The Yucky Stuff: A Poem

"I broke the rules" since I didn't understand the Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop rules.  Next time I'll get it right, but for now, I like the ridiculousness I wrote below.  I found the idea for this poem at Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop by clicking the "Inspiration" button before I realized it wasn't one of the prompts of the week. When I clicked again, the prompt disappeared, and 79 clicks later I still couldn't find it.  The prompt went something like this: "Think of a task you'd like someone to do for you.  Write them a poem about it."  

So, here's my poem, dedicated to my husband, who frequently is asked to do...

The Yucky Stuff

I vacuumed, swept, and washed the clothes.

Changed diapers all day,

Wiped Baby's nose.

I baked some bread, tutored a client,

Went for a stroll,

Played fetch at Bryant.

Oh please, oh please, my only wish,

Empty out the dirty dish

That got pushed to the back

Of the shelf below

Forgotten for weeks

In our fridge to grow

- who knows what?

I haven't seen...

Whatever's inside

Oh won't you clean?

The yucky stuff,

The yucky stuff,

I'd like you to do the yucky stuff.

I loaded the dishes, fixed Baby's lunch,

Folded laundry,

Played ball a bunch.

Filled the sippy, read some books,

Tucked Baby in

With loving looks.

Oh please, oh please, if I may ask,

Please take out the diaper trash.

It's filled to the brim

With stinky poo.

I should have emptied it,

Please won't you?

If Baby could speak

I know she'd say,

"It should have gone out

Yesterday."

The yucky stuff,

The yucky stuff,

Won't you take care of the yucky stuff?

I'll pick up the toys,

Make the bed,

Put pretty bows

On Baby's head.

I'll buy the groceries,

Clean the mirrors

Make doctor's appointments

For Baby's ears.

But dog doo?

You!

Spiders, too.

And don't forget

The mystery goo.

Yes, yucky stuff,

The yucky stuff.

Please always do the yucky stuff.

Where's Maisy?

Maisy's been here...

And here...

And here...

DEFINITELY here...

Here too...

Hurricane Maisy!

Maisy's First Kiss

Who would guess we would pick Maisy up from the church nursery tonight and hear about her first kiss???  Not even 14 months old yet!

His name is Joel.  He looks like he's about 3 years old (an older boy!), but I can't be sure since Maisy didn't introduce us to him.

The nursery volunteers say it happened something like this:

Joel and Maisy were playing near each other, when Joel (struck by Maisy's sweetness, I'm sure) puckered up for a kiss.  Maisy spotted her opportunity, puckered up right back, and SMOOCH!  Right on the lips! Apparently, Joel was very excited about his big moment and even did a little dance.

Maisy's reaction?  I'm not sure, but I do know that she only had eyes for mama when I came to pick her up.

Friday Faves: Read-Aloud Favorites

Anyone who knows me knows that this picture of Maisy (snapped just this afternoon) is no accident: Like Mommy like Baby.  Or should I say, "Mommy like, baby like."  I love books - and I especially love a great kids' book!

Here are some of Maisy and Mommy's current read-aloud favorites:

Read-Aloud Pick #1:
Blue Sea
By Robert Kalan
Illustrated by Donald Crews

I originally checked this book out of the library to read with a current young client of mine who is an emergent reader.  When I decided to read it to Maisy, however, she was immediately captivated by the bold illustrations and simple, repetitive phrases.  Maisy bounces with excitement when we open the pages of this book, and she's ready to flip back to the beginning as soon as its finished.

Young ones like Maisy will love the bright pictures.  Older children will enjoy the storyline and predictable prose, and learn about "big, bigger, and biggest" at the same time.




Read-Aloud Pick #2:
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?
By Nancy White Carlstrom

"Jesse Bear, What will you wear, what will you wear in the morning?"

This adorable preschool classic is a prime example of "mommy like, baby like."  I love this sweet book with its happy pictures and song-like rhymes.  After just a couple of attempts, now Maisy reaches for it too!  Jesse Bear takes us through his whole day, from wearing his red shirt in the morning to wearing the moon on his bed at night.  

Don't think your little one is ready to sit still through a whole storybook?  You won't know until you try!

Read-Aloud Pick #3:  

Baby Talk
By Dawn Sirett

"Peek-a-boo!" "Yum-yum!" "Night-night!"

This has been one of Maisy's favorite books for the longest time!  In fact, I had to check to see if I'd blogged about this awesome board book before.  Big baby faces!  Cute baby words! Giant baby lift-the-flaps!  Given a choice, Maisy picks this book almost every time.  If she accidentally skips a page or a flap, Maisy actually notices and goes back to read what she missed.

This book is great to read-aloud, but equally fun for Baby to flip through on her own.  

Maisy's Haircare Secrets

Step 1:  It's important to select just the right brush.

Step 2:  It works best if you dampen it a little before using.

Step 3:  Hand it to your stylist.  If your mom is a ponytail professional, all the better for you!

Step 4:  Smile!  You're a star!

Memories to Keep

Maisy is 13 and a half months old now - is it possible that the second year can go faster than the first?  It seems like it.  I know that the first 6 weeks of Maisy's second year of life has disappeared much more quickly than the same weeks last year.

When I think back to those weeks, I can remember waking up many times each night, and the feeling of victory I felt if she made it three hours between feedings instead of two, four hours instead of three.  The week she began sleeping until 4 am was monumental!  Now she's drinking whole milk from a sippy cup, and the rare nights that she wakes up in the middle feel in some ways harder... I think.  :)  

I remember thinking she slept ALL DAY LONG - and she pretty much did!  Now I cross my fingers that Maisy will take two naps in a day, or at least one long afternoon nap so I can clear away the clutter for round two.

I remember her sweet newborn noises and the adorable kissy face she used to make unconsciously.  Now she's trying out new sounds and words nearly every day, and her breathless "hi hi hiiii" is a greeting I will always treasure.  Her "kissy face" has been replaced by real kisses, with a big upper-lip-to-the-bottom-of-her-nose pucker up that is irresistible.

Our family will grow again someday, maybe soon.  Judging from my mother-of-4 sister's blog, my cluttered house will get clutterier and my mornings will become hectic.  The days will fly by one faster than the other, yet there will always be memories to keep (even if there is seemingly no time or place to keep them).

I love being a mom, even when I'm greeted at 4:45 am with a poopy diaper, a diaper rash, and a rarin'-to-go 1-year-old.  When she's proud of her first crayon scribbles, taking those first few steps into my open arms, or crawling toward me all puckered up for a kiss and a snuggle, it's worth every blowout she ever had.

And that's a whole lot.

"BA!"

Two of Maisy's favorite words are book and ball.  Whenever she sees one, she expresses herself with one-year-old enthusiasm: "Ba! BA BA BA!"

The giant red concrete balls outside the Target entrance are greeted with "Ba!"

She points at a book on her nursery table: "BA!"

The shining display of oranges at the grocery store earn a frantic "BA BA BA BA BA!!!"

One of my favorite "ba" experiences so far, though, happened Wednesday night.  We got home late from Awana, and Maisy was waaaay overtired.  Attempting to lay her down or even soothe her led to screaming, crying, writhing, and general exhaustion-induced tantrumming.

Rick and I tried the usual tricks - rocking (yeah, right!), reading a bedtime story (just led to sobbing "BAs" whenever we put a book down), checking the diaper, pacing the living room floor, singing, putting on music, just plain leave-the-room distraction - on and on for at least an hour.  

Finally, as I rocked her in the chair in her nursery, she spotted an orange plastic basketball that had rolled under her dresser.  She pointed.  "Ba!!!!!"

So, like any desperate parent, I picked up the toy ball, placed it in Maisy's chubby baby hands, wrapped her up in her blanket, and tucked her in.  When I left the room, Maisy was clutching the hard plastic ball to her chest like any other baby might hold a teddy bear.  

Then, sweet relief.  Maisy drifted off to sleep, to dream of basketballs, exercise balls, ball poppers, and bright displays of grocery store oranges.

"Ba!"