Oh, Motherhood

So much, no time to write, still can't wash my hair while the girls are home with me alone. I'm standing here with conditioner in my hair because a huge fight erupted. I'm typing now, before they're in bed, because Nico's getting a molar (it looks huge!), so I probably won't get any computer time tonight, and I hate lying there resenting that. (With no TV--which no longer hurts, by the way--at least I don't feel like I'm missing a show.) Lena has the phone on the half-torn-apart couch, and now Nico is going for it. I guess her victory of my wet towel is no longer satisfying. How can I put my head under running water right now? And blowdrying, my new addiction (bought with most of a gift certificate), will have to wait until after daddy's home. (Why do I blow dry my hair now after 33 years of sleeping on damp hair, when I'm trying to be greener and I don't have any time? Because. Because that is the mystery that is your mama, girls.)

But we did make it to WholeFoods downtown today with no crying there or back! Nico was a little fussy near the end, but we made it. I bought lots of Hyland's Teething Tablets and Gel and Flu and Cold medicine (just in case). I'm trying to go as holistic as possible because I still really feel like I did damage with the vaccines. Some of the stuff there is so much cheaper than StopnShop--milk, Seeds of Change frozen meals. It's hard to comparison shop with twins, though.

Chris suggests I do Montessori-type lessons with the girls each day. It's kinda a good idea, but Montessori is all about creating an environment for self-discovery (from what I understand), so.... But in the spirit of not succumbing to winter-related depression, we had a lesson about roses today. "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" was playing while I tried to read Sandra Boynton's Doggies and Todd Parr's This Is My Hair. So I took that opportunity to stop my off-key singing and tell the girls that the pretty flowers on top of the shelf (a gorgeous rainbow bouquet from Trader Joe's) were roses. And we would one day, in fact, have a rose garden. So I showed them what I was promising. But, like all lessons at this age, it lasted less than three minutes and then it was time to move on. And it ended in tears (as I took the rose, minus two petals and put it away, saving the lesson about thorns for another day).

New right now:

• Lena is walking much better. She came from the closet to the bed and the bedroom to the TV room without falling. I don't even notice how far she goes anymore because she's doing so well--very slowly and carefully. Then she'll get down and crawl so fast--backwards too. She is going to be ecstatic when she learns to run!
• I asked Nico to say, "Papa," and she popped right out with it. I told Chris, and she acted all shy about it and wouldn't do it again.
• I made this for dinner (yum) with garlic sauteed spinach and sweet potato--and the girls like sweet potato with spinach "hidden" in it.
  
• The girls love playing peekaboo. Chris said Nico put her pajamas on her head and walked...into walls.
• Lena plays Screaming Monster with Daddy. They play more like little kids each day.
• They quietly looked at books for a minute or two.
• They love the car game. Rules: Make an excited noise when you see a car go by on Washington Street out the kitchen or nursery window. Variation: Get excited and point/make noise when you see a bus on a stroll with mommy or in the car.
• "Dog" is evolving as a speech sound.
• Sleep is insane lately--no nap til 1.45 on Sunday, then a nap from 9.15-11 on Monday with no second nap. Today there was a nap from 11-1.15. I follow their cues, of course, but I think the uncertainty makes me a little irritable.
  
• And Hyland's Teething Tablet might just work. The girls are in bed, asleep. Love you, little ladies!
  

(In the above photo, Lena's arm is wet from playing in the dog bowl--another beloved activity, which drives mommy crazy!)