Putting the Rosy Glasses Away for Today's Post...

Ok... I admit it! I really only blog about the good stuff...keep it happy... keep it light! Only air out the "clean laundry" here. So.... you all probably don't know that my Lilli girl should have a legal name change to "Curious George"! Serriously... this girl is very busy! ALWAYS busy... always checking everything out... paying close attention to what everyone is doing... so she can go back later and do it better. It "tests" my parenting skills at times... basically I have gotten really good at deep breathing... and calling my mom to whine! (we never really grow up do we???? )


Anyway... to keep it real... I will go into the reality of my day. You ready?


Today started with Lilli bringing Milli (our new overwhelmingly relaxed and forgiving cat) to me ... only problem was she was carrying her by her two front legs... NOT COOL. REALLY NOT COOL as mom (me) has put her foot down and put Lilli on a 3 foot restraining order when it comes to the cat. We go over it every morning... every afternoon... every evening... OK>OK> every 5 minutes. "Lilli, do you understand... don't bother Milli. If you would like to pet her gently, tell mommy and we will sit together and pet her nicely. Do you understand sweetie?"

Lilli's reply, "Yes Mommy. I don't touch the cat. I don't chase the cat. I don't pick up the cat" . Me (in my head) "Finally, she gets it... A breakthrough. The cat is safe now"

Lilli brings Milli to me - remember by carrying her by her two front legs... to sit and pet her gently.... back to square one!!! Coffee.... Coffee... Tequila... No... just kidding! A phone call to my mom for parenting advice.... meanwhile Lilli has gone up to play nicely in the play room while i am on the phone with my mother.... play nicely... YEP.... that is my story... "Thanks mom, I appreciate all the great parenting advice ... FROM 3 STATES AWAY... almost as good as Joe's parenting advice from ACROSS THE PACIFIC!"

Go upstairs to see what my sweet, precious, innocent, meek, mild, Lilli is doing in the playroom... and trip on the carpet as I walk into the girls room. Wait... trip on the carpet as I walk in the room.... there is no carpet when I walk in the room... there is ... or was ... a carpet between the two twin beds.... hmmmmmmmm.... there is a huge lump under this carpet... what could that be??? Oh yes... a large amount of white powder.... As I am not on anyone's "list" I assume it is not a dangerous white powder... and the smell is familiar... so I don't call the hazard team in... YES... it is baby powder... a whole bunch of baby powder... Wow... that is cool... they sure can fit a lot of baby powder in one plastic container... OK... look how sweet... Lilli is dressed up as Cinderella... you can't be mad at Cinderella....

Clean up all the baby powder that Lilli has squeezed out under the carpet upstairs.... well, not really under the carpet... she actually moved the carpet... to cover the MOUNTAIN of baby powder. Oh... this is fun! Coffee... Coffee... another phone call to my mom. I ask my parents to visit while I go to therapy... well, therapy at the local Mexican restaurant... therapy that comes with a nice rim of salt! : ) They decline... My mom says dump the coffee pot and switch to hot tea! It is more calming!

OK... It is 9am... YES... it is just 9AM!!!! I can do this... I am a good mother... I have proved myself already... see the well behaved older children... see them????

Wait.... while I was picturing the well behaved older children and smiling I lost Lilli... where is she? Oh... she is upstairs in Joey's room trying to reverse engineer his new XBOX... "Don't touch that sweetie... that is Joey's... by the way... why are you in Joey's room... isn't this room off limits? This is where the cat can rest knowing that she won't be lovingly harassed!" Wait... Lilli is dressed up at Snow White... you can't get mad at Snow White... and man does her hair look perfect with that Snow White Red Bow... maybe she should be Snow White for Halloween next year... Save a few dollars... I already have the costume...

Put the XBOX back together and back on Joey's shelf... hope he doesn't notice... YIKES!

OK... it is now noon... and I have made it a few hours with no mishaps... thanks to Dora and Kai Lan and a basket full of toys. I can feed the littles lunch and then fall on the couch for an hour or so... even though the kitchen floor really needs to be mopped.

Today chicken noodle soup is on the menu. It will be an easy lunch as both Abby and Lilli love Chicken Noodle Soup. I am so close to a nap... YEAH! Wait.... Lilli is giving me the look.... the look that means.... "You expect me to eat this???" "Lilli, sweetie, that is Chicken Noodle Soup... you LOVE Chicken Noodle Soup... you ask for it all the time. Eat it sweetie... it will make you grow up big and strong like Joey and Holly, and Daniel". "Mommy, I don't think I like the yellow stuff". "What yellow stuff sweetie... it is just plain ole' Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup... you LOVE it... EVERYBODY loves it...I promise... you always want Abby's leftovers... go ahead... taste it... I promise you like it". She finally takes the smallest taste that is humanly possible... all the while scrunching up her nose and eyes and mouth to show me how awful what I am forcing her to do is. "Nope Mommy, I don't like the yellow stuff". Deep Breath... remember to pick your battles... that is good parenting advice... "Ok Lilli, eat your apple sauce and your Cheetos... wait, you already ate your Cheetos... and wait, the whole bag of Cheetos is now empty... when did you do that... I was watching the whole time... never left the kitchen... hmmmm...

"Ok, go upstairs and potty and I will be right up to tuck you in. Tell Abby to go with you... she is upside down on the couch playing her leapster". (lately, that is the only place that Abby is... I am so ready for it to warm up outside!!!) Lilli gives me the Miss America Pageant sweet look ... bats her eyelashes at me... thanks me for lunch and off she goes.

Look at that... Lilli is already tucked in. Wait.. Lilli is never tucked in???? That is odd... red flag goes up... but not for long... OH.... look she has her princess crown on... how cute... and the covers are pulled up all the way to her chin... and she is grinning. "Goodnight Mommy, I love you, I need to clean the bathroom". "Yes sweetie, Mommy does need to clean the bathroom... maybe tomorrow... But today... I am taking a nap! You go to sleep and have sweet dreams and I will see you in a few hours". I'll miss her while she naps...

I walk out thinking how delightful Lilli is for getting in her bed today... she must have known how bad I needed that nap... she must realize that I don't sleep well when daddy is not here. She is only 4, but she is brilliant... I am sure she gets it... and just wants me to have a nice nap today. Yes... that is why she was already in the bed with her covers pulled way up high... she is so sweet....

Wow... even Abby is getting into Daniel's bed for her nap (they don't nap in the same room... you try it... 2 giggly girls... nope .... they don't nap... they chit chat and GOSSIP... yes... a 4 year old and a 5 year old GOSSIP about their school mates when they nap in the same room... so Abby naps in Daniel's room).

"Goodnight Abby, have a good nap". "Goodnight Mommy, When I don't suck my thumb anymore, I can have a laptop of my own, right?". "Sure sweetie... we will sell your leapster for a down payment on that laptop". I'm not worried... I have a few years to save for that laptop... as that thumb is staying in that mouth. This is one of the things I would bet on!

Oh... it is finally MY nap time... where should I nap... my bed... a REAL nap... or the couch... kind of a nap... but not the kind that I would feel guilty about because I did not get in the bed - under the covers... hmmmmm... decisions decisions... Wait... It is now 1pm and I am still in my PJS... I have not showered. I can't take a nap... I need a shower. Augh.... Oh Well... I must maintain my personal hygiene so upstairs I go.

That is odd... my bedroom door is open.... wait... my bathroom door is open AND the bathroom light is on.... I did not do that. Who did that... Wait.... what is all that black stuff under my bathroom rug... and why is my bathroom rug moved over there... WAIT... that is hair... lots of hair... beautiful black shiny princess hair...

WHAT???????????????

Fast Forward a few hours....

"Thank you so much for squeezing us into your busy day between your 3:00 and your 4:00 appointments. I promise I only left her alone for 4 minutes... I don't know how she could have done this in such a short amount of time... My room is off limits. My bathroom is off limits. The scissors are off limits... and they were hidden ... UP HIGH... look , she is short... she couldn't possibly reach the scissors. Please just do your best to even up the sides. Yes, I know the bangs are pretty much a loss... but can you make a cute bob out of the sides.... well... that side is a little longer... but wow... she really cut that side... I am so glad her ear is still intact. and Yes Lilli, Mulan does cut her hair with a sword (thank goodness we don't have one of those in the house) and yes she does save China... but that is a cartoon.... we don't need to COPY everything."

... as the shampoo bottle says... Rinse, Repeat...
that is what we do... Sleep (or Recharge) , Repeat! : )

So that is reality at the Judge house with a very smart very curious little girl named Lilli who used to have "beautiful big princess hair" (that is what she called it) bu now has a very sensible slightly off kilter bob...and some stylish punk rocker bangs! I am still hoping it grows out really fast because she does look super cute in the snow white costume.... : )

Tomorrow I will go back to my rosy colored version of our reality... and hopefully get a NAP! ... check back tomorrow and I might add a few pictures .... : ) She is still SO CUTE even with the funky hair!!!