You can tell I'm a mom because...

I thought this would be the next fun list because these thoughts run through my head all the time.  So pile on your contributions at the end!

You can tell I'm a (new) mom because...

... I have a permanent throw-up/drool stain on my left shoulder.

... Every week, I buy diapers and laundry detergent.

... I have Sesame Street and Disney CD's in my car on a constant loop.

... It takes me fifteen minutes to pluck my eyebrows because it's been two weeks (this was last night at 10 p.m. for me!).

... I eat most meals standing up.

... I can tell from the cry whether my child is hurt or just wants attention.

... I pick my battles and if my child doesn't match, but she picked out her clothes herself, then oh well...

... I forget where my mascara is.

... I'm too tired to make a fresh pot of coffee so I just reheat what's leftover from this morning.

... I will drive out of my way to find a drive-through...whether it's a bank, a restaurant or a dry cleaner.

... I smile as I run on the treadmill because for one hour, my children are in the nursery.

... I look like a train-wreck when they feel sick.

... I automatically place my cell phone and remote control on the highest shelf possible.

Keep going!

Catch Up

We've had a week of the blah's in the Shipman household.  Elizabeth held onto a fever all week and I've had a lingering sore throat.  Needless to say, I've fallen behind in my writing.  So here are some pictures to catch you up on us.

Why my child decides to throw a fit as soon as I break out the camera is beyond me.  This picture was last Sunday and she looked so cute in the outfit her Grandma Chris got her and this is the face I capture.  I'm so excited about how long her hair is getting.  I actually tried to put a barrette in it and it freaked her out.  Oh well.

I always crack up when I hear expectant mothers talking about how they can't wait to dress up their kids.  My kids have always hated getting dressed.  Elizabeth has gotten better as she's gotten older, but if I try to break the t-shirt and cotton shorts rut with something cute, I hear about it.  Here, she is upset with my selection of a halter top.  She yanked at the straps for ten minutes, trying to convince me it was choking her.  Not to be outdone, Rachel hated her outfit as well.  I can't win!  At least they looked cute...despite their red, swollen eyes!

Like I said before, Elizabeth ran a fever almost all week.  She really didn't have any other symptoms except for crashing when her Tylenol wore off.  She never lays on the couch...but she curled up here with her blanket and sippy for about 45 minutes.  You can also see Rachel in the corner, eating her hand.  "I mean, if you're just going to sit there, mom, you could at least feed me!"  I was so thankful that Scott was able to work from home a couple days and help me with the girls. 

We kept an eye on Rachel for a fever, but she never developed one and I was thankful.  She's just so stinkin cute.

Gives new meaning to the expression, "double fisting."

This picture cracked me up.  Frick and frack with the same expression.  

Elizabeth and me, sharing a cookie.  She likes dunking her whole hand in the milk, along with the cookie, and then leaving a milk trail from the glass to her mouth.  I can't wait to try Oreos!

My little mommy

Elizabeth loves to help.  A lot of times, you can sidestep a fit by diverting her attention with a task to complete.  She can close doors, turn off the tv, turn on and off lights (this morning, she realized she could turn her closet light on by standing on a chair) and OF COURSE take care of the baby.  Scott has her "fireman carry" the diaper genie bags full of dirty diapers (gross) to the trash can, where she hoists it up and throws it in.  Yesterday, I caught her carrying a brand new pack of overnight diapers the same way.  She marched right in the kitchen and threw them away.  Nice...

This morning, I was trying to get Rachel in her carrier to go to the Y and I kept hearing this noise coming from the bathroom.  I walked in and she had the toilet brush in hand and was sloshing it around the commode.  So much for having her shadow me during my cleaning.  My sympathetic husband commented that, "at least she was using the brush..." True...

So yesterday, I was putting clothes out on the line and Elizabeth was with me, running around the yard.  She came over and started rummaging through the baskets (a lot of it was her clothes...go figure) so I decided to use the little mommy to my advantage and get her to hand me the wet clothes.  "Honey, can you hand me that wet sock?"   Nothing...pulling out dry and clean pajama bottoms.  "That pink sock, right on top...can you give it to me?"  She now sits down on the ground and attempts to pull on the PJ bottoms over her dirty Dora light up sandals.  No eye contact.  "Elizabeth!  Don't you want to help mommy hang out clothes?"  She looks at me, says "No," and runs off through the yard, one foot in the now filthy pajama bottom.

Is it too soon to tell her I hope she has three just like her??

Firsts...

We've had several "firsts" in our house these past few days...the most exciting being that Miss Rachel slept ALL NIGHT last night!  She always has one wake up call before she's really down, so she finally went to sleep at 9:30 p.m. and I didn't hear a peep out of her until 6:00 a.m.!  Now here's the difference between your first and second.  The first time Elizabeth slept through the night, I was awake every two hours to see if she was breathing.  With number two, I woke up at 6:00 and congratulated her!!  Maybe Scott checked on her - I haven't asked him yet.  I'm pretty sure we were both out cold!

Here is my beautiful, wide awake baby girl!

I've told you that Elizabeth has been trying her hand at throwing fits, but last night was her first attempt at a full-blown temper tantrum.  I was trying to get dinner on the table and Scott had just gotten home from work when it started.  She told me she wanted to eat ("Eat!!") and I asked her to wait a second - which are the three most dreaded words a 21-month-old can hear.  Well, she started her usual cry/whine and decided to throw in a scream just for fun.  Now, who knows where she picks up these things...she may have heard a kid at the Y cry this way, but it was a new thing for her.  I can see the wheels turning as she throws in the first scream...almost as a hesitation...and I try not to laugh as I set the table.  She keeps going, sending it into the next octave and increasing her volume.  I must have not been reacting like she wanted because she stomped in and tried it on her daddy, who precisely spanked her butt and sent her back in to me.  I take her hand and start leading her to the high chair and she's so into the tantrum that she makes her legs go weak.  Now I'm dragging my screaming child across the floor.  It wasn't until she was sitting in her seat that she noticed the macaroni and cheese in front of her (her favorite) and turned off the scene.  Ahh...I can't wait for the two's. 

As if that wasn't enough, she's figured out how to turn on and off the light in the bathroom.

I was running the vacuum cleaner this morning when I noticed the bathroom door was closed and the light was on.  Not seeing any sign of Elizabeth (it had been all of 30 seconds since I started the sweeper), I marched to the bathroom door, prepared to fuss at my child for closing it.  I open the door and there she is, sitting on her potty, reading a book.  Success!!!  So I sit across from her and we read through the whole book and then she hops up and runs to play.  Now, to try it without a diaper on...ha!  We may be getting close here, folks!

Hymns of life

I've been thinking about the hymns that make up the seasons of our lives lately.  Do you ever find yourself just going through your day with a hymn in your head?  I like to think that this makes God smile - to keep a soundtrack of praise running as you mop the floor or do dishes.  We attend a contemporary worship service and I like everything about it except that I miss the old hymns that I grew up with and that we would sing at our SC church.  A couple Sundays ago, the worship was all music and the band was really jamming.  They did the last song and after the last verse, went into an a capella version of How Great Thou Art.  You should have heard everyone singing!  It's like a universal smile went across the congregation and the song ended with a collective "ahhhh" instead of Amen. 

Lately, my theme song of choice has been Great is thy Faithfulness.  I sing it when I see my baby girl smile...when my husband calls to tell me he's had a good day at work...when we can pay all our bills...!  I remember when the entire meaning of Amazing Grace  changed for me and when I couldn't get In the Great By and By out of my head.  I don't think these things are coincidences and it keeps me focused on what I need in my life.

What is your hymn?   I would love for feedback on this one. 

Flooding the house with babies!

We've been so blessed to have Aunt Anessa and John Wayne in to visit us for the week.  They probably don't feel as fortunate to be in Nashville during the biggest flood in history...especially with Aunt Anessa's fear of tornados!  We are fine here and are so lucky to have our power and cable.  Aside from a little cabin fever, the weekend has gone well.  

 This is our front yard and it's hard to tell with the glare, but the water is up to the edge of the grass because it comes down the hill. 

John Wayne with the crazy hair.  We laughed because it actually calmed down with the humidity!

First walk with the cousins!

We were a little overly ambitious and had some melt downs...

What in the world are you doing to me, mother?

Somehow, Rachel acquired all these toys herself...I'm sure with no help from her sister...

It took two days to figure out how to play.

I think all babies like this ball!

Ok, so they aren't playing together, but they are in the same vicinity, so we'll take it.

Daddy and the girls

By far, my favorite picture of the week so far!