Messy Baby Days

Lately it feels like I cannot get anything done! Every mess I clean up, the girls undo or make another. I have been trying for what feels like forever, to teach Emma to clean up one mess before taking another toy out, crayons out, etc. She forgets or ignores.....so I have been reminding her by putting certain toys in "toy jail". Basically an extended time out for the toy. So far it is working. Usually if I give her a specific task she does ok "pick up 5 little ponies." But of course with Abby on the scene, all Emma's toys are much more interesting and the moment they go in the bins, her little hands dump them right out. Mike has been gone all weekend for a guys weekend in California. So, so jealous, but he really deserves it. He met all his high school buddies for a weekend of football games, going out and drinking. I was a little nervous about all these married fathers thinking they were 18 again and trying to out do each other in the bars....and sure enough, Mike was feeling no pain when I spoke to him the first night! It sounds like he had a blast and he is on his way home now. I have to say, I have NO IDEA how single moms do it! Mike has only been gone 4 days and nights and everything went pretty smooth, but I am just really itching for a little time away. Yesterday we were in the house all day and I was going crazy trying to get all these little projects done to no avail with the above mentioned little people following me....so I went to the gym and put the girls in the childcenter. Ah......2 hours of excercise followed by a steam, hot tub and long shower.....it was heaven and worth every penny of it's memebership fees. They were happy as clams, I went it to check on them a couple times and they were playing together happily! I think I have to win the best wife award this week. My dad and I went out together and I bought Mike a 42 inch flat screen HD TV, the blueray dvd player, and a new tv stand. He has been hinting at one forever. To me, a tv is a tv is a tv.....but I knew Mike was going to go out and buy one at some point anyway. Since I haven't managed to surprise him in the 10 years we have been together, I thought I would do this. My dad was so amazing to spend all day over here building the stand and setting it all up. So not only does Mike get to have an amazing, fun guys weekend in California, he gets to come home to a new big screen TV! Poor little Abby took a fall down the stairs this weekend. Yes, on my duty! Thank god we have a split level so it was only about 3 stairs, but she managed to scratch her eye on the wood railing. The thing is I was standing there watching her go down the right way on her tummy as we are teaching her and in about 1 split second, she turned and tried to sit up and rolled right down to me, scratching her eye in the process. Here is a glimpse of my messy baby and sassy 4 year old to sum up how my days are spent lately. Cleaning up Abby's face, hair, changing her outfit after what feels like meals every 2 hours, and trying to clean up Emma's attitude- you get the picture......





Ok- Could not get the video to load for some reason. Here is a picture of the new TV and Mike and Emma both fell asleep watching KungFu Panda. We are re-arranging the family room and the playroom. The girls just recieved a new table chairs set from Grandma Nona and have enjoyed having tea parties.