No One Was Harmed in the Making of this Blog Post

I'm sure it would be easier in some ways if I wrote a blog post every single day. Then I wouldn't be overwhelmed with so many pictures and side stories and over-all general catharsis.

But most days I barely give my computer a cursory glance.

I sat down recently and thought really really hard about why I haven't been good at chronicling our life journey recently, and I came up with 3 good reasons.

1. I'm tired.

2. I'm tired.

3. I'm tired.

And then I realized that I had some more thinking to do. About life in general, yes, but more specifically, about why I might be too tired to blog. So I thought really really hard and came up with 3 good reasons why I might be so tired.

1. I have a 2 year old.

2. I have a 2 year old.

3. I have a 2 year old.

And as you can see, I don't have many original thoughts these days.

(She is lucky that she is so cute.)(And likes to make me laugh.)(And likes to dress herself in clothes that don't fit just because there is a Tinkerbell on them.)

Most days around here are stay-around-the-house kind of days. Laundry kind of days. Wear PJ's and watch a movie kind of days. I have been liking those kind of days (minus the laundry part) more and more. Except when you are still in your pjs and the UPS guy comes to the door at 3 pm. I always feel awkward and like I need to explain to this complete stranger why I am not dressed and haven't brushed my hair...

Anyway, Abby is finally getting interested in reading. I knew she would get it in her own time, but I was inwardly praying that she didn't wait until she was 16 to read Biscuit Goes To School.  Reading is my favorite past time and I would like nothing more for my girls to be lovers of books.  Abby and I are about to start reading together (or, me reading aloud) the Chronicles of Narnia series and I can't wait. Those are my favorite books of all time, and I remember thinking, long before I had children, how neat it would be to read those beloved classics to my offspring.

Of course, even in my wildest imaginations back then, I am not sure I imagined myself so tired by 7:30 that I couldn't keep my eyelids open. But hey, when you are young it's hard to imagine the sweet tiredness brought about by caring for small people throughout the day. (Nor is it easy to imagine that people are actually awake at 6 am.)(But that's another story.)

 

In other news, I made a Chinese meal for dinner one night last week. I love this stir fry and I crave it often. But I have a thing for soy sauce, so there's that.

I also feel the need to insert here that whilst I have mentioned thus far at different times being both tired and having cravings, that I am most certainly and definitively NOT pregnant. Just FYI. ok?

Joe left to go out of town this week, so he presented the girls with a going away present of powdered donuts. They were a big hit. We enjoyed them with stir fry and fortune cookies.

Abby's fortune read, "You will inherit some money or a small piece of land."

Should I be worried?

The girls begged to go to the zoo on Wednesday, and since it wasn't too cold, I relented, like the blessed mother that I am. Audrey Kate insisted on wearing her "zoo dress" to see the can-i-mals at the zoo, and I searched for a zoo dress in her closet until I came across this one.  She remembered this dress from last summer and it has been hanging in the back of her closet.  She showed it to the elephants. She was very proud. (She also chewed on a stick. And I was very proud.)

I call this one: Girl Climbs Tree.

The zoo has a neat indoor play area complete with a dress-up vet office. Audrey Kate took great care of this baby weopard. (That's "Leopard" for all of you non-two year olds.)  I Love Love Love that she is wearing red, thick rimmed, upside-down glasses. How charming!

Oh, my favorite thing? This pretend barn with bean bags that look like manure. Awesome!

Look at my children! They are cleaning it up! The girls probably spent 30 minutes with these shovels and buckets, scooping and sweeping and piling. WHY WON'T THEY DO THAT AT HOME?! (Clean up their toys, I mean. Not manure. We don't have manure in our house that I am aware of.)

Also, interesting note for me to remember that just shows how different they are: Abby spent most of her time at the zoo going from each area, exploring the tunnels and sitting on the statues and climbing fence posts and generally just getting excited about everything...except the animals. And Audrey Kate asked over and over about each animal. She wanted to pet them, see them closer, look for a long time and then look one more time. Abby would ask, "Can I please go climb those rocks over there?!" and Audrey Kate would ask, "Can we PWEASE go see the stinky ewaphants?!"

They had fun. A zoo day is a good way to get your kiddos tired out and ready for good naps at home. Oh yeah, it's educational too, and all of that.

On Thursdays when Abby goes to school I have some one-on-one time with Audrey Kate. She can be a whole new child when she is by herself. I took her to lunch with me and then on a quick trip to Target. She was soooo good.  I really enjoy those times when I can have time with each girl alone. (We went to McAlister's and yes I drank a large sweet tea. But I am back on my no sugar diet now.) 

And now, here we are at this weekend. Since Joe was going to be gone the entire week, I came to spend some time with my in-laws.  I don't enjoy being alone for extended periods of time. It is scary and exhausting.  Thankfully Joe's parents always welcome us with open arms. Though I am sure they are quite tired after our little tornado blows on through :) We went to say hello to Joe's grandmother (Abby and AK's great-grandmother, in case you didn't get that) who lives nearby. Abby played tea party and served us the most delightful confections and piping hot tea. But anyway, I love seeing the generations together. So sweet. 

I took Abby to lunch today and to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D! Whoa! She chose Panera Bread because it has her "most favoritest soup in the world, where you eat it in the bowl made of bread and you can even eat the bowl! Right mom?"

So, during lunch, in the middle of a very crowded dining room, Abby got out of her seat and proceeded to do some interesting gyrating dance moves right next to her seat. The only thing on the speakers being piped into the restaurant was something akin to elevator music. When I asked her what that was all about she said, "MOM! I just HAD to move. I couldn't help myself. My body just needed to dance!"

That is hilarious. And so Abby.

And later on this night, Audrey Kate ate a fake piece of fruit. Because that is just so Audrey Kate.

She's 2.

And I'm tired.

Remember?