Best Lost ever. And other good stuff.

Da Pee, Boss, Da Pee!

My friend C. used to always say "repetition is the key to learning." She was a smart lady. But you know what the other key to learning is? Rewards.

Since the two daycare potty pees yesterday and one the day before were rewarded with jewels (plastic, but jewels nonetheless) I had to bring out the big guns. Tattoos.

After several uneventful bathroom trips this morning about twenty minutes ago Eva called "TATTOOOO" from the kitchen. She was diaperless, holding her crotch and looking at a small puddle. I grabbed her and ran and she let it rip on the toilet. The whole time? "TATTOOO! TATTOOOOOOOO! TATTOO!"

So glad I am working from home today.

playtime report...

Since you asked...

we made owls from paper plates and flew them around the living room.
we made a nest from a box.
we giggled over my puppet voice (faux lambchop).
we flew owls more.
we made a tower from blocks and named the animals.
we shook our booties.

then she hid in her room at minute 48.

Last night I dreamed that I was depressed. So of course today I was. Every little thing is irritating and I hate everyone. Truly. Everyone. I also feel scattered brained and it pisses me off that Bill feels the need to comment on that.

For instance.

I got mail from the COunty Treasurer today. I opened the envelope to find a letter and the envelope I sent my tax check in. The letter said, basically, "we sent this back to you because there was foreign matter in the envelope. You suck. We hate you and your foreign matter so much that we sent your check back." My envelope was taped shut and when I opened it inside was my check, my coupon, and a lock of Lulu's hair. I had mailed the check in the envelope I had put her hair in. At least they sent it back to me, But as I opened it Bill was bitching about me opening mail over my dinner. And then about how I had sent the tax check with her hair. Well crap, I shouldn't have put that envelope in the bowl where we put VERY IMPORTANT papers. Except it made sense to put her very important hair there at the time. I just should have labeled it.

And then Eva wouldn't go to bed. Again. Bill did come to the rescue on that one.

Oh, and she peed twice on the potty for Trooby, her babysitter.

The lion, the witch and the chiffarobe

Bill heard Lulu calling him from her room, but when he opened the door, she was nowhere to be found. Then he noticed the pile of pjs on the floor. And heard the giggles.

"I'm Hi-ing!" she cried! "Come fine me!"

She went sledding for the first time yesterday and hurled herself down a hill that I was a little afraid of going down. (Sliding v. sledding: another North Country word difference...I've only ever heard people hear say that..kind of like no one says dooryard except folks in books and adirondackers.)

Last night in bed Bill and I were talking about fun. He is definitely the fun parent. He can make Lulu screech and laugh and scream like nothing else. His interactions with her are 90% play. Mine are about 30% play. And it's not that he gets out of doing the work and only plays. If anything he does MORE work (we are 50/50 on diaper changes. I give her baths and cook. He makes her breakfast and gets her up. We split dressing her.) I spend more time with her, but only because we drive 40 minutes together in the mornings and again at night. But we can't play then, other than singing and talking. But Bill is way into physical play with her. I enjoy it but then stress over what I should be doing, or how I am missing my chance to read when I don't just let her play by herself. So I end up dragging her back inside, or sneaking off to the kitchen when she runs to her room.

My goal for today is engage in an hour of solid play with her. Whatever she wants to do. But what if she doesn't want me?

I think the full moon, along with the eclipse, has made everyone lose their mind. I honestly was hard pressed to tell the difference between the grown ups and the toddler at day care pick up yesterday, and today was WORSE.

I also hope that bedtime battle will end when the moon wanes (or is it waxes) but since they were here before the full moon I doubt it. Bedtime is the first parenting battle we've waged. Against Eva and against each other. Bill prefers mellow and no crying, no matter how long it takes. I just want it over, even if that means intense crying for a few short minutes. So now we've switched to double teaming. I deal with the bath, the diaper, and the battle ino pjs - if a battle is required. Then Bill takes over for remainder of pj-ing and the stories. Then I hide. No, not really. She doesn't want me for this at all, probably because I make her go to bed. I really should revisit some of the tactics I have read, since I must be doing something wrong with my techniques. Letting her choose pjs doesn't really work. Letting her choose a book means a chase around the house.

In the last 24 hours Eva had her first milkshake and I got out of my second traffic ticket here in Winkytown. We are so lucky.

11:37 and all our annoying errands are done: groceries bought and recyclables sorted, trash retrieved from the shed and the whole lot dumped, mail mailed. Of course the one thing I need to mail did not make it the post office, but that one thing (well, make that two) has been sitting on the kitchen table for a month now. There. Proof I am not perfect.

The best thing about errands with Bebe Lulu is listening to her being charming and polite with all we meet. Especially women with gray hair, whom she greets as "Grandma!" When I told her one of these fine ladies was not her grandma, she responded, not unannoyed, "I know!"

It's fucking freezing up here right now. 15 in the sun.

McScary

Finally, folks are paying attention to John McCain. And not a moment too soon. I've been telling anyone who will listen that he is not the kind of "maverick" moderates should be believing in. Today, Feministing had a great post about his record on choice. And now the PP Action Fund is airing an ad that points out how anti-choice he is.

Speaking of assholes, what kind of person tries to drive through a herd of obviously confused loose horses while their owner attempts to lead them back to where they belong? Mr. Audi cell phone earpiece, I'm talking to you. Eight horses in the road on a subzero morning is why I live in the North Country. Lulu was super impressed by them, especially when they decided to haul ass past us to get home.

Snow snow and more snow. My drive home last night was like pushing a matchbox car through a bowl of cottage cheese. Pleasant. I suppose it could have been worse, I could have been suddenly struck by the stomach flu plaguing the north country.

Miss Bebe Lulu has been fighting bedtime, particularly pj time, with all she has lately. It's turning into a Battle Royale and I swear she's intentionally pitting mommy against daddy. She screams that she wants to shake her booty until we can find a away to trick her into her clothes by calling them a "mermaid suit" or "special robot battery outfit." Tonight it ended when I allowed her to pick out her own pjs--which is why she's wearing mismatched socks, a pj top, sweatpants and feather boa to bed. No, our house is not warm enough to put her in bed in a diaper.

Winter Carnival Begins

We headed over to Saranac Lake to check out the Ice Palace this morning, and Bebe had a great time sliding thought the "Mole Hole" in the side of the palace. Thank god for Winter Carnival. I realized yesterday afternoon that I had been staring off into space for 15 minutes and thinking about spring. If you've ever lived really far north, you understand the physical longing for spring that comes along right about now. Painful. Last year it hit me hardest during the Valentine's Blizzard. Thank goodness for our planned vacation in two months! And when we get back, it should be getting a little nicer out. (even though April is indeed the cruelest month!)

Two seater

Glad to know our new stroller is a two seater. That is, if someone wants to curl up in the basket under the actual seat. C'mon, mom, let's MOVE!

I'm feeling cooped up already and it's only 10:30. My office closed today so that folks can attend the calling hours for a co-worker who passed away. My plan was to head into town for three, so I could go. But now we are expecting ice ice and more ice. And I don't know if I should go or not. Especially since nothing but light snow is happening now. This is adding to my guilt, since I am sitterless for tomorrow's funeral and so will not be attending. My plan is now to bring food to the church before the funeral tomorrow.