Has it really come to this?

I have just discovered that when I prepare to leave the house with my two daughters, my husband has been surreptitiously checking to be sure that they are actually buckled into their car seats. This is because I have, on three separate occasions, arrived at my destination, gotten out of the car, opened the back door to unbuckle my daughters, and realized they had never actually been buckled in in the first place. I always manage to buckle at least one of them in, but somehow getting to that second child seems to be problematic.

Fortunately, we all arrived home safely. But I wonder...when did I become such an absentminded person?? Is it just the lack of sleep? Or is it the fact that my days are spent cooing to a 2 month old and conversing with a 2 year old? I have to admit, though, that our conversations are getting much more interesting. The other day while Cosette was napping, Juliette and I were sitting at the kitchen table making pink play-doh spaghetti (I did have to keep explaining that it wasn't real spaghetti, please take it out of your mouth...) when Juliette paused, looked me in the eye, and confided "He is a good looking boy, mommy." This startled me a little, as there were no boys around at the moment, and also because I hadn't anticipated having these kinds of conversations for a few more years yet. So I replied, "Who is a good looking boy, Juliette?" Her answer was "Me." "No, Juliette, " I explained, "you are a good looking girl." She thought about it for a minute, and said "Yes, I know."

Ha! She definitely isn't lacking in confidence!

My poor husband, having heard that story several times, no longer finds it very amusing. Also, I am sure he is tired of dinnertime conversations which revolve around the poopiness of poopy diapers. He complained the other night that I've been repeating myself a lot lately, and commented that if I don't go back to work soon that is what all of our conversations will be like. I fear he is correct! But my two daughters bring me so much joy. How can I not be totally content when I look over and see Cosette sleeping quietly while Juliette happily draws pictures? Let's look more closely. Apparently Juliette has decided that it is no fun to draw on paper and is instead happily decorating her leg, hand, and face. As I start running the water for bath #2 while Juliette screams that she doesn't want to wash the "lipstick" off (we have learned the hard way that if you don't wash this stuff off right away, it stays for a few days), Cosette wakes up and starts screaming with hunger. Oh, and Lucy has to go out. And, right on cue, the phone rings...