Cadbury Eggs

It's that time of year again- it's time for the Cadbury Cream Egg.
Now if you're like me, you're all, gross. No way, and no thanks.

But if you're like these two ...


This time of year is the BEST time of year to be a sugar freak!


The lil' dude spied one of Daddy's after-dinner dessert eggs on the counter last night.


So, she weaseled her way up to it. Then, she set about tearing off the foil like a maniac to get to the goods.


Consider that her first lesson in the etiquette of opening, eating, and savoring the Cadbury Egg. Daddy taught her how to be smart about unwrapping the foil. It has something to do with preserving the integrity of the wrapper to in turn preserve the integrity of the candy nestled inside.


Yeah, I don't get it either. But they are my sugar freaks!

Like Candy from a Baby

Anyone who's ever tried to take candy from a baby probably knows it's hard.
Sorta like taking fresh fruit and juice from my two year old.



Let me preface this conversation by saying motherhood is a dirty job. And when it's day five of your toddler having ... uhh, diarrhea, it gets really dirty. I think I can attribute the lil' dude's current state of bowels to the impending arrival of her 24mo. molars. I think. This week I've been reminded I don't know what I'm really doing- I'm just playing along, following what little instinct I've developed in this game.

But, the wet, wet face- the constant fingers in the mouth, snotty nose, and overall unpleasantness being emitted by my three-footer does reinforce my hunch.

So, back to the subject of this post-taking fruit and juice away from my daughter- arguably two of her favorite consumptions in the world. How to enforce a BRAT diet ... bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.

This is going to be just like taking candy from a baby.

Wordless Wednesday

Surprise

My favorite part of parenthood is the surprises.

Reveling in the knowledge that my child, from whom I created, carried, and birthed, is capable of operating at her own volition. That she grows and learns and functions without me. That she still surprises me with this notion 26 months later.

Last night, we sat down in the rocker to read Charley Harper's ABC's ... a ritual now long-withstanding in the lil' dude's bedtime routine.

A is for ... APE
B is for ... BIRD
C is for ... CRAB
And so on. There are only a few of the letters and corresponding creatures she has a hard time remembering. I'll never tire of hearing her soft, lilting voice shout out each answer. She loves the Hen, Koala, and Jellyfish pages best.

After we closed the book on Z is for ... ZEBRA, the surprise happened.

ABCD ... EFG .. aycheyejaykayeleminoPEE ... COORESSTYOUUUUUUVEEE ... doubleEXwhy ... Z!

My baby girl chirped out her alphabet in perfect prose, bringing tears to my eyes and pride to my heart.
We hurried out to provide Daddy with an encore presentation; a performance he caught on tape, and a segment I post for all our faithful lil' dude readers;

Stickers

Your buddy JW. gave you a giant sticker book for your birthday. I think it boasts 300 stickers. Probably every parent's nightmare.
Definitely every little girl's dream.


You are so gentle with your stickers. If you experience difficulty in prying them off the page, you ask for help. If you accidentally rip one, your lip starts to tremble, and you apologize. You hate when that happens. You say, sticker, owwie.

With the exception of the Beagle, you've never broken any sticker rules by applying them to things you shouldn't. It's your puppy's fault if he doesn't try to fight you when you want to decorate him. He loves you too much.



You love to ask me to play wiff it as you hand me your sticker book full of your Pixar heroes. You like it when I ask you to find certain characters on each page, or play the matching or opposite games. You beam proudly when you ace your quiz.

Wordless Wednesday

Teach

George Herbert once said, "One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters."



That must be true.
After all, it was your Daddy who taught you the new Syracuse defense mantra, shut it down.

Much like Mama asks you what the horse, pig, elephant, tiger, and duck says ...

Daddy asks you what 'Cuse says, and you say, Shut It Down!