Mommin' It Up!

December 18, 2008December 18, 2008

It’s not easy being Santa.

When I came home from work today, I found this on the kitchen counter.

Too bad that Mommy Claus hasn’t gotten a swimming puppy! I actually had one in my cart at Target last weekend, but I put it back because I didn’t think there was any way she actually wanted this thing.

I mean, look at it.

Looks fascinating, right?

So as I sat down at the computer tonight, I went looked for this thing and found it on ToysRUs.com. Of course, I looked at the user reviews.

Let’s just say that the swimming puppy doesn’t seem to be much of a hit with the moms and dads who’ve written the reviews.

In fact, here’s the first one I read:
“Should be called fall over and float while the legs move back and forth for 2 minutes until water creeps into the battery compartment and goes into the trash puppy.”

Needless to say, I am NOT thrilled by the thought of sinking (haha) $29.99 into it.

But, scroll up and look at that sweet letter to Santa.

So I ask you, what is a person to do in this situation? I am in a true quandary, and time is ticking away.

If any of you are proud owners of a Rescue Pets Swim to Me Puppy and would like to talk me into purchasing it, I am all ~~scary eyes~~ ears.

(P.S. If you are not sick of free stuff yet, we have a great Build-a-Bear giveaway here at Reviewin’ It Up! Go ENTER! Ends Saturday!)

December 17, 2008

Chatting with my Toddler

Sophie climbed in the turkey roaster after Thanksgiving dinner

Within the last four weeks or so, Sophie has finally, finally, finally really started to talk. Well, not just talk, but communicate. It’s a beautiful thing, and has eased both of our frustration levels. She’ll now mosey up to me and say “Howie? Howie?” which does NOT indicate her love for “Deal or No Deal” but her love for food – she’s saying “hungry.” When I say, “Do you want a banana?” She’ll practically scream “YESSS!” and joyfully run for the kitchen. She even says that word which is most beautiful to a mother’s ear – please.

She also says some things that are not quite as pleasing to the ear. You see, three of the most common phrases I say to Sophie are “No touch”, “No fuss”, and “No ma’am”. And now, she is quite adept at SCREAMING all three of them BACK at me (very accurately, I might add) in anger. Sometimes it is hard not to laugh at her toddler indignation! But I manage to keep a stern face, and demand that she tells me she’s sorry and give me a kiss. The result of that is that she now says “sorry” (or “sowee” as the case may be) when she gives anyone a kiss for any reason. Whoops!

I just love listening to my little chatterbox. Most of her prattling is still mixed with some babble that sounds a lot like Hindi, but there is finally a fair amount of English mixed in! She asks for her favorite TV shows by name (not that she ever watches TV, *ahem*) and gleefully greets each one of Joshua’s Thomas the Tank Engine characters by name. (She loves them almost as much as her brother does.) She has also become a fabulous singer. I have got to get this girl singing on video for you all! Her greatest hits include the Sesame Street and Little Einsteins theme songs (which, again, is weird, since she *cough*never watches TV*cough*), and everything on our Veggie Tales worship songs CD. She really rocks “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” HARD! She’s pretty much my favorite singer ever!

I feel blessed that, including her Hindi chatter, and her fussing, about 90% of what comes out of her little mouth is sweet and adorable. I know it won’t stay that way forever, so I am trying to cherish it now.

What things come out of your little ones’ mouths and melt your heart?

December 16, 2008

Blissful Shout-Outs

Have you all been reading Blissfully Domestic lately? YOU SHOULD BE! Particularly my precious little pet, Blissful Style. You can learn all sorts of amazing things at Blissful Style! Like, should you really pay big bucks for a flatiron? Will fake eyelashes make you look totally HAWT or totally ridiculous? How do you find the perfect size bra? And my personal favorite, How do you hide that Holiday weight??

I have some wonderful contributors who write for Blissful Style, and I hope you’ll all go visit their blogs! Here are just a few of the lovely ladies who make Blissful Style a success. I will feature all of them in the coming weeks.

Kathy Friend – a TRUE fashion expert! She’s got all the answers to your fashion questions at Fashion Answers.
SlynnRo – you’ll have fun peeking into the life of this skin-care-addicted, beautiful lawyer.
Laurin – of Laurin and Kelly Talk. Y’all already know I love her. Go get cozy with her & Kelly!
Shannon Nelson – a full-time working mom of FOUR beautiful boys, she’s a PR queen and gets her glam on at A Girl’s Gotta Spa!
Luanne – my real-life BFF, Mary Kay lady, and homeschooling mama. Go say hi to her at I Want MK!

Ok, one last shout-out, this one to my hubby. Today marks thirteen years to the day we started dating. Which means a) we are really old and b) we are really blessed. I love you Bobby!