Oops I did it again

So you know how I have a little problem with cutting my own hair?  And you know how every time I do it I swear that I'll never do it again?

I did it again.

And the horrible/awesome part is that I actually think I'm getting better.

Where Children Sleep

This weekend we finally took the crib out of Claire's room.  Now she just has her big girl bed and there's plenty of room to play and to have the rocker there. While we were rearranging I had this sudden urge that we would have to move when the baby came because we couldn't squish two kids into that room.

Then I saw this website documenting where children sleep.  Here's a sample.

There are also brief descriptions with each picture telling you how many people sleep in the space (7 in the above case) and it tells you of the children's hobbies and aspirations. Be forewarned that if you click through to that website you will 1) have your heart broken and 2) if you are from the US you will be horribly ashamed.

Dear internet, thanks for the gentle reminder that you can, in fact have two little children share a room.

Just a little overnighter

Friday the hubbs and I had this brilliant idea that he would leave work a couple of hours early and we would head to LA to spend the night.  We'd stay at a hotel using Marriot points and play in the pool, go to the aquarium and look at sharks, see what the LA beaches had to offer, enjoy a snow-cone or two and make it home in time for nap.

A couple of things we didn't consider.
1. LA traffic
2. Toddlers don't really like to sleep in hotels and after a night of non-sleep much of the trip would actually look a little more like this than the idyllic family vision that we had planned.

Found

Now, if you happen to run a successful magazine dedicated to having people send you things that they found which are meaningful and funny and touching then you might not be amazed to have the week that I've had but, if you're just an average person then this week has been pretty miraculous.

The hubbs found this tangled in a tree on Thursday.  I'm sorry to the people who lost it but please know that it has been on a camping trip, to church, to the gym and on basically every trip that we've been on for the last week.  Yesterday at the midpoint of our bike ride she turned to me and said, "play my balloon."

Yesterday was one of my greatest beach day for finds ever.  There was a whole slew of broken sand dollars (which were oddly all purple), huge muscle shells and whatever the curly thing is. It's hard and hallow and basically pretty amazing.

Not too shabby of a week so far eh?

I've got a new way to walk

You know those moms you see pushing their jogging strollers as they walk to the park or library-- their kid's legs dangling and kicking while they sing and play strapped into the stroller?

I'm not that mom anymore. I am the mom who uses her stroller as a glorified wheelbarrow.

When I told Claire I wanted to take a video of her on her bike this is what she did. Love that shoulder shake.

Today she biked nearly 2 miles. We were both tired and hungry by the end of our journey and crying (on one or both sides) may have ensued.

A bit of a blind spot

A couple of months ago I came home from an unsuccessful shopping trip.  I'd been looking for a new swimsuit for Claire (as can be seen by this picture when C wore her old suit to the gym hers was getting a little small).  

I explained to the hubbs that the only suits I could find had Dora or Disney princesses all over them which is why I came home empty handed.  

I'm just not into that (though clearly I have no problem with Paul Frank)

I don't know what it is about character clothing and shoes but I just can't do it.  I can't exactly put my finger on why, but it rubs me the wrong way--especially on someone so small.  I guess I feel like I'm signing my kid up to be a billboard but them I'm paying a premium for the privilege. 

But this isn't really a rant about clothes with characters.  This is about how on Monday after 2 successful trips to the potty I told Claire that if she wanted to keep going pee in the potty we could go get Dora underpants.  Her interest was peeked.  She talked about it all day, went pee in the potty and off we went.  I passed up the unmarked panties and we went right on to Dora.  She was thrilled.  She talks about them all the time. And when she wears them she spends all of her time in front of the mirror looking at herself and saying, "so cute."

It was the hubbs who pointed out that I seem to have no problem with Dora underpants if they're helping me accomplish what I want.  

He's right.  Turns out my strong opinion is only around when I'm not trying to be diaper free for at least a month before the new baby comes.

And the good news is, my blind spot has turned around to bite me.  Whenever she wears the Dora underpants she pees in them (usually she is in the bathroom looking at how cute she looks and forgets to go).  It's only when she's naked that she can remember to go to the potty.  So, as a good friend put it, the answer seems obvious.  

More naked time at our house.

ABC

Here's the newest blockbuster from our house.
A couple of gems to keep your eye open for:
1. I love the flattering view you get of me.  All pregnancy tummy and nothing else
2. I love the way Claire yells "mommy sing!" I hear it multiple times a day and every time she does it I think of Ursula calling to Ariel "Now Sing!"
3. I've revealed that there are lots of things about my parenting that I'm not proud of but this video highlights one thing I'm very proud of.  Claire feels that it's necessary to put on makeup every day and she thinks that every makeup session has to end with brushing your teeth and flossing.  You can see at the end of this session that she's still mid process of flossing.