Role Reversal

Tonight we had a funny couple of conversations, Gabe and I. It made me wonder who was in charge around here! #1 - Gabe and I were playing baseball (...in the house...should've known this was going to lead to disaster) and I accidently swung and hit the ball into the TV. Its a foam ball, so no damage done, but apparently we've scared religion into Gabe about touching the TV, because he drew in a long breath and said: Gabe: "Mama! You hit the TV! You have to go sit in the bad boy chair!" Me (highly amused): "OK, you're right, I will." Go sit in kitchen chair. Me (after counting to 10): "Can I get up now?" Gabe: "Not yet! Not until I say so!" Me (count to 20): "How about now?" Gabe: "Okay, you can get up now. What do you say?" Me: "I'm sorry, Gabe, for hitting the TV. I won't do it again" #2: Then about an hour later we were using a new paint set: Me: "Gabe, do you like your new paints?" Gabe: "Yes, Mama! I do! I'm very proud of you!" Oops, I have to go. Gabe says it time to put me to bed.

So we just returned from a great trip to sunny Florida - sooo much fun to travel with 2! That is, if you're sitting at the airport bar laughing at the people traveling with 2. Otherwise it sucks. But, once we got there we had a great time at the pool and the beach and the pool. Did I mention the pool? A few other musings while in the Sunshine State:

• One day in the pool Gabe told us he wanted to go to sleep. Sleep? What? At 10am? Break out the mimosas - the morning nap is back! Unfortunately, he clarified that he wanted to sleep on the steps of the pool, meaning that he wanted a little rest. Thirty seconds later, we were all rested up and ready to go again. At least one part of 'we'
• You always hear about how kids love the cheap stuff the best. No better demonstration than this weekend when Gabe got a set of plastic ocean animals he played with nonstop for 4 straight days. Price tag? $1.50. Guess what someone is getting under the tree this year?
• Gabe's getting a little smarter every day, and that's not a good thing. We've resorted to spelling things, and I have to say, spelling is hard when there's no squiggly red underline to rely on. (Hey you, the one laughing, spell Madagascar. Quick. In hushed tones. And while trying to operate a DVD player on a plane with a whining kid on your lap.) Anyway, even that little tactic is backfiring now:

Me: "Ryan, do you want to take Gabe to the P-A-R-K?"

Gabe: "I want to go!"

Grandma: "Gabe, do you know what P-A-R-K spells?

Gabe (exacerbated): "It spells playground! I want to go to the playground!"

Well, so much for that. C-R-A-P.

Rapid Response

I realized today that I forgot to post one of my bigger parenting blunders (and trust me, there are many to choose from) from last week. Its worse than letting Riley fall off the couch or putting Gabe to work picking up dog poop in the backyard, both of which happened the same day. Nope, this time I locked both kids in my car. Even after my mom warned me the doors were locked. And I scoffed at her. Lucky for us, the Wilmington police and fire departments are a bit overstaffed, or crime is down in a very real way, because while I was still on the phone with 911, we had five cop cars and one very loud firetruck at our house (that equals 10 cops and 4 firefighters for those of you a little slow on Emergency Services math). Where are these people each night when the homeless are rifling through my car? Anyway, a lot of nosy neighbors and shameless apologizing later, the car was unlocked and Gabe even got to play on the firetruck. Crisis averted! Now, back to picking up dog poop.

Easter fun

This past weekend my parents and brother joined us for Easter (and for a weekend of mulching! Lucky them!) After church we took everyone out to an Easter brunch where the Bunny himself made an appearance. At first Gabe was scared (as in, went running out of the room crying) but when the bunny brought him some jelly beans he decided he was a "nice Easter Bunny" after all. A little bribery always does the trick. He still wouldn't sit on him lap though! Luckily Uncle Corey provided a little buffer between the two. Quote of the week: Ryan: "Gabe, did you know that you're my son?" Gabe: "Daddy, I'm your sun AND your moon!"

Greetings from Broom Street! We've had a busy week so far after a lazy weekend. On Monday I met with my personal trainer again - she is worth every penny and kicking my ass. I can do (barely) her workout plan, but I would never in a million years do it on my own without someone standing there laughing at me. Where she makes me do 40 reps, I would quit after 10! Anyway, I was barely able to walk yesterday and today was actually worse. As luck would have it I had also volunteered to help with the Seder meal at the JCC yesterday, not realizing that I would barely be able to walk down the stairs, much less set out placemats, cups, napkins and plates for 70 kids ON THE FLOOR. That equalled about 500 more squats (but at least they were free!). Tomorrow school is closed so 2 of Gabe's friends are spending the day here. Wish me (and my house) luck! Riley is doing really well and is sleeping very predictably at night now (10-4am, 4:30-7am, 7:30-10am) which makes things much easier. She is also smiling at us -a lot!- and got a very sweet "I love Baby Riley" from her big brother this week. She has a new fan club in the babysitting room at the gym - all the other kids sing a Riley chorus whenever I bring her. Who knows what germs she's picking up with all of them hovering over her, but that's how they build up immunities, right? Right? Here are some new pictures: Gabe's new pasttime: Board Games! We've mastered the "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" one and are working on Chutes and Ladders. Smiley Riley!

Riley's new babysitter

Our friend Meredith is Riley's new babysitter! Well, for now she can only babysit when her mom is around, but when Riley is in kindergarten they are on their own! For now she's also handy for showing Gabe how to play hide and seek. Here are some cute pics of the three of them:

One Fine Day

Today I started on one of my maternity leave goals and went to see a personal trainer. I had a 10am appointment, and it took -no joke- nearly 4 hours to make it. Here's the breakdown: 4:30 Riley wakes up 6:30 Riley wakes up again 6:45 Gabe wakes up 7:00 Finish feeding Riley 7:01 Turn on TV for Gabe 7:02 Crawl back into bed 7:30 Curious George is over. Get up for real and negotiate diaper change. 7:45 Cajole Gabe in bathtub 8:15 Cajole Gabe out of bathtub 8:25 Negotiate breakfast items (Gabe won on applesauce, lost on PB&J) 8:45 Finish breakfast 8:50 Finish packing lunch for Gabe, diaper bag for Riely, and workout clothes & toiletries for me 8:58 Take stuff out to car 8:59 Take child #1 to car 9:00 Take child #2 to car 9:01 Back in the house to get snack for car 9:02 Back in again to get purse 9:20 Arrive at JCC amid cries of "no school!" 9:30 Leave Gabe's classroom 9:35 Arrive at fitness center day care 9:50 Finish nursing Riley 9:55 Stash stuff in locker room 10:00 Arrive at trainer's office 10:01 Curse trainer for being late. Doesn't he know what it took to get here???