WhataDay

Today, was just not fluffy.

I decided to wake up early to get thirty minutes on the treadmill. Five A.M. I got myself out of bed. I walked through the house and I hear Zachy start to cry. I felt myself tense up. But Jeff was in there, so I let him deal with Zachy and just waited. Sitting quietly. Not exercising. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. Still crying and at Five Thirty A.M. Mackenzie woke up. Really? You mean to tell me I can't even wake up earlier than I want to wake up and have a little quiet then? Really? Motherhood is Hard. And, of course I felt guilty for somehow managing to wake the whole house up, although I had made no noise.

Furthermore, we had a playdate scheduled for the day with Momma Tess, Ari and Cate. Why?Why?Why must my daughter inevitably wake up early and/or be sick just about Every Single Time we have something fun planned? Especially since she doesn't do well AT ALL when she doesn't have enough rest. Not at all. But I figured, ya gotta roll with it.

Momma Tess's kids are the same ages roughly as Mackenzie and Zachy. They got here about Eleven. Things started off alright, for about ten minutes. Maybe ten. Then, sure enough Mackenzie started to struggle. I think it started with Cate having put a sticker in her mouth. Apparently this was Mackenzie's FAVORITE sticker EVER. And things just went down from there. No matter WHAT anybody was doing, Mackenzie was distraught. Of course the one year olds seemed intent on setting her off every chance they got. It was almost like a Self Fulfilling Prophecy. I took her to her room a couple of times to try to give her a break. (I don't believe in public 'discipline.' And, I have to believe she might have been a little embarrassed herself. Who likes to be out of control over their emotions? I know I don't.) At one point she took a bottle of water and laid in her bed. Great,  I thought, Maybe she will nap. She was gone about twenty-five quiet minutes and then came out. Maybe she got a little mental break and will be okay now? One can hope, right? Of course one can hope, doesn't mean it'll happen, but hope away! The rest of the playdate pretty much moved along like the first part. Whining. Demanding. Screaming. Crying. Tess and I managed to get in some conversation and laughs despite my very negative attention seeking tot. But, you gotta laugh through this Motherhood thing. Otherwise, you might just go insane.

She conked out about five minutes after they left, which was about an hour past her normal naptime and two to three past what time she should have napped given her 'delicate' state.

I think she fell asleep with her hand in mid-hair-twirl.

Not the best day. It pretty much continued most of the afternoon. She perked up some about four-thirty, which was when Zachy woke from his nap. He then fussed for the next two hours. Yep, my usually pretty mellow boy fussed for the next two hours. It felt like a conspiracy. A mean, mean joke.

As far as my TwoGoodThings for today...here goes nothing...TwoGoodThingsPlusOne

1. Zachy fake coughing and laughing after he did. Funny. Made me laugh. So did this...

2. See above. Mackenzie...asleep. Love you Mackenzie, but it's true. Otherwise, you weren't too happy a girl. I hope you sleep well and have a better day tomorrow.
3. Given how yuck the day was, I need to have a ThirdGoodThing so I can go to bed feeling just a little better. They had about ten minutes of fun together, late in the evening, throwing dirt at one another. Both of them laughing at the same time and neither of them fussing...

FotoFriday11.05.10

A little look back at our week....

Our sick Princess, not the start the Halloween Festivities we hoped for.

Poor Princess Mackenzie!

While the Princess rested....Zachy played with BuddyCat.

And had a Stand-Off with RufusDog who was after his snack!

Feeling a little better, she made it to the school Trunk or Treat afterall.

Zachy got to experience the Jumpolene for the first time this week.

He Loved It!

Mackenzie's an OldJumpolenePro.

Zachy tried out the trike, while Mackenzie and RufusDog dug holes together...

Rufus was VERY happy to have someone doing something he likes for once!

 We attended Malloween for some Trick or Treat on Halloween.

Zachy played in the play area.

No costume this year.

I called him CuteVintageBoy since he had on an OldSchoolStyle 'Nerds' Tshirt.

 Mackenzie took a ride on the cars, with the reincarnated BabyBucee beside her.

(You can see Bucee's leg if you look really close.)

Zachy stuck to his usual 'ride.' 

Looking dapper Zacharoo!

At home rummaging through her loot.

Zachy amusing himself with his hat.

He thought he looked cute.

He was RIGHT!

I love my crock pot....

(He kept putting himself in it over and over and then crying cause he couldn't get out.)

And, gotta love the hat and the expression...

Big Sister watching and protecting...Always.

TwoGoodThings11.04.10

TwoGoodThings

1. Getting home and being greeted by a little boy with a big huge smile and wide open arms.
2. Getting home and being greeted by a little girl yelling out, 'Momma, I going poopy, come see.'

Cozzzzy

Mackenzie has been great about going to bed by herself. Sure, maybe it took 'til she was three, but a BIG accomplishment, nonetheless. However, she still fights it sometimes. Tonight was one of those times.

Running out of excuses and potential ailments and other issues, at one point, she says to me, in her sweetest little totvoice, 'But Momma, you're my friend. You're so cozzzzy.' How do ya resist that? But I did...didn't want to, but I did. The Girl knows how to get to me, though. Yes She Does. She can read me like a book.

We did have some really good, no GREAT!, snuggles tonight. On the couch, after Zachy went to bed. Just MyMackenzie and MiaMomma. Dad is working late. So, just The Girls. And we danced a bit, to GabbaGabba. We had our cozzzzy. Yes We Did. But at some point, my Little Lovegirl, it's bedtime.

RandomThinks

I have some RandomThinks going on in MeMind today. So, here they are.

• Zachy seems to be catching up on all the sleep he missed his first twelve months. He's sleeping about 11.5 to 12 hours a night and, the two days he's not home with me, he naps for around 2-3 hours.
• I wish Zachy would nap for 2-3 hours when he's home. Love him always, but like him more when I get a break!
• This morning, Mackenzie woke up and said, 'Today I not going to push my brother.' So far she has not pushed him! She has found plenty of other ways to terrorize him though.
• I lost one of Zachy's shoes. This has me very annoyed. How do you lose a shoe? We went to the 'market,' which is too small to lose anything in. I think I would have noticed when I put him in his car seat if he had a shoe off? I think I would have noticed after I got him back out and carried him and set him down if he had a shoe off? Or when I took off his one shoe? This makes me thinks it has to be here somewhere...but where?
• Mackenzie looks really cute in her fall/winter dress.
• Mackenzie had too much Halloween candy this morning. I was trying to get a casserole in the oven and she took advantage of this. I told her No, but she didn't listen. Of course not, She's Three AND an Opportunist.
• Zachy is napping, I wonder for how long. Please longer than an hour. Let's shoot for TWO.
• This morning Mackenzie said, 'Momma when I grow up, I be a teacher and help all the friends! Momma, when you grow up, you can be a teacher too!' Adorable.
• I'm thinking about digging in the trash for the shoe. Where else could it possibly be?
• When Mackenzie was about Zachy's age, her Native American names were TwoPoop and OneShoe. Looks like Zachy is OneShoeToo.
• I looked in the trash. Not there. Ugh. Ruminating.
• Zachy is InTheZone when he's outside. Content. Happy.
• Between trying to figure out What winter tights to get for Mackenzie and Where Zachy's shoe is, I am overwhelmed.
• It sort of still bothers me when I see my weekly email about Zachy that they call him a 'Toddler.' I know, I really need to accept it and move on.
• Maybe I'll run to Walmart and get him another pair of shoes. Oh yah, it's an hour away. Maybe Not.
• Zachy is sitting on this throne, the highchair, and looking very distinguished. He looks at me, nods his head and, very definitively, says, (in his E.T. voice), 'Oooohhh.' MeLaughing.
• Sometimes Zachy does something and I think, 'Oh, that's so cute. I remember Mackenzie doing it. It was cute then too.' And other times I think, 'Oh, that's so annoying. I remember Mackenzie doing it. It annoying then too.'
• HALLELUJAH. I.FOUND.THE.SHOE. On the changing table, underneath the pants he had worn to the 'market.' HALLELUJAH IS RIGHT!
• Mackenzie is watching Nick Jr. and they are doing a show break talking about things that start with the letter 'M' and what does she say? 'I start with the letter M!' She's a three year old genius.
• Zachy woke Mackenzie up from her nap. He pushed open the door and screamed. Yep. That'll do it.
• Are Poo Poo jokes really a bad thing for a Three Year Old? I sort of don't think so.
• Zachy is way too good at climbing. Now, he needs to practice walking instead.
• Note to self: Don't make the sweep pile in front of the one year old and expect him NOT to put his hands in it, swoosh it all over and put his hands in his mouth. I'm apparently NOT a three year old genius.
• Now if I could just find the phone I lost two days ago.
• Phone found. On the slide outside. Life is Good.
• Now the for the tights. What to do. Which to get.
• The tights will have to wait until another day.
• Mackenzie gave Zachy a hug and kiss on the head when they were in the bath...twice.
• Zachy's in bed. Mackenzie next.
• Good Day. LuckyLuckyMe.

Perhaps it's been covered some, but here's...TwoGoodThings

1. Zachy putting a winter beanie hat on his head, then seeing himself in the mirror, laughing, waving and touching his head! Precious.
2. Mackenzie (very playfully and lovingly) saying, 'Good Night Pee Pee,' when I told her Zachy was going to bed.
3. OneMoreGoodThing: Their little bum bums side by side in the bathtub. TooCute not to mention!

At the end of the day, I often find myself looking at the mountain of mess all around, feeling stressed, overwhelmed and in need of some serious quiet. But, truth be told, I wouldn't trade all the order, peace and quiet for the Amazing Two Lives I am Blessed to have in Mine. Love ya Mackenzie and Zachy!

LoveGrowthSpurt

I love my kids a little more each day. But today, for some odd reason, I think I experienced some sort of LoveGrowthSpurt. I have no idea why. I worked today; So my time spent with them has been pretty minimal. Actually, I woke up Zachy, fed him and left for work. When I got home, he was eating dinner, then I fed him and he fell asleep. But he was so sweet, as usual. I know, I always say how sweet he is. But he really is. I loved snuggling with him and looking at his sleeping face before I put him down. I love him. And, my little Totgirl Mackenzie came out to greet me when I got home. She had put on a new dress that arrived in the mail. She was so excited about it and looked so cute in it. Lately, she has been a little darling. Asking for things with a polite voice, negotiating somewhat reasonably, making an effort to share and be a good 'friend.' It has been pleasant. I love her when she is on the temperamental side, but I have to say, when she is in a happy space, she is incredibly delightful and fun and likable too. I love her.

TwoGoodThings...

1. Mackenzie didn't initially want to put on the shirt she had picked out last night to wear to school today, so she called it 'Poo Poo,' of course. But then she decided to 'forgive' it or something like that and said, 'I will be nice to my new shirt now.' Still makes me laugh. She got into an argument with a shirt. Who does that? Oh, MyCuteCuteTotgirl does!
2. I know I didn't see much of Zachy today (sad face), but when I got home and went to say 'Hello' to him in his high chair, he grabbed my finger and would not let go. He kept eating, but apparently wanted to make sure I didn't get away. MyBoy!

SiblingMischief

Today was all round a pretty good day. I got to get a half hour on the treadmill off the bat (Dad went to work just a little late). I think that might have set off some sort of manic episode, because I did not stop moving the rest of the day. I think, for all of us, I need to figure out how, on my three home 'workdays,' to exercise in the morning before the day starts. It makes for a better beginning for me, which means better for all.

Mackenzie and Zachy were great. They played terrifically, much of the day together. They laughed and got into mischief with one another.

Some of the favorite things they did today...

• They took turns going up and down the climber inside. What made this so cute, is that they were laughing together and turned it into some kind of game. Then they started to crawl under it, back and forth, following one another and just laughing.
• Mackenzie helping Zachy ride the trike. This was HUGE because she did not really want to share it, but then she decided to be a 'Helping Big Sister.' I LOVE how she is working through some of these difficult interpersonal issues!
• Them crawling around with markers in their mouths. Choking hazard I know. But it was pretty funny because they knew (Zachy included) that I didn't want them to do it and so they 'crawlran' away from me, fast as they could. Total SiblingMischief.
• Swinging; This involved me pushing them, but they LOVED passing one another as their swings swang!
• Zachy putting stickers (yes, more choking hazards) in his mouth. He KNOWS what he is NOT supposed to do, so he does it and again, he 'runcrawls' away. Mackenzie, not to be left out of the fun, got into the action as co-conspirator.
• Ah, and them playing drums in the kitchen with the pans. Loud, slightly annoying...but cute regardless! And, I had picked up Zachy for some reason and Mackenzie demanded I put him down again. She even counted to two...'Put him down Momma. One....two...' I have NO idea where she got that! I don't do it and it doesn't seem like a thing they would do at the Center. One of the other kids perhaps?
• Them playing outside together and alone. Very nicely. Very contently. Exploring. Getting dirty. Happy.
• And, them eating dog food and gagging together. I would bring them in the house and she would open the door so they could go out for more. And they thought they were being just fabulous and clever as can be.

I don't have the words to express how it feels to watch them interact. It is amazing. Simply Amazing.

Today was full of GoodThings, so I'd have to say we have adequately covered our TwoGoodThings in the process! Can you see me smiling?