Climbing Mt. Cribest

I know that no two kids are alike and that each marches to a different drummer...I just thought that two kids from the same two parents would at least be slightly similar. They do look like sisters, there is no mistaking that!
Our youngest daughter has, at 16 months, figured out how to crawl out of her crib! Now you need to understand that this is not just any little girl, she is a LITTLE girl. She is only 19 pounds and has JUST started to fit into 12 month clothing and wears size 4 shoes (not an easy size to find in a hard sole). I am so afraid she is going to break something.
Our older girl was slim too. She however was tall. She is the one who was quite happy in her crib up until she was potty trained-at 2 years old- and we decided that she needed to be in a "big girl" bed so she could get to the bathroom if she needed. I will also say that she went right to sleep in it and we did not have more than two nights where we needed to get up and put her back in bed. She was happy to sit in her highchair and watch me mop floors, hang out in the car seat while we did errands all over Stafford, VA, and when she was just an infant, hang out in her baby carrier on my chest and watch me teach horseback riding lessons.
So now comes the debate with my darling little daredevil...can she sleep in a toddler bed at this point? I do not think she can. She is our-all over the place, million miles a minute, jumping off furniture, scaling book shelves, cribs, and highchairs, walk up the stairs like a big person-child. She is so small because I can't feed her enough to keep weight on her. She still has a Pediasure filled bottle everyday because it's the only way to stay ahead of her calorie burning ways...what I would give to have that metabolism!

Well we tried the toddler bed tactic today. Want to guess how that went? I will tell you, NOT GOOD! After an hour and my desire to shower (have not had one in two days, yes I know, gross!) became overwhelming, I put the railing back on the crib and prayed very hard that she would be tired enough to just lay down and sleep. She did!!!
Now it's time to do the internet searches and find something to keep her in that blasted thing! !~Last night she climbed out of her crib at 3:30 and at 4:30....I finally got her back to sleep at 6, she woke up at 7!~
So far what I have found is a net that goes over the crib, like putting your kid in an enclosed cage. Somewhat fitting I guess, we do call her our little monkey!

The art of being a Drama Queen

I am sitting here with my daughter who is currently telling me why she can not help kicking the underside of the cabinets while she is doing her home work.
"My legs are too long to not do it Momma. Especially when I am stretching."
I have now relegated myself to three words..."DO YOUR WORK"
"But I don't know what the sentence I should write for, press, is."
"Do your work."
Now there is an ache in her had from being in computer class today..."Do your work"
This had been going on since 3pm when we got home from Rita's Ice Cream (which I am now wishing I had not done).
It really is an art form I think. First she starts by complying with my instructions and shows she is making an effort. Then she finds little things here and there to get upset about. The "A" is not perfectly straight, the "S" is too wiggly, then, the foot starts itching so she must get down and take her shoe off to fix that. While she is there her sister comes over and pats her on the back. This is excruciatingly painful and now she much break down into tears because nothing is going right.
"Go to your room and lay down until you are calm and ready to do your work."
Now the sobbing really gets going with spattering of wails. When she finally comes out she is all red faced and puffy eyed. She says she needs a tissue because her nose is dripping, and I cant do my work now because, "my head is throbbing."
"Get a tissue, go to your room and lay down until you are calm and ready to do your work." That is all I say...if I say more she will not be the only drama queen in the room. God grant me patience!
She is now here next to me "TRYYYYINGGGG" to do her work, in between aches, pains and the occasional messed up letter. Oh the teen years will be sooooo much fun. I do love her tenacity though!

It's Done

Well, after all the adds, negative and positive, and all the money spent (waisted) on everything from toilet paper to thousands in clothing; it's done. I will say now, I voted for McCain. He would uphold what I believe in...for the most part. I can not say that there is ever a candidate that has ever upheld all of what I believe in. But McCain came pretty close and I am sad that this country did not vote him into office. I am also sad that some of these people only voted for Obama because of his race, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1124628/the_howard_stern_show_interviews_harlem.html?cat=75

But it is over and it's time to move on. I will be praying for Obama. I will be praying that he feels the weight of this responsibility upon his shoulders. I will pray that he really loves this country and he will start to show pride in it. For selfish reason I will pray that he will not make cuts that prove to hurt our military. Mostly I pray that he finds it in his heart to see between the party lines and not along them so he can do what is really best for us ALL and not let the very liberal left or the very conservative right cause him to put his back up in pride and make wrong decisions.

Happy Halloween

"Well, Halloween is done; The candy has been examined and partially consumed. The kitchen had been cleaned after 6 adults and 6 children descended upon it for a warm meal before a chilly night of candy hunting.

We had a great time with our friends from D.C. and from around the corner here to share in the festivities. It is always so much fun to see the kids playing together after being apart for so long. They jump back in with both feet, like they have never been apart.

My girls had a great time and were very darling in their costumes. Delaney was a Bee Keeper and Aisling was....well a bee. They were both very cute.

As I was dressing them I started thinking of my friend who has, 9, yes n-i-n-e kids. How do you get them all in their costumes and out the door? How do you decide on 9 costumes in the first place? So as I was dressing them and worrying about if they would be ready on time I thought of her, (thank you friend) and decided that I should relax and have fun, because I know she would be.

So now the pasta and pasta sauce with a hint of orange (that is a story for another day), dishes and candy have all been cleaned up and I am going to take a much needed nap...or not, Aisling just woke up. Oh well! Sleep later, play now.