#tbt

Trying to think of what had three year old Bridget so appalled...

Someone forgot to use a coaster? 

Shoes on the upholstery?  

Likely someone suggested I wear overalls instead of a dress.

Memory lane

At my parents house today, (while digging in the attic for stuff to steal for my house...shhhh) I found a box of old pictures.  A big box.  

I even found the pictures from when I was brought home from the hospital.  

Here my dad is holding me outside the house on Edgewood.  

And my mom is really excited, as you can tell by her expression.  

Perhaps the scowl on her face is because that little bundle of joy actually looked like this.   

Ahhhh!  Look at that face!  That hair!  And those teensy hands.

Recently

We have been busy trying to stay positive in this cold weather.  After a major snowstorm on Monday, we have had 2 days of sunshine.  Wow, what a difference a little vitamin d makes!  I realize it is pathetic that 40 feels like 65, but at this point we will take what we can get. 

Kevin was home Monday for President's Day, so Andrew and I got to take a walk in the middle of the snowstorm while Mae napped.  We escaped the house during this break in the snow.  Look at this crazy picture, totally surrounded by snow.  We had fun getting a beverage at Colectivo and playing in the snow.

Last week, the kids had a fun Valentine's Day.  Really, what's not to love?  But, wow, this holiday sure is a lot of work for the moms...with the parties, cards, treats, etc.!  This year, I got the kids a little gift which they thought was from "Cupid."  Apparently, Cupid is the Valentine's Day Easter bunny or something.  No kids.  Mom gets credit for these gifts. 

 

                   

 

And by the end of the day, each of the kids had dumped a bag full of Valentines loot onto the kitchen table. 

                         

 

In other news, Mae finally has enough hair to wear bows and she is making up for lost time. 

          

          

Wearing multiple bows could also have something to do with her latest developmental milestone.  Hoarding.  She is not into moderation lately.  If she can have one of something why not three?

Here we are buying paint.

                         

Here she is taking her nap, with 5 stuffed animals.

                                                         And here she is with a head full of bows. 

                                         

 

The kids have started swimming lessons with a focus on pool safety.  AKA show some respect for (fear of) the water so your mom doesn't have a heart attack on vacation!  The kids were very excited.  After just one lesson, the teacher has noticed that she needs to work on stamina with Grace.  She said she has so much energy, that she is worried she will exhaust herself very quickly.  That is our Grace!

                              

And for good measure, here is a very Andrew picture.  Giving Mae a sloppy kiss, and treating us all to a view of his plumbers crack..a view we see quite often around here.

What?

This isn't how I am supposed to eat yogurt?

A day in my life

5:51am - We hear Mae for the first time.  Kevin goes and gives her a paci, but she continues to whine for the next hour until we go get her.  She says, "I cuddle you," and buries her head into my shoulder.  She is, hands down, the sweetest child ever.  

6:15 - Andrew comes in and asks for the iPad, which I don't have.  He heads off to look for it but comes back empty handed and then begs me to go in the cold, dark basement with him to look.  I do.  No iPad.  We give up and head back to his room...where we find the iPad.

7-8:00 - Make three different breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 snack, get kids dressed and out the door.  

8:10 - Put Mae and Andrew in the car, drive three blocks to Andrew's school.  Get both kids out of the car, walk 1 block through the snow to his playground.  Where we wait for the bell to ring and then I help Andrew navigate the death trap "snow wall" that the 4k kids have to jump over to get into school.  

8:20-8:45 am - Hang out at

Colectivo where I take a work call and Mae dances to jazz music.

9:00-9:45- Meet Grandma Jane and Ben at the Domes.

9:45-10:30 - We head to target.  Mae grabs two little monkeys (she thinks they are bears though)  from the $1 section and holds them the entire time saying, "Hi bear bear. Awe night night bear bear." And kisses them and pats their back.  Cute, but does get a tad old after 45 minutes.  I spend $140 on...well I forget...but I know I got diapers and new lampshades for these lamps I scored at goodwill this weekend.  

10:53- Pull into driveway.  Oh crap!  I forgot to get Andrew!

10:55 - Pick up Andrew at school.  They are always running late, so we spend a minute on the playground.  Mae is wearing tennis shoes and is splashing in slush.  I let her because I don't want to hold her and she was saying, "Hi snow snow!  Awe snow snow!"  Some lady that was there to pick up her grandson or someone came over and said, "I get so cold just looking at her out here without boots." Okay lady.  Mind your business.

11-11:30- Andrew plays outside, well Mae does too, but only for about three minutes.  Glad I got those snowpants and boots on for that marathon play session outside!  I put the target stuff away, make lunch and get chicken in a marinade for dinner.  I also go through Andrew's folder where I find a teacher letter with a bunch of things we parents should be working with the kids on.  Garbage.  I also find the conference request that was in his folder and had a hard turn in deadline of last week.  Awesome.  

While I am doing that, Mae helps herself to a snack.  Which just means she dumps bags of snack food on the floor, then tries to clean it up by rubbing the food with a tissue. 

11:30-12:00 - The kids eat about two bites of Mac and cheese.  Mae spills hers so I get her another bowl.  They each take one more bite, and then they are done.  

The kids watch Mickey Mouse while I clean up.

12:30-2:00 - Mae naps, Andrew watches tv and I fold the four loads of laundry I have already done today.  Then I paint some shelves for a new piece of furniture in Grace's room.  When getting the paint, I get distracted in our paint room and spend 15 minutes clearing out old paint cans. 

2:00-3:00 - Andrew and I work on his hand made valentines for next week.  This is cute, but tedious and we are only half done.  Of course I bought Spider-Man ones at the dollar store but no, he needs to keep those all for himself. He says hilarious stuff like, "I love her.  I really do!  I love her!  I will give her this really big sticker because she has a big face.  Like me." 

3:00 - We get Grace at school and drive down to the VA in West Allis to drop something off with my mom.  West Allis is lovely to visit this time of year. 

4:00-5:15 - The kids run around and help themselves to some crunchy stuff which they drop all over the place. I vacuum the first and second floors, stairs and upholstered furniture.  

5:15-6:15 The kids do who knows what while I make dinner.  I made jerk chicken with rice topped with mango, pineapple chutney and a side of chipotle black beans.  But of course the kids won't eat all that, so everybody's plate is a little different.  

6:45-7:45pm - I clean (scrub) the kitchen (again) and do homework with Grace, while Kevin puts the younger two to bed.  Then I head upstairs and change our sheets.  I tell Andrew that dragons are only make believe (not sure that is what he wants to hear...these types of conversations are ways risky with him).  And I assure Grace that the underwater animals at the zoo will indeed be excited to see her new shirt with a sparkly anchor on it this summer. Because anchors are nautical.  And those animals live in the water.  And they will totally pick up on that coincidence.  

8:15-8:30pm - I sit across from Kevin in the living room and beg him to stop working so he can get me a drink. 

Oh and I mopped salty, slushy floors in the backhall/mud room area five times today.  FIVE TIMES.