Further Adventures in Arianna

What we deal with on a daily basis…

Hot chocolate sampling. She’s figured out the upturned basket/box/whathaveyou gets her to higher places! Instantly!

That would be an old abandoned-in-the-very-back-of-the-fridge container of cottage cheese, as you can see, gone very bad. She {shudder} got herself a spoon and had a little taste. Eeeeew!!!

Those were both just from yesterday morning. But even so, yes, it was a much better Monday overall. ;)

one way to waste money

Leave the stool in a place where the 2 year old can reach the stamps.

DPP – just so you know ;)

Well…. I’m letting myself off the hook for the December Photo Project. I may or may not keep it up or just skip random days. We’re going to my parents’ for Christmas and it’s a HUGE trip to get ready for and I feel overwhelmed just thinking about it.

That said, I did snap some shots of Arianna playing yesterday morning when it was quiet and the other kids were at school. She drug around Ethan’s carseat and buckled her babies in a bunch of times.

the birthday girl post

Her birthday was the end of October but oh well. :) Have to record the photos somewhere!

The kids wrapped her gifts. Haha.

We had a little playdate with my cousin Vangie and her babies.

Gave her dishes and this play food collection from Costco.  Still a big hit.

These two are so funny.  I think eventually they’ll be really good friends.  Right now the relationship is completely schizophrenic.  ;)

It’s kind of like looking at Vangie and me in mini form. So funny.

They served us up something good,

And then we ate cake.

After her nap I took Arianna outside to try to get some birthday shots.  Most of them are of her running away from me.  (Stinker.)  A few okay ones:

And then I gave in and let her jump.  One of her favorite things.

Happy 2nd, BabyGirl.  We loooove you and all your funny ways!!

She’s two!

I’ll be back later with the birthday report.

big sister

Alternate title: Self Importance

She was so funny – being the big sister, taking her job very seriously.

(My friend Lisa teases me about how often my kids wear stripes. Ha.)

Small Style – I could just die at all the cute

Arianna, for church last Sunday…

This is what happens if you take away her paci:

Top used to be Adelaide’s and passed down, socks ARE Adelaide’s (I just folded the extra fabric under her toes), dress is her own; everything is Matilda Jane and shoes are Livie & Luca, bought last year during a big sale and saved.

(For more mini fashion, visit Small Style at Mama Loves Papa.)

Mom! Arianna’s in the bathtub!!!

This is the kind of stuff she pulls (in case you hadn’t picked up on that already).

I swear it’s like she can smell me sitting down to nurse the [other] baby.

Small Style – I can dress my own self edition

Yellow knit shorts – Walmart; upside-down skirt – Tea Collection (both Madeline’s).

Inside-out striped tank – Old Navy (Adelaide’s).

No clothes were harmed in the making of this post.

(For more mini fashion, visit Small Style at Mama Loves Papa.)

More Adventures in Arianna

That really was just the tip of the iceberg yesterday. Sometime mid-morning I was struck with this severe stomachache and went and curled myself up in bed and tried not to die. Madeline came in who knows how long later and said that Arianna flooded the bathroom.

She had climbed up on the potty lid, loaded the sink with tissues, and turned the water on. So “flood” really was pretty accurate. The hallway, too. Out came the beach towels.

Later, after her nap (which could have lasted all afternoon as far as I was concerned) she pushed a chair over to the kitchen counter and, now this is gross, I can’t believe I’m telling it to the internets, got into the peanut butter that was sitting in the middle of a glue trap that had been sitting there for at least 3 days. (We had a little family of mice move in last week and caught them all – but I wanted to be sure, so I kept putting the sticky traps down every night and then would keep it up on the counter during the day.)  Yeah… she totally ate the peanut butter and got it all over the counter, sink, and herself. Eeew, can’t think too deeply about that one.  At least there were no bugs in it.

This morning I re-installed the gate going into the kitchen… she can probably squeeze through the broken slat, but I figured at least she can’t push a dining room chair in there to get to whatever height she wants.  We had also found all the vitamin bottles messed with in the cup/glass cupboard so I’m pretty sure she had played on top of the counter some, too.

She is SO funny and cute but MAN there is a downside to this age!!!

oh, this girl

For such an innocent-looking face, you can be just as sure she’s up to something. And it’s probably going to involve water, sink, toothbrushes, pasta, peanut butter, or anything else messy you can think of.

And also, I found her IN the bassinet TWICE yesterday, once with Ethan’s head (sorta) in her lap and once she was (sorta) sitting ON his head. She’s lightening-fast, you forget to leave the door shut ONCE and it’s ALL OVER.

And also also? She climbed out of her crib last night. I’m thinkin’ that wasn’t a fluke.

Unfortunately.

(And, just now, I found her IN the bathroom sink. Like squatted down squeezed in. Sad thing was she had also turned the water on and it happened to be the hot side and her toes were in the way. It’s rough being 21 months.)

what happens when

your mama is too tired to chase you around outside.

(And also, Happy Birthday, Papa!)

Lifting the burden

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve come to the end of my blogging days.

It used to be so interactive and fun; filling a social need and a fun way to keep up with others in between changing diapers and washing dishes. Commenting was generally higher all around the blogosphere, or at least it was in my experience. Now it usually feels as if I’m staring at a white, sterile, cinderblock wall, trying to think of something to say. (Which is rather boring, no?)

Right. I’m bored with my own blog. And so, so tired.

I know I can’t just quit, cold turkey. I’m sure the grandmothers would stage a resistance and besides, my hosting fees are already paid for two months.

And where else would I share this pudgy face?

(“Singing” in her sweet baby voice.)

I really don’t have a plan. In a lot of ways I feel like the goal is just to survive until this baby is out. Most likely I’ll just continue posting heavy on the photo side but… I guess I needed to tell you I’m taking the pressure off.

A birthday and some Easter eggs

I’m heading to bed… mostly ready for Easter morning. The important things are done. I wanted to stick these photos up now though, since it’s quiet and no one is tugging on my pant leg.

For my birthday, Andy took me out to dinner…

…and brought me some roses. (Funny, he looks different already since I just gave him a haircut.)

When we got back my sisters helped my kids throw a little party.

They were so sweet and cute and hilarious, as usual. Adelaide said to me later “birthdays take a long time.” (She means because we celebrated hers and mine near the end of the day.)

This morning we went to our church’s breakfast and Resurrection egg hunt. I thought my camera was in my purse BUT IT WASN’T. So sad. Which means all I have is two pix of Ari getting into the loot after her nap.

Night, night. Happy Easter!

{small style}

G’morning! I’m linking up again with this fun little party.

Drew’s tee and shorts are from miniboden (my current favorite for boys who are hard on their clothes).

Arianna’s dress is an older line Matilda Jane (my favorite designer for girls), tee is from Target, and shoes are Livie & Luca (ebay).

My sisters came over for a little while yesterday and they have been dog-watching this little puppy. Arianna was very concerned about the leash. Funny.

For other Small Style, or to participate, visit Mama Loves Papa.

found a pocket

On Sunday afternoon Andy took the big kids on a hike so Arianna and I played. She was carrying around one of Adelaide’s mini nail polishes and I dropped it in her pocket. Like a game.

After that she walked around just holding her pocket. So cute.

Watching for the big kids to come back…

(It was such a lovely day.)

babies

I feel like we’ve been so busy and doing nothing all at the same time. But, we have been taking very good care of our babies. (Just so you know.)

With Grandmommy

Whenever my mom is here she likes to get photos with the kids.  I’m not sure where Drew was so it turned into “with the girls” instead.  I just had to share these because they made us all die laughing.  And you can bet #4 will reappear at her rehearsal dinner in about 21 years.  (I was 22 when I got married…just used that number.)

Presenting “What to do if you don’t want your picture taken, steal your sister’s hairbow.”

Notice Madeline? What in the world!

Ooh, and this one too, just ’cause it makes me laugh:

Can’t remember what she was mad about but whatever it was, BABY NOT HAPPY. (I’m a bad mom to laugh, I know.)