Three Parts

Miss Heather Will Be Proud

Jemma has been talking more and more lately, and guess what? She has a southen accent. No idea where it came from, but there it is. A few examples:

"Oh-kaaaaaaay!"
"Aww dun" for "all done"
"Pottay" for "potty"
"Naow" for "no"

Just picture Dolly Parton saying things, and that is what Jemma sounds like. We love it. Also, notice that "potty" is one of her frequent words. That's right, not only does she continue to run into the bathroom and demand "teeth, teeth" to brush her teeth at least 3 times a day (a future dentist, that one), but now she is saying "pottay" and pointing to the toilet. And I'm thinking, really? You're 21 months old and you want to start THAT already? But the other morning, I gave in and sat her on it just for fun when she asked. She hung out, happily, for a good 10 minutes while I flat-ironed my hair (which I must do every single morning or else my hair becomes mushroom-y and ugly). She kept asking, "Mommy?" I'd say, "All done? Want to get down?" Nope. Nothing happened for her, either, but finally she said "Aww dun!" and then, as I got her down, "Ove you." Next thing you know, she'll be asking for a Kentucky Hot Brown.

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Remembering to Live in the Moment

If every day could be the tiniest bit more like today, I'd have an easier time remembering why it is, exactly, that I choose to be home with my kids. The weather: perfect. The kids: relatively well-behaved. The mom: full of energy after the morning run-around-the-lake session with Sarah (badly needed commiserating about 4-year-old drama!). I made an executive decision that we needed to go to an apple orchard, so we spent the morning at Robinette's, swinging on the wood swing while eating pumpkin donuts (did not buy enough . . . must return immediately), watching the girls go down the slide, buying apples and cider, and just hanging out together. Then we came home and did a Secret Agent Josephine-inspired art project with watercolors before both girls took naps. (When I showed the project to Annie on the SAJ website, she said, "Mom, I really love that little girl (Baby Bug).")I paid bills and did a little Florida-condo research for our February vacation, and we spent the rest of the afternoon outside. Happily. Without 17 time-outs and tantrums. Today, Annie was full of interesting questions ("Mom, what would we see if we cut open my tummy? Would my food be right in there? When Miss Heidi has a baby in her tummy, can it see the food in her tummy?") and I had the patience to answer them. Today, we all took time to taste our donut and pick up beautiful leaves. Today, I let them make a mess all over the front steps and turned it into something that Annie was proud to hang up in the playroom. Today, they helped me make applesauce and then ate it for dinner.

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Love and Logic Tip #1

I tucked Annie in tonight after reading The Runaway Bunny at 7:58 p.m. I wandered around, looking at the Chasing Fireflies catalog and picking up toys, for half an hour before I heard noise coming from her room. I ignored it. Fifteen minutes later, I went and stood outside her bedroom door to hear what, exactly, she was saying.

"Mooooooommy, I'm hoooooooot. I'm hot. I'm hooooooot."

I walked up to the door and said, "Annie, Daddy and I are going to bed. Feel free to solve that problem yourself."

"But Mom! I want short-sleeved pajamas and it's too dark and I can't find them."

"Hmmmm. Feel free to solve that problem yourself." One minute later, the light came on. I heard her drawer open. A minute after that, the light went out. Not another peep. (Let's hope that the 'I can turn my own light on any time of the day or night' realization doesn't backfire on me later; if so, this will be Love and Logic Mistake #1 instead.)