HUH?

So Monkey had a ruptured eardrum back in December. Plus a variety of colds that caused her to use up more tissues that the entire country of Denmark uses in a given year, give or take.

For the last two months, she's been saying "huh?" a lot, and complaining she couldn't hear her TV show.

Two things happened yesterday that have greatly relieved our concern that something might be wrong with her hearing:

1) Turns out that two of our speakers in the living room weren't really working. Oh. Glad we plugged those wires back in.

AND

2) She passed her hearing test at the pediatrician with flying colors.

So, as it turns out, when she says "huh?" when I tell her its time to stop playing and pick up, or go to bed?

Yeah, that's called selective hearing. She's ignoring me.

I know her!

Monkey is hilarious.

We were talking about the (of course, gawd can I gag now puhleese?) Disney Princesses the other day, and I suggested that she could be Belle since she has brown hair, and cousin E could be Ariel with the red hair, and Jellybean could be Cinderella with the blonde hair, as could HP and.....

.....then Jellybean about jumped out of my arms because that's what she likes to do and my mouth stopped working as I prevented my youngest child from ending her short life by impaling herself on...something....

And as my mouth stopped working Monkey filled in the blank, saying "B, mom. B. I KNOW HER."

(like um DUH, old lady, I know who my blonde bombshell cousins are, sheesh!).

Awww.

I've been missing you........

This past month has been hard. We’ve suffered through a slew of illnesses; I joked that it was the cold that kept on giving, as we all seemed to rotate who was sickest, who was on antibiotics, who was crankiest. But now, in the fresh New Year, we’re all on the mend. And it is about freakin’ time! I’m sick of being sick. Done. DONE, do you hear me?

It’s always rough to watch your kids when they are sick. You are helpless to do much other than offer hugs (when they’ll take them) and offer sustenance – food, shelter, a warm bath. Maybe a few DVDs of Pixar movies. You try to be kind when you give them medicine, and try not to be forced to pin them to the floor with your knees while one hand holds their mouth/eyelid open and the other drops in medicine. You get good about enticing them to take their medicine – coloring it purple, covering it in chocolate haagen daaz ice cream. You do whatever it takes.

But that takes something out of you, in return.

For the last month, Monkey has been a bit of a pill. Rather…..unenjoyable at times. And I’ve been telling other friends that are parents that 3? 3 is REALLY hard. And worse, that I don’t really like 3. I love my child, but don’t like 3. And that made me feel bad. Rotten, in fact. Like I was betraying my child to say I wasn’t enjoying every single second of my time with her….even if what I wasn’t enjoying was the temper tantrums and tears, the crabbiness and drama.

But for the last week? Yes, 3 has been hard at times, but it’s also been…..magical.

Monkey has violent swings of emotions all 3 year olds experience - yes they are still there - but we’ve been able to move past them. And we’ve moved past them into fun, imaginative, magical play.

I celebrated my 40th birthday this past Monday, and spent most of my day playing with my girls. My two, beautiful, fun girls.

And other than my heart swelling up and breaking into a million little pieces when they hug each other or fall into one another’s arms giggling, the most prevalent emotion I’ve felt is something akin to recognition. As in – hey, I recognize you, kid – and I’ve missed you! I’ve been lonely, missing my happy Monkey. God, am I glad she’s back!

(Until the next cold….that is. Knocking on wood, here.)

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you...

I'm 40 today. Wow.

And, apparently, Monkey can't be trusted with state secrets.

She just told me that tonight, when daddy gets home from work, I get to open the secret present she wrapped for me that's hidden in his drawer.

Giggle.

Turning 40 has never been so awesome as when you're with these two little girls. They rock my world.

Tastes even bettah

Monkey is a 3 year old with VERY defined food preferences. As in, she'll eat any thing in the world, so long as it is:

rice
white bread
a hotdog bun
a hamburger bun
a frozen burrito
macaroni and cheese
grilled cheese
sliced (not whole, mind you) apples
chips
chocolate
water
and.....that's about it.

Jellybean, on the other hand, enjoys:

broccoli rabe with garlic
forest mushrooms and ricotta cheese pizza
tuna salad with onions and hot peppers
grilled green beans with salt and pepper
sloppy joes
and....
anything that has flavor!

M tells me he was a picky eater as a child. I remember begging for sushi when I got good grades in 4th grade. And asking for more wasabi.

I think that perhaps the kids take after their parents in more way than one....brown eyes and picky food = M. Blue eyes and flavorful food = me.

Let's see how long this lasts. (Jellybean might decide to eschew all flavor when she gets to be a picky 2 & 3 year old, too...only time will tell!).

Meanwhile, pass the broccoli rabe, baby!