February 10, 2013

Almost free!

We did two dig-out sessions today.  One in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Ashlin didn’t do quite as well this morning as she has the other times we went out.  Maybe her gloves were still a bit wet, I don’t know.  I only got to help Stu a little bit.  Trying to keep the girls enthusiastic, I suggested trying to get to the swing set, so I could start shoveling the deck.  They were game, very happy at the thought of the slide.  I didn’t think it through quite as much as I should have.

The snow was almost to my waist.  Blazing a trail was not easy, especially while carrying Ashlin on one hip.  She couldn’t stand, though when I sat her on the snow, she sort of stayed on the surface.  Teagan had a lot of trouble following in my footprints.  So, I’d go a little way, put Ash down, go back and get Teagan.  Leave Teagan, forge ahead with Ashlin, go back and get Teagan.  Incredibly tiring work, and I hadn’t even started shoveling yet!

Eventually we got there, Teagan played on the slide a bit, though she had trouble climbing the wall with her boots on.  Ashlin was with me, sitting on the stack of deck chairs while I cleared the door.  The door that had snow higher than Teagan!  I got most of that done, and started on a window before Ashlin and then Teagan were fed up.  Getting back to the front was a bit easier, I could follow my trail, but still, it was leapfrogging up with one and going back for the other.  Teagan did try a bit to walk herself out though, my big girl.

The snow was stupid high

While I was out back, Stu got most of the end of the driveway open.

We went in, and we all napped.

Ashlin was still a big cranky about being outside in the afternoon.  She wanted to be near both of us, and really didn’t want to try to build a snow monster, like Teagan did.  The driveway was open enough, so I dropped Ashlin in the car – in Teagan’s seat! – and backed out.  All the snow on the roof fell off in the road as soon as I stopped.  It was so loud when it slide off.  I took the car around the block while Stu continued to widen the end, and to see the neighborhood.  Ashlin enjoyed that, but really wanted to walk, “Ashlin walk, snow.  Walk.”  How could we refuse?

So, while Stu continued working on the driveway, I took the girls and we went for a walk.  It was so strange, the snow plow only did one pass, so the road was only one car wide.  We saw a few people out, still digging out their cars, their driveways.  Teagan would always say “hi!  What’s your name?” Quickly followed by “my name is Teagan!”  Most people humor her and replied with their name.

They both were very good on the walk, not getting too far ahead or behind.  Listening well.  Teagan would stop every few feet to get a new snowball, or boulder, as a new one would pique her fancy.  You could see who had a snowblower and who shoveled.  Or hadn’t finished shoveling!

Free at last!

Anyway, we’re free! Or at least able to get out of the house and go around the block. I’m not sure how much else of town is cleared, last night there was something like 80% of town that was still unplowed, like we were.

Oh, and the door and windows are clear, as is some of the chimney.  As much as I could get to before dinner.

Fingers crossed that the rain we’re forecast for tomorrow will melt some of what we have, and not sit on top and weight it down.

Related articles

• February 9, 2013 (lisasff.wordpress.com)
• February 8, 2013 (lisasff.wordpress.com)

February 8, 2013

Hello Nemo!  It’s the Blizzard of 2013!  Snowpocalypse.

Ok, enough.  We have a lot of snow.  At least a foot by now.  The wind has turned up and is howling around the house.  The drifting snow has turned the motion sensor lights on at least twice.  There was something that sounded like hail, big rain, and then some  thundersnow!  And lightening!  Yay!

The girls got to play at day care for a few hours this morning while Stu and I got to do some work before we picked them up.  He started shoveling, I went for the girls.  By noon we had about 3 inches, I guess.  He was back inside by the time I got back.

Ashlin helping daddy shovel

Ashlin napped and Teagan snuggled and watched some fairy move on Netflix.  I tried working a bit more.  Not much luck with Teagan home, she is so nosey and just wants to know everything.  Why you typing mama?  Why is that blue, mama?  There’s a 6, right there, mama!  So, when Ashlin woke up, we went outside.

Which is an enormous undertaking in itself.  Two young kids, two snowsuits, pairs of boots, hats, scarf, mittens.  Teagan got bundled up first, and sent out into about 5-6 inches of snow.  I got Ash wrapped up and then made her wait while I got my gear on.

It’s her beach

While Stu continued to shovel the snow, I found some sand toys, dust pans, small shovel.  Ashlin would get stuck in the snow when she moved off the shoveled bit, she had trouble waking in it, it was so deep.

And it packed well!  We made some snowballs, threw those around.  Though Ashlin didn’t want to, she held on to hers.  We molded snow, made a snow man, used the sand toys to make a small fort in front of him.  The girls took turns helping Stu shovel.  I shoveled a bit too.  Then we went sledding a bit.

Hot cocoa with marshmallows!

And then was the rush to get out of the snowsuit.  We made it though!

The girls warmed up with some hot chocolate.  Ashlin had her first mug, (warm!), and she loved it.  Or was it the  marshmallows on top that made her so happy?  Maybe both.

Stu and I went back out to shovel once the girls were in bed.  There had been so much snow that fell between our sortie three hours earlier that you almost couldn’t tell. It’s now about an hour and a half since we shoveled, and again, it’s like we never went out.  We must have gotten at least four inches.

Anyway, we’re done for the night.  Fingers crossed we don’t lose power, they expect about 30% of the state to be out before all is said and done.  Yo Gabba Gabba has been canceled, (boo! I was strangely looking forward to some dancy dance), so we have nothing to go out for tomorrow.  We can take our time getting whatever snow we get off the porch, path, driveway and cars.  I will admit to not looking forward to the end of the driveway!

Even with all this snow, I’m happy I live here, and not where it rains spiders.

January 10, 2013 (Not December!)

Am I rich now?

This morning Stu took Teagan and Ashlin into day care while I finished getting ready.  As we drove in, Stu retold me his conversation with Teagan.  It was all he could do to get through the conversation without laughing:

She asked me if I was called Stuart when I was a baby.

I told her yes… I liked the name and kept it etc etc

She then asked if you can change your name.

I said yes, but you have to pay money to do that.

She said “when my baby teeth fall out and the tooth fairy gives me money I am going to change my name.”

I asked her what she’d change it to and she said Snow White McCann.  Then when more teeth fell out she’d buy a Snow White dress.

Awesome.  At least she doesn’t want to be called Cinderella any more.  I like that she’s planning out her future, too.

In other news, Ashlin made a crown at day care.

She made a crown!

Related articles

• December 27, 2012 (lisasff.wordpress.com)
• December 17, 2012 (lisasff.wordpress.com)
• December 4, 2012 ~ Wiggly Box (lisasff.wordpress.com)
• November 10, 2012 (lisasff.wordpress.com)

December 19, 2012

My poor sick baby.  She’s doing much better today than yesterday, but she’s still not herself.  Yesterday, she was sent home from day care with a 102ºF temp.  The temperature broke sometime last night, before 5am, when she woke up for the day.  Well, at least the first time she woke up for the day.

sick baby on the swings

Stu stayed home with her, I had to go into work.  Her first nap was as I left at 7:30. When she got up, Stu said she was “contrary,” just wanting to lie on the couch with the stuffed elephant, that’s become her best friend, and a blanket.  No milk, no oranges, no toast, no water.  Every question was answered with a “no.”  The two of them spent most of the day watching “Signing Time” and “Timmy Time” and “Yo Gabba Gabba”.  She had some juice – full strength! – in the evening, but was not really in the mood to eat.  Better, but not herself.

Hopefully, the happy little girl will be back tomorrow.  It’s no fun having a sick baby.

December 12, 2012

Too cute!!

We let Teagan watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer last week, and she loved it.  Asked LaLa to sing the song to her at bedtime, asked us to join in with her as she did a pretty good job, after only hearing it a few times.  Well, over this past week, she’s gotten much better!  So glad I was able to talk her into singing a version that we could tape.

She’s been surprising me again and again with how much music she knows, how many lyrics she remembers.  Or thinks she remembers.  Walking through Target over the weekend, I told my mom that something was crazy!  Teagan replied, “call me baby!”  I had no idea she had heard the song, we  try so hard to shield her from the horrors of the world.  What’s more, a female shopper heard her, and laughed.  So Teagan sang the whole thing again. It was fun ;D

She got to go swimming Sunday, and she totally rocked the pool.  According to Stu, I haven’t seen her swim yet (sniff), she jumped right in, and was off.  She refused to have Stu hold her or anything, she wanted to go on her own.  If you didn’t say anything, she was breathing through her nose, naturally.  Stu said that when he mentioned how good that was, she breathed in a big bit of water.  Still.  So proud of her.  Next week, I’m going to figure out how to get to the pool to see her.

She’s getting so big.

 

PS.  I  finally found  the yarn I ran out of, so can finish the last Christmas present.

PPS.  Ashlin has slept through the alarm for three days.  We’ve only needed to wake her once, she’s gotten up herself the other two times, but it’s something!  It’s better than last week!

November 2, 2012 ~ Teagan’s Cats

Cover of The Gruffalo

This morning on the way to day care, Teagan announced to Stu that we were getting two cats.  Announced, not asked.  Cheeky kid.  Teagan will pick one cat out and then she gets to name it.  She said that she was naming her cat Sandy-Storm something something* Sticky-Nose.  Ashlin is allowed to name the other one.  Knowing Ashlin, it will probably be named something like “app-i-cah” or “book-a book-a.”

Stu is Gruffalo-Daddy and is not allowed to eat the cats.  Of course.

I think it’s fair to say she’s not looking forward to a dog now.

 

~~

* To be filled in when Stu remembers.  He knew it was a six part name, but can’t quite remeber it all.  :D

October 26, 2012

Moarh?

Look at these little cuties!  I’m leaving them both today.  They’re going to stay home with their dad while I go and reconnect with some good friends.  Dad has lots of activities planned to give them a good time and tire them out so they sleep.

Talking with Stu, we realized that I had left Teagan alone with her daddy when she was about 14 months, and we had left her with her grandparents while we went away when she was 16 months.  Ashlin is now 18 months, and I really haven’t left her for more than a few hours.  No, wait, there was that time when she was around 15 months when I went home early for my friends wake.  Still.

I know they’ll all be fine.  Stu is more than capable, even though Teagan’s been very “challenging” now, and Ashlin still doesn’t sleep well.  Doesn’t sleep long enough, late enough.  Teagan, on the other hand, has been disruptive  disrespectful and generally an annoying preschooler pushing her boundaries.  She was put to bed early last night, after two “naughty” notes in a row.  Dinner, teeth, one book and bed.  She ended up sleeping around 11 hours straight, more than she has in the past few nights.  So, maybe some of it is her being tired, she doesn’t nap well – again! – at day care, and she’s dropped her second nap on weekends.

Although I know I’ll miss my girls, my man, I’m really looking forward to this weekend.  I hadn’t realized quite how much the other girls – moms all – would need this girls weekend.  How much they need the time away, to appreciate what they have.  It’ll be great to hang out with my friends, see an area of New England I’m not very familiar with, and recharge.  To come home in a better state of mind, to be a better mom.

When I get back, I’ll get up the pictures, the entry, for the second crocheted amigurumi…

Related articles

• October 19, 2012 (lisasff.wordpress.com)
• October 23, 2012 (lisasff.wordpress.com)

October 1, 2012

Another post I’ve been sitting on, for some reason.  Sigh.  Getting there.

Anyway, we had a rough few days with Teagan.  After visiting the Aquarium, last Sunday, we had to leave a bit early, both girls were too tired.  They became little monsters, that we didn’t want to be around in public.  Teagan did fall asleep almost before we got out of the parking lot.

Unfortunately, after her power nap, she wasn’t much better.  So, Sunday was the first time she was sent to bed early.  As a punishment.  Before she had finished dinner.  She was still pushing everything, not listening, being willful and defiant.  By the time she was three quarters through her dinner we both were fed up and Stu took her up to her room for the night.  What seemed to upset her the most, not that we were unhappy with her behavior, but that she hadn’t finished her dinner and that her sister was downstairs watching “Signing Time” without her.  Eventually she calmed down.  Stu talked her down from the screeching, unhappy little girl that howled up the stairs.

She woke up promising to be better.  And asking for her leftover dinner, which Stu had actually put in the fridge for her.  She had maccaroni and cheese for breakfast!

Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to keep her promise.  Again, she gave us a near repeat Monday night. More screeching, crying, promising to be good, telling us that she could be a good girl.  Insisting she was a good girl, and would listen now.  Right. We’ve totally heard that story before.  So, she had another early night.

Tuesday, she was better, and Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday, well, she called one of her teachers a name.  This teacher asked her to be quiet during nap time.  Teagan didn’t want to, she said “no” then called the teacher a pig.  Horrifying.  I have no idea where she even got the idea of calling someone a mean name like that.  Day care told her that we don’t call people names.  Day care made Stu sign a note.  He was mortified.  We told her that we don’t call people bad things.  She said she’d be good, and wouldn’t do it again.

As I was getting her ready for bed, she called me something – a fart, a burp – I don’t remember what any more and then laughed.  I told her that she had just lost her books for doing something mean like that.  She thought she was being funny.  Apologized, but she knew she wasn’t getting any books.  A few minutes later, she called me a poop.  I picked her up and carried her to bed, telling her that her behavior was unacceptable, and made me sad. Stu came up, hearing the commotion, and reinforced the message.

We were dreading the weekend, but she was quite good.  Fun. She got to play with her friend G for a bit.  And she learned how to pedal her tricycle! All by herself!

She was pretty good today too :D

August 20, 2012

Napping at Day Care

 

Teagan was sent home today with this picture.  She napped at day care.  Again.  This is two days in a row for naps at day care.  Crazy.

I think these may be the first naps at day care in over a year, maybe even two years.  Well, except for when she’s been sick and sent home.  She  never naps at day care.  I think they didn’t believe it either, which is why they took a picture, to prove it.

Still.  Teagan napping is so rare that they had to send a picture.  LOL!

Ashlin, who does still nap at day care, is picking up a new word every day or so.  Today’s word, puppy.  She was using sidewalk chalk, when two dogs went by (with a lady walking them, of course).  Ashlin noticed, stopped what she was doing, pointed and said something.  I supplied the correct word – puppy.  She repeated it.  Again.

We waved bye bye to the puppies as they rounded the corner.  Once we came back inside to finish dinner, she told Stu that there were puppies!

Sidewalk Chalk

July 29, 2012

Darth Piñata

We went to a birthday party today.  A party on the beach.  Teagan was so excited to go, she said it was “magical.”  The drive out was filled with words like “magic” and “sand” and “cupcakes.”

The weather wasn’t the best at the beginning of the party, you could see the storm roll in, but we changed Teagan into her suit and let her play in the rain.  Ashlin, well, we kept her in her dress, but let her play for a bit too, but then distracted her with goldfish.

After the rain cleared up, the kids ran through puddles. Teagan danced in the puddle.

We couldn’t keep Ashlin out of the puddle, once she saw the boys and her sister frolicking in it.

Soon, the water play had to end, it was cake time! Cupcakes for everyone!

Ashlin really enjoyed hers, dantily shoving it in her face with both hands. Teagan, well, has a bit more practice, and allowed herself to look around.

Once the cupcakes were devoured, it was piñata time! Teagan has never seen a piñata, nor been at a party with one, so she had no idea what to do.

Stu told her to pull her ribbon, along with the other kids. It was a slow opening piñata, needing a bit of adult encouragement to release the treats. Teagan wasn’t sure what to do with the treats that fell down, so didn’t scramble for them like the other kids. As the kids drifted away, one very sweet little girl gave Teagan some snacks from the Darth piñata.

Afterward, Teagan was talking to Stu about the piñata. She asked “who him?” “What him name?” Stu told her his name was Darth Vader. Again, “who him?” “Well, he’s a dark lord of the Sith.” “Him have candy in him head.”