Dinner is finished. Mommy gets out the milk that is the signal of the end of dinner for Swee’Pea and TheMonk. She carefully pours the milk into their cups. But these aren’t the usual sippy cups that have dominated our lives for the past year. No, these are “big kid” cups. No safeguard for the occasional spill.

Mommy is feeling brave.

She momentarily stops to think about the consequences of not using a sippy cup but decides that they have to learn eventually and the only way they’ll learn is to practice. She worries about TheMonk and his rough handling of all things (a boy in every sense). She also worries about Swee’Pea and her penchant for cleanliness. This is not a situation that lends itself to the cleanliness that our little lady prefers.

Nonetheless, Mommy pushes on.

She places the cups on the trays of both Swee’Pea and TheMonk. Swee’Pea’s cup is neon pink and the white milk contrasts sharply with the bold color. TheMonk eyes his blue cup and raises it to his lips. He drinks the milk and handles the cup like a pro. Swee’Pea does the same.

Putting a cup down that doesn’t have a lid, however, poses a new challenge and both Swee’Pea and TheMonk bang their cups down too hard onto their trays. Milk splashes out of their cups and onto the hard surface in front of them.

Predictably, TheMonk doesn’t notice or, perhaps, care. Swee’Pea, on the other hand, notices.

Oh yes, she notices all right.

And it’s not okay.

No, it’s certainly not okay. This is a mess and Swee’Pea does not like messes.

She eyes the spilled milk running around on her tray and she bursts into tears.

I guess she’s too young to know… there’s no use crying over spilt milk.

You knew that was coming, right?

So, I traveled great distance yesterday to attend the L.A. Blogger Party at a house nestled within the Hollywood Hills. Not having really ever spent time in Hollywood I half expected to look into my rearview mirror and see Lindsay Lohan tailgaiting me as I navigated Mullholland Drive. Instead it was a forty-something woman in a Mercedes who very badly wanted to look twenty.

But that wasn’t the highlight of the evening. No, the highlight of the evening was definitely meeting the eclectic mix of great bloggers who attended. Out of the twenty to thirty bloggers who attended (plus significant others) I really only knew the two “daddy bloggers” LA Daddy (who hosted the event with his lovely wife, LA Mommy) and Whit from Honea Express who also attended with his lovely wife. In fact, if there is a theme among Daddy Bloggers, it seems that we all have managed to marry women who are a lot better looking than we are. It must be our way with words.

Aside from the Daddy Bloggers, I did meet some other fantastic people. House of Prince, Tara Met Blog, Rattling The Kettle (Oh, he also falls into the “married up” category. And was fun to talk to as it brought back memories of living in New York), Leah Peah, September 10th and Kitchen Fire. There were others who I know I’m forgetting now, but once LA Daddy gets over his hangover, I’m sure he’ll link all those who showed.

Okay, who’s hosting the next party?

TheMonk and Swee’Pea have begun showing a great interest in singing. Every now and then, one or the other will break out their own rendition of Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or the second-half of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Now I’m not the greatest singer in the world and some of these songs that we listen to tend to get a little old after a while. That is why I’ve begun introducing other songs to Swee’Pea & TheMonk over breakfast. Most of the songs that come to me are Sports Arena songs that any sports fan in America would recognize. I started with “We Will Rock You” but that one didn’t stick. I then tried out “Jump Around” but while they enjoyed watching me jump around the kitchen while singing, it didn’t create the connection I was trying to create with my little ones. Finally, I tried out the “Na, Na, Hey, Hey… Goodbye” song and that’s when magic occured.

Let me just tell you that there’s nothing cuter than two toddlers, sitting in their high chairs, singing “Na-Na-Naaaa-Na… Na-Na-Naaaa-Na… Hey! Hey! Hey!… Good-bye!”

It’s been a favorite now for the better part of the week. I even heard Swee’Pea and TheMonk over the baby monitor singing it together this morning in their cribs. They had forgotten the rhythm but it sure was cute to hear them sing “Naaaa Naaaa Naaaa” together (in harmony, I might add) and then hear the little Monk voice say softly… “Goodbye”.

Next week, we’re moving on to “Who Let the Dogs Out?!”

C’mon, sing it with me… “Woof… Woof-Woof. Woof-Woof!”