Laundry Play Dates and Temper Tantrums

Yesterday, Avery and I had a play date with my good friend Teresa and her two boys.   The plan was, to head over there for lunch, let them all play...and then let them all take naps while Teresa and I had adult time.

Adult time?  I'm sorry, that doesn't compute.

Wednesday  - my washing machine broke.  Or maybe it just decided my running clothes were REALLY stinky.  It washed and washed that load for 5 hours before I clued in to the fact that there was a problem.  (Domestic goddess I am not).  Essentially, the washing machine would not drain the water, so it just kept going back through the wash cycles.  Lucky for me, I had the pre-planned LONG play date for the next day at a friend's house!  Teresa let me bring over some laundry to wash there!  Love her!  Who doesn't want a laundry play date?  


The washing machine repair guy fixed it this morning - a sock got sucked INTO the pump.  Lovely.

The culprit - I always knew my running socks were out to get me!

Avery's favorite toys out of the entire toy store that is Teresa's house were the metal tractor and the tool workbench.  Perhaps my fears of having to figure out how to raise a girly girl will go unrealized?  

Mom, I'm girly!  I love my purses!  Look how fast I can shake them!

The play date just proved to me that I was correct in my choice for Avery's 1st birthday present...

Do you think she would enjoy it if I left it like this?

Putting it together during nap time was a PITA.  I had to hammer these metal top hats onto the ends of each axle.  Needless to say, it was a super quiet assembly.  Maybe Avery knew I was putting together a birthday present, however, because she slept through all the loud banging.

It's pretty dang cute all assembled.  The tailgate even opens.

Earlier this week, Avery threw her first official temper tantrum.  I am so proud.  What was the tantrum about?  I have decided to enforce a "no playing in the dog's water dish" rule.  I am enforcing it by saying sternly "No," pulling her away from the dish and sitting her down a couple of feet away from the dish.  Repeat until she gets it.  For the tantrum, she threw herself back when I went to sit her down - I eased her down so that she didn't crack her head - and then she just laid on the floor and cried.  After a minute, I grabbed my phone to videotape it.  The video doesn't do it justice because she was winding down at that point.  I'm sure I will have many more opportunities.

I'm happy to report that this new approach has been mostly successful, and she has made almost no attempts at the water dish since that day.


Editor's note:  I jinxed it - she got very interested in the water when I refilled it today before posting this.  She gave up after the first no and pull away though.


Tonight, Daddy is going to a happy hour, and since I've already run for the day, we may make a sanity saving trip to Kohl's during the "witching" hour.  Avery is growing too quickly and needs bigger clothes.

That's okay Mom, when I blow raspberries in just my diaper, it's refreshing.

What do you to do for sanity other than running?


What's the most complicated thing you've ever assembled?


Are you handier than me?  Can you fix your own broken appliances?