Some Catching Up... Or Catching Things...

This past week I've been sick.  Arg.  I feel like I've been sick more this year than I have been in ages.  I wasn't even sick this much when I was teaching elementary art.  I'm talking kids wiping their noses then touching you, or putting something in their mouth and handing it to you, or worse, sneezing right in your face when you're talking to them.  It must be another fantastic perk of being a mom.  Awesome.

Anyway, it was struggle enough to pretend I was having a blast pulling MiniM.E. around in the laundry basket for hours on end while I was really ready to curl up in a ball and die.  Luckily, I pushed through it and am still alive.  I don't think MiniM.E. suffered too much.  Except for maybe the few hours that I totally curled up on the couch in a blanket and watched her watch the "tee" (TV).  Don't judge, it was Baby Songs, a totally ghetto DVD made from a 30 year old VHS tape that actually teaches things and is so slow moving that I don't have to worry about it affecting her attention span.  AND for the record, I can now take a shower without piercing screams echoing in the background.

Fortunately, aside from a hacking cough (which I am praying is not waking up my napping baby), I am better.

UNfortunately, while sick I not only neglected writing blog posts, I also neglected everything else I usually do around the house AND the baby shower I am co-planning and putting on THIS WEEKEND.  So this post will have to be short and sweet.  Starting now.  The beginning was totally procrastination.  But now, I really have to go do stuff.  Unless MiniM.E. wakes up.  Which she might.  If I sit here and keep writing and checking e-mail and shopping for Christmas presents long enough.  Then I won't have to do any of those things.  I'll have to play with a baby...

So, to recap the last week or so, MiniM.E. is super cute, as always

Walking everywhere

Loves to swing

especially the big kid swing

Is learning to help out and clean up

Is finding more and more things we need to baby proof

Is mastering new skills like jumping (almost)

And the magna doodle

Went in her first bounce house

Sat at the park at the grown up table

Likes to play in the dirt

Is having a blast in the big tub

Loves pretending to take naps

And still isn't a very good napper.  Though she definitely is cute when she's sleeping.

Aaannndd... She's up!  Mission avoid housework and baby shower planning: Accomplished.

A Cold, Rainy Day

I used to like cold, rainy days.  I love to grab a good book, a cup of hot chocolate and some cookies and just curl up on the couch for hours.

I am not so much a fan of rainy days anymore.

MiniM.E. likes to read... but only for a few minutes.  She can't drink hot chocolate... yet, and as much as she likes cookies, I don't think I could bribe her to sit with me on the couch for hours with all the cookies in the world.

So, so much for my hours on the couch for a few many years.

MiniM.E. loves to be outside (as you may have noticed in previous posts).  She now knows that she needs shoes on to go outside so she will sit and try to put on her shoes by the door.  She'll stand up and bang at the door and cry if she gets really frustrated.  I suppose spending time outside is good for both of us, so usually I help her put on her shoes and out we go.

But not in the rain...

A plus to a rainy day is that if it's darker, MiniM.E. takes longer naps.  But once she wakes up and realizes we can't go out,

there's only so much I can do to distract her from walking over to the door and holding out her shoes...

Fortunately, we found the play area at the Wilton Mall.  Rainy day life-saver!

MiniM.E. loves it.  She goes off on her own and I can just sit on their benches.  She even plays with the other kids!

Extra bonus?  There is a teeny tiny carousel that MiniM.E. was so excited about the first time she saw it, she almost jumped right out of the stroller.  For a meer $.75 she can ride for a fun-filled 60 seconds.  (The first time she rode it I was afraid she would let go and fall off so I walked around in circles beside her and held her on.  Note: BAD IDEA.  Nothing like feeling like you've just been on 20 carnival rides when you have to entertain a baby.  Note #2: boy, I'm getting old...)

Did I say $.75? I should have said $3... because that's how much money it took until she finally would let go.