September 9, 2008 | Mama Smith

makeover

The wallpaper finally got to me. Well, it got to me the minute we moved in, but now it taunts me every morning I wake up with it’s bizarre flowers and their roots floating on a pitch black background. The ceiling painted green with gold stars. The black trim & hot pink polka-dotted ceiling in the hallway. I don’t care if the previous owner was a master interior designer…who plasters a teeny, tiny kitchen with black wallpaper?

So I decided a few weeks ago that the depressing, cave-like atmosphere of our kitchen has to go. Some gracious friends have offered to join us for a painting party on Friday. Where hopefully we’ll knock out as much of the house as we can, starting with the crazy wallpapered parts. 5 gallons of soft gray should do just the trick. And these decals we bought for the boys room. Ahhh, Boodalee, you never disappoint, especially with this new decal collection.

The rest of the week we’re just trying to lay low and rest from a month of visitors, an unexpectedly heightened work load for Matthew, and the latest round of sickness for the boys. Yoga, a glass of red wine, healing foods, in-house movie nights, trips to the zoo are all aiding in this Project Recoup at the Smith house.

random cute story for fellow Dora the Explorer watchers

It seems as if Levi has expanded his vocab in leaps and bounds just overnight. Hearing his little voice suddenly ask for “more juice, please Mama” or “un watch Dora, Mama, un watch Dora and Boots” freaks me out as it came on so fast and unexpectedly, that I feel like there must someone else hiding in the shadows speaking for him. Evidenced in the following scenario…

Brighton (and therefore Levi) is now obsessed with Dora the Explorer, taking me back to Philly days when his first little friend, Olivia, adored this show and we would wonder how Marcy put up with pretending she was “Boots”, Olivia’s (aka Dora’s) sidekick day after day. Now I have succumbed to that role. And Levi as “Swiper”. The thief/fox. Our car trips involve the following scenario over and over and over:

B: Oh no, Boots. Look it’s Swiper! Whadda we do!?

A: sighing, then in a very thrilled voice I don’t know, Dora. What do we do?

B: We’ve gotta stop, Swiper! Say it with me Boots, “Swiper, no swiping! Swiper, NO swiping”

Where Levi always responds in a sneaky Swiper voice,

L: Awwww, maaaan!

18 months old and role playing for his brother. At least he’s not forced to be a girl as Brighton has proudly taken on that role.

Stomping through the mud and watching the massive sprinkler on our trip to the farm this weekend.