Yep, its official.My kids are weird.If I were to limit the toys in my house to two things, I bet you would be surprised to know what they were.Well maybe not one of them but the other is certainly not your typical "girly" play thing.
Let me start by letting you know "monkey" has been a challenge right from day 1 in regards to toys.She never liked them much,could have cared less about them really.It wasn't until she was almost 2 when she showed interest in doing puzzles.She put together her first puzzles in about two minutes flat.So I kept increasing the difficulty.I thought I found something to keep her interested.In fact she made it all the way to a 65 piece puzzle before she was 3.Then in typical "monkey" fashion, it was "Ok, been there, done that, what's next? " I have tried every imaginable toy I can think of.From your typical average kid toy, all the way to games,puzzles and educational ones too.Nothing.Except this one thing.No it is not a cardboard box.But it was just as cheap.It, or rather they, cost me $1.50 at Michael's.
A package of brightly colored, rubber, lizards.Yes folks you read it correctly.Rubber lizards!! I have absolutely no clue as to why she is fascinated with these things.But she takes them everywhere.Forget playing with dolls.These lizards are the babies and the ones on all the adventures.Being orphaned because the mom and dad lizard died. (typically from drowning in the bathtub or falling off of some extremely high place aka the book shelf).Which brings me to the second thing. A doll house. Not too out of the ordinary except for the fact that no people reside in it.Only the little lizards dwell here, while the people are left to fend for themselves.These little lizards bathe in the bath tub,eat at the table,drive the cars,sleep in the beds.Nope no people here.
This past Christmas she got lots of things.Nice things.Even a REAL laptop of her very own!But that came in second best to the present she got from auntie "S". You guessed it rubber lizards!! 3 of them to be exact.These ones are big and ugly as far as I'm concerned.But hey, what do I know?She loves them.They don't creep me out or anything.I mean hey I worked in a pet store and held my fair share of them.But it is a little unnerving when you step backwards on to one of them or step on them in the middle of the night.They squish between your toes because they are a rubber outside with silicon beads inside.Yuck!
These, like their miniature c
ounter parts, take center stage at play time.They do manage to work their way into the doll house most times.However meal times are usually spent at OUR table.I am sure you can imagine how well that goes.You know,hanging out in the drink glasses,eating off our plates,throwing food on the floor.They are a pretty rowdy bunch, let me tell you!
One day I will look back at this and laugh.But for now, I think my kids are just plain weird!
I love pink.No,I am not referring to the music artist.I most definitely mean the color.
This isn't meant to be earth shattering news.Rather just something to add cheer to this otherwise grey,dismal,dare I say depressing month of January.
Pink has always been my favourite color for as long as I can remember.I enjoy other colors as well,but pink has always been the one that brought a smile to my face.However I must clarify that not any shade of pink will do.I love the shell pinks and those in the palest shade.I find the dark shades to be harsh and I don't find them nearly as enjoyable.
I have noticed there seems to be an outright rebellion towards pink(except when it relates to baby girls)because to our modern feminists it is a color of weakness.
All the reasons that women don't like it, are the very reasons I love it.It is soft and feminine and pretty.It makes me feel that way.It makes me think of spring and newness.I love its gentility. It makes me think of simpler times when life wasn't as crazy and stressful as it is now.
Sometimes I feel like I belong to a small minority.Most people I know favour the color blue. Blue makes me sad and to me it feels cold.Not calming like they claim. Unless it is a pastel shade or something like robin egg blue (again "spring-y")
If you come into my home you won't find pink dripping from every possible place.But it is here.Soft and understated.I guess you could say.Just like me.
They say that smell is one of the strongest senses when it comes to triggering a memory.In my case I think it is probably true.I have a good memory but it is short.
Today as I was wrapping brightly colored gifts for my sweet, angelic children (*ahem*), I caught a whiff of the tape.
It was like running head first into the "ghost of Christmas past".The smell of Scotch tape reminds me of my Grandpa.
Just in case you were wondering, old people do not smell like Scotch tape! Anyway, now that we have that established,back to the story.
As I was saying, it reminds me of my Grandpa.I remember his present wrapping station that he set up on the big long table in the basement.With his little hand drawn sign that said "No peeking!" I can still picture him sitting there, wrapping each gift with great precision.The corners were sharp, the paper was perfectly lined up and the smell of the tape filled the air.It always amazed me how he could get it just right.No wrinkles or anything.Even the tape was "just so"
Me,I have no patience for wrapping.If the paper is on and stuck together then thats good enough for me! It comes off in 30 seconds or less.So what's the big, deal huh?
I remember sitting beside him and listening to him talk and tell his silly jokes.He let me put the colored ribbons on or let me put my finger on the ribbon to hold it still. Thats just the way he was.Aways had time to listen and to teach and to love his grandkids. I miss you "Foxy".
Isn't it funny how such an inanimate object such as tape can open such a treasure.....
I've had lots of things to say lately but the Internet for the lap top has not been cooperating. I have had to impatiently wait patiently for my dear hubby to fix it.I could have used the desk top, but then there would have been no pictures.What fun is that?Its like ice cream with no chocolate syrup!
Any who... "Monkey" will be wishing for her four front teeth for Christmas this year.Why you ask? Well it has everything to do with a small blonde 2 year old and her perfectly placed forehead on "Monkey's" face.Yep she head butted her. Accidentally of course, but you want to talk rocks for brains, she has an extremely hard head.I have been on the receiving end of her head more times than I care to remember.
I actually didn't know for several days after that she had loosened "Monkey's" teeth.There was only a little bit of blood but that was from a cut on the inside of her lip.So I never thought anything of it until she kept telling me her tooth was loose. Me being the wonderful parent that I am, brushed it aside because you know kids,they have a million and one stories up there sleeve.So I just nodded and said "uh huh". Then one day I saw her pushing at her teeth with her tongue and they moved.So I stuck my finger in and sure enough they were loose.Not one, but two (or at least I thought). Chalk up another one for bad parental judgement.*sigh*
"Monkey" already had an appointment at the dentist for other reasons so I just waited the extra couple days.They looked at them and said they would have to come out.All four. FOUR??!!.They scheduled the extraction for the following week.
I think I was more of a basket case than "Monkey" was about the whole situation.Partially because they recommended that I not tell her about it.The rest because I had know idea how she would react.She has only had one other needle in her life (other than vaccinations) and she went into a seizure right after.I had to sit out in the waiting room which was good and bad.Good because I don't think I could have kept it together but bad because I couldn't comfort her if she was scared.
She was very brave.Much better than her mommy.No tears,no seizures,nothing.When I came to get her she was calmly laying in her chair watching the cartoon and wearing cool sun glasses.Four tiny teeth lay on the dental tray.
The good news is that the dentist informed me that when they pulled the teeth there were no roots.Meaning they were already being absorbed in preparation for the new teeth to come in.He also showed me on the xray that her new teeth were just under the surface of her gums.So chances are she won't have to wait two years for her teeth to come in. Five is early for adult teeth but still with in the realm of normal.She just wants to do everything early!
Since this was a rather momentous occasion,I did not want to leave this job to the tooth fairy.I just don't think she could have dealt with this situation in the best way.So I took "Monkey" to do a little shopping.I allowed her to pick out a small gift of a toy or book just for being so brave.She picked out a new book.Then we went to have lunch. It was a yummy hot fudge sundae just for her.Then it was daddy's turn.DH is not usually emotionally effected like I am but even though he didn't out right say it, I think he was a bit shaken by the fact that his little girl had to go through something so big.But he went to the store and brought her some flowers.Brightly coloured daisies.She loved them.It made my heart melt that He wanted to do something special for her.
She has adapted quite well to not having teeth.You almost wouldn't know they were missing except when she smiles really big.This now brings me to my earlier post on why I am beginning to think that November is cursed! It was last year at this time that "Monkey" decided to play hair dresser and cut off her hair, along with baby sister's.This year it was knocked out teeth.Next year??I shudder to think what overly dramatic event will befall our eldest daughter.Lets hope it
will be UNeventful!
Gee wilikers boys and girls, you get on Facebook and you forget about your poor little blog.Poor sad little blog.Did you miss me?
I guess I only have a little bit to share and when I try to do it between two places, I have even less to say.Not to worry though.I like facebook and all.It lets me keep in contact with family that I wouldn't normally have a chance.But its loosing its sparkle.Its just plain boring sometimes.I know that this year has been pretty sparse for posts, but I will be back. I just have to unload some pictures off my camera and then boy do I have a story to tell. Like why I am beginning to think the end of November is cursed and why my dear sweet "monkey" will be singing,"All I want for Christmas is my four front teeth"
Bye for now
ounter parts, take center stage at play time.They do manage to work their way into the doll house most times.However meal times are usually spent at OUR table.I am sure you can imagine how well that goes.You know,hanging out in the drink glasses,eating off our plates,throwing food on the floor.They are a pretty rowdy bunch, let me tell you!
