Charm School

This morning, as Monkey was finishing her breakfast, her hunger subsided and her sense of play (aka toddleritis) took over. In other words, she chucked everything on the floor.

Water bottle? Check. On the floor.

NYTimes? Check. On the floor and fanned out.

Crackers? Check. On the floor with crumbs in a 3 foot radius.

Apple sauce? Check, check and check. On her face, her hands, her jammies, the chair, the table AND the floor. And maybe Ollie, too (poor cat).

Using my stern mom voice I reminded her that "we do NOT throw food on the floor" yadda yadda etc. etc. etc.

I was quite close to her as I was saying this, since I had bent over to put my face next to hers to emphasize my point.

She looked at me very seriously, and nodded her head. Like, ok mama, I hear you.

Then she reached out with both apple-sauced hands, cradled my cheeks, and yelled "HELLO" while crinkling her nose. I must have had a funny look on my face, since she burst into laughter.

I got an apple-sauce facial, the floor needed to be washed, and we were late to school. But she was certainly charming!

Our neighbors are praying for spring

Monkey has a lot of energy. Even after a full day at school (8ish to almost 6), she still is rearing' to go!

Last night, 15 minutes before her scheduled bedtime, after "helping" with laundry, she still wasn't tuckered out. In fact, she spent ten minutes running up and down the hallway of our apartment, chortling and yelling “ahhh”…back and forth, back and forth. No reason, just because it was fun.

She didn't have any shoes on, but still, her little heels were pounding away on the hardwood floor.

I'm pretty sure that our downstairs neighbors are praying for spring, so Monkey can run outside instead of on top of their aching heads.

Funny little girl

Tonight it was my turn to put Monkey to bed. 

I rushed home from the gym, and settled into the glider with her on my lap, still in my sweaty gym clothes. She doesn't care and I love spending the time with her - showering can wait a few minutes.

We read Bear Snores On three times in a row. She loves to point out the mouse each time the little figure pops up. (Thanks to my friend Tracy for that book - she told me it was her son Matthew's favorite, and I can see why!)

I love how her mouth curls around the word "mouse" and spits it out, intact. It's a newer word to her, and one she relishes using.

She also relishes pulling one over on her mama. 

Yes, that's right, she played possum again tonight!

 I put her to bed, and instead of fussing she laid flat on her back, pulled her blanket over her eyes, and chortled! CHORTLED! The second I closed the door? She popped up, flipped on the light, and chortled again. I could hear her outside her door. She thinks she's so smart, that one. 

I do too. 

A new low

Monkey has reached a new low in deception. 

Each night, after we read to her, put her into her crib and say goodnight, she says "night night" and after we turn off the light she flicks the light back on. We turn it off, she turns it on. We turn it off one final time and then she says "bye bye" and (very clearly) dismisses us.

The minute we shut the door, she turns the light back on. Like we won't notice. 

But tonight? Tonight she took this deception to a new low.

M put her into the crib, she lay down on her side, and started making snoring noises. Matt even put the blanket on her. 

But the moment he shut the door?? Yeah, she turned on the light.

She made SNORING noises! To fake him out! Stinker. 

A Man and his Machines

True story. My colleague was on his way home from work when his panicked wife called from Rite Aid. She needed reinforcements, stat.

He immediately changed course and met her there, only to witness this debacle:



I am amazed to report that he successfully negotiated with his son and they *gasp* actually left RiteAid WITHOUT buying any cars, trucks, or other small items made in China that would immediately break apart and become an irresistable item to pop into one's mouth and possibly choke upon.

I want to take lessons from this man. Stat.