Crazy Love Gamble-Style

Today was hard, to put it mildly. Some days parenting brings me to tears, this was one of  those days.  I don't know what it is.  Ava is the sweetest most loving girl.  She can charm the pants off of just about anyone and has a million perfect little qualities...BUT She is driving me bat-shit crazy lately. She KNOWS she is driving me crazy and it seems to just fuel the fire.   Yes, I know what you are thinking, she needs more  attention.  This girl is demanding attention every. single. second.  With out fail, she is asking for something at  all times.   Usually you can find her on me, physically on me.   She is loud, totally obnoxious, sassy, back-talking, instigator of all kinds of trouble, liar, wild and  constantly disrespectful. I am at my whits end.   I talk to her about all these issues until I am blue in the  face, I explain what s...

I'm in so much trouble. This girl is super cute but...  She just discovered the art of climbing on to the couch. Something I have dreaded but knew was coming.   She gets up there, gets a huge grin on her face and runs  across, often crawling up on the arm or leaning her whole body over the arm.  All the while shrieking with laughter.  Today I walked into the living room after her sister, the safety police, started yelling to me something was  wrong and caught Norah just getting up on the glass coffee table.  She jumped to her feet and RAN  across with no regards at all for the edges or gravity or anything, least of all me screaming at her. I try to scold her and put her in time out.  She thinks the whole thing is a game.   She thinks she is freaking hilarious!  I think I have a few more gray hairs.   I wish I knew what to do to stop her. Over and over these...

 Ok, I know I talked trash about them yesterday but Ava was actually really sweet today.  We went to the zoo, she was thrilled and had a great time.  She was also respectful of me needing a  minute to myself today too.  She happily took her  quiet time and then came back very nice & mellow.  Something terrible happened though.  I was cleaning my car and I was doing my best to keep the kids entertained and out  of the street while doing so.  I was super happy that I got the whole inside vacuumed out and car seats rearranged with out  incident.  Then I decided to spray off the outside of the car.   I strapped Norah in her umbrella stroller and let Ava push her  back & forth on the sidewalk while I sprayed the car.  This  SEEMED like a good solution at the time.   Next thing you know I hear Ava screaming for me and I look over and somehow she ended up ...

The craziest thing happened yesterday. The girls were taking a bath & playing, playing, playing like usual when Ava knocked Norah over.  I think she was trying to grab a toy that was on the other side of  her or something and little chick has super limited balance, especially in the water. Ava loves her so much.  I watched her go down and sprung to my feet immediately to save her.  Ok, so far none  of this is strange.  She falls all the time in the bath and usually corrects herself upright and carries on with her playing without incident. This picture cracks me up.  Norah is less then thrilled. But this time was different.  She simply laid down and let the water pour over her head.  She was as  calm as can be, eyes open and completely submerged under the water, totally relaxed.  I grabbed her out as quick as I could and held her upside down, attempting to let any water in her out....