Clothes Minded

Mornings are a battle at our house. "Eat your breakfast." "Drink your milk." "No you cannot have candy for breakfast."

Because I like to lay in bed until the last possible second, I have one hour to feed myself and two children. In that hour I must also make sure that they and myself are dressed. I almost wrote "dressed properly" but that is not the case. Maybe dressed for the weather? That is closer to the truth.

Of course I'm the easiest to get dressed. I grab a sweater and jeans. Usually off of the floor but that's okay because they are clean. Okay cleanish.

Bunny is 5 so you think she could handle getting herself dressed. That is not the case. If left to her own devices, I would find her playing with her toys without having picked any clothes out. So I have to "help" her.

"Skirt or dress" I ask her when we get into her room. Because clearly pants are out of the question. "Leggings or tights" is the next question. Once she chooses we can get the ball rolling. She then picks between the options in her drawer or closet and the clothes are laid on her bed.

You would think I could then leave her to get ready on her own. Um no. "Momma! Momma!" "What sweetie?" "I want you to keep me company." I return to her room to find her still in her pajamas. So I have to sit with her to make sure she gets dressed properly. And I usually have to help her a long.

Lion in a way is easier to get dressed. No he's not. He is two nothing is easy with him at all. He insists on picking out his clothes himself. He also insists on putting his clothes on BY HIMSELF. If you try to assist him in any way, he will throw himself on the floor and cry. But you also can't get up to do something else. You have to sit next to him and watch. All so you can see him throw his hands up in the air and say "Ta da" when he is finished.

The real problem with Lion lies in his clothes choice. He has definite opinions on what he wants to wear. The shirt must have dinosaurs. If it doesn't then it must have a car, truck or other vehicle. The pants must not match the shirt in any way. Track pants are worn with a train sweater and polo shirt. Tan corduroys are worn with a mismatched t-shirt, long sleeved shirt combo.

Next is the footwear and outerwear choice. Boots are his first choice. Snow boots are preferable but if they have been hidden by his mother, then rain boots are it. Or maybe hiking boots but not usually. His yellow rain slicker is the coolest coat he has ever seen. He demands to wear it always. However if his mother is mean and says he must wear a warmer jacket he will not be happy about it. All of this is topped off with his sister's white hat with pink snowflakes or a red knit hat about 2 sizes two big.




The effect is homeless fisherman, don't you think?

You Weren't Wearing That When You Came In Here

Yesterday I had the wonderful luxury of free time.

Bubs' father was off of work for the week and volunteered to watch Bunny in the afternoon. I was thrilled. I had errands to run, errands that go much smoother without a three year old in tow. Grandpa also offered to take Bunny out to dinner with Grandma, so Bubs and I got to have dinner in a real restaraunt.

I ran my errands in peace. I drank coffee in peace. Then I decided to shop in peace. I needed a few new things for spring so I hit the mall.

I gathered some possibilities and hit the dressing room. When I looked in the mirror, I froze. I looked like a bag lady. Before I left the house, I remembered to do my hair and put on make up. But I apparently forgot to change my clothes. I was wearing ratty jeans, an old t-shirt and a sweater with a hole in the sleeve. Completely appropriate for toddler wrangling and cleaning the house. Completely inappropriate for dinner in a nice restaraunt with my husband.

So what is a girl to do?

Buy new clothes of course. I bought a nice pair of pants and a sweater. Then I went into the bathroom and changed my clothes. Ratty clothes went into the bag and pretty new clothes went on.

Afterwards I had a spring in my step. I looked good and felt good. And then I had a great dinner with my best guy. A pretty good deal all around.

Would I have bought the clothes if I didn't need an immediate makeover? Probably not. I don't tend to buy things for myself that often but I'm glad I did.

(And yes I am aware that I could have gone home to change before dinner but . . .)

Jive Turkey

So Bunny has this book "Blue Hat Green Hat" by Sandra Boynton. In it various animals wear articles of clothing in different colors. So you may have a bear in a blue hat and an elephant in a green hat. Simple enough. It is meant to illustrate color and help identify articles of clothing and where you wear them.

The animals wear the clothing properly but a poor silly turkey cannot figure out how to wear it. He will wear socks on his hands and hats on his feet. Under his picture is always the word oops.

Bunny likes this book. She loves to say "Elephants don't wear socks. That's so silly." She has also become able to identify the and say the letters in oops "O - O - P - S" I'd like to say she can spell but when asked she doesn't know what the letters stand for. But hey we are getting there.

My problem with this book lies with the poor turkey. I think he is setting a bad example for Bunny. Now some of you may be familiar with Bunny's clothing issues but I am beginning to think this turkey is a cause or at least a symptom of some of our more recent issues.

When I tell Bunny to get her clothes on, when she eventually gets around to it plays games with her clothes. She will stick both legs through one pant leg and try to walk around. She will try to stick her head through the arm holes of her shirt. She will then turn to you with a smile and say "is this right?" No its not. Its cute the first 5 times, after that not so much.

Yesterday, she pulled out the Blue Hat Green Hat book when she was getting dressed. She turned to the page where the turkey was wearing the shirt as pants and put her legs through the neck hole of her shirt. "Just like Bunny" she laughed. Then she turned to the page where the turkey was wearing pants as a hat and did the same. Of course she near about fell over laughing when she compared herself to the turkey.

First TV, now I have issues with books? Sigh.