Mess, Mess, Everywhere A Mess

All I'm saying, is that it was a loooong day.  And, that's all I'm saying folks.  All that I am saying.

Treasures From Toddlers

Just thought I'd share some little ole snaps of little lovelies the girls have been leaving for me about the house.  Treasures from toddlers ya know.  Makes me mad and then I laugh and smile and then sometimes, I'm back to mad again and then I go grab the camera so I'll smile later on.  

The Cob of Corn.  Marlo went behind me and snatched this here freshly peeled raw cob of corn as I blindly shucked the rest at the kitchen counter for our dinner.  She chowed down and then brought it back to me with a smile on her face saying, "Thank you!"  Later that evening I discovered tiny piles of chewed and spit yellow bits about the living room.  Awesome.

Bed Strewn Papers.  I could've hung the two of them upside down from my closet pole by their wee little pinky toes for this one.  Still need to organize the papers, plenty more were on the floor, before Cesar reads this.  Not good.

Melt My Heart.  I don't know what it is about finding the kids toys in odd places that melts my heart so.  Yes, I am a giant softie.  But there is just something special about happening upon their toys placed here or there in our room that just gets me.  It's like a little offering.  It's their calling card to say they were here and that by leaving this token behind, they'll be back.  It gets me.

Hugo and Sabine.  This picture is the odd one in the bunch.  Nothing wrong or out of place.  I just liked it.  I was walking swiftly past Hugo's door, on my way to the stairs, when I noticed Sabine sitting on Hugo's bed with his pillow in front of her tummy.  She looked right at me and smiled.  I don't know what she had been doing up there, but I ran for the camera.  By the time I came back, Hugo had joined her wanting in on the photo op.

I Was Vacuuming...

I was trying to be a good housewife by running the vacuum throughout the house.  I moved furniture, organized the toys, matched all the boots and little shoes by the front door, I was doing my job.  It felt good and looked good and, I was thirsty.  Rounding the corner from the dining room into the kitchen I suddenly knew why an open house floor plan has become so popular with families.  My goodness, these two girls of mine make Hugo look like an angel.  Quick as hummingbirds they were.  They've been dying to destroy my baking drawer for months.  Today was my lucky day.  I swear, once I saw the two of them with that drawer open and flour splattered about, my eyes blazed red.  Miraculously I stopped short in my tracks of utter anger and listened to a giggling voice in my head which told me to run and get my camera.  I took these few shots and then yelled, "GET OOOUUUTTT!"  They high tailed it out of the kitchen in mere fractions of a second.

Trouble

After breakfast, Cesar loaded the garbage, recycling, and Hugo into the truck, headed for the dump and errands across the river.  While I tidied up the kitchen and started a load of wash, the girls were loose on the living room floor.

Trouble was in the air, but I hadn't a clue.

 The clock soon told me that it was morning nap time, I went to say hello to the girls.  Sabine was sorta behind a chair playing with one of Hugo's astronauts.  Which reminds me that as I fed the girls their breakfast of sweet potato and cereal, Hugo wanted to talk about the girls upcoming birthday.  Ummm, okay.  It's still a ways off, I explained.  His voice was high with excitement and he twirled his fingers in front of his face as he talked. 

Hugo:  I'll play with the babies in my room while you make the cake, cupcakes, and cookies!  Right Mom.  Isn't that a good idea Mom?

Me:  (With a big smile on my face) Sure.  I like your idea.  What kind of cupcakes do you think the girls will like? 

Hugo:  Strawberry!  The babies will like strawberries.  I like strawberries!

 Me:  What do you think the girls will like for their birthday presents?

Hugo:  Astronauts!  And big boy toys!   -he was serious

Me:  What about a doll?

Hugo:  Oh yeah.  You're right Mom.  The babies will like dolls.

 And he walked away.

I scooped up Marlo and snuggled her close as I carried her upstairs to the nursery.  Evie the Cat was napping on the changing table, I booted her to the floor.  1 - 2 - 3 and Marlo was in her crib with the sleep sheep making ocean sounds, shoosha in her smiling mouth,  she snuggled her blanket to her chest and I backed out of the room.

Walking around the chair to scoop up Sabine, she spied me coming and gave me a big, pink grin.  Pink?  Is that Hot Pink?  What, what, where, how?  She had sucked on Hugo's Crayola Marker cardboard packaging and destroyed a corner of it.  What I don't know is where the pink ink came from exactly?  I wondered if a marker had been tucked away with no cover once upon a time, and the ink had leaked into the cardboard, but I couldn't find a marker without a lid or one that was missing. 

I am in trouble.  Markers already?  She's 9 months!  I'm beginning to suspect that our Miss Sabine will be the silent, but deadly troublemaker type.  She had me all fooled by framing her sister Marlo early on.  Marlo is our squeaky wheel - for sure, but Sabine might just be the wrench which makes her squeak!

Fast, Very Fast

After breakfast, I checked over my new to do list. I decided to tackle the kitchen curtains, they've been calling my name for months. At the same time, Hugo checked over his "trouble" to do list and guess how he chose to busy himself . . . ? The damage could have been much, much worse. I didn't catch him in the act. I stumbled upon the keyboard and forgotten, topless sharpie while searching for something else. Something Else, now that's a good name for our little Hugo. Something Else.

Trouble

Early this morning we rose and down the stairs we went. We hurried and opened the door for Rodrigo and Bella, they quickly raced outside. They barked themselves silly at who knows what. Hugo and I ate our Cheerios, fruit and chocolate milk. Normally I would turn on cartoons for him to watch but not today. I don't know why I didn't. I was busy. We had a playdate scheduled and I had volunteered to help with lunch plans. So, I was boiling eggs, for egg salad, and mixing up biscuits for shortcake when I spied Hugo out the corner of my eye. Something blue was smeared from ear to ear. At first I thought he had found some magic markers. I dropped my wooden spoon and took a closer look. He had found his Easter basket, hidden away and forgotten about by me, in a kitchen cabinet. I hadn't worried when he wanted to play with it because I believed it to be empty. It did hold grass and plastic eggs. I think there were even a few glitter insects left inside but no candy. Well, of course,
Hugo discovered a few malted robbin eggs hidden away amongst the grass in the basket. He was quite pleased with himself! His impish grin reminded me of Max from the cartoon Max & Ruby which Hugo loves so much.