Well it is thingsgiving after all

We've had a super crazy week so far because both the kids got sick at the same time and when kids get sick, crazy begins. The week has been a blur of ER visits, high and never ending fevers, hopping visits and long waits at pharmacies, and lots of doses of lots of medicines. Luckily, we're not dealing with anything more serious than the flu and though the kids are miserable and so are we, all in all we're all okay and have a lot to be thankful for.

For one moment last night I realized that things were perfect: we were back from the ER, the kids had been given their medication and were asleep with no fevers, Vijay was getting them to bed, and I was sitting in my bed with a new, unopened MacBook (my new prized possession on which I now sit and type and which is a present from dear husband and brother in an effort to get me to write more!) on my lap and a piece of really good chocolate in my hand. For that moment, I give thanks and more thanks.

While we're talking about thanksgiving, Vir is really worried about today. He thinks that since it's thingsgiving day, someone is going to swoop into the house at some point and ask him to give away his things. So every so often during the day, he's been coming up to me and whining, "....but mamma....I don't want to give away my things. I want to keep my toys. I only want to give my toys to myself. I don't waaaannnaaa...!" The mean mom in me hasn't told him that no one is coming to take his stuff away. I've just been nodding noncommittally and saying "It's okay baby....it's always nice to share, isn't it?" You should see the panic in his eyes when I say that!

Yes, I know I'll probably go to hell.

Super cute errors!

To me while I was watching a Harry Potter movie: "Mamma, are you watching Harry Bottom?"

Singing along to a Sheryl Crow song: "My little superstar...honey you break my plant...."

Tee hee I say:-)

Girly Girl

So it looks like my daughter is going to beat the odds presented by having me as a mother and be girly after all! Anyone who knows me is quite familiar with my never changing jeans and t-shirt "outfits" and is always surprised by my once-in-a-while-burst-of-femininity-wearing-of-dangly-earrings. And it's not by design, but just because that Tara also has more jeans than dresses. I'm going to be forced to shop differently for her though, because this little one already knows what she likes and what makes her look pretty as she's twirling around showing herself off! It's amazing that she knows without me pointing it out when something in her outfit is new...even if it's just a t-shirt or onesie. She goes right up to her dad to show it off as soon as she's done being dressed...complete with the little twirl, sideways tilt, and lifting on toes!

And you know what else is girly? She offers food and water to her dolls, pats them lovingly, and puts them off to sleep. In all his almost 4 years, Vir has never thought to feed anyone! It's really interesting to see the differences in them emerge this way. Of course, there's lots of non girly stuff in my grubby little toddler as well. The trail of mess and destruction that she leaves behind her wherever she walks, the way she manages to look dirty as soon as she's out of her bath, the way she zooms her cars and kut kut kuts her helicopters, and of course the farting and snorting!

Part girly and mother-y and showoffy and part grubby and dirty and boy-ey, she's definitely turning out to be one of a kind. And adding a one of a kind flavor to our days. If I haven't said this already, I've thought it a hundred times...I just can't have enough of this little one. Don't tell her I said that though...she thinks enough of herself as it is:-)

Weekends are just not what they used to be...

Why do parents like to torture themselves so? It was a perfect Sunday to laze around the house, maybe watch a movie or two, perhaps even take an afternoon nap and then order takeout for dinner. But what did we do? Packed both kids for a cold day out and took them across the river to Times Square so they could see the dinosaur and ride on the ferris wheel at Toysrus. Though I guess we weren't the only ones who were out to torture themselves in this weird and painful way. Almost every other parent in the tri state area seemed to have had the same idea AT THE SAME TIME. The consolation was that they were all equally unhappy. Everywhere we walked, we heard snippets of the same conversations...

"...if you ask for one more thing, you're in serious tro..."
"...this is the last warning....5 more minutes and we're out of here...."
"hon....we really need to get out of here!"
".....nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
"screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem"

...and so on. There were basically two groups of people in that store:

Parents: Inwardly and sometimes outwardly groaning and thinking what the hell bit them that they decided to take this on.
Children: Running around trying to get as much free play time in magic land as their parents could live through and screaming at the slightest hint that some limits may be placed on them.

So again, why do we do this to ourselves? It's an easy answer, right? Because it makes them smile and we like to see them smile. More than we like our afternoon naps.

Sigh. Next Sunday: The Children's Museum of Manhattan.