Day 253 | A Laundry Tip

Can you believe I have a laundry tip to share? Me neither!

It's been a day of cleaning and laundry so what a perfect occasion to share the one and only laundry epiphany I've had. 

Do you use the bulk container of laundry detergent, the kind with the spout (see above on the left)? We do too, but it always drove me crazy that the cap got gooey immediately. I used to just set it on top of the washer and wipe it out constantly. Not any more!

I saved a small laundry detergent bottle and I put the bulk bottle cap on top of the small bottle so the excess soap drips into the small bottle. The cap stays clean and it's amazing how much detergent drops back into that container to be used on future loads. 

Has everyone already figured this out? Probably...but just let me bask in my awesome problem-solving.

Day 252 | Decisions, Decisions

Chase made his decision. And, yes, that is Thomas driving.

Decision making is not a strong suit of mine (just ask my parents or husband). I'm happy to report Chase might have dodged the inability-to-decide gene if today is any indicator.  

After a heartbreaking morning involving a swollen eye (with a fear it was the pink variety) and a cancelled play date (hard to say who took the change of plans worse...me or Chase), a trip to the grocery store was as exciting as our morning turned out (don't worry, his eye started looking better almost immediately). I thought maybe a special treat would brighten everyone's spirits. 

Without hesitation, Chase selected a box of cookies with Cookie Monster on the front and proceeded to walk the aisles clenching the box and singing a pretty amazing cookie song. Decision made, right? Not so fast: then we hit the toy aisle. 

At first his attempts to convince me to buy a new (and blue!) car went to deaf ears. It was just Christmas, after all. I was going to put my foot down and even convinced him to walk away. But, after seeing the sadness in his little eyes as we turned the corner, I realized how silly I was being. I'd rather spend $3 on a box of cookies than $5 on a [pretty cool] car?

That's when it dawned on me: time to teach one of life's hardest lessons. Let the boy decide what he wants more: cookies or car? There wasn't an easy winner. You could almost see the gears in his little mind working so hard. I did my best to lay out the pros of each option (I think I even favored the side of cookies assuming he would be more interested in instant gratification).

In the end, you can see in the photo above what he chose. He made the decision (and fairly quickly), put the cookies away, and never looked back. That's my boy. Maybe he can teach me a thing or two.

Day 251 | Miga

She looks like a perfect angel, doesn't she?

Since our return from holiday travels, it has been Miga's purr-ogative (get it?) to drive me completely bonkers. I thought we were doing her a favor by giving her the two weeks off from our chaos. Apparently she didn't see it that way and has decided to make her displeasure in our actions known. 

Just a snippet of her antics over the past week:

• Meowing: loudly and constantly. In the morning, during naptime, at 2am. Whenever and seemingly for no reason. I hear you, friend, I just don't know what you want from me. 
• Being needy: Miga has always desired attention but I can't sit down for a second these days or curl up in bed without this furry friend nestling in. On top of that, I can't pet you all the time. It's just not possible. And the static shocks I get every time I touch you aren't helping matters. 
• "Playing" with the boys: Chase is quite content playing trains without your "help" knocking over the drawbridge every five seconds. And as much as you think you want snuggles from Robbe, trust me, that sweet smile and gentle pet turns into an all-out body slam in the wag of a tail. 
• Nightime prowling: I've got enough problems sleeping, I don't need to add an attention-deprived cat to the mix. Jumping from dresser to bedside table to bed over and over in the middle of the night is not going to get us to play with you. Especially if one of those escapades ends with you knocking over a full glass of water. Not cool. 

This list could go on...

Usually this craziness lasts a day. Tomorrow will be a week this time around. We're so lucky (she says with more than a hint of sarcasm). 

Day 250 | Library Play Time

It's a bit chilly out there today but that didn't stop us from bundling up and checking out a new library. The Petworth Neighborhood Library had a whole floor of books to explore and this super fun seating area that the boys (mostly Robbe) found irresistible. Hey, anything to keep the baby busy while I can browse books makes me extra happy.

Why yes, we will be back.

Day 249 | Snowfall in the City

Beautiful, just beautiful. 

Not quite as beautiful? Trying to shovel with a 20+ pound baby strapped to your chest. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was crazy but it was too nice not to get out for a minute this afternoon. In case you're curious, Chase opted to watch from the window during this spectacle. Smart boy.

Day 248 | Lentils Get a Bad Rap

When we were back in Wisconsin, just about everyone turned their nose up at the idea of me feeding Robbe lentils. Isn't it common knowledge that lentils are incredibly peppery and delicious? And that the smell of them cooking is nothing short of mouth-watering?

Give 'em a try. If I've sold two babies on the scrumptiousness of these little beans, there's a good chance you'll end up thanking me. 

Need a recipe? This lentil soup is a go-to for our family. Super easy and can be made ahead of time (a definite plus with our current lifestyle). 

Day 247 | Playing Catch Up

I'm not usually one to brag (at least I hope you feel that way!), but Chris and I pretty much rocked the last two days so I can't help but share our accomplishments:

1. Unpacked. No small feat when we're talking about two backpacks and three suitcases (all close to 50 pounds).
2. Laundry done. Six loads. And it's all folded and put away.
3. Christmas gone. The holiday decorations are no more. Chase was the most disappointed to see them go, but it was time. And by gone, I mean packed very carefully and brought up to the attic for storage (not just sitting in our bedroom for weeks on end, which usually happens when an attic trip is required).
4. Hair cut. Chase was looking a bit shaggy. Not anymore. See photo above.
5. Tree removed. We removed and stored the ornaments and lights, took the tree outside, and cleaned up after the dried-out tree. Christmas tree decorating = best. Christmas tree un-decorating = worst.
6. Grocery trip. There was nothing nothing in the house for food upon our return. Someone (me) should have planned better. Massive stock-up trip to the store? Check.
7. Photo shoot. Robbe is 10 months old. Double digits...woohoo! The obligatory monthly photo has been captured. See photo above.
8. Friendly visit. I got to meet my friend's baby today. It was a quick trip to the NICU, but I got to meet that sweet little peanut. Thanks for sharing a slice of your life with me, Dawn.
9. Clean, clean, clean. It's amazing how dirty a house can get with only a cat living her for two weeks (and would it kill her to vacuum up after herself?). I'm happy to report the house is finally in livable condition again.
10. Carseat upgrade. Robbe was fitted for his new carseat tonight. He's moving up in the world. Rain inhibited the install, but that's the easy part. See photo above.
11. Petting, lots of petting. Miga is severely attention-deprived. She is letting us know this by following us around the house, constantly needing pets, meowing in the loudest way possible, demanding to be let outside and back in (it's raining, after all) about 20 times a day, and even accepting affection from the babies. That's when you know she's been neglected.
12. Serious playtime. Don't think for a minute that all this was possible because our babies are content to play independently and entertain themselves. Quite the contrary thanks to the constant attention over the last two weeks and the attention-withdrawal symptoms that have ensued. Chris did assemble an incredibly impressive train track with Chase's new pieces, though, so it counts as an accomplishment. See photo above.