In the middle of errands the kids and I splurged on McDonald's for lunch today. Five minutes into her happiest meal of the week Audrey says, "Mom, I don't like the fries at our house but I do like the fries from McDonald's."


I know exactly what she's talking about so after a chuckle I explain just why these salty golden bits of heaven taste better than our oven baked substitutes at home. Hot Oil.

Audrey is very aware of one type of oil. I make an effort to give her and Colin a teaspoonful of cod liver oil each morning. What? I'm not awful, it's lemon flavored.

Audrey considers the frying process for a few minutes and says something along the lines of how McDonald's oil must be better than our oil too...

Our little guy is two! Although I can still remember our first days together very vividly they feel like they were a lifetime ago rather than a short two years. Perhaps it's because we've know him for so much longer.


We celebrated Colin's birthday last Saturday with a family party. Kristin and Alan brought the kids down from Milwaukee for the afternoon. Colin likes playing with his cousins and was excited when I told him they were coming. Anna, who is six, is probably Colin's favorite cousin. She's always looking out for him and making sure he has whatever he needs or wants. She'll play trains with him for as long as he wants (which I can verify is usually a very long time) and she's an excellent track builder.

Audrey helped me pick out a Thomas the train cake from the grocery store during the week. I started to order one for Colin but was blown away when I realized that it was going to cost over 20 dollars. Greg kept Colin corralled upstairs while Audrey and I set to work making a train cake on Saturday morning. With a beginner cake decorating set and some ideas from the Wilton website, a pile of candy and cookies and cupcakes and buckets of frosting - we did it! I think Colin was just as pleased with my creation as he'd have been with the Thomas cake.

Today, Colin asked me "Why?" for the first time in his life.

I am reading on my bed. Audrey is sitting next to me, brushing my hair and applying number 13 or so alligator clip.

"Mom, you are almost pretty. There is just one thing missing. You need more hair."

Audrey has a hyperactive imagination. Everything we do has a story or a plot. I am pleased that she is bringing Colin in on her make-believe scenarios both for his own development and because it means they play together for longer stretches of time (and therefore I get the laundry folded faster).

Colin has played with trains for nearly a year now but it wasn't until Audrey received a couple trains of her own for Christmas that Colin was introduced to the idea that his trains could "talk" to each other to get work done around the tracks. I was able to watch the light bulb illuminate on this concept one morning this week when Colin was watching Audrey speak through her trains. It was a delightful experience for all of us. I wish I had a picture of the smile on Colin's face after this "ah haa" moment.

Audrey is potty trained. Mostly. This was a long road for me as a mother and I felt like Audrey fought nearly every step of the way. I am pleased that she manages her toilet issues on her own now. Well, maybe not on her own, but without my help. From her white thrown I hear her call, "Caaahlinnn!" And, obedient (or curious) brother that he is, he comes running.

"Colin, will you get me my doll?" He runs, hunts for the doll and then delivers baby to Audrey.

"Colin, can I have some hot tea?" He locates the pink teapot and a purple plastic teacup and hurries back to the bathroom.

"Colin can I have a muffin?" He rushes back to their kitchen, rummages through a pile of hard shiny foods and returns to Audrey with a brown "chocolate" muffin.

Drawing pad, books, baby bottle. This continues for fifteen minutes sometimes. There are days when the two of them carry out an entire tea party around the toilet. Sanitary? Healthy to sit on a toilet for that long? Abuse of little brother? How long with this go on for? I don't know. I don't know. But they are happy and I am happy. How bad can it be?

Christmas with Jesus AND Santa is very overwhelming for me. I feel like every time I mention Santa or elves or the behavior "list" said creatures keep that I also need to put in a plug for Jesus.

"Yes, Santa's watching...and Jesus is sad when you hit Colin."

It's because I want Audrey and Colin to grow up with the understanding that Christ's birth is the what we are really celebrating at Christmas and this Santa stuff is just another fun thing about the holiday. But obviously the toys are the most important part to a toddler - right? To any kid really? Because of my adding Jesus to every Christmas discussion I worry that Audrey may have the impression that Jesus and Santa are both in on this North Pole, night flight, baby doll chimney delivery thing. How on earth are you supposed to separate the two? Maybe it's not possible with kids this small?


_________________________________________

We are all sick. I didn't want the kids to have cereal with milk this morning because it aggravates the runny nose situation (myth?). So I made raisin toast and cut up bananas and oranges. Audrey ate all this and then requested cereal. I explained that she could have cereal but without milk. After placing the bowl of dry Rice Krispies in front of her I hear her mumble,

"Mom, Santa's watching you not giving me milk."

I don't ever want to have lots of money. I'm not sure when I decided that but I still believe it. I'm happy living in suburbia with an old house and a library card. I'm okay with taking walks instead of having a gym membership. I have no gripes with Toasted-o's instead of Cheerios. But now that I'm shopping for the kids Christmas presents I am increasingly frustrated with my options for inexpensive toys.

I want to find a baby doll crib for Audrey. No problem - there are hundreds out there! Plastic, plastic, plastic and poorly constructed wood/fiber board. I don't think I'm a snob for wooden toys but there is something about plastic that drives me crazy. Of course plastic has it's place in the world of toys. Legos and dump trucks and baby dolls and FP little people - many great and even quality toys are made with plastic. However, I feel like a baby doll bed is a traditional toy that needs to be built to last. I don't want it to play music, it shouldn't be hot pink, and fiber board doesn't count as wood in my book. Why do I have to be rich in order to buy quality toys?Above 8$ vs. 109$ below

And then there's the shopping cart for Colin.

Above 19$ vs. 89$ below


I understand that there are toys in between these low and high ends. That is probably exactly what I'll end up buying. But they seem like a big compromise when there is such nice quality out there. If only Greg and I were up for four more kids. Then I could absolutely justify high-end toys with the reason "it has to last through six kids!"