Cheese, please

I kind of thought I would feel a stronger urge to come and write in this space when I'd had a bad day. You know, vent my spleen and move on. So far, that hasn't been my instinct. I'm not very good at just splatting words on the paper and there's nothing like re-living annoyances while you edit your writing.

However. Today? Was a hard day. It's really cold today and my kids were especially ornery all day. The cold makes me so crabby anyway, and any patience I can usually summon up for the fights over getting kids in and out of the car/school/store/wherever evaporates instantly.

Brighton's tantrums are definitely getting fewer and further between, but today was just one after the other. I know she's fighting a cold so I tried to have sympathy for her, but the knock-down-drag-out meltdown over not being allowed to LIE DOWN in the parking lot at school and make a "snow angel" (in the nonexistent snow), wearing her Snow White dress (that was one fight I was NOT having this morning) when the Real Feel temperature was -10 was just infuriating.

Pacey's really flexing his independence muscles and really likes the praise he gets for doing things by himself. I encourage him to tell me when he doesn't need help, and I hear a lot of "Pacey do it!" from him.  Although it can be challenging, I do try to allow him the extra time to do something on his own if he wants to. However, he has also taken to using the desire to do something on his own as an excuse to just not do it. The Coat Wars continue...I am currently fantasizing about summertime when we can just get in the damn car and go without a fight every. single. time.

Huh. What do you know, this IS sort of therapeutic  I feel de-grinchified enough to post a couple of recent pictures. I haven't had my camera out much because we really haven't been doing anything interesting lately. I did notice when I reviewed these photographs just how much the kids have been growing and changing lately. A good reminder that these exhausting days of relentless attending to needs won't last forever.

We get the most gorgeous afternoon sunshine in our bedroom.
Lately, Pacey has been hanging out with me while I exercise
and Brighton takes her nap. 

I'm grateful that his need for glasses was identified and that
we are able to provide them for him. But I secretly hate them.
I hate that they cover up his beautiful face. 

STOP WITH THE GROWING UP ALREADY

A rare photo of Pacey smiling (he smiles,
just not for photos)

Handwriting practice

This picture makes me indescribably proud. If you look
carefully, you will see a P, an A, a backwards C and an E. Just
one letter to go and my little man can write his name.