Playtime, Playtime, Playtime

Both of the gals are doing well.  Kate is finally signing!  YIPEEE!  She does sign language for "more" and "all done".  Jill still hasn't begun signing.  She relies on the handy holler.  Jill used to be the "quiet" one, but lately she has become quite the ham.  She runs across the room screaming with joy.  Kate is close behind growling "GRRRRRRR" while patting her tummy.  Not sure what the tummy rub is all about.  Maybe it gives her secret powers to scare people.  They love to play together and peek a boo is a favorite.  They also love to dance.  Jill bobs her head up and down like she is at a Metallica concert while Kate squats and swings her arms.  Good Times!  

But it all isn't sugar and spice with these girls.  We still have our fights and fits.  They love to take toys from each other and fight over who gets to sit in Mommy and Daddy's lap.  When Kate gets frustrated she makes little fists and tightens up all over while hollering.  I am not kidding.  She tenses her muscles up so tight that I have seen her shake with anger.  I wonder where she gets that from?  At least she has stopped rolling and kicking... for now.  When Jill is angry or frustrated she gets the most pathetic look on her face and her bottom lip juts out and begins to tremble.  Then she will throw a hand to her forehead and holler.  She is very dramatic!  They have such different personalities!

We are still learning how to be gentle with the dogs and how to pet and not pull tails.  The dogs are being very patient.  I think this patience comes from the fact that the girls like to drop their food.  Dogs putting up with girls = an occasional cheerio and goldfish.  It's a win-win for all involved.  

This week was a lot like last week since we are home bound for the next 6-8 weeks.  We are into week 2 and I can tell you that I am about to crawl up the walls.  I am hoping that my broken foot heals faster than expected, for the kid's sake, for Jason's sake, and of course for my sanity.  I have another x-ray at the end of September to see if the bones and fragments are fusing correctly.  Until then, we shall play play play!

When Kate sees the red eye light flash on my camera she squints her eyes so that the flash doesn't blind her.  It makes for funny pictures.  

Hello Miss Jill!

Jill snuggling up with Kate.

Ohh Miss Jill and her sweet smile!

This is the new baby yoga "downward dog" pose.  

"But Mom, she took my toy"

"I didn't take it Mom, I am borrowing it."

Wresting Mania 2008

Gotcha in the headlock!

Bailey cleaning up cheerios after snack time. 

Night night, Miss Kate!

Jill and Kate have chewed that book to bits.  Teething is so not fun.

Going for a giraffe ride.  YEEEE HAWWW!

Kate attempting to pull the basket of toys across the room.

All worn out!

Jillian's Boo Boo

Apparently Jill has inherited my grace, or lack there of.  This morning she was walking across the living room and fell flat on her face.  Unfortunately, she landed on a toy and it cut the corner of her eye.  I think it hurt mommy and daddy more than Jill.  

Spaghetti here, spaghetti there, it's everywhere!

I am trying to diversify the girls foods.  Seriously, how much chicken and ham can one kid eat?  Tonight we tried spaghetti.  They really enjoyed it and the dogs really enjoyed it.  Have you ever picked out spaghetti noodles from a yorkie's hair?  Not so much fun.

Bling Bling

Everyone thought I was joking when I said I was going to pimp out my boot. While on a recent shopping trip to Joanne's Fabrics I came across a big selection of iron-on rhinestones. I had to choose between a palm tree, skull and cross bones (aye matey!), Diva (I don't need to advertise it), Bad Girl (a little too naughty for this momma), and a heart. I chose to be on the safe side and got the heart. I just may go back and get the old Jolly Roger!

Just call me Tater!

Last week I made my yummy meatloaf (actually turkey loaf) with mashed potatoes and veggies.  The girls devoured the turkey loaf and played with their potatoes.  Here is the aftermath!

Meringue Cookies

Yeah I am a sweet junkie.  I will admit it.  I don't have a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth.  I decided last week to try my hand at chocolate meringue cookies.  I have made them before what seems like eons ago.  Well, apparently my cookies didn't turn out right.  I could never get the eggs whites to form a stiff peak.  After several phone calls to my mom and 2 batches later, I finally got them to a stiff peak (YEAH ME!).  I was on a mission and I wasn't going to quit.  Then I burned that batch.  Yeah, typical.  So I gave it a rest for a couple of days and made my 4th batch yesterday.  They came out beautifully and quite tasty.  

I have to add that today I had another kitchen snafu.  I was making P. Fleming's delicious Sour Cream Coffee Cake for a new neighbor.  I poured the batter into my tube pan, added the filling, and poured the remaining batter in.  I picked up the tube pan ohhhhh soooooo carefully, and batter was streaming out of the bottom.  It looks like my tube pan was bent during our latest move.  So much for the coffee cake Mr. New Neighbor.  

I think I am hanging up my apron for the time being and giving the oven a much needed rest.

My first attempt.  Big failure to say the least!

Success at last and oh so delicious!

Mommy's boo-boo

I am a klutz.  This is a widely known fact.  My mom always said I must have been born with 2 left feet.  I fall at the worst moments.  I trip over my own 2 feet.  Enough said.  My latest boo-boo begins like this:

Jason ordered me an iMac for my birthday.  I love photos, videos, etc and being able to play around with them on an iMac is GREAT!  I watched every shipping movement of "my precious" online.  Then last Tuesday was D-Day, delivery day that is.  Knowing that Fed-Ex would not deliver my precious without a signature, I knew I would need to be quick to answer the door.  As soon as I heard the bell ring, I was off to the races.  Unfortunately, my feet didn't catch up to me and I went down hard.   "Pimp Down! Pimp Down!" (Tanisha from Oxygen's "the Bad Girls Club").  Then, I heard an audible snap.  "That can't be good" was the only thing I could think, but I must get to the door quickly.  I scrambled to my feet and hopped to the door.  Luckily the Fed-Ex guy loves the door bell a little too much and was ringing it again for the 6th time.  So much for the girls nap, eh?  I grimaced, and signed for my precious.  Then I grabbed my cell phone and called Jason.  He's heard this before.."Honey, something isn't right.  I fell down and my foot is hurting SOOOO BAD.  I think I broke something cause I heard a snap."  He came home and took me to the doctor for an x-ray.  Sure enough, I broke my 5th metatarsal bone.  Basically that is the pinky bone (you know the piggy that went wee wee wee all the way home) that runs along the top of your foot.  It was broken in a couple of pieces and splintered.  I had to make a trip to the orthopedic surgeon.  He took a look at it and said no surgery since the fragments were facing towards the inside of my foot.  I may have a bumpy bone when it heals, but the bone will be facing inwards and shouldn't cause any problems.  In the meantime, I get to wear this super bulky beautiful black boot (barf).  I definitely need to pimp it out with some rhinestones, flames, or maybe a bedazzler (remember those?!).  I was on crutches for a few days until I could put a little pressure on my foot.  Poor Jason.  He really had to step up to the plate and take care of me and the girls, along with his other duties at work.  Poor guy.  He needs a vacation in a big way!  Now I am gimping around and taking it slow.  I am not completely sure how long I will have to wear this hideous beastly boot, but I go back to the orthopedic surgeon next week.    

The beast is so big that the girls can even play peek a boo behind it.  Good times!

Mommy's boo-boo is all better when I look at these silly pics of Jill.  What a stinker!

Patience Grasshopper....

Our poor dog Bailey has the patience of a saint lately.  This is very unusual for his breed - dachshund.  They tend to not do well with kids, but Bailey is the exception.  He allows the girls to pick, prod, and pull on him.  When he has had enough, he will give them a good licking and won't stop until they move away.  Kisses are his defense mechanism and we couldn't ask for more.  

Chocolate Cake

Anyone who knows me knows I love chocolate.  So for my birthday a chocolate cake was in order.  Note to self:  Never feed the girls chocolate cake after dinner.  Too much caffeine before bedtime.  You live and you learn.

PS.  Peggy, I miss your chocolate cake.  Any way I can swindle the recipe from you?  Pretty please?

Everyone needs a tiara

Lately the girls have been sick, cranky, and teething.  The days are long and the naps are short.  What could cheer up a one year old?  Why a tiara of course!  Who doesn't feel special and glamorous when they slip a tiara on?  Ok so they were made out of plastic and feathers, not gold and diamonds, but they can't tell the difference.  It certainly made a couple of princess's very happy and that is what counts!

Uh-Oh, Kate did a snatch and grab and took Jill's tiara.