Grabba Cuppa Coffee and We'll Catch Up

I love the requests to keep you posted about various things 'round here!  Let's catch up then, shall we?

The Great Pacifier Elimination Weekend - It came.  The Paci went.  As predicted (in my wittle brain - I didn't share that prediction with you), Oldest cried harder than Youngest.  Even though I told her this was not her cross to bear.

It was so sweet when I asked Youngest to say a few words about her paci:

"Pathy - I love you.  Have fun in the gawbage."  Then she threw them away ALONE, with Oldest sitting at the table bawling.  I'd laugh, but . . . it wasn't that funny.  And if I'm being honest here, I was a bit teary myself.

How did she do the first night?  Sadly pitiful.  She never asked for it - she would say, "I want ma pac- I want a snack, my blankie, a drink (insert anything that can be placed in the mouth)."  And she really didn't know how to fall asleep without it.  So she was up until 10pm.  Then we had about an hour of wake time at 4am (is there any other time when you feel that half-dead?  Unless you really are half-dead?), but otherwise pretty good.

And she's improved daily.  But I'M over the every evening "Moooommmmmy, can we cuddle?  Mommy, I have a question.  Mommmmmmmy, can you come up heah?"  That's been going on every night about 20 minutes after bedtime - up to an hour.  Mommy ain't gonna be the new paci, sister.  I've got TV to wat- oh, guess I don't have that excuse for a little while, hmmm?

The Family Mission Statement - It's happening over several weeks for those of you who have never done it.  We're going to call it Team Our Last Name.  Well, not Team Our Last Name really, but Team (insert our last name here).  Husband vetoed writing a song of it, which shocked me, actually.  But, whatevs - I'm happy to write that bad boy up (not him for refusing to make it into a song) - the "Famwy Mithion" that is.

Our standout words at Sunday's strategy session (which makes me laugh to call sitting around the dinner table giggling over mission words a "strategy session") were:

1. loving - 3 votes
2. silly, fun, enthusiastic, happy
3. kind
4. noisy with pets
5. awesome
6. dedicated
7. sweet
8. believing - 2 votes
9. musical
10. listeners
11. educated - 3 votes (including an enthusiastic "dedgucated" from Youngest when she heard it - literally giving us all the thumbs up while yelling it)
12. open
13. respectful
14. honest/with integrity
15. supportive
16. committed

Clearly, this Sunday we's gots some work to do, narrowing that abundance down.  

Giving up TV for Lent - an anonymous commenter talked about stocking up on books (check) and projects (not check).  Anyone have tips for extended no TV times?  Projects for kids ranging from 2 to 7 years old?  I can drag them around the house with me decluttering like a Maaaaaaaaddddd woman (go ahead, cackle while reading that, like a maaaaaaaadddd woman would), but it might be nice for them to have some kid-friendly things to do too.  Or hard labor.  I can do either.

And to clarify, no TV means no DVDs, Wii (which we don't have), or "other TV type things" either.  Except for the exceptions mentioned yesterday.  Like LOST - OMG - Tuesday's was gooooooooood.  Pant, pant.

That's all.  Random thoughts and updates by Missy.  You can all start sleeping again.  Phew, you!  Now, to get back to MY sleep issues . . .