I slid into sloth mode this week.

The girls and I haven't really left the house since.....hmmmm. I think Saturday. I did run to the bank, deliver an order, and shop for groceries but the BE Girls have been feeling a little sluggish....and the little ones have rejected clothing.

I have cleaned up the kitchen and den 450 million times in four days and it still looks like a mad house. Tomorrow I will go outside. I have cooked every meal and watched every episode of "Arthur " on Netflix. PBS kids 'Arthur' not Dudley Moore 'Arthur'.

I am also super happy the batteries in the Disney Princess Microphone have died. And I don't have any to replace them. Hehe.

We have been taking naps everyday. All in all I have been overwhelmingly happy and content with my girls.

LOVE

Now I have to rant a little, because really what's the point of having a blog?

MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR IS RUINING MY GLOWING CONTENTMENT.

The problem started three years ago when was pregnant with Tiny.

POST FROM MY FACEBOOK PAGE SEPTEMBER 5,2010

"the kid next door has a death wish...why ride a motorbike around and around and around in circles ? Normal BE finds this annoying...Prego BE wants him in pain...."


 During the summer every night he takes out his gas motorbike thingy and rides it. Around. in Circles. In his yard. From dinner time until after dark. We are on day # 3 this week. Every fall he puts it away and I think maybe by next summer he will have outgrown it but every year for the past three years this happens. It is driving me nuts. He is in his own yard, yes, but every night from dinner time in our kitchen (right next to his house) to doing dishes (right next to it) and then any reading/TV time ( right NEXT TO IT) I am listening to VVVVVVvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVV
AS HE CIRCLES HIS HOUSE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to be complainy neighbor fuddy duddy but DUDE. There are also some other circumstances that I really don't want to detail over the internet but I don't want to cause anymore issues. AAAHHHHHHH. You'd think venting would make me feel better but all I can hear as I sit at my table and write this is him, on his bike, going around and around.

It's raining now and he is still doing it. STILL DOING IT.


BE

So Sweet When They Sleep

Last night before I headed to bed I wrote the title to this post. I was going to talk about how great the girls have been sharing a room and how well Tiny transitioned from our bed to her crib a few months ago. Then just as I was turning off my computer and heading to the bedroom. I hear "Mom! I am thirsty!" This is at 12:45 AM.

It was Little. I got her a drink and sent her back to her room. Five minutes later Tiny starts screaming. Little woke Tiny up because she wanted someone with whom to talk. Tiny figured out she didn't like being in the crib and started complaining, loudly. I tried taking Little out of the room, tried nursing Tiny, and tried laying very very still and praying for them to drift peacefully to sleep. Finally at around 2:30 AM. Everyone was back asleep.

Lesson. Learned. Never take months and months of peaceful all night quietness for granted. AND never try to write a blog post bragging about sleep at bedtime.

Is it nap time yet?



BE

Stuff I Dig in the Summer with a Toddler and Preschooler Edition.

I haven't done a post like this in a while and the last one I did was weird and wasn't finished. So here goes.

1- Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Cupcake Set- Little got this for her fourth birthday and it was one of the best gifts she got. I picked it up at Toys R'Us at the last minute and boy am I glad. The entire time we were at the beach this was THE toy for both of the girls to play with together. I loved that they COULD play as a team and for kids that love to play kitchen this is a great way to take it outdoors. I also love the mesh bag this came with to hold all the parts and get rid of the sand. Well, as much as you can get rid of sand.

Yum. Sand Cupcakes.

2- Rock-A-Bye Baby- We got our first CD from this series from Baltimore Uncle for Christmas but this entire series has been awesome. If we don't have our CDs and CD player with us you can find the channel on Pandora. Again BOTH of the girls fall asleep to this and it is entertaining and relaxing enough that it doesn't drive me crazy over the monitor.

Every time I turn on Pandora this is on.

3- Gymboree Cotton Shorts and Tanks- WARNING I do NOT recommend these at full price. Actually I recommend nothing at full price BUT right now, like, this very minute these are on sale for $5.99 which IS CHEAPER THEN TARGET. AND I ALWAYS recommend stuff that is high quality and cheaper then Target. They are super comfortable (so I am told) and wash really well.

This one is Tiny's

4- Weleda Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash- Tiny still has very sensitive skin and everything that I tried to use on her body and hair would give her either dry skin or cradle cap. Then I found this. I ordered it through Amazon and it has been a miracle wash. Now that it is summer and both girls are spending time in the sun and outside I am using it on both kids and it keeps them moisturized but not oily or lotiony feeling. Love it and it is hippie-ish enough that it makes my top ten of all time.

 5- Tovolo Pink Star Ice Pop Mold- I DON'T OWN THIS...yet. I am stalking them on Amazon. I want them. Bad. I think the girls would love this and I am really excited about the thought of not have empty plastic Flav-O-Ice wrappers everywhere. Oh and I can make them healthy ice pops, yeah, that sounds good too.

6- Mindy Kaling's Book- The title is too long for me to type out. I read this book because last year I Read Tina Fey's book Bossypants and I LOVED it. I figured, like most people, ohhh another really funny lady wrote a book. I also thought I needed to read something other than cheesy romance novels and Fifty Sades of Grey this year. It was good. Not quite Tina Fey good or Christian Grey good but a good light summer read. (Disclaimer: Mindy's book was actually MUCH better as far as writing technique in comparison to Fifty. And anyway, I only read Fifty for the articles.)

I dig Kelly Kapoor in general.

7- Sidewalk Chalk- SO my goal with the girls this summer is to be outside playing for at least an hour every single day. So far we are rocking this plan. As we rock so many things we do. Every afternoon after snack and nap we have been going outside until it is time to cook dinner. Another one of my very important goals is to have the girls play together as much as possible and as peacefully as possible this summer. They are both at an age were they like to PLAY and this is something of which I am taking full advantage. Any game or toy that allows them to play together and be age appropriate for both is a winner in my book.

8- This is a hard one. I have something in mind but because I am an Independent Consultant I will not mention cause I won't self promote on this page. BUT it is something that I have used everyday the past two weeks and I really do love it. See some mystery is good.

9-Countrytime Lemonade- I know I should be making my own. AND I know this is full of all kinds of sugary and chemically evilness. Bad Mommy. But it is caffeine free and if I am cutting all sodas out of my house I need to have a little fun. Per the label it is the "Great Taste of Summertime" how can a girl argue with that. Oh and I checked and it's made by KRAFT not NESTLE so it can be ALL evil now can it?

10- Step 2 Wagon For Two- I love this general. Little got it for her second birthday after we found out that Tiny was on the way. I figured it would be great someday to have. My someday is now! The wagon is getting some miles on it and is holding up well. It has now made trips to the zoo and the beach. The girls stay put and sit in the back and talk and giggle while we walk along. One of the best nights of our beach trip was a long romantic walk on the beach where BG and I really got to talk and hold hands.....and drag Little and Tiny behind us. They had a ball and we got to have an adult conversation without the phrase "Mommy I gotta tell you something".

Ours is red and cooler then this.

There it is guys. Some fun stuff.

OH The thing I HATE right now.....

THIS.

It's not funny Male Cruiser. Not. Funny.
You should NEVER give a microphone to a child who is only quiet when she sleeps. It only makes her louder and for some reason LOUDER=LESS PATIENCE FOR MOMMY. Hm. Seriously, I love her and I love that she is smart and creative. I just don't ALWAYS need her miked.




Tryin' to find a hidin' place for a certain birthday gift,
BE

The Part Where I Tell You About Great Stuff.

Stuff is great. I feel like I am having the time of my life. The girls and I are falling into an exciting routine. Most importantly they wake up between 8:30 and 9 AM. I am so glad they aren't morning kids. They are so funny about waking up and talking to each other. The first time Tiny complains about being in the crib Little tells her "I'll go get your Mama" ( Like I am only Tiny's Mama ) and she runs to get me out of bed. She nurses and then we head to get breakfast. Tiny is starting to imitate everything Little does and breakfast around the table is one of my favorite times of the day.

In the morning we "work" and in the afternoon we nap and play outside. I have been cooking. Yes. Let me say that again slower and with more emphasis. I . Have. Been. Coooooking. Like a bunch of meals. So far no one has complained and they seem to still be healthy and stuff.  I am learning so much about my girls and having a good time with them.

Here are some pictures from today. LOOK HOW BIG THEY'VE GOTTEN !!!!!!

Rockin' Little

Runnin' Little

Tiny Tot

Pretty

Favorite

 Ok, now the more important stuff. I have proof of how Tiny operates. PROOF.

Sissy what you doing?

I must join you in the car.

I will help push you out the other side.

It is mine!

Ha!

 Keeping the Peace!
BE

"...And then she resigned and said she was staying home...WITH HER KIDS"

Yep. Well, that's not really how it happened, it was really very involved and I almost gave myself an ulcer.

But now I am home with the girls and I am overwhelmed with everything that I haven't been able to do in the past few years. I want to clean out my attic and go to the park and shop for groceries BEFORE it's dark outside. The good news is that I am back to blogging. I am so happy because it is something that I really love and now I am going to MAKE time for it so I have something for myself.  I am trying to pace myself and so I have plans for some great stuff this summer but I am also not going to pile on too much all at once. There are still only 24  hours in the day and I am going to need to make sure I prioritize so that we are doing what we need to do and some of what we want to do. So bring on the summer!

My daughter is Rapunzel. After Flynn gave her a haircut.

There is so much going on right now. We are about to make some very big changes in our lives and we are very excited for the next few months. I am currently trying to do some things for my side business, work 40 hours at work, clean the house, pack us all up for a mini-vacation, and turn 28. Ok let's stop right there and think about that for a minute. Yes, I will be 28. In.Five.Days.

Little has been having some little issues with behavior. Nothing that will send me running to the nearest behavioral specialist with her but she is having a bit of what I am calling " A transitional attitude issue". She is almost four. Four in May. And a girl. It's ok. Ummmm well... it will be ok.

We went for haircuts yesterday because we wanted to look pretty for the upcoming holiday and because Little's neck was starting to hurt from trying to see under her bangs.  Little has never had a big haircut and I decided since she won't let me do anything with her hair I was going to have Cappy the hairdresser take it all off. So up Little hops into the chair and Cappy starts chopping away ( In a highly professional, not all all "choppy" way) and then my daughter proclaims "I want to be RAPUNZEL". I informed her that she would look like Rapunzel after Flynn chopped off her hair and this seemed ok. Until this morning. After she got dressed she hands me two rubber hair ties and informs me she wants a ponytail. UUCkkkgggggg. She has a SHORT THIN CHIN LENGTH BOB. I remind her that her hair is short and we will now need to wait for it to grow out. MELT DOWN. Not a normal three year old meltdown. This is what I imagine a four year old meltdown will be. It even included the silent treatment and selective hearing. Oy. I survived. I WILL survive all of this. I MUST. I would show you a picture of how ridiculously cute she looks right now but she's asleep and I will NOT be waking her.

We also took Tiny for a little mullet patrol. Tiny is still my awesome Ninja of love, joy, and toddler stomping cuteness. Tiny's hair is curling in the back. Tiny loves to sing. And eat. And beat the crap out of her sister. Tiny has opinions. Most of them involve not sitting still. I don't have any good recent pictures of Tiny's haircut either. I am a slacker. I PROMISE I will TRY to take some pictures of the kids. Maybe BG too. He's cute. And 31 which makes me feel better about almost being 28. See...love some BG.


Out.
BE

Another list. These people need to pay me.

So here I am running around with a pre-schooler and a toddler...I HAVE A PRE-SCHOOLER and A TODDLER. As I said during  my Cystoscopy last week...uuhhhhhhh. (Don't look that one up....just take it from me it involves a scope and a bladder)

So, having children that want to grow and mature for some reason brings you to another level of "STUFF". For one thing, at this point they are both mobile. The first thing you long for may be a leash but alass I will not be featuring leashes on todays post. So here I have put together a few things I love, a few things I hate, and a few things I want you to buy me. My birthday is coming very very soon and if I Must turn 28 then I get to have a wish list.

Stuff I Love

- I know you are all super sick of hearing about the LeapPad from the mommy blog world. I know I am. Little got one for Christmas from Santa. She wanted and Ipad and a pink sparkly fireplace tool set. This was the next best thing. I am not saying anything about the system itself but I am going to recommend "Mr. Pencil Saves Doodleburg" as a game. Little has really enjoyed playing it and it has helped her writting skills. The Leap Pad uses a stylus so it is very similar to holding a pencil and she is working on controlling her letters, numbers, and shapes. It was recommened by a friend and I am glad the jolly fat guy managed to haul it down the chimney for Little.

-Tiny's Crib. We are now using it for something other than a large laundry basket for clean clothes that I dont want don't have time to put away. She sleeps, like, in the crib. Everyone in the house is sleeping so much better and in the morning she calls me over the monitor when she is ready to nurse (oh shut up, she isnt in college yet) I say everyone in the house is sleeping better but here it is late on a tuesday night and I can't sleep. Little, Tiny, and BG are sleeping like a rock....snoring rocks. All of them.

-www.zulily.com is a site that I read about on another blog and I joined up for daily emails. Up until about a week ago I was super annoyed by the emails and barley looked at them. Then this week I ended up buying the girls some super expensive smocked church dresses for HALF OFF. So although I am back to being annoyed with the emails I am really pleased that I was able to get such good deals and some great stuff.

-Osh Kosh Bigosh's spring line of clothes for little girls. They are really cute, well made, anddiverse enough that every single outfit does not have the same style and cut. 

-