Momma Behr: Christmas

Friday, November 11, 2011

Seven Quick Takes- Maybe if I had more coffee I would be coherent.

1. Juliette Marie will be the death of me. She started walking this week (hooray) and today while we waiting for Kyle to show up she carried a chair around Carters looking for something to climb. I spend most of my day trying to prevent her from diving headfirst off of chairs and couches... or from choking the one small magnet that slip down the fridge to where she could reach it. I'm gonna go grey sooner than I thought.

2. Right now Madeleine is playing with her ABC puzzle, Juliette has climbed up the couch and is leaning over the box with their cardboard blocks in it, removing them one by one and laughing/grunting happily. (Not that I just put them all back in there five minutes ago or anything. Really, that was just a stupid move on my part.) Madeleine looks over periodically, shakes her head, and says, "No Ju-etch. No baby."

3. Madeleine is now interested in TOYS. This means while we shop she reaches over and puts something she wants in the cart. If I take it out, she tells me, "No. Madeleine like (insert toy/movie/sock here)." This makes check out interesting. She places the item on the belt and I stealthily signal to the check out person that said item will not be going home with us. I distract Madeleine with my awesome dance skills or something equally embarrassing to us all and we get out of the store without incident. I know I could explain it to her and just tell her no from the beginning but I'm tired and just want to shop without the screaming. My system works for now.

4. With her new found interest in TOYS, Madeleine requests on a daily basis to go to Toys R Us to play with the trains. She hasn't figured out yet that we can actually buy stuff there so I'm usually good with it. She also has no idea that SANTA is getting her a wooden train set for Christmas! Until then we are making our weekly pilgrimage to visit Tomas and his friends.

5. My kiddos are tough. While we play with the train sets little boys twice their age and size usually show up to do the same and they always try to push my girls around. They hold their ground without pushing back. I am a very proud momma. We need more strong women in this world.

6.I've recently realized the power of phrasing things the right way. For instance, "Madeleine you need to eat your fruit." gets an emphatic, "NOOOOO". However, "Madeleine if you eat your chicken I'll let you have some fruit." gets an "OH YAY MOMMY." I'm hoping I can use this power on Kyle, "Babe if you do the dishes I'll let you sweep the floor!" Brilliant.

7. I'm trying to figure out ways to involve my two year old in Advent this year. I'm praying I come up with something soon... my theology and catechetics degrees should be able to help out with this. I mean, hopefully that knowledge isn't stored in the part of my brain that was wiped out when I gave birth and replaced with Goodnight Moon and every book by Sandra Boynton. Actually, I think that was the "math" and "reasonable hormonal responses" sections so I think we should be good. Advent here we come!

See more at http://www.conversiondiary.com/

Sunday, November 6, 2011

In a Christmas CRAZE!

Well today has been a L.O.N.G day. Let me tell you!

Both girls have tummy bugs and are sad little sickies. Currently my Pet is on my lap drinking some juice while Madeleine is in an upside down tent. Apparently the long nap did her some good. Of course it has been an all day fight for mommy's lap so we've been snuggled up on the "nice couch" watching movies. I know, I know... but I'm not feeling the best myself, what with the vertigo and the spinning room and whatnot, and Kyle had to work.

I've been very naughty and have been decorating for Christmas WAY earlier than Liturgical and normal calenders deem acceptable. Whatever. I'm a rebel who loves Santa. This year I have started teaching Madeleine about Jesus' birthday as we prepare for Juliette's first. I'm hoping that seeing the celebration for her sister will help her grasp the concept of a birthday for Jesus.

The start of the Christmas season for me really starts with red cups at Starbucks and the first big SNOW, the latter of which came early this year. Along with those things my lovely mother-in-law came to visit for the weekend and so we decided to do Christmas pictures for Christmas cards, family photos, and Juliette's first birthday pictures as well. Naturally they all came out so adorably that I had to run right out to Kohl's to buy frames and naturally when I was there I saw Christmas frames that I had to have. And I left the store with a light up Christmas train and a New England Patriots Nutcracker. If you give a mouse a cookie... she'll probably end up decorating them to look like a snowman, hanging a wreath on the door, and sticking a candy cane in your cocoa.

Of course when I tried to explain "Santa" to Madeleine (he brings you presents to celebrate the birth of Jesus...) she clung to the TOYS part and now yells TOOOOOOOOOOOYS! whenever she sees a picture of him. I told her that this was a very utilitarian approach to take to the whole "Santa" thing.

Really, I am super exhausted and hoping to get the kiddos to bed early so I can enjoy "Once Upon a Time" with my good friend, Baily's on the Rocks.