You Know You're a Mom of Girls When...

• you spend more time browsing cute hair accessories on etsy.com than you do checking your e-mail.
• you respond to the butcher's meat packaging as, "Oh, how cute... it's wrapped in white paper."
• you feel the need to buy stock in the Disney Princess line.
• you've discovered that there are a thousand shades of pink.
• you regularly hold tea parties at home.
• you often think about all of the cute dresses/pinafore tops you could make if you owned a sewing machine.
• you know the difference between a tutu and petticoat.
• you know fabric lines by name. (Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, and Michael Miller are my faves!)
• you randomly buy cute ribbon just because it's... well, cute!
• you sometimes look like a throwback to the 80's because your girls' favorite make-up colors are blue and purple.
• you don't blame Daddy for wanting to get out of the house with so much estrogen in one place.
• you accidentally refer to a friend's little boy as 'sister.'
• you're cleaning out your purse and find 4 bows and 3 mini hairbrushes.
• you're cleaning out the car and find 4 purses and baby shoes you forgot you had.
• your husband is wearing a 'Hello Kitty' band-aid.
• you feel like your life has been enriched with a deeper appreciation of all of the beautiful, whimsical, fashionable, sweet, loving, sensitive, compassionate, emotional, magical, and well- GIRLY things that a little girl brings. Hmmm... I'll take 2 please! :)
  

Reciprocation

Ahh, yes. Reciprocation. A mutual exchange. An alternating motion. In my house, it's becoming a much more popular act among my girls and I'm lovin' every bit of it. Here are a few moments of reciprocation I experienced this week:

• Ella runs to me with a big grin and open-armed.
• Adelyn tells me, "Mommy, you look like Cinderella!" and "I love your hair!"
• At bedtime, Adelyn rolls over in the middle of the night to give me a kiss on my back and tell me she loves me. (Hey- no judgement for sleeping in her bed.)
• Ella laughs at my silly faces and thinks my goofy sounds are funny, too.
• Adelyn thanks me for getting her juice without being prompted.
• Ella likes to give sweet kisses.
• Adelyn says, "Mommy, does this make you feel better?" and proceeds to show me her silly face.
• Adelyn is excited to see me when I pick her up at school and proudly announces to her classmates that I'm her mom.

There's something about those moments that feel so rewarding to me. Like all of that diaper duty, the sleepless newborn nights, the career sacrification, the LOOKS sacrification, the nine months of utter misery (o.k... just the first and last 3), all the times I tip-toed around hoping I wouldn't wake a sleeping child, all the times I was forced to watch that oversized-head, "Say it with me!!!!" Dora, all of the ..... sorry .... ALL of those things moms just instinctively do for their children become totally worth it when it sometimes goes noticed. And who am I kidding- I would do all of those things with or without it. But, gosh, it's just so sweet when it does happen. And is it a coincidence that more of these moments occur as the child becomes older/more challenging? I think not. God had it all figured out.

Oh, and on the flipside, Adelyn likes to reciprocate punishments, too. I yelled at the dog and she told me I was a 'naughty girl' and that I needed to sit in time-out in the corner until I could count to ten in Spanish. So I did.... with the biggest smile on my face. :)

Update on the Girls

Warning: Skip this post if you're only looking for pictures of the girls. I'm too lazy to walk downstairs to the PC to upload MORE photos. God knows I have plenty. I'm not too lazy, however, to write. I really hope you don't mind. (If so, you can't say I didn't warn you.)

First, I apologize for the partial blogging hiatus. I realize I have cut my posts down significantly. For those who do follow my blog, please don't be discouraged! Adelyn has been on nap strike and that means less internet time. I usually have just enough time to catch e-mail 'after hours' when I'm not chasing around a 3 yr old (plus 1 yr old) all day. And when I do have enough time to knock out a post, they tend to be a lot less thoughtful and tired. Well, that pretty much sums this mommy up right now- less thoughtful and tired.

So, that brings me to my little 3 yr old.... have you ever heard that the 'Terrible 3's' are worse than the 'Terrible 2's'? Well, it's true. Seems a switch was flipped when Adelyn turned 3. All of the sudden, she knew what she wanted and definitely vocalized her frustration when she didn't get it. Today, for example, we were at my fave store where you can find just about anything. Adelyn was particularly interested in a Nemo sprinkler toy- almost the exact same toy we have at home (except ours is Elmo). When I broke the news that I wouldn't be purchasing the item for her, she not only ran away from me with Nemo in tow, but she continued to run OUT of the store. What a lesson that was for the both of us. Adelyn is also notorious for finding the cleanest room in the house and seeing how fast she can demolish it. Seriously- it's like she sees her imaginary friend standing in the corner with a stopclock in one hand and a big thumbs up on the other. Talk about frustrating.

On a positive note, I am proud/relieved that Adelyn has been potty trained for a while now after doing it for occasional sport since she was 2. She doesn't even go potty in her pull-up anymore; previously, she thought this was a 'go potty in pants for free card.' Adelyn is also SUPER fun... her imagination has really taken off. In fact, I brought her to a children's theater performance last week called "The Princess and The Pea" and she has been reenacting the play ever since. A future performer on our hands? I think so. Is the world ready for our full-of-life, full-of-spunk Adelyn? We'll see. :)

Ella Bella Butter Bean has been 100% walking for a couple months now. I'm shocked at how independent she is as she walks from room to room looking for something else to get into. I just always had this feeling that she would be a clinger but she's really not. And she's at an age that she's starting to exert her will and that's fun to watch.... especially when it involves her older sister. (She owes her a few!) Poor Ella has had to suffer through a couple ear infections but I'm hoping this round of antibiotics will cease any more from coming. She did weigh in last week at her 15 month check-up at around 40% weight, and 44% height. (Her head circumference is 90%- thanks Daddy!) Overall, she is in great condition and even though her weight has gone down a bit, she is a super great eater and typically eats more than her picky sister!

We still get comments about Ella like... Who the heck does she look like? Where did she get that hair color? Is she adopted? Wow.... she doesn't look like anyone in your family! Oh, and I can't forget this one- So, what does your mailman look like?! (Um, niiiice.) Yes- we are VERY aware that Ella stands out from the rest of us. And yes- she is 100% Andrew's daughter (shame on you for even thinking otherwise!!) And yes- I think it is totally NEAT that I have two little girls who look nothing alike. I wouldn't trade her for the world. Oh, and our mailman is well, a mail lady. So there!

Sorry. I'm just feeling sort-of ornery tonight. From what I hear, that's the Jenny that people find more interesting anyway. You know, more interesting than the Jenny who relates life issues to the morals in children's shows; or the Jenny who has this innate desire to always stick to the rules. Hey- wouldn't you agree?!

Hope you all had a great weekend... and I also hope you have a great week, too, in case I don't post again soon. ;)

Cleaning in Circles

As a SAHM, I spend A LOT of time cleaning... you know, cleaning one mess while another is being made at the same time. I call it 'cleaning in circles.' As much as I clean, I am still not a cleaning goddess; however, I will have to admit that my husband who has some OCD tendencies has caused me to increase my level of cleaning. Therefore, I'm always on the look out for new product recommendations and tricks of the cleaning trade. I wanted to share a couple of my own stand-outs.

Mr. Clean All-Purpose Cleaner with Febreze - I use it on just about every surface. It's a great general cleaner just to have on hand and it leaves a fresh, pleasant smell behind.

Spot Shot - It's the shiznit for stains... seriously. There hasn't been ANYTHING this stain remover hasn't taken out. I've used it on the carpet, couch, draperies, etc. It's taken out chocolate, ink, candy, poo, etc. You just spray the stain until it comes out before blotting it up. It's amazing!!

Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber - O.k.... so I don't use this as much as I used to when we didn't have a cleaning service, but it's the best for bathrooms. I've always been a fan of Scrubbing Bubbles but the action scrubber makes it even easier to get a squeaky clean bathroom.

Speaking of bathrooms... about once a month, I use a steamer to get the built-up gunk out of in between the tiles in our shower. It does wonders!

A cleaning tip from one of my blogger friends a.k.a. imaginary friends: Pour a little bit of Pine Sol in a cup and hide it in the kitchen somewhere. When your husband gets home, it'll make him think that you've been busting your bottom mopping the floor all day when a simple Swiffering gets the job done. (I can't say I've ever actually done this.)

So let me know if you have any tips/recommendations. A clean home is a happy home! Now, if I could only get Adelyn to understand that!

More Easter Pics and Bonus Princess Pics! ;)

Click HERE for more Easter pics- some repeats and some not. Sorry for the delay. It's been a hectic week and all I want to do is rest or check Facebook when I get the chance to get online. Oh, I wanted to mention that Adelyn found the GOLD EGG in one of her Easter egg hunts. She even got her picture in the local paper. We had so much fun in Doniphan with my family!

I wanted to share a couple pictures of Adelyn seeing Cinderella yesterday at the Magic House Princess Tea Party. You should have seen the look on her face when she saw Cinderella... like she was star struck! We went with a couple friends and made princess tiaras, watched Cinderella sing, also met Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother, and ate pretty little deserts while sipping on tea/juice! I think Adelyn's favorite part was yelling, "Bippity Boppity Boo!" We also played at the Magic House afterward. It was a magical day for Adelyn! I wish Ella was old enough to go because it was so neat. She'll have her day, though, because she's a princess, too!

Easter Fun

The girls had tons of fun at a neighbor's house hunting Easter eggs, making crafts, and eating yummy food. Most of all, it was an excuse to get together with all of our wonderful friends in the neighborhood including a new family with two little ones of their own. I've had a couple opportunities to walk around the neighborhood and chat with the new mommy and I can already tell that we click so well. Our kids are pretty close in age so that alone is enough to talk about!


We also recently had Breakfast with The Easter Bunny at the zoo and Ella was not a fan. :( And it didn't stop there; she wanted absolutely nothing to do with any of the costumed characters that morning. Oh well... maybe next year?

Ad's Add

In light of my most recent post adding a new blog to my 'favorites' list, I thought it was only fitting that since this blog revolves around my girls, I should also share a favorite book pick of Adelyn's. (Ella doesn't have a favorite yet...) Adelyn's favorite lately is called "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen. In fact, we read it so often that both Adelyn and I have memorized most of the book and like to recite it as we drive, pretending like we are sludging through mud, splashing through a river, tip toeing in a cave... Adelyn is SO cute reenacting the story so I really try hard not to let her down before bedtime. I'm sure I would have plenty of people laughing at how animated I get when I read it to her!

BTW, I'm afraid that I will be short on pictures for the next week or so. I left my good camera at a relative's house in Springfield and won't be getting it back till after Easter. I'm forced to use my point and shoot camera which is, to put it plainly- a hunk of junk. :0( But at least we have a back-up!

We made a trip to the STL Science Center today (the girls loved the Discovery Room and the dinosaur exhibit) and plan on a couple other fun trips this week since Adelyn is off school for the holiday. Oh, and we have a dentist appointment for Ad as well as her 3 year check-up so I'll try to update you on her visits. We also look forward to a neighborhood Easter party for the kiddos on Thursday night before we head to Doniphan for the weekend.

Hope you all have a fantastic week!!

New Add

I'm adding another favorite blog to the list (see left). I'm not quite sure how I found this one (o.k.... I was "blog lurking") but it definitely touched my heart. This mom is such an inspiration; the challenges she faces with her little girl's disabilities doesn't seem to get in her way. Makes me wonder if I could rise to such a challenge. It also reminds me how lucky I am to have two healthy little girls and a wonderful, supportive family who would be there in case they weren't. Gosh, I feel so blessed.

I have to confess, though, that I just felt the urge to do something for this mom... so I commented on a dress she made for her little one and asked if I could buy a couple. I'm not even sure what this is accomplishing since I will get two very cute dresses out of the deal. I just wanted her to feel like someone appreciated her for more than being an outstanding mom. Sometimes a mom gets so wrapped up in their kids' lives (especially those with disabilities) that they might forget what else they're really good at and need to be reminded. In this case, this mom has impeccable taste so I'm looking forward to the awesome summer dresses!

Here's the post with the dresses that she is going to make for the girls:

http://squishymommy.blogspot.com/2009/02/dresses.html

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Munchkin Madness

That's what they call the scaled down gym for toddlers where Adelyn had her 3rd B-Day party. I think the kiddos had lots of fun! And it was an excuse to check out a local gym for future classes for the girls. They've been going to the Y and it would save a good 10 minutes in driving time if we switched. Plus, it has competitive cheerleading/gymnastics that I look forward to having the girls join someday.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from Adelyn's special day. Mommy made the birthday girl a t-shirt with rhinestones that say, "Miss March." We did a Spring-themed party with lots of flowers and butterflies. As party favors, we gave out little flowerpots full of goodies like seeds, stickers, gummie worms, and cute flower wood picks. The girls got pink goodies and the boys got green. Oh, and I typed up a little poem to go with. Don't laugh too hard when you see how sad my rhyming is. :)

We spent Adelyn's actual birthday (a few days before her party) with local family and Adelyn and Ella's friends, Jackson and Caroline, at Chuck E. Cheese before going over to Toys R Us for some birthday treatment. Did I already mention this? Anyway, here are a few pictures from her actual birthday.

Sorry for the picture overload. I've been due, right? Adelyn hasn't been taking naps lately so that not only means that I lose time in the afternoon to blog, but I am also super tired at the end of the day from not having a break- another time I could be blogging.

Here's a bonus pic for you of sweet Ella with her daddy. What's one more picture, right?

3 Going On 13...

We celebrated Adelyn's 3rd B-Day yesterday and it definitely was a bittersweet day for Mommy. I can't believe how much she has grown even just over the last couple months. Doesn't she look like such a big girl in the picture above?

Here are a few interesting facts about Adelyn that make her such a special little girl:

ADELYN .....

... has an imaginary friend named Okie as well as an imaginary bird that likes to hang out with them called "Tweet Tweet." (Her imagination is really taking off!)

... is an entertainer- she loves to crack everyone up with her many goofy faces and crazy dance moves.

... is a girly-girl; perhaps one of her favorite birthday presents (so far) was a play make-up kit and she LOVES frequent application of lipstick/lip gloss.

... is a huge fan of 'rainbow cereal' AKA Lucky Charms.

... is also a huge fan of 'rabbit juice' AKA Nesquik chocolate/strawberry milk.

... has great hygeine; she looks forward to brushing her teeth, taking baths, and having her nails clipped. (Additionally, she likes to put on deodorant and use floss and q-tips.)

... always carries a purse with her and keeps money and lip gloss in it. She looks forward to her trips to the store so she can use her money to purchase Trident gum.

... loves being outside and going on 'explorations' around the neighborhood.

... doesn't like bugs.

... does like her sister and is very protective of her around Ella's admirers.

... continues to thrive in a preschool program full of boys.

... is very modest. I often say, "Adelyn, you are SO pretty!" and she sheepishly responds, "No my not!"(Translation: No I'm not!)

We are so incredibly blessed to have such a beautiful little girl who is full of personality and love and we look forward to this magical age of 3!

We celebrated yesterday first with her preschool class (she wore a special birthday tiara and brought cupcakes), then a trip to Chuck E. Cheese with some family and friends before getting some more birthday treatment at Toys R Us. Her party is planned for Saturday at a local gym for toddlers - we're doing a Spring-themed party with lots of flowers and butterflies. Here's her invite:

Since Adelyn seems to think that she no longer requires naps, I have not had the time (or energy) to post as frequently as I used to. I apologize! With that said, I will get some pictures up of our birthday princess soon!

Random Thought for the Day/Week

I detest going to Wal-Mart. It's initially attractive because it's convenient; you can find just about anything you're looking for at a Wal-Mart Supercenter so it's great for a mother who doesn't want to cart her kiddos around to multiple stores.

I've also found that as a mother of 2 little ones, my time is very limited when shopping; my girls definitely possess a 'shopping threshold' and once reached, my patience is virtually gone and I'm totally frazzled. At that point, I'm not even sure what I'm tossing in my cart.

So perhaps my sensitive state of mind is to blame for this thought but... do all the CRAZIES gather at Wal-Mart or what?! I swear that there was a moment this afternoon when I was concerned that a petafile look-alike would steal my children if given the brief opportunity. And it seems like there is always someone unloading their entire grocery cart in the middle of an aisle... for what reason I have no idea. I guess it was a change of heart? And don't get me started on the time I almost ran over a man sprinting across the parking lot barefoot. Oh, and I can't forget about the time when I (and my children) witnessed a domestic dispute in the check-out lane before us.

Geesh... is it worth the convenience to risk that my toddler will one day blurt out all of the same questions I have in my head about these people? Doubt it. Especially since I'm not sure what irrational thing to expect from a bunch of very scary Wal-Mart shoppers-- frazzled mommies included.

The Magic House

We are super lucky to live less than an hour from The Magic House (or Magee How as Adelyn puts it) which is a very engaging, hands-on children's museum in STL. This is the girls' first experience and they loved it as expected. It definitely meshed well with Adelyn's love for experimentation and problem-solving and Ella expecially liked the 'Baby and Me' exhibit. We also visited my childhood fave- the electrostatic generator, a huge metal ball that makes your hair stand on end when touched. If you notice in one of the pictures, Adelyn is making a bubble around her. She thought this was so cool. She also thought that it was so cool that her sister found the hidden 'mouse house' before she did (see pic). It was a great time and we all look forward to going again. In fact, I've already reserved a spot for the Fairy Tale Tea with Cinderella event in April so we will be back very soon!