I Got a Clue Token

Sophia makes a huge mess when she eats. Most of the food still gets pushed out of her mouth, even at 9 months. Even yogurt (goat's milk yogurt!). I had no idea if she was actually ingesting any of it.

There were peas in the washing machine this morning (we use cloth diapers). I think we have evidence of food being eaten at last.

Warm and (Blue and White) Fuzzy Feelings

Just when I think I'm all caught up--or approaching that destination, anyway--on housework. I've even washed the stairs. I've gone through files of Ancient Important Things which are now Ancient Recyclable Things. Oh, the owner's manuals I've found! At last the fold-up instructions for that blasted children's play tent! I once again suppress the intense desire to hide about 1/3 of the toys strewn about the house. They...are...not...my...toys...must....resist.....

So I call my Dad to chat and I'm absent-mindedly (I am not sure that is a word, forgive me) fiddling with the requisite letters-on-the-fridge (you know, the alphabet letters and also numbers for Fiona to play with)...only to discover...to my horror...that some of them are covered on the sides (the wood part not covered with paint) with blue and white fuzzy mold. I know it's been humid here, but egads!!!

I wanted to toss them, but my dad convinced me to throw them into the dishwasher. We'll see if they survive.

You wouldn't think it would be that humid in Vermont, would you? Well, maybe you would because you know better. I've been here...seven?...years and it still surprises me.

He's All Mine, Ladies. So are the Tea Cups.

Yesterday, we drove down to the farmer's market but never made it. We had the intention of going to a few garage sales, and we ended up doing it all morning because this entire neighborhood was having a garage sale. It was a garage sale nest. We got a rice cooker (kind of pricey at $10, but like new and a good brand), a pitcher, a baby wipes warmer (I thought it would be nice in the winter for our cloth wipes), proper tea cups, a teapot/cup combo, a play fishing rod for Fiona (the hit of the day), a stroller for Fiona's dolls (ok, her stationery), and an Anne Lammott book (Traveling Mercies). I could have spent all day doing this but the sun was intense as was our dear Fiona (Sophia was blissfully taking it all in while in the backpack on Doug's back). Even large lemonades did not really mend things, so we stopped before the grumpiness factor peaked.

The Montessori preschool teacher was there (whom I've met, but she teaches the Other School, not Our School) and asked me (before she recognized me) if I was purchasing those tea cups (while I was gathering the cups and saucers and teapot/cup combo and looking at my rice cooker and books---wishing I had taken the cooker back to the car because I only have two arms--ah, but then I would not have gotten the cups....). Well, shucks, I am! Then she recognized me and we chatted a bit. She said her sister was coming down from San Fransisco to visit and she owns and operates a tea shop (with proper tea! and delicacies!). She was going to give a little tea for the new teacher (Our Teacher) and was looking for tea cups. I felt like I should surrender the tea cups (maybe) but she said her mother had some she could borrow. I am glad of that, because they are dainty little things with no chips and three for $5.

I still feel a little guilty...ok, it's gone now.

Then, Doug offers to take the girls away all afternoon while I read the new Harry Potter book, The Half Blood Prince. I accept, feeling unworthy, but unable to keep the book shut. I finished it at about 10:30 PM, as it wasn't as tome-like as the former book. I will not give anything away here--I am not even going to say one more word about it!

Sophia has started pointing at things. Doug was cutting up onions and sauteing them, and Sophia was watching from my arms. She pointed at the onions, then pointed at the pan. She has been reaching for me for a while now, saying "Mamamama mama maaaaaa" (beam!).

Now everyone is sleeping. If they wake up soon, I'll take the girls swimming and let Doug get into the book!

And the Award for Most Hated Toy in our House...

Hated by me, that is...goes to:

I took her to Kids Town and let her pick one small toy from the isle of instant gratification crap...and out of cute little bouncy balls, whirly things, straws, erasers, sparklies...she picks this horrendous chicken.

That's my girl!

Sigmund and the Sea Monsters

Thanks to Netflix, we were able to rent this cheesy 70s childrens' show! We set Fiona in front of it, and she was instantly captivated. She prefers to sit in Doug's lap for the scary parts (i.e. when Sigmund's mean older brothers show up) but otherwise was charmed by the show.

OK, it's not the greatest message (the other sea monsters kick Sigmund out because he is a nice sea monster!). I also fail to remember why they keep trying to recapture him if they kicked him out in the first place.

Really, I just wanted to see it again after nearly 30 years, and why not show it to my daughter? She watches maybe one show a week on tape or DVD. Despite the show being rather, ah, old-fashioned, she was not at all bored by it.

Talk to the Hand, Mommy. Talk to the Hand.

That is what Fiona told me the other day. She meant it in a totally silly way, not a sassy way. She had the impish grin on and everything. (I think she overheard Doug and I bantering with each other).

I just wonder if her preschool teacher will be amused.

No New Bed In Immdiate Future

Fiona has told Doug that she wants the Kids Town bed when she is older. She is too sad being left alone to go to sleep :( Of course, that is fine with us and we are back to the Super Size bed all together!

Hidden Treasures

Doug has gotten creative again and cut down a bamboo rod from the attic so that it will fit inside Fiona's desk (which she uses as a dresser). This way, she can hang clothes from it (someday we will do this in her actual closet!) Fiona is very excited about it and will spend several minutes just having fun taking the clothes off the hanger, getting dressed, getting undressed, and putting the clothes back on the hanger.

Now as to the bamboo rod---I didn't even know we had that (and more?) in the attic. When we bought the house, there were an assortment of odd things left in the attic and a few things above the beams in the garage. Old wallpaper, old tiles (from the formerly Hideous Pink bathroom)...yes, let's digress to the Hideous Pink bathroom...

At one point, the bathtub/shower tiles were pink. That is not so bad, right? We had our bathroom worked on the winter before last to put new tile in. He also took off the wallpaper and old wainscotting. Underneath the wallpaper (which was not so bad) was...pink paint. Underneath the crappy wainscotting was...plastic pink tile! !Que horror! Plastic pink tile on the lower half of every wall! I wonder if at one point there was pink carpet in there? Thankfully, that is all gone now except the pink paint, which will eventually be covered with a sage green color.

I guess perhaps I should not mock those who came before us...as owners who painted their house in three shades of purple and one shade of sea green (it's more blue than green, actually) on purpose.

Don't Make Me Get out the Fingerpaints

Finally, finally, finally Fiona naps. Sophia naps. Fiona only naps with promises of going to the pool (I hate doing that, but if she does not nap, it gets ugly fast). So I am sitting here, getting work done (instead of eating bon bons and watching the Daily Show on our new DSL connection, of course) and in the distance I hear thunder.

You would think I'd get a break from the Great Mother of all things.

It's the End of the Summer

I have actually discovered---in mid July now---that our tiny town actually has a happening pool. I took Fiona last night. After nap time, I am going to be brave and saunter over to the Town Clerk to buy a Family Pass. Then I will take both girls to the pool. Alone. The pool is open to 7 PM, though, which is amazing because nearly everything in our area closes at 5 or 5:30. I think we will try to go every day, barring rain. They are even--this is more incredible, if possible--open on Sunday !!

On a related note, I wonder if it's early senility or just a symptom of being in the trenches of early motherhood...but I have this almost fanatical desire to posses a new bottle of sunblock every time we go shopping. I have a similar urge towards tissues.

On a depressing note, I got a bunch of Back-to-School (!!!) catalogues and Fall catalogs in the mail the other day. Didn't summer just start? This year, for the first time since moving here--I think it's been seven years now, I feel rather protective of summer and apprehensive of the coming cold weather. The last one just seemed very, very long.

A $600 Milestone?

Ok, there is this bed at Kids Town. It is a young child's dream bed. It is like a bunk bed (well the top part) and the bottom is a play area. It is undeniably cool. However, there are three major strikes against it. It is not really a bed she can grow into, it is not really a bed she can share with her sister, and we don't need a bed for her! We have TWO frames in the attic, waiting for box springs and mattresses. The bed, with mattress, would cost a whopping 600 bucks, as well.

However.

We have made a deal with Fiona. If she goes to sleep on her own (she needs Doug or myself now, no biggie) for 2 weeks (marked by a chart) we will...buy...her the bed...boy, that is hard to write, ha ha! Well, we have revisited this subject several times (she brings it up) and she always concluded that we can buy the bed when she is older b/c she does not want to be alone.

But last night, she went to sleep by herself! And was surprised to see Doug there in the morning! (I think he can join Sophia and I but maybe it is a good idea to do this gradually. I did miss them last night, though).

So we are making the chart (again) and actually putting a sticker on it! Time to squirrel some money away into the savings account....

Countdown

Exactly two weeks from tomorrow, we are driving across half of the United States. Three days in the car with a 3 1/2 year old and a 9 month old. I wish I could log on and blog a day by day synopsis of the trip, if only for posterity...and quite possibly as a reminder to never do this again. I am excited to see Doug's family and excited to get away for almost two weeks. I wish I could pack up everything now, though.

Our destination is Rochester, MN, home of the Mayo Clinic. We are not doing anything at said clinic; that's just a bit of trivia.

Fiona can say Minnesota very clearly, though.

Any bets on how often we have to listen to the "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" tape?

Urine.

We are now buying the Economy size of enzymes, which we get at a pet store. We are asked what kind of pet we have at home---and probably how many, Doug is usually the one buying it, though---it is a big bottle and sets us back 30 bucks. Doug motions to Fiona and says, "No pets, just a toddler (who is wickedly grinning)". They seem surprised, but maybe no one is honest about it and makes up family pets or blames real pets. Surely we are not the only ones who have thought to use enzymes. I know we are not the only ones who have kids who have pee incidents---accidents or otherwise!

Speaking of pee, the smell seems to be everywhere. The sheets, my clothes, the languishing undies-at-time-of-accident in the sink or tub, Sophia's clothes (pre-washed), the changing table (no matter how hard I try to protect it), the futon mattress in "Fiona's room" (a.k.a "room with toys and an emergency bed---which could be slept on, if necessary---but has had three dousings with "Nature's Enzymes" now---*after* Maggie and Dad's visit, I would like to clarify), from unknown sources.... I swear it seeps into the skin, refusing to be washed off. Doug and I occasionally walk around the apartment sniffing the furniture and rugs asking ourselves, "Does this stink or am I just used to it?" Friends assure me that all smells well.

Merlot (our previously owned cat) would laugh if she could.

Actually, the diapers (cloth) at least smell just fine.