She's a darling! She's a demon! She's a lamb!

For Christmas this year Andy got The Sound of Music on blu-ray and dvd. Believe it or not, this was a gift that he was happy to receive. He, like me, is a lover of this fabulously saccharine story. He can sing most songs and took the Sound of Music tour while traveling Europe after college.

This may be one of the reasons I love him. The Sound of Music and his amazing grilling skills.

Since Addie was a babe I have sang her Baby Mine at bedtime and he has sang Edelweiss. Needless to say, when Addie realized that "her daddy's song" was in the movie she was hooked. Since Christmas we have watched about it two or three times. Addie is enamoured with Maria and likes to pretend she's running down the mountain, late getting to the convent. She loves to sing all the songs in the car Do Ri Me and My Favorite Things and Sixteen going on Seventeen. Nightly she thinks she should perform Song long, farewell as she heads up to bed. But suddenly, her most requested song is Maria.

Today as we were running around town she said to me "Mama, let's sing the Maria song" - so I started a loud, off-key rendition of Climb Ev'ry Mountain with enthusiasm.

No! Noooo Mama! Not that one!

Well, which one do you want babe?

The one with Maria and the witches.

Maria and the witches? I don't know that one, honey.

Yes you do Mama. The one where the witches sing about about Maria.

The witches sweetie?

Yeh-us Mom! The witches in black who help take care of baby Jesus.

Trying not to drive off the road while laughing - Honey, those aren't witches, those are nuns.

Oh? Well, sing that nun one then.

Dear lord parochial school is going to be eye opening for my sweet child.

Yesterday, after her afternoon snack, I asked Addison to put her dishes in the dirty dishwasher instead of in the sink.I don't think she was quite ready for such responsibility.

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for:

A fully functioning furnace. A mere hundred-ish dollars later and we have consistent heat - but the repair man showed me how fix the same problem should it arise again. File that under: one more thing that I know that Andy doesn't.

An unexpected overnight guest who brought two stuffed Chicago style pizzas with him. His laughter and that amount of cheese is always welcome in my home.

A vase full of multiple colored Peruvian lillies on the mantel, brightening up these gray January days.

Forcing myself to clean and organize our closet. Every once in awhile I revert to my 15 year old self and just throw clothes at the hangers and let them stay on the floor. And then I remember that 15 was over 15 years ago and it's time to clean up my act.

Getting in three good workouts so far this week. I am sore. I ache. I am stiff. But I feel good.

Having the ability and opportunity to spend a few hours at preschool with Addie. She was "star of the week" this week and truly shined. It is amazing to watch her learn and to see how much she adores learning, which is in no small part due to the kind and wonderful teacher she has.

Celestial Seasonings Peppermint Tea - it makes me able to face unnapped afternoons with a bit more patience.

Deciding to make broccoli and chicken casserole for dinner (aka: Andy's out of town and I had broccoli that was about to walk out of my refrigerator). Addie ate a huge portion of it and we discovered that she like the stalks of broccoli, just not the tops. It is a veggie victory, my friends.

Plans with my husband this weekend that include a dinner out, a play and an excuse to wear a dress.

Pandora streaming through our blu-ray. The sound is clear, the music is good and as a result my kitchen is much, much cleaner.

A long overdue phone date.

The prospect of early bedtime tonight - for me and her.

Snowday inspiration

When we first moved to Cincinnati I would walk everywhere with Addie in the stroller. We would wander to UDF for milkshakes, to Kroger for groceries, to the book store to kill time. On occasion we would wander the aisles of Whole Foods pretending that it was okay to spend $100 on five items of produce. Mostly I liked the smell of their bakery, the samples in their cheese aisle and the array bright, fresh flowers.

On one of those aimless Whole Foods trips I found a mug in the clearance aisle and it made me smile, so I bought it.
This morning I randomly grabbed that mug out of the cabinet and it was the perfect antidote to two days snowed in the house with a mercurial toddler. It says:

live with intention.

walk to the edge.

listen hard.

practice wellness.

play with abandon.

laugh.

choose with no regret.

continue to learn.

appreciate your friends.

do what you love.

live as if this is all there is.

So I took a break from laundry and made my husband breakfast. I noticed my bored daughter and brainstormed in-door fun. I sat alone for five minutes and stretched my stiff, aching body. We tied on our homemade aprons and made cherry jello.

And I thought about those words and how to incorporate them into my days - and I know that I can't walk to the edge everyday. And that practicing wellness takes a lot of effort and that it's not always easy to laugh when being bossed around by a three year old, but it's okay to try.

So that's what I'll do.

I'll try.

Are you happy now, Mom?

This Thursday I am thankful for:

Only being called a 'mean old thing' six times today instead of the usual ten.

Being told 'I am sorry' for hitting and screaming and crying after thirty minutes of maniacal hitting and screaming and crying.

Hot coffee, strawberry pancakes and crock pot stew.

An hour with my sewing machine.

A few hours spent laughing with my family.

A deep bathtub filled to the edge with hot water and scented bubbles.

Having finally de-Christmas-fied my house, although my mantel looks oh so sad.

The small flock of chickadees that hung out by my kitchen window during my cup of coffee.

Lighting a fire in the fireplace - it was pathetic but it cheered me up.

My brown velour blanket - it is the Calgon version of a blanket, ahhhh.

Snow Queen

At 5:30 this morning there wasn't a snowflake in the sky and the schools were already on a two hour delay. By 7:10 this morning school was cancelled - snow had started to fall. A snowbound day - no errands, no preschool, minimal sanity.

Addie and I built dozens of block towers. We hunkered down in the basement and played game upon game of Uno Moo (she dominated) and back to back to back games of Hi Ho! Cheery-o (I dominated, she accused me of being mean). A carpet picnic of grilled cheese and pickles with Chamomile hot tea was shared. Laundry was folded, bathrooms were scrubbed and quiet time was taken.

At 4:30 I went outside to snow blow the two-ish inches of snow that fell off our driveway.

Yes, I said snow blow and two inches of snow in the same sentence. Dear lord, I think I am becoming a Cincinnatian.

While I spent all of nine minutes clearing the snow, Addie went to town frolicking - making snow angels, sampling the freshly fallen flakes and throwing snowballs. Once I was done I joined her - we made, per her request, a snow queen.

Instead of a magic hat she has sparkly crown. We didn't give her a scarf, but she does have a purse. No corncob pipe for this snow madame - instead she has a wand.

Around here we're all about the high class snow people... in relatively little snow.

Out of the Mouth of My Babe 4

Snippets

Today in the car:
Mama. When we get rid of our old cat I wanta get a new one and I'm going to name it Tom.

Playing alone in her room:
I am the princess and the queen. I am also the teacher and a mommy and I'm a doctor. I'm going to teach you and you listen or no treats.

Earlier today:
Mommy? How old you? (33) Oh. How old is Daddy? (34). Oh. You guys are way older than I can be.

Yesterday:
Hey! I gotta super great idea. We go to lunch and then to the store. After that I take quiet time and you take quiet time and Daddy takes quiet time and then we have a big family hug. Yeah, that's a super great idea.

Fighting nap time:
I'm tiiiiiiiired! I'm tired and I don't wanta talk. I want a book and you rock me and no talk. NO Talk! (two minutes later) Mama, I wanta talk to you.

3.5 and 34

Today Addie is three and half.

Three and a half!

I have been told that today she will become wonderful again. My friends who have survived being the mothers of three-year-olds have assured me that at three and a half pixie dust falls from the sky and the hellion that I have been spending my days with returns to the sweet angel that used to smother me snuggles and kisses.

Kisses and snuggles are the opposite of what I am smothered with these days - glowers and huffs and pouty faces.

I am told No three thousand times a day. I am told I am mean. And old and "not very nice". I have been kicked and scratched and have had to subdued a temper tantrum daily.

Once in a while I get an extra tight hug. Daily I am told "I love you Mommy" - but that's usually after a stomping fit.

Last night I was told that dinner was yucky and that I am "not a good cook".

This morning I was I was repeatedly told that I am "not being nice" and need to stop being "so mean". She was unhappy about the bows I picked out for her hair. She was unhappy that I asked her to put on her shoes. She was unhappy that I didn't allow her to grab her English Muffin out of the very hot toaster. She was angry that I made her brush her teeth and that I wouldn't let her have a Twinkie for breakfast.

We were late getting out to our preschool car pool because she was too busy petting the cat instead of putting on her shoes.

And then I slammed her finger in the car door.

Awesome. I am a mean old Mom.

So ten hours into three and half things aren't looking so good - but I have to be hopeful, right?

As for the 34?

Today is my fabulous husband's 34th birthday. He does not stomp his feet or pout or glower or huff at me (99 percent of the time). He has never called me mean or old (because, let's be honest, he's significantly older than me) or told me that my dinner is yucky. He has not scratched me in the face and he still likes to hug and kiss me.

He occasionally forgets to act his age and is often quite silly, but he is always kind. He is always loving and he is always supportive. He puts up with my ramblings and my frustration and my ridiculousness.

My 34 year old husband is an amazing father to my three and half year old daughter. He is firm and gentle and consistent. He attacks her with tickles and kisses her boo-boos and reminds her to use her fork. He is patient and insightful. He fills our home with warmth and laughter and good cooking.

Most importantly? That 34 year-old husband of mine reminds me that "this too shall pass" when dealing with my moody three-and-a-half-year-old.

Happy Birthday to you, husband. I don't know what I would do with out you.

And Happy Half Birthday to you, daughter. I can't wait for that pixie dust to fall from the sky.