While the turkey was defrosting in the lower bin of the fridge, Gwen and Maddy went outside to enjoy the mild Northern California weather. They grabbed a bunch of stones from our garden and arranged them on the lawn to form a "train". Then, in Mission Impossible fashion, they walked on top of their train!
Maddy wouldn't pose for a pic but Gwen was happy to model her oh-so-precious Princess Pull-Ups and her new black boots (size 10!).
Pull-Ups, you notice? We've been having really wonderful success with potty training lately and I'm almost afraid to blog about it (for fear of jinxing it) but we've even managed to have some "diaper free" days with Gwen where she's worn only the most fashionable Dora The Explorer Panties under her jeans with no accidents at all!
No such luck with Maddy tho. As frequent readers know, Maddy has been Poo Poo Potty Trained for the last year but is much less concerned about going pee pee on the potty. No matter what we do, she just doesn't seem to grasp the concept and will pee in her diaper or Pull-Up (or right down her leg). But we're not sweating it. We're staying gently persistent and trying to encourage her while holding firmly to the belief that she'll be potty trained before she starts her freshman year at Stanford. In the end, that's all that really matters, right?
Pictured above is our darling, Kitty. She a 7 year old Japanese Bobtail cat with an affection for rough play, Spaghetti O's and and leftover corn on the cob.
I've had cats my whole life but I, sadly, developed an allergy to them after my body "re-booted" during one of our early hormonal temporary pregnancy experiences. One day in late 2003, I noticed that my eyes itched intensely so I fell into a ritual of smearing Vaseline on them and rubbed them for 20 minutes at the end of each work day. Physically, it carried a heavy price since people at work would approach me on tiptoe after seeing my swollen eyes and assuming that I was emotionally "fragile".
It continued without relief until we went to China in Summer 2005 to adopt Gwen. While we were there, I noticed that my itchy eye symptoms gradually disappeared and I tried to figure out what single item back home might be causing the problem. I didn't want to think that it was the cats so I spent the next year systematically eliminating every other item from my life. Finally, all that was left was the cats and it didn't take long to confirm that they were really the problem. I think I really always knew it.
My sweet BigFatKitty, Blue, had to be put to sleep in late 2005 because of old age, spine, and liver problems. I'm most regretful that I didn't spend his final days curled up on the sofa with him. It still makes me cry to think about it. His little friend, Kitty, remained behind to help us mourn and I longed to hold her and love her and continue our close relationship but I couldn't touch her without some pretty serious consequences. All in all, it was really devastating since our son was raised with cats and learned to have such a gentle appreciation for these small friendly creatures. Would our daughters never have that?
For the past year or two, they've watched Mommy scoot Kitty off the sofa or chair and never stop to show her any affection. Not surprisingly, they've started doing the same. Like me, they holler at her to "Get Down" when they see her on the bed or chair and they never touch her silky fur. But, lately, I've been making a special effort to show Kitty some gentle affection when the whole family is together snuggling in bed each morning. I'm teaching the girls how to scratch Kitty's neck or under her chin and how to appreciate the silky softness of her fur as we stroke her from head to bottom (she has no tail).
After two or three weeks of this, the girls are starting to demonstrate some love for their Kitty Kat. I think that's a beautiful thing and Kitty is digging it too!
We'll see how it goes but I'm hopeful...
Doesn't it just bite what hormones can do to ones body. After my second child was born, I could no longer eat shellfish of any kind. I also cannot have garlic in mod to large quantities. (this means more than one clove in anything) or I start itching all over. UGH! It's such a bummer because I loved eating both things and now I just get to watch others.
Posted by: Robin | December 07, 2007 at 07:23 AM
Yes, those treatments ravage us both physically and mentally. I am glad you are beginning to be able to deal with kitty. Children benefit from seeing adults be gentle with animals. I love cats, their intelligence, independence, grace and way of loving us is unequal.
Your underwear model is gorgeous.
Posted by: Yoli | December 09, 2007 at 03:40 PM