Happy Birthday Robb!

Piper, Ruby and I want to wish you a very happy birthday today. Lily is very busy, but she'll get back to you later.
We love you! xoxoxo





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEBVwqT6uas

Baby Mannas!

Here are Piper, Ruby and Lily in a few of those precious, calm moments that give me bellowing tantrum amnesia, and make me wish that I had ten babies.

This week has been full of sweet moments, like when we returned home from a wedding last night, and were told by our new babysitter that our girls were the best behaved babies she had ever cared for, and when I was rocking Ruby to sleep just now, and she looked up at me, put her chubby hand on my face, and said softly, "No sing."







( I know a few of you can't access YouTube videos from here, so here are the links too.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIb2LOtGY8U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMyUL11dE1s

22 months down, 94 months to go

I have been totally preoccupied with the goings on inside my house, and am so sorry for dropping off the face of the Internet for so long. But if any of you have ever parented a 22 month old, you can probably understand what I mean when I say, "I HAVE TWO OF THEM! IN MY HOUSE! AT THE SAME TIME! AND THEY INSIST ON WRAPPING THEMSELVES AROUND MY NECK LIKE A 55 POUND SCARF FOR 23 HOURS A DAY WHILE SHRIEKING SO LOUDLY THAT ALL OF THE DOGS IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD CURL UP INTO THE FETAL POSITION AND WEEP! (Exhale.) 22 month olds know what they want, by God, and they usually want eight different things that cannot possibly coexist. Like, MORE! and NO! and PICK ME UP! and DOWN! and CANDY! and EEEHHHH! and WHATEVER SOMEONE ELSE HAS! and SHOES ON OFF! and GOFFT! (whatever the hell that is.) And somehow, I have been appointed the honourable and uncoveted position of Woman Who Must Fetch Stuff and Read Minds of Many Children and Prepare Meals Made only of Cartoons and Marshmallows. I don't remember running for the position of WWMFSRMMCPMMCM, but somehow I won! And it's a minimum 18 year term! WHEEEEE!!! VICTORY IS MINE!

Oh, gross. Ruby just came around the corner wearing the towel I used to wipe pee off the floor this morning as a hat. And that perfectly illustrates why I don't spend a lot of time online these days.

Also, we've had colds, the flu, teething, potty training, locusts, third degree winter induced cabin fever, and sleeping challenges to deal with, as well as a sugarpie of an almost 4 year old daughter to care for as well, so it's just been a long, hard 2 months or so. I know this is pretty normal for this age, so I'm just trying to hold on to my sanity for now, while reminding myself that this age doesn't last forever. Then I'm also weepy, because this age doesn't last forever. As the universe always has to balance, 22 month olds are also kick-you-in-the-head CUTE, and SWEET, and CUDDLY, with the most heart gripping baby talk and giggles and hilarity. So, I remain on the rollercoaster, seatbelt fastened, trying not to barf.

And, although 22 months x2+4 = incomparably demanding, I wouldn't wish it away for anything.


"Here Mama, look at this picture I made, and not at the one I drew on the wall."



"As God is my witness, this naked doll will pee on the potty before I do."



"Just.... one....more..... spreadsheet.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.."



Bedbugs