Squeak Squeaker, Squeak Squeakin'

Two weeks ago Justin and I planned to go on our biannual date night and had to cancel because I had a raging fever. Sucky.

Then he got it.

Then Evanie got it.

So we rescheduled our date for this weekend because, "if we're only going twice a year, we're going to be HEALTHY and we're going to LOVE IT! And who stays sick longer than two weeks? Nobody. We'll be totally healthy by then!"

Before we had fully recovered we got some swollen, sore throat thingy which went away pretty quickly for me and lingered for him. So out of sympathy for him, I got a sinus infection.

Now those demons usually last a minimum of 3 weeks for me so I went out and begged a pharmacist for a homeopathic remedy that was effective and safe for pregnancy.

He gave me this and I AM A BELIEVER!

My sinus infection whimpered and died in 24 hours.

So I got up this Friday morning delighted....with a littttttttle tiny sore throat.

Friday evening it was full on laryngitis.

Out of stubbornness and desperation, we kept our Saturday date plans even though I literally had zero voice. Not even a squeak. After Evanie was already with the babysitters and we were driving to dinner Justin asked if we were being silly and should we just cancel again.

I gave him a thumbs down, then a thumbs up, then a thumbs sideways.

Loosely translated this means,"NO we shouldn't cancel!! It'll be great! Orrr...sort of great....hopefully...."

So we went and the food was a DELIGHT and our server was AWESOME annnnnnd we pretty much didn't talk at all. We did communicate, Justin is highly skilled at my caveman sign-language attempts and reads lips well. Although it was the quietest date we've ever been on, I'm SO glad we went.

Makes me realize how much more I talk than Justin....and how much of it isn't important.

At one point in the evening, someone we couldn't see shrieked out the loudest, squawkiest female laugh I'd ever heard and Justin and I, because we're horribly immature, nearly died laughing.

Which is really quite pathetic because we really almost DIED laughing. First of all, I had a completely silent laugh and Justin was all high pitched and hoarse due to coughing for the past two weeks, and then we both lapsed into major coughing fits and had to dive for our water to help us swallow all the phlegm we hacked up! Can't really spit that in your napkin at a restaurant.

My only consolation is that dozens of people we know are dealing with the same back to back sicknesses this spring. Otherwise I would be tearing out my hair....because, you know, that's a good solution....

What to do....

...when your sweet 19 month old starts using your "mom voice" and your "mom sayings" against you!?

I hear a lot of very loud, angry "NO's!!!!" out of her so we've been working on turning that monster into a sweet "no thank you." And there is measurable success. I have no desire to squash (all) her opinions and I don't mind if she voices her say but it does matter to me that she is polite and kind. Howevvvvvvveeeerrrrr......our "no thank you" practices have turned into something like this:

Me: Evanie, time to go potty.

Evanie: No hanks.

......

Me: Ok Evanie, two more bites and then you're all done.

Evanie: No hanks.

.......

Me: Evanie, 1 more minute and then it's naptime.

Evanie: No hanks.

Awesome. I have to admit, at this point I pretty much have to turn away to hide my smile every time but still...what a stinker!

Tonight she pulled out a new one on me. She's turned into a show watching fiend since I started my final online course because I often have the TV babysit for me. (By often I mean 1 or 2 shows in a day) I don't feel guilty because it's a short term situation and only used when I must, but I'm wondering if I need to find a new system. It's quickly turning every day into one big long-

Evanie: "Show peas mama?"
Me: "Nope, no more shows today!"
Evanie: "Show PEASSSS MAMA!"
Me: "No Evanie, we're all done with shows."
Evanie: "SHOW! SHOW! SHOW! SHOW!!"

Repeat scenario 700 times.

So anyway, we were going through this tonight right before bedtime and instead of throwing the "show fit" she put her little hands on either side of my chin (like I do to her), and very calmly and matter-of-factly said:

Evanie: "Yisten...yisten...yisten mama. Yisten. Show."
Me: "Um, are you seriously telling me to 'listen'?"
Evanie: "Ya. Yisten. Show."
Me: "Unreal..............the answer is still no."

She had the serious face, the raised eyebrows, the no nonsense tone- all of it. I was a little scared.

Thankfully, although Evanie spends most of every day pretending to be a big girl, far bigger than I am ready for her to be....she still sometimes lets me hold her and cuddle her and rub her back and kiss her about 74 times a day. And I've clearly taught her to be a regular kiss dispenser because she now has a routine where she kisses me on each cheek, the chin, the forehead, the lips, and then the nose. I just love it!


Here is my big girl. We were out getting groceries and because I'm a fun mom (or because I feel guilty for being anything BUT a fun mom between daycare, school, and pregnancy!) we stopped a bought a balloon. And because she asked the lady so nicely, we got it for free!


We also found new fuzzy slippers for $3 to keep her toes warm on this winter that wants to last forever.

P.S. I cannot take good pictures, much less great pictures and I'm sorry. It is partially me and partially the camera and I don't know how to upgrade either of us!

I Like Her

She's a somewhat uncooperative nut but I just love her.

Untitled from Carolyn Wiebe on Vimeo.

Between doing nearly fulltime daycare and a recent housesitting/childcare week, it has been well over two weeks since Justin and I had a day to spend with just Evanie so this weekend was a real treat. She ignored her toys and followed us around and "helped" with everything. She loves to carry folded laundry for mama, empty the silverware from the dishwasher, ask daddy "what's that?" about everything he touches, vacuum beside me (she has her own plastic vac....best $.99 I ever spent!!), hold the dustpan for mama, throw away random carpet fuzzies in the "dabidge" , and sample everything I chop while making dinner.

She also delights in sitting ON my feet whenever I'm working in the kitchen. I can't decide if I'm more annoyed or more thrilled, it's a good mix of both. How many people love you so much that they'd rather sit on your feet all afternoon then go play with their 8 boxes of toys!?

After bathtime on Saturday evening we introduced her to the vice that is McDonalds icecream cone. She was SO excited! (And I was up with a killer stomach ache for hours. Dam dairy!) And although she's not much of a cuddler I got so many kisses and hugs and cuddles this weekend that I know she enjoyed having mom and dad to herself for 2 days! This morning she woke up with a fever at 5am and who can resist a tiny little voice asking, " 'ay down, mommy an' daddy?" So we cuddled some more!

True Love

So you may recall my post a while back about Evanie's deep and profound attachment to the RBC mascot, RB. I'm sure you haven't forgotten since I onlyupdate this thing every other month....

Every time we go into the bank she is so unbelievably excited to be surrounded on all sides by his picture that all the bank employees are aware of her little passion. (They all SAY they think it's cute but I'm probably the mom who brings in "that weird little girl who likes RB.")

A few weeks back I got a call from our local bank asking if I was the mother of the little girl who loved RB. I proudly answered yes and they said if I brought her to the bank, they have something they'd like to give her. And so we did. And as soon as we walked in ladies in heels came clicking out of the woodworks, squealing like little school girls. They were all so excited to present to Evanie, RBC's new stuffy, RB!!


Evanie's initial response was shell shock but as soon as they pulled that little guy out of his box she went nuts. Much squealing and many kisses...


And now, he is her playmate, her sleeping buddy, her dance partner, and the one toy that she actually thinks is capable of human activities. This morning she was trying to get a ball from beneath her bed and she couldn't reach it so she said, "RB get it," and shoved him underneath. Such a quirky little girl!

Down dog

I've been hearing such positive things about yoga lately that I decided I'd ease my way back into being active with some prenatal yoga.



One library stop later and I was armed for the task. This morning I stuck in the dvd and was doing my best to keep my shaky legs rooted and my chest lifted. My mind was relaxed, my breathing slow and steady, and my eyes closed.....when the corner of a dvd case came slamming down onto my skull!! My eyes flew open to meet a guilty pair of baby blues about 2 inches from my face and a relaxed yoga session quickly turned into a contortionist dance as I stormed around trying to ease the throbbing cranium!

So my word of advice is this: no matter how much you love your toddler, even if you'd give your life for theirs in a heartbeat, NEVER do the down dog with your eyes closed if this toddler is awake and on the loose! It is a lose lose situation in every way!