Warning: get with in arms reach of child at your own risk!

And as a foot note to the above title... she may not even be looking at you when she grabs. We have all learned the hard way in the last few weeks that little hands can hold on tight. The other day I hear a strangled "Babe can you help hear?" from my husband only to look over and see that the tornado had gotten a good hold on his beard and was busy making him do what ever it was she wanted. I untangled those little hands only to watch as that little hand shot out and grabbed his beard again. She did not look at him, as a matter of fact she was looking in the opposite direction. Perhaps to lull him into a sense of relative safety. But that little hand meant business... She grabbed and pulled and I watched as my husbands face started to follow a few seconds before his head did. I realized watching his grimace that this could be a valuable tactic if used correctly.
Also the other day I ran to get something in the kitchen leaving my two little girls on the bed only to return to the bedroom to Ashlynn whimpering. She was bent over Taryn, and could not move as Taryn had a very large handful of hair and was playing it close to her chest. Poor Ash kept saying " No baby that's my hair!" She was in tears after only a moment, though I think it was more from hurt feelings, because when I untangled the little fingers from her locks she wanted to know why baby had done that to her. I explained that baby was just learning to use her hands and hadn't done it on purpose and consoled Ash with a hug or two. I also have been relieved of my hair in the last few days. Indeed one day Dave grabbed the babe and his eyes got wide and he called me over to look. There was a few strands of my hair wrapped so tightly around her finger it was red and a little purple looking. " Ouch" he said... I had to ask whether he was talking about her or me.... he thought for a moment and then said... "Both of you I guess!"
But my personal favorite hands down happened to miss Abigail. I have been chasing that dog away from Taryn since she was old enough to put in the swing. Abby is constantly licking her. I personally find that disgusting and so I am always after Abs to get AWAY from the baby. Still she manages to get past my guard and get those licks in. Well I was changing the babe on the couch the other day when Abs slipped in and started a lick fest... but before I could chase her away she started crying. I looked and Taryn had grabbed her tongue and had a good hold on it with that little hand and Abby wasn't able to get her tongue back. Now I know that my response was entirely inappropriate ( as the dog was whining in pain) but I started laughing and I do mean laughing... tears rolling down my face laughing. Strangely enough it startled Taryn into looking at me and letting go of Abby's tongue. It took me a minute until I could tell my curious husband what had just happened... he thought it was pretty funny too, and I kind of looked at it as Karma.
So our house is slowly getting healthy again. It has run the gamut and Ash and T and I are still coughing but getting better. Dave has a sinus infection ( I KNOW RIGHT) which is almost hard to believe as he was on a course of antibiotics for ten days for an ear infection. I still won't let Ash play outside because she is still coughing.... for that matter so am I and so is T. She is not happy with that on the sunny days, but I want her fully recovered! Instead we are watching Disney movies one after another. My life now has a soundtrack to it and it is of those catchy little tunes that are on Tinkerbell and Beauty and the Beast. What is really sad is that I actually dream with those songs going on in my head now and wake up in the morning with the songs running through my head with not even a little bit of an interruption. I guess I am learning what it means to be a stay at home mom of a two year old!
Ashlynn has become a lover of all things princess. I somehow thought when I was pregnant with her that I was going to keep her away from the commercialized princess stuff peddled by Disney... but then I had the kid and had to get real. Just like I swore I wouldn't have a baby that squealed at inappropriate times in the store or a little girl with a high pitched shrill scream that one is going by the way side. Oh how the righteous fall. It is so easy to judge when you are not a parent and haven't been there. Ash has been told since birth that she is my princess... and so she now tells everyone who will listen that " Ashlynn is a princess!" And we have a book on what a princess is that was put out by Disney. Beautiful, kind, brave etc etc and so forth. So she will follow with "Ashlynn is kind! Ashlynn is beautiful!" Well Dave taught her to end her litany with "Ashlynn is modest!" It is really cute to listen to. She is only slightly spoiled. Though I guess I wouldn't say that she is spoiled really. She is a very well behaved child and she listens really well... And she IS kind and beautiful and brave and so many other things too. I will tell her a million times that she is beautiful in the hopes that when she meets that nasty little girl who tries to tell her differently when she is older that she has been told enough that it doesn't shake her confidence. I would shield her from the world if I could. But I know that wouldn't do any good. Still I tell her as often as I can how beautiful she is and how much I love her in the hopes that when I am not with her she has it to hold onto!
So off I go to cuddle my ladies and whisper into their ears that they are loved and cherished before I fall off to sleep. My cousin's best friend lost their 11 month old daughter on Tuesday. The TV fell on her and crushed her. So many little ones in this world lost. I told Dave the other day that the only thing that I can take from all of it is to try and remember to make the most of the time that I have. I want so much to protect them from all of the bad in this world. I would do anything to keep them healthy, to fight the battles for them. But I can't. Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying " Becoming a mother means recognizing from that day forward that your heart resides somewhere other than your own body." How true it is. Remember sweet Skye's family in your prayers tonight, because that mother's heart is broken.