Once she learned that certain shows could be viewed from my computer, she began demanding to watch the moment she woke up. She doesn’t care that there are emails from Daddy waiting to be read.

It’s OK. I’m forcing myself to pray and read first thing in the morning.

As an aside, my oldest son was also an early riser…and I mean early: before 5 AM and raring to go, just like Mary. I remember hearing the sage advice of an experienced mom saying that mothers needed to get up at least a half hour before their children to have some personal time. She, obviously, did not have really early risers. I am an early riser, but I draw the line at 5 AM. I think it is unreasonable for anyone to be expected to get up before then, and my advice to mothers in that position is to have patience and teach your toddler his numbers as soon as possible. When he can identify the number 6, get him a digital clock for his bedroom and forbid him to come out until the first number is a 6. There is hope; you just have to wait three years and pray the next baby likes to sleep late.

After she gets bored with “See Tee” – which I think means “See TV” – she wants “bubbles” in the sink. She makes a mess, but at least I get time to read the latest love note from hubby.

Usually she stands on the step, but she recently learned that she could get higher by standing on the handle. And she has learned that she can continue onto the counter this way. After 6 kids, I’ve seen it all, but that doesn’t make me much calmer when I look over and see her sitting 42″ off the ground.

All I really want is for the kids to keep the bathroom doors closed.

OK, that’s not all I really want. But it’s a good start.

I do have to admire her resourcefulness. She was thirsty, and the door was open. So she climbed up on the counter, sat in the sink and poured herself a cup of water.

This is Mary, of course. The other “she”s in the house know how to get a drink properly: whine.

But yesterday at dinner time, Mary had disappeared. She was right there, and then she was gone. We sent out a hunt, but she fooled us. She now closes doors behind her so we don’t know she’s gotten in. Clever little devil. She was in my bathroom and had gotten her hands on the toothpaste. That blasted Colgate has toddler-friendly flip tops. I really wish Crest would start putting coupons in the paper.

Anyway, there I find her with her hands full of toothpaste. She sees me and knows she’s being naughty, so she runs and tries to hide…behind my bathrobe. The one I just washed the day before.

The one that now needs to be washed again.

One day I’m sure I’ll look back and find this all very funny. That’s why I blog it, right?

The last thing a baby with 5 older siblings needs is more toys. I think we bought Mary the Baby Signing Time videos (Vol I and II) for her 1st birthday.

She loves them.

She watches one or the other every day. And she uses the signs, too. {As an aside, there is not much point to having your baby watch these videos if you don’t too. Mary was signing “ball” a few weeks ago, but I had had my nose in a book during that lesson and had no idea what she was saying.}

These short (30 minute) videos are a fun introduction to sign language. An adult (Rachel Coleman) shows the proper way to make the sign and gives a hint to help you remember it. Then you see children and their parents making these signs too, all while a catchy song is being sung. Two dozen signs are covered in the video which is entertaining for all ages.

I only wish I hadn’t waited until my sixth kid to get these. Mary’s 2nd birthday is coming up in a few months, and I will be getting her the original signing time for older kids. If Signing Time is a favorite of yours, which volumes do you like best?

Him: This is some car. I like this car. I could go places in this car.
Her: Uh, Mom, I could use some help.

Him: Maybe if I try the “Look over there” distraction technique, she won’t notice if I climb in with her.

Him: Okay, you asked for it.

I give her a bowl of cereal, and she has a few bites.

She waves off pancakes and waffles. Although she will chug the syrup if you leave it in her reach.

Toast: she licks off the butter.

Bagels: she sucks off the cream cheese.

She yowls to get into the fridge and selects…tartar sauce with a toddler-friendly pop top (oh, yum!). I have to hide the sticks of butter in the back or she will peel and eat them like bananas.

Sometimes she gets into the ketchup.

Frequently she wants grated Parmesan cheese.

Today she ate a bowl of spaghetti sauce.

At her 18 month old well-baby check up, the doctor was pleased with her weight gain (from the 10th percentile to the 25th). I didn’t want to tell him it was the condiments.

It is the “witching” hour – that time right before dinner when toddlers seem barely hanging on to anything resembling composure and moms are similarly struggling. Mary is, as usual, bewitched. I just need her to hang on for another half hour and then I’ll happily put her to bed.

Relief! She has discovered the muffin tins, and the madeleine tin and – oh, no, I didn’t realize she has one of my Polish Pottery dishes (OK, rescued that one) – and she has laid them out on the floor and is pretending they are stepping stones. She skips gleefully from one to the next, blissfully distracted from all her end-of-the-day stresses.

Disaster! Helpful older sisters and Neighbor Girl (who is staying for dinner) decide that the dishes are not for playing and take them from her.

Thankfully, they returned them immediately when I yelled at them mentioned that I was aware of her activity (I’m sitting ten feet away), and she recovered her good mood.

Nobody noticed her five minutes ago when she took the canister of Carnation Instant Breakfast, ripped off the lid with her teeth, and up-ended the entire thing on the counter and floor. Of course not.

Bill is in an airport in Kuwait waiting for a flight to his final destination. He might be there a while, and he has nothing better to do but read my blog and worry about me. I’m desperately trying to come up with something amusing to write to ease his worries somewhat. I’ve got nothing, although Neighbor Girl, when told he was in Kuwait, asked if it was an “exotic” country. Since her definition of “exotic” did not include “hotter’n an oven” or “sandstorms” I told her no. If you’ve read anything funny recently, feel free to include a link in the combox. We could use a good laugh.