Saturday, March 12, 2011
Princess Power!
If you are a regular reader of this blog (and probably the only regular readers of this blog are our family at this point. We've gone from international travel to hanging out in living room surrounded by a ridiculous amount of toys in just a couple of years), you will know that Evie is into princesses. Some people feel that little girls being into princesses is just a big brainwash by Disney and other people who want to keep little girls down and we certainly weren't pushing the princess agenda with Evie...it just kind of happened. When Evie turned one, she was given a Cinderella book by one of our friends. Prior to this she had never heard of Cinderella or seen a Disney movie, so we were surprised when, while we were out and about one day, she got very excited about an advertisement for Disney World that was printed on the back of a magazine. Curious to see what would happen, we got her a Cinderella dress and we ordered her the Cinderella movie. Complete obsession followed and she has seen the movie no fewer than six thousand times.
Besides liking to 'clean' like Cinderella (yesterday I turned my back for a few minutes and found her on her hands and knees with her washcloth dipped into Finchley's water bowl and a pool of water around her on the kitchen floor. She was very proud of herself), Evie also likes to BE Cinderella. Her interpretation of Cinderella involves looking sad, moving very slowly, pretending to sob, and gazing longingly out of the window:
Also, she likes to sing and act out the romantic ball scene (notice how she pretends to trail her fingers through the water like Cinderella does in the movie...before being distracted by a rogue raisin that escaped during snack time). Apologies for the erratic video. I was feeding Millie and trying to film at the same time. Not a good idea:
Anyway, obviously a princess needs a castle, so I couldn't resist getting this princess tent for Evie and Millie. Jim had nothing to do with this decision and probably would have suggested that maybe we don't have room for such a thing in our already overflowing and too small flat. But Evie's reaction to the tent makes the reduction in space worth it!
She even took her nap in it today:
And someone else likes it, too...
Besides liking to 'clean' like Cinderella (yesterday I turned my back for a few minutes and found her on her hands and knees with her washcloth dipped into Finchley's water bowl and a pool of water around her on the kitchen floor. She was very proud of herself), Evie also likes to BE Cinderella. Her interpretation of Cinderella involves looking sad, moving very slowly, pretending to sob, and gazing longingly out of the window:
Also, she likes to sing and act out the romantic ball scene (notice how she pretends to trail her fingers through the water like Cinderella does in the movie...before being distracted by a rogue raisin that escaped during snack time). Apologies for the erratic video. I was feeding Millie and trying to film at the same time. Not a good idea:
Anyway, obviously a princess needs a castle, so I couldn't resist getting this princess tent for Evie and Millie. Jim had nothing to do with this decision and probably would have suggested that maybe we don't have room for such a thing in our already overflowing and too small flat. But Evie's reaction to the tent makes the reduction in space worth it!
She even took her nap in it today:
And someone else likes it, too...
Bumbo Disinterest
When we introduced Evie to her Bumbo, her initial reaction was excitement and to tackle the objects in front of her:
Not so much with Millie. Despite my best efforts and the most tempting and exciting baby toys in my regime, she really was not impressed. In fact, I think she was bored!
Not so much with Millie. Despite my best efforts and the most tempting and exciting baby toys in my regime, she really was not impressed. In fact, I think she was bored!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
True and Uncritical Love
If you ever want to feel good about yourself, have young children around. Not only do they think you are endless fun and interesting, but they also don't care what you look like or what you wear or whether or not you are a big dork. They always want to be with you. They think you are funny. There is nothing that you can do to tarnish their golden view of you (until they are about 12 and then it all goes to hell).
Yesterday Evie and I were playing "Cinderella" in the living room. In this game, Evie is obviously Cinderella and I get to alternate between the roles of fairy godmother and prince. One day I will video Evie doing her reenactment of the prince and Cinderella dancing at the ball, because she takes it very seriously and, for a 2 year old, it's pretty impressive. Anyway, yesterday I was dressed like this to be the fairy godmother:
Upon seeing my getup, Evie came up to me, looked me in the eyes (sunglasses) and said, in an awestruck voice, "Mommy...BEAUTIFUL!"
Now that's love.
(Millie also enjoys gazing into my eyes and thinks it's hilarious when use my hair to be a carwash on her face. I must be even more beautiful than I thought!)
Yesterday Evie and I were playing "Cinderella" in the living room. In this game, Evie is obviously Cinderella and I get to alternate between the roles of fairy godmother and prince. One day I will video Evie doing her reenactment of the prince and Cinderella dancing at the ball, because she takes it very seriously and, for a 2 year old, it's pretty impressive. Anyway, yesterday I was dressed like this to be the fairy godmother:
Upon seeing my getup, Evie came up to me, looked me in the eyes (sunglasses) and said, in an awestruck voice, "Mommy...BEAUTIFUL!" Now that's love.
(Millie also enjoys gazing into my eyes and thinks it's hilarious when use my hair to be a carwash on her face. I must be even more beautiful than I thought!)
All better
Luckily, yesterday ended on a high note,with Evie enjoying milk and other delicious snack items and Millie enjoying her finger:
(Don't worry. I'm not going to add music to every video.)
(Don't worry. I'm not going to add music to every video.)
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Grouch-fest
Evie has been sick this week. This video pretty much captures the mood and also gives a good snapshot of what my week has been like.
I'm looking forward to when good health and happiness once again return to our household!
I'm looking forward to when good health and happiness once again return to our household!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The end of February
This year is flying by and I'm wondering if this is how the rest of life is going to be for us. Lately I've been having a complex about turning 35 because I keep seeing people on TV who are 35 and wondering "Do I look that old?!!!" A recent example: Aileen Wuornos (you know, the serial killer, lesbian prostitute). She was 35! Yes, she had a rough life and the mullet that she sported was not really the most feminine or youthful look, but...she was 35! Jim assures me that I look just like her.
It's not just turning 35 that is freaking me out. It's that I keep thinking about college and high school and wondering how it is that it's been almost 20 years since Jim and I met. It doesn't FEEL like it's been 20 years. Life shouldn't be allowed to do this! We keep making comments like, 'When Millie is 10, we'll be in our mid-40's," moment of silence while we contemplate this and then I point out how much gray hair Jim has (mine is dyed, so you can't see it as much) and he points out that mine is thinning (thanks to Millie, I'm losing my hair by the handful these days. Not to worry..it will grow back and to make me feel better, she seems to be losing a lot of hers, too) and reminds me that I look like Aileen Wuornos.
Despite the lack of photographic evidence in this particular blog, all is well on the home front. Evie has entered the "That's Mine" phase of life and every playgroup devolves into a micromanaged tussle between 2 year olds who don't understand the concept of sharing and who don't WANT to understand either. The other day when Evie snatched a toy out of my hand while emphatically stating that it was hers, I snatched it back and, in my most whiny voice said, "NO! That's MIIIIINE!!!!" Cue the waterworks. I'm not sure it was the best way to teach a lesson, in retrospect, but I was trying to show her that it wasn't an nice thing to do. The result was that she started sobbing and saying "Miine...Miine..Miine" over and over again. I guess your mom isn't supposed to be the bad guy. Since then she has moved on to focusing all of her "that's mine" energy on her baby sister who has neither the interest or the ability to a. take Evie's things or b. defend herself. Sharing is the word of the week.
Potty training has also been a hot topic around here. Despite the purchase of a brand new shiny duck potty, which sings songs when it is used and can also be used as a stool, Evie is just not that interested. Plus she knows how to make the potty sing without actually using it, which defeats the whole purpose. Even tempting her with chocolate mini-eggs could not convince her to sit on her potty without a tantrum. After an exhausting weekend, we surrendered and will try again eventually.
Pictures to come soon. And maybe the weather will get better so we can go out and do something and I don't have to blog about what is going on in our living room all the time. So boring...
It's not just turning 35 that is freaking me out. It's that I keep thinking about college and high school and wondering how it is that it's been almost 20 years since Jim and I met. It doesn't FEEL like it's been 20 years. Life shouldn't be allowed to do this! We keep making comments like, 'When Millie is 10, we'll be in our mid-40's," moment of silence while we contemplate this and then I point out how much gray hair Jim has (mine is dyed, so you can't see it as much) and he points out that mine is thinning (thanks to Millie, I'm losing my hair by the handful these days. Not to worry..it will grow back and to make me feel better, she seems to be losing a lot of hers, too) and reminds me that I look like Aileen Wuornos.
Despite the lack of photographic evidence in this particular blog, all is well on the home front. Evie has entered the "That's Mine" phase of life and every playgroup devolves into a micromanaged tussle between 2 year olds who don't understand the concept of sharing and who don't WANT to understand either. The other day when Evie snatched a toy out of my hand while emphatically stating that it was hers, I snatched it back and, in my most whiny voice said, "NO! That's MIIIIINE!!!!" Cue the waterworks. I'm not sure it was the best way to teach a lesson, in retrospect, but I was trying to show her that it wasn't an nice thing to do. The result was that she started sobbing and saying "Miine...Miine..Miine" over and over again. I guess your mom isn't supposed to be the bad guy. Since then she has moved on to focusing all of her "that's mine" energy on her baby sister who has neither the interest or the ability to a. take Evie's things or b. defend herself. Sharing is the word of the week.
Potty training has also been a hot topic around here. Despite the purchase of a brand new shiny duck potty, which sings songs when it is used and can also be used as a stool, Evie is just not that interested. Plus she knows how to make the potty sing without actually using it, which defeats the whole purpose. Even tempting her with chocolate mini-eggs could not convince her to sit on her potty without a tantrum. After an exhausting weekend, we surrendered and will try again eventually.
Pictures to come soon. And maybe the weather will get better so we can go out and do something and I don't have to blog about what is going on in our living room all the time. So boring...
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