Negligent

I have been ignoring you, little blog. A lot of it comes down to balance and time. To keep some balance, there never seems to be time to write. And I feel rusty. I feel... unable. I'll try to put something in writing.

We're also getting deeply into the terrible twos and so the stories aren't always sweet or fun. Sometimes it's all about ear piercing screaming losing-of-the-mind meltdowns. Like today, when we were SO MEAN and made you put boots and your coat on, Maddy, when we were leaving the mall. Or when we leave daycare. Or when we try to leave for the mall. Transitions? We're not doing well with those right now.

But then there are also the awesome stories of you. Today, when reading, I was asking you what things on the page were. And your response wasn't just "turtle" or "sun". But instead "It's sun" or "It's turtle. Running turtle!" Or tonight as I lay on my stomach on the floor and tried to close my eyes for 2 minutes (sleepy day) and you laid on the floor with me, nose to nose, and said "Mommy! No sleeping. WAKE UP!". You are so real in how you react to the world. Everything is big and natural.

You are talking up a storm Madds. You are so very tall (in 3T clothes). You still obsessively love the Wiggles (everything else is meaningless). You love your Little People dolls, and announce to us "BOY" or "GIRL" with great frequency. You are a good eater, as long as you are allowed to graze all day long. Meals? They are not the highlight of your eating day. You love "DIP" especially with pizza. You know what you want. Raising, puffs, goldfish. Today you asked for milk. I offered you milk or almond milk. You said "awmon miwk" and happily drank away.

Last night, after you went to bed Dad and I put up the tree. I left it lit all night so that I could bring you into the room and see your reaction to the tree. I brought you in and you looked around. And the first thing you noticed was your table and chair in a new place. And that there was a new "TE-EEE BEER!" on the table. There was MUCH excitement over the little mouse stuffie with a santa hat on. Then you looked at the BALLOOONS on the tree and then noticed the Pooh ornament and the Dolly ornament and well, those were all awesome. And the 3 presents under the tree were ignored, except for a comment about SANTA, the wrapping on one gift.

Today we took you to see Santa. You did NOT want to leave the house. You used to be a kid that would lose her mind if we didn't get out of the house. Now you lose your mind if we try to get you out of the house... But we got you there. Despite it being a shorter line, you were insisting on DOWN by the time we arrived there. You slowly approached Santa and accepted the candy he gave you. Then gave it back... We put you on his lap and you didn't cry, but you didn't smile. You looked at us, looked at him... finally we got a little smile, the picture was taken and we were off! Off to a meltdown and a screaming-at-the-top-of-lungs meltdown all the way to the car. Luckily both us parents find it more funny than embarrassing - we just accept it and move on (quickly). I was a little disappointed that we weren't able to go to Tim's for the promised TEEM BEET (and a smoothie for me). But no one needed the baby banshee in their midst.

Maddy, it's harder with you now, but you are still the most amazing and wonderful and perfect addition to our lives. You make everything louder and busier and better than I ever could have imagined.

Let's hope this writing thing becomes a habit again (along with taking SOME pictures - I have been so bad at pictures). Let's hope I can also remember how to write to a blog and a blog audience instead of just letters to you. Let's hope, since we're hoping so much, that I can actually get everything done for Christmas by Christmas! I SHOULD be finishing Christmas cards right now... Bah! So many directions to be pulled in, so little sleep...