the buddy system

I have every other weekend alone with the girls. I psych myself up for this and try to plan way ahead so I am not left with no structured time in the presence of other adults. This, of course, is tricky, because the weekend is the time most people spend as a family so I try not to interfere (too much.)

This weekend Emilie is on her own because Sam is at a swim meet all weekend proving his aquatic worth (and quite well I might add.) So, of course these extroverted moms planned ahead. This morning we went to the children's museum (which was super fun until Reed took off at lightning speed and made it down a level before he was apprehended) then a break for lunch and nap with a plan to reconvene for play and supper out before we pile them home and put them to bed.

And all I can say is, thank god.

You see, I went out last night with my friend Jess and had two (two!) incredibly yummy margaritas. I finally accepted my vacation-less state and decided not to wait for Mexico to catch a bit of a break. You know, back to good friends not letting you forgot your promise to yourself to drink more alcohol. The bummer is I only got 6 hours of sleep and I am dragging. And then losing an hour with the time change tonight, I think I'd better go to sleep when the girls do...

Funny Ella comments... we picked out new pacifiers for Maya at Target yesterday and Ella wanted to get these cool, wild animal print ones that made the baby's mouth look like a lion or a zebra. I had to nix this, telling her I was looking for BPA-free ones (as in the ones without the toxic chemical in the plastic.) This morning she gave Maya her new pacifier and said, "It's a good thing we got the PBS ones!"

Ella's flare for fashion has taken a new turn. Does anyone remember the twirly dress of yesteryear? The yellow sundress she wore everyday until it looked ratty and beaten? The one that was improperly cut so it curved up high in the back and eventual started to show her bum? The one she wore well into the fall with tights and a sweatshirt? The one Emilie called her "uniform?" Well, I fear she has a new fixation. She asks to wear the same pink flowered shirt and black velvet twirly skirt everyday. The excuse of it being dirty equals Ella in the form of an emotional puddle on the floor. She actually stood in front of her closet full of really nice clothes, many of which are skirts and dresses, yesterday and said, "These just aren't so pretty." Eee gads.

So today, she got on her usual (at the least the tights vary) and came out of the bathroom holding her new bracelet from Brady for me to put on and her princess lipstick. I actually heard myself say, "How about we brush your teeth before you put on your lipstick?"