Little Big Kid

Madeline's been very concerned with the concept of "getting big" recently.  She randomly informs me that she's a big kid all the time.

Yesterday she was playing on the porch with her Little People.  I absently commented, "Oh, you're playing with your Little People, eh?"  to which she very seriously replied, "They're not little, Mumma.  They're big."

I tried to explain the concept of brand names to my two-year-old.

"No, but they're big kids," she told me when I was finished.  Her eyes were solemn and wide, begging me to accept their status as "big," and thereby important, people.

"Okay, baby.  They can be big."  I told her, and she went back to playing.

All the things our Maddie Bear wants to do, but can't, require her to be bigger.  She couldn't go on the Pirate Ship at the carnival because we told her it was for big kids.  She can't drive my car because her feet can't reach the pedals.  Yet, she asks to drive every day.  And there are a myriad of other small scrapes and scrambles she gets herself into on a daily basis because she's just still too little.  It's no wonder that she's currently obsessed with getting older.

Meanwhile, she's growing up a little too fast for my tastes.  Asking to drive my car?  Wanting to wear my makeup?  Dropping F bombs in my direction?  Where'd my baby go?  Good thing she's still wearing pull-ups, or she'd be telling me to get lost.    

Tonight she told me again, "Mumma, but I'm a big kid."
And I said, "Yes, you are a big kid.  I still think you're a little big kid though."
She paused.  "But...I'm gonna get big in a minute."

Yes, you are, Maddie Bear.  Yes, you are.

What We've Been Up To...

I hope everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day!

It rained, rained, rained here for most of the weekend.  Last year at this time we went to the beach....in bathing suits...I think we actually put our toes in the water...  This year?  We shivered.  Not that I'm complaining too much because it's supposed to be 90 degrees by the end of this week, and that sounds awful.  I'd much rather pull on a cozy sweater than be forced to reveal my pasty, white thighs to the world.  Plus, the children ripen.

Anyhow...all talk of my thighs aside...we had a great weekend.

First, we took a trip the Boston Children's Museum on Saturday morning.  No shocker, it was ridiculously crowded.  On a rainy long weekend?!  Say what?!  Still, Madeline had a blast, and we got there early enough to beat the worst of the crowds.

(Those "children" in the background are plastic.  They kept sneaking up on me.)  

 Then we ate this glorious plate of childhood memories....

 It was just as I remembered it.  It also took at least a year off my life.  Worth it.

 We brought Madeline bowling on a complete whim.  She wasn't into it.  In fact, she pouted most of the time.  Still, her score was only two points behind mine.  Not too shabby, little red.  

I went on a shopping spree with my bff on Sunday.  Am I horrified or thrilled by my new hat?  You be the judge.  

On Monday, the clouds cleared.  It was sunny and cool and simply beautiful.  We took advantage by getting our veggies in the ground.  Last year we made the mistake of growing cucumbers and zucchini in that little space in addition to everything else.  This year, we kept things simple.  Tomatoes, and peppers, and peas!  Oh my!

Madeline helped plant a bit, but mostly she just flung all the dirt out of the garden. 

Grow, little guys, grow!  I want to eat you!  

Pretty soon it will be summer vacation and every day will be like Memorial Day!!!  So super excited.  

Nerdy McNerdisons

Remember that scene from Star Wars: Episode III when Anakin Skywalker finally gives into evil?  The Emperor takes a deep breath through his nostrils, as if enjoying the smell of his own midichlorians, while he names his new apprentice Darth Vader.  Well, that's sorta how I feel...except about a completely different nerdy pop culture icon.

After years of ignored suggestions, dropped hints, and numerous viewings of the movies, Eric is finally reading Harry Potter.  In fact, he's read books one through four in less than a week.  It's safe to say that he's come over to the dark side.  I'm the Emperor to his Vader.  The Gandolf to his Frodo.  The Dumbledore to his Harry.

I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter series.  I was one of those people who waited in line at midnight to buy each new book.  I participated in online debates theorizing about Snape's true nature.  I looked into Potter-themed weddings.  While playing the Newlywed Game at my bridal shower, I was asked where I'd like to visit most: Harry Potter World....obviously.

I was pretty sure Eric would give up after the first book.  I still didn't get my hopes up through the second, but when he enjoyed those enough to move onto the third, I started getting excited.

I suggested we start a Harry Potter book club.  Finally, we could share our love of wizardry together.  He looked at me like I was a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.  I offered to write up a series of questions about the book for the two of us to discuss.  We could drink butterbeer, or maybe even some firewhiskey, during our meetings.

He told me he'd stop reading if I pressed the book club issue, so that dream was dashed...at least for now.   In a few years Madeline will be ready to read the books.  Then we can have our own homemade version of the Triwizard Tournament.  I've got plans.

Little Miss Evil Kenevil

As it turns out, my pretty pink princess is also pretty bad ass.  Gal laughs in the face of danger....a squealing, giggling, belly of a laugh.

We brought Madeline to the town fair on Friday night just like last spring.  A year ago, she was frightened of most of the rides, so we decided to start slow and headed toward the carousel.

I spied a pretty pink pony with roses decorating its mane, and pointed it out to Madeline.  I had visions of holding my girl steadily upon the back of that beautiful plastic steed, our faces frozen with the smiles of a mail-order catalog.  Yet, Madeline had different dreams.

"Oh, oh!  The bench!" she gushed.

The bench?!  Womp. Womp. Womp.

 "Are you sure?" I asked her.  "I'll hold you tight."  Nope, she insisted on the bench.

I climbed into the plain, red wooden "sleigh" complete with peeling paint as the other children and parents happily pounced on all the pretty ponies.

Each time we came around, Madeline waved happily at Eric and called out, "I'm on the bench, Dada!" like she had nabbed the coolest ride on the carousel.

There weren't many people waiting in line for the next round, so the operator gave us an extra long ride.  Madeline never lost her enthusiasm for the bench.  I just felt dizzy.

Things at the fair were off to a pretty slow start.  If she was frightened of the carousel, I didn't hold high hopes for any of the other attractions.

Imagine my surprise, therefore, when Eric marched her right onto the caterpillar roller coaster with nary a backward glance.  I nervously stood on the sidelines, waiting for her to cry out, but she didn't.  As the caterpillar dipped and twisted around every bend and hill, I caught glimpses of Madeline's wide-eyed smile.  

Next, Eric took her on the "crazy" bus.  She went on that last year and cried.  This year, she asked to go for a second round.

Then things really got crazy.  He brought her on the Tilt-a-Whirl.

Again, I stood aside anxiously, and again, I caught glimpses of her laughing face amid the blur of whirling lights.  When they finished the ride, Eric told me she had been singing "Ring Around the Rosy" the entire time.  

She even braved the Street Rally all by herself.  I've never seen her look so happy as she did from the back of that monster truck.  

I was pretty amazed by my daughter's bravery.  When I was seven, I cried on all the rides at Disney World.  If I even manage to get myself on a carnival ride these days, I spend most of my time looking for loose bolts.  Except for the carousel...that seems pretty safe.

The following day, Madeline amazed me again by gravitating toward the big kids at a birthday party.  There were several toddlers her own age, but she wanted to play with the older girls.

"Where are my kids?" she asked after taking a brief potty break.  "Where are my ladies?"  She raced right up to them and began playing.  The big kids weren't as sure about Madeline as she was about them.

Then tonight, the girl who has so far in her life refused to eat any form of meat except hotdog and taco, leaned over and snatched a piece of my steak.  I cut her some more, and she ate a decent portion.  Like a boss.

Even though Madeline insists on wearing a dress most days and wants anything pink and sparkly, don't let that fool you.  The girl has a daring side and a tough streak.

And to rid you of any doubt regarding the ballsiness of my little angel, she smiled up at me with a wicked grin tonight and said, "F-ing Mumma!"  It's not the first time she's said.

I could do without the last bit, but I'm loving the rest.  Go get 'em, Maddie Bear.

Mother's Day Recap...Late

I know Mother's Day was an entire week ago, but I have a severe case of lazy-en-gitis when it comes to blogging lately, so  I'm just getting around to sharing the photos now.

Cause seriously, these photos are too cute not to share...

We went to my sister's house for brunch.  We ate, took a walk, ate some more, watched the girls run around like hyperactive fairies, then ate some more.  More EATING!  Sounds like a Mother's Day well spent.  

My mom made us those awesome pillows.  They have photographs on one side, and words like "dream" or "love" on the other.  Love it!  

 Madeline "made" me this key chain at school.  I asked her what she had drawn me, and she said, "orange."  She's right.

I still forget that Mother's Day applies to me now.  It still seems like it should be my mother's holiday.  (Probably helps that it's also usually on her birthday.)  Does that happen to anyone else?

Letters to Maddie Bear May, 2013

Dear Madeline,

I'm not going to lie. You've been a bit challenging lately. I've heard that three is much worse than the "terrible twos." Perhaps now you're on the downward slide to three.

It seems like you put up a fight against everything we try to do. It's not just the yucky stuff like eating veggies or brushing your teeth either. It's everything. I just went upstairs to cuddle you a bit as you fell asleep. Nice...until you started pulling my hair and pouting when I told you to stop. We ordered you a plate of cookies and milk for desert the other night, and you fussed because I wouldn't let you use the straw to splash milk everywhere. You were happy with the hotdog we bought you at Fenway until you decided you didn't want me to hold the plate balancing on our laps. I guess letting a plate full of ketchup spill all over us is a much better option. The new attitude makes even fun times a little stressful.

Meanwhile, I'm still amazed by what a little kid you're becoming. I don't have to constantly hover over you any more. You're capable of playing by yourself without doing much bodily harm. Of course I'm still not a fan of flips off the couch.

Your imagination is emerging. You like to pretend to be Rapunzel in her tower when you play on your climber. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you told me there was a snake behind the door tonight. When I sent Dada to investigate, you added that it was a pink snake named Madeline.

You haven't been sleeping well lately either. You lie in bed playing, and whining, until way past 9 pm. There have been a few times where I've gone to sleep before you in the past month. I'm hoping this changes soon because I think the lack of sleep is adding to your crankiness.

Luckily, you seem to have gotten over your anti Dada phase. You even let him put you to bed on occasion. I'm glad because you two are great playmates. He'll sit on the floor playing Little People with you for much longer than Mumma has the patience for.

In spite of the challenges your impish ways throw at us, I feel very blessed to be your Mumma. It's miraculous watching you grow and change before our very eyes.

I will love you forever and always, little girl.

Love,
Mumma

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Madeline has now been to two Red Sox games.

  Back in 2011, when she was little more than a loaf of bread, she sat on our laps, drank a bottle, and took a nap.

 This time she was able to clap and whoop along. She ate a hotdog and ice cream instead of a bottle, and she sat in her own seat for most of the game. And despite being up hours past her bedtime, she didn't sleep a wink.

Based on the pink hat and her slight, unexplainable Boston accent, I think it's safe to say that Maddie Bear's a real Sox fan.

Thanks for sharing the tickets, Mimi and Bob!

Passing Doors

The classrooms in Madeline's daycare are laid out in a U with a large common area in the middle. As I made my way around the hallway this afternoon, I passed by the infant room, the toddler room, and the upper toddler room, glancing through the glass doors, as I rounded the corner to Madeline's new place of learning...the preschool.

She's been transitioning slowly to the preschool over the past month, but she started there permanently this week. Her name and picture are on a fresh, new cubby to make it official.

In the preschool, they talk about the weather and note today's date during circle time. They are currently studying space. They rotate through different play stations. Madeline enjoys "housekeeping." She also was sure to tell us that they no longer wear smocks during lunch. Apparently preschoolers don't dump spaghetti on themselves as often. Lots of big changes.

Meanwhile, the other children in her class seem so much older. They tower over Madeline, who just last week, was one of the tallest of her peers. They speak clearly and confidently. All traces of baby babble have vanished. A little boy said, "Hi there, buddy!" to Eric and giggled during our first visit.

This unfamiliar maturity is already starting to rub off on Madeline. She tries so hard to use her fork properly, she prefers cups without lids, and she has a renewed interest in using the "big potty."

We've watched Madeline progress from one end of the U all the way down to a new hallway. When I look into her old rooms, I can't help but notice how small the babies look, how simple the toys seem, how dependent they are on the teachers. It's like looking into the past, And she 's growing so much, so fast that it's nice to have a reminder of how far she's come.

32

Today's my sweet sixteen times two, which means I'd be at least twice as awkward in braces. I'm pretty sure my bras from 1997 still fit though, so there's that.

I had the idea to create a Super Super Sweet Sixteen video reminiscent of the old MTV show. (I realize that show is no longer culturally relevant, but being about seven years behind the times is part of being 32). Except in my version, I'd roll into my driveway in my 2009 Toyota Corolla, try on some sweet threads from Target, and top it all off with a killer VIP from my couch watching New Girl and guzzling box wine. Whatever, you're just jealous.

As it turns out, being 32 also means you're too tired to do a damn thing... So when my bestie pointed me toward the "32" parody of Taylor Swift's "22," I was thrilled that somebody had already done the work for me.

This video pretty much sums up my existence. Except in my world there'd be a toddler poking chop sticks up my nose and refusing to sleep.

April, 2013

I totally forgot the world had moved on to May until trying to pay for my groceries the other afternoon. Credit card expired. Womp. Womp. Cue crazy lady dragging toddler by ankles in a mad dash to the ATM.

April was a strange month. It went by quickly, but vacation, which was just two weeks ago, feels much more distant. It was a month filled with fun personal moments, but also marred by multiple tragedies. Overall, everything feels a bit foggy.

I can't say I'm sorry to see you go, April. Hopefully May brings more brightness.

Why Eric Wins at Life

I've apparently gone on a cooking strike because my plans for dinner so far this week have amounted to, "Meh, how bout peanut butter and jelly??  Oh, we're out of bread?  Well, fend for yourself then."

Luckily, Eric, true provider that he is, has taken it upon himself to pick up the slack and make us some home-cooked meals.  Looks like Madeline won't have to eat Cheez-Its for dinner after all!  Hizzahh!  

Then, after dinner last night I decided to at least get some laundry done.  There was a clump of lint stuck in the dryer after I pulled out the lint trap, so I used a pencil to try and fish it out of the narrow crevice.  Two minutes later, I sheepishly approached Eric to tell him that I had lost a pencil in the dryer.

There was a very small sigh, but no real complaint as he got to work trying to remedy the situation.  He didn't even ask how I had managed such a thing.  I have a tendency to cause disaster wherever I lurk.  Soon enough, he managed to get the pencil out using a bent coat hanger and some scotch tape.  I think Eric may secretly be watching old MacGyver episodes when I fall asleep on the couch at night.

Finally, Eric capped off the evening by reading Madeline some stories in spite of the fact she's suddenly turned into a moody thirteen-year-old girl who yells at us for no apparent reason every few minutes.

Eric should teach a class on how to manage unruly redheads.  He's pretty good at it.