Upside Down

Today is a day of contradictions.

I pride myself on being (reasonably) organized. I believe that life is easier if everything has a place and things are returned to their places when you’re done with them. (Of course, there are four other people in my house who don’t always share my philosophy, so I do a lot of picking up, as well as a great deal of coaxing.) However, sometimes I clean things up so well that I can’t remember where I put them. And that’s where I find myself today.

This morning I decided to let my 16-month-old twins try crayons for the first time. And then I realized that I have no idea where I stored our set of Crayola Tadoodles Crayon Buddies when my oldest son was finished with them. My mother gifted them to us several years ago, and we quickly learned how easy they make it for a little one to hold a crayon. (I tend to think they also discourage chewing on the crayon, which seems to be a temptation for my boys.) They’re inexpensive, so I could easily buy another set, but that’s beside the point right now. I know our original set is in this house somewhere, and I’m determined to find them.

While sorting through drawers and cabinets, I needed a little entertainment. I decided to watch Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.

If you're suddenly confused because you thought I only had sons – not daughters – you’re not wrong. I don’t have any little girls. Given that I’m a child at heart, though, sometimes I still like to privately indulge in a girly movie. (I must confess, The Princess Diaries is one of my favorites.) I found Kit Kittredge to be quite entertaining, as well as educational, and after watching it I believe it would be equally appealing to a boy or a girl. This will likely be one that gets added to our list of acceptable DVDs once my boys are a little older.

What about you? What are you doing today? Is anything in your world “upside down” at the moment?

Sweet Bliss

I am enjoying one of those blissful days at home with my children that I always dream of (you know, in those not-so-blissful moments when I’m rushing to make preschool drop-off and then zipping off to run errands with the smaller set). Everyone has been fed and the babies are napping while my two-and-a-half-year-old plays happily beside me. In fact, he is engrossed in an activity that has become all the rage in this house as of late — the Melissa and Doug Vehicles in a Box Jigsaw Puzzle Set.

In no time at all my son has become adept at piecing them, and he can now assemble all four wooden puzzles on his own. And he’s more than a little obsessed. This set has been such a hit and is such a fabulous learning toy that I am planning to order one or two more. Perhaps the farm animals and the sea life sets this time?

(The Melissa and Doug jigsaw puzzle sets are available from Amazon.)