Clean-Up Time

Remember that scene in Mary Poppins where she just snaps her fingers to magically clean up the children's nursery?  Yeah, we'll I always thought Mary Poppins was a bit of an uppity show-off. I mean, what's with the flying umbrella? Too good to take a cab, lady?

 Usually we're pretty good about making Madeline clean up her toys, but some days we get lazy. Obviously:

It takes Madeline about twenty minutes of singing and cajoling to clean up one puzzle. (Yet, it somehow only takes her about three minutes to wreck the place. Doesn't that break one of Newton's Laws?) Meanwhile, I can clean the whole room in that time.

 Plus, it's kind of amusing to see what you're going to find while cleaning up after Hurricane Madeline.

 Such as, a hat in the puzzle box:

Some puzzle pieces in her tent: (I'm not sure what Ariel and Merrida are up to in there...)

And some princesses in the frying pan:

I love how Rapunzel seems to be standing on the backs of Aurora and Cindarella to escape the pan. Sigh...princess problems. You always keep it interesting, Maddie Bear.

Goodbye January

Thanks to my handy app, Pic Cal, this is what my month of January looked like:

Not too shabby. All my pictures from this month look so dark. I wonder if that will change as the weather gets warmer and the sun stays out later.

We've definitely got a case of the winter blahs around here. We're all exhausted and tired of sniffling and coughing. I whined to Eric tonight that I don't feel like doing anything...and I mean anything. Like changing into my pajamas seems like too much effort. The girl sleeping on top of her down comforter still wearing her heels and Gap: Curvy khakis? That's me. Zero energy.

So far, this is what my February looks like:

I've been guzzling down liquid stomach relief medicines and sobbing into my pillow.

C'mon February, time to step it up!

Downton Dish Week 5

There will be no fancy British snack tonight because I have a nasty stomach virus.

I think it's bad karma for talking ish about Lavinia's general lameness and role in Matthew's impotence problems via Facebook last week. Yes, I have no life.

Instead I offer you Upside Downton Abbey:


Anyhow, last week's episode was certainly not boring. I found it really hard to watch. The death scene was horrible! And so, so sad.

I'd had such high expectations for that character. I expected her to shake things up a bit more, but other than marrying the chauffeur...her storyline didn't really go anywhere.  Meanwhile, spinsterly  Edith is taking on the cause for women. Kinda an interesting twist.

In the meantime, poor Lord Robert has to sleep on the sofa. It's about time. Not only did he not listen to the doctor, but he also lost all of his wife's money, and snogged the maid while Cora was sick. What an ass hat!

And, yes, I'm ignoring the Superbowl. I don't follow football much, and since the Patriots aren't playing, my interest is zero. I'm usually down for the snacks, but since I'm drinking all my meals this weekend, I'm generally grumpy.

Around the Mighty Internets

I've been feeling pretty blarg off and on for about a month.  It's that time of the year I guess.  I even fell asleep on the couch and missed most of 30 Rock last night.  Liz Lemon has taught me two things: it's okay to eat pretzels in the bathroom, and to always avoid cheese stew before sexy time.  And I repay such valuable lessons by snoring, mouth agape, and rubbing my upset belly through her last episode.  Sigh...

On the upside, all my couch surfing has given me ample time to read the ENTIRE Internets.  At least it feels that way.  Ever find yourself clicking through the same five websites over and over again in case you missed something in the five minutes you were away checking out other websites?  It's the cyber equivalent of chasing one's tail.  It's a problem.  I can't even believe people trust me with the youth of America.

Lovin':  

Have you downloaded the app Vine yet?  It's like Instagram except with videos.  It's neat because some people have managed to make really cool, artsy videos.  I also enjoy the how-to videos.  On the other hand, I saw a video of someone throwing some fake Skittles-studded poop in their toilet.  So. Yeah.  There's that.

All I know is that this app promised to be a MAJOR time suck.

Fascinated By:

"Have We Met Before?  Doppelgangers Caught on Camera."

This photographer tracks down people who are not related, but look alike.  Some of these photographs are downright eerie.

Why do doppelgangers exist?  Where can I find mine?  I've been told all redheads look alike, but surely, there must be some who look more alike than others.

Giving the Raised Eyebrow To:  

"For 40 Years, This Russian Family was Cut Off from All Human Contact, Unaware of World War II"

I read a book about the history of Russia once, and it left me with the strong impression that Russia is a bat-ass-crazy place.  If there are any Russians here, I apologize for stereotyping you, but this article kinda confirms those beliefs.

It also left me wondering...are there hillbillies living isolated out in the hills of Montana somewhere speaking in strange cooing accents and sharing their dreams as entertainment?  I would put money on it.  We're almost as crazy as Russians appear to be.

Incredulous Over:

I saw this floating around Facebook this week: (I don't know where it originally came from, so I can't link to it.  If you know, please tell me.)
 

Ummmm.....what?
.
Heart Fluttering Over:  ***Spoiler Alert***

"Why Last Night's New Girl was Perfect"

Jess and Nick's kiss was H.O.T hot this week on New Girl.  I think I re-watched it three times on my own, and then made Eric watch it when he got home.  Then I watched it twice more in the linked article above.  I love this show and all its quirky characters, and I love how they've been building the tension between Nick and Jess so far this season.  I can't wait to see the next few episodes to see where this storyline will lead.

A Girl and Her Bear

When Madeline's Aunt Carol and Uncle Kevin tracked down a perfectly cuddly teddy bear for Madeline's first birthday, I was thrilled.

It's my firm belief that every kid should have a well-loved bear.  Throughout my childhood, I had a Tedadore, (he was French, naturally) and he kept me company from my first Christmas through adulthood.  I even brought him off to college with me, where my roommates quickly dubbed him Crusty.  After nearly twenty years of hard lovin', the name was apt.  He certainly was not a dapper bear.

Tedadore is worn to the seems now.  He is missing his nose, and half of the stitching in his mouth droops down to the left.  Still, I can't just toss him.  Ted is currently enjoying his retirement from the  the top shelf of the downstairs closet.

 Meanwhile, Madeline's buddy, Olaf, is her most constant and loyal companion.  

Olaf has quite the gruff exterior.  First off, Uncle Kevin made it clear that Olaf speaks with a Eastern European accent and sounds surprisingly similar to Henry Kissinger.  Sometimes this makes it difficult for Eric and I to understand what Olaf says.  Luckily, Madeline understands him perfectly, and is able to translate for us.

Olaf does not enjoy the company of Madeline's more frivolous toys.  Frankly, the princess dolls annoy him.  He can't understand why one would want to spend so much time singing about feelings and gossiping about princes.  Plus, they always want to give him hugs.

 Elmo flat-out confuses him.  He is furry like a bear, but red with no ears.  What is he?  A monster?  Olaf thought monsters were supposed to be scary, but Elmo uses crayons and sings to his pet Goldfish, Dorothy.  This cannot be the case.

Unfortunately for Olaf, however, he is the beloved possession of a two-year-old girl.  This means he is constantly forced into new and embarrassing situations that a bear of his stature and lineage should not have to endure.

For example,  we sometimes dress Olaf up in clothes Madeline refuses to try on.  This included her lawn gnome Halloween costume:

"Lawn Gnomes....disgusting little creatures...digging in the dirt all day, picking tulips."  

This also included her big-girl under-roos.  Rapunzel themed...of course:

"I won't stand for this kind of humiliation.  Next you'll be expecting me to prance about like one of those bears with the toilet paper stuck to their bottoms."  

And even Winnie the Pooh Bear:  

"I do not like honey.  I eat salmon...like real bears do.  This Pooh is just made of fluff."  

He also takes part in most of Madeline's games:

"Who is that other bear beneath your arm, Madeline?  He does not look like a gentleman." 

"Sigh...once again I am surrounded by morons."

Yet, in spite of his protests, it's clear that Olaf has a soft spot for our little Maddie Bear.  He can never stay angry with her for too long, no matter what she subjects him to.  

And Madeline loves Olaf far and above her other buddies.  He's the first thing she asks for when we tuck her in at night, and she makes sure she brings him back downstairs to play every morning.  I think something about his stern manner and beady eyes makes her feel safe.  

He's there when she's sick:  

 And when she goes to bed at night:

 And I've even caught him enthralled with Sesame Street on more than one occasion when he thinks no one is looking.

"This Oscar the Grouch...what is his problem?"  

Joy in the Small Things

Having kids is a lot of hard work, but mostly, it's pretty awesome.  Not only will I theoretically have someone to at least make sure I end up in a good nursing home when I get old, but we also get the thrill of experiencing childhood all over again through Madeline's eyes.

As a result, it gets pretty easy to spoil her.  I get a huge thrill from buying her toys that she doesn't even particularly care about.  For example, I picked up a set of tiny pots and pans from Ikea a few weeks ago because I just had to have them for Madeline's play kitchen.  She's banged them together a few times, and uses them to put her princesses in the microwave, (ummmm?) but she really isn't that interested.

The concern that we might be spoiling Madeline first entered my brain on Christmas morning when she didn't even want to open her presents.  It's probably a good thing that she isn't too concerned with material objects, but at the same time, I wondered if she was simply bored because she already has so many great toys.  (Oh, another toy, Mumma? That's nice.  Toss it in the pile.)

Yet, most of the time I don't think too much about spoiling her, and I think we really are setting good boundaries for her for the most part.  It's just too much fun sharing all these new experiences with her, and in a couple of years, the magic will be over.

The thing that always amazes me is how much pleasure Madeline gets out of such simple things.  For example, Eric had to work last Saturday afternoon.  Since Madeline and I had the day to ourselves with no plans, I decided to take her to Friendly's for lunch.

I can't speak for other Friendly's restaurants, but the one near us?  It's pretty gross.  (However, the CT Friendly's are quite lovely.)  It's like walking into a much dirtier, dingier version of the 80s...because you know, that was 30 years ago, but somehow they're still using the same silverware.

But when you're a little munchkin like Madeline, Friendly's is freakin' awesome.  A greasy grilled cheese, chocolate milk AND a hot-fudge sundae? Just stop.  Stop right there.  Somewhere a toddler is becoming dizzy just from the thought of it.   Oh wait, they also gave us a pink balloon on our way out the door.  Boom!  Drop mic!

Plus, I let Maddie sit in the booth across from me all by herself without a booster seat.  She was so, so happy, and such a good girl the entire time.

Of course when we got home she immediately started pouting because she was not getting her way over something, and the spell was broken.  Still, it's nice while it lasts.

The biggest indulgence last weekend, however, was going to see Sesame Street Live on Sunday.  This was a total situation where I got more excited than Madeline did.

When I saw that it was coming to town, I actually let out an excited little squeal.  You mean, we get to meet Elmo?!  The real Elmo?!  Yet, Maddie Bear didn't share the same level of enthusiasm.

I noticed a lot of the other kids her age jumping in their chairs and clapping their hands throughout the show, but that's not really Maddie's style.  Madeline doesn't scream or dance when faced with new and exciting things.  Instead, she very quietly watches and listens.

Her eyes lit up with a mixture of excitement and confusion when a giant Bert and Ernie walked across the stage.  She stuck her tongue out in quiet concentration when they began singing.  When Elmo finally made his grand entrance she quietly exclaimed, "It's Elmo!  Dat's Elmo!"  She spent the rest of the time cuddling on my lap while I stomped my feet and clapped my hands for her.  

Somewhere right before intermission, she turned to me and asked very politely, "Can we go home now peeese?"

We got her spirits up with a bag of M&Ms during the break, and rallied for the second act, but by the time the show was over, she was ready to leave.  In fact, she kept leaning her head on my shoulder and trying to sleep.

So although I think she liked it overall, Sesame Street Live wasn't the best thing since slice bread for little Madeline.  Friendly's, on the other hand?  Pretty darn amazing.

I guess I should learn my lesson and stick to the smaller joys, but I just saw a commercial for Disney on Ice...and. it. looks. awesome.

Downton Dish: Week Four

I didn't watch Downton Abbey last Sunday night because football was on in our house instead. We lost. Womp, Womp.

Then when I caught up with Downton, it turned out to be a pretty boring episode. Womp. Womp.

Poor Edith...reduced to early breakfasts with two of the most boring men on the planet. Is it just me, or are all of the men on this show turning into complete turds?  Matthew with his eye rolling, the father losing his...cough...his wife's money, Sir Anthony being all old and boring, Branson burning down rich people's houses...we're you roofied this time too, buddy?

At least Bates still seems decent.  Except for the fact that he may have murdered his wife in order to marry the young blond from the manor...

This week I made some tea sandwiches for the episode...egg salad, ham, and cucumber.