I think it should be a law that all grocery stores have a few of those carts with the car in the front. It makes shopping with a toddler and a baby SO much better!! It would drastically reduce the number of carts abandonded as a result of a bored and screaming child.
Also any place that has a changing table in the women's room should also have them in the men's room. Nate had gotten out of some real stinkers with that one!
I am also in support of anything that can be a drive-through. I think the post office and wal-mart should consider this service.
And I would defintiely be able to try clothes or get a haircut if all stores had a play area. Just a thought...

adventures in potty land

I decided to take advantage of being stuck in the house and encourage Scarlett to potty-train. When we sat down for our morning "project" I made a little chart where Scarlett could put stickers when she used the potty. I was narrating the whole thing, explaining how we would use it. I even showed her the Dora stickers she could have. Surprisingly, she didn't seem all that interested--she would glace over at me but wasn't buying into the whole thing. I let it rest for a little while and then pulled it back out later. I asked her if she wanted to try to use the potty and she did. While she was sitting there, I gave her a sticker and told her we would put it on her potty chart. At this she started freaking out--screaming and running around (with her pants around her ankles). I asked her what was wrong, she yelled "No potty shark! Scarlett's afraid! Potty shark bite." And then I understood why she had no enthusiasm for the potty chart. After much explanation and enunciation, I did calm her down but she will NOT go on the potty. Poor little thing--I've probably given her a lifetime's worth of bathroom anxiety!

Cabin Fever

Even though I do not work, I can hardly be called a stay-at-home mom. Really I am a run-around-town mom. I can create a list of errands a mile long when I want to. By Sunday, my week is often double and triple booked with playdates, story times and trips. Having Ensley around didn't really slow us down much either--not at first. But now it is cold out. This means I have to bundle up three people with 3-4 layers. If I am lucky enough to know where everyone's hats, coats and gloves are, then I unvariably will have to do a diaper change once we are all assembled. Last week I did all this to go to storytime at the library and stop over at the post office. Both kids screamed on the way home because the biting wind was freezing their poor little noses off. And now Ensley is on a schedule. Don't get me wrong, this really is a good thing, but the whole nap thing has really thrown a wrench in the works. He takes a morning and late afternoon nap and Scarlett takes one wedged right in-between. This means I can only get out between 7:30 (unshowered-yuck) and 9am or wait until 4pm when they are both up. But I have to get dinner started by 5 or 5:30 so the afternoon trip has to be short. I have been in this stinkin house since church on Sunday morning. It is not that big of a house and I am a little tired of it. I have packages to be mailed,dry cleaning to drop off and even a few Chistmas exchanges to take care of still. Unprecedented!! As a cruel joke, Safeway is delivering my groceries for free tomorrow. I hate lugging around bags of groceries with both kids in tow, but this is getting ridiculous. I might become a crazy recluse as a result of this cold snap, forgetting how to interect with actual human beings (other than through blogs and Facebook, of course). I do not know when on Earth I will get out and get my eyebrows done--I am starting to look like Bert! (I guess the upside is that who will see me to notice?!?!?!?)

my two cents

I am an unabashed music lover. Nate calls my music "wussy man rock." I don't know what to call it, but admit he is not too far off the mark. I love music so much that I have to carefully guard my itunes addiction or I will spend our mortgage on mp3s. But once a month I do buy an album. Half of the fun is discovering new music that I haven't heard before, so I will share my favorites with you. If it isn't your kind of music just ignore this post. If it is, please to enjoy (in no particular order) my favorite albums of 2008:
Micheal Franti & Spearhead-All Rebel Rockers
Various artists-Yo Gabba Gabba
Brett Dennen-Hope For the Hopeless
The Weepies-Hideaway
Jack Johnson-Sleep through the Static
Vampire Weekend-Vampire Weekend
Sia-Some People Have Real Problems
Ray LaMontagne-Gossip in the Grain
Thao-We Brave Bee Stings and All
Amos Lee-Last Days at the Lodge
Josh Kelley-Special Company
Bob Dylan-Bootleg Series vol.8

Tell me what your favorites were.

small victories

It is a rare moment...
The house is quiet, no one is screaming, crying or throwing up. I believe we are turning a corner.
Life has been hectic because Ensley has not been feeling well, which means he hasn't been sleeping well, which means we are all tired. It was so hard to see my little baby crying and not be able to fix it. Plus he has projectile vomited on me 6 times in the last 3 days. To quote Scarlett, "not awesome."
All of the sleep deprivation was getting to me. Poor Nate had to tolerate quite a few snide comments. I will make it up to you honey, I promise. I had to miss my spinning class at the gym, which made me feel depressed and I ate two dark chocolate batons from Trader Joes. This is not Iron Girls behavior. Although carrying both sleeping children from the alley into their beds the other night was a feat of strength. I read that you burn more calories during an activity if you concentrate on burning calories, so I thought about my skinny jeans while I was toting the laundry up and down 3 flights of steps. I guess that counts for something.
But I did send out a birthday card and met up with a woman that I am going to start volunteering with. Small victories that are keeping me sane.
Well, I hear the prince fussing now. It was nice while it lasted!