It's Not All About You, Jeri Anne

First of all, I have no idea why the cooking post has shown up again.  I wrote that, like, forever ago, but it is showing up like I decided to shove it in your face again.  I promise I didn't do that but maybe someone somewhere is dying for an Italian sausage recipe, so there you go.

I have been trying to revamp the blog, and I have no idea what I'm doing . . . will someone who knows about this sort of thing just redesign mine and make it fantastic?  Thanks.

Anyway, I don't really have anything awesome to write about, but it's a boring, blah Monday. . . so why not?  I had a very okay weekend with my family, and it could have been better but I think I was a little bit of a butthole.

I've had several projects on my mind that keep me up at night, and I haven't even been able to start on any of them, which has annoyed the mess out of me.  I sketched a few designs for dresses for Mimi (and maybe myself.  Hmm.) and found patterns over the weekend, but I'm dying to actually be able to sew.  I can't exactly do that with Mack fussing nonstop (I'll get to his drama later) and Mimi no longer napping.  And I'm quite bored with the beige walls of the condo and have ideas for a little redecorating and organizing, but I can't do that for the same reasons mentioned above.  So I spent the weekend whining a little and being a brat because I felt all anxious over something I knew I didn't have time to begin.  Wah, wah, wah.

But today was a new day, and I decided I would not be a brat today.  Today was not about me.  It was about everyone else.  No thinking about what I would wear or read or watch or create.  Nope.  What could I do for my kids and my husband (Of course I showered and ate and did what I need to do.)  I don't think that's a bad goal to start with -- just my family.  I'm not trying to save the world here.  Just my family.

And you guessed it.  Today went soooo smoothly.  Geez.  Why can't I learn my freakin' lesson already?  When I'm a selfish brat over not being able to go to the bathroom by myself or drink my coffee in peace or unload the dishwasher without someone climbing in or change a diaper without pulling a muscle in my back . . . okay, maybe I draw the line there.  But, I get it.  It's not all about me.

Anyway, today was a good Monday and everyone is going to sleep happy tonight.  And if I haven't told you in the past, my kids are really, really funny.  You want to know some stories?  Of course you do.

This morning I went into the bathroom to find Mimi had unrolled an entire new roll of TP while doing her business.  This happens way more than it should.  I know I should just remove the roll from her sight while she's in there, but I am a firm believer in giving my child chances to redeem herself.  Anyway, when I discovered her mess, I said something like, "Oh, Mimi.  Why did you make this awful mess?"

She just looked up at me with a concerned little face and said, "Mommy, this is a big, big mess.  You need to clean it up, and then you need to go to the grocery store and buy more.  Right now."

Mimi loves to use my words against me.  I put her in time-out recently for almost injuring herself and her brother on her scooter, and when I returned to talk with her, she quickly told me I needed to apologize to her and ask her if she's okay.  Then I needed to tell her that I'll never ever do that again.  Sigh.  She totally tries to confuse me by making me think it's all my fault.

As we were leaving the park today (yes, it was in the mid-40's and sunny!!), I reminded her that she needed to stay next to me and not run to the bus stop like she LOVES to do.  She rolled her eyes and mocked me with, "Yes, your majesty!"

What??  Where is she getting this?  Okay, I totally know because I watched cartoons with her all afternoon.  And she was trying to be silly all of these times, and, of course, I spoke with her about what was appropriate and yada yada, but, my word, I have to hide my face and giggle about at least half of what comes out of her little mouth.

Mack has been quite a little fussy bucket lately.  He is attempting to have his own opinions, but he doesn't know how to express himself with words and doesn't understand why he can't do everything he wants.  I think this normally happens for girls around 15 months and boys around 18.  They go from sweet and happy babies to fussy, angry toddlers.  On top of this his stomach has been a little upset lately, and he has a sudden infatuation with the remote controls, which is another story in itself.  We may have to go to counseling over this.

But he is talking some, and it's so stinking cute.  When he's begged for food in the past, he has stood near the kitchen and pointed and grunted, and I've been trying to teach him the sign for "more."  Yesterday he was annoyed with me trying to teach him the sign, so he pushed my hand to the side and screamed, "MO!  MO!!!"  Okay, I guess he was thinking, "Why does this lady act like she doesn't understand that I'm pointing at the bananas??  I guess I'll have to scream that word at her."

On our walk home from the park it was getting dark, and I saw him look up in the sky and then suddenly squealed.  "A moo!  A moo!"  No, not a cow.  He saw the moon!  We have read Goodnight Moon at least a bazillion times, and I point to all the pictures and say the words over and over and over.  All Mack does is point and grunt, so it's awesome to realize that something is making sense in that noggin of his.

His mannerisms and sounds and silly faces are so hilarious right now.  He bounces around the house from one toy to another all while making funny noises and nodding his head and stopping to dance when he hears a song and then standing on his head.  He learned to walk backwards while at Mimi's soccer class on Saturday, so I have caught him walking backwards into a wall and then giggling his head off.  He laughs at himself all the time even when no one else is paying attention.  I like that.

So today was a good day and here's to hoping this week stays the same!