Animania

We had two animal-driven trips lately that the girls really enjoyed.

First we went to the Waco Zoo with Daddy. I know, Waco, right? But it was a decent zoo. Manageable size and good exhibits.

We probably should have gotten an earlier start because we had the Rowdy Girls birthday party that afternoon, but the time restriction worked out for us. They were running out of juice almost exactly when it was time to leave. I would like to go back for longer though. They have play areas and a good amount of shade.





Someone was scared of the alligator


Lucy reading the map for us


Our next exotic adventure was a trip to Johnson City to the exotic safari zoo. You load up in a trailer hauled behind a tractor.



It is basically a ranch where they have the animals trained to come to the trailer for dinner. Sometimes it can get a little scary, but you definitely get a close up of the animals.

Its funny to have a camel running alongside and have a heard of deer trailing behind.






Harper fed the animals, and was pretty excited. So excited, she bit it running across the trailer and got a(nother) shiner on her left eye. Poor thing. I was heading back to Lucy who was crying because she was not so fond of the fauna when it happened. Not winning any mother of the year awards here. All told I think they had a great time. Thanks to Ruthie for organizing it!

Classic Harper

The other day I set Harper up with some water colors. She ran out of water, and got creative and started finger dot painting. How cute.



Then I noticed the extension of her creativity...

Blowing sad

Happy Mothers Day!

To the grandmas first - we wouldn't be where we are or who we are without you. So sad that we are not with you to celebrate.

Auntie Mommas - have a wonderful relaxing day, we miss our cousins!

Friend Mommas - thanks for the support and playdates, impromptu meals and snacks, spare diapers and wipes, and agreeing to be around our kids.

We (I) chose today to start our for real potty learning. Not thinking that I should milk major relaxation. Alas, I want to get it done before our trip to D.C., and I need three days to stay home. We have school on Wednesday, so today is the day.

We threw away all the diapers (disposal, I put the cloth in archive). We are full time in panties, and we are drinking lots of juice to keep them going. It is now 12:42p.m. and we have not had any accidents so far. Knock on wood.

Dressed and distressed

I had a string of lots of nights out - birthdays, bible study, sewing class, book club. Fun, but exhausting. The girls have a little bit of residual anxiety about me leaving. As I'm putting them to bed Lucy now says "You not going anywhere Momma?" "You not go somewhere." Ok, I won't leave. I'm in my yoga pants and flip flops. Just want to sit on the couch and watch a movie.

Which brings me to another point. Attire. If I clean up, they get REAL suspicious. Even when I try to get them dressed in the a.m. they ask "Where we going?" Because otherwise, what reason is there to wear anything other than the pj shirt and a diaper? Shoes besides flip flops/clogs are a dead giveaway that something is going down.

This makes me feel like a bunch of slobs.

Ass istance

Loading process for Odyssey.

Unlock and open doors
Children get in. Usually get in respective chairs.
Strap in Harper on driver's side.
Get in van and strap Lucy into her chair.
As I exit minivan Harper lifts up her feet out of my way, says "Here you go Momma." and helps push my booty out of the van.
Cracks me up every time.

Nap drama

Fell asleep standing up. A new one.


Naps are elusive around here. Sometimes I can get them to sleep by putting in a movie and setting them up. About 10 minutes into it they conk out, or don't.

On Thursday and Friday I actually got naps because of a recently developed fear of witches. Stay with me here. On Wednesday night, Greg had a meeting and I was tired so before gearing up for bedtime we all laid in my bed and I told them stories. One of the stories was about Princess Lucy and Princess Harper, but when I inserted a witch into the tale, I was shut down. It sounds mean to talk about witches in stories, but they are already out there. In Dora. In the Princess movies. In Super Why (PBS programming teaching preschoolers to read). They have never been scared of the witches.

But then on Thursday at nap time they were wearing their swim diapers and pretending to be fishes instead of sleeping. I said something that reminded them of a witch and they whipped them off and were freaking out. They wouldnt' leave me. So I used this to get them to nap in the guest bed. They did it on Friday too. Today, they started off in their little beds, but then Lucy was talking about a "really, really mean witch" and got Harper going.

Tough decision - rested neurotic children or psychologically sound exhausted chidlren? I tried shutting it down by saying that witches were pretend, but I am not sure Harper believed me. Instead she went and napped with Greg while they watched golf. I'm pretty sure there aren't any witches on the PGA.