Big Girls and Binkies

Drew said goodbye to a very dear friend yesterday. A friend that has been with her for every nap and every bedtime of her little life. Jason and I knew we wanted her to be rid of the binky by her second birthday, so we decided why not just do it and get it over with. (That is what I am repeating to sentimental Chelise who is sad to say goodbye.)

After her nap yesterday, Drew and I sat down on the couch with all her bedtime gear: white blanket, stuffed lamb, and binky. I told her that binkies are for babies. Then I asked her if she was a baby or a big girl. She told me she was a big girl. Progress. She usually tells me she is a boy.

I continued telling her that big girls don't use binkies, so if she is a big girl then she needs to throw the binky away in the trash. With a smile she hopped off the couch, trotted to the kitchen (she never walks, she trots), and threw it straight in the trash.

Bedtime rolls around. We brush teeth. We sing our song. She gets white blanket. She gets lamby. Where's binky? "Remember Drew, you threw your binky away in the trash because you're a big girl." She cried for ten painful minutes then fell asleep.

I think this big girl stuff is going to be harder on me than it is for her. I might have fished into the trash later after she threw it away and kept her binky for myself. I am going to miss her little button mouth with the binky bobbing up and down, up and down, up and down...

Hidden Gems

My newest obsession is thrift store shopping. In Iowa City I occassionally would stop in at the few thrift stores around, but all I ever found was junk. (Jason would argue that it is all junk, but he doesn't know.) But in Phoenix there is a thrift store on practically every corner filled with more gems than I have time to look for. I drive past a Goodwill and my car goes into autopilot and makes the turn automatically. Because not only are there great finds, but the stores are actually pretty clean and nice.

I especially love finding things to keep Drew busy.

Hinged magnetic board briefcase full of wooden magnet letters. $2.

Monster size Sesame Street puzzle with huge pieces (all accounted for). $1.

Flip and Learn alphabet board. $1.

Shiny xylophone still in the box. $1. (She's serious about her music.)

I wish I could say these are the only things I've boughten the last few weeks since my obsession began. But this morning these are all the things Drew wanted to play with. And if she didn't want to play with them, who cares? I only payed quarters for them.

Update on Bruce: He has been replaced by Dori who is a much friendlier hide and seek friend.

Shark Infestation

Apparently Phoenix residents have more to worry about than scorpions and termites. Our house is currently infested with sharks. One shark that is, who shows up in many different places. For a few weeks now Drew has had it in her head that Bruce the shark (from Finding Nemo) lives in our house. At first it was a game. Out of nowhere she ran to inform me that Bruce was in Mommy and Daddy's shower. So we tiptoed in there together, sprung up on him, and hit the living daylights out of him. Of course she thought that was fun and for the next hour Bruce showed up in her crib, on the couch, on her potty chair, and all sorts of places.

Bruce has been a friendly member of the household until last night. We were cleaning up her toys before bed and I asked her to go pick up a book that was in the adjoining living room. After two hops she stops dead in her tracks and says, "No! Bruce eat Drew." I assured her that Bruce would not eat her. She took two slower steps and turned to tell me..."Bruce not eat Drew," as though she was trying to convince herself I was telling the truth. Two more steps and shaking her head, "Bruce not eat Drew." "No sweetie, Bruce won't eat you," I reassured her. She took another step towards the book and Bruce must have bared his teeth because she came running and crying into my arms. She didn't go anywhere alone for the rest of the night.

So far this morning no mention of Bruce. But according to Drew we are also infested with bees all over the place that need swatting.

Tutus and Rocks

There is always some work to be done around the house. And every member of the family must chip in. Most of the work lies in the backyard.

A backyard was one of my biggest criteria when looking for a house. I wouldn't have minded a pool. But if the pool took up the entire yard with no grass areas, then it was on to the next house. I have visions of my private oasis/backyard full of lush green grass, a large vegetable garden, and plenty of exploring room for Drew.

Our backyard is not very large and is filled with rocks and weeds. But it has a lot of potential. A big selling feature for us was the slate deck and built-in monster grill. I also love our big shade and climbing tree. That is about all we are working with here... everything else is going to go. Drew will be hauling many more buckets of rocks before it is our oasis in the sun. (And will probably still insist on wearing the tutu.)

Sewing Again

It feels good to be back to normal life enough that I can start sewing again. I've had this little knot strap/dropped waist dress in my head for quite some time. I wasn't going to use this fabric, but when I saw it and realized Fourth of July is pretty much around the corner, my hands were tied. It's going to be sitting in my Etsy shop... any size from 3months to girls 8. (Sorry, no women's sizes.) This dress just makes me feel good. Like summer and lemonade and parades.

Dreaded Time Out

"Hi. I'm Iowa Drew. I'm surrounded by tulips and my hands are lovingly placed on my dad's leg."

Iowa Drew happens to be a little different than Arizona Drew. Don't get me wrong. Iowa Drew had her moments. But Arizona Drew has aged fifteen years and is my teenager in a pint-sized body. At times she is the sweetest love as this world has never seen. Earlier today I laughed so hard I cried as she sang her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. She sang all the words she knew and made up the words she didn't. She makes me want to jump for joy.

But something about the Arizona heat really gave her a mean streak. Out of nowhere since the move, she starts hitting. She really likes to hit you in the face when she's mad, but if she can't get that she'll take an arm or a leg. And "no mommy!" are the most commonly used words around here. It's one thing when this kind of crap happens at home. It's an entirely different thing when you are in a crowded store and it happens, and everyone around you gives you the look like, "Oooh. What are you going to do about that?"

So this last week we started time out. We set up her pack and play in the extra bedroom and use it any time she gets nasty. I read somewhere that time out should only last in minutes how ever many years old the child is. So I really only try to keep her in there for a minute or two. The way she screams when she is in there you'd think she had been imprisoned for hours.

I think we are making some progress though. Now she is stopping her hand in mid air before it makes the hit and she rethinks it. Or after she tells me no, she will quickly say, "Shorry mommy. Shorry mommy." We still have a lot more progress to be made, but time out has been a gem. Working here on tightening the reins on that feisty Arizona Drew.

"Teiner, Hold You"

Drew may have experienced her first crush this last weekend when we went up to the Alder's cabin with friends. She liked Aaron Kleiner, or "Teiner," much more than her parents. "Teiner, where are you?" "Hold you, Teiner."

Me... I was crushing on the 68 degree weather, the sweetest cabin I've ever seen (and wishing it were mine), Candice's amazing filet minon, and loving our group of friends.