Doggie and Froggie

So TJ has a lovey. Its a little frog, mostly blanket, witha frog head, and he has slept with it ever since he was a baby. It has a lovely "TJ" embroidered on the blanket. TJ also still sleeps with his "paci." He gets this no other time, but I still let him sleep with it (let the judging begin...). So, every morning we say, "TJ, put froggy and paci night night." And he dutifully throws both in the crib until the next night. I am always so proud when he follows directions without missing a beat. However, somehow lately he has realized he owns many more animals than just froggy, and that if he asks, his brother and sisters are more than happy to give them to him and place them in his crib when they are all supposed to be sleeping. So this morning he awoke with trusty froggy, 'Blue' the doggy (second only to froggy), and the newest companion, "Bear" which is actually a moose from Alaska. So, after he was dressed I asked him to put ALL of his animals night night.

Then chaos of the morning routine continued. We all went downstairs. TJ ate his banana. I grabbed TJ and diapers, Adam was off today so he grabbed other three kids, we went to the cars, someone forgot backpack, oh wait daddy's seats are still down, hold on give Jen a kiss, Daddy tuck TJ into car, 'Can I sit in the FRONT? Why NOT?', and then off we go. I talk to TJ all the way to daycare. "Truck mommy, big truck, red truck, garbage truck...(and he cannot pronounce truck so it sounds very obscene and being that we live in NKY, there are lots of 'trucks'). Finally we arrive at school. TJ is excited, "Dance mommy, TJ dance." Yes folks he is a mover and a shaker. Then I look...and I admonish him, "TJ, why is 'blue' in the car? TJ, isn't Blue supposed to stay home and go night night?" "No night night mommy. Doggy sit in TJ seat." He then tucked Blue into the car seat and off we went.

I wonder what's going to happen when Blue wants to learn to dance? And also...I am a little sad that froggy was left behind and missed out on the adventure!

Boogers...

Yep. That's right folks, we have young children so eventually the topic was going to come up. A few days back I told Ashley to get her finger out of her nose. We were at home, and I asked her nicely to please go to the bathroom and get a tissue. I thought this was really one of those non-debatable corrections. You know like, the kind where she just knows I am right, accepts the feedback and moves on. Oh wait, she is a pre-teen there is no such thing. However, I think she got me on this one.

"Why?"
I respond, "Because picking your nose is gross Ash, you need to use a tissue." (OBVIOUSLY!)
she counters, "You picked your nose yesterday in the car...I SAW you!"
(Irrational step mom considers...
I think, recall, and yes remember that perhaps that did happen. But wait...I had a cold, we were going in somewhere, I couldn't just leave it...I didn't have a tissue...and its MY car...did she really see me...and honestly, I cannot be as wrong as Ashley. I MUST WIN!)

I reply, calmly, coolly, and with authority, "Ashley it is fine to pick your nose in YOUR OWN car if you do not have a tissue available. It is WRONG to pick your nose at home, when there are tissues in the bathroom."

And that, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is my closing argument! And I walked out of the room as she continued to pick her nose.

And so on and so on...

Yesterday I came out of daycare from dropping TJ off, ready to take older kids to their destination and then get to work after my routine morning journey. The kids say..."Wow, that took a long time today to drop TJ off?" I replay, "Yes, he was crying and did not want me to leave, then we had to get a quick picture, and then he wanted to show me..." Ashley interrupts, "And so on and so on. We get the picture."

Oh. I apologize for boring you my nine year old daughter with the sad tales of my morning. Allow me to resume my chauffeur duties. I am sure somewhere it is written that a step mother should be heard and not seen, right?