When you're not watching ....

Some nights bed time for the girls is easy.  Other nights, it drags on & on.  I am usually flying solo, as my husband works at night (well, all day & into the night).  Getting three girls settled down & asleep is another story.

I try to follow a routine.  I do pretty well actually.  Bath (most nights), teeth, stories & songs.  Then in bed.  I have the two youngest still in cribs in one room & Vivienne falls asleep in my bed, then I move her to her bed.  We start about 7 or 7:30, and end about 8 or 8:30.

Audrey is the easiest, heck, she can't climb out of bed yet.  Coco is pretty good.  She has a habit of getting out of bed & running into get in bed with Vivienne which can make Audrey scream as then she is alone.  This happens about twice a week.  She'll get out of bed, then they (Vivienne & Coco) play and I put Coco back in bed, she gets back out  ... until she (Coco) gets too tired to get out of bed again.  Then there is Vivienne.  She likes to drag bedtime out.  I think this is a sign that her nap time should be eliminated, but I don't want to give it up!!  (You moms that have kids who nap at the same time know what I mean!!)

Last night, was a "challenging" night with Vivienne.  After 9 pm I refused to go up to see her & ignored her calling "mom, mom, MAAAHHHHMMMAAAA, mom, mom, mom.  Finally about 10 it stopped.

Little did I know what was going on between 9 & 10PM .... this is what I found in the morning:

Yes, that is ball point pen all over.  I didn't make a big deal out of it.  I just told her that we don't put pen on our skin and secretly thanked God that it was only on her skin!

What would you have done?

Coco the cat ...

I realize it has been a while since I wrote about one of my kids' antics.   You know, one of those things that you really don't want your kid to do, but it is quite funny so you have to hold back the laughter as you reprimand them ... one of those things.

Coco & Vivienne went into the garage from the house.   They'll follow the cat in there & feed him.  The other day, they were taking a little too long.  I opened the door & saw Coco kneeling down with her face on the floor .... eating CAT FOOD!!!   (I wish I had had my camera with me and almost staged it again so I could get a picture, but figured that would only encourage it more.)

Coco, so sweet & innocent.

Our conversation went like this:
me: "COCO!"  I said, "DON'T EAT CAT FOOD!"
Coco: "Mommy, I cat.  Meow Meow."
me (trying desperately not to laugh let alone crack a smile) "Coco, I don't want you eating the cat's food."
Coco pleading: "But Mommy! I HUNGRY!"
me (really trying not to laugh) "Coco, you don't eat the cats food."
Vivienne now replies in her "motherly tone", "But mom, she really likes it."

OK .... full disclosure here.  I was reminded by a very good childhood friend that at around age 7, We did in fact try dog food.  I guess Coco comes by it honestly.