What a Great Way to Wake Up

I had a rough time sleeping last night.  Angela woke up with teething pain and had a hard time settling back into sleep.  One of those fast and furious summer-esque storms hit.  My sciatica flared due to the weather.  I did not want my tossing and turning to wake John, so I moved to the guest bedroom.  I put a heating pad on my back and hoped to salvage the rest of the night.  

I must have passed out because next thing I know Alice is in bed next to me.  Angela let out a cry.  "Mommy, Angela's awake," Alice informed me.

I grabbed Angela who was standing in her crib waiting for me, and I brought her back into bed with Alice and me.  Whereas Alice is content to snuggle alongside of me, Angela likes to drape herself across my chest.  I was enjoying the quiet (something I don't experience too often) when I discerned a series of odd puckering noises coming from Angela.  It took a second to register that she was practicing her kissing.  She is very adept at blowing kisses; but, lately, she has been trying to make actual contact with the person she is trying to kiss.  I shifted my gaze down to her at the moment she lifted her head to look at me.  Upon making eye contact with me, Angela stopped her training momentarily and said, "Happy."  She then planted a kiss on my lips.  

I wonder if she registered my heart's reply of "Me too."

Never Say Never

Here is a picture of the girls in their Easter finery.  Yes, I realize that Easter was a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, Angela does not nap anymore so things like downloading pictures from the camera are hard to fit into the day.  I want to state for the record that the matching outfits were NOT my idea.  Although they look cute, I will never be the type of mom who would do matching outfits of my own volition.  Apparently, I am the type of mom who is a total sucker for my four year old who so wanted to match with her sister.

The shopping trip for the Easter outfits started innocently enough.  I had Alice help me find her sister's dress.  We then went into the Little Girl section of the store to look for Alice's.  Right away, she found Angela's dress in her size and she was thrilled.

"Alice, isn't this yellow one pretty?"  I asked hopefully.

"No Mommy.  I want this one."

I pulled a bright pink dress from the rack (another thing that is totally makes me cringe inside; it figures pink would be her favorite color).  I had her now. I had brought out the big guns, or should I say the pink ones?  "How about this one?  It's pink."

"No Mommy.  I want to match Angela," she replied steadfastly.

I was screwed.

As I paid for the dresses, I figured I could shake things up with the shoes. 

No such luck. 

We went to the shoe store and I allowed Alice to find her shoes.  One we got hers, we trooped to the section of shoes in Angela's size.  Before I could even focus on the choices in front of me, Alice honed in on the perfect pair- the ones that matched hers.

She joyfully showed me her find.  I sighed and brought the two boxes to the cashier.  I realized I had been beaten.  Now my only consolation will be the horror Alice will feel as a teenager looking at the Easter 2011 pictures.  It will be a horror that will only be intensified when she learns it was all her idea.