Psalm 119:105 PBV (Princess Bug Version)

We have been laughing about this for the past two weeks and I said, "Enough, already!  Why are we keeping this to ourselves??!!  We need to share this with the world!"

And so, without further adieu, I give you -- the Bug!

Nothing gives me more pleasure than hearing my children sing hymns to our Lord....conspicuous "fly" and "cat" reference and all.

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

Well, school is in full swing and I am enjoying running the roads all by my lonesome.

The Bug is excited about school and talks non-stop from the moment my car pulls up to the curb to pick her up until I unload them both at home.  She has told me both days that she saw Tootsie "two times" and Tootsie was "MAD"!  Hmmmm

When I picked them up today, though, the Assistant Director comes up to me and tells me that Tootsie is such a joy.  If all of the kids were like her, things would run so smoothly.  She eats all of her lunch; she plays.  Most of the kids are adjusting, but Tootsie is just happy all day and acts like its "no big deal."

Huh????

Okay, yeah, Tootsie is definitely the more laid back one.  She is, in general, more friendly and less cranky. 

I guess I was surprised because she hasn't always been that way. 

See, when we brought Tootsie home from the hospital, the first month, she was an angel.  She didn't cry.  I had to wake her to nurse.  I thought, "Wow, this is a piece of cake!"  We ran errands, we went to the library.  We took naps.  Life was grand.

Then, the second month began.  And Tootsie unleashed her terror.  On Becoming Babywise (a book I HIGHLY recommend to any new mom) tells you that your baby should be on this schedule: 

feeding time, awake time, nap time, feeding time, awake time, nap time, etc.

Well, this was Tootsie's schedule after the first month:

feeding time, awake time, nap time (for 30 minutes), scream bloody murder for 30 minutes, nap time, etc.

I'm telling you, I didn't know what to do with that kid.  No more errands. No more library.  No more naps.  No more leaving the house, pretty much.  Because we didn't want to subject anyone else to this.  There was just no stopping her when she got started.  We tried the colic medicine from the doctor, gas drops, bouncing, swaddling, herbs, praying, casting out demons....you name it. 

Then, as an added benefit, she threw in some howling while she nursed.  Suck, scream, suck, scream, suck scream.  After a few days or weeks of that (who knows?), my nerves were so shot, my milk would not let down.  That really helped the whole situation.

When she was about 6 or 7 months old, this gradually went away.  And she grew into a much more pleasant baby. 

So why do I still think of her as that baby who, for about 5 months, threatened to send me to the looney bin?

Why is it so hard to focus on the positive?

Why is the negative always at the front of my mind?

Except for that 5 months, Tootsie really has been a great baby.  She is happy.  She sleeps all night since we sleep-trained her at 6 months (again -- On Becoming Babywise).  She plays by herself.  She eats what I feed her.  I've never had to get her out of the church nursery for crying.  She is friendly, but not too friendly.

I've got nothing to complain about. 

I saw a quote on my friend's facebook the other day that said, "Raising a kid is part joy and part guerrilla warfare, but I wouldn't trade it for the world." 

I can definitely relate to that. 

I just need to figure out how to be victorious in battle while letting JOY be my BANNER.

bye-bye Summer

Come Tuesday next week, this will be one happy Mama.

That's because Mother's Day Out is starting up again, and I will actually have a break two days a week.  It's been a long time comin' ya'll.

This will be the Bug's 4th year in Mother's Day Out (and last year before "big" school) and Tootsie's first year.  So I actually haven't been without at least one kid hanging on my leg for the last 13 months. 

I know, I know.  Some of the mamas out there do this round the clock every year -- yada, yada, yada.  Well, we're not talkin' about them.  We're talking about me.  Let's try to stay on subject.

Anyway, in the words of the great Mater the tow truck, "I'm happier'n a tornada in a trailer park!"

I know the Bug is ready to go back and Tootsie, well, she doesn't have a clue.  But I know they're going to be as happy as they can possbily be, because it's gonna be so much fun.  A lot more fun than it's been around here with their Mama on the brink of insanity. 

So we kicked off the "end" of summer today by taking a little field trip to the fountains downtown, followed by a picnic. 

I've actually avoided doing anything "fun" all summer for fear of the whining/crying/tantrums that would surely transpire at any attempt to do anything fun.  But today went off without a hitch, much to my surprise.  The only problem was the Bug having to potty and there being no facilities to accommodate her.  Nothing a little trip to the bushes couldn't fix.  Oh, and a near meltdown when the Bug asked if that was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, because she doesn't like jelly.  I just told her it wasn't "jelly" -- it was "fruit."  That easy. 

I think I underestimated my Super Mama abilities.  And I think I actually had more fun than they did. 

Dream on

Okay, so when I say the Bug loves Lightning McQueen, I mean the girl LOVES Lightning McQueen.

You know, the red racecar on Cars -- the cartoon racecar.

Yes, I know she's only 4, and this is the era of make-believe.  But I think she really believes with her whole heart that she will marry Lightning McQueen one day.  And our many attempts to get this kid to understand that even if the animated hot rod were here in the "flesh," you cannot marry a car in the good ole' US of A.  (Not yet anyway.)

And so the little dreamer fills us in daily of her plans of wedded bliss with her "prince."

• "Mama, in my dreams I am Princess [Bug] and my prince is Lightning McQueen."
• "Mama, when we grow up, me and Lightning will get married and have a cute little baby and move to New Orleans."
• "Mama, when me and Lightning get married, I don't want to have a baby in my tummy.  Because it hurts to cut it out.  I want you to have my baby in your tummy."
• When I ask if she will have a car baby or human baby, she says, "A hooman baby!"
• (as she is laying in her sleeping bag) "Mama, I am inside Mack." (Lightning McQueen's truck & trailer)  I say, "Oh, are you Lightning McQueen?"  She looks at me like I'm an idiot and says, "No, silly.  I am Princess [Bug], his wife."

Nevermind that Lightning McQueen already has a girlfriend, Sally.  It's like Sally doesn't even exist.  She is not in the least bit threatened by Sally.  No insecurities for her. 

For the most part, I think this is cute and funny.  But I don't think I can get used to her saying she's someone's "wife."  Now that's just weird.

Oh, and did I mention that Larry the Cucumber is her brother, Ariel is her sister and Snow White is her "girlfriend"?

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.  Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.  --Lucius Annaeus Seneca