I think I have created a monster, she is only 3! Before anyone starts berating me for taking her to Starbucks, she gets the kids apple juice – half juice/half water. I think she just really likes the clear cups with the straw!
A Record Setting Day
In the midst of all the Olympic excitement, the Big One obviously felt it fitting to have a record setting day of her own. Despite my obvious jubilation, I’m sure you can guess these were not good records.
First Event: Puking ~ Accuracy
The Gold Medal goes to the Big One
The Loser Medal goes to the FixitMommy’s clothes
Next Event: Puking ~Frequency
The Big One wins with 4 times in 24 hours (really not too bad, considering some stomach bugs) However there is cause to celebrate, that is a record in our household
Next Event: Puking ~ Triggers
The Gold Medal in the event goes to Mott’s Apple Juice. Despite being the typical go-to beverage for the Big One, yesterday the juice was having an off day.
Next Event: Fevers
Again the Gold Medal goes to the Big One for the 2 a.m. temperature check she measured in at a whopping 103.8. Yes it is another record-setting measurement in our household.
Next Event: Sleeping
The Gold Medal goes to the Big One for two 2-hour naps yesterday. The reason this one is so noteworthy is the Big One hasn’t taken a nap in about 6 months. So we know she is not feeling well. As if the puking and fevers weren’t telling enough, the sleep one sealed the deal.
Next Event: Missing in Action
The Gold Medal here goes to the Husband. As timing would have it, he is, of course, out of town for all this fun. Actually I will rescind this gold and change it to a Silver Medal in this event. I think he sealed the Gold Medal back in May when out precious doggy Max died. Yes, the Husband was out of town that day. {Honey I am only teasing, I know you cannot control your schedule so don’t go getting all pissy, it’s all in good fun!}
Next Event: Sympathetic Sickies
This one is a close one. I think the Gold Medal goes to Grandma for actually being the first to get sick. We are not blaming Grandma here, just stating the facts. Grandma’s is more of a head cold with cough and congestion she didn’t puke so we can’t blame her entirely.
The Silver Medal goes to the Little One who is now running a low-grade fever (100.8), but who is also taking an extra nap a day while these events continue to play out.
Michael Phelps better watch out, the Big One is gunning for the record books with her recent events. I don’t know if he has the stamina it takes to keep up with a sick three-year-old.
So that’s the latest from our house to yours. We hope you are enjoying the Olympics as much as we are. Although we do hope you are not setting any new records in your house this week.
Life Lessons: Disappointment
We, on occasion, shop at Trader Joe’s. I do like many of their products, but it’s a 25-mile drive one way to get there. So I try to plan on trips to TJ’s when we have other shopping to do in Palmdale.
On Sunday, the prospect on going to TJ’s came up and the Big One immediately perked up and announced that she liked going there because “they have myyyyy size carts.” True the last time we went to Trader Joe’s they had little-kid size carts that look just like the bigger version. They are not the plastic Little Tikes ones that we have in our playroom. No, they are miniature version of the real carts.
I convinced the Big One that it was too late in the day for the adventure on Sunday, but that we could go on Monday. So for the rest of the day on Sunday all the Big one talked about were the carts at TJ’s. We really didn’t need anything so I was hoping that by Monday morning she would have forgotten about it and we wouldn’t have to trek down there. No such luck.
As soon as her eyes opened yesterday, she announced that we were going to Trader Joe’s because they had small carts made just for the Big One, it seemed. {you moms know where we are going with this one, don’t you?}
We get all ready to go and head toward TJ’s. All the time the Big One is jibber-jabbing about how great the carts are; how big she is for being able to push the cart; and how helpful she is to carry all the items for me in her very own cart.
We park, and she can barely contain her excitement as we walked through the parking lot to the store. Once we hit the sidewalk, she took off like a bullet into the store. She went in the door and immediately turned to the right, hands out ready to grab a cart and begin her shopping adventure.
There were no carts, so she walked in the store a little further and craned her neck around to the right thinking that maybe the small carts were somehow hiding behind the big carts. And then starts asking, “Mommy, where are de carts? Where are da carts? The carts? Carts?” With each question the desperation in her voice is becoming apparent.
I turned to the cashier who was right by the door and said, “No more carts?”
She shook her head and said “Too many people getting hurt so we had to get rid of ‘em.”
It was the saddest face I had ever seen the Big One make. Then the wailing began. She sobbed, cried and generally showed her angst with the situation. It was not her typical fake-whining cry. No these were real live tears and real disappointment on my poor baby’s face. I felt so helpless. There was no comforting her. It was honestly the most spirit-crushing experience of her life so far.
Everyone was looking sympathetically at her. Another cashier brought her a balloon hoping to make it better. I found some blue potato chips, hoping it might soothe the hurt just a little big. No such luck. It pretty much ruined her entire morning.
So to the asshats who let their kids run wild and crash into each other and the displays I just want to say, “Thank you for ruining all the fun for me and my kiddo. You suck!”
My PSA… Vegas is NOT for Kids
So the Husband and I just returned from five glorious days in Las Vegas sans the kiddos. My wonderful in-laws came up to our house and watched the girls for five days so we could get away. The Husband has been away a lot over the last several months so it was very nice to get away and just hang out together for a bit.
Actually he was in a conference during the days so the best part was being by myself all day and then getting to have a couple nice dinners with the Husband.
The thing that killed me while we were there was the number of kids being dragged around the casinos at all hours. I know most of the hotels have great pools and seeing all the lights and glitz can be exciting for the kids, but c’mon when it’s after 9 or 10 p.m., those kids should be in bed.
According to my mother, I am a “sleep nazi.” My kids are both in bed by 7 p.m. every night. It’s a good schedule for us so we stick with it. I know lots of others put their kids to bed later, but I honestly think that preschoolers and younger really should be in bed before 8 p.m. After 8 p.m., they certainly should not be eating dinner at the Hawaiian Tropic restaurant, shopping along the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and they definitely should NOT be hanging out in the smoke-filled casino while their dumb-arse parents are playing the slot machines.
I was so frustrated seeing these screaming kids being dragged all over the place just so that their stupid parents could see the sights of Vegas. I know we are very, very, very fortunate that the husband’s parents could come up to stay with the girls. But if they hadn’t been available, I would have stayed home.
If you must bring the kids, get a babysitter, bring your own or utilize the services that many of the hotels offers. Or split up, have one parents stay with the kids while the other plays tourist. And then switch off, but please, please, please don’t drag your poor kids all over the strip after dark.
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