It's Impossible

I hear you, Jenn. I think that it's impossible to watch your child get completely messy without flinching at least once. Or twice.

That's when I strip her down naked, or mostly naked, except for an apron, and put newspaper down on the kitchen table (the one that was my parents' long before you knew us!) I got these cute little aprons at Michael's, for $1, so we bought a few of them, and it's so nice to not worry about her clothes getting covered.

But believe me, I much prefer the simpler crafts. Like construction paper and sticky foam animals. Just make sure they're fresh enough that you don't need to use glue to get them to stick to the paper, or before you turn around your child might be stamping the glue stick in a circular pattern around said kitchen table, and on your hardwood floors.

Washable markers are easy, as are crayons. You can use the post I linked to where small crayon scraps are used to melt down into new, large, round crayons with a simple muffin tin! I bet A would enjoy that!

Oh, and another easy activity, which is somewhat messy but simple to clean up is water play. She can stand on her potty stool in the bathroom all day long and fill up the sink w. some water and soap, give her some tupperware and random cups to play with and we're good to go. Simply strip her shirt beforehand or after, and get a towel ready to wipe down the floor and tah dah! So much fun! Bubbles are another fun water sport in our house, but my main problem is that there is no way she can play with them without spilling the entire bottle on the floor. And my poor hardwoods just can't take that to often.

As for your Operation PC, I think it's a great idea. Let me know how it has been going for you. In the meantime I can barely figure out portion control when it comes to food, and being home all day doesn't give me too many options, so I'll have to think it through before committing, but I am FULLY behind you and you have my support! Go forth into this good night ... and day ... and whatever!

And now I have to go stop her from taking the pickle jar out of the fridge ... Lord help us all!

What To Do?

As I am sitting here thinking of what to write my mind is on two trains of thought... First of all, the links that Andrea sent were awesome ... However, I have to admit (and this is not easy as a mom) that I do not like to get messy and have a really difficult time watching Audrey get messy. I seriously can't be the only one. Am I??? It is one of the things I love about having her in daycare (and yes I also admit that as well) . She can get down and dirty at school, and I don't have to feel my anxiety level rise as I TRY (not always succeeding) not to get anxious about it. Needless to say we use lots of crayons at home and play more with toys than with crafts (for now). Oh yeah! and while I am on a role I can also admit I don't know the difference between Than/Then (in writing - so I apologize, in advance, for any incorrect usage)

So, the question becomes how does a mother who physically feels the symptoms of anxiety help her daughter to become creative and expressive???

My second train of thought is leading in the direction of time. I had an epiphany today. Everyone is always talking about portion control when it comes to food, but what about taking that same principal and applying it to your day. Can that even work? I am going to experiment and see. I am calling it Operation PC. Breaking up my day systematically in order to have enough time to do all the things I want for that day.. Each day... for one week?? Andrea - You interested??? I am even including doing nothing time... (the joy diet modified... to about 10 minutes or so.. depending on how the rest of my day is broken up...lol) For experimental purposes I am going to start tomorrow 10/22/09.. Wish me luck!

Fall Activities

Well, the weather is getting cooler and crisper here in NC. I'm thinking it's a little bit ahead of us in NYC, so we'll all be needing fun weekend ideas and crafts to help us out with our little ones.

I found a bunch of really cute fall craft ideas and I decided to be lazy for this post and share these with you guys (you - of the nonexistent follower society,) so this way my lil sis can see them, too.

* Paper Plate Spider Craft by Susana at My Family, My Forever.

* Pumpkin Pie Play Dough by Jennifer at The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman.

* Make your own crayons at No Time for Flash Cards. [Thanks to Michelle at Her Cup Overfloweth for this tip!]

* Make your own campfire at Family Corner. [Thanks to Michelle again for this tip!]

* No Mess Finger Painting by Sandy at Moments of Mommyhood.

* Here are several fall crafts over at Just Playin' Around with Julie.

* Apple Blossoms over at What Do We Do All Day?

So enjoy yourself as you make your way through this list of wonderful and fun fall activities! And enjoy the cooler weather. I know we are!

Here I go!

Hi - I am, by the first official post, the little sister : ) I am doing something I have promised myself I would never do BLOG! .. I never even read a blog until Andrea introduced me to hers, and even now she has to forward me her posts b/c I don't know how to sign up.

Of course b/c I am cautious by nature I researched and looked up a few different blogs just to see what this is really all about. What a world unto itself. It's amazing how many people (particularly women) have to say. I LOVE IT! I am, by all means, a blog convert (Thanks Ann!).

Although I don't consider myself the most articulate person when it comes to speaking and/or writing (I think when Audrey came out a few brain cells and a lot of vocabulary slipped out with her) I am going to do my best.

Now let me get to Andrea... What can I say.. SuperMom, SuperBlogger and SuperSister. Don't tell my husband, but she is one of the reasons I chose to say yes..lol After years of being an only child (side note: loved the whole not having to share anything and having all the attention) I finally got the sister I can confide in and trust and we didn't have to go through any teenage sister drama.. We were compatable from the minute we were introduced. : ) I say introduced b/c like she mentioned for years we were out at the same bars/clubs on the same weekends doing the same things.

Anyway, as always I am off to do what I do best. Read! : ) Enjoy the day

Let me introduce you ...

To my little sister. Well, technically she is my sister-in-law, but we don't think of each other that way. This is our story!

Although Jenn and I didn't know one another prior to her dating (and subsequently marrying) my brother, we swear that we probably hung out at the same clubs, bitched out one another's friends on the dance floor and likely knew someone who knew someone who dated someone and so on and so forth.

We got married 3-1/2 months apart, our daughters are about 6 weeks apart, and we're probably closer than we would have been if we had grown up together, if you ask me.

We've done SELF workouts in the park, gone to concerts, chatted over Starbucks treats in Barnes and Noble, spent hours on the phone watching and discussing American Idol, "Loved Our Trees," and so much more.

Unfortunately with my relocation "Down South," and her stay-location "Up Nawth" we just don't get to see one another or connect as often as we would like to. So that's what this blog is for. That, and maybe we'll entertain a few people along the way ... once we make this public, of course.

So that's my take on it. I'll let her fill you in, as well.