Sitter Reads While Girl Cuts

Tonight my husband hosted an "Appreciation Event" at a local bar/restaurant. There are some times in life when you know the odds are against you...tonight was one of those times. For weeks we've been trying to find a sitter so I could be by my husband's side. Husband was adamant that he wanted me to be there. "You HAVE to go, all the other wives will be there. Plus, I need you to tell me if my speech is okay." Did I mentioned my husband is very intelligent but a bit weak in the social skills? What a perfect pair we make.

So, we call every sitter we know and with this or that and ISTEP tests this week, no one can come over. Finally, last night we get a call from our neighbor-down-the-street whose dinner with her grandmother got cancelled. Yeah, she's able to do it! One obstacle down. All day today (the day of said event) the kids were uneasy, too tired perhaps. Baby girl decided not to nap and boy was she grumpy. The sitter showed up and the boy was still sleeping (at 5 o'clock) and the girl was writhing on the floor screaming for another banana. I made them their favorite-and probably most unhealthy dinner-mac and cheese with sausage and peas and went to the bedroom to get dressed. By this time I was running late. As I walked to the door my two loves followed me screaming, "I want to go!", "Don't leave!", "Wait, I need water!" I pried them off my leg, bribed them with the promise of donuts in the morning and clomped (I had my heels on but hadn't had a chance to pull up the slingbacks) out the front door.

Ahhh...out the door and on my way. I get there and order a nice, strong drink. "Malibu Rum and Coke, please." Then the food comes. I'd saved up my calories for the day so I could munch-and, boy, did I! Then the phone call came.

"I was reading your US Weekly because I thought they were asleep and they came out of the bedroom and Suave's bleeding and he said Sassy cut it with scissors." Well, yes, in fact this did happen. Sassy climbed up her over-the-door-shoe hangar and found her nail scissors. My crying boy got on the phone he told me they were playing "shaving" and she cut his ear. The panic in the babysitters voice didn't help so I told her I'd send another neighbor over. I called the mommy who lives in the house behind us and told her the story. She went over, cleaned the ear, bandaged it, had him show her his muscles and made sure the babysitter was willing to stay until I got home.

She did. Let's hope she'll be back. Then again, let's hope she won't.

Nap Necessity

The kids are still asleep. If they stay snoozing for another half hour then Daddy will be home and, oh, how lovely that will be! Today I decided to toss responsibility out the window. While they were napping I found all kinds of fun sites where I learned to knit finger puppets, buy toys I cannot afford and read about other mommies like me. A couple of my new faves are Pioneer Woman, Indy Fash Bash and Angry Chicken. Check them out for yourself to see why I love them so!

Usually during naptime I try to work on a project (my current is updating our living room couch pillows) or, at least, start dinner. Well, none of that happened. After my own half hour cat nap I got on the net and wasted some time. The only thing better would have been a nice glass of my favorite drink from Oliver winery. But, alas, I didn't...this time.

Perhaps the kids are sleeping so soundly because we went to a friends house to get started on the garage sale we are having this weekend. While the mommies worked on sorting and hanging clothes, the kiddos played in the driveway.


After some hard core play time we loaded them up on cheap pizza (Little Cesar's $5 pizza-that's FIVE DOLLARS folks!) and cantaloupe and tried to work on garage sale stuff some more. One black eye and two pinched fingers later I decided to come home so the kids could nap. When I tell people that my 2 and 4 year old still nap I usually get the same gasp and reply, "you're so lucky!". Well, yeah, I am. I love that they nap because I can nap! I'm a napper, always have been.

We've worked hard to get them to sleep in their own beds and, for the most part, they leave us alone. Every now and then our little bear (son) will crawl in between us and try to stay quiet enough to avoid our radar. However, once he falls asleep his toes begin their dance on my back and ribs and back in his bed he goes. We've recently purchased a toddler bed for the girl-for $2 at a garage sale-and she seems to like it.

Well, now the gig is up. Husband is home and looking a little puzzled since his house is hot and pots are cold...and his kids are still cuddled in their beds.