Going On A Bear Hunt

Can't go under it.

Can't go around it.

Must go over it.

The end.

The Look

Grace is 10 months old, and she's got it. The look.

And she'll use it any time she sees fit.

When she doesn't want to eat.

When she doesn't want to change clothes.

When she doesn't want that toy.

And most often, when you tell her no.

It's a look meant to make me cower in fear.

But little does she know, I invented that look. And I've been perfecting it for decades.



Bring it on, little one.

200

Yesterday was my 200th blog post. I meant to have something jazzy for you to read like "Top 200 things I've learned as a Mom." Or "200 Reasons Why You Should Have Kids."

But then Scott and Claire started vomiting all over the world, and I was stuck thinking about the 200 other things I wish I were doing instead of cleaning puke.

It's all for the best anyway. There aren't enough interesting things in my life to get me past No. 47.

So, in honor of our 200th blog, I give you my random thoughts for today.

1. We made it through Daylight Savings Time. I didn't think we would. But we did. The girls slept in until 5:55 a.m.

2. My house is a disaster. I just need a few uninterrupted hours to get on top of it. Or a couple of house elves to help me clean it.

3. Thanksgiving is 17 days away. We have done Thanksgiving at our house with both sides of the family since we moved here. I love having it here. But now I could really use some house elves.

4. I'm pretty excited about the next Harry Potter coming out. It's nerdy. I know. Deal with it.

5. Grace pulled herself up a few days ago. It was a very exciting moment for all of us. She's had the strength for a long time, and she loves to stand, but she just needed to send the message from her brain to her legs. And she did. It was pretty awesome.

6. I have a love-hate relationship with my cat. Right now, we're on hate.

Ok, so it turns out, I can't get past No. 6.

A Family Affair

It was Wednesday. 4 a.m. I woke with severe stomach pains. And, naturally, I cursed Scott and his chili concoction that we ate for dinner.

But an hour later when I was vomiting and he was still sleeping contentedly, I briefly considered that maybe — maybe — it wasn't his chili.

And hours later when I was still vomiting and he was laughing with the babies in the next room, I gave up on the chili idea and decided I was just plain ol' sick.

Cue last night when the neighbors had to come over and ask us to keep down the noise. I politely told them it was just my husband getting sick in the bathroom.

A few hours later, I go in to get the girls up for the morning and smell the all-too-familiar smell of vomit. And there's poor Claire just sitting there not realizing the foul stench is her own.

And who said I didn't know how to share?

A Brief Recess

This blog has been postponed due to vomiting. More on this later. Get excited.

BFF

Lately, the girls have become very interested in touching each other. They examine the other's ears, poke the other's eyes, stick their hands in the other's mouth. It's really quite funny to watch.

But, by far, the cutest thing about all of this touching is when they hold hands. At every meal time, one will reach her hand out to the other, and she'll grab it. They will just sit there like that for a few seconds and then one will eventually pull away.

There are times when they really don't seem to get along. All Claire has to do is look at Grace funny and she'll start screaming.



But it's the moments when they are giggling with each other or reaching out to touch each other that really warm my heart. What a wonderful thing to have a sister and a best friend all in one.

Halloween, Vol. 1

Scott and I (and our bank account) were in agreement that we didn't want to spend a lot of money on the girls' Halloween costumes.

But it was their first Halloween, so we wanted to do something.

So, without further ado … the very top secret, much-anticipated, fairly creative, super-inexpensive costumes:



I'll give you a minute to think it over.

Mind blowing, isn't it?



Apparently, Grace didn't get the memo about being each other though. She was just fine being herself.