Monday, February 22, 2010

Moo - It is your Destiny.....

So awhile back, before Moo was born, I mentioned that since I chose the decor for Pig's room, that K should do the same for Moo. He chose Star Wars... no huge surprise since K, like many a geek, worships at the altar of George Lucas.

So I kept an eye open for interesting Star Wars themed artwork. I wasn't interested in film posters, we already have those downstairs and this is for a baby's room, not a geek command center. Then while puttering about Etsy, I saw it. The coolest pop art rendition of an X-wing Fighter ever. It was simple and the colors weren't garish, it had me at hello. In my mind's eye I pictured that print growing up with Moo, catching his fancy from across his crib, over his bunk bed as a boy, in the moving van with him and his wife as they drive off to start a new life together...*sniff, sniff*

Ok, what was I talking about...oh yeah, artwork. When the X-wing Fighter arrived, K gazed at it reverently. We decided to take advantage of Michael's framing sale and dropped off a number of pieces. Well yesterday we went to pick up the finished product and it's now hanging in Moo's room. He's well on his way to become a Star Wars loving, computer building, Renaissance Faire attending, manga watching, Mountain Dew drinking geek boy.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine / Lunar New Year's Day!

The doorbell rang and I was greeted with these! They're in front of me as I type and I'm getting giddy from the fragrance. As far as New Years, not much we can do but just call my parents and wish them health and happiness in the year of the tiger.

Cookie Monster



Pig and I finally made cookies together. I bought this organic gingerbread cookie mix awhile back and kept meaning it for a rainy/snowy day project for Pig. But I noticed too late that the recipe called for a 1/2 cup of molasses. I rummaged and rummaged through my baking stores to no avail. Damn it. C'est la vie.

So once our road was sufficiently plowed, we lit out and got the molasses and today we plugged in the standing mixer. The mix created a wonderful, darkly rich dough. I prefer a clean wine bottle to a regular rolling pin, sticks less, so I got one out. Pig was plopped in a chair, a bib wrapped around her. The first time, I rolled out the dough and then gave Pig the cookie cutter. We had a mini celebration every time a little gingerbread person popped out.

BUT...the Pig is an independent creature, she was getting bored of just being the schmuck pushing down the cutter...that's just stupid. So I handed her our makeshift rolling pin and she rolled away. Unfortunately, she didn't roll for long so we ended up with a few cookies that were, ahem, a wee bit thicker than the suggested 1/8-1/4 inch. No matter, gingerbread muffin people make for good eats as well.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Slowly Losing my Mind

There's this episode of The Ren and Stimpy Show called "Space Madness" where the pair have been stuck roaming aimlessly through outer space. Ren slowly loses his mind and ultimately finds himself staring at a bar of soap, lovingly calling it his ice cream bar. Wracked by paranoia, he convinces himself that Stimpy is planning to steal said ice cream bar. I thought of this as I was washing my hands with a bar of soap the other day... I really need it to stop snowing.

Snowmageddon came with a vengeance and dumped about 40 inches total. At first, it was fun waking up and looking out the window to see white, white, white as far as the eye could see. But the novelty wore off pretty fast. The roads were in awful condition so the kids' daycares were closed and work was closed for me for 4 days. The kids and I were home alone for the first two days. It started off terribly, I've been experiencing horrid insomnia as of late so mornings have been especially rough for me.

After feeding the kids breakfast and cleaning the kitchen and clearing the floor of the daily detritus, snow that Kirb tracks in and the food that the kids manage to flick off their trays, we head downstairs to play. I plopped Moo onto the foam mats and Pig and I rummage through the toy bin. Pig loves anything Dora and has a Dora doll and a plastic purple Backpack that plays the "Backpack! Backpack!" song from Dora the Explorer. Her Elmo and Cookie Monster dolls are also particularly beloved. These are things she refuses to share with her brother and of course they're also the things that Moo makes a beeline for.

Basically it's meant mornings and afternoons spent keeping the peace in the barnyard. Pig would run up and snatch a toy out of her brother's hands and he would scream in anger. I would ask Pig to share with her brother and she would clutch the toy more firmly to her chest and run off. Problem is, I can understand why Pig is being so possessive. First of all, she's two and she's in her mine, mine, mine stage big time. Second, she fears that her brother is usurping all of the attention that had been solely hers and these fears are further reinforced every time we ask her to share her toys with him. Third, with the language barrier, we can't really explain to her that when she was Moo's age we humored her every whim as well so it's not that we're showing preferential treatment.

Pig has been challenging me nonstop this week. There is a Korean folktale about a little green frog or chung gaegoree. Without fail, the little frog did the exact opposite of what his mother asked him to do. The story ends sadly so I won't go into detail but Pig has been exhibiting little green frog tendencies. I've ended up scolding and meting out time out sessions and while I know that it's all for Pig's own good, it leaves me feeling very low at the end of the day. I've had Pig look at me mournfully, scornfully and it just hits home that my best girl is growing up way too fast. You see, Moo still gazes up at me with a heartbreakingly sweet expression, his grey eyes absolutely limpid and trusting. The contrast of their expressions these days makes me think sadly of how Pig used to look at me...back when her wants and needs were simple and I could fulfill them easily and without reservation.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Up to Our Ears

Been incredibly busy lately. K has had to pick the kids up from daycare, I've been making quick and boring meals. After getting the barnyard to bed, I've been logging back inand putting in a few more hours of work before passing out...only for the boy to wake us up numerous times during the night. Weekends are spent catching up on chores. I'll be happy when this report is finally out.

I promise to post a long and juicy post soon.