Author Archives: carrievoris

Wear as I say, not as I do…

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I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic since I posted the bikini pics of the girls last week. And then I heard a clip where Madonna doesn’t like the jeans her daughter, Lourdes, has been wearing – they are so tight that she can’t bend her knees!

My first reaction upon hearing this was, “Um, ok. But look at her mother! You can pick any of Madonna’s fashion phases and pretty much be guaranteed to not find a good fashion role model.”

And J. just said, “Wait until little Lourdes gets a peek at the “book” her mommy put out.”

But seriously, when I think of the daunting task of raising two girls, I am frightened! (Make that FRIGHTENED! All caps!) I mean when I dress the girls in their cute, little bikinis – am I in fact starting them down that road? I am the one making all of their dress decisions right now and buying their clothes. And I think they just look cute – they are just little girls! But they grow up to be big girls. Big girls who will inevitably take “different” clothes to change into when they get to school, away from my critiquing eyes.

Last weekend when J. and I were out on our “date night” the Paseo was inundated with at least three different cheerleading squads who had apparently just had some sort of “cheer” competition. I couldn’t help but stare a little, and study their actions and dress, and realize…that will be Emma in 6 or 7 years. God help us. I am far from a prude, but this all has me wondering…

How do you draw the line and also teach your girls the difference between being proud of your body and happy with it (a whole other topic, for another day) and being just…well, for lack of a better word…slutty?

Any ideas? Anyone??

What’s that?

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Did my alter-ego post yesterday? The very calm, coffee-riddled mom who has two wonderful, perfect angels with a normal happy home? Because I was told that she apparently slipped in here and proclaimed that all was calm and happy in our house. Ha. Double HA! And then she had a lovely evening of eating burritos and brownies, crafting and gossipping with her friends? Yep, she had to have snuck in her and written while I was not looking, because our house is the EXACT opposite of calm or happy today. (I do vaguely remember the fun night last night…but it seems so long ago now!)

Emma has been in 5 (make that 6!) time-outs, been yelled at more times than I have fingers (or toes) to count on, Addie has had an hour nap (if you want to call that a nap!) and cannot control her constant crying…you looked at her? That definitely calls for a full-blown crying jag. You handed her a pink cup instead of the purple? The horror!! Must commence more screaming and some fist-pounding to emphasize true unhappiness at this unjust world!

I had visions of getting so much done today, and have barely managed to get them dressed and fed. Thankfully it is time to get them undressed and in the bath – sweet, sweet bedtime is only an hour away. If I can just hang on…

In my short little hour to pay bills, I did manage to get our taxes sent in. We owe over a $1,400 to the lovely state of Illinois. How the heck does that happen? And why, of all days, did it have to happen today?

Your lady of leisure…

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I had intended on writing an account of our crazy, crazy chaos around the house lately. But as I sit at Starbucks sipping coffee and…wait….what?! Leisurely writing? I guess I’m not going to get too much sympathy right now. All is actually holding steady and there is a dull roar of normalcy settling on our house. We are back to a routine.

We spent all weekend deciding NOT to buy a house. I know, I know! We had clearly spent the whole week before deciding TO buy a house. But after spending 4 (straight!) hours on Sunday looking at houses, driving by houses, going to open houses…even Emma who loves going into new houses and “picking out” a new room for her…had had enough. I’m still not sure how we spent 4 hours…there really isn’t a lot out there right now. And as J. said, each house we kinda liked, there was some big “compromise” with it. Not the right school district, not really big enough, not a very nice yard, crazy price tag (you want what? for that??), and the list goes on and on….

So long story short, I am back to searching for a house to lease for a year or so, preferably in the good school district so we can just pop Em into kindergarten next year – no muss, no fuss, no extra $15K in private school fees. At least that is the plan.

We go on Thursday to register for the preschool we really like. Fingers crossed we will win the “preschool lottery” and get accepted. Okay, I’ll just say one thing…and then be done complaining. It is ridiculous to have to fight so hard to get a child into preschool! I know she will love it and it will be great for her – and I’m not even saying this because I know I’ll be weepy when she actually leaves on her first day…but, come on! It is PRESCHOOL! I have been wait-listed on 3 of the “top” preschools (apparently they teach a superior alphabet, the roman numerals and the difference between the color “moss” and just plain old “green”? I don’t know – why and how they get to be “top!”) and I was told that I really should have been on the list when I was pregnant (!) with Em. It is just plain ridiculous.

And…enough. I know most of you have already heard me rant on this subject. Just wanted one more. Now, I’m done.

But just in case you think that I am a coffee-sipping lady of leisure today, I’ll leave you with one picture that pretty aptly describes my mornings around here. Why I deserve my Starbucks today – or how I earned my Starbucks.

Yes, it is waffle – glued in with syrup.

waffle hair

Best Shot Monday

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So today’s “best shot” isn’t any great genius photographic shot. I was taking pictures of the girls in their new swimsuits (so cute and $6 each on clearance! Thank yooouuu, Old Navy!) and told Addie that I could see her bee-bo (belly button, you will understand if you are a Sandra Boynton fan…) and here she was checking to see if her bee-bo was still there, and the pic after is my “best shot Monday” pic. I just love her expression. Well, and her plump, sweet toddler thighs….*sigh.*

where is my bee-bo?

Oooohh! There it is!
As always you can see the other shots on Flickr. Happy Monday, everyone!

Who’s Your Daddy?

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My short stint as being the “favorite” parent is over. Addison is clearly now a Daddy’s Girl, just like Emma. It’s all Daddy, all the time around here. Now when I pick her up in the morning her first words are “Daddy? Daddy. DAAA–DY!” This was the scene yesterday morning and again this morning, too.

daddy’s girls

I can’t say I blame the girls, J. does seem to have a gravitational pull that is comparable to that of the moon’s. You just want to be around him when he is around. Plus he is letting them watch the Three Stooges this particular morning, something they will never get from Mommy.

But (okay, here comes the whining and maybe a little stomping of my feet!) it just isn’t FAIR! I want to be somebody’s favorite, too!

I mean, COME ON! Who actually lugged you around for a total of 20 months, pushed both of your *little* 8-pound bodies into this world, spent a total of 2 years nursing you, changed 9,721 diapers (and this is using a modest 6 diaper per day estimate) and have laundered 832 loads of your laundry (again, based on a very conservative estimate of 4 loads a week!)? I coerce you into eating something other than cheerios and cheese, make sure you are clothed most days (ok, the shopping part is actually fun…maybe you shouldn’t count that), wipe your runny noses, dry your tantrum tears with my t-shirt, make sure you take your vitamins and brush your teeth every day.

Ah, who am I kidding? Given the choice, I don’t think I’d want to be around me either. I am definitely not the “fun” parent here.

Potty Party!

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Okay, for anybody that does NOT have kids…you may want to stop reading now. This post has a lot of “dirty” words, they might just be bodily functions but anyone who has not had children may find themselves a bit squeamish after reading the following.

So I invested in a new potty bench because I’m not sure what happened to Em’s but it was donated somewhere along the line, I think. And A. has been very interested in all things potty lately. So I figured it can’t hurt, right? But mostly it has been used as a little stepstool and not really for anything “potty.”

But this morning as we were going into the bathroom and stripping Ad’s jammies off of her, she kept saying “Potty, Potty!” And I thought it was because Em was um, er….”on the potty.”

But just on the off chance that she had to go, I put A. on her new potty bench and before I knew it – I heard her actually…peeing!

So we had quite the little party in the bathroom for her. We were all cheering for her (Emma loudest of all!), I took pictures and J. took video. Emma kept standing over her instructing her how to “wipe.”

“You go front to back, Addie!” (She is taking her big sister role very seriously!)

So we took the pee-pee to the potty and waved goodbye and Addie got to do her first flush. It was all very exciting. (I can tell you are all trembling with excitement!)

But, wait! That is not the only potty news for the day – while we were in Target, she turned to me and exclaimed, “Poopy!” Although we didn’t get to the bathroom “in time,” I’m thinking she is really starting to recognize what is happening there. So maybe it will all be a very smooth process?

Yeah, Pee-pee!

Look at that proud little face!

Little Shout-outs

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I admit I’m a bit of a blog-stats nerd. I LOVE looking to see how many views I got for the day (we hit a record on Saturday, yeah!), who is viewing it and how they got to my blog. Now that I’m posting comments on other sites, I’m getting some new readers and finding some new blogs to read. All very fun!

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting comments. Ahem…yes, from you. If you haven’t left one yet – all you have to do is hit the little link below (Add comment) and leave a message. Come on, make my day! Let me know you are out there. Maybe it is a bit egotistical, but it is fun to know what things really strike a chord with those that are reading. I will say thanks to Kimmer and Papa, my regular commenters. I know that I can count on the two of you. And Nickie, too. Smooches to all of you! The rest of you….what are you waiting for?

Here are a few other blogs that you might like reading if you enjoy this one. If you don’t enjoy this one, maybe you will still like these, but what are you doing reading here anyhow! These are in my bloglines right now and my “reading” while I enjoy tea or breakfast in the mornings…(Ha! You like my use of “enjoy” – as if there is ever a mealtime you “enjoy” when you have a 3 1/2 year old and an 18-month old?)

Playgroup Dropout – the founder of Small Change and a great blog-writing Mama, too.
My Momtra – she claims “I’m just one person . . . . who ends up doing an awful lot” what SAHM can’t relate to that!
Looky Daddy – tales of a stay-at-home Dad with TWIN girls. And he still maintains a hysterical sense of humor. Go Dad!
InkyBlack – amazing, amazing Flickr account. I dream of having photos like hers someday.
Picture This – another fun photography blogging Mom, founder of the Best Shot Monday
Purple is a Fruit – another toddler-wielding Mama – maybe I love her because her Riley and my Addie are on the EXACT same timeline? She is really funny.

Oh I have plenty more…but that should be enough to get you started for awhile. But of course, not distract you too much from coming back to check in here occasionally, too.

Wait…what day is it?

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Try to explain to a 3-year old what a “holiday” is, what a president does, who George Washington was, and why the gym is really packed the days people don’t have to work. All of this as we are running into the gym (late!), so I can try to make it to spin class and work off all the junk I ate this weekend.

Cripes, this parenting stuff is getting harder by the day.

I remember that I was going to be that mom that stopped and patiently explained the answer to whatever question my child asked me. Ha. Ha. HA! That is such a funny line. Just typing it makes gives me a stitch in my side.

The other night Emma asked:

E: What is that hang-y down thing in your throat is called?
Me: Um, I don’t remember. Why?
E: I just want to know what to call it.
Me: (Remembering my promise…)Um, well, how about we will look it up tomorrow?
E: Ok, because when the whale swallowed Nemo’s Dad, you could see it and Dory tried to hold on to it, and….(blah, blah, blah – the story continued on there. I guiltily confess, my listening did not.)
Me: (Thanks, Pixar. Couldn’t include that little fact into your cute little fish movie?) Ok, we’ll figure it out tomorrow.

The next day the elusive word for the “hangy down thing” came to me (epiglottis, in case anyone is interested) and I was so excited to tell Em. After I told her, she just stared at me like, “Um…great. What are you talking about, again?” Clearly the moment was gone and I had missed a prime teaching opportunity.

Figures. Why didn’t I just go out and look it up when she asked?? Is this what I have to look forward to for the next 16 years? You can just call me “always a day late…”