Carrots under my armpits

Hello!

P just suggested I write something about the kids for our blog and I immediately thought of a theme that has been on my mind all day: carrots under my armpits. This theme comes to you courtesy of the littlest Dude, none other than G. When I sit both B and G down for dinner, all goes well for maybe 8 minutes until G starts to cry - er, screech [P: we've dubbed G the "screecher creature"]. This upsets B, who stops eating. If the Tirolean music hasn't been playing up til then, either or P and I make a hasty move to cue it up. Eating may commence or G may continue to fuss until I take her out of her high chair and hold her, facing B. This makes G VERY happy. She adores her big brother and can often be seen flashing him the biggest, toothless grin while waving her arms. A true fan.

While B is distracted by the Tirolean music, G is distracted by B. I take turns feeding them. One bite for B, one for G. And at lunchtime, one bite for me. I always hope I don't put the wrong spoon in the wrong mouth. This seems to work except for one detail...G likes to suck her fingers between bites and then take her fingers out of her mouth and wave them around. OR...she reaches for my clothes since she likes to suck on fabric, or my hair, and next thing I know, when I am helpless to defend myself, I feel a little carroty hand reach under my arm pit and up my sleeve til carrots are all over my arm and on my clothes. Yep, there goes my shirt, into her mouth. Or my hair. How often have I ended a meal with G's food dried on my skin or clothes or hair?

That's it from me. I remember, in my previous life, looking wanly at plump moms with unkempt hair and stained clothes. I figured if and when I was a mom, I'd at least stay respectably thin and clean. Bwa-ha, I say. I just have to let that one go for now I guess. It helps if I tell myself I am a walking pallet of colors, textures and scents (er...odors).

If I choose to see myself as a work of art, as a canvas where little people do creative efforts, I feel slightly more noble. I work on them, they work on me. Visual synergy.

Over and out (and under the armpit),
K