A Bit Nuggety

I've not been feeling the nuggets lately.  I find I miss just writing when I have something to say, not because it's Wednesday.  Today I just have a few snippets, which I GUESS could be considered nuggets, and wait, it's Wednesday too isn't it?  Darn.  But no pressure right?  Just a good old fashioned update after a LONG and tiring few days.

Ian has been working tons and I find myself in this odd horrible parent/spouse limbo.  On the one hand I feel terrible for him.  Working 10 hour days, coming home for dinner and going BACK to work in a lab by yourself with rats for 4 more hours?  No thank you.

On the other, him working overtime means I'm working overtime.  I feel bad asking him to help with anything around the house because he's so exhausted, but I'm exhausted too.  Every waking moment of mine is spent working, corralling children, cleaning, cooking, playing (which is harder than it looks, let me tell you!)

Last night I was so dramatically tired that I considered letting Ainsley "make" dinner (which would mean cereal).  Boy, that was a rough one.  These are the moments when it would be GLORIOUS to live by a grandparent or a good old friend who I wouldn't mind pawning my children off on for an hour or two just so I can hear myself think! (or have a thought worth thinking).  Ahhh.  Someday.

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Oh Louise, so much to share about you always.  Where to start?  Probably the biggest development of note lately is that you have informed us in no uncertain terms that you would like us to change your name.  You see, you've been talking for quite a while now.  Happily singsonging Mommy, Daddy and Ainsley to tunes and in small sentences for months.  But we CANNOT get you to say your name.  It's actually quite hilarious.

Me: Mommy, Mommy! (sung to a music garten song)
Louise: Mommy, mommy!
Me: Daddy, daddy!
Louise: Daddy, daddy!
Me: Ainsley, Ainsley!
Louise: Aseee, Aseee!
Me: Louise, Louise!
Louise: {blank almost-angry-definitely-annoyed stare}

You will not even TRY to say your name. We've tried, Lou Lou, Weez, YaWeez, and of course your actual name.  Nothing.  Then the other night daddy tried it with you and you proudly pointed to yourself and said "Beez!" Then hopped up dancing around the room pointing to yourself "Baby Beez! Beez, Beez, Beez!!!"

So I'm so sorry to have misinformed you the last 19 months, here's our daughter.
Beez Adele Vaagenes.

::photos from the Brookfield Zoo children's building in the birds nest area. 

If I could I'd recreate these oversized nests, large felt and fabric leaves and huge eggs in our own home, what a delightful clever creative play center::

and other cute ism of yours of late?  You simply MUST take the books we read to you before bed into your crib with you so you can keep looking at them "reading" them to yourself before you doze off.  Ahh.  I love you girl.

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And speaking of girls, who's this little growing before my eyes lady?  Why Ainsley May, it's you.  We've had it a bit rough the past few weeks.  You were doing SO well with just about everything before you got sick.  Then your sad little curled up drippy nosed body just seemed to get angry at being cooped up.  I hear you.  I didn't like it either.  But now we're getting back into real life and you're amazing me every day all over again.  Last night after another meal time battle we calmly talked it out and decided to make a chart (your new favorite thing).  We mapped out the important table manners with pictures so you can read it yourself (your daddy said I need to work on my perspective for that chair I drew...oh daddy).  You already have one meal crossed off with three stars! Here's hoping we get 4 more in a row so you can get that Oberweiss ice cream cone! (if I said I was above bribery before I lied, bold faced lie, this child will do almost ANYTHING for an Oberweiss ice cream cone, and we are not afraid to take full advantage of that).

Your sense of wonder and elaborate pretend play never cease to amaze me.  The other day we were playing in the back yard in the wee hours of the afternoon.  You told me you were making a donut shop, carefully shaping mounds of sand to make the donuts and sprinkling tiny sticks and rocks for the sprinkles.  I asked if I could have a chocolate donut.  "Oh mommy, no no.  This is only a sprinkle donut shop.  We don't make choclate here."  Ahh my bug, bullheaded and steadfast even in pretend world.

You are still so crazy independent, sometimes I wonder where we go from here?  you want (no INSIST) to do EVERYTHING by yourself, and while I love your eagerness and confidence it sure has tested mommy's patience (which is ok, I can always use more of that).  We recently read a new book by one of our favorite authors and illustrators Elisa Kleven's Sunbread and after talking it over you decided that you could make your own sun bread, all by yourself.  You've helped me make bread enough times you just may be able to little one.
I love you to the moon and back.

resurrecting our love of oatmeal.  Made on the stove, sprinkled with brown sugar, cream and raisins....mmm, the one breakfast that doesn't leave me hungry by 9am.

you girls seem to enjoy it too!  sister spoon sword fights!

Mmmmm pancakes.  The perfect weekend treat.  I've found substituting buttermilk and cake flour in for regular milk and all purpose flour makes all the difference.  ooh, and frying them in butter.

One more gem from the zoo.  Ahh. I love that place.  I love my girls dressed as birds, feathering their nests, sharing their eggs.  Oh, I love their buns too (can you see Louise's tenny tiny one?)  For my girls who HATE having ANYTHING in their hair, a bobby clipped bun is their do.  I love it.
Can we live there? (in the nests, not bun world, although that could be cute too)

 Saturday afternoon coffee and cookies.  
My cookie trick?  I ALWAYS make a full batch, but only bake what we can eat in a day or two (maybe 8 cookies?) then form the rest into balls, freeze them on a cookie sheet and when set, pop them in a freezer bag to be pulled out as needed.  These 6 cookies were ready from freezer to plate in about 20 minutes.  (preheat time plus 12 minutes cooking time).  Delicious fresh cookies anytime.  Sooo sooo dangerous, and good.

Eating said cookies while cheering on the Twins.  Ian was afraid the girls wouldn't share his loyalty.  He need not have worried.

Spring. Green. Leaves.

My new blouse!  Um, I'm in love.  I've already worn it twice and just washed it and plan to wear it again once it's ironed.  It's SO comfy, the fabric is absolutely luxurious.  I'm already planning my next one.  Do you need one?  Seriously.  I just want to make 10 of these.

Placket/button detail.  While finicky to do, these parts make the blouse I think.  Gives it a little interest on top even if I look like a male hippy from the 60s if I actually USE the button.

Sorry.  I love it so much.  I had to take one more.

Ah. So I guess that was a bit nuggety, yes?  I guess I can't help myself.  Honestly, with the days, weeks! we've had lately, you're lucky I can put one coherent sentence together.

Today I find I am thankful for the rain.  For one more day to get our sea legs under us, for a snuggly afternoon of forts and new books, sensory play and Avonlea (oh goodness am I excited for that!)  But really, yet again, just trying to be ok with survival, knowing that in each day, as long and hard and dreary as it may seem, there are always precious moments that make it all worth it.  That's not to say I'm not anxious for my boy back, healthy kids, and energy.  PLEASE!!!

Have a great day out there.