Character love

So it started with a simple fascination with the diapers. The ones with the characters form the only show she watches - Sesame Street. (OK, and a little Bob the Builder on occasion, when I'm tired of cycling through the 7 episodes on demand and need variety, but I digress...)

So at first, she didn't mind so much WHICH character was on the "Cheetool" (Hebrew for diaper), but I'm trying to figure out which kid in daycare to blame for suddenly turning my kid into a character-obsessed-girly-girl! Suddenly, she ONLY wanted the Zoe diapers, she made Mommy and I kiss Zoe, just like she did. She has recently been OK with the other ones, as I simply tell her that we're out of Zoe Cheetoolim, and does she want Elmo or Ernie or Cookie Monster. They all make her happy, so it's fine. (We keep her in the 7th gens by day, but she needs the more absorbent Pam*ers at night). But then! Nayla, in her daycare room, turned two, and gave out Easter baskets to everyone. (oy, another rant, but they DID appreciate the hamentashen I brought!) And IN the basket (after I secretly passed on the uber-sugar crap, but did save a piece or two of "chak-oh-lette" for the Cheeky), were some barrettes. Malka squealed "Zoe!" and pointed. And I was all - HUH? And she grabbed the package of barrettes, and HUGGED THEM to her chest, and squealed "ZOE!" And I felt my sense of self as a parent drop a notch or two.

But at least, she's letting me put a barrette IN her hair now, which might at least, prevent the "how old is HE" questions from being so popular. Because yes, Virginia, even girly girls wear shirts with basketballs on them.

A NEW take on "just one less"

Just one less second that he's in office...




Thanks for the reminder, Artsweet!

Stomach bugs suck ass

Literally ON me
Originally uploaded by shellipsm

But at least I have cute and furry company.

If purrs could be bottled as analgesics...

(That's Cougie Bear on my neck, and Quincy beast on my chest.)

The WIP

I have finally learned the "WIP" Phenomenon. "WIP" meaning "Works in Progress." I have TOTALLY been bitten by the quilting bug, and I love it! Sadly, this past week, I've been SO zonked after Malka goes to bed, that the most I've been able to accomplish is feeding the cats and doing the dishes. But I did get to a little bit last night.

Here's my list, but um, since some of you reading may be some of the recipients, um, I really can't list EVERYthing....

1) Finish Quilt-a-long project (I'm seeing SO many beautiful examples, and it's inspiring me to finish!)

2) Hooter Hider for Inbar

3) Um, "project s"

4) OK, um, "project qp"

5) And "project n"

6) Tallis for Narda out of her mom's old Dashiki

7) clothes for my ever growing child.

Phew. Ok - only 3 that I can't mention... heh. ;)

But for now, we are off to Brooklyn, to hang out with House of Miao, and Malka's quiet. Which usually means trouble. So I've got to go. Ciao!

Re-entry's a bitch when you're two...

I knew it was too good to be true. We got home Tuesday night around 8ish, just at Cheeky's bed time. We vacuumed the house, and did a quick dash to the wine store around the corner (Eemah needs her wine when parenting solo!) We came home, did a quick bath, and she was CLIMBING into her crib shortly after. Life was good.

Thursday am, she was thrilled as a bug on a rug, as I used the Ergo and a public bus to get her to daycare, as it was raining cats and dogs, and the stroller for a mile long walk in the rain is no fun for anyone. I was slightly worried, as she tends to REALLY love the Ergo, and has a hard time when I take her OUT. BUT... "Tia Anna" was there, so all was well, as she couldn't get OUT fast enough.

I pick her up from daycare, she happily goes in the Ergo, and then we get home. She doesn't want to come out. At all. So I keep her in a bit, and then use every distraction method in the book, and FINALLY, "Signing Time" on the computer allows her to come out of the beloved Ergo. Now maybe I should clarify. Not a complete "Signing Time," mind you. A one MINUTE song called: "Nice to Meet you." Over, and over, and over. After, oh, 20 minutes of "Nice to Meet You," I was SO done. And besides, dinner was ready. She did NOT want Signing Time to end, and threw a minor fit. Now even having done the "OK, Cheeky, we'll do 3 more times, and then it's time to say bye-bye to "Signing Time," (which usually works well when she's not a mess), she wailed, protested, reached arms out to hit, etc. You know, a wild 2 year old tantrum. So then I get SOME dinner in her, and then it's time for bath. She wanted NONE of that, so I did the stupidest thing EVER. I offered her the elixir of happiness - Bubbles! In the bath! WOAH! How much fun was THAT! Massive amounts of fun. Until, you know, it was over. Tantrum #2 for the evening. Despite distractions, hugs, and routine, she was OVER this whole "do what Eemah says thing." I finally get her to her room, and we restore some of the bedtime routine, and she willingly goes to bed. But just as I leave the room, however, she catches on, and starts whining/fussing. My heart rate/blood pressure elevate, and I simply ride it out. It takes her 40 minutes to settle. I've never ridden it out solo before, Narda's always been there to remind me that she's FINE. Really. She's just a vocal girl. And she is - it's never an escalated cry, because if it is, we go to her. But she whines/fusses/cries as a way to soothe herself to sleep. And it kills me.

But we all survived, and she has slowly been restoring to normal, as it were. It DOES feel, however, that she totally into the "terrible twos" full speed ahead - tantrums, NOT listening, "NO!," whining, etc. If it's "on the list" as being part of the terrible twos? Malka's doing it. And I actually caught myself yelling at her for the first time, using a swear word. Yesterday am, she took her insane pills, and was pushing all of MY buttons, and I finally let lose and said: "do you EVER fucking keep still!" And because Malka has rarely, if ever seen me yell directly AT her, she thought it was the funniest thing ever, and just laughed.

It's a good thing she's so damn cute and asks for snuggles so much, because that can balance out the hard stuff any day.

We had a great time in DC, seeing our friends over at AdProb, and getting some good time in with mommy. Pictures are slowly coming into flickr, so be sure to check out naked babies in a tub, chapter 5. Cait said to me, mid bath: "Do you think the girls will find it odd when they are 14 and we want tub pictures?"

We also saw some elephants peeing at the zoo. Malka thought that was THE funniest thing ever. She really liked the hippos, too. We went with Jenny, Ezra and Elsie, who went forward facing in her moby for the first time and LOVED it. It was REALLY cute, too.

feed da fishies

enjoy this little time waster whilst Cheeky and I are in DC...

Because it's families like mine...

that ruin the institute of marriage.

hmmmm.

and

more hmmmmm.

Oh wait, and let's not forget our dear friend, Aahnold...

You know? It's REALLY easy to find articles about Politico MEN who sleep around and violate the "institution" of Marriage. But stories like the above mentioned that appear within OUR families? RARE, if at all.

I'm just sayin...

Go on, I dare you...

I dare you NOT to be humming this after you watch it.

It's hard not to giggle, and yet, be sad, at the same time, that this kind of PSA is needed...

OUCHHHHHHHHHH

OUCHHHHHHHHHH
Originally uploaded by shellipsm

Stop fucking biting me, kid, OK?!

OK - since I'd never say that to her, I feel i can say it to you.

To her - it's "gentle, gentle, we don't bite."

But Narda's in DC, and I have to scream somewhere.

So you get to hear it - FUCKING OUCHHHHHHHHHHHH!

phew.

OK,
Thanks,
we're off to have dinner at a friend's. She's in heaven playing with her car seat.

eh, eh, eh ohhh peeeee

Malka has taken over ownership, if you will, on our old point and shoot camera, which right now, is our only means of shooting semi-quality video. So in order to get her on "film," it must be secretive.

So sorry for the traffic sounds and views of the Malka's coat. But enjoy...

A B C from Shelli on Vimeo.

Because Laura made me

Reference back to the blog that sent you

Make a list of 5 things that you have to get done this week (NON-Work related), no matter how small

Get 2 other people off their asses to get their shit in order.

So here is my list

1 Finish quilting the top of a baby blanket I’m working on

2. finish the sashing of Amanda Jean’s Quilt-a-long

3. figure out what Malka and I will do IN DC for a few days while mommy works.

4. de-clutter the “entrance cubbies”

5. pick a quilt pattern for Narda’s mom’s Dashikis…

And I tag:
Bissel Babka

and
Jive Turkey

(and I know that I still have to do that book meme for Lo and for Jenny - I'll have to do that a wee later, however. Forgive me.)

a-b-c

The alphabet, according to Malka.

(sing it to the alphabet song, it makes more sense that way…) ;)

a b c d e f g h i j k eh eh eh eh eh a b c d e f g q r s t u v w s y ceeeeee now I no nie a eee eeee, eemah, YOU say a eee ceee!

Cheeky didn't nap today

At. All. ALL Cheeky ALL day long is a LOT. It's awesome, but LORDY do I realize HOW much that nap gives me some time off...

I'm pooped.

G'nite.

Bitch is the new black, baby!

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=221773

To my friends in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont. Watch this before Tuesday, please.

(and everyone else watch it, too - it's good.)