Nice Try, Kiddo

Being a Daddy's girl of the last year, and having said Daddy go out of town for work, caused lots of feelings to surface for Ana last night. Add to that two babies that missed their afternoon nap and therefore a Mommy with her arms very full.

Why did you have babies?

Because we wanted babies and God must have known they were right for our family and it was right for you to be a big sister.

I only wanted to see them, not keep them.

Yeah. It can be hard sometimes, huh?

Yeah! I miss Daddy! You're only holding babies!

I'm sorry it feels that way. Sometimes I feel like that too. It will get easier as they get bigger and then they won't need quite as much attention. And, when there's only a Mommy or a Daddy at home, it's a little harder, but we're going to have cuddle time at bedtime, just you and me.

No! I want cuddle time now! You don't love me anymore!

That must feel terrible. I'm sorry you feel that way. I try to show you how much I love you and that you'll always be my baby, but maybe there's something else you need. Is there another way that I could show you?

Yes.

What, Baby?

You could buy me lots and lots of things. We could go to the toy store and I could get everything that I like. Then I would know you love me.

Needless to say, we did not go get in the car...

Christmas Caroling, Ana Style

Imagine this being sung in a jazzy sort of way... And, while you're at it, see if you can spot where it starts to go off track. Not minorly off track - I'm talking we move from the country road to the highway kind of off track. Still, everyone knows it's not Christmas without a unicorn...


In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is nice and brown
He'll say are you married, man?
And we'll say no, man.
But you can get us married in our town.

Later on, we'll be tired
As we sit by the fire
We'll sing a song
As a bluebird goes along
Walking in a Winter Wonderland

In the meadow there will be a deer
And lots of snow and that bluebird
Then we'll see a bunny
And a unicorn
And he will have some candy on his horn

Oh, oh, oh
Happy Day
In a unicorn
Way

Happy, happy day
Happy, happy day
Ho Ho Ho
Ho Ho Ho
Christ-maaaaaaaasssss

So Not Helping...

Things You Do Not Want To Hear

Things you do not want to hear from the back of the van, driving down I-35 (in other words, not safe to pull over):

1. Do markers come off?

Why?!? What did you color on?

2. Well, do they come off of hands?

Yes, but stop coloring on your hands. You know they're for paper only.

3. Well, do they come off of faces? And lips? And eyelashes? And arms too?

Ana!!! Seriously. Stop. No more. We'll wash you off when we get home, but no more!

A few minutes later...

4. Don't worry, I'm washing all of the marker off myself with my water bottle. I want another shirt! My shirt is wet! I don't like a wet shirt!

Ana!!! Stop!!! It's making the markers run everywhere. Thank you for trying to help, but don't do anything else. We'll take care of it. Put the lid on your water and leave it closed. No more! And you'll have to have a wet shirt until we get home. We can't stop.

A few minutes later...

5. Mom, I'm making my face and hands soft with this Chapstick.

ANA!!! Seriously?!? What is going on back there?!? You know that is for your lips only!!

6. So not my hair either?

You put it in your hair?!? DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL WE GET HOME! GIRL, IF YOU TOUCH ONE MORE THING, YOU ARE GOING TO BE HUNG UP BY YOUR TOES FROM THE FIREPLACE!!!!

And this is what we saw when we got home...

Candy Pounding

Now we go home and I eat all of my candy!

Well, we'll talk about a good amount for you to eat.

But last year you let me eat as much as I wanted on Halloween night!

Yeah, that's true, but Mommy and Daddy didn't expect you to eat ALL of it. We thought that you would eat a lot of it, and then your tummy would be full or you wouldn't feel good so you would stop. But, you didn't. You pounded all of your candy. So, we're not going to do that again this year.

M-o-m!!!

Don't worry, you'll get to eat a good amount.

Well, then I'm going in the house first and I'm gonna to pound on all of my candy before you can see me! I'm gonna pound it! (takes off running)

Not surprisingly, given that we were ten steps behind her, she did not manage to "pound on" all of her candy, but she did manage to go to sleep sufficiently sugar buzzed. It was a good night to be six...