She is learning.....

Gabriella has found it rather funny to throw her food on the floor while eating. Then she screams "mess" and wants me to clean it up. So I decided since she was old enough to do it on purpose she was old enough to clean it up. She wasn't thrilled with the new plan. She had chicken noodle soup for lunch and as usual throw her noodles on the floor. Surprise, surprise. However, today I made her pick them up. Of course at first she had a tantrum. So behind the gate she went. I let her out to pick it up. Of course she wasn't having that so she tried to run away. Behind the gate she went. I let her out again after 30 seconds and told her to pick up the mess or she would be going behind the gate. This time she pick up one tiny noodle at a time and threw it in the trash. The whole time she was saying yay and clapping for herself. The process took a good 20 minutes but hopefully she will learn to pick it up or stop throwing it. I can't believe she is only 16 months, this is 2 year old behavior!

And then there was gas?

Electricity here in CT is the highest anywhere in the nation. We pay 3 times what we did in Wisconsin per kilowatt. Annoying right? And we heat the house with oil. Not cheap either : ( So William and I decided to try the only thing left gas. We installed a gas fireplace where there was an electric one in the living room. We are hoping to heat the first floor solely with the fireplace : ) Ella runs by it saying hot, hot, hot, hot. Let's hope the saving start immediately. $$$$

Whoever told me it gets easier was lying!!!!

Ugh I miss the quiet easy baby days. Strangers used to approach me all of the time and tell me "Don't worry it gets easier after the first year!". I remember thinking well that's great since babyhood is a cakewalk. I knew that they were full of it.
I mean those first 11 months you can go to the store, answer the phone in piece, and watch a whole t.v. program. Ha try that it toddlerhood. Mothers of firstborn babies beware of year 2! You will understand what I'm saying before you know it. Then again I always hate it when people give me random parenting advice.

Wonderful things about toddlerhood
meltdowns in Target, the mall, on the street
ruining other peoples property
having to do it oneself but not being able to
needing to do "behind the gate" 7 times a day because you just can't listen
not being able to take your child to the doc. because they are mobile and not being able to find a trustworthy babysitter

LOL

Goodbye Kidstation

Yay, finally I was accepted at a new ped's office for Gabriella. Kidstation was horrible. Today I asked for the transfer papers and they gave me a typical response. We don't mail things without self-addressed plus stamped letter. Hello why do you think you are losing business. I mean they charge our insurance company 145 a visit! Self-addressed with stamp letter my butt.

Chasing shadows...

Gabriella loves to take walks at night. We're feeling the January blues of being cooped up inside for far too long. So last night it was unseasonably warm at 40 degrees so we decided to take a walk down the block at 4 pm. Gabriella really does a good job walking by herself. She knows to stop at the street and let me carry her across and which way Ceal's house is. On the way back around 5:30 it was very dark and the street lights were on. Gabriella noticed her and her tubbies shadow. She chased it all the way home. I was laughing and laughing at her chasing. She was laughing and laughing because I was laughing. The neighbors think we are nuts. Oh well we are having fun. (and acutally stopping traffic, people were stopping to watch her chase the shadows.)LOL.

It's a New Year, Another Tubby Year

William ordered Gabriella these bathtime Teletubby playset. It came with all four "tubbies" and a plastic play area. Gabriella was obsessed from the moment she saw it. The trouble is she can no longer play in the bath because she refuses to let go of any one of the Tubbies. Her chubby little hands struggle to hold all four. Then a total meltdown when she left the tub, she didn't understand why the Tubbies couldn't come with her. The thing is she has a plastic medium one and a large yellow one downstairs. I don't want her trying to carry all six everywhere we go. I'm already chasing after the other 2. The ficasco lasted a full 15 minutes with her bawling and screaming for Tubby and trying to go back into the bathroom! Remind me not to get her anymore Tubbies.