I’ve spent the last 12 hours trapped with a 20 month old. Sure, she’s cute with the blonde curls and blue eyes, but there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.” I realize that there are a lot of moms out there who spend all day long with their tots and happily so, I used to be one of those moms, honest! But, I went from being a mom of a 9 and 12 year old to being a mom of a 10 yr. old, 14 yr. old, and a monster toddler – I had completely forgotten how much work one of these critters really is.

The kids are at Nana’s tonight, Mike is working late… again and Maggie and I are here at home finding new and creative ways to tolerate each other and entertain ourselves. I’ve had non-stop, concentrated Maggie action all day long and I really miss my buffers.

It’s not that I don’t like being around Maggie, on the contrary, I worship and adore this child… but when the kids are home we get to share the joy that is Maggie. I feel so selfish getting to have all of this… joy… all to myself.

Maggie obviously realizes that she is alone with me for much longer than normal and that I am the only one here to care for and entertain her because she has become increasingly affectionate as time has passed today. Don’t get me wrong, Maggie is normally a pretty affectionate baby, but today I’m getting the “mommy is my best-est friend” treatment complete with giant hugs and loads of kisses – all of which I enjoy immensely, even if I flinch every time she wraps her adorable little arms around my neck and plants a big, sloppy “mmmm-mah” on my cheek for fear that she might not be completely past that nasty biting phase we’ve all endured for the past few months.

As I am typing this she is plopped in my lap wiggling the mouse fast enough to give me a seizure of some sort and taking octopus-like swipes at the keyboard. She’s already deleted my post once and looks as if she has every intention of doing it a second time. I’m coming perilously close to the point where I begin to entertain thoughts of, “Oh… sure, play with the stapler, whatever makes you happy, sweetheart!”

In the past I’ve posted adorable pics of Maggie looking very angelic and sweet. Today I thought that it might be better to post a picture of Maggie as she has been for most of today… mischevious, cute, endearing… and just flat out obnoxious….