BG goes to costco with dada

Clare left Baby Guy in the van. Oops. Then dad left for Costco. Double oops. And it's nap time. I'm holding my breath. I explain to the big girl that Baby Guy wanted to go to Costco and Dada said yes because BG took a nap in the car when we went into craft time at Lakeshore. With a sad and brave face, we head upstairs. We get Bitty Baby and Hello Kitty and climb into bed. We sing a few songs and turn on the mushroom light and we do our best. We text Dada to let him know what happened and we lay quietly in the dark thinking about how tender we feel about all this. And then the phone buzzes. It's an email from Dada. She's still giggling. I can hear her from here. It is a rare and wonderful man that will shop with a dolly in his cart for the sweet, tender sake of his daughter. I love that man.

•Kristin•

Motherhood is not for sissies.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Allen Smith 
Date: September 12, 2009 2:10:48 PM CDT
To: Kristin Braun 
Subject: BG goes to costco with dada

Allen Smith

Chubby roo likes watching TV with her sister

Clare hardly ever watched TV at this age. If she did, it was a Baby Einstein for 20 minutes. And even then, maybe twice a week, max. But Clare is so hooked on "Sesameet" that there just is no way around it. Most of the time, I put some toys on the floor and she's relatively distracted. But every now and then she is like a moth to a flame and I give in and plop her on the bed. And then the three of us get our complete and utter fill of the furry red monster. 

LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA....

So help me if her first word is Elmo.

Eating breakfast

Sister has been very impatiently awaiting the start of finger foods. She has been begging to feed Ella since she was "BlaBla" in-utero. Now, bless her, she cannot even finish her meal because she is so anxious to sit in front of her and feed her little bitty pieces of whatever. Precious girl. This morning she got bit. And she giggled with tears running down her face. Sharp little puppy teeth...

Garden panty

Oops, I meant party! I wonder what the neighbors think of our
pantsless shenanigans?

Grace

So we had our first accident. Though I must admit to a small twinge of disappointment when it happened, I am so glad that it did. I wouldn't take that moment back for all the diapers in the world. 

Clare was looking out the window at Dada, distracted by his lawn skills when she started to loose it. She squealed "Oh NOOOOOOOO. I'm tinkling!" and I rushed over to get her to the bathroom ASAP (which is how this program works) and we ran all the way there. We got her panties down and she looked absolutely crushed. I was so unprepared for the sadness I felt when she saw her wet panties. Her face fell in disappointment and her little voice said simply "now they wet." 

But she sat on her potty anyway and in just a moment she was going again. And in that very moment, she threw up her hands and said "I so sowwy. I went on you floor, mama. We clean it up, OK?" and with complete and utter grace and forgiveness she said to herself, "We do it nest time. Maybe later."

If we all had that much grace in the presence of our own learning, this world would be a much different place. 

Cutie McPanties

Just after breakfast, Clare squealed with delight "YAY! I GET TO WEAW BIG GIYL PANNIES!" She jumped up and down, I kid you not. She has just collected all her diapers and is riding down the street on her tractor to deliver them like a diaper fairy to a little boy who can wear them. 

She is so excited. 

We have just embarked on the boot camp that is "3 Day Potty Training". Wish us luck. The only downside so far is that "the big giyl pannies get stuck in my big giyl bottom." If only I knew how to fix that.