Whoops - it's August

OK, so I apparently suck at blogging, seeing how my last entry was at the end of February and it's now the middle of August. Sorry, kids!

A quick recap of the last few months:
1) Buttercup started walking!!! I think she was maybe 12.5 months old when this happened? In any case, since then she has proven to be quite a kamikaze renegade bombardier who likes to run HEAD-FIRST into the couch. She also has quite a knack for climbing things. Rascal's physical prowess bloomed much later, in comparison (and yes, I know it's wrong to compare kids and that they are all individuals that need to be recognized for their uniqueness, etc), so before Buttercup, I thought that parents who complained about how physically exhausting it was to chase a toddler around all day suffered from McGraw's tendancy to exaggerate things. OK, now I get it. I'm frigging tired and need a rest! Buttercup - you are cute, no doubt about it, but watching you use the back of the couch as a tightrope is starting to make the gray hairs on my head come in a little too quickly!

2) Rascal went through a spell that could have made Mussolini run cowering for the hills. Through vigorous Google research on preschool sociopathy, in-depth polling of my friends and the observations of other 3 year olds around town, thankfully, this is apparently normal. For a while, though, I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever snap out of it: EVERYTHING was a battle. I mean EVERYTHING. At one point, I asked Rascal if the sky was blue. He screamed "NO!" as though I was the world's biggest moron for even suggesting it. He perfected the art of the flail and whine. Our neighbors probably thought we were pulling out his fingernails one by one with all the screaming he was doing. And he threw the epic of all tantrums one night that lasted over an hour and took him from the living room to the kitchen, up the stairs and eventually into his room. Finally, McGraw and I vowed to just ignore him, and guess what, our little tyrant is now a sweet, hysterical, loving little boy who LOVES his little sister (about 90% of the time). Rascal - I love you so much and feel like, similar to any relationship, what didn't kill us definitely made us stronger!

3) I started back to work. Maybe it was the long winter and the mountains of snow outside. Maybe it was that I was starting to forget the difference between Their, There and They're. Or maybe it was just that I actually like working, but I stumbled across the perfect (for right now) job that allows me to attempt to be smart and a grown up 3 days a week (not to mention, put on clothing that isn't made out of cotton knit), and still have the kiddos home with me the other two days, where we can do all kinds of fun stuff like going to the farm, the library or Starbuck's!

OK, so there it is in an extremely small nutshell. Everyday Buttercup and Rascal do things that make me want to pull my hair out, but even more importantly, they do things that warm my heart so much and make me wonder what the hell I did to deserve such amazing, sweet, adorable little children. I am so thankful that they are both in very lovey phases right now (Buttercup's kisses are fast and furious, and she LOVES to give them! Rascal won't let me leave his room at night without an extra-long hug!). I'll take it while it lasts.