Two Kiddos, One Mom, Crowded Theater = FUN!

Ok, so if I want to take the kids to a movie that I think they will like (well that I think Ellie will like) I go on a Monday at lunchtime...so today it was cold and with the choice of going grocery shopping or taking the kids to a movie I decide on the movie.

I decide that Bolt: The Superdog is my best bet (see Product Reviews for my opinion on the movie) and I pack up the girls along with the snacks I am going to sneak in and off we go.

As I drive into the theater parking lot...what's that?!??! There are cars? And not just SOME cars, but A LOT of cars! Oh come on now...but I decide to tough it out, especially since I already told Ellie we were going to see a doggie movie and she is in the back seat saying "movie, movie, movie...!" Alright so I go to buy a ticket, and yes I say A ticket since there is no way in heck I am spending $6.00 on a child's ticket when I can claim that Ellie isn't 2 yet LOL, and I get dirty looks from people (ps. when did the matinee ticket price go up to $10.00?). Of course, that is to be expected I guess since I have a toddler who is super excited and a baby screeching "dadadadeh" strapped to my chest. Breathe Arya, everything will be fine...the power of positive thinking. I buy my coke zero to fortify myself and make a foray into the bathroom...it is amazing the things a mom learns how to do one handed.

We get settled in...did I mention it was crowded? And oh yeah...Bolt is in 3D so viewing glasses are needed...just G.R.E.A.T! And you know what? Both kids were awesome. Ellie loved the movie and made herself comfortable by taking off her shoes and sitting sideways and aside from the occasional whine and whimper from Eve when she wanted a snack...it went smoothly. Yeahy! And to top it off, both of the kids took a nap when we got home. An almost perfect day (I didn't get breakfast in bed or a snickers so it can't be perfect).

It Never Fails...

That I happen to get the sniffles right before a major holiday or event. My birthday, Thanksgiving...and now Christmas. It would be one thing if I was sick, but no I have the sniffles. The kind of cold that makes you sniff and sound slightly funny and which broadcasts to others "yes I am sick but I came out of the house and am around you anyways...how rude". Hopefully I will be better and will not have infected the kids or husband before we go down to visit family on Christmas Eve.

And in other news, Eve is getting her first tooth! I think she is also close to getting her second tooth as well. Hooray, soon she will be able to eat real food...bring on the chicken nuggests. She isn't as good of a teether as Ellie was, with Ellie you never knew a tooth was coming in until there it was...Eve is grumpy and drooly, but hey different kids have a different way of doing things I should know that by now.

Holiday Shopping and the Plastic Conspiracy

Apparently today is when 18% of holiday shopping is completed, and just my luck I needed to put the finishing touches on my toy shopping...oh yeahy! I have to admit that I am slightly disappointed in myself...most of the toys that I bought the girls this year are plastic things, not at all the kind of toys that really foster the use of imagination. My only saving grace is that I invested in a good deal of art supplies, so I am not stunting Ellie's creative development in at least one area.

I wonder if my mom thought about fostering my creative development when she was raising me? I seem to remember being pushed out of the door and being told to play outside...

But, back to holiday shopping...it took me about an hour to make it through the toy store all the while cringing at what was in my cart. I am making a New Year's resolution to stop buying into the plastic conspiracy and I am going to start finding different sorts of toys.

Take Action to Keep Small Toy Makes in Business!!!

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is trying to mandate that all toys get safety tested. Sounds great right??? The problem is while MAJOR corporations could absord the costs not problem, small businesses like those on http://www.etsy.com/ could not and would have to close shop. Write to
Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov and tell them that you want small toy makers and crafters protected in this new legislation!

Happy 6th Month Birthday Eve!!!

It is tradition in our house that for your 6th month birthday you get cupcakes. So on top of making 12 dozen cookies for a cookie swap, I spent Tuesday making mini cupcakes...do you know HOW MANY mini cupckaes one bok of Devil's Food Cake Mix makes??? About THREE AND A HALF DOZEN..that's a lot of cupcakes LOL, but in my house they all get eaten. Eve loved her cupcakes and spent a long time chowing down on them.