a totally 2 day...

argh!!! I think there is a reason that I have heard the second year referred to as both the Terrible Two's and the Terrific Two's. It is 2 as in 2 sides and 2 sides only... There is black and white... no gray... and it resembles bipolar disorder in many ways... The highs are Terrifically high and the lows well they can be downright Terrible! Bear has been bouncing back and forth from Terrific to Terrible all day. Earlier I caught her under the dining room table scribbling on the hardwood floors with a ballpoint pen. The ink can come up but there are lovely grooves in the floor now! As soon as I yelled "Bear!" She looked at me and said "I put myself in my cage mom." Now before you start calling the authorities because we cage our child, I promise you we don't. We have 2 dogs who get crated when we leave and when they need to go to "time out" for being bad. One of them will put herself in there when she knows she's been busted doing the wrong thing. I guess Bear is just following Ruby's example and putting herself in the cage before I do it for her :o). Later in the day when I held my own and did not let her have a third package of fruit snacks, Bear threw herself to the floor and said "I AM SO MAD moMMY!" Huge emphasis on the last syllable. I wasn't sure if I should be proud of her for expressing emotions in a perfectly formed sentence or be exasperated at yet ANOTHER fit.
She has also been completely adorable today. She told hubby "No go to work daddy!" Those kinds of things just melt your heart. So we will take our Terrible with our Terrific and hopefully daddy will be home from work soon :o).

never take a 2 year old...

to the doctor with you... this was advice I got from a good friend a few years ago. Although she was referring to a horribly gone wrong OB appointment I stuck by this for a long time for all doctors appointments, thinking its germy, what are you going to do if they need you while the doctor is examining you, etc... But after the flu, strep throat, and a rapidly worsening case of bronchitis (in less than 9 days)I HAD to get to the doctor and Bear was with me. I grabbed the IPad and ran through McDonalds for a happy meal (they have My Little Pony toys now! Its like a drive thru toy store and I get a burger!) to keep her occupied. It was all going very well. She was impressing everyone with her good behavior and awesome IPad navigation skills. Then the doctor asks... "Are you using birth control?" Which of course leads to... "We are going to need you to take a pregnancy test before we give you this crazy antibiotic." First thought was black label antibiotics... thats a first... second thought... I have to take Bear with me...
It went well until of course we leave the bathroom and start making the trek ALL the WAY down a long hallway past every other exam room and every medical professional in the building. And because two year olds never ask questions/make comments when it is convenient... Bear starts a little monologue for the whole office... "Mommy pee pee cup... no drink!!! It PEE PEE!! pee pee cup? EWWW no drink the pee pee MOMMY!" emphasis on the Mommy, as if I had attempted to do this while we were in there and she saved me! While everyone was amazed at her little vocabulary.. I was completely embarrassed! You always hear about things kids say in public... well there was my experience with it this week! Kids say the darndest things... What have your kids said? What have you heard kids say?

I'm addicted to...

facebook... seriously I think it is the best thing to ever happen to moms, people that live far from friends and loved ones, grandparents... My husband has a problem with my facebook addiction... or at least my addiction to being on the computer and 90% of that time is on facebook. Where else can you post a question about dry baby skin and within minutes (sometimes seconds) have 10 answers of what lotion to use (7 of which were all the same... how come 7 of my friends knew to use Eucerin and I didn't?)... Just over a week ago I posed a question about pants with pull tabs for my skinny minnie. She has a 12 mo. waist but is growing out of her 18 mo. length jeans. By the end of the night I had 20 comments. Many suggested OshKosh at Target. I went last week (in between the flu and strep throat) and found them on clearance for 3.24 a pair! Jeans for 3.24!!! I bought 2 of her current size and one of every other size up through 5T! For 3.24 a pair I couldn't pass it up! Even though the pull tabs didn't start until 2T, the 18 mon. ones fit perfectly! Even in the waist!!! Score!!! If it hadn't been for Facebook I wouldn't have even thought to try there! Where else but facebook can you put out a request for prayers and end up with people all over the country praying for you, a friend, or a family member? It really is amazing.
I am able to watch my friends children grow up across the country... I am able to share Bear's newest accomplishments with family in Florida... See a friends new baby's pictures within minutes of being born (ok that was me posting pictures 10 min. after delivery).
Another nice development has been with people I was never close to but accepted or extended a friend request from/to just because we went to high school together. Some of these ladies have become some of my best "mom" friends... They pray for me, they give me advice on everything from rashes to potty training, they encourage me to meet my goals, and reassure me when I feel like a bad mom. I am so grateful for a second chance to be friends with these people that I passed in the halls so many years ago!
I can't imagine what being a mom before facebook was like. What would I have done all those sleepless nights I was on bedrest? What would I have done without the wonderful advice about formulas, diaper rash creams, recipes, skinny jeans, hair bow making instructions, etc...? Thank you all my friends... facebook or not... that make being a mom a little bit easier...

It's Official...

...I've become my mom! I remember when McDonalds had little beanie babies as their happy meal toy... my mom would go all over town searching for the ones my sister was missing. She would call me on my way home from high school "I heard the McDonalds downtown has the bear! You HAVE to get a happy meal on the way home!" She had everyone searching for those darn things... imagine my dad going out to lunch with work friends and having to order a happy meal! This also took place when they had the miniature barbies. My mom still has all those beanie babies in a bag in her closet... She says she's saving them for my sister... but I think she just has too much invested in them to get rid of them.
Right now McDonalds has the little Only Hearts Pets as the girl Happy Meal toy. Bear LOVES these! She carries the three she has around, she makes them "shake the booty", she has tea parties with them... I figure a meal and a toy she loves all for 4 bucks? Score!!! Today I found myself going through the McDonald's drive-thru on my way back to work at lunch. Bear was not with me... but here I was ordering a Happy Meal for lunch! I was so disappointed to get another panda bear... So instead of saying oh well... What do I do? I hold up the line of people rushing back to lunch to ask the lady if she has ANYTHING else?!? It's official... I've become my mother... but I have a very happy little girl.