A Warning to first time parents:
DO NOT sleep with your toddler to get them to sleep in the big girl bed!

I am telling you. You will create your worst nightmare.

I miss the crib. Chloe figured out how to climb out of it a couple weeks ago and since then we took it down as it served no purpose anymore.

Oh how I miss the crib. Now there is nowhere to put Chloe to safely contain her.

Anyway. I created a monster by sleeping with her every night. And now she can't sleep without me.

So we are out to change this.

It took 2 hours last night.

We did it the nice way.
She got up.

We did it the mean way.
She got up.

We locked our door.
She figured out how to unlock it.
Seriously.

We gave her water.
She threw up all over Don.

I gave her a "Goodnight Dog."
She threw it.

We turned on music.
She screamed over it.

After 2 hours of this I guess she tuckered herself out.
Oh and Don had to sit at the edge of her bed to make sure she didn't get up.

She ended up in our bed at 2:30 AM and we were so exhausted we let it slide.

Sigh.

Miss Chloe is a stubborn little thing.

The Little Match Girl

So I was watching The Little Mermaid with Chloe for the millionth time, and I saw that on the special edition disk their was an animated version of "The Little Match Girl."

I know it is a classic, but I didn't really know the story. So I put this on and thought it was Disney so it would at least end happy. Chloe kept saying, "She Sad?...She sad?...she sad?"

And boy oh boy, by the end of it I was in tears. And I don't know why, but I couldn't stop crying.

I've never been able to handle anything that deals with lonely or forgotten children. Those stories just make me ache. Like "Oliver" or "Empire of the Sun." You know what I mean? I saw "Empire of the Sun" when I was a kid and felt so sorry for the kid I couldn't stand it. (Christian Bale was the star in that movie when he was a kid in case you haven't seen it. It is a good movie, but really sad. But it does have a happy ending)

Anyway, just warning you.

But I shouldn't have been surprised about The Little Match Girl. This story was written by the same man who wrote the original "Little Mermaid." And in his version Ariel didn't get the Prince. She became sea foam.

On Christmas Decorating:

I like to decorate.

You know I am not one of those homemakers that relishes in making things homemade though.

I do not sell anything on etsy.com.

I wish it were a talent. I really do.

I look at friends who do possess that talent and I say to myself-WOW!!!!

You ladies rock it. You really do.

Nevertheless, I like to decorate. It is probably one of my favorite things to do.

But I consider shopping my talent.

(And Don considers it his curse.)

Every once in awhile I forget my un-craftiness (usually after feeling inferior to my crafty friends after reading their blogs) and make my way over to Martha Stewart.com for some inspiration.

I read about her crafts and I feel very tired.

I read "sewing machine" and I say-PASS.

(Although I should keep in mind the time I saw Martha on Oprah and when asked about some ideas for quick recipes she said: (read in a Martha Stewart voice)
"Oh Yes...Well a Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is an easy and quick, yet elegant dinner.
First you take your tomatoes and set them out into the sun to dry...."

Obviously she is in a whole other (bordering on lunacy) league. In my (humble) opinion.

Anyway...

I say when it comes to crafts, isn't there anything that just involves shopping, and maybe some glue??!!

But then I remember, what is the point of trying to be crafty then if all it involves is shopping.

Take for example:


Now, this I can do.

But...that's because all I have to do is buy some cranberries and some flowers.

Well If you will excuse me I have to go to Target.

An awesomely good song. And an awesomely bad music video.
Get up and dance. You know you want to.

Boys

(So this is how I would decorate for a boys room. Although I am not so crazy about the sheep. But I like the white and brown. And I suppose there has to always be some sort of theme with a baby's room.)

Hello little blog. I have something I want to talk to you about.
Oh I know, I know. I already talked to you today. But I am kind of bored right now so I thought we could chat.
How about you listen and I talk? You know...what usually happens.

The topic today is: Baby boys.

So I went to a baby shower today for a friend. And she is having a boy.
It seems everyone I know is having a boy.
If you are pregnant right now, I can tell you what you are a having.
A boy.
How do I know that?
Well because everyone I know is having a boy.

Here's my thing with baby boys.
How are you supposed to dress them?
How are you supposed to decorate their rooms?
I know it is really, really silly. But these two things keep me from desiring a boy with all my heart.
I am sorry future son (hopefully, otherwise Don might have to take on another wife to produce a son, you know like Henry the VIII. But I don't think he would behead me like old Henry did) .
I am sure by the time you read this, these words will seem very silly. As soon as I gaze into your (brown?) eyes and stroke your (brown?) hair.
And marvel at your "distinguished" nose.
I am sure all thoughts of nurseries and clothes will go out the window.

But until then, I just have to say. Why must boy clothes be so dippy?
Here is my confusion:
Dress him like a fru fru (I guess he could get away with it, I mean he is a BABY after all)
Or dress him like a teenager? (I mean, he is a BABY after all...is that right? Should my BABY boy be looking like a Ambercrombie model?)
Or dress him like a sports star?
Or future zoologist?
I mean. What if he likes cooking?
Maybe they should make baby boy clothes with cooking paraphernalia.
That hasn't been gender stereotyped yet.
I do know French people like to cook though, right?
I digress.

And then nurseries.
Pick one:
Sports
Boats
Cars
Animals. But only certain animals. No flittery fluttery things like birds or butterflies.
Only boyish type animals like monkeys, giraffes, or elephants.
Or gender neutral: sheep. (who decided sheep were gender neutral?)

But perhaps this is the real reason I am scared to have a boy.
I am not into
sports, boats, cars, or boyish type animals.

But I guess I am into boys.
You know, when I was a teenager, I was VERY HAPPY women had baby boys.
Because they grow up.
And they get really cute.
And I really wanted one.
And I got myself one.

And hopefully, maybe one day, some 20 something girl will thank me for having a son.
Because. Boys are pretty awesome in their own special way.
Even if their clothes are dippy.

Chelsey met with Santa last night at a church party.
Afterwards she said:

Chelsey: I don't think Santa's real.

Do you think he's real?

Dad: Well, you've seen Polar Express haven't you?

Chelsey: Well he sounded different from last year. He's definitely not real.

I discovered that Chloe and I share a useful talent. Lucky you Chloe!

You can beat all your friends in underwater somersault races because you my friend, have the ability to plug your nose with your upper lip.

And you look really pretty in the process.

You sure won the genetic lottery!