Taking The Nuk Away

Baby Bell has been nukky girl since I can remember. She looked so adorable with her nuk in her mouth that I never thought about the day when I might need to limit it. With her second birthday fast approaching I thought it was time to take the nuk away. Cold turkey was the best way I thought. Nope!!!! Ellie was not having it. So, like many other parents out there, I just succumbed to the notion that she would be four and still running around with a nuk in her mouth. Recently, she has been chewing on her nuks, putting holes in them, so I knew it is time for change for safety reasons. Change is a good think as long as it subtle. I have been limiting it to quiet time and bed time. While I will not go on long car rides without a nuk, she doesn't automatically get to have it either.

I have noticed that she is using it less and less. She is talking more, but this was never a problem because she has the gift to gab. I thought I was making progress. Score! Point for mommy. Then I noticed something even worse..... She is a thumb sucker. And that, I can't take away. Mom scored a point, but Baby Bell has won the game.

Surviving The Winter

There is not much going on here in the time frame after the holidays through the beginning of March. This tends to be the coldest time of the year here in Wisconsin. My main objective during this time is how to survive cabin fever. One of Cari and Ellie's favorite activities is going to the local gymnastics center. They can run, jump, yell, flip, and tire themselves out in the comfort of the indoors. Then go home and take a good nap. It is a weekly event (sometimes more than once a week) for the babes and I. Miss Abbey thinks it's not so fair that she doesn't get to go with her sisters to gymnastics.

The other day, Abbey had a day off school and was able to enjoy open gymnastics with her lil' sisters. They all had a blast, and took a good nap when they got home. Even "the one who is too old for naps."

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2010.

The Magic Of The Holidays

There is something magical about a room full of freshly opened toys, and a child playing in the empty boxes.

Happy Holidays

We all had a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas.

Big Girl Things

Abbey has been interested in getting her ears pierced for the past six months. It's not that I was ever against it, I had mine pierced for the first time at five yrs old. It's just that I did not feel she was ready for the responsibility of letting me clean them. I was also afraid of how she would react to the pain.

I advised Abbey that she was going to have to prove that she was a big girl, doing her jobs without being told, letting me comb her hair without crying, and most important getting a good report card. Abbey has been doing her best at being a big girl, and "making a difference" as she calls it. To her surprise, there was a pair of earrings wrapped up for her on Christmas morning. She squealed with delight, and wanted to go out that moment to get her ears pierced.

She had to wait until the Monday after Christmas to get it done. It was a long weekend for her. The big question was, how would she react to the procedure? I have two words "ROCK STAR!" She didn't as much as flinch while her ears were being pierced. I just got a big reassuring grin when it was completed.

I Love Milwaukee

Today we took a family field trip into the city. Frogwater with Lil Rev, a very talented local acoustic Irish folk/Bluegrass musical ensemble, that Mark and I listen to played at a coffee shop. Imagine an old restored creme city brick building with huge windows overlooking Michigan. It's a beautiful place, and having coffee there in itself is an event. I packed a backpack full of crayons, books, Leapster, etc with hopes that Mark and I could enjoy some music. I was also hoping that the girls might see the beauty in the sound of a fiddle, and some good old fashioned Christmas music. frogwater has an amazing energy, and the girls loved when they played at our table. Mark and I reminisced about the days as newlyweds with out kids sitting in a little pub called the Dubliner, listening to Frogwater play. We lasted more than hour having lunch, and listening to the music. The girls were awesome, and I hope they loved the music as much as Mark and I did. It was just like old times?! Well, sort of.....

After lunch, Mark and I decided to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum. The building is another amazing piece of architecture the city of Milwaukee has to offer. There was an Andy Warhol exhibit, and I have been itching to see it. Love him, or hate him, there is something humbling seeing his work in person. It also was humorous to hear what Abbey had to say about his work. She wasn't as impressed as I was, and thinks that his works with yarn look like splatter paintings her kindergarten class made. However, the girls loved the children's art area. Carina produced a masterpiece that she is pretty proud of. I had to convince her not to take it to bed as a lovey at nap time. Instead, it is hanging on our Christmas tree.

For a a few hours some of the big things seemed a little less important. No one cared if dishes were done or not. The mess in the toy room didn't matter. Each one of us took a bit of inspiration out of today's activities. It was just one of those great days.