Guess who's turning two this weekend? AKA, look ma - I got me some POCKET!

That's right, Jellybean is turning two!

I've been able to intercept most of the presents coming into the apartment these days, and sequestered them in various hidden nooks and crannys (oh fine, they're all piled precariously in the play/guest room and I'm locking the girls out!). But yesterday, our lovely sitter C2 (not the original C, who was bitten by a baby gila monster), was kind enough to bring the package in and say "oh look, Jellybean, it's for YOU" and that, well, that was the end of trying to nip that package out of her prying hands to pretend it wasn't there.

Which is a looong way of saying we opened up her bday present from Uncle N and Auntie G early.

Jellybean loves this dress. LOVES it. Why? Because the necktie portion folds itself into a huge pocket. When we left for school today, she had shoved so many toys, necklaces and princess crap in there she clanked when she walked!

Forgive the crummy cell phone photo - but that look of wide-eyed glee needed to be shared. I think she thinks pockets are the best invention evah!

Santa's a tippler, but shh...don't tell the kids

We met Santa, shopping in the beer aisle at Stew Leonard's this past week.
Monkey was ASTOUNDED to learn that Santa grocery shops.
I was amused that it was in the beer aisle. But then again, he does have that rosy glow to him....

School photos

Monkey is a good looking kid. No, really - see?

 

Which is why I kind of wondered who this kid was, when the photos came home. Needless to say.....we didn't buy any photos. I know, I know - I should have. You know, for bribery material when she's a teenager.

But even I couldn't be THAT mean:

 

CHOCOLATE!

Jellybean turns two soon. In 10 days to be precise. So Monkey and I keep talking to 'lil bean about her party. And she listens, and nods, and then....every single time.....hollers CHOCOLATE. I WANT CHOCOLATE.

I think we shall have chocolate for her birthday, don't you?

Meanwhile, I still get those annoying milestone emails, saying "your 23 month 3 week old child *might* be doing this....". A recent one commented that my child "might" be having an opinion on things. I about fell out of my chair laughing. That's like saying the pope "might" be Catholic.

Hello....anyone still out there?

I know, it's been radio silence. Hope readers still exist...

We've been busy. I'm on augmentin for a sinus/bronchitis infection and am feeling much better (aw, thanks for asking!)  - as a result I once again have the mental capacity to actually note the happenings in our lives....going to bed 38 seconds after the kids do leaves little time for things like blogging. Or, you know, life.

But life has been happening! Let me fill you in:

Jellybean broke my nose. She head butted me. (stop laughing, little brother!) I have been calling her a butthead at work for the past two weeks and only today did anyone get the joke. Head butt....butthead. Oh g*d my jokes are bad that I need to explain them! (I'm here all week! don't forget to tip your waitress! har)

But, no joke here - we're potty training our Jellybean! She's had three days at school without an accident! She's my big girl. We started this process at the prompting of her school - and also because she won't tolerate a dirty diaper. The kicker was that she kept taking off poopy diapers and I had to go find the - ahem - nuggets that rolled away. That was pretty motivating, between you and me.

Monkey wants in on all the praise we're heaping on Jellybean for using the potty - so now she offers to "show her sister how to use the potty" each time she heads in. And what the heck - she's a great role model, so we praise her. I love that kid. And I'm not the only one...

It's amazing how much Jellybean adores her big sister. She wants to sit by her at breakfast. She wants to wear her big sister's clothing to school (she wore two of Monkey's pj tops to school today. Yes, that's right, two. And yes, Jellybean is now picking out her clothes. sigh)

Anything that Monkey does? So does Jellybean. It's (no pun intended) monkey see, monkey do. And it's adorable. We used to think we had Jellybean for Monkey, but I think it's the other way around.

Monkey is thriving at school. We just signed her up for summer camp, and part of it will be Spanish immersion. I give her about 6 months before she starts teaching me things to say in Spanish, and tricks me (you know, like the lead in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who says "I have three testicles" to his fiancee's family....funny).

Monkey has also bought into the Santa thing, hook line and sinker. I was talking to her the other day, suggesting that if she was good maybe Santa would bring her and Jellybean a table that they could do artwork on together, and wouldn't that be fun...and she sighed, said yes it would be great, but "how will Santa get it down the chimney? the chimney is only 18 inches wide!!" Funny kid. Especially since we don't have a chimney!