Water Bottle of Pennies

When MLO was born I decided that I would keep my old bottle of pennies in her room because it would be fun to look at and make noise with, etc.

It is one of those 3 (or 5, can't remember which and am too lazy to go check while I am writing this) gallon water bottles that you get from those water companies. I have had it since I was around 12 and kept my pennies in it.

It has been awhile since I counted them, but at last count there was about forty dollars worth of pennies in there.

MLO has just started showing a real interest in it. She tries to move it around (near impossible for me to do) and loves to put pennies into it. She also likes to look through the opening in the top and study the change inside (it is very funny to see a little girl with her head attached to the top of one of these water bottles, intently studying the pennies).

If she sees any change around she will steal it and put it in the penny jar. Then gets a little frustrated that she can't get them back out.

Hopefully this will lead to good money saving skills later.

Making piles of dirt

I mentioned earlier that MLO hates messes, except ones she creates herself.

Well a perfect example of mess that she makes herself and therefore doesn't hate is making piles of dirt on her legs.

She sits on the ground next to some fresh earth, picks up as much as she can in her tiny hands, and then watches it fall on her leg (usually panted leg).

She then happily looks up at me, says "mess" pointing at the dirt and tries to brush it off. Her version of brushing it off is really grinding the dirt into her pants or getting more of it in her shoe than one would think was possible, then picks up another pile.

I have tried to stop her, told her yucky mess and such but she just happily cleans it up (so there is no mess) and makes another one.

Yes, we have a lot of fun outside.

Getting in the tub

Story told to me by MLO's nanny:

Last night MLO was being prepared for a bath.

She loves baths and says "bath" and "bubbs" over and over while you are getting it ready.

The water is warming up, non-slip mat goes down and nanny runs into MLO's bedroom (right next door).

When nanny comes back, MLO was sitting in the bath-tub, FULLY DRESSED. The water was running and I am sure she was happily waiting for the bubbs (bubbles).

She got pulled out then stripped of her now drenched socks, pants and shirt. Took off what was probably a very full diaper.

When finally done, in she goes. Happily exclaiming over the bubbs and toys and starting her party and overall grand old time.

I see crawling out of cribs and over gates coming in my very near future.

Who doesn't want a nice purse for free?

Okay, more silly stuff but come on - who wouldn't want to win a cool Coach purse for free.

I do own plenty of purses and just recently bought a new one.

However I think they all came from Target or similar place so a nice fancy one so I can say I own something other than a Target purse would be nice :)

Messes

MLO hates messes. When I tell most people that, they are amazed and tell me how lucky I am.

I then have to stipulate that she hates messes she didn't create on purpose or someone else created.

Leaving her toys in a messy pile - that is okay.

However, if she spills her drink than this is not okay. She tries to clean it up with her hand (making it worse) and you can give her a paper towel and she will try to clean it up (you do have to help as she hasn't learned the fine art of cleaning something up just yet).

If her box of raisins spills, she will pick them all up, even double checking around her.

So, in this respect I am lucky and appreciate that I can just tell her to "clean it up" or "pick it up" and she does.

Now, if someone else makes a mess - this is a disaster. She cries and requires a hug and love (after it is cleaned up) to calm her down.

For example, MLO and I had left some sidewalk chalk out side after playing with it. Not realizing it was going to rain that night. In the morning, I start collecting them all up and cleaning it up. My mistake was putting the box (which was wet on the bottom) down on a table.

When I picked up the box and there was water left on the table, I heard "MESS!!!" over and over from MLO. This included pointing, jumping around and tears.

I had to quickly clean it up and then hold her and let her calm down on my shoulder.

This development has made me very careful when putting things away or "cleaning up".

It is all for the best, but seems very funny for a 19-month-old.

Tonight is Dancing night

Well, tonight the show "Dancing with the Stars" airs.

I would have never gotten into this show except the fact that MLO loves it.

Every time they dance, she does too. She holds one of my fingers and spins in circles. Or she waxes on and off with her little hands. Some times we dance together with me on my knees and us swaying side to side.

Every now and then I dip her or pick her up and spin her around.

She LOVES the show.

Whenever the music isn't playing and no dancing is happening she just keeps yelling at the TV "muss". The voting bores her and the commercials are just an annoyance.

Yes - I see TV the same way as she does much of the time.

MLO's favorite person

MLO's favorite person (besides me and hubby of course) is my sister.

MLO is always happy to see people she knows. She smiles and says hi and sometimes even runs over and delivers hugs.

But when my sis arrives it reaches a whole new level.

This first time this became very obvious was at her naming ceremony. The ceremony had started and MLO and I were up by the minister. Then my sis walks in and when MLO saw her, she practically jumped out of my arms and flew to her.

She keeps smiling and waving and trying to wiggle away from me. All she wants to do is get to her aunt.

When the ceremony was finally over I was given no choice but to deliver one very anxious MLO to the arms of her aunt. MLO pressed her face up against her aunts face and wrapped both arms around her neck. She didn't let go for quite awhile.

The rest of the day she kept her aunt in sight if not attached. If MLO got momentarily distracted and then looked up and didn't see her aunt she would be very unhappy.

Well, this sort of behaviors continues and we all love it.

Recently, my sis was walking up our driveway and MLO caught sight of her in the window. The screams of joy that came out could have been heard a mile away. She kept dancing around, running to the window, screaming again, dance around and so on.

When my sis opened the front door the flying almost happened again.

Yes, I think my sis (MLO's aunt) qualifies as MLO's favorite person.

Cinderella

We watched Cinderella last night.

MLO watched it all the way through. Well sort of watched, she played her own games during part of it. She hasn't sat through an entire movie yet and I am not really trying to get her to do this. Which means I watch all my movies in pieces, but I digress...

We made it to the end of the movie and then MLO comes running up to me - with the remote - crying "mises".

After a little bit I realize she wants to see the mice from Cinderella again. So I start the movie over and she watches the beginning sequence with all the animals (the birds, mice, cat, dog, horse - all of which she can now name).

When it is just about the people again, I find myself with MLO in front of me, remote in hand again: calling for the mice.

We watched the first sequence of Cinderella three times last night (after watching it all the way through once before).

The songs are still running through my head.

Mommy protection

I was recently reminded of the first time I experienced my "mommy protection" turning on full force (not because anything happened to MLO, because of watching TV).

My sister was watching MLO when she was about 9 months old. MLO was crawling full force and getting into anything and everything.

When my sister (who loves MLO and MLO returns that love in great amounts) watched her at that age she said she felt like she was spending the whole time following around this little crawling munchkin.

Anyway, we were all at my mother's house, and my mother hadn't done the full safety set-up thing yet. We knew where the dangerous stuff was and had moved it, but there were still a few things here and there.

Well, my sister was doing the dishes and had filled up the dish washer. She had just poured the soap into the little cup thing on the door was putting the soap away.

When she turned back, MLO had pulled her self up to lean against the door and had both hands in the soap. My sister watched in horror as one finger ended up in MLO's mouth and MLO was making faces and trying to clean out her mouth of the taste (which involved eating the soap).

My sister flipped out, quickly shut the dish washer and picked up the soap. To keep her feeling calm - the box says to call poison control.

I was there on my laptop trying to get some work done.

My sister comes running to me and starts, "um, well..." and then tells me what happens.

"The box says to call poison control" I can feel my heart pounding - does that mean there is something really dangerous in it?

So I got to do the poison control call:

"Yes, my daughter just ate some dish soap and the box says to call you if this happens."

"How much did she eat?"

She isn't that big, wouldn't a little do the same damage!! "Just a finger full..."

"Did it seem to burn her mouth?"

BURN HER!!! Will she be able to swallow every again!!! I turn to my sister and repeat the question to which she answers no, "No".

"Is she turning blue?"

BLUE!!!! She could turn blue!!! "No".

"Does she seem uncomfortable now?"

Inspect the little girl happily playing in my arms, "No".

"Just have her drink a bunch of water and she will be fine."

Thanks for giving me a heart attack to get to this punch line, "OK".

"Okay, bye ma'am" - I need to go off and freak out some other mothers.

All did turn out fine, but my goodness!!

How to Build a Cardboard Castle

I have been playing a lot on the Internet recently, reading funny things and generally lightening my mood.

This look really cool and I am going to build one outside as soon as we won't be getting rain for a little bit:

How to Build a Cardboard Castle

I can just see MLO in this thing, she would have such a great time!!!

MLO's favorite word

MLO's favorite word currently is "more". She asks for "more" food, "more" time "out" (outside), more "tubbies" (she loves the Teletubbies show).

She wants more "cars", more "balls", more "da" and so on.

All the words she knew already are now required in "more" amounts.

I have to admit - it is so cute that I often give into her requests.

Stole from another blog - too funny...

I stole this idea from An Island Life blog. Great blog and I really like her so go check her out.

Anyway, here is the results of my thievery:

Going to Paris, France? Well, if you are, you may not want to Google directions on how to get there.

1. Go to Google.com
2. Click on Maps
3. Click on Get Directions
4. Type in from New York, New York to Paris, France
5. Check out line #23

C’mon, I know you’re just dying of curiosity!

Happy Friday the 13th

This day has always been a lucky day for me so I will try to share that with all of those who usually have bad luck on Friday the 13th!

Waking up earlier and earlier

So MLO is getting into the practice of waking up earlier and earlier in the morning. Today was 6:30!

Fortunately for her, going along with this, she is going to sleep earlier and earlier. I tried keeping her awake longer so she will sleep in, boy was I dealing with one cranky 19-month-old and this is no fun either.

This morning I tried to let her cry herself back to sleep, but after ten VERY painful minutes I went and got her (she hasn't adventured into crawling out of the crib herself yet - thank goodness).

I usually don't go to bed until around midnight or so and so this means my sleep is getting chipped away at. I am okay now, my minimum to keep away any of my own crankiness is 6 hours.

I am just worried what will happen if the trend continues. I am hoping she will find her rhythm and I can then find mine.

Easter was.... fun

Overall the Easter weekend was a lot of fun.

Small note, don't try to color brown eggs (even the directions say to use white eggs). We always get the free range, all healthy eggs. The cheapest ones in this category are almost always the brown ones. So that was all I had in my fridge to boil. I boiled a dozen without even thinking about it.

It wasn't until we put a brown egg into yellow die that I realized this might not work so well.

Overall it went well with only two casualties suffered. MLO dropped an egg into the die really hard and it cracked. Once she found this would happen, it was hard to convince her not to do this to every egg.

The expected mess was created and MLO got thrown in the tub (with her favorite "bubbs") while I cleaned up and set the eggs to dry.

The next day mommy hid the eggs and MLO and I found them all.

MLO was trying to carry all the eggs she found in her arms (refusing to put them in the egg carton I was carrying). Well around the fifth egg one slipped out of her arms and splattered on the ground. She liked it and, to make a long story short, we didn't have any eggs leftover to eat. But our drive-way got it's fill as well as lots of water to wash it down (when I hosed it down afterwards).

MLO loved her basket full of toys (no candy) and her favorites were the bunny ears (best on mommy) and the sidewalk chalk which looked like bunnies.

When MLO went down for her nap on Sunday, mommy went with her and poor daddy was alone in the house with his two sleeping ladies.

Overall a fun weekend.

Happy Easter

Hope everyone has a fun weekend.

We are going to start the egg coloring tradition this year as well as a basket full of toys (not candy).

Will let you all know how it went come Monday.

MLO stays up to be with daddy

Last night hubby got home around 8:30pm. This is the time MLO is usually put to bed, but she was SOOOO happy to see him there was no way she was going to let me put her to bed.

Hubby announced that he needed to go back out for something real quick and I told him to take MLO with him, which he did.

This meant I got about an hour to myself (I read magazines and did nothing, fabulous feeling).

When they got back MLO had a huge smile on her face and was hugging daddy very tightly. I got to hear about what a good girl she had been while they were out. How everyone who saw them together commented on how cute she was. How they looked at pretty pictures and danced to some music together. The entire time, MLO is sitting on daddy's lap.

She eventually let go of daddy and started playing with things, showing them to him as she went. She started looking tired and I mentioned it was getting late and time for her to go to bed and she started crying and ran to daddy.

I let her stay awake a little longer and finally picked her up to go to bed when she started laying down on the couch. As we were walking out of the living room she had her bottom lip hanging way out and was saying "bye, bye da".

He reasurred her that he would see her in the morning, and I finally got to put her to bed.

Nanny called in sick

The nanny called in sick today so I got an unexpected day with MLO.

We played outside a lot (it was a beautiful day). We picked flowers, dug holes, climbed stones, sorted rocks, made music on fences and so on.

We also played inside and the house is the messiest I have ever seen it (I guess the nanny does clean up after her). She pulled out every toy she had and we played with it, in real rapid succession - nothing kept her interest for long.

I watched Sesame Street, Barney, Dragon Tales and Its A Big, Big World with her.

We went shopping (bought stuff for Easter) and ran through the aisles of the store.

The funniest point was when hubby came home in the evening and MLO grabbed us both (one of our fingers in each of her little hands) and dragged us both around the house. Us all trying to squeeze through doorways and avoid the mess of toys everywhere was a sight to see.

MLO's favorite toys currently are balls and cars - and she has probably thirty of them in various sizes. Well those things were everywhere and trying not to trip on one amongst everything else, I think you get the idea.

Meals were also squeezed in there somehow, so we all got some home cooking.

During nap times I worked but all I really wanted to do was nap with her. She is tiring!! I admit to not being in the greatest of shape myself, but marathon runners would get tired after an afternoon with her, let alone the whole day.

During the weekends I usually have grandparents or other outings so that she can be shared with others and I don't have to do all the playing. Today it was all me.

It ended with bath time and shortly after in her crib.

Now, someone needs to put me to bed... goodnight :)

Happy Passover

My hubby's extended family is all Jewish and MLO's godmother's family is Jewish so we celebrated Passover last night.

We went to MLO's godmother's mother's house (wow that is funny to write). We did all the songs (with English translations for me and MLO) and told the stories.

Also, ate all the good food and recognized all the symbols. I am not Jewish myself and haven't gotten into religion on this blog (I am religious but many other mommy blogs cover religion very well) but I admire the Jewish's beliefs. They honor not just God but what people have gone through and most importantly, made it through. Very hearty folk :)

MLO's participation was greatly appreciated. Godparents don't have kids yet (but plan to start in the next year) so she was the only kid there. Everyone was tripping over themselves to say hi, play with her, be near her.

Even though we went late and well past her bedtime, MLO was a perfect little girl. It helped that one wall of the dinning room was a large mirror (just behind my chair as well). MLO loves to watch herself in the mirror, talk to herself and (most embarrassing) lick her image.

So, whenever MLO got bored of sitting at the table and listening to the songs, or wasn't hungry anymore, she would go to the mirror.

We even had a whole mirror conversation with me talking to her image and her talking to mine, which she thinks is very funny.

There was also a piano for MLO to play on and she kept the background music going before dinner started and after dinner was over.

Holidays are fun, especially when you get to see people you like and care about.

Getting a Dyson Slim Vacuum for free

Hard to ignore great giveaways when all you have to do is post.

So swing by 5 Minutes for Mom and find out how to possibly win a Dyson Slim Vacuum.

Clothes shopping

So MLO has reached the size where she should really try on the clothes I am buying her (can't just go with the default month size thing anymore). However, she wants to run around the store, not sit still and try on several outfits or pairs of pants.

We were in Target yesterday (most of her clothes come from places like this since she will only be wearing them for a few months, there is no way I am spending a bunch of money on clothes).

Correction - it was a Superstore Target - one of those stores that you could buy everything you possible need in life: groceries, clothes, toys, movies, music, and bathroom stuff, on and on.

So MLO was having a great time running through the clothes, picking up every item she could off the shelves and so on. The only saving grace was that she would follow me and do it near me (she doesn't go running off). When I tell her I am moving down an aisle or something, she comes along and finds some new thing to play with.

So, I get several pairs of pants (being the thing she needs the most because she is so tall and just keeps sprouting up). After a few attempts to actually try them on, I give up and just hold them up to her.

I stick to the adjustable waist kind and buy a few belts.

I did a lot of holding up to the back of her while she played and guessed if it would fit.

So far, everything I bought this weekend seems to fit fine (except one shirt where the sleeves are tight around her arms). I am hoping those girl hormones will kick in soon and she will love to try on clothes.