there's a new girl in town

As soon as our car comes to a complete stop in our driveway, my girls go popping out the doors and race up to the house. I have never figured out their hurry since I spend another 3-7 minutes gathering up trash, toys and various other other items from the backseat before I head over to unlock the door for them. Today, while I was struggling to emerge from the car with my wobbly tower of McDonald's boxes and fistful of sandals, my five year old rushed back over to the car flailing an ad flyer that someone had left attached to the door knob of the house while we were out.

"Mommy, can I cut this out and you'll give me magazines to cut a house for it, too?"

Barely noticing the green Geiko gecko on the ad, I quickly made a few computations in my head such as how little I needed another flyer and how many minutes of distraction this cutting activity could provide for my eldest while I put the youngest down for her nap. "Sure, Sweets. Just a minute and I'll get you some magazines."

I opened the door, got rid of boxes, and deposited sandals. I grabbed a couple of magazines out of my unread stack and hollered for my girl to come get them. She quickly snatched them up and then ran upstairs to the guest room where I heard her turn on Sponge Bob and rifle through her craft drawer after her scissors. A minute later, the door shut. She meant business.

All the better for me. I could take on the the two year old one on one. I grabbed a bottle and the less than willing napper and headed to the girls' room to put her in the crib. A few minutes later I emerged victorious from the bedroom and found myself with one child napping and the other industriously building a paper condo for her new lizard friend. I settled into an armchair with my latest Picasso biography and stole some precious minutes for myself. With everyone in the house so happily tucked away, I lost track of the time.

Finally, after what must have been a good hour and a half, I heard the door to the guest room open. The five year old came bounding into view moments later sporting an exceedingly proud countenance.

"Whacha got?" I said

"Look, Mommy. She's a girl."