Hell in a handbasket...

Cailie: Has discovered her vocabulary. We knew she had the words, she just wasn't using them. She's say a word once or twice to make sure she understood it, but then...no words for a while.

Three days ago at dinner she kept demanding something. When I couldn't figure out what she wanted, I kept asking her, using the words repetitively (like I do at work with the 15 year olds). Cup, Tea, Straw, Nugget, Corn, ketchup, etc. She finally figured it out!

HAPPY DANCE!!

She's look at me, and say "Cup", so I'd hand her the cup. She'd point to the cup and say/sign "More".
Me: More what?
Her: "Tea" (cam out more like teeeee)
Give her my glass to take a swallow form my straw
her: NO. CUP.

WTF? Oh, she want me to put some in her cup.

She nods.
Her: More
me: TEA?
her no...Straw.

HUH? OH, damn, she want the straw back

She nods. WOOT communication has been established, SIR.

All night. She figured out that using her damned words helps the dumb mommy understand what she wants!


Then she figured out that not only can you SAY words, you can WRITE THEM DOWN.

She's 20 months today. TODAY. most 3 year olds are still figuring out the whole writing thing. She discovered that if you bring mom or dad the magna-doodle, and then bring things to them and ask them to "word", they will write it down. THAT game lasted for 2 hours. Daidn, Dada, Mama, Book, Cup, Juice, milk, Tigger, Bear, Doll, potty, Couch, Pillow, Bed, Block, Duplo, Shoe, Sock, rinse, Repeat. for 2 HOURS.


Oh, and we took Aiden to get his shots and found out she was behind on one, so she got hers too.......

Aiden:

Got shots. Weighs 16lbs, 26.5 inches long. BIG kid. Doc asked if he had started to kinda roll onto his sides yet.

WTF? I looked the dr in the eye.
me: SIDES? hell, he rolls all the way over. Has for over a month now. Front to back, back to front. Spins in circles on the floor too.
Dr: What? He shouldn't be doing that yet!
me: yeah, I know. He's sleeping on his tummy now, another thing he shouldn't be doing. How do I stop it?
Dr: Stop it? it's great that he's rolling over!
me: but sleeping on his tummy at 4 months, he's not suppose to.
Dr: Do you? Does sister? Does dad?
me: Uhmmmm. Me, yes, sis sometimes, Dad (not usually).
Dr: well, just be prepared. hes gonna do all sorts of things a bit early. Is he standing up a little if you hold his torso?

I laughed. lots.

Me: TORSO? hell, I can hold his fingers and he stands up. (demonstration here). he's mostly stable, and he hates laying down. he wants to see what's happening and wants to either sit or stand....all the time.

Dr: Looks like he's gonna be like your 3 year old there. (looks at Cailie, who is rearranging the room's furniture)
me: Uhm....she's not yet 2. Barely 1 3/4s.
Dr: I'd hate to be in your shoes for the next few years. Looks like you have your hands full.

Any suggestions? Col and I are both running on fumes right now from lack of sleep, and BOTH kids are running us in circles. I'm gonna get a kiddie pool for the deck for those hot days coming up and let them splash. We just reorganized all the toys and this weekend is partly a full on house cleaning (end of faire purge).

I need things to do with them that are easy, simple, cheap, and entertaining.

I really really do love my daughter...

Ok. Yesterday, not bad.

Last night: back spasmed before bedtime. Girl did not want to go to sleep. Boy crashed right out.

Back spasmed again when we moved the babies.

2 hours later; Bug comes in the bedroom, crying. Hurting. Spend 2 hours trying to get her to crash back out. Had to take her to the living room and hold her in bed again. She FINALLY crashed all the way. Getting up, Spasm 3.

Ok, this is tiring. No sleep AND pain... not fun.

20 minutes in bed, the boy wakes. B/F 45 minutes. ARGH.... Bottle, No sleep.

Get up this morning. Spasm upon moving. I immediately call work. I'm hurt AND afraid to drive.

So much for making a whole week of work my first week back.

1) Buy a car that can carry a wagon, or buy a wagon that can disassemble and fit in the trunk.

or

2)when taking children to faire, carrying all of the following, while necessary, will break the parents...:
a)two camp chairs
b) small tent for child and small camp chair for child
c) two children, ages 1.5 and .2
d) carrying devices for both (like a snugli)
e) diaper bag packed with all food/drink/toy items for day
f) fresh clothes for birthday party that same evening
g) blankies and hats for all four people (two kids, two adults)

Mind, the children CANNOT carry anything much yet. hell, one of them is mostly still being worn as a prop.

Vicodin? Alcohol? Nope, breastfeeding and doing most the driving.

Thankfully, husband carried the tent (which is way smaller than the camp chairs). Mom at one point had both kids and both camp chairs ON her person. Dad was erecting a tent.

OK, I need to find a "storage" solution so I don't have to haul all this crap each weekend for run. any ideas?

Ok, it's that time of year.

Yeah, I know I'm not released by the doctors yet for anything. That means ANYTHING beyond carrying the newborn and (as of now) driving.

Do I do a few days of faire this year? I want to. The question is, HOW much? Like, Saturdays?

Reminder: I have a 16 month old and a 19 day old. By workshops, he will be 2.5-3 months old. By faire, he will be at that perfect "accessory" age. (no, I don't look at my kids as accessories, but you know what I mean!)

Costuming him is a breeze. I can make shirts in my sleep for this age by now. Throw in a pair of pants, etc... I even know how to make flatcaps for that age now.

The question is, how much faire do I do. I know I'm gonna be moderately tired from working all week. Collin, however, will go NUTS if he doesn't get out an interact with other humans each week.

I have my homemade carrying case for him (Maya wrap). She can EASILY be put in a leash.

Anyone have any large amount of leftover scrap wood I can use to make a baby fence in the corner of St. Ives? Think a baby pen...

As I grow, I'm coming to a few conclusions:
1) Men could NEVER do this pregnancy thing. Trust me.
2) Women are more evolved than men. Trust me.
3) Illness is bad enough WITHOUT being fat and pregnant.
4) Feeling like the good year blimp is NOT a happy place for me
5) I miss my toes.
6) I miss sleeping all night in one position.
7) I miss SLEEPING.
8) There are muscles in the human body that men will never discover, and some women will never know they have. Trust me. ALL of them ache all the time right now.
9) There is nothing more humiliating that having to ask someone else to roll you over. Nothing. Not even having them wipe your parts.
10) I'm glad most of my socks are short. Collin spends a good amount of time putting them on me.
11) HAVING A 15 MONTH OLD AND BEING 9 MONTHS PREGNANT SUCKS.
12) How in the hell did society, life and everything else manage to exist if women were expected to do this every other year or so.
13) Men, you damned well better hug your mothers more often.
14) When we celebrate birthdays, shouldn't we include a few moments to thank the parent for the hell they went through. Next birthday, don't wait for your mom to call. CALL her and (if you like her) tell her!
15) Sometimes, life really is NOT worth getting out of bed for.

16) Friends who hold your hand, throw you parties, and hug you for no apparent reason, whether they be with you, far away, family, or other, make this worth doing.

17) Babies are cute to keep mothers from eating them. That is true for ALL species, but especially for humans.