My AHA moment (alternate title: DUH!)

So, maybe I mentioned Brynn's little sleep issues of late. She went from sleeping 9 glorious hours every night to waking up 3 and 4 (or more) times each night. It was brutal. This non-sleeping thing started around the beginning of October. At first, she would just wake up once or twice at night. Then, she would sleep through the night for a night or two and start waking up again. By last week, she would only sleep in her bed for about 30 minutes at a time, then she would wake up flailing and crying. The only way we could get her to sleep was to put her in bed with us. Then, amazingly, she slept all night long without budging.

We tried everything to make her comfortable. First, we thought she was hungry. So, I nursed her every time she woke up. This, of course, soothed her back to sleep. When that didn't keep her asleep, we thought that maybe she had a tummy ache or wasn't satisfied with just milk. So, we spent the days adjusting her solid food intake to see if that helped. It didn't. Then, we noticed she had teeth. Maybe that was doing it? Maybe, but we saw no measurable relief after a few days.

Finally, FINALLY last week it dawned on me that she was comfortable when she was (1) nursing, or (2) sleeping in our bed. And, she started this whole non-sleeping thing right around the time that it started to get cooler here. That's when it hit me: she's freaking COLD!!!! I could not be dumber, you guys. I haven't mentioned this on here, but Brynn is notoriously cold-natured. She spent the majority of the sweltering summer months bundled up in long-sleeved footie pajamas. While everyone else was sweating outside, she was content in her winter clothing. And, the only times she has ever, ever been inconsolable was when she was cold. I can count those instances on one hand. Why I didn't think of this utterly simple, and very common sense solution, sooner, I have no idea. For some reason, even though it's the most likely culprit, I always consider "cold" last. Another strike for Mama.

Since my AHA moment, I have been dressing Brynn for bed like she is going out to play in the snow-- on the North Pole. She looks like the kid in A Christmas Story who can't move his arms because he is so bundled up. She wears footie, long-sleeved pajamas, a hat, and a fleece, long-sleeved sleep sack. I get hot just looking at her. But, it's working. She has slept through the night for the past three nights. She doesn't make a peep for 9 straight, glorious hours.

So, next time I complain that Brynn won't sleep, smack me! She's probably just cold and I'm too busy adjusting her fruit intake to notice. Sometimes I just need a quick reminder that some things really are that simple.

Picture Perfect

The five o'clock hour comes much too early in this house. That time of day usually finds me rushing around trying to get dinner ready and straighten up the chaos from the day, all while trying to tame the little monkeys who are doing their best to break the sound barrier with their screeching. It's hectic, mad, and loud. It means that Daddy will soon be home, which is fun. But it also means a chaotic bout of trying to chop, measure, and stir while simultaneously entertaining the kiddos, which is so not fun.

Yesterday afternoon, just as Sean's car slid into the driveway at the end of the day, I looked down and realized that I was still wearing the hole-y yoga pants and old t-shirt I threw on when I jumped out of bed at 7 o'clock that morning. My hair was hastily tied up a in a messy bun, I had at some point amassed a giant spit-up stain on my shirt, and I was wearing no make-up and even less deodarant.

It was at that moment, when Sean was about to walk in the door, that I remembered an old newspaper clipping my grandmother used to keep on her refrigerator. My grandmother was raised in the Midwest and went to college in Iowa, where she graduated with a degree in home economics. She was a sorority rose queen and after graduation, she married my grandfather and became the consummate homemaker. My grandmother cooked homemade, delicious meals, including the best beef brisket and chocolate sheet cake I have ever tasted. She was a member of a sewing club and an ardent member of her church. She hand-made individualized Christmas stockings for everyone in the family and she catalogued and labeled the history of everything in her house. She was like Martha Stewart on steroids.

This newspaper article, which I remember my mom talking about, apparently provided tips for busy homemakers. One of those was that no matter how hard the day was, a good homemaker should always put a bow in her hair, apply lipstick, dress the kids in neat clothes, and greet her husband with a smile upon his arrival at the end of the day. Because his day was hard and he would wants to be greeted with a picture-perfect family when he came home. Umm, yeah.

Let's just say that I am about as far from that homemaker as I can possibly be. I'm even farther from the type of homemaker my grandmother was. I am lucky most days to get a shower, I don't do laundry until it threatens to bury me alive, and I can't remember the last time I tried to bake an actual cake from scratch. And you know what, I'm mostly okay with that.

I'd love to be Martha with the perfect house and coiffed hair, but I'm not. Even still, my kids are well-loved, happy children. We live in a happy house that is mostly neat and sometimes clean. And even though my husband doesn't come home to a picture-perfect house or family, he comes home to us, just as we are. Honestly, that's better than any fantasy you can create with lipstick and a bow.

NEWS FLASH: Poopy on da Poddy!!!

We have poopy on the potty! Whoo hoo!!! And since we rewarded this behavior with (lots of) chocolate chips, Hadley has since insisted every 20 minutes that she has to go "poopy on da poddy." I fell for it the first three times and plopped her up there. She loves it. She sits, sings, plays with the shower curtain, and of course, tears up toilet paper to drop into the toilet. Hooray for new games!

Actually, I have very little idea where to go from here with the whole potty training thing. Unlike every other milestone and baby/ toddler issue, I haven't stressed/obsessed/ overly researched this one. I think it's my subconscious way of trying to ignore the fact that very soon, a little person is going to be running around my house sans diaper with the ability and likely desire to pee and poop on everything in sight. Things I like to not have pee and poop on them. Maybe I should invest in some plastic tarps to cover everything in until we have mastered this little lesson?? Yeah, that'll match the decor.

Five Things

Five things I can't live without this week:

1) tissues;

2) gallons of orange juice (I'd take some rum or vodka, too, if I thought Brynn would appreciate it);

3) my all-time favorite chicken soup (Mexican-style, natch), loaded up with jack cheese, avocados, and broccoli slaw;

4) my favorite pillow and down blankie;

5) the girls' nap times.

If you haven't guessed, I'm siiiiiiick. I was just fine Monday when I took Brynn to the doctor for her six month well-baby checkup (she's doing great!!). At the appointment, I asked for a flu shot so I could avoid having to come back to get one. Our doctor agreed but only had the flu mist available. That's what I got and since Tuesday night, I've felt like I have the flu. Coincidence?? Supposedly, the flu mist isn't supposed to give you the flu but can have side effects like a runny nose and fever. Hmmm. I've never had any side effects from the flu shot, and if this is what the flu mist is like, I'm not a fan!!

Apparently, bambinos can sense weakness. The kiddos have been so cranky the past two days. Either they aren't feeling well or they are purposefully trying to torture me while I'm down. This morning, Brynn cried the entire time Hadley and I ate breakfast. Hadley, in a move that is all her, decided she would rather paint with her oatmeal than eat it. While I was trying to soothe Brynn and control the never-ending flow of snot coming out of my nose, Hadley managed to smear oatmeal from her head to her toes. Literally. It took me half an hour to scrape dried oatmeal off of the table and floor. Live and learn, people. You can't turn your back to even blow your nose!

I'll write about Brynn's stats in my next post when I'm not thinking through a fog.

Toddler Speak: Episode Two

Me: Good morning, Haddy! Can I have a hug?

Hadley: I want Daddy. I want Daddy Nowwwww (pronounced: neowwwwww).

Me: Oh, sweetie, he had to leave early for work. We'll see him for lunch later, though.

Hadley: I want Daddy. I want Daddy Nowwwww.

Me: How about some breakfast? Do you want a smoothie or some yogurt?

Hadley: I want nana. I want nana Nowwwww.

Me: Okay, let's go get you a banana.

Hadley: No want nana.

Me: Okay, no nana. How about a peach?

Hadley: No want.

Me: How about a strawberry smoothie?

Hadley: Yeah, Yeah, want shake. Want shake Nowwwwww.

Me: A shake it is.

Hadley: I want Daddy. I want Daddy Nowwwwwww.

Long live the toddler mantra. If only adding "Nowwwww" to every sentence ensured that you get what you want!

Home Sick

Remember staying home sick from school, holed up on the couch with your favorite pillow and blanket, watching the Price is Right? Okay, maybe that was just me, but seeing my sick baby lounging on a little nest Sean made her on the couch reminded me of those days. I was a little heartsick for Sprite and chicken-noodle soup. Hadley got an episode of Dora and a few chocolate chips.

I'm pretty sure she approved.

Putting the "O" in OMG

Life is kicking my butt this week. What started as a pretty laid-back week quickly devovled into a pit of snot, constipation, and sleepless nights. Want to come over, don't you??

We started Brynn on solid foods (squash and green beans) last weekend and while she LOVED eating them, her tummy didn't so much like processing or digesting them. This then led to a cranky, uncomfortable baby who refused to sleep for more than two hours at night. That was fun.

Luckily, Hadley's two-year well child checkup was scheduled for Tuesday, so I made Sean take off work so we could drag both kids to the doctor's office. Let's just say that it wasn't the best of ideas. I'm glad both kids got looked at, but trying to entertain two kids for two hours in a 6 x 6 exam room wasn't my idea of fun. I think the doc was a little bemused when she saw the pile of tongue depressers we had commandeered as drumsticks to keep Hadley busy. And then, not even 24-hours after the appointment, Hadley started sneezing and sniffling. As if that wasn't bad enough, Hadley hasn't yet mastered covering her nose when she sneezes. So she doesn't just sneeze, she EXPLODES all over everything and all of us, including Brynn. It's like Hadley waits until right before she has to sneeze to run over and stand next to Brynn and then aims right for Brynn's face. Hey, at least she's sharing-- even if it's just her germs!! Then, Hadley runs off to wipe snot on the furniture or just recently, a rattle. I'm constantly shouting, "Cover your nose and mouth!" and "Wait! Let me get a tissue!!" I might as well live in a barn, people.

I think we have fixed Brynn's little tummy troubles. The doc advised that we lay off the solids for a few days to let her tummy adjust. It seems to be working-- slowly. I'm thinking we'll start the solids back a little more slowly next week.

Here's to a nice, relaxing, sleep-filled weekend. I could use it!!

A Glimpse

Here's a little glimpse into a recent Sunday afternoon at our house:


There was LOTS of relaxing (thank God!)...


Plenty of play time...

Lots of sweet sister moments...

Silly moments and for some reason, LOTS of hats...

And even more play.

Bliss! Monday, I may never want to see you again if all Sundays are as nice as this one.

Thoughts from the kitchen floor

I cannot tell you how much time I spend on any given day cleaning up food and assorted gunk that has managed to fall under Hadley's chair while she was eating. All of that cleaning gives me plenty of time to think. I thought I'd let you guys in on some of the thoughts running through my head during tonight's cleaning adventure:

* This won't take that long. Crap, this is going to take forever. How did Hadley manage to get black beans in the tiniest grooves of her high chair????
* Man, those tacos were good.
* What is that?
* Clearly, Hadley is the messiest human alive. Would it be wrong to make her eat in the bathtub from now on?
* If this post-partum hair loss keeps up, I'm going to be rocking a serious comb-over soon.
* I should update my blog. Did Hadley do anything crazy/ funny/ weird today??? Duh.
* I should really find out if my subscription to Better Homes and Gardens expired this month. I deserve at least one magazine that isn't devoted to baby gas, child discipline, or toddler finger foods.
* Ick, what did I just step on?
* I can no longer eat leftover tacos for lunch tomorrow.
* Oooooh, I wonder if we have the ingredients for brownies. Ugh. I'll just eat chocolate chips and veg on the couch after Hadley goes to bed.
* I still need to download pictures and put laundry in the dryer and iron clothes and organize those pictures. And look for freelance work. Mmmm, chocolate chips.

I just left my heart in a classroom up the street

Update: I just drove by Hadley's school on my way to Target and *may* have slowed down, okay stopped in the parking lot, to watch her play on the playground (I know, I know). She was having a blast trying to tote a giant bucket of sand around. That's my girl.

The pink, blue, and green flowered backpack with "Hadley" monogrammed sweetly across the front was ready to go. It was packed full of diapers, a change of clothes, a blanket, and Hadley's favorite stuffed mouse. Her little lunchbox laid waiting on the kitchen counter, stuffed with cheese, crackers, and apple slices. Everything down to her socks was labeled. Hadley was enjoying her breakfast of greek yogurt and fruit. I pushed my bangs out of my eyes as I ate my toast and sipped coffee, silently wondering what in the world I would do all day while she was gone.

Then, the pace picked up and there was no more time for contemplation. There were breakfast dishes to wash, a baby to nurse, and a toddler to dress. As we got everyone ready to head out, Hadley tugged on my leg and pointed to her first-day outfit, declaring herself, "Cute!" And oh was she. She didn't even protest when I slid a little white bow into her hair. That was a first. Then, we all traipsed outside to load up the car and take a few pictures of our newly minted pre-schooler. Hadley obliged us by dragging her pretty backpack around, and we made fools of ourselves trying to get her to look at the camera. Despite her insistence on playing with rocks and leaves instead, the pictures turned out fairly well. Before we knew it, it was time to go.

In a whirlwind, we had the kids strapped into the car and had driven the two minutes to the school. We unloaded, unpacked Hadley in her classroom, and looked on as she dove right into the scene. She was so busy climbing the indoor slide and rocking on rocky horses that she didn't even realize we were preparing to leave. Kisses and quick goodbyes later and we were on our way out. My heart was heavy but luckily, little H didn't seem to care that we were leaving. Her whole world was changing and she was loving every minute of it.

An acquisition

I recently purchased these little personalized charms, which I wear on a necklace, on Etsy, and the necklace has fast become my absolute favorite possession:

I don't wear a lot of jewelry and when I do, I like simple, understated necklaces and earrings. I don't go for bracelets or rings-- too complicated. This necklace is so perfect. I love its simplicity and the fact that it represents my two bambinos, H and B. And it goes with everything. I've worn it with dresses, capris, shorts, and yoga pants. I did get some funny looks with the yoga pants.

I can't take any credit whatsoever for this find, though. I happened upon Emily's blog recently and found this post about her favorite necklace. I'm so glad I stumbled upon that post. I'm just way too impatient to find anything this cool on Etsy by myself. Have you guys found any amazing scores on Etsy lately? I'm always looking for fun jewelry, personalized gifts, and trinkets.

In other news, my first baby starts preschool on Monday. We've been filling out forms, buying supplies, and labeling everything she owns. All to distract me from the fact that come Monday, Hadley will be gone for two days a week. And then tomorrow, she'll go to preschool for three days a week. And a few weeks later, she'll start kindergarden and then first grade. And next month, she'll go away to college, graduate, and move in with some guy who plays guitar for a heavy metal band (it all comes full circle, right?). Seriously, I'm not being melodramatic at all.

I'm being strong. I know Hadley is going to love her school. It's awesome, the kids are adorable and sweet, the teachers are amazing, and they do art projects, listen to music, and play outside. Hadley is going to have so much fun, in fact, that she won't want to come home. I'm just afraid I'll be glued to the little viewing window outside her classroom for the first few weeks. Look for me on the evening news: stalker caught at local preschool. Good times.

Squealy Dan

Shenanigans abound around here. Our once sweet and quiet little Minny (a.k.a. Brynn)-- and yes, we are calling Brynn by Hadley's nickname for her quite often-- has become quite the little diva of late. She's quickly learning that being sweet, docile, and quiet gets her much less attention than when she yells, screams, and squeals. So squealing, and sometimes outright yelling, it is.

A few nights ago, Sean started Hadley's bedtime routine-- books, bubbi (that would be Hadley's name for her toothbrush), and sillyness-- while I finished feeding Brynn. Once Brynn had finished eating, i.e., fallen asleep, I popped her in her swing and headed to Hadley's room to help move things along. I wasn't in Hadley's room for more than 10 seconds before we all heard Brynn SCREAM at the top of her lungs. I ran back to the living room with Hadley hot on my heels, saying, "Minny, oh no, Minny, Minny, Minny...." She was so concerned. So concerned, in fact, that as soon as we got to the living room, Hadley immediately got distracted by a pile of blocks. And Brynn? She smiled up at me sweetly and cooed as I picked her up. She was perfectly content as long as she was included in our bedtime routine. The little faker just didn't want to be left out.

It's definitely getting interesting around here, folks.

Tips for a Hassle-Free Car Purchase

1) Be sure to take your two children under the age of two with you to the dealership.

2) Ignore concerned looks of employees and salesmen when you walk in the front doors.

3) Be sure to give your two year old toys that she can throw at the glossy, shiny new cars located inside the dealership. Ignore the fact that most of these toys have plastic edges that don't coexist well with shiny, new auto paint jobs.

4) Be sure (dads, I'm looking at you) to give your two year old a guided tour of the same shiny, new cars while completely ignoring the fact that said two year old's fingers are perpetually sticky. Not to mention the fact that she likes to touch EVERYTHING.

5) To keep said toddler busy during the inevitably long negotiations and needless wait times, be sure to show her the columns upon columns of balloons the dealership has so sweetly provided for her entertainment.

6) Try not to wince every time said toddler yells "Alllooons" at the top of her lungs.

7) Try not to wince every time said toddler pops a balloon-- and then cries because the noise scared her.

8) During negotiations-- and especially while reviewing long, convoluted lists of financing and amortization terms-- make sure your toddler and baby are both crying. This makes concentrating so much easier.

9) To further distract said toddler during negotiations, let toddler play "soccer" with balloons she finds on the floor-- even if her game tends to run through the middle of other people trying to look at or purchase vehicles.

10) Finally, be sure to show your toddler the water cooler that is conveniently just her height. She'll gladly pretend she's playing in the bath tub for 20 minutes while splashing water all over the marble-tiled showroom floor.

Follow these easy tips and I guarantee that car salesmen will rush to ensure that your negotiations run smoothly and you are out of there in no time flat. I think the car salesmen we met last night would have given us a new car to make us leave.

On a happy note, we are the proud, owners of a new Camry. Whoo hoo!!

Toddler Time

[Warning: excessive whining contained herein. Don't say I didn't warn you.]

So, what exactly do you do with a toddler all day? When Hadley was younger, it was easy. We had our little daily activities, like a playgroup date or Little Gym, and afterwards we would shop a little or go home and play. But now-- now, we have boredom. It's like I live with a teenager already.

We still have daily activities, except now we have upgraded to swimming dates with friends, playgroup dates, kindermusik classes, and storytimes at the local bookstore. But seriously, those don't take up nearly enough time each day. Afterwards, we end up with soooo much wide-open time that I find myself panicking with the thought of trying to fill it with things for us to do. Let's be honest, eating lunch only takes so long. We still have about 3 hours to kill after Hadley's nap before Sean comes home. And let me tell you, just playing or cuddling so does not cut it. At least, that's what I've unceremoniously been told by my little toddler who I can usually find curled in a ball on the floor writhing in boredom by 4:00 each day. Perfect.

Given that I don't especially love seeing Hadley writhing on the floor in boredom, I try to create little activities for us. So far, I have the following (and I warn you, this list is pathetically short):

* Listen to music and dance;
* Read books;
* Play with toys in the playroom;
* Color with markers and coloring books;
* Fingerpaint;
* Play with Play-Doh;
* "Cook" with pots, pans, wooden spoons, and dry pasta;
* "Water" the plants on our back porch;
* Eat popsicles (I'll post my "recipe" later this week) in the backyard;
* Clean the house (seriously, Hadley loves to do laundry and vacuum);
* Make pudding or bake a special treat together

That's all I've got and when you consider that we can do almost all of those things in one afternoon, I can understand why Hadley gets bored. So, dear readers, this is where you come in. What activities/crafts/projects do you do to fill time/entertain/educate your toddler??? I'm desperate for ideas!!

I guess this option beats the alternative, "Hooter Hiders"

Late yesterday afternoon, we found ourselves out and about so as to allow our contractor time to finish a project at our house without us underfoot. Unfortunately, we ran out of the house without so much as a sippy cup for Hadley or a blanket for Brynn. I think we left our brains at home, too. We didn't have anything planned and ended up just wandering around Target for a little while. Then, out of sheer boredom, we decided to grab an early dinner at a local restaurant.

Everything was going pretty well, i.e., Hadley was having a blast throwing macaroni and cheese on the floor and Sean and I were enjoying a meal without having to worry about mopping afterwards. Then it happened. Brynn decided she was hungry, too. And not just kind of hungry but REALLY FREAKING HUNGRY. She wasn't willing to wait, either, BY GOLLY!! If everyone else was going to eat, she was not going to be left out.

Amazingly, this has not happened to me yet. I am breastfeeding and so far, we have managed to plan things so that I am either home when Brynn is ready to eat or I take a pumped bottle if we are going to be out. But since we rushed out of the house, I didn't even think to grab a bottle. I just figured we would be somewhere breastfeeding friendly when it was time to feed Brynn. And the middle of a restaurant with people all around isn't really all that breastfeeding friendly. Especially since three young children were sitting at the table RIGHT NEXT TO US and had decided to talk to us throughout the meal.

That meant my options for feeding Brynn were really limited. I could breastfeed her at our table in full view of everyone in the tiny restaurant, or I could take her out to the car. I refuse, refuse, refuse to feed a baby in a public bathroom, so that wasn't even an option. As luck would have it, I didn't even have a blanket I could throw over us while I was feeding Brynn. As I said, I think I left my brain at home.

Luckily, the table next to us left pretty quickly. Then, I just bit the bullet and fed Brynn at our table. I had Sean give me his t-shirt (he had on two) to cover us up. And yes, I did get some looks from other patrons and waitstaff, and I think I made the manager a little uncomfortable when he came by to check on us. But, overall, the experience wasn't too bad. It was nowhere near as uncomfortable as the time I breastfed Brynn in the front seat of our car when we were stopped for four hours on the interstate due to a wreck. Feeding Brynn in the car was fine, but the guy who kept getting out of his car in front of us to wave at me was not. Seriously, what was that????

I was still thinking about our interesting meal this morning when I opened my email and saw an offer for a nursing cover gift set from "Udder Covers" for $5. The gift sets are usually $37. I guess the universe was trying to tell me something: "Buy a damned nursing cover already!!! Stop flashing strange men when you forget to pack a blanket!!"

This deal at "Udder Covers" was just too good to pass up. The three-piece nursing cover gift sets include a nursing cover, Milk Bands breastfeeding bracelet, and two pairs of washable breast pads. I ordered the "Maria," which is pretty darn cute. It'll provide a little modesty, too, when I end up feeding Brynn in the middle of Target next time.

*** To get this deal, type "babies" in the "promo code" box at checkout. And nope, I have no affiliation with Udder Covers and was not compensated in any way for mentioning the company or its products in this post.

MINE!!!

We have apparently entered a new phase in which everything belongs to Hadley. When Hadley wanted a bite of my sandwich at lunch, she yelled, "MINE!!!" When she wanted to kiss Brynn last night, she yelled, "MINE!!!" And, when I went to put on my shoes this morning, she yelled, "MINE!!!" To my utter horror and disbelief, she even exclaimed, "MINE, MINE, MINE!!!" while pointing to my cup of coffee this morning. Uh no. That would be MINE, dear child.

And oddly, it wasn't the fact that Hadley wanted to drink coffee that horrified me so much. It was that she actually used that dreaded two-year-old-having-a-tantrum-phrase that got me. Oh God, kill me now please.

I'm not exactly sure where Hadley picked up this fabulous word -- or its meaning-- but I'm thinking that this little piece of literary magic didn't help:

This little gem is about a dinosaur who snatches up all of the toys and yells, "MINE, MINE, MINE!!!" Sound familiar to anyone? Yeah, Daddy thought it was really cute when he read Hadley this book and she immediately repeated the dreaded phrase. Somehow, it took her months to actually call me "Mommy," but she learned "MINE" in seconds. Figures.

And no, we didn't buy "Mine-o-Saur" for Hadley. She received it as part of a book program our state has initiated in which every child receives a book a month from birth until the child reaches age 5. Child experts in education and psychology choose the books, and it truly is an amazing program. In fact, some of Hadley's favorite books have been ones she received in this program.

But, "Mine-o-Saur" is just too mature for her right now. The moral of the story may be that you are supposed to share, but all Hadley got out of it was, "MINE!!!!!!" Apparently we are going to have to hide this one for a little while. And buy Mommy some ear plugs.

The poop

Yesterday was interesting. I was in the middle of feeding Brynn in the living room when Her Highness Hadley demanded my attention in the kitchen. Apparently, she had deemed it snack time. I diligently popped Brynn into her swing and assisted Hadley in getting her snack ready.

Once Hadley was settled, I scooped Brynn back up and sat back down so that we could finish her meal. That's when I felt it... a warm, oozy, stickiness rolling down my arm. Let's just say that I wasn't really prepared for that sensation. I jumped up and looked at Brynn's back only to see that the entirety of her clothing was COVERED in poop. Her back, her side, her hair, all of it was covered. Her swing wasn't spared, either. I ran to the back of the house, plopped Brynn on her changing table and undressed her as fast as I could. Of course, she squirmed like crazy and smeared poop all over me and the changing table. Then, as if on command, Brynn started pooping again. So, I'm standing there trying to catch poop on the open, already poopy, diaper and Hadley starts calling me, i.e., crying/ whining from the kitchen. She wanted more graham crackers. Of course.

Somehow, I got everyone and everything cleaned up and both girls fed, but really, I'm not sure how. It was all a blur and ended with me running around the house in my skivvies trying to get everyone calm, clean, and happy. If nothing else, parenting has taught me that juggling is crucial. As long as I can keep all the balls in the air, I'm usually okay. It's when the balls are covered in poop that I'm in trouble.

Teething Strikes Again

There have been days over the past week when I honestly have felt like I live with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I can leave the house with a sweet, content child and at some point within the hour, she transforms into a fire-breathing, red-eyed monster who could eat me for breakfast. Seriously.

We were at the grocery store yesterday morning and about halfway through our shopping trip, about the time that my cart was filling up and we just had to pick up a few more items and check out, Hadley completely melted down. She threw the miniature pumpkin she had been holding to the floor, almost maiming an innocent bystander, and started wailing, screaming, and thrashing like a banshee. It was brutal. People were staring, I was trying to console her to no avail, and at the same time, I had to decide what to do with all of the groceries in my cart. Do I check out with a screaming baby? Do I put them all back while she loses it in the cart? WHAT DO I DO???? Long story short, I was that woman in the check-out line with the screaming child that everyone stares at and no one will make eye contact with. It was fabulous. Then we got in the car and she was fine. She stopped crying, smiled at me, and sang the whole way home. What the ----?????

I'm blaming my sweet baby's violent mood swings of the past week on teething. Hadley has about a gazillion teeth coming in all at the same time, and I think the pain is messing with her coping mechanisms. She's just never like this. She's always happy and content, but lately, she can be okay one minute and crazy the next. It's a learning experience for sure. For instance, I now know not to let her hold produce at the grocery store as she can be extremely dangerous when angered. And, when the meltdown occurs, RUN! Hopefully, those pesky teeth will break through soon and we can all return to our normal lives. I'll keep you updated.

On happier notes, I have almost taught Hadley to say "BOO" for Halloween. When you ask her what a ghost says, she replies with, "bahhhh." She's so close. And despite her teething pain, Hadley entertains us every night after dinner with music and dancing. She plays the same song on her activity table over and over again while dancing madly to it. You should see her shake her little booty and flap her arms. She really gets down. It's the cutest thing ever!

She's Walking!!

Hadley is officially a walker, a toddler, a (slightly) ambulatory human being. There's no stopping her now! Although Hadley took her first steps at the beginning of August, she has seemed ambivalent about walking until the last few days. I guess when you crawl at the speed of light, there's really no incentive to try to walk where you need to go. But, for some reason, she has been practicing walking constantly for the last two days.

Yesterday, Hadley was standing by a chair in our living room and decided to walk across the room to me. She bravely took four wobbly, jerky steps to get to me before plopping down on her bottom. I excitedly called Sean at work to tell him this exciting news, and his response was, "You were supposed to knock her down if she walked while I was at work!" As if! Hadley and I spent the rest of the afternoon praciticing. And, just for fun, when Daddy got home from work, Hadley walked for him, too. That's my girl!

I am trying to get Hadley's new skill on video, but this is proving to be quite difficult. As soon as we turn the camera on, Hadley goes right to it, turns the little viewing monitor so she can see it, and then proceeds to kiss the baby on the screen. It's adorable, but it really makes getting movies of her very difficult. I'll see what I can do, though.

Sickly

Well, I think we did it. Hadley has finally caught her first cold. I know, I know-- I made this proclamation here. But really, that little malady was merely a farce. She was better by the end of the day. This time, I think she is truly sick. Runny, runny, snotty nose, a slight cough, raspy breathing. It's great fun around here. And, what I love the most? When Hadley decides she would rather wipe her nose on the couch than let me we wipe it for her. So lovely.

We're going on day 4 of this little illness and I'm crossing my fingers that we're on the tail end. If not, I may need to move to a little bed and breakfast until the snot subsides. I'm not sure I can take much more of the ickiness.