Yesterday was Elise’s birthday, and we managed to sneak out for a romantic night of seafood and light shopping at the local temple to consumerism. Of course, the kids provided the major topic of conversation at dinner. As all you parents out there know, we can’t wait to get away from the kids so we can spend a couple hours talking about how lucky we are to have them.
Andrew did provide some entertainment in the form of an urgent phone call from the babysitter just as I had tucked into my mahi mahi. Andrew had begged a juice box, and of course Maggie wanted the same (she’s now saying “ooooou” for juice), and Andrew casually mentioned that “she might be allergic.” She’s not, of course.
Maggie was a tour de force of nap avoidance techniques yesterday – she giggled, she writhed, she took her clothes off. I spend half an hour trying to get her down, until Elise finally rescued me and stuck her in the car. She was much easier today, and when I came out I noticed that Andrew was playing quietly in his room. He had taped a small plastic bag to the outside of the door. I wondered who he had in there – hey, at least it wasn’t a tie on the doorknob – and when asked he told me that “that’s what I put on the door when I want to play by myself.” I turned to leave and he stopped me with “Daddy, let’s plant some grapes.” Never mind the bag, and never mind that he hates grapes. Just make with the plow.
Mags is heavily into assault by book this week; we can’t turn around without her shoving a Clifford or Thomas book at our knees. Even Andrew is getting into the act…

Tonight we went over to a family’s house for dinner. Mags pointed at the cat and said “ow,” which is her current version of meow.
I tell you, we are so hosed.