Be A Good Mom

Geetle has become my shadow. At least between 7am and 4pm when BAGD is at work. She follows me and Giggles around the house, watching everything I do. Everything I do, she does. If I say “what a good baby you are!” She says “what a good baby you are!” If I lean in to look at Giggles, Geetle manages to get in between my face and hers.

Yesterday, I was feeling at bit like a stalked celebrity, Giggles and I could not get a moment alone. I told Geetle that I needed some “special Mom and Giggles time” and asked her to play in the living room. She nearly melted; she looked so hurt. So, I made a point of letting her and Giggles spend sometime together today. They were “alone”, except for me sitting on the coffee table, supervising. I did not say a word. Eventually, Pookie came to sit with them too. (notice that he is carrying his 1997 Wisconsin Electric Cookie Cookbook)

I have to admit that I take advantage of Geetle’s willingness to do anything for the baby. When it suits my purpose, I will have her fetch bibs and diapers. She also gives me someone to make chit-chat with; we talk about all sorts of baby things…what Giggles will wear…why I like Wal-mart diapers….whether or not Giggles is outgrowing these pajamas already. Things that no adult would want to listen to me talk about all day. Geetle loves it. And I love that she has such an interest in her sister. I think that my setting aside special Geetle and Giggles time, I will get a little more of my own special Mom and Giggles time. But, if not, at least I can tell Giggles how popular she was when she was young.

The Beagoodkids are easy to entertain. Here we are having a tea party for lunch, complete with canape sanwiches and tea. Ok, the sanwiches were just peanut butter on white bread, cut with tiny cookie cutters, with a banana slice and sprinkles on top. And the tea was just water. But they had fun. Lots of fun.

Geetle was excited, as this was Giggle’s first tea party. Pookie always loves a tea party, as long as the food is real. They ate sandwiches and I taught Geetle how to make party small talk. We asked each other how our husbands were and if we got our Christmas shopping done yet. We commented on the weather and the neighbor’s new car.

While I was eating my tiny peanut butter and banana sandwich, I was reminded of how easy it is to entertain my kids. They like to “do” things, any things. Whenever I put something together, they almost always love it. It does not have to be complicated, but it does have to have a plan. I guess the common denominator is that they like it when I put together an idea and get them started. They do not like it when I throw them in a room and just tell them to entertain themselves. Sure, they can do that too. But when they have a real rip-roaring fun time, its usually something that BAGD and I set up for them. Sometimes we stay involved the whole time, like this tea party or Geetle’s bookstore. But other times, its something we start and let them finish, like painting wooden letters for Giggles bedroom wall or piling up leaves at the bottom of the backyard slide.

They are both perfectly capable of entertaining themselves; they do it every day. But they do seem to have more fun when BAGD and I play too. That’s a nice compliment to us.

Is it wrong to use your baby as a comic prop? We love her and all. But, sometimes the need to make ourselves laugh is strong…very strong.

Go kiss someone you love, right now.
If you can’t get to them this very instant, make a call or send an email. Right now.

Just a few pictures of the baby:

I hate hanging up my kids coats, picking up their backpacks, hats and mittens, etc. They dart in and out of the house several times a day, so I felt like I was doing it non-stop. But hangers are hard for 4 year olds to figure out and if left alone, they just throw their hats and mittens on the bottom of the closet floor. What to do?

I figured it out.

I hung hooks on the back of the front door. The kids hang their backpacks and coats up easily. For the hats and mittens, I bought two clothespin bags and hung those on hooks as well. It took exactly one day for the kids to adopt the new system. It also seems like this new system will help keep the pairs of mittens together; we have not lost one yet.

I think this is a great way to keep kids hats, mittens, coats and backpacks organized and tidy.

So, I was thinking today that Pookie needs some heavy winter gloves.  We looked a bit at Sears today, but did not find anything.  So, I thought, why not check Amazon.com!

I did a search for “Boys gloves” and got this included in my search results.   I assume its because the title has “boys” in it, and the book teaches how to make all sorts of wearable things, including guantlets and underwear.   Probably gloves too.  “Search Inside” and click random page a few times, you’ll see.  There is no nudity, so its educational.

Anyway, my point is that I really learn alot on the internet, even when I am not trying to.  For instance, I did not know that anyone would need or want a book like this.  I am a pretty well educated woman, but I am always surprised when I find out I am not as worldly as I think I am.

The internet is making me so smart.  We are going to a party Saturday night.  Should I wow the crowd with my new awareness of this topic?

We took the kids to see Santa this weekend. Somehow, the line was very reasonable…just right for the slim line between anticipation and boredom. Just long enough to get out enthusiasm up, but just short enough so that we were still happy and well-behaved when it was our turn.

Geetle asked Santa for a magic set, a horse (stuffed) and Tinkerbell things. Pookie asked for presents. Just presents. I like the way he thinks. Keep it broad, nothing too specific, increase your chances of getting what you want. Giggles was asleep, so she missed the opportunity, but Geetle says she wants things to stare at and chew on.

BAGD and I took Geetle and Pookie to do some Christmas shopping this weekend as well. BAGD and Pookie went out to buy a present for all the girls. He found something for me and Giggles, but nothing for Geetle yet. I took Geetle out. She found a present for Pookie (a castle playset), Giggles (a bear and book about belly buttons) and BAGD (I can’t say, since I know he reads my blog religiously). This is the first Christmas that Geetle “gets” it. We gave her 4 $10 bills and talked about how one was for each family member’s present. Then we made a list of what each person on her list likes. She said Pookie likes blue shirts and puzzles. BAGD likes books and pajamas. Giggles likes things to stare at. She did her shopping at Target, her favorite store. She is looking forward to wrapping the presents this week too.

We also put up our Christmas tree this weekend, but that is another post.

Giggles is fitting in pretty well around here.  She is a very agreeable baby.  She is happy to be any where, any time.  Sometimes I feel bad that she gets lugged around when I take Pookie and Geetle for haircuts or to the store to buy a Carbon Monoxide detector.  Boring stuff.  But, then I remember that she has never been to these places and its all like a big vacation to her.  Sight-seeing from a climate controlled motor coach…errrr, I mean car seat.   She gets to lay on a playmat in front of the big window while I wait for the preschool buses to come back, then I dart outside to get Pookie or Geetle and we rush back in to say “Hello” to her, its like elaborate Peek-a-boo.   She gets to ride in the sling for hours, swaying back and forth as she naps contentedly, as I load the dishwasher, fill out school papers, make sandwiches, and fold laundry.   She gets to come downstairs and sit with us in front of the TV for her 9 pm bottle, even though we would have made Baby Pookie and Baby Geetle eat in the dark, quiet nursery because its “nighttime” not “playtime”, all because we are worn out and is it too much to ask that we get to watch King of Queens a few nights a week?

I hope she likes it here so far.  We think we are doing all right by her, but we will have to wait and see if she complains.  Right now, she seems pretty happy.

At story time, we let the big kids pick out a little book for Giggles.  She sits with us and we read a book for each kid.  I was getting tired of all our board books.  We have had most of them for 4 1/2 years and still read them.  Pookie especially likes board books because the words are simple and he can “read” some of the easy ones himself.  (more memorization and recognition of common sight words really)

I was trying to win a lot of board books on eBay.  I even bid on 25 pounds of board books, without knowing the titles.  I lost every time; I am too cheap for eBay.  I was getting discouraged.  Then, the other day, Geetle and I went to drop off a bunch of things at Goodwill.  We went inside and looked around a bit.  For some reason, it had never occurred to me that I could get board books at Goodwill.  We buy books there all the time, but I never remembered seeing little board books.   Well, Geetle and I made an effort to shufle through the shelves, looking for books for Giggles.  We found 15 good ones…Sandra Boynton, Goodnight Gorilla, Big Red Barn, Eric Carle, etc.  I think it helped that we were there right when the store opened.

The books were $.59 a piece and in good used condition.  So, now I am happy.  I have some new books to read.