While trying to wash the hair of the kid who didn't have a nap today:
No Mommy! (all of a sudden I've gone from Mama to Mommy)
Where's Daddy?
I don't like you! (with a smack on the arm for emphasis!)
Go away! (with a point to the door so I could show myself out)
Oh, and did I mention that Liz the Nanny gave notice today?
GOOD TIMES!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Friday, April 03, 2009
Now Playing on the iPod in Eilish's Head
- 'Mama's Song' - All My Lovin' by The Beatles
- 'Daddy's Song' - Ohhhhhhh, ohhhhhh, ohhhh (a U2 song from the new album that Owen plays over and over and over in the Go Train parking lot as they wait to pick me up).
- 'Nanny's Song' - Rain, rain go away.
- 'Poppy's Song' - Bushel and a peck.
- 'Beyonce's Song' - Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho (Put a Ring on It - Eilish has grown obsessed with this song and the video and tries to mimic Beyonce's hand movements)
- 'Rockstar' - So What by Pink
- '1, 2, 3, 4' - Feist
- 'John & Yoko' - Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Crib Inventory 2.0
1 Pillow
2 Blankies
3 Suckies
1 Boppy
2 Lambys
1 Purple Care Bear - don't know his name, he has a sundae on his belly
2 Max of Max & Ruby
1 Ruby of Max & Ruby
5 Backyardigans - Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Uniqua & Austin
3 Beanie Babies - St. Patrick's Day, Valentines Day, 1 blue Grateful Dead beanie baby I picked up in the Atlanta airport approximately 100 years ago
1 Eilish
2 Blankies
3 Suckies
1 Boppy
2 Lambys
1 Purple Care Bear - don't know his name, he has a sundae on his belly
2 Max of Max & Ruby
1 Ruby of Max & Ruby
5 Backyardigans - Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, Uniqua & Austin
3 Beanie Babies - St. Patrick's Day, Valentines Day, 1 blue Grateful Dead beanie baby I picked up in the Atlanta airport approximately 100 years ago
1 Eilish
Friday, March 20, 2009
Turning 2 and Number 2
Owen has been teaching Eilish the difference between a man and a lady so when the Swiss Chalet delivery person (who visits our house twice a month) ever turns out to be of the female persuasion she can say 'how's it going lady?' as opposed to her current 'how's it going man?'. She will run down the list of people she knows and put them in to the lady or man category which led to this exchange when I came home for work on Wednesday:
Eilish - Want to go outside!Jen - Oh birdy, Mama just got home…
Eilish - Want to go outside!
Jen - OK, OK let's go.
Owen - That's nice Mama.
Eilish (taking my hand and looking up at me): You're a nice lady!
Now her pronunciation needs some work as 'you're a nice lady' came out like 'yo ni ady', making her sound more Asian than anything else but the intent was there.
Next on the 'making Eilish smarter than us' agenda was the difference between big and small, shorter and taller which she acted out in the bathtub. She would crouch down and tell me she was smaller and then grow bigger and bigger as she stood. She also referred to herself as a Little Girl and me as a Big Lady. So yeah, the kids a genius and Owen and I will be on some Dateline type show ten years from now looking like a couple of slack-jawed yokels next to our savant daughter.
The only obstacle in her quest for world domination is her monthly struggle with constipation. Any deviation from her regular diet throws a wrench into her daily BM's and it is a terrible 24 hours in the Connell house. When she tries to do her 'business' she demands we leave the room she is in, only to cry out when things get tough. I was online yesterday learning the difference between soluble and insoluble fibers and have a plan of attack for her little system - an apple a day really does keep the doctor away. The good news is the whole house will be eating better, the bad news is that during the time that Aunt Flo comes to visit I'll have to eat my Mac Donald fries while hiding in the closet!
This is what '2' looks like in our house:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Huh. Didn't see that coming.
The terrible twos have arrived and left me shocked. Shocked, dismayed and bewildered. Sure, I've heard about other people's children having temper tantrums and testing their boundaries but never thought my little birdie would follow suit. Why would she have a temper tantrum, she gets to do whatever she wants.
You wanna color Eilish? Let's color!
You want to dance? Throw on some Zeppelin and let's do this!
You want some blueberries for a snack? Coming right up!
You want to play bus driver? All aboard!
You don't want to put on your coat before you go outside? Why?! It's -10 outside.
What do you mean you don't want to have a bath? You love having a bath!
You don't want to go to bed? Really? You've been rubbing your eyes for the last half hour!
You're 'not going anywhere'? Where did you even learn that phrase?
You just grabbed that toy out of Mama's hand! What the ass is up with that?
You want to SCREAM and CRY and get all snotty and blotchy? That's peculiar, nothing really happened, we just put on the wrong Beatles song. Oh, I get it…this is a TANTRUM!
Now what?
Eilish is usually such a chill little girl. Having her test her boundaries leaves me sitting there, mouth agape STUNNED at the fact that she is acting like any other 2 year old on the planet! I know I can be naive about certain things but I honestly thought Eilish was above all this nonsense. She doesn't go to day care so it's not something she learned from another kid so it must be a nature vs. nurture thing. She has turned in to a little dictator and when she doesn't get what she wants, she loses her shit.
Sound like anyone you know?
And when I try to discipline her, give her a time out, she has to give me a running commentary of everything I just said:
Mama mad.
Mama sad.
Mama not joking.
Mama take away.
Eilish no move.
Ahh!
Ahhhhh!
Mama!
Mama!
Mom!
Moooom!
Moooooooom!!!!!!!!!!
I dare someone to ask me if I'm having another kid.
You wanna color Eilish? Let's color!
You want to dance? Throw on some Zeppelin and let's do this!
You want some blueberries for a snack? Coming right up!
You want to play bus driver? All aboard!
You don't want to put on your coat before you go outside? Why?! It's -10 outside.
What do you mean you don't want to have a bath? You love having a bath!
You don't want to go to bed? Really? You've been rubbing your eyes for the last half hour!
You're 'not going anywhere'? Where did you even learn that phrase?
You just grabbed that toy out of Mama's hand! What the ass is up with that?
You want to SCREAM and CRY and get all snotty and blotchy? That's peculiar, nothing really happened, we just put on the wrong Beatles song. Oh, I get it…this is a TANTRUM!
Now what?
Eilish is usually such a chill little girl. Having her test her boundaries leaves me sitting there, mouth agape STUNNED at the fact that she is acting like any other 2 year old on the planet! I know I can be naive about certain things but I honestly thought Eilish was above all this nonsense. She doesn't go to day care so it's not something she learned from another kid so it must be a nature vs. nurture thing. She has turned in to a little dictator and when she doesn't get what she wants, she loses her shit.
Sound like anyone you know?
And when I try to discipline her, give her a time out, she has to give me a running commentary of everything I just said:
Mama mad.
Mama sad.
Mama not joking.
Mama take away.
Eilish no move.
Ahh!
Ahhhhh!
Mama!
Mama!
Mom!
Moooom!
Moooooooom!!!!!!!!!!
I dare someone to ask me if I'm having another kid.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Intuition
Eilish is feeling a little under the weather. She was sicker yesterday than she had even been, to the point that the thermometer turned red when I put it in her ear. She is feeling much better now, that is when I call home I can hear her in the background - 'Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!'
Her temporary illness affected people in different ways. Owen was concerned and a little shocked, Donnie K. was ready to rip up the carpet (?), Joel didn't want to hear anything other than she was feeling better and Judes was saddened. My feelings were a mixture of all of the above, except for the carpet thing. I tried to explain it to Owen last night. When I looked in Eilish's eyes, I knew she was under the weather but I also knew that she was going to be OK. I truly believe that if there was something seriously wrong with her, all she needed to do was look in my eyes and I would know. This feeling pretty much sums up motherhood for me. The feeling of knowing your kid. Sure, she fell asleep in my arms and was warm to the touch but I knew, by making eye contact with her that she was going to be OK. My little birdie let me that she wasn't feeling good but that she was going to come around.
It makes me think of mothers with really sick kids. Can they look in their children's eyes and know that everything is not going to be OK? I think of Carmel with little Ronan eight years ago, weighing 1 pound 10 ounces. Could she look at him then and know that 8 years later he would make his way out of all the struggles and come out the other side a happy, healthy little boy?
You hear about mother's of children with autism who knew at a very young age that something wasn't right with their child and who fought for a proper diagnosis and a better life for their children because they received the message their child was sending them.
Eilish will grow up and her eyes will change, they will produce tears, wear eyeliner and readily accept the laugh lines her father will give her but I know that any message she needs to send me will be given through her eyes.
Intuition.
Her temporary illness affected people in different ways. Owen was concerned and a little shocked, Donnie K. was ready to rip up the carpet (?), Joel didn't want to hear anything other than she was feeling better and Judes was saddened. My feelings were a mixture of all of the above, except for the carpet thing. I tried to explain it to Owen last night. When I looked in Eilish's eyes, I knew she was under the weather but I also knew that she was going to be OK. I truly believe that if there was something seriously wrong with her, all she needed to do was look in my eyes and I would know. This feeling pretty much sums up motherhood for me. The feeling of knowing your kid. Sure, she fell asleep in my arms and was warm to the touch but I knew, by making eye contact with her that she was going to be OK. My little birdie let me that she wasn't feeling good but that she was going to come around.
It makes me think of mothers with really sick kids. Can they look in their children's eyes and know that everything is not going to be OK? I think of Carmel with little Ronan eight years ago, weighing 1 pound 10 ounces. Could she look at him then and know that 8 years later he would make his way out of all the struggles and come out the other side a happy, healthy little boy?
You hear about mother's of children with autism who knew at a very young age that something wasn't right with their child and who fought for a proper diagnosis and a better life for their children because they received the message their child was sending them.
Eilish will grow up and her eyes will change, they will produce tears, wear eyeliner and readily accept the laugh lines her father will give her but I know that any message she needs to send me will be given through her eyes.
Intuition.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
25 Random Things About Eilish
1. I cannot locate her birth mark. I have no idea where it is. She was born with a little red raspberry on her back that has faded with every passing month.
2. She will not cuddle with me but when I read to her she will put her hand on me.
3. When she is done singing or dancing she will bow at the waist and say 'thank-you, thank-you'.
4. If she sees someone she doesn't know, male or female she will ask, 'who's that guy?'.
5. She loves her sucky and will try to get access to it anytime we are upstairs even though she's only supposed to have it during nap time/bedtime.
6. She knows that her eyes are blue and that mine (and Owen's) are brown.
7. She knows all the words to 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.
8. She mostly sleeps on her stomach with her arms tucked into her.
9. 90% of the time she wakes up, whether it be in the morning or from a nap yelling 'Daddy!'.
10. She loves to pretend she's painting and uses a toothbrush to 'paint' the walls.
11. She does not like loud noises and refers to them as 'sounds'.
12. She thinks Judes is sick with a bad cough and needs medicine even though that happened months ago.
13. I would suggest you not sing 'Poppy's Song' unless you are indeed Poppy.
14. She favors Owen.
15. If I put something new on her and tell her it's new she will say 'Aunt Joan'. No pressure Joanie.
16. If Owen and I are talking to each other she will talk louder and louder until we acknowledge her.
17. She refers to the 3 of us as 'Family' and 'Friends'.
18. She likes to put on chapstick.
19. She will wear my underwear around her neck.
20. She loves blueberries. Looooves blueberries. I don't think you understand the love.
21. She eats raw broccoli. Without ranch dressing. I have no idea who this kid belongs to.
22. She loves to hear a story about herself and what she likes to do.
23. She is bossy.
24. When she is crying because she hasn't gotten her way she declares 'I'm crying!'. Like I hadn't noticed.
25. When Owen tells her that I've arrived home from work she says, 'I want to see her!'.
2. She will not cuddle with me but when I read to her she will put her hand on me.
3. When she is done singing or dancing she will bow at the waist and say 'thank-you, thank-you'.
4. If she sees someone she doesn't know, male or female she will ask, 'who's that guy?'.
5. She loves her sucky and will try to get access to it anytime we are upstairs even though she's only supposed to have it during nap time/bedtime.
6. She knows that her eyes are blue and that mine (and Owen's) are brown.
7. She knows all the words to 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.
8. She mostly sleeps on her stomach with her arms tucked into her.
9. 90% of the time she wakes up, whether it be in the morning or from a nap yelling 'Daddy!'.
10. She loves to pretend she's painting and uses a toothbrush to 'paint' the walls.
11. She does not like loud noises and refers to them as 'sounds'.
12. She thinks Judes is sick with a bad cough and needs medicine even though that happened months ago.
13. I would suggest you not sing 'Poppy's Song' unless you are indeed Poppy.
14. She favors Owen.
15. If I put something new on her and tell her it's new she will say 'Aunt Joan'. No pressure Joanie.
16. If Owen and I are talking to each other she will talk louder and louder until we acknowledge her.
17. She refers to the 3 of us as 'Family' and 'Friends'.
18. She likes to put on chapstick.
19. She will wear my underwear around her neck.
20. She loves blueberries. Looooves blueberries. I don't think you understand the love.
21. She eats raw broccoli. Without ranch dressing. I have no idea who this kid belongs to.
22. She loves to hear a story about herself and what she likes to do.
23. She is bossy.
24. When she is crying because she hasn't gotten her way she declares 'I'm crying!'. Like I hadn't noticed.
25. When Owen tells her that I've arrived home from work she says, 'I want to see her!'.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Underwire Not Included
So Eilish has one Barbie (bought by Aunt Lib at the Mart where frankly all first Barbie's should come from) and she refuses to keep the thing clothed. Mart Barbie came with a tutu which has not been on the poor doll since the moment I gave it to her. She says she 'loves' the Barbie and that it's her 'favorite'.
Last night while I was reading the paper she started her roll call of Barbie body parts. 2 hands, 2 legs, 2 feet etc. I didn't know what she would do when she came to the boobs. She calls mine 'boobies' and pushes on them with a mixture of awe and disgust. I didn't think my poor ol' working class breasts could compete with Barbie's and frankly, I did not need the pressure.
My darling girl, a feminist in training, looked at my chest, looked at Barbie's chest and declared: '2 elbows!'.
Last night while I was reading the paper she started her roll call of Barbie body parts. 2 hands, 2 legs, 2 feet etc. I didn't know what she would do when she came to the boobs. She calls mine 'boobies' and pushes on them with a mixture of awe and disgust. I didn't think my poor ol' working class breasts could compete with Barbie's and frankly, I did not need the pressure.
My darling girl, a feminist in training, looked at my chest, looked at Barbie's chest and declared: '2 elbows!'.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Relationship Meme
What is a meme anyway? Whatever it is, here's one about Owen and I stolen from my (and someone else's) favorite website.
What are your middle names?
Elizabeth
David
How long have you been together?
We've been married five years this August, together on and off for 150 years.
How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We met in Grade 10 Geography but did not officially start ‘going out’ until Grade 11.
Who asked whom out?
Owen asked me out.
How old are each of you?
I'm 34, he's 35.
Whose siblings do you see the most?
Mine.
Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Parenting. Not that raising Eilish is hard or that it is trying on our relationship per se. Just the logistics of raising a child while we both work full time and at different times.
Did you go to the same school?
Yes, high school.
Are you from the same home town?
I was born in Newfoundland, raised in Kitchener while Owen was born and raised in Toronto.
Who is smarter?
I think that Owen is more street smart than I am but I wouldn’t say one of us is necessarily smarter than the other unless we’re talking ‘Jeopardy smart’ in which case Owen has me beat. I can name all of Elizabeth Taylor’s ex-husbands (Hilton, Wilding, Todd, Fisher, Burton, Burton, Warner, Fortensky) but have no idea what the capital of Uruguay is.
Who is the most sensitive?
Ah ha ha ha ha. Next question.
Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We don’t ‘eat out’ as much as ‘take out’ and our favorite place to order out from when we were footloose and fancy free (that is, childless) was Butler’s Pantry on Roncevalles.
Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Which is further, Dominican or Cuba? See, Jeopardy smarts would come in handy right about now.
Who has the craziest exes?
We are each others crazy exes; therefore Owen has the craziest ex.
Who has the worst temper?
I am quick to lose my temper while Owen has a slow burn and then watch out.
Who does the cooking?
Me.
Who is the neat-freak?
Neither of us but man, someone should be.
Who is more stubborn?
Owen.
Who hogs the bed?
Whoever gets their first.
Who wakes up earlier?
Me. Occupational hazard.
Where was your first date?
We went to see ‘Look Who’s Talking’ in Kitchener.
Who is more jealous?
These days if I think someone is hitting on him I think, ‘good for you!’
How long did it take to get serious?
Owen is Irish and the Irish mate for life.
Who eats more?
Now that he is trying to quite smoking Owen is putting the food away at an alarming rate. When I was pregnant though I used to hide pizza boxes so he wouldn’t know that not only did I eat an entire pizza, I didn’t save any for him!
Who does the laundry?
Me. Owen cleans and does the dishes.
Who's better with the computer?
Me, yet another occupational hazard.
Who drives when you are together?
Owen because he thinks he’s a better driver when in reality he’s a slower driver.
What are your middle names?
Elizabeth
David
How long have you been together?
We've been married five years this August, together on and off for 150 years.
How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We met in Grade 10 Geography but did not officially start ‘going out’ until Grade 11.
Who asked whom out?
Owen asked me out.
How old are each of you?
I'm 34, he's 35.
Whose siblings do you see the most?
Mine.
Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Parenting. Not that raising Eilish is hard or that it is trying on our relationship per se. Just the logistics of raising a child while we both work full time and at different times.
Did you go to the same school?
Yes, high school.
Are you from the same home town?
I was born in Newfoundland, raised in Kitchener while Owen was born and raised in Toronto.
Who is smarter?
I think that Owen is more street smart than I am but I wouldn’t say one of us is necessarily smarter than the other unless we’re talking ‘Jeopardy smart’ in which case Owen has me beat. I can name all of Elizabeth Taylor’s ex-husbands (Hilton, Wilding, Todd, Fisher, Burton, Burton, Warner, Fortensky) but have no idea what the capital of Uruguay is.
Who is the most sensitive?
Ah ha ha ha ha. Next question.
Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We don’t ‘eat out’ as much as ‘take out’ and our favorite place to order out from when we were footloose and fancy free (that is, childless) was Butler’s Pantry on Roncevalles.
Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Which is further, Dominican or Cuba? See, Jeopardy smarts would come in handy right about now.
Who has the craziest exes?
We are each others crazy exes; therefore Owen has the craziest ex.
Who has the worst temper?
I am quick to lose my temper while Owen has a slow burn and then watch out.
Who does the cooking?
Me.
Who is the neat-freak?
Neither of us but man, someone should be.
Who is more stubborn?
Owen.
Who hogs the bed?
Whoever gets their first.
Who wakes up earlier?
Me. Occupational hazard.
Where was your first date?
We went to see ‘Look Who’s Talking’ in Kitchener.
Who is more jealous?
These days if I think someone is hitting on him I think, ‘good for you!’
How long did it take to get serious?
Owen is Irish and the Irish mate for life.
Who eats more?
Now that he is trying to quite smoking Owen is putting the food away at an alarming rate. When I was pregnant though I used to hide pizza boxes so he wouldn’t know that not only did I eat an entire pizza, I didn’t save any for him!
Who does the laundry?
Me. Owen cleans and does the dishes.
Who's better with the computer?
Me, yet another occupational hazard.
Who drives when you are together?
Owen because he thinks he’s a better driver when in reality he’s a slower driver.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Aunt Lib Shout Out
Because of the 'Great Constipation of 2008' and in preparation of 'Potting Training 2009' Owen and I have begun praising Eilish when she tells us when she has to poop. We tell her she's a good girl and that everybody poops. Then, we have to give her confirmation of the people who poop during her 'poop roll call'. So last night, it went like this:
Eilish - I'm pooping.
Jen - Good girl Eilish.
Eilish - Everybody poops.
Jen - That's right, everybody poops.
Eilish - Mama poops, Daddy poops, Nanny poops, Poppy poops. Who else?
Jen - Um, Lucy the cat poops, Uncle Joel poops.
Eilish - Grandma Poops.
Jen - Yep, Grandma poops...um, cousin Connell poops.
Eilish - Nicky poops.
Jen - Yep, Nicky poops....um.....um....Ryan poops, Emma poops, Aunt Joan poops.
Eilish - Aunt Lib poops!
Monday, February 02, 2009
More Conversations with a Toddler
Jen - Eilish, do you want some cake for desert?
Eilish - Sure.
Eilish - Not ice cream.
Jen - No, cake.
Eilish - Not cookie.
Jen - No, cake. Nanny brought cake.
Eilish - Not pudding.
Jen - No….cake.
Eilish - Not popsicles. Not chocolate. Not brownies. Not cupcakes. Not treats.
Jen - Nope, CAKE!
It's too bad the kid doesn't know anything about treats.
Eilish - Sure.
Eilish - Not ice cream.
Jen - No, cake.
Eilish - Not cookie.
Jen - No, cake. Nanny brought cake.
Eilish - Not pudding.
Jen - No….cake.
Eilish - Not popsicles. Not chocolate. Not brownies. Not cupcakes. Not treats.
Jen - Nope, CAKE!
It's too bad the kid doesn't know anything about treats.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Conversations with a Toddler
At Dinner:
Jen: So I was all like you can't do that…
Owen: Well, you're right. He shouldn't have…
Eilish: FORK!
Jen: I know right? Kind of a jerky thing to…
Eilish: TABLE!
Owen: Maybe he thought that…
Eilish: AND ANOTHER TABLE!
Jen: It doesn't matter anyway because she…
Eilish: STEREO!
Owen: Oh, I know he wouldn't have said that if…
Eilish: MAMA! DADDY! TABLE! FORK! DRINK!
After a Nap:
Eilish: I missed you.
Jen: I missed you too.
Eilish: I was sleeping!
In the Bath:
Eilish: Moony.
Jen: Yep, that's your moony.
Eilish: Gentle, gentle.
Jen: That's right, be gentle with your moony.
Eilish: Eilish moony, Mama moony. Daddy no moony.
In the Car:
Eilish: Go home.
Jen: We're going to the bookstore.
Eilish: Go home.
Owen: We're going to buy Eilish a new movie!
Jen: Maybe a Dora movie?
Eilish: SURE!
In Her Sleep:
Eilish - Dora! Dora!
Jen: So I was all like you can't do that…
Owen: Well, you're right. He shouldn't have…
Eilish: FORK!
Jen: I know right? Kind of a jerky thing to…
Eilish: TABLE!
Owen: Maybe he thought that…
Eilish: AND ANOTHER TABLE!
Jen: It doesn't matter anyway because she…
Eilish: STEREO!
Owen: Oh, I know he wouldn't have said that if…
Eilish: MAMA! DADDY! TABLE! FORK! DRINK!
After a Nap:
Eilish: I missed you.
Jen: I missed you too.
Eilish: I was sleeping!
In the Bath:
Eilish: Moony.
Jen: Yep, that's your moony.
Eilish: Gentle, gentle.
Jen: That's right, be gentle with your moony.
Eilish: Eilish moony, Mama moony. Daddy no moony.
In the Car:
Eilish: Go home.
Jen: We're going to the bookstore.
Eilish: Go home.
Owen: We're going to buy Eilish a new movie!
Jen: Maybe a Dora movie?
Eilish: SURE!
In Her Sleep:
Eilish - Dora! Dora!
Friday, January 23, 2009
That sound you heard was Judes' head exploding
Jen - Are you brushing the dolly's hair? Very pretty.
Eilish - Mama pretty.
Jen - Oh thank you lover. Who else is pretty?
Eilish - Aunt Joan.
Jen - Is Liz (the nanny) pretty?
Eilish - No.
Jen - Is Nanny pretty?
Eilish - No.
Eilish - Mama pretty.
Jen - Oh thank you lover. Who else is pretty?
Eilish - Aunt Joan.
Jen - Is Liz (the nanny) pretty?
Eilish - No.
Jen - Is Nanny pretty?
Eilish - No.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
And the Beat Goes On
Last night over dinner Owen and I came to the realization that there will come a point where Eilish will think we are really uncool. We spend the evenings that Owen is home doing crossword puzzles. He'll do the one in the Sun and I'll attempt the New York Times crossword then we'll switch and try to fill in the answers the other missed. This is what constitutes a rocking Tuesday night at the Connell house. Eilish will have no idea how 'cool' we used to be. You know, with all the under age drinking and whatnot. We can tell her about all the cool bands we've seen in concert (U2! 3 times) but by the time she is old enough to go to concerts of her own, our favorite bands will be even more uncool then we are. She will think the clothes I wear are dated and that our love of singing Chicago in the car very embarrassing.
Someday, she won't want to dance with us in the living room or go to the library with her ol' Mom on Saturday mornings. She's already gained an independence in her playing, occupying herself for hours at a time with her little people and her animals. She is stingy with her lovin' and would rather run around the house pretending to make soup then sit up on the couch for some snuggles.
Last night after her bath, I was putting her pajamas on and was zipping her up when she hugged right into me. Owen asked her what she was doing and she said, 'loving Mama'. I have to remember to treasure those moments because someday her pajamas won't need zipping and she'll be able to put herself to bed. Owen and I will still be in the living room doing crossword puzzles talking about the little girl she was and the woman she'll become. And the beat goes on.
Someday, she won't want to dance with us in the living room or go to the library with her ol' Mom on Saturday mornings. She's already gained an independence in her playing, occupying herself for hours at a time with her little people and her animals. She is stingy with her lovin' and would rather run around the house pretending to make soup then sit up on the couch for some snuggles.
Last night after her bath, I was putting her pajamas on and was zipping her up when she hugged right into me. Owen asked her what she was doing and she said, 'loving Mama'. I have to remember to treasure those moments because someday her pajamas won't need zipping and she'll be able to put herself to bed. Owen and I will still be in the living room doing crossword puzzles talking about the little girl she was and the woman she'll become. And the beat goes on.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bath Time
Bathing with Eilish always sounds like a good idea in theory, not so much in execution. We've only had 2 baths together in her 22 months, one when she was really little and didn't do much other than sit there and another a few months ago when she was going through some bum trauma. Owen has bathed with her once, wearing swim trunks which is another story best told in person after a few cocktails.
Last night I had just about run out of patience with her (Me: Eilish, what do you want for dinner? Eilish: Ice Cream? Me: Nooooo. Eilish: Chocolate? Me: Do you want to watch a movie? Eilish: Toopy & Binoo? Me: No we have Diego, Max & Ruby, the Wiggles, Franklin {Mommy's discovered the library rents movies}. Eilish: Toopy & Binoo?) and decided to move the party upstairs. It wasn't quite bath time so we 'played', that is moved from room to room pretending to go to bed. A few Moms I know shower their children instead of bathing them so I thought to try it out. I ran the water, turned on the shower, stripped us both off and jumped on in. Eilish wanted no part of the whole standing thing and the shower curtain really freaked her out. Maybe she has a touch of claustrophobia but she lost her mind and wanted to get the hell out of dodge. So I plugged the tub, pulled out the curtain and we both sat there waiting for the tub to fill up. She was sitting sideways in the middle of the tub and I was pressed up at the end of the tub freezing my ass off.
So I got us situated, her sitting in front of me while I washed her, her 'washing' my knees and having one of those mother/daughter moments that I'll treasure….
…until she turned around and faced me, taking in all my nakedness and looking at me like, 'dude, do you think those cookies were a good idea?'. She had many a question as to what was what and why was there hair 'there' etc. She likes to push on some body areas and poke at others all the while with this confused look on her face. I felt very exposed and not so good about myself and it was made worse when she decided to climb up on me and use my chest and belly as a water slide. And thus endeth Mother/Daughter bath time.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Crib Inventory
When you first have a baby you are told to have absolutely nothing in the crib with them while they are sleeping. No toys, no blankets, no bumber pads. Nothing. Since Eilish was born in March we had a little sleep sack we used to put her in to keep her warm, but other than that her crib had a sheet and that's it. As she got bigger and started to move around in her crib, we added the bumper pads and as the cold weather approched again we added blankets. Somewhere along the way a stuffed lamb made it's way in her crib and things have snow balled out of control.
On any given night here is what you can find in her bed:
- Eilish (duh)
- 3 soothers (AKA suckies)
- 1 bottle (AKA boppy)
- 1 Lamb (AKA Lamby)
- 1 Lamb (this one is just a lamb head with a blanket attached)
- 1 baby
- Max & Ruby beanie babies (AKA Nax & Ruby)
- 4 blankets: unless I get back in the room after Owen in which case I remove at least 2 of them (AKA blanky)
She knows when things are missing and if you leave a blanket on her rocking chair, you will hear her cry out for her 'blanky' and when you put it in her crib she will pull it up to her chin or cover one of her friends with it.
Last week we found the Glow Worm Andrea had given her and that made its way into her bed. All night long, everytime she rolled over the thing would start playing music. The Glow Worm is now a downstairs toy. Don't feel bad for the worm though, last night before bed she changed it's imaginary diaper, gave it a kiss and put it to sleep on the couch, and headed upstairs to the little home she's built for herself in her crib, taking our hearts with her.
On any given night here is what you can find in her bed:
- Eilish (duh)
- 3 soothers (AKA suckies)
- 1 bottle (AKA boppy)
- 1 Lamb (AKA Lamby)
- 1 Lamb (this one is just a lamb head with a blanket attached)
- 1 baby
- Max & Ruby beanie babies (AKA Nax & Ruby)
- 4 blankets: unless I get back in the room after Owen in which case I remove at least 2 of them (AKA blanky)
She knows when things are missing and if you leave a blanket on her rocking chair, you will hear her cry out for her 'blanky' and when you put it in her crib she will pull it up to her chin or cover one of her friends with it.
Last week we found the Glow Worm Andrea had given her and that made its way into her bed. All night long, everytime she rolled over the thing would start playing music. The Glow Worm is now a downstairs toy. Don't feel bad for the worm though, last night before bed she changed it's imaginary diaper, gave it a kiss and put it to sleep on the couch, and headed upstairs to the little home she's built for herself in her crib, taking our hearts with her.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Poop, Pooper, Pooping
I could post about how wonderful our Christmas was or how great it was to be home as a family with Eilish for almost 3 weeks but instead I'm going to tell you a little story about the worst day of parenting Owen and I have had thus far.
We put her to bed after nearly 2 days not pooping and heard her cry out after about an hour. When I went upstairs she was laying on her side crying and…straining. This next part is not for the faint of heart so scroll down for a cute picture and we'll forget this post ever happened.
I pulled off her diaper and saw would can only be described as an alien life form trying to make it's way out of her butt. I had honestly never seen her bum look like that before but to be honest, I've never caught her mid poop. Anyway I reached in and tried to remove the poop, only to leave a sizable amount still in her. That's when Owen arrived. For those of you who don't know, to say Owen has a weak stomach is putting in mildly. He is known to gag even wiping the kid's nose. We took her out of her crib and put her on her change table where she continued to cry and strain, it was heartbreaking. I started running around, crying myself at this point looking for some Vaseline. It was then determined by someone other than myself (Owen) that my carrying on wasn't really helping anyone (Eilish) and that I should just hold her hand, kiss her face and let the professional (Owen) get to work. And work he did. Using a Q-tip he chiseled away at the poop until Eilish passed what legend would refer to as 'a man sized shit'.
It is all about the poop.
So, Eilish is a pretty good pooper. Stuff goes in, stuff comes out, no big whoop. Last week Eilish had been trying to poop for about a day and a half and nothing was happening. She had eaten a lot of junk over the holidays after developing a taste for After Eight chocolates. You couldn't help give them to her as after each bite she would declare it 'delicious'. We were pretty lax with her diet over Christmas and paid the price.
We put her to bed after nearly 2 days not pooping and heard her cry out after about an hour. When I went upstairs she was laying on her side crying and…straining. This next part is not for the faint of heart so scroll down for a cute picture and we'll forget this post ever happened.
I pulled off her diaper and saw would can only be described as an alien life form trying to make it's way out of her butt. I had honestly never seen her bum look like that before but to be honest, I've never caught her mid poop. Anyway I reached in and tried to remove the poop, only to leave a sizable amount still in her. That's when Owen arrived. For those of you who don't know, to say Owen has a weak stomach is putting in mildly. He is known to gag even wiping the kid's nose. We took her out of her crib and put her on her change table where she continued to cry and strain, it was heartbreaking. I started running around, crying myself at this point looking for some Vaseline. It was then determined by someone other than myself (Owen) that my carrying on wasn't really helping anyone (Eilish) and that I should just hold her hand, kiss her face and let the professional (Owen) get to work. And work he did. Using a Q-tip he chiseled away at the poop until Eilish passed what legend would refer to as 'a man sized shit'.
After she was cleaned up and still whimpering she looked up at her Mom and Dad who were at this point up to their wrists in her excrement and said, 'downstairs?'. So at 10:00pm downstairs we went and read book after book until she was ready to go back to sleep. It was our hardest and finest hour of parenting to date and we spent the rest of the night buzzed about our poop adventures.
2009 has started off as the Year of the Vegetable as Owen and I pretend to like all the vegetables we're feeding Eilish. She doesn't actually eat the green beans or (shudder) broccoli that we put on her plate that we pretend to enjoy ourselves, but what she does not know is that veggies have been added to everything she eats. I've hidden broccoli in rice and green beans in meatloaf. I'm like the Vegetable Whisperer and although she can't articulate it, I know her bum thanks me.
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