The Truck Was Not My Friend

Today it was lovely outside.  Fifty degrees with blue skies on valentine's day lovely.  So I got us all ready to go get Daddy a Valentine's surprise from his little ladies.  Opportunities like this are rare in the winter, since the girls and I hoof it while Daddy commutes to work.  The girls wore their favorite lately: crazy busy tights and delicate tulle skirts.  We added layers in heart patterned fleece hoodies and cozy puffy vests.  As if that wasn't enough texture and pattern for any out fit, the whole look got finished off with sparkly princess/fairy snow-boots.  And the usual dredging in sugar and spice.  Perfect.  I got my boots and cream puffy vest on too, just because.  Looked pretty good, if I say so myself.

Then we headed up the street with the double stroller.  Me in the street.  The girls happily navigating the absolute rivers between the "snow tunnels" that have honestly been the best any one could expect your average citizen to carve out above the sidewalk considering the many feet of snow we've had this winter.  I figured it was the safer course for the moment, plus it allowed them to get their hollers and tigger-esque wiggles out.

There was a point, after we crested the hill and successfully avoided overly obsessing over the mummified roadkill specimen that had unfortunately surfaced as a result of the thaw when I saw an opportunity to get back on the sidewalk without getting completely wedged between two walls of gray slush.  Little Blue was dragging, barely keeping herself moving ahead by repeating the goal "Surprise...for Daddy....I'm SuperGirl.." with every step.  Cinderella Baby was starting to look a little droopy in Curly's arm.  It was time for offer these little gals a ride.

They got settled with a little box of candy hearts a piece (courtesy of Mammy) and we rounded the corner, on our merry way.  I was enjoying the blue sky and dreaming of spring and feeling awfully pleased with myself; after all, here I was cruising along with a hundred pound stroller over mud and slush through a luge shoot of greasy, melting ice and feeling cheery as a pioneer at a camp-fire dance.  And then, well, then my friendly smugness was rudely interrupted by a big fat splatter.  Mud and slush and cold wet.  All over me.  And my clean, straight hair and my white vest.  Compliments of the speeding delivery truck passing at a blur through a puddle.  The girls didn't notice.  I didn't cry.  But I don't mind admitting I wanted to.

Sometimes life is like that.

Busy

An itemized list detailing four hours in the lives of Curly Sue and Louisa the Blue....

Curly:

• snuggle mom on the couch
• make a valentines surprise for Ellie
• eat 1 bowl lucky charms
• get dressed
• eat 1 bowl blueberries while sitting on the kitchen floor
• inventory all mom's Nancy Drews
• unpack entire shirt drawer, throw all items over shoulder
• get dressed again
• make bed
• color paper hearts
• stuff them in an envelope for a variety of loved ones
• more beads
• finally go to the bathroom
• let your sister push all your buttons, lose all volume control and screech the word NEVER as many times as possible
• run around without underwear making crazy demands
• notice Shrek is playing, cheerily busy-foot it back to the bathroom for underwear and other necessities so you can watch too
• get your sister on board for a raid of the closet
• settle on two swimsuits and a cover up
• make a "beach out of blankets"
• yell "wahoo!" and daintily sit in the middle of your "ocean"
• swim
• snack
• rub a balloon all over your head, check out the halo it makes of your hair
• chase your sister around screaming because she won't trade balloons.  make it really fun
• have a balloon boxing match
• kick your sister and get sent to your room
• get released. wrap balloons up like babies in a blanket and settle in with them for a long, quiet movie

Blue:

• announce yourself as cowboy girl
• care for Beluga and Gray, they are two sick animals
• make yourself a necklace, sort of
• eat lucky charms
• eat two bowls of oatmeal and blueberries while crouching on the kitchen floor
• bathroom break
• attempt to get dressed.  the tights you want are not clean. 
• rush to the kitchen and collapse in agony in your underwear over the tights drama
• lock yourself in the bathroom as per same drama
• forget about it and brush your teeth instead
• semi-flood the bathroom
• sweetly emerge from your room in a shirt, pants, and skirt
• color some hearts
• lick the window
• find a stick in the living room (why is that there?) dance with it
• notice the stick makes your hand dirty, attempt to flood the bathroom again
• request a pink cookie
• get one
• climb into mom's bed, snuggle up with a cookie, look sweet, get crumbs everywhere
• harass your sister while she goes to the bathroom.  make several attempts to drive a truck that can't possibly fit in there, in there
• start watching Shrek the Third
• remember about your cookie you already finished, stress that it is "not in [your] mouth!" 
• try on several new pairs of panties and parade around in each of them
• settle on a pink tutu swimsuit, announce it's beach day!
• yell "wahoo" and actually cannonball into your "ocean".  don't show any sign that crashing flat-bottomed on a hard-wood floor was anything but delightful
• splash, swim and snack
• find balloons
• have a fun with them and then a fuss about them
• remember you wanted to watch Shrek